Monday Meanders

Posted on June 23, 2025 by Silver James

Well, I sort of had that on my BINGO card. B2. Check. I0. Check.

In other news, it’s hot. And humid. Which is typical for Oklahoma this time of year. Yesterday morning, I glanced at my weather app. At 9 a.m. it was 79 degrees with 79% humidity. That’s just ridiculous. Oh, and Great Britain is under heat advisories. Sunday they had a high of…79. No comment. 🤦🏼‍♀️

I’m not going to talk about the iPhone SNAFU and the cops at the door.

I made pasta salad this weekend. I make LG eat it every couple of weeks in the summer. There’s always leftovers for my lunch or those nights when it’s: “What sounds good for dinner?” “Nothing really.” “Are you hungry?” “Not really.” “I guess we’re doing every man for himself.” “Works for me.” I do try to make it sort of healthy. I use the tri-color “veggie” rotini, celery, black olives, julienne carrots, rotisseri chicken (I buy it “fresh/premade” at Wallyworld, and then red wine vinegerette dressing. Oh, and shredded Parmason cheese. MmmMmmm good.

I’m listening to IT TAKES A PSYCHIC by Jayne Castle. I love her Harmony series. Especially the dust bunnies.

Do y’all remember that I wrote two “songs” for BILLIONAIRE COUNTRY? Well, I did. I “met” a guy in a writer’s group on X and for fun, he got a trial of an AI music thingy and wrote some songs for fun. He’s volunteered to take my lyrics and “record” them. Fun stuff, huh? Yes, I’ll share when I get them. No timetable.

Not much else happened this weekend. Well, the Thunder and Pacers played game 7 for the NBA chapmpionship. As I’m typing this (Sunday evening) no clue who won. I’ll be asleep before the game ends so will wake up to the news. Hope it’s good. On that note, hope y’all had a good weekend! Cheers to a good week for us all.

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Friday Sinema: Southern Cookin’

Posted on June 20, 2025 by Silver James

I can’t decide if I want to redo my kitchen or not. What do y’all think? Have a great weekend! Stay cool, dry, safe, or simply enjoy, depending on whatever the heck Mother Nature is throwin’ at’cha.

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Make-Believe

Posted on June 19, 2025 by Silver James

Today’s message from the Universe caught my attention as soon as I opened it. I have a meme that starts out “I am a writer…” and mentions “I live in my own strange fantasy world.” It says some other stuff but that’s the gist of it in regards to today’s post. I am a writer and this is pretty much what writers do. Once again, the Big U is right on target.

Turn the jungles of time and space into a patio garden, Silver…

By realizing that their many mysteries actually conspire on your behalf.

Hoe,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. You live in a make-believe world, Silver, where you can believe as you like.

Translation: Jungles of time and space equals our imagination. The patio garden is our WIP. The characters, setting, and plot are conspiring to help us develop the story. When he hoe, we grow words. The Big U left out weeding, but that comes once we’ve propogated that secret garden of a WIP. Weeding equals editing. And yes, we live in a world of make-believe. Readers, you can just take this one at face value, no real “analysis” needed. On that note, what garden will you grow today?

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Wednesday Words: Storm Dragon

Posted on June 18, 2025 by Silver James

Happy Hump Day. Happy Wednesday Words Day. We’ve had storms for like 12 of the last 17 days or something. One of the weather gurus mentioned this early this morning but I was still mostly asleep. Anyhow, last week’s Thursday Threads prompt was most apropos for the weather then. And now. Storms again last night. Nikos and I are going to have a come-to-Jesus meeting if this keeps up. Anyway, when I saw the prompt, I knew immediately this was a scene for our favorite dragon. And the prompt is: *”This is no ordinary storm.”* Here ya go…

****
Sade clutched the tree and shouted above the wind. “Do something.”

“I’m a dragon, not a weather witch.” Nikos braced, leaning into the gale.

“Well, do something dragony!”

“Like what? Breathe fire? Sure, let’s burn down this park along with half the city.”

“And you call me sarcastic.”

Inexorably, the tempest forced Nikos backward. He snagged Sade’s tree with one arm.

“This is no ordinary storm.”

“What was your first clue, Sherlock?” Her arms still around the trunk, Sade slid to a crouch. “Can’t you…I don’t know. Turn into a dragon and fly us out of here?”

He stared down at her and she’d swear later that she saw flames in the depths of his silvery eyes. “These are hurricane force winds. My wings would snap like matchsticks.”

“Well, can’t you poof us out of here?”

“Poof.”

“Yeah. Poof. Dematerialize. Jump from here to there. Teleport. You know what I mean.”

“Have you learned nothing about magic, Sade?”

“I know that the damn Fae bounced me from realm to realm like I was a ping pong ball when I was a toddler. Gargoyles can do it. Why can’t you?”

“I didn’t say I couldn’t but I repeat, this is no normal storm. Can you not smell the magic in the air?”

“You mean like…ozone?” Sade inhaled deeply. The odor crinkled her nose. “What the everfucking hell is that smell?”

The wind died in the middle of her exclamation.

“Why are you yelling?” Ariel stood behind them, looking perplexed.
****

There you have it. Just a bit of magical mystery in the middle of somewhere in the book. I’ll figure out where and why eventually. All I know is that Bran’s mistress is not a happy campter. Readers, I hope you enjoyed. Writers, take the prompt and run if you want. Me? I’m back to work scratching my head, staring out the window and drinking copious amounts of coffee trying to get this mess to make sense. Happy Hump Day. Oh. I said that already. 😉

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Tuesday Tidbits: A Little O’this, a Little O’that

Posted on June 17, 2025 by Silver James

Once again, I’m sans a recipe. I’ve got a few tucked back but I’m just not inspired. Which sucks, especially since it’s spilling over into my writing. As a friend often says, I really need to get over myself and just write the damn thing.

So, tidbits. Here are some things that pop into my head from time to time. Answers. In search of some.

Is a left-handed compliment a right-handed insult?

The news said that someone was stealing tires from police cars. I bet they are working tirelessly to catch him.

Don’t joke about wine running out. That’s Gallos humor.

What do you call a bird who drinks too much? An owlcoholic.

One more and then I’ll go away. Promise.

Why do dogs float in water? Because they are good buoys.

Thank you. Thank you. There’s a tip jar by the door. We’ll be here all week. Have a great Tuesday!

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Stop the Monday, I Want to Get Off

Posted on June 16, 2025 by Silver James

Well, allrighty then. The world decided to go crazy this weekend. Let’s hope the earth settles back on its axis and things calm down.

The first bit of crazy has been the weather. For the first time since 2019, the drought map in Oklahoma is white. Actually, it should be green because stuff is growin’! We’ve had sooo much rain. I’m not complaining because the alternative is all too frequent. I just wish the storm dragons would settle down. Apparently, this batch is descended from cats because they get the zoomies in the middle of the night. Kept me up most of Saturday night.

Speaking of Saturday, talk about the scary weird on one hand and the amazing on the other. Let’s start with the good. The military parade in DC was all kinds of awesome! I’m familiar with several of the specialty units and I was so proud to see them show out well. I have a new fave mascot–Doc Holliday, the blue heeler attached to the 1st Cavalry. Watching the aircraft, the mech units, the historic showing, and the occasional touch of humor, ie. the tank retriever towing a jeep…the bands. It all made me proud. And then to hear the arrangement of Toby Keith’s “American Soldier” at the end, with the fireworks? Oh yeah. I was cryin’ for sure. The parade and the wave of proud pattriotism was a balm to the truly bad stuff that went down.

I normally don’t get into politics but that’s getting harder to ignore. This whole “no kings” BS? Their rhetoric and violence is borderline criminal. Honestly, I think they’ve stepped over that legal line but I’m not the one in charge. The other thing is the horrible murders and attempted murders in Minnesota. What is wrong with people?!?!!! That whole deal doesn’t pass the sniff test and trust me, I am NOT a conspiracy nut. That deal? I’m starting to feel like Fox and Mulder. The truth is out there but will we ever see it? It’s far deeper than the “peaceful protests.” Anyway… Stay safe out there, y’all.

I listened to Jayne Castle’s PEOPLE IN GLASS HOUSES this past weekend. I’m currently listening to the new release in her Harmony/Guildboss series, IT TAKES A PSYCHIC. If you haven’t indulged, give the series a try. Yes, there are a STACK of books because the roots of the series go back to her Amanda Quick persona writing historicals. Then there are Jayne Ann Krentz books set in the present, both writing about the Arcane Society. Members of the Society head into space and help colonize Harmony. It’s a fun world.

I did write. Sort of. A little. I don’t know what this book is kicking my @$$ so hard. If another book was talking to me, I’d shelve Ariel and write something else but it’s like everyone has gone to the lake for the summer and didn’t invite me. Which is fine. I’m not fond of lake life so whatever. I swear it’s something in the air.

No soccer lately–just camps and practice. My Cards have been hot and cold. Ah well.

And on that note, I’m out of anything even remotely interesting to talk about. What about y’all? What’s up with y’all? Any thoughts or comments on the world? Read any good books? Movies? Inquiring minds want to know.

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Friday Sinema: Recruiting Film

Posted on June 13, 2025 by Silver James

Okay. Quantas Airlines used to have some great ads. Now the New Zealand National Police have released an ad of their own. Watch ALL the way through. Trust me, the outtakes are laugh out loud. By the way, since it’s Friday the 13th, it would be bad luck not to watch. 😉 Have a great weekend!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Showing Up

Posted on June 12, 2025 by Silver James

Today’s message hits the nail on the head. I see questions from folks wanting to write a book all the time. “How do you get started?” “What do you do?” “What’s your actual process?” (That one is rather like a bowl of spaghetti. Or making sausage. And takes waaay too long to explain.) The answer I usually give comes from a meme of a dog sitting in front of a computer and it says: First rule of Write Club – Sit! Second Rule – Stay! And that’s basically what you do. Then this showed up in my inbox yesterday and yeah. The Universe has it right.

Visualize, show up, happy dance.

Silver, you can do this.

Dip,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. It’s all for you, Silver, and you live in a dream world.

Short. Sweet. To the point. Writers, we DO live in a dream world. See the story then ya just gotta show up. Feel free to happy dance along the way and celebrate big time when you finally type, “The End.” It’s kind of a no-brainer when you get right down to. And non-writers? This applies to any situation in life. Think about it…

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Wednesday Words: Ready, Set…

Posted on June 11, 2025 by Silver James

Another Wednesday, more new words. Yay. And another yay because I managed to snag an Honorable Mention in last week’s Thursday Threads. The prompt is: *”I’m here to get you read.”*

Ready for what, you ask. Ariel is asking the same question because he’s now been saddled with an…apprentice? A squire? Cannon fodder? I think Druic has appeared before but I don’t currently remember the context. Here he is again–for the first time in the book, much to Ariel’s frustration.

****
Ariel exited the bedroom of his hotel suite and stopped short at the sight of the man hovering near the outer door. He glowered and the other lowered his eyes but stood frozen, a rabbit cornered by a fox. Exasperated, Ari snarled. “What’s going on, Druic?”

With his gaze still glued to the tips of Ariel’s boots, the younger Fae answered. “I’m here to get you ready.”

“Ready? For what?”

The kid shrugged. “I’ve not a clue, sir. She said go so I went.”

“She?” The panicked look on Druic’s face told the tale. What in the two realms was Titania up to now? “Does he know you’re here?” The boy all but quaked in his boots as he shook his head.

Resisting the urge to slap his palm against his forehead in a gesture of futility, Ari thought for a moment. The queen sent her errand boy to him without Oberon’s knowledge. What game was she playing now? He needed more information.

“What did she say, Druic? Her exact words.” Shuffling his feet, his eyes darting in every direction, the boy mumbled something. “Speak up, lad. I’m not a royal. I won’t throw you in the dungeons for answering my question.”

His head dancing like a bobble-head toy, Druic stuttered an explanation. “She told me to be secret. That you would need me. That I was to get you ready.”

“For what?”

“The one who is coming.”

Ariel sighed, then quoted one of Sade’s favorite expletive. “We are so fucked.”
****

There you have it. Ariel has no clue why he’s where he is, or why Titania would send this untried kid to him. Fun times ahead. Writers, there’s your prompt for the week should you wish to use it. Readers, who’s the one? *bwahaha*

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Tuesday Tidbits: Rabbit Holes

Posted on June 10, 2025 by Silver James

Okay. So I found a recipe yesterday. I even copied it over. Thought about who might make it. And then I got an idea about Ariel’s book. So I started writing. And then I discovered info I thought I’d researched about Aisling’s coming and goings might be wrong so I fell down that hole, which is when I discovered that I had NOT SAVED all the previous research I’d done, including the info on the house Aisling (who was not Aisling at the time but whatever) lived in. Not the whole house. Multi-family. But it was an older house and I remember it being very cool. That meant I had to go looking for the blasted house. Realtor dot com is usually my friend. Nope. No help. Without remembering the name of the street, Google Street view wasn’t going to help either. Did I give up? Nope. I went exploring. Hence the trip down the rabbit hole.

The good news is I found an intersection that was perfect for being near her house. See, Aisling doesn’t drive. She rides the bus downtown to the library. Then rides it home. She also has needs–a coffee shop and a grocery store. And while the houses in the area were the right age, they weren’t…right.

So I fell down another rabbit hole. The good news is that Aisling now has a house/apartment. I have a link address and an actual address. Being a creative writer, I will simply pluck the right house and drop it in the right place. Literary license, don’cha know. 😉

Anyway, no pie today but Ari has made it to Rochester with not a clue as to why he’s there. He’s also soaking wet. Long story. *bwahaha* Here’s the house where Aisling’s apartment is located. What do you think?

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