Fae – Siobhan Muir

Recipe for Romance: Mixed Berry Skull Cakes

Posted on October 13, 2024 by Siobhan Muir

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

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Happy October! I’m sharing a snippet of THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series. Kendra is just trying to get ready for Samhain when she literally runs into Phinn. Then the demon shows up. Available Now: The Samhain Soldier Kendra MacGillivray had met many cheeky men in her time, but the tall, dark-haired beauty with sapphire blue eyes took the cake. Or maybe it’s the big-ass sword rising over his right shoulder that’s doing it. Whatever it was, he wore arrogance like a new suit and seemed as fishy as Pier 59 in Seattle. He smelled like warm vanilla, the scent of Ponderosa pine bark baking in the sun, and she reminded herself men didn’t like women sniffing after them like bitches in heat. And if they do, they aren’t worth it. “You can call me Kendra. Now, off you go.” The tall warrior gave her a sardonic smile through the sexy scruff on his cheeks, but bowed and made to move past her. However, he tensed up and lost his smile at the sound of something big moving through the underbrush behind her. All the hair stood up on the back of her neck as the fetid scents of rotting wine and old sex hit her nose. Swallowing against the gag reflex, she shifted sideways, presenting her back to neither the man nor whatever approached. “Aw, hellfire.” Phinnius yanked the sword off his back with a metallic hiss and took on a battle stance. “What the hell is that?” Kendra fought bile back down her throat as she took in a creature resembling an organic version of the cat-like thing from the movie about robot aliens who transformed into innocuous objects. A ridge of fins from each vertebra protruded along the back and tail, and oddly jointed limbs ended in long, sharp claws. “Stay back, Mistress Kendra. This demon is here for me.” “Oh, that’s comforting.” The demon’s glowing green eyes shifted from Phinnius, and it just had to lick its slavering jaws as its gaze settled on her. “I promise I won’t let it hurt you.” Kendra snorted and tried to settle her mind enough to gather the life energy around her. Gluten-Free Mixed Berry Skull Cakes https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IC5zK0-DHT4 Have you ever attempted to bake something and made a mistake that turned out both funny and delicious? That’s what happened when I first made these muffins. I mixed the berries in so efficiently, I made black muffins. Perfect for Halloween or Samhain. Or Yule when you need coal muffins, LOL. INGREDIENTS 1 3/4 cups gluten-free all purpose baking flour (We used Bob’s Red Mill 1:1 baking flour) 1 tsp baking powder 1 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon 1/2 cup butter, softened to room temperature 3/4 cup packed brown sugar 2 large eggs at room temperature 1/2 cup sour cream or plain yogurt 1 1/2 tsp vanilla 1/4 cup milk DIRECTIONS Preheat oven to 425 F (218 C) and line a 12 count muffin pan with cupcake liners. Or if using an oddly shaped pan, spray the cake wells with nonstick spray and set aside. In a medium bowl, whisk the flour, baking powder, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon together until well mixed. Set aside. In a large bowl, using a handheld mixer (or in the bowl of the stand mixer fitted with the paddle attachment) beat the butter on high speed until smooth and creamy (about 1 minute). Add the brown sugar and beat on high until creamed (about 2 full minutes). Add the eggs, sour cream or yogurt, and vanilla, and beat on medium for 1 minute then turn up to high speed until mixture is combined and creamy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl as needed. Pour the dry ingredients into the wet ingredients and beat on low speed until just about combined. Add the milk and continue to beat on low until combined. Add in mixed berries and beat until the batter turns purple and the berries are completely mixed in. Spoon batter evenly into each cup or muffin well, filling each all the way to the top. Bake the muffins for 5 minutes at 425 F (218 C), then keeping the muffins in the oven, reduce the temperature to 350 F (177 C). Bake for an additional 15-18 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in the center comes out clean. Allow the muffins to cool for five minutes in the pan, then transfer to a wire rack to cool completely. GLAZE 1/2 – 3/4 cup powdered sugar 1/2 tsp vanilla 1-2 Tbsp milk 3-5 drops of food coloring Add all the ingredients except the food coloring into a small bowl and whisk gently until smooth. Drizzle over the cool cakes and let harden (about 10 minutes). Arrange on a plate and serve.

Recipe for Romance: Gluten-Free Mac N Cheese

Posted on September 23, 2023September 23, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

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, September) 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 THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER, book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series. Kendra MacGillivray was just trying to get read for Samhain, gathering things for her altar. Then this cocky warrior shows up being trailed by a demon. A witch’s work is rarely done. Time for some comfort food. Out Now: The Samhain Soldier “What the hell is that?” Kendra fought bile back down her throat as she took in a creature resembling an organic version of the cat-like thing from the movie about robot aliens who transformed into innocuous objects. A ridge of fins from each vertebra protruded along the back and tail, and oddly jointed limbs ended in long, sharp claws. “Stay back, Mistress Kendra. This demon is here for me.” “Oh, that’s comforting.” The demon’s glowing green eyes shifted from Phinnius, and it just had to lick its slavering jaws as its gaze settled on her. “I promise I won’t let it hurt you.” Kendra snorted and tried to settle her mind enough to gather the life energy around her. Magic wasn’t an alien force—it came from the living beings inhabiting the world. Ironically, this frightening creature held some of the same energy, but it appeared tangled or kinked, like an old garden hose. The energy didn’t flow properly. What’s wrong with you? Kendra took a deep breath and built a ball of power, focusing her mind in the direction she’d cast it. The creature crouched, its hindquarters wiggling just like a cat about to pounce. Kendra waited for the right moment. The spell she had in mind wouldn’t harm the creature, but it would contain it and heal some of the conflicting energy paths. Phinnius moved into her line of fire and she growled. “Get out of the way. I don’t want to hit you.” “Hit me? With what? I’m the one with the sword. Just stay back and I’ll protect you.” He turned his back to her, watching the creature. While she liked his looks, right now, she didn’t need him to be in the way when she threw her energy casting. Goddess only knew what a defensive spell like this would do to him. Gluten-Free Homemade Mac N Cheese INGREDIENTS 8-9 cups of water (boiling) 1 tsp salt 2 cups (or one full package) of elbow noodles (we used brown rice noodles) 16 oz of mild cheddar cheese shredded. We used Dubliner Cheddar and Monterrey Jack (for creamy meltiness) 2 1/2 cups milk 1 cup of bread crumbs (we used gluten free plain) Olive oil DIRECTIONS Fill pot with water and add salt. Bring to a boil, add oil and add the pasta. The oil keeps the pasta from sticking to itself. With brown rice pasta you’ll need to stir constantly because the pasta will stick to the bottom of the pan, too. Boil for 8 minutes. Shred the cheese. If using two kinds of cheese, shred the harder cheese first and mix them together. Set your oven to 350 F (177 C) and allow to warm. Get out the 9 x 13 inch pan. Set aside. Pour the pasta mixture into the 9 x 13 inch pan and distribute the pasta evenly. The mixture will be soupy, but it’ll cook off. Drizzle bread crumbs on top. Bake 35-40 minutes or until golden brown. Serves 6-8 people.

2400 Free Books! Holy cow!

Posted on September 20, 2023September 12, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

Holy cow! 2400 FREE BOOKS?! You read that right. 2400 free ebooks to fill up your ereaders this time. And instead of just one day, you get three full days to get them all. Even better, this time it has to be new books – books that haven’t been listed before in the freebie event – so you won’t be getting repeats. I love doing this event. It happens quarterly and I always find new reads that catch my attention. Are you ready to fill up your ereader? All you have to do is head on over to RomanceBookworms and grab your 2400 books – including THE BELTANE WITCH (in the Urban Fantasy genre) – from your favorite retailer. This is a great way to get to know new-to-you authors and fill up your ereaders without spending a dime. I found some great tales by Genevieve Turner, B.A. Tortuga, Minerva Howe, Cat Johnson, Kate Pearce, and Zoe York the last time I checked this out. Now I’m part of the crew doing it and you get to benefit from it as well. Fill your ereader, get your books, and happy reading!

Snippet Sunday – Something Was Coming

Posted on November 5, 2022November 5, 2022 by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday, and the end of Daylight Savings Time. Yay? Yeah, not as thrilled with that, but at least there are books to read. I’m showcasing THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER, Book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series, AND a sequel to book 2, THE BELTANE WITCH. In this snippet, Kendra MacGillivray, earth witch, wakes up in a little shack in the Fae realm and not everything is as it seems. ~~~~~~ Kendra woke to unnatural silence. She shot a look at the fire in the fireplace and found the flames still licking the last log she placed, but they made no sound. She sat up and glanced at Phinn. He slept hard, but his breathing was better, less labored. Marbles hadn’t returned from her expedition, but Kendra didn’t expect her for a while. Hopefully the tracker demon would hide the sword in a place no one, not even the conniving Fae, would think to look. Still, the thick silence gave her the heebie-jeebies. She rolled to her feet and slipped back into her jacket. Something was coming and she wanted to be ready for it. She settled on the floor beside Phinn and shoved her feet into her boots, zipping them up. Then she reached for his to make sure he was as ready to travel as he could be. Not that I can carry him if we have to get away. The fire still burned, but a chill entered the shack. Kendra listened hard, but the unnatural silence continued. Awareness shot up her back and made her shiver. Kendra sent the Goddess a note of thanks for what time She’d kept them hidden. The Fae were coming and would discover them soon, and she was grateful Marbles had the time to take the sword nowhere near them. Kendra set about gathering up their meager gear and making sure Phinn was ready to move without much fuss. The threat loomed in the dark silence, and she tried to quell her racing heart as she waited for the ax to fall. They hadn’t been hiding, exactly, but she wondered if one of Marbles’ abilities was to disguise herself from detection, at least from the Fae. And since she’s gone… It didn’t take long for Kendra to hear the footsteps of several beings moving through the woods outside the shack. ~~~~~~~ Oh dear, something wicked this way comes. 😉 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, Jessica Subject, Kathy Griffith Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER: Coming Oct 17 2022 It’s all fun and games until a tracker demon comes for you… Phinnius Winterbourne, a soldier in the Summer Court of the Sidhe, has inherited his maternal grandfather’s sword. But the Winter Court of the Sidhe now wants it and him. Seeking help from his older brother seems like a good idea, until he runs into a witch. And the tracker demon sent to fetch Phinn. Not a great day. Kendra MacGillivray is preparing her altar for Samhain when she runs head-on into Phinnius and his problems. She doesn’t have time for the arrogant fool who has irritated the Fae. When her healing spell clashes with that of the tracker demon, they end up in the Sidhe realm with no way home and a tracker demon familiar. Every witch needs one. Trapped in the Fae realm, they must work together to keep the sword out of the Winter Court’s reach and get back home again before Samhain, when the veils close for the year. Nothing is as it seems and Phinn’s family secrets may break everything—him included. If they don’t protect the sword, they could lose more than a family heirloom—they could destroy the world. No pressure.

Snippet Sunday – You’ve Lost Your Mind

Posted on October 22, 2022October 21, 2022 by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday, and I’m celebrating my new release. Woohoo! I’m showcasing THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER, Book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series, AND a sequel to book 2, THE BELTANE WITCH. In this snippet, Kendra MacGillivray, earth witch, is currently stuck in the Fae realm with an injured man and a healed tracker demon. as she gets ready for Samhain. She’s just met the hero Phinnius Winterbourne, and she’s not impressed. ~~~~~~ Phinn moaned as he rolled onto his back and opened his eyes just as she tucked the blankets on the bed up to his chin. His sapphire gaze held her attention more than any bird or flower had during her fieldwork for her master’s thesis. The primal part of her growled and put up an emphatic demand. Mine. “Look who’s awake. About time.” She grumbled to remind herself what a jerk he was and keep any lusty ideas at bay. “How are you feeling?” His brows lowered as he opened his mouth to speak, but only a dry croak came out. He cleared his throat and tried again. “Groggy and stiff. Where are we?” Kendra shook her head. “I don’t know. Wherever we ended up, it’s winter already and Marbles led us to this cabin to get you out of the snow.” “Marbles?” “Yeah.” She shot a look at the dark cat-like demon lying in front of the woodstove. “The tracker demon.” Phinn jerked and tried to sit up, grunting in pain. “The tracker demon is here? And you named it?” “Yes. What else was I supposed to do when she helped us avoid the mounted patrols?” He shook his head. “You’ve lost your mind.” “No, I’ve lost my marbles, and she can track them down for me. Which is where she got her name.” Kendra sighed. “Look, if it weren’t for the two of you, I’d be home getting ready for Samhain. Instead, I’m here, nursing you back to health, and Marbles has done nothing but help me. So, you’re just going to have to get over it.” “I’ll get over it. Oh yeah.” Phinn’s eyes narrowed as his hands slid behind his back, then they widened with concern. “Whoa. Where’s my sword? What did you do with it?” ~~~~~~~ At least she’s looking on the bright side of everything. 😉 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, Jessica Subject, Kathy Griffith Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER: Coming Oct 17 2022 It’s all fun and games until a tracker demon comes for you… Phinnius Winterbourne, a soldier in the Summer Court of the Sidhe, has inherited his maternal grandfather’s sword. But the Winter Court of the Sidhe now wants it and him. Seeking help from his older brother seems like a good idea, until he runs into a witch. And the tracker demon sent to fetch Phinn. Not a great day. Kendra MacGillivray is preparing her altar for Samhain when she runs head-on into Phinnius and his problems. She doesn’t have time for the arrogant fool who has irritated the Fae. When her healing spell clashes with that of the tracker demon, they end up in the Sidhe realm with no way home and a tracker demon familiar. Every witch needs one. Trapped in the Fae realm, they must work together to keep the sword out of the Winter Court’s reach and get back home again before Samhain, when the veils close for the year. Nothing is as it seems and Phinn’s family secrets may break everything—him included. If they don’t protect the sword, they could lose more than a family heirloom—they could destroy the world. No pressure.

Snippet Sunday – Oh, That’s Comforting

Posted on October 15, 2022 by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday, and I have a new release this week! Woohoo! I’m showcasing THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER, Book 7 in the Cloudburst Colorado series, AND a sequel to book 2, THE BELTANE WITCH. This tale is released TOMORROW, Oct 17th 2022, but you can get it for pre-order at Smashwords. 😉 In this snippet, you meet Kendra MacGillivray, earth witch, as she gets ready for Samhain. She’s just met the hero Phinnius Winterbourne, and she’s not impressed. ~~~~~~ Kendra MacGillivray had met many cheeky men in her time, but the tall, dark-haired beauty with sapphire blue eyes took the cake. Or maybe it’s the big-ass sword rising over his right shoulder that’s doing it. Whatever it was, he wore arrogance like a new suit and seemed as fishy as Pier 59 in Seattle. He smelled like warm vanilla, the scent of Ponderosa pine bark baking in the sun, and she reminded herself men didn’t like women sniffing after them like bitches in heat. And if they do, they aren’t worth it. “You can call me Kendra. Now, off you go.” The tall warrior gave her a sardonic smile through the sexy scruff on his cheeks, but bowed and made to move past her. However, he tensed up and lost his smile at the sound of something big moving through the underbrush behind her. All the hair stood up on the back of her neck as the fetid scents of rotting wine and old sex hit her nose. Swallowing against the gag reflex, she shifted sideways, presenting her back to neither the man nor whatever approached. “Aw, hellfire.” Phinnius yanked the sword off his back with a metallic hiss and took on a battle stance. “What the hell is that?” Kendra fought bile back down her throat as she took in a creature resembling an organic version of the cat-like thing from the movie about robot aliens who transformed into innocuous objects. A ridge of fins from each vertebra protruded along the back and tail, and oddly jointed limbs ended in long, sharp claws. “Stay back, Mistress Kendra. This demon is here for me.” “Oh, that’s comforting.” The demon’s glowing green eyes shifted from Phinnius, and it just had to lick its slavering jaws as its gaze settled on her. ~~~~~~~ Things just got a whole lot more interesting. 😉 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, Jessica Subject, Kathy Griffith Karysa Faire, and Iris Blobel. Here’s the blurb for THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER: Coming Oct 17 2022 It’s all fun and games until a tracker demon comes for you… Phinnius Winterbourne, a soldier in the Summer Court of the Sidhe, has inherited his maternal grandfather’s sword. But the Winter Court of the Sidhe now wants it and him. Seeking help from his older brother seems like a good idea, until he runs into a witch. And the tracker demon sent to fetch Phinn. Not a great day. Kendra MacGillivray is preparing her altar for Samhain when she runs head-on into Phinnius and his problems. She doesn’t have time for the arrogant fool who has irritated the Fae. When her healing spell clashes with that of the tracker demon, they end up in the Sidhe realm with no way home and a tracker demon familiar. Every witch needs one. Trapped in the Fae realm, they must work together to keep the sword out of the Winter Court’s reach and get back home again before Samhain, when the veils close for the year. Nothing is as it seems and Phinn’s family secrets may break everything—him included. If they don’t protect the sword, they could lose more than a family heirloom—they could destroy the world. No pressure.