Sunday Snippet: Healthy Appetite

Well, it's the first day of spring and we're getting snow in Ohio. LOL I'm also down with the flu, so not a fun week.

Another light week in television. The Walking Dead had a terrific Carol / Maggie episode that ended up being one of the best ever.

Gotham's episode took an interesting turn. I'm excited to see what happens with Cobblepot back on the loose. Nygma is sliding into total crazytown and I'm loving it. I have a feeling Hugo is lining up a bunch of pieces and I'm very interesting in where all that goes. My other Monday night shows provided excellent viewing. The Magicians went in a direction I didn't really see coming. Lost Girl amped everything up for the finale and Bitten made me cry. LOL

Agents of SHIELD surprised me and that makes me happy. Looking forward to more and seeing where things go. Murdoch Mysteries had a great episode and the finale looks terrific. Fingers crossed there's not a huge cliffhanger.

My shows should be back this week and I'm ready and waiting.

That's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Healthy Appetite, a novella based around a prompt about showing a character's healthy appetite and having the other character wondering what else they craved.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Thad Nightingale meets Kailey Dent during a weeklong getaway and finds her approach to life refreshing. Not only does she eat with gusto, she has a thirst for adventure that leaves Thad hungry for more.

And a snippety peek…

Kailey Dent tossed her clothes in a suitcase, ready for her weeklong sojourn to the mountain. A pile of stuff had already shipped to the lodge and she'd get to experiment and play for seven straight days. She couldn't wait.

Her brother, Talon, poked his head around the doorjamb. "Kails, you about ready? I've got the SUV warmed up." He had hat hair and looked like a crazed axe-murderer.

Kailey bit back a grin. "Yeah, yeah. Just gotta zip up and grab my overnight bag from the bathroom." She shut the case and put it on the floor.

Talon strode into her room, his snowy boots leaving puddles of slush on the carpet. Kailey opened her mouth to blast him, but he grabbed her suitcase and pulled it along behind when he exited her room. She took five extra minutes to dab at the icy mess then snagged her overnight bag and met Talon by the front door.

Slipping into her ski jacket, she added a scarf and toboggan. "Let's head out." Talon led the way and she followed, her boots crunching on the crystalized path to the SUV.

Talon loaded her cases then slid behind the wheel. "I'll bet you're dying to get up on the mountain." He flashed her a trademark smile.

The guy could sell snow to polar bears with that mug of his.

Kailey cracked a wide grin. "Are you kidding? I've been amping up the hype on my blog all week. I'm not the only one excited for me to get up there." Her blog gained new followers every day.

And she worked hard to get them, keep them interested, and give the truth according to her about each and every product she tried and put through its paces. She reviewed everything from clothes and equipment to local hot spots and quiet getaway locations. With the ski season getting underway, the web traffic increased daily and her commenters appreciated her no bullshit style. She rarely held back when a product didn't meet her standards or when she found something she loved and recommended with five star ratings.

Her job with a local outfitting company paid well and she got to play with new lines on her days off. Talon tinkered around with design when he didn't have competitions and she often field-tested his ideas. If she got hurt, she wouldn't lose a spot on roster.

Been there, done that. Talon had his shot now and she'd back him one hundred percent.

Talon made the turn out of their drive and onto the highway. "You get any flack for changing your mind about the goggles?" He eased along the road, the slick surface demanding slower speeds.

Kailey laughed. "Not really. You know I always explain why and the manufacturer made improvements to the seal. My biggest bitch about those goggles was getting water underneath the shield. Hard to ski or snowboard when your vision is impaired."

Her commenters often asked her to try products again, usually after they'd been on the market for a while. She'd happily put equipment through a second and change her review if warranted. If a manufacturer made improvements, she'd be the first to say so.

Talon shook his head. "I hope you never trash any of my sponsors. I'd be hard-pressed to defend them if you do."

Kailey rolled her eyes. "As if I'd ever let anyone unworthy of your talent be your sponsor."

Talon chuckled. "Right. How could I forget?" His lips curved in a brotherly smirk. "My big sis always has my back."

Kailey scrunched down and propped her head on the back of the seat. "Damn straight. Don't forget it."

I'm having a good time with this one. Not quite sure where it's headed, but it's a fun trip getting there.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin