Wednesday Words – From Suspense to Shifters

Posted on April 9, 2014 by Silver James

mobile phone and booksI’m still reading contest entries and can’t talk about them. However, I also got sucked in by Allison Brennan’s new Max Revere series. There’s a prequel novella that I enjoyed but the first full-length novel, NOTORIOUS, is glorious! I love Max. I want to hit her upside the head with a clue-by-four about half the time but that’s part of her endearing personality. 😆 This little snippet had me splorting Diet Coke when I read it. She’s referring to Det. Nick Santelli, of the Menlo Park Police Department.

Damn. He knew he was hot. A hot cop.

Danger, Will Robinson! Danger!

She almost laughed out loud. Yes, hot cops were her vice. ~Max Revere in Notorious, Allison Brennan

And yeah, Nick is definitely worthy! *fans face* Warning NOTORIOUS is a suspense novel with a touch of romance, not a romantic suspense. It’s a damn good read!

I really need to stay away from blogs that list books for sale. SEVEN YEARS by Dannika Dark caught my eye. It was $.99 cents at the time and I thought it sounded interesting. Yeah. About that? Couldn’t put the dang thing down! This is a paranormal romance with Shifters, which are different from werewolves. I loved her voice. The following are a few of the snippets that caught my eye.

He shook his head. “I forgot to buy cotton balls.” He set the brown bottle of peroxide on the washer.

Before I could make a suggestion, Austin peeled off his shirt, wadded it into a ball, and doused it with peroxide.

I was pretty sure I would never buy another cotton ball again if this was the alternative solution.” ~Lexi Knight [heroine] in SEVEN YEARS by Dannika Dark

People say time machines don’t exit, but they do. They’re your friends, and being around them takes you right back to that place in time you had long since put away. ~Lexi Knight

The price has gone back up to $3.99 for the Kindle edition. There is a paperback available too. I’d buy it in print if I didn’t read Kindle. Austin Cole is a swoon-worthy hero and Lexi is a first-class, sassy heroine.

And as soon as I finished SEVEN YEARS, I had to buy SIX MONTHS, which is the second book in the series. I found this snippet highlight worthy.

After eating eleven of her homemade peanut butter cookies with macadamia nuts, I could testify on her behalf in a court of cookie law. ~April Frost [heroine] talking about Lexi’s baking skills

There’s just something about The Court of Cookie Law that makes me smile!

So those are the words for this Wednesday. I’m here all day, working. I have three chapters and a synopsis to get polished. I want SWEETHEART headed to NYC by Friday. That said, any good words y’all have read? Share! I mean, it’s not like I don’t have anything to read. shifty-eyes-ani2faster

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Tuesday: What I’m Working On – Not!

Posted on April 8, 2014 by Silver James

Writer's MindI’m not sure if today’s blog is a Tuesday Treat or a Tuesday Tease… Have I mentioned that Iffy is a b…witch? She’s trying to hurry me through COWGIRL’S SWEETHEART, totally ignoring FAERIE FREE (or FEUD), and longing to revisit both the Wolves and Sade and the gang.

Those of you who follow my Author’s Page on Facebook know that I participate in a flash fiction writing exercise prompted by Siobhan Muir on her blog. Called Thursday Threads, she offers up a writing prompt, participants slap down 250 words using the prompt somewhere in the exercise and post it. She has a guest judge, just for fun. I’ve won a couple of times and place as an honorable mention often. More than a few of those prompts have ended up in my stories.

So, do you think Iffy would help me out and gear those words toward the current WIP? Oh hell no! raised eyebrow gif The past few weeks, she’s been pushing me toward Wolves and Penumbra. So…here’s the current plan because my personal publishing schedule is whacked. Once I get FAERIE FREE (June 1st deadline) and COWGIRL’S SWEETHEART (April 21st proposal and July 17th final deadlines) submitted, I have plans for one more Wolf novella–BLUE MOON, which is Antoine’s and DJ’s story. DJ is the Deputy US Marshal who’s appeared in some books, and Antoine is Izzy “feral” uncle. I’ll follow that with the crossover novella with the working title of MOON SHOT, which introduces the guys of the Hard Target series. My NATO SpecOps team has a few secrets of their own and I think fans of the Wolves will like them. Anyway, that’s the plan. In the meantime, I thought I’d toss a tease out here for those of you who want a Wolf fix. This scene may or may not make it into BLUE MOON–and I’ve edited it so it’s a bit more than 250 words now. 😉

****

DJ threaded frustrated fingers through her short hair. Her boss’ order had sounded so simple sitting in his Las Vegas office.

Go get the man.

Only the man was a freaking ghost. After the debacle in New Orleans, she was lucky to still have her badge. Deputy US Marshal. She was a manhunter, right? Right. Her job was to track and arrest fugitives from the law.

Go get the man. So much easier said than done. Especially after crashing her car and stumbling around lost in the bayous for hours. Something growled nearby. She froze. Did alligators growl?

Crouched in the cypress knees, Antoine filled his lungs with the woman’s scent. He’d followed her as she wandered lost. Her scent seemed familiar so he trailed her, keeping a cautious eye on her activities. This was his bayou. He didn’t like strangers, especially when they were so close to his pack.

Another scent intruded. Sweat, sour and full of testosterone. She was being hunted by someone else. The thought pissed him off. Royally. She was his woman.

He stilled. His woman? Snarling, his wolf ranged just beneath his skin. Yes, his wolf agreed. She belonged to them. Antoine would kill any man who touched her. His prey tensed, wary, sensing she was being hunted. He sniffed the air. Three intruders—but human. In a boat. He smiled. Laissez les bons temps rouler.

Slipping into the water, he submerged, coming up behind the boat like a wily ol’ gator. Surging up, he grabbed a man, hauled him into the water, and broke his neck. The others quickly followed.

DJ stood frozen on the bank, all sense of self-preservation deserting her as she watched the scene unfold out on the water. A few moments later, ripples appeared, and then a head. A man rose from the turgid water and stalked toward her.

“You should be more careful.”

She’d hit system overload. Her eyes rolled back in her head but he caught her before she hit mud.

“I will take care of you, chère.”

Oh, hell. She was caught in a real-life “Deliverance.”
****
runningscissorsOkay, I’m off to work. On cowgirls and cowboys, not Wolves. Not today. Iffy will just have to go play with herself. 😉

So what are y’all playing with today?

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Uhm…It IS Monday

Posted on April 7, 2014 by Silver James

funny-pictures-my-official-monday-face[EDIT: Yeah..I sorta forgot a subject/title line *headdesk* Which means WordPress grabbed the first line…] Time just keeps marching inexorably along, doesn’t it? Ah, well. How was your weekend? Mine…was. It’s never long enough, which is weird because I work most weekends. 🙄 What should it matter, right?

So, here’s what I did…

I celebrated the acceptance of COWGIRLS DON’T CRY. Next step is line edits and getting on the production schedule. 🙂

I discovered that the first three chapters for the proposal for COWGIRLS SWEETHEART aren’t the first three chapters at all. So…more work. I also figured out I really hate writing a synopsis for a book I haven’t written yet. I don’t write linearly and writing a synopsis is too much like doing an outline. *shudder* Ah well. I shall persevere.

The family celebrated Baseball Boy’s birthday at Toby Keith’s I Love This Bar and Grill. Giant chicken-fried steaks. And cheese fries. Yeah, no dinner for me! We got to see (and HOLD!) Bean Sprout. He slept through lunch. He’s such a goo’ boy!

Oh, and I discovered a new-to-me author. I should not read blogs listing ebooks on sale. I found one where the blurb intrigued me. It was .99 so why not? I mean, it’s not like I don’t have 5 books to read for contests or already have 100+ books on the TBR pile. Nope. Had to go buy a new one. And then get stuck in a long checkout line. Without the contest book I’m reading. So what did I do? I pulled up that 99 center on my iPhone. And couldn’t frickin’ put the book down. Grrrr. And then downloaded the second book and had to read it. Instead of working. Or read contest books. *headdesk* The author is Dannika Dark and the book is SEVEN YEARS. It’s about Shifters. She’s funny but knows how to be dark. I’ll have quotes on Wednesday.

Today, I HAVE to get SWEETHEART sorted out. I have to hide my Kindle. And at some point, I should consider doing housework…or not. shifty-eyes-ani2faster

Who had fun and what do you have planned for the week?

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Friday Fun – Maks and Meryl

Posted on April 4, 2014 by Silver James

I’ve been amazed by the level of competition in this season’s Dancing With The Stars. Here’s the long version of the foxtrot Maks and gold-medalist Meryl Davis did for week 3’s Most Memorable Year show. Watch the story and then the dance. And people wonder why I have such a crush on Maks!

FYI, Maks has long been the human model for a Victorian Gaslight story on my back burner. Watching him with Meryl? I’m probably going to have to change Aggie’s description. *nods*

Happy Friday! And Happy Birthday to my favorite son-in-law, Baseball Boy!

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Universal Insider

Posted on April 3, 2014 by Silver James

universeI’m normally pretty even keeled. No great highs or lows. Usually. Sure, I get depressed (clinical diagnosis once upon a time). And I get sillily happy and prone to Snoopy dancing when good things happen. But by and large, in my day-to-day life, I’m mostly mellow. I smile. I’ve been known to sniffle over a book, a commercial, a TV show. I laugh at silly internet memes.

When the Universe popped in with this, I wasn’t too surprised, being mostly self-contained. But it bears repeating.

Silver, all that you need, to have all that you want, lies inside of you, right now.

Everything.

The Universe
© http://www.tut.com ®

Silver, what a package!

We are what we are and we each have the capacity to decide and go after what we want. All we need do is look inside. Do you know what you want and need?

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Wednesday Words – Writing

Posted on April 2, 2014 by Silver James

Create definitionFor those of you who follow my author page on Facebook, you know that I’m wont to post funny “ecards”, pictures, and other Pinterest type things that have to do with writing. Today, I’m sharing some of my favorites, at least the words, if not the pictures. 😉 Starting with the one pictured here.

And these:

Writer’s Block: When your imaginary friends stop talking to you.

I love being a writer. It’s such a convenient excuse for avoiding housework and laundry.

Why I Write: Because kidnapping people and forcing them to act out your interesting make-believe worlds is technically illegal.

With a pencil and paper, I create worlds. What do you do for a living?

Do you have some favorites? Share them so I can pin them!

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April Fool’s Day Pie

Posted on April 1, 2014 by Silver James

Happy April Fool’s Day! Since it’s Tuesday, I thought I’d kill two birds with one blog. Today’s Tuesday Treat is Apple Pie My Eye, a dessert perfect for April Fool’s Day. You’ll understand once you read the recipe.

True story. When I was a kid, I made this pie and entered it in the county fair. Imagine my surprise when I discovered I’d won a blue ribbon–for best FRUIT pie. Seriously! And the recipe was even attached to my entry. Go figure! 😆

Apple Pie My Eye
In a 2 quart sauce pan, add ingredients and stir.
2 cups water
1 1/2 cup sugar
1 stick margarine or butter
Bring to a boil and boil for 3 minutes.

In a bowl, break 21 soda crackers into 3rds. Sprinkle with
1 1/2 teaspoon cream of tarter
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon nutmeg

Drop mixture into boiling syrup and push down with spoon. Boil another 3 minutes WITHOUT stirring.

Pour into unbaked 9-inch pie shell and top with a second crust. Bake in preheated 450 degree oven for 20 minutes.

Here’s a quick and easy pie crust recipe:
1 3/4 cup flour
1 teaspoon salt
1/2 cup corn oil
Blend in a bowl. Add 3 tablespoons water. Mix and form into two balls. Roll out each ball between two pieces of wax paper. Don’t use flour when rolling out.

Note: I haven’t made this pie using the Pillsbury refrigerated crusts but I can’t imagine they wouldn’t work, too, for really easy peasy.

I dare you to make this pie and see if people realize it’s not apple pie! 😀
apple-pie-my-eye

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Monday – Deja Vu

Posted on March 31, 2014 by Silver James

funny-pictures-i-know-those-feels-monday-catWhere did the weekend go? How can it be Monday? Where’s my coffee? Who had fun this weekend? Go on. Don’t be shy. Raise your hands. Yeah…that was pretty much my weekend, too. At least the weather was more springlike. I’m in the middle of contest/judging season. I caught up on some unpubbed entries for a contest. I’m always interested in the range of expertise. The stories were interesting but it’s fairly easy to spot the beginners from the ones who’ve learned the craft. I’m going to read Allison Brennan’s new book, NOTORIOUS, before I get back to the pubbed entries.

Work continues on the proposal for COWGIRL’S SWEETHEART even though I haven’t updated the word count. And speaking of updates, over the next few months, I’ll be revamping this site. Right now, it definitely leans toward the dark side. 😆 I need to lighten up the header on the welcome page and this page (blog). Not sure what I’ll do. The Only and I are tossing some ideas around. Suggestions are welcome.

And now for some total randomness:

Did I mention Game of Thrones starts next week?

I did a Thursday Threads flash fiction word prompt last week for 250 words on BLUE MOON, which is Antoine and DJ’s story. I need to get through the proposal and FAERIE FREE (which might be FAERIE FEUD and/or A VERY FAERIE CHRISTMAS) that’s going in a Christmas anthology.

I’m out of Cafe Du Monde coffee. This necessitates a trip to the Vietnamese grocery store.

Today is opening day. Baseball, people. Baseball! Go Cardinals!!!

How was your weekend? And are you ready for the week?

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Friday Night Cruising

Posted on March 28, 2014 by Silver James

Winter is being a tenacious witch. Mother Nature is bi-polar running cold then hot then cold then…well, you get the idea.

Every time I hear this song, I think about warm weekend nights back when I was in high school and had, rather than a candy-apple red rag top, a lemon-creme yellow one. Of course, I remember cruising the main drag on Christmas night with the top down, heater and 8-track blasting, too.

Anyway, I’m ready to at least pretend warmer weather is on the way so sit back and enjoy a little Friday Night with Eric Paslay.

Anybody have big plans? Little ones? Me? I’m working and reading contest entries. It’s that time of year… 😉

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Universal DNA

Posted on March 27, 2014 by Silver James

universeThe whole family is analysing the Magic Bean Sprout to see who he looks like. Until he’s like 16 or something, he’ll look like everyone. 😆 Needless to say, when the Universe dropped this into the inbox, I couldn’t resist.

A coincidence?

Silver, do you think it’s just a coincidence that you look exactly as you do?

Do you think your height, the color of your eyes, or the sound of your voice were accidents?

Do you think your insights into life, your gifts of perception, or your sense of humor were the result of random genetics?

No. You are exactly as you now are, with every freckle, trait, and charm, because they all added up to how you could make the biggest difference with your life in time and space, while having the most fun.

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

And, Silver, you’re doing it.

Well, that certainly explains things, but how the heck did the Big U know I have freckles?!?

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