Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 11

Saturday Puzzle-Contest: AI Software & Spaceship in Candy Land

As usual, I had no idea what sort of theme I’d use for today’s puzzle when I opened my favorite stock art site to find a photo for the puzzle. What did I see when I opened the site that wasn’t there the last time I opened their webpage? An invitation to try their AI-picture generating program!

I’m super late to the AI game. Right now, do I really want to learn something new? When I type that, I realize I sound really, really old. I’m not old and cranky and resistant to change, I think. I’m more in the style of my own mother (rest her soul), who embraced Facebook, email, and online games in her seventies. She was the most “down-with-it” woman in her art guild and wrote and distributed their on-line newsletter. When she passed, it died because no one wanted to fiddle with the website.

I can’t be tech-averse. I started writing on old manual typewriters, but very quickly fell in love with electric, and was the first on my block to own a personal computer (a Radio Shack TRS-80, “trash-80”) because I could then deep six the white out! And I could save a file—an entire document that I could come back to any time I wanted? I was in heaven. Let’s not talk about printers—okay, I have to share one story.

I remember writing/assembling/editing a large document that contained the details of our team’s inspection of a unit’s battle readiness. We did this at the post’s data center and printed out a large box of punched cards to carry to the computer and load to get the printed report (it was as thick as a manual). You did not want to load the cards out of order or, heaven forbid, scatter them on the floor, or you had to print the cards all over again. Want revisions of the document? Trash the cards you have, make the changes to the document on the computer, then print the whole box of punch cards again. But that was still so much better than what we’d had before.

Now, we’ve got this AI thing that kids are using to generate their essays for school, writers are using to generate ideas for stories, and some are even using to write their dang books!!! I feel like a luddite—someone opposed to new technologies. That all just feels like cheating. Or laziness. Or… Um, now I’m thinking I should be playing with some online AI program to catch up. Am I missing out on something wonderful? Or are we setting ourselves up to be taken over by an AI monster like the Terminator’s Skynet?

Anyway, I tried the website’s AI photo generator, typing in the first thing that popped into my mind: Spaceship in Candy Land. Today’s puzzle is that photo! Have fun!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you’ve tried one of the online AI programs. Tell me the program you used, what you used it for, and how did you like the results? 

The post Saturday Puzzle-Contest: AI Software & Spaceship in Candy Land first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Krysten Lindsay Hager: F*R*E*E for a Limited Time — Coming of Age Romance about Finding One’s Path & True Love

Imagine thinking you have it made in life where your dreams came true only to have the bottom fall out….

Paige Kramar thinks she has it made with a role on the TV soap opera, Charmed Lives. Then everything changes when her co-star (and TV heartthrob) Lance Cunningham’s bad behavior gets him suspended from the network. Her role is put on hold because she was about to be revealed as his secret sister. She starts getting pressured by her family to study something in school that would lead to job security in the future. She winds up taking a journalism internship where she’s not taken seriously since she’s an actress. Then one day she steps up in a big way to help out a sportscaster named Ted who sees she has an eye for putting together news stories.

Ted gives her an opportunity to work with him and mentors her. She goes from feeling insecure about her future to believing in herself and her abilities. Along the way, she meets a hockey player named Viktor who is also dealing with his own self-confidence and trust issues. Paige and Viktor begin to find support in one another and start falling for each other, but they are both fresh off of break ups and dealing with trust issues. Then her pop star ex-boyfriend comes back into the picture. Can Paige find true love and purpose?

Find the book here for free for a limited time!
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/Falling-Star-City-Hockey-Romance-ebook/dp/B0CVXHF8DL
Amazon Aus: https://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B0CVXHF8DL

Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/208865198-falling-for-a-star-in-the-city

Follow Krysten here: www.krystenlindsay.com

The post Krysten Lindsay Hager: F*R*E*E for a Limited Time — Coming of Age Romance about Finding One’s Path & True Love first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Gabbi Grey: I have an addiction… (Contest–2 Winners!)

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Archer’s Awakening is a short story in my Love in Mission City world. As of just a few days ago, the audio, narrated by Michael Dean, has been released into the world. (Well, available for purchase on Audible, at least.)

My addiction? Audiobooks. Seems pretty tame. Not smoking, drinking, gambling, or pot (which is legal in Canada, thank you). Nope, I love audiobooks. I have a membership with Audible, I pick up Chirp books on sale, and I look over Kobo promos all the time. I try to be judicious in what I buy, but I wasn’t always that way, and so I have thousands of audiobooks I have yet to listen to. I’ll never get through them all. I’m also on a review team where I get free gay romance audios in exchange for writing honest reviews. That team has introduced me to authors of whom I’ve become big fans.

So what’s the problem? (Aside from having more listening pleasure than I’ll ever get to?) Audio is expensive. Now, I’m a HUGE fan of libraries.  I think they’re wonderful places — especially for those with fewer resources. More than half of my ebooks and more than half of my audiobooks are available to libraries around the world. Now, for most library systems, a member of the public has to request my book(s). I’ll tell you, I love it when readers do that. I treasure every library checkout. Generally, it pays less than if someone buys my book outright, but just knowing someone out there thought enough of my book to find it means everything.

Quickly — why aren’t all of my audiobooks available for libraries? Audible offers authors a choice: higher royalties and review codes, or lower royalties and the ability to sell elsewhere. Uh…  Yeah. Just like with Kindle Unlimited (authors can only be with Amazon if they want their books in KU), authors face, frankly, an unfair choice. There’s a sweet spot — be with Audible exclusively until sales wane. Then, pull the books, take the lower royalty, and move your books to a wider distribution. That said, some authors whose sales never wane or who dread the process of going wide, find that daunting. I get it. It’s a lot of work.

And when I say wide, I mean wide. I’m in every market I’m able to access. Chirp, Kobo, Kobo Plus, Google Play, Apple, Everand, Overdrive, B&N, Bookmate, Audiobooks.com, Spotify, Hoopla, Storytel, etc. (You can be forgiven if you’ve never heard of Storytel — I hadn’t either.  Turns out my gay romances are very popular in Scandinavia — Sweden in particular).  Some of these places require outright purchases, while others are subscription-based. Again, I get to see my books being listened to. And more than half of my ebooks are in many of the same retailers, so feel free to search and, where appropriate, request.

All that said, I’m going to be honest and say I’ve lost money putting so many of my books in audio. I’m a firm believer in accessibility, so listening helps readers who can’t process the written word (poor eyesight, physical impairment, reading issues, amongst others). I also believe in flesh-and-blood narrators.  It’s super tempting to use Virtual Voice or any of the other AI narration tools which are vastly less expensive — but I prefer actual people to perform my books. I’ve worked with Michael Ferraiuolo, Michael Dean, and Robert Hatchett. All have been amazing. And I hope to work with some of my favorite female narrators in the future.

Okay, so that’s all things audio. I go through publishing them in fits and spurts, and I’m in a production phase right now where I’m putting out a whole pile in a short period of time. This year I’m focusing on two series: my books in the multi-author Friend of Gaynor Beach Animal Rescue, and my Love in Mission City series. I’m getting positive reviews for all the books, so I know I’m on the right track. I also chose to put my recent YA book, Didn’t See You Coming on audio, and I have to say, Michael Ferraiuolo nailed the performance.

Thanks, Delilah, for hosting me! I hope this gives your readers an insight into the audio sales process. I’d love to give a prize to a lucky commenter. I’ll happily give an audio copy of Rayne Check to one commenter and Didn’t See You Coming to another. If you have that audio, I can offer up something else. If you don’t do audio, I’m happy to give copies of one of my books. So let me know — have you made the leap to audio? What might attract you to choose one book over another? Drop a comment in and Random will pick a winner!

Archer’s Awakening

Archer

I’ve spent the last fifteen years becoming the most sought-after divorce attorney in Vancouver. I use every hidden fact and every psychological trick to protect my clients and get the best settlements possible. I have a wait-list for my services a mile long.

Ironically, I didn’t see my own divorce coming. My wife cheated on me, and now I’m alone. As long as I’m rebuilding my life, this is the time to explore the bisexual side I’ve shelved since college. And hell yeah, I do like men, but the idea of one-night stands leaves me feeling empty. Might the right person still be out there for me? Should I go back to dating women?

I just don’t know.

Archer’s Awakening is a 10k steamy gay romance short story about a man on the precipice of a new life yet struggling to leave his old life behind.

Links:
Audible:  https://www.audible.com/pd/Archers-Awakening-Audiobook/B0FC32Y86R
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Archers-Awakening-Mission-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B0DZ3NQNY1
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/archer-s-awakening
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/archers-awakening-gabbi-grey/1147281840
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/archers-awakening/id6744618670
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details/Gabbi_Grey_Archer_s_Awakening?id=uYFVEQAAQBAJ&gl=US
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1747321
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/ArchersAwakening

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

The post Gabbi Grey: I have an addiction… (Contest–2 Winners!) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Krysten Lindsay Hager: New YA Summer Romance Release: Summer of Possibility

I’m excited to share with you my latest YA romance set in a lake town with a cute bookstore, adorable cottage, and all the cozy vibes. This book world was my escape during a difficult time in my life, and I hope Bloomington Shores and the lake cottage are a sweet escape for you as well. I went a little lower angst with this one and created a setting with a cottage you want to tuck away in with a good book, a bookstore you want to browse in for hours, and a cast of characters I hope you love.

Check it out here:

Cagney Innes thinks all her dreams are about to come true as she’s accepted into a prestigious summer writing workshop with her boyfriend. It softens the sting of the fact she was wait-listed by almost every college she applied to. Everything seems perfect until the workshop head dashes her dreams during a critique session. Her Aunt Emily invites her to the family lake cottage, where she can relax at the beach and think over her plans for the future.

In Bloomington Shores, Cagney finds a tight-knit community that supports one another and a bookstore that needs saving. The owner of the bookstore’s grandson, Max Brazil, is a college freshman hockey player who Cagney starts off on the wrong foot with, but who ends up becoming the guy she starts falling for. Max is dealing with a recurring injury that threatens his playing days. He’s trying to figure out if there’s life without hockey if his injury doesn’t properly heal. The two begin a friendship and become each other’s biggest supporters. Then Max leaves for a summer hockey program, and the two continue talking long-distance. With her family and Max’s support, Cagney’s got a new lease on life and her writing. However, her ex comes to town just as Max comes back early, eager to see Cagney.

Not only does her ex complicate things, but Max is also offered a position covering hockey overseas, which might be the perfect solution for him if he can no longer play. Right as Max is making his decision, Cagney gets accepted by two of the colleges she was wait-listed for—her dream school, which is across the country, as well as the school Max currently attends, and which is closer to her aunt and Grandpa in Bloomington Shores. Cagney needs to make the decision to either stay near her family and focus on her writing (and possibly her relationship with Max if he stays), or take the chance to attend a prestigious university that will open doors for her in the big city. Will Cagney follow her head or her heart?

****It’s free in Kindle Unlimited!****
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0FCDYZZLN/
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0FCDYZZLN
Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0FCDYZZLN
Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0FCDYZZLN
Add it on Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236013030-summer-of-possibility
Website: https://www.krystenlindsay.com/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@krystenlindsay
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

The post Krysten Lindsay Hager: New YA Summer Romance Release: Summer of Possibility first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Health Update

Some of y’all have been following my cancer journey, so I’ve been open about my experiences in the hope that it helps another person who might be facing the same journey.

Yesterday, I went to the clinic for my regularly scheduled Jemperli infusion. My third one, or it was supposed to be. Jemperli is a medicine I was tolerating well, that only required me to come in every six weeks. I had no side effects that I could detect. Everything was good.

Well, after fully reviewing all the results from my surgery on April 1st, which involved removing all my girlie parts plus my omentum, he determined there were still microscopic “remnants” of cancer in my body, so he wanted to switch my treatment protocol to another set of meds which would more aggressively treat the cancer that remains.

I will now be receiving infusions of another immunotherapy drug called Keytruda, plus a daily pill called Lenvima. As well, I will be going for infusions every three weeks. This will continue, possibly for the rest of my life, or perhaps (hopefully), until I reach remission and I’m deemed “cured.”

I got my first Keytruda infusion yesterday. After I came home, I felt completely wiped out. I sat watching TV for the remainder of the day and went to bed early, sleeping like a rock. For the next few days, I’ll be very conscious of what my body is telling me so I know what this experience will be going forward and whether I need to block out days on my calendar, like I did during chemo, to make sure I can plan my life better.

The list of normal aftereffects of this protocol are many. Fatigue (check), diarrhea, shortness of breath, kidney problems, liver problems, headaches, rapid heartbeat, skin rashes, mouth sores, dizziness, and on and on. Whether I have all or some of these “usual” aftereffects, I’ll let you know.

So, yes, I’m not happy, but my oncologist did start with the positive news that my CA-125 cancer antigen test number has improved again. At my worst, it was 1100. Now it is 15, which is within “normal” range. So, yes, I’m doing so much better, but I’m not happy about more frequent treatments and a stronger medication protocol, but it is what it is.

The most important thing I’m going to focus on right now and going forward is that I’m still here. My family keeps me grounded and happy. I won’t go without a hard damn fight.

The post Health Update first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Gabbi Grey: Did Some Say Rucking?!?! (Contest)

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Hot Rucking Canadian is the second book in the Rucked by You series, and I’m hoping readers will love it!

I know — you’re thinking rucking? If you’re a rugby fan, then you’re familiar with the term. I wasn’t. In fact, I knew almost nothing about the sport. Did something like my ignorance stop me from signing up to join this multi-author themed series? Of course not! I love challenges. Immersing myself in rugby enough to learn the game was fun! I especially loved the limited series on Prime – All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks.

Intense. Really freaking intense. I became a fan even as I winced every time a player took a hit. I thought football was violent! Well, football is violent.  But rugby has many of the same hits — just without the padding. Ouch. And plenty of concussions, injuries, and just general chaos.  I loved it.

Now, the All Blacks have a special spot in my heart. I’m half Kiwi (I’m adopted, but my bio dad is from New Zealand). I’m only starting to connect with the NZ side of my family as I met my dad three years ago and have been sporadically corresponding with an aunt back there. Every time I see my dad now, I get a taste of the accent.

Okay — so I’d watched the series. I’d learned about the game. Now…I needed a story. I had some ideas, and I turned to my plot whisperer, and together we banged out what I thought was a really good story about a rebar guy and a rugby player for the fictional Vancouver Orcas team. (Because, of course, I had to set the story in Canada! After all, we have a growing rugby fandom and two amazing national teams.)

Badarse and Marshmallow (you have to read to find out about the nicknames) are polar opposites. Their worlds are never supposed to intersect. Except one night at a gay bar and…yeah. Hookup.

Only Badarse slips out before morning and figures he’ll never see Mallow again. But wouldn’t you know it, there’s the guy on the television screen.

Badarse is intrigued. The one man he’s met who he can’t forget.

I thought this was a cute story — opposites attract, age gap, sports, and gay romance. Something a bit different for me. I’m hoping readers will pick up and fall in love with this novella — with Travis and Isaiah.  There might even be a trip to New Zealand packed in there somewhere.

And…because I enjoyed writing this book so much, I just had to write a second one. That will be book 8 in the series, and I’ll be back to chat about it closer to the publication deadline. I invite readers to check out all of the books in the series. Great romances, all of them.

Thank you, Delilah, for inviting me to visit today. As a thank you to one of your readers, I would love to gift a copy of Hot Rucking Canadian. Just leave a comment — what’s your favorite sport to read about in romance? Or what’s one you haven’t seen that you’d love to see more of? One commentor, selected by Random, will win. Good luck!

Hot Rucking Canadian 

Travis

After a hard day’s work at my construction job, I decide to head to a gay bar to hook up. Then the man of my dreams walks in—tall, dark, handsome, and totally built. Sounds like a fairy tale. And maybe it is. We have one unforgettable night, then I steal away in the night, because I don’t do repeats. But when I see him on television the next day, I realize I haven’t had my fill of the sexy rugby player. He might not want to see me again, after I ditched him, but I have to try.

Isaiah

Waking up alone after a night of spectacular sex isn’t the end of the world. I shouldn’t feel lonely. After all, I’ve got my squad—my best friends on and off the pitch. I’ve also got my mom, whom I love, and my dad’s family back in New Zealand. I’m playing pro rugby for adoring fans in Vancouver, my dream come true. Having one hookup leave me without so much as thanks and goodbye shouldn’t hurt. But when he reappears at a game, I’m in big trouble. No one ever made me want them like this, after just one night. If I let Travis into my life again, am I just courting heartbreak the next time he walks away?

Hot Rucking Canadian is a 26k novella about a rugby fullback who embraces life, a grumpy construction worker who always sees the worst in life, and the love story that spans across an ocean.

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rucking-Canadian-Rucked-You-ebook/dp/B0F7XTX7ZC
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Rucking
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/233337608-hot-rucking-canadian

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

The post Gabbi Grey: Did Some Say Rucking?!?! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Report Card & Open Contests

I could use a little nudging to get stuff done, y’all. I’m enjoying the sun and the pool a little too much. I have work to do. ~DD

Report Card

Last week…

I didn’t accomplish much of anything. I had the entire week, without any editing gigs going on, and I did zero writing.I did read through what I have of Ignition , the last of the Delta Fire stories, to refamiliarize myself with the story and come up with ideas about how to finish it. (BTW, I still don’t know how I’m going to finish it. )I swam every day the weather cooperated. The pool is now a lovely 85 degrees. I’m not gasping when I sink beneath the surface. I’m getting my exercise in!Healthwise, I got a blood draw at the hospital in preparation for next Monday’s immunotherapy appointment. My cancer antigen test continues to show improvement. At my worst, the CA-125 level was at 1100. Last Thursday’s test was a lovely, normal 15.The #the100dayproject challenge ended for everyone else. I honestly thought about ending my participation, too, but I only have 20 pieces to go, so yesterday, I restarted, and this is what I painted. (I love using the real coffee, watercolor paint…the colors, the scent…)

This next week…

I’ll restart work on Ignition—writing new words. Lord, I hope this is the last time I will say that.I’ll continue painting to complete #the100dayproject.I’ll hopefully have time to take pictures and reopen my Etsy shop for the summer to sell some of the bookmarks and small paintings I’ve been making!Open Contests

Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs:

Gabbi Grey: When Life Delivers Lemons… (Contest) — This is the last day to enter! Win TWO BOXED SETS of stories!Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway! — This one ends soon! Win a SIGNED BOOK!Gabbi Grey: Five Years! (Contest, plus F*R*E*E Read) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book, and get your FREE read!Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Lost in Space — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!May Into June (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Mary Annette Anderson Smith – First African American Woman in Phi Beta Kappa (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Celebrate Repeat Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Gabbi Grey: The Story that Happened When I Wasn’t Looking (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!It’s Drive-in Movie Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Saturday Puzzle Contest — Morning Cup of Joe — Win an Amazon gift card!The post Report Card & Open Contests first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Saturday Puzzle Contest — Morning Cup of Joe

I’ve been up since about 4:30 AM. I couldn’t go back to sleep, so I created a watercolor of a cup of coffee with steam rising from the cup. Looks like a tree trunk. LOL

Anyway, I’m posting this quickly because I have to shower. We’re going Flea Market shopping this morning! One of my favorite things to do! I hope I find some treasures!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle to see what I painted, then comment on any plans, big or small, that you have for today! Happy Saturday! 

The post Saturday Puzzle Contest — Morning Cup of Joe first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

It’s Drive-in Movie Day! (Contest)

Today is Drive-In Movie Day. Drive-in movies are no longer a thing. If you can find a drive-in theater, it’s a kitschy, retro thing. However, a long time ago (yes, I’m dating myself), these were very, very popular.

When I was a child, my father was an airman in the Air Force and had to work extra part-time jobs to support our family—so, not a lot of money for anything except the necessities. My mother sewed our clothes, sewed Barbie clothes (mine was the best dressed in the neighborhood!), and entertainment wasn’t something we paid for except for special occasions. We had a green station wagon to haul our family around inside. There were six of us, so we had to have the larger car.

One of my earliest memories was a trip to the drive-in. We went to see Cat Balou (released in 1965 and starring Lee Marvin and Jane Fonda). My mother popped a pillowcase of popcorn, brought drinks, and we brought sleeping bags (camping was another cheap entertainment we enjoyed). We folded down the backseat of the station wagon and rolled out the sleeping bags in case the younger kids fell asleep during the movie. We propped the speaker in Dad’s window and watched the show. I can still remember the tinny sound of that speaker, but didn’t mind. It was pure magic.

Cut away to college in the late 70s. We had a drive-in theater in our little Arkansas town, and yeah, we were still cash-strapped. I was barely in college, but had a Chevy Impala with a very roomy trunk. You paid per person rather than per car, so we loaded four or five kids into the trunk while my brother sat in the front seat with me. We had to wait until the sun went down to pop the trunk and let our passengers out. If you can imagine a bunch of teenagers, giggling like mad, farting and moaning, it was hilarious for my brother and me, but we loved going to the drive-in with friends.

The most memorable experience was when I took my sister (Elle James) to see The Texas Chainsaw Massacre at the drive-in. And now, you can imagine what happened. In the middle of the most stressful scene, where we were already sinking in our seats due to the horror on the screen, someone at the back of the drive-in revved up a chainsaw. You never saw cars fly out of a place so fast. We were right there with them, screaming and laughing. Needless to say, we missed the end of the movie.

That drive-in theater closed years ago. It couldn’t compete with the large, multi-screen theaters, and I’m sure there were fewer and fewer folks willing to endure the mosquitoes in a hot humid summer. I miss it, though. I wish there was one nearby so I could share that experience with our kids now.

So, those are my stories. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, let me know whether you’ve ever been to a drive-in movie. Share your experience. Or if you haven’t, what was your most unusual movie theater experience?

The post It’s Drive-in Movie Day! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Gabbi Grey: The Story that Happened When I Wasn’t Looking (Contest)

Hello, Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss the latest charity project I’m involved with!  This is my fourth year involved in the Love is All project, and the eighth edition of this great series.

When Xio Axelrod invited me three years ago, I was so honored. I was a newbie queer author, but my first book had been noticed by someone who knew someone and an offer was extended.  I can still remember getting the message inviting me to be part of Volume 5.  The rest, for me, is history. I fully intend to participate in every future anthology until either the franchise folds or they become tired of me (or I die, retire from writing, or… fill in the blank). In other words, I’m completely committed to this. We’ve raised thousands of dollars for various LGBTQ charities, and this year we’re going to raise even more!

So…my story…

I’m doing two anthologies this month.  One is a wedding anthology, and one is this one.  I took ‘gay wedding’ to Plot Whisperer, and we had a blast plotting out an enemies-to-lovers brothers of the brides romcom romp.  Basically, the two guys don’t get along, but their sisters are in love and getting married. So, the brothers, both standing up for their beloved sisters, agree to bury the hatchet for as long as it takes for their sisters to wed. Only…things aren’t quite that simple.  Now, the anthology that the story appears in comes out later this month (drop by this blog later in the month for those details).

Great! I had my story plotted.

Plot Whisperer and I communicate what is early morning for me and late evening for her.  That just works (because she’s literally on the other side of the globe).  I went off to work, and she went to bed.

Or so I thought.

About ten minutes later, she came back and said, “Please write me a lesbian wedding short story.”

Huh.

Of course!  While the brothers are getting up their shenanigans, I had another story to tell!  Let me tell you, writing two short stories that take place at the same time was much, much, much harder than I thought it might be.  I managed — but with lots of note taking and some rewriting, stops and starts as I tried to figure out which story needed to be written first.  Truthfully, at this point I think they were pretty much written at the same time, and I can’t even say which hit the end first.

I had approached Xio and asked if she had a preference for a sapphic or gay story for Love is All.  She said she’d love to read the sapphic wedding short story, so I was happy to give that to her. The New Romance Café was thrilled with my gay brothers of the brides’ story, and I was just so relieved I pulled it off.

I hope people enjoy Stephanie and Taryn’s story.  Epic proposal through to a fun romp through wedding festivities.  All the while, the brides are trying to figure up what their brothers are up to.

Never fear — Cooper and Lachlan’s story is coming soon!

I had a blast.  I hope readers have just as much fun reading the stories.  And we’re also raising money for a worthwhile cause, which makes things all the sweeter for me.

Thanks for hosting me, Delilah. And for letting me share my story!  As a thank you, I would love to give away a $5 Amazon GC to one lucky winner.  I’d love to hear — have a cute wedding story? Safe for work, of course! I have a friend who has a story about wayward cows on the road.  I don’t have anything that entertaining, but I’d love to hear your story.  Random will select one commenter to win. Good luck!

Love is All

This limited-edition anthology features fifteen swoon-worthy novellas and short stories by award-winning and bestselling authors, including A.D. Ellis, Carrie Ann Ryan, Connor Peterson, Gabbi Grey, Jodi Payne, J.R. Gray, Lee Blair, M.A. Wardell, Piper Malone, R.L. Merrill, Skylar M. Cates & Rinda Elliott, Sophia Soames, Susan Scott Shelley & Chantal Mer, Tara Conrad, and Xio Axelrod.

All proceeds from the anthology will benefit an organization dedicated to defending LGBTQIA+ rights.

Love Is All: Volume 8 is only available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://www.books2read.com/LIAV8
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Love-All-8-Xio-Axelrod-ebook/dp/B0F8VTG8JP
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-is-all-xio-axelrod/1147487039
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-is-all-volume-8
Apple:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/love-is-all-volume-8/id6745848319
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/234243118-love-is-all

Bios for the authors

Xio Axelrod

Xio Axelrod is a USA Today bestselling author of different flavours of contemporary romance. She also writes what she likes to call strange, twisted tales. Xio grew up in the music industry and began recording at a young age. When she isn’t writing stories, she can be found in the studio, writing songs, or performing on international stages (under a different, no-so-secret name). She lives in Philadelphia with one full-time husband and several part-time cats.

Chantal Mer

Chantal Mer never set out to write books. Yet here she is, and she’s having a blast. Happily ever afters for everyone make her heart sing.

​When she’s not writing, Chantal can be found walking her adorable dog, going to musical theater with her daughter, observing the night sky with her husband and his telescope, and learning about the latest advances in video games with her son. Give her a book and a glass of wine and she’s in her happy place. Chantal lives outside of Philadelphia with her husband, two teens, her sweet pup, Miss Toffee and her big orange tabby, Simba.

JR Grey

Gray is a cynical Chicago native, who drinks coffee all day, barely sleeps, and is a little too fashion obsessed. He writes romance sprinkled with kink, and hot as hell, dark and angsty characters because everyone deserves a happily ever after. Gray uses He/Him pronouns.

Jodi Payne

Jodi Payne takes herself way too seriously and has been known to randomly break out in song. Her queer MCs are imperfect but genuine, stubborn but likable, often kinky, and frequently their own worst enemies. They are characters you can’t help but fall in love with while they stumble along the path to their happily ever after. For those looking to get on her good side, Jodi’s addictions include lattes, a nice cabernet and tequila any way you pour it.

Lee Blair

Lee Blair is a queer author and screenwriter from Oregon who writes low-angst, LGBTQIA2S+ contemporary romance full of sweet, steam, fun, and laughs. She’s constantly amused by the antics of her two ginger cats, spends too much time daydreaming about her next trip to Scotland, and considers starting hobbies its own hobby. Much like buying books and reading books are separate hobbies.

Piper Malone

Piper Malone’s award-winning novels enchant readers with heartfelt, authentic romances. Her stories include a cast of unforgettable characters in a variety of romantic pairings. With snappy one-liners and witty banter, Piper wants her readers to laugh, swoon, and enjoy a well-deserved vacation.

Gabbi Grey

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Susan Scott Shelley

USA TODAY bestselling author Susan Scott Shelley writes romance with heat and heart that celebrates love without limits. She enjoys watching hockey, training for her next run, reading romance novels, and binging episodes of her favorite British TV shows. A city girl who likes being out in nature as often as possible, she has yet to meet a plant she hasn’t wanted to take home and she really wants a pet crow.

Tara Conrad

Tara Conrad is the author behind dark, seductive love stories that burn with passion and power. Her novels dive deep into the shadows of desire, blending emotional intensity with morally gray characters, high-stakes drama, and gripping plots that refuse to let go. Known for her hauntingly beautiful prose and unforgettable love stories, Tara crafts romances where obsession, betrayal, and devotion collide, leaving readers breathless from the first page to the last.

Tara’s married to her soulmate and Dominant, George. They are about to celebrate their 30th anniversary and are more in love today than yesterday. George encouraged Tara to start writing, and with each passing day, she’s more thankful for his insistence that she tell her stories and his partnership on this journey. There’s no one else in this world she’d ever want by her side. He is her happily ever after.

A.D. Ellis

A.D. Ellis is an Indiana girl, born and raised. She spends much of her time in central Indiana as a teacher in the inner city of Indianapolis, being a mom to two amazing teens, and wondering how she and her husband of nearly two decades haven’t driven each other insane yet. A lot of her time is also devoted to phone call avoidance and her hatred of cooking.
She loves chocolate, wine, pizza, and naps along with reading and writing romance. These loves don’t leave much time for housework, much to the chagrin of her husband. Who would pick cleaning the house over a nap or a good book? She uses any extra time to increase her fluency in sarcasm.
A.D. uses she/they pronouns.

R.L. Merrill

Whether she’s writing contemporary romance featuring quirky, queer, and relatable characters or diving deep into the supernatural to give readers a shiver, R.L. Merrill loves creating compelling stories that will stay with readers long after closing the book. Ro writes inclusive romance for the Happily Ever After collective, contributes paranormal hilarity to Robyn Peterman’s Magic and Mayhem Universe, and pens horror-inspired tales and music reviews for HorrorAddicts.net. A mom, wife, daughter, and former educator, you can find her rocking out in her Bronco with Great Dane pup Velma, being terrorized by feline twins Dracula and Frankenstein, or headbanging at a rock show near her home in the San Francisco Bay Area! Stay Tuned for more…

Skylar M. Cates

Skylar M. Cates loves a good romance. She is happy to drink coffee, curl up with a good book, and not move all day. Her novels feature strong and passionate men. Skylar loves to craft stories where realistic characters are challenged with emotional situations. Although lately the laundry room is the farthest place she has visited, Skylar loves to chat with folks from all around the globe.

Sophia Soames

Sophia Soames is a Scandinavian, UK-based, author of contemporary MM romance. She writes stories of everyday people with kids and families living real life fairytales.

Carrie Ann Ryan

Carrie Ann Ryan is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of contemporary, paranormal, and young adult romance. Her works include the Montgomery Ink, Talon Pack, Promise Me, and Elements of Five series, which have sold millions of books worldwide. She’s the winner of a RT Book of the Year and a Prism Award in her genres. She started writing while in graduate school for her advanced degree in chemistry and hasn’t stopped since. Carrie Ann has written over one hundred novels and novellas with more in the works. When she’s not losing herself in her emotional and action-packed worlds, she’s reading as much as she can while wrangling her clowder of cats who have more followers than she does.

Connor Peterson

Connor Peterson is a USA Today bestselling author of LGBTQ+ urban fantasy and dark, paranormal romance, local to the Philadelphia, PA area. The madman behind Deathspell and Temptation in Neon, Connor has also contributed to the story cycle Red Phone Box – published by Ghostwoods Books – and the anthology Nocturnal Embers – published by Crimson Melodies Publishing. He is also an active participant in the Philadelphia writing community,

MA Wardell

Writing as M.A. Wardell, Lambda Literary Award nominee Matt writes spicy queer rom-coms.​
​
His goal is to tell adult gay love stories with a diverse representation of flawed and damaged characters who find healing through love.
​
Matt loves rom-coms and has always wished for better representation, so he’s writing the stories he wishes existed. The queer men in his stories are flawed and messy. Helping them find their HEA is Matt’s passion.

Rinda Elliott

I write in many genres, always with a love story in the mix. That love story can be M/F, M/M, M/M/F and more. I tend to read more M/M than anything else, so that’s what I mostly write. I’m also an AVID reader, collector of music, and love cozy games!

While all of my books are romantic and sexy, most lean toward erotic. For adult books that are just sexy, there are my Beri O’Dell books and if you’re looking for sweeter, but still sexy, there’s the young adult trilogy I wrote for Harlequin Teen. All of the others? Expect some heat because I love it. I also love unusual stories and credit growing up in a family of curious life-lovers who moved all over the country. Books and movies full of fantasy, science fiction and romance kept us amused, especially in some of the stranger places. For years, I tried to separate my darker side with my humorous and romantic one. I published short fiction, but things really started happening when I gave in and mixed it up. I have several ongoing series, both contemporary romantic suspense and paranormal. You can find out about them in the links above and to the right. When not lost in fiction, I love making wine, collecting music, gaming and spending time with my husband and two children.

“Too Much in Love to Care” inside Love is All by Gabbi Grey

Stephanie

I’ve been in love with Taryn from the moment she climbed out of her tow truck to rescue me and my broken-down car. She’s strong, fearless, and damn beautiful to boot. I have the rings, she said yes, now all I need is to get her to the altar. But our respective brothers, Cooper and Lachlan, seem determined to wreck our wedding.

Taryn

Helping stranded motorists is my superpower, and rescuing Stephanie turned my world upside down. Loving her is the easiest thing in the world. Managing to get married while our brothers fight like cats and dogs is a whole other thing. I can’t decide if I want to elope, or to lock the guys in a bathroom together till they learn how to get along. It’s worse than a six-car pileup, trying to make this wedding and this blended family work out. So will we manage to merge our families seamlessly or are our brothers destined to be enemies forever?

“Too Much in Love to Care” is a 10k short story about a classic engagement, crazy wedding planning, two headstrong brothers, and a lesbian wedding to remember.

The post Gabbi Grey: The Story that Happened When I Wasn’t Looking (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.