Thursday Thoughts: Universal Voices

Posted on September 9, 2021 by Silver James

I actually worry about this, more than occasionally. I also find myself “being” that voice where other writers are concerned because I’m impatient to get the next installment of their work. When I do, the guilt hits me because I know how slowly I’ve been working for the past long while now. This message from the Universe comes at a good time. It’s one I need to hear and accept.

Should you ever hear that voice inside exclaim that you’re working too slow, are too easily distracted, or that you should take life more seriously, please rest assured, dearest Silver, that it is absolutely, positively not me.

I’m the one saying, “You totally rock! I love you like crazy! Let’s have some fun!” –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

We’re still trying to figure out how you get dressed so quickly in the morning, Silver.

Okay, that last one’s easy! I wear my PJs to work. 😉 And yes, there are days when I stay in cotton pants and a tank all day. If I’m not getting out, why dirty up another set of clothes? It’s like making my bed. Why? I’m just gonna get back in the thing in about 12 hours. Am I right? Anyway, I’ll keep my voices to myself and y’all can rest assured that I’m aware of things and working on it. And authors, I know you are too so just ignore me sitting over here biting my tongue. 😂

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Wednesday Words: Isolation

Posted on September 8, 2021 by Silver James

I don’t understand why the sun keeps rising and setting and the days keep racing by! The good news is, I’ve been isolated in my writing cave and I have new words to show for it. This week’s #1lineWed THEME is **ISOLATION** and while I put Kathleen in an isolated house, that particular snippet is just short of…explanatory. This one (and it’s a rough first draft so ignore typos, etc!) takes a bit of a deeper dive into her psyche. It’s a scene in the aftermath of a bad encounter so warning for those who might be sensitive. That said, I figure you read me stuff, you know that I’m pretty…out there and get rather blunt with things. Anyway, new words!
****
Kathleen showered in the dark. She couldn’t face herself in the mirror. All the tears she’d held back would overwhelm her if she saw the damage. She’d already cataloged each ache and pain, every tender spot. She licked her bottom lip out of habit and winced. Hot water sluiced over her body and she tried not to think. Her brain refused to cooperate.

How had she come to this? She’d gone to college, had been working toward her degree in graphic arts. She had plans. Graduate. Go to work for one of the top advertising agencies. Live a full life as a smart, single woman in Boston. Then she’d agreed to go out with Tommy.

Tommy was older. He’d already graduated by the time she was a freshman in high school. He was the golden boy and everyone still talked about him. He started at UMASS on a football scholarship. And got hurt. Not on the football field but in a bar fight. The legend said that he waded into the fight to save someone and ended up stabbed. He didn’t go back to school. He joined the Boston Police Department. And he came back to the old neighborhood. And found a skinny kid with braces and fingers stained with ink and paint.

She’d never understood his attraction to her but he pursued her hard. Her dad, rest his soul, ran Tommy off for years but after she started classes at Williams College, Tommy kept showing up. He was tall and handsome with a smile that lit up the room. Her friends adored him. And so did she. Growing into her long legs, filling out with curves, and losing the braces made his infatuation with her more understandable. He complimented her. Groomed her. And convinced her that a cop’s wife didn’t need to work outside the home. He had a house. He paid the bills. He’d take care of everything.

Then her father died. Lost and confused, she dropped out of Williams and accepted Tommy’s proposal. Her friends were thrilled. So was her mom.

Kathleen closed her eyes. Tommy started in on her their wedding night. She was so stupid in love with him. Slowly. Insidiously. He trained her. Shaped her. And she let him. Her friends weren’t good enough. Her mother was manipulative. Isolation was both her refuge and her nightmare. When she was left alone, she didn’t have to explain that she was clumsy, that the black eye and the bruises came from falling down the stairs. No one could help her. Tommy was a hero cop. She was clumsy. Blaming him would get her nowhere. So she remained silent, isolated from what few friends she had left.

She pulled on a nightgown, swallowed a few of pain pills and cursed herself for being too much a coward to take the whole bottle and just be done with it all. Not yet. She wasn’t there yet. Crawling into bed, she prayed to a God she was pretty sure had abandoned her that her husband wouldn’t come home.

A figure watched from the shadows blanketing the upstairs hallway. He’d seen her ravaged body and the damage done to her face. His wolf howled soundlessly while the man plotted a very long and very gruesome death. He wasn’t a hero but he would free her from the bastard who’d done this. As her quiet breathing indicated she’d slipped into sleep, he made a vow. Then he turned and left before he did something truly stupid. Like scooping her up and running away with her.
****
So, here’s another peek into Kathleen Gallagher’s life. I promise, she’ll get her HEA. And Devlin’s stalking…er…courting of her is turning out to be rather sweet, despite the bad stuff she has to endure first. Anyway. Writers, any of your characters in isolation? Readers, if you had to be isolated (like in quarantine or something), what would you do to entertain yourself?

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Tuesday Treats and Titles: Lasagna Roll-ups

Posted on September 7, 2021 by Silver James

Fall is in the air. Well…sort of. We are getting closer and after a summer of cooking cool, I’m ready for something a little heartier, but still light enough for a warm day. They don’t take long to put together and while they’re baking, you have time to relax and read (or reread) a good book before it’s time to chow down!

Total Time: 1 Hr. 5 Mins.
Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 45 Min.
9 servings

Build lasagna in a new way with these Lasagna Roll-Ups! With ricotta, ground beef and mozzarella cheese, Lasagna Roll-Ups are a fun way to eat this dish!

What You Need
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 jar (24 oz.) CLASSICO Tomato and Basil Pasta Sauce
1/4 cup A.1. Original Sauce
1 egg, beaten
1 cup POLLY-O Natural Part Skim Ricotta Cheese
1/2 cup KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese, divided
9 lasagna noodles, cooked
2 cups KRAFT Shredded Low-Moisture Part-Skim Mozzarella Cheese, divided

Let’s Make It
1 – Heat oven to 350°F.
2 – Brown meat in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat; drain. Return meat to skillet.
3 – Combine pasta sauce and A.1. Add half the pasta sauce mixture to meat; stir. Reserve remaining pasta sauce mixture for later use.
4 – Spray 8-inch square baking dish with cooking spray. Mix egg, ricotta and 1/4 cup Parmesan until blended. Spread about 2 Tbsp. ricotta mixture onto each noodle; top with about 1/4 cup meat mixture and 2 heaping Tbsp. mozzarella. Roll up, starting at one short end of each noodle. Place, seam sides down, in prepared baking dish.
5 – Top with reserved pasta sauce mixture and remaining cheeses; cover.
6 – Bake 45 min. or until hot and bubbly.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Serving Suggestion: Serve with a crisp mixed green salad, whole wheat roll and fresh fruit for dessert.

Tip 2 – Substitute: Prepare using ground chicken or turkey.

Tip 3 – Special Extra: Top with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

My Tips: Prep time might be a little longer, depending on how long it takes the water for the lasagna to boil. Also, I’m a hungry hippo so I like at least two to a serving and if you are serving Wolves, you might as well double the recipe. 😉 Psst. Also, since I borrowed this recipe, I left their brand names in but y’all know how to “modify,”right?

For all the details, head on over to MY FOOD AND FAMILY. Somebody else who really likes Italian–cooking and eating–is Gen Pruitt, the heroine of NIGHT WISH. Her mate, Nightrider Wolf shifter Wizard Dimond is always happy when she feeds him. Theirs is a rocky story full of family angst, betrayal, and hurt feelings but being a romance, you can always count on the HEA. NIGHT WISH is available in wide distribution so just click on either cover pic or the title and head on over to Books2Read to find your favorite retailer. What about y’all? Are you ready for heartier fare? Do you like Italian? Do you read while you eat? Inquiring minds want to know!

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Labor Day Monday

Posted on September 6, 2021 by Silver James

Okay. Tomorrow is actually Tuesday but for everyone who works for a living, it will feel like Monday. Right? Happy Labor Day to those of us here in the States. In “jetting” around this past weekend, I discovered that several of our favorite restaurants are closed today in celebration so their employees can have a day off. Luckily, one is open and the James Gang is headed over there for a semi-late lunch to celebrate LG’s and Uncle Fix-It’s birthdays. Speaking of food, LG and I had Saturday lunch at our fave Mexican restaurant after siren test. Baseball Boy and Stormy joined us. Only was off photographing a wedding. We missed her but yay that she’s getting paid to use her talent.

Saturday was also the start of college football. The real OSU hung on by their fingernails to win, and OU had their hands full with Tulane, but they also managed to hang on. The wins are awsome but not exactly a auspitious start to the season. My Cards were a mixed bag. They REALLY need to find some reliable closing pitching. They had the game won yesterday but the late inning pitchers cratered. I’m not predicting a post season run for them which gives me a sad.

Closer to home, Stormy started his first game at catcher. He did okay. First game. First time at the position. Etc. We had to laugh–in a frustrated way–over his early obsession with moving the bat out of the way, irregardless of the play happening on the field. Somebody (the umpire? his coach?) told him to get the bat out of the way. So, when the opposiing batter got a hit and dropped the bat, Stormy dutiful went over, picked it up, and walked to their dugout. 🤦🏼‍♀️ His momma finally went to the dugout to adjust his shin guards and explain how that whole bat thing works. He stopped doing it after that–at least until the play was stopped. First game. It was the first game! LOL

Yesterday was actually a decent writing day. Surprise, surprise. I’m at approximately 25K words. It’s progress and the story structure is coming together. That’s the good news. And in other news, there really isn’t any bad news, but for how slow I’m getting words down. Ah well. 

I finished up the marathon re-listen of the Kate Daniels world series(es). Yes, series is one of those weird words where the plural is spelled the same as the singular but in this instance I want to make note that there are actually 4 series invovled, though currently three of those series only have one book each. Anyway, I’m a huge fan. Renée Raudman, who narrates the original series, does an amazing job. She’s a fave narrator. The 3 spin-off books have different narrators. Jeffrey Kafer (Magic Stars: Kate Daniels, #8.5, Grey Wolf, #1) does a good job with Derek’s character, even though his style is a bit Jack Webb/Joe Friday Dragnet, but it fits. Steve West (Iron and Magic: The Iron Covenant, #1; Kate Daniels, #9.5) nails Hugh D’Ambray. However, he slaughters Ascanio, Rafael, and Andrea–all well-established characters. It’s disconcerting but their roles aren’t huge in this book so it’s sorta okay. At least the accent he give’s Hugh is similar to the one Renée gave him in the Kate books. My real gripe is with Suzanne Elise Freeman, who narrates the first book in spin-off/continuiation of Kate’s world. Blood Heir (Aurelia Ryder, #1, Kate Daniels 10.5), and those who edited/produced the audio book. The narrator made everyone sound Southern. EVERYONE. She misprounced (BIG TIME) the names of two major characters. I don’t know if she just decided to take this book totally off the rails of her own accord, if she decided not to listen to previous books in the series, or what. Barabas is procounced BAH-rah-bus. It is NOT pronounced Bar-BAH-rus. He plays a fairly large role in this book. Saimin is SAY-mon NOT Simon. Mahon is MAY-han NOT Main. Really!?!?! Hugh sounds like a good ol’ Kenucky boy, Roland and Ara sound like normal people, not near-immortals who built Babylon and the Tower of Babel. I will give the narrator this, she did a very good job with Julie/Aurelia and Derek. I find the discrepancies discouraging and wonder if the authors had ANY input into the finished versions. Dear Publishers, pay frickin’ attention! And not, I’m not the only fan who’s ranted about this. I can only hope if/when the next book comes out that steps have been taken. These are NYT best-selling authors. There is no reason to wreck their words in the audio version. 😡

Okay. Moving on. See, I’m ranting about books because I don’t want to talk about how disgusted I am with the world. I will mention that next up on my to-listen list is Shelly Laurenston’s BREAKING BADGER. The honey badgers return and I’m hoping it makes me laugh as much as the previous books did.

Let’s see… Nope. Empty brain. Nothing else of import to report. Oh, it did rain Saturday night, the dew point is lower so the humidity is down which means the high 80s of the next few days don’t feel like the high 90s. Okay. Now I’m done. How was your weekend? Are you celebrating the holiday? Any plans for the upcoming week? Have a good one!

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Friday Sinema: Hi Ho, Silver!

Posted on September 3, 2021 by Silver James

Okay. I couldn’t resist. And I almost forgot that today is Friday and I need a video to post. So here. Have some rather zany silliness and enjoy. Happy Labor Day Weekend.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Winks

Posted on September 2, 2021 by Silver James

So. Y’all know that I have a really weird writing process. I call myself a Puzzler (as opposed to a Plotter and/or a Pantser). I work a jigsaw puzzle by putting all the straight-edged pieces togethr to form the  framework. Then I fit other pieces together into “block” and figure out where they belong within the framework. I write the same way. I have my world, my main characters, and a semblance of a plot–or at least a trope that is the base for the story. Then I write scenes as inspiration or prompts hit me. Yes, I also start at the beginning and write chapter by chapter too, but I always have dangling scenes hanging out there and most of them find a place within the story. My brain knows what it is doing, even if I’m pretty much clueless. This popped up from the Universe awhile back and it fits…

Sometimes, Silver, when a tiny series of the most unpredictable events occur that otherwise make no sense at all… it’s just my way of winking and hinting that something big is about to happen.

Hibiscus,
The Universe
©www.tut.com

Sh-h-h-h-h… Silver.

So that’s how it works. Unpredictable events occur at random, my Muse (or perhaps the Universe) winks and wham! Something big happens. Like a book coming together into a whole story. I don’t know why I fight it. It always works out in its own sweet time. So, I’m writing random stuff, waiting for a wink. Shhh. Don’t tell. 😉 What about y’all? What are you waiting for?

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Wednesday Words: Take the Fall

Posted on September 1, 2021 by Silver James

Allegedly, today is the meteorological start of Fall. Our heat index is forecast for 105 so you can’t prove that by me. But it is Wednesday, which means time for #1lineWed THEME and inspiration. Today’s prompt is **FALL**. There’s a lot falling into place with Ronan, the heir apparent of the O’Hara faction of the Irish mob, and Maura, the principled Assistant District Attorney. This snippet is fairly self-explanatory for a totally random bit of wordage. 😉
****
Maura debated her next course of action. She’d spotted the tail within moments of leaving her office. She’d called out her farewells to the remaining staff and took the stairs instead of the elevator. By the time she arrived on the corner of Sudbury and Cambridge, she felt the prickle on her neck. The guy wasn’t very good. He also didn’t work for her boss or the cops. Given the case she’d just been assigned, that did not bode well. Part of her wanted to turn around and confront the guy but that would be playing into their hands. She wasn’t about to fall for that trick.

“Follow your routine,” she muttered. She walked down Cambridge to the T station and past it to the Starbucks. Routine. She always stopped in Starbucks when she left the office to grab a drink for the ride home.

The line was fairly short and she tried to maintain a neutral expression as everyone in front of her ordered pumpkin spice lattes. It might be almost Fall, and Autumn was her favorite time of year, but pumpkin was for pie and bread, not coffee. She offered herself a mental smirk as she ordered a mocha frappucino. It was warm. She was thirsty. But she didn’t miss the flavored coffee irony.

Backtracking, she entered the T station and headed down to the platform. Her shadow was still there. She wanted to give herself a slap to the forehead on his behalf. The guy wore a nylon tracksuit. Hello, this is the Eighties calling. We want our clothes back. The train pulled into the station and she stepped onto the car and turned so she could watch the guy scramble on-board through a different door. At the next stop, a young man large enough to be a linebacker for the Patriots got on and stood next to her, blocking her view. Maybe she could use him as a diversion, dashing off at the last minute and losing the thug on her trail.

In a completely irrational frame of mind, she wanted to run across town. To South Boston. To Ronan. That was so wrong on so many levels. Ronan was the enemy. Ronan was a criminal. She prosecuted criminals.  She put criminals in prison. She did not fantazize about sleeping with one of them.

No. No running to Ronan. She didn’t like Ronan. Didn’t know Ronan. Didn’t trust Ronan. She was not falling in love with Ronan. When the train arrived at the Copley station, she disembarked, rode the escalator up to street level, hit Dartmouth Street and headed west toward the Charles River. Maybe she’d change when she got home and go for a run along the Esplanade. She laughed out loud, thinking of her tail huffing and puffing along in her wake, all dressed up in that ridiculous tracksuit. Determined to make his life miserable, she walked briskly. She might be in high heels but she could run a 4-minute mile in these shoes if she needed to.

The man was out of view as she turned up the front walk of her Beacon Street building. She was lucky. Her flat had its own entrance. She veered away from the main entrance, skipped down a few steps and slid her key into the deadbolt lock. Slipping through the door, she closed it behind her, locked it back, and peered out the curtains. No sign of the man she’d started calling Sloppy Joe. With a sigh of relief, she kicked off her shoes, turned around, and screamed.

A man sprawled on her sofa. A man in an impeccable—and expensive—suit.

Her voice squeaked a little when she said his name. “Ronan O’Connor.”

“Maura Brannigan.” His didn’t.
****
I will say that their paths have crossed more than once, and Maura has something of a fangirl crush/fixation where Ronan is concerned. Also, this won’t be the first time he breaks into her apartment. 🤣 Writers, any fall words to share? Readers, do you like Fall?

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Tuesday Treats and Titles: Meatball and TATER TOTS® Packets

Posted on August 31, 2021 by Silver James

It’s still hot outside and Labor Day is coming up. This quick, one-and-done meal cooked on the grill is perfect for the weather and the holiday. Plus all the major food groups are covered! What more could you want?

Total Time: 40 Min.
Prep Time: 25 Min.
Cook Time: 15 Min.
10 servings

Enjoy TATER TOTS® in a new way with these Meatball and TATER TOTS® Packets. Foil-pack cooking makes all-in-one meal preparation a breeze! Fire up the grill and try it yourself with these cheesy meatball and TATER TOTS® packets.

What You Need
1 pkg. (28 oz.) ORE-IDA TATER TOTS
1 cup HEINZ Tomato Ketchup
1/4 cup A.1. Original Sauce
4 cups frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, peas), thawed
1 full recipe of Perfectly Portioned Meatballs
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Sharp Cheddar Cheese

Let’s Make It
1 – Heat grill to medium heat.
2 – Place potatoes on 10 large sheets of heavy-duty foil sprayed with cooking spray. Mix ketchup and A.1. until blended; drizzle half evenly over potatoes. Top with mixed vegetables, Perfectly Portioned Meatballs, remaining ketchup mixture and cheddar. Fold foil to make 10 packets.
3 – Grill 10 to 15 min. or until heated through. Cut slits in foil to release steam before opening packets.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Size Wise: A perfect meal-time solution, these satisfying portion-controlled packets make cleanup a cinch.

Tip 2 – Substitute: If you don’t have heavy-duty foil, you can use a double layer of regular foil for each packet instead.

My Tip 1 – Meatballs. You can make the recipe provided (click to get to the link) and those meatballs are pretty darn tasty but me? I’m lazy so I just grab some Sam’s Sirloin Meatballs from Wallyworld and prepare them using package instructions.

My Tip 2 – The Perfect Proportioned Meatball recipe makes approximately 32 meatballs, which is basically 4 meatballs per packet. Me? I like my beef so I’m putting for or five in each and making fewer packets. You can adjust to taste/preferences.

All the nutritional details can be found at MY FOOD AND FAMILY. It was tough picking out a book and a character to highlight with this recipe. Heck, it’s so easy even Hannah could fix it–if Mac ever let her get close enough to the grill. 😉 Instead, I realized that this is something that Brodie Buchanan, the hero of UNDER THE ASSASSIN’S MOON would fix when he lived on his boat. Of course, he’d likely fix the entire recipe just for himself but hey, he’s a growing Wolf shifter, right? The good news is, his mate, former CIA assassin Zeta Cordero, likes these packets too. If you’re curious about their story, you can read UNDER THE ASSASSIN’S MOON for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription or buy the book in digital or paperback from Amazon. Just click on any of the pics with the cover or on the title. What about y’all? Are you in favor of all-in-one packet meals?

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Last August Monday

Posted on August 30, 2021 by Silver James

What is it about time? It just keeps passing, not like a lazy river but like a flash flood. Last week, Monday came dark and early. I took a nap and suddenly, it was Friday. How does that even happen?!?!

So last week was a combination of butt-crack of dawn mornings, hurry-up-and-wait, interrupted sleep, the world continuing to spin crazily out of control, a few new words, some family relief, a very good dog, and a kitten rescue. That pretty much sums it up.

Curious? Well, we spent Monday dealing with VA. Anyone who is a proponent of uninveral health care should have to deal with VA. They’d change their minds quickly. In good news, the second time appears to be the charm but we won’t know for another week or so. Jake went with me and was a Very Good Boy™. He’s not fond of elevators but he conquered the automatic revolving door.

I can’t even talk about current affairs without losing it. I remember last year when I thought about the world in general, “Be careful what you wish for…” And now the world is reaping what was sowed.

Figures. The two teams I was rooting for in the Little League World Series were knocked out over the weekend and didn’t make the finals. Ah well. They made it into the semi finals and both teams should be very proud of themselves. My Cardinals are on a rollercoaster. Not sure they can make up enough games to make the post-season but they’re giving it the old college try. Whatever that means.

Tomorrow is the last day of August. September is the gateway to fall, which is my favorite season. I shouldn’t really complain about this summer. It wasn’t nearly as hot as it could have been. Most of the problem came from the humidity. And we did have some rain, which is always good. Weather is a crazy thing. The West is suffering and the Gulf Coast and the city of my heart, New Orleans, is being battered by Ida. Odd that Ida hit on the anniversary of Katrina. Makes me wonder sometimes, how things like that happen. Those are thoughts for an early morning with a cup of coffee.

I’m still in the marathon listen of Ilona Andrews’s Kate Daniels series. Not sure how many of you use Goodreads. I’m there because it’s an easy way to keep track of the books I read. They do a reading challenge each year and I always put down 200 as my goal. Most years I exceed it. Others, I don’t quite make it. At the moment, I’ve listendd to (or read–VERY few) 135 books, which puts me 4 books ahead of schedule. I get lost in books. And I can reread or relisten to favorites multiple times. Which is weird, because watching reruns on TV? Yeah, not so much.

I’m ignoring writing. Headspace is limited there. It happens. It’ll right itself eventually. I don’t want to think about deadlines or obligations or that whole “it can be fixed so long as you write something.” I’m well aware but I have to actually make my brain form words before my fingers can type them. I’m working on it.

On a happy note, my neighbor’s daughter managed to catch one of the feral kittens. She is now with a rescue where she will be vetted, microchipped, and placed for adoption. She’s supposed to look like a Seal Point Siamese, but gray fur intead of buff. There’s another kitten out there, a black one, but Momma Cat got it hidden before they could get to it. We’d like to trap Momma and get her fixed and released back here. Also, the four members of the “Cauldron” of blacks that hang out. One has been, the others, no. Thing is, all of them are really smart. We’ve tried before, to know avail. We may try again. But at least one kitten will have a loving home! ❤

Not much else going on in the world. New week, almost a new month, and the change of seasons is on the horizon. Those are good things, things to look forward to. What’s up in your world? What are you looking forward to?

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Friday Sinema: Drive-thru

Posted on August 27, 2021 by Silver James

How many of you have said or thought the things portrayed by the fine folks at It’s A Southern Thing? 🙋🏼‍♀️ Have a great weekend!

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