Sunday Snippet: Advocate for the Defense

Geez. I can't believe we're in the last week of October. This month flew by and I'm kind of sad I didn't have the time or energy to enjoy it more.

Doggo update. She's still not quite over the sinus infection. We had a hard time getting her to eat much, and her antibiotic needs to be taken with food. We're surmising she's not interested because she can't smell right now. She's still drinking plenty of water and also gets excited when anyone comes home, so we think she's doing okay. She still doesn't like having her nose wiped to remove the yuck leaking from it though.

Not a bad work week. I had a couple of focus-intense projects to work through, which became a challenge because I'm not sleeping as well as I should be. But … I'm nearing the end of one long project and starting a new longish project and I'm thrilled they're going so well. I finished up a proofread and started a new copy edit also.

Had an okay viewing week. I didn't make it through my full list of shows, but got most of them in. I just didn't have the attention span to watch stuff this week.

I did get an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries in and I'm getting closer to the end of season two.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War and it's one I didn't remember. It features an actor that used to be one of my faves, but he kind of went off the deep end and I can't really enjoy his work anymore. That's a me problem, I know.

Enjoyed the season three premiere of Beyond Paradise. So nice to see Archie again, even if he tried to muck up Humph and Martha's romance. I really enjoy this show.

Watched another episode of Poirot and enjoyed the mystery. There ended up being a lot going on in this one and it felt like a couple of shortcuts were taken, but overall a fun episode. Well … except for the murder of course.

Elementary ended up being a lot of fun with the twist on the Baskerville lore. I'm so happy with Sherlock's growth as a character and his quietly impassioned plea for the ME to get some help kind of made the episode for me.

I didn't get to watch Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week because I ran out of steam. Hopefully, I'll get to catch up soon.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Advocate for the Defense, a novella that brings a couple together when one character has to defend the other before a review board.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

Quince completed the last call he needed to make just as Jada entered the conference room. "Hey … are you ready for the hearing?" He checked a box on the notepad list, with the final piece falling into place.

Jada inhaled sharply. "Yeah. I think so." She tucked her cover under her arm. "Gotta admit, I'm nervous." She smoothed the crease of her uniform pants.

Quince's lips twitched. "You really don't need to be. This is basically a formality." He tapped the notepad.

Jada's eyebrows arched. "You're still calling in your markers?" She paused a moment. "And you're really sure your dad isn't going to bust you down a rank for using him?"

Quince shrugged. "Like I said … he's far enough away he won't get wise too soon." Stuffing the notepad into his case, he met Jada's gaze. "Besides … it's for a good cause and he'll agree if I ever do have to explain myself." Which he would do after he got Jada through graduation.

Jada huffed out a breath. "Geez, not sure how I feel about letting you do this for me." She paced back and forth along the edge of the table. "I mean, I appreciate having you on my side." She stopped and shot him a sideways glance. "Why are you doing this? Seriously, what's in it for you?"

A great question. One he didn't have a full answer for, but he did a partial one.

Setting his case on the table, he folded his arms across his chest. "First and foremost, I'm following orders. I was assigned to defend you before the board." He held her gaze. "And … I was informed to make sure I did everything in my power to garner a good outcome … if I thought you had the chops to become a good officer as well as a pilot." He stopped there for the moment.

Anything else he said might cross a line he didn't want to step over yet.

Jada tilted her head. "And you think I'm officer material?" Her brow furrowed as if she questioned the idea.

Quince answered with brutal honestly. "Can't say I'm one hundred percent certain, but you deserve the chance to find out. When we go before the board, I'll lay out the plan that's going to give you the opportunity to prove you have the will and desire to become a ranking member of a flight squadron." And the schedule would keep her too busy to get into more trouble.

He hoped.

Jada worried her lower lip. "I'm almost afraid to ask … what is the plan?" A wary note entered her gaze.

Quince flashed a wide smile. "Have a seat, and I'll explain…"

I enjoy writing characters who push each other's buttons and these two are very good at doing that.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Adventures in Nugget Sitting

It's a drippy, dreary day, which actually doesn't bother me. It's been so dry in Ohio, and the rain might help wash all the allergy-inducing yuck away for a while.

Had a solid work week. I finished up a copy edit and started a new one. I'm wrapping up an extended coaching project and moving into the final stages before sending it out for the next steps. Started a new memoir developmental edit, and I'm excited about working on it with the author. I have a couple of other projects waiting in the wings, but my plate is full for the moment.

Doggo update. I think we're through the hard stuff. Who knew having a congested dog could be so exhausting. It sucks because, unlike when my kiddos didn't feel well, the dog can't verbalize what's making them feel poorly. A lot of trial and error to make sure they're doing okay.

Had an okay viewing week. I got through most of my usual shows with the exception of Lower Decks. I ran out of steam and couldn't get that one in.

Started with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries and enjoyed the episode. The ending always make me smile with Hugh and Dottie getting engaged and Jack and Phryne drinking wine from grapes … that she crushed with her feet.

Watched another episode of Foyle's War and remembered most of it. I'd actually forgotten the underlying thread of Rex being in love with Andrew and Foyle's supportive reaction to the information. A very good episode.

Finished up season fourteen of Death in Paradise. I'm kind of curious about Patterson's departure. If he's really leaving the show, I'll be disappointed as he's been with it since the beginning. However, a changing of the guard isn't always a bad thing. I have a fun thought about who could possibly replace him and if it pans out, it would be very cool.

Enjoyed another episode of Poirot. I really do like the episodes that don't involve a murder. The bond robbery ended up being a lot of fun. Poor Hastings being seasick and his denial of it was a fun side thread.

Elementary had another solid episode. I'm enjoying Joan's journey of getting back to supportive interpersonal relationships. The scenes with her and Gregson were lovely.

Caught another episode of Batman Beyond and it's one I didn't really remember so I enjoyed watching. I think I'm almost through the second season and I can't really remember if there are more after this one or not.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Adventures in Nugget Sitting, a sexy short that brings a couple together after a somewhat long wait.

Here's the miniblurb:

Isla Sands, an excellent poker player, loses a card draw and has to babysit the drunken newbie pilot. Between the endless questions, throwing up, and clingy behavior of her charge, Isla takes time to wonder why Riggs Marvelton always does the same for her. And why he never attempts to just kill her and put both out of their misery.

And a sneaky peak…

Riggs grabbed a bucket from the custodial supply locker. "I should leave Isla to deal with Brad." And he would.

But he'd also prepare her for all possibilities. He placed the container close to Berenza's bunk. Close to the spot he used for Isla on more than one occasion.

Isla's frustrated voice drifted from the head. "Dammit, Berenza. Aim for the bowl not the rim." An angry growl followed.

Riggs bit back a smile. "Sucks to have the shoe on the other foot." How many times had he done the same for her?

Okay, really not fair to compare them. Isla handled alcohol better than most. He could count on one hand the times he'd had to overprepare. Usually, he only poured her into the bunk then stuck around to make sure she didn't try to get up and make it to the bathroom on her own.

He doubted she had any idea how long he stayed to keep an eye on her.

Brad did not manage his alcohol intake very well. Of course, the kid had barely reached the legal age to consume liquid spirits. He'd eventually get the hang of knowing when to say enough.

Maybe.

Riggs backed away from Brad's bunk and headed for the hatch. "Good luck, Isla. You're going to have a long night." Exiting into the corridor, he resisted the urge to poke his head into the head.

Isla probably didn't want an audience. Bopper definitely didn't need any more witnesses to his shame. Riggs had after-action reports and fitreps he should be working on.

Passing the head, his lips curved when he caught more retching sounds.

Isla's voice carried when she let out a garbled oath. "Dammit, Bopper. For all that's holy in the universe, keep your head down."

Riggs shook his head but kept on walking. He'd check in with Isla later. Just to make sure she had everything under control. He wouldn't be able to help himself.

Because she mattered to him … even if she didn't have a clue how much.

This is such a fun little short. I love Riggs and Isla and can't wait for them to get on the same page.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zulu Delta Niner

Whew. What a week. We have some actual fall weather, and I love it. Who knows how long it will last. Pretty sure we'll have at least one more heat-up before December and the official start of winter.

Had another busy work week because I'm still playing catch up from being under the weather in late September. I finished a very challenging copy edit of a 95k-word manuscript. Great story with a lot going on.

Update on our doggo. She's doing so much better. She's still a little congested, but she finished her round of antibiotics and the steroid seems to be helping also. Of course, she's drinking a ton of water, which means we're going out for potty breaks about two times her normal rate.

Had a very slow viewing week. The challenging copy edit required a lot of focus. But I did make it most of the way through my regular shows.

Started again with Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. Enjoyed the episode because it's one I remembered and loved on my original run through.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War and enjoyed watching again. I'd forgotten some of the key moments in this one. Sam sure struggled a bit to find another place to stay after her rooming house got bombed.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Really glad to see Mervin figure out his mom's murder and also so happy to see Mr. Sterling Fox get his walking papers. Smarmy jerk.

Watched another episode of Poirot. I always enjoy when Miss Lemon gets involved in a case. Watching Hasting completely destroy her filing system—after she told him not to touch anything—made me laugh out loud. In his defense, he'd already halfway trashed it before he spoke to her.

Elementary had another solid episode. It's very interesting to watch Sherlock interact with Moreland. So much trauma to unpack between them.

I didn't get to check in with Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week. I'm hoping to get a full run this upcoming week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Zulu Delta Niner, a novella about a couple that meet under tenuous circumstances.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

Jerrick clasped Wayne Prewitt's shoulder in a hard grip. "Dammit, we're not supposed to start anything physical." He jerked Wayne back before the man had a chance to throw a punch at a police officer.

Prewitt whirled around. "Keep your damn hands to yourself. You don't tell me what to do at a protest. I'm making a point and taking a stand." He spat the words out on a growl.

Jerrick shook his head. "You're an idiot if you start an altercation in the front yard of the Ministry of War. The security here is more than police. Home Guard is on hand at every corner on the ground and on the roof. If you start throwing down, they'll shoot you. This wouldn't just be a simple arrest." Hammersmith didn't have to warn Jerrick about the dangers of protesting at the MOW building.

But he should've laid out the facts for Wayne.

Prewitt rolled his eyes. "You're full of shit. We're allowed to voice our opinions. Sometimes that means getting physical." He balled up one hand and smacked it into his open palm.

Jerrick stepped back, ready to let Prewitt learn the hard way. "You really need to brush up on our articles of federation." A tap on his shoulder had him turning around.

A uniformed military police officer arched his brows. "Is there a problem here?" He patted his sidearm in a chest carrier.

Jerrick lifted both hands. "No, sir. We're just exercising our right to free speech." Movement along the left side of the building drew Jerrick's gaze.

A woman in a medic uniform, flanked by two officers, headed for the back entrance of the building. Why would a medic be needed at the ministry of war's headquarters? Very interesting.

The MP cleared his throat. "Did you hear what I said?"

Jerrick met the man's gaze. "Sorry, no. I'll assume it's something about staying peaceful and not making trouble?" The standard party line.

The officer frowned. "No, I said clear out. Showtime's over. Almost curfew." His hand gripped the handle of his weapon.

Jerrick narrowed his gaze. "Since when is there a curfew?" He slid his gaze to Prewitt.

Wayne shrugged. "Don't look at me. I didn't know about this."

The MP jerked his head toward the building. "Brass enacted the civilian curtailment item of the protest resolution. You've got ten minutes to vacate the area or suffer the consequences." An oily smile curved the man's lips.

Jerrick didn't like the gleam that entered the officer's eyes. "You'd like to arrest us, wouldn't you?"

Wayne snorted. "Are you kidding? I'd bet he lives to zip-tie protesters."

The officer grunted. "Wanna find out?"

Jerrick shook his head. "Not today, man. Defeats the whole purpose of organizing against the deplorable living conditions we live with every day." He gave Prewitt a warning look.

Wayne huffed out an angry breath. "This is bullshit." He turned and stomped away.

Jerrick started to follow but glanced back toward the MOW building. The woman's head angled around, and she met his gaze for a long moment. The wind gusted and pulled several strands of her hair loose from her sleek ponytail. Jerrick grinned when she started to tuck them behind her ear then decided to leave them framing her face.

Definitely not standard operating procedure. He liked that she didn't seem to care if she met regulations.

But he also wondered why she entered the building with the other two officers.

Pretty pleased with how this one is coming together. Jerrick is walking a fine line, and he'll face bigger challenges soon, especially with Prewitt stirring up trouble.

 

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Zoning in the VZ (a V-World novella)

Hello October and welcome spooky season! I love this month for a lot of reasons. The spooky vibe being close to the top of the list, but it's quickly followed by cooler weather—usually—and that means it's soup weather! I love making soup on a cool day and savoring it with crusty breads, grilled cheese, and other creative toppings.

I'm through the worst of the yuck and back to almost normal. Of course, that means something else went sideways. In my case, our older doggo ended up with an emergency trip to the vet because her congestion got so bad her eye swelled up. She's on a steroid and broad-spectrum antibiotic and already seems to be much better already.

I'm slowly getting caught up on my work projects. I need to review the details of two new ones now that my brain isn't in sludge mode. I'm pretty excited about my last quarter of work projects for 2025.

Had an okay viewing week. I didn't quite make it through the whole slate of shows. Lower Decks and Reacher didn't make this week's window.

I did watch another episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm working my way through season two and I'm enjoying the conflict and tension because it's a real-life quandary. I love Mac for being a voice of reason.

Caught another Foyle's War episode and this is one I'd forgotten. It's so weird how a lot of the themes of this show, which is twenty-some odd years old, are so very prevalent today. Humans are slow learners sometimes.

Death in Paradise ended up being very enjoyable. I'm really not sure about this new police commissioner other than he's way too smarmy and utter unlikable.

Poirot entertained with a way back episode showing how Hastings and Poirot kind of got their start together. Very much enjoyed this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed the twisty turns it took. Also loved Joan solving the neighbor issue. Love to see that kind of stuff.

Caught another Batman Beyond and it's one I didn't really remember either. Quite enjoyed the rewatch.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Zoning in the VZ, the final book in the V-World trilogy.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

Santina McGovern inhabited a submersion chamber providing nutrients, oxygen, and water to her physical form while encased in a cocoon of synthetic body armor. The setup might be the only way to zone in the VZ safely.

Or as safe as anyone could be when they didn't want to be found.

Her scenario aka her personal sanctuary—a little cottage nestled in a green glade—brought joy to her heart and calm to her mind.

Bringing a mug of tea to her lips, she snorted. "And somewhere Nemesis would never look for me." After all, she came from the city streets and back alleys where darkness reigned supreme. "It's how I got hooked up with Nemesis in the first place." She took a bracing sip of the fragrant brew.

She'd wanted a way out of the dank, dingy confines of the no-rent slop houses and cheap rooming shacks. Nemesis provided a path to freedom.

"And didn't that work out fucking wonderful for me?"

The price of liberation ended up being a yoke of oppressive surveillance by the genius madman.

But she'd wormed her way out from under him.

By helping his enemies.

Her lips curved. "At least they're out from under his ever-watchful eye." Too bad she couldn't say the same.

But for now? She had a haven and half a plan. Even if the method would probably end her life at some point.

The cottage gave her refuge. A place to recoup, regroup, and reflect. She'd filled every nook and cranny with comfortable things. Items that made her happy and soothed the inner turmoil of her mind. And she had no idea how long she'd manage to keep it active.

An alert sounded, and she settled on the edge of the sofa, closed her eyes, and focused her inner will. Several moments later, a copy of her appeared. Santina had gone a little punk rock with this version and clad her cloned self in ripped leggings, black combat boots, a threadbare red tee over a black bra and a red and white zebra moto jacket. Heavy pewter eyeliner rimmed her eyes and her hair spiked up and out in multiple directions. Piercings lined her ears, eyebrows, one side of her lip, and her nose. Her nails were matte black and a little shredded.

The copy lifted one corner of her lip in snarl, flipped up her middle finger, and left the cottage.

Santina's eyes slid shut, and she swayed before toppling to one side. Each time she made a new version of herself, she got a little bit weaker. She'd had to slow down because the multiples were out there living their best lives and each time something significant happened, Santina experienced the scenario right along with her copy. Sometimes that worked out well … other times not so much.

She slowly sat upright again. "I gotta be careful." If one of her versions died, Santina had to absorb the black energy.

But she had the foresight to write code that protected her. She created a buffer. But each time one of her copies died, the buffer got smaller. If the shielding went below a certain point, she'd be shredded.

And … each time she sent a replica out, she lost a little more of herself. "I can't keep this up forever." She hoped she wouldn't have to.

Honestly … she feared she might not be able to keep it up long enough to outrun Nemesis.

But she'd damn well try.

I'm kind of excited about this trilogy and I hope I can make more progress on book two so more pieces can fall into place in book three.

 

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

ML Skye