A Fifth of Monday

Posted on July 31, 2023 by Silver James

A month with five Mondays should be a license to drink. Just sayin’. That said, today is the last day of July. August starts tomorrow. Lots of stuff happens in August. LG and I will celebrate 40 years together. He has a birthday. And it’s back to school for Stormy and Baseball Boy. And it’s hot. Probably the hottest it’s been all summer–and that’s saying something.

In other news, we’re done with soccer until fall. This was Stormy’s last season with this team and league. He’s moving up to an “academy” league that will be more instructive and competitive. That’s a very good thing. The kid is easy-going and a team player but he was also one of the most focused and best players on his team. Losing frustrates him. He comes by it honestly as competition is built into our DNA. Anyway, he had a good game and managed to keep the score tied while he was playing goalie. As this was a “final” game, there was a kick-off and Stormy’s team ended up winning. They placed 3rd in the league.

Sadly, I’m starting to really hate CROSSFIRE. Well–the edits AND Real Life for interferring. Getting focused and sticking with the edits has been a balancing act. Along with on-going vision stuff. I can only stare at the screen for defined periods of time before they start to water and vision gets blurry. And there are parts of the book that I just want to rip apart. I haven’t because it’s just the frustration showing. I walk away and when I come back later, I realize that “Hey, that’s not bad at all. In fact, it makes sense and it’s a nifty bit of plot/character/setting. Still, time is rushing by and the editing process is progressing at a snail’s pace. Still, it’ll be live eventually.

Let’s see.What else happened last week or this weekend that y’all might be intereted in… No new adventures in cooking. It’s too hot. Jake goes in for a follow-up with the vet this afteroon, hence my trip yesterday to Wallyworld to stock up on groceries. We didn’t win Power Ball or MegaMillions. I have come to the conclusion that I do NOT want to live in a Barbie world.

On that cheery-pink thought, time to get to work. I’m not a fan of AI but if someone comes up with an editor that mimics my own brain? I’d be tenpted. The only thing worse than edits is writing the blurb. 🙄 What do y’all think about AI? What would you use it for?

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Friday Sinema: Go West!

Posted on July 28, 2023 by Silver James

This has become one of my favorite TV/movie themes. I’ll admit that I’ve only watched the premier of the series and one or two episodes more of the first season. I went all, “Damn and whoah!” And life happened. Streaming is not that easy for me. But I totally loved the music! So here. Take about 3 minutes out of your day and go westward ho! Have a great weekend!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Can Do

Posted on July 27, 2023 by Silver James

There are times, as a writer–and probably as a “normal” person too–when your get up and go got up and went. The words don’t want to come. The deadline don’t mean nuthin’. And you really can’t conjure up a plot, character arc, or setting to save your story. Been there, done that, and sadly I still pull out the T-shirt and wear it sometimes. I told a friend once that something the only writing I managed in a week was a 250-word flash fiction challenge based on a writing prompt. Sometimes, those initial 250 words turned into more. Sometimes they didn’t. But I did what I could. And then the Universe tapped me on the shoulder with this message:

Always, Silver, do what you can.

Because once you at least do what you can, no matter how seemingly insignificant, everything changes.

Ready for some changes?
The Universe
©www.tut.com

P.S. Silver, let’s get it started, uh-huh.

Start your engines, folks. Make a fist and show your biceps like the Rosie the Riverter poster. Can Do! We got this. Even if it’s only a few words at a time. The current WIP took me way longer than it should have. But it’s nearing completion and publication. As I go forward, I’m going to do what the Big U suggests. I’ll do what I can. And I will see the changes in the word count, the exploration of characters traits, of settings and plot arcs and the strides the story makes from Chapter 1 to The End. Because that’s what we do, right? As writers and as people. So go out there today and do what you can. It’ll change things and with that change comes a sense of accomplishment. If you let it.

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Wednesday Words: Gonna Need That

Posted on July 26, 2023 by Silver James

With CROSSFIRE in the revision and editing stage (or so close as to be the same thing) last week, I got to play with the Boston Wolves for the #ThursdayThread prompt of **”You’re going to need that.” The best part of this–besides new words for the Moonstruck Mafia book–the the fact that I wrote a scene that I wasn’t aware of even needing. Until I wrote it. And then I knew exactly where it needed to go in the story, and how I’d skipped over this lead in. I might have figured it out when I got around to editing but now it’s done. A big ol’ pat on the back to my subconscious (aka Iffy the Muse) for putting this together. The scene is pretty much self-explanatory.
****
The morning had been a complete waste of his time. First it was the mix-up in the liquor order for the bar. Then there’d been a dust up on the docks and he’d made too many phone calls. Brian Boru called needing information on some possible business the partners. While the old man left most of the work that came with running the organization to Ronan, the old man still kept his hand in the pot—usually the illegal stuff. Brian knew Ronan was working to take the mob legit—at least as much as possible. There’d always been lines that not even Brian would cross—human trafficking the biggest. The information he’d gathered meant he’d have to deal with the gang that had made this new business proposal. And that meant doing it the old way.

Ronan looked up as his brother entered the office. Without a word, Mick strode to the built-in bar, snagged an Irish crystal highball glass and poured a generous splash of Irish whiskey into it. Still silent, he approached the desk and set the drink in front of Ronan.

“What’s this then?” he asked.

“Drink it.”

“And why should I be drinkin’ in the middle of the day?”

“You’re going to need that.”

He didn’t touch the glass but he leaned forward, his entire attention focused on Mick. “What’s happened?”

“Nothing. Yet.”

“Just a guess here, but I’m thinkin’ yet must be the operative word.”

“Aye, Ronan.”

“Who died?”

“No one. Yet.”

“And there’s that word again. Fine. Who needs killing then?”

Mick snorted out a laugh. “Now that ’twould be a long list, yeah?”

Ronan leveled an alpha stare on his brother. “I’ve got actual work t’be doin’, Mick. Spill it or get on with yer day and leave me in peace.”

Mick returned to the bar and poured whiskey into a second glass. He tossed it back before he faced Ronan. “It’s the Brannigan woman.”

Ronan went very still. Under his icy stare, Mick grabbed the first glass he’d filled off the desk and drained it too. Sadly, as a Wolf, the alcohol was more for show and taste than any sort of actual palliative effect. He briefly met his brother’s gaze then lowered his eyes.

“What about Maura?” Ronan’s voice was all teeth and claws.

“Someone wants her dead.”
****
And there you have it. I’m really looking forward to getting back to this book. It has the capability of being a LONG book. I mean, like 100K words. So a question to readers today. Do you prefer shorter books or long ones? And writers, what “that” are you going to need today? (Feel free to riff on the prompt!)

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: You Pick

Posted on July 25, 2023 by Silver James

I’m all up in my business of editing CROSSFIRE with an eye of maybe getting it released by the end of the month. My editor/proofreader is on standby and I’m hoping my cover designer can fit me in for a quick turnaround. And frankly? Between serious editing, revising, and Jake’s vet appoint yesterday, I forgot that today is Tuesday and that I needed a recipe and a book. Oops. I got nuttin’, honey so here’s the deal. Y’all pick your current stuff and tell us. What are you reading? And what are you having for dinner tonight? I’ll go first. I’m listening to CARESSED BY ICE (Psy-Changeling #3) by Nalini Singh. And I’m fixing chicken pasta salad for dinner. Next?

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Madcap Monday

Posted on July 24, 2023 by Silver James

It’s Monday once again. Sadly, July has one more Monday on the calendar. Ya know, it’s a bad cosmic joke when there are five Mondays in a month. Not fair. If I thought it would do any good, I’d grab a cane, shake it, and yell, “Monday, get offa my lawn!” Still, if it weren’t for Monday, we’d be giving Tuesday a bad name. That said, there’s a lot to celebrate today. What you ask? Well, here’s the list: of some of the things.

Amelia Earhart Day
Cousins Day
National Drive-Thru Day
National Tequila Day
Tell an Old Joke Day

Amelia Earhart was all kinds of awesome but I have no desire to go fly a plane to celebrate her. 😉 I have a few cousins who are pretty cool. We don’t see each other often but I know where to find them.  I vote for hitting the drive-thru to celebrate today. And I have several characters who are cheering for National Tequila Day. Can’t blame them. It’s gonna be a hot one and a cold margarita would taste pretty darn good. Sadly, I can’t remember new jokes must less old ones, but feel free to share if you know one. LOL

On to more serious–in a way–things. I typed THE END Saturday night. I took yesterday off but today, since I’m not going to Wallyworld, I’ll begin the editing process. My cover designer has the photo and mock-up. I hope to have a final cover to reveal soon. In other good writing news, I actually have a decent start to the blurb. Y’all know how much I despise writing the dreaded blurb. *shudder* Anyway, not guaranteeing CROSSFIRE will be ready by the end of the month, depending on my editor, designer,  and the stupid blurb but I’m hopeful. The book is just under 70K words. No telling what will happen to the word count during revisions. Still, I’m ever so much closer to release date! So that’s my big YAY news for the week.

In other random news, anyone know how to catch parakeets in the wild? And could they survive an Oklahoma winter? In the past two weeks, I’ve had two different birds show up at the Loki-vision feeder outside my office window. The first one looked white until I got a closer look. Turned to to be a blend of white, pale yellow, and pale spring green. The one who popped by yesterday was blue. Not sure how they ended up in the wild.

New addition to the Psy-Changling world arrive August 15 (audio version). As is my habit, I’m doing a marathon listen to the entire series, including a few of the novellas that can on be read because they haven’t been turned into audio yet. That’s cool. I can read for a bit long than I could before my eye surgery. Anyway, it’s a fun series, despite the number of times read/listened to. Nalini Singh is an amazing worldbuilder.

Jake has a vet appointment this afternoon. He has an ear infection and I hope it’s something mostly simply to treat. We’ll see. We’re going to a new vet so it’ll be interesting.

I thought Saturday was the last Stormy soccer match of the summer. I was wrong. There’s one more–their “bowl game” match. Stormy’s team won 3-2 and he made the go-ahead score so yay. It was getting really warm by the time the game was over. This coming Saturday we’re supposed to be back in hear alert temps so I’m not sure how well the kids will play.

We tried something new for dinner the other night–a “Cajun boil” but down in the microwave and oven. New potatoes, corn on the cob, shrimp, and beef sausage all coated in butter and Cajun spice. The potatoes and corn were partially cooked in the microwave first and then put into the oven to finish while the sausage and shrimp cooked. It was pretty darn tasty. I’ll make it again but will probably wait until it gets a bit cooler this fall. Summer heat is one reason for precooking parts because the oven heats up the kitchen.

Not much else going on in my world. I’m happy the book’s first draft is done. I’m looking forward to getting something new on the market. I’m worried about Jake but that should be relieved later today. I’m enjoying what I’m “reading” and this week is gonna be really hot so staying under the AC and editing seems like a good idea. Not many distractions when it’s too hot to go outside. LOL What’s going on in your world?

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Friday Sinema: Jazz Hands

Posted on July 21, 2023 by Silver James

Here’s a little something to get your heart jumpstarted for the day. I’ve always wanted to walk “into” one of these situations! Deep down, I wish I could play the piano like that. Once upon a time, I COULD dance like that. Now, I simply wish I had their joie de vivre. Be sure to watch all the way through. There are lots of surprises along the way! Happy Friday! Have a great weekend! (And yeah, I would totally miss my train or plane to see this! Just sayin’…)

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Lead

Posted on July 20, 2023 by Silver James

When I first read today’s message from the Universe, my first thought was that I’m easily distracted. This is a thing in my family. Only comes by it honestly as she was diagnosed with ADD. LG and I probably have some form of it because as we were–individually–filling out the diagnostic profile for her, we were both thinking, “Yes. Uh huh. Yup. That’s me. I do that. And I do that. A lot.” On and on. Neither of us pursued it because…adults. And we’d both learned how to compensate–mostly–for the distractions. This happens to me a lot when I’m writing. Scrivener (a software program for writers) is a godsend. I mean, I’m a puzzler anyway but when “outside” WIPs and characters start popping up with detour signs, I can at least keep track. And now, thanks to the Big U, I have something to blame besides me. LOL

Silver, wherever you are drawn, go!

It’s usually just me talking to you.

And the way you can be certain it’s me is that both your head and your heart will agree.

Oh how I love you –
The Universe
©www.tut.com

P.S. If it’s not me, Silver, it’s probably just pride or fear or indigestion.

I have a term for when this happens. “Writing detours.” And I’ve been doing a lot of that laterly. You’ll be aware of this if you’ve kept up with my Wednesday Words posts the last few weeks. I’ve jumped from CROSSFIRE to some unknown characters/story to Moonstruck Mafia and back to CROSSFIRE. Yes, it’s a distraction. And a quick detour can sometimes derail me–not that it’s difficult to do so. But I am determined to type THE END on CROSSFIRE. And yeah, yeah, promises promises but I AM close. I got through the dang sexy bit yesterday. Today is finishing up the outcome and “disposition” of all the threads and then I need to get the team home, in Mother Goose’s bar, and get a set-up idea/tease for the next book. Easy peasy right? It will be if the Universe will stay quiet, I can avoid distractions, and just keep chugging along. What’s distracting you today?

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Wednesday Words: I’ll Drink to That

Posted on July 19, 2023 by Silver James

Another Wednesday. More new words. S’all good, right? Sadly, no “love” on last week’s Thursday Threads flash fiction challenge but that’s okay. I’m happy with the scene (expanded from 250 words to 396) that evolved from the exercise. The prompt–taken from my winning submission the week before–is: **”Have you been drinking?”** As it turns out, why yes, yes she has! After doodling a bit, these words came out. I’m not sure where in the time line of MOONSTRUCK MAFIA: BOSTON this scene appears. It’s after they meet and before he officially claims her. Anyway, I hope you enjoy ths bit of complicating factors between Ronan and Maura.
****
Ronan walked into the living room and paused mid-step. The woman draped on his couch looked comfortable and right at home. His wolf rumbled, pleased with this scenario.

“Hail the conquering hero,” she said. “’Bout time you showed up.”

He eyed what he hoped was an empty wine bottle laying on its side atop the mahogany coffee table. “Have you been drinking?”

Maura attempted to look haughty by lifting her chin and raising an eyebrow as she tipped the empty wine glass in her hand in his direction. “Maybe.”

Stifling laughter, Ronan offered her a knowing smile. “Good.”

Her expressive face morphed into confused concern—narrowed and shifty eyes under scrunched brows, her lips pressed together. She considered her reply for a long moment before her lips relaxed. She spoke one word. “Why?”

“Because I’ve been curious.”

If anything, her face scrunched up more. “About what?”

“About what it would be like to have drunken sex with ya, Maura.”

Air rushed from her lungs as she breathed out, “Oh.” Then her eyes widened and she perked up. “Oh! You want to have sex with me?”

“Always,” Ronan muttered then said louder, “Aye, Maura. I do. Specifically, drunken sex.”

Her expression shifted again, this time into the face she wore when in court. “And what, Mr. O’Connor, makes you think drunk sex with me would be good.”

“Because when yer drunk, y’pull that stick from yer arse and I get the real woman, not Maura Brannigan, Assistant District Attorney.”

She tilted her head, confused again. “I’m always me.”

“No, darlin’, yer not.”

The gist of his words finally penetrated her drunken haze. Indignant, she jumped to her feet and stood swaying. “I do not have a stick up my ass.”

He arched a patrician brow but said nothing. She glowered. He waited. She swayed again and then her knees buckled. She sank onto the couch, her eyes now glazed. She curled up against the cushions in the corner of the couch. She slow blinked a few times before her eyes drifted shut and in moments, she was snoring softly.

At the sound of footsteps, he turned to face the entrance to the room. His brother stopped just outside.

Mick glanced at Ronan then stared at the couch before returning his gaze to his older brother.

“Ah, Ronan?”

He shrugged and laughed. “Just m’luck,” Ronan groused. “Another wasted chance.”
****
The prompt is one that will hopefully work as some inspiration for all my writer friends who hang around here. As for my readers, that’s today’s question: Have you been drinking? And if so, what? 😉

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Big Easy Cinnamon Biscuit Monkey Bread

Posted on July 18, 2023 by Silver James

Need a quick and easy snack when friends are coming for coffee? Or a treat for breakfast? Dessert when you don’t have much time but want something that’ll just hit the spot? Yeah, me too! Sometimes, I have really good luck making monkey bread. Sometimes, it’s turned out to be an unmitigated disaster as I channel my inner Hannah. **Hey, bee…cause I’m standing right here. I heard that! I can too make something like this. Just ask Sade!** Yeah, no. Not going there. Anyway, if you’ve got the supplies on hand–and if not, you might want to dash out and grab them–this is pretty darn tasty.

Prep Time: 15 Min.
Cook Time: 30 Min.
Total Time: 45 Min
6-8 servings

Ingredients
3 tubes buttermilk biscuits (8 ounces each) – these are regular size biscuits though I’m tempted to try the Grands with this recipe!
1 cup granulated sugar
2 teaspoons ground cinnamon
1 cup unsalted butter (melted)
1/2 cup browns sugar (packed)

Let’s Make It
1 – Preheat oven to 350℉ and grease bundt pan with butter or cooking spray.

2 – Open biscuits and separate. Cut each one into four bite-sized pieces.

3 – Combine granulated sugar and cinnamon in a small bowl. Mix.

4 – Carefullly drop a few dough pieces into bowl and coat with cinnamon-sugar mixture then layer each “batch” evenly in the greased bundt pan.

5 – Put butter, brown sugar, and 1/2 cup of remaining cinnamon-sugar mixture in a small saucepan. Stir to dissolve sugars and bring to a gentle boil. Remove from heat and drizzle sauce over the dough in the pan.

6 – Bake for 30-35 minutes or until done.

7  – Cool bread for approximately 5 minutes. Invert pan onto a large plate. Serve warm.

A bit of a history lesson: “Monkey bread” is derived from a Hungarian dessert called arany galuska, aka Hungarian Coffee Cake. Hungarian and Hungarian-Jewish bakeries introduced the dessert to the US in the 1950s. Actual “monkey bread” is a bread dish in which balls of dough are dipped in butter, layered in the cake pan and baked. Arany galuska is made with cinnamon and sugar. There you have it. Now, since I mentioned Hannah and Sade above, you’d think they’d have some input. Nope. This recipe was suggested by Izzy Fontaine, who did so with a bit of a red face. She admitted to me that she was looking for something “ethnic” to bake for her mate, Rudek Tornjak. He’s of Bosnian and Romanian descent but the closest she could get was Hungary. And if you are hungry for something sweet and easy, why not this Hungary dessert? Anyway, theirs is an interesting story. She’s from a large Cajun family living in the bayous of Louisiana and Rudy was living in New Orleans. Their individual story is told in ROGUE MOON but why not spend a little extra and get MOONSTRUCK: BETRAYAL which contains BRIDE’S MOON, along with an only-published-in-this-edition novella that has some interesting background, considering HARD TARGET: CROSSFIRE is coming sooner than later. Anyway, just click on a pic or a title and jump over to Books2Read to get a copy. Or if you already have, it’s a good time to make some Easy Hungarian Arany Galuskam, grab a beverage to go with you treat and dive into the title for a bit of reading. 😉

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