Sunday Snippet: Rack and Ruin

Halfway through the month and it's nonstop gangbusters. I'm planning a super-secret thing I can't talk about for this Friday. I seriously hope I can pull this off.

The weather is warming up a little, so the snow is finally melting. That also means it's muddy and squishy outside during the day and slippery and slidey at night. I have a pond in my driveway when it's sunny and an ice rink when it gets dark.

Work projects are steady and still coming. I finished up a nightmare project—I hope—and I'm glad to move on from that one. Completed a copy edit and started a new one. Had some hourly editorial review work I started and finished this week. I had another one going that I'm making headway on and I'm finishing up a developmental edit, which I hope to have completed by next week. I also have a backburner project that I need to jump back into. All in all … yeah, it's been busy.

I did manage to get through my usual slate of shows. I even watched some of the Olympic events, but I'm not really following anyone or anything. The skeleton events fascinate me. My idea of fun is definitely not jumping on a tiny sled while going seventy-plus miles—headfirst—down an icy super-slide of death. That said, kudos to the athletes who make it look easy. And scary.

Started the week with Midsomer Murders and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery. I've been waiting for this one, because the previews were intriguing. Death by cuckoo clock is a wild way to go. Just saying.

Finished up season six of Foyle's War, and I'd forgotten how bleak the end of the war ended up being for everyone. I mean there was obviously a call for celebration, but the uncertainty for all the characters, or most of them, is very strong.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and quite enjoyed Jack and Nikki realizing they don't have a lot of friends outside of their work. I'm very interested in the little beat about Nikki maybe leaving the Lyell to start a new facility. That could prove interesting for next season.

Enjoyed an episode of Poirot. It's always fun when Miss Lemon saves the day with research. And really nice to see Poirot support a young woman's dreams.

Elementary ended up being very interesting. I love how much Joan wants to help her former patient, but she also didn't discount the aunt's concerns. And Sherlock's ruthless takedown of the CEO ended up being a chef's kiss moment.

Caught another Batman Beyond episode and I believe I'm near the end of the series run. Not sure what I'll pick up next, but I might dive into another Batman series.

Watched the opening episode for season three of Star Trek: Lower Decks and thoroughly enjoyed seeing Beckett interact with her dad. Also loved seeing everyone else in civilian mode. Season three should be a fun ride.

That's pretty much it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Rack and Ruin, a novella that explores what happens when two characters catch each other in compromising positions.

Here's the miniblurb:

Vespa Thorn, a maintenance adept for the Mage Ministry of Defense, is an addictive gambler—whenever, wherever, she'll go all in. Hale Walterson, a special forces soldier has a problem with sex—he can't get enough of it. Vespa wants Hale, but he's the one thing she won't bet on … until he challenges her to keep up with him.

And a preview snippet…

Shit. No, she didn't usually do anything extracurricular in her jumpsuit.

She glanced around the room before responding. "Actually, no." She should probably explain the anomaly. "Sometimes, when I get off late and there's a big game getting started, I shave corners."

But she usually didn't do that at the hotel.

She cocked her head to one side. "Wait a minute. Were you following me the same night?"

He shook his head. "Nope. I stumbled on to you the same way anyone from the ministry would. I walked into Dino's for a drink and the crowd in the corner drew my attention. There you were work suit tied around your waist." His lips quirked in a bit of a smirk.

Vespa huffed out a breath. "I don't do that often. I had a stake in that game from the night before." Not that he needed to know that information.

Hale rolled a shoulder. "Hey, it's none of my business—except if you get busted, we'll lose our top tech. And that would suck."

She basked a little in the compliment.

Then she sobered. "I'm careful who I play with. None of them would compromise me." She believed that with her whole being.

Hale gave a nod. "Maybe not. But those suits with that coloring are highly recognizable. The players might be fine but the bystanders? Probably not so much."

Well, hell. He made a good argument.

She clicked her tongue against her teeth. "True enough." Meeting his gaze, she lifted her chin. "Thanks for the heads-up."

His head bobbed. "Same. Looks like we need to be a little more careful."

Too right.

She asked the question burning in her mind. "You never worry about your companions?" Kind of a stupid question when she had zero concern about her gambling crew.

One side of Hale's mouth curved upward. "Nina and Tina are paid to be discreet."

Vespa's mouth dropped open. He pays for sex? Seriously?

Hale snorted. "Pick your jaw up. I use their agency because they're vetted and don't leak information. My drive for sex ruins relationships and a string of ex-girlfriends is more dangerous to my health and job than the expense is to my wallet."

Her curiosity went into overdrive. "I'd wager you haven't met the right woman yet then." Did she really just say that?

Especially the implied meaning being she might be the right female.

Hale flicked his tongue against his teeth. "You volunteering?" His gaze narrowed.

Am I? She had to admit he presented a challenge, because she had no idea if she could keep up, but she wanted to find out. And … she'd wager he'd take her on one hell of a ride.

She lifted her chin. "Maybe." She side-eyed the room. "Not really the place to discuss this topic."

Hale grunted. "Fair enough. Since I owe you dinner, at the very least, why don't we meet up top and continue this conversation."

As much as she loved the Willow, her gut said they needed to keep the hotel neutral ground … for now.

Tilting her head to one side, she made a different suggestion. "Let's meet off site. No sense mixing work and play here anymore than we already do."

He held her gaze a long moment then nodded. "Okay. What did you have in mind?"

She pushed away from the table. "Pick me up at my place." She gave him her address. "We'll see where the night takes us."

Hale got to his feet. "Deal. But we're definitely going to be talking about that maybe you threw out."

Vespa grinned and stuck out her hand. "You're on!" After a firm shake, she made her way out of the room.

She might be jumping into a fire, but she couldn't resist.

I love how this story is coming together. Vespa and Hale are fun characters who like to challenge each other and everyone else.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quiver Full of Arrows

February is going to be a wild month. It's already shorter than average and my project load is intense plus I have two birthdays hitting a week apart. A big one for the husband, which involves a super-secret aspect that's challenging to pull off.

Ohio is still deep into its cold spell, which I'm actually okay with. We're also still digging out of the huge snowfall we got last week. It's hilarious that I get stuck in my own driveway. But I do.

As mentioned, work projects are falling out of the sky right now and that's not a bad thing. But it is a bit of a hurdle to manage making sure they're all getting the attention they need. I'd love to have about five more hours each day.

Had a better than normal viewing week. Some of my projects involve tedious busywork, and it's nice to have something on in the background. I even got to one of my back-burner shows.

Started off with Midsommer Murders and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. It also made me want to take up lawn bowling. I remember playing something like that, along with croquet, when little.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War and it's one I remembered well from the original watch. I have one more episode in the sixth season and I'm looking forward to watching it this week.

Watched the second half of Silent Witness and whew! So many twists and turns. And, of course, the obnoxious asshat is the actual target … yet somehow manages to come through partially unscathed. Really loved the team doing what they needed to do regardless of the consequences.

Enjoyed an episode of Poirot. Loved how he got a chance to revisit a murder he wasn't allowed to solve the first time. Lots of twisty turns.

Elementary didn't disappoint with the opening of the fifth season. I love that Joan probably saved her former patient by offering a helping hand. Also love that Sherlock recognized she needed something more.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and kind of loved the teamwork with Gotham PD and taking down the poacher. I'd forgotten about this episode.

Watched the season two finale of Star Trek: Lower Decks and, wow, what a way to end the season. Looking forward to catching what happens next.

Also started another episode of Peak Practice. It's painful to watch Sam completely fall from grace. I might end up forwarded through some of it because it hurts to watch.

That's pretty much it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Quiver Full of Arrows, a novella that mashes up superpowers and fae magick.

Here's the miniblurb:

Frey Witter, codename Crossfire, is sent to bring in mercenary for hire, Solaris Polanski, aka Moon Shadow, for a covert mission. He's got one little problem. Solaris answers to no one—and she used to work for the other side.

And a preview snippet…

Solaris braced for seeing Norm Coleman again. Something she rarely, as in never, enjoyed. He'd recruited her at the tender age of sixteen—almost thirteen years ago. The only thing she'd credit him with is teaching her to take a beating. No, he'd never abused her with physical violence. Her parents took top prize there.

She waited for Crossfire to key in the access code and while he scanned his credentials, she trudged back to the beginning of her relationship with Coleman.

Norm's tactics were and still are much more sinister and slyly developed than a mere physical ambush. Cajolery, manipulation, emotional thievery, and gaslighting were his go-to favorites.

Being different—having her ability of extra sensory perception aka the sixth sense—and being able to hold her own from a young age got her into a lot of trouble. The very reason my parents decided I needed to have the evil beat out of me. When their brutalization didn't work, they cashed in and sold her to a program for gifted children when she turned twelve.

The program proved to be a sham—the people running if were training spies. Infiltration, seduction, all the tricks of the trade. Norm came in, took one look at her and bought out her contract. He wanted her young enough to train for agency purposes but old enough to handle the physical aspects. I learned the emotional toll on my own and finally escaped.

Only to be brought back. Dammit.

Crossfire led the way through the maze of corridors, and she followed at a slightly slower pace. Norm hadn't moved his cushy office, still residing at the top of the stairs in a space that overlooked the main hub of operations. A large concrete platform jutted out from the enclosed area, leaving plenty of room for a staging location … or in her case, a place to cool her heels whenever Norm wanted to make her wait.

Which she wouldn't do today.

Brushing past Crossfire, she strode into Norm's space and cleared her throat. He looked up, arching a brow. His silence a grudging acknowledgment of her presence; his lack of surprise an irritation she'd have to live with.

Solaris tossed the bag of diamonds on the desk. "My compliments. It better buy me some time and consideration." She kept her gaze on her former employer but appreciated Frey taking a post just inside the door.

Norm shook out the gems and flicked his gaze up to her. "Petty thievery is beneath you." His fingers trailed through the pile of sparkly bits.

Solaris snorted. "Half a billion in untraceable diamonds is a fucking wet dream for black-op budgets. The only thing petty about it is your inability to accept the windfall without being a raging dick." She folded her arms over her chest but winced and dropped them down again.

Her ribs still ached from her time with the trio of thugs in the railroad turnstile.

Norm leaned back and gave her a bland smile. "I see you're still using the old standby of letting yourself get caught and brutalized. Haven't you outgrown the need for pain?" He widened his eyes in his usual fashion.

Her fingers curled into her palms. "Considering I learned all the tricks of the pain trade from you, you're stating the obvious." She slowly straightened her hands. "Are you ready to give me what I need? Because I'm fresh out of patience and the desire to breathe the same air as you."

Coleman scooped up the diamonds and returned them to the bag. "You've got the time." He tucked the gems into his shirt pocket and leaned back again. "I'm listening."

She swallowed the bile rising in her throat. "Pay attention then. These are my terms…"

I have so much love for this story! Solaris and Frey are such a great couple to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

Man, January felt like it flew by but also seemed like it lasted a full decade. It's so weird how that happens. It could also be because I've been fighting a yucky cold and I'm not enjoying that at all.

Ohio has been in the longest cold spell I can remember. Highs only in the teens and lows in the single digits or below zero. Usually, we'll get that for a day or three. But this has been going on for over a week. At least I haven't had to go out much and deal with the brutal temperatures.

Had a fairly busy work week. Finished up the romantasy copy edit and did a little more on the manuscript that needed TLC. I'm digging into the memoir and getting it ready for a copy edit by another editor. I struggled through endnote hell with my regular author's project. Weirdly, I've had significantly more projects with footnotes or endnotes lately. It's not a trend I enjoy, but it's a new challenge, which I do like.

Had an okay viewing week. I made it through a full round of shows, which included starting a new season of one of my regulars. If possible, I might try to add a random backburner show this week.

Started season twenty-five of Midsommer Murders, and the opening episode didn't disappoint. Someone mentioned on BlueSky that this season is filled with humorous moments and that makes me so happy. Looking forward to more.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War with the opening of season six. A full year passed with Christopher no longer working as a policeman. Of course, he got sucked back in and the team is back together.

Watched the first of a two-part Silent Witness and, whew, what an episode. I have a fairly good idea of where this one is going and it's not pretty. Nikki is going to have her hands full when she's back at the Lyell.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. I love how many pursuits Hastings has. Hunting, golf, driving, and of course, working with Poirot. And Miss Lemon is a true gem.

Elementary ended it's fourth season with an interesting twist. I kind of enjoyed the whole Moreland Holmes arc. I'm looking forward to what season five brings to the table.

Watched another Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Bruce's dip in the Lazarus pool made a great episode, especially with being able to fight off a group of thugs with Terry. Such a fun episode.

Caught another episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks and enjoyed it. Very fun to see Klingon and Vulcan lower deck crews. And the end scene with the Borg lower deck was kind of funny.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quilt of Fate, a novella that follows a couple while they lead their people to a new home and rebuild their romance … with a little help along the way.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nadie Fall and Cable Reilly are transported to an alternate reality by the Moerae. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos have plans for the fated couple who couldn't save their original universe but can alter the future for their new one.

And a preview snippet…

Nadie Fall slammed her hand on the conference table. "Why did you ask me here if you're not going to listen?" The owlish blinking from the eight council members would have made her laugh under any other circumstances.

But not today. Dire situations sucked the humor out of everything. And they didn't have time to play games.

Cable Reilly, the bane of her existence, cleared his throat. "There's a difference between listening and going blindly into a harebrained scheme.'' He gave her a look that dared her to throw down with him.

She drew in a deep breath. Once upon a time she'd not only throw down with Cable, she'd have willingly gone to the mat for him. Those days are long gone!

Ignoring the former love of her life, she met the gaze of the chief elder. "The signposts are there. The scrolls said they would be. But we can't spend months making a decision." She gave each council member a hard look. "We're losing people who can manipulate the shadows, and we're losing our window to move safely through the realms." She couldn't state the circumstances any more plainly.

Cable snorted. "Always with the doom and gloom." He pushed away from the wall. "Speaking from a place of reason, maybe discount the dire tone and focus on the resources we have right now and what the projected numbers will be if we wait." His gaze homed in on Nadie. "The wraith threat can't be beat if we don't have a plan. People need time to prepare." Again, he arched his brows, almost daring her to argue.

As if Nadie didn't account for the fact they would need prep time. She wanted to punch him. Or smash his face into a wall.

Instead, she lifted her chin. "The sooner those preparations begin, the sooner we can leave the wraith invasion behind." She waited a beat. "And the fewer friends we'll say good-bye to." Turning, she made a beeline to the double doors and left the chamber.

Cable could stick around and wait for the vote. She'd said her piece, and he'd countered. As he always did now.

She sighed. "Damn, I miss being on the same page with him." And … she missed sharing a bed with him.

I'm very pleased with how this one is coming together. It's also very close to being finished. I can't wait to share it!

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye