Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 19
March 19, 2025
Gabbi Grey: How I figure out what comes next! (FREE Read + Contest)
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Rayne’s Return is the fourth book in my Love in Mission City world.
In publishing, whenever possible, wisdom says that you give the reader somewhere to go when they finish your book. You might ask them to leave a review (always greatly appreciated). You might offer them the chance to sign up for your newsletter, so they never miss what you’re up to (and when I welcome them, I offer a free book as a thank you). Or you might direct them to the next book in the series.
That’s what I try to do. Did you enjoy this book? I have great news! And then you share the next project.
Now, this only works if you’ve got the next story on preorder. Many authors don’t have the next book ready. Or the publication date is too far out (Amazon limits to one year). In some cases, they don’t even know what’s coming next.
Most authors have a list of their previous books (if they have any) in the backmatter, so they can offer those up in case readers haven’t read them. In series, though, you work off the assumption that most people are moving forward within it. If not, they’ve got your list of what came before.
Sleigh Bells and Second Chances was my third big book in my Mission City series. But it came more than two years after book 2, Stanley’s Christmas Redemption. So, for years, Stanley’s final call to action was to either a boxset or a novella within the world. For readers who preferred big books, this wasn’t a great offering. When I was finally ready to write Sleigh Bells, I had a plot. One I thought was good. Plot Whisperer helped me refine it, and I was ready to go. I wrote the blurb, secured a cover from a wonderful designer, and put the book up for preorder. I wrote the book and (barely) had it ready to go on time. I even had the audio done simultaneously.
Great!
Except I wanted to direct readers to the next big book!
I had believed I knew which book was coming up in the series, but as I wrote Sleigh Bells, another secondary character came to the fore. Everett was mentioned in one short story and had appeared in both The Beauty of the Beast and Sleigh Bells. After his appearance in Beauty, fans were wondering if he might get a book. I decided he would.
He’s a lawyer. I wanted a good foil, so I chose a private investigator. But I had neither a name for the PI nor a plot.
In the meantime, I was asked to write a short story with a group of authors. Something new that might introduce readers to my world. I realized I wanted Everett to have a one-night stand with the mysterious PI and that PI would disappear.
Okay, I was ready to write that short story — sort of as a prequel to the next big book. Except…the PI still didn’t have a name. I also needed a cover, so I meandered over to my favorite cover designer’s premade covers. I found Rayne Check and wow, HOT. I knew two things: that was my cover and my PI’s name was Rayne. Heck even the made-up title worked, so I kept it.
So, Rayne and Everett were going to have a half-a-one-night-stand, Rayne was going to disappear, and he was going to return in rough shape and needing Everett’s help. With a little finessing with Plot Whisperer, I had a story ready to be told. I wrote the blurb, got it up for pre-order. Now both Rayne Check and Sleigh Bells would direct people to Rayne’s Return. I gave myself six months to write the book and then I moved on to the other two books I had committed to writing first.
In the end, I got all three books finished and it’s been a hell of a ride, but Rayne’s Return is not out in the world. I hope readers enjoy the improbable love story between Everett and Rayne.
What’s up next? The book I initially thought would be book 4 is still being written, and I didn’t want to guess on a release date. BUT…I’ve got a prequel short story for that book as well. Another super-HOT short story. Another shirtless guy on the cover. In fact, I have four big books planned and have four short stories that are prequels (although if readers don’t read them, it’s okay). Archer’s Awakening is up for preorder now, and man, I can’t wait to share that story with the world.
So that’s the story of how I’ve managed to keep my series going and how I try to offer readers a place to go next. I want to deliver a great reading experience while always leaving them a little more. I give a glimpse of Archer in Rayne’s Return. The next big book is Gideon’s Gratitude. A character appears in that story will have his own book. And so on. I have no idea how long this will continue. Readers do get fatigued unless each book is compelling and leaves them wanting more. A tall order for any author.
Okay, thanks for hanging on! Rayne Check is free with all retailers, so I encourage you to grab a copy. 7k words of super gay romance hotness. Steamy is an understatement. https://books2read.com/RayneCheck
I would also love to give away copies of The Beauty of the Beast as well as Sleigh Bells and Second Chances to one commenter. So you’ll understand why I felt compelled to give Everett his own story. Let me know — is there something that makes you want a secondary character to get a book of their own? A moment when you connect? Or are you happy to trust the author to know what they’re doing (spoiler alert: we don’t always know…) Random will pick a winner. Good luck!
Rayne’s Return
Everett
After my infamous half-a-night stand with the mysterious Rayne, I moved on with my life. Success as a lawyer demands long hours and giving a hundred and ten percent to the job. I do carve out enough time to hang out with friends some weekends, but it’s depressing to watch them pairing up while I’m relentlessly single. Then, one morning, the man I can’t forget shows up bruised and bedraggled at my office door. Rayne has a whopper of a story to go with the bruises, and seeing him again strikes wild sparks I can’t deny, but can I trust a man who ditched me without a word? Or will he be gone again by morning light?
Rayne
As a private investigator, I’ve done some dubious jobs for some very questionable people. The assignment that brought me into Everett’s world was one of the worst. Now, someone’s trying to kill me, and until I figure out who and why, I need a safe place to hide. All I can think of is Everett. The hot, by-the-book lawyer I hooked up with once doesn’t owe me a thing, but he’s the only person I trust. I’ll do my damnedest to keep danger from reaching him, and hope like hell I can walk away with my heart intact.
Rayne’s Return is a gay romantic suspense novel with an uptight, by-the-book lawyer and a PI who never manages to stay out of trouble. This age-gap, opposites attract novel is the fourth in the Love in Mission City series.
Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Raynes-Return-Love-Mission-City-ebook/dp/B0DKB6HRKG
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Rayne
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220553081-rayne-s-return
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
March 18, 2025
Memory Game: Animals to Write About (Contest)
I’ve written about different animals in my books. Some have been shifters, some pets; some were best friends, and some were dangerous menaces. There was a polar bear attack in Gun’s Mission and a bear attack in Cyrus. Butterflies were part of the theme in my sexy horror story, Lost Souls. My many cowboys have ridden horses and herded cattle. I’ve written a couple of dragons along the way (Dragon’s Desire, Arctic Dragon). I’ve had dogs working as partners to heroes (Big Sky SEAL, Guarding Hannah). And yes, I love writing shifters and trying to blend animal with human traits. But I’ve truly loved showing the bond between a dog and his handler, as in Guarding Hannah. Pierce was the hero of that story.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell what animals you’ve enjoyed seeing featured in the books you’ve read. Enjoy the puzzle!
The post Memory Game: Animals to Write About (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 17, 2025
Happy St. Patrick’s Day & 5 Ways to Celebrate (Contest)!
— Watch The Quiet Man
— Eat corned beef or Irish stew
— Drink a Guiness
— Wear Green
— Wish someone a Happy St. Patrick’s Day!
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift car, tell me which of these suggestions you might use today, or give me another suggestion!
The post Happy St. Patrick’s Day & 5 Ways to Celebrate (Contest)! first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 16, 2025
Report Card & Open Contests!
Last week…
I sent out a notice to authors that I need to line up next quarter’s authors. Thank you to those who responded. I still have openings!I completed one author’s edits and began the next project! Woot!I’ve given up on completing Ignition before my surgery at the end of the month. I’m just too busy with edits and administrative things…
I’ve been painting every day as part of #the100dayproject. I had particular fun painting on my “smush” cards. You have to have been following my FB friend page to know what those are. LOL! Anyway, I had fun!This next week…
I will complete one author’s edits and begin the next set of edits this week.I have more administrative things to do this week to “get my affairs in order” before surgery.I’m attending a local political gathering this week. As an older person and a veteran—and the grandmother of a child with special needs—I have to let my concerns be known.I’ll continue working on #the100dayproject.If I have time, I will work on putting together another Ultra collection of my short stories for publication. No promises, though.Open Contests
Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs:
— Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!Word Search: First Signs of Spring (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win a FREE book!Flashback: Baby, It’s You (Contest–2 Winners!) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Nostalgia in Old Photos + Open Contests! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!Gabbi Black: Writing to a Cover (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!The Key to Happiness (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Happy Alfred Hitchcock Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!It’s Jewel Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!Flashback: Fun with Dick and Jane (Contest) — Win a FREE book!The post Report Card & Open Contests! first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 15, 2025
Goodbye Kansas, and a Puzzle
Yesterday was a very sad day for our family.
We lost our horse, Kansas. She was very, very old—so her passing wasn’t unexpected. Above is a picture taken of her yesterday morning with the 20-year-old who loved having the chore of feeding and currying her. The sixteen-year-old loved to feed her slices of apple. She roamed our pasture with her three Mini-Mes—our goats—who loved her and followed her lead always when hunting for nice grass or sheltering from a storm.
I called my ex-husband to talk about Kansas because he knew her history well.
He told me she was raised by a little boy in the Smoky Mountains, but after a while his father decided he needed a bigger horse, so she was sold to a horse dealer and in turn sold to a family whose daughter wanted to become a barrel racer. Together with Kansas, she raced all over the region and did very well, qualifying to go to the nationals. However, the girl decided she didn’t want to barrel race anymore, and Kansas ended up in the hands of a friend of my ex-husband’s in Tennessee.
He’d go there to ride. She kept a lot of horses, and the one he preferred to ride wasn’t available one day, so he pointed at Kansas. His friend warned him that she didn’t like men and wouldn’t let them ride her. However, my husband is an “animal whisperer”—any animal really, but especially with dogs…and horses. Yes, he preferred bigger, flashier horses, but there was something about this little “foundation” Indian pony, a sturdy appaloosa, that he liked. She was called Kansas because of the white tornado on her face. You can see it in the picture above.
When he first rode her, he noted that she’d get “high-headed” and purposely bump people, but she let him ride her. They got along well. Afterward, his friend said she needed a home and gave him the horse.
He kept her for years and rode her in the North Georgia mountains and the Smoky Mountains with groups of horse riders who liked to trek through the wilderness in wild places with mininal established trails. He said she was a “go” horse, who just loved to go fast—a little powerhouse. She’d easily go up or down mountains on those long treks, and when they’d head for home, he’d pin a glow stick to her tail, drop her reins, and let her guide the rest of the group down the mountains.
He trained her to do a lot of tricks because she was very smart. He quickly had her doing sliding stops, backing up, and allowing herself to be mounted from either side, and more. She was never fond of men, other than him, but loved children. She’d grow a full wooly coat in winter and would break the ice for his other horses when the troughs or pond would freeze.
However, she got old, and he wanted her to find a place to live out the rest of her years in peace, well cared for. That’s how she came to us about thirteen years ago. The oldest girl, when she was younger, rode her for a little while, but for the remainder of her days, she lived in our pasture and woods. She was forty years old; her teeth were worn to nubs and her back was swayed with age. However, during her annual checkups, the veterinarian would marvel over how healthy and active she still was. The farrier would comment on how calm and gentle she was. She was a friend to our three goats, who followed her around like she was their mother.
Yesterday, the 20-year-old said she was off her feed. When she walked around behind her, she noticed something protruding from her vagina. We called vets all over the state to come check her out. One came in the afternoon. She had a prolapsed vagina due to cancer. With our blessing, he euthanized her in the field.
When he left, the goats stood in a row nearby, unmoving, as though they were at a funeral, giving their last respects to their friend. My son-in-law buried her nearer the woods. Then last night, we had a terrible storm and we lost power for eight hours. There were tornadoes in the area, but the only damage we had was to the goats’ pen. A limb fell on it, but they were unharmed. I figure the storm was Kansas, with her white tornado marking, leaving us.
I have a puzzle for you below. It’s of a group of horses. The one that’s second from the left is how I imagine she would’ve looked in her youth, and how I imagine horse heaven, with her in it, would look. RIP, Kansas.
The post Goodbye Kansas, and a Puzzle first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 14, 2025
Flashback: Fun with Dick and Jane (Contest)
Besides my series, I have written some very sexy standalone stories, too! I forget about them because I’m so busy trying to keep up with series, but I shouldn’t. In fact, when I get back to writing after my surgery, I should look at my workplan because I deserve to write something completely fun and one-off!
If you haven’t read the books below, now’s your time to peruse, and I’m including an excerpt from one of them so you can sample some of the fun. Several of them are menage stories, so if that’s your thing, be sure to check them out!
Contest
For a chance to win your choice of one of the books below,
tell me your weekend plans!
Click on any cover to learn more about the story!
Excerpt from Fun with Dick and Jane…Tuesday
They were going at it again, and he was gonna get arrested. Which would be pretty damn embarrassing, considering he was cop.
Like clockwork, the couple across the alleyway started banging the minute his car pulled into the garage.
The street along the back of the parallel rows of one-story houses wasn’t much of a buffer. Driveways spoked off the narrow, paved road. Only twenty feet separated his garage from the bedroom window across the way.
Last night, he’d loosened the garage light bulb to make sure it didn’t give him away when the door slid up. Tonight, he flicked his car’s overhead lamp switch off so that the light wouldn’t beam the moment he exited. Carefully, he closed his car door, pushing it with his hip to muffle the click as it locked, walked around to the back then sat with his butt against the trunk to watch the show.
They had to know anyone walking by could see every damn thing—every drop of sweat, every short curl of pale blonde hair. She faced the window, clutching the bottom windowsill, her breasts bouncing every time Boyfriend slammed her ass.
God, her tits were Grade-A prime. Cherry nipples, topping creamy mounds.
Her blue eyes closed, her mouth rounded, and he knew when she came because she always wore the same expression—her cheeks growing rosy, her eyebrows drawing together tightly and the corners of her mouth curving like the cat that licked the cream.
And if the wind hadn’t been whistling through the alley, he would have heard the whimper she gave when Boyfriend milked the last little contraction of her orgasm.
Fuck. He needed his own woman. Maybe she had a twin. Because he sure as shit wouldn’t be satisfied with anyone who wasn’t her, Jayne Peabody—Jayne Hotbody as he’d begun to call her. He’d had her plates run so he’d have a name to assign the woman who’d played a starring role in all his fantasies this past couple of weeks.
They’d finished, and Boyfriend was pulling her into his arms, wrapping them around her belly and cupping those beautiful breasts as she snuggled against his chest.
It was time to leave. The show was over for the night.
Then her eyes opened, and Garret Masters could have sworn she looked right at him. He cussed softly, straightened and raised his arm, pulling down the garage door and shutting off the sight of her mouth stretching into a wide grin.
The post Flashback: Fun with Dick and Jane (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 13, 2025
It’s Jewel Day! (Contest)
I know. Two holidays, two days in a row, but yesterday’s Hitchcock day was something I could get behind—but so is Jewel Day! It’s a day to celebrate all that sparkles!
I love jewels. Actually, my love of jewels is based on my lifelong love of rocks/geology. When I was a kid, I kept notebooks of little “book reports” I wrote about things like plate tectonics, volcanoes, geysers, earthquakes, and how rocks were formed naturally. This was when I was in grade school. I collected shoeboxes of rocks: agates, crystals, Apache tears, round river rocks, raw topaz, raw turquoise, fossils, and so many more. I once had a rock tumbler, but I didn’t like seeing my babies ground into smaller bits, so I continued leaving them in their rough, raw form.
When I got old enough, and had enough money to do so, I stared buying jewelry with gemstones I love. My first piece was a pretty Aquamarine ring with the stones forming a flower. Now, I have several rings with lovely topaz, sapphire, garnet, ruby, ametrine, amethyst, etc. I’ve gifted my daughter and the 20-year-old with some of my pieces because, as you know, I can’t take it with me.
Anyway, all this to say, I love sparklies. I also love stones that aren’t as precious—jade, aventurine, pretty agates, amber and the like. Rocks are endlessly fascinating to me. It’s why I love making jewelry, using semi-precious beads.
My favorite jewel is a red ruby. My mother, after she passed, left me a gorgeous, gaudy, huge ruby ring, along with a couple of diamond rings I treasure. I also love pearls, which aren’t exactly stones but are somehow considered jewels. It’s my birthstone, being a June baby.
So, my question to you is, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card is, what’s your favorite jewel or your birthstone? Do you have a piece you treasure?
The post It’s Jewel Day! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 12, 2025
Happy Alfred Hitchcock Day! (Contest)
Another obscure holiday to celebrate! I’m a huge fan of Alfred Hitchcock’s films. My favorites among his long list are in the puzzle. The first one I ever saw was The Birds when I was just a child, and it’s remained my favorite over the years. Tippi Hedren was so elegant and beautiful. Rod Taylor was a ruggedly handsome man. The story had a slow-building dread that holds up to this day.
Just the other night, I re-watched North by Northwest with Cary Grant. I loved this movie because he didn’t start out as a hero. He was handsome, loved the ladies, and didn’t take life very seriously, but circumstances, and a mysterious woman, had him stepping up. It was so much fun to watch!
My second favorite has to be Rear Window. The way it was filmed was so unique—the drama unfolding before the Jimmy Stewart’s eyes as he’s laid up with a cast. The tension again was a slow, steady build.
Hitchcock is one of two directors whose films I adore–the other being Christopher Nolan. I haven’t watched every Hitchcock film—there are so many! He had a TV show too, and I remember an episode where police were trying to find a woman’s missing husband, and she served them a lovely dinner with a very tasty meat… Yeah, that one stuck in my mind.
Anyway, today’s a day to celebrate a remarkable director, who never earned an Oscar, despite his huge, wonderful catalog of films. Maybe pick a Hitchcock movie and watch it tonight. I haven’t watched The Birds in a few years. I’m overdue.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what your favorite Hitchcock movie is! Enjoy the puzzle!
The post Happy Alfred Hitchcock Day! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 11, 2025
The Key to Happiness (Contest)
I strive every day to find happiness. It can be little or big things. Given what I’ve been facing (my cancer journey), it sometimes is hard. But I don’t allow myself to wallow in sadness or negativity. I make a choice every day when I wake up to find happiness.
For me, I find happiness in little, everyday things. I love a good meal. I’ve been on a quest since last August to find pasta recipes that appeal to me so that I can experiment with making them at home. I’m not much of a cook, and I know my daughter doesn’t have time to do it for me, but the search and the process of trying out these recipes has given me joy. Recently, I watched an Italian chef make Cacio e Pepe, so I thought, that looks yummy and easy. Are the ingredients available locally? I couldn’t find the special, fat spaghettoni you need (he said the fatter surface of the noodles makes the sauce cling better), so I ordered a package from Amazon. The special sheep cheese, Pecorino, wasn’t at my local Walmart, so again, I went back on the internet to get it.
When everything arrived, I made it for myself because my daughter and her girls don’t like a wide variety of cheeses and have a strange dislike for goat and sheep cheeses. I toasted the peppercorns on a pan, grated the cheese, saved the pasta water to help the process of making the pasta creamy. The result was…underwhelming. I know it must have been me or substandard ingredients. However, the quest was the point, not the result. It would’ve been nice to have found a new pasta I could love, but hey, I did the thing.
The same goes for my #the100dayproject challenge that I decided to undertake. Every time I gather the day’s supplies to complete a project, I enjoy the process of making those choices. I love sitting in the quiet and putting pen or paint to paper. It’s soothing, and I feel pride when I complete the thing, even if it’s not quite as beautiful as I’d envisioned.
My daughter has a love for scented candles, in particular Bath & Bodyworks candles, and she hits every sale. It’s not just that she likes her home to smell good—she loves the quest to find a lovely candle. She loves the special candleholders and lids and collects those. I have lovely candles all over my desk because she shares her discoveries and finds joy in doing so.
I love, love, love sharing my love of film with the 16-year-old. We have similar taste. Right now, we’re watching True Detective: Night Country, and we’re watching one episode at a time rather than bingeing it because we’re savoring the journey together. We’ll finish before my surgery at the end of the month.
I’ve been feeling nostalgic for the TV shows I loved when I was a kid. Of course, I’ve been on a couple-year journey to watch every Star Trek series. I finished and plan to make another pass through it all this summer, in chronological order, just for the pure pleasure. I’ve been watching The Time Tunnel and Lost in Space.
So, that’s how I deliberately seek happiness. Every day I find it without looking for it, too. Sharing laughter with the family, enjoying the purr in my ear of the cat who likes to drape herself over my shoulder while I watch TV—so many unplanned moments, but I savor them.
So, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what brings you happiness.
The post The Key to Happiness (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 10, 2025
Report Card + Personal Update
Last week…
I completed one author’s edits! Yay!I’ve continued some light exercises.I’ve been painting every day as part of #the100dayproject—and I’m liking my latest efforts. [image error]This next week…
I will have one author’s edits to begin work on. I’d like to get halfway through it.I’ll send out a notice to authors to see who might like to blog on my website, April through June—since I plan to still be here!I’ll return my attention to Ignition , because I really, really want to finish it before April 1st!I have administrative things to do this week to “get my affairs in order” before surgery.I’ll continue working on #the100dayproject.Update
This month, I’m busy trying to get ready for my surgery that’s happening on April 1st. I have lots of little things to handle before the big day—making sure my daughter knows where my important papers are, making sure she knows who to contact should something go wrong, leaving breadcrumbs for her to find her way through my computer and files. I’ve had this computer for a number of years, and it has little idiosyncrasies that might drive a person who isn’t familiar with it crazy.
I’ve had interesting conversations with the girls—who gets my bedroom, office, and craft room when I’m gone. The 16-year-old has dibs, and she’s said my bedroom will remain the same because she loves all my “junk,” and the office will become her gaming room, AND she won’t let her mom ditch all my craft and art supplies in the art room because she wants to putter in there with all those “treasures.” We laughed about it. And we all talk often about what happens when I’m gone. Getting them used to the idea helps with the grief. We had a long time taking care of grandma, my father, and my mother to get used to the idea of their passing. It helped to talk about a future without them. Yes, their deaths were still devastating, but the sting was somewhat muted because we’d prepared ourselves emotionally. NOT THAT I DON’T FULLY EXPECT TO MAKE IT THROUGH MY SURGERY! I do! Still…
Can I bitch about a little thing and not seem silly? My hair is beginning to grow back in—and my, oh my is it ever gray (well, more silver than gray). And, it’s growing faster at the bottom than the top of my head, which looks very weird. I joke that I look like Ludwig Von Drake. I’ll still be in hats through the summer!
Now that I’m just doing immunotherapy infusions, the chemo-devastation has subsided. My foot neuropathy is still there as is my slightly blurred vision, but I can make it through the day without taking a nap, although I do shut down working in the early afternoon and head to my recliner to watch some TV. I’m still building stamina—which will take another big hit after the 1st. I’m so not looking forward to the recovery, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure the 16-year-old doesn’t get her mitts on my art supplies just yet. 
