Friday Sinema: She Ain’t Worth It

This song is dedicated to Duke Reagan. When DOUBLE CROSS comes out, you’ll know why. 😉 *bwahaha* Yeah, I’m all evil like that!

Of course, there are a lot of songs on Duke’s playlist: FRIENDS IN LOW PLACES (Well, howdy Garth!), LOVE THIS BAR (Toby, nice to see you here), and a few other rowdy, drinking songs that will maybe help him forget. Just remember, though, Mother knows best and Duke is no match for her! 😆

We’re expecting more rain today, tomorrow, and probably Sunday, with some severe weather thrown in there. Also…there might be news later. I’ve heard a rumor. Anyway, I’m building an ark. What plans do y’all have for the weekend? Whatever they are, have a good one!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Magic

universeI believe in magic. I always have, from the time I ran outside to prevent my dad from mowing down a faerie ring of mushrooms to the star I wished on a few weeks ago–when we didn’t have constant cloud cover. There is magic in every-day life. I remember settling on hot cement with Only to watch a cicada emerge from its chrysalis, fairy wings drying under the setting sun of a summer day. I remember chasing rainbows across two counties with grandmother, searching for the pot of gold at it’s base. She was a Ryan by birth, her father a first generation emigrant from Ireland. I remember the first laughs of the two babies in my life–Only and Stormageddon. I remember sunrises and sunsets, full moons, and horned moons. I remember unicorns and wolves, and Santa Claus.

But some days, it’s hard to find the magic so this little reminder from the Universe comes at a good time.

The very same magic, the very same, Silver, that you used to get your first job, to find a best friend, and to heal what hurt, that even now finishes your sentences, beats your heart, and inspires your dreams, is the exact same “grade” of stuff that can make what you most want today come to pass.

Point being: You’ve already engaged it. You’ve already commanded it. You’ve already done the impossible… So what’s the big deal about doing it again?

Oh go on…
The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Silver, you and the magic are one.

A small side note. Yesterday, I posted my 500th post. There were more posts on the old Penumbra site, but since stretching my wings and leaving the safety of a sheltered on-line existence behind, I’ve managed this site and my domain all on my own. Thank you, all of you, old friends and new, for bumping along this journey with me. If making friends like you isn’t magic, I’m not sure what is!

Here’s wishing you a day filled with magic and a life of dreams come true. No big deal, right?

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Wednesday Words: #1lineWed Double Cross Rescue

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupToday’s #1lineWed selection is brought to you by page numbers 213, 21, and 13. As y’all know, I sort of stopped midway in DOUBLE CROSS, and not sure I’d get to page 213 when it’s finished anyway. 😆

So, from page 13, wherein Duke explains the facts to Cory:

“US Navy, ma’am.”

Her dull gaze met his. “Were you sent to rescue me?”

“No.” Being blunt was part of who he was but he winced at the despair on her face.

“Yes, I figured. I’m sorry if I messed up your mission.”

“Not like we’d leave you behind, doctor.”

The woman watched him through eyes and a soul bruised beyond endurance. She looked utterly defeated. “Yes, well. I’m still sorry for slowing you down. I’ll do my best to keep up.”

“You didn’t expect to be rescued, did you?”

Her breath hissed out in a slow huff. “No.”

And from page 21, when Duke and Cory are on their own…

Cory woke up with a mouth full of sand, an arm full of man, and no idea where she was. Other than Africa. After a bomb blast. Or something. She spit, careful to inhale through her nose. The man lying half on top of her groaned. The SEAL. Or whatever he was. Reagan. Master Chief. She couldn’t remember his first name. That suddenly seemed very important. Twisting her head, she looked around. They’d snagged up on a sand bar in the river.

A small flock of long-legged white birds strutted at the point of the sand bar. Deciding that was sign of no imminent danger, she shoved away from the master chief. He groaned again and her Hippocratic oath kicked in. Rolling him over—how big was this guy anyway—she examined his face. Blood had dried on his face and crusted in the wounds. There was another red splotch on his olive drab tee shirt.

And from some later point in the story though probably not 213. 😆

“Aye. She’s American.” A Scottish burr smudged Kin’s reply. “I suspect from the way you’re scowling there’s a bit more to the story.”

More? Hell yeah there was more. He’d made her kill that warlord, right after his whole SEAL team had been blown to shit and he’d lost his eyesight. He didn’t explain to Kin, saying only, “I’ve run into her before.”

Ah, Duke, master of the understatement that he is. Writers, do you have words to share? Readers, you aren’t exempt. Pick up the book you’re reading at the moment. Pick a quote from one of these pages and share, along with the title and author!

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Tuesday Title: Order of the Dragon

ootd 680Today, I’m wishing a very happy Book Birthday to my friend, Siobhan Muir. Her latest book, ORDER OF THE DRAGON is ready for your reading pleasure. I got to beta read this book, and it is fun! Here’s the blurb:

Drake MacGregor always adhered to the adage ‘let sleeping dragons lie’, until he slept with one.

In an effort to make up for his past as Vlad the Impaler, Drake has been living a small, quiet life in Three Lakes. As the town’s archivist, his knowledge of history and his place in it weigh on him. Drake has one desire—to rectify the atrocities committed in the name of his knightly order. Too bad he can’t keep his hands, or his fangs, off the local doctor, especially when he discovers she’s an actual dragon.

Aliandra Cantora del Viento is old enough and wise enough to ignore her attraction to the handsome historian, especially when her heart suggests he might be something more than he appears. Drake stokes her fires and curls her tail, and after a hot night in her clinic, the game is on. But he avoids her and nothing she tries breaks through his reserve, despite his obvious interest. He turns her on then apologizes for it, repeatedly. Not exactly the kind of relationship she’d hoped for yet she can’t walk away.

When a mysterious researcher arrives with his son, Drake becomes more edgy and irritable, and Aliandra must decide if she’s willing to fight for him. Especially when he might be her True Mate.

What’s not to love, right?!? Drake (aka Vlad) and a dragon! Plus some other very interesting denizens in Three Lakes. You want to read more, don’t you. Yup. Thought you might. Here’s an excerpt:

Aliandra couldn’t decide what she felt. Fury? Indignation? Lust? Arousal? Delight?

He bit me! He’s a vampire. Oh Goddess, he’s so sexy. Her thoughts cascaded rapid fire as she held her hand against her throat. The blood slowly stopped flowing beneath her talons, but her heartbeat only increased as her emotions banged around her skull like pinballs. She tried to take a few deep breaths to return to her human disguise, but her canines remained stubbornly long.

“I—I’m sorry, Dr. Cantora.” Drake MacGregor stared at her, dazed and unsteady. He covered his mouth with one shaky hand. “I’m just so hungry and if you hadn’t distracted me—”

“This is my fault?” She snarled and dug her claws into his lapels, jerking him nose to nose with her. “How is your biting me my fault?”

“If you hadn’t distracted me, I wouldn’t have forgotten to feed, and—”

“You haven’t fed?” Aliandra hissed with disgust. “What kind of a vampire forgets to feed? Hellwinds, man, that’s the stupidest thing I’ve ever heard.”

She swung him around, pinning one hand behind his back and propelled him across the room to one of the rolling doctor stools.

“Sit.”

“Please, Doctor—”

“Sit!”

He sank down onto the cracked leather seat and eyed her warily, color returning to his cheeks as the blood he’d stolen worked its magic on him. She crossed her arms over her chest and clenched her jaws together to keep from tackling him and biting him back. Her body raged with a combination of arousal and excitement. He’d bitten her after nuzzling her shoulder like a dragon lover and her body wanted more.

But he’s a vampire.

And she wanted more of him, more nuzzling, more biting. She scanned his body, belatedly realizing why he hadn’t healed. He hadn’t fed and all his energy had kept him upright, but he couldn’t spare anything for physical repair. Mr. MacGregor needed blood and she was the closest donor.

“You need blood, don’t you?”

“Yes, ma’am.”

“That’s why you didn’t heal quickly tonight, right?”

He grimaced and nodded.

“Very well, Mr. MacGregor.” She removed her coat and scarf, draping it over the exam table as she gathered her courage. “You may feed from me to get your strength up.” She paused and looked over her shoulder at him. “You do know when to stop, correct?”

His mouth flattened with displeasure. “I am a mature sanguivore.”

Aliandra snorted. “A mature sanguivore wouldn’t let himself get in this position of being so weak.”

Drake drew himself up to his full height and his expression smoothed out into regal impassiveness. He looked like a king unimpressed with the pleas of his subjects despite having to look up at her while seated. But she wasn’t the one begging.

He’s not begging, either. Dammit.

“Now is not the time to sit on your high horse, Mr. MacGregor.” She tilted her head to hide the odd concern he’d decline to feed from her. “I’ve taken the Hippocratic Oath and you’re in need of medical attention, even if it’s to prevent starvation.”

Drake’s eyes flashed red and he unconsciously licked his lips, but he turned his face away as he shook his head.
“I can’t do that, Doctor.”

“You already have. I’m just giving you permission this time.”

“I’m fine. What little blood I took from you has already helped.”

His color did look better and he sat up straighter, but she suspected he was nowhere near satisfied. Me, either.

“It may have helped, but I can’t let you leave and attack some innocent passerby if your hunger gets out of control again. I just thank the Goddess you attacked me instead of a human.” She smiled at his look of shock. “What, did you think I was human?”

“Well…yes.”

Aliandra laughed. “You and Kate. Your expression is priceless. I’m not human, Mr. MacGregor, I’m a dragon.”

All the color he’d gained drained out of his face and he jerked to his feet, stumbling over the rolling stool in his haste. She reached for him, but he dodged clumsily in his attempt to get away. Unfortunately, his leg wouldn’t hold his weight and he lurched against the wall beside the metal shelves.

“Mr. MacGregor—”

“Dear Goddess, please forgive me.” His face morphed into a mask of horror. “I’m so sorry. I never meant any harm.”

“Easy, Mr. MacGregor.” Aliandra softened her voice, wondering where his panic came from. “It’s all right. No harm done and I’m offering you what you need. Let me help you sit down again.”

“No, no, I swore I’d never do anything like this again.” He tried to retreat, but the wall held him fast.

“I understand,” she crooned, her hands up in a calming gesture. “Come sit back down and we’ll find another solution. Please, Mr. MacGregor. You’re injuring yourself worse.”

He stared at her, his eyes glowing scarlet in the semi-darkness of the room, but he made no other move to retreat.

“Here, let me help you.”

“No…no thank you, I can do it myself.”

He rose painfully to full height and limped back to the stool. Aliandra’s heart bled for him, but she stepped out of the way to give him his space. When he teetered dangerously to one side, she grasped his arm and helped him sit down. He hissed in surprise, but she held him until he settled.

“Now, before we do anything else, perhaps you’ll let me look at your leg once more.” Aliandra didn’t want to spook him, but she needed to get her hands on his body again. “I want to be sure you haven’t done more damage in your, uh, retreat.”

Drake snorted with derision. “You mean my chicken-shit panic?”

“I would never say such things.” She shot him a prim look, but couldn’t hide her smile.

Order of the Dragon
Copyright © 2015 Siobhan Muir
All rights reserved.

BUY LINKS will go live as I get the links. 🙂 And four links added!
SMASHWORDS | ALL ROMANCE EBOOKS | AMAZON | BARNES & NOBLE | KOBO | THREE LAKES BOOKS

BIO

Siobhan Muir lives in Cheyenne, Wyoming, with her husband, two daughters, and a vegetarian cat she swears is a shape-shifter, though he’s never shifted when she can see him. When not writing, she can be found looking down a microscope at fossil fox teeth, pursuing her other love, paleontology. An avid reader of science fiction/fantasy, her husband gave her a paranormal romance for Christmas one year, and she was hooked for good.

In previous lives, Siobhan has been an actor at the Colorado Renaissance Festival, a field geologist in the Aleutian Islands, and restored inter-planetary imagery at the USGS. She’s hiked to the top of Mount St. Helens and to the bottom of Meteor Crater.

Siobhan writes kick-ass adventure with hot sex for men and women to enjoy. She believes in happily ever after, redemption, and communication, all of which you will find in her paranormal romance stories.

Siobhan’s latest release, Order of the Dragon, is the first story in her new Warbler Peninsula series. She has published A Hell Hound’s Fire (a free read), The Beltane Witch, and Cloudburst Ice Magic in the Cloudburst Colorado series, and Take the Reins and A Centaur’s Solstice Wish in the Rifts series. Siobhan has also published Bronco’s Rough Ride and The Navy’s Ghost in the Bad Boys of Beta Squad series, Not a Dragon’s Standard Virgin and Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack through Siren Publishing, and Her Devoted Vampire through Evernight Publishing.

If you’d like to connect with Siobhan on social media, here are all the places you can find her:

WEBSITE | BLOG | GOOGLE PLUS | FACEBOOK | TWITTER | TSU.CO | GOODREADS | PINTEREST | ALL ROMANCE | AMAZON AUTHOR | BOOKSTRAND

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Monday Mixer

loldog Monday Pup2*points at puppy* Yeah, that was pretty much me this weekend. This was OKRWA weekend but the majority of the membership took off for the RT convention in Dallas. Only five of us were going to show up for the meeting and program. I cancelled it, since I was giving the program. I’m scheduled now for July. Just as well. 😉 I took a nice nap Saturday before Lawyer Guy and I switched to the local weather to play the Oklahoma Weather Drinking Game. 😉

TV. I’m behind on OUTLANDER. WAAAAY behind. I’ll catch up one of these days. My DVRs are soooo full! I haven’t been watching much TV, except for baseball and softball. I have LOST GIRL episodes, BITTEN, and the aforementioned OUTLANDER. I have managed to keep up with RIPPER STREET (BBCA–a “police” drama set in 1880s White Chapel. Dark and interesting set of characters) and with GAME OF THRONES. NCIS killed me last week–season finale and they left Gibbs severly wounded on a street in the Mideast. *FLAIL*

I have been reading a lot, too. Wolvers (Joanna Rhoades). Dragons (Coreene Callahan). Thea Harrison’s MIDNIGHT’S KISS in her Elder Races series. I really enjoyed Julian and Melly. Melly won me over when Justine, the Vampyre trying to take down Julian (Nightkind King), called her a poodle and Melly (heir to the Light Fae throne) decided to remind the ancient Vamp that poodles could bite too. It was a fun read. Julian was my book boyfriend for the weekend.

Books I’m looking forward to reading:
Darynda Jones’ EIGHTH GRAVE AFTER DARK, which arrives tomorrow.
Larissa Ione’s HADES, a Demonica Novella 1001 Dark Nights, coming out a week from tomorrow.
B.E. Sanderson’s ACCIDENTAL DEATH. 😉
Siobhan Muir’s ORDER OF THE DRAGON. 😉

Yes, I beta read those last two but I want to read them again.

Let’s see. What else is going on in my world…Oh, yes…writing. *blerg* I’m 1/2 through DOUBLE CROSS. I normally don’t edit until I finish writing the first draft. I’m going to switch things up because DC is sort of like two books–Duke before and during a mission with Cory and Duke after the mission falls apart and he’s reunited a year later with Cory, under suspicious circumstances. The reason I’m going back to edit? Because it’s not very emotional. There’s a lot of action. There’s a lot of Duke’s POV. Which I have to trouble with. This is Duke’s book. It’s his journey. But at last look, his feelings were pretty ambivalent and that just won’t do at all. So…rewriting/layering/making it more…more.

Oh, and we had weather. LOL But it’s May. We always have weather in May. What did you watch, read, do this weekend? What awesome plans do you have for the upcoming week?

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Friday Sinema – Smoke

Y’all don’t know much about Hollywood. He had a very minor role in NIGHT SHIFT, and frankly, I hadn’t anticipated writing his story for awhile. But then both he and Hardy started jabbering at me. They both know exactly who their heroines are and what their story is. Sorry sonofabucks. Sometimes, dealing with these characters is harder than herding cats! 😆 Anyway, this is a song I’ve always liked and dang if it doesn’t fit Hollywood’s story perfectly. And no, I’m not giving away the plot but you might be able to figure it out anyway. So happy Friday and someday, Hollywood will get his. 😉

Have a great weekend. Who’s doing fun stuff? Me? I’m working and dodging the weather forecast.

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Thursday’s Thoughts: Universal Wings

universeI’d tucked this nudge from the Universe back in my music box-like draft file, keeping it safe from rain and windy weather. (A prize to anyone who recognizes the song reference.) There have been many times on the journey that is my life that I’ve felt this way.

Silver, sometimes, when it seems your wings have suddenly and unexpectedly been clipped, maybe, just maybe, there’s more to learn by staying where you are.

Maybe not.

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

Silver, you decide.

Decisions, decisions. I don’t like making them. Yet at the same time, in many ways, I feel like I’m treading water. I’m waiting on decisions in this quarter, which affect the decisions in that quarter, which could disrupt the space/time compendium. Yes, I’m talking about writing. And editing. And publishing. But maybe I do need to stop for a bit, stay where I am, and reassess the whole thing. I just need to make up my mind.

So what’s on your mind today? What thoughts do you want to send out to the Universe? What decisions are you making?

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Wednesday Words – Double Crossing the Target

wurkn-on-mai-plan-for-word-domination-caleb-pupWednesday. Once again. Time for new words! Today’s #1lineWed is brought to you by the page numbers 14, 47, or 147. After launching the finalists for the National Readers Choice Awards, I’m finally back to work on DOUBLE CROSS/Hard Target. I hope you enjoy the snippets!

This is the last paragraph of Chapter 2, which is approximately page 14, thereabouts, maybe… The team is bedded down waiting for their emergency extraction–still two hours away and the scene is Duke’s POV.

The sound was a soft one, barely registering on the outer limits of his hearing. A whoosh, like air escaping from a balloon. Fuck. Griffin missile. His body erupted into instinctive action even as he yelled orders. What the fuck? His voice got lost in the roaring blast as the damn thing hit. The night lit up and everything went to shit.

This next bit is further on in the story…maybe around page 47 (or a bit earlier but…)

He squeezed her shoulder so hard she winced.

“I may be blind, princess—”

“Don’t call me that.”

“I’m still a fucking Navy SEAL, princess. I’ll get your pampered ass back to the States.”

And finally, a snippet from later in the book–the in between not filled in yet because of that whole Puzzler writing process thing. 😆 In this scene, Duke is in the employ of Mother Goose and her merry band of misfit special operators. The Hard Target team is in the middle of a South American jungle and Duke has recognized the good doctor through his sniper scope–seemingly a guest of the chief of the local drug cartel. He’s speaking to a Wolf shifter by the name of Fraser “Kin” Kincaid, a name some of you might remember… *shhhhh* 😉

“Your call, mate.”

Yeah. His call. He was the damn mission boss. Part of him wanted to put a bullet in her brain. The rest wanted to strip her down and fuck her blind. Decisions, decisions. “Extract her before we blow the hacienda.”

“I’ll retrieve her then. What is it American cowboys say? Yippee-ki-yay, motherfuckers?”

“No, that would be John McClane, the cop character in the Die Hard movies.” And didn’t that just sum up his personal hell. Duke scrubbed at his forehead. The team was out of options. They had to cut the head off the cartel and no matter how much part of him might want to leave Dr. Cory Prince there to suffer the consequences of her actions, he couldn’t do it. Not and face himself in the mirror every morning for the rest of his life. “Get her out, Kin. I’ll cover your six.”

“My arse appreciates that, Duke.” The cocky Scot gave him a one-fingered salute before disappearing into the underbrush.

Who has words to share from their own WIP or a book you’re reading?

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Tuesday Treats – Breakfast for Dinner

baked-egg-potatoes2Every once in awhile we really like breakfast for dinner. Usually, that means waffles but sometimes, it means something that might actually pass for dinner. I came across this recipe somewhere–and sadly I didn’t make note of the site. These are really good and fast if you have baked potatoes already. If not, put those puppies in the microwave for a few minutes. 😆

Sunnyside Up Potatoes

Ingredients to make one serving (double/triple/etc. for however many are sitting down at the table)
1 baked potato
1/2 Tbsp butter
1 egg
1 strip bacon crumbled or pre-crumbled bacon bits
2 Tbsp shredded cheese (cheddar, Gouda, mozzarella, whatever cheese is your fav)
1 Tbsp parsley, flakes or chopped if you use fresh
salt and/or pepper to taste

Using a paring knife, carefully cut off the top third of the potato. Hollow out the middle with a spoon to make a “bowl,” leaving the inside as thin or thick as you like. The more you scoop out, the more room for extra goodies.

Place the butter in the bottom of the potato bowl, break the egg and add without breaking yolk. Top with bacon, cheese, parsley, and seasoning.

Bake in preheated 350°F oven for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg white is set. Serve immediately. LG likes a bit of Tabasco on the top. You can add fresh chopped spinach, mushrooms, ham, whatever extras you like to eat.

Who else eats breakfast for dinner? And what do you eat?

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Monday…It’s Here.

Here’s a quick wrap up of my weekend…and last week.

We survived the storms, dodging between tornadoes and remaining mostly on high ground though streams, rivers, ponds, and lakes are at near flood levels. That’s good. Mostly. We’ve been experiencing severe drought conditions for several years, to the point that some lakes were 35 feet below normal. Yeah, we pretty much made up a lot of that in a week’s time. CRAZY! And speaking of crazy, this is a pic I took between storms one day last week. The sky was that weird dirty peach color and there was a full double rainbow so large I couldn’t get both ends with my iPhone camera.
rainbow3 5-7-15 resized

Saturday, we had to backtrack on our way to Mountain View for the book signing. The bridge was out. Luckily, I was only a few minutes late. The Addie Davis Memorial library was very cozy, with readers sitting down in the signing room with us and visiting. I sold a few books, made some new friends, and Blue had a blast. Here he is wearing his I ❤ Mom tee shirt.
Addie Long book signing cropped

And again at Meers, Oklahoma where we had the fabulous and famous Meers burgers followed by pecan cobbler and homemade ice cream. I shouldn’t eat for the next week but dang was the food good!
Meers burgers resize

We dashed in between thunderstorms and when we’d finished, the sun had come out so we could meander through the Wichita Mountain Wildlife Refuge. Only got pictures of buffalo, long horns, flood waters, and wild flowers. It was a marvelous day and many thanks to Mrs. Lightfoot, the Mountain View library, and community!

Sunday was a kick-back day followed by dinner with LG, Only, BB, and Stormageddon at our favorite BBQ place. Storm decided everything tastes better with BBQ sauce, including green beans and fried okra. 😉

I hope everyone had a great weekend. Happy Mother’s Day to the moms, and Happy Just Because Day to everyone else. What did y’all do?

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