Sunday Snippet: The Blushing Brawler

Okay, I forgot to mention Strike Back last week. I seriously want the female antagonist to die a slow, painful death. It can happen anytime now. LOL

The Dread Doctors on Teen Wolf are creeping me out. Something tells me Peter is going to be involved, which is actually quite okay with me. He makes a good villain.

Defiance had a great episode. I really love the smaller personal beats paired with the big, somewhat sweeping arcs this season. Great stuff. Killjoys is heating up, too. Can't wait to see next week's episode. And Dark Matter did the impossible by adding a layer of emotional nuance to Three. I'm surprised and thrilled. LOL

The Last Ship took a turn I totally didn't expect and I love it. I enjoy how the new characters are being worked in without taking a lot away from the established ones. And, seriously, Tex rules. Just saying.

Tonight's post is from Blushing Brawler, a sexy short where my heroine learns a valuable lesson. LOL

Here's the mini-blurb:

Yardley Holmes grew up in the fighting circuit, coaching and training alongside her dad. She likes nothing more than having a new brawler to use as a target. When Cale Scarsdale, a green recruit from Ruralsville, walks into the cage, Yardley goes after him with biting sarcasm and razor sharp innuendo to test his mettle. Cale takes it all in stride until she goes one step too far and Yardley remembers lesson number one from her dad: watch out for the quiet ones.

And a preview snippet…

Yardley Holmes strode into the Ninth Street Gym and Emporium and tossed her workout bag behind the counter. "Who's the new green recruit that pulled me in on my day off?" Jumping up on the stool, she quirked an eyebrow in her dad's direction.

Benjamin shot his daughter a stern glare. "You didn't have plans, so quit bitching." He nodded toward the cage in the middle of the training area. "Cale Scarsdale walked in here this morning, fresh off the bus from Ruralsville." Ben crossed his arms over his chest. "Haven't seen raw talent like his in over a decade."

Yardley glanced toward the sparring ring, getting a good, long look at the newest rookie sensation. Not quite six feet tall, he had the build of a solid fighter. Broad shoulders tapering down to a narrow waist, which sat atop powerful thighs. Her pulse kicked up a notch and she frowned. A physical reaction to her dad's fighters rarely happened. Usually their magic drew her in. She loved watching the new recruits gain control of their power. The fact she'd had a big zing to the guy's looks didn't set well at all. Of course, the size of Cale's arms rather shocked her. She wondered how his biceps got so huge.

Probably from tossing haystacks or whatever farm fresh innocents did to pass their time in the country.

Yardley rolled her eyes. "Dad, you know the backwater newbs never last long, especially when they learn they have to pass the peak physical test before they gain entrance to the emporium." Most of the dudes who rolled in off the big bus only wanted to blow shit up and learn how to make things fly, levitate, or transport to a new location.

Ben didn't disagree. "I know, Yard. But this one's different." He started toward the cage, but looked back over his shoulder. "You mark my words, little one."

She hated being called small. Just because she had pixie blood flowing through her veins didn't make her tiny. In fact, her five-foot-five frame put her right in the middle of average for human standards. Her pixie relatives considered her a giant.

Her dad entered the cage and Cale stopped warming up. He bowed to Benjamin and shook his hand. Her dad spoke quietly for a moment, then Cale raised his chin and met Yardley's gaze. He inclined his head in a brief nod of greeting then focused back on Ben.

A shiver of something slid down Yardley's spine. She didn't like feeling off kilter one little bit and Cale Scarsdale knocked her sideways.

She'd have to do something about her balance issues or risk acting like a total fool.

Yardley is going to overcompensate and Cale will take advantage in a big way.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Blurred Lines

Great television viewing week. I finished up watching all available episodes of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and *sigh* what a great show. From what I gather, the third season might be the last, but I'll live in hope for more. Either way, the finale satisfied me, so bonus points for that.

Teen Wolf. What can I say? I'm intrigued by the possibilities, but I kind of hope making Parrish look like a bad guy is a ploy. I kind of like him. I'm also hoping the desert wolf thread is laying groundwork for next season. More interesting possibilities there.

The Last Ship is so good at keeping me on the edge of my seat. I love how twisty and turny the plot gets. Such a great summer viewing experience.

My Friday night lineup continues to bring good stuff to my screen. Defiance seriously upped its game this season. Killjoys keeps me glued, especially for the sibling bonding but also for the very secretive dance the trio does. John seems like the most open of the group, but I have a sneaky suspicion he may have a few big skeletons in his closet, too. Dark Matter is revealing little pieces of information and I'm liking the glimpses we're getting into the crew's histories. I would like to see a little more movement on who or what put them into the stasis chambers.

Have I mentioned how much I love having new material to watch in the middle of the summer?

Tonight's post is from Blurred Lines, a novella where my main characters are terrific at messing up their lives.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Becca and York. Finding their way back to each other is the ultimate achievement. Working out how they'll function together is the challenge. The lines are all blurry because they've crossed back and forth so many times.

And a preview snippet…

Becca needed to track York down, even if the idea sucked. She'd opened a door long since closed with him. Hell, she'd kicked the damn thing in just to see if she'd get a response. Her fingers went to her still healing split lip. He'd definitely had a strong reaction to her challenge. Gave as good as he got when they'd stepped into the ring. Not that she didn't deserve it. At least he still considered her an equal in that respect, even if he treated her like green newb in every other.

She had no idea about any other aspect of her life, except knowing how much damage she and York could do to each other. They'd gone round and round, neither pulling their punches. Not that they ever did. But the wall he'd built between them, the one she all but helped him erect, had cracked and she got a glimpse of the man she used to know.

But they had a long way to go. And her gut said the time had come to take another step. That meant they needed to talk and face the crazy intense whatever they had that existed between them.

She hated talking, trying to put what she felt into words. York lived for hashing things out. He always wanted clear cut, definitive answers.

Too bad she rarely had them.

Analysis of her heart never went well. She had too many bruises to get past. Too much pain to work around. So much easier to go with the moment and let instinct lead the way.

Not that it worked out every time. Her gut didn't always get it right. She'd jumped into a horrible relationship with the wrong man by listening to it.

And cut the one she loved so deeply he'd carved her out of his world. Shut her out, slammed the door closed, and threw the key down the toilet.

Then flushed for good measure.

Twice.

Becca didn't blame him for freezing her out. Even though it hurt like a bitch. She'd deserved it.

She had a chance now. Had set it up so she would. His constant pissy attitude fueled hers. They sniped and snapped—through third parties—and they'd passed the point of ridiculousness.

She couldn’t stand the distance anymore. So she'd pushed to get York in the arena… even though they'd each drawn different names and fought a round already. She didn't know whether to be elated or pissed when he finally accepted.

The damage they'd done to each other had been worth each punch, every exhausted swing, and the hostile accusations. Something about venting the pent up emotion out, regardless of the spectacle they created, got them past the deep-seeded rage.

And their brawl complicated everything. But Becca welcomed the insanity. Complex history aside, she and York needed to find a way to co-exist peacefully. Or at least the way they defined the word.

She had no idea how they fit together anymore… or if they could. Difficult didn't describe the road ahead. Crazy feelings, relationships with other people, working together—she might go insane trying to work it all out.

But she wanted, more than anything, more than she could safely admit, to work it out with York.

Becca's got a ways to go if she wants to work things out with York, but he's just about ready to soften his attitude towards her. I love writing these two screwed up characters.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Blondie and the Three Wizards

July 12, 2015

Well… not a bad week, with the exception of a nasty case of poison ivy. Bleh. I'm not fond of being itchy in any way, shape, or form. *scratch, scratch*

SDCC happened this week and I'm so excited for a couple of new shows and movies. I also love seeing the actors from my favorite shows do their panels. Looking forward to taking some time to dive into everything.

Teen Wolf is getting really creepy, which I love. I'm sort of long on theories and not much else, but something tells me Peter Hale is behind everything. LOL He's so easy to blame.

The Last Ship is so good at drawing out and ramping up tension. Another show where I have theories about who's behind the scenes trying to manipulate everything. I can't wait for tonight's episode.

My Friday night lineup of Defiance, Killjoys, and Dark Matter keeps getting better and better. One of the things I love about Defiance is how quickly they move the plot along. And a major brawl between Amanda and Stahma never hurts anything. Pushing the envelope where family relationships are concerned is also an interesting choice. And speaking of family relationships, the Jaqobi brothers are quickly turning into one of my favorite sibling duos. I'm holding back on forming strong opinions with Dark Matter at the moment. I can't quite figure why Two is going for Three yet. I have a few ideas, but none have formed into anything solid yet.

Tonight's post is from Blondie and the Three Wizards, a sexy short take on Goldilocks with a twist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Xandra Blue, a mage adept, has to pick a new mentor from three extremely sexy wizards. All three have the skills and could make great partners, but the guys don't make it easy for her to choose.

And a preview snippet…

"Xandra, you'll need to choose a new mentor." The Wizard Master, John Silo, slid three files in her direction. "I took the liberty of narrowing down the options to the top three."

Xandra shrank back. She didn't want to think about finding a tutor yet. Her grief resided heavily in her heart and mind.

She frowned. "We laid Makepeace to rest this morning. Do I have to make a choice right this moment?" Did Silo have no idea how much Chris's death affected her?

The sage studied her for several long moments. "Xandra, you can't fall behind. I'm aware the difficult position you're facing, but it's because of your circumstances that I'm asking you to put your sadness aside and meet with the three wizards as soon as possible." His eyes held sympathy, but also resolve.

Xandra sighed. "May I at least have the rest of the day to mourn Makepeace?" Twenty-four hours shouldn't be too much to ask.

Silo nodded. "You may, my dear. But no longer. You'll need one on one time with each candidate and I need your decision by week's end." He moved the files to the edge of his desk. "Go ahead and take these with you. Review the information when you have time." He eased away from the desk and stood up.

Xandra rose and reluctantly took the files. "Yes, Master Silo." Turning, she made her way slowly to the door.

Silo gave her one final piece of advice. "Give each one a fair chance, Xandra. You'll discover the correct mentor if you carefully weigh their skills and personalities."

Xandra made a noncommittal grunt and exited the Wizard Master's office.

Carefully weigh the options. No big deal, right? Except her decision could determine whether she got to stay in the apprentice program to develop into a fully qualified wizard, or get shipped off campus and relegated to performing simple tasks in the regular workforce.

So, yes, her decision would prove to be a very big deal.

Xandra is going to have her hands full trying to figure out which wizard will be her best bet.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Blending In

July 5, 2015

Happy Fireworks Day to my US readers. Happy weekend to my non-US readers.

So… Teen Wolf premiere, two nights of great viewing. The bad part? Now I have to wait for the next episode. I can't just hit 'next' anymore. Totally sucks. LOL

Another great episode of The Last Ship. I'm kind of intrigued with where they're going to take the story. The Irish-sounding guy grated, which I'm assuming he was supposed to, but yeah, what's all his blather about?

Defiance, as usual, rocks. I'm glad to visit the Nolan / Irisa origins a little more. With the potential for another war looming, their crap needs to be in order, right? Something tells me it won't be so easy. I'm also happy Killjoys and Dark Matter still have me interested. I'm a sucker for sibling rivalry, so the Jaqobis brothers are my catnip right now. Can't wait to see them go head to head and work out their issues. I'm rather enjoying the small, little breadcrumbs being dropped in Dark Matter. Makes me want to pay super close attention so I don't miss something crucial. J

I only have one more episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries to be caught up with the current season. Then it's off to find out if I can stream eps from Australia, because I love, love, love this show. :D

Tonight's post is from Blending In, a novella with undercover shenanigans, which is always a treat to write.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Wren and Ethan go undercover in the seedy District. Ethan's by the book style clashes with Wren's off the cuff attitude, but when a powerful Mage makes a threat, they'll have to forge an unbreakable bond or go down in flames.

And a preview snippet…

Ethan Scott glanced sideways when the passenger side door opened and a woman slid inside the vehicle. His orders stated to wait in the parking garage and he figured out why. Wren Bingman refused to be seen inside the precinct building.

She stuck out her hand. "Ethan Scott?" She shook firmly when he clasped her palm. "Wren Bingman. Let's roll." Facing forward, she tapped her fingertips on the dashboard.

Ethan started the engine and eased around to the alley entrance the undercover operatives used to covertly enter and exit the area. He merged into traffic and started toward the fringe neighborhood where an apartment had been rented for their use during the op. His gaze shifted to his new partner, taking in the long, dark hair worn straight as a pin, brushing just past her shoulders. She slid her gaze his way, her leaf green eyes taking on a sly glint.

Her lips twisted, a cross between a smirk and a grin. "You've been briefed, right? UC work in the District tends to leave a foul stench and a bitter aftertaste." Her slow once over and resulting head shake didn't scream confidence. "You don't exactly look like you belong. You have worked undercover before, haven't you?" She angled sideways, her brow lifted in question.

Ethan tried not to bristle at her lack of faith. Not her fault she didn't have a clue about his work. He'd rather keep his success under wraps, but he'd have to share with her per orders.

His hands gripped the steering wheel a little tighter. "Yes, I've done covert ops before." He kept his eyes on the road ahead. "The Princeton job was my last detail." Bracing for her reaction, he changed lanes.

He'd infiltrated a fae faction of the mob and freed two banshees they'd held hostage. The Princeton family used the death predictors in tandem with oracles and picked off a third of a rival clan's manpower then swooped in and took over the shakedown business.

She let out a low whistle. "Holy shit. No wonder I've never heard of you." She snorted. "You're only known by your code name on all the files." Shifting again, she turned, practically sitting sideways.

Ethan shot her a quick glance. "Helps keep me fluid and available. Any possible leaks from the inside can only give a general description and the code name, Raven." He shrugged. "I'm rarely around the precinct anyway."

Wren huffed out a hard breath. "Well, no. Not when you're on a job for six months or more." She shook her head. "Guess you've got me beat there. My busts usually happen within thirty days or less."

Ethan nodded. "You have an impressive number of collars." She also tended to fly by the seat of her pants, which they couldn't do on this case.

The big problem? Trying to get her to see the facts on the ground and work with him to plan a takedown on a massive scale and get everyone involved in the brutal attacks taking place across the city. He'd have his work cut out.

Wren's lips curved upward. "I do tend to get fast results." She angled back around, facing forward again.

Ethan made a left, heading down the alley to the rear entrance of their walk-up flat situated over a thrift shop. He pulled into the single parking spot and cut the engine, but didn't make a move to exit the car.

Wren snapped her fingers close to his ear. "Hey, Mr. Gloomy, we're home. Let's get up there and settle in." She popped her door open and shot him another look. "We could start canvassing the District tonight."

His hand shot out, halting her progress. "I think we need to have a conversation about that first. We can't just go off half-cocked here."

Wren narrowed her gaze. "I didn't say anything about going full tilt with balls and tits hanging out. What's your problem?" She jerked her arm away from him

Ethan opened his mouth, ready to provide a detailed list of his concerns.

Wren's eyes went wide. "Oh, my God. You don't think I can handle this operation." A garbled choking sound escaped from her lips. "There I was, worrying you'd be a hindrance because you've got no game and instead, you're the one who's got a stick up his ass about me." She flung him a nasty look. "Go to hell, jack ass." Sliding from the car, she slammed the door and stomped up the steps to their four room efficiency apartment.

Ethan heaved a sigh. "Yeah, that went well." He pocketed the keys and got out of the vehicle. "Way to go, Mr. Cool."

Honestly? Ethan and Wren are a hoot to write. They just need to establish a little trust, right? LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Celebrate Your Freedom to Live, Love, & Read—Freedom Hop

LET FREEDOM RING!

Welcome to the Freedom Hop, a great sampling of authors sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

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How wonderful is it to have the independence to choose how we live our lives, who we love, and what we read?

I'm lucky enough to have always had the choice and I've used my liberty to do what I love… write about hot romances between men and women, edit for authors who write about all kinds of love—from best friends who become lovers to same sex couples and relationships that include multiple partners, and read all of the above with voracious abandon.

When writing as Skye Ritchey, I tend to focus on magic, fantasy, and paranormal or supernatural settings, characters, and stories. Exploring things not of our realm is whimsical and freeing. Being able to imagine what a character can do or how they react to the world around them is exciting and challenging.

For this year's Freedom Hop, I'm sharing short samplings of all my current titles and a longer excerpt of my most recent release, Cupid's Curse, which I'm giving away for the blog hop. I had the best time writing Bree and Archer. Both characters had very strong voices and wouldn't leave me alone until I wrote their story.

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Cupid's Curse

Available on Amazon ~ $2.99

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.

Excerpt:

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?"

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.

Brand Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

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AUTHOR GIVEAWAY

To celebrate our freedom to live, love, and read, I'm giving away Cupid's Curse, which is the introductory book in the Meddlesome Gods branded series. More titles are coming this fall.

To enter, please leave a comment and let me know how you like to spend the 4^th of July. Non-US readers, let me know what would celebrate with fireworks.

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More books by Skye Ritchey

A Magical Affair

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

A mansion atop a wellspring of magic lets Romy, Heath, and Stacie live out their fantasies.

A Little Yule Magick

Available on Amazon ~ $1.49

Boyd and Sygin use a Little Yule Magick to get their holiday off on the right start.

An Idyllic Affair

(With ML Skye)

Available on Amazon ~ $3.99

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

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Please stop by my website

Celebrate with more fireworks! Visit the other participating authors.