She removed the strings and lines from the murder board. “Whoa. What are you doing?” Her boss asked. “Know who killed him. It was Tim.” “No way. He’s too #timid.” He rocked on his heels. “Found him hiding the murder weapon.” “It’s always the quiet ones.” #vss365

I'm excited to begin my time hosting #vss365! What will you do with the first word? Don't be shy... show me your creativity with the #prompt #timid.

n a town called #Timid, there lived Sid, Whose shyness was famously hid. He whispered to trees, And chatted with bees, In a world where his courage was bid. #vss365

Off To Slay ogre Save a Princess Win a #quest But my folly’s Not my choice It’s my King’s Behest Find them So happy As a couple I’m impressed But King pledged Dukedom So I try To take beast’s head Princess Gets drop on me & so I end up dead Stay outa Folk’s bizness My Granny Always said #vss365

Sun beat on the pavement, making a hot day hotter. He groaned as she stood. “No more.” “Get up. It was your idea, see it through.” “Uncle!” “Only 2 more, and you will fulfill your #quest of eating a vanilla cone at every stand on the island.” “Lead on.” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 28 His #quest was one of solitude unbroken. Effort unseen. Hunting dragons in the north country, among the bogs, the icy winters, and blood-sucking bugs of summer. Sweat-stiffened leather jerkin molded to his body. It was his purpose.

“You’ve been using the binoculars again.” She glared. “I haven’t. Just that one time.” “You’re #obsessed with the new neighbors frolicking in their hot tub.” She handed him a mirror. “Incidentally, nice raccoon imitation.” His eyes were ringed with black. #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 27 Everything he #obsessed over in life gone. The sea taketh... Eyes once gazed upon treasure, now pearls. Flesh once pampered and moisturized now replaced by coral. Nothing of him that doth fade, But doth suffer a sea-change Into something rich and strange.

The kitten leaped from shelf to shelf until she reached the top. Then she mewed. “Can’t get down?” He reached for her, then put her on the floor. She blitzed and bounded off one wall like a parkour racer. He sagged. “I wasn’t prepared for this #velocity.” #vss366

#vss365 #prompt Feb 26 Once orbital #velocity is reached, you travel so fast that you're always in free fall but never get closer to Earth. Each moment a balance of speed and vulnerability. Our love is the same, each outrunning our fears, constant motion, eternal commitment.

“Watch this.” She pulled back on the rubber sleeve and released, hurling the ball into the air. It made two #orbital passes around the tower and returned to her sling shot. “It’s magic!” “Nah. Just roving magnets.” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 25 Her heart always remained on a suborbital ballistic arc. Her crushes never reached #orbital velocity. Her flirtatious gambits always fell at 2x standard gravity. i.e. flat. She never was quite able to cross the event horizon.

He threw the blanket on the ground and flopped upon it as meteors put on a #stellar show, racing across the sky. She lay down beside him. “It looks spectacular, yet it’s really just us incinerating the universe’s trash.” “You probably don’t read poetry, do you.” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 24 -I admire the #stellar structure, I say, and you think I'm talking about the physical structures and processes of the sun, but I really mean your body, lithe and tall and pale, and your internal processes, your intellect, your gravity, your exactitude.

“And she did #knowingly…” The prosecutor droned as a fly flirted with the judge’s robe. Its dance was hypnotic. “… and that is why you should find the defendant guilty of murder in the first degree.” Her lawyer rose, and she whispered, “Get ‘em Rusty.” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 23 When she #knowingly steals the keystone and the entire bridge collapses, she is branded a traitor. But as the two warring parties spend weeks on opposite sides of the river without being able to kill each other, they transform her into Angelus Pacis.

He scurried like a #crazed lunatic, and she struggled to keep up. “You’re not going to believe this.” He stopped abruptly and pointed left. A 10 foot rabbit tapped its foot. “Are you Jo? I’m expected for Wordle assistance.” “Where were you at 7 this morning?” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 22 In Galactic Quadrant IV sits Furens Vortice, or #Crazed Wormhole. If you dare, if you dare, nose your ship into its unassuming depths. Only one ship has returned, with the crew the happiest people ever known, but they no longer remember their own names.

His hands clenched the table. Finally, she and her friend walked out. His shoulders relaxed, and he tore a piece from his scone. The town gossip sat opposite him. “When are you going to ask that girl out? You’re so #blatant. Everyone knows you’re sweet on her.” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 21 -Mr. Jangles, your owner says it's a #blatant case of assault. -My holographic recording— -Mr. Jangles, robots have no right to present evidence. Mr. Jangles freezes. -You will be decommissioned, Mr. Jangles. -I should have tried harder, Mr. Jangles says.

She shivered and ducked back under the covers. “We’ll be late.” “Tell that to someone who cares.” “You were the one who wanted to do this.” He tugged on the blanket. “In spring. Who goes on a sunrise hike when it’s so #beastly cold?” #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 20 As a thin paring of sun sat on the horizon, she peeked out her window. He prowled her garden already, this nighttime monster. She pulled the curtain on his #beastly presence. Rosemary and frankincense, woven into a protection ward, seemed too fragile to protect her tonight.

Armageddon draws near. A priest & a rabbi join forces to fight sceptics, a baffling curse, a Nazi cabal, assassins, rogue spies & centuries-old mutual mistrust. amazon.com/dp/B0832KM3V7 #WritingCommunity #Vampires #intrigue #scifi #thriller #mystery #SFF #action #BookSky 📚💙 amazon.com/dp/B0CV6182L3

We shuffled into the small shop and stared at the menu with glazed eyes. A man walked in behind us—we bade him go first. He ordered 2 dozen assorted donuts. It #mystified us that each donut was priced individually. 10 minutes later, the bell rang as he exited. #vss365

#vss365 #prompt Feb 19 The captain was #mystifed as to why his crew kept disappearing. And why the ship's dog kept getting fatter. Come to find out, it wasn't a dog, it was an interstellar quazmuffin with a tapeworm it had picked up on GJ 486 b.

“One of the best album titles ever. It was a compilation of their best singles into one place.” “Who put it out?” “Yes. So bold. Cheekily referred to each of the members.” “But who did it?” “Right. The name was ‘Meaty Beaty Big and #Bouncy.” “I give up.” #vss365

The gravitational strength of the moon means that things that are not usually bouncy are bouncy, and things that are usually bouncy are now suborbital. #vss365 #prompt #bouncy Feb 18

#9/11_Remembrance #September11

“In my day, we didn’t get rides to school. We were hardy—used our feet. Snow up to here—“ he gestured to his chest—“no problem. And that was in the mountains.” “Isn’t that your school, gramps?” “Uh-huh.” “Truly #moutainous.” She rolled her eyes. #vss365

#vss365 Feb 17 #prompt word Approaching his #mountainous childhood home, the soldier reined in. Seven years ago he'd left with his four best friends, aiming for glory in the southern wars. Now he rode alone. In the distance, a woman called to her child. He turned back south.

“Do not take the shortcut. The portents are bad.” She shivered. *** “Old bat! Not taking the long way!” He pressed on. “But…” His younger brother hurried. Twining red flowers bedecked the road, spewing lovely fragrances. “Crap. #Enchanted.” He fell. #vss365

#vss365 #prompt She sat, #enchanted by wildflowers. Soft floral scents, blossoms nodding gently as if agreeing with her every thought... three bunnies in little morning suits and top hats... -Would you like to attend a bunny wedding? She jumped to her feet. -Yes, please!

If you buy this book, in a few days your Alexa will beep and say, "You have one new notification from Amazon.com. A no-good worthless book has arrived." #amwriting #writingcommunity #kidlit #inventingreality www.amazon.com/gp/product/194...

30 day books-by-women challenge! Choose 30 books, one per day, no particular order, that you’ve read that were written by women. #BookSky #BookChallenge #ReadingWomen #30DaysBooksByWomen Day 3: Call Us What We Carry, by @amandagorman.bsky.social

Keep on #writing, even when the weather is bad! #writingcommunity 🔗 @laylahawke2.bsky.social @jasphoenix.bsky.social @chriswriter.bsky.social @jeannerolandwrites.bsky.social @faerierealms.bsky.social @jnathanialc56.bsky.social @wendybayne.bsky.social @authorstuartmiller.bsky.social

sometimes he's wondering whether these lines connect threading thoughts through his perception prism — oft words elude his gentle grasp it is in dreams he remembers how to fly — iridescent wings unfold and hold heaviest of sorrows — worries by tomorrow digested into new poetry #poetry #freeverse

My eyes remain shut, but I'm sure that in between each #kiss, he pulls back to look at me; nothing like the fervor of our recent intimate encounters. It strikes me as tender and gentle, like young love, when in reality it's foreign, intense, and forbidden with no future. #vss365

Tried something different for this spoken version of today's #vss365 - #miniscule

@nathanbrazil.bsky.social Thank you so much for the marvelous words and your time!

There was a frisson of excitement as she waited. It was her first time in his apartment. “Voila.” He placed a #minuscule piece of devil’s food cake in front of her. “I find a small bite of sugar ends the meal well.” “This isn’t going to work.” She left. #vss365

#vss365 #prompt #minuscule He encloses my hand in his, warmth radiating from his body to mine. It is the last time we will touch each other for five days, although we will still be side by side. I am suddenly shy as we pull on our pressure suits.

Rory tried to sort through the jewels that had cascaded from the broken urn, as part of the latest quest, to find the one, magical jewel that Esme’s employer needed, but they were all so tiny, so #minuscule, that he kept clicking on the wrong ones. He could see it, but touching it was hard! #vss365

Hey #vss365 writers! I am your next host for the timespan of February 15-28. We’ll have a short but memorable 14 days together! I’ll be posting the prompt word each day at 6:00 a.m. PT, 2:00 p.m. GMT Let’s have a wonderful time together, and support and appreciate each other the way we always do.

When young, it makes hormones overflow, leading to tales that can’t wait to be told. In the messy middle, it’s a hurried peck on the way to more important things. Near the end, though, a #kiss is imbued with a lifetime of love, respect, and confidences shared. #vss365

Your #vss365 #prompt for Feb 14 is #kiss "And when he has fled - like a squirrel - his laughter still vibrates on every leaf, and you can see, startled by a bullfinch, the Golden Kiss of the Wood, gathering itself together again." 'Faun's Head', Arthur Rimbaud #14

Temperature rising Snow is starting to recede Green grass showing through #haiku #poetry #NaHaiWriMo

“Free rein for companies to run roughshod on the environment, hiding sexual predators, killing citizens and immigrants—and that’s just a partial list.” She shook her head. “There’s a #lacuna where there morals and ethics should be.” “But look at the stock market.” #vss365

Your #vss365 #prompt for Feb 13 is #lacuna “lagoon? No, lacuna . . . different from lagoon. Not a cave exactly but an opening, like a mouth, that swallows things. He opened his mouth to show. It goes into the belly of the world.” Barbara Kingsolver #13 Definition: Lacuna - Unfilled space, gap

She had a big brother who loved to torment and a closet by the door to the basement. Many afternoons were spent shivering in the #dark. She never dreamed she’d become a submariner, but glowing fish emerging from the depths mesmerized and kept fear at bay. #vss365

Your #vss365 #prompt for Feb 12 is #dark "Dewdrop, let me cleanse in your brief sweet waters... These dark hands of life" 'Dewdrop, let me cleanse', Matsuo Basho #12