Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back, and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen … even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Several hours later, Rhys ruled out hex cat and hell hound. "It doesn't make sense." Plus, dammit, nothing he'd tried revealed the animal.

And it had to be an animal.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. "What other magickal being could it be?" Not many were controllable even by dark magick.

A dark steed? Too big. Cloven goat? Too small and focused. Cloven goats only created havoc. Jinx rats weren't particularly useful except as annoyances because of the bad luck they brought. The same with pox hares. Crossing paths with the mangy rabbits could induce insomnia and indigestion, but not much else.

Another thought hit. "Maybe a vex fox." Rhys shuffled some of the texts on the table to uncover the one he needed. "Ah, no. Too rare." No sightings in the last several decades.

Jana entered the living room, carrying a tray of bubbling concoctions. "Here's the next batch." She placed the mixtures at his elbow.

She'd proven to be extremely helpful. Spell casting and brewing potions were often tedious, but she plowed through with perseverance. She'd even labeled the containers to help him find the ones he wanted quickly.

He met her gaze. "Thank you. Let's see what these reveal." He waited until she sat across from him then selected the first pot and worked successively through the batch trying to bring forth the nasty predator dogging Jana.

The action took him back … to when they'd done this kind of thing a lot. He missed her—them. But they couldn't work as a couple.

He didn't blame her for Rand's death, but she did hold responsibility. He couldn't get past that. Not yet.

Maybe not ever. Especially with Lindi and the kids as a constant reminder. But he loved Jana. Always would.

When none of the new spell potions worked, ideas and thoughts started shuffling in his head. "Let's go over the info again. Your gut said hell hound or hex cat, right?" She rarely missed.

Jana nodded. "But the spells aren't revealing the beast."

Rhys scraped a hand over his head. "Why? Dammit. Why can't I figure it out?" This kind of situation shouldn't be beyond him.

Jana rocked back in her chair. "Maybe it's both." She shrugged one shoulder.

Bingo! She might have just hit the jackpot.

Profound inspiration smacked him in the forehead. "Holy shit." Rhys went to a new book—one he'd discounted earlier. "You might be onto something." He thumbed through the pages. "A blended link with a side of cloaking." He read through the details and whistled low between his teeth. "That's some powerful fucking magick." But the concept fit.

Her chair thumped forward. "Who's got the ability to pull that off?" Jana frowned.

Rhys slid his gaze sideways. "One brain teaser at a time. Let's see if we're right first."

He transcribed the pages for the necessary spells then helped gather the necessary ingredients.

While filling the vials, he explained the process. "We'll need to work together. Uncloak first, break the link, then banish the creatures." Excitement to be working with her thrummed in his veins when he filled the vials. "Are you ready?"

It took a while for me to figure out where this story wanted to go, but I'm so happy with where it's headed now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Left Unsaid

Happy Kendrick Lamar Does the Halftime Show to all who celebrate. I'll be feasting on food that's terrible for me because that's my favorite part of this weekend.

I'm still doing small things for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm trying to get my other blogs and my author website updated with the new material and I'm looking at possible setting up immediate downloads. That's a goal and I hope I can get there. Trying to gauge interest first. I also kept up with drawing one oracle card a day and posting the results on Bluesky.

Had a fairly busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and completed a combination copy edit proofread. I also had a terrific meeting with a new client, and I'll be working on evaluating their manuscript over the next few weeks. Very exciting!

Slow week for viewing. I had a lot of distractions and couldn't focus on watching very much. I think lack of sleep played a role there. I'm trying to figure out what kind of sleep schedule I need right now.

I did get a few shows in, starting with Elementary, which ended up being a really great episode and I enjoyed it.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I'm very nostalgic for this show right now and thoroughly enjoying the rewatch.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, the two vignettes were new to me. Although, I think they were out of order with the rest of the season because one showed how Chas and Kira ended up with the coffee shop.

I started an episode of One Lane Bridge and should finish it up today. This show has some twists, and I enjoy those but also need to be able to focus so I don't miss important details.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Left Unsaid, a novella that explores different methods of communication when speaking doesn't help.

Here's the miniblurb:

Haven and Pryce are involved in a covert war between humanity and the fae. When the battle takes a nasty turn for the worse and their lives are in danger multiple times, the couple realize it's sometimes better to communicate without words.

And a preview snippet…

Haven had no doubt what Pryce wanted. "His pound of flesh." Talking might come later, but right now, he needed an outlet, one she'd happily provide.

She filled out a hastily worded report and dropped it off at the makeshift command center. She showered and called in to central communications. "Hey, Ross. I'm gonna need a twelve-hour window. No calls. No disturbances. Complete radio silence." She wrapped a towel around torso. "And include Pryce. If anyone asks, consider it lost time. He hasn't had a chance to work through his brother's death yet." She chewed on her lip. "And he needs it." Because of the role I played.

Ross made a rude sound. "And you're what? Babysitting?"

She bit her response out. "Something like that." She waited a beat. "And you can stop being a dick. You took three days when Maria died." She didn't begrudge anyone their grief, but she'd be damned if Ross would pull that shit.

He responded with a contrite tone. "Yeah, you're right. As of right now, your clock is ticking."

Haven hoped it would be enough. "Thanks." She hung up and considered getting dressed. "Why bother? That's not what this is about." She exited her quarters and crossed the hall.

She didn't bother with a knock. Instead, she let herself into Pryce's space, shutting the rest of the world out. Like her, Pryce only had a towel slung low around his hips. Dropping all pretense, she let hers fall to the floor, indicating the next move belonged to him.

A flash of lust tinged with anger lit his gaze, sending a jolt of heat through her. Pryce didn't hesitate, he strode toward her, the damp terrycloth lost on the way. Wedging his thigh between her legs, he backed her up against the wall. Haven welcomed the hair-roughened skin against her clit, another zing of hot desire threading through her nerve endings.

He caught her chin in one hand and slanted his lips over hers. His tongue thrust deeply and Haven responded with a low moan. His aggression inflamed her need, but she kept a tight leash on her desire. This is Pryce's moment. Pryce worked his free hand between them to find her slick and ready.

He broke the kiss, his stare drilling into her. "You're wet. You want this…"

Haven held his gaze. "I want you, Pryce. No matter what." She rocked her hips and grasped his erection. "In any way you want." Always.

His eyes darkened. "You might live to regret that, Haven. I'm really pissed right now." His words came out on a growl.

She lifted her chin. "I know. But I'm still here. And I'm not going anywhere." Unless he kicked her out.

This story is coming together is a way I didn't expect, but I'm thrilled with how things are going.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Led Astray

Welcome February! The shortest month seems like a great time to start new things. I've challenged myself to post every day on Bluesky and I picked drawing one oracle card from a random deck each day. So far, I'm two for two.

I'm also going to launch the side project I've previously talked about. Tip Jar Shorts is a fun way to get sexy romance short stories right to your inbox. The blog is up and running and still a work in progress. I'm so excited to see how things go! If you're interested, check it out!

I had a busy work week with a challenging copy edit but it's almost complete and I'm happy I got to work on this mystery series. A few more bits and pieces to check and it'll be on its way to the publisher.

Had a somewhat quiet viewing week. Between getting Tip Jar finished up and the copy edit, I needed a quiet background to get everything done.

Caught another Batman Beyond episode. I remembered this one and enjoyed during my first run through of the show.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats. I'm in the final season and catching some episodes I haven't seen before.

Watched another episode of One Lane Bridge and I'm still enjoying the show. It's kind of a slow, moody narrative and I'm rather into that right now.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I'm kind of wondering what the hell is going to happen next. I'm also wondering what the superintendent thought would happen when he tried to run.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. The vibe is very different with season eleven and I'm kind of okay with that. I like the new sergeant and I'm looking forward to seeing where things go with Florance doing an undercover stint. I like that the reason is tied back to a previous murder.

Loved the episode of Beyond Paradise that I caught this week. I'm interested in how Humphrey and Martha work through their issues and was so happy to see her rebuff Archie, even if he's portrayed by one of my favorite actors. I'm still on the fence with Martha's mom. I can't quite decide if I like her or not. We'll see how the rest of the season goes.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Led Astray, a novella that brings a couple together even if they're not supposed to fall for each other.

Here's the miniblurb:

Gia Schmidt is tasked with bringing Orrick Triolo around to her clan's way of thinking, but he proves a hard case to crack, even with her considerable skills. Orrick's got something she wants but if she's not careful, he'll lead her astray instead of the other way around.

And a preview snippet…

Gia toyed with her food. "If you want to avoid a war—and you should—agreeing to a summit between all the clans is a good idea." Gia ended on a sigh.

At least Orrick listened to her spiel without comment. She could break the entire list of possibilities down into minute detail but wouldn't waste her breath. Not unless he gave her a positive sign. He signaled for a refill of coffee. Gia resisted the urge to kick him under the table.

Finally, he took a slow sip of the hot brew then met her gaze. "Why come to me? The elder triad of Triolos holds the power in our family. They're the ones you should be talking to."

Gia huffed out a breath. "Do you know how many have tried to get meetings with them—even one?"

Orrick lifted a shoulder. "Not really, no."

Gia leaned in. "Every single clan has tried alone. And together. And every time they're ignored or rebuffed. Threats have been made if anyone outside tries again."

Orrick blinked. "Why? What do you think I can do?"

Gia shrugged. "Ask them to see reason. The Triolos have a lot of power. They're tired of warring factions. But the grab for complete control isn't playing out the way they want. Instead of giving them what they desire, the move has united the clans against them."

Orrick arched a brow. "You don't think we'll win?"

Gia bit back another sigh. "I don't know. You might. But the toll in lives and lost resources will cost all of us."

Orrick tilted his head to one side. "That's a good point … and a possible opening."

Gia nudged the spark of hope aside. "So … you'll make the pitch?"

Orrick lifted a chin. "I'll consider it, yes."

The flame flickered. Happy about the response, she let a small smile curve her lips. Maybe things would end up working out.

Orrick took some wind out of her sails with a disclaimer. "I'll need some time to find the right approach."

Gia slumped. "How much?" Her grandfather lacked patience on a good day.

Orrick held her gaze. "I'm not sure. Let's maybe meet for dinner in a few days and I should have a better idea."

She agreed. What else could she do?

And she didn't hate the idea of seeing him again.

I'm having fun with the cat and mouse aspect of this story and the characters are stepping up in big ways to help move the plot along.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye