Halloween is almost upon us, and I’m giving away a spooky romance to help you get in the spirit! I love the holiday. My family always has so much fun. Here are some pictures from past Halloweens.
This one was taken in front of the local cemetery…
Don’t the hay bales look creepy, too?
My dd and the girls have been practicing with makeup for our Halloween blowout. No trick-or-treating this year, but we’re doing a candy scavenger hunt and watching spooky movies. And dressing up, of course! I’ll be sure to share pics!
Are you doing something fun for Halloween this year?
Giveaway!
A woman desperate to save her infected boyfriend from certain extermination faces her battle alone, in secret, until one day she has to trust he’s still inside the monster she feeds…
Here’s the latest entry in our series of FREE short stories aimed at telling the story about how love can still happen in these days of isolation!
The latest offering is from Ava Cuvay entitled “Noob at Love“! And yes, the hero is a nerdy gamer, but the language and energy, and sheer relief he experiences when he finds the girl who’s perfect for him in every way is a joy. So, download this short story now!
Noob at Love
Here’s what it’s all about…
Quarantine should be life as usual for Kyle, an online gamer homebody. But the constant presence and noise of his apartment neighbors is hell for the introvert. He turns to his favorite gamer pal, SassyKat, for consolation in the form of zombie kill-counts and good-natured teasing. Then, a fire alarm changes their relationship for good.
Back with our third Love in Lockdown story, which is also the second part of the series author Reina Torres is bringing to you—FOR FREE! Can I say that enough? Free—free—free—free!
If you haven’t been following this blog, then maybe you don’t know that a group of authors is writing short stories and offering them for FREE (see how I did that, again?). All the stories are set during the lockdown, so you’ll easily identify with what our characters are going through, and so that you will enjoy how our “bookpeople” manage to connect and keep each others’ spirits up.
So far, three short stories have been published. Two are in a continuing series, written by the wonderful Reina Torres! Her latest installment in SUBLET is out today! Click on the covers to get your copies!
Maybe, you’ve already read this story. It first appeared in the anthology, First Response. If you read Cage, you have “In the Wild”, because I included it at the back of the story as a gift to you. However, if you haven’t read Cage or First Response, or even if you have and want a separate copy of this short story for your eReader, get your free copy now! This offer lasts only through Saturday!
In the Wild
After a charging bison comes between her and her latest skip, a bounty hunter must rely on the survival skills of her park ranger rescuer…
I may have talked about this here before, so forgive me if I have. I got to thinking one day after seeing so many conversations on social media among authors not wanting to tackle the topic of the lockdown because we like to write romance, and how do you handle romances and settings where people intermingle with their communities and meet the loves of their lives when so many of us are having to self-isolate. I mean, how do couples find each other in the middle of a lockdown?
As well, we like to write stories that lift people up. How do you lift people up tackling a real-world issue when so many are grappling with depression and loneliness due to the current pandemic?
Well, I talked to author friends online, and we came up with this idea for a series of short-short stories, just 1,500 to 2,500 words long, that we want to offer for FREE to readers. Our passing-time-in-a-pandemic gift to you.
Authors will be hosted on my Collections website—that site that’s not all about me, but rather all about the anthologies I put together and the authors who contribute to them. We’ll all share promo duties to get the word out when a new story arrives. You might want to subscribe to the Collections site so you don’t miss a single FREE story. Just a thought!
While you’re enjoying these short freebies, of all different heat levels, be sure to check out the authors, too. They’re a talented bunch. I bet you’ll find some new authors you’ll be eager to follow.
So, let’s start with the first of the stories coming your way…
SUBLET — Part 1 by Reina Torres
Click on the cover to head over to the Love In Lockdown webpage!
Writing offers countless creative options for authors. One thing that happens for me is the scene, the moment, that springs up in a dream or an afternoon of house chores. They’re never complete stories like a reader would expect to find in a novel. Instead, they’re vignettes.
Some of the stories in this collection have been previously published as standalone shorts. When I decided to work on a collection of shorts, they’ve been expanded and nourished with more detail, more emotion, more of what makes a story resonate with a reader. I called it — Love in the Moment — a collection of contemporary romantic shorts featuring unexpected affection in unforeseen circumstances.
Love in the Moment
One moment she dared. Stepped outside of yesterday and tomorrow. Took what she wanted even if she didn’t want to want it.
These are stories of those moments, when a stranger’s smile and a glint in his eye speak to a previously undiscovered part of her soul, when each second ticks past with the wealth of a thousand years.
In “Encounter at the Elevator,” a moment’s whim may open the door to an unexpected future. Flash Fiction
“Cara’s Rescue” follows a woman’s escape from heartbreak and terror into unimagined safety. Short Story
In “The Lawn Guy,” a widow struggles with survivor’s guilt and the stirrings of desire. Short Story
The struggles of air travel open new opportunities in “The Layover” when a woman steps outside her comfort zone to meet the challenge of a seductive stranger. Novelette
“In Dare to Ask,” a spur of the moment dare forces a woman to blurt out an invitation to a younger man. Instantly regretful, she wants to drive away and never come back. Worse, he accepts. Now what? Novelette
What starts as a woman’s educational pursuit quickly detours into something else entirely when an old house “In Need of Repair” brings a major complication to her life. Novelette
“A Chance to Move On” materializes unexpectedly at a remote cabin smothered in ice and snow when a park ranger comes knocking. Novella
So, I gathered your suggestions from my post over a week ago regarding the theme for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology—#6. Now, I need to know which theme really grabs your attention.
So, cast your vote! You can choose up to three themes. I’m not guaranteeing that the highest vote-getter will end up being the one, but I promise to consider your choices!
And to entice you to play, I’ll offer a prize—a $5 Amazon gift card to one person who leaves a comment telling me which was the clear winner!
Thanks for adding your two cents to my decision-making process! ~DD
The Poll
Which themes appeal to you the most for the next Boys Behaving Badly Anthology? Choose up to 3 themes!
Cowboys and Ranchers (20%, 10 Votes)
Real Men, like lumberjacks, construction workers, etc. (16%, 8 Votes)
Silver Foxes, i.e., older guys (12%, 6 Votes)
Royalty...bad boys with a title...could be real world or a fairy king... (10%, 5 Votes)
Nerds and Geeks (10%, 5 Votes)
Military Men, any branch of service (8%, 4 Votes)
Second Chance stories (6%, 3 Votes)
Medical Men (6%, 3 Votes)
Bikers (4%, 2 Votes)
Captive--but not a rape scenario! (4%, 2 Votes)
Working Class Men (I'll find a sexier title, promise!) (4%, 2 Votes)
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