Delilah Devlin's Blog, page 59
March 26, 2024
Word Search: Colors of Paint (Contest)
Sometimes, I struggle for themes for puzzles. Today, I didn’t have to look far for an idea. I have three bottles of ink sitting on my desktop with the most interesting color names: Chicken Coop (which is a rusty color), Robin’s Egg (the teal blue), and Parrotfish Twinkle (the green). I experimented with those three inks last night to produce the bookmark above.
I had those ridiculously named colors then opened a palette I put together myself with some of my favorite Daniel Smith watercolors (all D.S., except for the ochre and the pale green) to come up with the rest of the colors for the puzzle. They’re ones I’ve been using the most often lately.
So, for the contest… For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me what fancy-named colors you love. (Okay, so I don’t care if it’s a fancy name or not.)
The post Word Search: Colors of Paint (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.
March 25, 2024
Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Josephine Silone Yates – Another Undaunted Pioneer (Contest)
It never ceases to amaze me how the African American women of the 19th century did not allow societal limitations to keep them from pursuing and obtaining their dreams. Josephine Silone Yates is another of them. Born in 1859 in New York on Long Island in Suffolk County, by the time Josephine Silone Yates died in 1912 she had been a professor, a writer, a public speaker, an activist, and the first African American woman to head a college science department. Many of the works written on her life focus not only on her work as a pioneering African American female chemist but also as an advocate for early care and education for young African American children.
She attended several schools in her youth and didn’t allow the fact that she was often the only African American student keep her from excelling. At a young age, Josephine showed an aptitude for physiology and physics. By the time she attended the Rogers High School in Newport, Rhode Island, her science teacher was so impressed that he allowed her to do chemistry labs. She graduated from Rogers in 1877 as her class’s valedictorian. Her teachers urged her to go on to university, but she chose the path of teaching instead. In 1879, she graduated from the Rhode Island State Normal School and became the first African American certified to teach in that state’s public schools.
She moved to Jefferson Missouri to teach at Lincoln University either in 1879 or 1881, depending on your sources. There she taught chemistry, botany, drawing, elocution, and English literature. She was promoted to the head of Lincoln’s natural Sciences department in 1886, making her the first African American woman to head a college science department. This also made her the first African American woman to be a full professor at any college or university in the United States. All the while she was teaching, she wrote newspaper and magazine articles under the penname R.K. Potter. By 1900, she was publishing poetry, too.
When she married William Ward Yates in 1889, she resigned from her university position, moved to Kansas City with her husband, and had two children. While he served as a principal there, she blossomed as an activist. Like many African American women of her time, she became active in the African American Women’s Club movement. She helped found the Women’s League of Kansas City in 1893. When the League joined the National Association of Colored Women (NACW), Josephine served in various offices from 1897 to 1901. She promoted the establishment of kindergartens and day nurseries through the NACW to help prepare African American children for a post-emancipation society where they would not be taught to be subservient second-class citizens.
Lincoln University asked Josephine to return in 1902 to head their English and history department. She did this until 1908 when she offered to resign because of ill health. Her resignation was refused, so she remained as an advisor to women until 1910. She continued championing education and advancement for African American women, helping to found the first African American Young Women’s Christian Association in Kansas City a year before she died.
Looking back on women like Josephine I am inspired by how their drive stems from wanting as many people as possible to benefit from their accomplishments. I hope someday the same can be said of me.
For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share your thoughts in the comments.
Better To Marry Than To Burn by Michal Scott
Wife Wanted: Marital relations as necessary. Love not required nor sought…
A bridal lottery seems the height of foolishness to ex-slave Caesar King, but his refusal to participate in the town council’s scheme places him in a bind. He has to get married to avoid paying a high residence fine or leave the Texas territory. After losing his wife in childbirth, Caesar isn’t ready for romance. A woman looking for a fresh start without any emotional strings is what he needs.
Queen Esther Payne, a freeborn black from Philadelphia, has been threatened by her family for her forward-thinking, independent ways. Her family insists she marry. Her escape comes in the form of an ad. If she must marry, it will be on her terms. But her first meeting with the sinfully hot farmer proves an exciting tussle of wills that stirs her physically, intellectually, and emotionally.
In the battle of sexual one-upmanship that ensues, both Caesar and Queen discover surrender can be as fulfilling as triumph.
Excerpt:
Queen Esther Payne arrived at noon on September fourteenth and proved to be a paragon indeed.
Caesar gawked at the copper-toned Amazon who emerged from the stagecoach like royalty descending from a throne.
Queen. Her name definitely suited. Only Cleopatra could have fit better. Maybe Sheba.
The afternoon sunlight crowned her with rays of gold. Kinky black ringlets covered her head, declaring she had a Nubian pride befitting the woman he’d want to wed. She used her bonnet to fan away dirt dusted up by the stagecoach’s departure. Her twisting and turning revealed an hourglass waist above curvaceous hips.
At his approach, her eyebrow curved over a gaze brimming with criticism. “Caesar King?”
He removed his hat and extended his hand in greeting. “At your service, Queen.”
She donned her hat and examined him with that regal air. “Miss Payne, if you please. You may call me Queen after the nuptials.” She finished tying her hat’s long ribbons beneath her chin. “Although, even then, I’d prefer Mrs. King.”
“You don’t say?” He chuckled, taking her measure from head to foot. “Well, Miss Payne it is…for now.”
She filled her face with a frown. “I don’t appreciate being examined like some newly purchased cow, Mr. King.”
He pulled back. Amusement wrestled with annoyance. “I’m making sure you measure up, Miss Payne.”
“Pray, to what criteria?” She shoved her valise against his chest. Caesar grunted, surprised but pleased by her strength.
She crossed her arms, causing her lovely bosom to swell. “I doubt there’s a standard for marriages of convenience.”
He inhaled against the pull of desire throbbing in his privates. “The same criteria as you, I suspect—my own self-worth and what I deserve.” He dropped the bag at her feet. “So, by that token, I don’t appreciate being treated like some fetch-and- carry boy.”
She lowered her gaze. But for the set of her jaw, he’d have taken the gesture for an apology.
He leaned forward and whispered, “If you ask me nicely, I’d gladly carry your bag.”
“A gentleman wouldn’t need to be asked.” Her tone dripped with disdain. “A gentleman would simply take it.”
“I do many things, Miss Payne.” He pushed up the brim of his hat and grinned, fired up by the hazel flame sparking in her eyes. “Pretending to be a gentleman doesn’t number among them.”
Buylink: https://amzn.to/2KTaGPH
The post Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Josephine Silone Yates – Another Undaunted Pioneer (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 24, 2024
Report Card & Open Contests
Last couple weeks…
I finished two projects for two other authors.I completed and published What Happens in Bozeman ! Woot!I began work on Tyson’s Mission .I read more stories submitted for the Secret Identities anthology.I’ve created art every day for #The100DayProject.This next week…
I must continue work on Tyson’s Mission . I need to complete two editing jobs!I must finish reading the rest of the stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.I will continue creating some small art for #The100DayProject.Again, it’ll be a cram-jammed, busy week!
Open Contests
March 23, 2024
Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Animals in a Boat
Happy Saturday! And you know what Saturday means, right? It’s puzzle-time!
I really do search hard for pretty or weird pictures to share to make this fun. Today’s is weird. Hope you enjoy it!
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then tell me what you think is happening in this picture. Or, simply tell me how it makes you feel. Super easy. Have fun!
The post Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Animals in a Boat first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 22, 2024
A Reminder for Your Weekend Enjoyment! (Contest)
Thank you to EVERYONE who already picked up their copy of What Happens in Bozeman! I appreciate your support and hope you had a great time reading it! Here are some snippets of reviews from a couple of readers who loved this visit to Dead Horse, Montana. (Thank you, Elinda and Pam!)
What follows is a series of events that will have you laughing out loud. ~ Elinda M
Loved the town of Dead Horse. Its residents and Sara and her classmates were adorable! ~ Pam B
Yeah, I know…kids in a romance? Shouldn’t that be self-exclusionary? Hey, it did not get in the way of sexiness in the story. Promise.
What you may not know is that a lot of what inspired the character of Sara and her classmates’ antics comes from the three girls who share my home. The oldest cringes when I tell the story of her trying to have a conversation with a caterpillar with her ear held as close to its head as possible. She’d seen The Bee Movie and couldn’t understand why the caterpillar was ignoring her. Of course, her grandma told her it was because their mouths are so small that the sounds they make can’t be heard by ordinary humans. So, the kittens and the princess bed thing had its true origins… You’ll have to read the story to understand what I’m talking about.
So, if you haven’t read the story yet and are looking for something fun to read this weekend, I think my book will fit the bill nicely!
What Happens in Bozeman
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me a fun story about something a child you know said or did.
The post A Reminder for Your Weekend Enjoyment! (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 21, 2024
What makes you happy? (Contest)
I’m one of those people who doesn’t understand depression. I’m sure I’ve felt it. Perhaps after the one time I was fired from a job. Maybe when I was diagnosed for Graves disease and had my thyroid fried with a radioactive pill, then spent a month in bed so I wouldn’t have a heart attack. Talk about fatigue. Lordy.
However, both times, I gave myself a day to feel some self-pity then I sat in front of my PC or pulled my Alphasmart out of my bag, lay it across my lap in bed, and typed for just a minute at a time. When I was in bed for that month, I literally could only write in very short spurts then I’d crash. But I wasn’t depressed. I pushed forward.
Maybe it’s a physiological thing? Maybe it’s brain chemistry? I don’t know, but I am a naturally happy person. If I feel a little “flat”—I sit outside and watch the deer at the pond. Or, I pull out pictures of things that make me happy.
Or, I pull out the paint like I did last night…
For a chance to win your choice of a download from among my backlist of books, tell me what makes you happy.
The post What makes you happy? (Contest) first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 20, 2024
Happy World Storytelling Day! (Contest)
It’s another obscure holiday today! One we can all love, right? It’s actually celebrating oral storytelling. However, we can bend the rules a bit here!
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, take a look at the photo and tell me a story. Your story doesn’t have to be complete, or long, or even any good. Just look at the picture and wing it! Have fun!
March 19, 2024
Brand New Release! WHAT HAPPENS IN BOZEMAN! FREE in KU!
My new We Are Dead Horse, MT, story is here! And it was a blast to write! I hope you all love it.
There’s a new schoolteacher in town, a handsome rancher, cattle rustling, more Nah-Nah Sisterhood dating advice, sexy times, surprises, a bit of danger, some kids with odd ideas about where babies come from… You’ll have to read it to see what happens.
If you get a chance to read the story, please consider telling someone else about it (or post a review!). Readers trust other readers for recommendations—as they should!
Anyway, without further ado…
What Happens in Bozeman
The post Brand New Release! WHAT HAPPENS IN BOZEMAN! FREE in KU! first appeared on Delilah Devlin.
What happens in Bozeman stays in Bozeman…unless it’s a cowboy!
Stranded in Bozeman, Montana, for the night while snowplows clear a mountain pass, Kelly Willis decides to throw caution to the wind. After being jilted by her college sweetheart, she’s determined to have one no-holds-barred night, her way of seeking revenge against a lifetime of conformity, before she settles down in a new town to live a very circumspect life as an elementary schoolteacher. She chooses another stranded motorist, propositioning him with the offer of a no-strings, no-names night of pleasure.
No one is more shocked than rancher Ryan Mobley when he appears at his daughter’s parent-teacher meeting to discover the angel he’d made love to is his daughter’s new teacher. Now that she’s here, he’s going to do everything he can to convince her they have a real connection, something they can build a lifetime on.
While she wrangles the class bully and he tries to figure out who’s rustling his cattle, the two of them grow closer with the help of a classroom full of mini matchmakers.
Get your copy here!
Also available in print!
FREE in KU!
March 18, 2024
Genevive Chamblee: Love in Spring
Last week, I walked outside, and my car was covered in the yellow stuff. When I arrived at work, many of my coworkers were sniffing, sneezing, and wiping tears from their eyes. Then my BFF, also had a honking nose and froggy voice. Honestly, I don’t know why he didn’t text for the shape he was in. I said, “I hear the weather has gotten you down, too.” To which he responded, “Yeah, it’s the time of year that love is in the air.” Well, that wasn’t the response I expected. And here is where I tripped and fell down the rabbit hole. I asked (as Tina would have), “What’s love got to do with it?” It was on from there.
He explained to me that spring is the time that love blooms and that his bug is “lovesickness.” Now, that all may be…true? He could be bitten by a lovebug, but…what? So, I asked another question. “What in the world are you talking about?” To be sure, his answer was less than stellar, but I asked for it. He responded with, “You’re a romance writer, you should know this.” That doesn’t have anything to do with the craters on the moon, but my bestie seemed to think it did. Then he proceeded to argue that more people fall in love in spring than in any other season.
That proclamation stopped me cold. Where was the evidence? As expected, he didn’t have it to offer; so, of course, I went searching. Duh! Did I mention rabbit hole? While there’s no empirical data, scientific evidence, or statistics indicating this to be factual, research has indicated that there may be some biological rationale to this hypothesis. The answers lie in three neurotransmitters/hormones.
A neurotransmitter, in simplistic terms, is a synthesized chemical in the brain that permits neurons to transmit and communicate with each other throughout the body. Three neurotransmitters kept popping up in this research.
Dopamine is commonly referred to as the “feel-good hormone” because it yields a sense of satisfaction, pleasure, and motivation. Simply put, it is part of the brain’s “reward system.”Melatonin is secreted by the pineal gland and is a ubiquitous neurotransmitter-like compound. It is produced by darkness and sets the body’s internal clock.Serotonin is a monoamine neurotransmitter that behaves like a hormone. It influences happiness, learning, and memory. It also regulates the body’s temperature, hunger, sleep, and sexual behavior.Because spring brings nicer (depending on who is asked—Winter people are recognized and it’s all love) weather, people tend to spend more time outside. Additionally, due to Daylight Saving, the days are longer. People get more sun. More sun means less dark. Less dark means less melatonin. With less melatonin, the effects of other neurotransmitters are felt more—dopamine and serotonin, batter up.
Spring offers an abundance of newness. Flowers and trees are in bloom, offering bursts of colors all around. Floral scents, grass, and earth saturate the air. Many times, these scents are associated with pleasant memories. People want to spend more time outside (motivation) and frequently feel that they are rejuvenated or energized.
When the weather begins to warm up, people strip off their winter gear. Thus, they begin to show more skin. Appreciating the human form with less clothes… Well, it’s easy to see where that leads. This may not be “love,” but it most certainly possibly is “lust.” Either way, people feel “good.” But so what? Well, these things can add up to cause a person to be more “susceptible” to falling in love. Hey, don’t blame me. I’m just the messenger reporting what some research has reportedly found.
So, there you have it. Now, how all of this is responsible for my BFF’s nose flowing like the Mighty Mississippi I still have no clue. If anyone figures it out, let your girl know.
That’s all I got. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button, and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.
Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.
When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.
Order your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W
Did you miss the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.
Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.
Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.
Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.
Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.
For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.
If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or X (formerly tweet) me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads, Amazon Authors, BookBub, Bluesky, Threads, or TikTok.
NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and sign up today.
Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.
About the AuthorGenevive Chamblee resides in the Bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm,” and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.
The post Genevive Chamblee: Love in Spring first appeared on Delilah Devlin.March 17, 2024
Happy St. Patrick’s Day & Open Contests!
Of course, this is a day we celebrate in our household! The red-headed hellion (my daughter) would have it no other way. She spent quite a lot of time in Ireland with her father’s relatives when she was younger and took two of the girls to Ireland recently to meet with the people they’re always talking to on the phone. Tonight, we’ll have a lovely meal, but parades are out because they’re simply too far away. We’ll spend it quietly with family. If celebrating St. Paddy’s Day isn’t a thing in your house, consider making it one. We all need loads and loads of reasons to celebrate life throughout the year! Happy St. Patrick’s Day, everyone!
Open Contests
