M.L. Skye's Blog, page 7

Sunday Snippet: Rewarding Experience

Another crazy week withrecord low temperatures for August. I'm talking wear a jacket because it dippedinto the low forties at night. This week we're supposed to be back up in themid to high nineties. Weather is wild.

Seriously jammedwith work projects right now and I love being busy. I'm at the point where I'dlove to have another four hours added to each day, so I don't feel like therearen't enough hours in the day. Also had to figure out a few things for my daughter'sgrad school, like how to drop a class and add a new one before the semesterstarts, which is Monday. As mentioned last week, she was in Ontario Canada fora theater festival and didn't have a lot of downtime. The good news is, she'sset to go. Yay!

I didn't have a lotof viewing time this week. The verdict on my car is still out and that's beenhovering in the back of my mind and distracting me. My work projects also needmy full attention.

I did get to watchan episode of Elementary and ended up enjoying it. I skipped the onethat I struggled to get through. I'd rather have forward momentum than getstuck and drop the show.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rewarding Experience,a novella that puts a couple through a dangerous experience.

Here's theminiblurb:

When an explosion rocks a deep space mining expedition,injuring Trixie Bell, she realizes how much she wants and needs Jock Tennysonby her side. The grueling hours and physically exhausting work make the couplecranky and edgy, but Trixie decides to show Jock how rewarding a simplereprimand can be.

And a sneaky peek…

Trixie paused on the way to teamthree's location. A pop sounded above her head followed by a skitter of pebbles.She listened carefully, poised to move. There. A low whine hissed through thechute. She had about ten seconds before the first rumbling groan would occur."Shit. Cave-in."Taking off at a dead run, she sprintedto the group mining an offshoot. She got to their location right before thefirst snap and crackle of falling debris rained down behind her. They didn'thave much time to escape the cramped confines.Motioning with one hand, she gave asharp whistle. "Githo, githo, githo. Now. Now. Now." The shorthand phrasefor get the hell out had the five-man team hotfooting past her.She breathed a sigh of relief whenthey hit the larger corridor. They were out of the way. She started moving …but not fast enough tomake it clear. The retaining wall gave under the pressure of the tumbling rock.And crumbled down on top of her.

Everything went dark and painengulfed her. She spit dust and debris out and groaned. Damn. Her firstthought? It sucked to be her right now.The second? It wouldn't be easy to gether out. Shit. Shit. Shit.An eerie quiet descended on thechute. Or maybe the roar in her ears dampened everything out. A little dazed, shetook stock. Tried to move but couldn't. She definitely didn't have a lot ofwiggle room. And everything hurt from her head to her toes.The first voice she heard echoedoff the stone. "Make a goddamn hole."Jock. But how did he get here so fast?

"Trixie? Trix! Where areyou?"Buried under a crap ton of rubble. Hysterical laughter tried toescape but hurt so badly she sounded more like a wounded animal.

Her arm turned a weird angle, butshe moved her fingers, waggling them a little. "Here. I'm here." Shecouldn't shout—pain made raising her voice impossible.A scramble of feet and a shower oflose dirt and pebbles clued her in to Jock's arrival. "Trix? Geez." Abright spotlight swept over her. "Okay, you're gonna be out of there in notime." He shouted over his shoulder. "Bring the bags and vacuum.Now!" He focused on her again. "I'm here, Trix. I'm gonna get youout." Worry creased his face before determination settled in. "Holdtight, okay."Trixie bit back a laugh."Not like I have a choice." Searing flames of agony enveloped her,and she groaned.Jock reached down and caught herchin in his hand. "Don't you die on me." Something raw and uncheckedfiltered through his voice and gaze. "I need you here with me, Trix."Tears prickled behind her eyes, butshe blinked them away. "Not going anywhere, Jock." It grew harder tobreathe. "Get me out of here. Hurts. Like a bitch." He gave a nod and backed away whentwo miners drew his attention. "We're going to start." Jock placed amakeshift shield around her head. "Shout out if anything causes morepain."She lifted her chin. "I trustyou, Jock. You know what you're doing." His engineering background wouldprove useful.If anyone could get her out in onepiece, Jock would be the man. Her mind drifted while she listened to him barkorders and direct the crew. How did he get down the shaft so fast? Didn'tmatter, because she might not have made it otherwise. The vacuum startedpulling soft rubble from the pile while they moved the bigger pieces of heavystone. Several times Jock stopped the work to evaluate their next step and tocheck on her.When he lifted the shield a momentlater to speak to her, his gaze held deep concern. "We have to cutthree large pieces and they're all in sketchy positions. I want to fortify twowhile we remove the first."Trixie tried for humor. "So …don't make any immediate plans then?"He cracked a smile. "Thatwould be a no." He sobered. "I promise we'll work as fast as wecan." He arched a brow. "Any questions?"Trixie gave him a wobbly grin."Just one. How did you get here so damned fast?"He blinked and shook his head."Seriously? That's what you want to know?"Her lips curved again. "Hey,I've been alone with my thoughts and nothing else for a while now. So, yeah,I'm wondering."He leaned down, holding her gaze."I was already on my way when the cave-in happened. Because you were right… but we'll talk about that after I get you out."She smiled. "I'll hold you toit." He started to back away and she caught his attention again."Hey, Jock." He angled his head around. "Thank you."He gave a quick nod then got backto work. At this point, numbness encompassed her whole body … but she didn'twant to say anything because he had enough to deal with. Including her badattitude. I gotta stop blaming him for thecommission's bullshit.She truly couldn't imagine not having him in this godforsaken place. I needhim in my life.

Drawing in a breath, she winced. Ithurt to breathe. Her vision swam and a haze of blurry gray edged herperspective. She closed her eyes and drifted between paying attention to Jock'srescue orders and unconsciousness…

A little longerthan normal, but I'm so happy with how this scene turned out.

 

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

 

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Relative Chemistry (Uncivil Revolution)

Whew! What a week.It's been something of a wild ride. My daughter starts graduate school inAthens the week of August 25, and we're still trying to figure out herfinancial aid. She's headed to Ontario Canada this week for a theater festival,which is what she'll be getting her master's degree in. My work inbox isoverflowing! I'm so grateful for all the new projects but also a little dauntedby how much I have stacked up and waiting for me to get to. My car also has anissue that we're hoping is not the computer. I'll know more on Monday. Ugh!

I didn't get muchdone on the viewing front. Too many things needed my focus elsewhere. Betweenthe phone calls for school and car problems, my brain turned to mush. Bleh.

I did get anepisode of Best in Paradise in. I enjoyed it again. It's fun to have the introductionsfrom the cast members.

I also got to watchthe closing episode of Death in Paradise season eight. A very interesting and twistyepisode with a really cool gesture at the end from the commissioner.

And I also finishedup the main draft of a holiday manuscript I've been working on for, geez,almost a year. The sages finally cooperated and threw a bunch of ideas out. I'mso happy about that.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Relative Chemistry, anovel in the Uncivil Revolution series. Or maybe the Civil Revolution. I'm notsure on the title yet.

Here's the miniblurb:

In a nation torn apart by an uncivil war, Wallis Canton isallowed to live if she keeps the men at a covert human trafficking locationsated and satisfied. When Etta Morgan is brought and held for sale to thehighest bidder, Wallis finds a kindred spirit and rediscovers her will to befree. When Dom Marinelli arrives on the scene to save Etta, he almost takes outthe one man, Perry Norris, who didn't abuse and degrade Wallis. With Perry'shelp, the four escape the facility and live to fight another day, and Perryhelps Wallis navigate life on the outside, showing her good men do exist andlove can flourish from tragic circumstances.

And a sneaky peek…

Wallis Canton shuffled along infront of her armed escort. Her head throbbed and her muscles ached. Twelvehours with no food and barely any water sapped all of her energy. Taking careof five clients didn't help. Sex burned a lot of calories. I'm running on empty.The man behind her grunted. "You'rehome. No work tomorrow. Rest up." His mouth twisted in a sneer.The heavy steel door opened andPerry Norris, one of the caretakers, stepped to one side. "Instructions?"He spoke to the armed escort.Wallis itched to get inside thefacility, to have a shower, and find her bed. Her rumbling stomach and parchedthroat would need attention first. After that, she might curl up on the nearestflat surface and crash hard.The goon—she never remembered theirnames—shook his head and nudged Wallis across the threshold. Perry lifted hischin and quickly closed the door, turning the deadbolt before he put out asteadying hand.Wallis nearly crumpled at thesupportive gesture. "Need water." Her voice cracked and raspedbetween her dry lips.Perry pressed a bottle into herhand. "I figured. They never think past collecting the fee and moving onto the next stop." He guided her toward the bathroom in the old highschool that functioned as a makeshift dorm for the sex workers.She twisted the cap off and slowlydrank a few sips of the clear liquid. "Thanks." Her stomach gurgledand roiled … the water making her queasy, even as it quenched her thirst.Perry reached into his shirt pocketand tore the wrapper from a protein bar. "Didn't feed you either, didthey?" He handed the food over.She gratefully took the offeringand bit into the mix of granola, peanut butter, and honey. "No." Shechewed and swallowed, following with another longer drink. "Not usuallyout as long as I was today." A yawn escaped before she could stop it.Perry angled her toward him, hisgaze sweeping over her. "You're dead on your feet. Would you rather go toyour room instead of the restroom?"She shook her head. "I want ashower. I need to get … clean." Her gaze met his. "You know?" Especiallyafter the long sex-filled day.Perry dipped his chin. "Yeah.I do." He led her into the cavernous former locker room and over towardthe line of showers. "Finish the food and water. I'll get the water warmfor you." He pointed to the bench by the stalls.She sank down then jumped back up."Wait! You're fully—" The spray of water drowned her voice out.Dressed. He's fully dressed.Sitting back down, she nibbled theprotein bar and sipped the water. The infusion of calories eased the emptinessin her stomach and the water soothed her throat, but her body still ached fromthe overexertion of the day. She might fall asleep right here.Perry returned, his clothes damp."All warmed up. You're good to go." He grabbed a towel from the rackand dried his hands off.Wallis heaved a sigh and slowly gotto her feet, swaying a little.Perry caught her elbow. "Youokay?" Concern etched his features.Wallis lifted a shoulder. "Notsure. Can't really think straight." She moved forward, pausing by thestall. "Ugh. I don't even have the energy to get undressed." Hervision swam.Perry put his hands on hershoulders. "Look, I'm not trying to be creepy or anything, but let mehelp. You can't stay upright much longer."She gave a nod and held her armsup. Perry walked behind her and lifted her shirt over her head. Then he slidher pants down until she could step out of them and her clogs. She slowly madeher way into the stall and under the hot spray of water.Perry pulled the curtain. "I'llbe right outside. Call out if you need anything."She paused, wiping the water fromher face. "Can you stay? I won't be long." As much as she'd love tospend the next twelve hours under the steamy mist, she wouldn't be able to stayawake much longer.Perry grunted his acknowledgment."I'll stay."

I'm very excitedabout writing this one. I think it's the final book in a three book series andthe ideas have been rolling around in my head for more than a decade.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Red Tape

August is being verymercurial. Instead of sweltering hot temps, which we did have last week, we'vegot—I'm not kidding—almost fall-like weather. I had to put a jacket on lastnight to take the dogs out. Granted, it was still sixty degrees, but we had astrong breeze blowing and it was chilly. Please note, I'm not complaining. But …does this mean Ohio will have blazing hot temperatures in October? Probably.

Super-busy workweek again. Finished up the mystery manuscript copy edit. Started a proofread ofa memoir on a prominent thoroughbred racing family. I still have two othermemoirs in the wings, one of which should start this week. I also have aromance to copy edit. I love being busy!

But … that means Ididn't have a lot of time for viewing television. I did, however, find out oneof my favorite actors has a new movie coming out in September and might havewatched the trailer two or three (okay, more like twelve) times. I'm excitedbecause this movie will totally be my shit and I now have something to look forwardto in a month or so.

I finished up the MyLife Is Murder episode I started last week. Again, a fun episode whereMadison got to shine. I love this cast so much.

I also started thenew series of Signora Volpe. This is another series I thoroughly enjoy. EmiliaFox is iconic for her role in Silent Witness and it's so lovely to seeher doing something new and fresh and very unlike Nikki.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Red Tape, anovella that follows a couple when they transfer to a new ship and have tofigure out a way to still be together.

Here's the miniblurb:

Noelle Phame and Dirk Santias are given a temporary dutyassignment to a new space cruiser and quickly realize how different thetraditions are on an admiral's flagship. Once they figure out the red tape,they're free to fraternize all they want.

And a sneaky peek…

Dirk's spare pair of boots dangledfrom his fingers while he waited for Noelle in their usual spot. "Nothinglike the smell of grease, oil, and rubber cappers." The rarely used storagelocker held the recycled-parts canisters and crates for the engineeringmaintenance crewmen.The out-of-the-way location made itthe perfect place to get up close and personal with Noelle. His lips curved.How she thought of the spot, he'd never know. But … he also wouldn't complain—evenif the pungent aroma left much to be desired.His first choice had been thecauseway leading to the water treatment hub. Too bad the limited patrolled areaended up being a favorite for others seeking a quiet place to hookup. By thethird interruption, the age-old pair of boots to signal the occupied status becamethe norm. And Noelle suggested the storage locker, which as far as he knew,remained theirs alone.Noelle strolled around the cornerof the corridor and flashed a wide smile. "Right on time. I kinda worriedyou'd get called into a briefing since we're heading out in the morning." Shekeyed in the entry code for the hatch.Dirk set the boots beside thethreshold. "Why me and not you?" He followed her inside and doggedthe hatch behind him.Instead of answering, she nudgedhim against the bulkhead. "Later. I've been waiting for this allday." Her mouth meshed with his.Right. Who needed conversation?Making out took precedence over everything. Especially if they might not have achance to get hot and heavy for a while.His hands inched her shirt upward.Hers loosened the button of his fatigues. His lips blazed a trail along herthroat. Her fingers traced the length of his erection before shoving his pantspast his hips. He eased her tee over her head and dropped it beside them. Sheshimmied out of her warmups and toed off her boots. He shrugged out of hisshirt and let it fall to the ground while stepping out of his boots and uniformpants. So many times, they'd stripped the layers of clothing off. Sometimesquick and fast with hurried movements when short on time … but not tonight.Her index finger skimmed from hissternum down to his groin. The featherlight touch stirred his blood and had himcraving more. He cupped her breasts, brushing his thumbs over her nipples. Hereyes closed and she shuddered a little.Her mouth kicked up in a grin."You always know what'll get me even hotter for you." She grasped hiships, closing the gap between them. "But I don't wanna flare out too fast.Don't know when we'll get to do this again." Her tongue licked a path fromhis pectoral up along his collarbone.He loved it when she fell back onpilot speak. A flare-out happened when someone hit their thruster too quicklyafter exiting the launch tube. The resulting backdraft usually ignited, causinga flash and burn of the engine. Only supremely skilled pilots could get thebirds back online and in formation. Most had to scratch and return to the ship.He rested his forehead againsthers. "A flare out would be tragic tonight. Slow and steady to savor themoment." His mouth hovered over hers. "Starting now…" Tiltinghis head, his lips slanted over hers and his tongue slid past her teeth.She responded, wrapping her armsaround him, her palms flat against his back. He nudged her toward the smalldesk and urged her to sit up on the surface, which had been covered with ablanket to protect the glossy wood underneath. She splayed her legs, and he bentover, pressing open-mouthed kisses along her thighs. He crouched, leaningforward, and blew a hot breath over her mound.Noelle moaned low in her throat."You are going to drive me wild, aren't you?" She dropped back on herelbows.He met her gaze. "Damnstraight." Lowering his head, he flicked his tongue over her clit andslipped a finger inside her core.

Noelle and Dirk area fun couple to write. I also love having an external conflict that might keepthem apart for a while.

 

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

 

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quick, Fast, Dirty

Man, July felt likea decade but it actually kind of flew by. August is off to a running start andit's hot temperature-wise, which is the norm for rural central Ohio. We've hadsome big storms move through, too.

My inbox is jammedwith work projects and that makes me happy! I'm working on a mystery for a copyedit. I have a developmental edit on a memoir. There's a possible copy edit of anothermemoir in the wings and some research for another author. I also sent the nextset of chapters on a developmental edit to the author for review. I love beingbusy.

I didn't get a lotwatched this week. I started an episode of My Life Is Murder but have tofinish it. I also haven't been able to get back to the episode of ElementaryI started two weeks ago. I don't know … I'm not as into this episode and I'mstruggling to finish it. Maybe I should skip to the next one.

I did have a fairlygood week of writing, which also limits my screentime. I got a big scenewritten for one of my WIPs and a few smaller ones for a couple of other worksin progress. All in all a good week!

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Quick, Fast, Dirty, a sexy novellaabout keeping things hot in the middle of a war.

Here's theminiblurb:

Vixen Arz and Josh Baldwin like their sex quick, fast,and dirty. In the middle of a war, they don't have time for sensualpleasantries, and they can't do the hearts and flowers things anyway—Vixen isJosh's superior officer. If caught fraternizing, both will face brig time—orcourt martial!

And a sneaky peek…

Two hours.

The words had become a mantra inJosh's head. The things he could do with Vixen in that extended time periodmade waiting extremely hard. And filled his brain with down and dirty images.Two hours.

Practically a lifetime out here. Hewanted so much more than brief, stolen moments, but didn't dare ask. Even ifhe'd fallen deep.So deep, in fact, he pondered anattempt to set the stage a bit for their encounter. Would Vixen think he'd losthis mind if he did? Probably.Might be worth seeing the shockedlook on her face if he spruced up the storage locker. Then again, he'd have adamn difficult time trying to do much more than maybe having a blanket andpillow without drawing attention from others. He leaned back on his bunk. "Icould do those." The bare minimum, right?He might actually get to see moreof her also. Not that he hadn't seen every inch of her. The heads were coed,and everyone snuck a peek at some point.But … he craved being able to mapher skin with his hands. From head to toe. And, yeah, that wouldn't really bepossible even with the extra time—alert klaxons didn't wait for anyone—yet aweird hope took shape in his mind.She's bringing the lube.

That opened up so manypossibilities. He couldn't wait to explore the ones that interested Vixen. Maybefind a few more things that made her blood hum and her eyes roll back. Someday,he'd have an entire inventory of what she loved best.Last dog watch would hit right atdinner time and the ship's mess would be fully occupied by off-duty crewmen. Ifhe wanted to covertly add some ambiance to the storage locker, he should waituntil just before the shift started. And he'd need something to carry theblanket and pillow in.Rolling out of his bunk, he crossedover to his locker and pulled it open. "Got just the thing." Hecrouched and shuffled through the items in the bottom section. "Paydirt." He withdrew a canvas duffel that should have just enough space tostuff the items he wanted in there.Rising, he cocked his head."And maybe a few extras…" He might not be able to pull out all thestops, but he could make an effort, right?Showing Vixen he cared for her asmore than a good lay could blow up in his face, but he liked taking risks. Ifhe didn't, he wouldn't be having sex with his superior officer.

This story is a lotof fun. I love writing how a changing dynamic can mess with the status quo ofan established relationship.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Questionable Vision

Washing machineupdate. The new washer got here and I'm happy to say the mountain of clothes isnow a manageable pile. It's amazing!

Coffeemaker update.The new one arrived and it's a combo single cup or full pot. I love it. Here'shoping my caffeine habit doesn't trash this one in under a year.

Another crazy-busywork week. I finished up the mystery and the romance copy edits and started acozy mystery. Also continued with novella edits. Had a couple of calls abouttwo or three new projects. I'm excited! I also managed to get some good writingin for myself. A good week!

I didn't get muchof anything watched on my viewing schedule. I did a LOT of social mediascrolling, especially after Biden stepped aside and endorsed Kamala Harris forthe democratic nomination. That's unexpected and exciting. Also spent a lot oftime shaking my head over the GOP nomination for vice president. It's going tobe an interesting couple of months.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from QuestionableVision, a novella with a bit of a dark premise.

Here's theminiblurb:

Park Danielson doesn't want to fight anymore. Stuck in awarzone, he has one burning question. Whybother sticking around? Darby Young has the answer. He's not allowed toleave.

And a sneaky peek…

Darby stopped breathing for amoment. "What do you mean … you didn't want to come back?" Shecouldn't have heard his words right.The very concept of Park opting outhit her hard. They had so much left to do. So much left to explore. But first,they had to get the hell out of their own way.Something neither she nor Park hadbeen able to do. Yet. They always seemed to end up on opposite ends of thespectrum and had to build bridges to meet in the middle. If Park stoppedmeeting her halfway, her world might just crumble.His gaze slid sideways. "Itmeans what you think it does." He moved his eyes straight ahead again … tostare at the top of the bunk.Darby got up. She needed to move,to think, to digest. "Wow." She paced back and forth. "I have noidea what to say to that." Her head couldn't process the idea of ParkDanielson not being in her life anymore. By choice.She whirled around. "Actually,I do. What. The hell. Park?" She paced again. "You're serious, aren'tyou?" She shook with reaction.Wanted to shake him for causing herworld to tilt on its axis.Universe be damned.She punched back with words."Did you think about what losing you would do to me?" She hadn't …until now.And she'd be lost without him.Thoughts cascaded in her mind."What about your dad? You're all he has left." Did Park not realizehow much he meant to his old man?Park's lips twisted in a grimace."And that matters how? He all but ordered us on a suicide mission. Youknow damn well the odds were slim we'd make it off that ship alive."Darby winced because Park could beright about what their chances might have been … but the op fell apart so…She started pacing again."Okay, point made. But remember why he chose us. We're the only twopeople—"Park cut in. "He fully trusts.Yeah, doesn't help." He sighed. "I'm tired of everything beingtwisted and bent. Up is down. Forward is back. And everything spins around likea whirling dervish. Why, Darb? What's the purpose? The end goal? Is thereone?" His voice rasped harshly with each question.Darby paused, a lightbulb momentwashing over her. "I honestly don't know. You're putting voice toquestions no one wants to ask … because the answers aren't easy." Sheresumed walking back and forth. "And they change on a daily basis. So … wedo the best we can with what we have, which is shit on a good day and somethingindescribable on a bad one." She tried to imagine what Park had gonethrough in what he thought were his last moments. "You're out of syncright now and I don't think anyone would blame you."But … what could she do to get himback on track?

This started out asa bit of an experiment to see if I could write a something that started outdark and give light and hope by the end … and keep it under ten thousand words.

We'll see if I pullit off.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Quality of Care

Man. Whateveralignment the planets are in has been wrecking things in my house lately. Afterthe washing machine saga, our coffeemaker took a crap. It's less than a yearold. Seriously … not the norm. But the good news is a new washer andcoffeemaker should arrive sometime this week barring any other global serveroutages.

Had a super busywork week. Finished the holiday manuscript and received a mystery and a romancefor copy edit. Picked back up with a novella I've been working on with an authorfor a while now and enjoying getting back into the groove of the book. Also hadan author reach out about a new twist on a previous project. Really fun week!

I didn't get a lotof screentime this week, but I watched a few shows. I'm in a weird place withviewing. I want to watch stuff, but my brain isn't settled on exactly what. Kindof want to binge something with a lot of seasons for a while to see if thatwill reset the needle.

I loved the episodeof My Life Is Murder. Actually really twisty with an interestingoutcome. Once again, Madison shined. I love that character.

Caught another Bestin Paradise. This one featured the farewell to Martha, which ended up beingso funny and sad at the same time. Excellent episode.

Watched another Deathin Paradise with the introduction of the new DS. Not completely sure if Ilike her or not. Stay tuned.

Started an episodeof Elementary but struggled to stay focused so I'll finish it up thisweek.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Quality of Care, anovella that brings a couple together during a very trying time.

Here's the miniblurb:

Stuck on the fringe of space, cut off by an enemyblockade, Phoebe Point and Dane Moragson keep their ragtag crewmembers fromgoing stark, raving mad. When food rations become nonexistent, Phoebe and Daneplot a daring plan to improve the quality of care for their comrades—even if itmeans going against orders and risking court martial.

And a sneaky peek…

Dane sealed the hatch to the storagelocker and met Phoebe by the middle rack of shelving. "I guess we shouldsee what's in here." He opened the pouch and emptied the contents on abare section.Phoebe sucked in a breath andstared at the food. "I'm, uh, not sure where to begin." Her gazeskidded to Dane's.Dane got her consternation. Aftergoing without for so long, the bounty on the counter seemed like a veritablefeast. His mouth watered and his stomach gurgled at the thought of having somethinghalfway appetizing. Phoebe's fingers twitched and her head tilted to one side.Her lower lip trembled a little.Dane lifted his chin. "Do youwant the dried fruit?" Before rationing, she had a preference for the sweetbits.Phoebe's mouth worked for a moment,but she could only nod. Her face crumpled and she sagged, sinking to the floor.Dane dropped down beside her, wrapping an arm around her shoulders. She'd beensuch a rock keeping him tethered, standing by his side, always there to get himthrough whatever crisis popped up. She deserved a tree to lean on, something—orsomeone—to offer a bit of shelter in the shitstorm they were trapped in.She put her head on her knees, tooka couple of deep breaths then pulled herself together. "I'm a little overwhelmed.I mean, I didn't think anyone gave a damn." She huffed out a breath."And this generosity kinda blows me away." She clasped his hand andburrowed closer to his side. "I don't blame the crew for hoarding. Hell, Ifigure they deserve to have a little something to keep hope alive." Herlips twisted in wry grin.Dane nodded. "Yeah, I've kept mymouth shut, deciding to let those who had stuff keep it until the very lastpossible moment." Which could be in the near future. "I'd only ask ifit came down to life and death." He didn't want to think about thatoption.But they might have to.Phoebe raised her brows. "Haven'tyou felt like dying in the last two weeks?"He lifted a shoulder. "Sometimes.The pain got intense a couple of times." If not for the supplements filledwith vitamins and minerals, he didn't doubt the discomfort would be worse.Phoebe lowered her voice. "Didyou do the paper thing?"The admiralty provided thesuggestion when the blockade entered the third week. Try eating paper so thedigestive track had something to move through it. Zero nutritional value, butthe daily shots provided the necessary nutrients to keep them upright.Dane grunted. "Yeah. Neededsalt."Phoebe sputtered with laughter andfinally relaxed. She got to her feet and retrieved the food from the shelf.Sitting back down, she placed everything between them on the deck. They divviedup the items—the dried fruit, two candy bars, an energy bar, several MREs, apack of jerky, and the crunchy chips they used to serve in the level ten galley.Dane rifled through a couple ofcrates and found a case of bottled water. He handed one to Phoebe and kept onefor himself.Twisting the lid off, he toastedhis container against hers. "Here's to this brief moment of downtime andsharing it together."Phoebe flashed a smile. "I'lldefinitely drink to that." She tilted the bottle back and took a drink.Dane also swigged some of the clearliquid, then carefully opened one of the candy bars.

Gotta say, I'mhaving fun with this story. It's a little dark but there's a lot of humor mixedin with the dire circumstances.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Pushing Buttons

Whew. It's been aweek. My washing machine saga continued, and I finally called it. Investing ina new machine, hopefully in the near future before my laundry pile growsexponentially into a mountain.

I finally finishedthe very, very long proofread and thankfully should have the final queriesanswered this weekend. I have a new holiday manuscript for copyediting and it'sabout halfway complete. Have I mentioned I love holiday stories?

Not a bad week of viewing.I got a few extra shows watched this week.

Caught the secondepisode of My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I've mentionedhow much I love the characters, but Madison had such a great role in thisweek's episode.

Watched another Bestin Paradise. This episode introduced Martha and I enjoyed her run on theshow with Humphrey.

Finished the two-partepisode of Death in Paradise where Florence says goodbye for a while.Such a sad but great send off for her.

Started anotherepisode of Elementary. Should have it finished up later tonight. I'mquite enjoying this second season so far.

Caught anotherepisode of The Batman and remembered it from the first watch I did.Excellent story that dives into the symbiotic relationship between Batman andhis rogue gallery.

That's pretty muchit for the life update. Tonight's post is from Pushing Buttons, a novellathat explores how the dynamic changes but also stays the same when a couple isunder pressure.

Here's theminiblurb:

Chet Vondallson hates complications—integrating two crewswhen a space cruiser goes down sits at the bottom of his list of fun things todo. Parson Browd, one of Chet's top pilots—and his lover—likes to push hisbuttons and get a reaction, something Chet knows but finds hard to resist.

And a sneaky peek…

Parson leaned back in the chair andexhaled slowly, her mind spinning. "Your old man has an interestingperspective if he thinks this will work." Shit would get very difficultwith the new structure.And Chet would be in the line offire as soon as he assumed command of the transition team.Chet huffed out a breath."Well, you've known him a long time. Did you expect anythingdifferent?" He leaned forward bracing his forearms on the desk.She laughed. "Not really, no.But, damn, he basically just airlocked you into deep space. What's hethinking?" No doubt Frank had multiple thought processes running amok inhis brain.Chet shrugged. "My guess? He'sthinking this is a steaming pile of shit and he wants someone he trusts to dothe heavy lifting." Her brows arched. "Even if itblows up in his face?" Or more to the point … Chet's face.Chet nodded. "Even if. And,trust me, this deal will definitely blow up in his face. Multiple times." Hishands mimicked exploding bombs going off.She didn't envy Chet being the sonof the new admiral. And as much as she loved Chet's dad, she also hated him inthat moment. He wouldn't ask anyone else what he asked of his son right now.And Frank would know the toll it would take on Chet.He'd need good people to help thetransition go smoothly. He'd definitely need someone with more tact than shehad. But she'd support him however she could.Straightening, she scooted closerto the desk. "How can I help?" As long as he didn't put her in chargeof grievances, she should be able to assist with carrying the load Frank dumpedon his son.Chet hooked her little finger withhis. "In a perfect world, you'd be my number two, but…" His gaze methers and his lips quirked. "Not sure that would work."Parson shook her head. "Yeah, Idefinitely didn't think making me your 2IC will go over well." Crewmembersalready talked about their relationship. "We both know I don't have thetemperament to manage the headache you'll be dealing with." She laced therest of their fingers together. "You need someone who can light strategicfires to make things happen when the bitching and complaining starts, and I'm aburn it all to the ground kind of girl." Except in the cockpit … there sheruled with elegant precision.Chet chuckled. "You can bebrutally blunt, but I love that about you." Keeping hold of her hand, hegot up and moved to the front of the desk. "How about you work as my eyesand ears on the deck?" He pulled her up and forward, wrapping his armsaround her.She nodded. "Yeah, makessense. Even if everyone will know that's exactly what I'm doing." Whichmeant stealth would come in handy and she had a lot of practice from meetingChet on the downlow.A loud clanging knock sounded onthe hatch.Chet rested his forehead againsthers. "Wanna stick around while I break the news to Stingray?" Heslumped forward for a moment.Parson brushed her lips over his."Wouldn't miss it." She eased away from Chet and propped a shoulderagainst the bulkhead next to the desk.Chet squared his shoulders andlifted his chin. "Enter…"Parson quietly braced for afireworks show.

I love to explorehow an external conflict creates waves between an established couple.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Power Play

You know, I love agreat fireworks display … but … I don't love almost a full week of randomnonstop barrages from different locations where I can't even see them. Becauseat least I'd be able to enjoy something while my poor doggos are huddledagainst me shaking and freaking out. In all seriousness, I don't begrudgepeople having the funds and knowledge to celebrate with fireworks. But I alsohate the first week of July for anyone who has pets that can't deal with theshow.

It's been a weirdweek with a toilet repair followed by a washing machine leak that needed fixed.I'm still working on the leak because, seriously, it's never a simple thingwhen I'm involved. I'm crossing my fingers for not having anything elsewater-related to deal with this week.

Had another superbusy week of work. I'm slogging through a very, very long proofread and I'm almostat the finish line. Completed a copyedit that ended up having some consistencyconcerns but ended up being such a great story. And it's a holiday book! I loveediting holiday manuscripts.

Didn't get a lot ofviewing in, mainly because the proofread is difficult subject matter and solong I don't want to risk losing my spot by getting distracted. I definitely don'twant to do a lot of repeat work because I lose my place.

I did get to watchan episode of My Life Is Murder. I so enjoy this show. The charactersare such a delight.

I also finished upthe episode of Elementary that I started last week. I have to admit I'mnot quite sure if I'm down with Mycroft possibly being a bad guy. My guess ishe's working with someone we've seen before, and I have two people in mind. Staytuned to see if I'm right.

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Power Play, a novellathat explores a reversal in rank for two officers who are a wee bit more thanfriends.

Here's theminiblurb:

Hailey March, a dedicated officer, receives a plumassignment she's wanted for a long time. But when she has to give orders to RabMcKee, she must ignore their long friendship, which is impossible because sheneeds him on her side.

And a sneaky peek…

Rab McKee entered the war room tofind Hailey March hunched over several charts.He didn't bother with protocol."I stopped in to see Tyler and Hibbert." She'd want the lowdown ontheir friends first anyway.Hailey lifted one shoulder, nevertaking her gaze off the table.Color Rab stunned.He'd just come from a blisteringset down with Admiral Dora Kidwell, the flagship leader of the fleet. Not only hadhe been demoted, he'd received a lecture on visiting with the prisoners waitingto be executed. Prisoners from his former ship, crewmates he consideredfriends.Her reasoning? As a commander'sson, under no circumstances, should he have contact with the former Kalliope crewmen again. He had anexample to set. Like he'd do … what? Break them outof a sealed brig? After being busted down from captain to lieutenant? No onewho mattered would be following his orders any time soon. A brig break would be more Raver'sstyle anyway. Well … it would have been not long ago. Lately, Captain Hailey 'Raver'March had him wondering where the damn pod had been hidden. She sure as hellacted like an alien being in recent weeks. He looked forward to seeing Haileyafter his meeting with Kidwell. The irate admiral had advised him to reportdirectly to Captain March—his new boss. Rab had found the order very amusing. At first. Not so much now. Standing acrossthe tactical planning table from her, his mouth worked but nothing came out. He'djust told her he'd been to see Tyler and Hibbert, the two crewmen scheduled forexecution and damn good friends of theirs and all she could only shrug? Her response made him rethink thehilarity.He cleared his throat and repeated."Hails? Ty and Hibb. They're hanging in for now." She still didn't look away from thechart she worked on. "That's good." His brain reeled from the response.But the kicker came next. After several long moments, she finally glanced upand met his gaze.She angled her head toward thetactical table. "Now help me plan this op." Her fingers drummed onthe edge of the surface. What? Rab stared at her with somethingclose to incredulity. He couldn't have heard her right. "Youwanna just carry on?" Maybe being promoted had addled her brain… "Asif nothing's happened?"

This is going to bea bit of dance between the characters while they navigate toward each other anddiscover they're more than friends.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Perfect Conversation

I can't believewe're at the end of June already. It's crazy how fast time is flying right now.Probably because of the whole respiratory yuck that ate up most of the month.Thankfully, that seems to have finally run its course. Feeling so much betternow.

Had a super busywork week. Playing catch-up isn't my favorite thing on the planet. But I didfinish a proofread and made solid progress on the other two projects on myplate.

Had a very limitedviewing schedule this week, mainly because I really wanted to make as much of adent as possible in my work. I had my usual background comfort shows playing inthe background with Perry Mason and Midsomer Murders. I love thechannels dedicated to one show, which is how I get Midsomer whenever Iwant. And Perry Mason is easy to find on the classic TV channels.

I did catch an episodeof Best in Paradise and enjoyed revisiting how JP got reacquainted withRosie. I'm enjoying the cast member introductions to each episode.

I also watched thefirst of a two-part Death in Paradise. I'd seen a bit of the episodebefore and knew what to expect but it's very powerful to watch from the beginning.Looking forward to the second part this week.

I started anepisode of Elementary and didn't make it all the way through. I'llfinish that one up later tonight.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from PerfectConversation, a novella that explores a reunion between two charactersmeant to be together … if they get their timing right.

Here's theminiblurb:

Gigi Morse runs away from Scott Alamead because she doesn'twant to risk losing him. But when she returns, a very different Scott greetsher, and Gigi realizes she's right back on the hot seat.

And a sneaky peek…

Gigi watched Scott's retreat andcouldn’t resist one last salvo. “MmmHmm. At least it'll be a good one.” Shechecked to make sure he’d rounded the corner, before adding a sarcasticallywhispered, “Ooo-kay then.” She figured Scott would attempt totalk after they'd argued earlier. But their conversation had not gone anywhereclose to the way she expected. Instead of helping her settle the swirl ofthoughts in her head, the discussion pretty much kicked them up into furtherchaos. Doesn't that just suck?She dropped down to the floor andsettled back against the bench in the gym where he'd tracked her down. Reachingover, she picked up a bossa ball and let its weight settle in her hand. Sheconsidered getting up and doing a quick run through the maze to work off someof the frazzled feeling, but honestly didn't have the stamina to do it at themoment. Spinning the ball around in herhands she gave it a quick toss at the wall opposite her feet. Scott Alameadloves me. Of course she knew that. But the way he said it made it differentthis time.She caught the ball and bounced itagain. She’d made a promise to someone else. A rebel fighter who'd put his asson the line for her.Bounce.

How was she supposed to respond to Scott'sdeclaration?Catch; bounce.

And how the hell was she going toget back to Columba to keep her promise?Catch, hold; bounce. Back and forth.

She’d missed a hell of a lot whileshe’d been gone … not the least of which happened to be Scott's apparent one-eighty.Catch; hold.

Mutiny? Choosing the minister of defenseabove watching over the old man? Breaking his parole to leave with the minister?

Emphatic bounce.

Not that she would have donedifferently with Flynn in charge, probably sooner.Catch. Grin. The man was an utter moron.

Deepbreath.

How am I supposed to deal with thisScott?Bounce.

The one who kissed her because he'dbeen happy to see her?Catch; bounce.

The one who had no scathingcomeback when she called him on his own actions?Catch, hold; hard bounce.

The ball hit the wall and bouncedtwice back to her. She wanted this Scott … hell, she wanted the other one also,truth be told. Maybe they'd needed the forced break of her tearing off to Columbato gain some perspective, deal with some issues. Snort. Right. Bounce.

If gaining perspective meanthooking up with a hot guy and promising to return for him, she'd be dead on themoney.Catch; hold.

But what the hell? She and Scotthad totally parted on nasty terms. How could she know he’d pull the rug outfrom under her?She hefted the ball really hard onthat thought. It hit the wall, glanced off a light fixture, and bounced out ofher reach.Gigi let the ball go, her thoughtstumbling in her head.She’d screwed up by sleeping with Radek,never dreaming for the reaction Scott had. But she figured with him the gaff wouldbe … screw up, no second chances, game over. So … she jumped away on theminister's orders, which had been easier than trying to deal with both Scottand his uncle Minton at the same time.How wrong I was. She got to deal with a blondamazon out for blood, an almost perfect copy of a fellow pilot, finding Harry—heroldest friend next to Scott—and hooking up with Kurt. Primo mistake number two.

Oh … and yeah … she'd been knifedin the gut and the universe knew what else at the hands of the enemy. Is itany wonder I latched on to Kurt so hard? Sought comfort and peace of mindafter being beaten back?She'd thought she lost Minton and Scottin one fell swoop and didn't think she'd ever get back to their side of theline. But she had made it home.And she hadn’t lost Scott … not if his welcome and friendly declaration couldbe believed. It's all right there in front of me. Waiting. Could she reach out and grab it? She’d made a promise to Kurt, andshe’d keep it … but not for the original reason.He's a good guy, but he isn’t Scott.

And she wanted Scott.And there she had it. Decisionmade.Gigi laughed and stood, walkingover to snag the ball from the floor. She needed to find Scott and take him upon his offer to talk. A grin snuck over her face and as she doubted hisdefinition would match hers.

I'm quite happywith how this scene came together even if I might need to do some judicioustrimming. I love a good internal monologue.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Passing Ships in the Night

We definitely had ahot week and I'm so glad I got rid of most of the yucky upper respiratory crud.We're due for some major storms later today so that should be interesting.

I'm still not quitecaught up on my work projects but I'm making headway. Thankfully none of themhave red line due dates. I did manage to finish a proofread and will be sendingit on its merry way later today. I still have another proofread and a copy editto work on this week.

Had an almostnonexistent viewing week. Between playing catch up on my work projects and stillbeing kind of bleh, I stuck with my comfort viewing of Perry Mason and MidsomerMurders. I did work in a few binge episodes of Death in Paradise onregular television.

That said, I didstart the new season of My Life Is Murder and I'm loving the premiereepisode so far. So nice to have Alexa and Madison back!

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Passing Ships inthe Night, a novella that follows two people very focused on their careersand how they become a couple … or not.

Here's theminiblurb:

Renny Spur and Chad Raxton have something of anunderstanding—they meet at the Moonstar shipyard whenever they're in the MilkyWay galaxy. When Chad's late for a connection, Renny gets angry and makes a badchoice—one Chad has to decide if he can overlook.

And a sneaky peek…

Renny leaned back and groaned."You were so right about the Talithian food. It's amazing." Shegrimaced. "But I might not be able to leave the restaurant. I'm disgustinglyfull." She placed her palms on her stomach.Chad gaze drifted from her handsupward, appreciation creeping into the irises. "You don't look any worsefor the partaking of the premium meal. In fact, you look pretty damngood." His lips kicked up in a grin.She basked in the compliment."Uh, thanks. But you might have to roll me out of here." Or help herburn off the extra calories in a different way.He didn't hide his interest and sheteetered on the edge of making a big decision. Everything about spending timewith him had her craving more. A rare occurrence because she didn't connectwith people often. But Chad made it easy.What an amazing experience. Hecould keep a conversation going, as good at listening as regaling her withstories of growing up with Mac. And he asked great questions, interested in howshe ended up with a degree and her pilot quals.How long had it been since she'dengaged with someone on more than a periphery level?Too long.Because she'd been so focused on hergoals. Random hookups were the norm for her. But Chad made her want to see ifshe could do something deeper.Did he feel the same?She might as well test the waters."So … you're on station until next week? Got any plans for the rest of thenight?" Her limited window of opportunity didn't give them a lot of time.Chad's mouth twisted in a wolfishgrin. "Since Mac is otherwise occupied, I do not." He extended hishand toward her. "Unless you have some ideas."Renny smiled, big and wide."As a matter of fact … I do." She clasped his fingers and slowly gotto her feet. "If you're game."Chad stood up and hauled her close."I'm definitely game." With another flash of a heated gaze, he ledher from the restaurant.

I'm having fun withthe concept of this story. It's a challenge to write the connection thecharacters have when they really don't get to be physically present with eachother very often.

 

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

ML Skye