And the earth moved

Well, in fact the house sort of shifted a bit. I thought ‘if I was alone in the house I’d be worried’ but, 6 a.m. and no-one in sight, I wasn’t. Twelve hours later I learned it had been an earthquake, epicentre six miles away. 

Much more vigorous and upheaving were the stories here this week, and it’s taken several re-reads and a glass of wine to decide Patricia gets first place for the clever ‘Back to square one’, and John a somewhat crud-encrusted one-off, new-depths-of-depravity  medal for ‘One-off’.

 As mentioned as a comment, I am trying to develop new characters and often find prompt words kick-start a trait or a plot line, so intend to pursue them here. Anything prefaced with ‘Snap:’ is part of that process, There’ll be little in the way of continuation, but I’ll aim to make them entertaining. Thanks for your indulgence.

Words for next week: decipher hare water

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 30th January, 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 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.

January going on … and on

As do, thank goodness your contributions of comments and posts to this site – a rich bag this week. Nevertheless, not an easy choice for winner, so I’ve opted for two to share the honours:  Jim for his ‘Hiding in plain Sight’ and Holly for The Elders.

Words for next week: eighth filth shadow

s Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 23rd January, 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 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.

If music be the food of … winning?

No. Don’t be led into thinking that, because it isn’t always the case, and David’s so very obviously stand-out winner, with ‘Bobby Thumbed a Diesel Down’ was as much on merit for the choice of words, the wonderful phrasing and the big story in so few words as the song, and that I YouTubed it while re-reading was only a small part of it. So thank you, David.

And thank you all, for the start of another Prediction year.

Words for next week:  cradle rupture poetry

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday16th January, 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 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.

NOT starting as I mean to go on …

For a rag-bag of reasons, none of which in themselves were that involving but which, as a whole, seemed to have filled my time, I arrive at the first Friday of 2020 totally unprepared for judging the relative merits of the past couple of week’s entries as well as having failed to post a couple of more rule-abiding pieces, as intended. So, my apologies for such lack of discipline, but I’m declaring everyone a winner and promise to do better in future, to which end I’ve selected suitable reminders:

Words for next week:  discipline grit vow

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 9th January, 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 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.

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Once upon a time …

Patricia’s comment about how far we’ve come since or beginnings her sent me searching for my first effort, back in February 2011. Entitled ‘Bastard, it ran to just 54 words: “He had coached her, not wisely, except in his own self-interest, but too well, and when her third “I’m late” was said too late, and the grey of his eyes changed as speedily as the Irish weather, from promise to perdition, she knew to jump. Into the outgoing, grey-green, full moon, Spring solstice tide.”

I ran away after this  –  the competition was hugely daunting! – only to creep back, already addicted, later in the year.

Somehow, several of you misinterpreted my selection of winner for last week as David and not Jim – apologies for not making it clear, The final nomination of 2019, as difficult a choice as ever, but because I’ve always had a soft spot for Hamnet, is Patricia’s ‘Hamnet’s Quandry‘, but I hope all you regulars know how much your immense contribution to this site is appreciated – thank you and may 2020 be as enjoyable.

I hadn’t intended to set words for next week, but if desired, have a go with my very first-encountered

prompt words – Irish, coach, tide.

First words for 2020 entries:  feint northern opt

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 2nd January, 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.

It wasn't such a dark and stormy night … and the sun rose well before morning

Which is good to see: I don’t remember December being quite so gloomy as it was yesterday.

At least no gloom here, Plenty other nasty stuff, headed by John’s ‘Unscrupulous’ but also clever stuff (David’s  Steamy Punk Tale) In the end I was torn between either Antonia’s ‘Sending a postcard home...’ or  the untitled Magi tale; then halted for an age on Patricia’s ‘Undeliverable’. In the end, however, it had to be Jim’s  ‘The Journey’ for sheer impact. 

Thank you all for your contributions.

Words for next week: replete thrill yoke

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 19th December, words and winners 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 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.

Blue hills wearing a flamingo-tinted scarf

Is how today began. Regrettably, after a Blake display of cloudscapes, it all went gloomy. Back to the laptop screen where ‘bright’ added extra sparkle to this week’s entries.

Winner this week is John for the latest episode of ‘The Bray Chronicles’ detailing Bartholomew’s insatiable desire for Moroccans. Thank you all for your contributions and comments, which makes this site what it is.

Words for next week: intercourse postcard tobacco

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 12th December, words and winners posted Friday 13^th*

*But maybe late because I’ll likely stay up much of the night for the election results

 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.

George talks and December looms

Those of you who have long had Windows 10 will no doubt be familiar with its read aloud facility but it was a revelation to me as George ploughed through all 405 pages of ‘Drink with a dead man’, the fourth in my ‘Love triangles with murder’ series, mis-pronouncing names, not noticing italics, and assuming en dashes (of which I’m very fond) were hyphens and thus running words together. But showing up missing words and my lack of commas.

And this week’s winner is David, for the chilling portentousness of his ‘Once Upon a Time in 1979’. Thank you all for your contributions – posts and comments being the lifeblood of this site.

Words for next week: bright enunciation scald

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 25th December, words and winners 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 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.

Lost and found

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Next week’s words are  accent interfere stark

Entries by midnight Thursday 28th November, words and winners Friday 29th

New laptop yesterday, files all gone AWOL or lunatic and this cobbled from a folder of years ago (and posted out of order because the margins aren't behaving). And not one of you has made an effort to make this week’s choice of “a winner” in the slightest bit easy; truly I don’t know when I’ve had a harder selection to choose from. But needs must, so I’ve picked two – Holly for the gorgeous sensuality of her ‘Climate change’ and Jim for what I think is just about the yukkiest of the many gruesome ones this week:  'Doing my job'.

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. Serialized 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 best pleases you 

'November Rain' very apt this month

Oof, woken from one of those running for the train/where is he?/who’s got the tickets/forgot to put my phone on dreams to find it’s an hour later than usual. So, a hastier than usual read-through whereupon Patricia’s Cripplegate Junction/Part 211 - Connections, featuring Clive Bailey, feels particularly apt as this week’s winner.

Thank you, as ever, for participation with posts and comments without which this place would wither and die.

Words for next week: bookmark interior supine

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 21st November, 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 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.

On road and rail again

I’m travelling today, and won’t be home until late, so herewith words for next week. Winners to be posted sometime Saturday.

And apologies - Craigievar Castle was a wonderful location for a writing retreat, in part (unexpectedly) because it totally lacked any sort of signal. I've commented on last week's entries and doubt anyone will dispute me naming David's 'There’s a Seuss Loose Aboot This Hoose' the winner.

Words for next week: augment  Eve* surgeon

*Eve to be used as a name, not a noun (so not just at the start of a sentence)

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 14th November, 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 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.

Pinch and a punch

I’ve said it so often it’s beginning to sound insincere (which definitely is not my intention, not am I complaining!)  but when, week after week, each  and every entry appears to surpass the previous ones – at least until I re-read them on Thursday prior to making a choice – the need to set one of you above the rest does feel, no matter how I shift and re-shift the goalposts, more than a little unfair. This week I juggled endlessly with three entries, all of equal merit, but in the end, my ball skills being what they are, dropped two and was left with John’s ‘Cause and effect’. And the need, again, to thank you for all the comments you make on my somewhat self-indulgent pieces.

Next week’s words have a spark of topicality:

Words for next week: census extrovert bonfire

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 7th November, 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 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.

Quality ever-rising

We’ve some good friends visiting from Alabama this week – a mini writing group – and although  time to properly read and judge has been in short supply, my early rising has enabled me to pick, from among this week’s offerings of, as Patricia says, depravity – Holly’s ‘Keeping the peace’ as this week’s winner. I’m sort of covering my eyes in anticipation of what you will make of this week’s prompts.

Words for next week: bullock odour tangent

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 31st October, words posted Friday November 1st

 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.

Hot chocolate indeed ...

As usual I began going through the week’s entries,  making a note of potential winners . Stopped myself when I realised it included every one. So, this week John gets a mention for his Bray Chronicles, all the more impressive for his saying he ‘couldn’t do’ serials. That second episode was a fine example of the several vignettes we were treated to, all magically creating unease without spelling it out. Patricia’s ‘Supply and demand ‘ a good example of that. Jim’s ‘The battle’ up-ended expectations  and David’s ‘Such big eyes you have’ a vivid modern upending of an old tale.

And since  I cannot split the four of you, and am as admiring as ever of Antonia’s weekly tale, I’m declaring every one a winner this week. Well done and thank you all for the richest of writings and caring-est of comment.

Words for next week: innocent lodge uncover

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 23th October, words 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 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.

A failure of communication

Too hastily posted, but unwilling to spell it out over-baldly, I failed to make my last week’s post completely clear: the old lady was blind, as well as being robbed blind by two opportunist burglars-become murders – my apologies.

At least this week’s winner is simple enough to decipher: Patricia’s five-episode ‘Reflections’ was stand-out. Not so much for the multiplicity of episodes but the skill in the build-up and repetition of prompts without them jarring. And, of course, the ever-increasing tension.

Words for next week: cardboard confluence drama

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 17th October, words posted Friday 18th

 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.

“Overheard on a saltmarsh”

A poem by Harold Monro which never fails to fascinate me, from which I’ve take the words for next week

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Winner from this week, chosen in a bit of a rush as I’ve been to the Inner Hebrides and back since Monday, where WiFi was but fleeting, but even on a stolen glimpse Jim’s gruesome ‘Tailor-made’ haunted my imagination, sufficiently for me to declare him this week’s winner. Thank you all for your participation.

Words for next week: beads stare voice

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 10th October, words posted Friday 11th

 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.

A bad case of the bends

A week spent trying to unblock a new-installed sink, fearing the necessity of the removal of a just-laid floor; thankfully averted after half a dozen kettlefuls of boiling water (that after visits from three different professionals, the last of which probably helped). Inbetweentimes reading and enjoying the week’s wonderful offerings.

A supplementary ‘Well done’, John, for a triple episode of inflated horror (have you read Tom Sharpe’s ‘Wilt’ books? you’d enjoy the blow-up doll in one of them) and top place goes to Patricia for the complexity of emotions aroused by ‘Here comes the bride’. Thank you all for your ever-entertaining entries.

Words for next week: collar pot-pourri lint

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 3rd October, words posted Friday 4th

 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.

It’s in the rules, innit?

Thank you indeed for your participation in my semi-absence, and for the quality of the entries in both weeks. Even so, I believe you have surpassed yourselves this week because with each succeeding entry I’ve thought “It has to be that one” only to change my mind after the next. (And that despite reading from top to bottom and back again.)

So ... I was rather forcibly reminded that ‘horror’ is the first listed requirement, since we had several gagging-inducing examples including walking cadavers, several gruesome uses of eyeballs, a naked bird, alien invaders and an ancient paedophile. All superbly and vividly described and delivered. 

In the end – and it took a while – John’s combination of two of the horrors in ‘Can birds smile?’ emerged the winner, but not, I fear, without trampling one or three other contenders underfoot.

Words for next week: eighteen procrastinate sweetheart

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 26th September,

 words posted Friday 27th

Also, because I promised to let you know, 'Commission & omission' is now available from Blurb in either print or pdf. Go to my blog, lines of communication, and click on the double spread cover on top left-hand side for more details. Pettinger is not mentioned but he's definitely there, on the first page of the preview. 

Precaution and playing safe

Less hazardous, but a following a week’s holiday and with departure from our lodgings in Kirkwall set for today I have scheduled words but in case my participation is not (or has not been) possible I ask you to once again please nominate your personal favourite from last week’s entries.

Words for next week: peacock recede vex

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 19th September, 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 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.

A time to gaze at the horizon!

I’ll be at the very top of Scotland when this appears, shortly to be at the mercy of the Pentland Firth, and definitely no chance of wi-fi, so have scheduled words and a free choice week: please nominate your personal favourite from last week’s entries.

Words for next week: coward jeer wake

Entries by midnight (GMT) Thursday 12th September, 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 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.