Siobhan Muir – Page 22

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 584

Posted on November 2, 2023November 1, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

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

Welcome back to the home of #ThursThreads. Wow. Year 11. Holy smokes! Y’all kept with me past a decade. I’m astounded. And Feliz Dia de Los Muertos! 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 584 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 584: When her eyes get tired from reading, she switches to audiobook, her ears don’t close, Mirra Allure. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “And there might have been a tail.” 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!

#ThursThreads – Week 583 – Winners

Posted on October 27, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 583 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 Nikki Prince 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 Nellie Batz Mark A. Morris Silver James Mark Ethridge Sheilagh Lee David A. Ludwig Siobhan Muir M.T. Decker Kelly Heinen Nikki says: First, it is a pleasure to be here. As always, I enjoyed every one of your stories. However, I can only choose one winner and some honorable mentions so here I go. Honorable Mentions Mark A. Morris | Website Nikki says: For his take on Frankenstein. I loved it and thought it was refreshing and had some humor in it that I could appreciate. David A. Ludwig | Website Nikki says: I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptive words used in this story. I could truly imagine what was happening as I read it. Silver James | Website Nikki says: I enjoyed the play and dialogue between the characters. Read more you say? Yes please! winner announcement Week 583 Winner Nellie Batz Nikki says: Nellie Batz’s story of the bodyguard Misau made me want to read more. I wanted to dive right into this paranormal story. I was intrigued by the description of the other bodyguard with sharp teeth, blood red eyes, and horns and I hope that this is a story that will be written in the future for me to read! “I hired you as a bodyguard to keep people from accosting me. I didn’t mean to have you totally scaring them off.” The young woman stared at Misau over the edge of the ivory fan, waving it in front of her face slowly. “Try not to look so threatening. I’m supposed to be aloof.” “Yes ma’am.” “Ugh, don’t say ma’am. That makes me sound…old.” A grimace at that thought. Misau stepped back, resisting the urge to roll her eyes. It was going to be a long night. She settled in her spot behind where the woman sat, scanning the crowded room. Everyone came to wish the woman a happy birthday but her gaze locked on the next in line. The man waiting was made up more than the women, curled hair, rogued cheeks and enough perfume to choke a stable of horses. But his own bodyguard was the predator with the sharp grin, blood red eyes and the horns no one could see. And there might have been a tail. The lack of reaction meant that he had a glamour up or everyone would have taken off hours ago. Shit. So much for a fluff job. She needed to be as threatening as he was, without the supernatural abilities. She needed to make sure that there weren’t any casualties. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Three Time Winner Nellie, and Honorable Mentions Mark, David, and 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! 🙂

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – week 583

Posted on October 26, 2023October 25, 2023 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 583 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 583: Lover of Words, Creative Writing MA, and Interracial Paranormal and Contemporary Romance Author, Nikki Prince. Facebook | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Try not to look so threatening.” 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!

#ThursThreads – Week 582 – Winners

Posted on October 20, 2023October 20, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 582 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 A. 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 Sheilagh Lee Mark A. Morris Silver James Siobhan Muir Alex Minns Mark Ethridge Em Van Moore M.T. Decker Kelly Heinen David says: Getting the prompt right within the word count is easy to mess up, especially after editing. I’m very glad to have read all the stories this week and grateful for everyone who participated. I enjoyed each entry but ultimately had to pick a winner and an honorable mention. Honorable Mention Mark A. Morris | Website David says: A well evoked, immersive scenario made all the stronger by the twist at the end. The idea of a vampire monarch being difficult even before being vain and looking for an excuse to punish Claris gave excellent impact to the scene. winner announcement Week 582 Winner Kelly Heinen David says: The flow and energy of this scene kept me particularly engaged and put this one over the top for me. I loved the interplay between the trainer and the trainee, as well as the trainee being unnecessarily intimidating. The details you work in to make crossing souls over feel like another job that can be a grind for those who do it are exquisite. This just made me happy. I’ve watched my brothers struggle with their student loan payments. The young lady training with me tonight decided selling her soul to The One True Death was the easy way out. “So what do I do next?” “Check your list.” She consults the tablet in her hand, as our horses land outside the small town nursing home. “Okay. He’s 102, widowed, and in room seventeen.” Easy enough. We walk inside, completely invisible to everyone except Mr. Peterson. He’s in his recliner. Oof. It’s less fun for the staff when they pass sitting up. “Okay. Introduce yourself, and a quick upward swing will sever his soul and should initiate the reunion with Mrs. Peterson.” She smiles and holds her scythe in front of her. “Try not to look so threatening,” I tell her, easing the scythe back a bit. “I’m Sadie and I’m here to take your soul!” Mr. Peterson’s eyes widen in alarm. I put a hand on her shoulder. “She’s a trainee,” I say. “We’re here to escort you to your afterlife, Mr. Peterson.” “Oh thank god.” He puts a hand on his heart. “I thought maybe I was headed—down below,” he whispers. Sadie swipes, and a door opens. His wife nearly knocks him down. They walk across together and I turn to Sadie. “Not bad. Less threatening and fewer horror movie lines, more kindness,” I say. “Sorry. Big fan of Stephen King.” We both burst out laughing, heading back to our horses and onto the next crossover. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Nineteen Time Winner Kelly, 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 582

Posted on October 19, 2023October 18, 2023 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 582 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 582: Fantasy Author, and Holder of Several Stories, David Ludwig. Facebook | BlueSky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “So what do I do next?” 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!

So I have 40 books – Connections Between Series (Part 2)

Posted on October 18, 2023October 18, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

With 40 books published (and more on the way), I thought it wise to put together a READING LIST for anyone new to my writing. That was in Part 1. Today, in Part 2, you’ll get to see where the Easter Eggs are – the connections between books that aren’t in the same series. You’ll find that while I write several subgenres of romance, they’re all in the same world where the Goddess is the main deity, and She watches over all Her peoples. It’s probably going to be almost as long as Part 1, so buckle up, folks, and enjoy the ride. Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Ultimate Recon RIMSHOT’S HARD TARGET DELI’S TAKE OUT DARWIN’S EVOLUTION You first meet Senior Chief Petty Officer Cyrus “Darwin” Finch in RIMSHOT’S HARD TARGET, but he reappears in DELI’S TAKE OUT and has his own HEA in DARWIN’S EVOLUTION when he meets the love of his life, a retired U.S. Marine, Sadie Hawkins. All of these books are romantic suspense and they’re guaranteed HEAs. F/M Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Silver State Mysteries In BRONCO’S ROUGH RIDE, Bronco gets snagged by a sex slavery ring where he’s the product for unscrupulous rich women looking for toys. In the first couple of scenes, he meets Lady Aislynn, the proprietor of Eve’s Paradise, the strip club in SECOND CHANCE SUCCUBUS where the murder takes place. Bronco’s story is F/M romantic suspense and Lindsey saves John. Lady Aislynn’s tale is a PNR Menage Murder Mystery with BDSM elements, M/F/M. What happens in Vegas stays in the heart. 😉 BRONCO’S ROUGH RIDE SECOND CHANCE SUCCUBUS Cloudburst + Elemental Hearts A small magical town in the Rocky Mountains, with people who are more than human. A HELL HOUND’S FIRE A TIMELESS HEART The hero from A HELL HOUND’S FIRE, Alex MacLaren helps the hero of A TIMELESS HEART, Captain Sandor Halmi, and the local police lieutenant features heavily in both tales. Welcome to Cloudburst, Colorado. Both tales are F/M PNR with HEAs. Cloudburst Colorado + Concrete Angels MC + Warbler Peninsula This connection is a little tenuous as Luke Everfall’s tale hasn’t been written yet, but he shows up in these three stories well enough to recognize him. COURTING THE DRAGON WIDOW ANGEL INK THE VALKYRIE’S SWORD At the end of COURTING THE DRAGON WIDOW, Denarrion Goldencoat meets a badass biker from the Concrete Angels MC on his way to Cloudburst, where Lissandra Charforest resides. In ANGEL INK, it turns out he’s Luke Everfall, Michael’s brother – yes, Archangel Michael. You meet Luke again in THE VALKYRIE’S SWORD, when Svanhild Bjornsdottir meets him on the way into Three Lakes, Michigan. Luke’s HEA resides in Three Lakes with the proprietor of the Little Hands Shelter. All three of the above tales are F/M PNR. Her Devoted Vampire + Order of the Dragon When I first wrote HER DEVOTED VAMPIRE, I had no idea just how important Three Lakes, Michigan would be in the grand scheme of things. It turns out it’s really important. Fredrick MacGregor has an uncle who lives in Three Lakes, who goes by the name Drake MacGregor. They aren’t related by blood, but they are sanguivores (vampires) who’ve known each other for centuries. HER DEVOTED VAMPIRE ORDER OF THE DRAGON It also turns out Bridget Shanahan’s bestie is Kate Blackamber is the Shaman in Three Lakes, Michigan, and there’s another connection that you just have to read about. 😉 Both books are F/M PNR. Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Rifts Series Chief Petty Officer Kevin “Rimshot” Stanton in RIMSHOT’S HARD TARGET, has been looking for his sister, Bethany Stanton, the US Senator’s daughter who disappeared through a dimensional rift in TAKE THE REINS. At the end of both books, the siblings get back together and connect… in Wyoming! Rimshot’s tale is romantic suspense while Bethany’s tale is more fantasy romance. Both are F/M. RIMSHOT’S HARD TARGET TAKE THE REINS Connections Coming Soon Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Cloudburst Colorado Petty Officer Greg “Bam-Bam” Killian’s wife MaryAnn Killian was unfaithful and by BAM-BAM’S INKED HART, the divorce is finalized. MaryAnn Killian ends up going to the Cloudburst Resort with girlfriends, getting spa treatments and relaxing. Moira Callahan from CLOUDBURST COFFEE & SPA, has a younger brother named Kieran and he works at the Cloudburst Resort with a guy name Ivan, who knew Lady Aislynn intimately, who runs Eve’s Paradise in Vegas. Moira has several brothers so you’ll be seeing the Callahans a lot in the future. Greg’s story is romantic suspense, Moira’s story is urban fantasy, and y’all know what Aislynn’s story is. F/M romance. BAM-BAM’S INKED HART CLOUDBURST COFFEE & SPA SECOND CHANCE SUCCUBUS Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Ultimate Recon + Stainless Steel SEALs You meet Master Chief Martin “Bones” Skelling, who gets injured in the beginning of DELI’S TAKE OUT. Bones is buddies with Senior Chief Cyrus “Darwin” Finch, and Cyrus shows up in both Deli’s story and Bones’. Cyrus’s and Deli’s stories are F/M military romantic suspense while Bones’s story is M/M romantic suspense, coming soon. DELI’S TAKE OUT DARWIN’S EVOLUTION THE BREAD WINNER (Stainless Steel SEALs Book 1) Bad Boys of Beta Squad + Warbler Peninsula There’s a character who shows up in THE NAVY’S GHOST who helps find out what happens to the missing wives of the Team. He’s a retired Navy SEAL who moved to Three Lakes, Michigan, and married Kate Blackamber. I have written his story, but it needs some fairly extensive editing before it’s ready for anyone to read it. The Navy’s Ghost is a Military Menage romantic suspense M/F/M and I call it my Menage a’SEALs. The Valkyrie’s Sword is a F/M PNR with suspense elements. THE NAVY’S GHOST THE VALKYRIE’S SWORD Triple Star Ranch Series + Lost and Found by J.M. Madden Folks love their cowboys, but most of the cowboy tales start in Montana, Colorado, or Texas. Some even show up in Oklahoma. But I figured since I lived…

So I have 40 books – Adding a Reading Order (Part 1)

Posted on October 16, 2023October 16, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Welp, it’s official. I have a lot of books published. Someone suggested that authors should put together a Reading List so readers who like to read things in order can know what to pick up first. With 40 books, this is necessarily going to be a long post with images, so buckle up, folks, and enjoy the ride. Bad Boys of Beta Squad BRONCO’S ROUGH RIDE (Prequel) THE NAVY’S GHOST RIMSHOT’S HARD TARGET BAM-BAM’S INKED HART DELI’S TAKE OUT This series is connected to three other series, but can be read on their own without impacting those other series. Cloudburst, Colorado A small magical town in the Rocky Mountains. A HELL HOUND’S FIRE THE BELTANE WITCH CLOUDBURST COFFEE & SPA COURTING THE DRAGON WIDOW THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER CHRISTMAS I.C.E. MAGIC CLOUDBURST ICE MAGIC While they weren’t written in this order, reading them in this order makes the most sense. Beltane is in May, the dragons court in summer, Samhain is at the end of October, Christmas in December, and the last story takes place in the spring. You get a whole year to enjoy! THE BELTANE WITCH and CLOUDBURST COFFEE & SPA are concurrent tales that happen at the same time with different couples. And THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER is the little brother of the hero in THE BELTANE WITCH. Also, just to be clear, CHRISMAS I.C.E. MAGIC and CLOUDBURST ICE MAGIC are the same couple working toward their HEA. Very likely there will be a third ICE MAGIC tale about their friend Cade. Concrete Angels MC Seriously, this series started as a tongue-in-cheek mockery of Cockygate in 2018 and suddenly I had a bunch of characters I liked and stories I needed to tell. These are First-Person, alternating POVs, and full of snark. It started as a joke, and became a series! MY FOREVER COCKY BIKER ENCOUNTER DUDE WITH A COOL CAR ANGEL INK THE CONCRETE ANGEL RUNNING FROM THE TEXAS MILLIONAIRE (coming soon!) RUNNING FROM THE TEXAS MILLIONAIRE will be out in late 2023 and it’s Viper’s and Trigger’s story. You meet the characters from earlier stories and see how they’re dealing with Backlog. Callowwood Pack Series QUEEN BITCH OF THE CALLOWWOOD PACK was the first werewolf tale I’d written and for the longest time, it stood alone. Then to combat Cockygate in 2018 I was part of the Cocky Cockers anthology and I wrote THE CALLOWWOOD CANINE CAPER, featuring secondary characters that had been in QBC. Writing that also gave me ideas for two other Callowwood tales so there will be sequels soon. But for now, you can enjoy the Alpha and Luna finding their HEA and a fun little romp in a nearby town featuring a cocker spaniel 😉 QUEEN BITCH OF THE CALLOWWOOD PACK THE CALLOWWOOD CANINE CAPER Elemental Hearts Series This series started as a KindleWorlds tale with WILDFIRE’S HEART about wildland firefighters who’d been tackling the horrible fires in 2016. Then I thought, what if the firefighters were supernatural beings like dragons, witches, ifrits (fire djinn), banshees, and rock giants? And what if there were a whole team of them? Ta-dah! A TIMELESS HEART was in the first Flip the Trope: Romance Gone Wild anthology and talks about a second chance at love and has a 52 yr old heroine. The hero is a Zomok, a Hungarian forest spirit that takes the form of a dragon. There are more elemental hearts tales coming, but so far there are only two – PNR Firefighters, F/M WILDFIRE’S HEART A TIMELESS HEART Rifts Series I started writing this series when a friend of mine and I brainstormed of what it would be like if people from our world stepped across a dimensional boundary and found themselves in a world where all the Greek myths had gone. What would they do? And what if humans were so rare as to be considered myths by the local inhabitants? And what if there was a whole section of the U.S. Military who was sent in to deal with such weird phenomena as dimensional boundaries? The Rifts Series is the answer to those questions. 😉 TAKE THE REINS A CENTAUR’S SOLSTICE WISH (sweet holiday romance) IN DEATH’S SHADOW Triple Star Ranch Series ROPE A FALLING STAR STAR LIGHT, STAR BRIGHT STAR SPANGLED BANNER Folks love their cowboys, but most of the cowboy tales start in Montana, Colorado, or Texas. Some even show up in Oklahoma. But I figured since I lived in Wyoming where Cheyenne Frontier Days, the largest outdoor rodeo on the world happens, I’d better get some Cheyenne Cowboys out there for y’all to love. These tales are romantic suspense, contemporary, but have all sorts of pairings (F/M and M/M so far). Two more coming soon. Warbler Peninsula Series Who needs another small magical town in northern Michigan? This is where there’s a shaman to watch out for the Elder Races and help bring love to everyone who wants it. Dragons, werewolves, vampires, dryads, selkies, ice demons, and one random Firebird. Welcome to Three Lakes, Michigan. ORDER OF THE DRAGON THE VALKYRIE’S SWORD BURNING YULETIDE Stand-Alone Stories with More Coming These stories either started out as a stand-alone tale, or are the first in a new series, the rest of which haven’t been written yet. BROKEN CHAINS is part of a multi-author F/F (Lesbian/Sapphic Romance) series that all take place in a little town called Summit Springs, Colorado. My story is romantic suspense and there will be a sequel coming in 2024! DARWIN’S EVOLUTION is a F/M romantic suspense with military characters and is the first book in the Ultimate Recon series, but the other tales haven’t coalesced yet, so it currently stands alone. But there are connections to other books I’ve written. HER DEVOTED VAMPIRE is the very first romance book I got published. It’s F/M PNR and it was the book that made Mr. SM squirm deliciously. 😉 Stand-alone with connections. MR. FIXIT’S BILLIONAIRE – in 2022 I was part of a Flip the Trope: Endless Summer…

#ThursThreads – Week 581 – Winners

Posted on October 13, 2023October 13, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 581 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 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 Silver James Eric Martell Siobhan Muir Mark Ethridge Lexikonical David A. Ludwig M.T. Decker Honorable Mentions David A. Ludwig | Website Daelyn says: This was a fun tale. I was waiting for that other shoe to drop the whole way through, and it did not disappoint. There were some excellent descriptions, especially in relation to the hero’s stealth, to go along with it. Well done. Lexikonical | Website Daelyn says: The twist at the end is what made this tale fun. I think Rafe is about to get his world rocked a second time. I loved the line about the “little slip of a woman” never being noticed following, too. It ties nicely to the ending twist. Nicely done. winner announcement Week 581 Winner Mark Ethridge Daelyn says: There was something very poignant and meaningful to this tale that really tugged at me. The ending was a perfect fit to that feel. I am always so curious about the world surrounding these Machines, too. Beautifully done. The machines, ubiquitous as they were on Cylinders, made a small hut for Sunshine to sleep inside, on a mattress, as opposed to outside on the hard ground. Being curious, they asked her, “Where are you going?” “I don’t know.” She sat on the mattress and thought about where to go next. “I’ve reached the limit of the flooding. I didn’t find any towns or villages. Everyone is safe that I can tell. So what do I do next?” The machines didn’t answer her. They left the question open, for her to answer. “I’ll return to following the ocean along the coast.” It meant she would have to backtrack for the first day, to reach the ocean, where the earthquake had happened. The machines finally spoke, “Head south as you head back. It will bring you to the ocean, south of the mountains.” She smiled. “South of the volcanic zone, yes?” “Yes.” “I wonder. Does Mystica know what the world looks like?” There was no answer. “I know Merlin knows.” She wondered why Merlin had told her to see the world. “What does Merlin think I will find?” As she slept that night, she had a dream of searching for something. Something she could not find, no matter where she looked. As she searched, she heard Merlin talking, “You will never find what you seek outside. It does not exist in the world.” ~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-ONE TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mentions David and Lexikonical! 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 581

Posted on October 12, 2023October 11, 2023 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 581 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 can 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 581: Dark fantasy author, archer, and horsewoman, Daelyn Morgana. Facebook | Bluesky | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Where are you going?” 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!

#ThursThreads – Week 580 – Winners

Posted on October 6, 2023October 6, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Week 578 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 George Varhalmi 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 Richard Gibney Silver James Siobhan Muir Sheilagh Lee Mark A. Morris Mark Ethridge David A. Ludwig M.T. Decker Kelly Heinen Honorable Mentions Mark A. Morris | Website George says: It is a bittersweet tale watching a sun/star die and how it would affect the lives on the planets in the goldilocks zone through the eyes of a celestial gardener. It was a kind and pleasant conversation between two colleagues. I liked that. Fun, bittersweet, and captivating, what a great tale. Mark Ethridge | Website George says: What stood out in the tale was the emotion of both the turmoil of travel but more about her pushing forward to her breaking point. In the end she is as strong as her counterpart Mystica and maybe even stronger than she realizes. Filled with strong self-defining elements this is a great tale. Siobhan Muir | Website George says: (Because it’s my birthday) What a great adventure and that last line seals the deal. I am guessing the Tombs are not finished with their sacrificial lambs that choose to venture there. How many survive will be up to the author. Very well written and a great scene. winner announcement Week 580 Winner Silver James George says: The sense of trepidation and fear of a lost young woman in an unfamiliar city meets the warmth of a local who knows what to do, who to call or whatever else she needs to do to get the help the stranger needs. Whether it is good help or bad is up to the next scene. Well done, well written and had me hooked from start to finish. Fiona was lost. And afraid. Too many people pressed close, talking and jostling. She tried to understand the huge map. Buses. Trains. Which was which and where did they go? Stepping back, she stumbled into someone. “Oh, mercy,” she cried, whipping around. “My apologies, surely!” The woman she’d rammed smiled. “No harm done. You look confused.” “I am, yes. An’ a wee bit lost.” Fiona smiled shyly. “Well, truth be told, I’m a lot lost.” “No worries. Where are you going?” And wasn’t that the question. “I think I’m lookin’ for Telescope Hill.” “Might that be Telegraph Hill?” Fiona considered. “Maybe? There’s a pub nearby.” Fiona suddenly brightened. “Clancy’s.” “Clancy’s?” Maura breathed, regained control. “My name is Maura Brannigan. What’s yours?” “Fee.” “Short for Fiona, yes?” At the girl’s nod, she asked, “Are you safe?” “Yah,” Fee whispered. “For the first time in forever, I’m safe.” She sighed. “A bloomin’ igit, I am. Bowie’ll be so worried.” Maura grabbed her cell phone. “Do you know his number?” Fiona shook her head. With no other choice, Maura called a number she should not know by heart. A gruff male voice answered, “Ronan O’Connor.” “Are any of your boys missing a sweet little redhead?” “Where are you? I’ll send a car.” “There’s the T. I’ll get Fee home. See you in about thirty,” She clicked off. After all, she had never been there and what a perfect opportunity to visit the infamous Clancy’s Irish Pub and beard the dragon in his lair. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations SIXTY-FIVE TIME WINNER Silver, and Honorable Mentions Mark, and 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! 🙂