Sunday Snippet: Illustrious Curse (a Lantern Jack tale)

As usual, we're having bizarre weather. Got hot again then a stormfront moved through and now we're back down to the sixties. I'm not complaining about the cooler temperatures or anything, but I'd rather stick with one range for longer than a week.

Still loaded up with work projects and I'm making solid progress on all of them. Sometimes it's like spinning plates and trying to keep them all going at the same rate, but I love the variety of the stuff I'm working on right now.

Not a bad week for viewing television. I did the taking a break from wall-to-wall words thing again and got pretty much a full round of shows in this week.

Started off with Best in Paradise and enjoyed the rewatch of "Dark Memories." I have one more episode left for this series then I'll be switching over to Beyond Paradise. I'm looking forward to starting that one.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise with the ninth season premiere. I think this is Jack's last season and the new guy takes over for the next one. Enjoyed the episode a lot.

Watched another episode of Elementary and enjoyed it. Not a huge Moriarity fan, but I like the layers and back and forth between Holmes and Watson with Moriarity.

Finished up the third season of The Batman and I'm getting ready to start the fourth. I honestly can't remember if I ended up liking the fourth season or not.

Also caught an episode of Classic Rugrats and the three vignettes were ones I don't remember seeing before so nice to have something new to me.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Illustrious Curse, a Lantern Jack novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right his final wrong. Inara Ives is a distant descendant of Jack's wife, the former banshee queen. Her royal blood is diluted, but still strong. Taben Tarrah can trace his ancestry back to the cursed goblin king, Lantrien Jacquard, but his noble blood is tainted by the lineage. Jack brings the two together to finally put his past to rest and join his deceased bride in the afterlife. The duo won't make it easy … but Jack's success over the years means he won't be thwarted.

And a preview snippet…

Taben jerked in his sleep and woke up, a piece of the tattered parchment stuck to his face. "Damn." He carefully peeled the milled page from his skin. "Gotta be more careful." The files were the only thing he had to go on if he had any chance to figure out how to remove the horrible hex on his family bloodline.

"You're not going to find the answers you want in those old pages."

Taben startled at the voice coming from the corner of the table. Then he blinked, not at all certain he hadn't lost his mind. A grizzled-looking carved pumpkin stared back at Taben. Pumpkin? Shit. The lightbulb went off in Taben's mind then just as quickly went off.

He shook his head. "No. No way." His gaze went back to the creepy gourd. "Tell me you're not my cursed ancestor Lantrien Jacquard, the dethroned goblin king."

The pumpkin wobbled back and forth. "You already know I am. And I go by Lantern Jack now. I no longer use my former name." Jack edged closer to the scattered papers on the table. "You won't find the answers you seek, because you're missing more than a few pages."

Taben breathed out on a long exhale. "Then fill me in. What do I have to do to remove the stench of your misdeeds?" He cocked his head. "Wait. You're the one who's been healing rifts, aren't you?" Maybe things would actually get better now.

Jack rolled back and forth. "Don't get ahead of yourself. I've done penance and, yes, I've healed old wounds, but the final chapter has yet to be written." He paused and shrank in on himself a little. "I can't interfere with you as much as I did the others."

Taben jerked his chin up. "Because we're the same bloodline?" It would make sense, based on what he'd read so far.

Jack wobbled again. "That's the main issue. But there's another one." He moved to the parchment and nudged it closer to Taben. "The missing pieces are the key. And you don't have them."

Taben sighed. "Okay, where can I find them and what, exactly, am I looking for?" At this point, he'd scale mountains to get what he needed.

Jack snorted. "You don't need to climb anything. You have to go down. Deep in the archives." He paused again. "And I can't tell you, exactly, what you're looking for, but you'll know when you find it…" He trailed off.

Taben met his ancestor's gaze. "How?" Murky answers annoyed the hell out of him.

Jack's mouth thinned to a straight line. "Because you're looking for the murderers responsible for my queen's death." In a blink, he disappeared from the table.

Taben sucked in a harsh breath. "Well, fuck." No pressure or anything then.

Rising from his chair, he headed for his room. He'd throw some clothes in a bag and pack up some food and head for the archives.

"Nothing like crawling around in a huge crypt … especially close to All Hallow's."

 

This will be the end cap to the Lantern Jack series and I'm excited to get this one finished up.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Halloween Haunt (a Lantern Jack tale)

You know, I love a great fireworks display … but … I don't love almost a full week of random nonstop barrages from different locations where I can't even see them. Because at least I'd be able to enjoy something while my poor doggos are huddled against me shaking and freaking out. In all seriousness, I don't begrudge people having the funds and knowledge to celebrate with fireworks. But I also hate the first week of July for anyone who has pets that can't deal with the show.

It's been a weird week with a toilet repair followed by a washing machine leak that needed fixed. I'm still working on the leak because, seriously, it's never a simple thing when I'm involved. I'm crossing my fingers for not having anything else water-related to deal with this week.

Had another super busy week of work. I'm slogging through a very, very long proofread and I'm almost at the finish line. Completed a copyedit that ended up having some consistency concerns but ended up being such a great story. And it's a holiday book! I love editing holiday manuscripts.

Didn't get a lot of viewing in, mainly because the proofread is difficult subject matter and so long I don't want to risk losing my spot by getting distracted. I definitely don't want to do a lot of repeat work because I lose my place.

I did get to watch an episode of My Life Is Murder. I so enjoy this show. The characters are such a delight.

I also finished up the episode of Elementary that I started last week. I have to admit I'm not quite sure if I'm down with Mycroft possibly being a bad guy. My guess is he's working with someone we've seen before, and I have two people in mind. Stay tuned to see if I'm right.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Halloween Haunt, a Lantern Jack tale featuring clairvoyant and a vampire.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Hadria Hardcastle is a clairvoyant medium who runs an investigation agency—she solves the unsolvable. Safford Sturgeon is a six-hundred-year-old vampire tired of his undead existence. When a trail of dead bodies leads Hadria to Safford's front door, she has to decide if he's guilty or being framed. Safford won't make her job easy, but meeting Hadria shakes him out of his lethargy and promises to make his life worth living.

And a preview snippet…

Safford Sturgeon closed his laptop and frowned. "The death of my contractor can't be a coincidence." Not within a month of his personal assistant and six months of the manager of his art gallery.

Three people in his trusted, but very limited, inner circle.

Safford curled his fingers into his palm. "Someone wants to turn my life upside down." And they were succeeding.

"You're not wrong. Even when you avoid the rest of the world, it has an uncanny ability to intrude."

Safford eyed the ugly monstrosity sitting on the table in his kitchen. "What the hell are you?" He sniffed the air. "Ugh, you wear the stench of several centuries." He wrinkled his nose.

The pumpkin smirked. Smirked!

It spoke again. "Hi, Pot, I'm Kettle." The gourd paused a moment. "You do understand the reference, don't you?"

Safford snorted. "Of course, Kettle. Why are you here? " Disturbing my inner musing.

The pumpkin sighed. "The name is Jack and I'm here with a warning."

Safford rolled his eyes. "Spare me the doom and gloom. I've seen several lifetimes of it. Why do you think I've limited my contact with outsiders?" Which definitely includes talking vegetation.

Jack scoffed. "Because you're a cranky old man with his boxers in a bunch?"

Safford snarled his response. "No, you moronic gourd. It's because I don't want to be bothered by anyone else."

Jack grunted. "Too bad, bloodsucker." He wobbled to the edge of the table. "Your past is getting ready—if you'll excuse the pun—to bite you on the ass."

Safford narrowed his eyes. "Do you have anything to do with the murders of my friends?" He'd smash the sneering pumpkin to pieces if he did.

Jack tsked. "No, I came to tell you to make a list. One of your enemies is making a move."

As if Safford didn't already know.

Jack moved back to the middle of the surface. "Don't dawdle, Sturgeon. While you're making that list, you're going to learn about what vengeance can do to wreak havoc on the universe."

Safford didn't relish the idea, but he sighed and dragged the notebook he'd already set out forward and started writing.

Jack waited until Safford had one full column before he started his tale of woe. "A long, long time ago I got very angry…"

The Lantern Jack tales are a lot of fun to write. I love letting Jack get his snark on.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Ghoulish Games (a Lantern Jack tale)

Ugh. Still feeling terrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in my area is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew of new projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and truly hope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times a day and need to rest.

Slow viewing week, mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two to three hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifth and final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of a heartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails. And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head around everything.

I finished the tenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'll look forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught another episode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad and rewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence could be.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I got to see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic between the brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroft deal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I liked seeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun. The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a Classic Rugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella" was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Ghoulish Games, a Lantern Jack tale featuring a nymph and a hellhound.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. When Glenna Greer finds a man on her doorstep she faces a dilemma. Use her powers to save—which she is forbidden to do—or let him possibly die. The urge to heal is strong in the wood nymph and she risks banishment going against her clan's directive. When she discovers Radbourne Renner is a hellhound, she's really in a quandary.

And a preview snippet…

A pounding head, throbbing pain in his side, and complete disorienting location gave Radbourne Renner his first taste of fear in over a decade. "What happened!" The headache made his brain mushy. "Where am I and how the hell did I get here?" An image of Jared Janko popped into his mind. "Aw, fuck, no.'' His breath hissed out between his teeth. "That asshat is behind this." The throb in his side burned and he put his hand against it. "Shit." His fingers came away covered in blood. He paused, taking a labored breath. "No wonder I'm a mess. I've been fucking stabbed."

Rad had no idea what set Janko off this time. They'd been unfriendly rivals almost since birth. Radbourne tended to avoid tangling with Jared … usually didn't have the patience to deal with the hothead and learned from experience the man had no honor. He had a mean streak, a bloated ego, and fought dirty—the wound in Rad's side a testament to that fact. The head of homestead banned weapons for anyone attending the gatherings.

Rad snorted then winced when another searing stitch reminded him of the gash. "Apparently Janko didn't get the memo." More like the dickhole chose to ignore the head's command.

Then freaked out when and dumped Rad in the middle of nowhere. A vague memory of being dragged to a truck and hoisted into the bed skittered through his aching mind. Trying to get his bearings, Radbourne couldn't get past the pain to scent the way toward home. Or … Janko masked the trail, hoping Rad would perish and leave Jared in the clear. His focus went dark and gray again. Imminent peril had his preternatural senses kicking in.

Radbourne sniffed the air. "There's someone living out here." He followed his nose and nearly fell down in gratitude when a small cottage came into view.

With his vision swimming, he stumbled toward the house and hopefully help. Less than ten feet from the porch, his knees gave out and he sprawled to the ground in a heap. Numb and dizzy, he didn't even attempt to get back up.

He tried to call out, but his voice only gurgled in his throat. "Dammit, so close, so close." He closed his eyes, unable to fight the heavy sensation spreading through his body.

On a long exhale, the black veil of unconsciousness swallowed him whole.

I love writing the Lantern Jack tales. Glenna and Radbourne are getting Jack closer to fulfilling his penance and ready to move on to his afterlife.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

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: Elemental Healing (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy Easter to those who celebrate. For everyone else, I hope your weekend is rocking with good vibes!

We got some terrific news this week. My youngest, who will graduate from university in May, got accepted into grad school! She's so excited and will have a Master of Arts Administration when she finishes.

Had a fairly busy week with work projects. Discovered one ended up with a corrupted file and had to fix some weird, random code that inserted itself into the file. What a pain!

Decent week of viewing television. I'll admit some was mainly background noise while I worked on editing. But not bad overall.

Ended up getting two episodes of The Batman in this week. Enjoyed both and should be on track to catch another one this week.

Also caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Weirdly, I remember two but from different episodes. They always did two per show and I distinctly remember one from each of the episodes I watched. Weird.

Watched another episode of My Life Is Murder and, once again, enjoyed it. Dueling bakers isn't something I would normally think of as a premise for murder.

Enjoyed another episode of Midsomer Murders. I have one left for this season and then it's time to wait for more again. Good thing there are plenty of other mysteries to keep me occupied.

Started the new season of Silent Witness. Another new face or two for this season and I'm okay with that. I have a feeling things are going to get very interesting this season.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise. We're getting closer to Humphrey's exit and Jack's entrance. I'll be able to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episode of Elementary. The new vibe between Holmes and Watson is fun. I'm enjoying a slightly softer version of Sherlock.

Started an episode of Peak Practice. I skipped one because I really didn't care one bit about the whole saga of Andrew and Kate. But it's interesting that Will is back. Should be a wild ride.

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

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Erica Ellis is a fire demon whose powers are going out of control. She needs intervention and an ancient ritual could save her from harming others. Perth Pettigrew is a mystic knight and knows the old rites. Too bad he's no longer using his gift. It's up to Lantern Jack to bring the two together for some elemental healing.

And a preview snippet…

Erica woke up, thankfully still numb. A full bottle of liquor knocked her back a few hours. She might have to grab more to be safe.

She blinked away the sleep them jolted upright. "What the hell?" An ugly carved pumpkin took up space on the nightstand.

It greeted her. "Hello, I go by Jack."

She rubbed her eyes. "Huh, you're new." She glanced around. "Did Blenden bring you?" Who else could've entered her studio apartment while she slept.

Her low-simmering anger faded. He'd never brought her anything before. If a weird gourd could count as a gift.

Jack tsked. "Blenden didn't bring me. But I am here to help you."

She laughed. "Oh, sure. A creepy jack-o-lantern is going to help me. Right." How, exactly, did the plant think it could assist her?

Jack responded. "You can doubt all you want, but I'm your only hope."

Seriously? Maybe she wouldn't plan on drinking whiskey anymore. Clearly, the potent alcohol had her hallucinating. And gave her a raging headache.

Erica groaned. "I'm talking to a damned pumpkin." She got up on wobbly legs and started for the small bathroom. "What do you know about me anyway?"

Jack filled her in. "I know you're out of control and losing your grip on your ability more with each passing day. How bad do you think it'll be on All Hallows?"

Erica paused then sat down. Hard.

She raked a hand through her hair. "Shit. I didn't even think about that." And she should have.

Jack pushed her. "You need to."

Erica sighed. "If Blenden hadn't bailed, this wouldn't be a problem." Why did her mentor leave her high and dry, especially so close to All Hallows?

Jack made a noncommittal reply. "Maybe he didn't bail. Maybe he did. Either way, you have to step up and decide what to do."

Erica huffed out a breath. "Right because that's so easy to do." She inhaled slowly, trying to find her center. "Fine. Got any suggestions?"

Jack chuckled. "You won't like it."

At this point, Erica didn't care. "I don't enjoy drinking myself to an early death either." And she really hated the idea of being anywhere near as drunk as she'd need to be on All Hallows in order to not hurt anyone.

Jack replied. "There's a place—a rock quarry—about an hour's drive from here. If you go out of control, there's not much you can burn down out there."

Erika considered the idea. Safer to be away from people until—hell, better make that if—she got her ability under control. But she could use help. She didn't want to live at a quarry for the rest of her days.

She eyed the pumpkin. "What about Blenden? If he comes back, he won't know where to find me." She didn't want to believe the grizzled, old demon abandoned her.

Jack made a sound of frustration. "Maybe someone else will show you the way. You can't count on an old fire demon."

Right. As if someone else is going to leap to my aid. Erica had a brief thought about the handsome mystic knight. Too bad he needed an attitude adjustment.

Which led her back to Matchick. "Blenden's the only one who gave a shit. No one else gives a damn about helping me transition."

Jack sighed. "I'm not saying he didn't care. I'm saying he's old and maybe unable to help anymore."

Is that why he hasn't been around lately?

Erica growled on an angry breath. "Fine. But if I have to camp out, I'm not going." She couldn't do tents for obvious reasons.

Jack's face twisted. "There's a small building the foreman used to stay in. It's cinder block so you can't damage it too much."

Erica snorted. "Gee, thanks for the confidence." And why did she feel insulted by a pumpkin?

Jack smirked. "Do you want directions or not?"

Erica got up and started gathering stuff to pack. "Not like I have any other options."

I have so much fun writing the Lantern Jack tales. This one is a little tricky but I'm enjoying it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Dangerous Elements (a Lantern Jack tale)

Happy St. Patrick's Day! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. And my distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuff done so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn't make a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with my focus being all over the place.

I did catch an episode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the first time around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished with this show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seen something of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so this episode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the final episode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting season twenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dangerous Elements, a Lantern Jack tale featuring shifters and keepers.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. The long-standing animosity between shifters and the human council comes to a dangerous head. Dahlia Derringer is next in line to rule the council and she's stepping into the role because a shifter almost took her father's life. Otto Orpheus leads the shifters and he's furious a rogue fox acted against his orders. Samhain is nigh and the shifters need to replenish their aura … if Otto can get Dahlia's permission to do so.

And a preview snippet…

Dahlia's fists clenched. The sheer audacity! She tamped down a strong urge to punch Mr. Otto Orpheus in the face. Acting innocent after what they did? Inconceivable.

But … he didn't appear to be going anywhere so… "Fine." She dug her phone out of her back pocket. "If it gets you off…" She scrolled to her video app and mashed her thumb on the icon. "Here." Shoving the phone in his face, she swallowed down the bile threatening to spew forth.

Otto's eyes went wide then narrowed into angry slits. His lips twisted in a pained grimace and he blanched before two spots of red flushed his cheeks. The footage showed a fox shifter attacking her father, biting his calf to bring him down then tearing into his arm and chest, trying to get to his jugular. Her dad rolled into a ball, tucking his head to his sternum and using his arms as protection. The fox bit and clawed at her father's back, shredding his shirt and leaving a bloody mess behind.

Dahlia came into view and fired a warning shot in the air. She couldn't risk taking aim at the fox—not when he hovered over her father. She could've taken the animal down when he ran, but concern overrode her instincts and she went to her dad instead. The video ended on her phone, but she had the security camera feed saved on their server.

Otto snarled a curse. "God dammit." He met her gaze. "Is Dean—" He broke off, swallowing hard. "How is he?"

Dahlia huffed out an angry breath. "Not dead, but it was damned close." She might as well give him the full status. "And he could still take a turn. He's feverish and fighting infection." And had a long road to recovery.

Otto sighed. "Look, I didn't orchestrate this, and I don't condone it." He paced back and forth, a hand running over the top of his head. "But I can't say I'm shocked something like this happened." He paused and met her gaze. "I'm not surprised a shifter went rogue. It's long been a point of contention—the lack of access to our sacred ground."

She growled, low in her throat. "Are you seriously defending that damn fox?" After seeing what it did to her dad?

Otto shook his head. "Not defending him or his actions. But I understand where he's coming from. For most of us, the land calls out—we need it, and it needs us."

The longing in his voice almost got to her. But, no, whether he sanctioned the action or not, one of his members caused harm and almost killed her father. She wouldn't let him spin this in any way.

Dahlia squared her shoulders. "Are you saying the attack was my dad's fault?" Her voice all but quaked with anger.

I'm very excited to have another installment underway in the Lantern Jack series. I love these stories so much.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Casting Spells (a Lantern Jack tale)

Geez. I can't believe January is almost over. It's been a month. Hell, it's been a year and we're only through the first month. Heh.

Had a crazy-busy work week and I'm so thrilled! Several new projects are in my calendar and I'm moving full steam ahead on my new venture. Truly hoping I'll have it ready to launch in the next few weeks.

Solid week of viewing. Didn't quite make it through my full list of shows, but the new work projects are taking priority and I'm totally okay with that.

Started with My Life Is Murder. So much fun to see Renee O'Connor acting with Lucy Lawless again. A great episode.

Enjoyed another Agatha Raisin episode. Nice to have James back even though I have a feeling he won't be a permanent fixture. The episode ended on a cliffhanger so I'm looking forward to picking back up this week.

Watched the first of a two-part Silent Witness. The tension building in this episode ended up being excellent. I'm a bit disappointed in Nikki's story thread. The student seriously screamed creepy stalker from the first moment he popped up on screen. I have a very sneaking suspicion he did something and if true, I really want a major repercussion. I'm also hoping like hell Jack's family isn't going to be smaller by the end of the next episode.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and had seen bits and pieces of this one. So glad I got to watch the whole thing. I like getting backstory for the island cast.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Kind of loved Sherlock sort of being there for Watson at the end. The dynamic between the two characters is fun to watch. Getting a glimpse of Jane's backstory is also nice. Makes me wonder about the lawyer guy though. I'm not a fan of fast and loose storytelling.

Started season two of The Batman. I remember being so disappointed they changed the theme song. I do rather like the introduction of Batgirl.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Loved this the first time it aired and thoroughly enjoyed again. So much fun.

Starting my viewing schedule over again. The Secret Life of Amy Benson, VIP, and Battlestar Galactica will hopefully get a watch this week. I also need to pick back up with Peak Practice in the near future.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Casting Spells, a Lantern Jack novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

The Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Celia Carmichael is overwhelmed by her new role as coven head and she's determined to learn all she can about the familiar who chose her, the cat named Haven. Nyx Nolan is on a mission to discover where the remains of his ancestor, the former leader of the warden of warlocks is buried. The man disappeared over a century ago and left a signet ring and a photo for Nyx as the only clue to his whereabouts. Celia and Nyx discover their histories are entwined and they have the power to lay the animosity between the witches and the warlocks to rest.

And a preview snippet…

Nyx Nolan issued a terse demand into his phone. "Buy the company. They won't get a better offer." He'd doubled the asking price.

His warden hovered on the brink of financial collapse. Nyx had a golden touch but the other warlocks weren't as naturally gifted. The warden's resources had dwindled over the last several generations.

Nyx snorted. "My father hasn't helped." The man's proclivities were legendary, and his generation spent faster than they acquired.

Wresting control hadn't been easy, but Nyx had a window of opportunity to prove he had the stones to lead.

"It would be easier if I didn't meet with opposition on every front." Or some lame mystery to solve.

He fingered the packet delivered by special courier this morning. A quick spell cast revealed layers of protective magick with a blood connection. So, a relative would somehow be involved.

But how? "Maybe one of my ancestors had a vision?" He couldn't think of anything else to explain the mysterious package. "Only one way to find out." He buzzed his admin, Benoit Lethgate. "No disturbances until further notice. That includes my father." Nyx did not want to deal with his dad's issues today.

Benoit gave his assurance. "I understand, Mr. Nolan. You can be sure if anyone gets past me, I'm either dead or dying."

Nyx thanked the admin and signed off, chuckling at the Mr. Nolan bit. Nolan grew up with Benoit and their friendship went back to their childhood. He couldn't imagine a better person to have his back.

Nolan also took Benoit at his word. The physically imposing man would not let anyone near Nyx until he gave the word. The former linebacker didn't lack physical prowess, not at six-three and one hundred ninety pounds, and he had a strong handle on spellcasting. A veritable army wouldn't get by the beefy man.

Benoit often acted as a bodyguard when Nyx traveled, which tended to not be necessary, but the man's presence often saved time and hassle. Other fae beings usually thought twice about testing Benoit's patience. And that gave Nyx time to do what he needed.

Nyx spent several hours getting through the protective bindings of the package. When the final seal lifted, he opened the box to find a signet ring with an enclosed photo of a manor house along with a note.

 

Seek information … knowledge will come.

Find the manor house … clues to the past.

Take no one else … travel from your home.

Reveal the secret … find truth at last.

 

Answers to the past were a priority for Nyx. He needed to know why the fortunes of the warlocks turned terrible. Had they been cursed? Hexed? And, if so, why?

He got up and crossed his office, pulling the door open. "Benoit, I'm going to need you to run interference for me." And maybe not ask any questions.

Benoit narrowed his eyes, studying Nyx for a long moment, then gave an emphatic nod. "Whatever you need, boss."

The Lantern Jack tales are so much fun to write. I love weaving in Jack's back story with the current issues the main couples face.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Beastly Shadows (a Lantern Jack tale)

I hope everyone who celebrates US Thanksgiving had a lovely holiday. Mine was low-key, which is how I enjoy the holiday the most. As usual, my husband cooked for ninety-seven people instead of the three that were here, but that means leftovers and readily available meals for a few days!

Kind of a light week for work projects in varying stages. I ended up getting a decent amount of writing completed. I finished up two manuscript drafts and I'm in the fine-tuning stage for those. I'm excited to start revising! I also did some additional planning for the other ventures I'm trying to launch soon. Should be an exciting December!

Had a great week of television viewing. I got an extra show in this go around but still didn't get to pick back up with my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hopefully this week.

I ended up watching two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm sad that Clarissa is leaving but look forward to new faces. Can't wait to pick up with the second half of the current two-parter. It ended on a cliffhanger.

Also got two episodes of Death in Paradise in this week. Started season four, which I'm enjoying. Humph is a lot of fun and Dwayne has been very entertaining so far.

Ended up watching two episodes of Only Murders in the Building also. Finished the penultimate episode last night and, wow, I love this show. And … I'm pretty sure I guessed correctly with a slight twist on the murderer. Can't wait to watch the final episode.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. One I remembered and the other one I didn't so really enjoyed that one. Not sure how many episodes are left in the first season but looking forward to more.

Caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I did remember both. An interesting bit was the theme changed for one episode then went back to the original. Weird what I notice when I'm streaming shows.

Watched another episode of VIP. The over-the-top storylines are so much fun. I really miss some of the shows from the late nineties and early aughts.

Enjoyed a behind-the-scenes episode of My Life Is Murder. I'll be starting season two this week, unless there's another bonus episode.

Also watched a behind-the-scenes episode of Agatha Raisin. A lot of fun to see and hear the actors talk about their characters. There might be one more BTS for season two then I'll be moving on to season three.

Picked back up with Peak Practice. I skipped ahead a little because I honestly don't care about Andrew and Kate's torrid relationship. Might try to work another episode in this week.

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

Here's the miniblurb:

Lantern Jack is back. To end a centuries old feud between werewolves and the hunters, Lantern Jack has to right another wrong. He sets out to bring childhood friends Bebe Beasley and Mannix Mortimer together on Halloween night, but to do so he has to put Mannix in the path of a bullet.

And a preview snippet…

Bebe pulled her gloves off when her phone chirped.

After reading the caller ID, she sighed. "What is it, Bastian? I'm busy right now." Okay, dead heading her garden could be done anytime but the less she had to deal with family drama the better.

And two calls in a day crossed her tolerance threshold.

Bastain got to his point. "Be on the lookout for Mannix Mortimer. He might be headed up to your area." He paused a moment. "And you know what to do if you see him."

Bebe really, really hated her cousin sometimes. "Fine, Bastian. I'll be watchful. I always am." She cut the call and ignored the dread balling in her stomach.

Getting up, she entered the cabin and dumped her gloves in the bin and washed her hands. "I don't want to chase Mannix around." She actually liked him.

She could not say the same about overbearing Bastian.

To be fair, she enjoyed the Mannix she played with as a child whenever Bastian and his equally annoying brother weren't around. Images of climbing trees, swimming in the pond, and running through the woods crystallized in her mind. Those were good memories.

As a grown up, she appreciated the attractive man he'd become. Hard planes, chiseled muscles, a face made to stop traffic, and haunting silver eyes. If not for the stupid family vendetta, she could easily fall for him. But … she'd be foolish to do so. She didn't really know the adult Mannix—only his reputation. Which, rumor had it, featured a lot of women crawling in and out of his bed. Not that she blamed any of them.

Bebe stepped out onto the porch and yelped when she found a carved jack-o-lantern sitting beside the door. "Where did you come from?" Probably one of the high school clubs making the rounds.

They often did surprise drop-offs, even out in wood country where Bebe lived. Geraniums in the spring and mums in the fall. A nice neighborly gesture.

Bebe bent down. "Someone did a terrible job on your face." She turned the pumpkin around.

When her fingers touched the rind, a series of images and sounds flashed through her mind. A rifle, a shot ringing in the air, rolling fog and dancing shadows, and a loud, long howl.

A shiver went down her spine at the weird premonitory glimpse. Something wicked this way comes.

This one is finished and almost ready to release. I love writing the Lantern Jack tales and can't wait for everyone to see this one.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Illustrious Curse (a Lantern Jack tale)

Ugh. Had a rough week in general. My work project is coming along nicely but we had storms blow through and lost power a couple of times, which kind of harshed my vibe in a big way.

I got less television viewed but I did get to finish out the second season of the Passionflix original Driven. Man … what an ending. I'm truly excited for season three next year.

I did catch another episode of New Rugrats. I'm thoroughly enjoying this show and I'll state for the record that I hope there will be another season. So much fun.

Watched a full episode of Chicago Med and started another one. I'm not sure about the new head of Rhodes's department but their interactions are very interesting.

Got another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries out of the way and one of my favorite things about this show is how we see some familiar faces from other episodes pop up. I really like that, especially since they were suspects before in a different case. Very cool.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. Interesting concept on this one and I vaguely remember bits and pieces from the episodes but can't remember how things got resolved. I'll look forward to seeing the second part.

Enjoyed another arc of Classic Who. Interesting concept and the resolution ended up being something I didn't expect. Hope to start a new arc this week.

Caught another episode of UFO Witness and rather enjoyed it. This one had a regression so an abductee could maybe remember what happened to him. Ended up being pretty interesting to watch.

Watched two episodes of The Muppet Show with Liberace and Marisa Berenson as the guest stars. Enjoyed both.

Still loving McCartney 3, 2, 1. I always end up being blown away by something every episode. It's also a lot of fun to watch Paul pick up an instrument and play or see him sing along at the mixing board. Love this show.

Enjoyed another Master Class with LeVar Burton. This lesson focused on the imagination being our superpower. I love listening to LeVar talk about storytelling.

Started an episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina and … well … I didn't finish it. I really enjoy most of the characters, especially Hilda and Ambrose, Doctor Cee, Theo, Harvey, and Roz. I like Nick a lot. Even the weird sisters are often entertaining. But it really bugs me how Sabrina started out being decent at communication and now she massively sucks at it. The whole asking for advice then doing the exact opposite—without a really good reason other than it's what she wants to do—is starting to annoy me enough to stop watching for now. I might come back to the show eventually but there are other things on Netflix I'd like to get to so Sabrina can wait for bit.

Watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Man. I'm starting to really love this show. There's a lot of nuance, which I enjoy and I like trying to figure out if Lorca is an asshole or a genius … or both. Michael intrigues me to no end. I love mix of Vulcan logic with human foibles. She's such a cool character.

That's pretty much it for the weekly viewing update. Tonight's post is from The Illustrious Curse, the final installment of the Lantern Jack series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right his final wrong. Inara Ives is a distant descendant of Jack's wife, the former banshee queen. Her royal blood is diluted, but still strong. Taben Tarrah can trace his ancestry back to the cursed goblin king, Lantrien Jacquard, but his noble blood is tainted by the lineage. Jack brings the two together to finally put his past to rest and join his deceased bride in the afterlife. The duo won't make it easy … but Jack's success over the years means he won't be thwarted.

And a preview snippet…

Inara Ives blinked, shook her head, and finally met her grandmother's gaze. "Why am I only hearing about this now?" Apparently, the family secrets went much deeper than Inara imagined.

Her grandmother's beringed hand tightened on her cane. "Because you didn't need to know before this very moment." She pounded the floor with the strikingly carved walking stick. "Do not presume to question me on this."

Inara bit back a sigh. "Yes, Grandmother." Irini Ives didn't appreciate any challenge to her authority. "It would have been nice to know I carry royal blood … no matter how diluted it is." Her bloodline descended from Esmera Edwards Jacquard, the banshee queen.

Stunned didn't begin to describe Inara's reaction to the news. Confused would be a better fit. Why reveal the connection now?

Irini made a garbled sound. "Change is afoot and it's time we step in." She explained about the curse the banshee clan put on Esmera's husband because they blamed him for her death.

Inara tilted her head to one side. "You condemned a grieving king to thousands of years of existence as a pumpkin and now that he's finally doing penance, you want to what? Curse him again?" She didn't understand the rage behind her grandmother's raving.

Irini sat up, her back going ramrod straight. "It's not about cursing him again. We want proof he was behind Esmera's death. If we find it, he'll be beyond redemption and banished to live out his eternal afterlife without his queen."

Inara wisely kept her opinion to herself. She wouldn't wish an eternity of being along on anyone—not even her worst enemy. But … she'd hear her grandmother out and hopefully get the full story.

Inara exhaled slowly. "What do you want from me, Grandmother?" No way would the matriarch spill the family secrets unless she needed Inara's help with something.

Irini leaned forward. "You're going to the archives and you're going to summon whatever information you can find on what happened to our beloved queen."

Inara gave a nod. "Yes, Grandmother. I'll get started right away." She got up and turned to face the exit. "By your leave…"

Irini waved a hand and the double doors opened to let Inara leave. She crossed the threshold before she risked letting out a sigh. Her grandmother didn't give Inara a specific time have the information gathered by, but All Hallow's approached and no doubt would be the best time to invoke additional punishment on the goblin king.

Inara stopped when she reached the bottom of the stairs leading away from Irini's wing of the manor house. "Maybe I'll find something that clears Lantrien Jacquard instead of damning him." Because, honestly, the stories she'd grown up with about Esmera weren't all sunshine and roses.

A banshee's work often brought grief and sadness, especially when a family had unresolved issues. The queen could pick and choose who received her gift and she sometimes settled scores with enemies by withholding the wailing cries. Esmera's rule didn't go completely unblemished but most of the fae considered her a fair and just leader.

"Maybe the best place to start is with those old grievances." With that plan of action settled, Inara stopped by her room to pack for a lengthy stay in the archives.

I have so much fun with Lantern Jack's story. The goblin king will finally have an answer to his fate one way or the other.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Halloween Haunt (a Lantern Jack tale)

Long week with a zillion phone calls to settle everything on getting a new vehicle to replace our totaled one. Happy to say as of Friday it's all taken care of. Yay!

Not a bad week with work projects and a solid week of good television. Started out with Street Legal and I'm ending with another episode of the same. Starting to really enjoy this show.

Caught another episode of the Ready Room and thoroughly enjoyed Evan Evagoria's interview. Such a great character he played. And he's a huge fan of the franchise and that came through so much.

Also watched another episode of Chicago Med and enjoyed the three threads playing out during the episode.

Enjoyed another episode of No Offence. This show … man, it's so good. Not sure if there will be more episodes, but I'm so glad I found this one.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness's two part episode. Yeah, they're all two part episodes, I know. This was a really great one and I liked how everything came together by the end.

Watched another arc of Classic Who. They're still on the trail of the time key components and this episode ended up being more fun than I originally thought it would be.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it's got some drama, which seems to be woven in more than usual. Great episode so far.

Caught another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused around UFOs and US presidents. Actually pretty interesting viewing.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Dom Deluise and Bernadette Peters were the guest stars. I'm still nostalgic for the first season, which is probably my favorite.

The Hardy Boys had a great episode. The tall dude is finally—maybe—done for. Liked getting a little more information on Laura's past and I'm trying to decide if I want the grandmother to be super bad or a red herring of goodness.

I viewed another Master Class with David Carson on graphic design. This one had another lesson about color and I found it fascinating.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is going to some interesting places. I can't decide if I want Sabrina to really twist everything on its ass or if she needs something to blow up in her face. I'll find out by the next episode if that happens.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Halloween Haunt, a Lantern Jack tale featuring a clairvoyant medium and a cranky vampire.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Hadria Hardcastle is a clairvoyant medium who runs an investigation agency—she solves the unsolvable. Safford Sturgeon is a six-hundred-year-old vampire tired of his undead existence. When a trail of dead bodies leads Hadria to Safford's front door, she has to decide if he's guilty or being framed. Safford won't make her job easy, but meeting Hadria shakes him out of his lethargy and promises to make his life worth living.

And a preview snippet…

Hadria woke up from a nightmare that doubled as a prescient dream. "Someone is going to die." The gut-churning knowledge meant she wouldn't get back to sleep.

She got out of bed on shaky legs and almost tripped over an ugly, carved pumpkin. Her gift allowed her to see the man under the curse. He'd been trapped for a very long time.

She tilted her head to one side. "You must have done something horrible to carry the hex you have."

The pumpkin responded. "I did. But I've seen the error of my ways and I'm on the path to redemption." He paused a moment. "Folks refer to me as Lantern Jack. No one is allowed to speak my true name until I make my final amends."

Hadria dropped down to sit cross-legged on the floor. "You haven't wronged me so there's another reason you're here." She had to admit, he offered an excellent distraction from her nasty dream.

Jack made a tsking sound. "I'm sorry to say you won't be distracted for long. I'm here to help you find the killer."

Hadria narrowed her eyes. "You're speaking truth but you're not speaking all. What are you holding back?" The fact he mentioned her dream gave her additional insight to his nature.

Jack's carved visage shifted to surprise. "Your gift is strong."

She nodded. "Let's call it the curse I live with." Not exactly a wonderful blessing.

Jack spoke again. "I can't reveal all I know, but I can guide you where your gift can't."

Hadria sensed his honesty. "Do you know if I'll make it in time?" Her track record could use a boost.

She'd been too late the last two times. But she had helped catch the culprits in both recent cases. Maybe she'd actually have a chance this time.

Jack gave her a careful answer. "It's possible but not certain."

Hadria sighed, picked him up, and carried him into her small kitchen. "Tell me what you can. I won't be able to go back to sleep anyway." She grabbed the coffee canister and started filling the basket to brew a pot.

Please let this pumpkin help me this time.

The Lantern Jack stories have been a lot of fun to write. This one is getting Jack closer to his goal and he'll have one more hurdle to jump if he manages to get Hadria and Safford together.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye