Just Another Monday

Posted on June 14, 2021 by Silver James

coffee-Monday happensToday is just a Monday. There’s nothing particularly special about it except it’s Monday and the beginning of a new work week. And as much as we grouse about Mondays, I suspect we might miss them if they didn’t show up each week. Think of the added chaos! But there’s always coffee. Right?

There was a week and a weekend. I didn’t do much though some stuff happened. Namely, as my FB friends know, my iPhone was lifted while I shopped at Wallyworld. The person who took it got away, though her picture is now in police files. And the associates and police were made of all kinds of awesome. I now have a replacement phone and am thoroughly convinced phone insurance is totally worth it. It was a first for me–never lost a phone, had one stolen, or got one broken. Ever. In like…30 years. Of course, I didn’t pay insurance for that long. That was a new development when we upgraded to the 11s in March. Knock wood we don’t need it again.

No writing to note. I gotta get on that this week. Iffy and my brain need to sync up. Reading (aka listening) was good. I finished my marathon of the Elder Races series and have moved on to the Moonshadow series, which is a spin-off. Excellent urban fantasy/fantasy/paranormal romance.

Baseball? Yeah, not going there. On the other hand, the OU Sooners came back through the losers bracket to take the WCWS/Softball National Championship! Yay. There was some awesome softball played and lots of records set.

For the next two and a half weeks, I’m a Storm Chaser–as in Stormy will be here and/or I’ll be chauffeuring him between stuffs. This week, he’s here 4 of 5 days. Next week, he has VBS and Snapology so lots of driving. S’all good. We enjoy the the little smarty-pants. Except he isn’t really that little anymore. He’s almost 4′ tall! He was in the 97-99 percentiles on all of his end-of-school tests, amazing considering how much of the year was spent virtually. Yeah, proud grandmother here.

That’s prety much my life. If I was motivated, I’d start clearing stuff in my office. I want to rearrange things but there’s a LOT of stuff that’s accumulated and when I moved into it, Only still had stuff here. That stuff is still here. Don’t ask. 🙄 I also need to do the pantry. If Iffy doesn’t cooperate soon, I’ll be forced to take drastic measures.

What’s up in your neck of the woods?

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Friday Sinema: It’s Not the Heat…

Posted on June 11, 2021 by Silver James

So. It’s Friday. At last. What a week! And Summer has arrived with a vengeance. Around here, the “actual” temp might only show 90, but with 94% humidity? Yeah…we’re under a heat alert. It really is a souther thing as you can see. Have a great weekend and stay cool!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Defense

Posted on June 10, 2021 by Silver James

So. I had a day yesterday. A really REALLY REALLY bad day. It started in Walmart. Someone took my iPhone. It’s a model that can’t be unlocked if it’s locked unless there’s facial or code confirmation. Jake and I spent a LOT of time at Walmart. And the AT&T store and with a nice young man later who delivered and helped set up my new phone. I’ll explain a bit more after you take in this very apropos message from the Universe:

There is no greater weapon, Silver, than kindness.

A smile, a compliment, encouragement and compassion belong in the arsenal of every Time-Space Adventurer.

Today, may you crush, kill and destroy the fears you encounter, in others and in yourself.

Yes, please, thank you –
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

En garde, Silver!

The associates at Walmart, from the nice gal in the back by the bathrooms who tried to call my phone and then got the assistant manager to check security, to that assistant manager who looked through all the security footage, to the off-duty female officer working security who checked all the trashcans inside and out of the entrances, were all amazingly kind and helpful. Two of the associates who man the checkout area I use and who always admire Jake came by a couple of times to check on me. Then there was the OCPD sergeant who came to take the report and get copies of the security footage. He apologized for taking so long to get there. I apologized for him having to respond to a low-priority call but I needed the report for my insurance because iPhone 11s are NOT cheap. Luckily, I did have insurance.

Not wanting to hassle with filing the insurance on-line, I drove across the street to the AT&T phone store. The gal there was awesome. She filed the report, got my sim card all set up so the new phone would activate automatically, and even arranged for the phone to be delivered by the insurance folks last evening. (There’s usually a 24-hour wait!) The young man from Asurion (AT&Ts insurance folks) arrived early and stayed until restoration was well-underway.

Do you see where this is going? The kindness of all these people–of all different colors, orientations, and heritages–turned my really REALLY REALLY bad day into a day that left me smiling. The person who took the phone and didn’t turn it in? She got nothing. You can’t unlock those phones so she got nothing out of it. I hope Karma catches up to her! And I hope Karma is kind to all the wonderful people who brightened my day and turned it around. Be kind today. Even if the only person you bump into is yourself. 

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Wednesday Words: Wave Goodbye

Posted on June 9, 2021 by Silver James

Wednesday has rolled aorund again. How does this keep happening? Seems like we just **WAVED** goodbye to Wednesday yesterday. As you can probably guess, today’s #1lineWed **THEME** is **WAVE**. I did some searching through my WIPs, now that GHOSTS is live–though I was tempted to check GHOSTS because I think there’s some waves there but instead, I thought I’d offer a fresh snippet. This one always touches my heart whenever I reread it.
****
“Maks.”

His name whispered in the dark, enticing him to follow the sound. He didn’t move. As long as he hid in the shadows, no one could find him. He didn’t breathe for a long time as he listened.

“Maksim.”

Her voice. Sultry. Tempting.

“Maksim!”

Her voice. Strident. Taunting.

Lover.

Mother.

Both had betrayed him. And they weren’t the only ones. He’d been delivered into his own personal hell.

The faces chased each other in and out of his memory. Beautiful. Ugly. Soothing. Horrifying. The memories blended together in the shadows of his mind until he could no longer separate them and he saw only an amalgam of their faces fused together.

“Maks.”

His voice. Mikhail. The one who’d found him. Who saved him so long ago. Who couldn’t save him now. No one could save him now.

“Come back, Maks.”

He didn’t want to. He had no place to go back to. It had all been destroyed. He’d been destroyed. Body. Soul. His brain…so fragile…like it was made of glass. If he opened his eyes, if he faced the world, he would shatter like crystal thrown against the wall. Better he stay in the Stygian depths of his madness. The voices had been silenced. Finally. Likely, his imagination had conjured them like a bitter fantasy of what could never be again. He was supposed to die.

Pain. So much pain. No. He would not remember. He would not talk, would not reveal the secrets he held. No matter what they did to him. They broke him like his body was a wave crashing on jagged rocks. Over and over but he remained true to his brothers. To the Vor. He’d kept the secrets, no matter what obscenities those others perpetrated on him. More pain. Bones breaking. Joints popping. Skin splitting. The blackness swallowed him whole, and he welcomed it.

Floating. A sea of shadowed mist. The pain held at bay by…something. A miracle maybe.
What was that sound? He listened. Considered. Skin brushing paper? Yes. Maybe. Was someone folding paper nearby?

“What are you doing, Katya?”

“Folding origami cranes, Uncle Misha. If I make one thousand cranes, my wish that Uncle Maks will wake up will come true.”

“Ah, Katya.”

He heard the heartbreak in Mikhail’s voice. In the child’s. Small hands patted his cheek. Sweet lips kissed his forehead. Then the sound of rustling paper once more.

“How many more, Katya, before your wish comes true?”

“Nine hundred and ninety-nine.”
****
I really need to get back to my Moonstruck Mafia Wolves. I have Irish, Italian, and Russian mobsters to choose from So many characters, so many stories. I should wave hello to the series. 😉 Writers, any wavy words to share? And readers, where do you prefer to catch your waves–at the beach or the lake?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Potted Herb Cheese

Posted on June 8, 2021 by Silver James

If there’s one thing I love, it’s a good dip. I’m also a fan of both cheddar and bleu cheese. This “potted” dip is easy peasy, tasty, and hits the spot. Also, you can make ahead!

Total Time: 2 Hr. 15 Min.
Prep Time: 15 Min.
Cook Time: 2 Hr.
Servings: 16 servings, 2 Tbsp. dip and 2 crackers each

Two kinds of cheese—cheddar and bleu—combine in this ultra-creamy cheese spread that’s a dream on crackers.

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Cheddar Cheese
1 pkg. (4.5 oz.) ATHENOS Crumbled Blue Cheese
1/2 cup BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
3 Tbsp. chopped fresh parsley
2 Tbsp. dry sherry
1 Tbsp. GREY POUPON Dijon Mustard
stoned wheat crackers
**Please use alcohol responsibly.

Let’s Make It
1 – Mix all ingredients except crackers in food processor container; cover. Process until well blended.
2 – Cover and refrigerate at least 2 hours for flavors to blend.
3 – Serve as a spread with crackers.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Size Wise: When eating appetizers at a social occasion, be mindful of eating so you savor the taste and are satisfied with one serving.

Tip 2 – Substitute: Substitute chopped fresh or frozen chives for the chopped parsley.

My Tip 1 – If, like me, you don’t have a bottle of sherry hiding in the pantry, here are some alternatives: The most similar will be other wines like dry vermouth (not sweet), or madeira—you can use equal amounts of these in place of dry sherry. Hard apple cider or dry white wine, also in equal amounts, and while they won’t bring quite the same depth of flavor, they add enough acid and fruity notes. A good non-alcoholic sub would be unfiltered apple cider. Remember: Because most recipes just call for a tablespoon or two of the stuff, the substitute won’t make or break the recipe.

My Tip 2 – Use whatever crackers you like. Personally, I like Parker House crackers and Pita Chips.

Also, if you can nibble on this by eating only two crackers, you’re a better dieter than I, Gunga Din. Just sayin’…

As always, CLICK to hit My Food & Family to get all the pertinent details. And since she just got back from Paris where there’s wonderful cheese and other goodies. Believe it or not, Sade, who is a notoriously failed cook, has made this. She even went out to buy a food processer just to make it. Me? I just use my mixer on high. Whatever. Anyway, y’all totally need to indulge in Sade’s latest round of adventures, GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES. Personally, I think it has all the feels. And action. Magic. Lots of mayhem. And a black cat. What more could you want in an urban fantasy? Just click on the title or the cover to go to Books 2 Read to find a link to your favorite on-line book store. What kind of dips do y’all enjoy?

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Monday Once Again

Posted on June 7, 2021 by Silver James

Monday again coffee girlTechinically, this is the first Monday of June. Ah, June. The month of brides and bugs. It’s warm days and a little rain, green grass, more flowers. School’s out–thought there are still places that haven’t truly gone back to school yet. It’s family vacations and baseball (I do love the boys of summer). June’s a good month.

So, I had to brain last week and there wasn’t enough coffee in the world to help me do the braining I needed to do. That said, I got stuff done. GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES released. And as soon as I get the print cover, I’ll have it ready to upload for print. I also got NIGHT WISH ready for print–as soon as I get the cover for it, too. Formatting for print is what takes massive braining. On that note, I at least now have templates for Penumbra Papers and the Nightriders for print versions. Progress. Now I need to get a newsletter out. Ah yes. A self-published author’s work is never done.

In sports news, I has a sad, as the LOL cats say. The OSU Cowboys are out of the NCAA Baseball tournament, and my Cowgirls are out of the Women’s College World Series. They put up a good fight but due to a weather delay it was like 2 a.m. on Sunday morning before their last game ended. Yes. I fell asleep. I did learn the final out came at 2.17 a.m.They didn’t go quietly, so there’s that. OU is…?? If I remember to come back and update this because I’m typing this on Sunday evening and there’s been another weather delay. The Alabama/Florida State game has to finish and then OU takes on James Madison for a slot in the finals, which are supposed to be played today. We won’t talk about my Cardinals. They’ve been hit with injuries and…well, their play is suffering a bit. Ah well. UPDATE on the WCWS: Florida State beat Alabama so there’s another “what if” game. And due to the weather, both the OU/JMU what-if and the Bama/Florida State games are moved to this afternoon with the final to be played on Tuesday. You know, if case there are any other softball fans out there. 😉

In reading news, I’m still meandering through the Elder Races series by Thea Harrison. I also read NIGHT WISH. There’s a really dumb reason. See above when I mention templates. They are copy and paste. I copy a chapter and then paste it into the template document at the beginning of that chapter. There’s all sorts of formatting involved. Anyway, I ended up with two Chapter 14s in the working print copy. And I had two Chapter 14s in the copy I’d used for the digital upload. I. Panicked! I realized I hadn’t bought a copy of the book–I usually do. So I bought a download. And I checked. Nope. Chapters 13, 14, and 15 were just fine. WTH?!? And then it hit me. I’d pasted when I should have copied. Oops. I fixed all copies but then I got sucked into NIGHT WISH. Dang, that book isn’t bad at all. 😉 Anyway…

Writing? Pffft. What’s that? Oh, yeah. It’s supposed to be my job. I haven’t decided what project is next I have two that need to get done. I’ll probably do the short novella for a Christmas anthology first. That way, it’s done. After that? We’ll see where inspiration takes me. I’m still reeling a bit from the intensity of writing GHOSTS, and the braining last week.

There was a weekend. It was filled with a siren test, lunch at our fave Mexican restaurant with the Kids, and softball. And naps. Had a really long and  much needed nap on Saturday after consuming all that wonderful food. We all need a weekend like that occasionally, right? Sunday was piddling and laundry. No nap. Ah well.

TV? Sports, baby. That’s it. Maybe I’ll catch up on the ol’ DVR later this week. In the meantime, that’s pretty much my life at the moment. I’m going to get another cup of coffee and maybe sit outside and enjoy the early morning birds. Anything good (or bad 😦 ) happen to you this week or weekend?

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Friday Sinema: Soundtrack

Posted on June 4, 2021 by Silver James

So. I did a thing. Okay, I’ve done lots of things but this is a new thing. Previously, I set up a playlist thingy in Spotify and posted it on the Penumbra Papers playlist page here on the site. This time around, I did something a little more…portable. I did a “mix list” on YouTube. You can click and listen to all the songs back-to-back. While you’re reading or just relaxing. Happy Firday. I’m taking the weeknd off. Siren test, Mexican food with the family, and more softball! Have a good one, whatever your plans.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Hoedown

Posted on June 3, 2021 by Silver James

Yesterday was a brain day. And there are days when I don’t brain well at all. When it comes to formatting and making sure everything is right because one, I’m a professional and two, I’m a professional. That said, I’m a writer, not a publisher, though I’ve become one in this self-publishing world. I’ve been stuck in my chair at my desk for two weeks now. Edits, revisions, and formatting is far more demanding and time-consuming than writing. Writing comes in fits and starts. The process after? Yeah, gotta knuckle down and that that $#!+ done. Then the Universe popped in to say hi and remind all us writers that other stuff is important too.

Often, Silver, the very most spiritual thing one can do is get busy. Physically busy. Hoeing, chopping, planting. Connecting, moving, grooving. Dipping, swirling, twirling.

Especially dipping, swirling, twirling.

2, 3, 4 –
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Yes, Silver, “hoeing” is a word.

So, I’m taking the big U’s advice. I’m going hoeing, even if it’s just a walk around the block with Jake.  And then I’m watching lots and lots of softball so the mush that is currently my brain can begine to function like a real brain. So…I’m off… 5, 6, 7, 8…

Pssst – New Release Alert! Click on the cover up there on the right and go grab your copy of GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES.

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Wednesday Words: Witches, Warlocks, and Wizards–Oh My!

Posted on June 2, 2021 by Silver James

Another Hump Day, another week of Wednesday Words. Today’s #1lineWed THEME is **WICHES, WARLOCKS, WIZARDS.” It just so happens that GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES has those in spades. 😉 This snippet is from early in the book. Sade and Caleb just left the Director’s office and she gets a message…
****
They split up, Sade headed to her office on the far side of the small bullpen. The MAGIC Unit wasn’t huge. A few agents moved in and out, mainly for training, though Sade supervised a few agents in addition to Caleb. She found a message on her desk.

Agent Marquis—some guy named Chris Saint John called.
He’s flying into Reagan via private jet tonight. Says he’ll meet
you here sometime after 8.

Sade stared at the message, choking on the slightly hysterical bubble of laughter welling in her throat. Chris? Saint John? Dear lord. She’d have to burn the evidence of her incompetent agent. Kristian St. John had never been called “Chris” in his life. But why was Sinjen coming here? Okay. She knew why he was coming. To see her. Because she’d canceled his trip a few weeks ago. It had been almost a month—okay, over a month since they’d last been together.

Wanting to bang her head against the desk, she wadded up the message instead. Then she smoothed it out and fed it through the small shredder next to her desk. Scrunching her fingers through her hair, she pretended she wasn’t getting a headache. She missed Sinjen. Way more than she wanted to. Which spelled trouble. Which she didn’t need any more of, given her current case. But at the same time, being apart from him was almost a physical ache and that scared the bejeebus out of her. She’d made some discreet inquiries but had come up blank. Yes, Werewolves tended to mate for life if they found their true mate. And yes, they could feel the pull if they were apart for too long. Dragons also mated, and there was some sort of mystical bond formed, but not one of her informants would elucidate.

Gargoyles bonded. Sort of. It was a conscious act and the bond could be broken by either party. Elves and the Fae? She let out a groan. They married for power, prestige, and progeny. Witches and warlocks were basically Human and wizards were just…a pain in her ass, but basically souped-up-on-magical-steroids Human. Then there were Vampires. They didn’t mate. They didn’t marry. They didn’t do Humans except for sex and blood. Vampires didn’t love. All she had to do was consider the master vampire who’d raised her. She’d been a pawn and she’d heard him admit that he would see her dead rather than lose his game with Oberon. If it became necessary.

She’d been three.

No. Vampires didn’t do love. Obsession? Maybe, but not love. Which didn’t explain Sinjen. Or did it?
****
FYI, I pulled the trigger on Amazon last night about 5:30 pm. It should be live any time now. I’ll be finishing the formatting for the other etailers and uploading the MS to Draft2Digital for distribution to other stores. I really hope y’all enjoy this book. It was hard to write, took forever, but I really think…nope. I’ll let y’all be the judge. Our question of the day: If you could only have one, what magical power would you pick?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Dalgona Coffee

Posted on June 1, 2021 by Silver James

I’d really thought I’d have GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES out int the wild by now, because I have all these “Sade” recipes stored up. Ah well. Next Tuesday! Until then, here’s something our favorite FBI agent loves to indulge in when she has the time and inclination.

Total Time: 10 Min.
Prep Time: 10 Min.
1 serving

Discover Dalgona Coffee, the trend that has swept social media! This whipped coffee, named for the way it tastes like Korean dalgona candy, uses only a few ingredients and a minute of mixing for a beautiful, mousse-like coffee experience. Dalgona coffee works great with any milk of your choice.

What You Need
2 Tbsp. MAXWELL HOUSE Instant Coffee
2 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. boiling water
3/4 cup milk
1/2 cup ice cubes

Let’s Make It
1 – Combine coffee granules and sugar in small deep bowl. Add boiling water.
2 – Beat with mixer on high speed 1 min. or until thickened to mousse-like consistency.
3 – Pour milk into tall glass. Add ice.
4 – Top with coffee mixture.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Substitute: Prepare using your favorite variety of non-dairy milk.

Tip 2 – Substitute: Substitute granulated monk fruit sweetener or your favorite granular no-calorie sweetener for the sugar.

Tip 3 – Note: Instead of using the electric mixer to beat the coffee mixture, you can use a whisk to vigorously beat the coffee mixture by hand 5 min. or until thickened.

Want all the recipe details? CLICK over to My Food and Family. If you want to find out why coffee is Sade’s favorite, you can read any of the first four books in the Penumbra Papers series. If Amazon is your favorite store, click on the book covers to head over to the Amazon series page. If you prefer other e-tailers, click on these titles for a quick trip to the Books2Read universal page for each book. THAT OL’ BLACK MAGIC is book 1 and set in New Orleans. Book 2, SEASON OF THE WITCH, pairs Sade and and master Vampire, Sinjen, for the first time as they deal with a  killer in Chicago. THE DEVIL’S CUT, book 3, introduces Sade’s Werewolf partner Caleb’s mate, Adele. THE SOUND OF SILENCE is the story of the Gargoyle Sentinel, Roman, and his little Witch, Verity. Book 5, GHOSTS & THE ANCIENT STONES, should hit the virutal shelves the end of this week. Sade and Sinjen’s story continues. Trust me, it’s one crazy ride. You’ll need the caffeine so make yourself some dalgona coffee and enjoy the trip. 😉

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