Pale mauve tulips and an orange-flamed coal fire

The tulips a colour I've not seen before and the fire because although it has been dry and sunny in Orkney this week, the mostly north wind has ensured that away from shelter, it has also been very cold.

And fulsome praise for all who contributed what seemed an even richer than usual range of entries. JK offered episode 2 of Gotegodd, setting us all on alert for the next, each of Patricia’s hit high spots, Marmalade the undoubted star of Cripplegate Junction and a sly re-telling of a fairy tale, Antonia’s Captain succumbed to temptations of the flesh and William spoke of an’ intemperate tongue’, but I thought Rosie’s 26th episode of The Adventures of Rosebud, Princes Pirate, one of her strongest so award her the winner’s spot this week; the rest of you snapping at her heels.

Words for the coming week are: match, donate, nefarious

Entries by midnight Thursday 2nd June, new words and winners posted on Friday 3rd

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.

Bad spells of wine, good spills of words

Despite last week’s too-phonetic spelling there was still a wealth of good reading this week – do check out later minute entries by William and Rosie. Thank you all for contributing and those of you who took time to comment.

In order to persuade her to return with at leasr a second episode of Gostegodd, I’m awarding top place to Jk Davies, which also saves me having to choose between Antonia’s episode 147 of Infinity and Patricia’s  The Rook's Nookery, episode 45 of Cripplegate Junction.

Words for the coming week are:  awry, freelance, fulsome

Entries by midnight Thursday 26th May, new words and winners posted on Friday 27th

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.

Circle to Circle

This Friday I am in Stanton Drew, in Somerset, site of England’s little-known third largest stone circle. Next Friday I'll be on my way to Orkney, home of the ever-fascinating Ring of Brodgar - time for writing may be curtailed.

This necessarily brief, and last week's entries thinner on the ground than usual, but even had there been a dozen I suspect William's entry would have been a winner. Hopefully time and Real Life will be less of a restraint so as to make more use of the words for next week:

Words for the coming week are:  knave, Rioja, boot

Entries by midnight Thursday 19th May, new words and winners posted on Friday 20th

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.

May the force remain with you

From Chris’s cruel diagnosis, Patricia’s round peg suicide, William’s wonderfully-phrased ‘truancy of life’ and DI Pettinger’s latest murders, there’s been a lot of death around this week. At least Rosie’s Pirate Princess only suffered an accident. 

But the excellency of Antonia’s Captain was no accident and for this exceptionally strong episode of 'Infinity'  – the 145th – I name her this week’s winner. And, as she rightly says, despite the deaths, the standard of writing here is decidedly uplifting. Thank you one and all.

Words for the coming week are:  fleapit, sable, rapid

Entries by midnight Thursday 5th May, 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.