Skye Ritchey's Blog, page 8

Sunday Snippet: Ghoulish Games (a Lantern Jack tale)

Ugh. Still feelingterrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in myarea is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew ofnew projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and trulyhope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times aday and need to rest.

Slow viewing week,mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two tothree hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifthand final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of aheartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails.And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head aroundeverything.

I finished thetenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'lllook forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught anotherepisode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad andrewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence couldbe.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I gotto see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episodeof Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic betweenthe brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroftdeal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episodeof The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I likedseeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun.The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a ClassicRugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella"was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's prettymuch it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Ghoulish Games,a Lantern Jack tale featuring a nymph and a hellhound.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. When GlennaGreer finds a man on her doorstep she faces a dilemma. Use her powers tosave—which she is forbidden to do—or let him possibly die. The urge to heal isstrong in the wood nymph and she risks banishment going against her clan'sdirective. When she discovers Radbourne Renner is a hellhound, she's really ina quandary.

And a preview snippet…

A pounding head,throbbing pain in his side, and complete disorienting location gave RadbourneRenner his first taste of fear in over a decade. "What happened!" Theheadache made his brain mushy. "Where am I and how the hell did I get here?"An image of Jared Janko popped into his mind. "Aw, fuck, no.'' His breathhissed out between his teeth. "That asshat is behind this." The throbin his side burned and he put his hand against it. "Shit." Hisfingers came away covered in blood. He paused, taking a labored breath."No wonder I'm a mess. I've been fucking stabbed."Rad had no idea whatset Janko off this time. They'd been unfriendly rivals almost since birth.Radbourne tended to avoid tangling with Jared … usually didn't have the patienceto deal with the hothead and learned from experience the man had no honor. Hehad a mean streak, a bloated ego, and fought dirty—the wound in Rad's side atestament to that fact. The head of homestead banned weapons for anyoneattending the gatherings.Rad snorted then wincedwhen another searing stitch reminded him of the gash. "Apparently Jankodidn't get the memo." More like the dickhole chose to ignore the head'scommand.Then freaked out when anddumped Rad in the middle of nowhere. A vague memory of being dragged to a truckand hoisted into the bed skittered through his aching mind. Trying to get hisbearings, Radbourne couldn't get past the pain to scent the way toward home. Or… Janko masked the trail, hoping Rad would perish and leave Jared in the clear.His focus went dark and gray again. Imminent peril had his preternatural senseskicking in.Radbourne sniffed theair. "There's someone living out here." He followed his nose andnearly fell down in gratitude when a small cottage came into view.With his visionswimming, he stumbled toward the house and hopefully help. Less than ten feetfrom the porch, his knees gave out and he sprawled to the ground in a heap. Numband dizzy, he didn't even attempt to get back up.He tried to call out,but his voice only gurgled in his throat. "Dammit, so close, soclose." He closed his eyes, unable to fight the heavy sensation spreadingthrough his body.On a long exhale, theblack veil of unconsciousness swallowed him whole.

I love writing the LanternJack tales. Glenna and Radbourne are getting Jack closer to fulfilling his penanceand ready to move on to his afterlife.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Fundamental Basics (Lantern Jack tale)

Welcome June andanother month where time will probably fly by too quickly. Doesn't help thatI'm under the weather right now and feeling yucky. Hopefully whatever this iswill pass quickly and I can get back to normal.

Had a solid workweek. Finished up a cozy mystery proofread and made progress on a developmentaledit. Also got a lot of writing done, which makes me happy because I've beenhitting walls lately.

Fairly good viewingthis week. Managed to go through my show list twice. I might start adding in afew more shows but I like this current group.

Finished up thefourth season of Suspects. I'll be starting the fifth and final seasonthis week. Looks like a banger ending for this series.

Caught two episodesof Brokenwood Mysteries. Both were excellent. Very fun to see howHalloween is celebrated in New Zealand, especially since it's spring thereinstead of fall. Very cool.

Watched two episodesof Best in Paradise. I'm enjoying the intros by the actors and I'menjoying their picks for favorite episodes.

Also enjoyed two episodesof Death in Paradise. I'd seen bits of both episodes but not the wholething. Loved the one with the zoo. Also like how much Jack is becoming a partof the community.

Caught two episodesof Elementary. Interesting to see Gregson's personal life on a bit of adisplay. Also thoroughly enjoying Sherlock's interactions with Joan as he fullysinks into the partnership.

Watched twoepisodes of The Batman. Fun to have Harley Quinn introduced. And I verymuch enjoyed the New Year's Eve episode.

Also enjoyed twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. I'd forgotten they started to work three vignettesin after the movie. Not sure if I really like that in hindsight.

That's pretty much itfor the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fundamental Basics,a Lantern Jack tale.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. A sprite,Farin Frazier, is a social outcast who comes together with Qeb Quince, a spook(shade?) who is questioning his undead existence. The two shouldn't beattracted to each other, they're mortal enemies, but they find some commonground on All Hallows, when magick is at its strongest.

And a preview snippet…

Farin Frazier shook her head."Thank you for the invite, Maggie, but you know how much I hate the bigblowouts on All Hallows.Maggie rolled her eyes. "Farin,you don't give yourself enough credit. If you come, people will talk to you andinclude you in the festivities."Farin shuddered. "That's myfear. I do fine one on one, like with you and me. But large crowds of peoplemake me tongue-tied and when I do talk, I say the wrong thing."Maggie sighed. "Okay, but I'llbe over bright and early the day after to fill you in on all the happenings—who'sdoing who and where." She laughed. "You know the random hookups arethe craziest on All Hallows."Yes, Farin had firsthand knowledgeabout becoming a notch on a random sprite's bedpost. And the humiliatingaftermath.She gave Maggie a bland smile. "I'llbe here with coffee and those tasty little cakes you like so much."Maggie tilted her head to one side."You're going to meet someone one of these days who will bring you out ofyour shell."Farin didn't live in a shell. Sheinhabited the real world fully aware of her strengths and weaknesses. Thebeautiful home she'd created satisfied her on an elemental level. Where verbalcommunication always tripped her up, speaking through design and art came easily.Maggie kept Farin updated on the happenings in the glade, which suited Farinjust fine.Maggie snapped her fingers. "Hello?Are you listening?"Farin nodded. "Yeah, yeah. Ihear you. My knight will come soon. Blah-blah-blah." She got up andemptied her coffee mug. "I don't need a dude on a white horse to save mefrom myself." She wouldn't mind a guy who liked art and had patience withsocially awkward women, but whatever. "I'm perfectly okay livingvicariously through you and creating my art to sell online and in the city."Maggie sighed. "I know you'reall right with your life, Farin. But you deserve a man who gets you on afundamental level and lets you be you but also makes you better." Her eyeswent wide and bright. "And one that rocks your world sideways."Farin grinned. "Like Jansendoes for you?"Maggie's smile let up the room. "Exactly.I want my best friend in the whole universe to find her other half. It'samazing."Farin hugged Maggie. "If ithappens, I hope I'm as happy as you are." But Farin wouldn't hold herbreath.Maggie grabbed her bag. "Itwon't happen if you never put yourself out there." She held up a hand. "ButI get it. You don't want to do the finding at the big bash." She made herway to the main door. "Maybe think about coming to the council meetingnext month. You do have a stake in what they decide for the glade."A valid point. But … the communitycenter meant lots of fae from the glade. Bleh.Farin shrugged. "I'll thinkabout it." And she would for about a hot minute.Maggie rolled her eyes. "I'mcoming to get you for it and won't take no for an answer." With awaggle-finger wave, she left Farin to the quiet afternoon.

I have so much funwriting the Lantern Jack tales. Qeb and Farin are cool characters and making Jackwork his magick on them is a joy.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fistful of Sorry

May is winding downand it's been kind of a whirlwind month. Or I might be hitting that age wheretime seems to fly by faster every day.

Not a bad workweek. I finished up a project and jumped back into one that had been sitting onthe back burner for a while. Also started a new one. Got some writing donealso, which makes me happy because the sages have been on an extended vacation.

Pretty good week ofviewing also. I managed to go through my slate of shows twice and finished upan episode I left hanging a few weeks ago.

Watched twoepisodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Thoroughly enjoyed both. I'm soexcited this show is back for another season. I love the characters so much.

Caught two episodesof Death in Paradise. Finished up season seven and ended up liking it alot. Starting season eight this week.

Started watching Bestin Paradise, which features the favorite episodes of the cast. Got two viewed,and I think I'll continue watching. They have fun intros from the cast memberand why the episode is one of their favorites.

Watched twoepisodes of Elementary and I really love how Joan is being fleshed outand using her knowledge. Also kind of happy to see some growth with Sherlock.

Enjoyed two episodesof The Batman. I remembered both and enjoyed each one. Really fun tohave Robin and Batgirl working together to take down the rogues.

Caught one episode ofSuspects and it ended up being a twisty affair, which I love. I have twomore episodes of season four and then I'll start the final fifth season.

Watched twoepisodes of Classic Rugrats. Finished up the lead-in to the movie andcaught the first episode post wedding. Fun stuff.

Also finished anepisode of Peak Practice I started a couple of weeks ago. The laterseasons seem to be a little hit or miss for me. Can't wait to finally get toseason twelve.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Fistful of Sorry, anovella that puts a couple through a trial by fire.

Here's the miniblurb:

Orly Manx and Cal Luminity always approach situationsfrom opposite angles but usually end up on the same side. When Orly pushes acadet too far during training, she apologizes to Cal for not following hisadvice. But Cal isn't interested in listening or quick to forgive, which drivesa wedge between them, and Orly realizes how much she needs Cal to play yin toher yang. Clearly in the wrong, Orly can't take back her actions, so makingamends is all she has left.

And a preview snippet…

Cal could kick himself for thinkinghe could appeal to Orly's better nature and hope for the best. "Becausethat always blows up in my face." He cut through the quad and headed forthe morning session of free-time exercise in the training room also known asthe shed.Not keeping his word to Barnabasmight bite Cal on the ass. He didn't want to break the confidence, but he couldn'tsee another way to try and get Orly on board. And, of course, she didn'tcooperate anyway.Pulling the door open, Cal sighed."Barnabas can be angry if he wants to." Benson wouldn't discover hisgrandfather's meddling from Orly.That much Cal could count on.He entered the wide, airy space andtook a post along the north wall to observe Benson during his warmup. A lot ofinformation revealed itself when a plebe didn't have the pressure to performsitting squarely on their shoulders. Benson moved with ease even if hestruggled with some of the gestures needed for spell-casting.It's not lack of coordination. It'slack of confidence.

Cal understood that on a deeplevel. When he first started at the school as a student, carrying the familyname added a heavy weight to everything he did. From living up to the expectationsof the faculty to fighting against the preconceived notions of his fellowcadets, Cal's first year still topped the chart as the most tortured. Hesuffered paralyzing stage fright and almost gave up because the pressure tosucceed as a member of a founding family nearly did him in.His saving grace? Orly. She'dblazed into the school with nothing but raw, amazing talent and a willingnessto do anything necessary to become a premier mage. She also befriended Cal,according to her, despite the fact he had privilege stamped all over him. Onsome weird level, she recognized a kindred spirit … someone who wanted to bethe very best. Unlike everyone else, she didn't ask questions about or pry intohis family dynamics … mainly because she didn't care if got along with hisparents or whether he lived up to their standards. The only thing she wantedfrom him? Companionship, in and out of bed, and someone she could challenge andbe challenged by.Cal snorted. "And to this day,she still lives for the competition." Which normally didn't bother him…Until now.Because Benson Mikkleson gave awaya lot of clues during his free-time exercise. He subtly eyed the other studentsand tried to mimic their stances. Maybe because his sensitivity held him back.Or … possibly because he had a ton of baggage he needed to work on checkingbefore he really settled into his ability. Without a friend like Orly in hiscorner, Benson would probably struggle to find his place.Cal frowned. "Why can't sheremember how much we hated the grueling methods?" Because those practicesworked ninety percent of the time.Yet … how many good mages did they losebecause of an unbending structure?Pushing away from the wall, Calheaded for the exit so he could prepare for his first class. "Here'shoping Benson Mikkleson won't be in the ten percent that don't make it throughthe first semester…"

I'm very happy withhow this story is coming together. I love writing a couple with issues and Caland Orly definitely don't see eye to eye sometimes.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fiery Yule (a Holiday Spirit short)

Had a solid week ofgetting stuff done. This makes me happy. Got a garden planted. Okay, my husbandgot most of the planting done. I only did one thing, but I call that a winanyway.

On the work front,I did fairly well also. I'm hoping to launch a new venture in June, and Ifinally got back to setting that up. I also finished up a copy edit and starteda proofreading project.

Solid week ofviewing also. I'm in a bit of a groove and sticking with a cluster of shows. Istill have a weird urge to binge watch a marathon of something, but I'veresisted that urge. It's so easy to fall down a rabbit hole and not getanything done.

Ended up gettingtwo episodes of Death in Paradise watched. One featured a Day of theDead tie in, which is notable only because I'm watching a different show todaythat has a Day of the Dead tie in.

Also got twoepisodes of Elementary in. Started season two and got to meet Mycroft,which I enjoyed. Also got some additional Joan backstory and I'm glad to seesome of that.

Enjoyed twoepisodes of The Batman. Both were ones I remembered from my original runthrough the show. Season three is different as I don't feel as connected to thecharacters, but it's a pretty solid season so far.

Caught two episodesof Classic Rugrats. I've started season eight and I'd forgotten it's alead up to the Rugrats in Paris movie and all the episodes areinterconnected.

Watched two episodesof Suspects. I finished up season three and started season four. Thepremiere of four had a very twisty case and I really enjoyed that one.

Started season tenof Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. There's a terrific castof characters and I love that Frodo and Todd have found both bodies so far thisseason.

Also enjoyed thefinale of season twenty-six of Silent Witness. I'm finally one hundredpercent caught up with the series. Now I play a waiting game until seasontwenty-seven.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fiery Yule, aholiday spirit sexy short.

Here's theminiblurb:

A holiday spirit, Spruce Lightfir, gives Enzo Escada, afire demon, the perfect place to lay low over the Yule holiday. Enzo cravessome time alone, away from the demanding overseer of Enzo's peerage. WhenQuinne Quailer, a mystic, arrives for a sabbatical from the human world, Enzois cranky about the intrusion … until Quinne's presence calms his fiery innersoul. Maybe the miracle of Yule can free Enzo from his life of servitude.

And a preview snippet…

Quinne Quailer completely lost hercool. "We're entering the most festive time of year, and the constantpetty arguments are beyond disappointing." If she had to mediate one more disagreementabout how to handle … anything … she'd go mad.I established a council to helpease my workload not heap more on.

So far, the group of twelve spentmore time fighting over hierarchy than actually resolving tribe issues.Quinne stared her group down."Why do you bring these minute issues to me?" She sighed. "Thisis stuff you should be working out amongst yourselves." Gathering hersacred items, she stowed them in her leather satchel. "I'm done for today.When you decide to stop being argumentative and start helping your fellowtribemates, let me know." With quiet dignity, she turned and walked out ofthe room.She exited the council house andmade the short walk to her home. Off balance, exhausted, and deeply wounded,she refused to let the tears gathering behind her eyelids escape. Trudging upthe half dozen steps to her porch she found a parchment envelope on herdoorstep.Wary, she opened the packet and readthe invitation.
The time has come for solitude atlast.Replenish your spirit and make itlast.Lay down your burden and embracesome cheer.Travel to Goodacre to end the year.
A set of instructions and availabledates were enclosed, along with a strong suggestion she take some time to enjoythe bed and breakfast over the yule holiday.Quinne discounted the idea. "Yeah,I don't have time." Shouldering her way into her house, she sighed."I really need to stay right here." But she longed for solitude.Why shouldn't she have somedowntime? If everything fell apart … well, maybe that would kick the councilinto gear. And possibly spur them to do what needed to be done.She closed her eyes when a knock soundedon her door. The oak slab barely cracked open before Harriet Hurst, one of thetribal council, pushed her way inside. Quinne blinked at the invasion.Harriet planted her hands on herhips. "What kind of drama-queen crap are you pulling?" She sucked ina deep breath. "I mean, what kind of example are you trying to set bystorming out of the meeting?" She arched a winged brow.Quinne's mouth dropped open.Harriet wanted to berate Quinne's behavior. When she and the other memberscouldn't get out of their own way long enough to do the job of governing andhelping the rest of the tribe?Quinne finally had enough."Why am I the leader?" If pulling rank and throwing some weightaround didn't nip this … nothing would.Harriet started to argue. "Well,because—" She stopped and snapped her mouth shut.Quinne pressed her lips together."Exactly, because no one else wants the burden of responsibility."Winding up, she pushed her point. "And why am I the mystic healer?"Pinning Harriet with a hard glare, she waited for the only response available.Harriet flushed and glanced away."No one else living has the gift." Her words were softly spokenbecause they were true.Quinne flung out a hand. "Andthere we go. I'm basically working two jobs with the welfare and well-being ofthe entire tribe in my hands. And you want to chastise me for taking thecouncil to task for not helping?" Quinne all but dared Harriet todeny the accusation.Harriet shook her head and backpedaled."No, I'm not. That's not what I'm doing…" Her voice trailed off and sheshrugged.Quinne made a garbled chokingsound. "Yes, it is." She considered the invitation again. "Youknow what? I'm going on a brief sabbatical. I obviously need one since you feelI'm not conducting myself as a proper leader should."Harriet held up her hands. "Inever said that."Quinne repeated Harriet's wordsback to her. "I'm pulling drama-queen crap and setting a questionableexample. That's what you opened with."Harriet scrambled with excuses."But … but … it's almost yule."Quinne rolled her eyes. "Don'tworry. I'll leave detailed notes for the council." She already had ahandbook filled out if any of the members had bothered to read the information.Harriet tried one final tactic."What if someone needs healing?" A smug twist had her lips curving.Quinne hardened her resolve. "That'swhat the infirmary is for, Harriet. And if there's an emergency, one of theother medical healers can contact me." She nudged Harriet toward the door."Now, if you'll excuse me, I've got some packing to do." Closing thestunned look on Harriet's face behind the heavy wood, Quinne headed for herroom to gather some clothes.She really didn't want to go atfirst. Now she couldn't wait to leave. For some nice, quiet alone time.Zipping up her suitcase, shesettled at her desk and started a note for the healers. "Goodacre Bed andBreakfast, here I come…"

The holiday spiritstories are so much fun to write. I love coming up with quirky names for the spiritsand resolving the conflict between the two paranormal love interests.

 

That's it for thisweek.

 

Cheers!

 

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Feeding the Fury

Happy US Mother'sDay to those who celebrate. For those with parental issues, I hope you find joyand peace.

Had the rareexperience of seeing the northern lights in Ohio. I can honestly say I haven'tbeen so excited about something in a long time. The mysteries of space are awesome!

Fairly busy weekwith work projects and other odds and ends. Finished up a couple of manuscriptsand started a new one. I have another ongoing developmental edit that I need todive back into this week.

Not a bad week ofviewing even with a few distractions. I'm at a weird place with watching rightnow. I'm kind of leaning toward doing binge marathons again and I'm not sure Iwant to fall down that rabbit hole again.

Caught two episodesof Suspects and enjoyed both. This show is kind of choppy and that adds somethingto the experience. I love the cases and how things are rarely what they seemfrom the initial starting point.

Finished up the thirdseason of Madame Blanc Mysteries. I'd love to see another series of thisshow. The cast is a lot of fun.

Watched two episodesof Silent Witness. I've realized that after the next one, I'm completelycaught up with the show. I really like the current cast and I'm excited to seewhat the next season brings.

Enjoyed an episodeof Death in Paradise. This is one I hadn't seen before and I liked thecase. I'm also enjoying Jack's tenure as DI.

I think I finishedout the first season of Elementary. I'm actually thrilled with how theMoriarity plot played out. I love seeing Joan kind of step in to the role ofconsulting detective with ease and grace. The things she sees that Sherlockdoesn't is always interesting.

Watched anotherepisode of The Batman. Nice to see Ethan back again. I'm a little bummedwe haven't seen Chen for a while and I can't remember if she comes back or not.

Enjoyed the Valentineepisode of Classic Rugrats. I do remember this one but not everything aboutit. Nice to see some longer length episodes also.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Feeding the Fury,a novella that brings a couple together against the expressed wishes of theFury.

Here's the miniblurb:

Larue and Wade displease the Fury and she orders them tobattle each other in the pyre. But the two top mages decide they won't killeach other for her pleasure, instead they'll invoke the Rite of Phoenix and ifthey survive, the Fury will have to abdicate her throne.

And a preview snippet…

A persistent buzz zinged underLarue's skin.

"I require your presence inyour quarters."

Larue ended her conversation andexcused herself from the table. She had no idea why she'd received a summonsfrom Helena. Especially since the Fury had ample opportunity to deliver themessage in person.

Larue left the common area and madeher way to the residential wing. "I wonder what's going on now." Sheentered her suite to find Helena pacing back and forth. "You wanted to seeme?" Keeping her voice tentative, she hoped the tone calmed the Fury.

Helena whirled around. "You'requite the popular mage, aren't you?" She all but spit the words out.

So much for calm…

Larue blew out a slow breath. Shehated it when Helena got into a mood, mainly because Larue tried hard to notcause friction. Unless she counted the fun kind involving sex.

She shrugged and responded somewhatcarefully. "If you say so."

Helena snarled. "You uppity,ungrateful bitch." Her hand whipped out and slapped Larue with a stingingblow.

Larue gnashed her teeth and barelyheld back a retaliatory gesture. She wouldn't give the Fury the satisfaction.Larue had learned control and she'd use it.

Lifting her chin, she kept hervoice measured. "I'm not sure what brought this attack of venom on, but Idon't seek popularity." She met Helena's gaze square on. "Because ofthe past, I approach others with kindness because that's the way I like to betreated." Glancing away, she tried to appear understanding. "As theFury, you might not be in a position to do that. But … if you want your people toflourish and sing your praises, you could maybe do what you did with me—encourageall of them to find their strength instead of making them follow you with blind,numbing mindlessness." Okay, that might push the Fury's buttons.

Helena's lips thinned. "Irather think that little experiment proved the opposite. You're entirely too caughtup in your own brilliance, my pet." Her eyes flashed angrily. "Attemptingto usurp my power won't garner the acceptance you'll always seek but never find."With a flourish of her robes, she spun away and sailed out the door.

Larue tilted her head. She didn'tcrave Helena's power. Larue already found the only thing she wanted. A place tocall home.

Helena issued one final salvo."Tread very carefully from this point forward. And be ready to pay theprice if you misstep." With a cloud of hailstorm, Helena disappeared fromsight.

Larue released a gradual exhale. "Thatdidn't go well at all." And being put on notice didn't thrill her onelittle bit.

This story is a joyand a challenge. I love writing over-the-top antagonists but also worry aboutmaking them too mustache twirly … even if they're female.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fancy Meeting You Here

Had a superemotional day yesterday with my daughter graduating from college with a bachelor'sin media production and theater. She starts grad school in the fall for artsadministration. I'm so proud of her! And … considering she had a drive-throughhigh school graduation, getting to see her walk for her bachelor's made me veryhappy.

Had another goodweek of work and writing. I finished up two manuscript edits and a proofread onthe work front and wrote several scenes in three or four of my WIPs. I'm notquite where I want to be on my writing, but I'm getting back to form.

Actually had asolid week of viewing also. Maybe the planets are aligned where I need them tobe right now. Who knows?

Watched two episodesof Elementary and, wow, I rather like what they did with the Moriaritything. Looking forward to seeing how that ends up. I think I have one moreepisode of the first season.

Started season threeof The Batman and watched two episodes. I remembered both and enjoyedeach one.

Caught two episodesof Classic Rugrats. I think I'm at the end of season seven where the twovignettes are actually one episode. Kind of liked that format. I think the newtheme starts with season eight. I'll find out this week I think.

Started a newseason of Suspects. Loved the opening episode. It did not go where Ithought it would and I love that.

Watched another episodeof Madame Blanc Mysteries. Broken-hearted for Gloria. I kind of hopethere's more to the story about Cooper. I kind of want to find out what hiswhole deal was with Gloria.

Enjoyed another episodeof Death in Paradise. I don't remember this one at all and actuallyloved it. Definitely a twisty one.

Caught the firstpart of Silent Witness. I'm excited to see where this one goes. There'sdefinitely more than meets the eye for this case. I'm not thrilled with the newaddition to Jack's life. I love his niece, but the mom is a piece of work and Idon't like her at all.

Started a new episodeof Peak Practice. I'll try to finish it up this week. Not sure what's upwith Sam but I assume the seeds are being planted for his departure and that'swhy he's being such a prat right now.

Last but not least,I started a documentary called Broken Horses, mainly because it featuresthe author of one of the books I've been working on and his stance that thedrugging of horses needs to stop. I can honestly say it's a hard watch and mypersonal thought there might be a trainer who should never, ever be allowed toparticipate in the sport ever again. But that's just me.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fancy Meeting YouHere, a novella that brings a couple together under fraught circumstances.

Here's theminiblurb:

Jonni Mars and Val Janison are enforcers for two opposingmage families and have a friendly rivalry. When Val, a member of the rulinghouse, shows up at Jonni's favorite underground dive, she's both infuriated andintrigued, and more than a little surprised to meet him under almost normalcircumstances.

And a preview snippet…

Dammit. She hated being called onher bullshit.

Taking a deep, cleansing breath, shelisted her issues with black and white. "That's an encapsulated version."She flung out a hand. "But you've got a point. I don't disrespect you.The snark and biting comments are my defense." Pacing back and forth, shemuttered. "I'm trying to stay out of you head the only way I know how."But she didn't have to be a complete bitch.

Val lifted his chin. "I getit." He shoved his hands in his pockets. "But … can we call a truce?The whole reason we came to the Warwick is to unravel the connection, figureout how and why it's happening." Leaning against the wall, he crossed onebooted foot over the other.

Jonni calmed down. "Okay.Yeah. We should get on the same page." She huffed out a frustrated breath."But I have no idea how to even start." Or where.

Val pushed away from the plasteredsurface and made his way to the couch. "I suggest we walk back to thenight we fought Philan. That started this." He slouched down, kicking hisfeet out.

She reluctantly agreed. "Yeah,okay. But I still don't know what happened or how it did." She'd never hada slip like that, not even with Rochelle and they'd been like sisters.

Val rolled a shoulder. "Look,I'll own having an instant attraction to you. Maybe that's at play?" Hislips turned down, which showed his discomfort with the idea.

Jonni admitted the same. "Yeah,there's a spark there. Like I've known you for years … which I sort of do."She planted herself in the chair opposite the sofa. "Everyone knows themajor players in the three clans." At least everyone that worked with orfor ruling families.

Val grunted. "Yeah, but it'smore than that. I've got a reputation for being very cool under pressure, but I'vebeen on edge since you invaded my mind." He shook his head.

Jonni got defensive. "Not likeI tried to do it." The reply sounded lame, but she really didn't have aclue how she'd mindslipped into his consciousness.

Val met her gaze. "Okay. I believethat." He straightened and leaned forward, placing his forearms on hisknees. "Maybe see if you can do it now."

What did they have to lose?

Jonni probed but couldn't getthrough. "I've got nothing." Hope filled her. "Progress?" Gah,she hoped so.

Val gave a shrug. "Possibly. Let'swait a while and see what happens." He leaned back against the cushionsagain.

Jonni arched her brows. "Seriously?I've got things to do." Like figure out why she kept hitting dead ends.

Val folded his arms over his chest."Tell me about them." He gave her a look that dared her to deny hisrequest.

Jonni sighed and explained abouther false leads and frustration. They talked a little more and she gotcomfortable. Val had some solid ideas about picking up the cold trail. And hedidn't appear to find her lack of progress overly concerning. It took time torun down leads and false starts were part of the job.

She started to comment but got avery vivid image of being sprawled naked on a featherbed, her legs splayed wideand Val's head between them. His hands grasped her hips and he drew her closerto his delving tongue. A hot flush washed over her, and she gasped.

Pissed off, her gaze flew to his."What the hell, Val?" She shot up off the chair and ran a handthrough her hair.

Val gave a grunt. "See … you'restill doing it." He smirked, an unrepentant look on his face.

She whirled to face him. "Dammit!Why? I do not want to be in your head." Huffing out a harsh breath, shemade a hard admission. "It's distracting—even when I'm not traipsingthrough your thoughts. The fact I can constantly buzzes around in mybrain." Why did this happen now?

Val gave a slow nod. "I agree.And we need to figure this out." He leaned forward again. "I say weeither order something in or get takeout. Because it's gonna be a longnight."

Jonni grabbed her jacket. "I needsome air." The whole mindslip thing had her twitchy. "I'll get thefood." She didn't wait for a response, heading out and dashing down thestairs.

She didn't think twice about whatshe ordered. Not until she headed out of the restaurant.

She had no doubt she had exactlywhat Val wanted.

I love how thisstory is coming together. Jonni and Val are a fun couple to write.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: Fan the Flames

Gearing up for abusy week with work projects and my youngest's graduation from college. I thinkwe're also going to have some nasty weather, which should be fun.

Had a solid week ofwork and writing, which makes me very happy. I might be finding my grooveagain. I so hope I am. I'm not a fan of being unable to focus when I need to.

Had a decent weekof television viewing. Made it through the modified list of shows and startedover.

I caught the finaltwo behind the character bonuses for My Life Is Murder. I'm somewhat hopingthere's another season. Based on a little research, I think there might be.

Also watched two episodesof Madame Blanc Mysteries. Both were enjoyable. Kind of sad to see the pubowners no longer with the cast but interested in Dom's uncle being a possibleaddition. Hopefully he won't be too shady.

Enjoyed thetwo-part Silent Witness. A lot of twists and turns in this one and Iliked them. Looking forward to starting a new two-parter this week.

Finished up seasonsix and started season seven of Death in Paradise. I'm excited to dive furtherinto Jack's tenure as the DI. It feels like this is when cast members starttheir merry-go-round of coming and going. But I'm looking forward to more of thisshow.

Caught another episodeof Elementary and Moriarty is making their presence known. I'm kind ofinterested in how this might play out over the seasons. I'm very much lovingthe dynamic with Sherlock and Watson.

Watched another episodeof The Batman. I guess it was the season two finale. It always kind ofannoys me when the first season is twice as long as the remaining ones. Thatsaid, pretty sure Robin makes an appearance in season three so there's that.

Enjoyed an episodeof Classic Rugrats. Again, these were new-to-me vignettes. Not sure whathappened with season seven during the original run, but I'm happy to see thosenow.

Also finished upthe Peak Practice episode I started a while ago. Hoping to get anotherone in this week.

That's it for thelife update. Tonight's post is from Fan the Flames, a novella featuringa cupid that has to bring a couple together, but they don't make it easy forhim.

Here's theminiblurb:

A modern-day cupid discovers a couple with matching aurasand thinks he'll have an easy time matching them up. Right ... not so much.While Jamie and Alix definitely have the hots for each other, one big obstaclestands in their way—Jamie's job.

And a preview snippet…

Alix met the gaze of the manspeaking and studied him for a moment. Attractive, except for that nastycomment, he looked tired and a little cranky. But he had to have some knowledgeof her work.

Her lips curved upward. "Youmust be referring to the VanDyne house, the one that featured prominently inthe holiday parade of homes last year." Her gaze scanned the othercommittee members. "The strict guidelines for the design parametersrequired the full Victorian treatment. Mr…"

The man's lips thinned."O'Riley, but everyone calls me Jammer." He shifted in his seat andcrossed his arms over his chest.

Alix knew the name. Joe mentionedJammer on a regular basis. He failed to say the guy had a massive stick shovedup his ass.

She gave him a sweet smile."Jammer it is then. Part of my job is to follow the client's requirementsto the letter. In the case of the VanDyne home, the homeowner's associationdictated a lot of the design features we went with." Moving the presentationalong, she started to turn over the first board.

Jammer jumped in again. "Whatmakes you think you can handle the design for the common areas and livingquarters in a fire department while adhering to commercial code?" Hequirked an eyebrow.

Alix flipped the board, her colorscheme of rich earth tones with pops of red, black, and white drawingappreciative nods from the other committee members. "To answer Jammer'squestion, my degree is in residential and commercial interior space planning.I'm well-versed and up to date on all codes." She took the design boardand started it around the table.

Glancing in Jammer's direction, shepaused for half a second to see if he had anything else to bitch about. Hebrought his coffee mug to his lips and stayed silent.

Alix propped two boards side byside. "Since Jammer seems to have the most concerns, I'll offer to scrapthe leather chairs and sofas, the dart boards, the flat screen TVs, andbilliard tables for the living room along with the oversized eight burnerstove, double fridge and freezers for the kitchen, and do away with the weightsand cross fit equipment for the exercise area, if everyone agrees it's not whata firehouse needs." She met Jammer's gaze. "However, the frou-froubedding with pom-poms for each of the bunks is a sticking point. I refuse togive up creative control for the sleeping area." She smirked then passedthe two boards around then revealed the actual bunk room design. "Allkidding aside, I'm aware you guys are on shift for twenty-four hours and mygoal for the bunkroom is to make it comfortable during downtime." Shepointed to the key features. "Semi-private berths, with space and chargingstations for your electronic devices, and a fold down desk area will accompanyeach section." She started the last board around to the buzz of approvalfrom most of the committee. "Bedding can be brought in, so if anyone isn'thappy with the cool blues, taupe, and sienna color scheme, they can bring onthe pink and polka dots." A round of laughter greeted her pithy remark.

Mr. Grouchy had the design boardslaid out in front of him and had, so far, kept his mouth shut. Alix wondered ifhe'd get on board or go further into ass hat territory.

I love this story somuch. Alix and Jamie are a lot of fun to write and bringing them together is a hugetreat.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: Events in Motion

Can't believe we'realmost through April. And yet … it's been a really long month. May has somegreat things happening, namely my youngest graduating from college. She startsgrad school in the fall, and I'm amazed by her. I can't wait to see what she doeswith her future.

Had an okay week ofviewing. I'm behind on my work projects so I didn't push hard to get stuffwatched, but I did make a full rotation of my shows.

I finished theregular series of My Life Is Murder. I have the bonus content left towatch. I actually loved this show. And, to my astonishment, it looks like therewill be a fourth season! And it premieres tonight if I can trust the interwebs.

Caught an episodeof Madame Blanc Mysteries. A little disappointed with the friction and pushback from Caron about interference with the case, but it's probably a littlemore true to life than not.

Finished up SilentWitness and loved how it ended. Things didn't go quite the way I expected.I love it when that happens.

Watched the firstepisode of Jack's tenure of Death in Paradise. I liked the transitionfrom Humphrey to Jack. We're also getting into episodes I've not seen anything ofyet and I'm excited to watch new stuff.

Enjoyed an episode ofElementary. This one didn't have the police coming to Sherlock forconsultation. He brought a case to them, and I'd like to see more of that.Almost through the first season so maybe I'll get what I want here.

Caught anotherepisode of The Batman and it's one I remembered watching before. I loveit when Alfred's past comes calling. He's got some interesting friends.

Watched an episodeof Classic Rugrats and, again, this is a new to me one. I don't remembereither of the vignettes and that's always fun for me.

Finished out theweek with some more Peak Practice. I'm trying to get through the episodeI started a few weeks ago. I might get it finished this week.

That's it for thelife update this week. Tonight's post is from Events in Motion, a novellathat explores the journey a couple has to take to find a new home.

Here's the miniblurb:

Fate has a plan for Drury, one she's not all that certainshe wants to follow. Porter doesn't believe in destiny, but when Drury sets achain of events in motion, he has to change his perspective or risk losing herto chance.

And a preview snippet…

Drury reached a deep level ofmeditation. The oracle said Dru would be able to achieve what she needed to.Foretold the future that would rely on something involving Dru and taking a newpath.

As if doing actual meditation doesn'talready count as something new and different.

She rarely got to the place where herfocus zeroed in on specifics. Most of the time, meditating allowed her to silencethe noise in her head for short bursts—long enough to stay sane but not lengthyenough to subdue the constant, quiet roar. Porter helped but she shouldn't keepusing him.

Fuzzy images gained clarity in hermind's eye. A large, looming structure shifted through a series of snapshotmoments. Quick flashes, barely more than blips in her brain shuffled like pagesbeing turned. These are familiar. I know where this is.

Her eyes popped open. "I haveto go to the temple." She took a moment to recenter her being then got toher feet.

Crossing the room, she startedpacking, tossing necessities into a large duffle. With no way of knowing howlong she would need, she added enough to cover a week. Movement from behind hadher turning to discover Porter leaning against the door jamb.

She zipped her bag. "I'm goingto the temple. Whatever questions I have … the answers will be there." Orat least the starting point would be there.

Porter nodded. "Give mefifteen minutes. I'm going with you." He pushed away from the door andheaded for the front entrance.

Her gaze narrowed but she didn'targue. She wanted him along. Instinct told her she could use his steadypresence. And her heart settled somewhere between hope and wary consternationover his offer to come along.

Hoisting the duffle over hershoulder, she followed him. "Do you want to meet me there?" She setthe bag on the table and grabbed a backpack to store water and food.

Porter shook his head. "No.From this moment forward, where you go I go. I'll pack, grab some more suppliesthen come back for you." He met her gaze. "Fifteen minutes. Ipromise." His hand twisted the doorknob.

Tears pricked behind her eyelids."Why are you doing this?" She didn't really deserve his support.

Porter tilted his head to one side."You need someone in your corner, Dru. I'm that person. I've got your back,and I always will." Pulling the door open, he headed outside.

She blinked hard to clear hervision, letting the teardrops trickle down her cheeks. Because … she didn'tjust need someone.

She needed him.

I'm very pleasedwith how this story is shaking out. Dru is in for a wild ride and Porter willkeep her grounded.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Eternal Yule (a Holiday Spirit short)

Another crazy week.This time on more of a personal front, which isn't all that unusual. I don'tnormally get slowed down though and I did this week. We got to see almosttotality for the eclipse and that was actually a lot of fun. Our streetlightscame on at three in the afternoon on an otherwise sunny day. Seriously. Lots offun.

Had a fairly decentweek of viewing and caught up on most of my regular schedule. I've pared itdown a little and kind of hope to get back into a full rotation sometime soon.If I'm paying for streaming services, I should be using them, right?

Ended up catchingtwo episodes of The Batman. I'd completely forgotten the originalsidekick storyline with Prank for the Joker. Ended up enjoying that one. Alsokind of loved the "Thunder" episode. That one I did remember.

Watched two episodesof Classic Rugrats. I must have missed a big portion of the seventhseason because I don't remember any of the vignettes. Kind of nice to have new-to-mematerial to watch.

Enjoyed an episodeof My Life Is Murder. I think I have one more left before bonusmaterial. Going to miss this one. I thoroughly enjoyed the series.

Caught the holidayepisode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed it. Looking forward to divinginto the new season.

Started a newtwo-part Silent Witness. Loved seeing Jack's niece again. Lookingforward to finishing this episode.

Said good-bye toHumphrey on Death in Paradise. Really liked the way his run ended. I'mexcited to start Beyond Paradise in the near future.

Watched another episodeof Elementary. I'm almost through the first season and I'm very muchenjoying this show.

That's pretty muchit for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from An Eternal Yule,a holiday spirit short featuring a vampire and a psychic.

Here's theminiblurb:

Tortured vampire Haddon Hobbs can't seem to fight hisbloodlust anymore and it's going to be the end of him if he can't. PsychicTabitha Tarheel is tired of seeing the worst the world has to offer in hervisions. Holiday spirit Joy Garland brings the two together over the Yuleseason to help them find renewed hope for the future.

And a preview snippet…

Haddon's fangs sank deep into thethroat of the would-be rapist. The red haze of bloodlust clouded Haddon's mind.The vile human gurgled and choked, his heartbeat slowing almost to a halt.

Haddon finally got a grip onreality and thrust the nearly dead man into the tattered boxes beside thedumpster. "You're not worth it. Killing you would be too merciful."And this guy deserved none.

The man sneered—drained of severalpints of blood and barely breathing—he actually sneered. The time it would takefor cretin to recover from his injuries might not be long enough. And it gotmore difficult to resist removing the shit stains on humanity. Haddon almostcaved to the burning need to end the despicable wretch's life, but the airshifted around him and the persistent buzz of the supernatural pinged along hisawareness. The stinging sensation would get worse if Haddon delayed answeringthe call.

With a low growl, he stumbled outof the alley and ran directly into a hovering envelope. He snatched it from theair and clasped it between his fingers. Fighting against the strong pull of therage to go back and finish off the terrible, sexual predator once and for all, Haddonquickly sped to his home with preternatural speed. Once inside his brownstone,he tore the envelope open, fully expecting a summons from the council toaddress his bloodlust.

Instead, he'd received a parchmentinvitation. "Huh, didn't think anything could surprise me anymore."The brief missive got directly to the point.

 

The winter solstice is a specialtime of year.

Not the time to lose all you holddear.

Some time away would do you good.

A solitary stay in a protectedwood.

Travel the mist later tonight…

And make an effort to set thingsright.

 

The name of the location stood outin bold capital letters with coordinates not far from his residence to enterthe nether realm.

Haddon tucked the invitation insidehis coat pocket. "The Goodacre Bed and Breakfast." Sounded preciouslyquaint but he'd live with overblown chintz if it meant a possible solution tohis dilemma. He didn't have a death wish. But he also grew weary of fightingthe pull of bloodlust. After centuries of living through the terrible thingshumanity did to itself, disgust and disdain bubbled and boiled under thesurface with constant pressure.

Grabbing a large duffel bag, hepacked light. "Some casual stuff and a pair of boots for walking in thewoods." Maybe he'd find a way to beat the short fuse he'd been living withfor months. "Six centuries of harmony and balance shouldn't end without atleast trying." Exiting the building, Haddon darted down the access streetthat led to the storage area behind the four-unit brownstone.

A few moments before the stroke ofmidnight, the mist rolled in, and Haddon walked forward waiting for the fog tosurround him.

Another moment later, he found theveil and started to cross through it. "Here goes nothing…"

Or maybe everything…

I have so much funwriting the holiday spirit shorts. This one is on track to become a favorite!

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye 

Sunday Snippet: An Enticing Yule (Holiday Spirit short)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Tonight's post isfrom An Enticing Yule, a holiday spirit short featuring a shifter and awatcher.

Here's theminiblurb:

A shifter and a watcher have to find their Yule cheer …with a little help from holiday spirit, Cinnamon Mistleberry. She's got herwork cut out for her. Pandora Prewitt is a multi-shifter struggling to find hertrue form or risk banishment from her tribe. Dexter Diamond is a watcher, thegroup of preternatural humans who document the shifter chronicles, questioninghis life's work. Cinnamon brings the duo together at Yule to show them theenticing value of love.

And a preview snippet…

Dexter didn't need the confirmingnod from the other invitee.

And the moment he got within twofeet of her, his senses kicked in. Shifter. Well, damn. Nothing likebeing on the spot. She didn't look all that happy to see him either.

He grabbed his bag. "Look,I'll leave. You got here first." He'd find somewhere else to figure outhis future.

She reached out, placing a hand onhis bicep. "You don't have to do that." She flung an arm out."Look at this place. There's more than enough room for two." Sheremoved her palm from his sleeve and stepped back. "I just thought…"Her words trailed off, leaving an awkward vibe.

He picked up on her thought."That you'd be alone, right?" Yeah, he kind of thought the same.

She lifted a shoulder. "Well,yeah." She shook her head "No matter." Her hand shot forward."Pandora Prewitt."

Familiar with the name, a piece fellinto place.

He clasped her palm. "DexterDiamond. I have a feeling we're here by design." He let go and pointedtoward the sitting room. "Let's maybe get a little comfortable." Heheaded through the arched entryway.

Someone definitely put a littlethought into the décor. A fire burned in the hearth. Greenery draped … everywhere.Muted gold complemented the earthy tones of the garlands. Welcome comfort almostanyone would feel … but he could be the exception.

Pandora followed him inside."What do you mean, we're here by design?" Her gaze swept the area,and she gave a slight nod.

He settled in a wingback chair."You're a shifter. One, I'm assuming, facing a dilemma." He didn'tneed to be a genius to sense she had trouble on her mind.

Her eyes widened and she perched onthe edge of the sofa. "How do you know that?" A note of warinessentered her gaze.

Dexter rolled a shoulder."It's my job. I'm a watcher."

She opened her mouth then closedit.

He gave her a minute to digest theinformation. "We don't normally interact with pack members. It's easier ifwe don't." At least he'd learned that much.

Pandora's chin lifted. "Helpswith objectivity, right?"

He smiled. "Something likethat." Not that he ever stayed objective.

Pandora leaned against the armrest."You think someone brought us together on purpose?" Her tone betrayedthe interest she had in the topic.

Dexter gave a nod. "More likesomething, but, yeah, that's what my gut is telling me." Not thathe trusted his internal barometer much right now.

She went quiet again, gazing intothe fire. Dexter let the silence stretch out, testing his rusty instincts.Pandora would open up if she wanted to. If not, well, still more than enoughroom for two in the house.

She finally turned her attention tohim again. "I want to be angry at being manipulated, but, honestly, I'vehit the lowest place I can be in. Having someone else here might save mylife."

As far as reactions went … totallynot what he expected.

I love writing the holidayspirit shorts. It's so much fun coming up with the conflict and names for thespirits.

 

That's it for this week.

Cheers!

Skye