Sunday Snippet: Crash and Burn

So, we finally have snow in Ohio. Not a lot but enough to remind people it's actually winter. This isn't a bad thing. I'm hoping that means we won't have blizzards in April or May. Just saying.

After a very slow January workwise, February is going like gangbusters. I'd rather be busy than not so no complaints here. I did have a slow week of television though.

I started with an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed it. Fun to see a familiar face with Ruth's brother showing up. Should be interesting to see what happens with Henry now that Ruth has access to loads of money again. Also interesting happenings with William and Julia's neighbors. I'm still not quite sure what to expect with them.

Caught the Frankie Drake Mysteries finale for season three. Always fun when a character returns to stir up trouble for Frankie and the girls. I'm hoping season four continues to have a big focus on the friendships.

Arrow's second episode ended up being better than I anticipated. Interested to see what happens with Lyla. I truly love the mix of present and future in these episodes.

Caught another episode of Midsomer Murders and quite enjoyed it. It's fun when the case doesn't quite go where I think it will.

Also watched another series one episode of Peak Practice. I gotta say Will's wife is quite the piece of work. I have no idea how long she lasts but I'm thinking it's not through the end of the series. That's not a bad thing.

I saved the best for last. I finally watched the season four premiere for Riverdale. I'd be lying if I said there was no ugly sobbing involved. Because there was. A lot of it. I honestly didn't expect less, I mean I'd been warned by at least three people to have a box of tissues. Needless to say I did and used an undetermined amount of said box.

I can honestly say I can't imagine a better tribute to Fred Andrews. I loved how pretty much everyone put aside their grievances—Reggie and Cheryl in particular—and paid homage to a stalwart member of the community. Reggie's gesture with providing a hearse moved him up a notch on my like-the-guy meter. And Cheryl's conversation with Mary and her about face regarding the parade had a nice symmetry. I have no clue what the hell her deal is with CorpseJason but I don't need to know for this episode to work so well. Relenting on having a parade to celebrate Fred's life and put the focus on someone not a Blossom is big badass energy and I'm here for it.

FP taking on a role of filling big shoes also worked well for me. Figuring out where Archie was and what he planned to do when he found out who ended up being responsible for Fred's death and his subsequent response of calling in Archie's friends showed a good bit of foresight for the former Serpent leader. I also loved the way he handled asking Archie if he'd mind an escort home. I knew what was coming. I figured out what Cheryl wanted to do. And, man, I literally grabbed the box of tissues and pretty much sobbed through the whole thing. Throw in Jughead's obituary and the reaction shots of people reading—the focus being on the grown-ups, friends and enemies—and, yep, the tears flowed again.

Shannen Doherty's guest appearance was a nice touch. For those of us who are a certain age, the poignancy of having her involved in memorializing Fred and, in turn, Luke Perry packs a punch and creates a nice thread that goes from beginning to end.

The other part I found poignant is Betty at the cemetery by her dad's grave. Season three ended with Hal being murdered by Penelope and it's easy to forget that happened and have it eclipsed by Fred's demise. The trashing of his plot, while sad for Betty, serves as a solid visual reminder of where things left off.

Finally… the last scene of Archie in the garage sifting through memories of his dad, the only scenes that actually showed Fred in action, was extremely well done. Kudos to KJ, the writing team, and the film crew for what, I'm sure, had to be a difficult time.

All in all, a terrific sendoff for Fred and Luke. Next week, I'll dive back into the normal batshit crazy world of Riverdale and enjoy the hell out of it.

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

Here's the mini-blurb:

Pepper Strand met the wrong brother first and when her personal feelings get in the way, she takes the easy way out. When it leads to the death of Bax's sibling, she drowns her guilt with alcohol and Bax decides to make her crawl out of the bottle and into his arms.

And a sneaky peek…

Baxter Loman loosened up, tilting his head from side to side. He loved going round for round in the ring.

A knock sounded on the door and Preble poked his head inside the changing area. "Yo, Bax. I've got another eager brawler ready to work off some stress." He took in Bax's sweaty countenance. "She might just give you a run for your money." Preb gave an exaggerated wink.

Bax quirked an eyebrow. "She? I love having female sparring partners." He reached for the tape. "Give me a few… I'll be right out."

Preble lifted his chin and smirked. "Good luck, buddy." His tone indicated Bax might need it.

Bax didn't waste time, getting his hands taped up in record time. He jogged down the corridor leading to the sparring area and got his first glimpse of his opponent facing away from him. Hot damn. If she didn't race on the circuit, she could. Toned and cut muscle in her shoulders and back showed her physical prowess shouldn't be underestimated.

When she turned to face him, lightly hopping up and down on the balls of her feet, he barely bit back a hiss of appreciation. Immediately attracted, he swung up into the ring and made a slow circle around her.

Once he completed the task, he thrust his palm forward. "Who are you and where the hell have you been?" A wide grin split his face.

Her lips curved. "Pepper Strand." She gave his hand a firm shake. "Been right here in town for the past six months." She let her whereabouts before that hang in the air.

Shit. He didn't need the details. Her racing record spoke for itself.

She taught an advanced racing course and put new and requalifying members through their paces. And his brother loved to throw her name around. About her teaching skill and other talents she had.

His grin fell. "Brad's latest and greatest." How did Brad always manage to worm his way into convenient relationships?

Pepper frowned and shrugged. "Not so great right now." She clapped her hands together. "Are we gonna do this or what?" Her head cocked from side to side.

Bax fed off her angry tension. "We're definitely doing this." He waved toward Preble.

The bartender gave him a thumbs-up and pressed the starting buzzer.

Pepper crouched into a low stance and barely hesitated before she launched forward with a sweeping kick to Bax's hip.

He countered with a hard shove to her shoulder and liked how she barely moved. They'd have a great round.

But he'd be hard-pressed to spar at his best when his hard dick might get in the way.

I'm having a lot of fun writing this one. Normally, I go for military in my sci-fi romances, but I enjoy leaving my comfort zone and getting into something a little different. Pepper and Bax are a challenge and I love a good one.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Clubbing on Space Station Delta

Welcome to the last post of 2019. I hope everyone had a terrific holiday or the best they could have given the trash fire that has turned into a raging wildfire of possible corruption and back-channel maneuvering in the RWA. I'm not a member of the organization but I stand with marginalized authors. Period. Full stop.

I believe I made it through the mild case of the flu. I'm still a little stuffed up and achy, but otherwise doing well. I caught some decent television time also.

I watched an episode of Riverdale and thoroughly enjoyed it. Once again, the play on theme of the episode title worked so well. I'm sad because it's almost the end of the season and that means no more Luke Perry soon.

I finished Dirty Sexy Saint and ended up really liking it. I also caught the new Quickie, The Naughty List and loved that also.

Caught another episode of Murdoch Mysteries and enjoyed the different approach. The episode played out almost like a dinner theater murder mystery and I'm totally there for that.

Frankie Drake also had a different style of episode and I loved it. The cold opening had me wondering for a few moments if we'd lost a major cast member. Well done.

Watched an episode of Midsomer Murders and, weirdly, it reminded me of Doctor Who if only because two of the actresses in this episode guest-starred on the series. I've been watching some of the marathon leading up to the New Year's premiere of the new season.

I'm finishing out the week with a full arc of Sapphire and Steel. I started season three and since there's only one assignment for this season, I'll have it finished up later today.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Clubbing on Space Station Delta, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Macie Gunn discovers a very different side to Nix Handleman, her commanding officer, when they get some downtime on Space Station Delta. Macie likes what she sees, but wonders if Nix will keep the stick out of his ass once they return back to duty.

And a sneaky peek…

Nix has had the stick up his ass for too many years.

Nix replayed Macie's offhand comment over and over in his mind. He didn't mean to eavesdrop on her conversation with Jenna, but it had been hard to avoid. Once the briefing room emptied out, voices carried.

He shook his head. "I don't have a stick up my ass." Then again, he didn't exactly burn through good times like he once used to.

Not since his best friend Eick Nambi died because of a stupid barroom brawl.

Maybe that should change. Eick's death had been eight years ago. Nix advanced up the ranks and made captain.

He snorted. "By working my ass off, not by shoving a stick up it." Cutting through the mess hall, he stopped outside his office.

Macie's observation stung more than he wanted to admit. He liked her, the newest member to his squadron. She'd transferred in almost six months ago.

Keying in the entry code, he nudged the hatch open with his shoulder. "I should get to know her better." A matter of pride… especially now.

Not like he didn't have the general basics down. Her remarkable skill in the cockpit put her ahead of some of his seasoned crewmen. And she believed in working as a team, sharing glory and accolades. Vivacious, witty, and gorgeous, she didn't let the beauty go to her head.

Hooking up with her wouldn't be a hardship and the relaxed regulations no longer made fraternization a forbidden taboo.

Nix huffed out a breath. "Discretion is crucial though." Which could be a problem.

Because… Macie loved scuttlebutt. She enjoyed nailing her fellow pilots with embarrassing information and drawing attention to them. And she rarely missed an opportunity to offer an opinion on the latest and greatest fodder from the rumor gristmill.

Even if Nix wanted to pursue something more with Macie—and he didn't right now—he wouldn't trust her to keep her big yap shut.

Leaning back in his chair, he tapped his pen on the desk. "Doesn't mean I can't shake up her perception a little." And prove he most definitely did not have a stick up his ass.

This story is so much fun! I love writing characters who have to move past preconceived notions. Macie is in for a big surprise.

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

ML Skye

Sunday Snippet: Climate Control

August 7, 2016

Well… a lonely week without an episode of The Last Ship, but the previous episode gave me lots of fodder to make theories about. LOL. I seriously think Blonde Ambition has an agenda we have yet to see. A friend suggested Allison is in cahoots with Jacob the asshat reporter and I love the idea. On the Asian front, Chandler has his hands full. The green mist stuff may make me find a new favorite color. LOL

Killjoys keeps getting better and better. Truly love how lots of threads are working their way together and twisting around each other. This show continues to amaze. And guess what? It's got green plasma goo stuff, so, yeah, maybe orange is going to be my new favorite color. LOL

Dark Matter finally dropped some details about Nyx, one of the new crew members. Looking forward to seeing how the interaction with Four changes when she finds out what he suggested for her brother.

Babylon 5 rewatch continues and I'm almost at the end of season two. I'm looking forward to diving into three because the groundwork from the first two seasons starts building one of my favorite characters arcs of all time.

I viewed more Strike Back and remembered how much I loved all the mistakes they let Stonebridge and Scott make in season two. Seriously, the duo messed up on a pretty big scale… several times. LOL I think that's why it became one of my favorite shows.

And that's it for television. Tonight's post is from Climate Control, a sexy short I hope to make part of my Space Caper anthology. This will hopefully include several short works based around the loose theme of fun antics in space.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When the climate control on their ship goes haywire, Ned and Lakin have to heat things up and cool things down. During the wait for a fix, they discover a mutual attraction and the temperature goes from chilly to blazing in record time.

And a sneaky peek…

Lakin Pope slid out from under the mine-crawler and slowly got to her feet. She swiped a hand over her forehead then fanned her face.

Huffing out a breath, she blew stray tendrils of hair away. "Holy hells, it's like a sauna in here."

[Pass the word. Temperature is gonna rise. Climate control is stuck on hot. Ship's engineer is working on the problem. Pass the word.]

Lakin groaned. "Well that explains why you could cut the humidity with a knife in here." She unzipped her coveralls and shrugged out of the top portion. "Hey, Ramos, I'm done for the day. It's too damned hot in here already." And with over fifty crewmembers, the ship wouldn't cool down anytime soon.

The head mechanic waved her off. "Get out of here, Pope. I'm cancelling shifts until the engineer gets his shit together. Those crawlers aren't going anywhere and we won't need them until our return trip." He walked over to the comm station to make the announcement to the maintenance crew.

Lakin ducked into the small locker area and stripped down to her t-shirt and shorts. The cotton fabric already stuck to her skin and she yanked the shirt over her head, leaving her clad in a thin formfitting tank. Not exactly standard issue for the Galactica Mining employees, but the bigwigs could kiss her ass if they had a problem with her attire. Better yet, they could try making long hauls in their own ships. Maybe they'd realize comfortable clothing during downtime made their crewmembers happy.

Lakin beat the rush of maintenance crew and cleared the changing area before the others started rolling in to shed their heavy work clothes. She strolled through the corridor and went down one deck to the crew quarters. She didn't have a lock on removing as much as possible, meeting four other people in the residential section in various states of undress. Making her way to the senior staff section, she glanced inside the bunkroom then made a quick dash to the head.

Only to bump into Ned Carmichael coming from the opposite direction.

He'd gone down to his boxer briefs and had a thin tank thrown over his shoulder.

He flashed a grin. "Looks like you had the same idea." His head jerked toward the unisex bathroom. "Grabbing a nice, cool shower before it gets really steamy in here."

Lakin cast an appreciative glance in his direction. "Damn, you're looking good, Ned. Maybe the climate control should go on the fritz more often." She nudged her way into the head before him. "And, yeah, figured I'd get in before the mad rush." Grabbing the hem of her shirt, she tugged it up and over her head. "I don't mind sharing if you don't." She slid him a sideways look and laughed when he groaned.

He shook his head after giving her a slow once-over. "You're killing me, Pope. The least you can do is share." Moving past her, he yanked open his locker and flung his shirt inside.

Shooting her a quick glance, he shucked his briefs and strode into an empty stall. Turning on the spray, he stepped under the water and choked on a strangled gasp. With six shower heads, they'd definitely have to share sooner or later. Wouldn't take long for the whole crew to get wise and drop in.

Lakin chuckled. "Cold, isn't it?" She stripped her panties off and tossed them into her locker.

Ned crooked his finger. "Join me and find out." He moved to the side, giving her plenty of space to duck under the frigid blast when ready.

Taking a deep breath, she moved forward, sneaking another peek at Ned. The man had a gorgeous physique. How had she missed that?

And what did she have to do to get up close and personal with his hard, hot body?

Little longer than normal snippet, but I loved how this scene came together. If all works out, I'll introduce my Space Caper Shorts in 2017.

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

ML Skye