Lily's Friday Prediction

I'm loving this week's list. If you can give me 100-words max flash fiction using all of the words below, then you get a slap on the back. I have to say, after last week's exquisite entries from Michael Solender and Lee Hughes, they're going to be tough to beat.

The words are:

• Derision
• Permutation
• Depraved

My own entry (for once) is here. Please add yours in the Comments box.

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The arrogant grin of power on Conroy’s face after doling out the new drug to his usual punters twisted to derision as he witnessed its effects. Janey fell first, quickly followed by Angel, then Max. Conroy watched, sick to his stomach. The permutation was unspeakable; their bodies a slithering, conjoined mass. A riot of flesh, hair and mucus throbbing within folds of skin.

Tendrils coiled around his limbs, inviting him to the depraved dance. Despite all he had seen, regardless of the disgust surging through his gut he knew he had to try it, just the once.

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Mind Games

Update to this post from 16th July - 6S Mind Games is now available on Amazon.com and Amazon.co.uk

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My entry in the Six Sentences Network's 'Mind Games' anthology comp has been accepted - and published!

There were over 300 entries and my piece (below) appears alongside those of fellow Writers' News Talkbackers A.J. Humpage and Pixie J. King.

A.J.'s is one of of my personal favourites in the collection, as well as Sandra Davies', Thomas Mundt's, Grey Johnson's and the winning 'six' by Kip Hanson.

Mind Games by Lily Childs

I thought them ferns; tall penile stems, their tops weighty with verdant coils just waiting to unfurl and release their fertile spores into the density of the hot forest.

Tickling their tendrils with soft affection my fingers instantly freeze in pain, agonising pulses of electric colour seethe through my brain as the tightly-bound spirals whip open, unleashing a thousand needles into my skin.

Voices call my name as if from a distance yet faces swim before my eyes; some familiar - my husband, group members, our priests; others are screaming beasts, terrifying in aspect, violently teasing my senses as they rush at me, possessing and vacating my body at speed.

Then white - I travel through clouds; burnt umber and red ochre crumble at my sides as I linger in moist earthen caverns until the blackness of gushing blood carries me back to the safety of my throbbing heart.

Missionaries attend to me over the ensuing days but I see them for the demons they are as they slap me with leeches, desperate to wipe the smile of bliss from my mouth, frantically forcing the creatures to suck out the poisons that play so prettily with my mind - but they are unable to stop me returning again and again to the beautiful wildwood deities that have forever lent me their power; and to think I thought them ferns.

I am at peace - I am shaman.
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Her Metamorphosis

Garner the humour.

Pretty laughter rages

endlessly, brazenly

at my bitter expense.

Slavering dogs.

Society swigs from

its wine glasses, drunken

with bigoted zeal.

Yesterday’s favourite.

I’m numb and I’m no-one.

From this pale

moment, I slide.

Blatant backs

turning. Dismiss the

usurper, no longer

welcome. Faded star.

Paint me like

butterflies. All in

a day’s work I’m done

and I’m dusted.

Cocoon me gently.

All that you loved

in me, take and

preserve a while.

Slender worm slinks,

seeks refuge,

blindly seeks out what

she came for.

Back where I

started. Gartered and

innocent. There’s

no place like home.

The Devil In Me

Michael J. Solender, prolific noir author and satirist invited me to to write as a guest over at the NOT

My new piece The Devil In Me is up on his site now. Feel free to pay it a visit and let me know what you think.

Here's a taster...

The Devil In Me

The last time I saw The Devil he was dancing on stage. 

What I was doing there, I can’t be sure. Sleep had evaded me – I swear I was awake. It was one of those vivid ‘between the veils’ moments where the extraordinary seems real; when you can fly without wings and fall off cliffs without landing. It was a moment when being invited to watch The Devil trip the light fantastic seemed a perfectly reasonable thing to do.

His voice rang out as I entered the darkness of the endless auditorium.

‘Ah, Jimmy. It’s been so long, so long.’

Read the full story...

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Lily's Friday Prediction

Can you come up with flash fiction of 100 words (max)? My weekly challenge is to write a piece that includes three words or terms chosen by bibliomancy (as in - I shut my eyes, lay my hands on the dictionary, let the pages fall open and stick a finger on the page. What ever I land on, goes in the list of three.)

This week's three are below. What can you do? Add your contribution in the Comments box at the end.

• Magnetic
• Reflection
• Hanging Gardens

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The Corporate Cabaret

Over at me more genteel blog, is the story I've submitted to the Six Sentences Network - 6S - of my mate Olivia who walked away from the corporate monster yesterday. Power to you, Liv. F*ck 'em.

Here it is: http://micheleranger.blogspot.com/2010/07/corporate-cabaret.html

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Lily's Friday Prediction

The words that fell beneath my fingers this week evoked something decidedly Southern Old Money - I'll add my contribution later.

What can you come up with from today's three words?

• Confidante
• Old-timer
• Reef

100 words max or evidence it is a prediction come true. Comments below, if you damned well please...

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Bit of Fun... Are you the next big thing?

Some writer mateys were recently told about 'I write like' at http://iwl.me/.

Paste a few paragraphs of your work into the text field and hit the Analyze button.

I posted six different excerpts from different pieces - I got 2 Stephen Kings, 2 James Joyces (I don't think so) and 2 Margaret Atwoods. Interesting.

The list of writers must be fairly short, but it's a giggle.

Do YOU write like a genius?

Dog Day Delivery at TKnC

A new piece - Dog Day Delivery by Lily Childs - is now up over Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers.

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Lily's Friday Prediction

Fab efforts from David Barber, Michael Solender and Pixie J. King last week. Thanks all.

This week's words to play with - and the last one is a particular favourite - are:

• Green-eyed
• Urinal
• Bloated

So as usual, 100 words max flash fiction, incorporating all the words. Please add them to Comments below. Alternatively if my three words have predicted something - let me know by the end of the week.

Over to you...

Currently being inspired by...

Placebo's 'Pure Morning':

Sanguinello

This little acrostic poem on the theme of 'Orange' just won me the poetry comp over at Writing Mag's online writers' forum Talkback:

SANGUINELLO

O pen my hesitant flesh, devour me.
R ip my pored skin with your nails.
A ngle your tongue to penetrate,
N o drop of juice left unsucked.
G rasp my orb lest I slip through your fingers,
E nding my life cased in dust.

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Lily's Friday Prediction

Two great flash pieces from Matt Hilton and Chris Allinotte last week - cheers mateys. Today's words are simple yet, as a woman and a writer of horror the thought of them together in 100 words fills me with dread. They are:

• Bed
• Propaganda
• Womb

So let's see your best - max 100 words flash fiction or tell me by the end of the week how these words have come true for you. Comments below. Off you go...

They say things come in threes

As the very final minute of June hit last night, I had another acceptance from Chris at Static Movement - this time for SM's Gothic Worlds anthology.

The story Scuttle first appeared on TKnC last year and is probably the one I've most enjoyed writing. Debauch, dark and dangerous it's one of those that made me laugh in horrible pleasure as it came flying out.

Can't wait to see it in print - the cover is delicious - I want that dress!

Thanks Chris.