Recipe for Romance: Skull Cheese Ball

Recipe for Romance Two champagne glasses against a purple sparkly background with bells and ribbons at their base

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of THE DREADSTONE KING, and fantasy romance. Allira is supposed to be the lucky Thirteenth Warrior, but she refuses to go into the Dreadstone Tombs. So she remains outside, minding the horses. Then she meets another knight, a little older, but no less a fighter. Available Now: The Dreadstone King Allira shook her head and rolled her eyes, but as she did, she caught something out of the corner of her eye and whipped her head around. A man stood in the shadows of the gate, observing her. He had dark brown hair that hung around his face in shoulder-length waves and a matching beard. He wore leather armor stained a deep oxblood red over chainmail and a black and gold doublet belted to his waist with a long dagger at his side. He appeared to be waiting for her to notice him as he leaned back against the gate, his arms in leather bracers crossed over his chest. Allira scrambled to her feet but kept her hands off her weapons. He hadn’t made any aggressive moves, but she didn’t want to be on her ass when he chose to move. For a moment, neither of them said anything, and she wondered who he was. He wasn’t one of this year’s crop of knights, but he didn’t look worn and grizzled like anyone from previous years. He looked young, fit, capable, and seasoned without being old. “Good morning. Can I help you?” That seemed like as good an opener as any, though she wasn’t sure how she could help someone who looked at home near the Tombs. He laughed, though it never reached his pale green eyes. “I believe that’s my question.” She blinked. “Do I look like I need help?” He shrugged. “Maybe not, but usually all the warriors who come to this place are looking for something.” “Oh.” She scowled and nodded. “Yeah, that’s not really my thing. I’m just watching the horses.” He raised his eyebrows in disbelief. “You’re just here to watch the horses?” She nodded. “Yup.” “Have you no interest in the treasure of the Tombs?” She shook her head. “Nope.” Skull Cheese Ball https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uHeJltPi0HM Want a fun recipe that’s gluten-free and adorable for your parties and celebrations? This cheese ball is great as an appetizer and fun to look at. We used it for Halloween, but you can make it in any shape (star, bell, crescent moon, heart) for your current celebration. INGREDIENTS 2 (8 oz) packages of cream cheese 2 cups freshly grated sharp cheddar cheese (we used Dubliner) 2-3 green onions, finely chopped 2 tsp hot sauce or 1 tsp Northwoods Seasoning 1 tsp garlic powder2 garlic stuffed green olives 8 slivered or sliced almonds or 12 pine nuts 1 black olive cut into 2 triangles DIRECTIONS In a large bowl, combine cream cheese and cheddar cheese. Make sure to combine them completely so it’s easier to add in the other ingredients. Add green onions, Northwoods seasoning, and garlic powder. Mix completely, using a spatula to scrape the sides of the bowl. Season with salt and pepper to taste. Press mixture into a ball and refrigerate until ready to decorate and serve. We did it for 30 minutes. Once chilled, shape your ball into your preferred shape (skull, star, bell, crescent moon, heart). Because we made a skull, cut your black olive into two triangular pieces and place where the nose should go. Slice the garlic stuffed green olives in half and trim to show round green eyes. For the mouth, place four almost slices or six pine nuts for the top row of teeth, and four more almond or six more pine nuts for the bottom row of teeth. Serve with gluten-free crackers, celery, carrots, sweet bell peppers.

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#ThursThreads – Week 657 – Winners

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Week 657 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this, and why we’ve made it more than 12 YEARS! If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Silver James for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson  Siobhan Muir  Terri Mertz Sheilagh Lee David A. Ludwig  K.R. Van Horn Silver says: I appreciate the talent y’all brought to the prompt this week. The amount of creativity is always a treat when I judge. This makes it tough to pick and choose because all of you are winners as far as I’m concerned. However, our host has rules. Therefore… Honorable Mention K.R. Van Horn | Website Silver says: I’ll admit, I have an affinity for crows cawing in the early morning so I might have been a tiny bit biased. Still, the stage was set, the story told, and now I want to know more about the crows, the groundskeeper, and the professional. Well written and well done. winner announcement Week 657 Winner David A. Ludwig Silver says: In very few words, David built a world, portrayed a character and put the plot in motion. I’m intrigued. This tale awakened my imagination and I want more! Awesome bit of storytelling here. Captain Noah Light threw himself into pulling the line taut, willing his exhaustion to weigh on the rope as much as it did on him until he could tie it off. The old man clutched the rail and staggered back to the helm. There were always jobs to do and he had only the memory of his crew to assist him. The wind stole Noah’s breath. The waves battered his body. Perhaps he should have retired a decade or two ago. But then, he hadn’t built the Sea Beacon out of a desire to be a captain—or even a sailor. His ship was built to help those in need. And that was hard to give up. What he needed was someone to pass the torch to. The compass in the helm had changed heading in the night and remained fixed since. The Sea Beacon was needed somewhere. Noah Light prayed he could get her there one last time.~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-NINE TIME WINNER David, and Honorable Mention K.R.! 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! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 657

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Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 657 of Year 12! What a fantastic testament to the writing community. Y’all rock! Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing on #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 US. 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 657: Most Consistent #TT Winner, Newfie mom, and Romance Author, Silver James. Facebook | Goodreads | MeWe And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “There were always jobs to do.” 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: Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Recipe for Romance Two champagne glasses against a purple sparkly background with bells and ribbons at their base

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Happy Easter to those who celebrate. There’s a great and easy recipe at the end that is a delicious treat for celebrations. Today, I’m sharing a snippet of THE DREADSTONE KING, a fantasy romance out now. Allira Maplestaff is the 13th Warrior of the Festival of the Relic, but she only agreed to go on this expedition as a glorified stablehand. She’s minding the horses while the other knights go into the Dreadstone Tombs and wreak havoc – but the Tombs are not unguarded. Available Now: The Dreadstone King It took twenty minutes to grab all the horses and calm them down after Allira ascertained there wasn’t a threat. To be honest, her own heart had shot out of her chest when the howl ripped through the forest, and it had taken her several seconds to figure out what had happened. Then she swore and rushed to try to untangle the horses as their tack had slipped off their backs and made a mess. She’d finally calmed them all and got them tacked up just as the men ran out of the entrance to the Tombs. Though she had never been there before, she could tell it was a freaky place that probably should be left alone. Only three of the four men who’d gone in came bolting for the horses. Their faces were whiter than a burial shroud, and none of them were joking anymore. “What happened? Where’s Danville?” Allira released the tether rope holding the horses’ leads. She caught her mount and Danville’s, but no one answered her as they kicked their mounts into a gallop. Allira paused, holding the horses still as she turned back to the Tombs, scanning for the last knight to come out. His horse tugged at the reins, trying to follow the others, but she forced it to wait. Come on, Danville. Where are you? But after ten minutes, he still hadn’t appeared, and she realized he wouldn’t be coming. The Tombs had claimed its first hero of the year. A combination of anger and disgust settled into her belly as she swung up into the saddle and turned from the Tombs, tugging Danville’s horse behind her. What a stupid, fucking waste. The only thing the Tombs brought was death and despair for families. Gluten-Free Rosemary Focaccia Bread https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5O_u3wfC2k For many meals, most folks want a good bread to go with it, but some breads take forever to make. Focaccia is a quick and easy bread that allows for all sorts of flavors. We’re making Rosemary Focaccia, but you could choose garlic, onion, tomato, olives, or any combo of flavors. INGREDIENTS3 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour 2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 pkg or 2 1/2 tsp instant active yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water 2 Tbsp oil in dough 1 Tbsp oil on bread2 Tbsp dried Rosemary or 1 sprig fresh Rosemary 2 Tbsp grated hard cheese (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Manchego) DIRECTIONS Add flour, salt, sugar, and yeast to a large bowl, and whisk it together. Add water, and 2 Tbsp oil, mixing until the dough is pliable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a short time until smooth. With gluten free dough, it’s dry enough you don’t have to work it hard or with much extra flour. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes. Because it’s gluten free, it won’t rise much. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and gently press risen dough out until it’s 1/2 inch (13 mm) thickness. Brush 1 Tbsp of oil over the top of the dough. Using a fork, make dimples in the dough all over. Sprinkle the cheese and Rosemary all across the top. Let rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 F (191 C). Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

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#ThursThreads – Week 656 – Winners

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Week 656 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this, and why we’ve made it more than 12 YEARS! If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Miranda Kate for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson Siobhan Muir Silver James Terri Mertz Sheilagh Lee David A. Ludwig K.R. Van Horn Mark Honorable Mention K.R. Van Horn | Website Miranda says: This short piece carried such emotion, and also carried intrigue as we got a glimpse of these characters and story in this single scene, I really liked it. Just remember to make sure you check the guidelines and follow them to the letter with the prompt. winner announcement Week 656 Winner David A. Ludwig Miranda says: A swashbuckling adventure. I loved the drunken captain, very well written and the story in itself was complete, but we got a twist at the end that gave us glimpse of a larger story. The Sea Beacon creaked and groaned. Elodie Lee frowned. “What are you sorry about?” More creaking timber. “Oh dear!” Elodie adjusted her thick spectacles and hurried up to the main deck. Starlee Swann, the first mate, was directing the crew. Elodie had charted the calmest route she could, but even under ideal conditions there were always jobs to do. The little navigator made straight for the hatch to the captain’s cabin and slid down the revealed ladder. Captain Rhea Damas was sprawled on the floor against her cot. A severely depleted brandy bottle in her hand. “Captain…” Elodie shook her head. “That bottle was for your birthday.” “Itssa good birthday,” Rhea sniffed with half lidded eyes. “How did you ever find it?” Rhea tapped the side of her nose with a finger. “If there’ss liquor about; I’ll find it.” The moment was shattered by the boom of cannon fire and an uncomfortably close splash. Captain Damas lurched to her feet, shouldering her bandolier and cutlasses, and scrabbled up the ladder to the deck with bottle in hand. Elodie followed apprehensively. Sea Beacon had already told her what was out there. Captain Damas scowled at the HMS Temperance off their starboard side. The flagship of the captain’s nemesis, Admiral Aguilar. “Sweet Isobella’s backside! How’d they sneak up on us?” Starlee turned sourly to the captain. “We think Lord Nacht cloaked their approach. Also, Angelina says she spied my uncle aboard.” “Damnation! Together three months and our enemies are already joining forces?!”~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-EIGHT TIME WINNER David, and Honorable Mention K.R.! 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! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 656

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Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 656. Year 12! What a fantastic testament to the writing community. Y’all rock! Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing on #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 US. 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 656: Cat afficionado, Editor, and Mid Week Flash host, Miranda Kate. Facebook | BlueSky | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “How did you ever find it?” 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 655 – Winners

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Week 655 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this, and why we’ve made it more than 12 YEARS! If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Sabrina York for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or 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 Kelly Heinen Sheilagh Lee David A. Ludwig  Siobhan Muir  Sabrina says: Thanks for the opportunity to read these great shorts. They were all fantastic! It was tough to choose a winner, but after much deliberation, I chose the following. Honorable Mention Silver James | Website Sabrina says: Excellent use of dialog and humor, and the clever interplay kept me engaged. winner announcement Week 655 Winner Bill Engleson Sabrina says: I loved the evocative setting. It took me there with two lovers lounging in the sunlight by a languid sea. Great characterization with few words drew a picture of a carefree spirit and a yearning lover. In short, it left me wanting to read more and remain in that idyll for a while. Yelapa Daydreaming After their morning swim they lay on the rocks and let the sun dry them. He couldn’t believe his good fortune. Or hers. Just being there, the sun bouncing off the quiet blue sea. “It’s a beautiful setting. How did you ever find it?” he asked. Besides the Palapa just above the water, she lived in a two-room adobe home further back on the property. Adjacent to the house was an outdoor shower and ablutions area. “It found me, I suppose,” she said. He rolled over on the rock, looked at her, touched her, said, “that sounds…mysterious isn’t the word I’m seeking…” “No,” she laughed that great laugh, enjoying the moment, and then said, “And I wasn’t laughing at you. I was laughing at me…which I truly enjoy…and it’s not any great mystery. You remember…I was …lost, you were too…but I was looking beyond where we were…I could have gone to India, I suppose, or Canada, which was fairly close and full of kids our age looking for a different sort of freedom…but…I landed here. Maybe I hoped Dylan would come back…” “But this house, your home…wonderful oceanfront…?” “Ah, a history lesson is needed. I offer thanks to some Spanish King for that gift to me. It’s a long walk along the bay. The people here, for the most part, like living close. Everyone owns the community. I lease…I guess that’s the word…so, not mysterious, just magical…” He nodded, clearly aware that he had a lot to learn.~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-EIGHT TIME WINNER Bill, and Honorable Mention Silver! 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! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 655

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Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads for Week 655. Year 12! What a fantastic testament to the writing community. Y’all rock! Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing on #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 US. 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 655: Her Royal Hotness, historical and contemporary romance author, Sabrina York. Facebook |  And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I was laughing at 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!

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Recipe for Romance: Carrot Cake

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 and a recipe that either goes with the tale or goes with the month. Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of my upcoming new release, going back to my roots. Did you know I started out as a fantasy author? So, THE DREADSTONE KING is a fantasy ghost story, and a Beauty & the Beast retelling. It comes out April 14 2025. Meet Sir Allira Maplestaff, and she doesn’t want to be at the Dreadstone Tombs. Coming April 14 2023: The Dreadstone King She glanced at the others, taking a breath to tell them it wasn’t a good idea. But after the last two weeks of traveling with the group of alternately belligerent and misogynistic knights who’d been chosen for this year’s Festival of the Relic, she’d learned her voice meant little. They were each bound and determined to be the one guy who finally found the treasure and claimed the Relic. Which would be much easier if they even knew what they were looking for. Nobody did. In fact, in the last three decades of the Festival’s run, no one had ever even glimpsed the storied Dreadstone King’s Relic, the magical artifact that was supposed to grant the finder something fantastic. Unfortunately, no one knew what that was, either. Allira finished tying off the hitching line and checked that each horse was loosely tied to it as the men completed their gear check. She made her way between the horses, loosening girths and making sure nothing dangled off the tack should the men need a quick getaway. There was rumored to be something horrible in the Dreadstone Tombs, but no one had returned to tell anyone what it was. Yeah, there’s a whole lot we don’t know about this whole fiasco. And yet, year after year, men came to Capstone Creek, the nearest settlement to the Dreadstone Tombs at 300 kilometers, and signed up to be one of the lucky 13 Heroes. They were seduced by the legend of gold and riches, and were determined that this year they would find the Relic, and win the hand of the princess. Or one of them would, since there were thirteen of them in all. Including me. Except she wasn’t going into the Tombs. She had no interest in the treasure, the Relic, or the hand of the princess. Gluten-Free Carrot Cake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SkK3jSqREk Carrot Cake, a perennial favorite for a lot of people, isn’t my favorite, but I decided to give it a try. It turned out great and something I’d make for folks who love it anytime, while I snack on my zucchini bread, lol. But if you love carrot cake, this is a good recipe to follow. INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE3 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour (we used Bob’s Red Mill)2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup oil 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups grated carrots 8 oz crushed pineapple with liquid 2 tsp vanilla 3 eggs 1/2 cup chopped nuts DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 350 F (177 C). In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and mix well. Beat in the carrots, pineapple, and nuts. Add the vanilla and the rest of the dry ingredients until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat each time until well blended. Spoon the batter into a greased 9×13 inch pan and spread out to all corners using a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 8 oz of cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup of butter 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp lemon juice 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar DIRECTIONS Melt the butter and blend in cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency. Spread over the cooled cake and serve.

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#ThursThreads – Week 654 – Winners

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Week 654 of #ThursThreads was a success, and y’all never disappoint. Thank you to everyone who writes each week. You are why we’re still doing this, and why we’ve made it more than 12 YEARS! If you’ve just found us, welcome to the crew! May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to David A. Ludwig for judging this week. Follow Siobhan Muir on Bluesky or check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson  Patty Dump Silver James Mark Ethridge  Alex Minns K.R. Van Horn Siobhan Muir  David A. Ludwig  Nellie Batz Honorable Mentions Silver James | Website David says: The opening contrast of mundanes and magicks, with the latter scowling at Sade, was a strong opening hook. Pairing that with the brilliant interplay of Sade, Caleb, and Nikos put this one over the top for the sole Honorable Mention slot. winner announcement Week 654 Winner Bill Engleson David says: In a week of strong entries, the immersive beauty of this scene kept me coming back to Yelapa Morn. The sensory details are sumptuous and the characters compelling. I loved the quiet compassion and how easily the reader flows through the scene. Extremely well done. Yelapa Morn “I’m sorry,” she’d finally said. “You have a delightful laugh,” he’d replied. Though that was true, it was the timing that proved disconcerting. Throughout his not particularly difficult life, at least not until Berkeley and that series of violent events, he’d found that laughter of any sort helps most of the time. Was this the exception, he wondered. She turned to him, ran her sun-browned hand over his shoulder, touched his face, smiled, said, “I was laughing at me. I was so happy that you would travel all this way to…” and she paused. He thought to complete her sentence, a habit from their earlier time together. As he was about to say, “reconnect…” she said, “to be with me.” He nodded. Then, afraid of allowing an awkward silence, added, “Did you think I wouldn’t?” She kissed him and took him on a most pleasurable journey. Sleep came easily. The next morning the sun blazed down on the Palapa. Though there was a freshening breeze, the heat was stifling. They rolled into each others’ arms. “Good morning,” she said. “It is,” he concurred. “What day is it?” she asked. When he looked confused she said, “I don’t pay much attention to what day it is here. Each day is quite similar.” “Thursday,” he revealed. “Ascension Day.” “You’re not Catholic.” “No, but when you get shot, you give some thought to the afterlife.” “Time for a morning swim,” she smiled. “Lets go.” Naked, they slipped into the waiting sea.~~~~~~~ Congratulations THIRTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Bill, and Honorable Mention Silver! 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! 🙂

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