Sunday Snippet: Halloween Haunt (a Lantern Jack tale)

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

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

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

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

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

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

And that's it forthe life update this week. Tonight's post is from Halloween Haunt, aLantern Jack tale featuring clairvoyant and a vampire.

Here's theminiblurb:

Lantern Jack is back to right another wrong. Hadria Hardcastleis a clairvoyant medium who runs an investigation agency—she solves theunsolvable. Safford Sturgeon is a six-hundred-year-old vampire tired of hisundead existence. When a trail of dead bodies leads Hadria to Safford's frontdoor, she has to decide if he's guilty or being framed. Safford won't make herjob easy, but meeting Hadria shakes him out of his lethargy and promises tomake his life worth living.

And a preview snippet…

Safford Sturgeon closed his laptopand frowned. "The death of my contractor can't be a coincidence." Notwithin a month of his personal assistant and six months of the manager of hisart gallery.Three people in his trusted, butvery limited, inner circle.Safford curled his fingers into hispalm. "Someone wants to turn my life upside down." And they weresucceeding."You're not wrong. Even whenyou avoid the rest of the world, it has an uncanny ability to intrude."Safford eyed the ugly monstrositysitting on the table in his kitchen. "What the hell are you?" Hesniffed the air. "Ugh, you wear the stench of several centuries." Hewrinkled his nose.The pumpkin smirked. Smirked!It spoke again. "Hi, Pot, I'mKettle." The gourd paused a moment. "You do understand the reference,don't you?"Safford snorted. "Of course,Kettle. Why are you here? " Disturbing my inner musing.The pumpkin sighed. "The nameis Jack and I'm here with a warning."Safford rolled his eyes."Spare me the doom and gloom. I've seen several lifetimes of it. Why doyou think I've limited my contact with outsiders?" Which definitelyincludes talking vegetation.Jack scoffed. "Because you'rea cranky old man with his boxers in a bunch?"Safford snarled his response."No, you moronic gourd. It's because I don't want to be bothered by anyoneelse."Jack grunted. "Too bad,bloodsucker." He wobbled to the edge of the table. "Your past isgetting ready—if you'll excuse the pun—to bite you on the ass."Safford narrowed his eyes. "Doyou have anything to do with the murders of my friends?" He'd smash thesneering pumpkin to pieces if he did.Jack tsked. "No, I came totell you to make a list. One of your enemies is making a move."As if Safford didn't already know.Jack moved back to the middle ofthe surface. "Don't dawdle, Sturgeon. While you're making that list,you're going to learn about what vengeance can do to wreak havoc on theuniverse."Safford didn't relish the idea, buthe sighed and dragged the notebook he'd already set out forward and startedwriting.Jack waited until Safford had onefull column before he started his tale of woe. "A long, long time ago Igot very angry…"

The Lantern Jacktales are a lot of fun to write. I love letting Jack get his snark on.

 

That's it for thisweek.

Cheers!

Skye