Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 31

Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Powell: Why mental health is so damn important (Contest)

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss my new project.  Well…projects?  Could go either way.

Let me clarify.

I love anthologies.  Your readers know that.  Charity anthologies are catnip for me.

When I heard my favorite anthology people had chosen mental health charities for the proceeds, I leaped at the chance to join. I was so excited that I signed up for not one but TWO stories.

Because…double the writing chaos!

So…the stories.  Recapturing the Dream is a second-chance romance. A couple who fell in love in high school.  That love carried them through most of university, but then the budding relationship got derailed.  They went their own way – Mena having three daughters and Todd having four sons.  Then, one day, they wind up living next to each other.  By design?  Hard to say…

Mena’s beloved husband died a horrible death, and she’s resigned to living alone while raising her three beloved daughters.  Todd’s newly divorced and struggling to find ways to connect to his four very different sons.

Throw in some teenage crushes, adult lust, and bonfires…and my heart was happy to write this lovely short story set in my Love in Cedar Valley series.

Okay, so Mena and Todd are good.

What about my second story?  I was thrilled to discover that R.L. Merrill has written a gay romance for this anthology.  I love representation.  And, of course, I threw in Pumpkin Spicey as my addition—a  short story set in my Love in Mission City world.

Clay is a sweetheart, entrepreneur, and ambitious guy.  He’s created a super secret pumpkin spice recipe that he’s ready to unveil at the Mission City fall market.  Great.  What he doesn’t expect is to meet a really nice guy who keeps coming back to his booth day after day.

This is, by far, the sweetest romance I’ve ever written.  I had a length constraint (as I do with all my short stories) and I wanted to ensure the courtship was realistic, given the market only lasts a few days.  Now…I also fit in the most cameos of any of my stories.  Thirty-six — if you count the mentions of the canine companions left at home.  You’re thinking…that’s impossible.  The story is just going to be about other people and I won’t be able to keep track!  Well, Clay’s running a booth.  Where people come and buy things.  He interacts with those customers.  I promise, it all flows together and the cameos span my three pennames.  A little something for loyal readers and just a fun story for everyone else.

I did encounter one problem.  I was so focused on the sweet courtship (they don’t even hold hands) that I completely missed the bonfire!  Duh.  Fortunately I had space to go back and add a little epilogue.  S’mores and kisses and a happily ever after.

My work was done.

Next comes the work to get word of the anthology out to readers who might enjoy a variety of stories set around autumn and bonfires. While helping Wounded Warrior and the International Mental Health Association.  So, I encourage you to snap up your copy, grab a mug of warm apple cider, and enjoy!

Thank you so much, Delilah, for the invitation.  As a thank you, I’m offering a $5 GC to one lucky commenter.  Let me know – what is your favorite thing about fall?  Random will pick a commenter for the prize!

Light My Fire

Bonfire Night, Homecoming, Harvest Festivals, whatever the reason – ‘tis the season to sparkle.

Gather your nearest and dearest (or those who you wish were) close as we fan the flames in this collection of stories from USA Today best-selling and award-winning romance authors curated by The New Romance Café sure to warm your heart…and maybe other places.

All proceeds go to charity in the fight for mental health support. Our chosen charities for this anthology are Wounded Warrior and the International Mental Health Association.

Authors:
Julie Halperson
Ryleigh Sloan
Chele MacCabe
L Mad Hildebrandt
Sharon Wray
Meg Napier
J. Keely Thrall
Fiona Fairhame
Cecelia Conway
T.S. Simons
Gabbi Grey
Cynthia Terelst
Sharon Michalove
Susanna Eastman
Shelby Gunter
Zoey Zane
Heather Scarlett
Alice Dashwood
Cara North
Anna Klein
Katina J Rose
Michelle Moncrieff
Niki Trento
Jewelz Baxter
Gabbi Powell
R.L. Merrill
Kat Long
Bonnie Poirier
Elaine Reed
Kelly Renway

The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/tnrc2024lightmyfire
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Charity-Collection-ebook/dp/B0D5DLHSS1
Add it to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213936718-light-my-fire

Gabbi’s Two Stories in Light My Fire…Pumpkin Spicey by Gabbi Grey

My first opportunity to share my new super-secret pumpkin spice recipe with the world is at the autumn Farmer’s Market in Mission City. I’m all set with plenty of inventory, but what I don’t expect is a cute guy who drops by every day asking for…pumpkin carving lessons?

The last day of the market, I’m too busy to speak to him, and he disappears. I’m worried he thought I didn’t want him around, and I need to apologize. My good friend Wyatt suggests I track the guy down at his house. That leads to a surprise that changes everything.

Pumpkin Spicy is an 8k sweet gay romance short story with a shy stranger, nosy friends, and a chance meeting that might just lead to a happily ever after.

Recapturing the Dream by Gabbi Grey writing as Gabbi Powell

When noisy neighbors draw Mena Keaton from her home late at night, she isn’t ready to confront her first love, Todd Burnett. She thrusts down her warring emotions and asks Todd—and his four sons—to keep the noise down.

Todd, for his part, deliberately moved next door to the woman who’d always held his heart. The divorced man wasn’t sure about the potential for a second chance, but when the opportunity presents itself, he’ll do whatever it takes to get the lovely widow with three daughters to give him another look.

Recapturing the Dream is a 16k word steamy short story is about second chances, seven kids, and a special night by an autumn bonfire.

About 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.

The post Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Powell: Why mental health is so damn important (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Flashback: Brian (Contest–3 Winners!)

I love my Montana Bounty Hunters. I’ve said it before, but I try hard to make each of them individual rather than cookie-cutter characters with different names. I also love to dream up unique takedowns for your reading pleasure and to showcase who these men are. One of my favorite characters is Brian, an amputee who has fought back from feeling useless at the beginning of the series to being an integral part of the bounty hunters’ team and a warrior again. I did a ton of research to get him right. Hope you’ve enjoyed his story.

Brian

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

The haunted gaze of one wounded warrior  sparks  a challenge in a physical therapist who’s determined to help him regain what he’s lost whether he wants her help or not…

Physical Therapist, Raydeen Pickering, has seen her fill of stubborn veterans, some too angry to get on with their lives, some still living in hell in their minds, and then some unwilling to let their broken bodies hold them back. She hasn’t figured out which Brian Cobb is yet. The first time she met the handsome, wounded warrior, he was wary and defensive, his gaze always sliding toward the door, looking for as a quick escape from the Soldiers’ Sanctuary meetings.

Even now, there’s something about the ex-Army MP, now bounty hunter wrangler, that sets him apart from the other men she’s helped mend. There’s something more–not just the haunted look in his eyes or the stubborn set of his chin. The way he looks at her when he thinks her attention is elsewhere gives her hope that she’ll reach him, and that he’ll let her help him regain more of what he’s lost.

First though, he has to figure out he’s in love with the wrong woman. The one he needs is right here, and if she has to do the chasing, so be it, because those looks he gives her have rekindled a fire she thought was lost forever…

Contest

Are you all caught up reading the original Montana Bounty Hunters series?

For a chance to win a download of one of the stories you may have missed
(I’ll pick three winners!), tell me this:
What profession other than bounty hunters would you like to see my heroines involved with in my Montana Bounty Hunters—Yellowstone branch stories ?

Here are all the Bear Lodge Montana Bounty Hunters! Yes, it’s an old meme, but do you really care? [image error]

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Bear Lodge, MT
Authentic Men… Real Adventures…
Reaper: https://amzn.to/2NztLpv
Dagger: https://amzn.to/2zo6Dav
Reaper’s Ride: https://amzn.to/2KKkisI
Cochise: https://amzn.to/2zq4avV
Hook: https://amzn.to/2UrpyYh
Wolf: https://amzn.to/2yUTjr5
Animal: https://amzn.to/2H4Roob
Big Sky Wedding: https://amzn.to/33GprwK
Quincy: https://amzn.to/2QlleM8
Brian: https://amzn.to/2ZV8m2G

Excerpt from Brian:

Sweat trickled down the sides of Brian Cobb’s face. His helmet felt heavy on his head, his pack dragged on his shoulders, and his boots were so hot he was walking in pools of water. The transport vehicles his squad had been promised hadn’t arrived, so they were hoofing it back to camp with half a dozen prisoners chained in a line. Still, their plight was better than the infantry platoon’s they’d left a click back. Once they’d given the ISIS fighters into Military Police custody, they’d headed back to continue their sweep for insurgents hiding inside the village with the unpronounceable name.

“Hey, Corncob,” Private First Class Benny Sanders said as he walked beside him.

“You know I hate that nickname, Sanders,” Brian muttered.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, his smile stretching across his dark face. Benny jerked his chin toward the slender figure striding ahead of the chained prisoners, her dog Tessa walking, unleashed by her side. “I see how you look at her. Are you and she…?”

Brian gave Benny a glare. “No. We’re just friends.”

“She have a boyfriend back in the States or something?”

“No, not that it’s any of your business.”

“Huh. Just thought since you two spend so much time together…”

Brian shook his head. “We’re friends. We hang. That’s all.” Not that he would mind if their friendship grew into something more. He’d had a thing for Jamie Burke since they’d met during their first drill together back in Kalispell, what felt like eons ago. Jamie was certainly easy on the eyes with her wheat-blonde hair, lightly tanned skin, and golden-brown eyes.

However much he might have wished it, Jamie had assigned him to the “friend zone”—and because he valued their friendship, he’d never acted upon his attraction. Perhaps once they were back Stateside, he’d work up the courage to ask her out.

He’d played a multitude of scenarios in his mind of how he’d go about doing it without blowing their friendship to hell should she shoot him down. Not one of them felt like the right fit. Sure, they had lots in common—they loved playing basketball and soccer, liked working out, liked animals, were both from western Montana…

Well, maybe they didn’t have that much in common, but they could certainly build on what they shared now. Maybe he needed to figure out what she liked to do outside of the military, what her hobbies were, whether she liked to dance.

He liked to dance. He could imagine asking her out for a beer, just buddies going for a drink together. The music would start up, and he’d hike an eyebrow. She’d give a laugh and say something like, “If you don’t mind me stepping all over your toes,” and he’d lead her to the floor. Once he held her in his arms, maybe then she’d see him as someone she could consider as dating material…

Ahead, Tessa gave a whine and moved away from Jamie, her nose going to the ground as she searched the trail they walked, one side then the other.

They’d left the village and were following a well-traveled trail that led through rocky hills. The area had been cleared of enemy combatants, so they’d been ordered to march the prisoners back. Still, the danger didn’t have to come from a sniper on a hilltop.

Jamie held up her closed fist, and the squad drew to a halt. Brian looked to his left. “Benny, keep an eye out,” he said, indicating the hills behind them.

The squad leader, Sergeant Milligan, strode up to Jamie. “What’s the holdup, Burke?”

“Don’t know yet, Sarge,” she said. “Tessa hasn’t indicated yet.”

Tessa moved ahead of the formation but lifted her nose from the trail and ran back to Jamie, her tail wagging.

Tessa reached down to give her a pat. “Must have had a whiff of something, but I think we’re cool to move on.”

However, Tessa gave another whine and sniffed the air. A moment later, she left Jamie’s side again, this time heading down the row of prisoners toward Brian, her nose to the ground, sniffing the trail then moving slightly off it to Brian’s right. She whined and moved closer to Brian.

Brian glanced around him. Tessa was a trained bomb dog. An IED might be nearby. But where? The rocky outcropping beside him caught his eye.

“Cobb!” Benny whispered.

He turned to glance at Benny, whose eyes were large. He tilted his head toward a hillside in the distance. Brian didn’t glance at it directly. “You see something?”

“A glint. Then some movement. Might be one Tango.”

Brian had a bad feeling. “Jamie, call your dog back,” he said, keeping his voice natural, “I think we’ve got company.”

Sergeant Milligan began moving his way. Brian smiled and shook his head, trying to act like his heart wasn’t racing and his stomach hadn’t dropped to his boots. “Better keep back, Sarge,” he said, keeping his tone carefree. “I think there’s an IED in the rocks beside me, and Benny spotted movement at your three o’clock.”

The sergeant’s gaze betrayed his concern. “We have his buddies chained in a line. Maybe he actually gives a shit about them. How about you move forward, Cobb? Sanders,” he said, calling out to Benny, giving them both a strained smile. “You move, too. Get his friends between you and him. But move slow and natural. Don’t let him know we know he’s there.”

Although every one of the squad members was aware of the threat, they began to patter.

“Man, I can’t wait to get back to my bunk. Mama sent brownies. Got a few left.”

“No, you don’t, Packer. I snuck the last one when you were showering.”

“Shithead, you better not have.”

“Hey, Tessa,” Jamie called to her dog, indicating with a finger toward the ground that Tessa should move back to her side.

The dog ran back, turned in a neat circle, and sat beside her feet. Jamie’s gaze went to Brian. Her eyes were wide with fear, and her gaze shifted toward the rocks as she said, “Brian, you and I have a rematch to play against Pike and Sherman. Better hurry your ass up.”
Brian gave her a crooked grin, took a deep breath, and stepped out.

A shot sounded, and Benny dropped to his knees, his head sagging toward his chest.

Brian took another step, but sound exploded then went suddenly muffled. He felt something hammer against his lower body, felt searing pain, then he was flying, everything moving in slow motion, clumps of dirt and flares of fire, tumbling head over heels until he dropped with a sickening thud on the trail.

He couldn’t hear voices, but he saw movement—Sergeant Milligan pointing toward the hill and signaling for two men to move out and engage with the sniper; Pike kneeling beside Benny, who still knelt on his knees, blood gurgling from his chest.
Jamie’s face entered his vision. Tears filled her eyes.

“I’m okay,” he shouted, then pointed at his ears. “Can’t hear though. And I’m feelin’ a little…dizzy.” Okay, a lot, but he didn’t want to worry her.

Sergeant Milligan knelt beside Jamie, talking into his radio. Someone else moved to the opposite side of him…Kinsey, the medic. His back was to Brian as he leaned over his body.

Brian tried to get up on his elbows to tell him the problem wasn’t with his legs; it was with his head. He couldn’t hear, but then he glanced downward, past Kinsey.

His boots were gone. Then he realized…so were the feet that had been sweating inside them.

He drew a deep breath and glanced up at Jamie.

She was mouthing words he couldn’t hear, cupping his cheeks. When she bent and kissed his cheek, he knew he was dead. “I’m not fucking dying,” he tried to shout, but he knew it came out a whisper because he was weakening, barely able to keep his eyes open.

The wind pulsed against his face, and he opened his eyes, saw the helicopter above, the fiery trail of rounds blasting toward the hill before it wobbled in the air then settled on the sand beside the trail.

He raised a hand to point toward Benny. “Him first,” he said, glancing sideways, but Benny was no longer kneeling. He lay with his eyes open, staring up at the cloudless blue sky.

Kinsey moved away, and Brian glanced down. Tourniquets were on his legs, below his knees. He glanced at Jamie. “They find my boots?”

Her face crumpled, and Tessa wiggled her way in between Jamie and Sergeant Milligan. Her tongue lapped at his cheek. Her cold, wet nose nuzzled his ear.

Any other time, he would have pushed her away, but Brian no longer had the strength. “Hey…they find my boots?”

The post Flashback: Brian (Contest–3 Winners!) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Genevive Chamblee: How to Create a Reading Journal

I can’t believe in all these years that I’ve never created a reading journal. I also didn’t anticipate having to make so many decisions. So, for anyone interested in a reading journal, let’s get into it.

What is a reading journal, and why would a person want to create one?

Most people think of a reading journal as a tool to keep track of the books one has read. However, it can be so much more. A reading journal can also track how much time one spends reading, favorite authors, books summaries, reading challenges, insights gained and reflections, recommendations, and future books to read, book club notes, and noting reading goals.

What materials are needed to create a reading journal?

It doesn’t take much to create a basic reading journal, but it depends on the person creating it and what he/she wants to track in it. In reality, all a person needs to begin is a notebook and pen. Or if the person prefers an electronic/digital journal, he/she would need a computer/tablet and a word document program. It is the personalization that makes reading journals different.

Some people like to print a small photo of book covers to include. Others have pages that with drawn bookshelves and label in books. Some people prefer having uniform pages with set categories and/or labels (e.g., author name, genre, number of pages, date began, etc.) while other prefer to stick to writing the name of the book and a summary. Some people like having bound journals while others like spiral or disc-bound. Yet, others draw, use stickers, doodle, and create collages to decorate pages. For people who read a lot, they may select larger journals with more pages (e.g., square journal 8” x 8”, B5, or disc-bound with expander discs). Readers who tend to read few books in a year may opt for a smaller journal such as an A5 or a skinny traveler journal. Additionally, some people prefer setting up blank bullet journals to make them completely custom while others may purchase reading journals already set up. There is no right or wrong.

When I decided I wanted to do a reading journal, I had planned to purchase one from Kell of a Plan. I knew I wanted disc-bound to be able to easily remove and add pages. However, I wrestled with if I wanted the entire planner. I knew many of the sections I would not use. The other option was to purchase the refill pages and create my own, which meant needing discs, covers, and dividers. By the time I decided how I wanted it, unfortunately both the planner and the tracking pages were sold out. To date, neither has been restocked. So, I went to option B which was to purchase from Rongrong. I had the same dilemma, as I knew many of the included sections I would not use, and I wasn’t sold on all of the dashboard/cover themes. To create what I wanted was becoming expensive. I was bummed, but all wasn’t lost.

I use disc-bound planners for my work and personal life. In the fall of 2023, I had purchased a set of dividers and a notebook that were on sale. It wasn’t until I began setting up my planner lineup for 2025, that I used them…kinda. When I purchased my 2025 planners, I did some switching of covers, discs, and dividers. The short of it is I have materials that I can use to create a reading journal, although, it will not include the preprinted information sheets I want. This means I will need to create them myself.

What are some categories to include in a reading journal?

Book log/tracker (book title, author, date began reading, date finished reading, rating, etc.)A rating scale (can be used for overall enjoyment, spice level, etc.)Book summaryBook reviewBook of the monthFavorite booksFavorite authorsFavorite quotesFavorite book characterBook goal (how many books you plan/want to read)Book total (how many books you read in week, month, year, etc.)Book budget (cost of books)Length of time read each dayWho recommended the bookNumber of DNFs (how many books you did not finish)TBR list (purchased books that you haven’t read)Book wishlist (books that you want to read)Page total (how many pages you read in day, week, month, year)Type of book medium (e.g., audio, e-book, paperback, hardback, etc.)Book genres read (e.g., historical, regency, thriller, romance, fantasy, etc.)Book club booksReading challengesReading bucket list

Well, that’s all I got. Was this post helpful? Do you have a reading journal? If not, do you think you will buy or create one? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.

Demon Rodeo

If Brokeback Mountain, 8 Seconds, Poltergeist, and Supernatural had an orgy, Demon Rodeo would be the lovechild.

Demon Rodeo is available now on Amazon. For video book trailers, visit my TikTok page. The full blurb is on my Instagram and Amazon.

Demon Rodeo is the first book in the Chasing the Buckle series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance set in the rodeo world. These are not your typical cowboys. It’s a widely diverse cast of characters and a mashup of genres that aren’t always seen together. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser, this may be a book for you.

Order
⇨ Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/4174852
⇨ All Stores: https://books2read.com/u/bP8RG7

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

If you’re not following my blog, Creole Bayou, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click here and sign up today.

Want to chat about writing, mental health, Cajun cuisine, Creole culture, or just spill some tea? If yes, let’s get connected. Follow me on one of my social links. There’s plenty to choose from.

Facebook: Genevive ChambleeX (formerly Twitter): @dolynesaidsoInstagram: genevivechambleeauthorGoodreads: Genevive ChambleeAmazon Authors: Genevive ChambleeBookBub: Genevive ChambleeTikTok: CreolegurlNolaBluesky: Genevive ChambleeThreads: Author Genevive Chamblee

LOCKER ROOM LOVE

Locker Room Love Series

Are you searching for a sexy book boyfriend? You’ve come to the right place.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out.Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game. Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin.Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin. Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.About the Author

Hi, I’m Genevive, and I am a contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.

The post Genevive Chamblee: How to Create a Reading Journal first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Report Card & Open Contests

Report Card

Last week…

The Demon Lord’s Cloak released! I promoted it, running a couple of small ads. It’s the last release of the year for me.  I completed edits for one author and worked on another two editing projects.There have been some health issues with two other family members. Nothing as consequential as my continuing PITA cancer. However, it does mean, everyone’s stressed out. Also, the skin around my chemo port has gotten tender and swollen. I talked to me oncologist this weekend, and he recommended I show up to clinic on Monday for them to check it out. I’m hoping it just needs a flush. If something’s wrong, I’ll have to have a minor surgery to remove it, and I’ll be back to IVs in the arm.

This next week…

No books on the horizon. I think I’m not even going to put pages on my schedule until a month after my last chemo appointment. It’s just too hard to keep up with everything and try to be creative when I’m fighting fatigue. I’ll putter with editing and enjoy the holidays with my family. Priorities!I’ll be at the clinic tomorrow to have them examine my port. And I have a blood draw on Thursday in preparation for next Monday’s chemo infusions.I’ll be finishing edits for two authors this week.The local art guild is having their holiday potluck this week. I’m hoping to be rested enough to join them for the evening.The rest of my time will be spent living in the moment with my family and my cats!Open Contests

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

Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Thanksgiving Prep! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!Gabbi Grey: Why I keep going back to Passport to Pleasure (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!Word Puzzle: Favorite Shifters (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!A Poll! Advent Countdown Giveaways (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!It’s Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Your Christmas Movie List! — Win an Amazon gift card!The post Report Card & Open Contests first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Your Christmas Movie List!

I wasn’t sure what I’d talk about today until I looked at the screen that pops up when I open my computer. There at the top, I saw an ad for the trailer for Hot Frosty. I’m sharing that trailer here—you’re welcome! (For those of you who get my blogs via email, you have to go to the website to view! It’s worth it!)

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Yes, it’s not even past Thanksgiving yet, but we’re already watching Christmas movies in this house. I quickly sent off a message to my dd that Hot Frosty was on our list for this weekend! (Don’t you just love that title? It’s silly, cheesy, and totally to the point—so, it’s unforgettable!)

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what you have on your list to watch this season and whether Hot Frosty appeals to you as much as it does to me!

The post Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Your Christmas Movie List! first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

It’s Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! (Contest)

It’s another of those weird holidays I so love. This one actually makes sense for its timing. It’s “Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day!”

My daughter actually tackled that chore a few days ago, clearing out room for Thanksgiving meal storage. The amount of condiments we had accumulated was unbelievable—and yes, quite a few had expired. Leftovers in Tupperware—gone. Fuzzy fruit and vegetables—gone. She’s always death on old cheese and lunchmeat. She watches those pesky, almost unreadable expiration dates, where I tend to do a sniff test before eating. And has anyone ever watched the comedy with Al Brooks and Debbie Reynolds, Mother? The funniest scene, to me, was her cutting the green off a huge block of cheese she’d gotten from the senior center while Al Brooks curled his nose in disgust. My mother would always cut off the edges of old cheese. My daughter? Oh no. I have to be quick to finish a lovely wedge of cheese before she tosses it in the bin.

Anyway, does this holiday sound like one you could celebrate? Do you have any old foods stories to share? I think we actually found spices in the cabinet that had expired in 2012… Answer for a chance to win a free download of one of my books!

The post It’s Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

A Poll! Advent Countdown Giveaways (Contest)

I know it’s early to be thinking about the Christmas/Holiday season, but I do have to make plans, replenish stock, etc., to get ready! Last year, I had so much fun with the Advent giveaway, that I think I’d like to do it again.

Our family is big into Christmas rituals. The kids all have advent calendars with daily prizes, we put out our shoes on St. Nicklaus night. We watch Christmas movies every time we can all sit together. I thought it might be fun to spread the joy to you, too.

Every day, counting down to the 24th of December, I want to give away a small prize on my Friends page on Facebook. If you aren’t already a friend, you can head over here to join: Delilah’s Friend Page. I only have a few spots left there, but you can also join Delilah’s Corner group and post your entries there. When you comment on my daily FB advent posts, you’ll be entered to receive a small simple prize.

Let me know here if you like this idea for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card—and choose the types of prizes you would like for me to give away in the poll below!

Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.

P.S. I can do pens, too!

The post A Poll! Advent Countdown Giveaways (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Word Puzzle: Favorite Shifters (Contest)

So, I released a book yesterday that featured a shifter. She’s not an animal I’ve seen used a lot, but she got me thinking about my favorite kinds of shifters. Who doesn’t love werewolves? I’ve written those. I’ve also written panthers (Bad Moon Rising). Do you remember the kid’s movie, Sky High? One of the characters shapeshifted into a guinea pig, which earned her a lot of teasing from the other kids with superpowers until they needed a small animal to perform a task. So, she’s on my list of favorite shifters, too.

My question for you today is: What kind of shifters do you love or would love to see in a book or movie? Answer for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

The post Word Puzzle: Favorite Shifters (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Now Available! F*R*E*E in KU! Read an excerpt! The Demon Lord’s Cloak

So, maybe medieval paranormal isn’t your thing. How about erotic romance? An alpha male? A woman in captivity? Secrets kept? Do those tropes appeal? Then this novella will be one you’ll want to gobble up!

After awakening in a castle, bound and at the mercy of her captor, Voletta has every reason to fear the mysterious man holding her in his arms. Instead, his brooding presence intrigues her, and his hard body excites her. However attracted she is, she must escape before he discovers her dark secret…but then she learns he has one of his own.

Order your copy now!

Opening scene of The Demon Lord’s Cloak…

“We’ll all be dead by morning.” Martin’s voice quavered as he emptied another glass of Frau Sophie’s precious peach schnapps.

“Who’d have guessed it’d be nigh on impossible to find a virgin in this valley?” his companion said.

“Pah! Even my own daughter,” Martin moaned. “What’s the world coming to, Edgard? Young women giving themselves like barmaids…”

Edgard’s shoulders slumped. “I tell you it was the last May Day celebration. The bürgermeister should never have let Sophie provide the drink.”

“We should have locked every last one of the unmarried maidens in a cellar.”

“Well, no use grousing.” Martin set down his glass. “We have a problem. Now’s the time for clear thinking.”

“There’s no solution. The village will disappear, swallowed by Hell itself when we fail to provide his bride.” Edgard’s reddened eyes widened. “Couldn’t we mount a raid on Fulkenstein down the valley…take a girl or two…”

“There’s no time left. We only had the new moon to give that devil his due. It ends tomorrow night. We’d never be back in time.”

Edgard shook his head, sighing. “We’ve failed. Daemonberg will be no more. Best get the women packing tonight so we can flee come morning. A thousand years of prosperity and health–gone for the lack of a single maidenhead.”

“We’re doomed, I tell you.” Martin lifted the schnapps bottle and tilted it over his glass. He gave it a shake, and then slammed it down on the table. Turning toward the bar, he shouted, “Sophie, liebchen, bring us another bottle, will you?”

As he turned back to his friend, he saw a woman step through the doorway of the inn. Her beauty arrested him–far prettier than any of the strapping blonde women of the village, this one was slender, delicate, with deep reddish hair that glinted like fire in the torchlight, rather like the bay he’d bid on and lost at an auction in early spring.

He elbowed Edgard beside him. “Look there.”

Both men turned to stare at the young woman entering.

“Where’s her escort?” Edgard whispered.

“She looks wary. I’d wager she’s on her own.”

They shared a charged glance, shoulders straightening.

“What do you suppose the chances are she’s a virgin?” Edgard asked softly.

“She’s beyond fair. What man would care whether he was her first just so long as he’s her last? Besides, what other options have we?”

Sophie slammed another bottle in the center of the table and gave them a scathing glance. “If you go home to your wives legless with drink, I’ll not take the blame.”

“We’ll have just one more glass,” Martin assured her, reaching around to pat her rump. “For the road. We’ve business to attend.”

Sophie rolled her eyes and turned, her ample hips rolling as she walked across the room to greet the young woman who waved her away.

“If they only knew the solemn duty we perform,” Martin whispered. “They’d call us heroes.”

Only they could never tell a soul. That too was part of their sacred oath, handed down from father to son.

Edgard poured them both another drink, then lifted his glass. “To another hundred years of peace and wealth.”

Martin lifted his glass with one hand and crossed himself with the other. “To the fair maiden with the red hair—God rest her soul.”

The post Now Available! F*R*E*E in KU! Read an excerpt! The Demon Lord’s Cloak first appeared on Delilah Devlin.

Gabbi Grey: Why I keep going back to Passport to Pleasure (Contest)

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for welcoming me today to discuss my new book, Sizzling Sydney Nights.  I will say that Remembrance Day (as we call November 11th in Canada) is a solemn day for many – including my family.  My grandfather and several uncles served in the World Wars, and I’m always grateful for their service and to them for coming home and building strong families.  All that being said, I didn’t pick the release date for my sexy new story—but I do have characters who visit the war memorial in Sydney, so I have that moment. History helps inform who we are and what we’re willing to defend to keep our families and friends safe.

Okay, onward and upward.

How, you may ask, did I wind up setting a story in Sydney?

Well, let me tell you a story…

My publisher was launching a new series set on beaches on the continental US.

You’re thinking…huh?

Bear with me.  I attended the chat and was interested in writing one of these stories (See Sun, Surf, and Surprises).  What piqued my interest was when the chat veered toward exotic locations. Someone asked if an author could write a second book under the Passport to Pleasure series.

The answer was: YES! PLEASE! WE NEED MORE!

Never let it be said I don’t heed calls.  Now, I’d written Valentino in Vancouver.  I didn’t consider Canada as outside the US (just check out how many American television stations and how much American programing Canadians watch).  I was told Vancouver was absolutely a foreign locale. Throw in an American and you’re do go.  I wrote my gay erotic romance novella starring American Valentino and Canadian Seamus and moved on.

Then I remembered I had a second BDSM MF penname.  Great!  I also had a friend in Argentina. Out popped Bonding in Buenos Aires. An MMF BDSM erotic romance by Gabbi Black. That was it. I was done. I moved on.

Until that chilly November night when I was told a second Pleasure book under the same penname was allowed. Now, quickly, I’ve mentioned Plot Whisperer before.  She happens to be Aussie. So I asked if she would be interested in beta reading a book set in Sydney.  She said “Hell, YES” (in my mind, at least), and my Sydney story was born.  I wrote. She brutal beta read (tore apart, put back together—SO much better). I had a story.  Titling it proved harder, but I crowd sourced, and we got there.

Finally, I was ready to present the story to my editor (who had said Hell, YES when I proposed the book).  She loved it with just a few minor changes, and I had my story.

That’s it.  I get to share my love of all things Australian with readers.  The irony is that Levi is an American author who wrote a book set in Australia even though he’d never been there. He got so much wrong that he had to go to Australia for an apology tour that would lead to his potential redemption.  Add Sam the tour guide, and I had a story.  Then I was a Canadian author writing about Australia who had never been there.  Only I found an awesome beta reader, and I believe the Aussie flavor is there (and any mistakes are mine and not hers).

I hope readers pick up this gay romance story and love it as much as I do.

Okay, Delilah, thank you for hosting me today.  As a thank you to you readers, I would like to offer a copy of either Valentino in Vancouver or Bonding in Buenos Aires to one lucky commenter.  Let me know: where would you love to see a story set?  One lucky commenter, chosen by random, will win a free book!  Good luck!

Sizzling Sydney Nights

Sam

I’ve enjoyed showcasing Sydney’s architecture, food, and culture for tourists for almost ten years. I keep a nice professional distance, but one hot American guy has me breaking all the rules.

Levi

I researched the hell out of Sydney, Australia, before writing my most recent bestseller, but never saw it in person. Now I’m getting called out for the things I got wrong. I’m here to learn more about the city, but my tour guide’s the one I really want to explore. Good thing I know Sam would never fall for a client, or it might be hard to leave.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/SizzlingSydney
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Sizzling-Sydney-Nights-Passport-Pleasure-ebook/dp/B0DGLYHG6
B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sizzling-sydney-nights-gabbi-grey/1146244734
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sizzling-sydney-nights/id6670438228
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/sizzling-sydney-nights
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218681801-sizzling-sydney-nights

About 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.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey

The post Gabbi Grey: Why I keep going back to Passport to Pleasure (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.