Sunday Snippet: Zipline and Sinker (a South of the Border novella)

Happy Kendrick Lamar Does the Halftime Show to all who celebrate. I'll be feasting on food that's terrible for me because that's my favorite part of this weekend.

I'm still doing small things for Tip Jar Shorts. I'm trying to get my other blogs and my author website updated with the new material and I'm looking at possible setting up immediate downloads. That's a goal and I hope I can get there. Trying to gauge interest first. I also kept up with drawing one oracle card a day and posting the results on Bluesky.

Had a fairly busy work week. I finished up a copy edit and completed a combination copy edit proofread. I also had a terrific meeting with a new client, and I'll be working on evaluating their manuscript over the next few weeks. Very exciting!

Slow week for viewing. I had a lot of distractions and couldn't focus on watching very much. I think lack of sleep played a role there. I'm trying to figure out what kind of sleep schedule I need right now.

I did get a few shows in, starting with Elementary, which ended up being a really great episode and I enjoyed it.

Also caught an episode of Batman Beyond. I'm very nostalgic for this show right now and thoroughly enjoying the rewatch.

Watched another episode of Classic Rugrats. Again, the two vignettes were new to me. Although, I think they were out of order with the rest of the season because one showed how Chas and Kira ended up with the coffee shop.

I started an episode of One Lane Bridge and should finish it up today. This show has some twists, and I enjoy those but also need to be able to focus so I don't miss important details.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Zipline and Sinker, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the miniblurb:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Faulk woke up with Vaughn's naked body curved around his.

Fuck. I caved. I always do.

Every time he swore he'd never get sucked into the whole bump into Vaughn, fight like crazy people, then fuck like maniacs again, he ended up falling under her spell and giving her exactly what she wanted. Namely his dick. He sucked at keeping self-made promises, and damn, if he didn't fucking hate her sometimes.

Vaughn stirred and stretched then gave him a beautiful smile. "Hello, handsome." She rolled to her side and fished around for her clothes. "I gotta go get the artifact then we can head out. I stashed it close to where I came out of the river." She shrugged her tank top over her head.

Faulk shook his head while shoving his feet into his fatigues. "I don't think so. We go now. There's no time to waste." Did she really think she could lead him around by his cock?

Vaughn's brow furrowed and she started packing her gear.

She thinks it'll be business as usual, but I've got other plans. Namely getting her out of Cramer's reach.

She attempted to cajole him. "You know, Faulk, we make a great team." She zipped her pack and hoisted it up onto her back. "If we split the difference by having you refill the bottles and me going to retrieve the jaguar … then we can head north and take the ravine bridge to cross back into Mexico."

Faulk jerked his head back and forth. "No can do. The bridge is toast. I noticed when I parachuted in." He had a possible contact on the Mexican side that could help, but Faulk hadn't been able to reach him.

Vaughn slumped. "Fucking Cramer." She straightened, squaring her shoulders. "I'm not leaving without the artifact. You do what you have to."

Faulk raked a hand through his hair to avoid punching the nearest flat surface. "Do you always have to make things difficult?" Stupid question … of course, she did.

Vaughn gave him a look. "Fill the bottles. Then we go. End of story." She started for the entrance of the mission.

Faulk snarled. "If you're not back in fifteen minutes, you're on your own. Cramer's team is still on your ass, and it won't take long for them to double back … if they haven't already." He stuffed his bedroll into his pack. "So, yeah. That'll be the end of the story. We gotta move and get going." He checked his weapon, tucking his spare clip of ammo into his thigh pocket.

Vaughn grunted. "Fine. Fifteen minutes or I'm on my own." She cracked the door open and checked the area before she exited.

Faulk growled. "Clock's ticking, sweetheart." He grabbed the bottles and headed for the spring behind the mission.

I love this couple so much. Faulk and Vaughn are a lot of fun to write.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zipline and Sinker

I'm still working on keeping all the plates spinning in the air. Finished up a few work projects and started more. I'm definitely not complaining even if I wouldn't mind things slowing down a wee bit.

Had a light week for television. I've pretty much decided that getting through one round of my rotation is doing well at the moment. I have some home projects that need attention and that cuts into screen time.

Caught another episode of Peak Practice and enjoyed it. I like how the trauma with Alice is still prevalent. And the surgeon guy is an interesting addition to the cast.

Watched another MasterClass lesson with Neil deGrasse Tyson. I've noticed he has a number of fairly short lessons and I'm not sure why they're not a little longer. They do have some great information.

Started The Babysitters Club and liked the first episode. I've heard rave reviews about this show and I'm looking forward to getting into the storyline.

Enjoyed another episode of the Ready Room for Star Trek: Discovery. I like the interviews but the format could use a little work. I'm keeping in mind that these were more than likely filmed during the Covid shutdown.

Watched an episode of Chicago Med. Ended up being pretty tense and gnarly for the entire ED. I'm a little bummed there wasn't an end scene with Ethan and April.

Caught another episode of The Snoopy Show. I love this for quick breaks when my eyes need something different to focus on instead of words on a page.

Finished up the first season of Cuffs. Have to admit the finale ended up being terrific. I wouldn't mind seeing more of this group of characters.

Watched an episode of Silent Witness and honestly, I have no clue what's going on. Not necessarily a bad thing, but I hope some pieces fall into place in the conclusion.

Started a new arc of Classic Who. So far, it's kind of lame but I think this one will get better as it goes along. Here's hoping.

Began a new-to-me series with Most Terrifying Places in America. The first episode featured a haunted prison in Ohio. I actually had a friend who went for one of the weekend excursions not long after it opened for tours. I can't remember if they enjoyed it or not.

Finished up the first season of Hawkeye by watching the deleted scenes and gag reel. I truly enjoyed this show. If they have a second season, I'm in.

Last but not least, I started another episode of Harrow and I'm liking how things are coming together for this season. Not sure how much I'll like the whole long, lost son angle, but I'm interested for now.

That's it for the life update. Tonight's post is from Zipline and Sinker, a South of the Border novella that features a relic hunter and a security specialist that end up reuniting.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Vaughn moved away from the window in an abandoned mission. "Gonna need to refill my water supply." She'd rationed what she had, unwilling to chance heading for the river or the spring behind the building.

She wanted at least two full days before she made an attempt to get out. Halfway through the first day and no sign of the goons chasing her. Yet.

Heading back to her gear, she gave a nod. She'd chosen to stash her pack and supplies close to the altar. The hardwood would offer protection if needed and an old priest hole could offer an escape route if necessary.

She rummaged through her backpack to retrieve her next meal. Using the altar for cover and having an egress route were things Faulkner Roush taught her about. Her once upon a time man with a plan backup partner.

Shaking her head, she sighed. "Long time ago, Vaughn. He ghosted on you." She winced. "Okay, you had a big hand in the reason why."

Settling back against her bedroll, she closed her eyes. Faulk didn't truly cut ties until she gave him no other choice, by refusing to settle down for a happy future. Why did I push him away? Because he mattered, maybe a little more than her work and she wouldn't give relic hunting up.

Snorting, she grabbed the food packet and activated the internal warmer. "What else would I do?"

Her internal voice answered, "Gee, I don't know, Vaughn. Maybe teach antiquities and light a spark in a new generation. Duh."

Vaughn squashed the pesky intruder. "Teaching would mean staying in one place and I'm not built for that." She got itchy feet just thinking about being confined to a class room or lecture hall.

Inner Vaughn stuck her nose in again. "Teaching could also involve visiting lecture series, so yeah, that dog won't hunt, my friend."

Vaughn ripped open her last MRE. "Shut up, dammit. If I wanted an argument, I could track Faulk down. He's always up for a good disagreement." She barked out a laugh.

"Sorry, sweetness, the only thing I'm for right now is a solid eight then hauling your ass out of here."

Vaughn gasped and shot to her feet. The man himself stood just inside the door, looking hot, exhausted, but incredibly sexy. Damn him. She refused to acknowledge the face she hadn't heard him coming.

Both pissed and grateful to find Faulk's looming presence less than ten feet away, she lifted her chin. "Hello, Faulk. What brings you to my doorstep?" She resisted the urge to brush the dust from her clothes.

Faulk glanced around. "Not much of place you've got here." He jerked his head toward the entrance. "Not much of a doorstep either." Reaching into his pack, he withdrew a bottle of water, handing it over.

Vaughn accepted the gift. Would be stupid to do otherwise. She only had half a container left.

Untwisting the cap, she took a long drink before she shrugged. "Yeah, well, worth its weight in ancient relics right now." Not that she had any with her … she'd hidden the artifact outside the mission.

He huffed out a breath. "I'll bet." He handed her another bottle. He rolled a shoulder when she quirked an eyebrow. "Figured you'd ration water. I came prepared."

Why didn't that surprise her? "There's a spring behind the mission. We can refill." At least she wouldn't have to keep watch and try to fill up her canteens at the same time.

He grunted a response but said nothing. Instead, he dropped his gear next to hers and gave a nod toward the altar. His gaze also scoped out the priest hole. He made an impressed humming sound but didn't speak. Would it kill him to acknowledge her good planning? Less than thrilled with his quiet act, she also noticed he didn't answer her question about why he'd come. She'd lead up to that with a different question.

She sat back down and gathered her food. "So, how did you find me?"

I'm excited to get this one finished up. I love writing the South of the Border stories and this is one of my favorites.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zipline and Sinker (a South of the Border novella)

February 16, 2020

Ugh. What a rough week. I've been battling some wicked-bad insomnia lately and I hate walking around like a zombie and trying to catch some much needed rest whenever I can. Not a fun time.

I did have a wonderful revelation on Thursday, which was my youngest's eighteenth birthday. To date, the husband and I have successfully raised three offspring to adulthood. Now to get her through prom and graduation then off to college. LOL

Slow week for television, mainly due to the insomnia. I caught a full arc of Classic Who and had a thought… the Daleks have been around for a long, long time. Just saying.

Got back into Gargoyles and watched a couple of episodes. The second season is super long and it'll be a while before I get through all of the various stories.

Watched a few episodes of Danger Man. This is pretty much a rewatch of the series for me, but it's nice to have a thirty-minute show to sink into while I'm doing dishes or cooking dinner.

Caught an episode of Murdoch Mysteries and finally discovered what would happen with the neighbors. I'd forgotten about the hotel detective and his mad vendetta against Murdoch. All in all, a satisfying wrap-up to the storyline. Sadly, the widow might end up rearing her vengeful head at some point in the series. That should be interesting.

I watched another episode of Arrow and I can honestly say I'm impressed with Stephen's performance. He brings the emotional element to the screen every episode. That said, he mentioned in an interview that Emily's decision to not be involved in most of season eight made the show feel kind of wrong (absolutely paraphrasing here) because Felicity is the heart of the show and no Felicity means no heart. I totally get that. But… it's kind of cool to see the reunions Oliver is having with people from his past. Talia and Thea teaming up could be a show on its own, especially if Nyssa got involved at some point. Just saying. Also really interesting to see what's going on in the futurescape, especially with the twist at the end of the episode.

Getting ready to start an episode of Riverdale and watch the premiere episode of Strike Back's final season. I also plan to watch the Passionflix original, The Will sometime this week. Looking forward to some great screen time.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zipline and Sinker, a South of the Border novella.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Faulkner Roush answered the phone after checking the screen. "Yo, Vail. How's the quiet life treating you?" His buddy had gone and found the woman of his dreams and finally settled down.

Something Faulk envied… even if he'd had his shot. Too bad the woman Faulk wanted didn't do the whole stay in one place thing.

Vail gave a short answer. "Good." Then he dropped a bomb. "Someone put a target on Vaughn's back and the payoff is in the six-digit range."

So, it finally happened. Vaughn Dyson, otherwise known as the woman who never stayed in one place, had pissed someone off enough for them to eliminate her. Faulk shouldn't give a damn. She'd pretty much told him to fuck off the last time he'd seen her.

But he did give a damn.

Putting Vail on speaker, Faulk headed for his bedroom. "Where is she?" He grabbed his go-bag and checked it over.

Vail sighed. "Intel's sketchy, but she's somewhere in…" He rattled off coordinates for an area. "I know. It's a lot of land mass to cover."

Faulk keyed in the digits and snorted. "Yeah, it is. Remote and hard to navigate." He knew the region well. "Who put the bounty on her?" He'd have to know who in order to know what to expect.

Vail didn't hesitate. "Bishop Cramer." He snarled the name, no doubt because he'd had a run in or two with the black market kingpin.

Faulk growled. "Fuck. It figures." Dammit, Vaughn.

Only Vaughn would get trapped in such a crappy place with a price on her head issued by the man who probably hated her more than most. If his goon squad got her, no one would ever find the body—

Vail broke into Faulk's musings. "Look, I can get free and meet you. I can also call Lars and Hayden, see if they can help—"

Faulk shook his head. "No need." While he'd welcome the assist—after all, Lars owed Faulk for saving his life after a nasty meet-up with a knife—he'd travel lighter and quieter alone.

Searching his memory, he scrolled a little further on the map, zooming in to get a better look and—bingo—he found what he needed.

Faulk tapped the screen. "I might need a place to regroup after I get her out. Is the offer to visit still open?"

Vail's confusion came through when he answered. "Uh, always. It sounds like you already know where you'll find her."

Faulk snorted. "Not the precise location… but I do know exactly where to look."

A little mission not far from an abandoned excavation site. Working with Vaughn gave him a slight advantage—he knew her thought processes—but Cramer's men wouldn't take long to track her down. Faulk had maybe twenty-four hours before she'd be in the red zone of their sites.

If she's not already.

Vail wished Faulk luck and ended the call.

Faulk hit the ground running, called in several favors, and planned to be parachuting back into Vaughn's life in just over six hours.

I love this little adventure romance series. Faulk will get to visit with at least one other couple from the other books and Vaughn will make some new friends.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zipline and Sinker

So… The Last Ship has a beyond awesome two-hour season premiere. I'm so happy this show is back on my television! I love where the characters are and I've added Meylan to my "do not kill" list. The showrunners better be listening or they're paying my bar tab at the end of the season. Just saying.

I'm making headway on my catch-up viewing of Killjoys, Dark Matter, and Wynonna Earp. Totally love where all three shows are going. Killjoys just makes me happy with the twisty turns it takes when I'm least expecting them. I didn't know if I'd be on board with the whole Aneela shtick, but I really like the small revelations we get here and there. Dark Matter can be uber confusing sometimes, but I like the overall arc of where things end up. Wynonna Earp blows my mind. The cast interactions are amazing and I'm so happy another season will be on tap.

Catching up on Teen Wolf and, yeah, Gerard being back makes things very interesting. I love the element of fear being almost personified. Looking forward to where everything ends up.

In casting news, one of my favorite actresses signed on to be a villain on The Flash. Looking forward to seeing what Katee brings to the table as a baddie.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Zipline and Sinker, a novella in the South of the Border collective.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Vaughn Dyson tucked the carved jaguar into her satchel and whirled around, a bullet narrowly missing her. "Dammit. Should've known this was too easy." Retrievals always had a way of going south on her.

And when they were priceless artifacts that should be preserved for display by government sanctioned museums, all the nasty predators—the for-profit hunters and sleazy black market, private collectors—came crawling out of the woodwork. Or course, the hunters and collectors sent four-man teams after her. Especially when she didn't have backup.

Vaughn huffed out a harsh breath. "Your own damn fault you're going it solo these days." Ducking and rolling, she scrambled to the wall of the tomb and got to her feet.

She would not think about how nice it would be to have Faulk—

Another bullet whizzed past her ear.

Vaughn took off, darting between two large columns for cover. If she could make it to the entrance, she could trigger the failsafe and trap the goons inside, buying her a little time. She'd give anything—except the artifact she'd come for—to know which rival collector wanted her head this time. Either Bishop Cramer or Gardner Hart. She'd bet her nonexistent house on it being either one of those men.

She hustled, weaving in between the pillars, doing her best to avoid the ricochet of bullets. "Not much further." A few dozen meters… she could make a run for it.

Taking off, she crouched as low as possible and made a beeline for the arched doorway. Who cared if she threw caution to the wind and took the shortest route possible? The crazy strategy worked, her attackers weren't expecting her to make a straight shot for the exit. She skidded into a slide when gunfire started again and managed to get her feet headed in the right direction to kick out and activate the secret lever.

Her booted toe nudged the slot and a loud rumble echoed through the chamber she'd entered. She turned in time to see a heavy stone slab crash to the floor, effectively cutting her off from the black-clad assailants.

She collapsed, heaving a heavy sigh. "Thank you, whatever rules the universe." Rolling to her side, she didn't waste time catching her breath.

She got up again and rushed out into the bright sunshine. The stone slab wouldn't stand up for long under a heavy array of bullets. She needed to find a place to lay low and regroup long enough to figure out how to get back to the states.

Making her way down to the river, she carefully pulled her small kayak out from under the brush and got it into the water. An old mission stood about a mile downstream. She should be able to take shelter until she could come up with a plan to get home.

 If her rivals didn't have the place surrounded.

Vaughn is up a creek… but at least she has a paddle to navigate her course. Doesn't mean she won't need some help along the way.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Zip Line

Whew. How about that Arrow finale? I'm pretty happy with season three overall and look forward to four. Now we'll find out what happens with The Flash and then patiently wait for Legends of Tomorrow. If you haven't seen the trailer, go find it and watch. :D

Orphan Black? So much love for the show. I was actually pretty thrilled to see some Paul and Sarah interaction. My fingers are crossed he stays firmly on her side. And the Helena one-liners were totally golden. On a freakish note, I'm really interested in what's going on with the women the Castor clones have slept with. I kind of want Gracie to be okay.

Bitten and Lost Girl are rolling right along. Looking forward to having Defiance and Dominion back on my television, and I hope Killjoys and Dark Matter prove to be good viewing fare. Nothing beats new episodes of my favorite shows in the summer months.

And last but not least, my mainlining of Teen Wolf continues. I'm up to the second part of season three and quite engrossed. Each season seems to be better than the one before, which always makes me happy.

So… enough TV talk. Tonight's post is from Zip Line, a South of the Border novella where my main characters have to escape with their lives and hopefully their hearts intact.

Here's the tagline:

Vaughn Dyson is a relic hunter who goes out of her way to save old treasures and preserve their place in history. But when Faulkner Roush gets word she's trying to smuggle a priceless artifact out of South America, he has to track her down before a rival, out for profit, group gets to her.

And a snippety peek…

Faulk gave full rein to his pissed off attitude. "You know what? Save it, Vaughn." He stomped over, mainly to keep his voice from echoing through the abandoned building. "Another time, another place, and maybe it would be okay. But right now?" His tone dropped to a snarl. "It's not. It's so not."

Vaughn slumped against the surface of the stucco. "So what? That's it? You don't feel like dealing. End of story?" She straightened. "No way, Faulk. It's not gonna work like that. You don't get to decide this time." Her determined gaze met his. "I didn't ask you to come down here. I don't need you to swoop in and save me." She slapped her palm against the wall. "I'm not leaving without the jaguar. No way am I letting Bishop's goons get their hands on an artifact from a lost tribe." Her gaze hardened. "Either get out of my way or expect to be shoved aside."

Faulk growled. "Is your life worth nothing? They're not just here to take the jaguar, Vaughn. They've got orders to kill you. Bishop's done letting you muck up his plans." He turned, frustrated he couldn't get through to her. "That's the only reason I'm here, because he put out the word to end you."

Vaughn tilted her head to one side. "Then what would you call last night?" A small smirk tilted her lips.

Faulk frowned. "Caving in to my baser instincts, which I always do whenever I get within five feet of you." He met and held her gaze. "I'm over the momentary lapse of my usually good judgment and back on task—getting you the hell out of here while you're still breathing."

Vaughn went very still. "Considering last night was such a huge mistake on your part, I'll say it again. Thanks but no thanks. I'll get back to the states on my own." Her face impassive, she turned and gathered up her gear. "I stupidly thought you wanted more than a quick fuck." She whirled and faced him. "That maybe we had something again, or we could start fresh—"

He jumped in. "When, Vaughn? Exactly when do you see this whole starting over thing happening?" The stupid woman never stayed in one place long enough to put down any roots.

She snapped her mouth shut then shrugged. "When you're done being pissed off at me?"

He snapped. "Our lack of a relationship is never about me being pissed off. It's about distance, Vaughn. You never stick around." On a roll, he continued his tirade. "Good Christ, I'd need a zip line to traverse the chasm you're constantly making wider between us—"

Her head jerked and she cut him off. "Wait. What?" She dropped her bag to the floor and yanked the zipper.

Faulk growled. "A zip line, Vaughn. I said—"

She threw up a hand. "Shut up. I heard you." Rifling around for a moment, she stopped and a wide grin split her face. "Hot damn." Grabbing her bag, she rose. "Let's go. I know exactly how we're going to get back across the border." Not waiting for a response, she dragged the door open and stalked outside.

Faulk blinked, his gut still churned with anger but he'd follow. If for no other reason than to see what totally lame idea she had to get them back into Mexico without getting killed.

I always love it when a lively discussion leads to the solution of a problem.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin