2008 Woodie Awards
A local romance
After three long decades and countless rejections, Glen Carbon native and SIUE alumna Peggy Hillmer lands the book deal she had been dreaming of since she was a teenager.
Matthew Schroyer
Issue date: 7/5/07 Section: Lifestyles
Peggy Hillmer's workplace has seen a few famous cameos. Those rare appearances were not made by big Hollywood stars, but that difference is lost in crowds of people lined up in front of Piece of Mind Books. The people at the center of the hubbub are, instead, famous authors. Mitch Albom, the New York Times bestselling author and author of "The Five People You Meet in Heaven" are among these A-listers.
It won't be long, though, before another author is added to Piece of Mind's extensive list of book-signing visits. Except, this time, it will be one of their own - Hillmer herself.
Hillmer is a cashier by day and author by night who was recently given the green light to have a manuscript published. The genre is romance; the publisher is Harlequin Enterprises.
The story, tentatively titled "A Challenge to Love," is about the relationship between two people left in a will. The will, as it turns out, is a contest for the CEO position and all the stock for a major Chicago company. While they are accomplishing the tasks of the will, they fall in love.
"I refer to it as 'Romeo and Juliet' meets 'The Apprentice,'" Hillmer said.
Hillmer's goal with the story was to show what it means to be in a family. The hero has been adopted and is trying to "earn his way into the family." The heroine is illegitimate, and never felt as if she belonged. Hillmer said she thinks the Harlequin American Romance series provided a good format to express her ideas.
"I thought the Harlequin American Romance line makes that accessible to people," Hillmer said.
What the book doesn't have, however, is sex. But, Hillmer notes, that isn't the point.
"They don't get along well enough to have sex," Hillmer said. "It has sexual tension in it, of course, because it is a contemporary romance."
The book, which was started in 2005, was born out of the frustration of a rejection letter from a publisher.
"I needed something to make me feel better," Hillmer said.
It won't be long, though, before another author is added to Piece of Mind's extensive list of book-signing visits. Except, this time, it will be one of their own - Hillmer herself.
Hillmer is a cashier by day and author by night who was recently given the green light to have a manuscript published. The genre is romance; the publisher is Harlequin Enterprises.
The story, tentatively titled "A Challenge to Love," is about the relationship between two people left in a will. The will, as it turns out, is a contest for the CEO position and all the stock for a major Chicago company. While they are accomplishing the tasks of the will, they fall in love.
"I refer to it as 'Romeo and Juliet' meets 'The Apprentice,'" Hillmer said.
Hillmer's goal with the story was to show what it means to be in a family. The hero has been adopted and is trying to "earn his way into the family." The heroine is illegitimate, and never felt as if she belonged. Hillmer said she thinks the Harlequin American Romance series provided a good format to express her ideas.
"I thought the Harlequin American Romance line makes that accessible to people," Hillmer said.
What the book doesn't have, however, is sex. But, Hillmer notes, that isn't the point.
"They don't get along well enough to have sex," Hillmer said. "It has sexual tension in it, of course, because it is a contemporary romance."
The book, which was started in 2005, was born out of the frustration of a rejection letter from a publisher.
"I needed something to make me feel better," Hillmer said.
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marciamorrison
Marcia Morrison
posted 7/09/07 @ 2:12 PM CST
It's nice to see someone follow through with their ideas and dreams; congratulations on your talent and perseverance Peggy. She shows us all that it's not too late to push ourselves and make sacrifices when needed to accomplish our goals. (Continued…)
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