Sunday Snippet: Off the Hook

Long week with a zillion phone calls to settle everything on getting a new vehicle to replace our totaled one. Happy to say as of Friday it's all taken care of. Yay!

Not a bad week with work projects and a solid week of good television. Started out with Street Legal and I'm ending with another episode of the same. Starting to really enjoy this show.

Caught another episode of the Ready Room and thoroughly enjoyed Evan Evagoria's interview. Such a great character he played. And he's a huge fan of the franchise and that came through so much.

Also watched another episode of Chicago Med and enjoyed the three threads playing out during the episode.

Enjoyed another episode of No Offence. This show … man, it's so good. Not sure if there will be more episodes, but I'm so glad I found this one.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness's two part episode. Yeah, they're all two part episodes, I know. This was a really great one and I liked how everything came together by the end.

Watched another arc of Classic Who. They're still on the trail of the time key components and this episode ended up being more fun than I originally thought it would be.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and it's got some drama, which seems to be woven in more than usual. Great episode so far.

Caught another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused around UFOs and US presidents. Actually pretty interesting viewing.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Dom Deluise and Bernadette Peters were the guest stars. I'm still nostalgic for the first season, which is probably my favorite.

The Hardy Boys had a great episode. The tall dude is finally—maybe—done for. Liked getting a little more information on Laura's past and I'm trying to decide if I want the grandmother to be super bad or a red herring of goodness.

I viewed another Master Class with David Carson on graphic design. This one had another lesson about color and I found it fascinating.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina is going to some interesting places. I can't decide if I want Sabrina to really twist everything on its ass or if she needs something to blow up in her face. I'll find out by the next episode if that happens.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Off the Hook, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Esti Warf's relationship with Wyatt Corben is tested when she agrees to give his younger brother a chance to pass basic flight. Wyatt knows in his gut his brother doesn't have the chops, but he can't get Esti to budge on her decision, especially when his old man pressured her into accepting Wilton as a cadet. Both are on the hook, trying to keep peace in the family and still maintain their bond as a couple.

And a sneaky peek…

"Hey, bro. Dad pulled rank and got me into Esti's class."

Wyatt Corben gripped the phone tighter in his hand. "He what?" What's the old man thinking?

 Stupid question. Wharton Corben wanted both sons to follow in his footsteps. No matter what.

Wyatt had a few doubts about his brother's ability to handle a five-ton craft in the darkness of space. "Are you sure that's a good idea?" Frankly, the idea made Wyatt's stomach drop to his toes.

Wilton had keen intelligence, but he rarely did well on written tests, hence the reason he failed to get into flight school in the first place. "You know I'll back you if you want to study something else."

Wilton hemmed a little. "Eh … I don't know."

Wyatt grasped at the first thing that popped into his head. "What about the corps of engineers? They've got a fantastic program."

Wilton snorted. "Duh. I don't test well, remember. You know how hard that exam is."

Solid point, but Wyatt had a trump card. "True. But your practical knowledge is off the charts. Half the test grade is applied knowledge."

Wilton didn't respond. Probably not because he didn't want to, but the easy road had already been laid out for him.

Wyatt tried one more option. "What about intelligence? The way you manage to keep details straight in your head and your skill with blending in would make you a good fit."

For someone who didn't manage to do well on exams, Wilton had an almost counterintuitive ability to forget nothing. For some reason, something got lost between his brain and filling in the answers on a test. Wyatt often envied the way Wilton adapted to situations and fit in easily. Every time they moved to a new base, Wilt made friends within the first few days.

Wilton sighed. "I'll keep those ideas in mind, Wy, but I gotta give flying a go. You know the old man won't accept anything else."

The door opened behind Wyatt and Esti entered their quarters. Maybe he could talk some sense into her before his old man dropped the bomb.

Wyatt closed his eyes. "Yeah, I know. Just consider everything, okay?" He ended the call and slipped his phone into his pocket.

Esti sank down on the sofa and Wyatt shook his head. How the hell did he approach this with her? She wouldn't appreciate him sticking his nose in but, dammit, his brother's life could be on the line.

Esti glanced up, her face unreadable.

"My dad pulled rank and wants Wilton in your class."

"Your dad stopped by and asked me to enroll Wilton in my class."

They spoke in unison.

His gaze met hers. Her mouth snapped shut and she folded her arms across her chest. Shit. He might be too late.

Taking a deep breath, he exhaled slowly. "What did you do?" Too much to hope she told his dad to take a flying leap off a cliff.

She lifted her chin. "I said yes."

Well, fuck.

I love writing the family dynamics in this one. I'm hoping no one comes off as a bad guy and I think I'm getting the vibe I want on the page.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Nugget Training

Apparently, the week before last ended up being bizarre not only because Mercury is in retrograde but two other planets are squaring up. I'm kind of glad I made it through the insanity. The past week had some challenges but things finally started coming together and smoothed out. Whew.

My youngest kiddo returned from Alaska where she had a great time. She graduated high school last year and she and my dad finally got to take a trip this summer. They had great weather and got to do a ton of fun sightseeing events.

Had a slightly slower than usual television viewing experience. I started out with a new episode of No Offence. Viv had quite the revelation at the end of the episode and I'm interested to see where things go from here.

Enjoyed another episode of Silent Witness. This one has some quirky undertones and I'm interested in the second part to see how everything plays out.

Caught another episode of Blue Heelers and started a new one. Since my new washing machine arrived, I've been catching up on laundry and getting some quality time in on my Australian show.

Watched a full arc of Classic Who. For some reason, I thought they only needed to find four pieces of the key, but it's actually six. Should be interesting to see how the final three play out.

Enjoyed another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one focused on UFO tech, which I find fascinating. The theories that come out of the woodwork regarding why and how the technology is used always makes me smile.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Guest stars were Madeline Kahn and George Burns. Both were shows I didn't remember.

Watched a great episode of The Hardy Boys. Things are starting to come together and I'm really interested in where things will end up. I'm ready for the tall guy to get served. Just saying.

Enjoyed a new episode of Peak Practice. I have a feeling the next one will have a tragedy but I rather liked the new doctor they introduced. Looking forward to more from him.

Caught another Master Class on graphic design. This one focused on life as a working designer. I didn't think I'd get much out of that lesson, but I actually did. Even if I don't want to pursue graphic design as a career, the concept of what's important in the career you choose provided some good information.

Finally, I'm watching another episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. This is set around Thanksgiving and there are some great character reveals. I like this show but I'm not champing at the bit to get to the next one … yet. This episode does have an awesome guest star in Michael Hogan and I'm happy to see him in the mix. Reminds me to send positive vibes out and hope his recovery is going well.

That's pretty much it for television and life updates. Tonight's post is from Nugget Training, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Bonnie Bash has issues with remembering boundaries and it gets her in trouble with Taggart Allen, her immediate superior—especially when she sometimes forgets she has to respect the rank. She quickly learns why she frustrates Tag so much when she's thrust into training a group of fifteen newbie pilots, nuggets, and not one has a clue or even cares about how the chain of command works.

And a sneaky peek…

Tag waited until the last student exited the classroom before pushing away from the wall. He'd been standing sentinel for the past half hour, dying to know how things went. From the mood and comments of the class, Bonnie didn't overwhelm them and she'd sparked their competitive spirit.

She strolled out, carrying an armload of files.

He fell into step beside her. "Turning over a new leaf, Bonnie?" He referred to her folders and the satchel she had hooked over one shoulder.

She quirked a smile. "I guess so." Pausing, she turned to face him. "Honestly, I didn't realize how horrible I must sound during the briefings until I got fifteen malcontents going off at the same time. It sucked." She started forward again.

He stifled a chuckle. About time she realized how disruptive her running commentary tended to be. Score one for him.

She did a quick rundown of the first session. "Once they got settled, we made progress. They've got lots of questions, which I expected." She waited a beat. "And they're not stupid ones. That's never a given."

Tag grunted. "You pretty much squashed that in the mud. I doubt any of them will be brave enough to waste time … theirs or yours." Another good thing since they didn't have time to do a lot of hand-holding.

They reached the end of the corridor before she gave him a sideways glance. "Pissed off I stole your speech?" Her eyebrow arched.

He snorted. "Hell, no. More like surprised any of it stuck." Seriously, she nailed it pretty much word for word.

She laughed. "Hey, if I’m going to steal, it's gonna be from the best." She walked away, grinning wide.

It's gonna be from the best…

Tag sputtered. "Wait, what? Did I hear you correctly? The best?" He took off after her. "Bonnie! Hold up."

Her laughter rang out and he did exactly what she wanted.

Gave chase.

I'm having a great time writing the dynamic between Bonnie and Tag. It's fun to explore an established relationship that undergoes a challenging situation.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not the First

You know, it's been a week. I don't which planet is in retrograde right now but it's effing everything up. LOL My washer died and the delivery of the new one has been moved three times. I might get it Tuesday but I'm not holding my breath. The husband had a deer smash into his vehicle and it's a probably a loss. My daughter's car is having issues. I'm kind of scared to even walk outside in case the sky falls or something else weird.

All that said … I'm not really complaining. It's just a lot of bizarre, inconvenient stuff hitting all at once and I'm kind of scratching my head and wondering how soon the universe will right itself. LOL

Had a great work week and got some solid television viewing in. I started out UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This episode focused on abductions and I always find those stories fascinating.

With the new season of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries premiering this week, I caught the behind the scenes special from season one. Lots of fun information and interviews.

Watched another episode of The Muppet Show. The guest was Steve Martin and he had fun with his appearance.

Caught another episode of The Hardy Boys. The mystery is getting deeper and I'm thoroughly enjoying the way everything is coming together. I love the group of friends and how they're completely in on the whole deal now.

I enjoyed another segment of Master Class. David talked about developing logos and I got some good information from him. I have a few tweaks to make to a couple of logos I've put together for book series.

Caught another episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. I'm getting a little more invested in the characters and I'm interested in where everything goes. I love Hilda's new job!

Peak Practice had a good episode. It took me a while to get into the storyline but I liked how the show played out. It seemed like it was going to go in a tragic direction but ended up not going that route.

Started a new to me show with Street Legal, which is a spinoff of an eighties original. I loved the premiere episode and think I'll end up liking this one.

Caught another episode of the Ready Room, recapping episode four of Picard. Wil is a lot of fun when he's interviewing the actors and I loved the behind the scene special effects segment.

Started an episode of Chicago Med and, so far, I'm enjoying it. The surgeon character is such an ass he's fun to watch. Another aptly titled episode with choices as the theme.

Last but not least … Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries premiered!! I've been so excited for a second season and I'm so happy I had two episodes to watch. This show is so much fun and it took a direction I didn't expect but I'm totally there for. Peregrine isn't a carbon copy of Phryne and that thrills me. I have so much love for the sixties vibe, too. Not sure why that era fascinates me so much but I'm almost always down to watch things set during that decade. And I'm over the moon I'll have another episode to watch soon!

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Not the First, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Katen Knox and Paul Macabes, pilots, soldiers, lovers, weigh in on opposite sides of a proposal to produce new planes while stationed in deep space. Not the first time they've been on different sides of an issue, they quickly learn it's hard to keep the professional drama out of their personal space.

And a sneaky peek…

"Are you insane?"

Katen Knox glanced over her shoulder. "You're not the first to suggest I might be." Her lips quirked at the sight of her fellow pilot, Paul Macabes, sprawled in her bunk with a sheet barely covering his groin.

Paul tilted his head sideways. "You'll never get a project like that up and running." He shook his head. "No way."

Katen smiled. "Your lack of confidence is so predictable." She tugged the rough mock-up from the wall. "I'm absolutely positive we can pull this off." Rolling the sketch up, she tucked it into her desk. "We have to do something. Maybe this works, maybe it doesn't, but we're down by thirty percent capacity and if we drop much lower, we'll lose the progress we've made." Mapping and defending the mineral-rich asteroid belt took top priority … until they needed equipment and supplies.

Paul rolled a shoulder. "What happens if your big plan isn't feasible? We'll be down even more." He shook his head again. "Between skirmishes with the Lobos and damage incurred during the mapping, we've got finite numbers we can use."

Katen made her way back to the bunk and crawled up beside him. "How about you let me worry about making it happen and you just sit back and look pretty?" She skimmed her hand along his thigh.

Paul laughed. "You're already planning to run this up the chain of command during our briefing later, aren't you?" He hooked his hands under her shoulders and moved her up to straddle his lap.

Katen nodded. "I am. We'll see how much faith the admiral has in me." She twined her arms around his neck.

Paul leaned in close. "I can't wait to hear your pitch." His mouth hovered over hers.

Katen went in for the kiss. "You'll be duly impressed, I'm sure." She didn't give him time to reply, meshing their lips together again.

Paul would take counterpoint to her point. He usually did. But she liked the challenge of proving him wrong. Running the idea by Paul. Then decided to take it to the briefing because he said it couldn't be done. When he threw down a challenge like that, she couldn't pass it up.

Just like she couldn't pass up being with him right now.

I'm hoping to really nail the story down on this one in the near future. So far the sages are giving me random scenes and they're not in order. Not so fun.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Not Quite Paradise

Well, hello, June. It's mind-boggling to think half the year is pretty much gone. I'm rather glad summer is just around the corner even though I'm not a huge fan of super-hot temperatures.

I've been in a weird place lately and pondering whether there's something else on my horizon. Lots of ideas are jostling in my brain. Stay tuned … I might have more to come on this topic.

Decent week of television this week. I started out with three episodes of The Muppet Show. Judy Collins, Nancy Walker, and Edger Bergen were the guest stars. Each episode ended up being pretty fun.

Caught another episode of The Hardy Boys. I'm enjoying the mystery and I really like the sibling interaction. It'll be interesting to see how deeply the grandmother is involved.

Watched another episode of Peak Practice. The show took a turn I didn't expect, which I always enjoy.

Enjoyed another Master Class with David Carson. The fifth lesson focused on putting yourself into your work. I came away with some great ideas.

Caught another episode of Chilling Adventures of Sabrina. Once again, I ended up surprised by Zelda. Still not a huge fan, but I think I'll end up liking her character arc.

Watched the third installment of The Ready Room. Michelle Hurd is such a cool actor. I've enjoyed her in almost everything she's participated in.

Caught another Passionflix Quickie. Hooked ended up being a lot of fun. I loved having an older couple as the main characters.

Ended up watching a full two-parter of Silent Witness. Really liked the storylines and their outcomes even though both weren't optimal.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. This one features a biker club and, so far, it's pretty decent.

Caught an episode of Chicago Med and liked the storylines. The reunion theme fit most of the scenes. The one confusing bit with the super-great surgeon maybe planted some seeds for future episodes. Not sure about that one.

Watched another episode of No Offence. I'm thoroughly enjoying the third series. Dinah and Viv are formidable and I love how Spike kind of slides in wherever he's needed. Good stuff.

Started a new arc of Classic Who. The second part of the key search isn't quite as interesting as the first, but I love K-9's interactions with everyone.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Not Quite Paradise, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Janee Neff and Oxley DeCosta are military transport pilots flying a peacetime mission to pick up new recruits when their craft crashes and strands them on a deserted moon. The couple discovers things aren't exactly what they seem when they find their signal beacon is destroyed by blaster fire, which means their unexpected vacation isn't quite paradise after all.

And a sneaky peek…

Janee Neff handed a clipboard to the deckhand. "Thanks, Wan. We won't be out long, right? The little pings shouldn't be a problem." Pre-flight checks always found little blips that shouldn't be cause for alarm.

Wan Jennings arched a brow. "You know if you come back with anything more than what's on this list, the chief will want your head on a pike." The deckhand rolled a shoulder. "It's your call, Janee." She backed out of the ship and pressed the release for the docking cables.

Janee gave her a thumbs-up then activated the panel to close the door. "When doesn't the chief want my head on a pike?" But she wouldn't be flying this time.

Oxley DeCosta swiveled around in the pilot's seat. "The only time you're not on the shit list is when you're washing the birds." He gave her a lopsided smirk.

She snorted, but didn't comment. Mainly because he didn't have things wrong. She ended up washing a lot of spacecrafts to soothe the chief's ruffled feathers.

Slipping into the copilot's station, she shot Ox a sideways glance. "We gonna take off or what?" Routine runs were boring enough … delaying their launch wouldn't make things more interesting.

Ox grunted. "Sure." He began the process of taxiing the mid-sized transport vehicle into the bay for takeoff. "Prepare to be dazzled into a semi-stupor of long-range scans and recon scouting before picking up the new recruits." Entering the marked location, he signaled the LSO and received the okay to lift off.

Janee gripped the arms of her chair. "Let's hit the black." She loved the sequence of barreling through the launch tube and hitting the inky darkness of space.

Ox pushed the joystick forward and they shot down the tunnel, gaining speed until he pressed the trigger and blasted out into the universe.

Janee checked their coordinates. "Heading for Hepheta's moon to establish synchronous orbit on my mark." Keying in the number sequence, she paused until they flashed on the screen. "And, mark."

Ox hit the jump switch and they winked out of sight then appeared directly above one of the moons of the planet Hepheta.

Janee verified their status. "We're a go for long-range and recon of the third moon." Spooling up the equipment, she did a quick rundown. "Breathable atmosphere, craggy outcroppings, H2O. Wow. A veritable paradise so far."

Ox snorted. "Right. Give it time. Let's see what the other two moons and the planet have going for them." He radioed the flagship then set their transport to the sequence. "Four days of mining data from the surface. Ugh."

Janee laughed. "What's the matter, Lieutenant Hot Stuff? Do the numbers make you go cross-eyed?" She loved teasing him.

Ox kicked back in his chair. "Yeesh. You jumped in before I could finish and say at least I had good company, but yeah, forget that now." He made a show of crossing his arms over his chest and pouting.

Janee rolled her eyes. "Fine. You get a free dig with no retaliation but you have to wait at least twenty-four hours to use it."

Ox gave her a wide grin. "I'm a patient man. Done."

Janee smiled. This would be a fun four-day jaunt.

Janee and Ox have some conflicting ideas about where this story is going but they'll always work out their issues … and maybe kick my sages into cooperation. LOL

 

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

ML Skye