To my readers here in the States, have a happy and SAFE 4th of July. Remember those who fought and sacrificed so that we now enjoy the freedoms that come with living in this great country. If you feel the need to set off fireworks, keep two things in mind: Military veterans with PTSD and our pets. If you want to see skyrockets, go to an organized display. And trust me, you really don’t need to set off firecrackers to be cool.
Another Wednesday, another #!lineWed on Twitter, and another snippet based on the theme here. Britt Owens, the heroine of my RDR WIP is a little star-struck, as she visits with new country singing star Zoe Parker and her husband Tucker Tate (of BILLIONAIRE COUNTRY fame) at the regional Emmy Awards gala. I’m going to wish upon a star and hope I get this puppy finished soon.
****
Zoe did not take offense at her sarcasm. “If those babies are anything like my Nash, you have all my sympathy, Britt.” The woman glanced up at Tucker, eyes dancing with mischief. “And I just wanted to tell you that I’ve seen your documentary. We don’t get so much wild weather in Tennessee so I surely do admire the work you do, Britt. Crossin’ m’fingers that you win tonight.” She slipped her hand through her husband’s arm.
Something inside Britt twisted just a little at the look on Tucker’s face as he gazed down at his wife, his expression both amused and indulgent. “What Zoe is too reticent—”
“Honey, there’s not a reticent bone in my body, and you know it. What I’m leadin’ up to is I would dearly love to ride along with you when you go storm chasin’. I know Coop won that prize at the benefit last November. I asked him to let me do it and he flat out said no. So…” Zoe batted long lashes at Britt, who wanted to laugh.
She pretended to consider the idea, one arm resting on her belly, hand cupping the opposite elbow, while tapping her cheek with one finger in the classic I’m-thinking-about-it gesture. Britt had all but forgotten about that stupid silent auction. Cooper hadn’t pressed things and she now realized he was keeping it as a back-up plan or something. Still, taking a singing star on a chase would bring lots of publicity and she had a secret fan-girl crush on Zoe. She’d downloaded the singer’s album the first day it was available.
“Well…if you promise to sing to me, and give me an autograph, I bet we can work something out.”
Zoe squealed and bounced up and down. That’s when Britt realized the woman wore cowboy boots with her obviously expensive designer gown. Zoe looked like the girl next door with her long brown hair and big brown eyes. The dress? It was pure red carpet. Flounced in front, long in back, some decolletage showing beneath the coppery sheer fabric and fabulous boots as shiny as brand-new copper pennies, she looked like she was ready to accept an award at the CMAs. The thought hit her that if she married Cooper, Zoe would be her sister-in-law. And Deacon Tate, the country music mega-star, would be her brother-in-law. She started to hyperventilate. These people were so out of her league.
****
Writers, do you have star-crossed lovers, falling stars, or perhaps one of your characters has stars in her eyes? Share your starry words if you’ve a mind to. Readers, wish upon a star and tell me which romantic hero you’d like to watch the stars with?
Thursday is the 4th of July here in the States so I thought I’d share a fun and easy recipe that gives us an excuse to use that trifle dish we got as wedding presents. (Or I did, anyway. 😆 )
Total Time: 1 Hr. 30 Min.
Prep: 30 Min.
Cook: 1 Hr
Celebrate the red, white and blue in a Healthy Living Patriotic Trifle that’s great for potlucks. Bring this Patriotic Trifle to your next get-together!
What You Need
1 pkg. (1 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Sugar Free Fat Free Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups cold fat-free milk
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP LITE Whipped Topping, thawed, divided
1 pkg. (13 oz.) angel food cake, cut into 1/2-inch cubes (about 6-1/2 cups)
2 cups fresh strawberries, sliced
1 cup blueberries
Let’s Make It
1 – Beat pudding mix and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. Stir in 1-1/2 cups COOL WHIP.
2 – Layer half each of the cake and berries in large serving bowl; cover with pudding mixture. Top with layers of remaining cake, berries and COOL WHIP.
3 – Refrigerate 1 hour.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Special Extra: Garnish with additional strawberries, blueberries and fresh mint sprigs just before serving.
You know you want to try this so CLICK HERE for all the nutritional details. And speaking of those odd wedding presents us oldsters got, Pippa Waite, wife of Barron half-brother, Kade Waite, informs me that crystal trifle dishes are still standard wedding-present fare for certain social strata. She got three when she married Kade. 😉 If you’d like to read their story, grab CLAIMING THE COWGIRL’S BABY, part of my Harlequin Desire Red Dir Royalty series. Pippa’s taking this dessert to the annual Barron/Tate 4th of July BBQ out at the Crown B Ranch. Just click on the cover or the title to hit the buy page at Harlequin. Don’t want to buy there? There’s a link to all the other etailers you can click on to go to your preferred site. Have a happy and safe 4th of July!
To all my Canadian friends, Happy Canada Day! Have fun doing what y’all do up there. 😉
It’s Monday. And a holiday week. Canada Day up north, 4th of July here. And there was a last week and a weekend. And stuff happened. Mostly Real Life that doesn’t bear repeating. In other news…
Saturday’s move. Not “us.” Lawyer Guy moved his office, after ten years down in the Stockyards, and the previous ten years with the same office “partner.” Long story and LG is cutting back on the legal side of things. He’s moved in with his brother, who had spare space at his real estate management firm. LG may do some work for him in addition to the open cases he has. It means he can take things a little easier, which is good given his health. It was hot and two helpers that were supposed to show up didn’t for…reasons. (“Handy” guys my BiL uses). Lucikly, Only and Baseball Boy were there to help. Most of the furniture is in storage or filling corners of our garage, library and dining room until LG sorts stuff.
Last week and writing… Yeah, I started out on a high note. The words were flowing fast and furious and I was making real headway and then…stuff. Nothing that really bears repeating but enough to keep me distracted and not producing words. Nothing bad, just busy stuff that needed attention and then it was hard to refocus.
Did I mention that I’m doing two signings in New York this month? During RWA National conference, most of the big publishers hold book signings. The books are free so lots of attendees stand in line to grab the signed freebies. One of my bucket list items since being published by Harlequin was to be one of those authors. Later this month I get my chance! If you’re a member of RWA and are in NYC, PLEASEpleasePLEASE come to the HQN signing the morning of July 25th and grab a copy of BILLIONAIRE COUNTRY. My biggest fear is that all the books will still be sitting there when the hour’s over. 😦 The other signing is open to the public and takes place on Saturday. July 27th from 3:00 to 5:00, in the Westside Ballroom of the New York Marriott Marquis on Times Square. Buy a book, get it autographed, and know that all the proceeds to go the ProLiteracy Foundation. There will be 100+ authors there. 😀
We won’t talk about baseball. Live PD is on hiatus until mid-July. 
Reading. Been listening. I finished off Christine Feehan’s Shadow series with the newest release, SHADOW WARRIOR. It wasn’t as good as the others, but not bad. Then I listened to a Molly Harper short paranormal. It was fun and sweet and if you like more light-hearted paranormal romance, give her Mystic Bayou series a try. The lastest release, EVEN TREE NYMPHS GET THE BLUES, was free to Audible subscribers. THE SAVIOUR, the latest from JR WARD’s BDB series finally hit my library app. I’ve been in the “hold line” since April. I still cringe at her name spelling but this one got a first in the series 5 stars from me. Murhder and Sarah and John Matthew and Hex and the intertwined stories and…and…yeah. This book made all the other irks worthwhile. And speaking of irks, I’m back to listening to Lani Lynn Vale books. Long story as to why, totally boring to anyone but me. Suffice it to say, that I’ve listened to two, am listening (though will likely be finished with it by the time you read this post) to a third. Not sure where I’ll go after this. There’s a new fantasy release (KINGDOM OF EXILES) on my Kindle that I’m interested in but reading takes me a long time these days and I’m all about the instant gratification (AND less wear and tear on my eyes) that listening to audio books gives. The blurb calls it “Assassin’s Creed meets Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them.” How can I NOT want to read that?
Anyway, other than critters being cute and demanding attention, that’s pretty much my current state. I’m going to miss my deadline but I’m at least working on getting the words out. Better than what was. In the meantime, what’s going on in your worlds?
June is the traditional month for weddings in my part of the world so I thought, on this last Friday of the month, I’d share this wedding video. I wish I had these two for sisters. I only had a brother and there’s no way he would have ever done something like this–though he did arrange for the champagne at Lawyer Guy’s and my reception. Take about ten minutes to sit back, enjoy the family affection and two very talented ladies. Happy Friday!
[Edit: This is late posting because I had it set for 6:00 p.m. NOT a.m. Derp! I went to check why it hadn’t popped up yet and fixed it.]
Feeling very much like the White Rabbit this morning. Writing was going great guns and then…stuff. And more stuff. And I forgot to set up the blog last night. So it’s late. I’m late. I didn’t hit word count for yesterday and looking at a VERY late start on words today. So…here’s to “due to circumstances and on account of because.”
Sometimes, Silver, when circumstances or disappointments bump you off track, it’s the beginning of an even bigger dream coming true, that could not have come true on the track you were on.
Yeah, always.
Always, always –
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®I know what I’m doing, Silver, and I love you so much.
Glad the Universe loves me and bigger dreams coming true would be totally awesome. However, at the moment, it’s the little things. Like, if the Big U could just arrange for the checks to hit my account so I can buy groceries and pay bills…
It’s Wednesday and that means WORDS for #1lineWed, this time from a future book. Birds of a feather, bird brains, bird in hand? Chick magnet? Jail bird, lame duck, legal eagle, night owl, or a mother hen. These things all appear in our books at some point, whether we use their avian term or not. I’m deep in writing mode so I just did a quick search for “bird” and came across this bit of flash fiction that will appear in Ariel’s book–when I get around to writing it. You can pretty much guess the context from the story.
****
Ariel stared into her dulled eyes, red-rimmed and rheumy with age. Her gnarled fingers plucked at the softly woven blanket covering legs bent and twisted by the years of her lifetime. With a hand shaking from the need to be gentle, he smoothed listless gray locks from her face.
“Are you ready, sweetheart?”
Her eyes lifted to his and for an instant, he saw the lively, funny girl who’d once lived inside this withered husk. Then she blinked, and the girl he’d once loved was replaced by the old woman with no memory of their time together.
His heart hurt, as if such a thing was even possible for someone like him.
“Ready?” She formed the word with great concentration.
“It’s time to go.”
Hands fluttering like nervous birds, she gestured around the small room in the nursing home. “Don’t understand…” Her frail voice was as soft as snowflakes drifting on the wind.
“It’s moving day.”
“Oh.”
Just as he picked her up and settled her easily in his arms, a nurse appeared in the doorway.
“What are you doing? Who are you? Put her down! I’m calling security!”
He ignored the woman’s tirade. Gold sparkles swirled around them. “Close your eyes.” Moments later, they appeared in the Summerlands, met by both the Goddess and his Queen.
“Where am I?”
“Your forever home, love. As I promised.”
Titania’s lip curled into a disdainful smile. “This is why fae don’t fall in love with humans, Ariel. They die too soon.”
And took a piece of his heart each time.
****
So…don’t be (or play) chicken! Share a bird from your WIP or, if you’re a reader rather than a writer, tell us your favorite book that has a bird theme. 🤔
It’s summer. And that means picnics, food not hot from the oven, and cool desserts. I happen to love tiramisu and this recipe is quick, easy and oh so yummy. Keep reading to find out which of my characters agrees. 😉
Total Time: 2 Hr 15 Min
Prep Time: 15 Min
Cook Time: 2 Hr
What makes this luscious tiramisu recipe so easy? Try six ingredients and 15 minutes of prep time.
What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/3 cup sugar
3/4 cup whipping cream
1-1/2 cups brewed strong MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee, cooled
36 soft ladyfingers
1 tsp. unsweetened cocoa powder
Let’s Make It
1 – Beat cream cheese and sugar in large bowl with mixer until well blended. Gradually beat in whipping cream; continue beating 3 to 4 min. or until thickened.
2 – Dip half the ladyfingers, 1 at a time, into 3/4 cup coffee in shallow dish; place in single layer on bottom of 8-inch square pan. Top with half the cream cheese mixture. Repeat with remaining ladyfingers, coffee and cream cheese mixture.
3 – Refrigerate several hours or until chilled. Sprinkle with cocoa powder just before serving.
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Size Wise: Sweets can add enjoyment to a balanced diet, but be sure to choose an appropriate portion.
Tip 2 – Special Extra: For easy cleanup, line baking pan with foil using this easy method. Turn pan upside down and fit a piece of foil over top of pan, smoothing corners as needed. Remove foil. When you turn the pan over, the foil fits perfectly inside the pan.
Tip 3 – Serving Suggestion: Enjoy this dessert with a hot cup of MAXWELL HOUSE Coffee. Note: Izzy and I favor chicory coffee and use it instead of regular coffee. Gives that little bit of laignappe to the treat.
Tip 4 – Ladyfingers: If you can’t find any, you can substitute sponge cake slices, or the little strawberry shortcake cups you can buy packaged almost everywhere this time of year. Slice those in half like you would a hamburger bun.
As always, CLICK HERE for all the nutritional details. And I gave away our guest “cook” up in the tips. Isabelle “Izzy” Fontaine come from deep Cajun roots. Good thing her mate, Rudek “Rudy” Tornjak, loves Cajun food. Rudy was under a death sentence issued by the Pentagon. Izzy worked for the bad guys. Saving a little boy brings them back into the light. You can read their story, ROGUE MOON, for free if you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription or buy it for $2.99 so you can keep it forever. 😉 Psst. Izzy and Rudy are two of my favs. Don’t tell the others. 🤫 You can also grab a copy of the book by clicking on the cover.
How about y’all? What’s your favorite summer-time dessert?
Especially not from me. 😆 But coffee? Coffee gets all the love. At least from me. So. It’s Monday. Right? *sigh* Again. Of course, with 52 Mondays a year, it’s bound to keep happening.
There was a week. And a weekend. And we’re facing a new week. Stuff happened. Other stuff didn’t happen. The end. Oh, there was some good stuff. And some bad stuff. Not terribly bad stuff, except for one “if not for bad luck, no luck at all” stuff.
Good stuff: Stormageddon hit a double in his game Saturday. 😀
Bad stuff: We weren’t at the game.
Other good stuff: I wrote new words. 🙂
Other bad stuff: I’m only about 1/2 to my word count and the book is due next week. *flail* 🤦
More good stuff: Only is cleared for vacation time so she’s going to New York City with me in July. Woot! 🎊 (that’s a confetti ball, FYI)
And in the bad/no luck category: The center diamond on my engagement ring went AWOL. I have no clue where or when exactly. I just noticed it this afternoon when one of the prongs caught on my shirt. Not only is this bad, it’s give me a big ol’ sad. 😒 😥
In other news, my Cards are playing better. Live PD was awesome but they’re taking the next two weekends off. Time to catch up on episodes I missed. I finished relistening/listening to Christine Feehan’s Shadow series. The newest release, SHADOW WARRIOR, was okay. Not sure what I’m going to listen to next. I really need to focus on words. Loki and Jake are cute and awesome, in that order. Boone and Adidas remain mellow. And that’s pretty much my life in 300 words or less. How was your week/weekend? Looking forward to anything coming up this week?
As a bit of background, I played catcher. Only played catcher. Fastpitch, not baseball, though I did catch more than a few neighborhood pickup baseball games with the boys. Fastpitch doesn’t really have a “bullpen” catcher because pitchers normally play all seven innings and if a new pitcher needs warming up, the backup catcher heads to the “bullpen” to catch. All levels of pro baseball have bullpen catchers. Sometimes, that’s their paid position. They aren’t actually “on” the team. Sometimes, they’re utility players and aren’t always in the bullpen. In the case of the Kenosha Kingfish, Brian Vance is a team player. And dancer. On this particular day, he was doing duty in the bullpen. The video went viral. For obvious reasons. So…for all the single ladies!
Psst. Now I want to write a baseball romance and model my hero after Brian!
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Silver James 