Left us all with fingers crossed

Antonia, that is. One of the more disturbing but beautifully written  posts this week – all  intricate but light in touch as filigree – and it’s also good to see so many comments, which I think is an important element: if only to let us know what we’ve posted has been read. This week, the top spot goes to MRMacrum for his ‘The Secret of God’ – a large tale told in a small number of words.

Words for the coming week:  cast ringlet suicide 

Entries by midnight Thursday 23rd June, new words posted Friday 24thth 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

"Goodwill to all" short-lived as ice-cream in the sun

Which is a pity but I suppose that's the nature of being human. And it could equally be claimed, to some extent, folk posting here are similarly striving for top-dog-status (though with a good deal more charity of heart.)

So many lovely phrases displayed for our delectation this week, amidst tales of tremendous gore and gruesomeness, and since the depiction of horror is to some extent, why we write  here (some with more dedication that others)  it was obvious to me David's 'The dustbin men merited top place, I also found Holly's 'Gravity fails' more than a little terrifying.

Words for the coming week:  available,  third, yoke 

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th June, new words posted Friday 17th 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

June a month for jubilation

 

Not least because some of us managed to find our way to Holly's Prediction @ Wordpress. [Now mothballed, with a signpost back  to here, in case we need to use it again] And jubilation also because Jim managed to get Blogger to do as he wanted, and post 'Anticipation 1' which I thought strong enough to earn the number one spot this week.  Thank you for your persistence. (and sorry Patricia has decided enough is enough.)

 Words for the coming week: baptise olive tentative

 Entries by midnight Thursday  9th June, new words posted Friday 10th

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Hats off to Holly

 Who has set up a new home for Prediction at https://predictionfiction.wordpress.com in the hope that those apparently locked out by Blogger can continue to participate.

 Like all new places it looks unfamiliar - stark and in need of decoration - and we aren't sure where everything is, nor, exactly how it works, but for the sake of such regular contributors as Jim and Patricia, I hope it can be made to work.  For the time being, I am posting in both places, so no-one is left not knowing where we've moved to, and I hereby declare the week's top spot goes to John for his perfectly-titled 'Odd, but possibly true'

 Words for the coming week (fingers crossed all will have a go, in  the new place as well as the old): cotton triangle yesterday

 Entries by midnight Thursday  2nd June, new words posted Friday  3rd

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

No solution

 Having deleted some 90+ posts - many with comments numbering in the hundreds - without solving the problem of some of you being able to upload posts. I've paused: it was an uncomfortable exercise, erasing history.  Only one idea since - does it work if instead of copy/paste you compose, type out word by word, your entry? SO frustrating, not least because your words are sorely missed.

 Some rich offerings did make it, I'm glad to say, and top spot (not that it was easy to choose) goes to David, for the intriguing promise of  his 'Wedding Day''

               Words for the coming week (fingers crossed all may play) merge saffron torque

Entries by midnight Thursday  26th May, new words posted Friday  27th 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Problems ☹ ☹ ☹

Firstly, apologies for my lack of posts this week -- a week without time spent on 'Mercy', my current wip, left  me desperate to pick it up again and note down the random ideas I had while away (and I'm not done yet!) A good time had, though, weather kind and I re-established my liking for mussels, scallops and whisky.

Jim's struggles to post fill me with despair as I have no remedy to suggest. There seems to be some blame levelled at Google, who apparently recently took over Blogger, but the lack of logic – why do comments stick but not posts? – defeats me. If the problem persists all I can do is ask if someone else has the know-how to set up a site with similar functions.

What MIGHT be a solution - the site might be full. I propose going to the archives and attempting to delete some of the 472 posts, starting from December 2013, trusting you have all saved what you'd like to keep

What was easier this week was the picking of a winner - I was enchanted by Antonia's incorporation of Charon in her untitled piece, but much enjoyed all other entries.

 Words for the coming week (fingers crossed all may play) decide lace tide

Entries by midnight Thursday  19th May, new words posted Friday  20th

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Mulling words while travelling on ferries in the mist

 Internet connection being dodgy, I'm suggesting mist, ferry and pass as prompt words for next week. 

And one chair/non desk in room also .a factor .Normal service resumed thereafter

Heading North

A week planned in Scotland, fingers crossed, visiting (among other places) the western Islands of Skye and Mull. Neither of us big on walking, long distance or uphill, but nevertheless expect to enjoy what each has to offer.

 Which means that,  although  I'll schedule  prompt words, to appear, as usual, on Friday 6th May, I am unlikely to find the time to properly peruse the week's entries and  pick a winner; it would be a good thing if each of you were able to indicate a favourite from the entries using this week's words. This week, as so often, I am finding it exceptionally hard to choose but eventually decided Terrie's superbly continuing SAS Diaries deserved the accolade.

Words for the coming week: detonate lip spice

Entries by midnight Thursday  5th May, new words posted Friday  6th

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Days are getting longer

Evenings lighter later; mornings woken by the sun. And leaves are bursting out all over. Happens every year, and every year it thrills.

With the Prediction we get a selection of new thrills every week and, as so often happens, each succeeding post has me thinking 'This will be the one that comes top this week' only to find the next one  is even better.

This week it was like skittles in reverse, the ditsy lunacy of  Antonia's 'Interpretation' and its undercurrent of coercion truly unsettling and finally leaving the others colourfully spinning.

 Words for the coming week: churn diligent power

Entries by midnight Thursday  28th April  new words posted Friday  29th April

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

'Negotiating with the dead'

 is the title of a book on writing written by Margaret Atwood, and was the first 'How to' I read, given to me as a Christmas present by my elder son. Over the years (ten or more) he given me several others; all have been gladly received, not least for the recognition that I can never  claim to have finished learning how to write. That I also have the opportunity to do so each week on Prediction is part of the pleasure of participating, as each entry is capable of showing something worthy of note.

John's ' Some like it in the raw' an obvious example, of course, and this week's clear winner.

Words for the coming week (courtesy of my younger son): eagle question trepan

 Entries by midnight Thursday  21st April  new words posted Friday  22nd April

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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

April unpredictable

 And not just the weather; my husband woke Monday morning with Covid, so we had to cancel hotel and restaurant bookings made for a couple of days away to celebrate the 59th anniversary of when we first got together. Time does fly! (glad to say he's recovering well.)

Three different prizes this week – one to David for  making me laugh over his 'The Suet Crisis; one to Antonia for, as Jim said, her 'casually efficient use of the prompt words', and one to Jim for the olfactory wealth of 'The Worm VII'

Words for the coming week: grill  harmony model

 Entries by midnight Thursday  14th April  new words posted Friday  15th April

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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

 

Another half a dozen new books

I treated myself to today, well-knowing my excuse for reading them – 'research' – is as transparent as window glass. But it is fascinating how different books evoke different emotions, and I am in awe of those writers whose words keep me glued to my chair for the whole of an afternoon and evening, desperate to find out what happened, while simultaneously not wanting it to finish because I am enjoying it so much.  Much bigger is the problem of where to store them all, because I frequently re-read books many times so don't pass many on.

As, indeed I read and re-read the Prediction posts, admiring of deft phrases and world-building. This week both winners are expert practitioners of either: Terrie, for SAS Diaries 186, and Holly, for 'Casual Distraction'

Words for the coming week: crude, pudding, sorrow

Entries by midnight Thursday  7th April  new words posted Friday  8th April

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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 

Cherry pink and apple blossom white

Music that, for me, never fails to evoke the hectic excitement of a funfair at night. Our local funfair arrives in the autumn, but there's plenty of pink blossom and new leaves bursting out to give a Spring-like cheer. And I'm sure I wasn't alone in cheering David's inspired and joyful 'Extract from the Encyclopaedia of Unusual Substances' which is how I managed to restrict myself to a single winner this week, but nevertheless thank you all for your participation.

Words for the coming week: boot persuade puncture

 Entries by midnight Thursday  31st March  new words posted Friday  1st April

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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 

Small but perfectly formed

 The number of entries this slightly shortened week, but nevertheless all welcome for variety and entertainment. Perhaps simultaneously daunted by undoubted winner Holly's 'Thirsty' [8], as I was, or Jim's 'The Worm [III], but also good to see Antonia  inspired to fiction again. 

Words for the coming week: scrawny soil stuff 

Entries by midnight Thursday  23rd March  new words posted  24th 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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

A little bit of less-than-petty thieving.

Apologies, because it feels like I'm repeating myself  every week, but everybody is producing such a wealth of wonderful offerings it would be rude not to acknowledge them, despite how much harder it makes my weekly task of picking a 'winner'. Especially when I know we all benefit. What I am going to try, though, is picking the weekly prompt words from the previous week's offerings, because so often am I reminded of words I regret having  forgotten.

This week's winner is John, for the cleverness of 'In hindsight, I should've known'

 Words for the coming week: robust, rust, wraith

 

Deadline brought forward one day because we'll be visiting family next weekend

Entries by midnight  Wednesday 16th March  new words posted Thursday 17th

 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Quite a bit of conversation

And all to very good effect, adding further richness and liveliness to every piece. As a consequence, it was once again hard to pick a single winner, so Holly, for her 'Divining a direction' and Julia/Practice for episode 29 of 'Ellis' are required to share the top spot. Thank you all for contributing and commenting.

Words for the coming week: eyewitness stripe wield

Entries by midnight  Thursday 10th March  new words posted Friday 11th 

Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Successive eclipses

This week it seemed to me each piece posted was very soon eclipsed by the  one that followed it – such a rich experience reading them one after the other, but as happens less often, for me there was one stand-out piece which ultimately eclipsed the rest, and that was Jim's 'The worm' – The opening sentence such a feast of language and description: I trust we'll see more of Gork.

 Words for the coming week: elbow flash  sock

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Entries by midnight  Thursday 3rd March  new words posted Friday 4th

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Six varieties of lime

 Six varieties of lime

And all of them inventive in their usage in this week's crop of postings; one of the especial pleasures  of hosting this site. For the instant hook of the opening line, and neat stitching of the gruesome story, Terrie's 'Sewing lesson' wins top spot, closely followed by the similarly neat dialogue of John's 'Conflicting details.' .

Words for the coming week: eclipse throat vary

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Entries by midnight  Thursday 24th February,  new words posted Friday 25th February

Eas(ier) does it

 An impressive  set of very smoothly-executed prompt-insertions this week, which brings accolades for

Antonia, and a dead heat between Terrie, for her 'Small marauders' and Perry, for 'Snark loves company', a truly delightful pair. Thank you all for the rich entertainment. 

Words for the coming week: cable lime protect

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.

Entries by midnight  Thursday 17th February,  new words posted Friday 18th February

Irresistible sparkling

 As you might expect when 'magpie' is one of the prompt words, even so Jim managed a ripe bit of gruesome in his 'Keep your mouth shut', and Antonia's insertion of all three in her un-numbered 'Stop the week' was as smooth as ever. This week, however, David's clever and delightful 'Sing a song of pig pens' flew to the top of the list and stayed there, cheering me every time I read it.

 Words for the coming week: bookmark  limp wreak

 Entries by midnight  Thursday 11th February,  new words posted Friday 12th February

 Usual rules: 100 words maximum (excluding title) of flash fiction or poetry using all 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.