Tag: Lesbian romance

Recipe for Romance: Cheese Sticks

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! Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of my newest release, FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAKFAST, a sapphic dino shifter romance. Maya owns the Fossil Beds Bed & Breakfast, and there’s a public meeting to determine if the community wants a huge resort to come in and take over their town. Short answer: no. But Maya has taught her kids to be activists already. Available now everywhere: Fossil Beds B&B Maya focused on Quinn’s face, her mammalian features full of irritation. “A public meeting about what?” Quinn frowned, her cute, freckled nose wrinkling. “It’s to see if the residents of Deadman want that tool Clifford Krassobaki to come in here and buy up all the land to make a gawd-awful resort for his ultra-wealthy, tax-evading buddies.” Maya blinked. “Wait…I know I haven’t been up on politics and local issues as much as you, but when did this come about?” She set her tea down on the arm of the chair and sat up as Quinn handed her the newspaper, a relict that Quinn still read even though she had an online subscription. “It’s a relatively recent development that started at last month’s city council meeting.” Quinn rolled her eyes. “That douche Mayor Blatherton, who’s friends with Krassobaki, proposed the expansion on Krassobaki’s already palatial ranch. They scheduled a public meeting on Thursday to see what the public has to say.” “Oh, I have a lot to say. That would put The Fossil Beds B&B out of business. And where are they gonna get all the people to work this monstrosity? The town holds maybe five hundred humans. Oh hell no.” Maya rolled to her feet as her daughter beamed. “I love it when you get a fire lit under your butt.” Quinn grinned as she followed Maya into the kitchen of their B&B. “It doesn’t happen often, but it’s awesome.” “You just say that because you’re the firebrand in this family.” Maya shook her head, but a smile curled her lips. “And it’s a damn good thing. Too many people got comfortable and let shit like this slide. But not me, not now. Where’s your brother?” Quinn shrugged. “He’s down at the Deadman Community Center teaching a class on internet scams and red flags.” Gluten-Free Cheese Sticks https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykhmtCpEn5I Almost everyone I know loves cheese sticks. And who wouldn’t? They’re warm, hardy, cheesy, and fried. All the great things, lol! INGREDIENTS10+ eggsSalt (optional)1 lb of harder cheese (Mozzarella, Monterey Jack, Cheddar) cut into 1/2 inch (13 mm) wide and 3 inch (7.5 cm) long sticks1/3 cup Gluten Free flour1 can of Gluten Free breadcrumbs3 cups of oilWax PaperLarge PlateFork DIRECTIONSCrack eggs into a medium bowl and beat. In two smaller bowls, drop flour and 1/3 the can of breadcrumbs, respectively. Drop cheese sticks into eggs and let soak a moment or two. Using a fork, spear a cheese stick, transfer it to the flour, and roll, making sure the stick is covered in flour. Return the stick to the eggs to coat again. Once it’s coated with egg, roll the floured cheese stick in the breadcrumbs until coated. Drop it into the eggs again and then into the breadcrumbs to be sure it’s completely breaded (double breading). Set aside on the wax paper on a plate until time to fry them. Repeat the process for each cheese stick, adding flour or eggs or breadcrumbs to the bowls as needed. Pour oil into a deep pan and turn on high. Scrape the last of the flour and the breadcrumbs into the remaining egg mixture. Mix together until it becomes thick. If it’s still soupy, add a little more breadcrumbs until you can form bread balls. Add spices if you like. Scoop out some mixture with a spoon and roll between your hands until it forms a round ball. Do this for all the mixture. To test the heat of the oil, gently roll the bread balls into the pan. They take the longest to cool, so they are great for both testing the oil and cooking them longer. Allow the bread balls to fry in the oil until they’ve browned a little (gluten free breading doesn’t darken much until burned). Roll gently with tongs so they’re evenly cooked. Fry for about 4-6 minutes until the bread balls harden and crack a little. Remove from oil onto a paper-towel covered plate to drain. Add the cheese sticks to cook, 4 at a time. When you hear the oil crackle and spit, turn the heat down to med-high. Keep rolling the cheese sticks to brown on all sides. When you see a little bit of cheese leaking through the breading, the sticks are done. Remove from oil onto a paper-towel covered plate to let drain. Cover the oil and let it cool on the stove.

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Recipe for Romance: Rhubarb Crunch

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! I’m sharing a snippet of FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAKFAST, my newest PNR Sapphic romance release. Don’t you need LGBTQIA+ dinosaur shifters? I know I do. 😉 Persia Walker takes protecting the sacred fossil sites along the river seriously, and she’s bringing friends. New Release: Fossil Beds Bed & Breakfast “Hey, Nozomi, it’s Persia. Do you have a moment to talk?” “Persia! Good to hear from you. Yes, I’m in my off hour. What’s going on?” “Have you seen the announcement of a public meeting here in Deadman over a resort expansion? I’ll send you a pic.” Persia put the call on speaker and opened the text app. “It’s scheduled for this Thursday at six thirty pm. Do you think you could make some time to gather a few of the grad students and come down to Deadman for the meeting?” There was a short silence as Nozomi absorbed the image. “Yeah, I could do that. Why do you need me there? This seems like a Deadman town issue.” “Did you see the map of the proposed expansion? It straddles the West Washakie River to mile marker seventy-seven on Highway 91.” “Mile marker seventy-seven?” Nozomi was silent a bit longer. “The expansion includes all three of our sites as well as one of the Anthropology department’s sites.” “Yup. And if they put that awful resort in there, all those sites will be destroyed for a rich man’s vanity and friends.” “Oh hell no. That’s not happening. I’ll gather who I can, especially Professor Campbell, and we’ll be there. Six-thirty on Thursday, you said?” “Yup. I’m going to let the folks at Friends of Deadman Paleo know as well. I figure if we get enough people there, the project will be dead in the water.” Nozomi sighed through the phone. “I hope so, but as you’ve said many times, people are very susceptible to money.” “Yeah, but they also like the preserve things and this expansion will hurt their livelihoods and shove them out of their homes. A spark is all it takes to get the community to stand up for their natural resources and way of living.” Gluten-Free Rhubarb Crunch https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_7seI1dAX9M&t=8s This is a Muir family favorite and now it’s Gluten-Free. Remember, this is a high sugar recipe because of how sour rhubarb is. Recipe below. Ingredients for the crust 1 cup uncooked oatmeal1 cup GF 1:1 baking flour 1 cup brown sugar 1/2 cup butter 1/2 tsp salt 1 tsp cinnamon 1/4 tsp each of nutmeg, cloves, cardamom Mix oatmeal, flour, brown sugar, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom. Cut in butter with a blender or knife until crumbly. Place half the mixture in an 8-inch square pan. Ingredients for the filling: 3 – 4 cups diced raw rhubarb 1/2 cup granulated sugar1 tsp cinnamon 1/8 tsp salt 1 Tbsp water Mix rhubarb with granulated sugar, cinnamon, salt, and water. Spoon over oatmeal mixture in pan. Pat remaining oatmeal mixture over the rhubarb. Bake at 350 F (177 C) for 45 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes (the rhubarb will be very hot) then serve with whipped cream or vanilla ice cream.

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New Release! Sapphic Dino Shifter Romance

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s Release Day for FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAKFAST, a sapphic dinosaur shifter romance. I had a great time writing this story, especially with the added bonus of flipping off some internet prudes. Last year, I was invited to be part of an LGBTQIA+ romance charity anthology because someone went on the internet and said there was no place for dino shifters in adult romance. Here’s an old pic of how we romance authors responded to that sentiment. The anthology is no longer available, BUT you can get my tale, FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAKFAST today. It has been expanded a little and given a new cover, which was put together by the amazing Kris Norris. It’s a fun story and celebrates not only Sapphic love, but standing up to big money. Happy reading! Here’s the blurb: Maya Sorino loves her life in Deadman, Wyoming. She has two great kids, a successful bed & breakfast, and enough room to freely roam as her dino self. Everything is perfect. Until a rich developer comes to town, trying to undermine her business and seize the town’s open land. Not on her watch. Persia Walker has been guarding the fossil rich lands since she almost became one, but she won’t let a billionaire destroy sacred paleo sites for vanity. She organizes a group to take on the developer at the public meeting in hopes of preserving her territory. Then she sees Maya. Finding another dinosaur shifter in Deadman is a dream for both Maya and Persia, but the developer has something up his sleeve. What’s a better first date than going Mesozoic on a bunch of drunk vandals-for-hire? It’s a match made in Prehistory! This story was previously published in the Cretaceous Crushes LGBTQ+ Romance Charity Anthology. It has been expanded and given a new cover. SHORT EXCERPT OF FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAFAST “You gotta be fucking kidding me!” Persia Walker stared at the online announcement of the public planning commission meeting. It wouldn’t be bad if it was in somewhere like wine country in California or near Aspen, Colorado. But no, the uber wealthy newspaper tycoon wanted to build it in Wyoming, at the foot of Deadman Mountain in Sublette County. The town had a population of five hundred, making it one of the larger settlements in the state, but still not populous enough to support the staff needs of a snooty rich people’s resort. It would drive up the property taxes and push out the locals, making it impossible for ordinary people to live there. As if they haven’t already done that to Jackson Hole. Persia scowled at the announcement, which included a map of the proposed location of the expansion. She traced the West Washakie River until she reached Little Blind Bear Creek and froze. The proposed site would cover not only both sides of the river, but it would encompass all of Blind Bear and Little Blind Bear creeks, decimating the fossil site she’d been guarding for millennia. “No. No fucking way.” She brought out her phone and took a photo, then headed down the sidewalk toward the little café that had the best peppermint tea this side of the Cretaceous. Once she had her tea, she headed out to the little sitting area in the front and claimed a bench that could take her full, but muted weight. She set her tea down beside her and pulled out her phone. She hadn’t spoken to Professor Nozomi Shimizu in a couple of months since the end of last year’s field season, but she’d kept the professor appraised of anything going on near the site. She dialed the university and waited to be connected. Persia sipped her tea and watched the community awaken around her. Fortunately, she had time to organize people to speak up for both the community and the fossils under her care. There was no way they could let this development go forward, despite what the mayor wanted. She was well aware that Mayor Blatherton was best buds with Krassobaki—everyone was. Blatherton had made it a point to show their connection—so the townspeople would be facing a huge advocate of Krassobaki’s development. But there are more of us than there are of them. The phoneline clicked over and started ringing. Persia waited until someone picked up. “Hello?” “Hey, Nozomi, it’s Persia. Do you have a moment to talk?” “Persia! Good to hear from you. Yes, I’m in my off hour. What’s going on?” “Have you seen the announcement of a public meeting here in Deadman over a resort expansion? I’ll send you a pic.” Persia put the call on speaker and opened the text app. “It’s scheduled for this Thursday at six thirty pm. Do you think you could make some time to gather a few of the grad students and come down to Deadman for the meeting?” There was a short silence as Nozomi absorbed the image. “Yeah, I could do that. Why do you need me there? This seems like a Deadman town issue.” “Did you see the map of the proposed expansion? It straddles the West Washakie River to mile marker seventy-seven on Highway 91.” “Mile marker seventy-seven?” Nozomi was silent a bit longer. “The expansion includes all three of our sites as well as one of the Anthropology department’s sites.” “Yup. And if they put that awful resort in there, all those sites will be destroyed for a rich man’s vanity and friends.” “Oh hell no. That’s not happening. I’ll gather who I can, especially Professor Campbell, and we’ll be there. Six-thirty on Thursday, you said?” Grab a Copy

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Recipe for Romance: Stacked Potatoes

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! It’s cold and windy outside, at least it is in Cheyenne, and I figure not only can we use some hot romance but also some warm, hearty meals. Rakott Krumpli to the rescue! Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of IN PLAIN SIGHT, a Summit Springs Sapphic Romantic Suspense. Triss is starting over and has just met a woman she’s interested in at the grocery. Both are looking for comfort foods. Available Now: In Plain Sight “Nice to meet you, Briona. At risk of asking the obvious question, grocery shopping?” Briona laughed, a rich, sultry sound that made Triss’s toes curl in her boots. “That would be an obvious question, but really, I was shopping for treats I probably don’t need to eat. The storm cleared me out of comfort foods, and I wanted to stock up.” “Oh, I understand that. I just moved into a new place, and I need to fill it with both nutritious and delicious foods so I can make it to the next paycheck.” Triss pointed at the different Chai products. “Like I have tea at home but none of the Indian Chai that makes tea so special.” Briona raised an eyebrow. “No chocolate?” Triss shook her head, wrinkling her nose. “Nope. Can’t stand the stuff. I know that means I have to turn in my woman card, but it tastes either too bitter or too sweet to me.” Briona’s jaw dropped in mock horror and she pressed a dramatic hand to her chest. “Blasphemy! Chocolate is a gift from the gods.” Triss laughed, and it felt both wonderful yet so odd. When was the last time I laughed? It had been too long. “I shall graciously allow you to have my share, then.” Triss nodded magnanimously and Briona grinned. “Deal. So what are your comfort foods, other than Chai, and definitely not chocolate?” Triss shrugged as she moved down the aisle. Briona came with her, and it felt like the most natural thing in the world. “I’m a big fan of pickled foods, like Kalamata olives, garlic pickles, pickled beets, and cocktail onions.” Briona’s nose wrinkled. “Seriously? Of those, I can only barely tolerate the Kalamata olives, on a salad, with lots of Greek dressing.” Rakott Krumpli (Stacked Potatoes) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ycoFb_SuPX4 This is a hearty dish that will fill you up and is not low on calories or carbs. But it’s an old farm dish that is good when the weather’s chilly or you’re making something for a large group of people. INGREDIENTS 18 eggs (yes, seriously) 5 lb bag of potatoes (red potatoes are best) 1 link of turkey sausage 1 cup (2 sticks) of butter18-24 oz sour cream Salt Black pepper 9 x 13 inch baking dish 2 quart/liter sauce pot DIRECTIONS Place potatoes in a large stock pot. Add the eggs and fill with water until the water is at least 1 inch (2.5 cm) above the eggs. Add a 1/2 tsp salt and bring to a boil. Boil potatoes and eggs for 50 – 60 minutes. While the potatoes and eggs are boiling, cut the sausage into 1/4 inch (7 mm) disks to get the most out of your sausage. Set aside. When the stock pot has boiled, drain the water and separate the potatoes and eggs. Using a paring knife, peel the potatoes and slice into disks, placing them on the bottom of your 9 x 13 baking dish. Let them overlap a little to create a full layer. Make sure to fill any open space. Sprinkle with salt. Peel most of the eggs (we used 14 this time) and slice them with an egg slicer. Layer the eggs like the potatoes – overlapping and make sure to fill in any open spaces to get a solid layer. Sprinkle with salt. Place the disks of turkey sausage on the eggs, covering completely. If there isn’t enough sausage, you can cut up more until the eggs are covered. Do not salt. Peel and slice the last of your potatoes and layer them on top of the sausage, overlapping and filling in any holes. Do not add any salt. *Note: At this stage, if you want to freeze it, this is where you cover with plastic wrap and tuck it in the freezer. It should keep for a couple of weeks. Preheat your oven to 375 F (190.5 C). Place butter in the sauce pan and heat on medium heat until the butter is completely melted. Add your sour cream and use a whisk to blend the butter and cream together. Add 1/8 tsp of salt and 1/2 tsp of ground black pepper for flavor and appearance. Place the 9 x 13 pan on a baking sheet to catch any overflow of sauce while baking. Pour the sauce over the stacked potatoes and spread using a spatula until the evenly covers the whole dish. Cover with foil and slide into the oven. Bake for 45 minutes. Pull out of the oven and remove foil. Put back in for 2-5 minutes to brown a bit. Remove from oven and let cool about 5 minutes. Serve hot. Serves 12-15 portions.

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Recipe for Romance: Cheesecake Cookies

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! Welp, winter showed up in Cheyenne. We actually got cold temperatures and snow. This year has been so weirdly warm and dry, and we really need the moisture. That said, I don’t like being cold. So I’m sharing a great story about starting over AND comfort food. I’m sharing a snippet of IN PLAIN SIGHT, book 15 in the multi-author Summit Springs Sapphic Romance series. Triss is on the run, trying to start a new life where she can be herself. Emily has been in her position and has vowed to help those who need it. Available Now: In Plain Sight Emily nodded toward the hallway. “I live right across the hall in 7378, if you need anything. Do you have a cellphone?” Her brown eyes sharpened. Triss shook her head. “No. I had to leave it, and I didn’t want to get a random phone that he could track.” Emily nodded. “That’s fine. We’ll get you a new phone when the weather clears, that you can pay month to month with cash.” “Okay.” Triss looked back through the door to the hallway. “What’s with the numbers on the door? Seems weird for apartments to have such large numbers.” “Not when you know how I think.” Emily smirked, her eyes crinkling at the corners and pulling the skin taut against the scar that became visible along the left side of her face, from temple to jaw. “Each one is a four-digit code. Your door spells HOPE. Mine spells REST.” “And the last door, 5337?” “It’s a large storeroom, and spells KEEP. It was another way to keep people from knowing which were the apartments.” Emily rubbed the scar. “You go ahead and get settled. I stocked the cupboards with a few items like saltines, peanut butter, jam, bread, cheese, cream, small quart of milk and turkey cold cuts to get you through until you can get out to buy some real groceries. When you’re out, set up a PO box at the post office. You can actually get a street address for the box to accept packages and throw off anyone looking, including the cops. The postmaster here, Evangeline Brewster, knows all about making the cops and the Feds work for their information.” Triss raised an eyebrow. “Really?” “Oh yeah. She’s a real stickler for search warrants, and even when they have one, she’ll drag her feet and take her time to find what they’re looking for.” Gluten-Free Cheesecake Cookies https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IBiWz2M_AYY These delicious cookies are a really easy and tasty way to get a little cheesecake that can be shared (if you share, lol). INGREDIENTS 5 tablespoons butter, softened 1⁄3 cup brown sugar, packed 1 cup gluten free 1:1 baking flour 3⁄4 cup sugar 1(8 ounce) packet soft goat cheese, softened 1 egg 2 tablespoons goat milk1 tablespoon lime juice1⁄2 teaspoon vanilla DIRECTIONS Heat oven to 350 F (177 C). In a small bowl, blend thoroughly butter, brown sugar and flour with a fork until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Scoop out 1 cup of the mixture and set aside for topping. Press remaining mixture into an 8x8x2 inch baking dish sprayed lightly with cooking spray; bake for 15 minutes. In a large bowl, combine sugar and cream cheese, mixing until smooth. Thoroughly beat in egg, milk, lime juice and vanilla. Spread over the baked crust using your spatula, and sprinkle evenly by hand the remaining brown sugar mixture. Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool, then chill for at least 1 hour (turns out better after 2 hours). Cut into 16 or more squares; serve.

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**Cover Reveal – FOSSIL BEDS BED & BREAKFAST**

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for a cover reveal of my upcoming book. This is technically a re-release because the books was published in early 2024 in an anthology. The anthology was called CRETACEOUS CRUSHES: A [GATECRASHING] CHARITY LGBTQIA ROMANCE ANTHOLOGY, and mine was the only Sapphic (F/F) romance tale in it. Helped to get us on the Amazon Lesbian list, though, so yeah. 😀 But now I have the rights back and I’ve extended the tale, so while you won’t get a whole new tale, there has been a bit added to it to make it more robust. 😉 blurb Maya Sorvino loves her life in Deadman, Wyoming. She has two great kids, a successful bed & breakfast, and enough room to freely roam as her dino self. Everything is perfect. Until a rich developer comes to town, trying to undermine her business and seize the town’s open land. Not on her watch. Persia Walker has been guarding the fossil-rich lands since she almost became one, but she won’t let a billionaire destroy sacred paleo sites for vanity. She organizes a group to take on the developer at the public meeting in hopes of preserving her territory. Then she sees Maya. Finding another dinosaur shifter in Deadman is a dream for both Maya and Persia, but the developer has something up his sleeve. What’s a better first date than going Mesozoic on a bunch of drunk vandals-for-hire? It’s a match made in Prehistory! This story was previous published in the Cretaceous Crushes LGBTQ+ Charity Anthology. It has been expanded and given a new cover. Purchase Links excerpt The warm evening air curled around Maya’s body and she tipped her head back to take a deep breath. A subtle scent tickled her nose. It smelled of sun-warmed stone, fresh water, and waterlilies. Maya dropped her chin and focused on the people around her as a pleasant and soothing vibration hit her breastbone. Someone important is here. She’d felt that kind of vibration before, when she found her kids. They’d been on the streets, but their innate kindness and strength had called to her and before she knew it, she was a mom. The same sort of vibration radiated from the people in front of the Deadman City Hall. She stood up on her tiptoes, as the humans liked to call it, looking for the source of the beguiling vibration, but there were too many people in the way. Quinn and Bailey pushed their way through the crowd toward her and she snorted. It must have been them she sensed. She grinned and opened her arms as her kids closed on her. While most people gave them amused looks, she hugged her daughter and son as if she hadn’t seen them in weeks, rather than hours. She liked the human need for contact and she employed it every chance she got. “How did it go?” She stood back to look at them. “Great!” Bailey high-fived her. “We passed out all our flyers and even found people who weren’t planning to come to the meeting. We should have a full house tonight.” “And bonus, all the folks who are coming from the university are staying at the B&B.” Quinn nodded with satisfaction. “As they should,” Maya agreed. “Damn straight. Let’s go in. I want to get a good seat to watch this tonight.” Quinn hooked her arm through Maya’s and they all went inside to find a place to sit for the meeting. Maya noted most of the people at the meeting were either business owners or conservationists, but she also noted that Thomas Stone stood with several other council members away from Mayor Blatherton, their expressions intense and focused. The soothing vibration hit Maya again and she glanced around, but Bailey settled in the chair beside her, his expression excited and expectant. She frowned a little because while it was similar to her kids’ energy, this vibration felt different, yet familiar. Not mammalian at all, but with the same feeling of rightness. Could there be someone like me here? The idea sparked both hope and trepidation in her chest. She’d been so sure she was the only one of her kind. In Wyoming at least, but possibly in the world. She’d mostly accepted it as her lot in life—she had no idea how she became who she was now, but she’d resigned herself to being alone. But the idea that there might be someone else like her, and there in Deadman as well, made excitement flutter in her chest. But who is it? She let her gaze slide around the room, looking for someone new and different. Most of the people in the room were mammalian. Although, Blatherton is completely reptilian, and not in a good way. Leave me a comment to tell me what you think. This title is a stand alone and will be out February 14 2025, just in time for Valentine’s Day. Great thanks to Kris Norris for the fantastic image. Happy reading!

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Snippet Sunday – Why Would You Care?

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and it’s almost Yule. I love seeing the lights on people’s trees and houses at this time of year. Do your neighbors decorate a lot? I have a new sapphic romantic suspense with a mountain bike mechanic and a retired FBI agent. Both women are in their forties and getting a second chance at life and love. In this snippet, Merida is talking to Tam who is returning, limping, from the grocery store. Merida wants to help get her home now that her bike’s fixed. Merida is the first to speak. ~~~~~~ “Let me get my keys and I’ll give you a ride home. There’s no way you should aggravate that injury.” “What? It’s fine. Don’t worry about me. Just let me have my bike and I’ll be okay.” Ms. Grimes waved away Merida’s concern. “Ms. Grimes.” Merida laid a hand on her arm. “Please, let me help. Don’t make your injury worse when I can do something about it.” The dark-haired woman frowned. “Why would you care?” Merida opened her mouth to spout something about being neighborly, but the words got stuck in her throat and she stood there gaping like a big-mouth bass. When Ms. Grimes raised an eyebrow, Merida straightened her shoulders and took a deep breath. “Because…because I think you’re amazing and I’ve only just met you, and I didn’t think I’d get a chance to talk to you more before you walked out of my life forever, and I just couldn’t stand the idea that I wouldn’t get another opportunity to know you.” The words tumbled out of her mouth like a river under spring thaw and she had to take a deep breath after as the blush filled her cheeks. Oh, man, she’s gonna think I’m completely nuts. I’ve totally botched this. Ms. Grimes tilted her head and watched Merida with her unnervingly intense gaze for several moments, as if determining the veracity of Merida’s words. “You know what? Never mind. You’re right. You don’t need help and I’m a complete stranger who’s too crazy for having offered.” Merida shot Ms. Grimes an embarrassed smile and handed back the bag of groceries as she bobbed her head. “Very nice to meet you.” She tried to duck away, but Ms. Grimes reached out and caught her arm, holding but not tugging. “Wait, Merida.” ~~~~~~~ Sounds like she’s giving Merida another chance. 😉 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 BROKEN CHAINS: Available Here Some inheritances are to die for. Merida Roark was happy, leading an ordinary life as a bike mechanic at Scratchin’ Gravel Bike Shop in Summit Springs, Colorado, far away from her estranged family, and the past she thought long buried. Until the day an envelope arrives with an unexpected inheritance. Tam Grimes was an FBI profiler before a serious work injury ended her career. She moved to Summit Springs for a fresh start in the peace and quiet. Falling in love was not part of her plans, but when a bike chain eats her leg and Merida patches her up, Tam finds herself drawn to the beautiful mechanic. Their fragile relationship is tested when Merida’s home is savagely vandalized. The police have no leads, but it doesn’t take Tam long to realize the threat to her new lover is connected to her hidden past. When things go from disturbing to dangerous, Tam must use all her skills to untangle this web before someone removes Merida from the equation…permanently.

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Snippet Sunday – What is the Cost?

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and the days are getting darker as the season shifts toward winter. But that means the lights come out and everything sparkles! My new sapphic romantic suspense with a mountain bike mechanic and a retired FBI agent is available. Both women are in their forties and getting a second chance at life and love. In this snippet, Tam is dealing with Merida’s boss and something’s off. ~~~~~~The other person in the shop, however, didn’t have the same energy [as Merida]. They viewed Tam with narrowed eyes and taut shoulders, their mouth pinched with tension. Everything about them screamed distrust and guardedness. “Sorry about bleeding in your shop. I didn’t expect Merida to take care of my leg, just my bike.” Tam slid out from behind the counter and stood to the side, giving herself a clear shot to the door if she needed to escape. I’m not on a case, and this person isn’t a suspect. But old habits died hard, and she wasn’t about to ignore her instincts. “Knowing Merida, she wasn’t about to let you bleed out on the floor.” The shopkeeper strode behind the counter and surveyed Tam coolly from under sharp black brows below the bright pink, purple, and blue dyed hair. “So what can we do for you, Ms. Grimes?” “Uh…” Tam hesitated, since the reason for her visit seemed pretty obvious despite her bloody leg. “I need my bike fixed and tuned. The chain, well, did this.” She gestured at her leg. “What is the cost?” She dug out her wallet from the day pack she carried, reminding herself to pick up a little first aid kit, and looked up expectantly. The person with tri-colored hair eyed her with consideration and Tam remembered what it was like to sit in an interrogation room. The shopkeeper would’ve made a great interrogator and they hadn’t even said a word. “Are you sure that’s all you’re here for?” Tam frowned. “Yes. Why?” The shopkeeper shrugged. “I dunno. The way you were lookin’ at Merida suggested somethin’ different, that’s all.” They punched some buttons on the tablet they used as a cash register. “Thirty-five, even.”~~~~~~~ Hm, something else seems to be going on here. 😉 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 BROKEN CHAINS: Available Here Some inheritances are to die for. Merida Roark was happy, leading an ordinary life as a bike mechanic at Scratchin’ Gravel Bike Shop in Summit Springs, Colorado, far away from her estranged family, and the past she thought long buried. Until the day an envelope arrives with an unexpected inheritance. Tam Grimes was an FBI profiler before a serious work injury ended her career. She moved to Summit Springs for a fresh start in the peace and quiet. Falling in love was not part of her plans, but when a bike chain eats her leg and Merida patches her up, Tam finds herself drawn to the beautiful mechanic. Their fragile relationship is tested when Merida’s home is savagely vandalized. The police have no leads, but it doesn’t take Tam long to realize the threat to her new lover is connected to her hidden past. When things go from disturbing to dangerous, Tam must use all her skills to untangle this web before someone removes Merida from the equation…permanently.

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**RELEASE DAY** – Broken Chains

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s Release Day for BROKEN CHAINS, the fifth book in the Summit Springs Sapphic Romance series!. Woohoo! I’m so pleased this book is out where you can enjoy it. It was a a delight to write. So I got invited to join in writing with a group of great authors in a new Sapphic romance series and I couldn’t be more delighted. I’ve never written a Sapphic/wlw romance and it as so fun to put some of the themes I’ve seen in m/f romantic suspense to work for these ladies. It practically wrote itself and of course, love always wins. Here’s the blurb: Some inheritances are to die for. Merida Roark was happy, leading an ordinary life as a bike mechanic at Scratchin’ Gravel Bike Shop in Summit Springs, Colorado, far away from her estranged family, and the past she thought long buried. Until the day an envelope arrives with an unexpected inheritance. Tam Grimes was an FBI profiler before a serious work injury ended her career. She moved to Summit Springs for a fresh start in the peace and quiet. Falling in love was not part of her plans, but when a bike chain eats her leg and Merida patches her up, Tam finds herself drawn to the beautiful mechanic. Their fragile relationship is tested when Merida’s home is savagely vandalized. The police have no leads, but it doesn’t take Tam long to realize the threat to her new lover is connected to her hidden past. When things go from disturbing to dangerous, Tam must use all her skills to untangle this web before someone removes Merida from the equation…permanently. Excerpt of BROKEN CHAINS “I’ll be fine, really.” The sharp-eyed woman tried to get up, but Merida held her with one hand on her shoulder. “Sit for just a moment. Do you like tea?” She blinked. “What?” “Do you like tea? I have a special blend that makes everything better. It’s a black tea so there’s a little kick, in terms of caffeine. Better than coffee, I promise.”  The woman snorted in disbelief, but Merida ducked away before she could open her mouth to decline. Merida hurried to the back where she found the tea steeping. Isley must have made it while on the phone. She poured two mugs and left one for Isley before she grabbed the first aid kit. Theirs was a special kit she’d made with some herbal remedies that helped with pain and skin damage. Oh, they had the typical antibiotic ointment and alcohol wipes, but they’d added some topical essential oils that seemed to work like magic. “Okay, let’s take a look at that leg.” “Who are you?” The sharpness of the question surprised Merida, but she waved it off as an indication of just how much pain the woman was in. “My name’s Merida. Take this. It’ll help.” She handed the woman the mug of tea. She narrowed her hazel eyes and took the mug, sniffing cautiously. “What is it?” “Tea. A special blend from Caffeine Ivy’s in town. It tastes like chocolate and love and romance all rolled into one.” She grinned as she knelt at the stranger’s feet and slowly peeled away the blood-soaked bandana. They both hissed at the same time, Merida in sympathy. “Oh glory. That looks so painful. I’ll get it cleaned up quick.” She shook her head as she used some bottled water to wet a washcloth in the kit. “This might sting a bit, but we have to get it clean.” The other woman tightened her jaw and nodded. “Go ahead.” “Okay.” She took a deep breath and gently wiped away the excess blood. “The tea is one of my favorites. I think the owners of the coffee shop made it based on one of their favorite books. The flavor just makes you want to snuggle in warm blankets and read fantasy or fairytales.” She scrubbed the dried blood off the uninjured portions of the woman’s leg. 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 heal cleanly. “Okay, I’m going to put a little Frankincense oil on this.” “What?” Again, the sharp tone mixed with a sharp look. “What the hell for?” “Frankincense is a natural antibiotic to kill infections. Works just like a regular antibiotic gel.” She paused and met the woman’s gaze. “Are you okay with that?” Merida waited as the woman’s stare grew intense. She had the weird feeling the woman hadn’t had a lot of kindnesses freely given and responded as if the world lay full of threat. It occurred to her that asking for consent might be the only way to get the woman to trust. What the hell do I need her to trust me for? But she’d listened to her gut in all the most important decisions in her life, and it always paid off. Wait and see what it brings. For her, and for you. The voice of wisdom was old and infrequent, but like her gut, was always right. The woman nodded slowly, and Merida dabbed the oil on, coating the wound. She wiped her hands on a clean washcloth and opened a gauze pad. She taped it around the strong calf muscle, trying not to admire the leg too much. Not all women liked undue feminine attention. Merida nodded. “Okay, I think we got it fixed up. You feel okay?” The intense look remained as the silence stretched. Merida fell into the hazel gaze, wishing she knew the woman’s name so she could brand the memory of the power of her with a title beyond Queen of…

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Snippet Sunday – Wait and See What it Brings

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

It’s time for Snippet Sunday and we’ve had our first snow of the season. Bring on the hot tea! I have a new release coming THIS WEEK and you can get it right now on pre-order so it shows up on Tuesday. It’s my new Sapphic romantic suspense with a mountain bike mechanic and a retired FBI agent. Both women are in their forties and getting a second chance at life and love. In this snippet, you meet Merida Roark, mountain bike mechanic in the Scratchin’ Gravel Bike Shop, and she’s found a woman she really likes at first look. ~~~~~~ Merida waited as the woman’s stare grew intense. She had the weird feeling the woman hadn’t had a lot of kindnesses freely given and responded as if the world lay full of threat. It occurred to her that asking for consent might be the only way to get the woman to trust. What the hell do I need her to trust me for? But she’d listened to her gut in all the most important decisions in her life, and it always paid off. Wait and see what it brings. For her, and for you. The voice of wisdom was old and infrequent, but like her gut, was always right. The woman nodded slowly, and Merida dabbed the oil on, coating the wound. She wiped her hands on a clean washcloth and opened a gauze pad. She taped it around the strong calf muscle, trying not to admire the leg too much. Not all women liked undue feminine attention. Merida nodded. “Okay, I think we got it fixed up. You feel okay?” The intense look remained as the silence stretched. Merida fell into the hazel gaze, wishing she knew the woman’s name so she could brand the memory of the power of her with a title beyond Queen of Intensity. “Hey, Merida. I talked to—Oh, sorry. What’s going on?” Isley appeared over the Queen’s shoulder, their expression uneasy. “Uh, Miss…” Merida trailed off as she gestured to the seated woman. “Grimes.” The tone remained guarded and stiff as the woman stood. “Ms. Grimes came in with a wound because her chain jumped the sprocket and grabbed her leg. I couldn’t let her bleed, so I taped it up.” Merida got to her feet and cleaned up the first aid kit. “I’m gonna put this away before I take a look at the bike.” ~~~~~~~ At least Merida is listening to her gut. 😉 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 BROKEN CHAINS: Available Here Some inheritances are to die for. Merida Roark was happy, leading an ordinary life as a bike mechanic at Scratchin’ Gravel Bike Shop in Summit Springs, Colorado, far away from her estranged family, and the past she thought long buried. Until the day an envelope arrives with an unexpected inheritance. Tam Grimes was an FBI profiler before a serious work injury ended her career. She moved to Summit Springs for a fresh start in the peace and quiet. Falling in love was not part of her plans, but when a bike chain eats her leg and Merida patches her up, Tam finds herself drawn to the beautiful mechanic. Their fragile relationship is tested when Merida’s home is savagely vandalized. The police have no leads, but it doesn’t take Tam long to realize the threat to her new lover is connected to her hidden past. When things go from disturbing to dangerous, Tam must use all her skills to untangle this web before someone removes Merida from the equation…permanently.

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