Sunday Snippet: Just One Moment

Well… we're almost to November and I'm really not ready for the month yet. Seriously, I'm wondering where 2018 went. Then again, it's been a bit of a bum year so maybe getting to 2019 sooner rather than later won't be a bad thing.

Had a busy week but got some good television watched. The Last Ship had a great episode. If they end up going where I think they will, the last few episodes could get interesting. Doctor Who's "Rosa" ended up being better than I thought it would be. I read an interesting article about the music of the new incarnation and while I appreciate the opinion of the author, I kind of miss Murray Gold's audible cues. Then again, I'm very much drawn in by musical cues in television shows.

I finished up Driven on Passionflix. I'll be honest, I'm not thrilled with where they left it. I totally get it had to end on a cliffhanger because there are two more books being made into this limited series. So… I'm ready for more. Looking forward to the holiday movie Mr. 365 when it launches in November.

Murdoch Mysteries had a fun episode centering on Henry's wedding. Also caught another episode of Peter Gunn's first season. Penny Dreadful revealed how Vanessa became embroiled with Sir Malcolm and, wow, dark waters run really deep in that relationship. I'm in the middle of a Midsomer Murders episode that usually keeps me company when I'm folding laundry. LOL

Arrow pulled off another amazing episode. I'm truly ready for Diaz to go down. That said, I'm totally onboard for the never-thought-it-could-happen team ups of Dinah and Laurel and Felicity and the FBI agent chick. I'm also really wondering what the hell is going on with William and Roy. Legends of Tomorrow had a great premiere. This show is just fun, fun, fun. Yet it's also balanced with serious issues. If you're not watching you should be. Just saying.

I'm almost finished with this season of Killjoys. Meeting Dutch's mom turned out to be an interesting stroll through history. I'm also totally there for the RAC shenanigans. Pree and his man mixing it up with them is terrific. I caught another episode of The Dresden Files and had forgotten how terrific Claudia Black's character ended up being. Also watched an episode of Babylon 5 and another episode of Classic Who.

Riverdale… brings the crazy like no other show I'm watching right now. My head almost hurts with how they take things to the edge of unbelievable but somehow stay just shy of actually crossing over into total no effing way. Kudos to the writers!

I watched the second episode of Underbelly Files. Infiltration featured Sullivan Stapleton in what I'd assume would be one of his first roles. Actually turned out to be a great episode. I have one more left before moving on to a new season.

That's it for television this week. Hallmark Channel is gearing up with their holiday movies and I'll probably end up getting sucked in the vortex soon. LOL

Tonight's post is from Just One Moment, a free bonus read featuring Boyd and Sygin from A Little Yule Magick.

Here's the mini-blurb:

A life-threatening situation and a couple in love. Just one moment for Sygin and Boyd to say everything that needs to be said.

And a preview snippet…

Boyd Lagassi dismissed his group of novices. "Go on. Get ready for your next class." He gathered up the discarded towels close to the front of the room. "And remember, if you're going out on the grounds, take at least one other person with you, preferably more." With the sudden turn of warmer weather, the students chafed to get out and explore the grounds of the estate.

Ethan Frommet, newly moved to intermediary status, stayed behind to help clean up after an intense physical instruction session. "Master Lagassi, do you think we can sit in on the next council meeting with the elders?" The "we" referred to the quad, what Sygin had decided to call the four teens that showed so much promise over the Yule holiday—Ethan, Harmony, Zack, and Melanie.

Boyd took some time before he answered. "Well, you know Sygin and I trust you guys to handle yourselves and your newly learned abilities without question." He tossed the towels into the bin for washing. "But…"

"The wheels of progress are slow to change." Sygin entered the conversation after breezing into the room, Harmony hot on her heels. "And, as much as it pains me to say this, sometimes there's a solid reason for the lack of rushing things." She hid a smile when Ethan draped an arm around Harmony's shoulders.

She'd been right when she said the hormones would start flying after the holiday.

Boyd clarified her somewhat cryptic statement. "What Mistress Ball means is the elders won't take any chances with your lives until they have no other choice." And that day might come sooner than any of them wanted.

Sygin gave the intermediaries a boost. "You guys have to trust Boyd and I will keep you in the loop. Our confidence in you isn't in question. The elders have a buttload of protocol they have to follow." She glanced toward Harmony, who nodded.

She weighed in. "My gram helped write a lot of the procedures. She thinks an update will soon be warranted, but the council isn't ready to talk terms yet." Her eye roll spoke volumes.

Sygin laughed and shot Boyd a sideways look. "Sounds familiar, doesn't it?"

He shook his head. "It does. And between the four of us, the escalation coming from the other side means they'll have to talk about shifting protocol in the very near future." The elder in residence would have to crack the whip soon.

Sygin followed up. "Look, why don't you grab Zack and Melanie and stop by for a quick briefing after the meeting. Boyd and I should be finished up no later than six."

Boyd cracked a smile. "We'll order takeout for the normal people and restock the cereal for Zack." The kid needed an upgrade to his palate.

Harmony snickered and Ethan snorted out a laugh. The couple agreed to drop by with their counterparts at the designated time.

Sygin unlocked the brake on the laundry bin of damp towels, a frown on her face.

Boyd snagged the heavy container and pushed it toward the door. "What's on your mind, Syg?" He had a pretty decent idea, because his concern about the ramped up reports of dark magick occurrences took up a lot of his head space.

Sygin shrugged. "We predicted it would get ugly and it is. We didn't think about being caught in the middle here… between the council and our highly intelligent intermediaries." She shook her head. "It sucks."

Yeah, it did. But Boyd's gut screamed they wouldn't be in the middle for long. Whether the council liked it or not.

It's fun to revisit this couple and their protégés. Maybe we'll see more of this group in the future.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Judge a Book by Its Cover

We're past the halfway mark of October already? Geez, this month is flying by fast. Then again, it's been a somewhat difficult month for me workwise. Brain-draining would be an apt description.

So… television has been an important escape this week. Sunday night shows Doctor Who and The Last Ship ended up being terrific. I'm so happy to be excited for New Who again. The Last Ship kept things interesting. I'm a little confused why the guy got executed at the end, but I have a suspicion it'll be a turning point of some sort.

Arrow's premiere actually blew my mind a little. The fight scene juxtaposition of Oliver in the prison and Felicity in her apartment with Diaz is probably the best choreographed scene I've witnessed to date. Seriously, it's amazing. And, honestly, the rest of the show followed suit, leading right up to the surprise end. I'm excited to see what happens next.

The Flash remained good. Nice to see Cisco, Kaitlyn, and Ralph bonding and helping each other out. Looking forward to more of that. Riverdale… well… went full-on batshit with a whole new twist that I actually can't wait to watch unfold. The thing with Archie in detention isn't bad. I love the whole Veronica getting around her dickhead dad with Cheryl's help. Speaking of Hiram the 'Hole. Does anyone else want to smack the smarm out of him? Every time he's on screen I want to punch him in the face. That's some good acting by otherwise nice guy Marc Consuelos.

In other show news, I caught the first episode of Underbelly Files and enjoyed it. Caught Babylon 5, The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Birds of Prey, and Lexx in sci-fi fare. Pensacola Wings of Gold had a great episode where I wanted to bitchslap the billionaire dude who wanted his daughter saved at all costs. I also caught Strike Back, which had a great episode featuring Grace and her badass skills. And finally, I caught another episode of The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. I have a lot of love for that show.

That's it for television this week. Here's hoping my work and sleep schedule get back on track and I can enjoy even more during the near future.

Tonight's post is from Judge a Book by Its Cover, a novella that started with a writer's community prompt of "think high school mystery with a cheating scandal". Definitely a fun prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Zeth Herrickson has to catch the culprits in a cheating scandal at the academy. Coorah Blair normally sits at the top of his list when things aren't right—except she's the one who brings the matter to his attention. They work together to track down the participants and go after the ringleader, who is much closer to both than they'd believe.

And a preview snippet…

Coorah Blair grabbed another exam and placed it in front of her. "This is my least favorite part of the job." Teaching, she loved and the fae academy gave her an open forum to share her knowledge.

Grading tests, though… bleh.

Her lips curved. "Figures I'm totally there for the physical testing of skill but not so much for the learned angles." She had reputation for flash and flair and she worked hard to keep it intact.

She finished the second class exams and started on the third group. By the third final, she discovered a pattern. Going back, she thumbed through the first two files, pulling the questionable documents. By the time she completed the other four folders she found several more.

Putting the exams side by side on the desk, she carefully examined each. "Son of a bitch." Fifteen tests had the exact same answers.

Anger churned in her gut. She liked to push the envelope and question authority on a regular basis—especially when Zeth Herrickson, the academy's magistrate got involved—but she didn't agree with cheating in any form.

As much as she hated the idea, Zeth needed to know about the tests and he needed to fix the situation. Right freaking now. Gathering up the offensive pages, she filed them in a folder to make copies later. The other exams went to their appropriate class file and awaited a return during the next session.

Bile rose in her throat, anger mixing with disgust. She swallowed it down. Giving rein to her temper wouldn't help. Not now.

Rising, she steeled her back and shoulders. "Brace for impact, Mr. Magistrate." She exited her classroom and marched over to the teacher's wing to confront Zeth about the entire situation.

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. I love adding suspenseful elements to the story and having my main characters work out what's going on.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Jade Claw

October 14, 2018

Wow, what a difference a week makes. The crisp feeling of fall has definitely arrived and I'm actually a little chilly at the moment. We'll probably have at least one more warm up before we settle into the true briskness of autumn in Ohio. Or… we could have one more nice week and then have a blizzard by Halloween. It's always hard to say. LOL

Got quite a bit of television watched this week. Some shows premiered their new seasons and I'm excited to settle in for the ride.

The Last Ship is crazy good and crazy wild. I'm always stunned when the credits roll because it doesn't seem like an hour should have gone by.

For premieres, I caught the new episodes of The Flash and Riverdale. Gotta say I ended up really enjoying both. Having Nora around could prove pretty interesting. And the whole situation with Archie is way over the top but, honestly, a ton of fun. Can't wait for Arrow this Monday. Also watched Chicago Fire and have mixed feelings on the episode. Maybe more on this next week.

And, of course, the Doctor Who premiere with Thirteen! What a great launch of the new doctor. Can't wait for more. After the disappointment with the last two seasons of Twelve, I'm excited to see where the show goes now.

I continued my rewatch of Babylon 5. The first season is so hit and miss but it also plants a lot of seeds for the following seasons. I'm always finding something new that ties into a future episode.

In other science fiction fare, I watched The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Birds of Prey, Lexx, Wynonna Earp—a Christmas episode, and The Dresden Files. Also caught Luke Cage and Penny Dreadful.

In military fare, I caught another episode of Pensacola Wings of Gold and Strike Back. I'm starting to gel with the new cast of Strike Back and I also need to go back to season two and do some sleuthing. I have a feeling there's a connection that's deeper than I realized. More later on this too.

Caught some mystery shows with The No. 1 Ladies Detective Agency, Murdoch Mysteries, and a couple of episodes of Peter Gunn. I started an episode of Midsomer Murders but didn't get to finish it yet.

I also watched episode five of Driven. I'm actually thrilled with this series and I'm so excited for more from Passionflix.

On a final note, I finished up Canal Road and what a satisfying ending. I'll be starting a new Australian series in the very near future. Looking forward to it!

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Jade Claw, a novella that brings a cop and a museum curator together over an artifact.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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…

Clay escorted his witness to an interview room and tried to make her comfortable.

"Can I get you anything? Coffee? Tea?"

She lifted her brows. "You wouldn't happen to have a bottle of ambrosia handy, would you?"

He shot her a grin. "Um, no." He had a feeling a spitfire lurked under the surface of the collected woman. "Can't do that one. Not on the approved list." He considered making an exception with her and fought an urge to dig out the bottle of confiscated liquor Director Teague kept buried in his drawer.

Skyrah sighed. "It oughtta be."

Clay propped a hip on the table. "No argument here."

Skyrah glanced up. "Let's just get this over with. How long before I can start cleaning the mess up?"

Clay chuckled. "I'm supposed to be asking the questions." He settled down in the chair across from her. "Don't know now long, but the ident teams work quickly."

She didn't like his answer, but he couldn't give her an exact timeframe. He had an impression she'd kick the stragglers into gear as soon as she got back to the museum.

He'd love to stick around and watch.

Skyrah rolled her eyes. "Right. Fine." She slouched down in her seat. "What do you need to know?"

"Let's start at the beginning again." He dug out his notebook and prompted. "Your class ran late?"

Skyrah repeated everything she said earlier.

She gave Clay a fairly accurate rundown of everything missing, all Tauric artifacts. She also mentioned she'd been approached by an interested collector—one Helena Cassus—a few weeks prior to the heist.

Clay's back went up and he leaned in. "Wait. You had a visit from Helena Cassus?" He scribbled furiously in his notebook. "You're sure you have it right?" He knew the name well.

He should. Helena Cassus happened to be in his father's inner circle. Didn't that just put Clay's balls in a vice? And the theft now made a sick kind of sense. When had he become an idiot? He should have immediately suspected…

Skyrah frowned and moved forward, so close her forehead almost touched his. "Agent Wellstone, I catalog multiple crates from twelve provinces on a daily basis and teach hundreds of students per semester. I'm very good with names." She met his gaze, her eyes full of challenge.

Clay eased back. Too close. She made him feel boxed in. He couldn't give his suspicions or anything away… not yet.

He gave Skyrah a curt nod. "So noted." He laid his pen on the table and rose from his seat, deciding to end the interview. "We'll track Ms. Cassus down and pull her in for questioning." Walking to the door, he twisted the knob to push it open. "That'll be all I need from you right now."

Skyrah narrowed her eyes, clearly expecting more. "You sure about that?"

Clay nodded. "I have your contact information if we have any other questions."

She stood up and fished her keys out of her pocket, then remembered she didn't drive. "Right. You're my ride." Moving toward the door, she stopped and started to say more then shrugged, exiting into the squad room.

Clay exhaled a deep breath and hoped he had it wrong. Somehow, he doubted he did. And he didn't want to think about the repercussions. Not tonight.

Instead, he watched Skyrah stride toward the exit doors, his lips quirking into a wry grin. Following her out, he blatantly admired the view she presented from behind.

I'm having fun with the cat and mouse angle on this one. Looking forward to finishing up and getting it out there.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: It's Not What They Think

Well, hello, October! This is one of my favorite months. The weather usually gets cooler.

The leaves start changing. And Halloween is just around the corner! It also means the holiday season is looming fast and furiously. Ugh. I'm not ready this year. LOL

Rough week with work and unexpected scheduling conflicts. I did get to watch some good television though. Caught the third episode of Strike Back's fifth season and had a surprise visit in the form of pictures from Stonebridge and Scott. I'm definitely intrigued! I also think I finally made the connection I needed to make. I'm slow sometimes.

The Last Ship seriously keeps me on the edge of my seat. I'm so sad and angry over a certain loss, but I totally called plot point even if it's a little disappointing. Caught the finale of Chicago Fire just in time for the new season to begin. I'll be behind per usual, but I'm glad I got to watch it.

Luke Cage is pulling some interesting things out of the woodwork. I'll admit I'm a little confused with where they're planning to take this season. That said, I love this show. And there's no Trish to really muck things up. Just saying.

Passionflix's Driven is so good. I watched the fourth episode and thoroughly enjoyed it. Can't wait for the new holiday movie they have planned.

Murdoch Mysteries started their twelfth season with a fun episode. I always look forward to this series and the new twists and turns Murdoch and Julia and the rest of the cast face.

Caught a few more episodes of Peter Gunn's first season. The noir feel of this show never fails to make me happy. Penny Dreadful is seriously creepy sometimes and I'm kind of on the fence about whether I like it or not. LOL

Caught another episode of The Dresden Files and it was one I remembered liking a lot when it originally aired.

Rounding things out for the week, I caught an episode of Killjoys and love where things are going. I'll be so sad to see this show end next season.

I started the final episode of Canal Road and didn't have the chance to finish it yet. It's on the agenda for tomorrow.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from It's Not What They Think, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "I know my wife". The idea is to write a scene or a story about an unknown side to a spouse.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Meaghan Wrath goes on the warpath, losing her hard won control over her powers and wreaking havoc on unsuspecting clan members. She's setting a crappy example, but her husband, Vinnie Grayson, walks a fine line by not reprimanding her. Her need let off steam and be rebellious never lasts long—usually the week leading up to the full moon—and a demand to stop will only land her on the hot seat—almost literally.

And a preview snippet…

Meghan Wrath walked through the Mage Academy lights flickering whenever she strode past. She paused and the illumination grew bright. When she moved away, dim shadows followed.

She sighed. "Dammit. Not again." Third or fourth month is a row she'd had weird stuff happen with her powers.

Last month, she had the same experience, but the intensity didn't surge under her skin as much.

Her fingers almost crackled with energy. Tucking her hands in her pockets, she made her way to the residential quarters and quickly took the stairs down to her level. After entering her apartment, she shut the door and expelled a relieved breath.

Bringing her palms in front of her, she wiggled her fingers. Every light in the room blinked on. Two bulbs burst, but the rest stayed brightly lit.

Her shoulders slumped. "Shit. Why is this happening to me?" Curling her fingers into her palms, she did a long, slow count to ten.

The door opened behind her and she jumped, blowing out two more lamps.

Her best friend, Mathias Benson, stopped short just inside the room. "Again?" He shook his head and moved to her side.

Meghan nodded. "Same as last month, but it's worse. The lights in the Fouster Hall went crazy when I walked by." She moved to sit on the couch. "And before that, the cupboard doors in the classroom popped open and the work aprons danced out and took a spin around the room before I got it under control." Slumping down, she leaned her head against the cushion. "Freaked everyone out and I left the class with Vinnie in charge." Her husband would no doubt cobble some kind of excuse together for the orientation class.

Mathias sat next to her. "Have you looked into why this happens close to the full moon?" He propped his feet up on the oversized trunk in front of the sofa.

Meghan shot him a sideways glance. "What are you talking about?" And why hadn't she caught the timing?

Mathias shrugged. "Just something Vin and I were discussing last month when you went haywire." He met her gaze. "You seem to get off kilter around the waxing gibbous phase of the moon then get it together once the full moon has passed."

Meghan tamped down a flash of anger. She didn't want to set anything on fire. She couldn't keep the curtains from billowing outward before settling back against the window frame.

She took a deep, calming breath before responding to Mathias. "Let me get this straight. My husband talked to you about a theory but mentioned nothing to me?" There were times she hated sharing a best friend with Vinnie.

Mathias held his hands up. "Well, yeah." He angled toward her, putting an arm on the back of the couch. "Not to leave you out, Meghan. That's not why we were talking about it. He's getting crap every time you do something weird and it's happening like clockwork lately." His brow rose, daring her to refute the truth.

She couldn't. Dammit. Didn't mean she liked Vinnie and Mathias playing shrink behind her back.

Mathias softened his voice. "Look, sometimes it helps to work stuff out in a non-hostile environment." Meaning if they included her, something might go up in flames?

Probably. And the idea pissed her off. She should be part of solving her problem.

She got pissy with Mathias. "I don't see why everyone goes to him. I'm the one who's pushing the limit. Even if I can't control when it happens." The energy bursts weren't exactly conscious moves on her part.

And usually happened at the worst possible times. Unfortunately.

Mathias snorted. "You're kidding, right?"

She sighed. "Yeah, yeah. I need to figure this out. Or Vin's going to get caught in the crossfire." More so than usual.

Mathias's lips curved in a half-smile. "Not like he hasn't been before. He's comfortable sitting on the powder keg most of the time."

Meghan lifted a shoulder. "Yeah, well, we'll see how long that lasts, especially if I keep having these magickal flashovers." The moon phase thing needed a thorough examination.

Which she'd get started on ASAP. But not here where she lived with Vinnie. She'd ask for some time in the catacombs, maybe try a dreamscape spell and record the visions.

Mathias got up. "Hang in there, Meghan." He started for the door. "You know Vinnie and I will love you no matter what. Even if you burn the place down all around us."

Meghan rolled her eyes and tossed one of the throw pillows at him.

But he'd said exactly what she needed to hear. No matter what happened, her husband and their best friend would stick by her side.

This story went in a direction I didn't expect and I love it! Here's hoping I can get it finished up and out into the world.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye