Sunday Snippet: Veering Off Course

Well, hello, March. Thank you for dumping like seven inches of snow on me. :D

Seriously, I have to remember I was wearing flip flops and shorts in October so I don't get all crazy about having snow in March. LOL

Some great TV this week. I'm rather sad I have to wait almost a whole month for new The Flash and Arrow episodes. Oh well, teaches me the value of patience, right? Banshee and Bitten had great episodes. So happy for a satisfying end to one of the characters on Banshee, which tied in nicely with the satisfying end to one of the characters on Bitten last week. Yes, I have a bloodthirsty streak sometimes. :D

To counter the death toll, let's see if The Walking Dead manages to keep everyone alive again this week. LOL

Tonight's post is from Veering Off Course, a novella where my female character has to go on a journey of discovery.

Here's the tagline:

Raine Shippley tends to go her own way, always veering off course. When her true path is revealed, Dalton Tucker thinks they'll finally have a chance, but Raine disappears and he's left to follow the trail alone… or so he thinks.

And a preview snippet…

"So tell, me Dalton, which freaking element should take precedence?" Raine Shippely whirled around and faced Dalton Tucker. "Because my head hurts trying to figure out what I did to be so damned unlucky." She stalked away and dropped down onto the sofa.

Dalton didn't have a ready answer. "You could try changing your perspective." He moved across the room and settled into the chair across from the couch. "Consider the face you can draw on all four as a blessing instead of a curse?"

Raine rolled her eyes and snorted. "Right. Because that's not totally isolating." She leaned forward. "How many other fae, maybe what? Five? Have the ability to use every element?" She flopped back. "And where are they, Dalton?"

He frowned. "Look, what happened to them doesn't have to happen to you—"

She shot up and paced back and forth. "You mean I don't have to go bug ass insane and land myself in solitary banishment? Or go over the top evil and try to kill off half my race?" She stopped. "The other three aren't even on the grid anymore. What does that tell you?" Her voice trembled but her face hardened. "It tells me they're either dead or waiting to die somewhere off the grid."

Dalton rose and moved to her side, wrapping his arms around her. He expected her to pull away, but she leaned into him. She snaked an arm around his waist and held on.

Dalton pressed a kiss to her temple. "I can't argue your point, Raine, but there's nothing carved in stone indicating you have to follow their path." He guided her to the sofa and got her to sit back down. "The one thing you have going for you is knowledge. You're aware. You know the potential outcomes." He hauled her close, thrilled when she relaxed into his side. "You have time to figure everything out. And you know I'll be here to help."

Raine lifted her chin to meet his gaze. "Right now, you're the only thing keeping me grounded. But I know, deep in my bones, it won't be enough." Her head bent forward, coming to rest on his shoulder.

Dalton didn't speak, content to hold her… for as long as she wanted.

For as long as he could.

Raine's journey takes her on quite the quest, but Dalton is always there, in the forefront of her mind.

So much fun writing this one.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Embrace the Magic—Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal LoveWednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted begins we all know and love. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today I'm featuring a brief look at Arch's dilemma and how Bree is (or is not) handling making a quick match.

"You know what happens to me when I go too long without making a match. You don't have time for taking breaks."

She shrugged. "There's no one out there that appeals to me."

Arch made a garbled, choking sound. "They're not supposed to appeal to you, Bree. You just have to find someone who needs a mate." He took two steps forward, ready to strangle her.

Bree held up a finger, knowing his intent. "I wouldn't. You'd just have to wait for someone to be called in to take my place." She went back to smoothing off non-existent hangnails.

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

Insert Series Banner

~*~

Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Various Reasons

Ugh. I've hit the nasty cold wall and did not bounce back. Bleh. I can happily say it's the first really icky cold I've had this winter.

Anyway, on to fun stuff. The third episode of Bitten rocked. I'm looking forward to seeing how different the elements play out from the books. So far, I love the changes. The Flash and Arrow each turned in solid episodes. Have to wait until mid-March for a new episode of The Flash, which is probably a good thing. I'm probably in the minority, but I actually want a lot less Iris. She's not my favorite character.

Tonight's post is from Various Reasons, a novella where my established couple decides whether to take their relationship to the next step.

Here's the tagline:

Paloma and Cedric keep putting off thinking or talking about the future—they've got a fae war on their hands, but after a particularly ugly skirmish, Paloma decides it's time to open the topic for discussion. Cedric is so shocked, he's not quite sure he believes her, but once Paloma gets through the list of various reasons, he's close to getting on board.

And the preview snippet…

Paloma crashed back against the wall and slid downward, crouching behind the dumpster. Cedric stumbled over and sank to his knees beside her. The stench from the hellhounds emanated from each and they wrinkled their noses.

Cedric heaved a sigh. "You okay? Injured?" He angled around, propping his back against the brick wall.

Paloma nodded. "I'm fine, just winded. Never fought a whole pack before." The number of hounds had nothing to do with her earlier distraction, but she wouldn't share her reason.

Not yet. She wanted to get her head around the revelation first.

Cedric shrugged out of his jacket, covered in noxious and foul hell hound saliva.

He tossed it up into the open dumpster, which smelled better than either of them.

He shuddered. "We need a shower." He wiped his hands on his jeans, but they were probably worse than the jacket.

Paloma snorted. "Ugh. We need a decon chamber." She slowly got up and threw her jacket into the trash bin, too. "I'd strip down right here if we didn't have to cross the boulevard to go back under."

Cedric cracked a smile. "Would be fun to watch you streak across the road, though." He chuckled and started for the street."

Paloma grabbed his arm. "Hey, once we're all shiny and clean, let's find a quiet spot." Her hand slid down his arm to grasp his fingers. "I don't feel like the usual celebratory bash at the Crescent Moon tonight." Too loud for the serious conversation she needed to have with Cedric.

His brows knit, but only for a moment. "Sure. Sounds great." He tugged her forward, heading across the road. "Rooftop in about an hour?"

Paloma grinned. Leave it to Cedric to pick the perfect spot.

She darted around him, trotting down the steps to the underground first. "Yeah… if it doesn't take longer than sixty minutes to get the stink of the hounds off." She glanced back over her shoulder. "I swear my pores are oozing the putrid smell."

Cedric laughed. "Look, if it takes longer, it does. I'll be there."

She kicked the loose tile and pushed the door open when the mechanism unlocked it. She dragged the Henley shirt over her head and jammed it into the trash can beside the door.

Clad in her sports bra and jeans, she started for the shower area. "I'm burning the rest of my clothes. Bring a lighter, will you?"

Cedric shook his head, but answered. "Yeah, yeah. I'll bring one."

She gave him a waggle-fingered wave and ducked into the huge bathroom lined with showers. Stripping off the rest of her clothes, she hurried and turned the spray on, relishing the hot water hitting her skin, feeling more steady and certain with each passing moment.

She wanted forever with Cedric, even if their version might get cut short.

So, Paloma knows what she wants, now she has to convince Cedric. J

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye

Smokin' Hot—Hot Encounter: An Idyllic Affair

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Greetings!

This week we're tasked with sharing a hot encounter, whether it's the first time or one of many others between the characters. Awesome! As mentioned in last week's post, I'm in Ohio and the subzero temps make reading the hot and steamy even more of a treat. :D

For my feature, I'm sharing a steamy moment from my current release, An Idyllic Affair, co-written with my alter ego, ML Skye, for the Ellipses Press branded anthology Insula Ara ~ Sanctuary Island.

For a little background, here are the series and book taglines:

Escape to Insula Ara, an island sanctuary that provides refuge… but it comes with a price.

On the run from their enemies, an island sanctuary gives Geoff and Linnea time for An Idyllic Affair.

Bring on the hot stuff…

~*~

His hands cupped her face. "Linn." Whisper soft, his voice sent a shudder through her.

She opened her eyes.

"Stop thinking." His hand trailed down, gliding over her stomach, the curve of her hip and drifted over to undo the buttons of her fatigues. "Feel." His fingers slipped under the fabric and cupped her mound. "Just for tonight." Geoff pressed a line of kisses along her jaw. "Don't worry about tomorrow."

Her resistance melted away. "Okay. Until the weather breaks, I won't." She leaned in and kissed him, wrapping her arms around his broad shoulders.

Geoff made a low, growling sound and pushed her pants past her hips. She kicked her legs free and worked her hands under his shirt. Inching it upward, she gasped when Geoff pushed two fingers inside her. Her head fell back, but she tugged his shirt further up, leaning forward to finally taste his skin. Her tongue made a wet trail, before she stopped and crisscrossed her arms to drag her shirt up and over her head. Geoff used his free hand to yank his offensive garment off then wrapped his arm around Linnea, jockeying his position to lift his hips. Linn took the hint and flipped the buttons of his fatigues open, one by one, teasing him by going slowly.

Geoff's voice rumbled in her ear. "I'll make you pay for that later." His tongue flicked against her lobe.

Linnea chuckled and shoved his fatigues down then leaned forward, taking the length of his shaft inside her mouth. Geoff hissed out a harsh breath and twisted his fingers in the sleeping bag he'd rolled out earlier.

"God's bones, Linnea. You should warn a guy before going down on him."

She smiled around his girth, pulling back to speak. "Where's the fun in that, Geoff?" She wrapped her lips around the tip and sucked hard.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Anthology Blurb: Legend tells of a mysterious island called Sanctuary, inhabited by people who have been to hell and back—and lived to tell the tale.

It goes on to say, that if someone needs help, if they are truly without hope, island will come to them in their darkest hour and help them find the way.

But the assistance comes with a price. Their heart and soul may be lost to the island in the process.

Book Blurb: Privateers by trade, Geoff MacLeod and Linnea Jensen find sanctuary on Insula Ara, a mysterious island full of wonder and a tinge of darkness. When Geoff and Linnea embark on a quest to retrieve a badly needed part for their ship, they find their deep attraction for each other hard to resist, and under the spell of the island, they have to tread carefully or succumb to the swirling undercurrents.

~*~

Thank you for dropping by.

Please feel free to stop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday samples!

Embrace the Magic—Cupid's Curse

Welcome to the weekly blog hop hosted by the Paranormal Love Wednesdays blog.

Readers: Embrace the magic, the mystical, the totally out there. Witches, werewolves, shapeshifters, magicians, wizards—the dearly twisted begins we all know and love. Authors are sharing short excerpts or blurbs from their books or works in progress.

Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today I'm featuring a brief look at Arch and Bree's interaction. These crazy cupids can't seem to get their act together.

Arch didn't hold back. "Bree, you're not standard fare anywhere." He got up and gave Merry a hand. "You're more like an overused trend… not worth the price."

Bree flinched. That one hurt. But she couldn't blame him for lashing out.

Arch's voice went flat. "You're also late."

Bree recovered quickly. "For which I'll happily apologize." She remembered her conversation with Aphrodite and grinned. "It really couldn't be helped."

Arch shook his head. "Let me guess… you were tied to a bedpost and lost track of time?"

Series Tagline: When gods and mortals play together… the result is often unexpected.

Book Tagline: Cursed by the god of love, Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, knows exactly who to blame—his fellow cupid, Bree Daniels.

~*~

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Welcome to a world where gods and goddesses of various pantheons mix and mingle with mere earthly mortals—often with unexpected results. Deities can't seem to help themselves and have to meddle with their human counterparts. Sometimes the godly being offers much needed assistance, but occasionally they lash out and cause harm.

But mostly, the amalgamation of deified power and human nature combines to be highly entertaining.

Book Blurb: Archer Stewart, a Cupid of the First Order, suffers the wrath of Eros when he nips the wrong woman with an arrow. Cursed by the god of love, Arch spends his days making perfect matches or he had to deal with some unpleasant consequences.

Bree Daniels is indirectly responsible for Arch's predicament and seeks advice from Aphrodite, hoping to find a way to make amends. After almost two years apart, Bree finally realizes Arch is the man she wants and she's willing to risk her immortality to set him free.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Embrace more great reads! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—A Magical Affair #MFRWAuthors #MFRWHooks

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm revisiting a current release, A Magical Affair, a fantasy ménage with lots of fun role-playing scenarios. Over the next few weeks, I'll post a few pivotal scenes between Heath, Remy, and Stacie.

This week, we meet Remy and Stacie who are planning their magical weekend.

Book Tagline: A mansion atop a wellspring of magic lets Romy, Heath, and Stacie live out their fantasies.

~*~

"You're sure about this?" Stacie Williams plopped down beside Romy Bludd. "Our friendship is more important than me having a weekend of super-hot sex with an awesome guy like Heath."

Romy smiled. "Stace, I'm okay because you're my best friend. Heath and I've had this fantasy for two years, and I had issues with bringing someone else in and not being able to control everything." She paused. "But I know you almost better than I know myself. You won't go over-the-top stalker, and you're not harboring any deep, unrequited love for Heath. You just appreciate his hard body and screaming good looks." Kicking her feet up onto the table, she shrugged. "You're not in a relationship at the moment, so no awkward trying to explain why you're traipsing off to a magical mansion for a Halloween weekend tryst—and don't want company."

Stacie grinned. "You're lucky I'm at loose ends and haven't had time to do more than look for a hookup." She propped her feet beside Romy's.

Romy frowned. "I can't believe you were gone for ten months. I missed you." She nudged Stacie's shoulder. "You're never allowed to take off for training abroad again."

Stacie laughed. "Think of it this way, you and Heath had plenty of time to work the kinks out and look at you now." She turned and faced Romy. "Rock solid and happier than I've ever seen you."

Romy shrugged. "He's everything I've ever wanted. It's scary good between us."

"Hence the crazy-ass weekend you have planned." Stacie tilted her head to the side. "Where did you find this place anyway?"

Romy's lips curved. "I got an invite from the owners when I went to inspect the place for their ad layout. We'll be their first trial run."

Stacie leaned in close. "And the magic? Do you think they can really create everything you want?"

Romy nodded. "Oh, yes. I really do."

Stacie shuddered. "God, I can't wait."

"Me either. How perfect, right? Halloween. Costumes, role-playing, and an entire wing all to ourselves." Romy grabbed a notebook from the table. "So help me come up with the best and kinkiest ideas to make this weekend a mind-blowing one for Heath."

Available on Amazon

~*~

Book Blurb: Romy Bludd and Heath Graystone are very adventurous and happily explore the wilder side of sex. Romy meets Jarvin and Vivica, who give her an opportunity to spend Halloween weekend at Magic Meadows, a mansion sitting atop an ancient wellspring of magic. Romy accepts the offer because she and Heath want to add someone else to the mix and Romy's best friend, Stacie, is back from a ten month stay abroad. The timing couldn't be better for the trio to live out their lustful fantasies.

The mansion and its owners are capable of wondrous transformations, giving Romy and Stacie a wealth of choices to rock Heath's world. A character from his favorite urban thriller, a cougar on the prowl, the plain librarian who wants to hook up with her boss, a roller derby diva with aggression issues, and a reporting duo with blackmail on their minds are on the agenda for the romp-filled weekend.

Heath is thrilled, but he really wants one thing—for Romy to give up control and let him call the shots.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Sunday Snippet: Variations on Violence

Once again, Bitten turned in a great episode. I'm loving the subtle shift to more dark and scary this season. Arrow and The Flash both had great episodes, too. I'm really looking forward to watching Oliver and Thea train together. I'm also thrilled Laurel finally told Lance about Sara. That particular storyline dragged on a lot longer than it should have.

A few new teasers have been airing for Orphan Black and my interest is growing by the day. Here's hoping be get some backstory for Paul. I'm really looking forward to seeing more of him this season.

Tonight's post is from Variations on Violence, a novella in the First Breed Nation universe.

Here's the tagline:

Nichol Gothe and Brewster Walters, two detectives in the major crimes unit, go undercover to bust up rebel alliance in the under city. But when Nichol has to use her meta-human ability, Brewster can't decide whether to trust she's working for justice or turn her in to the task force commander. Nichol sends him reeling when she reveals how deeply the secret society of freaks and geeks has infiltrated the regular human world.

And a preview snippet…

"Gothe, I need you to stick around a minute." Captain Daniels shut the door behind Brewster.

Nichol crossed her arms over her chest. "I hope it's to explain what the hell you're thinking by assigning me to work with Walters." Her blood pressure shot up. "He's got no clue what we're really up against."

Daniels sighed. "Look, Nic, I wouldn't do this to you if I didn't have orders from above, er, I mean below." He loosened his tie and ran a hand through his already mussed hair. "Raven specifically requested you and she's waiting at the coffee shop across the street for additional briefing."

Her curiosity piqued, Nichol relaxed a little. "Is there anything you can tell me? I don't want to go in completely cold when I meet her." A personal meet up with Raven meant something big.

Possibly huge.

Daniels shot her a sideways glance. "Walters. And that's all I'm going to say." His head jerked toward the door. "Get moving. Raven will fill you in."

Nichol exhaled slowly, willing her mind to stay calm. "Yeah, okay. Going to meet the HBIC." She started forward but paused. "She really asked for me?" Daniels opened his mouth, but Nichol held up a hand. "Never mind. You said she did, so she did. I'm done asking stupid questions." She twisted the knob and pulled the door open. "Thanks, Captain." She exited the office and made a beeline for the stairs.

Get a grip, Nic. Raven gets up and puts a bra on every day, just like you.

Or did she? Nichol had no idea how Raven's days unfolded. The one and only time Nichol had met the woman she'd been on the trail of a freak who preyed on normals. Raven tracked the guy down and, as far as Nichol knew, had him locked away underground.

Leaving the station house, Nichol dashed across the street and entered the coffee shop, glancing around and spotting Raven in a corner booth. Taking another deep breath, Nichol headed over, dying to find out why she'd been chosen.

I have no idea exactly where this one is going, but I'm fun finding out.

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye