UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
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Born enslaved in 1848, Susan Baker and her uncle escaped from slavery in 1862. They ended up with hundreds of other former slaves on St. Simons Island off the coast of Georgia. From the age of seven, Susie had been educated in secret schools and thus could teach others. She even used her literacy to write passes for blacks making it safe for them to travel safely after curfew. Because of these skills, she was able to open a school teaching children by day and adults at night on St. Simons. This made her the first African American woman to open and teach at a free school in Georgia. All at the age of fourteen.

She married Sergeant Edward King, a black officer in the 33^rd US Colored Infantry and helped nurse and equip the soldiers while also continuing to teach the illiterate to read and write. In Beaumont SC, she met and worked with Clara Barton at a hospital for African-American soldiers. She did this work in the army for four years without pay.

In 1866, she and her husband’s service in the military ended. They moved to Savannah where she opened a school for African American children. However, a new public school provided too much competition, so Susie’s school had to close. That same year her husband died. Now widowed and supporting a small child, she worked as a domestic for a wealthy white family who took her to Boston in 1870. She eventually moved to Boston in 1874, remarried and lived there with her second husband, Russell Taylor, until she died in 1912.

Susie dedicated much of her time to the Woman’s Relief Corps, an organization she helped form for female Civil War veterans. She served as its president in 1893. She also fought against a group called the Union Daughters of the Confederacy who were trying to rid the mention of slavery from school curriculums. Unfortunately, the whitewashing of history around the issue of slavery is neither new nor relegated to Florida.

She self-published Reminiscences in 1902, making her the first and only African American woman to print a Civil War memoir about her wartime experience. She ends the memoir on this positive note, “In 1861 the Southern papers were full of advertisements for ‘slaves,’ but now, despite all the hindrances and ‘race problems,’ my people are striving to attain the full standard of all other races born free in the sight of God, and in a number of instances have succeeded. Justice we ask—to be citizens of these United States, where so many of our people have shed their blood with their white comrades, that the stars and stripes should never be polluted.”

It never ceases to amaze me how resilient and resourceful women like Susie Baker King Taylor were. Neither age, race nor gender proves to be a barrier for long. I continue to be inspired and encouraged by their examples. For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, comment below on Susie’s life.

“The Spirit to Resist” by Michal Scott from Hot & Sticky: A Passionate Ink Charity Anthology

A woman may be made a fool of if she hasn’t the spirit to resist, but what does she do if, for the first time in her life, being made into a fool is exactly what she wants?

Excerpt from “The Spirit to Resist”…

The festivities ended. Everyone helped with collecting bowls, spoons and ice cream tubs. Harold reached for the tub of chocolate Florence handed him. Emboldened by hope, he held onto her hand before she reached for another vat.

“Maybe an old-fashioned bareback trot on Harold Too might be more to your liking than a ride in William’s car?”

“You had all summer to approach me. Now you declare yourself at this late hour.” Florence fisted her hands on her shapely hips. “I don’t throw people over.”

“Of course not.” Harold’s hope died. He spread his hands in apology. “I beg your pardon.”

William stepped forward. Florence closed her eyes and sighed. The sound set hope fluttering in Harold’s spirit once more.

“Actually, it’s more than a ride I’m offering. Once alone, I’d hoped to show you something different, something pretty special.” He angled his head so his words slid into her ear. “Something just for you.”

She glared at him, but interest radiated in its heat. At least she wasn’t insulted.

William offered his arm. He grinned like a cat licking cream from its paws. “Shall we?”

Florence took it and headed with him for the door.

“See you at Thanksgiving, Harold,” she called over her shoulder then suddenly looked back. “Next time don’t be so late out of the gate.”

Harold groaned. Thanksgiving? He’d have to wait three whole months before he had another chance to challenge that irresistible vanilla?

Jesus. How would he last until then?

Buylink: https://books2read.com/u/3nNDnx

UPDATE: The winner is…Linda Rhoden!
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For those who read this blog often, you know I love movies. I also cyber-stalk celebrities whose work I love. I was thinking about Julian Sands yesterday. You know him. The actor who disappeared while hiking in some California mountains and whose body was found recently. Such a lovely-looking man, and what a voice! So, on a whim, I bought the movie Warlock, which I hadn’t seen since the 90s and settled in to watch. Yes, the special effects were awful in comparison to what can be done today, but I really enjoyed his performance and that of his true-life friend, Richard Grant. (I follow Richard Grant’s Instagram because he’s been so open about grieving the loss of his wife.)

I have another Julian Sands’ movie, Arachnophobia, on my list to watch this week as well because I want to honor him in my small way for the hours of enjoyment he provided me, personally. Arachnophobia is one I watch maybe every five years, and it holds up well.

When I was thinking about a topic for today’s word search, I thought about those two nostalgic titles and realized they have one-word titles, then I looked through my extensive DVD collection for others I own, and now you have a list of movies I love so much I had to have a physical copy of them in the puzzle below.

Today’s challenge for you for the chance to win a $5 Amazon GC is to add a one-word movie title to my list! 

I know some of y’all have been waiting for Cold Hard Cash to show up in some other venues. I’ve taken the book out of KU, and it’s available at all the usual outlets now. Just thought I’d let you know. 🙂

The wealthiest man in Dead Horse, MT, decides it’s time to acquire a wife and gives his eminently efficient personal assistant the task of finding the perfect candidate…

UPDATE: The winner is…Eileen McCall!
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Saturday will be National Dog Day! Woohoo! We love our furry friends, don’t we? I’m sharing a picture of one of our EIGHT dogs above. She’s Judy the Sheltie. The picture was taken last winter when we got some very rare snow.

So, here’s what we’re going to do to celebrate this special day….

Send a picture of your dog (or your mom’s, or kids’) to me at delilah@delilahdevlin.com. I’m going to re-post them on Saturday, so you can share the love. If you like, tell me their name and, if you want, a little bit about them (you don’t have to!). I’ll post it all. If you send me a photo, leave a comment below to let me know to be on the lookout. One dog-lover will get a $5 Amazon gift card.

I own several tarot and spiritual decks of cards. Most of them I don’t know well enough to read without referring a lot to the books accompanying them. I know it’s a matter of familiarization, of using them, and committing to memory the meanings of the images. The Mythic Tarot deck is my oldest, and the book’s spine needs to be re-glued. It appeals to me most because I’ve always loved mythology, especially Greek, Sumerian, Norse, and Egyptian. I know the Greek stories better than any other mythologies because of my 3rd-grade teacher.

Our reading books were progressive pamphlets that you worked at mastering one volume at a time. I flew through them weeks before the rest of the class finished. She had a personal copy of Edith Hamilton’s Mythology: Timeless Tales of Gods and Heroes on her desk and would hand it to me when the others began their daily work with the readers. The stories were written for adults, in adult language, so I kept a dictionary at hand, which I didn’t refer to all that much as I read.

Tarot and divination have always fascinated me. I have dabbled with it over the years. I don’t believe or disbelieve, but I do think the cards help me reveal my own mind and inclinations. So, enough about why I love my Sunday “drawing the card” ritual. Let’s get to today’s card…

Before I open the book, I know this is Jason of “Jason and the Argonauts” fame—you know, the guy who stole the Golden Fleece. Jason’s story is really cool. He was the son of King Aeson, but he was stillborn, so his father sent him to Chiron the Centaur to be raised. (It doesn’t have to make sense. 🙂 ) Anyways, when Jason reached adulthood, he returned to his kingdon, but his uncle had usurped the throne from his father and didn’t want Jason around causing problems. So, he sent him on an impossible mission—to steal the Golden Fleece from another king.

Jason didn’t argue. He accepted the mission then gathered friends to accompany him on his journey. Here in the picture, you see the twins, the guy in the lion skin, Orpheus with his instrument, and another king friendlier to his cause. They are carrying torches (the wands) and are celebrating the fact that his ship, the Argo, has been completed. He’s ready to begin his journey.

What does the card mean to me? He’s accomplished a lot, gathered his support, built the vehicle he needs to continue. This moment is one to celebrate. So, I’ve completed a set of edits, and am deep into two other sets of edits, plus I’m a third of the way through my next book. It’s time to pause today to celebrate my accomplishments, but also to get ready to plunge back into the “mission.”

Now, I’ll check the book: The four of Wands “augurs a time of reward for efforts made. A creative idea has yielded early fruit, and the individual has every right to celebrate…” Woot, so I will. Today only.

Open Contests

1. Flashback: Strokes, Vol. 2 (Contest–Two Winners!) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book—two winners!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: What’s he doing here? — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Story Cubes: Tell me a story… (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Meet Carleen Crossley from HARD KNOX! (Contest & Snippet) — Win a FREE book!
5. Hollywood Heartthrobs (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Saturday Puzzle-Contest–What is happening here? — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Deb Brown!
*~*~*

Today, I searched for an image for the puzzle on my favorite photo site by just typing in the word “romance.” This odd photo popped up in the top row, and I thought how fun would it be for you all to tell me what you think is happening here.

So, solve the puzzle and tell me what’s goin’ on for a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC!

UPDATE: The winner is…Debra Guyette!
*~*~*

My thirst for hunky heroes goes waaaayyyy back. I am of a certain (*cough*) age, so my tastes were formed by what I watched mostly on TV or saw in magazines when I was still a kid. I didn’t understand my fascination, but that didn’t stop my fantasy life being filled with hot starship captains and spies who rode to the rescue to aid me (never save me, because even then I liked fighting, too!).

The hero who first filled my fantasies was Russian secret agent Illya Kuryakin from The Man From U.N.C.L.E. (1964 to 1968), played by David McCallum. You might know him as “Ducky” in NCIS these days. He was my one and only blond heartthrob.

Then a sci-fi show caught my attention—Lost in Space (1965 to 1968). But it wasn’t the young, single Don West who caught my eye, it was the sexy dad, John Robinson, played by Guy Williams, that I imagined was the single one and an in need of a little alien companionship. I imagined myself as the green alien woman who pursued Dr. Smith, only I captured John Robinson.

 

Both of those heroes paled in comparison to my next obsession—James T. Kirk from the original Star Trek (1966 to 1969). He was…everything. Handsome, in charge, witty, funny—and that smirk! And again, they’re in space—the final frontier! To this day, I love the character, and yes, Chris Pine inhabits it very, very well.

I had brief crushes on some other hotties from the time.

Have you ever seen the old WWII flick, The Great Escape (1963)?

Yes, Steve McQueen was hot. Motorcycles are hotter. Blah-blah. But it wasn’t McQueen’s “Cooler King” that caught my eye. It was Charles Bronson’s “Tunnel King” I was riveted to. Am I right?

This guy, even though back then I wasn’t allowed to watch his movies for some reason, was all over the magazines. I thought he was pretty damn hot, too.

I guess I’ve always like smolder. 🙂

These days, I’m enamored with another starship captain—Captain Pike, as played by Anson Mount in Star Trek: Strange New Worlds. He’s funny, sexy, a great cook, empathetic, and brave. If you haven’t watched the series, or haven’t loved Star Trek before, he might change your mind.

So, my question to you is who were your earliest heartthrobs? Answer for a chance to win an Amazon gift card!