Tag: #ThursThreads

Siobhan Muir’s #ThursThreads Tales from Oct 2021

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome to the monthly round up of all my #ThursThreads tales.  It’s November and I’m deep into #NaNoWriMo. I will be posting some of my rough WIPs in December. But writing is getting done and I should have a quite a few stories out in 2022. Most of these bits are of upcoming tales, written to prompts from the #ThursThreads #flashfiction challenge I host each Thursday. We’re starting with Week 483 through Week 486 and I’ve collected them in one place. September had four Thursdays, so you get four tales along with their dates and prompts. Happy reading! ~~~~~~~~~ Week 483, October 7, 2021 Prompt: “Are you coming or not?” He’d gained a wife and another daughter all in one event. And he didn’t mind a bit. They read the girls bedtime stories and kissed them goodnight before retreating to the kitchen. The catering staff Amanda had hired cleaned up and stored the food from the reception while she changed into comfort clothing rather than wedding finery. Mike took the opportunity to put on sweats and a t-shirt before returning to the kitchen and walking the caterers out. Amanda joined him just as he locked the front door and set the alarm. “All good?” She stood in the entryway in a slouchy sweatshirt that bared one shoulder and a pair of soft fleece pants. Mike nodded. “Yeah, all good. What do you want to do now?” She gave a short laugh. “I don’t know. I’ve never had a wedding before. I’m tired, but I don’t want to go to bed yet.” She rubbed her arms with her hands. “Maybe we could do some Netflix & Chill now that we’re not under the gun to get married?” “That sounds great.” He followed her toward the living room, but took a left into the kitchen. Amanda paused. “Are you coming or…?” “Not yet, I thought I’d make us some tea or chai or something. Do you want anything?” “Oh, yeah, maybe some tea. Peppermint is my favorite.” She smiled and the surprised pleasure on her face made his day even brighter. Which is silly because this marriage isn’t real beyond the license. 250 #WIP500 words ~~~~~~~~~ Week 484, October 14, 2021 Prompt: “He can’t hear you.” “I actually love you. Please don’t go.” “He can’t hear you, you know.” Amanda nodded as she leaned her head against the window four stories above the street where Mike stood waiting for a taxi. “I know.” Zoe sighed. “Then what are you doing? If you really love him, why aren’t you going after him?” Amanda closed her eyes as tears threatened. “I can’t give him what he needs. He needs someone who doesn’t work all the time. Someone who can decorate Easter eggs and sit around filling out the Sudoku puzzle in the morning paper. He deserves someone like that and I can’t be it.” “Why not? From what I saw, this was the first time since I’ve known you that you took a vacation, and had fun. Actual, not-doing-it-for-money fun.” Zoe leaned against the window and stared Amanda down. “Mike was good for you. He made you see there’s more to life than just work, or business. Hell he made you think about things beyond paperclips and stationary. Don’t be a dumbass. Go after him. He’s worth it.” “How do you know?” Amanda finally looked away from Mike, still waiting. “How do you know he’s worth it?” “Uh, because you’re up here in tears, and Amanda Pendleton never cries in the office. Ever.” Zoe rolled her eyes. “Besides, I’ve seen how he treats you and how you interacted with him. You’re in love, for real, girlfriend. Don’t be stupid and let it go.” 245 #WIP500 words ~~~~~~~~~ Week 485, October 21, 2021 Prompt: “That’s not why I’m here.” “Well…” Phinn shot Kendra a look before taking a deep breath. “First let me introduce Kendra MacGillivray of Cloudburst, Colorado. She was with me when the tracker demon came for me because I’ve left Winter.” “Sweet Goddess.” Phinn’s mother widened her eyes. “It’s very nice to meet you, Kendra. You can call me Colleen.” She smiled briefly before fixing her son with her wide gaze. “She was with you? As in, with you?” Phinn sputtered and Kendra laughed. “No, no, he was skulking around Darius and Sabrina’s place when he literally ran into me.” “Phinnius, I taught you better than that.” Colleen shook her head as she sipped her tea. “So how did you get to Winter?” “The tracker demon—” “Whose name is Marbles.” “—caught us both in its return spell.” “But my healing spell healed her, and she kept us from being discovered by a Winter patrol while Phinn was injured—” “By the tracker demon to begin with.” Phinn rolled his eyes. “My goodness, you’ve definitely had an adventure. It’s a good thing you’re here. Now we can have a little visit and relax.” Colleen nodded sharply as if that solved everything. “Yeah…that’s not why I’m here, Mom. I wanted to talk to you about Grampa’s sword.” Colleen’s expression grew wary. “What about it?” “I’m pretty sure it’s the reason Winter sent the tracker demon. I’m pretty sure it’s why Dad courted and married you. And I’m pretty sure you know why they’d be after it.” 250 #CloudburstColorado words ~~~~~~~~~ Week 486, October 28, 2021 Prompt: “Might not be the targets.” “Viper and Harley might not be the targets.” But Neo shook his head. “Maybe not at first, but now Backlog thinks they have something valuable.” He pointed at me. “Did you find anything on Harley? Maybe in her gear or clothes or something?” I frowned. “No. I wasn’t really looking for anything. I mean, hell, there could be a tracking bug on her gear somewhere and I wouldn’t know it.” Neo stiffened and rose from his chair before digging through a cabinet that looked like it contained files, but really held locked drawers. He pulled out a little wand that detected electronics and…

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#ThursThreads – Week 488 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 488 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Patricia Oak for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Angora Shade | @AngoraShade Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Silver James | @SilverJames_ Eric Martell | @drmag00 Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Teresa Eccles| @TeresaMEccles M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Tina Glasneck | @TinaGlasneck Honorable Mentions Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Patricia says: this story was meant for Veterans day. I was drawn on and want to read about both love stories. Silver James | @SilverJames_ Patricia says: this story out of all of them made me want more. My first note for this was “What’s going to happen next?”. I love stories that make me want more and I will go back to read. Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Patricia says: as I was reading this story I just want to jump in and help this poor girl. I just love stories that make me care that much for the characters. winner announcement Week 488 Winner Teresa Eccles | @TeresaMEccles Patricia says: this story was well written, easy to follow and I could see where it could keep going. I felt the emotions jump off of page at me. Congratulations. LeeAnn walked in as Sherry let out a heavy sigh. “How’s it going?” “Terrible.” “It’s small, yeah?” “It’s been small. Stuff has started to get out of hand, though. I mean, look at this!” Sherry held up a huge stack of papers. “LeeAnn, this was supposed to be a little contest with maybe ten entries. How in the world did this many people even find out about it?” LeeAnn shrugged. “Maybe word got out?” Sherry stopped and shot LeeAnn a hard stare. “What did you do?” LeeAnn grabbed a piece of candy and shoved it in her mouth, shaking her head and pointing to her full mouth, making noises around the caramel as if she were trying to speak. “LeeAnn! You know I don’t have time to read all these essays. Why would you do this?” LeeAnn chewed faster, holding up her index finger at Sherry, causing Sherry to roll her eyes and put both hands on her hips as she waited. “You’ve worked so hard to make your shop a success, I knew that one little sign on your door wouldn’t bring in many entries. And, isn’t the whole point of this contest to bring more attention to your store? I may have posted the contest on social media.” Sherry’s eyebrows shot up. “And added an uh . . . incentive.” Sherry’s eyes closed in disbelief. “LeeAnn, I do not believe you.” She drew a deep breath and handed some papers to LeeAnn. “Fine. You’re reading essays, too.” ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Five Time Winner Teresa, and Honorable Mentions Sheilagh, Silver, and Catherine! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 488

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re in the middle of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 488 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 488: Florida girl and reader, Patricia Oak. And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Yeah, it’s been small stuff.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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#ThursThreads – Week 487 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 487 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to George Varhalmi for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Silver James | @SilverJames_ Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Kelly Heinen | @Aightball M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil George says: Great stories everyone, I really enjoyed them. Until next time. Honorable Mentions Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil George says: The big sister will be there for a long, long time. I loved the intensity of the scene. It went well and I liked the undead twist. Overall, its a good tale with a good amount of emotion. Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin George says: Great tale, I loved the eroticism the scene alludes to and the unexpected consequence the heroine finds herself in. The tale was well written and ended on a creepy note. I feel sorry for the heroine but curious to find out what’s next. winner announcement Week 487 Winner Silver James | @SilverJames_ George says: This was a tough choice and in the end it came down to the ending. The kittens win. I loved the big, bad vibe the story had and that it ended on cute protective twist and almost Indiana Jones-like dilemma: it had to be cats. Whether these mobsters have it in them for harm or do they let the theft slide is for the next scene. Good tale awesome ending. Ronan looked up from the paperwork he’d been studying. Brendan stood in the doorway, shifting foot-to-foot, looking everywhere but at him. He waited, knowing the other man wouldn’t have intruded without reason. “Uh…boss?” Brendan still didn’t meet his eyes. “What is it?” “Well, ya see…” The younger man inhaled and finally met his gaze. “Finn came t’me because things have gone missin’.” Ronan straightened. “Someone’s been stealin’ from the bar?” “Well…sort of.” “Sort of? Who?” “Yeah, it’s been small stuff. And the girl, she’s been actin’ suspicious.” “Which girl?” “Bowie’s. Fee. Fiona. She’s been sneakin’ out of his place. Plus she’s been helpin’ Finn out in the back.” “Where’s Bowie?” “Downstairs.” “And Fiona?” “That’s the thing, boss. She slipped out the back door about five minutes ago.” Ronan pushed out of his chair. “Let’s go.” They found her behind the dumpster and confronted her. Fiona, eyes brimming with tears, faced them down. “I can’t abandon them.” Her chin jutted at a stubborn angle despite the tremor in her voice. The three men exchanged wary glances. Female tears plus a fiery temper boded ill for them. Something yowled, a pitifully weak sound. That’s when they saw the milk carton and the rag-filled wooden box at her feet. Green eyes snapped at them as she squatted and snuggled four tiny kittens in her arms. “And I won’t let you hurt them.” Bowie rubbed the back of his neck. “Cats. It had to be cats.” What were Wolves to do? ~~~~~~~ Congratulations FIFTY-FIVE TIME WINNER Silver, and Honorable Mentions Sheilagh and Miya! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 487

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re at the beginning of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 487 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 487: Dead Thing Specialist, Mining Geologist, and Original Book Boyfriend, George Varhalmi. Facebook | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “I can’t abandon them.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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#ThursThreads – Week 486 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 486 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Nikki Prince for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Miya Kressin Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Richard Gibney | @ragtaggiggagon Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Terri Mertz | @rrats1231 Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Silver James | @SilverJames_ Mark A. Morris David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Eric Martell | @drmag00 Nikki says: I loved everyone’s contributions. Thank you for allowing me to be a judge! Honorable Mentions Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Nikki says: I’m intrigued by this mystery. I can only hope you will be working on the story to publish. Silver James | @SilverJames_ Nikki says: I really want to read Moonstuck Mafia, a great 250 words! winner announcement Week 486 Winner Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin Nikki says: Loved this story! Please tell me you’re writing the book?! Very vivid and made me want more. Brilliant 248 words. A supernova illuminated what should have been the night sky. Witches cowered beneath the trees, waiting— praying—that it wasn’t the sign they’d feared would come. If the Chief Warlock had awakened the gatekeepers of the eldritch powers, there would be no way to keep the elements in balance against that onslaught. “We can still work on behalf of the Green, brother.” Dalyn cupped my shoulder, his witch-mark an angry red as the sky remained afire. “It’s not over yet. The stone rings might not be the targets they’re aiming for. We have a chance.” A pile of dead bodies, our willing sacrifices, littered the ground around the altar slab. “I don’t know how much longer we can keep asking them to sacrifice themselves to save a dying world.” Dalyn, only half-human in body and less than in mind, cocked his head to the side. “Come to Faerie with me. If this world is doomed, come do your duty for the Green in a realm untouched by their corruption.” “I’m their High Priest. I can’t abandon them. Not to what’s coming.” His eyes shimmer, and he lets his fae nature shine through—a vivid turquoise swirl around each pupil. “You are the Green’s High Priest. They would rather you serve in Fae than die to save dying humans.” “I can’t leave them!” He smiles then. “You won’t. I’m taking you.” The last thing I see is a green glow of a portal spell triggering in front of me. ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Six Time Winner Miya, and Honorable Mentions Catherine and Silver! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 486

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re at the beginning of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 486 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 486: Lover of Words, Creative Writing MA, and Interracial Paranormal and Contemporary Romance Author, Nikki Prince. Facebook | Twitter | Goodreads | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “Might not be the targets.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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#ThursThreads – Week 485 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 485 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Katheryn J. Avila | @katheryn_avila Gora Shade | @AngoraShade Silver James | @SilverJames_ Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Eric Martell | @drmag00 Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Cara Michaels | @caramichaels David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Mark A. Morris Mark Ethridge | @mysoulstears Kelly Heinen | @Aightball M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Honorable Mentions Eric Martell | @drmag00 Siobhan says: I liked the mystery and the familiarity of a writer working on a book in a coffee shop. But then the “dead” guys stop at her table and they’re messengers…from the future? From the past? Who knows, but I want to know if she’ll heed them this time. Cara Michaels | @caramichaels Siobhan says: I really love meet-cutes, and this one is both sweet and sultry. Nicely done.  M.T. Decker | @mishmhem Siobhan says: Knowing MT, I knew this wouldn’t be what it seemed, but I still laughed aloud when the true objective became clear. Nicely done. winner announcement Week 485 Winner Katheryn J. Avila | @katheryn_avila Siobhan says: I loved the mix of attraction and second-guessing the female character did when it came to love, but utter confidence and focus when it came to a threat. And the befuddlement of the male character when she suddenly showed up in his room. Perfect. It feels good to be rid of the layers, to kick the heavy skirts away and crawl into bed. Why Celeste chose such a cumbersome dress for me, I’ll never know. I’ll also never forgive her, and force my sister into something equally terrible for her if I ever get married. In bed, exhaustion sits heavy in my bones, but sleep doesn’t come. Embarrassment won’t let it. What was I thinking, asking Nolan to stay? Stupid. With sleep out of reach, I pull on a dress slip before stepping onto the balcony. The warm air is still, like something holding its breath. I listen for my magic. The wards I placed on the newlyweds’ room sit intact, but something doesn’t feel right. Moonlight flashes in the corner of my vision. When I look, my eyes land on a group scaling the side of the building, armed with swords. I duck, hiding but keeping an eye on the intruders. If they’re after the princesses, they’re on the wrong side of the building. I’m in Nolan’s room before I realize I made the decision. “Nora – what?” His voice chokes, eyes lingering on my less than modest clothes. “I-” “Don’t flatter yourself – that’s not why I’m here.” I move to his window – a closer vantage point. “Assassins.” “The princesses?” He joins me by the window, offering a spare shirt. “Might not be the targets.” I pull the shirt over the slip. “Let’s greet our guests, shall we?” Time to blow off some steam.~~~~~~~ Congratulations Fourteen Time Winner Katheryn, and Honorable Mentions Eric, Cara, and M.T.! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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#ThursThreads – Tying Tales Together – Week 485

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Welcome back to the home of Paranormal & Dauntless Romance. Today is Thursday and that means it’s time to start flashing. We’re at the beginning of our ninth year of weekly prompts. It’s amazing we’ve gone this long! This is Week 485 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook and the Group on MeWe. Need the rules? Read on. Here’s how it works: The prompt is a line from the previous week’s winning tale. The prompt can appear ANYWHERE in your story and is included in your word count. The prompt must be used as is. It can be split, but no intervening words can be inserted or tenses changed. Rules to the Game: This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250. The story must be new writing, not a snippet from something published elsewhere with the prompt added. Incorporate the prompt anywhere into your story (included in your word count). Post your story in the comments section of this post Include your word count in the post (or be excluded from judging) Include your Twitter handle or email in the post (so we don’t have to look for you) The challenge is open 7 AM to 8 PM Mountain Time The winner will be announced on Friday, depending on how early the judge gets up. How it benefits you: You get a nifty cool badge to display on your blog or site (because we’re all about promotion – you know you are!) You get instant recognition of your writing prowess on this blog! Your writing colleagues shall announce and proclaim your greatness on Facebook, Twitter, MeWe, and Google Plus, etc. Our Judge for Week 485: Scottish Word Slinger, Dauntless romance author, and #ThursThreads host, Siobhan Muir. Facebook | Twitter | Patreon | EdenBooks | And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together. The Prompt: “That’s not why I’m here.” All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Comments do not represent the views of the host and the host reserves the right to remove any content. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

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#ThursThreads – Week 484 – Winners

Posted on by Siobhan Muir

Week 484 of #ThursThreads had many fantastic tales. What an amazing feat we’ve pulled off. Nine years! If you’ve been doing it a while, thank you for coming back each week. If you’ve just found us, welcome! You’re in good company. May you come back again and write more great flash. A thousand thanks to Luanne Bennett for judging this week. Check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on Facebook or the #ThursThreads Group on MeWe to keep up with news, etc. Entries: Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin Gora Shade | @AngoraShade Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Catherine Verdier | @CatheVerdier Mark A. Morris Silver James | @SilverJames_ Patty Dump | @pattydump1 David A. Ludwig | @DavidALudwig Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir Honorable Mentions Miya Kressin | @miya_kressin Luanne says: A haunting story with a twist that leaves the reader wanting more – just like the main character. Bravo! Bill Engleson | @billmelaterplea Luanne says: The suspense and tension were terrific and left me wondering, “Who’s next?” Mark A. Morris Luanne says: Proving that mysteries are sometimes of our own making, and all we can do is try to remember- this one made me tear up. winner announcement Week 484 Winner Gora Shade | @AngoraShade Luanne says: This week’s winning story is a haunting mystery that both intrigues and delights. You pull the reader in and make them want to know more. Well done. “Mr Wu?” “Hello Trixi. Stacy? Megan? Which name is it today?” She’d never felt so naked. She wasn’t body conscious—it allowed her to be a stripper—but scantily clad before her best friend’s father’s stare made her feel small. This man ran the city. “If you’re looking for entertainment, I’d recommend one of the other—“ “No. That’s not why I’m here.” He passed her a paper. “Read this to me.” “Sir?” It was foreign. She felt surprised she could read it, but wondered why he asked. “Um, this is some accounting information from a city in China.” Mr. Wu nodded. “And this?” She scanned a photocopy, and read a few lines aloud, translated. “He can’t hear you. Dragons break silence like water through stone,” followed by a question building like a tension headache, which was not on the page. “What is this about, Mr. Wu?” He appraised her a moment, but not like a piece of meat. This was something else. “You speak Mandarin like you were born to it, but you’re not Chinese. My daughter, her friends—I’m told you have amnesia. You’re no one. No family. No past. You spoke Mandarin without knowing at Sussie’s party. You can read this, translate it; it’s a piece of your puzzle. I want to help you.” “Why?” He handed her his business card, “You’re my daughter’s friend,” and stood, “and because I want to know who you are.” She wondered herself as she watched the back of him. Who am I? ~~~~~~~ Congratulations Seven Time Winner Gora, and Honorable Mentions Miya and Bill! Don’t forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, MeWe, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the original tales HERE. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! 🙂

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