explore | Grilled Cheese

@the-book-bazaar.com Oct 15, 2026, 5:26 PM

TBB Writing Prompt this week is: Abomination. Writing prompts are open to anyone who wants to participate! We'll take snippets, like-vibe pontifications... Anything! Let's read what you've got.

#TBBPrompt #Writing #AmWriting #WritingPrompt

The Book Bazaar Writing Prompt. "Abomination." QRP with your take! Can be something new, a snippet from already created writing, an idea, a backstory... anything! Let's get those writing juices flowing

@amaralynn.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 11:58 PM

#TBBPrompt - Reflection
Some inner reflecting Ava:

The kiss and his words have played in my head over and over again all night, and when I see him again the next morning, after he texted and asked if I wanted to get breakfast together, my face burns brighter than the sun.

-from Fire and Feathers

@josiejaffrey.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 6:53 PM

This one’s from May Day!
#TBBPrompt

Blood is available from several vendors within the city, so there’s really no need for anyone to go taking humans off the streets. The problem is that it’s expensive, which is a reflection of how much effort goes into obtaining it.
It works like this: the academics of Solomon College focus on the sciences, with a particular emphasis on producing spin-out companies that run various and numerous drug trials. Those trials always involve taking large amounts of blood from the volunteer participants – for which they are financially incentivised – but very few of the drugs ever make it to market. That’s not because the drugs the college produces aren’t effective, but because the drugs never exist in the first place. The sole objective of the enterprise is to obtain the participants’ blood.

@spookyxpickle.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 10:53 AM

How many of us
have stared at our reflection,
with disappointment

We find ourselves to be
too much,
or not enough,

But the thing is,
you're already here,
already you

You might as well
take up the space
like you mean it

#TBBPrompt #Writing #AmWriting #WritingPrompt

@maximejaz.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 7:54 AM

#TBBPrompt
I have a scene in my published vampire romance In Aeternum, when Jay is waiting for his mother to die at the hospital and Roman, his ancient vampire lover, sits with him, and gives him a tiny lesson on life. (cw death, grief)

Jay walked to him when she had sunk again. “You want to sit here? Don’t waste your time.”
“What time?” Looking up at him with a smile.
“Of course…”
“You’re bored with this? It will be over soon.”
His guilt flamed up. “Not bored… it’s just… she’s in pain… it’s hard for me to see her like this… I only ever had her…”
Roman didn’t say anything, watching as Jay’s human mind was already coloring her picture, making it perfect in the shadow of death, to heighten that agony of grief, tame that guilt. How could you be anything else than perfect, mother? After death, it was indecent to talk about the dark side. He pursed his lips. “She raised you, and you’re doing well. Her task is complete.”
“And if she’s gone,… and that crazy vampire woman kills you, I’ll be alone.”
Roman rose and made him turn to the window, holding his neck lightly, their reflections in the night sky. “Who do you see?”
“Us…” Confused, almost annoyed, but Roman stepped out of the frame.
“And now?”
“Just me.”
“Are you alone?” Jay blinked at his reflection, seeing that young man in that milky mirror image, his set grey eyes which he averted, almost, Roman’s voice cutting him short. “Don’t. Look at yourself.” He obeyed, forcing his gaze into his reflection’ eyes. “You’ll never be alone, Jay. You’ll always have you.”
“I’m not sure I like what I’m seeing…”
“Learn then… to like him.” Roman walked close, lacing his arms around him from the back, his lips on his neck. Their eyes locked in the glass. “Because after a while… there’s nobody else…”
Jay got it then, watching his immortal face in that glass, what he meant, people dying around him like fireflies, a fleeting light in the night of his long life. He sighed, his voice shaking. “I’m not sure I can…”
Roman’s dark lips curled up. “You can. You just refuse. But it’s there. Work for it. Every day.”

@vampireantihero.com Oct 9, 2026, 2:41 AM

#TBBPrompt this is one of the first scares in Such Sweet Sorrow. In a mirrors reflection.

#AQWrites #S3

A snippet from Such Sweet Sorrow by Artemis Quinn. It says:

Beneath the hooks was a large, ornate oval mirror, mounted in an ornate filigree frame that was crafted in a brilliant bronze, green patina showing its age.

Wait a second…

I stepped closer, my eyes narrowing as I stared at the mirror. There was a smudge in the glass that looked like a face. What is that? I tilted my head, trying to change the angle, but the illusion didn’t fade. “No way…”

I twisted to look more fully at the mirror, holding the door with my right hand and leaning in. The face started to define — the right half of an eye, nose, full lips, and the start of an angular jaw beneath curly hair. There was way more detail here than it could be if I had just rubbed against it at some point. As I leaned in, the smudgy eye blinked. I jumped away with a gasp. “Fuck!!”

My heart pounded as I jumped back from the mirror, pressing against the door of the bathroom. I closed my eyes, shaking my head. You’re tired. That’s all.

@rhysackhurst.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 1:44 AM

Torn between something cute and something sad. So I did both

1.) Lu made a deal with Nebula to switch clothes at a ball so he can sneak a dance with Sorrel and Lu's showing her his handiwork with her makeup

2.) Sid sees his reflection after a *long* time

#TBBPrompt #WritingPrompt #VeilOfStarlight

"Okay, close your eyes again," Lu told her, taking her shoulders and positioning her in front of the mirror hanging inside the door of his wardrobe. She sighed, waiting as Lu tied her veil in place with the ribbon high on her forehead. She could feel the shorter end that usually fell to her chest was folded back to keep her face more visible.
"And… now."
She opened her eyes, her mostly flat expression immediately fell in shock. "I–?" She took several steps closer to the mirror, carefully inspecting her reflection. "Oh, th-that is me, holy shit."
She glanced at Lu before turning back to herself with a stunned scoff. "I…" She reached out and pulled him into a hug. "Thank you," she whispered.
"Thank you," he replied. With a proud grin, he gently took her elbow and opened his bedroom door, playfully presenting her to their brother and sister.
Nit gasped in excitement. Lu took a mock bow, Sid politely clapped with a crooked, playfully regal smile.
"C'mon, you need to go show off." Lu told her.
"And piss off Stella." Sid added, his smile growing genuine.
"A win-win." Neb lightly shrugged, snickering.

There wasn't any room for him to rest his hands, but he was desperately curious about what lay beneath the covered trays. He was unfortunately side-tracked by his reflection, brow rising in shock.

His eyes were almost too dim to make out in the weakly flickering flames of his face. Flames that were also darker than he remembered. He was nearly the flat gray of wet ash, no longer the heavy-cloud gray he expected. Or the soft gray of twilight he was named after.

Before he could lament or process how confinement had changed him physically, Tara motioned for the chefs to uncover their trays and he was immediately distracted. He didn't even notice the chefs leave as Tara dismissed them and the door closed.

@theeldervampire.bsky.social Oct 9, 2026, 1:00 AM

#TBBPrompt Reflection
from The Witch of Eden Hollow #⚔️🌿🌼

Soon enough, Avery tentatively joined Elias to look at his reflection. Immediately, he froze. Avery reached out, touched his reflection, then moved to hold his own face. He stared at his freckles and at how puffy his eyes had gotten from crying. He felt his nose, his cheeks, glanced down at his own hand.

“That’s… me?”

“It is.” Elias smiled. “Look at your eyes. See how your hair frames your face. Strong nose, nice cheeks. Those freckles mean you have been kissed by the sun. It’s a lovely trait to have.”

Avery blushed. “Really?” he asked in a small voice.

“Yes. And there is no one else in the world with a face exactly
like this.”

@sophroniaw.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 9:53 PM

From revising chapter 1 of my novel today:

The boys led Kazian up to a random section of the tower. Its wide plane of mirror-glass was pristine, with not a mark or scratch to be seen. It was akin to an undisturbed lake, as though all three could step through it like a portal.

#TBBPrompt #AmWriting

@karamoonauthor.com Oct 8, 2026, 9:25 PM

#TBBPrompt "reflection"

😸

from A Prayer for the Pirate Queen 🏴‍☠️ 💜 ⚓️ currently in third draft revisions

"Saints!" Kallista exclaimed quietly, then gripped the railings on the foredeck. Cats were slippery things. If she gave chase, the little blighter would get away. "When did we get a cat on this ship?"

"I believe he came on at Didaea, Captain," Madelia answered. "At least, that's about when he started showing up in the galley and begging me for tidbits."

Kallista folded her arms. "Well, I hope he'll pull his weight, and take up the post of pestmaster. I don't intend to pick up every waif and stray in our travels."

Iona waited until Madelia had walked away before muttering, "Āe, we hardly need a cat when the captain's already brought her pet onboard, do we?" Iona smirked at Kallista, then stepped away, returning to duty, before Kallista could think of something snippy to say back to her.

At least it would only be a few days of teasing, and then Geni would be gone. Kallista tried to feel relief at that, but on reflection, she thought she could stand a little more teasing from Iona if it meant a bit more time with Geni.

@jakevanguard.bsky.social Oct 8, 2026, 9:11 PM

Today's TBB Writing Prompt is a good one for Tam and Sword once more. No matter how much these two banter, in the end, they have the same goals.

#TBBPrompt

Sword searches for my gaze, a reflection of my own emotions. Anger, sadness, and determination to set things right.

Jake Vanguard - OMEN

@the-book-bazaar.com Oct 8, 2026, 8:32 PM

TBB Writing Prompt this week is: Reflection. Writing prompts are open to anyone who wants to participate! We'll take snippets, like-vibe pontifications... Anything! Let's read what you've got.

#TBBPrompt #Writing #AmWriting #WritingPrompt

The Book Bazaar Writing Prompt. "Reflection." QRP with your take! Can be something new, a snippet from already created writing, an idea, a backstory... anything! Let's get those writing juices flowing

@spookyxpickle.bsky.social Oct 2, 2026, 12:27 PM

I've got one for the #TBBPrompt!

It's about a thing too many of us know too well.

I was too tired to crop out my battery life, so have fun with that.

#WritingPrompt #Writer #Writing #BookBazaar26

There are times
When I seem quiet

I don't speak,
Don't move,
Get lost
in the endless scroll

I'm trying to do something,
Anything else
Than this

My mind is trudging
Through sticky, thick mud
In the the fields of fog

My body is heavy
From the efforts
My brain is taking

But I can't escape
This quiet hell
Of my own making

Not alone,
And not without
Significant effort

@littletakio.bsky.social Oct 1, 2026, 11:46 PM

From the MfL series in progress... A typical day in group therapy for Brooke.

#TBBPrompt #MfL #Writing

A screen grab of text reading:
“Jane?” Carole’s voice came, more pointed, and Brooke looked up to see everyone looking at her.
That was right. She wasn’t Brooke anymore; she was codename Jane.
“Sorry,” she muttered.
“No need to be sorry,” Carole said. “It seems like Tiffany’s story brought something up for you. Would you like to share with the group?”
Brooke glanced around the circle at the other participants. They all stared back at her, no doubt wondering if this would be one of the rare times that codename Jane would speak. She rarely did, only when she’d been backed into a corner that she couldn’t weasel her way out of, and when she did speak it was all lies. She didn’t want to share real pieces of herself with any of them.
“No,” she said quietly. “I don’t think I would.”
Like a collective sigh, the slight tension in the room deflated.

@vampireantihero.com Oct 1, 2026, 2:52 PM

Here's a snip from #s3— the calm before the storm, I suppose.

I hope they unsuspend the Book Bazaar account soon!

#TBBPrompt

A snippet from Such Sweet Sorrow by Artemis Quinn. It says:

Twenty minutes later, I was comfortably in a room with the overhead lights off and the heat blasting. One solitary lamp was turned on and angled away from me, and the dark and quiet were staving off the migraine successfully.

@narkerns.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 9:25 AM

This kind of reminded me of an older piece I wrote a few years back.

A short story about revenge and grief about a life never lived.

#TBBPrompt #Writing #AmWriting #WritingPrompt

With teary eyes of her own, Kara turned to her friend and looked at her beautiful face once more. Full of affection, she whispered, “I loved you, Elara.”
A painful smile was Elara’s response. She looked away, raising her gaze to the ceiling, and letting more tears drop on the floor.
“Oh, Kara. Everybody does.”
This rejection hurt more than anything Kara had ever endured. All the pain of the last few days, even all the pain she had experienced in her entire life, was nothing compared to what she felt in that moment. The world ceased to exist, and the two girls lying together were all that remained.
Kara grabbed her blade and plucked it from Elara’s foot.
With a mix of anguish and love, she buried it in her friend’s heart - slowly but relentlessly.
Elara watched in surprised defiance as she realized what Kara was doing. Raising her chin, she took it without apologizing.
With her last breath Kara tried to imagine what her life could have been like under other circumstances, holding on to the thought as long as she could. Then her strength finally left her, and her head slipped down into the mage’s lap.
When both women died, House Marchuk officially ceased to exist.

@josiejaffrey.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 8:13 AM

This one’s from May Day!
#TBBPrompt

Black text on white background reads:

She’s magicked a tissue from somewhere and she’s dabbing at her face with it. It comes away clean; she’s not wearing any make up. She doesn’t strike me as the kind of woman who would go in for Noir Moderne. She’s more interested in pearls and cashmere than satin and lace, elegant even in her grief. If I had the energy for it, I might feel scruffy next to her in my deodorant-stained top and gin-soaked jeans. Fortunately, I have run out of my daily quota of fucks to give.

@tangurple.bsky.social Sep 25, 2026, 1:44 AM

#TBBPrompt

Heart of Oak has a lot of grief in it, some moments are the regretful type, others are a “i wish it was different” type, and some are “well fuck, that sucks” kind

Here’s one such “regeret” & “I wish it was different”

A skeleton wrapped in the tattered and faded remains of silk and linen clothing leaned against the wall with a corroded sword resting uncomfortably on the ground. In the open hand of the skeleton was a worn leather-bound journal. Simadger picked it up and opened the book. Sitting in the binding was a crusty pencil, which was open to the last journal entry in the book.
There were five of us; myself, an aldail, a dwart, a sandman, and the naga beside me. We came down here on a quest from the guild to investigate a resurfaced ruin. We didn't know what to expect. We should've expected dust scorpions. I feel so stupid for not bringing any antidotes.
This place, from the moment we entered it, something felt off. It felt like there were eyes watching us. Our naga, Ava Isaako, told me she could hear faint whispering. I should've called it then. / didn't. / wanted to know what exactly was down here.
There were some scribblings from another delving group from who knows how long ago.
Among them was someone who could read ancient Henetian and one of the names of the final Pharaohs is written all over these walls, Sadiki Kan-Ta.
Based on these old notes and what the murals showed us, / think this Pharoh in particular was a very bad man. I don't know how to explain it but he had a weapon, something unnatural but not traditional. It's almost plant-like.
We never found his sarcophagus. We got ambushed by a swarm of flesh-eating scarabs. / think our movements alerted them. They ate Taegn Genkas, our aldail. From the first bite to clean bone in less than a minute. Fire ants never had this ferocity. I don't envy that death, but at least it was quick.
In our desperate effort to run, myself and Ava got stung by a dust scorpion. Our dwarf and vahit ran off without us. I don't blame them. This place feels cursed. In my final moments, I can feel the weight of dread on my shoulders. The sting…

@sharkiatwrites.bsky.social Sep 24, 2026, 11:27 PM

in my #snippet for tonight's #TBBPrompt:

"If only the Rites of Mourning still lasted three weeks, instead of three days! But An-Yin’s grandfather had reduced each part to just one day. The Feast of Souls was over. Next would be the day of Telling—a day for stories,