Sunday Snippet: Academic Challenge

Well, had a better week than the last one. Still not completely tip-top but feeling way better with the worst of the cold finally over. We got more snow this week, but warmer temperatures are around the corner. At least for a few days.

I got caught up on my work projects and lined up a potential new one. I'll be starting a new copy edit on one of my favorite mystery series and continuing my read through on the nonfiction project.

I'm setting up a storefront for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm kind of doing things a bit backward, but the more I thought about it, the more I figured a storefront would lend legitimacy to this endeavor. I wanted to keep things super simple and offer various methods of payment and I might still be able to do that, but I also thought it would be best to have immediate access to a downloadable file instead of waiting on a delivery to an inbox. We'll see which version works out the best.

Had an okay week of viewing. I didn't make a full cycle through of my shows, but I did get the back half watched. And I might be adding one additional show to the roster. I'll let everyone know if that happens.

Watched another episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed this one. Sherlock's dynamic with Joan is different and getting more settled. And Kitty is fitting in with both in ways I didn't expect.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I remembered this one and enjoyed it. I did forget the interaction with Terry and his brother so that was a nice reminder.

Enjoyed another new-to-me episode of Classic Rugrats. I sometimes wish Nickelodeon had continued with the plans for the pre-school show and added more of All Grown Up. The nostalgia is strong with this franchise. Instead, Spongebob and other weird stuff took off.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Academic Challenge, a novella where the characters probably shouldn't try to date but end up doing so.

Here's the miniblurb:

Holly Patz, the newest TA for Professor Sam Ingali, wants to enjoy the experience. But when rumors start swirling about her relationship with the handsome instructor, she has to decide whether to stick around and become his latest conquest or turn the odds in her favor.

And a snippety peek…

Sam spied Holly enter the auditorium toward the end of his lecture.

He didn't break his speech even when his ire sparked. She had his laptop tucked under her arm while she hurried to the front row, taking a seat at the far end. He barely spared her a glance and continued speaking to finish his final point.

He ended with a nod toward the class. "That's it for today. Finish up your assignments and have them uploaded for grading before our next session." He waited until the students started for the exit then pinned Holly with a hard glare. "My office. Now." Not waiting for a response, he left the podium and left through the side door leading to the corridor.

He gave full rein to his anger. And let disappointment crowd in also. He couldn't believe she strolled into class during the last ten minutes.

Unlocking his door, he left it cracked then crossed to his desk.

Holly entered and set his laptop on the desk. "What's your problem?" Her eyes were narrowed and her head tilted to one side.

Sam snarled. "You wander in late—with my notes—and you're asking me what my problem is?" He flung a hand out. "Just because we're having sex and you're not a morning person, you can't just skip the class, especially when you're supposed to have everything ready to go for me."

Holly arched her brows. "Just because we're having sex?" She glanced toward the desk and reached out, snagging his phone from the right side. "If you bothered to check your voice mail and your texts, you'd know why I couldn't be here to have everything ready to go." She unlocked his phone, found the voice mail icon, and played the message she left about the accident she got stuck behind.

Then she showed him the string of texts she'd sent.

Sam closed his eyes. "Damn."

Holly shoved the phone at him. "Why you think I'd pick now to start pulling the sex card, I have no idea. But … if your opinion of me is really that low, last night can be the final time we ever hook up." She shook her head. "I won't put up with that kind of bullshit. I'm a TA, Sam, not a slave." With a last look in his direction, she exited his office, slamming the door behind her.

Sam's shoulders slumped. "Fuck. I'm an asshole." He definitely owed her an apology.

And an explanation. Except … he couldn't say exactly why he'd got so pissed off at her.

Okay, not completely true. He'd come to rely on her, and she fit so well with him, understanding his quirks and idiosyncrasies. Almost too much so and sometimes he wondered if they were too good together to be true.

Snorting, he ran a hand through his hair. "And now I've gotta figure out how to fix this." Starting with not acting like a dickhead anymore.

Pulling his chair out, he settled behind the desk and opened his laptop. She had an art history class for the next two hours. Time enough for him to get his shit together and hope like hell she'd let him apologize and explain his asinine behavior.

Which meant hitting pause for a moment to examine why he jumped to a stupid conclusion. The answer didn't take long to find. His past mistakes mixing professional and personal with colleagues manifested in a big way and he took the easy road and blamed Holly.

He closed his eyes. "Shit. This is a me problem." One he needed to resolve if he wanted a chance with her. "And I do."

He also had the beginnings of an idea how he wanted to make amends…

I like how this story is coming together. Sam is tricky to get a handle on sometimes, but he's fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Suspect Elimination

Ugh. Still feeling terrible and under the weather. The respiratory yuck that's going around in my area is awful. I think I'm through the worst. Fingers crossed!

Had a whole slew of new projects land in my inbox this week. I'm so thankful for the work and truly hope I can get back to a normal schedule where I don't crash several times a day and need to rest.

Slow viewing week, mainly due to the aforementioned rest periods. When I only got about two to three hours of sleep at a stretch, those nap sessions were super important.

I started the fifth and final season of Suspects. Wow, brutal opening episode and kind of a heartbreaker. I have a feeling Jack is going to go completely off the rails. And Charlie needs to have a moment to grieve and wrap her head around everything.

I finished the tenth season of Brokenwood Mysteries. I love this show so much. I'll look forward to the next season with lots of anticipation.

Caught another episode of Best in Paradise. I rather liked meeting Humphrey's dad and rewatching this episode ended up being a great reminder of how fierce Florence could be.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd watched a little of this one and I'm glad I got to see it from beginning to end. Very twisty plot threads in this one.

Watched another episode of Elementary. Nice to see Mycroft again. Loved the new dynamic between the brothers. Gotta say I'm on the fence with the whole Watson sleeping with Mycroft deal, but we'll see if I come down on one side or the other later.

Caught an episode of The Batman and it's one I remember from my original watch. I liked seeing Dick in school and the double-cross by the Riddler ended up being fun. The ending, though, topped everything.

Enjoyed a Classic Rugrats episode that departed from the normal two to three vignettes. "Finsterella" was such a fun episode of the show.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Suspect Elimination, a novella where a couple is brought together by solving a mystery.

Here's the miniblurb:

On a college campus, someone is pulling some not-so-nice pranks that escalate to a dangerous level on a group of friends. Elena Houghton and Oscar Scanlon aren't going to put up with the nastiness anymore and take it upon themselves to eliminate the suspects to find the culprit. Along the way they discover a mutual attraction for each other.

And a snippety peek…

Elena Houghton unlocked the doors to Caldwell Hall. "Nothing like covering the six a.m. slot." Being the program director for both the college radio and television stations meant filling in when she couldn't delegate the responsibility to someone else.

She snorted and rolled her eyes. Caller ID sucks sometimes. Especially when no one wants to come in at the ass crack of yuck o'clock. When Suz Heslip texted to say she couldn't make it due to illness, Elena tried four different people and none of them responded to her calls or texts.

Pocketing her keys, she started toward the corridor leading to the radio studio. "That leaves me." She'd get the news recorded and review the announcements.

At least the early show only lasted sixty minutes. She could probably catch a nap before her class at eleven. If nobody else called in sick.

She passed the media classrooms and made the turn to get to the studio. She'd grown used to the tomblike atmosphere of the lower level of Caldwell and the maze of academic offices, lecture rooms, along with the studios. The building also housed the Thompson Theater—her other home away from home at the university—and quite possibly where she'd catch some additional shut eye.

Almost to the studio, her steps slowed. "What the hell?" The door stood open, which should not be the case.

The first thing she learned as a freshman two years ago? Never, ever leave the studio unlocked or let the door stay open. Had one of their incoming crop of students missed that memo? Who knew? But the responsibility of making that message heard landed at her feet.

A skitter of apprehension slid down her spine but she shook her head. "Stop it. You've been in this building alone more times than you can count." Then again, her recent film study of classic horror movies had creeptastic images running through her head.

She made a tsking sound. "Dammit, just go in already." Nothing lurked in the darkness.

Ignoring how stupid she felt, she crossed the threshold into the inky blackness … and let out a startled shout when a heavy figure dropped down from above glancing off her shoulder. She swung wildly and pushed hard against … something.

Biting back a terrorizing scream, she fumbled along the wall until her fingers found the light panel. Flipping every switch on, she spun around, blinking against the suddenly bright room but ready to do battle…

With an effigy?

"What the actual fuck?"

Someone had gone to a buttload of trouble. A large, stuffed form dangled from the ceiling braces surrounding the tiles. Dressed in a pair of jeans and a flannel with a set of headphones over the head, the macabre thing swiveled back and forth.

Pissed off and heart still pounding, Elena dragged her phone out and fired off a group text. "Mandatory meeting at Caldwell. 7am. Don't even think about not showing up." She sent the message then headed over to record the news, glad to have anything else to focus on.

During a break, she'd contact the professors and, shit, probably the campus police … because even if Mr. Creepy had been meant as a joke, someone still broke in. At the very least, the culprit created a dangerous situation.

Heaving a sigh, Elena dragged a hand through her hair. "There's goes my nap…"

I'm just starting this one and I'm excited to see where things go. Elena is so much fun to write with her focused and ordered personality. Oscar will have a slacker energy that drives her bonkers but also offers unexpected insight.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin