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

Mary Eliza Church was born September 23, 1863, to a family of the Memphis, Tennessee, Black elite. Her father, Robert Reed Church, one of the first African American millionaires, made his fortune in real estate. Her mother, Louisa Ayres, was entrepreneurial too, running a beauty salon. Former slaves, Mary’s parents never let society tell them what they could do. Neither did their daughter. Mary chose the four-year gentlemen’s course at Oberlin College and became one of the first African American women to earn a Bachelor of Arts in 1884 and then a Master’s degree in 1888 as did Anna Julia Cooper (whom I blogged about here on April 27, 2022) with whom she remained lifelong comrades in the struggle for women’s rights and racial justice.

After graduating from Oberlin, Mary taught at Wilberforce University for two years before moving to Washington, D.C., to teach Latin. There, she married Robert Terrell in 1891. They had five children. Becoming married forced her to leave her teaching job, but she heeded the advice of Frederick Douglass to remain active in the fight for African American equality.

She was instrumental in founding several civic clubs and national associations dedicated to uplifting the race: the Colored Women’s League (CWL) in 1892, the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) in 1896, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909, the College Alumnae Club (now the National Association of University Women) in 1910, and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority in 1913-1914.

As an educator, she championed education as the way up and out of the double-yoke oppression of being African American and a woman. Through the CWL in Washington D.C., she started a training program and a kindergarten before any were started in the public school system. She continued this work by founding daycares and kindergartens through the NACW. As a journalist, she wrote articles exposing the lies of lynching, just like Ida B Wells Barnett, with whom she worked. Both women had close friends who were lynched because their businesses were successful. As a suffragist, she challenged white women to recognize the vote was not the be-all and end-all for African American women. As a boots-on-the-ground activist, she fought segregation and racism through boycotts, sit-ins, picketing, and lawsuits. In 1950, aged 87, she sued a Washington D.C. restaurant for refusing her service due to her race. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor in 1953.

Whenever the doom and gloom of today’s naysayers stink up the air, I turn aside and inhale the rich odors of the history left behind by Mary Eliza Church Terrell. Until her dying day, July 24, 1954, at age 90, she lived the motto of the NACW, “Lifting as we climb.” Here’s a PBS’ Unladylike 2020 video about Mary: https://www.pbs.org/video/she-was-civil-rights-activist-and-co-founder-naacp-q3ypkj/

For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share what you find inspiring about Mary or some woman you’ve learned about who inspires you to lift while you climb.

“Her Heavenly Phantom” by Michal Scott
Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

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Forced into a marriage of convenience neither wants, a mild-mannered banker with an intriguing secret discovers his reluctant bride has a secret, too.

Excerpt from “Her Heavenly Phantom”…

“Thought your bride might accompany you tonight.”

Harold adjusted the folds of black silk attached to the brim of his hat. “Don’t be ridiculous. She knows nothing about my secret life on the stage.”

“How do you plan to keep her in the dark? Won’t she be concerned where you go at night?”

“My marriage of convenience is just that. She doesn’t want to know anything about me. I want to know as little about her.” He adjusted the fit of the face mask that covered all of his face above his nose. “What’s my itinerary?”

“You’ll have off until Easter then you head for a three-week engagement in Philadelphia then to upstate New York for another three weeks in Buffalo before returning for your farewell engagement here.” Michael shook his head. “Pity you had to marry. I will sorely miss our lucrative partnership.”

Harold scanned his dressing room table. “Speaking of missing.”

“You won’t find a letter tonight,” Michael said.

A pang throbbed in Harold’s chest. Where was the air in this damned room? “What do you mean?”

“Your lady of the balcony only just arrived at intermission. Maybe she’ll leave you one when you return.” Michael closed the calendar and stood. “I wonder why she lurks behind that Mardi Gras mask of hers.”

“The manager of The Phantom doesn’t understand that his client isn’t the only one who needs to hide his identity from the outside world?”

I’m poking my head in the door today to let you know that I’ve canceled the release of Ignition. I had hoped I’d be able to finish the final chapters and get it ready for release on October 1st, but that just wasn’t in the cards. I’m going to take that pressure off myself. For those looking forward to the release, I apologize. I’m hoping as I go through this journey that, I’ll be able and well enough to pick right up where I left off one day, but I think this entire process has been a bit of a wake-up call for me. I’ve worked hard for over twenty years. I have a backlist of books that readers can hopefully discover. I’ll continue being here, online, promoting other author-friends’ new work, and playing games, because I enjoy these things. I love the connection. I love seeing old friends pop into my comments. I’m still here, but new books won’t be coming anytime soon.

Happy reading! Love, Delilah

UPDATE: The winner is…Carol!
*~*~*

Clothing and courage have much to do with each other. ~ Sara Jeannette Duncan

I’m a quotes girl. I love affirmations and pithy sayings. I collect books of them. Every now and then, I open one to a random page, seeking inspiration. I opened one of the books to a random page today. This quote, I didn’t understand at first glance.

So, I looked up Sara JD. She was a female journalist in the late 1800s. Then she wrote popular novels that often contained bits about politics and societal norms, so maybe the quote meant something to her in her journey toward self-fulfillment as a writer and observer moving around in a more privileged set.

I read the quote and think about how my attitude toward clothing has changed for me. I had very little fashion courage as a grown woman. I dressed according to trends when in public. Being in the military for so long, wearing uniforms, took any fashion decisions away from me, and I really didn’t mind one bit. When I entered the corporate and academic worlds, I dressed according to those norms.

Not until I became an author did I dress a bit more flamboyantly—but only sparingly, mostly at conferences—because I grew used to being out of the public eye for long stints and dressed for comfort when at home.

These days, comfort is the only priority for me. At home, I wear loose, soft nightgowns. I want nothing cinching my waist where I imagine (perhaps) I can feel the cancer crowding my organs. When I go out, mostly to medical appointments, I wear the loosest shorts or joggers, usually in a size too large, so that I can pull the stretch waistband high above those organs. When I go to chemo appointments, I know I’ll be there for hours and hours, so it’s joggers and a spaghetti-strapped tank to give the medical personnel easy access to my port. I add a zip-up hoodie. And, of course, I add a pop of color—the loudest, most attention-grabbing chemo turban I have. It’s a middle finger to my cancer and to anyone who looks with pity at my bald head. I don’t need pity; I’d rather get a smile.

So, back to the quote. Does it mean something to you? Comment for a chance to win your choice of a download of any one of my books. 

I’m excited that Tempting the Black Wolf, the final book in the Lone Wolf Legacy series is now available. You’ve met the white and gray wolves in the first two books of the series—Taming the White Wolf and Protecting the Gray Wolf. Now, it’s time to meet the black wolf.

Tempting the Black Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 3

I am an immortal predator, driven to hunt and protect the wolf packs from danger—especially rogue wolves. This destiny is my blood, my bone. My will.

There are two other lone wolves—one grey, one white—but I am the strongest. The most powerful. And we all share an enemy, who set a trap for each of us: a woman with our coloring, who will draw us into danger, and make our wolves howl with need.

But I won’t give into lust or passion.

I already know the face of the woman who is my supposed bait: a stunning and powerful mage named Onyx. We’ve been circling each other, wary, fueled by deeply intense attraction and fierce distrust.

But the enemy of my enemy is my ally…for now. It’s a brief truce, laced with raw, primal hunger.

Because when this is over—if we survive—we’ll have to go head-to-head one last time.

And I never lose.

An excerpt from Tempted by the Black Wolf…

The alarms and security cameras in the castle were no deterrent. As a mage, it was minor magic for her to disrupt them, but she hadn’t had to make the effort. They’d been down when she arrived. He’d beaten her here. She prayed he didn’t have the exact location of the journal.

Going as fast as she dared, she whipped down the hallway, staying near the walls when possible, doing her best to avoid the glow from the dim security lights. No need to make herself a bigger target than necessary.

The black wolf might kill her on sight or he might not. There was no way to determine his course of action, and she didn’t want to risk it. A battle between them would not be a quiet affair and would attract attention, something she desperately wanted to avoid.

Slamming her back against the wall, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, pulling in every vestige of her magic until there was a void, a dead space around her.

“You may as well come out.” The deep masculine voice penetrated the very cells of her body, demanding that she obey.

Digging her nails into her palms, Onyx fought the compulsion. She wasn’t ready to meet him face-to-face. Already her blood was humming and she was beginning to sweat.

“You’re stealthier than most, I’ll give you that, but I’m better.” No conceit, simply a deep understanding of who and what he was.

You can do this. There really wasn’t any other choice. If she tried to run, he’d be on her in a heartbeat like the predator he was. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room. The library with its floor to ceiling shelves filled with priceless and rare tomes took a backseat to the man standing in front of the stone fireplace.

At almost seven feet tall, Dagen Kern was an intimidating sight. His jet black eyes tracked her from head to toe, missing nothing. She fought the urge to shuffle her feet and instead met his assessing gaze with one of her own, conveying a sense of detachment that was a lie. His black hair fell to his shoulders in a silky curtain that tempted a woman to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it appeared. A long-sleeved black shirt was snug against muscular arms and broad shoulders. Black pants and boots completed his ensemble. They were dressed almost identically. She’d added a cape for extra protection against the chilly winter air and had shoved her distinctive red and black hair under a knitted cap.

“So you’re the tool destined to bring me to my knees.” His cynical smile chilled her blood. He’d already judged her and found her wanting. It stung deeper than she’d anticipated, stabbing vulnerable and tender spots inside her. She swallowed back the sense of inadequacy, of never being good enough. This was not the time to fall back into old habits. She’d worked too damn hard for her independence. She was nobody’s victim but a strong mage in her own right.

Tilting her chin up, she gave a curt not. “You know I am.”

Want to read more? Find Tempting the Black Wolf here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDJCJJG7/
Entangled Publishing: https://www.entangledpublishing.com/books/tempting-the-black-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempting-the-black-wolf-n-j-walters/1146192600
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tempting-the-black-wolf
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/tempting-the-black-wolf/id6642709646

Taming the White Wolf and Protecting the Gray Wolf are also available:
Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTKCDR77/

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit her at:
Website: https://www.njwalters.com
Blog: https://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: https://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Report Card

Last week…

1. Last week was Chemo Week, beginning with the infusions on Monday. It hit me hard midweek, lingering through Saturday. All the usual symptoms: chemo flush, muscle and joint aches, difficulty sleeping, overall weakness, etc. Very uncomfortable. However, this time, depression did not set in. I medicated as minimally as I could and waited it out, working in short spurts in the mornings before throwing in the towel to rest. I feel like I napped the week away, which is a strategy, I guess.
2. Once Upon a Legend, my Western novella, released this week! I hope you all picked up a copy!
3. I worked on edits for one author and completed them.
4. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be the best support I could ask for. They wait on me hand and foot when I need it, and encourage me to move when I need that nudge. I really am very, very lucky to have them.

This next week…

1. This week I only have to see my chemo clinic team once for a blood draw and a white blood cell booster shot. Yay!
2. I have to wrap up Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st. I hope I’ll have the energy to create, otherwise, I’ll have to cancel the release. It’s just two, maybe three chapters, but that feels like too much right now.
3. I’m working on an editing project for one author this week.

Open Contests

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

1. Tell me a story: Sweet dreams are made of these… (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Report Card, Open Contests, and a Puzzle Contest! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: The Paranormal Story I’ve Always Wanted to Tell (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Just a quick update and a Word Puzzle! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Are you ready for hot cocoa season? — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Rachel Blackburn!
*~*~*

I’m finally exiting Chemo Week Hell. I had seven hours of sleep last night and woke feeling weak but not uncomfortable or hurting. Yay. Today, I’ll use every excuse to get up and move around to get my legs feeling stronger. Gosh, I’ll even shower. Just kidding. I do shower. 🙂

Today’s Puzzle Day! And what’s on my mind? Well, the weather. Here we are at the beginning of Fall, and yesterday, the temperature here in Arkansas was 95 degrees. Today, it’s supposed to get to 96.

I’m sorry. Pool season is over. It’s time for sweaters and hot chocolate. In fact, I’m making a grocery list and adding hot cocoa to it because it’s one of those things I love having during cooler weather.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift certificate, tell me what you enjoy eating or imbibing when Fall weather truly arrives!

So you might be wondering, why is “Bisexual Day of Visibility” (Sept. 23) is a big deal? The short answer is that invisibility is actually a problem for bisexuals like me and for bisexual characters in my books. If you really believe “love is love,” that means everyone deserves a happily-ever-after, but bisexuals (and pansexuals) are often overlooked, ignored, or forgotten. To fight that, we have to find positive ways to include and represent bi characters.

Bisexuality typically means a person could be attracted to any gender. But when we are seen with an opposite-sex partner, people assume we’re straight, and when we’re with a same-sex partner, people assume we’re gay or lesbian. In real life, unless you’re literally in the midst of a threesome, or wearing a T-shirt that says “No One Knows I’m Bisexual,” no one knows you’re bisexual.

Even after you’ve told people, they’ll often “forget.” I’ve been a bi activist for over 30 years, I’ve been published in Best Bisexual Erotica and Best Bi Short Stories, and I’ve won a Bisexual Book Award, and people I’ve known for decades will still forget I’m bi, because if people aren’t given constant reminders, the weight of binary assumptions (“everyone is gay or straight”) exerts a gravitational force on people’s perceptions.

Same goes for fictional bisexuals. My policy in my books is that every character is bisexual unless proven otherwise, but sometimes the subject just doesn’t come up. I sometimes try to make it obvious. For example, I once wrote a bisexual rock star hero who was obviously based on David Bowie, who mentions a male ex-lover at one point, and who drops various other hints, but I am certain that most readers never thought of him as anything but het. This was the hero of probably my best-known book, James in Slow Surrender. I thought James being bi was obvious, but apparently, I was too subtle.

Karina, James’s submissive, is also bi, she’s just inexperienced. Slow Surrender really delves into the development of the erotic relationship between the two of them. While I was writing the book, a scene just for the sake of splashing their bisexual identities on the page felt like a side trip. But if I were going to rewrite that book today, I would have probably included a scene to make their bi natures more visible. Maybe at a play party where they get together with another couple?

Sometimes even a foursome isn’t enough, though! There’s a scene in Magic University, my “grown up” magic school series, where our hero and his then-girlfriend end up in a foursome with two other students. A fanfic writer pointed out to me when that book came out, though, that Kyle and the other guy in the scene are not described touching each other or kissing. That was totally an unintentional omission on my part (it’s a short scene). I didn’t think Kyle’s bisexuality was in question, but apparently, some readers felt that him declaring in book two that he could meet the bisexuality prerequisite for majoring in sex magic wasn’t enough “proof.” (Um, no spoilers, but… books three and four do eventually provide plenty of proof!)

So, what can you do to try to prevent bi erasure and bi invisibility in your book? Here are a few suggestions for do’s and don’ts.

Do use the “b word” at some point early in the character’s arc. I probably should have argued for the word “bisexual” to actually be included in Slow Surrender somewhere—at the time, my editor had said they tried to avoid “label words” in their romances. (Then again, this editor also didn’t want me to ever use the word “crotch”…? Is there something wrong with that word that I don’t know?) If not “bisexual,” then at least use “bi.”

Second, when a character reminisces about old relationships, have at least one of those relationships be the “proof”—especially if that relationship is remembered fondly! You don’t want it to seem like they had a bad experience and this is why now they are looking for the opposite. You risk it seeming like they think bisexuality was a mistake that they are going to “fix” with their current love interest. That wouldn’t be “good” representation. This also might make it seem like they had a “bi phase” that is over now. Unfortunately, “it’s just a phase” is one of the popular myths about bisexuality we need to fight.

Third, when the love interest hears about a previous bi relationship, have it be no big deal. I know, I know, you’d think it would be more “memorable” if they flip out about it, but again, the goal is to have healthy and positive representations of bisexuality and bi characters. I do not think it’s a positive thing if their love interest has to “get over” them being bi.

Definitely DON’T decide to demonstrate that a character is bi by having them cheat. That’s another one of those dangerous stereotypes. Bisexuals do NOT actually cheat any more often than monosexuals, but the myth persists. Don’t fall into that cliché. Related to that cliché is the “anything that moves” stereotype bisexual/pansexual. (Think Captain Jack Harkness.) I’ve written plenty of this type of bi, but they’re not typical. Probably the one with the most depth is Ziggy, the lead singer in Daron’s Guitar Chronicles, who has a lot of inappropriate sex with all kinds of people. He is a rock star, after all. Ultimately what Ziggy comes to learn, though, is that sex and love are not the same… and that’s a key thing to keep in mind when writing bi characters in a romance.

One other don’t: just because your bi character ultimately settles down in a monogamous relationship doesn’t change them from bi to gay or straight. They’re still bi! They don’t get “converted” to being monosexual just because they are monogamous. Sexual identity is about who people are, not what people do.

Thanks for reading my tips for Bisexual Visibility Day! If you have recommendations of books that have positive representations of bi characters in them, I’d love to hear what they are!

About the Author

Cecilia Tan is an award-winning writer of passionate fiction, romance, and erotica. She has written over 30 novels, including the Magic University series, the collection Black Feathers, and many other books. She was inducted into the LGBT Writers and Editors Hall of Fame in 2010. RT Book Reviews awarded her Career Achievement in Erotic Romance in 2015 and her novel Slow Surrender (Hachette/Forever, 2013) won RT Reviewers Choice and the Maggie Award.

LINKS to books mentioned:

Slow Surrender

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/1960/9781455529278
Amazon: https://amzn.to/4dlg6h2

Magic University

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/1960/9781626011175
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yB9HiM

Daron’s Guitar Chronicles

Bookshop: https://bookshop.org/a/1960/9781963897012
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3yEiEYD