Category: delsheree gladden

The Final Date Shark Book has arrived!

Ending a series is always a tough thing for me, but I’m so excited to wrap up The Date Shark Series with Leo Bailey’s story in “Repelling the Shark!”

Repelling the Shark

the Date Shark series, book 5

Repelling the Shark

Simple and easy falls apart when secrets revealed require making promises and opening up to the possibilities of hurt and hope.

Leo Bailey has so far escaped the curse of the date shark business. He fills in when needed, but has held onto his casual relationships and family emergency-free existence. hover

Marriage and family are a vague idea for the future, but he’s not ready to give up the freedom of being single and answering only to himself.

When Piper Moretti witnesses the demise of yet another of Leo’s friends-with-benefits relationship, she doesn’t think much of it. She has a long list of more pressing responsibilities and headaches to occupy her mind.

Friends, and the strings that go with them, are at the bottom of her priority list.

When a date shark client who tops the list of bizarre behavior Leo has seen, his half-joking request for rescue drags Piper into the chaos and into Leo’s life.

Neither one wants more than a simple, no-stress friendship. Secrets and surprises force them to admit neither one is nearly as in control of their futures as they think they are.

Helping each other means getting involved, making promises, and opening themselves up to the hurt and hope they’re both terrified to face.

Eliza Carlisle is Back and Stirring Up Trouble

Exciting news for Eliza Carlisle fans!

The Catalyst is available again (post-Kindle World rewrite version) for purchase as an ebook on Kindle, B&N, and Smashwords. Apple Books and Kobo are coming soon as well! The Catalyst is also available in paperback for the first time!

Catalyst reboot available now

Looking after Eliza Carlisle is about as easy as bathing a cat!

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MORE exciting news is that book 4, Incendiary, is close to being finished and will be released in early 2019!

Here’s a sneak peek!

Incendiary (Coming Soon)

Eliza Carlisle Mystery, Book 4

Incendiary FRONT

How long can Eliza keeping looking over her shoulder before she finally sees her own death approaching?

New Year’s means resolutions, getting on track, making decisions.

For Eliza Carlisle, starting a new year means making tough choices, even if those decisions mean losing friends and possibly getting kicked out of culinary school. She’s all set to take her life in a new direction when her demented half-brother Simon’s reappearance changes everything.

Broken and more alone than she’s been since fleeing her childhood home, Eliza struggles to hang onto the fragile threads that are holding her life together. Only a comically disastrous young chef and the threats against her life pull Eliza out of her fog of self-loathing. Saving seven-year-old Clara means ignoring the threat Simon now poses and surrendering to burnt grilled cheese sandwiches and whipped cream-splattered kitchens…not to mention family secrets, death threats, and a whole host of spy gadgets. And who can forget about Baxter?

With so much mounted against her, Eliza has as much chance of surviving the criminal elite, her psychotic half-brother, and Baxter’s determined advances as she does escaping Chef Harper’s quest to kill her culinary dreams.

Shark Out Of Water is Finally Here!!!!

Celebrating the Release of
Shark Out of Water
Date Shark Series (Book 2)
by DelSheree Gladden


Guy Saint Laurent is too busy cursing his sister for roping him into taking over Eli’s Date Shark business to prepare himself for the slew of bizarre women he’s about to get involved with. This is the last venture he intended to take on, but somehow he’s just become Chicago’s newest, most reluctant Date Shark. 

On top of dealing with bug-toting, mothering, obsessive women, Guy faces personal tragedy that changes his outlook on life, whether he wants it to or not. He’s not sure what it is about Charlotte Brooks that draws him in, but getting her off his mind after a brief encounter proves impossible. 

As Charlotte tries to help Guy deal with his loss, he begins to get the impression she’s hiding something from him. He knows he could simply walk away, continue as he always has, but he suspects whatever she’s hiding, she won’t be able to face it alone. 

Charlotte is the one woman who can capture his attention, but she may also be the one woman capable of breaking him.



Charlotte was breathless when he pulled back, and the plaintive expression on her face killed him, but he had accomplished his goal. He gestured to the IV hooked to her arm and Charlotte stared at it in surprise. “I didn’t even feel it!”
“I told you I could distract you.”
“Damn near distracted me, too,” the nurse muttered. 

Excerpt

Vance was smart enough to see signs that Guy was now on the defensive. He redirected, asking, “Tell me about Charlotte. Why are you having deep conversations with her instead of flirting and seducing her back to your flat?”
Sulking like a child, Guy muttered, “Je ne sais pas.”
“You don’t know?” That seemed to truly surprise Vance. “Well, I suggest you find out.”
“What?” Guy snapped. “That is your advice to me? Find out?”
Vance nodded. “Oui, mon ami. Find out why Charlotte has done what it has taken me years and years to do. Why let down your barrier between public and private for someone you barely know when I had to practically force you to do the same thing today.”
“Why?”
“Why?” Vance repeated. “Because you need to know. You won’t stop obsessing about her until you do.”
“Obsédé? Who says I am obsessing over her?”
Vance folded his arms across his chest. “She is in your thoughts so much that you mentioned her name when you clearly had no intention of revealing her to me.” Leaning forward, he looked at his friend seriously. “Guy, I have known you for a long time. You have surprised me today, but I know how you can be like a dog with a bone. You’ll drive yourself crazy wondering what it is about Charlotte that got past your defenses until it either drives you crazy or you figure it out. Given the line of work we’re in, I’d suggest figuring it out.”
“I thought I was here to talk about Patricia,” Guy grumbled.
Leaning back with a smirk, Vance said, “We are. Just had to find something you wanted to talk about even less to spur you on, apparently.” He shook his head when Guy rolled his eyes. “Something else is bothering you when it comes to Patricia. The funeral is tomorrow. You’re avoiding talking about it. Why?”
Guy did not respond right away. His breathing escalated to the point that Vance reached forward and put a hand on his shoulder. “Her parents… they came to see me at the hospital.”
“How did they react?”
Shaking his head, he still struggled to understand their reaction. Instead of answering Vance’s new question, he answered the original one. “They requested I stand as a pallbearer.” His head fell into his hands. “I don’t know if I can. It is too difficult.”
“It will undoubtedly be difficult,” Vance said with compassion, “but it is difficult for Patricia’s parents as well. They see you as the one person who truly tried to help her. I think it comforts them to think of you being there to help her on this one last transition.”
“I don’t know if I can do this for them.”
Vance squeezed Guy’s shoulder. “You don’t have to if it is too much.”
“Not doing it feels like a betrayal of Patricia.”
“Guy, don’t make this about Patricia or her parents. What do you feel comfortable with and how do you want to say goodbye to Patricia?”
That was not an easy question. Guy sank back into the chair. Vance waited with the patience of a saint as Guy forced himself to confront the answers. He had been through so much with Patricia, watched her move forward only to fall so far again and again. She never stopped trying, and he never stopped trying to help her. “I want to help her this one last time,” Guy said finally.
“Then call Patricia’s parents when you get home and tell them you’ll be there.”
Feeling more at peace, Guy nodded.
“Stephanie and I will be there as well.” Vance held his friend’s gaze for a moment longer, making sure he knew he did not have to face the funeral alone. When Guy’s shoulders relaxed, Vance sat back. “Now why don’t you tell me about the day you met Patricia?”
As Guy began recounting the first time Patricia came into the crisis center wanting to talk about everything from the side effects of the medications she was taking to how her puppy would not stop peeing on her kitchen floor, his thoughts returned to Vance’s earlier challenge. Patricia had struck a chord with him, and so had Charlotte, in surprisingly similar ways. He understood why he has connected with Patricia, a struggling and confused young woman, but Charlotte was more of a mystery. What would it take to find out why Charlotte had affected him so much? 


FREE ON AMAZON
Date Shark (Book 1)

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ABOUT THE AUTHOR

DelSheree Gladden
DelSheree Gladden lives in New Mexico with her husband and two children. The Southwest is a big influence in her writing because of its culture, beauty, and mythology. Local folk lore is strongly rooted in her writing, particularly ideas of prophecy, destiny, and talents born from natural abilities. When she is not writing, DelSheree is usually reading, painting, sewing, or working as a Dental Hygienist.
Goodreads  /  Amazon

#TensList: Top ten talents you didn’t know I had

I get a lot of crap from friends and family for being able to do too many things. Really, I just have a short attention span and a love for collecting hobbies. BUT… here are a few talents you probably didn’t know I had 🙂 

#1: Being clumsy.

I trip over things all the times, and slip on the stairs, and bump into things. I don’t know if I’m just not paying attention, or I’m in too big of a hurry, or what, but I have perfected the art of being clumsy. 

#2: Closing kitchen cabinets. 

This must be a talent, and I must be the only one in my house who has it. I can normally walk into my kitchen on any given day, and any given time of the day and find at least two kitchen cabinets open. How do I teach this talent to the rest of the house? 

#3: Finding random things. 

This really is a talent. Unless it’s my own car keys, I am usually the one who ends up finding whatever it is that went missing. It’s usually in plain sight, so I’m not sure how talented I really am at this, but you get the point. 

#4: Killing plants. 

I’m a really bad gardener, which is a shame because I love flowers. At least half the plants in our front yard die every year, and less than half of what I plant in the backyard actually grows, and I typically do a pretty good job of killing at least half of what does grow. Mums and yuccas seem to be about the only things I can grow consistently, and even the yuccas are tricky. I’ve killed several. 

#5: Losing important papers.

I swear I put them where they’ll be safe, but they get up and walk away. I once lost our tickets to go see The Lion King at UNM. I still have no idea where they went. I put them in the black box… and they vanished. I had to go pick up new ones at the UNM ticket office in Albuquerque. 

#6: Being terrible at pool. 

This must be a talent when my seven-year-old can beat me. I have no excuse, since I used to play a lot when I was a teen, but I’m just really bad at pool. Actually, I’m pretty terrible at any sport involving a ball of some kind. 

#7: Insomnia. 

This probably isn’t really a talent, but I’ve certainly developed it as much as any talent. I frequently have trouble getting to sleep. It gives me quiet time to works on plots or dialog as I lay there staring at the ceiling, but it would be nice to just fall asleep once in a while. 

#8: Falling off things in video games. 

I don’t like games that make you fight on ledges, or walk across beams. I will fall off and die pretty much every time. It’s like somehow my questionable balancing skills in real life get zapped into my avatar as soon as I pick up a controller. 

#9: Crimping hair. 

I know this is not a currently fashionable talent, but what can I say. I spent a lot of time crimping my hair when I was a teen (and that was in the early 2000s, so it wasn’t exactly high fashion then either, but I made it work). Now, my daughter loves to have her hair crimped, so it’s still a useful talent to have! 

#10: Drawing straight lines. 

If you don’t think this is a talent, you’ve never had to consistently draw straight lines. As an art major (before becoming a dental hygienist), I had to draw plenty of straight lines, and it’s tougher than you might think. I owe this uncommonly handy talent to my favorite art teacher, Bill Hatch, who explained that you have to use your whole arm when you paint and draw, not just your fingers. If you don’t agree, go try it. Draw ten really straight lines. No cheating! It’s not as easy as it looks 🙂 

What funky hidden talents do you have?

#TensList: Ten Things I love…

Just for the heck of it… here are ten things I love, some of which are probably silly to admit to, but oh well. 

#1: Old Cartoons

I’m talking about early nineties and older. My favs are shows like The Flintstones, Scooby Do (not the new ones. It’s supposed to be a real estate scam EVERY time!), Yogi Bear, Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles and the old X-Men. They’re fun and silly without having to be obnoxious and just plain stupid. 

#2: The names of paint colors

I know that sounds really dumb, but I can help enjoying names like cerulean blue and alizarin crimson and pthalo green. Don’t they just sound like awesome colors? And then I get to mix them all together and make something new. In general, I love color and everything you can do with it. 

#3: Brand new colored pencils

There’s just so much promise in a brand new, sharp colored pencil. It never writes quite the same after that first initial stroke. Some colored pencils are better than others, and my good ones are NOT to be used by my kids, but they hold up the best even after they lose their sharpness. 

#4: Bobs shoes

No, I didn’t steal Bob’s shoes. Bobs are, for lack of a better description, knockoffs of Toms. I’m not going to spend the amount of money it takes to get Toms, but the pair of Bobs I have are literally the most comfortable shoes I own. I wear them to work year round. 

#5: The Dresden Files

I really shouldn’t have to explain this one, but just in case you don’t know about The Dresden Files, it’s a series by Jim Butcher about a Wizard who is in the phone book. Yep. I think that pretty much tells you why you have to read these books. They are amazing, and yes, Thomas is way more masculine than Edward any day of the week even with the fact that he owns a salon, bleeds pink, and has been known to dress as a pixie. 

#6: Yoga

Seriously, everyone should do yoga. I’m thinking about going back to teaching a few classes because my back has been killing me, but it’s not just about pain. It’s great for stress relief, focus and meditation, and staying fit. If you haven’t tried it, go find a class. You’ll be sore, but it will totally be worth it. 
(and yes, I can totally do the pose in the picture. For real.)

#7: Folk Music

Some of my favorite bands are Mumford and Sons, The Oh Hellos, Angus and Julia Stone, Fistful of Mercy, and Hozier. I love music that tells a story, often a somewhat dark story, while still maintaining a bit of an upbeat sound that doesn’t totally depress me. 

#8: Dark Chocolate

I know a lot of people think dark chocolate is gross, but they are so very wrong. It’s delicious. I don’t like sicky sweet candy, and dark chocolate is so much smoother and melty than regular chocolate. Ghirardelli makes the best, but Lindt is a close second. And if you through in some sea salt… heaven. Seriously. 

#9: Old Movies

Bing Crosby, Fred Astair, Ginger Rogers, Audrey Hepburn, Vivien Leigh… I could watch them all day. Holiday Inn is just plain adorable, and not just because of Bing Crosby’s ears, which always remind me of my dad’s childhood pictures. His voice is pure delight, but he had this smooth, sweet personality that makes it impossible not to like him. And Audrey Hepburn… can you think of anyone who more accurate defines grace and poise. I love it. And now I want to go watch Charade. 

#10: Sticky Notes

They are a life saver. I have outlined entire books on sticky notes. I have a billion of them stuck to the whiteboard in my office as we speak. I use them at work. I have stuck them to the back of my phone to remind myself to call someone or pick something up. The traditional ones are the best, though. I don’t particularly care for the accordion style pads. It’s annoying trying to figure out which side you’re supposed to pull from each time. 

So, there are my ten things I love, what do you admit to loving even if it might be silly?

Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt

It’s Time to play! Who’s read for the Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt!

The Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt will run from TODAY until midnight on SUNDAY (19th July). To enter to win FORTY signed paperbacks by a wide range of authors PLUS $30 worth of Amazon Gift Cards, simply hop around ALL participating stops, collect all of the highlighted numbers, add them together, and then go enter the requested details along with your calculated answer in the ENTRY FORM. You can find more information on how the stop works HERE. All stops will direct you to the next place to hop across to. And don’t worry if you get lost, because the entire list of participating authors can be found HERE.

Top 5 Summer Reads (according to me)

Sign of the Throne by Melissa Eskue Ousley. 
Winner of a 2014 Eric Hoffer Award
Abby is haunted by dreams of an ivory castle, blood-thirsty monsters, and a striking stranger. Working as the babysitter for a family of mythology lovers in wealthy Newcastle Beach, she struggles to define herself among the elite class while trying to make sense of her strange visions. Upon meeting David, the doppelgänger of the mysterious young man in her dreams, Abby’s life changes forever.
The Ghost Files by Apryl Baker
Cherry blossom lipstick: check
Smokey eyes: check
Skinny jeans: check
Dead kid in the mirror: check
For sixteen year old Mattie Hathaway, this is her normal everyday routine. She’s been able to see ghosts since her mother tried to murder her when she was five years old. No way does she want anyone to know she can talk to spooks. Being a foster kid is hard enough without being labeled a freak too.
Normally, she just ignores the ghosts and they go away. That is until she see’s the ghost of her foster sister… 
Arcadia’s Curse by Jesi Lea Ryan
Most people who experience death don’t live to tell about it. 
When sixteen year old Arcadia “Cady” Day wakes in a hospital after experiencing what can only be called a psychic episode, she finds her family in tatters. With her twin sister gone, her dad moved out, her mom’s spiraling depression and her sister’s boyfriend, Cane, barely able to look at her, the only bright spot in her life is Bryan Sullivan, the new guy in school. When Bryan’s around, Cady can almost pretend she’s a regular girl, living a regular life; when he’s not, she’s wracked with wild, inexplicable mood swings. As her home life crumbles and her emotional control slips away, Cady begins to suspect that her first psychic episode was just the beginning…
Eolyn by Karin Rita Gastriech
Lands Ravaged. Dreams destroyed. Demons set loose upon the earth.
War strikes at the heart of women’s magic in Moisehén. Eolyn’s fledgling community of magas is destroyed; its members killed, captured or scattered. 
Devastated yet undaunted, Eolyn seeks to escape the occupied province and deliver to King Akmael a weapon that might secure their victory. But even a High Maga cannot survive this enemy alone. Aided by the enigmatic Mage Corey, Eolyn battles the darkest forces of the Underworld, only to discover she is a mere path to the magic that most ignites their hunger.
What can stop this tide of terror and vengeance? The answer lies in Eolyn’s forgotten love, and in its power to engender seeds of renewed hope.
The Awakener by Amanda Strong
Seeing Micah for the first time in years, Eden wants nothing more than to run and hide. Tall and handsome, Micah is no longer the scrawny kid she remembers. Eden tries to slip by him unnoticed but unfortunately, her body acts on its own accord. In a moment of sheer embarrassment, she throws her arms around his neck, unaware she’s just changed her childhood friend forever. 
With angels and demons fighting around them in a battle that began long ago in the ancient City of Enoch, both Eden and Micah must find their own personal courage in order to triumph. … For if they fail, they could lose everyone they love.

And… just because, here’s one more 🙂 

Curiosity Killed the Crow by Gail Wagner
When Avalon Gregory left for a summer archaeology program, she got more history than she bargained for.  After an unfortunate accident she is thrust into an ancient battle.  Surrounded by enemies, human and non, she must finish what was started almost a millennium ago or die trying.

Giveaway #2

Courtesy of the lovely Autumn Kalquist!

Autmun is offering up an eBook copy of her novel, LEGACY CODE!

Enter to win on the Rafflecopter Widget below!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

What’s My Number? 

All the scavenger hunt stops are assigned a number, and you need all the numbers to enter the giveaway. Don’t forget to add this one! 

12


Where do you go next? 

Next stop is the blog of…

Aimee Laine

Or, if you have all of your numbers and are ready to enter, then hop across to the Summer Reads Scavenger Hunt Entry Form.