Thursday Thoughts: Universal HEA

Posted on October 3, 2024 by Silver James

Sometimes, when I least expect it, the Universe drops something perfect into my inbox. As y’all know, I try to share my thoughts and experiences with writing at least on Thursdays. It’s become sort of my “craft” day. Not everyone who hangs out here is a writer. In fact, only a few but that’s okay. I’ve been told that even readers enjoy the occasional insight into the whole mysterious “black box” thing call creative writing. I’m not sure about a black box but it definitely can be a black hole. 🤣

Anyway, I get a message from the Big U every day. Some hit home. Some are hrmm moments. And some are light bulbs. I was asked in a workshop I was leading what’s the magic formula for writing romance. Well, I need to tattoo the Universe’s response on my forehead or something because in It’s roundabout and mystical way, here’s the answer:

Would you ever take a journey, Silver, if you knew ahead of time that you’d become hopelessly lost, have your heart broken into pieces, and sometimes wish you’d never been born?

Now, how about if you knew ahead of time that on that very same journey you’d later find yourself, fall passionately in love, and live happily ever after?

Yeah, I know, you made the same choice a long, long time ago.

Que bueno,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Silver, it’s all downhill from here (in a good way!!!).

</blockquote

This feels like a mic drop moment. 🙄 There you have it. A romance novel is the journey two people take where they get hopelessly lost, have one or both of their hearts broken, where they wish they (or the other person) had never been born and then they fall passionately in love and live happily ever after. See? Easy peasy. That’s the formula. The hard part is BICHOK (Butt In Chair, Hands On Keyboard) until all the words spill out so that the story is detailed, nuanced, exciting, compelling, enjoyable, and…well, yeah. All that. Writing fiction is not easy nor is it for the faint of heart but when you type The End and finally–after hard edits and revisions–pull the trigger on publishing, it’s a marvelous feeling. I’m close to finding that joy once again. What’s your joy today?

Posted in Craft, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Wednesday Words: Challenges

Posted on October 2, 2024 by Silver James

Wednesday and time for a word salad. I was right when I guessed the Thursday Threads prompt for last week. It was, indeed, *”Challenge accepted.”* Sadly, I did not win, place or show in the TT challenge, even though I accepted it. 😉 I also sort of broke my rules because I continued the original scene and added to it. I don’t feel bad because this is a future WIP so it makes sense to carry on, right? Yeah, that’s my story and I’m sticking to it. I’m just glad there are non-related words to the current WIP because…yeah…I don’t need no more stinkin’ edits/revisions! 😝 Anyway, let’s get to the words as there’s no real set up other than two “strangers” in a restaurant in Brighton Beach…

****
Dima had watched the woman be seated. He’d seen her around, plying her trade along the boardwalk near the beach. He’d let her squirm for a time before sauntering over and sitting at her table. Were her words a threat or a warning? He did have plans for later, plans no one but Mikhail knew about. His next words shocked her.

“Challenge accepted.”

Eyes wide, she opened her mouth to speak. Didn’t. She had to wet her lips and swallow before any words came out.

“You can’t.”

He wrinkled his nose at the faint traces of ammonia wafting from her. She was afraid. Again, he had questions. Was it of him or for him? “I can do what I want.”

“No,” she insisted.

“Why not?”

She wet her lips again and ran her tongue over her top teeth. “Because I don’t want you to die.”

“I do not plan on dying tonight.”

“But you will.” She remained stubbornly insistent. “The signs are all there.”

“You said someone paid you to read the cards.”

Shaking her head, she took a nervous breath. “No. I said someone came to ask about you. I didn’t—don’t know you so I read the cards.”

“While this person was there?”

“No. After.”

“Who?”

“I don’t know her.”

A chill settled in his spine. “She is of no consequence.” And she wasn’t. Mikhail would ask Dima to settle that account in the future. Not tonight. His wolf stirred, interested. Tonight there was other prey, including her.
****

There it is. Writers, will you accept the challenge? Readers (and writers), would you want your Tarot cards read by a girl named Gypsy? In the meantime, quick update on the Irish Wolves. I’m currently on Chapter 31, so well over halfway, and standing at about 83K+ words. Upward and onward!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Tuesday Tidbits: Nuts

Posted on October 1, 2024 by Silver James

I got nuttin’, honey. *F*B doesn’t like me these days. Twice now, in less than a week, the posts that have popped over to that other place for YEARS have been deemed unacceptable. That’s fine. I’m just over here eating my ice cream. 😁

Did you see what I did there? I managed to work food into today’s post.

In between edits, I’ve been staring at the page where I’ve copy and pasted quotes to maybe use in memes about the new book. Sadly, at the top of that page is The Blurb. *shudder* I hates the blurb. It must be written before all is said and done. Psst I am NOT the only author who feels this way. 😝

Question of the Day: Why is common sense so uncommon these days?

Next question, should I have saved the above for a future Friday Free-For-All?

Let’s see if Asimov’s 3 Laws of Robotics finally works with pesky “calculas formulas.” There’s a reason I strongly disliked calculas way back in the way back. Just sayin’…

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Monday the Last

Posted on September 30, 2024 by Silver James

Edit: I have Edit Brain! I forgot to set the publish time when I set the blog up yesterday. My bad. In other news…

Where did the weekend go? Oh, yeah…edits. Derp. I could pretty much end this post right here because my Monday posts are round-ups and follow ups of the past week and weekend with a peek at the week ahead. Welp, I edited this weekend. Pretty much excusively. More on that in a bit because I do need to provide some content to exercise my blogging chops.

Sports. Yeah…let’s not go there. My Cards finished the season above .500 but that’s about it. They’re missing the post season for a second straight year. This winter should bring some interesting changes. My OSU Cowboys also punked out up at Kansas State. They’ve lost two in a row. Yes, I haz a big sad. At least OU beat Auburn.

I haven’t done much reading or listening. Well, I’ve done a BUNCH of reading but of my own manuscript. LOL I started listening to a book that dropped on my wait list with the library. It hasn’t grabbed my attention, sadly. I’m about 9% into the book but haven’t listented in two days. I’ll probably return it because I think there are still people on the waiting list. It’s not a bad book and has a very interesting premise, just…not right now. I guess. I hate the book doldrums. Anybody reading something that’s grabbed their attention to the point they can’t put it down?

In writing news, progress on edits! I’m closing in on the half-way point and still no major issues. I’ve found a few small things that needed fixing–like ages, time of year, a plot twist I needed to “delete” until it’s revealed later. This is good. Of course, I’m still on the part that was written before I got sick and has already been heavily edited. That may change once I hit the new stuff but 🤞🏼.

I actually made “real” food for dinner last week–several times. We had Only Chicken (named for Only because it was a favorite of hers growing up), buffalo parmesan chicken strips, chili, and breakfast–pancakes, egs and bacon/sausage. I’m ready for cool weather because the real food I like to cook are more like spaghetti, ravioli lasagna, shepherd’s pie, beef stew… You know, comfort food. Why do we not need comfort food in the summer? Or am I the only one who considers cool/cold weather food more comforting? 🙄

Looking ahead, I have a six-month follow-up with my opthamaologist (eye surgeion). He opened his own private practice over the summer and it wasn’t fully up and running until early September. I was supposed to see him in July, a week after he left the big clinic. Anyway, it’ll be fun to see him again. He’s been “in the family” since Only had her car wreck in college and became his patient. I’ll continue editing betwixt and between some stuff I should get done in the yard. Big Trash Pick-up starts today and it’s our side of town’s turn to be first. LG worked like crazy over the weekend and got the bulk of it done but theres some little stuff I can get out there and do so he can rest a bit. Sucks to be old, y’all. Just sayin’.

On that note, I need to get back to the book. I can maybe get another chapter or two done before we head out for doctor time. I am so ready to get this puppy finished and released out into the wild. I do have to tell a funny on myself. I work in Scrivener, which is a writer’s program, for the first and “final” drafts. As I edit that last pass-thru, I copy and paste each finished chapter into a Word document. This makes for easier sharing with beta and proofreaders. That part isn’t funny. This is: It’d been so long since I had Word open and it had updated a couple of times, I had to relearn Word. That took me a day+. 🙄 Hey, I’m old and set in my ways. If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it. New-fangled ain’t always betters. Just sayin’… Anyway, I did laugh at myself because I was like ready for wine by the time I got it all figured out.

Have a great week. Anybody do anything cool over the weekend? Got cool stuff going on this week? Procrastinating minds want to know!

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Friday Sinema: Who Let the Dogs Out

Posted on September 27, 2024 by Silver James

It’s Friday. Yay. I’m deep in reread/edit/fix-on-the-fly mode. I’m thinking I’mma just gonna leave the title as Moonstruck Mafia: Boston. I have the cover picked out. It needs lettering and hopefully, that’ll get done soon. I have some quotes for marketing but will need pictures. For now, though, I just wanted a laugh and this guy always makes me. Laugh. He certainly knows his breeds! What’s makingy you laugh today?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , | 4 Comments

Thursday Thoughts: Universal Start to Finish

Posted on September 26, 2024 by Silver James

Wow. I had to go back a ways in my file to find this one. I’d tucked it back because I knew at some point that it would make sense. Well, not that it doesn’t actually make sense on its face because it does. I mean for it to make sense and apply to where I happen to be in the writing process. Considering the past year, now is the time. As you know, I typed THE END on Tuesday afternoon. Jake and I went to Starbucks to celebrate with a mocha frappucino and chocolate croissant for me and a Big Dog™ Pup Cup for Jake. I took most of yesterday off from the computer and today starts the editing and revision portion of the program. Looking back from when I started this book and all the intervening situations, I’m just thankful I’m to this point. And as usual, the Universe has thoughts on the matter.

Start it; you don’t have to be fancy.

Keep moving; you don’t have to go crazy.

Visualize; you don’t have to admit it.

See the end result; it doesn’t have to be material.

Expect miracles; they don’t have to be huge.

Pretend you’ve arrived; you don’t have to dance on tables.

And above all else, Silver, have fun.

This is why you started it, right?

Life, what a trip –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

Okay, okay, Silver, they can be huge and you can dance anywhere you like… but you might rethink the tutu.

So I started. And stopped. And started again. I kept moving and yeah, ended up going more than a little crazy. I admit that maybe visualized a bit too much but I got a heckava story out of it. Maybe. Hopefully. The end result came to 157K words–more or less. If people buy and read this book, it’ll be a miracle! (LOL) I’ll dance on the table (or at least the floor) once I hit PUBLISH. That’ll be awhile yet. First edits, then betas, then revisions and proofreading and the technical side of getting it uploaded to the on-line bookstores. And yeah, deep down–despite all my gritching–this was a fun one to write. And yeah again, because that IS the reason I started it.  Luckily, I no longer own a tutu but once upon a time, I looked pretty darn cute in one. What about y’all? Anything in your life you want to put on a tutu and dance on a table to celebrate?

Posted in Craft, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Wednesday Words: Signpost

Posted on September 25, 2024 by Silver James

We are on the back side of September and sliding into October.Time marches on. Whoopee. I’m going to digress for a moment. Way back in the way back, I kept doing these random Thursday Threads flash fiction scenes. They started to follow a pattern, of sorts, and from that developed the idea of a trilogy of series about mob Wolves. This was partly spurred on by the Russian, of Nightrider fame. Yes, he has a brother in the Russian mob. So, I had Irish mobster, Russian mobsters, and Italian mobsters. Boston. New York City. Chicago. The Irish Wolves pushed to the forefront and took over so I decided to start their series. Only it turned out they wanted their stories all joined together in one honkin’-big book. Anyway, for last week’s Thursday Threads challenge, I was so close to the end of MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON (working title) that I wrote random words for last week. With one of the Russian characters. Here’s the prompt: *”I looked at the signs.”* I can’t fill you in because…totally random, yet it still tells a story, which is what flash fiction is all about. When will the Russians get their book? No clue. Right now, I’m only thinking about getting these Irish rogues out into the wild. In the meantime, here:

****
She wasn’t sure why she’d come. She didn’t belong here, wasn’t comfortable, especially since Dimitri was here. If she’d known, she wouldn’t have stayed. Yet…

Yeah, she thought. That’s a lie. She’d come to the restaurant in Brighton Beach with the express purpose of finding him. The hair on the back of her neck prickled as the hostess led her to a table. She didn’t have to look to know that Dimitri had eyes on her.

She sat, opened a menu, waited. It took five minutes before he slid into the chair opposite her. She prayed he couldn’t hear the rapid beat of her heart.

“Why are you here?”

She held up the menu. “Dinner?”

“You are asking or stating?”

Laying the menu on the table, she inhaled deeply to settle her nerves and to fortify them. “I…uhm…” She breathed again. “Okay. It’s like this. I have this…hobby.”

Dima smirked. “You are called Gypsy for a reason. Why are you here, Gypsy girl?”

“Someone came to me and asked about you. I looked at—”

“The signs are all there,” he interrupted.

Wide-eyed, she stared at him. He believed in signs? She’d expected him to dismiss her theories because they came from her reading of the Tarot cards. No one ever believed her when she tried to explain what she’d read there.

“Then you know?” she asked.

“Know what?”

“Whatever you plan to do tonight, you can’t do it. Not and live.”

His smile chilled her. “Challenge accepted.”
****

There it is. I have no clue who Gypsy is, and that is not her name, just what she’s called. I have no clue what Dima is up to (Dima being the “familiar” of Dimitri). Only the cards will tell the tale, I guess. Psst. I am kinda excited to have a character who’s into Tarot. Okay, back to work for me. The challenge I’ve accepted today is picking a title. What challenge will you accept today?

Added note: I’m the Week 637 winner of Thursday Threads! Which was last week’s! Woot. 🥳 I’ve now won 71 times. Wow! It’ll be interesting to see what prompt is chosen for tomorrow!

Additional added note: Yes, I typed The End yesterday afternoon. Prologue, 54 chapters, Epilogue, and approximately 157K words. That’s the equivalent of 3 of my regular books. Today, I’m staying away from the computer except to answer emails and occasionally respond to social media. Tomorrow, the very tedious task of editing and revising starts. Oh boy. Fun times. Maybe.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 6 Comments

Tuesday Treats and Titles: Tidbits Part II

Posted on September 24, 2024 by Silver James

This is short. Why is this short?

👈🏼 *points to meme*

Shhh. 🤫

Don’t tell but I think I’m sneaking up on those two little words, and not the four-letter words that so often pepper my speech these days because this mudderfracking behemoth is driving me insane. Today might just put me over the edge. So, no food. Just lots of coffee. Oh, and a question. The working title is MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON. Would you consider taking a look at the blurb and/or the book with that title? Anybody got any ideas for a better title? I’m all ears. Or will be when I finish typing…Sin deireadh an scéil.

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , | 2 Comments

Falling into Monday

Posted on September 23, 2024 by Silver James

Fall arrived yesterday. At least according to the calendar. Lots of places are still in the firm grip of Summer. Dang but she’s dug in her claws. However, there’s a bit of a reprieve here. A front came through yesterday which brought clouds and very much needed rain, along with cooler temps. We hit the mid-70s and then by late afternoon, we were in the 60s. Woot! I’m a happy camper to have both. Not that I’m actually camping or anything.

Saturday was a bust. My Cowboys lost to Utah and OU lost to Tennessee. Decent games but bummers. Still, there was some karma involved with the OU game. The head Tennessee coach is a former OU quarterback, the last to win a national championship and a Heisman Trophy winner. He coached at OU after graduation before being “let go.” He went on to bigger and better things, obviously. Anyway, Josh is a local boy done good so yay on him.

This book is drivin’ me crazy! I’m just over 155K words and working on Chapter 53. The action is pretty fast and furious–at least I hope it is! I really thought I might be able to announce that I’d hit The End today. Yeah…not happening. Iffy keeps throwing in things. Friday, it was an arson fire. Saturday, it was a cameo from a character in a previous (and until now, unrelated) book. The transition scenes are coming together. There really isn’t much left but what is hanging out there is important. I’m still at it. Oh, and yeah, today’s pic might be Ronan. Or not. shifty-eyes-ani2faster

In reading news, I finished off Suzanne Wright’s Olympus Pride series. I caught a hint of who the couple for the next installment might be. I’ve started Vivian Shaw’s STRANGE PRACTICE, the first book in a fantasy series featuring Dr. Greta VanHelsing, doctor to Londan’s supernatural population. I’ve heard good things about it and after listening to the sample, I decided to put a hold on it at the library. It dropped into my “basket” yesterday. 🤞🏼 crossed its as good as word-of-mouth says.

In TV news, the new season starts in a couple of weeks though some shows are getting early previews and/or starts. “Matlock” aired last night. I got all the inside jokes and laughed. On one hand, I’m wondering if and/or how long it might keep my attention, which, if it really doesn’t have a 2nd episode until sometime in October–and it doesn’t, I may lose interest. Yeah, short attention span. On the other hand, the ending? Oooh. Twisties! Yeah, there is something about a woman of a certain age. They certainly never do see us coming…*bwahaha*

In housekeeping news, I have a spiffy new magic coffee maker. And it came free! I somehow got on a list with Hamilton Beach and periodically get emails offering me free merchandise in exchange for testing and reviewing. I got lucky and snagged a multi-function coffee maker. I can make a pot or individual with either K-cups or a single serve of loose grounds. I can also set up for automatic timer coffee. And cold brew. But I haven’t figured that out yet. I really do need to take time to reread those particular instructions. It’ll get 5 stars from me!

With the advent of cooler weather, I made chili last night. It’s been a loooong time–like last year because I didn’t do much cooking after my ER visit in December. It was pretty darn tasty with Fritos and Mexican cheese blend. Yummers! Just hit the spot.

Not much else is going on. I’m back to work because…yeah…I can taste The End and the fact it is eluding me is frustating. So, worky-worky for me. How’s your Monday going?

Posted in Books, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , | 4 Comments

Friday Sinema: Not Lettin’ Go

Posted on September 20, 2024 by Silver James

This is why I miss the amazing Budweiser Clydesdale commercials.Though this series of commercials is edited with different music, which is perfect. All I can say is, TISSUE WARNING!!!! Have a great Friday and enjoy your weekend. ❤

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , | 4 Comments