Thursday Thoughts: Universal Criticism

Posted on April 23, 2020 by Silver James

Ouch. Criticism hurts. Bad reviews sting. Rejections make you wonder if you’ll ever add new words to a page again. Been there. Done that. Didn’t buy the T-shirt.

Silver, the need to criticize belies a longing for recognition, appreciation, and validation. None of which, however, can be obtained through criticism.

I’m sure it’s just a phase they’re going through.

Wink,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Silver, you’re actually glowing today.

You know what? I think the Universe is onto something here. I’ve seen “review attacks” launched at authors by rabid fans of other authors. Trust me, it ain’t pretty! I’ve gotten some 1 star reviews that made me wonder if that person read the same book I wrote. Oh, I totally get not liking a character, a plot device, the author’s voice, etc. I get not liking a genre and give props to a reader who is willing to try something new even if they discover they don’t like that genre. At all. I’ve gotten some of those “not my cuppa tea” reviews. Hey, I mainly write UF and paranormal romance suspense/thrillers. LOTS of people don’t like what I write. I appreciate everyone who gives me a try. But there are those trolls out there who delight in leaving bad reviews. And just like the trolls on social media, I think those individuals are looking to validate their own pitiful lives by tearing down others. 🤷 <– That's me shrugging. Those types have always been around. Best way to deal with them? Ignore and get on with being productive by writing the next book.

Is there useful criticism? Heck yeah! That's what editors are for. I don't care if you're Stephen King or Nora Roberts or any other perennial best-selling author. They have editors to keep them on track and to fix the dumb things that slip into our writing no matter how careful we are. It happens. But then there's the criticism for criticism's sake. And I wonder about the mindset of those who offer it.

So…basically, writers? Ignore the 1 stars and the harsh denigration of your work. Yeah, yeah. It's hard. Trust me, I am WELL aware. But I have to be honest. I don't love or even like every book I read. Why would everyone out there love mine? Who wants to be generic? Not me! Writers, how do you deal with criticism? Readers, how do you feel about those 1 star reviews? Do they make you less likely to check out a book?

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Wednesday Words: World View

Posted on April 22, 2020 by Silver James

Wednesday, huh? It’s a good thing I keep a schedule on this blog. I’d be lost otherwise. Even so, I’m usually stumbling around trying to figure out just what day it is. So, over on Twitter, the theme is World or Earth. I probably have a passage including the word “world” somewhere but I’m writing about Wolves at the moment and we all know where they stand when one of theirs is threatened. This is a snippet originally from ROGUE MOON but is being expanded for MOONSTRUCK: BETRAYAL. Rudy, Isabelle, and the Wolves are about to make an earth-shaking discovery and then our favorite Command Sergeant Major sums it all up… 😉
****
Rudy stepped forward. “Who killed Isabelle’s father?”

Antoine watched him while silence hung heavy like morning fog between them. His voice sounded rusty when he finally spoke. “A man named Joseph Smith.” He glanced at Isabelle and his expression softened. “He is no more.”

“You killed him?” Rudy’s hands fisted at his side as he fought down his wolf.

“I did.”

“Good.” The tightness in Rudy’s chest lessened and he relaxed his hands.

The Wolves exchanged looks before Mac asked. “Any relation to John Smith?”

Antoine huffed out a reply. “Yes.”

“Joseph spawned John.” Camille spit out the words. “They killed my son. They killed my mate. Now they want to kill my Isabelle.”

Izzy’s gasp went unheeded. Sick to her stomach, she hugged her middle to stay calm. Nothing made sense. Her uncle was like Rudy? Her employer was a killer? Her parents had been murdered? That night left nightmares in its wake but she remembered a car wreck. Could she trust her memories? Horrified, she watched the men gathered around her grandmother, and could breathe again as Rudy spoke.

“I won’t let that happen.” Rudy’s quiet assertion sliced through the rising anger like a laser.

Sean all but chortled as he made a mental list of the items he wanted to retrieve from the vehicles they’d hidden in the bayou.

Lightfoot exchanged a look with Nate and they mouthed a silent “Nevada” at each other.

“Scorched earth.” Mac didn’t waste words. “We end Black Root here and now.

“Yeah. That.” Sean bounced on his toes, looking as excited as a puppy chewing his first piece of bacon.

Antoine paused to give his mother a kiss on the cheek then joined the Wolves. “I would be a part of this. The evil must be stopped.”

Before the Wolves could reject his offer, Rudy spoke up. “Antoine will know the bayous even better than I do. I have only hunted them a year. He has done so his entire life.”

Mac sized up Antoine and liked what he saw. Though built slightly leaner than most Wolves, he was well-muscled. His green eyes met Mac’s gaze unflinching. This was a man to be reckoned with—a man who made a good friend and a worse enemy. He extended his hand to Antoine. “Welcome aboard.”
****
There is is. It’s mostly in original form but there are changes I want to make. Additions. That sort of thing. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed. Writers, got any earth shaking or world famous words to share? Readers, do you like down-to-earth characters or out-of-this-world ones?

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Tuesday Treats: Beef Tips and Noodles

Posted on April 21, 2020 by Silver James

What do you do when you need a hot and hearty meal in a hurry? And you have picky eaters? (More about that down below…) It’s simple. You throw together this fast and easy and on-so-good dish!

Total Time: 30 Min.
Prep Time: 30 Min.
Servings: 6

Enjoy the savory taste of our Beef Tips and Noodles this evening. You only need a handful of ingredients and half an hour to make Beef Tips and Noodles.

What You Need
2 cups egg noodles, uncooked
1 Tbsp. oil
1 lb. beef sirloin steak, cut into 1/2-inch pieces
1 onion, chopped
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 jar (12 oz.) HEINZ HomeStyle Savory Beef Gravy
2 Tbsp. LEA & PERRINS Worcestershire Sauce

Let’s Make It
1 – Cook noodles as directed on package, omitting salt.
2 – Meanwhile, heat oil in large skillet on medium heat. Add meat; cook 6 to 8 min. or until evenly browned, stirring frequently. Remove meat from skillet; set aside.
3 – Add onions to skillet; cook and stir 4 to 5 min. or until crisp-tender. Add garlic; cook and stir 30 sec. Stir in gravy and Worcestershire sauce. Add meat; stir. Simmer on medium-low heat 2 to 3 min. or until heated through, stirring frequently.
4 – Drain noodles; place on platter. Top with meat mixture.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Serving Suggestion: Serve with a fresh green salad tossed with your favorite KRAFT Dressing.

Tip 2 – Special Extra: Sprinkle with chopped fresh parsley before serving.

My Tip – Serve with hot yeast rolls or hot, homemade bread.

As per usual, CLICK THIS LINK to get all the nutritional info over at My Food and Family. Now, who would be someone who leads a busy life and has both a man who wants beef…

“Seriously, Liz, why can’t you just throw the sirloin into the frying pan, sear it, turn it over, sear it again, and let me eat it?”

“Noodles, Mama. Noodles. I want oodles of noodles!”

Yes, that would be Dr. Liz Lightfoot throwing her hands into the air in surrender. She’s a scientist who has to balance her Wolf mate’s insatiable…appetites 😉 with her son’s fascination with pasta. Liz, Michael, and Micah compromised on this recipe. FYI, she doubles the meat and the noodles because…Wolf and growing Wolf. Like father, like son. You can read Liz and Lightfoot’s story in the expanded edition of MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS or the shorter version that’s only the one book, BAD MOON. Just click on the covers or the titles for the buy links. MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS is available at LOTS of etailers while BAD MOON is available in Kindle Unlimited or to buy at Amazon. Personally? I’d go for MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS, especially if you haven’t read this series. You get the first two books plus lots of story extras.

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Another Monday in the New Normal

Posted on April 20, 2020 by Silver James

And time moves on. Again, other than the weirdness of life on lockdown, my life isn’t that much different. No complaints. Except I do seem to be losing track of which day of the week it is a bit more. Ah well.

So, life in the new normal. Things happened last week. Mostly boring things but things. We lost our fiber optic line. That meant no TV. No landline phone. No Wifi (so no internet!). It was AWFUL! Yeah, yeah. First world problems, but dammit! I had to watch Live PD livestreaming on my phone Friday night. It was down for just over 24 hours. My data plan on the cell phones is shot to $h!+. Oh well.

Yesterday was the 25th anniversary of the Murrah Bombing (aka the Oklahoma City Bombing). Always a bad period for me. Stupid PTSD. Normally, when I wake up and get up to let the dogs out, I’m up. Can’t go back to sleep for love nor money. Yesterday? Up at 6, dealt with dogs and cat, then crawled back into bed and did fall back asleep until 11 a.m. 😲 Sadly, I woke up with a sleep headache and I’m still tired. Haven’t watched much TV and have avoided the news. Whatever.

In other, more interesting news, The Masked Singer didn’t unveil anyone on Wednesday but man-oh-man did the singers come out singing! The final 7 did two songs each in a “sing-along” complete with lyrics on the screen for the home audience, who was supposed to sing along, taping themselves and then posting on Twitter. Yeah. Nope. I always DVR it and watch later. The Secrets of Skinwalker Ranch is being a new obsession. Live PD as always. And The First 48 is showing new episodes. Also, Ghost Hunters is back.

Writing is…slow. A couple hundred new words here and there. Two things have diverted me from the WIPs. One is a call for submissions–contemporary or paranormal romance, short story (3K-5K words) for an anthology. I have a couple of scenes previously jotted down for a future Nightrider book that I’m considering. Also, I yanked SUPREME SACRIFICE out of the vault. It’s the first Suspense with Romantic Elements I ever wrote. It’s 25 years old and no way could I update the technology to make it contemporary and it’s not quite old enough for “historical” consideration. 😋 Anyway, I still love the characters and the story. However, the formatting is glitched due to changes in software and updates. And, I can tell it was early in my writing journey. Still, I plan to clean it up a bit and start posting chapters for a free read here on the site. Yay or nay?

Listening to Darynda Jones’s newest release, A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE. It’s…sort of a quirky cozy crime mystery with humor and maybe romance and a touch of the supernatural. A SMALL touch. Considering she’s known as a UF/Paranormal author, this is a detour for her, but I’m enjoying it.

It snowed last week. SNOWED, people! What is up with that?!?! This is Oklahoma. Mid-April. There’s no snow in Oklahoma! Luckily, the bluebells and the one iris I had budding survived to the cold snap. The iris bloomed this morning. It’s gorgeous. I also have small buds on one of the peonies. Crossing fingers there.

In other news, I captured Possum Blossom, the goblin kittenkat on camera. S/he is terribly shy and is close in age to Loki. I’ve tried since the first time I saw Possum to catch it. I’d totally bring it inside! I’ve added the photos below. You might need to click on them to go to the media file for a full-size version. Please note that we have a string of green LED lights on our front porch that’s on a photocell for on/off, which is why two of the pics have green tint. I did grab a pic of Possum and its mom, the little black cat, while they were eating. Possum is ALL fur.

Anyway, that’s my week. Hopefully, writing will get underway starting today. And now that the anniversary has passed, perhaps my weird sleep patterns will settle back into something a bit more normal too.

Goblin kittenkat face

Why I call it a goblin cat

Little Mama cat and Possum having breakfast

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Friday Sinema: Unicorn Hunting

Posted on April 17, 2020 by Silver James

I used to collect unicorns. I still have a bunch–a few strung about the house/my office, but most packed away in a box somewhere. But when I tumbled across this video, I had to laugh, with tongue firmly in cheek. We need stuff to make us smile these days. And as one of the interviewees said, “It’s so U.P.!” 😉 I may just request a license… Have a good weekend, and who wants to join me for a hunt?

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Backstory

Posted on April 16, 2020 by Silver James

We’re halfway through April. It snowed this week. Always easier to social distance when the weather is yucky. But it’s April!?!? And being April, if I have any chance of meeting writing goals this year, I have to start shaking my tailfeathers.

When it comes to creating characters, one of the things the author needs to know is their backstory. I had a writing coach once say that you want to unveil a character’s history like you peel an onion–one layer at a time, and less is always better. Me? I love onions but I got the point. Often, I delude myself into thinking I know a character and then…BOOM! I discover I don’t know jack. I love when that happens. Many, MANY ❤ ❤ <3! Today's message from the Universe, while it totall works for people, also works for writers when they are deciding how much to reveal about a character.

Silver, what if today you could wipe the slate clean, start over, and write your own ticket?

No. Wait. Let’s change that. What if every day you could wipe the slate clean, start over, and write your own ticket?

How many days would have to go by before you discovered that your “slate” and your “ticket” have nothing to do with each other? That your past need not live in your future?

Your absolute freedom and total power lie in the present moment.

Tallyho, The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Silver, every day we write the ticket for the rest of our lives, and the past only matters when we decide to include it.

See what I mean? Writers, how do you decide how much of a character’s history to include? Readers, how much do you want to know? I gotta say, just like us, characters should have their secrets too. 😉

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Wednesday Words: Don’t Tax Yourself

Posted on April 15, 2020 by Silver James

Another Wednesday, another set of words. Gosh, it’s April 15th. Tax day. Obviously, the word prompts had to jump on the bandwagon. 😆 Today’s snippet contains new words. About Rudy. As part of the bridge between BRIDE’S MOON and ROGUE MOON. A lot happened to Rudy between his rescue from that Bosnian castle in BLOOD MOON and the events in ROGUE MOON–13 years worth of things. Do y’all ever wonder where I sometimes get ideas? Well, this scene started out with only 250 words from one writing prompt. Then I added 437 more words using today’s #1lineWed prompt. You never know what inspires. I’ll take whatever I can get! In the meantime, this snippet is fairly self-explanatory.
****
The voice on the cell phone faded in and out. As a Wolf, Rudy didn’t have to strain to hear it. Male. Faint trace of an accent. Not really a twang, or nasal, nor a drawl, more…mid-Atlantic. Interesting. He had a good ear for both accents and voices. This one didn’t sound familiar. And that concerned him. He’d been off the grid for ten years. This anonymous caller should not have been able to track him. This morning? He found a bag at his hotel door—a burner cell phone that rang as soon as he opened the package. He answered without speaking.

“I know who you are. Why you do what you do.” The sound of heavy breathing, like the caller had been running. “Things are going south.”

As much as he wanted to ask questions, Rudy remained silent. Was that statement a euphemism? Or a statement of fact? Odd this call would come now, when he was relocating.

“You need to watch your back. People are looking for you.”

What else was new? He made mental check marks on the list he carried in his head. Assassins. Several intelligence agencies. The American military. Those were just the ones off the top.

“I’ll do what I can to muddy your trail. But just a word to the wise? Go north. Or west. Or Australia.”

Rudy held his tongue until the phone clicked in his ear and the hum of silence replaced the open connection. He disassembled the phone, crushing the guts of it, and flushing that part down the toilet. The case would be discarded a piece at a time at highway speed once he hit the road. He really wanted a shower but doubted he had time. Opening a zippered pocket of his backpack, he pulled out the wad of cash—all untaxable and untraceable. He rifled the stack of bills and did a quick calculation of the amount. It was enough to get him to his next stash. It had to be.

Pulling on jeans, he shoved his feet into motorcycle boots and stomped down to seat them. Money shoved in the pocket and belt buckled, he snagged a black T-shirt and jerked it on over his head. Time to go.

He’d learned in his years on the run there were only two things that were inevitable for a man like him. Taxes didn’t make the list. Getting caught and getting dead? Totally did. Packed, he grabbed a wet towel from the bathroom and wiped down every surface in the room. He also stripped the bed and grabbed the towels, rolling them into a bundle.

Check out the window, he watched and waited. A Wolf, he was a patient hunter. Minutes ticked by. He picked up the sound of the hotel maid knocking a couple of doors down. Nothing moved in the parking lot or in the buildings across the way. Time to go. He slipped out and dumped his laundry in the maid’s cart. After trotting down the stairs, he stopped and waited again. A few travelers came out of their rooms and either walked to office or jumped into their vehicles and took off.

Deciding the coast was clear, he strolled to his car, tossed his duffel into the back seat and his backpack into the front passenger seat. Settling in the driver’s seat, he buckled up, backed out and drove away. A few miles away, he pulled into the drive-thru at a fast food place. While waiting in line to pick up his order, he pulled a map from the glove box, spread it out, and with his eyes closed, stabbed his index finger onto it.

Opening his eyes, he studied the spot pinpointed by his finger. And smiled.

New Orleans. It appeared that things were, indeed, going south.
****
And that’s how Rudy ended up in New Orleans. Where, in a few years time, he’ll be reunited the Wolves of the 69th and meet the woman guaranteed to make him moonstruck. 😉 What about y’all? Got any taxing words to share? Have you finished your taxes? We have an extension here in the States but Lawyer Guy got them in last weekend so we’re all good. Happy Hump Day. Keep writing and/or reading. Just remember, hiding in a book is a great way to social distance. 😉

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Tuesday Treats: Quick Fix Beef Burrito Skillet

Posted on April 14, 2020 by Silver James

Apparently, I’ve shared this recipe before but I’m doing it again. Why? because I have leftover corn tortillas that I need to do something with. This recipe popped up and lo and behold, I had a pic of it in my files. Just goes to show that my memory is…well…short. 🤣 Anyway, this is pretty darn yummy and can be made with stuff out of the pantry and freezer.

Total Time: 30 Minutes from prep to putting it on the table
4 servings

Enjoy the savory deliciousness of a beef burrito with the simplicity of a skillet dish—and do it in 30 minutes or less!

What You Need
1 lb. lean ground beef
1 pkg. (1 oz.) TACO BELL® Taco Seasoning Mix
1 can (15.5 oz.) no-salt-added red kidney beans, rinsed
1 cup TACO BELL® Thick & Chunky Salsa
1 cup water
4 flour tortillas (6 inch), cut into 1-1/2-inch pieces
1 cup KRAFT Mexican Style Finely Shredded Four Cheese
1/3 cup BREAKSTONE’S or KNUDSEN Sour Cream
1 large green onion, chopped
(TACO BELL® and Logo are trademarks owned and licensed by Taco Bell Corp.)

Let’s Make It
1 – Brown meat in large nonstick skillet on medium heat; drain. Return meat to skillet.
2 – Add next 4 ingredients; stir. Bring to boil; simmer on medium-low heat 5 min.
3 – Stir in tortilla pieces; top with cheese. Remove from heat; cover. Let stand 5 min. or until cheese is melted.
4 – Top with sour cream and onions.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Variation: Prepare using extra-lean ground beef, KRAFT Mexican Style 2% Milk Finely Shredded Four Cheese, and BREAKSTONE’S Reduced Fat or KNUDSEN Light Sour Cream.

Tip 2 – Special Extra: Add more of your favorite Mexican-style toppings, such as shredded lettuce, chopped tomatoes and/or chopped avocados, before serving.

As always, CLICK HERE for all the nutritional details. Once again, it’s one of my Wolves raising his hand to volunteer. MSGT Hawkins “Hawk” Greenwood, the hero ofRESCUE MOON, says he whips up a skillet of this all the time. Of course, if his heroine and mate, Dana Peterson, is hungry, she has to grab her share first. 😉 Dana, an anthropologist and former prep school teacher, was kidnapped by a Mexican drug cartel. Hawk was sent by the government to save her, with a little help from CPT “Ghost” Bryson’s Delta Force team, part of Susan Stoker’s Operation Alpha series. If you haven’t read their exciting story, grab RESCUE MOON now. Read it free with Kindle Unlimited, or $2.99 if you want it for your keeper shelf. It’s also available in paperback. Just sayin’… 🙂

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What Do You Mean it’s Monday?

Posted on April 13, 2020 by Silver James

Uhm…oops? Today is Monday. Yesterday was Easter. That means it was Sunday. But I took a nap. And then it was time for Chinese takeout from our favorite small place (which is closing for a week because they need a break and a resupply for takeout containers) and we’re 🤞 they reopen. Young couple, new restaurant, tough times! Anyway, I totally blanked on setting up today’s blog. Ah, well.

There was a week. I did a little writing. VERY little. I’m considering digging out a book that I always thought was good enough to publish but it was written so long ago, it would lose in translation if I tried to update it as a contemporary and it’s not a “historical in the since it’s…historical. Anyway, I’m debating about posting a chapter a week here on the site as a way to say thanks to my readers. It’s a suspense with a touch of romance. Opinions? 📚

We dropped by the kids’ house yesterday to take Easter stuffs for Stormy, b-day stuffs for Baseball Boy, and since I didn’t want to leave Only out, I took her a bag of Sylvia Day books that I’d been meaning to give her for…a few years. Don’t ask. It was good to see them but no hugs or kisses and mostly distancing but it was good to see them. 😷

One of my favorite coffee mugs is leaking when I take a drink. This makes me glad I’m wearing a dark brown tank top. 🤣

Finished LOYALTY IN DEATH. That’s always a tough book for me but especially this time of year, with all the hype leading to the 25th Anniversary of the OKC Bombing. Technically, it’s the Murrah Federal Building Bombing. Those of us there just call it The Murrah. Anyway, moved on to Shelley Laurenston’s Badger series, a spin-off from her Pride series of shifter books. Honey badgers and bears. What’s not to love? Plus, Laurenston’s warped humor is much appreciated at the moment. The 3rd book in the series just dropped so this is a re-listen of the first two, HOT AND BADGERED and IN A BADGER WAY before indulging in the last, BADGER TO THE BONE.

Once again, I wasn’t familiar with the entertainer who was unmasked on the Masked Singer. The Kangaroo was Jordyn Woods. She’s cute and very talented but the two she went head-to-head with out sang her. Live PD is semi-live now. Vetted teams are riding with a limited number of departments and the hosts are still broadcasting from their homes. Ah well. I’m still getting a small fix of one of my fave shows. Fox Sports Midwest is still showing previous STL Cardinals games. Getting a little fix there too. Eventually, life will return to normal.

That’s about all the news for me. We’re coping and adapting and are healthly. For those not suited to the “Alone Life,” remember that you can reach out to people over the phone, the internet, and heck–you can even write letters! We’re #AloneTogether and we’ll get through this! How are all of you doing?

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Friday Sinema: Thank You!

Posted on April 10, 2020 by Silver James

So, Chris Mann is a very talented musician, singer, and parodyist. Is that even a word? He does awesome (and warpedly funny) song parodies, currently about the crazy that is our current lives. He had several videos I thought about sharing and then I found this one. This. This says what I want to say to all those on the front lines: the medical community, the first responders, the military. Thank you, bus drivers and truck drivers, and mail carriers. Cheers to the clerks, the stockers, and bless the janitors everywhere! ❤ ❤ ❤ Thanks to the curbside servers and the teachers learning to distance learn. Gratitude to the crafty folks making and donating masks and for our corporate citizens getting on board in all sorts of ways. But here. Chris says it so much better than I can…

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