February 2024 – Page 2

#ThursThreads – Week 596 – Winners

Posted on February 9, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

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

Week 596 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’ve made it 11 years! Well done and thank you to everyone who writes each week. You made this happen. 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 David Ludwig 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 Silver James Siobhan Muir Louisa Bacio Mark A. Morris Daelyn Morgana David A. Ludwig Eric Martell M.T. Decker Honorable Mentions Louisa Bacio | Website David says: I loved the immersion in both the scene and Serena’s thoughts. The detail about how to escape regular riptides and contrast to the created one stuck with me and put this one over the top. M.T. Decker | Website David says: I loved the dramatic buildup all the way through and weight of the characterizations. The ending twist was beautifully executed and made me laugh. winner announcement Week 596 Winner Eric Martell David says: This one’s going to stick with me for some time. The senses were exquisitely used in the opening and throughout—even taste! Your choices of just how much to say were masterful. Also, that’s an impressively ominous use of the prompt. Eve couldn’t see a damned thing as she walked, but she was pretty sure that was a blessing. What she could smell and hear (and taste – oh god, there were *bits* of something in the air!) was foul enough. She knew what had happened here, was still happening here, and knew what she was most likely hearing and smelling (and tasting), and she thought if she could see it, she’d lose her mind. She stumbled a bit, and the man beside her grabbed her by the neck to stop her from falling. If his hand had felt like a claw, or a pincer, maybe this place would have made some sense to her. But it was human. Soft in places, calloused in others. He’d stroked the bodies of his lovers with that hand. Maybe even held his child oh-so-gently while singing a soft lullaby. And held a gun, raining death upon the defenseless. Smacked women and children around, not seeing, not understanding that in doing that evil, he tainted every caress. Every embrace. Every gentle hug. They followed the railroad tracks the rest of the way to the entrance. She knew what the wrought iron over her head said and was again glad it was too dark to see it. Eve didn’t know why they’d chosen her for this purpose, for this place. Why would they want someone with her talents here? All she’d heard when she was taken was, “We can work with you.” “Work will make you free.”~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Eric, and Honorable Mentions Mary and Louisa! 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 596

Posted on February 8, 2024February 7, 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 596 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 596: Fantasy Author, and Holder of Several Stories, David Ludwig. Facebook | BlueSky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “We can work with you.” 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: Upgrade Your Conviction

Posted on February 5, 2024February 3, 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! This world likes to fit people into boxes. It makes them and their lives easy to categorize, and either admire or dismiss. But we’re more multifaceted that that and we aren’t boxed in very well. You have so much potential ahead of you, no matter your age, education, or financial abundance. The reality you’re in reflects the past, not the future. Don’t listen to the naysayer and keep your mind focused on the outcome ahead. Here’s your Motivation for this Monday: The IDEA that we can’t do something has stopped more dreams and ideas from happening than money or time or ability. While you don’t want to be rigidly welded to an idea or outcome, you don’t have to give up on your dreams before you start just because someone tells you they don’t believe you can do it. Your dreams are worth the effort, even if they start as baby steps, and no one can dissuade you from going for them. You got this. Take this week to make small strides in the direction of your dreams. Upgrade your conviction that they’ll come true. Happy New Monday!

Recipe for Romance: Gramma’s Lemon Bars

Posted on February 3, 2024February 5, 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! I have a new book coming out this month! Yay! It’s called IN PLAIN SIGHT and the heroine is the Sheriff of Summit Springs, Colorado. But if you haven’t read the first book in the series (or rather the story that connects to the one coming), here it is. Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of BROKEN CHAINS, the 5th book to be published in a multi-author series for Summit Springs Sapphic Romance. Merida is estranged from her family so she’s REALLY surprised when she gets an inheritance from her grandmother. Available Now: Broken Chains An official looking envelope with a lawyer’s name from Indianapolis, Indiana sat on the table and Merida paused. What’s this? It was addressed to her new legal name Merida Roark, the name she’d picked when she left her family behind due to their unreasoning homophobic hate. She’d cut off all ties, changed her name, closed her social media and bank accounts, and fled to Colorado. It had hurt at first, but the freedom to be who she truly was made up for it and now she didn’t think of the family at all. Who the hell would send me anything official? She took a deep breath, inhaling the soothing scent of peony, and opened the letter. Thick paper with a fancy letterhead slid out of the envelope and she started to read. Dear Ms. Merida Roark, I have the distinct honor and regret to inform you of the passing of Edna Bernice Edgerton of Indianapolis, Indiana. According to Edna’s last will and testament, an inheritance fund of fifty thousand dollars ($50,000) has been awarded to you as her beneficiary. Merida stopped reading and tried to breathe. Edna Bernice Edgerton had been Merida’s paternal grandmother before she left the fold. None of her family had supported the person she was. In fact, some had blatantly ignored her wishes and set her up on several blind dates with men who’d been told she was looking for a husband. Her father even went as far to suggest the only reason she wasn’t interested in men was because she hadn’t had sex. I hadn’t had sex with men. The idea grossed her out even now. She shook her head and kept reading. Please return the following affidavit signed and notarized, with your current mailing address and email, and a certified check will be mailed out to you. Please respond within 30 days of receipt of this letter. In the event that the beneficiary, Merida Leighann Roark, is no longer living, please have her representative inform us immediately. The monies will then be held in trust for the Edgerton family as per Mrs. Edna Bernice Edgerton’s will. Thank you. Sincerely, William T. Marks,Attorney at Law. Merida blinked. Her paternal grandmother had set aside fifty thousand dollars for her. Holy shit. She’d known Granny Bernie was loaded, but she’d cut the entire Edgerton clan out of her life so she figured that was that. And Granny Bernie never said a thing supporting Merida’s attraction to women. She’d said exactly nothing. When the family belittled or derided her, Granny kept her stern silence. When the family asked Merida to not attend family functions with her girlfriends “because the children shouldn’t see that kind of thing,” Granny never overrode them. So why the hell would she leave me fifty grand? Gramma’s Gluten-Free Lemon Bars https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ffawIM6FGbI&t=3s Everyone likes lemon bars – even Mr. SM, who hates lemon desserts – and this is a great recipe to sweeten up even the most sour person at the party. Ingredients Crust 1 cup 1:1 Gluten-Free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1) 1/2 cup (1 stick) butter 1/4 cup powdered sugar Mix ingredients and spread in a 9 x 13 inch pan. Press into the bottom until it fills the whole pan. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 10-15 minutes. Check often, burns easily! Let cool. Lemon Confection 1 cup sugar 2 eggs, beaten with fork 2 Tbsp flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 3 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt Mix until smooth and pour over crust. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 15-20 minutes, or until firm. Again, it burns easily, so watch closely. Let cool in the pan, then cut into squares for serving.

#ThursThreads – Week 595 – Winners

Posted on February 2, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

Week 595 of #ThursThreads, and y’all never disappoint. We’re halfway through 11 years! Well done and 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 Daelyn Morgana 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 Sheilagh Lee Mark A. Morris Eric Martell Siobhan Muir David A. Ludwig Honorable Mention Mark A. Morris | Website Daelyn says: When I think of robots taking over the world, I absolutely think about the ones we create, not ones that came from Mars. This was a pleasant twist on the sci-fi apocalypse tropes of the future. I especially loved the lines about the world being completely different, but nobody had to like it. The bits about sleeping in coffins gave me a little shudder, too. Great job. winner announcement Week 595 Winner David A. Ludwig Daelyn says: I really enjoyed the fantasy elements in this story. As someone who reads a lot of fantasy, it feels unique and it draws me right in. There’s a great, yet almost subtle, buildup to the final moments of negotiation, too, from the Witch’s change of tone to the point about the roots moving. I’d love to know how the Wood Witch reacted to the arrows raining down at her. Excellent tale, I’d definitely read the book. Tenko found the raised, rocky alcove as imposing as any council platform. Worse, the doubting voice in her head wouldn’t stop second guessing her choice to stand, rather than kneel. That choice was made. And Lieutenant Sora had followed her lead. “You are powerful. For mortals. But your bravado grows tiresome.” Ensconced in her underground alcove, the Wood Witch’s tone was cold and devoid of any of the curiosity from the last time Tenko heard it. She should have kneeled. “As I said before, there is a way for elfkind to live in harmony with the forest and you.” Only by walling her doubts off to loop in isolation was Tenko able to stand, let alone speak. “Your desire to safeguard the wood is admirable. We can work with you to expand while minimizing the impact on the forest.” The air grew heavier around the elegant immortal. Were the tree roots around the cavern moving? “The wood is my implement and my power. I don’t do this for the wood. I do this for me!” The Witch opened the floor beneath Tenko and Sora with a clawing motion, revealing the mists of Naraka below. Tenko signaled Arashiko with one hand. With the other, she traced the character for ‘floor’ beneath herself and Sora. It wasn’t as good as if Tenko had used the brush, but it was enough for her and Sora to push off from and dive to the sides as Arashiko’s arrows flew as from a dozen bows.~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-ONE TIME WINNER David, and Honorable Mention Mark! 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 595

Posted on February 1, 2024January 31, 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 595 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 595: Dark fantasy author, archer, and horsewoman, Daelyn Morgana. Facebook | Bluesky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I do this for me.” 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!