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

When I was a kid, I loved board games. Of course, we had the multi-board game packages that included chess, checkers, Chinese checkers, Yahtzee, etc. Then we had Monopoly. I personally loved Operation and Mousetrap. As an adult, I don’t have the patience for board games, but I do love a trivia game.

For a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card, tell me what games you loved as a kid and whether you still love board games. Enjoy the puzzle! It’s a picture of one of my old faves.

UPDATE: The winner is…Joy Boutwell!
*~*~*

I painted a little postcard-sized floral yesterday and thought it might be fun to present it as a puzzle. And yes, I know, tomorrow’s a regularly scheduled puzzle day, but can I post too many puzzles?

Solve the puzzle and tell me whether I should go back and figure out a doodle for the yellow blobs in the background or leave well enough alone for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

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

Mary Eliza Church was born September 23, 1863, to a family of the Memphis, Tennessee, Black elite. Her father, Robert Reed Church, one of the first African American millionaires, made his fortune in real estate. Her mother, Louisa Ayres, was entrepreneurial too, running a beauty salon. Former slaves, Mary’s parents never let society tell them what they could do. Neither did their daughter. Mary chose the four-year gentlemen’s course at Oberlin College and became one of the first African American women to earn a Bachelor of Arts in 1884 and then a Master’s degree in 1888 as did Anna Julia Cooper (whom I blogged about here on April 27, 2022) with whom she remained lifelong comrades in the struggle for women’s rights and racial justice.

After graduating from Oberlin, Mary taught at Wilberforce University for two years before moving to Washington, D.C., to teach Latin. There, she married Robert Terrell in 1891. They had five children. Becoming married forced her to leave her teaching job, but she heeded the advice of Frederick Douglass to remain active in the fight for African American equality.

She was instrumental in founding several civic clubs and national associations dedicated to uplifting the race: the Colored Women’s League (CWL) in 1892, the National Association of Colored Women (NACW) in 1896, the National Association for the Advancement of Colored People (NAACP) in 1909, the College Alumnae Club (now the National Association of University Women) in 1910, and the Delta Sigma Theta sorority in 1913-1914.

As an educator, she championed education as the way up and out of the double-yoke oppression of being African American and a woman. Through the CWL in Washington D.C., she started a training program and a kindergarten before any were started in the public school system. She continued this work by founding daycares and kindergartens through the NACW. As a journalist, she wrote articles exposing the lies of lynching, just like Ida B Wells Barnett, with whom she worked. Both women had close friends who were lynched because their businesses were successful. As a suffragist, she challenged white women to recognize the vote was not the be-all and end-all for African American women. As a boots-on-the-ground activist, she fought segregation and racism through boycotts, sit-ins, picketing, and lawsuits. In 1950, aged 87, she sued a Washington D.C. restaurant for refusing her service due to her race. The Supreme Court ruled in her favor in 1953.

Whenever the doom and gloom of today’s naysayers stink up the air, I turn aside and inhale the rich odors of the history left behind by Mary Eliza Church Terrell. Until her dying day, July 24, 1954, at age 90, she lived the motto of the NACW, “Lifting as we climb.” Here’s a PBS’ Unladylike 2020 video about Mary: https://www.pbs.org/video/she-was-civil-rights-activist-and-co-founder-naacp-q3ypkj/

For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share what you find inspiring about Mary or some woman you’ve learned about who inspires you to lift while you climb.

“Her Heavenly Phantom” by Michal Scott
Secret Identities: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology

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Forced into a marriage of convenience neither wants, a mild-mannered banker with an intriguing secret discovers his reluctant bride has a secret, too.

Excerpt from “Her Heavenly Phantom”…

“Thought your bride might accompany you tonight.”

Harold adjusted the folds of black silk attached to the brim of his hat. “Don’t be ridiculous. She knows nothing about my secret life on the stage.”

“How do you plan to keep her in the dark? Won’t she be concerned where you go at night?”

“My marriage of convenience is just that. She doesn’t want to know anything about me. I want to know as little about her.” He adjusted the fit of the face mask that covered all of his face above his nose. “What’s my itinerary?”

“You’ll have off until Easter then you head for a three-week engagement in Philadelphia then to upstate New York for another three weeks in Buffalo before returning for your farewell engagement here.” Michael shook his head. “Pity you had to marry. I will sorely miss our lucrative partnership.”

Harold scanned his dressing room table. “Speaking of missing.”

“You won’t find a letter tonight,” Michael said.

A pang throbbed in Harold’s chest. Where was the air in this damned room? “What do you mean?”

“Your lady of the balcony only just arrived at intermission. Maybe she’ll leave you one when you return.” Michael closed the calendar and stood. “I wonder why she lurks behind that Mardi Gras mask of hers.”

“The manager of The Phantom doesn’t understand that his client isn’t the only one who needs to hide his identity from the outside world?”

I’m poking my head in the door today to let you know that I’ve canceled the release of Ignition. I had hoped I’d be able to finish the final chapters and get it ready for release on October 1st, but that just wasn’t in the cards. I’m going to take that pressure off myself. For those looking forward to the release, I apologize. I’m hoping as I go through this journey that, I’ll be able and well enough to pick right up where I left off one day, but I think this entire process has been a bit of a wake-up call for me. I’ve worked hard for over twenty years. I have a backlist of books that readers can hopefully discover. I’ll continue being here, online, promoting other author-friends’ new work, and playing games, because I enjoy these things. I love the connection. I love seeing old friends pop into my comments. I’m still here, but new books won’t be coming anytime soon.

Happy reading! Love, Delilah

UPDATE: The winner is…Carol!
*~*~*

Clothing and courage have much to do with each other. ~ Sara Jeannette Duncan

I’m a quotes girl. I love affirmations and pithy sayings. I collect books of them. Every now and then, I open one to a random page, seeking inspiration. I opened one of the books to a random page today. This quote, I didn’t understand at first glance.

So, I looked up Sara JD. She was a female journalist in the late 1800s. Then she wrote popular novels that often contained bits about politics and societal norms, so maybe the quote meant something to her in her journey toward self-fulfillment as a writer and observer moving around in a more privileged set.

I read the quote and think about how my attitude toward clothing has changed for me. I had very little fashion courage as a grown woman. I dressed according to trends when in public. Being in the military for so long, wearing uniforms, took any fashion decisions away from me, and I really didn’t mind one bit. When I entered the corporate and academic worlds, I dressed according to those norms.

Not until I became an author did I dress a bit more flamboyantly—but only sparingly, mostly at conferences—because I grew used to being out of the public eye for long stints and dressed for comfort when at home.

These days, comfort is the only priority for me. At home, I wear loose, soft nightgowns. I want nothing cinching my waist where I imagine (perhaps) I can feel the cancer crowding my organs. When I go out, mostly to medical appointments, I wear the loosest shorts or joggers, usually in a size too large, so that I can pull the stretch waistband high above those organs. When I go to chemo appointments, I know I’ll be there for hours and hours, so it’s joggers and a spaghetti-strapped tank to give the medical personnel easy access to my port. I add a zip-up hoodie. And, of course, I add a pop of color—the loudest, most attention-grabbing chemo turban I have. It’s a middle finger to my cancer and to anyone who looks with pity at my bald head. I don’t need pity; I’d rather get a smile.

So, back to the quote. Does it mean something to you? Comment for a chance to win your choice of a download of any one of my books. 

I’m excited that Tempting the Black Wolf, the final book in the Lone Wolf Legacy series is now available. You’ve met the white and gray wolves in the first two books of the series—Taming the White Wolf and Protecting the Gray Wolf. Now, it’s time to meet the black wolf.

Tempting the Black Wolf
Lone Wolf Legacy, Book 3

I am an immortal predator, driven to hunt and protect the wolf packs from danger—especially rogue wolves. This destiny is my blood, my bone. My will.

There are two other lone wolves—one grey, one white—but I am the strongest. The most powerful. And we all share an enemy, who set a trap for each of us: a woman with our coloring, who will draw us into danger, and make our wolves howl with need.

But I won’t give into lust or passion.

I already know the face of the woman who is my supposed bait: a stunning and powerful mage named Onyx. We’ve been circling each other, wary, fueled by deeply intense attraction and fierce distrust.

But the enemy of my enemy is my ally…for now. It’s a brief truce, laced with raw, primal hunger.

Because when this is over—if we survive—we’ll have to go head-to-head one last time.

And I never lose.

An excerpt from Tempted by the Black Wolf…

The alarms and security cameras in the castle were no deterrent. As a mage, it was minor magic for her to disrupt them, but she hadn’t had to make the effort. They’d been down when she arrived. He’d beaten her here. She prayed he didn’t have the exact location of the journal.

Going as fast as she dared, she whipped down the hallway, staying near the walls when possible, doing her best to avoid the glow from the dim security lights. No need to make herself a bigger target than necessary.

The black wolf might kill her on sight or he might not. There was no way to determine his course of action, and she didn’t want to risk it. A battle between them would not be a quiet affair and would attract attention, something she desperately wanted to avoid.

Slamming her back against the wall, she closed her eyes and lowered her head, pulling in every vestige of her magic until there was a void, a dead space around her.

“You may as well come out.” The deep masculine voice penetrated the very cells of her body, demanding that she obey.

Digging her nails into her palms, Onyx fought the compulsion. She wasn’t ready to meet him face-to-face. Already her blood was humming and she was beginning to sweat.

“You’re stealthier than most, I’ll give you that, but I’m better.” No conceit, simply a deep understanding of who and what he was.

You can do this. There really wasn’t any other choice. If she tried to run, he’d be on her in a heartbeat like the predator he was. Taking a deep breath, she stepped into the room. The library with its floor to ceiling shelves filled with priceless and rare tomes took a backseat to the man standing in front of the stone fireplace.

At almost seven feet tall, Dagen Kern was an intimidating sight. His jet black eyes tracked her from head to toe, missing nothing. She fought the urge to shuffle her feet and instead met his assessing gaze with one of her own, conveying a sense of detachment that was a lie. His black hair fell to his shoulders in a silky curtain that tempted a woman to run her fingers through it to see if it was as soft as it appeared. A long-sleeved black shirt was snug against muscular arms and broad shoulders. Black pants and boots completed his ensemble. They were dressed almost identically. She’d added a cape for extra protection against the chilly winter air and had shoved her distinctive red and black hair under a knitted cap.

“So you’re the tool destined to bring me to my knees.” His cynical smile chilled her blood. He’d already judged her and found her wanting. It stung deeper than she’d anticipated, stabbing vulnerable and tender spots inside her. She swallowed back the sense of inadequacy, of never being good enough. This was not the time to fall back into old habits. She’d worked too damn hard for her independence. She was nobody’s victim but a strong mage in her own right.

Tilting her chin up, she gave a curt not. “You know I am.”

Want to read more? Find Tempting the Black Wolf here:
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0DDJCJJG7/
Entangled Publishing: https://www.entangledpublishing.com/books/tempting-the-black-wolf
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/tempting-the-black-wolf-n-j-walters/1146192600
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/tempting-the-black-wolf
iBooks: https://books.apple.com/us/book/tempting-the-black-wolf/id6642709646

Taming the White Wolf and Protecting the Gray Wolf are also available:
Series Link: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CTKCDR77/

About the Author

N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.

Visit her at:
Website: http://www.njwalters.com
Blog: http://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: http://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

Report Card

Last week…

1. Last week was Chemo Week, beginning with the infusions on Monday. It hit me hard midweek, lingering through Saturday. All the usual symptoms: chemo flush, muscle and joint aches, difficulty sleeping, overall weakness, etc. Very uncomfortable. However, this time, depression did not set in. I medicated as minimally as I could and waited it out, working in short spurts in the mornings before throwing in the towel to rest. I feel like I napped the week away, which is a strategy, I guess.
2. Once Upon a Legend, my Western novella, released this week! I hope you all picked up a copy!
3. I worked on edits for one author and completed them.
4. My daughter, the girls, and my SIL continue to be the best support I could ask for. They wait on me hand and foot when I need it, and encourage me to move when I need that nudge. I really am very, very lucky to have them.

This next week…

1. This week I only have to see my chemo clinic team once for a blood draw and a white blood cell booster shot. Yay!
2. I have to wrap up Ignition. It’s the fourth and last book in the Delta Fire series. I moved the release date to October 1st. I hope I’ll have the energy to create, otherwise, I’ll have to cancel the release. It’s just two, maybe three chapters, but that feels like too much right now.
3. I’m working on an editing project for one author this week.

Open Contests

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

1. Tell me a story: Sweet dreams are made of these… (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
2. Report Card, Open Contests, and a Puzzle Contest! — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
3. Gabbi Grey: The Paranormal Story I’ve Always Wanted to Tell (Contest) — This one ends soon! Win an Amazon gift card!
4. Just a quick update and a Word Puzzle! (Contest) — Win an Amazon gift card!
5. Saturday Puzzle-Contest: Are you ready for hot cocoa season? — Win an Amazon gift card!