Sunday Snippet: Elective Campaign

Had a fairly busy week between work and the new venture I'm putting together. The play I'm editing is so much fun. It's deep and twisty and bonkers in the best possible way. I hope I have another chance to edit more plays.

Had a pretty good week trying to catch up to my regular viewing schedule. I'm not quite there yet because other things have been pulling my attention away from screen time. Also, my sleep schedule is all messed up at the moment. Not sure why, but probably hormone-related. Fun.

I watched an episode of Peak Practice and should finish up season eight this week. From what I've reviewed, seasons nine through twelve go a little off the normal path and dive deeper into soap opera territory. I'm okay with that.

Caught two more MasterClass lessons with Roxane Gay. I truly love listening to her speak. The first one focused on engaging with you readers and I ended up getting a lot out of that one. The second lesson noted the importance of having a day job for stability and I also appreciated what she had to say about that topic.

Started The Umbrella Academy and, so far, I love it. I'm two episodes in and I like the dynamic between the characters and I'm excited to see what comes next. Looking forward to diving deep on this one.

Enjoyed the season finale of The Ready Room. Pretty sure Wil takes over for the next one and I'll look forward to his take on Discovery.

Watched another episode of Chicago Med and I have a weird feeling I know where things will end up going with Will and Asher. Fairly sure this might end up being my last season. I do love anything with Dr. Charles, Maggie, and Miss Goodwin. I also love Ethan. We'll see what happens by the end of the season.

Caught another Batman: The Animated Series. I loved Poison Ivy's introduction in this series and also seeing more of Harvey Dent before things happen with him.

Enjoyed a little more of Resisting Roots but didn't get to finish the movie yet.

Watched another Ted Lasso. I'm definitely a fan. Keeley cracks me up and I love where things are going with her. Ted kind of broke my heart yet made me so happy when he benched Jamie. I truly hope there's some kind of redeeming arc for him because I literally loath him at the moment.

Caught another Agatha Christie Hour and thoroughly enjoyed it. I like the non-mystery aspect of this show because there's still a lot of suspense, which I love.

Started season twenty of Silent Witness and quite enjoyed the opening first part. Looking forward to finishing this one up next week.

Almost finished with season twenty-five of Classic Who. The greatest show in the galaxy will hopefully end on a great note for the season. I'm pretty sure that brings me close to the end of the classic episodes. Not sure if I'll jump to New Who or switch to a different genre for a while.

Watched another episode of Strangest Things. I like diving into the mysterious objects they feature and learning new information. The cast of experts is very diverse and I love that.

Caught another episode of The Book of Boba Fett. Loved the pickup from when Fennic went down in The Mandalorian. I seriously love this show.

Enjoyed another episode of Only Murders in the Building. There's so much awkwardness that is played to perfection by the three main cast members. I'm excited to see what happens in the next episode.

Watched an episode of Blue Heelers and ended up enjoying it a lot. Wayne actually ended up being a fairly decent guy in this one and that's not always the case.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Elective Campaign, a novella that follows the characters as they navigate a new job and campaign for mayor with a blossoming relationship.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mac is running for reelection and needs a logistical planner on his roster to win. Yancy has the training and background but she presents a problem … Mac is very attracted to her. They fight the pull but give in, and once it's discovered, he might lose more than the election.

And a snippety peek…

Yancy pulled into the hotel parking lot. "Well, I'm glad they had a room available. Nice view of the rivers." The three-story building sat on the side where one river formed from two merging together.

Viv got out and turned around in a circle. "I like it. So many trees. Can you imagine what this'll look like in the fall?" She popped the back door open. "Just an overnight bag? Or full suitcase?"

Yancy pondered a moment. "For now, let's go with overnight bags. We'll have to dig for suitcases." They entered the lobby and quickly got checked in.

Once they were in the room, Yancy settled on one of the beds. "So, you're really interested in staying?" She had to admit a bit of a good vibe if they did.

Viv plopped down close to the headboard. "I'm all for it. I love the area and the town." She tucked her feet under her legs. "I mean, it's big enough to not know every little thing about everyone else, but yet it's small enough for everyone to matter." Reaching into her tote bag, she withdrew a stack of pamphlets. "And look at all the stuff there is to do. This area has wineries, a brewery, a historic village. All this stuff is right up your alley, Mom." She handed a tri-folded leaflet over that featured a downtown revitalization schedule of events.

Yancy browsed through the information and met her daughter's gaze. "Okay, we'll see how it goes." She dug the card Mac gave her out and then retrieved her laptop. "Why don't you see what's available on the job boards? I'll give Shari Campbell a call and ask if she can recommend houses or apartments."

Viv grinned. "This is awesome, Mom. I think we're going to love it here." She whipped out her phone and started scrolling.

Yancy got up and stepped to the window looking out over the river. A good feeling settled over her and she savored it. A new place to call home and start over sounded perfect.

She typed in the number on the card and smiled when Shari answered. "Hello, this might sound strange, but I received your card from Mac Davison and he suggested I call…"

This is a fun story to write. I love having a mother-daughter relationship mixed with the dynamic of finding a new romance.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: Elective Campaign

I spent the past week wondering where half the year has gone quickly followed by feeling like it's been a decade since January. Anyone else have that experience? It's kind of insane how weird this year has been.

I did get a few shows watched while I worked on several projects. I had a week where I wanted some good background noise and got multiple episodes of Danger Man in. I truly enjoy this classic show.

I also started another episode of Blue Heelers. I'm almost through the second season of the show and I'm enjoying how things get changed up. I also love seeing how rural Australia is portrayed.

Have almost all of Riverdale's "Tangerine" in the watched column. Man, lots of reveals and good stuff in this episode. As much as I loathe and dislike Hiram, I kind of loved how Veronica sticks it to him. That said, I dread her storyline revolving around one-upping her dad all the time … if that's the direction the story goes in. Cheryl's situation with her mummy dearest ended up being a load of fun to watch. Archie's vigilantism biting him on the ass ended up being better than I thought it would be. Also loved Jughead finally getting to the bottom of the whole deal with his grandfather and the mystery books. And Betty … not quite sure how I feel about everything going on with her. I do have a theory about who's doing what to whom and I can't wait to see if I'm right.

Last but not least … I finally watched "Fadeout", the finale of Arrow. I have to say I couldn't have asked for a better end to the series. I'm so sad to see this chapter of the Arrowverse close but I'm also thrilled to have been a part of the experience from the very beginning. I got to watch the characters grow and change and become who and what they're meant to be. I think my favorite thing about this whole season are the callbacks to previous seasons and the cavalcade of familiar faces from the past—seriously, I don't think they missed anyone—and how they made Oliver's send-off worth its weight in green arrows. The fadeout with Oliver and Felicity in Moira's office ended up being pretty much a perfect endcap to the entire series. My glass is raised and my pile of tissues is testament to the emotional journey I took with the cast and crew of one of my very favorite shows ever.

Whew. I'm actually getting a kick in the feels all over again.

And that's a good note to wrap up television for this week. Tonight's post is from Elective Campaign, a novella that's been a lot of fun to write, especially the mother / daughter relationship.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mac is running for reelection and needs a logistical planner on his roster to win. Yancy has the training and background but she presents a problem … Mac is very attracted to her. They fight the pull but give in and once it's discovered, he might lose more than the election.

And a snippety peek…

Mac exited his vehicle outside the municipal building and nearly collided with a stunning woman. "Whoa." He grasped her elbow, making sure she didn't lose her balance. "Sorry about that. Is there something I can help you with?" He definitely didn't recognize the beauty.

Her brows furrowed. "Uh, maybe. I'm looking for the municipal court." She waved a piece of paper. "I got a speeding ticket and would like to pay the fine." Her cheeks colored a little.

Mac inclined his chin. "Ah, the court is on the lower level. I'll walk you around. I'm stopping in to see the city attorney anyway." The converted school building served as city hall and housed the municipal court. "I take it you're not from around here?" She couldn't be if she didn't know the odd setup of the building.

She shook her head. "No, I'm from Illinois." She didn't add more but fell into step beside him. "Nice little city here."

His chest puffed out a little. "Thanks. I'll pass that along to the city council. We've got a meeting later tonight." He loved hearing praise from nonresidents.

She tilted her head. "You're on the council?" She gave him a slow once-over.

His lips quirked. "Not on the council, no. I'm the mayor." He stuck out his hand. "Mac Davison." He chuckled when her eyes widened.

She grasped his palm. "Yancy Malloy, alleged speed demon." Her lips curved. "I missed the lower limit posted just outside the city limits. Got caught going fifty-seven in a fifty zone."

Mac chuckled. "I'll bet Deputy Stonemark wrote your ticket. He's a stickler for enforcing the speed limit close to the traffic ramps." The ordinance passed two years ago to help with the lake quadrant project.

Yancy nodded. "He would be the one, yes. He was very kind about the whole thing. Said I could come and pay the fine today, so here I am."

They'd reached the entrance to the municipal court. Mac almost hated to end the conversation. Something about Yancy Malloy sparked his interest.

He opened the door and ushered her inside with a sweep of his arm. "If you head straight down this hall, you'll find the clerk's office. Someone there will be happy to help you settle your fine." He paused by the short set of stairs leading to the law director's office. "It was nice meeting you, Ms. Malloy."

She gave him a wide smile. "It's Yancy, and very nice to meet you too." She headed toward the clerk's office.

Mac only spent about five minutes with the city attorney, dropping off some zoning committee questions for the council meeting. He trotted down the stairs and almost bumped into Yancy again.

She flashed a quick grin. "We need to stop meeting like this."

He laughed. "I take it you're all set then?" He couldn't believe his lucky timing.

She nodded. "Quick and painless … except for the hit to my bank account." She started toward the exit.

He quickly followed. "Would you mind if I walked along with you? I'm headed back to the upper parking lot too."

She gave him a shy sideways glance. "Not at all. Pleasant company is always welcome."

He got a kick of the low-key flirting they were engaged in. When they reached the sidewalk leading to the parking lot, a teenage girl hopped off the hood of a car, waving two bags of takeout.

"Mom! You'll never believe it. They have a quaint Victorian house that's been turned into a restaurant. It's gorgeous."

Mac's heart sank a little. It never occurred that Yancy might be married. And from the looks of her daughter, she would've been very young when it happened.

He recovered quickly. "English Charm. Best chicken salad sandwiches on the planet." He pointed to the east. "The family's owned the house for generations."

Yancy grinned and took a bag from her daughter. "And you're in love with the place, aren't you?" She gave her daughter an indulgent smile.

The girl gave an eager nod. "This is such a cool town, Mom. We should think about staying here." She shot Mac a side-eye. "Who's your new friend?" Curiosity filled her tone.

Mac liked her. The teenager had vibrancy and sass but didn't cover it up with lots of attitude. She also had respectful air about her.

Yancy quirked an eyebrow. "This is the mayor, Mac Davison." She glanced in his direction. "Mr. Davison, this is my daughter, Vivian."

Vivian thrust her hand outward. "Viv, please. Vivian is usually reserved for when I do something exasperating." She shot Yancy a smirk.

Charmed beyond measure, Mac shook hands with Viv. "It's nice to meet you." He picked up the thread she'd dropped earlier. "Did you mention something about staying? Are you considering a move from Illinois?" He directed the last part of the question to Yancy.

Viv answered. "We're settling somewhere in Ohio, just don't know where yet." She waved her bag and headed for the car. "I'm starved. Drinks are inside, Mom. But don't rush." She met Mac's gaze. "Mom and I aren't in a big hurry and we have no one else to worry about." With a head tilt and sly grin, she ducked inside the vehicle and closed the door.

Yancy heaved a sigh and shook her head. "My daughter lacks any kind of subtlety, as you've probably figured out." Her cheeks bloomed with color again.

Mac chuckled. "Her roundabout way of informing me you're single?" He really hoped so.

Yancy snorted. "Not so roundabout, but, yes. I've always been single. And, yes, to answer your earlier question, we're making a move. I have some extended family here in Ohio."

Mac stuck a foot on the lower rung of the wood fence and folded his forearms on his knee. "Are they close by?"

She shook her head. "Not really. And we're not all that close, but I loved visiting when I was a kid. Viv and I needed a change of scenery and she's all for the adventure."

Mac hoped they'd consider sticking around. He wouldn't be doing his due diligence if he didn't make an attempt to garner new residents.

Reaching into his pocket, he withdrew his wallet and fished out a card. "Sheri Campbell is our chamber of commerce director." She also happened to be his step-sister. "Give her a call and she'll get you set up with a place to stay … if you're really interested in sticking around." He handed the card over to Yancy.

Sheri loved helping new people get their bearings.

Yancy eyed the card. "I might just do that." With a smile, she turned and headed for her car. "It really was nice meeting you."

Mac waited until her vehicle left the parking lot before he whipped out his phone and made a quick call to his step-sister.

I like Viv and Yancy's relationship. They're close but not completely in each other's pockets. Mac adds a really fun layer to their dynamic too.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin