UPDATE: The winner is…Jennifer Beyer!
*~*~*

Although writing is often a solitary pursuit, many writers reach out to others who labor as well.  After I wrote my first couple of books, I realized I didn’t know much.  About any of it.  I joined a couple of writing groups, started attending conferences and classes, and did my best to immerse myself.  Why reinvent the wheel?  Why not learn from those who came before me?

That journey led me to a group of writers in Vancouver, Canada, near where I lived.  Life was going along great until the pandemic.  That group wound up shuttering, but luckily, I found an online community that welcomed me with open arms.  And my world expanded as I made friends with other writers literally from around the world. Friendships were born, relationships cemented, and support networks put in place.  The great thing was I wasn’t just learning—I was sharing what I knew.  And as my career grew as a writer, I found ways to connect with others.

During that time, I connected with a group of women who wrote books similar to mine.  And, during some crazy meeting, someone proposed we write a series together.  A shared world.  Between my love of these woman and FOMO (fear of missing out—which is real for me), I knew I had to be part of this.

Cataluma, California, was born.  It’s taken us about a year to plan, write, edit, and then publish our stories.  Along the way there’ve been laughter, tears, frustrations, and true joys.  I’d written in shared worlds before—and will continue to do so—but this was the first time I’d been so involved in the process from the very beginning.

High on Love is the fifth story in the series.  The books start off sweet and work their way to steamy.  My book definitely has a steam factor, which matches the other Gabbi Powell books I’ve written.  And not to stray too far from my brand—my heroine comes from the small town in British Columbia where I’ve set my other books.

Connections.

There are ties within the stories, within the series, and within the friendships that’ve been tested and cemented.

I hope you check out High on Love.

Thanks, Delilah, for letting me visit!  As a thank you, I would love to give out a $5 Amazon Gift Card to one lucky commenter.  Let me know—how do you approach a series if you don’t know all the authors?  Do you start from the beginning, grab your fave’s book, or pass altogether?  Leave a comment!

High on Love

Kendra Barker’s a long way from her Canadian home. Her road trip has landed her and her 1983 Harley in Cataluma, California, but she only plans to stay long enough to rest, maybe make a few dollars, and enjoy the Strawberry Festival. As a bonus, the one place she finds to stay is an empty apartment with a super sexy landlord.

Javier Fernandez has been cruising through life on autopilot. His marijuana shop is doing well. His mother is, for the most part, under control and managing her job as mayor of his beloved Cataluma. Now, he just needs to get this pesky Canadian woman out of his head. He gave her a place to sleep, and he very much wants to be in her bed, but come the end of the weekend, she’ll be moving on. Javier doesn’t do one-nighters and he doesn’t want to deal with a broken heart. Long-distance, and cross-borders is a recipe for disaster, right?

High on Love is a story in the Shopping for Love in Cataluma series. The book is a 39k word small-town interracial romance novella with a tattooed heroine, a stoic hero, and the love affair that’ll change their lives forever.

Links:
UBL:  https://books2read.com/High
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0BZ2M8Z4G
Add it to GoodReads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/125352653-high-on-love

About the Author

Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance.  She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion.  She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.

Personal links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
Twitter:  https://twitter.com/powell_gabbi
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Powell/e/B08T8NTQNY
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

I’m up to my eyeballs in work today, so this will be quick! Follow the links below to enter all the contests that are still open on this website! I hope you have a wonderful day! ~DD

Open Contests

1. Im-Possible! (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Dahlia T. Drake: Dark and Witchy Urban Fantasy Influences (Get your FREE read!) This one ends soon! Download your FREE read now!
3. The Final BBB Poll! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Bad Dreams & Big Foot (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Trying something new… — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Anna Taylor Sweringen/Michal Scott: Opal Lee – Grandmother of Juneteenth (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Mary Preston!
*~*~*

What is it with the media and ageism? I will turn 67 this year and I bristle when some commentator denigrates President Biden for being 80. Gray Panthers unite! I guess the media hasn’t heard 80 is the new 60. So to those who view seniors through a negative lens I’m using this Juneteenth to celebrate 95-year old Opal Lee, the Grandmother of Juneteenth.

On June 19, 1865, enslaved African-Americans in Galveston Texas learned they had been free since the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation. Born October 7, 1926 in Marshall, Texas, Opal fondly remembered the games and food of her community’s Juneteenth celebrations. She also remembered a June 19th in 1939 when a white mob burned her family’s home, forcing them to relocate to Forth Worth. She earned her Bachelor of Arts degree in 1953 from Wiley College. She received her Master’s degree in counseling and guidance from North Texas State University in 1963. She retired in 1977 from her work as a home/school counselor.

With forty years of community activism under her belt, Opal made it her mission to have Juneteenth celebrated as a national holiday. In 2016, she started a walking campaign comprised of walks 2.5 miles long to represent the 2.5 years it took for enslaved African-Americans in Galveston Texas to finally learn they had been freed by the 1863 Emancipation Proclamation Act. She accepted invitations to walk in cities all over the country. These walks ended in 2017 in Washington D.C. where she presented her petition of over one and one half million signatures. Rep. Sheila Jackson Lee from the 18^th district of Texas co-sponsored a bill to make Juneteenth a federal holiday. President Biden signed that bill in 2021, making Juneteenth, June 19^th the nation’s 12th federal holiday.

Honors and tributes poured and continue to pour in for the retired schoolteacher. Hers is the second portrait of an African American to hang in the Texas state house. Her alma mater University of North Texas bestowed an honorary doctorate upon her. This year, Philadelphia declared June 5^th Opal Lee Day.

But not one to rest on her laurels, Opal’s walks continue because work still needs to be done. She told an NPR interviewer that Juneteenth is not just a Texas thing or an African American thing. It’s about freedom. “As long as there’s homelessness and joblessness and things some people get that others can’t, climate change that we are responsible for, as long as we don’t address these things, we aren’t free.” She is working on establishing the National Juneteenth Museum in Fort Worth. You can check out Opal’s continuing activities on her website: https://www.opalswalk2dc.com/about.

So, the next time you hear someone make an ageist remark, think of Opal Lee and all the other remarkable seniors who don’t let age stop them from changing the world. For a chance at a $10 gift card leave a comment about Opal’s story or about a senior in your life whom you admire.

“The Spirit to Resist” by Michal Scott from
Hot and Sticky: A Passionate Ink Charity Anthology

A woman may be made a fool of if she hasn’t the spirit to resist, but what does she do if, for the first time in her life, being made into a fool is exactly what she wants?

Excerpt from “The Spirit to Resist”

He scooted closer so his lips brushed her ear. “I’ve got a viewing room booked at Mrs. Wanzer’s. You have heard of Mrs. Wanzer’s?”

His breathy syllables coiled in Florence’s ear with serpent-seducing slyness. A jolt of arousal skittered across Florence’s labia.

“Of course I have.” Florence firmed her lips. Who didn’t know about Mrs. Wanzer’s and what went on there? Or at least, imagined what went on there.

William huffed on his nails and polished them against the lapel of his jacket. “Bet there’s a lot of knowledge you could glean there.”

An arousing but annoying friction roiled Florence’s sex at the possibility. No one spoke of Mrs. Wanzer’s except behind hands covering salacious whispers. What she wouldn’t give to have firsthand experience about sex rather than book knowledge.

“Are you vanilla enough to take advantage of this once in a lifetime offer?”

A wet yes pooled between her legs. She scrutinized William. Was this really a chance to gain the firsthand knowledge she wanted? Or was this serpent, like the one in the Garden of Eden, using knowledge of her desire to his own end?

William shrugged. “But you’re heading back to Brooklyn tomorrow,” he said in a tone heavy with resignation. “Having to pack will, I’m sure, curtail any time you’ve got for real schooling.”

He stood then turned to leave. She grabbed his arm and forced him to face her.

“What time can we go?”

Buylinks: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C5RSJS5M
https://books2read.com/u/3nNDnx  (ebook preorder only)

UPDATE: The winner is…Ellen Blakley!
*~*~*

This morning, I’ll be sitting in a workshop with my daughter and one of my granddaughters, learning a new craft. Something I’ve never tried before. WE’VE never tried before. And I can’t tell you how excited I am. Yes, I have an art room filled with supplies for a ridiculous number of arts and crafts already, but I’m on the side of there’s never too much STUFF to learn. I’m nearing 65, and I have to fit it ALL in before I go.

So, when I post this and walk away from my desk to get ready for the fun, I have a question for you to ponder, perhaps a challenge you might accept.

Today, or this weekend, or this month, is there something NEW you want to try? A new craft? A new recipe? Shopping at a new store? Eating at restaurant you’ve never tried? A trail you’ve never hiked? Some new adventure you want to undertake—big or small? Say it here then accept the challenge of actually doing it! Life is about collecting memories and experiences, about sharing journeys. Name something you will make happen!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, share the challenge you will undertake! Enjoy the puzzle!

UPDATE: The winner is…Amy Dudley!
*~*~*

This old silberback is a handsome thing, isn’t he? Although, he does look liked he’s ready to eat a booger.

And why am I posting his picture? Well, my day started at 5:15 because I awoke from a nightmare, and there was no way I was going back to sleep.

I dreamed that my daughter and I had decided to hike a trail in the woods. We came across this hut that was mostly fallen down. As we passed a fallen wall, I thought I heard a sound from under the section of wall and stepped closer to peer under it. A set of glowing eyes stared back.

I backed away and told my daughter to run as the creature crawled from underneath the rubble. At first, I thought it was a silverback gorilla, because from his torso up, that’s how he appeared, but as he stood, his legs were too long and his posture was upright. I was looking at Big Foot! We ran, and he followed, bellowing down the path, his footsteps making the ground shake. We made it to the car and managed to get on the road. When I looked back, he stood in the middle of the road beating his chest.

Back home, we were nervous wrecks but laughing at our close call until I heard a thump at the back door, and it crashed inward. Big Foot folded himself downward to fit in the space and stepped inside—and that’s when I woke up.

So, it got me thinking. Why aren’t gorillas ever featured in shifter stories? Is it because their expressions are so human that it’s creepy? Aren’t they as sexy as bears or wolves? They have such ferocious-looking faces, I can’t see it, but then when you look at a bear up close, I don’t see the attraction either.

So, for a chance to win a download of your choice from my backlist, answer that question, or tell me which creatures you think make the sexiest shifters.

UPDATE: The winner is…Stephanie!
*~*~*

We’re almost there. Now, you can only vote for one theme for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology! Don’t know what these anthologies are all about? Check them out here: Delilah’s Collections.

Of course, next, I’ll need to come up with a clever idea for the title. Maybe you can help with that, too…

The Final Poll

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon GC, take a stab at a title for your favorite theme below!

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

It’s Saturday after the first full week the kids have been out of school. Not much happening for me other than swimming, editing, and cleaning. The kids and my dd have had their hands full.

If you saw the video of the ducks being released to the pond recently, that did not last long. We lost two ducks that first night, so it was back to the chicken pen for the rest. The poor things followed my SIL like he was the Pied Piper all the way back to the enclosure because they were so stressed out. So, we filled a kiddy pool for them and they’re perfectly happy. We have 4 ducks now. My daughter got the idea of adding geese to the mix because they are larger and more intimidating, and if they like the ducks, they’ll defend them. We have 3. Maybe, one day, we can try the pond again. But in the meantime, we have baby geese and they are smellier and ugly. Gah, we really do have a menagerie.

My dd put lawn chairs in the chicken pen and they sit out there in the evenings petting the fowl and watching them. I think it’s a bit weird, but then, they think my hermit-like existence when I’m in work-mode is a bit weird, too.

Yesterday, I spotted this beside the fence surrounding the pool. Ignore my weedy grass! We live in the country, and nicely manicured lawns are stupid here.

I’m not sure what kind of snake it was. The thought that a shed skin could be that big and that close to the pool was a tad disturbing. I did have a snake slip over the side of the pool once when I was swimming. I’ve never climbed out that quickly.

And the fact that those two pictures were worthy of sharing with you tells you how peaceful and uneventful it’s been. I do love my life. The past couple of days, the 14-year-old has been helping me with cleaning and organizing my art room. I have 1980s square industrial tile on the floor. It gets gross and dull. She cleaned it and waxed it yesterday for me. I like the old tile. It’s utilitarian, and it doesn’t break my heart when I drop paint on the floor that dries and is there forever. The 9-year-old’s rabbit had been outside during the nice Spring weather, but now that temperatures are approaching the 90s, he’s back in his indoor cage—on my art room floor. I bought a big rubber pad and paper puppy pads to put under it to try to save the wax. The 14-year-old has been doing a slew of special chores for me because she wants a betta fish (like my Loki) with tank, etc., so she’s been looking for little jobs to save up. She’s almost there—and then we’ll be adding to our menagerie.

Puzzle-Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, give me some suggestions about what to do with the geese and ducks. Have fun with it. Even silly ideas count!
And isn’t this painting lovely? I’ll have to try something like this. I love the texture!

Open Contests

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Along came an exo-whatsit? — Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Word Puzzle: Possible Boys Behaving Badly Themes — Win an Amazon gift card!
3. A Poll! Help me choose the next BOYS BEHAVING BADLY theme! — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Gabbi Grey: Being one of the cool kids (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!