So, 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, hey, 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.

As well, we like to write stories that lift people up. How do you lift people up when you tackle real-world issues when so many are grappling with depression and loneliness due to the current pandemic?

So, I thought, since I love short-form writing anyway, why not explore lockdown romances in short stories? I put out a call to authors, knowing they have their writing schedules set for longer works months in advance. Would you like to write a short story, between 1,500 to 2,500 words, in this new world we’re all learning to navigate inside?

Writers are excited! I already have several stories submitted. Sooooo, next question is how do we get these stories out into the world? We’d like to perform a service to our loyal readers. We’d also like to find new readers for our other stories.

This is how it’s going to work. Writers are going to send me their stories (email them to delilah@delilahdevlin.com). I’ll edit them for free, and writers will figure out how to offer those stories, whether using their websites, story-sharing websites, or letting me upload them directly to this site to post their stories.

We’ll use this site to advertise when a new story is ready for download to you, our readers, with links to wherever the writers want to share their stories. The first stories are coming very, very soon. So, get ready. And if you don’t want to miss any of these short gems, why not subscribe to this website so you don’t miss a single free offering. Look to the right at the top of the column where it says, “SUBSCRIBE TO BLOG VIA EMAIL.” Every time a new story is posted, you’ll get an email with the link!

Already, some of the authors who contributed to First Response, have written stories. The first out the gate will be by Reina Torres, and she’s planning to write a series of stories about the same couple. I’ve opened up the call for submissions to other authors, too, so you’ll see many new names as well as some you’re familiar with already.

Get ready. It’s going to be a wild ride.