The winners are…Margaret, Dawn, and Stacey!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for inviting me here today to discuss my new release, titled A Touch of Cowboy, my adorable short story just in time for Christmas.

As your readers know, I’m a sucker for short stories.  Especially ones that appear in anthologies.  I used to believe I couldn’t write anything less than 70k words.  When I discovered anthologies, many of them charity, I found that I could, in fact, write short.  Especially when I had the ability to give something to a worthy cause.  Other anthologies offer the possibility of trying something new in a safe environment.  I’d never written a shifter story – but I got to try that out.  I’d never written a sports romance about trapeze artists.  Again, I found a safe place to do just that.

I certainly never planned to write a cowboy story. I know nothing about ranches, cattle, or horses. I’ve never had a hankering for writing those stories – even though I’ve read plenty of them.

So what, I’m certain you’re asking, had me changing my mind?

As I was signing up for anthologies, I came across one about ranches, ranges, and cowboys.  The parameters for the anthology were quite broad.  Still, cowboys just weren’t my brand.  So, I passed the anthology over and focused on the other six I’d signed up for. (Seven? Eight?  I can’t even remember what my commitments were at that point.)

The thought niggled, though. Cowboys…cowboys…

Then it dawned on me that I had a therapy ranch in my Cedar Valley and Mission City worlds (one for MF romances and one for MM – just different names for the same place).  My ranch had been in many of my books but wasn’t a true working ranch.  Just therapy dogs and horses.

Still…

One of the counselors, Avery, didn’t have a story. Almost like she’d been waiting for the right time. Or, as one might say, the right man.  She and her comfort dog, Rex, have a great life.  Yet Avery wouldn’t mind meeting someone special.

Enter Will.

He doesn’t want to come to the ranch. He doesn’t need therapy. A misunderstanding has landed him at Healing Horses.  Does he have a tragic backstory?  Of course. This wouldn’t be a Gabbi Powell story if he didn’t. But how could I work this cowboy into my tale and make it believable?  Well, I hope readers will check out the story to see how I managed.

Now, cowboys still aren’t my brand. But I think I’ve written a cute story.  Sweet with just that little touch of spice. And a comfort dog.

Because I can.

Thank you, Delilah, for hosting me and letting me share my new release!  I’d love to hear from your readers: What do you think when a one-click author for you steps out of their comfort zone? Writes something outside of what you see as their ‘brand’? One lucky commenter, chosen by random, will receive my entire Love in Cedar Valley collection of stories, including A Touch of Cowboy.  That’s 4 novels and this short story. Good luck!

A Touch of Cowboy

Avery Stinson’s work at Healing Horse Ranch has been her lifeline against loneliness, whether it’s the counselling she does, or training her rescue dog, Rex. Sure, she sometimes dreams of finding her special person, but if her work’s going to be her whole life, it’s at least valuable and fulfilling. She loves seeing their clients leave with more confidence and hope than they thought possible.

She really hopes Will Dupont, a new arrival seeing one of her colleagues, can have that kind of success because the man’s heartbreak is almost palpable. When they find themselves together at the Christmas party, Will opens up about his personal tragedy, and Avery’s drawn to the brave, quiet, stoic cowboy. He’s not her patient. Getting closer isn’t really against the rules. As day follows night and Will begins to heal, Avery begins to wonder, can they have a happily ever after this Christmas, or will the call of the wide-open range a thousand miles away prove too strong for Will to resist?

A Touch of Cowboy is a 12k word small town romance between a counselor, a cowboy, and an adorable pooch.

Links:
 UBL:  https://books2read.com/ATouchofCowboy
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/Touch-Cowboy-Love-Cedar-Valley-ebook/dp/B0DP8DN3LX
KOBO: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/a-touch-of-cowboy
Apple Books: https://books.apple.com/us/book/a-touch-of-cowboy/id6738834558
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/a-touch-of-cowboy-gabbi-powell/1146617528
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1656141
Add it to GoodReads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/222081308-a-touch-of-cowboy

About Gabbi Powell

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.

Personal links:
Website:   http://gabbipowell.com/
Newsletter sign-up: https://sendfox.com/gabbipowell
Bookbub:  https://www.bookbub.com/profile/3142441314
Instagram:  https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbipowell/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/gabbi.powell.9/
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/21065056.Gabbi_Powell

What pulls you into a multi-book series?

USA Today bestselling author Desiree Holt knew how to write a story that keeps readers turning the page. Her steamy Naked Cowboy collection taps into the top 7 reasons readers binge a series.

1. Compelling stories – action, intrigue, conflicting goals, and romance.
2. Relatable characters – strong, independent women and powerful alpha males
3. Realistic world building – found family, community, and connection
4. Big emotional impact – the journey to love is fraught with conflict and struggles
5. Simmering sexual attraction – that inexplicable, irresistible bond that draws two people together
6. Five-alarm scenes that sizzle – discovering all the physical pleasures that come with true love
7. A satisfying happy ever after – after heartache and impossible odds, together forever and ever

Heat up your cold winter nights with these sizzling cowboy romances.
Each just .99 on Amazon.

Stark Naked
Buck Naked
Stripped Naked
Bare Naked
Naked Desire
Naked Flame
Naked Heat
Naked Hunger

UPDATE: The winner is…Stacey Kinzebach!
*~*~*

Hello, Delilah! Thank you for welcoming me here to share my new release! I hope you’ll bear with me as I share the journey for this book.

For me, as an author, 2024 was the year of saying yes. Not, just yes, but hell yes!

What did that wind up looking like? Well, I’ve published 8 novels, 3 novellas, and 16 short stories. Okay…that’s kind of nuts. Or brutal. Or adventurous. Depends on your perspective.

In practicality, that involved writing 6 books, 2 novellas, and 13 short stories in the past eleven months. That has meant pushing my editors to the brink. It has meant asking heroic feats from my proofreaders. It meant requesting help from my brutal beta reader to tackle some tough books. It has meant writing over 750k words so far this year.

I’ve also embarked on different types of stories this year. A duology of MMF high-angst books. An FFM BDSM story. A lesbian owl shifter reality show rom-com. Trapeze artists. Bodyguards. Bad boys, Goddesses. Friends-to-lovers. Opposites attract. Second chance. Fake dates. Regency. Cantankerous photocopiers. Domestic violence, Rockstars. Trauma. Joy.

So yes, a busy year.

Which brings me to my new release.

Eight months ago, a friend asked me if I would be interested in writing a Daddy book.

I was like… Uh…

Then I remembered this was the year of hell yes. I was flattered to be asked, and so I readily agreed.

At that moment, I kind of got stuck. What did I know about Daddies? I’ve met a few in the BDSM community, so I wasn’t entirely ignorant. I’ve also read quite a few wonderful books, so I had a panoply of stories to draw on. Specifically, though, I had a memory of a trio of pups I met at a BDSM convention. Those women have always stuck in my memory because they certainly had fun. The other attendees gave belly rubs and scritches. The pups clearly enjoyed their roles.

I kind of wanted that.

So, I decided I’d write about a pup finding his Daddy. A heart-warming gay romance. Then I realized that my pup would be different than other pups. He was older. He lived a life apart and hadn’t come out in his community. And he was Black. Okay. Then I had to find my Daddy. I realized I’d written an Indian lawyer into my series without knowing he was a Dominant. Everything came together.

I hope readers will enjoy Foster. I like to turn tropes on their heads. Not just because I can — although I have fun doing it — but because I know from experience that not everyone falls into the stereotype. Into the mold. Foster and Arnav don’t. I hope readers will check out this love story and see that acceptance comes in many forms. Throw in a large family, close friends, and an epic New Year’s party, and my Daddy for Christmas book has come together.

Thank you, Delilah, for inviting me here today. I would love to hear from your fans! What makes you one-click a holiday book? What’s the one ingredient you’re always looking for? One lucky commenter, chosen by Random, will win a $5 Amazon Gift Card. Good luck!

Foster: A Daddy for Christmas 2

Foster

I’m a successful entrepreneur who’s made a good life for himself. I’ve had a few intimate relationships, but none have lasted. Probably because I haven’t been able to be my authentic self. See, in my heart, I’m a pup. I want to curl into a wonderful Daddy‘s lap and be petted, stroked, and praised. I long for piles with other puppies where we play and I can make friends. But who’s going to accept a forty-five-year-old man into that puppy pile?

Arnav

I met Foster on Halloween, and I wanted him because he was good-looking and hot, despite being twenty years my senior. Now, when I spot him across a BDSM playroom, I’m struck by his forlorn look. I haven’t seen him here on puppy-play night before, but I’m not surprised when he tells me he wants to be a pup. I was born to be a Daddy. For Foster, I’m ready to dive into the world of sweet pups and handlers and see if I have what it takes to make Foster’s Christmas wish come true.

Foster is an age-gap interracial gay romance about a lonely pup, a younger Daddy, and the best Christmas imaginable.

A Daddy for Christmas 2 is a multi-author series. Holiday tales of lost boys in need of Daddy’s love and in some cases, a firm hand. Naughty or nice, it’s all in Santa’s hands now. So why not dive in and read each standalone and enjoy the holidays alongside our boys.

Links:
Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/Daddy-Christmas-2-Foster-ebook/dp/B0DBSPTT9H
Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/Daddy2Foster

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/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile: https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey

UPDATE: The winners are…the first 8 commenters! 
*~*~*

Hello Delilah!  Thank you for hosting me again.  I’ve come today to share my love of audiobooks.

First my story.  I started listening to audiobooks around 2008. I had some CDs about Buddhism.  Then I moved to philosophy.  Then I discovered Diana Gabaldon.  That’s right – my audio journey into fiction really started with Outlander.  For the first few minutes, I wasn’t convinced.  I never really enjoyed first person (oh, the irony).  I wasn’t enjoying the content…but I held on.  And…MAGIC.  I was transported to 1740s Scotland just before the Jacobite rising.  I was like…I know nothing about anything, but wow, is this ever amazing.

I cobbled together the rest of the series available to that point on CD and listened avidly.

Then I found out I could buy audiobooks on iTunes.  Then I discovered Audible.  Then I discovered my library’s audiobook collection.

My world has never been the same.  I listen to audiobooks all the time.  ALL THE TIME.  Walking the dogs, doing chores, driving in the car, taking public transit… So much listening that I joined a blog and a review service so I could get free audios.  I’ve spent thousands of dollars and have more audiobooks than I’ll probably ever listen to.

Okay, so I’m an audiophile.  An audio addict.  A true fan.

When I started publishing, I really wanted to put my books on audio.  A naïve little me had NO IDEA what was involved.  I joined Facebook groups of my favorite narrators.  One day, Michael Ferraiuolo was doing a fireside chat, and in the chat, I asked him if he could do a Scottish accent.  He gave me a few lines in Scottish.  He didn’t realize that was his audition.  I hired him to narrate my first novella My Past, Your Future with a history professor from Scotland and a dead Civil War soldier ghost set in Vermont.

He was amazing.  So, I had him do another story of mine.

I then approached Michael Dean about narrating a couple of novellas set in Canada for me.  He agreed and I got those two completed.

Now, I worked massive hours of overtime to pay for those projects.

I was hooked.  I have worked a ton more overtime.  I have snapped up the money from sales of previously released books.  I might’ve even used a credit card or two.  All to put out 18 audiobooks.  I will tell you that, for me, earning out has been tough (making back what you spent).  I have a good job that enables me to make the audios.  Eventually, I’ll make back that money and pour it into more productions.  I have one book by the brilliant Robert Hatchett (Grant’s Gambit).

The rest of my audios are split between Michael Dean and Michael Ferraiuolo.  I call them my Michaels.  I have been blessed to work with two amazing narrators.  Every performance is amazing, but I will say that Love Furever narrated by Michael Ferraiuolo and Sleigh Bells and Second Chances narrated by Michael Dean are two of my favorites.

Especially Sleigh Bells.  One of my main characters stutters.  Michael Dean and I went back and forth about the best way to portray that.  In the end, I think we settled on something that works so well.  Reviewers and fans are loving the audio.

So that’s my journey – from fan to author to publisher of my audiobooks.  I am in love with the entire process and have more planned for the new year!

As a thank you for having me, I’d like to give away an audiobook to a commenter.  I have Audible US and UK codes for several of my new releases.  If you don’t listen to audiobooks, I can swap out a book from my backlist from any of my three pennames.  To win, just leave a comment.  Do you listen to audiobooks?  How do you choose which one to try?  And remember, all my older stories are available to libraries, so please consider asking your librarian to include them in their shelves.  Comment away!  A winner will be chosen by Random.  Good luck.

Love Furever

Colin

Being rejected by family hurt like hell, but I kept my head high, left my toxic relatives behind, and moved across the country to Gaynor Beach, CA. Luckily, I have great furry company. My French bulldog puppy, Widget, was dumped on me for not meeting my parents’ ridiculously high standards either, so we’re comforting each other. With a nice rental house and a new job, Widget and I were ready for a fresh start—until I got a devastating diagnosis. I can’t take care of Widget properly while trying to save my own life, and I expect a long, hard road. I’ll have to break both our hearts and put her up for adoption, for her sake. Right?

James

I’ve wanted a pet forever, but my family circumstances didn’t allow it. Now I’m away from my masses of relatives and on my own, and I’m ready to take on a furry companion. My friend, a guy who never says no to an animal in need, introduces me to Colin and his beautiful puppy Widget. I’m horrified Colin feels he needs to give her up just because he’s sick, but I’m happy to take Widget as a temporary foster. I’m also happy to offer support to the new guy in town who is so very alone during a time of crisis. Helping someone in need comes naturally to me. But what if that temporary help turns into me wanting a forever relationship?

This is a gay romance slow-burn novel about new beginnings, found family, unconditional love, and a puppy named Widget. This middle-angst story has a guaranteed happily ever after.
Links:
Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/Love-Furever-Audiobook/B0DNGCLLR2
Audible UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/B0DNGD7CHC
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B0C3RLR7RW

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances

Ryan

The moment I landed in that war zone, I knew I’d made a big mistake. I wasn’t a soldier, and my good intentions almost got me killed. Being wounded and shipped back home to Canada was both a blessing and a curse. I’m safe now, but I can’t stop thinking of the men I left behind. My therapist claims Healing Horses Ranch will help heal my wounds—physical and mental—but I’m not sure how much tranquility and wholesome fresh air I can take. But then I meet a beautiful, shy man who makes moving forward seem almost possible. Can I let go of the past and reach for a future with Simeon?

Simeon

I’ve made peace with being different from the folks around me. I love my home in Mission City, and if anyone needs something fixed, I’m the guy they call. When the owner of the therapy ranch hires me for a big project, I’m excited to get started. I always work alone, but one of the patients keeps hanging around, and I can’t bear to send him on his way. I can see how much he’s hurting. If helping me helps him, that’s a win for us both. As we share the work, something about that wounded man draws me deeper and deeper in. I’m no therapist, and I have my own issues, so am I a fool to be thinking about a future with a guy who’s likely to leave once he’s healed?

Sleigh Bells and Second Chances is a slow-burn, age-gap, hurt/comfort, mid-angst, gay romance novel with a shy handyman, a reckless former gamer, a precocious borrowed kid, and a therapy dog named Tiffany.

Links:
Audible US: https://www.audible.com/pd/Sleigh-Bells-and-Second-Chances-Audiobook/B0DJH8SSLH
Audible UK: https://www.audible.co.uk/pd/Sleigh-Bells-and-Second-Chances-Audiobook/B0DJH88PNP

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/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/gabbi-grey
Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15456297.Gabbi_Grey
Amazon Author Central: https://www.amazon.com/Gabbi-Grey/e/B07SJVFX1M
Audible Profile:  https://www.audible.com/author/Gabbi-Grey/B07SJVFX1M
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.ca/gabbigreyauthor/
Facebook (personal): https://www.facebook.com/profile.php?id=100009821772591

UPDATE The winner is…Kerry Jo!
*~*~*

Alice was born in 1875 in New Orleans, Louisiana. Her mother was a former slave, and her father was White. She wrote, taught and/or lectured everywhere she lived: Louisiana, New York, Massachusetts, Washington D.C., Delaware, and Pennsylvania. She received her education from Straight University in Louisiana and Cornell University in New York. After graduating from Straight in 1892, she began teaching in the New Orleans public schools.

Her teaching career included working at the White Rose Mission in Manhattan and co-founding a reform school for girls in Delaware. Her later activism led to her being removed from her teaching position at Wilmington Delaware’s Howard High school in 1920.

In 1895 her first anthology, Violets and Other Tales was published by The Boston Monthly Review. A poem she wrote in the Review brought her to Paul Lawrence Dunbar’s attention. Several resources cite their romance as being the African American equivalent of Robert Browning’s and Elizabeth Barrett Browning’s courtship. However, disagreements on how to handle race in their writing and her same gender loving relationships with women shows me their relationship wasn’t always idyllic. Dunbar became increasingly physically and emotionally abusive. She separated from him in 1902 and was still married to him when he died in 1906. During their marriage she published her next piece, The Goodness of St. Rocque and Other Stories in 1899.

 Besides poetry she wrote articles on race relations, the limitations placed on working women, civil rights and suffrage in magazines, church related publications, academic journals and newspapers. These were topics on which she lectured as well. In 1914, she published Masterpieces of Negro Eloquence, which contained speeches made by men and women of African descent born in the US, Europe and Africa. From 1926 to 1930 she wrote a column for the Washington Eagle. She also kept a diary addressing the issues of her day. She wrote prolifically despite encountering lots of rejection because she addressed oppression and racism in her writing.

She married two more times. The second to a fellow teacher which ended in a friendly divorce. The last to Robert J. Nelson in 1916, a poet and activist to whom she remained married until her death and with whom she was active in politics, campaigning for anti-lynching laws. Like many African Americans of her day, she was a republican but not a chauvinistic one. When the republican senator from Delaware refused to vote for an anti-lunching bill, Alice campaigned and got twelve thousand new voters registered, leading to the senator’s losing reelection.

Alice died in Philadelphia in 1935 due to a heart condition at the age of 60. Having learned all this about her, I will think of her as a poet, critic, journalist, and activist who also happened to marry a famous poet. I hope that’s how you’ll think of her too.

A Portrait of Alice Dunbar

For a chance at a $10 Amazon gift card, share your impressions of Alice in the comments.

“Take Me To The Water” by Michal Scott

I’m excited to share the cover for my upcoming young adult novel, When Stars Collide in the City. It’s a standalone book that’s part of an interconnected series about teens in the entertainment (and college sports) field who are trying to figure out life and love in the big city.

Check out the blurb: From the outside, Olivia Macomb looks like she leads a charmed life. She’s an up-and-coming influencer who is an heir to the Macomb family fortune and is about to start a lifestyle brand with her childhood sweetheart, Jeff. Then her world gets blown apart by her longtime boyfriend leaving her the morning of their website launch. Not only has he left, but the business she created is all in his name, and she’s been left with nothing to show for all her hard work. Now she has to pick up the pieces and find out who she is on her own.

Enter Walker Vinton, the indie pop star who used to date Olivia’s close friend, Paige. When their school throws a big event, Paige asks Walker to be Olivia’s date to give the gossip bloggers something else to talk about other than Olivia’s broken dreams.

Walker ends up coming to Olivia’s rescue in more ways than one at the party, and a twist of events leads to the two embarking on a fake relationship. Walker and Olivia wind up becoming best friends, and she realizes he’s the boyfriend of her dreams. He helps her build both her brand and her self-esteem back up. Walker even helps her start a new business. However, the lines begin to blur as Olivia’s feelings for Walker are very real. The two share intimate conversations and dreams, but what’s real and what’s fake in this starry world?

You can pre-order the book (it releases on December 14^th) here:

Amazon US: https://www.amazon.com/When-Stars-Collide-City-Book-ebook/dp/B0D8BR4H2L

Check out the rest of the series!

Like second chance romance and sports romances? Book one in the series features a teen soap star named Valeria who runs into the ex she never got over who happens to be a college basketball player who transferred to a university in the city.

Like hockey romance? Book two has a soap star named Paige who winds up doing a TV sports internship and meeting a college hockey star while she’s trying to get over her pop star ex (who is featured in book three).

Find the whole series here:
Amazon US:  https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0CVXPN4DF
Amazon UK: https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B0CVXPN4DF
Amazon CAN: https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B0CVXPN4DF
Amazon AUS: https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B0CVXPN4DF
Amazon Germany: https://www.amazon.de/-/en/dp/B0CVXPN4DF

A Note from the Author

I write YA and contemporary novels with hope, humor and happily ever afters, as well as dealing with self-doubt and finding where you belong.

Keep up with Krysten here:
Website: www.krystenlindsay.com

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.

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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.