I can’t believe in all these years that I’ve never created a reading journal. I also didn’t anticipate having to make so many decisions. So, for anyone interested in a reading journal, let’s get into it.

What is a reading journal, and why would a person want to create one?

Most people think of a reading journal as a tool to keep track of the books one has read. However, it can be so much more. A reading journal can also track how much time one spends reading, favorite authors, books summaries, reading challenges, insights gained and reflections, recommendations, and future books to read, book club notes, and noting reading goals.

What materials are needed to create a reading journal?

It doesn’t take much to create a basic reading journal, but it depends on the person creating it and what he/she wants to track in it. In reality, all a person needs to begin is a notebook and pen. Or if the person prefers an electronic/digital journal, he/she would need a computer/tablet and a word document program. It is the personalization that makes reading journals different.

Some people like to print a small photo of book covers to include. Others have pages that with drawn bookshelves and label in books. Some people prefer having uniform pages with set categories and/or labels (e.g., author name, genre, number of pages, date began, etc.) while other prefer to stick to writing the name of the book and a summary. Some people like having bound journals while others like spiral or disc-bound. Yet, others draw, use stickers, doodle, and create collages to decorate pages. For people who read a lot, they may select larger journals with more pages (e.g., square journal 8” x 8”, B5, or disc-bound with expander discs). Readers who tend to read few books in a year may opt for a smaller journal such as an A5 or a skinny traveler journal. Additionally, some people prefer setting up blank bullet journals to make them completely custom while others may purchase reading journals already set up. There is no right or wrong.

When I decided I wanted to do a reading journal, I had planned to purchase one from Kell of a Plan. I knew I wanted disc-bound to be able to easily remove and add pages. However, I wrestled with if I wanted the entire planner. I knew many of the sections I would not use. The other option was to purchase the refill pages and create my own, which meant needing discs, covers, and dividers. By the time I decided how I wanted it, unfortunately both the planner and the tracking pages were sold out. To date, neither has been restocked. So, I went to option B which was to purchase from Rongrong. I had the same dilemma, as I knew many of the included sections I would not use, and I wasn’t sold on all of the dashboard/cover themes. To create what I wanted was becoming expensive. I was bummed, but all wasn’t lost.

I use disc-bound planners for my work and personal life. In the fall of 2023, I had purchased a set of dividers and a notebook that were on sale. It wasn’t until I began setting up my planner lineup for 2025, that I used them…kinda. When I purchased my 2025 planners, I did some switching of covers, discs, and dividers. The short of it is I have materials that I can use to create a reading journal, although, it will not include the preprinted information sheets I want. This means I will need to create them myself.

What are some categories to include in a reading journal?

• Book log/tracker (book title, author, date began reading, date finished reading, rating, etc.)
• A rating scale (can be used for overall enjoyment, spice level, etc.)
• Book summary
• Book review
• Book of the month
• Favorite books
• Favorite authors
• Favorite quotes
• Favorite book character
• Book goal (how many books you plan/want to read)
• Book total (how many books you read in week, month, year, etc.)
• Book budget (cost of books)
• Length of time read each day
• Who recommended the book
• Number of DNFs (how many books you did not finish)
• TBR list (purchased books that you haven’t read)
• Book wishlist (books that you want to read)
• Page total (how many pages you read in day, week, month, year)
• Type of book medium (e.g., audio, e-book, paperback, hardback, etc.)
• Book genres read (e.g., historical, regency, thriller, romance, fantasy, etc.)
• Book club books
• Reading challenges
• Reading bucket list

Well, that’s all I got. Was this post helpful? Do you have a reading journal? If not, do you think you will buy or create one? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.

Demon Rodeo

If Brokeback Mountain, 8 Seconds, Poltergeist, and Supernatural had an orgy, Demon Rodeo would be the lovechild.

Demon Rodeo is available now on Amazon. For video book trailers, visit my TikTok page. The full blurb is on my Instagram and Amazon.

Demon Rodeo is the first book in the Chasing the Buckle series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance set in the rodeo world. These are not your typical cowboys. It’s a widely diverse cast of characters and a mashup of genres that aren’t always seen together. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser, this may be a book for you.

Order
⇨ Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/4174852
⇨ All Stores: https://books2read.com/u/bP8RG7

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

If you’re not following my blog, Creole Bayou, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click here and sign up today.

Want to chat about writing, mental health, Cajun cuisine, Creole culture, or just spill some tea? If yes, let’s get connected. Follow me on one of my social links. There’s plenty to choose from.

• Facebook: Genevive Chamblee
• X (formerly Twitter): @dolynesaidso
• Instagram: genevivechambleeauthor
• Goodreads: Genevive Chamblee
• Amazon Authors: Genevive Chamblee
• BookBub: Genevive Chamblee
• TikTok: CreolegurlNola
• Bluesky: Genevive Chamblee
• Threads: Author Genevive Chamblee

LOCKER ROOM LOVE

Locker Room Love Series

Are you searching for a sexy book boyfriend? You’ve come to the right place.

• Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out.
• Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game.
• Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin.
• Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin.
• Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Genevive, and I am a contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for welcoming me today to discuss my new book, Sizzling Sydney Nights.  I will say that Remembrance Day (as we call November 11^th in Canada) is a solemn day for many – including my family.  My grandfather and several uncles served in the World Wars, and I’m always grateful for their service and to them for coming home and building strong families.  All that being said, I didn’t pick the release date for my sexy new story—but I do have characters who visit the war memorial in Sydney, so I have that moment. History helps inform who we are and what we’re willing to defend to keep our families and friends safe.

Okay, onward and upward.

How, you may ask, did I wind up setting a story in Sydney?

Well, let me tell you a story…

My publisher was launching a new series set on beaches on the continental US.

You’re thinking…huh?

Bear with me.  I attended the chat and was interested in writing one of these stories (See Sun, Surf, and Surprises).  What piqued my interest was when the chat veered toward exotic locations. Someone asked if an author could write a second book under the Passport to Pleasure series.

The answer was: YES! PLEASE! WE NEED MORE!

Never let it be said I don’t heed calls.  Now, I’d written Valentino in Vancouver.  I didn’t consider Canada as outside the US (just check out how many American television stations and how much American programing Canadians watch).  I was told Vancouver was absolutely a foreign locale. Throw in an American and you’re do go.  I wrote my gay erotic romance novella starring American Valentino and Canadian Seamus and moved on.

Then I remembered I had a second BDSM MF penname.  Great!  I also had a friend in Argentina. Out popped Bonding in Buenos Aires. An MMF BDSM erotic romance by Gabbi Black. That was it. I was done. I moved on.

Until that chilly November night when I was told a second Pleasure book under the same penname was allowed. Now, quickly, I’ve mentioned Plot Whisperer before.  She happens to be Aussie. So I asked if she would be interested in beta reading a book set in Sydney.  She said “Hell, YES” (in my mind, at least), and my Sydney story was born.  I wrote. She brutal beta read (tore apart, put back together—SO much better). I had a story.  Titling it proved harder, but I crowd sourced, and we got there.

Finally, I was ready to present the story to my editor (who had said Hell, YES when I proposed the book).  She loved it with just a few minor changes, and I had my story.

That’s it.  I get to share my love of all things Australian with readers.  The irony is that Levi is an American author who wrote a book set in Australia even though he’d never been there. He got so much wrong that he had to go to Australia for an apology tour that would lead to his potential redemption.  Add Sam the tour guide, and I had a story.  Then I was a Canadian author writing about Australia who had never been there.  Only I found an awesome beta reader, and I believe the Aussie flavor is there (and any mistakes are mine and not hers).

I hope readers pick up this gay romance story and love it as much as I do.

Okay, Delilah, thank you for hosting me today.  As a thank you to you readers, I would like to offer a copy of either Valentino in Vancouver or Bonding in Buenos Aires to one lucky commenter.  Let me know: where would you love to see a story set?  One lucky commenter, chosen by random, will win a free book!  Good luck!

Sizzling Sydney Nights

Sam

I’ve enjoyed showcasing Sydney’s architecture, food, and culture for tourists for almost ten years. I keep a nice professional distance, but one hot American guy has me breaking all the rules.

Levi

I researched the hell out of Sydney, Australia, before writing my most recent bestseller, but never saw it in person. Now I’m getting called out for the things I got wrong. I’m here to learn more about the city, but my tour guide’s the one I really want to explore. Good thing I know Sam would never fall for a client, or it might be hard to leave.

Links:
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/SizzlingSydney
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Sizzling-Sydney-Nights-Passport-Pleasure-ebook/dp/B0DGLYHG6
B&N:  https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/sizzling-sydney-nights-gabbi-grey/1146244734
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/sizzling-sydney-nights/id6670438228
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/sizzling-sydney-nights
Add it to Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/218681801-sizzling-sydney-nights

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.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
Newsletter sign-up:  https://sendfox.com/gabbigrey
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey

Are you still adjusting to the time shift? It’s lighter earlier, but that also means it gets darker earlier in the evening. Oh, let’s be real! By five o’clock, you have to turn on the lights. One of the benefits of chilly autumn evenings is the opportunity to curl up with a good book…or even better, a great series.

USA Today bestselling author Desiree Holt published close to 300 titles across multiple genres, including military romantic suspense, contemporary, western, sports, and paranormal romance. Her legacy includes the bestselling Phoenix Agency series.

If you haven’t escaped into this thrilling world of military heroes and the women they love, start with Color of Darkness, a free short story in the Phoenix Agency world.

The Phoenix Agency

They served their country in every branch of the military—army Delta Force, SEALs, air force, marines. They are pilots, snipers, medics—whatever the job calls for. And now as civilians they serve in other capacities, as private consultants training security for defense contractors, as black-ops combatants eradicating drug dealers, as trained operatives ferreting out traitors.

With the women in their lives, each of whom have a unique psychic ability, they are a force to be reckoned with. And now, risen from the ashes of war, they will commit to continue fighting the battle on all fronts. No challenge is too great, no situation to unimportant. They will come together to form a unit that gives new breath to their mission in life.

They are Phoenix.

Jungle Inferno
Extrasensory
Scent of Danger
Freeze Frame
Feel the Heat
Formula for Danger
Unexpected Risk
Color of Darkness
Phoenix Rises

Available on Amazon

UPDATE: The winners are…Debra Guyette & Mary McCoy!
*~*~*

Hello, everyone! First, a huge thank you to Delilah for letting me join in the fun. I’ve been following this blog for a while and finally found my motivation to write about my experience.

When I set out to write my first novel almost a decade ago, I figured it would take all my efforts just to write a Regency romance that balanced the more erotic components I wanted with a full-fledged romantic arc.

However, my brain would not let me stop there. As a modern woman who’d had a thirty-year career in corporate America, I kept wanting the women to have more power.

So entered the idea of a secret school for young women that would teach them everything from household and money management to owning their own pleasure, and thus, the School of Enlightenment series was created.

But what Regency men would love these women? Imagining that they’d also need to be ahead of their time, I dove into Parliamentary laws and scientific developments. My contemporary perspective drove me to focus on those that impacted women, children, and the working class.

Here are a few significant events I mention in my books:

• Corn Laws – In an effort to combat imported grains competition to British farms, The Corn Laws were passed in 1814. These helped only the landowners of the farms, not the agricultural laborers, and caused more extreme poverty for the working class.
• Insolvent Debtors Act of 1813 – This was the first step in Poor Law reform, relieving the overcrowded prisons by releasing debtors if they could reach an agreement with their creditor regarding the distribution of present and future assets. There were further reforms proposed and a few passed, although greater reform did not come until the Poor Law Amendment Act of 1834, which standardized the treatment of debtors and the use of workhouses. Prior to that it had been up to the parishes throughout Britain and varied widely.
• Macadam roads – Principal routes were dirt until the first few years of the 19^th century when John McAdam’s innovative ‘paving’ was implemented. This was the precursor of what we consider ‘chip and seal’ and saved many horses and carriages from accidents due to poor road conditions in bad weather.
• Steam engines – Steam engines had begun development centuries ago, but in the early 19^th century they became more viable for commercial use – in factories, boats, and locomotives.
• Salamanca – The first commercial steam locomotive, which ran between Middleton and Leeds.
• Robert Owen – Welsh textile manufacturer who was a philanthropist and founder of utopian socialism and the co-operative movement. Even as a factory owner, he led reforms in working conditions, child labor, and life-long education. He was famous for the slogan, “eight hours labour, eight hours recreation, eight hours rest,” and helped get the Cotton Mills and Factories Act of 1819 passed.

After my school-focused series, I continued to search for ways to write women’s independence. In my most recent book, Charlotte’s Control, the widow Charlotte has a knack for investing and does not need to worry about money, but she hungers for the educational opportunities afforded to men in secondary school and university. Most classes were taught in Latin, so she wants to learn that. William, an Oxford student, helps teach her using ancient poets:

• Catullus – (full name Gaius Valerius Catullus Carmina) who wrote sexually explicit (for Roman times) poetry and was a contemporary of Virgil.
• Ovid – The Heroides (Epistulae Heroidum) and Ars amatoria.
• Homer – The Odyssey, both the Pope translation and the Chapman translation, as well as Keats’ poem about the latter.
• Chaucer – Canterbury Tales, from which I drew snippets particularly about the Squire, the Prioress, the Knight, the Reeve, and reference a debate between William and Charlotte over the Wife of Bath.

For giggles, I also created this as an older woman/younger man age gap romance with a bit of femdomme sprinkled in.

Charlotte’s Control

A young rake soon to inherit an impoverished estate…a lonely widow unable to produce an heir…a love they must forsake.

Widowed at thirty, Charlotte, Dowager Countess of Peterborough, finds herself on the lonely edge of Society, caught between the young chits vying for a husband and older matrons. In a moment of vulnerability, she meets a young rake who tempts her to forget propriety and reclaim her feminine powers of seduction…for a while. Their affair can only last until he marries a wealthy debutante who can give him what Charlotte cannot. An heir.

In his final year at Oxford, William Stanton, heir to the Earl of Harrington, is forced to manage the earldom for his drunken father and provide for his family. With the prospect of an advantageous marriage looming in his future, he yearns for the frivolity of his peers. But when he encounters a lovely widow, he’s drawn to her keen mind as much as he is to her beauty. She believes they are destined to part. To keep her, he must battle Fate, time, and the rules of Society that conspire against them.

Get your copy here!

Contest

To win your choice of one of my ebooks, tell me your favorite older woman / younger man romance or your favorite femdomme romance. (Also a sneaky way for me to find new fun books.) Giveaway will be open for one week from the date of posting.

For more about Maggie, visit:
Website: http://maggiesims.com
Newsletter signup for a free novella: https://maggiesims.com/newsletter-signup/
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/maggiesims.author/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/maggie-sims
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4092694.Maggie_Sims
TikTok (sometimes): https://www.tiktok.com/@maggiesims.author

***TRIGGER WARNING***
This post contains sensitive material that some readers may find disturbing.

I’m a South Louisiana girl, and we here are no strangers to hurricanes. In fact, one of our most famous adult beverages has that titular name. What has happened the last few weeks with Francine, Helene, and now, Milton is heartbreaking. The photos and videos are nothing until you’ve experienced one of them. There’s so much that the news doesn’t show and cannot capture. So, please allow me to share some things that may not be known about surviving a tropical storm or hurricane.

Yes, it is true, that with hurricanes, residents in their path have advanced warning if they listen to news stations. But this is only partially true. Hurricanes are unpredictable and can turn on a dime. They also can strengthen and weaken rapidly. Listen, it may seem logical to relocate if a hurricane is predicted to make landfall, but relocating takes money. Many people can’t afford it or have nowhere to go. Let me relay a story that happened during Katrina. I’m using names out of respect and for legal reasons.

Anyone who tracked Katrina will remember how it was all over the place, and it turned at the last minute. People who did evacuate, only took three days’ worth of clothes and essentials because they thought that would be all they needed. And by the time some people were told to evacuate, the roads were damn near impossible to travel due to bumper-to-bumper traffic. Who wants to be trapped on a highway during a storm? Hotels were booked and had jacked up their prices. Many of the gas stations had as well. Price gauging is the term for it.

But this is the story about one family. A woman, wife, and mother of three, worked at a business that refused to close. They told her that her attendance at work was necessary due to the kind of work she did, and if she didn’t come to work, she would be terminated. This woman had many years invested in the job, and for someone with her education, it was one of the better jobs she could get. Although not the breadwinner of her family, her income was necessary for her family, and the job provided benefits. At the time, Katrina was classified as a Category 2, but its status kept jumping. The business argued that its structure could withstand Category 3 hurricane winds.

The woman needed her job and elected to stay. Her husband refused to leave her. Therefore, he stocked up the home with supplies and made all the other necessary preparations to ride out the storm. When Katrina was upgraded to a Cat 5, many people who had planned to ride out the storm decided to leave. But then it was downgraded, and people changed their minds again and decided to stay. It eventually made landfall as a Cat 3. However, the surge and not the wind that caused the most damage. And many insurance companies found loopholes not to pay—saying water and flood damage wasn’t covered. But when your home has been leveled and washed out to sea, it’s hard to determine if it was knocked off its foundation by water or blown off by wind.

In any case, this woman went to work the day Katrina hit. And her employer was correct. The structure where she worked withstood the wind and most of the water. There was some flooding. And there were generators to help backup when power was loss; however, none of it mattered. I’ll explain in a minute.

The woman’s home, on the other hand, had flooded. Her husband took their children to the high level of their home, the attic, but it wasn’t high enough. One of the children was carried out by flood water. Her body was never recovered. The father and two other children were discovered clinging to each other. They’d drowned.

The day after the storm, when the destruction left by Katrina was visible in daylight, the business where the woman worked decided to relocate. Why? Because most of the town had been destroyed and there were no resources—no power, no gas, no phone (landline or cell) service, no running water. Temperatures were still in the 90s. So, no air conditioning. Grocery stores and pharmacies were closed. Hospitals were closed except for the most critical who could not be moved. Flood debris and sludge were everywhere, bringing all types of sanitation problems. Animals who had died in flood waters were unburied. It was unsafe to drive or walk down streets due to down powerlines.

I listened to this woman tell her story and cry over her choice. At the time, she thought she was making the best choice for her family. Had the storm not been as destructive and she’d been terminated as threatened, she likely would have lost her home in foreclosure and/or not been able to feed her children. She took the risk.

The point of this story isn’t to blame the woman. I don’t victim-shame, and yes, I believe she was a victim. I write this because I’ve been hearing many people on social media saying that what has happened to persons in the path of these latest hurricanes is their own fault and that they should have known better. But again, some people had nowhere to go. Oh, but there are shelters, right?

Sometimes, there are shelters. Shelters become full, too. Additionally, not all shelters are safe. Criminals and predators evacuate, too. New Orleans was looted because law enforcement had to get to safety, too. I remember hearing the threats of martial law due to conditions being so bad. When all the good people are gone, who’s left?

One coastal location had a marker where Hurricane Camille’s waters stopped. Well, Katrina went well beyond and took what Camille spared. People never imagined a storm worse than Camille’s. But each storm is different. Over-sensationalism by the media doesn’t help either. And if you think that doesn’t happen, think again. About a month after Katrina, the forecasters were all over the screens about a major storm with straight-line winds with over 80 mph gusts. Hearing this, schools and businesses closed as a precaution. There was a run on grocery stores and gas stations for supplies. Katrina traumatized people, especially the children. The day the storm hit, there were occasional gusts of twenty to thirty mph. Yes, it was windy, but nothing near what had been predicted. And the more these types of over-sensationalized reports happened, the more desensitized people became. This mistrust of news reports isn’t all unfounded.

Again, this post isn’t to point fingers at any person, business, or organization. It is a plea to view the people who have been affected by these storms with grace. It isn’t always as simple as choosing to leave. This post doesn’t come close to discussing the complexities of decision-making in the face of a storm.

1. If you want to help hurricane victims, please do research, and vet any organization before making any type of donation. Some organizations disburse very little of what is collected to victims. Much may go to administration. There are also fraudulent organizations that have no intention of helping victims.
2. Before donating, learn what types of donations are accepted. Some organizations will only accept cash. Thus, clothing and food donations made to these places may get thrown away.
3. If you can’t afford to make a cash donation, there are other ways to help. Manpower is always appreciated to help clean up areas as well as people who have and can use chainsaws. Cleaning products and detergents are also welcome. Items such as dog food, diapers, baby formula, and feminine hygiene products are generally needed but often overlooked. The one product I needed the most after Katrina was baking soda. The smell… I can’t communicate how bad the smell was, and I had food to spoil because I left the area. It was nearly a week before roads were opened to allow people to return. I remember two whole chickens had swollen and exploded in my freezer. I needed baking soda to help rid of the smell. (Remember, there was no running water during this time so I couldn’t scrub it out properly.)
4. Medical supplies such as bandages, rubbing alcohol, and antibiotic ointment are helpful. People get injured during these things but maybe not severe enough to be seen at a hospital or clinic. Yet, they need care. Consider making a blood donation for those who are more seriously injured.
5. And speaking of manpower and medical supplies, specialty skills are in high demand. Professionals like doctors, nurses, teachers, therapists, electricians, carpenters, etc., your services are needed.
6. It may seem insignificant, but a little goes a long way. Donate books, games, and toys. When storms hit, families can be displaced for weeks. This may be especially difficult for small children as they may not understand the situation. All they know is they aren’t at home, the adults are upset, and they have nothing to do to entertain themselves. Seeing a small smile on their child’s face can bring a parent so much peace.

A special shout out to the Cajun Navy who has been out there doing their thing. Bless each of you.

Organizations that are helping:

• American Red Cross
• Salvation Army
• Americares

That’s all a wrap. Was this post helpful? Do you think you’ll ever visit? Have you visited there? Let me know your thoughts in the comment section. If you like this post, please click the like button and share. Your feedback allows me to know the content that you want to read.

Demon Rodeo

If Brokeback Mountain, 8 Seconds, Poltergeist, and Supernatural had an orgy, Demon Rodeo would be the lovechild.

Demon Rodeo is available now on Amazon. For video book trailers, visit my TikTok page. The full blurb is on my Instagram and Amazon.

Demon Rodeo is the first book in the Chasing the Buckle series but can be read as a standalone. It’s a friends-to-lovers romance set in the rodeo world. These are not your typical cowboys. It’s a widely diverse cast of characters and a mashup of genres that aren’t always seen together. If you’re looking for a palate cleanser, this may be a book for you.

Order
⇨ Amazon: https://readerlinks.com/l/4174852
⇨ All Stores: https://books2read.com/u/bP8RG7

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

If you’re not following my blog, Creole Bayou, what are you waiting for? There’s always room at the bayou.

NEWSLETTER! Want to get the latest information and updates about my writing projects, giveaways, contests, and reveals first? Click here and sign up today.

Want to chat about writing, mental health, Cajun cuisine, Creole culture, or just spill some tea? If yes, let’s get connected. Follow me on one of my social links. There’s plenty to choose from.

• Facebook: Genevive Chamblee
• X (formerly Twitter): @dolynesaidso
• Instagram: genevivechambleeauthor
• Goodreads: Genevive Chamblee
• Amazon Authors: Genevive Chamblee
• BookBub: Genevive Chamblee
• TikTok: CreolegurlNola
• Bluesky: Genevive Chamblee
• Threads: Author Genevive Chamblee

LOCKER ROOM LOVE

Locker Room Love Series

Are you searching for a sexy book boyfriend? You’ve come to the right place.

• Out of the Penalty Box (book #1) One minute in the box or a lifetime out.
• Defending the Net (book #2) Crossing the line could cost the game.
• Ice Gladiators (book #3) When the gloves come off, the games begin.
• Penalty Kill (book #4) Let the pucker begin.
• Future Goals (book #5) The future lies between a puck and a net.

About the Author

Hi, I’m Genevive, and I am a contemporary sports romance author. My home is in South Louisiana. If you like snark and giggles with a touch of steamy Cajun and Creole on the side, I may have your poison in my stash of books. Drop by the bayou and have a look around. The pirogues are always waiting for new visitors.

For the first time ever, this eBook is free!

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?”