Sunday Snippet: Fan the Flames

September 27, 2015

*sigh*

Sit back and get a little comfy. I'm going to blather on about my disappointment in the new season of Doctor Who, which feels almost sacrilegious, but necessary. Maybe if I purge myself, I'll enjoy the show more.

So… as mentioned before, I'm not a huge fan of Capaldi as the Doctor. This has nothing to do with his acting. I enjoy his work. But… here's the thing… I just can't get past the fact he's been two other characters besides the Doctor in the Whoverse—Caecilius in The Fires of Pompeii and John Frobisher in Torchwood: Children of Earth. But wait! What about Eve Myles? She played a character in Doctor Who before being in Torchwood. Why doesn't that bother me?

One simple reason. The character she played in The Unquiet Dead, Gwyneth, by rights, could have been an ancestor of Torchwood's Gwen, so… my brain has no problem wrapping around the idea. But Capaldi's characters? Not so much. Wanna know why?

Because THE DOCTOR doesn't have ancestors on earth. Even if I bought the idea Caecilius could be John Frobisher's ancestor, I can't buy the idea they're somehow related to the Doctor. EVER. It's just a big, fat NOPE.

Do I take this Whoverse stuff way too seriously? Oh, hell yes, I do. LOL But… I miss the continuity of the earlier Davies seasons. The sweeping emotional arcs we got in even a single episode. And Moffat is more than capable of writing that way. I mean Blink is one of the most emotional roller coaster episodes I've EVER watched on TV, so he's got the chops to connect with me on that emotional level… when he's not trying to be too quirky or clever or whatever the hell he's trying to be with the gimmicky shtick he's been throwing out lately, especially with the two opening episodes of this season. They were disjointed and messy and I'm honestly not sure what I was watching, but it's not the Doctor Who I love.

And no worries if anyone vehemently disagrees with me. I'm totally okay with the rest of the planet loving the Doctor as much as they always have. I'm just not quite there yet—maybe I never will be—but I'm hoping Moffat rises to the challenge of keeping me as a viewer.

Whew. I feel WAY better now. Thanks for letting me vent. LOL I think I'll rant a little more on my sister blog, or you know, copy this and post it there, too. :D

I could go on about having new episodes of Lost Girl to watch, but I'll save it for a later post.

Moving on… Tonight's post is from Fan the Flames, a novella with a very dapper cupid who has his work cut out getting the hero and heroine together.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A modern day cupid discovers a couple with matching auras and thinks he'll have an easy time matching them up. Right... not so much. While Jamie and Alix definitely have the hots for each other, one big obstacle stands in their way—Jamie's job.

And a preview snippet…

Alixandra Golden pulled into the parking lot of Station Ninety-Five and cut the engine of her brand new, previously-owned vehicle. Only three years old, it still had warranty left on it, but a price tag she could afford.

Especially if she left the design firm she'd taken a vacation from.

She exhaled slowly. "Here goes nothing and everything."

Popping the trunk, she slid out of the car and walked around to retrieve the portfolio that held her storyboards. She shouldn't be as nervous as she was. She'd worked on this project in her free time for several months and knew the design inside and out. The exterior of the new station house, situated behind the current one, only had to pass inspection before the work could begin on the interior living and working space.

The presentation didn't worry her. The outcome did. If she landed this, she'd be able to work for herself—one of her life goals—almost two full years sooner than she'd planned. 

Her dad, a battalion chief—though not with this station—could've probably paved the way for the job with a simple recommendation. The regular bidding process through the city didn't come into play for the project. The funds had been earmarked with an endowment from a very grateful citizen whose house had been saved by the department.

It didn't hurt he happened to be the fourth wealthiest person in the entire state.

Alix specifically asked her father to take a giant step back and keep his yap shut. Two of her four brothers, three of her dozen plus cousins, an uncle, a godfather and one of her best friends had all been sworn to secrecy as well. Thankfully not all of them worked for the city, but all were employed by the service.

Alix already had an inside track, growing up in and around the fire service. She spent her childhood crawling through and hanging out at station houses. The firsthand experience would be reflected in her design for the residential rooms.

Grabbing her oversized case and the wooden folding easel, she propped both against the bumper of the car and pulled out a small mirror from her handbag. She checked her makeup, smoothed on a bit of lip gloss, and made sure her mascara hadn't smeared. Then she slid her feet into a pair of mid-heel pumps, tossed her beloved flip-flops in the trunk and closed it.

One of the reasons she wanted to start her own design business? To shed the need to wear professional garments all the time. Of course she'd dress appropriately when dealing with clients, but while doing the actual design work, she favored casual, comfortable clothing.

She checked her linen skirt for wrinkles, took a deep breath, grabbed her stuff, and entered the building, a full thirty minutes early for the meeting. Her best friend, Joe, one of ninety-five's firefighters, met her at the door.

Alix gave him a quick smile. "Did you get it?" She hoped he remembered.

Joe nodded. "Of course I did. Five gallons of rocky road, stashed in the freezer, waiting for your grand gesture." He grabbed her easel and carried it into the conference room.

Alix hugged him with her free arm. "Thank you. You're the best." She wanted to follow custom and since she had the first spot for the presentation, she knew the drill… ice cream all around.

She might be cheating just a little, but showing the committee she had a strong grasp of how the firefighters and paramedics lived while on shift, should give her a leg up. Breaking the ice by using one of many traditions also boosted her confidence, which she'd take.

Joe flashed his lopsided grin. "You'll blow them all away, Alix." He gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek. "I'm gonna go guard the freezer until after you're done."

Alix chuckled and waved him off, looking forward to some quiet time to run through her plans one last time.

I've had so much fun writing this one. It's almost ready for beta readers!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Events in Motion

Hmmm. As much as I love Doctor Who, I have to admit to being underwhelmed by the season premiere. I'm not a huge fan of Missy in any way, shape, or form. I love the concept of a female Master, but eh, not thrilled with the storylines she's been featured in. We'll see how the rest of the season goes.

I have been enjoying the new season of Longmire. I like to move to Netflix and, so far, all the episodes have been pretty solid. I think I have two left before I'm done.

I wish I had more excited for the new fall season but nothing is really sparking my interest with the new slate of shows. I am looking forward to my faves returning so at least I'll have something to rave about each week. LOL

Tonight's post is from Events in Motion, a novella where my characters try to fight fate and don't have the best results.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Fate has a plan for Drury, one she's not all that certain she wants to follow. Porter doesn't believe in destiny, but when Drury sets a chain of events in motion, he has to change his perspective or risk losing her to chance.

And a preview snippet…

Drury Amanze tossed and turned, in the grip of a dream she had full cognizance of but no control over. She floated above the planet, weightless and serene, but the imagery cast frightening disasters—hurricane floods, blazing wildfires, raging blizzards—all covering the rock in the universe she called home. The devastation and destruction made her arms wrap around her midsection. Horror clogged her throat until she couldn't breathe. She gasped for air and a strangled scream tore through the quiet of space and she plummeted, free-falling through the atmosphere, picking up speed the charred earth rushing upward to greet her.

"Dru! Wake up!"

A pair of hands shook her roughly and she jerked awake on another scream. Strong arms went around her, hauling her up against a solid cest.

A soothing voice whispered against her ear. "I've got you, Dru. You're okay."

Porter.

She sank into his warm embrace, curling her arms around him. Tears flowed down her cheeks. When did I start crying? And his fingers brushed the droplets away.

 He tilted her chin up towards him. "You had a dream, Dru. A nightmare. But I'm here. You're safe." His lips pressed against her forehead.

She nodded, but couldn't speak yet. The horrific obliteration of their planet still spun through her head, but the images were fading, going gray and hazy around the edges. Porter braced his back against the headboard and tucked her head in the crook of his shoulder. He didn't say anything, but the inhale and exhale of his breathing soothed her further. The terrible dream faded, but a constant buzzing hummed in her head.

Dru chalked the sound up to being shaken and exhausted. Closing her eyes, she burrowed closer to Porter. He tugged a lightweight throw up and over them.

He stroked his palm over her hair. "I'll stay through the night. Get some rest."

At least he didn't tell her to sleep. She didn't think she could handle another nightmare tonight. But she'd take the comfort Porter offered… especially since she didn't have a claim on his nighttime hours anymore. Hell, she didn't even know why he'd shown up, but thank the universe he had.

She gave his midsection a squeeze. "Thank you. For being here."

Porter rested his chin on her head. "You're welcome, Dru. Anytime."

Her lips curved, just a little. The man never failed to come through for her.

Even when they weren't a couple anymore.

Another one of my favorite stories to write… the couple who finds their way back to each other.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dawn of the Son

September 13, 2015

So… The Last Ship? Probably one of the best season finales I've seen in a long time. I love this show! Now I have a whole year to wait for new episodes. *sigh*

Not much else on the television front. I'm patiently waiting for my superhero shows to return and watching a lot of new stuff on Netflix. The new season of Longmire is now streaming and I'm two episodes in. I love where things are going so far… stay tuned to see if that changes. LOL

New Doctor Who episodes start the weekend. Can't say I'm super excited to have a new season, but I'll watch and hopefully be surprised. After investing so much time, I'll have to keep current with what's happening.

I also started a beta read on a great story for an author friend. Looking forward to finishing it up this week.

Tonight's post is from Dawn of the Son, a novella where my main characters are imbued with the spirits of Apollo and Aurora.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Apollo and Aurora aren't supposed to get together, but the Universe has other ideas. When everything starts to go sideways, two mortals personify the ancient deities and balance is restored.

And a preview snippet…

Alston Saddington paced outside the medical triage area. "She can't die." Not when his last words to her were so harsh.

Yet Aleina Foyle hovered between life and death. She'd collapsed after a particularly nasty argument and he took full blame. She'd been tired lately, hadn't been getting the rest she needed.

Getting a group of unwilling and reluctant group of people to sit down and talk options took a great toll, not only on sleep but also on a relationship.

Frank Bollen rounded the corner to the medical alcove. "Are you going to go sit with Aleina until they move her or pace a hole in the floor?" He quirked an eyebrow.

Alston paused mid-step. "I can't go in there. It's my fault she's not responding." He didn't care what the doctors and healer said.

Frank snorted. "Alston, you're an idiot. If she dies and you didn't bother to see her, or sit with her, or hell, even just apologize for being a pain in the ass, you'll regret it." He shot Alston a stern glare. "For the rest of your life."

Frank had a point. If Aleina came around, she wouldn't have to know he'd even been there. But if he didn't at least see her, even if he didn't say anything, he'd be exactly what she accused him of being—an unhelpful student of the past. The very thing that started their argument in the first place. And wouldn't she be pissed if he ignored the urge to make amends, probably enough to…

Alston lips quirked. "Yeah, because she'll come to haunt me." He met Frank's gaze. "Yeah, yeah. I'll go sit with her until she's moved."

Frank clapped Alston on the shoulder. "Good man. I'll stop by with dinner in about an hour, yeah?" He started back toward the main base hub.

Alston called out. "Bring some coffee. It's gonna be a long night."

Frank acknowledged the request and Alston dragged in a deep breath. Aleina could wake up in the next few seconds or drift into a deep coma. Whatever happened, he'd stay by her side. He owed her nothing less.

Ducking into the room, he grabbed a chair and placed it close to the bed.

Sitting down, he took her hand and laced their fingers together. "Hey, Laney, I'm here." He squeezed gently. "And I'm not going anywhere."

I'm kind of enjoying the mystical qualities and playing around with them. Alston and Aleina may not have as much fun. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lost in Translation (Crystal Shard Brotherhood, book one)

Great news! Killjoys and Dark Matter will both have a second season. I'm doing my happy chair dance right now. LOL

The Last Ship appears to have delivered my greatest wish, but… I may have hoped too soon. I have a feeling a different foe will prove more formidable than those who will remain nameless for now. LOL I can't wait for tonight's episode!

I got to watch the season four trailer for Arrow and ohhhh… can't wait for October to get here. Looking forward to The Flash and Agent Carter, also.

Syfy has a couple of shows I'm going to try, but eh, their slate isn't what I'd hoped it would be. Maybe I'll be surprised, who knows.

Tonight's post is from Lost in Translation, the opening book to The Crystal Shard Brotherhood series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A body dumped outside a fortress. A scroll located in twelve different locations. A trap sprung. But the Brethren are too smart to take the bait. Jackson Alexander and Jacey Durham have to turn the tables on the nemesis trying to dismantle the Crystal Shard Brotherhood.

And a preview snippet…

Cold.

No.

Frigid. Effing. Cold.

She couldn't seem to get warm.

Everything hazy, Jacey Durham instinctively knew it would hurt to move. Hell, it hurt to inhale right now. The cold air burned, stealing her breath.

Outside.

But where? How? And why?

She tried to draw air into her lungs and choked on it.

Keep it shallow, Jace. Gotta have air… just nice and slow.

Taking mental stock, she quickly surmised she'd have to move, find shelter or freeze to death.

But, holy goddess it would hurt like a bitch. Her muscles felt taut, tight, battered and bruised. Her insides ached. Her head throbbed and pounded… even her eyelids hurt.

Had she been beaten? Or worse?

What the hell had happened?

At least she lay on her side. But of course, the wind whipped along her spine, making the snow swirl and sting against the exposed skin along her waistband. But she wouldn't have as far to move to stand.

Good goddess, she didn't want to attempt it.

She could lay there a little longer, right?

Maybe until she could remember something?

Phone call.

She recalled the ringing but couldn't remember if she'd answered or not. And it hurt to think. Intensified the rapid fire drum beat staccatoing in her head.

Too much. Jacey felt the pull, the call of bliss unconsciousness would bring.

Dammit. She just couldn't fight it.

I'm looking forward to seeing how this one plays out. The first book is close to being complete, but I have to plot out the others and get started on them. Can't wait!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye