Sunday Snippet: Lost in Translation (Crystal Shard Brotherhood book one)

Geez, I'll be really glad when the back and forth weather is over and done. Snow days in March, man, haven't really seen those since the 80s. At least not that I can remember. The year after I graduated, we had a big storm in March and I almost didn't make it back for spring break. Planes weren't flying out of Atlanta to go north. Fun times.

This week, I played catch up with some of my television shows. Got Legends of Tomorrow up to date. Looking forward to Constantine being added as a regular. At least I hope he gets added. He's so much fun. And I really like Wally as a team member.

Gotta say, I'm kind of "meh" with this season of The Flash. I've grown to really like Ralph but I'm rather bored by the uber-smart Devoe and the constant body swaps. Here's hoping next season has better flow.

I'm not sure I'll be able to catch up on Gotham. Gotta find the first episode when it returned at the beginning of March. I hate it when on demand and the station websites remove the episodes before I have time to get caught up. Grrr.

I'm caught one of my missed episodes of Riverdale. I'm still a little on the fence about the whole mafia-style intrigue. Hiram buying the paper? Yeah, seriously, not down with that plot point. I'd rather watch Kevin and Josie deal with their parents and Cheryl deal with hers. Also, Chic. Ugh. I have no clue what to even think about that storyline. I want to love it, but I don't. I did love the Jughead rundown about how tangled their relationships are with their friendships. Too true, my man, too true.

I'm down to one episode left on Murdoch Mysteries. I'm a little heartbroken for William and Julia and I'm almost afraid to watch the next episode.

I took a week off from Jessica Jones. I'll be trying to catch more episodes this week.

Chicago Fire has some great crossover episodes. I'm excited about finishing up season five, but then I'll have to wait for season six—see not being available on demand or website. Bleh.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Lost in Translation, a Crystal Shard Brotherhood book.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lost in Translation 10263 / 15000 A body dumped outside a fortress. A scroll located in twelve different locations. A trap sprung. But the Brethren are too smart to take the bait. Jackson Alexander and Jacey Durham have to turn the tables on the nemesis trying to dismantle the Crystal Shard Brotherhood.

And a preview snippet…

Blessed warmth.

Jacey thanked the heavens above. Then added the goddess to the mix. The next thing she registered was the quiet. The shrill whistle of the wind no longer screeched in her ears.

But the fuzzy echo, distorted roar was still there. And a throbbing ache screamed along her hairline.

Not pleasant.

She lifted a hand to rub at the offending spot and felt a twinge of pain. It zinged up her arm and made her eyes pop open. Her blurry vision noted the needle inserted into her vein and the tubing that wound around to a bag full of fluids.  

Hospital?

No. She didn't think so.

Her eyes scanned the room, taking in the richly colored décor done in blue and bronze.

Definitely not a hospital.

Somewhere nice though.

Her head still ached and her throat hurt, so she tried to call out. "H-hel-lo." It sounded like a croak, raw and scratchy.

She swallowed and made another attempt. "Hello." Jacey went to sit up but the throb in her head made her stay put. "Anyone? Hello?" Using her free hand, she massaged her forehead, trying to put her jumbled thoughts in order.

What did she know?

She wasn't cold anymore. Bonus for that.

Out of the elements. Big plus there.

She was getting medical attention, but not in a hospital. No points.

And she had a kickass headache that would not quit. Minus one hundred.

Her location topped the list of what she didn't know. And how she got there.

Did she have any other injuries? Probably a big yes since her body felt like one massive bruise. Not knowing the extent and severity had her slightly fearful.

Because the worst thing? She had no clue who helped her. The person or persons she'd gone to meet? Wait. Gone to meet? Okay, score another answer she had now.

Except she couldn't remember who.

Or someone else entirely could have offered the assist.

Captive or refugee?

Jacey had no idea which.

Great. Outstanding. Just perfect.

What she didn't know far outweighed everything.

She needed to get it together.

Jacey remembered a phone call, but not who made it. No… wait. A piece slid into place. The call was coded. She wouldn't know the caller, but she'd trust whoever placed it.

Not good… considering her current state.

Helplessness grabbed hold of her and Jacey decided to brave the pain and get some answers. Sucking in a deep breath, she forced herself to sit up. The room swam and everything went gray-black for a second but she leveled out pretty quickly.

Jacey waited a good thirty seconds before she opened her eyes again. The color was back. Blues and burnished bronze. It made her laugh. Which made her body ache.

Where the hell was she?

Time to find out. She reached over and peeled the tape off her hand. Got ready to take the needle out when a voice startled her.

"Whoa."

Her head swiveled around toward the speaker, the dull throb kicking back in again.

"I don't that's such a good idea. You probably shouldn't remove that just yet."

As far as first meetings go, Jacey could do worse than Jacks. I love these two together and can't wait to really sit down and plot out the rest of this series.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Twilight Kingdom

Ugh, the rain continues and it's making the outdoors feel like a sauna. I'm not against saunas but, ugh, I'd rather not have one 24 / 7. Besides… you can't run around outside with only a towel on. Okay, I guess it's not impossible, but I won't be doing it anytime soon. LOL

I had a friend recommend Will for my viewing pleasure. I haven't started it yet, but I'll give it a go. She's in love with everything about the show.

Have to play catch up again on my Syfy Friday night shows. I hate being behind and it sucks that on Demand and the Syfy app won't show the latest episode immediately. I have a lot of growly, snarly words about that topic.

Great news! Wynonna Earp is renewed for season three. I'm soooo happy we'll have more demon-killing gun action in the town of Purgatory. Woo!

Lots of terrific trailer action coming from SDCC. I'm looking forward to The Defenders if only for the awesome snark potential.

The Last Ship's new trailer is making me very impatient for the season to start already. Less than a month away, but still feels way too long.

Also… the final episodes of Teen Wolf start next week and I'm excited to see how the series ends.

One final note… I'm actually excited for Doctor Who again! Nothing against Moffat, he's written a few of my very favorite episodes but, ugh, he almost ruined the series for me. The entire last season just rubbed me wrong. I wish him nothing but the best with whatever he's involved in from here on out.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Twilight Kingdom, a novella based on the prompt of writing a spin on Sleeping Beauty.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jess Gillian heads to the outer rim planets to get away from his overbearing parents—the royal consorts of their home planet. When the heir is away, the evil Maniforti will play, luring Nareen Rhom, a palace ward, into a relationship so he can get close to the rulers. When Nareen gets wise, Maniforti casts a spell holding the entire kingdom in his thrall—until Jess returns and sets things straight.

And a preview snippet…

Eric Maniforti paced his war room. "By the twilight, I will get those mineral rights." His assembled staff bobbed their heads up and down.

Their action—more like inaction—pissed him off.

He slammed a hand on the long table. "Do any of you moronic imbeciles have ideas?"

One of his more cutthroat directors sneered. "Take the consort out and you'll get whatever you want."

Eric considered but discarded the idea. "I want the Scandavar mineral rights not a full-scale scramble for power. Eliminate Jantzen and the vacuum created would suck every noble on every planet in the system into a mad gambol for the ruling spot." Something he wanted, but why fight a war when he could topple the consort by underhanded tactics?

A skittish cabinet member raised a hand. "It's rumored the consort is very attached to the queen and heir. You could use one to make Gillian back off."

Eric tilted his head to one side, pondering the suggestion. "Not bad." A quick succession of ways to implement the nefarious plan.

One stood out.

Maniforti snapped his fingers. "Poison. At the annual court dinner. I'll remove the heir and usurp the ruling position." A sneering smile twisted his lips.

Toppling the House of Gillian would be an accomplishment, open doors for Maniforti, and establish him as a true master of the political machine. He could unleash the old ways once again and no longer have to hide his true nature. Removing Jess Gillian from the mortal coil only added a layer of satisfaction for Eric. His animosity and rivalry with the other man carried through from their childhood years spent in scholar's chambers. Jess could do no wrong and Eric hated being second best.

Landau, the skittish member, cleared his throat. "You're going for the son instead of the wife?"

Eric pinned him with a glare. "Did I not just say that? The reigning queen can no longer bear children. Take the heir out and the line ends with Jantzen." A fitting end for the overbearing ruler.

Kirkus, the cutthroat director, smirked. "Motion for this meeting to be adjourned so our esteemed leader can finalize his plan." A round of seconds filtered through the room.

Eric rapped his fist on the table. "So be it."

Once the members filed out of the area, he settled down at the table and drew the needed materials to the spot directly in front of him. While he mixed the fatal concoction, he whispered words in an ancient language, weaving a spell around the ingredients. If caught, he'd suffer a torturous end. Consort Gillian had harsh laws against the use of magick, especially the old rituals. When Maniforti gained control of the courts, he'd bring back the glorious rites and watch Jantzen burn.

Soon. Very soon.

So far, I'm loving the ideas for putting my mark on the classic fairy tale.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Hold to Let Go

Well, I can finally breathe again. I'm truly hoping I'm done with the cold / viral ick / seasonal funk now. Yeesh.

Gotham had a great episode. I loved the end with two potential villains putting their heads together. That combo could lead to some truly good viewing.

The Flash is getting interesting. I have a sneaking suspicion about who Zoom is going to turn out to be, but I'll refrain from speculating for now. My biggest hint is in looking at his garb…

Arrow keeps getting better and better. I like seeing Oliver and Felicity having some conflict. And it's always fun to see Mama Smoak.

Not much to say about the other shows, but Agents of SHIELD is staying twisty and I like that. Unless it gets too hard to tell who is on what side. Then I'll be annoyed.

One final television note. Doctor Who. Yeah. So disappointed. I can't shake the feeling Moffat and company are trying to be too clever and they're sacrificing the emotional component to do so. "Sleep No More" came off as a jumbled mess, in my opinion. Maybe I'm too stupid to 'get' the cleverness. I don't know.

Tonight's post is from Hold to Let Go, a sexy short that may end up becoming a novella, where my main characters figure out how to navigate a relationship while saving their people.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Banner Nix and Quade Newelson go way back and have a lot of baggage to show for it. When an opportunity to save their people presents itself, they put their crap aside and work together to make it happen, even though their plan is in direct opposition to their leaders'.

And a preview snippet…

Quade Newelson sat through another long meeting. He'd lost interest less than five minutes in and wondered if they'd ever get to 'new' business. The constant rehashing of the same topics drove him mad. The one thing he missed about stepping away from the military had to be losing his 'voice'. As a major, he made a decision and expected it to be carried out. As a brand new delegate to the barely held together government, he had to wait his turn. Sitting on the bottom rung meant he could see his next birthday before he got anything on his agenda heard.

It didn't help he'd opposed the prime minister's course of action. Quade didn't think they should limit their search for a new planet to a single path. He'd cast the deciding vote to open up the option and let Banner follow an opposite trajectory than the PM.

As long as they found what they needed, why should it matter how they got it?

It shouldn't. The PM's personal issues with Banner had become the sole reason for the prickly treatment Quade now received. The PM could be a rank bastard all he wanted. Quade's drama with Banner went back one hell of a lot further than Mick Fitzwater's did. If Quade could get past it, the PM should take that as a sign and get his shit together. They all needed to work toward the same goal.

Ready to nod off, Quade slid his hand into his jacket pocket and pulled out a folded slip of paper with ragged edges. He flipped it open and read the two words written over and over on it—Quade Newelson.

His name.

The only thing Banner swore kept her from breaking during her incarceration with the enemy. He traced a finger over the handwriting, a jolt running through him. She'd held onto him and wouldn't let go. Why couldn't it have been like that before she'd been captured?

Their previous issues didn't matter. They hadn't trusted each other. Not when it came right down to the truth. They could put their lives in each other's hands, but not their hearts. He'd had time to think it all through, when she'd been gone. The missteps, the back and forth, never being on the same page. Both too close to their history, too busy staying alive, they couldn't take a breath. Made it damned difficult to gain perspective.

Believing her dead, Quade made time to ask hard questions. He always pushed Banner, tested their boundaries, but tried to keep some distance. He didn't want to admit how much he needed her. Hell, he didn't want to need anyone. Too damned easy to lose people. His brother drove the point home five years ago, before things got so bad they had to leave their planet, killing himself is a wild car ride and seriously injuring Banner.

I enjoy characters who have internal conflict along with an outside issue. Banner and Quade definitely have both.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Embrace the Magic—An Idyllic Affair

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal Love Wednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted beings we all know and love. Or sink into a world with gods and goddesses, unearthly forces, or cupids, imps, and leprechauns. If it's otherworldly, bring on the fun. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

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Today I'm sharing some background details for An Idyllic Affair, an Insula Ara ~ Sanctuary Island novella, co-written with my alter ego ML Skye for Ellipses Press, Ltd.

The Insula Ara ~ Sanctuary Island branded anthology features a mystical island that grants refuge to those who need it. The stories can take place in any time period as long as the characters can reach the island by some means of transportation—boats, airplanes, space ships, whatever—and are in need of sanctuary. Whether it's from running naval blockades, trying to stay out of enemy hands while flying under the radar during a war, or running from a super power that has a chokehold on an entire galaxy, Insula Ara will grant those it deems worthy a safe place to regroup and often find the answers they seek, but the solace always comes with a price.

My story takes place in the very distant future with the crew of the Charming Lady in desperate need of a place to lay low for a while. Trusting the instincts of their captain, Geoff MacLeod, they find exactly what they need—an entire galaxy away. Against the better judgment of the ship's XO, Linnea Jensen, the captain and the two man crew allow the island's caretaker, Ceet, to provide them with rooms and to offer them a part for their damaged ship. Geoff is charmed by the grizzled, old man, but Linnea doesn't trust the guy one tiny bit. Then again, she relies on cold, hard facts whereas Geoff tends to go with his gut. And since he got them to the island, she'll back off and see what happens.

And she's not happy when she finds out. Ceet sends Geoff and Linnea off to the other side of the island with a crude map and a vague assurance they'll find the part they need in the smuggler's caves. They're usually on the run from the Axis Prime and being surrounded by a tropical paradise has the captain and XO off kilter. Linnea and Geoff butt heads, which isn't anything new, but they find their stride and work out some issues while on their trek.

 The downtime also gives them more time than either wants to dance around their attraction. Linnea doesn't want the complication of starting something during a war, but Geoff thinks they should build what they can while they have a shot. The tension stretches between them but their mutual respect for each other holds firm and they shelve the conversation.

At least until they make it to the caves and a hurricane sets in. Trapped inside, they're stuck until the heavy rains pass and that's when the dance of attraction really kicks in. And it's when the fun truly begins…

I hope you'll check out An Idyllic Affair and read about Geoff and Linnea's adventure on Insula Ara.

Next week, I'll be featuring the first of three excerpts from the book.

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Book Tagline: On the run from their enemies, an island sanctuary gives Geoff and Linnea time for An Idyllic Affair.

Anthology Tagline: Escape to Insula Ara, an island sanctuary that provides refuge… but it comes with a price.

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Available on Amazon

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Anthology Blurb: Legend tells of a mysterious island called Sanctuary, inhabited by people who have been to hell and back—and lived to tell the tale.

                                              

It goes on to say, that if someone needs help, if they are truly without hope, island will come to them in their darkest hour and help them find the way.

But the assistance comes with a price. Their heart and soul may be lost to the island in the process.

Book Blurb: Privateers by trade, Geoff MacLeod and Linnea Jensen find sanctuary on Insula Ara, a mysterious island full of wonder and a tinge of darkness. When Geoff and Linnea embark on a quest to retrieve a badly needed part for their ship, they find their deep attraction for each other hard to resist, and under the spell of the island, they have to tread carefully or succumb to the swirling undercurrents.

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Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

September 7, 2014

Greetings!

I'm coming off something of a stress and drama filled work week. I have a seasonal job at a local golf course and we're down to two people since we're winding down to our October 31 'official' close. When one of those two people has to take time off… it sucks hairy ones—especially when they wait until the day before to say anything. Just saying.

Moving on to fun stuff. Let's see, Lost Girl will air its final season sometime soon. I'll be sad to see the show end. Haven returns with Evil Audrey. I refuse to call her by whatever name she ended up with when she went inside the barn and returned. I'm also pretty excited for Flash to debut. Anything that has ties to Arrow can't miss in my book.

That's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Quilt of Fate, a novella written with my alter ego, ML Skye, combining the paranormal with a little science fiction.

Here's the tagline:

Nadie Fall and Cable Reilly are transported to an alternate reality by the Moerae. Clotho, Lachesis, and Atropos have plans for the fated couple who couldn't save their original universe, but can alter the future for their new one.

And a preview snippet…

Nadie stood on the shores of the ruined planet. Cable moved behind her, his presence a balm against the raging emotion welling up from her depths. So much destruction and for what? The race to get here nothing but a farcical journey.

Cable grasped her hips. "Nadie—"

She tensed. "Don't, Cable. Not yet." Her eyes closed and she inhaled, fighting the urge to rail at the heavens. "Unless you can tell me why?" Why they'd traveled so far to find a wasteland instead of a home.

He sighed. "You know I can't. I wish I could." He rested his chin on her shoulder, his warm breath fanning her face.

She took a step forward, turned faced him. "We followed the signposts to get here. I just don't"—a bright flash surrounded them—"understand how…" Her voice trailed off and she blinked, not quite what happened.  "What the flaming hell?"

Lush, green foliage lined the beach. Birds zigzagged in the sky. Cable whipped around, taking in the change of scenery.

He slid his gaze sideways. "What just happened?" He moved forward, stopped, glanced back, and shook his head.

Nadie snorted. "I'm pretty sure 'what the flaming hell' means I have no clue." She caught movement in her peripheral vision and grabbed hold of Cable's bicep. "Looks like we might get an answer, though." She nodded toward a trio of females making their way along the shore.

Cable turned, standing shoulder to shoulder with Nadie. "And if they're open to questions?"

Nadie blew out a harsh breath. "Then we convince otherwise."

So far, I've enjoyed combining the genres with this story, something I hope to continue doing in the future.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye