Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Ohio weather is tripping on some kind of psychedelic drug right now. We're in our third winter at the moment, so hopefully actual spring will happen in about two weeks. Of course, we'll have to give or take a month because who knows how long the state will be under the influence.

Had a crazy week of work, a mom crisis mode occurrence, and of course the weird weather, which wreaks havoc on my sinuses.

I didn't get much television watched this week. Too many things going on to really pay attention to my shows.

I did get an episode of Death in Paradise watched and enjoyed it. I hadn't seen any of this one and ended up really liking the mystery.

I also started an episode of Elementary and should finish it up today. I love the fun dynamic of Holmes and Watson after last week's near miss with Watson's life.

Other than that, I might be back on track this week, but I won't hold my breath. My brain is doing weird things and having a very hard time staying focused on more than one thing at a time. It's driving me batshit.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella that brings a couple together when both are making big changes in their careers.

Here's the miniblurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

Whitney finished up another order and bit back a sigh. Almost a full week had gone by and no Abram. She might not have a chance to see him again before her final day.

One of her regulars, Madelyn Gamber, flashed a quick smile. "Busy this morning, aren't you?" She placed her order for a caramel mochaccino.

Whitney put the drink together and nodded. "We were. You picked a good time to come after the main rush." Only three people were left, and the other baristas were serving.

Madelyn took her order and headed for the exit.

Whitney called her back. "Hold on. You forgot your package." She picked the small box up but paused when she noticed the name. Abram Purdy.

Madelyn laughed. "Not mine. But I found it on the stoop next door, and we're supposed to get some rain later, so I grabbed it." She shook her head. "My neighbor has been gone all week and should be back in a day or two. But not before we get the nasty weather." She tucked the box under her arm.

That explained why Whitney hadn't seen Abram all week.

Whitney raised her eyebrows. "Oh, no. Did he get called out by the crazy-uncle client?" She never remembered the guy's name.

Madelyn gave Whitney a considering look. "Yes, that's the one." Understanding dawned. "Abram's one of your regulars, isn't he?"

Whitney laughed and nodded. "Yeah. And he's got some great stories about that guy." Bonkers didn't begin to describe the client.

Madelyn agreed. "Some horror ones, too." She leaned forward and lowered her voice. "Pretty sure this trip is one of the nightmare ones."

Whitney shook her head. "I couldn't do what Abram does. The whole drop everything and jet off to solve problems would stress me out."

Madelyn gave a waggle-fingered wave. "Same. So glad my biggest worries are all local and involve gardening." She pushed the door open and exited the coffee shop.

Whitney wiped down her workstation, hoping she didn't miss her chance to see Abram before her last day. Surprised at the disappointment she'd experienced when she thought she had, she didn't think too hard about the reason. She absolutely had an attraction to Abram. And she'd definitely miss the stories about his impossible client.

Stowing the cleaner under her counter, she untied her apron. "Hopefully, I'll get to hear one more."

I'm happy with how much fun this one is to write. Whitney and Abram are going to be angst free but still have some conflict.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Ugh. A long week again. At least it was more about recovery than ongoing crises. Had a flurry of work projects come in and I'm glad to have some new stuff to dive into.

Had a short week of television viewing. I started with The Brokenwood Mysteries and quite enjoyed the episode, which featured sharks and spiders and I'm not a huge fans of either so there's that.

Finished up an episode of Blue Heelers and started another one. I'm kind of amazed how themes from almost twenty years ago are even more prevalent today. The episode focuses on colonization and theft of indigenous artifacts. Very interesting.

Started a new two-part Silent Witness. I remembered bits of this one but not all of it. Should finish up the second part this week.

Caught the second to last arc of season 18 of Classic Who. The Master has returned and I'm pretty sure he'll be then end of Four. Sometimes I like not remembering how and when the regenerations occur.

Finished up UFO Witness and enjoyed the series overall. I'll be starting a new series this week but haven't decided what it'll be yet.

Watched two more episodes of The Muppet Show. Helen Reddy and Harry Belefonte were the guest stars. I really enjoyed Harry's episode.

Started a rewatch of Prime Suspect. I'd forgotten how thoroughly asshattish the men were toward Jane in the early seasons. I wanted to kick all of them in the balls.

Finished out the week with Peak Practice. Can't say I'm a big fan of Will's lady friend but I can't quite put a finger on why I'm not fond of her. Overall a good episode.

That's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella where a flirtation might end but a romance could begin.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

Abram locked his front door and started for his car.

Madelyn Gamber called from her stoop. "Where are you off to, Abram?" She had a bucket of green beans sitting on the lower step and her nimble fingers snapped the ends off each bean.

Abram pulled the passenger door open. "I'm meeting a client at their overseas office. Big problems." That should've been solved the last time he'd been there.

Madelyn snorted. "You ever think your client sits around and thinks this stuff up?" She gave him a knowing look.

Abram laughed. "Honestly, I'm sure he does. He's got a driving need to micromanage everything and when it's all going smoothly he creates chaos so he's got more to control." And he didn't pay Abram enough for the circus sideshow … and he paid Abram a lot.

Madelyn moved the bucket aside and stood up. "This is your fourth trip in six months. I thought you said you were slowing down."

He chuckled. "I tried. Am trying. Just need finish up with this one problem-creating client I'm under contract with." Six more months left then he'd cut the guy loose.

Madelyn smirked. "Makes you glad you don't have any crazy uncles living nearby, doesn't it?" She grabbed the bucket and started up the steps.

Abram rolled his eyes. "Definitely." He tucked his case in the front seat. "I'll see you when I get back."

She waved over her shoulder and entered her house.

Abram walked around and slid behind the wheel. One of the big reasons he'd avoided starting anything resembling a relationship—aside from a messy divorce several years ago—had to do with the crazy travel schedule he'd had. No guarantees he'd be around and he didn't think it would be fair to the other person. His thoughts went to Whitney. She'd be an exception he could make … she totally enjoyed his crazy-uncle stories.

Abram has a solid appreciation for Madelyn because she's so down to earth and having her as a problem-free neighbor is worth its weight in gold.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Wow… I can't believe May is almost over. The whole time speeding up thing has to be true. Or maybe I just try to pack too much stuff into life? Who knows.

Kind of a so-so week of television viewing. I had quite a few irons in the fire and needed some solid focus on a couple of projects. Still, not a bad slate of shows overall.

As usual, I caught two episodes of Peter Gunn. One I remember seeing before the other one I didn't. Also caught two episodes of Classic Who, starting The Ark storyline.

Watched the second episode of In the Dark and while it didn't charm me as much as the first episode did, I enjoyed it. Even though I love how flawed our heroine is, I can see her abrasiveness becoming a tired gimmick at some point. I'll definitely keep watching because I really want to know what happened to her friend.

Caught another episode of Blade and it's one I remembered featuring Chase's rehab after being burned almost to a crisp… literally. I'm about halfway through the season and if memory serves, things start getting really intense from here on out.

Started a rewatch of Banshee. Man… I'd forgotten how crazy the first episode ended up being. This show didn't flinch from violence in any way and it's one of the reasons I couldn't stop watching. Ugh… not because I love violence. More because the characters jumped right out and grabbed my attention. I also fell in love with Job's character at first sight.

Began a new Australian series called Blue Heelers and have almost two episodes watched. I found the show on the TubiTV app but I'm watching on the Freedive app so I can catch the series from the beginning.

Watched another episode of Chicago Fire and it ended up being pretty decent. I'm not sure about the whole Kelly and Stella vibe, but I like that they're still supportive of each other even if they're not together. Also liked Matt being something of a dick to Herrman. I know, I know… why would I like that? Because I want to see how he deals with his trauma of almost being shot.

Caught episode nine of Iron Fist and, holy crap, it didn't disappoint. Danny fighting without the fist and nailing Davos with the syringe blew me away. Colleen fighting the gang of goons kicked ass. Ward and Walker's interaction almost made me laugh out loud, but it also ended up being kind of touching in a bizarre way. The fact that Ward immediately knew Joy needed help speaks volumes, even if Joy doesn't want to hear about it. Watching her fall a full story down was… actually kind of mind-blowing. And, of course, Misty is always an added benefit to the show. The end… well, I'm excited to see where things go.

Watched the premiere episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries's second season. Great episode with lots of good stuff for the women to do. I like Frankie's interactions with her mom and I loved Trudy saving the day.

Picked back up with Riverdale's third season. I'm not all the way through the episode yet but I already want to smack Hiram. I'm really not sure about the whole G&G thing but part of loving this show is embracing the completely batshit crazy storylines. I'm happy to be back in the game so to speak.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "the businessman and the barista".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

"Do you understand the requirements, Ms. Boone?"

Whitney took a moment before giving a nod. "Yes, I believe so." She recounted the stipulation back to Dan McCalister, the head of the art department at the university. "I'll be teaching art history for two groups so I can also start the curriculum for the art therapy class." She'd been meeting with McCalister about this for almost a year and her effort finally paid off.

Dan slid a folder in front of her. "We'd like to see how the therapy class goes before we decide to add it to the official list of majors. If that happens, you'll have the option to teach therapy full-time with input into the required courses." He sat back, leveling his gaze on hers.

Whitney wanted to a happy-chair dance, but resisted the urge. "I'd like to formally accept your offer. Do you need a written confirmation?" Her brain spun in twenty different directions.

She'd have to get started on lesson plans and write a budget for supplies. She'd also have to invest in a few key wardrobe pieces. Her current work uniform wouldn't work for teaching. Damn… she'd also have to give notice to her current employer.

So much to do in a short period of time.

McCalister shook his head. "We'll have you sign the official offer over in HR. You can pick up your employee packet and they'll answer any questions you have about parking, benefits, and whatever else you'll need to get started." He rose and came around his desk.

Whitney stood and thrust her hand forward. "Thank you. I'll look forward to getting started with the new semester." Dan's warm grip surrounded her palm.

He flashed a brief smile. "I think you'll be a good fit here. And I hope we work the art therapy into the major program."

He'd been a big supporter of her idea and went to bat for her with the curriculum advisors.

She exited his office and gave in to the desire to whirl around in excitement. She finally landed a teaching job in a subject she loved. Okay, maybe not the exact thing she loved, but close. She didn't mind the extra classes. Art history could be dry sometimes, but the works had so much beauty and significance.

Walking out into the sunny but chilly day, she followed the signs to the administration building. "Damn. I'm going to have to get used to working in the afternoons and evenings." Which would be okay, but it did mean she'd definitely have to leave her current position, which she'd figured would happen.

And only one thing made her slightly reluctant to give up her job at Rise and Shine, a coffee shop close to campus and the tech sector of the city.

Abram Purdy.

Whitney snorted. "Right, Whit. Give up an opportunity like this because of the hot guy who finally sparked your interest." The only one in two years… since she'd crawled out of the dating pool after a few too many titanic disasters.

She entered the admin building and gave her name to the assistant. Taking a seat, she waited to meet with the HR representative. And considered the dating game situation again.

Abram made her want to give going out with someone another go. Didn't have to be him. The fact her attraction for him pushed her into considering getting back out there would probably be enough.

Whitney is being a little nervous about having her goal in hand. I like writing that aspect of her character.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Happy holidays to all who celebrate. My post is a little later than usual but the lead-up to Christmas morning exhausted me and I took a nice, long winter's nap today. LOL

I overloaded on holiday-themed shows this week and loved every moment. I'll be continuing through probably New Year's Eve. So much great television.

This week included all the Arrow and The Flash holiday episodes. Eureka, Haven, and Warehouse 13. I worked Roswell and The District in along with animated episodes from Rugrats, Batman, and Justice League. Dropped into single episode fare with Buffy, Supernatural, The Librarians, Leverage and Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. I'm sure I'll have a few more before I finally go to bed. I can't wait!

Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "the businessman and the barista". Still working out some kinks, but loving how much fun this one is.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

Whitney's gaze followed Abram when he exited the shop. She finished up a caramel latte and cheerfully handed it to the next customer in line. Abram finally walked out of sight and Whitney started the next person's mocha frappuccino.

She'd miss him the most.

"Whitney, how am I going to survive without your mocha frappuccinos?" Lynia Grant made an exaggerated pouty face.

Whitney laughed. "See Sarah. She makes them even better than I do." She handed Lynia her order. "But thank you. You just made my day." Glancing back, she smiled at the next person in line, another regular.

Lynia grinned. "Good to know Sarah will have things under control. But you're still my fave for the next two weeks." She walked over to the cashier.

Whitney got a kick out of Lynia's compliment. Whitney always enjoyed her regular morning crowd. But only until she worked out her notice.

The next five orders were all hipster combinations and Whitney's mind drifted back to Abram's simple preference for nothing but a strong cup of java. No sugar, creamer, flavor shots, or complicated additives. She appreciated his straightforwardness as much as she admired his charm, quirky sense of humor, and, well, his handsome face.

So why haven't you told him you're leaving yet?

Whitney squashed the inner voice. She'd talk to Abram soon. Her reason for not doing so required further examination.

But she only had two more weeks to ponder before she had to break the news.

A lull in order traffic gave her some time to clean up her station and to reflect about her hesitation in sharing the news with Abram. She rarely saw him outside of the coffee shop, but she'd gotten to know him pretty well when he came in several times a week for a change of scenery when he worked. Her mild fixation on the man didn't really have a basis in reality.

Except he knew her better than some of her former boyfriends. He always asked about her life outside of Rise and Shine. And showed a personal interest in her.

Yet he'd never asked her out or anything along those lines.

Satisfied with her sparkling counter, Whitney resolved to tell him when he came in the next time.

I think it's going to be loads of fun to watch Abram try to win Whitney's heart. Here's hoping.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

October 26, 2014

Gotta say, I'm fairly easy to entertain, but I love it when the shows I watch elevate my standards. Right now, just about all my faves are hitting one hundred percent satisfaction levels. Once again, The Walking Dead blew me away. My super hero shows, Arrow, The Flash, Agents of SHIELD and Gotham are amping up the tension. My batshit insane shows, Haven, Sleepy Hollow, and Sons of Anarchy keep getting a little crazier and that keeps me glued to the television.

I also like a good mystery and got to watch Inspector Lewis last week. I usually catch up on the series when it's available on DVD, but I couldn't sleep and PBS was showing it. I've also been watching previous seasons of The Murdoch Mysteries (also known as The Artful Detective) on Ovation. Why they changed the name for US television is beyond me, but it's a great, fun Canadian show.

Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a contemporary novella with fun characters.

Here's the tagline:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

Abram entered Rise and Shine, his gaze seeking his favorite barista. Sure enough, Whitney had a line about ten deep standing in front of her station. She glanced up and waved, nodding for him to take a spot at the end.

He flashed a smile and followed her prompt. He didn't wait long either. She moved through the order with efficient ease, chatting up her regulars, and getting to know two new customers. The woman had a way of putting people at ease, yet keeping the flow smooth and moving in fast order.

His turn arrived and she had his order ready before he even reached the counter.

Putting the lid on the cup, she grinned. "Strong, black, and hot. I love how easy you make my job." She slid the cup in his direction. "Did you have a nice weekend?"

He nodded. "Not bad. Got started on a couple of new projects and ran errands. How did your weekend go?"

She waggled her eyebrows. "I had a hot date with my favorite guy."

His lips twitched. "And did Emory behave himself or did he try to mount all the female golden doodles again?"

Whitney laughed. "He controlled himself this time." She leaned in. "I told my sister if she wanted me to keep dog sitting when she goes out of town, she had to get him neutered." She shook her head. "I never want another owner chasing me down the sidewalk again."

Abram chuckled. "I don't blame you." He moved toward the checkout area. "See you tomorrow."

She waved and started mixing the next order.

These two have been so much fun to write. And yes, I know I say that all the time. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin