UPDATE: The winner is…Beckie!
*~*~*

I’m posting the puzzle-contest early because tomorrow’s a special day for our family.

It’s the first day of November! Can you believe it’s already here? I can’t. This year flew by. I can’t say I’m sorry 2024 is drawing to a close. I’m ready for what’s next. I also look forward to the holiday season. I have some of my Christmas list covered already, but I have to pull out everything I have stuffed in closets to see what’s left to acquire. My daughter has a shelf in the pantry already filling up with things for the Thanksgiving meal. We decorate for Christmas early because my dd loves-loves-loves decorating and likes to see it for longer than a month, so she’s been gathering new things to add—another tree, good Lord! I love to watch her and the girls with boxes filling the living room as they hang ornaments and set up little houses with lights. It’s nuts how much “stuff” we have.

So, I’m happy it’s November. There’s so much to look forward to—Thanksgiving, the start of Advent, Krampus Day, St. Nicklaus Day (we love setting out our shoes!), Christmas, New Years! Our family loves any excuse for a celebration. This season is our favorite!

How about you? Solve the puzzle, then share what you’re looking forward to during this holiday season for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card! 

A Reminder!

Looking for a sexy read, featuring a lonely, taciturn lord of the manor? 

Coming November 12th!
Free in KU!
Pre-order now!

UPDATE: The winner is…Beth!
*~*~*

October

1. I wrote zero words! Zero! I didn’t even revise anything I’ve written, although I have a book coming out soon that needs it!
2. I completed 3 editing projects for other authors in October.
3. Still, with so little productivity, I feel like I climbed mountains.

Health-related:

1. I underwent my third round of chemo and noted how I felt during the days after so I could try to figure out how to work around the chemo schedule. The fatigue continues to be the worst part. My 4th round, which was to start on the 28th, was canceled due to my extremely low platelet count. The chemo-induced anemia is kicking my butt. The aches only last a few days. My white blood count takes a beating, too, but the shots they give me after chemo bring it up quickly. They are going to adjust one of the medicines they give me to try to address the platelet issue.
2. I’m maintaining my 20 pounds weight loss.
3. I’m losing muscle tone. I know I need to add some sort of exercise to my schedule on days when I can get around, but I’ve just been so tired I tend to sleep a lot.
4. I had a CT scan with contrast yesterday. The “shadow” they previously saw on my spine is gone. The nodule on my liver is gone. They see reduction in the thickness of my omentum and the sizes of the tumors in my ovaries and uterus. I won’t know any numbers until next Monday. But progress! 🙂

Happiness-related: 

1. The family has been wonderful, doing takeout and watching movies nearly weekly, so we have family “events” to share.
2. I didn’t paint a thing this month. No drive at all. It’s like the writing—anything that requires imagination takes too much energy.

November

   

1. To revise, format, and upload The Demon Lord’s Cloak for its release on November 12th.
2. To complete Ignition, the fourth book in the Delta Fire series during November’s NaNoWriMo.
3. To complete 4 editing projects in November!
4. To write at least 1/4 of Built Like Mack during NaNoWriMo.
5. My writing goals may be pie-in-the-sky goals, given I have two bouts of chemo sceduled for the month, but I have to shoot for something.

For health related, I plan:

1. To go through two more rounds of chemo, which when I look at my calendar seems overwhelming, but I’ll get through it.
2. To continue to watch what I eat and hope I can manage to drop a few more pounds.
3. To up my physical activities so that I don’t lose any more muscle. Maybe I’ll give myself stairstep goals or walk the driveway to the gate and back goals—on days when I’m not sick as a dog.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To fiddle in my art room!
2. Attend the local art guild’s Potluck Dinner.
3. To spend time with the family—movies, meals, and flea market adventures! I’m not overly ambitious.
4. Enjoy Thanksgiving and Christmas decorating with the family!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in November…

Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

I’m offering two stories: a short story and a short novel. You can get both if you like! Just click on the covers to get your copies!
This offer ends November 1st!

 

The days are getting shorter, and the air has a distinct bite. Trees are losing their leaves as the wind whistles through their branches. Pumpkins are appearing on porch steps with carved faces and flickering lights. Houses are decorated with orange and purple lights that highlight life-size ghosts, zombies, and ghouls of every kind. It’s a spooky, beautiful time of year.

Samhain is just around the corner. On this day, it is said the veil between our world and that of spirit is the thinnest. The nights are long, and the days are short, giving us plenty of time to ponder if such things are real or imaginary.

Traditionally, Samhain is the celebration of the final harvest. It heralded the beginning of the darker times to come. Bonfires flared to drive back the dark. Turnips were carved and lit with candles to drive away evil spirits. (The Halloween jack-o-lantern has its roots there.) In some cultures, people donned masks in an attempt to appease the gods. (You can easily see where the idea of trick-or-treating came from.)

Kids will wear costumes, masks, and makeup and run door-to-door with the familiar refrain of trick-or-treat gathering candy, bars, bags of chips, and other treats to delight them. Adults will dress up in their sexy and scary best and party until the wee hours of the morning. Young and old alike will join in the fun and celebration.

It’s a great time of year for spooky movies. I admit, I don’t go for the scary ones with blood and gore. Some of my favorites are: The Lost Boys, Ghostbusters, The Underworld series, The Crow, Dracula Untold, and Bram Stoker’s Dracula.

It’s also the perfect time to indulge in a paranormal romance. Vampires, ghosts, and werewolves, oh my! There’s something for everyone in this genre. I have so much fun writing paranormal romances because you can step outside ordinary life and discover something extraordinary.

However you celebrate this time of year, I wish you a safe, Happy Halloween and Happy Samhain!

If you’re looking for some seasonal books, you might check out some of these:

WEREWOLVES:

Salvation Pack Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0753H2PLQ/

Lone Wolf Legacy Series:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTKCDR77/

Legacy Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B075V11M7Q/

VARIOUS SHIFTERS:

Forgotten Brotherhood: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B086BT7QJL/

Hades’ Carnival: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0742KNX25

VAMPIRES:

Dalakis Passion Series: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B074CHP42S/

MAGIC:

Spells, Secrets & Seductions: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07FK8Q19K/

About the Author

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

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

Hello Delilah, and Happy (Almost) Halloween!

Thanks for conjuring me onto your fabulous blog—I’m absolutely thrilled to be here, broomstick and all. What’s better for Halloween than a witchy tale? I’ve got one for you, and it’s bubbling up with magic, mayhem, and a 100-year-old curse threatening the universe (because, of course, the universe is at stake, right?).

Before these witches can even think about saving the world, they’ve got to make it through the trials of Cauldron Academy—where you don’t just attend classes; you fight for the right to lead! Only after they’re chosen will they each embark on their own quests, piecing together clues to the final, universe-saving battle. No pressure, right?

Now, I know what you’re thinking: ‘Aren’t you the sexy ménage author?’ Why yes, I am! But this story has been brewing in my cauldron of ideas for a long time, and I just couldn’t resist sharing it with the world.

The first book is out and FREE everywhere (shoutout to Amazon for that price match magic—come on, Bezos), and book two, Enchanted Deadlines, hits the shelves today!

Is this series as steamy as my usual ménage stories? Well, no… But what it lacks in steamy threesomes, it makes up for in spellbinding adventures and kickass witches. So whether you’re here for the tricks, treats, or just a good story to sink your teeth into, I’ve got you covered.

And now, a little sweet Halloween candy from Enchanted Deadlines just for you…

*~*~*

The bell over the door tinkled, and she heard her grandmother call out, “Daisy, dear, I’m here.”

Yanking her hand away, she pulled out of his grasp. “Sorry, but I have to get these to Grandmother Astor.”

“Oh, my sweet Daisy, come back and let me sip from your nectar,” he said, thrusting his hips in her direction. “We will move the universe with our mating.”

She all but ran out of the kitchen and hurried to the counter.

“Grandmother, thank Merlin, you’re here,” she said, her voice sounding out of breath, her heart racing as she hurried away from the big alien.

“What’s wrong? Is it the pastries?”

“No, my spells. Something is wrong. I can’t read his mind. Then I cast a spell on him, and it didn’t work. That’s never happened to me before.”

No man had ever been immune to her magic until now, which made her uneasy. Before, she could just cast a spell on a man whose attention she didn’t want, and the problem was gone. But Misna was not affected.

Her magic didn’t work on him. Except the flippin pastries.

“What are you talking about?” Her grandmother asked in surprise. “I leave you alone for less than an hour and come back to find you all upset and flustered. What’s going on?”

The door to the kitchen swung open, and Misna strolled out completely naked as the day he was brought forth into his world. The man looked like perfection, with his muscled thighs, manhood erect as he strolled determinedly towards Daisy.

“This…”

Her grandmother busted out laughing.

Daisy’s eyes widened as she realized he was coming for her, and she knew his intent. “What am I going to do? He’s immune to my spells and he ate one of the pastries? Now he wants to…wants to…”

“Honey, from the looks of that alien, I think his big Johnson is more than you can handle at this time. How long does the pastry potion last?”

“At least three to four hours. You try a spell on the guy,” Daisy said as he gripped her hand and raised it to his lips.

He pulled her against him.

“Do you want my help or not?”

Of course, she wanted her grandmother’s help. Right now, she’d even take the town ogre’s help.

“Yes,” she yelped as Misna pulled her mouth to his, his lips covering hers, consuming her.

The world ceased to exist as his mouth devoured her. Time seemed to stop, and her arms wound their way around his neck as he moaned deep in his throat.

What was happening to her? Never before had she experienced this kind of kiss. Her heart was pounding in her chest, and warmth seemed to infuse her from the tips of her toes to the top of her head.

She wanted this big alien. She wanted to shed her clothes and join with him.

The tinkle of the bell above the door had her pushing back, she quickly turned away from Misna, glancing to where Astor had been standing.

She was gone. She’d left her.

How embarrassing to be so thoroughly kissed in front of her grandmother.

Quickly, she glanced down at his man parts and laughed. Grandmother’s spell didn’t reverse the pastry potion but had put him in a male chastity belt. The poor man still had a hard-on, but he couldn’t get to her even if he wanted to.

Now, she had to entertain a lovesick alien until the pastry spell wore off.

Grab Your Copy to See How Daisy Fights Off The Alien

Since you read to the end, post your favorite Halloween candy and you could win book one, Cauldron Academy, and book two, Enchanted Deadlines.

Time is Running Out

Daisy Le Deux faces a daunting deadline: she must find her true love within weeks, but no one catches her eye. Fresh out of Cauldron Academy, Daisy is tasked with saving the world, though she has no idea how or from what. The pressure is mounting as time runs out for both her and the planet.

Enter Crazod Krazolz, an alien from Tilnora, who arrives on Earth in search of a powerful witch from the Le Deux coven. His kingdom is trapped under a sleeping spell, and only Daisy’s magic can break it. But convincing the charming and hesitant Daisy to join him is a race against time.

Will her magic break the spell that holds his kingdom hostage? And will she return in time to save earth?

About Lacey Davis

Lacey Davis is a pseudonym for a USA Today bestselling author who wanted to try her hand at writing sexy romance. With these novels, I hope to write sizzling romances that will leave you grabbing a fan to cool yourself off.

If you like hunky bad boy heroes who like to be in charge and strong pretty women who are willing to risk it all, then look no further. These sexy reads will get you in the mood. Come experience strong women who will tame these bad boys and leave them wanting more.

website: www.laceydavisauthor.com
newsletter: https://www.subscribepage.com/laceydavis_author
Bookbub: bookbub.com/authors/lacey-davis
Goodreads: goodreads.com/author/show/7985938.Lacey_Davis?from_search=true&from_srp=true
Amazon Author Central: amazon.com/Lacey-Davis/e/B08KRGK49Y/ref=dp_byline_cont_pop_ebooks_1
Facebook: facebook.com/LaceyDavisromancewriter

I thought I’d do a giveaway through Halloween! I’m offering two stories: a short story and a short novel. You can get both if you like! Just click on the covers to get your copies! 

***TRIGGER WARNING***
This post contains sensitive material that some readers may find disturbing.

I’m a South Louisiana girl, and we here are no strangers to hurricanes. In fact, one of our most famous adult beverages has that titular name. What has happened the last few weeks with Francine, Helene, and now, Milton is heartbreaking. The photos and videos are nothing until you’ve experienced one of them. There’s so much that the news doesn’t show and cannot capture. So, please allow me to share some things that may not be known about surviving a tropical storm or hurricane.

Yes, it is true, that with hurricanes, residents in their path have advanced warning if they listen to news stations. But this is only partially true. Hurricanes are unpredictable and can turn on a dime. They also can strengthen and weaken rapidly. Listen, it may seem logical to relocate if a hurricane is predicted to make landfall, but relocating takes money. Many people can’t afford it or have nowhere to go. Let me relay a story that happened during Katrina. I’m using names out of respect and for legal reasons.

Anyone who tracked Katrina will remember how it was all over the place, and it turned at the last minute. People who did evacuate, only took three days’ worth of clothes and essentials because they thought that would be all they needed. And by the time some people were told to evacuate, the roads were damn near impossible to travel due to bumper-to-bumper traffic. Who wants to be trapped on a highway during a storm? Hotels were booked and had jacked up their prices. Many of the gas stations had as well. Price gauging is the term for it.

But this is the story about one family. A woman, wife, and mother of three, worked at a business that refused to close. They told her that her attendance at work was necessary due to the kind of work she did, and if she didn’t come to work, she would be terminated. This woman had many years invested in the job, and for someone with her education, it was one of the better jobs she could get. Although not the breadwinner of her family, her income was necessary for her family, and the job provided benefits. At the time, Katrina was classified as a Category 2, but its status kept jumping. The business argued that its structure could withstand Category 3 hurricane winds.

The woman needed her job and elected to stay. Her husband refused to leave her. Therefore, he stocked up the home with supplies and made all the other necessary preparations to ride out the storm. When Katrina was upgraded to a Cat 5, many people who had planned to ride out the storm decided to leave. But then it was downgraded, and people changed their minds again and decided to stay. It eventually made landfall as a Cat 3. However, the surge and not the wind that caused the most damage. And many insurance companies found loopholes not to pay—saying water and flood damage wasn’t covered. But when your home has been leveled and washed out to sea, it’s hard to determine if it was knocked off its foundation by water or blown off by wind.

In any case, this woman went to work the day Katrina hit. And her employer was correct. The structure where she worked withstood the wind and most of the water. There was some flooding. And there were generators to help backup when power was loss; however, none of it mattered. I’ll explain in a minute.

The woman’s home, on the other hand, had flooded. Her husband took their children to the high level of their home, the attic, but it wasn’t high enough. One of the children was carried out by flood water. Her body was never recovered. The father and two other children were discovered clinging to each other. They’d drowned.

The day after the storm, when the destruction left by Katrina was visible in daylight, the business where the woman worked decided to relocate. Why? Because most of the town had been destroyed and there were no resources—no power, no gas, no phone (landline or cell) service, no running water. Temperatures were still in the 90s. So, no air conditioning. Grocery stores and pharmacies were closed. Hospitals were closed except for the most critical who could not be moved. Flood debris and sludge were everywhere, bringing all types of sanitation problems. Animals who had died in flood waters were unburied. It was unsafe to drive or walk down streets due to down powerlines.

I listened to this woman tell her story and cry over her choice. At the time, she thought she was making the best choice for her family. Had the storm not been as destructive and she’d been terminated as threatened, she likely would have lost her home in foreclosure and/or not been able to feed her children. She took the risk.

The point of this story isn’t to blame the woman. I don’t victim-shame, and yes, I believe she was a victim. I write this because I’ve been hearing many people on social media saying that what has happened to persons in the path of these latest hurricanes is their own fault and that they should have known better. But again, some people had nowhere to go. Oh, but there are shelters, right?

Sometimes, there are shelters. Shelters become full, too. Additionally, not all shelters are safe. Criminals and predators evacuate, too. New Orleans was looted because law enforcement had to get to safety, too. I remember hearing the threats of martial law due to conditions being so bad. When all the good people are gone, who’s left?

One coastal location had a marker where Hurricane Camille’s waters stopped. Well, Katrina went well beyond and took what Camille spared. People never imagined a storm worse than Camille’s. But each storm is different. Over-sensationalism by the media doesn’t help either. And if you think that doesn’t happen, think again. About a month after Katrina, the forecasters were all over the screens about a major storm with straight-line winds with over 80 mph gusts. Hearing this, schools and businesses closed as a precaution. There was a run on grocery stores and gas stations for supplies. Katrina traumatized people, especially the children. The day the storm hit, there were occasional gusts of twenty to thirty mph. Yes, it was windy, but nothing near what had been predicted. And the more these types of over-sensationalized reports happened, the more desensitized people became. This mistrust of news reports isn’t all unfounded.

Again, this post isn’t to point fingers at any person, business, or organization. It is a plea to view the people who have been affected by these storms with grace. It isn’t always as simple as choosing to leave. This post doesn’t come close to discussing the complexities of decision-making in the face of a storm.

1. If you want to help hurricane victims, please do research, and vet any organization before making any type of donation. Some organizations disburse very little of what is collected to victims. Much may go to administration. There are also fraudulent organizations that have no intention of helping victims.
2. Before donating, learn what types of donations are accepted. Some organizations will only accept cash. Thus, clothing and food donations made to these places may get thrown away.
3. If you can’t afford to make a cash donation, there are other ways to help. Manpower is always appreciated to help clean up areas as well as people who have and can use chainsaws. Cleaning products and detergents are also welcome. Items such as dog food, diapers, baby formula, and feminine hygiene products are generally needed but often overlooked. The one product I needed the most after Katrina was baking soda. The smell… I can’t communicate how bad the smell was, and I had food to spoil because I left the area. It was nearly a week before roads were opened to allow people to return. I remember two whole chickens had swollen and exploded in my freezer. I needed baking soda to help rid of the smell. (Remember, there was no running water during this time so I couldn’t scrub it out properly.)
4. Medical supplies such as bandages, rubbing alcohol, and antibiotic ointment are helpful. People get injured during these things but maybe not severe enough to be seen at a hospital or clinic. Yet, they need care. Consider making a blood donation for those who are more seriously injured.
5. And speaking of manpower and medical supplies, specialty skills are in high demand. Professionals like doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, electricians, carpenters, etc., your services are needed.
6. It may seem insignificant, but a little goes a long way. Donate books, games, and toys. When storms hit, families can be displaced for weeks. This may be especially difficult for small children as they may not understand the situation. All they know is they aren’t at home, the adults are upset, and they have nothing to do to entertain themselves. Seeing a small smile on their child’s face can bring a parent so much peace.

A special shout out to the Cajun Navy who has been out there doing their thing. Bless each of you.

Organizations that are helping:

• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• Americares

That’s all a wrap. Was this post helpful? Do you think you’ll ever visit? Have you visited there? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.

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

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.