PURE by Lily Childs (c)

‘Put the coins in the slot, lad.’

‘I don’t want to.’

The old man snatched the money out of Luke’s hand. He shoved it into the machine.

‘You want to see your mother again, don’t you?’

Trembles, painful and ugly shuddered across the boy’s chin. Almost imperceptibly, he nodded his head.

Dull music groaned into life. Inside the filthy booth the threadbare curtain juddered to one side leaving Luke to stare at a dark room through finger-stained glass. He waited, terrified by what he might see, scared stiff at what could have stolen his mother away from him.

And there she was. Naked, pale, expressionless. Lying across tattered sheets on a broken bed. She stood. Draping herself around a thin steel pole, she spun slowly, round and around. The boy’s eyes lit up, not seeing the holes in his mother’s arms or the bruises across her emaciated body.

‘So what do you make of her now?’ Luke’s father sneered, wanting his son to be appalled, disgusted.

The coin dropped. The time was up.

‘I think she’s beautiful’ Luke said as they left the booth, the final vision of his mother playing its way into his memory.

‘She’s a dancer.’

SEDATED

Send the message.
Go on,
Text it now
While your eyes are open
Seeing me,
Knowing me.

Before your senses dull
Wrap yourself
Around the phone,
Let your fingers
Do the walking
While you still have time.

Tick tock.
Send them away.
Tick tock
Raise my gun.
Tick tock
Too late
Tick tock…
They’re home.

Matt Hilton - Writing Competition

Short Story Competition - Win a Signed 'First Edition' Hardback copy of SLASH AND BURN 

If you're a fan of noir and crime fiction, then you'll love Matt Hilton's books. With best sellers Dead Men's Dust and Judgement and Wrath already on the shelves, Matt's thrillers follow the decidedly dangerous world of Joe Hunter.

Who is Joe Hunter? As Matt says...

"He’s not a cop. He’s not a bounty hunter. He’s not a private detective.

Some people call him a vigilante, but even Joe will tell you that vigilantes take the law into their own hands, whereas there aren’t too many laws that define what Joe does to get a job done.

Joe is someone who cares.

Simple as that."

Find out more about Joe Hunter...

How Can You Win?

Matt is running a writing competition. The remit is to write a story in the style of a Joe Hunter thriller, with a maximum count of 2,000 words. Matt will chose the three best entries which he will post both on his blog and at Thrillers Killers n Chillers. The final vote will be down to the public, and the winner will receive a signed 'First Edition' hardback copy of Joe Hunter 3 - SLASH AND BURN.

The closing date for entries is Friday 12th March at midnight GMT. The winner will be announced on the Slash and Burn publication date - 1st April 2010.

More Info

* Find out more about the competition guidelines and submission rules

* Find out about Joe Hunter

* Find out about Dead Men's Dust, Judgement and Wrath and Slash and Burn

* Buy Dead Men's Dust or Judgement and Wrath

           

The Dark Monarch Exhibition - Towner, Eastbourne

A new, extraordinary exhibition hit Eastbourne yesterday.

The press release says:
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The Dark Monarch: Magic and Modernity in British Art

23 January – 21 March 2010

This group exhibition explores the influence of folklore, mysticism, mythology and the occult on the development of art in Britain. Focusing on works from the beginning of the twentieth century to the present day it will consider, in particular, the relationship they have to the landscape and legends of the British Isles.

Taking its title from the infamous 1962 book by St Ives artist Sven Berlin, the exhibition features major loans from the Tate Collection, regional collections, lenders and artists, and will examine the development of early Modernism, Surrealism and Neo-Romanticism in the UK, as well as the reappearance of esoteric and arcane references in a significant strand of contemporary art practice.
_________________________
We went along, by invitation, and were blown away. If you know us, you'll be aware how important this kind of collection is to us.

There were works by geniuses Austin Osman Spare and Graham Sutherland as well as Paul Nash, Barbara Hepworth, Bryan Wynter and Ithell Colquhoun, plus many more, including local artist Eric Ravilious.

We looked at the esoteric bookshelves that are part of the exhibition and almost had to check that our own library hadn't been invaded - which of course it hadn't because, sadly, we don't own first editions.

Towner were holding people back at the door, because they were at capacity. But once we were in, we fell in deep. The exhibition is on the ground and top floors. Much of it left an exquisite taste in our senses, bar a couple of contrived photographs and, sadly, Damien Hirst's Unicorn.

Well worth it. We're going to pay again, and probably again, to go back.

Go see it. Towner Eastbourne.

Opening hours: Tuesday – Sunday 10am – 6pm; closed Mondays except Bank Holidays.

Admission to The Dark Monarch: £5.50 / £4 concessions / under 18s free. Admission to Towner and other exhibitions: free of charge.

Pretty Pinholes

My latest contribution to Thrillers Killers n Chillers has just been published; thank you Col and Matt.

It's called Pretty Pinholes. Read it here.

Hope you like it...

Excerpts:

The factory floor was cold beneath her naked back. Hard on the shoulder blades, crusty against her splayed buttocks.

The only light - a breath of radiance shooting through a distant keyhole - spangled across the thousand pin heads that pierced her trembling flesh. A bed of nails, she was. Only more so.
 
Crouching, near-naked himself except for the daggers, he took to his feet. Nothing could threaten the verve that prickled his skin, full as it was, with exaltation.

A Taste of Magenta

Take Me Down, Sir

by Lily Childs (c)
'Crow' artwork by Laurence Ranger (c)

The searchlight from Tom Shaman’s soul bled pale amongst the treetops.

‘C’mon old man’ he whispered. ‘Help me out. Just one more time.’

The crow found him first. Its blue-black feathers flurried in the twilit sky like the tattered jacket of a jaded Morris dancer. It landed gracefully beneath a guardian oak where Tom lay reclined in half-meditation; half-naked, fully despondent. Troubled by the shaman’s weary demeanour the crow danced around the man’s feet, eyeing him through dark beads.

‘What ails you, friend?’

‘She’s gone. I’ve lost her.’ Tom shook his head, distraught. ‘Take me into the darkness, Crow. I’m begging you.’

The bird hopped onto Tom’s shoulder, claws piercing bare skin.

‘You’re not ready. You don’t have enough experience. This could destroy you.’

‘It doesn’t matter. Without her I’m nothing. Please, take me down.’

The crow stabbed at an errant feather with its silver beak.

‘Prepare then, Tom Shaman. This may be your final journey.’

Fluttering up to stand upon Tom’s shaven head, the crow wrapped its wings of midnight around the man’s face. Cautiously, it laid its chin on Tom’s forehead. They both heard the dark side calling. And were gone.

They travelled deep, deeper into the place of deity, of creatures unseen, of life forms unknown. They came to rest.

‘Where’s my wife?’ Tom cried out loud, breaking the rules. He hung his head, sobbing, expecting nothing.

‘Look.’

Tom squinted into the void.

The body of Magenta Shaman drifted into view. Small and still. And quite dead.
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This is a little taster from my Magenta Shaman stories, which are coming on strong at the moment.

The above was my entry into Jason Evans' Clarity of Night comp. It didn't get shortlised but had some great comments.

Well done though to Lee Hughes whose amazing 'The Mending of the Broken' came third in the Readers' Choice Award plus some Honourable Mentions - very well deserved.

Creatures in my home

This is one of the creatures that lives in my home. We have many of them.

This is Igle Sygle.

If you click on the image (s)he'll volumise and expand (at least, that's our experience).

Comments please - be kind. (S)he's baring all.