Skye Ritchey's Blog, page 3

Sunday Snippet: Muddy Up the Waters

It's a long weekendin the US for the Memorial Day holiday and also graduation weekend for our localhigh school. Seems like a great time to have lovely weather, right? It's Ohioso the answer would be probably not. It's cloudy with a chance of rain. But atleast the temperature is in the high sixties instead of the low fifties, whichis more like March instead of May.

I'm making headwayon the multiple work projects. Two have shifted off my plate for the next stepin the publishing process and the other six are coming along. I should have atleast two more finished up this week. YAY!

Had a pretty solidweek of viewing. I did make it through my regular slate of shows and gotstarted on my two new ones. Or, one new one and one that always seems to simmeron the back burner.

Enjoyed anotherepisode in my rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. The firstcouple of episodes do such a great job of setting up the dynamic between thecharacters and I thoroughly enjoy the actors so much.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and like how awkward things are betweenSelwyn and his daughter. I also kind of enjoy Katherine being in his face but Ialso think she kind of oversteps sometimes.

Caught another episodeof Poirot and enjoyed it. I often feel like the relationship betweenPoirot and Japp is shortchanged because we don't really see how that started,but the interactions are fun.

Enjoyed another BrokenwoodMysteries. Kind of weird but awesome the victim is someone we met in anearlier episode. And the mystery took some wild turns, which is always fun.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and loved the interactions with Joan and Sherlock.The ice cream touch at the end is perfection.

Caught an episodeof Batman Beyond and it's one I don't really remember much of but alsoone that I quite enjoyed. There's nothing like a storyline where a character istrapped in a computer and wants to escape to the real world. It's a weird tropethat I love.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. The two vignettes are ones that were new to me, and Iliked both. Weird bit with some out of order information as the Finsters werestill calling their dog puppy instead of Pepper.

Watched another episodeof Return to Paradise and I'm still enjoying this one. I'm veryinterested in seeing what happens with Mackenzie and her ex-fiancé. There's alot of good potential to be very messy with this situation.

I got started on anew episode of Peak Practice but didn't make it all the way through. I'lltry to finish it up this week.

Also started a newepisode of Reacher, but paused because I need to pay attention andcouldn't focus like I wanted to. I'll definitely finish this one up this week.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Muddy Up the Waters,a novella that reunites a couple after three years to see if they can work outtheir issues.

Here's theminiblurb:

Fiona and Warrick can't quite get their timing togetherlong enough to be on the same page when it comes to making a commitment.Instead they expend their energy on playing a game of who can hurt who the most… until one decides enough is enough.

And a preview snippet…

Fiona attempted a smooth landingbut failed on an epic level. Instead of gliding into Warrick's place, she crash-landedin a heap in the middle of his first floor living space.And found him hot and heavy with ablonde, her legs wrapped around Warrick's waist, up against a wall with himdriving into her. That'll teach me to show up unannounced. She ignoredthe rising bile in her throat and ruthlessly tamped down the hot burn ofjealousy thrumming through her veins. She had zero claim on the council head.Warrick's head snapped around atthe disturbance. "What the hell are you doing here?" He used hisshoulders to block her view of his … bedmate?Or maybe life partner?Again, she swallowed down the nastytaste in her mouth. "Excuse me? You demanded my immediate presence."Gathering her broom, she tucked it under her arm and got to her feet. "So …here I am." With a snort, she added, "Next time, consider giving aspecific time when issuing orders … if only to avoid anything like thishappening again." She sent her best innocent look his way.Warrick's nostrils flared. "Whatever.Since you're here, go wait upstairs in the solarium." He tilted his headtoward the woman. "I'm a little busy at the moment."Fiona rolled her eyes. "Tenminutes. Then I leave the way I came." She stomped over to the stairs andclomped each step until she reached the top.The solarium beckoned her at theend of the hall. She'd loved this room … before Warrick accepted the positionas head of council. Before he lived here and called this space his own.She wondered how many changes he'dmade. Her hand stilled over the knob and trembled a little. Facing the past she'dwrecked and walked away from didn't give her any kind of right to bedisappointed.Sucking in a deep breath, shetwisted the handle and pushed the door open.Soft light from several sconces greetedher when she entered. The three walls and partial ceiling of windows opened thespace up to nightfall outside. The slipping sun of burnished orange dippedbelow the tree line. Her feet moved across the polished wood floor, through themix of plants and tables and shelves lined with books, bottles, and baublessteeped with the history of the glade.She came to a stop beside thewingback chair Upton Morse used to occupy. The previous head of council left ahuge empty spot when he succumbed to his injuries from a battle with a longillness. She still missed him … even if she no longer called the glade home.Continuing forward, she gazedthrough the expanse of glass with memories shifting in her mind not unlike thesway of the shadowy treetops dancing in the twilight. Warmth cascaded over her… the familiar surroundings creating a warm glow that sparked to life in herheart and soul. She had no illusions about Warrick leaving the space untouchedfor her. But she appreciated the lack of change anyway.Exhaling on a sigh, she closed hereyes. "I've missed this place so much…""It's not like it wentanywhere. You would be the one who did that."Squaring her shoulders, Fionabraced for a battle and turned to face Warrick—fresh from a shower if the damphair and unbuttoned shirt were indicators. "Why am I here, Warrick?"

I'm not completelysure where things are going with this one, but Fiona and Warrick are going tocrash into something that will make them work together and I can't wait to writethat for them.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mr and Mrs Black

May is flying by ata rapid pace. This week has been intense with burning the candle at both endsfor me. This is a good day to take some downtime, which I'm trying to do today.

Work exploded thisweek with multiple projects dropping into my inbox. I have four nonfictionmanuscripts and three fiction manuscripts in various stages of editing. I don'tnormally have seven different projects going at the same time but, so far, I'mmanaging them. It'll make for a nice June once they're all turned in.

Had an amazing weekof viewing. I got a full round of shows in and caught a couple of extras. Alsostarted a new show that might be sporadically viewed until it's available forstreaming.

I started a rewatchof Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries this week. I'm waiting a some new episodesof a few other shows to drop and this is such a comfort series for me.

Caught anotherepisode of Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very twistyand turny, which is always fun.

Enjoyed another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm happy to have some Naomi backstory. I'd loveto see a bit more of that for the characters.

Started a from thebeginning run of Poirot. I've seen quite a few episodes of this show buthaven't watched any of them in order. This is another filler series until newepisodes start dropping of my current shows.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. I'm always interested whenweird cases pop up and the cryogenics angle ended up being interesting.

Caught an episode ofBatman Beyond and have some vague memories of the first time I watchedit. I'm wondering if the Ts are in any way a throwback to Mr. Terrific. I mighthave to dive down that rabbit hole at some point.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of these vignettesand I liked both.

I finished up anepisode of Peak Practice and might start another one this week. This isone of my back burner shows and I'm happy I got to finish watching.

Started a new-to-meseries and watched Reacher. Gotta say I loved the first episode. I did abit of dive into write-ups of future seasons, and I think I'll stick with thisone.

Also got aminimarathon of Return to Paradise in over the weekend. I'm looking forwardto streaming this one when it's available in the US. Really enjoyed the firstthree episodes and I'm excited to see the rest.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Mr. and Mrs. Black, anovella about a couple whose work makes them keep secrets from each other.

Here's theminiblurb:

Ember Frost and Winter Smoak, assassins for opposingfactions, are ordered by their respective employers to kill each other, whichwould be so much easier if they weren't happily married but hiding some bigsecrets—like their occupations—from each other.

And a preview snippet…

"That should do it." Keepingthe slow boil of anger in check, Ember set the stage.She'd booby trapped the doors—front,back, and the French doors leading to the patio. Even with the haze of betrayalclouding her vision, she put backup contingencies in place. Because … when itcame right down to reality? She honestly didn't know if she could actually pullthe metaphorical trigger.If Win died in an explosion, itwould be on him for not being cautious. Right? Then again, she'd never knownhim to not be vigilant.She snorted. "Except when itcomes to the truth." He'd prevaricated there.Big time.And okay, the irony stabbing her inthe gut because she also hid her true work from him only calmed the swirling spiralof rage, disappointment, and … if she had to own it … hurt a tiny bit.Squaring her shoulders, she ran hermental checklist. She had a barrage of spells ready to go. She consideringplanning a seductive scene to hide the real reason she'd lured him to thislocation … on the off chance he cased the house first. But why would he dothat? She'd asked him to meet ASAP, which could mean anything. Right?She ruthlessly ignored the smallniggle she should dim the lights and start a fire. Could she sneak in one lastromp with the man she married? No. She had an assignment, and she would carryit out like she'd done with every other target she'd been handed.And when her heart broke after shecompleted the task?Well … she'd deal with that bynever falling for another person again. Ever. She'd sworn to cherish and honorWinter Smoak until her dying breath.She shook her head. "Should'vesaid until his dying breath.""Sounds like you're plottingmy demise."She whirled to find Win standing onthe stairs behind her.Well, fuck. Of course he enteredthrough a window on the second floor.Caught off guard, she reactedquickly and flung a fireball at him. "Maybe because I am…"

Having a lot of funwith this one. Ember and Win might be keeping big secrets but they know eachother very well and that makes this encounter dangerous between them.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mocking with a Side of Sarcasm

Happy Mother's Dayto all the moms, mentors, and mother figures out there! Enjoy the day, and ifit's a hard day to celebrate, take care of you.

Another wildly busywork week but a lot of projects moved ahead and some were completed. Onecontrary work thing took an unexpected turn and I'll be trying to figure thatone out later today.

Had a decent weekof viewing despite the busy schedule. I made it through a full round of myshows, minus one—Dark Winds—because it's not on the streaming service Ihave anymore. I think it's on another one, but I've been too busy to track itdown.

Started the weekoff with Brokenwood Mysteries. This one ended up being a lot of fun witha couple of interesting secrets being revealed. Truly hope to see more of Trudyand Ray's mom.

Watched anotherepisode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Really not surewhat Neville's DI friend is doing on the island but have a feeling it's notgoing to mean anything good.

Loved the BeyondParadise holiday special for this past Christmas. I'm looking forward todiving into the rest of the season when it's available in the US.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Elementary. Interesting to get some backstory of Sherlock'stime under the influence. Also intriguing that he stayed somewhat in thebackground. I like that kind of character progress.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond and didn't really have any recollection about this one.I did enjoy seeing Terry use his Batman moves while out of the costume.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and enjoyed both vignettes. I didn't remembereither of them so more new-to-me stuff.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mocking with a Sideof Sarcasm, a novella that explores what happens when long-held secrets cometo light.

Here's theminiblurb:

Bentley Briggs is snarky on a good day, but when shebecomes mocking and throws out a side of sarcasm, Vasek Barrett wants to knowwhy. He discovers a secret Bentley doesn't want him to know and she'll elevateher vitriol to an art form, but it won't keep Vasek from lending a hand.

And a preview snippet…

Bentley entered her parents'—no …her mom and Baron's—house and purposefully let the door slam shut.Took less than five seconds for hermother to come bustling in. "For goodness' sake. What is your problem,Bentley? You know I don't appreciate it when you shake the house to the rafterswhen you come in." Exasperation oozed from Mariana's pores.Bently cut right to the chase."Why didn't you fight for Teague?" She shrugged out of her jacket andtossed it on the back of the chair, something else her mother hated.Mariana blinked, opened her mouththen shut it again. She shook her head and turned back toward the study.Bentley called her mom out."You don't get to ignore me this time, Mom. Why didn't you fight for theman you loved?" A whole lot rode on her mom's answer.Mariana whirled around."Because I didn't love him!" She closed her eyes and exhaled slowly."More like I couldn't be sure of what I felt for him. And he left before Icould figure it out." Moving forward, her shoulder slumped in resignation,she took a seat on the edge of one of her slipper chairs.Bentley grunted. "Can youblame him?" Defending Teague didn't set completely well with her, but sheunderstood a lot more now than she did before.Mariana sighed. "It was aconfusing time and so long ago. I didn't know how I felt after I found out …well, after I discovered his latent ability. I was angry with him for nottelling me." She straightened her shoulders. "He left. At first togive me space. Then I met Baron, and I did fall in love with him. By the timeTeague returned, I was planning a wedding." Her face grew wistful.A fresh splash of rage washed overBentley. "And let Teague suffer in silence? Way to go, Mom." Shepaced back and forth. "You get him to sign his parental rights away, haveBaron adopt me, then keep everything, everything, from me when you knewall along what might happen." She stopped and flung her hand out. "Nowonder I'm so messed up. I can't turn around without smacking into anothersecret." Probably why she'd become so good at keeping them herself.Mariana tilted her head and pinnedBentley with a hard glare. "Kind of like you not telling Vasek how youreally feel about him?" Her lips curved in a knowing smirk.Dammit, Baron. I trusted you.

Bentley didn't like the twist."Gee, Mom, I don't know. Guess I got the worst of my parents instead ofthe best. Lucky me." The chasm grew even wider between her and her mother.Mariana clicked her tongue againsther teeth. "You know what? Stop it. You've had a very privilegedupbringing, and I didn't raise you to act like a spoiled child."Bentley snorted then went forblood. "You didn't raise me at all. Baron did. The man I thoughtwas my father." She started pacing again. "And it makes so much sensenow. You couldn't bear to be around me, because I reminded you of your worsttransgression … getting knocked up by someone you considered to be untrustworthy."She stopped mid-step. "Well, guess what, Mom? You won't have to sufferthrough that anymore. I'm going to fix it for you." She grabbed her coatand headed for the foyer.Mariana reached out and clasped Bentley'sshoulder. "And just how do you plan to do that?" Her fingers dug intoBentley's skin.Bentley shrugged away from hermother. "Easily. By walking out the door and not letting it hit me in theass on the way out. Your biggest problem—which has always been me—solved justlike that." She snapped her fingers, gave her mother a mocking salute thenpulled the door open and strode through, leaving her gaping mother behind.

I love writing Bentley'sconfrontations. She's a force to be reckoned with and her life is falling apart,but she'll get things back on track.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

 

Sunday Snippet: Mister Mysterious

May the Fourth bewith anyone who celebrates! And, wow, a shiny new month that's off to a wildstart so far. Our weather has been crazy intense with loads of rain. Mydaughter graduated with a master's in arts administration, and I unfortunatelyhad to miss due to being under the weather. But I'm so proud of her!

Work projects keptme very busy. I'm getting to a finishing point on one that's been difficult toget through and I have a new one getting ready to start. The weather has beenwreaking havoc on productivity because the possibility of losing power is a constantconcern.

I did have a decentweek of viewing and made a full run through my regular slate of shows. Istarted a movie but didn't have time to finish it.

I caught an episodeof Dark Winds and I'm still intrigued by everything that's happening inthis show. I love that the FBI agent's cover is blown by episode two and Ican't wait to see what happens with the fallout from that.

Also watchedanother episode of Brokenwood Mysteries. This is truly one of my happyplace shows. I'm rather curious about whether Gina is still rooming with Kristinor not and if not, what happened there.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Very curious where things might go withthe Sophie and Neville thing and also where the whole last prepper standingthing will end up going since he's watching Neville.

Loved the season twofinale of Beyond Paradise. Humphrey and Martha are so much fun, and thesurrounding cast of characters is so good. I'm not always sure about Anne, butshe's growing on me.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary and rather enjoyed Sherlock's attempt at takingcare of Joan. And her solution to having her own space is genius.

Watched an episodeof Batman Beyond with the beginning of season two. Ended up rememberingmost of this one. This is such a good follow up to the original series.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I have some vague memories of bothvignettes, which is so weird because most of the ninth season is new to me.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mister Mysterious,a novella that gives a couple a second change to right an old wrong.

Here's the miniblurb:

Marlow Spence loses her sister to a sinister spellbinderwho believes the siblings have the power to control dreams. When Tharn Olivershows up on her doorstep, there can be only one reason—Leo Tolstoy is back andhe wants Marlow.

And a preview snippet…

After tossing and turning for anhour, Tharn spent a sleepless night studying the cluster of gifts Marlow hadreceived. "Better than strolling down memory lane…" Which would notend well with her in such close proximity.Stop thinking with your dick, dumbass.Right. Because that would not happen.They had their chance and acting on their attraction stole the future fromthem.He clenched his fist. "Notthis time." Tolstoy wouldn't get the chance to ruin Marlow's hard-won recovery.Even if she existed in solitudenever letting anyone get too close.Not that he blamed her. And herespected the fact she continued to work and carve out a life for herself …even if she had to be lonely. The conscious choice she'd made worked for her.He leaned his head on the back ofthe couch. "Wish I could say the same." But he really couldn't.He moved through life alwaysreaching for something that eluded him. The thing he almost had the nightCharlotte died. A contentment lasting in a small window of time before hisfuture ended up dashed and dead against a rocky cliff.Because even after so much time hadpassed … and especially after coming here tonight … he finally figured out whathis life had been missing."Marlow's it for me." Noone else could fill the void in his heart.Seeing her brought the wildattraction back, but in a way tempered by the events of that night. All thattranspired since then added depth to the longing for what could have been. Andserved as a stark contrast to the reality he lived."Is she really happy? Or isshe marking time like I am?"The answer to that question mightprove to be as elusive as what he truly wanted …Her love.She would hate having him in herspace … a constant reminder of what she lost. But he wouldn't walk away … not yet.When she no longer had to look over her shoulder, he'd get out of her way, andshe could live her life…Without him.

This is such amoody manuscript and I kind of love it. Tharn and Marlow have a road they haveto travel together and it's fun writing their journey.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Mirror of the Mist

This is going to bea super busy week. The best part is my daughter is graduating from grad schoolon Friday. I'm so excited for her. And very proud of her accomplishments!

Our weather did thewarm up then plummet back down thing this week. Gorgeous, though. Everything isturning green and blooming. I love those first signs of new growth.

Got a lot finishedup with work projects. I think I'm getting closer to having a work-life balanceagain. I hope so because I have a busy May and June coming up and need to getsome things done around my house.

Pretty decent weekof viewing. I ended up keeping Dark Winds on the back burner because oneof my faves dropped new episodes.

I finished up therun of London Kills. I'm quite happy with where things ended up on thechance there won't be any new episodes. I will say I'm not keen on the other DIso I'm hoping that's not going to be a thing if there is more to this series.

Brokenwood Mysteries is back! Watched the premiere episode andit didn't disappoint. Kind of twisty and turny and a little bit bonkers, whichis perfect. Also rather nice to see Mike's house again. It's been missing thelast few seasons.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and liked it. I'minterested in how things with Selwyn's daughter will end up playing out.

Caught another episodeof Beyond Paradise. I'm almost finished with the second season and hopethe third will be available soon. Really liked the episode. I loved theinteractions with Esther and Zoe. And really loved watching Anne deal with theletdown of finding out her new man is married.

Watched anotherepisode of Batman Beyond. I have vague memories of this one but don'tremember enough to know if Blight will end up making a return. My money is onyes.

Finished out theweek with an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, both were new to me.Actually loved the crawl space one. And, weirdly, I really enjoy Taffy.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Mirror of the Mist, anovella that puts a spin on the Snow White fairytale.

Here's theminiblurb:

An urban riff on Snow White, Cecelia Dumond, a black artspriestess, tasks Dys Hunter to assassinate her counterpart, a mystic oraclenamed Lyric Song. Dys goes undercover in a fight club to gain access to thepowerful beauty. Little does he know, she's the one to lead him home, back tohis rightful place as heir to his father's empire.

And a preview snippet…

"Did you accomplish yourgoal?"Dys gazed longingly into the mirrorhe communicated through. "I'm in. I'll sign the contract tomorrow." Whichwould get him one step closer to the end game.Her lips curved in a sensual smile."Excellent. What were your impressions of Lyric Song?" She reclinedon her chaise, bending her knee and propping her foot on the end of the seat.Dys thought a moment beforeanswering. "She's savvy and very much in control." He didn't mentionher beauty or the almost instant zing he got when he first laid eyes on her.Which … bothered him. His loyaltyto Cecelia notwithstanding, he'd never been drawn to another woman. Beddedothers, yes. Usually at Cecelia's behest. And the reward for doing so neverfailed to be worth those sanctioned indiscretions.Cecelia arched her brows. "Sherules the roost then? Our intel is accurate on that front?" She shiftedher position, draping an arm over the side of the chaise.Dys nodded. "She makes thedecisions. In fact, I have to live on sight for the duration of my firstcontract." Based on what his guides showed him his quarters would be astep up from the studio apartment Cecelia put him up in.Cecelia lunged forward. "Youwhat? This information wasn't in the dossier I procured." Her lips pulledinto a frown. "A nasty surprise that will make communicatingdifficult." An angry huff escaped her lips.Dys arched his brows. "I coulduse the leverage we have about their side projects. She might back down andallow me to live away from the facility." He'd used that knowledge to getin, but he'd pull the trump again if his mistress required him to do so.Cecelia waved a hand. "No. Fornow, follow all instructions you're given. I want you to get close with the twomen you called goons. They're inner circle. That's where you need to be."Her irritation eased and she settled back into a sexy pose.Dys frowned. "Should I attemptseduction? To help gain access to the secret aspects of their other sidelines?"Wouldn't be a hardship if his mistress ordered him to get close with Lyric.Cecelia's lips curved. "Ifyou're not bedding her within two weeks, something's wrong. No woman should beable to resist your charm … or that prime physique."Dys basked under the praise … buthe also held back his misgivings, something he normally didn't do with Cecelia.Lyric wouldn't be strung along by her libido. She'd made that pretty clear. But… he almost welcomed the challenge of convincing her otherwise.Cecelia snapped her fingers. "Dys,you have nothing to worry about. She'll fall for you. And you'll be handsomelyrewarded when you complete this mission. Never fear." Her legs fell openand she trailed a finger along her stomach.Dys lifted his chin. "Yes,mistress. I await that moment." He'd succeed and make her happy.She gave him one of her specialsmiles. "I will too, my dear one. And I'll find a way to contact you forupdates. Until then … remain my loyal subject." She waggled her fingers,and the mirror went back to normal.Dys shook his head. He missedCecelia … but didn't have the constant, burning ache for her he normally didwhen he had to leave her realm. Instead, anticipation filled him for his next interactionwith Lyric … he couldn't wait to sign the contract and start his journey withThune Ultimate Fighting Factory.

I'm having fun withthis one. There will be many twists and turns in story for Dys.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

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

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

I might be seeingthe light at the end of the tunnel on numerous work projects. I'm kind of excitedabout a couple of them being closer to the author's publication date. I haveseveral nonfiction projects that have been super challenging but they're greatbooks.

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

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

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

Watched anotherepisode of Beyond Paradise. Sad to see Anne get caught up in a not-so-greatsituation. Loved the way Martha handled Zoe's mistake. Also fun to have Humphreyand Martha approved for fostering.

Got blown away byanother episode of Elementary. The case ended up being intriguing andthe end? Wow. Did not expect that to happen.

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

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of the vignettes andparticularly liked the video game one.

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

Here's theminiblurb:

Nadia Iris discovers the terrible truth about her lineageand confronts the man responsible. Her father's dark plan for the future isn'thigh on her list of things to get done … but reuniting with Falk Ridenour is.Too bad her dad has other ideas for Nadia.

And a preview snippet…

Nadia sank into Falk's embrace. Guh.I've missed him so much. Why not relish the moment? Might be all they wouldhave for a while.She eased back. "Do you wantsomething to drink? Eat?" Just because her sperm donor thought she lackedcivility, it didn't mean she hadn't been taught basic manners.Falk tilted his head to one sideand studied her for a long moment. "Uh-uh. Just want you." His handslid down her arm and caught her palm in his.Her heart soared. "That I canarrange. But … not here." She turned and tugged him through the livingroom and kitchen, leading him out to the backyard and the cozy gazebo."Don't trust the old man not to have the cottage under magickal surveillance."Entering the large enclosure, she turned and faced Falk.His eyebrows arched. "Thisplace isn't?" His gaze took in the plush accommodations.She shook her head. "Not thatI've found. I don't think he knows how much I use this space for myself."Or how many personal touches she'd added for protection.Falk's lips twitched. "Hasn'tlearned not to underestimate you yet. That's his mistake." He drew hercloser. "This is perfect. A small slice of solitude." He cupped hernape and lowered his head to mesh his lips with hers.Nadia wrapped her arms around him.The world looked brighter now. Like Falk brought the sun and put the color backwhere it belonged.Everything with Boris turned gray,dark, and ugly most of the time.Falk mouth moved up to her ear."Don't let him invade your space here or harsh your calm." Hisfingers slipped under her shirt. "It's just you and me. No one else."Inching the fabric upward, he dipped down to flick his tongue over a nipplethrough her bra.Right. Boris would not ruinthis reunion for her.Nadia did a slow nod. "Justyou and me. No one else." Her fingers undid the button on his pants andlowered the zipper.Falk flashed a smile. "Thereyou are." He eased her tee up and over her head. "For the next … oh,let's say an hour or so … just be…" His fingers slid her bra straps down."Focus on your senses." Unhooking the lingerie, he let her take overto remove the garment while he stepped out of his pants and yanked his shirtover his head.Nadia sucked in a breath. She'dforgotten how much she enjoyed looking at him. Yeah, letting her senses takeover added to the heightened awareness running through her veins.Falk slipped his fingers under herwaistband and dragged her leggings down past her hips. She kicked them asideand grasped his hips, needing to be skin-to-skin with him. He cupped her assand lifted, urging her to wrap her legs around his waist, trapping the hardlength of his cock between them.Her mouth hovered an inch away fromhis. "I'm so happy you're here…" She slanted her lips over his andthrust her tongue past his teeth.She didn't come up for air until hesettled on the edge of the bed, skimmed his palms along her torso, and kneadedher breasts.Her head fell back, and she gasped."I need you so much right now."Falk nuzzled her throat. "I'mall yours." He leaned back on his elbows.Nadia grasped his heavy length androse up bringing her hips forward then sank down. Falk let out a low moan andNadia made a hum of satisfaction. They fit perfectly together.Planting her hands on his chest,she rocked slowly over him. "You're all mine…"

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

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mendacium

Geez, halfway throughthe month already and I feel like I'm stuck in reverse. Not to say I'm notgetting anything done. I am. Most of it is work related, which I'm notcomplaining about. But … I do need to do a better work-life balance. Even mydaily oracle card draw is pointing me in that direction.

I'm still buriedunder multiple projects, and all are making solid progress. I've never had somany nonfiction manuscripts and I'm actually enjoying being able to switch backand forth between the variety of genres there and with my fiction manuscripts.I have a holiday horror story, a romance, and a mystery in fictional work.

Not a bad viewingweek. I made it through my usual round of shows did get to add the new show. I enjoyedit and will add it to my current roster. There's one additional show I'd liketo work in, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

Caught anotherepisode of London Kills and, yep, the beginning of the showdown withDavid and Vivienne started. Can't wait to see what happens next. Rob and Billieshould probably brace for impact.

The new show I startedis Dark Winds. So far, really enjoy the premise and the pacing. Theacting is top-notch also. I had a sneaking suspicion the new deputy would endup being more than met the eye. Glad I was right about that.

Watched another episodeof Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'd seen most of this one at somepoint on Ovation and I liked having the full episode from beginning to end. I'malso enjoying Darlene a lot. Glad they added her to the team.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Beyond Paradise. It's so much fun watching Martha's mom goingon dates. I'm also interested in how things shake out with the fosteringsituation. Very cool to have some Margo backstory also.

Caught an episodeof Elementary and I'm kind of sad Kitty is headed for parts unknown fornow. I do love that her story had a satisfying resolution. Also so happy we gotto see how she kind of saved Sherlock from himself.

Watched another episodeof Batman Beyond. Inque made another appearance and that was fun. Alsokind of cool to see Bruce back in the field and how much Terry tried to protecthim.

Finished up with anepisode of Classic Rugrats. Enjoyed both vignettes and also discovered Ihave more episodes than I thought I had left. This isn't bad news.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Mendacium,a novella that works through a betrayal to bring a couple together.

Here's theminiblurb:

Kelby Svet and Reave Systevich work for Mendacium, acovert organization that monitors magical ability among the human population.When powers go out of control or get abused, Kelby and Reave deal with thefallout—until a betrayal puts them on different sides.

And a preview snippet…

Kelby Svet didn't like her oddsright now. "C'mon, fellas. Cut a girl a break." She did a slowcircle, keeping the trio of magick abusers in her sight.The tallest one, Jones something,snorted. "Right. The only break we'll give you is me calling dibs. Myfriends here are the smash and grab type." He ignored their rudecomebacks. "Unlike me, who enjoys taking things nice and slow." Heleered and moved a step closer to her.Kelby grunted. "Not what Iheard. The three of you have been tearing through the neighborhood, wreakinghavoc and leaving a trail a novice could follow." She turned again,slowly, making sure to keep the other two in her peripheral vision. "I'mnot a novice. This is the end of your terror trip." For at least two ofthem.Maybe.The trio lacked finesse, but theycould wield magick. She had serious doubts she'd be able to take all three downwithout any kind of backup. She cursed her handler, Pope Cantas, for sendingher out on this assignment. The man liked putting her ass on the line andtaking chances with her life. Where's the help he promised?The short, squatty guy, Marlin or Morleysomething, sneered. "Whadaya think you can do to stop us? You're one tinywoman against three men." He puffed his chest out and lunged forward.The third guy, name unknown,cackled. "Yeah, like you have any kind of chance." He spread his armsand muttered the beginning of an incantation.Kelby countered with a quicksilencing spell. It wouldn't last long, but it might buy her some time. She hadto make a move, to choose which one to go for first. Her gut said Jones—intellisted him as the one with the most power and experience—but she ran the riskof taking on more than she could handle with him, giving the other two anopportunity to combine forces. Hovering on the brink of disaster, she sighedwith relief when the door crashed open. Her sigh turned to a groan when hergaze clashed with the man who entered.Reave Systevich.Damn Pope for sending him.Then again, Reave's experience probablymade him the best option.He moved into the dimly lit roomwith a barrage of swirling wind, drawing the attention of the three men. Kelbyused the distraction to adjust her position and flank the trio. Her chin liftedand Reave shifted to his left, giving her a brief nod. She had the lead.The unschooled group put theirbacks to each other and made some noise, mumbling under their breaths. Kelbykept her gaze on their hands, leaving Reave to listen and make sure theyweren’t trying to use a combination spell. Tactics shuffled in her brain, andone stood out—the whiplash maneuver. Glancing up, she met Reave’s gaze and usedher eyes to indicate the parlay by doing a fast flick to her right and a slowglide to the left. A quick quirk of one side of Reave’s mouth showed hisagreement.She didn’t have to clue him in onwhich man to target, Jones being the obvious choice. Reave didn’t waste time,giving her a curt nod. They each made a hashing motion with their hands,focusing their intent on the tall man. He whipped backward to the outer wall ofthe building then flew forward, crashing into the other two before slamminginto the opposing side of the interior surface. Silent, mutual agreement hadReave heading for Jones. Kelby made short work of subduing the other two withphysical tethers and a binding spell.Reave dragged Jones to the middleof the space. "Good call with the whiplash." He dumped the tallest ofthe trio on the pile. "He's out cold for now. You got extrarestraints?" His eyebrows arched in question.Kelby dug another pair out."Thanks for the backup. Pope didn't say who he'd be sending." Shehanded the tethers to Reave.He bent to secure Jones's hands."Yeah, well, don't like doing favors for him, but you? I don't mindhelping out." His head snapped upward, and he flashed a grin.Kelby cracked a smile. "Muchappreciated. Pope is definitely an acquired taste." And sometimes even shecould barely stand the bitter flavor her handler dished out.Reave straightened. "He's alsoan asshole on a power trip but thank fuck I don't have to deal with himoften." His head tilted toward the door. "You have transport, or didhe send you in unprepared as usual?"Her face flamed, because shecouldn't deny Pope only gave her sketchy details. "I was within walkingdistance when they pinpointed their location." Why did she feel the needto cover for her handler?Reave snorted. "Right. Let'sget them hauled out to my ride." He grabbed the smaller two by theircollars and pulled them to their feet. "I'll get Jones." Leaningdown, he grabbed the unconscious guy and started tugging him to the door.Kelby directed the other twooutside and into Reave's SUV.He maneuvered Jones into the backof the vehicle and secured the hatch before coming around to her side."Might as well ride in with me. Unless you have to head back out onpatrol?"Kelby only hesitated a moment."I do have to go back out, but I might as well help get this lotprocessed." She popped the passenger door open. "Thanks for thelift." Even if it would be awkward.Reave's lips quirked again."Sure thing." He strode over to the driver's side and slid behind thewheel.Kelby settled in and gazed out thewindow. Now that the dangerous group had been subdued, she let her mind spinout to how circumstances kept putting her in Reave's orbit. In any otherscenario, she'd be thrilled to work with him. Actually, she liked him. A lot.But she never acted on theattraction she had for him. Because we have a history … and it's not thegood kind. So … she avoided getting sexually tangled up with him. Whichsucked balls because adrenaline flowed hot after that takedown and she kind ofwanted him in a bad way.Yet … she'd be stupid to think he'dwant to pursue anything. After all, she'd been responsible for his bestfriend's death. And she really didn't like having red on her ledger.

Kind of a long previewthis week, but I'm so happy with this scene.

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Melee

April is off to aweird start. We had a tornado warning in the wee hours of Thursday morning. Thatwas fun. The temperature warmed up then dropped back down with a chance of snowtomorrow or Tuesday. But, sure, we aren't having any climate issues.

Still pluggingalong on multiple work projects. I did finish up two and added another new oneto my pile. I'm very happy to be busy!

Had a decent viewingweek. Ended up making it through my full slate of shows and I think I knowwhich new program I'm adding to the lot. I'll give it a view and report back.

Actually realized Idid finish up London Kills last week, so I ended up watching anotherfull episode. Things are headed for a showdown with David and Vivienne and I'mhere for that.

Watched Death inParadise and enjoyed the episode. Discovered Izzy is still around and,well, still not a fan. If she returns, maybe she'll grow on me.

Caught BeyondParadise and thoroughly enjoyed it. So nice to have a little backstory forEsther. And, if rumors prove true, a potential love interest in season three.That'll be fun.

Enjoyed an episodeof Elementary. I'm definitely interested in how things will play outwith Kitty's attacker. I can't wait to see if it gets resolved in the nextinstallment.

Watched an episodeof Batman Beyond. This is one I remembered from my original run through.Quite liked seeing it again.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and it's one I don't remember so a new-to-me episode.Thoroughly enjoyed it. Only a few more left before I move on to the rebootagain.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Melee, anovella that puts a couple through a trial by fire.

Here's theminiblurb:

Josie Walls and Parson Parrington gain extraordinaryskills when they're captured and experimented on in a remote laboratory in anicy tundra. Longing to be free, they put their newfound abilities to the test,escaping their prison and going on the run.

And a preview snippet…

Josie alternated between floatingon a cloud and diving into hot burning coals. Heat coursed through her veinsand her skin felt like it sizzled.Somewhere in the periphery, a terselyworded questions burst from Hollis. "What do you mean the experimentfailed? You were supposed to make them pliable and programmable to do mybidding?"A nasal voice responded. "Wetold you the serum might not be ready yet. You said you didn't care. Well, thisis what happens when you don't."The sound of a fist hitting fleshbounced off the walls."You have three weeks to fixthis mess. For now, put them in containment." A door slammed.No doubt Hollis made his usualdramatic exit.Shuffling feet drew close to Josieand fingers wrapped around her wrist."Ack! Shit. She's burning up."The shuffling turned to scampering and then fumbling hands. "El? This isEm. Check your subject. Mine is burning up."Josie focused on the voice, tryingto shake off the lethargy and drowning, bobbing sensation from the drugs. Briefstretches of semiconsciousness followed by long periods of dark dives intonightmarish dreamscapes had Josie struggling to form coherent thoughts. Theadrenaline from the lab tech—at least she assumed the nasal voice belonged to atechnician—gave her a jolt and helped her stay on this side of wakefulness.Em made a garbled choking sound."So, yours isn't burning up but they're giving you shocks? Like the statickind?" He sighed. "No, no. I didn't foresee this either. But thestupid, blundering ass didn't exactly give us time to test the serum, didhe?" Another sigh. "No, he didn't take it well. Yeah, he wants us tofix it. And no, I don't have a damn clue how."Josie strained to make sense of theone-sided conversation. What the hell did Hollis give her … them. She'd almostforgotten Parson. He'd been moved to another room … cell … whatever the fuckthey wanted to call it.Nasal Em snorted. "Aw, fuck.If this is what you think it is, and we've trigged some kind of latent abilityin the subjects, we're all fucked. It doesn't matter what Hollis wants." Apause. "Yeah, yeah. I'll make the notations. And I'll increase the sedationdosage. Yes. Yes. Then I'll get some sleep. From here on out, we have todocument everything." Em ended the call and started back toward Josie,muttering to himself. "We're so off the page we're not even in the bookanymore. Hell, we're not in the same library." He grabbed a rolling cartand slid it beside the gurney. "At this point, all bets are off and we'reofficially in uncharted territory."A sharp prick against her bicepbrought the fuzziness back. Josie dreaded going back under and succumbing tothe inky darkness of unconsciousness. But … she had something she didn't havebefore…Hope.

I'm having a lot offun with this story. Josie and Parson are going through it, and they'll have touse everything they have to get through this challenge.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Maybe This Seems Familiar

Even though Marchis my birth month and the birth month of my mom and one of my best friends, I'mkind of glad to kick it to the curb. It's been a wild ride this month. Thatsaid, it's also been intensely productive, so I'm really not complaining.

The weather is stilldrunk, wildly surging one direction then lurching back only to zing forwardagain. My sinuses hate me right now. And my throat has that I just swallowedglass with a gravel chaser sound at the moment.

Still buried withwork but I'm making great progress on all fronts. I added another new hourly projectto the pile and made a big dent in that one yesterday.

Not a bad week forviewing. I got through my usual slate and did a marathon watch to finish outthe week.

Ended up watchingtwo episodes of Elementary and both were actually terrific. I'm veryinterested in seeing how things with Kitty play out in the next few installments.

Caught two episodesof Batman Beyond. Always happy to see the Royal Flush show up and I likedthe throwback to Bane.

Also enjoyed two ClassicRugrats episodes. I'm about halfway through the final season and I thinkI'll pick back up with the new reboot once I'm finished up.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise and I'm enjoying having Darlene working with theteam. She's a great addition. Also glad to see Neville's sister exit. Maybeshe'll grow on me, but I didn't enjoy her at all.

Watched the first officialepisode of season two Beyond Paradise. Really enjoyed the way the mysteryunfolded. Also loved the resolution.

I ended up notquite finishing the episode of London Kills but I should have that onecompleted this week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Maybe This Seems Familiar, a novellathat pulls a couple together after a big loss.

Here's the miniblurb:

A tragic death sends Inyx Pic, an Adept Major, into abrittle shell of self-doubt. When Philo Batson, her Adept Master, pushes Inyxto get back to teaching, her armor of disillusionment cracks and anger andgrief come pouring out, leaving Philo to handle the fallout.

And a preview snippet…

Adept major Inyx Pic cast a recallspell. "No, Marlax. You're skipping steps and your ass is really gonnahurt when you get knocked on it from backlash." She absorbed the randomenergy from calling in the attempted conjure.Marlax Tillie snarled. "I'mnot a baby mage. I don't need the training wheels, Major Pic." Her eyesflashed with anger. "You're holding me back, and it's not fair." Sheflounced to her worktable.Inyx bit back a string of curses."Fair isn't why we're here. You can't move on to the next class if youdon't master the finer points of conjuring." How many times had Inyxlistened to lectures about finesse?And how many times had she wantedto smash her fist into Philo Batson's face because he never shut up aboutlearning the basics forward, backward, and upside down? Probably as many asshe'd wanted to strip him naked and make him passionate about something otherthan conjuring. Too bad she'd never pushed harder to make that happen.Then again, she had very goodreasons for not doing so. Even if he'd made it clear he'd be interested…"Major Pic? Am I free togo?" Marlax arched her winged brows.Inyx blinked and shook off thecobwebs. "You can leave after you've listed the ten steps to safelyconjure. Then come back tomorrow and we'll start again." She made her wayto the stool sitting at the head of the classroom. "The rest of you aredismissed. See you tomorrow." Sinking down, she tried to recalibrate andfind her center.Next time, she'd send the randomenergy out the window instead of taking it on. She'd spend the rest of the daywired one moment and dragging ass the next. At least she didn't have to teachany more this afternoon.Marlax slapped her notebook openand huffed out sigh. She scribbled the assigned list down the page, tore itout, and brought it to Inyx. She reviewed the steps and gave a nod.Marlax rolled her eyes. "It'snot that I don't know what they are. It's—"Inyx finished the thought for herstudent. "You think they're stupid. I don't need to be an oracle to figurethat out." She folded the paper and tucked it into Marlax's shirt pocket. "Comein tomorrow, do what you need to do, and you'll be golden." If Marlaxtried to leap ahead again, she'd be wearing the list on her forehead.Marlax snorted, whirled around, gatheredher stuff, and stomped out the door, nearly running Philo over when he entered.His brows went up. "Do I wantto know what that's about?" He propped his hip on the worktable acrossfrom her desk.Inyx sighed. "It's been a day.That one wants to fly before she can walk." And damn if the plebe didn'traise a bunch of red flags.Philo smirked. "That soundsfamiliar."

I think I finallyhave the tone I want for this story. Philo and Inyx have a long history ofdancing around each other and it's fun to write them edging closer together.

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Manifest Legend

Geez, I can'tbelieve we're almost through March. This has been such a busy month and it'sflying by. A few outside distractions added to the mix this week and weresomething of a big time suck.

My work projectsare still chugging along and I'm making progress on my side gig I hope to launchsoon. Technically it's already out in the world but I'm adding a big layer tothe whole thing. Of course, I pick a moment in time when I'm crazy busy. But Ilove a good challenge.

As usual, theweather is all over the map. We've had a lot of wind rolling through, stirringup dust and who knows what else. And the temps are doing the back-and-forthdance. I'm looking forward to having some even, leveled-out days … wheneverthat might be.

Slow viewing weekagain. Partly due to work stuff and I'm also in a bit of a slump. I might beedging toward a binge-watching phase, which I haven't really done for a longwhile.

I got most of the waythrough the episode of London Kills I started last week. It's theopening ep of the fourth season so I kind of want to pay attention and I keepmissing key things, so I'll finish it when I have more brain power.

Watched an episodeof Death in Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'd seen bits and piecesof this one so kind of knew what to expect. I very much remember absolutely dislikingNeville's sister with an intense passion and that didn't change. Maybe she'llgrow on me, but I doubt it.

Also caught theholiday episode of Beyond Paradise and totally loved it! Christmas showsmake me happy and this episode seemed to pull the periphery cast into eachother's orbits and I loved that. Looking forward to diving into the rest ofseason two. And, oddly, the timing ended up being perfect for the crossoverlast week when Humph returned to the beach. Not sure how I did that.

I did another bingemarathon of Peter Gunn also. I'm loving some of the live channels onPlex.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Manifest Legend, anintroductory short to the Insula Ara series.

Here's theminiblurb:

Insula Ara is a mystical island offering sanctuary tothose in need, but when she reveals herself for the first time, Cedric EdwardTeasdale, former crewman of a privateer, almost blows his chance for refuge …and a reunion with his lost love.

And a previewsnippet…

Femininelaughter filled his ears. "Well, Cedric, you deserve no less. Leavin' methe ye did. But I'm not ahauntin' you, ye daft man. I'm sitting right besideyou." A sharp pinch on his bicep followed the statement.Ceetbolted upright and scrambled to the edge of the bed. "Emaline? What?How?" He blinked and shook his head. "This can't be possible."Or could it…Hereached under the pillow and retrieved the compass. Did you bring my loveback to me? The device grew warm under his palm.Ceetthrew the covers back and slid to the edge of the bed. "Emaline Gruder,I've missed ye, I have." His hands cupped her face. "And I love you."His vision grew misty, and his head dropped.Emalinethrew her arms around him. "And I you, Cedric." She eased back."And if I understand how this is supposed to work, we'll have all the timewe ever wanted to be together." She hugged him close again.Ceetwrapped his arms around her. "Ah, Emaline. I surely hope so. I surelydo." He shifted his position and patted the bed then tugged Emaline downbeside him. "This island, Sanctuary is her name, is wonderous and full ofmarvels you've never imagined." His gaze went to the rafters of the room."She can create buildings, like this here abode. And she made a barn andprovided animals for my use." He met Emaline's gaze. "But you have tobe certain about what you want, my love. Once yer committed, you can't leave.At least that's how it works for me." And he didn't regret his choice …except for the loneliness.Whichseemed to be resolved.Emalineplaced her head on Ceet's shoulder. "My darling, Cedric. Why would I wantto leave? I've wanted to spend my life with you for as long as I can remember.When I got ill and you didn't return, my heart broke." Her voice grewthick and heavy. "And then I was somewhere in between. Dead but not.Wavering but tethered because I didn't get a farewell from you." Sheclasped his hand. "Now I'm here and we can have a life together…" Herhead angled so she could meet his gaze. "But it's a little different for me.When someone else needs the island, I'll have to go away. But I'll alwaysreturn to you. Always." She straightened and glanced around the room."And to my new sanctuary … Insula Ara."Ceethauled her close. "Then it's time to start our life together…" Hismouth claimed hers and everything in his world turned bright and brilliant.

Ceet literallysprang up and decided he wanted his story told, then he captured my heart when sittingdown to write it.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye