Sunday Snippet: Vicarious Living

The end of October is nigh and, man, it's been a month. Between work projects and personal life stuff, time flew by fast. Helped my oldest kidlet move some things from their old place to their new one and also took him for a job interview. Happy to say he got an offer and should start sometime soon. Also looking forward to trick or treat night and then gearing up for the holidays.

Happy to say the areas where I had my extractions are finally healed up enough that I can eat most types of food. I'm still careful with anything hard and crunchy but otherwise normal intake isn't a challenge anymore.

Stayed busy with work. Have a tricky manuscript that's kind of giving me fits with continuity and consistency concerns, which makes the edit slow way down. Sent off a couple of quotes for upcoming projects and look forward to getting started on those.

Had a decent week of viewing. I made it through a full round of my shows but kind of in backward order. Will probably have the same thing this week.

Started off with an episode of Elementary and thoroughly enjoyed it. Nice to see Lastrade get back on track. Interesting twisty case also.

Caught an episode of The Batman and enjoyed it. Always like seeing the Flash in action. I remembered most of this episode also.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Rugrats and only remembered one of the vignettes. The other two were either new to me or memory holed.

Watched another episode of Mr. and Mrs. Murder. I do remember bits of this one and I’m glad I got to see the whole thing from start to finish.

Caught another episode of London Kills and I like how the new cases play into the overall case of the disappearance of David's wife. Looking forward to seeing how this season ends.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Loved the case because it's fun to see a bit of Ruby's past mixed in with the present. I enjoy her interactions with Commission Patterson. Gotta say, I'm not sure I enjoy Neville Parker. I appreciate the fact he's very different from the previous three DIs but … the constant afflictions are, well, annoying.

On a side note, I discovered there's a second spinoff of this show that's set in Australia. I'm looking forward to seeing it when it's available in the US.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness and it's terrific to see Jack's niece take a role in the Lylle. Looking forward to the second half of this episode.

Another side note … most of the cast from Battlestar Galactica is in Chicago for the twentieth anniversary of the show. I've been poking around all weekend to stay up to date on what's happening at the convention. My mind is completely blown that it's been twenty years since the premiere of the series. It's still probably my all-time favorite show.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Vicarious Living, a novella that brings a couple together at a group therapy meeting.

Here's the miniblurb:

Sometimes adversity can be overcome and living vicariously through fantasy proves to be a good thing. Lola Humes and Wright Wesslop discover a mutual way to cope when they meet at their group counseling sessions. They're not supposed to interact outside the anonymous therapy gatherings, but neither is very good at following the rules.

And a snippety peek…

Lola ducked into Danko's and paused a moment when she spotted Wright in a corner booth. "Our spot." Should she think of that space as theirs and should they even have one?

They'd had coffee after the last two AA meetings but arranged to meet today sans group session. She savored the flutter of tension filling her while she observed Wright unnoticed. He scrolled on his phone with his head bent forward.

Tilting her head to one side, she literally couldn't find one thing she didn't like about Wright. "I could totally fall for him." If she hadn't already.

He glanced up and a wry smile twisted his lips. She waved and made her way to the table. Taking a break from editing a tricky manuscript to join Wright might be the best decision she ever made.

Listen to me making excuses. She really just wanted to spend some more time with him.

He nodded toward the already steaming mug at her spot. "Ordered your usual but held off on a danish. Didn't know if you'd want one." Tucking his phone in his pocket, he gave her his full attention.

She slid into the seat. "I might order a full breakfast for dinner." She'd skipped lunch to work ahead on the memoir.

Wright grunted. "That's not a bad idea." He grabbed one of the menus. "Lunch was on the go between ambulance runs today."

She chuckled. "You're one up on me. Lunch didn't happen today." Her stomach growled right on cue.

Wright arched his brows. "Book still giving you trouble?" He set the menu aside and gave her his attention again.

Lola shrugged. "A little. My author shifts back and forth. Sometimes the writing is conversational, like he's telling a story and others where it's like he's recording memories in third person where he refers to himself by name. It's a little strange." She took a sip of the steaming coffee. "I'm sure we'll get it figured out, but we have a deadline to meet and that always stresses me out." Hence her reason for going to meetings again.

Wright cocked his head to one side. "And stress triggers the urge to fall off the wagon. Glad you decided to start coming to meetings. I mean—" He paused when the server came to take their orders.

Lola got the breakfast wrap with a side of fruit. Wright chose a ham, egg, and cheese bagel with toasted hash browns on the side. The server refilled his mug and left to put their orders in.

Wright picked up where he left off. "I was going to say it's probably wrong to be happy your author is stressing you out because I wouldn't have met you otherwise."

Lola laughed. "If anyone had told me I'd someone who sparked my interest at an AA meeting, I wouldn't have believed them." Of course, she hadn't been looking for anyone at the time.

Wright's lips curved. "Same." He leaned in closer. "But I think Belinda pegged you and me becoming friends from the beginning."

Lola smirked. "You're not wrong. Pretty sure she's got the matchmaking gene." And great taste in people.

I like Lola and Wright and helping them discover their way forward. This is a fun story to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin