Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Geez. I can't believe we're in the last week of October. This month flew by and I'm kind of sad I didn't have the time or energy to enjoy it more.

Doggo update. She's still not quite over the sinus infection. We had a hard time getting her to eat much, and her antibiotic needs to be taken with food. We're surmising she's not interested because she can't smell right now. She's still drinking plenty of water and also gets excited when anyone comes home, so we think she's doing okay. She still doesn't like having her nose wiped to remove the yuck leaking from it though.

Not a bad work week. I had a couple of focus-intense projects to work through, which became a challenge because I'm not sleeping as well as I should be. But … I'm nearing the end of one long project and starting a new longish project and I'm thrilled they're going so well. I finished up a proofread and started a new copy edit also.

Had an okay viewing week. I didn't make it through my full list of shows, but got most of them in. I just didn't have the attention span to watch stuff this week.

I did get an episode of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries in and I'm getting closer to the end of season two.

Caught another episode of Foyle's War and it's one I didn't remember. It features an actor that used to be one of my faves, but he kind of went off the deep end and I can't really enjoy his work anymore. That's a me problem, I know.

Enjoyed the season three premiere of Beyond Paradise. So nice to see Archie again, even if he tried to muck up Humph and Martha's romance. I really enjoy this show.

Watched another episode of Poirot and enjoyed the mystery. There ended up being a lot going on in this one and it felt like a couple of shortcuts were taken, but overall a fun episode. Well … except for the murder of course.

Elementary ended up being a lot of fun with the twist on the Baskerville lore. I'm so happy with Sherlock's growth as a character and his quietly impassioned plea for the ME to get some help kind of made the episode for me.

I didn't get to watch Batman Beyond or Lower Decks this week because I ran out of steam. Hopefully, I'll get to catch up soon.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a sexy short about a surfing couple.

Here's the miniblurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

In the wee hours, Farren jerked and her eyes blinked open. She wondered what woke her, but her brain didn't take long to catch up. Her face screamed with pain.

She groaned. "Damn. Faceplanting sucks." And so did sleeping on the injured side of it.

She jumped when a warm hand cupped her hip. "Check the nightstand." Penn's gravely voice rasped close to her ear.

Angling her head, slowly and carefully, she did as he asked. A cup of water, two pain pills, and a cold compress rested on the top. She grinned, even though it hurt like a bitch.

She popped the tablets in her mouth. "You're a pretty terrific guy, Penn." She followed with a big swallow of water.

He smirked. "I know. It's good of you to acknowledge my awesomeness."

She snorted, almost choking on the meds. "Damn, don't make me do that." She activated the ice pack and laid back down, pressing it against her face.

Penn rolled to his side. "Sorry. I know that's gotta hurt." He grinned. "You would have totally beat me if you hadn't wiped out. That was a spectacular ride."

Farren appreciated the kudos. "Yeah, well, I'm comforted by the thrill of still being a covert couple." Her lips twitched in a brief smile. "And having you here for pain management." And thinking ahead.

Penn brushed her bangs back from her face with his fingertips. "I aim to please. Although not sure we'll still be super-secret anymore." One side of his mouth quirked upward. "As you intended, Avery figured our status out." He tapped the tip of Farren's nose. "She says hello, by the way."

Farren lifted her chin. "She's a great kid. We'll have fun mentoring her." Or just making sure she caught as many breaks as possible.

Penn grunted. "Which means an early start tomorrow." He settled down on his side and draped an arm over her waist.

Farren angled her head toward his. "Better get some more rest then." She meshed her lips with his. "Gotta hang ten with the best, don't I?"

Penn snorted. "Until the next competition anyway."

Farren winked. "Yep. My money's on Avery."

Penn laughed and scooped her into his side.

This is such a fun little sexy short. Farren and Penn love to mix a little humor into everything they do.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Had a rough week with an ear infection and a cracked tooth. The antibiotic is definitely helping but functioning with a fuzzy brain from discomfort is not fun.

I did get a lot of Batman: The Animated Series episodes in. I started with season one number forty-eight and ended with sixty-four. I'm not all the way through "Paging the Crime Doctor" yet but should finish it up today.

Again, there were a few forgotten but so good episodes. "The Mechanic" and "The Man Who Killed Batman" are two that were excellent. Interestingly, Sid the Squid is mentioned later but it's not the same character from "The Man Who Killed Batman."

Two of my favorite two-parters were in this bunch, "Robin's Reckoning" and "Shadow of the Bat." I loved both. The first because it dives into Dick's backstory and shows how much Bruce and Batman care for Dick / Robin. The second because it introduces Batgirl. Another two-part arc with Ra's and Talia, "The Demon's Quest," is also pretty solid.

I also forgot about the second concluding (I think) episode "Day of the Samurai" that wrapped up Bruce's history with his instructor and rival.

"Zatanna" is another one I always enjoy. I love seeing the journey Bruce took to become Batman. I also enjoyed "Read My Lips" that introduced the ventriloquist. One I forgot about is "Fire From Olympus," which feels a little out of place in the Batman realm but I kind of like it because of that.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella with surf, sand, and a sexy couple.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Farren made her way to the string of cabins local contestants used for the competition. "Might as well see the damage I did." She tucked her board against the rough-hewn wood then went around to the front of the three-room building.

Her lips twitched when she spotted Penn sleeping in the hammock next door. Her heart practically sighed at the sight. The man made relaxing look incredibly sexy.

She'd been with Joe when Penn rode his wave, but she did get to see him accept top honors as overall champion after placing first in his heat. She hadn't congratulated him yet because she'd been waylaid by a blogger covering the competition. They got an awesome shot of her wipeout and several of Penn's winning ride.

She smirked. "He'll be smug at the fire later tonight." Rightfully so, but… still.

She spared a brief thought about waking him, but decided not to. He had the right idea … a nap sounded good. After all, she'd been injured and her chin ached.

She quietly entered the cabin and rinsed off in the shower, keeping the water cool to keep her face from stinging under the spray. After getting settled on the bed with her shoulders propped up, she set her phone alarm for two hours. Closing her eyes, she let her thoughts wander to the gathering at the fire pit the surfers would attend later.

She shifted lower to get more comfortable. "I'll have to figure out a way to take Penn down a peg so his ego doesn't get too puffed up." Considering she'd wiped out, she had to find her fun somewhere.

Then again … maybe she wouldn't have to do anything. Penn would get one look at her board-burned face and keep the bragging to a minimum. And … he might make her epic fail up to her later … after the fire died down and they returned to the cabins.

Her mouth curved upward. "If I play my cards right…"

I love having fun with building anticipation. Farren and Penn are competitive and very friendly rivals, which makes them a joy to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

 

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Well, November is here. Gotta say, I hope it doesn't pass as slowly as September but not as fast as October. I'll look forward to a month that actually feels like a month again. Who knows when that'll happen?

Busy week with work projects. I didn't get a lot of new television watched. I mainly caught a few of the holiday movies on Hallmark and Lifetime and watched a lot of Ovation.

I did catch an episode of Blue Heelers. Also started a new one. The new guy in season two is still kind of annoying me. Here's hoping he settles down soon.

I also watched several episodes of Silent Witness. Finished up season five and started on six.

I also got to do early voting. My daughter and I went on Thursday and, thankfully, didn't have a long wait. One of the benefits to living in a rural area. I'll be happy when the election is over. It's been an exhausting ride this year.

Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a sexy short that has surfing and sexy times.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Penn noticed when Farren finished her beer. Almost time. She got up and put her bottle in the recycling bin and started up the path to the cabins. He waited five minutes and downed the rest of his beer then got up to follow. Dropped his bottle in the recycling bin and turned, bumping into Avery.

He reached out to steady her. "Whoa. Sorry about that."

She smiled. "No problem." After glancing toward the fire, she met his gaze. "Do you have plans?"

Aw, hell. "I do, yes." He glanced toward the path.

Avery followed his gaze and clarity crossed her features.

Her face fell. "Oh, I think I just made a huge blunder."

Penn gave her a confused look.

Avery blushed. "I asked Farren if you were hooked up with anyone and she gave the impression you weren't." She sucked her lower lip between her teeth. "But you are, aren't you? With her."

Ah … he should've known.

Penn guided her to a quieter spot. "Yes, but we're not exactly going public." He leaned in a little. "We'd like to stay low-key if we can."

Avery nodded. "Why didn't she just say something?" She twisted the bottom of her T-shirt. "She probably hates me now."

Penn shook his head. "Trust me. If Farren didn't like you, she wouldn't have nudged you along. If she hated you, you would be bleeding out from a verbal lashing. The fact she didn't get bent means she trusted you'd keep our secret if you did approach me and found out about us."

Avery flashed a grin. "Okay, cool. I don't feel like a complete idiot now."

Penn chuckled. "You're not by a long shot. You've got a lot of talent and two very good new friends." He lifted his hand and hooked his thumb toward the path. "I'll tell her hello from you."

Avery gave him a wave and headed back toward the fire. Penn's lips quirked. No doubt Farren decided Avery could serve as her way of taking him down a peg or two after winning. That and a full night of hot sex.

This one hovers between being short and sweet and wanting to ramble on a little. The sages aren't quite sure where they're going yet.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

 

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

My youngest kidlet is back from her trip to Disney and it's so nice to have her home. It's also terrific she had the opportunity to visit every theme park in Disney's repertoire. She had such a great time. On a proud parent note, she enjoyed Epcot the best and it makes my entire year because that was my favorite when I went to Disney many, many moons ago. I'm resisting the urge to plan a full-on Disney vacation… mainly because I don't have the time. But it would be so much fun!

Had something of an off week in television viewing. I'm battling a nasty cold / allergies / upper respiratory "ick" that's kicking my teeth in. But… I did get quite a bit watched.

I started a new-to-me Australian show called Canal Road and it's rather good. I'm two episodes in and I'm hooked. I also got to finish up Archangel and thoroughly enjoyed it.

In my classic rewatch, I caught Midsomer Murders and several episodes of Classic Who. I finished up the Dalek episodes and started the new arc. I'd forgotten what a shifty guy the first doctor can be. I also caught another episode of The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

Endeavor continues to make me happy. I also got another episode of Constantine in and I'm quite excited for the character to make the move to Legends of Tomorrow. I started a show I only got to watch sporadically when it originally aired, Pensacola Wings of Gold. I actually hope I can catch other late 90s early 00s shows. I missed so much back then.

On DVD, I finished up The Batman's third season and started the fourth. I also caught a few episodes of current seasons of Chicago Fire and Blindspot. Gotta say the whole Hurst arc is turning out to be kind of exciting.

Band of Brothers and Strike Back gave me my military show fix. I continue to be blown away by the casting in Band of Brothers. So many good choices.

I'm five episodes into Sense8 and I'm kicking myself for waiting so long to watch this show. That said, I can binge the entire thing and see the finale in one go so there's that bit of good news. Fearless's third episode kind of broke me a little. It's a dark, dark show.

Krypton's first season proved to be pretty awesome. I have no idea where they'll go for the second season, but the end was kind of chilling. Jana called the whole General Zod ruling over Krypton thing and I'm truly hoping Lyta is now regretting her choice. If she isn't that character is dead to me. Just saying.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella with sun, sand, and surfing.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Penn Cobblepot accepted top honors with a brief nod to the judges and jaunty salute to the fans gather around the awards area. He rode to a smooth finish on a wave not quite as spectacular as Farren's. She'd had the perfect swell.

And epically crashed.

He could've predicted the wipe out when she flowed too far into the cusp of the wave. Not that Farren would care. She surfed for the sheer love of the sport.

He stopped to get his paperwork signed for winning the top prize.

Backing away, he bumped into Avery Jones, the runner-up. "Damn, sorry about that." Tucking his board under his arm, he moved out of her way.

She sent him a bright smile. "No problem. You were magnificent out there today." A splash of pink colored her cheeks.

Penn's lips quirked. "Yeah, thanks. Caught a good one." He nodded toward the officials table. "Heard your run was spot on. Go on then. Better collect that prize money."

She beamed and ducked into the small covered alcove. Penn shook his head. Avery had talent and didn't cop an attitude. She'd do well on the local circuit. And hopefully stay away from the dickheads who preyed on rookie competitors.

 Strolling along the beach, he cut up the path that led to the cabins the contestants used. After stowing his board, he grabbed a quick shower then went out to the hammock strung between two sturdy trees. With the ocean breeze and shady limbs, the swinging bed looked more than inviting.

Maneuvering onto the canvas surface, he stretched out. "Catching a few zzzs sounds pretty damn good right now." He'd be awake in plenty of time for the campfire later that night.

 After all, he'd earned bragging rights.

I'm having a good time with this one. Penn and Farren are fun characters.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Whew. What a week of television. The Walking Dead had another terrific episode. Thoroughly enjoyed the hijinks with Rick and Daryl. Something tells me it's the calm before the storm.

Well, the X-Files disappointed many fans, but I actually loved having it back for its limited run. That said, what a craptastic cliffhanger. Geez. But, my other shows amped up the goods. The Magicians is truly becoming a quick favorite. And Lost Girl will be so missed, which I say all the time. Then there's Bitten, another favorite I wish would continue onward. *sigh*

The Flash revealed something I totally didn't expect. Now I can't wait to see what happens. I'm totally loving the shared universe with characters popping up on other shows. More on that later. Agent Carter has one more episode, which is awesome! I thought last week was the finale. Sadly, I'm not holding much hope we'll get another season, but fingers are crossed anyway.

Arrow keeps blowing my mind. And it's in a great way. That said, I'm looking forward to Malcolm getting his comeuppance. If that doesn't happen, I'll be sorely disappointed. And, well, other things need to happen, too. Just saying.

Legends of Tomorrow, again, changed things up. I thought it was very cool to see future Star City, even in crazy disarray. Shades of things to come perhaps? Eh, who knows? Arrow may only get one more season after this one.

I watched the Blindspot marathon Saturday. Really like the show. Too bad it's on NBC, my most hated network ever. I pretty much refuse to watch anything on the channel. So, looks like I'll be watching Blindspot when it's on another channel or via Netflix or Amazon Prime.

And that's it for TV this week.

Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a novella prompted by the words two very different styles can make for great competition.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Farren Crane thanked whatever gods ruled the ocean. A monstrous swell came hurtling in her direction and she waited for the perfect moment… then hopped up onto the surfboard.

A wide grin split her face. "I'm going to own this heat." She rode the crest then dropped down into the well, riding smoothly through the spiral of the water.

She hopped a little trying to extend the run, shifting her hips and bending her knees. She twisted with the turn of the wave, almost to the end of the swell. Nothing but white water and the hissing roar of the spray. She tipped forward, just a little, the urge to see outside the wall too strong to ignore.

The mistake hit her in the face, almost literally. A flurry of blowback collapsed in front of her and caught her too low to the water. She lost her footing and ate the end of her board when it launched upward, scraping her chin before smacking her hard in the mouth.

Farren sucked in as much air as she could before she went under, the ankle cord towing her board on the water. She didn't fight the drag of ocean surrounding her, letting the natural motion of the sea carry her toward shore. When the current slowed, she popped her head above the surface, dragging in air, her lungs screaming for oxygen. A bark of laughter escaped; the thrill and rush of an almost perfect ride surging through her veins.

She'd go scoreless for the final set, but counted the defeat worth the price of riding that big, beautiful wall of liquid heaven. Hauling her board to her side, she slipped the tether off and walked to the beach. A few spectators clapped when she made her way to the first aid tent to have her face cleaned up. Farren raised a hand, wiggling her fingers in greeting.

This scene ran a little long, so I picked a decent cut off spot. Needless to say, Farren likes to surf by the seat of her pants. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hang Ten

Whew. How great did Arrow's episode seventeen turn out? Birds of Prey surpassed my expectations and blew my mind. Always love it when shows do that to me. J

Walking Dead also delivered a solid episode. I'm so ready for the finale tonight and crossing my fingers the group will all be together by the end of the episode… even though Terminus can't be a the refuge it's touted as being. Too easy, right? LOL

Bitten has one more episode and I'm dying to know if the show will be renewed. Still reading the books and there's a lot the producers can mine from the various storylines. I'll cross my fingers and hope for a green light on season two in the near future.

Tonight's post is from Hang Ten, a short story/novella about a couple who competes against each other but have a relationship. How they keep things interesting is at the heart of the story.

Here's the tagline:

Farren and Penn—professional surfers—have very different styles when competing. Farren goes for broke, taking chances with moves that others won't try. Penn is all about the physics of his craft, sometimes holding back because he can't predict everything. Two different methods, opposite ends of the spectrum, but an interesting mix when they're off their boards and out of the water.

And a snippety peek…

Farren dropped down beside Avery and kicked her feet out, letting the fire warm her toes. "Nice job today, Ave." The rookie surfer pulled a second place win.

Avery grinned. "Thanks, Farren. I caught a wicked awesome wave." She leaned closer to Farren. "Did you see Penn's ride?"

Farren cracked a smile. "Nope. I missed it. Heard it was spectacular, though." She settled her beer on the side of the chair. "He worked hard for his win." Her gaze found Penn's across the flickering flames.

Penn nodded, but continued his conversation. Farren smirked and grabbed her drink, bringing the bottle to her lips. She'd never grow tired of needling Penn about his obsession with using physics for surfing. Then again, she also appreciated his uncanny ability to calculate on the fly while riding a wave… even if she'd never admit the notion aloud. She took a long swallow of her one and only beer for the evening.

Avery nudged Farren's arm. "Do you know if he's hooked up with anyone?" Her gaze lingered on Penn.

Farren choked down the liquid. "Er… well… you can certainly ask around." She swallowed again, clearing her throat. "Or better yet, ask the man himself." Wouldn't Penn love having the rookie hot for him?

Okay, no. But Farren would have a roaring good time watching him squirm out of her clutches. Besides, Avery had a sweet disposition and loads of talent. Penn might just go for her.

Of course, Farren would do bodily harm to each if he did.

The keep things interesting part is not letting the others surfers in on their relationship. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin