Thursday Thoughts: Universal Serendipity

Posted on May 31, 2018 by Silver James

There’s a lot going on in the world right now. As a self-published/hybrid author, it’s a constant fight against the scammers, crooks, and greedy people. The current hot button. especially in the romance world, is the trademarking of every-day words in order to prevent them appearing in titles and therefore keywords, which affect discoverability. It started with the word “cocky” and has moved on to many others. There appears to be a concerted effort by a group of people to perpetrate this fraud and the lax attention at the Patent and Trademark office just exacerbates the problem. There are now lawsuits and countersuits. If you are interested, search “cockygate” for more information. It’s a dark and twisty path.

I don’t understand greedy people, especially when their actions harm other people. I don’t understand lazy people when the rest of us work hard for what we get. I don’t understand egotistical people who believe they are entitled to do the things they do because they are ____________ (Fill in the Blank). With that in mind, I thought I’d look on the bright side of things and this message from the Universe fits the bill.

If you just whistle every now and then, Silver; skip every thousandth step or so; skim the odd stone across the odd pond; go dancing on the occasional blue moon, if only alone in the dark; dress up sometimes, even with nowhere to go… for simply stirring up some little bit of hope, no matter how silly or disconnected your actions seem to be with the rest of the world, magic flashes in the unseen, friends are summoned, connections are timed, stars are aligned, opportunities are crystallized, and serendipities are calculated, creating possibilities for new realities that cannot now even be imagined from where you presently stand.

Shazaam…
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

And you thought “buy low, sell high” was sage advice, Silver?

Don’t let the stupid people get you down. That’s my advice. Whistle, skip, skim, dance, and be a little silly. You’ll be glad you did. I am. 🙂

Pssst And if we’re lucky, what goes around comes around–good and bad. Let’s hope Karma lives up to her reputation. 😉

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Wednesday Words: Lost and FOUND

Posted on May 30, 2018 by Silver James

Wednesday came quick this week thanks to the long weekend. I’m glad I FOUND the time to seach Gravedigger’s WIP until I FOUND this snippet, in the Russian’s POV. I really enjoy it when I can drag some of the other mates into a story. 😉 I hope you enjoy this bit of the story, unedited as it is…
****
Russki
Stepping into the main room was like walking onto a movie set. Men in black and camouflage, all armed and covered in Kevlar, spread in a semicircle just inside the room. A handful of Nightriders spread across the room, loose and ready to fight. One man appeared to be more in charge and I read the capital letters stenciled on his bullet-proof vest with interest. ICE.

“You’re the ones who came barging in without an invitation,” Easy was saying. With a broad smile on his face and ice in his Siberian Husky eyes. “You need to explain why you’re here, what you’re lookin’ for, and you better have a paper all signed, sealed, and delivered before you take one more step.”

“Are you threatenin’ us, boy?” A local LEO barged to the front of the line, glaring at Easy. We knew this cop, all to well.

Easy held his hands out at his sides. “I’m not the one standing on private property armed to the teeth, Deputy Dickwad.”

The man puffed up even more and made it two steps before the man with ICE on his chest stuck out an arm and stopped him. “I’m Agent Nelson. We have a warrant for Sergei…” His voice trailed off as he glanced at the paper in his hand. His lips moved as he practiced my surname.

I saved him the trouble. “Rusakovavich.”

All eyes swung to me and I watched with amusement as they stiffened and the air thickened with the scent ammonia. I offered a smile any smart cop would understand was mocking.

“We have a warrant for your arrest for violation of immigration laws.”

“Is this so?” I was mildly amused.

“You are in this country illegally.”

“I am?” I had citizenship papers that stated otherwise and I was in the mood to play.”

“We also have evidence that you are involved in human trafficking, including women to be used in the sex trade.”

This charge was ludicrous, though problematic given the presence of Shiane Rourke in the Barracks. Smoke already had his phone out, texting Hardy. All of my Wolves turned their gazes on the deputy. He’d developed a hard-on for the Club the moment he’d been assigned to the Mission Springs substation.

“I assure you, Agent Nelson, I am a naturalized citizen of the United States. I can supply certified copies of my papers. As for your other charge—”

Every cop in the place tensed and fingers squeezed weapons suddenly coming up to bear on all of us. A tiny blur burst from the hallway behind me, followed by a very large and very angry black wolf. Noni was a little monkey. She scampered up the back of my leg and onto my back until her arms were around my neck, little legs clenching my sides. They weren’t long enough to circle my torso. Gravedigger slid to a stop beside me, lips pulled up in a snarl showing off all his teeth. I dropped my hand to the top of his head.

Noni, nose crinkled and eyes slitted, glowered at the LEOs. “My Roo!” she declared.

As if they’d been waiting for their cue, the door to the kitchen opened and several of the old ladies emerged. Sam, who was mated to Easy and was Noni’s guardian, stopped dead. Lainey, Ginger, and Leigh all but knocked her over.

“What’s going on?” Leigh sounded like the arson investigator she used to be. She stepped around Sam and stared down the men. I smirked. My Wolves who were mated had found strong women.

“Show us your hands!” Weapons cocked.

“Oh, for crissakes,” Sam muttered, but she held her hands out at her hips, palms facing the men.
“The bastards claim to have evidence that the Club is trafficking women for sex.”

“Smoke!” Sam chastised and dipped her head toward me and the monkey on my back. “Little ears.”

Leigh rolled her eyes at her mate. “At least he didn’t use the f-word, Sam. Be grateful for small favors.”
****
It gets tense from here but you’ll just have to wait until next month to read the whole story. In the meantime, have any of you writers FOUND words to share? Have any of you readers FOUND any new books/words to recommend?

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Tuesday Treats: Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on May 29, 2018 by Silver James

Now that summer is almost upon us, sometimes we have to compromise. We want something with homecooked goodness but so often don’t have time. Here’s a quick meal that covers all the bases.

Prep Time: 10 min.
Total Time: 35 min.
Servings: 8 servings

Bring a delicious filling to a delicate crust with this Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie. Our Cheesy Chicken Pot Pie features veggies and chicken in a cheesy sauce.

What You Need
3 cups chopped cooked chicken
1 pkg. (16 oz.) frozen mixed vegetables (carrots, corn, green beans, peas), thawed, drained
1/2 lb. (8 oz.) VELVEETA®, cut into 1/2-inch cubes
1 can (10-3/4 oz.) reduced-sodium condensed cream of chicken soup
1 can (8 oz.) refrigerated crescent dinner rolls

Make It
Heat oven to 375ºF.
Combine first 4 ingredients in 13×9-inch baking dish.
Unroll dough; place over chicken mixture.
Bake 20 to 25 min. or until crust is golden brown.

If you want the full nutritional info, CLICK HERE to head over to the Kraft Recipes site. This is one of those recipes that a vet busy with her animal rescue sanctuary found and tucked it away because the leftovers microwave easy. Jacey fixes it now for Hope and Grace but has to double the recipe because Nate says it needs more meat and less vegetables. 😉 You can read about Nate and Jacey in MOONTRUCK: LIES and/or HUNTER’S MOON. All the Moonstruck books are still on sale for a few more days so grab any you don’t have now. The price goes up after the first of the month. Just click on either cover for the buy link. Pssst. If you grab LIES, you get two books for the price of one plus nifty only-in-that-volume chapters.

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Memorial Monday

Posted on May 28, 2018 by Silver James

Blessings on all who didn’t come home, on those who have served and those who continue to serve. More blessings on your families. Thank you doesn’t even come close. Peace to you all.

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Another Round of Random Friday Free-For-All

Posted on May 25, 2018 by Silver James

I’ve been writing down my thoughts as they hit me. A little inspiration, a little snark, a touch of sarcasm, all totally random:

A friend shared this with me and I warned her that I was totally stealing it because sometimes, it’s so totally true! “I will make you happy,” said Life. “But first I will make you strong.”

Yanni or Laurel? The science behind this is interesting and truthfully? The first time I heard it on the morning news, I heard Yanni very clearly. Later, I heard it on my phone and I heard Laurel. The blue or gold dress? That puppy was gold and white all the way!

Have you heard about Cockygate? A little-known romance author somehow slipped a registered trademark request through the massive (and sometimes both lazy and stupid) bureaucracy for the word “Cocky” and then issued take-down notices. Amazon complied. LOTS of people, including lawyers got involved. It apears that someone else is trying it with the world “Forever” with regards to romance novels. Yeah…one of the big boy publishers has a Forever imprint. I hope they’re on top of this, along with all the authors with the word in their titles and series titles. They should all be filing objections. Oh, and at RWA’s insistence, Amazon reinstated those titles.

Speaking of Amazon, they’re killing the Kindle World platform. World creators are scrambling, as are the authors who wrote in those worlds. That includes me. I’ve written in four worlds. Each author is doing something a little difference. Amazon swears that if a reader bought the book, it will remain in their library. Some books may be republished and I suppose some sort of disclaimer will be involved stating the book was previously part of Kindle Worlds and you might already own a copy. It’s a total mess and just takes more time when I have a butt-load of deadlines to meet. 🙄

So, the Daily Caller went onto a campus and asked students who they’d rather date, a convicted felon or a Trump supporter. Given today’s political climate you can guess at the majority of answers. Works for me. We need less young and stupid in the gene pool.

It’s funny how high-level business negotiations are so much different from political ones. Been there on the sidelines a time or ten, very glad I was only an observer/note-taker rather than one of the negotiators. Politicians are totally clueless and so are so many who are going into melt-down. That’s kinda fun to watch too. I’m all perverted like that.

Today is the gateway to summer. Here in the States, I hope most of us will pause in the celebration of lakes, pools, and BBQs to remember those men and women who died serving our country so that we can celebrate lakes, pools, and BBQs.

Have a safe and sane long holiday weekend here, and a safe and sane normal weekend elsewhere. Who has plans?

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Funk

Posted on May 24, 2018 by Silver James

Life (and subsequently my writing) has been something of a rollercoaster of late. There are good days and bad days. There are blah days and fun days. There’s laughter and a few tears. There’s birth and death, sickness and health, comings, goings, and just putting one foot in front of the other. While this sums up my life at the moment, it also describes my writing attempts. And then the Universe hit me with this…

What if funky, confusing, gray, lonely days were just part of a “system” that, in turn, created bright, rich, happy, friendly days?

What if they were just meant to give deeper elements of your creativity a rest?

What if they were deliberately crafted holidays, of a sort, devised by your inner psyche to relieve you from the pressure of artificial expectations?

Would you still bemoan them, wonder what’s wrong with you, or fear that they’ll never end? Or, Silver, would they kind of tickle you pink?

You party animal, you –
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®
I knew “tickle” would get your attention, Silver.

I’m not a pink person and I once had a boyfriend who tickled me until I cried. I was never ticklish after that–a mixed blessing. But, Universe? I got the message. I’m paying attention and we’ll see what happens. Maybe things will tickle my fancy instead. I think I’ll have another cup of coffee and think about it. 😉

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Wednesday Words: All Is Not Lost

Posted on May 23, 2018 by Silver James

I think I’ve LOST time again because it’s time for #1lineWed and since I never get LOST, I figured I’d share this snippet from Digger’s story. This scene occurs early in the book. In Shy’s POV, the scene is fairly self-explanatory. I hope you enjoy this first draft…
****
Shy

“Bury this, Gravedigger.”

I shivered in the late fall air as the memories washed over me. That’s why I was lying in the weeds, watching. I wanted my life back. No, I wanted a life. I had none, haunted as I was. I didn’t sleep easy so I prepared. And now I was ready. Ready to take back my nights, to learn to sleep, to put me out of my misery, to avenge Becca. And it started tonight.

I lay low in the bushes across the road from the compound. The place was crazy. Years ago, it had been a train station but with Amtrak and the way Kansas City sprawled out, this place had been abandoned and the railroad tracks torn up. Now it was home to that badass biker gang. I knew their name now, and their flavor. The Nightriders.

My dinner “date” with the Springfield cops had been enlightening. They’d had intel that the Nightriders would be coming through on their way to Biloxi. SPD had cars stationed along every major road in and around Springfield. It had been just my luck that I was standing on Kearney, which had once been the iconic Route 66, when they rolled through.

Nightriders were the worst of the worst, second only to the Hell Dogs. The two gangs had been at war for a couple of years and the body count was racking up. As far as the cops knew, it hadn’t spilled over to collateral damage. Yet. I didn’t add to their intel.

Becca’s boyfriend had been a Death Hawg, which seemed—then and now—like a stupid name for a motorcycle gang. The Hawgs were aligned with the Hell Dogs, though they were a small, localized group mostly in Tennessee and Kentucky, though Bozo’s bunch had set up shop outside of Kansas City—smack dab in Nightrider territory. I shoved the past back where it belonged. I needed to focus before I got my tail in a sling.

Car doors slammed and girl giggles drifted on the breeze. The Nightriders were having a party. Again. Three nights ago, on Sunday, they’d had a big party out back. I could smell the burgers, brats, and BBQ. I’d seen kids running around and old ladies showing off their property patches while herdin’ those kids. Lose the bikes and the colors, you’d think it was a freaking PTA picnic. But that was then.

No kids tonight. Tonight was the Miss Biker Babe Missouri contest. I’d watched them park their cars along the street and strut their tails to the gate to flirt with the two young guys in their brand-new colors. Provisionals. I’d done my homework on biker gang life to reacquaint myself. Growing up in the life? Didn’t matter. The details got lost in being a kid. The two on the gate let all the girls in. A few guys turned up. They didn’t make it inside unless they rode up on a big, bad motorcycle wearing leather with that damned wolf plastered on the back.

I halted the fear threatening to free climb up my spine using my vertebrae for handholds. I was here to scout the terrain. That’s all. To look and listen. And learn. But tonight I was going to do that up close and personal. I’d go inside. I had names. It was time I found the bastards who wore them.
****
And as Shy will discover, all is not lost in her quest for vengeance. Do any of you have lost words to share? And who thinks Shy’s revenge is about to get lost in translation? 😉

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Tuesday Treats: Peanut Butter Fudge Swirl Pie

Posted on May 22, 2018 by Silver James

This dessert is easy to make and blends all my favorite flavors. It’s perfect for a Memorial Day get-together or for any time you want something rich and creamy for dessert.

Prep Time: 15 min.
Total Time: 4 hr. 15 min.
Servings: 8 servings

Blend peanut butter & hot fudge into OREO Pie Crust for Peanut Butter-Fudge Swirl Pie. A taste of Peanut Butter-Fudge Swirl Pie is worth a thousand words.

What You Need
1 pkg. (8 oz.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, softened
1/2 cup sugar
1/4 cup creamy peanut butter
2 cups thawed COOL WHIP Whipped Topping
1 OREO Pie Crust (6 oz.)
1/4 cup hot fudge ice cream topping, warmed

Make It
Beat cream cheese, sugar and peanut butter in large bowl with mixer until blended. Whisk in COOL WHIP.

Spoon into crust. Drizzle with fudge topping; swirl gently with knife.

Refrigerate 4 hours or until firm.

CLICK HERE to get all the details from Kraft recipes. Remember the house Easy Cross moved Sam Prescott, Jonah and Noni into? The one with the cook’s kitchen and Sam was all excited because now she could really cook? Well, this recipe is a favorite with the kids and Easy has been caught red-handed finishing off whatever’s leftover before bedtime. Sam just rolls her eyes. If you want to read more about them and the Nightriders MC, just click on th the cover. You can read it free with Kindle unlimited or buy it on sale until the end of this month for $1.99.

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So…Another Monday

Posted on May 21, 2018 by Silver James

I’m so freaking tired of waking up between 5 and 6 a.m. and not getting back to sleep or grabbing a nap. Sucks. And I’m tired despite copious amounts of coffee. There was a weekend. And week passed. Here’s a summation of my recent life.

I swear to God every channel was running the wedding on Saturday. Even ESPN. (Okay, not really, but it felt like it.) I mean, I’m all for romance. I’m a freaking romance author but seriously? It didn’t need 24 hours of coverage. I like Prince Harry. A lot. The guy is a certifiable hero. I’m glad he found someone who loves him. But I don’t need a play-by-play of their every move. Just me and I’m not disparaging anyone who was all agog over the proceedings More power to you. Just not my cup of tea and it would have been nice to find regular news, weather, and stuff.

OU is going to the NCAA D1 Super Regionals. OSU is out. 😦 Sixteen teams will be whittled down to eight and then it’s the Women’s College World Series. I remember when we used to get series tickets. The Only and I were out there for every game day after day. I also remember when she got to play in a tournament at Hall of Fame stadium (where the WCWS is played) and her name was up on the scoreboard when she came up to bat. Fun times. Stormageddon starts Tee Ball this week, beginning with a mini-camp this evening. I’m picking up up at day care and running him over to meet Only after she gets off work. Fun times!

Lucifer is still cancelled. I keep hoping for good news there. The last two episodes in this season almost broke me! Seriously. I haven’t deleted them yet because talk about The Black Moment™! As a writer, to be able to capture all the feels? Yeah, I’ll be rewatching, especially the finale. I’m a mess every time I do, but hey…if it adds that kind of emotional depth the my own black moments? I’m there!

My Cardinals were up and down. The season is still young yet but man, it seems to be either feast or famine when it comes to the bats. If it drives me a little bonkers, I can imagine what it’s doing to Mike Matheny, the Cards’ manager.

Live PD is on hiatus until June 1st. Ah well. I have those to episodes of Lucifer to keep watching. 😉

I’m sort of on hold on my reading. Two books come out the 29th, and I’ll want to re-listen to one of the series but that’ll only take a few days. The other one means lots of books to listen to and I may hold off. If I can get into the new release without having to backtrack, I’ll do that. I may wait until it’s available from the library. That’s were I got the other books in that series. In the meantime, I’m doing a back and forth re-listen to Patricia Briggs’s Mercy Thompson and Alpha/Omega series, getting them more or less in the correct timeline since the two series sort of run concurrently. Comfort reads. I’m all about the comfort reads at the moment.

In Digger’s story, I painted the characters into a corner and it took a few days to find a window to open so the paint would dry. I think I found a way out but my beta readers will have to let me know when I turn th ebook over to them. I didn’t work this weekend because Friday night, I cooked 20 pounds of bacon (200+ slicses) and over 100 slices of breakfast sausage. My feet and legs were killing me. Saturday was the pancake breakfast and craft show at the Post, hence me frying all the breakfast meats. Lawyer Guy and I spent Saturday night and Sunday with our feet up and doing nothin’! We’re gettin’ old and needed the recovery time. 😆

That’s pretty much my life at the moment. Today is new words and then Tee Ball. Life is good. What’s good in your life these days?

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Friday Sinema: #SaveLucifer is in The Air

Posted on May 18, 2018 by Silver James

So, a couple of things. Those of you who’ve been around me awhile know that in my opinion, the scene in the original “Miami Vice” TV show where Crocket and Tubbs are driving at night along the causeway while Phil Collins’s “In the Air Tonight” plays in the background is the sexiest 4 minutes in TV. You also know that I’m a HUGE fan of the TV show “Lucifer.” I’m heartbroken that Fox cancelled the show with so little notice that Season 3’s finale is a cliffhanger of the worst variety! This season a romantic triangle has developed between Chloe, Lucifer, and Cain/Pierce. Yes, THAT Cain–as in original sin. A few episodes back, “In the Air Tonight” was used to great effect, along with Lucifer driving at night in his very spiffy black classic Stingray. When I went looking for it, I found this fan-made video instead and realized this sums up the show so well, I wanted to share it. Keep your fingers crossed that someone picks up the show because it is all things awesome. And yes, I bawled during the finale. Not embarrassed to admit it. Not at all. Have a great weekend!

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