Skye Ritchey's Blog, page 5

Sunday Snippet: Kill Switch

Hello 2025. I trulyhope this year is better than I expect it will be.

I have some goalsfor this year, and one is to finally launch my side project. I've been puttingit off, and I think I finally figured out why. Instead of FOMO, fear of missingout, I have FOFU, fear of fucking up or, a kinder version, FOMU, fear ofmessing up. I need to get over that.

We're under awinter weather advisory and I have to leave super early in the morning to pickmy oldest up from work. I'm debating whether I should fill up my tank now orjust wait and do it on the way. We're only supposed to have an inch of snow,but I'm not sure about the freezing rain and ice. I'll monitor and decide soon.

Very light workweek. I'm working on a readthrough of a series for a friend and I'm so excitedfor this project! I'm also hoping I have some new work starting this week. Ihave tentative dates in my calendar, but nothing set yet.

Had an okay week ofviewing. I've been in a weird mood and haven't been watching as much as I couldhave. That said, I have been getting a lot of writing done so I'm notcomplaining.

Caught anotherepisode of Elementary. Much happier with where Joan and Sherlock in thisepisode. The vibe is very different from the first two seasons, and I think I'mokay with that.

I started a BatmanBeyond rewatch. I have a lot of love for this show and look forward todiving back in again.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats. Once again, I didn't remember either of thevignettes, so I had fun watching.

Watched an episodeof Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I hadn't seen any of this one and thoroughlyenjoyed it. I think there's one episode left, and I'll have to find a new showto watch.

Almost through theseason three premiere episode of London Kills. This could end up being awild ride. I'm looking forward to seeing what happens.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Kill Switch, anovella that features a couple that has to fight to be together.

Here's theminiblurb:

Karsen Hill and Theo Gordon live in a modern world fullof magic and mayhem. Torn apart by their circumstances, they still share apowerful attraction, and it will take a kill switch to keep their feelings atbay. When a bar of the same name opens, the duo can't resist meeting to exploretheir options.

And a preview snippet…

Theo arrived home to find hismother waiting by the door.She took one look at his disheveledappearance and curled her lip. "You've been with that female hunter again."She shuddered.Her chastising tone pissed him off."The hunter's name is Karsen, Mother. And who I sleep with—or who I fuck—isnone of your business." She needed to understand that.Meara gave him a long look."It is now. Everyone is here for the announcement." She jerked herhead toward the stairs. "Take ten minutes to shower and change then cometo the study."Theo shook his head. "I don'tthink so, Mom." She hated the casual term. "I'm not down with beinghooked up to any of your porcelain prodigies." As if he wanted a carboncopy of Meara Gordon as a partner.She handwaved his objection."I don't care. As acting head of the family, it's my wish to havethis settled." A delicate shoulder lifted. "Maybe it will boost hisspirits and help him recover." Her lips twisted what she considered asmile.Because invoking Granddad's nameand tying it to her fondest desire to see Theo shackled to one of her simperingswans didn't count as dirty pool. At least not in her eyes. But Theo saw rightthrough her tactics.Theo resisted the urge to roll hiseyes. "And maybe it's your way of controlling my life, which I don't needhelp with."Meara arched a brow. "Really?I beg to differ. If you didn't shirk your responsibility, I wouldn't have toprod you." She gave him a sly smirk. "I can always ask your granddadwhat he'd like." She arched her brows, daring him to argue.Theo didn't buy into her bullshit,but he didn't want to risk having her drag Granddad into the fray. "Fine,Mother. You win this round." He started for the stairs. "But I refuseto discuss any kind of wedding plans until Granddad is in the clear." He'dbuy whatever time he could.Meara gave him a wide smile."That will do for now." She inclined her head.Theo suppressed a snarl."Which one of your bleating minions is the lucky choice?" Did he evenreally want to know?Meara smoothed a nonexistentwrinkle from her blouse. "Deandra Bennet." Her mouth curved againthen she turned and glided toward the study.Theo conceded his mother's pick could'vebeen worse. Deandra could be haughty and vain, but she also aimed to please andcould carry on a conversation that didn't center around whatever Meara Gordonwanted. If Theo had to carry out this farce of an engagement, Deandra would atleast make for somewhat enjoyable company.Heading up the steps, thoughts ofKarsen filled his mind. He didn't look forward to explaining this fucked upmess his mother created … but he owed her the truth. And he had to make itclear the betrothal meant nothing more than keeping the peace.His heart belonged, fully andcompletely, to Karsen.

I'm hoping to havethis one finished up in the near future. I have a lot of love for this story.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Keeping Life Real

Time to wrap up2024 and send it on its happy way. For me, it's been a year of ups and downsand sometimes the downs packed a punch. That said, I try to focus on the upsand pull that energy into my realm.

Wild weather, perusual. We had sixty degrees yesterday, so my husband went golfing. He's been downwith a nasty cold and wanted / needed the fresh air and exercise. Today it'sraining and dreary outside.

Finished up asection of a developmental edit I've been working on. So excited to have it done,because we're almost to the finish line on this story. One more chunk ofchapters then a full read through and we'll be ready to go.

A semi-decent weekof viewing even with the holiday thrown in this week. I still need to pick anew show to watch on one of my streamers and I finished another show and willneed to replace it also.

Started seasonthree of Elementary. I'm not sure how I feel about Harsh Joan or New Watsonworking with Sherlock. Also feel a bit off by Gregson's backhanded bitchslap toSherlock. I do love that Sherlock is seeing consequences for his actions, evenif they were to preserve his sobriety. Season three could prove to beinteresting.

I finished TheBatman series and thoroughly enjoyed the rewatch. I feel like there's atleast one episode I missed, but maybe I'm remembering a different series.

Caught anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and didn't remember either of the vignettes. Lovedthe babies thinking they were helping and the grown-ups getting locked in the playpen.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I think I have two more episodes left inthis series. It's a fun show and I'm glad I watched from the beginning.

Finished up thesecond season of London Kills and I'm excited to start season three. Theweaving of the plot lines is something I really like about this series. Lookingforward to seeing what happens next.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. Really interested to see what happens with JP. Ilove his character and I'll be sad to see him go, if he does.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Keeping Life Real,a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's theminiblurb:

After a fae glade is destroyed, Spencer Lucas is calledto head up the rebuilding efforts, but he's not ready. Spencer has big shoes tofill—his dad is Overwatch of all fae creatures and Spencer fears letting himdown. Bibi Ragland—well-known and well liked—would be a better choice but shedoesn't want the job. Bibi does want Spencer to step up and she's not abovepushing him to get him there.

And a preview snippet…

Spencer Lucas graspedthe hips of the woman riding him. "Come on, Bibi, don't hold back."He flexed his thighs, thrusting upward when she rocked forward.Her head fell back."Gah! Spence, I'm so close." She added a twist to her backwardmotion.Spencer sucked in abreath. Bibi Ragland always knew how to amp the temperature during sex. Sheleaned down and meshed her mouth with his.Spencer skimmed hishands up her sides, using one to cup her nape so he could deepen the kiss. Bibimoaned and changed the pace, adding more pressure to the roll of her pelvis.Spencer held on by a thread. Her hot walls hugging his dick? No better feelingin the fae realms.She broke the kiss andhuffed out a harsh breath. "Almost there…" She rocked her hips again.Two phones playeddifferent ringtones and vibrated on the nightstand.Bibi's head snapped upand she glared at the offending devices.Spencer shook his head."Uh-uh. Whoever's calling can wait two minutes." His hands palmed herass. "Let it go … come with me…" He couldn't hold on much longer.Bibi's hands fisted inthe sheet. "Gah … now, Spence." Her head dropped back and a shuddertore through her.Spencer broke, a ballof pleasure spreading out from the base of his spine. He gasped her name, hishands grasping her waist. A kaleidoscope of color burst behind his eyelids.Bibi collapsed atop hischest and caught her breath. He wrapped his arms around her and waited for hisheart rate to return to normal. The zips and zings of his orgasm faded to asatisfied hum along his nerve endings.Bibi reached over andgrabbed their phones then shifted off to his side. Both showed a voice mailreceived. Spencer clicked on the phone icon and dialed to listen to hismessage.His dad's voice spokewith urgency. "The Red Wood Glade has been destroyed. I need you and Bibi tocome in for a briefing then go to assess the damage and report your findingsdirectly to me. Overwatch only." The call ended abruptly.Shit. Figured he blewoff a call from his dad and the man called with catastrophic news. Stiles Lucasheld the title of Overwatch and functioned as the premier leader over all thefae beings. And Spencer had a million questions rolling through his brain.Bibi growled. "Howthe hell did anyone or anything destroy a glade?"That question held thetop spot on his list.She followed up withanother one. "And why Red Wood? It's a sacred sanctuary." She sat upand reached for her shirt.Spencer grabbed hispants, jamming his feet through the legs. "Maybe Overwatch will have moreinformation when we get briefed." He shrugged his shirt over his head.Bibi stepped into herleggings. "He's gonna be pissed we didn't answer."Yeah, he would. Theyshould've known something happened when both phones rang at the same time. Theydidn't get all-calls very often.Spencer grunted. "Myguess is he'll pick his battle, and the destruction of the glade will takepriority." He paused before heading for the door. "Probably shouldn'tmention the reason we didn't answer."Bibi arched her brows."Yeah, no. Definitely not." She snapped her fingers. "We were outsideand didn't have our phones with us." She gave a nod. "That'llwork."Spencer gave her aside-eye. "Right. We'll go with that." He tucked his phone in hispocket, a ball of dread rolling in his gut. "Better head out. Gonna behard to wrap my head around this before we meet with Overwatch."A glade. Destroyed.Why…

I'm just gettingstarted on this one and can't wait to see how everything unfolds.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Juvenile Behavior

Seasons' Greetings!

For whateverholiday you celebrate, I hope you have a joyous time filled with cheer andmerriment. We'll be low key per usual with a trip to my dad's and hopefullysome FaceTime with my brother in Arizona.

The weather isstill playing back and forth. We have a bit of snow and it's pretty cold rightnow. The temps are supposed to warm up into the forties and fifties over thenext few days.

Finished up twoprojects this week and have one on my plate. January looks to be shaping upwith multiple projects and I'm so grateful for those. The short break gives mesome time to finish getting my side project ready to launch and I hope to dothat next week during the holiday.

Only a semi-goodweek of viewing. I had some big cleaning projects to work on and got a good bitof that completed. Still working on a few others and hope to have them finishedbefore the end of the year.

Watched anotherepisode of Mr and Mrs Murder. I remember parts of this one but hadn'tseen the entire episode. Ended up being pretty good.

Also watched an episodeof London Kills. The plot thickens regarding the disappearance of David'swife. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up being resolved. Also enjoyingBillie so much on this show.

Enjoyed the onehundredth episode of Death in Paradise. So lovely to have Camille backfor a brief stay. Also nice to see Spirit Richard. This also marks, in myopinion, when Catherine and Selwyn take on larger roles in the show. Lookingforward to rounding out season ten with the last two episodes.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Juvenile Behavior, a novellathat gives a couple an opportunity to see if they'd make a good match.

Here's the miniblurb:

Freddie and Owen, top adepts putting cadets through theirpaces at the Mage Academy, are very much in love but refuse to act on theirattraction. But when the Mage Principal has enough of their antics, he stripsthem of their rank and tenure and pushes them to act like grown-ups instead ofjuvenile delinquents.

And a preview snippet…

Freddie entered the house throughthe servants' entrance and made her way to the kitchen. "Hi, Helen."She gave the older woman a hug.Helen released her, leaning back toget a look at Freddie. "I suggest you go right in to see your uncle."Her lips twisted in a frown.Freddie tilted her head to oneside. "Has he been treating you poorly?" Stupid question, because ofcourse he would.Roderick treated everyone withterrible disregard.Helen tsked. "No and we'lltalk later." She shooed Freddie toward the main house.Freddie knocked once and enteredher uncle's suite. "What do you want, Uncle?" Her brows drew togetherat his appearance.Debauched didn't quite cover the description.Roderick wore a pajama-and-robe set with leather slippers on his feet. His eyeswere bloodshot, and stubble covered his face. Unlike Owen, who looked sexy withsome scruff on his face, Roderick looked ill kept and disheveled.Roderick sneered in her direction. "Whatdid you think you'd accomplish by siccing your boy toy on me?" He growledthe words.Freddie's eyes narrowed. "Whatthe hell are you talking about?" As if she'd willingly make anyone talk toher uncle.Roderick snorted. "I'm talkingabout that Parker weanling barging in here and all but accusing me of neglectwhere you're concerned." He got up and paced back and forth. "Didn'ttake two seconds to figure out he's fucking you." His face twisted in agrimace. "Had the gall to suggest I look into setting the codicilaside." He barked out a laugh. "As if I'd ever do that." Freddie blinked but otherwise hidher surprise and anger … at both men.Owen had no right to confront heruncle behind her back. But … at least he gave enough of a damn to call Roderickout for the bullshit way he hoarded the fortune. And Roderick summoning her tothe manor to give her shit about something Owen did pissed her off.She widened her stance and foldedher arms over her chest. "First of all, I didn't send Owen. He a grown-assman and makes his own decisions." Even if said decisions were terrible."Second, what he doesn't realize is how much of an asshat you are or howmuch you love the precious Rudd money." She dropped her arms and leanedforward, placing her hands on the desk. "Grandfather would lose his shitif he knew how much of his fortune you've already gone through." At therate her uncle spent money, he'd be broke within a decade.Roderick huffed out a breath."Yeah? Well, Granddad would lose even more of his shit if he knew you wereletting a Parker bang you." He made another grimace of distaste.What she had with Owen amounted toso much more than banging. Even if she'd tried to only focus on the sex atfirst. She'd been engaged in a losing battle on that front.Freddie shrugged, feigningindifference. "Maybe so, but I don't care about the family money. You'rethe one with that affliction." And he'd raise an unholy stink if hisprecious funds ended up going to charity.Roderick gave her a cold smirk."You're right. And since I do care, you'll end the farce with Parkernow." He slapped his hand on the desk for emphasis.Freddie made a bold statement."It's not a farce. I love him. But your worry is moot. It won't be longbefore Owen and I go back to being nothing but work colleagues." She madeto turn and leave, but Roderick gestured with his hands, using a binding spellon her.I should have seen that coming.

He leaned forward. "Makesure that's how it plays out, dear niece. I don't mind playing dirty when Ihave to."Freddie snarled. "Resorting tothreats isn't necessary, dear uncle. I don't break my word." She tried tomove, but the spell still held her. "Let me go or I'll make sure you neversuccessfully get it up for the rest of your life." She could play just asdirty as her uncle.He released her and she exited hisstudy shaking with rage. She made her way to the kitchen and met Helen's hug. Blinkingback tears, she accepted the comfort for a few moments. Then she eased back andexhaled slowly.Helen's gaze went dark and stormy."That went as well as I thought it would. But using a binding spell?That's lower than low." Helen didn't hide being livid over Roderick'streatment of Freddie. "One day that man will get his comeuppance."Placing a palm on Freddie's cheek, Helen's lips curved in a sad smile."And I understand your anger at Owen, but I also think that Parker is akeeper."Freddie's eyes widened. "Youtalked to him?"Helen nodded. "I did. Such acharming man." She waited a beat. "He loves you, Freddie. It'sobvious."Freddie's shoulders slumped."I love him, too. But he shouldn't have come here. The only thing heachieved is to stir up Roderick's ire and make him angry. Any thought I had ofpossibly living a quiet life with Owen is gone."Helen hugged her again. "We'llsee about that, Freddie. Just enjoy him for now." She squeezed Freddie'shand. "And don't be too hard on him."

This is a fun storyeven with some heavy family drama. Freddie and Owen are a cool couple to write.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Justified

Big cold snap witha little bit of snow this week in weather. I'm getting much better about makingsure I have layers on even if it's just a quick trip outside with the doggos. Ialso haven't had a major cold yet this season and I hope I didn't just jinxthat fact.

Semibusy work weekwith finishing a proofread and working on two copy edits. I'm hoping to havesome projects to work on over the holiday break. I'm not great at having a weekor two off then trying to gear back up into work mode.

Fairly decent weekof viewing. I'm trying to decide what new show to add to my usual slate ofviewing fare. I'm leaning toward Beyond Paradise, but I'm not completelysure yet.

Caught anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I hadn't seen much if any of thisepisode and I enjoyed it. I think I have a handful of episodes left before it'llbe time to switch to another show.

Watched another episodeof London Kills and tensions are running high. The case ended up beingvery interesting and Viv and Rob are pushing the line by investigating David. Lookingforward to more of this one.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. Part one of a two-part arc and the lead-into the show's one hundredth episode. Loved seeing Camille at the end and can'twait to watch the next episode. I've seen almost all of it and loved it.

Finished up seasontwo of Elementary. I still think Mycroft is an ass even if I get why hedid things the way he did. I'm a little on the fence about where Sherlock and Joanleft things. I'll be interested to see where they pick up with season three.

Started thetwo-part series finale of The Batman. I don't remember if I actuallywatched this before or not but it was a good episode. I think I might move onto Batman Beyond after this.

Also watched anotherepisode Classic Rugrats. I hadn't seen either of the vignettes andenjoyed both.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Justified, anovella that brings a couple with unique skills together to face a common enemy.

Here's the miniblurb:

Electra Cage and Nix Naught shouldn't be together. She'sfirmly on the side of law and order and he's on whatever side pays the most.They justify their liaison when they discover a common enemy—one they'll needtheir unique skill sets to destroy.

And a preview snippet…

Damn, she noticed everything. Maybetoo much. No one else would've clocked to the fact Nix didn't actually use akey to enter the building. Her uncanny and spooky accurate ability to missnothing piqued his curiosity. Definitely more to Electra than a smokin' hotbody, steel-trap mind, and sexual energy.Nix wanted to discover what elsemade her stand out.And why Walton wanted her out ofcommission.

Nix led her to the middle of theopen space where skylights let in rays from the moon. Electra scanned the room,her gaze missing nothing.She glanced back at him. "Isyour friend home?"Nix's lips quirked. "At themoment, he's on a sabbatical somewhere no one else can get to." Kincaiddidn't always reside on this plane of existence, something only a few wereprivy to.Nix appreciated being one of theselect group. The pagan master would approve of Nix's use of the sanctuary asneutral ground. Especially if he used it to find answers.He settled down onto a pile ofcushions. "Please, make yourself comfortable." He debated over how tostart and how much to tell her.Electra gracefully removed herjacket and sank down across from him.Before he said anything, he wantedone simple point made clear. "Why are we here?"Electra frowned. "Because youdidn't want to talk in the bar."Nix shot her a look. Playing obtusedidn't look good on her.She sighed. "We're herebecause I'm close to discovering your secret."Nix prompted her for more."And?"Electra kicked her shoes off andplanted her feet in his lap, very close to his crotch. "Anything you tellme stays between you and me and won't be used against you." She paused amoment. "Unless you've committed murder. All bets are off if you've killedanyone."Nix nodded. "Fair enough. ButI'm not a hitman." Even if Walton wanted Nix to cross that line.And Nix's gut said the fucker wouldwant exactly that.Electra waved a hand."Fine. You're a boy scout. Now satisfy my curiosity aboutthis…" Her foot slid upward, coming to rest on his dick.Nix popped the button on his pants."It might be easier to show you…"

I'm having so muchfun with this story. Electra and Nix will end up making a great team in or outof bed.

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Just One Moment (Paranormal)

Ohio is back tobeing contrary with its weather. Super cold days in the teens followed by a warmupof midfifties. My sinuses hate this kind of back and forth.

Had a fairly busywork week with a new project landing in my inbox. It's one of my favoriteauthors to edit and proofread for. Also spent a lot of time pulling my taxstuff together. I realized last week I hadn't filed for 2023 yet. Better latethan never.

Not a bad week ofviewing. I didn't make a full round of my usual slate of shows, but I got mostof the way through. Again, my sleep schedule is playing havoc with my brain.

Watched another episodeof Mr and Mrs Murder and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of familiar facesin this one, which is always fun.

Caught another episodeof London Kills and I'm kind of excited about Rob and Vivienne teamingup to investigate David. Of course, there's more to the story and I can't waitto find out what's really going on.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one but it's nice tofollow the whole story from beginning to end instead of catching bits andpieces all the time.

Finished up seasontwenty-seven of Silent Witness. Gotta say, I really enjoyed the finale.Jack proposing to Nikki made my heart happy. And I'm interested to see whathappens with Jack's place. Maybe Kara and Velvy will stay there.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary and enjoyed it. Still not a Mycroft fan even if hehad extenuating reasons for being an ass. I am kind of glad Sherlock isn'tgoing to throw his brother under the bus. At least I don't think he is. Thenext episode should reveal what will happen.

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Just One Moment, athemed sexy short written in tandem with my other two alter egos.

Here's the miniblurb:

A life-threatening situation and a couple in love. Justone moment for Sygin and Boyd to say everything that needs to be said.

And a preview snippet…

Sygin stalked out of the meetingchambers barely hanging on to her temper. "I can't believe they're takinga wait-and-see approach." An attempt to invade the campus should warrant aresponse.Boyd fell into step beside her."Not sure why they think what happened over the solstice holiday is aone-off. Especially when they recommended the precautions." He tsked.Sygin shook her head. "I'm notrelying on the buddy system. Too many things can go wrong. Are we really goingto let this play out until someone gets hurt?" Her blood boiled over thestupid bureaucracy.Because even if their nemeses wereonly trying to test the boundaries of dark magick—as the council concludedduring the meeting—the sinister aspect of using their campus should have themall worried a hell of a lot more than they were.Boyd snorted. "You know betterthan that." He stopped at the edge of the corridor and tugged her into atesting alcove. "We're going to take chances with our students. We'regonna start preparing our quad to act as an early warning system." Heflicked his gaze toward the clock on the wall. "Starting tonight."Sygin's lips curved. "See.That right there is the reason we're together." He practically read hermind on the way to skate the line of being proactive while not outrightthumbing their noses at the council.Boyd narrowed his eyes. "Ithought we were together because I make you scream my name during sex."Sygin laughed. "Not gonna lie.That's a big part of it also." She sobered. "But you're the wholepackage, which is infinitely more appealing than your expertise in bed." Whichactually said a lot because Boyd played her like a maestro between the sheets.He grasped her hips and hauled hercloser. "That's good to know." His fingers tilted her chin up and hismouth captured hers.Sygin leaned into the kiss. Boyd'stongue swept against hers, dueling for dominance. The man had magick in hislips. And his hands. And, well, everywhere else. She wound her arms around hisneck and let all of her anger go, relaxing into his embrace.He eased back, tracing her thumbover her jawline. "I'd love nothing more than heading back to our place tofinish what we started here, but…" He dropped a kiss on her nose.Sygin sighed. "Right. It'llhave to wait." Her palms slid down his chest. "We've got work to doand no time for the undeniably more fun option." Stepping back, she hookeda finger into his waistband. "But we're picking this back up after we makea plan with our quad."Boyd gave her a wicked smile."I'll hold you to that."Sygin smirked. "You'dbetter."

I like writing inthis universe. Boyd and Sygin have a couple more stories coming in the near future.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Jump

Welcome, December! I'mtruly not sure what this month will bring. I'm at a weird place where I feelkind of stuck and a little buried under the weight of needing to get thingsdone … but I have no idea where to start.

Work slowed down alittle, which isn't a great thing. But it did give me some time to spend withmy daughter when she came home for Thanksgiving break. I'm so grateful for thattime. And December still looks to be booked with projects for the most part.

The temperature diddrop but didn't quite dip into the teens. I'm really not ready for the arcticblast yet. But it does help get me in a mood for the holidays.

Had a semi-decentweek of viewing. My sleep schedule is all over the place again and that doesn'talways make for a good attention span.

Watched the seasontwo premiere episode of London Kills. Nice to see Billie back in action.I'm interested in the ongoing arc from season one. This cast is stellar, and Ilove the changing dynamics between them.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. I'm starting to find some redeeming value inNeville. I liked the way he kind of helped Florance. Really not sure aboutMarlon.

Enjoyed part one ofSilent Witness. Loving some inside looks at Jack and Nikki and themystery is kind of amazing. I have no idea where things are going and that'salways fun.

Watched anotherepisode of Elementary. Mycroft is an ass and maybe that's a good thing. Hedefinitely has some explaining to do. I do give him kudos for being able tomanipulate Sherlock even if I hate that he could. And I'm going to be reallypissed if Sherlock decides Joan is his weakness and starts acting like a biggerass than Mycroft.

Caught an episodeof The Batman and it's one I don't remember watching previously.Thoroughly enjoyed it. Having a team that is completely opposite of Batman andRobin was fun.

Enjoyed another episodeof Classic Rugrats. I think it's the final one where the whole episode isone story. I kind of wish there were more of those.

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Jump, a novella thatgot a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's theminiblurb:

A group of young adults comes into their mage power muchlater than usual. Sima Hood and Dario Burgos are the de facto leaders of theraw recruits when they're trapped and pinned down by a faction of darksorcerers who want to groom them for their side, but Sima and Dario receiveguidance from one of the elder mages who help them escape and lead them tosafety.

And a preview snippet…

Sima Hood shook her head back andforth. "No way am I working with Dario Burgos. You've got to be testingthe limits of my patience with this request." She certainly hoped theelder mage didn't really think putting her with Dario would be a good idea.Marco Lambert gave her a steadylook. "Sima, I don't have time to argue this point with you. Twelve rawrecruits need a crash course in controlling their powers, and I don't have totell you it's harder when they haven't been raised with the basics of magewisdom." He sighed. "This is a huge undertaking, and you can't do italone." His shoulders slumped.Sima bit the inside of her lip. Marcodidn't wear defeat well. She didn't want to let him down. But she also didn'twant to spend the next who knew how many weeks butting heads or anything elsewith Dario. They did not get along. But the one thing they had in common—cominginto their powers in late adolescence instead of the beginning of puberty—made herand Dario uniquely qualified to help this group transition into being propermages.Dammit.She couldn't say no to the man whomentored her and helped her make the transition to becoming a functioning mage.He'd also done the same for Dario … which became part of the reason shestruggled to get along with her fellow mage proctor. They didn't have an easyroad, and they clashed frequently during their training.Sima squared her shoulders."Okay. This is going to be a complete shitshow, but you can count onme." A promise she might end up regretting.Especially with Dario involved.Marco's lips quirked in a wrysmile. "Not sure this helps, but I heard the same thing from Dario."He chuckled. "Might be the first time you two have ever been on the samepage. I consider that a good omen."A slap might have stung less. Butshe didn't know if the idea Dario agreed they'd be dealing with a trainwreckbothered her or if the fact the elder mage consulted Dario first kicked harder.Because neither made her happy.But she'd made a commitment, so Simatempered her response. "I guess there's a first time for everything."Whether or not they stayed in sync might prove to be the bigger question.She definitely had doubts.

I'm just getting startedon this one and I love having a new story to sink into.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Judge a Book by Its Cover

It's been a wildweek. Between work and other commitments, I've been frazzled. My sleep scheduleis all over the map and I'm not enjoying the fits and starts of trying to getrest. But … I'll adjust. Hopefully soon.

Our weather hasbeen all over the place. We had a sixty-degree day followed by snow and thirty-fourdegrees. The day after Thanksgiving is supposed to be in the upper teens forthe high. I'm side-eyeing Mother Nature right now.

Work projects arecoming in and I think I'm booked through the end of the year. I'm pleasedbecause December can be a sketchy month sometimes. I don't mind downtime, butI'm definitely not prepared to have limited income this year.

Had a terrible weekof viewing. Too many distractions and said lack of sleep kept me from gettingmuch watched.

I did catch anepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder and kind of enjoyed it. Some familiarfaces as guest stars this week. The mystery was a little lackluster but a goodepisode nonetheless.

I also caught somemarathons of Midsomer Murders. I kind of love the streaming twenty-fourhours of one show channels. It's fun to set a favorite and have a go-to comfortwatch whenever I want.

I'm also looking ata few new shows but haven't decided which ones I want to pick up. I'm alsohoping to get back to my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. My viewingpartner will help determine if that's going to happen. So much more fun towatch with someone else who loves the show as much as I do.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Judge a Book by ItsCover, a novella that brings a couple together when they bust up a cheatingring.

Here's theminiblurb:

Zeth Herrickson has to catch the culprits in a cheatingscandal at the academy. Coorah Blair normally sits at the top of his list whenthings aren't right—except she's the one who brings the matter to hisattention. They work together to track down the participants and go after theringleader, who is much closer to both than they'd believe.

And a preview snippet…

Coorah entered Black Satin Coffeehouseand sighed. "Of course, Zeth arrived early." She'd hoped to have afew minutes to collect her thoughts.Zeth lifted his chin, acknowledgingher arrival.Whatever. I'm used to flying blind. Winging it had long ago becomeher default mode.

She ordered a coffee—black, onesweetener, no frou-frou crap—and carried it over to his table.Settling across from him, she swungher legs under the surface and bumped her knees against his. "Sorry."She crossed her ankles under her chair and tried not to focus on the way theirlegs remained touching.Zeth flashed a smile. "Noproblem. These tiny cafe tables are hell for normal-sized people." He swiveledon the chair slightly and stretched one leg out.Coorah's lips curved."Exactly." Considering the coffee shop originally served onlyfairies, the small furniture made sense…But the place also made the bestjava on campus and finally caved in to pressure from the academy and lifted theban on non-little folk. Didn't mean the management had to make any otheraccommodations, though. And they didn't.Coorah popped the lid off her cup."I did what we discussed. Made copies and returned the originals to theproper class folder." She took a long swallow of her drink. "I havethe list of novices who participated, and I'll compare against the next set oftests." She had no doubt the names wouldn't change and figured she mightend up adding more.Zeth nodded. "Good. I've gotsome feelers out for who might be behind the whole deal." He named a fewpeople.Coorah grimaced. "I can eliminateone. Alistar McCabe. I went out with the guy." She held up a hand. "Iknow. What was I thinking?" Shaking her head, she shrugged. "Sellingspells, yes, he'd totally try to make a buck that way. But he's not smartenough to come up with the test thing."Zeth narrowed his eyes for a momentthen bobbed his head up and down.She rather liked he took her wordfor striking McCabe from the list.

Having a lot of funwith this one. Coorah's taste in men is going up a notch, and she's not surethat's a good thing.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Jigsaw Pieces

I'm still workingon getting my side project ready to go. At this point, I have no idea how longit will last but I'm going to go like gangbusters until I can't anymore.

Had a solid week ofwork. Finished up a copy edit and started a new one. Also worked on a developmentaledit that's been simmering on the back burner. I have three projects lined upand I'm waiting on deposits to get rolling on those. Hopefully, December isgoing to be a steady month of work.

Had a very good weekof viewing. I made it through my usual round of shows and started looking for aformer fave to rewatch but it's not readily available. Might have to dig out myripped DVDs and hunt around for one of my old players.

I caught two episodesof The Batman this week. No Justice League cameos in these two. StrictlyRobin and Batgirl, which I enjoyed.

Also watched twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Both were single episodes instead of the standardtwo or three vignettes. Preschool and Halloween featured and were a lot of funto watch.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one and liked itthe first time around. Very fun to get some background on the detective.

Finished out thefirst season of London Kills with an episode-length behind the sceneslook at the series. Lots of fun to see the actors talk about their charactersand see how the showrunners also make the city of London a character.

Caught another episodeof Death in Paradise. I liked the mystery in this one and enjoyed thecrab cooking contest. Not completely sold on Marlon as the new police officerbut I'll probably end up enjoying him.

Finished up thesecond half of Silent Witness and, boy, there were a lot of twists inthis one. Really loved Jack declaring his love for Nikki at the end. So nice tosee them have a happy moment.

Watched an episodeof Elementary and rather enjoyed it. Of course, it ended on acliffhanger, and I have no doubt Mycroft is involved in something nefarious. Itruly hope involving Joan blows up in his face.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Jigsaw Pieces, a novellathat got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's theminiblurb:

On a seemingly routine patrol, Nev Walter watched hispartner and sometimes lover, Thea Chavis, burn in hellfire. Broken and unsurehow to carry on, he dives back into work for the department of preternaturallaw enforcement where he runs a unit of officers. Unable to stop thinking aboutThea, Nev takes a sharp turn for the worse when dreams of her invade his nightsand memories linger during the day. When he starts seeing her in etherealvisions, he decides he's cracking up … but all isn't as it seems.

And a preview snippet…

Thea Chavis ducked through thearched gate leading to Thurston Woods. "I don't care what Nev says, thisarea needs a look." She stayed on the well-worn walking path and kept hereyes open.Her partner in the department ofpreternatural law enforcement for the Greater Abernathy area, Nev Walter, wouldbe pissed she ignored his warning. But … she didn't care at the moment. BecauseNev also partnered with her off the job.Usually.She snorted. "Lately, not somuch." Nev captained a team of eight and often played the role of mom,dad, and great confessor.Sometimes all at once.Stepping off the path, Thea entereda thicket of low bushes. The brambles and briars caught at her pantlegs, butshe pushed through. Kind of how she clawed through the latest argument withNev. He didn't want her patrolling alone.Thea clicked her tongue against herteeth. "As if I'm incapable of staying aware and protected."Sometimes his lack of trust in her ability pissed her off.Like tonight. The department hadreports of fire flashes deep in the center of Thruston Woods. An extendeddrought made any kind of burning dangerous. The entire forest could go up inflames. The area needed to be checked out.But Nev had other things to do.Like babysit two of their fellow officers that couldn't seem to keep their shittogether. And he wanted Thea to cool her heels while he straightened outwhatever issues Blaney and Morgan couldn't seem to handle themselves.Thea rolled her eyes. "Maybethey should just spend a weekend together and get all that sexual tension outof the way." Worked for me and Nev.Sort of.Finally reaching a copse of densetrees, Thea weaved through the ancient timber, slowly working her way towardthe center of the woodland area. Questions pinged in her mind. Were the flamesfrom ritual fires? She could suggest an alternative place to conduct ritesinvolving smoke, fire, or ashes.Or … did something darker come intoplay here? Could someone be trying to damage the sacred woods? She couldn'twait for Nev to get it together long enough to check things out. Not if someonehad evil intentions that could harm their protected glade.The scent of burning wood hit firstfollowed by orange and yellow crackling flares dancing in her line of vision.Crouching lower, she eased forward trying to stay aware of her surroundings.She wanted to catch whoever had lit the match by surprise.Nev's voice echoed in her mind. Nosolitary patrols until we figure out what's going on.She argued back under her breath."We don't have the luxury of time if someone's out here lightingfires."She should've been looking downinstead of side to side. She crossed the salt barrier before she realized it.But she noticed it when she couldn't go further. Someone—or something—sealedthe circle. Shoulders slumping, because she'd been trapped like a rookie freshout of class, she ruthlessly shut out Nev's voice.Then she slowly turned to face hercaptor, her eyes going wide with shock. "Well, damn. Kind of hoped andexpected to never see you again."But seeing them … explained a lot.

Just gettingstarted on this story and I'm excited to see where it goes. The sages arechattering about Thea and Nev, which is always a good thing.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: The Jade Claw

It's been a wildweek of big letdowns in my area of the universe. I'm not sure where things willland but I have decided to launch my side project sooner than expected. Moredetails to follow in a separate blog post.

I started a newwork project and picked up with one that's been on the back burner. I also tentativelyscheduled three new projects for November. Here's hoping they all pan out.

Had a pretty goodweek of viewing. I got most of my current slate of shows watched. But … I alsogot distracted by *waves at everything going on right now*.

I caught an episodeof The Batman and rather enjoyed the Green Lantern guest spot. Alsoenjoyed having one of Batman's rogues nose his way into the storyline.

Watched anotherepisode of Classic Rugrats and it was the Rugrat's Kwanzaa. I'll have tofind the other Rugrats holiday episodes and get ready to rewatch.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. It featured a behind-the-scenes look ata theater show, which is fun for me because my daughter majored in theater forundergrad.

Caught the firstseason finale of London Kills and, wow, some twisty-twists and big turnshappened. Looking forward to a behind-the-scenes special this week.

Watched the seasonten opener of Death in Paradise. I'm still annoyed by DI Parker and sadto see Ruby no longer with the team. Thrilled to bits to have Florance back.Looking forward to seeing more.

Started a new two-partSilent Witness. Terrific guest stars in this episode. I'm veryinterested in seeing where this case goes.

Enjoyed most of an Elementaryepisode. I'll get it finished up today and start over with a new run of mycurrent episodes.

That's pretty muchit for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from The Jade Claw, aparanormal mystery that brings a couple together over a missing artifact.

Here's theminiblurb:

Skyrah Yule is caught in the middle of a paranormal mafiagrab for power when several artifacts are stolen from the museum she works for.The agent investigating the break-in, Clay Wellstone, intrigues her, especiallywhen she discovers he's got close familial ties with the suspected culprits.

And a preview snippet…

Agent Wellstone droppedSkyrah off by her car and she entered the museum through the rear entrance,passing the ident crew on its way out. She appreciated their attempt atdiscretion, but the break in and theft would be all over the wireless with the earlynews. She groaned. Good gods, when Glen Bench got a hold of the details, he'dhave a field day. The man considered himself the primo source for bringingculture to the masses. Thinking of the fodder he'd get for his late-night chatfest made her head hurt. Didn't help she'd had a brief—very, very brief—hookupwith the guy before seeing his true colors. The man enjoyed digging up sordiddetails and parading them all over the airwaves for others to see.Too bad he rarely gotto the actual truth. She got a little nauseous thinking about the damage hecould do to the museum's reputation. She figured she'd better get everythingcleaned up and back into a semblance of order then ready herself to field phonecalls from the board before she left to teach her afternoon classes.Almost dawn by the timeshe finished, Skyrah got pissed off all over again about the staggering loss.Most of the artifacts taken had a connection to the Herac conflict. Animportant time in the history of the Twelve Provinces, before true unification,she not only hated to lose the value of the objects but their significance.She brewed a pot ofstrong coffee and grabbed a shower in the bath adjoining the office. Not thefirst all-nighter she'd pulled. Too bad it couldn't have been for more a pleasurablereason … like nonstop sex with a hot guy. An image of Clay Wellstone flashed inher head, and she shook it off. Figured her brain would go to him. The guy shutdown and locked up tighter than a drum after she mentioned Helena Cassus. When somethingpiqued her curiosity, her interest rose.Shrugging into a cleanshirt, she sat behind her desk and opened a browser. She could take a fewminutes and see what the initial reports looked like. Going out intocyberspace, she scanned the headlines. Romero Lightkin's byline caught her eye.It didn't surprise her the guy would be right up in the story. The man had aserious hard-on for the truth and nothing but. It could be a huge benefit or acomplete nightmare, depending on how the board reacted.Gods … she did not wantto think about the benefactors of the museum, especially since her diplomaticskills left a lot to be desired. She could play at tact and diplomacy, buthated how it used up every ounce of her patience. She'd much rather be leftalone to do her work than meet with the six-person committee, especially underthe crappy circumstances.Shrugging off thethought, she started a search for information on the way too good-looking to bewith the CDA, Agent Clay Wellstone. Waiting for the results, she poured a mugof coffee, thinking about the rapid way he shut down. Her gut said he hadsomething to hide, and she had a powerful urge to find out what it could be.The contrast between the affable, open agent she started out with didn't matchwith the closed-mouth, wary man who dropped her off.She might enjoy thechallenge of figuring him out. Sipping her coffee, she scanned the searchresults. Her eyes narrowed when Clay's named popped in a Romero Lightkin exposéon the He'ra'cic mob. Skyrah clicked on the detail bar and read through theseven-part series, which chronicled the more visible, lower-level enforcers wholiked to hang out in Little Heiro speakeasy joints.The last article hadher sitting up straight, a sick ball of dread in the pit of her stomach. Shefinally discovered the reason Agent Wellstone's name showed up in thisparticular story. And nowhere close to why she thought it would.She shook her head. "Shit.It couldn't be something simple like he'd pulled in a bunch of the gangstersfor questioning." Skyrah's mouth twisted. "Nope. Agent Clay Wellstonehas a very intimate connection with organized crime in Cantor City."Lightkin didn't go forsensationalistic journalism. Instead, he relied on using veiled references whenthe absolute truth could get him killed. And cold, hard fact made a bitter pillto swallow. The leader, big boss, man in charge of the He'ra'cic, known mainlyas the Heras … happened to be none other than William Wellstone.Agent Clay Wellstone'sfather. "Son of a bitch."And the avid collectorfull of questions about the antiquities, Helena Cassus? Lampkin's piece impliedshe belonged to the inner sanctum. Rarely seen, she apparently made thingshappen behind the scenes. Skyrah didn't need to know what that entailed, hermind supplied lots of vivid possibilities. No wonder Agent Wellstone shut downthe interview as soon as Skyrah mentioned the name. The woman had probably beena presence in his life from an early age.A dull throb started atthe base of Skyrah's skull and bloomed into a full-blown headache. The boardwould go beyond insane when they figured out the connection. And they would. Ittook her all of thirty minutes with a basic web search. No wonder he'd shuffledher out and dropped her off in such a hurry. Agent Wellstone hadsome big questions to answer. The biggest being where his loyalties would fall.She damned well wouldn't lose her job if he attempted to steer the case in anydirection but directly at the mob. Skyrah wouldn't let him try.Taking a gulp of thenow cold coffee, she picked up the phone and dialed CDA headquarters. No timelike the present to make her position clear.

Skyrah won't behappy because Clay isn't quite ready to play nice with her yet. But she'll makesure he comes around.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: It's Not What They Think

November isstarting off with a wild trajectory. The election in the US is taking up a lotof air and space in my life and I'm okay with that. It does make it harder tofocus on anything but the election, which isn't optimal for my work projects.

That said, I'mweirdly calm and very hopeful. Which is not to say I'm complacent because thatwould be stupid and reckless. There's going to be a lot of work to doregardless of who wins the presidency, senate, and house.

My trickymanuscript turned extremely challenging, but I finally got it finished up latelast night. Now I can focus on a couple of projects that were simmering on theback burner and start two new ones that need attention.

Had an okay week ofviewing. Trick or treat night took up some time and an unexpected accidentinvolving my oldest and his fiancé needed my attention. Thankfully, both areokay and weren't injured in the crash.

I started the weekwith an episode of Elementary and I also ended the week with one. Bothwere enjoyable. I thoroughly enjoy the vibe when Sherlock tries to coordinateoutfits for Joan. So far, it looks like she ditches those in favor of choosingher own.

Caught an episodeof The Batman and enjoyed it. Nice to see Batgirl back in action. I'llbe finished with this show at the end of this season and I'm not sure what I'llbe replacing it with.

Also watched anepisode of Classic Rugrats. The three vignettes were new to me again. Ithink I'm going to shift back to the new Rugrats once I'm through this season.

Enjoyed anotherepisode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I'd seen most of this one before andreally enjoyed the snappy and snarky dialog between the characters.

Caught another episodeof London Kills and, whew, I got spoiled for what would happen and itstill freaked me out. Really like this series.

Finished up seasonnine of Death in Paradise. Looking forward to season ten even with someof my misgivings with DI Parker. I love this show enough to give him time togrow on me.

Enjoyed the secondhalf of Silent Witness. The show managed to surprise me, and I love itwhen that happens. One thing to note … I'm always curious about where Jack andNikki live. Jack had such a cool house during the last season and now he seemsto be in a townhouse of some sort. This is after he bought the fixer-upper thathis dad and brother (for a while) shared with him. Weird stuff makes mecurious.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from It's Not What TheyThink, a novella that puts a couple through the wringer when one of themcan't control their power.

Here's theminiblurb:

Meaghan Wrath goes on the warpath, losing her hard-woncontrol over her powers and wreaking havoc on unsuspecting clan members. She'ssetting a crappy example, but her husband, Vinnie Grayson, walks a fine line bynot reprimanding her. Her need let off steam and be rebellious never lasts long—usuallythe week leading up to the full moon—and a demand to stop will only land her onthe hot seat—almost literally.

And a preview snippet…

Vinnie faced the group of elderswith a short leash on his temper. "For the last time, Meghan doesn't knowwhat's going on or why it's happening." And he shouldn't be the one caughtin the middle.Master Mayhew pointed a long, bonyfinger at Vinnie. "You've got to get that woman under control." Hegave a definitive nod when Elderman Vice grunted in agreement.Vinnie arched his brows. "Thatwoman is one of the most powerful mages we have. It's fine to use herwhen it suits your purposes, but when she's venting pent-up magick it's aproblem." He got tired of the same old arguments.Master Janson growled. "No oneelse is allowed to use their ability in the manner she's been using hers.Parlor tricks and light shows are beneath our level of achievement." Hegave a derisive sniff.Elderman Vice slowly nodded withanother sound of agreement slipping from his lips.Frustrated, Vinnie sighed. "Noone wields the kind of power she does. So, there's a criterium for specialcircumstances." He shouldn't have to explain this. "And, hey, if anyof you want to step up and help find some answers, you're welcome to doit." He paused a moment. "You are, after all, the elders, not tomention the ruling council. Isn't it your job to not only seek a solution butto assist in finding one?"An uncomfortable silence followedhis outburst, which bordered on a tirade. Perhaps he'd pushed too hard. Tooeffing bad. Meghan needed some room to figure out why she couldn't seem to keepher powers under control. The stodgy mages could either step up or shut up.Or kiss his ass if they chose to donothing.He waited one more minute before heturned and started for the exit. If the old bastards weren't going to help, whywaste time or act like their whipping post."Mr. Grayson, you haven't beendismissed yet," Elderman Vice, the head of council, called out.Vinnie glanced over hisshoulder. "I know. Yet here I am, still leaving." He pushed thedoors open and sailed out of the room.He barely contained the urge toflip the entire group off.He and Meghan were on their own andVinnie would stand by her until they got answers.

Vinnie is a great guyand he's done talking to the elders, especially if they're not going to help.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye