UPDATE: The winner is…Laura Bowles!
*~*~*

I am just popping in to say Happy Labor Day to all of you U.S. residents! It marks the unofficial end to summer and is a national holiday—so the kids are home for the day! We’re keeping it lowkey. The SIL is cooking burgers on the grill. Perhaps we’ll have a movie night (we’re thinking Fall Guy). We’re sticking close to home and to each other.

If you’re celebrating, what are your plans? If you’re not a U.S. resident, do you have a similar holiday? Comment for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

I skipped my usual end-of-month summation/plan yesterday. Who wants to recap the month from hell, right? Short-term goals are what I’m working on now, so I’ll just give you my weekly recap/plan to help me keep on track and let you know what’s up. Today, I feel focused/unfuzzy. That’s good. I even made a list of things I want to accomplish today. Lists are comforting to this former project manager. 🙂

Report Card

Last week…

1. I began chemo. It completely obliterated me for over five days. I know now that I can’t plan to accomplish a damn thing during my “chemo week.” Monday and Tuesday, not so bad. Wednesday and Thursday—gutting and exhausting. Friday, baby steps back. Saturday, take it easy, but get back to work slowly. I only have to do this every three weeks. Gah!
2. I accomplished nothing, workwise.
3. Other than on Monday, after chemo when I was still feeling a little bit of energy, there was no swimming. Pool season is now officially over for me. The water is too cool, and the weather has dumped a bunch of rain and leaves.
4. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL have been awesome. They did everything for me, keeping me fed, watered, and keeping me company when I wanted it. I’m very, very lucky.

This next week…

1. This week I’ll finally get the chemo port installed in my chest. I also have a blood draw so the doctor can monitor my progress.
2. I have a new story I want to wrap up, Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st.
3. I’m working on editing for another author this week. I plan to finish by next weekend.
4. I’ll be editing a story I’m republishing that no one has likely read. Hope you like Westerns with quirky humor, plenty of kink, and a hint of paranormal. Once Upon a Legend is up for pre-order now!
5. Hopefully, I’ll get out of the house this week. I want to stretch my legs at the flea market. Start walking since I can’t swim.

Open Contests

On the Delilah’s Collections website!

1. In One Picture: Elle James’s “Sex, Spies, and Subterfuge” (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. In One Picture: A.J. Harris’s “Secret Garden” (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. In One Picture: Darah Lace’s “Most Wanted” (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
4. In One Picture: Cindy Tanner’s “Mayday” (Contest–2 Winners!) — Win a FREE anthology—2 winners!

Here, on this site!

1. 10 Things to Bring to Chemo (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Summertime Fun! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Hannah Bond – The First African American Female Novelist (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey: A Little Risqué (Contest) — Win a FREE eBook or audio book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Signs of Fall…? — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Pansy Petal!
*~*~*

What with all my drama-drama, pool maintenance kind of fell by the wayside this past week. It’s been a lot for my dd and the girls to keep going. We had storms this week, and unless you’re right on top of the pool, cleaning out the leaves, brushing it, shocking it, etc., it starts to green up fast.

With cooler weather arriving this next week, I think this summer’s pool days are over. I had hoped for at least one more week when I felt good enough to get in the water (which is TODAY), but now, I’ll have to give up that dream. LOL—yeah, I’ll mourn the pool. I’m that devoted to my daily swims.

The good news is I feel more like my usual self today. I’ll still take it easy, but maybe I’ll actually wear real clothes instead of laying around in a nightgown. Progress!

So, for me, letting nature take its course with my pool is the first solid sign of Fall. For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, what is it for you?

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

Hello Delilah and thank you for hosting me!

When I partook in Tea with Austen, the charity anthology last year, I was super trepidatious about moving into the realm of writing historical.  Especially Regency, for which I had only the movies I’d watched to guide me (and having read Pride and Prejudice in my first year of university—so long ago that I won’t mention years…).  My story in the anthology was of two seafaring sailors on Captain Wentworth’s ship.  One received news of an inheritance that set his life on a different trajectory than the one he’d planned.  At the Captain’s suggestion, he brought along another sailor—a mentor of sorts (as well as a secret lover)—with him.  I love An Uncommon Gentleman, and when the rights reverted, I added an epilogue and recorded the audio with the amazing Michael Ferraiuolo narrating.

When I heard the wonderful anthology folks were doing a second Austen anthology, I signed up right away—and then panicked because I had no idea what I’d do next.  Persuasion is my favorite book—even though I hadn’t read it until the time came to write my story last year.  The movie with Ciaran Hinds and Amanda Root is one of my all-time favorites and ones released in the years since don’t touch it as far as I’m concerned.

Okay…so this year… I tapped Plot Whisperer, who is a HUGE Austen fan.  After she thought for a bit, she came up with a story that connects with Robert Ferrars.  He has a minor role in Sense and Sensibility, but an important one as he winds up marrying his brother’s former fiancée—Miss Lucy Steele.  He’s described by Austen as a coxcomb.  Who better for my story than a dissolute young Lord whose friends with said coxcomb? Oh my God, I had so much fun preparing to write this story, especially after watching Emma Thompson, Hugh Grant, Kate Winslet, Greg Wise, and the late Alan Rickman (isn’t he fabulous?) in my favorite movie version.  I also watched the BBC mini-series of the story, which helped because the character of Robert appears in more scenes in that production.

I had my set up.  Plot Whisperer whispered a fabulous plot—which includes a valet taking a hand to the dissolute young Lord in my story.  Another interracial gay romance.  Another fun Lord and Valet story.  More fodder for my readers and a way to pull readers of gay romance into Austen world and a way to pull fans of Austen into the world of gay romance.  Just to give you an idea, the stories in the anthology go from sweetest to, uh, raunchiest. (Or just sexiest…)  With my BDSM and gay sex, I landed at the end of the tome.  Quelle surprise.

Anyway, I hope readers check out the charity anthology—available in both Kindle Unlimited and Amazon.

Thank you for hosting me, Delilah!  As a thank you to one lucky commenter, I’d love to give an ebook or audiobook copy of An Uncommon Gentleman to the comment “Random” chooses.  If that winner doesn’t want that prize, I can arrange something else from my back catalogue from any of my three pennames.  Good luck!

Tea with Austen: A Historical Romance Collection for Charity Inspired by Jane Austen

It is a truth universally acknowledged, that any hot-blooded reader must be in need of a hero in a wet white shirt…

Grab your fans and parasols and join our party of Austen-inspired ladies and gentlemen for tea, scones, and the latest on-dit, in this collection with part of the proceeds going to Breast Cancer Research.

Authors:
Heather Scarlett
Jeanine Lauren
Carrie DiRisio
Sharon Michalove
Angela Kady
Frannie Holmes
Riana Everly
Diana Lloyd
Emma Brady
Gabbi Grey
Kathleen Ryder
Cecilia Rene
Bianca White
Clyve Rose
Lisabel Chretien
Grace Hartwell
MaryAnn Clarke

The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/tnrc2024teawithausten
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0CR43CGK2
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/204445471-tea-with-austen

About Gabbi’s “A Sensible Gentleman“ inside Tea with Austen

Kenneth

As the heir, I have always done whatever I please. My conquests are legendary, and my concern for others negligible. When I meet our new servant, though, I discover someone who won’t bow to my whims. I will admit, I’m intrigued.

Walter

As the new valet in the household, I am aware of my precarious position. Still, work isn’t everything. When I meet the son of the manor, a demanding brat, I set aside my concern for my employment to teach the young man a lesson about respecting those around him.

A Sensible Gentleman is a 10k-word graphic and racy gay romance Regency short story set in Jane Austen’s Sense and Sensibility world, with a headstrong young brat and the valet happy to put him in his place.

Warning: explicit consensual sexual content

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.

Just a quick note before I bore you with my accomplishments and plans… A few folks out there have generously offered to make me “chemo hats.” I appreciate you more than you know. You asked for my head size, so I took some yarn and wrapped it around the biggest part of my melon, then measured it against a yardstick. It’s 22 inches or 56 cm. If you do make me a hat, you can email me at delilah@delilahdevlin.com to request my mailing address. Thank you.

Report Card

Last week…

1. The big thing that happened last week, happened on Monday, and kind of put a shadow over the rest of the week. I finally got my cancer diagnosis, and it took a while for that to sink in. The family was sad. I tried not to be sad. I let that shadow sit for a couple of days, then started in with the bald jokes. We have a plan now. Some hope. We’re marching forward, no more tears.
2. I completed edits for one author.
3. I set up pre-orders for books I’m republishing that first appeared in anthologies no on has read. One’s a western. The other is a medieval fantasy. Both are sexy as hell. I have my sister working on the covers now.
4. I pushed the release of Ignition off by a month. I am going to cancel the release of Built Like Mack because, honestly, I don’t know when I’ll be able to write it. Writing takes stamina.
5. There was no swimming last week. I couldn’t after the incision for the biopsy. Then the family let the pool maintenance slide just a bit (they were a tad distracted with me and the start of school) and we have a touch of algae, so that has to be battled before I can get back into the pool.
6. My daughter and SIL have been awesome. They bought me a lift chair. You know, one of those recliners that has a motor and helps you up and down out of your seat. I never knew I needed one until the first time I used it. They also moved a bunch of furniture to make room for it.

This next week…

1. I begin chemo on Monday. I’ve read tons about the side effects. Seems it hits people differently. I expect fatigue and nausea. I hope it passes quickly. For now, I’m blocking out the week of chemo for any heavy work until I figure out how it hits me. I already have my chemo bag packed: blanket, headphones, chargers, snacks, etc. Thanks to everyone for all the suggestions of what I should bring.
2. I will begin some light editing, meaning not many pages a day, for another author.
3. Hopefully, I’ll get to swim some this week, if I feel well enough.
4. I have no big goals for the week, as you can see, other than get through my first treatment. I’ll let you know how I’m doing. Apparently, there are some folks out there who like reading the details (they’ve told me so). And since I can’t stop my fingers from vomiting my life here, you’re going to know all about it.

Open Contests

On the Delilah’s Collections website!

1. In One Picture: Reina Torres’s “In the Dark” (Contest–Two Winners!) — Last day to enter! Win a FREE book! 2 WINNERS!
2. In One Picture: Brent Archer’s “Masquerade” (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. In One Picture: M. Jayne’s “Baby, Take My Hand” (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. In One Picture: Gabbi Grey’s “Thought You Were the One” (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. In One Picture: Elle James’s “Sex, Spies, and Subterfuge” (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

Here, on this site!

1. Gabbi Black: When Opportunity Knocks (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Another Power Outage — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Genevive Chamblee: Bookversary — Let’s Celebrate! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
4. 10 Things to Bring to Chemo (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Summertime Fun! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Laura Bowles!
*~*~*

Because of all the activity surrounding my health issues, it’s been challenging to find the fun here in the Devlin house. Swimming has been curtailed. I just hate getting into a suit that squeezes my middle, but I think I might take the plunge anyway today. I miss the water and sun on my skin, and I think it would be fun for the girls. I didn’t know they’d give up the pool if I wasn’t out there with them, but it seems it’s not as fun without me there. (It makes me feel good and sad at the same time—LOL).

Later, we’re planning on watching a movie together, likely late afternoon, so no one (me) gets too tired to enjoy it. We’ve selected the new Twisters movie.

All my hard deadlines for work on others’ books have been met. I don’t have to stress about anything other than maybe pre-posting some blogs for next week in case I feel like shit and don’t want to post daily, as is my habit.  My dd is an organizer. She’s going to pack my chemo bag for Monday. I could do it myself, but she likes to take care of me, so I’ll let her. Yes, I’m spoiled for attention.

So, today’s a lazy-ish day. Tomorrow, I’ll do a little work prep for the week, but another light duty day. Next week, I’ll be winging it, and see how everything goes. I hope you’re making the most of the last days of summer! It’s my favorite season, so I’ll be damned if I’m cheated of the things I love most—family time and the pool!

Happy Saturday, everyone!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, suggest some things my family and I can do together that are low-energy, low-stress fun!

UPDATE: The winner is…Tianna Toups!
*~*~*

This is the sky right now (my dd took the picture). The clouds look like a pretty, cottony, baby-blue blanket, although the forecast is for heat and sunny skies today. Thought I’d share since I haven’t seen clouds like that covering the entire sky before. 🙂

Just to catch you up… I start chemo on Monday. I had hoped to get a port installed this week, but it didn’t happen. So, I’ll get my chemo on my arm, which I hope doesn’t interfere too much with me using my hands. I had a call yesterday from the nurse at the cancer center to go over what I should expect to happen during and after my chemo.

• The drugs they give me to help my body tolerate the treatment.
• Side effects.
• How shitty I’ll feel afterward and for how long—basically for 5 or 6 days following treatment.
• How soon my hair will start falling out—perhaps as soon as 2 weeks.
• The blood draws I have to have Thursdays before my Monday treatments to see how my white blood cells are doing.
• Drink tons of water/juice/sprite to keep hydrated because that’s a real concern.
• It looks like chemo will continue into December, once every three weeks, followed by immunotherapy every 42 days after.

Hopefully, I’ll respond well to everything. She didn’t say it, but you all have said that attitude is everything. I’m ready to kick ass. Thanks to everyone for their suggestions of what to pack for my first chemo treatment on Monday. I’ve settled on…

1. 🧦 — socks, fuzzy ones
2. 🛏️ — I couldn’t find a blanket emoji!
3. 🎧 — my dd ordered me a pair to use with my iPhone
4. 📱 — my iPhone
5. 📚 — a paperback book in case the Wi-Fi sucks
6. 📔 — a notebook with good paper that I can write in or draw/paint
7. ✏️ — pencil for sketching
8. 🖊️ — pen for writing (I hate putting thoughts down in something erasable!)
9. 🎨 — a tiny portable paint palette with a water-brush
10. 🥙 — food

Maybe I’ll add one of the 11-year-old’s Squishmallows to use as a pillow. For sure, I’m going to wear a superhero T-shirt.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, what snacks should I pack?