I’m going through a nostalgic phase with my TV viewing habits. I recently rewatched Warehouse 13. I’m currently watching three series that I hop between based on my mood, The Residence (a a fun murder mystery on Netflix), Psych (who doesn’t love Gus and Shawn’s antics?!), and Lost in Space. The latter is a show I watched when it began in the 1960s. It started the year before Star Trek and hooked me on Sci-Fi. I hadn’t rewatched it in all these years but started about a month ago. I’ll be truthful. It doesn’t hold up like the OG Star Trek. It’s hokey, the special effects aren’t very special but bundle it with a hot-as-hell daddy and that theme song/intro, and I’m hooked again. I mean, play this video and tell me it’s not special.
My daughter thinks I’ve lost my mind but had fun working with an AI program to come up with a Lost in Space-style image of me…
Yeah, I would’ve fit right in! Anyway, it’s a sunny Saturday. I have some edits to finish today, and then I’m hitting the pool whether the water is warm enough or not! I hope you all have a wonderful day!
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle and tell me whether you were ever hooked on a hokey TV show that still gives you the nostalgia-induced warm fuzzies!
Tagged: game, jigsaw, puzzle, sci-fi Posted in Contests!|8 People Said|Link
Last 5 people who had something to say: Deb Brown - Theresa Privette - Deb Robinson - Jennifer Beyer - Mary Preston -
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here today to share my good news! Well, news. As your readers know, I write a lot of books.
A lot.
Which means writing an insane number of words.
Nuts.
In 2014, I wrote a million words. In 2015, I found an editor and worked with her to edit those words, so my word count decreased. In 2019, it started to creep back up. Come 2020, and the pandemic, and I was in my sweet spot. Last year? 832k words.
So, a crap-ton of words.
My first short story was published in 2016. My second short story was published in 2019 with The Wild Rose Press. My first toe dips into the world of traditional publishing. 2020 was my breakout year in terms of getting out there — I had two novellas under one pen name and a novel under another. Plus, a short story in a charity anthology. For me, this was HUGE. I was so freaking happy. My dreams were coming true.
Reality hit pretty soon that publishing a novella with a small press, although very gratifying, wasn’t going to help me break even with all the things I was discovering writers needed (website, newsletter mail service, marketing just to name a few). I kept at it, though. I wrote another novella and a novel for them. Then I wrote a novel that I wanted to keep for myself. That book, Ginger Snapping All the Way is still my best seller.
Yet I continue to work with The Wild Rose Press because they gave me a start. My Past, Your Future was my debut novella. February 2020. I was watching cable news and seeing worrying things across the globe. Little did I know what was coming. Or that the next few years would be all virtual releases. I attended my first signing in summer 2024. By then, I had a table full of books I’d published during the pandemic. COVID was good to me in that I discovered things I didn’t know about myself. Like that, I could, in fact, write at home (I always believed I had to be at a café or restaurant). That I could self-publish (I always believed I needed a publisher). That I could find some success writing in a subgenre I never anticipated (those million words in 2014 were not gay romances).
And now I’m celebrating 5 years in the publishing business.
What does that look like for me? Across my three pennames? 24 novels, 19 novellas, 35 short stories, and 23 audiobooks published as of this month. Plus, tons more to come.
Yeah. That.
So, I’m here to wave and say, “Yeah, I did that.”
Quickly — I was offered the opportunity to write a story to enter a promo where I could collect emails to send interested people my newsletters. I’d never done that, but I sat down and wrote a 32k story. If Catch a Tiger by the Tail is the HEA for Peter and Thomas, then Solstice Surprise is what happens after the happily after ever. I love the novella and have given away thousands of copies for free. I’m offering you a link to that story and encourage you to grab it.
Thank you, Delilah, for hosting me and letting me raise a glass of bubbly (although I don’t drink – does sparkling apple cider count?). Here’s to five more years of insane writing and publishing schedules as I share my stories with everyone. I would love to hear your readers comments. Drop a note in the chat — how often do you want to see your favorite writer drop a book? What’s too much? What’s not enough and you lose interest? I’d love your perspective. As a thank you, one winner — chosen by random — will win a copy of my novella Catch a Tiger by the Tail. Good luck!
Catch a Tiger by the Tail
Thomas Walsh knows the number one rule in the film industry. Don’t get involved with the talent. But resisting the urge to take the big screen to the bedroom can be hell when the lead actor on the set looks good enough to eat…one slow lick at a time.
Peter Erickson’s latest role as a gay man hits a little too close to home. He’s still in the closet and secretly grieving the death of his lover. Then an enchanting production assistant catches his eye, and he’s surprised by the instant attraction that stirs more than his wounded soul.
When the two men are caught on camera in a very intimate pose, both Thomas and Peter are afraid they’ve caught a tiger by the tail.
A blizzard, an urgent plea, a desperate journey, and the most important moment of their lives. Action movie star Peter Erickson is spending the Christmas holidays ensconced with his in-laws and his new husband. In the wilds of Northern British Columbia, they are as far away from the bustle of the city as they can get. Thomas Walsh and his famous husband are deeply in love. Although he prefers the intimacy of their city house, he’s come home to face the reason he left ten years ago, and to finally tell his parents the truth. A desperate phone call has the couple scrambling. Will they get back to Vancouver in the middle of a snowstorm in time for their solstice surprise?
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.
I just named the winner of the first “Clear My Bookshelf” contest! Congratulations to Brenda S.!
Now, here we go again….
As a way to solve my book-hoarding problem and make room on my bookshelves, I’m continuing my Clear My Bookshelf Giveaway! I have a ton of my books, collected over my 20 years of publishing. So, rather than consign them to the burn barrel I thought maybe a bunch of giveaways would be fun. As the first giveaways last summer seemed to garner a lot of interest, I’m happy to offer more opportunities for readers to win a signed copy of one of my old books this summer, too! My daughter is on board with making a trip to the post office for me. She loves it when I volunteer her for stuff.
For a chance to win a randomly chosen by me (I might say, do you want a western, an erotic, contemporary, or a paranormal?) book, which I will of course sign and fill with a bookmark painted by me, tell me whether you have any travel plans for 2025!
Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here to share my new release!
As you know, I love doing charity anthologies — specifically writing short stories or novellas to be included. At last count, I’ve done at least twelve in the last five years. I’m a decent writer, and I can craft a good short story. There are great causes out there that deserve more attention. If I can put these two thoughts together, then why wouldn’t I write something to help?
A couple of months ago, something happened that really upset me. I’m not going to go into politics, but I will say the Oval Office visit of President Zelenskyy distressed me. Soon after, an author posted on Facebook that we should do another Ukraine charity anthology. I’d done one back at the beginning of the war — I submitted two stories (one a Gabbi Black m/f BDSM and one a Gabbi Grey m/m). I did my best to promote the anthology — it sold decently, and we raised money for people halfway around the world. Three years later, those people still need help.
Great!
I hunkered down and, in a weekend, wrote a novella I was proud of. My editor pushed hard, and we submitted the story within a very tight timeline. Heck, I even asked a friend to join me, which she did.
Then we waited.
And waited.
As the theoretical release day approached, we started to ask gentle questions.
In short, the organizer pulled the plug.
So eight of us had stories, and no anthology. I knew I didn’t have the capacity to take over the project. So I had my story.
I did what I do best — I made lemonade out of lemons.
Specifically, I’ve created a boxset.
Over a year ago, I wrote a short story titled Jeopardythat appeared in an anthology raising money for Breast Cancer Research. Last year, I wrote a novella titled The Boyfriend Assignment for an anthology raising money for trans rights. The novella for this year is titled The Secret Boyfriend and it connects with the previous two stories. I always planned, at some point, to join the three together.
I figured, why not now? And why not donate the royalties to a Ukraine charity? So I am. It’s complicated, so bear with me. Love in Mission City: The Boyfriend Gamble will release on Amazon and in Kindle Unlimited on May 22, 2025. Royalties earned from the first month will be donated. After 90 days, I’m taking the boxset wide. Wide sales for the first month will also be donated. Hopefully, that balances out readers who only have Kindle Unlimited with readers who want to purchase their books from other retailers.
The final step was to choose a charity. I’m Canadian, so I’ve chosen Canada-Ukraine Foundation: Ukraine Humanitarian Appeal. https://www.cufoundation.ca/our-projects/
I’ve never done anything like this before on my own. Usually, I let someone else figure out the logistics. I write the story, I promote the anthology, I cheer when we raise money. This time, it’s on me.
I wrote this story for Ukraine. It’s set in my Love in Mission City world and is about a dentist and a groundskeeper. As far away from war and deprivation as one can get. The story is meant to make people smile. It’s a story about found family. About making the best of a lousy situation. About being open to meeting your soulmate on the badminton court.
Taken together, there are almost 60,000 words in the boxset. As I said, one of the stories has never been published. I’m hoping readers will come along on this journey and, obviously, I’m hoping they pick up the boxset in the first month. I want to raise as much as I can.
Thank you for letting me visit today to discuss my wonky journey to publishing my new boxset. As a thank you, I would love to give away a copy of my two other boxsets —Love in Mission City:The Boyfriends DuetandLove in Mission City: The Shorts. In order to win, just leave a comment. What might induce you to pick up an anthology? New voices? Good cause? So many words…? Let me know! Random will pick the winner. Good luck!
Love in Mission City: The Boyfriend Gamble
Love in Mission City: The Boyfriend Gamble
includes two novellas and a short story
Mission City is tucked in the charming Cedar Valley in southwestern British Columbia. If you love heartwarming, contemporary small-town gay romances, then come home to Mission City and fall in love with the men who live there. Romance shows up in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them…
Jeopardy
For ten long years, Tanner’s been crushing on his best friend Nita’s older brother, Kade, while Kade’s been cheerfully oblivious. Then one night, while celebrating Canada Day, Kade suddenly realizes Tanner grew up to be hot and appealing, and in that moment of connection, everything changes.
Jeopardy is a gay, best friend’s brother romance 7k short story with an interfering best friend, a bossy sister, and the possibility of love becoming realized. This short story previously appeared in Breaking the BFF Pact.
The Boyfriend Arrangement
Felix has expected to marry Josette since they were toddlers, playing together under their mothers’ matchmaking eyes. Now he’s bought a home, plans to renovate it, and then he’ll propose. But having Josette’s brother, Jacob, around, working on the remodeling, is eye-opening for them both. As he and Jacob grow closer, Felix realizes he has some big decisions to make about who he is, and what he really wants.
The Boyfriend Arrangement is a best friend’s brother gay romance 25k novella with a shy elementary school teacher, a brawny contractor, and a wrong dream turned right. The novella first appeared in Love is All, Volume 7.
The Secret Boyfriend
For Jasper, the best part of moving to Mission City has been meeting Cameron, his badminton partner. In fact, he’s crushing on the handsome and friendly dentist pretty hard. Cameron thought he was straight, but spending time with Jasper brings out feelings he never expected. Maybe he’s bi. For sure, he likes being around Jasper. But with Christmas and family plans coming up fast, is this really the time to step out of his comfort zone?
The Secret Boyfriend is a bi-awakening, age-gap, opposites attract, gay romance 25k novella with an uptight dentist who’s never let loose, a mischievous younger gardener who knows what he wants, and the night that shatters their expectations.
**All royalties from the first month of release will be donated Canada-Ukraine Foundation: Humanitarian Appeal.**
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.
I’m getting back into the writing/publishing groove. It’s been a while, I know. Ignition, the last of the Delta Heat stories, is in the near future (I’m shooting for release in late June!). Then I’ll be working on the next We are Dead Horse stories, Built Like Mack. I’m hoping I can have it ready for late July, but it might be August. It just depends on…well, how I feel, how the story comes together, and how long it takes for me to reawaken my muse. 🙂
In the meantime, I’ve published a compilation of some of my sexier short stories in Ultra Strokes, Vol. 2. For the short term, it’s FREE in Kindle Unlimited. So, if you’re wanting a copy, do it now! Ultra Strokes, Vol. 1, is also in KU, for now, if you haven’t read that anthology yet. Links for both are below. In August, both will go wide to all the usual publishers. Even at $4.99, that’s a nearly $7 savings, if you were to purchase all individually. Both volumes will be available in print in June!
So, if you were looking for something sexy to read, something with a variety of genres, this should do the trick! Happy reading! Wish me luck as I get back on the writing merry-go-round!
Ultra Strokes, Vol. 2
From New York Times and USA Today bestselling author, Delilah Devlin, comes another sinfully hot collection for your reading pleasure…
From the author… This compilation includes twelve stories in a variety of settings and genres. Something for all tastes—so long as you like your romance sexy. Most are contemporary stories, but there are historical, paranormal, and a for-grown-ups-only fairy tale included in the mix. The collection is intended for bedtime reading. Read the stories while you’re alone or with your partner. Read them to your partner. I hope you enjoy the stories as much as I enjoyed writing them.
This compilation includes:
The Bounty
Runaway Bride
Invite Me In
Drive Me Crazy
In the Wild
How to Train Your Skaldmaer
Hunk of Burning Love
Ripples
Dreaming By the Sea
Quincy Down Under
One Track Cowboy
The Obedient Wife
I completed one author’s edits. I’m currently working on another’s.
The weather cooperated so that I got to swim four days this past week. We had a thunderstorm yesterday that knocked out our power for hours. 🙁
I’ve continued painting and trying to catch up with #the100dayproject challenge. This was my favorite piece for the week because the paint was made with actual coffee and smells like it!
Healthwise, I battled another UTI. I’m currently on antibiotics. It’s always something. Gah!
This next week…
I will complete one author’s edits and then I have no more on the near horizon, so it’s time to get writing!
I’ll begin assembling my next Ultra compilation for publication.
I’ll restart work on Ignition—writing new words. I’m ready to get back on that treadmill. And yeah, I know I said this last week.
I’ll continue trying to catch up with #the100dayproject schedule.
I’ll hopefully have time to open my Etsy shop for the summer to sell some of the bookmarks and small paintings I’ve been making!
Open Contests
Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs:
I’m getting back into the writing/publishing groove. It’s been a while, I know. Ignition, the last of the Delta Heat stories, is in the near future (I’m shooting for release in late June!). Then I’ll be working on the next We are Dead Horse stories, Built Like Mack. I’m hoping I can have it ready for late July, but it might be August. It just depends on…well, how I feel, how the story comes together, and how long it takes for me to reawaken my muse. 🙂
In the meantime, I’ve published a compilation of some of my sexier short stories in Ultra Strokes, Vol. 2. For the short term, it’s FREE in Kindle Unlimited. So, if you’re wanting a copy, do it now! Ultra Strokes, Vol. 1, is also in KU, for now, if you haven’t read that anthology yet. Links for both are below. In August, both will go wide to all the usual publishers. Even at $4.99, that’s a nearly $7 savings, if you were to purchase all individually. Both volumes will be available in print in June!
