I’ve had incredible support from my publisher, The Wild Rose Press, to write gay romances.  Stories that have called to me.  Stories that I’ve wanted to tell.  Stories that have been important to me.  Interestingly, my first story was within the shared world of the Deerbourne Inn series.  The Inn is located in the fictional town of Willow Springs, Vermont.  By the time my book, My Past, Your Future was published, it fell in as book 18.  The town and its inhabitants were well-known and loved.  Mine was the first gay romance in the series, and I was lucky my diverse story found acceptance.

In that shared world, the character most intriguing to me was the desk clerk at the inn.  Jared appeared in the very first story and just about every subsequent one.  He is, after all, the character who greets all the wayward stragglers who turn up.  He’s seen many romances bloom and has cheerily watched from afar.  He’s gay, and I knew I wanted him to get his happy ending.

Now, pitching to a publisher using an existing character and giving him a happily ever after of his own can be tricky.  All the editors (and other writers) had their view of who he was.  I was proposing expanding him and, gasp, giving him a romantic arc.  I encountered some resistance because my other gay romances have involved pretty explicit sex scenes between two men.  Some editorial staff wondered if I could give Jared the ending he deserved.

Fortunately, my editor was on my side.  She helped me craft a synopsis that demonstrated a clear romantic arc culminating in a true happily ever after.  And I agreed to make this a sweet romance.  I haven’t written one of those in years, but I figured how hard could it be?  I’m a writer.  This is a character I love.  I have a strong hero for him to fall in love with.  Certainly, they can ride off in the sunset together.

I got to work.

And quickly discovered I rely a lot on anatomical descriptions of desire and plenty of expletives.

But I was determined to write the best damn book I could.

I asked writer friends for non-swear swear words.  I sought descriptions more emotionally driven and less about body parts.  In other words, I did what the publisher asked.  And something magical happened.  They liked it.  They really did.  They offered me a contract, and the book is now out in the world.  Another great thing happened – I rediscovered the joy of writing sweet.

My hope with this book is first and foremost to give readers a joyous experience.  I want them to be transported to the wonderful world of Willow Springs and to be immersed in Vermont in springtime.  I’m also hopeful romance readers who haven’t tried a gay romance before will give my book a chance.  There’s a huge subgenre out there with romances of every kind imaginable.  Why not start with something gentle, sweet, and full of love?  And before you think it’s all kittens and roses, both Jared and Xander have some deep emotional wounds they have to work through.  I’m not known for giving my characters a free ride.  And, okay, there might be one kitten.  And a dog.  But I don’t want to give too much away.

Thank you, Delilah, for letting me visit today and wax poetic about my little book.  I hope your readers check it out. 

If Only for Today Synopsis

He came looking for solitude. He might leave after finding love.

Jared Langford is a happy man. The desk clerk at the Deerbourne Inn knows everyone in his cozy town in Vermont. He is accepted and loved by the community, but he’s missing someone special in his life.

Devastating news has brought journalist Xander Fortier to Willow Springs for some much-needed rest. He’s photographed every major conflict in the world for the last ten years, but being stateside has forced him to reassess the solitary life he’s been living.

Something in Xander’s gruff demeanor calls to Jared’s caring nature. Soon the men are spending time together, but Jared’s kisses might not be enough to keep Xander from leaving. Can the men find a happily ever after if they only have today?

Excerpt from If Only for Today

“Kiss me.” This time the plea came from Jared.

Xander was happy to oblige. He hooked his fingers under Jared’s jaw and tugged him closer. Such smooth skin. He must’ve shaved before their date because no man went the entire day without a trace of hair. Angling his head, he lowered his lips and pressed them to Jared’s. So, so smooth.

He hadn’t spent a lot of time kissing. Was he was doing it right? Jared threw his arms around his neck and pulled them closer. The other man opened his mouth, demanding reciprocation. And, okay, this was…intimate.

As Xander swept his tongue into Jared’s mouth and their tongues parried, he closed the distance. Xander reacted to the deliciously close contact. What red-blooded man wouldn’t, when he held the perfect partner in his arms? Jared was everything he’d wanted but never allowed himself to dream he might have.

And that realization had him slowly backing away. He ended their intimate exchange and placed a soft kiss to Jared’s forehead.

“What…?”

Jared’s blue eyes were unfocused, and his lips were plump from their kisses. His cheeks were pink—either from arousal or whisker burn.

Unable to resist the urge, Xander pulled him into a tight embrace. “I really like you, but I need to let you go. I have to get back to my room.”

Jared’s body stiffened and when he pulled back, Xander released him. Reluctantly.

Pressing his fingers to his lips, Jared whispered. “It was just a kiss.”

A kiss that meant everything. Words better left unsaid.

“I’ll walk you home.” The least he could do.

Jared shook his head. “Not necessary. Willow Springs is a safe town, and I can manage on my own. I’m quite capable of taking care of myself. Thank you for the offer.” He pointed down the street. “Two blocks that way, and you’ll be back at the inn. Don’t forget you’ll need your key.” Without another word he pivoted and headed back in the direction from which they’d come.

Buy Links:
Amazon US:  https://amzn.to/3fOsviy
Amazon CA:  https://amzn.to/31LG1LP
KOBO:  https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/if-only-for-today
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/if-only-for-today-gabbi-grey/1138919955
iBooks:  https://books.apple.com/us/book/if-only-for-today/id1556170342
Publisher:  https://www.thewildrosepress.com/book-post/if-only-for-today
Add it to Goodreads:  https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/57730616-if-only-for-today

About the Author

Gabbi 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.

Personal links:
Website: https://gabbigrey.com/
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
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/authorgabbigrey/
Facebook (page): https://www.facebook.com/AuthorGabbiGrey
Twitter: https://twitter.com/GabbiGrey

UPDATE: The winner is…Misty Dawn!
*~*~*

Numbers Game

That’s what it’s all about

Comment for a chance to win a $10 Amazon Gift Certificate

Football is a purely American sport that epitomizes all the values that we hold dear in our country: hard work, teamwork, toughness, victory, and glory.  Football is a fast-paced game of action that could change on any single play. The anticipation of a game-changing play always keeps fans on the edge of their seats, waiting for the moment to explode in jubilation.

Football is America’s game.

So take a sports reporter trying to rebuild her career, a college football coach trying to rebuild his own position in the sport while leading his alma mater back to the glory days, and two romance shy people wondering if they dare take a second chance on romance and what do you have?

Numbers Game!

Former NFL player and coach Duncan “Hatch” Hatcher fumbled his career and marriage. Now divorced and ready to tackle his future, he has an opportunity to redeem himself as coach of his college alma mater’s football team. But how can he can turn the team’s losing streak around and keep the secret of his downfall buried when the school agrees to a documentary that will allow a lovely journalist to dig her way into his past…and into his heart?

Olivia Grant’s ex-husband almost wrecked her journalism career while he definitely did a number on her self-esteem. The documentary on Duncan Hatcher is the perfect way to rebuild both. As a freshman in college, she’d had a crush on the senior football hero, but he hadn’t known she existed. She never expects the sparks that fly between them as they work on the project nor the struggles they must face if they both want to win.

Get it here!
https://books2read.com/NumbersGame

A taste of Numbers Game…

Hatch winced at the memory of how goofy he must have sounded to the lovely woman he was going to be having a fair bit of contact with this season. Olivia Grant was, without a doubt, beautiful, not to mention sexy as hell. She was a natural reporter, putting him at ease, even in the face of his high-school-ish reaction to her at first. But dear Lord, the crap he’d said? That shit about her being “better than she thought” at the race? And “looking for a foot in the door”? He’d sounded about as slick as the grandpas he’d been named for.

He groaned and pressed his forehead to the leather blotter on his new desk. After his divorce, he’d made a point not to notice women, something that was a bit of a self-imposed penalty. But there was no not noticing Olivia. Her soft, dark blonde hair that kept dropping over one of her deep green eyes as she’d look down at her notes, then back up at him. That smile, and those full, barely lip-sticked lips. And there was no denying she had a body that would be hard to shake out of his brain. Scott had told him she used to play soccer here, a few years behind him as an undergrad. How he’d not known her… Granted, he hadn’t been a big partier then, kept mostly to himself and his close group of friends and, as always, focused on the game.

But damn. He’d missed out on something then, without a doubt. He felt his face flush red and his entire body begin to react in ways that didn’t really serve him well as a fully grown man, with plenty of experience under his belt, so to speak.

Thankfully, she’d left before he could embarrass himself anymore.

Home. Shower. Beer. Stare at a string of old movies on the giant television screen. Anything to get the lovely Olivia Grant and all her many attributes out of his head. She was, after all, the media. And everyone knew how he felt about the media.

It was get a grip time—on all parts of himself.

This was his chance at redemption. The opportunity was a godsend, considering the sorry state he’d left his life in on the west coast, and he didn’t intend to do anything to screw it up. He couldn’t afford to get distracted by a single thing. But how the hell was he going to do that when Olivia Grant might prove to be the biggest distraction of all?

Meet the Authors

USA Today best-selling and award-winning author Desiree Holt writes everything from romantic suspense and contemporary on a variety of heat levels up to erotic, a genre in which she is the oldest living author. She has been referred to by USA Today as the Nora Roberts of erotic romance, and is a winner of the EPIC E-Book Award, the Holt Medallion and a Romantic Times Reviewers Choice nominee. She has been featured on CBS Sunday Morning and in The Village Voice, The Daily Beast, USA Today, The (London) Daily Mail, The New Delhi Times and numerous other national and international publications.

www.facebook.com/desireeholtauthor
www.facebook.com/desiree01holt
Twitter @desireeholt
Pinterest: desiree02holt
www.desireeholt.com
Follow me on
BookBub https://www.bookbub.com/search?search=Desiree+Holt
Amazon https://www.amazon.com/Desiree- Holt/e/B003LD2Q3M/ref=sr_tc_2_0?qid=1505488204&sr=1-2-ent
Signup for my newsletter and receive a FREE BOOK: https://desireeholt.com/newsletter/

*~*~*

Liz Crowe is a Kentucky native and graduate of the University of Louisville living in Central Illinois. She’s spent her time as a three-continent expat trailing spouse, mom of three, real estate agent, brewery owner and bar manager, and is currently a social media consultant and humane society development director, in addition to being an award-winning author. With stories set in the not-so-common worlds of breweries, on the soccer pitch, inside fictional television stations and successful real estate offices, and even in exotic locales like Istanbul, Turkey, her books are compelling and told with a fresh voice. The Liz Crowe backlist has something for any reader seeking complex storylines with humor and complete casts of characters that will delight, at times frustrate, and always linger in the imagination long after the book is finished.

https://twitter.com/LizCroweAuthor
https://www.facebook.com/lizcroweauthor
https://www.bookbub.com/authors/liz-crowe
https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4350864.Liz_Crowe
https://www.amazon.com/Liz-Crowe/e/B00573TC7M
https://www.instagram.com/etlizcrowe/
https://www.lizcrowe.com
https://landing.mailerlite.com/webforms/landing/r2a2q5

Greetings all! When I brainstorm ideas for blog posts, the first question I always ask myself is what are readers interested in and what new something about those topics am I able to bring to the table. My default answer is always: books. But what specifically about books? Romance. Yes, but that’s still vague. So, then, I began to think about the different kinds of romances—historical, regency, erotic, romantic comedy, inspirational romance, speculative romance, romantic suspense, etc. I asked myself what I could comment on each of them that would be noteworthy.

My second act when deciding on a theme or issue is to scroll through my past posts to avoid duplication of topics, unless it is my specific intention to update an older post that has become obsolete. I always want to provide fresh and interesting content, and that can be made difficult when blogging weekly, especially when one has been doing it for years. I also want to ensure that I write accurate information. There’s nothing worse than reading an article that is jammed with misinformation, incomplete, or not well thought out.

This brings me to my third question. I must ask myself if there is another material available for me to write a post that will do the topic justice. Let me tell you, this topic came extremely close to failing to meet this criterion. I’ve had plenty of blog ideas that I’ve had to nix simply because I did not have enough supporting documentation. Search engines for this subject were not my friend, and part of that has to do with the name which I’ll briefly discuss later. I wasted hours reading through articles that didn’t help. (And as an aside, this is how writers and bloggers fall down that proverbial writing rabbit hole. They begin searching for one thing and end up looking at everything else that gets thrown in their path on their search. I don’t know how many times I catch myself asking, “What’s that?” Then, off I go to chase the white rabbit knowing good and doggone well what happened to Alice. Forget finding the queen. Off with my own head. One would think I would have learned by now. But anyway…

Today was no different than any other day for me deciding on a topic, except I found myself having a hard time focusing. Nothing was popping, and everything seemed a distraction. I finally decided to revert to my handy dandy massive pile of spirals that I have stacked in a box. This is where I take notes when working on novels or important takeaways from edits. Truthfully, there’s no telling what one will find in those things. But I digress. As I flipped through one of my writing notebooks, I noticed a question that I had scribbled in the margin and had long forgotten. But I do remember the conversations that followed. An idea began to formulate. Read the rest of this entry »

UPDATE: The winner is…Ava Cuvay!
*~*~*

©Diana Cosby 2021

As a writer, it’s important to refill my muse.  I relax by taking photographs of nature.  One of my favorite places to visit is the marsh.

At the marsh, I never know what type of bird or animal I’m going to see.  This spring, a young Great Blue Heron has arrived.  He’s gorgeous, and I hope he stays.

 I often see eagles at the marsh.  On rare occasions, one lands nearby, and I can take close-up photos.

With the spring migration beginning, I keep watch for new birds flying through.  This spring I’ve had the pleasure of seeing several new ducks.

Shore-birds are interesting to watch.  One of my favorites is the seagull.  They have such interesting attitudes.

Take care, and wishing you a wonderful spring!

Contest

***ONE winner will be drawn from everyone who posts on my guest blog post about, ‘Nature’s Inspiration – Life At The Marsh,’ on Delilah’s blog between 18 April 2021– 25 April 2021.  The winner will receive a signed copy of His Woman, book #2 in the bestselling The MacGruder Brothers Series.

About the Author

A retired Navy Chief, Diana Cosby is an international bestselling author of Scottish medieval romantic suspense. Books in her award-winning MacGruder Brothers series have been translated into five languages. Diana has spoken at the Library of Congress, Lady Jane’s Salon in NYC, and appeared in Woman’s Day, on USA Today’s romance blog, “Happy Ever After,” MSN.com, Atlantic County Women Magazine, and Texoma Living Magazine.

After her career in the Navy, Diana dove into her passion – writing romance novels. With 34 moves behind her, she was anxious to create characters who reflected the amazing cultures and people she’s met throughout the world. After the release of the bestselling MacGruder Brothers series and The Oath Trilogy, she released the bestselling The Forbidden Series.

Diana looks forward to the years of writing ahead and meeting the amazing people who will share this journey.

Diana Cosby, International Best-Selling Author
www.dianacosby.com
The Oath Trilogy
MacGruder Brother Series
The Forbidden Series

Winter has finally released its icy grip. It takes a little longer here in Eastern Canada, and we still might get a snowstorm or two, but I’m optimistic that spring is finally here. The crocuses are poking their heads up. The tulips are starting to bloom.

Here are my Top 5 signs that spring has finally arrived.

1. I can wear sneakers when I go out. After months and months of boots, being able to just pull a pair of sneakers on and go is a huge deal.
2. Not having to bundle up so much. During the winter months, I wear a long-sleeved shirt, a sweater, two layers of leggings, a long coat, a scarf, gloves, and a headband whenever I go out. Being able to leave off the long coat is huge. I’ll still layer up, as the temperatures aren’t that far above freezing, but it’s freeing to wear a hoodie and fleece and switch to my lighter gloves and headband. LOL, it’s all about degrees.
3. The crocuses are starting to carpet the front lawns in the neighborhood. Seeing the pop of color does my heart good.
4. I’ve started removing the layers of coverings from my bed. So far, I’ve put away two of the blankets. That leaves three comforters and a quilt.
5. I’m so looking forward to the first night I can sleep with the bedroom window open. That will be a while yet, as temperatures dip below freezing in the night. It gives me something to look forward to.

It’s the little things that make the difference. What do you love most about spring?

And if you’re looking for a book, be sure to check out my latest release ZAXE’S RULE.

Zaxe’s Rule
Assassins of Gravas, Book 4

A professional assassin, Zaxe’s job is to kill his target—Helldrick—and get out. This final mission will repay his debt to the king of Gravas and allow him to finally claim his freedom. The job should be simple, but then he crosses paths with Jamaeh Jerman, the daughter of his target.

Being a mixed-race bastard, Jamaeh’s life has never been easy, but she’s carved out a living as a trader. Her entire life, she’s protected her brother. Now he’s missing and Helldrick is to blame. Her goal is to find her brother and bring him home.

She and Zaxe join forces, each with their own agenda. Danger and secrets from the past threaten to come between them, while their sizzling attraction further complicates the situation. Will mistrust drive them apart or will love save them both?

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091B73YQN/
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1076683
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/us/en/ebook/zaxe-s-rule
B&N: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/zaxes-rule-n-j-walters/1139128903
Evernight Publishing: https://www.evernightpublishing.com/zaxes-rule-by-n-j-walters/

About the Author

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.

Visit me at:
Website: https://www.njwalters.com
Blog: https://www.njwalters.blogspot.com
Newsletter Sign Up: https://eepurl.com/gdblg5
Facebook Author Page: https://www.facebook.com/N.J.WaltersAuthor
Twitter: https://twitter.com/njwaltersauthor
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/NJWalters
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/author/njwalters
BookBub: https://www.bookbub.com/authors/n-j-walters

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

Why do we read Romance?

I’m currently writing, Tin Toy, the second book in the Silver Cyborg Series, about a cybernetic librarian who looks like a pin-up model, kisses like an angel, and fights like a trained assassin. I thought it would be fun to make her a huge fan of Romance, and associate common Romance tropes with various situations she’s in. Like May-December romances, secret baby, and bad boy billionaire, just to name a few.

And, as is common when I write, my characters often hijack the story. Recently, librarian Betty did just that during a conversation with her love interest, Everett Dean. While I hadn’t planned it, she took that opportunity to explain why she loves Romance novels.

And it occurred to me that we might all have our different reasons for reading Romance. For me, it’s the escapism and the HEA/HFN. Stories without an emotionally satisfying ending leave a bad taste in my mouth. Movie example: hubby and I rented La La Land a few months ago, and I walked away in tears and vibrating with anger. Spoiler alert – the two characters don’t end up together! I loved the singing and dancing and piano playing and even the rest of the story, and yes, it’s more true to real life that people can love each other and still part ways. But, I WANT MY HEA!

So, I’m here today to pose the question to you: Assuming you read Romance, why? What is it that draws you to the Romance genre? I’ll select a random commenter for a $5 Amazon gift card.

Excerpt from Tin Toy, Betty’s response to the question…

“So, is that what women really want in a man?”

Her face screwed up in a frown as she considered her answer. She glanced around the aisle and clasped the book in her hands. “I don’t think you can take romance books as a literal guide. There’s too much diversity in personal tastes in the genre to land on any one thing in common where that’s concerned. Instead, I think they are written permission for women to embrace their own polarizing desires.”

“Desires? I assume you’re not just talking about what they want in bed.”

“I can’t deny that’s one aspect.” She shrugged. When she continued, her words were hesitant and measured as if she pulled them from a deep, unfamiliar well. “But it’s so much more. I think many women like the idea of having a man who can take care of them, even if she is perfectly capable of taking care of herself. That a man can be as imperfect as we so often feel we are, and it neither diminishes his masculinity nor mocks our femininity. That a man can accept our love and cherish it for the precious gift it is and not use it as leverage or sully it with selfishness. That love is not restricted by trivial things such as money, geography, social status, or physical attributes. That, for each woman, there is at least one person who finds us beautiful, desirable, and—above all—worthy.”

She stared at the floor and tapped her fingers against the holo-book in her hand, her voice soft, almost wistful. “At least… that’s my theory.”

About the Author

Ava Cuvay is an award-winning bestselling author of Sci-fi Romance featuring sassy heroines, gutsy heroes, passion, and adventure… often set in a galaxy far, far away. She resides in central Indiana with her own scruffy-looking nerfherder and kiddos who remind her daily she’s not nearly as cool and hip as she thinks. She believes life is too short to bother with negative people, everything is better with Champagne, and Han Solo shot first. When not writing, Ava is thinking about writing. Or wine. And she’s always thinking about bacon.

website: https://www.avacuvay.com/
Amazon author page: https://www.amazon.com/Ava-Cuvay/e/B01E5OIZ0I/
Goodreads page: https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/15051407.Ava_Cuvay
Facebook: https://facebook.com/AvaCuvayAuthor/
Bookbub: https://www.bookbub.com/profile/ava-cuvay

Hello, everyone, and thank you for having me as a guest on this blog. I considered the many topics I could write about, but spring is upon us, and while many are not able to gather with family and friends just yet, we may still be making and eating desserts. One of my favorite go-to desserts is super easy. It has to be because I am not a great cook, and it sometimes takes me more than one try to get a recipe right. This is why I make this chocolate pie…

Cara’s Chocolate Pie

Get:
One chocolate cookie crust (pre-made)
Box of chocolate instant pudding
Container of whipped topping
Chocolate sprinkles.

Make the pudding, pour onto the readymade crust, wait until it is set, then add the whipped topping, put on the sprinkles and BAM! You have a very quick and easy dessert.

Anyone else terrible in the kitchen? What is your go-to make and take item?

Johnson Family Ranch

One of the reasons I love writing characters that know how to cook is because I wish I enjoyed cooking.

Johnson Family Ranch Book #1: Tequila Makes Her Clothes Fall Off
She Thinks My Tractor’s Sexy (Johnson Family Ranch Book 2)
Johnson Family Ranch Book #3 One Hot Momma

My cowboys certainly enjoy cooking. Since they are from a pre-facetime, social media era, I have dropped the price on this well-loved contemporary, erotic series. They are available where e-books are sold.

You can find out more about me and my work at these links:
Website: https://www.creativewritingwithdrnagle.com
Twitter: https://twitter.com/CaraNorthauthor
Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/caranorthauthor/
Pinterest: https://www.pinterest.com/caranorthauthor
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/caranorth_author/?hl=en
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/…/982055.Cara_North_September…
BookBub : https://www.bookbub.com/authors/cara-north
Amazon Author Page: https://www.amazon.com/~/e/B002BLLE1U
Patreon Page: https://www.patreon.com/musesandsirens
TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@caranorthauthor
Get to know Cara North better by signing up for an email newsletter: Subscribe is at the bottom of the page https://www.creativewritingwithdrnagle.com/