Bestselling Author Delilah Devlin
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FOR AUTHORS! I still need bloggers for the following dates…
Sunday, October 23rd, 2022

A QUICK POST FOR AUTHORS!
(And then I’ll post a puzzle-contest for readers!)

NOTE: Email me directly at delilah@delilahdevlin.com with your response!
*~*~*~*~*

Hey there, Authors! I like to host a guest blogger two to three times a week on my blog. Right now, I need to line up bloggers for dates from November through December 2022. And if you don’t have a current or soon-to-be-released title to talk about, think about your backlist!

I will need bloggers for the following dates:
November 2, 3, 4, 6, 9, 17, 18, 20, 21, 25, 27, 28
December 2, 5, 8, 9, 14, 18, 19, 26, 28 ,29, 30

If you are interested in being a guest, please look at the available dates and let me know if you would like me to pencil you in. I advertise the daily blogs widely. I have 2,976 blog subscribers, who get posts sent straight to their email inboxes every day. My blog also feeds to my Facebook page, which has 4,964 friends, and my Fan Page, which has 4,321 follows. I also post the blog to my Pinterest—total followers 21.2k. If a date isn’t listed but is particularly significant for you, ask me about it anyway! I do try to work people in.

I prefer posts that talk about something more than just new or older releases, but you have room at the bottom of the post for covers, blurbs, links, and short excerpts. You can talk about hobbies, what’s important to you, what inspired this particular book—the field’s wide open, but remember, we wish to appeal to readers rather than other writers. Please keep the number of pictures you want posted to no more than 2, although that’s not a hard and fast rule. And readers love contests and love questions only they can answer that allow them to interact with you!

If you’re interested, contact me! Give me your preferred date(s). First come, first served.

Delilah Devlin
New York Times and USA Today Bestselling Author & Freelance Editor

Leah Braemel: After a Bit of a Break
Thursday, October 20th, 2022

*waves to everyone*

I must admit it’s been a while since I’ve written a blog post. I left the publishing industry for quite a few years, but I’m back and excited to be here once again. So, big thanks to Delilah for hosting me today.

While I was on my…sabbatical, a lot of things happened to me. Like I became a grandma to three lovely little grandsons—a set of twins who just turned three, and their one-year-old brother. With the birth of the twins, we quickly learned why we have our children while we’re younger because those tykes can wear us out in a hurry. Even in the first few months when the twins were just babies, my husband and I would come home after a visit and crash, thinking “But we didn’t really do anything but hold them and feed them. Why are we so tired?”

(One of these days that thought will probably make it in a book by one of my character’s friends or parents.) I’d love to share photos of them but my son and DIL have asked us not to put the boys’ photos anywhere on social media. However, I can share a photo of the Gramps sweaters I knitted for them to match their Daddy’s favorite cardigan.

Yes, I’ve also learned to knit in the past few years, so the boys will never be short of hats and scarves and sweaters, although the challenge of having twins is you have to knit two of everything.

One of my favorite projects to knit are socks. There is nothing like wearing a pair of real hand-knit socks, especially as the days grow chillier. I live in Canada, so yes, chillier days are definitely ahead.

The main female character in my latest release All I Need for Christmas would wear hand-knit socks if she had them, especially while she patrolled in Nunavut, but her love interest also lives in a snowy area—near where I grew up, a lovely area called Haliburton in central Ontario. Being a Christmas story, there’s snow involved. So yes, they’ll want warm socks, and lots of other knitted garments for when they venture outside. But inside they have other activities that really heat them up. 😉

All I Need for Christmas

In the past three years, Megan has only been sexually satiated a few times. A few glorious, hot, submissive times, with an emphasis on submitting.

Oh, it’s not because she’s single. It’s because her sexy, dominant sculptor boyfriend, Ryan Porter, lives half a country away. She spends her time patrolling the Arctic as a Mountie, while Ryan spends his time creating art in central Ontario. Ryan bends metal and wood to his will to reveal their hidden beauty, the same way he does with her…in the bedroom.

But Megan wants—needs—more from their long-distance relationship than phone sex and longing, and Ryan, too, has realized he craves more from Megan than her occasional submission. With their annual holiday sex-fest upon them, can they stoke the flames that burn between them into the best Christmas gift of all?

Buy your copy at:
Amazon and Apple:  https://mybook.to/AINFC
Books2Read (Barnes & Noble, Google Play, Kobo, and other retailers) https://books2read.com/All-I-Need-for-Christmas

All I Need for Christmas is available both as an ebook and in paperback.

About the Author

Leah Braemel is the only woman in a houseful of males that includes her college-sweetheart husband, a Shih Tzu named Seamus who behaves like a cat and Turtle the cat who thinks he’s a dog, and visits with her two sons, and three grandsons. She loves escaping the ever-multiplying dust bunnies by opening up her laptop to write about sexy heroes and the women who challenge them.

Find Leah on:
Amazon Author Link https://www.amazon.com/Leah-Braemel/e/B002BOHQ50
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/profile/leah-braemel
Books2Read https://books2read.com/ap/n0GB1R/Leah-Braemel
Facebook Author https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLeahBraemel
Google Books: https://play.google.com/store/books/author?id=Leah+Braemel
Instagram https://www.instagram.com/leahbraemel/
Twitter https://twitter.com/LeahBraemel/
Website https://leahbraemel.com

Or sign up for her newsletter https://tinyurl.com/9uypp4v9

Michal Scott: The First Female African-American Millionaire: Annie Turnbo Malone (Contest)
Monday, October 17th, 2022

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

If you were to say that Madame C.J. Walker was the first female African-American millionaire, you’d be wrong. Before Madame C.J. Walker there was Annie Turnbo Malone. The archives of the State Historical Society of Missouri records that Annie was a millionaire by the end of World War I.

Annie Turnbo was born free in 1869 of formerly enslaved parents in Metropolis, Illinois. She was raised by an older sister since her parents died when Annie was very young. Frequent illness kept her from graduating high school but did not stifle her interest in chemistry. She focused on creating hair care products for African American women that did not damage their hair and scalp.

By the turn of the century, she had created a hair care product for African-American women she called Great Wonderful Hair Grower and sold it door to door. Because of high demand for her product, she opened a retail outlet at the 1904 Chicago World’s Fair. As a matter of fact, Sarah Breedlove, aka Madame C.J. Walker worked for Annie as one of her salesforce. The rivalry between the two women has been dramatized in the movie Self Made. How accurately depends on who you ask.

Annie founded Poro College, which had its grand opening in 1918. The school specialized in the teaching and study of Black cosmetology. The college had thirty-two branches by the mid-1950s. She donated $25,000 to Howard University College of Medicine, $25,000 to start a Black YMCA in St. Louis and donated generously to the St. Louis Colored Orphans Home, which in 1946 was renamed after her.

Unfortunately, an ugly divorce, lawsuits, and tax problems plagued Annie’s later years.  Eventually, the federal government took over and sold her business for taxes. She died of a stroke in 1957. Fortunately, her home state has not forgotten her legacy of entrepreneurship and philanthropy. The annual Annie Malone May Day parade in St. Louis began in 1910, and children’s books like Wonderful Hair help keep Annie from being totally forgotten.

For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share in the comments your thoughts on Annie’s story or share about a woman in history you know of who needs to be given her place in the sun again.

Better To Marry Than To Burn

Wife Wanted: Marital relations as necessary. Love not required nor sought…

A bridal lottery seems the height of foolishness to ex-slave Caesar King, but his refusal to participate in the town council’s scheme places him in a bind. He has to get married to avoid paying a high residence fine or leave the Texas territory. After losing his wife in childbirth, Caesar isn’t ready for romance. A woman looking for a fresh start without any emotional strings is what he needs.

Queen Esther Payne, a freeborn black from Philadelphia, has been threatened by her family for her forward-thinking, independent ways. Her family insists she marry. Her escape comes in the form of an ad. If she must marry, it will be on her terms. But her first meeting with the sinfully hot farmer proves an exciting tussle of wills that stirs her physically, intellectually, and emotionally.

In the battle of sexual one-upmanship that ensues, both Caesar and Queen discover surrender can be as fulfilling as triumph.

 
Excerpt from Better to Marry Than to Burn

Caesar sucked his teeth and crossed his arms. If white-sheeted Knights of the White Camellia hadn’t succeeded in running him off, neither would the Purity Patrol.

A tap on his left shoulder blade turned him around.

“You know what they’re saying is right, Caesar.”

He uncrossed his arms and took off his hat in deference to the tiny, wiry woman speaking to him.

“Not moving on is a betrayal of the past,” Mother Maybelle Jenkins said. “Ain’t you still a young man?”

A gentle chiding colored her tone. The compassion in her gaze slayed his resentment.

“Thirty, ma’am.”

“You was only twenty five when you and Emma arrived here?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

She shook her head. “Well, the Bible tells us it’s not good for a man to be alone. Emma and your boys been gone five years now.”

Caesar patted her hand gently. Five years. Where had the time gone? Seemed like only yesterday he’d placed flowers on their graves for the first time.

“Don’t let heart-hurt rule you.” Mother Maybelle cupped his cheek. “A race without children is a race without a future.” 

Buylink: https://amzn.to/2KTaGPH

THANKS TO YOU, Diana Cosby’s – Romance Reader’s Help Build A Habitat For Humanity House has achieved their goal of raising $30,000!!!!
Sunday, October 16th, 2022

My sincere thanks to Delilah for allowing me to return to her wonderful blog and share a tremendous update of Diana Cosby’s Romance Readers Help Build A Habitat For Humanity Home.

A bit of background.  Romance readers are AMAZING, and SO is Habitat For Humanity, a charity that I love supporting and volunteering for.  Several years ago, I thought, why not pair the two and help a deserving family receive a home?  And, the ‘Diana Cosby’s Romance Reader’s Help Build A Habitat For Humanity House’ fundraiser was born.

I contacted the Habitat For Humanity office in Grayson County, Texas, where I’ve had the honor of helping with several builds and spoke with Laurie Mealy, Executive Director.  She embraced the project and was thrilled at the thought of pairing romance readers, who love stories where heroes and heroines overcome challenges to make their dreams come true, with making the dream of home ownership for a deserving family a reality.

Habitat for Humanity of Grayson County
901 N. Grand Avenue
P.O. Box 2725
Sherman, TX 75091

I kicked off the challenge by donating $200, and through YOUR GENEROUS CONTRIBUTIONS, we’ve raised $30,000!!!  My deepest thanks to YOU for your generous support over the years and helping to give a deserving family a home!!! *Hugs*

*Photos used with permission of Habitat For Humanity Grayson County, TX.

Again, my sincere thanks to Delilah for allowing me to return to her wonderful blog, and another huge thanks to everyone for helping make an incredible difference in a deserving family’s life.  For when they walk into a Habitat For Humanity house, it’s more thank mortar and wood, but a place they can call home.

About Diana Cosby

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

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

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

God bless,

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

Social Media
Website:  https://www.dianacosby.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/978803.Diana_Cosby
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Cosby/e/B003YJ1MR4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1417447922&sr=8-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author-150109024636/?ref=ts

Genevive Chamblee: Fall Fun and Giveaway
Friday, October 14th, 2022

It’s that time of year. We’ve said goodbye to summer, and it’s officially the fall season. Now, as a summer lover, this is a bit sad for me. For that reason, I have to pump myself up to get excited about changing seasons. Of course, I do live in the bayou, and “autumn” is a little bit of an odd season here. While much of the country begins speaking of sweater weather, The South is sweating out humid nights of eighty degrees while watching Friday night football games from wooden stands. Rather, we mark the beginning of fall not by the calendar but by when the mosquitos stop biting. Additionally, fall temperatures don’t always stick around for long. Don’t let a sixty-degree morning “chill” fool you. By midday, the temps could well be approaching ninety. And even if cool air sticks around for much of a day, it likely will vanish the next week to not be heard from again for weeks. Yeah, it’s all really fun stuff.

Thus, when I start hearing all the fall hype on television, I don’t become all that stoked. It takes a little extra effort to get me into the spirit of it, especially with the whole Christmas in July movement. As a quick aside, can I say how much I dislike this trend? Merchants move straight from Independence Day and fireworks to setting up displays of Christmas trees and ten feet of snow. Heck, we’re lucky to get ten inches. Shoot, what am I talking about? We barely get two inches per year, and when we do, it’s a red-hot booty mess. Cities shut down. Most of us simply aren’t equipped for that sort of thing. Hurricanes, yes? Twisters, yes. Snow and ice, not so much. Even our pets are confused by it. (Now, back to our regularly scheduled post.) But as many hunters would comment, without fall, there would be no deer season.

I say all that to say because I’m one of those people who when fall rolls around, the pools and snow cone stands close, and the days grow shorter, I need a reminder of ways to entertain myself and ways in which to keep occupied. (By the way, I have no idea why they close the pools when they do. My guess is it is to reduce maintenance costs or because there is some city ordinance that public pools must be closed by a certain date. Or maybe it’s just part of the façade to make people believe autumn is a real thing.)

In any case, here is a list of activities to enjoy and keep you busy. Do them alone or with loved ones at a time most convenient for you.

  1. Decorate for fall
  2. Decorate pinecones
  3. Decorate acorns
  4. Make a fall craft
  5. Make an autumn wreath
  6. Create a fall playlist
  7. Visit a pumpkin patch
  8. Visit a zoo
  9. Visit a farmer’s market
  10. Attend a football game
  11. Attend a basketball game
  12. Attend a fall festival/Octoberfest/fair
  13. Jump in leaves
  14. Rake leaves
  15. Play a game of darts on a bale of hay
  16. Bake a pie
  17. Bake pumpkin bread
  18. Make smores
  19. Roast marshmallows
  20. Roast pumpkin seeds
  21. Make caramel apples
  22. Make homemade applesauce
  23. Make apple crisps
  24. Make homemade soup
  25. Grill corn on the cob
  26. Watch a fall move
  27. Watch a Halloween movie
  28. Watch the Macy’s Day Thanksgiving Parade
  29. Watch a sunset
  30. Read a fall book
  31. Drink apple cider
  32. Drink hot chocolate drink
  33. Drink a fall cocktail
  34. Eat or drink something pumpkin spice
  35. Eat candy corn
  36. Eat a bowl of chili
  37. Eat a pot pie
  38. Visit a haunted house
  39. Visit a corn maze
  40. Attend a holiday party
  41. Attend a costume party
  42. Go apple picking
  43. Go on a hike/ nature walk
  44. Go star gazing
  45. Go to a bonfire
  46. Go on a hayride
  47. Go trick or treating
  48. Go on a scavenger hunt
  49. Go bird watching
  50. Go camping
  51. Count your blessings/Write a gratitude list
  52. Donate can goods/food to a food bank or shelter
  53. Take fall photos
  54. Carve a pumpkin
  55. Buy a scarf
  56. Buy a fall mug (for hot chocolate)
  57. Snuggle in a blanket
  58. Curl up in front of a fireplace
  59. Wear fuzzy socks
  60. Cuddle with someone special
  61. Light a fall-scented candle
  62. Tell a ghost/scary story
  63. Declutter summer clothes
  64. Go shopping for sweaters
  65. Buy a fall perfume
  66. Plant a fall garden

So, I guess with that, it’s time to say Happy Fall Y’all. Did I miss anything? What’s on your list? Will you try any of these activities? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou. Keep reading for information about the free giveaway.

Get ready. It’s almost time to hit the ice again.
Future Goals Coming soon.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Preorder your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at http://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit http://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (Book #4) takes the ice again. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or tweet me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search me on Goodreads or Amazon Authors or BookBub or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and signup today.

***SALE & GIVEAWAY***

HTP Friends to Lovers! This 99 cents sale begins on Wednesday, October 12th, 2022 & runs through Tuesday, October 18th, 2022. There is a $10 Amazon Gift Card giveaway via Rafflecopter; entries are earned via BookBub follows and Tweets about the sale. The links for the sale and the giveaway are listed below.

Promo Page: https://www.hottreepromotions.com/friends-to-lovers-sale

Rafflecopter Link:  http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b228b3067/?

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

Amber Daulton: Interview with Benjamin Starwell from ARRESTING BENJAMIN — On Sale for $0.99! (Contest)
Wednesday, October 12th, 2022

Today, the hero from Amber Daulton’s new romantic suspense novel, Arresting Benjamin, is visiting for a chat. For the record, what’s your name and where are you from?

Hi, Delilah. It’s great to be here. I’m Benjamin Starwell, Junior, and I go by Benji since my dad went by Ben. Some people snicker about the shortened form of my name because of that movie with the scruffy dog, but I don’t care what people think about me. I was born and raised in Denver, Colorado, and I’m still there today.

Okay, great. When you look in a mirror, what do you see? Physically and personality-wise?

I see a hardworking, dedicated, and stubborn man with blue eyes, a perpetual five o’clock shadow, and shaggy, auburn hair that curls around my ears. I’m loyal to those I love. When I set my mind to something, I do it. There’s no ifs, ands, or buts.

Awesome. Loyalty and dedication are important. What did you think the first time you saw Belle Hamlin?

Hot. Mouth-watering, screw-me-sideways hot. I don’t mean to get too graphic, but it was like all the blood in my body pooled between my legs and zapped my commonsense. Not that I melted into a puddle at Belle’s feet. I have more self-control than that. But honestly, I was a goner. That’s why I skipped out on her after our one night together. I regret my actions, and I’m determined not to waste my second chance with her.

I see. It was lust at first sight. What is your occupation? Are you any good at it? Do you like it?

My dad opened Ben’s Auto Repair years ago when I was little, and when he passed on, I inherited the business. Everything I know I learned from him. I love my job. Though I’d rather get my hands dirty and work on an engine, I’m usually stuck in the office filing paperwork, calling suppliers, or taking inventory of my stock more often than not these days. That’s the curse of being the boss.

I’m sure it is. Do you own your own home or rent?

I live in a two-story duplex and share a central wall with Lando, my landlord. Crazy name, right? It’s like the man was born to be a landlord, but I don’t have room to talk with a name like Benji. Anyway, he’s the best. Lando hasn’t upped my rent in years, and now that he’s getting older, he deducts my payment when I mow the grass and do general upkeep on the house.

You’re lucky. The cost of living is ridiculous, especially in major cities. Do you have a pet? What kind?

I don’t, but Belle has a cat with a serious attitude problem. Luckily, I like Pepperoni’s gall. We get along just fine.

Cool. Cats are known for their cattitude. What’s the most terrible thing that ever happened to you?

Probably losing my mom. I was ten when she passed on. It destroyed my family, especially my sister, Meghan. One minute, she was my sweet little kid sister; the next, she was out partying, running away from home, and getting picked up by the cops. I really do think that’s why my dad later had a heart attack. He was always so stressed and worried about her.

How horrible! I’m sorry to hear it. Let’s move on to something hopefully easier. Are you book-smart, self-taught, or widely-experienced?

Self-taught and experienced. I learned my trade and about the struggles of life from my dad. You see, he had a penchant for hiring ex-cons to work in the garage. He believed in helping people and giving them a second chance. I’ve continued the tradition.

That’s interesting. Do you see morality as black-and-white, or with shades of gray?

Gray, definitely. There’s too much pain and heartache in the world to be so close-minded. You gotta do what you can to survive, and if that means doing something wrong, so be it.

What event in your past has left the most profound impression on you?

Meeting Alan. Meghan was in the process of getting her life back together, so she brought home her new boyfriend for a family meet and greet. Al blew me away. I was expecting a womanizing drunk since Meghan always went for pricks like that, but Alan was anything but. He was polite, sober, and genuinely liked her. At the time, he was estranged from his own brother, and since Meghan and I weren’t close, we found common ground and bonded. Even after Meghan went off the rails and broke up with him, Al and I stayed friends. He’s like the brother I never had.

It’s great your friendship with Alan survived the break-up. What other character from your book do you think your author should write a book about? Care to tell us why?

You’ll meet three characters in my book that will have a story of their own.

Belle’s friends, Shea and Trevor, will have a second chance romance in Trevor’s Redemption, which is coming soon in the multi-author Dangerous Entanglements box set in December 2022. It’ll be re-released as a solo book in the fall of next year.

Arresting Alan, starring you-know-who, will hopefully be released sometime in late 2023 as well. Alan’s no longer hung up on my sister, and I want him to find happiness and love with someone else. He’s been through a lot and deserves only the best.

That’s good to know. Thank you so much, Benji, for chatting with me today.

Arresting Benjamin

With enemies at every turn, how will they survive with their lives and love intact?

Only .99 cents until October 18, 2022!

 

A one-night stand, a surprise baby, and a mysterious stalker.

Mechanic Benjamin Starwell can’t stop thinking about Belle Hamlin, the ballsy musician he slept with and skipped out on months earlier. He never meant to get her pregnant, but he’ll do whatever it takes to win back her trust and be a part of his child’s life. His desire for Belle drives him to be a better man, but he’s worn thin with a garage to run and his estranged sister dumping her troubles on him.

Belle’s juggling impending motherhood, her indie rock career, and a stalker who’s determined to see her fail. Even though she’s desperate to get her priorities straight, she pushes aside her past hurt and welcomes Benji back into her bed. She never expects him to slip into her heart.

When the danger escalates, they face the greatest challenge of all—protecting their unborn child.

Excerpt from Arresting Benjamin…

Benji bolted upright, waking from a dirty dream that starred the sexpot beside him. His thumping heart struck his ribs as he dragged in air. What was that noise? The harsh pounding reverberated again from somewhere beyond the bedroom walls. Was someone banging on the apartment door? He pushed back the blanket and tugged his boxers on over his poor stiffy.

Belle moaned and dragged the bedding over her head.

He hurried from the room and knocked against the coffee table. Ouch! Pain shot through his big toe as he hopped to gain his balance. At least his soldier deflated.

Pepperoni hissed at him from atop his coat. Her eyes glowed yellow in the dim light like she was a blob of demonic, prickly fur.

The rude-ass visitor banged again. After flipping up the outdoor light switch, Benji unlocked and yanked open the door. Darkness surrounded him. Frigid cold smacked him in the face, prickling his skin.

Shadows cloaked the skinny man who shifted his feet at the threshold. Not even the faint moonlight streaming in from the breezeway touched him.

The stranger reared back, his eyebrows shooting up beneath his black cap. “Where’s Belle?”

“Asleep.” Benji swung his scowl from him to the empty light fixture. Had he taken the bulb? A shiver that had nothing to do with the cold shot up Benji’s spine. “Who are you? Why are you here?”

“I have to talk with her. I gotta.” He tightened his bulky coat around him.

“Come back tomorrow, at a decent hour. What’s your name?”

“No, I can’t.” He trembled. The scent of alcohol permeated the white puffs of air that escaped his mouth. “I gotta speak with her now. It’s taken me all night to get up my nerve to do this. She’s so damn stubborn.”

Hell, no. Benji fisted his hands. “You’re drunk. Get the fuck out of here.”

“Belle!” He gripped the doorframe, panic flaring in his eyes. “Come out here. Please!”

“Leave.” Benji shoved him back and stomped onto the landing. Ow! The cold corrugated metal bit into his bare feet.

The stranger snatched the missing bulb from his pocket and threw it before fleeing down the creaky stairs.

“Shit.” Benji leapt back as the glass hit the landing and shattered into countless shards.

The late-night caller dashed to the nondescript sedan in front of the building. The engine revved, the lights flashed on, and the vehicle sped away.

He clutched the freezing banister until the car lights disappeared down the street. His chest heaved. Heat lashed through his veins, combating the cold.

Pepperoni meowed and wove between his legs, rubbing him roughly. Tiny shards glistened in the weak light a few inches from her paws.

“C’mon, you.” He scooped the cat up and hurried back inside.

*~*~*

Add it to Goodreadshttps://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61398149-arresting-benjamin

Check it out on BookBubhttps://www.bookbub.com/books/arresting-benjamin-by-amber-daulton

Download Links:
Universal link – https://books2read.com/arrestingbenjamin/
Amazon – https://amzn.to/3usC6SN
Barnes and Noble – https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w?ean=2940186751144
iTunes – https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id6443054336
Kobo – https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/arresting-benjamin
Google Play – https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=JHJ5EAAAQBAJ

Giveaway

Check out the Rafflecopter for your chance to win a $25 Amazon gift card.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Link: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/0a0982c528/

About the Author

Amber Daulton is the author of the romantic-suspense series Arresting Onyx and several standalone novellas. Her books are published through Daulton Publishing, The Wild Rose Press, and Books to Go Now, and are available in ebook, print on demand, audio, and foreign language formats.

She lives in North Carolina with her husband and demanding cats. Learn more about Amber at: Amber Daulton – Home.

Carol Burnside: It’s Christmas…in October? (Contest & FREE Book!)
Tuesday, October 11th, 2022

UPDATE: The winner is…Chrissie Lege!
*~*~*

Are you feeling Christmassy yet? I know, I know. It’s only October, and where I live in Texas, the temps have fallen to a balmy mid-80s to low 90’s (F) most days. So, that’s our autumn weather. Even so, the stores are filled with Halloween and Fall décor of all kinds. They’re even showcasing some cold-weather gear, such as plush throws, knit hats, and gloves. And if that doesn’t start me thinking about the holidays, then the shelves full of Christmas stuff will!

Then again, maybe I’m more susceptible to thinking holiday thoughts because I wrote a Christmastime romance during the spring. It’s kind of an author woe that one must write holiday books months in advance, whether it’s a Valentine’s Day tale or any other holiday. Then we have to edit the book after our editor returns it. In addition, I followed that with a Thanksgiving-themed novel in my Sweetwater Springs series, then a Christmas novella in that same series. So, holiday themes all year for me.

You might ask, how does a girl from Texas write about snow and cold weather? Well, in between being born here and having returned here as an empty nester, I’ve lived in Colorado, northern Virginia, and Maryland. Believe me, this Texan has seen her share of the white stuff, howling winds, and the kind of cold that takes your breath. I’ve also done Christmas in Hawaii, but that’s a story best told when I have a Tropical Heat novella coming out.

For me, snow does have a magical quality about it while it’s coming down, especially if I can watch it from the safety of a warm house. And there’s something almost ethereal about a moonlit night making the snow appear to glow and sparkle. It definitely adds to the ambiance and holiday spirit in a Christmas book.

Writing holiday books also makes me think of gifting and in that spirit, I have a holiday short story that also contains sample chapters of other works I’ve written – for FREE. Check out HOME FOR CHRISTMAS when you have a minute. And while I’m feeling generous, I’ll give a $5 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter.

In my latest release, Fake Fiancé for Christmas, Lia and Ryan have both the snow aspect of the holidays, as they live in Denver, and a southern Christmas when they travel to the Atlanta area to celebrate the holiday with her family.

Fake Fiancé For Christmas

Faced with a broken engagement due to her guarded heart and her family expecting to meet her fiancé during the first Christmas without her Gran, Lia Taylor decides to take her friends’ advice. She’ll take a fake fiancé home for Christmas.

Ryan Barton grew up in foster homes, unaware he had a family until he met his grandmother at sixteen. Lia’s offer of a noisy family Christmas with a big elaborate meal sounds like heaven, even the part about pretending to be her fiancé.

As Lia and Ryan get to know each other and practice casual touching, hugs, and kisses, their feelings grow. They decide to try for a real relationship with the promise that when either of them withdraws due to old fears, the other will pull them back.

But what will save them when they both withdraw in fear? Are their recent feelings strong enough to save their new relationship or will they hide within the safety of their guarded hearts?

Links:
Amazon: https://smile.amazon.com/gp/product/B0B3BJQHGP/
GooglePlay: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=WxmHEAAAQBAJ
Others retailers: https://books2read.com/u/bQjJ16

About the Author

“Sizzling romance with heart and humor”

Carol is an award-winning author of Sweetwater Springs, a series of contemporary, small-town romances with serious sizzle and a generous dose of southern charm. Her personal second-chance-at-love story resulted in marriage to her high school sweetheart.

Carol has also written several standalone books not connected to any series. Her Tropical Heat novella characters find love and passion on islands and beaches. Writing as Annie Rayburn, she produces Crainesian mashup romances that are sci-fi, paranormal, erotic, contemporary, and alternate history.

Find Carol on the web:
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/AuthorCarolBurnside
Instagram: http://www.instagram.com/carolburnside/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/carol_burnside
Website: http://www.carolburnside.com
Newsletter: http://eepurl.com/smDmf

A special shoutout to Delilah Devlin for hosting me on her blog today. Thanks so much! I appreciate it.