Wednesday Words: Under

Posted on November 2, 2016 by Silver James

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupThe theme for this week’s #1lineWed is **UNDER**–and yes, being a romance writer, my mind went there! 😆 Instead of doing the obvious, I took a different track. This is an unedited snippet from RESCUE MOON, releasing November 22 in Susan Stoker’s Special Forces: Operation Alpha Kindle World. Hawk Greenwood, our hero, is at Fort Hood as a special instructor on loan to Delta Force. He’s been called into General Jack Donovan’s office for a “secondary” special assignment…

***
Hawk realized his index finger was tapping the photo. He tore his eyes from the woman’s face to gaze at the general. “Do we have proof of life?”

“As of yesterday, yes.” Donovan shrugged. “Estanza may play with her for awhile. Depends. She’ll either end up as a sex slave or dead.”

He stilled and went cold, like he’d been flash frozen. He finally blinked and asked, “Why me? Why not Bryson’s team? Or the SEALs?”

Donovan pursed his lips, tapped the pen he’d picked up on his desk, and studied Hawk. Hawk returned the man’s gaze.

“I know who you are, Master Sergeant Greenwood. More importantly, I know what you are.”

He went statue still, but for the pacing of his wolf just beneath the surface of his skin. Hawk had never been identified as being a Wolf, not as far as the military was concerned. Only a few select people knew he was a wolf shifter. Mac McIntire would not have betrayed him, nor would have any Wolf in the 69th. His kind were being actively hunted by a clandestine corporation seeking Wolf DNA and it was more important than ever to fly under the radar.

“Relax, Hawk. This information goes no further than this office.” Donovan leaned back in his chair. “There are various reasons the military can’t be officially involved. But given your abilities, I thought you could handle this. Back in the day, we often used the 69th for missions such as this. Will you accept the mission?”
***

So, what are y’all laboring under today? Any words to share?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tuesday Treats: Skillet Spinach Dip

Posted on November 1, 2016 by Silver James

skillet-artichoke-spinach-dip-2I think I’ve mentioned before…like several times 😆 …that one of my favorite dips is hot spinach and artichoke. Yum stuff! I came across the video at the bottom of the page and after seeing the last dip prepared, I had to go search out a recipe. Did I mention YUM STUFF?!?!! So yeah…Have fun and good eats. Let me know if any of the other dips catch your attention. 😉

Cheesy Spinach and Artichoke Bread Ring Dip

Ingredients:

12 frozen dinner roll dough balls
8 oz cream cheese, softened
1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese
1/2 cup grated Romano cheese
1/2 cup shredded mozzarella cheese
1/4 cup sour cream
1 (14 oz) can (1 1/2 cups) artichoke hearts, drained and chopped
3/4 cup frozen chopped spinach, thawed and drained of excess water
2 cloves garlic, chopped (about 1 tsp)
1 tsp basil
1/2 tsp crushed red pepper flakes
Olive oil
Pita chips or crackers (optional)

DIrections:

Coat a 10-inch oven-safe skillet with olive oil.

Place the dough balls in a ring around the skillet. Cover and thaw until the rolls rise and double in size.
Combine cream cheese, Parmesan, Romano, mozzarella, sour cream, artichokes, spinach, garlic, basil and red pepper flakes.

Scoop the cheesy mixture into the center of the thawed rolls.

Brush the rolls with olive oil and top with an additional sprinkle of cheese (optional).

Bake at 375˚F for 25 minutes. (If the bread browns too quickly, lower oven temperature to 350˚F or cover the bread with a ring of foil.)

Remove from oven and let cool slightly before serving.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , | 6 Comments

Monday Boo!

Posted on October 30, 2016 by Silver James

Happy HalloweenNo tricks today. I got them this weekend. 😆 The book I’m currently writing for Harlequin Desire has a release date in July, 2017. Which I just found out about on Friday. So I scrambled this weekend to find model and scene pictures for the art information sheet. And ideas for titles. I also have to write a more or less carved in stone synopsis for marketing. Which is hard for me because I’m mostly a pantser when push comes to shove. Technically, I’m a puzzler–I have the general idea of characters and where I want the plot to go but nine times out of ten, those characters ignore me completely. That happened with REDEEMED BY THE COWGIRL (releasing in early March) and it’s a heck of a lot better book than it originally would have been. So anyway, due to those circumstances, the deadline is pushed back a bit. I have some breathing room, especially since National Novel Writing Month starts Tuesday. I’m always geared up to write hard during November.

So weekend… There was one. I spent lots of time looking and pictures. And trying to figure out the plots turning points without really having the plot set and I’ll be finishing up the art sheet which is due tomorrow. Since O spent my days looking at pictures, I listened to an audio book and as Insomnia is my BFF lately, I also did a lot of reading.

Books: I devoured the newest Chronicles of Elantra books, CAST IN FLIGHT by Michelle Sagara. I tumbled onto this series this summer and marathon read them all. I enjoyed it a lot. I really like the characters the author has created and her world-building is stellar. I’m also reading Rebecca Zanetti’s DEADLY SILENCE, the first book in her new Blood Brothers series. It’s romantic suspense with a touch of paranormal/scifi. If you enjoyed her Sin Brothers series, you might want to give this new one a try. I’m also a big fan of her Scorpius Syndrome series, which is post-apocalypse romantic suspense.

Sports: The REAL OSU took it to West Virginia on Homecoming and beat the #10 Mountaineers. As a result the Cowboys are back in the top 25, at #22. A year ago, Homecoming was stained by a horrific accident that killed four and injured dozens during the homecoming parade. This year’s parade was dedicated to the first responders. OU also won their game. The Cubs were down to their last game in the series but they pulled out last night to take the World Series back to Cleveland for game 5. The Cubs are down 3-2 so they have to win the next two games to take home the trophy.

Writing: Tomorrow starts NaNoWriMo. I’ll be working on RDR#6-Kade and once it’s done, I’ll push over to CRASH & BURN, which will be my second foray into Paige Tyler’s Dallas Fire & Rescue Kindle World. It’s coming out in late January. Fun times!

TV: I haven’t watched much TV besides sports. I need to catch up on LUCIFER, NCIS, LETHAL WEAPON, and PITCH. Someday! When I don’t have good books to read. 😆

halloweenAnd that’s it for me. Don’t forget about the big Kindle Fire and Ebooks giveaway on Maria Connor’s blog! Just CLICK HERE for info and entry if you haven’t already! Contest ends at midnight tonight, winner drawn tomorrow. So what’s up in your worlds? I’ll be dealing with the little witches, ghouls, goblins, and various super heroes come sundown. May you have a spooktacular day filled with nothing but treats!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Saturday Extra: Books on Fire

Posted on October 29, 2016 by Silver James

Who wants to win a Kindle Fire plus 23 ebooks from across several genres from some awesome authors? Click on the image to go visit Maria Connor for info and entry. If you don’t want to click the pic, click HERE instead. Goes to the same place. And it’s easy peasy. If you already have a Fire, enter anyway. Christmas is coming… Just sayin’! 😀

octobookfest-1

Posted in Books, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Friday Sinema: It’s All in the Delivery

Posted on October 28, 2016 by Silver James

Don’t even ask. Just watch. It’s short so wait to drink until it’s over, just for the WTF factor! Have a great weekend! And watch out for the little beasties, ghosties, and ghoulies.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: Other Side

Posted on October 27, 2016 by Silver James

universeWe live in a world of dualities. Black and white. Up and down. War and peace. Light and dark. Love and hate. Good and evil. Heads and tails.

Back in college, in a philosophy class, we talked about what would happen if there was no flip side. The discussion lasted over several class periods and as is usually the case in such circumstances, nothing was decided. I was in the camp that came firmly down on the side of opposites. My reasoning? If there was no evil, how would we know what was good? If we’d never been lost in the dark, how would we truly appreciate the light? And vice versa. Can you imagine a world where there is no dark? How would you ever rest? Would we all sleep at weird times with those fancy sleeping masks from the madcap romance movies of the 1940s? How would we cherish peace if there was no war?

So yeah…Today’s message from the Universe has made me think and reconsider that long-ago discussion. I’m older now, and allegedly wiser. Since I want that to be the case, I have to agree with the message. We can’t have one thing without it’s opposite.

Would it be as much fun, Silver, if you never stopped laughing? If there were never any clouds? If you were never challenged? If you were never alone? If you never heard the whole truth when it hurt? If you always knew what would happen, what to do, and where to go?

Or would you be like, “Beam me up, Bro!”

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

Relish the quiet, Silver, enjoy the mysteries, and welcome the whole truth.

I do.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Wednesday Words – Halloween Edition

Posted on October 26, 2016 by Silver James

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupToday’s scary #1lineWed is brought to you by the words **FEAR**, **AFRAID**, and **FRIGHT**. It is that time of year. Halloween is less than a week away so I find this weeks prompts perfect.

Playing on the theme, I’ve pulled today’s snippet from my WIP set in Susan Stoker’s Special Forces: Operation Alpha Kindle World. RESCUE MOON releases on November 22th, right before Thanksgiving. In a brief overview of the story, MSGT Hawkins “Hawk” Greenwood is a special operator in the US Army. He’s also a Wolf. Assigned as an instruction with Delta Force at Ft. Hood, Texas, he’s reassigned to a one-man rescue mission. Dr. Dana Peterson, a prep school anthropology teacher has been kidnapped by the Zeta drug cartel in Mexico. She’s left behind when her students are ransomed. Now it’s up to Hawk to bring her home…and into his <3. 😉 Hope you enjoy this unedited peek at Hawk and Dana. 🙂

***
Hawk lifted his head, listened. Crap. “Get back against the tree, Dana, and make yourself as small as you can.” He lunged toward her and she made a high-pitched squeak but she followed his instructions.

“What is it?” she whispered, curling up even tighter. This guy was a whole lot bigger than he first looked. She’d thought him tall and lanky but there was real muscle and bulk beneath that uniform. She blinked. A uniform with no insignia. Didn’t Army uniforms have stuff on them? Stuff like names and rank and unit patches and things. She edged further away as she peeped up at him.

“Drone. I hadn’t thought about them having access to one.” He glanced down at her and his nostrils filled with the sharp tang of ammonia. Her fear was spiking—but it had been before he answered her question. “Dana? Er, Dr. Peterson? What’s wrong?”

“How did you find me?”

She sounded so lost and confused, and very, very scared. He didn’t have time for this discussion. He needed to take down the drone. get them up to his camp, grab the stuff they’d need, and get her out of the area. Which meant a very long hike. He settled next to her trying to blend in with the landscape. He’d have a better chance in wolf form but that wasn’t an option, despite his wolf’s whining about the woman. The damn thing wanted her to pet him. What was up with that?

“I’m a special operator, Dr. Peterson. Do you know what that is?”

“Like a SEAL or something?”

Hawk suffocated the snort wanting to escape. Freaking SEAL Team Six was ruining the mystique for everyone else. “Or something. I’m the Army’s equivalent. I was assigned the mission to infiltrate the area and find some way to rescue you.” He scrubbed at the scruff on his jawline and noticed how her eyes tracked his hand and saw something akin to desire spark in her eyes. Pale green eyes with a dark evergreen ring around the irises. He got lost studying her—her wide-set eyes with long lashes, her straight nose and her mouth. Damn, he wanted that mouth on all different parts of his body. Her top lip formed perfect arches topping the full bottom and they were a pale pink that would redden as he kissed her.
***

What about y'all? Any scary words to share today?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Tuesday Treats: Turtle Krispie Treats

Posted on October 25, 2016 by Silver James

sassy-mama-turtle-krispies-treatsContinuing my series of yummy fall treats I really shouldn’t make or eat but they look too awesome not share, have some Turtle Krispie Treats, created by Sassy Mama, in conjunction with Braums and KWTV-Channel 9 in OKC. Tell me this doesn’t sound wonderful!

Turtle Krispie Treats
1/4 cup unsalted butter
7 cups mini marshmallows, divided
7 cups krispie rice cereal
1 cup pecans, chopped
1 package caramel bits (11 ounce), melted
2 cups milk chocolate chips, melted

•In a large saucepan, melt the butter and 6 cups of marshmallows stirring constantly.

•Stir in the rice cereal, 1 cup of mini marshmallows and 1/2 cup pecans. (I’ve found that dumping the cereal in a large bowl then pouring the melted marshmallow cream over it to mix is easier.)

•Place in a greased 9×13 baking pan.

•Pour 1/2 of the melted caramel over the top and spread to cover.

•Repeat with 1/2 of the chocolate.

•Drizzle the remaining caramel and chocolate over the top.

•Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and refrigerate for 15 minutes for the chocolate and caramel to set. Cut into squares. (If you want to be really indulgent, use pecan halves on top.)

If you want to know more about the Sassy Mama, you can check out her WEBSITE!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments

The Monday That Was

Posted on October 24, 2016 by Silver James

Monday again coffee girlI don’t work outside of the home any more. But I work. I write for a living. I get up every morning–sometimes seven mornings in a row, get my coffee, stumble into my office/writing cave, fire up the computer, and go to work. Sometimes that means I looking at pictures for possible covers or book memes–and then creating those memes with quotes from my books. I look for things to post on my blog…*waves*…and on my author’s page on Facebook. I think about the next story and the story after that and the story that might get written someday. I sort through emails, deal with the most pressing. I find time to volunteer with professional writing groups and sometimes that takes more time than writing. I write, edit, revise. I publish or send off to my publisher. I create. And I buy groceries and pay bills and buy Christmas and birthday presents for my family and friends. I work for a living, even if Monday doesn’t meant the same thing anymore because I work every day of the week.

Sometimes, I take a day off, or even two in a row. That’s like a vacation and doesn’t happen often. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not gritching about this. Even when I hate it, I love what I’m doing. But in doing this thing that I do, I often don’t know which day it is. I lose track of dates and months. I forget birthdays. I forget to start dinner or go to the cleaners or buy groceries. The characters in my head become far more real to me than the people around me. Which sometimes isn’t such a bad thing. But that’s a rant of a different stripe.

So anyway. Monday. There is one every week. And today is Monday. I normally set up this bog the night (or several days) before. Sometimes, I forget it’s Sunday. So this is the Monday that was forgotten.

Updates:

Writing: Three deadlines met (RESCUE MOON in Susan Stoker’s Special Forces: Operation Alpha Kindle World; proposal for RDR#7 – Deacon; and two short stories for an anthology), moving on to the next one, plus some edits on two before they go to CPs and editor. With revision letter in hand, I’m back to work on Kade’s story, #6 in my Harlequin Desire Red Dirt Royalty series, due 11/15. I’m on it, boss!

Sports: The real OSU (go Pokes!) won. The fake OSU lost to unranked Penn State. Oh darn, Buckeyes. OU won. Cubs won. The Cubs are my sentimental favorites in the World Series but mostly? I’m just looking forward to some awesome baseball.

Reading: I did some. Nothing that really jumps out wanting me to share. I am excited about Jennifer Lyon’s newest release, SAVAGED SURRENDER! It’s sitting on my Fire waiting ever so impatiently for my attentions!

TV: Have I mentioned that I love LUCIFER? Yup. The love affair continues. I’m giving PITCH a second look, still enjoying LETHAL WEAPON, which surprises me. There’s a mid-season season coming. There’s a couple of shows I might try but can’t remember what they are at the moment. Yeah…Deadline Brain. It is a thing.

So, how was your weekend? Books, sports, TV, movies to share? What did you do? Anything fun?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Friday Sinema: Hot Princes

Posted on October 21, 2016 by Silver James

Okay. I confess. I’m a sucker for Disney fan art that sometimes goes to unexpected places. This video showing the artwork of Jirka Väätäinen and the artist’s “real life” depictions of some of the princes totally has me wanting to locate these “guys” for hero inspiration, even though they aren’t real. They could be! Have a great weekend.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , | 2 Comments