Sunday Snippet: A Capsized Buccaneer

Happy Valentine's to those who celebrate. We're supposed to get blasted with more snow but I definitely won't gripe about it because I have family and friends in Texas that will no doubt have it so much worse.

Semi-busy week again with a new work project. Things are picking up a little and I'm grateful and happy to have work still coming in.

I started a new episode of Blue Heelers and have a feeling it's going to be an interesting one. I love getting slice of life glimpses into the town and how it operates.

I finished up the first part of Silent Witness's last two episodes of season eight. I'll be starting the second part this week. Then it's off to season nine.

Caught another episode of No Offence and I'm still liking the show. I'm not a big comedy fan, which is probably evident in my weekly recaps, but I will give dramedies a shot. Glad I stuck with this one.

New seasons are starting of shows I normally watch but I'm so far behind. I haven't been in the mood or the right headspace to really absorb some of them. Maybe I'll get there during the blizzard that's supposed to be headed our way.

I also caught my usual fare of mystery shows this week, but that's pretty much it for television. Tonight's post is from A Capsized Buccaneer, a novella that takes a few interesting twists and puts the main characters on a deserted island that isn't so deserted.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kallen Bond, a star athlete certain to lead her team to a championship win, takes a much needed two-day excursion aboard a Bertelli luxury yacht before the big game. The Bertellis sabotage their ship to eliminate Kallen from the competition, but she's saved by Zeb, the family black sheep, and they end up stranded on a remote island with no way home.

And a preview snippet…

Both had certain notoriety so they had some common ground there. They didn't move in the same circles, but that didn't stop social media from making their names trend on occasion. She called her own shots, maybe he meant that.

Zeb rolled a shoulder. "You live by your own code. It's refreshing." He kicked his feet out and leaned against the crate. "Me? I've had a set foundation since birth; one that's hard to deviate from." He sent her a raised-eyebrow look. "And I'm the black sheep of the Bertellis. But even then, there's a standard I have to live up to. One not of my choosing." His lips twisted in a grimace.

Kallen kind of got what he meant. "I sort of get that. I have a ton of freedom, but I still had to meet requirements—like attending the glitzy function on the yacht." She shuddered. "I love interacting with fans, but the end of the season is such a grind, especially if we make the playoffs. I'm never at my best." Wincing, her shoulders slumped. "I sound horrible. I'm thankful for the sponsorships and endorsement opportunities … don't get me wrong. I'd rather not have to play dress-up and attend functions when I have a championship to prep for." That said, she did have an off season.

She couldn't imagine having a family name to worry about. Black sheep or not. She came from a solidly average background and her parents had been proud of her achievements. When they died in a multiple-vehicle accident right after she signed with the Buccaneers, she'd mourned them but moved on—just as they'd expect her to do. If nothing else, they'd ingrained practicality into her and gave her the support groundwork she'd need to survive on her own.

Even with the Bertelli bucketloads of money at his disposal, Zeb didn't seem to have had that kind of framework to fall back on.

She crawled over and straddled his thighs. "You know … there's a lot to be said for going your own way. But I get why you can't. At least not completely." She wriggled around, getting comfortable and getting a rise out of him as well.

He cupped her face. "I'd walk away with nothing but the yacht—which is, well, a moot point now—if I could." His thumb stroked her cheek. "I don't need the iron-clad prison being a Bertelli keeps me in most of the time." His lips ghosted along her jawline.

Kallen inched his shirt up. "Why do you stick around then?" Her fingers brushed over his torso.

He grabbed the back of the garment and tugged the tee over his head. "A promise I made to my mom long ago. As long as she's alive, I won't rock the boat too much." He huffed out a laugh. "No pun intended."

Kallen chuckled but sobered. "Why not go for the full-treatment vacation then? Be who you want while we're here?" She inched back and loosened the button on his pants. "And make the most of what we can?" She leaned in to capture his lips.

Zeb mumbled against her mouth. "Sounds like an excellent plan." He pushed her shirt up and cupped her breasts.

We definitely have this in common. Being stranded with him won't get boring.

This story is fun and challenging. I didn't intend to turn this into more than one book, but I have a feeling there's more to come from Kallen and Zeb.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Capsized Buccaneer

The Olympics are almost over and we'll be back to regular television viewing again. I'm looking forward to my shows being back on the screen.

I thoroughly enjoyed Legends of Tomorrow 's take on Groundhog Day. The end definitely intrigued me. Looking forward to seeing how that plays out.

I finished up another episode of The Punisher and I'm really trying to figure out what's going on with Lewis. I'm not very familiar with the comics versions of Frank's story so I like not having any information to pull from.

Caught several more episodes of Chicago Fire and I'm getting close to the end of season four. Oddly enough, I wasn't all that upset to see Chili go. I did like the reach out to Severide even if that particular thread got rushed.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from A Capsized Buccaneer, a novella that works in a super-hero angle with romance.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kallen Bond, a star athlete certain to lead her team to a championship win, takes a much needed two day excursion aboard a Bertelli luxury yacht before the big game. The Bertelli's sabotage their ship to eliminate Kallen from the competition, but she's saved by Zeb, the family black sheep, and they end up stranded on a remote island with no way home.

And a preview snippet…

Zeb Bertelli stopped short when he arrived to find his family's yacht decorated with sports logos. "What the hell?" He blinked, thinking he might be hallucinating.

After the two-day bender he'd been on, he wouldn't discount the idea.

No such luck. The crew scurried around, setting up tables and stocking the bar. His stomach churned at the thought of alcohol. Or food. The standard aroma of hors d'oeurves wafted from the main deck.

Zeb wanted a bed and a quiet place to dry out before he faced his bastion of relatives again. And he wanted both on the yacht. He didn't care if one of his stupid siblings scheduled an event.

"Ha. Maybe I should tell them I want the Bertie Blue and they can have everything else."

No better way to simplify life than to hop a ship and sail the hell away.

Clutching his stomach with one hand, he started up the gangplank. He'd stumble belowdecks and crash in his stateroom. A "Do Not Disturb" sign should keep partygoers out.

Edging along the bulkhead, he made his way to the lowest portion of the ship. "Finally. Relief." Two more doors down and bliss would be his.

Entering his room, he fumbled for the door tag, one of his brother's better ideas, and hooked it on the knob. The sight of the freshly made bed almost brought tears to Zeb's eyes.

Ambling toward the welcome comfort, he sighed. "Bless you, Martina." His knees hit the edge of the mattress and he tumbled forward, sinking into the soft cushiony heaven.

He considered grabbing a shower but the gentle rocking of the yacht soothed his roiling stomach and pounding head. The sandalwood and eucalyptus scented sheets and fluffy duvet held him captive. Martina's soft touch again. She always had like Zeb best and went out of her way to keep his stateroom stocked and ready for his use.

His last thought before passing out centered on making sure the head housekeeper got a hefty raise in the near future.

Thoroughly enjoying putting the pieces together with this story. Zeb's shallowness is fun to get started with and watching him grow into his true nature is pretty cool.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: A Capsized Buccaneer

Still battling the cold / allergy / viral evilness thing. But… I think I'm finally in the last stages. <fingers crossed>

Teen Wolf has me confuzzled. I seriously don't know where or how everything is going to end up. I will say I kind of can't wait for the end of the Dread Doctors. I'm pretty much done with giving any kind of crap about them. Not my favorite storyline to date. Just saying.

Defiance keeps getting better. The twisty-turny stuff makes me happy. I love how even with internal betrayals, judgment and forgiveness tends to be fast and certain. I really do hope this show continues.

Killjoys season finale proved to be excellent. I'm so in love with this show, enough that I'm considering doing recaps for my fandom blog. Need to make a note to get the DVDs ASAP.

Dark Matter also gave me something I wanted, more information about Two. I'm liking how the crew is starting to gel and work together. The scene in the vault with all the guys was a treat to watch.

And once again, The Last Ship brought a ton of drama to the table. I'll be honest, I really want Chandler to take a step off the high horse and remember what things were like before he picked up the POTUS. Rachel made a gut call and kept everyone else out of it, taking full responsibility. And in this case, the greater good should outweigh any righteous indignation.

Also… I have a bad vibe about who cut the video to make it look like the ship bombed New Orleans. I hope we'll find out if I'm right this week.

Tonight's post is from A Capsized Buccaneer, a novella with a mix of family drama and super powers. What can go wrong?

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kallen Bond, a star athlete certain to lead her team to a championship win, takes a much needed two day excursion aboard a Bertelli luxury yacht before the big game. The Bertelli's sabotage their ship to eliminate Kallen from the competition, but she's saved by Zeb, the family black sheep, and they end up stranded on a remote island with no way home.

And a preview snippet…

Kallen Bond loathed parties, but her coach and manager, Dan Dryden, insisted she attend the meet and greet with fans on the Bertelli yacht.

Dan gave her a flash of a smile. "It's only four hours of your life, Kal. A few drinks, some dinner, a little dancing. It's not too much to ask." He got up and started for the door. "And wear a dress, okay? You can bring clothes to change into." His hand landed on the knob.

Kallen bit back a nasty remark about the dress. "Why would I change?" Not that she'd complain… she hated dresses.

Dan glanced back over his shoulder. "Didn't I mention you get to take the yacht out for two days of rest and relaxation?" His lips twitched.

Kallen snorted. "No. No, you didn't. You ass." She shook her head. "But thanks. I don't have to tell you how much I need a break."

Dan winked. "I know, Kal. And you deserve it. Be there at seven." He exited the office and strolled down the corridor.

Kallen gathered up her gear and headed out of the training center. She had just enough time to head home, shower, and find the lone dress she had buried in the back of her closet. Why anyone expected an arena ball star to get all glammed up proved beyond her realm of understanding. The sport could be brutal and she wore her bumps and bruises like a badge of honor. Currently, she sported a lovely purple contusion on her right calf and a nasty abrasion on her left shoulder. She gave her all when playing and pushed her team to the championship bracket. They were poised to take the title in the game next week.

Walking the short distance to her apartment, Kallen entered and dumped her bag and gear beside the door. She left a trail of clothes from the living room to the bathroom, turning the water on to warm up, then rifling through her closet to snag the dress. Laying it on her bed, she reentered the bath and took a quick shower.

After drying off, she fixed her hair by twisting it into a high knot on the top of her head. As much as she avoided makeup, she applied enough to be passably presentable for a party, then slipped the midnight blue dress on. She glanced in the mirror, turning to make sure the clingy fabric hadn't bunched up in the back… and noticed her bare feet.

Kallen groaned. "Shit. Shoes." She had a pair of strappy sandals somewhere.

Digging through her closet again, she pulled out a pair of cargo pants and a couple of shirts for the extra time on the boat. She slid her main shoe rack to the side and bingo! The dressy taupe flat-heeled shoes rested on the bottom shelf. Grabbing those, she crossed to her dresser and gathered up underwear and shorts then stuffed everything in her carryon. Padding into the bathroom with the overnight bag, she threw some toiletries into a case and added it to the rest of her stuff. Carrying the sandals into the living room, she decided to put them on in the car after she arrived at the marina. Flip flops would do for the drive over, but she added a pair of her cross-trainers to her case then zipped it up. With the dressy shoes dangling from her fingers, she exited her apartment and made the quick jaunt out to her car. Throwing her carryon in the back seat she slid behind the wheel.

Heaving a sigh, she started the engine. "Four hours is going to feel like a million." She put the car in gear and eased out of the parking lot. "But for two days of blissful alone time… I can manage."

Oh, Kallen couldn't be more wrong, but stay tuned to see why. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Capsized Buccaneer

Hello!

Gotta say, my television shows are eating my brain lately. I'm dying for Walking Dead tonight even though the Governor makes my skin crawl. I got caught up on Sleepy Hollow and totally love the dynamic of the entire show. Reminds me so much of the X-files. Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. is coming together pretty nicely. I'm enjoying the character dynamics. Sons of Anarchy keeps me on the edge of my seat and I so want to hate Gemma, but can't quite go across the line into loathing territory. But I would love to see her get some kind of comeuppance. We'll see what happens.

Again, Arrow and Tomorrow People had me glued to my screen on Wednesday. Arrow truly gets better each episode. Tomorrow People keeps me guessing and I hope it stays that way. I'm really excited to see where Haven ends up going and how they'll resolve the current storyline. I can't remember if this is the last season or not, but I'm almost hoping it isn't.

And hey, I'm currently enjoying a Firefly marathon on the Science Channel. I have much love for that show.

So… tonight's post. Capsized Buccaneer is part urban fantasy, part castaway island. Zeb and Kallen have to survive being stranded after Zeb's yacht sinks in the ocean. He's got a connected family, she's a sports champion and their initial spark turns into a conflicted truce once they get off the island and discover someone wants Kallen dead.

Here's the tagline:

Kallen Bond, a star athlete certain to lead her team to a championship win, takes a much needed two day excursion aboard a Bertelli luxury yacht before the big game. The Bertelli's sabotage their ship to eliminate Kallen from the competition, but she's saved by Zeb, the family black sheep, and they end up stranded on a remote island with no way home.

And a preview snippet…

Zeb jerked to consciousness, putting his hands out to keep paddling water. His fingers met with sand instead. He no longer bobbed in the water, praying for death. Slowly, he attempted to sit, wincing at the sharp throb in his head. When the ship exploded, something caught the back of his skull. Lifting a hand, he found dried blood and a huge bump. Inhaling deeply, he fought the wave of pain and struggled to up onto his knees. He'd landed in a sandy pit a good distance from the shore.

How the hell had that happened? Movement from behind him drew his attention. The blond he'd grabbed when she floated past—Kelly, Kali, no, Kallen—plopped down beside him and gazed out towards the horizon.

He craned his neck, cautiously, and scanned the surrounding. Trees and craggy rocks met his gaze. Land. Civilization. They'd made it.

Heaving a sigh, he settled down, drawing his knees up to his chest. "We're safe."

Kallen snorted. "Yeah, not so much, handsome. While you were out cold, I wandered around. We're on an island as far as I can tell. I didn't go far, but it appears deserted." She slid him a sideways glance. "So unless you've got food and water stashed in those beat up cargo shorts, we're not safe." She scrambled up to her feet. "In fact, we're as good as dead if we don't find some kind of shelter." She lifted her chin, gazing upward. "Another storm front is moving in. And it looks damned ugly."

He followed her line of sight and sure enough, roiling, nasty looking black clouds moved at a solid clip, heading in their direction. He huffed out a hard breath and carefully got his feet under him.

He held out his hand. "Then let's go." He flashed a grin. "I've had enough of being wet today."

Kallen's lips quirked and she grasped his palm. "Yeah. I feel your pain." She took lead and directed Zeb towards a rocky outcropping. "I think we can stay protected from the wind and most of the rain over this way." She carefully picked her way along a barely noticeable trail.

But a path meant someone else had been on the island, right? Maybe? Or it could've been used by a big ass wild animal.

Zeb's head spun, his hangover kicking in with major force. Dehydration. He'd need water soon.

Kallen stumbled. "Son of a bitch." She hopped on one foot. "Stupid. Stupid. Wearing flip flops instead of shoes." A cut oozed blood along the side of her sole.

Zeb glanced downward, realizing he only had one of his topsiders on. How did he not notice that before? Dumbass, you woke up on some crazy island after your yacht went down. A little busy, yeah?

He ducked down, using his shoulder to support Kallen. "Let me help. You should avoid getting sand and dirt in that."

Kallen wrapped an arm around his waist. "Go straight, then bear right. You're looking for a big ass tree." She tightened her grip. "It gets pretty rough, the terrain, I mean."

Zeb shot her a look. "Think I can't handle it?"

She lifted a shoulder. "Well, you were pretty wasted last night. You've gotta be feeling like shit right now."

He fought an urge to heave and soldiered on. "You're not wrong. But I seriously don't wanna get caught when those clouds hit this place." He found the tree and veered inland. "But I warn you, when we hit those rocks, I might fall over and not get back up."

Kallen grimaced. "Look, it's Zeb, isn't it?"

He nodded.

She continued. "It's not much further and we won't have any place else to go once that storm get here. You, no we, can collapse and stay down as long as necessary."

Zeb got a better hold on Kallen. "Gee, Kallen, your motivational skills aren't quite what I expected."

She slid her gaze sideways. "You know my name?"

He snorted. "Everyone knows your name. You led your team to the world finals and a chance at the championship, hence the huge bash on my family's yacht."

She rolled her eyes. "Yeah, great party that turned out to be."

Zeb huffed out a harsh breath and winced when a strong stitch throbbed in his side. "God, don't make me laugh right now."

The craggy terrain evened out and Zeb broke through some underbrush into a small clearing. Kallen let go and hopped over to a large rock, dropping down to take a look at her injury.

Zeb circled around, trying to get his bearings. The sky darkened and he edged closer to the outcropping, looking for a good place to take shelter. Running his hand on the jagged surface, he walked about fifteen yards and noticed a large gap. He leaned in to get a closer look and discovered the opening seemed to go on for a good ways.

He shouted over the gusty wind. "Hey, Kallen, I think I found a cave. Maybe we could take cover in it."

She finished tying a strip of her shirt around her wound and hobbled over. Bending down, she peered inside.

She let out a laugh. "Damn, I think you're right. It'll be dark, but it should keep us out of the worst of the storm." Stooping down again, she crawled inside. "Shit, Zeb. Get in here."

Zeb followed and gasped in surprise. Light filtered in from the entrance, casting a shadowy glow on a large, circular ring with wood stacked inside. Several crates lined one side of the cave and two oil lanterns sat atop the biggest one. Zeb wandered over and found a box of matches and dug one out before lifting the shade to light the wick. He held the light up to get a better look at the interior of their shelter.

Kallen let out a low whistle. "Looks like we may not be alone here, after all."

This one has been really fun to write so far. It's still in the early stages but the outline stuff keeps pouring out. May end up being more than one book if the sages keep spewing stuff out. :D

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye