Sunday, May 28, 2017

Sunday Snippet: Shaken Alliances (Technorati Book One)

Whew. What a busy week leading up to my son's graduation tonight. Looking forward to watching him accept his diploma and start on the next phase of his journey.

I missed Gotham and hope to catch up after the craziness calms down.

The Flash's finale ended up being pretty good but I'm actually kind of hoping there won't be as much time travel shenanigans in the next season. Honestly, I like the ripple effect from Flashpoint but I'm hoping it's pretty much wrapped up.

Arrow. What a season-ender. I pretty much sat and blinked at the screen for a few seconds in stunned silence. Even seeing how the end would play out, I still ended up being shocked. LOL I really want the hiatus to fly by so I can find out who made it and who didn't.

I got through the first season of Iron Fist. I'm something of a completest and wanted to watch before The Defenders started. I don't know… I kind of like the setup for the next season with Joy and Davos possibly teaming up but I wouldn't mind seeing Madame Gao go down in flames.

I'm really struggling with Doctor Who. I'm looking forward to a new doctor and a new showrunner. I kind of long for the format Davies started and hope the new person goes back to something similar. I'm disappointed in the way everything is either overly convoluted or completely discombobulated. I shouldn't need a set of show notes to get all the nuances, right? Eh… here's hoping the next season is awesome.

And that's it for television. Orphan Black starts in two weeks and I'm excited!

Tonight's post is from Shaken Alliances (Technorati Book One), a novella that started to unfold with random snatches of imagery and conversation.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Janna Allgood, a corporal in the Alliance, is the best at what she does, bringing Technorati deceivers to justice. But when she's assigned the task of tracking down the notorious leader of the rogue technomancers, she discovers a new calling, one that puts her life in danger because it may bring down the Alliance she works for.

And a preview snippet…

Paxton Teller relaxed in front of the fire in his makeshift quarters. On the move for the past six months, he finally made it to a place he could rest and regroup for longer than forty-eight hours. He needed some down time to plan ahead.
Staring into the flames, the nuances of another presence touched Pax's inner being. One that nudged along his consciousness. He'd been expecting the visit and opened his mind, inviting entrance.
The old one gracefully melded his thoughts with Pax's and settled in for a long conversation.
Pax used his skill to slip the bolt on the lock, making sure they'd have complete privacy. No one would overhear the discussion going on in his mind, but interruptions sometimes leaked information into the conscious recesses of those around when it happened.
Pax would take no chances. The old one meant too much to him.
He reclined back, lifting a lager of wine to his lips. "You have news?" He drank deeply, letting the mellow flavor play along his taste buds.
The old one heaved a sigh. "They're sending the best." He stopped, throwing up a block.
Pax understood immediately. "This troubles you." The old one wouldn't try to keep him out if it didn't.
His mentor stayed silent, the blank visage of his mind telling Pax more than his thoughts would. Patience didn’t come easily for Pax, but he respected the old man too much to prod him along. Pax had a very good idea who'd be gunning for him.
Janna Allgood.
He welcomed the challenge she'd present. Out of all the files he'd acquired on the technomancers, hers fascinated him the most. She had a perfect record. Each and every person she'd been assigned to bring in either ended up in custody or self-terminated. Pax couldn't wait to meet her face to face, mind to mind, and see what happened.
His suspicion would be sparks flying in all directions. Janna's beauty, evident from the Alliance ID, spoke to him. But more than that, her high level of intelligence intrigued him, made him want to test how far she could go.
After several more contemplative moments, the sage finally opened his block. "She's a particular favorite of mine. I don't want to see her hurt."
Pax frowned. The possibility of pain and heartache abounded with this task. But he'd do his best not to have it occur on his end.
He reassured his counterpart. "She won't be." He paused and added a disclaimer. "Not by me." The Alliance, on the other hand, could and would do as they saw fit.
The old one kicked back a retort. "It's a dangerous game you play. And she's a pawn."
Pax couldn't deny his master's words. "For both sides." He clarified the facts, something he'd never done before with the old one.
Rennick warned. "Choose wisely, my son. The path you travel is not an easy one. Be very certain before bringing her into the plan."
Pax loved the old man for worrying. "I vow to exercise caution. You've prepared the way? Planted the seeds?"
Rennick nodded. "You know I have. As much as I could."
He walked a very fine line, one Pax didn't envy. Rennick worked in the deepest shadows. His position as the preceptor for all technomancers gave him access to any and all Alliance activities.
Pax took major amounts of heat, but he got to do so in the open. He didn't have the concern and burden of being found out. Instead, he got to drop trou and moon the Alliance nits whenever the mood struck. He liked it that way. Drawing fire upon himself left his Technorati brethren free to advance their cause.
Smoke and mirrors. Illusion and subterfuge. Progress. One world at a time.
A failed deal here, an unexpected outcome there, and the Alliance left twisting in the wind. His people did a good job of countering the technomancers… without them knowing it. He'd trained them very, very well.
He wanted to bring Janna over to their side. The technorati would be unstoppable with her talent working for them.
"Tread carefully, Pax. Push too hard and Janna will dig in hard and cling to what she knows. All your work will be for naught." The wise one cautioned. "Our freedom lost."
Pax reassured him. "Don't worry, old one. I'll keep my emotional distance. No matter how attractive I find her."

If all goes as I hope, there should be at least three books in this series. Fingers crossed!



That's it for this week.

Cheers!


Skye

Sunday, May 21, 2017

Sunday Snippet: Tangled Web

May 21, 2017

Wow. Next week my second kidlet graduates from high school. I'm excited for him, yet I'm also wistful for the toddler with an overly large head—it's a family thing and he completely grew into the large noggin—that used to lob blocks and legos across the kiddie gate to get my attention. Next week's post might be an emotional one.

Anyway… on to the week's TV fare. Gotham kept things nice and interesting. I love the twisty-twist with Selena and Bruce. I'm also enjoying Ivy with Oswald. She's a nice foil to his manic craziness, maybe even better than Ngyma. I do have to wonder if Jim or someone else will ever find the knife Mario tried to kill Leigh with. Honestly, her anger with him is the only thing that kind of pulls me out of the show, even though it's justified and makes complete sense.

The Flash needs a rewatch. I didn't catch all of the episode and came in late. I'm looking forward to the resolution and hope things pay off in a big way.

Arrow delivered, as usual. Even with the over the top and almost unbelievable things Chase seems to manipulate, I have no doubt the showdown on Lian Yu will be worth it. Have to admit seeing Merlyn kind of surprised me, only a little because his name was mentioned. LOL I'm really not sure how I feel about Arrow's move to Thursdays next season. I'll hold off judgment for now. But it's one more day I have to wait for new episodes and that doesn't make me happy.

Not excited about waiting until fall for new episodes of The Last Ship. It's my summer must watch show and now it's not going to be on in the summer. Bleh.

Still looking forward to the Friday night block on Syfy at the end of June. If this gets changed, be prepared for an epic rant. With Orphan Black airing its final season in June also, the month looks to be terrific.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Tangled Web, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt of "believe me". I got a great image for that quote and the rest is coming together nicely.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Ruby Ire is bad for men—every time she falls for one he ends up dead, so she doesn't get tangled up with them anymore. But a series of near miss accidents makes her think she's become a target and she hires Jordan Riceman to track down her attacker. She won't let Jordan get too close, no matter how damned attractive he is.

And a preview snippet…

Ruby Ire let out a harsh gasp. "Thelma! Did you see today's paper?"
The owner of Curl-a-Whirl, Thelma Trusdale poked her head in the back room. "Only the personals, Rube. You know I always check for responses first thing every Tuesday." She waved to her newly permed customer when they left the shop before coming to stand by the small café table. "What's going on?"
Ruby tapped the headline. "Hal Marks died in a hit and run accident." She met Thelma's gaze. "Late last night." Not more than thirty minutes after he'd dropped Ruby off at her place.
Thelma dragged an empty chair around and dropped down beside Ruby. "Oh, sweetie. That's terrible." She stopped a moment. "Wait, did you two—"
Ruby shook her head. "No, we didn't get back together." She and Hal had ended their affair a week prior. "He gave me a ride home from the Brennan's cocktail hour. Didn't even try to kiss me at the door." A sick feeling settled in the pit of Ruby's stomach. "Which doesn't really matter because Hal's the third man I've gone out with who's met an untimely end." The terrible dread blossomed and spread outward. "Please tell me I'm being paranoid, Thelma."
Thelma's lips compressed into a thin line. "Rube, normally I would. I thought maybe Dan and Boyd were a bad coincidence, you know. But I really don't think the rule of three applies here." She lifted a shoulder. "I'm not gonna tell you you're being paranoid because maybe you're not."
Ruby slumped forward. "That's it then. I'm swearing off relationships. I can't have men dropping like flies around me." Just last night, Agnes Brennan commented about how two of Ruby's former beaus were no longer among the living.
With Hal's demise, the gossip mill would be working overtime.
Thelma tsked. "No, you can't. But people like Agnes and her biddies will talk no matter what happens. It's not your fault Dan didn't make sure he had the main power cut when he was switching out that light fixture. And there's no way Boyd's accident could've been your fault."
Boyd had fallen to his death when he got stuck in a faulty elevator. Ruby hadn't been anywhere near the building when it happened. Didn't make her feel less responsible. Especially now.
Ruby folded the paper and turned the headline away. "Three guys, Thelma. Dead." The queasy roil invaded again and took up residence. "I can't help but think it's because of me."
Thelma met Ruby's gaze head-on. "What are you gonna do?"
Ruby lifted a shoulder. "Not go out on dates with anyone ever again, for starters."

Thoroughly enjoying how this one is coming together. Ruby is a great character.



That's it for this week.

Cheers!


Skye

Sunday, May 14, 2017

Sunday Snippet: Storm Down the Drain

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. It's a beautiful day in Ohio and I hope to enjoy the weather for a while.

Another terrific week in television. Gotham keeps working the crazy and I'm loving it. The blending of three or more plot threads is terrific and I hope we continue seeing a nice mix of all.

I missed most of The Flash. See crazy month starting for me last post. But, I'll catch up before Tuesday's new episode.

Arrow delivered another great episode. I love having Thea back even if it might only be for a little while. I'm not sure what's going on with Rene, but it'll be interesting to see how that plays out. Something tells me Chase might have something to do with why he didn't show up. I'm truly hoping the final showdown ends up being between Oliver and Talia with a little Nyssa thrown in.

Riverdale's season finale rocked! The first arc is finished and the second one opened with a serious bang. I'm honestly excited to see what the hell happens next. It'll be a major wrench in the Arch / Ronnie duo if her dad had anything to do with Fred's shooting. And something tells me that's a big possibility. Then again, I won't be surprised if that's a red herring and Mayor McCoy is actually the one behind the violence. Or maybe even Hermione. I'll have to wait not-so-patiently to find out. LOL

Last Sunday's Talking with Chris Hardwick turned out to be an excellent show. I'm a Charlie Hunnam fan and having him on for the entire hour was terrific. I love Chris's laid back style a lot.

Finally got caught up on Murdoch Mysteries and, wow, what a season finale. Definitely hope the show is renewed for an eleventh season.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Storm Down the Drain, a novella built around a prompt of writing a scene in a specific genre with a distinctive tone, like noir. I chose to run with the noir feel but with an added paranormal twist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

On a dark and stormy night, Brooks Algonquin knocks on Velvet Strong's door and asks her to help him find the Burmesian Raven, an antiquity with magical qualities. Velvet takes his case, but quickly learns Brooks has ulterior motives for acquiring the artifact stolen from his family.

And a preview snippet…

Velvet eyed the prime specimen of manhood lounging on her sofa. On the tall side with broad shoulders, he had wavy hair that looked like he'd tumbled directly from his bed. She'd bet he never thought twice about how much the rakish quality would appeal to the opposite sex. His long legs met a narrow torso and the stretch of fabric across his chest hinted at a sculpted and cut physique. Even dressed casually, his body language screamed money and wealth. Of course, the Algonquin name confirmed he could more than afford her fee.
Not that she needed paying clients. A tidy inheritance from her grandfather and a widow's pension, which she more than earned, from her deceased spouse meant she could pick and choose the type of cases she wanted. And she definitely wanted Brooks's.
Velvet read people well—men in particular—and Mr. Algonquin intrigued her. A man comfortable in his skin but not the world he inhabited. She couldn't wait to peel back the layers to find out why he needed her services.
She poured a cup of coffee from her decanter. "You mentioned bringing danger to my doorstep." Sliding the cup in front of him, she settled back on the cushion. "Care to explain?" She tucked her legs up under her filmy robe.
Brooks picked up the coffee and blew across the top. "Well, my family recently had something of great value stolen from them." He took a sip then set the drink back on a coaster. "I need to find it." His voice held conviction and determination and a hint of something not quite above board.
Velvet made a logical leap. "And you can't involve the police because the object isn't really yours." The family name alone gave credence to her suspicions.
Brooks flashed a wry smile. "You're very astute and no doubt keyed into the darker aspects of the Algonquin name." He lifted a shoulder. "And that is part of the reason. We can't go to the precinct and fill out a report for a missing gemstone carved into the shape of an obelisk." He picked up his cup again. "The artifact won't show up on a registry list. And there are people who would claim it as theirs and tie up the court system trying to prove the improvable." He took another sip of the fragrant brew.
Velvet tilted her head to one side. "Does this gem thing do tricks or something?" Why else would a connected family need to hire an investigator to find a bauble?
Her question had him choking on the coffee.
He blinked and recovered, but wouldn't meet her gaze. "Uh, no. No. It's more of a superstition thing. Been in the family for almost a century." He set the cup back on the table, his movements stiff and precise.
Velvet caught the lie and disappointment nudged its way into her brain. Even so, she couldn't resist the intrigue and desire to discover more about this theft and the man who needed to find the jewel.
Leaning forward, she held out a hand. "Well, Mr. Algonquin, looks like I've got myself a new client. I'll take the case." A smile lit his face and his warm hand enveloped hers, his firm grip sending tingles up her arm.

Velvet and Brooks are a fun duo to write and I'm excited about how things play out from here.



That's it for this week.

Cheers!


Skye

Sunday, May 7, 2017

Sunday Snippet: Still of the Night

Well, a crazy month begins for me this week. For whatever reason, May is always insane. Awards ceremonies, musical concerts, and, this year, a graduation. I'm just now starting to feel the feels about my middle kidlet ending his high school journey and getting ready to embark on his trip through adulthood. I should be more in the camp of two down, one to go and I'll get there… probably the day after we get the party out of the way. LOL

Television this week ended up being terrific. Gotham had a great episode with a few twists I didn't foresee. I'm still on the fence with the whole owl society thing, but I'm leaning toward liking where things are going.

The Flash ended up surprising me with the reveal of Savitar. I thought maybe Ronnie or Jay would end up being behind the suit, or possibly Thawne in some roundabout way. Looking forward to seeing how the rest of the episodes play out.

Arrow's episode reminded me again why I love this show so much. It's been a little uneven this season but the show always pulls everything together in ways I don't expect. I can't wait for Wednesday to get here for the next installment!

Riverdale's reveals paid off in a big way. At least for me. I have several items on my wish list for the finale and some saved back for the next season. I'm excited for the possibilities with Cheryl and where she'll go, seeing how the dynamic plays out in the Cooper household, and what happens with everyone caught in the potential crossfire. What I'm not overly excited about? Hiram Lodge. Seriously. I kind of don't care a fig about that dude, especially if he's all oily and smarmy and goes out of his way to be a dick. We'll see. I'm watching closely, CW. Don't muck this up.

My summer shows should be returning soon and I'm looking forward to watching my favorites. Hopefully, I'll be able to catch up on some of the mainstream fare I missed also.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Still of the Night, a novella that got a beginning with the two-word prompt "you first". I got an immediate flash of one character handing the other something to drink and saying the words. The rest flowed from there.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Salem Rhys has the perfect recipe for brewing dark lager, a potent alcohol that will go over huge at the mage academy… but doesn’t have the know-how or equipment to create the concoction. Jared Meyer, a tech genius, can definitely help her out. Salem falls hard for her business partner, but considers him out of her league until Jared proposes more than a money-making venture.

And a preview snippet…

Salem Rhys entered the common area of the brownstone hall that acted as student housing for the Academy of Light—the premier school for gifted mages, witches, and wizards. Normally, she loved this space. Turn of the century architecture modernized by generations of brilliant minds making it their own. The eclectic dĂ©cor usually acted as a balm, a welcoming home away from home.
But not today.
Today, Salem didn't see the cozy seating areas when she passed them, heading for the small, corner nook by the large windows. Numb and chilled to the bone—despite the warm afternoon, she sank down onto her favorite sectional and curled up to stare out over the campus pentagon. The loss of her mom didn't really hit until an hour ago, right after Salem left the solicitor's office.
Someone dropped down beside her and Salem turned, thinking to ask for some space to ponder her problems. But instead, stunned, her eyes went wide. Jared Meyer's family had prominent standing with the academy board, several relatives were members, and they pretty much provided most of the community with opportunities for employment. Why he chose to park his butt next to her, she had no clue. But… after the day she'd had so far, a hot and handsome guy sharing a seat with her rated as the best thing to happen.
Jared kicked his feet up onto the ottoman and his head dropped back to the overstuffed cushion. He heaved a sigh then straightened and angled his head toward her.
He gave her a slow once-over. "You look how I feel." Shifting his position, he turned a little to face her then winced. "Shit. Sorry. Of course you do. You just lost your mom."
Surprised he knew anything about her, she nodded. "There's that… and the fact the only things she specifically left me are her books of magick." None of which would pay for her tuition or her living expenses.
Jared's mouth dropped open. "But you were her only heir. Isn't that right?" He quirked an eyebrow.
How did he know that? They had a few classes together but didn't mix much socially. Bumping into each other on pub crawl night didn't count, right?
His brow arched higher. He waited on an answer.
She shrugged. "Yeah, but her estate has to go through probate before I have access to anything the creditors don't take." The process would take months and Salem didn't have that long.
Not to mention her mom's long illness meant the medical and healer expenses wouldn't leave much left over. But Salem could stretch out a budget with the best.
Jared laid a hand on her shoulder. "I'd offer to help but I'm the same boat." He rolled his eyes. "I'm being cut off. To teach me a lesson." He made a hand-wave motion.
Salem blinked and shook her head. Did he really think they were in the same boat? Being cut off from family money and having next to nothing didn't compare. He didn't have to worry about being kicked out of school. The possibility loomed in a very real way for her.
She folded her arms over her chest. "What? Did you overdraw the trust fund?" Yikes, she sounded bitchy, didn't she? "Look, I'm sorry, but you really can't compare our circumstances."
Jared had the grace to flush. "You're right. I just meant I'd help if I could." He got up. "I am sorry about your mom, Salem." He turned to walk away. "I'll see you in class."
She stared at his retreating back. Stupid to be snarky with him. Her problems weren't his responsibility. He'd made a nice gesture with the offer of condolence and commiseration and she'd thrown it in his face.
"Way to go, Salem. The hot and handsome guy now thinks you're a raging bitch."
Then again, the hot and handsome guy would never be in her league, cut off or not.

Gotta say, this one is a treat. The back and forth between Salem and Jared is funny and snappy. Can't wait to see how it finishes up.



That's it for this week.

Cheers!


Skye