Richness indeed

Not sure whether it was the chocolate (which, for the most part, I avoided, with considerable regret) or the extra holidays, but there was certainly something in the air that spawned a wealth of entries. Which, having revelled in them, it is now my task to attempt to rank in some sort of order. Terrie treated us to three episodes of armadillo activities plus a stand alone, John, the top-class delight of ‘The Mobster’s Daughter’, and Patricia a pair of inventivenesses in ‘Hobson’s Choice’ and ‘Oblivium’, but for me, the top rung this week went to David for the chill of  ‘In the Valley of the Callipygian Hills’. Thank you all for participation and comment.

Words for next week: blithe notch rainbow

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 2nd May, words and winners posted 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. Serialised fiction is, as always, welcome. All variants and uses 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.

Whisky Bravo

A small celebration for me because I finally declared the three novels in the detective series I’ve been working on since 2011 both finished and something to be pleased with. Relief too, because I can finally get on with finishing book 4, stalled for several months until an early morning train of thought unwound the knots in the plot and set it firing again.

But, enough about me – though it was me who enjoyed another superb week of tiny Prediction tales (most offering a novel’s worth of impact) and I have no hesitation in declaring Antonia this week’s winner, for the enviable smoothness of her ‘Stop the Week’ series - number 43 already.

Some more challenging words this week - the first I have to thank my son for.  

Words for next week: callipygian vacillate yesterday

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 25th April, 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 uses 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.

Estuarine mud and museums

Good to see the wide variety of choices picked for last week, while I spent an enjoyable couple of days in the unanticipated sunshine of Kingston-upon-Hull. Congratulations to Dave for coming out on top of the popular vote.

My shortlist for this week began just as numerous and I have to confess to being unable to choose between  a final three: Terrie for entry 55  of The Secret Armadillo Soldier (SAS) Diaries, Holly for the stunning descriptions and appeals to every sense, seen so vividly in ‘Enthralled’ and David T for the clever uniqueness of ‘The Cauldron Pouch’. Thank you all for yet another week of high class entries.

Words for next week: burnish log worsen

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 18th April, 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 uses 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.

Trees no longer skeleton, black against a pale blue sky

Is what I’m seeing from my window as I type this, and I look forward to reading your choice of favourites when I return home, having no doubt it has been a tricky one.

In the meantime, see what you can do with these:

Words for next week: caution pouch sweat

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 11th April, 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 uses 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.