This is the state of my mind while finishing author review edits at the same time as figuring out new deadlines, and working on three projects simultaneously. Click at your own risk. You have been warned. Also, it’s Friday…
Wasn’t it Thomas Wolfe who once said, “You can never go home again.”? And yes, please ignore the punctuation. My brain exploded yesterday afternoon and I’m still putting the pieces back together. All sorts of “home” quotes are now in my head. “Home is where the heart is.” “A home without books is a body without a soul.” “Charity begins at home.” “Home is where one starts from.” The Universe is definitely on a stay-at-home kick. So, sit back, put your feet up, and make yourself at home.
One of the most comforting thoughts of all, Silver, is knowing that all roads lead “home.”
Even more comforting is understanding that you never left.
From all of us “back” home,
The UniverseBehold paradise, Silver, the Garden of Eden is at your very feet, where all things are possible, your thoughts become things, and you are having one heck of a dream.
What about y’all? Would you go “home” again if you could? Me? Not really. I’ve made a new home and a new family and it’s s’all good!
Wednesday has once again rolled around. #1lineWed theme is “PUSH”. Oh, the places I could go. Instead, here’s a snippet that’s one of my favorite exchanges between Smoke and Leigh, from NIGHT FIRE. I don’t think I’ve shared it before but in case I have, tough. Enjoy it again! 😀
Smoke:
I watched her, making note of her sullen expression. What had I done to piss her off this time? “You gonna tell me?”
“Tell you about what?”
“Babe.”
“Stop doing that.”
“Doing what?”
Leigh threw her hands in the air. “You drive me nuts.”
“Okay.”
“No, not okay, babe.”
I ducked my head to hide the crooked grin threatening my mouth, knowing it would only piss her off even more. “So…taking a guess here, babe. You don’t like it when I do that. Whatever that is.”
“Exactly.”
“Uh-huh.”
“Argh! You are such a guy.”
I glanced down at the obvious bulge in my jeans and then raised my gaze to meet hers. “Babe.”
“See? This is exactly what I’m talking about. You say babe like it…like it explains everything.”
“It doesn’t?”
“No!”
“So…let me get this straight. I say babe, I’m such a guy, and this drives you nuts. Anything else?”
“That’s enough for now.”
“Good. Now c’mere.”
She backed off a step, watching me warily now. “I don’t think that’s a very good idea at the moment.”
“I think it’s an excellent idea. C’mere.”
“No.”
“Babe.”
As anticipated, she tossed her hands up, and I moved in before she could do anything else. Circling her body with my arms, I yanked her against my chest and sealed my mouth on hers. She broke the kiss, her hands pressed against my shoulders in an attempt to push me away.
“This is not the way to win an argument with me.”
“Babe.”
****
What pushes all your buttons? Or your characters’… 😉 Share!
I haven’t made these yet so I can’t attest to how good they taste but they’re on the menu for sooner than later. I’ll probably play with the recipe to find an easier way to do the beet. Still, when I saw the pic and read the ingredients, I was all…YUM! Let me know if you give them a try before I do.
Beef and Bleu Sliders
Ingredients
Meat
1 2lb beef chuck roast, trimmed of excess fat
1 tbsp brown sugar
¼ tsp dried thyme
¼ tsp celery seed
1 tsp granulated garlic
1 bay leaf
¼ C soy sauce
Sliders
12 white dinner rolls
1 C mozzarella cheese, shredded
3-5 oz blue cheese crumbles
¼ C mayonnaise
2 tsp prepared horseradish
⅛ tsp ground black pepper
½ C butter
2 tsp Worcestershire sauce
1 tsp poppy seeds
2 tsp dehydrated onion
1 tsp sugar
Instructions
Meat:
Combine thyme, sugar, celery seed, garlic, and bay leaf and sprinkle over roast in slow-cooker. Pour soy sauce over roast.
Cook for 4-5 hours on high, or 7-8 hours on low setting. Meat is done when tender and shreds easily.
Remove meat from slow-cooker and shred.
Sliders:
Cut dinner rolls in half and lay bottom half of each one on a baking sheet close together. You want the sides of each roll to be touching.
Place a portion of shredded beef on top of each roll followed by the mozzarella and blue cheeses.
Combine the mayonnaise with horseradish and pepper, stir to combine and then spread on the bottom side of the top half of each roll.
Place the roll tops on the cheese and beef to create a sandwich.
Melt the butter and combine Worcestershire sauce, poppy seeds, onion, and sugar. Pour butter mixture evenly over the rolls.
Cover baking sheet with foil and bake in a preheated oven at 375 for 10 minutes. Uncover and continue to cook for an additional 5-10 minutes or until the cheese is melted and tops are browned.
To check the site where I found this recipe and to read all the details, CLICK HERE.
Monday rolls around once again, as regular as clockwork. Funny how that happens. So, about the stuffs…all the stuffs.
Last week: It happened. I did stuff. A lot of stuff. Most of which is a blur. I did receive my final line edits for CONVENIENT COWGIRL BRIDE. It’s due back in New York by Friday. That’s first up on my list this morning. Hrm. What else did I do last week. I critiqued and edited and dealt with drama llamas. I got very few words written. I made a couple of memes about adulting. And wine. Because.
Writing: First up, line edits. I was pretty pleased with BRIDE when I sent it in and my editor must have thought it was working because we went straight from my final to line edits/author review. I love when that happens! It makes his job and mine so much easier. Anyway, today and maybe tomorrow is all about BRIDE. It’s a fun story. Rumor has it there may be a horse on the cover and the blurb is pure awesomesauce, thanks to said editor. Charlie is all kinds of talented when it comes to writing my blurbs. Heck, he’s all kinds of talented when it comes to editing. Anyway, big reveal when I can. Once I ship off the edits, it’s back to work on NIGHT MOVES. I’m about halfway through with the first draft. Still waiting to hear on my BLOOD BRIDE submission. Lots of stuffs going on and in the pipeline.
Reading: Lots of unpubbed manuscripts. LOL And chicken soup reading *koffNakedInDeathkoff* followed by another favorite in the series plus our own B.E. Sanderson’s IN DEEP WISH. OMG, y’all! You guys REALLY need to read her Djinn series. Seriously. Also on the list is a trio of early Jayne Anne Krentz SciFi romances.
Baseball: My OSU Cowboys took 2 of 3 from TCU. The Pokes are playing for wins so they can host a regional. My Cardinals took 2 of 3 from the San Diego Padres. There were homeruns. And timely hits. Except for the one game. Ah, well. This is a rebuilding/rehabbing year for the Cards. I’m just thrilled to see them playing decent ball.
Housekeeping stuffs: And this has nothing to do with actual…you know…HOUSEkeeping because…yuck! I’ve been remiss in uploading my books that aren’t on Kindle Unlimited to All Romance. I use Draft-2-Digital to upload to most of the channels. They haven’t worked a deal with All Romance yet so I need to get on that. I also need to set up a page here on the website that is strictly a list of my books with buy links. I’ve been putting that off, too. And dang it, I need to notify RWA about my milestone books. Grrr. Yeah. Okay. Tomorrow. Maybe Wednesday.
So. That sums up last week and the weekend. I need to get a bunch of editing done today because the forecast says the weather might be rock-n-rollin’ tomorrow. It is that time of year. What about y’all? Who’s read some good books? Who’s cleaning house? What’s up in your worlds?
Sometimes, my meandering around the “intrawebz” to find a video worth sharing takes me on a weird and wacky journey, from a cat version of Adele’s “Hello” through a few detours that I can’t even put into words until I struck on this one. This is what happens when college chorus nerds have a reunion. Have fun and can you name all 25 hit songs? Have a great–and tuneful–weekend!
So…Yesterday intruded. A lot. No new words on NIGHT MOVES, or any other upcoming projects. No Universal thoughts to share. Just stuffs happening and keeping me distracted. Sadly, no bear stuffs because bear stuffs would be infinitely more interesting than what I had to deal with yesterday.
As a result, I headed to bed after dinner, dog and cat dinners, and KP duty, with the idea of getting lost in a book. See, after finishing BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH, the current JD Robb release, something in that book triggered a thought and I went looking for the book where Roarke and Eve first put together that HSO had known about Eve’s terrible childhood. I finished it and as I was laying there trying to entice sleep (it really was a shitty day), and I started thinking about my review of BiD and how I’d mentioned it was on my list of favorites in the In Death series. With 40 books and handful-plus of novellas, there are a LOT of books to choose from. So, here’s my list of top five favorites. And why. Because this is Thursday and I’m usually all philosophical and shitstuff.
5. IMMORTAL IN DEATH #3 – Tied. In this book, Eve has agreed to marry Roarke, and she’s embroiled in Mavis’s love life–mainly because the naif’s soul mate, Leonardo, is designing Eve’s wedding dress and trousseau while Mavis is under suspicion for murder. This book highlights the friction between Summerset, Roarke’s major domo, and Eve. While Roarke is away, Eve has a massive nightmare that terrifies Summerset and he finally sees her for what she is. That’s a defining moment in the series in many ways.
5. INNOCENT IN DEATH #24 – Tied. I’m tempted to reread this one, given the division between Eve and Roarke that occurred in DIVIDED. Every time I read this book, I spend it totally pissed at Roarke. I mean seriously cut-him-off-my-book-boyfriend list angry at him. How can such a brilliant man be so stupid and blind, and how can he NOT see what he’s done to Eve? Grrrr. Any book that can stir me to such intense emotions definitely belongs on the list.
4. DIVIDED IN DEATH #18 – This one makes me sad. The information that comes to light, the paranoia in dealing with an all-powerful government spook squad that has done despicable things, Roarke’s need to protect Eve and gain vengeance for her, Eve’s need to keep him from doing so. Even when they’re together, they’re apart. Until they finally figure it out–with a little help from Dr. Mira.
3. TREACHERY IN DEATH #32 – This one hit home. Wrong cops. Peabody in danger but coming into her own. This one hit all my buttons.
2. NEW YORK TO DALLAS #33 – Eve had been back to Dallas once, had been to the dingy motel room of her nightmares. Now she’s there to take on a serial killer from her past and to confront some hard truths about her “heritage.” This is Roarke at his totally instinctively loving best and it faces hard truths that adoptees try very hard not to think about. Yeah, this one took my breath away.
1. NAKED IN DEATH #1 – This is the book that started it all. I came late to this series, around 2005 when I was dealing with a bout of depression, when I wasn’t writing, wasn’t reading, wasn’t doing much of anything but shuffling through life. Someone suggested I read this book. I checked it out of the library. I stayed up all night (not that I was sleeping anyway) to read it. My imagination caught fire. My reading mojo kicked into high gear and at one point when I couldn’t get the next book, I dug into savings to buy all the paperbacks used. This is still my “Chicken Soup” book–the one I reach for when nothing else will do.
One other note. The Button. When Roarke and Eve first met at the funeral of her murder victim, her ugly gray suit had a loose button. Roarke found it on the floor of his limo, slipped it into his pocket and it became his touchstone. I watch for the moment in each book when he reaches into his pocket to touch The Button–sometimes when he is angry with Eve and it reminds him of what they have, sometimes when he is hurting for her and it reminds him of how strong she is. Of interest is the fact that in DIVIDED IN DEATH, The Button is not mentioned. Not once. To my knowledge, this is the ONLY book where Roarke doesn’t acknowledge its existence. To me, this only illustrates the gulf that formed between them in this chapter of their lives.
So those are my bear thoughts this morning. And now that I’ve wasted a chunk of it, time to check in with social media–briefly–and then get to work. I have words to write because when I grow up (as a writer), I want to be JD Robb. Just sayin’…
What are you thinkin’ about today?
Another hump day, another “prompt” for #1lineWed. Today’s word is **NOD**. Holy cannoli but my characters nod a lot–at least in the first draft. Which this is. So, cut me some slack, ‘kay? Those nods/nodded will mostly change to chin tucks and other physical descriptions of affirmation. *nods* 😉
So this snippet from NIGHT MOVES is pretty self-explanatory. Enjoy!
****
Chapter 3 – Hollywood
Digger and I met up with Deadhead and a few of his boys at a truck stop outside of Topeka. There were three unknown bikes parked at the motel next door. When we discovered the desk clerk was female, the brothers decided I should saunter on over there to question her. I wasn’t sure I appreciated the rep but whatever. I like women. Women like me. They went away satisfied. My dick was happy. Win-win, right?
When the front entrance doors slithered open, the clerk looked up with a bright smile on her face–until she saw me. She backed away from the desk, her eyes wide and frightened. I held up my right hand, palm toward her in that universal sign of “I won’t hurt you.”
“Easy, babe. Take a breath.” I thought she might actually pass out. “I’m just here for some information. That’s all.” I stayed back from the counter trying to look all shucks and grins. Totally harmless. Easy should have been the one sent on this ride because he wore that look naturally.
After a few breaths, she nodded at me, straining to put a professional face on. “How may I help you, sir?”
I offered one of my charming grins. “I’m Hollywood. The bikes outside, who do they belong to?”
She blanched and her hands shook. Motherfuckers. This was a girl just trying to make a living but she was scared shitless.
“Were they wearing cuts?”
Her brows scrunched a little and I caught a slight shake of her head, as if she was confused by the question. I pointed to my vest. “A cut. Colors. Either a vest or jacket with patches.”
Her mouth formed an “O” and for once I wasn’t thinking about how sweetly it would feel around my dick. The girl was too scared and that just pissed me off.
“Y-yes.”
I half-turned so she could see the leaping wolf with the comet tail that was the Nightrider patch. “Does their patch look like this?” She shook her head and took a relieved breath. “Ugly-ass dog with horns?” She pressed her lips together and nodded. “They been hassling you?” Wide-eyed, she nodded again. “Don’t go anywhere.”
****
What about y’all? Do you have nodding characters? Are you nodding over any books? Share!
Hello, Monday. You’ve come back again. Whoppee. Not! However, I am enjoying the rain. It’s been feast or famine in the weather department this year and we’re in desperate need of rain so it’s all good.
Let’s see…What’s going on in my world? Hrmmm…
Inspiration: So, I was taking a shower and washing my hair on Saturday morning in preparation to head to OKRWA. And Iffy opened the shower door.
Iffy: I have an idea.
Me: I’m taking a shower here.
Iffy: But it’s a really GOOD idea.
Me: Tell me after I get out and dressed.
Iffy: But it’s the whole opening to DOUBLE TROUBLE. Rocki will love it. Your readers will love it.
Me: Showering here. Soap in my hair.
Iffy: See, Dom gets a phone call from Gabe. And Mother’s there and…
Me: Soap. Conditioner. Shower.
Iffy: Okay. Never mind. Bye.
Me: Wait. What?!?!
Me, scrambling out of shower, wet, conditioner in hair, chasing Iffy: Fine. I’m out. Tell me.
So there I was, wrapped in a towel, hair dripping, typing madly. And damn if the Muse wasn’t right. 500 words that’s the rough draft of the opening of DOUBLE TROUBLE, the Hard Target/Barefoot Bay crossover for the August Kindle World release.
That’s pretty much the writing I’ve done this weekend. Life intruded. And weather. And dogs. Cat. Muse. I blame all of them for my lack of productivity. However, the STL Cardinals took the Cincinnati Reds for 2 of 3 games. Lots of home runs which was awesome to see. I know y’all really wanted to know that.
What else? Dang. That’s pretty much the sum total of my life. I read a little. JD Robb’s BROTHERHOOD IN DEATH was AWESOME! I’m doing a back-to-back re-listen to it. Read it the first time, listening now while I do stuffs. Read Laura Kaye’s HARD EVER AFTER, which is ostensibly the end of her HARD INK series. Nice way to tie things up, with the couple from the first book getting married after all the trouble is over. Sort of. 😉 Nothing else I’ve read jumps out at me.
Oh, I may or may not be around tomorrow. Depends. It’s the 21st anniversary of the Murrah Federal Building Bombing. We’ll see. Yay for PTSD. Not. 😛 I really need to find a really-REALLY good book to get lost in. Dang. I should have waited to read BROTHERHOOD. 😆
Okay, it’s Monday. No more procrastinating. Time to hit the grocery store. And put in a load of laundry. And…coffee! I need more coffee! Oh, and new words. Yeah, yeah. I’ll get around to them. What about y’all? How was your weekend?
I haven’t done a link post in a long time. Here are links to some things that made me laugh and/or think lately.
First, this link is totally NSFW–not because of pics (there are none) but because of subject matter. But it totally made me snort coffee out my nose. In my defense, I pride myself on being “IN” my hero’s head when writing his POV. I want him to think like a guy, sound like guy, and act like a guy. So when I caught the headline on this story, I clicked over. I was NOT expecting the hysterically funny replies–or the insight provided. So, if you want to know what guys think about hand jobs, CLICK HERE. Huh. Who knew?
No trip to New Orleans is complete without eating muffulettas at least once! While I love the massive sandwiches, they’re sort of like Cubans when it comes to thinking about actually making one at home to eat. Just in case you’re feeling like a culinary adventurer, here’s a recipe and instructions: CLICK HERE
And since several of my books are set in and around New Orleans and some of the characters are Cajun, here’s a quick lesson in CAJUN 101.
And last, just for fun, here’s an awesome video of Carrie Underwood singing her new single “Church Bells” at the ACMs. (Stick with it to see what she does with the drums!) Have a great weekend. I’m doing OKRWA chapter meeting, house stuffs, and writing. What’s on your to-do list?
NEW RELEASE
NEW RELEASE
NOW AVAILABLE
Silver James 