The rain in Spain ...

... will, I hope, confine itself to the plain next week and avoid where I’ll be staying, so it will be another week where I ask each of you to name your favourite entry; the one you consider to be the week’s winner.

Goodness knows this week has been hard to judge – so many inventive uses of the prompt words plus some forgotten songs planted in my head – and as ever I appreciate the efforts made to comment.

‘Visual’ was an oft-repeated word, scene-setting something everyone excels in – Zaiure’s  a lesson in creating intimacy in tiny detail – but tops for me this week was Jk’s ‘Gostegodd 006’, closely followed by Antonia’s ‘Musing over lunch’.

Words for next week: contempt shoelace trivial

Entries by midnight Thursday 1st June, new words posted on Friday 2nd

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. Serialised 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 you prefer.

Natural homes for the unnatural

There has been some discussion, publicly and privately, in which discomfort about critique was expressed. For the record, Prediction exists, and has always existed, primarily for the mutual enjoyment of making natural homes for an unnatural selection of words. While appreciation of well-worked pieces is desirable – we all like to know we have been read – it is hoped that  those with sensitivity enough to know their limits will appreciate and learn by observing the skills of others.

And last week’s words were no exception – were, in fact, exceptionally good – providing a very strong shortlist of more than half a dozen. Reasoning that by choosing little pieces I can get away with naming three, I selected John for his ‘Blue Wisdom’, Patricia for ‘Lights Out’ and Ghostrunner for her untitled tale of calligraphic error, and I urge you all to go read Rosie’s most wonderfully-titled ‘Deadly, but Obviously Well Balanced’.

Thank you all for contributing to a thoroughly entertaining week.   

Words for next week: flaccid  lullaby  sack

Entries by midnight Thursday 25th May, 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. Serialised 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 you prefer.

Bandying the wicked words

Last week’s indecisive result -– two votes each for separate pieces for Patricia and Perry, and one for me – was an illustration of how hard it is to pick a single winner from the week’s invariably excellent selection. This week was no exception but I found myself attracted to the gritty urban, in particular that of Jk’s untitled Roadie piece  and Rie’s ‘The Proposition’ and declare these joint winners.

Additional thanks go to all of you who commented and also to Patricia who sent me searching for my Bob Seeger CD - now playing.

Words for next week: aphrodisiac chew gauze

Entries by midnight Thursday 18th May, 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. Serialised 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 you prefer.

Scheduled words and serial thoughts

A couple of weeks ago I read Jilly Coopers latest bonk-buster, the style of which has answered a question I’ve pondered from time to time. Each episode of the serials I post here are intense, tight-written and aim to have a punch-line every hundred words. My novels are much slower-paced and at times I’ve wondered whether as a result  they are inferior. But the breathless intensity of Jilly has reassured me; a collection of Prediction episodes might not be a very comfortable read.

Words for next week: bundle truth vindaloo

Entries by midnight Thursday 11th May, 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. Serialised 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 you prefer.