UPDATE: The winner is…Deb Brown!
*~*~*

What indeed? If you’ve visited this blog during the past couple of weeks, you know that there’s something fun happening over at another website I run, Delilah’s Collections. It only gets active for a few months a year, but when it does, it’s like a firehose of activities!

We’re running a little campaign now through the release of our latest collection, Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, which will drop on July 30th. It’s a fun getting to know the authors activity, filled with interesting tidbits about them and multiple opportunities to win prizes or pick up some freebies.

Now back to those images… They represent the first four posts from the authors who are eager to meet you!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, let me know whether you’ve been over to the Collections website to “meet” our new authors!

UPDATE: The winner is…Katherine Anderson!
*~*~*

Before we get to the puzzle, I’d like to say a word about something that’s starting on Monday and will continue through the release of Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology on July 30th! There are 14 authors who have contributed stories to the book, and I can’t wait for you to meet them all! To introduce them, we’ll be starting a “Getting to Know [insert author name]” campaign, where you’ll learn fun things about these authors and compete for prizes! So, if you don’t want to miss any of the fun, be sure to head to the website and subscribe to get the posts sent to your email inbox. Here’s where you can go to sign up: Delilah’s Collections. We’ll see you there next week!

Saturday Puzzle-Contest

Orange you glad you stopped by? Sorry for the cringey pun! I couldn’t help myself. When I think of summer, I remember my summers spent in Florida, the roadside orange stands that weren’t far from my house, and driving past the fragrant orange groves. The scent of oranges is my favorite of all things. (Maybe I shouldn’t post these things before breakfast!)

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, and then tell me what your favorite fruit-scent is + tell me whether you’re planning to join us next week on the Collections site!

UPDATE: The winner is…Pamela Reveal!
*~*~*

If you didn’t already know, the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology will release on July 30th! It’s filled with intriguing stories. So, I thought it would be fun to use the themes for the stories inside this upcoming volume for our puzzle today. And if you haven’t pre-ordered your copy, remember, it’s only $0.99 for 14 sexy stories you won’t want to miss! Here’s the link:  Secret Identities

In the meantime, here’s a little contest! For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle, then tell me which of the themes intrigues you most!

UPDATE: The winner is…BN!
*~*~*

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for letting me visit today.  I’m here to share another charity anthology (big surprise), but this is not like my other ones.  Deity Bound: A God and Goddesses Paranormal Anthology is about, well, gods and goddesses.  Norse, Greek, Indian…gay, straight, lesbian…we’ve got it all!  And proceeds for Breast Cancer Research, no less.

When I signed up, I had no idea what I was going to write.  Often, I don’t.  Another writer was contemplating doing a Native American god, so I knocked the Canadian version off my list.  I have an Aussie friend and I asked about their Aboriginal gods.  My friend, though, had a different idea.  She asked me for a trait that could be either a negative or a positive.  I was like…?  Uh, stubbornness.  I related it back to myself.  I’m stubborn in that I never give up with my writing.  Okay, sounds great—I never abandon a story—I finish everything.  Except, sometimes, there are projects that should be abandoned.  They’re not working.  They’re taking up too much brain space for little or no reward.  While I was contemplating this, she took to Googling.

Enter Pertinacia—the goddess of, essentially, stubbornness.  Daughter of Nix, Granddaughter of Chaos, sister to Chronos and a bunch of other gods.  Nix really got around (good for her!).  Anyway, my Aussie friend and I (I call her the plot whisperer) came up with a story set in North Vancouver, Canada, and involved Pertinacia being knocked out of time by Chronos and sent to a park on Earth in 2024.

From there, I flew with writing my story.  I had Dani, a woman who’d just had her heart broken by her long-term girlfriend.  I had Pertinacia the demigoddess.  And, for fun, Pertinacia’s family came to visit.  I didn’t know it at the time, but this was the closest to a rom-com that I’d ever written.  My beta readers and editor love it.  I’m hoping readers will as well.  All that from stubbornness.  Who knew!?!?

As a gift, I’d like to give one commenter a $5 Amazon Gift Card.  Is there a God or Goddess whose story you’d like to see?  Or a favorite movie?  I saw Hercules as a child and Medusa still gives me nightmares.  Comment and you might randomly win!  Thanks again, Delilah!

Deity Bound

Eternity breaks the smallest souls, but a god will never be ruined…except perhaps by the one who holds their heart.

The one who can rip at their soul or soothe it because it was always theirs.

But after an eternity alone, can a god give back the love given them, or wreak havoc upon a mortal’s soul?

Read the best USA Today best-selling and award-winning romance authors in a spicy gods and goddesses collection for charity curated by The New Romance Cafe, with all proceeds going to the fight against Multiple Sclerosis.

Authors:
Chele MacCabe
Francis Black
Lily Kindall
V.V. Strange
Katey Tattrie
Niki Brazen
TL Hamilton
Emmy Dee
Cecelia Conway
Jane Poller
Kataya Moon
Alexa Santi
Nicole Sondelle
Cameron J Quinn
Serafina Jax
Michaela Brent
Mikayla Rand
Tati B. Alvarez
Raven Hush
Kathleen Ryder
Niki Trento
Sonja Flowers
Ariel Dawn
Kathia Iblis
Christine Ashworth
Annee Jones
Gabbi Grey
Glori Medina

The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

 

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TNRC2024DeityBound
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Deity-Bound-Goddesses-Paranormal-Collection-ebook/dp/B0C7NXZWCP
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/176294379-deity-bound

Deity Bound features my story, My Fair Goddess.

In the ominous light of the coming storm, the disheveled petite woman I rescued seemed helpless and in need of protection. Big miscalculation. Tina’s a demigoddess—a pint-sized powerhouse stranded in the twenty-first century—but far from a damsel in distress. Still, first impressions linger, and I can’t be in awe of someone I taught to use a toaster and to make microwave popcorn. I’m falling hard for her when her grandfather, the god of chaos, demands her return. Can our love and courage stand up to the old gods, or will we lose each other to an ancient land and powers I can barely understand?

About Gabbi Grey

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.

Although the concept of motherhood has, in times past, been fairly narrow—and binary—I believe in a more expansive definition.  We can have “mothers” in our lives who didn’t give birth to us.  Aunties or grandmothers who raised us, foster parents who took care of us, or trans moms who might’ve had a different role as we grew up.

This new anthology of drabbles is a celebration of motherhood in all its many forms.  Of moms in their many forms.  Some stories will make you laugh, some will make you cry (yes, even me), and some will make you reflect on how we all view motherhood.

What’s a drabble? It’s a form of microfiction.  100 words.  Exactly 100 words.  No easy feat – trust me on that.  I love this project so much that I submitted stories under three different pen names.  I’ve had three maternal figures in my life: the woman who gave birth to me, the woman who adopted me, and the woman who guided me into mature adulthood.  My birth mom, my adopted mom, and my step-mom.  All hold pivotal roles in my life.  All mean the world to me.

So from funny anecdotes to touching moments to poetry, there’s something in here for everyone.  And the book has been published in paperback and hardcover – so it’s the perfect gift for the mother in your life – whomever that person is. (Or for yourself, to enjoy the reflections of all kinds of motherhood…)

Flowers for You

One hundred perfect words. A thousand heartfelt emotions.

For Mother’s Day and all year-round, we at the Romance Café are shouting about this collection of perfect, bite-sized celebrations of moms, mums, mas, mothers and other caring figures in your life.

These 100-word stories celebrate the many different ways that carers show their love, from the everyday acts of kindness to the sacrifices they make for their children.

Warning: may cause a sniffle or three.

Authors:
Gabbi Powell
Gabbi Black
Trinity Wood
Kaje Harper
Tami Winbush
L Mad Hildebrandt
Hannah McKee
Lisa Gwizdala-Cody
Alexa Santi
Cara north
Sonja Flowers
Michelle Mars
Tori Fields
Rhianon Ruby
Elaine Reed
Danika Bloom
A. Boss
Niki Brazen
DL Gallie
Mila Chase
Debra Deasey
Susan Horsnell USAT Bestselling Author
Jeanna Louise Skinner
Cecelia Conway
Suki McMinn
Annee Jones
Gabbi Grey
J.E. Feldman
Kathleen Ryder
Sarah Stein
Angela Kady
MacKade
Heather Osborne
Harper Michaels
Sofia Aves
Bonnie Poirier
Ryleigh Sloan
Niki Trento
Yolanda Olson
Sera Taíno
Kat Long
Katherine Moore
Melissa Kendall
LoLo Paige
Aurelia Foxx
Krithika
Vanesa L. Perillo
G.R. LeBlanc
Jade Glas
Brianna Malotke
Tori Fields

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TNRC2024FlowersForYou
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Flowers-You-Drabbles-Microfiction-Collection-ebook/dp/B0CH3GBY4K
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/198359414-flowers-for-you

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.

ANNOUNCEMENT:

I’ve finished selecting the stories that will appear in SECRET IDENTITIES: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY!

Congratulations go out to the following authors!

Of course, there will also be stories by Elle James and myself, too.  I’m super-excited about this book! ~ Delilah

UPDATE: The winner is…Colleen C!
*~*~*

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me to share my new release!

When I saw the call for femme fatale flash fiction pieces, I dropped everything and ran to my computer.

My editor was shocked when I sent her not one but two pieces. I asked for a quick turnaround time – which she generously did for me. I even got the two stories submitted early! What mostly surprised my editor was that, at the beginning of our acquaintance, I maintained I couldn’t write short. That I was only capable of writing stories over 70,000 words.  She’d send me different calls for short pieces. I even submitted one for a Delilah anthology (she didn’t pick it and that was good because it wasn’t that great).  Eventually I wrote a couple of short stories that got published. Then I wrote my first short story for a charity anthology, and I’ve done almost a dozen since.  I’ve also written more than a dozen novellas.  So yes, apparently, I can write short.  The last few submissions have been 5,000 words or less.  In this case a lot less.

One piece of flash fiction I submitted for this anthology was a BDSM short story about a Domme. That story was under my Gabbi Black pen name.  It didn’t get picked, but that was okay.  I plan to expand that story and release it myself.  Kat’s Claws, however, did get selected.

That acceptance letter put me over the moon.  Most of the anthologies I join involve me signing up and submitting the best story I possibly can.  Rarely do I submit to curated anthologies (or get personally asked to join a charity anth).  I just don’t have time.  I’m so glad I did for this one.  My flash fiction (667 words – and yes, I should’ve found one to trim…) is about a lioness shifter who interferes with her best friend’s love life. Her best friend is an owl shifter.  From the first shifter book I read about ten years ago, I wondered what kind of shifter I would write. Now, I never had any intention of writing a shifter book.  I’ve only written one other paranormal story, and it’s about a ghost.  To me, that’s just a love story, not a paranormal.  Well, apparently if ghosts are involved, it falls into the mystical sphere.

I’ve signed up for a shifter anthology in September, and I’ve written the story of the owl shifter (the lioness’s best friend) and the human woman she loves so much.  A lesbian, owl shifter, reality show, short story.  Man, I can’t wait to share that with the world. In the meantime, when I saw the femme fatale call, I knew I needed to tell Kat’s side of the story.  The prologue, as it might be. Why she did what she did and how her friend reacted.  That’s the basis for Kat’s Claws. I hope readers pick up this anthology and read all the great stories. The editor prepared sketches for each one, and I’m thrilled with what she did for me.  So yeah, the email I received telling me that I made the cut really was a great day.

I would love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky commenter.  Have you tried reading or writing flash fiction? Or do you prefer longer stories?  One randomly chosen comment will win the prize.

Thanks, Delilah, for letting me visit.

Femme Fatale Flashes

Welcome to the shadowed corners of intrigue and peril. Wicked Shadow Press presents “Femme Fatale Flashes”, a captivating anthology of flash fictions, each one casting the spotlight on the elusive femme fatale, a figure at once dangerously seductive and imbued with an undeniable strength.

Dive into narratives where mystery and malice dance closely, as these women tread the fine line between morality and desire. From the straightforward journeys of beguiling yet sinister characters whose beginnings are as veiled as their intentions, to the intricate tales of those sculpted by the harshness of society, the sting of betrayal, or the tumultuous twists of love, this collection delves into the myriad hues of what it means to embody the femme fatale.

“Femme Fatale Flashes” beckons you to explore the complex realm of these mesmerising women through stories that are as concise as they are profound. Brace yourself to be captivated by the lethal allure of the femme fatale, in a collection that promises to enchant, entangle, and ultimately, redefine your perception of power, vengeance, and seduction.

This anthology features 56 stories, penned by 49 authors from around the world.

FEATURED IN THIS COLLECTION: Albert Tucher, Angela Tang, Anna McHugh, Armand Rosamilia, Arun Hariharan, Barlow Crassmont, Bissme S, Chad Anctil, Christopher Ryan, Crystal Red, D.A. Cairns, Dale Parnell, Daniel DiQuinzio, David Rae, Dawn DeBraal, Destiny Eve Pifer, Emmanuel Maduabuchi Titus, Gabbi Grey, Grant Tracey, Hannah Marchildon, Ian Gielen, Ivy Wilde, James Dorr, JB Wocoski, Jeremy Gadd, Joshua Vise, Kevin Hopson, Kris Blackburn, Kylie Doyle, LaVern Spencer McCarthy, Linda M. Crate, Madhu Mehrotra, Nelly Shulman, Olivia Arieti, R.W. Hartshorn, Rachel Loertscher, Rina Palumbo, Robb T. White, Sarah Das Gupta, Sarah Mayo, Sharon Frame Gay, Shayde O. Brown, Sheldon Woodbury, Soter Lucio, Susan Temple, TC Phillips, Toshiya Kamei, Val Roberts, Warren Benedetto

Links:
eBook link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/femme-fatale-flashes/ebook/product-579e6jr.html
Paperback Link: https://www.lulu.com/shop/parth-sarathi-chakraborty/femme-fatale-flashes/paperback/product-579e6yr.html
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/209492846-femme-fatale-flashes

Kat’s Claws by Gabbi Grey

I am a temptress, a seducer, and a lioness shifter.  When my best friend, an owl shifter, is about to make a terrible mistake, I use my prowess to bring her relationship with a human to an end. That might make me a bitch, but I did it for the right reason. Or so I believe…

About the Gabbi Grey

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.