Leap of imagination

As Patricia commented, ‘hare’ is a word which carries much potential; one of the criteria I aim to use when seeking words. Crossword clues are a useful source, and the titles visible on spines of books and CDs shelved on the wall right before my eyes often furnish a word or two. Wherever they come from, I’ve no more knowledge of next week’s words when I write this week’s pieces than you have.

As ever the pieces posted have been impactful and a joy to read, but this week reference to real-life horrors set the standard for selecting winners, and William’s ‘Hiding from the world’ and Patricia’s ‘The  Final Solution’ take joint first.

Words for the coming week are:  stick, opportunity, credulous

Entries by midnight Thursday 3rd March new words and winners posted on Friday 4th

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.

Daisy fresh, but dastardly

One of the five books I read this week was Howard Spring’s ‘Shabby Tiger’, first published in 1934. Not read for some forty years I was delighted to find was just as beautiful, fresh and wonderful as ever.

Hundred word drabbles are a very different breed to novels, but no-one can doubt the freshness of what turns up on the Prediction each week, prime examples of which are Rosie and Zaiure for their party-themed pieces (late arriving, but worth waiting for). For the vividly-delivered kick of macabre, this week’s top spot goes to Patricia for her ‘Artistic licence’. Her use of ‘Christian’ as a first name is guaranteed to creep me out, after ‘Jane Eyre’. And thanks to Kai for his double helping of 'Immortal'

Words for the coming week are:  hare justify slurry

Entries by midnight Thursday 25th February new words and winners posted on Friday 26th

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.

All clouds equipped with silver linings

 Hard 

Hard though several of us claimed to find last week’s prompts – uninspiring at the very least – this was not in the slightest apparent in the imaginative ways they were used, to the extent that choosing a winner was harder than ever. Nor does anything present itself as a useful point of judgement this week, so I’m going to place Zaiure’s ‘Remnant’ as winner, by a narrow margin, for the sheer kick of pleasure it gave me.  And will name Patricia, for ‘Kursaal’, Rebecca and Bill as very worthy  runners-up for similar reasons. I should also like to say how appreciative I am of your comments; on my pieces as well as everyone elses. It has always been a strength of this group; it matters to us to know we’re being read, and it means such a lot when folk say so.

Words for the coming week are:  contour, prevaricate, recipe

Entries by midnight Thursday 18th February new words and winners posted on Friday 19th

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.

None of us are bluffing

New carpets and re-decorating, I’ve had a week of put and take, of shifting furniture and throwing out ‘stuff;’ accumulated over some thirty years.  I’ve similarly tried to put in order this week’s ten less-than-dulcet tales, and found it harder to jettison any of them than I have decades of accumulated leaflets. But since I have to, I’ve allocated first place to William for his last-arriving, and poignant, ‘Last Orders’, second place to Kai, for his twenty-seventh episode of ‘Immortal’, and third to tinysmallfry for ‘Diva scorned’ but, as usual, and no less sincerely, thank you all for participating so fully and to all of our enjoyment.

Words for the coming week are:  cloud, quiver, remain

Entries by midnight Thursday 11th February new words and winners posted on Friday 12th

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.