Sunday Snippet: Midsummer Mayhem (Capital City Seasons)

I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. Ours was low key, exactly the way I like it.

Somewhat of a short week for television. I did enjoy The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Getting some insight into Mick's world made me happy. The big crossover is coming up on Monday and I'm kind of excited to see it.

Arrow's Thanksgiving episode turned out to be excellent. Love having Thea back and hopefully back in true Thea form.

As usual, I'm behind on a few of my binge watch shows but I'm addicted to the Hallmark Channels' holiday movies. I really love having something going pretty much 24 / 7.

Looking forward to the return of Riverdale next week.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Midsummer Mayhem, a Capital City Seasons tale.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Chris Renfer, Alpha Team Leader for the Strategic Tactical Unit, falls for Melanie Pramble at first sight, but she's new to the city wants to get her bearings. But when a Renfer's team is stuck in a bad situation, Melanie is the go to person for negotiation and Chris can only hope their beginning doesn't end before it makes headway.

And a sneaky peek…

Melanie made her way over to Chris and leaned in close. "I want you. Now."

Renfer blinked and shook his head. "Now? As in—"

Melanie nodded. "Right this moment. Yes."

Chris grabbed her hand and headed toward the exit then stopped short. "Shit. I can't. The after action report and weapons' log can't wait."

Jess overheard him. "Are you stupid? When the woman of your dreams wants to get you naked, you don't tell her no." She rolled her eyes. "Geez, Chris. Haven't you learned anything?"

He flushed. "Yeah, I know, but—"

Jess cut him off. "But nothing." She waved, waggling her fingers. "Hello? Joint op with Alpha and Bravo team, even though I had to sit the action out. If the Bravo team leader volunteers to take point, why argue?"

Chris cracked a grin. "You're really okay with me cutting out?"

Jess snorted. "Hell, yes. It's about time I start earning that bump in my pay grade, right?"

Chris grabbed her up into a tight hug. "You're kick ass, Jess."

Jess shrugged. "Yeah, yeah. I know." She stopped him and lowered her voice. "There's an empty supply room two floors up if you can't wait."

His mouth dropped open. "How—geez, Jess. Is there any place you and Murph haven't had sex."

She smirked and walked away.

I love this series. Book one is out and the other three are all underway. Here's hoping I get them finished up soon.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Mia's Choice

November 19, 2017

The weather in Ohio is truly crazy. We had flooding from rain yesterday and snow today.

Television this week ended up being pretty terrific. The Flash pulled in a bunch of Harrys to help save the day. Legends of Tomorrow had a fun episode with old Hollywood.

Riverdale had an interesting episode with some changing dynamics. I'm still on the fence with Hiram and whether or not I like him. I'm coming down on the not liking side but he gets some interesting snark lines so that pitches him into the fun column.

Arrow remains probably my favorite show. If the team can't be together, I like having two storylines that run along a similar theme. Also very glad John's secret is out in the open. Having Curtis work on a solution is excellent.

Catching up on Gotham today. I'll be glad to see the last of Professor Pyg. It's good to see Bruce again, too. There's never enough Alfred on the screen. LOL

I'm behind on Murdoch Mysteries. Having issues with my laptop and I usually watch via the website on that device. Here's hoping I get it fixed this week.

That's it for television. Tonight's post is from Mia's Choice a novella that reunites a former couple with one character having a lot of baggage to get rid of.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mia Sinclair finally got her doctorate and embarks on a work trade assignment to a new space station. But when she runs smack into Hal Manning, and her past, she has to face her demons, which isn't easy because she promised she'd never be under any man's control again.

And a sneaky peek…

Mia Sinclair paced back and forth in her small suite of rooms across the corridor from the lab. The three box-shaped areas were almost cell-like, but she appreciated the symmetry, realizing a quick rehab job didn't allow for much in the way of aesthetics. She'd had no idea how she'd be getting to the outpost for Space Station Alpha when she signed on the bottom line for the work exchange program, only that a ship big enough to provide square footage for a lab and experimentation would be commandeered for the joint project.

She also had zero clue whose cruiser she'd end up on. When she found out upon boarding, she wanted to expire on the spot. And if she could have left, she would have.

Not that she minded the trade-off—this expedition would pay for her degree. But the main reason she'd signed on for the job had been to get away from everyone she knew and truly stand on her own. If she'd realized she'd be walking smack dab into her past, she might have looked for another way to repay her debt to the Science Academy.

Of course, Hal Manning hadn't been a commanding officer when she'd applied for the program. But a lot could change in two years. She'd never dreamed how much.

"Damn. Damn. Damn." Mia stopped pacing and faced her reality again.

After everything she'd endured, been subjected to, and fought her way out of, she ended up in a place she didn't want to be. Okay, make that with someone she didn't want to see. She wanted a clean start. It couldn't be too much to ask.

Her parents were dead. The divorce she'd fought so hard for, granted. Her joy over that detail marred only by the amount of time she'd had to spend with Fredrick the Dick in the first place. She could finally claim to no longer be under anyone's thumb—or any other part of their anatomy.

She'd earned her freedom.

She'd prepared for it, worked hard to gain it. Why couldn't fate or destiny or whatever ruled the universe cut her a break?

Just once, it would have been lovely.

No such luck.

She ended up being thrust into the orbit of the only person she ever regretted telling good-bye.

Except she'd never told him.

Not really.

Instead, she'd withdrawn. Descended into a personal hell. And never looked back.

Now she had to face the mistake.

And him.

God, so not fair.

And she couldn't do it. She avoided Hal Manning whenever possible and kept things very professional when not.

As if that would work, or keep her safe from dredging up things she didn't want to deal with.

But hadn't it?

Hal had taken her cue and gave her wide berth. He only spoke to her when duty required it. Or if he couldn't delegate the responsibility to someone else.

She wanted that, right? Needed it?

Anything else would crumble her carefully constructed and rebuilt self.

She had to do things on her own—make a new life, walk away from the past.

And it had been going so well aboard the Queen Amalie… until a random test showed the contaminated containment system. If she'd guessed correctly, they'd be seeing a number of sick people in the near future.

Which meant she'd be receiving a visit from Captain Manning.

Hal.

"Shit. Shit. Shit." She paced again.

The knock on her door… hatch… whatever they called it, didn't surprise her. She walked over and spun the release so she could open it. Stepping back, a fresh-faced petty officer greeted her with a polite smile.

"Doctor Sinclair. Petty Officer Oliver Jones, ma'am. The captain requests your presence in his quarters. I'm here to escort you."

Not what she expected, but why wouldn't Hal want this meeting on his own turf? Mia heaved a sigh. She might as well get it over with. Crossing over to her small desk, she picked up a file and gave the young officer what she hoped to be a pleasant smile.

"By all means, let's not keep the captain waiting." She shrugged into a lab coat, deciding she needed it for armor, and exited her rooms. "I wouldn't want you to get reprimanded."

The young man fell into step beside her. "That's okay, ma'am. The captain isn't a stern taskmaster. And he did say to come at your convenience." He led her down to the next deck.

Mia clicked her tongue thoughtfully. Hal had always been very even-tempered. It appeared that hadn't changed.

"Now is as good a time as any, PO Jones."

The petty officer grinned bashfully. "We're almost there, ma'am." He made a left at the next intersecting corridor.

Mia followed his lead, wondering how the crew didn't get mixed up sometimes. She'd been on the ship for a couple of weeks and still got turned around if she didn't pay attention.

Her guide made a right and stopped halfway down the corridor. He rapped on the outside of the hatch.

Mia waited, a little nervous at her first one on one meeting with the captain since she'd boarded.

The hatch clanged open. "Thank you, Petty Officer. You're dismissed." 

Jones saluted his commander then turned to Mia. "You're all set, ma'am. Have a nice evening."

Mia nodded in his direction, hoping she didn't look as freaked out as she felt. "Thank you." She sucked in a deep breath and acknowledged Hal. "Captain."

I love this story. Mia and Hal are very dear to my heart. Can't wait to finish this one up and put it out there for everyone to read.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Matchmaker's Men

Ugh… what a week. I've been down with a combination of cold / flu symptoms. I'm pretty sure I've pulled at least three different muscles from coughing, sneezing, and blowing my nose incessantly. Bleh.

Not a bad week for television viewing. The Flash had a girls night out that brought Felicity Smoak over from Arrow and entertained in a big way. Legends of Tomorrow kind of disappointed me by bringing Damien Darhk back, even if the fight sequence proved to be very entertaining.

Arrow also had a great episode. Loved getting to know Dinah's former partner and have some background there. I'm fond of the actor who's in the role and look forward to seeing more of that storyline play out. Also liked having Oliver work with Slade. I'm excited to see where that goes, too.

Riverdale turned things up to triple digits. I'm still liking my theory about who the black hood is. Alice's past coming out and her reaction made the whole show for me. I want to see that story explored a little more. My one true hope? The snake charmer ends up being Alice's long, lost sister. How much fun would that be?

Once again, I have to catch up on Gotham. The whole cold / flu thing had me napping when it was on. LOL

The holiday movie overload is ongoing. I thoroughly enjoy the cheesy, sappy, happy fare. I've even watched a couple of them more than once.

Looking forward to more terrific TV this week. Tonight's post is from Matchmaker's Men, a sexy short with two characters who have a whole crew trying to set them up.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Nova Anell and Matz Yarmacher belong together, but neither wants to be the first to admit it. But when their crewmates start working behind the scenes to put Nova and Matz together, they have no choice but to face what they feel and decide what to do next.

And a sneaky peek…

Matz had waited for something like this. Frankly, it shocked him she'd taken this long to reach the point of a meltdown. He'd wondered if she'd make the full forty-eight hours before she lost her grip and went bug ass gonzo on the crew—or worse—on him.

Looked like he got the prize. And he hadn't even come up with anything for the list. Hell, in all likelihood, he'd have let her off the hook and called things even. Enough for him that he'd won.

Probably why the crew had their ideas readily available. Matz tried not to play favorites and cut everyone slack, but he had a soft spot for Nova. She got away with shooting her mouth off more than anyone else. But she usually had valid points and they helped keep him in check.

The others got to have their say if they needed to get something off their chest. Matz had an open door policy and he let anyone enter and exit as often as necessary. But Nova never used an easy entry when she could take aim and blast through a wall instead. Proprietary be damned.

She paid the price—brig time, reprimands, revoked passes—as often as she got off the hook. Nova went to the mat when she had a strong opinion and while it earned her the respect of the regiment, it didn't do her any favors with the brass. She walked a very fine line sometimes.

And backed herself into corners to save face. Like now. The crew got their licks in. They loved her but also had gleeful moments when she went down a peg or two.

Pushing away from the bulkhead, Matz spoke quietly. "First… you lasted a hell of a lot longer than I thought you would. I gave it maybe twenty-four hours before you'd decide to say fuck it all and be done." He slowly advanced in her direction and she backed up, looking skittish, and bumped into the table behind her. "Second… no one, not even you, bothered to ask me what I wanted you to do for me." He stopped a few feet away from her and waited for her response.

Matz catches Nova off-guard and it's fun to write her reactions. Looking forward to seeing this one completed and ready for public consumption.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Manifest Legend

Welcome to November! We're almost finished with 2017 and I'm honestly looking forward to a new year. It's been a rough ten months so far.

Excellent television viewing this week. The Flash had a great episode. It's always fun to see Cisco on the hot seat. Really enjoyed his storyline. Also interested in seeing where things go with Joe and becoming a father again.

Legends of Tomorrow didn't have a terrible episode. The homage to ET maybe went a little overboard but still fun.

Riverdale was sort of on the fence for me… until I got a wild hair theory about who the black hood is and now I have to stay tuned to see if I'm right. I'm honestly fairly disappointed with the addition of Hiram to the fold. He made a better villain working from the shadows.

Arrow continues to amaze me. I love the way roles continue to be mixed up and everything is fluid. That keeps me glued to the screen.

Got caught up on Gotham and watched this week's episode. I won't be disappointed to see the end of Professor Pyg but at least the plot is moving forward and I'm down with that.

Having fun watching holiday movies on the Hallmark channels. There's usually something on one of them that catches my interest.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Manifest Legend, the opening world builder for Insula Ara.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a sneaky peek…

A tendril of guilt wrapped around Ceet. He hadn't been exactly truthful with his captain. But it was for the man's own good.

The island would protect them, but one of them had to stay behind. If Avery knew that, he'd insist on being the one. The cause needed good men like James Avery. Men who made the impossible happen.

Ceet thought men like himself, those who didn't quite have what it took to lead others, were expendable. And it wasn't as if he'd cease to exist or anything. On the contrary, he'd live a very, very long time.

The island had picked him and he'd stand by that choice.

Lost in his musings, the arrival of able seaman Foxworthy—carrying a box of munitions—startled Ceet into readiness. He scanned the horizon. The enemy had finally sailed within range.

"Foxworthy, keep those boxes coming for an hour half, then get yerself on a longboat and hightail it out." Ceet primed the cannon and lit the fuse.

"Aye."

The young man kept the ammunition coming while Cedric did his work. First the cannon on the east, then the one to the south. He held off the small fleet of ships intent on blockading the harbor inlet.

"Ceet, I've loaded all I can. I'm off for the Reprieve."

Ceet raised a hand but didn't spare Foxworthy a glance. Instead, he fired off another booming round at the closest vessel to the east. To his delight, the mast splintered and snapped, rendering the ship lost. It would give Captain Avery the hole he'd need to make it out to sea.

"Thank ye, Sanctuary. Thank ye." He spoke directly to the island, his refuge, by its given name. "Now gimme one more." Ceet turned the cannon and lined up his shot. "Right about there." Lighting the fuse, he stepped back and moved to haul the second cannon over to his position.

He kept a steady volley of fodder flying from the battlement as the Reprieve got up enough speed to slip past the last ship in her way. Ceet loaded both weapons and put flame to the wick. He took cover and felt the ground shudder under his feet from the force of the blast.

Peering out, the gutted hull of a flaming ship marked the end of the threat. The island grew peaceful once more.

Ceet knew what truly happened.

Sanctuary destroyed the final ship. The two rounds from the canons couldn't do the devastating damage he now witnessed.

He sank to his knees and gave thanks. "It's done, Sanctuary. And I thank you for it."

The wind kicked up, tree leaves swaying in the playful breeze. Ceet listened and nodded his head. A very good day indeed.

Ceet rose and strolled down the path to the shoreline. He looked out at the inlet and said a sad farewell to his former mates. They were a good crew and he'd miss them.

A quiet hush fell, all around him, and Ceet shifted his eyes around slowly. An eerie feeling trickled down his spine and he jumped when a loud crack reverberated and a deafening roar burst through the skies. Thunder boomed and lightning danced all around him. Even the trees seemed to scream their fury.

Ceet threw up his arms, fists punching toward the sky. "Now just you calm down! I ain't a going anywhere." He shouted, raising his voice as loud as he could. "We had a deal and I aim to keep my end. Now, stop this nonsense!"

He flung his arms down and the noise ceased. Peace and quiet returned.

"Just like a woman, it is."

I'm so excited about this free read. It's fun to write Ceet back in the day.

That's it for this week. Catch everyone on the flipside.

ML Skye