Monday Roundup and Stuffs

Posted on June 30, 2014 by Silver James

I want coffeeI thought I’d offer a little cute for your Monday. Plus, I ALWAYS want coffee. Weekend stuffs went as planned. COWGIRL’S SWEETHEART currently sits at 49859 words. That’s first/rough draft numbers. Tomorrow begins the editing process. I finished up Sunday afternoon but wanted to step back from the story for a day or two so I can look at it with fresh eyes. Today, I’m out of pocket with a “heart family” funeral and stuffs. Everyone is okay, but the funeral is in another city, then back here for the burial. We adored the gentleman who passed but he was more than reading to take the next journey. His bride of 60+ years was waiting for him.

In other news…

Remember Thursday Thoughts and talk of molehills and mountains? Well, faithful reader and good friend, B.E. took the reins and created a tee shirt. Go forth and order one! Well done, B.E.!

I did a quick reread of DRAGON BOUND as a treat to myself before reading Thea Harrison’s newest release, PIA SAVES THE DAY. I’m sooooo glad I did. One, I’d forgotten how much I enjoyed the first book in her Elder series, and two, the new story echoed nuances from the first and I would have missed them if I hadn’t refreshed my memory. I’ll probably have to add the series to my yearly reread list. Darn it!

Sadly, I sort of wish I’d saved DRAGON BOUND to read as a reward for finishing SWEETHEART. That’s all I wanted to do–dive into a really good book. But nothing jumped right out at me. The next book in Nalini Singh’s Psy-Changling series is still on hold from the library and I didn’t want to jump to the next one. If I’m reading a series, I want to do so in order. I ended up pulling out the anthology SUPERNATURAL. With a story from Larissa Ione, it’s been on my TBR pile for a long time. There’s also a G.A. Aiken dragon story in it. I haven’t read her before. It’ll be interesting if I have to add that series to the pile. 😆

So…what’s next? Edits on SWEETHEART and submission. I should have line edits on COWGIRLS soon. I have no idea when I’ll get the cover but I’m totally curious about what it’ll look like. Once SWEETHEART is submitted, then I’m back to writing for “me.” The question becomes, who do I write about? Those sneaky and very persistent bikers? Or is it time to tell Antoine’s story? I had a light bulb moment about him–and his heroine, Deputy US Marshal DJ Collier–the other day. Which story would y’all like first? No guarantees. It all hinges on Iffy and whichever character yells the loudest.

How was your weekend? Who had fun? Who didn’t? shifty-eyes-ani2faster

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Friday Sinema – Cowgirls

Posted on June 27, 2014 by Silver James

Huh. I may have to start spelling “sinema” correctly since I’m not always doing the sexy bits these days. And I’m late today. Yesterday afternoon ended up being sort of a blur. Writing, reading, errands… And I forgot I hadn’t “preset” a post for today.

Be that as it may, this is the song that was the basis for COWGIRL’S DON’T CRY. Sort of. Because the story doesn’t totally follow the song but the sentiment is there. And besides, it has Brooks and Dunn, along with Reba McIntyre–all Okies. 😀 So enjoy. And happy Friday! Have a great weekend!

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Universal Victories

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Silver James

universe I’ve been known to make a mountain out of a molehill. And tilt at windmills. I’ve tried to slay a dragon or two until Iffy showed up with Nikos in tow. I admit to having a soft spot for the dragon enforcer. I’ve also been known to make things a whole lot harder than they had be. I’m working on that. Which is why when this message from the Universe popped up in my inbox, I wanted to share it. I know several of you do the same thing.

Silver, it’s one kind of victory to slay a beast, move a mountain, and cross a chasm, but it’s another kind altogether to realize that the beast, the mountain, and the chasm were of your own design.

Hubba, hubba –
The Universe

© http://www.tut.com ®

Now, Silver, you can move dem’ mountains or just make ’em disappear… by looking the other way.

I don’t have time to look the other way. I’m too busy moving mountains–or at least climbing them. I’m over the 40K hump on the current WIP. I’ll hit the peak when I can write THE END on the first draft. After that? It’s all a downhill flight on dragonback–no mountains or chasms to deal with. What victory are you celebrating today?

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Wednesday Words – Sing It!

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Silver James

Today, I thought I’d do something different. Music always plays a part in my writing. Those of you familiar with the Penumbra Papers series know that I have a play list for the books. Every book has at least one song that trigger a scene. I don’t just find songs as I listen to the radio. Quite often, I discover them watching TV. They’ll play as background to a scene but the lyrics will be so compelling they suck me in–sometimes to the detriment of the show because I’m madly writing down lyrics in order to track down the song. 😆 So, my words today are some of the lyrics that caught my ear.

From Body of Proof, Emily West’s “Head On”:

Oh silence is a sign
That you’ve got pieces that you hide away.
Even if it’s right
Doesn’t mean it’s safe…

From the season finale of Elementary, NO’s “The Long Haul.”

I hope you got a minute,
Hope you want me in it
For the long haul.
All night long.

We’ll be fine I’m told.
Together we’ll grow old.
So kiss me till the last train leaving
Then stand yourself by me.
We’ll fall until we’re free.

From a CSI NY episode, Josh Groban’s “Happy In My Heartache”:

But I can’t stop loving you.
I don’t know what to do
To keep holding on…

Oh and I, I don’t take it lightly,
The trouble that I’ve gone through, I’ve given you all that I am.
Oh and I, I can’t find a reason to be happy in my heartache
‘Cause I should know better than that.
Oh I’m better than that.

And finally, from Lost Girl (the source of a LOT of songs for me!), Keaton Henson’s “You.”

And yes, that song is the soundtrack for a scene, as yet unwritten, between Sade and Sinjen. What songs are stuck in your heads today?

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Tuesday Tease – In Case You Need a Wolf Fix

Posted on June 24, 2014 by Silver James

Liam McIntire. In wolf pup form. Just sayin’… I’m writing today. What are y’all doing?

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Monday Rewind

Posted on June 23, 2014 by Silver James

funny-pictures-my-official-monday-face How can it be Monday? Oh…yeah. Saturday was a blur and Sunday was a day of snooze. Oops.

Lawyer Guy and I presented the afternoon program for OKRWA. It was a run-through of the panel we’re doing at RWA Nationals in July. We found and are “fixing” some glitches so it should be good to go. I didn’t write but I did a whole lot of brainstorming! I’ve figured out the black moment, some funny stuff, a family intervention or two, and today I’ll be head’s-down-BICHOK writing marathon for the rest of the week. I want the first draft done by Friday. Period. I may be scarce as a result.

As some of you (from Facebook) know, I had a major technological meltdown Friday. A corrupted login .ini on Windows locked me out of my desktop. I’m back in, and mostly up and running. I still can’t access Office or Word. This is bad. I’m working on it. Luckily, my draft writing is all on Scrivener and Dropbox so I can work. Speaking of, you can sign up for a free Dropbox account and back up your files easily! CLICK HERE to get your account. (I get extra space if you do, just sayin’. 🙂 )

TV:

Old season ended. No more Game of Thrones for awhile so I’ll have to look elsewhere for my betrayal/blood-n-guts fix. 😉 Almost Human bit the dust. This makes me have a sad. 😥 Bitten has been renewed and will be back this winter as will Lost Girl. Yay! In the meantime, Longmire and Rizzoli and Isles are back. Penny Dreadful on ShowTime is dark and freaky and I’m not sure whether it will become a favorite yet. True Blood is back for its last season. I stopped after the fae stuff but will watch again, at least on DVR because…last season. And Alcide. *sigh* TNT’s The Last Ship premiered last night. WOW! Intense action, last hope of the world show with hot guys! Can you say inspiration? Iffy can! ❤ SyFy's Dominion started last week. It's DVR'd. Rumor has it there are hot guys there, too. I'll catch up on it soon. And finally, coming in August from TNT, Sean Bean in Legends. He's a very special CIA operative. There's something else out there coming soon and I can't remember at the moment. Ah well.

Reading: Still doing lots and lots of it. I've hit 101 on reads and rereads, though Goodreads says I'm at 98. I'll up my goal soon. I finally got started on Nalini Singh's Psy-Changling series. Oh, yeah. Hot stuff and very interesting worldbuilding. I have a friend who would find the Psy-Net, the NetMind, and the Web of Stars facisnating but he doesn't read romance. I'm starting book 3 and will wend my way through at night after I've exhausted Iffy on SWEETHEART.

So what did y'all do this weekend? What summer shows are on your radar? And what good books have you read?

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Friday Sinema – First Moon Party

Posted on June 20, 2014 by Silver James

Okay. Guys won’t get this one. And it’s not safe for work. But for those of us who were once pre-teens and those of us who have daughters? Yeah, we’ll relate. Warning: This is a commercial from HelloFlo, which offers advice and a “first period kit.” If you are easily offended (if so, what the hell are you doing hanging out here?!?), don’t watch and I’ll see you Monday. Everyone else? Liquids alert.

If you talk to The Only, she’ll swear that her dad and I would have done something like this to her. There’s a reason she didn’t cop an attitude. Very often anyway. 😉

Have a great weekend! Lawyer Guy and I are doing the Laws of Attraction panel for OKRWA. And babysitting Magic Bean Sprout while his parents go to a concert. Who else has fun plans?

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Universal Reality Show

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Silver James

universeI’m not really sure why this little message from the big U caught my eye–other than it made me giggle madly. Oh, and Iffy sat up, grabbed some chocolate wine and said, “Hrmmm….what if…?” If I had the right world built (I don’t), I could see a show like this becoming a part of it. I could see it in…say…Thea Harrison’s Elder Races world. Anyway, I thought it might bring a smile to someone’s face, like it did mine.

When you consistently take the high road, Silver, do the right thing, and see the good in all, the ensuing onslaught of serendipities and coincidences that turn out in your great favor will likely qualify you for your own reality TV show.

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

“Unicorns and Pixie Dust with your charmed host, Silver James!”

I promise not to post a link to the canned unicorn meat on Think Geeks. Just sayin’… 😀

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Wednesday Words – Coffee is Not a Joke

Posted on June 18, 2014 by Silver James

notebook From my intensive bout of reading lately I fear I’ve only come up with two snippets, both of which made me laugh. The books are from series that I’ve read and enjoyed, and truly appreciate the voices of both authors.

“Is this some kind of joke?”
“I have no sense of humor.”
She’d heard that about Raphael. ~Conversation between Lilliana (an angel) and Raphael (the Archangel), Larissa Ione Azagoth: A Demonica Novella (1001 Dark Nights)

I ❤ the Demonica series like damn and whoah though I was like the last person in the world to discover the books. Well…maybe not the last but once I read the first one–which wasn't the first in the series–I had to go back and nom them all! And now I just preorder them. Why fight the addiction, right?

The other series, D.L. McDermott's COLD IRON, is only three books "deep" so far. I was lucky to get hooked early on. The bad news is, now I have to wait for each new story. Her fae are dark and I love that one of them runs the Southie Irish Gang in Boston. That right there was enough to hook me. 😉 Anyway, from the latest book:

They stopped for coffee on the way home because Elada insisted that downing caffeine would help with the iron poisoning.
“I suppose they’ve done studies?” [Sorcha] asked.
“Coffee makes most things better,” he replied. ~~Conversation between Sorcha and Elada D.L. McDermott’s STONE SONG

I really want to make a Meme of that. Because, yes, coffee DOES make most things better, and the things it doesn’t make better? It makes tolerable. *nods*

Any good words this week? Any good books read? I’m currently reading Emma Holly’s TALES OF THE DJINN: THE GUARDIAN. They’re pretty sexy but I like the way she’s built the Djinn world. Personally, though, I prefer a certain someone’s series-in-progress that also features the Djinn. I won’t name any name, B.E. 😉

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Tuesday Treats – Mexican Style

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Silver James

Campbell's Enchiliada Torte Today’s recipe is pretty darn easy and doesn’t heat up the kitchen on hot summer days.

Campbell’s Microwave Enchilada Torte

8 soft taco size flour tortillas
1 lb. ground beef
1 jar chunky salsa
2 tablespoons chili powder
1 can Campbell’s Cheddar Cheese Soup
1 cup shredded Cheddar cheese
Sour cream (optional)

Cook beef in skillet until browned. Pour off fat. Add salsa and chili powder, stir.

Layer 4 tortillas in a 2-quart microwave-safe shallow baking dish. Top with half of the meat mixture and half of the soup. Repeat layers. Top with shredded cheese. Cover with microwave safe wax paper or platic wrap.

Microwave at 70% power for 8 minutes or until hot. Serve with sour cream if desired. Serves 6.

Put together a salad for a side, and maybe some crispy tortilla chips to scoop up the last of the gooey stuff and you’ve got a quick, easy, summer-time dinner.

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