UPDATE: The winner is…bn100!
*~*~*

I bought this little brainstorming tool years ago at some writers’ conference. “Story Cubes” is a brainstorming game. You roll the dice and whatever pictures appear, face-up, are the ones you use to riff off a story.

To make this fun, I’ll offer a prize—a $5 Amazon gift card—good for purchasing one or two stories…

Have fun with this! Don’t overthink! Here’s the roll… 

UPDATE: The winner is…Anna!
*~*~*

©Diana Cosby 2022

One thing I discovered since I began taking wildlife photos is that birds have a variety of expressions.  My favorite expression to catch a photo of is their ‘Angry’ look, so I thought I’d share a few of my favorite ‘Mad Bird’ photos.

I always thought Bluebirds were so sweet, but after watching them, I’ve learned they’re very territorial.

Red-Tailed Hawks are intelligent hunters, so I wasn’t surprised to see their intimidating stare.

It’s always wonderful to see eagles, they’re such majestic birds, and they have a fierce look.

I was impressed by the ferocious expressions of the starlings, made more so when they’re trying to keep other birds away from their food.

After taking many bird photos, I think the best ‘Mad Bird’ expressions are from grackles as their fierce look is so intense.  Take care, and I wish you the best.

Contest

***ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Who Knew Birds Had Expressions – Mad Birds!’ on Delilah’s blog between 11 September 2022 – 18 September 2022, and will win a signed copy of His Woman.”

About Diana Cosby

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series and The Oath Trilogy, she released the bestselling The Forbidden Series.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

God bless,

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series

Social Media
Website:  https://www.dianacosby.com/
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/978803.Diana_Cosby
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Diana-Cosby/e/B003YJ1MR4/ref=sr_ntt_srch_lnk_1?qid=1417447922&sr=8-1
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Diana-Cosby-Romance-Author-150109024636/?ref=ts

UPDATE: The winner is…Jana!
*~*~*

It’s Saturday, so it’s time to play!

For a chance to win your choice of download from among my backlist of books, solve the puzzle then tell me a story about the woman in the picture. Is she a good person? Is she a criminal? Have fun!

Open Contests

1. August into September (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift certificate!
2. Your Weekend Book Boyfriend… (Contest + Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift certificate!
3. Saturday’s Puzzle-Contest! (And Open Contests!) — Win an Amazon gift certificate!
4. Happy Labor Day! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift certificate!
5. Favorite Kisses Word Search! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift certificate!
6. Gabbi Grey: Why I Chose a Polarizing Subject for my Story (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift certificate!

I love writing for my publisher, The Wild Rose Press.  When they put out a call for erotic stories set in exotic locales for their hottest line, I was all-in.  I’d written a story for them earlier that I set in my favorite city in the world — Vancouver, Canada.  When my editor confirmed that Canada was considered an ‘exotic location’, I knew where I was going to set my story.

Now, I’m Canadian.  Aside from politics, guns, and a few other diverging issues, we are a lot like Americans — we consume much of the same media, face the same climate change threats, and speak the same language (although the accents vary — and I threw in a character from my ancestral province of Newfoundland for that extra Canadian diversity).

Anyway, I had my location.  I brought in a couple of characters from a previous book (don’t worry, this new book is a complete stand-alone), then I needed a scenario.  In a moment of solemn reflection, I realized the story I wanted to tell — the story I needed to tell.  I had a studio executive from Hollywood heading to Vancouver to wait until a crisis blows over.  My previous story set in Vancouver involved the movie business (a huge industry up here in Canada), so I had everything I needed. Oh, I needed another hero.  Enter a genuinely nice naïve young man, making his way in a world he doesn’t always understand.

Okay, I named him Seamus (a good Newfie name).  I named my studio executive Frank and called the book Vanishing in Vancouver.  I wrote the book, felt good about it, and sent it off to my editor.

The editorial team came back with a few changes.  Like the title.  It didn’t really say sexy.  This was supposed to be a story about an American coming to a foreign land and having a sexy affair — the series is, after all, named Passport to Pleasure.  (Other titles included Sorrento Seduction, Steamy Cairo Nights, Hot Highland Fling, Getting Lucky in London, and Pacific Persuasion. Oh, and also, Frank didn’t scream hero to them.

I wracked my brains. Then pulled in a couple of friends.  One suggested Valentino — named after Rudolph Valentino, the sexy Hollywood actor.  And the character could be nicknamed Val.  Hence Valentino in Vancouver.

The editorial team loved it, and the project got the green light.

I worried about the sensitive nature of the topic, and a friend who was reading the book for me expressed concerns after the first chapter.  In fact, she wrote to me and asked if she was safe to proceed.  I assured her I’d never do anything against my own moral code — and this is a gay romance, not a political statement.

But can a book be both?

I’m inviting readers to take a gander through the book.  Go in with an open mind.  This is one take on a very real issue facing workplaces today. (And other scenarios as well, but I went with work to set my story.)

And I’d love to hear from you.  For a chance to win a $5US Amazon Gift Card, can you think of a book that tackled a tough topic?  A book that resonated with you? One you think the world should read?  Feel free to comment, and a random commenter will receive the GC.

Valentino in Vancouver

Hiding out may be the hottest thing he’s ever done.

Val

When I need to get away from the heat in Los Angeles, I head to a friend’s house in Vancouver, Canada.  I just need to hide out. Oh, and that cute redhead? A mighty fine way to pass the time. Will this fling become something more by the time things cool down?

Seamus

When I’m invited to my boss’s house for a party, I’m thrilled.  And nervous. Then I meet a guy who helps me relax. Even when I find out who he is, I keep coming back for more. Only it turns out I might be way over my head. Can I get out before I fall for him?

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Valentino-Vancouver-Passport-Pleasure-Gabbi-ebook/dp/B0B8XNB5FX
Amazon CA: https://www.amazon.ca/Valentino-Vancouver-Passport-Pleasure-Gabbi-ebook/dp/B0B8XNB5FX
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Valentino
Barnes & Noble:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/valentino-in-vancouver-gabbi-grey/1141978548
KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/valentino-in-vancouver
iBooks:  https://books.apple.com/ca/book/valentino-in-vancouver/id6443282261
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/61953018-valentino-in-vancouver

About the Author

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.

Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey

UPDATE: The winner is…Miki!
*~*~*

Word nerds, are you ready for another word search? This week’s theme is favorite kinds of kisses. There are so many!!! I did my research! LOL! There are too many to make you find them all, so I chose my faves!

Solve the puzzle then tell me your favorite types of kisses for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

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

There’s just a slight chance of rain today, so we’re planning on hitting the pool this afternoon. The water’s still warm enough I don’t gasp when I step down into it. I have to make good use of the final days of our swimming season! The SIL worked 4-days-on/4-days-off as a police officer, so no impact there. He’s off though, so he can enjoy (hahaha) having the kids around today.

For those of you celebrating the Labor Day holiday—enjoy the day off! I hope you’re lighting up the grill and enjoying the sunshine.

So, in the spirit of Labor Day, tell me about your worst and best jobs for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift certificate! 

I’ll start.

Best job ever? Brand new butter-bar lieutenant assigned as a platoon leader to a unit that set up communications sites on mountain tops in the middle of winter in support of other units playing wargames. (Phew! That was a long sentence!) Living in a tent in 10-degree weather for a month (think about it—bathing in a bucket you warm on a Coleman heater, sliding on frozen paths to the latrine) was soooo hard and still so much fun. Climbing those microwave towers when they were coated in ice? Thrilling!

Worst job ever? Teaching 10th-graders history.

Your turn!

Psst! And don’t forget. I have contests to close out, but most of the ones listed on this post are still open!

UPDATE: The winner is…Daun Ann Korty!
*~*~*

I’m sure you can guess the subject of the puzzle this week, but the picture is spectacular. I had to share it anyway!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me whether you’re decorating for fall, and what you consider “decorating”. My daughter goes all out with seasonal statuary, door art, etc. She has a storage shelf for all her displays and loves adding little things we find (usually from garage sales or flea markets, plus things she paints and decorates with her Cricut. I love how into it she is.

Open Contests

1. Michal Scott: Hiding in Plain Sight: Belle da Costa Greene (Contest) — Last chance to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest! — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. 10 things to do with your notebook stash! (Contest + Open Contests!) — This ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Flashback: Her Next Breath (Contest — 2 Winners!) — Win a FREE book!
5. He’s not the groom! Tell me a story! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
6. August into September (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Your Weekend Book Boyfriend… (Contest + Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!