I love this photo. I’m sure there’s a story there. So, why don’t you take a stab at describing the story?

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me a story. It doesn’t have to be long, or even good, just have fun with the assignment! 

I’m late posting today! I had some administrative things to handle before I could move to fun things!

I have a puzzle for you. The theme is Favorite Book Hero Jobs! I listed some of mine.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, list yours!

In my blog posts, I do my best to destroy the myth of the single narrative usually painted of African Americans in the 19^th century, i.e., destitute, formerly enslaved, and/or dependent on the largesse of well-meaning Whites. Eliza Potter with her book, A Hairdresser’s Experience in High Life, does the same only to depictions of aspirational black women who sought only to uplift the race. Eliza bettered her personal situation first and then used that experience in her book to turn a mirror not only on the “high life” superiority assumptions Whites had about themselves, but also on blacks who exploited blacks.

Depending on your source, Eliza Potter was born of mixed-race parentage in 1820, either in NYC or Virginia. Little is known about her formative years. She married twice, the first time to Mr. Johnson and the second to Howard Potter in 1853, who died in 1860, a few months after her work, A Hairdresser’s Experience of High Life, was published in 1859.

Potter first made her living as a nanny/nurse and a domestic to families of the American “ton” in places like Newport R.I. and Saratoga N.Y. This enabled her to travel not only across the country but to Europe. In 1841, while in Paris, she learned to dress hair, which she did once she returned to the US and settled in Cincinnati. There, she pursued a full-time higher-paying career as a beauty expert and one knowledgeable about European standards of “ladylike” behavior.

Her memoir also falls into the category of travel narrative, popular in her day, because of the various places she visited but she didn’t just provide a travelogue. She commented on what she saw, particularly on slavery as she traveled the South. With her account of a black woman who owned slaves and was just as vicious as white slave owners, Potter shocked abolitionists who wanted to portray all blacks as victims.

The tone she employs in her book defies the deferential posture 19^th century blacks and women in particular were supposed to adopt.  Historian Henry Louis Gates in his chapter on her in The Portable Nineteenth Century African American Women Writers, describes her memoir not only as gossipy but sharp-tongued. In her introduction to A Hairdresser’s Experience Professor Xiomara Santamarina describes how deftly Potter’s critique comes off as advice on breeding rather than criticism.

When she died in 1893, she was reported to own $2400 in property, roughly seventy-two to seventy-five thousand dollars in today’s money. And lest I give you the impression she was self-serving, Potter regularly helped others. In Cincinnati, she served as a trustee of the Colored Orphan Asylum. While on a visit to Louisville, KY, Potter shared information on the Underground Railroad that helped a slave to freedom. For this act she was extradited, jailed and tried, but fortunately acquitted.

I’ll be forever grateful for the legacy left by 19^th century African American women like Eliza Potter and for the efforts of those who selflessly share so I can learn about them.

For a chance at a $10 gift card, share your thoughts on my post in the comments below.

“Put It in a Book” by Michal Scott
Inside Stranded

Trapped in a book by a sorcerer for rejecting his sexual advances,
an ex-slave’s daughter discovers one hope of rescue – a nosy thief.

Excerpt:

“No one will ever read your story,” he whispered with snake-like malice. His laugh bruised her heart each time he congratulated himself on his ingenuity. “You will remain hidden in these pages until you give yourself to me.”

Never had been her answer when he’d propositioned her a week after she’d arrived in Liberia. Never was her answer when he’d caught her pleasuring herself by the river’s edge after her morning swim. Never remained her answer from the day she’d awakened entombed within the pages of her own story to this.

How often had hope flared at the possibility of someone opening these pages and setting her free?

Too often.

How many times had Morlu’s possessive grip caressed her prison’s spine, his wet thumb sliding down the edges of its pages?

Too many.

“Everyone I’ve imprisoned yielded within a day. You’ve resisted for thirty,” he exclaimed. “I must dedicate a chapter to your resilience.”

He splayed his fingers across her prison’s pages, too accurately mimicking the spreading of her thighs. Her captive limbs shuddered. His calloused finger slid along the book’s gutter. Her inert hands tensed, unable to shield herself from the erotic—albeit vicarious—chafing his touch provoked.

“Your opposition makes your eventual capitulation that much sweeter.” He slid his finger faster, deeper between the pages. “And make no mistake…you will surrender.”

Each time he placed her back on the shelf, he planted a cold kiss on the book’s spine. Aziza quivered against the chill, unable to staunch the revulsion roiling in her throat—or at least, where she imagined her throat might still be.

“Until then,” he whispered.

Her spirit cringed at those words. She’d escaped from plantation owners eager to punish her for secretly teaching slaves to read. Her spirit had remained unbowed after fourteen harrowing weeks crossing the Atlantic. Even the hardships that had killed more than three-quarters of all who had emigrated to Liberia hadn’t vanquished her. If neither threats to her life nor dangers at sea nor the high mortality rate could defeat her, she’d be damned if this self-serving sorcerer would.

Buylink: Amazon – https://amzn.to/3dLd9rM

Report Card

Last week…

1. I completed one author’s edits and began two new projects!
2. I worked on getting caught up on some administrivia to get ready for my upcoming surgery and recovery. I’m soooo easily distracted I didn’t get far.
3. I attended a meeting of the local art group. It was nice to see friends.
4. I’ve been painting every day as part of #the100dayproject.

This next week…

1. I will complete two sets of author’s edits.
2. I have more administrative things to do this week to “get my affairs in order” before surgery.
3. I’ll continue working on #the100dayproject, but only if I have time. At some point, I’m going to have to pause and resume after the surgery.

Open Contests

Be sure to check out these posts and enter to win the prizes that are still up for grabs:

1. 1. The Key to Happiness (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
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   6. Memory Game: Animals to Write About (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
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   9. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Welcome Spring! — Win an Amazon gift card!

Happy Saturday, y’all! We’re one day into Spring, and we can sure feel the difference in Arkansas. Looking at the forecast, we’ll have temperatures rising into the seventies and nearing eighty in the next couple of weeks. Whew! I’m getting geared up for surgery on the 1st, so I’m trying to get some things done ahead of time and close out some editing gigs I have to get back to authors before I go under the knife. I’m feeling a little squeezed for time. But, one bite of the elephant at a time… I keep telling myself that. Now, if I could just keep the distractions to a minimum. That’s going to be hard to do with the kids being on Spring Break. LOL

Anyway, it’s Saturday, so it’s puzzle time! For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle (it’s so pretty!), then tell me about any plans you have to enjoy the Spring!

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! Rayne’s Return is the fourth book in my Love in Mission City world.

In publishing, whenever possible, wisdom says that you give the reader somewhere to go when they finish your book. You might ask them to leave a review (always greatly appreciated). You might offer them the chance to sign up for your newsletter, so they never miss what you’re up to (and when I welcome them, I offer a free book as a thank you). Or you might direct them to the next book in the series.

That’s what I try to do. Did you enjoy this book? I have great news!  And then you share the next project.

Now, this only works if you’ve got the next story on preorder.  Many authors don’t have the next book ready.  Or the publication date is too far out (Amazon limits to one year).  In some cases, they don’t even know what’s coming next.

Most authors have a list of their previous books (if they have any) in the backmatter, so they can offer those up in case readers haven’t read them.  In series, though, you work off the assumption that most people are moving forward within it. If not, they’ve got your list of what came before.

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances was my third big book in my Mission City series.  But it came more than two years after book 2, Stanley’s Christmas Redemption. So, for years, Stanley’s final call to action was to either a boxset or a novella within the world.  For readers who preferred big books, this wasn’t a great offering.  When I was finally ready to write Sleigh Bells, I had a plot. One I thought was good.  Plot Whisperer helped me refine it, and I was ready to go.  I wrote the blurb, secured a cover from a wonderful designer, and put the book up for preorder.  I wrote the book and (barely) had it ready to go on time.  I even had the audio done simultaneously.

Great!

Except I wanted to direct readers to the next big book!

I had believed I knew which book was coming up in the series, but as I wrote Sleigh Bells, another secondary character came to the fore.  Everett was mentioned in one short story and had appeared in both The Beauty of the Beast and Sleigh Bells.  After his appearance in Beauty, fans were wondering if he might get a book.  I decided he would.

He’s a lawyer. I wanted a good foil, so I chose a private investigator. But I had neither a name for the PI nor a plot.

In the meantime, I was asked to write a short story with a group of authors. Something new that might introduce readers to my world.  I realized I wanted Everett to have a one-night stand with the mysterious PI and that PI would disappear.

Okay, I was ready to write that short story — sort of as a prequel to the next big book.  Except…the PI still didn’t have a name.  I also needed a cover, so I meandered over to my favorite cover designer’s premade covers.  I found Rayne Check and wow, HOT.  I knew two things: that was my cover and my PI’s name was Rayne.  Heck even the made-up title worked, so I kept it.

So, Rayne and Everett were going to have a half-a-one-night-stand, Rayne was going to disappear, and he was going to return in rough shape and needing Everett’s help.  With a little finessing with Plot Whisperer, I had a story ready to be told.  I wrote the blurb, got it up for pre-order. Now both Rayne Check and Sleigh Bells would direct people to Rayne’s Return. I gave myself six months to write the book and then I moved on to the other two books I had committed to writing first.

In the end, I got all three books finished and it’s been a hell of a ride, but Rayne’s Return is not out in the world.  I hope readers enjoy the improbable love story between Everett and Rayne.

What’s up next?  The book I initially thought would be book 4 is still being written, and I didn’t want to guess on a release date.  BUT…I’ve got a prequel short story for that book as well.  Another super-HOT short story.  Another shirtless guy on the cover.  In fact, I have four big books planned and have four short stories that are prequels (although if readers don’t read them, it’s okay).  Archer’s Awakening is up for preorder now, and man, I can’t wait to share that story with the world.

So that’s the story of how I’ve managed to keep my series going and how I try to offer readers a place to go next.  I want to deliver a great reading experience while always leaving them a little more.  I give a glimpse of Archer in Rayne’s Return.  The next big book is Gideon’s Gratitude.  A character appears in that story will have his own book.  And so on.  I have no idea how long this will continue.  Readers do get fatigued unless each book is compelling and leaves them wanting more.  A tall order for any author.

Okay, thanks for hanging on!  Rayne Check is free with all retailers, so I encourage you to grab a copy.  7k words of super gay romance hotness.  Steamy is an understatement. https://books2read.com/RayneCheck

I would also love to give away copies of The Beauty of the Beast as well as Sleigh Bells and Second Chances to one commenter.  So you’ll understand why I felt compelled to give Everett his own story.  Let me know — is there something that makes you want a secondary character to get a book of their own?  A moment when you connect? Or are you happy to trust the author to know what they’re doing (spoiler alert: we don’t always know…)  Random will pick a winner.  Good luck!

Rayne’s Return

Everett

After my infamous half-a-night stand with the mysterious Rayne, I moved on with my life. Success as a lawyer demands long hours and giving a hundred and ten percent to the job. I do carve out enough time to hang out with friends some weekends, but it’s depressing to watch them pairing up while I’m relentlessly single. Then, one morning, the man I can’t forget shows up bruised and bedraggled at my office door. Rayne has a whopper of a story to go with the bruises, and seeing him again strikes wild sparks I can’t deny, but can I trust a man who ditched me without a word? Or will he be gone again by morning light?

Rayne

As a private investigator, I’ve done some dubious jobs for some very questionable people. The assignment that brought me into Everett’s world was one of the worst. Now, someone’s trying to kill me, and until I figure out who and why, I need a safe place to hide. All I can think of is Everett. The hot, by-the-book lawyer I hooked up with once doesn’t owe me a thing, but he’s the only person I trust. I’ll do my damnedest to keep danger from reaching him, and hope like hell I can walk away with my heart intact.

Rayne’s Return is a gay romantic suspense novel with an uptight, by-the-book lawyer and a PI who never manages to stay out of trouble. This age-gap, opposites attract novel is the fourth in the Love in Mission City series.

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Raynes-Return-Love-Mission-City-ebook/dp/B0DKB6HRKG
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Rayne
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/220553081-rayne-s-return

About Gabbi

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.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

I’ve written about different animals in my books. Some have been shifters, some pets; some were best friends, and some were dangerous menaces. There was a polar bear attack in Gun’s Mission and a bear attack in Cyrus. Butterflies were part of the theme in my sexy horror story, Lost Souls. My many cowboys have ridden horses and herded cattle. I’ve written a couple of dragons along the way (Dragon’s Desire, Arctic Dragon). I’ve had dogs working as partners to heroes (Big Sky SEAL, Guarding Hannah). And yes, I love writing shifters and trying to blend animal with human traits. But I’ve truly loved showing the bond between a dog and his handler, as in Guarding Hannah. Pierce was the hero of that story.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell what animals you’ve enjoyed seeing featured in the books you’ve read. Enjoy the puzzle!