Sunday Snippet: Consortium of Chaos (a Chaos novella)

February kind of flew by, which isn't actually a big shock since it's a short month anyway. But, man, I kind of wish it went by a little slower. I'm always scrounging around for time and short months make me feel like there's less to be had.

Still had trouble focusing this week but I got a lot accomplished on my work projects despite my distraction. Luckily, I have more than one project going so I can hop around when I start to lose my concentration.

Had an okay week of viewing. I have to figure out what's going on with one of my streamers. That could take another week. But I did get through most of my usual shows.

Started with My Life Is Murder and actually got two episodes watched. I like the pickup with Alexa's brother again. I wondered if we'd see him this season. Also enjoyed both cases Alexa had to solve.

Watched the first part of Agatha Raisin. Poor James. I can't wait to find out who offed his bride. I love the interaction between all the characters, but I'm sad Roy isn't in this one. At least not yet.

Caught another episode of Silent Witness. Kind of enjoyed having another case mixed in with the ongoing saga of Sam Ryan. I'm really not sure what's going on with her and I'm not going to be super surprised if she ends up being in the clear. Also loved Nikki and Jack's date. Nice to get some backstory with Simone, too.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I remember bits of this one and I'm glad I got to see the whole thing from start to finish. Not a bad opening for season six.

Watched another episode of Elementary. I liked seeing Sherlock realize he'd way overstepped with the NYPD. Also loved having the captain kind of take some of his dignity back.

Caught another episode of The Batman. I'm not as fond of this season and I remember feeling this way when I watched originally. The new format grew on me, and I'll settle back in and enjoy, but I really loved the first season of this show the most.

Enjoyed the penultimate episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Everything is coming to a head, and I can't wait to see how this ends.

Also rewatched the Battlestar Galactica resistance webisodes. Groundbreaking at the time, there's a lot of story packed into ten mini-episodes. And twenty years later, I'm still stunned at how prescient the writers were for what's going on in the world today.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Consortium of Chaos, a novella in my chaos series.

Here's the miniblurb:

A missing brother, a madman's sinister plot to make a perfect world, and a connection so strong it saves a life hundreds of miles away. Ashton Sylvester and Esme Von Staunton never have a dull moment.

And a preview snippet…

Ash became unsettled as soon as Esme launched. His weird sixth sense all but screamed a warning that something didn't feel right.

Smithers picked up on Ash's unease. "Can I do anything, sir?"

Ash heaved a sigh. "How about you drive me to the meeting and poke around in the shops, while I try to stay awake."

Smithers gave him a bland smile. "You have the shorter end of the stick this time."

Ash couldn't disagree, especially sitting in on another session of the Consortium of Mining and Minerals. He only listened with half an ear because he didn't give a damn about any of the drivel slated for discussion. Sadly, keeping up appearances had become a necessary evil.

Esme would be the first to remind me of that.

While the forechair droned on, Ash let his mind wander. Intelligence reports came in slowly and he needed to remedy that issue. It might be time to take on a little more risk and use the zeppelins. He'd held back on that front because piracy was rampant in the skies.

A moment of guilt hit him. If he'd used them previously, they could've discovered the camps a lot sooner. Maybe prevented the infestation of the horrible places. Kept good people from being forced to work in the mines.

Like Esme's brother.

Ash wondered if she'd made contact with Eric yet. He cast a quick eye to his time piece. He'd know in a few hours. Grayswander would send a communiqué soon.

The forechair switched the topic over to the sale of Olympus.

Ash narrowed his eyes in anger. It was a touchy subject for him. He'd voted against the mining of the mineral until more research could be done. But the limitless potential for energy derived from the refined ore had the consortium too lathered up to wait. Once it had been discovered that in its unrefined state the rock had mind-altering properties, Ash presented a motion to halt all mining until proper safety methods could be put in place.

The members got a whiff of how they could create a new market for usage … and the more dubious members of the consortium wanted to not only keep the mining of the mineral but also made the decision to make it available to the masses. Until they understood the complex nature of the meteor rock, Ash thought it should be used only for medical purposes in its unrefined state.

Needless to say, he'd been outvoted.

The damned stuff would be society's downfall. The desire to turn a profit won out over the potential hazards Olympus presented. That kind of greed and avarice sickened Ash. Maybe he couldn't dissuade the trade for the stuff, but he could influence safe practices in the mining operations and refining processes.

Even though the council would fight him tooth and nail.

And the man leading the charge would be Mobride.

It didn't make sense. Why would he or anyone in consortium object to providing respirators to the workforce? Olympus had proven dangerous in raw form. Once processed, it lost its unstable and narcotic effect.

The answer hit Ash like a hydrohammer.

And he did not like it.

He almost interrupted the proceedings and demanded confirmation but thought better of it. He should do some stealthy digging around first.

If Ash had guessed correctly, the contrivance angered him. He might not be able to dissuade the trade of Olympus, but he would use influence and demand safe practices in the mining operations and refining processes. He didn't give a hang how it affected the bottom line and profits of the society.

He knew in his bones, he'd guessed correctly. Someone—a very big someone—in the council didn't want safe working conditions for the workforce. Instead, their preference would lean more toward fast consumption with minimal output. Hook the workers on the stuff and they didn't care how dangerous the job would … or if they got paid.

Keep the supply flowing and create more demand when the wage-earners became addicted to the Olympus. Pay them less—they wouldn't care—and hell … the plan actually came across as rather brilliant.

And damned evil.

And Ash would find a way to stop it.

I'm having so much fun writing this series. It's got a steampunk flair but doesn't dive completely into the genre.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Conjuring Justice

It's been a rough week where my brain wants to do anything but focus on work. We also got eight inches of snow on Friday and the temps dropped way down again. My sinuses are not happy at the moment.

Not a bad week of viewing television. The whole distraction thing kind of kept me from getting a full slate watched. I did get through most of my normal shows.

I started out with My Life Is Murder. I kind of like the new assistant but I'm wondering what's going on the Maddie. I also love seeing actors from other shows pop up on this one. I didn't realize how much Australian and New Zealand shows I've been watching.

Caught another episode of Agatha Raisin and finished up the two-parter. Kind of wigged out that James is getting married to someone else. But I loved the interactions in this one.

Continued the eight-part, I think, Silent Witness. This season is very intriguing with a lot of twists and turns. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise and didn't remember seeing any of this one. Happy to have it in the watched pile.

Watched another episode of Elementary. The introduction of Moriarity is something I've looked forward to. Not sure how I feel about Joan lying to Sherlock, but I'll reserve judgment until I see how it rolls on screen.

Caught another episode of The Batman. Enjoyed seeing Scarface again. Also liked peeling back the layers of Hugo Strange. He's an intriguing character.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of them from the original run and liked both. Such a fun show.

Also watched another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Very interesting twist with Maggie coming back. I can definitely see how the books this series is based on would captivate readers. I do think there's a little loss of translation from the page to screen, but I really love this series a lot.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Conjuring Justice, an experimental novella that closely follows the plot and storyline of a contemporary novella I'm also working on.

Here's the miniblurb:

A mesmer that practices the dark arts uses Koren Milnar, a skilled conjurer, to take out an entire mage council. She's taken into custody by Talbot Lindsay, a dream walker who is tasked with discovering what prompted Koren's wild spree. The dream walker gradually earns Koren's trust—while trying to avoid falling for her—and uncovers a sinister plot that leads back to her childhood.

And a preview snippet…

Koren Milnar watched the medallion spinning back and forth, listening to the monotone voice behind her as it counted backward from one hundred. Her eyelids drooped and she hated the pull against her will. At twelve, she didn't understand the intricacies of hypnosis, but she agreed to be put under. Seventeen-year-old Jamma Sager, the hypnotist and resident mesmer, convinced the group home matron it would be a fun experiment for the younger kids in the residence.

What a load of crap.

He wanted to get back at Koren for being able to resist his mesmer ability. She didn't know how she did it, but she blocked him with a shield. He couldn't make her do anything he directed her to do, and the idea drove him mad.

Jamma opened with a soothing tone. "Koren, you're relaxed now, and open to all suggestions. Do you understand?"

She automatically responded, "Yes, Jamma."

"Good, good." He placed the shiny medal aside and moved in closer. "Do you remember what we're doing?"

Koren nodded. "Yes, Jamma."

"And what is that, Koren?" His voice took on a lilting tone.

She sank deeper into the hypnosis. "Practicing for the fun show you want to put on for the other kids."

Jamma's voice hovered against her right ear. "And what else are we doing today, Koren?"

She didn't hesitate with her answer. "Sowing the seeds to get past my shield."

Jamma smiled. "Good, Koren, very good."

I love the idea of putting a paranormal spin on a contemporary story I'm also writing. If all goes well, I'll be doing a science fiction version also.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Choice to Make

Happy Valentine week to those who celebrate. I'll throw in Galentine, friends with benefits, and all things hearts and flowers, too. February is a short but sometimes brutal month. Celebrate whatever you can.

Very busy work week with some great projects. Ran into a few glitchy things in a manuscript and that slowed my flow down. I actually enjoy that sometimes. Makes me stop and think about the story and how to suggest better changes.

Semi-decent viewing week. Made it through my shortened list of shows but had no time for my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica.

Started off with the season three opener of My Life Is Murder. Still enjoying this show so much. I think three is the last season so I'm going to savor it.

Started a new two-part Agatha Raisin. Very much enjoyed the antics of Wilkes and I'm a little bummed that Bill and Toni aren't really connecting. Also kind of wish Roy had more to do.

Watched the season twenty-five opening episode of Silent Witness. Kind of cool to see Sam Ryan again. I think this season is focused around one main case and I'm kind of excited to see where it goes. Also kind of great to see Nikki and Jack maybe get their bookmark on the same page. We'll see how that goes.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. Very interesting premise for this one. Enjoyed the unraveling of the case to find out who did it.

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. I like Joan's resistance to staying with Sherlock but it would be more interesting if she actually said why she didn't want to stick around.

Watched another episode of The Batman. I'd forgotten about this one and kind of loved how Barbara figured out who Batman is then decided she had it all wrong. Fun episode.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats. I have vague memories of the two vignettes and rather enjoyed both.

Got another episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson in and pretty much loved it. The story is moving along and I'm excited to get more details to her past.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Choice to Make, a novella where the Fates step in and offer a choice.

Here's the miniblurb:

Hallen and Will never get the timing right until the Fates step in and give them a chance. But each has a choice to make, and cosmic irony may rear its ugly head … again.

And a preview snippet…

Will dropped his pen. That's it. The final tests are complete." He gave Hallen a wide grin. "It's habitable. You found us a new home." His heart filled with pride at her accomplishment.

Hallen blinked. "You're serious?" Wonder filled her voice. "I can't believe it." She slumped back in the chair. "What's next?"

Will's stomach growled. "I don't know about you, but I'm getting some dinner. Wanna join me?" He arched a brow.

They'd spent a lot of time together over the past three days. She might need some time alone. He started for the exit.

Hallen hopped up. "I can definitely eat something. My stomach's been in knots since we made orbit." She followed Will out into the corridor.

He didn't blame her for being twitchy. No one had known if the planet she led them to would be able to support life. The big, beautiful rock could, and they all had some decisions to make. Human and clone—living together… Could they finally get things right?

The not being certain might explain the odd restlessness he'd had since they arrived at the coordinates Hallen provided. Change is coming. He didn't know why the idea calmed and terrified him in equal measure.

The dining hall had a handful of people, so they found a quiet table in a corner. Hallen tucked into her food with gusto. Some things never changed, and another layer of satisfaction rippled through him.

Hallen glanced up. "Is it weird this is like the best pasta I've ever tasted?" She swirled another forkful up.

Will cracked a grin. "Amazing how good something tastes when it's sprinkled with a victorious feeling."

Hallen nodded and they ate in silence for a while. Once each cleaned their plate, they headed to the drop-off area. Will broached a topic he'd been putting off, mainly to avoid dredging up past hurts.

But she faced a big decision about her former lover, the one she discovered to be a clone only weeks before she'd disappeared. He'd put his life on the line—in her memory—during the final days of fighting for their lost planet. Toxic exposure to a clone-specific form of radiation ravaged through him and he'd been isolated since before her return.

Will kept his tone casual. "Have you checked on James recently? How is he?"

Hallen's face fell. "He's not good. He can't communicate verbally anymore. But he's still able to write and sign." Her voice lowered when they exited the dining hall and started for quarters. "He told me he's not going down to the planet."

Will paused. "Are you okay with that?" Even if she and James weren't together anymore, she rarely let people go.

She held up a hand. "Can we talk about this inside?" Her head tilted toward her quarters.

Will nodded. "Sure, I'm done for the night." He strolled into her space and settled on the sofa beside her.

Hallen took a moment before resuming their conversation. "To answer, no, I'm honestly not all right with James staying behind." She met Will's gaze. "But he made it clear, in the nicest possible way, that I don't have a say in his decision." Her eyes welled with tears. "And I get that. I do. But he's basically choosing death because he can't care for himself." Her voice broke.

Will's heart went out to her and the bitterness he expected didn't hit him between the eyes.

He put his arms around her and drew her close. "I'm sorry, Hallen. I know this isn't what you'd want for him." Hell, Will hated the idea of James staying behind, even if they'd been closer to rivals than anything else.

Hallen sought solace with James when Will walked away from her after their one night of passion. They'd finally laid the ghost of his brother to rest, and Will had been ready for them to start a future. Hallen … not so much. Will had learned a valuable lesson from the whole debacle. Hallen had to come to him on her terms. Not his.

She snuggled into him. "Shouldn't dump this on you. I made a mess of everything and everyone." Her gaze rose to meet his. "It's selfish, but I'm glad you're here." She put her head on his shoulder.

Will wrapped an arm around her. "No place I'd rather be right now." He meant every word.

She let out a small gasp and her shoulders shook. He let her cry the cleansing tears she needed to expel. He brushed his hand over her hair and murmured soothing words until she finally fell asleep.

They'd never had such an honest conversation about their past mistakes. Something real and true with no more hiding behind angst and snark. A big step for them. His lips curved and his head lolled on the back of the couch when his drifted eyes shut.

This story is pretty much complete minus a few finishing touches. I'm so excited to get it ready for publication!

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Castle Christmas Carol

Well, the shortest month is off to a banger start. I had a full slate of projects and managed to get through two before their deadlines. The other two aren't due until midweek, and I have two more starting this week. I'm so excited to have a full calendar!

Had a semi-solid week of viewing. Made it most of the way through my current round of shows and I'm hoping to continue the same this week. We'll see if the workload allows for it.

Started off with a My Life Is Murder behind the scenes interview with Lucy Lawless. Ended up thoroughly enjoying it. Should be ready to start season three this week.

Finished up the two-part Agatha Raisin. Somewhat disappointed with how the storyline played out with James and Agatha. But also really enjoyed the mystery. I love the reveals from Sarah's past and Bill and Toni better stay together or I'm going to lose my mind.

Caught the second half of Silent Witness and I'm rather happy my fear did not come to light and the grad student didn't drug Nikki's drink. I also love that she basically said, yeah, no thanks to him. I would not mind if Nikki and Jack took their shot. We'll see how that goes.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. I really don't remember any of this one, so it was nice to have no expectations going in. Actually enjoyed the mystery unfold.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Very fun watching Sherlock interact with Joan's family and the way her mom kind of planted the seed for Joan to stick around and work with Sherlock.

Caught another episode of The Batman. I remember watching this the first time around, but I guess I was thinking Batgirl didn't show up until season three. So wrong on that count.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, these were two vignettes that I didn't remember, so it was nice to have new to me stuff to watch.

I'm enjoying the second season of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Episode two had some good reveals and I'm kind of excited to see where things go in the next one.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I'm really, really not interested in the whole Andrew and Kate saga. The ex-husband is a total dick and Andrew is a blockhead if he can't figure out Richard is behind everything. Will be skipping the next episode and moving on to Will's return.

Didn't have time for my Battlestar Galactica rewatch this week and I skipped VIP because I wanted to get Peak Practice in. I'll try to pick up with those if time allows.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from A Castle Christmas Carol, a reverse harem holiday story.

Here's the miniblurb:

Ebony Schrool, the daughter of a toy magnate, is summoned to a meeting at Halliday Castle in the first week of December. She's surprised to find three men—each representing her past, present, and future—all bearing news she doesn't want to hear. Ebony is used to doing things her way, even when her decisions wreak havoc on SchroolRules Toys employee morale. Foley Norton, Patton Gates, and Pearson Beatty have to show Ebony the error of her ways before the holiday season is beyond saving and they're not above using seduction to make their case.

And a preview snippet…

Ebony Schrool pulled into the semicircular drive of the monstrosity of a castle perched at the top of a cliff. "Why on earth am I here?" A single winding road that went on forever. "Not to mention a sketchy-ass bridge across the bay." And the creepy tunnel that led to… "Wow. Gorgeous view." A courtyard in front of the castle stretched clear to the edge of the cliff. "Almost worth the crazy drive to get here."

Almost.

But not quite.

She still didn't know why she'd been summoned to this way out of the way location. "There'd better be a damn good reason to drag me to the end of the earth." Aside from the view.

Popping her door open, she slid out of the car and stretched the kinks out. Once she retrieved her suitcase—the letter informed her to be prepared for several days—she started toward the huge arched doors. Her mind spun with too many thoughts.

Why did I blindly accept this invitation during our busiest time of the year? Because the underlying threat of losing SchroolRules did not compute for her. Not after spending the last two years since her dad married Maleva Lonce aka the stepwitch rebuilding and rebranding the company to Ebony's specifications.

And turned me into the most hated person in the organization. Well, too bad. Ebony had something to prove to her old man, namely if he wanted to hitch his wagon to a woman after knowing her for less than a month, Ebony would protect the legacy of the business he started with her mom. Ebony refused to allow her stepwitch to get her money-grubbing paws on the assets of the toy company.

Which means I have to wrest control from my dad. Not an easy feat. But she'd pulled the profit margin up and reduced costs. Part of her expenditure-cutting measures put a stop to the annual shutdown of the factory from December fifteenth through the end of the year. Her dad started the tradition during the second year of business and the company ate the vacation time. He considered the gesture a holiday bonus and all employees still had two weeks of paid vacation they could use throughout the year. Ebony discontinued the time off this holiday season.

Which pisses everyone off but so be it. They'll get the pay but not the vacation. She needed to keep production going if she wanted to show she could run SchroolRules better than her dad. And, right now, she didn't want anything more in the world than besting him.

How did it come to this? Stupid question. The how would be Maleva Lonce-Schrool. She'd driven a wedge between Ebony and her dad. When Maleva asked for a seat on the board, Ebony flat-out refused to consider the idea and threw down the gauntlet by challenging her father to let Ebony run the company. If she didn't show improved profits after three years, the stepwitch could join the board.

Ebony paused on the trek to the door. "I will not lose to her." Dragging her case, she marched forward and used the doorknocker.

After several long seconds, the arched wooden panels opened, and Ebony strolled into the main hall. When her eyes adjusted to the interior, her mouth dropped open at the three men greeting her. Her eyes narrowed and her mind whirled. Had she just walked into a trap?

Shaking her head, she huffed out a frustrated breath. "What the fuck is going on? Why am I here?" 

This story is a challenge but also so much fun. I love taking a classic and spinning it on its head.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye