Report Card

Last week…

1. I finished one author’s edits and will complete another’s today! So, a productive week, even if I didn’t write one word for myself.
2. I attended the annual potluck at my art guild. It was lovely seeing friends! I was good until just after I finished eating, then I felt as though a curtain fell and I was instantly exhausted. You can see the moment in the picture. Unfortunately, I couldn’t leave immediately because my dd, SIL, and the girls were busy hanging donated wreaths around the center after the meal. When I got home, I crawled straight into bed and slept like a rock. The food was good BTW. 🙂
3. I had a Doppler scan of my port area. The doctor wanted to rule out blood clots as the cause for the swelling. No clots! But also no explanation for why my port area is still swelling and sore. I also had a blood draw to make sure I’m good to go for infusions on Monday!
4. I watched the romcom Hot Frosty this week on Netflix. So I got in one Christmas movie! It was really cute! I’d recommend.

This next week…

1. Chemo is tomorrow! I’ll be there bright and early in the morning and sitting in the chair until around 3 PM. It’s a long day, but they start it off with a bag of Benedryl, so I get a long nap, too. Silver linings, folks!
2. I have no plans to do ANY WORK AT ALL this week.  I’ll likely be miserable and sleeping most of the week anyway, but without the stress of working. My holiday gift to me.
3. Despite the fact I’ll be in my worst phase of recovery from chemo on Thanksgiving Day, I’m still looking forward to spending it with my family. Maybe I’ll sleep in the recliner in the living room rather than in my bed so I can hear the chatter and be closer to the kitchen and dining room. Fewer steps to walk! I do love the holiday meal!!!
4. I do plan to putter around my office a little bit during the week to clear out some clutter. Mostly to get in some movement, if not real exercise. Clutter tends to accumulate without my even noticing, but I’m noticing now because my In Box is so tall it’s teetering, and there’s dust on my bookshelves. So, there’s a goal.

Open Contests

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

1. A Poll! Advent Countdown Giveaways (Contest) — This one ends tomorrow night! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. It’s Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
3. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Your Christmas Movie List! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Flashback: Brian (Contest–3 Winners!) — Win a FREE book! THREE winners!
5. Gabbi Grey/Gabbi Powell: Why mental health is so damn important (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. Memory Puzzle: Dead Horse Bounty Hunters (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
7. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Turkey Day is Coming! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Linda Rhoden!
*~*~*

It’s the Saturday before Thanksgiving! This year, the schools gave the kids the entire week off! So, we’re covered in kids (well, the three), and we couldn’t be happier to have them at home. My daughter has all the things purchased for the meal other than the fresh produce she’ll pick up this week. We all love her Thanksgiving feast.

The turkey is always the centerpiece, even though turkey isn’t our favorite meat. Is that you, too? We tend to look for a smaller turkey, around twelve pounds, because we really, really don’t like endless leftovers. We also have a small ham, and that’s a preference for me and the 15-year-old. We freeze whatever’s left over for soups or other meal ideas later. Not the turkey though. It’s a once-a-year thing for us because we’re just not that into turkey except for Thanksgiving Day.

How will we fill the days until then? Good meals, for one. Last night, the 20-year-old took over the kitchen and made handmade corn tortillas, which we stuffed with shredded, smoked pork (my SIL manned the smoker!), cilantro and onions, and her special, homemade hot sauce (so much better than store-bought). Sooooo delicious. We’ll have some leftovers today, and then who knows?

My dd is going to man a table for the art center for the downtown Holiday Open House on Sunday. There’s Black Friday sales she and the girls are going to do on Friday. I’m sure we’ll watch a holiday movie or two. The 11-year-old is dying to see Moana-2 in the theaters, so that might happen, too. I’ve been dying to see Wicked, but I don’t want to face the crowds just yet. Masking up is a pain—and how would I enjoy my popcorn? I might wait until it streams, which is a shame because it looks like a delicious spectacle.

Anyway, those are our plans. Maybe I can talk the fam into hitting the flea market this week. That’s low-key and few people—and one of my favorite things to do.

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you love the bigger turkey and all those leftovers. What do you do with them? And do you have big plans for the week?

UPDATE: The winner is…Sandra Marlowe!
*~*~*

I decided to do a different kind of puzzle for a change. Hope you enjoy it!

For a chance to win a download from among the stories hidden in this puzzle, tell me which cover appeals most to you!

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

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss my new project.  Well…projects?  Could go either way.

Let me clarify.

I love anthologies.  Your readers know that.  Charity anthologies are catnip for me.

When I heard my favorite anthology people had chosen mental health charities for the proceeds, I leaped at the chance to join. I was so excited that I signed up for not one but TWO stories.

Because…double the writing chaos!

So…the stories.  Recapturing the Dream is a second-chance romance. A couple who fell in love in high school.  That love carried them through most of university, but then the budding relationship got derailed.  They went their own way – Mena having three daughters and Todd having four sons.  Then, one day, they wind up living next to each other.  By design?  Hard to say…

Mena’s beloved husband died a horrible death, and she’s resigned to living alone while raising her three beloved daughters.  Todd’s newly divorced and struggling to find ways to connect to his four very different sons.

Throw in some teenage crushes, adult lust, and bonfires…and my heart was happy to write this lovely short story set in my Love in Cedar Valley series.

Okay, so Mena and Todd are good.

What about my second story?  I was thrilled to discover that R.L. Merrill has written a gay romance for this anthology.  I love representation.  And, of course, I threw in Pumpkin Spicey as my addition—a  short story set in my Love in Mission City world.

Clay is a sweetheart, entrepreneur, and ambitious guy.  He’s created a super secret pumpkin spice recipe that he’s ready to unveil at the Mission City fall market.  Great.  What he doesn’t expect is to meet a really nice guy who keeps coming back to his booth day after day.

This is, by far, the sweetest romance I’ve ever written.  I had a length constraint (as I do with all my short stories) and I wanted to ensure the courtship was realistic, given the market only lasts a few days.  Now…I also fit in the most cameos of any of my stories.  Thirty-six — if you count the mentions of the canine companions left at home.  You’re thinking…that’s impossible.  The story is just going to be about other people and I won’t be able to keep track!  Well, Clay’s running a booth.  Where people come and buy things.  He interacts with those customers.  I promise, it all flows together and the cameos span my three pennames.  A little something for loyal readers and just a fun story for everyone else.

I did encounter one problem.  I was so focused on the sweet courtship (they don’t even hold hands) that I completely missed the bonfire!  Duh.  Fortunately I had space to go back and add a little epilogue.  S’mores and kisses and a happily ever after.

My work was done.

Next comes the work to get word of the anthology out to readers who might enjoy a variety of stories set around autumn and bonfires. While helping Wounded Warrior and the International Mental Health Association.  So, I encourage you to snap up your copy, grab a mug of warm apple cider, and enjoy!

Thank you so much, Delilah, for the invitation.  As a thank you, I’m offering a $5 GC to one lucky commenter.  Let me know – what is your favorite thing about fall?  Random will pick a commenter for the prize!

Light My Fire

Bonfire Night, Homecoming, Harvest Festivals, whatever the reason – ‘tis the season to sparkle.

Gather your nearest and dearest (or those who you wish were) close as we fan the flames in this collection of stories from USA Today best-selling and award-winning romance authors curated by The New Romance Café sure to warm your heart…and maybe other places.

All proceeds go to charity in the fight for mental health support. Our chosen charities for this anthology are Wounded Warrior and the International Mental Health Association.

Authors:
Julie Halperson
Ryleigh Sloan
Chele MacCabe
L Mad Hildebrandt
Sharon Wray
Meg Napier
J. Keely Thrall
Fiona Fairhame
Cecelia Conway
T.S. Simons
Gabbi Grey
Cynthia Terelst
Sharon Michalove
Susanna Eastman
Shelby Gunter
Zoey Zane
Heather Scarlett
Alice Dashwood
Cara North
Anna Klein
Katina J Rose
Michelle Moncrieff
Niki Trento
Jewelz Baxter
Gabbi Powell
R.L. Merrill
Kat Long
Bonnie Poirier
Elaine Reed
Kelly Renway

The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/tnrc2024lightmyfire
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Light-My-Fire-Charity-Collection-ebook/dp/B0D5DLHSS1
Add it to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/213936718-light-my-fire

Gabbi’s Two Stories in Light My Fire…

Pumpkin Spicey by Gabbi Grey

My first opportunity to share my new super-secret pumpkin spice recipe with the world is at the autumn Farmer’s Market in Mission City. I’m all set with plenty of inventory, but what I don’t expect is a cute guy who drops by every day asking for…pumpkin carving lessons?

The last day of the market, I’m too busy to speak to him, and he disappears. I’m worried he thought I didn’t want him around, and I need to apologize. My good friend Wyatt suggests I track the guy down at his house. That leads to a surprise that changes everything.

Pumpkin Spicy is an 8k sweet gay romance short story with a shy stranger, nosy friends, and a chance meeting that might just lead to a happily ever after.

Recapturing the Dream by Gabbi Grey writing as Gabbi Powell

When noisy neighbors draw Mena Keaton from her home late at night, she isn’t ready to confront her first love, Todd Burnett. She thrusts down her warring emotions and asks Todd—and his four sons—to keep the noise down.

Todd, for his part, deliberately moved next door to the woman who’d always held his heart. The divorced man wasn’t sure about the potential for a second chance, but when the opportunity presents itself, he’ll do whatever it takes to get the lovely widow with three daughters to give him another look.

Recapturing the Dream is a 16k word steamy short story is about second chances, seven kids, and a special night by an autumn bonfire.

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.

UPDATE: The winners are…Kerry Jo, Misty Dawn, and Sandy Kelly!
*~*~*

I love my Montana Bounty Hunters. I’ve said it before, but I try hard to make each of them individual rather than cookie-cutter characters with different names. I also love to dream up unique takedowns for your reading pleasure and to showcase who these men are. One of my favorite characters is Brian, an amputee who has fought back from feeling useless at the beginning of the series to being an integral part of the bounty hunters’ team and a warrior again. I did a ton of research to get him right. Hope you’ve enjoyed his story.

Brian

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

The haunted gaze of one wounded warrior sparks a challenge in a physical therapist who’s determined to help him regain what he’s lost whether he wants her help or not…

Physical Therapist, Raydeen Pickering, has seen her fill of stubborn veterans, some too angry to get on with their lives, some still living in hell in their minds, and then some unwilling to let their broken bodies hold them back. She hasn’t figured out which Brian Cobb is yet. The first time she met the handsome, wounded warrior, he was wary and defensive, his gaze always sliding toward the door, looking for as a quick escape from the Soldiers’ Sanctuary meetings.

Even now, there’s something about the ex-Army MP, now bounty hunter wrangler, that sets him apart from the other men she’s helped mend. There’s something more–not just the haunted look in his eyes or the stubborn set of his chin. The way he looks at her when he thinks her attention is elsewhere gives her hope that she’ll reach him, and that he’ll let her help him regain more of what he’s lost.

First though, he has to figure out he’s in love with the wrong woman. The one he needs is right here, and if she has to do the chasing, so be it, because those looks he gives her have rekindled a fire she thought was lost forever…

Contest

Are you all caught up reading the original Montana Bounty Hunters series?

For a chance to win a download of one of the stories you may have missed
(I’ll pick three winners!), tell me this:
What profession other than bounty hunters would you like to see my heroines involved with in my Montana Bounty Hunters—Yellowstone branch stories?

Here are all the Bear Lodge Montana Bounty Hunters! Yes, it’s an old meme, but do you really care?

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: Bear Lodge, MT
Authentic Men… Real Adventures…
Reaper: https://amzn.to/2NztLpv
Dagger: https://amzn.to/2zo6Dav
Reaper’s Ride: https://amzn.to/2KKkisI
Cochise: https://amzn.to/2zq4avV
Hook: https://amzn.to/2UrpyYh
Wolf: https://amzn.to/2yUTjr5
Animal: https://amzn.to/2H4Roob
Big Sky Wedding: https://amzn.to/33GprwK
Quincy: https://amzn.to/2QlleM8
Brian: https://amzn.to/2ZV8m2G

Excerpt from Brian:

Sweat trickled down the sides of Brian Cobb’s face. His helmet felt heavy on his head, his pack dragged on his shoulders, and his boots were so hot he was walking in pools of water. The transport vehicles his squad had been promised hadn’t arrived, so they were hoofing it back to camp with half a dozen prisoners chained in a line. Still, their plight was better than the infantry platoon’s they’d left a click back. Once they’d given the ISIS fighters into Military Police custody, they’d headed back to continue their sweep for insurgents hiding inside the village with the unpronounceable name.

“Hey, Corncob,” Private First Class Benny Sanders said as he walked beside him.

“You know I hate that nickname, Sanders,” Brian muttered.

“Yeah, I do,” he said, his smile stretching across his dark face. Benny jerked his chin toward the slender figure striding ahead of the chained prisoners, her dog Tessa walking, unleashed by her side. “I see how you look at her. Are you and she…?” Read the rest of this entry »

Report Card

Last week…

1. The Demon Lord’s Cloak released! I promoted it, running a couple of small ads. It’s the last release of the year for me. 🙁 
2. I completed edits for one author and worked on another two editing projects.
3. There have been some health issues with two other family members. Nothing as consequential as my continuing PITA cancer. However, it does mean, everyone’s stressed out. Also, the skin around my chemo port has gotten tender and swollen. I talked to me oncologist this weekend, and he recommended I show up to clinic on Monday for them to check it out. I’m hoping it just needs a flush. If something’s wrong, I’ll have to have a minor surgery to remove it, and I’ll be back to IVs in the arm.

This next week…

1. No books on the horizon. I think I’m not even going to put pages on my schedule until a month after my last chemo appointment. It’s just too hard to keep up with everything and try to be creative when I’m fighting fatigue. I’ll putter with editing and enjoy the holidays with my family. Priorities!
2. I’ll be at the clinic tomorrow to have them examine my port. And I have a blood draw on Thursday in preparation for next Monday’s chemo infusions.
3. I’ll be finishing edits for two authors this week.
4. The local art guild is having their holiday potluck this week. I’m hoping to be rested enough to join them for the evening.
5. The rest of my time will be spent living in the moment with my family and my cats!

Open Contests

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

1. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Thanksgiving Prep! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Gabbi Grey: Why I keep going back to Passport to Pleasure (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win a FREE book!
3. Word Puzzle: Favorite Shifters (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
4. A Poll! Advent Countdown Giveaways (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. It’s Clean Out Your Refrigerator Day! (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
6. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Your Christmas Movie List! — Win an Amazon gift card!

UPDATE: The winner is…Eileen McCall!
*~*~*

I wasn’t sure what I’d talk about today until I looked at the screen that pops up when I open my computer. There at the top, I saw an ad for the trailer for Hot Frosty. I’m sharing that trailer here—you’re welcome! (For those of you who get my blogs via email, you have to go to the website to view! It’s worth it!)

Yes, it’s not even past Thanksgiving yet, but we’re already watching Christmas movies in this house. I quickly sent off a message to my dd that Hot Frosty was on our list for this weekend! (Don’t you just love that title? It’s silly, cheesy, and totally to the point—so, it’s unforgettable!)

Contest

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what you have on your list to watch this season and whether Hot Frosty appeals to you as much as it does to me!