Sunday Snippet: Twilight Kingdom

I hope everyone had a wonderful holiday season, no matter what you celebrate. And if you don't recognize a particular season, I hope you had a great week.

Happened to catch a teaser for Banshee, returning January 9. Gotta say, I can't wait. Also watched Pacific Rim about five more times. I love that movie. LOL

Other than waiting for a few more shows to return, I've been spending my holiday with The Doctor. I gripe about BBC America only showing Top Gear and Gordon Ramsey cooking shows all the time (seriously, it annoys the bejesus out of me), but I do love it when they marathon a favorite show.

Anyway, tonight's post is from Twilight Kingdom, a novella-length loose retelling of Sleeping Beauty.

Here's the tagline:

Jess Gillian heads to the outer rim planets to get away from his overbearing parents—the royal consorts of their home planet. When the heir is away, the evil Magnifica will play, luring Nareen Rhom, a palace ward, into a relationship so he can get close to the rulers. When Nareen gets wise, Magnifica casts a spell holding the entire kingdom in his thrall—until Jess returns and sets things straight.

And a preview snippet…

Jess stormed out of the palace and caught the closest tramline to the docking hub. He'd damned well do what he pleased. Nareen followed at a distance, slowly gaining on his location. He wouldn't let on about being aware of her shadow play. She'd reveal her motive, but only when she wanted to.

Two stops from the hub, she darted into his sights. "You're not leaving without me." She crossed her arms over her chest, facing him eye to eye.

Standing backwards on the tramline could prove dangerous. "And you'd better turn around or you'll get zapped by the drones." He grasped her shoulders and spun her to face forward.

She heaved a sigh. "I had a good five minutes before they reached us. Stop playing the protector." She angled her head around. "Unless that's your way of telling me I get to go with you." Her gaze pleaded for him to give her the okay.

He jerked his head back and forth. "No way, Nari. I'm going outer rim. Even if I know you can take care of yourself and you're handy to have in a fight, the slave traders would take one look at you and fight amongst themselves about who got to kill me to steal you." He shuddered. "I'm all for adventure, but I don't have a death wish."

She pouted. "I hate it when you're right." A calculating look crept into her gaze. "I could shave my head and wear commoner garb."

The note of hope in her voice stabbed him. "Nari…" He wrapped an arm around her waist. "No amount of altering your appearance will hide the beauty you have." He squeezed her close. "I'll be back… after my father and I have some time to be on opposite ends of the galaxy for a while." It might take a few years, but he'd keep that piece of information under wraps.

Nareen frowned. "I don't want you to go, but I get it, Jess. Your dad's kinda scary right now. Pushing you to marry so he can get his hands on the mineral rights of Scandavar." She cocked her head, sliding him a sideways glance. "No one should have that much power, not even the ruling consort of the planet."

Jess loved her for understanding his dilemma. "I'm glad you get it, Nari. Just remember that when he tries to make you wed for his gain. If he pulls anything before I get back, you know how to contact me. But don't… unless it's absolutely necessary." If she used telepathy to stay in touch, his father would send an army to drag him back.

She leaned into his side. "I won't, Jess. You have my word." She stepped off the tramline when it came to a stop. "But you are going to let me go as far as I can with you. You need a proper send off, regardless of why you're leaving." She laced her fingers with his, tugging him forward.

Jess let her lead him to the departure area. "You can go as far as the main boarding gate, that's it." He hated goodbyes, not that he'd had many.

But worse, he fought hard against the urge to let her come along. Leaving her behind might prove to be the hardest thing he'd ever do.

Fairy tale settings are so much fun to play around with and Twilight Kingdom is proving a complete joy to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Trip the Light Fantastic

Whew. It's been a whirlwind week, getting ready for the upcoming holiday. I think I have almost every task completed off my check list. Still doing some baking and I always wait until the last moment to wrap presents. LOL Actually, if all goes well, that will be finished up over the next three days. J

Looking forward to some TV marathons over the next week or two, with a Xmas Eve X-Files event and Five Days of the Doctor, too. I kind of wish more of my favorite shows created specific holiday shows to air on Christmas Day. That's a trend I could definitely get behind.

Just got the word that Bitten returns in February. I cannot wait!! Banshee starts in a few weeks, so that should keep me going during the brief lag time.

Tonight's post is from Trip the Light Fantastic, a novella in the Chaos series, featuring more of Ashton and Esme's adventures.

Here's the tagline:

Esme Von Staunton and Ashton Sylvester think they might be going insane. Ashton's weird attunement with Esme draws her into his bizarre nightmare of hallucinations and doing things neither remember. Esme's brother Eric stumbles onto a plot by Baron Morbride and races to save his source and his favorite couple, but Mobride has other plans and doesn't plan to let Eric thwart him.

And a preview snippet…

Ash tossed and turned. He feared falling asleep, but couldn't deny Esme when she insisted he try to at least rest. She'd be up soon, after she got Eric and Del settled in the carriage house. Smithers picked a fine time to high off to an old mate's rescue.

Good God, Ash needed to get his head back on straight. He didn't begrudge the manservant's loyalty to his oldest friend. Not at all… he respected the bone-deep sense of duty Smithers possessed. Rolling over to his side, Ash tucked his palm under his cheek, hoping Esme wouldn't be much longer.

His eyelids drooped and an overwhelming sense of drowsiness sucked him into the ether of slumber.

Ash rode a raven black stallion, Esme at his side on a silver gray, galloping across the estate, headed for town. He turned, catching a glimpse of Esme's cape flowing behind her. She glanced in his direction, a smile on her lips. She pulled ahead and Ash gazed at the curve of her ass, her black jodhpurs stark against the light-colored saddle. He blinked, a grin curving his lips then his eyes went wide when he observed Esme's horse pull up short, rearing on its hind legs, throwing Esme off to land a good distance away.

Ash halted his animal and slid from the saddle, running toward Esme, keeping a careful watch on the stallions. When he reached her side, he found her head twisted at a grotesque angle, her eyes staring lifelessly. He cried out, burying his face in her hair, gasping for breath.

A hand roughly shook him. "Ash! Wake up. I'm fine. I'm fine."

Esme's voice cut through the fog of his nightmare and Ash jolted awake, sitting upright with his eyes wide open. Esme cupped his face with a cool palm, stroking his cheek with her thumb.

Ash blinked, clearing the remnants of dream away before meeting her gaze. "Did I call out? Is that how you knew?" He dragged in air, willing his heart rate to slow down.

Esme shook her head. "No, you didn't call out, Ash." She glanced away, an odd look on her face.

Ash placed his hand over hers. "What happened, Es? If I didn't say anything, how did you know about the nightmare?" A slow churning began in his stomach, his every instinct on alert.

Esme slowly met his gaze again. "I know because I was there with you, Ash, in the dream." She turned her hand, grasping his and lacing their fingers together before letting go. "I saw everything, experienced it right along with you, all while being fully awake."

I can't wait to dive back into this series and get another book or two written. I love Ash and Esme.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

A Toasty Holiday Treat—A Little Yule Magick

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I'm giving away a copy of my holiday story, too! See below for details.

~*~

Grab something warm to drink and cozy up!

Welcome to the Winter Warm Up Blog Hop, an excellent sampling of authors sharing short excerpts from their work.

Readers: Please enjoy the steamy snippets and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Bloggers: Please check out the excellent previews and spread the word.

~*~

Holiday Traditions. No matter what holiday is celebrated—Yule, Christmas, Kwanza, Hanukkah, or just gathering with family, there's something great about having familiar traditions.

When I was growing up, we always opened one gift on Christmas Eve. My two brothers and I got very excited when Mom called us in and handed the pretty packages to us. Usually, we received new pajamas, sometimes socks, or maybe a winter coat. Regardless of what we revealed, she made sure the items were similar. I kind of loved that about her.

Now that I have three kidlets of my own, we've established a couple of our own traditions. From the time my oldest, now twenty-one, could eat solid foods, we've made cinnamon rolls for breakfast after opening all the gifts under the tree. It's still going strong, with the exception of the year our local store didn't have cinnamon rolls stocked when we were shopping and we substituted the orange flavored ones instead. My daughter still reminds me it's unacceptable to have orange-iced rolls for Christmas morning. Our back-up plan is now to make cinnamon toast instead. LOL

My favorite family tradition started about ten years ago. I got the wild hair idea to have a themed holiday tree. I had my oldest kiddo pick the theme and we came up with ideas for how to make ornaments and use things around the house to decorate. To date we've had Under the Sea, Buried Treasure, Nature's Bounty, Candy Land, Snowflakes and Cupcakes, Techno Tree, Imaginext, and Noah's Ark. I know I'm missing one in there somewhere, but that's the general idea. This year, we're going with a Seahawks tree, using green, blue and white ornaments, in honor of my middle kidlet's favorite team.

After getting the tree decorated, my favorite 'me' tradition is to turn on some seasonal music, get a glass of wine or cup of tea, and decompress by reading a holiday romance. It's a nice little respite from the crazy schedules, piles of presents, and butt-loads of wrapping paper waiting in the wings.

~*~

Traditions are fun to include in books. When writing as Skye Ritchey, I tend to focus on romance with a paranormal aspect, sometimes with magical abilities or beings. Weaving in those fantastical elements is so much fun, but I try to keep the story grounded in the here and now. When the hero and heroine find love, while dealing with the extraordinary, it makes me happy.

Traditions, old and new, often play a big role in paranormal romance. For my holiday release, A Little Yule Magick, Sygin and Boyd love to spend the Yule holiday enjoying the myriad of customs they've established. A little twist of danger only makes the couple appreciate their special brand of celebration even more.

I had such a great time writing A Little Yule Magick and I'm giving a digital copy away for this blog hop. Please leave a comment for your entry and tell me your favorite holiday tradition, if you have one. (Maybe it involves books!) A random.org drawing will determine the lucky reader who received the copy.

~*~

Book Tagline: A Little Yule Magick is needed to get the holiday off on the right start.

~*~

While Boyd took his turn in the shower, Sygin dressed and pondered Yule. She and Boyd had the estate pretty much to themselves—as they had for the past five years—with the maintenance guy, Bart, heading out last night along with Anna, the cook, and Cat, the cleaning wonder-woman—who kept the huge four-story, three winged house spotless. Yeah, she used her magick skills, but Sygin got exhausted just thinking about the amount of work the lady accomplished in a day.

Two other adept apprentices, who helped with the coursework, left before dawn for their homes. With trouble brewing, the staff and students always traveled in pairs or groups—except for the elder in residence. A grand mage, he didn't enter or leave by conventional methods, just let Boyd know he wouldn't be around until after the beginning of the year. He'd spend the holiday on sabbatical, in a sacred dwelling only the highest ranking members knew about.

She exited their suite and contemplated how much longer she and Boyd could keep their traditions. They had several, aside from her fried honeycakes. Finding the Yule log together always created fun, and they usually dragged a huge piece in so it lasted throughout the three day celebration. Boyd made wassail—her personal favorite, because they drank the brew in bed, toasting accomplishments and new goals. But mainly, they enjoyed the quiet solitude of being together, making love whenever they wanted and reaffirming their connection.

How much longer would she and Boyd have the luxury of time? She'd been a toddler when the Unified Clan split into two factions. Her family followed the teachings of the light—health, healing, help, and heart. The other side dwelled on the dark arts, malice, mayhem, malevolence, and often… murder. But they'd kept a low profile, until recently, and Sygin couldn't quite grasp why rumblings were happening now.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Sygin and Boyd, adept mages, are looking forward to their winter break, being alone in the big manor for Yule is their most cherished tradition. But a series of mishaps may keep them from their celebratory festivities.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Get cozy and relax! Visit the other participating authors.

Add inlink code

Smokin' Hot—First Encounter: Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

For this week's entry, we were asked to post our hero and heroine's first encounter?

FUN!!!

I love writing that first meeting, or sometimes, the first time characters see each other after a long time or maybe even a break-up, because they just can't stay apart. Or sometimes, it's when they've been interested and are just now acting on their attraction. And occasionally, the encounter is hostile because of a different kind of break-up.

I'd love to share Bree Daniels and Archer Stewart's first encounter after a nasty split. It's been almost two years and Arch carries something of a grudge, especially since he's been cursed by the god of love, Eros. Cupid's Curse is coming in January from Ellipses press and is part of the Meddlesome Gods brand.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

So… without further ado…

The push-pull-whoosh feeling weighed on Bree and she shoved everything else aside and readied herself to pop in on Arch.

She blipped, shimmered, and landed with a flourish—something she'd perfected by lots of practice—to find Arch comfortably sprawled on the overstuffed couch, chatting it up with Merry Deerfield.

Stupid cow.

And Arch didn't seem the least bit uncomfortable having Miss Merry practically sitting in his lap.

Stupid man.

But worse, neither one paid her any attention.

Not part of the plan. But she could adjust.

Tilting her head sideways, she cleared her throat. "I'm so sorry… I'm not interrupting anything, am I?"

Arch flicked a glance toward the hour glass by the viewing pool. "Would it matter if you were?" His tone clearly indicated it wouldn't have bothered him.

Bree didn't like to be on the defensive as soon as she arrived. It made her off kilter. Her bravado saved her.

She tossed her head and sent a bored look in Arch's direction. "Not to me, but I imagine it would to you." Her gazed shifted to Merry. "And your friend, of course." Bree waited a beat. "No one likes to be caught with their pants down."

Arch snorted. "Except you."

Okay, totally not fair. And it only happened one time, dammit.

Bree hid her embarrassment behind an audacious front. "Well, yes…" She flicked her gaze toward Merry again. "But I'm not standard fare around here."

To Merry's credit, she only rolled her eyes in response to the insult.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

~*~

(Cover Art Not Final)

Coming in January!!

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—A Little Yule Magick #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Since the holiday season is gearing up, I'm sharing a series of excerpts from A Little Yule Magic, coming soon. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Sygin and Boyd.

This week, another hint of what's going on.

Book Tagline: A Little Yule Magick is needed to get the holiday off on the right start.

~*~

Boyd received a split second premonition and caught Zack just before he entered the garage. "Hold up. Something's not right." He held a finger to his lips and quirked a brow, hoping Zack understood.

Zack nodded and moved behind Boyd then flattened against the wall to provide backup if needed. Boyd cracked the door ajar and swept his gaze back and forth. Noxious fumes hit his nose and he coughed before hitting the button to open the garage bay door. The van sat, running with its lights on, but Boyd didn't see Ethan anywhere. A brisk wind cleared the space and Boyd turned to Zack, motioning for him to remain behind and quiet. The young man inclined his chin in acknowledgment.

Boyd entered the large area. "Ethan? What's up? Leaving the van running in a closed space is dangerous, man." He walked the perimeter of the large bay before stooping down to look under the bus. Nothing.

Snow blew in from the outside and Boyd got up, crossed the concrete floor, and hit the button to close the door. "Zack, come on in. We've got a problem."

Zack peered around the corner. "You didn't find Ethan, did you?"

Boyd shook his head, grabbed the intercom handset, and waited for the tone to sound before speaking. "Sygin, pick up the nearest comm, please."

Her voice met his ears a few seconds later. "Yeah, Boyd, what's up?"

He motioned for Zack to check inside the bus. "We found the van running, but Ethan's gone. Do a headcount right now. Make sure no one else is missing." He quickly calculated how much time had passed since Ethan left the residential area.

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Sygin and Boyd, adept mages, are looking forward to their winter break, being alone in the big manor for Yule is their most cherished tradition. But a series of mishaps may keep them from their celebratory festivities.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Timely Distraction

Okay. The end of a seven year ride with the final episode of Sons of Anarchy left me satisfied and kind of weepy. But honestly? The last shot of the series ended up being pretty much perfect, in my opinion. Still digesting everything, but all in all, things played out exactly how I expected, but in a way that made me wish I had Kurt Sutter's talent. Sons of Anarchy will rank right up there with Battlestar Galactica as one of my favorite shows of all time.

The Flash and Arrow also didn't let me down. On one hand, I wish I didn't have to wait until January for new episodes, but on the other, with the busy holiday season, a nice little rest won't kill me. I hope. LOL

Tonight's post is from Timely Distraction, a novella about a magical realm where the prince seeks a grand adventure.

Here's the tagline:

Donahue Stuart, prince and heir to his father's throne, longs for grand adventures, but danger lurks from raiders and marauders, out for royal blood. Enter Lady Vivian, daughter of the king's oldest friend, and a kindred spirit who shows Donahue he can have all the magnificent escapades he wants, right in his own realm.

And a preview snippet…

Lady Vivian knocked lightly on the door to the king's chamber then pushed the heavy oak inward, gliding through the entrance like she owned the castle.

King Stuart glanced up, one eyebrow arched. "Vivian, why must you always try to scandalize the palace servants by sneaking into my private domain?" He closed the book, resting on his lap, and laid it aside. "You know how they love to gossip." He rose and crossed the floor with three long strides, coming to a stop less than a foot away from her.

Vivian shrugged. "Habit, I guess. I've been finding ways to wreak havoc since the age of three." She waited, a little uncertain of her reception.

Stuart's lips twitched. "My dear, you've been running amok since you slid from the womb and you know it." He gathered Vivian up into a big bear hug, pressing a kiss to her temple before letting her go.

Vivian stepped back and flashed a grin. "Perhaps, but I don't remember anything before turning three." She dipped into a half-curtsey. "The earl sends his good tidings and apologies for not coming along this time." She left out the reason why.

Damon shot her a stern look. "He couldn't come because he's cleaning up after you again. How many brokenhearted suitors does this make, Viv? Ten? Eleven?" He placed his hand on her shoulder and directed her into his sitting area.

Vivian's face flamed hot. "Twelve, but who's counting?" She settled onto the dainty chair beside the fire, feeling out of place with her leather pants and boots. "I told the earl I didn't plan to wed anytime soon. Not my fault he keeps throwing hapless males in my path." She lifted a shoulder. "I won't settle down until I'm ready." Shooting the king a sideways glance, she continued. "But I'm sorry he keeps sending me here to be underfoot when he's displeased with me."

Damon threw his head back and laughed. "No. You're not." He sat on his ornate seat and propped a leg on the ottoman in front of him. "And while he is displeased with you, I asked for your presence. The timing of my request just happened to work out well for your father." He leaned back, folding his hands across his stomach.

Vivian narrowed her eyes. "Please tell me you're not trying to fix me up with some blue blood royal, too." A shot of disappoint zinged her.

She'd always considered the king an ally. Her heart would break if he proved otherwise.

Stuart snorted. "Not bleeding likely, Viv. The earl is my oldest and dearest friend, but he knows how I feel about rushing you to wed." He kicked his other foot onto the ottoman. "No, I sent for you because I have a favor to ask. A big one." He sighed.

Her curiosity piqued, she tilted her head to one side. "Does it involve mayhem and causing trouble?" If it didn't, Damon would be sorely disappointed.

She couldn't do the lady in waiting thing.

Again, the king laughed. "It just might." He straightened and leaned forward, his features sobering. "Within reason, because it involves Hue."

Intrigued by his serious countenance, and the mention of Hue, Vivian eased to the edge of her seat. "I'm listening. What do you need me to do?"

I have so much fun with fairy tale settings. This story is no different.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—A Little Yule Magick #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Since the holiday season is gearing up, I'm sharing a series of excerpts from A Little Yule Magic, coming soon. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Sygin and Boyd.

This week, we get a hint of danger.

Book Tagline: A Little Yule Magick is needed to get the holiday off on the right start.

~*~

While Boyd took his turn in the shower, Sygin dressed and pondered Yule. She and Boyd had the estate pretty much to themselves—as they had for the past five years—with the maintenance guy, Bart, heading out last night along with Anna, the cook, and Cat, the cleaning wonder-woman—who kept the huge four-story, three winged house spotless. Yeah, she used her magick skills, but Sygin got exhausted just thinking about the amount of work the lady accomplished in a day.

Two other adept apprentices, who helped with the coursework, left before dawn for their homes. With trouble brewing, the staff and students always traveled in pairs or groups—except for the elder in residence. A grand mage, he didn't enter or leave by conventional methods, just let Boyd know he wouldn't be around until after the beginning of the year. He'd spend the holiday on sabbatical, in a sacred dwelling only the highest ranking members knew about.

She exited their suite and contemplated how much longer she and Boyd could keep their traditions. They had several, aside from her fried honeycakes. Finding the Yule log together always created fun, and they usually dragged a huge piece in so it lasted throughout the three day celebration. Boyd made wassail—her personal favorite, because they drank the brew in bed, toasting accomplishments and new goals. But mainly, they enjoyed the quiet solitude of being together, making love whenever they wanted and reaffirming their connection.

How much longer would she and Boyd have the luxury of time? She'd been a toddler when the Unified Clan split into two factions. Her family followed the teachings of the light—health, healing, help, and heart. The other side dwelled on the dark arts, malice, mayhem, malevolence, and often… murder. But they'd kept a low profile, until recently, and Sygin couldn't quite grasp why rumblings were happening now.

Coming Soon!

~*~

Book Blurb: Sygin and Boyd, adept mages, are looking forward to their winter break, being alone in the big manor for Yule is their most cherished tradition. But a series of mishaps may keep them from their celebratory festivities.

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: This is Your Life

Whew. Last week's Walking Dead broke my heart. And if anyone caught The Talking Dead afterward, oh… tears were shed during that, too. Trying really hard not to spoil anything for anybody who hasn't seen the episode yet. Gotta give Chris Hardwick so many props though. The guy does much to restore my calm. LOL

Let's see… The Flash / Arrow crossover turned out to be EXCELLENT!! So much fun! Sleepy Hollow's fall finale ended up being better than I expected. Not so thrilled with one of my faves not making it, but I like it when shows don't always go where I want them to.

Which brings me to Sons of Anarchy. Oh… wow. I have a pretty solid idea of how things will shake out in the last episode, but Kurt Sutter has ways of pulling off some serious surprises, so I kind of hope I’m wrong. All in all, I'm actually pretty thrilled with the ones who are no longer around.

Enough TV talk… tonight's post is from This is Your Life, a sexy short that might end up as a novella.

Here's the tagline:

After a harrowing month of captivity in a rival faction's territory, Welch Harrinson can't seem to find his will to keep living. Rina Lewes devises a perfect way to remind Welch why life can be good.

And a preview snippet…

Rina couldn't take it anymore. Welch's distance created a chasm in her heart and soul. She had to find a way to reach him, remind him of their love and passion. Hell, he needed to remember his identity.

She paced back and forth, turning ideas over in her head. The Shringla clan worked some serious hex magic, turning Welch into a shell of his former self. She couldn't counter without knowing the exact incantations their rivals had used, but she might be able to work around the potential traps by nudging Welch down memory lane, rebuilding his knowledge of self and hopefully renewing their bond.

She crossed the floor and picked up the phone, dialing the one person who wanted Welch back as badly as her. His father. For his son, he'd put aside his petty judgments of Rina's lack of bloodline.

She hoped.

He finally picked up on the third ring. "Harrinson's Holistic Health."

She took a deep breath. "Wiggam? It's Rina. Can we meet at the coffee shop?"

Wiggam responded. "Is this about Welch?" He thanked a customer and the bell chimed over the door.

Rina answered simply. "Yes." She wouldn't waste more words.

Wiggam paused a moment. "Give me fifteen minutes to have Shirley come in. I'll be there."

The line disconnected and Rina snorted. "Don't bother asking if I can be there in fifteen." She shook her head. "Someday that man will get a piece of my mind." Grabbing her bag, she shoved the phone inside and exited the cottage.

She'd play very nicely with the elder Harrinson… for now.

I kind of like how this one is coming together. At first Rina and Wiggam were pretty close and friendly, but Rina decided she wanted a little more conflict. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Smokin' Hot—A Little Yule Magic Book Boyfriend Celebrity Lookalike

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

For this week's entry, we were asked: Who is your book boyfriend's celebrity lookalike?

FUN!!!

And seriously? Apropos. I almost always have actors and actresses serve as my writing inspiration. It's great to have visual imagery as a point of reference when creating characters.

Since we're close to the holidays, I'd love to share my book boyfriend for A Little Yule Magic, a holiday themed sexy short available soon!

Book Tagline: A Little Yule Magic is needed to get the holiday off on the right start.

So… without further ado…

Please meet the very handsome celebrity lookalikes for my Boyd Lagassi.

Grayston Holt

Some background… I first noticed Grayston when I got sucked into Bitten, the television series based on Kelley Armstrong's books. He's not exactly a dead match for the written description of Clayton Danvers, but I actually love that particular fact. For the show, he's absolutely a perfect fit. He has the edge I love about the character, but also shows his human side and the struggle he has living as one. Others may disagree, but I can't imagine anyone else in the role.

When I started writing A Little Yule Magic, I used Grayston as my inspiration for Boyd. I wanted something of a tall, dark hero and he fits the bill.

A little character detail. Boyd is an adept mage and the headmaster for a group of novice apprentices. He's got his hands full with the Yule holiday coming up and a long-held truce with a rival clan fraying about the edges.

He's ready for a nice, quiet break with his headmistress, Sygin Ball, but he may not get his wish.

~*~

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Book Blurb: Sygin and Boyd, adept mages, are looking forward to their winter break, being alone in the big manor for Yule is their most cherished tradition. But a series of mishaps may keep them from their celebratory festivities.

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Book Boyfriends Cafe

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—A Little Yule Magic #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Since the holiday season is gearing up, I'm sharing a series of excerpts from A Little Yule Magic, coming soon. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Sygin and Boyd.

This week, we meet the happy couple.

Book Tagline: A Little Yule Magic is needed to get the holiday off on the right start.

~*~

Boyd Lagassi shifted his position and dragged Sygin Ball up to straddle his thighs. "I want your famous fried honeycakes." His mouth closed over her nipple and he flicked his tongue back and forth.

Sygin moaned low in her throat. "Famous only because it's one of the few things I can make and not screw up." She rocked forward, lifting her hips and pushing backwards onto his hard shaft.

Boyd closed his eyes, relishing her warm heat. "And it's tradition. Five years and counting." He flexed his thighs then relaxed and let Sygin control the pace.

She kicked up the speed, her hands planted firmly on his chest. He opened his eyes, loving to watch Sygin. Her passion for him took his breath away, her expressive face showing every nuance, her gaze going darker, the green irises going from a soft leafy color to a deep pine shade.

Her hips rolled back and forth, her breaths coming in short little bursts. Not long now, for either of them. Boyd slid his hands down to cup her ass, urging her forward. Her fingers curled into her palms, the knuckles grazing his skin, digging in to his flesh. He welcomed the mild discomfort, needing the edge to hold off, wanting his release to follow hers.

~*~

Book Blurb: Sygin and Boyd, adept mages, are looking forward to their winter break, being alone in the big manor for Yule is their most cherished tradition. But a series of mishaps may keep them from their celebratory festivities.

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: The Jade Claw

I hope everyone had a lovely Thanksgiving, if celebrated. For my family, it's the official beginning to the holiday season and we come up with a new theme for our tree. My middle kidlet is choosing this year and he's decided to go with a sports-related color scheme. Should be interesting because we're mixing scarlet and gray; green, blue, and white; and brown and orange. I have a general idea of how to make it work, but we'll see what the final result is.

A lot of years, we've waited until December 24 to do the actual decorating, but I think we'll be getting it done earlier this season. We also have a big puppy in the house for the first time and I can't wait to see what she does around the tree. LOL

Not much on the TV front this week, but The Flash turned in a great episode. Gotham and Sleepy Hollow were pretty good, too. I'm very much looking forward to the fall finale of Walking Dead tonight. I have a feeling someone's not going to make it… but we'll see. Thankfully, I'll have Chris Hardwick's Talking Dead to soothe whatever gaping wounds I might have. J

Tonight's post is from The Jade Claw, a novella that might be the first of a series, depending on where the story takes me.

Here's the tagline:

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…

Capricorn Defense Agent Clay Wellstone surveyed the wrecked and damaged area of the Tauric Antiquities room with a critically discerning eye. He noted the presence of the curator, an Art History professor at Capricorn University. Her agitated state suggested impatience to restore order. Not that he blamed her. Whoever pulled off the heist of the museum did so with precision, leaving a path of destruction behind to muddy the waters and slow things down.

"Excuse me, Ms. Rule." Clay pulled the curator of the Museum of Cantor History off to the side of the crime scene. "Can you give me basics of what happened here?"

The harassed but seriously beautiful blond stared at the ugly scene before her, broken glass, overturned display cases and empty stands. Her devastated eyes blinked several times, as if that might make the carnage go away. No such luck.

"Ms. Rule?"

She focused her gaze on him. "What? Oh, the basics. Right."

Turning, she scanned the area with different eyes. This time they were keenly intelligent and sharp, and just a little pissed off. Exactly what he’d been going for.

Her lips thinned into a straight line. "I got here late, my class ran over."

Clay had already run a background check, following protocol. "You're a professor at Capricorn U?" He asked the question for confirmation.

A quick nod and she continued. "I entered the back way. I always come in from the employee parking area."

She ran the steps she'd taken, walked him through her discovery, providing a solid amount of detail. His respect level raised another notch. She’d make a good agent if she ever wanted a career change.

He flashed a rueful smile. "I appreciate the information and I'm sorry to ask, but we'll need you to come down and make a full statement when you're up for it."

She looked around the display area again. "Now's good. Everything's fresh in my mind."

Clay smiled. "Great. I can give you a ride and drop you back here after we're through." He admired her tenacity and get it done now attitude.

As if he needed more to add to the list of things he liked about her.

Skyrah nodded. "Yeah, that works." She picked her way toward the door, careful not to disturb anything.

Clay watched closely, as much to figure out the intriguing puzzle she appeared to be as to enjoy the determined set of her shoulders.

He had a feeling Skyrah Rule would be quite a challenge.

Looking forward to diving deeper into this one and I do sort of hope it turns into a series.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—An Idyllic Affair (Insula Ara ~ Sanctuary Island) #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

This week I'm thrilled to announce an upcoming release that is co-written with my alter ego ML Skye. I write under three pseudonyms, and when I started An Idyllic Affair, it began with a strong sci-fi element. But as the story progressed, the nature of the island pushed its way in and a mystical aspect took center stage. For branding purposes, I decided to release under ML Skye, my speculative romance moniker, and Skye Ritchey, my paranormal / fantasy pen name. I'm very excited as I believe the story will appeal to both audiences.

This week, I'm featuring a fun interaction between Geoff and Linnea.

Series Tagline: Escape to Insula Ara, an island sanctuary that provides refuge… but it comes with a price.

Book Tagline: On the run from their enemies, an island sanctuary gives Geoff and Linnea time for An Idyllic Affair.

~*~

Cursing the restricted area, Geoff angled his legs down through the passage and attempted to leave enough space for Linnea's to fit. She gingerly tried to put both feet in first. When that didn't work, she grabbed his shoulder and got her left leg situated but couldn't manage the right.

Geoff tried to give her more room. "Sorry, X. I've got nowhere to go here." He shifted his hips, creating maybe one more inch.

Linnea chuckled. "Just give me a sec. If I put my hand here…" She braced her fingers against the tank. "And then lay my head on your shoulder, I think I might… oh, yeah. That's feeling just about right."

Geoff couldn't believe the way she could contort her body. "God, X, that's perfect." But they'd need room to kick the panel out. "Okay, almost there. Lift your thigh a little. Yeah, put it right between mine." His grunt sounded more like a groan when she followed his direction and brought her leg up, wedging it up close to the apex of his groin. "Almost there, Linn. Angle your hips a little. Yeah… that's it."

Linnea fisted her hand in his shirt, twisting it hard. "Sorry, Captain. Need just a little more… there! Right there."

Marcus cleared his throat. "Uh, geez, you two. You're making Willoughby turn an unhealthy shade of crimson out here. Do you have any idea how you guys sound?"

Shane sputtered and coughed. "I am not turning red." He waited a beat. "But Ramsey's got a point. If I didn't know better, I'd think you guys were… well…" His voice trailed off.

A little frustrated and a whole lot of uncomfortable, Geoff shot back. "Trust me, if the XO and I were having sex, it would not sound like this." Exactly how it would, he didn't know, but his imagination could fill in the blanks later.

Linnea snorted and offered her two cents. "Mainly because the captain and I wouldn't be having carnal relations." She paused then added. "Now, or anytime in the foreseeable future."

Geoff frowned. Did she always have to be so emphatic about the potential of them never hooking up?

Coming Soon!

~*~

Book Blurb: Privateers by trade, Geoff MacLeod and Linnea Jensen find sanctuary on Insula Ara, a mysterious island full of wonder and a tinge of darkness. When Geoff and Linnea embark on a quest to retrieve a badly needed part for their ship, they find their deep attraction for each other hard to resist, and under the spell of the island, they have to tread carefully or succumb to the swirling undercurrents.

Series Blurb: Legend tells of a mysterious island called Sanctuary, inhabited by people who have been to hell and back—and lived to tell the tale.

It goes on to say, that if someone needs help, if they are truly without hope, island will come to them in their darkest hour and help them find the way.

But the assistance comes with a price. Their heart and soul may be lost to the island in the process.

~*~

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Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.