Sunday Snippet: Going Downhill

Well, the big super bowl game is on tonight and I’m watching a Star Trek Next Gen marathon instead. LOL Don't get me wrong, we still have all the food and trimmings, like WAY more than we need, but with several televisions in the house, the game can be merrily playing in the kitchen and living room while I hunker down in my writing cave and watch something totally different. If anything really exciting happens, the family will let me know. :D

So, next week The Walking Dead returns and I'm not sure if I'm super-excited or not. I think I am, but won't know until I see the new episode. And Bitten is coming soon, February 15 on Syfy. Definitely excited for more of that show.

My usual shows all had great episodes. I completely forgot to mention The Magicians in last week's post, but I'm seriously liking that show. And Lost Girl is in its final run of episodes. I've seen the way it ends and I'm definitely watching the last hurrah. I hope another show with fae-releated characters turns up sometime.

The Flash ended up surprising me, which I'm always thrilled to have happen. Arrow also threw in an interesting reveal and I'm speculating like mad now. Legends of Tomorrow mixed up the teams and I'm down with them doing that on a regular basis.

Agent Carter has such a great mix of humor and tension. I almost wish there could be a longer season, but I'm also kind of happy with the brevity, mainly because the writing stays pretty focused and doesn't dart off on too many tangents.

Last but not least, The X-Files had one of those instant classic episodes that I could watch over and over again. I can't wait to talk to my brother about it. Teen Wolf, again, feels rather choppy, but I've been thinking about that and have come to the conclusion it's supposed to feel that way, especially since the creepy doctors can warp time, or whatever it is they do. So yeah, I just needed to have that last little piece click into place. LOL

And that's it for television this week.

Tonight's post is from Going Downhill, a novella where one character follows their dream but has to end a relationship to do it. Or so they think…

Here's the mini-blurb:

Zetta and Mace have a messy breakup and dive into relationships with other people. Two years later they bump into each other and both are worse for being apart.

And a snippety peek…

Zetta's phone buzzed on the nightstand. Groggy, she reached for the device and blinked, trying to read the caller ID. When her vision cleared and the number became legible, she scrambled out of bed and dashed into the bathroom.

The art director of a prominent media company wanted to talk, which he couldn't do if she didn't answer the damn phone.

Taking a deep breath, she hit answer. "Zetta Brown." Her stomach dropped to her toes and she cleared her throat.

Dean Farmont cursed. "Ah, dammit. You're on the Atlantic coast. I woke you up, didn't I?" He covered the phone and spoke to someone else, then came back on with Zetta. "Ms. Brown. I'm sorry if I did wake you, but your portfolio just crossed my desk and I have an immediate opening, if you're still interested in working for us."

Zetta's mouth opened on a silent happy scream and she resisted the urge to do a happy jig. But then realization dawned and she sank down onto the closed toilet. No way would Mace move across the country with her. He had deep roots here and a thriving place in the community.

Why did the universe see fit to give her exactly what she wanted—a man she could easily spend the rest of her life with—then dangle the one opportunity she'd dreamed of since childhood, all in the same day? What should she tell Mace? Wait for me. When I retire we can have our happily ever after.

Right. No way.

"Ms. Brown? Are you still interested in the job?" Dean's query had an impatient edge to it.

Zetta closed her eyes. "Yes. When do I start?" Her heart thundered in her chest while she listened to him give a date and a time for her to call back to get the final details nailed down.

She ended the call, a sick feeling churning in her gut. Mace would never believe she'd choose a job over him. Not after everything they'd been through.

A clean break. She'd need to do something pretty harsh and spectacular to make sure he wouldn't try and talk her out of leaving. The answer stared her in the face, right on her contact screen.

She swiped her thumb over the name and the recipient answered on the second ring. "Paul? It's Zetta. I need a favor."

I wanted to do something a little different with this manuscript and I think it's turning out quite wonderful.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin