Category: #ThursThreads

#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 497

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re in the middle of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 497 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 497: Writer, adventurer, and perennial student of life, Teresa Eccles. Facebook | Twitter And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “She said nothing.” 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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Siobhan Muir’s #ThursThreads Tales from Dec 2021

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome to the monthly round up of all my #ThursThreads tales and it’s the NEW YEAR!! Happy 2022! Are you ready for the new opportunities coming your way? I know I am and I refuse to believe it’s going to be more miserable than the last two years. I’m feeling better after the drag that was the holidays. Don’t get me wrong, the holidays were nice, but I was dragging through them. As usual, most of these bits are of upcoming tales, written to prompts from the #ThursThreads #flashfiction challenge I host each Thursday. We’re starting with Week 490 through Week 494 and I’ve collected them in one place. December had five Thursdays in  and we wrote for every one of them. Here are the five tales along with their dates and prompts. Happy reading! ~~~~~~~~~ Week 490, December 2, 2021 Prompt: “I’d have thought you’d be happy.” “I have two sisters who are both geniuses. Clara is a choreographer in LA with an internationally acclaimed dance company, and Vivien is an astrophysicist working at JPL on the Mars Rover program.” “Oh, so you were the slow kids at school, I see.” Chester barked a laugh. “Yup. The Nerd Herd.” Hermione joined in. “Wow, you had your own group name?” “We earned it. I mean, one kid in drama and the other two were geeky scientists? We should’ve had t-shirts made.” He nodded with a smile. “I might still do that for the winter holidays. It would be good to get the Nerd Herd back together.” “Do you see your family very often?” She couldn’t help the wistful tone in her voice. She didn’t have much family left. If you don’t count the other Sirens. He shook his head. “Only at major holidays. Clara is so busy with her dance company she’s not home often, and Vivien loves to work. It’s hard to convince her to break away. Or harder than I’d have thought.” “You’d be happy with everyone back home, I take it.” He nodded. “Yeah. I mean, we’re all so busy, but I love seeing them. They’re amazing women.” He shot her a smile. “What about you? Do you have family?” She shook her head. “Not in the way you mean. The Sirens are really my family now.” “Were you ever married?” She shrugged. “Yeah. It didn’t work out.” “Why not?” 245 #Sirens Words ~~~~~~~~~~ Week 491, December 9, 2021 Prompt: “They’d become like stone.” The memories of previous “holidays” weighed her down. They’d become like stone encasing her heart. She’d chipped away at some of it, seeking escape, but they rose at odd times, like mental tripping hazards. I’m not going to fall into their trap again. “You could always stay here for the holidays.” Kendra blinked. Had she heard him right? “Stay here? In the Fae realm?” Phinn nodded. “You’d be more than welcome. And no one would question your accomplishments or abilities.” She almost dismissed his suggestion, but stopped herself before she blurted something hurtful. Could she stay here? What was waiting for her back in her own world? I have a job, a life, friends, a coven who values me. But would they need her for the holidays? Not this year. The coven had decided to maximize their reach by performing the holiday rituals individually all at the same time to spread the love and blessings. But she would have to be home in her world to do her part. “I can’t. I’ve made commitments to my coven for the holiday rituals. I need to be back in Cloudburst to do them.” “Ah, I see.” He turned his head to look at the fountain. “Maybe you could come to Cloudburst for the holidays.” The words were out before she thought them through. 220 #CloudburstColorado words ~~~~~~~~~~ Week 492, December 16, 2021 Prompt: “Any volunteers to put him out of his misery?” “You went too far, Laurie.” I tightened my hands into fists. “You shouldn’t have come here and started shit. You should’ve just let me stay dead. I wasn’t hurting you or the family. Why didn’t you just let it go?” “Because no one steals from Laurance Stratton, you dumb bitch!” He snarled as he jerked against Flint and Torch. They didn’t even move. Fury surged but I simply tilted my head and raised an eyebrow. “What the fuck do you think I stole from you?” “You stole my wife! You were mine, and you should’ve come back. No one takes anything from Laurance Stratton. No one!” He struggled to get out of the bigger men’s grips, but he couldn’t dislodge them. Loki rested a hand on my shoulder and smirked. “No one takes from you, eh?” He nodded slowly. “This is where you’re wrong. We have decided you are done harassing our Viper. So you have a choice, because Viper requested this, ja? You have her to thank for it.” “Oh yeah, what’s that?” Laurie sneered. “You either officially declare your wife dead and move on with your pathetic life. Or you die.” “Any volunteers to put him out of his misery?” Trigger smirked. “I will.” Anubis’s deep voice filled the space and Laurie grew pale. He stared up at Loki with dawning horror. “Wh-what? You can’t! Do you know who I am? You can’t kill me.” Loki leaned forward into his space. “I can, I know, and he will.” 250 #ConcreteAngelsMC words ~~~~~~~~~~ Week 493, December 23, 2021 Prompt: “Wait and see what it does.” “The tea makes you want to snuggle in warm blankets.” A snort sounded above her. “Seriously?” Merida nodded with a tiny smirk. “Try it if you don’t believe me.” The stranger humphed and brought the tea to her lips as Merida worked. A disbelieving murmur followed and Merida swallowed her grin. Once she’d gotten the wound cleaned, she patted it dry and inspected it for bits of dirt or grease from the chain. It had looked worse when she unwrapped it and she thought it would…

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#ThursThreads – Week 496 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 496 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Tina Glasneck 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 | @billmelaterplea Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Silver James | @SilverJames_ Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Charley | @Lindorfan Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Eric Martell | @drmag00 Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana Honorable Mentions Eric Martell | @drmag00 Tina says: You had me at drawings looking like cat puke. Your word choice and the rising tension of the story had me right there in the waiting room with the characters. I want more! Great job! Daelyn Morgana | @DaelynMorgana Tina says: I enjoyed the descriptions, how the characters maneuvered throughout the scene—each with a difference in personality, ord choice, and how they felt. Additionally, how the scene unfolded with rising tensions and a nice twist at the end were just wonderfully perfect. winner announcement Week 496 Winner Mark A. Morris Tina says: I adored this short snippet. Not only was it beautifully painted, but I felt as if I were there. There you revealed bits of worldbuilding and some of the stakes of the story. I especially enjoyed how you thought about how her loss of a finger would mess with her spellcasting – talk about conflict and raising stakes. An absolutely fabulous job! She had wondered what else the mage had waiting. She’d known about the zombie hounds and the gorgon behind the mirror. But she’d been caught unawares by the pressure-sensitive floor, the lance that’d shot out pinning her hand to the wall. The loss of a finger would interfere with her spell casting. She’d have to try to improvise, find a workaround or it would become a fatal handicap. “You must be getting tired,” the voice said, a face appearing before her. “And the toxin on the blade will slow you down. Then you’ll begin to hallucinate in a few minutes and the loss of your sight will finish you.” Feng shook her head. She had thought it had only been the glow-globes dimming. The numbing of her hand could be nothing more than trauma, the stump of her finger bleeding through her improvised dressing. She said nothing. She knew the mage was trying to confuse her. If he could ignite the fear bubbling inside her, he could make her defeat herself. The mage tried again. A steam-powered samurai materialised before her, a matched clanging of bronze to her rear announcing the arrival of its twin. They both began to advance, katanas scything into a blur, their eyes blazing blue through the gaps in their masks. “They’re pretty good, aren’t they?” The mage’s head bobbed above her, tantalisingly out of reach. “They’re unstoppable too, or so I’m told. It’s the first time I’ve used them, so you’ll be my focus group.” ~~~~~~~ Congratulations TWENTY-SEVEN TIME WINNER Mark, and Honorable Mentions Eric and Daelyn! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, 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 496

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re at the beginning of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 496 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 496: Book enthusiast, lover of coffee, and Fantasy and Suspense author, Tina Glasneck. Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “They’re pretty good, aren’t they?” 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 495 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 495 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Louisa Bacio 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: Miya Kressin | @miya_Kressin Silver James | @SilverJames_ Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Mark A. Morris Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Patty Dump | @pattydump1 Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Lexikon | @Lexikonical Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Teresa Eccles| @TeresaMEccles Eric Martell | @drmag00 David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Kelly Heinen | @Aightball M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Josette Keelor | @josettekeelor Katheryn J. Avila | @katheryn_avila Louisa says: What an amazing collection of tales this week. Thank you to Siobhan for hosting and to all who submitted. Congratulations on getting new words. Note: All judging is subjective, and not just on taste but also mood. After judging ThursThreads at least twice a year, for a number of years, I found myself drawn to different voices this week. Overall, that’s a good thing. Honorable Mentions Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Louisa says: There’s a noir vibe happening in “Furtive Frank.” Engleson’s piece contains a unique voice and generates questions on what the narrator wants to talk to Frank about. Plus, is the daughter helping or hindering? Kelly Heinen | @Aightball Louisa says: This short fiction contains poignant descriptions of the action and characters. Without outright telling the relationship between the daughter and father, we get it. The senses are engaged, and the dialogue rings true Mark A. Morris Louisa says: The voice and longing in the Morris’ tale grabbed me from the start. This description stood out: “My feeling being there’d be a crush of glaciers rolling across the Congo before we did this again.” Ultimately, the reader is left to wonder: Is she really dead? We don’t actually get confirmation. Special Mentions Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir and Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Louisa says: Yes, I’m putting these two together because I definitely “heard” both writers through their writing. For Siobhan’s story, the NSFW put me on edge, and she delivered. I loved the “Glory!” Mark’s tale made me smile. The irony of the piece stands out. I totally saw “Dukes of Hazzard.” The repetition of the writing prompt proved to be effective. Some additional details such as the color of the truck would add to the piece. Also, watch its vs. it’s. winner announcement Week 495 Winner Eric Martell | @drmag00 Louisa says: Oh, what an intriguing tale! I started out feeling apprehensive. One of my triggers is harm coming to kids, and after the past few nights with my 15-year-old discussing too serious matters at the dinner table, I cringed. As soon as Martell pulled out Eye of Newt, I was hooked. This flash fiction was a complete tale, and highlighted a variety of literary elements from foreshadowing to a structured pacing to keep the reader going. “Joyriding” I should’ve known by the silence that something had gone horribly wrong. “Kids! Hey kids! You’d better not be getting into my stuff! You know not to touch Dad’s gear, right? Right?!” More silence. I groaned as I got up and made my way to the stairs. “Kids!” I saw the flicker of candlelight as I made my way downstairs and, oh damn. No way to escape the smell of preserved Eye of Newt. They’d better have opened the cheap stuff. At $150/ounce, the other stuff was for special occasions, that’s for sure. Before rounding the corner, I closed my eyes and took a breath. I knew they’d get into the spell supplies one of these days. When they were little, the icky bottles and gross smells kept them away, but they’ve been getting curious. I should have increased the protection spells, but work, and the pandemic, and… Stepping into the candlelight, I tried to moderate my voice. “Alex. Brittany. I know we’ve talked…” They weren’t there. The pentagram was there, drawn perfectly. The candles were placed at exactly the right spots. The cauldron was filled to the proper level and was simmering – not boiling. But no kids. “They’re Christmas shopping.” “They’re what?” My familiar landed on my shoulder, shaking his tail. “Shopping. What do you get for the warlock who has the power to create anything?” “But where? No, they couldn’t have. Did they?” “Yep.” I sighed, then smiled, looking at the perfect pentagram. “They’re pretty good, aren’t they?” ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Fourteen Time Winner Eric, and Honorable Mentions Bill, Kelly, and Mark, and Special Mention Mark! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, 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 495

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re in the middle of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 495 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 495: College professor, equality enthusiast, and romance author, Louisa Bacio. Facebook | Twitter | Instagram | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I should’ve known.” 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 494 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 494 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! 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. And HAPPY NEW YEAR! Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Mark A. Morris Silver James | @SilverJames_ Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Teresa Eccles| @TeresaMEccles M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Kelly Heinen | @Aightball Honorable Mentions M.T. Decker | @mishmhem George says: What a quality discussion of nothing. It could be this or that, not what or how. I really liked how it drove the protagonist in circles of frustration with no clear end especially when they’re partner ended with a this or that. It was a fun little tale. Mark A. Morris George says: This little piggie went… The tale was little ominous, a little weird and a deal that will have an interesting end. It was a well-written tale and one I enjoyed. winner announcement Week 494 Winner Kelly Heinen | @Aightball George says: Horace sold it. That was the most unexpected name for Death that I imagined. While I gather it’s a connection to Egyptian mythology, it’s funny to read someone being on a first name. Sorta like welcome Bill or Keith, come join the party. I loved the humor and it was a great tale. Iowa weather hasn’t been right in a long time, but this takes the cake. Lightning dances on the western horizon, as a good old fashioned summer storm blows in from South Dakota at the end of December. It’s the roiling, singular, blacker than black cloud coming right at me that’s of concern. I’ve seen tornados. I’ve seen super cells. Hell, I’ve photographed what’s called The Mothership of super cell clouds. But never have a I felt targeted by a cloud before. “What in the world is that?” My brother’s eyes widen as the wind whips freezing rain against my windows. Hail pings the roof as the cloud descends into my front yard. The weeping willow bends and sways as a figure takes shape in the storm. A huge, black, sleek horse thunders toward my door, its rider swathed in billowing black robes. The rain changes to snow as the rider dismounts. I should’ve known. “Really, Horace?” The One True Death walks through my walls and leans his gleaming black scythe against the hall tree. He loves to make an entrance, the grander the better. “Happy New Year!” He throws one skeletal hand up and confetti covers the three of us. Laughing, I shake my head, but in the spirit of the moment, I hand him a carboard horn. The clock strikes midnight and we make a racket inside while Mother Nature makes a racket outside. A summer storm on New Years Eve? Nothing is ever normal with Death around. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Sixteen Time Winner Kelly, and Honorable Mentions Mary and Mark! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, 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 494

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and the last Thursday of 2021. Woohoo! New Year’s Flash. We’re in the middle of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 494 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 494: Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Original Book Boyfriend, George Varhalmi. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “What in the world is that?” 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 493 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 493 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. Happiest holidays to all of you. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Silver James | @SilverJames_ Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Mark A. Morris Nicola Cameron | @YesItsNicolaC Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Atticus Stryker | @TAFORU Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Honorable Mention Mark. A. Morris Siobhan says: My first thought was “cow tipping”, and it may well have gone that way if the new and fantastic delight of Santa’s dragons hadn’t arrived. I laughed aloud for that. Well done. winner announcement Week 493 Winner Nicola Cameron | @YesItsNicolaC Siobhan says: Two things grabbed me with this tale. 1 – That a big, Scottish dragon shifter could be so surprised as to fall on his ass. And 2 – the interaction between the Russian vampire and the thing in the box. The whole tale delighted me from start to finish and I laughed at both the “rude word” and the frustration of Fyodora at the end. Great tale. Fyodora poked the box with one slippered toe. “What in the world is that?” “Dinna ken,” Callum said, crouching down to peer at the package that had been delivered to the house that morning. About the size of a hatbox, it had lotus blossoms and Egyptian hieroglyphs engraved on each side. There was also a sturdy lock keeping it closed. The note that came with it said, “Please deliver to the ministry office in Cairo. Do NOT open it.” The vampiress growled. All she wanted to do was leave England with her new mate as soon as inhumanly possible. But no—we are now a delivery service for Lord Tate and his damned Ministry of Antiquaries. “What are we supposed to do?” “Wait and see what it does.” Callum grinned when she growled again. “It’s all right, leannan. I think we can handle a wee box—” The box leapt into the air. The dragon shifter lurched backwards, landing on his ass just as the box thumped back to the carpet. “Or not,” he added. And blinked as a low, seductive voice came from the box. With dismay, Fyodora recognized what the voice was saying. And by default, what was in the box. Tate, you bastard. She snapped back in the same language. The voice said one very rude word, then fell silent. Ignoring a surprised Callum, Fyodora grabbed the box and headed upstairs to bury it in her biggest, most soundproofed trunk. “Bozhe moi, I hate naiads,” she muttered. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Two Time Winner Nicola, 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 Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, 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 493

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re in the middle of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 493 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 Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for 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, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 493: Scottish Word Slinger, Dauntless romance author, and #ThursThreads host, Siobhan Muir. Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | EdenBooks | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Wait and see what it does.” 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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