Sunday Snippet: Voices Carry

Whew. It's been a week, right? I finished up several projects and got a couple of new ones lined up. My workload is changing in a lot of ways and I'm happily adapting to the new lineup. Change is good, even when you (meaning me) don't like it. At least that's what I've discovered lately.

Had a very solid week of television viewing. I have something of a pattern and I watch shows on a bit of a schedule. This week everything kind of seemed to speed along.

I ended up getting in three Snoopy in Space: The Search for Life. I'm enjoying the second season of this show. The episodes are pretty short and fun to watch.

Finished up the Queens of Mystery second part and thoroughly enjoyed the episode. I'm a little frustrated by the overarching mystery of Mattie's mom but I'm very willing to give this show a lot of leeway.

Watched three episodes of Silent Witness. The second two-parter ended up being pretty enjoyable. I like the vibe of having the forensic science mixed in with the pathology. After fifteen seasons, it's probably past time to introduce that into the mix.

Enjoyed two more Classic Who episodes. I actually kind of like the format for this season with Six being on trial. It's a nice change of pace and something a little different from the norm.

Caught two more episodes of The Muppets. Weirdly, the show really started to gel for me in the last couple of episodes. It's more inclusive and somewhat similar to the older format. And it's fun.

Watched two more episodes of The Alaska Triangle. I'm very much into the unknown mysteries that haven't been discovered there yet. Dinosaurs, UFOs, weird paranormal encounters. This show has everything.

I'm loving Harrow. I got two more episodes watched and the walls are kind of closing in on the bigger arc of who killed Robert Quinn. I'm kind of excited to see where it ends up.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and the characters said good-bye to David. It's about halfway through the seventh season and I'm interested in what will follow and what the fallout will be.

Enjoyed two more MasterClass lessons with Es Devlin. She discussed mazes and patterns and the audience and both classes were very interesting. If nothing else, she's given me a new way of looking at projects and I'm here for that.

Got two episodes of Paranoid in and, wow, things are heating up. This is a very twisty and turny mystery and I like how things are playing out. I also love that the three leads are kind of a total mess but still get the job done.

Caught two episodes of Classic Rugrats. While none were my faves, they were great to watch as I'd kind of forgotten them. Nice to be reminded.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med and I really, really don't like the COO person. As a foil for Sharon, I get the need to have her but, yikes, she's awful, terrible, and rage inducing.

Enjoyed two bonus episodes of The Brokenwood Mysteries. A behind-the-scenes short and an interview with the two leads. I finished out everything that's currently available and I'll have to find a new show to start this week to go along with Queens of Mystery.

Got the first of a two-part Blue Heelers watched. I have a sneaky feeling this might be Wayne's swan song. The episode ended up being better than I expected. Can't wait to finish it next week.

Star Trek: Discovery once again kind of blew my mind. I love the interaction with Spock and Michael. The same goes for Michael and Ash. Actually, all the relationships on this show are amazing. Seriously, amazing.

That's pretty much it for this week's update. Tonight's post is from Voices Carry, a novella that puts the characters in peril after they realize their mutual attraction.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Summer Blaine is a struggling artist who always listens to Detective Fitch Falconer's tales of triumphs and woes when he drops by the diner she works in to make ends meet. When she gets a chance to display her art, she invites Fitch to the gallery to see her true passion. Unfortunately, a ghost from her past tries to get in the way and it's up to Fitch to find out who wants her dead.

And a snippety peek…

Summer set her bag on the counter. "Stan, don't forget to call if you need someone to fill in. I'm going to be around but painting my ass off to get ready for the show." She turned when the bell chimed over the door and hoped Fitch would there to greet her.

Instead of Fitch, a customer from earlier in the evening strolled in. Summer got a strange vibe but tried to shrug it off. Fitch would be here soon.

Stan came around the counter. "Hey, man. We're closed." He flipped the lights in the kitchen off.

The customer lifted his chin. "Know that. Came to see if Summer would like to go for a drink." He shoved his hands in his back pockets.

Summer glanced toward Stan. "Frank got the special for dinner earlier." She turned her attention to Frank. "I'm sorry, but I have a previous commitment."

Frank relaxed his stance. "How about tomorrow then?"

Summer tamped down the nervous twinge snaking along her spine. "Can't. I'm tied up for the next two weeks and I'm seeing someone."

Frank made a move toward her. "I don't believe you."

The bell chimed again and Summer breathed a little easier when Fitch entered the diner.

"Exactly what don't you believe?"

The guy turned, giving Fitch a nasty look. "None of your business, dude. I asked the lady out and she said she can't go."

Fitch inclined his chin. "Right. Meaning the lady said no." He tilted his head to one side. "Do you understand the definition of the word?" He straightened. "If not, I'll be happy to set you straight." He swept his jacket aside, flashing his badge.

Frank backed up, a little wary now that he had a full understanding of the situation. "But she was all nice and flirty with me earlier—"

Fitch cut him off. "Being nice to someone isn't a crime. It's also not an open invitation or permission for you to help yourself." He grasped Frank's shoulder and propelled him toward the exit. "You'd do well to remember that for future reference." He pushed the door open. "Now get moving before I have a uniformed officer come down and arrest you for being a pain in the ass." Once Frank cleared the threshold, Fitch pulled the glass panel shut and locked it up.

Stan gave a low whistle. "Damn, that was smooth."

Fitch glanced over his shoulder. "Sorry to butt in, but glad I got here when I did."

Summer let out a relieved sigh. "He was probably harmless, but didn't want to take no for an answer."

"Too right he didn't." Stan grunted. "If he'd gotten any closer to Summer, you'd be arresting me for assault. I didn't like the vibe he gave off."

Summer's eyes widened. "So, it wasn't just me then." She didn't say more, but she didn't have to.

Both men knew why she tended to be skittish.

Fitch gave a nod to Stan. "Not if Stan here got creeped out." He wrapped an arm around Summer. "You okay?"

Her head bobbed up and down. "Yeah. I'm good." She grabbed her bag off the counter. "Ready to head out?"

Fitch squeezed her shoulder. "Sure, let's go." He lifted a hand. "'Night, Stan."

Summer glanced over her shoulder. "Bye, Stan. Call me if you need anything."

Stan waved them out. "Will do. I'll see you on your big night."

This one has a little suspense and I like where the characters are headed.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Smokin' Hot—Hot and Swoon-Worthy: Down in Mexico

Welcome to the Hot for Friday blog hop!

Readers: Enjoy posts from authors with fun weekly tasks or a cool question.

Authors: Get in on the fun and join here.

Whew! Considering it's the beginning of March in Ohio and we've got snow on the ground, hot and swoon-worthy reading is welcome indeed.

This week we're tasked with posting a piece of dialog where our hero gets to take center stage and deliver a swoon-worthy line to the heroine. I can't wait to read some smooth moves from our heroes.

For my feature, I'm posting one of my favorite bits from a current release, Down in Mexico, book one of the South of the Border Series.

For a little background, here are the series and book taglines:

Mix a little danger with hot romance.

Boy meets and falls for girl. Girl 'dies' in a fiery explosion. Five years later, they meet again.

And the swoon-worthy dialog…

"Wow." She cocked her head sideways, shooting a playful glance his way. "I'm not sure you've got the right skill set to work with me."

He gave her an affronted look. "You're kidding, right?" His fingers started working on her calf muscles. "I'm handy to have around."

She quirked an eyebrow.

"Yeah, I'm great at heavy lifting. I'm also methodical, organized, and very good at finding things." He brushed his fingers down her shins and started on her feet again.

Kier laughed. "You're hired." She nudged his ribs with her foot. "You had me at heavy lifting."

He smiled. "When do I start?"

~*~

Who would turn down those skills, right? LOL

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Sun, sand, and danger. International intrigue mixes with steamy romance to create hot situations—South of the Border.

Book Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate, Kiernan's former employers.

After discovering she's alive and well, Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

Kiernan isn't completely safe. In fact, Lars is using her as bait to catch the last member of the espionage organization.

~*~

Thank you for stopping by.

Please feel free to drop by my website

And don't forget to enjoy the other Hot for Friday posts!

Sunday Snippet: Voices Carry

Well, hello, March. Thank you for dumping like seven inches of snow on me. :D

Seriously, I have to remember I was wearing flip flops and shorts in October so I don't get all crazy about having snow in March. LOL

Some great TV this week. I'm rather sad I have to wait almost a whole month for new The Flash and Arrow episodes. Oh well, teaches me the value of patience, right? Banshee and Bitten had great episodes. So happy for a satisfying end to one of the characters on Banshee, which tied in nicely with the satisfying end to one of the characters on Bitten last week. Yes, I have a bloodthirsty streak sometimes. :D

To counter the death toll, let's see if The Walking Dead manages to keep everyone alive again this week. LOL

Tonight's post is from Voices Carry, a novella with some suspenseful twists and turns.

Here's the tagline:

Summer Blaine is a struggling artist who always listens to Detective Fitch Falconer's tales of triumphs and woes when he drops by the diner she works in to make ends meet. When she gets a chance to display her art, she invites Fitch to the gallery to see her true passion. Unfortunately, a ghost from her past tries to get in the way and it's up to Fitch to keep find out who wants her dead.

And a snippety peek…

Detective Fitch Falconer headed down the back steps of the precinct house, ready to call his day over and done. He hit the cracked, tiled floor at the bottom of the stairs and started for the exit. A shrill whistle stopped him in his tracks. His ingrained response to Commissioner Paul Graydon's attention getter never failed to give Fitch pause, especially since hadn't been doing anything to get in trouble, unlike his teenage years when Graydon first used the high pitched signal. Sometimes working for his godfather sucked balls.

Graydon slapped Fitch on the back. "Fitch, my boy, the wife is very excited about that new artist you mentioned at dinner last month." The superior officer shoved the door open and held it for Fitch.

He ducked through with a smile. "Sounds like I'm back in her good graces then. She didn't appreciate my quick refusal to take her newest assistant out on the town." Laura Graydon wanted to see Fitch happily settled with a nice woman who would take care of him.

Fitch didn't want a nice woman to do his bidding. He wanted an equal. Someone to share the ups and downs of life—the good, the bad, and the ugly.

Right now, he had a great friend whose talent needed an outlet, a nurturing hand to direct the way. Fitch hoped Laura's influence would lay the groundwork for a career boosting nudge.

Commissioner Graydon chuckled. "You never fall very far, you know that." He nodded toward the east intersection. "You headed over to the Red Shoe?"

Fitch grinned. "Absolutely. Almost every night." He started toward the end of the block.

Graydon called out. "Decompress, Fitch. We'll crack the case soon."

Fitch raised a hand. The reminder of the triple homicide growing colder by the day gave him heartburn. He crossed the street and turned left, strolling along the sidewalk. For five blessed minutes he'd forgotten about the families counting on him to bring them justice.

Decompress. Right. Stopping in front of the Red Shoe Diner, Fitch heaved a sigh. No way in hell.

But at least he could have a good meal and some terrific company for an hour or two.

I'm having fun with this one. It's got a little bit of a darker thread going through, but still has lots of humor.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Open Shelter

Another long week, but at least some great TV to ease the stress. Currently watching The Last Ship, which continues to keep me entertained. The new season of Doctor Who starts in a few weeks and my fingers are crossed. Really not sure I'm going to like Twelve.

Getting ready to start season two of La Femme Nikita, probably when I completely fell in love with the show. I'm also still loving Defiance and can't wait to see where the season ends.

New and pics from Comic Con made my week. The casts from Orphan Black, Sons of Anarchy, and Arrow were super awesome and shared tons of stuff. I so enjoy it when the actors love what they do and give lots to their fans.

Tonight's post is from Open Shelter, a novella where my main characters have a long history and finally have a chance to become more… if their past doesn't come back to haunt them.

Here's the tagline:

Jay Hestwick meets Weslee Noss at the open shelter his mom operates and sees through her sarcastic rogue front to the scared kid underneath and decides to be her new best friend. Fifteen years later, Jay runs the program and Weslee comes home, ready to assist, but she doesn't realize she's bringing a dangerous menace out of hiding now that she's back.

And a snippety peek…

Weslee paused inside the doors of the Shoreline Open Shelter, letting memories shuffle through her mind. The place still looked the same, but with numerous improvements—better windows, decent lighting, and light, airy colors on the walls filled with painted murals. No doubt Jay encouraged the artwork and he probably provided the supplies to shelter inhabitants. He put so much of his time and funds into the place.

Her gaze scanned the alterations made over the past fifteen years. He'd put in a full-size kitchen with institutional equipment. Accordion partitions could keep the sleeping area separate from the main hall, something she would have welcomed as a child.  She moved further into the area and caught sight of Jay, deep in discussion with a food supplier.

He managed to make jeans and a T-shirt look great with an athletic jacket that hugged his form but didn't constrict his movement. Five years hadn't altered his appearance much, his short, cropped hair still stuck out in different directions—no product necessary to achieve the look—and her fingers itched to muss the strands further.

Maybe later, after he settled with the vendors and got lunch out of the way.

He glanced up and caught her staring, but a huge smile spread across his face. He held up a hand to interrupt the supplier and made a beeline across the floor to scoop her up in his arms and twirl her around.

She laughed and hugged him. "Put me down, you moron. No one will believe I'm your new head of social programs if you don't."

He settled her on the floor. "Did you catch an earlier flight?" Grasping her hand he turned and headed toward the kitchen area. "Why didn't you call? I'd have met you at the airport."

She shook her head. Same Jay. Always going Mach II with his hair on fire. Some things really never changed.

He nodded in the direction of the vendor. "Ralph, give me five. Be right back."

Weslee bobbed her head, acknowledging the supplier with a quick smile.

Jay dragged her through the café doors and had her backed up against the wall before they even swung closed. His mouth crashed over hers and she melted into the kiss, thrilled with the welcome.

Jay eased away, cupping her face with his hands. "I'm glad you're home, Wes. I've missed you."

This one has some suspense which is very fun to write. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Next Year, Same Time

Hi!

I hope everyone who celebrates the 4^th had a safe and happy one filled with lots of fireworks!

Some great TV even with the holiday week. Defiance keeps getting better… and darker, which I love bunches. Dominion also keeps me coming back. I'm not quite sure I have everything down but I like to be kept guessing. Forgot to mention The Last Ship… loving it. I have a thing for shows with ships and combine it with a mutated virus, I'm totally there.

Tonight's post is from, Next Year, Same Time, a novella with a little suspense to start things off.

Here's the tagline:

Lita Vonn is a book store owner who gets caught up in a bank robbery and makes a connection with the negotiator, Saber Reyes. Saber questions her desire to get together and offers an alternative suggestion—next year, same time, they'll meet at the coffee shop across the street.

And a snippety preview…

Lita kept drumming out words, hoping like hell the negotiator had figured out her tactic.

Barnaby swung around, glaring in her direction. "You're making too much goddamned noise. Stop it."

Lita snapped at him. "You're holding a fucking gun on me and you're strapped with explosives. Excuse me if I'm a little freaked out and shaky right now." She paused, mid-sentence.

The guy responded. "Are you trying to be a smart ass?" He waved the sidearm back and forth.

Lita quieted her tone. "No, I'm stating a simple fact. You're gonna have to cut me some slack here."

He tilted his head, studying her for a few moments. "Yeah, okay, but watch that smart mouth. I'm in charge here."

Lita breathed a sigh of relief.

Saber quietly asked, "Everything okay in there?"

Lita answered. "Yes, it's fine. We're all still okay." She quickly tapped out a new message. He's pacing back and forth, getting impatient.

Saber replied. "I understand. We're working to get everything in place."

Something in his tone gave Lita confidence he'd been following her covert dialog.

Chuck snapped out a question. "What's taking so long? I want that document."

Saber spoke, calm and rational. "The ETA is approximately fifteen minutes." He paused, then continued. "Lita, can you have everyone ready?"

A quick burst of what sounded like static echoed over the line, but Lita got the coded message.

Barnaby squawked. "Ready for what? Nobody goes anywhere until I have what I want."

Saber agreed. "Yes, we're aware. I'd like Lita to prepare everyone for when the exchange takes place. Is that okay?"

Chuck gave a jerky nod, going back to silent mode.

Lita relayed his non-verbal response. "Mr. Barnaby is in agreement." A little more quietly, she added. "I'll have everyone ready."

Saber replied. "Thank you. Fourteen minutes, Lita. Hang in there. Keep me posted, all right?"

She fought the urge to smile. "Okay." Her fingers went back to work, pinpointing Barnaby's location along the outside wall.

So far, I'm having loads of fun writing this one. And I know I say that a lot. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin 

Sun, Sand, & Intrigue—Summer Lovin' Blog Hop

Sponsored by Romance Blog Hops

Enter for a chance to win an awesome prize!

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Here’s the Grand Prize list: 

1 $75 Amazon Gift Card

1 $25 Starbucks Gift Card (Donated by Sue)

1 $25 Amazon (or B&N) Gift Card (Donated by Denisea)

~*~ 

Take a little trip south of the border!

Welcome to the Summer Lovin' Blog Hop, an excellent sampling of authors sharing short excerpts from their work.

Readers: Please enjoy the steamy snippets and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Bloggers: Please check out the excellent previews and spread the word.

~*~

There's something wonderful about the lazy days of summer. Sunny days and longer nights can inspire the urge to kick back, relax, and enjoy every moment. Why not unwind with a great book and sneak in a bit of bliss?

When writing as Skylin O'Thomas, I tend to focus on contemporary romance, sometimes filled with little relationship moments, but also some adventure. Weaving in tension with suspense or adding humor to a steamy situation is so much fun. Giving a couple their happily ever after can't be beat.

One of my first releases, Down in Mexico, features a couple who finally reconnect after five years apart. As the first couple in the series, South of the Border, Lars and Kiernan have a steamy reunion, but there's a lot going on under the surface. An element of danger sneaks its way into Kiernan's hard won new life.

Lars isn't completely honest and Kiernan is less than thrilled when she finds out. But she's a trooper and deals with her situation.

My Blog Giveaway

I had so much fun writing the book and I'm giving a digital copy away for this blog hop. Please leave a comment for your entry and tell me favorite way to laze away a summer day. (Hopefully it involves books!)

~*~

Book Tagline: Boy meets and falls for girl. Girl 'dies' in a fiery explosion. Five years later, they meet again.

Series Tagline: Mix a little danger with hot romance.

~*~

Kier picked up her glass, sipped the wine, contemplating.

"I learned to shoot. Small arms for the most part, but I know how to sight and fire a rifle." Her hand twirled the glass and her gaze turned hard. "It may be overkill, but I keep a handgun in the house, my shop, the car. I have two on my boat along with a rifle." She raised her eyes to his. "I didn't plan to make it easy for them to kill me."

She wouldn't. Even without the small arsenal, she'd have put up a hell of a fight before going down. It was in her nature to battle back.

Lars reached across the table and laced his fingers with her free hand. "You were smart, Kier. You had no way of knowing what would happen after you left."

She shrugged a shoulder. "There have been several times over the last five years that I've felt like something was off. Not quite right." She squeezed his hand. "It'll take some getting used to… this being safe thing."

Shit. He had to come clean. Now.

He had a feeling it wouldn't be pretty.

"Uh, Kier, about that." He took a deep breath and just spit it out. "You may not be that far off base thinking something's not quite kosher."

Her brow knit with confusion. "But I thought you said—"

"I did. I lied."

Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. So many emotions crossed her face he couldn't keep up with them.

She got up and paced the kitchen. "What exactly did you lie about?"

Available on Amazon

~*~

Series Blurb: Sun, sand, and danger. International intrigue mixes with steamy romance to create hot situations—South of the Border.

Book Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate.

Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Turn up the heat! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Down in Mexico #MFRWHook

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

I'm starting something a little new. I'm going back to some of my earlier releases and sharing a few pivotal scenes—a new one each week for three to four weeks. Up first is Down in Mexico, book one of the South of the Border series, available from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

Today's post includes a tense moment between Lars and Kiernan when a moment of truth arrives.

Book Tagline: Boy meets and falls for girl. Girl 'dies' in a fiery explosion. Five years later, they meet again.

Series Tagline: Mix a little danger with hot romance.

~*~

Kier picked up her glass, sipped the wine, contemplating.

"I learned to shoot. Small arms for the most part, but I know how to sight and fire a rifle." Her hand twirled the glass and her gaze turned hard. "It may be overkill, but I keep a handgun in the house, my shop, the car. I have two on my boat along with a rifle." She raised her eyes to his. "I didn't plan to make it easy for them to kill me."

She wouldn't. Even without the small arsenal, she'd have put up a hell of a fight before going down. It was in her nature to battle back.

Lars reached across the table and laced his fingers with her free hand. "You were smart, Kier. You had no way of knowing what would happen after you left."

She shrugged a shoulder. "There have been several times over the last five years that I've felt like something was off. Not quite right." She squeezed his hand. "It'll take some getting used to… this being safe thing."

Shit. He had to come clean. Now.

He had a feeling it wouldn't be pretty.

"Uh, Kier, about that." He took a deep breath and just spit it out. "You may not be that far off base thinking something's not quite kosher."

Her brow knit with confusion. "But I thought you said—"

"I did. I lied."

Her mouth opened, then snapped shut. So many emotions crossed her face he couldn't keep up with them.

She got up and paced the kitchen. "What exactly did you lie about?"

Available on Amazon 

~*~

Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate, Kiernan's former employers.

After discovering she's alive and well, Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

Kiernan isn't completely safe. In fact, Lars is using her as bait to catch the last member of the espionage organization.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website 

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Down in Mexico #MFRWHook

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today, I'm starting something a little new. I'm going back to some of my earlier releases and sharing a few pivotal scenes—a new one each week for three to four weeks. Up first is Down in Mexico, book one of the South of the Border series, available from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

Book Tagline: Boy meets and falls for girl. Girl 'dies' in a fiery explosion. Five years later, they meet again.

Series Tagline: Mix a little danger with hot romance.

~*~

Lars lay on the bed for a moment and counted his blessings. Things went better than he'd hoped and he wanted it to stay that way. But they might not.

He rolled off the bed and rifled through the closet in search of the pants Kier mentioned.

Her sense of style had come a long way. Gone were the street rags she used to wear. Frayed cut-offs and threadbare t-shirts. In their place, she'd opted for rugged tropical weight clothing, a few simple dresses and about a dozen wetsuits.

He reached all the way in the back of the closet and found the pants. He grabbed the hangar and a swatch of black caught his eye. Throwing the dungarees over his shoulder his hand went back for the other item.

His battered and well-worn in leather jacket.

He wondered where it had disappeared to.

He'd thought one of the guys from his unit walked off with it while he'd been in the coma. Became too busy and focused on retribution afterward to worry about it.

He sat on the edge of the bed and tugged on the pants. She'd kept a part of him, a connection to their past. Knowing she had filled him with warmth.

It also added to the burden in his heart.

Click Link to Buy

~*~

Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate, Kiernan's former employers.

After discovering she's alive and well, Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

Kiernan isn't completely safe. In fact, Lars is using her as bait to catch the last member of the espionage organization.

~*~

~*~

Please stop by my website

Reel in more great books! Visit the other participating authors.

Get Hooked: Reel in a Great Book—Down in Mexico #MFRWHook

Welcome to Book Hooks, the weekly smorgasbord sampler hosted by the MFRW Authors Blog.

Readers: get hooked and reel in some great books. Authors are sharing short excerpts from their work. Please enjoy and consider picking up the full book by clicking on the buy link.

Today, I'm starting something a little new. I'm going back to some of my earlier releases and sharing a few pivotal scenes—a new one each week for three to four weeks. Up first is Down in Mexico, book one of the South of the Border series, available from Ellipses Press, Ltd.

Book Tagline: Boy meets and falls for girl. Girl 'dies' in a fiery explosion. Five years later, they meet again.

Series Tagline: Mix a little danger with hot romance.

~*~

Kiernan Darby had spent the last five long years on her own.

She'd built up a solid clientele at her diving school—tucked away from the truly touristy parts of Mexico—and she restored boats on the side. Sailboats—nothing with engines. She kept a low profile about the restoration… she couldn't afford to draw the wrong kind of attention to herself.

She'd disappeared without a trace for a reason and needed it to stay that way.

Flat on her back, refinishing the hull of a sadly neglected thirty-two footer, Kiernan looked through the decay to the beauty it could be again. She hummed along to some salsa music blaring from her Mp3 player and worked to remove a patch of dry rot. Maybe her sixth sense kicked in… or plain old self-preservation, but she looked sideways through the stripped-to-the-studs bottom portion of her shed to see a pair of bare feet—bare male feet—making their way along the outer drive and headed toward her.

An eerie feeling gripped her and she scooted out from under the boat, slowly and quietly, keeping those incredibly awesome legs within her sight. She stepped toward the open bay door, her gun a quick grab away, and ended up shocked speechless by what she saw.

Sort of saw. The sun glared from behind, but she had no trouble making out the bad Hawaiian shirt, unbuttoned to show a glimpse of the buff male form underneath, nor did she miss the beat up denim cargo shorts, complete with frayed hems. The hair threw her. Long and shaggy, the trade winds created a mad-scientist type look that warred with the aviator shades hiding the rest of his face.

Even with all that, she knew who found her. Time hung, and the hand hovering close to the hidden gun quickly dropped to her side as his name hissed out on a breath. "Lars."

He took a step toward her, but stopped just short of touching her. "Hey." The grin that lit his face had one of her own answering back.

"Hey." Her eyes squinting, she watched him remove his shades and toss them over his shoulder. 

"Everyone believes you're dead." His hand lifted, but stopped, like he couldn't be sure she wouldn't disappear if he touched her. "I thought you were dead."

"I am dead." And she had to stay that way.

~*~

Blurb: Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead. It's a life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate the members of a lethal crime syndicate, Kiernan's former employers.

After discovering she's alive and well, Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico. Their reunion is sweet… until he reveals a pesky detail he conveniently forgot to mention.

Kiernan isn't completely safe. In fact, Lars is using her as bait to catch the last member of the espionage organization.

~*~

~*~

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Sunday Snippet: Justice is Served

Hello,

Well, my show finales did not disappoint. S.H.I.E.L.D. did deliver an awesome ending to its first season. And, guys, Arrow pretty much blew me away. The fight scene between Deathstroke / Arrow superimposed on the Slade / Oliver island one counts as one of my very favorites of the entire series. I'm so excited to see where season three goes. As usual, Orphan Black gave me tons of stuff to speculate about and think on. My love for Paul grows every time he's on the screen, I kid you not. I WANT to know more about his background. I'm also completely turned around by Helena. That chick is off the charts insane, but she's also dead on with her observation skills. Seriously, I love her. LOL

Tonight's post is from Justice is Served, a novella with suspense and a little mayhem.

Here's the tagline:

Derby Stack is a cold-blooded killer, but not by choice. She's convicted for her crime, but makes a last ditch appeal to Nate Mobius's legal firm. He takes the case and together they uncover a trail leading back to her childhood therapist.

And a snippety peek…

Derby watched the medallion spinning back and forth, listening to the monotone voice of her therapist as he counted backwards from one hundred. Her eyelids drooped and she hated this part of the sessions. At twelve, she didn't understand the benefit of hypnosis, but Dr. Mune convinced her foster mom Derby would be forever changed by the treatment.

What a load of crap.

"Derby, you're relaxed now, and open to all suggestions. Do you understand?"

Derby automatically responded, "Yes, Dr. Mune."

"Good, good." He placed the shiny medal aside and moved in closer. "Do you remember what we covered in our last session?"

Derby nodded. "Yes, Dr. Mune."

"And what was that, Derby?"

Derby didn't hesitate with her answer. "Detailed instructions on how to kill someone."

Dr. Mune smiled. "Good, Derby, very good."

Yeah, I think Derby will definitely be forever changed… and not in a good way. J

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Call of the Ripper

Hello!

Gotta say, my television shows are eating my brain lately. I'm dying for Walking Dead tonight even though the Governor makes my skin crawl. I got caught up on Sleepy Hollow and totally love the dynamic of the entire show. Reminds me so much of the X-files. Agents of S.H.E.I.L.D. is coming together pretty nicely. I'm enjoying the character dynamics. Sons of Anarchy keeps me on the edge of my seat and I so want to hate Gemma, but can't quite go across the line into loathing territory. But I would love to see her get some kind of comeuppance. We'll see what happens.

Again, Arrow and Tomorrow People had me glued to my screen on Wednesday. Arrow truly gets better each episode. Tomorrow People keeps me guessing and I hope it stays that way. I'm really excited to see where Haven ends up going and how they'll resolve the current storyline. I can't remember if this is the last season or not, but I'm almost hoping it isn't.

And hey, I'm currently enjoying a Firefly marathon on the Science Channel. I have much love for that show.

So… tonight's post. Call of the Ripper is both fun and hopefully a little creepy. My characters are Ripperologists and Faith has a weird connection to her work, she's been dreaming of the past and decides she needs to visit Whitechapel to maybe sever the tie. Fun times. :D

Here's the tagline:

Two 'Ripperologists' take a working vacation to experience the essence of Jack's madness. But when a modern day stalker takes an interest in their excursion, the call of the ripper hits a little too close for comfort.

And the snippety peek…

Faith sat up in bed. "Holy shit, I know what we need to do." She nudged Sean. "Sean. Wake up." She twisted sideways and rocked him back and forth. "Sean."

He blinked and shook his head. "What?" He turned towards her. "Are you okay? Did you have another nightmare?" He laid a hand on her thigh, squeezing gently.

She jerked her head back and forth. "No. No bad dream this time." She laced her fingers with his. "But I think I know what'll stop them." She leaned down and snagged his lips for a quick kiss. "We have to go to Whitechapel."

Sean groaned and flopped back onto the mattress. "You have got to be kidding me." He stared up at the ceiling and let out a big sigh. "When are we leaving?"

Faith bounced forward and braced her arms on his chest. "Really? We can go?" Her heart rate kicked up a notch, excitement flooding her. "You think it's a good idea?"

He snorted. "Hell, no. It's a terrible idea." He angled sideways and shifted her around, wrapping her in his embrace. "But we'll call it a working vacation. Maybe seeing the Ripper's killing field will drive the bad dreams away."

Faith snuggled back against Sean and dragged his hand to her mouth, grazing her lips over his knuckles. "I love you for being willing to let me find out."

Sean brushed his lips along her throat. "You love me, period." His hands grasped her hips, pulling them into his groin.

Faith laughed and turned, facing him. "I do, yes. And…" Her mouth hovered close to his.

A slow smile spread across his face. "I feel the same for you." He closed the gap and kissed her, hard, his tongue slipping past her lips.

His hand drifted between her legs and Faith moaned, going from playful to wanton in a heartbeat. She bucked against Sean's palm, seeking contact, building friction, and thanking her lucky stars she'd found the absolute best man on the planet.

Sorry, but I'm leaving it there. Needless to say, Faith and Sean have a very active sex life. :D

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Down in Mexico (South of the Border, Book One)

September 29, 2013

Hello!

All right, people, I have dire thinky thoughts about two of my favorite shows, Strike Back and Sons of Anarchy, which I won't share here, but suffice to say, it's not looking good for a few characters. EEK!

Thank goodness, Arrow returns in two weeks and I can get my superhero fix again soon. Whew.

Tonight's post is from an already released manuscript, Down in Mexico, and features two of my very favorite characters in the South of the Border series—Kiernan and Lars.

Here's the tagline:

Kiernan Darby spends five long years playing dead, living life in limbo, but it lets Lars Rademacher do his job and eliminate members of a lethal crime syndicate. Lars tracks Kiernan down in Mexico and their reunion is sweet… until Lars reveals a pesky detail he forgot to mention.

And a snippety peek…

Five long, damn years and it all rushed back, the way she felt about him. Kiernan shoved his shirt off his shoulders then yanked her tank top over her head. Started on his shorts while he peeled hers down. Their eyes met and he hauled her to him, mouth crushing hers in a bruising kiss. He lifted her, walked the ten steps across the patio to back her up against the weathered wood exterior of the house, never once breaking the kiss.

Less than three feet from the open door, they didn't even make it inside the home. Kiernan wrapped her legs around his waist and welcomed his smooth thrust of entry. Lips, teeth, hands, everywhere at once, kicked up the heat. She didn't last long. Pent up need and desire had her breaking after a few strokes, breathing hard against his shoulder, shattering in his arms, gasping his name.

Lars followed right behind, cupping her ass, pumping his hips two more times before coming hard, her name a burst of harsh air against her ear.

When he caught his breath, he murmured. "I love you, Kier."

Words she so badly wanted to hear. Kiernan went from the mind-bending, exquisite high of sex to gut-wrenching sobs. For all the lost time, the loneliness, the fear and the limbo-like existence she'd been living. She lost it, completely, but Lars didn't let go.

Instead he carried her into the house, figured out the way to her room, settled them on the bed and held her. His arms a safe haven, Kiernan let it all pour out. His hands smoothed over her hair, stroking gently, lulling her into relaxation.

She had no idea how long they sat there, Lars whispering words that further soothed her tired soul. The sun, no longer high in the sky, cast shadows in the room when she finally exhausted her supply of tears.

She sniffled and kissed his chest. "I love you too, by the way." She looked up and gave him a lopsided grin. "Not that you'd know from the waterworks display."

His arms tightened around her, his answering smile sad, but very sexy. "You earned every one of those tears." He dropped a kiss on the tip of her nose. "But it's really over, Kier. We finally have a chance."

Kiernan nodded, jerkily, almost afraid to believe it. After all, she still had trouble believing the events that led to her playing dead. But everything would prove true.

She'd been such an idiot. Young and desperate, she took on a job without asking questions. Snuggling against Lars, she finally went back to where it began.

Ahhh. Reunions are so much fun to write. :D :D

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That's it for this week. Happy Reading!

Skylin