I double-dog dare y’all not to laugh while you watch this. While much of it is southern specific, I’m betting som of you Northerners recognize some of these sentiments. For anyone not in the USA, here’s a good chance to laugh at us because y’all? This is soooo dang true! All of it! Hope you had a Happy Thanksgiving and if you’re out there among ’em for Black Friday, may the Force be with you and may the odds ever be in your favor! Have a great weekend.
Happy Thanksgiving. I am thankful for all of you, for all of your support and friendship, for reading my books and my blog, for making me laugh and laughing with me, for your patience and your encouragemnt. May your day be filled with good food, family and friends, peace, and love. And books. 😉
Happy Thanksgiving Eve to all y’all in the good ol’ USA. Happy news here on the blog–for me anyway. I won last week’s Thursday Threads. Yippee. The prompt was: *”You don’t scare me.*” Again, this is just a snippet that ties in with other things going on in the story but I don’t have a specific spot for it just yet. Trust me, I will when the time comes. That said, this scene is mostly self-explanatory.
**** Aisling faced the dark entrance of the tunnel. Her frustration bubbled up and she spoke before she considered what might be hidden withing the shadows. “Come out of there.”
Something stirred in the void. “Who are you?” she demanded, while wondering if what might be the more apropos question. The feeling of being watched lessened and she imagined whatever was there retreating. Stepping closer that impenetrable darkness, she yelled, “You don’t scare me!”
Low, menacing laughter echoed back at her. She inhaled sharply and held her breath, listening, all her senses attuned to what might be happening there in the murky darkness. The words that followed held nothing but threat. “You should be.”
The words hung there almost as if they’d taken physical form. Still holding her breath, Aisling eased back suddenly craving the light that waited across the room. She put more distance between herself and the tunnel’s doorway. Leery of turning her back on the opening, she continued shuffling backwards without looking. And bumped into something solid, but not hard. Something warm. Muscled. That smiled of lilacs and sunlight and freshly mowed grass. She screamed anyway.
Ariel winced, his face screwing up as he tried to protect his eardrums. He just managed to get his hands up in defense as Aisling whirled and slapped at him. A part of his brain considering teaching her actual fighting skills. The rest of him was busy hiding his amusement.
Recognizing him, Aisling stopped flailing. “I’m not scared of you either.” ****
So there, Ariel Daoine. Aisling isn’t afraid of you either. But maybe she should be… *bwahaha* Writers, do your writing with the prompt should it spark ideas. Readers, what are not afraid of that maybe you should be?
Once upon a time, I did a lot of things with beer. I made beer batter onion rings, beer batter, fish, I drank beer. I used it in stew. I drank it. The beer, not the stew. I ate the stew. I only occasionally drink beer now so it’s not like I have extra bottles laying around. There are times, though, when I wish I did because I come across a recipe that is pretty darn simple and looks soooo tasty but…no beer to be used and I’m too lazy to put on real clothes to head to the store. Also, I’d then be tempted to drink the rest of the beer in the fridge. Too bad you can’ buy just one bottle for cooking purposes. Ah, well. Such is life. Needless to say, I haven’t actually made this recipe, though I totally plan on doing so the next time I buy beer.
Beer Bread Yield: 12 slices Prep time: 2 Minutes Cook time: 45 Minutes Total time: 47 min
Ingredients 3 cups self-rising flour 1 to 4 tablespoons sugar, to taste (every recipe says this, and most end up using 3) 4 tablespoons melted butter 12 oz. bottle of Pumpkin Ale or beer of choice at room temperature
Let’s Make It 1 – Preheat the oven to 375°F. Lightly grease a 9″ x 5″ loaf pan. 2 – Mix the flour, sugar and the beer, stirring until fairly smooth; don’t worry about a scattering of small lumps. 3 – Pour batter into the prepared pan, smoothing the top a bit. Drizzle with melted butter. 4 – Bake the bread for 45 to 50 minutes, until a toothpick inserted about 1/2″ into the top of the loaf comes out clean, or with a few moist crumbs clinging to it. 5 – Remove from the oven and let stand 5 minutes in the pan before turning out onto a wire rack to cool. 6 – To keep bread moist, slice when ready to serve. It slices best when completely cool, but feel free to slice and enjoy while still warm. 7 – Store in an airtight container at room temperature.
Tips 1. Feel free to use the beer of your choice. I chose a pumpkin ale for the slight spice flavor and as it’s pumpkin season. I have made this bread with light beer in the past which works. You can also use a darker beer like a stout, which will lend the bread a more robust flavor. Just be sure to use a room temperature beer for best rising and baking. To keep bread moist, slice when ready to serve.
2. Self-rising flour is flour that has baking powder and salt added to it and is a staple in many Southern recipes. It’s traditionally made from a softer, lower protein version of all-purpose flour for tender biscuits.If you don’t have self-rising flour, substitute 3 cups all-purpose flour and add 4 ½ teaspoons baking powder and 3/4 teaspoons salt; whisk ingredients together before adding sugar and beer.
You’ll notice that this recipe calls for Pumpkin Ale due to the season. A lot of the recipes I’ve seen call for Shiner’s Bock, which is what Cash Munro uses. Yes, I checked with my favorite retired Texas Ranger to see if he’d ever made beer bread. He made me promise not to make a joke about beer and horses before he’d talke to me. Cash is a character in MIDNIGHT CLEAR, my SciFi/Romantic Suspsense/Christmas novella. If you haven’t read it, you should–and then drop a review. It’s fun, both the story and writing a review. I realize we aren’t even to Thanksgiving yet but readers are often ready to get in the Christmas mood this time of year. You should give it a reread and a review if you already have it. Just click on a cover pic or the title to head to Books2Read to find the on-line bookseller of your choice. What do y’all think? Have you had beer bread? Would you try it if you haven’t?
This is Thanksgiving week here in the USA. Schools will be letting out, people will either be traveling or getting ready for visitors. It’s a busy time of year. In years past, for a variety of reasons, our gang and my SiL’s clan have gathered to celebrate at my BiL’s house. Uncle Fix-It has a lot of my MiL in him. She was the neighborhood mom and so everything was at her house. I eventually took over and the big dinners was at our house. Then things changed and we gather at the Fix-It’s for their convenience. (SiL is in a wheelchair.) This year, his health and work schedule is such that they just want to stay home with no fuss and no bother. I don’t blame them Her family is gathering at her mom’s house. Our family–meaning us and the Kids–are gathering here.
I was prepared to do the whole kit and kaboodle but gave the Kids their choice–the whole deal or just turkey sandwiches and pie. That’s what they picked. I don’t have to make rolls. I don’t have to do sides. I just have to roast the turkey breast, make/bake the pies, and provide the condiments and chips. Only is making her famous crack dip and a relish tray–olives, pickles, carrots, etc. It’ll be low-key, laid-back, easy prep, easy clean-up, no stress.
That said, I’ll have to send LG to the store for me this week to pick up some Cheetos. They didn’t make it on my emergency list of all the T-giving things I’d left off Friday’s list–like the turkey. 🙄 I made a run yesterday morning to add those items. I still managed to forget the Flaming Hots that Stormy loves. At least I’d remembered the paper plates and napkins.
In other news…🤔
Uhm… 🤷🏼♀️
No sports to speak of. Very little writing. It’s rainy and chilly this morning. Oh! I did get a new blender from Hamilton Beach. It comes with an auxiliary personal drink container which is very handy since I’m PO’d at Starbucks for basically discontinuing large pup cups for big dogs. I’ve been with a block of my local Starbucks twice in the past few days and I’ve refused to go there. I did make my own frappucino with the new blender. It’s designed to crush ice and blend fruit for smoothes and other solid things for like salsa and stuff.
This will be a quiet week. I have no plans to get out until after next weekend. I don’t go anywhere near grocery/retail spaces from Thanksgiving Eve (Wednesday) until at least Monday, though more likely Tuesday.
On that note, I do need to start on a little house cleaning and laundry. Are you traveling, hosting, cooking this week?
I have a new appreciation for this reel. While PITA Pup isn’t this bad, he could be. That said, I’m laughing hysterically and I have my own dog fail story (below). Have a great weekend!
I will add that a very long time ago, I ended up in the ER due to dogs. We’d bought a house. It had a fenced dog run in the backyard, but it was four steep steps and 30 feet to the gate. Kaiser (Newfoundland) and Micco (Siberian Husky) had to go out on leashes until I could get them to the run. They saw a squirrel. I hit my head on the door jamb and fell down the steps. I gave myself a concussion and the nurse wanted to call the cops because she didn’t believe LG when he told her what happened. When the doc got there, he laughed because his wife had grown up with Newfies. We were laughing too so it was okay. I felt like an idiot. The Dad-in-Laws had the new fence up within 24 hours. 😆
This little message arrived some time ago but I kept it tucked back in my files until the right time. Not sure this is the right time but as I was looking for something for today’s blog, this one popped up. I’ve been doing a lot of thinking lately about writing–what it takes to make up a story, the mechanics of sitting at the computer and translating those thoughts into words, words to sentences, paragraphs, chapters, yada yada.
It goes like this... Whatever you're capable of summoning, imagining, and moving toward, Silver, however feebly to begin with, I am capable of delivering.
P.S. Silver, careful, now, 'cause you are gonna get it'.
Summoning, imagining, and moving forward. That’s how it works. I can’t decide whay this particular book is giving me fits. I’ve summoned the story and the needed characters–good and bad. I’ve imagined the when and the where and to a large degree the how. But when I do the actual mechanics of sitting at the computer, hands on keyboard, staring at the monitor waiting for the words to make sentences. So, if the Universe is correct, all I can say is, “Yo! When am I gonna get it?!?” I’m ready. And waiting. Except I should stop waiting and just do it. So that’s the take away from the Universe today. Just do it.
Srew it. I it publish before I set the time for tomorrow. Have your Wednesday Words 12 hours early. 🤦🏼♀️
How can it be Wednesday again–and already?!?! It is. And I have words. Actually, I have a lot of words but y’all only get the bare bones. I did the mandatory 250 words and then added, subtracted and ended up with around 2K words.Sadly, other people impressed last week’s Thursday Thread’s judge. That’s okay. I don’t do it to win. I do it to make sure that I get some words written even if I’m procrastinating. Last week’s prompt is: *”Be ready at dark.”* The snippet is, at this point in time, apropos of nothing in the timeline. That means it will happen but I have absolutely no clue when. 😄
**** Ariel slipped back into the shadowed stairwell. He would not admit his relief. As he’d been thinking of her all morning, it was as if he’d conjured her out of thin air. Still, he wasn’t ready to be seen yet. Of course, that was before that damnable dragon strode through the front door as if this hotel was his lair.
Sade instinctively turned to stare at the suave man striding toward her, the smile on his face not reaching his ice-blue eyes though his arms were open as if to offer a welcoming hug. The woman beside her caught her breath and let it out on an appreciative sigh. Sade couldn’t blame her. Nikos was something to look at.
“My darling Sade. What brings you here to the wilds of New York?”
He would have hugged her if she hadn’t stared him down. He laughed. She didn’t. What the bloody fucking hell are you doing here?”
“I might ask you the same question, Agent Marquis.”
“I’m here on official business.”
“As am I.” Nikos stared at the hallway.
Ariel stepped into the light and regarded them both. To Sade, he said, “You know about the murders?” She nodded. He’d already read the knowledge in Nikos’ eyes. “You have thoughts?”
“Serial killer,” Sade said immediately. “I know the victims are of a type but they’re all human. Is there something about their deaths that ties them to a magick?”
The Fae shrugged. “Perhaps. We need to go hunting. Be ready at dark.” ****’
There it is. Things are getting serious in Rochester. *bwahaha* Writers, enjoy the prompt. Readers, would you go hunting with this crew?
Moonstruck Cinnamon Roll Bundt Cake Yield:12 servings Prep time: 5 minutes Minutes Cook time: 35 minutes Minutes Total time: 40 min
Ingredients 2 Jumbo Cinnamon Roll packages (I use the Pillsbury rolls) 1 Standard Cinnamon Roll package
Instructions 1 – Preheat oven to 350℉ 2 – Generously grease a 12-cup Bundt cake pan. 3 – Open cinnamon roll packages as per the instructions on the package 4 – Place the regular sized cinnamon rolls in the bottom of the Bundt cake pan. 5 – Place the jumbo sized rolls around the outer and inner edges of the pan. 6 – Place into oven at 350 Fahrenheit and bake for 30 – 40 minutes. 7 – Place on cooling rack for 5 minutes, flip cake over and let cool for 1 hour. 8 – Remove Bundt cake pan. Drizzle with icing if desired. 9 – Drizzle with the icing included in the cinnamon roll packages.
Tips Note: To prevent overbaking, check the internal temperature after 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and insert a thermometer into the center of the cake. The cake is done when the internal temperature reaches 180 degrees Fahrenheit. If more time is needed, return the cake to the oven and check temperature every 5 minutes.
Have guests coming for the holidays? Need a quick dessert or easy breakfast? Boy have I got the recipe for you! Talk about easy peasy and quick? And the only clean-up is the bundt pan. Everything else disappears into the trash can.
And yes, even Hannah has made this dessert. Even more awesome, if she’s busy, Liam can–and does–make it.
“Yo, Silver! I’m gettin’ effin’ tired of you saying even Hannah can make this. You keep throwin’ shade at me. I can cook. Mostly. Sort of. I mean, look at my kid. He didn’t skip any meals.”
Me, sitting here biting my lips because Liam is standing behind his mom doing that whole Chevy Chase SNL New mocking schtict.”
“My son is standing behind me, isn’t he?”
Me, nodding, big-eyed and really trying not to laugh. Laughin at Hannah can be dangerous.
“You know, son, I brought you into this friggin’ world and I can take you right back out of it.” Liam leaves, laughing. “Do you see what I have to put up with? Look, all you readers out there, I need some back up here. Go buy MOONSTRUCK: SECRETS. It starts at the very beginning of my story and has a lot more info than the Original BLOOD MOON. I mean, don’t get me fu-rrrricking wrong. That’s a good story but it just gives you the basics. Plus, you get Lightfoot and Liz’s story. It’s a good one. Not as good as mine and Mac’s because we are fu-rrrigging awesome. Just click on any pic that has the cover or on the titles. Through internet magic, you’ll end up at Books2Read and you can find your favorite on-line bookstore. And see? I told I wouldn’t fucking cuss.”
Make Hannah’s–and my–day, folks. Go buy the book. Or, if you already have the book, read it and leave a review. And enjoy this great breakfast/dessert cake.
This meme always makes me laugh. I really don’t want to adult today but I sorta have to. There is laundry to be done and I need to make a quick trip to Ace Hardware for birdseed. I might be brave and take Toby with me instead of Jake. We’ll see. He was something of a PITA Pup yesterday.
Thanksgiving is a week from this Thursday. The James Gang is coming here for various reasons. I given everyone their choice: full (or almost full) T-giving feast with turkey and all the trimmings or we can go straight for the good parts–turkey sandwiches and pie. The Kids are discussing and will let me know. I’m the only one who truly loves the whole thing including stuffing, mashed potatoes and giblet gravy, homemade rolls, cranberry salad, green bean casserole, candied sweet potatoes with marshmellows, and then the pies. Some like turkey, potatoes and gravy. Some like turkey and sweet potatoes. Some like pie. One year, we were all incredibly busy and we “defaulted” to turkey sandwiches and pie. It was a hit for both T-giving and Christmas if/when other families had “visitation rights.” I am not opposed to this solution.
In sports news, Stormy’s soccer team made it to the championship finals in this weekend’s tournament. Sadly, they lost but it’s the first time they made it that far in a tournament. Big yay there. We made it to one game but then health kicked in so we stayed home Sunday. It happens. My Cowboys lost. OU won, beating Alabama.
I worked on the book a little on Saturday before we head out for the soccer match. I produced new words but spent more time rearranging some scenes and working on the timeline. Every time I do that, I have glimmers of hope that I will finish the dang thing eventually!
I also finished off Anne Bishop’s TURNS OF FATE. If you are a fan of her The Others series, you really should give this new series a try. I already want to relisten to this book and I’m gritting my teeth on how long it might take for the next book to be published. I loved it. I may have to do a relisten of The Others now. Or maybe I’ll give her Black Jewel series another try. I’ve never really been able to get into that one for some odd reason.
That’s about the sum total of my weekend. Did any of y’all do, read, watch anything exciting? I’ll just be hanging around hiding in my blanket fort in-between loads of laundry.
Silver James 