UPDATE: The winner is…Michelle Oxrider!
*~*~*

This was me with the fam yesterday (dd is taking the pic; the guy second from the left is my grandaughter’s boyfriend). While we have plenty to do to keep us busy around the old homestead to combat boredom, we really needed a break. Since we had our own innertubes, we loaded up and headed out early yesterday to avoid any crowds on the river. Other than some kayakers, we had the river to ourselves for four hours! Doing it on a weekend would have been out of the question because—too many people, and we’re still self-isolating as best we can.

Yes, self-isolation is still a thing here with numbers in Arkansas on the rise. We have way too many people who still think COVID is no worse than the flu, and who refuse to mask or keep their distance. Our schools are trying to figure out what next year will look like—whether they will offer at-home options to folks who’d rather not let their kids mingle and bring home the virus. We’re praying we’ll have a choice, or we might have to go the official homeschool route, which we really don’t want to do.

So, back to our tubing day… We brought water and snacks and plenty of sunscreen. The river is shallow in a lot of places, so we floated, hit the shallows, and picked up our tubes to walk to the deeper waters and floated again. I’m not as nimble getting in and out of a tube onto sifting, silty riverbed, but my SIL is a big guy and strong, so he helped me when I needed it. We laughed and paddled and lazed. The little ones had their tubes tied to the adults’ tubes. We’re all swimmers, so no vests. All in all, it was a lovely morning.

We’re already trying to map out our schedules to see when we can do it again. The kids are ready for more adventures. We’ve been trying to think out of the box. We’re lucky we live in the country, so there’s plenty of outdoor area for them to play. We have a pool—another huge plus. Still, we all get cabin fever.

We bought an outdoor projector to watch movies, but with mosquitoes already out in force, we can’t do an outside movie night until Fall.

Do you have any suggestions for things a family can do “out in the world” and still be safe? Answer for a chance to win your choice of a download of one of my books!

UPDATE: The winner is…Charlotte!
*~*~*

Project Runway. Face Off. Skin Wars. Top Chef. Hell’s Kitchen (only while I’m editing). Bar Rescue.

Okay, I could go on, but I won’t. Because this episode of Binge Watch Confessions is about Bar Rescue.

It started at first because, apparently, my muse likes the soothing background music of men screaming. I’m sure there’s a lot for a therapist to unpack there, but that’s for another day.

But I was flipping channels, and there was Jon Taffer yelling at a beleaguered bar owner who is too stuck in his own way to get out of his own way.

That part wasn’t all that interesting, but then he brought in his bar experts. A mixologist for the drinks and a chef for the kitchen. Now, I get my fill of foodie stuff in other places, but the drinks.

Oh, that was interesting. Drink programs tailored to the bar, either by theme or location. Or both. It was fascinating and I ate it up. I watched as they explained why stirring a drink or shaking it made a difference. As they used fresh ingredients and explained the reason it made drinks better. For a person who got a degree in the background tech of theater, it spoke to me.

I like to craft. To make. I guess it’s not all that off base that I became an author. Crafting stories.

Well, in XAVIER, the heroine is True Sinclair, and she is a mixologist hired to craft a drink program for “The Majestic” a bar at a resort that caters to shapeshifters. It’s a resort that is being brought back to its heyday after years of being dormant.

The idea is to create a place where shapeshifters can just “be” and not worry that they have to protect themselves from humans or people who are curious. The entire town is a place where shifters have been open about their lives since its foundation.

So, when I was researching drinks to “transform” into shifter-themed drinks, I was shocked to find out that somehow I’d tied a plot point into a neat little bow. Without realizing it.

My hero, Xavier, is a panther shifter. He crafts his own moonshine for himself and his friends. During my research, I discovered that a slang name for moonshine is PANTHER’S BREATH.

Well, goodness…wasn’t that…odd.

Xavier releases next Tuesday and is on a preorder sale that will continue for a short time after release.

Xavier

He thought he wanted his freedom and his solitude more than anything else in the world… until he met her.

Xavier Salazar lives the life that he wants. He has his friends and his home carved into Mystic Mountain. It’s his retreat, his refuge. When a gorgeous woman shows up in town to help make the resort’s bar a brilliant success, he’s torn. Xavier is determined to drive her away, but his panther wants to touch her all over, hide her away in their den, and add to the family that he was slowly creating around himself.

Oh, he was going to fight… hard. And yet, even he knew he was probably fighting a losing battle.

True Sinclair is at the top of her profession. Being a world-class mixologist means she knows how to blend all kinds of things together. She just can’t fathom why Xavier treats her like he’s oil and she’s water. There was no doubt that he was combustible around her.

At first, he can’t seem to force himself to be civil or even make an effort to share the same town, but she finds herself drawn to the dichotomy warring inside of him.

True knows what he is and she knows what she wants, but she won’t wait around forever if the man who makes her blind with love and drunk with passion won’t even meet her halfway.

Pre-order your copy here!

Contest

I’m happy to offer an ebook copy of Book 1 of the series WINTER.
All you have to do is tell us their favorite mixed drink and why you like it!

UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
*~*~*

Enter while you can!

1. Ava Cuvay: The Tentacle Dilemma (Contest — 4 Winners!) — This ends soon! Win an anthology or a cool T-shirt!
2. Megan Ryder: Claiming Lyla (Contest–4 Winners!) — Win books or a gift card!
3. Okay, I’m officially tired of… (Plus, a Puzzle-Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. January George: Blackout (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Diana Cosby: Nature’s Beauty – At The Marsh (Contest) — Win a signed book!

What’s Her Fairytale Contest?

I found a very cool puzzle for you to solve. Solve it. Then think about what her story might be. Tell me her story for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Have fun with this! ~ DD

UPDATE: The winner is…Lindsay Ramos!
*~*~*

©Diana Cosby 2020

Along with writing, I enjoy photography, and I’m amazed at the variety of incredible nature that I see. I wanted to share a few recent photos that I took while walking at the marsh. I was thrilled to come upon this gorgeous young buck with his antlers just beginning to show. I remember seeing him and his sibling last spring when they were fawns.

The Osprey have built their nests throughout the marsh. The bond between the couples is amazing. A few days ago, I watched an Osprey eating a fish. When the bird had finished half of the catch, it flew back to the nest and the mate came and finished the meal.

One of the neatest things is to discover a new bird. This year I saw my first Ruddy Turnstone at the marsh. They’re about the size of a small dove, have feather coloring like a calico cat, and tend to travel around in small flocks.

Another bird I enjoy seeing is the Willet. These sleek, quick, and very vocal shore birds run up and down the beach in search of food.

Laughing Gulls are appropriately named. Their call sounds like someone laughing. Until I took this photo, I didn’t realize how ruby red the inside of their mouth is. I hope you’ve enjoyed some of the photos I’ve taken during my walks to the marsh. Take care, and I wish you the best.

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series, The Oath Trilogy, and the first four books of The Forbidden Series, she’s thrilled with the release of book #5, Forbidden Realm.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

Contest

ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Nature’s Beauty – At The Marsh,’ on Delilah’s blog between 15 June 2020 – 21 June 2020. The winner will receive a signed copy of His Destiny.

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series

“I have three phobias which, could I mute them, would make my life as slick as a sonnet but as dull as ditchwater: I hate to go to bed, I hate to get up, and I hate to be alone…” ~Tallulah Bankhead

Last night, my daughter and I heard a very loud whomp while we were sitting outside in the dark gossiping about our day. Spooked, my dd told me to go upstairs and tell her big, brave hubby to take his high-powered flashlight and see what it was. I did. I found him already asleep, so I turned on my phone battery and wandered out into the front yard, checking the gate, fences. No bear (we have neighbors with pics of bears going through the trash). No intruders (we’re on hyper-alert due to warnings to LEO families of random attacks). So no, I’m not afraid of things that go bump in the night like she is.

Three things I am afraid of…?

I’m afraid of being normal. (I know it sounds silly, but it’s been my thing my entire life. I never wanted “ordinary”.)
I’m afraid of losing a child or grandchild.
I’m afraid of heights.

Now, how about you? What three things are you afraid of?

Enter while you can!

1. Ava Cuvay: The Tentacle Dilemma (Contest — 4 Winners!) — This ends soon! Win an anthology or a cool T-shirt!
2. Megan Ryder: Claiming Lyla (Contest–4 Winners!) — Win books or a gift card!
3. Okay, I’m officially tired of… (Plus, a Puzzle-Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. January George: Blackout (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Tracie!
*~*~*

Blogging!

Not that I plan to cut down. I can’t. However, I didn’t really think my schedule through.

A couple of art challenges started up after I began self-quarantining (I’m still doing it!), so I thought it was a great time to accept the challenges. Part of the challenge for me was being public about what I was doing, in order to keep me honest about producing something every single day. Today is Day 69 of #100dayproject challenge! I post anything I do art or craft related on another website I own (that gets zero traffic), but you can check out what I’ve been doing there if you’re interested:  The Emerald Casket

The second art challenge overlaps another art challenge I wanted to participate in, the #icad2020 (index card a day) challenge. Adding a second piece of art to my daily To Do has really eaten my lunch, but I persevere. Today was number 13 of 61 days. You can also check out those little pieces of art on The Emerald Casket.

Of course, I have this blog, which I post to every single day. In the past 7-ish years, I’ve only missed posting a handful of times. It’s truly a daily habit, my “morning pages” to limber up the fingers and the brain, except when I host guests here.

Then, there’s the Collections blog. It’s one I turn to whenever I’m getting ready to publish another anthology. The authors who are featured in the book get to play there, too! Right now, we’re posting a countdown set of blogs, including snippets from our stories and prizes to entice readers to check the stories out! If you haven’t seen the website, head here: Delilah’s Collections.

So, too many blogs. Right now, anyway. And posting is time-consuming. I still have my “real” work to do—editing gigs to wrap up, writing my own stories. As well I insist on family time, too. I really wish I had more stamina, but I love lazing in the pools in the afternoon this time of year.

But a busy me is a me that isn’t getting into trouble…

Do you have something you think is far too time-consuming? Are you considering throwing in the towel? Or are you committed? 

If you want to do a little procrastinating, here’s a pretty puzzle. 🙂

The Puzzle-Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, and then tell me what title would fit if this image was used for a book cover!

Psst! There are still several ongoing contests! See yesterday’s post to enter!

Public service announcement out of the way… So what do you want to talk about today? Something not news-related, because we’re all watching it and shaking our heads, and it’s nice to have something trivial to discuss… So, how about “Spring Cleaning” since many of us are spending so much time inside…? Not sexy enough? How about we decide what that would look like in Utopia? What chores would you consign to your Significant Other, or does he/she already do his/her fair share? (And I know I put a pic of a guy in this post, but he looks goofy!)

I know, in our house, my dd, her oldest girl, and myself are the only ones motivated to improve our spaces. It takes nagging and very pointed orders for the males to move their butts. Sure, they’ll take out the trash—mostly without being asked. Um…I’m really thinking hard here for things they do voluntarily. Usually, Kelly has her daily Honey Do list, so maybe the fact she always has one is the issue…?

In Utopia, what chores would you push off to your SO? And have fun with it. What would be his “housework uniform”? Huh? Not fun enough? What would you be willing to exchange if he decided he’d rather not do the dishes? Hmmm?