Sunday Snippet: Reflections (Through a Mirror Darkly)

November is off with a bang. We've had way higher than normal temperatures this past week. It's throwing me off kilter to have seventy-five degree weather right now. The trees are bare but it's like summer outside. Weird.

I had another busy week with work projects. I also got my new washing machine and got caught up on laundry. Last but not least, I think I have about half my holiday shopping done. I'm trying hard to be ahead of things this year.

I didn't get a lot of viewing completed this week. I've been on a kick where I need quiet time to get things done. I did watch a couple of things…

Caught the premiere episode of season two of Only Murders in the Building. Gotta say, I love how they've kicked the season off. This is such a fun show.

Also watched an episode of Peak Practice and ended up enjoying it a lot. I like it when they have characters who've been on previously. Adds a bit of realism.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. I think I'm going to catch up on a couple of movies this upcoming week. Stay tuned.

Tonight's post is from Reflections, a novella in the Through a Mirror Darkly brand I hope to get established soon.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The ornate mirror in her grandmother's house creeps Everley Bonice out. When she arrives to settle her grandmother's estate, the mirror depicts erotic images of Everley with a man who seems familiar but one Everley can't place. When Vannes Sullivan shows up to deliver groceries to the house, Everley decides to discover the secrets of the mirror-scenes she keeps seeing, because Vannes is the man in the reflection.

And a preview snippet…

Vannes Sullivan didn't know why he stood outside Ernestine's house. "I can't be sure anyone stayed after the funeral." The berg's gossip mill suggested Ernie's granddaughter inherited the old manor.

Vannes had gone to the graveside service—compelled to attend and maybe get a glimpse of Everley Bonice, the woman Ernie spoke of so frequently. He managed to catch a brief, momentary glance of Everley but didn't get a good look. Dark-haired and curvy were the two things he remembered. Oddly, he hoped she had stuck around and he wouldn't be greeted by one of Ernie's silver spanglers—the ever-shrinking circle of her friends.

He knocked then stepped back and waited a moment. Everley opened the door and blinked then gasped. A bit of an odd reaction.

He lifted his chin. "Everley? I'm with Wellman's grocery. Your grandmother had a standing order—" He broke off. "Whoa, hey, are you all right?"

She'd gone pale and swayed a little.

He grasped her elbow. "Everley? You are Ernie's granddaughter, aren't you?" He'd been certain until this very moment.

She blinked again and nodded. "Y-yes. I'm sorry. You said you're with Wellman's?" She dragged in a deep breath and exhaled slowly.

He smiled. "Yeah. I heard you might be staying for a while and since Ernie already paid for the groceries, I thought I'd bring them by." He jerked his thumb over his shoulder. "Is it okay if I bring them up?"

She glanced out at the van and bobbed her head. "Uh, sure. That's fine." Her hand went to her head, swiping the hair from her face.

He turned and started down the steps. "Great. Be right back." He kept her in his line of sight while he retrieved the items.

She looked like a much younger version of Ernestine, which meant beautiful. Ernie turned heads even at the age of seventy-eight. What a strange introduction, though. He'd swear Everley had seen a ghost or something. He shrugged the weird vibe off and grabbed the two boxes of staples and the bag of produce.

This story is so much fun. I'm hoping to have more mirror-based tales in the future to create a full anthology!

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Reflections

Welcome to the last post of 2019. I hope everyone had a terrific holiday or the best they could have given the trash fire that has turned into a raging wildfire of possible corruption and back channel maneuvering in the RWA. I'm not a member of the organization but I stand with marginalized authors. Period. Full stop.

I believe I made it through the mild case of the flu. I'm still a little stuffed up and achy, but otherwise doing well. I caught some decent television time also.

I watched an episode of Riverdale and thoroughly enjoyed it. Once again, the play on theme of the episode title worked so well. I'm sad because it's almost the end of the season and that means no more Luke Perry soon.

I finished Dirty Sexy Saint and ended up really liking it. I also caught the new Quickie, The Naughty List and loved that also.

Caught another episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed the different approach. The episode played out almost like a dinner theater murder mystery and I'm totally there for that.

Frankie Drake also had a different style of episode and I loved it. The cold opening had me wondering for a few moments if we'd lost a major cast member. Well done.

Watched an episode of Midsomer Murders and, weirdly, it reminded me of Doctor Who if only because two of the actresses in this episode guest-starred on the series. I've been watching some of the marathon leading up to the New Year's premiere of the new season.

I'm finishing out the week with a full arc of Sapphire and Steel. I started season three and since there's only one assignment for this season, I'll have it finished up later today.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Reflections, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt for a special call themed romance.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The ornate mirror in her grandmother's house creeps Everley Bonice out. When she arrives to settle her grandmother's estate, the mirror depicts erotic images of Everley with a man who seems familiar but one Everley can't place. When Vannes Sullivan shows up to deliver groceries to the house, Everley decides to discover the secrets of the mirror-scenes she keeps seeing, because Vannes is the man in the reflection.

And a preview snippet…

Everley Bonice entered her grandmother's—no, it belongs to me now—house and tossed her keys on the delicate console table by the door. She unwound her scarf and hung it on the coat tree then followed with her peacoat.

Heaving a sigh, she glanced around the foyer. "Where do I start, Gram?" As if the one constant in Everley's life could answer.

Although, knowing her grandmother, a response from the great beyond might not be impossible.

Everley wandered through the house, sifting through memories of good times. Better ones than the last five years where living in the city proved difficult.

She entered the room she called hers from the age of six. "Well… I won't be sleeping in here." Every available surface had clothing bags and storage bins covering them.

At least Emma made an attempt to start sorting through her vintage wardrobe and antiques. Now Everley would finish the project and decide if she wanted to keep the grand old Victorian home or sell it to a family that would love and care for it.

Gently shutting the door, Everley crossed over to her grandmother's former room and peeked inside. The room hadn't changed in close to twenty years, as long as Everley could remember. Beautifully stained and polished wood furniture gleamed in the sunny space. And, of course, in the far corner stood the only thing Everley didn't like.

Emma's heirloom mirror—the one that always freaked Everley out.

The ornate, standing frame seemed to whisper in Everley's mind in muted tones she couldn't make out. Emma used to laugh and shake her head whenever Everley threw whatever she had handy over the reflective surface. A coat, a throw, Emma's bathrobe, it didn't matter as long as it covered the mirror that gave Everley the heebie-jeebies.

Emma always rolled her eyes. "Someday that mirror will belong to you and you'll understand its mysteries."

Everley always shuddered at the thought. But her grandmother extracted a promise that Everley would keep it for future generations. Like there would be any after Everley.

She grimaced. "Highly unlikely. I have exactly zero plans to have offspring." She'd have to adopt because she'd sworn off any kind of long-term relationship.

Glancing up, she gasped. "What the ever-loving hell is going on?"

In the mirror's reflection, an intimate scene unfolded between a man with raven-colored hair and a woman. Everley wanted to look away, but the beautiful symmetry of the male's movements kept her gaze glued to the sight. The strong, powerful thrusts he used, the flex and release of the muscles in his thighs and buttocks were gorgeous. The woman's back arched off the bed and her mouth opened on a silent shout of pleasure.

Everley fanned her face. "Goodness. Definitely didn't expect anything X-rated today." She couldn't tear her gaze away from the couple. The man, when he came, threw his head back and Everley bit back a startled yelp… because the woman enjoying the prime specimen of manhood happened to be her.

This story is coming together nicely. I love the challenge of writing to a specific idea and through a mirror darkly is fun to explore.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye