Snow Day Monday

Posted on February 15, 2021 by Silver James

Y’all, it’s FREAKING COLD out there! And it’s gonna get worse before it gets better. As I’m typing this, I’m wrapped in my OSU Cowboys Snuggly, wearing heavy socks and fuzzy houseshoes. On a normal winter day, I’m in flannel pants, a tee-shirt (often short-sleeved) and flip-flops. Not today. Not this week! Snow. Wind. Snow. Wind. Sub-zero temps. Dude, this is freaking Oklahoma. We normally don’t piss off the weather gods until later in the spring when they start dropping tornados on us!

Speaking of tornados, have you grabbed your copy of TWICE THE TEMPTATION? I’ve been OD’ing on the storm chaser reports on the local station. The book starts with a hurricane and flood, moves to wild fires, and ends with a…well, you can guess since it’s part of my Red Dirt Royalty series set here in Oklahoma. You can always give it to yourself or your friendly neighborhood romance reader for a belated Valentine’s Day. This commercial message was brought to you by me. Also, FIGHTING FOR JUSTICE arrives on a Kindle near you tomorrow! Just click on the titles to go grab your copy.

In other news, I have a new phone. There wasn’t really anything wrong with the old phone, other than being 3 or 4 models ago. Long story. Only got a promotion at work. BIG yay and congrats! She needed a phone upgrade. She and LG also need unlimited text and data and moire storage. Turned out, I needed more storage too. Anyway, it worked out that it was only like $20 more a month for her to get the fancy 12 Pro (or whatever it is) and LG and I to bump up to 11. I now have a phone waaaay smarter than me but I’m adapting.

Have I mentioned that’s it bitter cold outside? 🥶 That’s the predominate thing on my mind. You’d think that since I have no desire to get out, I’d be happy to sit at my desk and type down the words in my brain. Sadly, I think I have permanent brain freeze. This book is going in fits and starts and new characters keep popping up and I have to stop and figure out why and where and what impact they have on the story. I am getting a few words down, despite wanting to curl up in bed under a mound of covers.

Last week wasn’t stellar for reading or TV watching. I’m currently listening to Jayne Ann Krentz’s ALL THE COLORS OF NIGHT, which is the second book in her Fog Lake trilogy. I haven’t listened to the first book yet. When books are on hold at the library, I listen to whatever order they drop. I’d just started BLOOD HEIR by Ilona Andrews, but I own that audio book so I don’t have to feel guilty about the wait list. I paused it and dove into ATCON. It’s okay so far, but if you aren’t familiar with her Arcane Society books across all her pen names and several different series, it might take a bit of time to catch on.

It was a good week for sports, at least as far as OSU Cowgirls and OU Sooners softball is concerned. Both are ranked, OU at #4, OSU at #11. Both had successful opening day appearances, including OU’s record-setting 13 homerun 5 inning game. OSU beat LA Tech in Monroe and started the season 2-0. New rankings came out last night but as I’m warping time and typing this yesterday afternoon, I haven’t checked to see if either team moved up in the pre-season rankings. Pretty sure they probably did.

In final news, I made beef stew and cornbread yesterday. It was pretty darn tasty in a cold-day cozy way. This time of year, I’m all about the comfort food. Do you have a favorite go-to cold-weather dish? Do you have tips for staying warm? Everyone in the way of this storm (which looks to be like 90% of the US), stay safe and warm! ❤

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Friday Sinema: Yes, Ma’am!

Posted on February 12, 2021 by Silver James

Are you a woman of “an age?” Are you a guy who doesn’t quite get “The Rules?” Then this video is for you. And yes, it IS a Southern ThingTM because “ma’am” is not an insult. If you’re under the polar vortex, stay warm. Have a great weekend, everyone!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Changes

Posted on February 11, 2021 by Silver James

Those of us who write fiction most often live in our heads. We have worlds in the there, populated with place and people and critters and…well…lots of things. Quite often, we transpose our own experiences onto those of our characters. It’s the nature of the beast. And, as usual, the Universe has explained the process to me in pretty simple terms. And yes, when I sit down to write, I do this things–consciously or unconciously. I can do it for my characters. Trust me, there are times when I wish I could do it for myself. 🤔

Changing one’s life is easy, Silver, and there are lots of ways to go about it, though all exact some sort of price:

Pinpointing invisible, limiting, self-sabotaging beliefs — Extremely demanding on brain cells and much easier to do if you have a friend who channels the dead, but either way, it’ll keep you busy for the rest of your life.

Discovering what occurrences in the past have misprogrammed you — A therapist can help, though expensive if you don’t have insurance, but you can both pretend you’re a complex person and that if it wasn’t for your childhood, you’d have the perfect life.

Distinguishing between those who really love you and those who just wish to use you — Super tricky, and may destroy perfectly good relationships, but with a good a lawyer you can laugh all the way to the bank while accepting little or no responsibility for your own happiness.

These are just a few of the most popular and widely written-about methods. Of course, you could also just begin imagining and moving toward the life of your dreams, treating everyone with kindness, and assuming all is well — profoundly and radically effective for both short and long-term gains, but totally lacking in drama, requires solo efforts, and is much too easy for most people to take seriously.

Oh well,

The Universe
©www.tut.com

Silver, there are always exceptions, and exceptions to the exceptions, but all-in-all, life is easy, you are powerful, and thoughts unfailingly become things.

To a writer, thoughts do indeed become things–people, places, critters, etc. And there are exceptions to the way we think. That’s what makes us all unique–from the rest of the world and from each other. Oh, don’t get me wrong. I’m not setting authors and writers up as being elite or anything. We’re just regular folks with over-active imaginations who can take an idea…a “what if?”…and turn it into something tangible whether it be book, short story, flash fiction, script, or just a story told around a campfire. What thoughts do you wish could become things?

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Wednesday Words: Up First

Posted on February 10, 2021 by Silver James

Another week, another Wednesday, more words! Today’s #1lineWed theme is all about firsts: INAUGURAL – Initial. First. The beginning. Making it official. And what’s a better beginning that Chapter 1, wherein our intrepid FBI agents find their first clue, start the initial investigation, making it all official. Today’s snippet is pretty self-explanatory. Or it better be. 🙄 Also, total first draft territory so ignore the oopsies! (If there are any…)
****
Chapter One
Supervisory Agent Sade Marquis stood, hands on hips, lips pursed, head tilted. “That what I think it is?”

Her FBI partner, Caleb Jones, crinkled his nose. “Yup.”

“Zombies?”

“Nope.”

“Magicks?”

“Nope.”

“Then why are we here? If magicks aren’t involved—”

“I didn’t say that.”

She cut her eyes to Caleb where he knelt next to the minivan’s bumper. She looked closer. “Okay, that’s fucking weird.”

The werewolf snorted. “Uh, d’uh. What was your first clue, Sherlock? I mean, a bloody hand print smeared only on the back window of a mom-mobile is totally weird. And watch your language.”

Her turn to snort. “You’re a male werewolf. My dropping the occasional f-bomb is not going to damage your fragile psyche.” She leaned closer and peered through the window. “What’s that?”

Caleb raised his chin, sniffing the air. He rose enough to peer through the back window to see what she was looking at. “Cake. And you drop f-bombs like they’re balloons at the end of the Super Bowl.”

She pulled on purple Nitrile gloves before opening the back door. She leaned over the bench seat and studied what appeared to be a child’s birthday cake contained in a plastic cover. Icing roses and frou-frou piping lined the edges. Confetti sprinkles covered the flat surface of the icing. Spelled out in fancy blood-red curlicues were three words: It’s the endgame.

“What the fuck does that even mean?” she asked no one in particular. Crawling out of the van, she glared at Caleb. “What aren’t you telling me?”

“Have you talked to Nikos lately?”

“Why would I talk to the bloody dragon?”

“Because that’s his bloody hand print.”

“Well…fuck.” A coup in the dragon realm was a very bad thing. But if the violence stayed there, it was out of her jurisdiction. Her unit only got involved if it was magick on human crime.

“You can say that again.”

“Well fuck.”

Caleb gave her the werewolf equivalent of the fish eye. “When was the last time you saw him?”
****
And there you have it. Yes, it needs work. LOTS of edits but hey, I did mention it’s a first draft and I have to hit The End before I go back to edit, otherwise, I’d never hit The End. What do you think? A propitious start? Writers, feel free to share any beginning words in the comments!

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Slow-Cooker Cheesy Bacon Strata

Posted on February 9, 2021 by Silver James

Looking for something that appears fancy but is totally easy? And yummy? For breakfast or brunch, this strata hits all the right buttons. And it looks like a fancy chef spent HOURS making it just for you and your guests.

Total Time: 4 Hr. 15 Min.
Prep Time: 15 Min.
Cook Time: 4 Hr.
10 servings, 1 cup each

Impress your family and friends with this Slow-Cooker Cheesy Bacon Strata. Watch our video for tips on how to make this tasty brunch entré.

What You Need
10 eggs
2-1/2 cups milk
1/2 tsp. black pepper
1 pkg. (8 oz.) KRAFT Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese with a TOUCH OF PHILADELPHIA, divided
16 slices French bread (3/4 inch thick), toasted, cubed
10 slices cooked OSCAR MAYER Bacon, crumbled
4 green onions, sliced

Let’s Make It
1 – Whisk eggs, milk and pepper in large bowl until blended. Reserve 1/2 cup cheese. Add remaining cheese to egg mixture with all remaining ingredients; mix well.
2 – Cut 3 (30-inch-long) sheets of foil. Fold 1 sheet lengthwise in half twice; repeat with second sheet. Fold remaining sheet to fit inside back edge of slow cooker; place in slow cooker. Crisscross foil strips; use to line bottom and sides of slow cooker. Spray inside of slow cooker with cooking spray. Add egg mixture. If necessary, press toast cubes into egg mixture with back of spoon to completely moisten toast cubes.
3 – Cook on LOW 4 hours, sprinkling with reserved cheese for the last 15 min. Cool slightly. Use foil handles to transfer strata from slow cooker to platter; discard foil.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Note: For best results, do not prepare this recipe using the HIGH heat setting on your slow cooker.

Tip 2 – Food Facts: Since most slow cookers tend to have a hot spot on the back side of the slow cooker, we cover the hot spot with foil to help prevent this delicate strata from burning.

Tip 3 – Serving Suggestion: Start off your day with this quick-and-delicious entrée. Serve with a seasonal fruit salad to round out the meal.

Tip 4 – From our partners at McCafé®: Create a Coffee Bar: Serve freshly home brewed McCafé® coffee, and provide a variety of toppings such as thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, grated BAKER’S Chocolate, cinnamon sticks, ground cinnamon and nutmeg, liqueurs and sugar to create your special treat.

Tip 5 – Variation: Prepare using OSCAR MAYER Turkey Bacon.

Be sure to head over to MY FOOD AND FAMILY to watch the video! It took me watching it to figure out how to do the foil “lining.” By now, I’m sure no one is surprised that the Tate boys can fend for themselves in the kitchen. Katherine Tate loves her boys and loves cooking for them, but she made sure they can feed themselves–and the women who corral their hearts. It’s not mentioned in the book but Cooper Tate totally made this brunch dish for Britt Owens. The paperback of TWICE THE TEMPTATION should now be available everywhere that carries Harlequin series or you can order it on-line. Just click on the title or the cover. The Harlequin page lists links to all the booksellers carrying TEMPTATION. Pssst If you buy directly from Harlequin, I get a better royalty rate, just sayin’…

So, are you a fan of fancy brunches? With mimosas and bellinis and little croissants that melt in your mouth? The fun thing about this recipe is that not only does it look elegant, but it’s totally filling and satisfying. It has the Tate Boys’ Seal of Approval. 

 

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Not So Super Monday

Posted on February 8, 2021 by Silver James

So…it’s Monday. We’re hitting the second week of Puxatawney Phil’s prediction of six more weeks of winter and man, did he hit that nail on the head. Ugh. I want to be this cat because we’re looking at frigid arctic temps this week–single-digit lows and highs below freezing at least until this coming weekend. 

As a result of the forecast, I did something weird. I made a Walmart order for “next day delivery.” I did it yesterday and it’s supposed to be delivered tomorrow. Close enough. I ordered dog food, treats, and new sheets for the bed. We’ll see. I’ll probably have to get out at some point and actually buy food. Or not. We’re pretty well stocked and I’ve run through what’s in the freezer and we have enough for dinner until next weekend–over which we usually do take-out anyway. We’ll see.

I did something out of my comfort zone last week. Okay, I did a couple of things but the one that affects this week concerns me sending copies of my latest Desire release to the head meteorologist, his studio weather crew and stormchasers. The package will be delivered today so I’ll have to watch the news to see if he makes any mention of receiving his copy. He’s got a HUGE personality so he might on the 4:00 afternoon show. Why did I send the books? David is mentioned specifically in the dedication, along with the weather folks, because I used them for inspiration for the heroine. Anyway…

Normally, I’d be ranking superbowl commercials today. I have to admit, I didn’t watch the superbowl or is it super bowl? Whatever, I didn’t watch. None of the teasers for the commercials seemed worthwhile and Budweiser, my whole reason for watching, didn’t do a Clydesdale (or any other) commercial this year. They did some for Bud Light but hey, NO CLYDESDALES! Ah well.

No other TV note. But, in sports, St. Louis Cardinals traded for Nolan Arenado, which is HUGE, and they traded away Dexter Fowler, which is okay by me. Arenado’s presence, along with the re-signing of Adam Wainwright almost guarantees that Yadier Molina will be back. YAY!

Saturday was 1st Saturday which meant pancake breakfast at the AL Post, followed by siren test, then family lunch at our fav Mexican restaurant. I made 2 of the 3. I didn’t go to siren test. Instead, Jake and I ran a few errands to get ready for the cold spell then met up at Alverado’s. Yummy stuffs!

Good book listening last week. I discovered that the first three books of a much-beloved series from my youth were available in audio. Andre Norton was my “gate-way drug” to SciFi and Fantasy, her Witch World series especially. I’m thrilled to discover that none of the books have lost their allure for me, and the 3rd–YEAR OF THE UNICORN–led to my life-long love of shifters. Currently, I’m relistening to SHADOWS IN DEATH because FAITHFUL IN DEATH arrives in my Audible app just after midnight tonight. I wanted a quick refresher on “current events” for the new entry.

Notice I haven’t talked about writing? Yeah, last week, that didn’t happen. No so much, anyway. A few words. Some research. I’m hoping that the cold weather will entice me to stay warm and write this week. We’ll see. Bad me!

On that note, time to move along. There are words that need writing, right? Write! What weekly plans do have? Anything interesting happen over the weekend?

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Friday Sinema: Who Let the Dogs In?

Posted on February 5, 2021 by Silver James

Okay. Turn about is fair play. Last week, we listened to the cats. This week, the dogs get their chance. And I need to win the lottery so I can hire this guy to narrate my books! Just sayin’… Have a great weekend.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Desire

Posted on February 4, 2021 by Silver James

Okay, I’m all over this because…hello! Romance author!!! And I write for the Harlequin Desire line. Plus, I have a new Harlequin Desire book that just released this week. You know, in case you’ve missed all the announcements I’ve been posting hither, thither and yon for TWICE THE TEMPTATION. Anyway, you can probably guess that this little missive from the Universe warmed the cockles of my heart. 

Blazing desire, Silver, even when it’s all you’ve got, is all you’ve ever needed.

But mind you, if your blazing desire has not effortlessly thrown you into action — preparing the way, taking baby steps, and doing all you can — then it’s just a smoldering desire, and you’re thinking other conflicting thoughts as well.

Always hot for you,
The Universe
©www.tut.com

Desire, Silver, can take you anywhere.

But this message from the Big U cuts both ways. It takes the DESIRE to WRITE a book plus all the emotional bits sprinkled through the action to make the characters’ desire  blaze on the page. And don’t get me wrong. A romance doesn’t have to be in-your-face down-and-dirty sexy to portray desire. Desire is the wanting and the needing. And doesn’t that just describe about everything in life? Wanting something/someone. Needing someone/something. Desiring this, that, or another. Wanting, needing, desiring more. It’s what keeps us going, this drive for more. Or that’s the way it works for me, anyway. What about y’all? If you could have your heart’s desire, what would it be?

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Wednesday Words: Deja Vu All Over Again

Posted on February 3, 2021 by Silver James

Another hump day, more new words on the WIP. Not a bad trade-off. The #1lineWed theme for today offered up some snippets from previous books but also opened up the possibilities for new words so…yeah. Grab ’em while their hot! Yes, “deja vu” is one of the words, along with “prophecy” and “vision.” See? Totally matches the Penumbra world. 😉 Anyway, Sade and Caleb are in Paris for…reasons.
****
Sade didn’t move. Each breath she took was a very careful inhalation—slow, easy, small. For a moment, she couldn’t remember where she was. Paris. Hotel. Caleb in the adjoining room. What had tapped into her subconscious, waking her so precipitously?

She listened. Street noise. People talking. Footsteps. The narrow lane outside their hotel was closed to vehicular traffic. There. Off in the distance. There was the clamor of traffic.

Eyes still closed, she considered. Had she dreamed something? She wasn’t prone to visions of prophecy but déja vu reared it’s ugly head often in her day-to-day life. No memory of a dream. No unnatural sound. A faint, gray light teased her closed lids. Still daylight then, though likely coming on to evening. She needed to locate Caleb and get out on the streets. A light tap on the door between her room and Caleb’s caused her to open her eyes and sit up.

“Yeah?” she called softly.

The door inched open and Caleb peered through. “You’re awake.”

“Sort of. What’s up?”

“Roman’s here.”

Sade swung her feet off the bed and stood. “Here?”

“In Paris. Crevan ordered him to the Sanctuaire.”

“Verity?” Verity was the witch who’d saved Roman’s heart and become his mate during the battle for the souls of the gargoyle race, the Garregyion, as they called themselves.

“She’s with him.”

“Okay.” She drew out the word, thinking hard. “That could mean a couple of different things. Either things aren’t bad here and this is just a normal trip and he doesn’t want to be separated from her.”

“Or things in New Orleans aren’t safe to leave her there alone.”

“Jean-Louis hinted and things happening here, which is why we were requested to come. I suspect Roman just wants to keep her close.”

“We’re supposed to meet him at the Irish pub.”

Sade let out a short gigglesnort. “Sorry. What is it about us that we always find an Irish pub no matter where we go?”

Caleb laughed. “That’s true. We do tend to gravitate to those particular establishments.”

“I’m still trying to figure out why there’s an Irish pub in Paris.”

“Just be glad there is, especially one run by a leprechaun.”
****
One never knows who they’ll run into while traveling. And yes, there is an Irish pub in Paris. And one in New Orleans. Chicago. NYC. Tampa. San Diego. Denver. Louisville. Charlottesville. And a few other places I’ve been. Writers, any deja vu words to share? Readers, have you ever experienced a moment of deja vu?

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Tuesday Treats: Blue Baby Cakes

Posted on February 2, 2021 by Silver James

Producing a book is kinda like being pregnant and giving birth. Today is TWICE THE TEMPTATION’s birthday. To celebrate, I’m sharing this gender reveal cupcake recipe. It’s very appropriate since Britt Owens is expecting.

Total Time: 1 Hr. 29 Min.
Prep Time: 25 Min.
Bake Time: 1 Hr. 4 Min.
Serivings: 24

Make sharing your big news extra sweet with these adorable gender-reveal Blue Baby Cakes. Your loved ones will be so happy for you — and so glad you made these colorful Blue Baby (or Pink!) Cakes.

What You Need
2-1/2 cups COOL WHIP Whipped Topping (Do not thaw), divided
1 pkg. (2-layer size) white cake mix
Few drops blue food coloring
3 oz. BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate

Let’s Make It
1 – Reserve 1/2 cup COOL WHIP; refrigerate until ready to use. Return remaining COOL WHIP to freezer. Prepare cake batter as directed on package. Remove 1 cup batter; tint with food coloring.
2 – Spoon 1 Tbsp. untinted batter into each of 24 paper-lined muffin cups; top each with 2 tsp. colored batter. Cover with remaining untinted batter.
3 – Bake as directed on package for cupcakes. Cool in pans 10 min.; remove to wire racks. Cool completely.
4 – Meanwhile, microwave 2 cups frozen COOL WHIP and chocolate in microwaveable bowl on MEDIUM 2 to 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended, stirring after each minute. Cool 30 min.
5 – Frost cupcakes with chocolate mixture. Spoon reserved (thawed) COOL WHIP into small resealable plastic bag. Snip off tiny piece from one bottom corner of bag; use to pipe COOL WHIP into question marks on tops of cupcakes.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Family Fun: These adorable cupcakes would make the perfect addition to any baby shower.

Tip 2 – How to Store: Keep refrigerated.

Tip 3 – Can use red food color to make pink for girls…or in Britt’s case, one each. 😉

I’m sure you want all the nutritional details for these yummy treats so be cure to CLICK HERE to check My Food and Family. As you get to know Britt and Cooper in TWICE THE TEMPTATION, you’ll understand why their relationship is a stormy one. And it doesn’t have anything to do with the fact they met during a hurricane. 😉 The ebook is available everywhere now, paperbacks will be out next week, or you can order your paperback from Harlequin! I hope you enjoy the wild ride that the duty-bound CEO Cooper takes with his daring stormchaser Britt. Just click on the cover or the title for buy links. Would you like to ride along with a stormchaser? I’ve been there, done that. I’ll stay home and watch it on TV. 😉

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