Monday the 12th of Never-ending

Posted on January 12, 2015 by Silver James

Coffee MondayNeed I say more? It’s Monday. And it feels never-ending. So…is it nap time? 😉

First, I’m guest blogging today with my good friend from the Kiss of Death RWA chapter, VICKI BATMAN. Click on her name to see the cool picture of my newest girly-girl acquisition. Shhh. It’s a secret, at least until you click through to see it. Vicki writes humorous romantic mysteries so go check her out!

Weekend. Lazy. ‘Nuff said.

Okay, here’s the run-down. I read. A lot. Insomnia has been A Thing™ lately. I sort of tumbled into an on-going re-read of the In Death books. I’m reminded–again–of why I love this series and these characters. I normally just reread the first three books because they contain my favorite scenes and take Eve through her first, emotional character arc. But then I forgot how Feeney hurt her. And how she saved Mira. And Summerset’s growing admiration if not affection for her. McNab has joined “the family” and Trueheart is introduced. So yeah, while I’m waiting for new books on my wishlist to release, I think I’ll just keep feeding my addiction for all things Dallas and Roarke. 😆

Ashlynn asked a question about writing process on FB so I’m thinking about doing a blog on mine. Probably Friday.

There are 38 days until pitchers and catchers report for spring training. BASEBALL!!!!!

I’m about 1/2 done with the Sooper Sekrit Project (short story for submission). I like the way it’s coming along. Also chugging along on the editing and some revisions on MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. Hoping to hear something about RDR#3 this week. Not holding my breath, but crossing fingers.

Snow. It’s forecast for Tuesday/Wednesday.

The house across the street (out my office window) is going up for sale. Anybody want to buy it? I’d love to have a friend in the neighborhood. 😆 Plus, I make yeast rolls/cinnamon rolls to share. Just sayin’…

And that’s it. This was a very laid-back, quiet sort of weekend. What did y’all do? And who’s reading something really good? (Yeah, like I need MORE books on my TBR list!)

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Friday Free and Easy

Posted on January 9, 2015 by Silver James

It’s Friday. Everybody do a happy dance! Did you have a good week? Have big plans for the weekend?

I finished the revisions on the first three chapters of FOR THE LOVE OF A COWGIRL (working title for Red Dirt Royalty #3), revised the synopsis and sent it back to Mr. HQEd. Now I’m at work on a short story for submission to an anthology. As soon as it’s done, it’s back to work on MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. The Only is thinking on the cover design.

Speaking of cover designs, I’ll be sharing the one for THE COWGIRL’S LITTLE SECRET soon. It’s just as awesome as COWGIRLS’!

And speaking of COWGIRLS, did I ever share the review in RT Book Reviews magazine? No? Well, what’s wrong with me!

★ ★ ★ ★ (4 stars out of 4 1/2)
This is a complicated romance with a reluctant cowgirl and a very sexy corporate cowboy who highlight the courage it takes to do the right thing.

And speaking of reviews, I’ve hit a milestone. The infamous Harriet Klausner reviewed COWGIRLS in her own inimitable way–meaning she got the gist of the story all wrong. You can Google her if you aren’t familiar with her. Her reviews always make me laugh. FYI? The Barrons live in Royal, Texas. No, seriously. raised eyebrow gif At least according to HK. 😆

There was something else I was going to mention here and now I can’t remember. Brain definitely resembles Swiss cheese this week. I obviously need more coffee!

And to leave you with a laugh…here’s the commercial for the new Fiat 500X that Lawyer Guy sent me. We laughed. A lot. 😉 Enjoy! Have a great weekend!

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Universal Bravery

Posted on January 8, 2015 by Silver James

universeThere’s nothing to fear but fear itself. Did Churchill say that? It’s one of those quotes we all know and bandy about but don’t ever remember who should be attributed.

You can have what you want, Silver, if you brave what you fear and do what you can.

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

Pretty soon, Silver, you’re going to completely run out of things to fear. Seriously.

I’m still new enough into this year to still be reflecting on last year. 2014 wasn’t as scary as 2013 in some ways, and far worse in others. I think the big sticking point was whether or not I could be a successful hybrid author. It was close, but I managed to eek out two self-pubbed books at the end of the year. I’ve also set a massive schedule for myself this year. Dream big or go home, right? That’s the way I want to roll, even though it means I go to bed at night tied up in knots–and not in a sexy way. 😉 I’m getting over my fear of juggling. I’m getting over my fear of marketing (even though I still suck majorly at it!). But dear Universe? Trust me when I say, I will never completely run out of things to fear. I’m a writer. It’s coded into our DNA.

So lets get down and dirty. What do you fear?

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Wednesday Words – First Lines

Posted on January 7, 2015 by Silver James

Writer's MindFor those who play #1lineWed on Twitter with RWA Kiss of Death Chapter, the prompt for today is First/Opening Lines. Here are a few of my favorite openings from other authors, and then some favorites that I wrote.

She woke in the dark. Through the slats on the window shades, the first murky hint of dawn slipped, slanting shadowy bars over the bed. It was like waking in a cell. ~J.D. Robb, NAKED IN DEATH (Eve Dallas/In Death series)

Y’all knew I’d start with that one because…favorite. Book. Ever! 😉 Here are three more, all much loved books from the first books in their series, all of which I’ll be rereading this year as new books in each series arrive.

Half blinded by the storm, she stumbled into the open area between two buildings. Hoping to hide from whomever was hunting for her as well as get some relief from the snow and wind, she followed an angled wall and ducked around the corner. Her socks and sneakers were soaked, and her feet were so cold she couldn’t feel them. She knew that wasn’t good, wasn’t safe, but she had taken the clothing available just as she had taken the opportunity to run. ~Anne Bishop, WRITTEN IN RED (The Others series)
****
I’d been having the same dream for the past month–the one where a dark stranger materialized out of smoke and shadows to play doctor with me. I was starting to wonder if repetitive exposure to nightly hallucinations resulting in earth-shattering climaxes could have any long-term side effects. Death via extreme pleasure was a serious concern. The prospect led to the following dilemma: Do I seek help or buy drinks all around? ~Darynda Jones, FIRST GRAVE ON THE RIGHT (Charley Davidson series)
****
Saturday: Day One of the Death Mark
The whispers were nothing new.
Darcy MacAlister followed behind her mother’s graceful white casket with the elegant raised scrolls as they left the MacAlister Funeral Home for the cemetery next door. Being the funeral director eased the knot of grief and sorrow in her throat. She was honored to oversee every detail of the service that celebrated Eileen MacAlister’s life, and show the community how well-loved her mother had been. She would not let the whispers affect her. ~Jennifer Lyon, BLOOD MAGIC (Wingslayer Hunters series)

Can’t wait to reread off of them! And now to mine. This is probably my all-time favorite opening:

This was only Day One of what was shaping up to be a bloody weird week and the gods had been drinking again. Too bad Sade Marquis didn’t have that option. She was on duty. Dammit. Not to mention it was only ten in the morning. However, if things got any stranger, she might change her mind. ~Silver James, THAT OL’ BLACK MAGIC (Penumbra Papers series)

And now, just some random opening lines from various WIPs, though I’m not naming titles or series. 😉

She found God at a minute to midnight though the coroner would place her time of death between eleven and one.
****
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, Shadows plagued humans and Fae alike.
****
Destinies are a dime a dozen and Fate is the biggest bitch of all. Roman shoved his hands deep into his pockets to keep from wrapping them around the human messenger who stood quaking in his boots before him.
****
Cordell Barron was always in control—of his life, Barron Oil and Gas Exploration, everything that made up his world. Except for now. At the moment, Cord’s world was crashing down around his ears and his life seemed to be spinning out of control.

That’s it for me. How about y’all? Who wants to share their favorite first line or opening from a book you love or one of your WIPs?

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Tuesday Titles: Cowgirls Don’t Cry in the Wild

Posted on January 6, 2015 by Silver James

Cowgirls Dont Cry 680Today is the day if you are looking for the paperback copy of COWGIRLS DON’T CRY on the shelves of your local bookstore. At least I hope the books are out there! Copies should be at B&N, Walmart, Target, and other places where you can buy Harlequin categories. After coffee with my CP, I’m going to hit the local Walmart (which sometimes lags behind on getting the new books out), Target, and the nearest B&N. Because I’m excited about this, I’m running a Cowgirls in the Wild contest. How do you get your name in the drawing? You snap a pic of COWGIRLS on the shelf of whatever store you see them. You can email them to me, you can post them on Twitter with my Twitter name: @SilverJames_ and you can post them to my FB wall–either my profile (personal) page or my author/fan page. Pretty simple for the most part. When you post, be sure to let me know the name of the store and the location. See? Easy peasy. I’ll put all the names into Random.org and one lucky name will pop out.

Now, what do you win? Well, here’s “Cowboy” Blue with the prizes: a signed copy of COWGIRLS DON’T CRY and this metal wall sign, because we all need every color of boots, right? Right!
CDC wild Sightings giveaway 680

And as an added incentive, the first person who emails or posts with a picture will get a $10 Amazon gift card. 🙂 Good hunting!

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The Power of Monday

Posted on January 5, 2015 by Silver James

T-Rex Monday I’ve been thinking. Yeah, yeah. I know that’s a bad idea. *snort* Monday is much maligned. Why? Yes, for those who work, it means getting up and trudging back out into the world to deal with the job and all the contingent frustrations that go with it. Or in the case of many writers, it means shuffling into our writing caves and slurping coffee like there’s not tomorrow in a vain effort to jumpstart our creativity before getting out the paddles to shock our Muses back to life. Monday, much like the picture I used in last Friday’s post, should be a day of potential. It’s a new week (Sunday is part of the weekend. It doesn’t count! 😉 ). It’s the opportunity to start something new, or to continue an unfinished project. It’s full of possibilities and promises.

Or not. Who am I kidding? I look like this (points to photo meme) almost every Monday. But today has possibilities. I’m awaiting either an email or a phone call (a second one) from Mr. HQEditor. We talked for a long time Friday afternoon about the possibilities for the next Red Dirt Royalty book. I like the changes we came up with so I’m now working on revising the first three chapters and synopsis for the proposal. I’m excited.

And tomorrow is paperback release day for COWGIRLS DON’T CRY. Be sure to come back because there will be a new contest! With goodies.

There was a weekend in there between Friday and today. The REAL OSU (Oklahoma State) won their bowl game against Washington Friday night. I’m still in shock. We weren’t supposed to win. But then again, neither was the fake OSU (Ohio State), much less were they supposed to be playing in the national championship. Which I probably won’t watch because I don’t care about either team. *yawn* I did some business housekeeping. I read. I didn’t read. I searched for a book I wanted to read. I ended up with a reread. 😆 More on that Wednesday. Oh, and I napped. Too long. Which meant I didn’t go to sleep Sunday morning until 5:00 a.m. *headdesk* No naps yesterday. I have to get back in normal sleep mode.

What about y’all? What did you do over the weekend? Are you ready to get back to work now that the holidays are over?

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Sunday In the Pink Heart Society

Posted on January 4, 2015 by Silver James

Just a quick note: I’m visiting with the lovely ladies of The Pink Heart Society talking about COWGIRLS DON’T CRY and how the book came to life, and the call I received from Mr. HQ Editor. Stop by and say hi if you get the chance! You can find the post HERE!

Also, I’m doing a series of memes with quotes from COWGIRLS. Here’s the one I did yesterday. More to follow and eventually, I’ll have a bunch to go with each series. Yeah, yeah. We can all sing along: Pro-crassss-ti-na-tionnnn!
Chicago downtown night panorama during thunderstorm

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First Friday Free For All

Posted on January 2, 2015 by Silver James

New Year I like this image. As a writer, it speaks volumes to me. Last year is done. The holidays are over. There’s no reason not to get back to work. Except… Except it’s Friday. The last day of a traditional work week. But I’m a writer. I work odd hours. Odd days. Odd places. But I think this is a good image to start the year. I have new projects to start, new Chapter Ones to write.

A few odds and ends before I get to work.

Amazon. Amazon Author Pages, to be precise. They’ve changed. Now you can go to a favorite author’s page, click the follow button and you’ll get an email with updates every time a pre-order pops up or a new book releases. This is a HUGE boon to me. There are series I’m following but with sometimes six or more months between releases, I forget. And I’m horrible about checking my Amazon Wish List or my Goodreads Want to Read list. I spent quite awhile tracking down some favorites and clicking away. So Yay!

I totally suck at marketing and stuff like that there. But I have this whole box of paperback copies of COWGIRL’S DON’T CRY sitting in my office. The digital version went live yesterday but it’s my understanding that the paper copies won’t hit bookstores until Tuesday, Jan. 6th. I’ve given some away on Facebook. And in my newsletter. I need to give one away here. So comment. I’ll pick a random person. 😀 I’ll even sign it. 😉

Christmas cards. Oh, who am I kidding…New Year’s cards…or….Winter Wishes cards! Yes! That’s the ticket. Winter Wishes cards! Getting those out are on my list for this weekend. Yeah, yeah, I’ve been saying that since they were still Christmas cards. Sh’up!

On the writing project front, I’ve got two on the front burner. One is MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. This is the compilation of BLOOD MOON and BAD MOON with a whole middle section added dealing with Hannah’s pregnancy, disbanding the Wolves, and her return to work in the Defense Security Service. The other is a short story (7K words max) that I plan to submit for an anthology. We’ll see what happens. It’s set in the Nightrider world, so even if it’s turned down, it has a home–and could be expanded for a full release. I really like the characters and the premise–second chances. That’s one of my favorite tropes in romance.

Sunday, I’m doing a guest post at the Pink Hearts Society blog, talking about how I came to write COWGIRLS. I’ll pop in here over the weekend with the link once I have it.

That’s it for me. TGIF! Have a great weekend and I’ll see y’all around the intrawebz. 😉

This is how I roll: New Year…New Chapter! What’s the title of your Chapter One?

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Thoughts on the New Year

Posted on January 1, 2015 by Silver James

Happy New Year with firework

Well, the New Year rolled into town just as expected. Last year was wild and crazy, but what else is new, right? Life’s like that, yeah it is. I read 210 books–or more. I forgot to record some of them. I wrote three books (The Cowgirl’s Little Secret, Blue Moon, and Moon Shot) and a novella (Faerie Faith), all 55K words or less. Seems like I didn’t do very much. But better than nothing. I have plans for this new year. If time, opportunity, and perseverance will indulge me. I’m thinking ambitious thoughts. BIG thoughts. BIG dreams. BIG plans. But I’m also remembering Murphy’s habit of throwing out new laws that kick my butt when I least expect it. Here, in a nutshell, is what’s in my head: I’m going to have a new release every month of 2015.

See? I told you. BIG STUFF!

But don’t get me wrong, while this is a huge undertaking, not every release will be a major book–like 80-100K. I’ve discovered a bit of talent for writing short and find I like it. Also, two of the books are already written and scheduled–my two Harlequin releases for January and April. That leaves me ten months to go. I might also be writing more Red Dirt Royalty books though they’ll probably won’t release until 2016 and a lot of my schedule depends on any new contracts coming from New York. Am I being ambitious? Oh, hell yeah! But to coin an old chestnut, nothing ventured, nothing gained. Here’s what I’d like to do:

January: Cowgirl’s Don’t Cry
February: Moonstruck: Secrets
March: Either Hard Target or Nightriders Book #1
April: The Cowgirl’s Little Secret
May: Book #1 of whichever series didn’t release in March
June: The Devil’s Cut, Penumbra Papers #2
July: Moonstruck: Lies (though I may skip July because of RWA Nationals in New York – depends on if I can get it ready for early-monthy release)
August: Book #2 of HT or NR
September: Book #2 of NR or HT
October: Moonstruck: Betrayal
November: Considering a double release: Book 3 of both HT and NR or Penumbra Papers Book #3
December: Moonstruck: Moon Lights – a Moonstruck Christmas Novella
January: Moonstruck: Retribution

Can I keep to this schedule? I have no idea. While hugely ambitious, I remind you that the Moonstruck books are mostly already written. It’s simply a matter of further editing–adding in cut chapters and writing a few bridging chapters so it’s not like I have this massive million word goal set. And things may change. One series may end up being a serial and will be slam bam, thank ya, ma’am and done. I’m not done with the world the Wolves live in but at the same time, I want to get back to Sade and Sinjen’s world. I’d like to put out at least two Penumbra books a year. Luckily, I write fast and I have a great team behind me for production. So…that’s the writing bits.

On to the personal. No resolutions. Don’t make ’em, can’t ever keep ’em. But I am going to try to eat healthier and do my best to get on the damn gazelle for at least 30 minutes a day. ‘Nuff said.

So there it is. I suppose if I were to follow Janet’s example, my 2015 word would be WRITE! Every day–at least Monday thru Friday, just like a job. The best job I could ever have. Because being a writer, being here with y’all? Yeah…that pretty much tops my list. Here’s to a kick-ass 2015. We’re all going to shine!

Happy New Year from all the Wolves and their families, from SEAL Team Atlantis, from the Barron brothers and their cowgirls, from Sade, Sinjen, Caleb, Roman, Ari, Nikos, and all the denizens of the Penumbra Papers, and most especially from ME! *throws confetti*

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New Year’s Eve Hump Day

Posted on December 31, 2014 by Silver James

happy new year 2015I have the feeling all of us are standing here scratching our heads and wondering what happened to 2014. I certainly am. When I look back at the year, it’s a blur with a lot of valleys and a few peaks. Life is like that, yeah it is.

My word for 2014–a tradition handed down by my good friend Janet, whose posts I miss–A LOT!!!–was actually a phrase: Creative Organization–Organized Creativity. Yeah, about that… The thought lasted until Real Life™ intervened. With Lawyer Guy being in ICU for over a month, with Only and Baseball Boy’s house purchase and precipitous move while she was on bed rest and then Sprouts early arrival? Add in the Harlequin contract, the request for the final book in the Faerie Reign series, and babysitting after Baseball Boy got his teaching job, the year sort of devolved into chaos. Good thing I’m used to that, right? 😆

So, this year? No word. Tomorrow, I’ll give you a preview of my plans. Yes, tomorrow is New Year’s Day, but I figure most of you will be around. I will be.

I’d hoped to work on my newsletter yesterday but once again, chaos. Which is fine. I’m rather getting used to plans changing in the blink of an eye and I might even miss the ride if my life was smooth sailing. 😉 It’ll be out today. Or tomorrow. I’m sort of coasting along at the moment. January 2nd? Yeah, it’ll be pedal to the metal then. I want to hit the ground running and deliver a Gibbs’ Slap™ to 2015 before it gets any ideas.

In the meantime, lets talk about the blog. What’s working? What doesn’t? Do y’all like the format I’ve been following with the topics of my posts? “Wait,” you say, “there’s a format?” Well, sort of, meaning the Monday wrap ups, Tuesday Treats-Titles-Trivia, Wednesday Words (usually), Thursday Thoughts (yay for the Universe), and finally Friday Free-For-Alls where anything goes. Would you like me to change things up? I’m here to entertain you. I want to know what you enjoy reading about. Do you want more stuff about writing? Do you want a regular/weekly feature of guest blogs where I host other authors pimping their books? (Personally, I like pimping friends and like keeping slots reserved for them but I aim to please y’all…) It’s up for discussion so sing out!

And on a more fun note, anybody have plans for tonight? If I’m lucky, I’ll be awake to celebrate when the New Year hits New York. If not, I’ll be tossing ZZZZs to the Universe. We’re not big party people in this house, though I might indulge in a glass of wine at dinner. Wait. Does wine go with chili? 😆

Have a safe and wonderful New Year’s Eve, everyone. Thank you for hanging around. I miss y’all when you’re gone. As Hannah would say, “Here’s to a kick-ass 2015!”

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