M.L. Skye's Blog

Sunday Snippet: Zulu Delta Niner

Whew. What a week. Wehave some actual fall weather, and I love it. Who knows how long it will last.Pretty sure we'll have at least one more heat-up before December and theofficial start of winter.

Had another busywork week because I'm still playing catch up from being under the weather in lateSeptember. I finished a very challenging copy edit of a 95k-word manuscript.Great story with a lot going on.

Update on ourdoggo. She's doing so much better. She's still a little congested, but shefinished her round of antibiotics and the steroid seems to be helping also. Ofcourse, she's drinking a ton of water, which means we're going out for pottybreaks about two times her normal rate.

Had a very slowviewing week. The challenging copy edit required a lot of focus. But I did makeit most of the way through my regular shows.

Started again with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. Enjoyed the episode because it's one Iremembered and loved on my original run through.

Caught anotherepisode of Foyle's War and enjoyed watching again. I'd forgotten some ofthe key moments in this one. Sam sure struggled a bit to find another place to stayafter her rooming house got bombed.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Really glad to see Mervin figure out hismom's murder and also so happy to see Mr. Sterling Fox get his walking papers. Smarmyjerk.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot. I always enjoy when Miss Lemon gets involved in acase. Watching Hasting completely destroy her filing system—after she told himnot to touch anything—made me laugh out loud. In his defense, he'd already halfwaytrashed it before he spoke to her.

Elementary had another solid episode. It's veryinteresting to watch Sherlock interact with Moreland. So much trauma to unpackbetween them.

I didn't get tocheck in with Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week. I'm hopingto get a full run this upcoming week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Zulu Delta Niner, a novella about acouple that meet under tenuous circumstances.

Here's theminiblurb:

In a war-torn galaxy, Nell Watkinson works to save liveson the front lines in the battle arena. When she returns home, she meetsJerrick Haight, a man who's not afraid to fight if his number is called, but hevehemently opposes waging war when it spreads resources so thin their ownpeople suffer. On opposite sides of a moral dilemma, Jerrick's actions put himin danger and Nell uses everything at her disposal to save his life.

And a sneaky peek…

Jerrick clasped Wayne Prewitt'sshoulder in a hard grip. "Dammit, we're not supposed to start anythingphysical." He jerked Wayne back before the man had a chance to throw apunch at a police officer.Prewitt whirled around. "Keepyour damn hands to yourself. You don't tell me what to do at a protest. I'mmaking a point and taking a stand." He spat the words out on a growl.Jerrick shook his head."You're an idiot if you start an altercation in the front yard of theMinistry of War. The security here is more than police. Home Guard is on handat every corner on the ground and on the roof. If you start throwing down,they'll shoot you. This wouldn't just be a simple arrest." Hammersmithdidn't have to warn Jerrick about the dangers of protesting at the MOWbuilding.But he should've laid out the factsfor Wayne.Prewitt rolled his eyes."You're full of shit. We're allowed to voice our opinions. Sometimes thatmeans getting physical." He balled up one hand and smacked it into hisopen palm.Jerrick stepped back, ready to letPrewitt learn the hard way. "You really need to brush up on our articlesof federation." A tap on his shoulder had him turning around.A uniformed military police officerarched his brows. "Is there a problem here?" He patted his sidearm ina chest carrier.Jerrick lifted both hands."No, sir. We're just exercising our right to free speech." Movementalong the left side of the building drew Jerrick's gaze.A woman in a medic uniform, flankedby two officers, headed for the back entrance of the building. Why would amedic be needed at the ministry of war's headquarters? Very interesting.The MP cleared his throat."Did you hear what I said?"Jerrick met the man's gaze. "Sorry,no. I'll assume it's something about staying peaceful and not makingtrouble?" The standard party line.The officer frowned. "No, Isaid clear out. Showtime's over. Almost curfew." His hand gripped thehandle of his weapon.Jerrick narrowed his gaze."Since when is there a curfew?" He slid his gaze to Prewitt.Wayne shrugged. "Don't look atme. I didn't know about this."The MP jerked his head toward thebuilding. "Brass enacted the civilian curtailment item of the protest resolution.You've got ten minutes to vacate the area or suffer the consequences." Anoily smile curved the man's lips.Jerrick didn't like the gleam thatentered the officer's eyes. "You'd like to arrest us, wouldn't you?"Wayne snorted. "Are youkidding? I'd bet he lives to zip-tie protesters."The officer grunted. "Wannafind out?"Jerrick shook his head. "Nottoday, man. Defeats the whole purpose of organizing against the deplorableliving conditions we live with every day." He gave Prewitt a warning look.Wayne huffed out an angry breath."This is bullshit." He turned and stomped away.Jerrick started to follow butglanced back toward the MOW building. The woman's head angled around, and shemet his gaze for a long moment. The wind gusted and pulled several strands ofher hair loose from her sleek ponytail. Jerrick grinned when she started totuck them behind her ear then decided to leave them framing her face.Definitely not standard operatingprocedure. He liked that she didn't seem to care if she met regulations.But he also wondered why sheentered the building with the other two officers.

Pretty pleased withhow this one is coming together. Jerrick is walking a fine line, and he'll facebigger challenges soon, especially with Prewitt stirring up trouble.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zoning in the VZ (a V-World novella)

Hello October and welcomespooky season! I love this month for a lot of reasons. The spooky vibe beingclose to the top of the list, but it's quickly followed by cooler weather—usually—andthat means it's soup weather! I love making soup on a cool day and savoring it withcrusty breads, grilled cheese, and other creative toppings.

I'm through theworst of the yuck and back to almost normal. Of course, that means something elsewent sideways. In my case, our older doggo ended up with an emergency trip tothe vet because her congestion got so bad her eye swelled up. She's on a steroidand broad-spectrum antibiotic and already seems to be much better already.

I'm slowly gettingcaught up on my work projects. I need to review the details of two new ones nowthat my brain isn't in sludge mode. I'm pretty excited about my last quarter ofwork projects for 2025.

Had an okay viewingweek. I didn't quite make it through the whole slate of shows. Lower Decksand Reacher didn't make this week's window.

I did watch anotherepisode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm working my way throughseason two and I'm enjoying the conflict and tension because it's a real-lifequandary. I love Mac for being a voice of reason.

Caught another Foyle'sWar episode and this is one I'd forgotten. It's so weird how a lot of thethemes of this show, which is twenty-some odd years old, are so very prevalenttoday. Humans are slow learners sometimes.

Death in Paradise ended up being very enjoyable. I'm reallynot sure about this new police commissioner other than he's way too smarmy andutter unlikable.

Poirot entertained with a way back episode showinghow Hastings and Poirot kind of got their start together. Very much enjoyedthis one.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and quite enjoyed the twisty turns it took. Alsoloved Joan solving the neighbor issue. Love to see that kind of stuff.

Caught another BatmanBeyond and it's one I didn't really remember either. Quite enjoyed therewatch.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Zoning in the VZ, the final book inthe V-World trilogy.

Here's theminiblurb:

With Nemesis no longer wreaking havoc in V-World,Augustus Serrano can't celebrate a job well done until he rescues SantinaMcGovern who doesn't know her boss is no longer in play. Scared for her life,Santina is zoning—sending out multiple copies of herself to engage the grid—andthe longer she stays in the harder her return to reality will be. Augustus hasto earn her trust and help her get out before she's shredded in the VZ.

And a sneaky peek…

Santina McGovern inhabited a submersionchamber providing nutrients, oxygen, and water to her physical form whileencased in a cocoon of synthetic body armor. The setup might be the only way tozone in the VZ safely.Or as safe as anyone could be whenthey didn't want to be found.Her scenario aka her personalsanctuary—a little cottage nestled in a green glade—brought joy to her heartand calm to her mind.Bringing a mug of tea to her lips,she snorted. "And somewhere Nemesis would never look for me." Afterall, she came from the city streets and back alleys where darkness reignedsupreme. "It's how I got hooked up with Nemesis in the first place."She took a bracing sip of the fragrant brew.She'd wanted a way out of the dank,dingy confines of the no-rent slop houses and cheap rooming shacks. Nemesisprovided a path to freedom."And didn't that work outfucking wonderful for me?"The price of liberation ended upbeing a yoke of oppressive surveillance by the genius madman.But she'd wormed her way out fromunder him.By helping his enemies.Her lips curved. "At leastthey're out from under his ever-watchful eye." Too bad she couldn't saythe same.But for now? She had a haven andhalf a plan. Even if the method would probably end her life at some point.The cottage gave her refuge. Aplace to recoup, regroup, and reflect. She'd filled every nook and cranny withcomfortable things. Items that made her happy and soothed the inner turmoil ofher mind. And she had no idea how long she'd manage to keep it active.An alert sounded, and she settledon the edge of the sofa, closed her eyes, and focused her inner will. Severalmoments later, a copy of her appeared. Santina had gone a little punk rock withthis version and clad her cloned self in ripped leggings, black combat boots, athreadbare red tee over a black bra and a red and white zebra moto jacket.Heavy pewter eyeliner rimmed her eyes and her hair spiked up and out inmultiple directions. Piercings lined her ears, eyebrows, one side of her lip,and her nose. Her nails were matte black and a little shredded.The copy lifted one corner of herlip in snarl, flipped up her middle finger, and left the cottage. Santina's eyes slid shut, and she swayedbefore toppling to one side. Each time she made a new version of herself, shegot a little bit weaker. She'd had to slow down because the multiples were outthere living their best lives and each time something significant happened, Santinaexperienced the scenario right along with her copy. Sometimes that worked outwell … other times not so much.She slowly sat upright again."I gotta be careful." If one of her versions died, Santina had toabsorb the black energy.But she had the foresight to write codethat protected her. She created a buffer. But each time one of her copies died,the buffer got smaller. If the shielding went below a certain point, she'd beshredded.And … each time she sent a replicaout, she lost a little more of herself. "I can't keep this up forever."She hoped she wouldn't have to.Honestly … she feared she might notbe able to keep it up long enough to outrun Nemesis.But she'd damn well try.

I'm kind of excitedabout this trilogy and I hope I can make more progress on book two so more piecescan fall into place in book three.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Zipper Incident

Yeah, rough week.The cold, virus, some other kind of ick from the last post definitely kicked myass this week. I did manage one of my client calls but had to reschedule theother one. I had no voice and couldn't breathe through all the congestion.Bleh.

The good news isI'm feeling much better. I think everything kind of broke on Friday. I slept agood portion of the day on Saturday. And my head doesn't feel like it weighsninety pounds anymore.

I got very littleaccomplished on my work projects last week. I got some reading done but I'll probablyreview to make sure I didn't miss anything in my notes. I didn't get a lot ofediting completed mainly because I feared missing important things. Back towork this week at double-time.

I had an okayviewing week. Very nice to have something on in the background while I tried tofocus on the few things I managed to work on.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. I loved this episode because it marked the firsttime Jack owned his feelings for Phryne. I also love that he didn't evenconsider the possibility of trying to use his feelings to change her or ask herto be something she isn't. That's one of the reasons this show holds such a bigplace in my heart.

Caught another episodeof Foyle's War. I remembered this one and appreciated how it didn't shyaway from there being good and bad people and things at the beginning of thewar in England.

Watched another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm warming up to Wilson and I'm enjoying howNaomi is finding her footing with him. I also love Rose and ability to stumble ontoexactly what they need for the case. I'm looking forward to Wilson and Naomidigging into his mother's death, which does appear to be more than a tragicaccident.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. I like it when the mystery isn't a murder, but it'sstill twisted and tricky. And I love Hastings. Just saying.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. It's kind of nice to see Sherlock interested insomeone so neurodivergent. Did seem weird that Joan went middle-school student onthe idea, but maybe the writers were trying to show their progression? I likedthe mystery with this one.

Watched another BatmanBeyond. I actually didn't remember this episode so it was nice to dive intoa new-to-me story.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. I might be past the hump on the annoying factor.Great to see Boimler back with the crew and I love the reason for it. I trulydo enjoy the callbacks to previous series and episodes. That's so much fun.

Finished up the episodeof Reacher I started last week. I'm excited to see what this seasonbrings. I'm also trying to remember that two plus years have passed since thelast time Reacher and Neaghly were together.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from The Zipper Incident, a sexyshort that nudges a couple in the right direction.

Here's theminiblurb:

Layne Donaker makes a grave error when she mistakenlyuses a super adhesive on Hyde Scarlotti's zippers—all of them, including hisflight suit. Hyde is beyond done with her stupid pranks and calls her out infront of the entire crew, which Layne doesn't take kindly.

And a sneaky peek…

Entering the brig cell, Layneflexed her jaw, trying to soothe the stinging burn from the punch."Clearly, someone doesn't know how to label things correctly." Ormaybe you misread the bottle because you were too drunk…She ruthlessly squashed herinternal voice.She stomped over to the bunk andslumped down, bracing her shoulders on the wall.Hyde followed her inside and shejerked up to a sitting position. "What the hell? Why can't you take numbertwo?" She didn't need to share space with him right now.Hyde only arched his brows.Lance Corporal Janz Mayhew answeredher question. "Following orders, Ensign. Apparently, the CO thinks ifyou're going to act like children, he'll put you in timeout until you can learnto use your words instead of throwing punches." He locked the door andturned toward the watch station, whistling a peppy tune.Layne sighed. "Perfect."But not surprising … nothing else had gone right since yesterday's promotioncelebration.Hyde nudged her knee. "Scootand make room."She frowned. "Why shouldI?"He gave her a long stare. "Whyshouldn't you? Do you see anyplace else to sit?"Her gaze flicked toward the toilet.If he wanted to have a seat…Hyde growled. "Don't even.Move your ass down." He sat on the very edge and started edging closer toher.Layne huffed out a breath."Fine. Whatever." She slid down almost to the other edge of the bunk.Hyde leaned back, his head restingon the wall. Layne shot him a sideways glance. She should probably apologize yetcouldn't quite put one together. Guilt licked at her conscience, but she hadn'tmeant to completely ruin his stuff. Just her luck when one of her pranks wentcompletely off the rails, it landed on Hyde … the last person she really wantedto harm.Even if he made her angry.A few minutes later, Hyde angledhis head toward her. "Why are you so out of control? What's your problem?"His voice held no censure, only curiosity.Layne shrugged. "I don't havea problem." Not one she wanted to share at the moment.Hyde tsked. "Yeah, youdo." He sat up and turned to the side. "It's being passed over forpromotion, right?"She could own that one. "Alittle. Even though I get it. I'm not nearly as by the book as you are."And probably never would be.Hyde nodded. "True. But whytarget me?" He held her gaze. "Your time will come." He didn'thave any doubt in his tone.And didn't that turn the lick ofguilt into a pretty strong flame? He truly believed she'd move up the ranksjust like him. And, yeah, she would. Eventually.But none of that actually concernedher. Not much anyway. Hyde moving on without her did.Ugh … she had to be honest, even ifshe feared saying the words aloud.She got up and paced the floor."I don't know. Maybe because I don't want you to forget me." Or leaveher behind.Hyde rolled his eyes. "Asif." He snorted.She stopped and threw a hand out."See … I knew you wouldn't understand." And she really didn't want toexplain.Because she only this momentrealized how much the thought of losing him terrified her.

Pretty happy withhow this story is coming together. I love it when feelings finally hit hard formy characters.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zipped Lips

Ugh. I'm fighting something,a cold, a virus, some other kind of ick. Not having fun with it at all. I havetwo client calls this week and I'm hoping I can manage both.

We got back up inthe high eighties this week. Supposed to have some rain on Monday or Tuesdayand I'm kind of excited for that. We definitely need it. The drought has beenupgraded to moderate.

Not a bad workweek. I'm almost finished with one of my work projects and making solid headwayon another that should be complete by the end of October. I start a new onesometime early in October and I'm looking forward to working on that one. I'llfind out if another new project will be starting on Tuesday.

Had a semi-decent viewingweek. Between not feeling the best and trying to finish up work projects, Ididn't know if I'd be able to watch much. But I made it through my usual showsand got to watch the back-burner ones also.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and quite enjoyed the rewatch. It's one Iremembered from my original run through. Being in the US, it's fun to watch howfooty affects those that have a long, long history with the sport.

Caught another episodeof Foyle's War. This show is so well written, and I love the cast. Somany super young actors who have gone on to amazing roles.

Watched a new Deathin Paradise. I'm slowly coming around on Wilson. I think he might make a goodaddition to the team. The new police officer is also kind of growing on me. Ilove that he kind of came up with the solution to keeping Selwyn in his job.

Enjoyed another Poirot.Kind of leading everyone on a merry chase but keep them from going to Francewas very entertaining. Loved how Japp kept thinking he'd be losing his pension.

Caught another episodeof Elementary. I very much like the Joan and Sherlock vibe this season. Reallynot sure what's going on with the stalker detective but I hope Joan watches herback.

Watched another BatmanBeyond and didn't really remember this one. I have a vague memory of the conversationbetween Terry and Barbara but that's kind of all I remembered.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. The opener for season two ended up beingentertaining. I really do appreciate the callbacks to all the other series. Funbit with Boimler at the end.

Finished up theepisode of Peak Practice I started a few weeks ago. Sam is going to bein a lot of trouble and I'm not sure I'm going to like how things go down withhim.

Also finallystarted season two of Reacher. I'm almost finished with the first episode,but I had to pause because of the whole cold / virus / yuck thing going on.Should finish it up this week. I think the very best moment so far is the Terminatoreaster egg. Kudos to the writer of the episode for that!

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Zipped Lips, a sexy shortthat pulls a couple together in a fun way.

Here's the miniblurb:

Details of intimate encounters are spilled during arousing card game and recent hookups are brought to light, but Keavy Smart andGresham Young have the best secret—trying to keep quiet is half the fun andzipped lips means none of the crew is the wiser.

And a sneaky peek…

Super-secret hookup spot. Youreally aren't hooking up with anyone right now…Gresh paused, the washclothhovering over the table. He had no idea where the conversation would end up.But he could play seek and find for a while.He shrugged. "Maybe I am justreally good at staying quiet." And maybe she could see right through thatlie.Her lips twitched, but she stayedsilent. Okay then. She had a crystal-clear view of his untruth.Did he admit he'd love to break hisdry spell with her? Or dig a little deeper to gauge her interest? Maybe testthe waters a little…Gresh prodded. "How about you?This is a personal question … but what's your stress relief?" Probably along list of ready and willing options. Keavy grinned. "My fingers anda hot, fantasy man…" She waited a beat. "Who will remainnameless." Her eyes dared him to ask who.He didn't take the bait. Let her casta line this time. Gresh inclined his chin. "Fairenough." He went back to wiping down the table.She didn't wait long to dip her toeinto the water.Keavy quirked an eyebrow. "Howabout you? Do you use any of the crew members as fantasy fodder?" Hervoice went soft and husky.His dick got hard. Probably time toput his cards on the table.Gresh paused and glanced up."Only one." He gave her a good, long look, leaving no doubt as to whohe envisioned when jacking off. Keavy shuddered. "Shit. Okaysame. And on a frequent basis." Her eyes darkened a shade.Damn. More than he'd hoped for.Gresh's eyes widened. "So … whatdo we do about this mutual attraction?" He tossed the washcloth in thebasin on the chair.He had an entire list of thingshe'd love to do with her.

I'm having fun withthis one. Keavy and Gresh are going to heat things up in a big way.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zinging Barbs (Sci-Fi)

Whew. It's been aweek. I won't comment on the political spectrum at the moment but it's mentallydraining to say the least. The good news is I got a couple of projects finishedup and I'm taking that as a win because of the whole brain drain.

Our weather lastweek was very fall-like and I thoroughly enjoyed it. We're back to higher temperaturesagain but that's pretty typical. We definitely need some rain. I'd even take anasty thunderstorm to get some at this point.

As mentioned, I finishedup two projects and have a small break before the next one begins. I'm takingadvantage to dive deeper into a couple of my manuscripts. It's fun to revisitwhat I've already completed.

Had a decent viewingweek. Even if a little distracted. I made it through my usual stable of showsfor the most part. Did not get to either backburner shows.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries. One of my favorite episodes for Jack and Phryne chemistry.I also love how deep of a hole Hugh digs for himself.

Began a rewatch ofa favorite comfort show with Foyle's War. It's been years since I'veseen any of the episodes and I'm looking forward to diving back into this show.

Caught another Deathin Paradise and I have to say I love Darlene so much. Her interactions withPatterson blew me away. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also.Kind of a heartbreaking moment with Wilson but I think there's more to the storyof his mom's death.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Fun to see the FBI show up to work with Japp and veryfun to see Hastings think fast on his feet when creating a diversion forPoirot.

Elementary had a very interesting episode. I'm sointrigued by Moreland's journey this season. I haven't quite figured out if he'sgenuine or not and I kind of feel like he's not completely sure either, which Ilike. A lot.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and it's one I have vague memories of, mainlybecause it was a fun episode. Nice to see Howard back also.

Finished the first seasonfinale of Lower Decks and after a rough start rather enjoyed the episode.And it left off with enough of a what just happened vibe that I'm interested inseason two. My one hope is Mariner won't annoy me so much in season two. We'llsee what happens.

Still hoping to getseason two of Reacher underway this week. A lot will depend on what thework calendar ends up looking like. I have two client Zoom meetings and have noidea how long either will last.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Zinging Barbs, a sexyshort featuring characters from Poetry in Motion.

Here's theminiblurb:

Reagan Bruce won't slow down, not even when she's sevenmonths pregnant, and Ian Flannigan decides to walk away from competing to keepReagan healthy. The couple exchange some zinging barbs until they work outtheir issues.

And a sneaky peek…

Reagan didn't know what to expectafter her admission, but it didn't take long for Ian to respond. He crushed hismouth over hers, his tongue slipping past her lips. Reagan melted into the kiss,laughing when the leather gloves tried to cup her face. Ian growled and flicked his gaze tothe side. His teeth caught the fastening and ripped them back on both gloves. Ianflung first one, then the other to the floor. She loved it when he broke hisrules—to always take care of his equipment—and went with his gut.He scooped her up into his arms andstarted for the door. She squirmed around. "Ian,wait. Put me down a moment." She couldn't get distracted yet.He paused, setting her carefully onthe floor. "Did I hurt you?" Concern clouded his gaze.She smiled. "No, but I hurtyou, and I'm sorry." She leaned in, wrapping her arms around him."I'm not going anywhere, and I will behave—do what the doctor saysand stick close to home." She grasped his biceps. "But youhave to keep going. You've got a shot, and I don't want you to lose it." She'dnever forgive herself if he did.He folded his arms around her."I love you, Reagan. We're going home." He shuffled them into atransport pod—another no-no—and had them standing in their living room withinseconds. She tilted her head back. "Youknow how much it turns me on when you break the rules." Because sheinadvertently made him do so.Ian flashed a grin. "I do,yes." He swatted her on the behind. "Let me grab a shower and I'llrelieve that itch I know you're dying to scratch right now." She shivered and palmed hiserection threw his pants. "Make it a fast shower. I'll be waiting foryou." She slipped her fingers under the straps of her sleeveless dress andstood nude before him. Ian laid his palm on her belly."Your mother's impatient, little one." He met Reagan's gaze."Five minutes. Don't start without me." He headed for the bathroom.Reagan smirked, cleared her throatloudly, and waited for Ian to take the hint.He dropped his pants, and she relishedthe sight of her husband's naked ass strutting away from her.Placing her hands on her stomach,she sighed. "He's right. I am impatient … but he's so worth thewait."

I love this couple and writing a bonus scene for them is somuch fun.

 

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zero Sum

September isstarting off with a bang. And crazy busy. Also a full blood moon, which is alwaysfun to see.

Spent all day Saturdayin Hocking Hills with a group of cousins on my mom's side of the family. Wehave so much fun when we get together. We're already planning the third annualgathering for next year.

I finished up twowork projects this week and made progress on two more. I have a new onestarting this week also. Possibly two. I'm hoping the due dates are a littlemore staggered.

Had an okay viewingweek. I made it almost all the way through my usual slate of shows with theexception of Lower Decks. I started it but need to finish it up. It'sthe first season finale so there seems to be a lot going on.

Started with MissFisher's Murder Mysteries and it's one I really enjoyed on my original runthrough. Always fun to see Dot stand up for not only herself but others.

Finished up seasonfour of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Very happy to see Jean and Dom workthrough their issues. Loved how Dom proposed and how everyone knew they weremeant to be together.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. I'm interested in where things will gowith Selwyn. The new officer is going to be fun. I love the vibe he has. DIWilson might or might not grow on me.

Enjoyed another episodeof Poirot. The entire trip to the coast just to hear good things insteadof bad from Japp is such a Poirot thing to do. And the side plot with Lemon wasfun.

Elementary had an interesting case along with aninteresting side case. I like how Moreland reached out to Joan, and she figuredthings out with what's going on with him. And I love that she told Sherlock.Also really thrilled Sherlock met the character on the autism spectrum at herlevel, seemingly with care and patience.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and I didn't remember much of this one. Endedup quite enjoying it.

Started the LowerDecks episode. I do enjoy how many easter eggs are in this show. Mentionsof other characters and episodes from all the various series are so much fun.

I didn't get tostart season two of Reacher. I'm hoping I have the time this week, butI'm not going to rush in. I like to be able to focus on this show.

Also didn't get to finishup the Peak Practice episode I started, but I'll get back to it soon.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Zero Sum, a novella thatpulls a couple together when they have to crash land.

Here's theminiblurb:

Sabrina Delft and Carrick Stafford have a zero sumrelationship—whenever one gains something, the other has a corresponding loss.But when they're stranded on an abandoned mining colony and forced to rely oneach other, they learn to balance the good with the bad and end up with a totalwin.

And a sneaky peek…

Sabrina stretched her neck fromside to side. "We should stop and rest." She didn't know how manyhours they'd worked but longer than a normal shift.And they hadn't argued once.Carrick didn't disagree; he pulledout a seat and settled at the table. "Now that the suits are operable andwe've got plenty of O2, let's decide where we'll hunker down." He flexedhis fingers, probably trying to loosen up the stiff joints from holding them inone position for most of the day.Sabrina wanted to explore and takean inventory of the camp. "We should stay here, at the colony." Shereally wanted to figure out what kind of supplies they had available.Carrick didn't immediately deny thethought, but he did counter. "One of us should stay on the ship. In casewe get a call from another fleet vessel." A wary look crept into his eyes.She didn't blame him. Normally,she'd be all over his push back. But … he made a valid point. She'd hate tomiss contact if it came. A stroke of inspiration hit her."You know, a simple solution would be to rig a cable from the signal tothe intercom system. If it's triggered, an auto response will generate, givingus time to get to a comm unit to reply." Her shoulders slumped. "But,ugh, I don't have the energy to deal with making that happen right now."She didn't relish putting the suit back on at the moment.Carrick huffed out a breath."Huh. That's genius." He riffled through the pack he'd brought overand pulled out two MREs. "We'll get on that first thing in the morning.Don't know about you, but I'm wiped out." He squeezed the package,activating the heating element inside. "Terrific solution though. Whydon't I stay on the ship for tonight until we can get the line set up?" Hetore open his dinner.Sabrina blinked. "Um, okay."She nodded. "Yeah, that sounds good." She grabbed her MRE andmimicked Carrick's actions, a little stunned to have the arrangements resolvedso quickly.She didn't quite know how to dealwith full cooperation from him.But she liked having it.

I have this onepretty much plotted out and outlined. I'm excited to see where things go as Icontinue to write.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: You're Welcome

Geez, August hasbeen a brutal month. The last week in particular. Not sure why, but I struggledhard, couldn't stay focused, and generally feel like I didn't get anythingaccomplished. Bleh.

Weirdly, theweather has been amazing. We need rain in a big way, but the temperatures weremild, which is a blessing. Actually had to break out a jacket and leggingsbecause it got chilly at night.

Work projects arein a weird state of flux. I have a lot on my plate, and I hopped aroundmultiple projects because of the aforementioned struggle to stay focused. Ireally hope I can get back on task this week.

I didn't get towatch the season two opener of Reacher, but I did make it through mostof my regular shows. The first week of September is a chaos monster so I'm notsure if I'll get to make it through my regular slate of shows. Fingers crossed.

I did start theweek with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Alwaysfun when Phryne and company go on trips.

Caught another episodeof Madame Blanc Mysteries. I liked the mystery and my heart broke forDom and Jean. But Jean was spot on with telling Dom he might not be ready to bea couple.

Watched the openingto season fourteen Death in Paradise. Still not sure if I'm down withthe new guy. He might grow on me, and I do like how Naomi and Darlene holdtheir own with him.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Poirot. Very fun to see him solve the mystery while notleaving his apartment. And I do think he quite loves to put Hastings inhorribly embarrassing positions.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. I really like it when Joan and Sherlock team upto help their extended group. Detective Bell's dilemma being resolved ended upbeing a lot of fun.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond. I didn't fully remember this one, so I enjoyed gettingreacquainted with it.

The episode of LowerDecks I watched is hopefully a turning point. Mariner makes me absolutelybonkers, which I'm pretty sure is the whole point. Here's hoping she can dialit back about ten clicks and I can finally settle in and like the character.

I did almost makeit through an episode of Peak Practice that I started a couple of weeksago. Sam is headed for a very bad place, which makes sense since his run isalmost finished. Hoping to get the rest of the episode watched this week.

That's it for the lifeupdate this week. Tonight's post is from You're Welcome, a novella wherea couple acts on their attraction.

Here's theminiblurb:

Dalyn Harris spends a lot of his time keeping hissignificant other, Shauna Drake, out of hack. When an old, forgotten prankcatches the executive officer by surprise, Dalyn scrambles to keep Shauna'spart under wraps—he has no desire to spend their anniversary in a brig cell.

And a sneaky peek…

Shauna wanted to pinch herself. Ihave to be dreaming. How had she finally landed exactly what she wanted atexactly the time she wanted it.No, not it … him.Dalyn's mouth caught hers, and heeased them backward on the mattress. Settling between her legs, his lips lefthers and traveled along the column of her throat, down over her shoulder thenslowly along her collarbone. Moving lower, his tongue flicked over her nipplebefore he drew on the taut peak.Shauna moaned. "Gah. Yes."Her hips rolled upward seeking contact with him.Dalyn switched sides, his mouthworking magic. Shauna slid her hand between them, found his hard length, and circledher fingers around the rigid flesh. Brushing her thumb over the crown, shelightly squeezed then pumped back and forth.Dalyn groaned. "Uhmmmm. Reallywanna take things nice and slow, but I have to be inside you." He licked atrail from her sternum to her lips.Shauna opened the space between herlegs a little wider. "Plenty of time for slow later." Her handscupped his ass and urged him forward.Dalyn lined up and thrust smoothlyinto her. "Ahhhh … so hot." He drew back then surged forward again.Shauna trailed kisses along hisbicep. "Unfff … so good." She flexed her hips, meeting his groin."Waited too long for this." For reasons … none of which she couldremember right now.Dalyn's head lowered, and hisbreath fanned across her breasts. He kept his pace steady and certain, addingan occasional bump against her clit. She wrapped her legs around his waist,lifting her pelvis to increase the friction between them.Dalyn lifted his head and met hergaze. "Tell me when you're close…" He upped the speed, adding moreforce to his momentum.Shauna nodded, her eyes slidingshut. Awareness scorched along her nerve endings, her breathing went shallow,and a ball of bliss unfurled in her core.Her eyes snapped open. "I'mthere. So close, Dalyn." One more thrust pushed her over the edge and shetoppled into a wave of pleasure.Dalyn locked his arms and increasedhis speed. "Yeah, that's it. Coming right behind you." He drove intoher, his breath rasping until he burst through his release with a garbledgrowl.Shauna propped up on her elbows andcaught his lips with hers. Not breaking the kiss, Dalyn shifted to the side andhauled her against him. One hand cupped her face and the other palmed her ass.Shauna deepened the embrace,pouring everything she felt into the connection with him.When Dalyn eased back, his foreheadrested against hers. "Worth the wait?" His voice scratched the quietof the room.Shauna smiled. "Mostdefinitely." Her hand ghosted along his side. "Looking forward toround two."Dalyn huffed out a laugh. "Yeah.Me too."

I like how thisstory is coming together. There's a bit of a surprise at the end and it's a funone.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yellow Fang

Man, I can'tbelieve August is almost over. It's been a chaotic month between work,unexpected challenges, and other factors crowding each other out for attention.Geez. Between the road construction everywhere, my car needing a newalternator, and the dogs needing their check-ups but unable to go because ofthe car issue … yeah, wild week.

I did have a solidwork week. I finished up some projects and started new ones. I got a surpriseturnaround that happened a lot sooner than I expected. I'm filling Septemberand some of October, which is great.

Had a pretty goodviewing week. I made it through my regular shows and finished up one of my backburners. I get to start the second season this week!

Watched an episodeof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the rewatch. Again, thisshow is such a comfort view for me.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I've got a weird feeling all isn'tgreat between Dom and Jean, and that makes me a little sad. I loved the splitmysteries even if Gloria's dad irritates the crap out of me. So much funwatching the team take down the con artists.

Caught the holidayepisode for season fourteen of Death in Paradise. Not sure if I like thenew guy, especially since he, like the actor who played Neville, has alreadybeen featured on the show. We'll see how it goes.

Watched another episodeof Poirot and ended up enjoying more than I thought I would. It's fun tosee Hastings get a moment to shine.

Elementary had a veryfun episode. Thoroughly enjoyed Sherlock going head-to-head with theimposter. Also quite liked Joan and her stepdad's interactions.

Caught another BatmanBeyond and it's one I didn't remember much, but I ended up enjoying.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Lower Decks. One thing I absolutely love about the show isthe theme song. I know. Weird. But it's actually perfect for the show.

Finally, I watchedthe season one finale of Reacher, and it did not disappoint. I'm verysatisfied with the season overall. I'm thrilled Picard ended up being part ofthe counterfeiting ring because there's no other explanation for how Charlieand Roscoe were found. Also loved that Paul ended up not being dead. Basically,the first season rocked. And … great to finally see adult Joe, but I didn'tquite get the whole brothers looking so much alike thing as grown-ups. Theflashbacks to their childhood, I definitely saw how they could be mixed up. Iwould really, really like to find out why the brothers hadn't talked much. Whoknows, maybe season two will have more on that.

That's pretty much iffor the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Yellow Fang, anovella about a couple that gets reunited after one has been in enemy hands.

Here's theminiblurb:

Yancy the Yellow is Palmer Gump's only childhood friend—astuffed toy from her dad. Missing and presumed killed in action, an auction isheld for Palmer's personal items. When she returns, she gets everything back …except for Yancy, which leaves her feeling a little lost and unsettled, untilit finds its way back to her via Dannon Bennett.

And a sneaky peek…

"Aw, fuck. Of coursereinforcements showed up."Dannon typed an order into his armunit. "Contingency plan is a go." He waited for the fiveseconds it took for his teams to respond then pulled out the first IED to setand arm.The backup plan—blow everything tohell and send up a flare beacon—meant he'd still get as many people out aspossible. The evacuees could escape through the chaos with the secondary unit. Buthis team would likely go down.Bravo team, a six-person squad,would hold off as many incoming assailants as possible. Alpha team, another six-person,including him, squad started a room-by-room search and planted the explosivedevices. So far, they were clearing the area in good time.He met his group at the end of thebuilding. "We have to finish the last corridor of this wing and then bloweverything." He got nods from everyone and they fanned out.He moved halfway down the hall and kickedopen the door to the room. A wild tangle of limbs came flying in his direction,snarling and slicing at him with a scalpel. "Die, you son of a bitch.Die!"Palmer's voice.

Shock filled him, but he grabbedhold of his assailant and gave her a hard shake. "Palmer! Stop. It'sDannon." Sure enough, the woman who'd haunted his dreams fought againsthim. Her gaze, wild and frenzied, flewto his. And immediately filled with relief when she recognized him.She collapsed against his chest."Thank whatever rules the universe." She dragged in several deepbreaths then put her head on his shoulder. "It's good to see you."Overwhelmed with having her in hisarms, Dannon blinked and shook his head. She's alive. I have her back.His hand cupped her face. "Wethought you were dead. I thought you were dead." He stepped back,noting her bruised cheekbone. The smeared blood on her face.The ragged gash along her hairline.And the red liquid dripping fromher fingertips.Fuck. She's hurt. "You're injured." Heunwound the tactical scarf from his neck and used his teeth to tear it into twostrips.

Palmer looked down and swayed onher feet. She had never liked the sight of her own blood.He grasped her shoulder andsteadied her. "Easy there." Wrapping an arm around her, he loweredher to the floor. "Let's get this dressed and clear out." He startedwiping away the blood and bound the wound. "Clock's ticking." Really damned fast.

I'm kind of happywith how this scene came together. This is a high and low kind of story and Ilove the challenge of writing both.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yelling in Vain

Whew. Very longweek of scorching temperatures and tinder-dry conditions. We need some rain ina big way. Also, the end of my street is closed, which is kind of inconvenientbut not terrible. It's the height of construction season and it shows with multipleroad projects going on.

Super busy weekwith work projects and shifting my schedule around a little. I'm very happy tohave a full calendar even when it overwhelms me a little.

School starts thisweek and I'm excited for my husband, who really enjoys interacting with thestudents, teachers, and staff. Looking forward to hearing how his first weekgoes with the kids coming back.

Had a decentviewing week. Made it most of the way through my shows, including one of myback-burner ones. It also looks like a few of my faves are getting ready toreturn to my streamers.

Started season twoof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed all the newcomers. Jack'sformer wife and his father-in-law along with Dottie's sister. Phryne doing afan dance also ended up being fun.

Enjoyed the mysteryon Madame Blanc Mysteries. Kind of fun having John back but I'm hopingit's not going to be a lot of him. Also wondering if there are some cracks inJean and Dom's relationship. I'll be a little sad if there are.

Finished up seasonthirteen of Death in Paradise. I'm oddly sad to say goodbye to Neville.But I'm really thrilled he's leaving with Florence. A fitting end for the character.

Watched anotherepisode of Poirot and quite enjoyed the mystery. Having the ongoing Monopolygame going throughout the episode was fun.

Elementary ended up being very interesting. HavingSherlock working with Moreland ended up being entertaining and I'm veryinterested and wary of why Moreland is really in New York. That ending hintedthat all may not be what it seems, which isn't that surprising. I hope it givesJoan the chance to kick ass on Sherlock's behalf.

Caught anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and loved how Terry and Max teamed up to handleCurare. This was a great episode.

Lower Decks once again charmed and annoyed me. That'sthe running theme for this show. That said, I enjoy it enough to definitelykeep watching.

Got most of an episodeof Reacher viewed. It's the penultimate ep so I'm paying close attentionto the details. Because … details matter. Just saying.

Peak Practice is hopefully back on target for this week.I started a new episode but didn't get all the way through.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Yelling in Vain, a novellathat brings a couple together in less than stellar circumstances.

Here's theminiblurb:

After an accident that takes the life of a fellow cadet,Lora Seaves falls back on her combative attitude to keep it together. JestinWarbly has to decide whether or not Lora is cracking up or okay to fly. He'sgot one big problem … a powerful attraction for the rookie pilot clouds hisjudgment.

And a sneaky peek…

Lora received a note to meet with JestinWarbly regarding the crash. She stared at the words andassigned time on the paper. "Well, I'm thinking it's probably a psychevaluation." Great … just what she needed.Her roommate, Marva Escholl,entered their quarters. Lora glanced up and stuffed the note into her pocket. Shecould maybe look this Warbly guy up on the way to the meeting.Marva quirked a brow. "Loveletter from one of your admirers?" She turned toward her locker.Why Marva always thought Lora hadguys stashed everywhere never failed to amuse her.Lora shrugged. "Nope. Prettysure it's a summons for a psych eval." She snorted. "Unless thisJestin Warbly is some kind of secret fan I don't know." Highly doubtful.Marva whipped around. "Um, no.Warbly's an up and comer. Definitely not a shrink." She sat on her bunkacross from Lora's. "He's a brand-new graduate but super sharp and veryeager to move up in intelligence."Lora narrowed her eyes. "Howdo you know all this?" And why did she know it?Marva smirked. "I've gotgrade-A listening skills. I pay attention when the brass starts talking abouttheir shining stars." She got up and pulled her shower gear from thelocker.Lora lifted her chin. "Ah. Gotit."Marva cocked her head to one side."You should probably play nice. He'll quite literally hold your flightstatus in his hands." Marva got up and bounced toward the door."Gotta run." She gave a wave over her shoulder.Lora quietly freaked out a little."This guy can make or break me. Damn." She grabbed the note,memorized the address, and headed out.Once she arrived, she had a fewminutes before their scheduled meeting. The door to the room stood open andLora entered, her gaze sweeping the bland, utilitarian space. A single tablewith two chairs took up the center of the space. A row of small windows linedthe upper wall across from the door. She wandered to one corner where a rackheld recruitment material and class manuals.A man entered, looking starched andpressed. But he also filled out the uniform, so he kept fit. Definitely not oneof the nerdy hive-mind guys that normally worked in the intelligence branch.But … he had some killer looks—darkhair, chiseled cheekbones—and that could only mean one thing. He had some pullsomewhere.She rolled her eyes and snorted."Ugh. Just my luck." She would get a bona fide insider as herinvestigator.After closing the door, Jestinglanced her way. "Cadet Seaves. Care to explain that comment?" Hiseyebrows arched over striking blue eyes.Damn. It figured.She really needed to learn how tokeep her mouth shut.

Lora will soonlearn that first impressions aren't always accurate. I'm having so much funwriting this one!

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Yee Haw!

The first full weekof August kind of flew by. We had a power outage and mobile phone outage on thesame night, which made for a long six hours. Also kind of weird since therewasn't a storm or anything that would be a normal reason for the loss.

Very busy week withwork projects and September is looking like another busy month. I'm definitelynot complaining. I miss having dedicated writing time, but I also squeeze thatin whenever I can.

The school yearstarts next week, which means the husband will be at his new position in theelementary school. He truly wishes he'd had this job thirty years ago. I can'tblame him. He drove almost an hour each way for twenty-plus years. The schoolsin our district are all less than five miles away and the elementary school is threeblocks from our house.

Had my daughterhome for several days this week and we had a great time catching up. She evenhad me cut her hair, which turned out really well. Always love it when she asksme to help with stuff like that.

Had a solid viewingweek and made it through my whole slate of shows, including my two back-burnerones. Not sure what the upcoming week will bring but hoping to keep on target.

Started the weekwith Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and finished up the first season. Can'twait to start season two. Another one of my favorite episodes is coming up.

Caught another MadameBlanc Mysteries and really enjoyed the twisty turns in this one. Thisseason is shaping up to be a lot of fun. I like Charlie and Simone so it's goodto see them again.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and it's the penultimate episode before theseason thirteen finale. So great to have Florence back, even if only for abrief time. Looking forward to the finale.

Enjoyed an episodeof Poirot. This one was a lot of fun, especially having Poirot sneakinginto a house and getting caught. And spending a night in jail to boot!

Caught an episodeof Elementary and very much enjoyed Sherlock figuring out Alfredo neededsome support. The mystery ended up being pretty interesting also.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond and it's one I remembered. Always fun to seeBruce and Barbara spar, and I loved Terry trusting Bruce to help him.

Lower Decks again charmed and annoyed me. I've come tokind of accept that's how this show is going to be for me. I did really likethe teamwork in this one.

Finished up theepisode of Peak Practice from last week and even started the newepisode. Have to finish it this week.

Finally, Reacher.Man. This show. I truly get the hype around it. So many revelations. Finlay.Yeah, didn't see that one coming. Explains a lot. Roscoe. Badass. Seriously.I'm on the fence with Charlie's admission about Hubbel. I think there's more tothe story there. And Reacher having the light-bulb moment with the last-standingprofessor was excellent. Here's hoping she stays alive. Can't wait to watch thenext episode!

That's it for the lifeupdate this week. Tonight's post is from Yee Haw, a novella that throwsa couple into a precarious situation thanks to new guys.

Here's theminiblurb:

Two new transfers upset the delicate balance of the spacecarrier, Mephisto, that Kellsie Eaves and Wick Fairchilds worked so hard toobtain. When the duo attempts to restore the status quo, the troublemakers goafter Kellsie and she gets to school them in the art of kicking ass, with Wickas her backup.

And a sneaky peek…

Eldric entered the small equipmentstorage locker he and Bert claimed as their official work zone, meaning theplace they killed time when they were on shift.Bert glanced up. "Yo, I jackeda wireless feed. We can now watch whatever we want, including all the sex showsavailable to the galaxy." He turned the screen toward Eldric.Eldric snorted. "We can watchthe actual thing if we want to, and you'll never guess who with…" Hiseyebrows waggled.Bert winced. "If you say thatfemale deckhand who's into women, I'm not interested." Eldric shook his head. "No,man. Captain Hot Ass is boning Major Dick Face. I literally heard them going atit." He huffed out a breath. "Probably why she's such a bitch … DickFace can't satisfy her."Bert perked up. No doubt becausethey speculated about Captain Eaves and wondered if the woman ever got any.Well, Eldric confirmed she did.Bert leaned forward, propping hiselbows on his knees. "Maybe we oughtta teach her a lesson and show her howreal men handle uppity females … especially when they're always trying to putour balls in a vice."Eldric nodded. "Yeah, andmaybe that'll keep her and the major from running to Colonel Numb Nuts. When'sthat meeting supposed to take place?" He pulled a stool around and satdown.Bert shrugged. "What do weknow about Major Dick Face so far?"Eldric grunted. "Aside fromhim being a pain in the ass? He's a stickler for detail." He made a face."Hence the reason he's a thorn in my side."Bert snapped his fingers."Exactly. He won't go to Numb Nuts until he's got everything documented,color coded, and alphabetized." He cocked his head a moment. "Probablyanother day maybe two."Eldric grinned and leaned in acloser. "Then we have time to follow Captain Hot Ass and find her alonesomewhere before that happens."Bert's mouth twisted. "Yee haw… damn right we do."

I don't ofteninclude an antagonist POV, but the danger level needed to be set and doing itfrom this perspective helps establish how creepy these guys are.

 

That's it for thisweek. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye