#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 140

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. It's Thursday today so get your flash ready to celebrate and write a #flashfiction thread! Welcome to Week 140 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 140:

Traveler, new food sampler, and romance author, Alex Shippe.

Alex on Facebook

Alex on Twitter

Alex on Google Plus

Alex on Goodreads

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“It’s what they deserve.”

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 - The Beltane Witch - Communication is Key

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 The Beltane Witch, a paranormal romance, and Book 2 in the Cloudburst Colorado series. Sabrina Foxglove just wants to get home. She really doesn't have time for a handsome guy from the Summer Court of the Fae., but he's not taking no for an answer.

Her nose filled with the scents of leather and pumpkin spice as a warm gloved hand settled over hers. Anger and fear blazed within her. What is wrong with this guy? Can’t he take a hint?

She leveled him with a narrow-eyed glare. “Take your hand off me.”

****

Darius felt the surge of energy around Sabrina as she snarled the words and the hairs on the back of his neck stood up. Holy Goddess, this little witch had much more power than he’d been led to believe. If she focused all her magic on him, she’d very likely overpower him. She didn’t seem to have the skill to do it, but he decided against testing her just yet.

“Forgive me, Lady Foxglove.” He bowed his head as he removed his hand.

Her shoulders relaxed when he stepped back, but her pale eyes flashed with angry electric purple sparks.

“Perhaps we can speak of this more at your home. It’s cold out tonight and we have much to discuss.”

The tension returned to her frame and her eyes widened. “You think I’m going to let you come to my house? I don’t even know you. I won’t endanger my family. Heck, you carry a huge sword over your damn shoulder.”

“It’s imperative that I speak to you about this.” He didn’t understand her reluctance to accept the great honor she’d been offered.

“Imperative? The only thing that’s imperative is I get home to my kids.” She opened her car door. “And no, you can’t come with me.”

Bloody frustrating woman!

He caught the door before it slammed shut behind her.

“Lady Foxglove. Please.” Damn, it grated to have to beg. “There isn’t much time and the Court will be arriving in a few days. You must be prepared.”

“Tell them to change their plans.” She shrugged. “I don’t have time to entertain the Court. I have brownies to bake for school. I have garlands to make and ribbons to buy. Plus, I have a job. I can’t just take time off. We don’t get paid vacation at Mazie’s. Send them to the Grand Canyon. Now, let go of my door.”

“I cannot!” His temper cracked at her stubbornness. “This is not my honor, but yours. The plans have been laid and it is your destiny to fulfill. I’m merely here to make certain all is prepared for the Court’s arrival.”

“Don’t snap at me just because you didn’t check with me first. I have a life and responsibilities that don’t include you or the Summer Court.” She shook her head and the ponytail of mahogany brown hair slid over her wool encased shoulders. The urge to sift his fingers through it took him by surprise. “Look, success is about communication and you can’t have one without the other. So far, your track record is dismal.”

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

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading. If you want to read more from other authors, click the link and enjoy...

Snippet Sunday - Cloudburst Ice Magic - The Other Shoe Falls

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, and Lily let Zach know she's aware of Caroline's efforts. Zach appeared less cognizant of her flirting. Until Caroline comes up to thank him. We're in Zach's POV, but Caroline is the first to speak.

“Oh, thank God.”

Better to thank Lily Sinclair.

“Yes, you’ve all been really lucky.” The water churned in a slow boil and he turned off the stove.

“Thanks to you.”

Zach shook his head as Lily’s sarcastic words slid through his mind. Oh, thank God, Zach. You saved us. How can I ever thank you? “No, thanks to Ms. Sinclair and Mr. Montesque. I merely backed them up. They’ll get everyone to safety with the team coming tonight.” He poured some of the water into a cup and handed it to her.

“Thanks.” She sipped the water and sighed with relief. “It’ll be good to get back to civilization and real warmth.”

“I’m sure.”

Zach would’ve preferred to be outside in the screaming snow and wind than stuck inside with his angry mate or this woman. He reached down to unzip his pack to give him some time to figure out what to do about both.

“Hey, so, when we get back down to the lodge, how ’bout I buy you a drink in thanks for saving us up here?” Caroline gave him a hopeful smile over the rim of her mug.

Guess Lily's concerns weren't so baseless. ;) 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.