Sunday Snippet: A Haunting Yule (a Holiday Spirit short)

Man. Whatever alignment the planets are in has been wrecking things in my house lately. After the washing machine saga, our coffeemaker took a crap. It's less than a year old. Seriously … not the norm. But the good news is a new washer and coffeemaker should arrive sometime this week barring any other global server outages.

Had a super busy work week. Finished the holiday manuscript and received a mystery and a romance for copy edit. Picked back up with a novella I've been working on with an author for a while now and enjoying getting back into the groove of the book. Also had an author reach out about a new twist on a previous project. Really fun week!

I didn't get a lot of screentime this week, but I watched a few shows. I'm in a weird place with viewing. I want to watch stuff, but my brain isn't settled on exactly what. Kind of want to binge something with a lot of seasons for a while to see if that will reset the needle.

I loved the episode of My Life Is Murder. Actually really twisty with an interesting outcome. Once again, Madison shined. I love that character.

Caught another Best in Paradise. This one featured the farewell to Martha, which ended up being so funny and sad at the same time. Excellent episode.

Watched another Death in Paradise with the introduction of the new DS. Not completely sure if I like her or not. Stay tuned.

Started an episode of Elementary but struggled to stay focused so I'll finish it up this week.

And that's pretty much it for the life update. Tonight's post is from A Haunting Yule, a Holiday Spirit short featuring a banshee and a goblin.

Here's the miniblurb:

Holiday spirit Thom Tinsel brings an unlikely duo together for Yule. Urika Uhl is a banshee holding on to a past she needs to let go. Ingo Ingalls is a goblin searching for his place in the netherworld. Thom's magick shows the couple their differences can help them build a strong future together.

And preview snippet…

Ingo waded through the throng of brawlers in the club, intent on breaking up the melee. "What is it about the holidays that make people stupid?" He stunned most of the participants in his path with a quick grip between their shoulder and neck and a muttered suggestion charm for them to head home.

He had the two who started the fight in his sight and had almost reached them when his counterpart Bart Nim sailed over a row of tables from the opposite end of the bar and placed both hands on the head of the biggest fae and twisted his neck, breaking it and slaying the demon.

Ingo grasped the other fighter and held him back. "Don't or you'll end meeting the same fate." Once Bart went in to kill mode bodies started dropping.

The lead bartender cleared the building and Ingo grabbed the dead demon by the feet. Bart got a hold of his arms, and they carried him out to the parking lot where he'd be picked up for last rites. Something no one wanted to do at the happiest time of the year.

Ingo waited until they got closer to the bar entrance before going off on Bart. "This is why everyone thinks we're only good for bashing heads."

Bart only grunted.

Ingo planted his feet, choking down the urge to punch the other goblin. "It's Yule. And now some family will always have the memory a goblin killed their relative. Can you not see that?"

Bart shrugged. "Ask someone who gives a shit. Lethal force is authorized if more than a dozen are tearing the place up." He started to walk away.

Ingo stepped into his path. "I had everyone cleared out. You waited until there were only two left before you acted." Like the duo represented some massive threat.

Bart sneered. "So I did. Nothing you can do about it now." He went back inside.

Ingo crossed the parking lot and went up the stairs to the owner's office to give him a report on the death and the way Bart escalated the situation by killing one of them.

After Manuel shrugged off Ingo's concern, he tried one more tactic. "We're headed down a dark path, Manny. We have very few allies and those only tolerate us. When we need something, no one is going to be there." Why did he have to explain this?

Manny gave a cursory nod. "Yeah, I hear you." He lifted his chin. "Why don't you deliver the news? You're more tactful than any of the others."

Ingo refused. "Nope. I'm not doing the death knock for you. In fact, I'm never doing them again. I'm not the asshole that keeps taking lives." He stormed out of the office and headed home.

By the time he walked the short distance to his residence, his anger threatened to boil over. He found a parchment envelope hovering by his door. Thinking it might be from his boss, he tore the missive open ready to rip it to shreds. But the gold foil lettering couldn't be from Manny. The guy wouldn't know nice stationery if it bit him on the ass.

Ingo unfolded the card.

The tidings of the season

Don't always bring cheer.

When mayhem seems to rule

The happiest time of the year.

Seek some peace and solitude

No matter the cost.

Take time away

Before all is lost.

The address for the Goodacre Bed and Breakfast followed the invitation along with instructions for the arrival time and dates.

Ingo huffed out a breath. "Hell, yes. This is perfect." He definitely needed a break, or he'd be knocking heads together.

Something he no longer wanted to do…

I love writing the Holiday Spirit shorts. Urika and Ingo are a bit of a challenge, but I'm so happy with how this story is playing out.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye Ritchey

Sunday Snippet: A Haunting Yule (a Holiday Spirit short)

It's been a busy week with medical emergencies—not mine, thankfully—and vacationer pickups. Also had a few work projects to get worked in.

Had a great week for television. Started out by finishing up the sixteenth season of Classic Who and I got a start on season seventeen. Interesting choice to have Romana regenerate as the princess of the final arc. We'll see how that plays out.

Watched another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. The focus was on the Royal Air Force and I enjoyed the episode. I also started the next one which feature sacred sites and UFOs.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lou Rawls and Cleo Laine were the guest stars. Had a great conversation with my brother about watching this show while we were growing up.

Enjoyed another episode of The Hardy Boys. The jury is still out on whether the grandma is a good force or a not-so-good one. I'm really excited to watch the next episode with the secret room.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and, yep, a tragedy occurred. I'm pretty sure we'll be seeing the last of Beth and Jack, which is actually what I expected. I'll look forward to their sendoff.

Caught another Master Class with David Carson. This one talked about working with clients and I got some solid information from the session. I might not work full-time with graphic design, but I do work with clients on a regular basis and the lesson had some good strategies for meeting expectations that can apply universally.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina had an interesting episode. I'm still not a Wardwell fan and even less so after this episode. I'm kind of excited to see what Cerebus is going to bring to the story and Zelda made a bold choice I didn't quite expect.

Watched the penultimate episode of Street Legal. I have to give Steven Lund kudos. I loved his journey in this episode. Olivia overstepped in a way I didn't quite believe. I hope there's a bit of an explanation in the final episode of season one.

Enjoyed another Ready Room recap. I'm having a lot of fun with guest stars who were previous cast members. I might not be able to say the same with season two. I'm not a Q fan in the slightest. Here's hoping the writing makes me change my mind.

Finished up another episode of Blue Heelers and enjoyed it. I also caught another episode and started a new one. I'm creeping up on the halfway point of season three.

Caught an episode of Chicago Med. Again, I really enjoyed the multiple threads. Will's arc impressed me. I loved the opening scene with Rhodes and Will working together and getting along, mainly because of the reactions of the rest of the team.

Watched another episode of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. Bertie cracks me up. I love Samuel and Violetta. I'm hurting for Peregrine and James but I can't wait to see more and how they work things out. I miss Fleur and I'm kind of hoping we'll see more characters of the Adventuress Club. So far, season two is making me very happy.

Enjoyed the first part of Silent Witness's two-parter. Nikki's dad is a piece of work. I'm kind of glad I can't remember how things play out with him. Looking forward to seeing the second part this week.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Haunting Yule, a holiday spirit sexy short featuring a banshee and a goblin.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holiday spirit Thom Tinsel brings an unlikely duo together for Yule. Urika Uhl is a banshee holding on to a past she needs to let go. Ingo Ingalls is a goblin searching for his place in the netherworld. Thom's magick shows the couple their differences can help them build a strong future together.

And a preview snippet…

Urika swept through the halls of the community building. I'm not going to use my cry to help goblins. I won't do it.

"Urika!" The head crier, Bancroft Harlow charged toward her. "You can't refuse to use your gift. It's unlawful." He paused, a little out of breath.

Urika waved her hand. "I don't care. If you won't sanction those horrible trolls and refuse them our aid, then I'm done." She spun back around and stalked toward the exit.

Bancroft trotted after her. "You have an obligation to fulfill and you're our top seer. You won't be allowed to walk away." His tone turned hard and unyielding.

Urika closed her eyes and drew in a deep breath. "You can’t ask or expect me to help goblins." Her stomach churned. "Especially around Yule."

Bancroft's face softened. "This season is hard for you. I do understand that. But you can't pick and choose. Not anymore." He sighed. "The others are tired of the preferential treatment you're shown."

Urika sneered. "Then maybe they should knock me from the top spot. Better yet, I'll climb down from the lofty perch and let them fight over it."

Bancroft shook his head. "No, that's not the answer. You'd open yourself up to having more goblins to work with. The lessers are usually available to do readings. Right now, we have a backlog of people making requests. You know this."

Urika swallowed hard. "I can't, Bancroft. I can't. I'll take leave. I'm due for some." She rarely left the glade and had plenty of time saved up. "It'll let you save face and give me time to work through my issues." Not that she'd try all that hard.

Bancroft frowned. "You get to use this trump one time, Urika. Next year, you'll not be allowed to shirk your responsibility." He turned to head back to the grotto area. "And don't be surprised if you don't get bombarded with angry banshees who have to pick up your slack."

Urika fought down a wave of sadness. "Why can't people understand?" Goblins savaged her parents … why should the brutish thugs have any opportunity to see their futures?

She made the short walk home and entered her small cottage, hoping to have a mug of hot tea and maybe a long nap.

No such luck. The moment she crossed her threshold, a faint buzz coursed through her veins. She cast a careful eye around her living room and found an ivory envelope hovering over her mantel.

Crossing the floor, she retrieved the missive. "What now?" Removing the seal, she briefly scanned the contents.

 

Hail and welcome.

To Goodacre you must go.

Find peace, solitude, and answers

To what you must know.

Remember the joyful season

And let it be a balm

Discover the quiet strength

And reestablish your calm.

 

A set of instructions and a time to cross the veil into the nether realm followed the rhyming verse.

Urika tucked the invitation under her arm and headed to pack some clothes.

"I'll most definitely take advantage of some downtime away from the glade."

Whew. Urika has some issues she definitely needs to work through. Goodacre is going to be full of surprises for her.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: A Haunting Yule

I'm coming off another busy week. My youngest is finally doing her driver's training classwork and driving with the instructor. She also had her first week of summer band camp so the back and forth driving to and from kept me busy.

Not a bad week of television viewing. The return of Wynonna Earp and Killjoys topped the terrific stuff. I'm so excited to have both shows back on my screen.

Other than those, I got another episode of Pensacola Wings of Gold in along with the second episode of Lexx. The latter is such a trippy kind of show. I'd forgotten how off the wall it could be.

I caught a Garage Sale Mysteries episode, "A Case for Murder". Not a bad little movie series. Enjoyed my first experience with the Hallmark show.

Also caught my military shows, Band of Brothers and Strike Back. I'm close to finishing up both seasons of each show.

Caught two DVD viewings of Batman: The Brave and the Bold, with season two's first part. I'm kind of looking forward to the second part of season two if only to figure out the whole star-shaped villain thing.

I'm two-thirds of the way through Chicago Fire's sixth season. I'm going to miss Gabby in a big way. I'm almost afraid of what Matt's storyline is going to become. I'm also close to the last episode of Sense 8's first season. Looking forward to the holiday-themed movie that's next up and launches the second season.

Watch some classic television on the Pluto app for Roku. Fun stuff there. I've also been hitting some nostalgia by watching old episodes of Murder, She Wrote and Heat of the Night. I used to watch both shows when I lived with my Gram. We lost her this past March and it's been kind of wonderful to stroll down memory lane by revisiting these two shows.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Haunting Yule, a sexy Holiday Spirit short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holiday spirit Thom Tinsel brings an unlikely duo together for Yule. Urika Uhl is a banshee holding on to a past she needs to let go. Ingo Ingalls is a goblin searching for his place in the netherworld. Thom's magick shows the couple their differences can help them build a strong future together.

And a preview snippet…

Thom Tinsel cut through the heavily wooded section of the town square on his nightly run through the spirit realm. He loved the snow-covered trees and the quiet thud of his footsteps on the wintry trail. With Yule approaching fast, the stars sparkled brightly in the sky.

This year, his matchmaking abilities wouldn't be needed. "I can spend the season in corporeal form, enjoying the wassail, honeycakes, and midwinter feasts." Maybe he'd even throw one of his own.

A zinging buzz coursed through his veins and he stopped running. Dammit. Not now.

But of course now. The powers that be almost always found two lonely, lost people who needed each other and Yule tended to bring out the direness of getting them matched. Taking off at a slow jog, he cut through the woods and headed for his building and the warmth of his apartment.

After entering, he took the stairs—might as well finish his workout—to the tenth floor and found his mission fluttering in front of his door. He grabbed the parchment and quickly skimmed the contents. Okay, not an easy task. Didn't that just figure?

He took a speed shower and settled before his gas fireplace. "Well… let's see if this is going to be as difficult as I think it is. Banshees and goblins don't really get along all that well." He reached out and pulled all the information he could find on his two charges.

He started with the banshee, Urika Uhl. Her tremendous skill put her at the top of the seer group. But her attitude sucked. Haughty and proud, she'd burned a few bridges over the past year.

Thom dug a little deeper into her history. "Well, she's got some baggage. Maybe checking it would make her burden a little lighter." Easier said than done.

The goblin, Ingo Ingalls, looked like a standard tear-em-up, beefy brute on the page, but he had some hidden depths. Ones that pushed him to the fringe of the goblin society. Yeah, he had the typical enforcer job, working as a bouncer at the Devil's Den, the hot hangout for preternatural beings. His huge physique made him a prime specimen to break up drunken brawls and bring control to chaos after the last call.

But Ingo didn't fit in. "Because he thinks with his heart instead of his head." Not a typical goblin trait.

But one that might serve Urika well. Bridging the gap between her preconceived perceptions, rightfully earned, and the direction the goblins needed to go in, Ingo might be the driving force. If he showed Urika a kinder, gentler version of his species, her mind could open to the potential good the two groups could bring forth.

Thom sighed. "The trick is getting them away from outside influences." Someplace a little isolated and off the beaten trail.

Goodacre.

The image of the picture-perfect manor house popped into Thom's head and he nodded. "Definitely the best choice." The quaint bed and breakfast had a unique aura that brought out the best in its occupants.

Now he had to craft a perfect invitation for both parties. And he had the beginnings of a great idea for how to schedule the delivery so they couldn't say no.

"Drop the invite during a heightened conflict."

Shouldn't be hard when both were magnets for clashes. Urika with her in-fighting and Ingo with his bar brawls.

Thom rubbed his hands together and got to work.

I'm enjoying the Holiday Spirit shorts. They're fun!

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye