Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

Whew. It's been a week, right? I finished up several projects and got a couple of new ones lined up. My workload is changing in a lot of ways and I'm happily adapting to the new lineup. Change is good, even when you (meaning me) don't like it. At least that's what I've discovered lately.

Had a very solid week of television viewing. I have something of a pattern and I watch shows on a bit of a schedule. This week everything kind of seemed to speed along.

I ended up getting in three Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. I'm enjoying the second season of this show. The episodes are pretty short and fun to watch.

Finished up the Queens of Mystery second part and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I'm a little frustrated by the overarching mystery of Mattie's mom but I'm very willing to give this show a lot of leeway.

Watched three episodes of Silent Witness. The second two-parter ended up being pretty enjoyable. I like the vibe of having the forensic science mixed in with the pathology. After fifteen seasons, it's probably past time to introduce that into the mix.

Enjoyed two more Classic Who episodes. I actually kind of like the format for this season with Six being on trial. It's a nice change of pace and something a little different from the norm.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppets. Weirdly, the show really started to gel for me in the last couple of episodes. It's more inclusive and somewhat similar to the older format. And it's fun.

Watched two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I'm very much into the unknown mysteries that haven't been discovered there yet. Dinosaurs, UFOs, weird paranormal encounters. This show has everything.

I'm loving Harrow. I got two more episodes watched and the walls are kind of closing in on the bigger arc of who killed Robert Quinn. I'm kind of excited to see where it ends up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and the characters said good-bye to David. It's about halfway through the seventh season and I'm interested in what will follow and what the fallout will be.

Enjoyed two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. She discussed mazes and patterns and the audience and both classes were very interesting. If nothing else, she's given me a new way of looking at projects and I'm here for that.

Got two episodes of Paranoid in and, wow, things are heating up. This is a very twisty and turny mystery and I like how things are playing out. I also love that the three leads are kind of a total mess but still get the job done.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. While none were my faves, they were great to watch as I'd kind of forgotten them. Nice to be reminded.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and I really, really don't like the COO person. As a foil for Sharon, I get the need to have her but, yikes, she's awful, terrible, and rage inducing.

Enjoyed two bonus episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A behind-the-scenes short and an interview with the two leads. I finished out everything that's currently available and I'll have to find a new show to start this week to go along with Queens of Mystery.

Got the first of a two-part Blue Heelers watched. I have a sneaky feeling this might be Wayne's swan song. The episode ended up being better than I expected. Can't wait to finish it next week.

Star Trek: Discovery once again kind of blew my mind. I love the interaction with Spock and Michael. The same goes for Michael and Ash. Actually, all the relationships on this show are amazing. Seriously, amazing.

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that puts my main characters in a tricky situation when they have an unknown entity on their trail.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina's leg jackhammered under the table and her fingers beat a rapid staccato on the seat. Tuck slid his gaze to the window, gauging how much longer they should wait before they headed for Jake and Marley's. If they didn't go soon, Gina might bounce right out of the booth.

"I gotta pee. Coffee went right through me." She scooted off the bench. "We're outta here as soon as I'm done. Mr. Creepy or no Mr. Creepy." She didn't wait for a reply.

Tuck grunted. "Your call, I guess." Not that he minded—hell, he couldn't take any more inactivity either.

Energy burned through his system and needed an outlet.

She took less than three minutes and Tuck paid the tab with two twenties. Shirl deserved a fat tip for keeping them in food and coffee for two hours.

Gina grabbed her jacket. "Sorry, that was a bitch move, but I can't sit anymore. I gotta do something." Her free hand balled into a fist.

Tuck lifted his chin. "Yeah, I get it." His gaze scanned the buildings across the street. "It's all clear for now. Let's go." He led the way to the exit, giving Shirl a wave before pushing the door open.

The early dawn light fingered through the trees, casting shadows on the sidewalk. Gina stuck close to his side when they crossed the road and started up the block. Jake and Marley had a two-floor condo with a finished basement in a complex several blocks up the street. With luck, they'd get there unscathed.

Gina tugged on his belt loop. "Front or back?"

Good question. If they walked in the front door, they'd stay straight at the corner. If they wanted to enter through the back, they'd turn right and cut down the alleyway. The street-side entrance would leave them less exposed, but the rear gave them some protection if they had to take cover.

He nudged her shoulder. "Back. We'll have less room to maneuver but—"

She finished his statement. "We've got more protection if shit goes sideways."

He nodded. "Right."

Halfway up the block, they dashed across four lanes and ducked into the narrow passage between the condo units and an apartment building. Dumpsters nestled between the garages on the condo side and a waste management truck made its way slowly along the asphalt. Tuck estimated they'd have enough time to get inside Jake and Marley's unit before the vehicle stopped to get their trash.

Gina paused with the key in her hand and rested her head on the door. "Not sure I can do this, Tuck." Her fingers trembled.

He gently took the key, slid it home, and twisted the knob. "We can and will. For Jake and Marley." He pushed the steel door inward, grabbed Gina's hand, and stepped inside their friends' home.

Gina exhaled slowly then let out a gasp. "Son of a bitch."

His gaze snapped to where she pointed and his gut twisted. "Well … that explains it."

I love the dynamic between Tuck and Gina. They've got a dangerous road to travel and they'll have to rely on each other to stay alive.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!         

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Enough Hope

Very intense and bizarre weather this past week. We had a significant warm up, which melted a lot of the snow. Then we had a ton of rain followed by high water and flooding. To top it off, the temperatures dropped again into the teens and twenties and we got more icy rain and snow. Seriously, it's crazy.

Had a very busy work week with projects landing in my inbox. I'm happy to have the work flowing and keeping me busy. Oddly, my writing time is shorter but I'm getting a lot done.

Had a solid week of television viewing. Introduced a couple of additional shows and I'll be adding a new one next week.

Caught two episodes of Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life and finished up the first season. I'll start season two this week.

Started a new two-part Queens of Mystery and rather enjoyed the episode. I love the aunts and I'm starting to really enjoy the secondary characters. Matilda is such a great character even if she frustrates me sometimes.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness's opening for season sixteen. Started a new two-parter and enjoyed it.

Watched three episodes of Classic Who. I should finish the arc up this week and move on to the next one.

Caught two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I have so much fun watching this show. I really love the haunted places and mysterious forces vignettes.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Muppets. The show has really grown on me even if it'll never replace the original in my mind.

Watched two more episodes of Harrow. I'm quite enamored with this show and I hope things play out the way I'm expecting them to. There's a twist I didn't quite expect and I love it and it also makes me think things will fall where I think they're going to. I can't wait to find out.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and even though I knew what to expect, the death did not play the way I thought it would. I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing yet.

Enjoyed two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. She discussed scale and architecture along with storytelling with light. The light lesson fascinated me. I'm a sucker for well-lit—not to be confused with brightly lit—settings. I'm glad I dropped into this class.

Watched two episodes of Paranoid. I'm quite taken with this show. I love the intrigue and mystery and the dynamic of the forming relationships. I think this one might end up with something of a gotcha and I'm quietly waiting with anticipation to see if I'm right.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. One of my favorites, "Meet the Carmichaels," gave me some happy joy for the week. This show fills me with so much nostalgia.

Finished up season three of Chicago Med and started season four. A lot went down on the three finale. I'm still trying to wrap my head around where everyone currently is in the opening of four.

I watched the last available episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I have two behind-the-scenes specials to watch and then I'll have to impatiently wait for anything new.

Finished up an older episode of Blue Heelers. I'll be adding more of these to my weekly lineup. Looking forward to getting back into this one.

Also caught another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Man, this series really brings a great cast of characters together. I'm never bored and I'm glad I'm watching the second season right now because I'm getting to know Pike at the best possible time with the new Trek arriving soon. I can't wait.

That's pretty much it for this week's viewing update. Tonight's post is from Not Enough Hope, a novella that puts a reunion on hold with fae court intrigue.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Early Gibbons walks away from her position in the fae court—and Salem Powell—to forge her own path in the human realm. When she discovers a vengeance hound on her trail, she returns to the land of fae to find out who unleashed the beast, which may be tricky since Salem is the leader and she can't discount him as the culprit.

And a preview snippet…

Salem waited until the ashes cooled before he started home. He'd shut everything out for the duration of Glenda's final rest. Blank. Cold. Alone. Wallowing in grief? An emotion he couldn't afford and didn't deserve to have.

Yet he grieved. More for the loss of his friend instead of the love of his life. Early would forever have that sole distinction.

And he kind of hated her for holding the title.

Making his way along the overgrown path, he opened up his mind to other bits and pieces. No one asked his permission to let loose a curse. Technically, they didn't have to gain consent, but most of the fae court respected him enough to enquire. A vengeance hound proved difficult to summon. And Salem probably wouldn't grant allowance. Hounds—vengeance, hell, shadow—tended to be used underground, definitely not out in the open. Which meant someone wanted his position. Why else would they send a creature into the human realm after Early?

If they kept Salem distracted, a power grab would be much easier. He'd have to fight to keep the mantle of leadership. Oddly, he found he wanted to, which not only surprised him, the idea shook him up.

He hadn't asked for the responsibility of leading the fae court. Instead, he'd had it thrust upon him on the Wise One's death. Salem refused the moniker, stating he hadn't gained enough years to be considered in the same realm as their former master. He accepted the title of Chief Magistrate and performed his duties with as much fairness and diplomacy as possible. Which didn't always please everyone.

Especially some of the more volatile fae factions. Peace had reigned for more than a decade, the result of the Wise One's hard work and diplomacy. Some of the more aggressive sects—the mesmers, the shifters, and the mindbenders—champed at the bit to inspire conflict and dredge up old grudges.

Salem took the trail that curved around the lake then skirted the village square before turning onto the lane leading to the proper residences of the court. Even the homes in the small town had strong divisions, with like-minded groups sticking together. The task of discovering who unleashed a vengeance hound weighed heavily on his mind. But he couldn't put off starting the search.

I love writing this one. Internal conflict with an external push is always fun.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Again

My youngest kiddo is twenty today. I'm officially no longer a parent of a teenager. Wow. Feels like a milestone.

Had a long week of work projects but got a decent amount of television viewing done also. Sometimes running in the background and other times when I needed to shut my brain off for a while.

I caught two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. Skagway featured as a gold-rush ghost town and an island with a possible colony of bigfoot ended up being really interesting.

Watched two episodes of The Muppets. The show is growing on me, which is kind of moot since it's only a single season, I believe.

Enjoyed two episodes of Harrow. I'm very intrigued by the backstory mystery. I want to know who Harrow is protecting because I don't buy into the idea he's the culprit. I'm leaning toward Fern at the moment.

Caught two episodes of Peak Practice. I'm liking season seven even if it's kind of messy at the moment. I also rather love the new doctor.

Dove into two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. I love the way she describes her process and how she encourages collaboration. I think I'm going to love this class.

Started The Witcher: Nightmares of the Wolf and didn't finish it. I'm not in the right head space for the animation right now. I'll pick it back up at some point.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. This is one of my background shows. I can put an episode on and enjoy while I'm digging into something else. I needed that this week.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm very interested in the episode titles and like how they're all part of a theme. This show is so good.

I'm almost finished with the first season of Snoopy in Space. This is another background show that I can put on and enjoy when I need a break. The episodes are a quick ten minutes and very fun to watch.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I'll probably finish this show up and then have to wait impatiently for a new season. My one singular critique of this show is having Gina be so clueless about Mike's disinterest. It's been seven seasons and I kind of wish they'd address that dynamic at some point.

Started a new season of Silent Witness and while there's no Harry anymore, I like the changes. Should be fun to follow along now.

Finished up an arc of Classic Who and will usher in a new season this week. I'll be interested to see where the show goes from here.

Started a new mystery show with Paranoid and thoroughly enjoyed the first episode. I'll enjoy diving into this one.

That's pretty much it for the weekly update. Tonight's post is from Not Again, a novella where my main characters are reunited and have some issues to work through.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Drue Braddock and Xeno Howlett have a rocky relationship, but when Drue goes off on one of her many soul-searching quests, Xeno decides he's had enough. When Drue returns, she finally knows what she wants—Xeno—but she may not get her chance because he's got someone new in his life.

And a preview snippet…

Xeno put a lid on the to-go cup. "Coffee's ready." He poured a regular mug for himself.

Lydia strolled into the kitchen, her gossamer dress clinging to her curves. "What do you have planned to do all day?" She took a bagel from the toaster and spread almond butter over the surface.

He frowned. In the two months she'd been living in the apartment, they'd never made small talk before she headed out for the studio. She liked to focus and prepare for her day's work and he didn't mind the quiet beginning to his morning—he'd had those with Drue also. Lydia making conversation raised a flag.

He blew across the top of his mug. "I've never had to give you a rundown before." His eyebrow arched asking why now.

Lydia slid him a sideways glance. "Your ex just blew back into town. Forgive my curiosity about whether you plan to be seeing her or not." She nibbled on the bagel then set it aside, wrinkling her nose.

The gesture annoyed him … for no reason. Lydia often took two bites of something then decided not to finish. Something about wasting the food never set well with him. But he'd address that issue later…

Xeno placed his mug on the counter. "Let's get something straight, Lydia. I'm not down with giving you a line-by-line look at my schedule. At some point, it's inevitable I'll run into Drue. When that happens, I'll let you know." He'd never held anything back … why start now?

Lydia crossed into the living room. "I don't see a reason you need to interact with her." She grabbed her keys, a filmy cape, and her bag. "But, you're right, you'll eventually cross paths—she'll no doubt make certain you do." Her voice all but did an eye roll.

He didn't care for the snide tone. "Even if that's the case, it doesn't affect us." He entered the room and stood by the door. "I have a history with her. Hell, we both do. There's no avoiding that." He wouldn't try, except to make it clear he'd moved on.

She shrugged. "Maybe not. But we don't have to play the same song on repeat, do we?" She flung her cloak over her shoulder and sailed out the door.

Xeno narrowed his gaze. "I don't think I'm the one stuck in a groove here." Shutting the solid oak panel, he stopped by the kitchen for his coffee then headed for the office he used to share with Drue.

Sitting behind the desk, he heaved a sigh. "I've removed all trace of her, yet her presence looms large." Which made the dig about playing the same tune sting a little more.

He'd already cut Drue physically out of his life—if only to shake things up and help him not repeat past mistakes. He'd kept their interaction to a minimum, all but throwing her out of the place she'd called home for over three years. Eventually, the images of their life together would fade and be replaced with new memories … right?

His head dropped into his hands. "If not … there's gonna be hell to pay."

And he wanted to avoid that scenario at all costs.

Xeno is pretty much in denial at the moment but Drue won't let him stay there. I'm having a great time with this story.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Noble Kidnapping

The first week of February is pretty much in the books and didn't start off too badly. I ended up with several new projects in my inbox and that never fails to make me happy.

Had a very good week of watching television. Considering we got hammered with a bunch of snow and ice, I'm glad I had power to keep the lights and television on.

I watched a little more of PassionFlix's Seduction and Snacks. Holy crap, the awkwardness is off-the-charts terrific. Kudos to the actors for nailing that down with skill and talent.

I finished up an arc of Classic Who and started a new one. The daleks feature in the current one and Davros. Jury is out on whether I'll like it or not.

Caught two episodes of The Alaska Triangle. Finished the first season and started the second. The Alaska Bigfoot episode ended up being more interesting than I thought it would be and the Dark Pyramid episode completely sucked me in. So many weird and unexplained or completely covered-up bits to unpack and explore.

Watched two episodes of The Muppets. The show is growing on me a little. I'm enjoying having the core group in different surroundings.

Started Harrow on the recommendation of my brother and enjoyed the first two episodes. I'm so curious about the overarching mystery and can't wait to find out more.

Enjoyed two episodes of Peak Practice. Season seven is moving right along and has a bit of a different feel to it. So far, I like it.

Finished up Bill Nye's MasterClass and started a new design class with Es Devlin. I think I'll enjoy her instruction and hopefully get some cool ideas.

Caught the two-part The Witcher: Bestiary shorts from season one. Kind of nice to get names and a bit of the lore behind the monsters.

Watched one of my very favorite episodes of Classic Rugrats with "The Santa Experience." My oldest and I used to watch this holiday episode a lot.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Chicago Med. I'm on the fence with whether or not I like Will and Natalie together. Sometimes I think they're perfect for each other and sometimes I think they're terrible together. I like that I can't decide which way to go on this one.

Caught two more episodes of Snoopy in Space. These are so much fun and I love having the human peanuts as the technical crew for Snoopy and Woodstock.

Enjoyed another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I'm almost finished with the last available season and I really, really hope there will be more.

Watched another two-part Silent Witness and finished out season fifteen. Based on what I read of the episode teasers, sixteen looks like it's Harry-free. I'm a little bummed but also diving into new stuff I haven't seen.

Loved the latest Star Trek: Discovery episode. This show is so good right now. Makes me excited for season two of Picard and the new show that debuts later this year.

Last but not least, I caught another episode of Queens of Mystery. I'm a little bummed about the lack of communication with Daniel and Matilda but slow burns can also be fun. I love the background mystery of Matilda seeking information about her mom's disappearance. Can't wait to find out more about that.

That's it for the weekly television update. Tonight's post is from A Noble Kidnapping, a novella that pits the leader of an underground rebellion against her childhood friend that inherited a noble title.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jaina Wraith discovers Seb Morrison is a member of the nobility and she kidnaps him, fully intent on having him executed. When Seb reminds her how many times he's come to her aid, she has to decide whether to help him escape or leave him to a tragic fate.

And a preview snippet…

Seb's lips curved at her adamant statement. Her fear and uncertainty held her back—not that he didn't get the reason why. He'd let things stay stagnant far too long. Time to push for more.

He gently took her hand and led her to the bed. "Jaina, we had a connection but it's not the reason for my actions." He paused, waiting until she met his gaze then plunged ahead. "I love you. I have since the day on the docks after breaking up that scuffle between you and the lowlife Dav and Rash." Why the universe hadn't ended them, he'd never understand.

She blinked then focused. "How and why? Even then I was beneath you." Disbelief filled her voice.

Anger nipped at him. "Do you hear yourself? You've never been beneath me." He ran a hand through his hair. "Why fight the system if you don't believe you're worthy?" How could she not wrap her head around such a simple concept?

The dawn of understanding lit behind her eyes.

He laughed. "Finally. She gets it."

The wheels started turning, excitement vibrated between them. Her hands fluttered, her fingers clenching then releasing. She paced along the edge of the bed then stopped and faced him.

She shook her head. "I've been so stupid … you're the answer to turning the tide." Her eyes closed. "You've always been the answer."

Seb grinned. "We've got some plans to make." Finally being on the same page lifted a weight off his shoulders.

Jaina nodded. "We do, yes, but not tonight." She loosened her sash and dropped her robe. "Tonight … we take for ourselves." She moved forward, a vision of sultry desire, and nudged him back to sit on the mattress.

Then she straddled his lap. Seb's mouth watered, anticipating the taste of her succulent skin. Her mouth curved in a sexy grin.

Reaching out, Jaina pushed his robe from his shoulders. "Starting now."

I love this story so much. Reunion romance is one of my favorite tropes.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye