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.

A week of Tardis tales

 

Not Doctor Who, but his mode of transport (if that is what  the police box is).  Every one of this week's hundred-word entries, told a bigger tale than the words it used. Perry handled his large cast of characters with aplomb and plenty tension in 'Caution'; Julia's 'Ellis 027' came with a rich back story, and Jim's 'No further questions' successfully trapped a cocky defendant.  David's 'Lost Apollo' was epic, as was Holly's 'Dungeon crawl'. Took a while to separate David and Holly, but I eventually awarded top spot to Holly. As usual, I thank you all for your participation, especially the all-important  comments, acknowledging our words have been read.   

Words for the coming week: common cynic magpie 

Entries by midnight  Thursday 3rd  February,  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.

A tendency to serious?

 

Certainly several thought-provoking pieces this week, with a subtle use of the prompt words, which makes me feel I need to be more rigorous in my choosing a winner. So, from a shortlist of four: the sly sarcasm of John's 'Valuable antiques', Perry's wide-angled 'Wilder', David's, 'The cabinet of icons' and Jim's 'Coming of age' , I finally picked Perry. Not easy to differentiate, but I thought I ought.

                                               Words for the coming week: appoint kangaroo urgent 

Entries by midnight  Thursday 27th January,  new words posted Friday 28th

 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.

Blogger gremlins

Fewer post this week and regrettably for not good reasons. Patricia has struggled to get hers to stick and we've been unable to find either a reason why or a way round it. And I've no idea how to cure the problem. Nevertheless, the uses to which three simple, everyday words were put was, once again, impressive. John's 'Misplaced optimism' contained not only a horrid fate for a salt mine worker, but a pretty shocking pun as well, but the inclusion of crab's claws in David's resonantly-titled 'Fight them on the beaches' grabbed him this week's first place.

Words for the coming week: kite,  shade, unwrap

 Entries by midnight  Thursday 20th January,  new words posted Friday 21st

 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.

 

Didn't think of the consequences!

 Because if I had, I'd've realised more time would equal more posts thus making it all the harder for me to choose a winner. Plus, it seemed to me, each post had been  extra-polished too, whether from more time or other Christmas or New Year cheer. So, I thank you, for a week of high-quality reading, which put music and wonderfully surprising images into my head. And once again am forced to erect a platform, on which I place Jim, for 'Something in the air', Terrie, for both SAS Diaries 178 and 'Obscura Mythica', Julia, for 'Old year night', Holly, for 'Surge', and Patricia, for 'Autumn Equinox'.

Words for the coming week: newspaper, salt, substitute

Entries by midnight  Thursday 13th January,  new words posted Friday 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.

On the (hopefully traffic-easy) road

 The current intention is to travel the 280 miles from home to Julia's on Thursday. On arrival we'll be busy, busy, and having already seen the wealth and variety of this week's posts, I'm not confident I'll have time to do justice to the reading and choosing a winner. So I'm scheduling this to appear on Friday with new words, and will do my best to catch up with the awards as soon as possible thereafter. Please note I have also tweaked the dates a little to allow more time for fitting round other activities. and would also like to take the opportunity to wish you and yours the best of health and happiness for 2022 

Words for the coming week: chime linen plough 

Entries by midnight  Thursday 6th January,  new words posted Friday 7th 

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.

Easy journey and good to arrive after more than a year's forbidding. Time enough now to read through the riches of last week, only to realise that no amount of time will enable me to pick just one winner. The podium thus becomes a level stage, on which Holly, (for 'Promise'), Jim, 'for 'Good Samaritan'), Julia (Practice), (for ('Ellis 024') and Perry, (for 'Original Story')  will have to squeeze themselves. And thank you all for the delicious entertainment.

The addiction of reading

Apologies for the tardiness in posting this week's update – I was too much absorbed in the book I was reading (Peter Benson's 'The South in winter') to remember the need to write one – how much I admire and envy the ability of novelists to do that!  (And that despite both the rich variety of what was on offer this week from each of you, and including the welcome return of Holly!

So a quick re-read this morning and it is the final line of David's 'Better the Devil you know' tale of the Ark that takes my fancy, along with a nod of recognition to Antonia, once again, for her seamless inclusion of the prompt words into an account of her weekly shop activities. Thank you, both, and also to each of you for commenting, which is the life blood of this site.

Words for the coming week: gentle, goose, weave

Entries by midnight Thursday 23rd December,  new words posted Friday 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.

Is no word safe?

The weekly task of choosing prompt words is not exactly onerous, I aim for one that works as either verb or noun; something with a bit of a kick, and, sometimes, that I know will challenge in the expectation of enjoying the skill with which you accept this. 'Espalier' was a light-hearted choice of something whose prettiness might cause some head-scratching – I certainly did not anticipate the breadth of ghastly invention with which it was used. (Nor, I have to confess, the gore!)

So thank you, one and all, for the entertainment. As I am sure you can appreciate, choosing a favourite from this wealth  of possibilities is a greater level of challenge. Perry deserves a mention for his 'Not mushroom for error' – humour all my family but me excel in  – but after much reading and re-reading, it is the elegance of Patricia's 'The girl next door' which stayed longest in my mind.

                        Words for the coming week: applaud court flood

Entries by midnight Thursday 16th December,  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.

And now it's December!

 

 I start by echoing John's comment about how wonderfully friendly and supportive folk are on this site. Inventive too,  as has been illustrated this week with wedding disasters  and varied uses of 'bubble', along with I would add, an excellent standard of writings. As ever, I am reluctant to single out the customary one or two winners, and (apparently) ignore the rest, but I am sure you appreciate the variety and the wealth of choice and will applaud your own 'winner'.  Mine, for the wealth of imagination, is David's 'Wedding of the year' 

Words for the coming week: current espalier regret

Entries by midnight Thursday 9th December,  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.

Rare-done

 There were some gruesome, gory offerings this week and no mistake - plenty opportunities for stomachs to turn – encouraging to see how well-followed the Prediction guidelines.  Without doubt, the first indication of the standard set was John's 'Desperate measures' with its trademark wicked twist, which earned him top spot, but I'm going to take this opportunity to also mention Julia (aka Practice)'s Ellis 020 for the sharpness of her responses, and Jim for his inventive and (very) final solution.

 Words for the coming week: bubble contort wedding

 Entries by midnight Thursday 2nd December,  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.

Weeks of absence, ably filled

And thank you for that, Julia, though I doubt I'm the only one grateful for your participation, well-knowing how fragile the existence of writing groups are. That said, I very much hope to read more of Ellis.

words for the coming week: orifice plug  stretch

Entries by midnight Thursday 25th November,  new words posted Friday26th

And I might be out of practice, but I have not the slightest hesitation in declaring Terrie's 'Fungal transfer' the winner of the week  – truly skin-crawling.

 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.

 

 

Standing Down

The best news this week is that Sandra is feeling well enough to think about take up the reins again from next week, so this is likely my last plucking out a stimulating trio of words! I have to admit, I have found caretaking The Prediction has been a great kick start to get me writing a little again, and I have really enjoyed rediscovering a community where people interact with each others words. Speaking of words...

John's The Rice Chronicles still have me wondering who was the traitor (Justin Bieber perhaps?), Terri's 'Dillo world continues to capture the claustrophobia of trench warfare, Perry's smoky bacon cereal is something I would definitely try! Sandra's inventiveness and atmospheric vocabulary never fails to impress, Jim's rueful spy and David's sibling rivalry raising a knowing smile, and Antonia keeps up the pace with the bonfire night theme.

However, my favourite this week, for the juxtaposition of the French Revolution and a robot execution, is Patricia's Inhuman - so well done!

Words for the coming week are contract, support, surrogate

 Entries by midnight Thursday 18th November, new words posted Friday 19th November

 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.

Chilled nights and smoke in the air

Bonfire night is here - I really don't know where the year has gone and how November has stolen up on us already. It was great to see all the variations on the gangster theme last week, with nameless and named men, and nameless and named victims. And those gulls squalling in the background! I loved Terri's spattered shoes, John's half sunken pylons and Jim's rank effluent - a descriptive and atmospheric week for sure. 

However, my choice for winner this week is Sandra with Change of focus [446] because I had absolutely no idea how she was going to manage to get the prompt words into a scene with Pettinger naked on his doorstep - but she managed it - and the chillingly laconic "river deliveries" was a delight! 

Words for the coming week are crackle, smoke, traitor

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

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. 

Convalesence

Thank you all for your poems and stories this week, it's always great to see how many permutations of meaning you all can wrest out of the same words! Sandra has had a successful follow up operation and we're looking forward to having her home again; and I'm starting to understand how difficult it is for her to choose just one entry for the week, so I'm going to choose two.

First up, John's Heed the Warning Signs which created a fantastic microcosm of conflict, and I liked the juxtaposition of the boy's small hand staying his dog, and the hard gnarled hand of the harasser. My second winner of the week is Jim's Don't - I got caught up in it's rhythm and was definitely not expecting the final line! 

Words for the coming week are gangster, gull, pier

Entries by midnight Thursday 4th November, new words posted Friday 5th November (Bonfire Night in the UK!)

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. 

Cheers everyone, and can't wait to see what you create next week - Julia

The search continues...

Sandra continues to recover from her stroke, but is currently awaiting further hospital procedures, so it's Julia here stepping in while the search for a deputy continues. My apologies for not being as familiar with the serial works of all the fabulous regulars here! 

There was a definite medical theme to the words last week, but a wide range of inventive stories which I enjoyed reading. There were several entries where I had to search for the prompts, so seamless was the writing! However, my personal favourite for the week was David 's Place your bets please which I found particularly apt as the COP26 climate conference looms.

Words for the coming week are bark native appropriate 

Entries by midnight Thursday 28th October, new words posted Friday 29th

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. 

Vacancy for a deputy administrator

 Vacancy for a deputy administrator

I mentioned the idea a few months ago but didn't foresee being victim of a sudden stroke, and although recovering well I will at some time need to go in for further procedures. so a volunteer will be needed so as to avoid a gap in words and winners. I was grateful for Julia's input and her choice of tender system overwhelm

 

words for the coming week:  needle prescribe thermometer

 

Entries by midnight Thursday 21st October,  new words posted Friday22nd

 

A hastier than usual perusal has me declare Perry's 'Must be autumn this week's winner, but thank you all for contributing in these unusual circumstances.

 

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.

 

 

Dates uncorrected again, but no mistakes on your part.

 No mistaking today's date either since it's our wedding anniversary. A richness of years that does not, I am glad to say, match the entries here for gore and horror. What are too well-matched to separate are Patricia's four entries and although all of you once again offer superb examples of the genre, this week the prize is hers.

Thank you all for participation and - especially - for your comments which adds to the richness here. 

words for the coming week:  bridge coward swallow  

Entries by midnight Thursday 7th October,  new words posted Friday 8th 

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.