Sunday Snippet: Severing Ties

Happy Father's Day to all the dads, father figures, and mentors out there. The weather has been wet and chilly and, honestly, I'm okay with that. When it's ninety in October and I'm complaining… remind me how the temperatures were in June.

Not a bad week of television. Had some deadlines to meet so a little lighter than usual.

Caught Banshee's fourth episode and loved the interaction with Job and Hood. Also liked entire theft scene and Carrie's rescue of Lucas. Very cool visuals there.

I've watched about three more episodes of Blue Heelers and still enjoy the show. I'm a little frustrated with Roz and finding a job. First, she did the mobile beauty thing, which was terrific. Then, when she lost her license, she was offered a job with a cosmetics firm but turned it down to supposedly take a job in the city. When Wayne got shot, she decided to stick around and now she applied for the office staff job at the station. I'm aware that's how things work sometimes, but it's a little whiplashy for me.

Caught Chicago Fire and loved the episode. I've got two more left of season seven and I'm really excited to see where things go. I'm very interested in how the situation with Casey and Brett plays out.

Episode two of Daredevil delivered another solid viewing experience. Again, my favorite parts were with Karen and Foggy. But I enjoyed Matt's story a lot more this week.

Watched another classic Roswell episode. I'd forgotten how funny Max and Kyle were in the episode where Liz gets to go on a blind date with someone else. And I'd also forgotten how terrific Maria sounded when she finally got to sing.

Frankie Drake Mysteries had a good episode. I'm glad Trudy is sticking around and I loved Mary and Flo's road trip. Also like the mystery this week.

Caught another episode of Riverdale. Gotta say Gladys might be even crazier than Hiram. And, honestly, I'm this close to being done with Hiram. The best part of the episode was Archie and Fred and FP and Jellybean and Jughead. Seriously, loved those scenes. I also loved, loved, loved Betty and Ethel teaming up to brig-break the creepy sisters' home.

Watched another episode of Arrow and, I'll say it again, I'm going to miss this show so much when it's gone. No one does flashbacks and flash forwards better than Arrowverse.

The premiere of Krypton's season two ended up being awesome. I missed this show! Colin Salmon truly seems to be relishing his role as Zod and he's quite good at being smarmy yet evil. I like that about his character. I'm so excited to see what else happens.

Also caught In the Dark. Man… talk about a crazy episode. It's seriously messed up when I'm rooting for the drug dealers to win the day, right? Yeah, I love this show. LOL

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Severing Ties, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Lucky Block and Booker Severn provide all the crazy antics their small town can take. But when they finally sever ties, the community pulls out all the stops to show the couple they belong together.

And a snippety peek…

Booker signaled the bartender to get another beer. "Hit me, Bart." He tucked his phone back in his pocket.

Bart ambled over and popped the cap off a longneck. "Thought you were waiting on Lucky." He placed the bottle in front of Booker.

Booker snorted. "Yeah, me too. She's stuck at work and can't make it." Again.

He got how important she made her job. She'd finally found her niche and wanted to succeed. But, damn, at least he made an effort to be where she asked him to be when she scheduled something for them.

Bart cocked his head to one side. "How long you two been together?" He picked up a glass and grabbed a towel to shine it up.

Booker took a long pull off the beer. "On and off? Almost ten years." Geez… longer than anyone else he'd ever been interested in.

He always came back to Lucky.

Bart picked up another glass. "Long time. Any plans to get hitched?"

Booker almost choked on his sip of alcohol. "No clue, man. She's hard to pin down. Wants to be established with her career before talking anything serious."

Bart quirked an eyebrow. "Bro, a decade is already pretty serious. What's she waiting on?"

Good question.

What are we really doing?

If she couldn't be bothered to show up… not much. Except exchanging bodily fluids on a regular basis. Which Booker enjoyed.

A lot.

Booker shrugged. "You know how it goes. I'm the hometown guy. Born and raised here. She's a transplant and feels like she's gotta make a mark. She's got something to prove." Even if it's only to herself.

Bart nodded. "Gotcha. Imposter syndrome all the way, man." He swiped the towel over another tumbler.

A new customer caught Bart's attention and he moved along the bar to get their order.

Imposter syndrome. Huh. Booker mulled the idea over a little.

He could buy Lucky thinking she didn't do anything but throw shade at people. She wanted what she wanted when she wanted it. Not selfishly… more along the lines of needing to be certain but not knowing if she made the right decisions.

He drained the beer. "Welcome to life, Lucky." Who didn't wonder if they'd made the right choices?

Hell, he'd been down that road before. Not with work or career stuff. But, god, his love life from his junior year in high school through his sophomore year in college resembled a snarled mess of wrecked beds and broken hearts.

Actually, not hearts. Broken possibilities. Women tended to want him for one thing—his prowess in the bedroom. Which, yeah, did wonders for his ego. Didn't do a hell of a lot for anything else like the little something more he wanted in a woman to settle down with.

He dug his keys out of pocket. "Until I met Lucky." Sliding off the barstool, he made his way to the exit.

Sure, they had ups and downs. Two breakups. Even a year apart when she'd moved two states away after she graduated with her degree.

But she returned… not just for him but because she liked the town.

And he kept coming back to her. He'd really hoped he found that something more with Lucky.

Opening his door to his car, he slid behind the wheel. "We'll never know if she keeps breaking dates." At least she's meeting you at home.

Because she wanted to or because he'd guilted her into it?

He'd find out soon enough…

I'm kind of fond of Booker and Lucky. They're a great couple even if they're not always on the same page.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Selling Tickets

Got a solid week of TV viewing in because the weather has been so back and forth it's easier to not plan anything. LOL

Caught another episode of Chicago Fire and, wow, it was terrific. The whole creepy buildup to the reveal played out really well. I have some thoughts on Brett and Casey but won't hold my breath to see what I want there. Loved seeing some good interaction with Kelly and Stella.

Watched the premiere episode of Daredevil's third season. Not a bad start at all. Enjoyed Karen and Foggy the most and liked seeing Matt try to come back. I'm not completely down with him being all pissy about everything but then again why wouldn't he be?

Enjoyed Frankie Drake Mysteries third episode. I kind of miss Frankie having different guys revolve in and out of her life, but she's got chemistry with the detective… even though I'd kind of like Mary to hook up with him.

Riverdale does batshit crazy better than just about any other show out there. As much as I like Mark Consuelos as an actor, I truly loathe Hiram and seriously see nothing redeeming in his characterization. That's usually when I start to lose interest. Here's hoping that doesn't happen with this show.

Watched several more episodes of Blue Heelers. I can't quite decide if I like the detective or not. And Wayne's wife Roz annoys me sometimes. That said, I love the show. Glad I picked it to watch.

Arrow managed to surprise me with the Brothers and Sisters episode. I'm very intrigued with Adrian Paul playing a bad guy. I can't wait to find out what his connection is to Emiko… I have several thoughts about how it might tie into how Oliver spent some of his time in earlier seasons and who he spent that time with. We'll see if I'm right.

Caught the finale of The Murders and it did not disappoint. I so hope this show gets another season and, if so, it needs to have Nolan. Just saying.

Watched another episode of Classic Roswell and enjoyed it again. I like how viewers can almost see the moment Valenti shifts his perspective on possible alien residency in Roswell.

Speaking of Roswell... New Mexico added the actress who plays Rosa as a series regular for season two. I admit this concerns me. Not because I didn't enjoy the actress; more because this is already a huge cast and I'd rather not have my favorites lose screen time. Maria was woefully underused and my hope is Rosa will help bring her into the fold. If not, I might be saying "so long" to Roswell, New Mexico… which actually saddens me because the first season is still eating my brain.

Caught another episode of Painkiller Jane and it's one I didn't remember. I liked seeing how Jane's situation ties into the whole neuro craziness while at the same time is a completely different beast altogether.

Durham County is so damn hard to watch sometimes. I mean that in the best possible way. It's such a raw emotional look at the big and little things that make people who they are. Ray senior has got to be one of the worst examples of humanity and I want to know how the hell he got to be such a waste of life. Hopefully there's an answer in the series somewhere.

Watched another episode of Midsomer Murders and it was really terrific. Sometimes, especially with a show that's been on so long, episodes feel like they're a rehashing of previous seasons. This one was definitely not.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. There's something fun about watching black and white television. Maybe it's the nostalgia factor?

In the Dark ripped a huge band-aid off Murphy's life and, boy, did she react. Sometimes I get frustrated with her prickly demeanor but her flaws really are front and center and Jess always has the best way of presenting why it's easy to overlook some of Murphy's abrasive personality traits.

Last but not least, I watched another episode of Blade and I'd remembered it from the first go around. I can't say seeing Marcus's origin story really made me sympathetic to him but I can see how Krista got sucked into the scenario of maybe seeing some shades of gray there.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Selling Tickets, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Kurt Trevarthan owns a popular night club and trusts Winnie Clay, one of his oldest friends, to keep things running smoothly. He never dreams he'll have to rely on her when his old man shows up—after a decade away—on the anniversary of Kurt's mom's death, but Winnie comes through and keeps the Trevarthan men from killing each other.

And a snippety peek…

Maybe head out for a couple of weeks.

The words played on repeat in his brain.

"Are you leaving me, Win?"

Where the hell had that question come from?

Winnie rolled her eyes. "Of course not." She tilted her head to one side. "Why would you think I'm not coming back?"

Honestly? He had no idea. But once the notion hit, it stuck like fucking Velcro.

He shrugged. "You know what this date means to me. I thought maybe there was significance behind the timing." She'd been with him for the anniversary so many times.

Winnie's mouth dropped open. "Don't do that, Kurt. Don't pick now to read more into this." She gave him a pointed look. "You're the one who keeps telling me we are what we are and not to expect more." Her tone held no censure, only truth.

A kick of guilt hit him. He did remind her on a regular basis he couldn't—wouldn't—be more than a bed and business partner. Watching his parents pretty much throw away what they had and pretty much destroy the concept of love made Kurt wary of repeating their mistakes.

He couldn't walk the same path if he never let love rule him.

But… he relied on Winnie. Had for more than a decade. And she never failed to come through. He'd be a total ass to give her a rough time for wanting a break.

He cared enough for her to give her what she needed. Except the one thing she really deserves from you.

Pushing the thought aside, he tugged her forward and dropped a kiss on her nose. "You're right. You caught me off guard." Which maybe said more than he wanted to examine right now.

Draping an arm over her shoulder, he tucked her into his side then led her outside and down the steps to his office.

Okay… more like his sanctuary. Soundproof and outfitted with major indulgences, he could probably live in the seven room suite. In fact, he often stayed overnight with Winnie while they worked to make his dream nightclub a reality. He'd finished the renovations down here before he even started the place upstairs.

Keying in the entry code, he let her precede him into the space before he closed the door behind them.

She kicked off her shoes. "I love this place." The plush carpet practically swallowed her bare feet when she walked into the living area.

Pride filled him because he loved it too. "You outdid yourself here, Win. It's pretty much perfect." Her talent never failed to amaze him.

The flow started in the living area, which could double as a reception point if needed. His office sat to the left with a large window of frosted glass beside the door. Winnie included everything he could possibly want… a media room, full kitchen, a home gym, and a spa bathroom. Two rooms lined the back of the building, his bedroom and a space just for Winnie. She never slept on the daybed, preferring to share his, but she'd lined the walls with shelves and used the room as a studio where she puttered with different art forms.

He'd showcased her work in the other two clubs he owned. Clubs she helped get off the ground. Kurt encouraged her to expand her horizons and didn't put limits on her creative endeavors. Yet… concern over her requested time off kicked in again.

I'm going to miss her.

Surprise punched him in the gut. But when he thought about it, they hadn't spent a lot of time apart in the last twelve years. She'd been by his side for so long, he blindly expected her to always be there. Accepted she would be.

And he liked having her there.

Shaking off the wariness, he toed his boots off and followed her into the kitchen and wrapped his arms around her. "We should call it day. Have some dinner." He hoped she didn't have other plans.

She would have told me, wouldn't she?

Kurt is about to get a much needed wake-up call and he's not going to like it. Here's to making that scene work on the page as well as it does in my head. LOL

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: A Rustic Affair

Well, hello there, June. To be honest, considering it's only the second day of the month, June isn't starting off too badly. We're actually having a spring in Ohio and it's oddly unsettling. LOL

Not a bad week of television viewing. Finished up the second episode of Banshee and started on the third of the first season. I want to search around and see if the mini-episodes of the origin storyline are available. Definitely filled in some blanks.

Caught two additional episodes of Blue Heelers and started a third. I really do enjoy this show a lot.

I'm almost finished with Chicago Fire's seventh season. I'm up to episode eighteen. I loved the focus on luck and also the interaction with Severied and Foster. Great to see Donna again too.

Gotta say, I'm actually pretty satisfied with Iron Fist's season finale. Well, I guess it's more of a series finale and I freely admit that disappoints me. That said, I'm thrilled with the potential for what could have been the third season's story elements. Misty ended up in a good place even if she's not completely certain where her career is going to take her. Joy and Walker could have some terrific potential for figuring themselves out. Colleen, quite simply, kicks ass no matter what she does. But the best part is where Danny and Ward ended up… on the adventure of a lifetime to figure out what their roles are in the big picture of life. So… I would have been thrilled and happy as hell to have a third season but I'm very okay with how the show ended this iteration of itself.

Caught the camping trip episode of Classic Roswell. I remembered this one and Kyle's snark coming out if full force was so much fun. I also enjoyed the interaction with Jim and his dad. Considering the episode is all about fathers, it was a great piece of the puzzle.

Watched the second episode of Frankie Drake and enjoyed it. The show feels different this season and that's not necessarily a bad thing. I'll see how the rest of the season goes.

Caught another episode of Riverdale and, man, it's so… poignant to see Luke Perry on screen. Being behind like I am, I've had time to deal with the loss of the actor but I haven't had the chance to deal with losing the character on the show… because it hasn't happened yet.

Arrow's episode ended up being excellent! Nice to finally have Black Star's name and to know her relationship with Oliver, Felicity, and William. Have to admit, my heart kind of broke when William decided to leave with his grandparents. And… I'm going to miss this show so much when it's over!

Watched the penultimate episode of The Murders and it definitely didn't disappoint. I'm excited to see if this show returns. I'm crossing my fingers because I really love the cast and the storylines.

Discovered I didn't watch the penultimate episode of Painkiller Jane. I'd forgotten this had a full season of twenty-two episodes. I'm ready to see what else happens now.

Caught the third episode of Durham County and, yeah, still dark. I truly love the character dynamics and watching Mike kind of fail at holding shit together is compelling. There's a very fine line he has to walk to stay sympathetic and so far the actor is pulling it off.

Midsomer Murders had a good episode featuring Jones in a way I haven't seen him before. I like it. Looking forward to another episode this week.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn and Classic Who. I started the Gunfighters arc and it's not bad at all.

Watched two episodes of In the Dark and both were excellent. Good to see more of Darnell's story and I really like the detective and the bartender maybe getting together. As usual, I'm on the fence with Murphy… just when I get so damn pissed off at her, she had a moment of clarity or remorse and shows her softer side. I'm definitely intrigued and can't wait for another episode.

Caught another episode of Blade and remembered it from the first time around. Watching Krista deal with her mom kind of kicked hard and watching Chase completely screw over the pureblood did not surprise at all. Just saying.

And that's pretty much it for this week. Tonight's post is from A Rustic Affair, a novella that got a start with a writing community prompt of "building a house". I put a small spin on the idea and made it renovating a house.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Necia Sands and Falcon Seaver, two mercenaries for hire who finally retire from the life, try to settle down. Being opposites draws them together, but it also makes them clash over simple things—like finding the right place to live.

And a snippety peek…

Necia Sands shot a sideways glance toward her companion. "Kind of off the beaten path, aren't we?" The jeep jostled over another rut.

Falcon Seaver lifted his chin. "Yep. All told, there's fifteen acres out here. Limited access but great to settle on." He bounced on the seat when he hit another deep groove in the road. "The basics are handled. Water. Sewage. Electric and solar hookups." He made a sharp turn and the road smoothed out a little.

Necia studied him a long moment. After pulling ten years apiece in the covert undercover world, retirement almost seemed surreal. Mainly because not many people in their line of work actually got to retire. Necia couldn't quite get a solid read on Falcon's mindset… and she spent her working years reading people like books.

Tilting her head to one side, she gave him another measured glance. "Don't you think this is a little too much like literally being put out to pasture?" Okay, the craggy landscape didn't resemble a huge field, but still…

Fifteen acres in the middle of nowhere? She couldn't quite picture them spending a long time here.

Falcon rolled a shoulder. "Maybe. But I like the solitude." His face went tense and dark for a moment before relaxing again.

Okay, Necia got his need for calm. They'd lived on the edge for a long time. Ate, breathed, and slept dangerous situations for a paycheck.

So… solitude soothed the soul and eased the heavy burden of doing shit normal people wouldn't dream of doing.

But…

Necia liked a little crazy in her life. Falcon fit the bill—especially in bed—but she craved noise and excitement out of the sack, too. Good thing she loved him with everything she had or she'd be running for the nearest urban area in a flash.

Falcon stopped the SUV and cut the engine. Necia cocked her head, leaning closer to the open window. The sound of crashing waves filled her ears.

She turned, facing him. "Is that the ocean?" A spark of interest caught fire and licked through her system.

He flashed a grin and popped his door open. "Yep." He stepped out, his booted feet crunching on the gravel surface of the road.

She scrambled out behind him on the driver's side. "How close?" She could practically experience the pull of the water.

Falcon grabbed her hand and led her down a path to the edge. "Pretty close" He wrapped his arms around her.

Huge rocks made up the shoreline and the choppy water ebbed and flowed, creating a chorus of crashing cymbal-like sounds. Necia breathed deeply, letting the salty air fill her lungs.

She leaned into his embrace. "It's incredible." Started to see the possibilities of being out here.

Falcon smiled. "Thought you'd like it." He stepped away and nodded toward the road. "The owner is a former client who owes me for an off-the-books job. I called in the marker and he offered this parcel of land as payment." Fishing a set of keys out of his pocket, he dangled them between his fingers. "The house is up that way about another mile. It's a modern design but pretty rustic. Hasn't been lived in for at least two decades."

Necia's head whipped around. "There's a house?" He should've led with that information.

Falcon pointed along the cliff edge. "I can show you. We've got access." The keys jangled in his palm.

Necia narrowed her eyes. "Two decades, huh? There's a reason you showed me the beach first, isn't there?"

Falcon's grin went wide and he started back toward the SUV.

Necia followed, shaking her head. "You don't fool me one bit, mister."

But the idea of a house, free and clear, kicked the spark of interest up another notch.

I'm having so much fun with this story. The outline is complete and I love where things are going.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Running Dialog

Where on earth did the month of May go? I realize I noted it was almost over last week, but, honestly, I feel like I blinked and the week flew by.

Another so-so week of television viewing. I had a lot on my calendar and needed to do some serious focusing while working. I did get some quality viewing in.

I started and finished the third episode of Blue Heelers. I like it. The cast is pretty stellar and the storylines are fun for me.

Caught Arrow's emerald archer episode and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm going to miss this show so much when it's over next season. I'm really hoping some of the cast stays available to do the crossover episodes in the Arrowverse.

Watched another episode of The Murders. This show… I'm very into it. It's not really a shipping kind of show but I'd be totally down with Nolan and Kate hooking up. It would add an interesting layer to their partnership.

Watched what I think is the penultimate episode of Painkiller Jane. One episode left then it's on to a new show on The Roku Channel.

Caught another episode of Durham County. Man, this show is dark. Which I like, don't get me wrong. I spend most of the episode wanting something terrible to happen to Ray Prager. The guy is just… creepy. I'm really hoping to find out why he hates his own kid so much.

Watched another episode of Midsomer Murders. The first episode of series fifteen ended up being terrific. James Callis played twins, one an arrogant jerk and one a rather affable guy… until the murderer is revealed. Great episode.

Caught two more episodes of Peter Gunn. I'd seen both already but they were pretty good so I didn't mind watching again at all.

Watched two more episodes of Doctor Who and finished out The Ark storyline. Looking forward to starting a new group of shows.

Into the Dark's third episode was… pretty good. There are times when the awkward mess Murphy makes of her life is hard to watch but I think that's part of the reason I like the show so much. She's so prickly and obnoxious but she's also got a softer side that she has no idea what to do with.

Started episode two of my Banshee rewatch and I'll have more to discuss next week.

That's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Running Dialog, a sexy short that got its start with a writing community prompt.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Margo Miln and Del Lamberto, two of the remote outpost's best medics, argue all the time. Sometimes their rapid fire disagreements can be a pain… and occasionally their lively discussions lead to truly awesome things.

And a snippety peek…

"Do you always have to come at everything sideways?" Del Lamberto snarled the question and grabbed another gauze pad.

Margo Miln staunched the flow of blood, trying to get a look at the wound. "Pretty sure Robert here is happy I'm not sitting on top of him while we try to get this bleeding under control." They needed to find the piece of shrapnel imbedded in his thigh too.

Didn't help they were tucked up against the side of a mountain in a narrow pass. Also didn't bear discussing that an engineer shouldn't have been so close to the IED he'd designed when it detonated.

But her pay grade didn't include offering opinions on stupidity. At least not out loud during an emergency situation.

Del snorted. "Not what I meant and you know it. We'd have more room if you'd have let me move him like I suggested." He placed the clean pad on the wound and applied pressure.

Robert hissed out a breath and winced. Margo shook her head. They couldn't stop the blood flow if they didn't get the metal out.

And she'd be damned before she'd admit Del had a point about their limited space being a deterrent to patient care right now.

She grabbed a pair of forceps and nudged Del out of the way. "Let me in there, Del. Gotta remove whatever is causing this damage." She carefully prodded around in the gaping hole and finally landed on the offensive piece of metal.

Clamping the forceps, she gently pulled the sliver of… geez, seriously… mangled roofing material out of the area.

Del had another clean gauze pad ready and applied pressure immediately. "Gonna need to start a line ASAP. Can you manage?" His gaze judged the cramped confines of their work space.

She'd definitely manage, but she cursed her lack of foresight in refusing to move Robert to a less cramped location.

Margo got the supplies ready. "Yeah, I've got this." She inserted the needle but missed the vein.

Del quirked an eyebrow, no words necessary. Did she really have this or were they actually fucked?

Doubling down, Margo hit the mark on her second attempt. "There. Told you." She secured the IV tubing to Robert's hand. "Working in less than stellar conditions is part of the reason we're out here." As if she needed to remind Del the purpose of being deep in the mountainous region, far from creature comforts and state-of-the-art equipment.

Del snorted. "Yeah, right. I still say—"

She cut him off. "I know, I know. If I came with instructions, your job would be a lot easier." Glancing up, she met his gaze. "Get over it, man. I'm not that hard to figure out." She placed the bag of fluids on Robert's chest then shoved the two equipment bags out of the way.

Robert glanced back and forth between them. "You two need to get a room."

Margo answered in unison with Del. "We've got one." They shared the medic quarters on base.

Robert rolled his eyes. "You're obviously not using it the right way." He sent Margo a pointed look.

She opened her mouth then snapped it shut. Nope. Totally not going there right now. And she resisted the urge to poke Robert's injury to make him shut up.

Del blinked and tilted his head to one side, looking intrigued and insulted at the same time. He started to comment then shook his head and shut up.

Thank the universe for small favors.

Margo prodded Del into action. "Backboard. Let's get him out of here."

Del grabbed the prototype for a new collapsible backboard and slid the square shape under Robert's ass. Margo took hold of the handles at her end just beneath Robert's thighs and Del grasped his end directly below Robert's waist. With a nod, they pulled the board out to its full length, ready to secure their patient so they could drag him out and back to their base.

Robert flinched when they hefted him upward and navigated their way out of the narrow passage.

Margo gave him a small smile. "Hang in there, Robbo. I think I've got just the thing for you when we get back." If the timing worked out, the first batch of homebrew alcohol would be ready to test when they arrived.

Robert could keep Del from being the official guinea pig.

This one is fun to write. I love the challenge of creating snappy dialog and always hope I hit the mark.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rise and Shine

Wow… I can't believe May is almost over. The whole time speeding up thing has to be true. Or maybe I just try to pack too much stuff into life? Who knows.

Kind of a so-so week of television viewing. I had quite a few irons in the fire and needed some solid focus on a couple of projects. Still, not a bad slate of shows overall.

As usual, I caught two episodes of Peter Gunn. One I remember seeing before the other one I didn't. Also caught two episodes of Classic Who, starting The Ark storyline.

Watched the second episode of In the Dark and while it didn't charm me as much as the first episode did, I enjoyed it. Even though I love how flawed our heroine is, I can see her abrasiveness becoming a tired gimmick at some point. I'll definitely keep watching because I really want to know what happened to her friend.

Caught another episode of Blade and it's one I remembered featuring Chase's rehab after being burned almost to a crisp… literally. I'm about halfway through the season and if memory serves, things start getting really intense from here on out.

Started a rewatch of Banshee. Man… I'd forgotten how crazy the first episode ended up being. This show didn't flinch from violence in any way and it's one of the reasons I couldn't stop watching. Ugh… not because I love violence. More because the characters jumped right out and grabbed my attention. I also fell in love with Job's character at first sight.

Began a new Australian series called Blue Heelers and have almost two episodes watched. I found the show on the TubiTV app but I'm watching on the Freedive app so I can catch the series from the beginning.

Watched another episode of Chicago Fire and it ended up being pretty decent. I'm not sure about the whole Kelly and Stella vibe, but I like that they're still supportive of each other even if they're not together. Also liked Matt being something of a dick to Herrman. I know, I know… why would I like that? Because I want to see how he deals with his trauma of almost being shot.

Caught episode nine of Iron Fist and, holy crap, it didn't disappoint. Danny fighting without the fist and nailing Davos with the syringe blew me away. Colleen fighting the gang of goons kicked ass. Ward and Walker's interaction almost made me laugh out loud, but it also ended up being kind of touching in a bizarre way. The fact that Ward immediately knew Joy needed help speaks volumes, even if Joy doesn't want to hear about it. Watching her fall a full story down was… actually kind of mind-blowing. And, of course, Misty is always an added benefit to the show. The end… well, I'm excited to see where things go.

Watched the premiere episode of Frankie Drake Mysteries's second season. Great episode with lots of good stuff for the women to do. I like Frankie's interactions with her mom and I loved Trudy saving the day.

Picked back up with Riverdale's third season. I'm not all the way through the episode yet but I already want to smack Hiram. I'm really not sure about the whole G&G thing but part of loving this show is embracing the completely batshit crazy storylines. I'm happy to be back in the game so to speak.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rise and Shine, a novella that started with a writing community prompt of "the businessman and the barista".

Here's the mini-blurb:

Abram Purdy sees the same barista, Whitney Boone, every day of the week. She always knows exactly what he needs to get his day started. He runs into her on a Saturday jog and discovers she's accepting a teaching position at the local university and Abram decides to see if she'll still make his morning coffee—at his place.

And a snippety peek…

"Do you understand the requirements, Ms. Boone?"

Whitney took a moment before giving a nod. "Yes, I believe so." She recounted the stipulation back to Dan McCalister, the head of the art department at the university. "I'll be teaching art history for two groups so I can also start the curriculum for the art therapy class." She'd been meeting with McCalister about this for almost a year and her effort finally paid off.

Dan slid a folder in front of her. "We'd like to see how the therapy class goes before we decide to add it to the official list of majors. If that happens, you'll have the option to teach therapy full-time with input into the required courses." He sat back, leveling his gaze on hers.

Whitney wanted to a happy-chair dance, but resisted the urge. "I'd like to formally accept your offer. Do you need a written confirmation?" Her brain spun in twenty different directions.

She'd have to get started on lesson plans and write a budget for supplies. She'd also have to invest in a few key wardrobe pieces. Her current work uniform wouldn't work for teaching. Damn… she'd also have to give notice to her current employer.

So much to do in a short period of time.

McCalister shook his head. "We'll have you sign the official offer over in HR. You can pick up your employee packet and they'll answer any questions you have about parking, benefits, and whatever else you'll need to get started." He rose and came around his desk.

Whitney stood and thrust her hand forward. "Thank you. I'll look forward to getting started with the new semester." Dan's warm grip surrounded her palm.

He flashed a brief smile. "I think you'll be a good fit here. And I hope we work the art therapy into the major program."

He'd been a big supporter of her idea and went to bat for her with the curriculum advisors.

She exited his office and gave in to the desire to whirl around in excitement. She finally landed a teaching job in a subject she loved. Okay, maybe not the exact thing she loved, but close. She didn't mind the extra classes. Art history could be dry sometimes, but the works had so much beauty and significance.

Walking out into the sunny but chilly day, she followed the signs to the administration building. "Damn. I'm going to have to get used to working in the afternoons and evenings." Which would be okay, but it did mean she'd definitely have to leave her current position, which she'd figured would happen.

And only one thing made her slightly reluctant to give up her job at Rise and Shine, a coffee shop close to campus and the tech sector of the city.

Abram Purdy.

Whitney snorted. "Right, Whit. Give up an opportunity like this because of the hot guy who finally sparked your interest." The only one in two years… since she'd crawled out of the dating pool after a few too many titanic disasters.

She entered the admin building and gave her name to the assistant. Taking a seat, she waited to meet with the HR representative. And considered the dating game situation again.

Abram made her want to give going out with someone another go. Didn't have to be him. The fact her attraction for him pushed her into considering getting back out there would probably be enough.

Whitney is being a little nervous about having her goal in hand. I like writing that aspect of her character.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Ring It In

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms out there. It's rainy and chilly in Ohio and a nice day to stay in and be pampered. A few quiet hours alone is on my agenda today.

Had a solid television watching week. Since I watched so many penultimate episodes last week, this week ended up putting me in the finale zone. I started with the final episode of Underbelly: Razor. I'll admit I ended up being pretty satisfied with how things turned out. Kate and Tillie ended up living to ripe old ages for the times and Nellie, oddly enough, had an ending that rather suited her. Big Jim definitely got his due as did Phil the Jew.

Caught two more episodes of Midsomer Murders and thoroughly enjoyed both. I do like John and his wife along with their dog Sykes. Also watched two more episodes of Peter Gunn.

Started a new show from the CW. In the Dark ended up being more than I expected and, honestly, I enjoyed it. The heroine is messy and prickly and I like her flaws. The supporting cast is excellent. I'll watch more and see how it goes. It's been renewed for another season so I hope I like the rest of this one.

Watched another episode of Blade and remembered most of this one. There were a few bits I missed the first time around so it's nice to have those blanks filled in.

Also caught two more episodes of Classic Who and finished out the time meddler episodes. If memory serves, this is really the first sighting of the Master. Kind of like his origin story.

Watched the finale of Strike Back and I'm happy to say everyone I lived that I wanted to see still standing at the end. With the exception of Wyatt's marriage, which I have a feeling didn't survive. I can't wait for the final season now.

Caught Chicago Fire and enjoyed the episode. I'm not sold on Grissom being an okay guy yet but here's hoping they go in that direction. I really don't want to see Severied used as a pawn on the chessboard so I'll be pissed if that happens.

Iron Fist had a decent episode. Danny and Colleen are walking a very fine line and I'm hopeful their relationship can withstand the coming nightmare of dealing with Davos. Joy and Ward had some personal growth and Mary's storyline meshed well with the others. Davos is Davos and I'm still struggling to find some kind of empathy with him. It's not working.

Caught a great episode of Arrow and thoroughly enjoyed. I'm not a big fan of Diggle and Lyla keeping big secrets but I'll hold back from judging too much. Really loved Oliver and Laurel's reckoning with past sins. I love Oliver the most when he's pushing to be better than his parents.

Watched the finale of Murdoch Mysteries and, whew, I'm so glad things worked out the way they did. Miss Hart should probably watch her step and I'm kind of hoping she ends up becoming a good character. Nice to see where everyone is at the end, mostly in great places with their personal relationships.

Caught another episode of The Murders and I'm really loving this show. I'm excited to find out who is messing with Kate and I liked seeing Nolan not dealing with his personal life. Also loved having Kate back him up.

Watched the finale to Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and, wow, I truly hoped the stupid superintendent would get what he deserved. Of course, he didn't and Peregrine might have lost her edge with him. We'll see what happens… if there's a second season. The chemistry between Steed and Peregrine is so delicious.

I'm nearing the end of my Painkiller Jane rewatch and I completely missed the episode I caught the first time around. Glad I got it in. I think there are two episodes left in this season, but I can't remember for certain.

Started another new show for me, Durham County. It's dark and twisty and I think I'm going to like it a lot. The first episode had a good mix of creepy happenings along with some good exposition. Looking forward to more.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Ring It In, a sexy short featuring a snowy New Year's Eve and an element of danger for our hero and heroine.

Here's the mini-blurb:

Recovering from post-holiday family drama, Paris Lightful wants to spend New Year's Eve in her uncle's cabin with nothing but her laptop and a ton of action movies. When near blizzard conditions strand Deputy Kelton Pine at her location, Paris doesn't welcome the intrusion, especially since Kelton has a major chip on his shoulder. But once the ice breaks between the couple, things heat up rather quickly.

And a snippety peek…

The end credits rolled on the latest Star Trek movie and Paris shook her bowl of popcorn.

She debated making more. "Nah. It's late." She started scrolling through her list to find another movie to watch.

A knock on the door startled her.

Unwinding her legs, she tossed off the fluffy throw she'd brought. "Maybe it's the Hendersons." A quick glance at the clock showed three a.m. "Okay, doubtful." She grabbed fireplace poker and went to answer.

The door swung open and the barrel of a handgun led the way. Paris bit back a yelp and raised the heavy iron, ready to swing.

"Sheriff's department. Don't move."

Paris checked her upward motion, bringing the poker back down to her side, and met a familiar gaze. "Kelton Pine?" When had he become a deputy?

Kelton lowered his weapon and holstered it. "Paris Lightful." A brief flash of distaste crossed his features.

The sneer in his tone caught her off guard, but she nodded. "Yeah. It's been what? Eight years?" Damn, she hadn't prepared for a blast from the past.

He grunted acknowledgment while his gaze scanned the space. "You here alone?" He finally glanced back in her direction, giving her a quick once-over.

Apparently, pleasantries weren't necessary.

Paris tilted her head to one side. "Yeah, with permission. Uncle Mick owns the cabin." What had his ass in a twist?

Kelton blinked. "Yeah, I know. Is he here?" Again, his gaze swept the immediate area.

She shook her head, growing more curious by the moment. "No, just me." She shivered. "Would you mind coming in and closing the door?" Backing up, she gave him space to enter. "Is there a problem?" His attitude had her hackles rising.

He gave her a long look and she racked her brain trying to figure out what the hell happened to the happy-go-lucky guy she'd had a huge crush on after high school.

Kel stepped further inside and shut the heavy oak. "I've got a guy who put his wife in the hospital on the loose." He folded his arm across his chest, the thick uniform jacket spreading at the bottom to reveal a tight stomach. "He usually heads up this way when we're looking for him."

Paris stifled an uneasy kick of concern. "I've been here since early evening. No one's been around that I know of." Then again, she hadn't been listening for a fugitive that might be traipsing around her uncle's cabin.

Kel dropped his arms and turned toward the door. "Keep this locked and keep the spare key in here with you." He retrieved the container Uncle Mick kept stashed in the mailbox and handed it to her.

His attitude bordered on hostile and Paris wanted to believe it had to do with the man he needed to find.

Something told her it didn't.

Kel nodded toward the porch. "The weather's nasty and looks to get worse. If anyone you don't know knocks on your door, don't let them in." He stepped out and hunched into his jacket.

Paris followed but didn't go outside. "I won't. Could you let me know if you find the guy?" When his shoulders tensed, she added a clarifier. "Or have someone else let me know?"

He didn't speak, only gave her a curt nod before climbing into his SUV and starting the engine.

Paris closed the door and wondered what the hell crawled up his ass. Not like she'd called and invited him over—he barged into the cabin then acted like she'd intruded on his day. Asshat.

Angry and unsettled, mainly because she'd liked him way back when, she went back to the couch and picked up with scrolling through her movie titles. She'd totally cop to being a little stung he didn't acknowledge their history, the little they'd had.

Paris picked a DC superhero movie and clicked on the title. "Forget him, Paris. He's obviously forgotten you." The opening credits started and she settled down with the throw again.

She'd probably be crashed out before the end of the film, but she hoped she'd dream of space ships and superheroes instead of the brooding deputy that stirred up old memories.

I'm having a lot of fun with this story. Paris is beyond tired of drama but she won't mind a little with Kelton.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Rescue Me

Well… May is starting out with a crazy-busy schedule. I've got two new projects underway along with my regular work. That said, I love being busy so I won't complain.

I got to spend time with two of my best friends from high school. It's so much fun to catch up with them and we're hoping to make this a several times a year thing. Good food and terrific wine… a fabulous way to spend an evening.

Had a semi-decent week of television viewing. I started out with an episode of Blade: The Series and discovered I'd missed this one. Glad I caught up with it… it had several good pieces of information in it.

I caught the penultimate episode of Strike Back and, wow, as usual, it delivered. Gotta say I'm sad we didn't get to see Coltrane in action between the sheets, especially considering we've seen almost everyone else.

Also watched another episode of Classic Roswell and it's another episode I thoroughly enjoyed but didn't quite remember fully. I love revisiting this series.

Caught another episode of Arrow and got to finally discover Oliver's newest family member. The hits really do keep coming for Oliver and I love to watch him react to each one. Also starting to enjoy the futurescape a lot. I'm going to miss this show so much when it ends after the next season. But I'll look forward to having a dark Gotham to visit if Batwoman gets a pickup.

Watched the penultimate—a frequent refrain this week—episode of Murdoch Mysteries. I have to admit I'm disappointed with a couple of things. Miss Hart's seeming underhandedness is a big one and I'm holding out hope it's smoke and mirrors on that end. And, seriously, the character assassination of John Brackenreid makes my head spin. I truly hope the finale swings the pendulum back to normal.

The Murders had a terrific fourth episode. I like the little bit of mystery surrounding Kate and I definitely like Nolan's slow spiral. It looks like the next episode starts to address his issues and I'm totally there for it.

Caught the… you guessed it… penultimate episode of Ms. Fisher's Modern Murder Mysteries and, man, I loved it! This show is so. Much. Fun. Seriously, I'm crossing every appendage I have that there might be a second season.

Watched the first part of Chicago Fire's crossover with Chicago PD. Haven't watched the police episode yet but really wanted to watch Cruz go undercover. I'm not quite sure what to think about Grissom's about face with Severied. That might not go anywhere good. Just saying.

Caught episode seven of Iron Fist and actually enjoyed it a lot. I'm sad to view what's going on with Danny and Colleen but I also think it's an interesting wrinkle in their relationship. Davos, as usual, irritates the ever loving crap out of me. I'm totally hoping Joy is making a long play to get her hands on the bowl but won't hold my breath. As usual, Ward and Misty entertained just by being on screen. I'll miss not having new episodes after this season ends.

Watched an episode of Painkiller Jane and it's another one I didn't get to see on the first run of the series. Glad I caught it. I do like how Jane finally accepts being part of the team and starts to consider them family.

And that's it for television this week. Tonight's post is from Rescue Me, a novella that got its start with a two-word prompt of "let's roll".

Here's the mini-blurb:

After twenty-four hours of nonstop runs in two busy station houses, Skylar Darns and Hayes Parrison, two extremely good paramedics, are ready to throw in the towel and have someone rescue them. The one saving grace? They spend the day planning their anniversary celebration—one they may be too exhausted to attend.

And a snippety peek…

Hayes slammed the back door of the rig closed and walked into the station house. "She totally jinxed us." On shift two hours and the squad had been called out three times.

His phone buzzed in his pocket and he withdrew it, finding a text from Skylar.

"I told you so." The smiley faces didn't have to be there, right?

He shot a quick reply back. "Yeah, yeah. Remind me to never doubt you." He added a heart symbol and a crying face.

After pocketing his phone, he laughed. "Figures she called it." He entered the lounge area and took a post by the door, leaning against the jamb.

Why bother sitting when he'd be leaving again soon? Pretty much a guarantee at this point.

Today's busy start reminded him of the day he met Shyler. They'd literally bumped into each other outside the hospital. He had sixty-one's backboard and she had fifty-three's c-collar. Their rigs were parked side by side and when he went to go around the door, he slammed into her. Thankfully, she grabbed on to the board and didn't end up on her ass. Which, yeah, he totally scoped out after they traded equipment and she climbed up into the back of the ambulance to stow the board.

She angled her head around and sent a smirk in his direction. "It's the pants. I don't know what it is about this line of uniforms, but everyone's ass looks terrific." Her eyebrows waggled up and down. "Male or female." She fanned herself.

He laughed, completely smitten. "Hayes Parrison." He thrust his hand out. "Are you new at sixty-one?" He hadn't seen her around before.

She grasped his palm. "Skylar Darns. Not new, but I'm working a different shift. Started out on A and took the new slot on C." Her smile lit up the back of squad.

He nodded. "Right. Lambo retired a few months ago. I'd forgotten." His partner rolled the cot out of the ED and headed in their direction.

Hayes wanted to stick around and get to know Skylar a little better. He liked her cheeky sass. Too bad her partner followed close behind his.

He braced an arm on the top of the door. "We should meet for coffee sometime. I can let you know who's who on C-shift." Lame, right? But she might go for it.

Her lips curved in a knowing grin. "I've got plans tomorrow, but we could me at Shifty's at the end of our next workday." She turned to make some room for her partner to stow their equipment.

He could wait a few days to see her outside of work. "Sounds good. I'll see you there." He started for his ambulance. "If you can't make it, or change your mind, my number's on the cover sheet." The station houses had a log of paramedics who would work a block of time when people needed to take emergency personal leave.

She flashed a grin. "Same. If anything comes up, let me know." Reaching out, she pulled the door shut and the rig started up.

He made his way back to his unit and flipped his smirking partner off before helping him load the cot. Duane didn't let Hayes off the hook, demanding to know what he had planned with the hot woman from station sixty-one.

Tones dropping put Hayes on alert and dispatch announced another call.

He made a dash for the ambulance and shook his head. "Gonna be a long day, Skylar."

I'm having a lot of fun with this one. I love having the quirky texts between characters.

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin