Thursday Thoughts: Universal Test

Posted on April 9, 2020 by Silver James

As time stretches on and we all find ourselves even more isolated, I just want to share this. No matter what your faith or belief system, take heart. None of us are trutly alone.

We interrupt your day with a test, a test of the Emergency Broadcast System.

Silver, can you see me, right now?

Yes — I’m the light, and all it shines on.

Can you hear me?

Yep — every single sound, and the silence, too.

Can you feel me? Right now? In the air on your skin, under your feet, and in the palms of your hands? The tug at your heart, the rhythm it keeps, and the blood in your veins?

Right. Now, next time you have cause for alarm, see me. Next time you need absolutely anything, listen to me. And next time you feel all alone, remember you’re not.

Until tomorrow,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®
Oh, Silver, those were my butterfly kisses.

I’m here. You’re there. Thinkgs haven’t changed much, right? I’ll be here and you’ll be there but we still connect. Hang tough. Lean on me if you need to. Stay home. Stay safe. Stay healthy! ❤

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Wednesday Words: Supper Time

Posted on April 8, 2020 by Silver James

Sup-per time and the livin’ is eee-zee… Oh. Wait. That’s summer time. Good thing I don’t have to sing for my supper. And in case you haven’t guessed, today’s THEME is **SUPPER**. Since MOONSTRUCK:BETRAYAL is the project open on my computer, I went there first and while these aren’t new words, I hope you’ll enjoy this peek at Rudy Tornjak, the hero of ROGUE MOON as he makes his entrance. Oh…not exactly safe for little eyes. Just sayin’…
****
Arriving in the wake of Mardi Gras, something in New Orleans called to him. Her busy streets and old architecture soothed the restless pacing of his wolf.

The drunk tripped over a metal trashcan and the ensuing racket echoed. A dog barked, quickly silenced by a harsh command from his master. Closer, a woman moaned softly as a man grunted and Rudy’s ears picked up the slap of naked flesh coming together. His cock hardened at the sound. Perhaps he would seek out a woman. Or maybe he would drive into the bayous, shed his humanity, and hunt as his wolf wanted. He was not prey. He was predator. Always.

The man in the next apartment groaned and moments later, the bedsprings squeaked as he rolled off the woman. The sharp tang of cigarette smoke drifted from their open window followed shortly by snores. Hunting in the bayous sounded better and better.
Fingertips gripped the railing so tightly the metal groaned. His fingers. They felt detached, like they belonged to someone else. He closed his eyes and growled. A face glowed against the backs of his eyelids like the after image of a flash photo. He’d only glimpsed the woman in the crowd but she haunted him. His dreams. His days. And far too many of his nights.

Two weeks ago he’d caught sight of that face through the crowd on Bourbon Street. Her hair glowed like curling embers beneath the streetlights. Her face was that of an angel. Or a devil. A devil who kept his dick hard and his thoughts stirred.

“Hey, sugah. Watchu’ doin’ up there all by yer lonesome? You maybe want some comp’ny?”

Rudy stared down at the hooker. She stood, weaving, in the middle of the street. Any other night, he might have gone down, paid her price and taken her in the alley. But not now. Now, his cock ached for only one woman—the elusive waif he’d glimpsed deep within the French Quarter.

With luck, the drunk would stumble out of the alley and take care of her. If luck remained the fickle bitch he knew her to be, the woman would stand there yelling until Rudy was forced to deal with the noise. And it would not be in the manner the whore wished.
Her scent wafted up to him and killed the erection pushing against his jeans. The whore reeked of drugs, booze, and old sex—the complete opposite of the other scent. The one that eluded him when he ran in the bayous. The one that filled his heart with possibilities. The one that smelled of…prey.

With a snarl, he left the balcony. He would not finish that thought. He had no home, nor would he ever have one. He had no family left. No pack. Nor did he want one. Better to be alone. As he had always been. Rogue.

Between the face searing his memory and the scent branding his nose, Rudy wanted out. Away. He snagged a leather jacket on his way out the door. Taking the stairs three at a time, he all but leapt down the staircase to the first floor. He ripped open the door just in time to all but trip over the drunk as he stumbled along the sidewalk.

He snatched a wad of money from his front pocket and rammed it in the drunk’s mouth before turning him and shoving him into the whore’s arms. “Go fuck yourselves stupid.”

Too stunned to react, the two humans gaped as Rudy strode away, his legs eating up the sidewalk with a vengeance. His chest burned with a need to escape, to leave the trappings of society—of humanity here in the city. He wanted the scent of woods, of clean air, of…prey.

Rudek Tornjak wanted to hunt. He wanted to stalk then run his quarry to ground. He wanted to sink his teeth into the throat of his kill, letting the copper tang of fresh, hot blood wash down his throat. He wanted to howl of his prowess so every creature in the bayou knew the big bad had come for them. Loup garou gonna come eat them all up for his supper.
****
Pssst Don’t tell, but I wouldn’t mind being Rudy’s supper. 😉 Readers, what are you fixing for supper tonight? Writers, any supper/dinner/food words to share? As always, take care of yourselves!

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Tuesday Treats: Sunny-Side-Up Bagels

Posted on April 7, 2020 by Silver James

Trying to look on the bright side of things, I thought this breakfast/brunch recipe fit the bill. Easy, cheesy and totally yummy. Plus bacon! ❤

Approximate total time: 30 minutes
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 15 minutes
Serves 8 (normal people but only 1 hungry Wolf shifter)

Make breakfast the best time of the day when you serve these Sheet-Pan Sunny Side-Up Bagels. These Sheet-Pan Sunny Side-Up Bagels are topped with eggs, bacon, cheddar and cream cheese spread for amazing flavor.

What You Need
4 plain bagels (4 inch), split
1/2 cup PHILADELPHIA Chive & Onion Cream Cheese Spread
8 CRACKER BARREL Sharp Cheddar Cheese Slices
8 eggs
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Fully Cooked Bacon, cut in half
2 Tbsp. chopped fresh chives

Let’s Make It
1 – Heat oven to 375°F.
2 – Cover baking sheet with foil; spray with cooking spray. Use 1-1/2-inch round cookie cutter to cut piece out of center of each bagel half; discard removed piece.
3 – Spread cut sides of bagel halves with cream cheese spread; place, cream cheese sides down, on prepared baking sheet.
4 – Cut 1-1/2-inch “X” into center of each cheese slice. Place on tops of bagels; press centers of cheese slices into holes in bagels.
5 – Crack 1 egg into small bowl; slip into hole in 1 prepared bagel half. Repeat with remaining eggs and bagel halves. Top with bacon.
6 – Bake 14 to 15 min. or until egg whites are set and yolks are cooked to desired doneness.
7 – Sprinkle with chives. (You can use the dried variety if you don’t have fresh.)

For some reason, there’s NO nutritional info. Which is weird. But you can CLICK to see what’s on the page at My Food and Family. As y’all know, a few of my heroines are somewhat clueless when it comes to cooking. Luckily, a lot of my heroes can step up to the stove. Today, it’s Derek Alexander, Wolf shifter, Homeland Security agent, and mate to airport rescue firefighter Kit Carson. He stepped forward because some of the incidents in his and Kit’s story, CRASH & BURN: A Moonstruck Wolf Novel, are alluded to in FIGHTING FOR ELENA, my most recent release. Y’all can catch up with Derek and Kit for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription, or buy it for your keeper shelf! Just click on the cover or the title. Haven’t read FIGHTING FOR ELENA? Just click and you can grab it for the same!

I love breakfast/brunch and even breakfast-for-dinner. This recipe hits all the spots. What about y’all? Breakfast or dinner?

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A New Month of Mondays

Posted on April 6, 2020 by Silver James

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

The following is a random summation of my 🌎 :

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Friday Sinema: This Buds for You

Posted on April 3, 2020 by Silver James

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

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Dream

Posted on April 2, 2020 by Silver James

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

Dream big, Silver.

Start small.

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

Especially, start small, Silver.

Dream big, people. Dream big!

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Wednesday Words: April Fools

Posted on April 1, 2020 by Silver James

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Tuesday Treats: Bacon-Ranch Bread Bites

Posted on March 31, 2020 by Silver James

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

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

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

What You Need

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Monday, Day Whatever of My Normal Life

Posted on March 30, 2020 by Silver James

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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Friday Sinema: Domino Cats

Posted on March 27, 2020 by Silver James

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

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