A New Month of Mondays

Posted on April 6, 2020 by

I’ve started watching the news again. I took a long hiatus and I’m about ready to take another one because…*points to meme* So, It’s Monday. The first Monday in April. All in all, not much has changed in my life–BC or AC (Before Covid/After Covid.) There are changes, yes, and some I’m not all that thrilled about but we adapt. Right?

The following is a random summation of my 🌎 :

Sean “Sticks” Larkin answered a tweet I sent him Saturday night. For those of you who don’t know, Sticks is one of the co-hosts of LIVE PD and host of LIVE PD CAM. He’s also an active-duty member of the Tulsa Police Department. LIVE PD hosts were transmitting via computer from their three homes, following the CDC guidelines. Sticks was in his garage with a sweet classic ride in the background, but not showing enough for my car nerds to figure it out. I tweeted him to find out what it was. He tweeted back. I swooned! Why yes, I’d love to have him as a cover model and I totally would use him as a hero in one of my books! 🥰

Speaking of TV and Live PD, I like their special edition format of checking in with various departments and officers by computer to check up on them. Also, The Masked Singer. I GOT ONE RIGHT! Sort of. I had the White Tiger narrowed down to either Rob Gronkowski or Joe Manganiello. When push came to shove and he was about to unmask, I came down on the Gronk side. What an amazing personality he has! I also woke up one night last week to the lead-in to Yellowstone, the prime-time Kevin Costner soap…er drama. I set it to record way back when but never took the time to watch. All those episodes are still sitting on the DVR. I’m rethinking deleting them and actually watching. 📺

Reading has been interesting this past week. Well, listening. As most of you know, I’ve embarked on a full re-listen to the JD Robb In Death series. I also had audio books on hold at the library that dropped. Yay. So, I paused after CONSPIRACY IN DEATH because DRUID VICES AND A VODKA by Annette Marie hit and there’s still a waiting list. Her Urban Fantasy world is a fun one but I’m getting tired of no real resolution at the ends of the last several books. I’ll give the next one a go and if there’s still a big cliffhanger, I’m probably done. THE LAST WISH, which is the prequel to The Last Witcher series, also dropped. Totally gave that puppy 5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐! It’s actually a series of short stories, vignettes, and meanders around the past, present, and maybe the future. Anyone contemplating the series totally needs to read/listen to this book first. It sets up main/reoccuring characters, some backstory, and many threads. Anyway, I want to listen to the series now and will probably catch up with the Netflicks version on TV as well. Awesome high fantasy! Now I’m listening to Patricia Brigg’s SMOKE BITTEN, the lastest in her Mercy Thompson series. 🎧📚

We’re catching the occasional “replay” of classic baseball games. It’s rather fun, as we’ve been Cardinal fans for 30+ years. We’re getting to see players that are long retired but we still remember some of the games. That said, we’re ready for live sports. Any time, stupid virus! 🤬

We “broke” protocol last week and kidnapped Stormageddon. He AND his parents definitely needed a break. We picked up to-go from Chick-Fil-A, came home and had a lovely afternoon. We did various school projects, with LG and I taking turns supervising, plus Lego play time with Big Daddy, and a treasure/scavenger walk with Jammie and Jake. The day was beautiful and Stormy got lots of treasure collected in his bag, plus he saw everything on our scavenger list. His parents came to pick him up and we got to visit with them, practicing social distancing by sitting across the room from each other. Please note: ALL of us had/have been self-isolating for over 3 weeks, and none of us showing any symptoms. It was a day we all needed. 💕

I’ve rediscovered a love of crunchy peanut butter and apple slices. And cheese and apple slices. Trying to snack healthy but those bags of kettle-cooked salt and vinegar chips I’ve got stashed in the pantry call my name–a lot. 🤣

Writing is like 🕵️‍♀️ — a few new words here and there but nothing really concrete. At the same time, Iffy is in overdrive with new ideas. Sadly, she’s just tossing out ideas but doesn’t supply real words to back those ideas up. She and I are going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting one of these days. Just not today…

Yesterday was this site’s 9th anniversary with WordPress. I managed to get it designed, set up, and working all by myself. Since then, I’ve had 1608 posts, 6518 comments, 647 followers, and…well…too much spam to count. 😆 My how time flies when you’re having fun! ❤ you guys!

Okie dokie. That's about the sum total of the new normal in my world. How are y'all adapting?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Friday Sinema: This Buds for You

Posted on April 3, 2020 by

This is a message we all need to hear–and take to heart–about now. Kudos, Anheuser-Busch! Because we ARE one team! Make the best of your life this weekend and always!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: Universal Dream

Posted on April 2, 2020 by

And it continues. The numbers go up each day. People worry. Hopefully, all of you are staying home, staying safe, and staying healthy. In case you’ve ever wondered about where I come up with Thursday Thoughts, it came about in fits and starts. I used to jot down odd things that made me think and I’d expound upon them. Then I discovered Tut.com when I was really down one time. Every day, I get something inspirational in my inbox. Sometimes, they apply to writing (in my warped way of thinking, anyway) so I save them in my files and pull them up when appropriate or my head is wrapped around it. We all need a light that isn’t a train. This one ties not only to writing, but to live in general…

Dream big, Silver.

Start small.

Have it all,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Especially, start small, Silver.

Dream big, people. Dream big!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Wednesday Words: April Fools

Posted on April 1, 2020 by

April 1st. How can that be? In this time of quarantine, time is acting totally weird. On the one hand, it stretches interminably. On the other, it races faster and faster until I lose track. Today is Wednesday. And therefore, there should be words. Foolish words. Or words about a fool. Because it’s April Fool’s Day. Amazing that today’s THEME is **FOOL, FOOLING, FOOLISH**. As a result, I dipped into ROGUE MOON and found this scene with Rudy Tornjak, our Wolf hero, out hunting in the bayous, and the foolish people who interrupted his hunt.
****
Rudy padded through the underbrush, his nose to the ground hunting prey. He craved the taste of fresh blood. Most of the little animals in the bayou had gone still, hoping to hide from him. That was fine. He was after something bigger. Something that would give him a challenge.

He crossed the road, noting headlights bearing down on him, but ignored them. Entering the thick undergrowth on the other side of the asphalt road, he paused. Moments later the car swept past. He had only a glimpse of a white face, blurred by speed and darkness, before the car was gone. A face that haunted his dreams. Before he turned to hunt deeper in the woods, thinking the woman just a figment of his memory, his ears picked up the sounds of a second vehicle.

Normally, the road remained devoid of traffic at night. This stretch of backwater highway running along Blue Moon Bayou was sparsely populated and those who lived here knew to stay inside after the sun went down. Danger prowled these woods. He prowled here.

Still worrying over the identity of the woman in the car, he raised his muzzle to the grinning moon and howled in frustration. Only silence answered his call. He faced the direction the vehicles had gone. Something prickled at the edge of his consciousness—some instinctual sense that he needed to follow the vehicles and find the woman. He set off at a determined trot, skirting the edge of the woods and the road. Curiosity—and that push—overcame his need to hunt and blood his kill.

Rustling halted him in place, one front foot lifted and frozen as his nose sifted through the enticing odors wafting in with the mist. Something plopped in nearby water—either gator or bullfrog—but he ignored it. He hunted on land tonight.

There it was again. Footsteps. Human. A man dared enter his territory tonight. His ruff bristled and he crouched, waiting to see which direction the fool went. The acrid burn of gunpowder mixed with the tang of gun oil. The man was armed. Maybe not so much the fool after all. He passed within feet of Rudy.

Any pup could have stalked the man. He crashed and stumbled along the game trail, cursing and panting. This was not the sport Rudy craved but his curiosity was even more aroused now, so he followed just close enough to keep tabs on the human.

Until Rudy heard the woman scream.
****
Something tells me Rudy is about to play an April Fool’s joke on that hunter. 😉 I’m making a bit of headway on the new words and chapters in a novella I’m calling MOON CROSSED, that is a bridge between BRIDE’S MOON and ROGUE MOON, which will appear in MOONSTRUCK: BETRAYAL. March is gone so that deadline is past. New deadline…end of April. We’ll see. No promises. Speaking of April Fool’s Day, did you ever play any tricks? Or get played? C’mon. You can tell us. 😉 And if you don’t share a “confession,” You have to share FOOLISH words!

Posted in Books, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tuesday Treats: Bacon-Ranch Bread Bites

Posted on March 31, 2020 by

Since we’re all stuck at home, now is a good time to binge watch that series on a streaming service, or read a good book, or play games. Whatever you’re doing to entertain yourselves, this bundle of munchies will hit the spot!

Total Time: 3 Hr.
Prep Time: 30 Min.
Cook Time: 2 Hr. 30 Min.
16 servings

We’ve got a recipe for cheesy bacon-ranch appetizer bread bites even non-bakers can make. (Get out the frozen bread dough!)

What You Need

1 loaf (1 lb.) frozen bread dough, thawed
2 tsp. oil
1 cup KRAFT Shredded Mozzarella Cheese
1 pkg. (1 oz.) ranch salad dressing mix
1 pkg. (12 oz.) OSCAR MAYER Center Cut Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces, cooked

Let’s Make It
1 – Roll bread dough into 1/2-inch-thick rectangle on lightly floured surface; brush with oil. Cut into 1-inch pieces; place in large bowl.
2 – Add cheese, dressing mix and bacon; mix lightly. Place on baking sheet; shape gently into oval loaf. Let rise in warm place 2 hours or until doubled in volume.
3 – Heat oven to 350°F. Bake bread 20 to 30 min. or until golden brown. Cool 10 min. Remove from pan to wire rack; cool completely.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Note: For best results, cook bacon just until done, but not crisp.

Tip 2 – Reviews talk about it being salty. Maybe dip pieces?

My Tip – You can pour out a variety of dipping sauces and if you’re polite, use toothpicks to stab and dip. (Rhys says, “Forget that! Just grab a plastic fork.)

To get all the nutritional info and reviews, CLICK HERE to head over to My Food and Family. Who remembers Celie Monaghan from BLOOD & FIRE? She and her Wolf mate Rhys Kendric might be out in the Texas boonies but he’ll head straight to town to buy the ingredients for what is turning into his favorite snack. Rhys likes salsa or buffalo wing sauce. Celie likes the added flavor of Ranch dressing for dipping. If you haven’t caught up with this couple, grab their book, Blood & Fire, a Moonstruck Wolf Novel. It’s standalone so a decent intro to my world. Their’s is a case of mistaken identity, revenge, and…well…read the book! 😉 Just click on the title or the cover and zip over to Amazon to buy it or read for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. What are y’all munching on these days? And what are you doing to stay occupied?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Monday, Day Whatever of My Normal Life

Posted on March 30, 2020 by

My days tend to run together under the best of circumstances. These definitely aren’t the best. I hope everyone out there is coping with their forced vacations, and/or managing to work from home. And I hope y’all have less trouble remembering which day it is. If I didn’t occasionally turn on the TV or glance at the calendar to check the date, I’d have no clue what day it is. I know that today is March 30th. And I know it’s Monday because I set this blog up yesterday and it was Sunday, which I know due to morning programming. Anyway…

Welcome to the new normal. We’ll adapt. We’ll perservere. And we’ll overcome. I’m a full-time writer. Well, I am when Iffy (my Muse) decides to cooperate. She has strict standards on when she will or won’t work. Right now, she’s adjusting to life with company. Yeah, yeah. Lawyer Guy lives here. But now he’s working here. It’s been…interesting. For both of us. I’m used to being alone in the house with just the critters. I can talk to them–or imaginary people–out loud with no repercussions. But LG is here. He talks on the phone to people. And he does Zoom meetings. And so I can’t wander around muttering. Loudly. And I have to remember to turn down the volume on my audio books. Yeah, yeah. First world problems. But it’s my life. I know lots of people aren’t used to the isolation and this is hard on them, especially given all the uncertainties of jobs and family and stuff. But as I remind my kids, this too shall pass. Life might become a new normal, but it will be normal as we get used to it.

Spring is making headway. Red tulips are putting bright, happy punctuation on the story of my garden. They make me smile. And wisteria. I have wisteria lacing up an ancient oak tree, dancing in the breeze and scenting the air with a delicate fragrance. I hope the honeysuckle starts to bud and bloom too. It’s a favorite scent and I have a large bush outside my office window. I’ll be putting the hummingbird feeder out soon.

TV and sports are…weird, given the circumstances. We watched St. Louis Blues hockey last night–a game from last October, but we hadn’t seen it and had no clue who won. There are some classic STL Cardinal games on periodically. It’s not much of a fix but better than nothing. I hope this season of The Masked Singer was already in the can before social distancing started. Last week, the T-Rex was unmasked. She was a cute character with bundles of energy. She was revealed to be JoJo Siwa. I had to look her up. She was on Dance Moms for a couple of seasons and then became a YouTube personality. She’s cute. The final nine starts this Wednesday. I suspect the White Tiger will be next to go, but who am I to actually guess?

Thank goodness for comfort reads–especially when the series is 50+ books! Why yes, I am listening to the entire In Death series. Why do you ask? 😉 I did listen to AJ Hackworth’s THE LIBRARY OF THE UNWRITTEN. It was interesting. I’m on hold for a few other titles at the library that I’ll intersperse with Eve and Roarke when they drop. Nothing like a good cup of coffee, a window to glance out of it and a good book.

Since I’m having trouble finding new words, I should do something productive. Like clean out my closet. But then I’d have to figure out what to do with the stuff I no longer need/wear/want. The garage is full. Cleaning out the garage holds the same problem. Ah well. I do plan on kidnapping Stormy sometime this week. Give his parents a break. I do need to renew my driver’s license. It expires tomorrow. I can do it on-line due to the stay-in order but I know a DPS employee that gave up after 2 1/2 hours of trying. I’ll just run up to our neighborhood tag agent. They need to make money too. And we can social distance in their office. And that’s the sum total of my plans for the week. A couple of errands, some take-out food, usual dinners, a trip to the grocery store, listening to books, and with luck, some words. I’d add Starbucks, but all the ones near me are closed. Poor Jake misses his puppacinos. He also misses getting to go into places with me. He’s too much of a people magnet so no service dog appearances for him. I do let him go in the car with me because…he’s a car dog. 🙂

That’s my world. What’s going on in yours?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday Sinema: Domino Cats

Posted on March 27, 2020 by

If you are stuck inside during this week two of social distancing here’s an idea of something to do. Or just watch. What are you doing to wile awhile the time?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments