Month: May 2023

Recipe for Romance: Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies

Posted on by Siobhan Muir
Recipe for Romance Two champagne glasses against a purple sparkly background with bells and ribbons at their base

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month (in this case, May) or is coming out in the current month, and a recipe that either goes with the tale or goes with the month. Confused yet? Excellent! lol Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of THE KAROBIS CALLS, book 4 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, which came out May 22 2023. It’s crazy to recognize this tale is done. It’s only been waiting 23 years. Iliana has returned to the Ivory School to find it in ruins with the dead left out to rot. I know Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies don’t go with the scene, but my kid is graduating this year and we’ll be serving folks these at her party. They are a family favorite. Available Now: The Karobis Calls “Oh dear sweet glory.” Iliana turned away and heaved again, but nothing came up. Grief roared inside her as she moved through the rest of the house, searching for any survivors. She found Temujin inside a ring of bodies in black robes like hers. The Knalish? What the hell are they doing here? Temujin had held his own, taking three adult men with him before he succumbed to his wounds. She knelt beside the boy, scanning his body for any signs of life, but he lay still as the dead invaders around him. “Oh, Temujin, I’m so sorry.” She bowed her head. “I should’ve been here to help.” A sound made her glance around and she realized he’d been defending an iron door to a stone room in the center of the house. The door flew open and a small body launched at her, screaming a war cry. “Die, Knalish dog!” Iliana lurched to her feet and met the sword flying at her head with her dagger and a shriek of steel. She pivoted to step over the bodies and watched her opponent. It took her precious seconds and a flurry of defensive moves to realize her opponent was Naomi, her face twisted in anger and grief. “Whoa, wait. Naomi, it’s—” “You’re going to pay for that death; for all the deaths!” Naomi ignored her and pressed on until Iliana disarmed her and bumped her to the floor. “Go ahead and kill me, you coward, but I swear on my grandmother’s grave, I will haunt you through the nine worlds and beyond!” “Naomi, it’s me, Rory.” Iliana sheathed her dagger and removed the silk from her face before she knelt beside the girl. “It’s Master Rory. See?” Naomi blinked, her eyes growing wide. “Master Rory? Oh sweet Goddess, thank goodness you’re here!” Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies Ingredients 48 Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses, unwrapped 1 stick (8 Tbsp) Butter, softened 1 egg ½ cup granulated white sugar ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups GF 1:1 all-purpose flour 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips Directions Heat oven to 365 F. In a large bowl mix butter, the two sugars, and vanilla until well blended. Add egg and mix until smooth. Add flour to butter mixture a little at a time until relatively smooth. Fold in mini chocolate chips. The dough won’t be smooth and the chips might be loose, but it won’t matter in the long run. Grab a handful of dough, a “scant tablespoon’s worth” and flatten in your palm. Place a Dark Chocolate Kiss in the center, and mold the dough and chips around the kiss, pressing gently. Once it has covered the Kiss, roll in your hands to make a ball. Place all the balls on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 365 F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack until no longer squishy. Makes 48+ cookies.

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#ThursThreads – Week 563 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 563 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’re more than halfway through our tenth year and the time is flying. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Mary Decker for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Mark A. Morris Silver James | @SilverJames_ Eric Martell | @drmag00 David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Joseph P. Garland | @JPGarlandAuthor Honorable Mentions Silver James | @SilverJames_ Mary says: I always enjoy your snippets and the line, “The mom finger needs no translation,” has never been truer. Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Mary says: I loved the feel like this, the camaraderie and the teasing back and forth. Well done. winner announcement Week 563 Winner David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Mary says: David Ludwig Throughout the story, you see the breathing exercises, and what felt like smoldering looks, and death stares as only a spoiled child can manage— but there was an extra depth to those looks delivered perfectly at the end. “I wanna ride my pony!” Princess Orinda Ambrosius stomped her foot. The exhausted King and Queen Ambrosius exchanged worried glances, but the princess’ mentor shook their head without breaking eye contact with their pupil. “We can go back to your breathing exercises, if you would like,” the elegant instructor offered. “No!” Princess Orinda stomped again. “You can’t go outside until you have finished your scripture reading.” “I hate stupid scripture! I wanna go riding!” Princess Orinda snarled, eyes blazing. Her mentor took a deep, deliberate breath while the very tower stones seemed still with apprehension. “Princess, you need to keep calm.” “No!” The mentor turned wearily to the king and queen. “Your majesties may wish to step out of the room for a while.” Another concerned exchange of glances and a moment of hesitation later, the monarchs left their daughter alone with her instructor. Princess Orinda glowered, arms crossed. Her mentor lifted the book of scripture from where it had fallen, opened it back to the princess’ place, and smoothed the pages. “No!” Princess Orinda backhanded the sacred text across her room. “You can’t make me read that!” “No,” her mentor calmly crossed the room and retrieved the scripture. “But I can keep you in your room.” “That’s not fair!” Princess Orinda’s voice cracked with tears she fought back. “The other princesses get to ride whenever they want!” “The other princesses don’t breathe fire.” Princess Orinda huffed. Her mentor patted their blackened tunic out for the umpteenth time that day.~~~~~~~ Congratulations Sixteen Time Winner David, and Honorable Mentions Silver and Sheilagh! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 563

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 10. A whole decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for 10 whole years. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 563 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 563: Computer geek, bass player, historical reenactor, and flash fiction writer, Mary Decker. Facebook | Twitter | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “You need to keep calm.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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**RELEASE DAY** THE KAROBIS CALLS

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s Release Day for THE IVORY ROAD: THE KAROBIS CALLS, the exciting conclusion to The Ivory Road serial. This is a 23 year old story that’s been reworked and changed into something new, even for me. I hope you’ve enjoyed Ivory’s journey. When I started this story, I was in the Aleutian Islands, working on my Master’s Thesis in volcanology. But in the evenings after fieldwork was done, my Muse refused to be quiet any longer (I’d ignored her all through college). So this story was born. But it evolved in 2022 and surprised even me. Here’s the blurb: Rushing to her home world to save a friend brought only heartache. Can Iliana now save Brandon? A desperate return to her world has left Iliana shaken, but a gut feeling that something’s wrong in Brandon’s world sends her riding hard for the Ivory School. When she arrives in Los Arboles, the campus is a smoking ruin and bodies litter the grounds. She finds a few survivors and learns Brandon—and others from the school—have been kidnapped…by an enemy everyone thought was dead. The only way to rescue Brandon is to use the skills she honed at his school. But she has no way of knowing if he survived the attack or if he even wants her rescue, and it’s not like she can text or track him with GPS. With the help of the only uninjured student, she heads back to the Karobis Desert, hoping she’s not too late to save everything that matters to her in this—or any—world. The Karobis Calls is the fourth story and dramatic conclusion to the four-part serial recounting Iliana’s journey along the Ivory Road. EXCERPT OF THE KAROBIS CALLS The world was still. Sunshine of early evening burnished the sunflowers in the fields around her and crickets sang in the grasses. Warmth as real as the freezing cold of Australia enveloped her and she took a deep breath of relief. “Do you ever get used to the sharp changes in weather and temperature?” She shook herself to release all the tension in her body from the harrowing ride. “Iliana…” Aristotle’s voice held caution as he trotted ahead. “What?” “Look ahead.” She swung her gaze ahead and all the comfort and heat left her body in a rush. Black smoke billowed in thick oily plumes from the smoldering trees around the main house of the Ivory School of Tactics and Warfare. The breeze painted the sky with streaks of black as fear ran with little cold feet up her spine. “Sweet glory, what the fuck? Run, Aristotle!” The horse launched into a pounding gallop up the road to the school and Iliana tried to come to grips with what she saw. The unfolding ruin made her stomach tighten and she hauled back on the reins as they made it to the smoking yard. Both the house and the stables had been set ablaze and now stood in blackened ruins, studs and beams sticking up like the ribs of huge animals. The fountain in the center was smashed to nothing but fragments, the water dribbling sluggishly from bent pipes. “Oh, my glory.” Iliana dismounted but couldn’t move a step away from Aristotle as her gaze took in everything. The doors to the house were burned away to nothing but the hinges. Inside, blackened rubble was all that remained of the tile floors and the furnishings. The dorms and outbuildings still smoldered sullenly as she turned slowly to look at the estate. Her gaze caught on something lying on the threshold of the burned-out house. Something vaguely familiar. “Aristotle, is that…is that a body?” His head reared back and his nostrils flared in surprise. “Yes.” “Oh sweet glory…” She swallowed hard and took a few steps closer, cataloging every detail like the props manager on a movie set. The body lay belly-down with one hand extended into the house as if the owner had been running inside before being stopped, violently. As she drew closer, she recognized Master Vasily’s Slavic features turned to the side, his eyes still open despite the charred skin. What little she’d eaten that morning came up in a rush and she turned to the side to keep from vomiting on the body. No, no, no. This can’t be happening. If Vasily is dead, then… Her body heaved again, emptying her stomach before she wiped her mouth on her arm, tears running down her face. “We have to check for more bodies, Iliana.” Aristotle’s voice sounded as shaken as she felt. “Survivors. We have to check for survivors.” She gritted her teeth. “There have to be survivors because I can’t accept that I wasn’t here to help Brandon when he needed me.” “The world doesn’t work that way.” “Yes, it damn well does. At least in my world, right now.” She raised her chin and stepped over Vasily’s body, ignoring the dull pain from her knee with each stride. She wiped her eyes on her black silks and focused on finding the residents of the school; anyone who could tell her what had happened. Broken tile and charred wood met each step as she searched the remains of the house. The second floor was completely gone, the smoke filling the air above the ground floor. She picked her way around burned and discarded furniture to discover Brandon’s library was nothing but ash. Her eyes filled with more tears, but she wasn’t sure if it was grief or smoke affecting them. The dining hall had suffered the most damage, both in furniture and in bodies. Iliana blinked back tears as she wrapped her silks around her face. She didn’t recognize every body, but Señora Cruz lay bristling with crossbow bolts surrounded by students missing limbs. “Oh dear sweet glory.” She turned away and heaved again, but nothing came up. Grief roared inside her as she moved through the rest of the house, searching for any survivors. She found Temujin inside a ring of bodies…

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#ThursThreads – Week 562 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 562 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’re more than halfway through our tenth year and the time is flying. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Silver James | @SilverJames_ Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Mark A. Morris Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Honorable Mentions Silver James | @SilverJames_ Siobhan says: I really liked the ending. Here are these rough and tough men able to take down other such men, and they’re all yanked into line by “the finger”. Fun tale. M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Siobhan says: It took me a moment but I started to see the pattern of the lyrics from various songs. Very clever. winner announcement Week 562 Winner Mark A. Morris Siobhan says: Oooh, nothing like a ticking clock and high tension to get the blood flowing. I loved Kent’s confidence until the question at the end. Great tale. The red light continued to flash. The timer kept running. They’d less than five minutes. What’d started as a joke had become a matter of life and death. “So, it’s just like hot-wiring a car,” Donovan said, sweat beading his brow. “Only, instead of getting an engine to fire, you’re trying to do the opposite.” “Aye; it’s no big deal. Don’t worry. We’ve more than enough time. We’ve eliminated one pair of wires – our odds just got better.” “That’s easy for you to say. You’re behind that wall of sandbags. Another mistake; you get a dose of earache. The consequences are a little worse for me.” “You need to keep calm,” Kent said, his voice measured. Reassuring. “These devices are like Buicks; they build them on a production line. Consistency is our friend in these circumstances.” “So, what’s next? Which wire? Is it the green? Or the mauve?” “The mauve?” Kent sounded confused. “No, don’t pull on that one, whatever you do. There ought to be a blue, a red, a green and a black. I don’t recall them ever using any mauve wires. Not ever.” The suicide jacket was getting heavy, and using the mirror to see what he was doing swapped his left with his right. The timer seemed to be running at double speed. However you saw it, there wasn’t time to waste. “Tell me,” Kent said, doubt colouring his voice for the first time. “Is there any chance you were ever diagnosed as being colour-blind?”~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-FOUR TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mentions Silver and Mary! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 562

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 10. A whole decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for 10 whole years. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 562 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 562: Scottish Word Slinger, Dauntless romance author, and #ThursThreads host, Siobhan Muir. Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | Eden Books | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “There wasn’t time to waste.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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#ThursThreads – Week 561 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 561 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’re more than halfway through our tenth year and the time is flying. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Kelex for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Mark A. Morris Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Silver James | @SilverJames_ Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Marci Baun | @marcibaun David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Eric Martell | @drmag00 Honorable Mentions Eric Martell | @drmag00 Kelex says: I enjoyed the writing style and could also easily envision the scene. David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Kelex says: I enjoyed the writing style. Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio Kelex says: I enjoyed the imagery. Special Mention: Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Kelex says: What’s not to love about dinosaurs? winner announcement Week 561 Winner Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana Kelex says: When I write, I see my stories as little “movies” in my head… I enjoy authors who can give me that in return. Daelyn is the winner for that reason. I could clearly envision the action as I read. They painted a picture instead of “telling.” They’d stalked each other for weeks, played this game of cat and mouse. Assassins didn’t like to be the mouse. Now Desnain stood in unfamiliar territory with a fork in the road before her. Two separate paths split her normally sure decisiveness. One deeply wagon-rutted and the other infringed with overgrown brush. Both went as far as she could see. Both may lead her toward sanctuary, or both may lead her toward death. There wasn’t time to waste. Surely the Twelve Point on her heels was not far behind. Yet there she stood, transfixed at the next point of no return. The forks in the road felt much like the one in her heart. Split between what had been duty and what had been emotion. The two were never supposed to mingle in the same space. Yet here they were. She touched at the tiny sword pendant fastened around her neck, made of the finest silver, and looked to the treetops. “Rolen, forgive me.” The tell-tale twang of a bow startled her from her misery. A sharp kiss of metal grazed her cheek, the blur of feathers in her vision as she turned her head, followed by the thud of contact with a tree. “There ain’t no forgiveness where you’re going, traitor.” Desnain turned toward the voice and swiped the little bead of blood from her cheek. No point choosing a path now. They both led to death after all. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Eleven Time Winner Daelyn, and Honorable Mentions Eric, David, and Louisa! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 561

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 10. A whole decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for 10 whole years. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 561 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 561: Uncaffeinated word witch writing daddies, bears, and paranormal beefcake, Kelex. Facebook | Instagram | BookBub |  And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Both went as far as she could see.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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Recipe for Romance: Idaho Sunrise Baked Potatoes

Posted on by Siobhan Muir
Recipe for Romance Two champagne glasses against a purple sparkly background with bells and ribbons at their base

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month (in this case, May) or is coming out in the current month, and a recipe that either goes with the tale or goes with the month. Confused yet? Excellent! lol Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of THE KAROBIS CALLS, book 4 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, coming on May 22 2023. I pushed the release back to make sure the edits were done and the promo materials gathered. Are you ready for the exciting conclusion? In this snippet, Iliana has returned to Starveshon, only there’s a big problem. Coming May 22 2023: The Karobis Calls Just when she thought they’d be blown off course, the world went white, and static filled her ears before everything grew calm. Iliana slowly lifted her head and looked around. The world was still. Sunshine of early evening burnished the sunflowers in the fields around her and crickets sang in the grasses. Warmth as real as the freezing cold of Australia enveloped her and she took a deep breath of relief. “Do you ever get used to the sharp changes in weather and temperature?” She shook herself to release all the tension in her body from the harrowing ride. “Iliana…” Aristotle’s voice held caution. “What?” “Look ahead.” She swung her gaze ahead and all the comfort and heat left her body in a rush. Black smoke billowed in thick oily plumes from the smoldering trees around the main house of the Ivory School of Tactics and Warfare. The breeze painted the sky with streaks of black as fear ran with little cold feet up her spine. “Sweet glory, what the fuck? Run, Aristotle!” The horse launched into a pounding gallop up the road to the school and Iliana tried to come to grips with what she saw. The unfolding ruin made her stomach tighten and she hauled back on the reins as they made it to the smoking yard. Both the house and the stables had been set ablaze and now stood in blackened ruins, studs and beams sticking up like the ribs of huge animals. The fountain in the center was smashed to nothing but fragments, the water dribbling sluggishly from bent pipes. “Oh, my glory.” Iliana dismounted but couldn’t move a step away from Aristotle as her gaze took in everything. Idaho Sunrise Breakfast This is basically a baked potato bowl with all the fixin’s.  Idaho Sunrise Baked Potato Bowls Ingredients The Potatoes 2 large Russett or Sweet Potatos  Bake the potatoes until they are mostly done, about 35 minutes. Prepare the potatoes like you would normally bake them by oiling their skins and poking them with a fork. Wrap in foil and bake at 350 F for 35 minutes. Take them out of the oven, unwrap, and carefully cut off the top 1/3 of the potato. Use a spoon to hollow out the middle of the potato to make a “bowl”, leaving the potato as thick or thin walled as you like. Do this to both potatoes. Inside Ingredients  1 Tbsp butter 2 eggs 2 strips of bacon, cooked and crumbled 2 Tbsp shredded cheddar or gouda cheese 1 tbsp fresh parsley, chopped 1 green onion, chopped Salt and freshly ground pepper to taste Directions Place 1/2 Tbsp of butter in the middle of each bowl. Gently crack an egg into each bowl, careful not the break the yolk. Top with bacon, cheese, parsley, green onions, and season with salt and pepper. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 20-25 minutes, or until the egg whites are set. Serve immediately. *Note: Mr. SM often puts 2 eggs in the bowls and uses ham instead of bacon. You can change out the ingredients to fit your taste.

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#ThursThreads – Week 560 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 560 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’re more than halfway through our tenth year and the time is flying. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Eric Martell for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Silver James | @SilverJames_ Mark A. Morris Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Honorable Mentions David A. Ludwig | DavidALudwig Eric says: Fantasy authors work very hard to create a reasonable structure for magic in their worlds, and David did a nice job creating a viable model in 250 words. winner announcement Week 560 Winner Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Eric says: Sunshine started her journey trapped between two endless expanses, the ocean on one side and sand on the other and ended it it flying, knowing just where she was. Something we all need. Sunshine had never seen anything as large as the ocean. She’d been walking along its shore for more days than she cared to admit, yet all she could see was endless water, and waves. At least the shore was flat, and not filled with mountains, cliffs, and fjords. She knew from the sunrise and sunset that she was heading south. To one side was the ocean. To the other was an endless expanse of sand dunes, and beach grass. Both went as far as she could see. There were a few small bushes and even fewer trees scattered here and there among the dunes. She hadn’t seen anyone. No towns, no villages, no houses, no one. It was an endlessly empty landscape. Until the day the landscape changed into a wall of mountains that ran into the ocean, and disappeared beneath its waters, and into the landscape as far as she could see. As she approached the mountains, she noticed the smoke of volcanoes. Soon, she could see the mountains were filled with them. She had to fly to cross those mountains. It felt good to use her wings once more, to fly in the sky, free from the ground again. It took two days to cross the mountains. On the other side was more ocean. The land had moved eastward, as if two blocks of land were sliding past each other. “A spark is all it takes,” she thought, as she realized the name of her world. Cylinders.~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mention David! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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