All treats, no tricks

If you check the blogs at the RH side of this page, you’ll see I’ll be starting NaNoWriMo this Sunday, writing the fourth in a series of what are best described as ‘murder mysteries’.  They feature DI Luke Darbyshere who came face to face with DI John Pettinger in book three (poor Pettinger struggling, as ever). From past experience, writing and reading Prediction pieces comes as a welcome diversion, so I don’t anticipate any reduction of activity here. So please keep entries – and comments – coming; both essential to the health of this site.

And this week, a thorough treat! From MDJB’s opening words to Patricia’s ‘Last Words’ and Kai’s closing line. Antonia’s supremely clever blending of the prompts and Bill’s triple offering. Every one a winner in my mind, but since tradition says I have to name a Winner, I declare Bill’s ‘Bad Habit’ to be my favouritest favourite this week.

Words for the coming week are: knuckle, reverberate, sense

Entries by midnight Thursday November 5th, new words and winners posted on Friday 6th

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Intimations and interpretations

This week’s winner is Patricia for her admirable ability to so effectively, as Antonia says, inject 'you know what I'm talking about'  without spelling it out, in Bird has flown.

One one level, the art, the skill of writing is to manipulate the reader into seeing exactly what you intend them to, but it is always interesting – and informative – when readers put a different interpretation on words one has supposed say something else. It could be said to be the result of sloppy writing, as I think I’m guilty of with last week’s Threshold 85. (On re-reading I could see exactly what Patricia and Antonia had read into it and wish I’d been that clever!) But interpretation is what Prediction is about - the taking of three words and making something unique - and is what each of us so effectively demonstrates here, week after week, for which I thank you all.

Words for the coming week are: filigree, ominous, plug

Entries by midnight Thursday October 29th, new words and winners posted on Friday 30th

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Shocking - real and imaginary

Yes. Here we deliberately set out to shock, the ‘rules’ requiring us to write in specific genres so as to do so, but we do so for pleasure, to entertain and because of some sort of writerly compulsion. Last week, for Antonia, Real Life stepped in and demonstrated how much more of a shock it can deliver, but also that writing can be a palliative, if not a cure. 
Not that it cures everything, as the illegal immigrants who this week climbed into the back of a lorry must have found, when they discovered themselves sharing space with a polar bear.

The shock that Bill delivered wins him first place, but Antonia’s brave despatch of the Creature deserves special mention, and thanks are due to Michael for his directing me to onion futures.

Words for the coming week are: alphabet, dairy, vigil

Entries by midnight Thursday October 22nd , new words and winners posted on Friday 23rd

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Rule-breaking makes for entertainment

It has to be said that honing one’s craft as a writer changes and occasionally reduces one’s enjoyment of reading. I’ve just finished Stuart MacBride’s ninth in his detective series. High-paced, humorous and thoroughly entertaining, I couldn't help notice how much in the way of superfluous to plot anecdote and information was included. At total variance to what we do here, but good to know it can be “allowed” if that’s what we want t do. And, hard though it is, and aware of my lack of academic knowledge as I am, I still feel it a privilege to read these submissions and choose what I consider, often using different criteria each week, to be the “winner”.   This week, partly for the pleasure of reading her distinctive voice again, but also because it was such a mentally stunning read, I unhesitatingly pick Zaiure, but thank you all for both writing and commenting.

Words for the coming week are: detonate verdict wraith

Entries by midnight Thursday October 15th , new words and winners posted on Friday 16th

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Triple strength, five star quality

A small but very strong field to choose from this week, which, given the quality of each is just as well. Not that it’s made my job any easier. Kai’s opening sentence; his use of ‘barrel’ as a verb, draped sheet and the chilling final line drew a vivid picture. Bill’s hardboiled tone and bulletted sentences immediately gripped, delivering another gun-barrelled gut-punch finish. But by the merest breath of wind, Antonia’s barrel of grog in her 116th episode made it to the top – well done! And thank you all for the pleasure of reading and re-reading these.

I anticipate Michael Brown might post his missed-deadline piece in MudStones, and have also added a link to Kai’s blog, where his longer pieces can be read.

Words for the coming week are: febrile, medium, poetry

Entries by midnight Thursday October 8th , new words and winners posted on Friday 9th

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all of the three words above in the genres of horror, fantasy, science fiction or noir. Serialized fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and use of the words and stems are fine. Feel free to post links to your stories on Twitter or Facebook or whichever social media best pleases you and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.