Sunday Snippet: Breaking Through (Book two of Mind Games)

Happy holidays to those who celebrate. We had a lovely day, even if the temperatures were in the mid-teens. It's way better than the minus ten degrees we had earlier in the week.

I had some catching up to do with a work project and didn't get much watched, but I did catch a couple more episodes of Batman: The Animated Series. I guess I'll be watching all next month also because it's going to be removed from HBOMax.

I got to catch a couple of good episodes, featuring The Joker and Harley. Bane made his first appearance and the Clock King showed up again. Harvey and Two Face along with the Riddler both had episodes. And the episode with Baby Doll ended up being better than I remembered.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Breaking Through, a novella in what I'm calling the Mind Games series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Race Markington finally has Echo Dart, the woman he wants to spend the future with. His one problem? She's been brainwashed by the enemy and he has to find a way to break through and get his Echo back.

And a sneaky peek…

Race followed Echo into the cockpit. "I don't like this. Trussing you up for the flight back to the carrier sucks on seven different levels." They didn't have much choice, but didn't mean he liked it one damn bit.

Echo settled in the copilot seat and slid her gaze in his direction. "Having me as a captive audience? How can that suck?" Her lips twisted in a wry smile. "You can't take the chance I'll go off the track again. Crashing would not be on my list of things to do today. I wanna get the hell out of here." She nodded toward the base of the chair, indicating what he should do.

Heaving a sigh, he approached from behind and used two tether strips to bind her legs to the metal rails. "At least it's a short trip." Unless they encountered enemy fire before they cleared atmosphere.

Echo lifted her chin. "There is that." Her features softened. "Never thought I'd get to go home … even if the welcome won't be warm." She kept her gaze straight ahead.

Race strapped in and started the preflight process. "No one knows the sitrep yet. Not even the old man." They'd have to handle her arrival with some caution.

Echo twined her fingers together then straightened them out. She couldn't do much else with the zip cords around her wrists. Race didn't envy her limited mobility … even if two days ago he'd have been close to thrilled to have her under lock and key.

She finally glanced toward him. "We won't be able to keep anything from anyone when I walk off this ship with my hands bound. The whole saga of Race and Echo is going to begin all over again." Dejection filled her tone.

Race's lips quirked. "Probably. But the sequel's gonna have a different ending this time." He wouldn't give up on her anymore.

Echo tsked. "It might. But there's no guarantee it'll be a happy one." She lifted her bound hands. "We might not be able to figure out how to keep me from maiming and killing people."

Race shook his head. "That's true. But we'll exhaust all options and, if we fail, I'll still be there." He made a controlled liftoff into the lower atmosphere then continued. "Could be interesting to have dinner every evening with a lance corporal standing guard over us."

Echo reacted the way he wanted her to. She sputtered out a chuckle then threw her head back and laughed.

The sound filled him with hope.

This series is taking some twists I didn't foresee and I'm totally okay with that. I think there will be one or two more follow-ups, but the sages are keeping me guessing about that.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Breaking Point (Scorched Galaxy)

Think I'm finally over the hump with the ear infection and tooth issues. Feeling much more clear-headed and able to function. Low-grade discomfort is such a distraction.

Had an okay week watching more Batman: The Animated Series. I finished up season one and got started on season two, which is much, much shorter than the first one.

Enjoyed the opening of season two with "House and Garden." Ivy can be very intriguing and watching her playing normal family ended up being fun.

Also enjoyed Ra's Agul's return. I like the fact he isn't part of the usual rogue's gallery and doesn't haunt Gotham like the rest of the villains do.

I'm hoping to finish out the year with the rest of season two and three, then maybe dive into some of my favorite Justice League episodes with Batman.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Breaking Point, book three of the Scorched Galaxy series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Molly and Sloan are rock solid until the fleet reaches its breaking point and their relationship is one of the casualties … or so they want everyone to think.

And a sneaky peek…

"The explosion is just the beginning. The initiative is everywhere … and nowhere…

And we have nothing to lose."

Sloan sat going over the tape again. He'd made a full pot of strong coffee—not because he needed it to wake up—hell, he'd slept a solid six hours. A deep, dreamless, dead to the world, much needed rest.

His body ached in the best way. Molly had wanted more than a repeat performance. She demanded several encores, not that he'd complain. Something about physically exhausting himself with sex made his head very clear.

His lips quirked. "Leave it to Molly to know exactly what I needed." Somehow being replete, spent, and sated made his energy level even out and knocked the cobwebs loose in his overtaxed mind.

He heard the words on the tape with different ears, picking up on nuances he'd missed before. The speech had been practiced and designed to carry weight and have impact on a group of weary travelers. The initiative would gain momentum and, if Sloan didn't miss his guess, make a move to gain power and take over the fleet.

Molly staggered out of the bedroom and made her way to the coffee, pouring a mug then blowing across the top. Sloan sat back, watching her take a tentative sip, her slow, blissful grin drawing a quick one from him.

She turned and made her way to the desk, leaning down to catch his lips in a toe-curling kiss. "I love you." Planting a hip on the edge, she brought the cup to her mouth again.

Sloan chuckled. "You love the coffee." His fingers trailed playfully down her thigh.

Molly laughed. "Well, there is that. But I love you more." She settled more comfortably on the desk. "Now play the tape and let me listen to it."

I love writing this couple. At some point, I really do hope to get this saga out into the universe because Molly and Sloan are so much fun.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: The Baracas File

Had a rough week with an ear infection and a cracked tooth. The antibiotic is definitely helping but functioning with a fuzzy brain from discomfort is not fun.

I did get a lot of Batman: The Animated Series episodes in. I started with season one number forty-eight and ended with sixty-four. I'm not all the way through "Paging the Crime Doctor" yet but should finish it up today.

Again, there were a few forgotten but so good episodes. "The Mechanic" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" are two that were excellent. Interestingly, Sid the Squid is mentioned later but it's not the same character from "The Man Who Killed Batman."

Two of my favorite two-parters were in this bunch, "Robin's Reckoning" and "Shadow of the Bat." I loved both. The first because it dives into Dick's backstory and shows how much Bruce and Batman care for Dick / Robin. The second because it introduces Batgirl. Another two-part arc with Ra's and Talia, "The Demon's Quest," is also pretty solid.

I also forgot about the second concluding (I think) episode "Day of the Samurai" that wrapped up Bruce's history with his instructor and rival.

"Zatanna" is another one I always enjoy. I love seeing the journey Bruce took to become Batman. I also enjoyed "Read My Lips" that introduced the ventriloquist. One I forgot about is "Fire From Olympus," which feels a little out of place in the Batman realm but I kind of like it because of that.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Baracas File, a novella that puts the characters in a precarious position when they go after corruption.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Briggs Felderzon, an investigative reporter, will stop at nothing to discover what's in the Baracas File, the contents of which results in his brother's death. Myrrh Gold, his brother's partner in the Inter-Stellar Police, decides to help him … but Briggs isn't sure he trusts her.

And a sneaky peek…

Myrrh spent the two days following a departmental debriefing about Zell's death reading the entire contents of the Baracas file.

Two things became very clear. "He died because of me." Inadvertently, but the burden didn't lessen because she'd walked away from her not so straight and narrow family business.

He'd been right about being targets. Obviously. But she'd been so certain no one could possibly know they had the file.

Her fingers practically burned holding the assortment of reports, court documents, and communiqués. "Yet less than five hours after I liberated it, Zell is targeted and eliminated." Only someone in the department would miss it.

The big question? Who? Unless someone did a daily check—and that had to be the case—the file shouldn't have been missed. The plan had been she and Zell would scan the contents and return the bulky package to the evidence room.

Rising from her couch, she paced back and forth. "I got away clean. I know I did." She'd learned from the best and put her skill to use from the age of eight to seventeen.

She kept up with the latest safeguards and equipment, too. As an inter-stellar police officer, she had access to the newest technology. Zell used to challenge her to test her knowledge.

She paused. "Testing my knowledge got him killed." And put her in the line of fire … unless her family connections gave her cover.

Several distant relatives were listed in the file. The ones with ties to organized crime. And one or two appeared to have connections to bigwigs in the police department hierarchy.

She huffed out a breath. "That's new info." And the one person she'd normally share the intelligence with, the only one she trusted, no longer existed.

Sinking back down onto her sofa, she fought a wave of grief. I'll bring down the person who murdered you, Zell. Justice will be served.

If she lived long enough to mete it out…

I like how this story is coming together even if it's a little slow going. We might also see a character or two pop up from other books set in the Queen City universe.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Banter and Brawling and Sex, Oh My

December is off to a roaring start. We got some interesting and good family news and I think I'm very close to being finished with my holiday shopping. I might have one or two last-minute things to figure out but that's it.

As noted in my last post, I continued with my Batman: The Animated Series rewatch and started with episode thirty-one and ended with episode forty-seven. I had forgotten a couple of those episodes, in particular "His Silicone Soul" and "Off Balance," which introduced Talia and Ra's Al Ghul.

There were also several of my favorite episodes in this bunch. "Beware the Gray Ghost," "Christmas with the Joker," "Almost Got 'Im," and "Harley and Ivy." Christmas with the Joker is one of my all-time faves and I usually watch it on a yearly basis.

I'm enjoying the rewatch so much, I'm probably going to continue through the end of the year. I have a lot of love for this show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Banter and Brawling and Sex, Oh My, a probably bonus read from the Top Dog Pilots series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Max Cutter always goes along for the ride with Maggie Harper. He pretty much has to … she always gets into the most interesting situations and someone has to cover her ass.

And a sneaky peek…

A commotion drew Maggie's attention away from the conversation. A fellow military man, probably a grunt patrolling the mine, got caught in the crosshairs of a two groups of rowdy miners having a major disagreement.

The guy should've known better than to hit a watering hole filled with the people he kept in line all day. But it sucked to be off-duty and not really have any place to go. Cutter had a notion of how important blowing off steam could be—he and Maggie certainly figured out a way during the flight qualifications and readiness training. His lips quirked, but he focused hard to not get too caught up in the memory.

Maggie nudged his arm and shot him a look.

Cutter shook his head. "Oh, no. You don't really wanna get involved in this, do you?" He leaned back, crossing his arms over his chest. "After the week we just had?"

Maggie shrugged. "How can we not? A dozen to one? Not very good odds, Cutter." She turned her attention back to the ruckus. "The guy needs some help."

Max did a quick scan of the bar. Two crewmen from other ships sat over in the corner and about twenty more miners filled the place. Once he and Maggie got involved, the odds were sure to go from bad to beyond fucked. But … what the hell? The lone guy didn't stand a chance otherwise.

Cutter sighed, dropped his arms, and scooted his chair away from the table.

Maggie grinned. "Knew you'd see it my way."

She got up and spun her chair around, grabbing the backrest and lifting it off the ground. She charged forward and jabbed it into the first beefy guy she came across.

Cutter followed her into the fray, punching the miner in the face and watched him drop like a stone.

Maggie glanced back, a wide smile splitting her face. "Nice one, Cutter." She jerked her head to the left. "Let's even things up a little and take out the giant over there."

She didn't wait for a response. She hefted the chair over her head and brought it crashing down on the shoulders of the second biggest guy in the room. His head whipped back and forth and he turned, cocking his arm, the muscles bunching up under the flesh. Cutter made a flying leap and kicked out, catching the man under the chin with his booted foot. The burly guy went sailing back into the wall and dropped to the floor.

Maggie let out a whooping yell. "Holy shit, Cutter. That was beautiful!" Her laughter rang out and she ducked, a pool stick narrowly missing her head by an inch or two.

This couple is so much fun. I love dropping in to visit with them and work in a little backstory at the same time.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Bad Chemistry (Uncivil Revolution)

I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. We're always low-key. We head to my dad's, eat, converse for a while then head home to nap in a food coma. We definitely had a good time.

The weather is crazy weird again, which is actually kind of typical for the end of November. It's usually a little colder and the question of whether it'll snow or not. Now it's more like up and down temperatures that go back and forth to drive anyone with sinus issues to the pharmacy to stock up on meds.

I finished up the episode of Ted Lasso I started and thoroughly enjoyed. I'm iffy on Jamie's redemption but hopefully it'll continue and stick. I honestly hated that character so much last season.

I also spent the week watching a large chunk of Batman: The Animated Series as mentioned in last week's post. I started with episode seventeen of season one and continued through episode thirty. I'll be watching more this week with a plan to finish out November with my memorial to Kevin.

One of the things I love most about revisiting this series is finding overlooked gems in the rewatch. There were a couple of episodes I'd completely forgotten about and it's nice to see them again.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Bad Chemistry, the opening novella in a three or four-part series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lex Durban and Charlotte Martin do their best to survive in new world hierarchy, each with a different kind of target on their back. But when they have to undertake the dangerous task of moving refugees to a new location, Lex wants Char to stay behind so only one is in danger, but Char has other ideas.

And a sneaky peek…

Lex stood at parade rest, in front of former General Mulroney.

"How's it looking out there, Lex?" Fit for his age—at least sixty, by Lex's guess—the general split open a sunflower seed with his teeth.

"We're low on supplies, but the base is secure. My attachment of men went above and beyond to make certain, Sir." Several skirmishes to make their point had been necessary.

Mulroney shot Lex a swift glance. "Lose the 'sir', son. It's not necessary here."

Old habits died hard. Lex nodded. It would be easier if he didn't respect the general as much as he did.

Mulroney leaned forward. "Glad to hear you're secure. Because I need all but two men for another location." He spit the seed shell into a metal bin on his desk. "And don't worry. We'll restock your supplies before you leave." Mulroney popped another seed. "I hate to pull the men, but District Four needs them." He nodded toward the lone chair, opposite his desk. "Have a seat and I'll brief you."

Lex sat, feeling oddly out of place in the informal setting of the general's hunting cabin. Not exactly a place he ever imagined as a base of operations for military excursions. Then again, he never dreamed he'd muster out and sign on with a covert, underground campaign.

But he had. And became a better man for it.

He leaned forward, ready to listen.

The general got right to the point. "I got a call from Jack Cooper two days ago. District Four is his former constituency—or part of it—and they've got more refugees than they can handle."

"The Sector Police won't let people into the cities?" They'd seen more and more of the larger cities go on lockdown.

The general shrugged. "We're not sure. Cooper's trying to get intel. I'm sending in two units to help keep the peace and transport folks out to your location." Mulroney pinned him with his gaze. "Can you handle it?"

Lex nodded. "I'll handle it, Sir." He tapped the file on the desk. "If you get me everything on the list, we're good to go." He'd deal with it, even if they didn't get the supplies, but the general didn't have to be told. The man picked Lex for a reason—he got the job done.

Mulroney's smile spread across his face. "Expect incoming within two weeks, maybe sooner."

I'm hoping to have this series plotted out and ready sometime next year. The ideas fly fast for a period of time then the sages get tired and need to focus on something else for a bit.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Automatic Failure

Whew. November is almost over and I'm not sure where the month went. Crazy weather continues. It warms up then plunges into the cold depths. We've had a dusting of snow twice. I don't mind the cold, but I like it better when it gets chilly and stays that way. The back and forth makes me cranky.

I did finish up one of my work projects and have a brief break on the second one. I thought I'd get some things accomplished around the house but I ended up having two new works projects land in my inbox. Definitely not complaining but I think one of my new goals will be trying to create better balance.

I, again, didn't get a lot of anything watched this week. I started an episode of Ted Lasso but put it on hold when I got the new projects.

I plan to view as many episodes of Batman: The Animated Series as a memorial to Kevin Conroy, as I can. I can honestly say, Kevin is my Batman. He's he first voice actor I ever looked up online because I loved his work in the animated series so much.

One bit of great news is I'm three-quarters of the way done with my holiday shopping. I might even start getting the gifts wrapped and bagged. Then it's off to gather stocking-stuffers.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Automatic Failure, a novella that mixes a sibling rivalry, family drama, and a couple doing what's best for everyone.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Piper Kemp, a flight instructor, moves aside to avoid letting her personal feelings influence a decision about whether to pass one of her students. But when he crashes and almost loses his life, Knox Petruci steps up to defend Piper and opens a can of worms because her student happens to be his brother.

And a sneaky peek…

When Piper passed the med tech station, Ana snagged Piper's arm. "Oh, no, Lieutenant. Let's get you some coffee and a few moments alone. You don't look like you need to be riding on elevators or behind the wheel of a car right now." Ana directed Piper to a small waiting area, pushed her into a chair, and poured a cup of the fragrant brew. "Now you just drink this and take five to compose yourself, then you can head on out."

Piper blinked the tears from her eyes and took the mug. "Thanks. And sorry for pulling you away from your job." She needed to get a grip and get on her way.

Ana dropped down into the chair beside her. "Honey, you don't have to apologize. That one"—meaning Abel—"is a piece of work. And if what I think happened, happened. You just saved yourself from needing a pain-in-the-ass extraction."

Taking a sip of the coffee, Piper choked on it. Ana's words conjured a hilarious image of medical equipment raising Abel, kicking and flailing, up into the air. After the nasty scene, she'd needed the humor.

Ana patted her hand. "There you go. You're all set now." She got up and headed for the door. "Want my unsolicited advice? Check out the older one. He's a looker and I think he got all the good genes." She waved and went outside.

Piper cocked her head to one side. "Wouldn't that be a wild twist?" She downed the rest of the coffee and placed the mug on the counter.

Heading toward the elevator, she didn't know what to think when she pressed the button to head down to the main level. Entering the enclosed space, she absently selected the ground floor indicator and waited for the brief ride down. Getting dumped—could it even be called that when Abel had ulterior motives for dating her in the first place—stung, but oddly didn't hurt as much as she would have expected. Especially considering she'd stepped aside because her personal feelings were involved.

"Hold the door, please!"

Piper flung her hand against the sliding panel and almost laughed when Knox stepped onto the car.

His eyes went wide but he recovered quickly. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He glanced at the selection and nodded when he noticed the main lobby selected.

The doors slid shut and the elevator started its descent.

Knox kept his gaze forward. "As you've obviously discovered, my brother can be an idiot." He shot her a sideways glance. "I swear no one dropped him on his head, but he gets it honest."

Piper's lips curved. "Do I want to know which family member he takes after?" She bit her tongue for being snarky, but Knox barked out a laugh.

And Piper flashed back to Ana's advice…

This story is shaping up and is so much fun to write. We've got the sibling rivalry in the books and the family drama follows soon after.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: An Answer to Fate

We've had the most insane weather this week. Three days in the high sixties and low seventies then a thirty degree drop on Friday with rain, rain, rain, followed by another dip in temperature and snow in an area not far from where I live. I predict a lot of people will end up with upper respiratory issues in the near future.

Had a very busy week with work projects. The two I've been working on are both wrapping up and we're down to the final tweaks and polishing. I've thoroughly enjoyed both and I'm looking forward to a small break to get some additional things accomplished around the house.

I didn't watch much of anything this week, mainly because I needed the quiet focus again. I did get most of the way through Resisting Roots and I started Enola Holmes 2. I have so much love for this movie!

I also got an episode of Star Trek: Discovery in. I'm thrilled everyone is back together and I love the changing dynamic of the characters. Looking forward to seeing more of this season.

I'll hopefully be back to a partially normal viewing schedule in the next week. I also found a streaming service that has a classic television network I've been missing for the past three or so years. I'll be giving that a whirl soon.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from An Answer to Fate, a novella that starts a three-book series.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Quillan Jaymes and Jeb Paladino finally get their act together and declare themselves a couple. Too bad that's when everything goes wrong.

And a sneaky peek…

Quillan Jaymes sat in Isolation, an IV drip in her arm hydrating her system and replenishing essential nutrients. It had been four days since she’d had sustenance and two weeks of half rations prior to that. But she’d made it out, worse for the experience, but out.

"Six months with the cyborgs and those creepy cybots."

Four months of that being poked, prodded, stroked, stimulated, tormented and tortured by six different cyborg models.

And for what?

"A stupid special destiny foretold in some ancient texts?"

They’d been smart and saved Luther for last. By the time she'd been taken by cybot escort to him, she’d figured out enough to know that docile was the game of the day. Luther, not letting Quillan leave his side, spent days in the chamber with the cympath—a human with telepathic ability hooked up to machines. So Quillan played along, sitting with him and listening to the cympath drone on and on in the abstract way it had of doing.

Luther put his hands on Quillan's shoulders. "I want you to listen to the words, hear them, feel them." He'd squeeze gently then ease away.

Eventually Quillan tuned out the various ramblings that were related to the mundane running of the base and started picking up the musings of destiny-related details. She got to a point where she almost knew what the cympath would say before it uttered the words.

She shook her head at the weird connection she'd had with the being. It had been somewhat intuitive, and oddly, Quillan didn’t question it.

And it gave her the discovery of what the cyborgs were after.

They were after her … literally.

"I'm the key."

The bridge … between life and death, cyborg and human, destiny, fate, creators, creations, and the one who could not be named. The cympath laid everything out in front of Quillan and the pieces clicked into place. She held the fate of two races in her hands and neither of them knew it.

The event that brought her to the attention of the cyborgs, the swirling cluster of stars she’d entered then hurtled through, had been a piece of the puzzle … one she’d been certain would mean her death. Because she'd had an out-of-body experience.

Her guide, the cympath presenting itself as Luther—which she didn't know at the time—had told her to let it happen. "It's a new beginning and there is nothing to fear."

Well she didn’t fear anything.

Not anymore.

"It is a new beginning; all my sins wiped away … a clean slate." She held the knowledge close to her soul.

After several weeks of nonstop interaction, Luther finally assumed she couldn’t yet understand the cympath. "It's okay. We'll take some time, get reacquainted, and you'll come to know your heart." He paused a long moment. "And you'll realize I belong there."

 Quillan played along. She talked to Luther, told him her secrets, her fears, her insecurities, gaining his trust. For an entire month they did nothing but converse on every topic Luther could think of … philosophy had been a favorite, but he discussed poetry as well … as a concession to her.

During that month, Quillan had been free to explore the base, with an escort, and she wandered the ever-changing landscape carefully taking it all in.

 The next month saw an alteration in demeanor for her relationship with Luther. The others were impatient with the progress forcing Luther to revise his plans. The change had been subtle at first with a touch here, a caress there. By the end of the week, Quillan's suspicious nature screamed warnings, but she continued to play along.

 Another week passed before she realized the food had been drugged and she only figured it out because she lost patches of time. Luther also became more aggressive in his pursuit. Quillan needed time to make a plan.

For the next two weeks, she only ate half her food and suffered through Luther’s special brand of love, pretending a responsiveness that made her skin crawl. But the pretense allowed her to move about the base freely now, without the escort. Having to endure the long, slow, numbing kisses had her heaving what little she ate afterward.

In the guise of quiet wandering, she mapped out a route to the docking bay. The trick to the ever-changing landscape had been to ignore it and focus on what she knew. She counted steps and turns and twists for three different routes during the last week she'd been on the asteroid.

Then she stopped eating the food.

A little longer than I usually put up for a preview but I like the way this scene is going and wanted to share most of it.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: All Jacked Up

November is off with a bang. We've had way higher than normal temperatures this past week. It's throwing me off kilter to have seventy-five degree weather right now. The trees are bare but it's like summer outside. Weird.

I had another busy week with work projects. I also got my new washing machine and got caught up on laundry. Last but not least, I think I have about half my holiday shopping done. I'm trying hard to be ahead of things this year.

I didn't get a lot of viewing completed this week. I've been on a kick where I need quiet time to get things done. I did watch a couple of things…

Caught the premiere episode of season two of Only Murders in the Building. Gotta say, I love how they've kicked the season off. This is such a fun show.

Also watched an episode of Peak Practice and ended up enjoying it a lot. I like it when they have characters who've been on previously. Adds a bit of realism.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. I think I'm going to catch up on a couple of movies this upcoming week. Stay tuned.

Tonight's post is from All Jacked Up, a novella that features a couple who end up together after one gets injured and starts driving everyone around them nuts.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lita North is injured and ordered to stay off her feet for forty-eight hours which doesn't go over well because Lita doesn't do inactivity. But when Ollie Tulver gets stuck babysitting her after she disobeys the order, she has two choices—continue being a pain in the ass or toe the line. Lita being Lita, she decides do to both.

And a sneaky peek…

Ollie paused with the lid halfway off. "Is that what you think you are to me? You think that's how I look at you?"

She shrugged. "I think it pisses me off when you answer a question with a question. No, actually, questions." She waved her fork, lasagna and all. "You just said if the positions were reversed, I'd feel sorry for you. I assume that means you feel the same for me right now." She stuffed the food into her mouth.

Oliver blew out a breath. "Geez, Lita. There's a lot to unpack there." He cut his portion into chunks. "First, there's a difference between feeling sorry for someone because you commiserate with their situation and feeling sorry for them because of pity." He sent her a hard look. "The fact you even consider I'd go for the second option slices deep." Maybe a little deeper than it should.

Frustrated because he let her get to him, he used more force than necessary to break his roll apart. Maybe he couldn't exactly define what they had—something more than friendship but no boundaries crossed. How did she not know pity would be the last thing he felt toward her?

Lita shook her head. "I'm sorry. That was a bitchy thing to say. We're better friends than that."

Ollie took a bite of food. "I thought we were." He chewed and swallowed. "But I can see how you'd maybe wonder. I mean, Netts ordered me to keep you in line, and I'll follow through no matter what, but I'm also trying to imagine how I'd feel if Cramer ordered me to basically sit in isolation and do nothing." He'd get stir-crazy but wouldn't be the pain in the ass Lita proved to be.

Her lips quirked. "No doubt you'd handle it better than me. Inactivity has always been my enemy."

Ollie smirked. "No, you are your own worst enemy. Inactivity is only a convenient excuse."

She laughed. "Yeah, okay." She dug into her salad. "There's a lot of truth in that statement." Glancing up, she shrugged. "Pushing against barriers is kind of my thing. Probably good I've got someone who points out the error of my ways." Her gaze flashed with a flirty vibe.

Ollie blinked when the flirtation in her eyes turned a little hot. The something more than friendship might be edging closer to crossing a boundary. And maybe he wanted to nudge that idea along a little.

He gave her a long, steady look. "You can count on me for that and … whatever else you need."

Lita lifted her chin. "Hmm. Good to know." Her lips curved into a small grin.

They finished eating in companionable silence.

Ollie stacked the trays and gathered up the crutches before handing them to her. "Now's the time to hit the head if you need it." He made sure she stayed off her leg until she entered the small area.

When she finished, she settled in the wheelchair and handed the crutches over without argument. A win in his book. He took the walking aids outside then retrieved the trays.

Pausing by the hatch, he checked the time. "I'll come back in two hours again. You'll probably be close to finished by then."

Lita, armed with the roller brush, saluted him. "I'll be impatiently waiting for your return."

Ollie chuckled and exited the quarters. If she behaved, he'd bring a nice ice bag for her therapy.

I love writing Lita and Ollie. She genuinely hates being cooped up but Ollie is going to make things interesting for her.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Advocate for the Defense

Happy Almost Halloween! Gotta say it's been a week. Several work projects hit at once—which I'm not complaining about—and a couple of disasters decided to show up on my doorstep. It's been a low-bandwidth week for me.

I didn't get a lot of viewing time in, mainly due to the work projects and the distractions form the washing machine going kaput, a trip to the ED for one of my grown kiddos, and having another one out of town and calling to check in several times.

I did get a few things watched. Finished up the Umbrella Academy and, wow, didn't quite expect how things went down. Looking forward to seeing the next episode.

Caught some Classic Rugrats with the Thanksgiving episode. I'd actually forgotten about this one and I'm glad I got to watch it again. I might have to set up a bit of countdown and try to catch all the holiday episodes between now and the solstice.

Watched another Batman: The Animated Series. It's always fun when they have Alfred step out of his comfort zone and this episode definitely makes him stray. That's two in a row and I'm here for it.

Enjoyed an episode of Ted Lasso. I love Roy and Keeley so much. Nate is getting a wee bit annoying. Jamie is … I'm not sure. If he doesn't act like a raging ass, I might be able to stomach seeing him. LOL

Caught another episode of Suspects and loved how it all came together. Some really interesting bits popped and I love the pacing. Great show.

I started another episode of Endeavor but I'll have to finish it when I have higher brain capacity. It has a focus on the space race and I love that.

Watched the second part of Silent Witness and whew, this one ended up being very twisty. Kind of bummed about how it ended but not surprised.

Enjoyed another Classic Who episode. I like the setting for this arc and look forward to the next episode.

Sci Fi Science looked into how to blow up a planet. Had a lot of fun watching this episode. I love so much that fans are featured in each episode.

Started the next episode of Ms. Marvel and love it so far. I'm hoping to finish it up in the near future.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Advocate for the Defense, a novella that puts a problem pilot in the hands of her biggest rival to determine her future.

Here's a mini-blurb:

Jada Link has self-sabotage down to an art form and she gets into trouble on a regular basis. But when she needs an advocate to get out of her latest scrape, she meets the one person who can make her career ... and possibly find his way into her heart—Quince Lazenby.

And a sneaky peek…

Passed. Graduated. Shipped out. Everything she'd ever wanted. At least since she'd taken control of her life and applied for the cadet program.

Letting a little hope in, she nodded. "Okay. Keep my nose clean for three weeks." She met his gaze. "Could you define what that means, exactly?" She probably shouldn't test his patience, but the devil on her shoulder nudged her to do so.

Quince narrowed his eyes. "It means no fighting, no tempting fate by pointing out any officer's flaws—personal or otherwise, and keeping your opinions to yourself, even if they're probably right." He paused, his mouth curving into a grin. "Work hard, keep your head down, and pass your qualifications so you can graduate. That's it."

Jada blew out a breath. "Whew. That's a tall order." She slowly got to her feet. "But I won't let you down." She thrust her palm forward to seal her vow.

Quince tucked her file under his arm and clasped her hand. "I'm going to hold you to this. We'll meet here the day after tomorrow and go over the process for the hearing." He squeezed her fingers. "Until then, stay the course."

A warm bolt of sensation traveled up her arm even after he let go of her hand.

She made a sound of agreement but couldn't speak if she'd tried at that moment. The clash of reality with her perceptions of him merged into an appealing picture. And she liked the visual splash of he painted in her mind.

She liked Quince. Five years older, but that didn't keep her from being very attracted to him. She had his entire jacket memorized, because she considered him competition and the standard she wanted to achieve. Meeting him only made her determination stronger.

And … he'd seen through her stubbornness but didn't push until she made him. She respected his approach to working with her. She also admired his ability to issue directives without being a dick about it.

And aside from passing, graduating, and shipping out … she actually wanted him. What would he think if she pushed the envelope? Did she dare find out?

The devil on her shoulder cackled gleefully. Hell, yes.

Meeting his gaze again, she posed her question. "So … after everything is settled? Do you think you and I could…" She trailed off only because the words have sex wouldn't leave her brain and she couldn't be that bold.

Quince lifted a brow. "What? Hook up?" He hesitated a moment. "You don't really know me."

Jada flushed, but pushed onward. "And that's a problem, why? I don't have to have your whole life story. I know enough to like what I see. We'd be a good match." She had his life story, but he didn't know that … and he definitely didn't have hers.

Quince tilted his head to the side. "Possibly." He straightened. "No, we probably would be." He gave a nod. "I'm in. But … graduation has to come first."

Jada let a slow smile curve her lips. "Looking forward to both."

And she actually thought she might make it to the big event now.

Quince made his way to the door. "Day after tomorrow. Don't forget. We'll meet here before the hearing."

She lifted her chin. "I'll be ready."

Even if she had to make nice with Browers until then.

I'm happy with how this story is coming together. It's going down a slightly different path and I like how that's working so far.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zulu Delta Niner

Had a bit of a rough week and felt under the weather for most of it. I did make progress on two of my work projects so not a total loss.

I didn't quite get all the way through my full streaming schedule, but I got a decent amount of viewing completed.

I started the second season of Ted Lasso and quite enjoyed the first episode. I'm interested to see where things go with the psychologist.

Caught another Agatha Christie Hour and loved the cloak and dagger aspect of the episode. Very twisty and turny and an excellent resolution.

Started season six of Endeavor and enjoyed the first episode. Not sure I like the new DCI but I'll see where things go. I don't like not having all the guys together but a shake up now and then is probably good for the show.

Watched another episode of Silent Witness and had no idea Clarissa had a husband. Good to see how they interacted. Interesting premise and I can't wait to see how it plays out.

Started a new arc of Classic Who. It's a bit spooky and I liked the first episode. Looking forward to seeing where this one goes.

Sci Fi Science had a fun topic of traveling to a parallel universe. I like to see how a theoretical physicist puts ideas together that could one day possibly happen.

Enjoyed another episode of Ms. Marvel. This group of characters is a joy to watch. I love the way Kamala interacts with everyone and the show nails the entire awkwardness of being a teenager pretty well.

The finale of Only Murders in the Building did not disappoint! I'm so excited to start season two because I have to know what happens next for our trio of characters.

Started season four of Blue Heelers. Nice to see Roz again even if the circumstances were sad. I'm a little disappointed I won't have new episodes to watch after this season unless I want to jump to eleven.

I'm in the middle of an Umbrella Academy episode and should have it finished up later today. Things are really spiraling and that's not a bad thing.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Zulu Delta Niner, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

In a war-torn galaxy, Nell Watkinson works to save lives on the front lines in the battle arena. When she returns home, she meets Jerrick Haight, a man who's not afraid to fight if his number is called, but he vehemently opposes waging war when it spreads resources so thin their own people suffer. On opposite sides of a moral dilemma, Jerrick's actions put him in danger and Nell uses everything at her disposal to save his life.

And a sneaky peek…

"Take care, Rod. I'll stop in if I can before I ship back out." She squeezed his hand before leaving the transfer unit.

Making her way through the emergency department, she shook her head. On the ride from the airport to the base hospital, shock filled her at the desolation and horrible conditions people were living with. The ED looked like the warzone she'd left behind out in the black.

"What the hell? I've been gone three years, not a dozen." How can things be this bad?

She exited the hospital and found an escort waiting to take her to the ministry of war.

Rolling her eyes, she addressed the ranked officer. "My old men set the goon squad to provide shuttle service? Am I supposed to be impressed?" The two-man team had her dad's name written all over it.

The lieutenant gave her a grim smile. "There have been a lot of protests lately. He wanted to make sure you made it to your meeting safely." He opened the back door of the SUV. "And he wants you there right away." He swept an arm forward, trying to usher her inside.

Nell frowned. Not even time to get cleaned up and refreshed with a shower from the flight in? Too bad, Dad. She'd get one before she met with the old man.

She didn't make a move to enter the vehicle. "Look, you're following orders, I get that. But I'm not dancing to my father's tune here. I'm going to demand we stop by my apartment." When it looked like he'd argue, she played on his sympathy. "Please. I haven't been home in three years and I want a hot shower and a fresh uniform before I meet with the colonel." She stopped short of batting her lashes at the officer.

He exchanged a glance with his counterpart, a junior lieutenant. The other guy shrugged. Nell checked their name badges. Hoyt and Montell, Hoyt being the higher ranked.

Hoyt sighed. "We really shouldn't…"

Nell squarely met his gaze. "It'll take me no more than ten minutes to freshen up and we can be on our way. I live less than five blocks from here." She leaned in a little. "I'll take the heat for this. My plan is to inform the colonel that we got stuck in protest traffic. You can back me up or not, but there's your out." She had no qualms about lying to her dad.

He'd lied to her more than once.

Montell broke his silence. "It'll be easier to let her do what she wants. We're already losing time standing here arguing." He popped the front passenger door open and slid inside the SUV.

Hoyt jerked his head toward the back. "Let's go. I hope you're accurate on the time. If we're more than thirty minutes late, he'll send an entire team out looking for us."

Nell scrambled into the back. "You're welcome to time me." She pulled the door shut and pondered his warning.

Is he serious about my dad sending a team out for us? Why the hell would he do that?

Traveling the short distance to her apartment, she paid careful attention to the empty storefronts and operating businesses that had bars on the windows. The park a block away from her building had tents pitched in semi-neat rows with burn barrels and cooking fires strewn throughout. The SUV pulled up to her apartment complex, a huge brick dwelling with eight floors.

Nell had the door open before the SUV rolled to a complete stop. Montell got out and tried to follow her, but she waved him off.

Angling her head around, she called out. "There's a clear line of sight to the door. I'll be quicker if you just let me go alone. I'm on the fourth floor and the windows face the street. You'll know if anything happens." Not waiting for a response, she ducked inside and hit the steps at a run.

True to her word, it took less than ten minutes to freshen up with a quick, hot shower and a clean uniform. On her way back down to her waiting escort, her heart dropped at the disrepair her complex had fallen into. While not as bad as some of the buildings along the route, the walls needed new paint and the steps had tracked mud and dirt all the way down.

Heading outside, she quickly got back inside the SUV. "All set. Let's go see the colonel." She definitely wanted a conversation with her dad.

This one is going down some paths I didn't expect and I like the detours. Nell and her dad are not going to see eye to eye on much of anything.

 

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

ML Skye

Zoning in the VZ (a V-World novella)

I should not have made a joke about having snow before Halloween in my last post. Apparently, there's a chance we might have some in the early part of the week. If it happens, it'll probably be a dusting and won't last long, but, geez, I'm not quite ready to drag out my cold-weather clothes yet.

Had a good week with my work projects and made a tiny bit of progress on my future endeavor. I also got some writing time in, which makes me happy. I have some home projects that need attention this week so I might not have as much time to write as I'd like.

Had a decent viewing week and made a full circuit through my usual programs. Caught the first season finale of Ted Lasso and I'm excited to start season two this week.

Watched the second episode of Suspects and enjoyed the twists this one took. I like the cast and characters and the pacing is excellent. Definitely going to continue watching this one.

Finished up series five of Endeavor and loved where things ended up. I'm looking forward to starting series six this week.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness and, whew, what a ride. I loved how twisted up everything got before the final act. Considering I'm in season twenty, it's nice to still love this show.

Watched the final part of Classic Who's arc with Leftbridge-Stewart. Thoroughly enjoyed for the most part. Should be starting a new multi-part arc this week.

Started Sci-Fi Science and liked the first episode. I've seen bits and pieces of this show and I'm excited to watch it through from start to finish.

Loved the second episode of Ms. Marvel. I have a feeling this will end up being one of my favorite Marvel shows. The characters are a lot of fun.

Caught the penultimate episode of Only Murders in the Building and, wow, it blew my mind in the best possible way. I can't wait to see the finale this week.

The Umbrella Academy had a great episode. Things are coming together and I'm looking forward to seeing how things play out in the next episode. I did not think Klaus would end up being one of my favorite characters but he totally is. I love him in all his screwed up glory.

Watched the second episode of Star Trek: Discovery in season three. I'm glad to have everyone back together, but it's always nice to see the crew shine under Saru's leadership.

Also caught another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. This one featured the Joker again and it might be sacrilegious but he's my favorite Mark Hamill character of all time.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zoning in the VZ, a V-World novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

With Nemesis no longer wreaking havoc in V-World, Augustus Serrano can't celebrate a job well done until he rescues Santina McGovern who doesn't know her boss is no longer in play. Scared for her life, Santina is zoning—sending out multiple copies of herself to engage the grid—and the longer she stays in the harder her return to reality will be. Augustus has to earn her trust and help her get out before she's shredded in the VZ.

And a sneaky peek…

Augustus Serrano stood outside his direct superior's office. "Mallory's gonna flip her shit when I put this request in." Inhaling deeply, he knocked twice then entered the room.

Mallory Biden glanced up from the electronic tablet in her hand. "Auggie." Her tone stayed neutral but her gaze narrowed.

He gave a nod. "You know why I'm here, don't you?" He should've anticipated she would.

If nothing else, this saved time.

She set the tablet aside. "I know you. So, yeah, I have a solid idea." She motioned for him to sit in one of the comfortable chairs across from her.

He sank down. "You disagree, right? Think it's a terrible idea." Hell, he actually doubted the loosely planned operation would work.

She shook her head. "I don't think it's terrible. I do have reservations." She picked the tablet up again and turned it toward him. "I've run sims. The odds are definitely not in your favor." Pushing the device forward, she waited for him to pick it up. "That said, shit goes sideways for us all the time. Especially where Nemesis had his dark tentacles mucking about." She shuddered a little.

Auggie didn't blame her. What that guy put all of them through. Mallory and Surge Tempest, Nemesis's former partner. Deandra Wilder, another former associate of Nemesis and Surge, and Ric, Mallory's brother and brilliant mind behind taking Nemesis down. They barely made it out of the VZ—virtual zone—alive.

And now, Auggie wanted to go back in … to hopefully save a life. Could he really pull this off?

Mallory leaned forward. "You know she might be impossible to find, right? Or be too far gone to bring out." Her gaze held concern.

Auggie grunted. "If she's beyond help or completely shredded, at least I can note the place and time." He left off the part about it being for her death.

Mallory's lips thinned. "She's been zoning a long time. She can't come out until her copies are either reintegrated or erased from the VZ." She nodded to the tablet again. "I ran sims for that, too."

Auggie swiped to the next data set and frowned. "Is this your half-assed attempt to convince me it's impossible?" He had a loose plan for this problem also.

Mallory gave him a hard look. "This is my whole-assed way of forearming you with knowledge. You're gonna do what you're gonna do, whether I approve it or not." She leaned back, folding her arms over her chest.

Auggie winced. "Sorry, Mal. That was a dick move." He placed the device on the desk. "Seeing the numbers makes me more determined. She did end up saving our asses, whether she meant to or not."

And Santina McGovern deserved a shot at a life after Nemesis.

Mallory lifted her chin. "I figured." Leaning forward again, she met his gaze. "What's your plan?"

This series is a lot of fun to write. Trying to imagine what going into a computer program would be like is so challenging but also satisfying in a weird way.

 

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

ML Skye