As Joan Rivers was famous for asking, “Can we talk?”

I’m going to bet that if you’re reading this, you enjoy reading romance novels. If you’re like me, you’re a book fanatic. Not only do I love writing, but I’m an avid reader. And I’m not picky about the media—paperback, hardback, eBook, audio, hieroglyphics. Shucks, I don’t care. I’ll read it any way it’s given to me. Just slide a manuscript in front of my greedy little eyes.

I’m not picky about genre, either, although horror, typically, isn’t my thing. I’m down to try just about anything at least once. (I have to put out there just about because as sure as I say anything, I’m going to get tossed something I don’t know exists and is a hard no.) Mostly, I’m in the romance aisle—or somewhere close to it. I only have one request: that it be good.

What makes for a good romance novel? The answer is obvious: fantastic writing and excellent storytelling. Duh! But what goes into these things? I think (and feel free to disagree) that the most important thing is creating dynamic characters. They don’t have to be over-the-top, but they should be… relatable. That’s the word that is frequently quoted to authors. Make your character relatable. But is that really what authors want to do to connect with readers? Or is a more accurate word believable?

Let’s think about this. The definition of relatable is possible to like, understand, or have sympathy for due to having similarities to oneself or one’s own experiences. I don’t know about anyone else, but the majority of the books I’ve read, I haven’t been anywhere close to being similar to the main character…at least, I hope I’m not. I mean, when I’m reading about stalkers, mercenaries, royalty, billionaires, and such, I couldn’t even begin to imagine I would have anything in common with them other than maybe bacon, because who doesn’t love bacon? But I’m willing to bet there’s a vegan in the bunch.

Even if it’s argued that it’s “emotional” traits that readers are connecting to, I’m still going to pass on that being an acceptable answer. Recently, I read a book that the main character was so obnoxious that any emotions he had were buried. Yet, the author had so beautifully developed his arrogance into humor that when he got what he deserved I was rooting for him to be shown mercy. By definition, this character should have been classified as an antihero. He was fun to read about. Was I rooting for him to get away with his crimes? Yes. Would I be a fan of someone who engaged in those same acts or lesser in real life? Absolutely not. Enjoying and relating are two different things.

That brings me back to believability. Can a reader believe a character like this exist? In the Harry Potter series, it is claimed that Dolores Umbridge is the most detested character by readers although Tom Riddle a.k.a., Lord Voldemort, is the main villain. The argument is that everyone knows someone like Dolores, but that Voldemort’s evil is so over-the-top deranged that he’s not relatable to most. But we all know there are plenty of people in this world who are so power-hungry that they will do anything and everything to get what they want. They have no empathy or compassion for others. Prisons are filled with people like this. However, the Lord Voldemort character works because he’s believable.

Jane Austen characters are said to have been popular when first written because she wrote characters that were accurate portrayal her current society. The argument contents that she continues to be popular because modern society can still relate to the emotions of her characters. Well, maybe. I’m not going to argue with experts who have far more experience, education, and pedigrees than myself. But I’m going to toss out there that a lot more people don’t relate to those characters than ones that do. And the reason I say this is because Cliff Notes. Yes, Cliff Notes. Cliff Notes aren’t just the summaries for people to get the gist of something they aren’t interested in reading for themselves. It provides a breakdown an explanation scene by scene. Why? Because some readers have no clue of what’s being splayed before them.

When I first read Pride & Prejudice, I had no idea that Mr. Darcy slighted Elizabeth because he was shy. I just saw him as a pompous butthead—probably the same way Elizabeth did. I also didn’t relate to Elizabeth. If she was as “slighted” as she was said to have been, she would have made more of an effort to not engage with him. Besides, all of those relationships had a tone of insta love for me. I didn’t care that Charles Bingley took one look at Jane and instantly fell for her or that after one night of dancing they were practically mentally engaged. I’ve never seen insta love in real life. Is it possible? Anything’s possible, so, yeah. I was there for it in the story because of the dynamic storytelling. I believed these characters could exist in my world.

Last year, I read a book that had rave reviews. When I finished, I sat stunned for about thirty minutes wondering what was wrong with me. Why couldn’t I see what everyone else had seen? Why wasn’t I beaming about this book? After much thought, I realized it was because the author hadn’t sold me on the story. I didn’t believe the characters to be authentic. I didn’t believe the setting. I didn’t believe the setups were natural. How could one character know that the other character would find a random clue at a specific time and figure out what it meant—a clue that anyone could have stumbled upon and moved?

**SPOILER ALERT** In the movie the Shawshank Redemption, Andy tells Red about a tree in a field in Zihuatanejo that he and his wife had a picnic under. Andy was in jail for 19 years, and this picnic had occurred many years prior to his incarceration. So, when Andy tells Red to find that tree if he ever gets out, how does Andy know that tree is still standing? It could have been struck by lightening or bulldozed to make way for a high-rise. Landscapes change all the time. Chances are that tree isn’t there anymore, or at the very least, the layout no longer looks the same as Andy remembers from more than twenty years ago. But do movie watchers balk when Red finds it? Nope. Why? Because the audience is invested by that point. The storytelling has won over.

So, now, let’s go back to the start. What makes a good romance novel? It’s two (or more if it’s polygamous) people who have a believable connection and a vibrant love story. Readers may have nothing in common with the characters or their situations but are able to believe they could happen and exist. Now, I know this is an unpopular opinion, so let me know what you think in the comments. Is it relatability or believability?

And that’s all I got for today. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. Let me know your thoughts below in the comment section. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. And if you like this post, consider clicking the like button and sharing.

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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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.

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here to talk about something on my mind.

I am Canadian.

Now, many of my readers might’ve figured this out — the majority of my books (under all three pen names) are set in Canada. Specifically, British Columbia. I split the books between Vancouver and the made-up Mission City in Cedar Valley. Small town Canadiana.

Lately, you might have heard rumors coming out of the White House that Canada should become the 51st state.  I’m not going to step into American politics.

But I say: ELBOWS UP

It’s a hockey thing — keep your elbows up.

I’ll be honest – I don’t know much about hockey.

GASP!

Truthfully, I love figure skating.  To me, that’s what skates are for. I don’t know how to be on the ice without toe picks.

But that’s beside the point.  Yes, there are a few Canadians who want to join the US (a very, very, very few).  They want to give up universal healthcare, paid maternity leave, and all those other programs.

I scratch my head.

I love being Canadian — always have and always will.

I love my neighbors to the south. Some of my very best friends are American. I invite them up here regularly — I hope they’ll take me up on that offer.

When I’m trying to peg down what makes my books Canadian, I think it’s some of the stuff we see everywhere — friendly neighbors, people knowing our name, folks helping out.  Whether I was living in big Vancouver or on the outskirts in smaller towns, I’ve always felt a spirit.  A communal sense of good. A belief we can do better.

Canada has banded together like never before — unified as a country that we want to stay a sovereign country. That we’re not for sale.

In that vein, I’ve joined a promotion!  120 Canadian romances — all 99 cents this weekend only!

I have books from each of my pennames: Love in Mission City: The Shorts (m/m Gabbi Grey), The Making of Marnie Jones (m/f small-town contemporary, Gabbi Powell), Backing Down (m/m/f BDSM, Gabbi Black).  I’ve made them 99 cents everywhere I can for the weekend.

Head on over to the website and I hope you find a book that piques your curiosity.  We Canadians are actually a fun bunch.

www.allisontemple.com/we-love-canada

Love in Mission City: The Shorts Synopsis

Love in Mission City: The Shorts Box Set includes one novella and four short stories

Mission City is tucked in the charming Cedar Valley in southwestern British Columbia. If you love heartwarming, contemporary small-town gay romances, then come home to Mission City and fall in love with the men who live there. Romance blossoms in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them…

Page Against the Machine

Dickens has run his family bookstore for years in the quiet ambiance suitable for literary endeavors. When Spike opens a motorcycle repair shop next door, tempers flare and sparks fly. Will they be able to resolve their differences or are they just too stubborn for compromise?

This is a 25k sizzling gay romance novella with a true instalove, enemies to lovers, opposites attract story with a cuddly cat named Aristotle.

The Lightkeeper’s Love Affair

Ben’s graduation celebration is disrupted by a winter storm. He and his beagle, Buddy, have the only room left in the hotel. When lightkeeper Isaac needs a bed, though, Ben’s happy to share. Platonically, of course. Except something about Isaac makes Ben want more.

This is a 10k lighthearted gay romance with forced proximity, a loner, a future school-teacher, and Buddy, the adorable beagle.

Not in it for the Money

August’s beloved sister has passed suddenly and the man finds himself in need of comfort. Turning to his employee feels all kinds of wrong, but Julian’s arms feel too damned right to resist. Come morning, though, they have to look reality in the face. Is there a chance they find a forever love out of the tragedy?

This is a 5k scorching gay romance story about a boss, his employee, and the inheritance of a lifetime.

Marcus’s Cadence

Cadence is trying to sell the home that had been his refuge during his tumultuous teen years. When his teenage crush, Marcus, shows up as a potential buyer, sparks fly. Is there just a real estate deal to be done or could his feelings be requited?

This is a 7k second-chance gay romance instalove short story with a very happy ending and a malti-poo named Kiki.

Ace’s Place

After a fall from grace, Derek has moved to a small town for a fresh start. Harold, the local golden boy made good, catches Derek’s attention. But secrets and omissions cloud what could be the beginning of something special. Can they take a chance on being vulnerable enough to fall in love?

This is a 13k steamy gay romance about second-chances, hockey, and an adorable but nosy Bouvier.

Please note – all five stories have been previously published

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mission-City-Gabbi-Grey-ebook/dp/B0CTDBY23N
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/TheShorts
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/love-in-mission-city-the-shorts/id6478398708
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/love-in-mission-city-the-shorts
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/love-in-mission-city-gabbi-grey/1144948368
Promo Link: www.allisontemple.com/we-love-canada

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

UPDATE: The winners are…Karen LeBeau and Elaine Swinney!
*~*~*

Before there were bounty hunters, there were SEALs. And I loved writing my Uncharted SEALs series. All those rugged, alpha heroes and strong heroines. Humor. Action. Spicy sex. All the ingredients that make stories fun for me to write, and hopefully, fun for you to read.

With Uncharted SEALs, I experimented a bit. For the first time, I did sequels with the same characters—for the simple reason I couldn’t say goodbye to them. I wanted to see inside their Happy-Ever-Afters. Through Her Eyes and Between a SEAL and a Hard Place share the same main characters, as do Dream of Me and Heart of a SEAL.

Big Sky SEAL gave birth to my Montana Bounty Hunters, introducing Jamie and Reaper, who, as a result of their work in Big Sky, earned their own satellite office of MBH. A fun theme I used in two of the stories was a cruise ship. Both Before We Kiss and Hard SEAL to Love are set on the same ship and have the same supporting characters. Plus, Hard SEAL to Love features a disabled female vet!

This time, I’d like you to read the very fun introduction of Big Sky SEAL.

Enjoy!

   

   

   

Click on the covers to learn more!

Contest

Win your choice of one of my Uncharted SEALs stories! There will be 2 winners! All you have to do to enter is answer me this…

Do you still like alpha hero stories, featuring ex-military men? What’s one you’ve read recently you really enjoyed?

Big Sky SEAL

Romance sparks between a bounty hunter and a SEAL on the hunt for an escaped terrorist…

A former military police dog handler, Jamie Burke, along with her former bomb dog Tessa, are still trying to adjust to civilian life. With a jaded, testy personality, Jamie has few friends. Now, a bounty hunter, she’s tasked to help federal and local law enforcement search for an escaped terrorist in the Crazy Mountains of Montana.

Former SEAL, Sky Reynolds can’t believe Jamie Burke is part of the task force. The last time he saw her was in Afghanistan. Back then, he thought he’d never stand a chance with the pretty, ballsy blonde, sure she had someone waiting for her back home. But here she is, still single, still prickly as hell. Assigned to stick close to her and her dog Tessa during the hunt, he’ll use the situation to get close. This time, he’s not letting her slip away.

When Jamie’s captured by the terrorist, it’s up to Sky, his fellow SEALs, and her motley crew of bounty hunters to save her…

Excerpt from Big Sky SEAL…

According to the satellite image, Mosby’s cousin’s crude hunting shack stood in an isolated clearing deep in a woodsy area at the foothills of the Salish Mountains. Jamie Burke and her partner for this takedown, Reaper Stenberg, parked their SUV a quarter mile down the gravel road leading to the Montana cabin.

Lock and load time. Jamie drew deep slow breaths to slow her heart, while getting her head “in the zone”. They were going after a badass. A mistake could turn deadly.

Reaper opened the back hatch of the SUV and reached into their bag of weapons and gear.

First, they donned Kevlar jackets. Jamie clipped her badge onto her web belt and slid her Glock into the holster strapped to her leg. Then Reaper held out a shotgun with an orange stock.

She glared. “Seriously? You expect me to take down Mosby with a bean bag round?”

“I don’t expect you to take down a damn thing, other than notes.” He smirked. “I’ll handle Mosby. If he gets past me, you nail him in the gut with this.” His glacier-blue eyes narrowed. “Your Glock is your last resort. You’ll be coming through the back of the cabin. Think I’d trust you with real bullets when I’ll be in the line of fire?”

“I’m a better shot than you,” she muttered, thinking of her last weapons qualification test and the ten tightly grouped shots in the circle around the heart on her target.

“On the range. This is the real world, sweet cheeks.”

She crimped her mouth and loaded a bean bag round into the chamber of her weapon, then stuffed two more shells into the pockets of her jeans. The rounds, intended to disable rather than kill, were filled with fabric “pillows” containing birdshot. Although his caution made sense, she couldn’t let him know she was relieved to carry non-lethal rounds—she’d seen enough death and never wanted to kill again. The fact he didn’t trust her aim—or, perhaps, her nerves—rankled. Still, they’d be inside close quarters, and the “non-lethal” round was far more dangerous than when used, as recommended, to hit targets twenty to sixty feet away.

Didn’t matter to Reaper that she was ex-military and knew her way around firearms. Since being discharged, she’d caught a desk at Montana Bounty Hunters, learning the ropes of the paperwork end of the job, and training with the agency’s owner, “Fetch” Winter, until he’d felt comfortable letting her ride shotgun with his most experienced hunter.

From the moment Fetch told Reaper she was his responsibility, he’d been on her ass. No doubt Reaper hoped she’d quit inside a week, but she was entering her second week and rather enjoying the fact her stubborn acceptance of his constant snarky disses annoyed the crap out of him. She’d weathered similar, un-PC comments during her time in the military. They rolled off her back like rain off a duck’s ass.

Lastly, he handed her an earpiece and inserted his own. “Testing,” he whispered. When she took her time responding, he raised an eyebrow. “You got it turned on?”

She raised her hand and shot him the bird. “I heard you loud and clear.”

He hefted a battering ram with one huge hand and rested it on his shoulder then passed over a lock pick kit. “Don’t keep me waiting. As soon as you’re in place, I’ll knock down the door.”

“Shouldn’t we make sure he’s inside first?”

He scowled. “Think I’m a rookie, rookie? Peek in a window on your way. And don’t get your head shot off.”

“Geez, I’d almost think you cared,” she said, giving him a sly grin and a wink.

His expression remained stony.

The time was mid-afternoon, still plenty of light, but she knew he was too impatient to get this catch-and-release finished. They’d already logged ten days on the road, interviewing Mosby’s high school buddies, family members, and former cellmates. A girlfriend who was pissed Mosby was willing to let her car be taken, part of the collateral of his bail bond, mentioned the hunting cabin. After a quick trip to a local Bureau of Land Management office that morning, they had what they hoped was their first break in this case.

They jogged down the quarter mile track to the edge of the clearing. She stayed close to his heels while his long blond ponytail flapped down his back. Not for the first time, she noted his broad shoulders and powerful build. If only he wasn’t such a dick to work with… When they halted, she noted the rusty white pickup parked next to the porch. Someone was home.

Reaper gave her a curt nod then broke left following the tree line, while she kept to the brush to the right, until she was midway down the long side of the shotgun shack. With her heart rate kicking higher, she edged carefully toward a window and shot upward to glance inside.

A man sat in the shadows of a living room in a ratty easy chair, watching TV.

She edged upward again, quickly studied his profile, then crouched to pull the bench warrant from her back pocket to check out their target’s picture. Same bald head and heavy brows, same black tribal tattoo climbing up his shoulder from under his grubby white wife beater to wrap around his neck. “It’s him,” she whispered. “In the living room. Front door’s ten feet from his chair.”

“Is he armed?”

“Didn’t see a weapon. I’m heading to the back door.” She kept close to the side of the house, came around the back, and then halted when she noted the modified back door. “Big damn dog door,” she whispered. “I didn’t see a dog.”

“Good. Door saves us both some time. Get your ass inside, Burke.”

Jamie knelt, lifted the rubber flap, and peeked inside. Still no dog in sight. Tightening her mouth, she pushed her weapon through first, angled her hips, and crawled into the opening, her hands sliding on greasy tile. “I’m inside,” she whispered as she lay sprawled on a floor that smelled like onions and beer. Did the guy use the floor to fry his hamburgers?

“On three,” came Reaper’s raspy whisper. “One…two…three…”

As she shoved to her feet, she heard a distant crash as the wooden front door splintered, and then the clatter of nails on linoleum from a room just beyond the kitchen. She rushed through the doorway into a bedroom just as a short, very muscular brindle pit bull jumped onto the mattress, heading in the most direct path toward her. She darted into a bathroom, climbed onto the toilet seat, then the small counter. When the dog stood on his hind legs, snapping at her boots, she leapt toward the doorway and slammed the door closed, trapping him inside.

The dog thudded heavily against the wood and then barked like a hellhound.

The sound of furniture thudding came from the next room. Something glass hit the floor and shattered. Muffled grunts and curses sounded.

“Bastard, stay down!” Reaper shouted.

Speeding toward the living room, Jamie halted when she saw Daniel Mosby with Reaper hanging on their target’s back, his arm around his neck in a chokehold.

The two large men hit one side of the doorframe then the other. Mosby’s face was red, his teeth bared. Three inches taller and burlier than Reaper, Mosby kept moving.

Pulse racing, she backed up toward the kitchen doorway.

“Shoot him, Burke!” Reaper growled. “Shoot the fucker!”

Sucking in a breath, she raised her shotgun, aimed for Mosby’s large belly, and pulled the trigger.

Mosby grunted, his black eyes widened, and he screamed, despite the arm cinching his thick neck. And despite the direct hit, he kept coming.

She backed up into the kitchen, sure Mosby would drop any second, but he lunged toward a wall, slamming Reaper against it. Reaper’s hold loosened.

Mosby shook him off and aimed an elbow behind him, catching Reaper in the chin as he went down. Mosby’s dark gaze locked with hers, and he rushed forward.

With no time to load another round in the shotgun, she considered her Glock, but that was her last resort.

Brains over brawn—a cliché that had served her well in tighter situations. The bastard was big and lumbered toward her like a bear. Likely his size intimidated most men, but she wasn’t a man. And she wasn’t scared. Although she was good at pretending fear. She widened her eyes and sank into a crouch, raising a hand as though to cover her head.

Behind Mosby, Reaper groaned. “Goddammit, Burke. Use your fucking weapon!”

But she had a better idea. Killing was easy. And Mosby had sworn he’d never be caught, never spend another day in prison. She wanted the sorry asshole to spend years thinking about the fact he’d been bested by a woman.

As he rushed her, she kept her feet flat on the greasy floor and ducked to the side. Just as he came within reach, she swept out a foot and tripped him. On his way toward the dirty tile, she spun and clocked him in the back of the head with the butt of her shotgun.

He hit the floor hard, arms sprawled from his sides, and didn’t move.

Before he could stir again, she stuck a knee in his lower back, pulled back one meaty arm, and latched a cuff around his thick wrist, then repeated the action with the other. When he was secured, she shot to her feet and stood over him, at last withdrawing her Glock from its holster to point toward his ass in case he roused. She shot a quick glance over her shoulder at Reaper. “You through napping?”

“Bitch,” he wheezed from the floor.

“He wasn’t armed. What’s your excuse?”

Reaper sat and leaned against the kitchen wall, working his jaw side to side. He winced. “I was just softening him up for you, babe. Nice takedown, by the way.”

And then he smiled—a real smile, not his usual one-sided smirk. She grinned, relieved that at last he saw her worth. “I’m still too scrawny to get his ass to our vehicle. You rested?”

He chuckled and pushed upward, not hiding a groan as he straightened. “Wait until I tell Fetch. He said you were a firecracker, and that I shouldn’t count you out in a fight.”

UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release!

So if 2024 was the year of saying hell, yes!, 2025 is turning out to be the year of hell, yes! (and I might also need to have my head examined…)

I’ll explain. I have so many projects in various stages that it’s brutal to keep track. My trusty spreadsheet does, thank God. Okay, so how’d I wind up writing Unlocked and Unlost? Well, I participate in a special promo every month. The creators of the promo (with prizes) gave us a theme per month: age-gap, sports, small-town, friends-to-lovers, fated mates, etc.

Great!

Except I didn’t have a friends-to-lovers book or a fated mates story. Did that stop me from signing up? Of course not! I just figured I’d write books I’d already committed to with these plot lines. Not really different than signing up for themed anthologies – and we all know how many of those I’ve done. Now, a friend who knows about such things said fated mates had to be shifters. I was like… OH. CRAP.

Never fear! I found a wolf shifter cover and asked Plot Whisperer for help! She wrote this extensive and really amazing plot. And I went…oh, wow. It’s awesome. But it didn’t speak to me. I wasn’t compelled. But I can write just about anything, so I figured I had my assignment.

One day, she and I were chatting, and she said how she’s read that raccoons could pick locks. She said I should write a raccoon shifter locksmith.

I said sure, and could he get together with a squirrel shifter, and could we set the story in my owl shifter universe?

She said, I don’t see why not.

An hour later, we had the plot for my novella.

Yes, that simple. We had a grumpy/sunshine, age-gap, opposites-attract, racoon/squirrel shifter gay romcom romance. Because…why not?

I wrote the story for another project, but that didn’t pan out, and I’d bought the most amazing cover and I figured…why not publish it? My editor loved it and said she’d never quite read something like it before. That’s the general consensus of early reviews – never seen this done in this way. Now, some adore the book and some find it irritating. I’m not supposed to read my reviews – but sometimes I can’t help myself.

Okay, so that’s the story! I have my fated mates. I also have probably the funniest story I’ve ever written. Something well beyond the angst I used to be known for. I don’t know how all my readers will react, but I do try to keep them on their toes.

Anyway, thank you for letting me visit today and share my news! I would love to give a prize to a commenter! Do you believe in fated mates? Have you read a shifter story? I’ll admit I’d read a few and dragons are my favorite, but my squirrel is pretty darn cute. Leave a comment and you might win a $5 Amazon Gift card. Random will pick the winner. Good luck!

Unlocked and Unlost

Kingston

I love being a locksmith. I help people fix their lives when things go awry. A badly sprained ankle has me laid up, but I dislike being idle, so a friend suggests I hire an assistant. Little do I know how truly chaotic my life is about to become. Although he’s cute, it never occurs to me just how important he might become in my life.

Ethan

I’ve held a series of jobs since graduating from business college, but none has captured my attention. Assisting a grouchy locksmith proves to be one of the more interesting challenges. When I discover something truly astounding about him, my entire world view changes.

Unlocked and Unlost is an opposites attract, grumpy/sunshine, age gap, paranormal shifter gay romance with a stodgy racoon shifter and the glorious squirrel shifter fated mate he didn’t see coming.

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Unlocked-Unlost-Gabbi-Grey-ebook/dp/B0F2GNDJ99
Add it to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230582161-unlocked-and-unlost
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/UnlockedUnlost

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

If you like books that help you escape during a tough time, you might like my Cecily Taylor Series about a high school girl who gets a chance to have her dreams come true when she ends up an extra in her favorite singer/songwriter Andrew Holiday’s music video. From there, she begins an acting and modeling career as well as dating the singer, but she soon sees what a different world Andrew lives in. Can two teens from different worlds make it work? You can pick up book one of the three-book series for free for a limited time.

Cecily has always had a huge crush on singer Andrew Holiday and she wants to be an actress, so she tags along when her friend auditions for his new video. However, the director isn’t looking for an actress, but rather the girl next door—and so is Andrew. Cecily gets a part in the video and all of Andrew’s attention on the set. Her friend begins to see red and Cecily’s boyfriend is seeing green—as in major jealousy. A misunderstanding leaves Cecily and her boyfriend on the outs and Andrew hopes to pick up the pieces as he’s looking for someone more stable in his life than the models he’s dated. Soon Cecily begins to realize Andrew understands her more than her small-town boyfriend—but can her perfect love match really be her favorite rock star?

***Pick up book one for free for a limited time. Book 2 and 3 of the series are in Kindle Unlimited:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Can-Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-ebook/dp/B09VYS5G3S
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/Can-Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-ebook/dp/B09VYS5G3S/

Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/Can-Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-ebook/dp/B09VYS5G3S
Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/Can-Dreams-Come-True-Cecily-ebook/dp/B09VYS5G3S

Amazon GER: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/Krysten-Lindsay-Hager-ebook/dp/B09VYS5G3S

About the Author

Krysten is an author, blogger, and podcast guest host for Michigan Avenue Media. She writes about friendship, dating, self-esteem, fitting in, fame, and values. Her work includes YA contemporary books, new adult, and middle grade fiction. Krysten’s book, Cecily in the City, won the 2023 Readers’ Favorite Award for best young adult romance. Her debut novel, True Colors, won the Readers’ Favorite award for best preteen book as well as the Dayton Book Expo Bestseller Award for children/teens. Competing with the Star is a Readers’ Favorite Book Award Finalist. Best Friends…Forever? is a 2019 Readers’ Favorite Silver Medal Winner. Landry in Like is a Literary Classics Gold Medal recipient and a 2020 Readers’ Favorite Bronze Medal Winner. Can Dreams Come True and True Colors are both Wishing Book Shelf Finalists. She received her BA in English and master’s degree from the University of Michigan-Flint.

Krysten’s work has been featured in USA Today, The Flint Journal, the Grand Haven Tribune, the Beavercreek Current, the Bellbrook Times, Springfield News-Sun, Grand Blanc View, Dayton Daily News and on Living Dayton. She is a frequent guest host on the Michigan Avenue Media podcast.

Follow Krysten:
Website: https://www.krystenlindsay.com/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/krystenlindsay/
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@krystenlindsay
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/krystenlindsay/

UPDATE: The winner is…BN!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me to discuss a topic near and dear to my heart. When I read my first ‘romance’ in 1986, the world was a very different place. I put romance in quotes because Judy Blume’s Forever doesn’t have a traditional happy ending. Or maybe it does. What’s traditional anyway?

Forty years later, I have a very different perspective on “romance.”

I put pen to paper first in 1996 to try to write my own romance.  I discovered I wanted to give my heroine a happy ending. Now, I was going to put her through hell first…but I’d give her a happily ever after (before I’d even heard that term).  I managed to finish a full novel in 2012 and sent that off to a publisher, believing, of course, they’d want my brilliance (spoiler alert – they didn’t).  Around that time, I got my first eReader.  My world exploded.  I had no idea such wonderful things existed! All these books! And some free! (Which I didn’t understand at the time, but I do now.)  I binged.  I found authors I’d never heard of. I found subgenres I’d never considered (hello, I see you BDSM).  One story I grabbed was by Ava March.

A gay romance.

Nothing earth-shattering happened when I read the story.  I thought, hey that was good.  What else does she have? And I read a bunch of others.  And then I found another author I was interested in and I moved on.  Being gay wasn’t a big deal to me.  Having gay friends wasn’t a big deal.  Hell, we’d already had gay marriage for about half-a-dozen years in Canada.

I kept reading and writing and trying to get published.

Eventually, I realized I needed help with that journey.  I met a freelance editor in a reader/writer chat and hired her.  She tackled the task of making me a better writer.

Even she’ll admit the task was an uphill battle.

What can I say? I didn’t know what I didn’t know.

She taught me.

Soon after we connected, though, she recommended a couple of authors whom she adored and who she thought I could learn from.  Authors of gay romance.  Completely unfazed, I grabbed everything those authors had as an audiobook.  And listened. And fell in love.  And then bought more. And listened more. And fell harder.

Somewhere along the way, that editor sent me back manuscripts with TONS of red ink.  But I read the comments, tried to learn from the corrections, and endeavored to be a better writer.

But my love of gay romance had been solidified.  Eventually, I joined a review blog, and, to this day, I write reviews for gay romances I listen to.

This all came naturally to me.  Being gay isn’t a huge deal in my world.  But I understand that it is for lots of people.  I am cognizant of the battle many have endured – and what struggles many still face.  I get that the world is a scary place.

What I’ve always tried to be is an ally.  I didn’t know much about that in high school, but I started to meet more people in university who showed me what allyship looked like.  I’ve endeavored to always be a safe space for people.  At work, I had a symbol in my cubicle that let co-workers know I was a friend to all members of the Rainbow.  I’ve tried to extend that to be as welcoming as I can to everyone.

What does this look like in my writing?  Remember that first romance I tried to write? Back in 1996? Still not finished and needs to be completely rewritten? The heroine’s best friend was a gay man who was in a committed relationship with another man. It never occurred to me that might be controversial.

Since then? Every character, aside from those who are purposefully portrayed as hateful, are casually or actively allies to gay folk.  Sometimes that allyship is proactive, and sometimes it’s just there in the background.  The point is, I know language can hurt. I’m always so careful.  And I have sensitivity and beta readers who try to catch my mistakes.  But I do my damnest to ensure I’m moving my writing forward.

Now, I write gay romances. I also write bisexual romances, lesbian romances, pansexual romances, and romances between men and women.  Truthfully, I write a lot.  What I try to do, under the pennames who write primarily male/female romances, is to find ways to make connections.  So if there isn’t a POC as a lead character in one book, you can be pretty sure I have them as secondary characters – often heading toward books of their own.  I often have queer characters – often heading toward books of their own.  These stories, though, give me the opportunity to show what active allyship looks like.

Two stories I’ve written recently fall into that category. Josette, from Josette and the Count could be forgiven if she was a little jaded.  The boy that the world always assumed she was going to marry turned out to be gay and chose her brother instead.  Now, Josette’s pretty swift and had, somewhere along the way, read the writing on the wall.  In fact, she wound up bringing them together and giving them her blessing.  Full-throated allyship.

Kendra, from High on Love, also has a gay brother.  An overbearing, impossible, annoying-as-shit brother.  He drives her nuts.  But she’s ticked off at him and no matter how irritated she gets, she would never use the fact he’s gay against him in any way.  And, in fact, when Noel meets someone he might actually not be antagonistic toward, sister Kendra is happy to shoo him in that person’s direction.  She loves her brother – she just wishes he wasn’t always trying to boss her around. (In truth, he’s got reasons for being overprotective, but that’s for another day.)

Casual allyship. Vocal allyship.  Friendship. Loving and caring.

These are all things my gay characters are so deserving of in their lives.

In fact, it’s something everyone is deserving of.

That’s my story of how I’ve been an ally since I first put pen to paper in any serious way.

Thanks, Delilah, for inviting me here to talk about another aspect of my storytelling. I would love to hear from your readers. What was the first romance they remember reading?  I tried Danielle Steele before moving to category romance where I stayed for years (hence the first book I ever tried to sell being a category romance). Let me know!  One lucky commenter – chosen by Random – will win copies of High on Love, Josette and the Count, and A Touch of Cowboy. (Or another book from my back catalogue.) Good luck!

Josette and the Count

An interior decorating job in a genuine ancient Romanian castle was supposed to be the opportunity of Josette Fogal’s life. Instead, she winds up pregnant, dumped, and running home to Mission City to stay with her brother while she sorts out the mess of her life. As the birth of the baby nears, Anton Deva, her baby daddy, shows up at her doorstep—asking for a second chance. Josette has a lot of big decisions to make, and not much time to get them right. Anton’s the kind of tall, muscular, debonair man she always falls for and he’s saying all the right things, but can she ever trust him again?

Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/Josette
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Josette-Count-Cedar-Valley-Short-ebook/dp/B0F3MPSPNN
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/230969899-josette-and-the-count

High on Love

Kendra Barker’s a long way from her Canadian home. Her road trip has landed her and her 1983 Harley in Cataluma, California, but she only plans to stay long enough to rest, maybe make a few dollars, and enjoy the Strawberry Festival. As a bonus, the one place she finds to stay is an empty apartment with a super sexy landlord.

Javier Fernandez has been cruising through life on autopilot. His marijuana shop is doing well. His mother is, for the most part, under control and managing her job as mayor of his beloved Cataluma. Now, he just needs to get this pesky Canadian woman out of his head. He gave her a place to sleep, and he very much wants to be in her bed, but come the end of the weekend, she’ll be moving on. Javier doesn’t do one-nighters and he doesn’t want to deal with a broken heart. Long-distance, and cross-borders is a recipe for disaster, right?

High on Love is a 39k word small-town interracial romance novella with a tattooed heroine, a stoic hero, and the love affair that’ll change their lives forever.

Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/High
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZ2M8Z4G
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125352653-high-on-love

About the Author

Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance.  She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion.  She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.

Personal links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Powell/e/B08T8NTQNY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

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

I am adopted. I’ve known this since I was old enough to understand what that meant.  My adoptive mother (hereafter referred to as my ‘mother’) let me know that my biological mother couldn’t keep me, but that she, my mother, wanted me very much.  She also said my biological father wanted to keep me, but that, as a couple, my biological parents couldn’t make it work.  That’s a lot for a five-year-old to understand.  She also cautioned me not to tell kids I was adopted.  Now, she denies this, but it’s one of my strongest memories from just before I started school.

I was very close to my mother growing up — whether that was a good or a bad thing is left to the annals of history and my therapist.  I will say that what finally drove us apart was, in part, my mental illness.  She got tired of having a sick daughter who was always needing to be rescued.  There were some other factors, but that was the big one.  She cut me out of her life.  That was twenty years ago.

For various reasons, I was never close to my father.  He blames my mother and her parenting style.  His own shenanigans during their marriage didn’t help.  Again, water under the bridge, and yes, my therapist knows all about it.

My Adoptive Dad

(For the record — I joke about therapy but will say here that I come by my mental illness honestly. It comes from both sides of my biological parents’ families.  Mental illness is extremely serious and should never be taken lightly.  I take my meds, do the work with my doctor, and do regular check-ins to make sure I’m coping. For me, however, humor is part of coping.  It works for me — it doesn’t for others.

When I was eighteen, I registered with provincial authorities to meet my biological parents. That was the procedure where I lived. Then, eventually, if no match was made, the government would initiate a search.

I waited ten years — which is how long I was told it would be.

Then my cousin told me the government had searched on her behalf. The result hadn’t been all that positive, but she’d come away with crucial medical information. So not a total loss, even if her biological mother wanted nothing to do with her.

Since my cousin had registered after me, I contacted the government — to discover they had an old address.  Eventually, they initiated a search.  I won’t bore you with the details, but about the time the government was searching, my bio mom decided she was ready to look.  So the timing couldn’t have been better — earlier, she might not have been ready.  That first meeting went well, and she invited me to visit her at her home later.  My dog and I made the trek halfway across Canada, and I got to spend time with her.  I met her husband, my grandparents, and two of my three half-siblings.

The relationship became complicated from that point forward and I lost touch — that was on me.  Eventually, from that family, my grandfather passed, my bio mom passed, and then my grandmother passed the next day.  My only regret is not keeping in touch.  Those siblings and nieces and nephews are lost to me entirely.

Okay, so that was that.  Except maybe not.  In 2018, I spit in two tubes and sent those samples off to labs.  23 and Me provided genetic information as well as a DNA database (watch out, they’re in bankruptcy — I recently downloaded all my data and deleted it entirely since I can’t guarantee the next owner, if there is one, will be scrupulous with my privacy).  Ancestry also has a database, so I signed up for that.

Awkward — bio mom’s extended family contacted me.  Very curious as to who this unknown person was — they believed they knew everyone.  She hadn’t told them about me before her death.  Respecting that wish, I asked the relatives to ignore me.  They pointed out they were nice people.  I asked for respect of my wishes — they did back down.

Fast forward to late November 2021.  Someone contacted me through Ancestry.  The last name was the same as the one my bio mom told me belonged to my bio dad.  My half-sister had found me.  Discussions ensued.  Ironically, I was nervous.  What if I was a disappointment? What if they didn’t like me?

I met with my half-sister first.  Then my dad and my other half-sister.  Things sort of went sideways in my half-sister’s life, and I no longer fit into that space.  I respect that.  My other half-sister has a lot going on in her life.  Again, I understand.

My Bio Dad

That left me and my bio dad.  He came to my town a couple of times, and we shared some awkward meals.  Then one day, out of the blue, he texted me. I texted back.  Those texts increased in frequency.  Now, it’s a couple of times a week.  Recently, he asked if he could come for a twenty-four-hour visit.  Understand — people don’t come to my house, and they certainly don’t spend the night.

For him, though, I was willing to make an exception.

Again, I won’t bore you with details — but the visit went well.  I learned a ton about my family, and he got a complete picture of my life — the good, the bad, and the…WTAF?

Such is life.

I don’t know how much longer I’ll have him.  I am also much closer to my dad than before, and I don’t know how much longer I’ll have him either. I’m trying to make the most of what I do have.  I try to share my writing.  I visit when I can.  I hold them in my hearts.

Okay — that was way more than you probably wanted to know. My point?  Being adopted wasn’t a bad thing in my life.  My adopted parents were far from perfect, but I’ve had a good life. I’m the happiest I’ve ever been and so no regrets. I just happened to have gone through Hell to get here.

There are tons of found families in my stories — people who support and love my main characters when their own biological families fail them (or die…lots of parents and siblings die in accidents and of horrible diseases). I like to make my characters suffer and then have them find love — in many different forms.

Stanley’s Christmas Redemption is one of those books.  Angus, the ten-year-old, is tragically orphaned. And sure, he has his uncle, Stanley, whom he’s never meet.  But he also has his counselor, Justin.  Who eventually steps away from the therapist role and into that of stepfather (because of course Justin and Stanley fall in love).  Justin has his parents and siblings, but he also has his co-workers with whom he’s close. And then Stanley reconnects with an ex-boyfriend and, eventually, their two families draw closer. Finally, Stanley and Justin foster Opal. Now, if you read subsequent books, you discover what happens to Opal (hint: Justin, Stanley, and Angus are part of her life).

Adoption often turns out well. Found family can be more precious than blood.

You can make characters suffer and given them a happy ending.

Okay, enough about me. I’m so grateful if you’ve read all that.  To one of your readers, Delilah, I would like to gift Stanley’s Christmas Redemption as well as the three other big books in my Love in Mission City series. If the winner doesn’t want those, I can give four other books from my back catalogue.  So let me know — is there a particular book that touched you? One with an adoption, or found family, or just some group of people who are connected in a nontraditional way?  Drop me a comment and let me know.  Winner to be chosen by Random.

Stanley’s Christmas Redemption Synopsis

Stanley

I have life figured out—a good job, a nice car, and an ex-boyfriend whose heart I broke. But then my half-brother dies unexpectedly, and I go back to our hometown to settle his affairs. A quick trip before Christmas. Instead, I get the shock of my life. Do I face this new challenge or do what I’ve always done—run? Or will I stay and get to know the most amazing man I’ve ever met and take on a responsibility I’ve never dreamed of facing? This will be a holiday season like no other.

Justin

I’m a therapist who helps people deal with grief. My life is fulfilling. So what if I’ve been single for years? I have the kids I counsel and co-workers I adore. Maybe I’m tired of going home to an empty house and not looking forward to another Christmas alone. But I’m not going to be taken in by some slick city guy who can’t wait to leave town. I’m not going to upend my life just because I’ve met the man of my dreams. Right?

This is an 85k opposites-attract instalove mid-angst gay romance novel.  Previously published in the charity anthology Secret Santa: A Romance Collection, the story has quadrupled in size with more love, laughs, and a touch of Christmas magic.

Buy links:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09ZD95NH7
Audible: https://www.audible.com/pd/Stanleys-Christmas-Redemption-Audiobook/B09ZBM2GJ8
Universal link:  https://books2read.com/u/mV86x2

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
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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/