Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

May is flying by at a rapid pace. This week has been intense with burning the candle at both ends for me. This is a good day to take some downtime, which I'm trying to do today.

Work exploded this week with multiple projects dropping into my inbox. I have four nonfiction manuscripts and three fiction manuscripts in various stages of editing. I don't normally have seven different projects going at the same time but, so far, I'm managing them. It'll make for a nice June once they're all turned in.

Had an amazing week of viewing. I got a full round of shows in and caught a couple of extras. Also started a new show that might be sporadically viewed until it's available for streaming.

I started a rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries this week. I'm waiting a some new episodes of a few other shows to drop and this is such a comfort series for me.

Caught another episode of Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very twisty and turny, which is always fun.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm happy to have some Naomi backstory. I'd love to see a bit more of that for the characters.

Started a from the beginning run of Poirot. I've seen quite a few episodes of this show but haven't watched any of them in order. This is another filler series until new episodes start dropping of my current shows.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. I'm always interested when weird cases pop up and the cryogenics angle ended up being interesting.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond and have some vague memories of the first time I watched it. I'm wondering if the Ts are in any way a throwback to Mr. Terrific. I might have to dive down that rabbit hole at some point.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of these vignettes and I liked both.

I finished up an episode of Peak Practice and might start another one this week. This is one of my back burner shows and I'm happy I got to finish watching.

Started a new-to-me series and watched Reacher. Gotta say I loved the first episode. I did a bit of dive into write-ups of future seasons, and I think I'll stick with this one.

Also got a minimarathon of Return to Paradise in over the weekend. I'm looking forward to streaming this one when it's available in the US. Really enjoyed the first three episodes and I'm excited to see the rest.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Drowning Pull, a novella that plays on the right guy, wrong time trope.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lane Addison drowns his grief over losing his brother in alcohol, until a blonde distraction sits down beside him. Injured and off the circuit, Quesleigh decides to have a pity party for one until she sees someone deeper in the well than she is. A hot hookup later, Lane thinks he's found the perfect woman in Quesleigh, until she mentions her fiancé.

And a snippety peek…

Quesleigh struggled through a workout.

Her knee came close to being back in shape, but she needed to get ready for competition. "If I can compete." She pushed harder to up her reps.

She and Brad had some issues to iron out. He'd been combative and aggressive the past week, and she'd come close to telling him to fuck off into the sun more than once. Based on Josh's recommendations, she had a schedule and stuck to it.

The jingle of keys in the lock upstairs had her pausing her set of leg exercises. Grabbing a towel, she wiped her face and stood up just as Brad trotted down the steps. His damp hair suggested he'd showered after practice before heading home.

He started pushing before he even greeted her. "Almost ready to jump back onto the circuit?" His gaze raked over her from head to toe.

She shrugged. "Don't feel ready yet." Dropping the towel on the bench, she did some stretches. "I have to face the reality I might not get back to a competitive level." She'd give competing her best shot but wouldn't risk long-term damage.

Brad rolled his eyes. "You're such a baby, crying over a bum knee. Wah, wah." He left the room with a rude snort and went to dump his gear into the washing machine.

She tried not to engage. Brad had a game, and he did poorly if he got stressed out. He'd have to leave for the airport early in the wee hours of the morning.

Brad reentered and pushed harder. "What's Joshy-boy say? Or is he so far up your ass, he'll tell you what you want to hear? Which is to stay off the slopes." A ring of jealousy laced his words.

She didn't like the snide tone. One, because Josh had a boyfriend and two, because his skill as a therapist got her to her current status.

She tilted her head and turned the tables on Brad. "Where have you been spending the nights on the road, Brad?" He hadn't been with the team, according to his usual roommate.

Brad didn't deny or confirm her accusation. Instead, he stormed back up the stairs, calling over his shoulder. "Think whatever you want, Ques. I'm staying at the rink tonight."

She didn't have to think anything. And he wouldn't be staying at the rink. Her gut said he'd been stringing other women along—like Barbie—and he'd crash with one of them.

She had another reality to face. Her days as his significant other might be numbered. Brad would want someone else with clout ready to pose for the camera.

Grabbing some ice, she propped her leg up. "Do I care?" She could deal with Brad's flirty bait-and-switch attempts.

She hadn't been all that approachable lately. More like distracted and pondering a future doing something other than snowboarding. She'd like to believe Brad would support a career change, but doubt settled heavily in her stomach and mixed with the fear of the unknown.

Geez, she needed to stop dwelling on what could happen and focus on right now. She'd know more after her doctor's appointment in a few days. A little keyed up, she decided to go out and have fun over the weekend after she iced down her knee.

I think I found my groove with this story. Quesleigh is a fun character to write and she doesn't like to stay down or have fear so this scene came together better than I'd hoped.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Throw in the Towel

You know, I love a great fireworks display … but … I don't love almost a full week of random nonstop barrages from different locations where I can't even see them. Because at least I'd be able to enjoy something while my poor doggos are huddled against me shaking and freaking out. In all seriousness, I don't begrudge people having the funds and knowledge to celebrate with fireworks. But I also hate the first week of July for anyone who has pets that can't deal with the show.

It's been a weird week with a toilet repair followed by a washing machine leak that needed fixed. I'm still working on the leak because, seriously, it's never a simple thing when I'm involved. I'm crossing my fingers for not having anything else water-related to deal with this week.

Had another super busy week of work. I'm slogging through a very, very long proofread and I'm almost at the finish line. Completed a copyedit that ended up having some consistency concerns but ended up being such a great story. And it's a holiday book! I love editing holiday manuscripts.

Didn't get a lot of viewing in, mainly because the proofread is difficult subject matter and so long I don't want to risk losing my spot by getting distracted. I definitely don't want to do a lot of repeat work because I lose my place.

I did get to watch an episode of My Life Is Murder. I so enjoy this show. The characters are such a delight.

I also finished up the episode of Elementary that I started last week. I have to admit I'm not quite sure if I'm down with Mycroft possibly being a bad guy. My guess is he's working with someone we've seen before, and I have two people in mind. Stay tuned to see if I'm right.

And that's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Throw in the Towel, a novella that brings a couple together while they compete on a fictional mud-run circuit.

Here's the miniblurb:

Taurin Beach and Craig Wallmartin are top competitors on the mud run circuit. When Craig is caught by a reporter with nothing but a towel, it gives Taurin the perfect idea for catching his attention and finally getting what she wants. Him.

And a snippety peek…

Taurin limped across the finish line in second place. "Serves me right." She'd taken a marked offshoot on the trail thinking it might be a fun challenge.

Instead, the detrimental detour ended up leaving her with a twisted ankle even if the alternate route didn't cost more time on the course. Slowing down to keep the injury to a minimum, she speedwalked the last half mile after putting a wrap on the affected foot. Some ice and elevation should get her squared away.

Her lips quirked. "And shouldn't mess up my plan to do the towel trick." Hopefully, she'd timed everything right.

Sure enough, as she'd predicted, Craig had a bevy of fans surrounding him, giving her a chance to duck into the shower area before him. She found an empty spot and turned on the water, stepping under the spray fully clothed. Fresh mud and caked-on dirt rolled off her body. Once clear of most, she yanked her shirt off and scrubbed her upper torso clean. Dropping her shorts, she followed suit with the lower half.

And, finally, she washed the sweat, pollen, and grit from her hair. "Ah … feels so much better." Finished, she turned the water off and grabbed her towel, wrapping the too small terrycloth around her midsection.

Her ass barely covered, she checked to see if Craig had entered the interior yet. Hot damn. She caught sight of his head above the partition separating the two shower areas.

Grabbing her rinsed gear, she rolled the wet clothes into a larger towel and walked into the communal space on the pretext of forgetting something. "Anyone find a black and red flip-flop?" Her question drew Craig's attention and—yes—his gaze dropped to her thighs and a flash of interest sparked in his eyes.

She turned, making sure he got a glimpse of her ass, and found the not-actually-missing shoe. "Never mind, I found it." Holding it up, she headed to the changing area and started dressing.

 A big smile spread across her face. Mission accomplished. And as much as she hated to leave him hanging, she had to make tracks to head home and cover a help-desk shift for a coworker.

And put her foot up and ice it down so she'd be set for next weekend's run.

I have so much fun writing this story. Taurin and Craig are a joy to spend time with.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

Greetings to the month of September. I'm kind of not ready for it yet, mainly because once the calendar changes to the ninth month, it seems like October, November, and December zoom by super fast.

Had a great work week and made some progress on my new venture. I'm crossing my fingers I'll be able to launch sometime between October and December. Another reason I'm not quite ready for the new month.

Decent viewing week. I'm not quite caught up on everything, but I'm getting there. I did make a full rotation of my usual shows but I'm off schedule, which confuses my weird brain.

Got two episodes of Only Murders in the Building watched and I'm kind of loving this show. Had a great conversation with my daughter, who also loves it.

Caught an episode of Blue Heelers and kind of thought a couple of the characters were acting unlike themselves. But I did like the mystery.

Enjoyed another MasterClass lesson with Roxane Gay. She did another workshop and talked about finding your voice as a writer. Very good stuff.

Finished up The Babysitters Club and I'm so bummed there aren't any more episodes left. I'll be starting a new show this week but haven't decided which one yet.

Watched two episodes of Classic Rugrats. The Chanukah episode is one of my favorites and I always enjoyed watching it with the kiddos. The Mother's Day episode is also up there even if it's a little bit of a downer.

Started Resisting Roots, a Passionflix original. So far, I'm enjoying it. Looking forward to finishing up this movie.

Caught another episode of Chicago Med and struggled to stay interested. I liked two of the storylines and didn't really have much invested in the other two. Season five might be my last one.

Enjoyed another episode of Batman: The Animated Series. This one introduced the Joker and my major appreciation for Mark Hamill's portrayal of the iconic bad guy started all over again.

Watched the Christmas episode of Ted Lasso and thoroughly enjoyed it. Ted having Rupert's number made me happy. Also loved Roy in this one. And I'm finding a deep appreciation for Keeley. I really love the dynamic she has with Rebecca. Jamie … I absolutely dislike with an intense passion. Just saying. Coach Beard is awesome. And so is Nate.

Caught another episode of The Brokenwood Mysteries. I'm kind of bummed I only have one more left of the season. This show makes me happy.

Finished up the second part and final episode of Silent Witness's season nineteen. Looking forward to starting the new one next week.

Watched another episode of Classic Who. I'm a little lost with what's supposed to be going on but I had a few distractions while I was watching this episode. Looking forward to the final two for this season.

Enjoyed another Strangest Things. This one had several fun artifacts. One happened to feature in a middle grade book I edited a few years ago. Very fun to see a breakdown of the item the author wrote about in his book.

Caught another episode of The Book of Boba Fett. I actually love this show a lot. It's right up there with The Mandalorian. I'm hoping there will be another season of this one.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Drowning Pull, a novella that explores one way grief brings a couple together.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lane Addison drowns his grief over losing his brother in alcohol, until a blonde distraction sits down beside him. Injured and off the circuit, Weslee decides to have a pity party for one until she sees someone deeper in the well than she is. A hot hookup later, Lane thinks he's found the perfect woman in Weslee, until she mentions her fiancé.

And a snippety peek…

Shit. What the hell am I doing?

Weslee dashed back into the apartment, hastily donned shorts and a tank top then went to greet Brad. "Okay, totally obvious what happened last night. But—"

Brad waved a hand. "Whatever, Wes. One-time thing, right?" He dumped his bag by the door then moved into the kitchen to start making some coffee.

Weslee blinked. He's shrugging off the indiscretion? Wow. His lack of giving a shit spoke volumes about what he'd probably been up to on the road.

She glanced at the door. Watching Lane leave hurt more than it should, especially after one night. And it broke her heart a little to see his eyes go flat and dead again—like they'd been when she met him in the bar.

The difference from the night before when they'd shared her bed almost took her breath away. When he asked if he could see her again, she had a moment of indecision, wanting to possibly pursue something with him … but she had to be honest—a little late, but necessary. And Lane had rightfully shut her down. Her own stupid fault for being depressed and moody and taking one night to do whatever she wanted, no holds barred. She honestly didn't want to examine the reasoning too closely right now, because she wouldn't like what it said about her state of mind.

Entering the kitchen, she grabbed a mug.

Brad leaned against the wall, crossing his arms over his chest. "How did your appointment go?"

Surprised he even remembered, she didn't mince words. "After this week, I'm cleared to do PT on my own and I can compete, but..." She paused a moment, the decision sitting heavy on her shoulders. "I run the risk of doing further damage that I won't come back from." She met his gaze. "So, I'm done professionally. I'll do exhibitions and hopefully stay on as an ambassador for the sport." She stirred some creamer into the coffee.

Brad pushed away from the wall. "You know, Wes … that doesn't really work for me. We're supposed to be a golden couple, one on the ice, one on the snow. If you're out, maybe we should end things now." He shrugged, almost like ending an engagement ranked with ordering a pizza.

Angry, Weslee called him on the bullshit. "Right. Let me get this straight. You're fine with me sleeping with someone else, but you'll break our engagement because I'm no longer going to be pro?" How did that make sense?

And she might have let a potentially great thing walk away because she couldn't end things with Brad herself.

He rolled a shoulder again. "Look, mistakes happen. You hooking up with someone else, especially when I'm on the road, well, it would've happened sooner or later."

He told on himself with every word, pretty confirming her suspicions about what he got up to when the team traveled. She could kick herself for not confronting him about it. And she hated herself for being no better than him.

Brad propped a shoulder on the door jamb. "Your professional days ending changes the dynamic a little too much. Won't be mutually beneficial anymore and I have to think of my career, especially when it's still going strong."

And if that didn't lay everything on the line, and distill Brad's priorities down to their essence, nothing else did.

She nodded toward the door. "In that case, I'm keeping the apartment. Get whatever you need for a few days and go crash with one of your teammates." She dumped the coffee into the sink. "I'm getting a shower. Be gone when I'm done. You can arrange a time when I'm not here to get the rest of your stuff." She left the kitchen without looking back.

And wondered why her heart felt more bruised over the lost chance with Lane Addison than it did for a broken engagement.

This story deviates a little from the regular path but I'm kind of happy with where it's going. I like to challenge myself and getting Weslee and Lane to their happy end is stretching me to see things from a different perspective.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

Well, July is off to a roaring start. Daughter's graduation party is scheduled for today and I'm hoping we have a good turnout but also spaced out over the three hours of the party. I'm filling out my blog post early and getting it ready to post beforehand.

Had a semi-busy week between work and the party prep, but I did get some solid television watched. I started out with Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries. This is a rewatch for me but I love the show.

Also caught another arc of Classic Who. The four-part Ark in Space episodes. Not a bad group.

Watched another episode of The Witcher and, ouch, kind of a heartbreaker episode. I did totally love the dragons though. Looking forward to the next episode.

Caught two more season three episodes of Danger Man. I don't remember either of them so I enjoyed watching.

And that's it for this week. I should have more time next week to dive into some of the shows I'm behind on. And I have to watch the finale of Arrow. I'll have at least two boxes of tissues on hand. Just saying.

Tonight's post is from Drowning Pull, a novella that is coming along nicely. The twists and turns are set and progress is happening.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lane Addison drowns his grief over losing his brother in alcohol, until a blonde distraction sits down beside him. Injured and off the circuit, Weslee decides to have a pity party for one until she sees someone deeper in the well than she is. A hot hookup later, Lane thinks he's found the perfect woman in Weslee, until she mentions her fiancé.

And a snippety peek…

Weslee Thorn caught major air on her last run. Snowboarding competitions gave her nothing but joy. She did her final spin, going one hundred eighty degrees and glimpsed Brad Young, her fiancé, standing next to Barbie Quantro. Too close. Weslee's number one rival getting all cozy with her hockey-playing man? Not remotely cool.

Weslee lost focus and tilted, just a little, enough to throw off her finish. She landed off-kilter, twisted hard to the side, but couldn't recover. She went down, landing on her knee, wrenching it sideways. The pain tore through her and she gasped, unable to move, too scared to shift position. One wrong maneuver could end her career.

An event worker dashed to her side. "Weslee? Josh Trombo. You okay?" He crouched down, assessing her position.

Weslee jerked her head back and forth, her teeth chattering. Josh signaled for the medics and tried to support her awkward position.

He leaned in close so the onlookers wouldn't overhear. "I'm not gonna try to move you or remove your board. Can you hang in there?" He held her gaze, his filled with sympathy.

Weslee nodded, still unable to speak. Tears streamed down her face, warming her cold cheeks. Josh kept talking, using soothing tones and kept an eye out for the medical team.

The medics arrived and carefully splinted her leg before removing her board. They got her onto a stretcher and lifted her, ready to carry her to an ambulance.

Weslee found her voice, squeezing Josh's hand. "Thank you." She gave him a wobbly smile.

He managed a quick nod. The medics carried her forward through the crowd of spectators. While they gave her a round of applause, Weslee looked for Brad. Her gaze scanned the passing faces. She spotted Barbie, standing by the scoreboard and then Brad's face came into view.

He put a hand against her cheek. "Hey, sweetness, I'm here." He reached down and clasped her palm.

Weslee had a twinge of relief and kind of hated herself for it. Brad would be there for her. Of course. Not his fault women flocked to him in droves. She had her fair share of men trying to get close to her too.

Loaded in the back of the ambulance, she heaved a frustrated sigh. She wouldn't place at this event or if she did, it would be on the low end. Brad climbed in, but held the door open, playing to the gathered crowd until they stopped taking pictures. Only then did he sit by her side and let the medics head out.

Weslee rolled her eyes and bit back a nasty retort. Brad never missed a chance to get his name and face in the news and on social media. She could imagine the tweets later today. Brad Young bravely leaves event with his fiancé Weslee Thorn after she wipes out on the course.

He dragged his phone out and spared her a glance. "You'll be fine, babe. No worries."

Weslee didn't argue, but the ache in her knee said otherwise. She'd be lucky if she got the all clear to compete again this season.

Didn't that suck balls?

I loved writing this scene. Weslee is fun and she'll have some interesting choices to make soon.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Throw in the Towel

It's so weird to be in the last week of the month. Sometimes it felt like August would never end and other times like it flew right by. I'm actually looking forward to September.

Busy week with work projects but I did get some shows watched. I started a new episode of Blue Heelers and so far enjoy the second season.

Caught several episodes of Peter Gunn. There's a marathon next weekend I'll probably end up watching also.

Watched the Tomb of the Cybermen episodes of Classic Who. I'm bummed there aren't a lot of the second doctor's episodes available for viewing.

Also caught another Midsomer Murders episode. I like the new guy. I also need to figure out when they started working for Midsomer Constabulary instead of Causton CID. Probably way back in a previous season and I just missed it.

I'm in the middle of a 77 Sunset Strip marathon. This is one of my favorite classic shows.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Throw in the Towel, a novella that started with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Taurin Beach and Craig Wallmartin are top competitors on the mud run circuit. When Craig is caught by a reporter with nothing but a towel, it gives Taurin the perfect idea for catching his attention and finally getting what she wants. Him.

And a snippety peek…

Hell, yeah, it will.

Craig mulled over Taurin's response with his gaze on her retreating back.

Maybe he should call her back and ask her to explain. "Okay, no. I don't need a connect the dots lesson." But the flash of… what? Disbelief? Interest? Whatever…

It threw him.

And the view of her ass in the clinging shorts didn't help.

He followed the women's stats and Taurin ranked at the top of the pack. He'd made a name quickly, to the point of having a few nibbles from sponsors. But Tauren?

"Hell, she outclasses me." For the most part.

He started the mud runs for fun but developed a passion for competing. His work in sales gave him lots of flexibility and he'd finally managed to map out his schedule to coincide with the weekend races. Kind of nice to bump into the same people and get to know them a little.

"And, man, I want to get to know Taurin Beach more than a little."

He couldn't do that standing in a damned towel.

After taking a quick look around for more nosy reporters, he finished dressing and shoved his dirty gear into his duffel bag. His mind drifted to Taurin again.

"I wonder what she does for a living?" He'd have to check the affiliation bios.

Exiting the tent, he spied Taurin sitting by the huge bonfire the event managers would get started at dusk. Maybe I won't have to check the bios. She no longer had her gear and she sat in a comfortable camp chair. She must be staying on site. He had a room booked in a hotel about five miles up the state route. Man, he envied her if she had a camper or a trailer. If he kept competing, he'd definitely look into investing in one.

Why not start the getting to know Taurin better thing right now?

He made his way over to her location and dropped his bag on the ground. She glanced up from reading something on her phone, her eyebrow arched in question.

He hunkered down, using his duffel to keep his balance. "Mind if I ask a personal question?" Hopefully, she'd keep the running banter they had in the shower area going.

Her lips curved with a sly smirk. "Guess that depends on how personal it is." She tucked her phone into the cupholder on the chair. "Ask me and I'll let you know if I mind."

Yep. Definitely keeping the banter up.

I like writing about potential competitiveness between characters. In this case, a mutual respect already exists so their rivalry will hopefully be fun.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin