Thursday Thoughts: Universal Words

Posted on November 14, 2019 by Silver James

One of the strategems that romance writers often use to create drama and tension is the “Great Misunderstanding”–words or actions tossed out that create hurt feelings. In romance, this has become if not a trope, a cliché. This in and of itself is not a bad thing. We all say things that are taken wrong. We think we’re saying one thing but our listener hears something totally different for whatever reason, be it difference in experience, expections, and/or emotions. What drives me batty is when this drama could easily be cleared up if those involved would just sit down and discuss the whys and wherefores, the ins and outs, the differences that pushed things off the rails, and the author just lets the misunderstanding keep festering in order to draw out the disconnect so there can be a big make-up scene.

Sadly, this does happen in real life, which is why it’s become a staple of romance scenarios. The Universe has an interesting thought on this.

It’s not what one says, Silver, that determines whether it’s true or false, but what they tried to convey.

Listen with your heart,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

For mere words, dear Silver, can be chameleons.

As writers, we need to be very aware of this. Yeah, yeah. I know, trust me. It’s hard enough to decide if we’ve picked the right word/words when we’re telling our stories. Don’t let that stall out your writing–especially during NaNoWriMo. My NaNo project is currently littered with **FIND THE WORD THAT SAYS THIS** (whatever this is). But our job as writers is to convey ideas and situations, emotions and actions in a way that advances the story as well as touches our readers in the way we want. In the real world, we also need to be aware of what comes out of our mouths and goes into our ears.

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Wednesday Words: Give and Take

Posted on November 13, 2019 by Silver James

Everyone in a relationship has to give and take. Or take and give. Or just take. And then give back. Anyway, today’s Twitter #1lineWed THEME is **GIVE and/or TAKE**. This scene comes from my #NaNoWriMo project (and new release coming February 2020), FIGHTING FOR ELENA. The story is about a small-town fire chief (Pops West) and the younger woman, social worker Elena Rodriguez, who captures his attention. That said, I always have to tie in these books to my other series so there will be cameos by the Moonstruck Wolves, specifically Nate Connor, and some of the Nightriders. Why? Because Nate’s adopted daughter, Hope (from BLUE MOON and MOON SHOT), is kidnapped by Hell Dogs. She’s escaped in San Antonio, Texas and this scene is from her POV.
****
Living on the street leaves scars. Hope carried more than a few now. Still, it was better than being held by the Hell Dogs. Her brain told her to phone home but her heart believed what that scary guy told her. If she contacted her family or had contact with anyone who was a Wolf, her life and theirs would be over like that. He’d snapped his fingers to emphasize his point. He’d kill everyone she loved in a nanosecond. She couldn’t risk it.

A police car drove slowly down the street and she ducked behind a stack of wooden pallets. She shrank lower to the ground as a spotlight swept both sides of the road. She caught the words spray-painted on a concrete barrier.

One day you’ll die.

The message was enough to suck the life right out of her. Shaking, she forced memories away—memories of a concrete and iron cell, of machines and men in white coats, of pain and terror. But then Nate came. Dad. That’s what she called him now. The big Wolf who’d rescued her, gave her a home, him and and his mate, Jacey. Mom. She’d do whatever it took to keep them safe.

Her head insisted she call home, knowing everyone would be worried but her heart only wanted to keep them safe. The red taillights blinked out in the distance. She pushed to her feet and head down, she kept walking.

“Please don’t run again,” a woman’s voice whispered.

Warm fingers gripped her arm and she recognized the face belonging to the woman. She’d approached Hope[ on the River Walk and Hope had seen Hell Dogs coming. She’d taken off in a panic. She didn’t know this woman and couldn’t give her trust to that lady or anyone.

“Please.” The woman spoke again. “My name is Elena.” Her voice was nice and had a very slight Mexican accent, like she’d grown up about Spanish speakers but spoke English first. “I work for Texas DFPS.”

Hope blinked, her brow crinkling as she tried to work out what the initials stood for. She was from West Virginia. Or was. That’s where everyone settled after Louisiana and Virginia. Bad people had been chasing them forever. Mac and Hannah, the leaders finally settled them in a little town in the mountains of West Virginia where the men didn’t have to hide what they were, where everybody knew the secrets and kept them.

As if reading her confusion, Elena explained. “The Department of Family and Protective Services. I work with kids, with runaways like you.”

“I’m not a runaway.” She wasn’t. Those men had scooped her up during a shopping trip to the mall in Raleigh.

“Do you have a home to go to?”

The lady was nice and persistent, but Hope didn’t have time for this. Any of it. She pulled against Elena’s hold. She had to get away. The Hell Dogs, they could sniff her out. That’s when she saw the bruise on the lady’s face.

“They did that to you.” She was positive. Elena had tried to come after her and the Hell Dogs got her. Had they done anything else?

“Those bikers who were chasing you? Yes. One of them punched me and then some real men came to help me. Like I’m coming to help you.”

Hope shook her head and tried to back away. “You don’t understand,” she whispered.

“I promise I can help you.”

“No one can help!”
****
That’s a first draft so TAKE it for what it’s worth and GIVE a pass to the typos. 😉 Any of you have any give and take to share?

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Tuesday Treats: Slow-Cooker Apple Bread Pudding

Posted on November 12, 2019 by Silver James

Winter has come early in my part of the world and bread pudding is one of my favorite desserts. This one, done in a slow-cooker, is bound to fill the house with yummy smells to help warm you up on a cold day. Plus, easy! And maybe something new and different for a fall holiday treat. 😊

Total Time: 4 Hr. 20 Min.
Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook: 4 Hr.
24 Servings (1/2 cup bread pudding and 2 Tbsp. sauce each)

Start unwrapping the caramels for this scrumptious Slow-Cooker Apple Bread Pudding with Warm Butterscotch Sauce. It’s ready to cook in just 20 minutes!

What You Need
22 KRAFT Caramels
1-1/4 qt. (5 cups) milk, divided
1 can (21 oz.) apple pie filling
2 cups light cream
8 eggs, beaten
1 tsp. ground cinnamon
12 cups cubed challah bread (egg bread), 1/2 inch pieces
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Butterscotch Flavor Instant Pudding

Let’s Make It
1 – Microwave caramels and 1 cup milk in large microwaveable bowl on HIGH 1 to 2 min. or until caramels are completely melted, stirring after 1 min. Add apple pie filling, cream, eggs, cinnamon and 1 cup of the remaining milk; mix well. Stir in bread.

2 – Pour into slow cooker sprayed with cooking spray; cover with lid. Cook on LOW 4 to 5 hours.

3 – Beat pudding mix and remaining milk in microwaveable bowl with whisk 2 min. just before serving the pudding. Microwave 2 min., stirring after each minute. Spoon over individual servings of warm pudding.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Note: To prevent the bread pudding from burning, do not cook the pudding on the HIGH setting of the slow cooker.

Tip 2 – Special Extra: Garnish with thin green and red apple slices just before serving.

Tip 3 – Special Extra: As an option when serving adults, stir 1/4 cup rum or apple brandy into the hot butterscotch sauce before spooning over individual servings of the bread pudding. Please use alcohol responsibly.

Tip 4 – Apple-Raisin Bread Pudding: Prepare using raisin bread.

My Tip: I’m thinking you could use cinnamon bread for even more cinnamony goodness.

Y’all know the drill. CLICK ON OVER to My Food and Family for all the nutritional details. Bread pudding is a New Orleans staple and Isabelle “Izzy” Fontaine is a Cajun who grew up with a Cajun grandmother who taught her to cook. She saw this recipe and knew it would be a hit. Plus, easy! So she fixed it for Rudy Tornjak, her once-rogue Wolf. He hoovered through the whole batch. Then she shared it with the other mates, who also discovered it was a hit with the Wolves and the kids. Rudy is first introduced in BLOOD MOON, the subject of the 69th’s rescue mission, and he gets his own story and HEA in ROGUE MOON. You can click on the titles, or ROGUE MOON‘s cover, for buy links to each book. Personally, I’d grab MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS to get the whole beginning of the series. It’s like 3 books in one. Anyway, if you give this try, come back and let me know. I’ll do the same because I haven’t tried this yet. It’s on my grocery list though! Are you a fan of butterscotch and apples? Or are you like me and bread pudding is it’s own food group–sort of like bacon and coffee. OMG! Breakfast! Slow-cooker Apple Bread Pudding, bacon, and coffee. I’m in heaven. *swoon*

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Veteran’s Monday

Posted on November 11, 2019 by Silver James


If you speak your mind, thank a veteran.

If you sleep safe at night, thank a veteran.

If you worship the way you wish, thank a veteran.

If you go about your daily life freely, thank a veteran.

I thank mine every day for being a wonderful, kind, and caring man, husband, and father. I’m blessed that he picked me to join his life to mine.

Look around the world. Look at the oppression. Look at the horrible things that governments force on their citizens. Look at the terror that women and members of the LBGQT community experience. Look at elections that aren’t free, where votes don’t don’t count unless you vote for the favored canditdate, or those places where there are NO elections.

I went to three kindergarden soccer games this weekend. One opposing team was coached by a pair of moms who were partners. One team was coached by a woman of Japanese descent. One was coached by a black man. Boys and girls of every description played together on those teams. Think what you will about the USA, I’m proud to be an American.

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Friday Sinema: Not Forgotten

Posted on November 8, 2019 by Silver James

Veteran’s Day is Monday. This was made in 2013. So many more veterans now. So many heroes. Thank you all. And if you are out and about here in the States this weekend and you see members of the American Legion handing out poppies, smile, stop to visit for a minute, and if you can, make a donation. They’ll give you the poppy for free as a remembrance but your donations go a long way in funding their programs for veterans, at VA hospitals, and for the children and families of veterans.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Happy

Posted on November 7, 2019 by Silver James

Days just keep passing by. I suppose it beats the alternative. Okay, it definitely beats the alternative. Anyway, after last week’s “All Bad Things” happening, I was looking for something a little positive to think about because we need all of that we can get these days. And this saved bit of advice from the Universe spoke to me as I scrolled through my list of saved bits.

Every act of kindness, Silver, gets the nod, opens the heart, dampens the fear, turns the page, ups the ante, tips the point, heightens the joy, changes the world, rows the boat, adds to the love, and if you’ve been rather extraordinary lately, turns Thursdays into Fridays.

See?
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Row the boat, Silver, tip the point, and have the happiest day of your life, so far.

In my family, we’ve always tried to do the right thing, to work together pulling on the same rope to get a shared outcome that benefits all of us. And with so freaking much hate in the world, we need to remember to be kind and considerate and honest. We don’t need fear mongering, we need compromise. And as y’all know, I usually try to tie in something about writing because so often, these messages are apropos. In this case, it’s not the writing so much as it is the hero of my current NaNoWriMo project, which is releasing in February. Pops West is a good guy. A widower. A rancher. Chief of a volunteer fire department. And a foster dad–officially and unofficially. He is kind to people, has a big heart, is fearless, doesn’t hold a grudge, changes the world one broken soul at a time, and rows that dang boat. It may be Thursday, but lets pretend it’s Friday and celebrate being alive, being loved, being happy.

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Wednesday Words: Write It Up

Posted on November 6, 2019 by Silver James

It’s November. For writers, that means National Novel Writing Month. This is my 14th year. I’ve finished my 50k words 13 times, and all but a couple of those books have been published. And considering the pit of writer’s lethargy I’ve been wallowing in for the past year, I’m finally getting new words. In honor of NaNoWriMo, the #1lineWed theme for today is **WRITE/WRITER**. While this scene isn’t part of my NaNo project, I’ll take ideas and words however they come. This one belongs to my future Moonstruck Mafia series. Set in Chicago, it’s the Italians turn. As I only have two scenes written, you’ll just have to piece things together. Hell, I don’t even know this character’s first name yet. Still, I hope you enjoy.
****
This was my office. I would not accede power to the cops standing on the other side of my desk. They peered down at me as I lounged in my leather chair, thinking they could intimidate me. They could think again.
“I’m a busy man, detective. What is so urgent that you and your…comrades bullied your way past my secretary?”

The uniformed cop cleared his throat but the chief detective in the middle silenced him with a look as he stated, “You’re a hard man to track down, Giordano.”

Spreading my hands, I indicated that I could be found exactly where they’d found me. “I am a businessman, detective. All it takes is a phone call to make an appointment.”

“David Rizzo.”

“What about him?”

“He’s missing. Know where is he?”

“I do not.” I didn’t, not that I wouldn’t lie to the cops if I did.

“You threatened him. Why?”

I knew they’d come calling sooner or later. Rizzo was a well-known figure in Chicago and his disappearance would not go unnoticed. “He assaulted a young man under my protection. I explained why he should keep his hands to himself.”

“There wasn’t a police report.”

“The incident occurred in my night club, detective. My security personnel handled the situation and brought Mr. Rizzo to me.”

“Here?”

“Yes. I explained things, then Mr. Rizzo left the building on his own two feet.”

“You have security tapes?”

“Do you not trust me?” I smiled, punching in a code on my computer. “It will take a few minutes for my security team to locate and compile the video. Would you like coffee?” I smiled at the uniformed officer. He was known to be a drunk and a bully. His wife, unfortunately, was very…clumsy. I didn’t like bullies. Waving toward the bar on the far side of the room—replete with silver carafes of coffee and cut-glass decanters containing the very best liquors, I offered, ‘Help yourselves.”

I then proceeded to ignore them. Hollis proceeded directly to the vodka. He didn’t bother with ice, simply splashing some in a gold-rimmed highball glass. Since that rim was 14 carat gold, I’d have to count my glassware.

While I waited, I let my thoughts drift to the sexy redhead who had melted into my arms only two nights ago, dancing in the moonlight. Regina Jackson was a woman who believed in romance—a surprise given her profession. She was an investigative reporter. She chased the big, dirty stories and wrote them up with serious talent. I knew who she was. Too bad I was one of the big, dirty stories she was on the trail of.

My computer beeped. I clicked a few keys and pointed to the big screen on my wall. “You’ll see the security feed there.” When the cops were focused, I hit the enter button. The scene played out. Rizzo, obviously unhappy stormed through the building’s front entrance, flanked by two of the bouncers at my club. The camera switched to the interior of the elevator car that connected directly to the top floor—and my offices. The next shot revealed them all exiting the elevator, crossing the reception area, and then the hallway to my office. There as a break in the tape.

The detective glanced back, about to bark a question. I cut him off. “I don’t have cameras in my office. Please continue watching.”

The door to my office opened, Rizzo, none the worse for the wear, stalked out, still flanked by my guys. The tape showed the reverse of the scumbag’s entrance, and his exit from my building, sans my bouncers. They stayed in the lobby. I couldn’t have scripted the scenario any better.

“That was the last time I saw him.”

Alive, anyway. No one hurt what was mine.
****
So there it is. My writerly that with the dancing in the moonlight scene got me a little over 1600 words. Not my greatest NaNo count but I’m over 10K and this is Day 6 so I’m happy! Authors, share some writerly words with us. Readers, what would you write if you were taking part in NaNo?

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Tuesday Treats: Peanut Butter Brownie Dump Cake

Posted on November 5, 2019 by Silver James

It’s that time of year. Crisp fall days, cool nights, family gatherings in the air. And two of my favorite flavors–especially when found together: chocolate and peanut butter. This quick and easy treat hits the spot.

Total Time: 55 Min.
Prep Time: 10 Min.
Cook Time: 45 Min.
16 servings

Try this extremely simple Peanut Butter Brownie Dump Cake. Peanut butter and chocolate is a classic match you can’t deny. If you can open a jar of peanut butter and a box of brownie mix, you’ve got what it takes to make these Peanut Butter Brownie Dump Cake.

What You Need
2 pkg. (4 oz. each) BAKER’S Semi-Sweet Chocolate, broken into small pieces
1 cup creamy peanut butter
2-1/4 cups milk, divided
1 pkg. (18 to 20 oz.) brownie mix (13×9-inch pan size)
3/4 cup butter, melted
2 cups (about 2/3 of 8-oz. tub) thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping

Let’s Make It
1 – Heat oven to 350°F.
2 – Microwave semi-sweet chocolate, peanut butter and 1-1/2 cups milk in microwaveable bowl on HIGH 2-1/2 min. or until chocolate is almost melted; stir until chocolate is completely melted and mixture is well blended.
3 – Pour into 13×9-inch pan sprayed with cooking spray.
4 – Sprinkle evenly with dry brownie mix. Drizzle with butter, then remaining milk.
5 – Bake 45 to 50 min. or until toothpick inserted in center comes out with fudgy crumbs. (Cake will be very dense.)
6 – Cut cake into 16 pieces. Serve in dessert bowls topped with COOL WHIP.

Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Substitute: Prepare using crunchy peanut butter.

As always, go check out all the nutritional details HERE. Even smart scientific types like Dr. Liz Graham needs chocolate when she’s feeling low. This is an easy panacea for the blues, whatever their cause! Of course, her “boys”, alpha Wolf Michael Lightfoot and their son, Micah, have been known to steal more than their share. The first time she caught them late at night in the kitchen dumping the whole tub of Cool Whip and eating the cake directly from the pan, did she pitch a fit? Of course, she did! And the next time she made the treat, she made two. One for them, one for her. She’s gotten extremely good at hiding her portion. Since her mate can shift into a wolf and can sniff out anything, as will her son will once he reaches puberty, she’s had to get creatinve. I did mention she’s a scientist, right? 😉 If you want to read Liz and Lightfoot’s whole story, grab MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. If you’re only interested in their immediate story, you can grab BAD MOON and read it for free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. But hey, if you spend the few bucks necessary to snag SECRETS, you also get the origins of the Wolves of the 69th and Mac and Hannah’s story. Just click on the book cover or titles for sales links. BAD MOON is available exclusively at Amazon. MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS is available almost everywhere books are sold on-line.

So, are you a peanut butter and chocolate fan? And do you reach for the smooth or crunchy version?

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Daylight Savings Monday

Posted on November 4, 2019 by Silver James

I’m sure y’all know my feelings on the horribleness that is Daylight Savings Time. I don’t care if we are falling back and allegedly gaining an hour of sleep or springing forward and losing that alleged hour. I spend six months getting used to things and then stuff changes and I have to do it all over again. Enough already! Somebody in Washingto do something useful for a change and fix this!

There was a week and a weekend. It was a shitty week, a better weekend. Adidas, aka Editor Cat finally went to sleep and didn’t wake up. She’d been deteriorating and I knew her end would likely come at any time. Despite her partial paralysis in her back hips, she’d been eating, drinking, and other bodily things and demanding pets and attention with gusto. This past week, she slowed down and Thursday, things were looking bad. I was going to break down and take her to the vet for a final solution because I didn’t want her to suffer. She gave no indication she was in pain and as long as she was alert and eating, I was good to let her go on her own terms. She did Halloween night. She was 18 and she was an awesome cat. I miss her.

To add insult to injury, I was in Walmart on Friday stocking up on groceries and necessities because I got a royalty check and could pay for some extra goodies for a change. Being the first day of the month, everyone and their brother was in the place. Lines were long, and the people behind me were probably from an assisted living home–two disabled young women and their caretaker. In the middle of me buying $200+ dollars of groceries, Only texts to say her billfold is either lost or stolen. I’m trying to get through self checkout so I can text her back and at the last minute, I decided to get cash back. This is something I don’t normally do and probably won’t do ever again. Why? Because I asked for $60, then got distracted because one of the young women was having a bit of a meltdown because I was taking so long (not her fault! It happens, and I get this but her caretaker was not very nice in the way she handled it), and another text came in from Only. I loaded my bags into my basket, grabbed the receipt and walked off. WITHOUT MY CASH BACK!!!! 🤦 I am a true and utter idiot. I didn’t remember until I got home. I immediately jumped in the car and went back on the offside chance that the caretaker had turned in my money. Fat chance. Nope. A very nice customer service person went into security and had them review the tapes. I was six feet away, my back to her when the caretaker snatched the money and stuffed it in her bra. Effing people. It’s not like that was just extra money. I had plans for that cash that then got cancelled.

So anyway. Saturday was pancake breakfast at the post followed by Kindergarden Soccer. Both good things. In other news…

My OSU Cowboys actually beat TCU and they are bowl eligible. Yay!

Also, Friday, being the 1st of November, was the start of National Novel Writing Month. This is my 14th year. And guess what?!?!?! WORDS!!!!! Lots and lots of words! I discovered that the NaNoWriMo site has a timer. I used to do #1k1hr springs on Twitter and having the NaNo timer gets me back in that groove. In the past three days (Friday, Saturday, and Sunday), I’ve written 6,702 words. That’s more than I’ve written in the past month. And the story is coming along, with lots of ideas and emotion and WORDS! Y’all have no idea how exciting this is. Maybe…just maybe, my depression is receding and I can get back to the business of writing and turning out books that people might want to read. I’m feeling hopeful.

I’ve finished listening to several more of Kristen Ashley’s Rock Chick books and I think I started #8 last night. TV has been Live PD because…NEW WORDS!!!

Anyway, there was good and bad last week. But there’s hope, too. Time to get busy. How’s your life these days?

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Friday Sinema: The Witch of November

Posted on November 1, 2019 by Silver James

I don’t know why, especially since the ship actually sank on the 10th of November, but on All Hallows Day (the 1st of November), I always think of this song. Gordon Lightfoot was a staple of my high school and college years, his songs on every mix tape I ever recorded. And no matter how sad, I still love this song. Have a good weekend.

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