UPDATE: The winner is…Ruth Limeburner!
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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!

UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
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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

Get your copy here!

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me a fun story about something a child you know said or did.

UPDATE: The winner is…Pansy Petal!
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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.

UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy Hunt!
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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!

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

1. Meet Your Weekend Book Boyfriend — $0.99 Sale! (Contest + Excerpt) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: National Barbie Day (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Word Search: Favorite Pets (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. The Joy of Bingeing (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
5. Katherine Smits: St. Patrick’s Story Spectacular — The Pen Dames March Contest (2 Prizes!) — Win an Amazon gift card, plus–have your name appear in a story!
6. Gabbi Grey: A Sexy Story (Contest)  — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest & a Reminder! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
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Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me to share my new release!

When I saw the call for femme fatale flash fiction pieces, I dropped everything and ran to my computer.

My editor was shocked when I sent her not one but two pieces. I asked for a quick turnaround time – which she generously did for me. I even got the two stories submitted early! What mostly surprised my editor was that, at the beginning of our acquaintance, I maintained I couldn’t write short. That I was only capable of writing stories over 70,000 words.  She’d send me different calls for short pieces. I even submitted one for a Delilah anthology (she didn’t pick it and that was good because it wasn’t that great).  Eventually I wrote a couple of short stories that got published. Then I wrote my first short story for a charity anthology, and I’ve done almost a dozen since.  I’ve also written more than a dozen novellas.  So yes, apparently, I can write short.  The last few submissions have been 5,000 words or less.  In this case a lot less.

One piece of flash fiction I submitted for this anthology was a BDSM short story about a Domme. That story was under my Gabbi Black pen name.  It didn’t get picked, but that was okay.  I plan to expand that story and release it myself.  Kat’s Claws, however, did get selected.

That acceptance letter put me over the moon.  Most of the anthologies I join involve me signing up and submitting the best story I possibly can.  Rarely do I submit to curated anthologies (or get personally asked to join a charity anth).  I just don’t have time.  I’m so glad I did for this one.  My flash fiction (667 words – and yes, I should’ve found one to trim…) is about a lioness shifter who interferes with her best friend’s love life. Her best friend is an owl shifter.  From the first shifter book I read about ten years ago, I wondered what kind of shifter I would write. Now, I never had any intention of writing a shifter book.  I’ve only written one other paranormal story, and it’s about a ghost.  To me, that’s just a love story, not a paranormal.  Well, apparently if ghosts are involved, it falls into the mystical sphere.

I’ve signed up for a shifter anthology in September, and I’ve written the story of the owl shifter (the lioness’s best friend) and the human woman she loves so much.  A lesbian, owl shifter, reality show, short story.  Man, I can’t wait to share that with the world. In the meantime, when I saw the femme fatale call, I knew I needed to tell Kat’s side of the story.  The prologue, as it might be. Why she did what she did and how her friend reacted.  That’s the basis for Kat’s Claws. I hope readers pick up this anthology and read all the great stories. The editor prepared sketches for each one, and I’m thrilled with what she did for me.  So yeah, the email I received telling me that I made the cut really was a great day.

I would love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky commenter.  Have you tried reading or writing flash fiction? Or do you prefer longer stories?  One randomly chosen comment will win the prize.

Thanks, Delilah, for letting me visit.

Femme Fatale Flashes

Welcome to the shadowed corners of intrigue and peril. Wicked Shadow Press presents “Femme Fatale Flashes”, a captivating anthology of flash fictions, each one casting the spotlight on the elusive femme fatale, a figure at once dangerously seductive and imbued with an undeniable strength.

Dive into narratives where mystery and malice dance closely, as these women tread the fine line between morality and desire. From the straightforward journeys of beguiling yet sinister characters whose beginnings are as veiled as their intentions, to the intricate tales of those sculpted by the harshness of society, the sting of betrayal, or the tumultuous twists of love, this collection delves into the myriad hues of what it means to embody the femme fatale.

“Femme Fatale Flashes” beckons you to explore the complex realm of these mesmerising women through stories that are as concise as they are profound. Brace yourself to be captivated by the lethal allure of the femme fatale, in a collection that promises to enchant, entangle, and ultimately, redefine your perception of power, vengeance, and seduction.

This anthology features 56 stories, penned by 49 authors from around the world.

FEATURED IN THIS COLLECTION: Albert Tucher, Angela Tang, Anna McHugh, Armand Rosamilia, Arun Hariharan, Barlow Crassmont, Bissme S, Chad Anctil, Christopher Ryan, Crystal Red, D.A. Cairns, Dale Parnell, Daniel DiQuinzio, David Rae, Dawn DeBraal, Destiny Eve Pifer, Emmanuel Maduabuchi Titus, Gabbi Grey, Grant Tracey, Hannah Marchildon, Ian Gielen, Ivy Wilde, James Dorr, JB Wocoski, Jeremy Gadd, Joshua Vise, Kevin Hopson, Kris Blackburn, Kylie Doyle, LaVern Spencer McCarthy, Linda M. Crate, Madhu Mehrotra, Nelly Shulman, Olivia Arieti, R.W. Hartshorn, Rachel Loertscher, Rina Palumbo, Robb T. White, Sarah Das Gupta, Sarah Mayo, Sharon Frame Gay, Shayde O. Brown, Sheldon Woodbury, Soter Lucio, Susan Temple, TC Phillips, Toshiya Kamei, Val Roberts, Warren Benedetto

Links:
eBook link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/femme-fatale-flashes/ebook/product-579e6jr.html
Paperback Link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/femme-fatale-flashes/paperback/product-579e6yr.html
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209492846-femme-fatale-flashes

Kat’s Claws by Gabbi Grey

I am a temptress, a seducer, and a lioness shifter.  When my best friend, an owl shifter, is about to make a terrible mistake, I use my prowess to bring her relationship with a human to an end. That might make me a bitch, but I did it for the right reason. Or so I believe…

About the 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.

UPDATE: The winners are Linda and Roxie!
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Thanks so much to Delilah for hosting me today! I truly appreciate this opportunity to speak directly to you, the readers.

The Pen Dames are currently running our annual contest, and I thought you might enjoy it. Here are the details…

We invite you to become a character in an upcoming story we’re crafting. It’s simple to enter—just leave your first name in the comments section of this blog post or on one of our Facebook posts about the contest, and we’ll name a character after the winner.

I can’t give away too many details, but the tale will have an Irish theme in celebration of St. Patrick’s Day and will feature elements of mystery, magic, and a dash of romance. Please note the story will only be published on the Pen Dames blog, and no financial compensation will be provided. All rights are reserved. The contest closes on March 17th.

Now, this is just for fun, but how often do you have the chance to read about a character named after you?

A little about us, the Pen Dames. We’re a group of five author friends who share a love for each other’s work and are bound by our motto of Heart, Humor, and Happily Ever After. We’re passionate about books, reading, and, most importantly, our readers. If you’d like to learn more about us, please visit our website.

https://pendames.blogspot.com/p/home.html

As an additional thank-you for Delilah’s kindness in hosting this post on short notice, I’m offering a special drawing for anyone who comments here. You’ll also have the chance to win either a $5.00 Amazon gift card or (for U.S. residents only) a signed combined print edition of two of my books edited by none other than Delilah! Along with the books, I’ll include a swag bag filled with goodies, such as a crystal pen, stickers, bookmarks, charms, and surprises.

The two books included in the additional prize are “The Sea Witch and the Mage” and Siren Descending. If you’re curious, “The Sea Witch and the Mage” is a short story set in a contemporary romantic fantasy world of mermaids, mermen, and mages and is the prequel to Siren Descending which reimagines the Greek myth of Orpheus with a Siren as the heroine.

About the Author

I’m Katherine Eddinger Smits, and my fascination with all things paranormal stems from being a direct descendant of one of the women executed for witchcraft in Salem, Massachusetts. My stories often feature mages, mermaids, and gifted humans grappling with real-life issues like self-acceptance and phobias, all while weaving in mystery, suspense, and a hint of romance.

If you’re interested in exploring more of my work, you can visit my website and subscribe to my newsletter for a free short story.

Katherinesmits.com

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Thank you for taking the time to read about our contest and for considering participating. Whether you decide to join us or simply follow along, we appreciate your support.