Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Very long week. Once again, the weather is all over the map, but spring might be peeking around the corner. Or, well, possibly summer. We could see eighty degrees (F) this week.

I might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on numerous work projects. I'm kind of excited about a couple of them being closer to the author's publication date. I have several nonfiction projects that have been super challenging but they're great books.

Had a decent viewing week. I did skip my new show this week. Didn't have the mindset to watch. Dark Winds will hopefully return during this upcoming week.

I'm almost finished with London Kills and it's such a good show. I've really enjoyed the way the weekly cases weave in and out of the overall story arc. And the character growth has been well done.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise with the season twelve holiday episode. Really good storyline! It's fun to get Selwyn backstory.

Watched another episode of Beyond Paradise. Sad to see Anne get caught up in a not-so-great situation. Loved the way Martha handled Zoe's mistake. Also fun to have Humphrey and Martha approved for fostering.

Got blown away by another episode of Elementary. The case ended up being intriguing and the end? Wow. Did not expect that to happen.

Watched an episode of Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I remember this one from my original run through and loved the call back to Batman: The Animated Series.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of the vignettes and particularly liked the video game one.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Deep End, a novella about falling quickly into the deep end of romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames but isn't feeling the spark … until she meets Eric, Eames's brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn, and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences. But her gesture backfires when Eric cuts off all communication with his brother.

And a snippety peek…

Eric hovered in the background when Eames rolled in and knocked on Raelin's door.

His brother barely crossed the threshold before he apologized. "Rae, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dogged you about Eric.” He rubbed a hand through his hair and shrugged sheepishly. "Please don't hold that against me." He lowered his head and gave her his best puppy dog look.

Eric rolled his eyes and snorted. "Smart move, bro. She wasn't too happy with you." And she really had put her knives in a cupboard.

Raelin narrowed her gaze. "She’s in the room, and I'm not happy with either of you." She turned and headed for the window, pulling the shade aside to gaze through the glass.

Eames apologized to Eric next. “Look, man, Raelin's honest to a fault. And she gave it to me straight. But finding out she felt something for you and not me stung.” He rolled a shoulder. “But she made a clean break and it's really none of my business who she falls for—even if it's my brother."

Eric grunted. "It's not like we meant to like each other, and once we started dating, we didn't try to hide it. And, frankly, you didn't exactly seem stressed out about the breakup." He gave Eames a hard look. "But you stepped way out of line and ruined something that could have been great." And that part sucked balls.

Eames held up his hands. "I know. I'm sorry, man. I’m over it. If you two get together, I won’t stand in the way." He took a big step backward, emphasizing his promise.

Eric snorted. "Fat chance of that. Raelin pretty much hates both of us—not that I blame her."

Raelin made a frustrated noise. "Again, I'm in the room and, yes, I'm pissed." Her voice lowered. "But … this a weird, awkward situation with no real rule book, regardless of whatever bro code you seem to think you have to live by." She directed her attention to Eames with a hard look.

Eames flushed. "Point taken. But … seriously, I just wanted to apologize and let you know I'm done being stupid. What you two decide from here is up to you.” He started toward the door.

Eric nodded. "Thanks. And, yeah, let's head out and leave Raelin to enjoy what's left of the weekend." He'd made a promise, and he planned to stick to it.

Even if giving her space made him uneasy. He didn't want to let things or her go. But he didn't blame her for needing a moment or ten to figure out whether she wanted to be with him or not.

He walked out with Eames, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time he left Raelin’s.

Mending fences isn't easy even if it's the right thing to do. Eric has to go an extra mile to fix things with his brother and Raelin.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Transference

Man. Whatever alignment the planets are in has been wrecking things in my house lately. After the washing machine saga, our coffeemaker took a crap. It's less than a year old. Seriously … not the norm. But the good news is a new washer and coffeemaker should arrive sometime this week barring any other global server outages.

Had a super busy work week. Finished the holiday manuscript and received a mystery and a romance for copy edit. Picked back up with a novella I've been working on with an author for a while now and enjoying getting back into the groove of the book. Also had an author reach out about a new twist on a previous project. Really fun week!

I didn't get a lot of screentime this week, but I watched a few shows. I'm in a weird place with viewing. I want to watch stuff, but my brain isn't settled on exactly what. Kind of want to binge something with a lot of seasons for a while to see if that will reset the needle.

I loved the episode of My Life Is Murder. Actually really twisty with an interesting outcome. Once again, Madison shined. I love that character.

Caught another Best in Paradise. This one featured the farewell to Martha, which ended up being so funny and sad at the same time. Excellent episode.

Watched another Death in Paradise with the introduction of the new DS. Not completely sure if I like her or not. Stay tuned.

Started an episode of Elementary but struggled to stay focused so I'll finish it up this week.

And that's pretty much it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Transference, a novella that explores what might have been in a different way.

Here's the miniblurb:

Leslie Karr is packing her meager belongings to move out of her college apartment and finds a letter from Granger Unger explaining why their night of shared grief over the loss of his brother can't go anywhere. After three years, Leslie still wonders if he may have been wrong and decides to test the waters by looking him up before she leaves town.

And a snippety peek…

Leslie tamped down on the burst of nervous energy coursing through her. "This is a cute cape cod." She loved the house and she definitely loved Granger inviting her.

Granger angled his head toward her. "It's obviously a work in progress. Haven't had the time I need to really make any big changes." He held up the mayonnaise and arched his brows.

She gave a nod. "Yep. Still the only thing I like on sandwiches." Thad used to tease her because he'd been a mustard man all the way.

The thought tugged a little hard. The entire reason she'd wanted to see Granger … to address the past and possible start over for the future. At least as friends if nothing more.

Granger carried two plates to the table and went back to grab two glasses of water then sat perpendicular to her. "Mayo on both sides, right?" He picked his sandwich up and took a large bite.

 Leslie grinned, touched he'd remembered. "Absolutely." She bit into the roast beef and cheddar and had a flashback to the kiss they shared after her fight with Thad.

Granger had been eating roast beef when she'd stopped at his apartment off campus, wrecked after the nasty fight with Thad. Granger took one look at her tear-streaked face and dragged her inside. Over sandwiches, she unloaded. About the issues between her and his brother. About loving him but wondering if that would be enough to see them through the rough patches. As usual, Granger listened until she stopped talking then offered to drive her back to the dorm. He'd always been easy to confide in and she appreciated how he didn't judge or take sides even when it involved his brother.

Probably why she initiated the kiss before they left Granger's apartment. A wild, crazy impulse. A safe play because she trusted Granger. And even then … even though she loved Thad with her whole heart, she'd been drawn to Granger.

And the embrace rocked her foundation. So different from Thad. By the end of the lip-lock, Granger's hands had threaded through her hair and hers found their way to cup his cheeks. But they didn't want this. To become a cliché by hurting the one person they each cared so much for.

By silent agreement, they left the apartment and Granger drove her home. Thankfully, he didn't make small talk or become awkward when they saw each other again. But something had shifted between them. An awareness of what they could have been.

And when Thad died? Her instinct had her turning to Granger. He'd been a rock during the month that followed … and she had hope they might … well, become more.

Then he wrote the letter and left.

Granger set his sandwich aside. "You're thinking about the letter, aren't you?" He let out a long sigh. "I'm sorry. I should've had the guts to talk face-to-face with you." He met and held her gaze.

Leslie shook her head. "Actually, I was remembering the kiss, then losing Thad, and then the letter." Her lips quirked. "Might as well roll all the way back to the beginning of when things got weird." A flurry of relief hit her because she needed to hash this out with Granger.

He settled back in his chair and put his palms on the table. "If we're going down memory lane, I have to stroll a little further." His eyes closed. "I started falling for you way before you kissed me. That's why I didn't bring it up or mention it afterward." He blinked and focused on her. "Then Thad died and my feelings for you got really tangled up with my grief over him." His fingers flexed on the smooth surface of the table. "Would've been easy to take advantage of losing him and I didn't want to be that guy. Not with my brother's girl." He looked away then back to her again. "The letter was a dick move and I really am sorry."

Leslie swallowed her shock over Granger's admission of falling for her, needing to both savor the idea and sit with it for a moment.

But she quickly absolved him over leaving the letter. "It's okay. Time and distance gave me a lot of perspective. And you're not wrong about how easy it would've been to shift what I felt for Thad over to you." Now she had a confession to make. "But it wouldn't have just been a transference. Things changed for me a little after I kissed you." When his eyes widened, she quickly continued. "I didn't love Thad less, but you took up space in my head. And I sometimes wondered, you know, what if?" A weight lifted from her heart. "I had no idea you were wondering the same thing. But you made the right call by leaving. It made me put my head down and focus on finishing my degree. And I'm not sure I would have done as well as I did if you were there as a reminder of Thad." She truly understood that now. "But … finding your letter? Hit a little sideways and I really wanted to at least see you and maybe … I don't know…" She trailed off because she sounded completely off the rails.

Granger's lips twisted in a wry grin. "Start fresh? I mean we can't forget our history or our connection to Thad, but we can forge ahead, right?" His voice turned hopeful.

Leslie nodded. "I'd like that."

I'm happy with how this one is going. Sibling rivalry is a favorite of mine, even if the sibling is no longer in the picture.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Had a crazy week with new projects sliding into my inbox and each of them is interesting and a little different for me. I love diving into new areas. I'm also trying to get ready for a vacation and it's a little daunting because I haven't traveled much recently.

Ended up getting a lot of television viewing in this week. I had a good handle on my work stuff and kept the shows going in the background.

I finished up the first season of Moon Knight and ended up enjoying the series overall. I wouldn't mind seeing more at all.

Also finished The Hardy Boys and I'm a little torn over how I feel about where everything ended up. On one side, there are so many possibilities for a third season. On the other, I'm struggling to buy-in to the whole swap at the end and a miraculous wish being granted that one of the characters had. I'll let both sit with me for a while and see how I feel if and when a third season comes around.

Watched an episode of Peak Practice and I kind of feel for Joanna. Also kind of wondering when Andrew will be back and if he'll still be as self-destructive as he always seems to be.

Caught two MasterClass lessons with Roxane Gay. The first one discussed writing about trauma and the second offered feedback for an essay. I thoroughly enjoy the way Roxane presents information.

Enjoyed two episodes of The Babysitters Club. Again, I'm so disappointed there won't be more to the story after this season ends. This is such a great show!

Watched another episode of The Ready Room. Anson Mount had some great moments during his interview. It's always fun when the actors are huge fans of the Trek 'verse.

Caught two more episodes of Driven. I have one left and I'm excited to see how this series ends. I have a lot of love for this one.

Ended up viewing two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm starting to feel the same way about April as I do about Natalie, which is disappointing. I realize both are leaving the series, but the dings to their characterizations don't seem fair.

Watched a two-part Batman: The Animated Series and forgot how much I liked the origin story of Clayface in this one.

Started Ted Lasso after a lot of pestering from my brother. I have the first two episodes watched and, so far, it's quite good. Everyone raves about the show so I'm confident I'll enjoy the whole thing.

Caught another of The Agatha Christie Hour. Really enjoyed this one. It was actually kind of campy and fun with a lot of mistaken identity and misadventure.

Watched a two-part Silent Witness and loved the twisty turns in the show. Ended up being surprised a couple of times by things I didn't expect.

Enjoyed two episodes of Classic Who. Wrapped up the second arc and should start a new one this week.

Caught another episode of Strangest Things. This one focused on relics that were supposed to help see the future.

Finished up season three of Harrow. Gotta say I ended up being very happy with the conclusion. I truly hope we'll see a season four, even with annoying boss lady.

Enjoyed another episode of Blue Heelers. This one had some interesting reveals with Adam, which is probably long overdue.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats and finished out season three. I'll be starting season four this week.

Also caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. This one had a great mystery with some fun twists. I'm kind of hoping Gina is done pining for Mike but I somehow doubt she is.

That pretty much sums up the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Deep End, a novella that explores what happens when the main character meets the wrong brother first—one of my favorite tropes.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark … until she meets Eric, Eames's brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric finished his morning hike through the park and headed for the parking lot. A familiar blue SUV pulled into a slot a few spaces away from his new vehicle. He paused a moment, trying to catch a glimpse of the driver.

Sure enough, his sixth sense kicked in. "Raelin." He didn't think too hard about his quickened step.

His curiosity won out over everything else. The need to interact with her outweighed his better sense.

Stopping by his car, he gave a wave when she shut her door. "Uh, hi. Didn't know you hiked here." Lame, but couldn't just hit her with the question he wanted to ask.

Raelin's eyes widened. "Um, yeah. Usually once a week." She tucked her water bottle into her pocket. "Are you visiting? Or did you accept the job offer?"

He lifted his chin. "Accepted the job. I sublet a condo from the company."

Her lips curved in a brief smile. "Nice. I'll bet Eames is glad to have you in town." She glanced away and rocked back on her heels.

Eric took the opportunity. "Can I ask what happened? Why you split with him?"

She tilted her head to one side. "Didn’t he tell you?"

Eric rolled a shoulder. "He told me his side. I’m interested in yours." Eames didn't trash her … in fact, he basically shrugged off the whole breakup.

Raelin held Eric's gaze for a moment then gave a brutally honest answer. "Felt a spark for another guy and didn’t see a future with Eames. Didn't seem right to stay together." Her version pretty much matched his brother's account.

Eric gave a nod. "Fair enough." He almost left things there, but he had to know. "You hooked up with the guy?" He hoped he hid his disappointment that she might be dating someone else.

Figures she met someone. Why did his timing always suck?

She studied him a long moment, hesitating with her answer. "No. Haven't seen him again…" She paused, glanced away then whipped her gaze back to his. "Until now."

His eyes went wide. "Me? You felt it, too?" He'd halfway convinced himself he'd imagined the vibe between them.

Raelin ran a hand through her hair. "Yeah, and I waited a full week to see if thoughts of you would fade." She waited a beat. "And they didn’t. I couldn't stay with Eames under the circumstances, even if I didn’t tell him you’re the one that piqued my interest."

He had no idea what to say and an awkward silence followed her declaration.

Eric considered how to respond, weighing options. He had a wicked attraction to Raelin, but how weird would it be to date his brother's ex? But … Eames didn't seem too broken up over the split.

He had to test the waters. "So … would you consider dinner? Or just coffee?" He lifted a hand. "No pressure or anything."

Raelin tilted her head again. "Are you asking me out?"

Eric nodded. "Um, yeah. Too weird for you?" Not that he would blame her.

Raelin thought for a moment. "Maybe. But coffee sounds great sometime."

Probably happier than he should be, Eric pushed his luck. "How about tomorrow?"

She huffed out a laugh. "I'm tied up all morning until after two, but I'm free the rest of the day." Her eyes sparkled with humor.

Eric grinned. "Tomorrow it is. The Jitter Bean?"

Raelin gave a nod. "Great choice. See you there." With a quick wave, she headed for the trail.

Eric leaned against his vehicle, a little amazed. "Huh. She felt it, too."

I'm excited about this story. I love sibling rivalries and meeting the wrong brother first is also a favorite thing to explore.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Well, June is off to an auspicious start. Not only a pandemic still raging but global protests against police brutality and systematic racism. It's a wild time to be alive. Whew.

Not a bad week of television viewing overall, especially considering how intense this past week has been. I started out with some new Blue Heelers and almost finished up the episode.

Also caught several more episodes of Danger Man. I'm almost through the second season and should be starting the third soon.

I did indeed start Gabriel's Inferno and I've been catching bits and pieces throughout the week. This is a movie I want to watch during uninterrupted time so it'll take me a while to get through the full two hours. I'm excited there will be more to come with a second part to this and I think two more books to adapt. Good stuff so far.

Also did some additional listening to the Battlestar Galactica soundtrack for season three. I'm going to have to hunt down the works I don't have from Bear McCreary. He's truly a remarkable composer.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Deep End, a novella with a sibling rivalry component—one of my favorite tropes.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark … until she meets Eric, Eames's brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Raelin buried her nervous tension and exited the car. "How long has your brother been in the navy?" Such an odd choice considering Eames drove a route sales truck for an auto parts manufacturer and his mom and dad were successful representatives overseeing US interests in Europe.

Eames draped an arm over her shoulder. "He's been a squid for ten years, or close to it." Pulling the door to the bar open, he cracked a wide smile. "Yo, Eric! Long time, no see, bro." He left her side and shook hands with a slightly older version of himself.

Raelin hung back, especially when Eames bear-hugged his brother and made a show of lifting him off his feet. Classic Eames, drawing every eye in the room their way. Raelin shook her head. The closest thing she had to a sibling—her cousin Mara—would utterly die if Raelin greeted her with so much enthusiasm.

Mara had very specific ideas of how people should conduct themselves in public. Raelin loved her cousin to death, but didn't have a lot in common with her. They got along famously as long as Raelin didn't get too rowdy.

Eames stepped away from his brother. "Rae, come meet the firstborn Bannerman." He snagged her arm and tugged her forward. "Eric, meet Raelin Hicks. A woman of significant taste." He sent a wink her way.

Raelin rolled her eyes but thrust her hand forward. "Nice to meet you."

Eric clasped her palm and met her gaze. A zing shot through her and she blinked. Hello, deep end. The drowning pull of desire hit her hard. Holy shit. What the hell?

Eric's firm grip lingered a little. "Uh, same." He let go, cleared his throat, and glanced away.

Rae tried to recover. She'd met a man she could probably spend the rest of her life with—her boyfriend's brother. Geez. She did not just think that.

Eric snorted. "You know, I gotta ask how you manage to put up with him? I mean, I'm his brother so I kind of have to…" He flashed a quick grin in his Eames's direction.

Eames huffed out a breath. "Did you miss the part where I said she had impeccable taste?" He quirked an eyebrow and looked toward her.

Rae finally got her tongue unstuck from the roof of her mouth and shrugged, joining in the banter. "Eh, he kind of grows on you." She fell into step between the men when a hostess flagged them for their table.

Eric chuckled. "Right. Mainly because he plants roots and sprouts up like a bad weed."

Eames pulled his chair out. "At least you didn't compare me to toilet paper on a shoe." He settled down and grabbed a menu. "That's usually what you cock off with."

Eric smirked and sat down.

Rae responded the only way she could … by laughing her ass off.

I love writing siblings and Eric and Eames are fun, even when they have a big conflict. I can't explain why I have so much fondness for meeting the wrong brother first, but it's one of my favorite things to dive into.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zane's Ghost

Hello, February. An extra day in the month probably won't make much difference, right? Eh, January already felt like an entire year, so here's hoping February doesn't.

Another slow week for television viewing, but not a bad one. I finished up season three of Riverdale and, whew, what an ending. Talk about jamming a crap-ton of stuff into forty-three minutes. That said, wow. I'm still processing all the crazypants. I'm very glad I can start season four this week. I'll be dreading the first episode but can't wait to see what happens from here. Hopefully something utterly horrible for Hiram is on the horizon but I doubt it. Sigh.

Midsomer Murders had a good opener for series twenty-one. One down and three to go. Then I have to find another show to start. I have a few on my list to check out.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice. I went back to the first season again. I'll watch another of the final season this week.

Watched another full arc of Classic Who and have one more set before starting the last season with Three. Looking forward to Sarah Jane episodes.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zane's Ghost, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

When Zane Warchild goes down in the line of duty, Kella Fine blames herself—after all, she realizes her mistake when she crosses a personal line and steps way back from Zane. Gray Warchild grows quickly tired of Kella wearing her guilt like a badge and putting his brother's ghost between them.

And a snippety peek…

Gray Warchild opened the door to his parents' home when the knock came. Nothing unusual about answering, especially when he'd been coming down the stairs anyway. What did happen to be unusual? Greeting the police chaplain flanked by the commissioner and a precinct captain at eleven fifty-two pm.

Instinctively knowing they wouldn't be bringing good news, he stepped back and invited them inside. "I'll get Dad." He started for the study where his parents were watching the end of a classic movie.

The chaplain grasped Gray's shoulder. "Better bring your mother, too." He didn't add why, but Gray didn't need the details.

 His brother had either been shot or killed and Gray hated the sense of certainty… that he'd been right about Zane not being a good fit for the force. How many times had they argued about the way Zane took the job for granted? All because of the Warchild surname.

Too many to count.

With his gut roiling, Gray entered the study and met his dad's gaze. "We have company." He didn't elaborate, but he didn't need to.

Benton closed his eyes for a brief second then shut off the television and reached out for his wife's hand. "Come on, Maggie. We'd better see how bad it is." He wrapped an arm around her and preceded Gray out of the room.

The commissioner broke the news. "Benton, Maggie, Gray, we regret to inform you Zane was slain in a line-of-duty incident earlier tonight in a task-force operation. Captain Gelding has the details, if and when you're ready to hear them." He placed a hand on Benton's shoulder. "I'm sorry for your loss." He stepped back and let the chaplain take over.

Mark Shaunessey nodded toward the small sitting area to the right of the stairs. "Shall we? I know this is a shock, even when it's the family business." He guided the elder Warchilds into the room and looked back toward Gray.

Gray shook his head. "Go on. I'd like to speak with the commissioner and the captain." He met the commissioner's gaze. "Thank you for coming, sir. I know Dad appreciates the gesture." His brain spun with questions but his mother's training kicked in. "Can I offer either of you a drink? Take your coats?" Mundane chatter but soothing in a weird way, especially when his mom finally started quietly crying.

The commissioner shook his head. "Nothing for me, thanks. I'm headed down to the docks to meet with the union leaders. Please let Benton know I'll check in later. My phone is on and I'll take his call, no matter what time it is, if he needs anything." He showed himself out.

Gray turned to Captain Gelding. "Sir… do you know if Kella, Officer Fine, has been informed? Was she on the task force?" As Zane's partner, she'd no doubt take the news hard.

Gelding shook his head. "No, Zane signed on for the extra duty time. Officer Fine wasn't involved. I'm not sure if she's been told, but news travels fast." He opened his mouth to say more, but closed it when Gray reached for his jacket.

He shrugged it on. "Would you mind giving Dad the commissioner's message? I'd like to check in on Officer Fine. She doesn't have any family she can lean on and this is probably going to hit her hard." Gelding probably didn't know how hard and Gray wouldn't be the one to tell him.

The captain cocked his head to one side, but didn't argue. "I'll let Benton know. Make sure you check in with your folks soon. They're going to need you." He waved Gray off.

Gray quickly exited the house and dragged in a deep breath of air. He didn't look forward to the meeting with Kella—especially after everything that had gone down between the three of them—but she shouldn't be alone in her grief.

Hell… he didn't want to be by himself in his. And Zane drove Gray to the edge of sanity on a regular basis.

Exhaling slowly, he fished his keys out of his pocket. "But he was still my brother no matter what."

And he's the man Kella loved.

I'm excited about getting this one finished up. I love writing the sibling dynamic especially when it's kind of messy.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Hazardous Curves Ahead

June 24, 2018

We had a slightly crazy week of weather. Lots of rain with storms blowing through quickly then the sun popping back out. I love to watch the storm clouds roll in.

Television this week was hit and miss. I got another episode of Mutant X in and I caught a couple of Blindspot episodes but didn't get to finish out the season before they yanked some of the episodes I hadn't seen. I'll have to finish up season three on DVD.

In Classic Who, I finished out the Key of Marinus episodes. Not a bad arc. I'll be starting the Aztecs this week.

Canal Road's third episode was excellent. I enjoyed seeing the group interaction in this episode. I have some thoughts about who killed Spence's wife. Just saying.

Caught a movie on Café Noir. It wasn't the best, but I've been writing some noir-ish-themed stories lately and I liked the ambiance of the movie.

Got in another episode of Midsomer Murders and finished up season three of Endeavor. Gotta say the last episode really packed a punch. Watching Morse realize he loved Joanie ended up being a beautifully acted scene.

Caught the usual episodes of The Sarah Conner Chronicles, Constantine, Pensacola Wings of Gold, Band of Brothers, and Strike Back. Episode four, season four is when Section 20 loses Julia and, ugh, I forgot how much of a kick in the teeth that was.

Watched a crossover of Chicago PD with Chicago Fire. Excellent episodes. I enjoy PD when the focus isn't on dickhead Wood trying to take Hank down. I thought we got enough of that in the first two seasons.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Hazardous Curves Ahead, a novella that explores an awkward situation between the main characters.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sometimes love is a slippery slope and when Imma and Sef almost crash into each other on a hazardous curve, they end up going through physical therapy together. After several weeks of flirty banter, Imma thinks a relationship with Sef might be nice… until her boyfriend shows up.

And a snippety peek…

Sefton Boltager angled his head around after barely missing the oncoming car, barreling straight at him on his side of the road. He downshifted but overcorrected and did a one-eighty on the twisty curves. His tires went off the pavement and spun on the pebbly surface of the side berm whipping his sedan, an old man's car, around a full three hundred and sixty degrees before smashing into the guardrail lining the roadside. The crunch of metal against steel a welcome sound, considering the drop-off looming inches past the barricade.

Airbags had him surrounded and he shook his head. "Stupid idiot. That's what you get." If he'd been paying attention instead of being pissed off at Serena—his former girlfriend—he might have seen the car coming at him sooner. "Shit!" He started shoving at the airbag in front of him. "What happened to the other car?" His stupid seatbelt had locked up and he couldn't freely move.

He got the bag pushed down and the other vehicle had a driver who looked to be unconscious. Damn, damn, damn. He fished around on the passenger seat for his phone to call 911.

"Mr. Boltager, we're showing your airbags have deployed. Are you okay?"

He jumped as much as the stupid seatbelt would let him. He'd forgotten about the OnStar system. At least he didn't have to find his cell.

Trying to unfasten his seatbelt, he answered. "Yeah, yeah. I think I'm fine. There's another vehicle involved in the accident and I can't tell if the driver is okay or not." He gave up on the stupid seatbelt and tried the door.

The operator replied in her soothing voice. "We've called for emergency services and they should arrive on scene shortly. Are you injured?"

He growled in frustration. "I have no idea. I gotta check on the other driver." He finally got the door opened and his seatbelt unfastened.

The voice came back through the speakers. "That's not a good idea. We recommend you stay with your car."

He already had one leg out of the vehicle. "Fuck that. I'm going to see if she's all right." He started to exit the car but wrenched his shoulder when the harness wouldn't give. "Dammit." Pain shot through to his fingertips.

"Mr. Boltager. If you'll wait a few more minutes, help will be there."

He finally got out and ignored the advice. Glancing in both directions, he started to cross the road, wincing at the jolts movement caused. When he got closer to the other car, he hissed out a breath. Damn good thing there hadn't been a passenger. The right side of the car resembled an accordion. The female driver's head rested on her shoulder, her neck stretched out.

He approached the window and gently rapped on the glass. "Hey! Are you okay? Can you hear me?" The distant wail of sirens sounded but Sef couldn't tell which direction they were coming from. "Hey. Help's on the way. Can you hear me?" Finally a movement, a small twitch, but enough to let him know she might hear him.

He tapped on the window again and her eyes popped open.

Thank fuck.

I like to explore awkward situations, especially when it involves meeting the right person at the wrong time.

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin

Sunday Snippets: The Deep End

Greetings on this final day of 2017. I hope everyone had the best of holiday seasons and wish all nothing but wonderful things for the upcoming new year. I have several goals I'll be working toward and I'm kind of excited about starting with a shiny new calendar.

Holiday movies are winding down and I'll be a little sad to see them disappear until the next holiday season. There's something a little magical about Christmas movies. My one wish would be to see some diversity and have Hanukkah, Kwanza, and even Yule or the Solstice represented. I'm fascinated by other traditions and wouldn't mind seeing some movies built around them.

The Doctor Who Christmas special ended up being good. "Twice Upon a Time" tied some things up and delved back into the shows history and, yeah, I'll give credit to Capaldi's final bow. A worthy ending to Twelve's tenure.

Murdoch Mysteries "Home for Christmas" hit all the right notes. This show is in its eleventh season and, honestly, it's only improved with age. The cast is top notch and the revolving round of historical bigwig and the guest stars that portray them rarely disappoint. I'm happy this remains on my watch radar.

I've also been enjoying Frankie Drake Mysteries—another Canadian show. I like the leads and, so far, the mysteries have been entertaining. This is a little similar to Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries. If you enjoyed that one, give Frankie Drake a try.

I've started the second season of Chicago Fire and I'm a little disappointed in the whole McLeod storyline. Maybe if I had a little more to go on with why she's hell-bent on getting Boden out I might care a little more. And Benny Severied whispering in her ear isn't quite enough in my book. That said, I love everything else about the first five episodes.

I don't think I've talked about Passionflix, a new $4.99 a month subscription streaming movie service. It's brand new and they're creating original movies—and possibly series down the road a ways—and also offer several classic romantic films with more to come. To date, they have three original movies available for viewers. They're all based on best-selling romance novels and have varying levels of steaminess. The site has a convenient BON—Barometer of Naughtiness—rating system so viewers can find their comfort zone. I've been able to catch the first two, Hollywood Dirt and Afterburn | Aftershock. Guys… it's worth the $4.99 a month for those two alone. I'll be viewing the final new release The Trouble with Mistletoe later today. If you love romance, give this service a consideration.

And that's it for television viewing this week. This year's final post is from The Deep End, a novella that has one of my favorite tropes—sibling rivalry.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark… until she meets Eric, Eames' brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric Bannerman left the interview with high hopes. He liked the company and the guy who ran the operation. It wouldn't be a hardship to work for Rand Bremer's outfit.

Eric blew out a long breath. "Big change, though." Ten years in the navy had led him to a crossroad. "Do I stay or go?"

Lately, he'd been itching to do something new. He loved the structure and routine of military life, but a new challenge sounded appealing.

His phone rang. "Bannerman."

"Bro, we're still on for dinner but can we meet at seven?" Eames rarely if ever bothered with greetings.

Eric didn't care what time they met. "Sure." He just wanted to see his brother and spend some time with him. "Where do I find this Rooster Rue's place?"

Eames gave Eric directions and signed off. "Rae's looking forward to meeting you. You'll love her."

Eric shook his head. His brother used to fall in and out of love every other week when they were in high school. He'd had quite the reputation as a heartbreaker.

"Maybe that's changed."

Eric almost wished he had Eames's ability to connect with women from the word "go". Eric dated but rarely found anyone he wanted to spend time with after the second or third month. His track record included more one-night stands than he'd ever admit to.

Part of the reason involved moving from base to base and being deployed. Neither left a lot of time to develop deep connections and became one of the reasons Eric craved change. He'd like to put down roots, meet someone and maybe start a family.

If he accepted the job with Force Solutions, he could combine his love of travel but have a permanent home base. And he'd be close to his brother. Their parents lived abroad with demanding careers in sales. Neither had been back to the US for longer than a week in almost eight years. Eames stuck around after graduating college and talked up the city. Enough so Eric jumped at the opportunity to interview with Rand.

Finding the restaurant, Eric pulled into the parking lot. "Might as well do some exploring if I'm going to call this place home."

And he'd pretty much decided to do exactly that.

I'm pleased with where I think this one is going. Sometimes the characters run off in a different direction, but Raelin and Eric seem to be playing nicely for now.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Transference

December 7, 2014

Whew. Last week's Walking Dead broke my heart. And if anyone caught The Talking Dead afterward, oh… tears were shed during that, too. Trying really hard not to spoil anything for anybody who hasn't seen the episode yet. Gotta give Chris Hardwick so many props though. The guy does much to restore my calm. LOL

Let's see… The Flash / Arrow crossover turned out to be EXCELLENT!! So much fun! Sleepy Hollow's fall finale ended up being better than I expected. Not so thrilled with one of my faves not making it, but I like it when shows don't always go where I want them to.

Which brings me to Sons of Anarchy. Oh… wow. I have a pretty solid idea of how things will shake out in the last episode, but Kurt Sutter has ways of pulling off some serious surprises, so I kind of hope I’m wrong. All in all, I'm actually pretty thrilled with the ones who are no longer around.

Enough TV talk… tonight's post is from Transference, a sexy short putting my characters together after something of a one night stand… but also delves into their history.

Here's the tagline:

Leslie Karr is packing her meager belongings to move into a new apartment and finds a letter from Granger Unger explaining why their night of shared grief over the loss of his brother can't go anywhere. After two years, Leslie still wonders if he may have been wrong and decides to test the waters by looking him up before she leaves town.

And a snippety peek…

Leslie overturned the bottom drawer of her desk, dumping the contents on the floor. Sitting down, cross-legged, she started sorting through pile. Old receipts landed in the trash can, a book of poems put aside for later reading. She picked up a stack of mail and rifled through, pitching the junk and setting letters from friends with the book of poetry. A crisp white envelope caught her attention and her heart kicked in her chest.

Granger.

She slipped the missive out and unfolded the page. His bold handwriting leapt off the paper. She'd only read the letter once, but the words still burned in her brain.

I'm sorry, Leslie. I won't tarnish Thad's good name and reputation by hooking up with and running off into the sunset with his girl. To honor his memory, I'm leaving Athens. I arranged to take my finals early and have accepted a job offer in Columbus.

I think it's best if we don't see each other again before I go. It would be so easy to work through the pain of our loss with great sex. But that's all it would be. Sex. The grief would still be there, under anything else we might have. Relationships can't be built by transferring physical pleasure for sadness. I'm truly sorry, and I hope… no, I know you'll succeed and graduate with honors. Take care of yourself, Leslie. Sincerely, Granger.

Two years later, she still had the odd combination of anger and respect for Thad's brother. She couldn't argue with Granger's position. She didn't like it, but she totally got it. She understood, on a very deep level, the guilt Granger felt. They each loved Thad and almost trashed the sentiment while he still lived.

"God, what idiots." Her shoulders slumped. "Thad didn't deserve either of us."

Okay, not quite fair. Leslie didn't forget the reason she'd shared a kiss with Granger—a volatile argument with Thad. He had faults, just like she did. But losing him made it easier to view his flaws with a softer focus. Hindsight forgave a lot. And time did heal.

Leslie pushed the letter back inside the envelope. "I came out okay." Better than.

She had graduated with honors and had several offers under consideration. One happened to be in Columbus.

She rose and stretched, and then tucked the letter into her laptop case.

Grabbing her phone, she scrolled through her contacts and hit send. "Hello, this is Leslie Karr. I'd like to confirm my interview time for next week." After making sure she had the details correct, she ended the call.

Sitting down at her desk, she opened a web browser. "Okay, Granger, let's see if you're still around. Maybe enough time has passed for a trip down memory lane."

One of my favorite tropes, sibling rivalry, but with a twist. Always fun. :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Hi!

Not much new in TV this week, so finishing up from last week's new episodes. The Walking Dead is my on the fence show. Some weeks I love it, some weeks I'm very 'meh'. Last week was definitely a 'meh' week, but the new episode tonight is pretty good, but the Governor just doesn't excite me all that much.

Sleepy Hollow continues to make me happy. It's so crazy insane I can't not like it. This week's Arrow and Sons of Anarchy have me ready to get through Monday so I can watch new stuff. J I also quite enjoyed Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. I'm not nearly as disappointed as a lot of fans are, but I'm a long time believer in setting up story arcs for bigger payoffs later.

That's it for this week. Should have some great reactions for my next post.

Tonight's snippet is from The Deep End, a novella filled with sibling rivalry over the woman of the brothers' dreams.

Here's the tagline: (Which I'm honestly not thrilled with, it needs work)

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames, but isn't feeling the spark… until she meets Eric, Eames' brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences.

And a snippety peek…

Eric entered the bar and quickly spotted his brother's group in the corner where the larger parties could have semi-privacy for their gatherings. Eames glanced up and waved Eric over.

Weaving through the regular seating area, Eric grinned and shook his head. Eames had a blow-up doll duct taped to the wall and with a bull's eye drawn over her belly button. Eric considered it short of miraculous she actually had clothes painted on. He reached his brother's side and clapped him on the shoulder.

Eames waggled his eyebrows. "Whatya think of my date?" He gestured towards the over-inflated rubber woman.

Eric snorted. "Bro, if I wasn't dating your ex-girlfriend, I'd question your taste in females."

Eames laughed. "You know, this one is a lot easier to control than Raelin. I think I got the better end of the deal." He glanced around. "Where is she?"

Eric frowned. "At home." He grabbed a cold one from the cooler on the table.

Eames cocked his head. "You could've brought her. The invite was you plus one."

Eric rolled his eyes. "You know how she is about guilt." He twisted the cap off and took a long swallow of the pale ale.

Eames nodded. "Uh huh, she doesn't deal well with it." He nudged Eric with an elbow. "As you and I both know."

Eric's lips quirked. "That we do." He shrugged. "I left the invitation open. If she wants to show up, she will."

Eames's lips turned up. "She just did." He jerked his head toward the entrance.

Eric turned and met Raelin's gaze. She lifted a hand and gave him a sheepish smile. Eames reached over, snagged another beer, and handed it to Eric. "Go on. Meet her halfway and remind her she's welcome here."

Eric uncapped the bottle. "Thanks, man." He headed towards Raelin, a slow grin spreading across his face.

She'd dressed casually but still turned heads when she made her way passed the patrons sitting at the bar. A sloppy drunk guy, about college age, did a double take and made a grab for Raelin's arm.

She paused and sweetly smiled. "I wouldn't go there, buddy." She gave his grasping fingers a pointed look.

He huffed out a breath. "Oh yeah? And why's that?"

She leaned in, keeping her tone low. "Because I bite." She raised her chin and met his gaze. "Hard." She snapped her teeth together.

He loosened his grip and raised the offending hand. "Okay, okay. Not touching you anymore."

Eric fought back a grin and reached her side, draping an arm around her shoulder.

The college guy narrowed his eyes. "Hey… why aren't you snapping your teeth at him?"

Raelin wrapped her arm around Eric's waist. "Because he likes it too much."

Laughter erupted on the other side of the man and Eric chuckled.

He drew her closer, pressing a kiss to her temple. "And that's why I love you so much." He leaned in to whisper. "Thanks for coming, Rae."

She shrugged but flashed a smile. "Figured it was time. Your brother's a great guy." She paused and faced Eric. "But he's not you."

Eric grinned. "His date for the night will be glad to hear it." He jerked his head toward the wall.

Raelin glanced over and her jaw dropped then her shoulders shook.

She grabbed Eric's hand. "Come on. I think you need to make the introductions."

Eames and Eric have been so much fun to write. I'm not quite getting this story in order (stupid sages), but the brothers definitely like to make their needs and wants known. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

Howdy!

Well, my week in television ended up being pretty damned awesome. Seriously, the Walking Dead kind of caught me off guard, but gotta give it to Rick. When he steps up, he sorta goes full tilt and gets it done. Not sure how I feel about the parting of ways, but I'm leaning towards it being a good thing.

Thoroughly enjoyed Castle, which is a nice change since I've been kind of 'meh' about this season. I love getting to see Rick and Kate together—that kind of never happens and it pisses me off—but the storylines either underwhelmed or made me scratch my head. Sons of Anarchy continues to rip the scabs off old wounds. I love having my smart Jax back. He's always at his best when he's not reacting to and working through shit like watching his best friend die. Very interested to see what side Tara's actions have him landing on. My hope is he'll stay smart, get the Irish out of the way, deal with the DA, and then let the emotional fallout hit. And good Christ, stay away from Gemma so she can't throw gasoline on the fire. *shakes head*

Arrow and The Tomorrow People just make my Wednesday the best day of the week. I can't say enough about Arrow at the moment, and anything I would say would contain spoilers, so *zips lips*. Haven twisted everything sideways again, but hit on a theory I had from the first episode. I kind of can't wait to see how the new wrinkle plays into the mythology. I have more thinky thoughts, but again… spoilers. LOL

So, that's my week in TV. Maybe I should get to the actual post, right? Tonight's snippet is from The Cabin, a novella with one of my favorite tropes—sibling rivalry. This time the brothers don't want the same girl, but they almost let her come between them.

Here's the tagline:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when tries to convince Kari to give his brother another shot at her art class. But when she can't accommodate the request, Whip still wants to pursue a relationship… until his brother tries to get in the way and Kari decides she won't come between them.

And the snippety peek…

Kari made the trek up the mountain and made her way from the drive around to the back of the cabin, following the heavy thudding sound. She found Whip—stripped of his shirt—chopping wood and stopped to admire his raw masculinity. Instead of announcing her presence, she watched the corded muscles of his arms and back work to split log after log. When he paused to wipe the sweat from his face, he caught sight of her standing at the edge of the porch. He lifted a brow. Instead of flushing with guilt, she boldly met his gaze and strode forward, stopping to stand toe to toe with Whip. She reached up, cupping his face and leaned in to capture his lips with hers. He tasted like hickory and sunshine. The kiss dragged out and Kari didn't care when Whip grabbed her hips, bringing her flush against his chest. She'd missed him, more than she wanted to admit.

Kari finally gives up her losing battle against wanting Whip… and he's going to be very happy.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin