February 2024 – Siobhan Muir

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 599

Posted on February 29, 2024February 28, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Tying Tales Together, #ThursThreads Year 11 Got a tale to tie on?

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Week 599. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 599 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 social media handle or email in the post (so we easily notify 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, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 599: Uncaffeinated word witch writing daddies, bears, and paranormal beefcake, Kelex. Facebook | Instagram | BookBub | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “It would not rest until he had paid.” 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!

Monday Motivation: Love into Evolution

Posted on February 26, 2024February 26, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Great Horned Owl taking flight from Prickly Pear cactus pads. Text: Monday Motivation: Jumpstart your week! https://siobhanmuir.com

Good morning and Happy Monday! Have you ever heard someone say some derogatory about themselves? Like they hate parts of their body, or they’re disappointed in something their mind does – ADHD, Anxiety, PTSD, etc. Have you every done this yourself? Has it ever brought change or improvement? I bet the answer is no to the last question. There was this cool experiment done on water by Japanese scientists. They analyzed the effects of positive energy (in this case words and compliments) and negative energy (insults) directed at the water, and what the crystalline structure looked like afterwards. The differences were striking. The insulted water had deformed and broken shapes, malformed and incomplete. (The Hidden Messages in Water by Masaru Emoto) One thing to remember is the human body is a living thing running on energy, and it’s 70% water. If negative thoughts and insults deform water, imagine what those same thoughts and insults do to our own bodies. So here’s your Motivation for this Monday: You are a spectacular conglomeration of energy, atoms, and water. You are the most unique version, with a fantastic array of variations never seen before or will come about again. Society would like you to believe you’re not one thing or another – and we’ve all heard those recriminations. But you are magnificent as you are, even with the extras (or lack thereof) of whatever is considered good in societal norms. You are great, amazing, perfection. Love the person you are with all your “imperfections” that others can’t understand. Compliment yourself daily – it doesn’t have to be aloud – and see what beautiful shapes are formed as a result. You got this. Happy Monday!

Recipe for Romance: Chicken Pot Pie

Posted on February 24, 2024 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, February) 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 IN PLAIN SIGHT, my second book in the multi-author Summit Springs Sapphic Romance series. Triss Singleton has just arrived in Summit Springs, on the run from an abusive husband. She’s trying to start over and Emily Lewiston is helping her. She could really use some comfort food. Available Now: In Plain Sight Today is the first day of your new life. It didn’t feel real. No more real than it had when she was shackled to a man who turned out to be a monster. A monster with friends in places of authority. Her family hadn’t believed her or cared. All they cared about was the fetus growing in her belly and their relief that she was in a relationship with man so they didn’t have to acknowledge her bisexuality. She took a deep breath and let all the anger and resentment go. It wouldn’t help her, and they’d never change. That was why she’d cut them out of her life when she fled California. It’s a new start, and I’m gonna be fine. Emily returned a few moments later with her hands full of full-sized shampoo, conditioner, and bodywash, a puff, toothpaste, toothbrush, and body cream. She set them all on the counter of the kitchenette and shot Triss a smile. “I hope these will be okay. They should get you through the storm and the downtime between what you have now and your first paycheck. Payroll goes through to your account on Tuesdays.” Emily tilted her head. “Can you start tomorrow morning? I know it’s soon, but I’d like to get you up to speed pretty quickly so you can start filling your bank account for anything you need.” Triss raised her eyebrows. “Are you sure? I mean, I can do it, but it seems sudden.” Emily nodded. “One thing I’ve learned about these sorts of situations. You probably want something to distract you from the fear hounding you, and you’ll have less fear if you feel financially secure on your own. It’s my goal to support both independence and peace of mind. Been there, done that myself.” “Oh. Okay.” Triss wasn’t sure if the polite thing to do was to ask about the past or to let the comment go, but she was too emotionally worn out to do more than nod. Gluten-Free Chicken Pot Pie https://youtu.be/CgOix3VlKMA This is an easy and cheap meal that is great for wintertime, but also during the busy school season. The hardest thing you have to make is the crust. INGREDIENTS1 can gluten-free cream of chicken soup (warning: we realized this has a LOT of salt, 2000 mg!!)1 can sliced carrots1 can whole potatoes1 can sweat peas1 medium onion, chopped2 large cans (12.5 oz each) chunk chicken2 Tbsp olive oil2 premade crusts DIRECTIONSMake your crust (if making from scratch) or set one premade crust in your pie plate. Set aside. Coarsely chop up onion and saute in a deep pan with the olive oil. Saute for about five minutes over medium heat until onions are translucent. Drain the other canned vegetables and rinse them in a colander to remove excess salt. Cut up potatoes into bite sized chunks. Set aside. Set your oven to 425 F (218 C). Drain chicken, break up into smaller chunks and add to the pan to start browning. Add the other vegetables to the pan and stir to heat up. Add the potatoes. Add the soup last and stir to combine, keeping an eye on it to heat everything evenly. Add a teaspoon of Mrs. Dash or a spice mix of your choosing, and mix well. Pour cooked ingredients into the pie crust and cover with the second crust. Cut air vents into the top crust. Bake for 20-25 minutes. Take out of the oven, let cool for about five minutes, and serve. 10″ pie plate serves 8 people.

#ThursThreads – Week 598 – Winners

Posted on February 23, 2024February 23, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 598 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. If you’ve rediscovered us, welcome back! You’re in good company. May you come back again. A thousand thanks to Muirlette #1 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 Mark A. Morris Sheilagh Lee Siobhan Muir Nellie Batz Alex Minns David A. Ludwig Louisa Bacio M.T. Decker Katheryn J. Avila Honorable Mentions Louisa Bacio | Website Tina says: I really liked the quiet, peaceful energy and setting. The mellow way the characters interacted and the cinnamon-roll like attitude of the male character. Lovely work. Alex Mins | Website Muirlette says: I liked the suspense of a missing fallen angel moving around Earth even though there’s a crowd of people around. Plus the twist at the end of one of the investigators being a fallen angel themselves. Great job. winner announcement Week 598 Winner M.T. Decker Muirlette says: I liked how the description was a contrast. Her memories of what the pictures were supposed to be compared to what the crime scene pictures actually showed. And of course, the suspense at the end was great. Well done. The Grand Tour Images and afterthoughts, that’s all that she could see—a moment frozen in time, captured on film. She could feel the emotions on people’s faces as they posed for the pictures. It was strange marrying up the pictures from the album and the crime scene photos– before and after. Before, everything seemed so bright and cheerful, but the forensic photos painted a darker picture. They were witness to the truth behind the lies in the carefully posed images. Meticulously maintained lawns, and carefully coifed women drinking from delicate teacups, bespoke a genteal world. while whisps of smoke and ash, and the scent of stale coffee filled the room. The photos played out like cards, telling two different stories. A picture of the formal gardens, sunlit mazes of roses, and flame bushes hinted at summer bliss. They lay in stark contrast to the photos of carefully collected evidence, meticulously numbered and notated. The swing, she would climb pretending she was a sailor on the yardarm of a tall ship, fell from the desk, revealing the dark stains of rust and old blood. The photos of be beach. This is where she fell in love. It was also where her heart broke. He’d taken another to their spot along the bay. She mourned the death of love and tried to stop the bitter flow of tears. This is where her darker half was born. And it would not rest until he had paid. Images and afterthoughts. That’s all they really were.~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-TWO TIME WINNER M.T. and Honorable Mentions Louisa and Alex. Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Facebook, MeWe, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 598

Posted on February 22, 2024February 21, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Week 598. Holy smokes! We’ve made it almost 600 WEEKS! Mind-boggling. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 598 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 social media handle or email in the post (so we easily notify 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, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 598: Cat wrangler, master violinist, and Tea connoisseur, Muirlette #1. And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “This is where she fell.” 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!

Monday Motivation: I Rested Today

Posted on February 19, 2024February 18, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Good morning and Happy Monday! And Happy President’s Day if you celebrate. This is a day that many people take off (if they don’t work in retail or the food services). It is one of the few, rare holidays when Americans don’t have to work – Americans, by and large, are workaholics – mostly to survive, so the phrase about being lazy is very common. But in Late Stage Capitalism, we are in dire need of recalibration of our thoughts. It’s very easy to claim or accuse yourself of being lazy, but that’s just the old programming we need to discard. So here’s your Motivation for this Monday: We are human BEINGS not human DOINGS, and the “lazy” remark is only for doings. Being human means taking time to rest, recuperate, and relax. You are more than your job, and you deserve time to be yourself in whatever way you need to be. Take your time, find your space, and rediscover your value in just being you. Which phrase strikes you the most? Happy Monday!

Recipe for Romance: Gluten Free Scalloped Corn

Posted on February 18, 2024February 18, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of IN PLAIN SIGHT, the second book I’ve written in a multi-author Summit Springs Sapphic Romance series. In this snippet, Sheriff Briona Maverick is finding out some bad news, and when I get bad news, I just want comfort foods. Scalloped Corn is one of my family’s favorites. Available Now: In Plain Sight “Well, we got ourselves a body up here that’s connected to you. When was the last time you were up in Idaho?” Briona straightened. “Never, Sheriff. I’ve never visited the state. I don’t even know where Cuthbert is. What’s this about?” “Do you know a Kelsey Jackson?” Briona’s whole world stopped, and her body grew chilled despite the heat in her house. Oh glory. What happened to you, Kelsey? She took a deep breath. “Yes, I knew a Kelsey Jackson. What’s this about?” “Ms. Jackson was found dead at the Pilot Truck Stop out on Highway 11. Looks like an accidental overdose, but the ME will have to confirm after the autopsy.” He cleared his throat. “I’m very sorry for your loss.” “Uh, yeah, thanks.” Briona shook her head, trying to get her thoughts in order. She always felt sorry for the surviving friends and family of victims, but she’d never been on the other side of the table. “What was your connection to Ms. Jackson?” She heard the cop’s voice on the other end of the phone, and she dragged her focus back from the grief threatening to suck her down. “We were old friends and roommates for a while, Sheriff. Why?” “Well, she had very little on her other than her clothes, her purse, a backpack, and stone circle necklace on a leather thong. But in her wallet was a note that said you should be contacted if anything happened to her.” Briona blinked. “She had a note, in her wallet, with my name on it?” “Yup. It says, and I quote, ‘If anything happens to me, call Sheriff Briona Maverick, and tell her I’m sorry. Everything I have goes to her.’ That mean anything to you, Sheriff?” “No. I haven’t seen Kelsey in the six years since she left.” Briona hoped her voice didn’t sound anything but confused. Gluten-Free Scalloped Corn https://youtu.be/sK8kzbkO2Dg This recipe is an old family favorite. My maternal grandmother used to make this every year for Gratitude Day and it was my favorite thing on the table next to the mashed potatoes. But when I made it later and followed the recipe exactly, it didn’t taste good to me. So I’ve modified it from the original a little, making it Gluten-Free and much better in taste. Ingredients 2 Tbsp coconut oil1 1/2 Tbsp gluten-free 1:1 baking flour1 cup milk2 cups cooked or canned corn1 Tbsp sugar1/2 tsp salt2 eggs, beaten1/8 tsp pepperPinch of mace and parsley Directions In a large sauce pan, melt shortening over medium heat and add the flour. Mix well. Add the milk, increase the heat to medium-high, and gradually bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn. Add the corn, sugar, salt, pepper, mace, and parsley, and mix until thoroughly distributed. Heat completely, then remove from the burner. Add beaten eggs and mix well until evenly combined. Pour mixture into a greased 9×9 baking dish and bake at 350 F (177 C) for 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes before serving. Makes 6-8 servings. To double the recipe, use a greased 9×13 inch pan.

#ThursThreads – Week 597 – Winners

Posted on February 16, 2024February 16, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 597 of #ThursThreads was kinda quiet in the wake of Valentine’s Day, but those who wrote didn’t disappoint. Well done and thank you to everyone who writes each week. It can be challenging to find the time on a random Thursday to write, but I’m so grateful you come to my blog and share your words. A thousand thanks to Bill Engleson 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: Silver James Siobhan Muir David A. Ludwig Sheilagh Lee M.T. Decker Bill says: A day after Valentines Day, a very small coterie of writers met in the comfortable quarters of ThursThreads to stitch together a flash fiction quilt. It was a fascinating day to be judging. Witness courtroom shenanigans in Atlanta and New York. Atlanta in particular as the courtroom there has been front and centre all day, televised in all its weaving complexity. I was mesmerized most of the time but managed to write my own 250-word contribution early in though I resisted adding it to the fray. Otherwise, we would have had a half dozen submissions albeit two would have been out of the running. By contrast to the television courtroom experience, eclipsing even as I have posted elsewhere, the Clarence Thomas hearings from 1991, my modest judicial role proved to be, while challenging, more of a breeze. As there were only five entries and one was Siobhan’s who has traditionally claimed a conflict of interest (my term and I assume it is something along those lines but these days the world is not always crystal clear) it was determined that I would only select a winner. I enjoyed the tales offered. They each utilized the prompt as they ventured off in a variety of directions. I’ve summarized my snap impressions and hopefully haven’t skimped on the messaging. Honorable Impressions Silver James | Website Bill says: Silver presented in a complex world view way I am not fully familiar with, a state of transformation from man to wolf. These sorts of tales always leave me sheepish. Siobhan Muir Bill says: Siobhan submitted a somewhat spooky plumbing, specifically faucet supply, scenario. David A. Ludwig | Website Bill says: David, also operating in a universe of his own fantabulous creation, tendered a premonition, as it were, of elves taking over the world. I wish them luck. Sheilagh Lee | Website Bill says: Sheilagh offered a good old fashioned getting-rid-of-a-body dilemma enhanced by a co-conspirator marriage and what I took to be an allusion to the late, very likely departed Jimmy Hoffa. winner announcement Week 597 Winner M.T. Decker Bill says: I tend to appreciate noir, dark thrillers, often with detectives, usually private ones. And I confess, a personal preference for titles. M.T. set the stage with First Impressions, rain falling, possibly night, it felt like night though it’s unclear, and she used the prompt well, describing one death scene a tad over halfway in and then moving into what becomes a second murder: her investigating officer. Partner killing partner. Very cool. Very nasty. Very noirish. First Impressions The first thing that struck Detective Samantha Collings was the desolation of the scene. Murder, while not unheard of in San Souixie, was still something of a novelty. She’d expected a circus but found the quiet rain to be her only companion. Her partner hadn’t arrived yet, so she could walk the scene and take it all in before he came and derailed her thoughts with his measurements and unending stream of consciousness. She could close her eyes and feel the breeze against her skin. It gave her time to organize her thoughts and feel the emotions that echoed through the park. Looking at the body without touching it, she knew what had happened. ‘Here,’ she thought as she studied the prone form. ‘This is where she fell.’ She sighed as she heard her partner’s radio blaring as he pulled into the parking lot above the pathway. He was listening to yet another neo-punk band, and to her relief the radio died as he shut his car off. She wanted to think while she still could. She’d have to wait for the coroner’s report to be sure, but from what she’d seen, the victim had been pushed. She stepped aside, letting Jonesie record his first impressions. She usually ignored his personal recordings and waited until they were back at the station before they compared notes, but something in his words sent a chill up her spine. ‘The last thing to strike Detective Collings was a 4×6…”~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-ONE TIME WINNER M.T., and all the folks who wrote; Silver, David, and Sheilagh! Pass on the great news on Facebook, MeWe, Bluesky, Mastodon, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 597

Posted on February 15, 2024February 14, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing, like we have for the past 11 years. I had no idea when I started it would keep going! This is Week 597 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 social media handle or email in the post (so we easily notify 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, Bluesky, MeWe, and Mastodon, etc. Our Judge for Week 597: Slightly past-it Canuck and word chucker, Bill Engleson. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “She knew what had happened here.” 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!

Monday Motivation: Stock up on Compassion

Posted on February 12, 2024February 11, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Good morning and Happy Monday! Kung Hei Fat Choi! Happy Lunar New Year! This is the first Monday in the Year of the Wood Dragon, and it’s a great time to take stock of the qualities of the dragon to upgrade not only your mental health but your whole world. According to a Chinese folklore expert, this year has unlimited opportunities for personal growth, professional success, and social impact. But only if we practice generosity and selflessness much like the Chinese dragon of lore. LINK TO THE ARTICLE According to the expert, spending this year cultivating empathy and compassion will build a foundation next year for you to succeed in anything. So here’s your Motivation for this Monday: Where in your life can you increase your empathy? Where in your life can you show compassion? And this is not just toward others – this is also toward yourself. A woman can’t climb a mountain bad-mouthing herself the whole way. Use some compassion on yourself, reminding yourself of all the good things you’ve done to get you where you are. More compassion helps you, your family, and your world. Be a dragon this year – practice empathy and compassion. Happy Lunar New Year and Happy New Monday!