Sunday Snippet: Fundamental Basics (Lantern Jack tale)

Welcome June and another month where time will probably fly by too quickly. Doesn't help that I'm under the weather right now and feeling yucky. Hopefully whatever this is will pass quickly and I can get back to normal.

Had a solid work week. Finished up a cozy mystery proofread and made progress on a developmental edit. Also got a lot of writing done, which makes me happy because I've been hitting walls lately.

Fairly good viewing this week. Managed to go through my show list twice. I might start adding in a few more shows but I like this current group.

Finished up the fourth season of Suspects. I'll be starting the fifth and final season this week. Looks like a banger ending for this series.

Caught two episodes of Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were excellent. Very fun to see how Halloween is celebrated in New Zealand, especially since it's spring there instead of fall. Very cool.

Watched two episodes of Best in Paradise. I'm enjoying the intros by the actors and I'm enjoying their picks for favorite episodes.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. I'd seen bits of both episodes but not the whole thing. Loved the one with the zoo. Also like how much Jack is becoming a part of the community.

Caught two episodes of Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson's personal life on a bit of a display. Also thoroughly enjoying Sherlock's interactions with Joan as he fully sinks into the partnership.

Watched two episodes of The Batman. Fun to have Harley Quinn introduced. And I very much enjoyed the New Year's Eve episode.

Also enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. I'd forgotten they started to work three vignettes in after the movie. Not sure if I really like that in hindsight.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fundamental Basics, a Lantern Jack tale.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. A sprite, Farin Frazier, is a social outcast who comes together with Qeb Quince, a spook (shade?) who is questioning his undead existence. The two shouldn't be attracted to each other, they're mortal enemies, but they find some common ground on All Hallows, when magick is at its strongest.

And a preview snippet…

Farin Frazier shook her head. "Thank you for the invite, Maggie, but you know how much I hate the big blowouts on All Hallows.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "Farin, you don't give yourself enough credit. If you come, people will talk to you and include you in the festivities."

Farin shuddered. "That's my fear. I do fine one on one, like with you and me. But large crowds of people make me tongue-tied and when I do talk, I say the wrong thing."

Maggie sighed. "Okay, but I'll be over bright and early the day after to fill you in on all the happenings—who's doing who and where." She laughed. "You know the random hookups are the craziest on All Hallows."

Yes, Farin had firsthand knowledge about becoming a notch on a random sprite's bedpost. And the humiliating aftermath.

She gave Maggie a bland smile. "I'll be here with coffee and those tasty little cakes you like so much."

Maggie tilted her head to one side. "You're going to meet someone one of these days who will bring you out of your shell."

Farin didn't live in a shell. She inhabited the real world fully aware of her strengths and weaknesses. The beautiful home she'd created satisfied her on an elemental level. Where verbal communication always tripped her up, speaking through design and art came easily. Maggie kept Farin updated on the happenings in the glade, which suited Farin just fine.

Maggie snapped her fingers. "Hello? Are you listening?"

Farin nodded. "Yeah, yeah. I hear you. My knight will come soon. Blah-blah-blah." She got up and emptied her coffee mug. "I don't need a dude on a white horse to save me from myself." She wouldn't mind a guy who liked art and had patience with socially awkward women, but whatever. "I'm perfectly okay living vicariously through you and creating my art to sell online and in the city."

Maggie sighed. "I know you're all right with your life, Farin. But you deserve a man who gets you on a fundamental level and lets you be you but also makes you better." Her eyes went wide and bright. "And one that rocks your world sideways."

Farin grinned. "Like Jansen does for you?"

Maggie's smile let up the room. "Exactly. I want my best friend in the whole universe to find her other half. It's amazing."

Farin hugged Maggie. "If it happens, I hope I'm as happy as you are." But Farin wouldn't hold her breath.

Maggie grabbed her bag. "It won't happen if you never put yourself out there." She held up a hand. "But I get it. You don't want to do the finding at the big bash." She made her way to the main door. "Maybe think about coming to the council meeting next month. You do have a stake in what they decide for the glade."

A valid point. But … the community center meant lots of fae from the glade. Bleh.

Farin shrugged. "I'll think about it." And she would for about a hot minute.

Maggie rolled her eyes. "I'm coming to get you for it and won't take no for an answer." With a waggle-finger wave, she left Farin to the quiet afternoon.

I have so much fun writing the Lantern Jack tales. Qeb and Farin are cool characters and making Jack work his magick on them is a joy.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fundamental Basics (A Lantern Jack Tale)

We had a slightly crazy week of weather. Lots of rain with storms blowing through quickly then the sun popping back out. I love to watch the storm clouds roll in.

Television this week was hit and miss. I got another episode of Mutant X in and I caught a couple of Blindspot episodes but didn't get to finish out the season before they yanked some of the episodes I hadn't seen. I'll have to finish up season three on DVD.

In Classic Who, I finished out the Key of Marinus episodes. Not a bad arc. I'll be starting the Aztecs this week.

Canal Road's third episode was excellent. I enjoyed seeing the group interaction in this episode. I have some thoughts about who killed Spence's wife. Just saying.

Caught a movie on Café Noir. It wasn't the best, but I've been writing some noir-ish-themed stories lately and I liked the ambiance of the movie.

Got in another episode of Midsomer Murders and finished up season three of Endeavor. Gotta say the last episode really packed a punch. Watching Morse realize he loved Joanie ended up being a beautifully acted scene.

Caught the usual episodes of The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Constantine, Pensacola Wings of Gold, Band of Brothers, and Strike Back. Episode four, season four is when Section 20 loses Julia and, ugh, I forgot how much of a kick in the teeth that was.

Watched a crossover of Chicago PD with Chicago Fire. Excellent episodes. I enjoy PD when the focus isn't on dickhead Wood trying to take Hank down. I thought we got enough of that in the first two seasons.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Fundamental Basics, a Lantern Jack Tale featuring a sprite and a spawn.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. A sprite, Farin Frazier, is a social outcast who comes together with Qeb Quince, a spawn who is questioning his undead existence. The two shouldn't be attracted to each other, they're mortal enemies, but they find some common ground on All Hallows, when magick is at its strongest.

And a preview snippet…

Lantrien Jacquard, also known as Lantern Jack, faced one of his biggest challenges on his road to redemption. Soon, if all went well, he'd be free of the curse that kept him trapped in the guise of a jack-o-lantern. But the trial ahead might prove to be more than Jack could absolve. He'd chosen to tackle his toughest battle midway through the process.

Sprites and spawns were perhaps his vilest deed. Sprites were the most social of creatures, always planning huge gatherings and sharing their wealth of knowledge with other fae beings. When Jack lost his beloved, he lashed out at the sprites and created a subspecies and infused them with the antithesis of social welfare. He dubbed his new creations spawns and they were antisocial on a fundamental level because they weren't fully alive, existing as undead beings. Spawns went out of their way to diminish the common good vibes sprites liked to spread about. They didn't have the spiritual grounding or tether the other supernatural beings had.

Jack sighed. "Because I made them from myself." When he'd been at his lowest.

Worst decision he'd ever made. Okay, maybe not the worst, but damned close. And he finally had the opportunity to right the wrong.

He gave a mental pat on his back. "Couldn't have asked for better circumstances." A spawn named Qeb Quince used his higher thinking skills for something other than inciting mayhem. He questioned his undead existence.

"Good man. I couldn't move to correct my blunder until one of you lot started wondering why you never left the mortal coil and why only the fae could see you."

Spawns were often overlooked by human eyes, unlike sprites.

Jack snorted. "Not my best move. Making immortal beings practically invisible doomed them to a terrible existence."

As luck, not that Jack had much, would have it, a rare occurrence landed the perfect match for Qeb. Farin Frazier lacked the socialization skills her fellow sprites had. An outcast, she preferred solitude and quiet instead of a constant stream of parties and merriment.

"If I can get the Qeb and Farin to cross paths, the two groups could build a solid unit again."

Not necessarily an easy feat. Farin had an affinity for nature and lived in a tree house deep inside one of the ancient forests. Qeb squatted in an abandoned loft. The builder ran out of financing midway through the project and Qeb worked out an unofficial deal to stay in one of the partially finished units.

Jack's dilemma would be choosing which location fit the couple best. "The loft is spacious and close to the roof." Which would come in handy on All Hallows. "But the tree house is secluded and close to the elements." Probably necessary when sparks started flying, and they would.

Jack debated the short list of pros and cons. Forest it is. Farin Frazier would have an unexpected guest in the very near future.

I love writing the Lantern Jack tales. Redemption stories are so much fun.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye