All treats, no tricks

If you check the blogs at the RH side of this page, you’ll see I’ll be starting NaNoWriMo this Sunday, writing the fourth in a series of what are best described as ‘murder mysteries’.  They feature DI Luke Darbyshere who came face to face with DI John Pettinger in book three (poor Pettinger struggling, as ever). From past experience, writing and reading Prediction pieces comes as a welcome diversion, so I don’t anticipate any reduction of activity here. So please keep entries – and comments – coming; both essential to the health of this site.

And this week, a thorough treat! From MDJB’s opening words to Patricia’s ‘Last Words’ and Kai’s closing line. Antonia’s supremely clever blending of the prompts and Bill’s triple offering. Every one a winner in my mind, but since tradition says I have to name a Winner, I declare Bill’s ‘Bad Habit’ to be my favouritest favourite this week.

Words for the coming week are: knuckle, reverberate, sense

Entries by midnight Thursday November 5th, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Intimations and interpretations

This week’s winner is Patricia for her admirable ability to so effectively, as Antonia says, inject 'you know what I'm talking about'  without spelling it out, in Bird has flown.

One one level, the art, the skill of writing is to manipulate the reader into seeing exactly what you intend them to, but it is always interesting – and informative – when readers put a different interpretation on words one has supposed say something else. It could be said to be the result of sloppy writing, as I think I’m guilty of with last week’s Threshold 85. (On re-reading I could see exactly what Patricia and Antonia had read into it and wish I’d been that clever!) But interpretation is what Prediction is about - the taking of three words and making something unique - and is what each of us so effectively demonstrates here, week after week, for which I thank you all.

Words for the coming week are: filigree, ominous, plug

Entries by midnight Thursday October 29th, new words and winners posted on Friday 30th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Shocking - real and imaginary

Yes. Here we deliberately set out to shock, the ‘rules’ requiring us to write in specific genres so as to do so, but we do so for pleasure, to entertain and because of some sort of writerly compulsion. Last week, for Antonia, Real Life stepped in and demonstrated how much more of a shock it can deliver, but also that writing can be a palliative, if not a cure. 
Not that it cures everything, as the illegal immigrants who this week climbed into the back of a lorry must have found, when they discovered themselves sharing space with a polar bear.

The shock that Bill delivered wins him first place, but Antonia’s brave despatch of the Creature deserves special mention, and thanks are due to Michael for his directing me to onion futures.

Words for the coming week are: alphabet, dairy, vigil

Entries by midnight Thursday October 22nd , new words and winners posted on Friday 23rd

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Rule-breaking makes for entertainment

It has to be said that honing one’s craft as a writer changes and occasionally reduces one’s enjoyment of reading. I’ve just finished Stuart MacBride’s ninth in his detective series. High-paced, humorous and thoroughly entertaining, I couldn't help notice how much in the way of superfluous to plot anecdote and information was included. At total variance to what we do here, but good to know it can be “allowed” if that’s what we want t do. And, hard though it is, and aware of my lack of academic knowledge as I am, I still feel it a privilege to read these submissions and choose what I consider, often using different criteria each week, to be the “winner”.   This week, partly for the pleasure of reading her distinctive voice again, but also because it was such a mentally stunning read, I unhesitatingly pick Zaiure, but thank you all for both writing and commenting.

Words for the coming week are: detonate verdict wraith

Entries by midnight Thursday October 15th , new words and winners posted on Friday 16th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Triple strength, five star quality

A small but very strong field to choose from this week, which, given the quality of each is just as well. Not that it’s made my job any easier. Kai’s opening sentence; his use of ‘barrel’ as a verb, draped sheet and the chilling final line drew a vivid picture. Bill’s hardboiled tone and bulletted sentences immediately gripped, delivering another gun-barrelled gut-punch finish. But by the merest breath of wind, Antonia’s barrel of grog in her 116th episode made it to the top – well done! And thank you all for the pleasure of reading and re-reading these.

I anticipate Michael Brown might post his missed-deadline piece in MudStones, and have also added a link to Kai’s blog, where his longer pieces can be read.

Words for the coming week are: febrile, medium, poetry

Entries by midnight Thursday October 8th , new words and winners posted on Friday 9th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Mezzanine in Cardiff Bay

I’m spending a long, leisurely weekend with my daughter and although 6.30 is a slightly unsociable time to be putting the light on in an apartment whose sleeping areas are on a mezzanine floor, I've done so. 
In a week of a surprisingly high political content, I declare Chris this week's winner, but, as a crossword fan, can't resist mentioning Bill's intricate, enjoyable piece. 

Words for the coming week are: barrel,  plural, scant

Entries by midnight Thursday October 1st , new words and winners posted on Friday 2nd

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Clouds pink and blue this morning

Yet another week rich in high quality entries, but for once I had less of a problem selecting a winner: Kai’s eighth episode of The Immortal, with Death’s snapping fingers, was so instantly knock-out. Which isn’t to say I didn’t appreciate (among many others) Antonia’s fuse-woven beard. ‘Hirsute’, as well as an ugly word, was extraordinarily difficult to  use with any finesse, wasn’t it? (But I now need to check the definition of 'moribund')

btw - if you post an entry in the ‘wrong’ place - so easy to do! - and want to repost, I can easily tidy up by deleting the  misplaced one, so long as it doesn’t have comments.

  

Words for the coming week are: accent, elect, moribund

Entries by midnight Thursday September 24th , new words and winners posted on Friday 25th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Hours a little flexible

Dark mornings (and lacking the urgency of novel words to leap me out of bed) delays this weekly announcement by an hour or two, and I’m happy to grant a little leeway to those on other time zones, so long as they’re in when I come to judge. (Regulars will have noted I don’t formally close the gates since I’m almost always sound asleep by midnight.)

I’m happier still to welcome returnees Patricia, Tim and Bill and newcomer Kerry, I've added Michael Brown's link to the sidebar and will gladly do so for others, should you wish; also, I thank you for an unanticipated definition of ‘tilt’.

There were several sorts of horror this week;  for me the most awful to contemplate was the mounting awareness of abandonment, so I’m declaring Bill's entry the winner, with Patricia’s elegant ‘The Grand Illusion’ as runner-up.

Next week’s words are: hirsute, punch and wheel

Entries by midnight Thursday September 17th , new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Starlings: Pointillist skywriting

And Orkney – indeed Scotland – seems to have more than its fair share of such invigorating aerobatics, sufficient to get me up in the middle of the night to jot down words which might otherwise be lost. Hence the lateness of this.

And invigorating were the entries this week, each and every one giving me a buzz of pleasure and excitement. So, hard as ever to choose one above the rest, but because I’ve known Michael aka MDJB’s writing for many years, and can see the ‘Prediction effect’ on the piece he submitted here this week, I’m selecting him.

Next week’s words are: evergreen, redundant and tilt

Entries by midnight Thursday September 10th, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Trailing and sailing

Within a couple of hours I’ll be heading north, as far as Inverness tonight, and on Saturday, following the crossing of the Pentland Firth, to Stromness in Orkney. I’ll be in the cottage from which the watercolour used as a background to this blog was painted.  Just a detail of it used here, much enlarged – the original barely six inches by three – but such concentration has thrown up an entirely different scene. As I know each of you, concentrating on just three words, will come up with an entirely different piece of writing.

Last week it was Mashie’s speedy ‘Closed doors’ Punch and Judy response which most excited me, and continued to do so each time I read it, so I’ve no hesitation in declaring him the outright winner, but the crime scenes of Pinkbelt and Kai deserve very honourable mentions as do Michael Brown’s toast and celery - nice to begin the day with a giggle.

Next week’s words are: board, elevate, piquant

Entries by midnight Thursday September 3rd , new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Touch of Sheryl Crow*

Colleen assured me the hardest part of hosting this site was the choosing a winner. In theory I understood that, having seen how each and every week throws up a variety of interpretations, and ways of using (and sometimes abusing) three simple words. What I didn’t appreciate was the difficulty of NOT choosing the rest.

I have no especial rules which I regularly apply; each week it is what most takes my fancy, has a memorable impact. Sometimes there’s three or four, then I can allow runners up. This week I have a winner –  Zaiure for this week’s episode of Falcon – but the rest of you are too close to call, although Fergus and Michael B Fletcher deserve special mention for their  impressive brevity.

Next week’s words are: estranged, interest, toast

Entries by midnight Thursday 27th August, new words and winners posted on Friday 28th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DCvlM17dMMo]

13th celebrates the sinister ...

Apparently Thursday was left-handed day. Don’t know where these things pop up from (except in the minds of greetings card manufacturers) but it’s one I can claim affinity with.

There was sinister a-plenty this week and my attention was grabbed by two pieces whose horror rested on the nastiness of social interaction. I therefore declare Michael B  and Peter joint winners, with thanks to you and to each and every one of you for participating.

Next week’s words are:  quilt, grumble, tug

Entries by midnight Thursday 20th August, new words and winners posted on Friday 21st

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

More than seven miles to Babylon, and ...

Seven entries this week to choose from and every one a winner for entertainment and skill in using the prompt words. But by the merest whisper of his crepuscular cat, I’m declaring Michael Fletcher this week’s overall winner, as much for the smile it gave me as his skill in putting so much into so few words.

(Incidentally, Jennifer Johnston’s ‘How Many Miles to Babylon?’ turned out to be a superbly written, poignant, 156 page gem of a novel.)

Next week’s words are:  best, distance, pearl

Entries by midnight Thursday 13th August, new words and winners posted on Friday 14th

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Jiggety jig

Back home again and mostly over the jetlag. One week of my  three away was spent with a group of writing friends whereat I wrote a total of twenty prompt-led pieces, limited by time rather than word count – all excellent practice, and very, very enjoyable.

No complaints about the quantity and quality of – and pleasure gained from – this week’s turnout for the Prediction either, both in writing and commenting which is such a strength of this site.

Difficult as ever to choose a winner, but I thought Antonia’s use of the prompts – invariably seamless – hit a new level this week so award her latest Infinity episode first place.  As newcomers, bdcharles and Kai are joint and well-deserved seconds – I very much look forward to reading more of their work.

Next week’s words are  ordinary, crepuscular, violin

Entries by midnight Thursday 6th August, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

24th July

Presumably first week of the holidays curtailed writing time last week, so kudos to Antonia and Mashie for showing up with episodes of their serials, featuring submarine and Vikings; Captain and Satan himself. I'm declaring Mashie the winner because collection in any shape or form was missing from Infinity.
I've had a relaxing week of prompt writing and exercises, watching humming birds and squirrels from the deck of a house in Tualatin, near Portland OR, but we leave here 3.45 tomorrow morning for New York, which is likely to be a lot more strenuous. in the meantime, I hope you can make something of the following.

P

Next week’s words are  lamp,  pair,  thumb

Entries by midnight Thursday 30th July, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

17th July

My conscience won't let me have a second week declaring you winners all, but goodness you've made it really difficult to pick a winner.  But since I have to choose I'll declare Chris's 'Ass is grass' the winner by a mere blade's width, and an even narrower blade putting Fergus' porcupine earrings above Mashie's 'Walking the Planck.  And thank you all for your wonderful contributions.

Next week’s words are  deal, collection, toll

Entries by midnight Thursday 23rd July, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

10th July

10th July- and in a Seattle hotel where the fan sounds like a waterfall behind which a man is playing an accordian.
And truly I cannot pick a single winner from this week's entries so declare you all equally meriting of first place - your words wonderfully entertaining, for which I thank you.

Next week’s words are  jam, porcupine, seven

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th July, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Week of heat and drama

STOP PRESS:  Submissions of novel-length SFF required by Hodderscape during August

http://hodderscape.co.uk/open-submissions-the-guidelines/

And, forgive me, I’m well aware this week’s UK max temperature, maybe since records began, is not a patch on other places, including Greece, from where Fergus has delivered  three fascinating episodes, the first of which wins my vote for first place this week:  the stark, staccato delivery adds to the impact of the cold-hearted tale.  In joint second place come Colleen and Rebecca, whose writing never fails to enthral and whose Nate and Seth serial has ever been mouth-wateringly delicious. As Tim says, its a never-ending delight to see the variations wrought by each of you from the prompts

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For this coming week the words are: hawk,  tape,  legacy

Entries by midnight Thursday 9th July, at which time I shall be en route to Seattle.

New words will be posted on Friday 10th July and winners as soon as I am able thereafter.  Apologies in advance for possible brevity or lack of comment from me; I trust each of you will make up for it.

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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

Too spicy?

A drop in entries this week – ‘turmeric’ a challenge too far for some, perchance? –  but no less difficult to choose one above the rest.  In the end I could not separate Zaiure and Newbie so have to declare them joint winners for this week - congratulations to you both - and Fergus, for his second entry, which used the word so cleverly, runner up.  

Next week’s words are  arch,  piano,  vegetate

Entries by midnight Thursday 2nd July, new words and winners posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.

It's only words ...

Another week of a dozen participants, several submitting more than once (Hooray!) and the standard, it seems, ever-rising.

 As Mashie said, elsewhere – ‘it’s only words’ – but the power they have,  to evoke disgust and discomfort, along with open-mouthed admiration and applause,  has been well-exploited this week.  For the impact of his words in ‘The Lesson’ – and I doubt many of us will forget that skin heart in a hurry – Mashie wins this week’s first place.

My short-list for second place includes Patricia, for ‘Bliss’, Rebecca for ‘Tit for Tat’, Red Ruth and Fergus, with Patricia just nudging ahead.

Via her blog Unusual Diction – link on the sidebar – I learn that Zaiure has published a collection of her ever-delicious flash fiction.   Do let me know if you’d like your blog to be added to the list.

Next week’s words are middle,  turmeric,  wail

Entries by midnight Thursday 25th June, new words and winners will be posted on 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. 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 and, if you like, remind your friends that we are open to new and returning writers.