UPDATE: The winner is…Margaret!
*~*~*

I skipped breakfast, and now my tummy is taking over my brain. So, here’s today’s puzzle!

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, solve the puzzle then tell me what you want for dinner tonight! 

Release Date Delayed

I have sad news.

I had really wanted to show up today blaring trumpets and screaming “I have a new release! I have a new release!”, but unfortunately, I can’t.

My PNR wolf shifter book that was scheduled to release today, had to be postponed. So instead, I’m here to take a brief break before I go back to frantically trying to finish it so the proofer can get through it before it’s due to Amazon in less than a month.

If you think fated mates wolf shifters are for you, you can pick up the first one in the series, Drew (for free) here, and you can preorder Callum, which will be out next month (if all goes well) here.

Bookstagram Reviewer’s Choice Award: Romance Edition

I come with some news though. I’m starting up a Bookstagram Reviewer’s Choice Award.

What is that?

Well, right now I’m recruiting active bookstagrammers who love to read and review romance books! In March, I’ll be opening up the entry form for romance authors to enter their book (so long as it’s published between May 2023-April 2024).

This is an excellent opportunity for both Bookstagrammers and romance authors to connect with each other and to reach new romance readers.

There will be prizes for the top scoring entries in each category.

Judges will be receiving the books they judge for free.

Follow me on Instagram and follow the contest at our new Instagram account.

If you’d like more information, you can read about it here.

And if you’re a Bookstagrammer and you think you’d like to be a judge, you can sign up here.

How about a quick, unedited excerpt from Callum?

A few more hours and she could supervise the cleanup. Tonight, she’d sneak away to the tree fort for some quiet reading time, and if she was lucky, she’d miss seeing her father tonight.

As she thought through her plans, she straightened a tray on the table, and that’s when it hit her.

Or—more correctly—hit her nostrils.

The spicy, sweet scent from the other night, the one she’d thought was a cologne.

It was stronger now and immediately she realized what it was. Her mate.

For a second, she closed her eyes and just breathed in the intoxicating scent.

The noise of the crowd faded to a dull buzz. Across from her, someone shifted, and she just knew.

Looking up, there he was, the blond man, Elliot’s cousin, staring at her.

Her mouth watered as his scent flooded her senses. He was beautiful. His blond hair was darker at the roots and lighter at the tips, styled with a forelock that twisted and dipped across his forehead. A slight beard scruff covered the dimple in his chin.

He was stunning, and…related to Elliot.

Her father would never approve. Fated mate or not.

If he knew.

Her mate swallowed, his Adam’s apple bobbing with the motion. “It’s you.”

Quickly, she glanced around before hushing him. “Don’t talk to me. Not here.”

With that, she turned on her heel and fled, her mind whirling with each step.

New plan.

Seduce her mate and convince him to imprint on her before her father found out.

Belated Valentine’s Day Gift!

Happy Valentine’s Day (Yeah, I know, it’s a couple days late)!
Sign up for my newsletter and receive a free copy of Arrested Valentine!

What do you do when you find out your ex-boyfriend was cheating? You spend Valentine’s with your bestie and a bottle of Vodka. Maybe she suggests you slash the cheater’s tires. Maybe you get arrested by the sexiest cop you’ve ever seen.

A day dedicated to love. How bad could it be?

UPDATE: The winners are…Bridget and Ellen Wulf!
*~*~*

Tonight, I’ll be leading a Gelli plate class for my local art guild. It’s going to be some messy fun! We’ll create papers we can repurpose to make many cool things. I’ll show them the gift tags I made from papers I painted.

We’re all creative people—creative in many different and beautiful ways. I’d love a chance to showcase what you do!

So, my challenge to you is to send me a picture of something you made. It could be a piece of art, an apron you sewed, a lovely dish you cooked for your family—the possibilities are endless!

Send me a picture of what you’ve made, and I’ll post a blog next week highlighting your “art.” Send the picture to me no later than this coming Sunday for me to post next week! Then I’ll choose a winner at random to receive something I made: a bookmark, a postcard, a couple of these tags, perhaps? Your choice! Send your pictures to me at delilah@delilahdevlin.com then comment below to tell me what you’re going to share, because I’d love everyone to read your comments! In fact, I’ll choose a winner from among the commenters to receive their choice of a download of one of my books, so there’s a second prize to be won!

UPDATE: The winner is…Beckie!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah, and thank you for inviting me here today!  Another month…another anthology!  I have to admit, this one had me stumped. I was terrible at real-life dating. I couldn’t fathom fake dating.  Of course, I knew I was going to write a gay romance for this anthology, but that was as far as I got.  I did what I do a lot these days – I turned to my good author friend who is also a plot whisperer.  I whispered gay romance, fake dating, and 15k into her ear.  And, like magic, she came up with something.  Now, we worked on this plot together, but I think it’s something a little special.

We started with Horatio – the buttoned-up executive who is extremely successful – just not in the love department.  His second in command is a great executive – whose husband loves to organize company functions.  Before the Valentine’s event, she commands Horatio to ‘find a date’ so that there’s an even number at the party.  She’s aware her boss is gay, so that’s not an issue.

About this time, Horatio’s nephew – who has been living with him – announces that he’s marrying an older woman and moving in with her and her three kids.  Horatio’s stunned.  First, because he didn’t know his nephew was dating.  Second, because the woman is as old as the nephew’s mom and her eldest son is just a few years younger than the man his mom is about to marry.  Finally, a little discombobulated because, to help him out, Horatio’s nephew asks him to take in that younger son as a roommate.

Horatio loves his nephew and wants only the best for him.  He’s housed the young man through his entire education.  If taking in a stranger would help his upcoming marriage, then, of course, Horatio will do it.

Cue Dade.  Sweet, loveable Dade.  The twenty-something guy who’s trying to break into the film business.  He moves in and…Horatio’s life changes forever.  Well, we’ll start with Horatio asking Dade to accompany him to the Valentine’s Day dinner as a date.  Here’s where my readers will find plenty of cameos from characters across a number of my pennames and series because…well, frankly, because I can.

In the end, age doesn’t matter.  Because when two people are meant to be together, even the fake can become real.  I think plot whisperer and I got this one right.  Even my editor remarked on how much the story stuck with her.

So I’ve joined together with a pile of other authors to offer this great anthology at a low price.  It’s also on Kindle Unlimited and only available for a short time.

Thanks, Delilah, for hosting me.  I would love to give one of your commenters a $5 Amazon gift card.  Have you ever been on a fake date?  Or known someone who has?  I attended prom with a friend as his date.  Kind of awkward when he asked me if I’d let him kiss me – I was dating someone else at the time.  The guy I was with turned out to be a weasel and I often wondered what would have happened if the date had been real…  Anyway!  Make a comment and random number generator might pick you!

Fake It ‘Til We Make It

Want to make your ex jealous? Do you have to attend an event? Need to stop your family matchmaking? Whatever the reason, a fake relationship may be for you! But what happens when what started out as fake starts feeling way too real? You were faking it, but is it time to make it real?

Find out in this spicy collection containing exciting stories from USA Today best-selling and award-winning romance authors curated by The New Romance Café. Faking it has never felt so real.

Authors:
DL Gallie
Chelle Pimblott
Kathleen Ryder
Annee Jones
Keighley Bradford
Harper Michaels
Tracy Brody
Lily Kindall
CM Peters
Ebony Snow
Jo Bradley
Jamie Sands
Serafina Jax
Sofia Aves
K McEvern Lestrade
Gabbi Grey
Denise T Ford

The anthology will only be available for a limited time.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/TNRC2024FakeItTilWeMakeIt
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0C3M6HBFH
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/141388348-fake-it-til-we-make-it

About “Acting the Part” by Gabbi Grey inside Fake It ‘Til We Make It…

Horatio

My persuasive nephew convinces me to let his friend, Dade, move into my condo. Somehow I end up telling my coworkers that the young man’s my boyfriend, and I invite him to the Valentine’s Charity dinner. It’s all supposed to be a fake, but he’s not like anyone I’ve ever met, and the more time we spend together, the less I want this charade to end.

Dade

I’m busting my butt trying to land an acting gig, and my buddy offers me a room in his uncle’s luxurious condo. All I have to do is keep the old guy company. Only, the guy’s not that old. I’m happy to pretend to be his boyfriend for one event, but with every passing hour, I’m less and less eager to pull the plug on this act. Can we take fake to real, or will the magic end when the night’s over?

This is a 15k fake relationship, gay romance novella with a successful entrepreneur, an out-of-work actor, and a night to remember.

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.

It’s heeerre!

If you’ve enjoyed my bounty hunters so far, you’ll love Malcolm and Darleen’s story! This is a transition book as well. There are hints aplenty of where the hunters are going next and who’s going to be front and center in the next series. So, if you’re eager to start the new series, you’ll need to read this one! I’m excited for you and me. There are many more adventures to come.

For now, Malcolm is available at Amazon in both eBook and print. If you have Kindle Unlimited, you can get the book for FREE! Happy reading! ~DD

Malcolm

MONTANA BOUNTY HUNTERS: DEAD HORSE, MT
Authentic Men… Real Adventures…

Two fiercely independent bounty hunters must fight their attraction while learning to trust each other as they work together to bring in a dangerous skip.

Former SEAL Malcolm Winslow was looking for a change. He’s been bounty hunting on his own since leaving the teams and has missed the camaraderie of fellow warriors, so he accepts a job with the Montana Bounty Hunters. His first hunt takes a turn when the MBH team discovers that another lone hunter has found their target first. Not wanting to infringe, they stand by just in case their competition needs help.

Darleen Crockett has things well in hand. Sure, she’s alone, without a weapon (because where would she hide it in her skimpy outfit?), and the skip she’s determined to take down is one mean MF, but Darleen likes to ride that dangerous edge between victory and disaster. She’s an admitted adrenaline junkie.

When her skip attacks, she has things well in hand but is suddenly rescued by a rugged, tattooed man who makes her heart pitter-patter. What’s up with that? She’s quickly recruited by Malcolm’s agency and finds herself on the biggest hunt of her career. Denying her attraction to her temporary new partner isn’t possible when they spend so many hours alone, but what she doesn’t expect is finding something more with the equally footloose and independent Malcolm. Things get thorny between them when Malcolm can’t seem to get past the fact she’s a woman to trust that she can handle herself.

When the agency prepares to track an old adversary preparing to flee justice, Malcolm and Darleen are quickly folded into the team heading to Lander, Wyoming, to find their dangerous skip.

Order your eBook now!
Also available in print!
Read an excerpt!

 

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

Tonight, just after midnight, my latest Dead Horse, Montana, story releases! I can’t believe I’ve reached story #10! I’m thinking about what I want to do next, and yes, there will be a new group, along with some familiar faces who will be there initially to help set up the West Yellowstone office, and then off I’ll go again. Yellowstone will be my third bounty hunter series.

Just as a reminder of what you may have missed in this series, here’s the list…

Every MBH: Dead Horse, MT

Book #1
A former SEAL and MMA fighter, and now newly minted bounty hunter, has to hunt down his first skip…his ex-wife!
Read more about Cage!
***

Book #2
An ex-Delta Force soldier, now Montana Bounty Hunter, finds himself slipping naturally into protector-mode when a small-town dessert chef is threatened by mysterious attacks.
Read more about Preacher!
***

Book #3
This former SEAL thought BUD/S training was the challenge of a lifetime until he faced his biggest challenge, teaching a woman who’d never learned trust to trust in them…
Read more about Hardman!
***

Book #4
The happily single owner of the only liquor store in Dead Horse, MT needs the biggest, baddest man around, and a certain former Green Beret seems made to order…
Read more about Chase!
***

Book #5
A lonely, bounty-hunting cowboy looking for one last great adventure may have found it in a girl with serious curves…
Read more about Cowboy!
***

Book #6
An ex-SEAL sniper, who has spent his life experiencing everything from a distance, finds his self-imposed solitude challenged by the one woman in the world who might have been made just for him.
Read more about Eli!
***

Book #7
An ex-Special Forces bounty hunter has to find a way to repair his friendship with the agency’s prickly tech guru while not falling in love with her…
Read more about Gabriel!
***

Book #8
An ex-Special Forces bounty hunter, who likes working alone, accepts the challenge of teaching a feisty young woman how to hunt…
Read more about Mica!
***

Book #9
The games begin when a bounty hunter, who likes working alone, clashes with a cable TV showrunner who’s determined to make him a part of her show…
Read more about Jackson!
***

Book #10
Two fiercely independent bounty hunters, newly hired by the Montana Bounty Hunters, must learn to trust each other’s abilities as they work together to bring in a dangerous skip.
Read more about Malcolm!

Contest

For a chance to win your choice of one of the stories listed above, let me know whether you’d like to see one more MBH: Dead Horse, MT, story. If so, should it be a Christmas story, including all our hunters? Or should it be an entirely new hunter’s story?

Last week…

• I finished writing, formatted, and uploaded Malcolm to KDP! Yippee! Can’t wait for you to read it!
• I worked on two editing projects for two other authors. I’m not nearly done with either!
• I only read a handful of the stories submitted for my next anthology, Secret Identities.

This next week looks insane for work and play!

• Malcolm releases on Tuesday! I have to promo it—ads, blog, newsletter. That’s all work you don’t see!
• I must write the opening chapters of my next book, What Happens in Bozeman…  
• I need to complete two editing jobs!
• I’d like to read another five to ten stories for my next anthology, Secret Identities.

That’s enough, right? Ha! I also have Art Guild responsibilities, like getting the word out about our membership drive, the drop-off for a special exhibit we’re sponsoring at the center, and I have a class to teach on working with Gelli plates on Thursday! So, yes, I have a crazy-busy week ahead of me.

Open Contests

1. Happy Groundhog Day! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Tell me what’s happening here… — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. My Perfect Day (Contest) — Win a FREE book!
4. Word Search: Random Malcolm Things & an Excerpt! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Send a Card to a Friend Day! (Contest) — Last day to enter! Win a hand painted card!
6. Flashback: Bad Moon Rising (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
7. Coming Next Tuesday — Pre-order Malcolm Now! (Contest & Excerpt) — Win an Amazon gift card!
8. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Getting ready for Valentine’s Day! — Win an Amazon gift card!