Sunday Snippet: Worlds Collide

Ohio had record high temperatures this past week, but the weekend has brought some fall-like weather. I'm looking forward to seeing the leaves change even if it seems like the colors are less vibrant than they used to be.

Juggled several work projects and I'm in the final stages of two and starting a couple of small new ones. I'm liking the mix of things I'm currently working on. It's fun to stretch my wings sometimes.

Had a solid week of viewing, which seems weird because I did have a lot of work stuff to get done.

I started a new to me series with Agatha Raisin and thoroughly enjoyed the first two episodes. I think I'm going to like this one!

I finished up season two of Suspects and, wow, the last episode kind of packed a punch. I'll have to wait to see if more episodes become available on the streamer I use. I'm not quite ready to sign up for yet another one to see the remaining seasons.

Caught the first episode of Peak Practice season ten. Also started the second episode but got a little distracted. I might end up skipping a few because I really don't care about Andrew and his affair.

Watched a Silent Witness two-parter that dived into the Troubles and thoroughly enjoyed the twists and turns.

Forgot to include Battlestar Galactica in last week's recap. Watched "Captain's Hand," which is one of my favorite episodes. This week we watched "Downloaded," which is kind of the beginning of the end to a promising series. With twenty years of hindsight, I can honestly say I didn't need or want to know that much about the cylons.

Enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise. I loved the hurricane episode. Only Richard would think it's just a little wind. One more episode for season two and then it's time for a changing of the guard.

Caught two episodes of Fantasy Island. I'll admit, I'm on the fence with Roark and Javier. I'm kind of down with the building of the friendship and letting Javier all Elena out for trying to protect Ruby. The thing is … he's not wrong, but he should also know Elena might have been down this road before and she almost always has information she can't share, which is kind of hinted at when Ruby more or less forgets about Mel. What's next? She forgets her kids? So … I rather love that this thread looks like it will be spun out to a thin tether. Also makes me wonder what's in store with Ruby's tattoo.

Watched two more episodes of The Batman. ManBat and Victor Frieze were the bad guys for these two. I'd forgotten how much I enjoyed this show the first run through.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Finally had another one with Susie, which makes me happy. Also forgot how much fun it was to have Chuckie act like Angelica for a day.

Started a rewatch of VIP. Sometimes it's so much fun to go back to shows from the late nineties and early aughts and enjoy the creative license and sheer escapism they provide.

Also started another new to me series with My Life Is Murder. I'm not quite finished with the episode, but I'm thoroughly enjoying it so far!

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Worlds Collide, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

On the eve of a major battle between supernatural factions, Frida Hapspell and Quant Undersmith ponder their fate and their future. With family relationships at stake, Frida takes steps to make Quant face the widening chasm he's creating with his dad … especially because she's the reason they're at odds.

And a preview snippet…

Frida Hapspell quickened her pace. "Why do I always lose track of time?" The mandatory curfew started well over two hours ago.

And she'd been holed up in the catacombs doing research. Someone had to figure out a way to open negotiations with the fae before an all-out war started. She would definitely not be the someone, but her knack for digging into subjects and boiling them down to their very essence would give whoever landed the unenviable task a leg up.

Footfalls crunched on the road behind her, and Frida cut through an alley and backed up against the wall of a bookstore. "Friend or foe?" She didn't want to find out but might not have a choice.

Peering around the corner of the building, her shoulders slumped. "Shit. Foe." Sliding further back into the alley, she made a quick run for the street and darted across, keeping away from the lamppost and its diffused light.

What the hell are shifters doing out? Of course, they weren't part of the mage society and didn't abide by the curfew. Only those who wanted the wrath of the Undersmiths paid no attention to the safety measures the ruling family put in place.

Crouching behind a half wall, Frida grimaced. "Which is not me." She cursed herself for getting too engrossed in the supernatural law tomes.

The two beings following her paused in the middle of the road, sending their gazes and, no doubt, their noses in both directions. She wouldn't stay hidden long if they got her scent. She risked glancing around, a spark of hope filling her when a lone individual came out of the corner deli.

He dropped his wrapped order on the ground and called out. "Hey, it's after curfew. You guys need to get inside and locked down for the night." He started toward the duo.

The two shifters smirked and stood shoulder to shoulder. Frida's heart sank when each made a partial transformation, their hands taking on their wolf form. Barely a second passed before they launched forward and grabbed her would-be rescuer by the throat.

Frida gasped. "Aw, shit. What the hell is he doing out after curfew?" She recognized the younger son of Stanton Undersmith.

She'd graduated with his older brother, Quant. Everyone knew the Undersmiths by sight if nothing else. The family stayed active in the community they oversaw.

Brant's startled gaze met hers for a brief moment … right before the larger of the two slashed Brant's jugular with a thick claw.

Frida bit back a scream and bile filled her mouth. She didn't want to give her position away. And she definitely didn't want to become the next victim of the shifters.

"What the hell? Stop. You're violating curfew and under arrest…" The voice trailed off when the shifters tossed Brant in its direction.

Frida took another quick look over the edge of the concrete. One of the Undersmith patrolmen held Brant's lifeless body in his arms. Frida caught sight of the shifters in full transformation tearing down the road in the opposite direction. Stifling the urge to heave her guts up, she scrambled to her feet and ran the four blocks to her building.

With shaking hands and tears flowing down her cheeks, she flipped the runes and quickly ducked inside before sinking to the floor and closing her eyes.

I just witnessed the murder of Brant Undersmith.

His death had saved her. She had no doubt his intervention kept the two shifters from killing her. The fae were gearing up for battle and taking out a member of the ruling family wouldn't go unavenged.

Resting her head on her knees, Frida dragged in a watery breath. "What the flaming hell am I going to do?" She needed time to think and process everything that happened.

She had a friendship with Quant, something she didn't want to trash. But she also inadvertently caused his brother's death, which would set Stanton on the warpath. And she really didn't want to be a casualty of the fallout.

No matter what way she turned, she'd landed smack dab between a rock and a hard place.

This story is just getting started and I'm so excited to see where it goes. I love writing Frida.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Utter Not a Word

Well, it's been a week. I hit a slump even though I got a lot accomplished. Not sure why I ended up being so distracted, but I struggled to stay focused on anything.

Had a very slow viewing week, probably due to being randomly distracted by everything.

I watched another episode of Strangest Things and enjoyed the artifacts featured. This show makes interesting connections when they're trying to figure out what something is.

Caught a Death in Paradise marathon, which ended up being fun to watch. I'm still doing a full watch in chronological order, but fun to have a whole day of great episodes.

Enjoyed another episode of Battlestar Galactica. We finished up the first half of season two and during our discussion we remembered how long we had to wait for the next half, especially because the episode kind of ends on something of a cliffhanger. And there were so many great moments in this episode!

I planned to start Cannes Confidential this week but ended up being too distracted. I'll be watching it in the very near future and will post my reaction next week.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Utter Not a Word, a novella that brings a couple together after the murder of a dear friend and the death of a mentor.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Maren Roth is reeling over the loss of her oldest friend after a skirmish with an opposing faction goes horribly wrong. Wayne Edelman, a superior adept with the responsibility of their sect resting in his hands, offers comfort and support in a very unexpected way and Maren realizes the man has become an expert on reading her moods. With a huge battle brewing, she takes solace in the concept that together with Wayne, they might have a fighting chance at winning.

And a preview snippet…

"Jessie, no! Don't send the—"

Maren woke up with a scream, her head pounding and her eyes filling with tears.

The dark room cast gray and black shadows and didn't resemble the warehouse.

A hand reached for her. Wayne's here.

Right here.

"Hey, careful now." Wayne eased up from the chair and settled beside her. "You're back at the manor." He grasped her shoulders and turned her to face him. "You've got a nasty bump on your head, and you're banged up."

Yep. Physically and emotionally. Banged up. Wrecked. Ravaged.

Maren bit the inside of her cheek but couldn't stop the flow of liquid streaming down her cheeks. She opened her mouth, but nothing came out but a garbled whimper that ended on a sob.

Wayne carefully scooped her up onto his lap. "Yeah, it's hitting hard. I know." He smoothed a hand over her hair.

Maren tucked her head under his chin. "She's gone. My oldest friend in the world." She took the tissues Wayne grabbed for her. "I can't deal."

How did she go on without Jessie?

Wayne hugged her closer. "I know. I know." His fingers carefully pressed around her nape. "How's the head?"

She grimaced. "Hurts. The tears aren't helping." But damned if she could stop them.

He nodded. "Yeah, I get it. But you'll feel better letting all that out." He reached over and turned on the lamp then carefully checked her cuts and scrapes. "Any pain from these?"

Maren shook her head. "I can't feel them. I'm too numb." She shivered a little and wondered if feeling like drowning underwater would ever stop.

Wayne dragged the blanket up and over her shoulders. "Do you remember what happened after Jessie went down?" His voice held no censure but something wrong must have happened.

Maren shook her head. "I remember giving her the rites and burning her. You bringing me here. Vaguely remember the shower." She eased back to meet his gaze. "Why?"

Concern creased the corners of his eyes. "Do you remember using hellfire at all?"

I unleashed hellfire? Geez. That explained the concern. Not in a chastising way, because he also stayed with her because of her head injury. But if she used the forbidden deterrent, he'd have some serious explaining to do.

Maren shook her head again. "I don't. Not really. Did I hurt anyone?" She had no recollection of what happened to the wizards and their team of mages.

Wayne shrugged. "Somewhat, but no one died." He didn't elaborate or say how bad any injuries were.

Maren wanted to care but couldn't. "I'm not at a place where she can give a shit about hurting the wizards who killed Jessie." Her shoulders squared and an ache went through her.

Wayne grunted then gently prodded for answers. "Did you intend to kill them?" Again, his tone lacked any heat or anger—he only needed to ask.

She rolled her good shoulder. "Honest answer? I don't know. I can't be sure one way or the other." Rage and fear fueled her after Jessie went down. "But I can say if I wanted them dead not even you could've stopped me." Her eyes filled again. "So … I guess that's the answer we'll have to live with." Her throat clogged and swallowed another sob.

Wayne cupped her face. "It'll do, because I agree. If you'd wanted them dead, they would be." He shifted his position and settled a little further into the pillows on her bed.

Maren put her head on his shoulder, letting the tears fall and the muffled sobs escape. Wayne whispered soothing words, creating a safe zone to express her grief. She didn't know how long she cried before she drifted off again.

But she appreciated having him with her … because, right there in Wayne's arms, she finally found a moment of solace.

I'm taking a bit of a dive into the grieving process with this story and I'm pretty happy with how it's coming together right now.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rack and Ruin

I'm not quite sure where the month of September went but it's almost over. The weather in Ohio is currently fall-like. Not sure how long that will last. I could actually get behind having it stick around for a while.

Pretty decent week of viewing. I'm back on my usual schedule for the most part. I'll be starting a new show on one of my streamers, but I'm not sure if I'll stick with it or give up that slot for now.

Watched another episode of Ted Lasso. Gotta say, I definitely see the appeal and how so many people have utter undying love for the show. I'm thoroughly enjoying it.

Caught another episode of the Agatha Christie Hour. I loved the twists and turns in this one. Good intrigue without being a full-blown mystery.

Enjoyed the first part of Silent Witness. There's a good mysterious vibe in this two-parter and I'm looking forward to seeing how it plays out this week.

Started season twenty-six of Classic Who and loved seeing the colonel back again. I'm looking forward to the next episode.

Watched another Strangest Things episode and learned about desert glass. Well worth the view for that alone.

Caught an episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Geez, a lot happened and I'm still trying to process everything. Definitely need to catch up on season two of The Mandalorian to fill in the missing blanks. Looking forward to doing that.

Only Murders in the Building is such a terrific show. The pacing is excellent and the reveals are pretty much perfect. Hat tip to all involved in the writing and acting.

Enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers and it actually ended up breaking my heart a little. One of the scenes hit a little too close for comfort involving a pet that had to be put to sleep.

Caught another MasterClass lesson with Roxane Gay. She discussed finding an agent and what to pay attention to when dealing with contracts.

Watched another Umbrella Academy episode. I'm definitely getting hooked on this one. I love the characters and how they interact with each other and outsiders. Klaus is a wicked-fun gem. Also nice to see Luther before his transformation. Felt horrible for Diego and my heart really goes out to Vanya. Loved the scene with Allison, though. Great stuff.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. Two of my favorites were in this bunch. Anytime Angelica is foiled by Susie is worth the watch.

Also caught another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. This ended up being a good one. I like the episodes when there isn't a major villain from the rogue gallery for Batman to deal with.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rack and Ruin, a novella where the characters know a secret about each other and how they come to an understanding about keeping them.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vespa Thorn, a maintenance adept for the Mage Ministry of Defense, is an addictive gambler—whenever, wherever, she'll go all in. Hale Walterson, a special forces soldier has a problem with sex—he can't get enough of it. Vespa wants Hale, but he's the one thing she won't bet on … until he challenges her to keep up with him.

And a preview snippet…

Hale bent over his stun-winder cleaning the parts, as recommended. Okay, more like threatened. He could hear Vespa's voice in his head, giving him hell for not taking care of her equipment.

His lips quirked. "She'll kick my ass if I bring the gun back to her in crappy shape." Temptation itched to make him do it—just to get a reaction.

Instead, he dabbed more oil on the charging station.

Footsteps paused beside him. "Hale … do my eyes deceive me or are you being a very good boy and cleaning your weapon?" The low purr of Vespa's voice surrounded him.

Wouldn't it be his luck? She came to him instead of the other way around.

Hale shot her a glance. "If you're going to chew my ass, I'd rather it not be over work." Heh, let her dissect that statement.

Her eyes widened. "Exactly what should I chew your ass over?" She waited a beat. "Or where should I chew it?" A thread of humor laced her words.

Hale glanced up. "Off the top of my head I can think of several things, but a bed comes to mind first." With vivid clarity.

Vespa let out a low whistle. "Well, now, that's an interesting proposition." She angled closer and lowered her voice. "Did the two honeyed-up ladies you shared a suite with leave any marks on your ass the other night?" Her finger trailed along the edge of the table.

He dropped the trigger mechanism and nodded for her to take a seat across from him. "How do you know about that?" His discussed ass could get sanctioned if anyone else discovered his arrangement with Tina and Nina.

Vespa reddened and glanced away. "By accident." Squaring her shoulders, she faced him again.

He responded with a quirked eyebrow. He couldn't wait to hear her explanation. How did she accidentally discover his standing appointment with the twins?

She sighed, her shoulders drooping. "Okay, my curiosity got the best of me." She met his gaze. "I followed you." She had the grace to flush a tender shade of pink.

Adding a pretty shade to her cheeks didn't score many points. But, even pissed off, he had to admire she owned following him? That took some stones.

Leaning forward, he pinned her down with a look. "Why the fuck would you do that?" She'd tailed him to the seventh floor, which didn't make any sense.

Vespa shrugged. "I have no idea. You were in civilian clothes." Her tone indicated chagrin.

For good reason. What the hell?

Hale frowned. "When did that become a good motivation to invade someone's privacy?" Okay, he pushed boundaries that didn't exist with that one.

Vespa snorted. "In a hotel lobby? Are you kidding?" She added a dramatic eye roll for effect.

Hale lifted a shoulder. "Doesn't explain how civilian clothes made you follow me." What did one have to do with the other?

Vespa waved a hand. "Look, I've never seen you dressed up—you've always been m-mod gear. Is that a valid reason to tail you? Probably not. And I didn't do it to be nosy or to bust your chops."

Hale tsked. "Then why mention it?" Seriously?

Vespa leaned in a little closer and pitched her voice low again. "Because you weren't exactly discreet. There are security cameras everywhere and you didn't even try to dodge them." The words hissed out between her lips.

Did she consider him stupid? He worked security. He knew the exact location of every camera in the Willow.

Hale frowned. "I always do an invisibility spell."

She gave him a pointed look. If he'd been invisible, she wouldn't have been able to follow him.

His head dropped back. "Shit. You're right. I didn't use one that night." Careless of him, for sure.

Vespa's posture relaxed. "I'm not trying to police your extracurriculars, but being careful might not hurt." She folded her arms on the table.

She had a valid point … but part of the reason he'd forgotten the spell lay at her feet. "While we're bringing up potential problems, you're not exactly Miss Perfection."

She frowned. "You're turning the tables on me?" She pushed away from the table, scooting the chair out.

Hale shook his head. "No. Okay, yes." He reached out to stop her from leaving. "But your concern is valid so I'm sharing mine with you."

Vespa crossed her arms over her chest. "Okay, what did I do?"

Hale nodded to her work suit. "Do you always gamble in your work clothes?"

He scored a point there. Her eyes went wide and her shoulders slumped.

I love how this story is coming together. Vespa and Hale have some vices and they're going to find a way to make sure no one discovers them.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Prank Police

Wow. June flew by in a wild blur. Half the year is gone and I'm kind of wondering where it went. July and August are going to be fairly busy with some time off in each month that I'm not quite ready for but probably need to recharge.

Didn't get as much television watched this week. I struggled to get through a new-to-me show and probably won't finish it.

I watched an episode of The Snoopy Show and finished the first season. All in all, an enjoyable watch. I'll start the second season this week.

The show I struggled with is Resort to Murder. I think because it got a somewhat slow start and the pacing is slower than I like. I might revisit this one at a later date.

Watched another episode of Silent Witness and liked where it ended up. The story took a somewhat expected twist and I loved it.

Caught another episode of Classic Who. The daleks are up to their usual insane plots and I kind of like Ace as the new companion.

Finished the first season of Most Terrifying Places in America. Oddly, the next season is three and I can't find a second season … so there's that weird twist.

Almost finished with the first season of The Mandalorian. This show makes me happy. I haven't decided if I'm going to go right into the second season or if I'll wait until the third one is ready to launch. Stay tuned.

Caught another episode of The Hardy Boys and enjoyed it a lot. Things are getting very twisty and turny and I'm here for it. Looking forward to the next episode.

Thought I finished the first season of The Babysitter's Club, but I have two more episodes to watch. I started episode nine and look forward to seeing what Camp Moosehead has in store for the group.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Prank Police, a novella that puts the main characters in the hot seat and has them paying back a long-overdue debt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The mage academy is rife with pranksters and Zenna Doyle and Kyrk Rydercroft must corral the new recruits when they all test their new found powers. And to top it off, the couple pulls duty at the worst time—the night of the blue moon when magic is at its strongest.

And a preview snippet…

Kyrk met Zenna in the quad. "How did the meeting with campus security go?" He fell into step beside her.

Zenna rolled her eyes. "Basically, he's less than thrilled. But he'll have his people on standby if they're needed." She took a left and headed for the school of alchemy. "Did you cover everything with the healing center?"

Kyrk gave a nod. "I gave them the list of supplies to have on hand." Usually that included a lot of salves, poultices, and warming stations for when the adepts decided to freeze the lake. "The healers are on alert. They're also less than excited about finals week during a blue moon." He trotted up the steps of the building and pulled the door open. "Once we get this place warded, we should put a protective shield around the healing centers, just in case." He waited for Zenna to enter then let the heavy oak swing shut behind them.

Zenna made her way down the darkened corridor. "I wish someone would've had the foresight to ward this place during our finals week." Her lips curved. "But then we would've missed the look on Max's face when he had to wade through the sea of foam to get to the second floor." She made a stop by the alchemist lab and placed a series of runes on the threshold then sealed them.

Kyrk chuckled. "Personally, I admired his creative language when he realized the foam turned his skin green … and wouldn't wear off for two days." Geez, they'd been lucky he didn't expel them for that prank.

Zenna bit back a laugh. "He's got a flair for making compound words." She jogged up to the second floor.

Kyrk took his time, his mind filled with memories of the crazy stunts they got away with. He stopped outside another lab and used runes to ward the space. Zenna took care of shielding a supply room. She turned and met him at the top of the steps.

On the way down, she snapped her fingers. "Damn. We should stop by and give the head greenskeeper a crash course in countering some of the weird shit he'll be dealing with." She snorted. "Or just give him our number and tell him to hit us up with anything he can't handle."

Kyrk frowned. "You think he'll need to?" He exited the building started down the steps.

Zenna snagged his arm. "He'll need to. Remember how we decided the quad needed gigantic lollipops and the hiking trail should have a glass path?" She shook her head. "What the hell were we thinking with that one?"

Kyrk groaned. "I regret the glass path." The super slippery trail caused quite a few injuries. "But the lollipops were cool."

Zenna started back toward the quad. "Yeah, they were." She grinned. "We were so stressed out after finishing our exams we got a little power-drunk."

He flashed a smile. "Too true." He sobered. "Can you imagine if there'd been a blue moon when we ruled hell week?"

Zenna met his gaze. "Uh-uh. Probably good there wasn't one. Max would've lost his mind." She grabbed Kyrk's hand. "And it's possible we might have blown up the entire academy."

Kyrk hauled her close. "I refuse to believe that. We kept each other in check even when we were wreaking havoc." His lips brushed over hers.

She wrapped her arms around him. "Okay, we did. But I don't think we'll be as lucky." Tilting her head back, she pulled a face. "We'd be smart to get some rest now. It's gonna be a long-ass week."

Kyrk grunted. "Point made. Let's go." Easing away, he twined his fingers with hers.

Let the games begin…

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Kyrk and Zenna are going to have their hands full even after trying to protect everything.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Kindred Spirits

Wow. The month is half over already. October is flying by. Not complaining because I'm super busy with work projects and that makes me happy. I'm also making steady progress on the whole clean and organize project.

Had a solid week of television viewing again. I watched two lessons of Master Class with Brandon McMillan. I got more valuable insight in dog behavior and I hope I can translate that to working with my doggos.

Caught two episodes of Gilmore Girls: Year in the Life. Winter and spring were each enjoyable. I didn't know how they'd handle Richard's death, but I like what they did. I'm very curious how summer is going to play out, especially with Loralie's therapy deal.

Enjoyed two specials about Cher. Artist to Icon and Life in the Spotlight both had great footage and details. I remember watching Sonny and Cher and her solo show on television when I was a kid. I sometimes miss that type of variety show. I'm so not into the idols and voice-type shows.

Watched another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I thoroughly enjoy how the plotlines are playing out. I have to admit I really didn't think they'd go where they went with the Tyler storyline but I love that they did. Took me back to Farscape a little bit.

Caught two episodes of Chicago Med and liked both. Rhodes keeps growing on me and I like how he stumbles every once in a while. I need to go back and do a crossover watch at some point also.

Thoroughly enjoyed an episode of Midsommer Murders. Old school in so many ways with being trapped on an island and having the case be about tabletop gaming. All in all, an excellent episode.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and started a new two-parter. Great to have Leo back in the morgue and out on cases. I also remembered how much I love Nikki and Harry's bantery conversations.

Started season twenty of Classic Who and, hello, Tegan's back. I watched two four-episode arcs and actually loved both. The second arc brought the Maya back and I'd forgotten they did that sometimes in the original series.

Began a new series with UFOs Over Earth. The first two episodes were fun. Fayetteville and Bucks County were the areas MUFON investigated. I've seen bit and pieces about both sightings but got some new information about each. Always enjoy when that happens.

Watched two episodes of The Muppet Show. Dudley Moore and Arlo Guthrie were the guest stars. I'm enjoying season four so far.

Started the fifth season of Prime Suspect and I'm pretty sure I remember how this one plays out. I love how fallible Jane is and watching that unfold on screen.

Got another episode of Peak Practice watched. This one ended up being a lot calmer than the last one. I'm really enjoying the trio of partners.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. The first season has so many great moments and I love revisiting them.

Also got in another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries and finished up season four. I'll be starting season five this week. I still truly love this show so much. I miss Jared a little but I think he might be in at least one more episode and I'm hoping to actually get to meet Roxy at some point.

That's pretty much it for the weekly television update. Tonight's post is from Kindred Spirits, a novella with a friendly rivalry that turns into something deeper between the characters.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Merrit Rhodes accepts a teaching position at the Athena Academy of Magic and Semblance to earn her rites. Vaughn Gregorvich and Kirby Selwig are best friends and fellow instructors who fall hard for the newest addition to the campus. Sparks literally fly when the trio decides to test the power of three after a night of drinking a powerfully potent new cocktail called Elixir.

And a preview snippet…

Her beauty stunned Kirby. He didn't lack confidence, but someone like Merrit—who had enough raw talent to garner the special program—intimidated him. He'd man up and own that admission—if only to himself. So … he fell back on his standard practice—boyish charm and a steady flow of conversation.

He angled toward her. "You're not nervous, are you?" She came across as open but a little reserved.

Merrit's head wobbled back and forth a little. "Overwhelmed is a better definition." She swept her arms out. "This is a lot take in."

Kirby's lips curved. "You get used to it—pretty quickly, too. Vaughn and I were old hands by our second semester." And they ruled the campus by the end of the third.

Merrit tilted her head to one side. "When did you start?"

Kirby glanced in Vaughn's direction. "Hmm … how old were we, Vaughn? Ten?"

Vaughn gave him a vacant stare, which probably meant a private conversation with Hargrove. Kirby would find out what had held his friend up after they got Merrit settled. He didn't like being out of the loop.

Vaughn focused on the question a moment then nodded. "Yes. You'd just turned ten the week before, and I was only going to be ten for another week."

Merrit flashed a smile. "So, you're the same age for two whole weeks?"

Kirby smirked. "Exactly. Something old man Vaughn likes to tout—the vast maturity and experience he has over me."

Vaughn snorted. "I don't have to tout anything. Anyone with keen observational skills can figure out what they need to know about you and me."

Kirby narrowed his gaze. Translated meaning … Good luck, bro. The game is on. Which meant the trash talk would begin.

Kirby flung in arm around Merrit. "Let's get you some uniforms then we'll get you settled." He led her down the corridor.

Merrit happily agreed and stayed by his side.

Kirby tossed a vague smile of triumph in Vaughn's direction. First point, mine.

I love writing this group of characters. The vibe between the three is so much fun to write.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Truth Hurts

I can't believe there's only one more week and a few days of June left. This year seems to be flying by so fast—even with a pandemic and social distancing.

Slow week of television again but a good one for client phone calls. I have a couple if potentially interesting new projects to be excited about.

I did finish up Danger Man with the last few episodes of season two. I'll be starting the color episodes this week along with the new title of Secret Agent. Should be fun.

I also got through the Riverdale episode I started last week and, surprisingly, it got better. I kind of understand where Alice came from but it still annoys me to no end. Veronica's savage takedown of Hiram made my week. I also ended up really enjoying the Cheryl session with the guidance counselor—whoever tagged Gina Torres for that role deserves a raise. I'm very intrigued by the cutaway end scenes. If not for my absolute complete and utter loathing of Hiram, I would be so set to keep watching this show. As it is, I literally hate that character so much, I'll probably only skim through the season.

I caught another episode of Roswell, New Mexico and thoroughly enjoyed it. I like Alex and Michael working as a team without the usual UST between them. Having them become actual friends is a great thing and I'm totally there to watch that happen. Loved having the former Max back as a Mains ancestor. Here's hoping he'll be available for more flashback scenes. I like where Isabel is headed and love what she did for Arturo and Liz. Also loved, loved, loved Kyle's scenes with his mom. I'm not quite sure how I feel about the dean's daughter storyline, but I'm down with whatever happens. I kind of have a tiny hope Kyle ends up hooking up with Cameron at some point … but that's only if Jessie doesn't have her abducted. I totally don't believe he's been shackled by anyone or anything. In fact, I'd lay odds he's the actual private security firm's leader. That's my prediction and I'm sticking to it.

Last but not least, I watched another episode of Peak Practice. I've been staying with the chronological order for now and I'm working my way through the second season. Should have it finished up within the month. I hope.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Truth Hurts, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mardi Darr discovers her current lover is an enemy agent with an enchanted chip in his head. She gives the okay for a risky surgery and it lands him in a submersion chamber with no brain activity. Heth Santiago is responsible for Mardi being with Staz and he needs to help Mardi accept the truth … even though it hurts like a bitch.

And a preview snippet…

Mardi pulled up behind the nondescript ranch house on a quiet street two towns over. "This should work until we can get Joannie in for a debrief." She cut the engine.

Staz rubbed the back of his head and around to his temples. "Man, my head hurts." He craned his neck from side to side.

His brows furrowed and he exhaled on a long breath.

Mardi frowned but turned to face Heth. "We weren't tailed, but it probably won't take long for the hawks to figure out we've got her." She slid a quick glance in Staz's direction, concerned when he kept rubbing his fingers across his forehead.

Heth nodded. "We bought some time but not much. Getting her inside then relocated should be a top priority." He angled sideways to address Joannie. "Are you good with going into our protective program?"

Mardi rolled her eyes. Whether Joannie wanted to or not, she didn't have a choice. She either went into seclusion or she risked losing her life.

Joannie twisted her hands in her lap. "Will I have any contact with you?" She asked the question of Heth.

Mardi bit back a rude snort. Of course Joannie wanted to maintain a line of communication with Heth. Probably had serious heart eyes for the guy.

Which shouldn't concern Mardi in the least. Not anymore. Her case of romantic infatuation with the man ended when he walked away from her.

Except it didn't … not really.

Staz groaned. "Mar, you got any painkillers? This throbbing won't stop." He popped the glove compartment open and riffled around.

Mardi reached out and placed her fingers at his nape. She pushed a soothing vibe, hoping to alleviate some of his discomfort. A niggle of guilt licked along her consciousness because she'd been focused on Heth instead of Staz.

Heth answered Joannie. "I'll help handle getting you moved but, after that, you're better off severing all ties with us. It protects you. But we'll keep tabs on you and you'll have an emergency number you can call if anything hinky happens." His gaze flicked to Staz, who continued to mumble complaints about his headache. "Look, Mardi, cancel the crew. I'll get Joannie into alliance headquarters for a debrief." His shouldered his way out of the SUV then motioned for Joannie to follow.

Mardi barely refrained from snarking about the change of plans. If Heth wanted to spend his time with a beautiful woman, it didn't matter to Mardi. She wanted to get Staz home anyway.

She rolled her window down. "Standard perimeter wards and hex locks?" She'd have to let the team know so they didn't trip anything when they came to pick Heth and Joannie up.

He nodded. "Have them approach from this side via the back door. I'm going to reinforce the front out to the street. If we get any surprises from the hawks, it'll buy us time to get out." Grabbing Joannie's elbow, he led her up to the house.

Mardi waited until they got inside then pulled away. "You're going in to have a brain scan, Staz. No more arguments. We've gotta find out why your headaches are getting worse." Easing out onto the street from the alley, she glanced in his direction.

He gave a twitchy nod then leaned back against the headrest. His eyes closed and he took slow, even breaths—a sure sign her healing magic had little effect. Surprising, since her ability had grown in recent months.

Hence the reason the Street Hawks were so damned determined to get their hands on her. They wanted a powerful mage to control so they could enhance their sorcery and act as a conduit between their mage and wizard sides. Her direct descendancy from a line of pure blood mages had them frothing at the mouth. Lucky her.

Staz opened his eyes and angled his head toward her. "I'm sorry for this, Mar. I'm such a pain in the ass." He straightened again and drifted back out.

Mardi shook her head. "No reason to apologize." She should be the one begging forgiveness.

She enjoyed their time together, and she wanted to love him, but Heth obviously still had pull with her thoughts and her heart. As for being a pain in the ass … no one but the hawks had that particular claim right now.

A little longer than usual with the preview but this scene came together better than I'd hoped. The sages were on fire.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Ringside Seats

January 5, 2020

Hello 2020! I'm quite thrilled to have a clean new year to take out for a spin. We have a new puppy named Maggie Mae and she's a sweetie. Her big sister Annabelle needed a companion and so far they're settling in together very well. I'd totally forgotten how much energy puppies have. Yeesh.

Had a limited week of television viewing but got a few shows watched. I caught a full arc of Classic Who and also watched quite a bit of the Doctor Who marathon on BBC America. Sadly, I missed almost all of the episodes from last season.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. I had a long hiatus mainly because I've been catching up on laundry and had so much to fold I couldn't do it in my laundry room.

Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles. Also had another great conversation with my oldest about watching this show when he was a little one.

Caught the prom night episode of Riverdale and, again, enjoyed the hell out of it. This show is so incredibly batshit I can't not have fun while watching.

Also watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I'm so on the fence about where they're going with William and Julia. To date, this show has never let me down so I'm hoping that won't be the case here.

Finally, I started an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries. This is another show that rarely lets me down and I'm having a good time watching this episode.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Ringside Seats, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

An unclaimed attraction leads to some aggressive flirting in the apprentice's ring, when Vita Morj and Keb Pennyson are challenged to see who'd win in a magical bout. It may end up a draw, because neither opponent plans to give quarter.

And a preview snippet…

Vita Morj draped the strap of her messenger bag over her shoulder. "Finally finished with finals." The mage academy wouldn't get another thought from her for a full month.

Which meant she had to budget her funds even more, but the break would be worth it. Too bad the financial aid stipend her grandmother secured didn't extend during the semester downtime.

"Vita! Hold up a moment." The deep, resonating voice came from behind her.

Vita paused, her breath catching in her throat. What could Keb Pennyson possibly have to say to her? Not like they even came close to existing in the same circles. He had blue blood running through his veins and while her pedigree topped his… a grand total of three people had access to that information.

Turning, she slid her gaze in his direction. "Keb. Need my notes or something?" He'd snuck into class during one of the instructor's spell lessons.

He flashed his megawatt grin. "Nah. I have a guy for that." He leaned in close, crowding her personal space. "What are you doing tonight? Can you see your way to having dinner with me at my family's estate?" He braced on arm on the wall behind her, creating an intimate cocoon.

Vita's eyes widened. "Uh… dinner? Well… sure, I guess so." Color her shocked, because Keb had cool and aloof down to a fine art.

But his invitation, issued with a warm tone, thrilled her to her toes. And he got her name right, which also surprised her. He normally referred to people he didn't run around with by the first initial of their name, followed by incorrect versions. Visa, Vila, Veela…

She bit back a huge smile, not wanting to show how much having her secret fantasy guy ask her out excited her. "Should I just show up? Or will you be picking me up? Oh, what time?"  She stumbled over the words but, holy shit, Keb Pennyson. "And, um, does your family dress for dinner?" That could be problematic.

He gave her a quirky smile. "Yeah, the folks like a formal affair, but you don't need anything special. Just wear a dress and you'll be fine." He backed away. "I'll pick you up in the quad… around seven? Dinner's at seven thirty." He raised an eyebrow.

Vita gave a nod. "Okay, seven PM in the quad. I'll be ready." She started a mental list because she didn't own a dress.

Surely the vintage thrift shop would have something appropriate? And she'd have to use the last of her grocery allowance to buy something.

Then again… worth it.

She had a date with Keb Pennyson.

Vita all but floated out of Banner Hall before heading for her dorm.

I so love writing this one. Keb is getting ready to learn a valuable lesson at Vita's hand and he's going to stumble and fall a few times.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye