Sunday Snippet: In Enemy Territory (a Black Raven Banner novella)

Once again, Ohio weather is all over the place. But at least it hasn't been sweltering hot. Had setbacks with our cars. Mine is still not quite ready. The new engine computer the garage ordered didn't work so they got another one. Hopefully this week. My husband had a deer literally jump on top of his CR-V, shattering the windshield, knocking the rearview mirror off, and sending the driver's side mirror clear over to the passenger side floor. It even dented the top of the car up to the sunroof. I'm pretty sure it's a total loss. Luckily my husband is okay, aside from having a ton of glass all over him. He found glass all the way in the back of the vehicle.

Really busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and continued work on a developmental edit. Also started a new project that's not quite a developmental edit, but it is cleaning up a lot of formatting in a manuscript to get it ready for a copy edit, which a colleague is going to do. Had an exchange with a new author and hope to work with her in the future.

Semi-decent week of viewing. I didn't quite make a full round, mainly because I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to get the insurance sorted and line up a rental until we know for sure what's going on with the CR-V.

I did get an episode of My Life Is Murder in and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Once again, Madison stole the show. Also really cool to have indigenous representation for the storyline. And … more hints about Alexa's family. Here's hoping we'll see more of them.

I think I watched the finale of Signora Volpe, and it might have set up a future episode featuring Sylvia's ex. That would be a lot of fun. So awesome to see her niece again and getting to know her dad. Isabelle ended up stealing this episode. Going to watch the behind-the-scenes stuff next.

Finished up Best in Paradise with the first of the two-parter that set up Florance's exit. It was a great episode and very bittersweet as the actress mentioned when she introduced the episode.

Also caught another Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. It's also fun to see Jack trying to move on from the loss of his wife. The awkward but awesome communication with Anna is lovely to watch.

Started an episode of Elementary but need to finish it this week. Too many distractions to get all the way through the show. It looks like a good one though.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from In Enemy Territory, a Black Raven Banner book.

Here's the miniblurb:

Verity Jones and Emory Cavendish welcome a new CO under the Black Raven banner. Lawrence Worthington hits the ground running and gets up to speed quickly. He has to—the mission rate doubles when a group of resistance teams get ambushed simultaneously. He needs every member—including Verity—at the top of their game and he has to find out how the enemy got their hands on the base locations.

And a preview snippet…

"Jones should fly out to get the lay of the land."

Verity's head snapped around at Percy's suggestion. Had he gone starking mad? Mission launch would be sometime in the next few hours.

She shook her head. "Afraid I'll have to decline, Longfellow." Facing forward again, she blinked when Worthington quirked an eyebrow. "Er, I'll be happy to fly out if you order it, sir. But I've got several irons in the fire with those two downed birds and finishing the upgrades on the last five stingers." She also wanted to test the new tracking device she'd designed.

She itched to be back in the air, but she also wanted the guys she worked for to have an edge.

Worthington agreed. "That does take priority, but I do want to see you fly soon." He glanced out the window. "Maybe we can go up together after you complete the repairs."

Verity bobbed her chin. "I'd like that. I'll let you know when I've got it all finished." She'd welcome the opportunity to match wits with one of her dad's rivals.

Worthington nodded. "Cavendish, Longfellow, get two four-man teams together. I want two in the stingers to act as escorts and a two-man team in a cargo plane to move refugees." He flipped his notebook shut. "Wheels up in two hours for one team and the other is on standby. You decide who goes out first." He dismissed the group.

Verity made a beeline for the Bertha Jay. She wanted to install the device she'd been working on for a trial run.

Emory caught up with her when she made the final adjustments. "Not like you to turn down an opportunity to fly out. Everything okay?" A note of concern entered his voice.

She smiled. "Yeah, nothing's wrong." She pulled him in close to the plane. "I've been working on a new project." Pointing to the tracker, she explained its concept. "This works like a homing beacon and internal tracker. When planes are on the ground, they don't show up on radar. This gives us coordinates when they're not flying." At least she hoped it would.

Emory's eyes widened. "That's brilliant." He gave her a long look. "You don't want Worthington to know?"

She jerked her head back and forth. "Not yet. It's untested and I'd like to work out anything buggy before I show him." She lifted one shoulder. "He's a progressive guy. If this works, he'll want all the planes to have them." And she'd probably have to pull Emory and Percy in to help her with building and installation.

Emory didn't argue. "What do I have to do?"

Verity grinned. "Nothing. That's part of the functionality. Pilots won't need to add anything to the pre-flight checks." She bumped her fist on the hull of the plane. "I'll monitor from the hangar while I install the upgrades to the stingers and work on the repairs."

Emory nudged her shoulder. "This could be a tide turner."

Verity gave a nod. "I'm hopeful." She'd love to give Blackraven the upper hand.

I have so much love for this series. I'm still not completely settled on the actual name yet, but Black Raven is edging out anything else.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Behind the Line (a Night Raven Banner novella)

Not sure I'm ready for December. The last few months have really flown by, and I can't seem to keep up. I must be getting old. Or life is coming at me fast and that's why I'm struggling to stay in the moment.

And because I'm failing at staying in the moment, I started a daily post for self-care on Instagram and Blue Sky. Each day I'm going to post something that I do just for me to help me shed stress and enjoy a few minutes of me time.

To that end, I might be including some television shows, so keep an eye out for a few specials that aren't in my normal rotation.

I did get two episodes of My Life Is Murder in this week. I'm a little puzzled by the change in location from Australia to New Zealand, but I'm running with it for now.

I also finished up the bonus episodes from Agatha Raisin season two and caught the premiere of season three. I kind of miss Gemma but Toni is a lot of fun.

Watched two episodes of Silent Witness. Hard to say goodbye to Thomas and it's weird to not see Clarissa at the Lyell anymore. I do like the new vibe Jack and Nikki have. Looking forward to seeing if they add any new cast members.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. Camille left for Paris and Humph is working through the new dynamic. I really enjoy this show and I'm so glad I can see it in chronological order.

Finished Only Murders in the Building and I did get the villains right. Excellent third season and I'm excited about season four because who saw that one coming with the new victim?

Caught another episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. The dynamic between Bruce and Alfred is a lot of fun.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. The two vignettes are ones I remembered and enjoyed the first time around. I love it when the parents truly have no idea what's going on.

Enjoyed another episode of VIP. The over-the-top villains are always entertaining. I truly miss that sometimes.

Also watched another episode of Peak Practice. Once again, I'm not interested at all in one of the storylines, but I do love the two new cast members and what's going on with them.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Behind the Line, an Under the Night Raven Banner novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Emory Cavendish is trapped behind enemy lines and Verity Jones mounts a rescue mission, thinking she won't get much help. Surprise doesn't express her emotion when every other pilot jockeys for a spot on the team to save Emory. Their hard-won acceptance fills Verity with confidence and gratitude. She'll need their full support to bring Emory home.

And a preview snippet…

Verity stuck her hand out from under the plane. "Can you hand me the wrench?"

Percy Longfellow placed a metal object in her palm.

Verity started to raise the tool up to tighten a bolt then rolled her eyes. "A wrench, Longfellow, not a vice grip." She slid out a little. "The silver object with the hexagon-shaped opening." Her lips twitched.

Percy shrugged. "There's a reason I only fly these things." He found the correct tool and gave it to her.

She rolled back under the plane and tightened the bolt then moved her fingers along the cable to make sure it held tightly. Satisfied, she started to move over to the next area.

A pilot came running into the hangar. "Jones! We made contact." He paused, bending over at the waist and dragging air into his lungs.

Verity slid out from under the plane again. "With the resistance?" That would be excellent news.

The pilot straightened and shook his head. "No, with Cavendish."

She dropped the wrench, her mouth hanging open. "You're not joking, are you?" Holy shit!

She scrambled to her feet and put the wrench away, the ingrained lessons from her dad never forgotten.

Percy stilled her hands. "Go, Verity. No one would joke about that." He nudged her toward the door. "I'll take care of putting your tools away."

She went, her head filled with wonder, fear, and … love. Ducking into the communications shed, she put the headset on. "Night Raven base to Cavendish, over." The radio crackled and squawked, and she made an adjustment to the frequency. "Emory, is everything okay?" Dragging in a shuddering breath, she bounced her knee with impatience.

Emory's voice came through the headset. "It's all good here."

Sinking with relief, Verity started peppering him with questions. "How? How did you manage to make contact?" He'd never risk something not secure.

Emory chuckled. "I think I'm working with some of your long-lost family members. Their ingenuity reminds me of you." Another burst of static followed his statement.

She smiled, so damned happy she could burst. "It's so good to hear your voice."

Emory concurred. "Same. I found the beacon and managed to make sure it worked. I'm assuming you know my location?"

Verity nodded. "We know the plane's location. Yours, we're a little iffy on."

Emory responded. "I'm at a farmhouse. It's about three clicks from the plane."

Now it would be so much easier to launch their retrieval operation.

Verity looked at the map on the wall. "This is good. We're coming to get you, Emory. Probably within two to three days now that we have your exact location." A tap on her shoulder from Worthington had her making a hasty farewell. "Hang tight. I'll see you soon." She handed the headset to the CO. "I'm sorry for the breach in protocol, sir."

Worthington's lips curved. "We can let it slide this time, Jones. Be ready for a briefing first thing in the morning."

Verity lifted her chin. "Yes, sir." She practically danced out of the comm shed while Worthington spoke to his CAG. "Not long now, Emory. I'll have you back soon."

I have so much love for this series. I think everything is finally coming together and I'm having so much fun writing these characters.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Turning the Tide (a Black Raven Banner novella)

I can't believe we're at the end of May already. The year is flying by a lot faster than I want it to. Then again, it's been busier than usual for me, so time is kind of relative right now.

Had a great week with work projects. I'm making steady progress on both and still enjoying them. It's so much fun when you love the work.

Had a somewhat limited viewing week. I'm trying to figure out the whole HBOMax is Max now and, oh, yeah, it includes Discovery+. I have both so I have to figure it all out. I won't be paying twice for the same thing.

I watched a double-header of Battlestar Galactica with the second and third episodes of season two. I can't say enough about how strong the first ten episodes are. This show rarely missed in the first two seasons.

Also caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I have so much love for this show. It also makes me happy when people pop back up. I kind of miss a few of the original recurring characters but it's nice to have the continuity this show tries for.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Who. I think I might have one or two left to finish out the classic run of episodes. Not sure if I'll start a new rewatch of the New Who or not, but I'm excited for the new doctor and the anniversary specials.

I'll be starting the second part of Silent Witness this week. I'm also going to change up how I do my viewing. I normally scroll through my streaming services and watch one show from each, but that hasn't been cutting it lately. I think I'll start watching whatever strikes my interest and go from there.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Turning the Tide, a Black Raven Banner novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Verity and Emory have to balance the personal with the professional when they're back at Black Raven command. They're tasked with taking out a crucial enemy stronghold by exploiting a vulnerable weakness. The removal of the base will give the allied forces a way into the heart of enemy territory. Just when they think they're ready to go, Verity's ace fighter pilot dad shows up to see his daughter … and meet the man who wants her—Emory Cavendish.

And a preview snippet…

Emory wished for another R and R furlough. "The lack of interruptions were a plus." He finished buttoning his shirt and entered the briefing area.

Worthington greeted him. "Your French connection paid off. Word just came through." He retrieved a box of simulation props from the cupboard.

Emory quirked a brow. "Troop movement?" The resistance had been busy.

Worthington nodded when more people filed into the room. Verity, a large mug of coffee in her hand, strolled in behind Percy. She took a spot on the wall, letting the guys gather around the table.

Worthington called the meeting to order. "All right, now that we have everyone, here's the main point." He unfurled a large map and spread it on the table. "The enemy forces are starting to move around the first base Cavendish located. We've got orders to plan an air attack." His hand motioned to allied territory. "Ground forces are going to move out within forty-eight hours with an estimated arrival sometime late in the week." He paused and pinned Emory with his gaze. "I'm assigning Cavendish and Jones as leads on this, but everyone needs to work the table." His focus switched to Verity.

She came forward and eased up to Emory, her gaze sweeping the mock-up of hand-drawn locations. She shot a glance toward Emory then nodded. She wanted him to take the lead.

He picked up a model representing a troop transport vehicle. "Let's start with where the ground forces will be." He placed the truck on the map surface.

For the next two hours they plotted, arranged, planned, discarded, and finally got a working operation hashed out. Emory nudged Verity and she put the final plane on the board. The one she'd be flying.

She stepped back. "Okay, does everyone understand their role for this mission?" All heads nodded.

She swept the pieces off the table and slid a sideways glance toward Worthington.

He chuckled and lifted his chin. "Good, let's go through it one more time. Jones, why don't you get us started."

Emory picked up the transport and handed it to Verity.

A voice from the back of the room called out. "What the ever-loving hell is my daughter doing knee-deep in a briefing?"

All heads turned and a line of pilots shuffled to obscure the table from the intruder's sight. The man stood with his feet planted in black leather boots and his hands fisted at his side. Emory recognized him; had seen his stern countenance in photographs many times. Victor "Ace" Jones.

Verity's father.

Well, hell.

This is the concluding book to the Black Raven Banner—if the name doesn't change again—series and I'm so happy with how it's coming together.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: In Enemy Territory (A Blackraven Banner novella)

Wow, another rough week on the home front. My middle kiddo is really struggling right now and I hate not being able to help him even though he's an adult. He's really tired of landing in the emergency department but we might be getting closer to figuring out what's going on with him. A few specialist appointments in September might help even more.

Didn't get as much television viewed but had a decent amount nonetheless. Started out with The Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I really like seeing previous characters in their recurring roles.

Finished up Silent Witness's second episode and don't remember watching it during my first viewing. Glad I got to see it.

Watched an arc of Classic Who and should be finished up with the season eighteen soon. I think it might be the last one for Four.

Got another episode of UFO Witness viewed and rather enjoyed this one. Still feels staged but I liked the deep dive into whether there's a secret underground base of operations for aliens.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show with Raquel Welch and James Coco as the guest stars. About halfway through season three and looking forward to more.

Finished out McCartney 3, 2, 1 and would love to see more. So many great moments and songs in this brief look into Paul McCartney's journey as a musician.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice and ended up liking it a lot. Will can be such a prat sometimes but I like that about his character.

Enjoyed another lesson on Master Class. LeVar Burton focused on reading to children and interacting with them about the source material. Very interesting!

Started Inside the Episodes: The Witcher and loved going back to revisit the first episode. I'm looking forward to the next installment.

Caught another episode of New Rugrats and loved it. I really enjoy the updated version of this show.

Finishing out the week with Chicago Med and it's a heat wave episode. I'm totally feeling that this week. It got hot again.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from In Enemy Territory, a Blackraven Banner novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Verity Jones and Emory Cavendish welcome a new CO under the Blackraven banner. Lawrence Worthington hits the ground running and gets up to speed quickly. He has to—the mission rate doubles when a group of resistance teams get ambushed simultaneously. He needs every member—including Verity—at the top of their game and he has to find out how the enemy got their hands on the base locations.

And a preview snippet…

Verity scrubbed the grease off her hands and redid her ponytail. Nervous tension roiled in her gut about meeting the new CO. She grabbed the edge of the sink and exhaled slowly.

"Probably just feeling some guilt over Whitcomb's downfall." Then again, the guy tried to get her killed.

Pushing away from the sink, she finished getting cleaned up and exited the head. Standing outside, she stripped off her coveralls in the hall. The door opened and a major entered the corridor, no doubt the new commanding officer.

Verity hoped he'd walk right on by and give her a few moments to get situated. She thought she might be in the clear when he strolled past but then he paused and turned around.

He spoke to her back. "Soldier, is there a reason you're stripping in the corridor?"

Verity froze for a second. Damn. It figures. Nothing for it, she'd have to brazen it out.

She stepped out of the coveralls, squared her shoulders, and turned to face the new CO. "It's specialist, sir. I'm a civilian. As for removing my coveralls…" She rolled the clothing up, starting with the legs. "That was to make myself presentable … to meet you, sir." She tucked the rolled-up garment under her arm and thrust her hand forward. "Specialist VJ Jones."

He shook her hand, giving her a curious once-over.  "Jones as in—"

She nodded, assuming he meant her dad. "As in. Yes, sir."

His lips curved in a wry twist. "So, you're Cavendish's girl."

What did he mean? "Excuse me?" Her head spun with the abrupt change in topic.

She usually had to chitchat about her dad before switching gears. She had a whole spiel ready to go. Discussing her relationship with Emory didn't seem appropriate.

The major nodded. "The CAG sings your praises, Jones. You feature prominently in his reports."

She ducked her head. "I do my part, sir. No more or less than anyone else around here."

He gave her a long look. "You're nothing like your dad. Which means you and I are going to get along just fine." A sheepish chuckle followed his statement.

She barely had time to process the comment before Emory's voice preceded him down the corridor.

"Jones! Hop to it—" He stopped short then snapped to attention. "Major Worthington, sir. The men are in the briefing room, awaiting your arrival."

The pieces clicked into place when Verity heard his name. Major Lawrence Worthington—the second best pilot of the united forces. That explained the earlier comment.

Verity turned to face Emory. "Sorry I'm late. I found the new CO—or move to the point—he found me."

They walked toward Emory and Worthington sent him on to get the men ready. Verity stopped to put her coveralls in the wash station.

She fell into step beside the major. "So, you're…"

Worthington cracked a smile. "Yeah, I am." He entered the briefing room and headed to the front of the space.

Verity grabbed a seat in the back and settled in for the opening remarks. Life would certainly be interesting from this point forward.

I love how this series is coming together. Verity and Emory are a joy to write and the secondary characters are also fun.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye