Snippet Sunday - Cloudburst Ice Magic - Clear as Crystal

Welcome to the Snippet Sunday on the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Thank you so much for visiting. If you choose to comment today, I really appreciate it. The snippets are from my Cloudburst novella, Cloudburst Ice Magic, a paranormal romance sequel to Christmas I.C.E. Magic in the Happy Holidays from the Crescent Moon Lodge Anthology. Cloudburst Ice Magic is out now. You can catch last week's snippet HERE.

In this snippet, Zach and Lily got the hikers to the Forest Service shed, but the whole hike there Lily has been battling her unreasoning jealousy over the redheaded hiker's flirting. Fortunately, Zach isn't completely dense, but he might be missing something. We're in Lily's POV, but Zach is the first to speak.

“Hey, princess, talk to me. I can feel you’re upset, but I don’t know why.” He stepped closer and tried to take her hand. But Lily turned out of his reach, presenting him with her shoulder.

“You don’t know why? All right. Let me make it really clear.” She faced him, tilted her head, and gave him a coy smile. “‘Oh, thank God, Zach. You found it. You saved us. How can I ever thank you?’” She batted her eyes at him before they narrowed. “That give you enough of a clue?”

Zach snorted. “She’s just grateful to get out of danger.”

“Yeah, you just keep telling yourself that.”

Oh dear, he better have a good comeback to that. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list and in the Snippet Sunday Facebook group. A few of my favorites are Charley Descoteaux, SJ Maylee, Gem Sivad, Goran Zidar, Veronica Scott, and Sarah Wesson.

If you're interested in more from Cloudburst Ice Magic, here's the blurb:

Avalanches may bring down more than snow…

Working for the Search and Rescue team at the Cloudburst Resort in Colorado, Lily Sinclair figures she’ll do all the rescuing from now on. When hikers are caught in a spring blizzard, Lily and her partner head into the storm. Cut off from communication and facing deadly conditions, Lily fears she’ll never see her Ice Demon lover before death claims them.

Zach Snow encouraged Lily move to Cloudburst to grow and learn, but missed her every day of their months apart. His plans of moving to Colorado get pushed up when he receives her text explaining her situation, and saying goodbye. He must negotiate with the local Ice Demon clan to work in their territory to rescue Lily and the hikers before the Spring Fling blizzard kills them. But he’s running out of time.

Between the amorous hiker hitting on Zach, Lily’s self-doubts, and an avalanche bearing down on them, Zach and Lily must rediscover the love they first kindled in a Christmas ice cave, and create their own Cloudburst ice magic.

Cloudburst Ice Magic is available at Amazon, All Romance, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords.

#ThursThreads - Week 137 - Winners

Week 137 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write and for helping me celebrate these years of flash. And so great to have some new faces in the crowd this week. Welcome! Great thanks to Chris Linehan for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Sandi Layne | @sandyquill
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Olivia Starke | @OliviaStarke
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain
• Eden Connor | @EdenConnor
• Mark A. King | @Making_Fiction
• Charles W. Jones | @ChuckWesJ
• Charlee | @lindorfan
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Even Sultry | @EvenSultry
• Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain

Chris says: This story is very intriguing, and if this was on the back cover, I would buy the book to read.

Kelly Heinen | @Aightball

Chris says: This story is a sentimental favorite to me right now. As the father of a newborn, I can really relate.

Olivia Starke | @OliviaStarke

Chris says: Although this story seemed unfinished, it reads very well as an excerpt out of a novelet or short story. I would like to read the rest of the story.

Week 137 Winner

Mark A. King | @Making_Fiction

Chris says: This is the winner because the story kept me involved, and I did not see the surprise twist at the end coming.

He sees her writhe in pain, her body contorted like organic origami; folding, bending and jolting with agony. He smiles.

Heavily drugged, she cannot move from the bed. He likes it this way. Soon it will be over for her. Where would she go anyway?

A gleaming knife cuts neatly at her flesh and he brings the camera closer to capture every moment, to savour it, he will replay this, and maybe even enjoy it more after the event.

“I hate you so much,” she screams at him, her voice pure loathing, “I thought you loved me, how could you do this to me?”

He smiles and says, “You wanted this as much as me. You asked for it. You know what I mean?”

She scowls at him. She howls, a noise he has only ever heard from animals or horror films.

Then…he sees the head. He hears the slosh of amniotic fluid and the scream of new life. He looks at her and as soon as she cradles their child, she smiles.

Congratulations Winner Mark, Wendy, Kelly, and Olivia! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tale Together - Week 137

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday today, and also my 10th Wedding Anniversary to Mr. SM! So get your flash ready to celebrate and write a #flashfiction thread! Welcome to Week 137 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? You're welcome to join the FB #ThursThreads group where we'll do events and make announcements. 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.

Rules to the Game:

• This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
• 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 (or be excluded from judging)
• Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find 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, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 137:

Recreation specialist, Hump-and-Bump enthusiast, and new dad, Chris Linehan.

 

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“You know what I mean?”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

Snippet Sunday - Cloudburst Ice Magic - Plot Thickens with the Snow

Welcome to the Snippet Sunday on the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Thank you so much for visiting. If you choose to comment today, I really appreciate it. The snippets are from my Cloudburst novella, Cloudburst Ice Magic, a paranormal romance sequel to Christmas I.C.E. Magic in the Happy Holidays from the Crescent Moon Lodge Anthology. Cloudburst Ice Magic is out now. You can catch last week's snippet HERE.

In this snippet, Zach and Lily pulled the hikers out of the chute in time, but now they have to get to shelter to await transport. Both are relieved and thrilled to see the other. Lily's not the only one who's excited to see Zach. We're in Zach's POV.

Zach wanted to grab Lily and kiss the hell out of her, but she turned away to give Randy the plan. Zach dropped his chin to hide his grin and made sure Lily’s pack remained connected to his. A new scent intruded as he worked and he looked up to meet the gaze of Caroline.

“Hi, I just wanted to thank you for coming all this way out here to rescue us.” She gave him a shy smile. “I didn’t think anyone knew where we were.”

“They had a vague idea.” Zach gave her his best noncommittal smile. “Ms. Sinclair got a text out to me and I managed to get up here in time.”

Caroline brandished her smile again. “I don’t know very much about mountain rescues, but don’t Search and Rescue people always work in pairs?”

I guess Zach has made an impression. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writer Warriors list and in the Snippet Sunday Facebook group. A few of my favorites are Charley Descoteaux, SJ Maylee, Gem Sivad, Goran Zidar, Veronica Scott, and Sarah Wesson.

If you're interested in more from Cloudburst Ice Magic, here's the blurb:

Avalanches may bring down more than snow…

Working for the Search and Rescue team at the Cloudburst Resort in Colorado, Lily Sinclair figures she’ll do all the rescuing from now on. When hikers are caught in a spring blizzard, Lily and her partner head into the storm. Cut off from communication and facing deadly conditions, Lily fears she’ll never see her Ice Demon lover before death claims them.

Zach Snow encouraged Lily move to Cloudburst to grow and learn, but missed her every day of their months apart. His plans of moving to Colorado get pushed up when he receives her text explaining her situation, and saying goodbye. He must negotiate with the local Ice Demon clan to work in their territory to rescue Lily and the hikers before the Spring Fling blizzard kills them. But he’s running out of time.

Between the amorous hiker hitting on Zach, Lily’s self-doubts, and an avalanche bearing down on them, Zach and Lily must rediscover the love they first kindled in a Christmas ice cave, and create their own Cloudburst ice magic.

Cloudburst Ice Magic is available at Amazon, All Romance, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords.

#ThursThreads - Week 136 - Winners

Week 136 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write and for helping me celebrate these years of flash. And so great to have some new faces in the crowd this week. Welcome! Great thanks to Cindy Stark for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• Alice Raine | @AliceRaine1
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Eden Connor | @EdenConnor
• Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain
• Susanne Matthews | @jandsmatt
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Sandi Layne | @sandyquill
• KB Gardener | @KBGardener
• Charley Emma | @Charley_001
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Josh Peters | @Joshbgosh
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Even Sultry | @EvenSultry

Cindy says: So many great entries. It really was hard to choose.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Josh Peters | @josbgosh

Cindy says: I was immediately drawn into the story and wondered why Gana seemed so afraid. Having rich clothing, joyous family members and being chosen seemed like good things until I read the surprising last line.

Sandy Layne | @sandyquill

Cindy says: I found Stephan's attitude endearing and loved seeing Mikki through his eyes. Loved the beginning of their romance and his thoughts when he kisses her. Dying to know what happens next.

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Cindy says: This story has great characterization and a sexy, sizzling level of heat. Love that he's so strong and yet she has a hold over him.

Week 136 Winner

Cara MIchaels | @caramichaels

Cindy says: The first paragraph was pure poetry. The heroines internal dialogue gave me great insight into her character, and I fell in love with both characters immediately.

“How does she end up among the stars? The woman who wants the earth and grass between her toes, who studies and tends the life the soil offers up?”

His words carried a romance that turned my cheeks red. He offered me the distance of third person to tell my tales. Silly that it should work. He had a surprising knack with people, my space pirate. A half-smile curved my lips. And when had I started thinking of him as mine?

“It cannot have been easy to trade the endless cycles of growth for the dead of space.”

“No.” Maybe I—she—even changed her mind once or twice. “But then she gets a letter. You know what I mean?” Had he ever seen paper?

“I’m familiar with the concept.” He grinned. “I made a fortune on parchment and stationery once on the third moon of—” He cut himself short. “So. She receives a letter…”

“Understand, out of tens of thousands of candidates, twenty get this particular letter.” The claustrophobia of those insane early months closed in on me— “The press is hounding our every move, family and friends are angry and hurt, those who didn’t make the cut hate us. And there’s EASA, just feeding the frenzy. Go here. Smile there. Wave. Yep, here we are—the chosen ones. Gaea’s Chosen.”

“Do not ask me to pity you, love.” His smile invited a response. “For the journey brought you to me, a turn of events I cannot regret.”

Congratulations THIRTEEN TIME Winner Cara, Josh, Sandi, 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, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 136

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday today, so get your flash ready. Writing a #flashfiction thread! Welcome to Week 136 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? You're welcome to join the FB #ThursThreads group where we'll do events and make announcements. 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.

Rules to the Game:

• This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
• 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 (or be excluded from judging)
• Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find 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, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 136:

Medical heroine, mom of teenagers (read = supermom), and romantic suspense author, Cindy Stark.

 

Cindy on Facebook

Cindy on Twitter

Cindy on Google Plus

Cindy on Goodreads

 

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“We are the chosen ones.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

Mid Week Tease - Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack - Clarity of Hindsight

Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a new year of Mid Week Tease hosted by Sandra Bunino.

Authors: this is a great opportunity to spotlight a few lines or even a paragraph or two from a new release or backlisted title. Readers: you get to sample some delicious snippets! We’ll do our best to tease, titillate and tantalize you into the weekend.

Today I'm offering snippets from Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack, a paranormal romantic suspense. Julianna Morris has been chosen as a Luna candidate, the Alpha female hopeful, and Sabrina is helping her understand her Sister self, the wolf half of her. This is Julianna's first controlled shift.

The world had changed significantly. Every detail was sharper. Honeybees buzzed around the few flowers in the clearing wearing sharp jackets of gold and black while the rocks cast knife-edged shadows on individual blades of grass, waving gently in the breeze like green bristly hair. Everything seemed bigger or taller than she remembered. Even Sebrina looked down on her, though her face showed a satisfied smile.

“Very good, my daughter.” Her whisper carried like a normal voice to Julianna’s ears.

Sounds she’d been ignoring, such as the woodpecker pounding on a tree somewhere nearby or the patter of little rodent feet through the under growth, were as clear as if she’d put on headphones. She inhaled deeply and smelled the rodents and flowers and bees and the deer that had passed through this clearing earlier that morning. Sebrina’s scent wove its way into her awareness, a mixture of satisfaction, wolf, and pride. Before Julianna could savor the sights and scents, sharp surprise, sorrow, and regret tainted the air around the Paiute woman, and her smile disappeared.

Quick as lightning, the woman grabbed Julianna’s muzzle and turned her head sharply to the right, staring at her intently. Julianna had never seen herself in her wolf form so she had no idea what Sebrina was looking at, but whatever it was, the woman paled, and her hand shook where it touched Julianna’s muzzle.

Julianna whined uncertainly and thought, “What, Sebrina?”

The woman jerked as if she’d been slapped and stared at Julianna’s eyes with surprise and disbelief.

“It cannot be,” she whispered then, shaking her head in denial without letting Julianna free of her grip. “It cannot be.”

Julianna whined again. “What can’t be? I don’t understand.”

“Great Mother Moon, I never thought…to see…”

Julianna’s Sister didn’t like the scents coming from Sebrina and tucked her tail between her hind legs, trying to back away from the agonized Paiute woman. A whine full of fearful confusion escaped from Julianna’s chest, and she quailed at the loss of confidence in her inner wolf.

You must be your Sister’s leader, her protector. You must lead in your transformation from now on. It will keep you and your Sister safe. Sebrina’s instructions shot through Julianna’s awareness, and she pushed forward, taking the lead from her Sister.

Julianna tugged her head in Sebrina’s hand, pulling her lips back to bare her teeth, but the woman held fast for a few more moments. Sebrina appeared to be lost in whatever showed on Julianna’s face and the sorrow radiating from her overwhelmed her scent. Julianna’s Sister started to panic, and when Julianna growled like an animal cornered at the edge of fight or flight, Sebrina released her, dropping to her knees in the grass.

“I’m sorry, daughter, so sorry!” Sebrina wailed as she flattened her hands in the grass and placed her head between her arms until her forehead touch the ground. “I didn’t understand all those years ago, and I was afraid. Please forgive me.”

Available at Amazon | Bookstrand | Barnes & Noble | Kobo Books

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Snippet Sunday - Cloudburst Ice Magic - All for One, and One for All

Welcome to the Snippet Sunday on the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Thank you so much for visiting. If you choose to comment today, I really appreciate it. The snippets are from my Cloudburst novella, Cloudburst Ice Magic, a paranormal romance sequel to Christmas I.C.E. Magic in the Happy Holidays from the Crescent Moon Lodge Anthology. Cloudburst Ice Magic is out now. You can catch last week's snippet HERE.

In this snippet, Zach made it to Lily and the hikers in time, but now they have to get out of the chute. They're out of time, and being all tied together, if the last person doesn't get out, they'll all be swept away. We're in Zach's POV.

A blast of wind and snow ripped away anything she might have said and Zach turned his attention to getting the humans out of the avalanche chute. They had no time left and while the ridge wasn’t far, it would take a fair amount of effort to reach it before noon. Zach’s Ice Demon abilities remained curtailed by his human guise, but what little leaked through allowed him to make a fairly stable path up the edge of the chute.

He and Lily crested the ridge, and he breathed a sigh of relief. They’d made it.

“I think we did it.”

Lily smiled. “Yeah, we—”

Her words cut off as a deep rumbling started upslope. Lily gasped and hauled on the rope, bringing the next person within sight through the snow.

“Fuck! Help me, Zach, we have to get the others out of there before we’re all swept with the avalanche.”

All for one, and one for all, and not in a good way. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writing Warrior list and in the Snippet Sunday Facebook group. A few of my favorites are Charley Descoteaux, SJ Maylee, Gem Sivad, Goran Zidar, Veronica Scott, and Karla Doyle.

If you're interested in more from Cloudburst Ice Magic, here's the blurb:

Avalanches may bring down more than snow…

Working for the Search and Rescue team at the Cloudburst Resort in Colorado, Lily Sinclair figures she’ll do all the rescuing from now on. When hikers are caught in a spring blizzard, Lily and her partner head into the storm. Cut off from communication and facing deadly conditions, Lily fears she’ll never see her Ice Demon lover before death claims them.

Zach Snow encouraged Lily move to Cloudburst to grow and learn, but missed her every day of their months apart. His plans of moving to Colorado get pushed up when he receives her text explaining her situation, and saying goodbye. He must negotiate with the local Ice Demon clan to work in their territory to rescue Lily and the hikers before the Spring Fling blizzard kills them. But he’s running out of time.

Between the amorous hiker hitting on Zach, Lily’s self-doubts, and an avalanche bearing down on them, Zach and Lily must rediscover the love they first kindled in a Christmas ice cave, and create their own Cloudburst ice magic.

Cloudburst Ice Magic is available at Amazon, All Romance, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords.

#ThursThreads - Week 135 - Winners

Week 135 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write and for helping me celebrate these years of flash. And so great to have so many new faces in the crowd this week. Welcome! Great thanks to Cindy Amrhein for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• TwiAddict Anne
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Teresa Cypher | @Teresa_Cypher
• Cate Derham | @Cate_Derham
• Josh Peters | @Joshbgosh
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball 
• Louisa Bacio | @Louisabacio
• Sandi Layne | @sandyquill
• Even Sultry | @EvenSultry 
• Veronica Jorden | @RevolutionaryVJ

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Even Sultry | @EvenSultry

Cindy says: Even Sultry was my close second for many of the same reasons as Josh. Very descriptive and easy to visualize. I was a bit confused as to how many were there. It does say "two stood admits the rubble." But it also says, "'Perhaps,' said another" making me wonder if there were more than two or not? If only two, maybe it should have said, "Perhaps," said the other.... That aside, I liked it a lot. Like Josh's there was an interesting contrast to what the teacher was seeing as victory and what was really in front of him. Waste. I think the student understood far more than his teacher. Great job Even!

Veronica Jorden | @RevolutionaryVJ

Cindy says: Veronica had a very good opening hook. The first sentence tells us something is going on. By the comparison between air and gold I knew something life threatening was going to happen. Contest aside, I think a reader would keep reading to see what that was. He asks if she can swim. She gives him an odd look. Again we are feeling something is going to happen. Then all hell breaks loose and he ask her again if she can swim. Nice way to bring it back around and we see why that question was so important. I can see this developed into a cool swashbuckling story!

Teresa Cypher | @Teresa_Cypher

Cindy says: This is great flash fiction but I can see this as a scene in a longer story too. I want Annie to get up somehow and kick his ass! :) Good description of the surroundings too. It has some of the elements I liked in the first two above with warmongers being proud of winning a wasteland, death and devastation, and for what? I like oxymoron contrast, can you tell? The one line says it all, "Where's your crown, oh mighty King of nothing?" That was a great punch to the gut last line.

Week 135 Winner

Josh Peters | @joshbgosh

Cindy says: Josh's story sucked me right in. I wanted to know what desolate place this was and what happened. The prose was very descriptive and I easily visualized the surroundings. What I took away from the story at the end was all this devastation, the one character was worried about sinners dirtying the cities, yet what is before him was all laid to waste, an unfixable mess, a pointless out come. Very well done Josh!

"In these trying days we must remember that no one will stop us from fulfilling our destiny!"

The great desert stretched from horizon to horizon. Sand flowed over broken trees and filled empty stream beds. An old fencepost stood marking the remains of a field long forgotten. Nothing stirred except the dunes as the relentless wind pressed them ever onward.

"We will not tolerate unbelievers. We will not allow sinners to dirty our cities. We are the chosen people. We are the chosen ones."

The hot sun beat down on a dark pond, reflecting spots of light on the rock surface around it. A lizard staggered toward the water and collapsed on its side near the water’s edge. Blue markings on its skin rose and fell with the lizard's slow breath. The animal drank once from the rancid water then twitched and breathed no more.

"This land was given to us, and to us alone, by the creator!"

The crumbling city stood in defiance to the passage of time. Broken spires leaned to one side or another as if jabbed into the earth by a child. Concrete and asphalt lie in broken ruins. Abandoned vehicles rusted on their, the rubber of the tires long burned off.

"We will rise up to strike down all that dare to oppose us and history will see the signs of our victory!"

Throughout the ruins bleached human skulls stared with empty eyes at the once proud city surrounding them.

Congratulations Two Time Winner Josh, Even, Veronica, and Teresa! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 135

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's September 11th, a date that hits hard for some folks. Sending blessings to all those still affected. It's also Thursday today, so get your flash ready. Writing a #flashfiction thread! Welcome to Week 135 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? You're welcome to join the FB #ThursThreads group where we'll do events and make announcements. 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.

Rules to the Game:

• This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
• 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 (or be excluded from judging)
• Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find 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, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 135:

Historian, and historical murder mystery author, Cindy Amrhein.

Cindy on Facebook

Cindy on Twitter

Cindy on Google Plus

Cindy on Goodreads

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“See the signs of our victory.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!

Mid Week Tease - Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack - May the Best Wolf Win

Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a new year of Mid Week Tease hosted by Sandra Bunino.

Authors: this is a great opportunity to spotlight a few lines or even a paragraph or two from a new release or backlisted title. Readers: you get to sample some delicious snippets! We’ll do our best to tease, titillate and tantalize you into the weekend.

Today I'm offering snippets from Queen Bitch of the Callowwood Pack, a paranormal romantic suspense. Julianna Morris is invited to her high school crush's house for a party and meets up with the mysterious Sabrina. Then she finds out the town is a whole lot more furry than she originally thought, and she's at the alpha female selection party.

“Jeff is the next Alpha of the whole pack?”

Sebrina nodded with a satisfied smile. “He is. He has been groomed for this position since his birth some forty years ago.”

“Isn’t that a bit old to take over?”

Sebrina laughed, patting her hand again like an indulgent parent. “Oh my dear daughter, Moon Singers can live a hand of centuries, especially when they’re True Mated. Jefferson is quite young to take the reins.”

I’m going to live for centuries? “I see.”

“Tonight is a very special night because now the pack begins the search for the Luna.”

“Luna? Is that some sort of…Moon Princess?”

Sebrina looked at her shrewdly, her smile full of approval. “In a manner of speaking, yes. The Luna is the female Alpha, the feminine energy that balances the masculine. To be an effective leader, the future Alpha must pick his Luna, the female to rule with him with the Lady Moon’s blessing.”

Julianna bit her bottom lip and smoothed a wrinkle in the tablecloth in front of her. “Will the Luna be the Alpha’s mate for life?”

“Yes. They are a life-mated pair.”

He is your True Mate. Your male.

“How is the Luna chosen?”

“In the first days of the Moon Singers, when the Lady walked this world, it was a simple matter of the Alpha finding his True Mate and she would be the Luna. But as time passed, and Moon Singers were outnumbered by humans, it became harder for the Alphas to find their True Mates. Balanced leadership was still necessary, so the elders of each pack decreed that the strongest alpha females would be presented for candidacy for Luna in hopes that one of them was the True Mate to the new Alpha.”

“Wait, wait. You said alpha too many times here. What’s the difference between alpha”—Julianna used air quotes—“and Alpha?”

At first, Sebrina looked at Julianna as if she’d lost her mind. Then she lifted her chin in understanding and smiled.

“It is like referring to the president. There are many presidents out there, those of companies or clubs. But only one President of the humans’ United States. For Moon Singers, there are many alpha members, but only one Alpha pair. This candidacy party is for the selection of the Alpha female.”

“So the candidates for Luna are selected in…a beauty pageant?” Julianna’s eyes narrowed in disgust.

“Well, not for beauty, but to find the strongest and most capable female to lead the pack with the Alpha.” Sebrina gestured to the colorful female guests milling under the tents. “That’s what this party is about. This is where the Luna candidates will be presented to the ruling Alpha and his Successor.”

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Snippet Sunday - Cloudburst Ice Magic - Drifting Thoughts and Snow

Welcome to the Snippet Sunday on the Weird, the Wild, and the Wicked. Thank you so much for visiting. If you choose to comment today, I really appreciate it. The snippets are from my Cloudburst novella, Cloudburst Ice Magic, a paranormal romance sequel to Christmas I.C.E. Magic in the Happy Holidays from the Crescent Moon Lodge Anthology. Cloudburst Ice Magic is out now. You can catch last week's snippet HERE.

In this snippet, Lily is leading the hikers out of the avalanche chute before the day heats up enough to let the snow roll down. The local Ice Demons are ramping up their revels and the way is treacherous. It's not a good time to be distracted.

The ground steepened and she had to shift her path to a more gentle incline to allow for stable footing. Snow stung her ear where her hat didn’t cover and the wind increased in intensity. The scents of wet ferocity filled her nose and she had the sense they were running out of time. The Ice Demons here aren’t fooling around; Zach, I need you.

She almost berated herself for the wish when her latest step gave way under her and she slid back into the avalanche chute. Lily slammed the shovel into the snow above her shoulders, praying it’d catch on something solid and keep her from dragging the others down with her. Panic roared through her, but she fought it back as something caught her hand.

The scents of cloves and cardamom filled her nose and a shadow blocked out some of the blinding snow. Lily tilted her head to stare up into a shape looming over her, connected to the large hand wrapped around her arm. Crimson red Gore-Tex added color to her world as the man with the solid grip dragged her upright against his chest. He wore goggles to keep out the snow, but she recognized the lips mouthing words at her.

“Oh, thank God, Zach.”

See? Heroes show up when they're needed. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writing Warrior list and in the Snippet Sunday Facebook group. A few of my favorites are Charley Descoteaux, SJ Maylee, Gem Sivad, Goran Zidar, Veronica Scott, and Karla Doyle.

If you're interested in more from Cloudburst Ice Magic, here's the blurb:

Avalanches may bring down more than snow…

Working for the Search and Rescue team at the Cloudburst Resort in Colorado, Lily Sinclair figures she’ll do all the rescuing from now on. When hikers are caught in a spring blizzard, Lily and her partner head into the storm. Cut off from communication and facing deadly conditions, Lily fears she’ll never see her Ice Demon lover before death claims them.

Zach Snow encouraged Lily move to Cloudburst to grow and learn, but missed her every day of their months apart. His plans of moving to Colorado get pushed up when he receives her text explaining her situation, and saying goodbye. He must negotiate with the local Ice Demon clan to work in their territory to rescue Lily and the hikers before the Spring Fling blizzard kills them. But he’s running out of time.

Between the amorous hiker hitting on Zach, Lily’s self-doubts, and an avalanche bearing down on them, Zach and Lily must rediscover the love they first kindled in a Christmas ice cave, and create their own Cloudburst ice magic.

Cloudburst Ice Magic is available at Amazon, All Romance, Barnes&Noble, and Smashwords.

Recipe for Romance - Getting Out and Away

Good morning! Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. I write a bi-monthly spot (first and third Saturdays of the month) called Recipe for Romance to give you ideas of how to make your own love life a little more romantic. Just in time for Saturday night, yes?

The end of summer has arrived as evidenced by Back-to-School sales and the children being missing for large chunks of the day. The trees are starting to turn colors in my neck of the woods and coats are needed for the morning walk to school. This is my favorite time of year, fall, and the scents are heavenly, especially when the sun comes out. But that doesn't mean the warm weather is done yet, and you still have one more weekend of enjoying the great outdoors before snow, sleet, or rain sets in for the duration. Camping, whether in a camper (caravan for those outside the US) or in a tent, can be very romantic if you're outdoorsy (It can also be a disaster and make a funny story later - ask me if you want to know mine).

Source: OnMilwaukee.com

RECIPE FOR ROMANCE
Tent
Sleeping bags and sleeping pads
One (or more) loved-one
Any local campground
Camp stove and cooking gear
Warm clothes for cool nights
Comfort foods for meals (optional)
Firewood (optional)
Wine and chocolate (optional)

Assemble the ingredients, set up your camp, and relax. There's something therapeutic about cuddling with a lover while the birds call and the deer prowl the edges of your camp. The only sounds are your lover's breath and the wind in the trees. If you're lucky enough to camp near a river or creek, you'll have the water chuckling at you as it chortles along its bed. This is a good time to turn off your phone and reconnect with the one who turns your fire on with hot looks and gentle touches. And building a real fire to sit beside is romantic. Plus everyone knows the relaxation generated by the fire trance while snuggling with a lover. As always, clothing is optional, but be mindful of the outside temperature.

Alterations to Recipe:
For those who don't easily sleep on the ground, or have a deep aversion to crawly things that live outside, you can substitute with a Bed&Breakfast or rental cottage resort. This will also facilitate bringing the kids who will get the opportunity to be outside and still stay relatively clean and dry (hey, I'm looking out for you parents). You can still have a fire and go for walks in nature, and gaze at the stars when the sun goes down. Take the time to reconnect with your loved ones and find a nexus with some of the cool things you don't see in town, like coyotes howling at the moon and eagles soaring against the late summer skies.

Mix and serve immediately. Feeds the souls of two or more. :)

What are your favorite places to camp and your funniest story? Aspiring cooks want to know! :)

**What's a Recipe for Romance? I've heard a lot of women (in particular) read romance to find a little excitement and romance in their lives when maybe their current relationships aren't nearly as romantic. Wouldn't you love to have someone set out some romantic moments for you to celebrate your love? Don't wait for someone else to do it. You can try it yourself, for yourself, or for your loved one, and you can use things you have around the house or are easy to get at the local stores. Remember, it doesn't have to be expensive or extravagant to be romantic.

#ThursThreads - Week 134 - Winners

Week 134 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales. I'm honored to see all of the returning writers and read your stories. Thank you for coming back again and again to write and for helping me celebrate these years of flash. And so great to have so many new faces in the crowd this week. Welcome! Great thanks to Erin Kellison for judging this week. Be sure to check out the #ThursThreads #flashfiction group on FB to keep up with news, etc.

Entries:

• Olivia Starke | @OliviaStarke
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Hunter Frost | @HunterFrostMM
• Even Sultry | @EvenSultry

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Kelly Heinen | @Aightball

Erin says: Great, sizzling conflict. Clear characters.

Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir

Erin says: Most clever use of prompt.

Week 134 Winner

Sandi Layne | @sandyquill

Erin says: Cool story with tight writing. Had a lot of forward momentum and energy.

“Ha!”

The shout resounded from the boulders before sifting through the maple trees surrounding the longhouse. Thunder Stone tossed his head back, arms outstretched as if to embrace the sun. “Today, we honor Orenda for our triumph in battle!”

Pumpkin Flower, standing among her sisters of the Turtle Clan, allowed a small smile to tilt her lips. Thunder Stone was the youngest shaman of the Haudenosaunee and her great dream was to be his wife. Not only did he commune with the Great Spirit, but he was a mighty warrior. Muscles rippled under burnished skin, his smile flashed with victory, and his stance was taut with confidence.

Thunder Stone whipped a tunic off the boulder to his right. Waving it at first, he then held it up so that all eyes could see the holes it bore. “See the signs of our victory! The Français tried to defeat us, but they did not! We slew hundreds of their warriors and the failed to slay ours.”

With a grin that made Pumpkin Flower open her eyes wide in wonder, so much wonder that she stepped boldly toward the shaman, Thunder Stone poked lean fingers through the holes in the leather. “Their bullets are now ineffective. Powerless. We will keep this shirt before us and take it as a sign of Orenda’s favor into battle.”

He leapt with the sleek power of a cougar to the ground, landing right in front of Pumpkin Flower. “Today, we will talk to our families.”

Congratulations Two Time Winner Sandi, and Kelly! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it!

Pass on the great news on Twitter, Facebook, Google Plus, shiny mirrors, Morse Code, and signal flags. Check out all the stories here. Thanks for stopping by and happy reading! :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Weel 134

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday today, so get your flash ready. Writing a #flashfiction thread! Welcome to Week 134 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Want to keep up each week? You're welcome to join the FB #ThursThreads group where we'll do events and make announcements. 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.

Rules to the Game:

• This is a Flash Fiction challenge, which means your story must be a minimum of 100 words, maximum of 250.
• 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 (or be excluded from judging)
• Include your Twitter handle or email (so we know how to find 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, and Google Plus

Our Judge for Week 134:

NY Times and USA Today bestselling fantasy romance author, Erin Kellison.

Erin on Facebook

Erin on Twitter

Erin on Google Plus

Erin on Goodreads

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“Bullets are now ineffective.”

All stories written herein are the property (both intellectual and physical) of the authors. Now, away with you, Flash Fiction Fanatics, and show us your #ThursThreads. Good luck!