Falling for Monday

Posted on September 21, 2026 by Silver James

It’s almost officiall Fall. Tomorrow. At 7:04 CDT. That’s the Autumnal Equinox. Meteorlogical Fall has already happened, ie, September 1st. Anyway, maybe Mother Nature has gotten the message. We had a small front arrive yesterday and the highs and lows this week are forecast to be more…seasonal. I keep saying this and I really mean it this time–okay every time it comes out of my mouth…and fingertips. I am soooo done with summer.

So, last week sucked. It was hot. Stuff didn’t get done. It seems my whole summer was like that.

That said, I did some stuff. I had an eye check-up, meeting the new associate doctor at the clinic. She’s cool. My regular doc, who owns the clinic offered his condolences re: Jake. Same with his staff. Jake was a favorite there. My pressure is stable in a good range so the glaucoma is still in check for now. Toby was a good boy and got into the car without too much hassle but it took both LG and me to get him into it. Now that we might have seasonal temps, I’ll start working with Toby outside with walks. He needs the discipline. I need the exercise. Hopefully, as the other commands come, “Load” will become seocnd nature.

I was bad. I ordered my Walmart run to be delivered. The weird thing was that there were two meat items one there that were available for in-person shopping and store pick-up but not for delivery. I just didn’t want to deal with going there in person. Just driving anywhere alone in the car feels weird. Anyway, the heat was my excuse and I’m sticking to it.

I did a minimal amount of writing. I really need to just do it. I know y’all are bored with my whining about it.

The squirrel mafia is getting bold. There are now two of them fighting for their turn in the birdfeeder outside the office window. They play chase along the window sill and bounce in and out of the feeder, making it swing wildly. On the other hand, the hummingbirds are busy at the feeder so I’m hoping the cooler temps aren’t temporary.

Stormy had a good match on Saturday even though they lost. The coach even texted his mom to brag on him after the game. Sunday’s game went much better–they won 4-2. I’m hoping to catch him in action now that it’s sort of cooling off. In college football, my Cowboys had a huge game–59-0. The team they beat wasn’t exactly stellar but hey! It’s a win and both the offense and defence were rolling. OU, on the other hand? They won–barely–against an unranked team. Here’s hoping they can figure out all the moving parts before they play Georgia this coming weekend.

In reading news, I’ve fallen into a Charley Davidson marathon. Darynda is a friend and I love her sense of humor–as shared through Charley’s character. It’s been two years and before that, it was like almost 10 since I’d done anything close to a marathon. It’s an interesting world to inhabit for a while and yes, I am still hiding out in other places. Anyway, if you’ve never read the Grim Reaper/Grave/Charley Davidson books, you should. The main series is complete and Darynda has branched out into the next gen, ie. Charley and Reyes’s daughter. I’m hop;ing for a new set of books coming out sooner than later in that arena.

So that’s my news. Anybody got good stuff going on?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 11 Comments

Friday Sinema: Tribute

Posted on September 18, 2026 by Silver James

If I’d seen this last week, it would have been the 9/11 post. I didn’t so I’m sharing it now.

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

Thursday Thoughts: Universal Connect-a-Dot

Posted on September 17, 2026 by Silver James

Summary

Life goes on and it’s time to get back into it. That means–in many ways–that I need to start churning out words. So, today, I’m thinking about writing. And what goes into writing, especially when there is romance involved because…hello! Even in my Urban Fantasies, there is romance. I want everyone to have their Happily Ever After. That said, the HEA should never ever be easy. There has to be ups and downs, miscommunication, missed chances, mischief, mad snits, and make-ups. Okay, enough with the illiteration. But the Universe has a point to make.

Have you stopped to consider that it’s life’s “disconnects,” “almosts,” and “not quites,” Silver, that make life’s “connections,” “gotchas,” and “eurekas” so fantastically romantic?

Good, because they were your idea.

Wild thing,
  The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Silver, you make my heart sing.

Writers, reread that first paragraph from the Big U. It’s a text-book example of what makes a romance novel go round. Yes, it really is that easy. Except when it’s not. You can’t just throw stuff at your characters to see if it sticks. Throw stuff, yes, but be mindful. There should be a reason for all those M words in my first paragraph. And those are not the only situations you can get your characters involved in. The thing is, we need to use a deft touch when heaping on the tension. We need to remember there is internal and exteranl conflict and those things should be balanced. I’m going to add here a caution: If your characters have a miscommunicaiton, don’t drag it out forever. Let them be adults and hash things out rather than depending on that to heighten the tension. That’s an old “chestnut” in romance and most readers are not too fond of the gimmick. Be mindful of what you put your characters through so they react…well…in character. And every event needs a resolution that will eventually lead to that HEA. Heh. I probably should have captioned this Romane 101. Y’all know this, right? So just a reminder.

Okay, now, readers. Y’all are the reason we do this. Y’all make our hearts sing. And the nice thing about the Universe? It speaks to all of us universally. I speak from experience because here lately, my life seems to have had it’s share of “disconnects,” “almosts,” and “not quites.” Now it’s up to me to find the “connections,” “gotchas,” and “eurekas.” Here’s hoping each of you find your moments, too!

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

Wednesday Words: Plan B

Posted on September 16, 2026 by Silver James

There are times when I stare at the monitor and will Ariel’s Damn Book to write itselt. Sadly, The blank page on the monitor just stares back at me, the keys untapped, words therefor not appearing. Last week I managed some words and again, managed to tack them on to an existing scene. Normally, if I win and one of my phrases is used for the Thursday Threads prompt the following week, I attempt to create a new scene. This time, I was able to “repurpose” the phrase and continue with the previous week’s scene. Yay. And while I didn’t win last week, I still wrote new words that expanded a scene that will lead to more things happening in the book. Here’s the prompt to set up the scene: *“Do you have a better idea?”*

****
Titania smirked until she caught a glimpse of Druic. With narrowed eyes, she pointed a long-nailed index finger at him. “Why did you not inform me?”

The young Fae’s gaze immediately dropped to his boots. “M-m-m’lady?”

“Ariel is not here. He is not at court. Why did you not inform me that he is missing?” Her voice cracked like a bullwhip and the boy winced as if he physically felt those words flaying his skin..

“That’s enough, Titania.” Sade stepped between them. “Ariel has been very secretive of late.”

“Watch your tongue, human,” the queen snapped, her tone remaining sharp.

Sade leaned toward her and squared off almost nose-to-nose. “You forget yourself. You are in my realm now.”

The two women stared at each other while the group as a whole maintained a tense silence. It was Titania who broke it. “You need to come with me. It is time to confront Oberon.”

Not wanting to admit that was her Plan B, Sade nodded. “Agreed. I suspect the old bastard’s hands are all over this mess.”

“Sade.” Sinjen drew out her name and his tone held warning.

She glanced at him and repeated the same question she’d asked Caleb. 
“Do you have a better idea?”

“Then I’m coming with you.”

“No!” Sade and Titania both denied that suggestion simultaneously. 

“I can handle this,” Sade asserted.

After a moment’s hesitation, Titania muttered something under her breath.

Sade stared at her, mouth slightly parted in surprise. “What did you say?”

“You heard me.”

“I want everyone to hear you.”

“I said I would guarantee your safe return.” 

“Let’s go.”
****

I get the feeling Oberon is not going to be a happy camper when both Titania and Sade show up and get in his face. I’m actually looking forward to writing that scene but I also know I need to be in the right mood and given Real Life of late, I’m not there. I’m getting closer so…hopefully soon.That said, writers, answer the question if it plays into your story. Readers, anybody got fun plans?

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Tuesday Treats & Titles: On Target Touchdown Casserole

Posted on September 15, 2026 by Silver James

It’s football season again! I’ll admit I haven’t been much of a pro-ball (ie. NFL) fan in recent years though I will occasionally watch a Kansas City Chiefs game. College football? That’s a different story. Anyone who hangs around here much knows I’m a big OSU fan. *Ahem* That would be the REAL OSU–as in Oklahoma State (pistols firing!). NOT Ohio and not Oregon. I’ve also been known to root for OU (go Big Red) unless the Sooners are playing the Cowboys. This past weekend was a mixed bag. OSU beat #6 ranked Oregon on Satruday while OU fell to Michigan. With most games played on Saturday, and pro-games sprinkled through the week, finding a quick, easy and filling dish for game days is a touchdown!

Touchdown Casserole
Prep Time: 30-35 minutes
Bake Time: 25-30 minutes
Total Time: 1 hour
Servings: 6

Ingredients
1 pound ground beef
1 teaspoon granulated sugar
1 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon garlic salt
2 (15-ounce) cans tomato sauce
1 (8-ounce) package of egg noodles
1 cup sour cream
1 (3-ounce) package cream cheese, softened
1 large white onion, diced
1/2 cup sharp cheddar cheese, shredded, plus more to taste

Directions
1 - Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
2 - Grease a 9x13-inch casserole dish with butter.
3 - Place a large skillet over medium-high heat.
4 - Add the ground beef to the skillet, cooking and stirring to break it up, until brown and crumbly, about 5-7 minutes.
5 - Drain the grease from the skillet.
6 - Stir the sugar, the salt, the garlic salt, and the tomato sauce into the browned beef.
7 - Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook for 20 minutes to allow the flavors to blend.
8 - Turn off the heat and let the ground beef mixture cool to room temperature.
9 - Fill a large pot with salted water, and bring it to a boil on the stove-top.
10 - Add the egg noodles to the boiling water and cook, stirring occasionally, until cooked through but still firm, about 5 minutes.
11 - Drain the liquid using a colander.
12 - In a large bowl, combine the sour cream, the cream cheese, and the diced onion.
13 - Arrange 1/2 of the egg noodles into the bottom of the prepared casserole dish.
14 - Cover the egg noodles with 1/2 of the sour cream mixture.
15 - Layer on 1/2 of the ground beef mixture.
16 - Repeat the layering until all the ingredients are used.
17 -Top the casserole with the cheddar cheese.
18 - Bake the casserole until the cheese has browned and melted, about 25-30 minutes.
19 - Serve!

Not all of the members of the Hard Target team are Americans. If you mention football, several of them might start talking about Manchester United instead of the Miami Dolphins. That said, they are learning about American football and starting to apreciate the sport. Since they tend to hang out at Mother Goose’s Bar. Bear, the bartendcer, is also known for his bar snacks and other culinary skills. You can bet he whips up multiple pans of this easy dinner. It’s the one thing on game day that all the guys can agree on and the girls agree. If you want to find out more about the super-secret Black Ops Hard Target team, just click on a pic with covers. Before they were recruited by Mother Goose, some of the team were part of SEAL Team Atlantis. You can read about them in MOON SHOT. How they become Hard Target is told in DOUBLE CROSS. There’s a side story set in Roxanne St. Clair’s Barefoot Bay world, DOUBLE TROUBLE, and then in CROSSFIRE, you see the new team in serious action. Clicking on the pics will take you to Books2Read where you’ll land on the series page and can pick the title you want, follow that link to find the on-line sellter of your choice. And now for your question(s) of the day: College or pro football? Qhich team is yours?

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

Monday Mishmash

Posted on September 14, 2026 by Silver James

Hello, Monday. You’re back. I hope you are in a better mood than you’ve been your past few appearances. Yeah, yeah. I know. It’s not your fault that you have to be the first day. Suck it up, buttercup. That’s what the rest of us have to do.

The hummingbirds have either gotten more active in preparation to migrate or I just happen to look up and catch them at the feeder more often. As hot as it’s been, I’m hoping it’s a sign of migration which means cooler temps coming soon. We’ve set all sorts of really yucky records–high temps, high-low temps, days over 100. Those record low temps that are high? Yeah, they are our normal high temps this time of year. Mother Nature is totally off her meds.

Let’s not talk about writing. I had one semi-productive day. I suck.

The first two weeks of September have not been my favorites. First, having to say goodbye to Jake. I picked up his ashes and brought him home last Wednesday. Friday was 9/11 and the PTSD–as always–kicked in. And it’s too frickin’ hot to do much of anything but sit under the AC.

Why yes, I’m in a whiny mood, why do you ask?

In sports news, Stormy had a game Saturday. Due to heat and Toby not wanting to get in the car, we stayed home while LG went. His team played a higher-ranked team. They were leading 2-0 until the field ref got involved. The game ended up a 2-2 tie. After the game, the side-line ref apologized to the coach. Then the field ref came over and also apologized for calling a lousy game. Whoppee. Didn’t help the kids out any. Stormy played well so that’s what matters. I hate politics in kids’ sports and it happens way more than it should. In other sports news, my Cowboys pulled off an upset, taking down #6 Oregon and beathing them 39-31. They were 21+ point underdogs. We cheered, Toby barked. Fans took down the goalpost and carried it across campus to the Theta Pond where they “dumped” it. Now, OSU being a “techn ical” school, the engineering students were front and center, there were hard hats, there was organization and complete safety. There were even kids IN the pond to ease the post to the surface. Crazy kids. Love ’em.

In reading, I’m still in my Kristen Ashley “happy place.” Her books both irritate and delight me at the same time. I laugh, I growl, I roll my eyes. Her Rock Chick world is a good place to hide when the real world crowds too close for comfort. I’m down to the last two books of her Dream Man/Rock Chick/Dream Team series. I haven’t decided if I’m going to listen to the Chaos books, which is an adjacent series. I’ll see. That said, I’ve gone from being behind in my Goodreads reading challenge to now being 10 books ahead. If I’d quit litening, I might actually work on writing my own book but my head–and heart–just aren’t there. Not right now.

I meant to buy some chocolate chip cookie dough and brownie mix last week to make last weeks Tuesday Treat but I forgot. Maybe I’ll add it to this week’s list. Thing is, I’d probably eat the whole damn pan and I’ve already put on almost 10 pounds from where I want/need to be. So yeah, I probably won’t. I keep saying that I’m going to start taking walks with Toby but when it’s already 80 degress at 7:30 a.m., that’s a big ol’ NOPE! I could really use some fall weather about now.

Headed off this morning for a six-month check-up with my opthamologist. They’re doing the full range of tests–dilation included. That means LG is my designated driver. I’m hoping Toby will “get in the damn car” to go with us. Leaving him home alone leads to small (and sometimes large) disasters. We can close off some of the rooms but not all and he always finds something to tear up that he’s not supposed to. His other training is going well. He just has this stubborn mind-set about getting in the car. He likes to go. He just won’t get in. At 160 lbs. (maybe 155 now since he’s on a diet), we can’t just pick him up and put him in. Anyway.

Those are my whines for the week. What’s up in your world?

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

Friday the 11th

Posted on September 11, 2026 by Silver James

Today is a somber day. No. I’m not watching the ceremony. And it’s for the same reason I stay away from the media on April 19th. I lost friends both days. Instead, I’m taking a page from one of those friends. When asked if he was every worried about how dangerous his job was (FDNY firefighter) he said, “No. Life is what it is and I’m living each day to it’s finest. I’ll do my job and laugh or cry once it’s done and I go home. Personally, I plan on laughing a lot.” Those words came back to me in a dream last night. It was a restless night but I dozed and I heard his voice, reminding me of what he’d told a reporter here in the aftermath of the Murrah. He was part of NY Task Force 1. He was in the midst of the rescue on 9/11 when the towers came down. He didn’t go home. But 26 years later, his words came back to me in a dream so I looked for something that made me laugh and I found this. It’s true and it’s funny and I hope it makes you laugh too. Even if it’s through some tears.

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

Thursday Thoughts: Universal Dreams

Posted on September 10, 2026 by Silver James

I didn’t dream of becoming a writer until I was an adult. I wanted to be a cowgirl, breeding and training horses. I wanted to be an actress then I wanted to be a bureaucrat and work for the government. I wanted to be a cop. I sort of did those things but not in a way that they became a career. Through it all, I told stories to myself. Some of them got written down. I tried a few times to get published because hey, why not? I have some interesting rejection letters. The older I got, the more diverse my various careers became–law and the courts, fire service, police investigations. And along the way, I added becoming a wife and mother. And still, I wrote stories. At one point, LG gave me The Look™️and said, “You need to do this.” So I got serious and becoming a published author became my dream. As usual, the Universe has thoughts.

Having a dream, Silver, is awesome.

Having a dream and showing up for it every day, even when nothing seems to be happening, is priceless.

But having a dream, showing up for it every day, and sauntering, winking, and giving out lots of hugs along the way is when the floodgates begin to tremble.

Hugs,
  The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Saunter, Silver, is not to be confused with sashay, prance, or trot… although each will work wonders in their own special way.

Some fifty books later–not including those books that will never be published–I’ve mostly achieved my dream that wasn’t a dream. At the same time, dreaming is very much a part of my process. I get an idea and then daydream, developing the idea into a plot, a place, and the people. At that point, I saunter, sashay, prance, trot, drag my feet and am often confused until I get to the end. And the funny thing about dreams? They happen in Real Life too. What are you dreaming about today?

Posted in Craft, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Wednesday Words: Plan A

Posted on September 9, 2026 by Silver James

It’s a new week with me back on track when it comes to posting. I am happy to report that one of the few good things that happened to me last week was winning the Thursday Threads challenge. That means that I added 250 words to Ariel’s Damn Book. One of these days, I should share the massive list of possible titles. None of them are quite right and I keep looking for others. And I’m off topic. It’s Wednesday. Therefore there should be a prompt, which is: *“You sure this is going to work?”* This scene happens somewhere in the great sagging middle of the book. Hopefully, it will all be tight and firm by the time it’s finished. In the meantime…

****
 Sade wasn’t paid enough to herd this group of cats. She could depend on Caleb, her Werewolf partner. The plan she’d laid out happened in daylight so Sinjen was out of the equation. Sidelining the Vampire might be a misstep but she had reasons. The humans, Aisling and Carla, looked skeptical. She still hadn’t figured out the shy librarian’s role in this case, but she needed Carla’s witchy skills and the witch insisted Aisling’s knowledge would come in handy. Then there was the frickin’ Dragon. Nikos was always a wild card.

“You sure this is going to work?” Caleb looked askance at Sade.

“Do you have a better idea?” she shot back.

The Werewolf started to speak, then closed his mouth with a shake of his head.

Nikos added his two cents. “I vote we just let the Fae handle their own problems.” He shrugged off their glares. “They’re Fae. They fight. They always have. They always will.”

Druic took offense. “And your kind have always sought peace?” He snorted and turned away from Nikos to focus on Sade. “Ariel should be here.”

“But he’s not.” She eyed the youngster. “Do you know where he is?”

He shook his head. “No. And I will admit it worries me.”

It worried Sade too. “Did he get called back to court?”

“No.” Titania, the Seelie Queen, appeared from thin air.

Sade banged her head against the wall, muttering, “Why me?”

“Because Karma’s a bitch?” Caleb asked.

“Time for Plan B,” Sade announced.
****

Writers, I hope you find some inspiration. Readers, glad you’re still on this rollercoaster ride of a journey. I promise I’m going to buckle in and push this thing to the end. Don’t ask me what Plan B is. Iffy hasn’t figured it out yet. I’m open to ideas if any of you want to toss some inspiration back my way…

Posted in Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments

Tuesday Treats & Titles: Chocolate Chip Brownies

Posted on September 8, 2026 by Silver James

Yesterday was Labor Day which is the unofficial end to Summer. However, Summer is being stubborn and refusing to gracefully bow out to make room for Fall. That’s okay. I’ve found a yummy treat that is quick, easy an d doesn’t heat up the kitchen too bad. In fact, I’ve added the ingredients to my Wallyworld list for this week. If I’d found it in time, we would have had them for dessert with the brisekt we had for dinner last night.

Chocolate Chip Cookie Brownie Bars

Recipe details
Yield: 16 servings
Prep time: 5 Minutes
Cook time: 40 Minutes
Total time: 45 min

Ingredients
1 18.3 ounce box brownie mix (plus box ingredients)
1 package refrigerated chocolate chip cookie dough

Instructions
1 - Preheat an oven to 350F and place your rack in the middle. Line a 7x11 glass baking dish with parchment paper, leaving the sides high for easy removal. Set aside.

2 - Make brownie batter in a medium bowl according to the box, and pour12qws into prepared dish (note: you do not have to spread the batter out, it will spread during the next step).

3 - Place lightly flattened pieces of cookie dough and place them throughout the brownie batter. Push them in slightly.

4 - Bake for about 40 minutes or until the brownies are cooked through and the cookies are golden.

5 - Cool in the dish on a cooling rack until fully cooled before removing, then slice and enjoy.

Tips
1. With only two ingredients, these bars are super simple. Feel free to add any toppings or mix-ins of your choice like nuts, marshmallows, caramel, or a sprinkle of sea salt.

2. Keep cut bars in an airtight container for up to 3 days. Bars also freeze well and can be frozen up to 3 months.

3. You will know bars are cooked through when a toothpick inserted into the centre comes out clean, and bars will continue to set as they cool.

Sometimes, a girl just needs cookie dough or brownies. Sometimes, she needs them both at the same time. When dealing with a pack of Irish Mob Wolves, the girls keep the ingredients on hand. If you haven’t read the book and would like to find out why, you can grab MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON from your favorite on-line store. Just click on the title or the cover pics. You’ll zip over to Books2Read (you can click on it too), find your store, click again and bingo! Then go make a batch of these treats, settle in and start reading. Here’s the blurb:

Their enemies call them Boru’s Wolves…
And they are about to embark on a war against their rivals, the authorities, and the lowest of lowlifes Boston has to offer. After years of plotting, the time has come to put their plans into motion. Crime and corruption in Boston is about to take on a whole new meaning.

If they only knew the truth…
The Wolves aren’t just a faction of the Irish Mob. And they aren’t just human. Not exactly. Technically, they are wolf shifters. Inside every man is a wolf waiting to come out and hunt. Hard to piss off and even harder to kill, the Wolves will stop at nothing to keep their territory safe from the scum that inhabits the streets of Beantown.

Wolves protect what’s theirs…
Especially since they mate for life. When love sweeps in like a Nor’easter, these moonstruck Wolves will fight harder than they’ve ever fought before. Protecting their mates will never be easy for men like these, but they’ll use every molecule of both man and wolf to keep their ladies safe.

For Boston’s Moonstruck Mafia, it’s a war for territory, for honor, and for love. In a war like this, only the strong survive.

Posted in Books, Writing Life | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 5 Comments