#ThursThreads - Week 106 - Winners

Week 106 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and a great turnout. 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. It was also wonderful to have some new folks stop by. Welcome! Great thanks to Teresa Cypher for judging this week. And next week starts our month-long Month of Love Themed #ThursThreads Event. Keep an eye out for that.

Entries:

• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Cynthia Hudson Keane | @AuthorCAKeane
• Veronica Jorden | @RevolutionaryVJ
• Lizzie Koch | @Lizzie_Koch
• Sandy Layne | @sandyquill
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Charley S | @Charley_001
• Brandon Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov
• Courtney Jennings
• Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain
• Cate Derham | @Cate_Derham

Teresa says: It was an incredibly difficult decision—choosing a winner. I found reasons I could have chosen every entry. What an amazing and talented group of writers! I thoroughly enjoyed reading each and every one of these flash fiction morsels. Thank you all for the entertaining reads. And thanks, Siobhan, for hosting such a fun reason to flex our writing muscles every week.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Kelly Heinen | @aightball

Teresa says: loved the very natural feel of the dialogue, the realness of the slang. Nice little (well, maybe big—and orange) humorous twist at the end.

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Teresa says: Silver wowed me with her character building. And she managed to hook me. I’d like to know what Caleb is hunting; it must be bad since Adele to referred to it as a “demon from hell”. I’m curious if he made it back.

C.R. Jennings

Teresa says: CR did an amazing job of pulling the reader into the scene. It was candid, and I loved how she brought out the intimacy between the two friends, and the MC’s vulnerability as she walked into Cohen’s view.

Brandon Yusuf Toropov | @BYToropov

Teresa says: He kept me guessing. He chose good imagery, especially here: “…her tight red former-jockette-curls shorn nearly to baldness…”. That took me from Orphan Annie straight to a skinhead type cult killer. That added to the feeling of impending doom for the groom. Well done!

Week 106 Winner

Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011

Teresa says: It has an outstanding message that I kept coming back to it. She did an excellent job of summing up thoughts in a small number of words. And I loved the analogy of inner strength and a dragon. We all have an inner dragon that needs to show its face when the bullies come out. Well done, Anna!

Bullied, running wildly, it was nothing that you did to make it happen. It just did.

And there they were, waiting for you. No other way out.

Nobody was coming to your help either, you were all alone.

So you sat down. Called that special person within.

Well done. When you are very small you need to choose your friends wisely.

You crashed into strong arms that held you tight. You felt the air as the protective wings spread out.

It was just as they said, “You have to bring the right tool for the kill.”

You brought your dragon.

Congratulations Winner Anna, Kelly, Silver, CR, and Brandon! 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 106

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for the start of the third year of our challenge. It's Thursday today, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 106 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. Be on the on the lookout for the Month of Love Event coming in February. Each Thursday will be themed. Stay Tuned! 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 7 PM Pacific 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 106:

Social radical, weekend writing warrior, and science-fiction author, Teresa Cypher.

Teresa on Facebook

Teresa on Twitter

 And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“You have to bring the right tool for the kill.”

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!

#ThursThreads - Week 105 - Winners

Week 105 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and a great turnout. 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. It was also wonderful to have some new folks stop by. Welcome!

Entries:

• Rafe Brox | @etcet
• Doris O'Connor | @mamaD8
• Cara Michaels | @caramichaels
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain
• Katherine Lipnitskaya | @gorgeous_jaan
• Cynthia Hudson Keane | @AuthorCAKeane
• Lizzie Koch | @Lizzie_Koch
• Charley Descoteaux | @CharleyDescote
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Goran Zidar | @gzidar
• Stacy Bennett-Hoyt | @Rowanwolf66
• Simon Abernathy
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• PT Wyant
• Kathleen Magner | @kathleen_magner
• Cate Derham | @Cate_Derham
• Robert Mahone | @Computilizer
• M. Decker | @mishmhem

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Charley Descoteaux | @CharleyDescote

Wow, talk about a commentary about not being the body you wear. Not only was this tale full of humor, but also the subtle reminder that we are not the body. Nicely done and I better see the whole thing eventually, Charley. I want to know what happened to Jeff.

Cara Michaels | @caramichaels

Okay, I admit it. It was the cat internet videos that did it. I laughed so hard at that. What a sucky job and yet, you truly get to meet interesting people. LOL

Goran Zidar | @gzidar

What I loved about this tale was the understated courage and strength the prince displayed by admitting his awareness of the captain's position and recognizing the need for learning. Well done and so subtly written, Goran.

M. Decker | @mishmhem

Oh, man, these guys are in so much trouble, but you know Kevin's not going to like what Sean's going to do to get them noticed and unnoticed. LOL Nicely done, Ms. Decker.

Week 105 Winner

Simon Abernathy

Let me start by saying: BWAHAHAHAHAHA. Ahem. I loved the whole tone of the tale. The dry humor of being a parent, and the one who's not supposed to be afraid of spiders (I can't claim that title), just made me chortle each time I read it. I also loved the line about how little girls were tough as nails, they just didn't have the reach with a mace. LOL Excellent. :D

There’s an art to responding to the call to kill a spider. You can’t ignore it for too long, even though you just got comfy on the couch, because what if this time it really is Shelob and your kid is seconds away from becoming lunch. You can’t jump up and run into the room, because then you’ll be at the beck and call of anyone who freaks out because there’s a fly on the screen – the outside of the screen. You can’t run away screaming like a little girl, even when it is Shelob cavorting with Aragog as they prepare the Feast That Lasts A Thousand Nights in the room, because everyone knows little girls are tough as nails and your daughter would totally have taken care of it, but six year olds just don’t have much reach with a mace. You have to stroll into the room as a savior of the weak, but without making a judgment as to who is weak, or why. You have to bring the right tool for the kill – your moccasin just won’t do, but it’s awkward to carry a sledgehammer wherever you go. And you have to be prepared to protect the poor creature and save it from anyone who would be callous enough to kill something that, after all, just was hungry, just in case there’s an entomologist around.

And you have to pretend that you’re not terrified.

Congratulations FIVE TIME WINNER Simon, Charley, Cara, Goran, and M. Decker! 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 105

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for the second year of our challenge. It's Thursday today, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 105 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. 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 7 PM Pacific 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 105:

Me, the Scottish Word Slinger, Siobhan Muir.

Siobhan on Facebook

Siobhan on Twitter

Siobhan on Goodreads

Siobhan on Google Plus

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“You can’t run away screaming like a little girl.”

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 Navy's Ghost - Survivor's Guilt

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.

My Mid Week Tease is from my newest release The Navy's Ghost. Ensign Christiana Brickman woke up in the hospital with a broken and torn up leg. Chief Warrent Officer Todd "Magic" Hunter tore up her leg to save her, but it doesn't make him feel better when he loves her.

Chris nodded. “So how did the rest of the tropical trip go? Did you get what you were looking for?” Even in the safety of an American hospital she kept their missions vague.

“Yep. And repaid those boys in kind for their efforts.” Todd nodded toward her legs under the blankets. “Best ending we could hope for when the trip turned to shit on us.”

“Hey, you definitely got lucky with only one fuck-up. Me.” Anguish and despair washed across her features and Todd’s anger kindled in response.

“No one fucked up, Ghost. It was an ambush and it coulda been any one of us.”

“But I was point.”

“And you saved the rest of the squad from takin’ the brunt of the damage.” Todd grabbed her hand and tugged on it to get her attention. “No one’s blamin’ you but you. Got me, Ensign? I’m sure Deli’s kickin’ himself for not havin’ better intel before we went in. You don’t get to take all the responsibility for this one.”

She tightened her lips. “No one else hurt on the second time through?”

“No, ma’am. Bam-Bam sustained some bruised ribs when a guy hit him in the back with a baseball bat, but other than that, we hit the clear water pretty easily.”

“Good. I expected you all to pick up the slack where I left off.” Some of the fire returned to her eyes and Magic chuckled.

God, he loved her. He’d loved her ever since she’d gotten those hostages out through the drainage pipe no wider than a meter in diameter right under the noses of the Afghani guards. She’d been magnificent and lethal, and his cock had hardened at the thought of having her not only by his side, but in his bed. She had him hooked when she told them about the guard who opened his fly and pissed on the wall right next to her, never seeing her.

It had been their first real op right after graduating from BUD/S training and his love had only grown from there. He’d said nothing to her, of course, not willing to trash the amazing friendship and trust they’d developed over the last four and a half years in Team 9, Bravo Squad. And now Beta Squad because of her.

“Yes, ma’am.”

Now she lay in a bed, recovering from the worst wound he’d ever seen in the field and his heart broke for her. And I gave it to her.

But she’d survived and would heal, and guilt had no place in that. Todd smiled to force it away.

The Navy's Ghost is available:

All Romance | Amazon | B&N | Kobo Books | Smashwords

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#ThursThreads - 2nd Anniversary Week 104 - Winners

Week 104 TWO YEAR ANNIVERSARY of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and a great turnout. 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 to great years of flash. It was also wonderful to have some new folks stop by. Welcome! Great thanks to Cara Michaels for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Eric Martell | @drmagoo
• Rafe Brox | @etcet
• Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster
• Rebecca Brennan | @bexbrennan
• Jeff Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Anna Lund | @AnnaLund2011
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Wendy Strain | @WendyStrain
• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Lizzie Koch | @Lizzie_Koch
• Ruth Long | @Bullishink
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• Nara Malone | @nara_malone
• SJ Maylee | @SJMaylee
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Jessica P West | @West1Jess
• Cate Derham | @Cate_Derham

Cara says: Great batch of stories this week, ranging from historical intrigue to loads of magic to a futuristic robots and space flight. Thank you all for writing!

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Mark Ethridge | @LurchMunster

Cara says: Poor Beamer and those pesky calculations. I love the concept of this story and the interactions between Beamer and Bobby.

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Cara says: Crisp and well written as always. You establish emotional depth very quickly and those final sentences are heartbreaking.

Ruth Long | @Bullishink

Cara says: LOL! Tender bits, jiggly bits, this conversation cracked me up. Weasel is a great character and this moment really zings.

Week 104 Winner

Jeff Hollar | @Klingorengi

Cara says: When the shit hits the fan, lol. What an opener. Your integration of the prompt into the story is my favorite. It’s smooth and fits perfectly in the moment. Love the snarky tone to this entire piece. Is it an inner monologue? Some sergeant’s idea of a pep talk? I could see it go either way in a bigger story, and it’s great.

Apocalypse Options

When the feces make contact with the rotating oscillator and you’re up to your armpits in undead annoyances, your options are somewhat…limited. You can’t run away screaming like a little girl. Well, okay, you can but that’s not gonna work. Sure, the bastards are pretty damned slow; that’s not the issue. The problem comes in where do you run to and what do you do when you get there? If you head back to the base camp and the best story you got is everybody got killed and you didn’t have any choice…that may just work.

More likely than not, though, just about the time you get a cold shower and some colder food inside you, things will get real interesting. One of the guys you threw to the metaphorical wolves will come stumbling back in, covered in gore and screaming out what a punk you were to abandon them. If that’s how things go down, trust me, you’d have been better off to have just stayed out there, plopped down with an apple in your mouth, and let the walkers serve you up as a tasty entrée. That’s not a real appealing option either, by the way.

No, what happens is you knuckle down and fight like a sumbitch. You need to focus on making every shot count and making sure you always keep one in reserve in case…aww, let’s face it, for when things get terminal. Life…it’s a game nobody wins anyway, so good luck with that, eh?

Congratulations Three Time Winner Jeff, Mark, Silver, and Ruth! Don't forget to claim your badges and display them with pride. You certainly earned it! Jeff, PM me your email address for your gift card. 

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 - 2nd Anniversary Week 104

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. Holy cow, this challenge has been going on for TWO WHOLE YEARS this week! Whoa.

Let's just take a moment to comprehend that... Okay, that's good. :D It's Thursday today, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 104 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. 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 7 PM Pacific 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 104:

Sci-fi adventurist, Typo Sniper, and the woman who started it all, Cara Michaels.

Cara on Facebook

Cara on Twitter

Cara on Goodreads

Cara Google Plus

In celebration of our 2nd Anniversary of this challenge, I'm giving away a $5.00 gift card to the winner. And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“You need to focus.”

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 - The Navy's Ghost - Sleeping Beauty

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 latest release, The Navy's Ghost, a military romantic suspense, though I call it my Menage a'SEALs. No paranormal critters in this one, though there's plenty of kick-ass adventure and hot sex. Just to be clear, this is a M/F/M erotic romance. You can read last week's snippet HERE.

Chief Warrant Officer Todd Hunter came to check on Ensign Christiana "Ghost" Brickman in the hospital. He'd saved her from a deadly wound, but the damage he'd inflicted in the effort was extreme. He's in her room checking her chart and trying to ignore the guilt.

The doc had increased her calcium intake for bone replacement, and protein for muscle and soft tissue development. Progress read ‘satisfactory.’

Todd snorted. “Not satisfactory for me…or Ghost, I’d bet.”

The sound of his voice in the quiet room made Chris shift and she turned her head toward him. Magic dropped the chart and snagged the nearest chair, dragging it over to the bed.

“Hey, Chris, how are you doing?”

“Magic? What are you doing here?”

“Checking on you.” He grabbed her hand and sat down. “How are you holding up?”

“I’m good.” She shifted in the bed, a grimace tightening her lips as she resettled. He didn’t believe her, but he decided not to push. “The meds make me groggy and sleepy, but the pain’s minimal.” She fixed him with her unfocused hazel gaze. If he didn’t know better he’d swear she gave him her bedroom eyes.

Sleepy beauty. His lips quirked. Yeah, but don’t kiss her to wake her up. He’d find himself on his back with a knife at his throat and a rabid weasel on his chest.

“What are you smiling at, Magic?” Even drugged up, Chris still managed to raise an eyebrow.

“I was just thinkin’ you look like hell, but could still kick my ass.”

Sounds like Ghost has earned her place in his heart. ;) There are several great authors on the Weekend Writing Warrior list and in the Snippet Sunday Facebook group. A few of my favorites are Anastasia Vitsky, SJ Maylee, Gem Sivad, Goran Zidar, Zee Monodee, Veronica Scott, and Karla Doyle.

If you're interested in more from The Navy's Ghost, here's the blurb:

A SEAL is strongest with her Team…

Ensign Christiana "Ghost" Brickman is the only female SEAL to survive BUD/S training, a real Navy Jane. But when an ambush ends her career as an active SEAL, she’s free to pursue other interests. Like her two best friends Lt. Jim "Retro" Waters and Chief Warrant Officer Todd "Magic" Hunter. She's wanted them for over a year, but never dared to approach them while in the squad.

Retro has fought his dark desires since high school, certain the need to share a woman unnatural. Magic had never considered sharing before Ghost mentions it, but it solves his dilemma of choosing between his best friend and his woman. But Retro balks at Ghost’s offer to share and retreats from both when she marries Magic.

Everyone feels Retro’s loss, but he ignores the ache of their broken connection in favor of living ‘normal.’ When Ghost and the other wives of Beta Squad are kidnapped, Retro must reevaluate how much both Ghost and Magic mean to him. And he must decide how far he's willing to go to save the woman he loves, before she becomes the Navy's ghost.

It's available now at Smashwords, Amazon, All Romance eBooks, Kobo Books, and Barnes&Noble. Thanks so much for stopping by and happy reading. :)

#ThursThreads - Week 103 - Winners

Week 103 of #ThursThreads had some terrific tales and a great turnout. 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 it was wonderful to have some new folks stop by. Welcome! Great thanks to Lissa Matthews for judging this week. :)

Entries:

• Silver James | @SilverJames_
• Jeff Hollar | @Klingorengi
• Sheilagh Lee | @SweetSheil
• Anastasia Vitsky | @AnastasiaVitsky
• Kelly Heinen | @Aightball
• KB Gardener | @KBGardener
• Siobhan Muir | @SiobhanMuir 
• Sandra Bunino | @SandraBunino
• Kate Lipnitskaya | @gorgeous_jaan
• Nellie Batz | @solimond
• Cate Derham | @Cate_Derham
• John Kirk | @KirkProductions
• Jeremy Milburn
• Jeff Xilon | @JXilon

Lissa says: These were fun to read. Thank you for letting me take part.

Winners Announcement:

Honorable Mentions

Jeff Hollar | @Klingorengi

Lissa says: The sheer heart break. It was well written but could've been tighter and I'd have liked to 'see' the couple a little more completely. Overall, though... gut-wrenching.

KB Gardener | @KBGardener

I felt and saw her despair. Because of that I could overlook the spelling and grammar issues. I loved the feeling, the emotion.

Jeff Xilon | @JXilon

Lissa says: He simply made me want to know more, read more. He made me want to know what happened before, what led to that moment of exile.

Week 103 Winner

Silver James | @SilverJames_

Lissa says: I could see them, feel them. I was right there with them and she told a full story within a full story. In a short flash like this challenge, that's what I look for. And she made me want more.

Caleb gripped Adele’s biceps and gave her a gentle shake. “Stop this. You need to focus.”

“I can’t do this. I just can’t.” Tears sparkled on her eyelashes, catching light from the full moon.

“You can and you will. We weren’t given a choice when we bailed from the plane.” He pulled her close, wrapping his arms around her shaking body, absorbing her fear through his very pores. “We do this or die, Adele.”

She sniffled, brushing her face across his shirt.

“Great. Use me as a snot rag next time.”

She hiccupped. That was a good sign. He rubbed her back, passing his warmth to her. The desert night would turn frigid before dawn. He had to get her sheltered. And that meant facing her fears.

“It’s too dark. Too small.”

“I can see in the dark.”

She tilted her head to sneak a peek under his arm. “What about snakes?”

“It’s January, Adele. They’re hibernating.”

“What about coyotes? Or wolves?”

He swallowed his laughter, biting his lips in case she glanced up and caught his smile. He was the biggest wolf in the neighborhood.

“Ghosts.”

Caleb blinked at that. “Ghosts?”

“Yeah. Old, abandoned mine? There must be ghosts. Or demons.”

“Didn’t I mention I was a ghost hunter in a previous life?”

She laughed. Another step in the right direction. Demons, though? He wished Roman was there. Gargoyles hunted demons. He sniffed the air. No sulfur.

“Congress is in session. All the demons are in Washington.” He hoped.

Congratulations SIX TIME Winner Silver, Jeff, KB, and Jeff! 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! :)

Cover Reveal! Penance by Ann Mayburn

*SQUEEEE!* Welcome to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a very special event. My friend Ann Mayburn, a hot and prolific erotic romance author, has asked me to help show off her gorgeous new cover art for her upcoming release, Penance.

This is the sequel and conclusion to the Still: Long, Slow Tease 1. Do you like FemDommes in BDSM tales? Ann writes them very well and I loved Still. The expected release date is March 6th 2014. I can hardly wait.

If you'd like to read the first story in this two book series, here's the blurb:

The story of a forbidden love forged in the heat of battle, a war hero haunted by PTSD, and the Dominatrix who won't admit her love for him, yet can't live without him kneeling at her side.

Dr. Michelle Sapphire and Gunnery Sergeant Wyatt Callahan formed an unbreakable bond and an unacknowledged, forbidden attraction to each other while serving together in Afghanistan. Their lives are forever changed when a mortar attack grievously wounds Wyatt and Michelle brings him back from the brink of death. But when they both return to the civilian world, Michelle discovers that her rock-solid Marine is suffering from severe PTSD and may even be suicidal.

Wyatt Callahan fell hard for the aristocratic blonde doctor the moment he laid eyes on her. After reentering civilian life in his hometown near Austin, Texas, Wyatt is plagued by nightmares of the death and suffering he witnessed during the war. He'd love to reach out to Michelle, but Michelle is a Dominatrix, and she has made it very clear to Wyatt she isn't interested in a relationship with anyone who doesn't accept her lifestyle. An Alpha male to the core, he can't imagine the appeal of being submissive. At the same time, the idea of serving Michelle, of being everything she wants and needs, rings true in his wounded soul.

Michelle has dark secrets of her own, and together with Wyatt she will have to battle her personal demons during their emotional journey of healing, redemption, and love.

You can find Still: Long Slow Tease 1 at:
Amazon
All Romance Ebooks
Barnes&Noble
Kobo Books
Smashwords

Thanks for stopping by. Keep an eye out in March for Penance. Happy reading. :)

#ThursThreads - The Challenge That Ties Tales Together - Week 103

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked. Has your January gotten going after the holidays? Well, it's Thursday today, so what should you be doing? Writing #FlashFiction, that's what! Welcome to Week 103 of #ThursThreads, the challenge that ties tales together. 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 7 PM Pacific 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 103:

NASCAR fan, coffee fiend, cat collector, and erotic romance author, Lissa Matthews.

Lissa on Facebook

Lissa on Twitter

Lissa on Goodreads

Lissa Google Plus

And now your #ThursThreads Challenge, tying tales together.

The Prompt:

“We weren’t given a choice.”

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!

Book Spotlight: Wynter's Fall by Laurel Cremant

Welcome back to the Weird, the Wild, & the Wicked for a Book Spotlight. Happy New Year 2014! Today Laurel Cremant stops by with another new release. This is a fantasy romance, and has adult content. If that's not your cup of tea, please duck out now. :)

WYNTER’S FALL

(WYNTER TALES, Book I)

AUTHOR: Laurel Cremant

GENRE: Modern Fairy Tale Romance

LENGTH: Novella

PUBLISHER: Winged Moon Publishing

BLURB:

An unsuspecting mortal, A Keeper of Dreams, And a group of Gods intent on reclaiming powers they no longer deserve...

Melania Wynter has a big problem, the man of her actual dreams is becoming all too real. Determined to gain back some control over her life, she hopes that a a little vacation will be enough for her psyche to stop comparing her real life to the vivid dreams she's had since childhood. But one patch of ice, a solid pine tree and a nasty bump on the head derail her plans.

Daiomone, Keeper of Dreams has always been drawn to Melania. He's bided his time, waiting for her to cross-over to his realm, but manipulative God's have interfered in unexpected ways. With a helping hand from fate, he must go to Melania and keep her safe.

Together they must navigate the wilderness and survive both the cold and trouble-making Gods.

EXCERPT:

“Melania, you need to snap out of it.”

She tensed as Daimone’s voice filled her head again. Reaching up, she touched the throbbing knot on her head and moaned.

It was official. She’d finally gone off the deep end. “This is so not happening.”

His deep chuckle resonated through her mind. “Ignoring me won’t make me go away.”

She huddled tighter against her drawn up legs.

“Trust me. I know,” she mumbled.

He was a major contributing factor in her need for rest and relaxation. Her trip had been a last ditch effort before she threw in the proverbial towel and saw a therapist regarding her little problem.

However, now thanks to a stupid patch of ice, her brain was scrambled and her dream man on the loose. Somewhere on WebMD, there must be a section dedicated to her current condition. It would be a perfectly descriptive affliction that fit her every symptom to a “T”.

Ohshititis—hallucinations and hysteria brought on by extreme situations and chronic bad luck.

“You need to get moving, love.”

Why not just go with it? Considering her circumstances, she was, after all, due for a little hysteria.

“Well, excuse me if I want to take a moment to recover from a death-defying event here.”

“The storm is coming closer, love. You have to get moving.”

Lifting her head, she peered up into the thick veil of snow falling all around her. She blinked rapidly as a flurry of snowflakes drifted down on her face with, she was sure, a type of maniacal glee.

“The clock is ticking, Princess.”

“First of all, you are so not the boss of me. You’re not even real. You’re just a figment of my imagination.”

“We really don’t have time to discuss this right now.”

“Wait, I’m still unconscious, aren’t I?”

She glanced back at her car, partially expecting to see a specter of herself slumped over the wheel.

His long sigh drifted through her mind. She could almost feel his breath tickle the nape of her neck.

“Why do you always have to be so stubborn?” he responded.

She scrunched her brow at his words, refusing to be badgered by a figment of her imagination. Considering the state of things, her choices were either unconsciousness, insanity, or worse yet, admitting that she was well and truly screwed.

She opted for unconsciousness.

It must be the only thing that explained the presence of Daimone’s voice in her head. For as long as she could remember, she’d dreamed of him. He’d appeared in her dreams even as a child. In the beginning, he was a child just as she’d been. But as the years passed, he’d aged along with her.

Sometimes, months would pass between his visits, but even when she dreamed of other people and things, she’d felt him watching her in the corner of her mind. He’d been her secret companion, her solace for years.

Her cheeks heated as she thought of how he’d also become other things to her. It began the night she’d returned from her family’s summer vacation at the beach. She’d only been fifteen at the time and missed frolicking in the sun with friends. That night, she’d dreamed of lying on the beach soaking in the sun.

Daimone had appeared and sat down next to her, nudging her playfully in the ribs. She’d opened her eyes, and for the first time, noticed the breadth of his shoulders, his strong jaw, and twinkling blue eyes.

A flash of heat had raced across her flesh as sunlight had kissed his golden skin. For the first time, she felt the urge to kiss a boy. Her body had yearned to touch and be touched.

Her lips quirked as she thought back on that dream. She’d acted on impulse then. She’d reached up and pulled him down to her, pursing her lips onto his. He’d yanked away looking surprised, but she still remembered the way she’d tingled at the touch of his lips on hers.

She rarely saw him in her dreams for several years after that. He would appear as a passerby or random face in a crowd, but never played a starring role. Not until her parents died several years after she completed college did he become a reoccurring feature in her dreams again.

“As much as I love this little jaunt down memory lane, it’s time to make a decision.”

His voice had lost its calm tone and held a definite edge of irritation.

“I’ll make this easier for you. You’re not unconscious, you’re not crazy. So that leaves only one option.”

“Don’t say it,” she said.

“You’re fucked, love, and not in a good way.”

She groaned.

    Of course she was.

BUY LINKS:

Amazon (US): http://www.amazon.com/Wynters-Modern-Fairy-Wynter-Tales-ebook/dp/B00HGI7MSM

Amazon (UK): http://www.amazon.co.uk/Wynters-Modern-Fairy-Wynter-Tales-ebook/dp/B00HGI7MSM

Amazon (CA): http://www.amazon.ca/Wynters-Modern-Fairy-Wynter-Tales-ebook/dp/B00HGI7MSM

All Romance: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-wynter039sfall-1381922-143.html

Barnes & Noble: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/wynters-fall-laurel-cremant/1117786927?ean=2940148910886

ABOUT LAUREL CREMANT

Laurel is a romance author, who like most writers loves to read. Her first love (pun intended) has always been romance. From the sappy YA romance novel to the more risqué erotica novels, Laurel is a sucker for a good love story.

Laurel writes paranormal and contemporary romance and is a self-proclaimed, out of the closet nerd. She admits that she can't seem to avoid adding a bit of "nerdology" or "geek-dom" to all of her books. Living in Miami, she also admits that she can't seem to avoid giving her heroines gorgeous shoes, "In Miami, we worship everything strappy, open toed and just plain hot!"

AUTHOR WEBSITE & LINKS

Website: www.LaurelCremant.com

Blog: www.laurelcremant.blogspot.com

Twitter: www.twitter.com/LaurelCremant

Facebook: www.facebook.com/LaurelCremantAuthor

Pinterest: www.pinterest.com/LaurelCremant

Goodreads: www.goodreads.com/laurelcremant

Thanks for stopping by and happy reading. :)