Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Whew. It's been a week. I'm under the weather and not enjoying that at all. I'm behind on my two work projects and we're getting a buttload of snow at the moment. Also … I'm on cold medication and it's making me loopy. Fun times.

I made a video for Tip Jar and I'm pretty pleased with how it turned out. I'm excited about this new endeavor and hope it gets some traction.

Really slow week for viewing. Between being under the weather and everything else going on in the world, I didn't have the spoons to really dive into my shows.

I didn't end up finishing the episode of One Lane Bridge. I'm hoping to get to it this week.

I did watch the finale of London Kills and it ended up being pretty thrilling. I have a behind the scenes episode to watch and then I'll be starting the next season.

Caught an episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm liking Neville a lot more this season. Very interested in how things play out with Florance's under cover job.

Started an episode of Beyond Paradise and should finish it today. I ended up sleeping a lot over the weekend and just didn't have a chance to get the whole episode in. I did get a chuckle that Humph named his duck Selwyn because that's the commissioner's name from Death in Paradise. Not sure how I missed that before.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back, and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen … even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Several hours later, Rhys ruled out hex cat and hell hound. "It doesn't make sense." Plus, dammit, nothing he'd tried revealed the animal.

And it had to be an animal.

Frustrated, he ran a hand through his hair. "What other magickal being could it be?" Not many were controllable even by dark magick.

A dark steed? Too big. Cloven goat? Too small and focused. Cloven goats only created havoc. Jinx rats weren't particularly useful except as annoyances because of the bad luck they brought. The same with pox hares. Crossing paths with the mangy rabbits could induce insomnia and indigestion, but not much else.

Another thought hit. "Maybe a vex fox." Rhys shuffled some of the texts on the table to uncover the one he needed. "Ah, no. Too rare." No sightings in the last several decades.

Jana entered the living room, carrying a tray of bubbling concoctions. "Here's the next batch." She placed the mixtures at his elbow.

She'd proven to be extremely helpful. Spell casting and brewing potions were often tedious, but she plowed through with perseverance. She'd even labeled the containers to help him find the ones he wanted quickly.

He met her gaze. "Thank you. Let's see what these reveal." He waited until she sat across from him then selected the first pot and worked successively through the batch trying to bring forth the nasty predator dogging Jana.

The action took him back … to when they'd done this kind of thing a lot. He missed her—them. But they couldn't work as a couple.

He didn't blame her for Rand's death, but she did hold responsibility. He couldn't get past that. Not yet.

Maybe not ever. Especially with Lindi and the kids as a constant reminder. But he loved Jana. Always would.

When none of the new spell potions worked, ideas and thoughts started shuffling in his head. "Let's go over the info again. Your gut said hell hound or hex cat, right?" She rarely missed.

Jana nodded. "But the spells aren't revealing the beast."

Rhys scraped a hand over his head. "Why? Dammit. Why can't I figure it out?" This kind of situation shouldn't be beyond him.

Jana rocked back in her chair. "Maybe it's both." She shrugged one shoulder.

Bingo! She might have just hit the jackpot.

Profound inspiration smacked him in the forehead. "Holy shit." Rhys went to a new book—one he'd discounted earlier. "You might be onto something." He thumbed through the pages. "A blended link with a side of cloaking." He read through the details and whistled low between his teeth. "That's some powerful fucking magick." But the concept fit.

Her chair thumped forward. "Who's got the ability to pull that off?" Jana frowned.

Rhys slid his gaze sideways. "One brain teaser at a time. Let's see if we're right first."

He transcribed the pages for the necessary spells then helped gather the necessary ingredients.

While filling the vials, he explained the process. "We'll need to work together. Uncloak first, break the link, then banish the creatures." Excitement to be working with her thrummed in his veins when he filled the vials. "Are you ready?"

It took a while for me to figure out where this story wanted to go, but I'm so happy with where it's headed now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Well, we're finally getting November weather. It's chilly outside and we got some snow showers that really ended up being flurries flying wildly in the wind. I'm kind of excited to get into the true depth of fall.

Had a decent week of catching up on projects and doing more organizing. I also made a dent in my holiday shopping. I'm making an effort to be on top of that this year.

Pretty solid week of viewing also. I got two episodes of Glitch in. I thought I'd already watched the third episode but I hadn't. So I'll be starting episode five this week. Some crazy stuff happened and we're down two characters. I'm very interested in what the hell happened to Vic.

Caught another musical icon episode. Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You ended up being full of stuff I didn't know or remember about the singer. I like revisiting the lives of those we've lost.

Watched the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Definitely had a twist I sort of expected but didn't know if the show would go there. They totally did. I'm kind of excited to see the finale then dive into the Ready Room breakdowns. I kind of hope Wil loses his mind over some of the twists and turns. He's so much fun because he's such a huge fan.

Enjoyed two episode of Chicago Med. I'm almost through the second season with one more episode to go. I'm kind of sad about Robin's descent, especially because Rhodes is such a nice guy. I'm also thrilled with how Reese is coming into her own and standing up for herself. Her confidence is amazing this season.

Caught the season finale of Midsomer Murders. Really liked this one and loved the mystery. I rather hope there's another season in the works.

Finished season thirteen of Silent Witness and started the first episode of season fourteen. I'm a little iffy on whether I remember this one or not. Some of the details are pinging so I think I did watch it before.

Watched the season twenty finale of Classic Who. Thoroughly enjoyed "The Five Doctors" and seeing all the former companions back for a spin. Although Four didn't have much of anything to do, which, honestly, isn't a huge loss. He'd been the most recent anyway.

Caught another episode of Roswell: The Final Verdict and liked the deep dive into how some of the witnesses were discredited and humiliated. Everything that happened with the Roswell incident is fascinating.

Enjoyed two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lynda Carter and Carol Channing were the guest stars. The muppets trying to be super heroes was hilarious.

Started the updated version of Fantasy Island. Interesting premise and pretty decent storylines. I'll finish out the season and see if things hold up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I'm almost through season five and I'm still liking the mix of partners. I think I have two episodes left before season six starts.

Watched another MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. This one gave me some good insight into how to keep my doggos from jumping. I'm going to try some of the techniques because that's a huge problem with both dogs.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Two were favorites from watching with my kiddos when they were little. This show is so much fun to revisit.

Also caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Nice to see Jared back and what a terrific case. I'm hoping the lawyer lady gets caught at some point. Because she's definitely guilty. Also wondering if the final duo will end up featuring in another episode at some point.

And that's pretty much it for this week's television update. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, a novella that puts one of the characters in a dangerous situation and forces the other to consider how to save them.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen … even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Jana showered and waited for Rhys. He tripped the ward to alert her and she went to the door. She drank in the sight of him ambling along her walkway.

She sighed. "Such a handsome geek." Her long-buried feelings for him threatened to consumer her.

She loved him. Always would. Even if she'd never have him again.

When he stepped up onto her porch, she exited to meet him. "I'm sorry. I didn't know who to call. No one else has your knowledge." The man loved nothing more than to be surrounded by books.

He hugged her. A quick squeeze and release. Her body craved more. So much more.

Rhys cupped her face. "You know I'll always have your back." He followed her inside. "You've set perimeter wards?" He hefted his bag higher on his shoulder.

She nodded. "Right now, you're the only one who has access. Anyone else will get an unpleasant welcome." And probably not live to tell anyone about it.

Rhys cocked his head. "You took a risk going out to set an exception."

Jana flushed hot. "Er, I didn't go out." She held up a shirt—the fabric whisper soft from wear. "I used this to create the allowance for your admittance." She tucked the garment under her arm with no plans to give it back.

Rhys huffed out a breath. "Smart." He dumped his bag on the chair by the table. "Didn't realize I'd left anything behind." His gaze drifted toward the living area.

Jana winced but didn't jump on the subject. He didn't come to rehash the reasons they'd split up. Awkward moment much.

Jana finally remembered her manners. "How are Lindi and the kids?" Stupid question, but she could play nice when necessary.

Rhys gave her a wry grin. "They're all right. The kids have adjusted to living at the estate." He sobered. "Lindi's hanging in there." He jammed his hands into his pockets.

Translation—the kids are bouncing back and Lindi is still pissed at you.

She changed the subject. "I didn't get a good look at the predator, but it's either a hell hound or a hex cat. My money's on the cat." She paced a little, fighting the creeped-out feeling of being chased. "I think it was cloaked so a description could be avoided." Pretty damn smart, if she wanted to be nice about things.

She didn't.

Rhys dragged his books out of his bag. "Any reason why you're betting on the cat?" He stacked five volumes on the table.

Jana shrugged. "A hound would be baying in frustration over not getting past my wards." And probably chomping at the bit to get at her.

Rhys lifted his chin. "Unless it's well-trained."

Jana conceded. "Okay. Good point. But … they're notoriously hard to train and not many have the patience or skill to do it."

Rhys gave a slow nod. "True. We'll focus on a hex cat to start." He grabbed a book from the pile.

Jana pointed to the living room. "I cleared the table so you've got room to spread out. Or you—we—can work in here." She started toward the room.

Rhys couldn't hide a slight grimace. "You're helping?" He tucked two books under his arm and lifted three more in both hands.

Jana laughed. "Don't worry. I figured I can play fetch and carry. I promise I won't touch the precious tomes." A long-standing bone of contention between them—her lack of scholarly pursuits showed in her nonexistent reverence for a musty text.

Rhys picked up on her stab at humor. "Hey, the precious tomes might be the only thing to save your very nice ass." He strolled past her with a quirky grin on his face and put the books on the ottoman in front of the couch.

Jana couldn't suppress a lick of satisfaction. At least he still liked her butt. She shut down the euphoria and focused on the reason Rhys had to be here.

Her work created a lot of havoc. Rhys had knowledge about a little bit of everything. She wouldn't regret using whatever connection they had to figure this out. And she wouldn't make too much of anything else.

Heading back toward the kitchen, she called over her shoulder. "I'll put some coffee on."

I love writing banter between characters who have a lot of underlying tension. Rhys and Jana definitely have history and a lot of shorthand between them.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

December 30, 2018

I hope everyone who celebrates had a terrific holiday. Mine ended up being lovely; very low-key and quiet with family. The days after have been filled with catching up with friends. I got to spend time with my two best friends from high school last night and we had the best time. So nice to catch up after such a long time.

It's been a slow week for television. My focus is off right now and background noise gets distracting sometimes. I did catch some Classic Who while catching up on the dishes and doing some cooking. I'm into the web planet episodes right now.

Started the Thanksgiving episode of The Flash. Really hope to get caught up on my CW shows soon. Watched Midsomer Murders's final episode of series thirteen. Nice to see how Barnaby the first retired.

I also caught another episode of Babylon 5. I'd forgotten about this one and it was nice to see Dr. Franklin fight a moral dilemma. Also watched an episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles. As a standalone episode, it worked well.

And that's pretty much it for my light week of viewing. Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, a novella that started with a brief flash of inspiration and has rolled out from there.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but may not be able to protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen… even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

"Who did Jana piss off this time?"

Rhys McPherson gathered his notes on layered spells and stashed them in his messenger bag. Looping the handle over his shoulder, he started for the study doors. He paused when he caught sight of his sister-in-law, Lindi.

Shit. Terrible timing. Especially because of where he had to go.

He mentally braced himself. "I've gotta go out for a while." He slid past her, heading toward the main entrance of the manor house. "Not sure how long I'll be gone."

With Jana, a good guess might be anywhere from a few hours to a couple of days. She never did anything the easy way. And Lindi definitely didn't need to know who Rhys had to meet. But he didn't want her to worry.

And she would. Since his brother Rand had died and she'd moved in with Rhys, bringing his niece and nephew, the scale tilted more toward the downside. But Rhys took full responsibility for his family obligations. He loved Lindi and the kids and would always make a home for them.

Rand would do the same if the positions were reversed.

The tension between Rhys and Lindi—her grief made her a little clingy—fluctuated with her moods. Not in good or bad way. Both needed to find a new normal after losing Rand.

She let out a small sigh. "Will I be able to contact you?" The little catch in her voice steadied out when he paused.

He turned and nodded. "I hope so. And I'll try to check in when I can." Until he had a handle on Jana's situation, he couldn't give a concrete answer.

Her mouth thinned. "You're going to see Jana, aren't you?"

Dammit, how did she know?

Lindi's lips twisted with a bitter edge, almost like she'd read his mind. "You get cagey and vague when it has something to do with her."

The bad blood between Lindi and Jana might never dissipate. Not when Lindi blamed Jana for Rand's death. His larger than life brother worked like Jana did—off the books and on the fringe. The bounty hunters for the society were supposed to be each other's unofficial backup and Jana couldn’t stop the standoff that caught Rand in the crossfire.

Rhys shook his head. "It's not a friendly visit. She needs help." And he had the research material to lend the assist.

Lindi snorted. "She always does." She folded her arms around her waist.

Rhys didn't have time to engage in a verbal battle of wills. "Look, can we discuss this later?" He needed to do something to help Lindi move on from Rand's death.

Lindi shrugged. "Whatever, Rhys. I'm your sister-in-law. I don't have a claim on you." She relaxed her posture. "But you're all the kids and I have left so don't let her get you killed."

Like she got Rand killed.

The words remained unspoken but her tone telegraphed the warning.

Rhys strode toward the door. "I'll try not to." He glanced back. "Take care, Lindi. Call Ellington if you need anything while I'm gone." The family caretaker would do exactly that… take care of Rhys's family.

Which used to include Jana… sort of.

Unofficially.

Way back when Jana the warrior taught Rhys how to fight. And Rhys the scholar tutored Jana about the ancient texts. Back when they were a golden couple like Lindi and Rand.

Before Jana's work and his studies got in the way.

Before his brother died.

A little longer scene than usual but this turned out better than I'd hoped. I love the dynamic between Lindi and Rhys.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

March 27, 2016

Happy Easter to those who observe and celebrate. We're having some lovely weather in Ohio, which might only last twenty-four hours because—hello!—it's Ohio. LOL I'm still battling the flu… apparently I got the full two-week version. Yay, me.

That said, I did enjoy my week of new shows on television. The Walking Dead followed up the Carol / Maggie excellence with another terrific episode. I'm still not all that excited for Negan to show up, but eh, we'll see what happens when he does.

Gotham took a turn I didn't expect and I'm definitely interested in where things go from here. Nygma is one crafty, creepy dude. The Magicians continues to keep me intrigued. I truly love the dynamic between Penny and Quentin. The Lost Girl finale had me sobbing… again. I'm going to miss that show so much. Bitten twisted the spikes in a little deeper, but I loved the spin with making Rachel the one with powers instead of Rocco. Awesome to see Paige again.

The Flash made a reveal I didn't expect until the end of the season, so kudos for keeping me on my toes. Arrow took a turn I didn't exactly like, but I'm in for the long haul with Oliver and company. Looking forward to a new Legends episode this week.

Agents of SHIELD keeps getting better and better. I'm excited for the Most Wanted spin off. I love those characters.

The finale for Murdoch Mysteries proved excellent. I can't believe they keep coming up with great stuff after almost ten years. Here's to another terrific season whenever it premieres.

And that's the television update for this week.

Tonight's post is from Lie to Me, an urban fantasy / contemporary paranormal novella where my main characters have to deal with a malevolent force before they get their lives on track.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but can't protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen… even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And a preview snippet…

Jana Ricks thrashed through the woods behind her house. "What the flaming hell is on my ass?" She'd pushed her daily run to late evening, hoping for cooler temperatures.

The summer humidity, worse than it had been for five years, sucked the will to exercise out of Jana during the day.

Thudding footfalls and snapping brush spurred Jana forward. She had no idea who she'd pissed off, but her gut screamed "otherworldly" pursuit. And that meant even if she made the safety of her cottage, she might not lose whatever creature nipped at her heels.

Spying the back patio, she used a burst of energy and rocketed the last few hundred feet to reach the neatly laid brick pavers. Spinning around, her breath heaving in and out, she crossed her arms in an 'X' then spread them out into a 'T'. She muttered an intricate series of words then punched both hands toward the inky black sky. Drawing power from her surroundings, she brought her arms downward in a sharp motion and sent the incantation out in all directions.

A moment later, a piercing yelp followed by a low, menacing growl met her ears.

Anger kicked hard in her chest. "Dammit. A hell hound or a hex cat." Her thighs screamed with agony because of the hard run, but she walked the perimeter of her patio, touching her foot to a series of runes on the bordering bricks. "Let's see you get past my wards, you mangy cur." Shaky legs carried her to the French doors, leading into her humble abode.

She entered and made a beeline for her phone, sitting on the kitchen table. Swiping through her contacts, her thumb hovered over the screen a moment before she hit the call icon. Lifting the device to her ear, she tamped down the fear and anger, ignored the thundering reluctance pumping along with her pulse, and waited for the recipient to respond.

On the third ring, they did.

She took a deep breath and closed her eyes. "Hey, it's Jana. I need help."

I'm really liking the way this one is coming together. I do need to take a day and really plot out the rest of the story, mainly to make sure I don't spin off in too many directions.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Lie to Me

Greetings!

Okay, if you're not watching Orphan Black, you should be. I just watched the absolute best season finale I've seen from a show in a very long, long time. Seriously, the entire season never missed a beat and the mind-bending craziness just kept me glued to the television. Spring of 2014 is way too far away. J

Tonight's post is from the novella, Lie to Me. Jana and Rhys have a strong desire to be together, but circumstances beyond their control make it pretty much impossible. Jana isn't thrilled with the reasons, but she gets it.

Here's the tagline:

Jana Ricks has a target on her back and she wants Rhys McPherson to help her get rid of it. Rhys loves Jana, but can't protect her, not if they want to stay alive, which he's determined to make happen…even if it means giving up the future he wants.

And the preview snippet…

Rhys sighed. "I'm sorry, Jana."

She growled. "Look, Rhys, I'm not looking for an apology. I want a reason."

He shook his head. "I can't give you one."

She pinned him with her gaze. "Can't or won't?"

His silence answered the question.

She snorted. "Right. Figured as much."

Jana brushed past him ready to exit, but Rhys's hand shot out and grasped her arm.

He met her gaze. "Can't. Because there're too many reasons to list. And you know every single one of them."

Her shoulders slumped. "Shit." She did, and probably had a few more she could add to the list. "This sucks."

Rhys slid his hand down to twine his fingers with hers. "Yeah, it does. But until we find a way to rid ourselves of the danger, this is what we have."

She leaned forward, resting her head on his shoulder, craving the solid strength only he offered. "Can't you just lie to me and say it's all going to be okay?"

Rhys wrapped his free arm around her. "I could, but you'd know the truth. It's there in front of us. Every day." His voice gruff, he held her close for a moment then slowly eased away.

Jana nodded. "I know. But lie to me anyway."

Rhys lips quirked. "It's all gonna be okay." He sobered. "Eventually."

Jana grumbled. "Eventually is too damned far away." Lifting her chin, she caught his mouth in a quick, hard kiss. "And I'm not a patient person." Spinning around, she left before either could give in to the temptation of pushing their luck.

The malevolent evil on her ass won the day, but she and Rhys would win out in the end. They just had to find the key to taking the guy out.

I have a feeling this may turn into a series, but the sages are being tight-lipped at the moment. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye