UPDATE: The winner is…flchen!
*~*~*

October

Work-related:

1. Gunn’s Mission released on October 17th and is still going strong (see today’s ranking?)! Thanks to everyone who picked up a copy!
2. I began work on a standalone book, Little Green Dreams (follow the link to pre-order!)! Something I’ve been thinking about writing for years. (I don’t have a cover yet!)
3. I set up pre-orders for two more books, Malcolm (Book #10 of Montana Bounty Hunters: Dead Horse, MT) and What Happens in Bozeman (Book #3 of We Are Dead Horse, MT).
4. I completed 3 editing projects for other authors in October.

Health-related:

1. I have not been exercising enough. Without the pool to run to every day, I’m falling off the wagon.
2. Through medicines and some diet tweaking, I’ve managed to keep my blood pressure down to 135-155. I had one bad spike this month.

Happiness-related: 

1. I participated in the local art festival! Wind knocked down a panel full of framed art, which hit my sales hard, but it was still satisfying to see how many people appreciated my art and bought tons of bookmarks and postcards.
2. I am still working on and making more great progress organizing my art room, getting ready for the next arts and craft show in December, and then the reopening my Etsy store.
3. As for making new art, again, work has kept me too busy to do much. But I have renewed energy here at the last of the month. Right now, I’m just trying to refill my stock of the small things. Here are some examples…

November

For work-related, I plan:

1. To compile the stories in my Triplehorn Brand trilogy into an ebook and print box set for publication this month! Be looking for it!
2. To complete writing Little Green Dreams which will release in December!
3. To complete 4 editing projects in November!

For health related, I plan:

1. To not make promises about counting points for my Weight Watchers diet, because it’s that time of year and I know I’d be setting myself up for failure. However, I will try to make healthier choices—emphasizing no late night snacking!
2. To continue to reduce salt, processed food, and incorporate foods good for blood pressure (spinach, broccoli, bananas).
3. To pay attention to my daily steps, trips up and down the stairs, and to incorporate some chair exercises.
4. To do more housework because my art room isn’t finished! Cleaning is exercise, too.

For happiness-related, I plan: 

1. To work on art and ornament-making to get ready for a local arts and crafts event in December!

Contest

Comment on anything you’ve read in this post. Tell me what you’re doing to make yourself happier and healthier, or tell me what you plan to read in November…
Like I said, comment on anything for a chance to win a $5 Amazon gift card!

After a few authors mentioned their disappointment that they wouldn’t have their stories done in time, I decided to extend the deadline. So, authors, keep writing those Secret Identities stories! DD

*~*~*

SECRET IDENTITIES:  A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY
Editor: Delilah Devlin
Deadline: December 15, 2023

SECRET IDENTITIES is open to all authors.

Editor/Author Delilah Devlin is looking for stories for a romantic erotica anthology tentatively entitled SECRET IDENTITIES:  A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY.

Why write a short story for this collection? Well, it’s certainly not about making a lot of money, so why do it at all? I’ve said this before, many times, but here are my thoughts…

Writing a short story for a call for submissions is a chance to flex your writing muscle! It can be a chance to experiment with a genre you’ve never written. If you’ve never written a story in first person but don’t want to begin by writing an entire novel using it, start short! For myself, I’ve written stories in new genres or with fresh themes that ended up being so much fun to write they’ve spawned entire series.

You have a deadline! I don’t know about you, but I have trouble keeping my butt in the chair without one!

It’s a promotional opportunity! If selected, you’ll be joined by 12-15 other authors for the launch, sharing your audiences and, hopefully, picking up new readers along the way. Having your story in the collection is another chance to be “seen.”

And remember, you retain the rights to your story, so you can republish it for individual sale or give it away to attract subscribers to your newsletter. You might even decide there’s more story to tell and expand your short story into a novel.

Here’s what I’m looking for…

SECRET IDENTITIES: A BOYS BEHAVING BADLY ANTHOLOGY will include stories that satisfy the reader who craves stories about mysterious, enigmatic men. Perhaps, they’re the new next-door neighbor with a mysterious past that finds him just as he’s meeting a woman he doesn’t want to leave. Maybe he’s an alien from a far-away galaxy looking for his fated mate. Could he be a spy setting up surveillance on another suspected spy? An assassin scouting his target who discovers his handlers lied about the reasons for targeting a particular individual he’s intrigued by? Is he a werewolf living in the human world? Yes! So many ways to go.

SECRET IDENTITIES will seek stories with varied settings here on earth—present, past, or future—or on another planet or moon in this solar system or in a galaxy far, far, away.  Heroes and heroines might be more than human—supernatural creatures or even aliens and cyborgs.

I’m open to any subgenre of erotic romance you want to write. I’ll accept contemporary, historical, science fiction, or paranormal stories, and I won’t be picky about whether the stories are hetero, LGBT, ménage… Basically, you, the author, can go anywhere your imagination takes you so long as 1) the story is a romance, and 2) you have a bad boy somewhere on the pages!

The anthology will be sold at a low price—my intent is exposure for you and your writing. The more readers reached, the better! You will retain the rights to your story so that, at a later date, you can republish your stories individually.

I’m seeking hot and inventive stories from authors with unique voices, and above all, I’m looking to be seduced by tales filled with vivid imagery and passion.

Published authors with an established world may use that setting for their original short story.

This is erotic romance, so don’t hold back on the heat. Stories can be vanilla or filled with kink but don’t miss describing the romantic connection between strong-willed individuals learning to trust and love one another. A deep sensuality should linger in every word. Keep in mind that there must be a romantic element with a happy-for-now or happy-ever-after ending. Strong plots, engaging characters, and unique twists are the ultimate goal. Please, no reprints. I want original stories.

How to submit: Prepare your 2,500 to 5,500 words story in a double-spaced, Arial, 12-point, black font, Word document (.doc or .docx) OR rich text format (.rtf), with pages numbered. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (regular double spacing; do not add extra lines between paragraphs or do any other irregular spacing). U.S. grammar (double quotation marks around dialogue, etc.) is required.

In your document at the top left of the first page, include your legal name (and pseudonym, if applicable), mailing address, email address, and a 50-words or less biography, written in the third person, and send to bbbsecretidentities@gmail.com. If you are using a pseudonym, please provide your real name and pseudonym and make it clear which one you’d like to be credited as. Authors may submit up to 2 stories. I will try to respond no later than March 15, 2024, with decisions.

Payment will be USD 25.00 ninety days after publication at the end of that month.

Who is Delilah Devlin?

Delilah Devlin is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of romance and erotic romance. She has published over two hundred stories in multiple genres and lengths and has been published by Atria/Strebor, Avon, Berkley, Black Lace, Cleis Press, Ellora’s Cave, Entangled, Grand Central, Harlequin Spice, HarperCollins: Mischief, Kensington, Kindle, Montlake, Penthouse, Running Press, and Samhain Publishing.

Her short stories have appeared in multiple Cleis Press collections, including Lesbian Cowboys, Girl Crush, Fairy Tale Lust, Lesbian Lust, Passion, Lesbian Cops, Dream Lover, Carnal Machines, Best Erotic Romance (2012), Suite Encounters, Girl Fever, Girls Who Score, Duty and Desire, Best Lesbian Romance of 2013, and On Fire. For Cleis Press, she edited Girls Who Bite, She Shifters, Cowboy Lust, Smokin’ Hot Firemen, High Octane Heroes, Cowboy Heat, Hot Highlanders and Wild Warriors, and Sex Objects.

She has also edited Conquests: An Anthology of Smoldering Viking Romance, Rogues: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, Blue Collar: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, Pirates: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, Stranded: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, First Response: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, Cowboys: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology, and Silver Soldiers: A Boys Behaving Badly Anthology.

Direct any questions regarding your story or the submission process to Delilah at bbbsecretidentities@gmail.com.

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

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for inviting me to visit today!  Earlier this year, I partook in a couple of projects that were published about the same time.  My story Blue Sky Boyfriend was in the Love is All Volume 6 charity anthology.  Then I was part of the HEA Collective (Happily Ever After) and my story Fly Guy Boyfriend came out that same month.  While Blue Sky was on my radar for almost a year, Fly Guy was…last minute.  But I made certain the story didn’t read like I’d written 37k words in 10 days, even though I had.

As I was writing that novella, though, I was putting the finishing touches on Blue Sky.  I had an opportunity, I realized, to create a crossover scene within the two stories.  I’d love for readers to think everything was planned, but I’ll share with your fans that wasn’t the case.  Only as I neared the end of writing did I see the chance to tie the books together.  Because the HEA Collective was a patron-based subscription, I knew many readers wouldn’t have had access to it.  Also, not everyone buys and reads entire charity anthologies (although I say it’s a great way to meet new authors while helping out worthy causes).

Anyway, eventually the stories came back to me.  I’d already picked the premade cover (which had Blue Sky Boyfriend on the cover, so how perfect was that?) and figured I could put the stories together to create an immersive experience for my readers, giving them two great stories in one place.  I set them in the small fictional town in British Columbia I’d created and now the box set out in the world!

I would love to give a $5 Amazon gift card to one lucky commenter.  What is your favorite setting for a romance? Small-town? Big city? Cattle ranch? Mountain chalet? Hot in the sun or leaves changing color in the fall?  One random commenter will win the gift card.  Thanks for hosting me, Delilah!

The Boyfriend Duet

Love in Mission City: The Boyfriends Duet includes two novellas

Mission City is tucked in the charming Cedar Valley in southwestern British Columbia. If you love heartwarming, contemporary small-town gay romances, then come home to Mission City and fall in love with the men who live there. Romance blossoms in the unlikeliest places. And trouble has a way of finding them…

Blue Sky Boyfriend

Wyatt and Tate were high school sweethearts. After graduation, Tate left Wyatt for the big city and university while Wyatt took over his family’s farm. Fifteen years later, Tate’s come home in disgrace. Can Wyatt forgive the man who broke his heart?

This is a 24k gay romance second-chance novella with a small-town farm boy, a big-city fancy boy, and a puppy named Winnie. The novella previously appeared in Love is All Volume 6.

Fly Guy Boyfriend

When Tex is tasked with piloting the shy and nervous Davey in his helicopter, he sees an opportunity to bring the younger man out of his shell. With Tex’s friendship, Davey finds the courage to be his true self. But when things go south with his family, Davey turns to Tex. Will the budding friendship turn into more or are rough skies ahead?

This is a 37k gay instalove romance novella with a daredevil pilot, a nerd in search of the answer to the universe, and what happens when those forces collide in a single bed. If you were an HEA Collective Patreon last year, you might already own this novella.

Links:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Love-Mission-City-Boyfriends-Duet-ebook/dp/B0CJ9P69FL
Universal Book Link:  https://books2read.com/Boyfriends

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.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile:  https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey

For those who are unfamiliar with NaNoWriMo (or NaNo), it is short for National Novel Writing Month which is a nonprofit organization and an annual writing event that happens in November. From the name alone, NaNo sounds as if it is exclusively for writers. However, it’s not. But before I get into the benefits for readers, let’s take a brief look at the organization.

NaNoWriMo was created in 1999 by Chris Baty as a writing society. The purpose was to offer and provide community, encouragement, structure, and tools to assist individuals in attaining their creative voices and succeeding at fulfilling their creative (not just writing) goals.

As writing event, NaNo is a challenge to complete writing a 50,000-word novel between November 1 to November 30. However, this description is a little deceiving. NaNo allows for much flexibility, and writers set their own goals. Not every writer wants (or needs) to write 50,000 words. Goals may be set higher or lower. In fact, it may not even include writing. Some authors use NaNo as a time to edit a completed manuscript or screenplay. Others may decide to work on blurbs, back matter, and other writing details associated with novels. The point is to set a writing goal and accomplish that goal in thirty days. During the first NaNo event, twenty-one writers participated. Last year, that number was over 400,000.

So, how is NaNo a benefit for readers? For starters, it means that many of your favorite authors have their next novel or project in progress. It also means, some authors will be looking for beta readers. As a result, readers can get sneak peeks and behind-the-scenes looks at what authors are working on. Other authors may ask for story ideas or suggestions. Is there a side character in a story that you’d like to see have his/her own book? During NaNo would be a perfect time to suggest it.

Some authors use NaNo as a writing exercise in creative expression and not necessarily to complete a novel. They just want to write and expand their craft. For example, an author who usually writes epic novels may want to write a series of short stories with the background and history of established characters. Or a writer who typically writes contemporary romance may try his/her hand at a regency romance as a tester. In turn, they may offer these shorts as freebies.

Many authors document their NaNo journey on social media, giving readers a lot of extra content to enjoy. Readers will be able to see the writing process (which is different for each author) and writing struggles. It allows readers to get to know authors on a different level.

Although Camp NaNoWriMo occurs in April and July, October is generally the month writers begin kicking into gear for NaNo. This is why October is frequently referred to as Preptober. Preparing for NaNo is as different as the writing process itself. For some writers, it means gathering research. Maybe, now is the time for readers to join an author’s research squad. For other writers, outlining as prep is their journey. Yet, others may use the time to make arrangements for reserving writing locations or scheduling writing times. Readers can check in and see how writers are getting ready.

In short, NaNo is just as much for readers as it is for writers.

So, that’s a wrap on today’s topic. Now, it’s your turn to sound off. What did you think? What is your take on the subject? Do you agree or disagree? Did you find this information helpful or informative? Did you learn anything new, or did it change your opinion? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. Also, let me know if you would like me to cover more of these types of topics or dive deeper into this one. If you like this post, please click the like button and share it. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read. If you’re not following me on Creole Bayou blog, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

Future Goals

Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available.

When a college hockey player needs the help of an attractive older attorney, he gets more than he bargained for when trying to sort out the troubles in his career. Falling in love was never part of either man’s plan, especially as Corrigan’s and Sacha’s lives should never have collided. Now they’re left questioning if they’re standing in the way of the other’s future goals, or if there’s room for redirection.

Order your copy at:
Amazon: https://amzn.to/3RjPYb9
Other booksellers: https://bit.ly/3CI8d5W

Missed the first four books in my hockey romance series? No frets.

Out of the Penalty Box (book #1), where it is one minute in the box or a lifetime out, is available at https://amzn.to/2Bhnngw. It also can be ordered on iTunes, Nook, or Kobo. For more links on where to purchase or to read the blurb, please visit https://bit.ly/2i9SqpH.

Defending the Net (book #2) can be ordered at https://amzn.to/2N7fj8q or www.books2read.com/defending. Crossing the line could cost the game.

Ice Gladiators (book #3) is the third book in my Locker Room Love series. When the gloves come off, the games begin. Available at https://amzn.to/2TGFsyD or www.books2read.com/icegladiators.

Penalty Kill (book #4) retakes the ice. Get a copy at https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p or https://amzn.to/3ex0N9p and let the pucker begin.

For more of my stories, shenanigans, giveaways, and more, check out my blog, Creole Bayou, www.genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com. New posts are made on Wednesdays, and everything is raw and unscathed. Climb on in a pirogue and join me on the bayou.

If you have any questions or suggestions about this post or any others, feel free to comment below or X (formerly tweet) me at @dolynesaidso. You also can follow me on Instagram at genevivechambleeauthor or search for me on Goodreads, Amazon Authors, BookBub, Bluesky, Threads, or TikTok.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click https://genevivechambleeconnect.wordpress.com/newsletter/ and sign up today.

Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.

About the Author

Genevive Chamblee resides in the Bayou country where sweet tea and SEC football reign supreme. She is known for being witty (or so she thinks), getting lost anywhere beyond her front yard (the back is pushing it as she’s very geographically challenged), falling in love with shelter animals (and she adopts them), asking off-the-beaten-path questions that make one go “hmm,” and preparing home-cooked Creole meals that are as spicy as her writing. Genevive specializes in spinning steamy, romantic tales with humorous flair, diverse characters, and quirky views of love and human behavior. She also is not afraid to delve into darker romances as well.