Thursday Thoughts: Piracy

Posted on July 20, 2017 by Silver James

I’ve been awake since 5:00 a.m. I’m still so angry after yesterday’s events that not even watching the sun come up with a cup of coffee in my hands has alleviated the ache in my gut. Instead of calming down and putting my mind in gear to write, I’m sitting here getting angry all over again.

I write for a living. It is not my hobby. I pay bills, put food on our table, and I pay contractors (editors and cover designers) who work with me. I’m not a best-selling author. I’m barely mid-list so it’s not like I’m rolling in money. I don’t get six figures a month, much less in a year. Some months I’m lucky to get three figures. When self-publishing was just hitting it’s stride, I made a decent living. Then the scammers and pirates hit the scene.

Scammers figured out the algorithms and ways to game the system to rake in the big bucks with mostly drivel. In some cases, there is outright plagiarism and sadly, the burden of proof is on the plagiarized author to prove their original work. Then came the piracy sites who entice the unwary with “free and cheap” reads but are mainly cesspools of computer viruses and phishing for credit card info.

And now? Now the bastards have gone to a whole new level of perfidy. They’s STOLEN my whole book–the cover, I assume the interior because I’m not going to buy my own book to check, and my author name. They uploaded my newest indie book, NIGHT FIRE, to iBooks on iTunes, lock, stock and barrel listing DIVERSITY PRESS as the publisher. I’m sure they put their bank account information into their account so any royalty earned goes to them, not me. I just freaking published this book the first part of June. I published it exclusively to Amazon in their KDP SELECT program. Part of the terms of service is I CAN’T PUBLISH THAT BOOK AT ANY OTHER VENDOR!!!!! These asshats are jeopardizing my contract with Amazon. The bulk of my sales come from Amazon. THEY ARE TAKING FOOD OUT OF MY FAMILY’S MOUTH!!!

Yes, I’m taking steps but the on-line retailers don’t feel any pressure to “get right on this issue.” Yes, I have an attorney involved. Yes, I’m small potatoes compared to some of the authors I know who are caught in this, too. Some have lost THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS.

THIS IS NOT A VICTIMLESS CRIME.

So, what can you as a reader do? PLEASEPLEASEPLEASE check the information before you buy. If there are TWO (or more) listings for the same book, with a difference in price, LOOK at the publisher name. Make sure you are buying the legitimate copy! If only one books is listed, check for author, publisher, and seller. As for me, I work with two publishers–my early books are still published by Wild Rose Press. My contemporary romances are all published by Harlequin. My indie books will have ME listed as publisher and in some cases, a seller (either Smashwords or Draft2Digital) will be listed. These are legitimate. Any other publisher? NO!

Conscientious authors want to create the best product we can. Yes, a book is a product and you readers are consumers. While we love what we do, we can’t afford to do this for free. Some of us have to put a “loss-leader” book out there for free or at a reduced price in order to attract new readers. I won’t give you a lesson in writing economics except to say this: Yes, funds are tight. I want my readers to be able to afford my books but in order to offer my books at a lower price, I have to sell a certain number of books to make up the loss. That’s been really tough the past year and pirates stealing royalty by stealing my book exacerbates the problem. You can help by reporting any suspicious listings to the author so we can check to see if we’re getting ripped off. Again.

I started out really angry. I still am but by laying this out in a semi-logical way, I’ve calmed enough to maybe fix the book I’m currently writing. I’d just figured out where I went wrong with the time/plot line yesterday when this whole mess blew up. I don’t have a staff. I don’t have a PA. When this shitstuff happens, I have to stop and deal with it. Most of my day was lost yesterday. If I don’t write, I don’t publish. If I don’t publish, I don’t get paid. Funny how it works that way.

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Wednesday Words: Surrender

Posted on July 19, 2017 by Silver James

I give up! Especially since it is time for a snippet based on the #1lineWed theme of **SURRENDER**. Sadly, I didn’t have that word or words pertaining to it that I could find doing a search of my current WIP. So, being all creative because…gosh, I’m a writer, doncha know!?!…I wrote a snippet that very nicely finished out the scene I was working on yesterday, and also played very nicely with the next scene to come in the storyline. 😉 You’ll have to wait until Tucker’s book comes out next year to find out who surrendered first. *bwahaha*

In this scene, Tucker has taken Zoe out to dinner at The Rutledge, a fancy restaurant located in a historic home. I hope you enjoy…
***
They sat in a little nook with windows overlooking the back gardens and Zoe imagined what it might have been like when this was a house—with a family, and her as the…what? Matriarch? That word put her too much in mind of Etta Smithee and she shivered. Leave it to Tucker to notice.

“Are you cold?” Before she could respond, he had his sport coat off and draped over her shoulders. The material carried both his body heat and his scent—a cologne that reminded her sea spray and sand and blue skies.

Dinner…happened. All of it a blur. The jacket fell away at some point but she was still surrounded by all things Tucker and she simply surrendered to the magnetic pull he exuded. Emotions she’d stuffed deep inside roiled to the surface and Zoe had to press her lips together to keep from blurting out her feelings. She wanted him. She wanted to be with him. Skin to skin. Heart to heart. If she were a poet, she’d write about their souls soaring into the heavens, joined by a love so eternal that one would not exist without the other.
Then she burst out laughing. She was such a romantic fool. Tucker wasn’t her soul mate. He was just a guy who was mostly nice to a girl down on her luck. He didn’t feel her feelings, didn’t look at her like she was his only hope of breathing. Except sometimes he did, when no one was looking, when shadows danced over his face. She’d glance up, usually with Nash in her arms, and she’d catch him watching them both, his expression a mix of hunger, longing, tenderness, and sorrow—like she and the baby were something he wanted but was convinced he’d never have.

Without thinking, she reached out and touched his cheek. “What are we doin’, Tucker?”

“I don’t have a flipping clue, angel, but I’m willing to find out. Are you?”

The truth was there on his face. He wanted her in his bed. He didn’t have to say it out loud. She’d told herself over and over that hooking up with another man was a bad idea but she couldn’t help herself. Didn’t want to, in fact, when it came to this man.

Zoe surrendered to her own yearning. “Yeah,” she murmured. “I do believe I am.”
***
Are you ready to surrender your words? Share them with us or just share what you’re currently reading/writing. Inquiring minds want to know!

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Tuesday Treats: Graham Cracker Eclair Cake

Posted on July 18, 2017 by Silver James

I’m running a little behind this morning. Okay, I’m a lot behind. Because…reasons. Anyway, it’s hot outside and sometimes you need something cool, light and chocolaty. Today, I picked this Graham Cracker Eclair Cake from Kraft Recipes!

Prep Time: 15min.
Total Time: 3hr. 15min.
Servings: 9 servings
Delight the whole crowd with our delectably airy Graham Cracker Eclair Cake. Graham cracker layers become cake-like and soft alongside the pudding.

What You Need
1 pkg. (3.4 oz.) JELL-O Vanilla Flavor Instant Pudding
1-1/2 cups cold milk
15 graham crackers, broken crosswise in half (30 squares), divided
1 tub (8 oz.) COOL WHIP Whipped Topping, thawed
1 cup BAKER’S ONE BOWL Chocolate Frosting

Make It
Beat pudding mix and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. Let stand 5 min.

Meanwhile, cover bottom of 8-inch square pan with graham squares, overlapping as needed to form even layer.

Stir COOL WHIP into pudding; spread half over graham squares in pan. Cover with 10 of the remaining graham squares. Repeat layers of pudding mixture and graham squares.

Refrigerate 3 hours. Spread with BAKER’S ONE BOWL Chocolate Frosting.

Click for more info and a VIDEO FROM KRAFT to see how it’s done.

I’m pretty sure Jo Mayweather the Djinn heroine of B.E. Sanderson’s Once Upon a Djinn series would enjoy this dessert. She might even make it…or not. 😉 There’s a giveaway for the 3rd book in series on Goodreads. CLICK HERE to sign up for a chance to win, and be sure to check out the other books in the series.

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Monday of the Oh Noes!

Posted on July 17, 2017 by Silver James

So…this time next week I’ll be in the air winging my way toward Orlando and the Romance Writers of American National Conference. Yes, my plane leaves at the butt crack of dawn. For some reason, Southwest like to start and end their flights here. I guess the flight crews like the hotels in OKC. Or something. Anyway.

Here’s a quick update on the status of my life as I’m living it. The picture? Yeah…too close to reality for my tastes. I have a book due. I have fewer words to write than I did this time last week. That’s the good news. The bad news is that not only do I need to finish and polish this puppy but I need to prepare for the trip. I’m looking at early mornings and late nights. Joy. Why yes, that was a bit of sarcasm you detected. 😆

So…TV. GAME OF THRONES began its next to last season last night. I DVR’d it. I haven’t caught up on LAST season yet. I’m so totally behind! I figure if I take a one hour break each day to watch it, I’ll be mostly caught up by the time Episode 2 airs next Sunday night. Any leftovers can be watched while I’m packing on Sunday. Other than that, the only TV show I’m watching with any regularity is LIVE PD on A&E. Lawyer Guy and I are considering a drinking game, while the two in-studio hosts tease about the LIVE PD bingo game. Either one works.

Special Public Service Announcement! Our own B.E. Sanderson is running a Goodreads giveaway for UP WISH CREEK, which is one of my favorite books. If you’re on Goodreads and don’t have the paperback, go over there and enter! Here’s the link to the book’s GOODREAD’S PAGE. Scroll down to the giveaway info and click on the ENTER button. Do it. Right now. You know you want to! Then come back and finish reading this… 😉

Reading…or listening in my case. I re-listened to the first two books in the Chronicles of Elantra fantasy series. I don’t have the others in audio so I stopped there. Then I settled on A PROMISE OF FIRE, the first in a fantasy trilogy that released last year. It’s been on my Kindle/Audible app for like six months. I caught a $1.99 sale on Amazon and since there was so much buzz about it at the time, I snagged it and promptly moved it down the list. Just call me an idiot! Fantastic story, even if it is written in 1st present POV (a “voice” I dislike greatly!) though the narrator is talented enough to keep me tuned in. The last book releases in January so I’m hoping the 2nd book goes on sale during pre-release. I’ll snag it then. In the meantime, there’s always the library. I gave it 5 stars, FYI. Currently, I’m listening to Thea Harrison’s MOONSHADOW, the first book in her new Elder Races spin-off series. The second book releases tomorrow and I’ve got it on pre-order so it will just magically appear. I’m hoping to snag the audio version before heading to Orlando. I should be writing but given the flights, I’ll likely read or listen.

Sports? Yeah…just say no. *sniff*

And that’s my update. I have at least 2500 words to write before my author day is done and I’d prefer to double that word count. Who had fun this weekend? And what’s on tap for your week?

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Friday Sinema: Night Cats

Posted on July 14, 2017 by Silver James

I only have one cat. I have two dogs–very LARGE dogs. I could see Boone and Cooper conspiring with Adidas to do this sh-stuff through the night, except all of them want me to wake up to watch them. 🙄 For those of you who have critters, do you relate?

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Imagination

Posted on July 13, 2017 by Silver James

So…I’m a writer. I write fiction. That means I make stuff up. In my head. Sometimes I even tell myself stories. Out loud. I certainly hold conversations with my characters. Psst: To all those people in the cars next to me at the stoplights? I’m not singing to the radio.

I was the odd kid growing up–the one lost in books, perfectly happy sitting alone and staring out the windows as my own stories unfurled in my imagination. Well…maybe not perfectly happy–because that can be a lonely existence and all kids want to be accepted. Anyway, after reading today’s message from the Universe, I remember WHY I became a storyteller. I couldn’t be anything else. I’m a dreamer, not a logical thinker. I believe in magic not reality. I believe in miracles not fate. I want to be the person the Universe describes. Because I CAN imagine it! And write it down for others to read and hopefully enjoy.

If you can imagine it, you can have it, Silver. This is the name of the game. This is the lesson to learn. It couldn’t be any easier. Reality is not what your eyes show your mind, but what your mind creates for your eyes to see. You are not limited by logic, the past, or the world around you. You are not of the world around you. You are supernatural, pure spirit.

You came first. Magic, miracles, and luck are the consequences of understanding this, the inevitable result of dreaming and acting in spite of appearances.

You are ever so close. Simply stay the course. It won’t be very much longer.

Soul-Power,
The Universe

© http://www.tut.com ®

If you can imagine it, you can have it, Silver.

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Wednesday Words: Stubborn

Posted on July 12, 2017 by Silver James

So…today’s #1lineWed prompt is pretty straightforward. Stubborn is as stubborn does. And beyond the stubborn juts of chins, there is stubborn tenacity. Or, in the case of the Tate brothers, plain ol’ muleheadedness! In this scene, Deacon (whose story is told in THE COWBOY’S CHRISTMAS PROPOSAL which releases October 1!) sits his little brother Tucker down for a heart to heart. Because big brothers are like that, yeah they are. Here’s a little insight into the Tate boys, and where they get it from. 😉
****
It took awhile but when Deacon stopped laughing, he offered a knowing smile. “Did Dad ever give you the birds and bees talk?”

“The…” Tucker made air quotes with this fingers. “Tate men are cursed speech? I was hiding behind the couch when he lectured you.” He sat up straight, lifted his chin, and cleared his throat. Then he pulled his eyebrows down until a vee formed over the bridge of his nose and mimicked his father’s voice.

“Deacon, m’boy. There are certain facts of life a young man needs to know before he starts…struttin’ ’round the fairer sex.”

Inhaling, and continuing to look stern, he pulled out his billfold and removed a foil packet. He held it out to Deacon, who took, laughing at Tucker’s antics.

“That’s a condom, boy. I figure you’re smart enough t’figure out how it works. Thing is, it only works if you use it. Every. Single. Time. Do I make myself clear?”

Snorting with laughter now, Deacon managed to nod and choke out a “Yessir.”

“Good. Now, there’s one other thing you, as a Tate man needs t’understand. Tate men are cursed. Cursed by our genes. Woman think we’re mighty fine t’look at. We are a handsome bunch. Just ask your momma.” Tucker puffed out his chest and hooked his thumbs in invisible lapels. “Thing is, as much as we admire the fair sex, and they admire us back, there’s only one woman who’ll do. We get one shot, boy, and you’d best remember that. When the right woman walks into your life, you’ll know it. You’ll think a dang steer has kicked you in the gut. Or it might feel like your momma hit you over the head with her cast-iron skillet.”

Tucker dropped his hand to Deacon’s shoulder, which was shaking from laughter. “Now you pay attention, son. This ain’t no laughin’ matter. I’m as serious as a rattlesnake bite. The mornin’ after you meet the woman meant to be yours? You’re gonna wake up with the worst hangover ever. And you won’t have had a thing t’drink. You won’t know what’s hit you but I’m tellin’ ya, y’need to man up, hitch up your jeans and go after that woman like your life depends on it. You get me?”

Deacon was bent over again, wheezing. “Dang, ol’ son. You were what, eleven? Twelve?”

“Yeah. About that. You were fourteen. Too bad that lecture was a year or so late for you. Plus, I heard it again when I turned fourteen.”

Inhaling several deep breaths to calm down, Deke shook his head in fond remembrance, a wry grin twitching the corner of his mouth. “I hate to admit this, Tuck, but I think Dad may have been right.”

“Yeah, right. You do realize that you’re the only Tate brother who’s said the I do’s, right?”

“That’s just because the rest of you are too stubborn to open yourselves to the possibility.”

Tucker snorted. “Yeah, right.”
***
So what about the rest of you? Have any stubborn characters or stubborn words to share?

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Tuesday Treats: Spaghetti Carbonara

Posted on July 11, 2017 by Silver James

I like pasta and in the summer, a lighter cream sauce tastes better to me than a thick red sauce. This recipe is quick, tasty, and if you want to make it a little healthier, stir in some fresh spinach leaves right before you serve it. Oh! And I also use angel hair pasta.

Prep Time: 20min.
Total Time: 20min.
Servings: 8 servings, 1 cup each
Take just 20 minutes for simply delicious Spaghetti Carbonara. Cream cheese, bacon, onion, Parmesan and zesty dressing add Italian restaurant-worthy flavor.

What You Need
1 pkg. (1 lb.) spaghetti, uncooked
8 slices OSCAR MAYER Bacon, cut into 1-inch pieces
1 onion, finely chopped
4 oz. (1/2 of 8-oz. pkg.) PHILADELPHIA Cream Cheese, cubed, softened
1/2 cup KRAFT Zesty Italian Dressing
3 Tbsp. KRAFT Grated Parmesan Cheese

Make It
Cook spaghetti as directed on package, omitting salt.

Meanwhile, cook and stir bacon and onions in large skillet on medium-high heat 8 min. or until bacon is crisp and onions are tender. Remove from skillet; drain. Wipe skillet with paper towel.

Drain spaghetti. Immediately add to skillet with bacon mixture and all remaining ingredients; toss until cream cheese is completely melted and mixture is well blended.

Pippa Duncan, the heroine in my just-released Harlequin Desire CLAIMING THE COWGIRL’S BABY, has this recipe in her recipe box. She tweaked it so that she made only one serving but now that Kade is in her life, she’s back to fixing the full recipe. Click HERE to watch Kraft’s video of making this yummy dish.

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Monday Flying By

Posted on July 10, 2017 by Silver James

What’s happened to the space/time compendium? Or continuum? Or whatever the heckfire the stream of passing days is called scientifically? My unscientific poll is that it’s passing too damn fast! How can it possibly be Monday again? It was just Monday…like…yesterday! *flail*

Okay. Time might be flying but blogging vacation is over and if anyone is interested, here’s what’s been going on in my corner of the world. There was a weekend. This is not a news flash for most of you. 😉 Stormageddon came for dinner and playtime Saturday night. He was on an energy high. Lawyer Guy and I napped before he arrived and he STILL wore us out! Little dude is too smart for his own good. Good thing he’s cute, too. 😆

I’m writing again. This is a good thing. Pulling new words out of the ether last week was like slogging through wet concrete. I added almost 6000 words to Tucker’s story and I have a firm idea of where the story and emotions are going now. I added some words to my August release in Susan Stoker’s Kindle World too. That story is also shaping up. Yes, I am writing them simultaneously. When I get stuck on one, I work on the other. Now that I’m back on track, s’all good.

I’m doing more listening to books than reading. At the moment, that’s two audio books from the library: Katee Robert’s FORBIDDEN PROMISES and “The True Story of Hansel and Gretel: A Novel of War and Survival” by Louise Murphy. I enjoy Robert’s “mob” books of ill-fated enemies and lovers. There’s at least two more coming and I’m looking forward to them. As for H&G, I saw it in a sale email and read a snippet. It’s set in WWII Germany and the brother and sister are Jewish. I was curious enough to check it out from the library. We’ll see. It’s an interesting premise.

In three weeks, I’ll be headed to Orlando for the 2017 Romance Writer’s of America annual conference. There’s a rumor that the Harlequin Desire authors might be doing something live on FB. I’ll try to keep y’all posted. And, if you checked out my FB pages yesterday, you know I’m doing the Read For Life Literacy signing on Saturday afternoon. Anyone in the Orlando area needs to come see me! In the meantime, I need to get the first draft of Tucker’s story done so I can edit and get it back to my editor.

That’s pretty much it for me. The weather is hot. I’m behind on word count. Life is good. 😆 What’s up in your world?

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Friday Sinema: Ain’t Nothin’ Soft About It

Posted on June 30, 2017 by Silver James

Paige Parker, an Independence, MO native and softball pitching phenom from the University of Oklahoma was asked to throw out the first pitch at a recent KC Royals game. Check out the “easy” strike she threw by
CLICKING HERE first.

Now, go behind the scenes and see the practice pitches. Paige gives whole new meaning to the phrase, “You throw like a girl.” As she proves, there’s nothing soft in softball, especially since she’s not even throwing at full speed! I know The Only will appreciate the videos because she spent a lot of years behind the plate catching those rise, drop, curve, screw, and fast pitches!

Have a great weekend!

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