Sunday Snippet: X Plus Y

Whew. What a week in TV. Lots of good stuff going on.

The Flash had a fun episode. I'm rather interested in the behind the scenes manipulation going on and discovering more about that. Also interested to see what happens with Caitlyn when Katee Sackhoff's character enters the narrative.

Legends of Tomorrow is still terrific. I'm hoping they dive into the big threat looming over them sometime soon.

Arrow ended up being better than expected. I want to know what Diggle has himself into and how bad it's going to bite the team on their asses. Also loved Oliver and Felicity helping William out and discovering they work well as a team. The FBI agent is already annoying me. We'll see if that ends up being a good thing or not.

I missed Gotham and need to catch up. Not sure when I'll get a chance, but it should be soon.

Riverdale, you're killing me. There's so much I'm loving but the one thing I'm not on board with—yet—is Hermione and whatever the hell pod person has taken over her character. I kind of loved the relationship she had with Veronica last season and right now… not so much. We'll see if it smooths out, similar to Alice last year. I trust the show to make it happen.

Finally watched the finale for Teen Wolf and I'm kind of thrilled with how it ended. I'm very happy with everyone's place and how their stories were resolved—with one exception. I so wanted Monroe to die a slow, painful death. The fact she escaped annoys me to no end. Grr.

Got caught up on Murdoch Mysteries. So far, I'm excited for the new season. I have so much love for this show, which considering it's in its eleventh season, is saying something.

I have my holiday television and movie list all put together and ready to watch. The Hallmark Channels launched their festive season this weekend and I plan to catch a bunch of fare on both channels. Seriously, I won't mind overdosing on the merry happenings right now. The world is a crazy place… why not have some happy, happy, joy, joy in life?

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from X Plus Y, a novella that started with a two-word prompt of "miss you".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vail Gault and Wolf Vermassey have a wicked, powerful attraction for each other. Too bad their clans are brutal rivals in the underground world of meta-human politics. Pitted against each other, they can never be more than opponents in a cage match who happen to have sex that makes their sparring matches look like cake walks.

And a preview snippet…

The official came over and held Vail's arm up. "And the winner is Vaaaaiiillll Gaaauuullllttt!" The roar of approval drowned out the grumbles and boos.

Vail smirked when she did her victory walk around the perimeter of the cage.

The referee met her at the door, his voice low. "You two are the biggest draw since the inception of the cage matches." He followed her down the steps. "The families are making serious bank on you two."

No shit. The rivalry between the House of Gault and the Vermassey Clan couldn't be more epic. She gave him a nod and turned down the corridor that led to the changing area. No doubt Wolf would forego medical and head straight home. Vail stripped off her fighting gear and gave them a quick zap. The fabric incinerated and burned down to ash. Stepping into a shower stall, Vail got cleaned up, taking care to cleanse the damage Wolf inflicted during their bout.

Her fingers brushed over a nasty contusion on her thigh. "Damn… Vermassey got his licks in tonight." Both had; but she'd edged him in the cage for victory.

Which meant the after activities would be held at Wolf's. Vail smiled. She'd best him once again… or maybe let him win the battle. Either way, they'd have fun.

She left the changing area after getting dressed in regular clothes.

On her way out of the arena, she bumped into one of the lower rung fighters.

Mort Camen had an ability to alter the air around him. He also had the attitude and ego of someone much higher on the food chain. For a member of the Vermassey Clan, not that surprising, but annoying to a huge degree.

He grabbed Vail's arm. "Hey, congratulations on the win tonight." His lips twisted in a weird cross between a sneer and a smile.

Vail shrugged out of his hold. "Yeah, thanks." She started toward her car.

He caught up, reaching out to grasp her shoulder. "Seriously, you looked terrific in the cage. On form and in the zone." His hand trailed down her arm.

Vail stepped away. "Whatever. Glad you were entertained." She opened her door, tagging him on hip. "Gotta run now, if you'll get out of my way." A pointed look in his direction had him moving back.

She revved the engine and pulled away from the arena, leaving Camen with a scowl on his face. No skin off her hide. She didn't have the patience to play games with a member from the rival group.

She had an appointment to keep and didn't plan on being late.

I'm very excited about the potential for this story. I love what the sages are conjuring in their minds. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Whipped Cream and Chocolate Dreams

I'm loving the fall weather! Mild temperatures are so lovely and the pretty colors popping on the leaves are incredible.

Another great week in television. I completely forgot to mention Riverdale's premiere. Man… I love the show. I had so many questions after the premiere my head spun for a while.

But first… let's get to this week's shows. The Flash had a great episode. I like the new Cisco. I'm definitely looking forward to more of how Barry and Iris work out their issues. Legends of Tomorrow also had a great showing. I do truly enjoy the character's interactions.

Okay, Riverdale. Loved, loved, loved the premiere. I like where things are going and while I could do without Hiram, I'll be interested to see what kind of havoc he'll create. Having Archie take a darker path is also going to be fun. And whenever Dark Betty makes an appearance I notice. I loved her giving the lowdown to Cheryl. Speaking of… wow, Cheryl's got some issues, yeah? All in all, I'm excited to see what else happens. The dark hood killer will hopefully not take out any of my faves. I'm already a little miffed one of the characters I like might not be with us anymore.

Gotham keeps getting better. It always seems to throw in a twist I'm not expecting and I love it. Nice to see Lee back, whatever her drama might be.

Arrow is also throwing some nice twists into their plotlines. I'm down with Oliver being a dad, but I was very much hoping he would make Raisa William's guardian so he can still do his second job.

Continuing on with Midsomer Murders and also got my holiday movie and show list started. I plan to completely overdose on holiday fare this year.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Whipped Cream and Chocolate Dreams, a novella that started with a weird prompt about having the characters find an ice cream planet. I couldn't quite go that far afield but I like where the prompt took me.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nita, Deacon, and Callen fall victim to Morpho, the Dream Tender, who plants vivid imagery in their minds while they slumber. When the trio wakes up primed and ready for action, they try to fight the erotic pull, but fail.

And a preview snippet…

Nita Bouls blew a damp tendril of her bangs out of her face and finished scrubbing the base of the display case. "Hey, Cal, can you plug the freezer in? I finally got the scuff marks off the bottom."

Callen Le Beau popped his head around the corner. "Are you sure you didn't miss a spot? You've been working on that thing all afternoon."

Nita smirked. "I'm sure, you asshat." She threw the wet, soapy sponge in his direction.

Deacon Huffman picked that moment to walk through the space behind the counter, carrying a pile of used drop cloths. Nita's aimed missile smacked him in the side of the face, bounced off, and landed with a gloppy plop on the floor. Nita gasped and bit back an inappropriate laugh. Deke picked the wrong time to get between her and Callen.

Deacon shot her a scathing look. "What the hell, Nita? I'm not the asshat." He used his shoulder to wipe away the suds on his ear. "Your aim sucks."

Nita grabbed a towel from the back of a café chair and hurried over to Deacon. He presented such a comical picture, she didn't trust herself to say anything.

Deke let her dab at his cheek and neck. "Dammit, Cal. You never know when to dial it back about ten clicks, do you?" His lips twitched and he choked down a chuckle.

Callen did his best innocent impression. "Me? I only asked if she got everything. Not my fault it took her from lunch until two seconds ago to finish her job." He cracked a grin.

Deke waved Nita away and crossed the newly tiled floor to the huge carton they'd turned into a makeshift trash bin. "That freezer plugged in yet?" He shot a backward glance toward Cal when he stuffed the wadded up drop cloths inside.

A sheepish look crossed Callen's face. "Er, no. Getting it now." He disappeared around the corner.

A moment later the freezer hummed to life and Nita quickly checked to make sure the sliding doors were all closed.

Deke snagged the towel and finished getting the soapy residue off his face and neck. "Okay, Mr Mouth, I finished painting the trim. What, exactly, have you been working on all afternoon?"

Callen darted back out into the main parlor and motioned for Nita and Deacon to stay put. "Glad you asked, Deke." He held up a finger. "Be right back."

He ducked into the work area and came back out, carrying a large canvas covered object. He placed it on the floor in front of the display case.

He jerked his head. "Deke, come give me a hand here." Whipped off the canvas and Nita's eyes widened then her gaze flew to Cal's.

"Oh… I don't know what to say… except thank you."

Cal shrugged. "No need for thanks. I wanted you to have something of your gram's so I cleared most of the dry rot from the original door, cut it down, and made the sign." He nodded to Deke.

Deacon helped Cal turn the slab of wood.

"I did both sides… thought we could hang it in the big window so it's visible from the outside but you can still see the message from in here, too."

Touched by the gesture, tears sprang to Nita's eyes.

Cal reached out. "Shit, I've made you cry. I'm sorry."

She wrapped an arm around his waist. "No, don't be sorry. They're happy tears, not sad." She hugged him. "I love it." She grabbed Deke's hand. "You guys have been awesome helping me out here and getting the place ready to reopen." She shook her head. "Too many memories and too easy to get lost in them without having you two as a distraction. I couldn't have done any of it without you."

Deke pressed a kiss to her temple. "I'm glad you called."

She almost hadn't… and she would have regretted it for the rest of her life.

This one is a joy. I love having the camaraderie between the trio of friends.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Whatever it Takes

Well… another homecoming is in the books and life can return to semi-normal, which is still crazy but less so. LOL

Terrific week for television with shows returning for their fall premieres (and one season ender)!

The Last Ship's finale was everything I'd hoped for. The people I wanted to see not make it died in appropriate ways and they didn't touch anyone on my "better not kill" list, so, yeah, I'm thrilled to bits with how the season ended. And it looks like season five will be terrific! Can't wait for next summer.

I honestly didn't know if I'd like The Flash, but it ended up being a great episode. Cisco keeps things interesting and I like where Caitlyn is right now. Same goes for Legends of Tomorrow. Their reboot after messing up all of time is excellent. Can't wait to see what they end up doing for the rest of the season.

Arrow's premiere rocked. I really didn't know how they'd end up resolving the island explosion and it looks like there will be plenty of repercussions. I'm interested in what happened to the few we didn't see in the opening episode, namely the former league crew. I can honestly say it was awesome to see Raisa back with Oliver, too.

Gotham had another terrific episode. This show just keeps getting better and better. I like how they're beginning to weave Bruce's story into Gordon's… finally. I'm pretty "meh" about the Sophia Falcone stuff but we'll see where it goes.

My Netflix queue random pick ended up being Midsomer Murders. I'm enjoying a nice revisit to this show.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Whatever it Takes, a novella that got a two-word prompt start of "baby steps".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lysanor Bela runs the gauntlet and while she survives the experience, it messes with her mind. She has a vision of killing Baron Saltman—and gauntlet revelations are never wrong. Lys will do whatever it takes to keep Baron alive as long as possible—even if it means walking away from their relationship.

And a preview snippet…

Baron Saltman entered the challenge room, assailed by memories of his journey almost a year ago. He approached the next participant, the only one allowed to do so.

He placed an arm around her. "Good luck, Lys. You've got this." When she turned and flashed a smile, he hauled her closer, hugging her for encouragement.

No one had an easy time when they ran the gauntlet. The fiery maze structure pushed its participants through a series of increasingly difficult scenarios, often throwing past hardships in the path to serve as distractions. The gauntlet acted as a shield for the upper levels of the magical hierarchy, weeding out the weak-minded and less skilled, advancing only those who managed to get through. The ones who left intact normally had a precognitive event that helped show them their future path. Occasionally the vision could be clouded and unclear, which could be scary for the young mages.

But Lysanor Bela feared nothing.

When she tilted her chin up and met his gaze, he gave in to instinct and slanted his mouth over hers, his lips moving with assurance and promise. He'd be here when she finished her run, waiting to start their life together. When she eased away, she gave him one last, lingering took followed by a solid nod.

With a final curve of her lips, she turned to face the flaming wall of the gauntlet. "I'm ready."

Baron backed away, keeping her in his sight until he had to turn to climb the stairs to the viewing alcove. He jogged the short distance upward then took his spot for the ceremony. Only three other people were there and he ignored their presence, focusing on the woman he loved.

He leaned forward and made the announcement. "You may begin."

She squared her shoulders and placed her right foot on the burning entrance line. Taking a deep breath, she started her journey through the gauntlet to test her will and fortitude and prepare her for the master level of magedom. Baron stood riveted, the memories of his experience floating through his mind. The challenge he faced almost did him in, but his trial by fire ended with the accompanying vision of a powerful future for Lysanor and him.

They would eventually be the ruling couple of the realm. But… not without some serious obstacles. He hated how the hurdles they would face were hidden in shadow when he'd run the gauntlet but the outcome—ruling with Lys—outweighed his concern.

She only had to make it through and the future belonged to them. Baron couldn't wait to spend his remaining days with his one and only love.

I'm excited to see where this one goes. Looking forward to getting more on the page.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Voltage

October 8, 2017

And so the crazypants onslaught begins. October starts the official launch of "let's go Mach II with our hair on fire" season. Homecoming is this weekend and my daughter is hosting nine other couples for pictures and dinner. Then we slide into Halloween, followed by the fall sports banquet, Thanksgiving, Christmas, the New Year, and starting January 11, birthdays for all but one of my immediate family. LOL See… crazypants.

So, moving on to what calms me… television. The Last Ship proved, once again, it's never a good idea to mess with a wolf. Seriously, a few nice reveals were dropped and the episode let Fletch redeem himself… kind of. I'm probably in the minority but I'm not quite ready to forgive his transgressions yet.

Still need to watch Teen Wolf's finale. The past week got crazy busy so I didn't have time.

Finished up The Defenders and, yeah, I pretty much loved it. Looking forward to more from the individual series and also to The Punisher whenever it arrives. Heh, if it hasn't already because I'm that far behind right now.

Almost finished with Hawaii Five-0. Truly can't see how season eight is going to be decent without Chin or Kono. I guess I'll play it by ear.

I'm all caught up on Gotham and I love this show. The soft intro of Bruce's alter ego ended up being exactly perfect. Penguin raining havoc is a joy to watch. And poor Jim is getting ready for another round of the absolute wrong woman for him bingo. Falcone's daughter is probably not what the doctor ordered for the guy. Just saying.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Voltage, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt but it veered so far from the original idea I can't really include here. So… metahumans deal with very human failings.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Tess Truvient, Gentry Malloway, and Hunter Keepman use their meta-human abilities for the cause of justice by working with a covert organization with a global reach. Tess and Hunter have a volatile relationship, on one day and off the next. Enter new recruit, Gentry, and Tess finds a much needed distraction—if only for a few months—except something about Gentry draws her in and she's caught off guard when it's time for him to ship out to his permanent post.

And a preview snippet…



Pulling into HQ, Hunter stopped the van and exited the vehicle. The tech goons would deal with the cargo. He'd finished his job. Right now, he needed to hit the war room and work out some frustration. Tess giving him shit about the lasers stuck in his craw and pissed him off. Not like she ever had to manipulate heavy objects with her mind, or worry about potential fallout if said object didn't make it to a designation, on top of keeping someone else's ass safe.

His head hurt from the combination of the effort it took to get out safely and Tess's bitchy attitude. A round in the war room, hopefully blowing lots of shit up, should help the pounding drum concert throbbing along his temples.

He made a quick turn and entered the changing area, stripping off his protective wrist guards and flinging them across the room.

"Hunter! Hold up." Tess skidded to a halt at the doorway.

His head angled around. "Not now, Tess."

She didn't listen, coming up to stand beside him. "Look, I owe you an apology." Her fingers wrapped around his forearm. "I'm sorry, Hunter. You didn't deserve my bitchy snark back there." She met his gaze. "We gotta stop dragging our personal drama into the work."

Well, didn't she nail their dilemma on the head?

Hunter lifted a shoulder. "Yeah, well, easier said than done." He turned away, not quite ready for a full make-up yet.

Tess let him go. "I'm headed home." She started for the exit but glanced over her shoulder. "See you there later?" A glimmer of concern crept into her gaze.

Hunter grunted. "Yeah. Later." After he got rid of the residual anger and frustration.

She lifted a hand and left. The room seemed to dim without her in it… which had nothing to do with her ability. Tess lit places up with her personality.

He craved her bright and bold nature and the need never sat well with him.

He stalked into the war room and set up a series of exercises, ones that would put him through several dangerous scenarios. If he completed every level, he should expel enough of his pent-up energy to be rational and even-keeled again. Normal.

He snorted. "When am I ever normal?"

Only with Tess.
I love writing humans with extraordinary abilities, especially when those skills don't protect them from their worst tendencies.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Veering Off Course

Hello, October. We're getting into the fall season and that means the rest of the year is going to fly by! The beginning of October always marks the start of the holiday season for me. Halloween, Thanksgiving, and Christmas / Yule. I'm excited!

The Last Ship had a decent episode. I was so hoping Giorgio got blown up but, alas, not the case. Here's hoping he meets with a satisfying ending sometime in the near future. His whole family can go up in flames and I wouldn't shed a tear.

I haven't watched Teen Wolf's finale yet. I'm not quite ready for its end. But it's going to be terrific. I have no doubt.

Got a few more episodes of The Defenders in. I really didn't see Alexandria's end… if it's an actual ending. You just never know with the Hand.

Hawaii Five-0 said goodbye to Max in a great episode. I'm about halfway through the season and still enjoying.

Gotham's second episode ended up being excellent. I love how everything is coming together. Interesting to see Barbara back on the screen.

That's it for television this week. Looking forward to more of my favorite shows being back soon. Tonight's post is from Veering Off Course, a novella where one of the main characters struggles to control her elemental powers.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raine Shippley tends to go her own way, always veering off course. When her true path is revealed, Dalton Tucker thinks they'll finally have a chance, but Raine disappears and he's left to follow the trail alone… or so he thinks.

And a preview snippet…

Raine hated taking her drama out on Dalton all the time. Being in his arms soothed her raging internal battle, but the balm wouldn't last for long. If she didn't get her shit straightened out, nothing Dalton did would save her.

Not even loving her.

She eased away from him. "I'm so tired, Dalton. I can't remember the last time I slept." Two hours here and there didn't do much for rejuvenating her wounded spirit.

He cupped her face. "Stay with me tonight. I'll keep watch and when you start tossing and turning, I'll help you stay under." His lips brushed over hers. "You need rest, even if it's not one hundred percent natural."

He never failed to hit the right answer. She couldn't make decisions, couldn't think, because exhaustion and turmoil warred for prominence in her mind. She craved the sheer bliss of nothingness, of going deep into the ether, sliding into oblivion even if only for one night.

She rested her forehead against his. "I'll stay." Her head dropped to his shoulder. "Thank you." She let out a chuckle. "I so wish we were using your bed for something else."

Dalton's laugh rumbled up from his chest. "Maybe later… after you've had time to recharge a little. Right now you wouldn't be any fun." He flinched when she slugged him on the bicep.

But his words were true. Lethargy had her limbs trembling and she wouldn't be much of an active participant if they attempted a romp between the sheets. And she definitely liked participating, fully and completely.

Raising her head, she smiled. "Take me to bed, Dalton." Her lips twisted into a smirk.

He rolled his eyes then shifted to stand behind her. "Let's go, sweets." He led her into his room and pulled back the covers. "Into bed with you."

She crawled between the cool, crisp sheets and leaned back against the pillows. "Will you sit beside me?" Holding out a hand, she hoped he would.

He clasped her fingers. "Sure. I'll be right here." He settled next to her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders.

The lights dimmed and the room grew quiet. Raine rested her head on his chest, his steady heartbeat against her ear. Dalton remained silent, the sound of his breathing slow and measured.

Raine's eyelids drifted shut, Dalton's presence lulling her into a light slumber. Soon… peace and tranquility… and blessed sleep.

I'm hoping Raine's journey ends up taking her where I want her to go. Characters sometimes discover other paths they want to explore.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye