 | |
Archive for 'Guest Blogger'
Monday, July 14th, 2025
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Gideon’s Gratitude is the fifth book in my Love in Mission City world.
This book is special to my heart and has a story. I mean, all my books have stories behind them – why the writer wrote that story at that moment. But this one is a bit unique. In October 2020, I attended a virtual romance writer conference. One of the editors taking pitches was from Harlequin. I had just learned they were accepting manuscripts with gay couples. I had already written Ginger Snapping All the Way, as well as two novellas. Ginger hadn’t been published yet, but I had confidence it was a good book. I messaged back and forth with a friend who wrote for that line, and she helped me craft a pitch.
I made the pitch. I might’ve implied the book was almost finished and just needed some polishing. Well, I had notes…
The editor loved the pitch. Loved the tropes I had chosen. He gave me his email to send the manuscript.
I spent the next month writing like a demon. I finished the book with five words to spare (there was a specific word count). I paid my freelance editor to polish it, and I sent it off. I admit, I had visions of finally achieving my dream. A contract with a Big 5 publisher!
Now, the year before, I’d had an editor say the same thing for a different book. I sent it to her and, while the manuscript sat on her desk, she left the company. She didn’t give my book to anyone, and that publisher requires an agent. I hadn’t been able to land an agent, so having that editor leave without doing something with my precious manuscript really hurt. Still, I sent it to the Wild Rose Press, and they acquired it—as well as the rest of the trilogy. Working with a small press is awesome, and I’m happy those books found a home.
Back to my current book. I’d named it Gideon’s Second Chance Christmas. I thought I had something special. I mean, I’m supposed to say that about all my books, but this one…there was a lot of me in the book. The book is very raw, full of angst.
Four months later, my friend who had helped me create the pitch told me the editor had left. Clearly, he hadn’t forwarded my manuscript to anyone either. I was devastated, but that press had a way to submit books without an agent. I raced over there, only to discover that line had just — and I mean just — started requiring an agent. In other words, if I’d sent it through the system and not to the editor directly, I still would’ve had a shot. Now, I had jack.
I was heartbroken. My dream felt out of reach. They had another line that published queer books. I knew my book wouldn’t fit, though.
By that time, I’d written a follow up to Ginger – Stanley’s Christmas Redemption. I was publishing another novella and then another novel with the Wild Rose Press. I signed up for a multi-author series. I kept moving forward.
And yet, Gideon sat. Now, the book was written in third person past tense. All my recent queer books were first person past tense. (I did rather than he did).
Still Gideon sat. I published more books, novellas, and a ton of short stories.
I couldn’t face Gideon.
Then I decided the time had come. I’d published my third Love in Mission City book – Sleigh Bells and Second Chances, and my fourth, Rayne’s Return was to be released shortly. I’d had the notion of making Gideon book 4, but Everett and Rayne insisted they go next.
Finally, I picked up Gideon. I’m not going to lie — changing 60k words from third person to first is BRUTAL. I can confidently say that after my changes and a self-editing pass, two passes by my editor, my proofreader taking her turn, as well as my narrator, we still found more things to fix. When I was proofing the audio, I found another three. Now I can confidently say there are probably at least two or more POV slips that we all missed. Yes, those buggers are stubborn.
So Gideon’s Gratitude is out in the world today. For those of you who read my Love in Mission City series, you’ll find it takes place at the same time as Sleigh Bells and four other stories. Why? Because it’s a Christmas book, and I didn’t want to jump a year. I have more books to write, and I didn’t want to advance previous couples too far. I can also confidently say that having five stories take place at the same time is NUTS. But it is what it is.
That’s the story. I’m still trying for a contract with a Big 5. I would still love to see my book on a shelf in a bookstore. In the meantime, I’ll keep writing books and self-publishing (and sending things to my small press publisher as well…)
Okay. Thanks for letting me visit today, Delilah!
Contest: I want to give a prize to one lucky commentor. When you see a series and you’re considering reading it, what makes you take the risk and pick up book 1? Are there such things as too many books in a series and that turns you off? Curious minds want to know! One lucky commentor, chosen by Random, will win a copy of my romantic suspense Rayne’s Return as well as the short prequel to Gideon, Archer’s Awakening. Archer is not required reading to enjoy Gideon, but it does explain an anecdote in the book. Good luck!
Gideon’s Gratitude

Gideon
When my marriage fell apart, and I lost custody of my kids, my world shattered. My own fault, all of it, from the pills I was taking to how badly I handled the court case. I retreated to my grandparents’ old home, shut the door, and hunkered down with my Labrador Retriever, Lucky. Life is rough, and the constant construction noise from the mansion going up next door will truly be the end of me.
Archer
I’d never met the man living next door until a storm forces me to take refuge with him. Gideon’s skittish, generous, and oddly endearing. I’m dismayed the construction of my post-divorce home has been so upsetting for him, but there’s little I can do to ease that distress. What I can do, though, is use my skills as a talented divorce attorney to help with the most painful part of his life, the unfair custody arrangement that keeps him from being with his kids.
Gideon’s Gratitude is a small-town, opposites attract, hurt-comfort gay romance about a former longshoreman who believes he’s broken and the lawyer who believes there’s life after divorce.
Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Gideons-Gratitude-Love-Mission-City-ebook/dp/B0F4NRFQZJ
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/GideonsGratitude
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/231327764-gideon-s-gratitude
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
Tagged: contemporary romance, gay romance, Guest Blogger Posted in Contests!, General | 4 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Pansy Petal - Dana Zamora - BN - Debra -
Thursday, July 3rd, 2025
I blame Delilah.
Don’t get me wrong… she hasn’t committed any crimes (that I know of 😉 or done anything bad. It’s simply the fact that I’ve grown to reeeeeaaaally love the reading and writing of short stories. And it’s all her fault.
For those who may not know, Delilah graciously organizes an annual short story anthology, the Boys Behaving Badly series, each year with a theme. Each anthology boasts stories written by a diverse array of authors, covering the theme with an imaginative range of story ideas that are all panty-meltingly hawt.
A satisfying relationship, happy-ending, and a money-shot all in the time it takes me to eat lunch? Yes, please!
So, one year, I decided to submit a story. As a Sci-fi Romance author, I was accustomed to writing books of over 95,000 words. Imagine having to shoe-horn world-building, species-building, character-building, and a creative love story (with sex!) into only 5,000 words. That’s like moving all of Buckingham Palace into a one-bedroom apartment.
That’s what we writers consider one helluva writing exercise.
It certainly worked writing muscles I didn’t know I had. And the post-workout soreness is as much a reality for writing as it is for physical exercise. But I kept going. Honing, editing, questioning every single word choice for maximum impact and efficiency, streamlining character development to its most essential… and my story was accepted!
The experience was such a challenge, with what I felt were lasting benefits to my own full-book skills, that I continued to submit to Delilah’s anthologies. Four anthologies later, and I’m addicted. While I still love writing full-length stories, I also love writing short stories. Please don’t ask me which I prefer to write, because that’s like having to choose between my own children. I love them equally, although I might like one better than the other at times.
I now love writing short stories so much, I just published my own bundle of short stories. Fathoms Below is my trilogy of mermaid-y short stories filled with Disney easter eggs and drenched with romance. Each story is a self-contained love story, and I thoroughly enjoyed getting to my characters’ HEA within 18,000 words rather than waiting for 35,000 words, or more!
And I “blame” Delilah for that. 🙂
Contest
I’ll gift a Kindle version of Fathoms Below to a randomly-chosen winner from everyone who comments on this post. Feel free to weigh in on your preference: full book or short story?
FATHOMS BELOW

Under the sea, Atlantia’s mer-creatures are devoting full time to floating… and falling in love.
“Better Where it’s Wetter” — Ariel LaRue assumes the sexy merman pictured on the lake house is “just art.” Then a violent storm topples her into his arms, and she discovers the ocean isn’t the only thing that gets her wet.
“Kiss the Girl” — Mako, a young Sharkanian General, knows there’s more to life under the sea than hunting for food and waging war with the Atlantians. But he struggles against his own predatory nature until a gentle mermaid calms the savage hunger of his heart and tames his sharp bite.
“Poor Unfortunate Souls” — Ursule has an uncanny knack for problem-solving which has earned him the grim moniker Sea Witch. Unfortunately, it doesn’t prevent pesky merpeople from approaching him with their problems. Until two captivating eel-maids invade his lair, wishing for nothing more than his company. And his talented tentacles.
“Part of his World” — Eric’s Epilogue. Prince Eric wasn’t always royalty. For that matter, he wasn’t always a merman.
Get your copy now! FREE in KU!
About Ava
Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of out of this world Sci-fi and Paranormal Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, adventure… and the word “moist”. She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and teen kiddos who think her “Rizz” is “cringe” but she “passes the vibe check” and her books “hit different.” No cap. She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. Star Wars references are her love language.
Feel free to stalk me:
Website: https://avacuvay.com
Author Facebook: https://facebook.com/AvaCuvayAuthor/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15051407.Ava_Cuvay
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Ava-Cuvay/e/B01E5OIZ0I/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ava-cuvay
Instagram: https://instagram.com/avacuvay/
Newsletter: https://drinkingthestarspressllc.eo.page/v8296
Tagged: erotic romance, Guest Blogger, mermaids, mermen, paranormal romance Posted in Contests!, General | 8 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Anna Taylor Sweringen - BN - flchen - Debra - Ava Cuvay -
Saturday, June 28th, 2025
UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here to discuss my new short story. I’ll be honest with you — you might recognize this baby. I wrote it and submitted it to you for your Secret Identities: A Bad Boy Anthology last year. I was okay with you not selecting it (happens to the best of us), but that left me with an orphaned short story. And no home for it!
As you know, though, I try to find somewhere for everything to land – no grass growing under my work (okay, there are a few — but nothing recent). I put it out of my mind until I slammed against a deadline for a charity anthology. I had grand plans to write a new story, but found I wasn’t inspired by what I’d plotted out and, just as importantly, time wasn’t on my side. I was sitting contemplating this issue when I remembered Tempest and Romeo and how they still languished. I dug out the story and did my best to fix it up.
I added another five thousand words or so. In the original, the story was all in Domme Tempest’s point of view. I hadn’t snuck into Romeo’s mind. I also didn’t have anything beyond the original BDSM cathartic scene. So what happened after Tempest emotionally broke Romeo? How did they wind up getting together?
Enter some of my favorite secondary characters who stepped up to help my characters find their way back to each other.
Finally, I submitted the book to the anthology people. The editor came back and said she wanted a more solid happily-ever-after. I’d thought I had a pretty substantial ending, but she wanted more. I wrote it, always intending to remove it when the rights reverted.
The rights reverted.
I reread the story. Turned out, the ending was pretty good. More importantly, it didn’t reveal too much about what I have planned for them next.
A couple of weeks ago, I realized I had a story languishing. This one! I found a cover I loved and put the book up for sale, starting today. 99 cents for a 10k-word short story. And FREE through KU for the first 90 days, wide after that. I want to get the story into the hands of readers. If they didn’t read the instalove charity anthology, Just Add Love, then I hope they might grab it today.
That’s how I repurposed a story I love and found it a new home!
Thank you, Delilah, for hosting me today. I would love to hear from your readers. Are you willing to take a chance on a new author, if it’s a short read? Something you’re not likely to become fully invested in? Or do only full-length novels pique your curiosity? One commenter, chosen by Random, will win a copy of my MMF BDSM novella Backing Down. All those ‘friends’ I mentioned… If you have that book, I can gift you another from my back catalogue. Good luck!
Tempest’s Teacup

Mistress Tempest
The challenge of breaking a disobedient bottom begging for correction at Club Kink has me intrigued. Romeo asserts he’s done something wrong and needs to be punished. That he needs to atone. As we move through our intense scene, I become more and more invested. But if I succeed in breaking him, our interaction may end our connection forever.
Romeo
My disrespectful and selfish behavior has landed me in a heap of trouble. I reach for a second chance in Vancouver after a co-star suggests I submit to a Domme at Club Kink to truly work through the regret threatening to destroy my life. Mistress Tempest offers me an opportunity at redemption. If I go all the way through with it, I might never see her again.
Tempest’s Teacup is an 10k erotic BDSM short story with a formidable Domme, a naïve submissive, and the ultimate redemptive scene.
Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TempestsTeacup
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Tempests-Teacup-Erotic-Short-Story-ebook/dp/B0FD91V68L
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/236575602-tempest-s-teacup
About Gabbi Black

Even though Gabbi Black is a firm believer in happy endings, she makes her characters work for it in every romance she writes, no matter what the genre. From contemporary to BDSM, they are penned early in the morning in her home in beautiful British Columbia while her trusty ChinPoo dog keeps her company. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and small-town romances as Gabbi Powell.
Tagged: BDSM, contemporary romance, erotic romance, Guest Blogger Posted in Contests!, General | 6 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: BN - Mary McCoy - cindy - Debra - Delilah -
Wednesday, June 25th, 2025
UPDATE: The winner is…Sara D!
*~*~*
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! I hope you’ll bear with me as I share the journey for this book.
Puppy Pride wasn’t a book on my 2025 bingo card. Like, at all. But I don’t know how to say ‘no,’ and so when offered a spot in the series, I grabbed it. Initially, I thought about writing a young adult novel about a pride summer camp.
Then I realized the series blurb discussed Mommies and Daddies. Uh…no. I wasn’t going to write a YA as it wouldn’t really fit into the series.
Okay, so Mommies and Daddies.
Well, I’d just published A Daddy for Christmas 2: Foster. A Daddy/pup gay romance novel. That was my first dip into puppy play kink, and I had such a blast that when I signed up for Pride Camp, I decided to head back into that subgenre and trope.
My readers have shown a lot of love for Foster, so I wanted to give them more.
Occasionally, I have to build a book from the outside in. What do I mean by that? I needed a cover first. When I’m writing my interracial romances, I like to have a good idea of who I’m going to be representing since I’m a middle-aged white woman writing about Black, Hispanic, and Indian men (and soon Asian — just to add to the mix). I live in a world of color where I’m in the minority on my floor in my apartment building. I love that. I want to see this world represented — hence my inclusion of diverse people in my writing.
Puppy Pride is another interracial romance between an Indian man and a Black man. Foster had a Black man on the cover – he was the pup. I wanted the pup to be on this new cover, so I needed to find my Jai.
It wasn’t too hard as I found him pretty quickly. The man on the cover is exactly how I see him in my mind. From there, I created Demetrius in my head, and I was ready to go. I tapped Plot Whisperer for some advice, which she freely gave. Finally, I wanted a way to connect my two books. So, I realized Jai and Arnav (the Daddy from my previous book) went to school together but had lost touch. From there, I was able to incorporate much of my fictional small town (Mission City) and write a book where some old faces are interspersed with new ones.
Which brings us to today! Puppy Pride is out, and I can’t be happier. I love the other Pride Camp 2025 books, and I hope readers will enjoy all of them as well.
Okay, Delilah, that’s my story! How the sausage gets made, so to speak. As a thank you, I would love to gift a copy of my Daddy/pup book, A Daddy for Christmas 2: Foster to one lucky commentor. (If Daddy/pup kink isn’t your thing, or if you already own the book, I can gift you another book from my collection.) I would love to hear from your readers — how much does the cover matter to a story? Is there something that makes you grab a book or something that makes you wrinkle your nose? Alternately, how about the blurb? Read’em? Igonore’em? I’d love to hear from you and Random will choose the winner. Good luck!
Puppy Pride

Jai
Six years ago, the guy I thought I loved told all my friends that I liked to wear paws and a tail and crawl on the floor being a puppy. He turned my private play into a cruel joke, and I ran. Left my friends, my family, home, job, as well as my puppy-play group, and tried to let distance and time heal those wounds. Now, I’ve been given the chance to serve as the director of the new Mission City Pride Camp for teens. But my fresh start turns sour when someone starts leaving dog treats on my desk. Can I stand up to bullying this time and show these kids they have a right to be themselves? Or am I going to run again?
Demetrius
When my best friend got cancer, marrying her was the only real help I could give. Then she died, and I was left trying to single-parent my hurting stepson and stepdaughter without her. When Keegan tells me he’s being bullied for being gay, I desperately want to help him gain resources to survive and thrive. Enrolling him at Pride Camp is step one, and I’m delighted to find the director is a pup I loved playing with back at Whatsup Pup Club. If anyone knows about being bullied and inner strength, it’s Jai. I’d love to reconnect with him on a personal level, too, but he keeps pretending he doesn’t recognize me. I figure leaving him reminder gifts is a good place to start, to show him I’m interested in man and pup. But he seems more and more stressed, and I wonder if I have it wrong. Is there any chance he’ll let me be the Daddy I was for those short, sweet moments six years ago? Can I take a load off his shoulders, or will he shut me out forever?
Puppy Pride is an interracial, age-gap, hurt/comfort, second chance gay romance novel with a generous Daddy, a skittish pup, and the magic when they find each other again.
Welcome to Pride Camp, where diversity and inclusion is our motto. We’ve got daddies, mommies, littles, pets and families of all kinds. So, unroll your sleeping bag, make a couple s’mores, and enjoy the show!
Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Puppy-Pride-Gabbi-Grey-ebook/dp/B0DXFLS99S
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/PuppyPrideCamp
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
Tagged: contemporary romance, gay romance, Guest Blogger Posted in Contests!, General | 8 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Mary McCoy - flchen - Sara D - BN - Delilah -
Monday, June 23rd, 2025

Oh dear! When did reading become a source for shaming? There are so many vices in the world that could cause a person to be embarrassed, but I didn’t think reading would be one of them. And no, I’m not talking about the reading materials that come wrapped in black plastic, have parts of images blurred, or come with a parental warning label. (I’m not excluding those, either, cos you do you, boo. There’s room for everyone.) No, I’m speaking of any and all books regardless of genre, content, or reading level.
Some time ago, a colleague had a similar incident, and I may have blogged about it. I can’t remember. Honestly, I thought it was a one-off spoken by a not-so-great person, but here we are again—guilt-shaming for reading. Now, I’m wondering what is really going on. Here’s what happened. Warning: This involves the messiness of a relationship and obviously a literacy hater.
A female friend who most would consider an extrovert began a semi-romantic relationship with an introverted older man. Yes, the statement is already problematic. Let me clarify. The female, Jane (not her real name, but why not refer to her by the name of a writing pioneer, Jane Austen?), met Edmond (as in Edmond Dantès before he assumed the alias of the Count of Monte Cristo—you know, because Edmond couldn’t read). The “relationship” hadn’t advanced as far as “dating,” although Edmond had made it clear that he wanted it to. However, due to conflicting schedules, the two hadn’t been able to make that happen. They’d had to settle for mostly phone conversations and texting.
Whether Jane is truly an extrovert is questionable. She has a job that requires her to behave as one, and an intellect that allows her to intelligently speak on many topics. She can be quite garrulous. However, in her downtime, she can be quiet and enjoy alone time. People who do not know her well often only see the social side of her, and when she’s quiet, they assume she’s upset about something. One outstanding characteristic Jane possesses is that she can carry on a conversation. She’s the type of person you invite to a dinner party to prevent awkward silences. She has a way of making people feel comfortable. Again, this is part of her job. Likely, it was this characteristic, along with her bedroom voice and sarcastic sense of humor, that drew Edmond to her.
Edmond, a retiree, spent his days caring for his elderly mother until she passed away. Understandably, this left a large void in his life, especially since he lived with her. He spends his days doing mostly nothing. He runs the normal errands (grocery shopping, washing the car, finding people to do repairs and lawn work around the home, paying utility bills, etc.) Reportedly, he has no hobbies and has a somewhat rocky relationship with the majority of his family. He also gives exudes Eddie Haskell vibes—always seeking a shortcut or scheming while trying to appear innocent. He’s a master of throwing boulders and concealing his callused hands.
So, enough background.
The trouble began after Jane completed a project she’d been working on in her spare time after her nine-to-five for over a year. The project didn’t go exactly as planned, and Jane was highly disappointed. Edmond wasn’t supportive. In fact, he behaved (in my opinion) as if he were happy about it. Although this is purely speculation, the circumstantial evidence is as follows.
First, Edmond never appeared to take a genuine interest in Jane’s project. Despite not being able to share specifics about the project due to contractual obligations, Jane shared what she could. Often, Edmond would interrupt or shut her down by abruptly changing the conversation. In my opinion, this demonstrated Edmond’s disinterest in the project.
Second, the project made demands on Jane’s time, which meant less time Jane had to spend with Edmond. While I’ll admit his wanting to spend more time with her is understandable, it’s also childish to a certain degree. Most people who want to become attorneys have to dedicate long hours to studying and attending classes. Few just walk up to the bar association without any preparation or formal training, take the bar examination, and pass it. As an adult, he should have recognized that it would take time. It wasn’t like she was partying in bars or running all over town with friends. He knew exactly where she was and that she was working as quickly as she could.
Three, Jane had a goal with her project, and she had effectively communicated that goal to Edmond. He’d informed her that he understood, but he never exhibited any support for her pursuing her goal. Towards the conclusion, when the deadline was approaching, Edmond complained that Jane was too focused. He would interrupt her while she was working and sulk or attempt to begin an argument. If she complained because a part of the project had not gone as planned, he was the first to encourage her to quit. He even went as far as telling her that she wasn’t mentally strong enough to handle the pressures of the project.
After the failed project, Jane was in the dumps, and Edmond carried on as if nothing had happened. Mind you, this project had been a lifelong dream, and watching a dream die can be excruciatingly painful. Jane’s confidence in herself was severely shaken, especially since she didn’t have a definitive answer for why the project failed. She had major choices to make about her life and future. Should she try again, try something different, or give up? Eventually, she decided she needed a break—a pause to regroup. And since the world around her seemed terrible, she sought to escape in books.
Jane is a prolific reader, and she decided to expand her reading experience by trying new genres. And guess what. It worked in bringing her out of her glumness. She was shocked that she had discovered a new love, and she wanted to share it. Initially, she asked Edmond to buddy read. After a few weeks of hum-hawing and ho-humming, he brushed her off without manning up and giving her a direct answer. He came up with excuses of being busy, pretended he’d forgotten, or went to his famous go-to of changing the subject. He questioned by she enjoyed reading and insinuated that she read too much.
Then, one day, Jane mentioned finding someone else to be her reading buddy, and you’d think she threw a dart in his eyeball. He accused her of…well, I’m not sure what exactly. However, whatever it was, he made it to be her fault and that she was somehow belittling him. He made her love of reading all about him. When she explained that she wanted to discuss the books she read with someone, he told her she could discuss them with him.
And here is where it becomes twisted.
Previously, when Jane had talked about her current reads with Edmond, he’d not paid attention or changed the subject. More often than not, he’d interrupt. He’d complain that Jane was too long-winded and want her to jump to the ending. When she did, he wouldn’t understand and have questions—the same questions Jane would have answered had he not interrupted her. She’d try to explain, but eventually, the story would become jumbled and hard to follow for someone who hadn’t read it. Jane pointed this out to Edmond and stopped telling him about her current reads. But this led to another issue.
Edmond had made several statements that he wasn’t interested in hearing about Jane’s nine-to-five. He became jealous if she talked about her friends, especially her male platonic friends. He wasn’t familiar with current events and didn’t follow sports. Politics were taboo. But remember, he was an introvert and didn’t work. He expected Jane to begin and maintain all conversations. However, when Jane inquired about his day, he’d make a few short statements, often brief with not much to elaborate on.
Jane eventually grew quiet. And then came the accusatory questions. “What’s the matter?” “Why are you upset?” “Is there something you’re not telling me?” “There has to be something wrong. You’re not quiet for no reason?”
After some time attempting to nonconfrontationally navigate the situation, Jane confessed that she felt as if she was talking to herself and that the relationship was deteriorating. Edmond sulked but promised he would do better. He didn’t. What he did was after he went through his uneventful day, he would ask Jane about her current read. He’d remain quiet while she talked. Admittedly, this was an improvement from the interruption. However, he still seemed bored, and Jane knew he wasn’t understanding some of the more complicated plots, despite laughing when she had laughed.
Then, it really hit the fan.
A book Jane preordered and waited for months was finally released. Excited, she devoured the book in a single day. (Prolific reader.) In her words, “It was soooooooo guuuud!” And like many book lovers, she wanted to discuss it because “I have thoughts.” But when Edmond asked her about it, she didn’t want to talk about it with him. Why? Because with him, it wouldn’t have been a discussion. A discussion would involve a back-and-forth dialogue. What Edmond offered was a lecture situation, where she would do all the talking and he would half pay attention. If she was lucky, he might have paid attention long enough to regurgitate a comment. When she refused to talk about the book, he began hounding her as to why she wouldn’t. Eventually, she explained, and he fell off the deep end.
Here’s what amazed me when I was enlightened on the conversation. He was insulted because she read books. Yes, you heard it here, folks. He couldn’t understand why anyone would want to discuss a book. In fact, he took the stance that only she wanted to talk about books and “normal” people didn’t. He also stated that his “listening” was a “discussion” and that Jane was being an elitist (he didn’t use that term, probably because he doesn’t know it) for refusing. He said she thought she was better than him…all because she reads. He made her feel bad because she wanted to share her love of books.
Back in the day (and I mean way back before the printing press), books were expensive and rare. Not all people were given the right to read, and had to learn in secret. Now, there are so many opportunities to read (many for free), and people choose not. Reading has gone from being a privilege, to a right, to a necessity, to a four-letter word. Make it make sense.
One of the reasons Jane is a wonderful conversationalist is due to reading. She’s learned a lot from books and has developed an expansive vocabulary. She’s able to speak intelligently about many topics because of what she’s read. She’s creative and isn’t afraid to think outside of the box. She can relate and empathize with people who are vastly different from her. She’s the wiz at Trivia Pursuit on game night and the “expert” her coworkers seek when there’s a sticky situation. She is flexible and divergent in her thinking.
The true irony is Edmond insists he likes Jane for her personality. Jane’s personality was partly shaped by reading and books. Yet, he shames her for reading.
Do you know anyone like this? Have you ever heard of this type of situation? Have you ever experienced this type of read-shaming? What do you think about Edmond? What do you think about Jane? Let me know your thoughts and opinions in the comments below.
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.
NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click here and sign up today.
Want to chat about writing, mental health, Cajun cuisine, Creole culture, or just spill some tea? If yes, let’s get connected. Follow me on one of my social links. There’s plenty to choose from.
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.
Tagged: gay romance, Guest Blogger, paranormal romance, sports romance Posted in General | Someone Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Mary McCoy -
Monday, June 9th, 2025
UPDATE: The winner is…Cindy!
*~*~*
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Hot Rucking Canadian is the second book in the Rucked by You series, and I’m hoping readers will love it!
I know — you’re thinking rucking? If you’re a rugby fan, then you’re familiar with the term. I wasn’t. In fact, I knew almost nothing about the sport. Did something like my ignorance stop me from signing up to join this multi-author themed series? Of course not! I love challenges. Immersing myself in rugby enough to learn the game was fun! I especially loved the limited series on Prime – All or Nothing: New Zealand All Blacks.
Intense. Really freaking intense. I became a fan even as I winced every time a player took a hit. I thought football was violent! Well, football is violent. But rugby has many of the same hits — just without the padding. Ouch. And plenty of concussions, injuries, and just general chaos. I loved it.
Now, the All Blacks have a special spot in my heart. I’m half Kiwi (I’m adopted, but my bio dad is from New Zealand). I’m only starting to connect with the NZ side of my family as I met my dad three years ago and have been sporadically corresponding with an aunt back there. Every time I see my dad now, I get a taste of the accent.
Okay — so I’d watched the series. I’d learned about the game. Now…I needed a story. I had some ideas, and I turned to my plot whisperer, and together we banged out what I thought was a really good story about a rebar guy and a rugby player for the fictional Vancouver Orcas team. (Because, of course, I had to set the story in Canada! After all, we have a growing rugby fandom and two amazing national teams.)
Badarse and Marshmallow (you have to read to find out about the nicknames) are polar opposites. Their worlds are never supposed to intersect. Except one night at a gay bar and…yeah. Hookup.
Only Badarse slips out before morning and figures he’ll never see Mallow again. But wouldn’t you know it, there’s the guy on the television screen.
Badarse is intrigued. The one man he’s met who he can’t forget.
I thought this was a cute story — opposites attract, age gap, sports, and gay romance. Something a bit different for me. I’m hoping readers will pick up and fall in love with this novella — with Travis and Isaiah. There might even be a trip to New Zealand packed in there somewhere.
And…because I enjoyed writing this book so much, I just had to write a second one. That will be book 8 in the series, and I’ll be back to chat about it closer to the publication deadline. I invite readers to check out all of the books in the series. Great romances, all of them.
Thank you, Delilah, for inviting me to visit today. As a thank you to one of your readers, I would love to gift a copy of Hot Rucking Canadian. Just leave a comment — what’s your favorite sport to read about in romance? Or what’s one you haven’t seen that you’d love to see more of? One commentor, selected by Random, will win. Good luck!
Hot Rucking Canadian

Travis
After a hard day’s work at my construction job, I decide to head to a gay bar to hook up. Then the man of my dreams walks in—tall, dark, handsome, and totally built. Sounds like a fairy tale. And maybe it is. We have one unforgettable night, then I steal away in the night, because I don’t do repeats. But when I see him on television the next day, I realize I haven’t had my fill of the sexy rugby player. He might not want to see me again, after I ditched him, but I have to try.
Isaiah
Waking up alone after a night of spectacular sex isn’t the end of the world. I shouldn’t feel lonely. After all, I’ve got my squad—my best friends on and off the pitch. I’ve also got my mom, whom I love, and my dad’s family back in New Zealand. I’m playing pro rugby for adoring fans in Vancouver, my dream come true. Having one hookup leave me without so much as thanks and goodbye shouldn’t hurt. But when he reappears at a game, I’m in big trouble. No one ever made me want them like this, after just one night. If I let Travis into my life again, am I just courting heartbreak the next time he walks away?
Hot Rucking Canadian is a 26k novella about a rugby fullback who embraces life, a grumpy construction worker who always sees the worst in life, and the love story that spans across an ocean.
Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Hot-Rucking-Canadian-Rucked-You-ebook/dp/B0F7XTX7ZC
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Rucking
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/233337608-hot-rucking-canadian
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
Tagged: contemporary romance, gay romance, Guest Blogger Posted in Contests!, General | 5 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Dana Zamora - Mary McCoy - BN - cindy - Delilah -
Monday, June 2nd, 2025
UPDATE: The winner is…Debby!
*~*~*

In 1776 at the College of William and Mary, Phi Beta Kappa was founded to honor academic excellence and encourage liberal arts and science education. It took one hundred and twenty-three years to induct an African American woman into this society who exemplified their motto, “Love of learning is the Guide to Life.” It took another one hundred and fourteen years for that same woman to be given credit for being the first African American woman so honored. Well, better late than never.
Mary Annette Anderson was born in Shoreham, Vermont, on July 27, 1874. Her father, William John Anderson, was formerly enslaved. Her mother Philomine Langlois was of French Canadian and American Indian heritage. Mary’s younger brother, William John Anderson, Jr., became the second African American man to serve in the Vermont Legislature.
At Northfield Seminary for Young Ladies in Massachusetts, Mary excelled in her studies and graduated as her class president in 1895. Upon graduation, she enrolled in Middlebury College. This made her one of the first African American women to attend a New England college before 1900. In 1899, she became the first African American woman to graduate from Middlebury College. She addressed her graduating class as its valedictorian with a speech entitled, “The Crown of Culture.” She also wrote the class song, “Tenting on the Old Camp Ground.”
That same year on December 17, this highly accomplished woman was inducted into Phi Beta Kappa by the society’s Vermont chapter. This made her the first African American woman elected to the society, an honor originally attributed to Harlem Renaissance writer and editor, Jessie Redmon Fauset.
In 2003, The Journal of Blacks in Higher Education published biographies of the first blacks to graduate from high-ranking liberal arts colleges. Mary’s 1899 graduation from Middlebury was listed along with her Phi Beta Kappa standing. Thus, an historical inaccuracy was corrected. You can read about this discovery and more about Mary here: https://2024.sci-hub.se/2841/756fc6db1a7880015736393065ee58d5/titcomb2004.pdf
After graduation, Mary taught at Straight College (now Dillard University) in New Orleans then moved to Washington D.C. to teach English grammar and history at Howard University from 1900 to 1907.
On August 7, 1907, Mary married fellow Howard University faculty member Walter Lucius Smith. She appears to have retired from teaching then. She and her husband kept homes both in D.C. and Vermont. Mary died in her hometown of Shoreham on May 2, 1922, at the age of 47.
In 2015, Middlebury College established the Anderson Freeman Resource Center in honor of Mary and Martin Henry Freeman, the first African American president of a college in U.S. history.
An article on Mary appeared in the 2005 winter issue of Phi Beta Kappa’s periodical, The Key Reporter. It shared that among her grandniece Myra’s prized possessions are a copy of Mary’s Phi Beta Kappa key and this handwritten reflection: “I’d like to add some beauty to life—I don’t exactly want to make people know more—but I’d love to make them have a pleasanter time because of me—to have some better joy or happy thought that would never have been experienced if I had not been born.”
She has certainly achieved that aspiration with me. Learning about Mary added beauty to my life.
For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share your impressions of Mary in the comments.
“The $5 Kiss of Life”
By Michal Scott inside First Response

Trapped by the small-town conventions imposed on her, a pastor’s spinster daughter finds rescue in the town bad boy’s very public kiss.
Excerpt:
Beverly sighed. “I’ve always admired that about you, Rob. You don’t care what people say about you.”
He snorted and waved that off. “Sure, I care. I’m just better at handling the slights.”
“No, really,” she insisted. “You don’t seek anyone’s approval. You live by what you’re for, not what you’re against.” She looked at the rates on the booth kissing chart, considered the card in her pocket. “I admire you.” She cast her gaze down. “I wish I were more courageous like you.”
“No time like the present,” he teased.
Beverly looked up and saw him thumb toward the kissing rate chart.
“Do you have the courage to be seen getting a kiss before God and everybody from the town bad boy?”
His cheeky tone stirred amusement in her troubled breast. “I have been toying with buying one or more of these kisses.”
“One of these?” Rob leaned forward. “Or the one on that card in your pocket?”
Buylink: https://amzn.to/3dRvwLE
Tagged: African-American, anthology, Guest Blogger, short story Posted in Contests!, General | 19 People Said | Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: BN - Debby - flchen - Mary McCoy - cindy bartolotta -
|