Sunday Snippet: In Enemy Territory (a Black Raven Banner novella)

Once again, Ohio weather is all over the place. But at least it hasn't been sweltering hot. Had setbacks with our cars. Mine is still not quite ready. The new engine computer the garage ordered didn't work so they got another one. Hopefully this week. My husband had a deer literally jump on top of his CR-V, shattering the windshield, knocking the rearview mirror off, and sending the driver's side mirror clear over to the passenger side floor. It even dented the top of the car up to the sunroof. I'm pretty sure it's a total loss. Luckily my husband is okay, aside from having a ton of glass all over him. He found glass all the way in the back of the vehicle.

Really busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and continued work on a developmental edit. Also started a new project that's not quite a developmental edit, but it is cleaning up a lot of formatting in a manuscript to get it ready for a copy edit, which a colleague is going to do. Had an exchange with a new author and hope to work with her in the future.

Semi-decent week of viewing. I didn't quite make a full round, mainly because I spent a lot of time on the phone trying to get the insurance sorted and line up a rental until we know for sure what's going on with the CR-V.

I did get an episode of My Life Is Murder in and thoroughly enjoyed it. Lots of twists and turns in this one. Once again, Madison stole the show. Also really cool to have indigenous representation for the storyline. And … more hints about Alexa's family. Here's hoping we'll see more of them.

I think I watched the finale of Signora Volpe, and it might have set up a future episode featuring Sylvia's ex. That would be a lot of fun. So awesome to see her niece again and getting to know her dad. Isabelle ended up stealing this episode. Going to watch the behind-the-scenes stuff next.

Finished up Best in Paradise with the first of the two-parter that set up Florance's exit. It was a great episode and very bittersweet as the actress mentioned when she introduced the episode.

Also caught another Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. It's also fun to see Jack trying to move on from the loss of his wife. The awkward but awesome communication with Anna is lovely to watch.

Started an episode of Elementary but need to finish it this week. Too many distractions to get all the way through the show. It looks like a good one though.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from In Enemy Territory, a Black Raven Banner book.

Here's the miniblurb:

Verity Jones and Emory Cavendish welcome a new CO under the Black Raven banner. Lawrence Worthington hits the ground running and gets up to speed quickly. He has to—the mission rate doubles when a group of resistance teams get ambushed simultaneously. He needs every member—including Verity—at the top of their game and he has to find out how the enemy got their hands on the base locations.

And a preview snippet…

"Jones should fly out to get the lay of the land."

Verity's head snapped around at Percy's suggestion. Had he gone starking mad? Mission launch would be sometime in the next few hours.

She shook her head. "Afraid I'll have to decline, Longfellow." Facing forward again, she blinked when Worthington quirked an eyebrow. "Er, I'll be happy to fly out if you order it, sir. But I've got several irons in the fire with those two downed birds and finishing the upgrades on the last five stingers." She also wanted to test the new tracking device she'd designed.

She itched to be back in the air, but she also wanted the guys she worked for to have an edge.

Worthington agreed. "That does take priority, but I do want to see you fly soon." He glanced out the window. "Maybe we can go up together after you complete the repairs."

Verity bobbed her chin. "I'd like that. I'll let you know when I've got it all finished." She'd welcome the opportunity to match wits with one of her dad's rivals.

Worthington nodded. "Cavendish, Longfellow, get two four-man teams together. I want two in the stingers to act as escorts and a two-man team in a cargo plane to move refugees." He flipped his notebook shut. "Wheels up in two hours for one team and the other is on standby. You decide who goes out first." He dismissed the group.

Verity made a beeline for the Bertha Jay. She wanted to install the device she'd been working on for a trial run.

Emory caught up with her when she made the final adjustments. "Not like you to turn down an opportunity to fly out. Everything okay?" A note of concern entered his voice.

She smiled. "Yeah, nothing's wrong." She pulled him in close to the plane. "I've been working on a new project." Pointing to the tracker, she explained its concept. "This works like a homing beacon and internal tracker. When planes are on the ground, they don't show up on radar. This gives us coordinates when they're not flying." At least she hoped it would.

Emory's eyes widened. "That's brilliant." He gave her a long look. "You don't want Worthington to know?"

She jerked her head back and forth. "Not yet. It's untested and I'd like to work out anything buggy before I show him." She lifted one shoulder. "He's a progressive guy. If this works, he'll want all the planes to have them." And she'd probably have to pull Emory and Percy in to help her with building and installation.

Emory didn't argue. "What do I have to do?"

Verity grinned. "Nothing. That's part of the functionality. Pilots won't need to add anything to the pre-flight checks." She bumped her fist on the hull of the plane. "I'll monitor from the hangar while I install the upgrades to the stingers and work on the repairs."

Emory nudged her shoulder. "This could be a tide turner."

Verity gave a nod. "I'm hopeful." She'd love to give Blackraven the upper hand.

I have so much love for this series. I'm still not completely settled on the actual name yet, but Black Raven is edging out anything else.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Raid at Midnight (an Under the Black Raven Banner novella)

Welcome to spooky month! October is one of my favorite months, even if it means holiday season is hiding around the corner. So far, we've had some fall-like weather and that's making me very joyful right now.

Had a semi-decent viewing week. Work projects are ongoing and I needed some quiet time to focus on those. But I made a full circuit of my standard streaming schedule.

Once again, Ted Lasso delivered a full-on episode. I'm nervously awaiting the moment when Rebecca reveals why she really hired Ted and dying to see the fallout. Keeley rules at being a mess but not staying that way. I love how she's absolutely not afraid of Rebecca because it never occurred to her to be so. This show. It's so good.

I tried to watch the behind the scenes feature for Brokenwood Mysteries but couldn't seem to get it to play. I'll try again this week.

Started a new show and watched the first episode of Suspects. So far, I'm hooked. I enjoyed the characters and watching the case unfold.

Finished up the second half of Silent Witness and liked the twist the episode took. I kind of thought I had the right killer but the history part I didn't quite see coming.

Caught another episode of Classic Who. I'm ready for the Doctor's reunion with Leftbridge-Stewart. I'll be disappointed if it doesn't happen in the next installment.

Watched another episode of Strangest Things. This one featured the enigma machine and delved into the history of how the encryption finally got cracked.

Finished the first season of The Book of Boba Fett and I have to say, I ended up loving this show! I hope there's another season.

Enjoyed another episode of Only Murders in the Building. What a mess Oliver and Mabel got into. I can't wait to see what happens next!

Started season nine of Peak Practice. Gotta say Andrew kind of annoys me when he darts off to figure himself out. I guess it's something of a character trait with him. Loved how Joanna and Sam held the line and got through the ordeal of having their patients down with an unknown virus.

Caught another MasterClass lesson with Roxane Gay. She focused on getting published and what to expect from the traditional side of publishing and also delved a little into the small, independent presses and self-publishing. Good information.

The Umbrella Academy had a stellar episode. Pieces are falling into place and plots mixed with subplots are popping up. Allison's concern about Leonard is definitely warranted and I'm very interested in what Vanya's power is. I loved the interactions with Five and Luthor and Klaus and Diego and, of course, the standoff with ChiChi and Hazel ended up being terrific. This show is amazing.

Started season three of Star Trek: Discovery. Gotta say I'm kind of blown away. Can't wait to have Michael back with her crew and hopefully with the addition of a few more members. Excellent premiere!

Finished off the week with Batman: The Animated Series and got another episode without a feature rogue's gallery villain. I really enjoy the slice of life ones.

I'm also in the midst of watching more Resisting Roots, a Passionflix original. I might have it finished up this week, but I won't make any promises.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Raid at Midnight, an Under the Black Raven Banner novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Verity Jones joins an elite group of civilian protectors in a battle-torn land. She's the daughter of an ace fighter pilot who tore up the skies in the first epic war. Emory Cavendish is the lead pilot and his crew pulls off amazing feats, largely thanks to Verity, which drives their commanding officer mad to the point of putting Verity in danger.

And a preview snippet…

The next day, Verity spotted Emory when he entered the hangar and went to the communication room. She wiped her hands and made her way over then knocked on the jamb.

He glanced up. "Verity, what can I do for you?" He dropped a folder on the desk and propped his hip on the side.

Verity moved into the space. "I don't like the sound of one of the birds." Her stomach clenched a little but she soldiered on. "I need to take it up to really get a feel for what's wrong." Probably an impossible request, but she had to try.

Emory's eyes widened. "Wait. You're a pilot?" He straightened and moved away from the desk.

She shrugged. "Since age fourteen. Learned to fly before I learned to build planes." Something her dad said would make her a better mechanic.

Emory didn't take more than a second to ponder her request. "Whitcomb will hate it, but let's go." He moved past her into the hangar.

Thrilled, Verity couldn't believe her luck. She loved flying. And Emory didn't seem fazed when she pointed out which plane sounded off. He opened the big doors and motioned for her to get inside the plane and move it out to the runway strip. She slowly maneuvered the bird out onto the grass landing area and followed Emory's motions until he gave her the all clear to take off.

Once airborne, she made several circular passes of the estate, altering her trajectory and altitude. And she figured out the problem—the throttle needed an adjustment. She landed just as the sun started sinking low in the sky and moved the plane back inside the hangar. Once she had the helmet off, she sucked in a breath. Whitcomb had fire coming out of his ears, shaking his fist at Emory.

By the time she finished a post-flight check, Emory stood waiting at the bottom of the short set of steps with the colonel by his side.

She handed him the helmet. "The throttle needs an adjust—"

Whitcomb cut her off. "You are not authorized to fly my aircraft. I won't have you ever doing it again. Women do not belong in the cockpit." His face all but boiled in a raging shade of red.

Verity stood her ground. "Understood. If I may make one point. I didn't want to put any of your pilots at risk when I couldn't figure out what was wrong. Going up myself only put my life in danger." And, of course, the plane, but Whitcomb would be complete ass to argue that fact.

The colonel opened his mouth then snapped it shut and stormed off.

Emory gave her props. "Took guts to put the CO in his place." His lips curved in a half-smile.

Verity basked in the praise. "Thank you. For letting me take her up." She glanced around.

An empty hangar meant she could show her appreciation. Throwing caution to the wind, she wrapped her arms around him and planted her mouth against his.

Emory surprised her by taking the kiss deeper and cupping her ass in his hands.

She eased away and tempted fate a little more. "Can we maybe move this encounter to my quarters?" She wouldn't do anything to put his position in jeopardy.

Emory grinned. "Are you sure? Because I can't think of anything else I'd rather do."

She gave an emphatic nod and Emory grabbed her hand and headed for the exit.

This series is finally coming together and I'm excited to finish everything up and launch it into the bookosphere.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Behind the Line (Black Raven Banner)

Well, another week kind of flew by. My work schedule is filling in again and that makes me very happy.

Had a semi-decent week for television. I ended up watching a lot of behind the scenes and bloopers from Passionflix. Gabriel's Inferno, Dirty Sexy Saint, The Will, and Matchmaker's Playbook. Thoroughly enjoyed all of them!

Caught up on some classic television. Watched a lot of Perry Mason and The Saint. I'd forgotten how much intrigue the classic Perry Mason shows had in them. Lots more than the modernized version from the eighties.

Also started a new mystery on Ovation. Caught the first two episodes of Crossing Lines. Enjoyed both so I'll be trying to catch those as they air.

I'd hoped to catch Gabriel's Inferno part three this past week but couldn't find time to really sink into the movie. I'll give it a go this week coming up. Also want to watch the holiday quickies releasing on Passionflix.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Behind the Line, a novella in the Black Raven Banner series. Yes, this is a new name for the series. Hopefully I'll land on the right one soon.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Emory Cavendish is trapped behind enemy lines and Verity Jones mounts a rescue mission, thinking she won't get much help. Surprise doesn't express her emotion when every other pilot jockeys for a spot on the team to save Emory. Their hard-won acceptance fills Verity with confidence and gratitude. She'll need their full support to bring Emory home.

And a preview snippet…

Emory Cavendish stumbled through the woods—not far from his downed plane—in enemy territory. "I gotta find some cover." Wounded and bleeding, his first priority had to be the… What?

His head throbbed and his vision blurred. Thinking clearly became a struggle. Pausing, Emory ran a hand over the back of his head. Sure enough, his fingers brushed over a large tender spot and big lump.

But he couldn't slow down. "Head injury. Great. At least I know my name." He repeated it over and over and started making his way toward a clearing … no a rutted roadway.

He'd stepped back down into washout gully when a lone horse cart came along and stopped along the side of the road. An older gentleman peered into the shadows then lifted a lantern. Caught, Emory couldn't do much but pull his sidearm.

The old man's eyes widened. "I came to offer assistance." He met Emory's gaze. "Are you planning to end my life?"

Emory's hand wavered and he lowered the weapon. "Gonna be hard to do when I see two of you." His vision swam again and he swayed on his feet.

The gentleman slid from the wagon and propped an arm under Emory's shoulder. "The name's Marcel Rainier." When Emory flinched, Marcel's gaze dropped to Emory's side. "You're wounded? My home isn't far. I can help, tend the wound." He started in the direction of the cart.

Emory dug his heels in. "No, can't. Not yet." He glanced over his shoulder. "I can't leave the plane out in the open." Easing away from Marcel, he almost fell backward when his head spun.

Marcel grasped Emory's bicep. "All right. I can help." He propped Emory up again. "You're English, yes?" When Emory gave a terse nod, Marcel heaved a relieved sigh. "Your plane came down in a good spot." He started toward the wagon again. "The homes surrounding this forest are all resistance. I'll signal the others and they can make cover for the plane." Reaching under the seat, Marcel withdrew an ornate box.

Emory frowned then huffed out a breath of surprise when Rainier opened the top and revealed a short-wave radio setup. Leaning against the side of the cart, he waited for Marcel to tap out a message. After a few long seconds, a response beeped back in return. Marcel nodded and put the device back under the seat.

He clasped Emory's shoulder. "Three men are coming. We'll wait here; should only take a few minutes." Glancing down, he tsked. "Let's get the bleeding slowed." Riffling in the bed of the wagon, he brought out a small bag that had torn fabric rolled into makeshift bandages.

Tearing a long strip off, he wound the material around Emory's midsection and tied it off. Emory winced and sucked in a harsh breath. Damn, that hurt. He shoved the pain aside and remembered the mission. And Verity. And all the men with Black Raven counting on him.

Marcel gave a grunt. "There. That should do until we can get a better look." He turned when rustling sounded behind them. "Ah, gentlemen, thank you for coming out."

Three men approached with wary movement. Emory straightened as much as he could and met each of their gazes. The trio swam before him, but he managed to blink and clear his vision.

Marcel briefly explained the need to secure the plane. "Our friend, Mister … I'm sorry"—he glanced in Emory's direction—"I don't know your name…"

Emory lifted his chin. "Cavendish. Emory Cavendish." He didn't say more; they'd discover who he flew for when they got the plane covered.

Marcel's lips curved. "Our friend, Mr. Cavendish will direct us to where he came down and we'll get the plane hidden."

With the five of them, providing cover didn't take long. Emory didn't help much with gathering the branches, but he did get his bag and—in a moment of clarity—located the beacon Verity installed and activated the device.

Emory struggled through another wave of dizziness on the way back to Marcel's cart. When the man helped him get settled in the back, Emory placed his hand over the wound on his side. His fingers came away with blood on them. Marcel hadn't gone more than a few feet after turning the wagon before Emory lost consciousness.

I have a lot of love for this series and the third book is proving to be so much fun to write. Book four is plotted and planned so I hope to have the whole set ready for publishing by late next year.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Raid at Midnight

Wow, half of July is gone and I'm trying to get my office organized and figure out how we're going to get my daughter moved into her dorm. If she can even move into the place. The clear out and organization is going better than expected. I ordered several types of smaller bookcases and some drawers to help corral all the crap I've had surrounding me for close to a decade. It's way past time.

I didn't get a ton of television watched this week but I do have a few updates. First, I'm still having feels about Arrow's final episode. There might be more coming about the series as a whole at some point.

Caught Roswell, New Mexico and honestly truly enjoyed the episode, "I'll Stand by You." The entire cast got some solid screen time and that makes me very happy. Special kudos for Michael and Isabel's arc and I loved Kyle telling Liz she's family because he gets what she means now. I'm starting to truly appreciate the complexities of the characters' interactions. So good.

Watched the penultimate episode of Strike Back and, damn, the cast brought their A games. Seriously, every single moment had me on the edge of my seat. The crazy fight between Coltrane and Wyatt topped the list because the size difference is almost comical but the entire point wasn't lost on me. The trio needed to clear the air and that was the best way to do it. And I'll freely admit I absolutely loved Chetri's journey. I love that she pretty gave a giant middle finger to her captors and that her end didn't happen before the team arrived. Another huge eff you to the antagonists. Excellent viewing. Seriously.

Started another new episode of Blue Heelers and this one is off the charts crazy. Different from the usual and I like that.

Began a rewatch of Hollywood Dirt, a Passionflix original. I love the chemistry between the actors and I also appreciate the fact that the casting department will go back to actors who are terrific.

Caught several episodes of Danger Man and both were ones I don't remember watching. Each ended up being terrific.

That's pretty much my week in a nutshell. Tonight's post is from Raid at Midnight, formerly known as Under the Black Hawk Banner, which became the series title. I've done a little research and decided I need to make a change for the series and it's tentatively going to be Under the Black Raven Banner.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Verity Jones joins an elite group of civilian protectors in a battle-torn land. She's the daughter of an ace fighter pilot who tore up the skies in the first epic war. Emory Cavendish is the lead pilot and his crew pulls off amazing feats, largely thanks to Verity, which drives their commanding officer mad to the point of putting Verity in danger.

And a preview snippet…

Emory quelled the urge to stare at the newest member of the group. Whitcomb already set a terrible standard with his lack of welcome. Emory didn't care who worked on their planes as long as they flew.

He led Specialist Jones down a darkened corridor then withdrew another set of keys. "We'll be heading to the east wing. No one is currently housed there, but it's kept clean and ready." After unlocking the door, he motioned for VJ to precede him.

She stepped through the doorway and paused. "This isn't going to cause problems, is it? Only having one person in the entire wing?" Her eyes squinted when he pressed the lightswitch.

Emory's lips curved. "Not at all. We're not fully staffed, but we do have a group that comes in to clean and air out the unused sections of the manor once a week. We have a cook that stays here full-time and his wife does the bulk of the cleaning and laundry. I'll introduce them to you…" He paused and tilted his head. "What do you prefer to be called? We're fairly casual around here since we're a civilian outfit." Only Whitcomb really adhered to rank and structure. "Do you go by your initials?"

His companion lifted a shoulder. "Sometimes. But Jones is fine. I'm used to being referred to by my last name." Her gaze darted away from his.

He shook his head. "We have two other Joneses. Do you mind if I ask what the VJ stands for?"

She frowned for a moment. "Uh, Verity is my first name. The middle name is Jay, as in J-A-Y." She rolled her eyes. "My dad's got a thing for family names and every generation's firstborn has that middle name."

Emory stopped at a set of stairs. "Up this way." His curiosity compelled him to ask more questions. "So, the firstborns are usually male then?" Her lips quirked and the smile reached her eyes.

She gave a nod. "Got it on the first guess." Her gaze raked over the landing when they topped the stairs. "Wow. I'm going to be the only one here?" A slight echo bounced off the walls.

Emory lifted his chin. "For now, yes. Whitcomb, no doubt, thinks you'll go stir-crazy not having any kind of company and you'll ask for a transfer straight away." He paused and caught her gaze. "But you're not gonna give him that satisfaction, are you?" He arched a brow to let her know he hoped she wouldn't.

Verity grinned. "Probably not. I tend to stick to my guns." She sobered. "And I will prove my worth." Her tone held a ton of conviction.

Emory flashed a smile. "I have no doubt…" Making a quick decision, he added, "Verity."

She blinked, showing her surprise. "Um, okay. I appreciate the confidence." She glanced around then met his gaze again. "Do I take my pick? I'm a little out of my depth here."

Emory shook his head. "Me too. And, yes, choose a room or rooms, whatever you'd like. I'll see if Mrs. Bainbridge can sort out a kettle and maybe a hot plate for your use." He pointed down the hallway. "There's a loo at either end of the corridor and you can do some washing in the one on this end if you need to."

He waited while Verity poked her head into a few of the rooms then chose one. A good choice. The window looked out over the hangar and the runway would be in full view.

Once she placed her rucksack at the end of the bed, he gave her a full briefing on the planes and upcoming missions. She asked intelligent questions, not surprising given the credentials and signatures she'd brought with her. But she completely threw him when she asked for details about a damaged rudder and the degree it affected the yaw. Only someone who flew would really think to ask something that specific.

Intrigued beyond measure, Emory started piecing a few bits of information together. First and foremost, the home office finally sent someone who could maintain their small fleet of planes and really understand how they got used. Secondly, she had a ton of pull if the president and prime minister endorsed her presence. And, finally, whether she liked it or not, he had a pretty good idea where her intrinsic knowledge came from. And Whitcomb is going to be dead in the air if he thinks he'll run her out of the group.

He wanted to verify his gut instinct, but if it proved correct, Verity Jones would be a valuable asset to the Black Raven program.

Female or not.

I love this series! I think I've finally got a handle on how everything is going to play out. There might be a few tweaks here and there, but the alternate reality thing is so much fun to write.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye