She wanted the moment to last. To hold herself against him, to kiss each of his #shirt buttons open. To see and touch and taste this man who’d barged into her life so resoundingly. Who guarded himself as forcefully. Who stood with her now, and made her ache to hold him, to please him. #WIPSnips

She recoiled from the savage insult. Hardly recognized her niece in the heartless young woman before her. No longer saw the precious squirmy bundle she'd helped bring into the world, or the little girl who, at one time, had gleefully toddled to her with giggles and open arms. #WIPSnips #amwriting

He caught a glimpse of #movement, darted into the shadows after it. Found nothing and paused. Listened. Inhaled. Noted a light sting of cigarette. And a different sound. A breath. Behind him. Then the low rumble of a voice. “I should get it over with and shoot you in the back.” #WIPsnips #amwriting

Why the words choked her, she didn't know. They weren't new. They were old facts. #History. Yet they all but closed her throat, and she had to force them out in a whisper. "If I had family, I'd never take them for granted or wait for them to save me. No. I'd make them proud and save myself." #vss365

Small theaters, bars & coffee shops sat tucked between towering buildings of brick, #steel & glass. The flavor of everyday people, varied beyond imagination--locals, tourists, rushing, strolling, chatting, brooding--allowed nary a hint of the seedy underbelly of the city he knew so well. #WIPSnips

in the house of only hate anger echoed repeatedly, relentlessly, against the empty walls. the faintest positivity dwindled into nothing, beat into submission by the misery they carried. can the self-satisfied cross they choose to bear be called domestic terrorism? I am terrorized #domestic #vss365

He studied her for a moment, captivated by the amusement in her eyes. They were so pretty when they weren’t guarded. Or lying. He wrenched his gaze from her, then went back to the living room to escape the too comfortable #domestic moment he’d fallen into. #vss365 #amwriting #romanticsuspense

The same people who lost their minds over renovations to Cracker Barrel are totally fine with the White House getting bulldozed

Same, Chris. Same.

Moonlight touched a second set of tracks that veered off the path and doubled back. He followed them. Listened past the heavy silence of the night, alert for a footstep, a #crunch of snow, a wheeze, or rasp of a switchblade. #vssdaily #amwriting #romanticsuspense

She struggled to see past tears of panic as the SUV ran her off the main road &onto a rutted dirt path. Her car creaked & #crunched as it bounded along but she didn't stop. Couldn't. There had to be an end to this, an outlet, a road back, a way to find help. #vssdaily #amwriting #romanticsuspense

She heard him, saw him speaking, and knew the words came from him, yet none of it sounded like the man she’d known since they were children. His voice was thick and dry, like he was drained of all life, all #hope, and all reason. #WIPSnips #amwriting #romanticsuspense

💔

Her parents were always away somewhere exotic, leaving her and her baby sister behind, as if children were an unwelcome result of marriage. A postcard here and there, a phone call, some cash. Those were their hugs and kisses and bedtime wishes. #WIPSnips #amwriting #welcome

He gathered her in his arms. Held her close, let her cry it out. How he hated the sound of her pain, her grief, but he #welcomed it over the deafening storm of her silence. #WIPSnips #amwriting

Congratulations to new Nobel Peace Prize laureate María Corina Machado for her courageous struggle to bring democracy to Venezuela.

His voice was thick and tired, as if it had to wrestle through #ash on its way out of his throat. He was a large barrel of a man. Wide. Tall. So tall, that when he fit himself into the chair, his knees neared his chest and she wondered if he was that big or if the furniture was too small. #vss365

He watched her throat as she swallowed her beer, her mouth as she spoke. “It'd be easy.” “To disappear?” “Yeah. I met a few people since I got here; the pizza delivery guy, the guy who delivers Chinese, but no one who’d #miss me if I was gone.” He tossed cash on the bar. "Walk with me." #WIPsnips

'Afraid' wasn’t a word he’d #associate with that woman, though he would associate it with everyone she came in contact with. #vss365 #amwriting

Gorgeous. Tranquil. Peaceful. #Portland

It was merely a flesh wound, but it hurt like hell, and gave him a glimpse of what his parents had suffered at that man's hand. The burning pain, the sudden & #swift realization that death was on alert, hovering nearby, ready to collect you & the one you love. #WIPSnips #amwriting #RomanticSuspense

Thick haze obscured all light, and he strained to see the woman he followed. She faded into the shadows, where the #swift & steady click of her heels echoed in the mist. She reemerged, her little dress swaying, teasing him by lamplight as it skimmed the tops of her naked thighs. #WIPSnips #amwriting

Semi-regular reminder that a sane country would have already impeached and removed. But then again a sane country wouldn’t have elected a maniac criminal twice in the first place.

He took a step toward her. “We had a deal.” She held her ground. “I never agreed to your deal.” He replayed their conversation in his head, realizing to his disgust that she was right. “You can put my key on the counter,” she said. “The door will lock on its own when you #leave.” #WIPSnips

"Just say the words, and I'll #leave." #amwriting #romanticsuspense #WIPSnips tinyurl.com/bdcnsxnf

She needed him. It frightened her to admit it, even to herself, but she had to. As much as she wanted him to #leave and stop meddling with her thoughts, she wanted him to stay, to hold her and fill the emptiness her thoughts brought her. #WIPSnips #writingprompts #AmWritingRomanticSuspense

Like an #anchor You keep me grounded But #perhaps I’ve found You own me You know me From my early days My junkie ways A #jittery haze My affliction Addiction to Anything Everything Used against me Fenced me in You know I just can’t win #vss365 #blueskyrelay #emoetry #writingcommunity #poetry

Welcome writers, to the eve of Autumn. Let's all share for the world to see. 21 September 2025 #vss365 #prompt word, is #perhaps

It took all his effort to break the kiss. "Still thinking about hot chocolate?” “Mmm-hmm.” He waited for her to open her eyes, then he eased back. “Refill included?” Her small smile stole his breath. “#Perhaps.” “In case you're unaware,” he said, “perhaps is closer to yes than it is to no.” #vss365

I stand with Jimmy Kimmel.

There was no reprieve as he was dragged from the car and forced to his knees, his hands bound behind him again. He'd die execution #style. They'd shoot him in the back of the head, and then no one would be left to help his family. He couldn't allow that. There had to be a way out. Had to be. #vss365

She melted into the heat of his kiss, wanted to remain there, like this, until she fell to the ground in an #exhausted and thoroughly satisfied heap. #vss365 #amwriting #romanticsuspense

A million empty thoughts slammed into her. None as #powerful as the thought to leave there and be far away from him. Far, far away. She wrenched her arm free and turned back to the door. The knob slipped from her grasp as he pushed the door closed with his palm, then locked it. #vss365 #amwriting

He was even more attractive than usual when he smiled. That edge of danger, of #power and strength was still there but balanced. Safe. #vss365 #amwriting

She fumbled in the drawer for the gun, her hands shaking as they closed around it. She’d never shot at a real live person. Only paper targets. But they were on the stairs now. Coming up. There was no choice. Trembling, she chambered a round, tried to aim at the #doorway. #vss365 #amwriting

Tails. Always tails. The coin landed like it had rehearsed the role: a tiny oracle of cold alloy. He laughed, too long, too loud, because #chance was never #chance, just the storyteller wearing a mask. The explosion felt distant and he could not recall if he’d flipped at all. #vss365 #microfiction

There had to be a way out. She turned to the balcony doors. Rushed to them. Frantically worked the locks and pushed the doors open. But even if she dared to #chance a jump, she’d never make it over the rail in time. They’d see her. They’d catch her. #vss365 #amwriting

Your periodic reminder that mRNA vaccines are a scientific and public health game-changer. Those that have been approved have passed stringent efficacy and safety checks. They protect you and your child against potentially fatal diseases. You may, however, get a sore arm.

Finally, he was within reach. The mist, the chameleon. The murderer. He and that woman were made from the same mold. If the #past foretold the future, then one of them would destroy the other. The question was whether he should let them destroy themselves or bring each of them down himself. #vss365

If you ever get the feeling there's something #malignant growing in this country's dark heart, you're not wrong. It may be wrapped in a flag and carrying a cross, but it's still rot. #vss365

She expected that cocky grin from him, yet his eyes remained soft, bare almost, as if he might actually be seeing her for her, not for a way to feed his insatiable ego. But if that were true, then why leave now? To deny his own #yearnings, to secret them away, pretend he didn’t feel them? #vss365

The State of Illinois at this time has received no requests or outreach from the federal government asking if we need assistance, and we have made no requests for federal intervention.

With legal challenges to this law pending, we cannot justify building the expensive required infrastructure. For now, we have made the difficult decision to block access in Mississippi. To learn more, read our blog post:

Here's a joke for mind readers:

She turned with the gracefulness of a dancer. He watched as she put on her coat and marveled at the way she made the #mundane action as sensual as if she’d begun to undress for him. #vss365 #amwriting #romanticsuspense

🇺🇦 Re-upping this one in the name of decency and democracy. Slava Ukraini!

“We all experience pain, and need comfort from someone who understands." She glanced at him. "Whether we care to admit or not.” He responded as expected, with eyes on the road, silence as thick as the snow falling around them, and tension as intense as the gusts of wind #pummeling the car. #vss365

A federal judge struck down much of Florida’s book ban law as unconstitutional, condemning the removal of books on vague "sexual content" grounds without considering their overall value. The ruling defends First Amendment rights and demands banned titles be restored in schools.