Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 54
May 12, 2024
Happy Mother’s Day! Plus, Report Card & Open Contests!
This was part of my gift from my daughter! She knows I’m a Star Trek girl and had an artist do this up of me with my cat, Tess, Lower Decks style. She had one image framed for my office wall and had a coffee cup made with the image wrapped around it. Such a lovely, thoughtful gift for a nerdy girl like me! The 19-year-old added a funny squeeze-toy/stress ball with an alien that pops out of a spaceship and a small tray with a spaceship hovering over a farm field, sucking up a cow. Yes, they do know me well.
Last week…
I finished one editing job for another author, plus, I worked on three others.I finished revising, formatting, and uploading Five Ways ‘Til Sunday, which releases Tuesday. I began revising the next in the Delta Heat series, Fournicopia.I worked on art for #The100DayProject.My knee is nearly healed, but I have to stop myself from moving full-steam-ahead, because every time I do, I reinjure it. It’s such a pain in the ass.So, yeah, I’m light on accomplishments this week.
This next week…
I will work on four editing projects for other authors, finishing three!I will try to find art for the next anthology, Secret Identities. Plus, I’ll work on the webpage on the Collections site, adding loglines for each author’s story. (This is a repeat from last week, because I didn’t make much progress.)I will complete revising the second and third stories in the kink series I’m republishing and get them uploaded.I will begin writing my next Montana Bounty Hunter story, the first in the West Yellowstone office, Cyrus . (This is carried over, too. I made NO progress.)I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.I’ll work on a gazillion administrative and cleanup duties I need to catch up on. My office is a disaster at the moment.I really need a vacation…
Open Contests
May 11, 2024
Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Have you ever seen the Northern Lights?
A rare geomagnetic solar storm has some folks very excited. When it was announced, we were disappointed that we wouldn’t get to see them this far south in Arkansas. However, last night, some of the 19-year-old’s friends shared pictures they’d taken with their phones of faint glimmers of the aurora borealis affect.
So, she went outside and took these.
Cool, right? Our big old trees blocked most of it. Okay, so it’s not spectacular, but we NEVER see the lights this far south.
I’ve always wanted to go someplace like Iceland to experience the truly spectacular Northern Lights, but maybe someday.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, have you ever seen the Northern Lights? Enjoy the puzzle and Happy Saturday!
The post Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Have you ever seen the Northern Lights? first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 10, 2024
Melanie Jayne: Spending Time with Old Friends (Contest)
The first book I completed was A Change for the Good. It was one of those times when the idea came to me complete. I knew the characters’ names, and scenes were fully plotted. I fully intended it to be a one-and-done. I was new to publishing, and I had so many ideas.
However, Forde and Layla popped into my head, and I couldn’t shut them up. Better was the first book that I couldn’t stop writing. I would open my laptop to write a quick one hundred words here and there whenever I got the chance.
With that book, The Change Series was born. I had no plan, only ideas. I used it as a way to try different things. I wrote about interracial couples, male/male, dealt with mental illness, women who did not want to settle down, and characters who didn’t want children. They were imperfect heroes and heroines who were making changes to get what they wanted.
I finished the last book in 2020 and moved on to other series. Three years ago, a member of my team suggested that I update the covers for the series. Every six months, she would remind me of all the reasons why it was necessary and enlisted others to encourage me to do so.
Last fall, I paid for new covers, and since the ladies who were working on the project had read the books, they had great ideas and insights. We tried to position the series for Contemporary Romance and Women’s Literature (Chick Lit.)
Because I could not leave well enough alone, I decided to go back and reread each book and make a few fixes. I thought it would take forever, but the books are easy reads, and I was done in a few weeks.
As I read each book, memories of the struggle to tell the couples’ stories came back to me. The excitement of knowing that I was on the right path when the words came easily and the pain deep in my chest when they thought they might not make it.
I rediscovered my old friends. In Best, I created the best friend that I wish I had. Billie has been through so much and is damaged. She has PTSD and a horrible mother. She moves to Indianapolis to start over. Soon after, she meets Zoe Alessi from Good and becomes a part of the Forde Limited family and finds the love of her life.
Next came A Change in Perception, where I explored the issue of child abuse and made the mother the aggressor. A book club in Michigan read the book and I was shocked to learn that one of the members was furious that I wrote “that garbage.” The reader believed that a mother would never hurt her child.
I’m still amazed at people who refuse to see.
Cress was a tough character to write. She works so hard but really only lives half of a life. When the book opens, she is trying to take some control over her disaster of a life. She doesn’t have a plan except to make changes. I needed to create a character that didn’t know herself, but she wanted to. She was smart and dumb at the same time. Her new friends and lover gave her a safe space to learn and the patience to make missteps.
My plan when writing A Change of Plan was to make Ramsay Kent, who was a ball-breaker and mistake-maker, likable. When the reader meets her in prior books, she is prickly and selfish. When things get tough, she takes off. Rereading her story years later, I saw a deeply wounded woman who was doing the best she could. It was ingrained in her that she was not worth people sticking with. I paired her with Osi Browne, who is a loner. He’s big and scary and intimidates all. He also has infinite patience and the drive to figure the elusive Ramsay out.
Immediately, I saw similar traits between Osi and The Novus Pack’s most popular male, Lore. They have a personal code. They care for only a few, but if you are one of “theirs,” then they will be loyal.
I clearly remember creating Campbell Talbot from A Change of Direction as a woman who made her own rules. She was single and enjoyed being so. Men were a want and not a need in her life. She was unapologetically independent.
In a different life, I could be her. In some ways, I am.
When she meets Sly, neither are looking for a relationship; however, their chemistry cannot be denied. He puts up with her dating rules because they amuse him. When he finally meets her two besties, he gains valuable insight into Campbell.
She needs to feel that she has control because, in her failed marriage, her husband controlled her with money. When she wanted her freedom, he fought and delayed the divorce to watch her suffer.
The final book in the series takes place during the holidays. I devote a chapter to each couple and give an update on their lives and a hint of their future. The story arc is about Billie and Tye moving into their dream house and their fertility journey. The final scene is during the group’s Christmas lunch. I wrote the damn scene, and I read it with tears falling down my cheeks. I was happy for all of my old friends, but especially for Billie.
After reading the series, I realized that I was writing about what I wanted from my friendships and what I wanted to give. I had gone through a period where I lost my closest writing world friends. There was no big blow-up, and to this day, I still don’t know what happened. One day, we were in a four-person Messenger group, and the next…it was disbanded.
In the Change Series, I created female characters that I wanted in my life. Women that were loyal and could have a problem with one another and not ditch a friendship.
As time passed, I made new friends. I probably moved more slowly with them because I was wary. I wanted to be sure they would be honest with me and understand that I’m far from perfect. I was looking for friendships where we celebrated the good times and pulled one another through the bad times.
Taking the time to reread the books gave me the opportunity to see how much I have grown as a writer and as a person and friend. Hopefully, I’ll be much better.
*~*~*
You can learn more about Melanie Jayne: http://www.readmelaniejayne.com
And the Change Series: http://www.readmelaniejayne.com/change-series.html
To enter the drawing for a $10 Amazon Gift Card— Who is your Book Best Friend?
(A fictional character that you wish was real and in your crew)
May 9, 2024
Books for PRE-ORDER! See what’s coming soon! (Contest)
For those of you who haven’t been following me for a long time, you might not be aware of my earlier, sexier series. One of them was Delta Heat, which followed a group of Memphis police officers while they “helped” each other find their happy-ever-afters in unconventional ways. I began my writer’s journey by writing very sexy books. The Delta Heat books were previously published through Samhain and Entangled, but now that I have the rights back, I dusted them off, revised them, gave them new covers, and I hope to find new readers who will enjoy their adventures. The books will release one book a week, starting next Tuesday, May 14th, and finishing June 11th! If you like a sexier story with BDSM elements, I hope you’ll give them a try! Click on the covers to learn more about the books and how you can pre-order them!
Montana Bounty Hunters: West Yellowstone — Cyrus, Book 1I don’t know much about this story yet. I’m starting this book this week. If you haven’t taken my poll, where I’m asking readers for input regarding the heroine’s identity, follow this link: Cyrus’s love interest.
Cyrus releases June 25th!
I’m far from through with Dead Horse. I might have written the last story about the bounty hunters in Dead Horse, but the town still has so many stories to tell. Next up in the We Are Dead Horse series is Built Like Mack, as in “built like a Mack truck.” Yeah, that’s all I know about this story so far. I tend to “meet” my characters as I write them—kind of like how you do as you “read” them.
Built like Mack releases on August 20th!
As you can see, I’m going to be busy this summer! All the books will initially be available only through Amazon so readers who use Kindle Unlimited can get their copies FREE! So, if you’re looking for some books to read over the summer, I have some suggestions… 
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you’re interested in reading any of these stories. Have you read any of my sexier stories before?
The post Books for PRE-ORDER! See what’s coming soon! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 8, 2024
Gabbi Grey: Why Parenting Matters (For Mother’s Day)
Although the concept of motherhood has, in times past, been fairly narrow—and binary—I believe in a more expansive definition. We can have “mothers” in our lives who didn’t give birth to us. Aunties or grandmothers who raised us, foster parents who took care of us, or trans moms who might’ve had a different role as we grew up.
This new anthology of drabbles is a celebration of motherhood in all its many forms. Of moms in their many forms. Some stories will make you laugh, some will make you cry (yes, even me), and some will make you reflect on how we all view motherhood.
What’s a drabble? It’s a form of microfiction. 100 words. Exactly 100 words. No easy feat – trust me on that. I love this project so much that I submitted stories under three different pen names. I’ve had three maternal figures in my life: the woman who gave birth to me, the woman who adopted me, and the woman who guided me into mature adulthood. My birth mom, my adopted mom, and my step-mom. All hold pivotal roles in my life. All mean the world to me.
So from funny anecdotes to touching moments to poetry, there’s something in here for everyone. And the book has been published in paperback and hardcover – so it’s the perfect gift for the mother in your life – whomever that person is. (Or for yourself, to enjoy the reflections of all kinds of motherhood…)
Flowers for You
About the Author
One hundred perfect words. A thousand heartfelt emotions.
For Mother’s Day and all year-round, we at the Romance Café are shouting about this collection of perfect, bite-sized celebrations of moms, mums, mas, mothers and other caring figures in your life.
These 100-word stories celebrate the many different ways that carers show their love, from the everyday acts of kindness to the sacrifices they make for their children.
Warning: may cause a sniffle or three.
Authors:
Gabbi Powell
Gabbi Black
Trinity Wood
Kaje Harper
Tami Winbush
L Mad Hildebrandt
Hannah McKee
Lisa Gwizdala-Cody
Alexa Santi
Cara north
Sonja Flowers
Michelle Mars
Tori Fields
Rhianon Ruby
Elaine Reed
Danika Bloom
A. Boss
Niki Brazen
DL Gallie
Mila Chase
Debra Deasey
Susan Horsnell USAT Bestselling Author
Jeanna Louise Skinner
Cecelia Conway
Suki McMinn
Annee Jones
Gabbi Grey
J.E. Feldman
Kathleen Ryder
Sarah Stein
Angela Kady
MacKade
Heather Osborne
Harper Michaels
Sofia Aves
Bonnie Poirier
Ryleigh Sloan
Niki Trento
Yolanda Olson
Sera Taíno
Kat Long
Katherine Moore
Melissa Kendall
LoLo Paige
Aurelia Foxx
Krithika
Vanesa L. Perillo
G.R. LeBlanc
Jade Glas
Brianna Malotke
Tori Fields
Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TNRC2024FlowersForYou
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-You-Drabbles-Microfiction-Collection-ebook/dp/B0CH3GBY4K
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198359414-flowers-for-you
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: Why Parenting Matters (For Mother’s Day) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 7, 2024
Word Search: Family Summertime Activities (Contest)
School lets out on May 23rd! We didn’t have many snow days last winter, so they’re out early! Yay! We love our summers with the kids. We plan little events all summer long, whether it’s something simple like eating watermelon at the poolside or heading to the cinema for a movie. My lovely brother gifted us with a canoe he wasn’t using when he last visited, so we have something to add to our activities!
I’ve made a list of activities I’m pretty sure we’ll do this summer. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, give me some more ideas! And if you have kids to entertain, what do you plan to do?
The post Word Search: Family Summertime Activities (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 6, 2024
Who should Cyrus’s love interest be? (Poll & Contest)
Cyrus (I don’t have a last name for him yet—any ideas?) will be the first man hired by Montana Bounty Hunters: West Yellowstone office. I’ll start the book this week, but so far, I haven’t landed on the perfect woman to challenge him.
So, I thought it might be fun to get your input. I’ve thrown out some possibilities. Vote on your favorites—you can choose two. If you have another idea, add it in the comments. If you have ideas for names or things that can cause some problems or pose dangers for them, add those, too.
If you comment, you’ll be entered to win a $5 Amazon gift card! Thanks for any help!
Note: There is a poll embedded within this post, please visit the site to participate in this post's poll.The post Who should Cyrus’s love interest be? (Poll & Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 5, 2024
Report Card & Open Contests
Last week…
I finished one editing job for another author.I found the art for the cover for my next We Are Dead Horse book, Built Like Mack , got the cover made, and the pre-order set up in Amazon.I had covers made for a series I’m republishing and created the pre-orders in KDP. Those links aren’t available because KDP wants to make sure I’m republishing my own books first.I began lightly revising the first of the series I’m republishing, which I hope to have out on May 14th. If you like kink, be watching for it!I worked on art for #The100DayProject—nearly catching up with the schedule.I’m still recovering very slowly from an injury to my knee. At first, I got around with a limp, then I used a knee brace, then a cane. I’m off the cane, but not 100% just yet!This next week…
I will work on two editing projects for other authors, finishing one!I will try to find art for the next anthology, Secret Identities. Plus, I’ll work on the webpage on the Collections site, adding loglines for each author’s story.I will complete editing the first and the second stories in the kink series I’m republishing and get them uploaded for pre-order.I will begin writing my next Montana Bounty Hunter story, the first in the West Yellowstone office, Cyrus .I will continue creating small art daily for #The100DayProject.I’ll work on a gazillion administrative things I need to catch up on.And here I was hoping I could take a bit of a break…
Open Contests
May 4, 2024
Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Why did the black bear cross the road?
This was the excitement in our little town yesterday. A black bear showed up at the courthouse/jail then took a tour, winding up in a tree next to this law office. The local PD (including my SIL) had to use yellow tape to keep the public back. There was no letting the bear wander away on its own because…people. So, game and fish brought a tranq gun out to dart the bear and take him to a remote spot to release him. There were some lovely pictures of him up in the tree, but I can’t share them because I worry about copyright. This pic was so widely shared, I didn’t see the harm…
Anyway, back to today’s fun.
Because he was so lovely, and it was so exciting watching the posts on FB all day, the puzzle is a bear! Enjoy it!
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, what exciting interaction with wildlife has happened where you are?
The post Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Why did the black bear cross the road? first appeared on Delilah Devlin.May 3, 2024
Happy Paranormal Day! (Giveaway!)
It’s another weird holiday. And as always, I love a reason to celebrate. Every day should be special, right? Life’s too short not to smile and raise a toast to another sunrise.
So, to help you celebrate and maybe give you something to read this weekend, I’m giving away one of the many paranormal stories I’ve written. Not so much lately, but back in the day, I was very much known for my vampires, witches, and other yummy things that go bump in the night.
This one’s a story I wrote, thinking it would be a series of stories before the publisher I was working with went away. It’s so sad. Sin’s Gift has some very cool elements (if I may say so myself). Be sure to get your copy while this offer lasts! Like now. Right now.
Sin’s Gift
The post Happy Paranormal Day! (Giveaway!) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.
When police officer Sinead O’Rourke returns to duty months after being shot in an incident that claimed her partner, she knows it’s not going to be easy. Despite being cleared of any negligence, her fellow officers still wonder whether she’s responsible for his death. One more problem is that everyone knows she claims to have seen his ghost. After months of rehabilitation and lying like hell about the fact she’s not seeing spooks anymore, Sin’s determined to get back into the saddle.
Jake doesn’t want to partner with Sin. Been there, done that—couldn’t keep his hands off her the first time around. She’s too much of a distraction, and her penchant for rushing into trouble scares the heck out of him. Despite wishing she’d quit her job, he’s still deeply attracted. When an armed robbery goes down and something happens that rattles Sin to the core, he’s right there—ready to cover her back and her sweet body.
