There is something so sexy about a man with silver in his hair… Look, I’m not saying that only silvers are sexy! But I wasn’t fanning myself over Taylor Kinney until he got some silver in his hair… Same for George Clooney… I watched him on ER and shrugged, but add some grey? Hello, George!

So, it might not be surprising that I’m enjoying writing about Silver Foxes in my romances.

First, it was Trace in Justice for Miranda and now Fire Chief Ethan Blaise in Shelter for Viviana. There’s something amazing about a man with some maturity and the drive he has because of it… like a force of nature!

Link for Justice for Miranda:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07RZQM21M/
Link for Shelter for Viviana:  https://www.amazon.com/Shelter-Viviana-Police-Fire-Operation-ebook/dp/B07Z5LSL1G/

I want to thank everyone for reading Delilah’s blog and this post. I hope you’ll take a chance on one of my Silver Foxes… or both of them! 🙂

Contest

But I’m also a giver and a lover of readers! So… tell me… Who are your favorite Silvers??? For every 5 entries/replies, I’ll give away an ebook copy of the winners choice from my Amazon.com single titles!!

Shelter for Viviana

When Ethan Blaise became Fire Chief at Station Seven, he set aside any ideas of having a relationship outside of work, let alone marrying and starting a family. He had one at the station house. While attending the wedding of one of his own firefighters, he finds himself inexplicably drawn to the woman catering the event. Warm and giving, she calls to a part of his soul that has been dormant for too long.

Making and keeping a date isn’t easy when you’re on call at all hours of the day for emergencies, but he’s determined to try because she’s everything he’s ever wanted and never knew to ask for. Falling for her is only too easy, having a relationship? Well, that’s hard.

Viviana Martinez has shouldered burdens alone for so many years. Raising her daughter on her own and struggling to make ends meet, she’s never stopped giving to others in honor of those who have helped her along the way. Becoming a caterer was an accomplishment supported by so many friends along the way and she’s determined to make it work. There’s no time or need for anything else, until she meets Ethan. In one amazing man, she finds a silver fox with a heart of gold.

Even with their crazy schedules keeping them apart, they find whatever time they can to see each other, building on the connection they feel.

When a part of Viviana’s past pushes back into her life, will Ethan be the rock she can lean on? Can Ethan get past her determination to conquer obstacles alone?

Don’t bet on the Chief of Station Seven to remain a bachelor for long. Not when his heart and soul have given Shelter for Viviana.

I’m writing a series about a cat café. But I don’t have cats. Huh?

I love cats. I have known cats and enjoyed them in small doses. But tragically, I am very allergic to cats, so I cannot let one keep me as a servant. (I’m getting allergy shots, so maybe that will change in the future.)

Instead, my husband and I keep ferrets. They are similar to cats in some ways. When they play, they are as rambunctious as kittens. Like adult cats, they sleep most of the time.

So I will write about a cat cafe, which gives me a chance to look at lots of pictures and videos of adorable cats and kittens, such as this slide show of 29 Cats Taking Naps In Odd Positions from Pawsome.

As far as the café side of things go, the novel mentions several delicious baked treats. The recipe for Cookie Dough Brownies (link is to my blog) is included at the back of Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café. I add a from-scratch brownie recipe there, but here’s the quicker version, just in time for holiday parties and cookie exchanges!

What’s your favorite pet? What’s your favorite sweet treat? Please share!

Coffee and Crushes at the Cat Café: A Furrever Friends Sweet Romance

What do you do when you meet the guy of your dreams? Set him up with your sister, of course.

Kari doesn’t have time for love when she’s opening her new cat café. Renovating an old restaurant, hiring employees, fighting with the health inspector – oh, and welcoming 16 shelter cats – keeps her plenty busy. She’s doing this for the cats, the community, and most of all her family. The café will give her sister, Marley, a job worthy of her baking skills.

Then a tattooed military vet wanders in claiming to be a master baker himself. The café doesn’t need another baker, but maybe Marley needs a man. Surely she’ll fall for a guy this sweet, this sexy, this tasty.

Colin has other ideas. It’s Kari who makes him want to pour on the sugar and turn up the heat. But he’s spent the last two years recovering from physical and psychological wounds. Is he really ready for a relationship? He’s not even sure he should commit to Samson, the fluffy marshmallow of a cat who steals his heart.

Get this sweet romance on Amazon, or free with Kindle Unlimited.

Here’s a short excerpt when Kari meets Colin:

He leaned back in his chair and studied the large, framed poster of kittens on the side wall. “Who wouldn’t like cats? As for coffee, I’m not a connoisseur, but I like a good cup, and I can learn all the fancy stuff.” His gaze returned to her. “I started cooking mainly to feed myself. I was getting flabby from too much fast food.”

He didn’t look flabby now.

A smile softened his lips. “Turns out cooking is fun. Focusing on the colors, the smells, the tastes. That helps keep me in the moment better than meditation. Eventually I got into baking.”

Kari sat up straighter. “You bake?” They already had a baker: her sister. But Marley couldn’t work seven days a week. Plus, this would give Marley and Colin something to talk about. Something to do together. Marley’s son was nine. He was old enough to handle his mother dating, and Marley needed more fun in her life.

Colin liked cats. He did yoga, baked, and knitted. He was open about his need for counseling. Lots of checks on the nice guy list.

Colin leaned forward and said in a seductive voice, “You should try my salted caramel blondies.”

About the Author

Kris Bock writes novels of romance, mystery, and suspense. Her Furrever Friends Sweet Romance series features the employees and customers at a cat café. Watch as they fall in love with each other and shelter cats.

Kris also writes romantic suspense set in the Southwestern U.S. If you love Mary Stewart or Barbara Michaels, try Kris Bock’s stories of treasure hunting, archaeology, and intrigue in the Southwest. Read excerpts at www.krisbock.com or visit her Amazon page. Sign up for the Kris Bock newsletter for announcements of new books, sales, and more.

I have been writing for a few years now, and until recently, I’ve never written a series. I’ve read plenty of them, so I thought, How hard can it be?

Come to think of it, that’s the exact same thought I had that got me involved in writing to begin with! Maybe I should have given it more consideration since writing turned out to be harder in many respects than I’d imagined.

This series—the Good Man series—didn’t start as a series at all. It started as a duo book, shared between the fabulous Vanessa Hart and me. She took a character and I took one and we handed off the story line, chapter by chapter. Eventually, we had to give up the project—Nessie had other commitments and so did I. Last year, she gave me permission to use the characters in this new series about the Goodman brothers, a set of identical triplets.

The character I had, Daniel Goodman, I developed into Book 1 of the Good Man series, Only a Good Man Will Do. I loved Daniel and his priggish, schoolteacher ways. I had taught in a boys’ residential school so I had Daniel do the same. I loved teaching boys, so I tried to make the kids Daniel taught, as well as those in his dormitory, a realistic (and endearing) part of his story. I hope I succeeded in that!

The second book is Jonah’s story, and this was Nessie’s character. One Woman Only is based loosely on Nessie’s Jonah, but I changed both him and his circumstances quite a bit, though he is still a mechanic and works with NASCAR teams. I really like Jonah. He has a good sense of humor and takes things in stride. Despite his success, he’s still the guy who really just wants to be a good mechanic—he has no airs. And he loves the woman he’s been dreaming about since high school. As a woman who married her own high school sweetheart, he’s a man after my own heart.

But between Daniel and Jonah, I ran into trouble writing the series. Jonah figures prominently in the first chapter of Daniel’s story. He said things and did things that I had to keep going back to look up when I wrote One Woman Only, since the books were written a good year apart. I didn’t anticipate this, so I didn’t keep notes as I should have. Also, in Daniel’s final chapter, Jonah came back into play. I forgot this when I started writing Jonah’s story. When you’re used to writing standalone books, what happened in a previous book has no bearing on what happens in the current book. Not so with a series!

But my biggest problem in the two books is that I added the first chapter from Jonah’s book at the end of Daniel’s. It fit nicely at the end of Daniel’s book because whoever read it there had just read the opening book in the series—events and characters made sense. But, when read at the beginning of Jonah’s book…not so much. I had to make lots of changes in order for One Woman Only to be a true standalone book, able to be read and appreciated without reading the first book.

I learned my lesson! Book 3, which I’m starting now, should avoid those issues. It’s the story of the third Goodman triplet, Mark. His book With Only the Heart, takes place in one of my favorite cities, Richmond, Virginia. I hope to have it out by the end of the year. And then, I have another series in mind (oh, no!). LOL!

One Woman Only is newly released! It saw the light of Amazon day on November 4. It’s available on Kindle Unlimited.

One Woman Only

As one of a set of triplets, Jonah always felt the need to make his individuality known. So where his brother Daniel was serious and completely focused, Jonah shunned commitment. Where his genius brother Mark was hailed in the scientific world, Jonah hid beneath a car tinkering. Thing is, being different wasn’t all it was cracked up to be. It took a woman to make him see that focused and recognized in his field could turn a “good man” into a better man.

Excerpt:

“May I have this dance?”

Kelly turned at the sound of Jonah’s voice behind her. Dinner had ended. All three of the boys had given best man speeches and Eve had even given a very creditable matron of honor speech, considering she had only known Marilyn and Caleb a short time. Lots of toasts had been raised and finally the live band had struck up the music. Caleb led his bride onto the floor for a foxtrot—a dance more than half of the guests had no idea how to do, including her.

Facing Jonah she sighed inwardly at how scrumptious he looked. Sure, his face was pretty much displayed on his brothers’ heads, too, but there was something different about Jonah. His nose was just a little crooked from when Bobby Hendricks had broken it in ninth grade and his eyes held an especially bright sparkle in his eyes when he smiled. Maybe… Well, she didn’t know what caused the difference between Jonah and his brothers. Whatever it was, she had never been fooled by the so-called identical nature of the identical triplets. She’d wanted to be his girl since elementary school. Thought she would be in high school. And then forced every last thought of him from her mind from senior year on.

Until now.

“I don’t know how to foxtrot.”

He shrugged. “Who does except those over fifty?” He glanced at his folks, still alone on the dancefloor, although a few couples were wandering out to join them now. “We can pretend.”

She mentally compared standing on the sidelines alone now that Mama Rio left the party, or being held in Jonah’s arms. Smiling, Kelly held out her hands. “Just don’t step on my toes, Jonah Goodman, or there’ll be hell to pay.”

“Yes, ma’am.” Together they walked onto the dancefloor. He took her right hand in his left and placed his right hand on her waist. Fortunately for them, the music changed to a slow tempo. Kelly laid her head on Jonah’s shoulder, and he tugged her closer as they swayed to the music.

“This is nice,” he murmured.

“Yes it is,” she replied. So very nice. He smelled good. Beneath the light citrus fragrance of his aftershave was a slight whiff of pure man with maybe a twinge of motor oil or something so Jonah it brought tears to her eyes.

He rubbed a path up to her shoulder blades and gave a squeeze. “You fit me perfectly, Kelly.”

“I do?”

“You sure do. I think our hearts can feel each other beat.”

Kelly chuckled. “Smooth talker. Face to face like this our hearts are on opposite sides.”

“Hey! I’m trying to be romantic here.”

She sighed. “Keep on. It’s appreciated.”

“You smell…good.”

She felt his smile. Raising her head she gave him a mock glare. “Watch it with those pregnant pauses, buster.”

He used his hand to press her head back to his shoulder. “You do smell good, though. This isn’t the same perfume you wore in high school. That was—”

“Lilac,” they said at the same time. Once more she raised her head to look at him. “How did you remember that?”

“I remember much more than you might think.” He turned her and moved her closer to the door onto the patio. “Each spring when lilacs are in bloom memories come flooding back. Does that surprise you?”

“More like shocks me,” she said, grinning. And then she laid her head on his shoulder once more, finding she liked it more and more there in his arms. She stepped slightly closer and his arm tightened about her.

“Well, after a while I thought lilac seemed too girlish. I like the vintage scents, so in college I wore Wind Song. Then Shalimar was the scent Brad liked me to wear.” She felt Jonah stiffen when she mentioned her ex, and really she didn’t blame him. “But when I grew up enough finally to take charge of my own life, I started wearing Chanel No 5. A complex fragrance for what I hope is a complex woman.”

“It suits you. Complex and beautiful.” He kissed her temple. “Want to step outside for a minute?”

“Sure. It is a little warm in here.”

On the patio, they could hear the sounds of the people from the television networks packing up equipment, chatting and laughing. Stars shone brightly in the clear night sky. Wood smoke from someone’s fireplace wafted through the air and static electricity fairly crackled in the crispness of the autumn air.

“This is my favorite time of year,” Kelly said. “The heat of summer is gone and winter nights curled up with a hot drink and blazing fire are ahead.”

“Not me. I’m a summer boy all the way.”

“A hothead you mean?” she teased.

“Oh, I’m hot all right.” He waggled his brows at her. Kelly laughed.

“I do seem to remember that about you.”

“You used to be pretty hot yourself. Still are.” He leaned in. His eyes flicked down to her lips.

Kelly sucked in a breath. She should stop him, she really should.

Buy links:
One Woman Only: https://amzn.to/33tDt4i
Only a Good Man Will Do: KU https://amzn.to/2q7ovi4

About the Author

A few years ago, Dee S. Knight began writing, making getting up in the morning fun. During the day, her characters killed people, fell in love, became drunk with power, or sober with responsibility. And they had sex, lots of sex. Writing was so much fun Dee decided to keep at it. That’s how she spends her days. Her nights? Well, she’s lucky that her dream man, childhood sweetheart, and long-time hubby are all the same guy, and nights are their secret. For romance ranging from sweet to historical, contemporary to paranormal and more join Dee on Nomad Authors. Contact Dee at dsknight@deesknight.com.

Author links:
Website: https://nomadauthors.com
Blog: https://nomadauthors.com/blog
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DeeSKnight
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/DeeSKnight2018
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/265222.Dee_S_Knight
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/-/e/B079BGZNDN
Newsletter: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/h8t2y6
LinkedIn: https://linkedin.com/in/dee-s-knight-0500749

Although it has been decades since I left India, cricket still has a place in my heart. So baseball was a natural transition. I did court football once (the one they play in Europe) but I love baseball. Hence, my hero, Rafael Henley, is a ball player. He had to be a pitcher because the body mechanics involved fascinates me. Karma Deepika Huntington is an independent woman and my books all feature strong female characters.

Invariably, a lot of food is featured in my books. People are always getting together and making a meal. It is such a basic need and necessity. Rafael Henley has everything he has ever wanted. Except for that one thing. He thought he had it but lost it. Karma is not his type at all, fiercely independent and self-sufficient. Opposites do attract, they just have to have the right environment to blossom. My protagonists wear many hats. Just to name a few, Rafael is a father, a baseball pitcher, a chef and an avid reader; Karma is a sports writer, a foodie who likes to make pizza from scratch, a loving daughter and a writer.

I’d just finished another book set in Bollywood and New York and wanted a change, so I set Karma’s Slow Burn in an undefined city on the shores of a lake. There is a river, the St. Lawrence, which is less conspicuous. I see Lake Ontario every day and every day I’m struck by how big it is. How it seems to reflect my moods. Like today, on this mild autumn Halloween day, the sun has decorated it with golden sprinkles, lifting my almost blue mood to a bright red.

Karma’s Slow Burn

Karma’s Slow Burn, promo price of $1.99 on pre-order
until date of release on 1 Feb 2020.
Buy Links:
www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07ZJSZD5X
https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/957769

Sportswriter Karma Huntington is going to hit Rafael Henley, star pitcher for the Sliders, hard to avenge her husband’s death. Rafael cannot ignore the chemistry between them and decides a one-night stand is in order. Karma agrees. Just to get that itch off. But once they get into each other’s pants, things get complicated. Revenge and guilt take a back seat with sizzling chemistry in control. Rafael likes willowy blondes and women who don’t look to him as their protector. Yet here is, lusting after the complete opposite: petite, raven-haired, Karma with a rose tat running up her neck. Can Rafael overcome the dark secret he hides and give in to what his heart wants? Will Karma finally admit she needs Rafael?

Excerpt Karma’s Slow Burn

When she finished the article, Karma called an Uber, packed her stuff and left the bar to wait for her ride. It was a dark evening, thick and heavy clouds hanging from the sky. Karma could sense a thunderstorm coming. The air was moist, filled with an earthy fragrance. She took a deep sniff. She half-turned when she heard gravel crunching behind her. A hairy arm snaked around her shoulders. Fumes of alcohol hit her nose. Coarse hair rubbed against her cheeks. He was huge. Her back rubbed against his soft belly. God! She hadn’t thought of him at all! Was this the way her beautiful evening was going to end? No fucking way!

Karma let her bag slide from her shoulder and her body went slack. With her head hung forward, she bent her elbows and jackknifed them into the softest part of his belly with all her might. It got a grunt from him and loosened his arm around her shoulder. She flipped around to face him, lifted her knee and jabbed it into his groin while slamming her ringed fingers on his nose.

With a groan, he dropped like a stone even as her legs gave way under her and she flopped to the ground, sharp pricks from the gravel biting into the heel of her palms. She didn’t feel the stones tear through the skin or the burning pain in her knuckles.

“I see you don’t need my help.” From far away, Rafael Henley’s voice drifted toward her in the night.
In the glow of the streetlamp, she saw him pick up her bag and walk toward her, the sound of his soles soft on the gravel. He set her bag on the ground beside her.

“You okay, Karma?” The concern in his voice brought tears to her eyes.

Dammit!

Words refused to pass her lips. He came closer and bent down to her level. He took one of her hands in his. She winced and he frowned. Reaching forward, he put his arms came around her and lifted her to her feet. She stumbled against him then stilled as he brought her to his chest.

“You’re safe now, Karma. You made sure of that.”

She leaned her head on his chest, her hair screening her face and her hands trembling. Her blood pounded so hard in her ears and chest, she swayed on unsteady legs. His arms tightened around her. She wanted to say something but her lips were still locked. All she could do was fold her body into the comfort of his embrace and breathe in his clean smell, trying to erase all memory of the stink of the other man.

He was a solid wall against her wobbly legs. Her shaking body had him bend down and hook an arm around her knees. Not a word of protest crossed her lips. He carried her to his SUV and opened the door. He settled her in the seat, buckling her in.

“Wait, no. Have an Uber.” She managed to croak the words out.

“What kind of car?”

“White Camry.”

“I see him coming around the corner. I’ll let him know you don’t need the ride. I’ll take you home.”

Karma did not utter a peep of protest. For once, she let someone decide for her. When he got in the driver’s seat, he paused.

“Let me see your hands.” He switched the interior lights on. She refused to comply. He leaned over, grabbed them and turned them over. She sucked in a breath. “A few scratches and some bruising on the knuckles. Rewards of a warrior.” He nudged her chin up with a finger and looked into her eyes. She slapped his finger away. “And we’re back.”

She hated to show him her vulnerable side. She did not need a knight in shining armor. But she had needed his embrace. And that was it. Nothing more.

Fireflies in the Night

Literary Fiction, winner of the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Award; Best Books of 2016 by Kirkus Reviews; Starred Kirkus Review; Finalist Foreword Reviews Indie Fiction Award. A historical, coming-of-age novel.

Buy Link:
https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B01HZS28CW

About the Author

Nalini Warriar dreamed of being a writer then forgot the dream for a bit as she went on to garner a Ph.D in Molecular Biology. While in her lab, the dream came back and hit her on the head and she’s never looked back writing through her years as a scientist. After more than a decade in cancer research, Nalini returned to the creative part of her soul and now devotes her time to dreaming up the perfect alpha male and feisty woman to appear in her books. Her novel, Fireflies in the Night, was a Foreword Reviews Fab Award finalist and won the Next Generation Indie Book Award in 2017. Kirkus Reviews awarded Fireflies in the Night a starred review and named it Best Books of 2016. Karma’s Slow Burn, a contemporary romance will be released in February 2020. She’s working on her next romance, a Crenshaw Brothers book, to be released in 2020. She lives in Ontario, Canada.

Author Links:
www.facebook.com/authornaliniwarriar
www.amazon.com/author/naliniwarriar
Twitter: @nwarriar

UPDATE: The winner is…Tamara Kasyan!
*~*~*

Check out my newest release, Blind Trust, part of Elle James Brotherhood Protectors World.

Blind Trust is the third book in my world within Elle’s world, with books set at the Triple C, or Three C’s ranch. These books are near and dear to my heart because I take on the subject of domestic abusive, moving each heroine from victim, to survivor, to thriver, giving the heroine a Brotherhood Protector and a happy ever after.

There’s always a bit of danger in the middle. (Which you will find in almost all of my stories. Suspense, danger, and a fight scene. This is true no matter what romance genre I’m writing in.)

Now about the Triple C’s ranch, how was it born?

If I could wave a magic wand and create a world where domestic abuse did not exist, I would do it in a heartbeat. Since I don’t have a magic wand, I created the Triple C, or Three C’s as it is affectionately known. On this ranch in Montana, in Brotherhood Protectors country, women who have been attacked or abused come to learn self-defense, horseback riding, gun safety and shooting, swimming, and other skills to become stronger, and more empowered.

If you’ve been following along, reading the other books, you may have guessed from the cover that Blind Trust is the story of Cecelia, the receptionist at the Triple C. It took me a little longer to write this one than I had planned, as I learned it wasn’t quite so easy writing from a blind heroine’s point of view. I had to back up a bit, do more research and then rewrite many scenes.

The books, in order, are:
Defensive Instructor
Marine Protector
Blind Trust

They do not have to be read in order, though they are all connected, and there will be more stories to come, set at the Triple C. In fact, I am working on a Christmas story this week that is set at the ranch. I haven’t picked a title yet, but it will come to me before the first draft is done.

Leave a comment for a chance to win a signed copy of either Defensive Instructor or Marine Protector.
Have you read any of the books set at the Triple C Ranch yet?

Blind Trust

Blinded by a bad date, Cecelia lives and works on a ranch that helps victims of domestic abuse. All she wants is to stay on the ranch, a place where she can find her way around in her perpetual darkness. She has no intention of dating again, especially not Marine Force Recon veteran, Brian “Barbie” Ken, even if his voice is so sexy it makes her knees weak.

Assigned to protect the patrons and workers at the ranch, Brian is fascinated by everything about Cecelia and has made it his life’s mission to take her out on a date. She might be the biggest challenge of his life. Convincing her to leave the ranch will take more than smooth talking after an ill-fated date robbed her of her eyesight. It will take Blind Trust on her part to go out again.

When her cousin ends up in the hospital in San Diego, Cecelia is desperate to visit. Brian offers to drive her. Cecelia agrees to go, taking a leap of faith to leave her familiar surroundings. When a sex trafficker kidnaps Cecelia from the hospital, Brian crosses the border into Mexico to rescue her and bring her home.

Buy Link: https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B07YN8D1J5/ref=dbs_a_def_rwt_hsch_vapi_tkin_p1_i0

About Debra

Author Debra Parmley believes, “Every day we are alive is a beautiful day,” and she likes to give her readers and her story people a story with a happy ending.

A hybrid, multi-genre author, Debra’s first romance, A Desperate Journey, a gritty western historical romance, was published in 2008 in eBook and 2009 in print after being selected as one of ten novels to compete in the American Title II contest put on by Dorchester Publishing and Romantic Times Book Lovers magazine. Debra has written three western historical romances.

An Air Force veteran’s wife, Debra enjoys writing Amazon best-selling military romantic suspense. She married her high sweetheart and after living in five states, has lived for the last 20 years near Memphis, TN.

Founder of Shimmy Mob Memphis, a chapter of Shimmy Mob international, which raises funds for local domestic abuse shelters around the world, Debra is a retired belly dancer. Several of her books feature belly dancer heroines.

Debra enjoys writing historical romance and writes a 1920’s flappers romance series, each book about a different flapper. She also writes contemporary and holiday romance, a dystopian romance trilogy; paranormal romance, fairy tale romance and poetry.

She is a professional speaker and a world traveler who often brings home folk tales and music from countries she has visited.

Her five favorite things are shooting primitive archery with her Mongolian horse bow, shooting long guns, shooting pool, walking on the beach, and hearing from her readers. Each card and letter is a joyful treasure, like finding that perfect shell on the beach.

Places to find Debra and her books:
Website: www.debraparmley.com

FB personal page: https://www.facebook.com/debra.parmley.7
FB fan group Debra’s Beautiful Day Dreamers: https://www.facebook.com/groups/debraparmley/
FB fan page: https://www.facebook.com/authordebraparmley/

To Catch an Elf:
Debra Parmley’s Creepy Shelf Elf Group: Every Dec. I host a 12 days of creepy elf party and have SO much fun doing it! To be notified when the party starts, join this group, which is mostly quiet the rest of the year. https://www.facebook.com/groups/793115644206381/

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/debraparmley/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/DebraParmley
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/debraparmley/
Book Bub: https://www.bookbub.com/ebook-deals/latest
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Debra-Parmley/e/B002BM9H4A%3Fref=dbs_a_mng_rwt_scns_share
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/debraparmley

Newsletter sign up: https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/w9s9h0

YouTube: Debra’s Beautiful Day YouTube Channel (for contests, first chapter reads, and more):
https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC27hTWse4gLJxTETQw6i7xw/

I am giving away a bag of goodies and some books from Heather Graham’s Writers for New Orleans in conjunction with celebrating the release of Blind Trust! Drawing is tomorrow night so be sure to get your entry in by leaving your comments over there!

UPDATE: The winners of are EVERYONE who posted a comment!!
*~*~*

Yes, I’m posting late, but yesterday flew by. I spent time with my sister, Elle James, and my mother. We made the rounds of mom’s doctors appointments and x-rays then visited two stops on a local artists’ studio tour. Mom and I came away from that determined to make more time for meetings at the local art guild! Enjoy today’s contest and the excerpt from an exceptionally dirty story, Two Wild for Teacher!

Contest

Win your choice of one of my Lone Star Lovers stories! I’ll choose three winners! Just comment below. Tell me whether you’d love more ménage stories.

Two Wild for Teacher

Two bad boy cowboys need a little tutoring to learn how to love…

Fathers know to keep their daughters close whenever Sam Logan’s twin sons come to town. Those two hell-raisers have a bad rep in Two Mule, Texas. All of it earned. When it becomes clear his youngest sons won’t settle down without another nudge, Sam reissues his challenge. Find a wife…

There’s only been one woman who could hold their attention for more than one night, but she’s been out of reach. Their former teacher’s a little too worried about a pesky morals clause to let them close. But they’re older now and ready to prove to her that sometimes rules are meant to be broken…

Molly Pritchet thinks her path is predetermined: to always be a child’s teacher, never a mother or a wife. Until the two boys who tempted her way back when crash back into her life. Overwhelmed by yearnings she’s long suppressed, she’s swept along on a tide of forbidden desires.

Excerpt

As she adjusted her burden in her arms again, Molly Pritchet wished she’d driven. She was hot, starting to sweat, and the muscles in her arms were beginning to burn with the weight of her box of personal items she’d emptied from her desk. Earlier, traces of roses and honeysuckle scenting the warm air had drawn her from her house, enticing her to get ready to embrace the last day of school and the start of her plans for a summer of blessed solitude, free of responsibility.

That morning, she hadn’t wanted to think about anything but the pretty day, the flowers she’d purchased to set into their beds, and the small, decorative pond she wanted to install in her backyard.

Besides, walking to and from the little high school was the only real exercise she ever got.

With every passing year, she fought a little harder to keep padding from settling on her rear and upper thighs. So, she walked, getting more of a workout than she’d planned, but enjoying the sounds of lawnmowers growling, birds chirping, and children playing.

Lord, she loved the sounds of children. Not something that had changed over the eight years she’d been teaching. And it was a true joy to meet up with graduates who remembered her and stopped by to tell her about their lives, and how she’d touched them.

She might never have her own, but there were plenty of children she’d helped raise in her own limited capacity.

The sound of footsteps on the sidewalk—heavy tread, a little hollow—men’s booted heels, came from behind her, and she edged to the side to let whomever was approaching pass.

However, the steps slowed, and before she knew it, she had a man at each elbow.

Her breath caught when she recognized them. “Mason, Jason,” she said, hoping they’d take her reddening cheeks for exertion, not delight. She’d always had the most inappropriate thoughts where these two were concerned.

Some things never changed. They both looked so handsome and tall—shaggy blond hair curling beneath the brims of their straw cowboy hats, matching blue work shirts—nicely ironed—and dark Wranglers that molded to powerful thighs. The only notable difference in their appearance was their boots. Mace Logan’s boots were saddle-brown leather while Jason’s were black. She didn’t need visual clues to keep the two of them straight. Unlike most folks in Two Mule, she’d always been able to tell them apart. Mace had a lazy smile that invited a woman to linger. Jason was a tad sharper, with a keen glance that had burned right through more than one woman’s defenses, or so she’d heard.

Good Lord, she’d just checked them out, and from Mace’s slow grin and Jason’s razor gaze, they both knew it. Read the rest of this entry »

I think everyone has that one person in his or her life—be it a parent, sibling, friend, or even messy next-door neighbor—that firmly believes singleness (singledom, bachelorism, or whatever you prefer to call it) is the devil incarnate or a dreaded curse. And those people have created those super awkward moments where our married friends felt it is their God-given duty to pair off all of their single friends to any other single being—be it derelict, degenerate, hologram, or creature of the night. I mean, as long as the person breathes, the person is considered a suitable candidate. Sometimes, these friends and relatives are overt and pester you into going on the date while others are quite sneaky in their fix-ups. Sometimes, these events go well. Oftentimes—and I dare guess more time than not—they skyrocket straight south, do not pass go, and do not collect two hundred dollars. And since frequently one finds himself/herself unable to avoid these blind date situations, here are some tips on how to create a successful blind date.

1. Ignore what Nike says and don’t do it. Don’t go. Grab your most comfortable pair of pajamas, favorite snacks, and hop on your couch for a night of Netflix or Redbox instead. You will be doing yourself a favor.
2. Don’t wait until the day of the date for the first real contact. (This only works if you have advance warning and not faced with an ambushed blind date). Call, text, or email the person several days before the date to chitchat and get a feel for the person. Doing this may alleviate some awkward moments during the date. Many times, setting up a blind date involves knowing only the time and place of the meet-up. And sometimes, not even that much. For example, although I try my darndest to be on time, I find that I’m either very early or moderately late. Rarely, am I on time. Now, there is a litany of reasons for this which I will not discuss. The point is people who know me well know this about me. However, chances are, they would not pass this information along to others who do not know me as well. This can lead to bad or erroneous first impressions. Therefore, this is something that I warn people if I’m to meet them. Now some people would argue I should just call the person and inform them that I’m running late in these instances, and sometimes, I do. But if I’m driving, I may not have hands-free calling available to me.
3. If the date is a double date, be sure the couple you’re doubling with are people you want to double with. For example, some matchmakers think it’s cute or funny to spend the entire night telling embarrassing stories about one or both of the people that they have been matched up. Now, I like to convince myself that I have a petty awesome since of humor, and I most definitely can poke fun at myself. In fact, I do it better than any other person can. However, some past events or situations, I don’t find funny. For example, there was a time that an elder made what I considered quite a rude comment about me in front of a much older sibling. My sibling laughed. Being the age that I was and taught to respect elders. Therefore, I said nothing in defense. My sibling later repeated the incident to my parents who responded with a mixture of humor and approval. Externally, I appeared to roll with the flow, but in actuality, I internally imploded in a shatter of my self-esteem. It became a pivotal moment in my life, and to this day, I do not look back on the incident with a fondness. In fact, it conjures up feelings of resentment because as an adult, I’m now able to have a voice to rectify the situation. I felt powerless then, and to a certain degree, that continues to be the case. Why? Because I’m unable to address the persons who are involved as they are no longer in my life (either I’ve lost contact or deceased). As far as my sibling goes, he does not mention it, likely because it was so insignificant to him that he’s forgotten. Furthermore, I’ve moved on and do not dwell on it. That being said, there are times when something triggers the memory, and I can see my sibling mentioning sometimes like that in a trip down memory lane, not even knowing it would bother me. Now, have I ever brought it to my sibling’s attention? No, and that was my decision to let bygones be bygones. The point of this tale is when doubling be sure it is with people who have your back and not going to slash open (either on purpose or inadvertently) old wounds.
4. Co-plan the date with your blind plus-one. Be an active participant in what will happen for the night. And since I seem to be on a roll using my life as personal examples, let me toss another one out there. I’m allergic to seafood. One of the worse evenings I could have is going to a seafood restaurant. I have friends who are vegetarians who have been taken to places that only have meat option entrees. Another friend told a horror story (literally) of being taken to a horror movie festival (which she detests that genre) and having nightmares for days. Sometimes, a bad date isn’t about the person but the activity.
5. Plan to pay. This goes along with the previous tip. No one ever wants to talk about financials of dating. I will admit, I’m pretty old-fashioned in many things. However, when it comes to who pays for what, I do not think the man should automatically be expected to pay. I do believe that the person who asks the other person out should be the one to pay, but since in many instances women still wait for the man to do it, the cost would fall on him. Let me be blunt. Times are tough for a lot of people. The cost of living is high. Finances can be a struggle. People may want to go out and have a great date but simply can’t afford it. I dined out with friends for lunch and with only vegetable sides, my bill was close to twenty bucks. Putting things in perspective, if I went out three times in a week at twenty dollars plus the same for a date, that’s over a hundred dollars. Even if this was spread out over a month, a hundred dollars could be groceries or electric bills. But most dates would far exceed that. (And yes, I am cheap.) Yet, this is not the only reason I say plan to pay. Some dates skip out on the bill. So, if you go to that five-star restaurant and your date goes to the restroom but never returns, you could be stuck with paying for the steak and champagne dinner. In romcoms, this may be a cringy laughable scene. It’s not so funny when it’s your bank account that’s drained. Planning the evening allows you to have an estimation of how much cash you need available.
6. If you’re going to go, be into it. Don’t drag yourself out if you’re dog-tired and won’t be able to enjoy yourself. Even if the blind date is someone who you could be interested in, your mind may be too slow to appreciate him/her, or he/she may get vibes that you’re not into him/her. Even if you tell the person you’re tired, they may think you’re being polite in blowing them off.
7. Wear comfortable shoes and underwear. There is nothing that can sour a date faster than wearing shoes that pinch your toes or drawers that give you wedgies. It’s not going to be a fun night (unless you’re into pain).
8. If you’ve never laid eyes on each other, be sure to give unmistakable indications of how to identify each other. I knew someone who intentionally would give a slightly wrong description of self and then arrive early to scope out his date. If he didn’t like her appearance, he’d casually stroll past her and into the sunset. Personally, I view that as a crappy and cowardly thing to do and told him so. A few ways to address this issue is to share a picture.

Here’s an aside. When I was younger and dating, men would ask me why I wouldn’t send them photos. Well, because I know how some people are with making memes, sharing it with their friends for commentary, and possibly other illicit things. Okay, buckle up for a grown person ditty. So, I knew this guy who constantly badgered me for a photo (not dirty ones). Now, this was someone who knew what I looked like.

Selfies in a mirror have never been a thing. And I’m not fool enough to believe the majority of photos on Instagram haven’t been photoshopped, edited, or taken a gazillion times before posted. But this person was insistent—if not daily, then weekly. And my response was always the same: I’ll take a photo when I get ready. Finally, I was at some event, and my friends and I snapped a few photos and I sent him one. Then, it began. He claimed not to have gotten it. I resent. He claimed not to have gotten it again. This continued for a while until I gave up. I told him since he apparently couldn’t receive them, I wasn’t going to waste any more time trying. He stopped asking for a while but soon began again. I thought, well if he didn’t get the first one, I’d make another attempt. So, I sent another. He got it this time. (I later realized why.) Then, sometime later, he claimed something happened to his phone, and he lost all his photos and wanted more pictures. In the meantime, he’d complained that the lighting was too dark or the distance was too far or that it was facial shot or there were too many other people in the photo. That’s when he slipped.

He mentioned that I had resent him the “same photo—” one that he previously had claimed he didn’t receive. And then it all made sense. He was racking up photos. To me, this made him creepy and a liar. He’d stopped lying about not receiving them because he realized I would refuse to send any. Of course, busted him about the like this, and he tried to do some back-peddling until finally, he couldn’t. I pointed out that I’d never asked him to send photos of himself (although he sometimes did) and I never once claimed I didn’t get them or that they were out of focus (which they often were).

Now, I don’t know what he was doing with all those photos, and frankly, I don’t think I want to know. The moral of this story is to be cautious when texting out photos (even to people who you know) as a mean of clearly identifying each other. As I mentioned, none of the pictures I sent were remotely provocative and easily be used for a DMV photo.

1. Don’t kill the date before it happens. Keep an open mind. The person may surprise you. Even if you don’t’ find a love connection, you may find a great new friend.
2. Keep your bestie (if this isn’t the person who set you up) on standby to provide you an excuse to exit. Personally, I think this is a bit chicken. The best approach is to admit politely that you’re not enjoying yourself and would like to end the date early. And you don’t have to make up a reason as to why you’re ending the date (unless it truly is trivial and you’re being a jerk). You can inform the person that the two of you don’t seem to have enough in common or that his/her views on some matters are in conflict with yours and it’s not something that the two of you will be able to overcome.
3. Prepare a list of topics to discuss but don’t present them as a job interview. Having a list will keep the conversation going, especially if you find not to share many common interests.
4. Avoid politics, religion, and exes. This goes without saying but so many people do it anyway. It may lead to disagreement from the start. Some people will argue it is better to discuss it on the first date and get it out of the way before investing in that person. Unless these things are super important, they can wait. I have friends and coworkers that we disagree on many of these issues. We don’t discuss them, and our relationships work fine.
5. Brush your teeth before going on a date. Having bad breath is a mood killer. If there’s no time to brush because you’re going straight from work to the date, invest in breath mints.
6. Don’t get lit at the bar before your date arrives. This may be tempting, but don’t do it.
7. Keep your eyes in your head. This is likely mostly a tip for the men but women are guilty, too. Respect the person you are with for the time you are with him/her and don’t look at other men or women.
8. Leave your vicious pets at home. If you are the pet owner whose animal is likely to maul a person, do not suggest having your animals having a play date in the park as your date. This is not going to end well and could lead to a lawsuit. Keep your sanity and your money and avoid doing this.
9. Go to a sporting event. If your date turns out to be a dud, you can turn your attention to the game and not the date.
10. Carry a bottle of gas relief. Don’t get stuck having the first leg of the date eating at a place that the food disagrees with him/her (or you). The remainder of the date may not smell so good.
11. Have a backup plan if the initial date arrangements fall through. For example, if the date is to see view an outside concert but thunderstorms roll into the area, have an alternative location that the date can take place.
12. And if all else fails, get better friends and avoid family, and you won’t have to worry or experience any anxiety about blind dates at all.

And that’s all the tips I have. I hope they’ve been helpful or, at least, provided some comic relief. But I’m interested in knowing what tips you may have to make a blind date successful. Leave a comment below.

*~*~*

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Resources:

• Barnes & Noble
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• Huffington Post Queervoice
• Joe.My.God
• Romance
• Romance Writers of America
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• Towleroad