UPDATE: The winner is…ELF!
*~*~*

Before I get into July’s accomplishments/August’s future plans, I want to take a moment to say thank you to my readers! I woke up to see this today:

It’s the ranking for my latest anthology, Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology! I could not be more thrilled for the authors inside this collection! I wish I was one of them, but I had to reject the two stories I worked on because they just didn’t make the cut. Not sure why, or maybe I do, but I’ll explain more below.

Anyway, congrats to TEAM SECRET IDENTITIES! And if you haven’t gotten your copy, hit the link above. It’s only $0.99, and there’s something for everyone’s taste in this volume. Did I mention it starts with a big bang thanks to my sister Elle James’s terrific Brotherhood Protectors-related story!?

July

1. I published the first book in my Delta Fire series: Burning Up Memphis.
2. I revised and published the second Delta Fire book, Hotter with a Pole.
3. I revised and uploaded the third Delta Fire book, Rapid Entry, which will release on August 6th! (Have you pre-ordered your copy?!)
4. I finished work on Cyrus and published it on July 23rd!
5. I finished editing all the stories inside Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, and it was published on July 30th!
6. I completed 2 editing projects for other authors in July!

Health-related:

1. After all my annual scans, bloodwork, etc., that happened in June and July, I thought I was good to go. Full steam ahead. Enjoy the summer, write like mad. However, around mid-month, problems I had been thinking were minor (gas, indigestion, whatever), I started having some real abdominal pain. I thought gallbladder, then maybe appendix. So, I was sent in for a CT scan from my lungs down to my pubic bone. They found something, and statistically, the thing they found derives from metastatic cancer—but it could be inflammation due to infection, so I’m holding out for that, because hey, all that bloodwork and all those scans didn’t find tumors anywhere. Make it make sense. Not panicking, trying to keep busy so I don’t think about it too much. I’d appreciate any thoughts/wishes/prayers.
2. I paid attention to what I put in my mouth and lost 8.5 pounds this month!

Happiness-related: 

1. July was filled again with family activities. We’ve had movie nights at home and special meals where everyone participated in the food prep.
2. The pool is finally clear and beautiful. Whether I feel like it or not, I swim at least once a day.
3. Art kind of fell by the wayside this month. I have nothing wonderful to share with you. I’ll try better in August!

August

1. To publish Book #3 in the Delta Fire series, Rapid Entry on August 6th!
2. To delay the publication of Built Like Mack. I’m not writing much now, and I have a lot to write on this story. I will push off the publication date as far as I can into September. Sorry, I know some of you were looking forward to reading the next We Are Dead Horse story soon.
3. To complete Ignition, the fourth book in the Delta Fire series. I only have two or three chapters left.  If I can, I’ll have a September release.
4. To complete 3 or 4 editing projects in August!

For health related, I plan:

1. To get an answer regarding my stomach issues and then move forward.
2. To schedule the last of the health-related appointments I need to wrap up: Eye exam and dental exam.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To fiddle in my art room!
2. To spend time with the family—movies, flea market adventures, and pool—before school starts and everything gets complicated!

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 August…

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

I have a special love for these collections! I started writing novels but quickly got bored of being pigeonholed in certain genres. When I saw a call for submissions for a short story, I thought, what better way to experiment and have a little fun? Soon, I was writing shorties and getting them published in various places. Then I submitted to Cleis Press with ideas for anthologies of my own, and I was on my way. I’ve tried to do one anthology a year and to interest author-friends to enjoy the ride with me.

This latest collection is filled with sexy stories across a multitude of genres—contemporary erotic romance, paranormal romance, Sci-Fi romance, romantic suspense, historical, and gay romance. Something for everyone! Think of this collection as something you can read like bedtime stories before you go to sleep or to inspire a little romance of your own!

I hope you’ll pick up a copy. It’s only $0.99!!! We offer it at that low price because these authors want to be read, and they want you to discover their work if you don’t already know about them.

Happy reading! ~DD

Twisted Page Inc • July 30, 2024
ISBN-13: TBA

Order Trade Paperback

Order eBook
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Inside this volume, you’ll find stories by some of the hottest romance writers out there for readers who crave mysterious, enigmatic men and women who may not be who they claim to be. Whatever their secrets, intrigue and passion follow…

Table of Contents

Secret Garden by A.J. Harris – Hired by werewolf matriarchs to track down a bad-boy photographer, a private investigator discovers a deep connection with her past—and a secret garden of unspoken, sensual pleasures

What That Alien D Do by Ava Cuvay – A cosplayer at a popular Sci-Fi convention stalks her favorite MyFans content creator only to discover his alien “prosthetic enhancements” are real

Masquerade by Brent Archer – After accepting an invitation to a masquerade, a coffeeshop owner finds himself on the run from a mafia hitman with a handsome harlequin

Claimed by her Naga Bodyguard by Cameron Allie – Escaping her dorm for a night of fun with friends takes a turn for a witch-in-training when demons attack, and a mysterious creature comes to her rescue

Mayday by Cindy Tanner – A miscommunication isn’t the end of the world—unless it is the end of the world—and your “ride or die” might just be undead

Matsuri by D.S. Dehel – An American woman searching in Japan for the man haunting her dreams is chased by a wily kitsune into a magical place where she meets a samurai warrior

Most Wanted by Darah Lace – A bounty on the line, a hunter who bedded then betrayed her, and a strip club—she’ll bare it all to get her man

Sex, Spies, and Subterfuge by Elle James – Scottish UK SAS Agent on an undercover weekend assignment tangles with a beautiful Russian seductress and potential assassin.

Thought You Were the One by Gabbi Grey – He’s in for a surprise twist when he seeks a second chance to win the attention of his handsome, unrequited, high school crush

Baby, Take My Hand by M. Jayne – After surviving a bullet to the brain, a detective hunting a serial killer is drawn to a mysterious man

Her Heavenly Phantom by Michal Scott – Forced into a marriage of convenience neither wants, a mild-mannered banker with an intriguing secret discovers his reluctant bride has a secret, too

Perfect Stranger by N. J. Walters – An undercover DEA agent must keep his identity secret from the woman he’s falling for, a woman he’s also investigating

In the Dark by Reina Torres – During a blackout, an undercover NSA agent falls hard and fast for the military guy living across the hall with secrets of his own

Hi, it’s me again, Darah Lace. In my last post on the Collections website, I mentioned that I’m an avid TV watcher. Anything and everything will do, but lately, I’ve been all about crime drama/mysteries. I’ve never dreamt of a life of crime, but as an author, I have to delve deep into my characters’ minds. Sometimes, that means thinking like a villain, which can be a little dark and a whole lot of crazy.

If I were going to be a villain, though, I’d throw my hat in with the crazies. Loki is my favorite. He doesn’t want to be good, and most of the time, he’s not, but he is devilishly fun when he’s bad. And I just heard that Robert Downey, Jr. is going to play Dr. Doom in the upcoming Marvel movies, so you know he’ll be fun to watch, but I digress, and neither really fit the crime drama/mystery topic.

My question for you is, if you were going to be a villain, who would you want as your partner in crime?

And if you were going to get caught, who would you want to bring you in? I’d pick Jason Momoa in full Khal Drogo gear. I know, he’s not one for seeking justice, nor is he virtuous, but OMG, he wouldn’t even have to hunt me down. I’d be the one chasing after him, begging him to cuff me…and don’t forget the body search!

But if I couldn’t have Khal Drogo, I’d want Asher Sloane. He’s the hot bounty hunter from Most Wanted, releasing tomorrow, July 30 in Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology. Pre-order your copy today!

Pre-Order eBook
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Most Wanted—A bounty on the line, a hunter who bedded then betrayed her, and a strip club—she’ll bare it all to get her man

About Darah Lace

Multipublished author of spicy contemporary and paranormal romance, Darah Lace lives in Texas where she enjoys a simple life with her husband and two dogs. She loves sports, music, watching a good romance, and penning scenes that sizzle. When she isn’t writing, she’s scouring bookstores for her next adventure.

Connect with Darah
darah@darahlace.com
https://www.darahlace.com/
https://linktr.ee/darahlace
https://www.amazon.com/author/darahlace
https://www.goodreads.com/darah_lace
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/darah-lace
https://www.tiktok.com/@darah_lace_author
https://www.instagram.com/darahlace/
https://www.facebook.com/darahlace/
https://www.facebook.com/DarahLaceAuthor
https://twitter.com/DarahLace

Sign Up for Darah’s Newsletter: https://www.darahlace.com/newsletter/

UPDATE: A new listing for the book is on Amazon now. Pre-order your copy here: Secret Identities
*~*~*

Pre-Order eBook
Kindle | Nook | iBooks | Kobo | Google Play

Well, for those of you who pre-ordered the anthology through Amazon, I have some bad news. Amazon decided at the very last damn minute (yesterday!) to pull our book. Their reason was because they wanted to see proof we had rights to the cover image. This is something simple to prove, and I took screen shots from the photo site of the picture among my many downloads and my receipt, but it may take days for them to straighten this out. I feel awful about this, although it’s not our fault. Like, Amazon, couldn’t you have asked for this months ago? Not two days before it releases?!! The other platforms where we have the book are still live, so folks can purchase the book when it releases tomorrow, but if you had it on pre-order through Amazon, you may have to re-order your copy. Or better yet—purchase from one of the sites where they aren’t pulling this kind of BS. Sorry, I’m angry. It’s sooooo unprofessional of Amazon to leave this to the last damn second.

Remember, this 73,000-word anthology is selling for a steal of a price across all platforms—just $0.99—because we want you to read our fabulous authors! Okay, back to regular programming…

So, it’s been really boring here on the farm. The SIL and I are quiet people, so we touch base but keep to ourselves. We’re enjoying the peace and quiet. Or at least, I’m telling myself I am. I miss my chaos-makers. They return on Wednesday, so I better appreciate the quiet while I can.

Report Card

Last week…

1. I celebrated and promoted the release of Cyrus, the first book in the new MBH: West Yellowstone series!
2. I completed all edits and assembled the Secret Identities anthology! I sent it to my sis, Elle James, for her to format the book and prepare it for release this coming Tuesday!
3. I worked on edits for two authors.
4. I swam every day for the first part of the week, but the weather turned cool with lots of storms, so that prevented me from getting into the water. 🙁
5. I’m still complying with Weight Watchers. So far, I’ve lost 6 pounds. It’s going slowly because I’ve done a little cheating…
6. I restarted my daily art practice. It’s not going well. I need to remind myself when I get lazy that it’s hard to get back into the swing, and I forget things!

This next week…

1. I’ll be celebrating and promoting the release of the Secret Identities anthology on Tuesday!
2. I will continue editing two other authors’ manuscripts.
3. I’ll begin work on my next novel, Built Like Mack, the next We Are Dead Horse story.
4. I’ll continue swimming and counting those points on Weight Watchers! Plus, while the kids are on vacay, I’ll continue some long overdue housekeeping tasks (exercise)!
5. I’ll continue working on some small art projects while I declutter my art room.

Contests

On the Delilah’s Collections website!

1. GETTING TO KNOW N.J. WALTERS (CONTEST) — This one ends tomorrow! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. GETTING TO KNOW M. JAYNE (CONTEST) —  This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. GETTING TO KNOW GABBI GREY (CONTEST) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!

Here, on this site!

1. Caviar and Frogs…whuuutt? (Contest) — This one ends tomorrow! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Gabbi Grey: Something a Little Different (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: A Grizzly Beginning (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. What do these images all have in common? Plus, a release reminder! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Word Search: Bounty Hunter Names (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: It Might Have Been — Julia C. Collins, Pioneering Essayist, Teacher and Author (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: While the cat’s away… — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Margaret!
*~*~*

My daughter and the three girls are on vacation. So, my SIL and I are the ones taking care of the animals and existing in the silence. The girls add a level of chaos that charges the air, so right now, it’s restful but also…boring.

I spent yesterday ticking off things on my To Do list. It was a productive day, but then I finished my planned work and had to find something to occupy the rest of my day. The weather was too cool for a swim—just 80 degrees, so that was out. So I turned to this list of movie titles I’ve collected and rarely get a chance to watch to remove one. Well, yesterday, I watched a rom-com with Russell Crowe—yes, I said a rom-com. Because the idea of it was intriguing, I had it on my list, so I ticked off A Good Year. It was decent. I’d recommend it. It’s not glowingly the best thing ever, but it’s a nice escape. I might try The Holdovers if I get through today’s list. The fam wouldn’t be interested, so it’s a good time, while they’re gone, to check off my list.

So, yeah. Another slow day in front of me. Right now, the temperature outside is a cool 76, with a projected high of only 81, so while I’ll go out and clean the pool, I’m going to wait for the weather to improve before I gird my loins and jump in. I hate it when the weather cools. 🙁

Enough rambling. I know you’re bored. I’m boring myself. Being bored inspires boring posts. I’ll shut up now.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then tell me what you’d watch while the cat’s away…

UPDATE: The winner is…Paula J McGhee!
*~*~*