Sunday Snippet: Oceanfront Villa

I hope everyone who celebrates US Thanksgiving had a lovely holiday. Mine was low-key, which is how I enjoy the holiday the most. As usual, my husband cooked for ninety-seven people instead of the three that were here, but that means leftovers and readily available meals for a few days!

Kind of a light week for work projects in varying stages. I ended up getting a decent amount of writing completed. I finished up two manuscript drafts and I'm in the fine-tuning stage for those. I'm excited to start revising! I also did some additional planning for the other ventures I'm trying to launch soon. Should be an exciting December!

Had a great week of television viewing. I got an extra show in this go around but still didn't get to pick back up with my Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hopefully this week.

I ended up watching two episodes of Silent Witness. I'm sad that Clarissa is leaving but look forward to new faces. Can't wait to pick up with the second half of the current two-parter. It ended on a cliffhanger.

Also got two episodes of Death in Paradise in this week. Started season four, which I'm enjoying. Humph is a lot of fun and Dwayne has been very entertaining so far.

Ended up watching two episodes of Only Murders in the Building also. Finished the penultimate episode last night and, wow, I love this show. And … I'm pretty sure I guessed correctly with a slight twist on the murderer. Can't wait to watch the final episode.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Batman. One I remembered and the other one I didn't so really enjoyed that one. Not sure how many episodes are left in the first season but looking forward to more.

Caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I did remember both. An interesting bit was the theme changed for one episode then went back to the original. Weird what I notice when I'm streaming shows.

Watched another episode of VIP. The over-the-top storylines are so much fun. I really miss some of the shows from the late nineties and early aughts.

Enjoyed a behind-the-scenes episode of My Life Is Murder. I'll be starting season two this week, unless there's another bonus episode.

Also watched a behind-the-scenes episode of Agatha Raisin. A lot of fun to see and hear the actors talk about their characters. There might be one more BTS for season two then I'll be moving on to season three.

Picked back up with Peak Practice. I skipped ahead a little because I honestly don't care about Andrew and Kate's torrid relationship. Might try to work another episode in this week.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from Oceanfront Villa, a novella that explores a couple trying to rekindle their relationship.

Here's the miniblurb:

Danielle Finch is a hardworking doctor who rarely takes time off and her relationship with Vince Darkholme, an in-demand attorney, suffers for the lack of face time. When Vince's client offers the use of his oceanfront villa, Danielle readily agrees to take two weeks to rekindle the passion she sorely misses with Vince.

And a snippety peek…

David Canneli's driver dropped Vince at the rear entrance to the loft he shared with Danielle.

Vince got home later than planned. "Canneli has no idea how close I came to ditching him after the first course." He entered the lower level of the unit. "But I'm glad I didn't."

Canneli had been so happy Vince found a mistake in a major contract, which saved him upward of two million dollars. David had offered Vince the use of his oceanfront home and Vince jumped at the chance, accepted with gratitude, and stayed for the full meal, round of dessert, and drinks afterward.

But now, with the time nearing midnight, he wanted to turn back the clock so he could spend the evening with his wife. Taking the stairs, he went over the varied list of pros and cons to taking a much-needed vacation. First and foremost, he wanted to reconnect with his woman. They had sex, but not as often. Typical relationship gripe after a decade of marriage. And maybe sex didn't seem like a chore, but it lacked passion, too. He missed the spark and static they used to have.

Pausing outside the door, he heaved a sigh. "She's probably asleep by now." And why not?

She'd put in full day. Even if she'd left earlier than normal, he'd seen her patient schedule before. And this had been a grueling week for her.

He entered the loft, surprised to find the lights still on. "Maybe she's still awake." Taking that as a good sign, he made his way through the mudroom area, the kitchen, and finally ended up in the living room. He found Danielle curled up on the couch, an open book and an empty wine glass on the ottoman.

His lips curved. How many times had he come home from his study group to find her in this same position after a thirty-six hour shift during her residency? Back then, he used to kiss her awake then join her on the sofa or haul her to the bedroom for a hot round of passionate sex.

He wanted those kinds of moments back.

Kneeling down, he cupped her face. "Hey, beautiful, I'm home." His thumb stroked over her cheek.

Dani's eyes blinked open and focused on him. "Hi…" She started to sit up and winced. "Ugh. Fell asleep, didn't I?" She straightened and twisted her head from side to side. "What time is it? Did the dinner go well?" She scooted over, making room for him to sit beside her.

He settled on the couch and drew her legs over his lap. "It did, but it ran late. It's just after midnight." His fingers squeezed her feet, massaging and kneading.

Danielle made a low hum of satisfaction. "Kind of figured it would when ten p.m. rolled around." Her lips curved and her tone lacked heat.

Vince arched an eyebrow. "Were you waiting up? I'm sorry if you were." He moved on to her arches, working his thumbs along her skin the way she liked.

Danielle waved off the apology. "It's okay. I got sucked into a book and didn't feel like moving." She paused a moment. "I do have something I'd like to talk about, but it can wait if you're too tired tonight."

Vince's heart dropped and he looked for a sign he'd missed something. But she didn't appear angry or upset. Still … he'd better share his news while he could.

Giving her a nod, he moved up to her calves. "I'm not too tired. I've got something to share also. Do you mind if I go first?"

This story is kind of meandering along but I'm pretty happy with the flow.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Not Quite Ready Weekend

Entering thankful week with so much to think about and be grateful for. There's a lot going on in life right now and some of it's not great. But … there's also so much that's good and I always try to focus on the good stuff. I spent way too many years as a glass half empty girl. The stress of that did not do me any favors.

I got to edit an amazing holiday story, which I didn't expect and I'm so happy I got the project. It's from one of my favorite authors too!

My husband started a new job that he can do during his off season from the golf course, which is an amazing opportunity.

I got to watch a play my daughter did the entire lighting setup for, and I'm so glad I got to go and see what she's accomplished with her theater major. I already get to hear her radio show for her media production major. She has a semester left and I can't wait to see the amazing things she does with her future.

Had a pretty decent week of television viewing. I managed a full round of my current slate of shows, minus the Battlestar Galactica rewatch. Hoping to pick it back up this week.

Started out with the first half of a two-part Silent Witness. Kind of an interesting case mixed in with the personal aspect for the characters.

Caught another Death in Paradise. This is an episode I got to see part of before and it's nice to have the full context of everything that happened.

Loved the episode of Only Murders in the Building. So awesome to see Theo again. I love his friendship with Mabel. I'm kind of hoping the trio is back together by the next episode, but it's fun to see Mabel interact with other people. Going to miss seeing her in her aunt's apartment though.

Watched another episode of The Batman. This one introduced the Riddler. I'd forgotten how much teamwork between Yin and Batman was in this one.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I kind of remembered both and liked being able to sort of rewatch and still be a little surprised.

Caught an episode of VIP. This one ended up being a lot of fun and had some terrific character moments.

Watched an episode of My Life Is Murder. Nice to see Alexa kind of joining in and participating in a celebration. Here's hoping we get more of that in later episodes.

Also got another episode of Agatha Raisin in. This ended the second series and had so many great moments. I'm excited to see what season three brings.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Not Quite Ready Weekend, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

Angie Strickland and Derrick Fields are thrown together when they're called upon to care for their best friends' little one for a three-day weekend. Their biggest challenge is getting a crash course in what it's like to be a parent while dancing around an unacknowledged attraction. By the end of the weekend, Angie and Derrick are exhausted and certain of one thing—they want to be together but they're not quite ready for parenthood.

And a snippety peek…

Angie Strickland answered the phone on the third ring. "Hi, Janie. What's going on?" Hopefully a girls' night … it had been ages since Angie had been out with her friend.

Of course, having a kid made getting out a lot more challenging. But the little sweetie is so damn cute. And her godchild to boot.

Janie heaved a weary sigh. "I have a huge, huge favor to ask." Her voice wobbled a little. "Mark has a business conference that I'm supposed to attend with him, and both sets of grandparents are traveling. Can you stay with Lydia?" A shuddery breath followed.

Angie frowned. "Are you okay? What's going on?" She realized she didn't answer the question. "Of course, I'll stay with Lyds." A fissure of nerves skittered along her spine.

Janie squealed a little. "Oh, thank you. I'm not sure I'm ready for being away from her, but this conference is important, especially if Mark wants a promotion soon."

Angie commiserated even though she had zero experience with maternal instincts. "Well, you can look at this as a trial run? And I can FaceTime you every day, so you won't have to miss Lydia too much." And so Janie could clue Angie in on how to care for a six-month-old.

Janie made a sound between a chuckle and a sob. "That's actually a great idea. Mark is having a tough time with the idea of leaving her, too, but I'm struggling so much right now. Mom said to do it now when Lyd is sleeping through the night but not mobile yet. And it's supposed to get easier after the first time." Her tone said she didn't quite believe that statement.

Angie didn't really have a point of reference, so she changed the subject. "When do you need me?" Luckily, her weekends were wide open since she'd ended her relationship with her douche canoe ex.

Janie hemmed a little. "Wellll, it's this weekend. We're leaving Friday after Mark gets off work and returning late Sunday. So sorry for the short notice."

Angie shook her head. "No, it's all right. You know I don't have any plans. I'll come by in the afternoon, and you can give me a crash course in all things baby." And, hopefully, she would remember everything.

Janie let out a happy sigh. "That's perfect. I can't thank you enough."

Angie laughed. "Yes, you can. If this goes off without a hitch, we can have a girls' night soon." And Angie would make sure everything went smoothly.

Or die trying…

This story is in the very, very beginning stages but the sages are flinging ideas at me in rapid succession. Can't wait to see where it goes.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: New Year's Promise

November is continuing the crazy weather tradition. Warm a few days then frigid a few. The whiplash roller coaster is in full force. Please keep arms and legs inside during the ride and make sure you've got plenty of allergy meds and mucus relief tablets on hand.

Had a somewhat light work week and got to focus on writing, which is kind of great considering it's Nanowrimo month.

Also got some decent screen time this week. I didn't do a double rotation, but I did make a full run through of all my shows with a little overflow.

I caught two episodes of Agatha Raisin. Season two is a bit different with longer episodes and different titles. So far, I'm enjoying the fallout from the aborted wedding … and the mysteries of course.

Watched the second half of Silent Witness and started a new two-parter. I'm enjoying the kind of messy storylines. Considering this series has been around for twenty-three years, it's interesting to see how much it's changed from the beginning.

Enjoyed two episodes of Death in Paradise and finished out season three. Kind of nice to see Humphrey's wife and get an actual end to their relationship. Also great that neither really ended up being the bad guy.

Caught another episode of Only Murders in the Building. Loved how the trio finally got to work together … sort of. That might be the only thing that really sticks out as being a little off for me this season. Otherwise, I'm enjoying the mystery.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman. I like seeing the villains kind of double up and then double cross each other.

Got another episode of Classic Rugrats in and remembered both vignettes. Thoroughly enjoyed both. It's so much fun going back to this show and thinking about watching when my kids were little.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from New Year's Promise, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the miniblurb:

Long-time couple, Kay Holt and Trevor Wolfe, makes it official when Trevor proposes on Christmas Eve. Kay wants a small ceremony and dreams of a New Year's Eve wedding. Trevor surprises her and arranges for them to say I do at midnight during a holiday getaway with their best friends.

And a snippety peek…

Kay Holt admired the Christmas tree taking pride of place in the corner by the fireplace. "Oh … it's gorgeous." All sparkly with blues, silvers, and greens.

She turned toward her best friend, Marin Bucher, tugging her forward.

Marin made the appropriate sounds of agreement. "Trev went all out, didn't he?" She fingered one of the glittering bulbs.

Kay grinned. "Never let it be said a Wolfe man can't dress up the house for the holidays." And she loved Trevor for taking the task on.

Her schedule between Halloween and Christmas didn't slow down. Working in the event planning industry kept her busy. Trevor's slowed down in the winter months, his work as an outfitter for the family company gave him time to indulge in the holiday decorations.

Which he mainly did for Kay.

Abbot Payne, Trevor's best friend, snorted. "You know his dad and brother suggested using fishing lures for the tree, right?" He shook his head.

Marin gasped. "They did not." Her eyebrows arched and she glanced toward Abbot. "Did they?"

He draped an arm around her shoulder. "They did. When Trev said he wanted to use blue, green, and silver, they had a whole conversation about how many lures use those colors." He chuckled.

Kay laughed. "Who knew my favorites were so popular with fishermen?" At least they didn't suggest neon orange and cammo, which she wouldn't put past them.

Then again, Trevor said they decorated the trees in the small office with product, so the orange-cammo combination could be a thing.

Trevor walked with a tray of mulled wine. "Mom said to drink up. She's got plenty of this on simmer." He handed everyone a mug then wrapped an arm around Kay's waist.

She smiled at him. "She wouldn't let me help. Said I should enjoy the fire and the tree and let someone else do the heavy lifting tonight." Frankly, Kay welcomed the break.

Trevor grinned. "I told her how exhausted you were after chasing down the venues for the three corporate shindigs you got this week." He pressed a kiss to her temple.

She had been beyond tired. Last-minute planning gave her headaches. And they always had at least one large group that wanted to put a holiday fete together at the very last moment. Three nearly did her in.

Trevor's mom, dad, and brother came into the living area and nodded. Linda held up her phone. Trevor flashed a huge smile.

Abbot lifted his chin. "It's time, isn't it?" He eased Marin to the edge of the space.

Trevor turned Kay to face him. "I have a very special ornament I want you to put on the tree." He reached up and retrieved a carved wooden box from the mantel of the fireplace.

Opening the lid, he held the box in front of Kay.

She met his eyes with a questioning gaze. "It's gorgeous." She carefully withdrew the silver ball from the velvet cushion it rested on. "Oh … it's got a clasp. Does this … open?" The round surface had a lacy filigree in an ornate pattern that hid the hinged side.

Trevor's head bobbed. "It does. Let me show you." He handed the box to Abbot and slipped the clasp to open the ball.

A beautiful solitaire sparkled under the lights from the tree.

Trevor got down on one knee. "I love you, Kay. Please say you'll marry me."

Kay's mouth dropped open. "Oh, I'll definitely marry you." She sank down with a happy laugh.

Trevor took the ring and slid it on her finger. Kay hauled him close and caught his lips in a quick, hard kiss.

Linda made a happy mom squeal. "Did you guys see everything okay?" She walked closer and revealed a FaceTime on her phone … with Kay's parents.

Kay's eyes welled. "Hi, guys! I got engaged." She held her hand up to show them the ring.

Kay's mom, Sarah, got a little misty-eyed. "We're so happy for you two. And we're sorry we had to miss it." She nudged Kay's dad.

Frank smiled. "I would pick this year to take your mom to Scotland for the holiday." He leaned closer to the screen. "But we'll be home on the thirtieth and we can watch the videos Mark and Shawn took."

Kay's head whipped around. Sure enough, Trevor's dad and brother stood at opposite ends of the room with their phones recording everything.

Kay put her arms around Trevor. "I can't wait to see you guys. Have a terrific Christmas Day tomorrow. Wait, I mean, I guess it's already Christmas there. What time is it?"

Frank chuckled. "Just after midnight, so Merry Christmas from Scotland."

Trevor hugged Kay and grabbed his mug of wine. "Merry Christmas. We'll see you soon."

Linda turned the phone around and took a few moments to say farewell and end the call.

Kay shook her head. "I can't believe you pulled this off. I'm so happy!" She got to her feet and glanced toward Marin. "Did you know?"

Marin gave her an impish grin. "I did. And I managed to keep it under wraps, and you know how hard that is for me."

Abbot hugged her close. "Which reminds me. I have to reward you with something, don't I?" He took her hand and danced her over to the door leading to the kitchen where a sprig of mistletoe hung.

Marin laughed and tilted her chin upward, waiting to claim her prize.

Trevor got to his feet then helped Kay up before pulling her into his arms. "I know it's early here, but Merry Christmas."

Kay cupped his face. "Merriest Christmas ever." Leaning in, she gave him a long, lingering kiss.

Pretty sure this is going to be the opening scene of the book. I'm very pleased with how it came together.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: New Year's Nip (an Organic Nature short)

Ugh. Turning the clock back is a bummer. I've been reading arguments for staying on standard time or making daylight saving time permanent. I think I'm coming down on making DSL permanent, but either way, it would be nice to not have to turn the clocks in any direction.

Had a busy work week and hit my daily goals to stay on target for project dates. I also got a lot of writing in and updated some completed manuscripts for my new venture. I truly hope to launch it before the holidays.

Not a bad week of watching television. I'm debating on how many streamers I'm going to keep because they keep raising their prices. I'm okay with paying more if it's not all going into shareholder pockets. I'm looking forward to seeing what kind of deal SAG-AFTRA can make with the studios. That might also help me decide which streaming platforms I'll be keeping.

I ended up starting a new Silent Witness two-parter and struggled a little with this one. Domestic violence is a hard watch and there aren't many clues to who the culprit is. I'm hoping to finish the second half later today.

Caught another Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'm a big fan of Humphrey and can't wait to finish his run so I can watch the spin off Beyond Paradise.

Watched another episode of Only Murders in the Building and enjoyed it even if a lot of the scenes were goofy. It's kind of nice to have the comedic skills of the cast on display.

Got another episode of Battlestar Galactica in on my rewatch. This one had some good moments with a lot being left unsaid, which ends up biting a few people later.

Enjoyed another episode of The Batman, which finished up the two-part origin story of Clayface and put Yin on the tentative side of the Batman.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. I remembered the first part with the submarine imagination scenario but forgot about the one where they discover Chuckie is left-handed. I love going back to these episodes and seeing them again.

Caught another episode of VIP and enjoyed it. It's fun to see the characters out of their element. It's also fun to see Val figure out what's actually going on.

Enjoyed another episode of My Life Is Murder. Nice to have a bit of Alexa backstory about her husband and how his death still affects her.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from New Year's Nip, an installment in the Organic Nature shorts series.

Here's the miniblurb:

Eppie Collins has a terrific guy, one who gave her a wonderful Christmas holiday. She's returning the favor on New Year's Eve, making surprise last-minute plans to watch the midnight fireworks in the city. Vin's not the only one who can pull out all the stops.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie glanced toward Vin for the third time in twenty minutes and laughed. "Stop pouting." She had no doubt he hated not being behind the wheel. "We took the edge off before we left." And so not the reason he all but twitched with restlessness in the passenger seat.

Vin didn't like not being in control.

Vin slid his gaze sideways and put a smile on his face. "I'm not pouting." He snorted. "Not really." He shifted again, adjusting the seat.

Eppie bit back another laugh. "At least you know we're going to the city." She'd more than make it worth his while though. "The whole not knowing anything is hard, isn't it?"

Vin gave her a sheepish look. "I hate that you're right but, yeah, it's a pain." He finally relaxed a little. "I now know how you felt when I took you to Holly Hollow."

Eppie put her hand on his thigh. "Not much longer. We're about ten minutes out." Which would give him a general idea of where they'd be in the city.

She merged onto the outer belt then took the exit for the downtown loop. Traffic heading in moved slowly but they'd beat the mad rush. In less than an hour, the vehicles heading to the stadium and riverfront would be bumper to bumper.

She eased over a lane, getting in line to make her turn. "Trust me, Vin. It'll be worth it."

He picked her hand up and brushed his lips over her knuckle. "I have no doubt. Just anxious, I guess."

Vin's frustration would end soon. Eppie carefully timed their arrival. She wanted to avoid the frustration of fighting to get through the congestion but also preferred to get to their location around dusk. Maj had everything waiting for them in the suite. Dinner, champagne, a decadent dessert. Eppie had packed bath salts—a new scent she wanted to try for couples—an earthy blend of pine, citrus, and a hint of vanilla.

A nice long soak in the garden tub would be amazing.

Eppie turned onto Riverfront Drive, the street running along the main entrance of the Chamberlain. Sliding her gaze sideways, she caught the moment things started clicking for Vin.

I love writing Eppie and Vin and it's so much fun to have Eppie pulling out all the stops to surprise him.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin