M.L. Skye's Blog, page 9

Sunday Snippet: No Loss of Life

April is startingoff with a bang. We've had seven days of volatile weather. Thunderstorms,tornadoes, flooding, and another big drop in temperature with snow flurries. Ithought for a while we might end up with a blizzardnado—complete with sharks.If you know you know. It's that time of year where keeping warm-weather clothesbeside arctic gear isn't a bad idea.

Due to the crazyweather, I didn't get a lot of viewing in this week. I also had a full plateplus dessert of work projects. I'm very happy to have multiple things to occupymy time!

I did get anotherepisode of My Life Is Murder in and loved getting to see Madison struther stuff undercover. I'm going to miss this show when I'm finished watching.

Caught Midsomer Murder'sfinal episode for this season. Enjoyed the mystery. I'm a little disappointedthat it feels like the characters don't know much about each other. Winter hasbeen with Barnaby for quite some time now and it seems like the interactionsthey've had in the past are quickly forgotten. Really the only thing that kindof irritates me about British mystery shows.

Finished up thesecond half of Silent Witness. I think I'm going to like the new guys. Ireally enjoy Jack and Nikki together. The case was very confusing, but I endedup liking how things turned out.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. It's almost the end of Humphrey's run andI'm kind of excited to finish up and start Jack's journey. And also pick upwith Humphrey and Martha back in England.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. Kind of fun to see some of Joan's old life collide withher new one. Not super thrilled that her friends thought she needed anintervention, but at least they came around by the end.

That's it for thelife update this week. I'm hoping to get back on track this week, barring any weirdand wild weather.

Tonight's post isfrom No Loss of Life, a novella that brings a couple together fromopposite sides of a big issue.

Here's theminiblurb:

Brigit Hardy is an anti-government revolutionary whokicks the system in the teeth to incite change. Vlad Octavius is the governmentagent who has to bring her to heel. There's only one problem—Vlad hates whatshe does but can't disagree with her reasons.

And a sneaky peek…

Brigit rolled up the schematic ofthe train depot when a knock sounded on her door.

Tucking the plans into a cardboardcylinder, she stowed the container behind a cabinet and strolled to theentrance of her space to answer. "Well, gotta say I didn't expect companytonight." She stepped back, allowing her visitor to enter.

Vlad gave a shrug. "Er, Iwon't stay long. Mainly wanted to put it out there … if you need anything,help, errand-running, whatever. I'm in. Let me know."

Brigit's eyes widened a little."Anything? How are you defining that word?" She might as well testthe waters and possibly boundaries.

Because Vlad Octavius appealed toher on more than one level.

Vlad blinked but recovered quickly."Uh … however you want me to." His gaze took on a smoky quality."Anything can mean as little … or as much … as you want it to." Hepropped a shoulder on the jamb.

The man presented a picture ofnonchalance. But … Brigit clocked the coiled readiness under the surface. Hemight be a newb to their movement, but he had training. Military? Cop? Or …something else?

She searched her gut to see if itmattered. He wouldn't be the first man to try gaining an edge with her. Movingwith caution had saved her more than once. But she rather wanted to tangle withVlad. In bed. Out of bed. Kind of didn't matter.

And that might not be a good thing.

Brigit cocked her head. "Thatmean you're on offer with regards to the anything?" Might as well go forbroke.

Vlad barely shifted his positionbut somehow managed to convey a mix of sexy up-for-whatever and relaxeddetachment. "Depends. Is this a stud service type of thing or a mutually beneficialarrangement?" His voice rasped from between his lips.

Brigit liked his quick responses."Would it matter?" The back-and-forth banter kicked her libido intogear.

Vlad lifted one shoulder. "I'dprefer a mutual assignation but don't mind proving my worth if necessary."If possible, his gaze darkened even more.

Brigit gave a throaty laugh."Good answer." She grasped his forearm and dragged him into thespace. "Pretty sure the benefits will be mutually satisfying." Possiblyon multiple fronts if she got really lucky.

I'm not quite surewhere this story is going to go but I love the journey so far.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: No Escape

Happy Easter tothose who celebrate. For everyone else, I hope your weekend is rocking withgood vibes!

We got someterrific news this week. My youngest, who will graduate from university in May,got accepted into grad school! She's so excited and will have a Master of Arts Administrationwhen she finishes.

Had a fairly busy weekwith work projects. Discovered one ended up with a corrupted file and had tofix some weird, random code that inserted itself into the file. What a pain!

Decent week of viewingtelevision. I'll admit some was mainly background noise while I worked on editing.But not bad overall.

Ended up gettingtwo episodes of The Batman in this week. Enjoyed both and should be ontrack to catch another one this week.

Also caught twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Weirdly, I remember two but from differentepisodes. They always did two per show and I distinctly remember one from eachof the episodes I watched. Weird.

Watched anotherepisode of My Life Is Murder and, once again, enjoyed it. Dueling bakersisn't something I would normally think of as a premise for murder.

Enjoyed another episodeof Midsomer Murders. I have one left for this season and then it's timeto wait for more again. Good thing there are plenty of other mysteries to keepme occupied.

Started the newseason of Silent Witness. Another new face or two for this season andI'm okay with that. I have a feeling things are going to get very interestingthis season.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. We're getting closer to Humphrey's exitand Jack's entrance. I'll be able to start Beyond Paradise in the nearfuture.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. The new vibe between Holmes and Watson is fun.I'm enjoying a slightly softer version of Sherlock.

Started an episodeof Peak Practice. I skipped one because I really didn't care one bit aboutthe whole saga of Andrew and Kate. But it's interesting that Will is back.Should be a wild ride.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from No Escape, anovella that explores what happens after Viable Options.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lissa Albrecht, an unwitting enemy agent, questionseverything she believes when she's faced with the reality of what war reallylooks like. Caught in the heart of enemy territory, she won't give up hersecrets … not until she speaks with Matt Kandigan, a former substance addictand the only person who cares if she lives or dies. At least she hopes so.

And a sneaky peek…

Matt Kandigan paced back and forthin the landing bay. "What if Karlin fucks this up?" He needed toclose the chapter with Lissa and start a new book.

And he couldn't do that if hedidn't see and speak to her. Therapy taught him to face his demons head-oninstead of fighting in the shadows. And Lissa ranked as the top challenge he'dever face. Harder than kicking the stimulants. Tougher than suffering throughthe withdrawal. Cutting her from his life might be the most difficult thinghe'd ever do.

Because he'd fallen for her.Totally. Completely. 10,000 percent.

Raking a hand through his hair, hesnorted. "Which makes me the biggest chump in the galaxy." Possiblythe entire universe.

"That's not anything new.You've always been a bit of a clod, Matty." Karlin breezed into the spaceand planted her hands on her hips.

Matt rolled his eyes. "Andyou've always been a righteous pain in the ass. Good to know that'll neverchange." He appreciated the levity … he didn't have much to smile aboutlately. "What's the plan? Do I get some closure or what?" He almostdreaded seeing Lissa again but couldn't move forward until he did.

Karlin gave a nod. "You do.And the plan hasn't changed. You get one visit. Say your goodbyes or whatever."She reached out and grasped his palm. "She knows it's a one-time thing. Ifshe chooses to help, great. But you two are over." Lifting her chin, shemet his gaze. "Right?"

Matt jerked his head up and down."Right. I'm done being an idiot. Lissa won't be able to use me as coveranymore." His heart gave a hard twist in his chest. "I'm sure theadmiralty will manage to keep her occupied if she can give them anyintel." And keep her out of his reach.

Karlin's head bobbed slowly. "True.They have contingencies in place for defectors." Her eyes narrowed alittle. "One of which is a road to becoming one of us if she meets allcriteria. What if Lissa goes for that option? How would you feel aboutthat?" Her voice held zero censure.

Which Matt appreciated more than hecould say. Karlin didn't trust Lissa almost from the beginning. The lack ofjudgment now meant a lot.

He did a gut check and took amoment before answering. "I honestly don't know. But I can't base a futureon what if." Hell, he considered himself lucky to even have one.

Karlin's lips curved, and shepatted him on the shoulder. "Matty, my friend, you're so wrong." She shookher head. "The entire galaxy is basing their future on asking what if."Pointing toward the exit, she lifted her chin. "That includes your enemy-agentgirlfriend, who's probably wondering a lot about that question right now. Maybeyou should do the same…" She squeezed his bicep and nudged him toward thecorridor leading to the containment cells.

Matt slowly made his way forward. Hismind filled with possibilities, and they crowded everything else out. No matterwhat happened, when he met with Lissa, he'd be on a new trajectory, one way oranother.

I'm just gettingstarted with this one and I'm excited to see where things go with Matt andLissa.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Night Watch

Ohio weather istripping on some kind of psychedelic drug right now. We're in our third winterat the moment, so hopefully actual spring will happen in about two weeks. Ofcourse, we'll have to give or take a month because who knows how long the statewill be under the influence.

Had a crazy week ofwork, a mom crisis mode occurrence, and of course the weird weather, whichwreaks havoc on my sinuses.

I didn't get muchtelevision watched this week. Too many things going on to really pay attentionto my shows.

I did get an episodeof Death in Paradise watched and enjoyed it. I hadn't seen any of thisone and ended up really liking the mystery.

I also started anepisode of Elementary and should finish it up today. I love the fundynamic of Holmes and Watson after last week's near miss with Watson's life.

Other than that, Imight be back on track this week, but I won't hold my breath. My brain is doingweird things and having a very hard time staying focused on more than one thingat a time. It's driving me batshit.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Night Watch, a novellathat explores the dynamic between a couple that keeps their relationship of theQT.

Here's the miniblurb:

Aisley Diehl and Thad Saunders pull a shift of nightwatch on the hangar deck. They're tasked with keeping their junior pilots frombeing drunk and disorderly when they'd much rather be spending the eveningdoing something more enjoyable—under the covers.

And a sneaky peek…

Aisley didn't look up from the comppanel when Thad returned. "Sorry for bailing on you." She marked herplace in the news article on the screen then set the unit aside. "DidHambone give you any trouble?" She hoped not because sticking Thad withthe drunk pilot kind of sucked.

Not that Thad couldn't handle aninebriated soldier. Hell, he'd had his share of dealing with her too many timesto count.

Thad dropped down beside her."Nope. But a word to the wise … he'd totally be down to hit on you if hethought he had half a chance." His lips twitched.

Aisley groaned. "Tell me youdidn't encourage him." She did not want to deal with a puppy-dog pilotprancing around to get her attention.

Thad laughed. "Well, itdepends on how you look at it. When he asked if I thought you'd ever go forhim, I basically said he'd be lucky if you didn't shoot him, so who knows?"He leaned back, propping his elbows on the workstation surface behind them.

Aisley chuckled. "If I'mlucky, he won't remember the conversation at all." And if Thad kept hismouth shut, she'd never have to worry about Hampton making a play.

The guy would be sorelydisappointed. She only went for one pilot, even if no one else knew about herpreference. Except the flyboy himself.

Thad nudged her shoulder. "Notlike you have experience there or anything." His lips turned upward takingthe sting out of the words.

She shrugged. "Yeah, okay. Ikind of do." She slid her gaze toward him. "But I remember theimportant stuff." Like how they were supposed to get together tonightinstead of babysitting. "And if I forget, you always remind me." Hehad her back when it counted.

Unlike her … when she'd left himhanging earlier.

She didn't really want to thinkabout why. But she always got touchy when anyone started making noise about herchemistry with Thad. Mainly because she didn't have that level of anything withanyone else … and the thought freaked her out sometimes.

Thad straightened then leaned hisforearms on his thighs. "Look … about the bullshit couple question … youknow that's the drunk talking, right?" He tilted his head giving her aside-eye. "As in, he'd never have the balls to ask or even think about askingthat specific question if he hadn't been three sheets to the wind." Hehuffed out a laugh.

Aisley rolled her eyes. "Morelike ninety-seven sheets, but who's counting?" She sighed. "Ishouldn't get so twitchy about lame stuff, but I like what we have and reallywant to keep our…" She trailed off a moment. "Whatever this is on thedown-low." Did that sound as stupid as she thought?

Thad's lips twisted in a wry grin."Yeah, I get it. Once we start defining this thing, or if we acknowledgeit to anyone, the whole dynamic changes, right?" He met her gaze. "Whymess with a good thing?"

Aisley gave a quick nod."Right. No one else gets to slap a label on us until we're ready…"She glanced away. "If we ever are." She would never push for more becausebeing official would complicate things.

Thad sat up again. "Do youwant to be? Ready, I mean?"

Aisley had no idea how to answer."Can I get back to you on that?"

Thad narrowed his eyes. "Youcould. But we've got a long night ahead of us. What'll it hurt if we runthrough some future plans?"

Maybe nothing. Maybe everything. Butshe owed him for taking Hambone on alone.

Exhaling slowly, she turned to facehim. "Okay. Where do you see us in six months?"

I'm kind of excitedto see where this story goes. I have a very loose outline of story beats and sofar, the characters are filling in all the blanks.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Napalm at Night

Happy St. Patrick'sDay! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. Andmy distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuffdone so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn'tmake a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with myfocus being all over the place.

I did catch anepisode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the firsttime around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episodeof My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished withthis show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught anotherepisode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seensomething of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so thisepisode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the finalepisode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting seasontwenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Napalm at Night,a novella that mixes a Viet Nam War vibe into the plot.

Here's the miniblurb:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, anextraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescuesafter enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. Shecomes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but notbefore the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Rip spun his empty shot glass onthe table, trying to decide if he'd order another. A shadow fell across thesurface, but he didn't glance up. He hadn't made up his mind yet and theprivate would wait a few moments before heading back behind the bar.

The smoky voice that haunted hisdreams broke the quiet. "Can I buy you a drink, Gunny?"

Rip's gaze shot upward, and heblinked … not quite certain the vision standing before him wouldn't disappear. Shestill invaded his dreams every night but, of course, never stuck around whenthe light of dawn broke every day. When her smile spread slowly across herface, his heart kicked hard against his ribs. She's really here.

And a decision to have anothersuddenly appealed greatly.

He couldn't contain a grin."Damn. You're an incredible sight to brighten the surroundings." Heremembered his manners. "And a welcome distraction." He pushed thechair opposite him away from the table then held up his glass. "Another drinksounds great."

She turned toward the bar, but theprivate already had two shots on a tray and headed their way.

Jensen smirked and settled acrossfrom him. "Terrific service. You don't even have to get the bartender'sattention to place an order." She tilted her head, her gaze roaming overRip.

He didn't mind, because he lookedhis fill, too. She surpassed his fantasy dreams. Of course, she'd opted againstthe standard-issue ponytail. Still damp hair grazed her shoulders, and thefresh scent of something light and airy tickled his nostrils. His body reactedmore to her than the entertainment troop full of gorgeous women that pulled outyesterday.

Something extremely sexy aboutimagining what her fatigues covered instead of a full-on display of her assets.

His lips curved. "It's reallygood to see you. In person, I mean."

She shot him a confused look.

He dropped his chin. "Uh,apparently when my fever kept spiking, you were in my dreams." The partabout her not leaving them could wait.

Her eyes widened. "I heard youinsisted on waiting until your men were treated and your wound got infected."She shook her head. "You're lucky sepsis didn't set in."

Rip grunted. "They were inworse shape. But it got a little sketchy for a while." More than a little,but he'd survive.

She placed her hand on his."You're pretty damned amazing."

Rip didn't agree, but he wouldn'truin her compliment by arguing. Not when he craved her company so badly.Something about Jensen Wallis intrigued the hell out of him.

So far, this storyis chugging along at a wonderful pace and the characters are following theirexpected trajectory. We'll see if that holds.

 

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

ML Skye

Napalm at Night

Happy St. Patrick'sDay! It's been a chaotic week with work projects and life stuff going on. Andmy distraction levels are making me frustrated. But … I'm still getting stuffdone so I can't really complain.

I definitely didn'tmake a full round of shows this week. Just didn't have the bandwidth with myfocus being all over the place.

I did catch anepisode of The Batman and had vague memories of watching this the firsttime around. Joker episodes are hit and miss in the version of the dark knight.

Watched an episodeof My Life Is Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm almost finished withthis show, and I'll miss it when I'm done. Such a fun cast of characters.

Caught anotherepisode of Midsomer Murders and again enjoyed the mystery. I'd seensomething of a similar nature of the plot based on a true story, so thisepisode ended up being a lot of fun.

Finished up the finalepisode of Silent Witness season twenty-five. I'll be starting seasontwenty-six this week. Ended up really enjoying the limited episode run.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Napalm at Night,a novella that mixes a Viet Nam War vibe into the plot.

Here's the miniblurb:

Napalm at night is dangerous stuff. Jensen Wallis, anextraordinary helicopter pilot, makes her fair share of early dawn rescuesafter enemy forces unleash the potent explosives on her fellow soldiers. Shecomes to the aid of Rip Rafferty's squadron and gets them to safety, but notbefore the enigmatic man sets her curious nature on fire.

And a sneaky peek…

Rip spun his empty shot glass onthe table, trying to decide if he'd order another. A shadow fell across thesurface, but he didn't glance up. He hadn't made up his mind yet and theprivate would wait a few moments before heading back behind the bar.

The smoky voice that haunted hisdreams broke the quiet. "Can I buy you a drink, Gunny?"

Rip's gaze shot upward, and heblinked … not quite certain the vision standing before him wouldn't disappear. Shestill invaded his dreams every night but, of course, never stuck around whenthe light of dawn broke every day. When her smile spread slowly across herface, his heart kicked hard against his ribs. She's really here.

And a decision to have anothersuddenly appealed greatly.

He couldn't contain a grin."Damn. You're an incredible sight to brighten the surroundings." Heremembered his manners. "And a welcome distraction." He pushed thechair opposite him away from the table then held up his glass. "Another drinksounds great."

She turned toward the bar, but theprivate already had two shots on a tray and headed their way.

Jensen smirked and settled acrossfrom him. "Terrific service. You don't even have to get the bartender'sattention to place an order." She tilted her head, her gaze roaming overRip.

He didn't mind, because he lookedhis fill, too. She surpassed his fantasy dreams. Of course, she'd opted againstthe standard-issue ponytail. Still damp hair grazed her shoulders, and thefresh scent of something light and airy tickled his nostrils. His body reactedmore to her than the entertainment troop full of gorgeous women that pulled outyesterday.

Something extremely sexy aboutimagining what her fatigues covered instead of a full-on display of her assets.

His lips curved. "It's reallygood to see you. In person, I mean."

She shot him a confused look.

He dropped his chin. "Uh,apparently when my fever kept spiking, you were in my dreams." The partabout her not leaving them could wait.

Her eyes widened. "I heard youinsisted on waiting until your men were treated and your wound got infected."She shook her head. "You're lucky sepsis didn't set in."

Rip grunted. "They were inworse shape. But it got a little sketchy for a while." More than a little,but he'd survive.

She placed her hand on his."You're pretty damned amazing."

Rip didn't agree, but he wouldn'truin her compliment by arguing. Not when he craved her company so badly.Something about Jensen Wallis intrigued the hell out of him.

So far, this storyis chugging along at a wonderful pace and the characters are following theirexpected trajectory. We'll see if that holds.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: My Best Friend Is a Cyborg

Man. What acrazy-busy week. Our weather is still being contrary. Warm and spring-like acouple of days followed by another blast of winter. My sinuses are notthrilled.

I didn't get througha full round of television this week. I had way too many irons in the fire andneeded to focus. My brain doesn't want to cooperate at all. Thankfully, I havethree current projects, which lets me bounce around when I can't concentrate onone specific thing.

I did get a holidayepisode of My Life Is Murder watched and thoroughly enjoyed it. It's interestingto see how the southern hemisphere celebrates the holiday in the middle oftheir summer.

I tried to watch thebehind-the-scenes Agatha Raisin, but it wouldn't play. That's twoseasons now that I can't access the specials. I'm kind of bummed about that.

I started the newseason of Midsomer Murders and loved the episode. I'm excited to diveback into this series. It's fun to see an older Betty.

Silent Witness continues to be very intriguing. I reallywant to know who's behind the curtain pulling the strings.

Caught another Deathin Paradise and remembered some of this one. Mainly the beginning and theend. Not sure what happened to the middle part and why I missed it the firsttime around but it's nice to finally see the whole episode.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. I like the slow progression of trust being built withSherlock and Watson. I have a sneaking suspicion that Sherlock now knows Joanisn't being paid by his father anymore. I'll be interested to see how thatplays out.

That's as far as Imade it for viewing this week and that's it for the life update. Tonight's postis from My Best Friend Is a Cyborg, a novella that explores what happensto a couple when life throws them a curve.

Here's theminiblurb:

Ibby Stoke finds out her best friend is a dreaded andreviled cyborg, and it sends her into a tailspin, making her wonder if the manshe loves is a mecha-human. Phil McNulty is everything she's ever wanted, butif he's not all man, Ibby isn't sure she can deal with the reality.

And a sneaky peek…

The pilot briefing room acted as arefuge even if safe havens might never exist again.

Ibby's throat swelled with unshedtears. "What the hell is going on?" She paced back and forth, tryingto wrap her head around the last hour of her life.

"Did I really try to choke outmy best friend?"

Okay, former best friend. She couldn'tcount Art as a best anything now. No way.

Big droplets leaked from her eyes. Memorieswhizzed through her brain. Art picking her up after a particularly brutalargument over who got the next ride on the tilting rockawhirl … which Ibbylost. Art stepping in when her date for the formal dance bailed at the lastminute. Going through basic training then flight school together…

Ibby swiped at her cheeks. "Iwill not cry for mecha-human cyborg." The betrayal cut deep.

How could he keep his status asecret from her? How could he let them alter him?

She paused and slammed her fistinto her palm. "How could he lie to me?" That wound would stay rawand open for a long time.

Phil strolled into the briefingroom. "He technically didn't. He had orders not to say anything." Hesnarled the words out.

Ibby whipped around. "Are youfucking kidding me? All mechs have to register. Who the hell ordered him tonot—" She broke off and shook her head. "No. No way. Are you tellingme the council ordered him to say nothing and didn't make him update his status?"

Phil snorted. "Oh, it's worsethan that, Ibbs." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "Art didn'thave a choice. The council didn't give him one. They made the call beforeArt even regained consciousness…" His voice trailed off and his headjerked back and forth.

A cold chill slithered down Ibby'sspine. "He didn't consent? Then that means…" She couldn't speak the rest.That means anyone could be a cyborg.

Phil grunted. "Yeah. Exactly."He lifted his chin. "From what Art told me. He's not the first anddefinitely not the last. This is the first stage of a new standard operatingprocedure." His lips twisted in a grimace.

Ibby sank down onto one of thecushioned seats. "Fuck. The hits just keep on landing, don't they?"Her shoulders slumped. "How? How can they think this is a good idea?"Stupid question … it didn't matter if the concept sucked when could keep bootson the ground and butts in the cockpit.

Not when they needed soldiers towin a damned war.

Phil settled beside her. "Oh,it's a terrible decision. And it's going to bite the convening authority on theass. But they're banking on having enough of their enhanced soldiers in the mixbefore having to go public." He paused a moment then added his conjecture."My guess is they're starting small. Something Art said is pinging in mybrain. They didn't replace his brain. He's still got his memories, feelings andall that." He huffed out a breath.

Ibby shook her head. "Not surethat helps. Any way you look at it, the idea sucks." Her heart hurt,thinking about what the council had done to her friend. "I mean, look atme. Art's been in my life for over a decade. But I can't forget what I knownow. How can that not change the dynamic between us?" And how could she befeeling so much pain for he'd gone through?

Phil kept his gaze straight ahead."Honestly, it does change everything. Of course, it does. Yet … how we letthis revelation play out is up to us. Mech aside, do we trust Art? If hismemories and feelings haven't been altered? Do we raise a big ruckus? Make itclear to the convening authority we won't accept this bullshit?" Hefinally turned to meet her gaze. "If we do that, what does it do to the peoplethat didn't have a choice? Do we have a right to blow up their lives when theydidn't consent to the enhancements?" He sighed. "I'm pissed offbecause the council trashed any kind of good option by starting this programunder a veil of secrecy." His eyes flashed with anger.

Ibby blinked, the rapid-firecommentary swirling in her mind. "Damn. You're right. They basically tookany form of choice of acceptance out of our hands, but they also put soldierslike Art in an impossible situation." She got up and paced back and forth."Shit. I can't deal with this right now. I just can't." Her heartrate spiked, and she itched to punch something.

Phil reached out and caught herhand, tugging onto his lap. "Then don't. Focus on something else." Hecaught her face in his hands.

Yeah, she could do with adistraction. Phil had a knack for giving her exactly what she needed. Andright, she needed him.

She leaned forward and meshed herlips with his.

This story took aturn I didn't expect and that always excites me. Looking forward to finishingthis up and launching it!

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Morning Sickness

Well, Marchdefinitely enters the year with a roar. We've had the crazy weather that hopsback and forth between warm and cold along with snow showers, thunderstorms,and thirty-degree temperature changes in twenty-four hours. Weirdly, it'ssomehow fitting that March is my birth month. Volatile and a wee bit mercurial.

 

My focus is stillall over the place, but I have multiple work projects, which helps when I needa change of scenery. It drives me batty when I read the same paragraph over andover because I keep getting distracted by everything. Being able to hop fromone manuscript to another helps in a weird way.

 

Had a decent weekof viewing. Still not quite getting a full slate in, but I'm happy with theshows I'm keeping up with. I'm having issues with one of the streamers on adevice, but I got the show watched despite the tech glitches.

 

Started out with thefinale of Agatha Raisin. I have a bonus behind-the-scenes episode towatch then it's on to a new show. I'll miss this one. I've had so much funwatching the characters interact and solve mysteries.

 

Caught another SilentWitness episode. So sorry about Jack's dad. And the whole deal with his momis beyond sad. Very nice to see Nikki be there for him. I'm wondering aboutSimone at the moment and Sam is playing a very cagey game.

 

Enjoyed another Deathin Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and enjoyed it the first time. Ilove Martha to bits and can't wait to finish Humphrey's run to start BeyondParadise in the near future.

 

Watched another episodeof Elementary. Interesting episode and I'm almost sorry the FBI ladywill live to show up again in the future.

 

Caught an episodeof The Batman. I had vague memories of watching this the first time but noteverything. I'm still not sure how I feel about Batgirl. I think I end upliking her better once Robin enters the show.

 

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I didn't remember either of the vignettes,which I'm kind of happy about. The later seasons were kind of hit or miss forus when the kiddos were young.

 

Finished the secondseason of The Secret Life of Amy Benson and I'm really hoping we get athird. I'm invested in the characters and want to see what happens next.

 

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Morning Sickness,a novella that explores what happens when a couple isn't quite ready forparenthood.

 

Here's theminiblurb:

 

Dava Whales has all the classic signs of pregnancy,except she can't possibly be with child—she's a solider in the middle of a warand religiously takes her mandatory birth control shots. When Warren Cartersuggests Dava get checked out, the pricklier than usual officer goesballistic—especially since Warren is the other half of the parental equation.

 

And a sneaky peek…

 

Warren braced for anything whenDava waved a paper in front of him. "What are you giving me here?" Hetook the sheet but didn't look at it.

Her lips twisted. "Not a kid,so you can relax." She plopped down into a chair across from his desk andslumped against the backrest.

Warren didn't visibly react, butrelief filled him … and maybe a twinge of disappointment. "Then what'sgoing on with you?" A kick of worry crawled down his spine.

Did Dava have some kind of seriousillness?

A vice tightened around his heartat the thought. He couldn't lose her … Wait, no, he couldn't lose his friendand pilot. They weren't anything more than that, with the exception of thebenefits package they took advantage of.

Dava waved a hand toward the papershe'd handed him. "It's all right there on the page. I'm one of the luckythree percent of the entire population with a very specific reaction to the newbirth control shots." Her shoulders slumped. "They make my body thinkit's pregnant … hence the morning sickness and crazy symptoms." She grimaced.

Warren finally glanced at thefitness report. "So, the mood swings, bouts of fatigue, and throwing upare because of the shots?" Damn, it sucked to be her right now.

Dava snorted. "Let's notforget the whole crazy impulse to jump you whenever you're within five feet ofme. I mean—" She broke off, her eyes welling.

Warren put the report down, backedaway from the desk, and rounded the edge to kneel in front of her. "Talkto me, Dava. Come on, let's work through this." He caught her hand in hisand tugged her up and over to the small couch in the corner. "Tell mewhat's wrong." He got her settled then eased down beside her.

Tears spilled over lashes, and sheshook her head. "Nothing. Everything. I have no idea." She rubbed ather cheeks.

Warren wrapped his arm around her,and she buried her face in his shoulder. He stroked his palm over her head,letting her cry because he could only imagine the emotional roller coaster shecouldn't stop. Hell, his head spun, and he didn't have the excuse of pinginghormones.

When she finally exhausted thewaterworks, her head lifted. "Geez, I'm such a mess." She dabbed ather eyes with her shirtsleeve.

Warren huffed out a laugh. "Atleast we know why." He hugged her close. "I'm sorry you're goingthrough this. What can I do to help?"

She raised her chin and held hisgaze. "Brace for impact. Because Kellerman said it'll be three monthsbefore they can get the old version of the shots." She patted her pocket."I have meds to keep me from throwing up, but everything else…" Sheexhaled on a long sigh. "Is still going to be a problem." Her lipstwisted in a wry smile.

Warren let out a low whistle."So … the mood swings and fatigue…" Damn … for three months.

Dava gave a nod. "Yeah, theyaren't going anywhere for a while." She flashed a smile. "On theflipside, neither is the impulse to get you naked so there's that." Hereyebrows waggled.

Warren's lips quirked. "I'lltry very hard to be accommodating whenever the urge strikes." The least hecould do.

Their life would be ratherinteresting over the next ninety days…

 

Warren is in for abumpy ride, but Dava is worth the rollercoaster experience.

 

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

 

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Missing You

February kind offlew by, which isn't actually a big shock since it's a short month anyway. But,man, I kind of wish it went by a little slower. I'm always scrounging aroundfor time and short months make me feel like there's less to be had.

Still had troublefocusing this week but I got a lot accomplished on my work projects despite mydistraction. Luckily, I have more than one project going so I can hop aroundwhen I start to lose my concentration.

Had an okay week ofviewing. I have to figure out what's going on with one of my streamers. Thatcould take another week. But I did get through most of my usual shows.

Started with MyLife Is Murder and actually got two episodes watched. I like the pickupwith Alexa's brother again. I wondered if we'd see him this season. Alsoenjoyed both cases Alexa had to solve.

Watched the first partof Agatha Raisin. Poor James. I can't wait to find out who offed hisbride. I love the interaction between all the characters, but I'm sad Roy isn'tin this one. At least not yet.

Caught anotherepisode of Silent Witness. Kind of enjoyed having another case mixed inwith the ongoing saga of Sam Ryan. I'm really not sure what's going on with herand I'm not going to be super surprised if she ends up being in the clear. Alsoloved Nikki and Jack's date. Nice to get some backstory with Simone, too.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. I remember bits of this one and I'm glad I got tosee the whole thing from start to finish. Not a bad opening for season six.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. I liked seeing Sherlock realize he'd way oversteppedwith the NYPD. Also loved having the captain kind of take some of his dignity back.

Caught another episodeof The Batman. I'm not as fond of this season and I remember feelingthis way when I watched originally. The new format grew on me, and I'll settleback in and enjoy, but I really loved the first season of this show the most.

Enjoyed thepenultimate episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Everything is comingto a head, and I can't wait to see how this ends.

Also rewatched the BattlestarGalactica resistance webisodes. Groundbreaking at the time, there's a lotof story packed into ten mini-episodes. And twenty years later, I'm stillstunned at how prescient the writers were for what's going on in the worldtoday.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Missing You,a novella that brings a couple together after a lot of ups and downs.

Here's theminiblurb:

Clara Small, the best undercover operative in militaryintelligence, tends to burn bridges instead of building them. But when shedestroys the one she needs the most, she has to find a way to make amends,which won't be easy because Wes Elliot rarely gives second chances.

And a sneaky peek…

Ah damn, I'm tired.

Too tired.

Clara tossed over fromher stomach to her side. She and Xen met up with a resistance group justoutside of Delphinia and, luckily for them, got invited to crash for a while attheir base of operations in the former hospital.

Basic needs … food,water, and, oh yeah … a shower, met, Clara just wanted to sleep and not wake upfor a week.

Except she couldn'tsleep.

Damn it all to hell.

She rolled to her back andstared at the ceiling.

Why wouldn't her brainshut the hell up? Not even a tri-net game with a hot guy—who cared if he lookedan awful lot like Wes—or her usual chin-ups seemed to break through thetension.

Oooo-kay. Run itdown then.

She jumped back here … Deimos… under need-to-know orders … for what? Some epic deep cover mission toinfiltrate the enemy camp only to get her ass kicked by some raven-hairedamazon before she'd barely even left her ship.  

Geez … she still hadaches from that little set down.

But Clara had the lastlaugh. She walked away … Richter—1, Raven Bitch—0.

And Xen. Thank the universefor Xen. She hadn't expected an ally, but she got one. Thank the universe hehadn't been killed in action as reported. They needed everyone they could find ontheir side.

At least she hoped she hadan ally. Xen had been hooked up with Sharee, a possible enemy agent or maybejust someone who played both sides to their own benefit. When the other womanripped off Clara's ride, Sharee didn't leave Xen with much of a choice but tothrow in with Clara.

Her gain. Sharee'sloss.

So … why did she feellike shit?

Because I fuckedeverything up again.She didn't like how things were left with Wes. Which explained her edgy,jumbled-up feeling that wouldn't let her sleep.

Clara's in a deep,dark place, and when she finally realizes Wes is the light at the end of hertunnel, things get really interesting.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Midsummer Mayhem (Capital City Seasons)

It's been a roughweek where my brain wants to do anything but focus on work. We also got eightinches of snow on Friday and the temps dropped way down again. My sinuses arenot happy at the moment.

Not a bad week ofviewing television. The whole distraction thing kind of kept me from getting afull slate watched. I did get through most of my normal shows.

I started out with MyLife Is Murder. I kind of like the new assistant but I'm wondering what's goingon the Maddie. I also love seeing actors from other shows pop up on this one. Ididn't realize how much Australian and New Zealand shows I've been watching.

Caught anotherepisode of Agatha Raisin and finished up the two-parter. Kind of wiggedout that James is getting married to someone else. But I loved the interactionsin this one.

Continued the eight-part,I think, Silent Witness. This season is very intriguing with a lot of twistsand turns. I'm looking forward to seeing how everything plays out.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and didn't remember seeing any of this one.Happy to have it in the watched pile.

Watched another episodeof Elementary. The introduction of Moriarity is something I've lookedforward to. Not sure how I feel about Joan lying to Sherlock, but I'll reservejudgment until I see how it rolls on screen.

Caught anotherepisode of The Batman. Enjoyed seeing Scarface again. Also liked peelingback the layers of Hugo Strange. He's an intriguing character.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of them from the originalrun and liked both. Such a fun show.

Also watched anotherepisode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. Very interesting twist withMaggie coming back. I can definitely see how the books this series is based onwould captivate readers. I do think there's a little loss of translation fromthe page to screen, but I really love this series a lot.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Midsummer Mayhem,a novella in the Capital City Seasons series.

Here's the miniblurb:

Chris Renfer, alpha team leader for the strategic tacticalunit, falls for Melanie Pramble at first sight, but she's new to the city and wantsto get her bearings. But when Renfer's team is stuck in a bad situation,Melanie is the go-to person for negotiation and Chris can only hope theirbeginning doesn't end before it makes headway.

And a sneaky peek…

Chris knocked on Jess and Murph'sdoor two minutes before seven. "What the hell am I doing here?" He didn'treally want to unload his personal issues on two of his closest friends.

Jess greeted Chris with a sheepishsmile. "Come on in. Slight change in plan…" She led him into theentry space. "We're still having drinks, but we've got company." Shenodded toward the living room.

Chris held up a hand. "Look,no problem. We can reschedule." He'd take the unexpected out and thank theuniverse.

Jess shook her head. "Uh-uh. Stickaround." She led him into the living area.

Murph glanced away from hisconversation and lifted his chin. "Chris. Glad you could make it." Hethrust his palm forward.

Chris shook hands then got aglimpse of their additional guest. A gorgeous woman turned and flashed a verybrief smile. Chris sucked in a harsh breath but recovered and grinned.

Ben made the introductions."Chris, this is Melanie Pramble. She's hopefully going to be joining Margoand Graham as a new partner." He slid his gaze toward Melanie. "Nopressure, of course."

New partner? As in she might besticking around? Chris sincerely hoped so.

He automatically put his hand out."That's great. Welcome to Capital City."

Melanie clasped his palm. "Oh,I'm not staying. Yet. I'm headed back to New Boniface first thing in themorning." Her voice betrayed her doubt about signing on with Ben's team.

Chris cocked his head. "Lovelyarea. I can understand your reluctance to leave." But he'd be the first tohope she decided to do so.

Jess stepped in. "Melaniemissed her transport out of town so she's staying at one of Angus's apartments.We're waiting on the keys, which Angus is having sent over." She looped herhand around Chris's elbow. "Why don't we get you something to drink?"Guiding him toward the kitchen, she leaned in a little close. "Reallysorry about this mix-up. Murph will take Melanie over to the apartment then youand I can talk." She headed to the refrigerator and pulled out a bottle ofale.

Chris took another look in theliving room and decided his restless itch had met its match in Melanie Pramble.

He took the bottle from Jess andtugged her off to the side. "Yeah, about that? My deal earlier? Might notbe as bad as I thought."

He glanced toward Melanie again. Hecouldn't seem to stop looking at her. Yep. Things definitely looked up.

Jess followed his gaze and shookher head. "Chris, my man, you better not mess this up for Murph. Shehasn't said yes to the offer, yet." She frowned. "She's got somereservations."

Chris tsked. "Why not? Seemslike she'd be a great fit." Not that he would know, considering he'd mether five minutes ago.

Jess lifted a shoulder. "Fulldisclosure? She's worried things will be awkward. She met Ben when we weresplit, and they almost hooked up." She met Chris's gaze. "So, don'tscare her away. Murph really wants her to join the team."

Chris narrowed his eyes. "Idon't care if they almost hooked up. Are you okay with him possibly workingwith her?"

Jess's lips quirked. "Honestly?I have no idea. But I'll use Ben and Jim as a guidepost. If they got past anyweird vibes, I'm confident Melanie and I can do the same."

Chris flicked his gaze toward theliving room again. "Here's hoping."

I have a lot oflove for this story. Chris is one of my favorite characters from the firstbook.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Matchmaker's Men

Happy Valentineweek to those who celebrate. I'll throw in Galentine, friends with benefits,and all things hearts and flowers, too. February is a short but sometimesbrutal month. Celebrate whatever you can.

Very busy work weekwith some great projects. Ran into a few glitchy things in a manuscript andthat slowed my flow down. I actually enjoy that sometimes. Makes me stop andthink about the story and how to suggest better changes.

Semi-decent viewingweek. Made it through my shortened list of shows but had no time for my rewatchof Battlestar Galactica.

Started off withthe season three opener of My Life Is Murder. Still enjoying this showso much. I think three is the last season so I'm going to savor it.

Started a newtwo-part Agatha Raisin. Very much enjoyed the antics of Wilkes and I'm alittle bummed that Bill and Toni aren't really connecting. Also kind of wishRoy had more to do.

Watched the seasontwenty-five opening episode of Silent Witness. Kind of cool to see Sam Ryanagain. I think this season is focused around one main case and I'm kind ofexcited to see where it goes. Also kind of great to see Nikki and Jack maybeget their bookmark on the same page. We'll see how that goes.

Caught anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Very interesting premise for this one. Enjoyedthe unraveling of the case to find out who did it.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Elementary. I like Joan's resistance to staying with Sherlockbut it would be more interesting if she actually said why she didn't want tostick around.

Watched another episodeof The Batman. I'd forgotten about this one and kind of loved how Barbarafigured out who Batman is then decided she had it all wrong. Fun episode.

Caught another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I have vague memories of the two vignettes andrather enjoyed both.

Got another episodeof The Secret Life of Amy Benson in and pretty much loved it. The storyis moving along and I'm excited to get more details to her past.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Matchmaker's Men,a sexy short that's somewhat Valentine's adjacent.

Here's the miniblurb:

Nova Anell and Matz Yarmacher belong together, butneither wants to be the first to admit it. But when their crew mates startworking behind the scenes to put Nova and Matz together, they have no choicebut to face what they feel and decide what to do next.

And a sneaky peek…

Matz only wanted to ask if sheunderstood what he meant.

He almost swallowed his tongueinstead.

Nova Anell stood in front of him completelynaked. No way is that a mistake.

Of course, he'd seen her nudebefore. The military didn't designate between sexes. A soldier either got withthe program or they got pushed out. But showering after a shift didn't have thecharged atmosphere of truly seeing her and taking a good, long look.

She fit his ideal picture. She had atoned physique but also had soft curves that complimented the angular linesdefined by the physical toll of their work. Not perfect because why wouldanyone want a cookie-cutter partner. He sure didn't. He wouldn't change onething about her.

Am I dreaming? Did the air suddenly get suckedout of the room? The pressure in his head exploded outward, filling his entire beingwith a combination of lust and full-on admiration. How is this reallyhappening? And how long had he actually wanted something more with Nova?

Long enough to avoid thinking aboutthe idea lest the universe would implode. He wondered if the deck would dropout from under him if he moved … because his luck would run in that direction.But his feet itched to challenge reality even if he woke up from whateverstrange dream he lived in right now.

Unable to resist testing thetheory, he slowly headed in her direction. So far, so good. No faded imagery,no obnoxious alarm buzzing to wake him, and no mushroom cloud hovering in thebackground.

Stopping inches away from her, heheld her eyes. "You're sure?"

He needed her to understand hecouldn't go back. He wanted her to be okay with the change in dynamics. Therewould be a lot more than a shower happening from this point onward.

Matz lifted his chin. "Be reallysure…"

I love this story.It's fun to write a group of friends and colleagues pushing two people whobelong with each other together.

 

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

ML Skye