Friday Sinema: Christmas Movie

Posted on December 19, 2025 by Silver James

Tis the season and as a fan of Hallmark Christmas movies, this video, when I tumbled across it, made me laugh out loud even as I was nodding along and counting off the tropes. Happy Friday before Christmas. Will you be scurrying around this weekend taking care of last minute shopping or are you the organized type and now you’re relaxing, going to parties, or simply snuggled in with a hot drink and a good book…or a Hallmark Movie?!! Whatever you’re doing, stay warm, stay safe, and have fun.

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Thursday Thoughts: IYKYK**

Posted on December 18, 2025 by Silver James

There are so many internet acronyms out there. I ususally have to look them up to figure out exactly what is meant. Sometimes not even a “definition” really explains the reason. 🙄 Yeah. I’m Old Skool. In fact, I took shorthand and was quite proficient in the skill at one point so I totally get the need to shorten stuff when taking notes. That said, I do have some favorites: WTF (with either a ? or a ! or sometimes multiples of both); FTW (usually with a !); FAFO (needs no punctuation and is a relatively new addition. Thanks, SecWar Pete Hegseth. And then, of course, there’s the one I used in this post’s title. I think you’ll understand as you peruse today’s thoughts from the Universe.

Some things, Silver, you’ll know when you need to know and not a moment earlier.

That’s how it works when the answer you’re looking for depends on other events that must first settle, new players that need to be gathered, and serendipities that are still being calculated.

Silver, sometimes, not even I know until I know.

But you will,
The Universe ©www.tut.com 

P.S. In the meantime, Silver, flow.

If anyone has ever explained what it is like to be a Pantser any better than the Universe just did, I’ve not seen it. For you readers, the writing community tends to divide itself into writing style niches. There are Plotters. There are Pantsers. There are Plantsers and Potters–which are a combo of both styles. Me? I’m a Puzzler but I’m weird. Anyway, writers will get this. I figure the Big U’s message is meant for all of us–writers and readers alike because writing a book is really rather like living life. There are strong parallels that if I waxed philosophically on, this post would totally hit tl;dr territory. FWIW, take today’s message and apply it to yourself. During this busy season, follow the U’s advice–just go with the flow.

**SFW version
SFW: Safe For Work as opposed to NSFW, ie. Not Safe For Work, ie. the graphic version which would be what Sade and/or Hannah would say.
WTF: What The F*ck
FTW: For The Win
FAFO: F*ck Around, Find Out
IYKYK: If You Know, You Know
tl;dr: Too long, didn’t read (which means someone is commenting without actually reading the long version of something
FWIW: For What It’s Worth

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Wednesday Words: Suspicion of Guilt

Posted on December 17, 2025 by Silver James

Ah, mid-week once again. And once again, I have new words to share. I also have an announcemnet: I won the Thursday Threads challenge last week. Yippee. The judge likes my dialogue and the way I capture personalities in both what they say and their expression. I have to admit, I get a boost whenever I win or get an honorable mention. The judges are other writers and we’re pretty tough on each other. Anyway, the prompt is/was: *“You look a bit suspicious there.”* This scene is approximately the middle of the book. Or thereabouts. Sort of. Maybe. The way things are going, the only I’m sure of is it’s not near the beginning. 🙄

****
Sade eyed Caleb. “What are you doing?”

Her werewolf partner offered a smile she automatically cataloged as his nothing to see here, just move along expression.

She knew that look. “You look a bit suspicious there, cowboy.”

“Just reading the file.”

“You’ve already read the file.”

“I’m refreshing my memory.”

She leveled her patented you are so full of shit look on him.

“No, really. There’s something about this case and I’m looking for what we might have missed.”

“Five women have been murdered. We’ve picked the files apart. I don’t think we’ve missed anything.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’ve heard of looking at the facts from all angles but since when did you start reading upside down?”

Caleb turned shifty eyed and he wouldn’t quite meet her gaze. Before she could press him harder, the clearing of a very familiar throat had her whirling.

“Am I interrupting anything important?”

Tall, dark and vampire smiled at her and she barely resisted the urge to punch him in the nose.

She glowered at him before turning her ire on her partner. “Really? You called Sinjen?”

Caleb opened his mouth to speak but Sinjen beat him to a response. “Actually, love, I called Caleb. Since you were dodging my calls, I became concerned.”

“I wasn’t dodging.” That was only a little lie. “Not exactly. We’ve got five dead girls, Sinjen.”

“Yes. Seems we’ve come full circle since we met under similar circumstances.”

“Yeah, but you weren’t guilty. Ariel might be.”
****

Sinjen starts out not with Sade on scene in this one and yet he’s there in later scenes. I had no clue how I was going to get him to Rochester. And then, 💡! Sometimes my brain is working even when that’s not apparent to me. Which is a good thing. Anyway. Writers, take the prompt and write. Readers, what guilty pleasure have you indulged in lately?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Posted on December 16, 2025 by Silver James

Are you looking for something a little different but soooo easy and full of down-home yummy goodness for this holiday season? Or for any time during the year when you want something sweet and mouth-watering with a bit of crunch? Only tagged me on FB with this recipe 10 YEARS AGO! Wowser, time flies. It popped up in a “memories reminder” last week and bingo! I knew I had to share with y’all. Also, bonus video to help you make this treat. And you can read while it’s baking. Just sayin’…

Pecan Pie Bread Pudding

Ingredients:
1 (16 oz) loaf day old crusty bread, cubed (alternatively, if your bread is fresh, cube it and lightly toast in a 350 F oven for 15-20 minutes- this helps the bread cubes absorb more of the custard mixture without getting too soggy)
4 eggs, lightly beaten
2 cups milk
1 1/2 cups half & half
½ cup salted butter
1 ½ cups packed brown sugar
¼ cup corn syrup
2 cups pecans halves
1 Tablespoon vanilla
⅛ teaspoon table salt

Instructions:
1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees F.

2. Put the bread cubes in a large bowl.

3. In a separate bowl, beat eggs, milk and half & half together. Pour over the bread and allow to soak 5 to 10 minutes. Pour bread pudding into a 9×13 greased pan.

4. In a small saucepan, melt the butter and mix with the brown sugar, corn syrup and pecans. Stir in the vanilla and salt. When the sugar has all melted and the mixture is syrupy, about five minutes, pour it into the pan of bread pudding and mix.

5. Cover the pan with foil and bake at 350 F 45 to 55 minutes, uncovering the pan after 30 minutes so the top will brown.

I should admint that two of my favorite desserts are bread pudding and pecan pie so this one is a complete no-brainer for me. When I make bread pudding, I use my grandmother’s recipe. We’re talking antique heirloom recipe here. But add in the pecans and pie flavorings? Yum! I chose to feature the PENUMBRA PAPERS series because bread pudding seems like a Southern thing and New Orleans has fabulous bread pudding in its restaurants. Like me, Sade is drawn to NOLA. Plus, being stuck in the Penumbra world at the moment… Anyway, go buy a book for someone for Christmas. Mine, or someone elses. Click on the pic with the covers or the series link above. A new tab will magically open, you can find your book of choice and then your on-line bookstore of choice.

And FYI, it’s pah-CAHN not PEE-can. 😉

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The Monday before Monday

Posted on December 15, 2025 by Silver James

Hello, Monday. Only one more of you before Christmas. I don’t waznt to think about it. I haven’t been this far behind on the holidays since…well…it’s either been awhile or it’s been never. Oh, I’ve pushed things off to the last minute for reasons but I’ve never just thrown up my hands and said, “Uncle!” And yes, I will put down my coffee mug before doing so. I’m not total idiot.

I did stuff last week. It involved peopling. And lots of coffee once I got home. The good news is, the vampire at my doc’s practice was all kinds of awesome. Jake and I went while LG and Toby stayed home. Jake was, of course, a perfect gentlman and enjoyed his pets. Blood draw was quick and painless. My results all came back either good or excellent but for a couple of things. I figure Dr. Y and I will be discussing them tomorrow during my check up.

I’m trying to cook more these days rather than relying on quick, microwave-ready meals. It’s hard being creative and the same ol’ standbys get boring. I tried a Reuben casserole that was pretty tasty–toashed rye bread cubes, Swiss cheese, thin sliced corned beef from the deli, sauerkraut and 1000 Island dressing. I made chili. We had the leftover on tamales–bought not made. I can’t make tamales for love nor money, but many locals can do and sell them. Yay. Spaghetti. Yes. Cold weather food. I made beef stew yesterday, with cornbread. It was good.

I wrote a little. I fiddled a little. I found a chapter title and a song for it. I rearranged some scenes. I feel bad for Ariel. My total heart isn’t in this book and it’s not like any other character is screaming for me to write their book. I’m over 30K words into this one so I’ll keep chugging along. Hopefully, something witll happen that either inspires me or gives me a boot up my arse.

I listened to an anthology of shorts stories and novellas written by Anne Bishop across all of her worlds and some standalones. It’s an adventure. And not for the faint of heart. There are some very dark tales in the colleciton. A little humor. Odd bits and pieces. I would not necessarily recommend it as an introduction to Bishop’s works. I have no clue what I’ll listen to next. I have a Kristen Painter book queued. up and while I love Kristen’s whimsey, I’m not sure the headspace is in the right place. I’ll stare at my wish list and library and find something to occupy me.

Didn’t make soccer this weekend. Too cold for old bones and LG was under the weather. His team won their first game then lost to the #1 team in the league 0-1. Sunday’s game was thankfully canceled because the temps nver got above freezing. Brrrr. We did attend Stormy’s Christmas program at his school. Both dogs accompanied us and they were good. Well, Toby was mostly good. Jake kept a little-bitty entertained so her mom could watch her big brother’s part in the musical. Stormy was in the chorus. It was a cute show. The best part was the littles. They opened the show with some Christmas songs and the highlight was them singing and signing in ASL, “Silent Night.” I wish schools would teach all kids some ASL. Anyway…

I’ve sold FOUR books this month. That’s almost $10.00. Yippee.

And on that note, I need to start laundry and refill coffee. I have to people again this week–doctor tomorrow.

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Friday Sinema: Ancient Star Trek History

Posted on December 12, 2025 by Silver James

I blame this on on B.E. but stilll… I laughed. I sang along. I had a sudden craving for mead! Enjoy and have a good weekend. And yes, we are almost to Christmas and no, I’m still not ready so hush! 😆

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Talk

Posted on December 11, 2025 by Silver James

We are coming to the end of the year. As I tend to do, I reminisce ove the past year and wonder where time went. In past years, it’s been a satisfying exercise as I considered the books I’d written and published. Then I got sick. The back-to-back major surgeries and the extended hospital stays really sucked all the wind out of my sails. This particular message from the Universe has been tucked back in my files for awhile now and it popped up when I was looking for something to post for today.

Believing you can, you can. Though you might not.

Believing you can’t won’t change that you can. It just hides it.

Whereas simply getting started, however timid your first steps are, Silver, and consistently moving in the direction of your dreams day after day, will eventually create such unstoppable momentum, you’ll find it nearly impossible to believe that there was ever a time when you wavered.

Let’s give them something to talk about –
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Besides your cooking, Silver.

Seeing is believing. Doing is believing. Belieiving is believing. I need to stop talking about what I should be doing and just do it. Then we’d all have something to talk about besides my cooking. So, let’s do this. Who’s with me?

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Wednesday Words: I Scream, You Scream

Posted on December 10, 2025 by Silver James

Another week, another batch of words and a prompt for stymied writers. Like me. Every day, I wake up, do the morning chores then come in here to my writer’s cave, sit at my desk, wake up the computer, and…check email. Surf social media. Watch the morning news and “The Price is Right.” True story. I always bid on the final showcases just because. Yesterday. I was 2 dollars off! The actual price was $33,408. My bid? $33,410. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But I digress. Writing. New words. I have some from last week’s Thursday Threads of which the prompt was: “She screamed anway.” It’s not my finished snippet but it’s sorta fun.

****
The hotel’s dining room was mostly empty. Their waitress had moved off after refilling their coffee cups.

Druic chewed and swallowed the last bite of his omelet. “Then what happened, Ariel?”

“She screamed anyway.”

“Is that a punch line?”

Ariel offered the dragon a scathing look. “This is not a joke, Nikos.”

“So what was hiding in the dark?” Druic broke in before the older Magicks could get into another argument.

The youngster did his best to look brave but Ariel noticed the white-knuckled grip with which he held his coffee mug. He didn’t blame the kid. Traipsing through the dark tunnels beneath the library unnerved him as well. Taking moment to consider, because he certainly didn’t like his initial thoughts, Ariel sipped from his cup. He eyed Nikos. “It was none of your kin.” His tone made the comment a statement rather than a question.

Nikos nodded agreeably. “My kind prefer warmer, dryer weather and lairs.

Ariel hated the conclusions he’d drawn and the idea of notifying Oberon and Titania left him nauseous. “The magic here tastes of the Wild.”

Druic’s eyes widened until the whites glowed all the way around his irises. “That can’t be. King Oberon banned the Hunt after the Veil ripped.”

Nodding in agreement, Ariel continued. “He did but there is still a realm where the Wild Hunt rides.”

The kid’s face drained of color and he stammered. “B-but the Shadows are locked inside the Dark Court.”

“I think they found a way out.”
****

Cue the dramatic music… There it is. Writers, have fun with the prompt should you so desire. Readers, have you ever screamed at a movie? I don’t think most of us would actually scream while reading a book. Normally, books don’t have scary “jump outs.” The scares in books sneak up on us but we mostly see them coming, right?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Blueberry Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Posted on December 9, 2025 by Silver James

Looking for something quick and easy to whip up for a Christmas brunch? Breakfast casseroles are a brunch-time favorite for years, but they often require a considerable time investment. Blueberry Croissant Casserole makes things easy peasy, needing only 45 minutes to make so you can set it on the table without the wait. The speediness doesn’t mean less flavor either, with fluffy, buttery croissant pieces soaked in a creamy, tangy vanilla sauce and filled with tart, bursting blueberries. Even better, you can make it the night before and just pop it in the oven when it’s time. This casserole tastes like Christmas morning… not a bad way to enjoy the morning!

Blueberry Croissant Breakfast Casserole

Prep Time: 25 min
BakeTime: 35-40 min
Total Time: 1 hr plus
Yield: 8 servings

Ingredients

  • 1 (10-13-ounce) package croissants chopped
  • 2 cups fresh blueberries
  • 2 (8-ounce) packages cream cheese softened
  • 1 1/3 cups sugar
  • 4 eggs
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla
  • 2 cups milk
Directions
  • Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
  • Lightly spray a 9×13-inch pan with cooking spray.
  • Place the croissant pieces in the prepared pan.
  • Sprinkle the croissant pieces with the blueberries.
  • Beat the cream cheese, the sugar, the eggs, and the vanilla together in a medium bowl with an electric mixer until well-blended.
  • Add the milk to the cream cheese mixture and mix until combined.
  • Pour the cream cheese mixture evenly over the croissant pieces.
  • Let the casserole stand for at least 20 minutes or cover and refrigerate overnight.
  • Bake until set in the center, about 35-40 minutes.
  • Serve warm.

We all know FBI Agent Sade Marquis doesn’t cook, bake, make or otherwise spend much time in the kitchen. That’s okay. It doesn’t bother her. She just likes good food and agrees that this sounds all kinds of yummy and between the croissants–a favorite when she’s in Paris–and the blueberries–which always remind her of Scotland for some weird reason, she thinks it would make an appropriate meal or snack for anyone wanting to read about her adventures in those two places. So, if you haven’t read GHOSTS AND THE ANCIENT STONES, you should totally make this casserole, then take a break and buy the book–or reread it! She insists this is an awesome way to enjoy the holiday season. Just click on a pic or the title to head over to Books2Read to find the online retailer you prefer.

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How Many Days Monday?!?!!

Posted on December 8, 2025 by Silver James

Seventeen days. Yes, you read that right. It is 17 days until Christmas. No, I’m not ready. No, I haven’t put up a tree (and I may not for…reasons). No, I haven’t done any shopping. I’m still waiting for Christmas lists. Will I be ready by Christmas?

Maybe.

Or not. 🙄

In other news, I did get the front door wreath switched from Thanksgiving to Christmas. The dinning room and kitchen tables have Christmas tablecloths. The dining room table has a centerpiece and appropriate candles. At some point this week–if it warms up enough–I’ll get the evergreen swags with lights up on the porch. It’s been not only cold but damp and the combo plays havoc with my old bones.

Also, I’m not being a grinch re: the tree. There are two reasons for possibly not putting it up. 1) in the current configuration, the family room does not have space for a tree. 2) PITA Pup. I highly suspect that he would have a field day with the big green tree. I am considering pulling the cactus “tree” out of retirement. But then we have the problem of packages. Yes, I know he won’t learn without exposure but ast the same time, I do NOT want to lose presents plus the time and expense of rewrapping. We don’t know where Christmas will be this year. Once that is determined, we’ll decide a course of action. I should mention that Santa collection remains on year-round display in the dining room.

Siren test was canceled due to cold weather. Soccer was not but LG and I opted to stay in. Sitting in a wind chill of 15 for over an hour, even if wrapped in a blanket is not my idea of staying healthy. Luckily, the Kids get it and understand. Stormy played well so there’s that.

I did a little writing but more time was spent on rearranging already written chapters because the time line keeps getting mucked up. Dang book. I shouldn’t be surprised. SEASON OF THE WITCH took me almost 3 years to write. I was writing other stuff during that period so there’s that. I’m not at the moment though I’ve considered it. Sadly, nothing else has caught my or Iffy’s attention. Yeah, writer’s apathy sucks.

I’m on the last book of The Others series. This makes me a little sad because I have no real clue what I’ll listen to next. On that note, I need more coffee. Anybody do anything fun this weekend? Anything awesome–or not (I’m good at commiserating too)–in your lives?

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