new release – Siobhan Muir

Recipe for Romance: Rosemary Focaccia Bread

Posted on April 19, 2025April 18, 2025 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 Easter to those who celebrate. There’s a great and easy recipe at the end that is a delicious treat for celebrations. Today, I’m sharing a snippet of THE DREADSTONE KING, a fantasy romance out now. Allira Maplestaff is the 13th Warrior of the Festival of the Relic, but she only agreed to go on this expedition as a glorified stablehand. She’s minding the horses while the other knights go into the Dreadstone Tombs and wreak havoc – but the Tombs are not unguarded. Available Now: The Dreadstone King It took twenty minutes to grab all the horses and calm them down after Allira ascertained there wasn’t a threat. To be honest, her own heart had shot out of her chest when the howl ripped through the forest, and it had taken her several seconds to figure out what had happened. Then she swore and rushed to try to untangle the horses as their tack had slipped off their backs and made a mess. She’d finally calmed them all and got them tacked up just as the men ran out of the entrance to the Tombs. Though she had never been there before, she could tell it was a freaky place that probably should be left alone. Only three of the four men who’d gone in came bolting for the horses. Their faces were whiter than a burial shroud, and none of them were joking anymore. “What happened? Where’s Danville?” Allira released the tether rope holding the horses’ leads. She caught her mount and Danville’s, but no one answered her as they kicked their mounts into a gallop. Allira paused, holding the horses still as she turned back to the Tombs, scanning for the last knight to come out. His horse tugged at the reins, trying to follow the others, but she forced it to wait. Come on, Danville. Where are you? But after ten minutes, he still hadn’t appeared, and she realized he wouldn’t be coming. The Tombs had claimed its first hero of the year. A combination of anger and disgust settled into her belly as she swung up into the saddle and turned from the Tombs, tugging Danville’s horse behind her. What a stupid, fucking waste. The only thing the Tombs brought was death and despair for families. Gluten-Free Rosemary Focaccia Bread https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=H5O_u3wfC2k For many meals, most folks want a good bread to go with it, but some breads take forever to make. Focaccia is a quick and easy bread that allows for all sorts of flavors. We’re making Rosemary Focaccia, but you could choose garlic, onion, tomato, olives, or any combo of flavors. INGREDIENTS3 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour 2 tsp salt 1 Tbsp sugar 1 pkg or 2 1/2 tsp instant active yeast 1 1/2 cups warm water 2 Tbsp oil in dough 1 Tbsp oil on bread2 Tbsp dried Rosemary or 1 sprig fresh Rosemary 2 Tbsp grated hard cheese (Parmesan, Asiago, Romano, Manchego) DIRECTIONS Add flour, salt, sugar, and yeast to a large bowl, and whisk it together. Add water, and 2 Tbsp oil, mixing until the dough is pliable. Knead dough on a lightly floured surface for a short time until smooth. With gluten free dough, it’s dry enough you don’t have to work it hard or with much extra flour. Place dough in a lightly oiled bowl, cover, and let rise for 45 minutes. Because it’s gluten free, it won’t rise much. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and gently press risen dough out until it’s 1/2 inch (13 mm) thickness. Brush 1 Tbsp of oil over the top of the dough. Using a fork, make dimples in the dough all over. Sprinkle the cheese and Rosemary all across the top. Let rise for another 20 minutes. Preheat your oven to 375 F (191 C). Bake for 25 minutes. Let cool for 10 minutes and serve.

Recipe for Romance: Carrot Cake

Posted on April 5, 2025April 7, 2025 by Siobhan Muir

Welcome to Recipe for Romance! Each weekend, I share a snippet of a tale and a recipe that either goes with the tale or goes with the month. Let’s get started. I’m sharing a snippet of my upcoming new release, going back to my roots. Did you know I started out as a fantasy author? So, THE DREADSTONE KING is a fantasy ghost story, and a Beauty & the Beast retelling. It comes out April 14 2025. Meet Sir Allira Maplestaff, and she doesn’t want to be at the Dreadstone Tombs. Coming April 14 2023: The Dreadstone King She glanced at the others, taking a breath to tell them it wasn’t a good idea. But after the last two weeks of traveling with the group of alternately belligerent and misogynistic knights who’d been chosen for this year’s Festival of the Relic, she’d learned her voice meant little. They were each bound and determined to be the one guy who finally found the treasure and claimed the Relic. Which would be much easier if they even knew what they were looking for. Nobody did. In fact, in the last three decades of the Festival’s run, no one had ever even glimpsed the storied Dreadstone King’s Relic, the magical artifact that was supposed to grant the finder something fantastic. Unfortunately, no one knew what that was, either. Allira finished tying off the hitching line and checked that each horse was loosely tied to it as the men completed their gear check. She made her way between the horses, loosening girths and making sure nothing dangled off the tack should the men need a quick getaway. There was rumored to be something horrible in the Dreadstone Tombs, but no one had returned to tell anyone what it was. Yeah, there’s a whole lot we don’t know about this whole fiasco. And yet, year after year, men came to Capstone Creek, the nearest settlement to the Dreadstone Tombs at 300 kilometers, and signed up to be one of the lucky 13 Heroes. They were seduced by the legend of gold and riches, and were determined that this year they would find the Relic, and win the hand of the princess. Or one of them would, since there were thirteen of them in all. Including me. Except she wasn’t going into the Tombs. She had no interest in the treasure, the Relic, or the hand of the princess. Gluten-Free Carrot Cake https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8SkK3jSqREk Carrot Cake, a perennial favorite for a lot of people, isn’t my favorite, but I decided to give it a try. It turned out great and something I’d make for folks who love it anytime, while I snack on my zucchini bread, lol. But if you love carrot cake, this is a good recipe to follow. INGREDIENTS FOR CAKE3 cups gluten free 1:1 baking flour (we used Bob’s Red Mill)2 tsp baking soda 1/2 tsp salt 2 tsp cinnamon 1 cup oil 3/4 cup sugar 2 cups grated carrots 8 oz crushed pineapple with liquid 2 tsp vanilla 3 eggs 1/2 cup chopped nuts DIRECTIONS Preheat your oven to 350 F (177 C). In a medium bowl, sift together flour, baking soda, cinnamon, and salt. Set aside. In a large bowl, mix together oil and sugar until well combined. Add half the dry ingredients and mix well. Beat in the carrots, pineapple, and nuts. Add the vanilla and the rest of the dry ingredients until well combined. Add the eggs one at a time and beat each time until well blended. Spoon the batter into a greased 9×13 inch pan and spread out to all corners using a spatula. Bake for 35-40 minutes until brown and a toothpick comes out clean. Let cool completely. INGREDIENTS FOR CREAM CHEESE FROSTING 8 oz of cream cheese, softened 1/2 cup of butter 1 tsp vanilla 1/4 tsp lemon juice 1 1/4 – 1 1/2 cup powdered sugar DIRECTIONS Melt the butter and blend in cream cheese, vanilla, and lemon juice. Mix until smooth. Add the sugar, 1/2 cup at a time until you reach the desired sweetness and consistency. Spread over the cooled cake and serve.

Recipe for Romance: Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies

Posted on May 27, 2023May 24, 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, May) 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 KAROBIS CALLS, book 4 in the 4 part Ivory Road serial, which came out May 22 2023. It’s crazy to recognize this tale is done. It’s only been waiting 23 years. Iliana has returned to the Ivory School to find it in ruins with the dead left out to rot. I know Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies don’t go with the scene, but my kid is graduating this year and we’ll be serving folks these at her party. They are a family favorite. Available Now: The Karobis Calls “Oh dear sweet glory.” Iliana turned away and heaved again, but nothing came up. Grief roared inside her as she moved through the rest of the house, searching for any survivors. She found Temujin inside a ring of bodies in black robes like hers. The Knalish? What the hell are they doing here? Temujin had held his own, taking three adult men with him before he succumbed to his wounds. She knelt beside the boy, scanning his body for any signs of life, but he lay still as the dead invaders around him. “Oh, Temujin, I’m so sorry.” She bowed her head. “I should’ve been here to help.” A sound made her glance around and she realized he’d been defending an iron door to a stone room in the center of the house. The door flew open and a small body launched at her, screaming a war cry. “Die, Knalish dog!” Iliana lurched to her feet and met the sword flying at her head with her dagger and a shriek of steel. She pivoted to step over the bodies and watched her opponent. It took her precious seconds and a flurry of defensive moves to realize her opponent was Naomi, her face twisted in anger and grief. “Whoa, wait. Naomi, it’s—” “You’re going to pay for that death; for all the deaths!” Naomi ignored her and pressed on until Iliana disarmed her and bumped her to the floor. “Go ahead and kill me, you coward, but I swear on my grandmother’s grave, I will haunt you through the nine worlds and beyond!” “Naomi, it’s me, Rory.” Iliana sheathed her dagger and removed the silk from her face before she knelt beside the girl. “It’s Master Rory. See?” Naomi blinked, her eyes growing wide. “Master Rory? Oh sweet Goddess, thank goodness you’re here!” Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies Gluten-Free Chocolate Chip Kiss Cookies Ingredients 48 Hershey’s Dark Chocolate Kisses, unwrapped 1 stick (8 Tbsp) Butter, softened 1 egg ½ cup granulated white sugar ½ cup brown sugar, packed 1 tsp vanilla 2 cups GF 1:1 all-purpose flour 1 cup semi-sweet mini chocolate chips Directions Heat oven to 365 F. In a large bowl mix butter, the two sugars, and vanilla until well blended. Add egg and mix until smooth. Add flour to butter mixture a little at a time until relatively smooth. Fold in mini chocolate chips. The dough won’t be smooth and the chips might be loose, but it won’t matter in the long run. Grab a handful of dough, a “scant tablespoon’s worth” and flatten in your palm. Place a Dark Chocolate Kiss in the center, and mold the dough and chips around the kiss, pressing gently. Once it has covered the Kiss, roll in your hands to make a ball. Place all the balls on a parchment paper covered cookie sheet. Bake at 365 F for 8-10 minutes. Let the cookies cool on a wire rack until no longer squishy. Makes 48+ cookies.

RELEASE DAY THE KAROBIS CALLS

Posted on May 22, 2023May 22, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

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

New Release: MR. FIXIT’S BILLIONAIRE

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

It’s Release Day for MR. FIXIT’S BILLIONAIRE, a flipped trope contemporary romance previously published in the Flip the Trope: Endless Summer anthology. This was my first billionaire romance and I had a blast writing it. I hope it makes you smile, too. Last year, I was invited to be part of the second Flip the Trope anthology and thought I’d try writing billionaire romance. But this time, the billionaire is a very successful woman, and the struggling single parent is a working-class dad. It has been re-edited and put out under its own cover. Here’s the blurb: Amanda Pendleton is more than just a pretty face. She’s the president of a wildly successful office supply company, a doting single mom, and a billionaire. All great qualities. Too bad they weren’t enough to keep her deceased father from making stipulations in his will. If she wants to retain ownership of her company, she must find a husband before the next board meeting. Easy peasy, right? Mike Everslee is a single dad, the manager at Mr. Fixit Hardware, and a hard-working guy just trying to make ends meet. But none of it affords him the discretionary income to pay the fees at his daughter’s preparatory school. When his daughter’s friend’s mom offers to pay the theatre fees and take them out to dinner, he’s just glad for a rare night out. But Amanda shows up with an astounding proposal—marry her in the next five weeks and stay with her for a year so she can save her company. If he does, she’ll set him up with a new house, a new truck, and pay his daughter’s fees and tuition until high school. Get a ready-made family, a sister for his daughter, and a beautiful successful wife, all for the price of a year-long marriage. What could go wrong? EXCERPT OF MR. FIXIT’S BILLIONAIRE Mike Everslee stared at the bills in front of him and sighed. They were never-ending and he just barely made enough to cover the important ones. Like his truck payment, the insurance, the electricity for his rental house, and his cellphone/internet. Thank goodness both he and Sierra were healthy. Goddess only knew what would happen if emergency medical bills dropped on top of everything else. Orthodontia for Sierra would be bad enough. “Aren’t you gonna eat, Daddy? I don’t wanna be late.” Sierra swallowed her mac and cheese, from the box as per her insistence, and fixed him with a gimlet eye. “I’m not hungry, but you eat up. I’ll be ready to go when you finish.” He set the bills aside and waved at her plate. “Aww, do I have to?” Her lips pulled into a pout. “Yup, and you’ll have to wash your hands and your face afterwards. Are you wearing your mac and cheese or eating it?” He wrinkled his nose at the cascade of orange cheese goop everywhere. “I’m eating it, Daddy.” She picked up her fork. “Hmm, coulda fooled me. Here.” He helped her use a napkin to wipe the worst of it off her hands. “Finish up and we’ll go.” “Okay.” Sierra tucked into her food again and he smiled. It didn’t matter how hard things got, Sierra was worth every effort and worry. He rose and grabbed himself a protein bar from the pantry. It wasn’t supper, not really, but it would hold him until Sierra was in bed. When I can start worrying about the bills again. Yeah, stressing over them had given him a new layer of fat on his gut and he’d have to start going to the gym before he officially achieved a dad-bod. He already had Sierra’s coat, shoes, and costume ready to go, so all they needed to do was wash up and get in the truck. He’d learned the hard way to be prepared so nothing was forgotten, and they avoided meltdowns. “I’m done, Daddy. May I be excused?” “Yes, you may, Snowdrop. Take your plate into the dishwasher and wash your hands and face so we don’t get cheesy goop on your costume.” “Cheesy goop? It’s mac and cheese, Daddy!” It’s orange sludge with a vaguely cheesy flavor. But he kept his thoughts to himself as Sierra followed his instructions, and they finally loaded up into the truck. He checked his pockets for his keys, phone, and wallet, before turning on the engine. “Ready?” “Yeah. I’m so excited. Did you know my friend Valentina got the part of Annie’s best friend in the play?” Sierra bounced in her car seat from the back of the truck. “Just like in real life. And did you know she’s almost exactly the same age? She was born the same day, only two months after me. We’re gonna be friends forever.” “That’s amazing, Snowdrop.” This was the first time he’d heard about Valentina, but he was glad Sierra found a friend at the school. They’d been lucky to get her into Rocky Mountain Preparatory Academy. As the manager of the local hardware store in a posh part of town, he made decent money, but he could never afford the tuition. Some of the wealthy parents from the school became friendly with him at the store and recommended Sierra for their scholarship program. She’d just started attending that fall and had impressed her teachers with her work ethic. His daughter was smart and creative, just like her egg-donor, and it didn’t surprise him in the least to see her thrive. He worried her economic status might make her a target of the privileged and entitled rich kids, but there hadn’t been any problems. Sierra continued to chatter about her friend until she stopped mid-sentence and gasped. “Daddy! I saw a bobcat! Stop the truck!” Grab a Copy

New Release: The Dragon Eater by J. Scott Coatsworth

Posted on March 17, 2023March 15, 2023 by Siobhan Muir

So who likes LGBTQIA+ fantasy with romantic elements? Author J. Scott Coatsworth has a new release and it brings all the best things about sci-fi, fantasy, and romance together along with adventure and magic. If you like cross-genre tales, this one is for you. Plus, there’s a GIVEAWAY at the bottom of the post where you can get a $20 gift card to the retailer of your choice. Plus, there’s an opportunity to get a FREEBIE as well. Ready to read on? Book Blurb Raven’s a thief who just swallowed a dragon. A small one, sure, but now his arms are growing scales, the local wildlife is acting up, and his snarky AI familiar is no help whatsoever. Raven’s best friend Aik is a guardsman carrying a torch for the thief. A pickpocket and a guard? Never going to happen. And Aik’s ex-fiancé Silya, an initiate priestess in the midst of a magical crisis, hates Raven with the heat of a thousand suns. This unlikely team must work together to face strange beasts, alien artifacts, and a world-altering threat. If they don’t figure out what to do soon, it might just be the end of everything. Things are about to get messy. ~~~~~~~ Genres: Fantasy, Romance, Science Fiction, Sci-Fantasy, YA Crossover Story Type: Novel (>50k) Word Count: 92500 Pairings: MM (romance subplot) LGBTQ+ Identities: Gay, Bi Keywords/Categories: science fiction, sci-fi, science fantasy, sci-fantasy, new release, announcement, gay, bi, bisexual, dragons, giveaway, friends to lovers, alien invasion, ya, young adult, crossover Tropes: friends to lovers, alien invasion Excerpt of The Dragon Eater Spin’s voice echoed in his ear. “This is a bad idea, boss.” “Shush,” Raven whispered to his familiar. He needed to concentrate. Cheek and jowl against the smooth cobblestones, he held his breath and prayed to the gods that no one had seen him duck under the sea master’s ornate carriage. The setting sun cast long shadows from a pair of boots so close to his face that the dust and leather made him want to sneeze. Their owner was deep in conversation with the sea master, the hem of her fine mur silk trousers barely visible. The two women’s voices were hushed, and he could only make out the occasional word. Raven rubbed the old burn scar on his cheek absently, wishing they would go away. “Seriously, boss. I’m not from this world, and even I know it’s a bad idea to steal from the sea master.” Though only he could hear Spin’s voice, Raven wished the little silver ay-eye would just shut up. The hencha cloth-wrapped package in the carriage above was calling to him. He’d wanted it since he’d first seen it through the open door. No, needed it. Like he needed air, even though he had no idea what was inside. He scratched the back of his hand hard to distract himself from its disturbing pull. An inthym popped its head out of the sewer grate in front of him, sniffing the air. Raven glared at the little white rodent, willing it to go away. Instead, the cursed thing nibbled at his nose. Raven sneezed, then covered his mouth. He held his breath, staring at the boots. Don’t let them hear me. A shiny silver feeler poked out of his shirt pocket, emitting a golden glow that illuminated the cobblestones underneath him. “Boss, you all right?” Spin’s whisper had that sarcastic edge he often used when he was annoyed. “Your heart rate is elevated.” “Be. Quiet.” Raven gritted his teeth. Spin had the worst sense of timing. The woman — one of the guard, maybe? — and the sea master stepped away, their voices fading into the distance. Raven said a quick prayer of thanks to Jor’Oss, the goddess of wild luck, and flicked the inthym back into the sewer. “Shoo!” He popped his head out from under the carriage to take a quick look around. There was no one between him and the squat gray Sea Guild headquarters. It was time. Grab it and go. He reached into the luxurious carriage — a host of mur beetles must have spent years spinning all the red silk that lined the interior — and snagged the package. He hoped it was the treasury payment for the week. If so, it should hold enough coin to feed an orphanage for a month, and he knew just the one. “Got it.” “Good. Now get us out of here.” A strange tingling surged through his hand. Raven frowned. Must have pinched a nerve or something. Ignoring it, he stuck the package under his arm, slipped around the carriage, and set off down Gullton’s main thoroughfare. He walked as casually as he could, hoping no one would notice the missing package until he was long gone. “We clear?” Spin’s feeler blinked red. “No. Run! They’ve seen you.” Raven ran. ~~~~~~~~ Grab a copy of THE DRAGON EATER. Now the good stuff: giveaway and freebie Scott is giving away a $20 book gift card with this reveal – your choice of Amazon, B&N, Kobo or Smashwords. Enter for a chance to win: http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/b60e8d47276/? How do you get the Freebie book, TALES FROM THARASSAS? It’s free to anyone who orders the book before release, on release day, and for at least a week or two after. So stop by the link below and follow the directions to get your free book: Other Worlds: The Origin Stories (or By Golly, We’re Almost There) Author Bio Scott lives with his husband Mark in a yellow bungalow in Sacramento. He was indoctrinated into fantasy and sci fi by his mother at the tender age of nine. He devoured her library, but as he grew up, he wondered where all the people like him were. He decided that if there weren’t queer characters in his favorite genres, he would remake them to his own ends. A Rainbow Award winning author, he runs Queer Sci Fi, QueeRomance Ink, and Other Worlds Ink with Mark, sites that celebrate fiction reflecting queer reality, and is the committee chair for the Indie Authors Committee at the Science Fiction and Fantasy Writers of…

Recipe for Romance: Rosemary Sandwich Bread

Posted on March 11, 2023March 11, 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 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 MR. FIXIT’S BILLIONAIRE, which is coming on March 20 2023. This is a standalone tale that was previously published in the Flip the Trope: Endless Summer anthology and this time, heroine is the billionaire and the hero is a working-class single dad. Amanda Pendleton is finding out about the hidden clause in her father’s will. Coming March 20 2023: Mr. Fixit’s Billionaire Something caught her attention, and she raised a hand. “Stop. I didn’t hear that correctly. Read the last clause again.” Amanda’s voice cracked like a whip in the room and startled everyone. Good, I want these bastards to sweat. “If, at such a time as my daughter, Amanda Lynn Pendleton, is not married by the first board meeting after the first anniversary of my death, my shares in Pens2Paper, Inc. shall revert to Walter Tisdale, Jonathon Cartwright, and Albert Montgomery, or their beneficiaries. For Amanda Lynn Pendleton to remain as CEO and majority owner of Pens2Paper, Inc., she must have a real and legal husband by the next board meeting following the anniversary of my death.” You’ve gotta be fuckin’ kidding me! Again, she screamed the words in her head but kept her lips together. Sorting her words carefully, she met the lawyer’s gaze. “Why was I not told the stipulation when his will was originally read a year ago?” She’d thought everything had been taken care of and sorted out. The lawyer’s gaze shot to Walter’s. He pulled out his pocket hankie to dab away the sweat on his forehead before meeting her eyes once more. “Uh, well, it was a hidden clause. Per the conditions of the will, it was meant to be read at a specific time, Ms. Pendleton.” She narrowed her eyes. In other words, it was only hidden because Walter wanted it to be. If she’d had the full year plus to find herself a suitable husband, Walter would lose out on any leverage he had to force her to fail, thereby gaining the company he’d been salivating over. Only because it’s hugely successful. And it’s only hugely successful because of me. Gluten-Free Rosemary Sandwich Bread Have you ever just wanted a sandwich but most gluten-free bread tastes a lot like sawdust and cardboard? This is a great recipe that will totally win you over. Muirlette #1 swears by it and it’s made lunchtime a much happier experience. The rosemary addition is completely optional, but it does give a nice flavor to otherwise white bread. Recipe below: https://glutenfreeonashoestring.com/gluten-free-white-sandwich-bread/ Because I like a little extra kick to mine, I add one large sprig of fresh rosemary, chopped, in with the dry ingredients before adding the wet ingredients. Happy making, happy baking, happy eating, and happy reading!

RELEASE DAY – Broken Chains

Posted on November 22, 2022November 20, 2022 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…

Snippet Sunday – Wait and See What it Brings

Posted on November 20, 2022 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.

Woops (whups? Uh-oh)! I’ve been so Distracted

Posted on November 18, 2022November 18, 2022 by Siobhan Muir

Hey y’all! I’m so sorry I haven’t been here. Between the election (where I ran for the local school board) and Twitter dying (isn’t it just amazing?) and #NaNoWriMo, I’ve been really distracted and I didn’t post anything. So here are some images with what’s been going on. At the end of October, I released THE SAMHAIN SOLDIER, and all the promo that went with it. If you haven’t gotten a copy, you can find it on all the retailers. https://siobhanmuir.com/the-samhain-soldier So what’s going on now? Other than very early COLD temps in Wyoming – it was -9 F this morning and not fun to be out in – I have another book coming on Tuesday, November 22 2022. That should warm y’all up since it was so friggin freezing today. Tomorrow is at least supposed to be in the 30s. Brr! But the book, right? Right. So I’m part of a group doing Sapphic (Lesbian) romance as a group series and I’m Book #5. BROKEN CHAINS is a romantic suspense set in the little town of Summit Springs, Colorado. There’s a whole series of these books and you can find all the books on my page and pre-order them all. https://siobhanmuir.com/broken-chains Because of the way the series is going, it’s only available on Amazon. Not my choice but the way it is. But you can pre-order it right now and it will show up on your Kindle first thing Tuesday morning. I joined NaNoWriMo this year to get some writing done (as if I’m not writing enough – as of this writing, I’ve written 331,311 words for the year!) and finish a couple of stories. I’m *this* close on the last book in my serial (THE KAROBIS CALLS) and on the second book in my new Sirens, Inc. series. I have a book cover for the first one in the series and the woman for the next one (THE SIREN AND THE SCIENTIST). So there’s lots coming even if I haven’t told you any of it until now, lol Thanks for being patient with me. Feel free to drop me a line (muir.siobhan@gmail.com) or connect with me on any of the social media platforms (with the exception of Twitter since it’s dying), and I hope your holidays will be wonderful. I should have a #ThursThreads post up here soon. Happy Reading! Siobhan