Maps and wires, bookmarks and guitar strings

Another twelvemonth passed; another year of exciting writing to look back on and my thanks to every one you for your support.

I’ve been re-reading William McIlvanney’s Laidlaw trilogy this week; a strongly-drawn detective with a philosophical bent, I suspect it is this that warmed me to Dan’s ‘Confessions of a Reaper’ (and if crime is not your thing, there is much more to McIlvanney than his detective fiction). Additionally, I was delighted to have the treat of another episode of jk’s’ Ellis series so these are the final winners of 2017.

Here’s to 2018 – and best wishes to all of you the forthcoming holiday season.

Words to use in the next two weeks:  gutter rime thrift

Entries by midnight Thursday 4^th January winners and words posted Friday 5th

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.

Ink blots, gouges and sticky shadows

All these and more tell the history of the plan-chest acquired at auction by my husband who knew  I needed one but had no idea of the space available to put it. Took a while but he has ceased offering to clean it up a bit.

And Patricia was on the verge of cleaning up this week, since at first read all her offerings were winners, but ultimately, despite my declaring a tie between ‘Persona Non Grata’ and ‘Crowning Glory’ , she has to share the No.1 spot with Rosie for her ‘Normal is overrated.’

Thank you all for your magnificent contributions and comments.

Words for next week:  pride quirk wedge

Entries by midnight Thursday 21st December winners and words posted Friday 22nd

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.

Mislaid plans, and permutations of disaster …

Not exactly High Noon (and I can’t remember the story anyway, but I’d like to say a big ‘Thank you’ to Patricia for deputising for my so ably and for much longer than anticipated over the past few weeks. The hospital stay was beyond my control, but my stupidly wiping my laptop certainly didn’t help!

And so to this week’s winner – as problematical as ever to make a choice – but I think it has to be David’s ‘Heaven will Fall’ for much more than the unique conjunction of defibrillators and angel flesh.

Words for next week:  conform, lichen, stamp

Entries by midnight Thursday 14th December winners and words posted Friday 15th

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.

Broad expanses, stretching the mind ...

... Something all entries had in common last week - an escape from these four walls which was very welcome, and my thanks, in advance to Patricia who has so ably kept this site going in my prolonged absence, providing the necessary fillips of comment and order of merit. 

Words for next week: cherub, flicker, short

Entries by midnight Thursday 7th December winners and words posted Friday 8th

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.