Sunday, September 23, 2018

Sunday Snippet: It's Academic

Well, it's homecoming weekend and our football team won the game last night, which is an amazing feat. They came from behind and pulled out the win. The weather took a cool turn and the group we hosted for the pre-festivities had a lovely evening to take pictures.

Had a super-busy week leading up the big group activity, but I did get some solid viewing in. I'm working through Luke Cage and I like the newest season but I'm a little disappointed in pushing the anger angle. I'm hoping it ends up being worth the character assassination. Looking forward to the second season of Iron Fist.

Caught the third episode of Driven, Passionflix's first limited series. I'm really enjoying this one. So far, everything they've released is pretty terrific. Can't wait for the holiday offering this year.

The Last Ship's second episode kicked some serious butt. I hang on the edge of my seat each week to see what happens next. The hour flies by too. Why can't time move that fast when I'm stuck waiting somewhere? LOL

Also got another episode of Peter Gunn's first season out of the way, along with several episodes of Classic Who. Watched the second episode of Penny Dreadful and, holy crap, there's some crazy stuff going on in this show. I love it.

Caught episode five of Wynonna Earp. This show improves with every new twist. Not sure how I feel about Mamma Earp, but I'm in for the ride. Also watched an episode of The Dresden Files. Someday I need to read the books this series was based on.

Caught the next to last episode of Canal Road. As I predicted in something like episode two or three, my money is on the lawyer for setting everything in motion and getting rid of Spencer's family. We'll see if I'm right with the final episode.

I watched the DVD of Hairspray and really liked it. This is a movie I didn't catch the first time around and I had fun watching.

The rest of the week, I filled in with the usual marathons of Murder, She Wrote and In the Heat of the Night. I'm pretty sure I've almost made my way through both series with only a few hit or miss episodes being left to watch.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from It's Academic, a novella that got its start with a writing community prompt of creating a story where the main characters have to be roommates.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a preview snippet…

Kari Pride arrived entered the Stonebridge Academy for Magical Arts via the backdoor. "Not like I'm used to entering any other way." Not technically allowed to spell-cast—until she officially checked in—she'd thumbed her nose at protocol and transported to the receiving area at the rear of the campus.
She had no other way to get to the academy. Her mother packed house the moment Kari accepted the scholarship to complete her studies at the prestigious school. With the landlord breathing fire and brimstone—because her mom skipped town—Kari paid the man with the only currency she had—spells. If the board of elders found out, she'd be expelled before she even had her first class.
She sighed. "At least he'll keep his mouth shut." She'd taken the precaution of showing him what would happen if he didn't.
Funny how silence spells seemed to get the point across. Ten minutes of not being able to speak made extracting his promise to never reveal her identity easy. Now she had to put the freedom of creating on-the-fly casts aside.
Stepping up to the counter, she gave her name to the attendant.
The man looked down his long, thin nose. "You're a scholarship student." His eyes held censure.
Kari met his gaze dead-on. "I am." She didn't elaborate or offer additional information.
Why bother when he'd clearly decided she didn't warrant his respect.
He glanced behind her then off to either side. "And do you have no belongings?" He placed his clipboard on the counter between them.
Kari treaded lightly with her answer. "I've got a friend waiting at the dorm entrance with my things. He's not a guardian so I didn't think he was allowed on campus." In reality, her belongings sat in the landlord's driveway, warded with a spell to keep him touching anything.
A simple phrase would have her boxes waiting when she got her assigned room.
The attendant's lips flattened in a straight line. "Yes, well, you'd be correct. Only staff, students, and parents are allowed within the campus grounds on check-in day." He slid the clipboard in front of him. "You're in Stanville Hall, second floor, room twenty-two." Pointing to a row of carts, he droned on. "You may check out one of the trolleys but it's not included in your allotment so there will be a fee." He quirked one thin brow.
Kari snorted. "Yeah, no thanks. I've got it covered." With an illegal spell, but covered nonetheless.
Now she needed to find out if she had a roommate and if they'd checked in yet. Luckily, Mortimer—the name she'd given the attendant—got distracted by a loud crash at the main entrance. Kari quickly turned the clipboard around and found her room number. She did have a roommate. Thorn Summers. And he hadn't arrived yet.
Sliding the list back around, she walked away from the counter. Thorn. What a name.
Her lips curved. "I wonder if he has any siblings. And if their names are Briar or Spike?" No matter. "At least I'm in the clear."
She made her way across the oval-shaped courtyard and into Stanville Hall. Once she got up to the second floor, she found her room and muttered an incantation. Slipping her key into the lock, she opened the door. Her boxes sat stacked in the middle of the room.
She'd have to get them moved. Her scholarship precluded her from choosing a roommate so she got stuck with whomever the committee picked. Hopefully, Thorn could deal with a female dorm partner. Not like she could do anything if he couldn't. She literally had nowhere else to go.
Peeling the tape from the top box, she shook her head. "Thanks a lot, Mom."

I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. Opposites attract is one of my favorite tropes.



That's it for this week.

Cheers!


Skye

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