Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

Crap. I can't believe May is almost over. It's been a crazy month. We're finally getting through the Covid crud. Thankfully, I'm still negative and I'm crossing my fingers I stay that way.

Had a solid week of work projects and got some extra writing in also. My oracle cards this week had a majority of work-life balance advice this week and I'm trying to pay heed and take time to do fun stuff along with the work.

Had a semi-decent week of viewing. Made a full round of my regular streaming services and played a little catch up with some small things I'd been saving up for a while.

Caught another episode of The Snoopy Show and laughed out loud several times. Pitty Snoopy against Lucy is always fun.

Started Signora Volpe because two of my favorite actors are in it and it's a mystery series. Really enjoyed the first episode and I'm looking forward to more.

Watched the first part of Silent Witness. Very interesting episode and a bit of a departure from the way cases are usually presented. I'm looking forward to the second part.

Finished up a Classic Who arc and actually kind of enjoyed it. This is an odd season and I'm still not quite sure how I feel about Mel as a companion.

Enjoyed another episode of The Mandalorian. I love the pacing and the small reveals and the humor. This is a fun show even if it not necessarily supposed to be.

Caught another episode of Harrow and loved it. Putting Farley, Harrow, and Daniels in the wild ended up being hilarious. Not sure how I feel about Grace and her ex—I'm not really that interested and I don't like being jerked around. I do know I'm not a fan of James and I'm going to be interested to see if they end up making him as awful as I think they will.

Watched another episode of Blue Heelers and enjoyed it. It's always cool to see how the southern hemisphere celebrates a holiday like Christmas when it's the middle of summer for them.

Enjoyed another MasterClass lesson with Neil deGrasse Tyson. I liked the focus on inspiring curiosity in your audience. There were a couple of great takeaways from that.

Caught another episode of The Babysitter's Club and, again, I totally get why so many people loved this show. I'll savor the two seasons available.

Watched two more episodes of Classic Rugrats. I love the trip down memory lane and how much fun the show has with classic pop culture references.

Finished season four of Chicago Med and, wow, ending on a cliffhanger for sure. I'm glad I can start season five right away.

Last but not least, I caught up on a few things I've had on hold. I watched several Passionflix options. Dirty, Sweet Valentine, Wicked bloopers, and I finally finished up Seduction and Snacks, which I ended up enjoying so much. The laugh out loud funny moments were exactly what I needed to end the week. I hope they do more with sexy romcoms.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a novella that puts a teaching assistant and a professor on the path to a happy ending.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Holly tilted her head to one side. "I think you need to switch the first section with the third." She straightened and met Sam's gaze, trying to gauge his reaction.

His shoulders slumped a little. "I wondered about that. But the chronological events line up better with this version." He sat in the chair at the corner of the couch.

Holly gave a slow nod. "True, but you're also trying to get the class to think critically. If you present the information in order of importance then ask them to describe how the timeline set this series of dominoes up for the fall, they'll walk away with a better understanding of how everything shakes out." She untucked her legs and stretched out her kinked muscles.

Sam leaned back. "Damn … you're right. Pushing the class to think outside the lines will open up their thought processes." He grabbed his glass of wine then sent her an appreciative look. "Thank you. This has been a big help." He drained the glass.

Holly inclined her chin. "You did the hard work. I only tweaked things a little." She didn't want to bask under the praise too much, but the compliment warmed her.

Sam shook his head. "That's exactly what I'd hoped for. You're a terrific sounding board." He reached and grasped her palm.

Holly squeezed his fingers. "I do aim to please." Her lips quirked. "Once I figure out what not to do, the rest falls into place pretty easily." She loved the easy way his smile flashed.

Sam kept hold of her hand, his thumb rubbing circles on her wrist. "You catch on quick and I appreciate it."

Since he didn't seem to be in a hurry to leave, Holly pushed the envelope a little. "Another glass of wine?" She got up and grabbed her glass.

Sam gave her a long, level look. "We finished the bottle and half of another. I shouldn't have more if I'm going to drive home."

Holly took the opportunity he presented. "So, don't go home. Spend the night here." She walked into the kitchen area, hoping he'd follow.

He did. While she poured two more glasses, he put his hands on her shoulders. Waiting until she'd finished, he turned her to face him.

His gaze searched hers. "Are you sure about this? I didn't ask for your help so you'd invite me to stay." His palms slid up to cup her face.

Holly did a gut check. After their banter-filled introduction, she honestly expected something to happen between them the very first week. While not disappointed they'd taken longer to act on the attraction, she wanted to see where things went.

She liked him. A lot.

Good looks combined with keen intelligence? Her catnip. And the way his voice sounded when he got rolling on a passionate topic … Whoo boy.

Sam stroked a thumb along her jawline. "Holly?"

She put her hands on his hips. "I'm sure, Sam. I'm very sure." To seal the deal, she raised her chin and met his lips with hers.

Sam has a reputation but Holly's not going to let that deter her from forming her own opinion. This story is so much fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

Well … the beginning of my birthday week is off to a chilly start. The good news is the temps are supposed to warm up this week, which is kind of nice. I could use a little mild weather to improve my mood. The other good news is our new roof did indeed fix the leak situation. We had several days of icy rain and no drips!

Busy week on the work front again. I like having multiple projects but a particularly brutal edit made for a long seven days. I'm looking forward to the new week.

Light viewing schedule for television. I needed to focus on work in a big way. I finished up the premiere episode of Strike Back and, okay, Coltrane's attitude improved. Hmm. Maybe not improved, but at least I get why he's kind of off the rails. A terrific episode overall.

Watched two more episodes of Gargoyles and I think I missed both in the original run. I enjoyed viewing the new-to-me ones.

Caught another episode of Arrow and thoroughly enjoyed the somewhat insane mix of past and present in the aptly titled "Present Tense" episode. I'm looking forward to a return to Russia in the next one.

Watched an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and quite liked revisiting an old nemesis of William's, especially since he's been somewhat converted into an ally. I also loved the intrigue of having Brackenreid's daughter meet his wife.

Started an episode of Riverdale and got sidetracked with work. I'm hoping to finish up soon and maybe see the end of the farmies once and for all. Fingers crossed.

Other than the above, I caught an airing of Grease 2, which is actually one of my all-time favorite movies. I even like it better than the original. I also did a marathon of mystery movies on Hallmark Movies and Mysteries.

That's pretty much it for television. Tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Sam stood outside Holly's door. "Here goes nothing." Knocking on the hard wood, he stepped back.

He'd gone for grinder subs from a local place on campus and picked up a bottle of wine. He didn't have much of a clue about his new TA, an oddity to be certain, but he'd seen wrappers from the food shop in her office so he figured he'd be safe.

The sound of the knob turning drew his attention and Holly greeted him with a smile and a towel-covered head. She'd changed into a pair of sexy yoga pants and a T-shirt. Her bare toes sported an emerald green polish, the pop of color surprising him.

She stepped aside to let him in. "Sorry. I got done a little early and thought I'd get a shower to rinse off the paint smudges." Nodding toward a café table, she shut the door. "We can eat there or at the coffee table, whichever you prefer." She unwrapped the towel, shaking her hair out. "Let me throw this in the laundry bin and I'll be right back." She ducked into the bathroom and returned. "Do you want to eat while going over the lecture or…" Her voice trailed off and one of her eyebrows shot up.

He hadn't really thought that far ahead. "Great question. Do you have a preference?" He put the bags down on the café table and placed the bottle of wine beside them. "I'll mainly be running through the topics of my lecture and hoping you'll help me figure out the order to present them in." His general idea being getting through the information while they ate.

Holly noticed the food. "Oh! I love the subs from Chester's." She crossed over to the table and opened the bag. "Let's eat while you go over the details. Once we're through, you could maybe do a dry run?" She started taking out the wrapped sandwiches.

Sam nodded. "Sounds great. I went with the sampler combo, four of their most popular grinders with kettle chips, slaw, and two desserts." He picked up the wine. "Do you have a couple of glasses?"

She grabbed two and carried them to the coffee table. "Let's eat here. More comfortable." Placing the goblets on the surface, she met him halfway to help with the food. "So, what's the main point you need to make with this lecture?" She settled down and tucked her feet under her.

Sam chose the chair perpendicular to the sofa. "I have two. Let me outline both and then I'll get started on the main points." He unwrapped a sub and took a bite.

Man … he understood why she liked the place. After chewing through his first taste, he glanced up to find her grinning. He lifted the sandwich in a toast and she laughed.

He liked the sound. A lot.

This one is coming along. I have the general details nailed down but the characters keep throwing little twists my way. The sages sit back and laugh and laugh.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

I'm hoping anyone in the path of a hurricane is hunkered down and safe. I have family in Florida and a best friend in Texas—who survived Harvey relatively unscathed—and they haven't seen the last of the crazy, intense storms.

From what I'm seeing on previews, it looks like The Last Ship will have a huge storm to deal with on screen. They're oddly in step with real world events, which is one of the bizarre yet cool things. Last week's episode ended up being way better than I thought it would be. And Mike didn't die so bonus points for that.

I'm completely caught up on Teen Wolf and, wow, things are getting super intense. Gerard is batshit, per usual, but on a whole new level. And the guidance teacher chick, whose name I never remember, is annoyingly single-minded. Looking forward to tonight's episode to see what new blast from the past appears.

I caught the finale of Killjoys and it didn't disappoint. I'm so happy we get two more seasons of this cast and crew. I'm very interested in where the storyline involving the lady will go. And, of course, I need my Jacobi brother fix… sandwiched or not.

I also got caught up and watched the finale of Wynonna Earp. This show… is total gold. Somewhat like Lost Girl, the show hasn't met a genre rule it won't break and I love it even more because of that. I'm excited to see what next season brings.

I should be starting The Defenders this week and catching up with season seven of Hawaii Five-0. I'm also thinking about starting the British drama Fearless, which stars one of my favorite actors.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a novella with main characters who face the challenge of working together with a powerful attraction.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Holly gathered up the papers the designated student turned in from the class. She stuffed them into her satchel and got up, ready to head to her office to start grading. Sam had a trio of female coeds peppering him with questions and trying to flirt at the same time.

Holly's lips curved. The man definitely had a fan club. She hefted the strap of the messenger bag over her shoulder and lifted a hand in a quick wave.

Sam ended his conversation, disappointing the three women, and caught up with Holly. "Do you have plans tonight?" He pushed the door open and let her precede him through.

She tilted her head, glancing at him sideways. "Not yet. Why?" A bag of microwave popcorn and action movies didn't qualify as plans, right?

He paused a moment, a rare hint of indecision on his face. "I'm working on a new lecture but can't quite nail it down." His gaze met hers. "Would you be willing to have a working dinner and act as a sounding board?"

She barely kept her mouth from dropping open. After their initial banter-filled meeting, they'd transitioned to a smooth working relationship. She made it a point to have everything required waiting on the professor when he arrived, just as he'd requested. Going above and beyond, on clinic days, she assigned the groups working together and avoided the need for questions about organization and expectations, giving Sam time to start assessing progress almost immediately.

If he noticed her efficiency, he didn't mention a thing about it.

"Holly? If tonight doesn't work or if you're not comfortable with helping, let me know."

She shook her head. "Sorry. Tonight's fine." Her lips curved in a quick smile. "Your place or mine?" The cheeky question brought out a brief grin on Sam's face.

He mulled his reply over a few moments. "How about I pick up some dinner and bring it over to your place."

She nodded. "Sounds good. My last class is over at seven. We can meet at seven thirty if that works for you?" Pausing outside the office door, she waited for his response.

He stopped beside her. "Seven thirty works. I'll see you then." With a quick wave, he continued forward, heading toward the exit.

Holly entered the small space and settled behind the desk. Instead of pulling papers out to grade, she propped her chin on her hands and contemplated what a working dinner would look like with Professor Ingali. Food and casual conversation first? Or a start with the lecture and discuss over cuisine?

Did it really matter? She gave it half a second of thought.

Nope.

"Not like it's a date, Holly." She didn't have to dress to impress…

Or clean her apartment.

Holly grabbed her satchel and pulled the papers out. "Okay, maybe I should at least straighten up." If she hurried through the grading, she'd have just enough time to run home, clear the clutter and make it back for her five o'clock class.

I'm having fun with this one. Holly definitely isn't Sam's usual type and that throws him off more than a little.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

May 31, 2015

Wow. School's out for summer where I'm located and I have to say now that my kids are older; we're busier in the summer sometimes than during the school year. LOL

Okay, I've forgiven Orphan Black for killing off one of my favorite characters. But as I figured, the show still blows my mind. Seriously, I'm always amazed by what I see on my screen.

Bitten turned up the crazy with this week's episode. I forgot how truly creepy the show was this past season. Alestair taking over Clay's body was something of a joy to watch though. Kudos to both actors for pulling the swap off.

Really looking forward to Defiance's return in a week or two. Watched a catch up marathon, which got me revved up for the new episodes. I have a character or two I'd be happy to see meet their end the season. LOL

And I'm almost done with mainlining Teen Wolf. I'm slowing down so I don't have long to wait for new episodes. Very excited to see how the rest of season four plays out.

Enough TV… tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a sexy short where my main characters don't dance around their attraction too long before acting on it.

Here's the tagline:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Sam finished up with his list of expectations—what he'd need for lectures, clinics, and her duties on days he wouldn't be at the university due to grant proposal meetings. Holly took notes throughout the session, asking questions only when she needed clarity on a topic, which didn't occur more than twice.

Sam loved the look of Holly Patz. Not too young, she'd taken an extra two years to finish her undergraduate degree. And she appeared very quick to adapt, especially since she didn't pepper him with a ton of questions. They'd get along just fine.

Sam scooted away from the desk. "Do you think you can handle everything? Will it be a problem coming in an hour early?"

Holly gathered up her notepad and tucked it inside her bag. "I don't mind coming in to get things going. No problem." She tilted her head to one side. "Will I be expected to warm you bed, too?"

He blinked, her blunt question catching him off guard. He should have expected the query, coming from an intelligent woman. He hated how his reputation preceded him in her case. But he wouldn't deny he had healthy appetites and occasionally indulged in carnal pleasure with his teaching assistants.

He gave her an honest answer. "I've never pushed any of my assistants to sleep with me." He'd simply let nature take its course.

Holly nodded. "No, you wouldn't have to." Her lips curved in a slight smirk.

He quirked a brow. "I beg your pardon. Would you care to explain?" He folded his arm across his chest, thoroughly enjoying her company.

She shrugged. "Not really, but…" Her gaze swept over him in a slow head to toe perusal. "I wouldn't turn you down." A sensual smile spread across her face.

He shook his head. She'd done the table turning thing again. Holly's innate ability to surprise him both thrilled and kind of terrified.

Relaxing his arms, he lifted a hand and rubbed at the back of his neck. "For the record, out of the half dozen or so TAs I've had, only three became more." The rumor had the count at over ten.

He hadn't been teaching long enough to have that number.

Holly tilted her head to one side, considering his words. "Good to know." She rose up from her seat and hefted her messenger bag over her shoulder. "Guess we'll find out if I make it four." With a sly wink and saucy grin, she crossed the room and opened the door.

Unable to resist having the last word, Sam added his standard stipulation. "I'm not looking for a long-term relationship. I hope I've made that clear."

Angling her head to glance back, Holly met his gaze. "Suits me fine. I'm into anything permanent either." She breezed through the door, leaving the heavy oak ajar.

Several moments later, Sam realized he hadn't moved and class started in less than ten minutes.

He also recognized he didn't get the last word. His new TA took the honors.

I'm having fun with this one. The back and forth banter keeps me motivated.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

February 3, 2013

Okay, the big game is over. All the food consumed. And a nap sounds really great right now. LOL

But then I won't sleep and get up for work in the morning, so blog posts it is. J

Tonight's Sunday Snippet is from a just started manuscript, Academic Challenge. The sages are kind of hot for this one so we'll see how it goes. No idea where it'll go, but it's fun to write so far.

Here's the tagline:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And here's the snippety peek:

Holly found the office she'd share with two other TAs and dropped her bag on a desk before taking a seat. She had an hour before Professor Ingali's lecture started and thought she'd get organized…or as organized as she ever got. Holly tended to let things unfold as they would, finding it helped to let whatever happened flow at will. Her plan at the moment would be finding some place to get coffee and then check to see if Professor Ingali had arrived.

Dropping her bag into the large bottom drawer, she pushed it shut and locked it. She'd use her university ID to get coffee and maybe get an extra cup for her new boss. Rising, she made her way to the door and exited into the hallway.

Lost in thought, she rounded the corner and slammed into a hard body. "Shit. Sorry."

Holly glanced up and met the bluest eyes she'd ever seen. Anger filled, but stunning nonetheless.

"No need for apology. I'm trying to find my new TA and I'm in a hurry. She's late."

Holly's pulse kicked up a notch. It figured. No way would she be lucky enough to have the primo specimen of manhood standing in front of her be her new professor. She still had at least forty-five minutes before her class started.

"I just came from the office. No one else was in there."

The professor frowned. "Dammit. I asked for someone who had experience. The administrative office assured me this Holly Patz had great references."

Holly's eyes widened. "Wait. You're Professor Ingali?" Apparently she had gotten lucky…or not, based on his surly expression. "But I'm Holly. And I'm not late. Class doesn't start for another forty-five minutes."

Professor Ingali took a step back, giving her a slow once over from head to toe, before speaking. "And I require my assistants to arrive an hour before class starts to set up whatever I'll need for the lecture." He glanced at the clock hanging on the wall. "You're fifteen minutes late."

Holly fought back a heated flush from his frank appraisal. "Well, shit, again." She met the professor's gaze. "In my defense, no one told me about getting here early. I didn't know. Hell, I was even on my way to get coffee, as a get off on the right foot gesture." She snorted. "Totally blew that one." Pushing ahead, she nodded toward the lecture halls. "If you'll show me where to go, I'll get started on the set up."

Sam blinked and shook his head. "Actually, that won't be necessary. Your coffee idea sounds good. I keep a pot of freshly brewed in my office, you're welcome to join me and we can go over my expectations."

Holly nodded. "Sounds great." Her arm swept outward. "Lead the way." Score one for her. She'd taken him from frustrated to intrigued in under a minute. If her introduction indicated the way things might go, she'd never have a dull moment.

Exactly the way she liked things.

Honestly, there's not much more ready to go yet. But Holly will sort of shake things up for Sam. She's not the type of assistant he's used to dealing with even though they're both wildly attracted to each other. I can't wait to find out how she's going to rock his world. LOL

And that's it for this week.

Happy Reading!

Skylin