Lily's Friday Prediction

I have been completely bowled over by last week's Prediction challenge entries and have found it the most impossible task ever to choose a winner. Everyone - please know that the quality, and depth of your writing is outstanding, not to mention total bliss to read.

Whilst I make my very final decision, I'm just going to plug my new eBook CABARET OF DREAD, which is out NOW at Amazon.co.uk and Amazon.com. I won't labour the point, but I would be immensely grateful for any purchases, reviews, 'Likes' and tags, not to mention spreading the word. Thank you my Prediction friends - your support is immeasurable. [Read more...]

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

Every week many of you say, how does Lily choose a winner when the quality is so high? Well, it's always hard but this week - hell has erupted from the frozen lakes of my chambers and stumped me. However - it must be done. There will be just one winner, and no runner-up... because every single entry is a runner-up. Well done, one and all.

My winner is Sandra Davies with the second part of her harrowing series The Blacksmith's Wife. This tale is screaming to be told and I cannot even begin to anticipate what will happen next. Many congratulations Sandra - don't leave us dangling!

Words for 16 March 2012

Flipping those pages, shutting my eyes... plonk. Here we go:

• Curdle
• Cherub
• Rip

Get your teeth into those!

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 until 9pm UK time on Thursday 22nd March 2012 to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday 23rd March. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it. Do give feedback to your fellow Predictioneers - we all appreciate it.

If you've been scared to enter the darkness up to now, then spread your wings - and dive.

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At last! CABARET OF DREAD - out now.

At last, CABARET OF DREAD: A HORROR COMPENDIUM, VOL 1 is on Amazon's virtual shelves, all ready to be downloaded, tagged and 'Liked'.

Any help in spreading the word will make me a happy, and grateful writer. I would LOVE to know what you think, and would also appreciate any reviews beyond words. Thank you dear friends!

To buy, or download a sample:

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B007KSVXQK for US/Canadian readers and http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B007KSVXQK for Brit horror fans.

Product Description:

A terrifying collection of short horror stories by dark fiction author Lily Childs. These forty-three offerings comprise eleven long tales, including the previously unpublished:

- SMILING CYRUS - dancing dolls of death in your attic
- IN ADORATION - demonic rebirth, revenge and new skin
- STARING AT THE PINK - when the dead don't let go

Studded and stitched together by shorter pieces and tiny 100-word drabbles this first volume of Cabaret of Dread ends with:

- THE INFANTA TRIPTYCH - living, dying art - breathing, pulsing... ancient.
"Extreme vampire horror."

Words spill from the babbling mouths of demons and murderers throughout Cabaret of Dread, combining fear and even humour as the reader encounters serial killers and ghosts, historical entities and psychopaths, not to mention a scuttling vampire or two.

Cabaret of Dread is extreme horror FOR ADULTS ONLY. Ethereal and spiritual elements battle with the visceral and the insane; lustful adoration dallies with laboured, lingering death. The Cabaret will shock, it may well offend. But it is beautiful – at least in the author’s mind - and that’s where the darkness lies.

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Praise for Cabaret of Dread

"Having read almost every story written by Lily Childs, I can confidently say that Britain has a new Queen of Dark Fiction. The prose crawl off the pages, down your spine, then drag you into the darkness." - Col Bury, Crime Editor at Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers ezine

MANCHESTER 6 by Col Bury: re-released

Back in November 2011 six gritty short stories by my friend, fellow Editor at Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers and superb crime writer Col Bury were published as an eBook, entitled Manchester 6.

In case you missed it this popular collection has now been re-released with a new cover. some added extras, a bonus tale, and the "story behind the story".

These tales are packed with humour, heroes, victims and fear. They jangle in your veins and won't leave you alone. Manchester 6 is about the real streets, and the author knows what he's talking about.


If you have already read Manchester 6 I urge you to write a review on Amazon, Goodreads and your blog.

If not - or you want to grab those extras - you can download it from all Amazon platforms including the US, UK and the rest of Europe.

Lily's Friday Prediction

This old brain of mine is so full of holes I'm leaking all the good stuff. Better scoop it all up or I'll turn into a zombie, and I'd rather use my brain than eat others'.

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

Great to see new Predictioneers and the return of long-lost friends. This marvellous mix of writers makes for magic and mayhem - and it is so, so dark. Yum, yum. The only dilemma is how to select a winner. I've just re-read them for the 'nth time, and it is so close but...

I have two joint winners, Veronica Marie's violently emotional poem 3.A.M. battled with metaphorical addictions. Such a clever concept - I couldn't leave it alone. And Muckie Duckie's Disbursement of Sin filled my hungry veins like chocolate; totally delicious and wicked. Who wouldn't want to see those "beautiful things"? Congratulations both!

My runner-up is Anthony Cowin with The Dark Children. A highly visual terror treat that is surely waiting for the big screen. I would love to read a full story/novel of this Tony. Well done!

Words for 09 March 2012

Do you realise that the deadline for the new challenge will be The Ides of March? Might be best to get your entries in before Thursday perhaps? Here are your words, all ready to play with

• Carousel
• Spy
• Joker (not 'joke')

Can't wait to see what you make of these.

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 until 9pm UK time on Thursday 15th March 2012 to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday 16th March. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it. Do give feedback to your fellow Predictioneers - we all appreciate it.

