Sunday Snippet: Gut Punch Feeling

Whew! Busy week, which I love. My youngest kidlet got engaged last weekend and we've been riding that wave of excitement this week.

Finished up one work project and got another new one. It's a mystery and I love those! Also plugging along with an ongoing LitRPG manuscript that's also a sci-fi/fantasy mash-up. I love the series!

Had an okay week of television viewing. I didn't get through as much as I thought I would but I'm cool with that.

I finished up the episode of Peak Practice and enjoyed it. I've got two episodes left and I'm bracing for impact because I know what's coming.

Caught the second part of Silent Witness and I'm happy to say I figured out the real culprit. It took some really twisty turns and I'm pretty sure there might have been a dangling plot thread but, honestly, a great episode.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm almost finished with the first season, and it's been terrific seeing the series in chronological order. Can't wait to start the next season.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Epiphanies." I'd forgotten how much this episode set up for the following seasons. And I'm always blown away by how incredibly good James Callis is in the role of Baltar.

I also caught another episode of Fantasy Island. Really enjoyed this one. I'm very, very cautiously optimistic with the Javier and Elena storyline. I'm going to be so disappointed if it ends up being trashed for the sake of angst.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Gut-Punch Feeling, a novella that reunites a couple and puts them up against some stacked odds not in their favor.

Here's the miniblurb:

Evie Roth, a soldier explorer, keeps her promises. But when a sinister plot threatens those she loves, especially Parr Romanoff, she'll break a vow she made long ago … to herself.

And a sneaky peek…

Evie Roth closed her rucksack and hefted it over her shoulder. "What did you expect, Parr? We're graduating. It's time to go our separate ways." She tilted her head to one side. "How did you think we'd manage once we got our assignments?"

Parr Romanoff folded his arms over his chest. "The same way everyone else in the military does it."

Evie snorted. "Ah, right. I get to follow you around from base to base without a second thought to what I want from my career." She shook her head. "I don't think so. I have a plan and I'm sticking to it." Unlike her mother, who could've made rank if she hadn't succumbed to Evan Roth's charms and then mustered out to crawl into a bottle of liquor.

Parr sighed. "No one's saying you have to follow me, Evie. We can do what's best for each of our careers." He started moving toward her.

Evie held up a hand. "Uh-uh. Stay right where you are." It wouldn't take much to sway her into sticking around.

Continuing to have the best sex ever tempted her far more than she'd ever admit.

Parr stopped, planting his hands on his hips. "See … you know we're good together. You're afraid to commit."

Damn right. Parr didn't fit into her five-year plan to move up the ranks and find her niche. If either lived that long. With a looming war, no guarantees were handed out.

And he didn't have to be difficult. "No, we've got a war to fight and being in a relationship takes a backseat to everything else." She turned and started for the door again. "Better to end things now, focus on what needs doing, and remember good times."

And there were a lot of great memories she'd stored away. Most of them involving steaming up sheets, furniture, and sometimes any available flat surface. A shiver of awareness tried to rear its head. Evie tamped it down along with any regrets. She had to stay on task.

Parr called out before she exited the room. "I'll see you around, Evie. It's a small universe when there's a war brewing. Our paths will cross again."

She didn't acknowledge his statement, walking out and not looking back. They probably would bump into each other, but time and distance for a while would change their perspective. She refused to let anything stand in her way.

Not even love.

Evie is going to find out she should never bet against love, especially when there's a war brewing.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Good for the Soul

Still chugging along on various work projects, but I'm at the in-between stages on a few. I like having some free time to focus on writing.

Not a bad week for viewing television. I had to create a workaround for one of the shows I watch, but I'm happy I managed to remember how to set things up.

Caught another episode of Fantasy Island and, wow, I love the unexpected surprise. I'm cautiously optimistic the reveal won't trash things between Elena and Rafael. I'm not holding my breath though. One of the writers is known to mess things up to ramp up the angst factor.

Watched another episode of Strangest Things. I'm always interested in the ancient things they review, but I'm also fascinated by the crazy contraptions featured.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. The puns and play on words are always fun. One of the greatest things about this show is the appeal to all age groups.

I finally finished the Passionflix original, Resisting Roots. I ended up really liking this one. It's not quite as steamy as some of the other movies, but I'm okay with that.

Caught another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries. Enjoyed this one. Very glad Dom is back in good form.

Watched another episode of Cannes Confidential. I love this show! Camille and Harry are fun, and the underlying, sinister vibe is present but also subtle. Such a great show.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica. This week we did a double header of "Resurrection Ship Part One and Two". The next few episodes are solid, but the show stumbles a little leading up to the season two finale. Too many threads that needed some loving care got dropped.

I also started another episode of Peak Practice and need to finish that one up later tonight.

That's it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Good for the Soul, a novella that explores how a character tries to hold himself accountable and struggles when he can't.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Dex Thurgood has ideals he upholds and wants to keep it that way. But when he's forced to confront a sinister underground trade leader, he has to face his darker nature to bust up the extortion racket, which won't be easy because Ramsey Markum knows one of Dex's deeply buried secrets. Lana Denman steps up to help Dex deal with the fallout of not being perfect.

And a sneaky peek…

Hate him? Not in this lifetime.

Sighing softly, Lana replied. “Confession’s not about making people hate you, Dex.” How could she explain this to him? “It’s about catharsis. So you can live with the wrong you’ve done.” Tilting her head, she gave him a moment to absorb what she said. “Did you hate me when I told you about Mac? Did you walk away?” She sat up and drew her feet under her legs crossways.

She had him there … he didn’t hate her for Mac … but she’d made her confession on the day their world ended … slightly different. But then again, not really. And, okay, he had walked away … well … technically ejected … but he always took time and space to process things.

When he opened his mouth to argue, she shook her head. “You’ve never let me down.”

Dex looked away from her. “I wasn’t there for you.”

He cringed at the unpleasant sound she made at that statement.

She rolled her eyes. “Turns out you didn’t have to be. The chancellor called off the mission, remember?” Leaning forward, she pinned him with her gaze. “You’re willing to screw your personal ethics, leave 'em behind and that’s not enough? I’m supposed to be pissed you almost died and weren’t there? God, Dex.” She leaned back in frustration, letting her eyes drop to her lap.

“Lana, I—" He stopped.

Yeah, he what? Had no idea what to say? Why did he always make things so hard?

Confusion marred his features … and, damn if she didn't know exactly what he felt like. It sucked when life kicked someone in the teeth … made them lose hope … hell it made a person lose who they were sometimes. She'd been there, more than a few times, but not Dex. He didn't have the benefit of being comfortable with one foot on the edge of right and wrong and the other somewhere deep in the muck.

Scrambling across the bed, she crawled over his legs and settled down on his lap.

Grabbing his hands in hers, she tried explaining it. “Look, Dex. I get it. I really do.” She waited until she had his eyes before going on. “We all have shit we drag around. Mistakes. Screw-ups. Crap we’re not proud of.” Her lips quirked up, but she quickly got serious again. “It’s easy to do the right thing … what’s hard, really hard, is living with the wrong. Do you get that?” Again, she waited … holding his gaze before letting go and moving her hands up to cup his face. “Tell me you get that now.”

He gave a slow nod. "I think maybe I do."

She rested her forehead against his. "Finally."

Lana is a fun character. She's not into seeing only black and white. Her world is filled with shades of gray.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fyre's Masquerade (a Specter Station novella)

Had a busy week with a new work project landing in my inbox. It's a holiday novel and I'm so excited because I love editing holiday stories! I'm also working on a proofread, which is a nice complement to a copy edit.

Had a slow week of viewing due to another loss of a relative. 2023 has been a rough year for the older generation in my family. I hope the final months are loss free.

I did watch the premiere episode of Cannes Confidential and thoroughly enjoyed it! It's got intrigue and charm and the cast is stellar. Looking forward to the next episode.

Also caught another episode of the Madame Blanc Mysteries. I'm slightly disappointed in the angst factor between the main characters but I'll roll through and see what happens. Very excited Gloria has a new guy even if he's competition for Dom.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice and found it kind of interesting. I liked getting some additional screen time for the deaf characters introduced earlier. Also kind of liked Andrew figuring out what he doesn't want.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and, wow, this one had some twists and a heartbreaking scene that I almost couldn't watch. Kind of looking forward to seeing where it goes.

Caught another Death in Paradise. Enjoyed the guys trying to avoid bringing Richard in on the case while he was down with a tropical fever but loved that they ended up doing it anyway.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fyre's Masquerade, a Specter Station novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Balek Fyre made his fortune mining asteroids and just became a principal owner of Specter Station. He's ready to enjoy a new stage in his life—until the Yuli family descends on his base of operations for the galactic midyear celebration with only one thing on their minds … getting him to marry their oldest daughter, Serena. The only problem? Balek would rather spend time with her sister, Scout.

And a sneaky peek…

"Mother, couldn't you get Scout to wear something other than those horrid black pants?" Serena Yuli shuddered.

Scout tore her gaze from the porthole and made a rude gesture. "Considering I've been dressing myself since the age of three, I'd have liked to see her try." She went back watching the stars go by.

Serena made a nasty comment under her breath about Scout's inability to look like more than an urchin. Scout didn't care what covered her body. Unlike Serena who always consulted their mother Zara before putting on clothes—even her underwear. How her sister made it to twenty-seven, Scout would never know.

Serena snarled. "You could have tried to look decent. We're hoping to make a good impression." She folded her hands in her lap and raised her nose in the air.

Scout snorted. "We've been on this ship for five days. None of us look our best. At least I'm comfortable." Her black canvas pants were soft with wear and her shirt and jacket were made of breathable fabric in the highest quality they could afford.

She could've swapped her rugged boots—broken in to a perfect fit—for her favorite pair of leather moccasins, but the heavier footwear drove her sister crazy and Scout needed something fun to do if she had to be part of this insane plot to trap a perfectly nice man into hellish matrimony with Serena.

Serena snapped. "No one cares about your comfort." She huffed out an angry breath.

Scout smirked. "Exactly. I'm not the one who needs to be impressive. You are." After five days with only two clothing changes, her sister definitely fell short. "What I'm wearing doesn't matter."

Niam Yuli snapped his fingers. "Enough, both of you. We're docking soon and everyone can freshen up." He shot Scout a hard look. "You're to be on your best behavior."

Scout rolled her eyes. "Yes, Dad." She'd play nice when she had to and not a moment before.

This stupid scheme to hold Balek Fyre to a promise his parents made decades ago reeked of desperation—and if he didn't see right through it, he deserved wedded hell with her sister. Scout had no doubt Balek didn't have a clue who they were. Why would he? His parents died not long after their ill-fated agreement with the Yulis. And the horrible thing? Her parents didn't care. They needed an influx of cash to save their asses. A series of bad investments had her parents teetering on the brink of financial ruin.

Scout rolled her eyes. "Maybe if they told Serena no every time she wanted a new outfit, they'd have some savings." Not that her parents ever would—they only said no to Scout.

The captain's voice came over the intercom. "We've started the docking sequence. Prepare to disembark in fifteen minutes." A garbled crackle ended the communication.

A tiny jolt of excitement coursed through Scout. While she hated the reason they'd come to Spector Station, she loved an adventure. And the idea of Serena falling flat on her face gave Scout something to look forward to also.

She smoothed down her hands down her thighs, straightening some of the wrinkles from her pants. "Let the games begin…"

I'm having a lot of fun writing this series and Balek's book is a treat. It's the last in the four-book series and all the previous couples make an appearance.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Founder's Day Flames (Capital City Seasons)

Well, it's been a week. I hit a slump even though I got a lot accomplished. Not sure why I ended up being so distracted, but I struggled to stay focused on anything.

Had a very slow viewing week, probably due to being randomly distracted by everything.

I watched another episode of Strangest Things and enjoyed the artifacts featured. This show makes interesting connections when they're trying to figure out what something is.

Caught a Death in Paradise marathon, which ended up being fun to watch. I'm still doing a full watch in chronological order, but fun to have a whole day of great episodes.

Enjoyed another episode of Battlestar Galactica. We finished up the first half of season two and during our discussion we remembered how long we had to wait for the next half, especially because the episode kind of ends on something of a cliffhanger. And there were so many great moments in this episode!

I planned to start Cannes Confidential this week but ended up being too distracted. I'll be watching it in the very near future and will post my reaction next week.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Founder's Day Flames, a Capital City Seasons sexy short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

An arsonist strikes Capital City, setting blazes, each more devastating than the last, on the lead up to the Founder's Day holiday, which falls on Beltane. Graham McClain is called on to analyze the firebug's actions and help get a handle on his next move. Fire captain Prima Alton reluctantly works closely with Graham and together they discover she plays a role in the culprit's twisted fantasies.

And a sneaky peek…

Captain Prima Alton pushed her way into her chief's office. "What's this I hear about bringing in some talker for our firebug?" What is there to negotiate? "We don't even know who the asshat is. Only that they're setting fires all over the quad." She dropped her cover, bill side down, onto the desk of the fire marshal.

Wade Digbee gave her a level look. "Are you questioning my decision?" He settled back, folding his arms over his chest.

Prima didn't back down even though common sense warned against her making this a bitch fest. "I discovered the pattern. This is my forte. The whole reason you brought me on board in this office." And she didn't want to share the job until she had a handle on the situation. "Why bring someone who makes compromises for a living in when we don't have anything for them to compromise on?" This shouldn't be difficult to understand.

A throat cleared behind her and a sublimely gorgeous man with dark wavy hair and lovely golden eyes moved into her line of sight. He wore a button-down shirt with the sleeves rolled up to his forearms, a pair of dark dungarees, and suede lace-up shoes with soft soles. His lips quirked into a brief disarming smile.

Which threw her a little.

Prima slid her gaze back to Wade. "I've interrupted a meeting. I'm sorry." She reached for her cover. "I'll just step out—"

Wade lifted a hand. "Don't leave, Captain. This is Graham McClain, the talker." Digbee rose and motioned for Graham to join them. "McClain isn't just a skilled negotiator, he's also a data analyst." His mouth curved into a satisfied smirk.

Because, of course, the chief would hit her with something she lived for—crunching information and details to find commonalities. Prima shot a quick look toward Graham. Looks aside, Prima stood ready to discount anything the negotiator had to say. Seriously, did he succeed by bowling people over with those incredible genes?

Wade rocked back on his heels. "We brought him in because data tends to talk to him." He managed to keep the smarmy smile to a brief flash.

Prima raised her eyebrows. "Data talks to you? I'd like to see that." She met Graham's gaze.

His lips quirked again. "The bits and bytes tend to be a little shy. You'll have to let me interpret for you." Humor filled his eyes.

She laughed, almost hating to admit she liked him. "Well, there's no time like the present." She nodded toward Wade. "Mind if we get started?"

Wade spread his hands outward. "Not at all. We need to nail this down sooner rather than later. And I'm confident you two will get the job done."

Prima motioned toward the door. "If you're ready, we can head to the situation room. I've got everything set up in there." She'd play nice and give this guy a shot.

If for no other reason than to possibly catch the firebug before anyone else got hurt … or worse.

I love this series. Graham took a while to get a handle on, but Prima started talking right away. This is a fun book to write!

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Fortune's Dawn

Welcome July! The month that my doggos hate with the intensity of a thousand suns. And we actually got an early start on the fireworks this year … about mid-June or at least the last two weekends. Personally, I love a good fireworks show. The dogs really don't. They get antsy and want to go outside but hate it outside because of the loud crackle and booms. It's exhausting.

Had a good week with work. Finished up two projects and made way to get started on a new one. I'm hoping to slide in some extra freelance work this month because I'm in between two developmental edits at the moment and could use something to keep my busy.

Also had a bit of a scare with my dad. He ended up in the hospital for a few days but he's doing well.

Not a bad week for television. I'm really angry I didn't get to watch Grease: Rise of the Pink Ladies before Paramount yanked it. It angers me that studios can pull whatever they want to write off for tax purposes. I'd love to be able to do that on a personal level.

I finished up the ninth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. Actually loved the episode. This is such a comfort watch for me. Looking forward to starting Cannes Confidential this week, especially since one of my favorite actors is involved.

Caught another episode of Madame Blanc Mysteries and enjoyed the mystery. Not sure I'm excited about having the creepy woman back but I'll reserve judgment on that one. I love the cast of characters in this show.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and the episode definitely took a turn I didn't expect. I like it when that happens!

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one before and I'm glad I got to watch the whole episode. I'm loving this show.

Continued my rewatch of Battlestar Galactica with "Flight of the Phoenix." This one had so much going on and it was all spectacular. The pilot interaction ended up being my favorite thing, as usual. But lots of good stuff overall.

Started the second season of Fantasy Island. I'm about halfway through the episode and enjoying it so far. I'm definitely here for Raphael and Elena interactions!

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Fortune's Dawn, a concluding novella in a three-part series I haven't named yet.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Quillan and Jeb answered fate's call, discovered an ancient prophecy that led them to dance with destiny, and now they're setting out to find their lost colony before the cyborgs do.

And a sneaky peek…

Jeb rolled to his side and smoothed the hair back from her head. "You know I don't believe in this mystical stuff." His fingers trailed along her jawline.

Quillan arched her brows. "The scribes predicted this. You, the scholar, and me, the guide. How can you not believe?" She leaned into his palm.

Jeb lifted a shoulder. "Okay, it's an odd coincidence, I'll grant you. But that's all it is. You're trying to make us fit the roles." He gave her a level stare.

Quillan snorted. "Bah. You're so damned stubborn. Are you willing to keep reading the texts or not?" Because she couldn't make heads or tails of the ancient language.

Even being a true telepath, one of a very few left in society, being a magic translator didn't count as one of skills. And they needed to reunite with their original colony, lost eons ago. Her destiny wouldn't let her do anything else. And Jeb had become part of it … at least she thought he had.

Jeb nuzzled her throat. "I'm in. If only to keep close to you. We've been apart for way too long." His mouth covered hers and translating texts didn't matter anymore.

They had been apart way too long. She twisted around and nudged him back then straddled his thighs. Her head lowered and she scooted downward, pressing open-mouthed kisses along his chest. Easing further down, she grasped his heavy erection and sank her mouth over the length.

Jeb groaned. "I'll never get tired of this. Of you." His fingers threaded through her hair.

Quillan pulled back a little. "I feel the same." They'd taken a long time to get where they were.

Jeb reached down and hooked his hands under her shoulders. "As much as I enjoy the wicked wonder your lips create, I need something more from you right now." He hauled her upward settling her over his cock.

Quillan gave him a slow smile. "It's good to be home." She shifted forward then pushed back, taking Jeb's shaft deep.

And even though they had long road ahead to find a place for their people, Quillan would always consider Jeb's arms her true place of residence.

This trilogy is kind of all over the map, but the basic threads are in place. I'm having fun filling in all the blanks.

 

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

ML Skye