Tuesday Treats & Titles: In the Dumps Cake

Posted on April 15, 2025 by Silver James

Okay. That’s it. I’ve had it. You people have been making fun of me since Silver first started telling stories about me. And yes, it IS all about me. In case we haven’t met, why the hell not?!? My name is Hannah Jackson McIntire. I started life as an Army Major assigned to SecDef. That’s the Secretary of Defense to those who don’t know. I had one job. And it wasn’t cooking. It was wrangling a pack of SpecOp soldiers with weird abilities. That whole not cooking thing is why Silver started making fun of me. I first appeared in BLOOD MOON, but the full story–at least the beginning of it–is told in MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. Are you paying attention yet? There’s a new book out that tells the rest of the story: MOONSTRUCK: RETRIBUTION. Anyway, I’m here to defend myself. I can too cook. And this recipe proves it. And trust me, my boys love this cake.

  • Yield: 8  servings
  • Prep time: 5 Minutes
  • Cook time: 2 Hours
  • Total time: 2 hr 5 min

Ingredients

  • 1 box chocolate cake mix
  • 2 – 21oz cans cherry pie filling
  • 1/2 cup butter (1 stick)

Instructions

  1. Pour the cherry pie filling into the crockpot.
  2. Sprinkle the cake mix over the pie filling.
  3. Melt the butter in the microwave. Pour evenly over the cake mix.
  4. Cook on HIGH for 2 hours.
  5. Serve hot with whipped cream or ice cream.

Tips

  • This can also be baked in the oven if you don’t have a crockpot. Follow the same instructions, but use a greased 9×13 inch baking dish instead of the slow cooker. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour.

I heard some of you asking where Silver is. She’s around. Sort of. She’s working on a new book so I shoved her down a rabbit hole to get her out of the way. When she comes back, I want y’all to tell her that I was polite and didn’t cuss. And that I CAN cook. Dammit. If you haven’t bought this book, or need to start with 1st book, use the QR code up top, or click on either book cover or any title. If you already have the book and have read it, did you leave a review? I mean, seriously! It isn’t that the fu…er…friggin’ hard. Click 5 stars and say, “I loved this book.” Repeat after me: Click 5 stars and say, “I loved this book.” See? Easy peasy. Now go frickin’ do it. And make my cake. I mean, c’mon! It has chocolate. And cherries. And ice cream. It’s perfect when you need something to put a smile on your face. I mean, it is Tax Day. You need chocolate, right? And it’s easy peasy. Like buying a book and leaving a review. Don’t make me come over there…

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Hello, Monday

Posted on April 14, 2025 by Silver James

Actually, Monday isn’t being a total pain. I just find that meme really funny.

There was a weekend.

I did stuff.

I now return you to your regularly scheduled Monday activities.

What? Still here? Okay. Yes, I was still in slug mode last week. I accomplished very litt.e. I had to people a couple of days and that made me want to build a blanket fort and hide in it. Thing is, once I got down on the floor in the fort, I wouldn’t be able to get up off the floor withou the assistance of the fire department. And I’m not really kidding. Okay, maybe a little.

I did very little writing. There will be words on Wednesday, though. I did do a lot of beta reading for a friend. Getting closer.

I finished off the available editions of the dramatized adaptations of the Kate Daniels series. There’s one more to go, the final–mostly–in the series. There are spin-offs so it’s not like the characters are done. As of this moment, I’m not sure what I’m listening to. I didn’t have time last night to pick something out.

Stormy had a soccer game Sunday. They won. He played great. I missed it for…reasons. Stuff happens. I did make it to his musical program at school. It was funny–a whale of a tale and a guy named Jonah.

It’s hot. That’s not great but it beats being cold. I’m slowly working on switching from winter to summer stuffs around the house. I also got the hummingbird feeder filled and hung. I hope I see some of the little flitters soon. They give me a happy.

My goal this week is to get over myself and my malaise. That’s such a cool word. And fitting. Anyway, NOW you can get back to you’re lives. Anybody do anything cool this weekend?

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Friday Sinema: The Doctor is In

Posted on April 11, 2025 by Silver James

It’s time once again to go south. I have only one word: Vicks 🤣🤣🤣 Have a great weekend.

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Thursday Thoughts: Slippery Slopes

Posted on April 10, 2025 by Silver James

Life imitates art. Or not. Art imitates life. Maybe. I mean inserting Picasso, Jackson Pollock, or Salvadore Dali into that discussion immediately skews things. Please understand that I’m writing this after about 3 hours of sleep and a full day so my brain is…AWOL. Mostly. There is a point to all this, if I can find it. In the meantime, the Universe dropped this into my inbox.

It’s not that your life totally rocks, except for a few tricky spots, slippery slopes, and challenges, Silver.

It’s that your life totally rocks, in large part, because of the tricky spots, slippery slopes, and challenges.

Stranger than fiction,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Everything makes you more, Silver, and you look so good on the slopes.

Writers, what does this put in your mind? Are these things you want to incorporate into your book? *nods* Of course you do. You need those tricky spots, slippery slopes, and challenges in your plot. Think how boring it would be to read a story that was just boy-meets-girl, they date, they get married, they live happily ever after. 🥱 Am I right, readers? You want conflict, action, and well…challenges. As writers, we need to supply those things. So add the tricky spots, slipperty slopes, and challenges to totally rock your story.

And yes, today’s blog totally sucks because I really am that tired and brain fogged. What’s rocking in your life lately?

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Wednesday Words: Coffee Helps

Posted on April 9, 2025 by Silver James

Midweek. Wednesday. Hump Day. New words. Yay.

I feel a bit phony claiming to be a writer because the only words I’ve managed on the WIP in the past week are these. In a way, that’s okay because they are pretty good words–enough to get me the honorable mention in last week’s Thursday Threads flash fiction challenge. Here’s the prompt: *”Helps most of the time*”

****
Business at the counter remained steady. Most customers were mundanes though an occasional magick arrived, made their purchase and left, often with a scowl directed Sade’s direction. After a werewolf flashed red eyes and barely hidden canines at her, she raised her elbow and sniffed under her arm.

“I showered this morning. What’s the deal, Caleb?” She arched a brow. “Oh, duh. I’m sitting here with a werewolf and a dragon. It’s not me, it’s the company I keep.”

“Don’t be sarcastic, Sade.”

Nikos snorted. “That’s like telling a rooster not to crow, Caleb.”

She turned a jaundiced eye to the dragon. “You’re the one who insisted that Ariel frequents this place, Nikos. So where the hell is he?”

“Patience.”

“Patience? At this moment, all of my patience is contained in this cup of coffee.”

“Is it working?”

Sade stared at the mug she held, her expression morose. She eventually took a sip, swallowed, and said, “No, but this helps most of the time.”

Caleb rose, strode to the counter then returned shortly with a large to-go cup. He didn’t sit but teased her with the cup. “You’re going to need this.”

“Why?”

“Because I just saw Ariel across the street.” He paused, his focus centered on a spot out the shop’s window. “He’s following something.”

Standing, Sade reached for the cup. “Who? Who’s he following?”

“Not who, Sade. What.”

“What are you talking about?”

“Whatever he’s after isn’t visible.”

“Great.” Sade growled, heading for the door. “Another wild goose chase.”
****

Yes, Sade is used to wild goose chases at this point in her career. I’m not quite sure where this scene will eventually reside in the book. It depends on when Sade ends up getting involved with the situation that’s developing in Rochester. I still can’t believe that I’m setting a book in Rochester, NY, but there ya go. Writers, I hope the prompt provides some inspiration. Readers, what helps you most of the time?

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Bailey’s Irish Mob Cake

Posted on April 8, 2025 by Silver James

Sometimes you want something sweet and chocolatey. Sometimes you want something creamy with a bit of kick. Sometimes, you might want to hang out with the Wolves in Boston. Well, have I got a cake for you!

Recipe details
Yield: 14 slices
Prep time: 30 Minutes
Cook time: 35 Minutes
Total time: 1 hr 5 min

Ingredients
2 cups flour
1½ cup brown sugar
3 tbsp instant coffee
2 tsp baking soda
1 tsp salt
3 large eggs
¾ cup milk
1 tsp vanilla
1 cup vegetable oil
½ cup baileys Irish cream
½ cup boiling water

Coffee and Baileys Glaze
1 cup powdered sugar
2 tbsp espresso powder
3 tbsp boiling water
1 tbsp Irish Cream

Let’s Make It
1 – Prepare two 8 inch cake pans by greasing with butter and dusting with flour. Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C).

2 – To the mixing bowl, add milk, oil, eggs, vanilla paste and Irish cream. Mix well.

3 – Add all dry ingredients.. Mix till well combined. If you find this time consuming, you can use a hand mixer.

4 – Add boiling water and slowly mix into batter till incorporated.

5 – Divide the batter evenly between the cakes pans and bake for about 34-36 minutes, or until a toothpick comes out with a few crumbs. Do not over bake,else it dries out.

6 – Add boiling water to espresso powder and mix, Combine powdered sugar, espresso powder mixture and Irish cream in a medium bowl; stir well with a fork until smooth. Poke your cake in different areas and drizzle glaze generously over cake; serve.

Tips:

If you don’t have espresso powder, just use instant coffee. The same with vanilla paste. Just use plain ol’ vanilla extract. That said, vanilla paste totally makes for a richer flavor.

Go HERE for more info and a video! This makes two cakes. Also, I WANT those spring form pans she uses!

If you’ve read MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON, you know about Clancy’s Irish Pub. And if you ever get to Clancy’s at just the right time, you might be able to sample this Bailey’s Irish Mob Cake. And I promise that Finn would not be the baker. In fact, the pub buys this treat from one of the women in the neighborhood that bakes them for a little extra pocket money. Her cakes are so popular that the mates are conspiring to kidnap her and tickle her until she hands over the recipe. In the meantime, they’ve been known to place “private” orders and pay lots of moolah for the results. 😉 Ah, if they only knew that I’ve been entrusted with the secret. What about y’all? Are there any secret recipes in your families? If you want to know more about the Boston Wolves and their mates, then click on any pic with the cover or HERE to head over to Books2Read to find your favorite on-line bookstore.

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April Showers…Bring Monday

Posted on April 7, 2025 by Silver James

It is Monday, right?

Hey, I managed to flip the calendar pages on time this month. I have mismatched calendars. The big wall calendar in my office is…normal. The week starts with Sunday and ends with Saturday. The small calendar that fits the holder on the side of the fridge is…weird. Its weeks start on Monday and end on Sunday. Is it any reason I’m always confused?

It rained. I’m not sure how much. It came in fits and starts. We need rain so this is not a gritch. Simply an observation. I don’t mind rain. These fronts brought tornadoes and floods for other places. That’s not cool. I have a tendancy to joke about Mother Nature but when people get hurt, it’s no longer funny. After the rain came the cold. And I do mean COLD. The western half of the state got some snow. In April. In Oklahoma. Crazy.

I almost don’t want to talk about writing. I’ve got a bad case of the procrastinates. It’s stupid. What little I’ve written on Ari’s story are good words. People like them. The full story if forming in my head. I might even redeem the villain, though that’s still up in the air. But every time I open the manuscript and look at it, I find something else to do. Sadly, the other stuff I find to do has nothing to do with anything that needs to be done.

Let’s see… What else has gone on? I’m still doing the relisten of the Graphic Audio dramatized adaptations. I finished GUNMETAL MAGIC yesterday. I’m currently listening to MAGIC RISES. Sadly, GUNMETAL is a…well, a side quest for lack of a better term. It veers the story away from Kate and Curran to tell the story of Andrea and Raphael, the events of which coincide with the main series. GA has not adapted it yet. Still, the events in it are important to note.

So…weather, writing, reading/listening. I guess that leaves sports. There were no personal sports, ie. Stormy had no soccer matches due to the weather. There was baseball and softball on TV. There were good games and close games, and some really good ball to watch even if play resulted in a loss.

At some point, I have to hit Wallyworld this week. We had chili for dinner last night. Now there’s a question to end on. Chili: is it solely a cold-weather food or should it be enjoyed year-round? And I mean as a meal, not an add-on for hot dogs. How was your weekend? Any good stuff to look forward to this week?

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Friday Sinema: Going Parking

Posted on April 4, 2025 by Silver James

Parkour is amazing. Period. People who can do parkour are amazing. Period. I’m not a gamer but if I was, I’d want to play Assassin’s Creed. There have been a series of videos marrying real-life parkour with the game. I’ve posted a few from time to time. I hadn’t seen this one. You definitely want to watch to the end. The transition is…yes, you guessed it, AMAZING! Have a great weekend. We’re due rain which makes it likely that there will be no First Saturday events. That’s okay. Do you have plans?

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Edits

Posted on April 3, 2025 by Silver James

There’s one job that is always a pain when it comes to writing. Don’t get me wrong, a lot of things associated with writing is a pain. Like…writer’s block. Imposter’s syndrome. Low/no sales. Unruly and/or unreliable characters.Writing blurbs (my personal demon). Research (yes, falling down the rabbit hole can hurt when it turns into a time suck.) What have I missed? Cramping hands? Back aches? Swollen ankles from sitting at the computer all day? Yes, yes, and yes. What have I missed? Oh. Yeah. Editing. The Universe popped in yesterday and made this suggestion.

In time and space, Silver, if you just look for what’s right—in others, in relationships, in yourself, and in your journey—you’ll always find it.

Same when looking for what’s wrong.

Tallyho,
The Universe
©www.tut.com 

P.S. Now that’s perfection, Silver.

If you equate “journey” with manuscript and “others,” “relationships,” and “yourself” with plot, characters, and your words, you have a way of looking at the editing process. Sometimes, we spend so much time looking for what is wrong in our writing that we forget to look for–and appreciate–what’s right about it. I’ve known more than a few “would-be” writers. I say “would-be” because they’ve never published. They’ve never even let someone else read their work yet they profess to the desire to be publsihed authors. I also know published authors who edit a piece to death–quite literally. By they time they’ve “finished,” they toss the project because it falls flat.

Is there a happy medium? Absolutely. And the Big U pointed it out above. Look FIRST for what is RIGHT. Then fix what is wrong–the typos, the misuse of a word or phrase, an oops in the timeline or character reference. We need to learn to celebrate what we’ve written, to bask in the glow of the story and keep that feeling throughout the editing process. It’s a challenge. Are you up for it?

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Wednesday Words: No Exit

Posted on April 2, 2025 by Silver James

The week is half over. We’re headed to the weekend. I have new words. I’m thankful. I hate to keep harping on this whole DST thing but I’m just not making the shift with any sort of grace this year. Last year, I was pretty much bedridden and only had to do the minimum to get by. This year, when I’m still trying to rebuild energy and stamina, the time change has been brutal. It sucks.

In other news, these words don’t stuck. While I didn’t make the Thursday Threads winner’s cut, I’m happy with them. And I’m happy with the possibilities they present. Last week’s theme was a good one, as far as I’m concerned. The prompt is: “Don’t go in there.”

****
Sade blocked the doorway. “You can’t go in there, Ari.”

“What are you hiding?”

Nothing. Everything. The thoughts whipped through her mind but she didn’t voice them. “I’m here on official business.”

Ariel stiffened. “As if I didn’t see your badge. Move aside, Sade. I do not wish to hurt you.” He stepped closer, halting only when his chest met the palm she extended.

“Really? We’re going to play this game?”

“It is not a game, Sade.”

“You’re right. It’s not. That means it’s Agent Marquis to you.”

The Fae flicked his gaze to the man standing a few feet away. “Do you desire to test your strength against my magic, werewolf?”

Caleb shrugged. “Sade’s right. This is a crime scene. We’re FBI agents. You’re not. Go home, Ariel. There’s nothing you can do here.”

He opened his mouth to retort but the lights dimmed. Sade’s hand immediately reached for her weapon. Caleb also reached for his, though his hand had grown fur and claws.

Swirls of darkness danced across the ceiling. Before any of them could react, the shadows dove to the floor and slid beneath the closed door.

“What the hell?” Sade whispered, her 9mm pistol in hand.

Ariel reached around her and grabbed the doorknob.

“Don’t go in there.”

He opened it anyway. “I’m the only one who can.” Ari stepped through and was swallowed in darkness.

Caleb exchanged looks with Sade. “We have to go after him.”

“Well, shit.” She braced and nodded. “Let’s go.”
****

What do you suppose is on the other side of that door? Inquiring minds–including mine–want to know. Writers, feel free to be inspired. Readers, what fictional door would you step through?

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