Back in my day—cos, yeah, I’m old as dirt now it seems—literature was a required course in high school. By literature, I mean the classics: To Kill a Mocking Bird, Of Mice and Men, The Old Man and the Sea, I Know Why the Caged Bird Sings, The Great Gatsby, The Crucible, The Scarlett Letter, Animal Farm, Where the Red Fern Grows, The Catcher in the Rye, The Canterbury Tales, The Iliad, The Odyssey, Beowulf, Lord of the Flies, Flowers in the Attic, Waiting for Godot, and anything by William Shakespear. My high school prided itself on using the Stanford University reading list as a guide for our literature classes. The teachers stressed that reading these books would help us become well-rounded and develop critical thinking. I’ll be honest. Back then, I didn’t know what that meant or where I would use any of this information; therefore, I took their word for it. But it was no hardship because I liked reading. I like literature, even the Old English that was like plodding through mud at times. I remember being one of the only students in my literature class to get the jokes of The Canterbury Tales without the teacher explaining them.

Later in life, when I became a parent, the belief that learning literature was beneficial stuck with me. Soon after learning to read—and even before if I’m honest, cos audiobooks are a thing—I began loading my child’s Kindle with the classics. When we went to the library—which was every two weeks, but sometimes weekly—I insisted that she get at least one classic. And our library was really excellent at having many of the classics (e.g., Where the Red Fern Grows, Moby Dick, and The Outsiders) in watered-down versions easily digestible for youths and younger children. I was proud of myself for being a responsible and studious parent. That is, until I bumped into the son of the daycare owner.

Things happen for a reason. Decent daycare was hard to find, and affordable daycare was nearly impossible. So, when a situation occurred, and I had to switch daycares, I was more than stressed. But as luck would have it, a new daycare was opening. In fact, my child was the first to enroll there. And it wasn’t any daycare. The owner had a vision to treat it like a school, but not like a preschool. In the summer, daycare was full-time, but during the fall, only after-school care was provided. Thus, all attendees were school age. Furthermore, the attendees were divided into three groups (by age), and every two weeks, there were themes. For example, two weeks would focus on the American Frontier. All field trips, books read, movies watched, and activities would be based on this theme. Each room of the daycare was designed like a specialized classroom. For example, one room was designated for science and one for math. In the math room, the kids might engage in activities to calculate the number of days it would take a family traveling in a prairie schooner to travel from Boston to Salt Lake City, or (after a panning for “gold” activity) how to weigh gold and calculate how much it was worth. The idea was to get the kids to learn without them knowing they were learning. I loved it, and so did my kiddo actually. However, there was one rule that made this information pertinent to this post.

The kids had an hour of downtime to do whatever they wanted during the schedule. Of course, handheld game systems (hello, Nintendo) were popular. Due to concerns that the video games might get lost, broken, traded, or stolen, they were prohibited. This meant the kids had to find other ways to entertain themselves during the downtime. I sent books. This is when the owner’s son, who was in college at the time, informed my child that reading the classics would not help her in school or make her smarter. He went on to say that reading them was a waste of time. Because of him, my child became disinterested in the classics. I was livid.

Now, do I have proof that what my teachers said to me all those years ago is true? Nope. At this point, did I even care if it was true? Not really. Did I double down and go full-barrel on this young buck, that he didn’t know what he was talking about? Absolutely!

So, what were my arguments for reading the classics?

• Developing Critical Thinking: Classic literature often presents intricate characters, ethical conflicts, and multi-layered narratives. Exploring and analyzing these elements encourages readers to think more deeply and critically about human behavior, motives, and societal issues.
• Expanding and Building Vocabulary: Many classic stories use rich, precise language and varied sentence structures and diction. These elements can broaden one’s vocabulary, enhance reading comprehension, and improve writing skills.
• Emotional Intelligence and Empathy: By encountering a wide range of diverse characters from various cultures and historical periods, readers can develop empathy and a more nuanced understanding of the human experience
• Lessons in History: Classic literature frequently reflects the values, struggles, and worldviews of the time in which they were written. They may give readers a perspective and understanding of different historical periods and social contexts.

It is my understanding that many current grammar and high school educational programs do not require or even teach literature as an elective, and I think that’s a real shame. It makes me wonder if something is lost in how modern readers read.

I look at the Harry Potter series by J.K. Rowling. Now, I know for many people she’s very polarizing. However, no one can deny that she has sold a lot…and I do mean a lot…of books. She has a very dedicated fan base. Just one internet search proves this. But what I’d like to focus on is how many videos discuss the meaning in the smallest of details. Are all of them intentional? In my opinion, no. That doesn’t take away meaning from or lessen the stories, though. On the contrary, it shows that readers are looking for a deeper meaning.

But in today’s contemporary romances, are those symbols and small details appreciated? Or are they overlooked? Do readers take the time to read between the lines, or do they require everything to be blatantly explained? Is symbolism in writing even noticed, or does it require too much thinking? If published today, would books like Where Are You Going, Where Have You Been? or A Raisin in the Sun be successful and appreciated?

So, why is symbolism in writing important?

• Adds Depth and Layers of Meaning: Symbolism allows writers to convey complex ideas in subtle, nuanced ways. A single object or image can represent multiple themes, enriching the text beyond its surface meaning.
• Encourages Critical Thinking: Interpreting symbols requires readers to think analytically and read between the lines, fostering deeper engagement and interpretation skills.
• Connects Themes and Ideas: Symbols may serve as unifying threads throughout a story to help tie together characters, themes, and plot points in meaningful ways.
• Represents Universal and Timeless Concepts: Symbols often represent universally recognized ideas that are widely understood, making the story more meaningful and relatable across historical periods and diverse cultures.
• Encourages Personal Interpretation: Symbolism allows readers to bring their own experiences and perspectives to the text, leading to varied and personalized interpretations.
• Dang Good Storytelling: Symbols contribute to the overall mood of a story. For instance, a rising sun can symbolize hope, new beginnings, or enlightenment, or dark weather can symbolize doom or despair. These ideas can shape how the reader feels while reading. Additionally, instead of stating themes outright, authors use symbols to “show” meaning through images, actions, or settings. They can evoke emotions more powerfully than direct statements.

That’s a wrap on today’s topic. 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 comments section.

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.

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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.

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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 puckery 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.

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss my new short story in a great anthology!

This anthology is, obviously, about rakes. Moreover, it’s historical. The time period is much broader than the last two anthologies I’ve partaken in — those were Jane Austen-inspired and therefore narrowed to the Regency period. This time, we had free rein as long as the period was “historical.” (The top was WWII, although I don’t know if anyone went that recent…)

For me, I was drawn back to the Regency period. I’d written two Jane Austen-inspired short stories — An Uncommon Gentleman and A Sensible Gentleman.  One was based on Austen’s novel Persuasion, and one was based on her book Sense and Sensibility. I had a blast writing those, stepping outside the mold to write queer stories with Black protagonists. For this third historical short story, I wanted to stick close to home literally. I situated the lead characters as being near the moors and a short distance from the couple in my first story. Again, I made it interracial, super steamy, and with a bit of angst.

Henry returns from Waterloo a wounded man. He left England with a reputation as a rake, and in a pique when Napoleon first appeared on the scene. Henry fought his way across Europe with distinction.  In the meantime, most of his family has died and, as the spare, he’s left to run his vast estate.

A childhood friend, Percy, steps up to be his valet. There has always been a gap in their stations, but they soon rediscover their friendship, which quickly blossoms into something more.  A Wounded Gentleman is a steamy interracial gay short story. It’s double the length of my previous two stories and, let me tell you, my historical beta reader had her work cut out for her to whip my story into shape. I swore, after this project, that I would never write another historical novel again! (Right up until I signed up for the next project — a novella).

I hadn’t planned for a trilogy, but when I signed up for the third historical, it only made sense — in my mind at least. My epilogue is lovely for those who are only reading this story, but a treat for those who’ve read all three. I had fun with this project and will endeavor to do something historical next year. (My readers are asking for it — and they want longer. My beta reader is happy, so off we go…)

That’s it, Delilah. That’s the story! Thanks for letting me visit today.

Contest: I would love to give away an e-book of my first two stories and an audiobook of A Sensible Gentleman. To win, just leave a comment. Do you read historicals? Is there a particular time period? Something you know you won’t touch? Let me know. Random will choose the winners.  Good luck!

Romancing a Rake Romance Anthology

They’ve lived in the shadows of scandal, but love has a way of rewriting the past.

In this historical romance, experience the passion, heartbreak, and ultimate redemption of notorious rakes who dare to risk it all for the women who change their lives forever. From glittering ballrooms to moonlit gardens, each story is a tantalizing journey of love, second chances, and the power of forgiveness.

In the world of the Ton, reputations may be ruined, but these daring heroes prove that redemption—and true love—are never out of reach.

Perfect for fans of second chances and bad boys with hearts of gold, this anthology delivers swoon-worthy tales that will keep you reading long into the night.

Authors:
Kelsey Swanson
Freya Theadore
Mihwa Lee
Gabbi Grey
Kathleen Ryder
Ginny B. Moore
Melissa Kendall
Emma Brady
Alivia Fleur
Sharon Michalove
Carrie DiRisio
Heather Scarlett
Lisabel Chretien
Tasha Blythe
Alexa Santi
Steffy Smith
Eliana Piers
Kat Sterling
Sherri Lupton Hollister
Olivia Huxley
A.T. Abbott
Tanya Wilde
Giovanna Siniscalchi
Ramona Elmes
Christina Diane

**The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/tnrc2025romancingtherake
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Romancing-Rake-Historical-Romance-Collection-ebook/dp/B0DGFKRJ58
Add it to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218652702-romancing-the-rake

“A Wounded Gentleman” by Gabbi Grey
from Romancing the Rake

Henry

I’ve returned home from the war in France one-armed and defeated. While I was fighting at Waterloo, my father, brother, and sister-in-law all died, leaving me alone to raise my baby niece. I’m a broken man, and this new battle feels impossible to win. Only the assistance of my valet Percy, who refuses to leave my employ, offers me any hope.

Percy

My feelings for Henry are even more intense now than when we kissed all those years ago. Since those carefree days, I’ve put aside my feelings for him, and I’m now acting as his missing right arm. I take care of his needs, and his niece’s, while suppressing my own. As our intimacy grows, I can’t help but wonder if he might return my affections after all. But our respective ranks and the dangers for men of our kind form an impenetrable wall between us.

A Wounded Gentleman is a 17k Regency gay romance short story set in Jane Austen’s Persuasion world about a valet in love with the lord who is seeking redemption after being a rake.

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/
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
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

On days when I take my chemo pills, er, targeted therapy pills, I have to rest in the hours afterward. It just sucks the energy out of me. I have an alarm set for noon to take my pills, so I rush through the morning getting as much done as I can because I know my energy will be sapped in the afternoon. That’s when I get into my recliner and find a movie or a TV show and nap with the cats on my lap or, if I’ve paid for my once-a-month weekly subscription to a reels app, watch an Asian short film.

I’ve watched quite a few reels by now. The stories are very predictable and follow many of the same tropes, but I don’t mind. Some of the tropes are super silly, but then again, aren’t secret babies and amnesia in Western romances?

The transmigration trope is the most hilarious. Women who previously were meek or stupid are now replaced in their bodies with women who are highly educated doctors or engineers from the future. They know the past of the woman they’ve replaced and now can navigate the politics inside the emperor’s court masterfully. They thwart the evil concubines or empresses and win the good guy by the end. If they had an abusive husband, he really, really gets what’s coming to him.

The violence is astounding. Secondary characters drop by the dozen around our heroine, victims of stabbings and poisonings. Our intrepid heroine moves past having close friends and family and servants being murdered around her with barely an acknowledgement. They can be equally as ruthless, but still so endearingly innocent when they find the man who is willing to give up his own life for hers or move mountains to make her happy.

Buckets of fake blood are spit up at canings, moments of high stress (not sure why), and poisonings. Blood makes everything more serious.

I still snicker over the medical professionals taking pulses to determine what poisons were used to sicken a character or tell whether someone is pregnant. Prick a finger and drop the man’s blood into a bowl of water along with a drop of a secret baby’s blood, and you know instantly whether that child is his.

So far, my favorite tropes (common recurring themes) in these Asian reels are:

• Transmigration of a modern woman into a dead woman’s body in a feudal empire
• A heroine defending herself from a concubine working with a cheating husband to murder our heroine so she can be the “wife”
• A sexy general who is cold and heartless but gradually melts like butter after he meets the woman fated for him
• A woman forced by a family who trades their daughter’s future for power (but who always get either murdered or cut out of her life after she rises to empress)
• A female general who is as ruthless and cunning as our hero who saves the empire and gets her man

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon Amazon gift card, tell me your favorite romance tropes. Some common ones in Western romances are: secret babies, enemies to lovers, fated mates, secretly rich, etc. Have fun with it!

We’re not big sweet-eaters in this house. In fact, when my kids were small, there was a rule that kids didn’t get candy or cake until after they reached three (other than maybe on a birthday). This was done because of the rate of diabetes in my family, and we didn’t want to encourage the kids to develop a “sweet tooth.” Instead of candy and cake, we encouraged the kids to eat fruit or to taste the sweetness in healthier choices (savory and sweet entrees—sweet and sour pork, sweet potatoes, salads with a sweet-savory dressing). As a result of our “programming” my kids grew up favoring vegetables.

When they grew older and were in school, we couldn’t keep them away from sweets, but we still didn’t keep candy or cakes in the cupboard for snacking. A candy bar was a once in a while treat. And guess what? These days, my dd still eats a portion of a standard candy bar and puts the rest in the fridge for another day because it’s too much.

The other night, the adults had a sugar urge and went to Baskin Robbins to buy those pints of ice cream. We all had a bowl, and the rest went in the freezer—and most of what was left over is still there. Doesn’t mean we don’t love ice cream—oh no. We love ice cream, but my daughter can take a couple of bites, and she’s done. A bowl looks enticing, but she can’t handle eating more than those couple of bites. (I like a bit more!)

What are our choices for that once in a Blue Moon splurge? The SIL loves vanilla. My dd loves peanut butter/chocolate. I love Rocky Road. The 11-year-old’s fave is always orange sherbet. The other two girls take spoons of all the flavors.

Anyway, for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what your favorite ice cream flavors are! Enjoy the puzzle! 

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Gideon’s Gratitude is the fifth book in my Love in Mission City world.

This book is special to my heart and has a story.  I mean, all my books have stories behind them – why the writer wrote that story at that moment.  But this one is a bit unique. In October 2020, I attended a virtual romance writer conference.  One of the editors taking pitches was from Harlequin. I had just learned they were accepting manuscripts with gay couples.  I had already written Ginger Snapping All the Way, as well as two novellas.  Ginger hadn’t been published yet, but I had confidence it was a good book.  I messaged back and forth with a friend who wrote for that line, and she helped me craft a pitch.

I made the pitch.  I might’ve implied the book was almost finished and just needed some polishing.  Well, I had notes…

The editor loved the pitch.  Loved the tropes I had chosen.  He gave me his email to send the manuscript.

I spent the next month writing like a demon.  I finished the book with five words to spare (there was a specific word count).  I paid my freelance editor to polish it, and I sent it off.  I admit, I had visions of finally achieving my dream.  A contract with a Big 5 publisher!

Now, the year before, I’d had an editor say the same thing for a different book.  I sent it to her and, while the manuscript sat on her desk, she left the company.  She didn’t give my book to anyone, and that publisher requires an agent. I hadn’t been able to land an agent, so having that editor leave without doing something with my precious manuscript really hurt.  Still, I sent it to the Wild Rose Press, and they acquired it—as well as the rest of the trilogy.  Working with a small press is awesome, and I’m happy those books found a home.

Back to my current book.  I’d named it Gideon’s Second Chance Christmas.  I thought I had something special.  I mean, I’m supposed to say that about all my books, but this one…there was a lot of me in the book.  The book is very raw, full of angst.

Four months later, my friend who had helped me create the pitch told me the editor had left.  Clearly, he hadn’t forwarded my manuscript to anyone either.  I was devastated, but that press had a way to submit books without an agent.  I raced over there, only to discover that line had just — and I mean just — started requiring an agent.  In other words, if I’d sent it through the system and not to the editor directly, I still would’ve had a shot.  Now, I had jack.

I was heartbroken.  My dream felt out of reach.  They had another line that published queer books.  I knew my book wouldn’t fit, though.

By that time, I’d written a follow up to Ginger – Stanley’s Christmas Redemption.  I was publishing another novella and then another novel with the Wild Rose Press.  I signed up for a multi-author series.  I kept moving forward.

And yet, Gideon sat.  Now, the book was written in third person past tense.  All my recent queer books were first person past tense. (I did rather than he did).

Still Gideon sat. I published more books, novellas, and a ton of short stories.

I couldn’t face Gideon.

Then I decided the time had come.  I’d published my third Love in Mission City book – Sleigh Bells and Second Chances, and my fourth, Rayne’s Return was to be released shortly.  I’d had the notion of making Gideon book 4, but Everett and Rayne insisted they go next.

Finally, I picked up Gideon.  I’m not going to lie — changing 60k words from third person to first is BRUTAL.  I can confidently say that after my changes and a self-editing pass, two passes by my editor, my proofreader taking her turn, as well as my narrator, we still found more things to fix.  When I was proofing the audio, I found another three.  Now I can confidently say there are probably at least two or more POV slips that we all missed. Yes, those buggers are stubborn.

So Gideon’s Gratitude is out in the world today.  For those of you who read my Love in Mission City series, you’ll find it takes place at the same time as Sleigh Bells and four other stories.  Why?  Because it’s a Christmas book, and I didn’t want to jump a year.  I have more books to write, and I didn’t want to advance previous couples too far.  I can also confidently say that having five stories take place at the same time is NUTS.  But it is what it is.

That’s the story.  I’m still trying for a contract with a Big 5. I would still love to see my book on a shelf in a bookstore.  In the meantime, I’ll keep writing books and self-publishing (and sending things to my small press publisher as well…)

Okay.  Thanks for letting me visit today, Delilah!

Contest: I want to give a prize to one lucky commentor.  When you see a series and you’re considering reading it, what makes you take the risk and pick up book 1?  Are there such things as too many books in a series and that turns you off?  Curious minds want to know!  One lucky commentor, chosen by Random, will win a copy of my romantic suspense Rayne’s Return as well as the short prequel to Gideon, Archer’s Awakening. Archer is not required reading to enjoy Gideon, but it does explain an anecdote in the book.  Good luck!

Gideon’s Gratitude

Gideon

When my marriage fell apart, and I lost custody of my kids, my world shattered. My own fault, all of it, from the pills I was taking to how badly I handled the court case. I retreated to my grandparents’ old home, shut the door, and hunkered down with my Labrador Retriever, Lucky. Life is rough, and the constant construction noise from the mansion going up next door will truly be the end of me.

Archer

I’d never met the man living next door until a storm forces me to take refuge with him. Gideon’s skittish, generous, and oddly endearing. I’m dismayed the construction of my post-divorce home has been so upsetting for him, but there’s little I can do to ease that distress. What I can do, though, is use my skills as a talented divorce attorney to help with the most painful part of his life, the unfair custody arrangement that keeps him from being with his kids.

Gideon’s Gratitude is a small-town, opposites attract, hurt-comfort gay romance about a former longshoreman who believes he’s broken and the lawyer who believes there’s life after divorce.

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Gideons-Gratitude-Love-Mission-City-ebook/dp/B0F4NRFQZJ
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/GideonsGratitude
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231327764-gideon-s-gratitude

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
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

Report Card

Last week…

1. I completed edits for an author & began edits for another!
2. Still no swimming due to the pool pump quitting on us! However, the repairman came out and replaced the motor for the pump, so we’re working on getting the algae tamed.
3. Healthwise, I am gradually getting used to the 1-2 punch of Keytruda and Lenvima for my targeted immunotherapy. I still fight fatigue and the occasional bout of diarrhea, but it’s much improved!
4. I’m painting, though not daily! I’m approaching the end of #the100dayproject. Here’s one of last week’s accomplishments.

This next week…

1. I’ll continue working on edits of a manuscript for another author.
2. I’ll begin reading the Burn: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology entries! I can’t wait to see what I have!
3. I’ll continue painting to complete #the100dayproject.
4. Any day now, I’ll be back to swimming in the pool—maybe as soon as this afternoon!
5. I have a blood draw scheduled for later this week in preparation for my infusion appointment the following week.

Open Contests

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

1. June Into July (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. My New Guilty Pleasure (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Memory Game: More Guilty Pleasures (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Ava Cuvay: The Down & Dirty on the Short Story (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Poised at the “Star Gate” — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Bookmark Giveaway! — Win a hand painted bookmark!
7. Flashback: Knight in Transition (Contest — 2 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
8. Let’s Celebrate World Kebab Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!
9. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: The Ideal Vacation — Win an Amazon gift card!

I’m feeling lazy today. Insomnia struck last night, and I watched a movie on my iPhone instead of sleeping. Watched a good one with my family earlier in the evening. If you like action and comedy, you have to check out Heads of State. Idris Elba and John Cena? An epic plane crash? Witty puns? Yeah, we enjoyed it mightily!

Anyway, all those foreign settings they zoomed through got me thinking about vacations. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me your ideal vacation. You can solve the puzzle to figure out mine. 🙂