Sunday Snippet: Not Enough Hope

If anyone is headed into a major heat wave this week like I am, stay hydrated! And try to stay cool, especially if your location is as humid as mine is. Humidity is a nightmare.

Had a busy and productive week. Making good progress on two of my projects and sliding in some random finishing bits on a few others.

Started a huge cleanup job in the kitchen. My poor countertops need to be reorganized and cleared of clutter. I got the largest one scrubbed down and mostly organized. Still need to find a new home for a few items.

Also have some mundane tasks to plow through this week. Not sure I'll make it but I can't put it off any longer. My procrastination skills are top notch!

Had a decent viewing week. I ended up making it through my usual slate of shows, which rather makes me happy.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the episode again. The characters in Phyrne's past are always fun.

Caught another episode of Art Detectives and, I have to say, I thoroughly enjoy this show. Looking forward to the next episode.

Watched the season thirteen holiday special of Death in Paradise and enjoyed meeting Neville's mom. Should be fun to watch the last season of Inspector Parker's tenure.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. Kind of fun to see him on holiday and solving a murder. I'll admit the resolution came together a little oddly for me but an interesting episode nonetheless.

Caught another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed Sherlock's revelations about friendship. So fun to watch Marcus chill with Sherlock at the end.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond. Having the Royal Flush gang back proved fun. Also like Terry making a solid choice at the end to stick with Dana.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. The holiday themed episode is one I remember and I really need to add it to my holiday watch list if I do one this year.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Enough Hope, a novella that reunites a couple after almost a decade apart.

Here's the miniblurb:

Early Gibbons walks away from her position in the fae court—and Salem Powell—to forge her own path in the human realm. When she discovers a vengeance hound on her trail, she returns to the land of fae to find out who unleashed the beast, which may be tricky since Salem is the leader, and she can't discount him as the culprit.

And a preview snippet…

Early let her head fall back against the cushions of the couch. "Thanks for letting me stay here last night, but this place is too nice for me to stay any longer…" She angled her head toward the chair. "Not that you'd let me." At least she'd had a few hours to plan her next move.

Salem narrowed his gaze. "Look … as much as I'm reluctant to get involved with this, I can't ignore your situation." He exhaled slowly. "It's my literal job to sort this out." He lifted the mug to his mouth and took a deep gulp of the coffee.

Early shook her head. "It's really not. I haven't been a member of the group for nearly a decade. You don't owe me anything."

Salem set his cup on the table. "Maybe not. But I do owe the people who trust me to lead them." He leaned forward and laced his fingers together. "Vengeance hounds tend to stay their course until they're either recalled by whoever summoned them or they achieve the goal they were sent to do." Meeting her gaze, he shrugged. "You'll have to stay in the realm until we figure out the who and why." He leaned back again. "If you don't want to stay here, and I get why you don't, you'll need to find a place where you can be safe."

Early tilted her head to one side. "You almost sound like it matters." Did she want him to care what happened to her?

Oddly … she did.

Salem frowned. "Considering I didn't give anyone permission to summon a hound it damn well does matter." His brows arched. "As you pointed out, a hound on the loose is dangerous to humans. And now to the fae." His eyes took on a hard edge. "It also tells me something is lurking below the surface. And I have to find out what."

Okay, she couldn't really ask for more, like having her life being in danger topping the list. Especially after she'd walked away. She'd be grateful he would let her stay until the hound no longer posed a threat.

She inclined her chin. "Of course. And it goes without saying that I'll be available for whatever you need." Rising, she gathered her mug and carried it to the kitchen. "I'll clean up and bind the house and yard, so the hound doesn't disturb the property." She poured the coffee out and rinsed the cup.

Salem followed her. "Any thoughts on where you'd like to go?" He set the half-full mug on the counter.

Early gave a nod. "The catacombs. I think they'll be the safest place in the realm." She could possibly contain the hound in the depths, and she'd have plenty of supplies for spells and alchemy.

Salem's head jerked backward. "You're sure? Not many creature comforts there."

Her lips curved. "Not yet anyway." She gave him a sideways glance. "Unless you object to having me make a few changes…" Using her skill set for interior design could be fun.

Salem shook his head. "No. No objections." He propped a hip against the counter. "Let me know when you get settled, and I'll drop by with some of the texts. We can research and compare notes and hopefully find out who sent the hound after you."

She dried her hands. "Okay. Give me until lunchtime. The hound usually lays low during the daylight hours and comes out at night. I bought myself about twenty-four hours, but it won't take it long to find me." She'd bet it already had but wouldn't show its face until darkness fell again.

Salem straightened. "All right. I'll stop in after lunch." He headed for the front entrance. "See you then." Letting himself out, he quietly closed the door behind him.

Early finished cleaning up and repacked her bag. After warding the house and adding a binding spell to the yard, she hefted the strap over her shoulder and started down the lane toward the catacombs.

She had a feeling the memories would assault her before she even arrived at the huge stone caves.

After all, she'd spent many, many hours in the complex with Salem … back when they loved each other more than anything.

But she didn't hold out much hope Salem would have the same onslaught.

Salem and Early want to get through the hard stuff and be reunited, but neither will admit it to the other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Again

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, mentors, and father figures out there! And if this is a rough day for anyone, please find peace and joy where you can.

Seriously busy week and I didn't feel the greatest. Heading in for an annual physical soon and hope to nail down why I'm kind of down right now. My guess is my sleep schedule is horrible at the moment.

Somewhat good progress on work projects. Friday and Saturday ended up being challenging days because of not feeling well. I'm a little behind on two and hope to make that up in the next couple of days.

Spent a couple of days doing tedious personal life stuff, but I made it through my standard slate of shows this week. I'm considering a new addition to the lineup but haven't made up my mind yet.

Enjoyed an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The plot's twisty turns are fun and it's nice to see the tentative partnership with Jack and Phryne taking root.

I totally lied when I said I caught the season twelve finale of Death in Paradise. It had one more episode, which I ended up enjoying a lot. I'll be starting thirteen this week.

Caught another episode of Poirot and enjoyed it. This one had some twists but it was fun for Poirot to have a case in his own backyard … or building as the case may be.

Started a new series called the Art Detectives and liked the first episode. The leads have great chemistry and I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Watched an episode of Elementary and enjoyed Sherlock coming to terms with being friends with Alfredo and not just sponsor and sponsee. Joan was really great in this episode also.

Enjoyed another episode of Batman Beyond. It's fun when Terry has to be a big brother and I love how he handles Tim. The big bad was also interesting.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Both were new-to-me vignettes and I liked them. The one with DeeDee's college class was a lot of fun.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Again, a novella where the couple has a big hurdle to clear before they get their HEA.

Here's the miniblurb:

Drue Braddock and Xeno Howlett have a rocky relationship, but when Drue goes off on one of her many soul-searching quests, Xeno decides he's had enough. When Drue returns, she finally knows what she wants—Xeno—but she may not get her chance because he's got someone new in his life.

And a preview snippet…

Drue squared her shoulders for battle then swished through the gauzy curtains of Lydia's studio space. "We gotta talk, Lyds." Drue purposefully used the hated nickname of the other woman.

Lydia bristled. "No, we really don't." She visibly forced herself to relax. "You being back doesn't affect me in any way." Her fingers fluffed up the basil she'd finished transplanting.

Drue snorted. "You're not senseless. You have to know I'll be interacting with Xeno. It can't be avoided." She stopped there because the less she shared about her discovery the better.

Lydia's gaze snapped upward. "Your trip proved fruitful then?" Her attempt at idle curiosity failed … the keen interest and envy oozed from her.

Drue shrugged. "My trips always do." She held Lydia's gaze. "And I need to brief Xeno then work with him to counteract a few things." Keeping any additional revelations to herself, Drue continued. "That said, I won't be attempting to take him from you."

Lydia scoffed. "The very idea is laughable. You can't possibly worm your way between us." The wobble to her voice gave her away.

Lydia worried Xeno still had feelings for Drue … which she filed away for use at a later time. Right now, too much rode on getting Xeno up to speed with the darkness headed their way.

Drue lifted her chin. "Good to know that won't be an issue. Our work together will be strictly professional on my end. You have my word on that." She waited a brief moment. "I can't promise Xeno will do the same, but if you're not worried, I won't be either." Turning, she headed for the exit without a backward glance.

She'd accomplished her goal of firing a warning shot. What Lydia did with the cautionary information remained to be seen. Putting her on notice wouldn't sit well with her, but she'd have to deal because Drue would be swearing Xeno to secrecy about a rising faction of troublemakers hellbent on destroying the decades of peace the tribe had enjoyed.

Leaving the building where Lydia kept her studio, Drue headed toward Xeno's, the instinctive mistrust of Lydia weighing Drue down. She owned jealousy that Lydia now had a place in Xeno's life played a role but the other woman's envy of Drue's talent with the crystals came between them more than once. Adding Xeno to the mix would not help the situation.

Drue sighed. "Guess I'll be ready for some major clashes in the near future."

Won't that be fun?

Drue is probably right not to trust Lydia but not because she's jealous.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Noble Kidnapping

It's been a long week with a lot going on. My dad turned eighty last Sunday and my oldest turned thirty-two. Yep. They have the same birthday. My brothers always give me a bunch a grief over getting my dad a grandson for his birthday.

We had a nice reception for my dad, and I got to reconnect with a lot of people I hadn't seen in a long time. So nice to catch up.

Work projects continue to keep me busy. I'm making good progress but often feel like I'm spinning my wheels because they're big projects that take a lot of back and forth. This isn't a complaint; it's more an observation.

Had a slow viewing week but did manage to get through my main group of shows. The backburner ones didn't make the cut this week.

Started out with Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I have memories of this one where Terry's secret is exposed and he finally has something of an ally.

Watched another Classic Rugrats and both were new-to-me vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed the shopping one and the one with the snow was fun also.

Enjoyed another episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. As a comfort show, the amazing cast is always ready to help me slide into a happy place. Even if there's a murder to solve.

Caught the season twelve finale of Death in Paradise. Good to see Neville's team work hard to clear him of the professor's death. Nice to see the dangling plot threads tied up also. Looking forward to starting thirteen this week.

Watched another episode of Poirot and rather enjoyed the mystery. A lot gets packed into the hour-long episodes and sometimes feels a little rushed.

Really enjoyed the episode of Elementary with the dual mysteries and some insight into the captain's daughter and how she operates.

Also watched what I think is the first season finale of Return to Paradise. I'm really enjoying this show.

I think I found the new show I'm going to start this week, but I'm not absolutely set. Stay tuned.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from A Noble Kidnapping, a novella that brings childhood friends together under fraught circumstances.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jaina Wraith discovers Seb Morrison is a member of the nobility and she kidnaps him, fully intent on having him executed. When Seb reminds her how many times he's come to her aid, she has to decide whether to help him escape or leave him to a tragic fate.

And a preview snippet…

Jaina stood over her father's grave—two days after her eighteenth birthday. Her mind whirled with too many revelations. The long letter from her father tucked into his patient ledgers explained a lot … and left too much unexplained.

She sighed. "At least you left the book of knowledge for me." She'd need the instructive lessons to wield her new powers.

Ones she'd been unaware of because they passed to her only upon her father's death.

Which happened too soon and under highly suspicious circumstances.

She snorted. "Not that I can prove unlawful killing." Even if she knew in her very bones her dad had been murdered by Hanson Pillwick.

Because her dad refused to use his gift to heal the nobility and Hanson Pillwick discovered Blanton Wraith carried ancestral magick and blamed him for the loss of Hanson's son. He'd had her dad killed, and the act gave Jaina a cause to fight for. And something to ease the depth of her grief.

The nobility would burn—by her hand if possible.

A throat cleared.

Jaina glanced up from her solitary vigil to discover Seb Morrison standing across from her.

He nodded. "I'm sorry for your loss, Jaina."

She noted the changes in him. Taller, broader, but the same intense blue eyes. Always studying and documenting everything in their sight. He'd filled out and become even more handsome.

She thanked him. "I appreciate the condolences." Hyperaware of him, she didn't know what else to say.

He reached out and squeezed her shoulder. "If you ever need anything, let me know." Stepping back, he clasped her hand. "If I'm not immediately available, my mother will get a message to me."

He caught her off guard with the offer. A little touched, her pride wouldn't allow her to accept help or let him into her future plans.

She let go of his hand and lifted her chin. "Thank you for the offer, but I'll be fine." She had a lot of work to do.

He gave her another of his odd, studious looks, but accepted her response. "My sympathies then. I'll take my leave now." He walked away with catlike grace.

Jaina followed his progress until he cleared the gate. A different kind of loss settled over her shoulders. It would be easy to lean on Seb. But she couldn't trust her feelings right now. Anything soft she might feel got crowded out by the need to avenge her father's death.

Two men emerged from the shadows of the crypt beside her. Jocko and Biggs were two tough nuts her dad trusted. By extension, Jaina put her faith in the men. They would be her eyes and ears while she fought to find justice.

Jocko narrowed his gaze on Seb's retreating figure. "Who's the bloke?"

Jaina shrugged. "Someone I used to know a long time ago." A friend she would miss but only in her dreams.

Biggs grunted. "We moved your stuff, like you asked. You sure you wanna come to the dregs with us—"

Jocko cut in. "Yeah, it's not exactly a welcoming place."

Jaina didn't care. "I'm sure." She turned and slowly walked away from her father's final resting place.

She'd find her way, especially when she started taking down the nobles one by one.

This is something of a slow burn romance and I'm enjoying putting the pieces together.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

 

Sunday Snippet: Nature Calls

Had a super busy week between work projects and personal projects and, whew, I'm exhausted. Also, the weather is being contrary with lots of rain and chilly temperatures. I don't think we got above sixty degrees with the exception of Thursday when we topped out at seventy.

I'm still juggling six work projects but two are in a state of simmering on the back burner, which isn't optimal, but it does help manage the load.

Had a slow viewing week and didn't quite make it through my usual round of shows. Too much going on that needed my full attention.

I did end up catching an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. It's one of my favorites with Phyrne showing off her flying skills.

Also watched an episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A holiday episode that I thoroughly enjoyed. I'm kind of bummed there aren't any new episodes until the next season.

Death in Paradise kind of blew my mind. I knew what would happen and it still caught me a little off guard. I think because Neville acted so out of character. I have a really good idea of who killed the professor, and I hope I prove myself right.

Got another episode of Return to Paradise viewed and I'm really enjoying this show. I'm very on the fence with Glen's engagement to Daisy. I really think things could get very messy.

Finished out the week with another Poirot episode. I kind of pegged who the kidnapper was from the beginning, and I loved the razor-sharp way Poirot called the guy out.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Nature Calls, a sexy short that brings a couple together with a little paranormal help.

Here's the miniblurb:

Kacee Biehl follows Russ Romanova through crazy adventures for their webcast series about urban legends. She's got it bad for the handsome host and on the last day of their shoot, she makes a move, thinking she has Russ right where she wants him. But Russ has other ideas and turns the tables on Kacee—giving her exactly what she needs.

And a preview snippet…

Holy hell. I can't believe this is happening.

"Damn that's nice, Kace."

His dick in her mouth? Not something he really expected would ever happen. He sure as shit wouldn't complain. He'd had the hots for her since she started filming their excursions.

She took him deeper, holding his gaze. She should've looked submissive. Instead, she looked victorious, like an avenging angel taking her reward.

Pulling back, she grasped his cock with one hand, tilted her head and licked his shaft from base to tip and back down again. The heat from her breath raised goose bumps on his arms.

"Yeah, Kace. Lick all around then suck me again."

He loved telling her what he wanted. She took the suggested and amped it up to eleven. Pursing her lips, she used the tip of her tongue to glide down his length then latched on with her mouth on the way back up only to swivel when she got to the head then covered his cock and sucked hard.

His knees went weak. The wildly wonderful blow job blew his mind.

"Don't forget my balls."

She eased back, grasping his testicles in one hand then dipped down to suck one side into her mouth. Her tongue laved all around the orb then she switched sides, hollowing her cheeks and applying pressure with her lips.

His head dropped back. "Aw, yeah. That's amazing." His fingers threaded through her hair, the silky strands sliding against his skin.

Kacee released his balls and sucked his dick back between her lips. Going deep, she hummed around his girth, and the vibration drew a low groan from him. He needed to be buried deep inside her … but only after she stated she wanted the same.

Meeting her gaze, he held it. "What do you want, Kace?" His fingers massaged her scalp. "And give it to me in plain speak. No flowery euphemisms."

She eased her mouth of his dick. "I want you to fuck me. Hard. Deep. And nonstop … until we're both screaming like the banshees we're looking for." She cupped his balls with her hand. "Can we do that?"

He huffed out a harsh breath. "Fuck, yes. But first … I have one simple requirement…"

This is such a fun scenario to write for Kacee and Ross. They're definitely going to have a different perspective by the time they're finished.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Muddy Up the Waters

It's a long weekend in the US for the Memorial Day holiday and also graduation weekend for our local high school. Seems like a great time to have lovely weather, right? It's Ohio so the answer would be probably not. It's cloudy with a chance of rain. But at least the temperature is in the high sixties instead of the low fifties, which is more like March instead of May.

I'm making headway on the multiple work projects. Two have shifted off my plate for the next step in the publishing process and the other six are coming along. I should have at least two more finished up this week. YAY!

Had a pretty solid week of viewing. I did make it through my regular slate of shows and got started on my two new ones. Or, one new one and one that always seems to simmer on the back burner.

Enjoyed another episode in my rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The first couple of episodes do such a great job of setting up the dynamic between the characters and I thoroughly enjoy the actors so much.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and like how awkward things are between Selwyn and his daughter. I also kind of enjoy Katherine being in his face but I also think she kind of oversteps sometimes.

Caught another episode of Poirot and enjoyed it. I often feel like the relationship between Poirot and Japp is shortchanged because we don't really see how that started, but the interactions are fun.

Enjoyed another Brokenwood Mysteries. Kind of weird but awesome the victim is someone we met in an earlier episode. And the mystery took some wild turns, which is always fun.

Watched another episode of Elementary and loved the interactions with Joan and Sherlock. The ice cream touch at the end is perfection.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I don't really remember much of but also one that I quite enjoyed. There's nothing like a storyline where a character is trapped in a computer and wants to escape to the real world. It's a weird trope that I love.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. The two vignettes are ones that were new to me, and I liked both. Weird bit with some out of order information as the Finsters were still calling their dog puppy instead of Pepper.

Watched another episode of Return to Paradise and I'm still enjoying this one. I'm very interested in seeing what happens with Mackenzie and her ex-fiancé. There's a lot of good potential to be very messy with this situation.

I got started on a new episode of Peak Practice but didn't make it all the way through. I'll try to finish it up this week.

Also started a new episode of Reacher, but paused because I need to pay attention and couldn't focus like I wanted to. I'll definitely finish this one up this week.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Muddy Up the Waters, a novella that reunites a couple after three years to see if they can work out their issues.

Here's the miniblurb:

Fiona and Warrick can't quite get their timing together long enough to be on the same page when it comes to making a commitment. Instead they expend their energy on playing a game of who can hurt who the most … until one decides enough is enough.

And a preview snippet…

Fiona attempted a smooth landing but failed on an epic level. Instead of gliding into Warrick's place, she crash-landed in a heap in the middle of his first floor living space.

And found him hot and heavy with a blonde, her legs wrapped around Warrick's waist, up against a wall with him driving into her. That'll teach me to show up unannounced. She ignored the rising bile in her throat and ruthlessly tamped down the hot burn of jealousy thrumming through her veins. She had zero claim on the council head.

Warrick's head snapped around at the disturbance. "What the hell are you doing here?" He used his shoulders to block her view of his … bedmate?

Or maybe life partner?

Again, she swallowed down the nasty taste in her mouth. "Excuse me? You demanded my immediate presence." Gathering her broom, she tucked it under her arm and got to her feet. "So … here I am." With a snort, she added, "Next time, consider giving a specific time when issuing orders … if only to avoid anything like this happening again." She sent her best innocent look his way.

Warrick's nostrils flared. "Whatever. Since you're here, go wait upstairs in the solarium." He tilted his head toward the woman. "I'm a little busy at the moment."

Fiona rolled her eyes. "Ten minutes. Then I leave the way I came." She stomped over to the stairs and clomped each step until she reached the top.

The solarium beckoned her at the end of the hall. She'd loved this room … before Warrick accepted the position as head of council. Before he lived here and called this space his own.

She wondered how many changes he'd made. Her hand stilled over the knob and trembled a little. Facing the past she'd wrecked and walked away from didn't give her any kind of right to be disappointed.

Sucking in a deep breath, she twisted the handle and pushed the door open.

Soft light from several sconces greeted her when she entered. The three walls and partial ceiling of windows opened the space up to nightfall outside. The slipping sun of burnished orange dipped below the tree line. Her feet moved across the polished wood floor, through the mix of plants and tables and shelves lined with books, bottles, and baubles steeped with the history of the glade.

She came to a stop beside the wingback chair Upton Morse used to occupy. The previous head of council left a huge empty spot when he succumbed to his injuries from a battle with a long illness. She still missed him … even if she no longer called the glade home.

Continuing forward, she gazed through the expanse of glass with memories shifting in her mind not unlike the sway of the shadowy treetops dancing in the twilight. Warmth cascaded over her … the familiar surroundings creating a warm glow that sparked to life in her heart and soul. She had no illusions about Warrick leaving the space untouched for her. But she appreciated the lack of change anyway.

Exhaling on a sigh, she closed her eyes. "I've missed this place so much…"

"It's not like it went anywhere. You would be the one who did that."

Squaring her shoulders, Fiona braced for a battle and turned to face Warrick—fresh from a shower if the damp hair and unbuttoned shirt were indicators. "Why am I here, Warrick?"

I'm not completely sure where things are going with this one, but Fiona and Warrick are going to crash into something that will make them work together and I can't wait to write that for them.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mr and Mrs Black

May is flying by at a rapid pace. This week has been intense with burning the candle at both ends for me. This is a good day to take some downtime, which I'm trying to do today.

Work exploded this week with multiple projects dropping into my inbox. I have four nonfiction manuscripts and three fiction manuscripts in various stages of editing. I don't normally have seven different projects going at the same time but, so far, I'm managing them. It'll make for a nice June once they're all turned in.

Had an amazing week of viewing. I got a full round of shows in and caught a couple of extras. Also started a new show that might be sporadically viewed until it's available for streaming.

I started a rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries this week. I'm waiting a some new episodes of a few other shows to drop and this is such a comfort series for me.

Caught another episode of Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very twisty and turny, which is always fun.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm happy to have some Naomi backstory. I'd love to see a bit more of that for the characters.

Started a from the beginning run of Poirot. I've seen quite a few episodes of this show but haven't watched any of them in order. This is another filler series until new episodes start dropping of my current shows.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. I'm always interested when weird cases pop up and the cryogenics angle ended up being interesting.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond and have some vague memories of the first time I watched it. I'm wondering if the Ts are in any way a throwback to Mr. Terrific. I might have to dive down that rabbit hole at some point.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of these vignettes and I liked both.

I finished up an episode of Peak Practice and might start another one this week. This is one of my back burner shows and I'm happy I got to finish watching.

Started a new-to-me series and watched Reacher. Gotta say I loved the first episode. I did a bit of dive into write-ups of future seasons, and I think I'll stick with this one.

Also got a minimarathon of Return to Paradise in over the weekend. I'm looking forward to streaming this one when it's available in the US. Really enjoyed the first three episodes and I'm excited to see the rest.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mr. and Mrs. Black, a novella about a couple whose work makes them keep secrets from each other.

Here's the miniblurb:

Ember Frost and Winter Smoak, assassins for opposing factions, are ordered by their respective employers to kill each other, which would be so much easier if they weren't happily married but hiding some big secrets—like their occupations—from each other.

And a preview snippet…

"That should do it." Keeping the slow boil of anger in check, Ember set the stage.

She'd booby trapped the doors—front, back, and the French doors leading to the patio. Even with the haze of betrayal clouding her vision, she put backup contingencies in place. Because … when it came right down to reality? She honestly didn't know if she could actually pull the metaphorical trigger.

If Win died in an explosion, it would be on him for not being cautious. Right? Then again, she'd never known him to not be vigilant.

She snorted. "Except when it comes to the truth." He'd prevaricated there.

Big time.

And okay, the irony stabbing her in the gut because she also hid her true work from him only calmed the swirling spiral of rage, disappointment, and … if she had to own it … hurt a tiny bit.

Squaring her shoulders, she ran her mental checklist. She had a barrage of spells ready to go. She considering planning a seductive scene to hide the real reason she'd lured him to this location … on the off chance he cased the house first. But why would he do that? She'd asked him to meet ASAP, which could mean anything. Right?

She ruthlessly ignored the small niggle she should dim the lights and start a fire. Could she sneak in one last romp with the man she married? No. She had an assignment, and she would carry it out like she'd done with every other target she'd been handed.

And when her heart broke after she completed the task?

Well … she'd deal with that by never falling for another person again. Ever. She'd sworn to cherish and honor Winter Smoak until her dying breath.

She shook her head. "Should've said until his dying breath."

"Sounds like you're plotting my demise."

She whirled to find Win standing on the stairs behind her.

Well, fuck. Of course he entered through a window on the second floor.

Caught off guard, she reacted quickly and flung a fireball at him. "Maybe because I am…"

Having a lot of fun with this one. Ember and Win might be keeping big secrets but they know each other very well and that makes this encounter dangerous between them.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mocking with a Side of Sarcasm

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, mentors, and mother figures out there! Enjoy the day, and if it's a hard day to celebrate, take care of you.

Another wildly busy work week but a lot of projects moved ahead and some were completed. One contrary work thing took an unexpected turn and I'll be trying to figure that one out later today.

Had a decent week of viewing despite the busy schedule. I made it through a full round of my shows, minus one—Dark Winds—because it's not on the streaming service I have anymore. I think it's on another one, but I've been too busy to track it down.

Started the week off with Brokenwood Mysteries. This one ended up being a lot of fun with a couple of interesting secrets being revealed. Truly hope to see more of Trudy and Ray's mom.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Really not sure what Neville's DI friend is doing on the island but have a feeling it's not going to mean anything good.

Loved the Beyond Paradise holiday special for this past Christmas. I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of the season when it's available in the US.

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. Interesting to get some backstory of Sherlock's time under the influence. Also intriguing that he stayed somewhat in the background. I like that kind of character progress.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and didn't really have any recollection about this one. I did enjoy seeing Terry use his Batman moves while out of the costume.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats and enjoyed both vignettes. I didn't remember either of them so more new-to-me stuff.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mocking with a Side of Sarcasm, a novella that explores what happens when long-held secrets come to light.

Here's the miniblurb:

Bentley Briggs is snarky on a good day, but when she becomes mocking and throws out a side of sarcasm, Vasek Barrett wants to know why. He discovers a secret Bentley doesn't want him to know and she'll elevate her vitriol to an art form, but it won't keep Vasek from lending a hand.

And a preview snippet…

Bentley entered her parents'—no … her mom and Baron's—house and purposefully let the door slam shut.

Took less than five seconds for her mother to come bustling in. "For goodness' sake. What is your problem, Bentley? You know I don't appreciate it when you shake the house to the rafters when you come in." Exasperation oozed from Mariana's pores.

Bently cut right to the chase. "Why didn't you fight for Teague?" She shrugged out of her jacket and tossed it on the back of the chair, something else her mother hated.

Mariana blinked, opened her mouth then shut it again. She shook her head and turned back toward the study.

Bentley called her mom out. "You don't get to ignore me this time, Mom. Why didn't you fight for the man you loved?" A whole lot rode on her mom's answer.

Mariana whirled around. "Because I didn't love him!" She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly. "More like I couldn't be sure of what I felt for him. And he left before I could figure it out." Moving forward, her shoulder slumped in resignation, she took a seat on the edge of one of her slipper chairs.

Bentley grunted. "Can you blame him?" Defending Teague didn't set completely well with her, but she understood a lot more now than she did before.

Mariana sighed. "It was a confusing time and so long ago. I didn't know how I felt after I found out … well, after I discovered his latent ability. I was angry with him for not telling me." She straightened her shoulders. "He left. At first to give me space. Then I met Baron, and I did fall in love with him. By the time Teague returned, I was planning a wedding." Her face grew wistful.

A fresh splash of rage washed over Bentley. "And let Teague suffer in silence? Way to go, Mom." She paced back and forth. "You get him to sign his parental rights away, have Baron adopt me, then keep everything, everything, from me when you knew all along what might happen." She stopped and flung her hand out. "No wonder I'm so messed up. I can't turn around without smacking into another secret." Probably why she'd become so good at keeping them herself.

Mariana tilted her head and pinned Bentley with a hard glare. "Kind of like you not telling Vasek how you really feel about him?" Her lips curved in a knowing smirk.

Dammit, Baron. I trusted you.

Bentley didn't like the twist. "Gee, Mom, I don't know. Guess I got the worst of my parents instead of the best. Lucky me." The chasm grew even wider between her and her mother.

Mariana clicked her tongue against her teeth. "You know what? Stop it. You've had a very privileged upbringing, and I didn't raise you to act like a spoiled child."

Bentley snorted then went for blood. "You didn't raise me at all. Baron did. The man I thought was my father." She started pacing again. "And it makes so much sense now. You couldn't bear to be around me, because I reminded you of your worst transgression … getting knocked up by someone you considered to be untrustworthy." She stopped mid-step. "Well, guess what, Mom? You won't have to suffer through that anymore. I'm going to fix it for you." She grabbed her coat and headed for the foyer.

Mariana reached out and clasped Bentley's shoulder. "And just how do you plan to do that?" Her fingers dug into Bentley's skin.

Bentley shrugged away from her mother. "Easily. By walking out the door and not letting it hit me in the ass on the way out. Your biggest problem—which has always been me—solved just like that." She snapped her fingers, gave her mother a mocking salute then pulled the door open and strode through, leaving her gaping mother behind.

I love writing Bentley's confrontations. She's a force to be reckoned with and her life is falling apart, but she'll get things back on track.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye