Buttered scones and great imagination

This was one of the most exhilarating weeks for colourful and supremely imaginative leaps I can remember; it seemed the standard of offerings shot up tenfold (not that they are normally at all shabby!). Perhaps I should offer more in the way of misspelt and mildly obscure  prompt words?  

I thank you all for your contributions, and thank you all again for commenting so diligently – a vital part of this site.

As usual, near impossible to pick a winner, however, for the gut-punching  impact of her final line – Antonia’s ‘Deception’, aptly named drew a small squeal from me, so little did I anticipate it, and deserves top place this week.

Words for next week:  ladder ripe venture

Entries by midnight Thursday 1^st February, winners and words posted 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.

Slush, salt and puddle jumping

Yesterday’s walk to fetch the daily paper. But later the sun came out and to have colour after days of grey was a bonus. And yet, this week I found myself most appreciative of the different brands of horror so many of you deliver on a regular basis.

Patricia deserves a mention twice over: one for the telling of the fascinating  real-life background to ‘Divisible by One’ and another for Heteropaternal Superfecundation – whose ‘I won't bore you with the details.  ending deserved a slapped wrist.

And though I do try to name but a single winner, this week the honours have to be shared between Jim E Deegan (appearing as Anonymous) for his untitled piece and Jerry for ‘I See Red’

Words for next week:  collapse sauce tumbrel
Apologies - a last minute change of mind (from 'tendril') and I forgot to check the spelling

Entries by midnight Thursday  25^th January winners and words posted 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.

Purple strap, orange hearts and dustballs

Another reference to what is on my desk.  (Just so you know, I’m not the sort does housework, so dust and other oddities are inevitable.)

Which is why no mention, by me, of a feather duster. But plenty other fascinating uses of last week’s prompt words, and a richness of submissions from which to try and pick a winner. I had a short list of four ...(and had Rosie and Bill not been past the deadline with their pieces that would have risen to six)  but eventually, almost inevitably, it is Dan’s ‘The Hulder Nymph’ which especially delighted me with both the language of its dialogue and the background to the exchange.

Words for next week:  hiatus scrub twin

Entries by midnight Thursday  18^th January winners and words posted 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.

Soaring into the high cold dawn of a new year

I’m not one for resolutions (and doubt any such would have prevented the last few week’s disruption) but it might be worth suggesting any thanks for my consistency of administration be kept within your own minds!! Fingers crossed, this time to encourage a retreating virus, I am finally on the mend. I hope the rest of you had a week or so of joy and contentment.

This week’s winner – in large part because of the subtlety of its under-writing which is a skill I am trying hard to develop myself – is Zaiure for her ‘Frozen’ Each time I read it I come up with a different interpretation, and were it a novel, would not yet have put it down.

Words for next week:  clot feather third

Entries by midnight Thursday  11^th January winners and words posted 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.