Sunday Snippet: Justified

Finally over the ick of the flu and a cold on top of it. Feeling so much better and happy about that. Got a good catch up on work projects and I'm relieved to be back on track.

Had a decent week of television again. I caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries and kind of missed Jared's presence. The episode ended up being pretty good and I enjoyed a twist I didn't quite see coming.

Watched both episodes of Silent Witness and actually remembered most of the plot line. Finished up season twelve and should get started on thirteen this week.

Caught two arcs of Classic Who. The first one didn't really thrill me but the second one ended up being better than I hoped. I'm liking the trio of companions.

Enjoyed two episodes of UFO Conspiracies. The first one had a series of stories about swarms of UFOs. The second had a series about footage caught on camera. Both were pretty interesting and I love seeing how military units in other countries handle sightings.

Ended up watching four episodes of The Muppet Show. Roger Miller, Roy Rogers and Dale Evans, Lynn Redgrave, and Cheryl Ladd were the guest stars. I loved the Lynn Redgrave episode and the Robin Hood enactment.

Started a new season of Prime Suspect. I have vague memories of this one and look forward to the second half when everything pretty much blows up for Tennison.

Caught the first episode of season five Peak Practice. Andrew is back and Will's significant other had their baby. Pretty good beginning to the new season.

Enjoyed another lesson of Master Class with LeVar Burton. He talked about his storytelling heroes and I appreciated the insight he gave.

Watched another Inside the Episodes: The Witcher. This one took a look at episode six where everything goes to hell for Geralt. Very cool to get some insight into how and why things happened the way they did.

Caught another London Live. This one featured Kelly Clarkson and I enjoyed the songs chosen. Still like Berlin Live better.

Enjoyed an episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Mudd returned and the repeating of the thirty minutes entertained me. Loved how many characters ended up being out of their comfort zone even if Burnham was the main focal point.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med. This one kind of gutted me and I loved it. So glad I'm finally getting to see all of this show. I've said that before, right?

Started the next season of Midsommer Murders. I've kind of been putting it off because it's only two episodes with a few more starting this month, I think. Loved the first episode. I've missed Winter's facial expressions so much.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Justified, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Electra Cage and Nix Naught shouldn't be together. She's firmly on the side of law and order and he's on whatever side pays the most. They justify their liaison when they discover a common enemy—one they'll need their unique skill sets to destroy.

And a preview snippet…

Nix proved hard to read, but her sixth sense didn't throw any red flags.

She backed away and nodded toward the exit. "Lead the way."

He reached out for her coat and draped it over her shoulders. "You cause quite the stir and I'd like to get out of here without incident."

She laughed and followed him into the chilly, frosty air outside. He grasped her hand and ducked into the alley between the bar and a pawn shop. Electra didn't fear for her safety but cringed at the assault on her senses. The stench of urine and vomit almost knocked her back. Her eyes watered and she took the lead, all but dragging Nix along until they cleared the alley. Fresher air and a gust of wind cleared her vision.

Nix stopped and gave her a funny look. "You don't blink twice in a bar full of drunk, horny men, but a dark alley lights a fire under your ass." He shook his head. "Makes it hard to get a grip on what makes you tick."

Electra probably owed him an explanation, but it would keep until he came clean first.

She lifted a shoulder. "Fear didn't send me running." She quirked her brow and changed the subject. "Which way?"

Nix narrowed his eyes but nodded to his right. "Halfway up the block. Come on."

Electra walked beside him, taking in the names of businesses—or former ones—and tilted her head to one side when he halted outside a walk-up entrance. He manipulated the lock—she didn't see any keys—and tugged the door open. A sign inside pointed up the stairs. The Path to Enlightenment Begins Here.

She tiled her head to one side. "Buddhist temple?" If so, Nix kept company with some interesting people.

Nix started upward. "Pagan, actually. The druid master is an old friend."

Yep. Interesting.

Electra made a low hum in her throat. "Is that why you don't need a key?"

His foot paused on the last step, a wry quirk to his lips. "Something like that." He continued on into the open space at the top of the stairs.

Electra followed him, mulling over this new bit of information.

I love this story so much. Electra and Nix are a fun duo to write and building their relationship gives me happy vibes even when they have a few angsty moments.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Judge a Book by Its Cover

Still battling the generalized blah left over from the flu. The good news is that I got lots of sleep with naps and getting to bed earlier. The bad news is I'm behind on work projects but I should be able to make up my lost time this week. Fingers crossed anyway.

Had a decent week with television. I caught two episodes of Chicago Med and the second one made me sad. It's kind of the first time I've been hit a little sideways by one of the plot lines.

Enjoyed a holiday episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I always find it cool to see how the holidays look in the middle of summer for shows set in New Zealand and Australia. Also started the fourth season of the show and, once again, I love seeing recurring characters pop up when I least expect them.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness and actually enjoyed how it ended. It's another one I'd forgotten.

Watched another arc of Classic Who. I'll be honest, Teegan rather annoys me but I think the character will end up growing on me. I do like Five a lot.

UFO Conspiracies had an interesting episode focused on fireballs. I enjoy seeing how other countries handle sightings.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show. Elke Sommer and Sylvester Stallone were the guest stars. I enjoyed the Stallone episode more than I thought I would.

Skated through the season two finale of Prime Suspect. I'd forgotten how awkward and messy that episode ended up being.

Watched the season four finale of Peak Practice. I'm getting into the new partners and I'm glad Andrew is sticking around. Looking forward to starting season five.

Caught another Master Class with LeVar Burton. He talked about podcasting during this lesson and I have an interest in starting one at some point. I got some great information about how to approach the idea.

Enjoyed another episode of Inside the Episodes: The Witcher. Episode ended up being one of my favorites and I loved the behind the scenes insight.

Watched London Live: Jennifer Hudson. I think I like Berlin Live better, but I enjoyed the music from Jennifer.

Caught some New Rugrats episode shorts and a special cast episode. Oddly, there was some footage from episodes I haven't seen yet so I'm hoping that means new ones are on the way at some point. I'll be starting a rewatch of the classic show in the next week.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Judge a Book by Its Cover, a novella that has my main characters falling for each other while trying to solve a mystery and avoid a scandal.

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…

Zeth didn't want the jealous kick when Coorah mentioned dating Alistar McCabe. None of his business who she went out with. Or didn't.

He shuffled his mug on the tray. "The gossip mill is going to have a wild time with speculation about us. Apologies in advance for that." He grimaced.

Coorah waved off the concern. "The grist can only improve my rep. More likely to damage yours though." She smirked.

Zeth huffed out a breath. "Maybe it's time I started to live a little dangerously." Add a little excitement in his life.

Coorah laughed. "We'll see how you feel next time we meet."

Zeth quirked a brow. "Coffee, again?" Might get boring in a hurry.

Coorah shrugged. "Sure. Or we can mix it up a little. I mean, we both have to eat. Why not lunch or dinner?"

Zeth got a jolt at the mention of dinner. An image of her sprawled on his couch after eating takeout took residence in his mind. And stayed there.

He shook his head. "Uh, sure. Either works for me." As long as he didn't get more erotic imagery.

Coorah's lips curved. "Let's try lunch at the Ivy? Day after tomorrow?"

They'd have time to do more digging.

Zeth nodded. "Yeah, that works. They've got the best—"

Coorah finished. "Chicken salad." She closed her eyes in bliss.

Zeth grinned. "Absolutely."

So … they both liked the chicken salad at the Ivy. He wondered what else they had in common. Surprisingly, he couldn't wait to find out.

A bit of a wicked idea hit and he couldn't resist not acting on it. "Coorah, don't flip out on me, but I'm going to kiss you before I leave—just to cement our ruse."

She huffed out a breath. "Nice of you to ask, but not necessary." She leaned across the table and captured his lips in a hard kiss, catching him off guard. "Feel free to pay me back whenever…" She slid off the chair, scooped her coffee cup into her hand, and tossed it in the trash on her way out the door.

Zeth blinked and shook his head. "One of these days, I'll learn." He got up and walked out of the coffee shop in a daze.

Coorah and Zeth are so much fun and having them work together to solve a mystery is a joy to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Jade Claw

Ugh, so far September is kicking my butt. I've been down with the flu pretty much all week because of course I haven't had a chance to get a flu shot yet. Lots of chills, fever, aches, and long slogs of sleep. Here's hoping I'm over the hump and on my way to recovery.

Very slow week in television. I started the week with New Rugrats and thoroughly enjoyed both episodes.

Also caught another episode of Chicago Med. I think this might be my favorite of all the Chicago shows.

Watched another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Once again, this show makes me so happy. A great mystery that had a few twists.

Started another two-parter of Silent Witness and vaguely remembered the first episode.

Enjoyed the first arc of Five's run on Classic Who. So far, I have to admit I like the trio of companions and how they're interacting with each other and the doctor.

Caught the second episode of UFO Conspiracies. I'm enjoying how the stories are presented in this series. There's a theme and the conspiracy revolves around it, with usually at least two different scenarios.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Spike Milligan and Leslie Uggams were the guest stars, along with a special appearance by Big Bird.

Last but not least, I started the second season of Prime Suspect. I'd forgotten just how messy Jane could make things and I'm enjoying that angle.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Jade Claw, a novella that sends my characters on a merry chase of cat and mouse.

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…

Skyrah rode to CDA headquarters in silence. Her anger simmered at a slow boil, but she refused to take it out on the handsome agent. Even though her adrenaline pumped into high gear over the destruction of so many artifacts, the rapid kick of her heart had more to do with the man next to her. She fought to keep her gaze from lingering too long on his profile. The guy had a face artists dreamed of … and her fingers itched to trace the angular lines and planes, to sketch them on a million pages, or to mold them into clay for posterity.

Agent Clay Wellstone definitely had killer looks … and keen intelligence. But he also had more. Her trained eye didn't miss the practiced ease he used to secure the scene when he arrived. Complete confidence and a smattering of arrogance had the uniformed officers jumping to get things done.

He even handled her, something she usually didn't appreciate. She didn't want to admit she'd been shaken and shocked, but she had been. Agent Wellstone deftly maneuvered her off to the sidelines and put her mind to work on something concrete. Tangible. It helped clear her head and she had a solid appreciation for the gesture because it enabled her to let the anger in, and she wanted to feel something instead of being numb.

She glanced in his direction. "Thanks." She shrugged when he shot her a questioning look.

She couldn't put the gratitude into words.

The astute Agent Wellstone figured out what she meant and gave a nod. "You're welcome." He turned his attention back to the road.

He said nothing else, which kicked her respect up a notch. She didn't need inane chatter or empty platitudes. The man intrigued her and Skyrah couldn't decide if she liked it or not. She really shouldn't get tangled up with anyone on a personal level.

So far, this story is all over the place but it's coming together in interesting ways. I love the dynamic between Skyrah and Clay.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: It's Always the Same Show

Wow. September snuck up on me even though I've been talking about how close August was to ending. 2021 is a weird year, just saying.

Had a solid week of working with a potential new project coming in and several more lurking in the wings. I finished up a great manuscript and can't wait for the book to release. It featured a tornado!

Not a bad week of television. I started with Master Class with LeVar Burton and lesson eight with focused on performative storytelling. I love watching LeVar break down how he approaches telling and sharing stories.

Watched two episodes of Inside the Episodes: The Witcher. The shows broke down episodes two and three. It's very interesting to go back and see where the production side of things is coming from after seeing the entire first season. I'm really looking forward to season two.

Caught two episodes of Berlin Live. The first featured Blondie and I thoroughly enjoyed the string of hits minus one of my very faves. Boy George and Culture Club also put on a great show and I'm love diving back into some music from my formative years.

Enjoyed another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I'm slowly getting to know the characters and I'm starting to like how everything is coming together. Really interesting to see a character from Star Trek: TOS. Looking forward to seeing if anything comes from that.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and ended up really liking it. I'm once again really happy to finally be able to watch this show from the beginning and fill in so many blanks.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this quirky and fun show even though there's always a murder to solve. As I've mentioned before, having characters that pop up with frequency makes me happy.

Finished out the second episode of Silent Witness. I'm getting toward the end of season twelve. I think I've got four more episodes to go. I'm also remembering why I really liked this show when I watched it the first time.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. This one feature country music, which I always find interesting when it's in another country.

Finished out season eighteen of Classic Who and Four's tenure. Five is taking over the controls of the Tardis and I'm looking forward to seeing his take on the Doctor.

Started UFO Conspiracies and it's not bad. I'm always interested in digging into what other countries experience with UFO sightings and this series seems to include those takes.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lesley Ann Warren and Danny Kaye were the guest stars. Very fun episodes.

Caught another episode of Prime Suspect and finished out the first season. I'll start season two this week.

Peak Practice had an interesting episode and I enjoyed it. Andrew definitely has some issues and I like how the show is exploring them.

That finishes up this week's television update. Tonight's post is from It's Always the Same Show, a novella set in the Academy of Light universe.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lanie Beck and Titus Berkley are tasked with whipping a new class of cadet mages into shape for the Academy of Light. The biggest problem they face is never agreeing on how to make it happen. The cadets quickly learn to tune in and enjoy the show.

And a preview snippet…

Okay he'd overreacted. He had to admit the suppression spell did its job, protecting the cadets, the classroom, and the building. Lanie thought of everything.

He chuckled. "Bonus points for her." Maybe his misgivings weren't necessary.

Not that he'd admit it out loud. No way. He had too much fun pushing her buttons.

Lanie approached and poked her head in. "Got a minute?"

Titus nodded. "Sure, come on in." He noticed she left the door open when she entered.

Lanie heaved a sigh. "Look, I'm sorry about earlier. I shouldn't have brought the class into the discussion." Titus opened his mouth but she raised a hand. "Look, I don't tell you how to teach or burst into your classroom and offer my opinion on your methods. When you do it to me, it lessens the respect the cadets have for me."

As much as he didn't like it, she made a valid point. "You're right. And you had the bases covered. Consider me duly impressed." He propped his butt on the edge of his desk. "Can't say it's going to be easy, but I'll do my best to keep the freak-outs to a minimum." His lips twitched. "I'd rather not be on the receiving end of hellfire."

Lanie's face colored up to a nice shade of pink, but she didn't take the bait. "Well, it's a start. Can't really ask for more." She turned to exit.

Titus straightened. "Have dinner with me." He needed to mend fences with her.

Lanie hesitated. "Uh … probably not a good idea." But she shuffled a little, lingering in the doorway.

Titus cocked his head. "There's nothing wrong with two friends sharing a meal."

Lanie slid her gaze his way. "Emphasis on friends." Her eyebrow arched.

Titus rolled his eyes. "If you insist."

Lanie nodded. "I do. For now. This semester is important to me."

So she kept saying. Why couldn't more than one thing matter to her?

He lifted his chin. "Takeout from Matterhorn? I'll bring it to your place?"

She gave a nod and left the room.

Titus sighed. "Time to play a waiting game." Slowly but surely, he'd win her back over.

This story is so much fun. I love writing opposites finding their way to each other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye