Sunday Snippet: The Ex Files

Slow week in television due to the Olympics, but that's okay. I enjoy being a casual viewer of the coverage and there have been some terrific events. Watching Virture | Mior during ice dancing is such a joy. They're unmatched by anyone else.

Legends of Tomorrow returned on Monday and while I'm kind of "meh" about the move to a new night, I did love the episode. Nice to see the group dealing with Firestorm being gone. Also kind of cool to see Mick step into something of a leadership role, even if he'd never own doing it. LOL

I had the chance to catch up on my period dramas. Murdoch Mysteries is having some fun with Julia's pregnancy and I kind of like how she's dealing with everything. Frankie Drake Mysteries keeps getting better. I love the varied types of cases Frankie and Trudy get involved in.

Also caught another five episodes of Chicago Fire. Season four is diving into things on a much deeper level and I like where the characters are right now. It's been fun watching Severide pull himself back up from his demotion. I even sort of enjoyed Patterson figuring out what really matters at fifty-one. Not sure I'm totally down with him becoming a battalion chief but, yeah, I can live with it. LOL

I didn't get the chance to watch more of The Punisher, but I'll be catching some episodes this weekend. Also still need to watch the latest Riverdale before the show returns after the Olympics.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from The Ex Files, a novella that started with the story idea of writing a situation where an ex makes things awkward.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Effie Stone helps Reed Rettos avoid an ugly scene with his ex-girlfriend and halfway falls for him over coffee. When an old flame contacts Effie, she asks Reed to return the favor. Reed hesitates, not sure he wants to get tangled up in more drama, but he's very smitten with Effie and agrees to make it clear she's got a new man in her life… even if only for a night.

And a snippety peek…

Reed Rettos tensed the moment he caught sight of his ex-girlfriend, Gianne, entering the diner. He didn't need a confrontation today. Seriously. He'd spent the night responding to emergency calls, back-to-back-to-back, and only had about two hours of sleep. He loved working on the medic with his fire department, but sometimes—like now—he cursed stupid people doing stupid things that made nights like the last one long.

And left him ill-equipped to deal with his drama queen ex.

Flashing a smile, he thanked the waitress for his to-go cup of coffee, left a big tip, and tried to sneak out the side entrance.

"Reed! Hold up a minute. I need to talk to you." Gianne's voice sounded like gunshot in the otherwise quiet restaurant.

He paused, trying to decide if he should just make a run for it and met the gaze of a lovely blonde, stirring a mug of coffee while she picked at the remnants of her breakfast platter. A cross between humor and commiseration lit her eyes and her lips twisted in an understanding smirk. She seemed to get the entire picture without a word needing to be said. Finally, someone who understood, even if a complete stranger.

With a shake of his head, he started for the door but the brief exchange with the unknown woman lasted long enough for Gianne to catch up and she latched on to his coat sleeve, her fingers fisting the fabric. Reed braced for whatever shit storm she wanted to unleash this morning.

She didn't disappoint. "Reed. You're not answering my calls. Just because we split up doesn't mean you can't be civil and speak to me when I need something." She swung around to stand in front of him. "It's like you're trying to avoid me. Is that what you're doing? Because you said we'd always be friends."

He'd lived to regret that promise. Offering a platitude to avoid a teary-eyed goodbye had totally blown up in his face. Gianne considered friendship one tiny step away from still being a couple.

So not his intention.

He inhaled, counted to three, and slowly exhaled. "Gianne, we're not a couple anymore. You've called me ten times in the last two days." His grip tightened on his coffee cup. "That's more than you contacted me when we were together."

Her eyes narrowed. "Did it occur to you it might have been important?"

He fought the urge to roll his eyes. "You and I don't define the word 'important' the same way." They didn't define anything the same way.

The blonde in the booth bit back a grin and her action distracted him. Gianne's mouth flattened into an angry slash and a stab of irritation throbbed behind his eyes. Two months after breaking up and Gianne hounded his every move. She needed to move on… if only to save his sanity.

Gianne squared her shoulders and opened her mouth, no doubt to blast him for being a dickhead.

The blonde stranger rose from her spot and pushed the side door open far enough to make the bell jingle. Then she saved Reed's life.

Lifting her hand in a wave, she called out. "Reed. Sorry I'm late." Making her way around Gianne, the stranger angled in close, brushing her lips over his in a lingering kiss.

Shocked, but grateful, he responded, drawing the kiss out by capturing her mouth under his for another moment before he spoke. "No problem. Glad you could make it."

His lifesaver stood by his side, wrapped her arm around his waist then faced Gianne. "Hi, I'm Effie Stone." She stuck out her free hand. "And you are…"

A myriad of emotions crossed Gianne's face. Surprise, understanding, hurt, and finally humiliation. She blinked and stepped back, ignoring the outstretched palm.

Her gaze flew to Reed's, angry and calculating. She tilted her head to one side and glanced toward Effie, whose friendly smile slowly faded. Gianne gave Effie a once-over from head to toe, then side-eyed Reed. Instinct kicked in and Reed made a quick decision.

Nodded toward Gianne, he tugged Effie closer. "Effie, this is Gianne Morse."

Effie inclined her chin. "Ah, right. Former girlfriend." Her voice lowered. "And awkward moment. I'm so sorry." She looked in Reed's direction. "Do you two need a moment?"

Gianne opened her mouth, but Reed shook his head. "No. Since you made it, let's find a seat, maybe order some breakfast." He waved to the waitress from earlier and she shot him a wink before indicating he could sit wherever.

He slid into an empty booth and Effie sat across from him. Gianne gaped a moment, then snapped her mouth shut, her nostrils flaring when she inhaled an angry breath. Turning on her heel, she stormed toward the side entrance and pushed her way outside. Reed didn't breathe until the door closed with a quiet swoosh.

His shoulders slumped with relief when Gianne crossed the street and stalked out of sight.

He met Effie's gaze. "I have no idea why you just saved my life, but thank you." His hand shot out. "Reed Rettos. It's a pleasure to meet you."

Effie laughed and clasped his palm. "Nice to meet you, too. And you're welcome." She lowered her gaze. "Sorry for taking liberties with your lips, but it seemed like the quickest way to avoid a major meltdown." She glanced back up. "Great kisser, by the way." Her lips curved upward.

Reed barked out a laugh. "Back at you. And, yeah, as you just saw, she's not as ready as I am to move on."

The waitress brought two mugs and filled them. "Coffee's on the house, Reed. Well-deserved by the looks of it." She nudged Effie's shoulder. "Nice save. You're welcome in here anytime." She bustled away and poured more java for other customers.

Effie chuckled. "I need to get up early more often."

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. Effie and Reed come together under bizarre circumstances but discover they have a spark.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Enforced Confinement

Greetings! Ohio has crazy weather patterns rolling through the state again. I'm at the point with winter where I'd be happy if it made up its mind and either stayed cold or got warmer. The back forth is hell on my sinuses.

Great week in television. The Flash had a good episode and I'm interested to see where things go now. In all honesty, the slow reveal of evil plans is getting to the point of annoyance. Get on with it already.

Black Lightning, on the other hand, is staying on form. I like the world building of this show. Keep on keeping on.

Riverdale is going down another dark road and I like it. I have to watch this week's episode but I caught up on last week and Archie continues to fail in spectacular fashion. I love all the bad decisions he makes.

Arrow did not go where I thought it might and I'm happy about that. I'm thrilled with the left turn the plot made. It's always the quiet ones people need to watch out for.

I'm moving along on Chicago Fire and I've started season four. I'm slowly but surely getting caught up to the current season. I love having the crossover episodes on the DVDs and following the storyline all the way through. Nicely done.

I'm caught up for the most part on Murdoch Mysteries. I loved the cooking competition episode. One of my favorite things about Murdoch is taking a modern trend and making it a trope in the show's setting. And it's always fun to have the spy versus spy episodes.

Need to catch up on Frankie Drake Mysteries and I might have time later today. Legends of Tomorrow returns this week and I'm excited to see what's next for the legends.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Enforced Confinement, a novella that started with a prompt to write two characters in a confined space.

Here's the mini-blurb:

After a break-up, Baylee and Noah get trapped in a confined space and neither is happy about the situation. But the enforced intimacy gives them a chance to meet their issues head on in a place they can't take each other for granted.

And a snippety peek…

Baylee jumped when a coworker called her name. "Geez, Anna, you scared me to death." She took the phone Anna handed over.

Anna grimaced. "Sorry, Baylee. I thought you heard me come in." Water dripped from her umbrella, which she propped against the wall. "I stopped by party, Noah had already left." She frowned before she met Baylee's gaze. "From all accounts, he wasn't happy when he took off."

Baylee sighed. "No. He's probably worried." She scrolled through her contacts and thumbed Noah's name, bringing up his number. "I'll send a text. Let him know I'll be headed home soon." She glanced up when Anna made a questioning sound. "What?" She fired off a quick message. "Emergency call. Forgot phone. Headed home soon."

Anna lifted a shoulder. "Why didn't you call him? After you got a hold of me to bring your phone… which was actually darned lucky by the way."

Baylee hesitated a moment, but answered. "Honestly? I didn't realize I'd forgotten my phone until I'd arrived here. And once I got in, they dragged me directly to the dispensers and begged me to figure out why they weren't working. I didn't call you until I'd found what happened and finally flagged down one of the caterers to ask if they had a phone I could borrow." Not the whole truth, but close enough. "I didn't want to keep her from serving, so I returned the cell and finished up the job." And tried to get finished before Ben's party got underway.

Anna tilted her head to one side. "Yet you're still here. What else happened?"

Baylee rolled her eyes. "Well, the fix didn't last long. I ended up sticking around for the entire dinner to make sure they didn't run out drinks. I've got the units tagged so I can rebuild them when they're returned to the warehouse." Which she had to let the head caterer know about, hence still being here.

Anna clasped Baylee's shoulder. "Look, why don't I stick around and let Marie know?" She nudged Baylee toward the exit. "Go on home. Be with your man."

Baylee almost refused. She'd bailed on Noah and didn't feel very good about doing so.

Anna didn't pick up on Baylee's hesitation. "Where're you parked? Hopefully not too far. It's coming down in buckets out there."

Baylee shuddered. "I'm around the corner. Didn't bring an umbrella in so I'll have to make a run for it." The drive home in horrible weather didn't appeal either.

Anna confirmed the terrible traffic. "The idiots are out in full force. Drive safely." She pushed the door open and held it for Baylee.

She made a mad dash for her car, hitting the key fob to unlock it. Prying the door open, she slid behind the wheel, drenched from the brief exposure to the elements. She started the engine and got the defroster going, then reached in the back seat to grab a spare t-shirt.

Wiping her face, she heaved a sigh. "Better get moving or I'll never make it home." Throwing the shirt in the passenger seat, Baylee hit the wiper switch and eased out of her parking space.

Visibility for crap, she merged into traffic and played the start and stop game until she reached the interstate. She thought about going to her place to grab a shower, but Noah only lived two exits off the loop. She'd head there first. Head aching, she could already picture him, standing at the window, waiting on her. No doubt angry and ready to give her a scathing piece of his mind.

Her grip tightened on the steering wheel. "Why the hell can you never remember to grab your phone?" The bad habit bit her on the ass more than she cared to admit.

Thirty-five minutes later—traffic sucked balls—she exited the ramp to Noah's street and finally made it to his house.

Cutting the engine, she dragged in a deep breath. "Here we go." Exhausted and fatigued, she popped the door open and slammed it shut then ran up the sidewalk to the front porch.

Noah greeted her, pacing back and forth like a caged tiger.

Well, hell.

I'm kind of enjoying putting the pieces in place for this story. Noah and Baylee have a lot of issues put the big one is fear of letting down their guards.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Elective Campaign

Hello, February! We've got snow and slushy ick outside today. Perfect weather for the big game I won't be watching. LOL

So… The Flash definitely got Barry out his regular cell, which is terrific. Sadly, he ended up in a much worse predicament. Nice that he got to do a good deed before landing there.

Black Lightning continues to make me happy. I need a few hours to binge watch all the eps together so I can truly immerse into the universe. Looking forward to that.

I'm behind an episode of Riverdale. Need to catch up this week before the new episode.

Arrow… wow. I have so much love for this show. The dueling teams sadden me but I like where everyone is for the moment. I have a truly bad vibe that I won't share just yet but it's going to make me really angry if I'm right. Not mad in a bad way so maybe disappointed is a better word. Stay tuned. LOL

Got through another four episodes of Chicago Fire and I'm so glad the almost lethally lame fill-in chief is gone. Nice to see Welsh do something terrific for once.

I'm almost through season one of The Punisher. Gotta say this show pisses me off to no end but for all the right reasons. I'm kind of interested and waiting to see where they take the Lewis storyline. Right now it's not meshing well with the other parts. We'll see how it goes.

Also need to catch up on my period dramas. Hopefully, I'll have something for next week.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Elective Campaign, a novella built on the idea of having a couple navigate a new relationship while on is up for reelection as mayor of their small city.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Mac is running for reelection and needs a logistical planner on his roster to win. Yancy has the training and background but she presents a problem… Mac is very attracted to her. They fight the pull but give in and once it's discovered, he might lose more than the election.

And a snippety peek…

Yancy Malloy settled in behind the wheel and glanced toward her daughter. "Ready, Viv?" She needed to know the sixteen year old could handle leaving on such short notice.

Vivian flicked Yancy a sideways glance and a quirky grin. "Bring on the adventure, Mom. Let's blow this town." She hooked her phone to the auxiliary cable and music started. "This is my road trip playlist. A good mix of your music and mine." She adjusted the volume then settle back in her seat.

Yancy thanked the universe for giving her a resilient kid. They'd practically grown up together, Yancy giving birth at sixteen. Life hadn't been easy. God knew. But the time to move on gained urgency. Vivian's dad, Yancy's ex, had a parole hearing in the next month. Yancy didn't want to throw her daughter's life into chaos if he got released.

But maybe she should wait and let Viv decide if she wanted to meet the man.

Vivian turned the volume down. "Mom? What's going on?" She angled in her seat to engage in conversation.

Yancy blew out a breath. "Nothing, Viv. No… not nothing. Are you sure you're okay with this? Moving to another state? Leaving all your friends behind?"

Vivian snorted. "Mom… I'm not leaving them behind. We'll stay in touch with social media. Not like we're moving to a different planet."

True, but they didn't know where they'd end up. Yancy just wanted to put some distance between her and Vivian's dad. Pete Anderson hadn't asked about his daughter once during his fifteen year stint for aggravated robbery and involuntary manslaughter. Until last month. Yancy's shock at hearing from him quickly morphed into concern. She didn't want Vivian dragged into Pete's world. But Yancy didn't hide the letter from Vivian. Instead, she'd had a frank conversation with her about Pete, giving Viv the option of meeting him. Her daughter flatly refused. Why on earth would she want anything to do with a guy whose sole contribution to her life had been the donation of sperm and nothing else?

Yancy had to hand it to her daughter. She didn't mince words.

Vivian snapped her fingers. "Hello? We're wasting daylight, Mom. Put it in gear or let me drive." She waggled her eyebrows hopefully.

Yancy snorted. "Oh, no. You know it's not a good idea for you to be driving across state lines. It's only an hour to the border." Out of Illinois and into Indiana, then on to Ohio.

Vivian accepted her fate. "Yeah, yeah. I'm just along for the ride." She brightened. "And to act as the music coordinator." She turned the volume back up and faced forward again.

Yancy put the car in gear and eased out into traffic. "Let the adventure begin."

This one is giving me some challenge. The sages are a little stingy with how they want the story to unfold but I love what's on the page so far.

That's it for this week. Happy reading.

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

Holy crap. Where did January go? It's crazy how fast months fly by now.

So, The Flash is testing my patience. Not in a necessarily bad way, but having Barry zoom around and put all the inmates back in their cells had me eye-rolling. We'll see how long they keep him trapped in a cell. I need to rewatch the second episode of Black Lightning because I had too many distractions the first time around.

Riverdale… Oh, show. The Ram? Really? I don't know. It's either the best nickname ever or possibly the lamest one on the planet. Time will tell. Everything else about the episode hit high notes for me. It's going to be a wild ride and I'm totally strapped in to see where everything goes. One interesting development… now that I have a better understanding of Mama Alice I now need to know what the hell flavor of fresh hell Hal's been drinking.

Arrow keeps throwing twisty-turns into the mix and I love it. I'm actually hoping Vigilante is an actual double agent. And here's my fondest desire… he's working for ARGUS in exchange for immunity against all the bad guys he killed. Just saying, having him around for a while wouldn't be a bad thing. Now, after saying that, he did tell James he knows how to push every one of Dinah's buttons and having him on her side would be a great big red one. I won't be too shocked if his help is nothing but a ruse. But I will be disappointed, dammit.

Still loving my period dramas. Murdoch Mysteries and Frankie Drake Mysteries. Frankie Drake is terrific with keeping interesting cases rolling across the screen. Murdoch Mysteries never fails to be consistent with quality. Love both of these shows.

I'm burning through season three of Chicago Fire and still loving the show. I'm also enjoying the crossover episodes they have with other productions. Nice to have those on the DVDs.

I think that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Drowning Pull, a novella that started with the idea of meeting the right person at the wrong time.

Here's the mini-blurb:

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

And a snippety peek…

Lane Addison woke up slowly, his head throbbing and his vision fuzzy. The room came into focus—not his. Where the hell had he ended up last night? Thinking made his brain hurt, but he tried to back trace his steps. A vague memory of being in O'Halloran's pub started taking shape. Then a vision of Lori James formed. She wore a clinging black dress and sat across the table, sipping on something, probably a drink that ended in 'tini.

Why on earth would he have been drinking with Lori?

The reason hit him. Hard. And the pounding head and blurry vision got worse. The two sensations battled with the bone-deep ache of loss, striking him full force once more.

Liam's funeral, his life over too soon. Lane's brother wouldn't come strolling through the fire department on Lane's next shift. Killed in the line of duty when a three-alarm fire turned into a five-alarm catastrophe, the department had lost a great man. And Lane didn't want to accept he'd never see his brother again.

A warm body rolled over and snuggled up against Lane. Lori. Vague snatches of the previous day and night flashed through his mind. His divorced parents, being civil to each other for the first time in years, put aside their many differences to mourn the loss of their son. The friends, family, and members of the fire service forming a long line, waiting to offer their condolences. Lane listened to so many stories about his brother from so many people. Nothing brought out the narrative genius more than remembering one of the fallen. Lori, slithering into the service, gluing herself to Lane's side, held court, accepting hugs and handshakes like she belonged with the immediate family.

He had a clear picture of her dragging him from Liam's graveside and driving him to O'Halloran's. From there, events went a little fuzzy. Copious amounts of alcohol did nothing to ease the pain of Liam's death. He had no idea when they left the pub, but they'd ended up back at her place. He figured odds were on a night of sex—not that he remembered any of it—and probably expectations of a morning repeat.

His stomach rebelled at the thought.

Or maybe the alcohol gave him the queasy, nauseous feeling.

Lori yawned, stretched, and smoothed her hand down his torso to cup his flaccid dick. The urge to heave got stronger and before she could get any bright ideas of getting him hard, he flung himself out of the bed and made a dash for the bathroom. Emptying the contents of his stomach in the toilet eased the rolling in his belly, but made the headache take a vicious turn for the worse. Easing away from the commode, he leaned against the tub, keeping his eyes closed, inhaling and exhaling slowly.

Puking his guts up made him thirsty and he chanced trying to stand so he could find something to drink. Maybe if he kept his eyes closed he could still make his way to the sink. A cool hand grasped his elbow and Lane blinked to find Lori holding a glass of orange juice, a wet washcloth, and a toothbrush.

She didn't speak, but handed him the scrap of fabric first. The cold cloth felt awesome against his clammy skin. He scrubbed his face and neck, leaving the rag at his nape. He glanced in the mirror and groaned. Shit would look better than he did at the moment. He dropped the washcloth on the side of the sink.

Lori broke her silence. "I know it'll taste terrible, but toothbrush before OJ." She handed him the toothbrush. "Coffee's brewing, but you need some vitamin C and aspirin first."

While he took care of his teeth, she grabbed a bottle of tablets from the medicine cabinet. She shook out four and handed them over with the orange juice.

He didn't argue, scarfing the tablets and orange juice together. After draining the glass, he felt almost human again.

Giving her the cup, he nodded. "Thank you." Making his way through her bedroom, he looked around for his clothes.

The suit pants were by the bedroom door. He slowly bent down and picked them up. Tossing the pants over his shoulder, he spotted his shirt on the back of her couch. He snatched it up and shrugged his arms into the garment, leaving the buttons undone. His jacket lay in a heap by the main entrance. He'd grab it on his way out.

Making his way into the kitchen, he braced his hips on the counter and carefully put his pants on. The coffee finished brewing by the time he zipped and buttoned up. Out of habit, he poured two mugs, adding two sugars to one and cream to the other. Lori came in, a silky robe billowing out behind her. She grabbed the sweetened mug and took a sip. Lane drank his milky brew and tried not to think about Liam or being at his ex's place. He failed on both counts.

Lori popped some bread in her toaster. "You know, the Tinderbox is looking for product managers. You could fill out an application online." She crossed over to the fridge and grabbed butter and jelly. "Or, if you want to stay in the industry, I heard Parma Medical is always looking for sales reps who know the equipment." The toast popped up and she buttered the slices. "Of course, you'll want to take some time, I'm sure, to consider all your options." Spreading jelly on the surface, she shot a look over her shoulder.

Lane blinked, trying to follow the conversation. She sounded like a recruiter, which, okay, she would. She worked as the HR director for the local hospital. But what options did he need to consider? The Tinderbox sold woodstoves, fireplaces, and everything to do with both. And, yeah, his experience in the fire service would make project management a snap, but no way. Same applied to a sales position. Lane wanted to sell emergency medical equipment like he wanted to jab a fork in his eye. He didn't.

He drained his coffee mug. "I'm not interested in a new job, Lori. I like the one I have perfectly fine." Out of habit, he rinsed his cup out and put it in her dishwasher.

Lori took a bite of toast, chewed, and swallowed. "You're staying with the department? After what happened with Liam?" She put the food down, dusting off her hands. "Are you fucking insane? Of course, you're going to find another job."

Lane exhaled on a slow breath, thankful he barely remembered the sex from the night before, because the memory of why he and Lori broke up smacked him right in the face. His job. He loved being a firefighter and Lori hated it.

Lane shoved his hands in his pockets. "No, I'm not. I'm damned good at what I do and have no plans to quit." He shoved away from the counter and started doing the buttons up on his shirt. "I should go." He wouldn't get back on her crazy 'if you love me, you'll do something else' train. "Thanks for last night, Lori, but we're not together anymore. Don't forget that."

Lori's mouth thinned to a flat line. "That's how you're going to play this, Lane? Get me drunk, sleep with me, then slam out the door?" Her nostrils flared. "You're an ass."

Lane had a brief flash of memory from the previous night. Lori kept the drinks coming, not him. And she suggested they head to her place afterwards.

He tucked his shirt in his pants. "And you're still the queen of manipulating facts to suit your needs." Exiting the kitchen, he made his way to her front door.

Reaching down, he gathered up his coat, happy to find his shoes underneath. Jamming his feet inside the footwear, he yanked the door open.

Turning, he gave her one last comment. "I won't be slamming your door, but I won't be back either." He stepped out into the corridor and gently closed the carved wood behind him.

I'm so pleased with how this scene turned out. I went back and forth more than once trying to get the mood the way I wanted it.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

Well… this has been a crazy week. My daughter had a break on Monday for MLK Jr. Day and hasn't been back to school since. Four snow days in a row. We're supposed to have a warmer weekend so hopefully they'll be back to school this week. She's going stir-crazy and keeps mumbling about the district canceling school for the rest of the year. LOL

Not a bad week in television. MY SHOWS ARE BACK!! The Flash put Barry on trial and, holy crap, he's not in a good place. I'd like to say I cared more about everything happening but I just can't give two craps about the stupid body swap, uber smart big bad here. Eh… at least we're getting some good character development on other fronts.

Gotta say if you're not watching Black Lightning, find it and watch! What a kickass premiere! I'm excited about this show. I'm still holding out hope we eventually get a Vixen scripted drama sometime in the future.

Arrow still ranks as my top DC universe show. Even though James is similar to the uber smart Flash villain scenario, I like how he's got a team of junior villains backing him. I'm holding out hope this one has a satisfactory ending.

Riverdale. Oh, show. Where the hell are you going? I'm kind of thrilled I have no freaking clue what out of left field thing will happen next. Part of the joy in watching this show is the absolutely crazy dark alleys it decides to go down. That said, pitting Archie against Hiram is either the best thing ever or the stupidest move an FBI agent will ever make. Just saying.

Got started on The Punisher and, honestly, it ranks right up there with Luke Cage, Jessica Jones, and Daredevil. Iron Fist is still the weakest link in this group, but I have faith Danny won't be the most annoying superhero ever in his second season. Maybe.

Murdoch Mysteries had a great episode last week. I know nothing about cricket but it made an interesting murder backdrop. Also, it's so awesome William and Julia are possibly going to start their family. Fingers crossed that actually happens.

Frankie Drake provided a terrific case this week and also had excellent guest stars. So awesome to see George Crabtree around and doing quite well for himself. Also, Laurence Fox can guest star again whenever he wants. I'm totally down with that idea.

Finished the second season of Chicago Fire and, wow, what an ending. Got the third season ready to start today. Definitely glad I don't have to wait through a hiatus to find out what happened to everyone.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a novella that got a start when a fanfiction writing community suggested writing a story where a character's best-kept secret is revealed. Sounded like a lot of fun.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Velma and Kade have loads of sexual tension, but Velma keeps him at arm's length. Kade gets the why, but when she pushes him a little too far he turns the tables on her and she ends up in a compromising position—number seventeen on his list.

And a snippety peek…

Kade finished scraping the paint from the window in his bedroom. Screaming pink and some kind of marbled fuchsia and gold gave him a headache. Dee loved bright colors. Turquoise, hot yellow, sunny orange, and bright lime green rounded out the decorating scheme of the apartment. He'd asked Jim about it and the man chuckled.

He nodded toward the alley. "If you look in the garage, there's enough sandy gray to repaint the entire interior." He leaned in and lowered his voice. "I figured we'd have to redo the apartment before we could even dream of selling the place. We're lucky you saw past the blinding riot and made an offer."

Kade could kiss Jim for having the foresight to buy a nice beachy neutral. The color looked great in various lights and would give him a good backdrop to add some color. Nothing flashy like Dee's cavalcade of retina-twitching options, but a mix of blues and some pops of green and maybe a splash of red would work well. He thanked his interior designer mother for instilling a sense of good taste in him from an early age.

Putting the putty knife aside, he stood before the window. He loved the sound of the waves drifting onto the shoreline. The water appealed to him. Lake, ocean, river, didn't matter as long as the sound made it to his ears.

Making the move south ended up being a good fit. Okay, he'd only been official for two weeks, but he'd accomplished a lot during his brief tenure. Yeah, he still needed to move his furniture in, but the futon mattress worked as a bed for now. Painting came first, then the big stuff could come in. The most important detail had been covered. The ice cream shop belonged to him. No partners, no personality clashes, no nightmare dissolving of assets. He'd never been married, but he'd bet a divorce settlement would have taken less skin off his hide.

From this point on, sole proprietorship only. At least in his professional life.

"Now the personal… that's something else entirely."

His friendly neighbor piqued his interest. He looked forward to getting to know her better. She didn't give off a married vibe, but maybe she had a boyfriend. He rather hoped not. Easy on the eyes, a killer smile, and loads of curves made her a winning combination. He liked women who were fit but not to the point they were all angles and sharp planes. Velma had toned arms and legs paired with soft rounded hips, which he loved. Her ass looked damned good in shorts. She'd had her hair in a messy bun on top of her head and her eyes showed a range of emotions not to mention a lot of intelligence. Velma definitely caught his attention.

After a quick look at the time, he stripped his shorts off and entered the small bathroom to grab a shower. "No stinky pits for dinner." Humming an old crooner classic, he washed the sweat and paint flecks off then stood under the spray letting the hot water hit the kinks in his shoulders.

Physical labor kept him in good shape along with walks or runs along the beach. He'd put in a lot of extra work during the two weeks he'd been down here and his muscles were protesting. When the water started cooling, he shut the shower off and quickly toweled dry. Digging through his supply of clothing, he snagged a pair of blue cargo shorts and a brand-new white T-shirt. On his way out, he grabbed a sky blue twill button-up and tossed it over his shoulder. Slipping his feet into a nicer pair of his athletic slides, he started across the small thoroughfare separating their back entrances. The smell of grilled chicken seasoned with some kind of spicy mix hit his nostrils and his mouth watered. Eating out had advantages—no clean up—and takeout proved convenient. But he couldn't wait to have a nice, quiet dinner with a beautiful woman. He missed having a good conversation along with his meal.

When he ducked through the well-maintained opening to Velma's patio, his heart sank. She had company…

A tall guy who had the look of a longtime native.

Didn't that suck big ones.

So far, I like where this one is going. Velma and Kade should have a lot of fun getting their acts together.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Down the Middle

Brrrrr!! It's crazypants cold in Ohio. We're having the standard bizarre weather. At the beginning of the week, we had an icy snow mix. My middle kidlet had his second spinout and almost took out a road sign. Luckily, the damage to his car is minimal and he didn't get a ticket. Thank you, Deputy H! On Thursday, it was almost sixty degrees. Friday started out around fifty-eight then steadily dropped over thirty degrees and dumped freezing rain and eight inches of snow. I'm at the point where I'm over the crappy driving conditions. I don't mind winter weather for the most part but I hate driving when ice is involved. Bleh.

The nice thing about the frigid temperatures is settling in with a good manuscript and watching movies or television. This week I got through the most of the back half of Chicago Fire. Some very emotional through lines, which I enjoyed. I'm liking the later season episodes much better than the first part of the season.

I'm hoping to start The Punisher this week. I've heard some terrific things about the season. Looking forward to more Frank Castle.

Also rewatching Hollywood Dirt on Passionflix. This steamy movie is so much fun. I'm a fan of the male lead anyway so I'm thrilled to have him in a hot and sexy role.

My regular shows return this week and I'm excited. Can't wait for more Arrow episodes. Also looking forward to the Black Lightning premiere.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Down the Middle, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of having the main characters as bounty hunters going after the same target.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Bounty hunter Ursa Goode always gets her man… if Jake Weatherwax doesn't beat her to him. But when a target escapes and comes after her, Ursa has to take Jake up on his offer to work together and split the reward right down the middle. The need for a partner rubs her wrong, but Jake definitely doesn't.

And a snippety peek…

Jake answered his phone on the fifth ring, after untangling from the leggy blonde on the bed. "Weatherwax." He scrubbed a hand over his face, vaguely remembering how he'd ended up at the woman's apartment.

He'd pulled her out of a tense situation when he collected a bail-jumper just across the state line. She'd hopped a ride back to the city with Jake and they'd stopped at his favorite dive bar. The rest of the night became a blur, but he remembered the method she used to get him in her bed.

Tequila and body shots.

"Have you seen or heard the news?" Anton Gaffington never bothered with pleasantries when it saved time.

Jake sighed. Gaffington Incorporated threw a lot of work his way and Jake rarely turned them down, not when he wanted to get out of the business and find a nice, sandy beach to park his ass for the remainder of his days. An early retirement had been his end goal for a while now. At thirty-five, he had a ways to go. But bounty-hunting added nice bunch of coin to his coffers.

"Anton, it's been a long week. No, I haven't been near a television for three days." He got up and looked around for the bathroom, wanting a little privacy.

Anton cut to the chase. "Llewellyn Cavil escaped custody. We need your expertise to bring him in."

Damn. Cavil on the loose would mean bodies dropping in the near future. The guy couldn't help himself.

Anton lowered his voice. "Needless to say, we'd like to have him off the streets with as little noise as possible."

Cavil's family had a long history with Gaffington Incorporated, with several members on the board of directors. Gaffington would pay top dollar to keep the Cavil name from being dragged through the news any more than necessary.

Jake had something of a personal score to settle with black sheep family member.

In fact, Jake would bring the asshole in for no fee if he didn't have a huge pain in the ass to deal with.

Which Anton brought up. "We'd like you to keep that Goode woman out of it."

Jake snorted. "Not gonna happen, Anton, and you know it. She's got a bigger stake than anyone in this hunt." And the Gaffingtons were part of the reason she'd never see true justice.

Anton exhaled his frustration. "Jake, she'll be out for blood and we don't want to see Llewellyn caught in her crosshairs."

Like she was when Cavil held her captive for weeks on end?

Jake bit back the nasty retort. "I'll handle it. But no one can keep her from the hunt." In fact, Ursa Goode would probably be instrumental in bringing Cavil back in.

Anton responded with is usual aplomb. "I'm sure you'll get the situation under control with your normal efficiency." He ended the call.

Jake rested his forehead on the mirror. He'd have his work cut out but he planned to use Ursa to his advantage. And maybe keep her ass out of the fire at the same time.

I'm excited about the potential for this story. Jake and Ursa have some terrific chemistry.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Dodging Bullets

January 7, 2018

I hope 2018 is off to a great start for everyone. For myself, it's like an arctic tundra in Ohio but that gives me time to write, edit, and catch up on lots of television. Unless it's three a.m. and the dog has to pee… then it takes fifteen minutes to bundle up to go outside so we don't end up coming back in as popsicles. LOL

As mentioned, I watched Passionflix's The Trouble with Mistletoe last week and thoroughly enjoyed the movie. Honestly, the adaption hit all the right emotional notes. There were moments that felt a little rushed, but I have to give props for being able to convey small story beats so masterfully.

Also got caught up on Riverdale. The winter finale tied up the black hood storyline… I think. That new janitor dude is very sketchy-looking so, yeah, not sure. I am looking forward to new episodes to see what new fresh hell Hiram has planned for Riverdale.

I'm almost halfway through season two of Chicago Fire. I'm still not wholly down with the entire McLeod arc. The resolution, while satisfying—watching Isabella shut Gail down was a thing of beauty—didn't exactly make up for not know why she had it in for station fifty-one. Her bonus notwithstanding, I didn't quite buy the whole vindictive nature.

I'm looking forward to the return of my regular network fare in the next two weeks, especially Arrow.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Dodging Bullets, a novella that sprang from an idea of having childhood friends who grow adept at ducking for cover.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Sable and Gage live on the same street and survive their childhood by having each other's backs. When they grow up, they're still looking out for each other, but instead of ducking verbal barbs and flying objects, they're dodging bullets instead.

And a snippety peek…

Sable Rich withdrew her weapon and crouched low against the back of the building—an old warehouse marked for demolition next year. Major crimes had a lead on a human trafficker working out of the location and Sable volunteered to follow up. Raised voices and an exchange of gunfire brought her up to the front of the brick façade. She darted around the corner and stopped short.

"Shit." She'd stumbled into an active takedown scene.

Damn her superiors for not knowing another squad already had dibs.

Her exclamation drew the attention of a tactical unit member. His head angled around and she breathed easier. Gage Waterson. Best friend. Fellow officer. And possibly more.

He cocked an eyebrow and sent her a look—one that said shit just got real—and she heeded the warning. She dove for cover right before a hail of bullets rained down from an upper level window. From her position, she had a line of sight to the second floor and she didn't hesitate. She fired her weapon and the automatic rifle fire ended.

Gage shot a thumbs-up in her direction then everything went back to standard operating procedure. The tactical unit fanned out, rounding up two suspects outside while simultaneously breaching the building to find the others. Sable hung back until the all clear then made her way to the unit commander, hoping like hell she didn't end up with a reprimand for jacking into their op.

The lieutenant shook his head. "Detective Rich, we weren't expecting you." He motioned for the uniformed officers to start loading the criminals into the van. "If we had been, you wouldn't have had to dodge so many bullets."

"She's been dodging bullets since grade school." Gage stopped by her side, his helmet tucked under his arm. "You winged the second-floor shooter. He'll be patched up then escorted to jail with the others." He directed his comment to Sable but spoke for the benefit of his commanding officer.

Sable appreciated the gesture. Might save her ass.

The lieutenant leveled his gaze on Sable. "That was you?"

She shrugged. "I had a good vantage point. Didn't know if you needed him for questioning. I tagged his shoulder so he couldn't keep firing."

The lieutenant inclined his chin. "Nicely done, detective. And it makes up for you being somewhere you shouldn't have been. What's major crimes' interest here?"

Sable held up her hands. "In my defense, we didn't know you planned a takedown tonight. We caught a lead on our human trafficking case and I came to make inquiries about Jordan Blake—"

Gage cut her off. "That's the guy you put out of commission."

Sable met the lieutenant's gaze head-on. "I'd like to talk to him when you're through."

The lieutenant lifted a shoulder. "You'll need to get with vice. They're the ones who requested our unit for the operation."

Sable gave a terse nod. "Thanks, I'll do that." She also tried to end on a positive note. "Sorry about the mix-up. Vice neglected to inform our division they had an active operation."

The lieutenant waved her off. "Sometimes the work moves faster than the red tape." A uniformed officer approached him and Sable took the opportunity to make an escape.

Gage fell into step beside her. "Nice to know we've still got that silent communication thing going."

Sable cracked a smile. "And that I can still duck for cover faster than most normal people."

Gage nudged her shoulder. "You've had a lot of practice." He would know… he'd been there for most of her crazy childhood.

But he missed the very first time Sable had to duck and run.

I truly love where this story is going. Now I need about four more hours in each day to really dig in and finish it.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin