Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

Well, the end of June is going to be a welcome sight for me. It's been a long month and yet somehow flew by in a blink.

Work projects are finally slowing down a little and I feel like I can breathe again. I have to play catch-up on some things that I had to let slide while trying to get through the bulk of my work. Hopefully, I'll get back to some cleaning projects and get more writing done.

Actually made it through all of my shows and finished up two that I had on the back burner. We had a lot of rain and some severe storms, but the power stayed on, so I got a lot watched.

Watched another episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and it's one I always look forward to. I love getting into Phyrne's history and her time in France explains so much about her.

Enjoyed another episode of Art Detectives. Nice to have a little backstory for the characters. Also enjoyed the mystery of this one. Messy rock-star drama added a nice twist.

Caught another Death in Paradise episode … possibly the one hundredth ep because Camile made an appearance. Excellent throwback to the very first episode also.

Watched another Poirot episode where he's either still on holiday or taking another one. I had seen most of this episode before and it's nice to have all the pieces fall into place.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson decide to stay with the eleventh and Iiked him seeking Joan's help with vetting his possible replacement. The overarching mystery also ended up being nice and twisty.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and liked the team-up of Terry and Max. Bruce had some good lines in this episode.

I think I finished up the Classic Rugrats rewatch. I might go back and make sure I didn't end up skipping a season or two. I'll probably switch over the new episodes.

Finally finished up the episode of Peak Practice I started a while ago. Did not expect to see Sam propose even though I knew it would happen at some point.

Also finished up the second episode of Reacher. Gotta say, I really love this show. Glad I have several more seasons to view!

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that puts a couple in danger thanks to friends of friends.

Here's the miniblurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina stared at the … hell, she didn't know what to call it. A symbol? Sigil? Whatever. The thing had been etched into the wall above the landing of the stairs.

Tuck let out a low whistle. "Why would Jake and Marley let friends, let alone anyone, carve that into their home?" He took his phone out and held it up.

Gina snagged his arm. "What are you doing?" The creeped-out vibe she had screamed danger.

He slid his gaze sideways. "Do you know what it means?" His brows arched.

She shook her head. "Don't think I wanna know." Nothing good.

The symbol couldn't be anything but bad news.

Tuck grunted. "Right. I get that. But…" He held her gaze. "If we want to get rid of our shadow, we're gonna need help." He pressed the button on his app. "And that means we have to have something to use." He slid the device back into his pocket. "I don't plan on crossing that marking, which limits our options here."

She gave a reluctant nod. "Yeah, okay. You're right." Just looking at the thing made her skin itch. "We can't stay here." Her gaze darted to the door. "Check to see if Mr. Creepy is out there then head to the nearest occult store?" She swallowed against the ball of nerves lodged in her throat.

Tuck lifted his chin. "And if he is out there?"

Shit. She hadn't thought of that. Worth the risk or not?

Worth it. "We run like hell." They didn't really have a choice.

Tuck's lips twisted. "Right. But let's be smart about this." He grabbed his phone again and opened a browser, typing in the search bar. "Nearest place is three blocks south of here."

Damn. She loved him for thinking of finding the closest place they might get answers.

She started to twist the knob and had an idea herself. "Hey, let's grab some salt. It's used for protection, right?" But … they'd have to pass under the etching to get to the kitchen.

Unless…

Tuck voiced the thought before she could. "Basement. I know they've got rock salt down there." He started down the steps with Gina hot on his heels.

They found the partial bag and headed back upstairs.

Pausing at the door, Gina pressed a quick, hard kiss to Tuck's lips. "I love you. Never forget that." Pulling the door open, she peeked outside.

Tuck grasped her shoulder. "Love you too. Let's go."

This story is slowly revealing itself in interesting ways. It might end up not being about what I originally planned. I love it when that happens!

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

Whew. It's been a week, right? I finished up several projects and got a couple of new ones lined up. My workload is changing in a lot of ways and I'm happily adapting to the new lineup. Change is good, even when you (meaning me) don't like it. At least that's what I've discovered lately.

Had a very solid week of television viewing. I have something of a pattern and I watch shows on a bit of a schedule. This week everything kind of seemed to speed along.

I ended up getting in three Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. I'm enjoying the second season of this show. The episodes are pretty short and fun to watch.

Finished up the Queens of Mystery second part and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I'm a little frustrated by the overarching mystery of Mattie's mom but I'm very willing to give this show a lot of leeway.

Watched three episodes of Silent Witness. The second two-parter ended up being pretty enjoyable. I like the vibe of having the forensic science mixed in with the pathology. After fifteen seasons, it's probably past time to introduce that into the mix.

Enjoyed two more Classic Who episodes. I actually kind of like the format for this season with Six being on trial. It's a nice change of pace and something a little different from the norm.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppets. Weirdly, the show really started to gel for me in the last couple of episodes. It's more inclusive and somewhat similar to the older format. And it's fun.

Watched two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I'm very much into the unknown mysteries that haven't been discovered there yet. Dinosaurs, UFOs, weird paranormal encounters. This show has everything.

I'm loving Harrow. I got two more episodes watched and the walls are kind of closing in on the bigger arc of who killed Robert Quinn. I'm kind of excited to see where it ends up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and the characters said good-bye to David. It's about halfway through the seventh season and I'm interested in what will follow and what the fallout will be.

Enjoyed two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. She discussed mazes and patterns and the audience and both classes were very interesting. If nothing else, she's given me a new way of looking at projects and I'm here for that.

Got two episodes of Paranoid in and, wow, things are heating up. This is a very twisty and turny mystery and I like how things are playing out. I also love that the three leads are kind of a total mess but still get the job done.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. While none were my faves, they were great to watch as I'd kind of forgotten them. Nice to be reminded.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and I really, really don't like the COO person. As a foil for Sharon, I get the need to have her but, yikes, she's awful, terrible, and rage inducing.

Enjoyed two bonus episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A behind-the-scenes short and an interview with the two leads. I finished out everything that's currently available and I'll have to find a new show to start this week to go along with Queens of Mystery.

Got the first of a two-part Blue Heelers watched. I have a sneaky feeling this might be Wayne's swan song. The episode ended up being better than I expected. Can't wait to finish it next week.

Star Trek: Discovery once again kind of blew my mind. I love the interaction with Spock and Michael. The same goes for Michael and Ash. Actually, all the relationships on this show are amazing. Seriously, amazing.

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that puts my main characters in a tricky situation when they have an unknown entity on their trail.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina's leg jackhammered under the table and her fingers beat a rapid staccato on the seat. Tuck slid his gaze to the window, gauging how much longer they should wait before they headed for Jake and Marley's. If they didn't go soon, Gina might bounce right out of the booth.

"I gotta pee. Coffee went right through me." She scooted off the bench. "We're outta here as soon as I'm done. Mr. Creepy or no Mr. Creepy." She didn't wait for a reply.

Tuck grunted. "Your call, I guess." Not that he minded—hell, he couldn't take any more inactivity either.

Energy burned through his system and needed an outlet.

She took less than three minutes and Tuck paid the tab with two twenties. Shirl deserved a fat tip for keeping them in food and coffee for two hours.

Gina grabbed her jacket. "Sorry, that was a bitch move, but I can't sit anymore. I gotta do something." Her free hand balled into a fist.

Tuck lifted his chin. "Yeah, I get it." His gaze scanned the buildings across the street. "It's all clear for now. Let's go." He led the way to the exit, giving Shirl a wave before pushing the door open.

The early dawn light fingered through the trees, casting shadows on the sidewalk. Gina stuck close to his side when they crossed the road and started up the block. Jake and Marley had a two-floor condo with a finished basement in a complex several blocks up the street. With luck, they'd get there unscathed.

Gina tugged on his belt loop. "Front or back?"

Good question. If they walked in the front door, they'd stay straight at the corner. If they wanted to enter through the back, they'd turn right and cut down the alleyway. The street-side entrance would leave them less exposed, but the rear gave them some protection if they had to take cover.

He nudged her shoulder. "Back. We'll have less room to maneuver but—"

She finished his statement. "We've got more protection if shit goes sideways."

He nodded. "Right."

Halfway up the block, they dashed across four lanes and ducked into the narrow passage between the condo units and an apartment building. Dumpsters nestled between the garages on the condo side and a waste management truck made its way slowly along the asphalt. Tuck estimated they'd have enough time to get inside Jake and Marley's unit before the vehicle stopped to get their trash.

Gina paused with the key in her hand and rested her head on the door. "Not sure I can do this, Tuck." Her fingers trembled.

He gently took the key, slid it home, and twisted the knob. "We can and will. For Jake and Marley." He pushed the steel door inward, grabbed Gina's hand, and stepped inside their friends' home.

Gina exhaled slowly then let out a gasp. "Son of a bitch."

His gaze snapped to where she pointed and his gut twisted. "Well … that explains it."

I love the dynamic between Tuck and Gina. They've got a dangerous road to travel and they'll have to rely on each other to stay alive.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!         

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

April 21, 2019

To all who celebrate Easter, I hope it's a good holiday. Another weird weather week in Ohio. I know, big shock, right? Actually turned on the AC one day because the house was stuffy and humid. The next day, I turned it off because the temperature dropped thirty degrees again. Needless to say, it's a combination of AC and furnace for the next few weeks.

Decent television week. I did get to finish Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and it was… soooo good. I'll finish up the other three episodes, but I'm pretty sure I'd like to see more. Here's hoping they'll do another season.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and it's one I remembered from the original run. I'll admit I was disappointed there weren't more episodes even though fandom in general thought the show fared poorly against the source material.

Watched another episode of Underbelly: Razor and, yeah, the women are starting to feel the burn from the law. I wanted to empathize with Tillie but couldn't quite get there. She's just not drawing my sympathy and I can't really explain why. Kate, though, I kind of sympathize with. Nellie… is Nellie. Not quite sure what I feel for her plight.

Finished up Midsomer Murders and enjoyed the rest of the episode. I'm almost through the fourteenth series and I'm still liking the show. There's never a shortage of interesting little bits worked into the stories.

Roswell, New Mexico… the penultimate episode. Holy crap. So much happened. Questions were answered but a ton of new ones popped up from those answers. I really need another season because there's no way it can have a satisfying end with only one more episode to go. I need to know how Maria's mom fits into the situation at Caufield, if she even does, or at the very least, I need to know why she's so scrambled. And, dammit, I need Maria to know what's going on and put her two cents in. I dipped my toe into the fandom waters and, yeah, I'll probably steer clear. I love the potential interactions with everyone, including Alex, Michael, and Maria. While I'm not a full-on fan of triangles, I do like messy and awkward feelings that have to be resolved somehow. I also love how many different definitions of family there is to wade through on the show. The kind of big thing I'm dreading is a possible death in the last episode. I've got a gut feeling of who it might be and I’m not ready for it.

Also, I'm sad to see Jenna go, if she really does. Here's hoping she might make her way back in the future. The interactions between Jenna and Liz were so damn good, as in there was awkwardness but none of the bitchy-girl, fur-flying stuff that's so lame. Kudos for that!

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and both were ones I hadn't seen. Pete and Edie remind me of Nick and Nora. Weird, I know. I think it's a vibe thing. Nora totally had Nick's number and I think Edie is the same way with Peter.

Watched episode four of Blade. Nice to come back to this after a long hiatus. I'm looking forward to more one season wonders on the CW Seed app.

Caught Strike Back and loved so much about this episode. Nice to have Zarkova back among the group. So cool to see Chetri pretty much rescue herself. And Alexander ending up in Moscow was better than expected. Wyatt and Novin are never boring and Mac needs to keep his choose better times to get sexed up. That's a lot of information to pack into a one-hour nutshell.

Watched the beginning of the next arc of Classic Who. This one is about the time meddler and I'm interested to see where it goes. Got a surprise when the guy from the Dalek episodes showed up. Didn't see that coming.

Caught a majorly great episode of Chicago Fire. Watching the women deal with the terrible accident in Indiana while the guys held a chili cook-off worked really well. The fact that the doom and gloom crew won—and one of the members is the dude from the Sonic commercials—kind of made my day.

Also started an episode of Iron Fist and it's full of Misty right now so I'm loving the hell out of it. Just saying.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "slasher film; in the woods". I put a slightly different spin on the concept and like where it's going.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

Gina's stomach churned. "What do you think we stumbled on in Haverswood?" Nothing human if she had to guess.

Tuck lifted a shoulder. "I'm thinking more along the lines it's something we unleashed instead of stumbled on." He swung his gaze toward the window, keeping a close watch on its location.

Gina didn't see his logic. "How? We weren't summoning or chanting incantations in Latin or anything like that." They'd been scoping out a site, checking the stories from the newspapers.

Tuck leveled his gaze on her. "We weren't." His meaning came through in his tone.

Gina closed her eyes. "Why would Jake and Marley take a risk like that?" She couldn't believe the couple would push the envelope without the proper safety nets in place.

Tuck snorted. "Didn't say it was them." He gave her another pointed look.

Gina slumped in the booth. "Fuck. You think it was Del and Suz?" The duo basically came along for the ride, visiting from Marley's hometown.

Tuck didn't respond right away. Shirl approached with their food and coffee, placing the plates on the table and filling the mugs.

She stood back, narrowing her eyes. "You two had a rough night, didn't you?" She held up a hand. "Nope. Don't need to know the details. I'll keep the caffeine coming while you guys iron out whatever's going on." Turning, she headed back to the counter and started a new pot of coffee.

Gina huffed out a breath. "She's a sweetheart." After Tuck nodded in agreement, she got back on topic. "Del and Suz. Spill." Picking up her fork, she sliced into a waffle and dunked it in the syrup.

Tuck leaned in, keeping his voice low. "I think they had an agenda, one they didn't share with the rest of the class." He shoveled a forkful of hash browns into his mouth.

Gina chewed thoughtfully for a moment. "So… they wanted to what? Have an experience? Make life a living hell for everyone? What kind of agenda gets them killed along with two of our best friends?" He had to be wrong.

Right?

Tuck didn't say anything for a while, clearing half his plate and keeping an eye on the specter outside. Gina gave him some space, keeping her questions at bay. Tuck liked to mull things over even though it drove her mad sometimes.

Finally, he set his fork aside. "I could be wrong, but we didn't know them. We didn't have time to vet them before they insisted we let them tag along for the night." He picked up his mug and swallowed several mouthfuls of coffee. "Marley grew up with both, but she said it'd been almost ten years since she'd seen either one." He paused, letting the information sink in.

Gina finished off her bacon and slowly nodded. "And you're wondering why they show up now?" Actually, a good question.

Tuck jerked his chin upward. "Yeah, I guess." He paused a moment. "They were staying with Jake and Marley, right? Maybe there's something at their place to give us a lead on what's going on."

Gina nodded then glanced out the window. "Should we try to make a run for their condo? Or wait to see if Mr. Creepy goes away when the sun rises?" She hovered between wanting answers now and dreading the thought of going back out there.

A new one for her.

Tuck shrugged. "We've got about an hour until it starts getting light outside. Let's see what happens." He waved to Shirl who grabbed the coffee pot.

Gina settled back against the booth cushions. In an hour, they'd be wired on caffeine and probably still be bone-dead tired.

But they needed to find some kind of clue as to what they were dealing with and hopefully get some justice for their friends.

I'm not quite sure how this one is going to be resolved but I do like the dynamic between Gina and Tuck and how they're not sure what they're dealing with but unafraid to find out.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

Well, The Last Ship didn't kill any of my favorites last week. On one hand, this makes me very happy. On the other, I'm now wondering when, who, and how much it will destroy me when they take out a crewmember. LOL

Killjoys continues to rock my world. I love the show so much. I also love seeing so many familiar faces from other genre shows. Same goes for Dark Matter. After a "meh" opening episode, this week's turned out to be so much better with the possibility of a few cast shake-ups. I'm a little iffy on where things are going but I'm in for the ride.

The rewatch of Babylon 5 is up to the start of season two. I'm also in season two of Strike Back. Summer is great for sinking into and revisiting old favorites.

Tonight's post is from Not Gonna Happen, a novella started with the writer's prompt of slasher film in the woods.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

For once, Gina didn't argue with him. Tuck thanked providence or whatever ruled the universe. Any other time, she'd be digging her heels in, trying to head toward danger instead of away.

Losing Jake and Marley changed everything.

Sticking close to his back, Gina spoke in low tones. "So, what's the plan?" She kept her gaze fixed on the tree line and a finger hooked through a belt loop of his jeans.

Tuck shrugged. "Find a busy, well-lit place to sit down and figure one out." He hit the sidewalk and made a beeline for the street.

Gina let go and wrapped an arm around his waist when they crossed the deserted intersection. "Gonna be hard to find something at three in the morning." She glanced back over her shoulder and sighed. "Still there. He's crossing in the middle of the block, where the street light isn't shining as bright." Burrowing into his side, she shivered a little.

Tuck put his arm around her, hauling her close. "Let's hit the Waffle Hut." The place never closed and shined line a beacon to interstate traffic.

Gina grunted in agreement. "I could go for waffles and home fries." Her gaze slid sideways. "We're only assuming it won't risk coming into the light. What if we're wrong?"

She made a good point. "We'll cross that bridge when we have to. It's a safe bet it's only after us and we can haul ass if necessary." His gut suggested they'd be in the clear once they got somewhere with other people.

Whatever the hell they'd drawn out of the catacombs only wanted their blood. His instincts rarely steered him wrong and he counted on their guidance at the moment. Because losing four friends over what should have been a lark had his brain tied up in knots.

Gina nudged him. "Stop it. We're almost there. Think about the others when we're not out in the open." She took the lead, her hand grasping his.

Tuck breathed easier when they breezed through the door and found an empty booth by the windows. The creepy creature hovered outside, staying in the shadows. So far, so good. If the thing didn't like light, Tuck and Gina had a small advantage.

Gina waved the waitress—a familiar face—over. "Hey, Shirl. Coffee, please. And a number five special." She glanced in Tuck's direction. "You want the same?"

Tuck nodded. "Yeah. Bacon instead of sausage." He flashed a smile. "And scrambled eggs?"

Shirl shot him a mock glare. "Always gotta make things difficult, don't you?" Her lips curved in a grin. "But you're so handsome I can't say no." She winked at Gina. "Let me know when you get tired of him, honey." Tucking her order pad into her apron pocket, she sashayed to the counter and called out their request.

Gina laughed. "Coming here was a good idea. A little slice of normal to ground us in reality." She fiddled with the placemat, going silent.

Tuck covered her fingers with his. "We'll figure out what happened, Gina." His thumb stroked her skin.

Her head snapped up, determination in her gaze. "Damned right we will."

I had no idea what I'd end up with based on the prompt, but I'm having great fun writing this story.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Gonna Happen

May 4, 2014

Another nice week in TV. Arrow keeps going at a breakneck pace. I'm so excited to see how the season ends. S.H.I.E.L.D keeps me guessing a little and I like that. I'm not quite sure how I feel about Ward's situation, but I'd love to see if they can actually redeem the guy. And make me believe it. :D Orphan Black blew my mind. One… because I totally called Cal's role in Sarah's former life. I won't spoil anything here, but I had a gut feeling about him. Now I'm wondering if one of my hopes for Rachel comes to fruition. *crosses fingers* And how about the ending? Oh, man, I seriously hope that Daniel dude gets his comeuppance. Or dies. Either way would suit me. :D

Tonight's post is from the novella, Not Gonna Happen, an urban fantasy with just a touch of supernatural fun.

Here's the tagline:

Gina Ames and Tuck Danvers sign up for a weekend of hunting for an urban legend. When their other team members start dropping, one by one, they take off for the safety of the city. Too bad the concrete and steel can't protect them from what follows them home.

And a preview snippet…

"It's good to be back in the city." Gina hooked her arms around Tuck and leaned in for a steamy kiss.

His mouth met hers and, oh man, she melted into the embrace. The man had some seriously incredible lips. Tuck's hands skimmed her sides, settling on the curve of her ass. He drew her between his legs, the hard ridge of his erection firmly wedged between them.

Gina trailed her fingers along his arm, drawing a sensual line down his torso before working the button of his fly open. She started on the zipper, lowering it slowly, letting the tension build.

Tuck broke the embrace and nudged her head to the side, ghosting kisses along the column of her throat. She sighed, letting her eyes slide closed, and eased her hand under the denim of Tuck's jeans. Her fingers curled around his cock, freeing it from the confines of the fabric.

Tuck froze and sucked in a harsh breath. "Son of a bitch."

Gina stiffened, stilling her movements. "What the hell, Tuck. You're hard as a rock. Don't even tell me you're not ready."

His head jerked. "No, Gina. It's not that. We've got company." He scrambled away, fastening his jeans with efficiency.

She craned her neck, glancing over her shoulder. Sure enough, in the grove of trees close to the park, a lone, shadowy figure moved among the low hanging branches.

Gina grumbled. "Dammit. How the hell did it track us?"

Tuck grabbed her hand. "Don't know. Don't care." He dragged her behind him, heading for the street. "We're not gonna stick around to find out."

Needless to say, the whole not sticking around part is probably a good idea. LOL

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye