The first book I ever typed ‘the end’ for is still sitting in the back of my closet. I’ve gone so far as to buy a cover for it and take a peek at the file. Then I close it, wallow in the knowledge of how much editing it requires, and I move on to another book.
The second book I typed ‘the end’ for wasn’t nearly such a disaster. Instead of an unwieldy 126k words, it sat at 85k – the perfect length for Harlequin Superromance. I devoured those books, with favorite authors such as Tara Taylor Quinn, Janice Kay Johnson, and Jean Brashear. After reading so many books, I understood the structure without having studied stuff like that. (I’ve since taken some great classes which have built from that inherent understanding…)
I named this bookThe Making of Marnie Jones. I printed it out and sent it to Harlequin – vaguely dreaming of contracts and seeing my book on shelves.
Quickly, I received an email from the editor I sent it to. She wanted a digital copy. I shot it off and waited. And waited. And waited. Eventually, I gently poked, and she invited me to her office where we discussed the book in depth. She had tons of notes and invited me to do a R&R (revise and resubmit). I took a week off work and spent 12 hours a day for 9 days fixing that sucker. I sent it back, even more confident.
Crickets.
I’ve since learned that editors want you to take weeks, if not months. Otherwise, it doesn’t seem like you’ve done the work. Only I had – I completely rewrote the book. And was convinced the book was better for it.
I gently poked. She said she’d see me in New York for the Romance Writers of America conference. Now, I’m not a fan of big cities, strong smells, or noise. NYC was so NOT my jam. But I enjoyed the conference, met the editor, met my favorite narrator, and came home, believing I was *this* close.
Still nothing.
Eventually, Harlequin held a Canadian Hero contest. Great! My hero’s Canadian. My whole book is set in Canada. After the contest ended, the editor reached out with a tentative yes. After two-and-a-half years, I wasn’t ready to party. Four months later I saw, in a tweet, that Superromance was being discontinued.
I never heard back from that editor – never got the rejection (or acceptance) I deserved.
When I tell this story to other writers, they question why I didn’t submit elsewhere. But if your number one pick expresses that much interest, why would you go elsewhere? Lesson learned. I submitted Marnie for contests. I pitched her to editors and agents. I got a few nibbles, but no bites. Three years ago, I decided I would go it alone. I hired a freelance editor. The next year, I secured a cover. Finally, I wrote a book to come before it – I just didn’t feel Marnie should be the first in the series.
One more thing I should share – best advice I ever got as a writer: write the next book. While Harlequin sat on my book, I wrote another 16 in that series. The first year I waited? I wrote a million words. I was convinced they’d take my book and then take the next stack. As you now know, that never happened. But I have (now up to) 20 books that need editing and are ready to publish.
I’ll always be protective of Marnie – I love the angsty story. I submitted her for a contest and the lovely Grace Burrowes was a judge. She tore the opening apart and made it a thousand times better. I kept her edits and dedicated the book to her – seemed the least I could do.
I believe in this book. I also warn readers that the subject matter is dark – but that’s often how I write. Now, I’m putting the book out into the world and am forever grateful I didn’t sell it to a publisher. I likely would’ve never found someone who’d take all 20 or so (with more to come). And because I knew this world so well, I’ve written several gay romances in the same world – just under a different penname. I’ve created a place I hope readers will return to again and again.
Okay, thanks for reading that. Thank you, Delilah, for letting me share my story. I hope other newbie writers can see that sometimes the long game is the best way to go.
I’d love to give away a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Tell me: what do you love about series? What makes you want to go beyond the first book? A random commenter will win the prize!
The Making of Marnie Jones
What’s better than love in the beautiful Cedar Valley in British Columbia, Canada? Find small town romances with a touch of angst, a bit of heat, and a lot of heart…
Each novel is a standalone, but they are best read in order: The Luminosity of Loriana Harper(A small town interracial romance) The Making of Marnie Jones (A small town enemies-to-lovers romance) The Redemption of Remy St. Claire (A small town single-father fake-marriage romance)
Love without limits.
Librarian Marnie Jones has reinvented herself. After horrors that changed her forever, she’s built a new life and has found what she believes to be safety and quiet happiness. She hopes she’s outrun her past, but all that changes when a stranger comes to the small town of Mission City, British Columbia.
Gabbi Powell has been a lover of romance since she first put pen to paper in the eighth grade to write her first romance. She writes her novels while living in Beautiful British Columbia with her trusty ChinPoo dog a as companion. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary dark erotic BDSM novels as Gabbi Black.
What will you learn in 2023? That wasn’t a question that I expected to ask but found myself pondering after a friend stated she had enrolled in Japanese classes. She’s not planning on traveling to Japan or any area with Japanese as a primary language, but stated it was something that she always wanted to learn. A few years ago, she became an empty nester and found herself with mounds of free time. She also discovered that she had “lost” herself. Like so many mothers (and fathers), she had set aside many of her hobbies and interest to raise her children. Basically, she had gone to her nine-to-five and returned home in the afternoon to be wife and mother. Her days, nights, weekends, and holidays had been centered around her family and family duties. Then one day, proof, it was drastically changed. No longer did she need to transport little ones to sports practices and recitals. She didn’t have PTA meetings or costumes to sew. In the afternoons, when she returned, she had no need to prepare large meals or have piles of laundry waiting for her. Her house no longer was in disarray from discarded sweaters, toys, and game controllers strewn across furniture and floors. All was calm and quiet.
She didn’t complain that her life had changed and slowed. In fact, she welcomed it. She had looked forward to it for many years. But when it finally happened, it stunned her. Her once full life now had voids. She had nothing to do, nothing to occupy her time. It wasn’t until then that she realized how much of herself she had relinquished. For a long time, she had to reflect on her past to try to remember how she filled her days. She commented, “I don’t remember what I did or how I filled my days before I had children.”
When she attempted to revisit past joys and hobbies such as painting, sketching, and collecting, she found that she didn’t enjoy it as much anymore. Other pasts interests had evolved or disappeared, such as internet comic chatrooms and writing to pen pals. She had moved away and lost contact with many of her friends. Places she used to visit to spend time had long ago shut their doors. She found herself with nothing to do, and no one to do anything with.
“The crazy thing is,” she admitted, “I had been preparing myself for the day my children left. I used to tell them all the time that once they were grown that I would do all the wonderful things that I wanted to do. I intended to do them, too, only I didn’t know what those things were. I went from having dozens of texts and my phone continuously blowing up to days without a single message. And all of this was compounded by the shutdown. It was tough and depressing. Then I thought, I’m not dead. There must be something that I could do, that I wanted to do, that I would enjoy. That’s when I decided to learn Japanese. It had always been a language that fascinated me. I thought, ‘Why not? I have time. My brain still works.’”
This conversation prompted me to ask other people if they were learning any new hobbies in 2023, and I was surprised to learn just how many of them were. Most pointed to the pandemic as the motivation. “I never want to be confined like that again,” one friend admitted. “It seemed once I couldn’t go anywhere that I wanted to go everywhere. I’d watch social media, and there was so much that looked interesting. The problem was that I didn’t know how to do any of it, and I didn’t have the materials needed to try to learn. I vowed that once the world returned to normal, I would join in it—not as a bystander but as an active participant. YOLO.”
In total, over the span of two months, I asked sixty-one people what they were learning new in 2023. My closest compadres heard me ask so much that they began asking people and sending me emails and texts of the answers. It was insane how one question grew. However, once I had the answers, I didn’t quite know what to do with them…that is until today when I sat down to write. So, here I am sharing and hoping others find this useful and/or interesting. Here is a list of the top answers.
Hogwarts Legacy
Cloud computing
Foreign language
Content creating
Genealogy
Skincare
Martial Arts
Landscaping/Gardening
Car restoration
Video editing
Digital marketing
Geography
Piano/Musical
Singing
Sky diving/Parachuting
Yoga
Home brewing
Pottery
Meditation
Cooking/Baking
Magic
Rock climbing
Scuba diving
Sailing
Wine
One final note, on March 31, Out of the Penalty Box, the first book in my Locker Room Love steamy sports romance series will be available for free download for a limited time only. To get the link and be reminded when it is available for download, sign up for my newsletter which will contain all of the information.
And that’s all that I have. Now, it’s your turn to sound tell me you think? Are you learning anything new in 2023? If so, what is it and what has inspired you to do so? Have you had feelings like any of the people described in this post? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.
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.
Get ready. It’s time to hit the ice again. Future Goals has arrived and is available for download.
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.
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.
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.
Until next time, happy reading and much romance. Laissez le bon temps rouler.
Author Bio
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 makes 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.
When Abraham Lincoln met Harriet Beecher Stowe, he is quoted as saying, “So you’re the little woman who wrote the book that started this great war.” While Uncle Tom’s Cabin stirred the hearts and minds of many against slavery, Mary Ellen Pleasant struck an actual blow against it.
Born free in 1814, Pleasant was brought to Nantucket to work as an indentured servant for the Husseys, an abolitionist Quaker family in whose store she developed a knack for business. While with the Husseys, Mary encountered the blacks of Newtown who grew into a prosperous middle-class thanks to the whaling industry. She married James Smith, an abolitionist who identified as Hispanic. They hobnobbed with the abolitionists of Boston and helped runaways get to Canada. Upon Smith’s death, Mary inherited a sizable fortune and continued her work as a conductor on the Underground Railroad. In 1848, she married John Pleasants, a former slave and abolitionist who worked with her for twenty years against slavery.
She moved to San Francisco during the gold rush of 1849 and created wealth as a commodity trader, a money lender, and owner of businesses like laundries and lodgings and the Bank of California. She continued her abolitionist activities by using her money to help slaves escape from their masters who brought them there. Her ultimate contribution to the cause of ending slavery came in 1858 when she went to Canada and gave John Brown $45,000, $1.3 million in today’s dollars, for the raid on Harper’s Ferry. She laid claim to being the author of the note found on him when he was executed. She dictated an account of this in 1904’s How A Colored Woman Aided John Brown.
Her fight for civil rights in San Francisco continued when she brought two racial discrimination suits against streetcar companies in San Francisco, both ultimately settled in her favor. She established black schools and fought for the repeal of Jim Crow laws, earning her the nickname, “The Mother of Human Rights in California.” In his book Black Fortunes, Shomari Wills shares how she amassed a fortune of $30 million dollars, making her one of America’s first black millionaires.
It never ceases to amaze me how women like Mary Ellen Pleasant used the skills they had, in her case, the talents of a cook and domestic with a keen eye for business, to make life better not only for themselves but for others as well. Being a philanthropist was just a way of life.
In Black Fortunes, I learned her last days weren’t free from the drama racism wreaks upon the lives of pioneers like her, but thanks to this video done on her by a local San Francisco TV station during Black History month she at least has been given her due for posterity…
For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, leave a comment on what you think about Mary Ellen’s life.
Better to Marry than to Burn
Wife Wanted: Marital relations as necessary. Love not required nor sought…
A bridal lottery seems the height of foolishness to ex-slave Caesar King, but his refusal to participate in the town council’s scheme places him in a bind. He has to get married to avoid paying a high residence fine or leave the Texas territory. After losing his wife in childbirth, Caesar isn’t ready for romance. A woman looking for a fresh start without any emotional strings is what he needs.
Queen Esther Payne, a freeborn black from Philadelphia, has been threatened by her family for her forward-thinking, independent ways. Her family insists she marry. Her escape comes in the form of an ad. If she must marry, it will be on her terms. But her first meeting with the sinfully hot farmer proves an exciting tussle of wills that stirs her physically, intellectually, and emotionally.
In the battle of sexual one-upmanship that ensues, both Caesar and Queen discover surrender can be as fulfilling as triumph.
Excerpt:
Why would a woman of obvious education and means be willing to brave the hardships of life out West as an ex-slave’s mail order bride? With grave ceremony, he withdrew, unfolded, and then read the letter.
Dear Mr. King,
My name is Queen Esther Payne. I read your ad and found your inquiry both refreshing and intriguing. I stand five feet six and weigh one hundred forty pounds. All of my six brothers will attest that I am no wallflower and do not fear hard work. Also as I come from one of the most respectable families on Lombard Street, my Philadelphian stock guarantees I have the ability and the requisite knowledge to help you establish a legacy in Douglass. I can commit to the two years you require, provided the marital relations are limited to the “as necessary” stated in your ad. I am willing to negotiate if more than two years are required.
I have only had relations with women, so you need not fear I will fall in love with you. Thus your “love neither required nor sought” dictum proves no obstacle. However, my woman-loving-woman proclivities may disqualify me in your eyes. If so, I await your refusal. If not, I anticipate your proposal.
Sincerely,
Queen Esther Payne.
Caesar read and reread the line again.
I have only had relations with women, so you need not fear I will fall in love with you.
His Emma had only known women too until she united with him. Could fate be so kind as to smile upon him twice?
I love writing novellas for The Wild Rose Press. When the idea for the Passport to Pleasure series came up, I seized on the opportunity to write a story. I set Valentino in Vancouver in my beloved Vancouver and also placed it in the world of the film industry, pulling in characters I’d created previously. I wrote that gay romance under my penname Gabbi Grey. Then, because I was so excited, I wrote another novella set in that world—You See Me. Only that was a lesbian romance for the Jelly Beans and Spring Things call – again, for The Wild Rose Press. (Coming out next month!)
I wasn’t finished, though. I had so much fun with the Passport to Pleasure book, I needed to write another one. Steamy story? Lots of sex? Exotic location? Sign me up! The parameters were: erotic story, American tourist, stamp in a passport.
Where to start? I have a friend who lives in Argentina who spoke lovingly of her country, so I decided to ask her for advice. She said she’d sit down for a chat about Argentinian culture and, more importantly, read my book for inaccuracies. Okay, so I had an American, an Argentinian, and…? I realized I needed a Canadian. I’d written a couple of books (for The Wild Rose Press’s Deerbourne Inn shared world series) with just Americans. Well, my first book My Past, Your Futurehad a dead Civil War soldier as a ghost and a Scottish professor. You get where I’m going—I had very little experience writing without Canadians in my stories. This new book had to be under my penname Gabbi Black. To that point, I’d only published a trilogy under that penname—set in Vancouver in the BDSM community.
My mind whirled. Why not make this a ménage story? With an American, an Argentinian, and a Canadian? More specifically, a Texan, a Vancouverite, and a hot person from Buenos Aires.
I rolled up my sleeves…and realized I didn’t know who was who. Slowly, I began to work through the possibilities in my mind. Eventually, in one of those BOOM moments I often have, I realized my three: Joaquin the Argentinian, MacKenzie the Texan, and Kimberly the BDSM Domme from British Columbia, Canada. I wanted this to be a true MMF story—and pulled on my writing experience of gay stories to develop a strong triad with lots of hot sex. I was also adamant there be three strong sides to the triangle. This relationship wouldn’t work without all three of them and all three have major roles to play.
I spent half an hour plotting the story (which went out the window by chapter two, big surprise), and I sat down to write my story. Unlike my dark erotic BDSM romances, I wanted this one to have very little angst—I wanted this to be a tourist (or tourists) having a good time. Throw in a whip, some bondage, lots of sex, and a virgin…and I had my story. I wrote it in a week and a half, pushing through to get the words to craft a story I hoped readers would like. My Argentinian friend came up with the perfect title, and I submitted it to the publisher.
My editor loved it. We made some minor changes, but the book got approved and then I had to wait for just the perfect moment to release it. And that would be today! I fell in love with the cover instantly because it so accurately portrays the relationship between the three main characters.
The question posed is—can three people from three different countries have a happy ending? You’ll have to read the book, of course, but I think I ended things perfectly. Obviously, I hope readers enjoy it.
For a chance to win a $5 Amazon Gift Card, let me know: have you ever ventured into the world of threesomes (or more)? MFM, MMF, MFF, FFF, MMM…the possibilities are endless. Is there one you think I should check out? And if you haven’t ventured there, what would entice you to try one…? Drop a comment and a random commenter will win the gift certificate.
Thanks again, Delilah, for letting me talk to your fabulous readers!
Bonding in Buenos Aires
From a ménage of friends to forever lovers.
Argentinian Joaquin Perillo met MacKenzie and Kimberly at a cybersecurity conference two years ago. Another conference in Houston and video chats sealed his attraction for them both. Now they are visiting him in Buenos Aires, and he has so many plans for them—in and out of bed.
Canadian Kimberly is a security analyst by day and a Domme at Vancouver’s premier BDSM Club Kink at night. She can’t wait to see her men again so she can whip them into shape.
Texan MacKenzie is a computer geek who spends all his time with code. That is until he meets the beguiling Kimberly and the fun-loving Joaquin. Suddenly, he’s ready to break out of his self-imposed exile.
The triad have ten days to enjoy their ménage before they have to return to their prospective countries. Because their relationship can’t cross borders or become permanent…right?
Even though Gabbi Black is a firm believer in happy endings, she makes her characters work for it in every romance she writes, no matter what the genre. From contemporary to BDSM, they are penned early in the morning in her home in beautiful British Columbia while her trusty ChinPoo dog keeps her company. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary small town romances as Gabbi Powell.
Looking back on your teen years isn’t always the most fun thing, but as a young adult author (who also has a tween series), I often find myself doing that. When I do events or book clubs, the readers always end up asking me about my own experiences back in those days, and sometimes I cringe thinking about those times. I actually have a chunk of time from early high school that I blocked out, but the later years and middle school years are still with me. Sometimes, life can feel like we never left high school or middle school as I still encounter mean girls and drama. But seeing as readers ask me for advice, I thought I’d share today a few things I wish I had known back then.
In my books, one of the big themes is embracing what makes you unique or special. We often focus on trying to fit in, but I find life opens up when we embrace what makes us different. It took me years to realize that things that made me different were the things that made me a writer such as looking at the world in a different way and sitting back and observing others.
Not all friendships are meant to last forever. No one likes hearing that or even thinking about it, but I think we often stay in friendships because of a shared history or because we’ve had a lot of time together. I still have friends from those years, but I’ve also had friendships that have run their course and that’s okay. People change—we’re supposed to—and what was once a close bond doesn’t always last. Values change, interests, and other things change and it’s okay. Don’t beat yourself up. Wish the other person well and root for them from afar.
It’s okay if not everyone likes you. You’re not supposed to be for everyone. Even your favorite singer/writer/actress has haters. In fact, when you feel down, go read reviews of your favorite celebrity and you’ll see no one is universally loved. Just cherish the people who do get you.
Here’s an excerpt from my pop star romance Cecily Taylor Series:
“Must be nice to have a hot pop star text you. Do you think he will contact you again?” Lila asked.
If he doesn’t, then I’ll die and probably never leave my room again. “I hope he does. I’d be seriously bummed if I—” Get dumped, get blocked online, see he’s dating someone else. “—don’t hear from him again,” I said.
“Does anyone else know he was the reason Zach got so mad at you when he walked in on Andrew trying to kiss you at the video premiere?”
“No, Zach didn’t tell anyone. I feel like it’d be weird if I told people that’s what happened. Like they wouldn’t believe me and think I was making it up to get attention,” I said.
“Yeah, I already heard a few people saying stuff.”
My stomach dropped. “Like what?”
“Huh? Oh…nothing major.” She gripped the steering wheel. “It’s impossible to find a spot on the street on a weekend.” I pressed her again, and she shrugged. “There’s a couple comments on his social media pages.”
Pulling out my phone, I went to the video’s link online and the first comment that came up was:
NoOneAndrewFan: Why did they pick HER out of all the girls in the world?
CaliGirlTwo: They couldn’t find any better than that chick?
Holidate008: She’s like if the word “plain,” was a person.
MusicIsLife: I think the point is that she’s not supposed to be hot, you guys Holidate008: I think she’s supposed to be the opposite of that other girl in the video.
CaliGirlTwo: Obviously Andrew has a jealous girlfriend and told him to find blah girls to be in his video.
SleepAllDayz: I bet Andrew’s managers don’t want his fans to be jealous of any of the girls they cast in his videos. Mission accomplished.
Meghynn: Seriously, I’ve seen cuter girls walking down my street and I live out in the sticks.
KellyKellz: I bet the other actress said they couldn’t cast another hot girl.
Meghynn: Andrew obviously didn’t do the casting for this one.
Holidateforever: Wow! Seems like no one has anything nice to say, all you guys want to do is trash people. if you don’t like what Andrew’s doing in his video… then bye!
TeenaRoger: Guys, Andrew would hate all these negative vibes! If you don’t have anything good to say about his work then don’t follow his page, don’t listen to his music, and DON’T bother commenting.
Holidateforever: I think she’s pretty. Jealousy isn’t cute, you guys.
“Oh crap. I didn’t even think to look at the comments before now. I guess it was so surreal to think I was actually in a music video that it didn’t even occur to me to go on and see what people were saying,” I said as my face burned with embarrassment. “Has everyone at school seen these?”
“Don’t worry about it. People suck and if it makes you feel any better, a lot of people at school aren’t even talking about it because they don’t want you to get all stuck up,” she said.
That was supposed to make me feel better?
“I was barely in the video. Why is everyone attacking me for a five second spot?” I asked trying to keep myself from crying.
“It sucks. I wish Andrew was here and he could just wrap you in a blanket and make you a cup of tea,” Lila said.
I laughed despite the fact I was trying not to throw up on myself. “Yup, like the perfect boyfriend.”
Krysten Lindsay Hager is a bestselling author of young adult, middle grade, and contemporary romance. Krysten writes because she loves bringing people swoony moments & hope-filled happily ever afters. Her books are known for making you laugh, cry, & swoon.
Along with relationships, her novels deal with self-doubt, finding where you belong, true friendship, & soulmates.
Unless you’re a vampire, you’re probably not fond of the shorter days this time of year. I know I’m not. It’s February, the time of year where winter still has you firmly in her icy grip and spring is still far out of reach.
What do you do to get through these dark weeks?
Personally, I enjoy burrowing under a fleecy blanket on the corner of the sofa with the television remote control and a book. Add the occasional cup of tea and bowl of snacks and I’m set. If you’re being honest, you probably do the same thing too…and there’s nothing wrong with that. We all need some comfort these days.
It’s easy this time of year for physical activity to fall by the wayside. It’s bitterly cold, snowy, and windy where I live, and I’ve never been a fan of outdoor sports…or cold, for that matter. That’s not good for me, considering my job means I spend endless hours sitting at a keyboard. I try to make myself get up and walk around the apartment many times throughout the day, do some easy yoga a few days a week. It all helps.
It’s a great time of year to take up a new hobby or rediscover your love of an old one. Maybe dig out that new recipe you’ve been meaning to try. There are plenty of ideas online if you’re looking for inspiration. You can find videos about practically anything on YouTube. It’s fun to see what other people are creating.
Whatever you do, I hope you take advantage of these long, dark days of winter. Enjoy yourself and make the most of this quieter time of year.
And if you’re looking for a new book and enjoy sexy, immortal assassin Viking warriors, you might want to check out my lateset release.
Hunter Avenged
Forgotten Brotherhood Book 6
It’s taken Viking hunter Sven Knutson six frustrating months to find her. To track down the angel responsible for compromising the Forgotten Brotherhood and waking the drakon. She may be clever. Resourceful. But no one ever gets away from Sven. Ever.
All Rivka longed for as an angel was a chance to serve on Earth and help humans. Instead, it all went impossibly, horribly wrong, and she still doesn’t understand how or even why. All she knows is that she’s on the run—not only from Heaven’s dangerous elite guard, but also from the Brotherhood, who want answers.
She might just have to trust the immortal Viking whose icy blue eyes make her feel almost wickedly human. Because someone wants Rivka dead and the Brotherhood eliminated. Someone powerful enough to take on the most dangerous assassins who have ever lived. Someone who could unleash the fury of both Heaven and Hell…and Rivka is the key.
N.J. Walters is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author who has always been a voracious reader, and now she spends her days writing novels of her own. Vampires, werewolves, dragons, assassins, time-travelers, seductive handymen, and next-door neighbors with smoldering good looks—all vie for her attention. It’s a tough life, but someone’s got to live it.
When The Wild Rose Press put out a call for steamy romances set in foreign lands, I took note. A good friend suggested I write one about Canada. I was like, uh, hang up…aren’t we almost like America? As I sit, mere miles from the US border, I feel the weight of our neighbor the south—the politics, the entertainment, the sports teams…
She checked, and yes, Canada isn’t part of the 50 states, so go for it! I knew I had to write about my favorite city, Vancouver. I’d already set a book in the Vancouver film industry, so I took a couple of characters I knew, created some new guys I hoped readers would fall in love with an, under my penname Gabbi Grey, wrote the gay romance novella Valentino in Vancouver.
Meanwhile, I had the opportunity to get to know some of the other Passport to Pleasure authors. They set books in Cairo, Sorrento, Scotland, the South Pacific, and London. Recently, more books have been added—Ireland, Deutschland, and, excitedly, another Canadian stop. Some of the writers are US-based, while others are international, like myself. We all bring a flavor of the exotic to our readers.
I enjoyed writing Valentino so much that I knew I wanted to do another book. I’m happy to share my cover and my new story with you today! Bonding in Buenos Aires comes out March 15th and I hope you’ll snag a pre-order copy today. As you can see, it’s an MMF menage with plenty of action – in all forms, if you know what I mean. I also bring some of my Gabbi Black Vancouver BDSM world from my In Their Eyes trilogy.
Thanks for checking out my tale of international (steamy and hot) novellas. For a chance to win one of your choice, let me know – where would you like to see a book set? Random winner will be chosen in the coming days.
And thank you, Delilah, for letting me talk about this great series with your readers.
Bonding in Buenos Aires
From a ménage of friends to forever lovers.
Argentinian Joaquin Perillo met MacKenzie and Kimberly at a cybersecurity conference two years ago. Another conference in Houston and video chats sealed his attraction for them both. Now they are visiting him in Buenos Aires, and he has so many plans for them—in and out of bed.
Canadian Kimberly is a security analyst by day and a Domme at Vancouver’s premier BDSM Club Kink at night. She can’t wait to see her men again so she can whip them into shape.
Texan MacKenzie is a computer geek who spends all his time with code. That is until he meets the beguiling Kimberly and the fun-loving Joaquin. Suddenly, he’s ready to break out of his self-imposed exile.
The triad have ten days to enjoy their ménage before they have to return to their prospective countries. Because their relationship can’t cross borders or become permanent…right?
Even though Gabbi Black is a firm believer in happy endings, she makes her characters work for it in every romance she writes, no matter what the genre. From contemporary to BDSM, they are penned early in the morning in her home in beautiful British Columbia while her trusty ChinPoo dog keeps her company. She also writes gay romances as Gabbi Grey and contemporary small town romances as Gabbi Powell.
She checked, and yes, Canada isn’t part of the 50 states, so go for it! I knew I had to write about my favorite city, Vancouver. I’d already set a book in the Vancouver film industry, so I took a couple of characters I knew, created some new guys I hoped readers would fall in love with an, under my penname Gabbi Grey, wrote the gay romance novella Valentino in Vancouver.
