Erin Cole asks a probing question about demons and muses

Erin Cole

Many writers feel they can't write without their muse. Others use their craft as a means to vanquish their psychological demons.

In Erin Cole's thought-provoking article Demon or Muse, she asks if the relationship between the two is not deeper than we might imagine.

Please do take a visit to read Demon or Muse, and comment if you will. It's a fascinating discussion - I haven't been able to stop thinking about it.

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Lily's Friday Prediction

It's lunchtime - where has this morning gone? Oh yes. I had to go to work, so I'm having a quick break to post up today's words. Sorry it'll be such a passing visit.

Congratulations to the winner of last week's Prediction Challenge William Davoll with the quirky poem Toxic Girlfriend 1993 and well done to runner-up Phil Ambler with Flash. Great writing guys.

Words for 15 July 2011

Before I reveal today's words, an extra announcement - the winner of this week's challenge will get to judge the following week's competition! So let's get to it...

• Gloss
• Roam
• Spire

Little'uns, aren't they! Please note the challenge will close on Wednesday next week too, not Thursday.

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have all week until 9pm UK time on Wednesday 20th July to enter.

Winner will be announced next Wednesday or Thursday. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it.

Wagons roll, if you please...

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Prediction Winner

I love the diverse use of the words this week. Let's quickly summarise, and see which entry won...

• Chris throws an ace card at Milton and Blackwood as the crime-beating duo discover another murder(er) in Coming Up Trump
• Steven's manic pseudo-surgeon gets off on gore in the blood-spattered Rupture.
• Antonia's narrator has enough of her date, however 'ace' he thinks he is, in Escort Duty.
• Amber's dancer almost falls victim to the psychological damage of her defiler's Unwanted abuse, but catches herself just in time.
• AJ exposes the horror of starvation and neglect in a very unbalanced world in Dying Away.
• Aidan brings The Ossuary back to our plates with invitations by the Bone Mate to sculpt and worship skulls.
• Kim puts the homeless Out With The Trash to suck on rats until Death whisks the poor man away.
• Phil delivers a bliss of birth as Rhechévah releases her offspring in Flash.
• William falls foul of his Toxic Girlfriend 1993 as she tears at his soul in an attempt to bring him down to her desperate level.
• Paul's old butcher wins the game and sets up the twisted vic for hungry William in his untitled piece.
• Kallandra freezes our perceptions as the PI grasps the evidence in this untitled thriller.
• Jack chucks a pie at the slimeballs as The Flaming Ace's waitress knocks her abusers dead. (Good riddance).
• My tale shows we shouldn't mock the tarot - or, at least we shouldn't try to hide the message. Love, Ill-Dignified. 

With a brilliant title and a fantastically crafted, caustic poem - the winner this week is William Davoll with Toxic Girlfriend 1993. Congratulations William!

My runner-up is Phil Ambler with his beautiful 'portal to the imagination' Flash. Very well done Phil.

Loved them all; everyone should be very proud.

Advance notice: the winner of the next challenge will get to judge the following Prediction. Ooh!

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How does a bit of Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers grab you?

It's my pleasure to announce that I have been approached by the Editors of the wonderful Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers to give them a helping hand. After a long and painful deliberation (5 seconds and a few chocolate hobnobs) I accepted!

If you want to know more about my role as Guest Editor - or in the highly unlikely event that you're not familiar with TKnC - hop on over to take a look at what's already on offer as well as what's coming up.

I'll be adding a bio to Ye Olde Editors page on TKnC as soon as I can remember anything interesting about myself. Most importantly, I'll be dredging through any stories still lingering in the basement to see if I can help bring everything up to date.

So to my good friends and inspirational TKnC editors and authors Thriller Dude Matt Hilton, Crime Dude Col Bury and Horror Dude Lee Hughes - thank you so much for inviting me in. It's going to be a pleasure.

x

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Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers is currently open to submissions (until 15th July). Check out the Guidelines here.

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Lily's Friday Prediction

Friday - you are so welcome. May you bring peace and creativity in equal measure.

Well done to last week's Prediction winner Michael Solender for No Abdication, and runners-up Aidan Fritz for The Shaking of the Ossuary and Chris Allinotte's U.D.D.D.

Anthology Latest

Did I mention I've finally collated all the entries from the first year's Prediction? The anthology will come out at around 60,000 words if everyone agrees to be included. What a prolific bunch of talented writers you are! I've got the spreadsheet of dates/words/authors/entries on the go now so (I know I've said this before, but dammit - life gets so busy sometimes) don't be surprised if you hear from me individually soon.

Words for 8th July 2011

Tasty words this week...

• Crust
• Ace
• Incision

For new contributors, you can use the root of these words in any form; noun, verb, adjective, adverb. For example crusty, incisor, but you must use all three. 

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have all week until 9pm UK time on Thursday 14th July to enter.

Winner will be announced next Thursday or Friday. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it.

What magic do you hold up your sleeve? Prepare to reveal yourselves...

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Prediction Winner

The cat's come over to help me judge tonight. Her name's Lily too and she's getting on a bit; keeps forgetting who she is. That's what I'm scared of - somehow I think it's inevitable.

Summary time - a quickie.

• Michael: No Abdication. Empirical turmoil with monarchic spite.
• Me: An Eye for an Eye. A queenly exchange of eyeballs.
• Sue: One For The Road. Perfect spies and conspiracy theories for the almighty Strachan.
• AJ: Blood in the Water. Imperial Rome arrives with bloody Caesar's dictatorship.
• Nina: What Were YOU Thinking. An optical illusion disguised in doctor's clothing.
• William: #1 Where's the Fox PT2. Sellings and Tench get a lot more to go on, via Huxley.
  #2 The Real Guy Fawkes. Final moments of madness through torture.
• Phil: Revolution? Hunters become the hunted and revolution turns the world upside down.
• Chris: U.D.D.D. Flashing memories haunt the alleged traitor as he breathes his last breath - and swings.
• Paul: #1 The Museum of Treason. All-seeing statues paralysed in innocent poses.
  #2 Untitled. Grandma Graves is a wily manipulator; the 'eyes' have it.
• John: CyberOptical Illusion. Live visual attacks create distorted conceptions.
• Aidan: The Shaking of the Ossuary. Bones and flesh intermingle in this battle to save Circe, and lives.
• Asuqi: Perfect Shot. A golden-haired model twists to make the photographer sit up and take notice.

Straight to the point. My winner this week is Michael Solender with the powerful and disturbing No Abdication. Frightening, familiar and memorable. Congratulations Michael.

Two runners-up - Aidan Fritz' mad The Shaking of the Ossuary. Bizarre and wonderful. And Chris Allinotte's U.D.D.D. - a terrifying finality. Well done both.

I'd also like to make special mention of newcomer Paul/Crimson Archer's entries. Very promising - do stay with us Paul.

Am I really going to get to bed before midnight on a Thursday for once? Let's see... Back tomorrow, with Guest Judge-time news.

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Interlude by Lily Childs

Do you remember the Dressing Up Box demon? It's found itself a plaything - just for this evening...

Interlude

I hold her, cradle the trembling head between clawed hands and wonder at her beauty.

Eyes wide she stares up at my face. Does she recognise her own image? I stole it when I rebirthed her – she should be grateful.

A song sings, muffled behind the ribbons of satin at her mouth. I have woven them into multi-coloured braids. If she uses her tongue she will find a way out, a release for the nightingale in her throat.

We are naked, she and me; but we differ still. Her mane of gold now pours from my own scalp, studded in swathes and streaked vermilion with my old blood. I take a handful of the fine hair and use it as a paintbrush, dipping it in and out of the open slices at her belly. The thick fluids coagulate almost before I can apply them to my chest where I have tattooed her name. But all is well, the holes overflow with her juices and she is sealed to me forever.

It won’t be long. I reach down to gather the nest from between her legs. Humming an aria I sprinkle the wiry threads into a keepsake box with her brows and eyelashes.

Her last breath’s a pretty one. I help by biting the strap from her lips – I have caught her gasp before she can take another one and I hold her tight as she dies in my mouth.

It’s a hollow death. No shame in that.

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