Sunday Snippet: Throw in the Towel

Hope everyone had a terrific US holiday and a terrific week if not in the US. I got to spend time with my oldest and youngest kiddos and enjoyed being able to do so. I think I have two more gifts and maybe some odds and ends to pick up and I'm done with holiday shopping. Fairly pleased to be a little ahead of my usual last-minute rush.

Had a good week of television viewing. I watched another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. This show continues to make me so happy.

Got a two-part Silent Witness watched. This is one I didn't remember and I'm glad I got to watch it.

Got a full arc of Classic Who in and started a new one. I've discovered a couple of episodes were almost an hour in this season, which is actually kind of cool.

Started a new series with Mysteries of Apollo and the first episode focused on the Apollo 13 mission and some of the in-depth history of that experience.

Began season five of The Muppet Show and watched four episodes. Gene Kelly, Loretta Swit, Joan Baez, and Shirley Bassey were the guest hosts. Final season of the original.

Caught two episodes of Fantasy Island and I'm still thoroughly enjoying the show. I think I have one left in this first season and I'll look forward to the holiday episode.

Started season six of Peak Practice. Great episode that moved the timeline ahead a little. Being at the halfway mark of the entire run is a nice accomplishment.

Enjoyed another lesson of MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. Some great tips on housebreaking that I hope to put into effect after I get my downstairs area organized.

Season two of Glitch started out with an interesting twist. This show is very twisty and turny and I like that. Looking forward to getting more information on how everything works and finding out if Sarah is another one of the risen. If so, poor James. Two women in his life? That's a lot.

Remember when I thought I finished the first season of Star Trek: Discovery? Yeah, not the case. I had two more episodes. Watched the penultimate this week and, wow, what a mix of highs and lows. This show. Just saying.

Started season three of Chicago Med. I like how they moved the timeline ahead and seeing where everyone ended up. Conor breaks my heart. April breaks my heart. Wil and Nat make me happy. The horrible new surgical resident irritates the life out of me. So far, so good. LOL

Watched another episode of The Madame Blanc Mysteries. I really love the dynamic of this show and the mystery this week ended up being terrific. Also love the overarching mystery of who killed Jean's husband. Interesting show.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Throw in the Towel, a novella about competing mud run fanatics and how they end up finding their way to each other.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Taurin Beach and Craig Wallmartin are top competitors on the mud run circuit. When Craig is caught by a reporter with nothing but a towel, it gives Taurin the perfect idea for catching his attention and finally getting what she wants. Him.

And a snippety peek…

Taurin planned a truly bold move this time. She had her towel at the ready, clutched against her sternum. Craig entered the showers and caught sight of her, pausing a moment before grabbing his shower gear.

She looked around, making a show of searching for something.

Craig arched his brows. "Lose a flip-flop again?"

She snorted and paused her search. "Not this time." She messed with her towel, coming very close to showing her breasts.

He swallowed hard and quickly ducked into the men's side of the stalls.

She kept up a cursory search through the portable lockers.

Craig finished up and came out. "About earlier … for the record, I'm not that fond of all the attention."

Taurin shook her head. "You should be. You could have your pick of a different flavor every weekend."

Craig grimaced. "Yeah, not into the casual one-night thing. Not anymore."

Taurin cocked her head. "One woman kind of guy?"

He nodded. "Yeah, my juggling females days are over."

She brightened on the inside. Time to put her plan in motion.

She went back to rifling through the locker. "Dammit."

His brow furrowed. "What are you looking for?"

She glanced over her shoulder. "My fresh set of clothes. They're not with my gear."

Craig pulled his locker open. "I could loan you a shirt. Hold on."

Nice, but totally not what she wanted. "No, it's okay. I'm just around the corner." She dashed out, heading for her trailer.

"Wait!" Craig called out behind her.

She didn't, making a quick run to the camper, hoping he'd follow. She had her hand on the latch when he called her name.

"Taurin!"

She turned, noting he'd only thrown on a pair of shorts and looked incredible.

He jogged to her. "You left your stuff."

She nodded. "Yeah. Figured I'd get it after I got dressed." She looked down at the towel. "Didn't think I could manage to carry it and not lose my cover."

Craig's gaze dipped but he quickly looked back up. "Definitely not. You're in danger of losing it even now."

She smirked. If all went to plan, she'd definitely be uncovered soon.

This is so much fun to write. Taurin goes after what she wants and Craig tops her list!

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Tell Me More

Okay, we're a week before Thanksgiving in the US and I'm happy to say I've got the bulk of my holiday shopping done. I need to get a few more items then it's time to put a bow on the whole package and be done. YAY!

Had a pretty solid week of working and watching television. A new project crossed my desk and it's going well. On the television side, I started with Classic Who and watched a four-episode arc then hit a two-episode arc. Both were enjoyable.

Caught the last two episodes of Roswell: The Final Verdict. Really enjoyed this six-part series. Not sure what I'll pick up with next, but probably something else UFO related.

I watched four episodes of The Muppet Show and finished out season four. The guest hosts were Doug Henning, Andy Williams, Alan Arkin, and Diana Ross. Season five is the final run of the original show and I'm not sure what I'll watch next. Maybe some of the movies.

Enjoyed two more episodes of Fantasy Island. So far, I'm liking the new premise and how things from the past are blended into the current incarnation of the island. Based on what I've read, there's going to be a holiday episode. I'm a total sucker for stuff like that and can't wait.

Finished out season five of Peak Practice. Did not expect it to end with a house burning down, but it happened. Looking forward to starting season six. I'm at the halfway point. Yay!

Watched two more lessons of MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. He's got some great methods and I'm hoping to try some out on my furry mutts soon. I've already incorporated a couple of things and they've worked well.

Completed the first season of Glitch. I didn't see a couple of things coming and I love the twists. Looking forward to starting the second season this week. I gotta say I really feel for James and this show is like catnip because of the love triangle that isn't really a triangle and the fact that no one is a bad guy in it. That's a trope I thoroughly enjoy.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers and have a feeling it's going to be one of those odd ones where the heelers are on opposing sides. Not sure how I'll like this one.

Finished the finale of Star Trek: Discovery. Man, what a ride the first season ended up being. I can't wait to see what the breakdowns will look like on The Ready Room.

Caught two more episodes of Chicago Med. I'm almost finished with the second season and looking forward to the third. Gotta take a moment to appreciate the episode titles. This show makes them fun.

Started a new show with The Madam Blanc Mysteries. So far, I'm hooked. I loved the first episode. Looking forward to seeing more.

Finished the second episode of Silent Witness. I have vague memories of this one and how it played out. Kind of a twisty tale.

Last but not least, I watched two more Classic Rugrats episodes. I'm trying to decide if I want to watch the holiday specials or hold off and watch as they pop up during the seasons. Stay tuned.

That's pretty much it for weekly updates. Tonight's post is from Tell Me More, a novella where the characters start out on opposite sides but end up meeting in the middle.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Shannon Tewes and Webber Dillon work for a premiere event planner and don't always see eye to eye. Shannon has a knack for putting Webber on the hot seat whenever their boss is around and Webber has several ideas of how he'd retaliate if he ever got Shannon in a compromising position.

And a snippety peek…

Shannon slid into her car, sticky from the late October Indian summer. "Well, shit." She'd really pissed Webber off.

As in totally, completely, massively. She kind of couldn't blame him. He'd somewhat called the deal about her last minute inspirations and always sliding them in unexpectedly. Her creative process sometimes gelled right before a big meeting, ideas pinging fast and furiously—yes, sometimes in her dreams.

She started the engine and set the air conditioner to max. "Usually Webber just blows up, yells, and gets over it." Not exactly what he did this time.

She liked Webber a lot. They often engaged in flirty banter, which she enjoyed because he fueled many of her fantasies. The man had talent and worked well with almost everyone. She didn't know anyone who had a bad thing to say about him. She definitely didn't … except when he got cranky about things—like her incredible ideas.

Then again, she'd never laid out a full-on tunnel the size of half a football field before. Looking at it from his perspective, she didn't blame him for being angry. Or thinking she threw stuff out at the last minute to drive him mad.

Actually, if he pulled something like that with her, she'd consider the gesture disrespectful.

She shook her head. "Jesus, Shannon. You really fucked up this time." Putting the vehicle in reverse, she backed out and waited for oncoming traffic to clear.

She tried to imagine how much work it would be to put the tunnel pieces together.

She winced. "Kind of hurts my brain." The least she could do would be to order him dinner and drop it off. "Not like it's out of my way. I have to pick up something to eat anyway."

Maybe he'd be less irritated if she tried to take off some of the burden? But first, head home, grab a shower, and get into some comfortable clothes.

I'm trying something a little different with this story and flipping a trope on its head. Shannon will end up helping Webber out of a sticky situation.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Surf's Up

Well, we're finally getting November weather. It's chilly outside and we got some snow showers that really ended up being flurries flying wildly in the wind. I'm kind of excited to get into the true depth of fall.

Had a decent week of catching up on projects and doing more organizing. I also made a dent in my holiday shopping. I'm making an effort to be on top of that this year.

Pretty solid week of viewing also. I got two episodes of Glitch in. I thought I'd already watched the third episode but I hadn't. So I'll be starting episode five this week. Some crazy stuff happened and we're down two characters. I'm very interested in what the hell happened to Vic.

Caught another musical icon episode. Whitney Houston: We Will Always Love You ended up being full of stuff I didn't know or remember about the singer. I like revisiting the lives of those we've lost.

Watched the penultimate episode of Star Trek: Discovery. Definitely had a twist I sort of expected but didn't know if the show would go there. They totally did. I'm kind of excited to see the finale then dive into the Ready Room breakdowns. I kind of hope Wil loses his mind over some of the twists and turns. He's so much fun because he's such a huge fan.

Enjoyed two episode of Chicago Med. I'm almost through the second season with one more episode to go. I'm kind of sad about Robin's descent, especially because Rhodes is such a nice guy. I'm also thrilled with how Reese is coming into her own and standing up for herself. Her confidence is amazing this season.

Caught the season finale of Midsomer Murders. Really liked this one and loved the mystery. I rather hope there's another season in the works.

Finished season thirteen of Silent Witness and started the first episode of season fourteen. I'm a little iffy on whether I remember this one or not. Some of the details are pinging so I think I did watch it before.

Watched the season twenty finale of Classic Who. Thoroughly enjoyed "The Five Doctors" and seeing all the former companions back for a spin. Although Four didn't have much of anything to do, which, honestly, isn't a huge loss. He'd been the most recent anyway.

Caught another episode of Roswell: The Final Verdict and liked the deep dive into how some of the witnesses were discredited and humiliated. Everything that happened with the Roswell incident is fascinating.

Enjoyed two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Lynda Carter and Carol Channing were the guest stars. The muppets trying to be super heroes was hilarious.

Started the updated version of Fantasy Island. Interesting premise and pretty decent storylines. I'll finish out the season and see if things hold up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I'm almost through season five and I'm still liking the mix of partners. I think I have two episodes left before season six starts.

Watched another MasterClass with Brandon McMillan. This one gave me some good insight into how to keep my doggos from jumping. I'm going to try some of the techniques because that's a huge problem with both dogs.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Rugrats. Two were favorites from watching with my kiddos when they were little. This show is so much fun to revisit.

Also caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. Nice to see Jared back and what a terrific case. I'm hoping the lawyer lady gets caught at some point. Because she's definitely guilty. Also wondering if the final duo will end up featuring in another episode at some point.

And that's pretty much it for this week's television update. Tonight's post is from Surf's Up, a fun novella that puts the characters into a dangerous situation but gives them a new perspective on each other.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Marla Siff and Farley Osbourne protect a wealthy businessman as part of his entourage. People assume tech geek Farley is the muscle, but Marla is the combat trained protective detail. When a threat looms, they retreat to the private shores of their client's own island and Marla and Farley fight their attraction to keep their boss safe.

And a snippety peek…

Marla crossed her arms over her chest. "Seriously?" With Lane, sometimes one never knew.

Lane nodded. "Yes. You two need a break. The island is secure for the most part, but I know you'll both want to stay close." He arched a brow, wondering if she'd contradict him. "Why not learn a new skill?"

Marla shot a glance toward Farley. He'd be her deciding factor. She didn't have a specific desire to ride waves, but she wouldn't make a fuss if Farley got on board.

He shrugged. "Always wanted to surf. Could be fun." His lips kicked into a grin.

Her shoulders squared. "Fine. I guess it could come in handy to know how to hang ten." Right, as if she'd ever have to chase an opponent on a surfboard.

Lane clapped his hands. "Awesome." He sat up. "By the way, I took the liberty of having dinner sent to the duplex. The suits can handle keeping watch after you secure the house." He got up. "I'm going for a swim in the lap pool then having my own dinner. I won't be leaving the house."

Nice of Lane to keep them informed. Maybe the latest attempt knocked some fear into him.

Farley's fingers flew over his tablet the cameras whirred into position and the perimeter alarms being set clicked audibly on the device. He never failed to stay on top of the gadgets that protected their employer. The suits really didn't have much to do except patrol the interior of the huge manor house.

But … it never failed to be on the safe side.

She shot a chance toward Lane. "Appreciate the update, but it goes without saying, call if you decide you need fresh air or anything equally stupid." She planted a hand on her hip. "I don't care if it's the middle of the night." She added one more reminder. "I'm serious, Lane."

Farley headed toward the rear exit and she started to follow.

Lane responded. "I won't forget, Marla. You two have a nice dinner and relax. I'm not taking any chances."

From your lips to whatever rules the universe's ears.

Marla met Farley at the door. "Please make sure you ping my phone so I can check the monitors throughout the night."

Farley ducked outside. "I'll do one better." He crossed the short distance to the guest duplex they shared when in residence.

He pushed his door open and Marla stepped in behind him. His side of the duplex mirrored hers but had lots of earthy tones and modern vibes, while hers had bold colors and rustic industrial touches. She kind of liked his blend of natural shades mixed with the sleek tech towers, monitors, and clean lines of the furniture.

He unzipped his gear bag and pulled out a tablet. "This is for you. Better access and a bigger screen." He brought up the security app.

She took the device. "Wow. Thanks." Nodding toward the table in the dining area, she chuckled. "Lane went overboard again. There's enough food over there to feed a family." No doubt her table held a matching spread.

Farley's lips twitched. "I know. I'll end up having leftovers for breakfast."

She probably would, too.

Breakfast reminded her of their newly planned excursion.

She frowned and met Farley's gaze. "Did you find anything hinky at all with Janneson?" He'd had time to do a more thorough dive.

Farley shook his head. "I went deep and he's clean."

She let out a relieved sigh. "Good. It'll be nice to have something resembling a vacation." Waving the tablet, she stared toward the door. "Thanks again for the gadget. Enjoy your dinner."

Farley lifted a hand. "You, too. I'll let you know when Lane gets started in the morning."

Meaning he'd take morning detail around five a.m. and give her time to sleep in a little.

Nice.

This story is so much fun. Marla and Farley ride the whirlwind that Lane leaves in his wake but they enjoy it.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: Summer's Eve

Well … November has arrived and the weather is cooling off to true fall-like temperatures. It's pretty chilly when I take the dogs out for the final time at night. Brrr.

Had a limited work week with only one project on my desk. Sometimes it's nice to have the extra time to get things done around the house. I'm still on my great clear-out and making solid progress. I have a new couch coming later this month and I'm excited to get everything ready for it.

Decent week of television. I caught four episodes of The Muppet Show. Anne Murray, Jonathan Winters, Star Wars / Mark Hamill, and Christopher Reeve were the guest stars. I remember the Star Wars episode from childhood. My brothers and I loved that one.

Finished up Prime Suspect and actually loved the way the series ended. I don't remember if I actually got to finish the entire series when I watched the first time so I'm glad I got to complete the entire run. Really like the bookend of how it began with how it ended.

Watched two episodes of Peak Practice. As suspected, David's wife kind of went off the rails and the climax of that happened in the second episode. I'm also enjoying Paul's storyline. Nice to see him pop up about every other episode.

Caught two more MasterClass lessons with Brandon McMillan. He's very good at explaining his technique and I'm hoping I'll be able to work with both dogs to have them behave better.

Watched another episode of Glitch and this show is as trippy as I thought it would be. Three episodes in and I'm still not quite sure what's going on. James has quite the dilemma on two fronts and it's almost uncomfortable watching him juggle everything.

Enjoyed another Pop Profiles. This one featured Jennifer Lopez. I didn't learn a lot of new things about her career but I loved revisiting some of her stellar moments.

Caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. This show is so much fun to revisit. Had a chance to talk to my oldest and reminisce a little about how much we loved watching when he was little.

Watched a great episode of Chicago Med. I'm starting to really enjoy Dr. Latham. I also loved getting into a little more of Goodwin's story. Also really liked Reece's storyline for this episode.

Enjoyed another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I've been enjoying having Frodo pop up in weird jobs. My hope is he'll eventually end up at the Toad and Lion. He'd make a great bartender.

Started a new episode of Blue Heelers. This one is interesting with a rural flavor to it. I'm feeling bad for Adam. He's got it bad for Chris and she's not going there because of their age difference.

Started the final two-parter of Silent Witness for season thirteen. This is another South Africa setting. I have a very vague memory of what happened the first time I watched and I'm looking forward to the second part to see if I remember anything else.

I'm almost finished with season twenty of Classic Who. The Master did show up again in a two-part arc and that leaves one final episode left. "The Five Doctors" will round out the season and we'll be on to twenty-one.

Enjoyed another episode of Roswell: The Final Verdict. This focused on how the government went to a lot of trouble to silence witnesses of the crash. The AI found a couple of false statements and that always interests me. Looking forward to the next episode.

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Summer's Eve, an Organic Nature short for June.

Here's the mini-blurb:

The beginning of summer means Vin Derbish is chest-deep into his busy season. Eppie Collins is used to not seeing much of Vin during the month of June, but suggests a spontaneous camping trip when the weather turns nasty with thunderstorms. A few days in a cabin with pouring rain as their soundtrack can't be a bad thing.

And a snippety peek…

Vin took a sip of beer and set the mug on the table to fish his phone out of his pocket. "Derbish."

Eppie chuckled. "Forgot to check the ID, didn't you?"

His lips kicked into a grin. "Yep. It's dark in here." He waited a beat. "What's the plan?" He really hoped she'd be able to meet him.

Eppie pitched her voice low. "The plan is for you to cut out as soon as you can and make your way to the cabin."

Vin fist-pumped the air. "You'll meet me?" He took another long draw of his beer.

Eppie made a purring sound. "No, you'll meet me. I'm already here." She paused a moment. "Sans clothes."

Vin set the mug down and stood up. "Seriously? I'm on my way." He hung up to the sound of her laughter.

Signaling to one of his foremen, Vin nodded toward the door. Mark gave Vin a thumbs-up and Vin exited Mo's to hear a low rumble of thunder. The wind picked up a little and the tree limbs swayed, the leaves turning inside out.

Vin made a dash to his truck and looked out the windshield. "Rain's headed this way." The clouds started rolling in and the sky darkened a little more.

He started the engine and put the vehicle in gear. Twenty minutes to the cabin … he'd be racing the weather. Turning out onto the highway, big, fat raindrops started an intermittent plop, plop, plop on the hood of his truck. Excitement thrummed under his skin when the sky lightened up from lightning off in the distance.

He couldn't wait to get to Eppie. He missed her when the long hours kept him away. Her love of a good storm followed by a day or two of drenching rain meant he'd have an enjoyable break after working nonstop for two weeks.

Her words echoed in his mind. Sans clothes. Maybe she'd greet him at the door … or be waiting in the bed. Didn't matter to him. He planned to get naked within the first thirty seconds of arrival.

"Get ready, Ep. We've got some lost time to make up for."

Eppie and Vin are so much fun and I love writing little moments in the progression of their relationship.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin