Sunday Snippet: Drowning Pull

May is flying by at a rapid pace. This week has been intense with burning the candle at both ends for me. This is a good day to take some downtime, which I'm trying to do today.

Work exploded this week with multiple projects dropping into my inbox. I have four nonfiction manuscripts and three fiction manuscripts in various stages of editing. I don't normally have seven different projects going at the same time but, so far, I'm managing them. It'll make for a nice June once they're all turned in.

Had an amazing week of viewing. I got a full round of shows in and caught a couple of extras. Also started a new show that might be sporadically viewed until it's available for streaming.

I started a rewatch of Miss Fisher's Murder Mysteries this week. I'm waiting a some new episodes of a few other shows to drop and this is such a comfort series for me.

Caught another episode of Brokenwood Mysteries and thoroughly enjoyed it. Very twisty and turny, which is always fun.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. I'm happy to have some Naomi backstory. I'd love to see a bit more of that for the characters.

Started a from the beginning run of Poirot. I've seen quite a few episodes of this show but haven't watched any of them in order. This is another filler series until new episodes start dropping of my current shows.

Watched another episode of Elementary and quite enjoyed it. I'm always interested when weird cases pop up and the cryogenics angle ended up being interesting.

Caught an episode of Batman Beyond and have some vague memories of the first time I watched it. I'm wondering if the Ts are in any way a throwback to Mr. Terrific. I might have to dive down that rabbit hole at some point.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of these vignettes and I liked both.

I finished up an episode of Peak Practice and might start another one this week. This is one of my back burner shows and I'm happy I got to finish watching.

Started a new-to-me series and watched Reacher. Gotta say I loved the first episode. I did a bit of dive into write-ups of future seasons, and I think I'll stick with this one.

Also got a minimarathon of Return to Paradise in over the weekend. I'm looking forward to streaming this one when it's available in the US. Really enjoyed the first three episodes and I'm excited to see the rest.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Drowning Pull, a novella that plays on the right guy, wrong time trope.

Here's the miniblurb:

Lane Addison drowns his grief over losing his brother in alcohol, until a blonde distraction sits down beside him. Injured and off the circuit, Quesleigh 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 Quesleigh, until she mentions her fiancé.

And a snippety peek…

Quesleigh struggled through a workout.

Her knee came close to being back in shape, but she needed to get ready for competition. "If I can compete." She pushed harder to up her reps.

She and Brad had some issues to iron out. He'd been combative and aggressive the past week, and she'd come close to telling him to fuck off into the sun more than once. Based on Josh's recommendations, she had a schedule and stuck to it.

The jingle of keys in the lock upstairs had her pausing her set of leg exercises. Grabbing a towel, she wiped her face and stood up just as Brad trotted down the steps. His damp hair suggested he'd showered after practice before heading home.

He started pushing before he even greeted her. "Almost ready to jump back onto the circuit?" His gaze raked over her from head to toe.

She shrugged. "Don't feel ready yet." Dropping the towel on the bench, she did some stretches. "I have to face the reality I might not get back to a competitive level." She'd give competing her best shot but wouldn't risk long-term damage.

Brad rolled his eyes. "You're such a baby, crying over a bum knee. Wah, wah." He left the room with a rude snort and went to dump his gear into the washing machine.

She tried not to engage. Brad had a game, and he did poorly if he got stressed out. He'd have to leave for the airport early in the wee hours of the morning.

Brad reentered and pushed harder. "What's Joshy-boy say? Or is he so far up your ass, he'll tell you what you want to hear? Which is to stay off the slopes." A ring of jealousy laced his words.

She didn't like the snide tone. One, because Josh had a boyfriend and two, because his skill as a therapist got her to her current status.

She tilted her head and turned the tables on Brad. "Where have you been spending the nights on the road, Brad?" He hadn't been with the team, according to his usual roommate.

Brad didn't deny or confirm her accusation. Instead, he stormed back up the stairs, calling over his shoulder. "Think whatever you want, Ques. I'm staying at the rink tonight."

She didn't have to think anything. And he wouldn't be staying at the rink. Her gut said he'd been stringing other women along—like Barbie—and he'd crash with one of them.

She had another reality to face. Her days as his significant other might be numbered. Brad would want someone else with clout ready to pose for the camera.

Grabbing some ice, she propped her leg up. "Do I care?" She could deal with Brad's flirty bait-and-switch attempts.

She hadn't been all that approachable lately. More like distracted and pondering a future doing something other than snowboarding. She'd like to believe Brad would support a career change, but doubt settled heavily in her stomach and mixed with the fear of the unknown.

Geez, she needed to stop dwelling on what could happen and focus on right now. She'd know more after her doctor's appointment in a few days. A little keyed up, she decided to go out and have fun over the weekend after she iced down her knee.

I think I found my groove with this story. Quesleigh is a fun character to write and she doesn't like to stay down or have fear so this scene came together better than I'd hoped.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Drag Out the List

Happy Mother's Day to all the moms, mentors, and mother figures out there! Enjoy the day, and if it's a hard day to celebrate, take care of you.

Another wildly busy work week but a lot of projects moved ahead and some were completed. One contrary work thing took an unexpected turn and I'll be trying to figure that one out later today.

Had a decent week of viewing despite the busy schedule. I made it through a full round of my shows, minus one—Dark Winds—because it's not on the streaming service I have anymore. I think it's on another one, but I've been too busy to track it down.

Started the week off with Brokenwood Mysteries. This one ended up being a lot of fun with a couple of interesting secrets being revealed. Truly hope to see more of Trudy and Ray's mom.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed the mystery. Really not sure what Neville's DI friend is doing on the island but have a feeling it's not going to mean anything good.

Loved the Beyond Paradise holiday special for this past Christmas. I'm looking forward to diving into the rest of the season when it's available in the US.

Enjoyed another episode of Elementary. Interesting to get some backstory of Sherlock's time under the influence. Also intriguing that he stayed somewhat in the background. I like that kind of character progress.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond and didn't really have any recollection about this one. I did enjoy seeing Terry use his Batman moves while out of the costume.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats and enjoyed both vignettes. I didn't remember either of them so more new-to-me stuff.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Drag Out the List, a novella that explores getting back out there after a bad breakup.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

When Velma stood up to clear the table, Kade finished his last swallow of beer. "Anything I can do to help?" He arched his brows.

Velma waved him off. "Nah. I've got this. You and Howie can crack open another beer and I'll be right back." She scooped up the plates, stacking them with the ease of someone who had worked in a restaurant.

Kade accepted another bottle from Howie and twisted the cap off. "Someone hurt her, didn't they?" He'd been putting the pieces together all through the meal.

She'd brought Howie in for moral support … a human safety net.

Howie lifted his chin. "More like someones, as in two people." He leaned in a little closer and lowered his voice. "One was her business partner and the third of our childhood trio. The other is an asshole named Matt Carson."

Kade winced. "Ouch. Let me guess. This Matt dude came between them?" A huge dick move.

Howie snorted. "And then some. He actually tried to take over the business because he had development of the location in mind." His voice took on a hard edge. "Thought he'd get his paws on the property through a relationship and set about stringing both Velma and Margie along."

Kade blinked. "As in…" He couldn't have been hooking up with each one, right?

Howie snarled. "Dating and sleeping with both? Yeah. That's exactly what he did." Peeling the label from the bottle, Howie met Kade's gaze. "Once Velma figured out Matt was a two-timing bastard, she cut ties with him fully expecting Margie to do the same." His hand curled into a fist.

Kade grunted. "Let me guess … She didn't." Ouch.

Howie gave a nod. "Nope. She kept right on seeing him and started flaunting the relationship in front of Vel." He tipped the bottle to his lips and drained half of it. "Velma sucked it up and tried to maintain the partnership and friendship. But it got much worse."

Kade grimaced. "I'm not gonna like this, am I?" A fist to the face would be too good for the schmuck.

Howie huffed out a breath. "I sure as hell didn't." He sighed. "Since I work for the fire department, we rotate going to the council meetings whenever ideas for new development are on the schedule. During one of those committee meetings, I found out Matt started the process of having plans drawn up for a new business that would combine his location with Margie and Velma's."

Kade's eyes went wide. "Did Margie know about this?" What a betrayal if she did.

Howie snarled. "Oh, yeah. Absolutely. Matt convinced her if they got married and she signed her half of the boutique over to him, he could buy out Velma and he and Margie could open their new venue."

Kade shook his head. "He didn't actually plan to buy Velma out, did her?" A ball of anger settled in his gut.

Howie pursed his lips. "Nope. The asshole figured he'd force Velma out by getting her to breach the partnership contract she had with Margie. You see, Margie got a bigger share of the profit because Velma lived at the location. Margie had her grandmother's cottage and didn't need the living quarters." Howie rolled his eyes. "Douce canoe Carson had the big idea to cook up a second set of books, showing Velma had been pocketing a larger percentage then leveraging her out with blackmail. And Margie agreed to go along with the plan."

Kade swallowed down the bile in his throat and chased it with half his beer. "Tell me everything blew up in his face." On a nuclear level.

Howie's lips curved. "Some of it did. I stopped by Margie's to see if I could talk her out of trashing a lifelong friendship for an asshole like Carson. Instead, I overheard everything and recorded the plot to blackmail Vel." His smile widened. "Didn't take much convincing to have a couple of my cop buddies pull Matt into the station and lay everything out for him."

Kade grunted. "Hope it went something like get the fuck out of town or no one will ever find his body." He'd deserve it.

Howie barked out a laugh. "Nothing quite that dramatic, but they made it clear he'd be hard-pressed to stay in business once they put the word out about his underhanded dealing." He sobered. "The part that didn't blow up in his face is Margie. She left with Matt and Velma bought Margie out of their contract—after they agreed on a dollar amount." He met Kade's gaze. "And that's the saga of Velma Arndt." He sat back and picked up his beer, taking a long sip.

Kade did the same, turning over all the information in his mind. The one thing that stuck? He didn't blame Velma one bit for calling in reinforcements.

This story is fun because the sages love these characters. Kade and Velma have a spark and watching it ignite is a joy.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Down the Middle

May the Fourth be with anyone who celebrates! And, wow, a shiny new month that's off to a wild start so far. Our weather has been crazy intense with loads of rain. My daughter graduated with a master's in arts administration, and I unfortunately had to miss due to being under the weather. But I'm so proud of her!

Work projects kept me very busy. I'm getting to a finishing point on one that's been difficult to get through and I have a new one getting ready to start. The weather has been wreaking havoc on productivity because the possibility of losing power is a constant concern.

I did have a decent week of viewing and made a full run through my regular slate of shows. I started a movie but didn't have time to finish it.

I caught an episode of Dark Winds and I'm still intrigued by everything that's happening in this show. I love that the FBI agent's cover is blown by episode two and I can't wait to see what happens with the fallout from that.

Also watched another episode of Brokenwood Mysteries. This is truly one of my happy place shows. I'm rather curious about whether Gina is still rooming with Kristin or not and if not, what happened there.

Enjoyed another episode of Death in Paradise. Very curious where things might go with the Sophie and Neville thing and also where the whole last prepper standing thing will end up going since he's watching Neville.

Loved the season two finale of Beyond Paradise. Humphrey and Martha are so much fun, and the surrounding cast of characters is so good. I'm not always sure about Anne, but she's growing on me.

Caught another episode of Elementary and rather enjoyed Sherlock's attempt at taking care of Joan. And her solution to having her own space is genius.

Watched an episode of Batman Beyond with the beginning of season two. Ended up remembering most of this one. This is such a good follow up to the original series.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I have some vague memories of both vignettes, which is so weird because most of the ninth season is new to me.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Down the Middle, a novella about a couple that comes together while on the trail of a fugitive.

Here's the miniblurb:

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…

An incessant buzz from her phone woke Ursa from a deep sleep.

Trying not to disturb the arm draped around her waist, she carefully reached for the device and checked her notifications. Looks like one of my sources got the goods. Gently easing out from under Jake's embrace, she got up and headed for the bathroom to read the text.

According to Baldy, one of her better informants, whispers were scattering that Llewellyn Cavil had holed up in an abandoned gas station over in the flats. "Hope you're right, Baldy." She splashed cold water on her face, running the odds that Cavil planted the location to lure her out against his overconfidence that she would take longer to track him. She figured about fifty-fifty even chance.

Exiting the bath, she dressed quickly then started for the door, with a fleeting thought about pulling a bitch move on Jake by leaving.

The sheets rustled. "Going somewhere, Ursa?" He sat up and swung his legs over the edge of the mattress.

Her shoulders slumped. "Shit. I'm sorry." Guilt didn't sit well with her. "But, look, I don't even know if this will pan out."

Jake angled his head toward her. "Okay, let me ask you something. Does any of this seem familiar?" His brows arched in question.

Ursa sighed. "Dammit, yeah." She went back to the bed and settled at the edge. "How do you want to play the angle?" Weird, how quickly she'd come to rely on his insight.

Jake got his jeans on—commando—and stood up. "We go together. You drop me about three blocks from the meet and I come in as backup." He yanked his shirt over his head and snagged his boots from the floor.

She nodded, got up, and started for the door, but turned back and collided with Jake. He steadied her and she leaned in, kissing him hard on the month.

Jake's eyes widened. "What was that for?"

Ursa rolled a shoulder. "Because. I'm not used to this working with someone thing. You could've made that something more than you did. Thanks for not." If the roles were reversed, she might not have been as giving.

He dropped a kiss on her nose. "I'll let you in on a little secret. I'm a pretty nice guy." He moved past her and pulled the door open. "Unless I have to be not nice." His meaning clear—he'd have her back—he swept his arm out, motioning for her to go first.

She sent him a wide smile and exited into the hallway.

This was a fun scene to write. I love Ursa's choice to be bluntly honest when she's caught out by Jake.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Dodging Bullets

This is going to be a super busy week. The best part is my daughter is graduating from grad school on Friday. I'm so excited for her. And very proud of her accomplishments!

Our weather did the warm up then plummet back down thing this week. Gorgeous, though. Everything is turning green and blooming. I love those first signs of new growth.

Got a lot finished up with work projects. I think I'm getting closer to having a work-life balance again. I hope so because I have a busy May and June coming up and need to get some things done around my house.

Pretty decent week of viewing. I ended up keeping Dark Winds on the back burner because one of my faves dropped new episodes.

I finished up the run of London Kills. I'm quite happy with where things ended up on the chance there won't be any new episodes. I will say I'm not keen on the other DI so I'm hoping that's not going to be a thing if there is more to this series.

Brokenwood Mysteries is back! Watched the premiere episode and it didn't disappoint. Kind of twisty and turny and a little bit bonkers, which is perfect. Also rather nice to see Mike's house again. It's been missing the last few seasons.

Enjoyed an episode of Death in Paradise. I'd seen most of this one and liked it. I'm interested in how things with Selwyn's daughter will end up playing out.

Caught another episode of Beyond Paradise. I'm almost finished with the second season and hope the third will be available soon. Really liked the episode. I loved the interactions with Esther and Zoe. And really loved watching Anne deal with the letdown of finding out her new man is married.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond. I have vague memories of this one but don't remember enough to know if Blight will end up making a return. My money is on yes.

Finished out the week with an episode of Classic Rugrats and, again, both were new to me. Actually loved the crawl space one. And, weirdly, I really enjoy Taffy.

That's it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Dodging Bullets, a novella that explores the family dynamics around a couple that grew up together.

Here's the miniblurb:

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 didn't give Betty the courtesy of waiting for a greeting—she pushed her way inside Betty's house. "What the actual hell do you think you're doing? Are you trying to get Gage killed?" She rolled to a stop in the living room and whirled to face Gage's mom.

Betty sputtered. "Get the fuck out of my house. You can't just shove your way in here and start yelling at me." She planted her hands on her hips and braced her feet.

Sable arched her brows. "Why not? You yell all the time." She folded her arms over her chest. "And you don't get to dictate terms this time. You're goddamned lucky I'm not hauling you in for interfering with the police." By rights, she could arrest Betty.

Betty's eyes went wide. "Garth told you?" Betrayal laced her tone.

Sable rolled her eyes. "Unlike you, he at least listens to reason. He's holding back and waiting at the diner to see if Megan is with the group of women in the warehouse." At least Sable hoped Garth heeded her warning.

Betty frowned. "As a paramedic, Garth has every right to be on scene. They'll need EMS services."

Sable bit back a string of expletives. "Are you serious right now? You have no idea what kind of shape those women will be in, but you've seen what can happen. If she's been hurt—or worse—how's he going to deal with that? Is that what you really want for Garth?" Anger roared through her. "You suck as a parent. Putting one son's career on the line and possibly exposing the other to a nightmare scenario because of your need to trash Gage's life because he's with me." She pinned Betty with a hard stare. "If anything happens to either of them, I’m going to hold you responsible and make sure everyone knows you’re the one who fucked up and put them in harm’s way." And heaven help whoever gave Betty the heads-up.

Betty got a little bitter. "You're just like your mother. You barge in—uninvited—make wild accusations and then threaten me about my boys. Bianca used to think she was better than everyone else, and you're just the same, kicking the shit out of everything because you can." Venom poured from her.

Sable blinked. "Excuse me. You're more like Bianca than I'll ever be. She ruined everything in her life. But look at what you're doing now. Manipulating your boys to satisfy a whim … all because you find me lacking. If that's not kicking the shit out of everything because you can, I don't know what is." The fucking audacity of the woman. "And you know what the truly awful part is? You wouldn't have a relationship with Gage if not for me. I ask him not to skip dinners with you and Garth, because I know what it's like to lose your whole damn family. A mom is still a mom even if they're not the greatest. And it hurts to not have one. So, I encourage him not to cut ties with you." Maybe she should finally rethink that idea.

Betty snorted. "Sounds like you’ve got my boy wrapped." She grimaced and rolled her eyes. "Just like your mom had your dad wound around her finger."

Sable shook her head. "You're so wrong. It's never about bending Gage to my will. It's about what we feel for each other. I love him, and he loves me. I’m sorry that's something you missed out on and didn't get to experience." She paused a moment. "But I'm done being your emotional punching bag. It's been a fucking journey with you, and this is my exit ramp." She met the other woman's gaze again. "I'll never keep Gage from having a relationship with you, but I'm finished trying to make sure he does. From this point forward, that's all on you." Sable kept her head up and strode to the door.

Once she exited the house, she resisted the urge to run like hell to get away from the toxicity of Betty Waterson.

This story is coming together in bits and pieces, but I'm pleased with how it's shaping up.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: The Deep End

Very long week. Once again, the weather is all over the map, but spring might be peeking around the corner. Or, well, possibly summer. We could see eighty degrees (F) this week.

I might be seeing the light at the end of the tunnel on numerous work projects. I'm kind of excited about a couple of them being closer to the author's publication date. I have several nonfiction projects that have been super challenging but they're great books.

Had a decent viewing week. I did skip my new show this week. Didn't have the mindset to watch. Dark Winds will hopefully return during this upcoming week.

I'm almost finished with London Kills and it's such a good show. I've really enjoyed the way the weekly cases weave in and out of the overall story arc. And the character growth has been well done.

Caught another episode of Death in Paradise with the season twelve holiday episode. Really good storyline! It's fun to get Selwyn backstory.

Watched another episode of Beyond Paradise. Sad to see Anne get caught up in a not-so-great situation. Loved the way Martha handled Zoe's mistake. Also fun to have Humphrey and Martha approved for fostering.

Got blown away by another episode of Elementary. The case ended up being intriguing and the end? Wow. Did not expect that to happen.

Watched an episode of Batman Beyond and enjoyed it. I remember this one from my original run through and loved the call back to Batman: The Animated Series.

Enjoyed another episode of Classic Rugrats. I don't remember either of the vignettes and particularly liked the video game one.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from The Deep End, a novella about falling quickly into the deep end of romance.

Here's the miniblurb:

Raelin is six months into a relationship with Eames but isn't feeling the spark … until she meets Eric, Eames's brother. The sibling rivalry takes an ugly turn, and Raelin takes a big step back so the men can mend fences. But her gesture backfires when Eric cuts off all communication with his brother.

And a snippety peek…

Eric hovered in the background when Eames rolled in and knocked on Raelin's door.

His brother barely crossed the threshold before he apologized. "Rae, I’m sorry. I shouldn’t have dogged you about Eric.” He rubbed a hand through his hair and shrugged sheepishly. "Please don't hold that against me." He lowered his head and gave her his best puppy dog look.

Eric rolled his eyes and snorted. "Smart move, bro. She wasn't too happy with you." And she really had put her knives in a cupboard.

Raelin narrowed her gaze. "She’s in the room, and I'm not happy with either of you." She turned and headed for the window, pulling the shade aside to gaze through the glass.

Eames apologized to Eric next. “Look, man, Raelin's honest to a fault. And she gave it to me straight. But finding out she felt something for you and not me stung.” He rolled a shoulder. “But she made a clean break and it's really none of my business who she falls for—even if it's my brother."

Eric grunted. "It's not like we meant to like each other, and once we started dating, we didn't try to hide it. And, frankly, you didn't exactly seem stressed out about the breakup." He gave Eames a hard look. "But you stepped way out of line and ruined something that could have been great." And that part sucked balls.

Eames held up his hands. "I know. I'm sorry, man. I’m over it. If you two get together, I won’t stand in the way." He took a big step backward, emphasizing his promise.

Eric snorted. "Fat chance of that. Raelin pretty much hates both of us—not that I blame her."

Raelin made a frustrated noise. "Again, I'm in the room and, yes, I'm pissed." Her voice lowered. "But … this a weird, awkward situation with no real rule book, regardless of whatever bro code you seem to think you have to live by." She directed her attention to Eames with a hard look.

Eames flushed. "Point taken. But … seriously, I just wanted to apologize and let you know I'm done being stupid. What you two decide from here is up to you.” He started toward the door.

Eric nodded. "Thanks. And, yeah, let's head out and leave Raelin to enjoy what's left of the weekend." He'd made a promise, and he planned to stick to it.

Even if giving her space made him uneasy. He didn't want to let things or her go. But he didn't blame her for needing a moment or ten to figure out whether she wanted to be with him or not.

He walked out with Eames, hoping it wouldn’t be the last time he left Raelin’s.

Mending fences isn't easy even if it's the right thing to do. Eric has to go an extra mile to fix things with his brother and Raelin.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Celebration at Midnight

Geez, halfway through the month already and I feel like I'm stuck in reverse. Not to say I'm not getting anything done. I am. Most of it is work related, which I'm not complaining about. But … I do need to do a better work-life balance. Even my daily oracle card draw is pointing me in that direction.

I'm still buried under multiple projects, and all are making solid progress. I've never had so many nonfiction manuscripts and I'm actually enjoying being able to switch back and forth between the variety of genres there and with my fiction manuscripts. I have a holiday horror story, a romance, and a mystery in fictional work.

Not a bad viewing week. I made it through my usual round of shows did get to add the new show. I enjoyed it and will add it to my current roster. There's one additional show I'd like to work in, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to.

Caught another episode of London Kills and, yep, the beginning of the showdown with David and Vivienne started. Can't wait to see what happens next. Rob and Billie should probably brace for impact.

The new show I started is Dark Winds. So far, really enjoy the premise and the pacing. The acting is top-notch also. I had a sneaking suspicion the new deputy would end up being more than met the eye. Glad I was right about that.

Watched another episode of Death in Paradise and enjoyed it. I'd seen most of this one at some point on Ovation and I liked having the full episode from beginning to end. I'm also enjoying Darlene a lot. Glad they added her to the team.

Enjoyed another episode of Beyond Paradise. It's so much fun watching Martha's mom going on dates. I'm also interested in how things shake out with the fostering situation. Very cool to have some Margo backstory also.

Caught an episode of Elementary and I'm kind of sad Kitty is headed for parts unknown for now. I do love that her story had a satisfying resolution. Also so happy we got to see how she kind of saved Sherlock from himself.

Watched another episode of Batman Beyond. Inque made another appearance and that was fun. Also kind of cool to see Bruce back in the field and how much Terry tried to protect him.

Finished up with an episode of Classic Rugrats. Enjoyed both vignettes and also discovered I have more episodes than I thought I had left. This isn't bad news.

And that's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Celebration at Midnight, a holiday novella featuring Presley, Gunnar, and Frazier from Merry and Bright.

Here's the miniblurb:

Presley, Frazier, and Gunnar finally have New Year's Eve off at the same time and plan to celebrate with a quiet evening at home. Two days after Christmas, Gunnar is shot trying to bring in a felon and Frazier's fire department gets the call. Presley is on duty in the emergency room when the men come in and the trio comes face-to-face with their personal lives mixing with their professional careers. Once Gunnar is in the clear, they have even more reason to celebrate at midnight.

And a snippety peek…

"Can't believe we've got a trafficking station in the heart of this old neighborhood." Gunnar moved into position between a wheelie bin and the garage of the unassuming colonial they were getting ready to raid.

He crouched and readied for the go order, taking in the formerly well-kept backyard. Shrubs and bushes were bare but also tangled together in need of a good pruning. A sitting area had wooden furniture with peeling paint and some of the bricks were covered with patchy spots of overgrown dead grass.

Gunnar frowned. "The decay is probably worse on the inside…"

A noise at the rear of the garage drew his attention. An unknown door opened, and a man walked out and caught sight of Gunnar. Everything crashed together at once. Why didn't they know about the door? Because it didn't look like a door existed. The timing sucked and the op would probably be blown.

Gunnar didn't have time to do much more than turn toward the guy before the man fired a round, catching Gunnar in the vest above his heart. A second bullet zinged toward him and ripped through his shirt tearing at the flesh in his shoulder and whizzing past his ear. Searing, white hot pain gripped him, but Gunnar returned fire, winging the assailant.

Shock and disbelief warred for dominance followed closely by the realization the shot knocked the wind out of him because he struggled to breathe. His hands tingled, no doubt a reaction to getting shot. He had the foresight to key his radio twice before he dropped like a stone and sank toward unconsciousness.

Through hazy vision, he noted the shooter grabbing his shoulder and the strike team moving in. Over the roar in his ears, he caught the sound of doors being smashed in and the shouts of the strike team announcing their presence. One of his fellow officers apprehended the fleeing man and they would end up getting the traffickers.

Gunnar finally succumbed to inky darkness … with one last thought.

Fraz and Presley are going to freak the fuck out.

I love this trio so much. They're the first throuple I wrote, and I'm happy they're still giving me ideas for their story.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin

Sunday Snippet: Call of the Ripper

April is off to a weird start. We had a tornado warning in the wee hours of Thursday morning. That was fun. The temperature warmed up then dropped back down with a chance of snow tomorrow or Tuesday. But, sure, we aren't having any climate issues.

Still plugging along on multiple work projects. I did finish up two and added another new one to my pile. I'm very happy to be busy!

Had a decent viewing week. Ended up making it through my full slate of shows and I think I know which new program I'm adding to the lot. I'll give it a view and report back.

Actually realized I did finish up London Kills last week, so I ended up watching another full episode. Things are headed for a showdown with David and Vivienne and I'm here for that.

Watched Death in Paradise and enjoyed the episode. Discovered Izzy is still around and, well, still not a fan. If she returns, maybe she'll grow on me.

Caught Beyond Paradise and thoroughly enjoyed it. So nice to have a little backstory for Esther. And, if rumors prove true, a potential love interest in season three. That'll be fun.

Enjoyed an episode of Elementary. I'm definitely interested in how things will play out with Kitty's attacker. I can't wait to see if it gets resolved in the next installment.

Watched an episode of Batman Beyond. This is one I remembered from my original run through. Quite liked seeing it again.

Caught another episode of Classic Rugrats and it's one I don't remember so a new-to-me episode. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Only a few more left before I move on to the reboot again.

That's pretty much it for the life update this week. Tonight's post is from Call of the Ripper, a novella exploring an obsession with a legend.

Here's the miniblurb:

Two 'Ripperologists' take a working vacation to experience the essence of Jack's madness. But when a modern-day stalker takes an interest in their excursion, the call of the ripper hits a little too close for comfort.

And a snippety peek…

The stranger stayed tucked into the door well of a building across from the restaurant. "Knew she couldn't resist the bait." He shoved his hands into his pockets and let a sly smile cross his face. "Figures she brought the appendage with her."

Then again, having the man along provided better options. "I've planned for every contingency." And could add another trophy to his collection.

He had just to spot, too.

But really, everything depended on Faith. She held her partner's life in her hands. And I hope she makes the right choice.

His gaze narrowed when Faith toasted her glass against Sean's. Her lips curved in a sweet smile and her gaze turned playful. He didn't need to be close to picture the scenario. He'd seen it often enough. With every woman who'd ever wronged him.

Faith would be different. She had a spectacular mind. Once she realized how much he'd done to impress her, she'd forget about the auction facilitator.

The couple exited the restaurant and headed toward their hotel. He followed at a discreet distance, keeping the object of his desire in his eyesight. When they entered the building, he ducked inside also but didn't trail them to the lift. Instead, he made his way to the stairs and traveled up to their floor.

Waiting until they got inside their room, he took his keycard out and ducked into the neighboring one. He booted up his laptop and checked the video feed from the burner phone he'd placed outside their window. He'd planned this move as soon as they'd made the reservation so he could have eyes on them at all times.

Faith slid her jacket off and draped it over a chair, then stepped into the circle of Sean's arms.

The stranger grunted. "Enjoy him while you can, Faith dearest…"

Kind of happy with how this story is coming together. I like having a third point-of-view character in the mix.

 

That's it for this week. Happy reading!

Skylin