Wednesday Words: Inquiring Minds

Posted on March 26, 2025 by Silver James

It’s Wednesday and my mind found it’s way home. Finally. Sort of. Anyway. I have new words. In fact, I have new words that took the Honorable Mention in last week’s Thursday Threads. The prompt is: *”He intended to find out.”* The judge’s comments puffed me up so much, I’m sharing them. Louisa says: James showcases her storytelling ability with this piece. There’s the alliteration of the “tenuous truce” and striking descriptions like “golden opalescence.” She pushes the boundaries of microfiction. I’m as intrigued as Nikos to discover who this mystery woman from behind the Veil is.  An absolute fitting tribute to “A Midsummer Night’s Dream” on the Spring Equinox. (Hint, if you don’t know the reference to Oberon and Titania.) I hope you enjoy.

****
Nikos watched from the shadows. When he’d confronted Ariel earlier, he’d been honest. He was here in Rochester on business—just not the business Ariel would assume. His own king had sent him here to discover why Oberon and Titania were so interested in events occurring in this somewhat backwater upstate New York city. Once thriving, now Rochester clung to past glories with tenacious grit.

Yes, there was the yearly Lilac Festival which drew the Fae like bees to honey. Yes, there were lay lines here where magic swirled right under the humans’ noses.

He stiffened, noticing for the first time the beings gathered in the pool of darkness across the way from Ariel. His sharp dragon sight focused but the entities wavered, incorporeal spirits peering through the Veil.

Nikos swallowed the flame threatening to escape on his next breath. Those creatures raised the scales on the back of his neck, despite his human glamour. Dragonkind and Fae maintained a tenuous truce since the Veil ripped and the magick realms had been revealed. That did not preclude them from spying on each other.

Laughter carried in on the breeze. Ariel froze, as did those other hidden watchers. The woman appeared and the world inhaled sharply and held its breath. She wasn’t beautiful but the air around her glowed with a golden opalescence.
Intrigued, he watched her walk up the block followed by Ariel and the two spirits. Who was she? More importantly, what was she?

He intended to find out.
****

So, for those of you who love dragons, you can probably figure out that Nikos has many cameos in this one. As will Sade and the whole “Scoobie Gang” but for the most part, this is Ariel’s story. Sadly, his heroine is still fighting me over her name. Happily, the “villain” has introduced himself. He is Bran, the King’s Raven. *bwahaha* Have I mentioned this one is set in Rochester, NY? I know weird. But hey, they have a big lilac festival! This will be important. Writers, grab the prompt if you wish. Readers, where do you wish you were right now?

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Tuesday Oops

Posted on March 25, 2025 by Silver James

What do you mean it’s Tuesday? I have only this as an excuse… 🔽🔽

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March Madness Monday

Posted on March 24, 2025 by Silver James

I’m not a basketball fan. I don’t hate it. I just don’t appreciate it. Yes, it takes a lot of skill. And stamina. But just not my thing. That’s okay, a lot of people do enjoy it, especially this time of year. Not sure why the NCAA tournament season is called Madness. 🤷🏼‍♀️

In other news, it’s Monday. Sadly, I did very little this weekend. Absolutely nothing remarkable to relate. Okay, go get more coffee. That’s what I’m going to do. And maybe I’ll wake up. The one thing I DO hate about this time of year is the madness that is Daylight Savings Time. If you hate it as much as me, let your state legistlatures and their federal counterparts how you feel. Maybe we can end it. And I don’t mean leaving the clocks set to permanent DST. Nope. I’m advocating for permanent STANDARD TIME!

My Cowgirls played Baylor. They split 2-1, winning the the 3-game series. Yay. OSU also had two wrestlers who won their weight classes at the NCAA tournament. It was a good weekend for the orange and black. No soccer for Stormy. Well, no matches. He had soccer camp. It was Spring Break. Happily, the coach of the gold team in his academy has taken an interest in him and wants to work with him one-on-one. Stormy is on the silver team. It works out well because the coach’s son is a teammate and friend of Stormy’s. Score!

I finished a relisten of MAGIC BITES. MAGIC TRIUMPHS, the last book in the main series, releases this week in the Graphic Audio version. I was shocked when I realized how much fun the dramatized adaptations are. Full cast. Fun times.

I made it to Wallyworld yesterday. Now I can just get up, get my morning chores out of the way and not procrastinate doing errands. The laundry bin is only about half full. That means I really need to put my behind in the desk chair, my hands on the keyboard and make up words.

Speaking of, the “villain” in Ariel’s book has a name. Bran. I’ve also been playing with some titles and ideas for cover art. I may not be writing-writing but I am thinking and doing bursts of short scenes that are helping the story to gel.

Still beta reading for a friend. Y’all? If detective noir is your catnip, you’re gonna enjoy this one! I’m gonna do my best to get it finished this week and back to her so she can finish edits and get it ready for release.

Speaking of books, I found out that 37 of my books have been uploaded to help train an AI platform. Big, mainstream authors are all in arms and I can see why. I mean, people could order AI to “write me a book in the style of Nora Roberts.” Or Stephen King. Or whose that guy who writes romances that aren’t romances? “The Notebook” dude. My brain… Anyway, I’m not worried that someone is going to order up books writing like Silver James for someone to publish. Part of me is giggling a little bit because think of all the cussing, sexy times, and regional accents that will become permanent embedded in some AI brain. Yeah, I’m warped.

On that note, I need another cup of coffee, some eye drops, and the ability to whistle while I work. No, I have not–nor will I–see that particular movie. How was your weekend? What plans do you have for the week?

Wow. I just remembered the date. It’s my brother’s birthday. He would have been 79. And isn’t that food for thought… *wanders off in a DST-induced daze to find more coffee*

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Friday Sinema: Spring Solstice

Posted on March 21, 2025 by Silver James

Yesterday was the first day of Spring and this video popped up. Listem for the line about hail and Sonic ice. Yes. I laughed. Why? Because this is pretty much Spring in the South. And trust me, Southern Spring is not for sissies! TGIF. And have a great weekend. I have no real plans that I’m aware of. This is always subject to change. 🤣

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Timeline

Posted on March 20, 2025 by Silver James

So. It’s been a week and a half. I’m still in a brain fog. The older I get, the harder it is to make the adjustment. Just an hour, people say. What’s the big deal? Trust me. It’s a BIG deal. Okay, that’s my gritch of the day. It’s Thursday. Actually, it’s Wednesday (hence the week and a a half timeframe above) but I’m too befuddled to make sense until around 10 a.m. each. Which sucks. I’m not getting much done. I’m beta reading but I need to be sharp, awake, and aware to do a good job. It’s a slog–not becaquse the book is–it’s all kinds of awesome!–but because my brain is slow to react. Writing? Pffft. What’s that? Hey, I do have almost 4K words written. Too bad they are random scenes. Okay, I’m through whining. This is Thursday. The Universe has thoughts.

For millennia, Silver, the path to enlightenment has been made up of many steps.

Most commonly, it begins with festering misunderstandings that lead to pain.

The pain then leads to growth, the growth then leads to clarity, the clarity then leads to fun, the fun then leads to joy, and the joy then leads to true illumination.

May I recommend skipping to the fun part?

Love you forever, Silver –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

P.S. Yes, Silver, you can.

This sounds like the basic steps/formula for a book, right? Especially a romance, but also any book. Think about it. Every book needs conflict (ie. festering misunderstanding. Wow! Isn’t that an image?!?) Then comes the pain. Gotta torture our characters, right? Indeed. But only up to a point. More on that in a moment. The whole point to the conflict is so that the characters can grow. They figure it out (clarity). They make up and that leads to the fun times. Then they get the HEA (joy). This is true for literary stories and any genre tale. Skipping to the fun would be nice in real life but in the stories we read? It’d be pretty boring if everything was rainbows and lollipops the whole time. Am I right?

Now, as for torturing characters. As mentioned, I’m all for this–up to a point. I want the MC(s) to end the bookbe in a good place at the end of the book. In series, this might be a “Happy Right Now” and there might be a bit of a cliffhanger–which I hate. I strive more for a hint of what’s coming next. True story: I found a UF/paranormal series that I really liked. It was different. Fresh. Sisters with “gifts.” Tahoe setting. I eagerly looked forward to each new release. Until I didn’t. I dropped the series. Why? Because the main sister and her romantic lead never got to be happy. Every book ended with them being torn apart. There was never even a hint that they had ANY happiness together. So, I was done. Have no clue what happened to them. Don’t care. My point is, listen to the Universe–whether as a reader or as a person living your life. Always strive for the fun. That’s my story and I’m sticking to it.

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Wednesday Words: People Watching

Posted on March 19, 2025 by Silver James

Another windy Wednesday. And cold. What is up with Mother nature?!?! It was 81 yesterday and at the moment, our wind chill is 32. Brrrr 🥶

Still I have good news! I won! Thursday Threads, not the lottery but hey, somebody liked what I wrote. I have to admit, I rather like the words in this snippet too. Our prompt this week is: *He watched their faces.* *hums the Twilight Zone theme* That’s the creepiest music I can “action” and everybody know the exact sound. Anyway. And again, no real context. I’m not there yet.

****
Shadows. Insubstantial as gossamer wings and not nearly so user friendly. They haunted. And hunted. The unwary, the profane, the innocent, and not-so-innocent all fell prey to them. They lurked, hunting in pairs, ready to pounce when chance provided them with a victim. Like the disenchanted urchins swarming around old Fagin, the Shadows plagued humans and Sidhe alike.

Ariel knew his job. For whatever reason, this woman had blipped on the King’s and Queen’s radar. When Oberon and Titania said jump, he didn’t pause to ask how high. She always walked home this way, at the end of her work day. He’d spent several nights watching, finding her rhythm. She wasn’t beautiful, at least not in the fairy tale princess sense. And she was human.

Movement in the gathering dusk jerked his attention from inward thoughts to defensive strategy. They were there. Across the street. Two Shadows. Waiting. Watching. For her. He watched their faces, noted the hunger and the cruelty.

What made her so special? He intended to find out. The Shadows stirred, their sharp faces turning to the west, noses high like blood hounds shifting the scent of their prey from the breeze. Ari heard laughter carried on that same breeze—hers—and the muscles in his gut clenched, even as something else tightened in anticipation. She swung into view, turning the corner as she all but skipped down the sidewalk, spreading her smile like sunshine and rainbows. That’s when he knew; that’s when it all made sense.
****

There you have it. The plot is thickening and there are some twists that have occurred to me. In the meantime, writers, steal the prompt if it inspires you to dash off a little word sprint. Readers, do you people watch when you are out and about?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Day-after Irish Nachos

Posted on March 18, 2025 by Silver James

So…as you can imagine Clancy’s Pub in Boston is always busy on St. Patrick’s Day. The place is flooded with tourists and townies alike while the Irish Wolves and their ladies are treated like the VIPs they are. 😉 Even with the crowds, it’s a fun place to be. Ronan will often bring in Irish musicians or simply crank up the sound with Irish music after disabling the juke box. Check out today’s recipe and then I’ll tell you the tale…

IRISH NACHOS
Total Time: 40 Min.
Prep Time: 20 Min.
Cook Time: 20 Min.
6 Servings
 
What You Need
1 pkg. (22 oz.) ORE-IDA Waffle Fries
1 cup grape tomatoes, quartered
6 slices cooked OSCAR MAYER Bacon, crumbled
2 green onions, sliced
1/4 cup KRAFT Classic Ranch Dressing, divided
1-1/2 cups KRAFT Finely Shredded Triple Cheddar Cheese
 
Let’s Make It
1 – Heat oven to 450°F.
2 – Bake waffle fries as directed on package. Cool slightly.
3 – Meanwhile, combine tomatoes, bacon, onions and 2 Tbsp. dressing.
4 – Spread half the fries onto ovenproof plate; sprinkle with half the cheese. Repeat layers.
5 – Bake 2 to 4 min. or until cheese is melted.
6 – Top with tomato mixture; drizzle with remaining dressing.
 
Kitchen Tips
Tip 1 – Special Extra: Top with 1 sliced jalapeño pepper before serving.
Tip 2 – Serve a side of ranch dressing for dipping/dribbling 
Tip 3 – Add dollops of sour cream.
 
My Tip: I leave off the tomatoes–allergies. And I use canned or jarred jalapeños already sliced and “dribble” a couple of tablespoons over the top before putting it back in the oven for the cheese to melt. Also, if spicy isn’t your style, leave off the jalepenos. You won’t hurt anyone’s feelings.

As to the origin of this recipe, Finn, the intrepid bartender at Clancy’s got tired of always being asked if the house served nachos. In a fit of temper one night, he threw his bar towel done, marched to the kitchen and returned in about 45 mintues and slapped a plate on the bar in front of the customer who’d inquired. “Here,” Finn sharled. “Enjoy yer bloody feckin’ Irish nachos.” True story. If you haven’t met Boru’s Irish Wolves, you need to click on the pic up there at the top, the cover over on the right or here on the title: MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON. Clicking takes you to a landing page at Books2Read where you can handily find the link to your favorite on-line bookseller. What about ya’ll? Would you ask Finn for some Irish nachos?

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Green Monday

Posted on March 17, 2025 by Silver James

And a Happy St. Patrick’s Day t’ya! Everyone is a little bit Irish today. I’m lucky. I have Irish blood in my veins. If I drank, I’d have a Harp pale ale with dinner tonight and LG would have a Guinness. (I’m not fond of dark ale. It’s okay but I’d rather have a Harp.) Tonight would be a good time to curl up with MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON and have a cuppa of your beverage of choice. I’ll wear a little green in case I actually stick my nose out into public today. I’d hate to get pinched, don’cha know. And why is that? What do you get pinched if you aren’t wearing green? *falls down rabbit hole* Ah ha! Here’s the explanation:

According to fun folklore, people get pinched on St. Patrick’s Day for not wearing green because green makes you invisible to leprechauns. Leprechauns are mischievous creatures, and according to legend, they like to pinch people. If you wear green, leprechauns won’t be able to see you, so you’ll be free of any painful pinching. The tradition of pinching people who don’t wear green on St. Patrick’s Day is supposed to be a reminder that, at any time, a leprechaun could appear and wreak havoc on you.

So now you know. In other news, I had a panic yesterday. A sharp-eyed and diligent reader emailed me with a formatting problem with MOONSTRUCK: RETRIBUTUTION. There was a second Chapter 12 stuck into Part Two between chapter 12 and 14. 🤦🏼‍♀️ I fixed it at both the ‘Zon and D2D. If you bought a copy from the ‘Zon, check your Account/Digital Library to see if there’s an update. If so, update your copy. If not, I’m sorry for the inconvenience but just skip that repeat and go on. It’s always something. Plus, it cost me $25 to update the print version.

So, there was REALLY bad weather over the weekend–here and across the Southeast. We had wild fires that killed one man and critically injured his son. 250+ homes, 100+ other structures and 170,000+ acres of land burned. That storm system came through here hot and dry with massive winds. By the time darkness fell Friday night, it hit gulf moisture and turned into a massive tornado outbreak. Makes my heart hurt. We’re fine. The Kids are fine. But so many aren’t. 😢

Still, life goes on. Stormy had a soccer game Saturday afternoon. It was windy and cold but he played well. Sadly, the team lost but they scored two goals in tough weather conditions. OSU cancelled Friday and Saturday games because Stillwater was affected by one of the fires. The home city of OSU lost several neighbornoods. On Sunday, Cowgirls came back Stillwater Strong and beat Houston. The Cowboys played West Virginia and it was nick and tuck but the boys went down 8-6. Sadly, two of the players lost the house they were living in to the fires.

Didn’t do much writing. Those of you on FB and see my page know that I shared the villain’s photo. I’m trying to et to know him and what his exact place is in the story. I’m thinking his name is Corvin, but he’s ignoring me at the moment. That’s okay. I’ve also got the heroine on my mind. I’m still waffling on her name too but I’ve found her model. I think. Let’s call it a working model for now. 🙄

In reading, I’ve been “stuck” in neutral for weeks now. I had every intention of finishing the last two hours of BONDED IN DEATH over the weekend. Yeah, that didn’t happen. I did get started on my beta read “assignment.” It’s an awesome detective noir and while the going is slow due to my waning eyesight, it’s hard to stop because…interesting!

Not much else going on. Spilling some coffee onto my keyboard while I was in the midst of trying to fix RETRIBUTIION’s oops isn’t worth much of a mention. I got it mopped up. Spray duster is invaluable. I also cleaned out a bunch of cat hair after popping off some keys. Want to visit Clancy’s Pub in Boston? Click the pic or use the QR code. Happy Paddy’s Day! Who’s celebrating?

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Friday Sinema: For Love

Posted on March 14, 2025 by Silver James

This may sound weird but my process for writing a book in The Penumbra Papers is a lot different from any of my other series. Part of that process involves music. There’s always a soundtrack. I’ll hear a song, make note of it–literally as I have a little notebook that I jot titles and artists down in–and then I figure out one, which main character it goes with and then two, where it belongs in the story. It sometimes takes a while. There are times I have the scene but no song. Other times, it’s the opposite. Anyway, here’s a song that’s been on Ariel’s list since I first stumbled across it. Hope you enjoy. Busy weekend for me. Hope y’all enjoy yours!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Downtime

Posted on March 13, 2025 by Silver James

I’m still draggin’ my “li’l red wagon” around. I look outside and think, Oh! I still have time to get some work done before fixing dinner. Then I look at the clock and go, OH SH!T!!! This happens with my blog posts and my writing. In addition, I’ve fallen down the research rabbit hole more than once lately. But then the Universe dropped this into my in box.

What if it was your downtime, your lounging-in-bed-too-long time, your walkabout time, and your blow-Friday-off time that made possible your greatest achievements?

Would they still make you feel guilty, Silver? Or would you allow yourself to enjoy them?

About time –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

P.S. Even your watching-the-rain time, Silver?

Every time I finish a book and it hits the shelves (whether physical or digital), I always want to rush right into the next project. And when that project doesn’t cooperate and I find ways to procrastinate my way out of the frustration, I need to remember the Big U’s advice. Downtime is necessary. Even if I’ve got a story and the characters firmly embedded in my brain, my imagination still needs to take a little vacation. It needs downtime to dream. To meet the characters and watch them in their “native” environment. Heck, it needs to tour that environment, get a feel for it. To find the local coffee shop, sit and sip and watch that world go by. And yeah, I’m finally learning to not feel guilty about taking this time between books. Why? Because the Universe is right. It’s all the “away” time that makes, and has made, all my books possible. Thank you for your patience as I dabble and dream, as I fall down rabbit holes and ramble, as I got walkabout in a space that isn’t mine. I’ll be back in the chair again soon and the characters will talk to me and tell their stories. I’ll transcribe them and soon enough, there will be a book with a title and a cover and a publication date. But for now, I’m going to indulge in a little downtime. How do you like to spend your downtime?

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