6S - The Mysterious Dr. Ramsey

I'm well chuffed that my entry to the marvellous Six Sentences network's comp 'The Mysterious Dr. Ramsey' has been accepted for publication in a 6S anthology.

We were presented with a photograph of a veiled individual - male? Female? And invited to write six sentences inspired by the photo, under the title of The Mysterious Dr. Ramsey.

My entry, published with permission, is below:

They ride pillion. Twenty six chests ram hard into the backs of twenty six bikers, hearts pounding with exhilaration - and the fear they won’t make it in time.

Desert dust turns to greenery so lush they can taste it. The capital looms ever closer, the target destination clear in the riders’ minds whilst the seconds tick, tick, tick by until time is gone, lost forever.

The Fifty Two charge the gates, resolved to carry out the attack together; three, two, one… Screams fill the auditorium as they hit - it's the moment of truth:

"Ladies and Gentlemen it's the new Black, please welcome our models to the catwalk, wearing innovative designer Doc Ramsey's Backseat range for Harley boys and girls."

Fellow writers AJ Humpage, Anthony Cowin and Ellie Garratt were also selected. Congrats to them.

You can buy the anthology for $24.95 from Amazon.com or £16.55 from Amazon.co.uk

__________________

Esoteric Artwork

Laurence Ranger is an esoteric artist inspired by alchemy, rune lore and Saxon mythology. And that's mild compared to what spouts forth from his brain.

A swordsman and archer Laurence has studied weaponry all his life. He has his own art and lifestyle methodology which incorporates shamanic and magickal practices together with heathen spiritual meditation. From this, and the unfathomable creatures that visit him when he's least expecting them - demanding to be recorded on paper - Laurence has built up a diverse collection of artwork.

He specialises in printmaking, etching and engraving but also works extensively in charcoal, pen and ink and pencil. After decades of working in black and white, he has recently discovered colour.

Laurence is currently working on a twelve-card tarot set - a simple number but a far from simple system - based on his own cosmology and established correspondences. He's asked me to help build his blog so that he can share the design and thought process. He'll also use it as an exhibition space for his existing work.

Give me a few days to get it right, then come back to see what he has to offer. He will also be July's guest interviewee - a serious look into a dark mind.

Lily's Friday Prediction

Come on peeps. More entries please! I am, however a hypocrite as I've only added my entry to last week's LFP this morning. Fancy a bit of sacrifice? Find it in the comments here.

This week's words are... challenging (David Barber, you know you like one!)

• Stipend
• Scabies
• and - get this - Edward Stanley 14th Earl of Derby
  (1799 - 1869) As background he was a Whig (Liberal) who became a staunch Conservative and then served as Prime Minister. Sound strangely familiar?
  I'm going to be generous on this last one - any interpretation or use of any of the words is acceptable.

So, the usual; up to 100 words flash fiction, or evidence that the above words serve as some kind of prediction by the end of the week. Please post as comments below.

Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers is Back!!

I am heartily relieved to report that Matt Hilton and Col Bury's superb site Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers will be back in business from 1st July.

TKnC has been a huge sounding board for my nasty little pieces and I am so grateful to Matt and Col - not just for publishing my work but for their ongoing support and guidance. I am also thankful to the many visitors who have commented on my fiction.

If you're new to TKnC - it's hard, it's chilling and it's noir. It screams, it terrifies and it bites. So get on over to http://thrillskillsnchills.blogspot.com/ to take a look.

If you want to submit your work (I've got something ready guys - just waiting) then make sure you read their submission guidelines.

Magenta Shaman

Magenta visited a lair today. The journey was not so much hard, as difficult to see through the ether.

When she got to her destination, courtesy of a very cross white stallion and a persistent eagle, she had to travel down a dragon's spine to find what she was seeking.  And by the Goddess, was she disturbed at who she found there.

Trouble is, the man was quite content to slumber, but after 20,000 odd years, Magenta's woken him up. He ain't happy.

Lily's Friday Prediction

Interesting ones this week, they seem to hark back to darker times rather than predicting the future:

• Lupercalia
  (Pagan Roman fertility festival held on 15th Feb)
• Despise
• Oligarchy
  (Government of the many by the few, often by a family group or single dynasty)

I'm quite inspired to write 100 words myself, but let me have yours - flash fiction or predictions. And we'll see what happens...

Woe La Poxette

Doxy’s got the pox.
Poxy Doxy’s in the dock,
Face all lumpen
Dropping scabs
Of blackened blood
Onto the courtroom floor
Of hated Judge Malcreed.

Doxy’s gonna drop.
Cocky Doxy’s got to hop,
Her legs deformed
And broken.
The noose awaits
Courtesy of last year’s
Lover, filthy Judge Malcreed.

Doxy’s got the knock.
Stroppy Doxy’s got to stop
The hangman’s hand.
She shudders,
Kicks, dies screaming
Spitting out the curse at
Killer, vile Judge Malcreed.

Doxy’s dumped on top.
Rotting doxies turn to slop.
In the courtroom
Blind man cries,
Cock collapsing
Balls of green erupt all
Over desperate Judge Malcreed.

Poxy’s got a stump.
Poxy falls before he jumps
Off Tower Bridge
He drools for help
But no-one comes.
He begs for death, but death
Won’t entertain old Judge Malcreed.

Poxy’s gone to pot.
Poxy lives a doxy’s lot
His body’s bare
Ravaged and scarred,
A limbless whore.
He sells his soul, condemned
To hell.

Poxy Judge Malcreed.