“Pleasure after all is a safer guide than either right or duty”

And following Samuel Butler’s claim, albeit out of step, given this is supposed to be a site of horror and noir, this week I’ve chosen two stories purely because they made me smile with sheer pleasure:  John’s fantastically-titled ‘Mishmash and Hodgepodge and a slight bit of Gobbledygook’ and Rosie’s ‘Well Then’, the 144th  instalment of ‘The Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess’ – a consistently delightful serial which never fails to entertain.

As, obviously, do you all, for which I thank you.                                                                                                                                                                                           

Words for next week: buckle  diagnose  parish

Entries by midnight Thursday 6th September, words and winners posted Friday 7th

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.

The fathoming (or otherwise) of fables

I struggled so much over this week’s three prompt words, and have been so busy elsewhere, responding to beta readers’ brilliant assistance with a seventh-version novel, that it was both surprise and relief to discover already 56 comments when I finally found time to return to Prediction.

Should have known though, rather than let me down. you contrived to hitch the standard up another few rungs, and I confess I’ve had to pick a trio of you, being unable to pitch one even a smidgeon higher than the other. So congratulations to David W for ‘Does she know', to Zoë, for ‘Edda’ and to David T for ‘Road to Shenandoah’, and especial thanks, as ever, to all who found time to comment.

Words for next week: cast  racecourse  wraith

Entries by midnight Thursday 30th August, words and winners posted Friday 31st

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.

August and the mornings grow dark again

At least I’m not awake and waiting for it to be four o’clock before allowing myself to get out of bed. Not that last week’s tales wouldn’t have been worth it – as rich a bunch as one could hope to wish for. (Given the inclusion of ‘unborn’ I was not surprised. Nor disappointed.)

As usual a struggle to pick a winner and I feel obliged to stress that, as ever, it is a subjective, but for me there was something very special in R J Wayne’s hauntingly visual ‘Dust’

Words for next week: allegory trust vulgar

Entries by midnight Thursday 23rd August, words and winners posted Friday 24th

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.

Pricking of more than thumbs

A somewhat uncomfortable week, seeing what each of you managed to do with a cactus and some gin! 

Even being ultra-picky this week my short-list went out of control again, but for once two tales by the same author kept rising to the top and I nominate Terrie as the winner for her double helping of the SAS Diaries, numbers 15 and 16.

This weekly experience of reading both posts and comments is never-endingly pleasurable – thank you all for contributing so generously to it..

Words for next week: fork quagmire unborn

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th August, words and winners posted Friday 17th

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.

Cardiff, moorhen or a coot?

Late today, apologies – staying at my daughter’s and the days a different shape. My pleasure at reading your entries no less, nor  the difficulty of choosing a winner, therefore, too short of opportunity to insert fag papers between each of half a dozen, I’m naming three time: J E Deegan for ‘In a time past’, Dave for ‘The Liberator’ and Patricia for ‘Broken-hearted Clown’. Thank you all.

Words for next week (inspired by daughter’s kitchen) : cactus, gin percolate

Entries by midnight Thursday 9th August, words and winners posted Friday 10th

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.