That carousel's music is jangling, its horses galloping in a never-ending circle. Are you up for the ride?

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Latest news on Cabaret of Dread

Cabaret of Dread: a Horror Compendium Vol. 1 is now complete. Kindle publication date 16 March.

I'm so excited to finally unleash this book and its demons. Some of the previously unpublished tales never found a home; maybe they were just waiting to dance all by themselves.

Book Description:

A terrifying collection of short horror stories by dark fiction author Lily Childs. These forty-three offerings comprise eleven long tales, including the previously unpublished Smiling Cyrus, In Adoration and Staring At the Pink – all studded and stitched together by shorter pieces and tiny 100-word drabbles. Extreme vampire horror The Infanta Triptych completes this first volume.

Words spill from the babbling mouths of demons and murderers throughout Cabaret of Dread, combining fear and even humour as the reader encounters serial killers and ghosts, historical entities and psychopaths, not to mention a scuttling vampire or two.

Cabaret of Dread is extreme horror for adults only. Ethereal and spiritual elements battle with the visceral and the insane; lustful adoration dallies with laboured, lingering death. The Cabaret will shock, it may well offend. But it is beautiful – at least in the author’s mind - and that’s where the darkness lies.

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The book will be £1.49 on Amazon in the UK, and $2.99 in the US. I'm not the best at marketing but I would be eternally grateful to those who buy Cabaret of Dread. Thank you in advance.

Additionally I would love you to bits if you would also consider writing a review for Amazon, Goodreads, your blog... (anywhere frankly!) 

I'm happy to do interviews too. If you don't already have my email address feel free to use my Contact Form.

(Don't forget, if you don't have a Kindle you can download a free Kindle for PC/Smartphone app from Amazon.)

Thank you my friends.

New Flash - RESCUE MISSION - and a Writing Group Recommendation

I belong to Talkback, the online forum from the UK's popular Writing Magazine. Every month the forum runs a 'One Word Challenge' whereby the winners from the previous month provide a single word which acts as a theme for the new challenge, they then judge and give constructive feedback on the entries. Entrants can write a prose piece up to 200 words and/or a poem up to 40 lines.  

The theme for January was 'stark' and the following piece Rescue Mission was my entry. It didn't win but got positive feedback, and I rather enjoyed writing it so thought I would share. 

But the key reason for posting about this is, if you don't belong to a writer's group, don't have an outlet for your writing and/or are looking for support and guidance then Talkback is a well-established, free forum that I would recommend joining. Its friendly members include published writers of fiction, non-fiction, poetry and screenplays as well as non-published and new writers. There is much discussion about competitions, story/novel/article structure, traditional versus e-publishing and grammar questions plus industry news.

Why not nip over to Talkback and join up. You might even want to have a go at the new One Word Challenge.

RESCUE MISSION

It takes will and effort to bury a man, even in the desert. Now the corpses are outnumbering us we’ve been forced to leave them strewn across the sands to nourish more rapacious survivors, all dignity lost.

***

There are eight of us left. The Frenchman and Russian made some kind of pact this morning. We’ve left their bodies in the cockpit.

***

Strobel died. An hour after he announced “I’m going on a quick recce,” we ventured out into the starless darkness only to find him sucking moisture from the aircraft’s underbelly, convulsing as he held on fast. Did he know the poison in the rains would be enough to kill him? We never had time to ask.

***

We’ve given up questioning the cause. Bomb? Meteorite? All we know is there is no horizon, no sunrise. Occasional lightning staggers across the skies but it throws no clues. The cloying air remains thick with billowing green cloud.

***

Reeves took the risk. I packed sugar cubes into his pockets and let him leave, two oxygen bags strapped to his back. He shook my hand and we wondered who would die first.

***

It’s just me now.

***

I don’t think Reeves is coming back...

Lily's Friday Prediction

Somewhat distracted - I've gathered 43 horror stories to go in volume 1 of my Horror Compendium Cabaret of Dread. Of course half of these are Prediction drabbles but they'll be acting as wicked teases in-between the full-length short stories.

It took a while to decide which pieces should go in this first of two volumes - very difficult not to pick out my favourites! But chosen they are, and the order too. The cover is ready. Now all I need to do is prepare the front matter, the table of contents and acknowledgements before a final edit sweep.

Very excited now!

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

Thank you for sticking with the Prediction while I was having to take some 'personal time'. Your support is much appreciated.

I found the words quite trying, I must confess so was particularly impressed with what you came up with. And so... my winner is Dion Winton-Polak's classic horror Darwin's Mirror. I found this beautifully-written vignette absolutely riveting, my heart shuddered in fear and sadness. Congratulations Dion - a stunning write.

Runner-up is Sandra Davies. Red Magic evoked a sensation of Victorian occult theatricals, and I was totally absorbed. Great penning. Well done Sandra.

Words for 02 March 2012

Oof; this old book is getting heavy! Or perhaps my strength is failing. What will my fingers find, I wonder...

• Negotiate
• Cleanse
• Cage

Are you ready? Go!

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 until 9pm UK time on Thursday 8th March 2012 to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday 9th March. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it. Do give feedback to your fellow Predictioneers - we all appreciate it.

The South East of England is swathed in fog right now, a perfect horror setting. What will creep from your mists...?

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