Wow, March is being
its typical mercurial self. Warm up and then plunge back into the teens and
single digits. The back-and-forth weather is normal but not fun.
Crazy-busy week
with work projects. I'm thrilled to have my calendar filling up and excited to
start some new manuscripts. Also getting more details sorted out for Tip Jar
Shorts. I need to find a full day I can dedicate to getting everything where it
needs to be.
Very limited
viewing this week. My brain decided it needed quiet to focus on the reading I
needed to finish up for one of my work projects. I probably needed the break.
I did get more of
the One Lane Bridge episode watched. I might take a brief vacation from
this one. There's a lot going on in this show and focus is going to be
important so I don't miss anything.
Finished up season
three of London Kills with the behind-the-scenes bonus episode. I always
enjoy getting a deeper look at how everything comes together in a series.
Started another
episode of Death in Paradise. I'm about halfway through and I like the
tension in this one. Also enjoyed Neville and Commissioner Patterson being on
the same page for once.
That's pretty much
it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Along the Shore,
a South of the Border novella.
Here's the
miniblurb:
Vail Ericsson, a freelance security expert and skilled
tracker, can find anyone for a price. But when he trails Ellery Quantrell to
Mexico, he discovers she's not an escapee but a target, and his role changes
from pursuer to protector, whether Ellery wants him as a shield or not.
And a snippety peek…
Ellery could take the heat. She
could handle bugs and plants with stinging leaves. But she could not, would
not, should not have to deal with the man currently hauling her through the
sand with little care to the fact it stuck to her skin, burned the bottoms of
her feet, and made her scalp itch. She didn't know which she hated more. The big
oaf or the tiny, granulated pebbles that made her almost wish for the frigid
tundra she'd finally escaped from two months ago.
I was so damned close to getting
out—all the way out—from under Puchenko's thumb. Until big, bad, and bothersome
showed up to become a huge pain in my ass. She didn't voice her running commentary because,
frankly, Mr. Mercenary wouldn't give a damn how hard she'd worked to flee from
her brother's fucked-up bargain that landed her in Ivan's clutches.
She could ask Vail to slow down but
decided not to give him the satisfaction of a nice query. Instead, she opted to
blast him for making the soles of her feet become a shredded mess. Oh, and a bleeding
one, as well.
She planted herself in the sand, flinching
against the sharp, stabbing pain. "Hey, call me stupid, but blood leaves a
trail, right?" She pulled back hard on the hand trying to drag her
forward. "Something traceable your friendly goon squad could use to follow
us?" She lifted her leg and turned her ankle to show the oozing, red
streaks and broken skin.
Vail dropped his gaze to her feet
and winced. "Looks painful." He shrugged. "But too bad, we're
not stopping. Maybe you should've kept your shoes on."
She smirked. "If I had, I
wouldn't have been able to wing them at your head."
Vail snorted. "Not my fault
they got dragged out to sea by a wave." His hand went to his nape. "I
am surprised you didn't give me a concussion when you tried to knock me
out with that fallen limb."
Ellery flushed hotly but stood her
ground. "You have a really hard head." And the driftwood didn't make
a good weapon.
Vail sneered. "So I've been
told." He grabbed her hand again. "Quit bitching. We're almost
there."
He started forward and Ellery
followed, each step a burning reminder of why she wouldn't get tangled up with anyone
ever again.
Especially if they were hot to look
at but had the personality of a big ape.
This couple is so
much fun to write. They're very unhappy with their circumstances, which is a
joy to explore.
That's it for this
week. Happy reading!
Skylin
