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.

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.

Back home but stlll effectively bed-bound

and short of time so have not had chance to properly look back at all I've missed., but Thank you Patricia for clearing up my muddles and taking on the judging  -
am I right in thinking you'll do next week's too?

Words for next week:  grain, ignorance shanty 

Entries by midnight Thursday 30th October  November, winners and words posted Friday 1st December

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.

Darkest hour before dawn?

Words for next week: furnish pellet syringe

Entries by midnight Thursday 19th October, winners and words posted Friday 20th

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.

Approaching the eleventh hour

And waiting with bated breath to learn the identity of this week’s winner

Words for next week: imprecate pear wax

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th November, winners and words 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.

Escaping November Rain

This week’s winner was a little easier than some to select because I kept returning to David’s ‘decanted tarry strings of tobacco’ –  poetry become practical – thank you.

Thank you to the rest of you for your pieces and also for your comments – a vital part of this site.

A treat for you for the next two weeks: I shall be out of the country and have no idea how reliable the combination of travelling and access to the internet will be therefore I have handed the task of choosing the week’s winner(s) to the admirably capable Patricia. 

I’ve scheduled words to appear at midday GMT so as to give her the chance of announcing her choice before too many of you get going with the new words which, for next week will be: 

lodge scintilla third

Entries by midnight Thursday 9th November, winners and words 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.

Scarlet book with rust-stained label

Another week for me of dealing with very welcome feedback on a novel, hence too little headspace for a standalone. Luckily Patricia, perhaps buoyed by last week’s win, found herself full enough of stories to take up the slack.

This week my admiration was snared by especially felicitous phrases: jk’s "trickling upward", David’s “almost akin to grief.” and John’s “to consider cashmere mittens” but it was Antonia’s “platitudes made a cashmere raft” which win’s this week’s prize. Additionally, a round of applause for Rosie’s The Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess which reached its 100th episode.

Words for next week:  eviscerate devote tab

Entries by midnight Thursday 2nd November, winners and words 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 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.

Body butter, blue-wrapped mints and a grubby plaster

Just some of the detritus on my desk (and note to self -‘detritus’ an excellent future prompt word).

Despite the relative quiet ordinariness of last week’s words, some pretty gruesome tales were spun. Because I have an inexplicable fondness for poor Clive  Bailey, I’m declaring Patricia’s ‘Cripplegate Junction/Part 118’ my poignant winner of the week.

Words for next week: cashmere grief upwards

Entries by midnight Thursday 26th October, winners and words posted Friday 27th

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.

Tacking thumbs and pricking blisters

This week showed up the gap in my knowledge and understanding of several aspects of the horror, fantasy and science fiction genres this site promotes . It’s taken a couple of years for me to be revealed as a fraud but John’s ‘From the mouth of the dragon’ which garnered such praise from everyone else bypassed my understanding by miles. Nevertheless, I name him as one of a trio of winners this week, alongside Jk’s Ellis 010 and  David’s TRASH Rash, and thank you all for a thoroughly entertaining week of reading, both posts and comment.

Words for next week: score vulnerable wicked

Entries by midnight Thursday 19th October, words posted Friday 20th

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.

Overcoming duplicity

I ceased checking for duplication of prompt words a while ago, which is why olive appeared for the third time last week. I would apologise but for the fact that you all incorporated the word in an impressively inventive and  well-oiled manner.

And because I had longer to savour it, thanks to an earlier-than-usual posting, I have no hesitation in declaring  Rosie’s ‘My Grandmother’s People’ – episode #97 of 'The Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess' this week's winner. The consistently high standard and unique voice makes this one of my (many) weekly treats.
 

Words for next week: argue petechial spring

Entries by midnight Thursday 12th October, words posted Friday 13th

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.

Hydrangeas rich as Victorian sitting rooms

By which I mean crowded, curly and richly-coloured, much as the entries for this week, providing a variety of smells and tastes and music as well as entertainment. And so impossible to separate my top three choices that I declare them joint winners:  jk for ‘Gostegodd 011’, John for ‘The Believer’ and Zaiure for ‘Distraction [9]’. As with all good stories (and several others here) each merited several readings.

Words for next week: guardian olive straddle

Entries by midnight Thursday 5th October, words posted Friday 6th

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.

Another thudding orange sunrise in Hamnavoe

An interesting selection of responses to last week’s prompt words, a variety of moods. Shortlisted were Theresa’s ‘Nights in Whitechapel’ and John’s ‘Monarchy Smonarchy’, but Patricia’s  Kursaal #88 – ‘The Amorous Adventures Of Arbuthnot Jester/Part Six’ – nudged them into joint second place. And for a tasty treat I urge those of you who might have missed it to read Rosie’s 95th episode of The Adventures of Rosebud, Pirate Princess. 

As ever, thank you all for contributing and for commenting - so much a valuable part of this site.

Words for next week: abnegate core whisky

Entries by midnight Thursday 28th September, words posted Friday 29th September

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.

Wild, wet but wonderful. ...

Much travelling about this week and now in the rainy West Highlands, at Ullapool as I begin this; further north to the topmost coast on Friday. I had to rush my posts and also the judging, but have no hesitation in declaring Zaiure’s ‘Just another Friday’ this week’s outright winner.... 

Words for next week: ambiguous cane solitary

Entries by midnight Thursday 21st September, words posted Friday 22nd September

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.

Anticipating Stirling service ...

... from a weekend at Bloody Scotland, and discovering again how wide your selection of a single winner from among this week's gut-churning entries. Unavoidable with a word like entrails, in the mix but I anticipate you'll manage just as well with the following

prompt words for next week: bland chime perpetual

Entries by midnight Thursday 14th September, words posted Friday 15th September

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.

Exit stage left, with menace and a final kick

So many excellent entries this week that once again I tried an arbitrary rule to rate them. Final lines:, I thought, but how to choose between Antonia’s ‘long pig’, Patricia’s ‘cylindrical drum’, John’s ‘I wish he hadn’t said my name’ and David’s ‘Hell would be unleashed…’?

I couldn’t, so broke another, lightly-applied, rule and chose David for a second consecutive  week, on the strength of his opening sentence, broken-winged gargoyle and the so-very-effective “eyes above the waterline”.

Next week's decision will be simpler for me: Thursday I shall be in Stirling, attending the Bloody Scotland Crime Writing Festival  and on Friday at a workshop, one of who’s tutors is Sophie Hannah.

 Therefore I am asking each of you to nominate, on Friday 8th September, your personal winner.

Thereafter, for a couple of weeks, my presence is likely to be a bit erratic, but rest assured, prompt words are already scheduled.

Words for next week: entrails kiss perfect

Entries by midnight Thursday 7th September, words posted Friday 8th September*

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.