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.

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.