Just a short post today. I have some catching up to do! The things I’d like to share? I finished the first chapter of my next book. Woot! And the 6-year-old came running to my room at midnight (my room is the farthest from hers) because she had a bad dream and didn’t want to sleep alone. I am loved. 🙂 And that is all.

Solve the puzzle then tell me a story about what you see for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Here’s me wishing all dads a Happy Father’s Day! This is the second year I don’t have one to spoil with a gift or a card, so cherish yours! I can smell breakfast. I’m guessing my dd is going all-out for Father’s Day today. And the little ones are up—I can hear their voices and their feet, so they must be “decorating”. 🙂

I’ll be writing and editing today. Plenty to keep busy with. Enjoy your day!

The Puzzle-Contest

Solve the puzzle, and then tell me what story you see for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Enter these contests while you can!

1. What’s Her Fairytale CONTEST? Plus, check out all these open CONTESTS! — This one ends tomorrow! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Reina Torres: I Confess! I love Reality Shows! (Contest) — Win a first in a series book!!
3. Fun things to do in COVID-Times…? (Contest) — Win a download of your choice!

UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
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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…Tracie!
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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!

Enter while you can!

1. Flea Market Finds and a Puzzle & a Contest! — This offer ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Bragging a little about what I’ve been learning… (Contest) — Win your choice of my recent releases!
3. Delilah Devlin: What’s Coming? Contests! Excerpts! (Contest–3 Winners!) — Win a Bad Boy Anthology!
4. Michal Scott: The $5.00 Kiss of Life (Excerpt & Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Ava Cuvay: The Tentacle Dilemma (Contest — 4 Winners!) — Win an anthology or a cool T-shirt!

A Puzzle

I’m currently posting three different blogs a day. It’s TIME-CONSUMING. Plus, I have numerous editing gigs, all stacked in a row (I’ll finish one today). Then I have my own writing to do. I’ll finish a shorty this week, finish collating an anthology by the end of the weekend (cross my fingers, hope to die), and I’ve started my next Bounty Hunter story!!

Think that’s enough to keep my busy for a while? Sheesh.

So, if I’m a little “light” on content here today, no worries. YOU HAVE TO CHECK OUT AVA CUVAY’S VERY FUN POST ABOUT TENTACLE SEX! Yes, I said it. Tentacle sex. Ava has a story inside my anthology that will blow your mind. She actually makes it incredibly sexy… Want to see what she has to say about her story? Head over here: Ava Cuvay: The Tentacle Dilemma (Contest — 4 Winners!)

And here’s your puzzle!

UPDATE: The winner is…flechen1!
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I feel rejuvenated! Yesterday, I began my day by editing some stories and painting my daily challenge pieces. Then the rest of the day was spent celebrating! My dd and my SIL have birthdays just a few days apart, so we held a family birthday celebration. We all dressed in 80’s fashion—my dd wore a fishnet glove and lacy headband with big black jewelry like Madonna; my SIL wore short shorts and a too-big white tank like Richard Simmons. All the girls, including me, had big hair and neon makeup. The 15-year-old made finger foods; we ate cupcakes. Then we spent a good two hours in the pool together. Pure heaven.

This morning, we headed to the flea market—our first shopping excursion that wasn’t a one-person run-in-and-grab or a curbside delivery. We all masked and used hand sanitizer. I sanitized the shopping cart, and off we went. Of course, we found treasures that went straight into the wash and sink when we got home. What was sad, to me, was how few people there took those same kinds of precautions. I really, really wanted to walk up to “the unmasked” and tell them, “You can thank me for my consideration,” (a passive-aggressive move, I know) but I figured it was a waste of breath. 🙁

Anyways, I have an interesting eggsalad sandwich tray that I think will make a great paint palette. The egg wells can hold the paint. The sandwich wells can be a place to mix the colors… What do you think? (Please ignore my messy art table!)

The fish above it was a fun find as well. I have an aquatic theme going on with the art on one wall of my bathroom. This bit of whimsy will go nicely! 🙂

So, onto the puzzle-contest!

A Puzzle & a Contest

Solve the puzzle and then tell me what you think this picture is all about for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

Take advantage of this offer while you can!

Flashback: Quincy (Contest–3 Winners! Plus an Excerpt!) — This offer ends soon! Win a free story!

My mental health is fine (I hear my dd cackling). But then, I limit my time watching the news these days. While the nation goes to “hell in a handbasket,” I keep my head down with work and painting. I won’t get into politics here because opinions are like assholes—everyone’s got one. But I will ask, how’s the social distancing going? Are you still masking? I hope so because I wish you well.

My family is managing quite well. We take a few risks—food shopping, doctor’s visits. The kids had their first “playdate” with a couple of friends. They said they were distancing too, but we kept them all outside in the pool. Arkansas’ numbers are rising, so that might be it for the kids for a while, sad to say. The goal is survival in the Devlin house. Tempers flare now and then, but we have a pool. If anyone gets too hot, we jump in. No irritability lasts long there.

I have a puzzle for you! One sure to make you smile—or at least shake your head. It made me want to find some old Gloria Estefan tune to dance to! Enjoy!