Sunday Snippet: Calamity of Chaos (a Chaos novella)

Still bitterly cold in Ohio, but by midweek, we'll see high forties and low fifties and lots of rain. We're going to have a lot of sick people in the near future. The back-and-forth weather is horrible for keeping folks healthy.

Busy work week again, which I'm so thankful for. I'm also working on my new venture and should have news soon. I'm hoping by February.

Decent viewing week. I didn't quite make a full run-through of all my shows, but I got very close.

Started with My Life Is Murder again. Very interesting episode with some fun backstory. I love getting more information about the characters.

Watched a holiday episode of Agatha Raisin. This one kicked off season four and it ended up being a lot of fun. I loved the mix of characters.

Finally continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with the feature of Razor. We had to backtrack a little to pick up with this one. I'd forgotten how much I loved Lee in this special feature.

Caught an episode of Silent Witness, which finished up a two-parter. I feel for Jack, and I loved getting some more details about his family. I feel for what Ryan's been through, but I'm glad Jack is finished covering for his brother.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise. This is another episode I didn't get to see, and I quite enjoyed following the clues. Looking forward to another episode

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Also loved Joan trying to find Sherlock a sponsor and him not quite being able to just say he doesn't want her to leave at the end of her contract.

Caught the final episode of The Batman season one. Excellent finale with three of the big bads trying to unmask Batman. Also loved the introduction of Commissioner Gordon. Looking forward to starting season two.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Both vignettes were ones I didn't remember so nice to have something new to me.

Started season two of The Secret Life of Amy Benson and rather liked the first episode. I'm a little curious how much book detail is being left out, but I don't think it takes away from what we're seeing.

Also started an episode of VIP but didn't get to finish it. I'm not even sure what's going on yet.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Calamity of Chaos, a Chaos novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Esme and Ashton embark on a trip to America, on the trail of their nemesis's partner. Calamity ensues when they stumble upon a dastardly plot to keep them from returning home.

And a preview snippet…

Ash pulled Eric aside. "You're absolutely certain you won't join us?" He could delay the launch by a day.

Eric shook his head. "You've been asking me that for the past week. I'm not going to change my mind." He crossed the hangar and retrieved a bag from the pile being loaded into the ship's hull. "Besides, someone has to hold down the estate." His gaze drifted to the woman standing next to Esme. "And I won't leave Bonnie. Not until Mobride is no longer a threat."

Ash didn't blame Eric. Bonnie Lancaster risked her life to help Eric and saved Ash in the process. Eric found himself a stellar woman. The fact that Mobride used to abuse her during his brothel visits made her role in his downfall particularly contentious.

Eric stooped down and unlaced the top of the bag. "I do, however, have a couple of gifts for you. Already showed Del how they work." Reaching inside, he withdrew a rectangular slab. "This detects Olympus and will give a reading on how refined the ore is." He nodded toward the canvas satchel. "There's one for you, Del, Esme, and Smithers." He bent down again. "I also have something that might save time if you need to reach us over here." Holding a large box-shaped item, he opened the hinged top. "You'll need refined ore and a wide-open space, preferably someplace high up, to operate this device. The Olympus gives it a long range and I have the matching device in the carriage house." He tucked the communicator back inside the bag and refastened the laces.

Ash huffed out a breath. "You never cease to amaze. What else is in there?" He nodded toward the duffel.

Eric's lips twitched. "Some odds and ends. Del can fill you in." Rising, he jerked his head toward the rest of the group. "Let's get you guys boarded. Then I'm going to get Bonnie home and settled in." He started toward the others.

Ash fell into step beside Eric. "Does that communicator work both ways? Can you contact us if needed?" Moving Bonnie to the estate should afford the most protection, but Ash didn't count Mobride completely out.

Eric's lips curved. "Probably." His gaze darkened. "But I added some perimeter defenses to the estate, so I rather doubt we'll need to get ahold of you."

Ash chuckled. "I should've known you'd have things well in hand."

I'm having a lot of fun with this series. I'm not going full-on steampunk but I hope the vibe is there.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Calamity of Chaos (a Chaos novella)

So far, February has been cold and snowy in Ohio. Not a complaint or anything. It's been a while since we've had snow that stuck around for longer than a day or two.

Had a fairly busy work week but I did manage to get a couple of shows watched. I started with the last two episodes of Queens of Mystery and also caught the behind the scenes and easter egg specials. I'm looking forward to another season of this show if they decide to go ahead.

I started another episode of Silent Witness and should finish it up over the next day or so. This two-parter will round out the eighth season and I'll start nine in the near future.

Caught the first episode of a new-to-me series, No Offence. Set in Manchester, I really liked the first episode. It's a bit of a dramedy which isn't usually my cuppa but I'll give this one a solid shot.

Also got another episode of Blue Heelers almost finished. This had a fun crop circle thing going on to offset a tragedy. The only thing left is the reveal of who committed a murder.

Caught my usual Ovation mysteries also. And I found a channel that's showing Poltergeist: The Legacy, which I loved when it originally aired. I really miss old-school Syfy channel sometimes. The current incarnation annoys me to the point I can't really watch it anymore. I think the freak of the week movies really ruined the entire channel for me.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Calamity of Chaos, a novella that follows Consortium of Chaos with the return of Ashton and Esme.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme and Ashton embark on a trip to America, on the trail of their nemesis's partner. Calamity ensues when they stumble upon a dastardly plot to keep them from returning home.

And a preview snippet…

Esme Von Staunton opened the door to greet her brother. "Eric, what brings you here?" She stepped back so he could enter.

Eric glanced behind Esme. "Is Ash here? I've got some news." He removed his coat and swung it over his arm.

Smithers entered and frowned then crossed over and took Eric's garment, which he hung up to avoid wrinkling. "Mr. Sylvester will be in shortly. He's finishing up a letter to the consortium." With a nod, he exited the room.

Esme rolled her eyes. "He's been particularly proper lately. It's driving me mad." She led Eric to the seating arrangement and let him decide where to land.

He chose the settee, which didn't surprise her. His tall frame never settled comfortably on smaller furniture. Esme perched on the edge of a side chair.

Ash entered. "Eric. A nice surprise to have you here." He greeted Esme's older sibling with a firm handshake then turned and dropped a kiss on Esme's lips.

Eric got straight to his point. "I've got news. You're going to have a tough time finding Mobride's partner because he isn't in Briton." He leaned forward, resting his elbows on his thighs.

Ash shot Esme a quick glance. "You're certain? We haven't exhausted all of our resources here yet." He sat on the chair next to Esme's.

Eric lifted his chin. "Don't waste them here."

Esme cut in. "So, where should we be looking? Europe's a big continent." She hated the idea of the man being out there, pursuing Mobride's agenda.

Eric snorted. "He's not in Europe. If you want to find the baron's partner, you'll have to head for America."

Esme's mouth dropped open. "America? That's something we didn't foresee." But why would they?

Ash cocked his head. "How good is this information?" His face grew thoughtful, the wheels in his brain no doubt shifting into overdrive.

Eric rolled a shoulder. "Mobride's top aide was overheard discussing how difficult it's been to manage the business interests with the baron in confinement. He's only allowed to see him once during the week." He paused, his lips pursing. "He's getting pressure from someone in America, wanting to know how long Mobride is going to be held and weighing the idea of coming to Briton to take over the enterprise." Eric sat back, shaking his head. "Can you imagine?"

Ash's lips thinned to a slash across his face. "No. And it won't happen. We're not going to have anyone else mucking up the recent progress we've made." He got and paced back and forth a few moments.

Esme didn't need Ash's extrasensory ability to guess what would come next.

Ash stopped midstride. "Es. Better get the Lady V checked over."

Eric frowned. "Whatever for?" The light dawned. "You're not really considering—"

Esme laughed, cutting him off. "Oh, yes, he is, brother dear." She got up and made her way to Ash's side. "We're going to America."

This is such a fun series even if it has some dark turns. I love writing Esme and Ashton and their merry band of friends.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Calamity of Chaos

Slow week in television due to the Olympics, but that's okay. I enjoy being a casual viewer of the coverage and there have been some terrific events. Watching Virture | Mior during ice dancing is such a joy. They're unmatched by anyone else.

Legends of Tomorrow returned on Monday and while I'm kind of "meh" about the move to a new night, I did love the episode. Nice to see the group dealing with Firestorm being gone. Also kind of cool to see Mick step into something of a leadership role, even if he'd never own doing it. LOL

I had the chance to catch up on my period dramas. Murdoch Mysteries is having some fun with Julia's pregnancy and I kind of like how she's dealing with everything. Frankie Drake Mysteries keeps getting better. I love the varied types of cases Frankie and Trudy get involved in.

Also caught another five episodes of Chicago Fire. Season four is diving into things on a much deeper level and I like where the characters are right now. It's been fun watching Severide pull himself back up from his demotion. I even sort of enjoyed Patterson figuring out what really matters at fifty-one. Not sure I'm totally down with him becoming a battalion chief but, yeah, I can live with it. LOL

I didn't get the chance to watch more of The Punisher, but I'll be catching some episodes this weekend. Also still need to watch the latest Riverdale before the show returns after the Olympics.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Calamity of Chaos, a Chaos novella with a steampunk flair.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme and Ashton embark on a trip to America, on the trail of their nemesis's partner. Calamity ensues when they stumble upon a dastardly plot to keep them from returning home.

And a preview snippet…

"I'm asking, plainly I might add, if you'd like to spend the night in my bed." Anissa removed her jacket and hung it by the door along with her hat. "Are you sure you write articles for a living?" Her lips curved in a sexy smirk.

Del blinked and shook his head. The woman certainly liked to push boundaries. But the idea of spending a night with her held great appeal.

But first he had to salvage his wounded pride and protect his cover story. "Yes, I'm certain. I fully grasp the English language." And several others.

Anissa started undoing the buttons of her chambray shirt. "Then what seems to be the problem?" She walked toward him, her hips swaying gently. "You're a prime specimen of manhood. I have no doubt you'll make an impressive lover." Tugging the shirttails from her trousers, she let the shirt flutter to the floor.

Which left her in her chemise and rugged denim pants. Her curves on prominent display, he struggled to form coherent thoughts.

She quirked a brow. "What seems to be the problem?" Leaning in, she trailed a finger down his shirtfront.

His body responded to her touch, his cock hard and aching. "I'm a little taken aback by your forwardness." Only Esme came close to being as brazen.

The women would no doubt get along famously.

She found his declaration vastly amusing, tossing her head with a laugh. "Look, I'm not Miss Prim and Proper. Would I be riding around on a horse, shooting targets if I were?" She lifted a shoulder. "I go where I want and do what I want. With whomever I want. If you can't handle that, take your leave." She glanced toward the door, indicating he could go. "I make no apologies for the way I live." Turning on her heel, she strode to the wardrobe and yanked the door open.

Del crossed the space between them in two strides. "I didn't ask for any. Your life is yours to live however you see fit." He grasped her arm, turning her to face him. "You caught me off-guard with the invitation. I only know one other woman who has the wherewithal to boldly state her intentions and follow through on them." His lips curved. "She quite enjoys thumbing her nose at societal norms. You two would get along quite well."

Anissa's shoulders tensed. "I wasn't aware you're already spoken for. Consider my earlier suggestion off the table." Her mouth twisted in distaste.

Del threw his head back and laughed. "I have no claim on Esme. That headache belongs to her partner Ashton Sylvester." He skimmed his palms up to her shoulders. "I'm currently unattached. And… if your offer still stands…" He lowered his head, his mouth hovering over hers. "I'd very much like to spend the night with you."

I truly need to sit down and finish writing this series. I love the characters and the settings and the sages are usually generous with the words once I dive back into the pages.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Calamity of Chaos

Greetings!

Ugh. I'm fighting a nasty summer cold / allergy / yuck something, which I'm hoping runs its course before next week. School starts on August 25, but my kidlets already have golf and football stuff going on. We've already had a football scrimmage and our first golf match is Monday. Sadly, I won't be going because I can't breathe when I go outside. LOL Ugh. Seriously, my nasal passages can clear up any time now.

Let's see. Teen Wolf? Yeah. A shit ton of stuff happened in the last episode. Glad to see things moving forward. I'm now excited to see Monday's episode. If I'm not in a cold / allergy medication induced coma. <see above>

Friday night on Syfy is still kicking major ass. Defiance turned in a pretty awesome episode. But… I was sad to see one of the characters go. I'm also dying to see where this whole thing ends and there better be another season to wrap stuff up. I'm going to be very angry if there isn't. LOL

Killjoys seriously keeps me glued to the screen. This is another one where a new season is a must. The pacing and everything else related to backstory and world building is just about perfect. The only thing I'd like to see a little more of is John's history. I'd even throw Pawter in there, too, but I'm actually okay with what's been revealed of her history so far. Here's hoping next week's episode is mind-blowing.

Dark Matter… cliffhanger ahoy! I'll be riveted to see how Two gets out of the predicament she landed in. I'm also interested in seeing where they end this season. While this show spends a little more time on backstory / exposition, I'm definitely excited by the possibilities of more.

The Last Ship. What can I say? I've praised everything from the pacing, characters, actors, and writing. I'll add all the twists and turns to the mix. I totally didn't see Rachel's ballsy action last week and I can't wait to see if shit flies or not. I'm kind of hoping for the latter because seriously? Her move needed to happen. Just saying.

And enough about TV. Tonight's post is from Calamity of Chaos, book three of the Chaos series, where Esme and Ashton venture to America.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esme and Ashton embark on a trip to America, on the trail of their nemesis's partner. Calamity ensues when they stumble upon a dastardly plot to keep them from returning home.

And a preview snippet…

Esme entered the room before Ash and dropped her cases on the floor. She crossed over to the bed and tumbled backwards, letting out a satisfied groan.

Ash chuckled. "I take it the accommodations meet with your approval?" He set his luggage next to hers and loosened his collar.

Esme rolled over to her side, propping her head on a hand. "Can't be sure until we test the bed, but so far, so good." She reached down and untied the laces of her boots, tugging them loose to kick them off.

Ash crossed over to the bed and grasped her leg, twisting her back to lie flat. "Then we should be conducting said test right away, don't you think?" His palm slid up her calf and his fingers dragged a stocking down and off.

Esme wiggled her toes and arched her foot. "Ah… feels good to be barefoot." She held up her other leg.

Ash grinned and repeated the process. "I know you prefer breeches and socks, but keeping up appearances is important, Es." He shrugged out of his jacket and joined her on the bed. "I'll make it worth the extra effort on your end." His head lowered and he dropped a kiss on her nose.

Esme caught his face between her hands. "I know you will, Ash." She meshed her mouth with his, sliding her tongue past his lips.

Ash groaned, his mind drifting to all the ways he'd like to have her. Esme smiled through the kiss and Ash chuckled. The closer he and Esme got, the more he tended to unwittingly share.

He eased away, working the buttons of her blouse loose. "What would you like to start with, my dear?" Separating the sides, he trailed his fingers along the edge of her camisole.

Esme started undoing his buttons. "I think the second scenario for starters." She shoved the fabric aside and flicked her tongue over his nipple.

Ash's lips curved upward. His Esme never ceased to make the right call.

I love this series so much. If all goes well, there should be four books total.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Calamity of Chaos

Howdy!

Well, my week in television ended up being pretty damned awesome. Seriously, the Walking Dead kind of caught me off guard, but gotta give it to Rick. When he steps up, he sorta goes full tilt and gets it done. Not sure how I feel about the parting of ways, but I'm leaning towards it being a good thing.

Thoroughly enjoyed Castle, which is a nice change since I've been kind of 'meh' about this season. I love getting to see Rick and Kate together—that kind of never happens and it pisses me off—but the storylines either underwhelmed or made me scratch my head. Sons of Anarchy continues to rip the scabs off old wounds. I love having my smart Jax back. He's always at his best when he's not reacting to and working through shit like watching his best friend die. Very interested to see what side Tara's actions have him landing on. My hope is he'll stay smart, get the Irish out of the way, deal with the DA, and then let the emotional fallout hit. And good Christ, stay away from Gemma so she can't throw gasoline on the fire. *shakes head*

Arrow and The Tomorrow People just make my Wednesday the best day of the week. I can't say enough about Arrow at the moment, and anything I would say would contain spoilers, so *zips lips*. Haven twisted everything sideways again, but hit on a theory I had from the first episode. I kind of can't wait to see how the new wrinkle plays into the mythology. I have more thinky thoughts, but again… spoilers. LOL

So, that's my week in TV. Maybe I should get to the actual post, right? Tonight's snippet is from Calamity of Chaos, a follow up to Consortium of Chaos. The story is set in the United States and has Esme and Ash on the trail of Baron Morbid's partner. So far, it's been loads of fun to write.

Here's the tagline:

Esme and Ashton embark on a trip to America, on the trail of their nemesis's partner. Calamity ensues when they stumble upon a dastardly plot to keep them from returning home.

And a preview snippet…

Esme turned the controls of the Lady Victorious over to Del. "Keep her steady and for pity's sake call me if you run into any sky traffic." She stepped away from the helm. "I do not want to get stranded in the states with no way home except by sea."

Del snorted. "Esme, you've taught me everything I know about captaining this big ship. Since when do you lack confidence in my ability?" He lifted a brow.

Smithers nosed into the conversation. "Since you are not her, sir." He sent a smirk in Esme's direction.

She sneered. "Stow it, Smithers. I'm perfectly confident Del can handle things." She started toward the aisle leading to the staterooms. "It's the crazy Americans I worry about." Her lips curved when Smithers went pale and pasty.

She enjoyed getting him all wound up. And Del would have to deal with the hovering valet, leaving her plenty of time to cajole Ash into bed for a nice, long romp.

Ash got too caught up in Mobride's business sometimes and Esme wanted to remind him to take a little time to wind down and rejuvenate. Too much time spent around Baron Morbid's affairs would eventually have a negative effect. Esme wanted to get the guy's partner as much, maybe more, than Ash, but she wouldn't lose the man she loved to the nefarious viciousness Mobride seemed able to generate even beyond the grave.

She paused outside the door of their cabin and loosened the buttons of her bodice then gave her camisole a yank for good measure. Twisting the knob of the door, she entered quarters and found Ash poring over several sets of ledgers. The man didn't even look up when she strode across the floor to stop in front of the desk. Esme frowned. Desperate times called for desperate actions. Tugging her shirttails free, she undid the rest of the buttons and shrugged the garment off to toss it on the surface in front on Ash. Startled, he glanced up, his eyes going wide then darkening with desire. Esme slowly made her way around the edge, stopping just shy of Ash's chair. The scrape of wood on the deck became a welcome sound when Ash angled the seat so she could drop down atop his lap. Esme wrapped an arm around his shoulders, putting her breasts on display when the camisole inched its way down. Ash's tongue flicked out, wetting his lower lip and her nipples puckered in response.

She met his gaze. "It's past time for a distraction, my love." She wriggled her butt around and grinned when she got the response she wanted.

The rapid hardening of Ash's cock.

He gave her a wolfish smile then grasped the hem of her camisole, lifting upward. "You know, Es, I think you're right." He tugged the garment over her head then leaned down to draw a pebbled tip between his lips.

Esme gasped, loving the way his teeth grazed over the sensitive peak.

And yes, I'm gonna leave the rest to your imagination. :D

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye