Sunday Snippet: A Rustic Affair

Wow. September snuck up on me even though I've been talking about how close August was to ending. 2021 is a weird year, just saying.

Had a solid week of working with a potential new project coming in and several more lurking in the wings. I finished up a great manuscript and can't wait for the book to release. It featured a tornado!

Not a bad week of television. I started with Master Class with LeVar Burton and lesson eight with focused on performative storytelling. I love watching LeVar break down how he approaches telling and sharing stories.

Watched two episodes of Inside the Episodes: The Witcher. The shows broke down episodes two and three. It's very interesting to go back and see where the production side of things is coming from after seeing the entire first season. I'm really looking forward to season two.

Caught two episodes of Berlin Live. The first featured Blondie and I thoroughly enjoyed the string of hits minus one of my very faves. Boy George and Culture Club also put on a great show and I'm love diving back into some music from my formative years.

Enjoyed another episode of Star Trek: Discovery. I'm slowly getting to know the characters and I'm starting to like how everything is coming together. Really interesting to see a character from Star Trek: TOS. Looking forward to seeing if anything comes from that.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and ended up really liking it. I'm once again really happy to finally be able to watch this show from the beginning and fill in so many blanks.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this quirky and fun show even though there's always a murder to solve. As I've mentioned before, having characters that pop up with frequency makes me happy.

Finished out the second episode of Silent Witness. I'm getting toward the end of season twelve. I think I've got four more episodes to go. I'm also remembering why I really liked this show when I watched it the first time.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. This one feature country music, which I always find interesting when it's in another country.

Finished out season eighteen of Classic Who and Four's tenure. Five is taking over the controls of the Tardis and I'm looking forward to seeing his take on the Doctor.

Started UFO Conspiracies and it's not bad. I'm always interested in digging into what other countries experience with UFO sightings and this series seems to include those takes.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lesley Ann Warren and Danny Kaye were the guest stars. Very fun episodes.

Caught another episode of Prime Suspect and finished out the first season. I'll start season two this week.

Peak Practice had an interesting episode and I enjoyed it. Andrew definitely has some issues and I like how the show is exploring them.

That finishes up this week's television update. Tonight's post is from A Rustic Affair, a novella that has my main characters trying to settle down after a decade or more of living life on the edge.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Necia Sands and Falcon Seaver, two mercenaries for hire who finally retire from the life, try to settle down. Being opposites draws them together, but it also makes them clash over simple things—like finding the right place to live.

And a snippety peek…

Coming up on the end of six weeks, most of the interior work had been completed. They had furniture and appliances and most of their personal belongings scattered about the house. An elevation rested on the kitchen table and they were looking over the plans for the porch repair with an added screened-in room off the kitchen.

She tapped enclosed area on the page. "I like this. We use the porch so frequently it makes sense to have it act almost an extension of the house." She pictured a day bed and maybe a hammock chair.

Falcon's fingers traced the open area. "And there's still plenty of room out on the deck for us to spread out a little if we want."

A rustling drew her attention. Too loud to be nature's creatures. The crunch of gravel made a telltale sign they had company.

Necia's adrenaline kicked up a notch and she went on full alert. "Falcon—"

He raised his hand, cutting her off. Obviously, he heard the sound, too. He made his way to the living room window and scanned the outside with his gaze. Necia followed, staying out of sight.

Falcon flattened against the wall. "We've got movement out there." He peered out through the sheer curtains.

Necia frowned. Who could have found them? It's too soon for this shit.

She nodded. "How many?"

Falcon crept along the wall, rounding into the kitchen. "I counted two, armed, coming in from the drive." He snuck a look out the door. "Looks like two more coming in along the cliff."

Four on two. On a good day, Necia would take those odds. Today? Not so sure.

Falcon kept his voice low. "Gun?" His brow quirked.

Necia shook her head. "Nope. Didn't think I'd need one. They're all locked up for the final move." Stupid. I won't let that happen again.

Falcon nodded. "Knife in your boot?"

Necia unsheathed the blade. "Of course."

Falcon ripped the hammer from his tool belt, hanging on the back of a chair, and grabbed a pipe wrench from the counter, which he handed to Necia. Then he reached for the stiletto in his boot.

He met her gaze. "Ready?"

Necia gave a terse nod. She wanted to deal with the foursome and get back to regular life.

Which she really wanted a lot right now.

This book is so much fun. Necia and Falcon get to see normal life isn't always normal and have fun while doing it.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin