Wednesday Words: Voice Lessons

Posted on October 17, 2018 by Silver James

Wednesday has rolled around with a hint of frost and fallish days. I’ve VOICED my love of all things Fall. As you might have guessed, **VOICE** is the theme for #1lineWed today. I don’t think I’ve posted this snippet from LEATHER AND LACE, the next Penumbra book, here. It was written for a #flashfiction challenge some time back. Before anyone (lookin’ at you Patti) freaks out, yes, Sade and Sinjen are fighting. Yes, it starts with something as simple as Sade freaking out over something because…well, she’s Sade. At least, she has friends, right?
****
The front door slammed hard enough the windows rattled.

“Well, that went well.”

Ariel stared at Caleb like the werewolf had two heads. “Seriously?”

Caleb lifted one shoulder in a shrug the fae couldn’t decide was negligent or arrogant. “You know what Sade is like when she’s pissed.”

“I fucking heard that!” The subject of their conversation stomped into the room. “Why the gawddamned fucking hell are the two of you still standing here? I told you to get the hell out.”

Both men chided her simultaneously. “Language.”

The werewolf caught the scent of her pain while the fae noticed the all but imperceptible wince. Sade glowered, her gaze so withering that had they been plants the two magicks would have shriveled up, died, and blown away like dust in the wind.

“Would you like us to stake him in the heart?” Ari sounded a little too happy to comply.

“Oh fucking to the hell no,” the furious woman yelled. “That doesn’t even come close to what I’ll do that that mother—”

“Sade,” Caleb cut her off, his tone cajoling. “You know you don’t mean that.”

“He slept with her!” The heartbreak in Sade’s voice rocked both magicks back on their heels. Her eyes narrowed and her mouth formed a hard slash across her face. “I am so fucking done with that gawddamned asshole.”

“He’s a vampire.” Ari stated the obvious, as if vampire and asshole were synonyms.

Caleb added in a dry voice, “And now a dead one.”

Sade flung a cushion at Caleb’s head. “Vampires are already dead.”

“Well, sort of. They are undead, not dead, technically speaking.” Caleb barely managed to duck the thick, hardcover book she hurled at him.

Ariel snagged the tome in mid-air. “Hey! That’s a first edition.”

Throwing up her hands, Sade marched to the far end of the room. “I should have seen this coming. He’s a fucking vampire.”

“And a master,” Ari muttered.

“Centuries old. How many gawddamned women has he had? Why the holy fucking hell would he ever settle down with a total bitch like me?”

Werewolf and fae exchanged looks but remained stoically—and wisely—silent.
****
How about y’all? Do you want to voice any concerns? Have want to give your #WIP words a voice? Share!

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Tuesday Treats: Easy Ravioli Lasagna

Posted on October 16, 2018 by Silver James

We set a new record low and a new record low high yesterday. Last night we had frost warnings. It’s time for the ooey-gooey food recipes and I am soooo ready! A lot of times, I’ll toss up a recipe because I want to try it and putting it on the blog is way for me to find it again. You don’t want to see my recipe box. TRUST ME ON THIS!!! Well, with all the early cold, I thought this dish would hit the spot and man, did it! It is Lawyer Guy approved so it’s been added to our rotation of regular recipes.

Prep Time: 25 min.
Total Time: 1 hr. 25 min.
Servings: 12 servings

Bring together two Italian staples with our Easy Ravioli Lasagna. Prep time for this Easy Ravioli Lasagna is just 25 minutes. Buon appetito!

What You Need
1 lb. extra-lean ground beef
1 onion, finely chopped
1 carrot, finely chopped (I used julienne carrots already cut, but then chopped them up)
3 cloves garlic, minced (I use the already-minced in a squeeze bottle)
1 jar (24 oz.) OLIVO by CLASSICO Traditional Pasta Sauce
1/2 cup water
2 lb. frozen cheese ravioli, uncooked. Use the large, not mini, frozen ravioli to prepare this delicious recipe. I used the Bertoli fresh ravioli.
1 tub (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese Spread
1/2 cup milk
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Shredded Italian* Five Cheese Blend
2 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It
Heat oven to 350ºF.

Brown meat with vegetables and garlic in large skillet sprayed with cooking spray on medium heat. Stir in pasta sauce and water; simmer 5 min., stirring occasionally.

Spread half the meat sauce onto bottom of 13×9-inch baking dish sprayed with cooking spray; cover with half the ravioli. Whisk cream cheese spread and milk until blended; spread over ravioli. Top with layers of 3/4 cup shredded cheese, and remaining ravioli, meat sauce and cheeses; cover.

Bake 50 min. or until heated through, uncovering for the last 10 min. Let stand 10 min. before cutting to serve.

Note: I used the non-stick variety of foil, but still hit it with cooking spray before using to cover the lasagna. This will help prevent the foil from sticking to the melted cheese on top of the baked lasagna.

I can heartily recommend this recipe. As always, head over to KRAFT RECIPES to get all the extras. This is a dish that any of my characters would chow down on. When I asked who’d made it, Lainey Walker Hilton raised her hand. Y’all will remember Lainey from NIGHT MOVES, book 2 in my Nightriders MC series. She and Hollywood are raising her twin brothers and the men in her life love this dish. She has to double the recipe because a Wolf and two growing teens? Yeah… You can read Lainey’s and Hollywood’s love story by clicking on the cover. If you have a Kindle Unlimited subscription, you can read for free.

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Monday Chills

Posted on October 15, 2018 by Silver James

So…there was a week. And a weekend. Broke down and turned on the heater and donned my light-weight Harley hoody. It’s not Winter yet because I’m still in flip-flops rather than my fuzzy-slipper boots. I remember the days when my feet used to freeze. I rather miss them. Of course, it saves on the heating bill in the winter.

Not much went on. Little writing. Some audio book listening. Some disappointments on the baseball diamond and the football field. Sleeping late a few mornings. Forgetting a few things. Remembering other things that probably should have been forgotten.

I do think I’ve figured out the problem I was having with the rewrite of The Tornado Twins, which is the working title for Cooper’s book. I have every intention of putting the fix in place starting today. Hopefully, that will get me off high center on the other projects.

Speaking of getting creative, someone special sent me a surprise–a very funny coloring book and colored pencils. It was while coloring in the very adult book that the idea of rearranging things in TTT so thanks to her for that! She knows who she is. 😉

Boy, but my life is so…blah. 😆

And on that note, I’ll let you get back to your lives which have to be far more interesting than mine. It’s all good. This is a new week and I’m ready to get on with it. How about y’all?

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Friday Sinema: Dog Approved

Posted on October 12, 2018 by Silver James

Ya know, I think it’s time for some smiles, a few chuckles, maybe even a laugh out loud. I know I can identify with so many of these plus fuzzypups! Grab a cup of your favorite beverage, sit back with your feet up, and take 6 minutes out of your busy day to relax and enjoy. You’re welcome.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal…Dragon?

Posted on October 11, 2018 by Silver James

Normally, I use these messages from the Universe to muse a bit, wax a tad philosophical, to apply it to writing in general, or my writing in particular. Writing has been a chore of late, confined mostly to flash fiction challenges and/or writing prompts. Thing is, a particular character keeps popping up. And then this message hit my inbox and since Nikos Constantine happens to transform into a silver dragon, I started laughing.

Sometimes, Silver, instead of running from something scary in your life, it’s easier to learn not to be scared of it.

Let it stay. Pull up a chair. Share some iced tea.

Tallyho,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®
Besides, Silver, you’re bigger… and you have wings.

Y’all should have seen Sade’s face. 😉 So, what “monster” makes you run?

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Wednesday Words: Take the Challenge

Posted on October 10, 2018 by Silver James

Do you know what day it is? Of course you do! It’s Wednesday and that means the #1lineWed CHALLENGE over on Twitter. Will you take the CHALLENGE and share some CHALENGING words from your WIP? I’m in the middle of so many different projects that I reached back to an open WIP–the Russian’s book. This is one of those puzzle-piece scenes that Iffy and I sometimes write. I don’t know what led up to this, but I know what happens after.

At the moment, Russki’s woman’s name is Grace. That’s subject to change. This is the moment she accepts what’s happening…

Grace
This would be a long, uncomfortable ride—one I didn’t want to embark on—but I had no choice. My lungs seized, much like they had in middle school when I contracted pneumonia and had to spend a week in the hospital. Just thinking about breathing hurt. Again, I had no choice. I inhaled and his scent filled the ache in my chest. I had no words to describe it—untamed, ferocious, willful. Pale words in the face of the reality that was the Russian. My brain couldn’t separate his scent into components I could identify. Normal men smelled like pine woods or salty sea or whatever pretend scents were in their cologne.

This man smelled like…life. Full. Rich. Spicy. He smelled of leather and sex and the wind in autumn and it took every ounce of my self-control not to sink to my knees in front of him, bow my head, and pray he would accept my sacrifice.

I was a smart woman. Allegedly. And a strong one. I had my JD and practiced law. I stood up to chauvinists within the system, to brutal soon-to-be-ex husbands, to the criminals I defended when they crossed the line. Such was life as a Legal Aid lawyer. I didn’t get to choose my clients.

I didn’t get to choose him, either. This man overwhelmed. Tall, broad, muscular—the ripples of his abs visible through his tee shirt—and he simply took over everything. He walked into a room and men dropped their eyes, afraid to challenge him. Women swarmed to him, that primeval urge to mate with the strongest male rampant in their hormones.

Locking my knees, I raised my chin. Resistance would be futile in the end, but I had to attempt to stand up for myself, to not be bowled over by the sheer force of this man.

“Sergei—”

His hand cupping my cheek silenced what I was about to say. The tenderness of his touch, in his expression, undid me, and I lost the words again. I gazed into his eyes, caught for a heartbeat. Two. A hundred, before they shuttered, but I saw.

I looked at the others. Tough men. And violent. I saw the scars that they hid from the world. Each and every one. For one brief moment, their souls were laid bare, those scars ten times worse than any normal human being could survive. What monsters lived in the shadows of their world that would put such stains on their psyches? Could I face those horrors and survive?

“Volk vsegda zashchishchayet svoyu kotenka.” Sergei murmured the words in his native Russian. I looked at him helplessly, unable to translate.

“The Wolf always protects his kitten.”

I knew then. I did have a choice. I could accept this man, with all his scars, or I could walk away. But no matter what I did, where I went, he would be there in my shadows. Guarding. Protecting. I took his hand, nodded.

“We ride.”
****
So, will you take a ride and join the challenge? Writers, share your character’s challenge. Readers, what do you think happened right before this scene?

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Tuesday Treats: Apple Ricotta Cake

Posted on October 9, 2018 by Silver James

Have I mentioned that I love Fall? And all the wonderful recipes that come with the season. That includes this sweetly tart dessert that includes three of my favorite things: apples, cake, and ricotta cheese. Why yes, I am one of those who likes cheese with my apples.

Prep Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 1 hr. 15 min.
Servings: Makes 24 servings.

Yummy. Very moist. Fantastic! Don’t take our word for it. These are words used by reviewers of this cheesecake-like Apple Ricotta Cake.

What You Need
1 cup flour
1 cup firmly packed brown sugar
1-1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon, divided
1/2 cup (1 stick) cold butter or margarine
1 pkg. (2-layer size) yellow cake mix
1 container (15 oz.) POLLY-O Original Ricotta Cheese
4 eggs
1/2 cup water
1/3 cup oil
2 small apples, peeled, chopped (2 cups)

Make It
Preheat oven to 350°F. Mix flour, brown sugar and 1/2 tsp. of the cinnamon in medium bowl. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs; set aside.

Beat cake mix, ricotta cheese, eggs, water, oil and remaining 1 tsp. cinnamon in large bowl with electric mixer on low speed just until moistened. Beat on medium speed 2 minutes. Pour into greased and floured 13×9-inch baking pan. Top with apples; sprinkle with the crumb mixture.

Bake 55 minutes to 1 hour or until toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Cool completely on wire rack.

The Kraft recipe site is such a treasure trove for recipes for all sorts of food. CLICK ON OVER THERE for the full nutritional details–which are important to anthropologist Dana Peterson, the heroine of RESCUE MOON (Special Forces: Operation Alpha/Moonstruck). She might be a scientist at heart but when she discovered the apple tree on the Greenwood’s home place, she whipped up this dessert. Hawk Greenwood, Wolf and former Army Special Operator, and his grandparents were more than happy to settle in at the kitchen table and indulge. If you haven’t already, and would like to read the story of how Hawk rescued Dana from a Mexican drug cartel, click on the cover. You can read free with a Kindle Unlimited subscription. Pssst. Dana says brands don’t really matter but wanted us to see the recipe she scarfed from Kraft. 😉

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Monday Blahs

Posted on October 8, 2018 by Silver James

Monday doesn’t mean much to a writer, either. It’s a holiday. Columbus Day. Banks are closed. No mail. School’s out. Courts are shut down. I have work to do. But then I had work to do yesterday and the day before and…well. I’m a writer. I like to pretend that I’m working even when I’m staring out the window. Plotting. That’s my story and I’m stickin’ to it.

Sports. Pretty much a train wreck. Nothing to see here, just move along now.

TV is still boring by most people standards.

And reading is mostly stalled. I’m listening to book that’s okay. I’m not burning up to finish it, which is good because I do have other stuff to do. I really need to stop procrastinating. I’m also doing a beta read for a friend. It should be a fun read.

I’m still angry. Still not for the reasons many people might suspect. That’s okay. I had a written dialogue with someone on the topic last week. It was civil. It was respectful. And when it was over, I was left in tears because I’ve despaired of ever being able to conduct such a conversation with anyone who didn’t agree with me ever again.

Sometimes, I write out my emotions. Sometimes, that writing turns into a scene. Someday, I’ll find a spot in one of my books for the scene. Not sure when, or what characters, but it’ll be there.

It’s raining, like it has been off and on all weekend. And cooler temps are forecast. That means ooey-gooey dinners like chili and spaghetti and beef stew and cool-weather foods like that. I like cool weather. I even like rainy weather. As a result, I should be in the mood to work. Instead, I just want to crawl back into bed and sleep. Yay depression. No time to deal with it. Upward and onward, right? Right! Sadly, due to circumstances and on account of because, my life is and will be mundane and boring. But, hey! It beats the alternative, right? What thoughts are circling your brain today?

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Friday Free-for-All: Linky-Dinks-n-stuff

Posted on October 5, 2018 by Silver James

So. It’s Friday. I’ve spend the past few weeks bordering on rage–and probably not for the reasons some might expect. I think everyone needs to take a step back and remember how to laugh. Hence, today’s free-for-all. Clicking will take you to a new page so click over. Your place will be saved here. None of the links take very long. Do it. You’ll be glad. Trust me. And at the end, there’s stuff. So go forth to scroll and click!

Linky-Dinks:

I love memes like this because celebrities and doppleganger animals? LOL crack! CLICK-N-GIGGLE

DOGS! Plus, dogs are people too. Seriously. CLICK HERE. You’ll be glad you did. 🙂

And speaking of dogs…and babies, Baby and Dog! Liquids alert! CLICK HERE for a quick laugh.

Not a fan of peacocks but the title doesn’t lie! FLYING PEACOCKS TOTALLY LOOK LIKE MYTHICAL CREATURES

Now for the stuff:

So, I’m watching “Live PD, Women on Patrol” the other night. This description of a suspect is broadcast over the police radio: Subject is male, wearing khaki pants AND BLACK BOXERS. Dude! If witnesses can tell the color of your freaking underwear, you deserve to be caught! Because 1) YOU CAN’T RUN WITH YOUR PANTS AROUND YOUR KNEES! and 2) That’s just wrong on so many different levels I have no words…

And speaking of dumb stuff seen on LIVE PD, at least once an episode, some dude decides to jump out of a car and run from the cops. Dude, just FYI? Doing so with your pants around your thighs (in more than one instance, the dudes BUCKLED THEIR BELTS AROUND THEIR THIGHS TO KEEP THEIR PANTS THERE) will have only one outcome: Your ass is gonna get caught because…and I soooo want to make an infogram thingy of this except I have no clue HOW to make one…anyway. I can guarantee that these things will happen:

1. Your pants will fall down around your ankles, you will trip, and fall on your face, and the cops will catch you. It’s hard to make a dignified perp walk with your pants around your ankles and your boxers the only thing keeping you from an indecent exposure charge.

2. Your pants won’t fall down but you can’t take a full running stride so while you hobble along, the cops are sprinting full out and they will catch you.

3. If there’s a K-9, you’re caught. Period. No matter HOW you wear your pants. The moral? DON’T RUN!

Also, as a PSA: Dudes, this look is NOT sexy. It is stupid. If I was your mother/grandmother, I’d slap you upside the head with a clue-X-four. If I was your girlfriend, after I bust out laughing, I’d break up with you for looking stupid. Just sayin’…

In the THINGS THAT REALLY BUG ME column:
These rank right up there at the top on both my Reader and Author Do Not Like columns.
Book titles that list all the SEO info. Dear authors, I will NOT hit one-click buy if your book is titled DO NOT WANT, a Billioniare Pirate BBW Reverse Harem Paranormal Sweet but Sexy Inspirational Contemporary Historical Fantasy SciFi Romance Thriller Novel (Master Shifter of Halloween Town Planet Pirates Book 10). You think I’m kidding? Just scroll through the on-line book sellers when you have some time to kill. I’d list some real titles but I don’t want to give them any marketing time.

Digital books that cost MORE than the hardcover, trade paperback, or mass market paperback. Seriously! Just…NO!!!! I was totally interested in a new book. Then I looked at the pricing. EIGHTEEN FREAKING DOLLARS for an ebook? And only $12 for the “hardback?” The paperback was $13. I’m just… *makes a WTF face* I shouldn’t blame the author because the publisher set the prices but I’m not buyin’. I won’t even go look to see if it might be available form the library. I’m done.

WTF things:

Some candy company has come out with new flavors of candy canes. This is not a joke. In fact, here’s the store LINK.
Flavors:
Mac and Cheese *shudder*
Clamdy (clam flavored)
Rotisserie Chicken
Bacon (okay, I ❤ bacon but I don’t think even I could stomach bacon-flavored candy canes. Just sayin’…

On that note, I’m done. I hope I’ve given you some laughter…or at least a break from the drudgery of the work week. Feel free to comment on any of the links or stuff. Have a great weekend!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Civility

Posted on October 4, 2018 by Silver James

At a time when protesters storm into restaurants to berate customers, when they chase people through airports, and accost them in hallways and on elevators, in front of their homes and their children…

At a time when there is far more shouting than communicating…

At a time when no one is listening…

The Universe drops this quiet message into noise.

Whatever you have to say, Silver, say it with love.

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

And whatever you have to hear, Silver, hear it with love.

It works both ways. Just sayin’…

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