Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

Had a fairly busy week between work and the new venture I'm putting together. The play I'm editing is so much fun. It's deep and twisty and bonkers in the best possible way. I hope I have another chance to edit more plays.

Had a pretty good week trying to catch up to my regular viewing schedule. I'm not quite there yet because other things have been pulling my attention away from screen time. Also, my sleep schedule is all messed up at the moment. Not sure why, but probably hormone-related. Fun.

I watched an episode of Peak Practice and should finish up season eight this week. From what I've reviewed, seasons nine through twelve go a little off the normal path and dive deeper into soap opera territory. I'm okay with that.

Caught two more MasterClass lessons with Roxane Gay. I truly love listening to her speak. The first one focused on engaging with you readers and I ended up getting a lot out of that one. The second lesson noted the importance of having a day job for stability and I also appreciated what she had to say about that topic.

Started The Umbrella Academy and, so far, I love it. I'm two episodes in and I like the dynamic between the characters and I'm excited to see what comes next. Looking forward to diving deep on this one.

Enjoyed the season finale of The Ready Room. Pretty sure Wil takes over for the next one and I'll look forward to his take on Discovery.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and I have a weird feeling I know where things will end up going with Will and Asher. Fairly sure this might end up being my last season. I do love anything with Dr. Charles, Maggie, and Miss Goodwin. I also love Ethan. We'll see what happens by the end of the season.

Caught another Batman: The Animated Series. I loved Poison Ivy's introduction in this series and also seeing more of Harvey Dent before things happen with him.

Enjoyed a little more of Resisting Roots but didn't get to finish the movie yet.

Watched another Ted Lasso. I'm definitely a fan. Keeley cracks me up and I love where things are going with her. Ted kind of broke my heart yet made me so happy when he benched Jamie. I truly hope there's some kind of redeeming arc for him because I literally loath him at the moment.

Caught another Agatha Christie Hour and thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the non-mystery aspect of this show because there's still a lot of suspense, which I love.

Started season twenty of Silent Witness and quite enjoyed the opening first part. Looking forward to finishing this one up next week.

Almost finished with season twenty-five of Classic Who. The greatest show in the galaxy will hopefully end on a great note for the season. I'm pretty sure that brings me close to the end of the classic episodes. Not sure if I'll jump to New Who or switch to a different genre for a while.

Watched another episode of Strangest Things. I like diving into the mysterious objects they feature and learning new information. The cast of experts is very diverse and I love that.

Caught another episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Loved the pickup from when Fennic went down in The Mandalorian. I seriously love this show.

Enjoyed another episode of Only Murders in the Building. There's so much awkwardness that is played to perfection by the three main cast members. I'm excited to see what happens in the next episode.

Watched an episode of Blue Heelers and ended up enjoying it a lot. Wayne actually ended up being a fairly decent guy in this one and that's not always the case.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Quilt of Fate, a novella that explores what happens with the Fates step in and point a couple in the right direction to save their people.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a preview snippet…

A trio of women, representing fate personified or the moerae, held a glowing tapestry. The threads pulsed and flickered, weaving together under their guided tutelage. Except for one darkened and stormy area. The women observed the fallout of the ruined planet.

Atropos, the crone, grumbled while she placed her palm over the gray-tinged stain. "Bah! We should let this group end. They're a stain on humanity." Her lips flattened in distaste and she snipped three tangled lines.

Clotho, the maiden, shook her head. "No, no, no. They have so much potential." She spun new spools of glimmering thread while she spoke. "And, yes, they made a mess when they created the wraith, but their lack of foresight in creating the creatures that would be their downfall is a hard lesson learned." She paused her wheel. "They won't make the same mistake twice, right?" Her nimble fingers returned to pulling on the cords.

Lachesis, the motherly matron, twisted two threads together. "If they're provided with the right guidance, the humans will thrive and survive." She picked up another strand and guided it toward a new direction. "They stumble and fall, but get back up and try again. With time, their minds open and they see what needs to be seen."

Atropos rolled her eyes. "And you think these two are the answer?" She pointed to a strong dual threadline.

Clotho nodded with a dreamy expression. "Oh, yes. They're so right for each other." She gave a sappy sigh.

Atropos snorted. "You've got to be kidding. They're a veritable train wreck who can't get their act together to save themselves much less the rest of the population." Disgust oozed from her voice.

Clotho stuck out her tongue. She never liked being scolded by the crone.

Lachesis added her sage wisdom. "It's hard to stay on the tracks when everything is an obstacle. The choice will be theirs. If they want to find what they seek, they will.'' She picked up a needle and merged several threads together.

Atropos shook her head. "If they choose to. My faith isn't strong on that front. Two steps forward and three back." She waved a hand. "It's always the same with them."

Lachesis kept her voice gentle. "But it doesn't have to be. Their threads are strong. And the love is there. If they learn to face conflict together instead of letting it come between them, there's hope." She made a sweeping gesture and pulled the darkened area into stark contrast.

Atropos gave a rude snort. "A tiny minuscule strand of it." She held up a hand and smashed her thumb and forefinger together.

Clotho gave Atropos a hard look. "Sometimes that hope is all they need." She shot to her feet and the tapestry disappeared.

Atropos rose to her full height and moved to stand toe-to-toe with the maiden. "And sometimes it's not enough but you're too moony over those two to see what's in front of you."

Lachesis stepped between the other two, her presence a soothing balm. "It's a good thing we'll soon find out if hope can save them, isn't it?" She turned and headed for her room. "Time will tell as it always does."

With that said, the maiden and the crone gave each other one last narrowed-eyed glance and each retired to their sanctuaries as well.

The moerae had much to prepare for.

I love having fun with making fate step in to alter the course of a couple. Nadie and Cable might not enjoy it as much as I do.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

Hello, November. The temperature dropped significantly, which kind of sucks for my household since we can't get our new furnace until the middle of next week. That said, with some careful placement, space heaters are doing an excellent job of keeping the house comfortable. As long as we don't dip into single digits, we're golden.

Not a bad week for television. I have a heavy workload right now but still squeezed in some decent viewing.

I started out with Riverdale and, wow, what a great episode. I'm still catching up from last season so this episode featured FP's fiftieth. Cole Sprouse and Skeet Ulrich brought their A games. Also loved the linked montage of Archie's king of the mountain battle with Cheryl and Toni's hot session in the speakeasy. The breakup ended up being a lot more painful than I anticipated but excellent work from the women. Reggie and Veronica's falling out also packed a punch. Reggie is very much growing on me as a character. A few random notes… I absolutely hate the entire farm storyline. I also dislike Hiram with the passion of a thousand suns going supernova. Don't see that changing anytime soon.

I finally got to sit and watch Arrow's season finale. I can honestly say the ugly crying didn't stop after the credits rolled. Everyone acted their collective asses off—Stephen and Emily in particular. Stephen, quite frankly, blew me away. Watching him evolve as Oliver over seven seasons has been a true joy. Seriously… I'm going to miss this show so much. My one main disappointment is not getting any scenes with Oliver and Mia. I'd love to see the two actors interact.

I thoroughly enjoyed Murdoch Mysteries. Nice to see George's family tree expand and with such a terrific character (pun intended). I have so much fun watching this show.

Frankie Drake Mysteries also made me smile. I'm still getting used to the new opening and the somewhat different shift in the show's dynamic. That said, it's growing on me and I like the fabulous foursome and their interactions.

Caught a new story arc on Sapphire and Steel. This show is usually background noise for me when I'm working and I have the horrible feeling I'm really missing a lot. I'm going to make an effort to really focus when I start the third assignment.

Watched the beginning of series nine with Classic Who. The daleks returned to be a huge pain, per usual. I always enjoy episodes that feature them.

Should be catching another episode of Midsomer Murders in the very near future.

That's it for this week. Tonight's post is from Quilt of Fate, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a preview snippet…

Nadie crossed the threshold into the cottage. "Okay… we followed you. Now would be a good time to start answering questions." She reached out and tugged Cable inside the small home.

He needed to keep up or the trio would definitely leave him behind.

If the group could be believed… and, oddly, Nadie committed to going with what the women said—way too bizarre not to—they had a purpose for her and Cable.

The middle woman, Lachesis, if Nadie's childhood memories held true, indicated they should sit in the airy room. "Please, relax and get comfortable. You've had a long journey and it's not quite over yet." She waited until Nadie sat and Cable got settled in beside her. "You've seen one possible future, a long time traveling for naught."

The old woman, Atropos, gave a rude snort. "We should let them follow that thread to its completion. Would serve them right for the havoc and chaos we've had to bear witness to." She arranged herself in an ancient rocking chair and waved a hand, palm side down, revealing a huge tapestry spanning the entire living space.

Nadie attempted to school her thoughts, not wanting to give away how much the dig pained her. Cable tensed beside her, but a quick shake of her head had him slowly easing the rigid set of his shoulders.

The young woman, Clotho, smirked. "Easy there, big fella. Attie gets a little cranky when you lot keep making the same mistakes over and over. But she's willing to give rare second chances." She waggled her eyebrows. "Especially when primo specimens like you two come along." Leaning back in her seat, she fanned herself. "I mean think of the beautiful children you two could create." She gathered up a piece of the tapestry and tapped the fabric, bringing a spinning wheel and started creating a long length of thread.

Lachesis tsked. "Clotho, stop jumping ahead. You're going to muddy up the timeline and spawn more questions. We have enough to get these two through as it is." She settled into a wing back chair and conjured a needle between her fingers.

Nadie glanced toward Cable. "Are you following all this? We're apparently the guests of fate itself, which may or may not be a good thing." She hoped for the former because the idea of shadow drifting through any more realms made her heart hurt and her stomach churn.

Cable flicked his gaze her way. "I'd say sitting here with fate is a far sight better than any other alternative at the moment. But you know me… I hardly ever get anything right on the first try."

Clotho stopped spinning and laughed. "Oh… I'm going to enjoy you." She raised an eyebrow and pinned Nadie with her stare. "You'd do well to hang on to this one."

Nadie met her gaze and held it. "I firmly intend to."

I'm having a lot of fun putting my spin on the fate trio. Nadie and Cable are cool characters who face their future with a combination of humor and snark.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

Another crazy week with weather. At least we didn't get the huge ice storm the forecasters predicted. Thank the universe.

This week in television saw a lot of Hawaii Five-0. I'm developing a healthy obsession with Alex O'Loughlin and Scott Caan. I'm working on season six and then it'll be a waiting period until season seven is done airing. Gotta say I'm pretty pleased with the continuity on this show. That said, I do have a couple of questions that haven't been answered yet. Maybe they'll have a resolution later?

Still need to catch up on The Librarians and Teen Wolf. Gotham returns this week, I think. I'm interested in seeing how the death of Mario is resolved.

Missed the return of Agents of SHIELD. Playing catch up on that one, too. So many good shows, so little time.

Tonight's post is from Quilt of Fate, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "ruined earth scenario".

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a preview snippet…

Cable loved Nadie's answer. "You have such a positive outlook on life." He kept his gaze focused on the trio approaching them.

Nadie tilted her head to one side. "Yeah, well, we've been kicked in the teeth a lot lately." Pain edged her features.

Cable wrapped an arm around her waist. "True. But look around us, Nadie." A sliver of hope took hold and Cable didn't tamp it down. "This is what we were searching for… maybe we've finally found it."

Nadie carefully watched the trio as they got closer. "You'll forgive me if I don't hold my breath." Her eyes narrowed when the group frowned in unison.

Nadie's shoulders squared and she stepped away from Cable. He let her put some space between them but put a hand on her arm to keep her near. They didn't need a confrontation yet.

The group of women stopped several yards away, close enough they would be able to converse, but far enough they weren't within arm's reach. Smart and cagey. Cable planted his feet, ready to give chase if they decided to flee. Right now, the women were the only way he and Nadie could get some answers.

The youngest of the three broke ranks, taking a step forward. "There will be questions answered, but first you're going to follow us." Her long hair fluttered around her face from the gentle breeze, but her lower lip jutted out in sneering pout.

Nadie crossed her arms and shot Cable a sideways glance. "Did you ask a question?"

He shook his head. "No, but I just had the thought we'd be getting answers soon." And now he couldn't rule out an otherworldly aspect.

Nadie directed her attention back to the trio. "So… you're mind readers then?" She set her jaw, indicating she wouldn't be following anyone until she got what she needed.

The eldest of the group held up a hand, withered from age. "No questions. You follow or go back to the ruination you left behind." Her commanding tone demanded no argument.

Cable kept his mouth shut. No way would he jump into the battle of feminine wills. He liked his balls and wanted to keep them for future generations.

Nadie sized up all three females, taking her time with thorough once-overs. The only woman who hadn't spoken got the longest view. Aged somewhere between the other two, her round face exuded warmth. She didn't have the sullen attitude of the youngest or the authoritative presence of the craggy oldest.

The middle-aged woman held out a hand. "Come. We'll explain and answer your many questions." She swept her arm toward the tropical visage lining the shore.

A small cottage stood under the waving palms, the path leading to the front door barely visible. Cable turned and met Nadie's gaze. She lifted a shoulder and started trudging after the women.

Equal parts wary and curious, Cable brought up the end of the procession. When they reached the bungalow, the women stopped, turned, and faced the couple.

"Welcome to our home." As one, they moved to the side, the door swinging open on its own. "We are the Moerae."

Nadie let out a laugh. "Well… I totally didn't see that one coming."

I think it's going to be fun to play with the Fates. Cable remains somewhat in awe of the trio, but Nadie has their number. She'll push every button the group of women has.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quilt of Fate

September 7, 2014

Greetings!

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

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

That's it for TV this week.

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

Here's the tagline:

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

And a preview snippet…

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

Cable grasped her hips. "Nadie—"

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye