Category: Serial Stories

Recipe for Romance: The Talking Horse

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

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month 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 A WALK IN THE SAND, book 1 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial. The serial came out in January 2015 and finished in the end for 2023 so it took a while to finish. But it’s done and you can read the whole serial now (for those who wanted to wait). Iliana took a solo hiking trip and ended up in a world she doesn’t recognize. But she recognizes the guy who’s calling her by her character’s name in their upcoming film project. She’s NOT impressed. And then her horse talks to her. Available Now: A Walk in the Sand “You’re not going to stop playing, are you, Mr. Crowe?” Iliana shook her head. “Fine. Play your little game, but I’m done. I don’t need this and I’m outta here.” She swung onto the gray horse and settled her weight in the stirrup-less saddle. She turned the animal’s head toward a gap in the trees and urged the horse into a trot. “By all the Gods!” he shouted in frustration at her back. “I told you women were faithless.” Ahmad’s voice made her fury burn brighter, but she’d dealt with trolls in Hollywood. This guy was only a run-of-the-mill heckler. The gray horse lengthened its strides as they passed the edge of the oasis, and she did her best to ignore the corpse, still lying in the glaring sun. If it really is a dead body and not a dummy. She stopped the horse and tried to decide which way to go. All directions looked pretty much the same. Well done, now you’re out here alone with no idea which direction is west. At least she now had a horse. Iliana glanced down to the sand below to try to determine which way their shadow pointed. She frowned. Had she gotten here in the morning or afternoon? “I don’t think he’s accustomed to being spoken to like that.”  She froze and looked around. No one stood near her. She sat alone on the horse. The horse huffed an indignant sigh and turned his head to eye her. Iliana swallowed hard. “Did you say something?” “Yes, I said, I don’t think he’s accustomed to being spoken to like that.” The voice echoed in her ears, but the horse’s lips had remained still. That’s it. I’ve gotten sunstroke. “I’m going crazy.” “That remains to be seen, but we’re still having this conversation anyway.” The gray snorted and tossed his head. “Is this some sort of cosmic joke? Horses can’t talk.” She snapped her mouth shut and shook her head. “And now I’m arguing with an animal.”  “Only because you can’t seem to accept I can speak, and well enough for you to understand, young lady.” Iliana scrubbed her hands over her face. “No, no, no. This isn’t possible. There is no magic in the world except what Hollywood conjures. I must be dreaming this. I’m on a solo hike in New Mexico, minding my own business. This is just a dream from sun-stroke…” She glanced around uncertainly. “Except the sand is golden and Taggart Crowe has shown up.” Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza https://youtu.be/FcY23PrndGI This is basically a huge shortbread cookie with cream cheese frosting and fruit all over it. Best shared with those you love. Gluten-Free Fruit Pizza Ingredients Shortbread Crust 2 cups 1:1 Gluten-Free all-purpose flour (I use Bob’s Red Mill 1:1) 1/2 cup powdered sugar 1 cup (2 sticks) salted butter, room temp Mix ingredients and spread on a 14 inch pizza pan. Perforate with fork to allow for even baking.Bake at 350 F (180 C) for 15 minutes. Let cool. Pizza Toppings 1 (8 oz) bar of cream cheese, room temp 1/2 cup sugar Mix until smooth and spread over crust like a pizza sauce. 1 package (16 ounces) Driscoll’s Strawberries, about 7-9 strawberries sliced 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blackberries, about 14 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Raspberries, about 36 1 package (6 ounces) Driscoll’s Blueberries, about 49 Building the Pizza Hull the strawberries and cut in ¼ -inch slices to make a total of 21 large slices, set aside. Wash the blackberries, raspberries, and blueberries and let fully drain. Assembly of Toppings if You Want to Post on Pinterest Working from the outside of the crust in: Row 1: Place 1 strawberry slice followed by 1 blackberry. Repeat process until 1st. row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 14 sliced strawberries and 14 blackberries. Row 2: Place 1 raspberry below strawberry from row 1, followed by 5 blueberries. Repeat process until 2nd row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 7 raspberries and 35 blueberries. Row 3: Place 1 raspberry below raspberry from row 2, followed by 1 blueberry. Repeat process until 3rd. row of circle is completed. In total, you should have 14 raspberries and 14 blueberries. Now work from inside of the crust out: Row 4: Jumping to the center of the crust, place 8 raspberries in a concentric circle. Row 5: Begin by placing 1 sliced strawberry with its point touching the double raspberries from row 2 and 3. Continue with the rest of the strawberries in a concentric circle. In total, you should have 7 sliced strawberries. Finish your fruit toppings by placing a raspberry in between each sliced strawberries from row 5. In total, you should have 7 raspberries. Do this if you want to post on Pinterest. Or this way if you just want to enjoy Make any pattern you like with strawberries, raspberries, blueberries, and blackberries, making them concentric circles or crossed lines or zigzags or happy face or whatever. It’s gonna taste awesome no matter what design you…

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**RELEASE DAY** THE KAROBIS CALLS

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

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

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Recipe for Romance: Scratch Chicken

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

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month (in this case, 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 A DANCE BETWEEN WORLDS, book 3 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, available now. Iliana has been away for longer than intended, and now she has to make amends to Brandon. But he won’t believe her and she’s contemplating going home. After a day like that, she’ll need a quick and easy recipe like Scratch Chicken to make once she’s home. Available Now: A Dance Between Worlds “I don’t know.” [Iliana] shook her head. “Since my business here is done, I guess I’ll try to go back home.” She sighed, her heart collapsing in on itself. “I’m sure Aristotle can get me there.” “To your world, you mean.” Sarcasm dripped from his gravelly voice. She shrugged and nodded. “I have nowhere else to go.” She met his gaze and grimaced. “I’m sorry I couldn’t get here sooner, and I’m sorry I left the hostel in Ros Torach.” She dredged up a smile, but the muscles of her face felt stiff. “It was good to see you again, Brandon. Take care of yourself.” She grasped the door handle to pull it open, but he growled and slapped a palm against the wood, holding it shut. “You’d leave me. Again.” Anger kindled and she swung around to face him. “What the fuck? You accused me of lying. Now you’re accusing me of abandoning you. Holy shit, what do you want from me?” “I want you to care about what we shared in the Karobis.” His eyes blazed. “I do care about that.” She threw her arms out. “Why the hell would I come all the way here if I didn’t care? I could’ve stayed in my world, lived an ordinary life, tried to forget the Karobis and you.” “And why didn’t you?” “Because, you stubborn jackass, I shared something amazing with you and I wanted to see if there was a possibility of more where that came from.” She poked him in the chest. “I came back here to see you, to apologize for something I had no control over, and to tell you—” She stopped and closed her lips over her teeth. “Tell me what, Iliana?” He raised his chin in challenge, his brows lowered over his eyes. “What did you have to tell me?” Scratch Chicken This is a quick, weekday evening type meal that’s good for families are on the go. Scratch Chicken Ingredients 1/2 cup butter OR 1/4 cup coconut oil 2 lbs chicken (thigh or breast meat) 1 medium onion, halved and thinly sliced Garlic and Parsley for initial spicing. Peel onion and thinly slice before cutting the slices in half. Cut chicken into cubes or strips. Cooking Instructions Heat butter or oil in a large skillet.  Add onions to saute, when translucent add the chicken. Season with garlic, parsley, and any spice(s) that you like. For example we will use a mix of spices for whatever our palette is in the mood for such as tandoori, shallots, saffron, a spice mix (Adobo, Turkish, or Singapore style), etc. Whatever flavors we are in the mood for at the time. Cook until chicken is cooked thoroughly but not dry, and serve with your preferred side(s). We generally use steamed veggies, cauliflower rice, rice, etc.

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Recipe for Romance: Gramma’s Lemon Bars

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

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale that either takes place in the current month (in this case, 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 A DANCE BETWEEN WORLDS, book 3 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, coming on Feb. 20 2023. Iliana Vanessa Rory (or Ivory to Hollywood) is an A-list actor who’s recently been able to cross dimensional boundaries. Now she has to convince Brandon Crowe, her erstwhile lover that she didn’t mean to leave him. But he’s pretty mad about it, a little sour on her reappearance – hence the lemon bars. Coming Feb 20 2023: A Dance Between Worlds “So, what’s your story, Iliana? I’m sure it’s a good one. You can start with where you’ve been and why you went without leaving me word.” Anger made his sentences sharp. “I know you think I betrayed you like Ahmad did, but hear me out before you make any judgments about my actions. I’m going to tell you if you shut up and listen.” Brandon blinked slowly and some of his anger gave way to surprise. “What, you think you’re the only one who lost out when I left? I didn’t want to leave, Brandon. In fact, I’d planned to stay in your world and help you set up this school. That was my intent.” “Yet, you left.” “No, I was taken, in a manner of speaking.” He shot her a look of disbelief, and she swallowed a growl. “Do you remember sitting on that dune before the Knalish caught up to us?” He nodded slowly. “I told you I wasn’t from here, that I’m an actress and I work in films. That’s where I went, Brandon. I went home to my world because I had a film to do. The problem was when I stepped into my world outside of Ros Torach, I had no idea how to get back. I couldn’t even send you a letter and I’d been stupid not to leave you a note.” “That’s an understatement.” Iliana sighed. “Look, I know you’re pissed. I was, too. And to make matters worse, I thought you were just something out of my imagination. I was home. I had my car, my cell phone, my email. Everything.” Brandon frowned and she waved away his confusion. “The point is I was surrounded by things from home, and everything seemed normal. The events in the Karobis with you seemed like a fever dream inspired by dehydration.” “How can you say that, Iliana?” He rose and braced his hands on his desk, fury and betrayal tightening his fists. “We shared more than just a ride across the desert. We shared the night in Sandur and the bath in Ros Torach. They were real. I’m real.” Gramma’s Gluten-Free Lemon Bars Do you love lemon bars? This recipe has been a Muir family favorite for generations (four so far) and yet it’s an easy recipe to make a sweet delicious treat. Can be made with regular all purpose flour if you don’t have the gluten allergy. Recipe below: For a 9 x 9 in. pan: 1 cup gluten-free all purpose 1:1 flour 1/2 cup butter (1 stick) 1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar) For a 9 x 13 in pan: 2 cups gluten-free all purpose 1:1 flour 1 cup butter (2 sticks) 1/2 cup powdered sugar (confectioner’s sugar) Grease the sides of your pan (butter works best but spray is fine) and set your oven to 350 F (177 C). Mix all ingredients until a soft dough forms. Press the dough into the bottom of the pan so it makes an even crust. Bake for about 10-15 minutes. Check often because it can burn easily. While this is baking, start on the lemon topping. 1 cup granulated sugar 2 eggs, beaten 2 Tbsp gluten-free all purpose 1:1 flour 1/2 tsp baking powder 3 Tbsp lemon juice 1/4 tsp salt Whisk all ingredients together and pour mixture over the baked shortbread. Put back into the oven and bake 15-20 minutes or until firm. Keep a close eye on this because it burns more easily than the shortbread. Cool completely and serve. Makes 15-18 bars (20-24 snack sized bars)

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New LADY OF A THOUSAND NAMES Chapter on Patreon

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Oh my goodness, it’s been a while, but there’s a new Lady of a Thousand Names chapter up on Patreon. I’m sure some folks have been waiting for it to see how the story has shifted and changed (the original only had two characters for a while – now there’s a third). I started this story in 1996 and it’s been through a couple of rewrites. The writing was OLD (like faded sign left out in the Arizona desert old) and certainly didn’t represent my current voice. So, I’m rewriting it again, and updating it, and adding new characters who weren’t there before. If you’ve been friends with me since 1996, you might remember this story, but it’ll be worth the read because of the new additions. If you’ve just met me and my writing, it’ll be a whole new story. Either way, click on the link to my Patreon and join for $5 per month to get the current 17 chapters with more coming. I think the original story had 55 chapters when I stopped writing it (it hadn’t ended, I just moved on to another tale or twelve, lol). Want to read more? Plus you’ll get all the other rewards for being my patron (in addition to the serial). Join today. https://www.patreon.com/SiobhanMuir

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Snippet Sunday – I Mean You No Harm

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and school has started. This is both awesome and hectic, and sometimes awesomely hectic. Muirlette #1 is a senior, so we have all that rigmarole too. Fun times. The serial is coming along with drastic changes to the original AND this episode is larger than the other two so far – almost 50K words though there’s still more rewrites and editing to be done. We’ll see. Today I’m showcasing IVORY ROAD: A WALK IN THE SAND and it’s available with the old cover. In this snippet, we’re in Iliana Rory’s (AKA Ivory) POV and she’s talking to a guy who just showed up and calls her by the wrong name. ~~~~~~ “Kyra?” The man named Crowe coaxed her to speak. She returned her gaze to him, taking in his desert costume and his gravelly voice. He sounds familiar, almost Aussie. What were the odds her upcoming costar Taggart Crowe was playing an elaborate trick on her before filming started? She could adopt the part of the outback woman, complete with Australian accent. Would it make sense out here in this desert? Does any of this make sense? Brandon Crowe thought he knew her, so if she turned out to be someone else, he really couldn’t fault her. She decided against the accent, but she would play Kyra for now. “I don’t think I am the one you’re looking for.” She met Crowe’s gaze. “Who else would be all the way out here in this oasis?” He took a few steps closer to her, but stopped when she tightened her hold on her sword. “Easy, Kyra. I mean you no harm, but the Knalish Army is hot on our trail. I need you to show us the way across the desert to the west.” Yeah, like that’s gonna happen. “From where do you think you know me? I don’t recognize you or your voice. I don’t even know your name.” He blinked in surprise over the cloth across his face. “It’s me, Brandon Crowe. I was here two years ago looking for the Treasure Vault. You found me dying out in the sands and brought me to this oasis.” “Show me your face.” She didn’t think it would help, but it would buy her some time. He nodded and quickly unwrapped the midnight blue scarf from around his face until it hung down his back. She started and gaped. Sad hazel eyes looked out over a short rounded nose and thin lips. He had a goatee that flowed up his jaw to form a beard. Fury at his games rose in her chest. What the fuck is this guy playing at? Taggart Crowe, her fellow actor and male lead, stood before her with a confident smile. ~~~~~~~ Oh, that’s not going to go well. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for A WALK IN THE SAND – With a New cover coming soon!: Available Wide in eBook The adventure of Ivory’s lifetime might just be the death of her… When it comes to make believe, A-list actress Ivory is a professional. But when a desert hike takes her across a dimensional rift, her real-life self, Iliana Rory, must separate fantasy from reality. The man she swears is the costar in her next movie might share the same surname and appearance, but there are no sets in this Mr. Crowe’s world, no props, and no director to yell “cut” before blood is spilled. With a fortune in stolen treasure and the forces of the Knalish army hot on their trail, Brandon Crowe and his partner, Ahmad, must cross a desert neither of them knows well. Mistaken for their guide, Iliana seizes any chance to stay ahead of the army and survive in this new world. Adventure straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster might be on Iliana’s bucket-list, but she never dreamed there’d be the real possibility of death when the end credits roll. A Walk in the Sand is the first story in the four part serial recounting Iliana’s journey along the Ivory Road.

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Snippet Sunday – Please Don’t See Me

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and school starts next week for the Muirlettes. I can’t believe the summer is over. It went so fast this year. The serial is moving forward and the muse seems to want to work on it (and I’m completely rewriting the old version to something I like better, so there’s that). Iliana has quite the adventure, but it’s not without drama, that’s for sure. Today I’m showcasing the first book, IVORY ROAD: A WALK IN THE SAND and it’s available with the old cover. In this snippet, Iliana is trying to get away. She doesn’t know these men and she doesn’t want to interact with them. ~~~~~~ Iliana crawled slowly through the brush, hoping the breeze would disguise her movements. If she could get to the horse, she might be able to get away. She still hadn’t figured out where she’d go, but away from these men and their pursuers would be helpful. “You were dying.” Ahmad crossed his arms over his chest. “How do you know she wasn’t just a hallucination?” “Because I’m still alive, and there’s her horse. Couldn’t patch myself up, now, could I?” Crowe paused, cocking his head and Iliana froze. He scanned the space where she’d been crouching with a sharp look. Please don’t see me. Please don’t see me. She resisted the urge to close her eyes as she hunkered down under a ground palm. God, I hope there are no scorpions using this as a home. The man named Crowe crouched and met her eyes, a frown creasing his brows. “Kyra? Is that you?” Iliana supposed it was too late to do the Jedi mind trick—this is not the woman you’re looking for—but she definitely didn’t own the name he called. She shook her head and he grimaced. “Please, Kyra, we need your help. My colleagues won’t do you harm.” She snorted, but short of running straight out—going where, exactly?—she was caught. She drew herself up to her full height of five feet eight inches and faced Crowe, her hand near her sword. She hoped he wouldn’t push her to try to use it. While she’d taken fencing lessons, this guy looked like he had practical fighting knowledge. The cloth of his shirt stretched taut around his biceps and shoulders. Yeah, he could drop-kick me into next week. When Crowe saw her defensive posture, he backed up a few feet and raised his hands. ~~~~~~~ Guess he saw her despite her wish. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for A WALK IN THE SAND – With a New cover coming soon!: Available Wide in eBook The adventure of Ivory’s lifetime might just be the death of her… When it comes to make believe, A-list actress Ivory is a professional. But when a desert hike takes her across a dimensional rift, her real-life self, Iliana Rory, must separate fantasy from reality. The man she swears is the costar in her next movie might share the same surname and appearance, but there are no sets in this Mr. Crowe’s world, no props, and no director to yell “cut” before blood is spilled. With a fortune in stolen treasure and the forces of the Knalish army hot on their trail, Brandon Crowe and his partner, Ahmad, must cross a desert neither of them knows well. Mistaken for their guide, Iliana seizes any chance to stay ahead of the army and survive in this new world. Adventure straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster might be on Iliana’s bucket-list, but she never dreamed there’d be the real possibility of death when the end credits roll. A Walk in the Sand is the first story in the four part serial recounting Iliana’s journey along the Ivory Road.

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Snippet Sunday – How Can You Be Certain?

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and the summer has arrived. It’s been really warm here in Cheyenne, warmer than usual even for August. This year I’m hoping to finish my serial, and considering it’s been about 7 years since the last one was published, it’s about time. But good news is I’m working on the 3rd installment so there’s hope. That means I only have one more to rewrite. But when this new one is finished, I’ll publish all three with the new covers. I already have this one’s new cover below. Today I’m showcasing IVORY ROAD: A WALK IN THE SAND and it’s available with the old cover. In this snippet, we’re in Iliana Rory’s (AKA Ivory) POV and she’s trying to hide in an oasis that magically appeared from the men riding hard toward her. The snippet is a little longer than usual. ~~~~~~ A few moments later, the sounds of horses and men filtered into the quiet of the oasis and the riders pulled their horses up beside the pool. Everyone dismounted and filled canteens and water skins. One of the men strode around to the gray horse, his gaze sweeping the trees as he called out someone’s name. The rich baritone of his voice soothed her ears and reminded her of someone, but she couldn’t remember who. He stood shorter than the others in his party, but carried an air of command with him. “She’s not here, Crowe.” A taller man with odd tattoos below his eyes scowled through his beard. “This was a wild goose chase.” “There’s her horse, Ahmad.” Crowe waved at the gray horse, his gaze still searching the trees. “She has to be here. She’s always here.” At least I can understand them. “How can you be certain?” Ahmad pointed out reasonably. “That horse could belong to the poor fool lying out there dead. If she was here before, she probably saw us coming. What makes you think she’d stay and wait for you? She’s a woman. They’re ever-changing and less trustworthy than a cobra. We have the entire Knalish army bearing down on us. What makes you think she’d stay to greet them?” “Because she said she’d wait for us and show us the way across the sands to the west.” He paused to shout through the trees. “Kyra!” Crowe strode around the pool to stand directly in front Iliana’s hiding spot. “We need her to lead us. Without her, it doesn’t matter if the army catches us. She’s the only one who knows this path outside the Knalish.” He swung his gaze around the oasis. “Kyra!” “Look, Crowe, we are running out of time.” Ahmad stoppered his water skin and slung it over his saddle. “We have to keep moving.” “And where would you have us go, Ahmad?” Crowe turned his back to Iliana. “Kyra is the only one who knows this part of the desert. Without her, we’re just another set of bones in the sand.” ~~~~~~~ Well that puts it into perspective.. 😉 There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list, the Snippet Sunday Facebook group, and the Rainbow Snippets Facebook group. A few of my favorites are, P.T. Wyant, Karen Michelle Nutt, Veronica Scott, Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for A WALK IN THE SAND – With a New cover coming soon!: Available Wide in eBook The adventure of Ivory’s lifetime might just be the death of her… When it comes to make believe, A-list actress Ivory is a professional. But when a desert hike takes her across a dimensional rift, her real-life self, Iliana Rory, must separate fantasy from reality. The man she swears is the costar in her next movie might share the same surname and appearance, but there are no sets in this Mr. Crowe’s world, no props, and no director to yell “cut” before blood is spilled. With a fortune in stolen treasure and the forces of the Knalish army hot on their trail, Brandon Crowe and his partner, Ahmad, must cross a desert neither of them knows well. Mistaken for their guide, Iliana seizes any chance to stay ahead of the army and survive in this new world. Adventure straight out of a Hollywood blockbuster might be on Iliana’s bucket-list, but she never dreamed there’d be the real possibility of death when the end credits roll. A Walk in the Sand is the first story in the four part serial recounting Iliana’s journey along the Ivory Road.

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The Desert King: Chapter Fifteen

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Author’s Note: So this story has taken a mighty left turn compared to the original version of it. I’ve changed a couple things along the way, but this chapter introduces a redemption arc for one of the characters who didn’t get it in the first iteration. Can you decide which character it is? Happy reading. Chapter Fifteen: Tests of Character Despite a decent meal, plenty of water, and a good night’s rest in Kulastri’s blanket, Majir’s surly attitude didn’t improve in the morning. She’d risen well before either of the young men in her care. She checked the traps, cleaned the game, and ate in the stillness of the morning. She prepared enough food for both of them to eat well, though Majir would receive the smaller portion given the state of starvation in which he arrived. When they woke, Terim quietly took his portion and ate. Majir, on the other hand, complained bitterly that the blanket didn’t keep him warm and he hadn’t gotten enough food, which was unfair. Kulastri thanked her lucky stars she had the silk across her face to hide her scowl, but it didn’t hide her eye roll. Zorrick caught it and snickered despite the complaining. “You got the smaller portion because your body couldn’t handle more at this moment.” She kept her voice even despite the urge to tell Majir to shut up. “That’s not fair!” “What’s not fair?” Terim glanced up. “That you get more food. If I don’t deserve more, you certainly don’t.” “Oh, for the love of the gods, I’ll give you my extras if it’ll make you shut up.” Terim rose to put some of his food into Majir’s bowl, but Kulastri stopped him. “No, you need the fuel to make it to our next destination today and he will just spew it up when his stomach can’t take it.” She pulled Terim back to his seat. “I’ll make some tea that will encourage the feeling of satiation. Eat slowly, Blacksmith’s son, or you won’t be able to keep it down.” She filled a pot with water and set it on the fire, resigning herself to leaving later than she intended. “What a spoiled, ill-mannered lout!” Zorrick’s words accompanied a royal scowl of disdain. “He’s an uncouth cur with no sense of gratitude, manners, decorum, hell, even kindness!” The prince paced from one side of camp to the other, not even bothering to step around the fire. “Why did you bother giving him your blanket? Terim’s right. The bastard should’ve slept cold.” Kulastri snorted and nodded. Perhaps that night she would let him sleep cold. “Are you going to move to the next camp north?” Zorrick stopped beside her as she rose. She shook her head. “I will fill the water skins. Put them out for me so we can carry enough for today’s trip.” Terim did as she asked, but Majir moaned and groaned about how hard it was to get to his. At least he had one with him. She took the ones from her pack and headed for the stream so have a few moments to speak to Zorrick alone. True, the other men couldn’t see him, but the last thing she needed was for either of them to brand her as crazy or supernatural. She rolled her eyes again at the thought of how rural folks often responded to the unknown. With death threats and stonings. Zorrick was still seething when she reached the stream. “Please tell me you’re not going to train him to be in the royal guard.” She shrugged just to egg him one. “I dunno. Maybe he’ll have some decent qualities once we hike the attitude out of him.” “Kulastri, you can’t be serious.” Zorrick rounded on her. “He doesn’t have the temperament to take orders, much less follow them. He’ll question everything and whine while doing it.” “Oh, come on, Zorrick. I seem to recall a few of those whine-fests from you, once upon a time.” She filled one water skin after another. “And I didn’t give up on you.” “I was of royal blood! You hadto train me, or my father would’ve handed you your walking papers.” “Be that as it may, we managed to train the whine out of you.” She capped the last skin and rose. “Are you suggesting I don’t give Majir the same courtesy? I mean, I figure if I can train a whiny, entitled prince, I can handle just about anyone.” Zorrick opened his mouth then grinned ruefully and grunted a laugh. “Yeah, I have to admit that’s true. And you weren’t much older than me so it blew my mind anyone my age could be so heartless and unyielding.” “Your father made it very clear I was to succeed or die trying. It was a very motivational speech.” Zorrick laughed. “I see your point.” Then he sobered. “But are you truly going to train Majir?” She shrugged again, losing her amusement. “I don’t know if I can. Garbage steel cracks and breaks after forging and cooling. Only the good steel can be honed into blades of quality. The question is, is Majir good steel or garbage?” “You know my current opinion.” She nodded. “Yes. I don’t think we’ll be heading north for a bit. As long as the weather stays mild, I’ll hike them around the foothills to build their stamina. If Majir pulls his head out of his ass, we’ll turn north. If he doesn’t, well…” She shot the prince a significant look. “You’ll kill him?” “No.” She frowned. “I’ll give him enough supplies to make the trip home to his village.” “Oh, okay.” They headed back toward camp and Zorrick shook his head. “That’s probably a good idea. Unless his attitude completely changes, he’s not going to be anything but dead weight.” Kulastri grimaced and took a deep breath before stepping back into the camp where Majir was whining about his stomach hurting. Other people’s entitled children. She made the tea…

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The Desert King: Chapter Fourteen

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Author’s Note: Okay, so this serial has NOT gone to plan. Have I been writing? Yes. Have I been working on this story? Er, sometimes. And more often now that a few other projects are off my plate. Three new releases coming soon! Plus this new chapter. Happy reading. Chapter Fourteen: Tests of Strength “So…he seems nice.” Kulastri trapped her bark of laughter behind her tight lips. She couldn’t very well tell the prince to shut up, even if he was a ghost. “Oh, come on. Not even a crack? Damn, I need to work on my delivery.” Zorrick heaved an exaggerated sigh and narrowed his eyes. “You kind of glossed over the reason for my death, though.” Kulastri shook her head. “I didn’t want to scare Terim so much he won’t come with me. He can walk away right now, and we’d have no choice but to let him. If he knows he’s walking into a lion’s den full of intrigue and death threats, he’ll be out the door and headed back home before we could say squat.” “You’re not going to tell him?” She grimaced. “Not for a while. Not until he’s ready to face some of the threats.” Zorrick sighed. “There are a lot of them.” She nodded. “I know.” She tilted her head to look up at him. “He didn’t seem to see you, though.” “Yeah, I noticed that. But I also didn’t let him see me, either.” She blinked. “What? It’s a choice?” The prince had the grace to look chagrinned. “Yeah, I figured it out the moment he opened his eyes. There was this sensation of choice and I picked no for now. Like you said, I didn’t want him to be out the door and headed back home before we could say squat.” Kulastri snorted. “Then I need to prepare for us to move tomorrow. Are there more rabbits in the traps?” Zorrick sighed. “Yes, Mom.” “Good. At least you know who deserves your respect.” She headed out to collect the animals and skin them. “Keep an eye on him while I’m gone. I have to get the camp ready to move tomorrow. Hopefully with enough to eat and drink he’ll be able to carry his own gear. I can’t carry it all and you’re no help.” “Hey, I’m making sure you’re eating well at least.” Zorrick set his hands on his hips. “That should count for something.” “Oh, it does. More work.” “Hey, Kulastri?” Something in Zorrick’s voice made her pause. “Yes?” “Keep an eye out. Your boy in there isn’t the only one who came this way. Someone’s following him.” “What?” She reversed direction and returned to the ghost’s side. “Where?” Zorrick turned his gaze to the lower foothills. “He doesn’t show himself much, but he definitely followed Terim. He wears the same clothes as the people of the village. I don’t know what his intent is or why he’s here, but Terim didn’t come alone.” Kulastri narrowed her eyes as she scanned the hills below. “Do you think Terim is aware of the pursuer?” Zorrick shook his head. “I doubt it. That kid was half-dead when we got to him and the guy following him was still too far away to be partner of any kind.” “Do you see him at the moment?” Zorrick shook his head. “No. But I suspect he’s waiting for you to either leave the area or settle in for the night.” “Hmm.” She narrowed her eyes. “I’m going to clean out the traps and collect them. Give me a shout if our follower reveals himself.” He nodded. “Will do.” She didn’t waste time. She headed through the trees to the traps she’d laid out and collected both the prey and the snares while keeping an eye on her surroundings. Zorrick made it sound as if the man following Terim hadn’t been close, but she wasn’t taking any chances. Terim was still too weak to fight anyone and Zorrick couldn’t affect the living. It would be all up to her to defend their little party until Terim was trained. She made it back to the cave in record time and sat out front behind the blind to clean the rabbits she’d caught. She preferred cleaning far from the cave to keep predators away, but she didn’t want to leave Terim exposed. And we all know humans are the worst predators of all. She collected the viscera and took everything a few hundred meters from the cave, keeping watch for anything moving. She saw nothing but it wouldn’t take long for some of the larger carnivores to scent her offerings. When she returned, Zorrick stood leaning against a tree, his gaze focused outward. “Do you see him?” “No, but I know where he’s hiding.” His blunt statement made dread pool in her gut. “He’ll most likely wait until tonight to make a move. I’ll tighten down the blind to hide the fire’s light.” She scanned the lower hills. “Does he seem to be aware of our location?” “It’s unclear.” Plan for the worst, hope for the best. She nodded and got to work preparing the rabbit meat for stew and drying over the fire. It wouldn’t be ideal given the time constraints she had, but it would have to do. Terim woke up briefly and ate some of the stew, but she cautioned him to rest as much as possible in preparation for their journey the next day. Kulastri and Zorrick kept watch, but nothing approached the cave even as dusk darkened to true night. She banked the fire and settled in to wait, stretched across the mouth of the cave. She didn’t know the intent of the person following Terim, but her gut told her to be wary. “Get some sleep, Master Warrior.” Zorrick nodded to her. “I’ll keep watch and wake you should you be needed. My gut says he’ll wait until you bed down to make his move if he chooses to do…

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