Thank you so much for having me back as a guest, Delilah! I am absolutely over the moon that Rachel Wilder and I have our first new release since before the pandemic!

🚨 It’s here! The Love Me in Vegas Kickstarter is LIVE!

30 indie romance authors.

Dozens of brand-new love stories.

One stunning collector’s edition.

This exclusive anthology is only available this month so don’t miss your chance to grab it!

Our story is called “Bird in the Hand.”

Silas Brooks has a secret. All summer, he couldn’t get Knox Kramer out of his mind. Now, as they return after summer break, does he risk making a move? Knox is Mr. Popular and Silas is a member of the nerd squad. Not to mention, he’s a crow shifter and Knox is a raven. The biggest problem? He doesn’t know if Knox even likes him that way.

We’re exploring crow and raven shifters and the world of Volare Academy, a private college for avian shifters. We’ve got a new series we’re writing and wanted to give readers a sneak peek into the world we’ve been inhabiting for the last eighteen months.

What’s so exciting about this is that we’ve finally gotten our writing mojo back. It’s been a relief and pleasure to come back to storytelling and to have such fun stories to be able to play with. If you follow our Pinterest, Rachel’s been creating an extensive curated collection for the series and you can follow along. She compiles character inspiration, location shots, and even foods and animals. If you’re not already following, here’s the link: https://www.pinterest.com/noonandwilder/_created/.

And if you find yourself in Las Vegas, Nevada, on Friday, November 7, 2025, stop by our table at Reader Nation! Admission is FREE! https://www.readernation.live/

In the meantime, hop on over to Kickstarter and check out the incredible anthology. Isn’t that cover terrific?!

💋 Back it today and help us bring this dream to life: https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/authorventuresllc/love-me-in-vegas-a-collection-of-romance

#KickstarterLaunch #RomanceBooks #ReaderNation25 #RomanceAuthors #RomanceReaders

We’re going for a low-key celebration today! Grilled smashburgers, our own homegrown deviled eggs, lots of sides. No fireworks—because we love our goats, geese, chickens, and the wildlife that gets freaked out by the explosions. They’ll have a haven on our property. Plus, the 11-year-old has never been a fan of the explosions. I remember having to pull her into the house and turn on the TV when we lit explosives on the Fourth at her old house. I didn’t mind missing them with her as we snuggled and watched TV. Sweet memories!

I hope all of you Americans enjoy the day with the family and friends.

I blame Delilah.

Don’t get me wrong… she hasn’t committed any crimes (that I know of 😉 or done anything bad. It’s simply the fact that I’ve grown to reeeeeaaaally love the reading and writing of short stories. And it’s all her fault.

For those who may not know, Delilah graciously organizes an annual short story anthology, the Boys Behaving Badly series, each year with a theme. Each anthology boasts stories written by a diverse array of authors, covering the theme with an imaginative range of story ideas that are all panty-meltingly hawt.

A satisfying relationship, happy-ending, and a money-shot all in the time it takes me to eat lunch? Yes, please!

So, one year, I decided to submit a story. As a Sci-fi Romance author, I was accustomed to writing books of over 95,000 words. Imagine having to shoe-horn world-building, species-building, character-building, and a creative love story (with sex!) into only 5,000 words. That’s like moving all of Buckingham Palace into a one-bedroom apartment.

That’s what we writers consider one helluva writing exercise.

It certainly worked writing muscles I didn’t know I had. And the post-workout soreness is as much a reality for writing as it is for physical exercise. But I kept going. Honing, editing, questioning every single word choice for maximum impact and efficiency, streamlining character development to its most essential… and my story was accepted!

The experience was such a challenge, with what I felt were lasting benefits to my own full-book skills, that I continued to submit to Delilah’s anthologies. Four anthologies later, and I’m addicted. While I still love writing full-length stories, I also love writing short stories. Please don’t ask me which I prefer to write, because that’s like having to choose between my own children. I love them equally, although I might like one better than the other at times.

I now love writing short stories so much, I just published my own bundle of short stories. Fathoms Below is my trilogy of mermaid-y short stories filled with Disney easter eggs and drenched with romance. Each story is a self-contained love story, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to my characters’ HEA within 18,000 words rather than waiting for 35,000 words, or more!

And I “blame” Delilah for that. 🙂

Contest

I’ll gift a Kindle version of Fathoms Below to a randomly-chosen winner from everyone who comments on this post. Feel free to weigh in on your preference: full book or short story?

FATHOMS BELOW

Under the sea, Atlantia’s mer-creatures are devoting full time to floating… and falling in love.

“Better Where it’s Wetter” — Ariel LaRue assumes the sexy merman pictured on the lake house is “just art.” Then a violent storm topples her into his arms, and she discovers the ocean isn’t the only thing that gets her wet.

“Kiss the Girl” — Mako, a young Sharkanian General, knows there’s more to life under the sea than hunting for food and waging war with the Atlantians. But he struggles against his own predatory nature until a gentle mermaid calms the savage hunger of his heart and tames his sharp bite.

“Poor Unfortunate Souls” — Ursule has an uncanny knack for problem-solving which has earned him the grim moniker Sea Witch. Unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent pesky merpeople from approaching him with their problems. Until two captivating eel-maids invade his lair, wishing for nothing more than his company. And his talented tentacles. 

“Part of his World” — Eric’s Epilogue. Prince Eric wasn’t always royalty. For that matter, he wasn’t always a merman.

Get your copy now! FREE in KU!

 About Ava

Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of out of this world Sci-fi and Paranormal Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, adventure… and the word “moist”. She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and teen kiddos who think her “Rizz” is “cringe” but she “passes the vibe check” and her books “hit different.” No cap. She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. Star Wars references are her love language.

Feel free to stalk me:
Website: https://avacuvay.com
Author Facebook: https://facebook.com/AvaCuvayAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15051407.Ava_Cuvay
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ava-Cuvay/e/B01E5OIZ0I/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ava-cuvay
Instagram: https://instagram.com/avacuvay/
Newsletter: https://drinkingthestarspressllc.eo.page/v8296

My birthday passed in a flash! I stayed away from social media to simply enjoy my birthday—another one bites the dust! After my doom and gloomy post about how bad I was doing on my new medication, I just didn’t want to see or read anything, even the many lovely posts from everyone for their birthday wishes. I’m reading through them today. Thank you so much for thinking about me!

I can report that I spoke with my oncologist’s office on Friday morning, and they had me discontinue, for now, the new medication. And miraculously, I felt like myself again on Saturday—no frantic dashes to the bathroom! We’ll have a discussion about what to do going forward when I go in for my regular infusion tomorrow. I’ll do whatever he recommends to fight this disease, but maybe we need a better plan or some adjustments so my quality of life doesn’t take such a radical hit. I’ll keep you posted. I do feel better and in a better state of mind today.

Another catastrophic thing happened late last week. The pool pump stopped working. The pool has been my greatest joy (other than my family) this past little while, so we are biting the bullet and having it replaced, but it might not be for a couple of weeks because we’re in the middle of pool season and everyone needs help. Which means, it will likely take another couple of weeks to kill the algae already turning the pool a lovely neon green. *sigh*  Maybe I’ll be swimming again before the end of July!!

I spent my birthday puttering (which is a form of exercise for me these days) and indulging in my latest guilty pleasure. I’ll talk more about what that is later this week. My daughter thinks it’s hilarious, but what does she know, huh?

Anyway, enjoy your Sunday! Do something that gives you joy! ~DD

Open Contests

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

1. Gabbi Grey: Dipping my toe into the enemies-to-lovers trope… (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win a FREE eBook or audio book!
2. Happy Juneteenth, My Messy Desk, & a Health Update (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. What brings you joy? (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Romantic Gestures — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Flashback: Bound & Determined from Texas Cowboys (Contest & Excerpt) — Win a FREE book!
6. Gabbi Grey: When a trope comes calling (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
7. Word Search: Things associated with June! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Gabbi Black: A Home for Every Story (Contest) — Win a FREE book!

Hello, Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me here to discuss my new short story.  I’ll be honest with you — you might recognize this baby.  I wrote it and submitted it to you for your Secret Identities: A Bad Boy Anthology last year.  I was okay with you not selecting it (happens to the best of us), but that left me with an orphaned short story.  And no home for it!

As you know, though, I try to find somewhere for everything to land – no grass growing under my work (okay, there are a few — but nothing recent).  I put it out of my mind until I slammed against a deadline for a charity anthology.  I had grand plans to write a new story, but found I wasn’t inspired by what I’d plotted out and, just as importantly, time wasn’t on my side.  I was sitting contemplating this issue when I remembered Tempest and Romeo and how they still languished.  I dug out the story and did my best to fix it up.

I added another five thousand words or so.  In the original, the story was all in Domme Tempest’s point of view.  I hadn’t snuck into Romeo’s mind.  I also didn’t have anything beyond the original BDSM cathartic scene.  So what happened after Tempest emotionally broke Romeo? How did they wind up getting together?

Enter some of my favorite secondary characters who stepped up to help my characters find their way back to each other.

Finally, I submitted the book to the anthology people.  The editor came back and said she wanted a more solid happily-ever-after.  I’d thought I had a pretty substantial ending, but she wanted more. I wrote it, always intending to remove it when the rights reverted.

The rights reverted.

I reread the story.  Turned out, the ending was pretty good.  More importantly, it didn’t reveal too much about what I have planned for them next.

A couple of weeks ago, I realized I had a story languishing. This one!  I found a cover I loved and put the book up for sale, starting today.  99 cents for a 10k-word short story.  And FREE through KU for the first 90 days, wide after that. I want to get the story into the hands of readers.  If they didn’t read the instalove charity anthology, Just Add Love, then I hope they might grab it today.

That’s how I repurposed a story I love and found it a new home!

Thank you, Delilah, for hosting me today.  I would love to hear from your readers. Are you willing to take a chance on a new author, if it’s a short read?  Something you’re not likely to become fully invested in?  Or do only full-length novels pique your curiosity?  One commenter, chosen by Random, will win a copy of my MMF BDSM novella Backing Down. All those ‘friends’ I mentioned…  If you have that book, I can gift you another from my back catalogue.  Good luck!

Tempest’s Teacup

Mistress Tempest

The challenge of breaking a disobedient bottom begging for correction at Club Kink has me intrigued. Romeo asserts he’s done something wrong and needs to be punished. That he needs to atone. As we move through our intense scene, I become more and more invested. But if I succeed in breaking him, our interaction may end our connection forever.

Romeo

My disrespectful and selfish behavior has landed me in a heap of trouble. I reach for a second chance in Vancouver after a co-star suggests I submit to a Domme at Club Kink to truly work through the regret threatening to destroy my life. Mistress Tempest offers me an opportunity at redemption. If I go all the way through with it, I might never see her again.

Tempest’s Teacup is an 10k erotic BDSM short story with a formidable Domme, a naïve submissive, and the ultimate redemptive scene.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TempestsTeacup
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Tempests-Teacup-Erotic-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B0FD91V68L
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236575602-tempest-s-teacup

About Gabbi Black

Even though Gabbi Black is a firm believer in happy endings, she makes her characters work for it in every romance she writes, no matter what the genre. From contemporary to BDSM, they are penned early in the morning in her home in beautiful British Columbia while her trusty ChinPoo dog keeps her company. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and small-town romances as Gabbi Powell.

UPDATE: The winner is…Sara D!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! I hope you’ll bear with me as I share the journey for this book.

Puppy Pride wasn’t a book on my 2025 bingo card.  Like, at all.  But I don’t know how to say ‘no,’ and so when offered a spot in the series, I grabbed it.  Initially, I thought about writing a young adult novel about a pride summer camp.

Then I realized the series blurb discussed Mommies and Daddies.  Uh…no. I wasn’t going to write a YA as it wouldn’t really fit into the series.

Okay, so Mommies and Daddies.

Well, I’d just published A Daddy for Christmas 2: Foster.  A Daddy/pup gay romance novel.  That was my first dip into puppy play kink, and I had such a blast that when I signed up for Pride Camp, I decided to head back into that subgenre and trope.

My readers have shown a lot of love for Foster, so I wanted to give them more.

Occasionally, I have to build a book from the outside in.  What do I mean by that?  I needed a cover first.  When I’m writing my interracial romances, I like to have a good idea of who I’m going to be representing since I’m a middle-aged white woman writing about Black, Hispanic, and Indian men (and soon Asian — just to add to the mix).  I live in a world of color where I’m in the minority on my floor in my apartment building. I love that.  I want to see this world represented — hence my inclusion of diverse people in my writing.

Puppy Pride is another interracial romance between an Indian man and a Black man.  Foster had a Black man on the cover – he was the pup.  I wanted the pup to be on this new cover, so I needed to find my Jai.

It wasn’t too hard as I found him pretty quickly.  The man on the cover is exactly how I see him in my mind.  From there, I created Demetrius in my head, and I was ready to go.  I tapped Plot Whisperer for some advice, which she freely gave.  Finally, I wanted a way to connect my two books.  So, I realized Jai and Arnav (the Daddy from my previous book) went to school together but had lost touch.  From there, I was able to incorporate much of my fictional small town (Mission City) and write a book where some old faces are interspersed with new ones.

Which brings us to today!  Puppy Pride is out, and I can’t be happier.  I love the other Pride Camp 2025 books, and I hope readers will enjoy all of them as well.

Okay, Delilah, that’s my story!  How the sausage gets made, so to speak.  As a thank you, I would love to gift a copy of my Daddy/pup book, A Daddy for Christmas 2: Foster to one lucky commentor. (If Daddy/pup kink isn’t your thing, or if you already own the book, I can gift you another book from my collection.)  I would love to hear from your readers — how much does the cover matter to a story? Is there something that makes you grab a book or something that makes you wrinkle your nose? Alternately, how about the blurb? Read’em? Igonore’em? I’d love to hear from you and Random will choose the winner.  Good luck!

Puppy Pride

Jai

Six years ago, the guy I thought I loved told all my friends that I liked to wear paws and a tail and crawl on the floor being a puppy. He turned my private play into a cruel joke, and I ran. Left my friends, my family, home, job, as well as my puppy-play group, and tried to let distance and time heal those wounds. Now, I’ve been given the chance to serve as the director of the new Mission City Pride Camp for teens. But my fresh start turns sour when someone starts leaving dog treats on my desk. Can I stand up to bullying this time and show these kids they have a right to be themselves? Or am I going to run again?

Demetrius

When my best friend got cancer, marrying her was the only real help I could give. Then she died, and I was left trying to single-parent my hurting stepson and stepdaughter without her. When Keegan tells me he’s being bullied for being gay, I desperately want to help him gain resources to survive and thrive. Enrolling him at Pride Camp is step one, and I’m delighted to find the director is a pup I loved playing with back at Whatsup Pup Club. If anyone knows about being bullied and inner strength, it’s Jai. I’d love to reconnect with him on a personal level, too, but he keeps pretending he doesn’t recognize me. I figure leaving him reminder gifts is a good place to start, to show him I’m interested in man and pup. But he seems more and more stressed, and I wonder if I have it wrong. Is there any chance he’ll let me be the Daddy I was for those short, sweet moments six years ago? Can I take a load off his shoulders, or will he shut me out forever?

Puppy Pride is an interracial, age-gap, hurt/comfort, second chance gay romance novel with a generous Daddy, a skittish pup, and the magic when they find each other again.

Welcome to Pride Camp, where diversity and inclusion is our motto. We’ve got daddies, mommies, littles, pets and families of all kinds. So, unroll your sleeping bag, make a couple s’mores, and enjoy the show!

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-Pride-Gabbi-Grey-ebook/dp/B0DXFLS99S
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/PuppyPrideCamp

About the Author

USA Today Bestselling author Gabbi Grey lives in beautiful British Columbia where her fur baby chin-poo keeps her safe from the nasty neighborhood squirrels. Working for the government by day, she spends her early mornings writing contemporary, gay, sweet, and dark erotic BDSM romances. While she firmly believes in happy endings, she also believes in making her characters suffer before finding their true love. She also writes m/f romances as Gabbi Black and Gabbi Powell.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M

Oh dear! When did reading become a source for shaming? There are so many vices in the world that could cause a person to be embarrassed, but I didn’t think reading would be one of them. And no, I’m not talking about the reading materials that come wrapped in black plastic, have parts of images blurred, or come with a parental warning label. (I’m not excluding those, either, cos you do you, boo. There’s room for everyone.) No, I’m speaking of any and all books regardless of genre, content, or reading level.

Some time ago, a colleague had a similar incident, and I may have blogged about it. I can’t remember. Honestly, I thought it was a one-off spoken by a not-so-great person, but here we are again—guilt-shaming for reading. Now, I’m wondering what is really going on. Here’s what happened. Warning: This involves the messiness of a relationship and obviously a literacy hater.

A female friend who most would consider an extrovert began a semi-romantic relationship with an introverted older man. Yes, the statement is already problematic. Let me clarify. The female, Jane (not her real name, but why not refer to her by the name of a writing pioneer, Jane Austen?), met Edmond (as in Edmond Dantès before he assumed the alias of the Count of Monte Cristo—you know, because Edmond couldn’t read). The “relationship” hadn’t advanced as far as “dating,” although Edmond had made it clear that he wanted it to. However, due to conflicting schedules, the two hadn’t been able to make that happen. They’d had to settle for mostly phone conversations and texting.

Whether Jane is truly an extrovert is questionable. She has a job that requires her to behave as one, and an intellect that allows her to intelligently speak on many topics. She can be quite garrulous. However, in her downtime, she can be quiet and enjoy alone time. People who do not know her well often only see the social side of her, and when she’s quiet, they assume she’s upset about something. One outstanding characteristic Jane possesses is that she can carry on a conversation. She’s the type of person you invite to a dinner party to prevent awkward silences. She has a way of making people feel comfortable. Again, this is part of her job. Likely, it was this characteristic, along with her bedroom voice and sarcastic sense of humor, that drew Edmond to her.

Edmond, a retiree, spent his days caring for his elderly mother until she passed away. Understandably, this left a large void in his life, especially since he lived with her. He spends his days doing mostly nothing. He runs the normal errands (grocery shopping, washing the car, finding people to do repairs and lawn work around the home, paying utility bills, etc.) Reportedly, he has no hobbies and has a somewhat rocky relationship with the majority of his family. He also gives exudes Eddie Haskell vibes—always seeking a shortcut or scheming while trying to appear innocent. He’s a master of throwing boulders and concealing his callused hands.

So, enough background.

The trouble began after Jane completed a project she’d been working on in her spare time after her nine-to-five for over a year. The project didn’t go exactly as planned, and Jane was highly disappointed. Edmond wasn’t supportive. In fact, he behaved (in my opinion) as if he were happy about it. Although this is purely speculation, the circumstantial evidence is as follows.

First, Edmond never appeared to take a genuine interest in Jane’s project. Despite not being able to share specifics about the project due to contractual obligations, Jane shared what she could. Often, Edmond would interrupt or shut her down by abruptly changing the conversation. In my opinion, this demonstrated Edmond’s disinterest in the project.

Second, the project made demands on Jane’s time, which meant less time Jane had to spend with Edmond. While I’ll admit his wanting to spend more time with her is understandable, it’s also childish to a certain degree. Most people who want to become attorneys have to dedicate long hours to studying and attending classes. Few just walk up to the bar association without any preparation or formal training, take the bar examination, and pass it. As an adult, he should have recognized that it would take time. It wasn’t like she was partying in bars or running all over town with friends. He knew exactly where she was and that she was working as quickly as she could.

Three, Jane had a goal with her project, and she had effectively communicated that goal to Edmond. He’d informed her that he understood, but he never exhibited any support for her pursuing her goal. Towards the conclusion, when the deadline was approaching, Edmond complained that Jane was too focused. He would interrupt her while she was working and sulk or attempt to begin an argument. If she complained because a part of the project had not gone as planned, he was the first to encourage her to quit. He even went as far as telling her that she wasn’t mentally strong enough to handle the pressures of the project.

After the failed project, Jane was in the dumps, and Edmond carried on as if nothing had happened. Mind you, this project had been a lifelong dream, and watching a dream die can be excruciatingly painful. Jane’s confidence in herself was severely shaken, especially since she didn’t have a definitive answer for why the project failed. She had major choices to make about her life and future. Should she try again, try something different, or give up? Eventually, she decided she needed a break—a pause to regroup. And since the world around her seemed terrible, she sought to escape in books.

Jane is a prolific reader, and she decided to expand her reading experience by trying new genres. And guess what. It worked in bringing her out of her glumness. She was shocked that she had discovered a new love, and she wanted to share it. Initially, she asked Edmond to buddy read. After a few weeks of hum-hawing and ho-humming, he brushed her off without manning up and giving her a direct answer. He came up with excuses of being busy, pretended he’d forgotten, or went to his famous go-to of changing the subject. He questioned by she enjoyed reading and insinuated that she read too much.

Then, one day, Jane mentioned finding someone else to be her reading buddy, and you’d think she threw a dart in his eyeball. He accused her of…well, I’m not sure what exactly. However, whatever it was, he made it to be her fault and that she was somehow belittling him. He made her love of reading all about him. When she explained that she wanted to discuss the books she read with someone, he told her she could discuss them with him.

And here is where it becomes twisted.

Previously, when Jane had talked about her current reads with Edmond, he’d not paid attention or changed the subject. More often than not, he’d interrupt. He’d complain that Jane was too long-winded and want her to jump to the ending. When she did, he wouldn’t understand and have questions—the same questions Jane would have answered had he not interrupted her. She’d try to explain, but eventually, the story would become jumbled and hard to follow for someone who hadn’t read it. Jane pointed this out to Edmond and stopped telling him about her current reads. But this led to another issue.

Edmond had made several statements that he wasn’t interested in hearing about Jane’s nine-to-five. He became jealous if she talked about her friends, especially her male platonic friends. He wasn’t familiar with current events and didn’t follow sports. Politics were taboo. But remember, he was an introvert and didn’t work. He expected Jane to begin and maintain all conversations. However, when Jane inquired about his day, he’d make a few short statements, often brief with not much to elaborate on.

Jane eventually grew quiet. And then came the accusatory questions. “What’s the matter?” “Why are you upset?” “Is there something you’re not telling me?” “There has to be something wrong. You’re not quiet for no reason?”

After some time attempting to nonconfrontationally navigate the situation, Jane confessed that she felt as if she was talking to herself and that the relationship was deteriorating. Edmond sulked but promised he would do better. He didn’t. What he did was after he went through his uneventful day, he would ask Jane about her current read. He’d remain quiet while she talked. Admittedly, this was an improvement from the interruption. However, he still seemed bored, and Jane knew he wasn’t understanding some of the more complicated plots, despite laughing when she had laughed.

Then, it really hit the fan.

A book Jane preordered and waited for months was finally released. Excited, she devoured the book in a single day. (Prolific reader.) In her words, “It was soooooooo guuuud!” And like many book lovers, she wanted to discuss it because “I have thoughts.” But when Edmond asked her about it, she didn’t want to talk about it with him. Why? Because with him, it wouldn’t have been a discussion. A discussion would involve a back-and-forth dialogue. What Edmond offered was a lecture situation, where she would do all the talking and he would half pay attention. If she was lucky, he might have paid attention long enough to regurgitate a comment. When she refused to talk about the book, he began hounding her as to why she wouldn’t. Eventually, she explained, and he fell off the deep end.

Here’s what amazed me when I was enlightened on the conversation. He was insulted because she read books. Yes, you heard it here, folks. He couldn’t understand why anyone would want to discuss a book. In fact, he took the stance that only she wanted to talk about books and “normal” people didn’t. He also stated that his “listening” was a “discussion” and that Jane was being an elitist (he didn’t use that term, probably because he doesn’t know it) for refusing. He said she thought she was better than him…all because she reads. He made her feel bad because she wanted to share her love of books.

Back in the day (and I mean way back before the printing press), books were expensive and rare. Not all people were given the right to read, and had to learn in secret. Now, there are so many opportunities to read (many for free), and people choose not. Reading has gone from being a privilege, to a right, to a necessity, to a four-letter word. Make it make sense.

One of the reasons Jane is a wonderful conversationalist is due to reading. She’s learned a lot from books and has developed an expansive vocabulary. She’s able to speak intelligently about many topics because of what she’s read. She’s creative and isn’t afraid to think outside of the box. She can relate and empathize with people who are vastly different from her. She’s the wiz at Trivia Pursuit on game night and the “expert” her coworkers seek when there’s a sticky situation. She is flexible and divergent in her thinking.

The true irony is Edmond insists he likes Jane for her personality. Jane’s personality was partly shaped by reading and books. Yet, he shames her for reading.

Do you know anyone like this? Have you ever heard of this type of situation? Have you ever experienced this type of read-shaming? What do you think about Edmond? What do you think about Jane? Let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.

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

*Note: All of my books can be purchased from brick-and-mortar bookstores (e.g., Barnes & Noble, Book-A-Million, etc.) as well if requested at the checkout counter.)

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 Chamblee
• Instagram: genevivechambleeauthor
• TikTok: CreolegurlNola
• Bluesky: Genevive Chamblee
• Threads: Author Genevive Chamblee
• BookBub: Genevive Chamblee
• Amazon Authors: Genevive Chamblee
• Goodreads: Genevive Chamblee
• X (formerly Twitter): @dolynesaidso

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.