Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

Even though March is my birth month and the birth month of my mom and one of my best friends, I'm kind of glad to kick it to the curb. It's been a wild ride this month. That said, it's also been intensely productive, so I'm really not complaining.

The weather is still drunk, wildly surging one direction then lurching back only to zing forward again. My sinuses hate me right now. And my throat has that I just swallowed glass with a gravel chaser sound at the moment.

Still buried with work but I'm making great progress on all fronts. I added another new hourly project to the pile and made a big dent in that one yesterday.

Not a bad week for viewing. I got through my usual slate and did a marathon watch to finish out the week.

Ended up watching two episodes of Elementary and both were actually terrific. I'm very interested in seeing how things with Kitty play out in the next few installments.

Caught two episodes of Batman Beyond. Always happy to see the Royal Flush show up and I liked the throwback to Bane.

Also enjoyed two Classic Rugrats episodes. I'm about halfway through the final season and I think I'll pick back up with the new reboot once I'm finished up.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise and I'm enjoying having Darlene working with the team. She's a great addition. Also glad to see Neville's sister exit. Maybe she'll grow on me, but I didn't enjoy her at all.

Watched the first official episode of season two Beyond Paradise. Really enjoyed the way the mystery unfolded. Also loved the resolution.

I ended up not quite finishing the episode of London Kills but I should have that one completed this week.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from The Cabin, a novella featuring a breakup before things really get started.

Here's the miniblurb:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when he 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 a snippety peek…

"Here goes nothing." Kari made the trek up the mountain and pulled to a quiet stop in the picturesque driveway.

She slid from the vehicle, drank in the view, and picked her way 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.

"Holy hell. He's amazing." Her heart wanted them to work, and she hoped he'd want the same.

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 but said nothing. First move belonged to her. 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.

Whip eased back and stroked his thumb over her cheek. "Sorry for getting you all sweaty." He reached for his shirt, hanging off a spare axe, and draped it over his shoulder.

Kari's lips curved. "My suggestion would be getting sweaty another way…" She met his gaze and held it. "After we talk."

His mouth twisted in a sexy smirk. "By all means…" He held his arm out with a flourish, indicating she should enter the house.

The back door led to the kitchen area, and Whip paused by the sink to fill a cup with water. While he drained the liquid, she peeked around. The cabin had four rooms and loads of charm. A combination living and dining area butted up to the kitchen. A bathroom sat off to the right side and the last room had a … desk and chairs. Glancing up, she discovered a loft area that no doubt had a bed.

Whip leaned against the fridge. "Warner, right?" His voice lacked heat, but his lips were a slash across his face.

She confirmed with a nod. "Your brother did stop by." Angling her head, she flashed a quick smile. "Kind of glad he did. I missed you like mad."

Whip's eyes went dark and smoky. "Missed you, too." He pushed away from the refrigerator and made his way to her side. "Mind if I grab a shower before we…" His gaze gave her a slow once-over. "Talk?"

Kari sucked in her lower lip. "No." She ran a finger down his chest. "Happy to wait."

Whip's lips kicked up in a smile. "Be right back." He popped the button on his jeans and headed to the bathroom.

Kari wandered into the living area, flushed and hot. She glanced up again and didn't hesitate, scrambling up the steps. Her shirt came off before she cleared the last riser. The loft had a built-in dresser that lined one wall and window seat that stretched along the other. A closet tucked up under the pitch of the roof. Shedding her shorts, she quickly removed her bra and panties then turned down the bed cover.

"Kari?" Whip called for her.

She peeked over the edge of the railing that looked down into the living room. "Up here."

Whip grinned, dropped his towel, and started up the stairs.

This is a lot of fun to write. Exploring the sometimes faltering steps to a happily ever after is such an experience.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

Crazy week with projects finishing up and new ones starting. I love the variety of editing work I have right now.

Pretty decent week of television. I got caught up and back on my regular schedule for the most part. I have a few new recommendations and I have to decide if I'm going to work those shows into my weekly viewing calendar.

To start things off this week, I caught an episode of The Ready Room with a recap of season two, episode nine. This was such a great one. I always love when the interviewee is a huge fan of the franchise.

Watched two episodes of Chicago Med. I'm a little disgusted by Nat's storyline even if I'm thrilled to bits that she kicked Philip to the curb. I'm so glad Maggie finally told the others what's going on with her. Nice to see Noah kind of stepping up and growing in his role as a resident. I love this show.

Enjoyed an episode of The Snoopy Show. I kind of like it when they let Snoopy act like a dog and enjoy things like head scratches. So much fun.

Caught the bonus episode of Signora Volpe with behind the scenes cast interviews. I'm hoping there will be another season of this show because I really love the characters.

Watched a well-done first-parter of Silent Witness. This arc is very twisty and turny. I have a solid idea of who the killer is and why they're trying to set up Nicki. Can't wait to find out if I'm right.

Enjoyed an episode of Classic Who. Ace is rather fun and I like how she handled the betrayal. This is another episode kind of set in the fifties and that always interests me because it was such a thing in the late seventies and early eighties.

Started season three (because there is no season two) of Most Terrifying Places in America. This one focused on haunted road trips and I liked the change in the format. I'll finish the series out before starting something new.

Finished the first season of The Mandalorian. I truly loved it! Now I have to decide if I'm going to dive right into the next season or start a new show and wait until it's closer to season three. Stay tuned.

Caught an episode of Harrow and, whoo boy, the walls are closing in. James is a big, fat liar—about everything. Nichols is completely in the know and it kind of breaks my heart because Harrow needs friends and he might have burned a bridge here. I still completely dislike the boss person even though they tried to soften her up by giving her a kid. Sorry, not buying it.

Watched an episode of Blue Heelers and loved it. A very young Sullivan Stapleton guest starred and the storyline rocked. Good stuff.

Enjoyed another MasterClass with Roxane Gay. She discussed the writing process in this lesson and I took away some good information.

Also caught two more episodes of Classic Rugrats and took another trip down memory lane. This show played such a huge role in my kids' childhoods. Makes me happy to reminisce.

That's pretty much it for this week's life update. Tonight's post is from The Cabin, a novella that features a bit of a sibling rivalry with a twist.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when he 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 a snippety peek…

Whip liked Kari Kells. She didn't mince words but she didn't go out of her way to be as blunt as she could have been. The shit show his brother turned in deserved the rejection letter.

Shaking his head, he shoved the work back into the portfolio. "I'm sorry. I've completely wasted your time here." He zipped the file and tucked it under his arm. "I'll be having a long conversation with my brother…" He paused when he glanced up to find her studying him. "But, er, not today. I need some time to cool down. Right now, I want to thump him."

Kari laughed and, holy crap, she lit up. He wouldn't call her cute and pretty didn't quite cut it. Gorgeous worked and not in an intimidating way. She had an open beauty that made her approachable.

Geez, listen to me. Get a grip, man.

Kari lifted her chin. "I'd suggest not being too hard on your brother, but he needs to know I can't make room." Her lips quirked. "Even if he sends in the big guns in an attempt to change my mind."

Whip blinked. "Is that a compliment?" He sounded stupid, but, shit … he'd been out of the dating game for a long time.

Then again, how long had it been since he'd been interested in going out with someone? He definitely had more than a passing curiosity here. Sparks all but flew between them.

Kari gave a nod. "Definitely a compliment. And I'm trained to recognize a work of art when I see one." Her lips curved in a sly grin.

Whip huffed out a breath. "Well, thank you. I'm a little out of practice with the whole flirting and banter thing. Between work and Warner, I don't have a lot of time." He met her gaze. "But I want to make time if you'll have dinner with me tonight." He winced. "What I mean is, I'd like to do something to make up for my brother's blunder and I'd really like to get to know you better."

Kari tilted her head to one side. "What about Warner? Will he be included?"

Whip snorted. "Hell, no. Warner can fend for himself." His brother needed to step up and act like an adult.

Kari reached for a notepad. "In that case, why don't you give me a call later today and we'll figure something out. I have class until six." She tore the page off and handed it to him.

Whip took the number and tucked it into his shirt pocket. "I'll do that." He grinned. "I'll look forward to it." With a quick wave, he headed for the door.

Once he got outside and into his vehicle, he quickly keyed her number into his phone.

Staring at the screen, he chuckled. "Hot damn. I have a date."

I love having a family dynamic and this one is going to be fun to explore. Whip wears a lot of figurative hats and he's going to add one more.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

Well, May is starting out fairly chilly and gloomy in my part of the country. It's been quite a while since we've had true spring weather and we're definitely getting it so far. I'm hoping it doesn't rain on the weekend my youngest gets to have her drive-up graduation. We're still not risking anyone's health by having a full-blown commencement ceremony.

Slower than usual week in television. I finally got to finish Picard and Strike Back; also got Strike Back Declassified in. I love those behind the scenes moments and interviews.

Finished up a four-part arc on Gargoyles, watching the last two episodes this week. It's weird how the voice actors are enemies on this show and their characters are allies on Star Trek TNG.

Watched another episode of The Witcher. This show has me very intrigued. Definitely glad there will be another season. At least I think there will be.

Caught several episodes of Danger Man, most being ones I didn't remember. I might have to rewatch The Prisoner when I'm done with this series.

Watched the first episode of Crisis on Infinite Earths with the Supergirl episode. I'll do more this week but I needed a moment to wrap my head around this one. I loved the cameo appearances and look forward to more of those but I'm already crushed by the events in this opening episode. Good stuff. That's all I'm saying.

That's pretty much it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Cabin, a novella with family dynamics, one of my favorite tropes to dive into.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when he 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 a snippety peek…

Kari glanced up when a knock sounded on her office door. "It's open." She checked her calendar … none of her students had an appointment scheduled.

The door opened to admit a certified prime specimen of the male species. Dark hair, green eyes, a nicely put together package of angular planes and muscular bulges. Her fingers itched to break out the clay and start sculpting.

She rose from her chair. "Is there something I can help you with?" A little older to be a student, but too young to be a parent, her curiosity kicked up a notch.

He flashed a grin and walked to her desk then stretched out his palm. "I hope so. Name's Whip Harrington. I'm Warner's brother."

Oh. Okay. This could get interesting.

Giving him a tentative smile, she clasped his hand. "Kari Kells. You're here to pick up your brother's portfolio?" Reaching down, she opened her drawer and retrieved the folder.

Whip gave a nod. "I'm also hoping you'll maybe reconsider and think about letting him take your class." He wore a hopeful expression.

Kari sighed. "You didn't see what he turned in for the evaluation, did you?" She unzipped the file and spread it out on her desk. "I only have room for twenty students and, as this is deemed an easy credit class, I have about a hundred vying for the slots." She moved the pages into a neat line across the surface.

His gaze snapped to hers when she mentioned the easy credit.

Her lips curved. "I'm not pretentious, Mr. Harrington. My art introduction class is designed to be a filler course but it doesn't mean the applicants shouldn't at least try to do their best work." Her hand swept over the projects Warner turned in. "Would you consider this acceptable?" She raised her gaze to gauge his reaction.

Whip's lips thinned to a slash. "Jesus. He didn't even try."

And, in the space of a heartbeat, Kari decided she liked this Whip Harrington.

I'm such a fan of family conflict and resolving it in fun ways. Whip and Kari will have some interesting issues to deal with.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

I hope everyone who celebrated Thanksgiving had a wonderful one. Ours was low key, exactly the way I like it.

Somewhat of a short week for television. I did enjoy The Flash and Legends of Tomorrow. Getting some insight into Mick's world made me happy. The big crossover is coming up on Monday and I'm kind of excited to see it.

Arrow's Thanksgiving episode turned out to be excellent. Love having Thea back and hopefully back in true Thea form.

As usual, I'm behind on a few of my binge watch shows but I'm addicted to the Hallmark Channels' holiday movies. I really love having something going pretty much 24 / 7.

Looking forward to the return of Riverdale next week.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Cabin, a novella that got a writing community start with a prompt of: Grandpa's cabin.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when he 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 a snippety peek…

Warner Harrington slammed the door and stomped into the kitchen. "Whip, you're not gonna believe what that bitch professor did to me." He waved an envelope with an open letter back and forth.

Whip leveled his gaze on his younger brother. "Why don't you calm down and fill me in." He put the lid on the pasta sauce and turned the burner down.

Warner had cooking duty on Wednesday nights. But Whip stepped in when his brother didn't show up until five minutes ago. Well after six p.m.

Warner paced back and forth. "She's not letting me into her class. And I need the elective or I can't take what I want to next semester." He paused a moment, sniffing the air. "What's on the stove, bro?" Reaching out, he removed the lid and inhaled deeply. "Ah, man. We just had pasta two days ago." He grumbled about needing variety in their diet.

Maybe if he'd been home when he should have been, they wouldn't be having spaghetti a second time this week. Whip resisted the urge to thwap his brother upside the head. One thing at a time and schooling came first.

Whip nudged his brother back on topic. "You said something about your class…"

Warner shoved the letter toward Whip. "Yeah, stupid bitch refused to let me in her class."

Whip grabbed his brother's wrist before taking the page. "What did I tell you about respect, Warn?" He tightened his grip. "Do we need to have the conversation again?" He hated having to play three roles sometimes.

Dad. Mom. Brother. So much easier before Mom died and Dad left.

Warner jerked his hand away. "No, we don't. I'm sorry." He pointed to the letter. "I'm pissed because it's too late to sign up for another elective and I needed this class."

Whip quickly read the rejection. "Okay, look, it says you can pick up your portfolio during her office hours. Maybe I stop by to get it and speak to Ms. Kells and see if she'll reconsider." Putting the letter aside, he went back to getting dinner ready. "Why didn't you have a backup in place like we talked about?" He set the table and indicated Warner should get some glasses for their drinks.

Warner pulled two tumblers down from the cupboard. "Eh, the art class looked like the easiest class for credit. The others had too many assignments and research projects." He filled the cups with tea because Warner didn't remember to stop and get soda yesterday.

Whip brought the food to the table. "Fine. Busting your chops obviously won't do any good since it's too late but, seriously, you've got to get your shit together, Warner."

His brother flashed a smile. "That's what I have you for, bro. You'll go talk to the lady and get it all straightened out." He pulled his chair out and dug into the spaghetti.

Whip shook his head but stayed silent. His brother's confidence in Whip's ability to smooth things over might end up being misplaced. But Whip would try. He couldn't not at least make the attempt. But Warner might end up being sorely disappointed.

Whip's negotiating skills only went so far.

I'm having fun writing the bratty Warner. Whip's going to have to decide what to do about his immature brother.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Cabin

Greetings!

Ugh. I'm fighting a nasty summer cold / allergy / yuck something, which I'm hoping runs its course before next week. School starts on August 25, but my kidlets already have golf and football stuff going on. We've already had a football scrimmage and our first golf match is Monday. Sadly, I won't be going because I can't breathe when I go outside. LOL Ugh. Seriously, my nasal passages can clear up any time now.

Let's see. Teen Wolf? Yeah. A shit ton of stuff happened in the last episode. Glad to see things moving forward. I'm now excited to see Monday's episode. If I'm not in a cold / allergy medication induced coma. <see above>

Friday night on Syfy is still kicking major ass. Defiance turned in a pretty awesome episode. But… I was sad to see one of the characters go. I'm also dying to see where this whole thing ends and there better be another season to wrap stuff up. I'm going to be very angry if there isn't. LOL

Killjoys seriously keeps me glued to the screen. This is another one where a new season is a must. The pacing and everything else related to backstory and world building is just about perfect. The only thing I'd like to see a little more of is John's history. I'd even throw Pawter in there, too, but I'm actually okay with what's been revealed of her history so far. Here's hoping next week's episode is mind-blowing.

Dark Matter… cliffhanger ahoy! I'll be riveted to see how Two gets out of the predicament she landed in. I'm also interested in seeing where they end this season. While this show spends a little more time on backstory / exposition, I'm definitely excited by the possibilities of more.

The Last Ship. What can I say? I've praised everything from the pacing, characters, actors, and writing. I'll add all the twists and turns to the mix. I totally didn't see Rachel's ballsy action last week and I can't wait to see if shit flies or not. I'm kind of hoping for the latter because seriously? Her move needed to happen. Just saying.

And enough about TV. Tonight's post is from The Cabin, a novella where my main characters almost let family drama get in the way of something really great.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Whip meets the woman of his dreams when he 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 a snippety peek…

Kari Kells shook her head after reviewing Warner Harrington's portfolio. "This guy didn't even try to follow the guidelines to get into my class." Closing the heavy zip-up folder, she set it aside and started on her notes.

She began with a rejection letter, explaining in plain terms Warner needed to double check the qualifications if he wanted to apply for her class again in the spring. Then she made opened the portfolio again and made detailed comments on his lack of vision, his half-assed attempt create something modern with paint slashes and splatters, which actually looked like a four-year-old's work. The sloppy techniques showed haste and little thought behind the projects.

If he wanted an art credit, it wouldn't be in her class. She wouldn't waste her time on someone who'd attempt to bluff his way through the semester course.

In fact, she resented the hour she spent reviewing and rejecting Warner's application. Her class had room for twenty students and over one hundred vied for one of those spots. And most of those put forth a huge amount of effort to get in.

Not so with Harrington. She shook her head again, then attached the notes and closed the portfolio. After printing off the rejection letter, she stuffed it in an envelope and gathered up the materials to drop off at the office.

Locking her office door, she started down the hallway. "Better luck next time, kid. You're not going to be happy, but a good lesson to learn." Her heels clicked on the tiled floor, sounding the death knell for Warner Harrington to earn an elective credit in art.

I'm excited about this one. I love having a family dynamic even if it's not a full-on sibling rivalry.

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