Sunday Snippet: Parade on Main (an Organic Nature short)

Well, January in Ohio has been the usual weird warm one day, cool the next, and hey, let's throw some snow into the mix. It's not a lot of snow, but it's enough to be annoying until we get the first really good blanket of the white stuff.

Solid work week. I had a bunch of projects going and added a few to my calendar. I'm kind of excited to be delving into some new territory. I also got a lot done on my new venture and updating my website, which is very much needed. I've neglected it for far too long.

Had a decent week of television. Didn't quite make it through every show, but I got most of my current slate watched.

Stared the week with My Life Is Murder and kind of liked seeing a bit of Alexa's past even if her friend ended up being the culprit.

Caught the first part of a two-part Agatha Raisin. Enjoyed it for the most part. I'm not a fan of the whole lack of progress with Bill and Toni, but I loved having Roy back.

Finished up the second part of Silent Witness and I'm disappointed they lost Adam after a handful of episodes. What a twist though.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise, starting the fifth season. I'm very much enjoying being able to watch all the episodes in chronological order.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. I kind of like the lack of boundaries and the need to establish them. This episode kind of brought that idea home in a big way.

Caught another episode of The Batman. "Grundy's Night" ended up being so much fun and it's one I didn't quite remember from my original run through.

Watched another Classic Rugrats. I actually didn't remember either of these, so it was fun to watch.

Finally, started a new episode of The Secret Life of Amy Benson. I'm enjoying this series, but I also feel like a lot is being left off the screen. Probably the biggest fallback when adapting books for viewing. That said, I love that Passionflix is doing this. So many books to choose from and they've chosen some of the very best.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Parade on Main, an Organic Nature short featuring the Memorial Day holiday.

Here's the miniblurb:

Eppie and Vin help the brother of Vin's best friend find his footing when he arrives in town to be the honored speaker at the Memorial Day parade. Vin recounts his brief stint in the military and Eppie plays matchmaker—something she swore she'd never do.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie tilted her head, her gaze tracking Lily climbing into Greg's truck. "Huh. Didn't expect that to happen." She carried a tray of used cups into the house.

Dani and Ken pulled out behind Lily and Greg and Vin entered through the side door to grab a trash bag to refill the wooden barrel outside.

Eppie caught Vin's eye. "Did you have anything to do with Greg giving Lily a ride?" Her lips quirked.

He shook his head. "I didn't, no." His eyebrows arched. "Dani did. She said both kids were crashed out in the back seat, and Lily said she didn't want to disturb them." He paused a moment. "Then … Dani suggested Greg give Lily a lift home and, of course, Hannah seconded the idea."

Eppie snorted. "So, my sister is playing matchmaker." She nodded.

Vin's eye widened. "Something tells me you might have had something to do with that, right?"

Eppie shrugged. "I may have given her a heads-up that Greg and Lily both had some wounds that needed to heal." She worried at her lower lip. "I swore I wouldn't play cupid. I probably should've kept my mouth shut."

Vin discounted the idea. "Nah. Like you said. Let nature take its course." He ducked out to put the bag in the barrel.

Eppie pondered the nudge she gave Dani, tamping down the kick of guilt creeping up her spine. "There's no harm in opening a door. Whether Lily and Greg walk through it is up to them." Right?

Vin put his arms around Eppie. "Giving them a chance is fine. It's not like you're contriving to put them in the same place at the same time or going out of your way to convince them they should hook up." He rested his chin on her shoulder.

Eppie did a slow nod. "True. The whole letting nature take its course worked for us." She turned to face him. "And we're still doing it..." Eppie grasped Vin's hand and started for the stairs.

Vin followed her up, his hands skimming along her torso. "And we have Dani to thank for introducing us…" He shrugged out of his shirt and popped the button of his pants.

Eppie grinned. "We do. And if Lily and Greg get together, she can have all the credit." She stripped off her shorts and yanked her tank top over her head.

Vin nudged her back onto the bed. "See … the only person you're playing cupid with is me." He grasped her calves and slid her butt to the edge of the mattress then dropped down to his knees.

Eppie shut up because Vin's mouth would soon be occupied with something other than talking…

This series is so much fun to write. Looking forward to getting this one finished and hopefully ready to go for a summer release.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Parade on Main (an Organic Nature short)

I hope everyone who has a long weekend gets to enjoy the time off. We're continuing to be low-key and not really doing much more than our usual food fest of pizza, burgers, brats, and sides. I've been trying to balance cleaning and sorting with writing and editing work.

Had a really solid week of television viewing. I started out with Peak Practice. I had to skip an episode because it's not available for streaming.

Caught another Master Class lesson about graphic design. This one featured using photography in design. Got a few great ideas to maybe use for covers and marketing material.

Ended up watching a full episode of Blue Heelers and started another. The tension and conflict seems to be amping up and I'm not sure I really like it. It's gone a little into soap territory, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but it's not what I expected.

Chilling Adventures of Sabrina pulled a fast one and made me shift my opinion a little on Zelda. This is a good thing. I really didn't like her at all until she chose Sabrina and Hilda over the high priest. I kind of hope he dies in a fire. I'm also not loving the teacher. Again, it might be residual Doctor Who dislike bleeding over.

Caught an episode of the Ready Room. I like Wil's enthusiasm and he asks some great questions. Looking forward to the recap of episode three.

Watched a couple of Passionflix originals. A holiday Quickie, The Merry Mistake, entertained with a mistaken identity vibe. That finished up the holiday fare from this past year. I also got to watch the premiere of Wicked and thoroughly enjoyed! I'm looking forward to more paranormal romance adaptations.

Got another episode of Chicago Med in. This one ended up being a good viewing with lots going on but fairly equal storylines.

Caught the opener of the third season of No Offence. Man. A gut-wrenching episode. I love, love, love Dinah and Spike's friendship. I have a sneaky suspicion he'll be moving up and forming the third point of the trio now. I'm okay with that.

Finished up the tenth season of Silent Witness and should start series eleven this week. This is an episode I remembered watching but I'd forgotten how it played out. Ended up really loving it.

Started the sixteenth season of Classic Who. New companion, new K-9, new multiple arcs with a single thread. I think I'll like through line with four-part arcs.

Last but not least, I caught another episode of UFOs: The Lost Evidence. This one had a focus on police files. Pretty interesting.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Parade on Main, an Organic Nature short featuring the Memorial Day holiday. (Weird aside, I didn't plan the feature date to coincide with the holiday, it's a happy coincidence!)

Here's the mini-blurb:

Eppie and Vin help the brother of Vin's best friend find his footing when he arrives in town to be the honored speaker at the Memorial Day parade. Vin recounts his brief stint in the military and Eppie plays matchmaker—something she swore she'd never do.

And a snippety peek…

Vin pulled into the drive after passing Lily in Eppie's SUV. He grinned when Eppie came out with a crate of supplies for another parade entry. She'd turned the Memorial Day holiday into a fun event for Organic Nature.

Cutting the engine, he slid out of the truck and met Eppie on the porch. "Need any help?" He took the box, checked the label, and placed it with the dance troop's order.

Eppie planted a hand on her hip. "You're getting to be a pro at that." She nodded toward the stack of items.

Vin cracked a smile. "You're a good instructor." He turned and drew her close. "I've got the beef franks and buns in the truck. And I stopped to fill the coolers with ice." Dropping a kiss on her lips, he let her go and turned to head back to his truck.

Eppie followed along. "I invited Lily to stick around. She's stopping at her mom's then bringing my car back." She retrieved the bags with the food items.

Vin paused with one of the coolers propped against his hip. "Not sure that's a good idea. Greg's a little off today." He hefted the ice-filled container from the bed of the truck and carried it to the porch.

Eppie cocked her head. "PTSD?" Concern filled her gaze. "Do you think we should cancel tonight and try a different weekend?"

He loved the empathy she had for people.

His hand shot out to grasp hers. "No on cancelling. Hannah wants him to be around friends. He's been withdrawn all day, not engaging with anyone. I think you nailed the reason. The closer we get to the parade, the more he sinks into himself." But the guy still did excellent work.

Eppie squeezed Vin's fingers. "I'll fill Lily in, but I'd like her to be here. She needs something to occupy her time. Jan went on a girls' spa weekend and Lily's still licking her wounds from breaking up with dickhead Rob." She grimaced, sticking her tongue out like she'd eaten something bitter, before she started for the patio area with the fire pit.

Vin headed to grab the other cooler, turning Eppie's words over in his mind. Lily and Greg seemed to be two souls in need of comfort. Maybe they could help each other…

"Hey, Ep." He called to her after picking up the first cooler and dragging both behind him. "Think we should set up Lily and Greg? You know, see if there's any chemistry between the two?" He strategically placed the coolers in the circle of chairs around the fire pit.

Eppie broke open the pack of hot dogs. "Yeah, no. Let's not do that. We'll introduce them and let nature take its course"—she sent him a raised eyebrow look—"if it chooses to do so." She flashed a grin. "Lily specifically said no setups, but who knows, right?"

Vin gave a nod. "Right. No matchmaking." Make the introduction, step back, and let the chips fall.

Good plan.

Eppie will definitely change her tune about matchmaking but she'll be pretty sly about any nudging she does.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Parade on Main (An Organic Nature short)

We're still in the grips of cold and snow. Not a ton of accumulation but the temperatures? Ugh… it's cold. We had a full day of single-digit weather this past week. The local school system had Monday and Tuesday off for the Columbus Day holiday and a staff training day, then had the rest of the week off due to icy roads. Fun times.

Light week in television again. I finished up episode two of the second season of Penny Dreadful. Also watched the season finale of Wynonna Earp. Man… this show. It's so, so good.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and watched an episode of Underbelly Razor. Also caught some Babylon 5 and The Sarah Conner Chronicles.

I'm finally catching up on Arrow and "The Demon" did not disappoint. I wondered what happened to Talia and it's probably good she survived the island. I also watched an episode of Blade the series.

I had some binge marathons of some classic television with The Saint and 77 Sunset Strip. I love both shows and it's nice to have them on in the background when I'm working.

That's about it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Parade on Main, an Organic Nature short.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Eppie and Vin help the brother of Vin's best friend find his footing when he arrives in town to be the honored speaker at the Memorial Day parade. Vin recounts his brief stint in the military and Eppie plays matchmaker—something she swore she'd never do.

And a snippety peek…

Eppie Collins searched for the large bin of floral accessories she'd misplaced. "Lily? Have you seen the—" She broke off when her helper came around the corner carrying the tote.

Lily flashed a harried smile. "I'm sorry. I wanted to double-check the order for the baseball team float." She held up a stapler. "They'd be screwed sideways if they didn't have this."

Eppie laughed. "Yeah, they kind of would. Thanks, Lil." She took the plastic container and added it the back of her SUV. "You've been a godsend this month. You're sure you don't mind bumping to full-time during your summer break?" Lily finished up a little early due to a work-study program.

Lily shrugged. "I'm actually thrilled to have something to do. And letting me have time and space for my classwork is a huge bonus." If her tone lacked a little enthusiasm, it wouldn't be the first time since mid-April.

Lily went through a nasty breakup over the Easter holiday and hadn't quite recovered yet.

Eppie nudged Lily with a shoulder. "You know I rely on you and always appreciate the help, but if you need to take a little time, let me know. I've been where you are and it sucks." The recent visit from Jordan served as a ringing reminder that men could be raging assholes sometimes.

And if they weren't going to be monogamous they should at least let the other party know. The whole scenario of walking in and catching a boyfriend, spouse, or partner with their dick in someone else had almost become clichéd. But Lily deserved a good man and Eppie would bet she'd find one. Eppie had when she least expected it. And she wouldn't trade Vin for anything on earth.

Lily snorted. "I'm at that place where I want to stay busy because too much time on my hands leads to too much thinking about dickhead Rob and how many other women he decided to bring to my dorm room."

Yeah, that probably sucked the worst. Apparently Rob had two roommates that didn't want to deal with the musical bed partners so Rob thought using Lily's single room to be a great compromise. At least until Lily's class got cancelled and she came home early.

What an asshat.

But Eppie got exactly what Lily meant. Staying busy helped. Too much unstructured time gave Rob rent-free space in Lily's head. But maybe Lily needed something a little more fun than work to occupy the longer almost-summer nights.

Eppie stopped mid-step. "Hey, we're having a small get together for Ken Rhodes tonight. Why don't stick around after work?" Ken had been invited to be the honored guest and speaker for the Memorial Day parade.

Lily shook her head. "Uh-uh. I don't want to be setup with anyone. I don't even know this guy."

Eppie's mouth dropped open. "No, no, no. First, you misunderstand. I don't do the matchmaking thing." She grabbed Lily's hand and pointed to a wicker rocking chair on the porch. "Second, this is a whole group of people. Ken is Hannah's brother, you know, the woman who runs Holly Hollow Bed and Breakfast." Lily had met Hannah at least once, but around the time she and Rob split up.

Lily pursed her lips, giving the idea some thought. "You're sure this isn't a setup?"

Eppie shook her head. "No way. This is a casual dinner thing with some of the guys who work for Vin, Hannah and Emily, Ken, and probably my sister and her family. We'll grill hot dogs over the fire pit and serve some cold salads for food. And have wine and beer for drinks. The kids'll have whatever Dani brings for them." Maybe some soda, but Eppie doubted her sister would cave on the no-carbonated-beverages rule.

Lily smiled. "Well, it sounds like a great way to kick off the long weekend and better than moping around my mom's place, especially since she's gone with the girls for a spa retreat."

Eppie grinned. "Great. We'll start things around six, but come whenever. Vin's got a crew working late but they'll show up around seven."

Lily jumped up and nodded toward the SUV. "Why don't I do the afternoon deliveries, then stop by Mom's for a change of clothes. I'll catch a ride home with Dani or something."

Eppie got up and fished the keys from her pocket. "Awesome. That'll give me time to finish up the crates for the dance troop so Jennifer can pick it up tomorrow." Sunday mornings were usually quiet at the farm, but with the holiday weekend, Eppie had three pick-ups and two deliveries to make.

Lily stepped off the porch then turned around. "Thanks, Eppie. For everything. You've been a great shoulder to lean on since the breakup." She ambled back around and got inside the SUV.

Eppie tilted her head when Lily backed around and headed for the road. Eppie hadn't really done much more than listen when Lily needed someone to vent to and Lily more than repaid the effort by being such a huge help. Then again, a simple gesture went a long way when someone needed a distraction.

I love writing the Organic Nature shorts. Eppie is so much fun and I enjoy getting her to interact with new characters.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin