Sunday Snippet: Rite of Passage (Warlock's Curse)

Bleh. I've been fighting a yucky cold all week and I'm feeling a little better but not quite 100 percent. I'd be happy if the coughing could be a wee bit less.

Weather has been steadily warming up. We've dipped back down a couple of times but thankfully it's been gradual without the wild forty-degree swings in twenty-four hours. Been getting a lot of rain, which is causing high water and some flooding. Combine that with ongoing construction and the onset of tree-trimming and getting anywhere is something of a challenge. It pays to leave early.

Another busy work week. Finished up another proofread, continued work on one, and started an assessment read through. Also finished up a read through on another project that keeps lingering in the shadows. Started a new proofread that's a lot of fun so far.

Had a decent viewing week even though I slept a lot because of the yuck. I made it all the way through my usual slate of shows and added an addition to the lineup.

Started off with My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed the mystery along with getting more Harry backstory. I think the next two episodes are a two-parter that makes the finale. Can't wait to watch.

Watched the first behind the scenes for Foyle's War. Kind of enjoyed seeing the process of how they do what they do to film the period specific series.

Finished up the first season of Return to Paradise. I have no idea when season two will be available on the streaming platform, but I'll look forward to it.

Caught another episode of Poirot and completely enjoyed poor Japp trying to manage on his own then having a harder time after accepting Poirot's invitation to stay with him. Fun to see Miss Lemon's sister.

Elementary ended up being very entertaining. The twisty start proved interesting and Joan's advice to Sherlock turned out to be great. I love where their relationship is at this point.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and had completely forgotten about this one. I think I have one more left before I'll need to find a new series to watch or rewatch.

Also caught another episode of Star Trek: Lower Decks and quite enjoyed learning about Tendi's pirate past. Always fun to see characters from other Trek shows pop up in the episodes and Deep Space Nine counts as a character. Just saying.

I continued to use my Kanopy tickets to watch Fleetwood Mac: The Dance. This was such a great concert film, with quite a few surprises. Glad I got to watch.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rite of Passage, book three of the Warlock's Curse series.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nadia Iris and Falk Ridenour have one goal—to thwart her father's nefarious power grab. Even though they're on the same page, Nadia struggles for balance and Falk has to make some hard choices about their future.

And a preview snippet…

Falk almost laughed when Boris came charging up the lane leading to the mill. "The guy missed his calling … as a bona fide drama queen." He schooled his features when the other man got closer.

Boris sneered. "Who the hell do you think you are to summon me?" He planted his hands on his hips, his breath seething about between his teeth.

Falk stayed chill, only arching an eyebrow. He carefully watched Boris for weaknesses. The man's ego definitely counted as one. But his inflated sense of self wouldn't be enough. Falk needed to find a few more.

Boris went for the throat. "Do you really think you can best me in magick, young welp?" He rolled his eyes. "I have decades of experience on you. And I fight dirty."

Falk's mouth curved. "As proven by twisting your daughter into knots." He met Boris's gaze. "You know, it takes a special kind of asshole to dick a woman until she's pregnant, bind the kid by your blood, then fuck off for parts unknown." He lifted a shoulder. "I mean, kudos, I guess for putting together a long con…" He waited a beat. "But it's still a con." He hoped the stinging barb landed.

He wanted to put a few chinks in the man's armor.

Boris snarled. "It's not a con. It's fucking grandmaster chess." His jaw clenched. "I left nothing to chance. I literally rule the board."

Falk snorted. "No, you don't. You have a huge blind spot named Nadia, and she's a variable you couldn't possibly account for. Not one hundred percent." Falk absolutely believed that fact with his whole being.

Boris scoffed and waved a hand. "You're wrong. I've got her locked down tight. She can't hurt or stop me from seeing my plan through to victory." His lips curled in an evil grin.

Falk grunted. "I'm gonna enjoy proving you very wrong about that." A flash of insight flared in his mind.

Nadia would be arriving soon. She figured out what she needed to do.

Boris lifted his chin in challenge. "We'll certainly see if you can." He shook his arms and bounced on his toes.

Falk smile. "Yes, we will." He flexed his fingers and conjured two balls of flame. "Shall we begin…"

I love a good battle between good and evil. Falk is definitely on the side of good, but he's not afraid to be sneaky and underhanded when necessary.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mind the Shadows (a Warlock's Curse novella)

Very long week. Once again, the weather is all over the map, but spring might be peeking around the corner. Or, well, possibly summer. We could see eighty degrees (F) this week.

I might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on numerous work projects. I'm kind of excited about a couple of them being closer to the author's publication date. I have several nonfiction projects that have been super challenging but they're great books.

Had a decent viewing week. I did skip my new show this week. Didn't have the mindset to watch. Dark Winds will hopefully return during this upcoming week.

I'm almost finished with London Kills and it's such a good show. I've really enjoyed the way the weekly cases weave in and out of the overall story arc. And the character growth has been well done.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise with the season twelve holiday episode. Really good storyline! It's fun to get Selwyn backstory.

Watched another episode of Beyond Paradise. Sad to see Anne get caught up in a not-so-great situation. Loved the way Martha handled Zoe's mistake. Also fun to have Humphrey and Martha approved for fostering.

Got blown away by another episode of Elementary. The case ended up being intriguing and the end? Wow. Did not expect that to happen.

Watched an episode of Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I remember this one from my original run through and loved the call back to Batman: The Animated Series.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of the vignettes and particularly liked the video game one.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mind the Shadows, a Warlock's Curse novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nadia Iris discovers the terrible truth about her lineage and confronts the man responsible. Her father's dark plan for the future isn't high on her list of things to get done … but reuniting with Falk Ridenour is. Too bad her dad has other ideas for Nadia.

And a preview snippet…

Nadia sank into Falk's embrace. Guh. I've missed him so much. Why not relish the moment? Might be all they would have for a while.

She eased back. "Do you want something to drink? Eat?" Just because her sperm donor thought she lacked civility, it didn't mean she hadn't been taught basic manners.

Falk tilted his head to one side and studied her for a long moment. "Uh-uh. Just want you." His hand slid down her arm and caught her palm in his.

Her heart soared. "That I can arrange. But … not here." She turned and tugged him through the living room and kitchen, leading him out to the backyard and the cozy gazebo. "Don't trust the old man not to have the cottage under magickal surveillance." Entering the large enclosure, she turned and faced Falk.

His eyebrows arched. "This place isn't?" His gaze took in the plush accommodations.

She shook her head. "Not that I've found. I don't think he knows how much I use this space for myself." Or how many personal touches she'd added for protection.

Falk's lips twitched. "Hasn't learned not to underestimate you yet. That's his mistake." He drew her closer. "This is perfect. A small slice of solitude." He cupped her nape and lowered his head to mesh his lips with hers.

Nadia wrapped her arms around him. The world looked brighter now. Like Falk brought the sun and put the color back where it belonged.

Everything with Boris turned gray, dark, and ugly most of the time.

Falk mouth moved up to her ear. "Don't let him invade your space here or harsh your calm." His fingers slipped under her shirt. "It's just you and me. No one else." Inching the fabric upward, he dipped down to flick his tongue over a nipple through her bra.

Right. Boris would not ruin this reunion for her.

Nadia did a slow nod. "Just you and me. No one else." Her fingers undid the button on his pants and lowered the zipper.

Falk flashed a smile. "There you are." He eased her tee up and over her head. "For the next … oh, let's say an hour or so … just be…" His fingers slid her bra straps down. "Focus on your senses." Unhooking the lingerie, he let her take over to remove the garment while he stepped out of his pants and yanked his shirt over his head.

Nadia sucked in a breath. She'd forgotten how much she enjoyed looking at him. Yeah, letting her senses take over added to the heightened awareness running through her veins.

Falk slipped his fingers under her waistband and dragged her leggings down past her hips. She kicked them aside and grasped his hips, needing to be skin-to-skin with him. He cupped her ass and lifted, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist, trapping the hard length of his cock between them.

Her mouth hovered an inch away from his. "I'm so happy you're here…" She slanted her lips over his and thrust her tongue past his teeth.

She didn't come up for air until he settled on the edge of the bed, skimmed his palms along her torso, and kneaded her breasts.

Her head fell back, and she gasped. "I need you so much right now."

Falk nuzzled her throat. "I'm all yours." He leaned back on his elbows.

Nadia grasped his heavy length and rose up bringing her hips forward then sank down. Falk let out a low moan and Nadia made a hum of satisfaction. They fit perfectly together.

Planting her hands on his chest, she rocked slowly over him. "You're all mine…"

I'm so excited about this series. Nadia and Falk are fun to write and I love their vibe.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: All Roads Lead Home (Warlock's Curse novella)

November is continuing the crazy weather tradition. Warm a few days then frigid a few. The whiplash roller coaster is in full force. Please keep arms and legs inside during the ride and make sure you've got plenty of allergy meds and mucus relief tablets on hand.

Had a somewhat light work week and got to focus on writing, which is kind of great considering it's Nanowrimo month.

Also got some decent screen time this week. I didn't do a double rotation, but I did make a full run through of all my shows with a little overflow.

I caught two episodes of Agatha Raisin. Season two is a bit different with longer episodes and different titles. So far, I'm enjoying the fallout from the aborted wedding … and the mysteries of course.

Watched the second half of Silent Witness and started a new two-parter. I'm enjoying the kind of messy storylines. Considering this series has been around for twenty-three years, it's interesting to see how much it's changed from the beginning.

Enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise and finished out season three. Kind of nice to see Humphrey's wife and get an actual end to their relationship. Also great that neither really ended up being the bad guy.

Caught another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Loved how the trio finally got to work together … sort of. That might be the only thing that really sticks out as being a little off for me this season. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the mystery.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman. I like seeing the villains kind of double up and then double cross each other.

Got another episode of Classic Rugrats in and remembered both vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed both. It's so much fun going back to this show and thinking about watching when my kids were little.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from All Roads Lead Home, a Warlock's Curse offshoot novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Sebastian North has a legacy to remake and he begins by searching for the one that got away, Hagan Culpepper. Hagan wants nothing to do with Sebastian. She's worked a long time to get past the hurt and damage he caused and doesn't believe he's embarked on a new path. Her return spells new possibilities and spins a few secrets she isn't quite ready to reveal.

And a preview snippet…

Sebastian North answered the door. "Nadia. Falk. Thanks for coming." He ushered them into the manor and nodded toward the beautifully appointed living room.

Nadia arched her brows. "We're not meeting in the study? You said this is an official get together." She took a spot on the sofa.

Falk made a slow walk around the perimeter of the room. "Yeah, I thought all pretentious assholes liked to loom over their guests from behind some huge monstrosity of a desk." He finally completed his circuit and settled beside Nadia.

Sebastian kept his gaze on Falk, mainly because Sebastian had no idea how to approach the topic he needed to discuss. "Yeah, well, I can't argue that point. And I'd be a hell of a lot more comfortable being a pretentious asshole … I mean I learned how to be one from the best there was." He referred to Nadia's dad Boris Manchen.

Nadia waved a hand. "That goes without saying. But you've moved past my sperm donor's machinations, right? Meaning you'll figure out how to not make mad grabs for power." She leaned back and kicked her feet up onto the ottoman.

Sebastian's chin jutted out. "Right. Exactly. Which kind of brings up the point of asking you two here…" He inhaled slowly and let the breath out with the same measured pace.

Falk grunted. "Just spit it out, man. The longer it takes you to say what you need the harder it's going to be." He slumped down and crossed his ankle over his knee.

Sebastian almost laughed. The possibility of Falk smashing Sebastian's face in increased whether he spoke or not. Because Sebastian had a big ask and Falk wouldn't like the request one damned bit. But Sebastian needed to right his wrongs if he ever wanted to remake Boris's legacy.

And that meant Sebastian needed Falk's help.

Leaning forward, he pinned Falk with a hard stare. "You won't like this, but I need your help." He didn't give Falk a chance to replay. "I have to find Hagan, and you're the only one who can put me on the right path to do so." There … he'd spit it out.

Falk blinked. "You want me to lead you to my sister?" His head jerked back and forth. "Fuck, no."

I love, love, love this series and I hope I can get it ready to go and out into the world in the near future.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stay the Course (Warlock's Curse)

February has been the oddest month. Between weird weather and random catastrophes, it's been a doozy. I'm kind of happy to be welcoming March in this week.

Finished up a work project and made really great progress on one of the others. I'm blessed with authors who turn revisions around in record time. It's very helpful and keeps their work fresh in my mind.

I also made some progress on my new venture. Only a tiny amount, but it makes me happy to chip away at my to-do list. Brings me a wee bit closer to be able to launch.

Didn't get a lot of television watched, but I did finish up Strangest Things. I have so much fun listening to the experts discuss the weird and wonderful artifacts.

I also continued my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. This week's episode was one of my favorites, "Bastille Day." Some truly excellent parallels about picking a side and being true to a set of core beliefs.

I also started season two of The Mandalorian. I hoped to finish up Ms. Marvel before starting another Star Wars show, but I want to be up to date for season three.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Stay the Course, the opening book for the Warlock's Curse series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nadia Iris is at a crossroads and has to choose whether to find her path to fulfillment as an adept or stay stagnant in her current position. She decides to go on a journey quest but has to leave Falk Ridenour behind. Falk isn't happy, but supports her choice, even knowing the hardship she'll face.

And a preview snippet…

Falk stared up at the building. "Are you serious?" Even if only three stories, the height seemed daunting.

Nadia smirked with a nod. "Absolutely." She bounced on her toes and rubbed her hands together.

He glanced toward her. "And you can't use magick to scale the side?" Or keep from crashing to the ground…

Nadia's brows drew together. "Where's the fun in that?" The sideways glance she sent his way dared him to refuse.

He wouldn't—he needed to reach her and help her find her center. Falk went with the moment, mainly because Nadia had finally relaxed and showed him another side. One he liked even more than the angry, frustrated woman he had to help guide.

Placing his hand on the rough stone, he nodded. "Let's do this." And don't let us die.

She started, placing her foot on the windowsill. "Follow me." Grasping the side trim of the window, she pulled herself up then reached out for the lower edge of the porch roof.

After hoisting herself onto the slightly slanted surface, she repeated the process by placing her foot on the sill in the gable in the center of the second floor then scrabbled up onto the peak, using her arms to keep her balance. Reaching up, she gripped the eave of the third floor roof and stuck her foot on the cedar siding and pushed upward. She planted her knee on the spouting running along the roofline and launched forward onto the angled pitch of the top floor.

Falk followed her, putting his feet and hands as close to where she'd put hers as possible. He had the advantage of being a few inches taller than Nadia and cleared the first and second floor without issue. Once he almost made it to the top, he had a premonition of her—alone, bedraggled, and defeated—and he lost focus. His knee slipped off the spouting and he dropped down, scrambling to hold on to the rough shingles.

Nadia grasped his biceps, then his hand, tugging him upward. He toppled forward with a grunt his mind still full of Nadia's miserable countenance. Straightening himself up, he sat back on his butt, breathing deeply. The vision faded, replaced by her concerned face studying him carefully.

She looked him over. "You okay?"

He lifted his chin but said nothing, especially when she tilted her head to one side with a narrowed gaze. Then she dropped down beside him and leaned back on her elbows. The rightness of having at his side settled over him. He'd examine and meditate on the precognitive event later.

Nadia needed this distraction and he needed to figure out the puzzle she represented. And, if he had to be honest, he wanted to spend the time with her. Away from the classroom and training hall where she had nothing to prove. Not that she has to prove anything to me. Too bad the board of elders didn't feel the way Falk did.

Nadia nudged his shoulder. "Look up." She tilted her head back and gazed at the night sky.

Falk did as she suggested. "Wow." Stars sparkled and glittered overhead. "I see why you love the view from up here." He dropped back to his elbows to get more comfortable.

Nadia chuckled. "I come up here a lot, especially after a frustrating training session." She slid her gaze his way. "Being on the rooftop gives me perspective."

He could see why. Having the night sky spread out filled with endless possibilities would be a nice blanket to cover a rough day. Made making the climb up kind of worth it. Getting down … maybe not so much.

He angled toward her a little. "Gotta be honest. Pretty sure I'll be using magick to get down." If she thought less of him so be it.

Nadia let out a laugh. "No need for that." She pointed to the rear gable. "There's an access door to the third floor over there." Her face split with a wide grin.

Falk arched his brows. "Would've been nice to know that earlier." But he had to chuckle.

Only Nadia could convince him to try scaling a manor house just for fun.

He sobered when a brief flash of his earlier vision filled his mind. An odd sense of foreboding dimmed his enjoyment of being with her … but only for a moment. He pushed the precognitive event aside and looked back up at the sky.

I love this series. Nadia and Falk won't have an easy path but moments like climbing a house together give them good memories.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rite of Passage (Warlock's Curse book three)

I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. We're always low-key. We head to my dad's, eat, converse for a while then head home to nap in a food coma. We definitely had a good time.

The weather is crazy weird again, which is actually kind of typical for the end of November. It's usually a little colder and the question of whether it'll snow or not. Now it's more like up and down temperatures that go back and forth to drive anyone with sinus issues to the pharmacy to stock up on meds.

I finished up the episode of Ted Lasso I started and thoroughly enjoyed. I'm iffy on Jamie's redemption but hopeful it'll continue and stick. I honestly hated that character so much last season.

I also spent the week watching a large chunk of Batman: The Animated Series as mentioned in last week's post. I started with episode seventeen of season one and continued through episode thirty. I'll be watching more this week with a plan to finish out November with my memorial to Kevin.

One of the things I love most about revisiting this series is finding overlooked gems in the rewatch. There were a couple of episodes I'd completely forgotten about and it's nice to see them again.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rite of Passage, book three of the Warlock's Curse series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nadia Iris and Falk Ridenour have one goal—to thwart her father's nefarious power grab. Even though they're on the same page, Nadia struggles for balance and Falk has to make some hard choices about their future.

And a preview snippet…

Nadia fought the tears threatening to come. "Just this once, I actually want someone to tell me what to do." Why couldn't Falk do this one little thing?

The liquid she'd held back leaked from the corners of her eyes. How the hell did Falk think he could help with what needed to be done? Boris had to be stopped, but if she couldn't take him down … how could she halt his plans?

Movement from the doorway drew her attention and Sebastian entered the room.

He stopped beside the fire and glanced around. "Where's Mr. Wonderful?" The sneering tone matched the look on his face.

Nadia quickly wiped her cheeks and faced Sebastian. "Not here. Go find someone else to irritate." She couldn't deal with the annoyance of pointed barbs right now.

Sebastian narrowed his gaze. "You've been crying." He grasped her bicep. "You never cry. What did I miss?" He nudged her toward a wingback chair and made her sit.

The one person on the planet—aside from Boris—she didn't want making decisions for her, yet Sebastian happened to be the only one stepping up. Go figure.

She snorted. "Oh, you missed a great argument with Falk. The one time I want him to put his foot down and tell me what to do and he walks away." Her fingers curled into her palms.

Sebastian huffed out a breath. "And exactly where did Mr. Paragon wander off to?" He poked at the wood in the fireplace then settled in the chair next to hers.

Nadia waved a hand. "Who the hell knows? I'm trying to figure out how to manage Boris since he's pretty much stymied every option I have to deal with him and Falk decides to be cryptic by saying I know what needs to be done and he'd help me out." She met Sebastian's gaze. "By leaving me high and dry? How does that help?"

Sebastian's demeanor visibly changed. He went from slouching in the chair to sitting straight up. His usual practiced bland features sharpened and his blank stare snapped to life.

He leaned forward. "Geez, Nadia. Did you wake up on the stupid side of the bed today?" His hands pressed on his thighs. "You can't kill Boris because his blood runs through your veins and he hexed you to keep you from spouting off about him. Did he do the same to Falk?"

Her mouth dropped open. "Damn. No he didn't. And you think—" She couldn't say the rest—because it meant Falk planned to do something very, very dangerous.

Sebastian clicked his tongue against his teeth. "It doesn't matter what I think. What does your knight in shining armor think and do?"

Falk would engage with Boris and make every effort to keep him in a battle of magickal will until one of them perished. She should've gone after him when he left.

Nadia got up and paced back and forth. "Shit. Shit, shit, shit." She stopped and whirled to face Sebastian. "Where? Where would they meet? And when? Dammit, why would Falk take this on?"

Sebastian smirked. "The why is plain for anyone to see. He's loyal to anyone he loves." He got up and went to gaze out at the grounds. "The where? Someplace out of the way to minimize damage. When? That's a bit trickier. My guess would be early, like the wee hours of the morning. He'd want to test Boris's mettle and learn any weaknesses and dawn or soon after is the safest time."

Nadia shook her head. Sebastian showing an understanding of tactics and planning? When did that happen?

She set the thought aside and focused on the where. "An out of the way place…" The location hit her almost immediately. "The mill. It's not part of the village proper and the walls are thick enough to withstand a magickal battle." Her shoulders slumped. "Doesn't do me a damned bit of good though. I won't be able to help."

Sebastian swung his gaze her way. "What do you mean? Of course you can. You need to go and make your choice known."

Nadia flung her arm out. "How? My asshole father made it impossible for me to speak against him in a way that would clarify what I want."

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Then don't speak, Nads. You don't have to verbalize what's in your heart. It's there for anyone with half a brain to see." He tsked. "And Boris might be a maniacal egomaniac with tunnel vision but he's also got two eyeballs that won't be able to deny what's in front of him."

She still had doubts. "Okay, great. What about the blood tie? You know he'll pull that thread and try to use it." And he'd wield it against Falk if he could.

Sebastian gently reminded. "Boris's blood isn't the only DNA you have, Nadia. Manchen blood bonds you two, yes, but you also have Iris blood coursing through your veins." His brows furrowed. "Did you forget that?"

She blinked. "Damn. Actually, I pretty much did." Maybe she did get up on the stupid side of the bed today.

Everything became very clear in her mind and she envisioned exactly what needed to happen.

She went and threw her arms around him. "I love you, Sebastian." Whether he knew it or not, he'd picked a side, too.

His eyes widened in surprise. "You do?"

She laughed. "Yes, like the brother I never had or even wanted." Easing away from him, she held his gaze. "But I'm glad to have now."

Her unspoken message registered.

He gave a nod. "That's it then, isn't it? Our fate sealed and all that."

She lifted her chin. "Your fate is right where you left it. Your choice is whether to meet it head-on or continue hiding away from it." Starting for the door, she angled her head around. "But you don't have to decide today. I'd like you to stick around for a bit … if you're up for it."

Sebastian tilted his head to one side. "Is that a challenge?"

She cracked a smile. "Yeah, if you choose to accept it." She didn't wait for a reply … she had a showdown to prepare for.

I have so much love for this story. Nadia and Falk are rock solid even when they don't agree and Sebastian finally proves he's got more going on than being a pawn. This is such a fun group of characters.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mind the Shadows (Warlock's Curse 2)

Happy Boxing Day. Hope everyone who celebrates had a great holiday and everyone who doesn't had a great week.

It's the last Sunday of 2021 and it's been a doozy of a year. Had a very busy week with my middle kid's health issues again, but we're finally closer to getting an actual answer for what's been going on with him. I'll be thankful if we get confirmation.

Slow week for television. I started with the opening arc of season twenty-two of Classic Who. Ended up being a decent four episodes. Six is growing on me.

Finished up Mysteries of Apollo and ended up enjoying this six episode look at the space program. Not sure what new series I'll start this week.

Caught two episodes of The Muppet Show. Melissa Manchester and Tony Randall were the guest stars. I didn't have a chance to watch the Muppet Christmas Carol but I might get it in this week.

Started Fosse Verdon and liked the first episode. This should be an interesting show to dive into. Looking forward to more.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice. Really not sure about the new guy. I can't quite decide if he's desperate, evil or both. So far, I don't like the guy at all.

Enjoyed another lesson of MasterClass with Bill Nye. He's a lot of fun and tackles the serious topic of climate change without making the concept too over the top.

I started season two of The Witcher and loved, loved, loved the first episode. Can't wait to get into more.

Last but not least, I watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were enjoyable and ones I remembered fondly of watching with my oldest.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Mind the Shadows, book two in the Warlock's Curse series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nadia Iris discovers the terrible truth about her lineage and confronts the man responsible. Her father's dark plan for the future isn't high on her list of things to get done … but reuniting with Falk Ridenour is. Too bad her dad has other ideas for Nadia.

And a preview snippet…

Falk Ridenour strolled up the lane leading to a large manor house. "Whew. Nice digs." He let out a low whistle.

A car churned up behind him then sped past, narrowly missing him, and screeched to a stop in the circular drive. Falk frowned. What a dick.

He walked a little faster, ready to give the driver hell for being reckless. When the man exited the car, Falk had a whole different reason for trashing him. What the flaming fuck is Sebastian North doing here?

Falk called out. "North! Were you trying to run me down?" Wouldn't surprise Falk in the slightest if the other man had attempted vehicular homicide.

North turned bleary eyes toward Falk. "What? Why would you—" He broke off when he got a look at Falk. "Aw, hell. Why are you here?" He still had the same petulant sneer to his voice.

Falk stopped by the gleaming sedan. "Better question is why are you? I know for a fact Nadia didn't invite you." Not on the same day she'd asked Falk to stop by.

Sebastian raked a hand through his hair. "Look, can we not do this right now?" His feet shuffled with an uncomfortable gait. "And before you ask, I haven't heard from Hagan, I haven't tried to contact her, and I'm not going to." He shoved his hands in his pockets.

Falk snorted. "Considering it's your fault she's gone, I'd suggest staying on that course." The irony of almost getting run down by his foster sister's ex hit hard.

Sebastian rolled his eyes. "Whatever, man. I do what I want and Hagan's not at the top of my list anymore."

Falk drew his arm back, ready to let his fist fly. A soft hand on his shoulder stopped the momentum. He turned to find Nadia looking amazing behind him.

Sweeping her up close, his anger drained. "It's good to see you." And feel her against him.

She tilted her head back. "I'm glad you came." Her gaze followed Sebastian's path to the front door where he met the man who could only be Nadia's father. "Do I want to know what that was all about?"

Falk grunted. "Yes, but not right now." He narrowed his eyes when Sebastian followed Boris into the house. "Do I want to know what that's all about?" Probably nothing good.

Nadia made a grimace. "Yes, but not right now." She took his hand and started leading him around the side of the house.

Falk sent one final look in the direction of the big house. "Am I gonna meet your old man?" Quite frankly, he didn't care one way or the other.

Nadia stopped in front of a small cottage. "I'm not going to inflict him on you. The man doesn't deserve to meet you." She twisted the knob on the door and pushed it open. "We have some catching up to do." Hauling him across the threshold, she wrapped her arms around him. "Unless you haven't missed me as much as I've missed you…"

Falk nudged the solid oak shut with his foot then braced his shoulders against the wood, dragging her up against him. "I've definitely missed you…" His mouth closed over hers and everything became right in his world.

Sebastian North and the reason for Hagan's disappearance evaporated from his mind.

I love this series. Currently, I have three books and a side novella set in this universe. Nadia and Falk have a lot to get through.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Stay the Course (Warlock's Curse book one)

We're entering week … eh, I'm not even sure … of the social distancing and I'm truly hoping we start to see the case numbers come down. We're doing what we can to stay inside and away from others. We do try to order from our local restaurants a night or two a week to help support the establishments.

Had a slower than normal week of television viewing. I started out by finishing up Strike Back's third episode. I'm very excited for the rest of the season. I also caught the declassified short for this episode.

I started a new episode of Blue Heelers and hope to finish it this upcoming week. So far, I'm truly enjoying this show.

Watched the end of a Gargoyles episode and got two more in. I don't remember Xanatos being such a cheesy villain when I watched this show with my oldest. Man, he is one though.

Started the first season of The Witcher. Gotta say I'm intrigued. Here's hoping the rest of the season measures up.

For fun, I watched the blooper reel for Dirty, Sexy Saint and laughed out loud a couple of times. I love how much behind the scenes Passionflix shares with its members.

Caught another episode of Arrow. I'm not sure if it's because I know it's ending or if the writing has just kicked it up a notch but I can honestly say I end up getting all choked up with tears in every episode so far. We're getting to the home stretch so I don't expect that to change.

Also watched another episode of Murdoch Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Having the ladies take center stage was much appreciated. I'm a little intrigued by Violet showing her sharpened teeth, which probably won't bode well for William and Julia in the next two episodes. That said, I'll be happy if Miss Violet Hart ends up going down in flames. I'm not a fan.

And that's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Stay the Course, a novella that opens the Warlock's Curse series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nadia Iris is at a crossroads and has to choose whether to find her path to fulfillment as an adept or stay stagnant in her current position. She decides to go on a journey quest, but has to leave Falk Ridenour behind. Falk isn't happy, but supports her choice, even knowing the hardship she'll face.

And a preview snippet…

What do I want?

Nadia wanted to punch a hole in the universe and disappear. She wanted to figure her shit out and become a white-robed witch. She wanted … to be normal, dammit.

She heaved a sigh. "I want all this…" She motioned around the classroom. "To be easier like it is for everyone else. I'm tired of being a freak of nature. Can you fix that?" Would that he could or at least tell her why she struggled so much.

Falk made his way to her side. "I would if I could. You know that." His tone held a wealth of sincerity.

And she believed him. Hell, he already had. Falk didn't treat her like a total misfit … unlike everyone else in the coven's rookery, the school for discovering and learning about their gifts.

Falk grabbed her hand and tugged her over to the small couch by the windows. "Look, let's give magick a break for a while." He waited until she sat and put her feet under her thighs. "What else do you enjoy doing during downtime? Reading? Music? Art?" He angled toward her and gave her his full attention.

Geez. Something of a loaded question. And a little out of her comfort zone. She could be snarky and say she liked to have lots of sex, but he didn't deserve the disrespect. Any discussion of her weird hobbies involved letting Falk get a peek inside her chaotic mind and she weighed how much of her inner self to reveal. Then again, what did she have to lose?

Maybe she'd test the interest level a little. "You really don't want to know what I get up to when I'm not in class, do you?" She wouldn't blame him if he didn't.

His gaze didn't waver. "I wouldn't have asked if I didn't."

Okay, then. She'd start with something somewhat simple but a little dangerous. See if he really wanted to dive into the freak show she called her life.

Standing, she held out her hand. "Come on, it's better if I show you." A break sounded wonderful … even if Falk might live to regret taking an interest.

I'm very excited about this series. The ideas popped very quickly and the other books are pretty much plotted. Now to find the time to really flesh everything out and get them finished up.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Rite of Passage

I'm so excited! We're getting our leaky roof replaced in the very near future. I've been waiting to do a small renovation in our bathroom because I need to make sure we won't have any more water damage in there. Can't wait!!

Not a bad week for television. Caught an episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries and, once again, enjoyed the four main characters and their bonding. Terrific female representation in this show.

Watched the penultimate episode of Riverdale's third season. So many revelations in this one and nothing I'm terribly surprised by. Edgar is just as creeptastic as I suspected. I do want to know if Polly is aware of Jason being… whatever the hell Jason is. My gut says Alice is not. Can't wait to find out. Veronica pulled a savage move on Hiram and I'm totally there for more of that. I literally hate that guy and actually wouldn't mind if he died in a fire. No such luck, I'm sure.

I caved and watched a season twelve episode of Peak Practice. I'll probably go back and forth on this show, catching the entire run while also sneaking in episodes with my favorite actor.

Caught the behind-the-scenes episode of Midsomer Murders and I'm ready to start season twenty-one. Looking forward to diving in next week.

I'm excited to watch the final season of Arrow in the very near future, along with the crossover event. I'm also thrilled to have some new super-hero shows on the horizon. Should be an interesting year for watching.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rite of Passage, a Warlock's Curse novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nadia Iris and Falk Ridenour have one goal—to thwart her father's nefarious power grab. Even though they're on the same page, Nadia struggles for balance and Falk has to make some hard choices about their future.

And a preview snippet…

Nadia spoke quietly. "Why are you checking out on me?" Tension radiated from her.

Falk sighed. Only Nadia would see him taking a step back as abandonment. How could he explain the clarity he now had?

Nadia paced back and forth. "Falk, you're letting my dad get to you." She stopped and pinned him with a glare.

Falk tilted his head to one side. "Yes, but also no. Having him in my face—and yours—all the time is pissing me off, so yeah, he's getting to me." He straightened and presented his case the best way he could. "Look, Nadia, I have to let you choose for yourself. If I don't, I'm no better than Boris." He moved forward and put his hands on her shoulders. "I'll offer any and all insight where I can, but won't be a dick like your dad and force you into making decisions." He cupped her chin and held her gaze. "I also won't use my dick to bind you to me." Because that would be exactly what Boris would do… hell, had done with Miranda. "Ultimately, Nadia, you have want that binding and come to me." Something he hoped for more than he wanted to admit right now.

Nadia's eyes welled up. "Don't you see the ultimatum is almost as bad?" Her fingers dashed the tears away.

Falk shook his head. "You see giving you the choice as an ultimatum?" How could she not understand? "I love you. Witch. Warlock. Woman. I don't care what you call yourself. I do care about not using you for some endgame to gain power." Boris had that wrapped up tight.

Nadia closed her eyes and swayed a little. "I'm so tired, Falk. Tired of fighting Boris. Tired of having Sebastian underfoot. Tired of not knowing which way to jump." She turned and stared into the fire.

A flash of insight hit Falk. She needed his guidance and didn't see him being alpha and demanding she choose him as a bad thing. But he couldn't make a demand, not even if it helped override and balance her warlock side. He could, however, share his conviction with her.

Moving to stand behind her, he wrapped his arms around her. "You know what has to be done, Nadia, and I will help there. You'll also know who's going to win. You'll make the right choice… because I trust you to do it." Pressing a kiss on her temple, he eased away from her and turned to leave.

Because Nadia also needed Falk to end her dad. She couldn't do it. The binding Boris did during her conception prevented her from killing him. But Falk didn't have any restrictions other than doing no harm. Putting Boris down would test the boundaries of magickal law but Falk counted on love winning out. His love for Nadia would be the deciding factor when he had to face whatever the coven council threw at him.

Exiting the study, he whispered an incantation and forwarded a message to the warlock master. They'd meet at dawn to end the battle for Nadia.

Honestly? I love this series so much. I'm hoping to get the time I need to write the whole thing before releasing any of the books.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye