Sunday Snippet: Jigsaw Pieces

I'm still working on getting my side project ready to go. At this point, I have no idea how long it will last but I'm going to go like gangbusters until I can't anymore.

Had a solid week of work. Finished up a copy edit and started a new one. Also worked on a developmental edit that's been simmering on the back burner. I have three projects lined up and I'm waiting on deposits to get rolling on those. Hopefully, December is going to be a steady month of work.

Had a very good week of viewing. I made it through my usual round of shows and started looking for a former fave to rewatch but it's not readily available. Might have to dig out my ripped DVDs and hunt around for one of my old players.

I caught two episodes of The Batman this week. No Justice League cameos in these two. Strictly Robin and Batgirl, which I enjoyed.

Also watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were single episodes instead of the standard two or three vignettes. Preschool and Halloween featured and were a lot of fun to watch.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one and liked it the first time around. Very fun to get some background on the detective.

Finished out the first season of London Kills with an episode-length behind the scenes look at the series. Lots of fun to see the actors talk about their characters and see how the showrunners also make the city of London a character.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. I liked the mystery in this one and enjoyed the crab cooking contest. Not completely sold on Marlon as the new police officer but I'll probably end up enjoying him.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness and, boy, there were a lot of twists in this one. Really loved Jack declaring his love for Nikki at the end. So nice to see them have a happy moment.

Watched an episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed it. Of course, it ended on a cliffhanger, and I have no doubt Mycroft is involved in something nefarious. I truly hope involving Joan blows up in his face.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Jigsaw Pieces, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

On a seemingly routine patrol, Nev Walter watched his partner and sometimes lover, Thea Chavis, burn in hellfire. Broken and unsure how to carry on, he dives back into work for the department of preternatural law enforcement where he runs a unit of officers. Unable to stop thinking about Thea, Nev takes a sharp turn for the worse when dreams of her invade his nights and memories linger during the day. When he starts seeing her in ethereal visions, he decides he's cracking up … but all isn't as it seems.

And a preview snippet…

Thea Chavis ducked through the arched gate leading to Thurston Woods. "I don't care what Nev says, this area needs a look." She stayed on the well-worn walking path and kept her eyes open.

Her partner in the department of preternatural law enforcement for the Greater Abernathy area, Nev Walter, would be pissed she ignored his warning. But … she didn't care at the moment. Because Nev also partnered with her off the job.

Usually.

She snorted. "Lately, not so much." Nev captained a team of eight and often played the role of mom, dad, and great confessor.

Sometimes all at once.

Stepping off the path, Thea entered a thicket of low bushes. The brambles and briars caught at her pantlegs, but she pushed through. Kind of how she clawed through the latest argument with Nev. He didn't want her patrolling alone.

Thea clicked her tongue against her teeth. "As if I'm incapable of staying aware and protected." Sometimes his lack of trust in her ability pissed her off.

Like tonight. The department had reports of fire flashes deep in the center of Thruston Woods. An extended drought made any kind of burning dangerous. The entire forest could go up in flames. The area needed to be checked out.

But Nev had other things to do. Like babysit two of their fellow officers that couldn't seem to keep their shit together. And he wanted Thea to cool her heels while he straightened out whatever issues Blaney and Morgan couldn't seem to handle themselves.

Thea rolled her eyes. "Maybe they should just spend a weekend together and get all that sexual tension out of the way." Worked for me and Nev.

Sort of.

Finally reaching a copse of dense trees, Thea weaved through the ancient timber, slowly working her way toward the center of the woodland area. Questions pinged in her mind. Were the flames from ritual fires? She could suggest an alternative place to conduct rites involving smoke, fire, or ashes.

Or … did something darker come into play here? Could someone be trying to damage the sacred woods? She couldn't wait for Nev to get it together long enough to check things out. Not if someone had evil intentions that could harm their protected glade.

The scent of burning wood hit first followed by orange and yellow crackling flares dancing in her line of vision. Crouching lower, she eased forward trying to stay aware of her surroundings. She wanted to catch whoever had lit the match by surprise.

Nev's voice echoed in her mind. No solitary patrols until we figure out what's going on.

She argued back under her breath. "We don't have the luxury of time if someone's out here lighting fires."

She should've been looking down instead of side to side. She crossed the salt barrier before she realized it. But she noticed it when she couldn't go further. Someone—or something—sealed the circle. Shoulders slumping, because she'd been trapped like a rookie fresh out of class, she ruthlessly shut out Nev's voice.

Then she slowly turned to face her captor, her eyes going wide with shock. "Well, damn. Kind of hoped and expected to never see you again."

But seeing them … explained a lot.

Just getting started on this story and I'm excited to see where it goes. The sages are chattering about Thea and Nev, which is always a good thing.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: The Jade Claw

It's been a wild week of big letdowns in my area of the universe. I'm not sure where things will land but I have decided to launch my side project sooner than expected. More details to follow in a separate blog post.

I started a new work project and picked up with one that's been on the back burner. I also tentatively scheduled three new projects for November. Here's hoping they all pan out.

Had a pretty good week of viewing. I got most of my current slate of shows watched. But … I also got distracted by *waves at everything going on right now*.

I caught an episode of The Batman and rather enjoyed the Green Lantern guest spot. Also enjoyed having one of Batman's rogues nose his way into the storyline.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats and it was the Rugrat's Kwanzaa. I'll have to find the other Rugrats holiday episodes and get ready to rewatch.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. It featured a behind-the-scenes look at a theater show, which is fun for me because my daughter majored in theater for undergrad.

Caught the first season finale of London Kills and, wow, some twisty-twists and big turns happened. Looking forward to a behind-the-scenes special this week.

Watched the season ten opener of Death in Paradise. I'm still annoyed by DI Parker and sad to see Ruby no longer with the team. Thrilled to bits to have Florance back. Looking forward to seeing more.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Terrific guest stars in this episode. I'm very interested in seeing where this case goes.

Enjoyed most of an Elementary episode. I'll get it finished up today and start over with a new run of my current episodes.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from The Jade Claw, a paranormal mystery that brings a couple together over a missing artifact.

Here's the miniblurb:

Skyrah Yule is caught in the middle of a paranormal mafia grab for power when several artifacts are stolen from the museum she works for. The agent investigating the break-in, Clay Wellstone, intrigues her, especially when she discovers he's got close familial ties with the suspected culprits.

And a preview snippet…

Agent Wellstone dropped Skyrah off by her car and she entered the museum through the rear entrance, passing the ident crew on its way out. She appreciated their attempt at discretion, but the break in and theft would be all over the wireless with the early news. She groaned. Good gods, when Glen Bench got a hold of the details, he'd have a field day. The man considered himself the primo source for bringing culture to the masses. Thinking of the fodder he'd get for his late-night chat fest made her head hurt. Didn't help she'd had a brief—very, very brief—hookup with the guy before seeing his true colors. The man enjoyed digging up sordid details and parading them all over the airwaves for others to see.

Too bad he rarely got to the actual truth. She got a little nauseous thinking about the damage he could do to the museum's reputation. She figured she'd better get everything cleaned up and back into a semblance of order then ready herself to field phone calls from the board before she left to teach her afternoon classes.

Almost dawn by the time she finished, Skyrah got pissed off all over again about the staggering loss. Most of the artifacts taken had a connection to the Herac conflict. An important time in the history of the Twelve Provinces, before true unification, she not only hated to lose the value of the objects but their significance.

She brewed a pot of strong coffee and grabbed a shower in the bath adjoining the office. Not the first all-nighter she'd pulled. Too bad it couldn't have been for more a pleasurable reason … like nonstop sex with a hot guy. An image of Clay Wellstone flashed in her head, and she shook it off. Figured her brain would go to him. The guy shut down and locked up tighter than a drum after she mentioned Helena Cassus. When something piqued her curiosity, her interest rose.

Shrugging into a clean shirt, she sat behind her desk and opened a browser. She could take a few minutes and see what the initial reports looked like. Going out into cyberspace, she scanned the headlines. Romero Lightkin's byline caught her eye. It didn't surprise her the guy would be right up in the story. The man had a serious hard-on for the truth and nothing but. It could be a huge benefit or a complete nightmare, depending on how the board reacted.

Gods … she did not want to think about the benefactors of the museum, especially since her diplomatic skills left a lot to be desired. She could play at tact and diplomacy, but hated how it used up every ounce of her patience. She'd much rather be left alone to do her work than meet with the six-person committee, especially under the crappy circumstances.

Shrugging off the thought, she started a search for information on the way too good-looking to be with the CDA, Agent Clay Wellstone. Waiting for the results, she poured a mug of coffee, thinking about the rapid way he shut down. Her gut said he had something to hide, and she had a powerful urge to find out what it could be. The contrast between the affable, open agent she started out with didn't match with the closed-mouth, wary man who dropped her off.

She might enjoy the challenge of figuring him out. Sipping her coffee, she scanned the search results. Her eyes narrowed when Clay's named popped in a Romero Lightkin exposé on the He'ra'cic mob. Skyrah clicked on the detail bar and read through the seven-part series, which chronicled the more visible, lower-level enforcers who liked to hang out in Little Heiro speakeasy joints.

The last article had her sitting up straight, a sick ball of dread in the pit of her stomach. She finally discovered the reason Agent Wellstone's name showed up in this particular story. And nowhere close to why she thought it would.

She shook her head. "Shit. It couldn't be something simple like he'd pulled in a bunch of the gangsters for questioning." Skyrah's mouth twisted. "Nope. Agent Clay Wellstone has a very intimate connection with organized crime in Cantor City."

Lightkin didn't go for sensationalistic journalism. Instead, he relied on using veiled references when the absolute truth could get him killed. And cold, hard fact made a bitter pill to swallow. The leader, big boss, man in charge of the He'ra'cic, known mainly as the Heras … happened to be none other than William Wellstone.

Agent Clay Wellstone's father.

"Son of a bitch."

And the avid collector full of questions about the antiquities, Helena Cassus? Lampkin's piece implied she belonged to the inner sanctum. Rarely seen, she apparently made things happen behind the scenes. Skyrah didn't need to know what that entailed, her mind supplied lots of vivid possibilities. No wonder Agent Wellstone shut down the interview as soon as Skyrah mentioned the name. The woman had probably been a presence in his life from an early age.

A dull throb started at the base of Skyrah's skull and bloomed into a full-blown headache. The board would go beyond insane when they figured out the connection. And they would. It took her all of thirty minutes with a basic web search. No wonder he'd shuffled her out and dropped her off in such a hurry.

Agent Wellstone had some big questions to answer. The biggest being where his loyalties would fall. She damned well wouldn't lose her job if he attempted to steer the case in any direction but directly at the mob. Skyrah wouldn't let him try.

Taking a gulp of the now cold coffee, she picked up the phone and dialed CDA headquarters. No time like the present to make her position clear.

Skyrah won't be happy because Clay isn't quite ready to play nice with her yet. But she'll make sure he comes around.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: It's Not What They Think

November is starting off with a wild trajectory. The election in the US is taking up a lot of air and space in my life and I'm okay with that. It does make it harder to focus on anything but the election, which isn't optimal for my work projects.

That said, I'm weirdly calm and very hopeful. Which is not to say I'm complacent because that would be stupid and reckless. There's going to be a lot of work to do regardless of who wins the presidency, senate, and house.

My tricky manuscript turned extremely challenging, but I finally got it finished up late last night. Now I can focus on a couple of projects that were simmering on the back burner and start two new ones that need attention.

Had an okay week of viewing. Trick or treat night took up some time and an unexpected accident involving my oldest and his fiancé needed my attention. Thankfully, both are okay and weren't injured in the crash.

I started the week with an episode of Elementary and I also ended the week with one. Both were enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoy the vibe when Sherlock tries to coordinate outfits for Joan. So far, it looks like she ditches those in favor of choosing her own.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Nice to see Batgirl back in action. I'll be finished with this show at the end of this season and I'm not sure what I'll be replacing it with.

Also watched an episode of Classic Rugrats. The three vignettes were new to me again. I think I'm going to shift back to the new Rugrats once I'm through this season.

Enjoyed another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one before and really enjoyed the snappy and snarky dialog between the characters.

Caught another episode of London Kills and, whew, I got spoiled for what would happen and it still freaked me out. Really like this series.

Finished up season nine of Death in Paradise. Looking forward to season ten even with some of my misgivings with DI Parker. I love this show enough to give him time to grow on me.

Enjoyed the second half of Silent Witness. The show managed to surprise me, and I love it when that happens. One thing to note … I'm always curious about where Jack and Nikki live. Jack had such a cool house during the last season and now he seems to be in a townhouse of some sort. This is after he bought the fixer-upper that his dad and brother (for a while) shared with him. Weird stuff makes me curious.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from It's Not What They Think, a novella that puts a couple through the wringer when one of them can't control their power.

Here's the miniblurb:

Meaghan Wrath goes on the warpath, losing her hard-won control over her powers and wreaking havoc on unsuspecting clan members. She's setting a crappy example, but her husband, Vinnie Grayson, walks a fine line by not reprimanding her. Her need let off steam and be rebellious never lasts long—usually the week leading up to the full moon—and a demand to stop will only land her on the hot seat—almost literally.

And a preview snippet…

Vinnie faced the group of elders with a short leash on his temper. "For the last time, Meghan doesn't know what's going on or why it's happening." And he shouldn't be the one caught in the middle.

Master Mayhew pointed a long, bony finger at Vinnie. "You've got to get that woman under control." He gave a definitive nod when Elderman Vice grunted in agreement.

Vinnie arched his brows. "That woman is one of the most powerful mages we have. It's fine to use her when it suits your purposes, but when she's venting pent-up magick it's a problem." He got tired of the same old arguments.

Master Janson growled. "No one else is allowed to use their ability in the manner she's been using hers. Parlor tricks and light shows are beneath our level of achievement." He gave a derisive sniff.

Elderman Vice slowly nodded with another sound of agreement slipping from his lips.

Frustrated, Vinnie sighed. "No one wields the kind of power she does. So, there's a criterium for special circumstances." He shouldn't have to explain this. "And, hey, if any of you want to step up and help find some answers, you're welcome to do it." He paused a moment. "You are, after all, the elders, not to mention the ruling council. Isn't it your job to not only seek a solution but to assist in finding one?"

An uncomfortable silence followed his outburst, which bordered on a tirade. Perhaps he'd pushed too hard. Too effing bad. Meghan needed some room to figure out why she couldn't seem to keep her powers under control. The stodgy mages could either step up or shut up.

Or kiss his ass if they chose to do nothing.

He waited one more minute before he turned and started for the exit. If the old bastards weren't going to help, why waste time or act like their whipping post.

"Mr. Grayson, you haven't been dismissed yet," Elderman Vice, the head of council, called out.

Vinnie glanced over his shoulder. "I know. Yet here I am, still leaving." He pushed the doors open and sailed out of the room.

He barely contained the urge to flip the entire group off.

He and Meghan were on their own and Vinnie would stand by her until they got answers.

Vinnie is a great guy and he's done talking to the elders, especially if they're not going to help.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: It's Always the Same Show

The end of October is nigh and, man, it's been a month. Between work projects and personal life stuff, time flew by fast. Helped my oldest kidlet move some things from their old place to their new one and also took him for a job interview. Happy to say he got an offer and should start sometime soon. Also looking forward to trick or treat night and then gearing up for the holidays.

Happy to say the areas where I had my extractions are finally healed up enough that I can eat most types of food. I'm still careful with anything hard and crunchy but otherwise normal intake isn't a challenge anymore.

Stayed busy with work. Have a tricky manuscript that's kind of giving me fits with continuity and consistency concerns, which makes the edit slow way down. Sent off a couple of quotes for upcoming projects and look forward to getting started on those.

Had a decent week of viewing. I made it through a full round of my shows but kind of in backward order. Will probably have the same thing this week.

Started off with an episode of Elementary and thoroughly enjoyed it. Nice to see Lastrade get back on track. Interesting twisty case also.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Always like seeing the Flash in action. I remembered most of this episode also.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats and only remembered one of the vignettes. The other two were either new to me or memory holed.

Watched another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I do remember bits of this one and I’m glad I got to see the whole thing from start to finish.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I like how the new cases play into the overall case of the disappearance of David's wife. Looking forward to seeing how this season ends.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Loved the case because it's fun to see a bit of Ruby's past mixed in with the present. I enjoy her interactions with Commission Patterson. Gotta say, I'm not sure I enjoy Neville Parker. I appreciate the fact he's very different from the previous three DIs but … the constant afflictions are, well, annoying.

On a side note, I discovered there's a second spinoff of this show that's set in Australia. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's available in the US.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and it's terrific to see Jack's niece take a role in the Lylle. Looking forward to the second half of this episode.

Another side note … most of the cast from Battlestar Galactica is in Chicago for the twentieth anniversary of the show. I've been poking around all weekend to stay up to date on what's happening at the convention. My mind is completely blown that it's been twenty years since the premiere of the series. It's still probably my all-time favorite show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from It's Always the Same Show, a novella that reunites a couple that can't help but push each other's buttons.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lanie Beck and Titus Berkley are tasked with whipping a new class of cadet mages into shape for the Academy of Light. The biggest problem they face is never agreeing on how to make it happen. The cadets quickly learn to tune in and enjoy the show.

And a preview snippet…

"Great mage. Could I be more of an idiot?" Lanie walked up the path to Titus's cottage.

She shouldn't have agreed to meet him. But she wanted to set the record straight between them. Standing outside his door, she pushed down the nervous tremble in her stomach down, then knocked.

Two seconds later, Titus's face greeted her, and she crossed the threshold into his home. Half a second later, her back hit the wall and her lips were caught in a steamy kiss. Oh … she'd missed his mouth. Not that she hadn't indulged in a few liaisons, but no one got her revved and going like Titus.

And, ugh, she didn't come here for reunion sex. She couldn't. Not when her whole future rode on getting her class prepared. She pushed against his chest, and he took the hint, stepping back to give her some breathing room.

Titus sighed. "Well, I would've said we answered the where-we-stand thing, but you'd disagree, wouldn't you?" He wiped the corner of his mouth with his thumb.

Lanie shrugged. "I didn't come here to pick up where we left off, no. I just want to avoid a lot of awkwardness if we can." She willed her heartrate to slow down.

Titus snorted. "Lanie, we've never been awkward. Passionate, volatile, on opposite sides of too much stuff, but never awkward." He paused. "Why are you really here?" He folded his arms over his chest.

Lanie eased away from the wall. "To make sure you know I'm back to stay. I finally found my niche. Discovered something I'm very good at." She slowly walked into the living room then turned to face him. "The rest? You and me. Has to take a backseat until I get this semester out of the way." She couldn't do more at the moment. "And, even then, I have no idea if there can ever be an us." As much as she really wanted him.

Titus grunted. "So, basically, you're here to yank my chain."

She growled right back. "No, dammit, but if you need to see it that way, I won't try to change your mind." She dashed past him and pulled the door open. "Let's try to stay out of each other's way." Better yet, she'd completely avoid him if possible.

Titus followed her to the threshold when she exited the house. "Sure, we can try." He closed the door with a loud bang. "Not gonna be easy." His muffled response reached her ears.

Lanie stalked away from his cottage and walked toward the visiting-instructor residence—her home until she made the cut. Why on earth would Titus think they'd have a hard time avoiding each other? She'd go out of her way to give him wide berth. The less she let him distract her from her goal the better.

Unlocking the door, she stepped inside the warm interior of the house. She did her nightly ritual, then headed to bed. Room 322 would greet her early in the morning.

Hopefully she wouldn't have any sexy dreams about Titus…

I'm not much of an angst fan, but this story definitely has some between Lanie and Titus.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: It's Academic

Had a less than productive week after having two teeth extracted. It's strange because they really weren't difficult to remove—well, one of them ended up being a little harder than the other—but it still threw me off. I think because they were on opposite sides with one on top and the other on the bottom, which made eating a tad challenging.

I also took time away on Friday to meet my daughter so we could do early voting. Very happy to have that done! I voted to raise my taxes for the school and emergency services levies.

Work stayed busy with some cleanup on two drafts and two copy edits. I also checked changes on two proofreads. Those were kind of dropped in on the fly.

Didn't quite make a full round of my usual shows this week, but I did get through about half.

Watched another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and it was one I'd seen at least part of. Thoroughly enjoyed this one.

Caught another London Kills and I'm liking this show. The overarching mystery of what happened to the DCI's wife folded into the two cases is interesting to me. I'm a little worried about the trainee DC. Things could go really sideways for her if she's not careful.

Enjoyed another Death in Paradise episode. I kind of feel like this is the season where Commissioner Patterson gets a lot more screen time. This isn't necessarily a bad thing. I enjoy him.

Finished the second half of Silent Witness and, whoo boy, what a ride this two-parter was. I'm going to be very interested in seeing if there's any fallout from everything that went down.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from It's Academic, a novella that brings polar opposites together as a couple.

Here's the miniblurb:

Chaos and control don't mix, but Kari Pride and Thorn Summers must find a way to balance the two or drive each other mad when they become roommates. By the end of the semester, Thorn tempers Kari's sloppy habits and she makes him yield his ruthless organization for some much-needed spontaneity. When their relationship gets personal, they have to figure out how to navigate new territory.

And a preview snippet…

Thorn narrowed his eyes when his roommate retreated out into the hall.

He turned and met Markum's gaze. "Thanks for personally showing me to the dorm." A nice gesture even if the elder wanted to impress Thurston more than anything else.

Arnold inclined his head. "Your stuff will be arriving any moment." He looked upward then around the room.

Sure enough, Thorn's neatly packed boxes and suitcases appeared in the space.

Markum chuckled. "That word your grandfather asked for before he left?" He lifted his chin toward the items. "That's what it was about." With a bow of his head, he turned and left Thorne to get settled.

Happy to have his personal items without having to make several trips, he started organizing. He hung clothes and put them in the built-in dresser along the wall then broke the boxes down and stashed them in the closet to use at the end of the semester. He made the bed up and folded his towels and added them to the cubicles above the drawers along with his shower stuff. His books and other belongings were precisely laid out on the coverlet.

Taking a moment to study the shelves next to the cubicles, he rearranged a few of the stacks. "Let's see if I can do this…" And not get caught.

Practicing magick before classes began could get him into trouble. But he might as well take advantage of being a legacy student. If Thurston Summers could break rules by conjuring Thorn's boxes to his dorm, why shouldn't Thorn push boundaries also?

He pictured where he wanted things to be and uttered an incantation. Opening his eyes, he made a quick dash to keep one of his books from falling off the edge of the shelf. He placed the heavy tome on top of the dresser.

Moving back, he gave a nod. "Okay, not quite perfect but damn close." And he really shouldn't be practicing. "My roommate could've returned at any moment." But he'd saved a lot of time by taking the chance she wouldn't.

Satisfied with everything, he sat on the edge of the bed. "I'm rooming with a woman." The idea didn't faze him, but he wondered how they'd get along.

And he didn't know what to make of his roommate—other than thinking she had striking features. "Especially her eyes." The color reminded him of the dense forest surrounding his grandfather's house.

She also had a slightly pointed chin, high cheekbones, and a mane of dark hair that framed her face. Her clothes were functional, which intrigued Thorn. A pair of olive-drab cargo shorts, a red tank top, and a long-sleeved multicolored cotton shirt tied around her waist. A pair of flip-flops rounded out the outfit. His mother would feign a stroke before being caught wearing anything like Kari's ensemble. Thelma Summers had a preference for boring monochromatic clothes.

Thorn grinned. "Gonna be nice to have some color in my life now." If nothing else, having Kari as his dormmate would challenge his status quo, which he welcomed because he'd come to Stonebridge to escape the trappings of normal life.

Kari definitely piqued his curiosity. She claimed to be showering after moving all the boxes, but she didn't have a drop of perspiration on her.

He huffed out a breath. "Interesting." Leaning back on the mattress, he viewed his side of the room again—very happy with the pristine state of his stuff.

A couple of knocks sounded on the door and Kari entered, her hair still damp and tousled. "Figured we should have a two-knock warning until we figure out comfort levels." She tossed her damp towel on the footboard of the bed.

Thorn grunted. "Probably a good idea." He got up and thrust his hand out. "Nice to meet you, by the way."

She slid her palm against his and gave a firm shake. "Same. Sorry I cut out earlier." She let go and walked over to one of her boxes. "I'm a little lost in this huge building. Wanted to explore a little and get my bearings." Pulling out a pair of capri-length leggings, she went back to the container and grabbed another tank top in a turquoise shade.

Turning her back to him, she slipped the leggings on then dropped her robe and slid the shirt over her head.

Thorn did his best not to stare and failed. Sleek muscles and rounded curves drew his gaze. If he had a type—and he didn't think he did—he might have to consider her.

She sat on the edge of her unmade bed. "So … Thorn? Unique name. When I first saw it on the check-in list, I wondered if you had siblings?" Her mouth twisted in a wry grin. "And if they had interesting names, too. Like Briar or Bramble."

Thorn laughed. "Uh, no. I have one sibling, and his name is Thrace. The whole T-H thing started with my great-grandfather Thrummond. My grandfather is Thurston. My mom's name is Thelma."

Kari leaned forward, putting her elbows on her knees. "A tradition. That's kind of nice."

Thorn rolled his eyes. "It's kind of pretentious." A lot like his pompous grandfather.

Kari chuckled. "Sounds like you don't take it too seriously."

Thorn shrugged. "Not really, no. How 'bout you? Any siblings or weird familial quirks?"

I'm enjoying this soon-to-be couple. I love writing forced proximity when the duo doesn't have a lot in common with each other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Into the Fray

A weird week of chilly weather and lots of cleaning projects. I'm at that place where the clutter is driving me bonkers, but I don't have enough hours in the day to really focus on a good cleanout. So … I'm tackling small areas to at least make a little progress.

Lots of work projects landing in my inbox. A few have been quick turnarounds, which I enjoy. I love having a project that I can finish up in a few hours. That type of work helps when I also have three difficult manuscripts that challenge my brain and one that requires a lot of focus.

Had a solid week of viewing. I'm still trying to finish up an episode of Peak Practice, but I made it through a full round of shows.

Started with Mr. and Mrs. Murder, an Australian mystery series. I've seen several episodes but not in order and I'm looking forward to watching this one from beginning to end. Thoroughly enjoyed the first episode, which I had not seen.

Also started a new-to-me British crime drama called London Kills. Loved the first episode and look forward to watching this series.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise introducing the new DI. Enjoyed the interaction between the commissioner and his new lead detective. Interesting to have someone Patterson doesn't particularly like as part of the team.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. I'm intrigued by the premise of this one. I thought the episode felt a little disjointed and I'm hoping the initial murder somehow ties into the other two. Kind of happy to be guessing on this one.

Watched a fun episode of Elementary with the return of Lestrade. I love the actor, so I love the character. Plus, he's much less annoying than Mycroft.

Enjoyed an episode of The Batman. Finally got a return of Batgirl. I'd forgotten Firefly powered up in a big way and almost blew up Gotham. Great episode.

Caught another new-to-me episode of Classic Rugrats. I'm not a great fan of the three-vignette format but I do have a lot of love for this series.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Into the Fray, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hex Harrigan usually gets Wiley Star out of trouble. When Hex goes against a council decision and gives the go to rescue a group of bounty hunters, he lands on the hot seat and is stripped of his authority. Wiley cuts a deal to get him reinstated and then takes the heat because she can't and won't work without him.

And a preview snippet…

"You did what?" Wiley ran a hand through her hair. "Are you insane? We're down eight people and you strip Hex of his privileges?" Her brain spun with ways she could fix this act of stupidity. "And you want me to take over as lead?" No way.

She didn't want the responsibility. Not when the council couldn't agree on anything, up to and including the color of the damn sky. Or pretty much anything else … hence the reason Hex shouldered the burden to bring their coworkers and friends back.

The council head arched his brows. "He went against protocol and came back alone. There has to be consequence for his action."

Wiley bit back a curse. "So, basically, if he had brought everyone home, we wouldn't be having this conversation." She snorted. "You know how fucked up that is, right?" Did the guy work at being obtuse?

Probably just came naturally.

The council head shrugged. "It is what it is." He folded his hands on the desk.

Wiley wanted to smash his face into the wall. "No, it is what you want it to be. Because you're now nine people down. We're spread too thin, and the whole reason Hex went off on his own is because you sent me out to deal with a nothing problem that could have waited." She had no doubt if they'd gone together, they'd be flush with bounty hunters again.

The head council narrowed his gaze. "You knew then? That Harrigan planned to attempt a rescue?" Censure laced his tone.

Hell, no. She didn't have a clue Hex decided to go rogue, but she fully supported his doing so. But she wouldn't give creep-face the satisfaction of the truth.

Instead … she might just salvage the entire shitshow.

Wiley folded her arms over her chest. "I not only knew, I planned the whole damn thing." A whopper of a lie, but she didn't care. "Give Hex his privileges back and I'll turn mine in when we get our hunters out." Creep-face would get to save face and garner his pound of flesh while doing so.

The head pursed his lips again. "I suppose that's agreeable. You have forty-eight hours to enact your rescue mission."

Wiley grunted. "You don't ask for much." They'd be hard-pressed to pull anything off now, especially without the element of surprise.

The head's lips curved in a thin smile. "I'm confident you'll do your best if only to leave the service on a high note." He pushed away from his desk and stood. "Clock starts at midnight."

Wiley lifted her chin. "By your leave." She spun around and stalked to the exit.

Hex would lose his shit when she told him what she'd done.

Just getting this one started and I can't wait to see what the sages come up with.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Intersecting Angles (Urban Grit novella)

October is starting off on something of a down note. But it's spooky season and that makes me very happy.

Received some sad news this morning about one of my current authors. He had a rare form of brain cancer and passed peacefully yesterday. I'm so glad I got to know him and his story, which I hope we'll be able to share with others.

I ended up having a decent week with work projects and managed to get some other things done along with a good bit of writing. Have one manuscript almost finished up and I'm excited to get it out in the world.

Pretty good week of viewing also. I managed to make it all the way through my current roster of shows and got one that simmers on the back burner most of the time mostly watched.

Started the week with the season finale of My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. So great to kind of have some closure for Alexa's cycle of grief. I loved how the two-part episode played out.

Caught DI Jack's last episode of Death in Paradise. Really enjoyed his sendoff and look forward to the new DI's introduction in the next episode. Really have to thank my sister-in-law for recommending this show.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness. The episode took a turn I didn't expect and that always makes me happy. For a show that's been running for twenty-seven seasons being able to surprise the audience—or at least me—is excellent.

Watched an episode of Elementary and quite liked it. It's fun to watch Sherlock and Joan navigate their living together and it's really awesome to see Joan stepping out and solving some of Sherlock's cold cases.

Enjoyed an episode of The Batman with Green Arrow featuring as the Justice League character. This ended up being a pretty decent episode even without an appearance by Batgirl again.

Caught an episode of Classic Rugrats. Some more new-to-me vignettes. Enjoyed all three.

Also got most of the way through a Peak Practice episode, which is the one that simmers on the back burner when I don't have time to do a full cycle of shows. Looking forward to finishing this one up.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Intersecting Angles, a novella that carries on with the characters from Urban Grit.

Here's the miniblurb:

Keeley Fitz and Holt Matterworth are back in action and exploring a series of caves for their web drama, Urban Grit. Local legend says the caverns are haunted by a smuggler that won't let anyone near his stash of bootleg rum, which is a challenge too good to pass up for the duo. But … what they discover has nothing to do with rum and everything to do with something much older and more sinister.

And a preview snippet…

Holt flung his arm outward. "That's a terrible idea. You're really not helping." They either stuck together or nothing.

Keely swung her gaze toward Holt. "What. Ever. You do what you think is best. You always do." She rolled her eyes and spun away.

Holt snapped back at her. "And you don't? Geez, Keels, I can’t win here. You think you could cut me some slack? This decision is impossible." And who the hell knew trolls actually existed or that they'd be such a pain in the ass.

Keeley snorted. "Then don't make one." She turned and started to walk away.

Don’t make one. The lightbulb went off in his mind. Why should he make an impossible choice? As long as he made a decision, right? He played the trolls words over again. This could actually work.

He reached out for Keeley. "You know what? I won't." He glanced at the other couple. "I'm calling bullshit. Let's go. We're all walking out of here right now." He wrapped an arm around Keeley's waist and hoisted the equipment pack over one shoulder.

The other couple blinked and asked in unison. "Have you lost your mind."

Keeley laughed and shook her head. "Aw, hell, of course. He's right. This is bullshit." She hooked a finger onto one of his beltloops. "The only answer to an impossible decision is to not choose at all. Not picking between two fucked-up things creates a … what's it called?" She snapped her fingers. "A paradox. That's it. If Holt rejects the options, he creates our way to get out of here, because he's making a choice to ignore shitty outcomes." She angled her head and met his gaze. "By choosing to forge a new path. A choice is still a choice, right? This just happens to be something else." Her head jerked toward the first tunnel. "Come on. Let's get outta here." Reaching down, she grabbed the backpack with the food and water inside.

The other couple picked up their gear and fell into step behind Holt and Keeley. They barely cleared the entrance of the tunnel before a loud voice boomed overhead.

"Stop right there! Don't even think about going any further!"

This one is in the preliminary stages but I'm excited to see what the sages come up with for Keeley and Holt.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye