Tuesday Tiddlybits

Posted on September 22, 2015 by Silver James

Coffee squirrelI feel like the dog in “UP”–SQUIRREL! So, a little of this, a tad of that, and the odd tid of whatever.

MY BRAIN ON INSOMNIA
Me: Brain, go to sleep.
Brain: You should write SciFi.
Me: Yeah? Uhm…no. I don’t have time.
Brain: You totally should. I mean…look at this commercial!
Me: *watches commercial for some drug*
Brain: See? There’s the name for your main character.
Me: *thinking* Oh, shit. That makes sense.
So here have some names for SciFi characters: Belsomra, Xeralto, Lunestra, Paroxetine, Oteza, Liness, Chantix, Humira…

Brain: I have this totally rad idea.
Me: Go to sleep, Brain.
Brain: No. It’ll be awesome. See, there’s this scene. Remember that gymnast who goes to work for Chasin’ Tail in one of the Nightrider books?
Me: Brain, I’m warning you…
Brain: Seriously, this is awesomesauce. See, she does this lap dance and gets hurt and…
Me: If I get up and write this down, will you shut up?”
Brain: Sure.

I wrote eight pages longhand. At three in the morning. Which turned into 5K words when I transcribed the scene and added to it. And have the plot line for Hollywood’s book. *headdesk*

Brain: You busy?
Me: Yeah.
Brain: *poke-poke*
Me: Busy, Brain. Go away.
Brain: You know that song?
Me: What song?
Brain: It has fire in it. And sleepwalking. And…stuff.
Me: And?
Brain: *whispers in my ear* Totally perfect, right?
Me: *sigh* … *writes climax scene for last book of Penumbra Papers*

Brain: Uhm…
Me: No.
Brain: But…
Me: What part of no don’t you understand.
Brain: *pouts* Fine. I won’t talk about peanut butter pie.
Me: I don’t like peanut butter.
Brain: What?!?! How can that be? How can you not love peanut butter. And pie. Because peanut butter pie!
Me: If I find you a recipe, will you shut up?
Brain: Maybe…
Me: CLICK HERE And if you want that pecan crust, you need to click the link in the comments. Just sayin’…

Who else has a brain like mine? Better yet, who wants one? I’ll trade!

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Monday Unday

Posted on September 21, 2015 by Silver James

funny-pictures-i-know-those-feels-monday-catYeah, yeah. I really reaching for titles. Cut me some slack, ‘kay? 😉 Why is today an Unday? Because everything sort of came undone, undid, not done, uhm…get the picture? So, here’s the summation of my weekend…

Writing. I did some. Only…not. I poked around on THE DEVIL’S CUT. Even wrote a scene that gave me insight on how the bad nasty will be defeated. But I’m all freaked out because Caleb and Adele don’t get together until like Chapter 8 or something. Then I remind myself this is an Urban Fantasy, not a traditional romance. I’ll get back to work in it this week. I also need to add words to LAST COWGIRL. I’m to the wedding scene. It shouldn’t be that hard to write. And the scene after will be fun. But… So what did I write? Almost 4K words on the wrong book. Yeah, yeah, there is no wrong book in my list of future projects but with deadlines looming for DEVIL and LAST COWGIRL, I need to be focused on them. But y’all have met Iffy, right? Yeah. Insomnia is my BFF at the moment for a variety of reasons (none of which I’ll get into) and so when an idea struck Friday night, I grabbed a notebook and started writing. Saturday, I transcribed the scribbles before my brain evolved to the point I could no longer read the crazy shorthand that is my longhand cursive. 🙄 I kept writing. And figured out the plot for Hollywood’s book in the Nightriders’ series. I might have to write it next. I really figured Hardy’s book would be book 2 but Wood and Lainey are getting a little insistent. It’s a good plot and I can say that with a straight face, a pot of coffee, and a mostly decent night’s sleep. Still, I need to get back on those more pressing projects.

Sports: OSU won. Big time. Non-conference team but a team that’s played some tough schools close. Final score was 69-14. This Saturday, we play Texas in Austin. It might not be pretty, but my fingers are crossed. OU had a tough time against Tulsa, but they won too. My Cards have clunched a spot in the playoffs but I don’t want them in the Wild Card race. They need to suck it up and start winning so they can clinch 1st in the NL Central. Pirates and Cubs are breathing down their necks. 😦

TV: I have a new hero model. The actor’s name is Damon Dayoub and he played a rather urbane and sexy bodyguard for Jane Rizzoli in the season finale of Rizzoli and Isles. MmmmMmmm, good! (Yes, I finally got caught up with my DVR’d shows–some of them.) Of the new shows that premiered, I caught THE BASTARD EXECUTIONER, which is written and produced by the guy who did SONS OF ANARCHY. It was…different. Brutal. Dark. And very twisty-turny. I’ll keep it on the list for now. This week starts premieres for returning and new shows. I should do a chart or something but I usually end up flipping through the channel grid every night before I pick up a book to read. Maybe my reading will slow down with the new season. I am anxiously awaiting NCIS’s return (Tuesday). I’ve been fretting about Gibbs getting shot all summer. There’s been an unsubstantiated rumor that he plans to back out of weekly appearances in the show and take more of a production role. *FLAILS* I hope not.

Reading: I started a new UF series, The Heights, by Lauren Stewart. She’s created an interesting world but in some ways, her heroine, Addison, sort of reminds me of Meg, from Anne Bishop’s wonderful The Others series. The reminder comes in the “abilities” of Addison, more than personality. I’m also a little worried that this series might turn into the the Weird Girls for me. I started out loving that series but when Celia and Aric never got their HEA, I got so frustrated I stopped reading. I haven’t read the two most recent books in the series so I don’t know if Celia and Aric ever managed to enjoy their mating and love. Frankly, I don’t want to take the chance of being disappointed again. Maybe someday. Anyway, even though The Heights is UF and I’m not guaranteed an HEA, I want at least a HFN and that didn’t happen in book 1, UNSEEN. I’ll give the second book a chance, though there’s a second couple featured in it, the main couple are also there.

So, other than enjoying the rain and cooler temperatures yesterday, that’s pretty much what I did. What about y’all? How’d your teams do? Any good books, movies, TV shows?

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Friday Sinema: Fantastic

Posted on September 18, 2015 by Silver James

Okay. I will start watching MTV again–for the first time in years–to see this series when it comes out in 2016. Are you a Terry Brooks/Shannara fan?

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Wake-up Call

Posted on September 17, 2015 by Silver James

universeYou know, when I first read this message from the Universe, I never really equated it to my physical self. Beauty? Eh. I might have had some way back when. I modeled. And I acted. And I had my share of men hanging around. One part of me knew I was attractive, but there was another part that remembered things my mother and brother had said–things that hooked into my soul like burrs on wool socks.

Instead, when I read this, I thought about my writing. For a long time, I considered my writing…ugly. A little like my own self image. I wrote for myself, for the most part. I didn’t share. Oh, I did once. The first “novel” I ever wrote. In the eighth grade. Starring my BFF, Davy Jones, and Peter Noone. That would be Davy of the Monkees and Herman of Herman’s Hermits. Yeah, yeah. I’m older than dirt. We’ve established that. But someone else in the class got their hands on that notebook and…well, the teasing and disparaging remarks did commence. Ah well. I’ve gotten worse in the years since. If you’re going to be a writer, you have to grow a thick skin first and foremost.

Anyway, I eventually decided that I could write, that people might decide they liked reading what I wrote, and so I started my path to publication. But you know? I didn’t really see the beauty until I went back and read the first book I wrote. No, not that awful teenage-angst-filled fan fiction, but the first book I wrote with an eye to publication. Oh, it’s silly and wordy and full of broken rules but twenty years later, it’s still a good story with characters I like and I can see my own beauty in those words.

Do you know what my “why” is, Silver?

Watching you “wake up” one day – mid-stride, mid-cupcake, or mid-email – and truly seeing your own beauty. Crying happy tears, blowing kisses into the wind, and thinking, “I get it! I get Me! I love you, Silver James!” … crumbs falling from your mouth.

Take your time,
The Universe
Thoughts become things… choose the good ones! ®
© http://www.tut.com ®

You loving yourself, Silver, as much as I already do… that’s my “why.”

It was a nice wake-up call.

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Wednesday Words: Short and Sweet

Posted on September 16, 2015 by Silver James

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupToday’s #1lineWed theme is basically, “Short and to the point.” Technically, “Short lines: convey your message in as few words as possible.” This should be an easy assignment for me. While I tend to bloviate upon occasion, my characters can get real short when things get down to the nitty gritty. Here’s a short scene between Caleb and Sade from THE DEVIL’S CUT. Y’all try to figure out what’s going on. 😉

“She likes you.”

“How can you tell?”

“She keeps giving me these go-to-hell looks.” Sade furrowed her brow and blinked as she figured things out. “You didn’t tell her, did you?”

“What? That I’m a werewolf?”

“No, stupid. That I’m your sister.”

Caleb looked confused. “Why would I tell her that?”

Werewolves can be so dense sometimes! Sade is rolling her eyes and ready to pound Caleb. And next, we have a slightly longer scene that is still short and to the point. Same book, but earlier in the story.

Seething, Sade demanded, “Where is he?”

The werewolf alpha scratched his chin. “Don’t know.”

“When did you last see him?”

“Couple weeks ago.”

She wanted to scream. Or beat the crap out of the shifter. Neither was likely to happen. Warning growls from the pack trailed off and the cool desert night dropped a few degrees. Sinjen. Here. She could feel him. But how? Why? He was supposed to be in Chicago.

“Come, Sade. They can do nothing.”

His voice washed over her, touched lonely places she’d dammed up since leaving him. “I have to find Caleb.”

“I know.”

She whirled, fists clenched and ready for battle. The look on his face undid her. Like air seeping from a balloon, her tension deflated. His full lips curled into a knowing smile.

“Come with me.” He held out his hand and she took it without thought. With a curt nod to the pack, he led her away.

Inside her SUV, Sinjen cupped her cheek and traced her lips with his thumb. “I’ve missed you.”

“Me too you. Caleb’s in trouble, Sinjen.”

“Then I will help you. The monster under this bed is unlike any you’ve faced before.”

“I’ll figure out a way to kill it.”

“And I will figure out a way to protect you.”

“Nice to know you have my back.”

“And your front.”

“No time to play, Sinjen.”

“There is always time for this.” The vampire kissed her, his lips branding her mouth. “There. That’s better. Now let’s go wolf hunting.”

So what pithy words do you have to share today?

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Monday Matters

Posted on September 14, 2015 by Silver James

Coffee understandsWho had a good weekend? My was…eh. Let’s get right to the recap…

Sports: My Cards are sucking it up. A week ago, they had a lock and a huge lead on taking the NL Central and getting into the play-offs. Then they started losing. And the 2nd & 3rd place teams started winning. This is not good. Luckily, the Pirates and the Cubs play each other for the next 3 games. If Cards can beat the Brewers, they should at least stay even. Yeah, yeah. I’m a baseball fanatic. I also enjoy my college football. Oklahoma State won. But they should have! Most of the team is doing fine but the offensive line sucks as much as my current WIP. They play one more weaker team this coming weekend and then it’s gonna be Katie-bar-the-door until the end of the season. If the line doesn’t suck it up and get some push back against the defense, it’s gonna be a long painful season. My “other” team, OU, won a squeaker with University of Tennessee. The Vols gave the Sooners a whuppin’ and it took two overtimes before OU pulled it out. Good thing we were drinking beer with our pizza last night!

Speaking of, while I’m not a huge beer drinker, I heard about a red ale brewed by a firefighter. Fireman’s Brew Redhead Ale is pretty darn tasty. And a portion of the proceeds goes to various foundations that support firefighters.

Reading: I did some. LOVED Nalini Singh’s latest in the Archangel/Guild Hunter series–ARCHANGEL’S ENIGMA. You have haven’t read this series, start with the first one. You need the whole story to understand the series arc and all the characters. I’d been waiting for Naasir’s story and it was yummy. I can’t wait to see what happens next. That was the good book. The other book I read was WICKED RIDE (Realm Enforcers #1) by Rebecca Zanetti. I’ve enjoyed other series she’s written, though I haven’t read the series this is a continuation of. I like Zanetti’s voice. I liked the hero. Mostly. I hated the heroine. Enough so that I didn’t rate the book. I’ll give the next one a try, though I’ll check it out from the library, too. Next up is Julie Ann Walker’s newest Black Knights Inc. book, TO HARD TO HANDLE. And Tuesday is JD Robb day! I can’t wait!!!!

Writing: I did some. Then I undid some. Then I did some more. Then I think I figured out how to restart the book. I still think it’s crap and I don’t feel that way about my books too often. I can fix crap so that’s okay. I just have to get the order right and I think I’ve finally achieved that. Originally, I was thinking a novel of about 70K words. Now? Probably not that long. That’s okay too. The story has taken a few turns in its evolution. We’ll see.

TV: New and returning shows. Yay! Shows I’m looking forward to sampling: The Bastard Executioner–a crazy Welsh knight in the time of King Edward III. Produced by the guy who did Sons of Anarchy, I’m intrigued. Blindspot–naked amnesiac is found in a duffel bag in the middle of Times Square. She’s got tattoos that are clues and mad skills. The Player–a security expert in Las Vegas is…chosen to become a third in a triad of crimefighters. Sort of. It’s…just look it up on Google and catch the trailer. Lots of car crashes, shoot outs, and explosions with a most intriguing premise. My kind of escapism. LOLOL And of course, there’s Castle and NCIS.

So what new books or TV shows are you looking forward to? How did your teams do? What have you read that you’d recommend? *wanders off for more coffee*

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Friday Sinema – Wild

Posted on September 11, 2015 by Silver James

Warning: This is a sad one, but man, I soooo want to write this story, especially after reading about Pete Scobell’s life and his path to becoming a country singer. Add a heroine to give him a HEA and the story is gold!

I’m not going to reveal all the details of Pete’s life. You can check out the story HERE.

Just what I need, right? One more story rattling around in my brain demanding to get written. Something tells me I’ll be working this weekend. What about y’all? Have you ever read an article, caught a news report, or seen a video and thought, “AH HA! I NEED TO WRITE THAT!!!!!”

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Glance

Posted on September 10, 2015 by Silver James

universe I was going a different direction for this week’s message from the big U, until this landed in my inbox. This struck up upside the head like a clue-X-4. As a writer, this is what I do. This is what I “program” my characters to do. This message is the whole premise of a romance novel. Cute meet. First meet. First glimpse. Yeah. Can’t have that all-important first meeting without this:

A reassuring glance, Silver, to an unsuspecting stranger – across a room, down a hallway, or through a window – can literally change the world, forever.

Even though it was pretty cool to begin with.

You are powerful,
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Can you tell, Silver, that I try to keep these easy? At least for those who’ve already changed the world.

See? My writer brain is all over this. The hero is sitting in a restaurant suffering through a bad date. He’s compelled by some unseen force to look up. Sitting across the room is a woman. She looks as miserable as he feels. He offers a smile, and a moment of shared understanding, before the man with her forces her to leave.

The hero catches a glimpse of the heroine down a hallway. He recognizes something in her and he sprints down to the intersection but she’s gone–*poof*–disappeared and he realizes he’s missed something important to the rest of his life.

The heroine looks up from the book she’s reading in the coffee shop and sees the hero walk by on the street. Their eyes meet. There’s a moment of connection and then he’s…gone. He’s her own personal Romantic Male Lead but he’s already lost in the crowd on the sidewalk.

Oh, the what ifs!!!!! And now I have to incorporate some of these in future books. Because yeah, my brain is like that. Thank you, Universe.

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Wednesday Words – Family

Posted on September 9, 2015 by Silver James

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupStill behind so still not doing the official #1LineWed on Twitter. Today’s theme, though, is family, so here’s a snippet from THE DEVIL’S CUT.

From the chapter Death is a Dialog:

There wasn’t much wind to speak of and heat waves shimmered around the headstones making them look ghostly despite the solid, salt-of-the-earth granite squares delineating each gravesite. Caleb was surprised at how many trees dotted the cemetery and how green the grass was. This was desert country—hot, desolate foothill country pushing toward the Guadalupe Mountains. This part of New Mexico was Apache country—the stuff of western movies and penny dreadful novels. As the crow flies, he wasn’t all that far from Lincoln County, of Billy the Kid and the Lincoln County cattle wars fame.

The widow and her family sheltered beneath a dark green canopy. Slatted white folding chairs squatted in formation atop a square of Astroturf. As many mourners as could fit under the false shade crowded in close. The flag-draped coffin hovered over the open grave, a mound of flowers and ribbons sending odors into the air that reminded Caleb all too much of the Fae. On the opposite side of the grave, almost hidden by the flower arrangements, the honor guard stood with rifles grounded at their sides. The color guard propped up limp flags and tried not to sweat through their dress uniforms.

Caleb held back from most of the crowd. He’d found a nearby tree and leaned a shoulder against its sturdy trunk. His jeans and boots were clean, his dress shirt pressed. A few of the men wore suits and ties and looked miserable for it. The women at their sides were dressed in their Sunday best. Marrying and burying, Caleb thought. Why folks always dressed up when they knew it was going to be a long, hot day of standing on their feet was beyond comprehension.

Caleb isn’t quite ready to talk about his own family yet. “Not much interesting to relate,” he drawls. “Well, besides my first change when Sade told me if I licked my balls in human form she cut them off and feed me. Course, we were twelve at the time.” He brushes his heavy bangs off his forehead. “Yeah, I think Sade and I put the diss in dysfunctional.”

What about your WIPs and/or characters? Any words or advice about family?

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Monday Vacation

Posted on September 7, 2015 by Silver James

More weekendHello, Kitty! Welcome to one more day of weekend! At least here in the US. Labor Day. That last hurrah of summer. Except we’ve got hot temps here until next weekend. I am soooo ready for fall! Sadly, I’m not really taking today off. I did take Saturday off. I slept until 10 a.m. (UNHEARD OF!), went to siren test with Lawyer Guy, then met Only, Baseball Boy, and Stormageddon for lunch at their favorite Mexican restaurant. We came home, I stretched out and read for a little bit while watching the Cards finally beat Pittsburgh (they slaughtered the Cards Friday night), and fell asleep about 4 p.m. Woke up about 8 p.m. And of course, I was up until 4 a.m. Sunday morning because…long nap and insomnia. I should drag my butt out of bed and write but usually my brain is so much mush so I end up reading.

Speaking of, still wending my way through Shelly Laurenston’s Pride series. She still makes me laugh out loud at times. Once I’m done with the series, I’m glomming onto Nalini Singh’s ARCHANGEL’S ENIGMA.

TV has mostly been baseball and a little college football. I am looking forward to the fall season, but I still need to get my DVR cleaned off. I have a few episodes of RIZZOLI & ISLES, most of last season’s LOST GIRL, and to my shame, all of last season’s OUTLANDER. I know. Something is seriously wrong with me but I just wasn’t in the mood to watch it when it was running live. Weird, huh? I’ll get ’round to it one of these days.

Writing is…going. Thank goodness for Scrivener. Otherwise, I’d toss out THE DEVIL’S CUT and start from scratch. Which would be sad because I think there’s some good scenes there. I’m slowly stitching it together. Not getting as many new words as I’d like, but yeah. Progress is progress. And speaking of the business of writing, August was a really good month on Amazon. Sales were up, as was the number of pages read in the KU program. I ended up with 194,704 pages (almost double the pages in July), across all the books I have in KU. One day, I even had 11,267 pages read and the next day, I sold 16 books, which was my highest sales day. October’s checks will be nice.

So, are y’all enjoying your holiday? Are you reading? BBQ-ing? Spending time with family? Taking naps? What’s on tap for the rest of your week?

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