Three Mondays Left

Posted on December 12, 2022 by Silver James

Who’s ready for Christmas? I’m getting there. I have presents coming for delivery. I have a few final presents to pick out and up and I need stocking stuffers. Decorating is minimal this year for reasons. No outdoor lights (just on the porch and along the walkway) yet because brrrr! I did get the door wreaths switched out from T-giving to Christmas so there’s that. I suppose I should replace the sunflowers on the dining room table with the poinsettas. I’ll get right on that…8*Shifty eyes*&

In writing news, The Nitpicker won. I’ve gone back and rewritten the first 9 chapters. It’s all good–in fact, I think it’s better. Upward and onward this week with more new words.

I met and surpassed my Goodreads reading challenge for 2022. I hit 150 books early in the week. I’ve boosted to 155 and may boost again as I’m current listening to 153. I finished my relisten and new release listen to Darynda Jones’s Sunshine Vicram series. I LOVED all 3 books. Then I reread Kristen Ashley’s STILL STANDING (Wild West MC) in prep for the new release, STEEL AND SMOKE. Vintage KA and she’s not everyone’s catnip. I’m currently listening to Nathan Lowell’s THE WIZARD’S BUTLER. Truly enjoying it so far. Not sure if it’s a fantasy, UF, or straight paranormal. No romance, just fun stuff.

LG, with very little help from me, and more from Uncle Fix-It cleared space in the garage so the garage doors can be replaced. We’re getting both of them done, though only one was buggered up. The other hasn’t been opened in 20+ years. Long story. Anyway, the door guy is supposed to come this week. Hopefully, LG can work a deal to get him to install Pete’s cat door. 🤞🏼

Stormy had indoor soccer yesterday. Considering the weather, this made me happy. Soccer ain’t my thing but he has fun and his 2 besties from school are on the team. The team is a mix of kids from different places–schools, home school, etc.–and all the parents are awesome. Most of this team played fall soccer together. In other sports news, ARMY beat Navy! 🥳 

LG streamed this season’s episodes of “Wednesday” and enjoyed the heck out of it. He, like me, was a big Addams Family fan. I caught part of the last episode and yeah, Imma gonna have to make time to watch it all. We’re still watching “Tulsa King” too. Those are about the only non-reality shows I watch. Yeah, I’m all weird like that.

Headed to Wallyworld and then I can have coffee as I settle in to work. Curious as to what the week will bring. What have y’all been up to?

 

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Friday Sinema: The Finale

Posted on December 9, 2022 by Silver James

Bless their hearts. That’s all I’m going to say… Have a great weekend, y’all.

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Thursday Thoughts: Inventing Imgination

Posted on December 8, 2022 by Silver James

No Universal message today, though this quote has a universal message

To invent, you need a good imagination and a pile of junk. ~Thomas Edison

Boy, does this apply to writing–especailly when you sit down to begin a new project. Or, in my case, when you are in the middle of one and figure out that some of the junk in the pile doesn’t fit. So you dig through it and find the parts that do. Come to think of it, this also applies to the editing process, just sayin’… What will you imagine and/or find in your pile today?

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Wednesday Words: Best Revenge

Posted on December 7, 2022 by Silver James

Okay, so revenge isn’t actually part of either of our prompts for today but that’s the direction my snippet went. From #1lineWed, we have **FOR ME Through the door. What do you see? Something is happening… is it…** (mo9st of which managed to confuse me but hey, I still managed to incorporate all of it!) and from #ThursdayThreads, comes this awesome thought-provoker: “All of it was gone.” This short scene takes place shortly after a previous snippet–the one where they watched the Russian tanks roll through a village. This conversaton takes place between Maxim and Kin.
****
“I want to fight.”

The boy’s statement came out of nowhere. Kin glanced over at him, a glimmer of understanding poking at him. On sentry duty, he’d been surprised when Maxim showed up. The kid perched on a rock without a word. Now, ten minutes later, he’d found his voice.

Unsure why the boy had picked him, Kin didn’t rebuff him. “Why?”

“I am old enough to fight.” Max’s hands curled into fists and he thumped them on his thighs.

“Not really. Not unless you have no choice.” Kin looked away. “You’re English is pretty good.”

“I am smart.”

“But you have a lot to learn, kid.”

The boy sulked. “I need to fight. For me. For my sister. For my country.”

“What happened, Maxim? Back in Maripol.”

“Marishka was in hospital. The treatments. My father he was police, yes? My mother and I, we were home.” At Kin’s nod, the boy continued. “Sirens and then the bombs. ‘Something is happening,’ my mother says. Then…” He closed his eyes and shuddered. “The house, it fell.”

Max’s voice lost all emotion. “My mother…she was…buried. I looked for my father. At the police station, I looked through the door.”

“What did you see?”

“Nothing. Only the front wall still stood. I went to hospital. I found Marishka under her bed.” He turned bleak eyes to Kin. “My town. All of it was gone.”

Without thinking, Kin pulled Max into his arms.”

“That village, they fought. If it is not for me, then who will revenge us?”

“There are many ways to get revenge, Maxim. You are smart. Use your brain. Grow up. Get an education. Your country will need engineers and doctors and scientists. It will need architects and builders. Especially builders. Soldiers? We take lives. We tear down things. Builders put life back together for those who survived. You and Marishka are survivors. Learn. Become. Then go back and be a builder. That, son, is the bloody best revenge of all.
****
And there you have it. I have to admit that I’m really liking the way some–okay almost all–of these scenes are coming together to form the whole story. Kinda makes me want to go buy a jigsaw puzzle and put it together. LOL Truth be told, this was one of those stories that I had no idea where it was going. Meg, the heroine, is based on a character suggested by a writing friend. All she said was, “Her name is Meg and she studies wolves. And Kin is her mate.” That was …wow…a LONG time ago. It’s taken me this long to figure out the circumstances of her rescue, their meeting, and the events that follow. I certainly hope it’s worth the wait for my readers. So, question of the day: Is revenge a dish best served cold?

PS: I just realized. This is Pearl Harbor Day. Kind of a fitting theme…

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Pot Luck

Posted on December 6, 2022 by Silver James

So…I’ve broken my brain over the fixing of geo-political goofs in CROSSFIRE. Breaking my brain is not something new but it does sort of leave me stumped on a post for today. So, instead of me struggling to come up with a treat and a title and the recipe, I’m going to toss it out to y’all. Let’s talk about books. Because most of us hang out here because we like books, right? I mean, it’s not like I’m any sort of influencer when it comes to fashion, music, viral videos, ets. right? So books. I challenge you to come up with one book that you really, REALLY enjoyed (and might read more than once). Is there a food scene in that book? Share the food. Or, you can pick a favorite character and decide what their favorite food is–main dish, dessert, snack, drink, you pick. Sound like fun? I think it does so I’ll start. And while I do this blog thing mostly to tell folks about my books, I’ll pick a book and character that isn’t one of mine. Because I love books too, writing AND reading. Or in my case, listening.

One of my favorite characters is Lt. Eve Dallas, a homicide detective in a futuristic NYC. She lives on coffee but couldn’t afford “real” until she hooks up with Roarke, the mysterious billionaire who seduces her with actual coffee. And real beef. She also lives on spaghetti and meatballs and pizza. Which is all brought out in almost every book in the In Death series by J.D. Robb. That’s an easy one for me. So, I’m going off into the weeds to pull out a character who might not be as well known–Sunshine Vicram. The third book, A HARD DAY FOR A HANGOVER, in this series by Darynda Jones releases today. I’ve just finished a relisten of the first two books, A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE and A GOOD DAY FOR CHARDONNAY. Like quirky charachters, tongue-in-cheek writing, and suspense with a side order of sexual tension? Yeah, give these books a try. Sunshine is all about the coffee. Hrm…I think I see a trend here. 😉 Sun is a former detective who’s been elected as sheriff–in a race she didn’t declare for but “magically” appeared on the ballot and won. That’s all I’m going to reveal. That and there’s an incident in her past–she was kidnapped at age 17. This is not a spoiler. She returns home with a 14 year old daughter and moves into the “guest” house her parents built for Suna and Auri behind their house in the artsy town of  Del Sol, New Mexico. It’s all good. Trust me on this. I love Darynda’s warped sense of humor and the way she imbibes it in her main characters. Now, I need to come up with a treat that would match Sunshine’s quirkiness. Coffee is too easy. Ah ha! MUFFINS! Muffins play a big part in the first book (and make subsequent appearances in the rest of the books) and contribute to Sunshine’s bad day–which is also her first day on the job as sheriff. I like muffins. Blueberry especially. I’m also a fan of Starbucks’ pumpkin cream cheese muffins. I don’t make those. I do make blueberry. Now I’m tempted to go make a batch. But I’d have to go to the store to get the ingredients. LOL Maybe I’ll just make a Starbucks run.

So that’s how the came is played. I’d love to see how you pair a character and/or book to a food. Are you up to the challenge?

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A Fifth of Monday

Posted on December 5, 2022 by Silver James

As I mentioned in a FB post yesterday, four weeks from yesterday is Christmas. I suppose I need to speed up preparations, huh? I’ll get right on that. Actually, as most of you are reading this first thing, I’m at Walmart for grociers but also scouting for stocking stuffers and possible gifts–or I would if people had…you know…given me their wish lists.

So, last week. It went by fast. I made some serious progress on CROSSFIRE. Until Friday. On Friday, my inner nitpicker started pounding on the door. And shouting. *sigh* See, I’m basically anal-retentive when it comes to factuality (is that even a word?) in my writing. I research. A lot. If I don’t know about a subject. Why? Because there are always readers out there who do know that subject. If they’re like me, a writer getting the facts wrong is as irritating as a sweetgum ball stuck in your fuzzy houseshoes. And yes, I’ve dinged writers and stopped reading them because they got things so blatantly wrong. Yeah, yeah. Again, y’all are asking yourselves “why?” Well, this story is going a certain way. And I started it without doing my research. Who knew Ukraine was basically flat? The fact they grow so much grain should have been my first clue. D’uh. 🤦🏼‍♀️ But I have mountains in the book. And hills. Oh, there are mountains, the Carpathians. These are famously spooky mountaints. But they are on the far opposite corner of were the actual battles are taking place. Because there are encounters with enemy soldiers. And then I picked a neighboring country to lend aid to the team that isn’t actually part of an alliance that would help them with logistics. That’s when Miz Nitpicky broke my brain on Friday.

Skip to now. I spent the weekend researching–and apologizing in the author notes to be included in the back matter of the book when it publishes. I’ve switched the aiding country–at least in my head an dnotes but now I have to go back and fix all the instances in the books. I’ve added a bit of transportation instead of the team walking so far. And they can still end up in the Carpathians but because the Ukrainian armed forces held and beat back the Russions, that’s the part I’m having to apologive for because I let the Russians incursion get farther in-country. Literary license. Sorry. Anyway, I’m backtracking a bit this week, cleaning things up and then moving forward full spead ahead because Miz Nitpicker will be locked in the cellar where I can’t hear her.

In other news, I finished listening to a couple of books and started on my relisten of Darynda Jones’s Sunshine Vicram series. Book 3 releases tomorrow so I am indulging my craving for Darynda’s brand of zany characters and suspense. A BAD DAY FOR SUNSHINE makes me smile a lot, occasionally laugh, and generally just enjoy the heck out of the story, writing, and writer’s voice. 

Saturday was First Saturday which means siren test and lunch at our fave Mexican restaurant with the family. This fall it included soccer, which occasionally precluded siren test because…watching Stormy play is more important. He’s started winter in-door soccer now. It happens on the weekends at night. The facility is awesome but with the plexiglass walls around the fields, it’s a little hard to see what happens at the far end of the field from where you might be sitting, plus the kids are playing on a bigger field. They were pooped by the time the games was over. Part of the team had also done a 1-mile “Jungle Bell” fun run on Saturday morning. I don’t know about Stormy, but I’m pretty sure his mom (who also did the mile) slept hard Saturday night. 

I don’t have much else to report. This week is more writing, figuring out Christmas stuff. Oh! I did switch the Thangsgiving door wreath out for the Christmas wreath. I’ll put out the porch lights at some point when it warms up a little. And that’s it for me. Anything new or interesting in your life?

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Friday Sinem: Peace & Goodwill

Posted on December 2, 2022 by Silver James

I had so many titles for today’s video. Cats and Dogs. Goodwill to Cats. Oh Come All Ye Playful… Around here, it’s sort of the opposite. It’s Loki who wants to play with Boone and Jake, and Pete, now that he’s in the picture sometimes. FYI, Loki is the Demon Lord Kitty of Mischief and Mayhem. Boone is our OLD man (at 17), 1/2 Newf-1/2 Golden, and Jake is 1/2 Newf-1/2 Great Pyrenees. Pete is the stray that has taken up residency in our garage. He started out as Pistol Pete, now he’s Pete the Garage Cat, who occasionally comes inside. Anyway, this is just a sweet little video of a cat and a dog just trying to co-exist, even if one of them would prefer to be an “only child.” Have an awesome weekend, all. It’s First Saturday around here so sirens, Mexican food, and family!

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Thursday Thoughts: Universal Advice

Posted on December 1, 2022 by Silver James

I know “The Universe” (aka the fine folks at tut.com) are giving us inspiration and positivity to live our lives but dang it, so very often the messages just fall right into line with what writers deal with in our lives. Yes, we are human. Monstly. Yes, we live lives outside of writing caves and the imaginations that put us in those caves. Yes, there is more to life than making up stories and typing out the words to tell them. But writers, you tell me. Is this good advice for us or not?

When in doubt, Silver, show up early.

Think less. Feel more.

Ask once. Give thanks often.

Expect the best.

Appreciate everything.

Never give up.

Make it fun.

Lead. Invent. Regroup.

Wink. Chill. Smile.

And live as if your success was inevitable, and so it shall be.

Happy global domination,
The Universe
©www.tut.com

Especially wink, chill, smile, Silver!

And yes, non-writers, this is good advice for y’all too. Don’t get wrapped around the axel. Don’t sweat the small stuff. Find the humor and the joy and embrace both. And feel confident in yourself and the life you are living. Sound like a plan? For me, this is a solid plan to get this book finished, edited, and publsihed. I’m going to wink at this WIP, chill, and smile as I write. Upward and onward! Global domination, here I come!

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Wednesday Words: It Is…

Posted on November 30, 2022 by Silver James

It’s Wednesday and December officially starts tomorrow. *muppet flail* I did “win” NaNoWriMo back on Monday. I went just over 50K words. With this book remain that long or longer? Probably not. There is a lot of filler and side notes in its current configuration. As last Thrursday was T-giving, not Thursday Threads prompt so I had to riff along on the #1lineWed prompt: **IT IS: Finished. Only just begun. Green.** That last one is evidently a Star Trek reference. Something about Data and weird whiskey. I didn’t go there. And I cheated a little. I added the prompt and some extra words to a scene where they fit right in, and one I happened to be working on. So, hwere you go. This scene takes place fairly early in the “trekking” portion of the book. If you remember the chewed boot, this happens not too long after that.
****
“Kin?”

He didn’t snarl but it took every ounce of his willpower to leash his aggression. Duke was not a Wolf. Even if he had been, the man was the human equivalent of mated.

“Sorry,” he bit out.

“Talk to me.”

He wanted to ignore the order but Duke was his commander. This was a mission after all and his fecking moonstruck testosterone levels had no place on what could become a battlefield.

“None of your business.” And wasn’t that a stupid thing to say. He closed his eyes. “’Tis the girl,” he admitted in growled undertones.

“You have a problem with her?”

And that was the dilemma, wasn’t it? “Not like you mean.” He inhaled, forcing his wolf to relax. The bloody thing wanted to rip out Duke’s throat for touching Meg. All he’d done was assist her over a rocky spot in the trail, just like he’d helped the kids they were shepherding.

Loch suddenly appeared and Kin glanced up. Had the Russians gotten closer?

“You’ve not been around a moonstruck Wolf, have ya now?” Loch asked, his Irish brogue a lilt on the breeze ruffling through the surrounding forest. “We need t’keep the others away from the girl until Kin has a chance to claim her.”

Duke’s expression resembled a confused Golden Retriever and Kin almost laughed. “What the hell does that mean?” Duke barked.

“She’s his mate, mate,” Loch explained. “And until she’s his right and proper, no man is safe around her.”

Kin growled. “She’s not my mate. And this discussion? It is finished.

“’Tisn’t. ’Tis only just begun,” Loch countered.

Duke’s snarl was worthy of a Wolf. “Well, fuck.”

“Aye, Duke. That’s what they need t’be doin’ except this is not the place nor the time.”

Studying Kin intently, Duke finally spoke. “Can you keep it under control?”

His first instinct was a snarling, “Yes.” Instead of voicing that, Kin actually thought through things before answering. “Aye. I haven’t lost control since I was a pup. I won’t be losin’ it now.” He gestured toward the clump of kids and the rest of the team. “Too many lives dependin’ on it.”

“Okay, then. Maybe you should take sentry duty, Kin.”

He shook his head. “Assign one of the others. I need t’prowl. I’ll shift and scout a wider area.”

Not waiting for Duke’s response, Kin turned his back and walked away. Loch laid his hand on Duke’s biceps and shook his head. “Let it be. His wolf is ridin’ him hard. He needs t’let the beastie out to work off some steam. If we’re lucky, he’ll find some game and make a kill. Good eats for us, energy release for him.”

Duke rubbed his forehead. He’d just thought dealing with a bunch of surgically and genetically enhanced SEALS had been a pain in his ass. Now he had those plus guys who could change in wolves, humans, and a dude that talked to the animals—at least his falcon and dog. For all he knew, Uri could communicate with the two wolves the same way. Which was a strategic advantage to be sure. There were times when radio silence and the need to communicate slammed up against each other.

Moshe suddenly sat up, ears pricked, gaze zeroed in on a section of the woods. Duke glanced at Uri, who knelt beside his dog. Golda, the falcon, perched on his shoulder. With a soft coo, the bird launched, wings beating as she rose above tree level. Loch relaxed.

“Just Kin’s wolf,” Loch said. “The Ladyhawke will keep an eye on him and she’ll let Uri know if there’s trouble.”

Duke flashed the other man a narrow-eyed look. “Ladyhawke?”

The Irishman grinned. “T’was a favorite movie of mine.”

“Because Rutger Hauer turned into a wolf?”

Loch’s grin turned impish. “Naw. T’was all about Michelle Pfeiffer. In fact, I swore back in the day should I ever have a little cailín of m’own, I’d be namin’ her Isabeau Michelle.”
****
And there you have it. No obscure Star Trek reference but a semi-obscure movie reference. Have you seen “Ladyhawke?” 🙋🏼‍♀️ Yeah, I’m with Loch on this one, except I was all about the wolf. I hope y’all enjoyed this little peek into current conditions in CROSSFIRE. Writers, feel free to start creating. Readers, do you have a favorite shapeshifter movie? (And writers, you can answer the question too, LOL)

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Tuesday Treats & Titles: Under the Cubano Moon

Posted on November 29, 2022 by Silver James

I’m still celebrating the release of UNDER THE ASSASSIN’S MOON. So…when it came time to pick a recipe for today, I considered something Brazilian, since the bulk of the story is set in Rio de Janeiro and the Amazon jungle. I even mention some Brazilian food in the book. However, the heroine is 1/2 Cuban and the granddaughter of Cuban immigrants. And I happen to really like Cubanos. I won’t get into the discussion of whether these delicious sandwiches are traditional Cuban or a creation from South Florida. Don’t care. They’re good. Also, I lean toward the Miami version rather than Tampa, because I’m not a fan of salami. Anyway…

YIELD: Makes 2 sandwiches
ACTIVE TIME: 15 minutes
TOTAL TIME: 15 minutes

Ingredients
2 (8- to 10-inch) sections Cuban bread, split open horizontally (see note)
4 tablespoons yellow mustard
6 ounces sliced Swiss cheese
6 ounces thinly sliced dill pickles
8 ounces sliced honey ham
6 ounces leftover Cuban-style roast pork
4 ounces sliced Genoa salami (optional; see note)
2 tablespoons butter

Directions
1. Preheat a panini press or a large cast iron skillet or griddle over medium heat. Lay bread, open side up, on a work surface and spread the bottom and top halves with mustard. Layer bottom and top halves with Swiss cheese. Working only on bottom halves, layer on all of the pickles, ham, roast pork, and salami (if using). Close sandwiches, pressing gently.

2. Butter top and bottom of panini press and press sandwiches with moderate pressure until crisp on both sides, about 8 minutes. If using a cast iron skillet or griddle, melt half of butter in pan and add sandwiches. Use a second pan to press on them as the first side crisps. When crisp, flip sandwiches, add remaining butter, swirl to coat, and continue cooking while pressing until crisp on both sides, about 10 minutes total. Slice sandwiches in half diagonally and serve immediately.

Special Equipment
Panini press or 10-inch cast iron skillet or cast iron griddle

Notes
Cuban bread is a soft white bread made with lard. Look for it in Latin bakeries or groceries. If unavailable, use any not-too-crusty, soft white rolls, preferably with some lard or fat baked into them. Salami is a traditional ingredient in Tampa-style Cuban sandwiches, but can be omitted. In a pinch, you can use Italian bread, so long as it isn’t a hard crust.

For step-by-step instructions and a very entertaining description of how to make a Cubano. CLICK HERE. As I mentioned above, Izeta Cordero, the heroine of UNDER THE ASSASSIN’S MOON, is half Cuban and was raised by her grandparents. Even though she’s a CIA operative, in the quiet times beween assignments when she’s curled up at home on the Outer Banks, Zeta would definitely make herself a Cubano. And trust me, Brody thinks these hit the spot. They can even make them when they’re motoring around on The Moonstruck. You’re new and improved copy is only one click away. Just put your mouse on any place I mention the title or there’s a pic with book cover and click to see what on-line booksellers have it available. only have to wait one more week to read their story. Just click on the cover to pre-order it now from Amazon!

Do you have a favorite warm sandwich? If so, share with the rest of us!

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