August Writing Competition

So, before Janus wakes up, a new competition is online, waiting to greet him with its smile of razor-sharp fangs poised to sink into his subconscious and drive him on to new and shimmering efforts.

1,000 words, more (but no more than 2,000 (Jan, that’s for you)) or less, in a story that contains a compromising situation. The following words should be included: “bats” and “pungent”.

Words or pictures in whatever form suits you.

And to quote Mr. Mackie (because how could this language be matched?): “Deadline midnight GMT (01.00 am BST on the day immediately following the specified day and all and/or any other time zones pari passu)” on 10 August 2010.

July Creative Writing Result

You want to know something? It’s not until you win it and have to judge the next one that you realise what a complete joy and terror this whole CW thingie is. I am totally knocked-out by the effort that everybody put in to their entries. Thankfully, most of them happened to be in my comfort zone of knowledge so I was able to enjoy them from the start without having to google.

I found it interesting that many of you chose to draw on works that were allegedly written for children for your inspiration. Deep joy and happy memories.

Reminder of  the rules:

1,000 words or less on an interaction of any sort  between two or more well known fictional characters who were created by  different authors. Continue reading “July Creative Writing Result”

The World is Not So Bad…

I wrote some eight hours ago that I’d be back on this site in a few hours. I was hoping to post another of my quizzes, or perhaps write a post about the hazards of booking flights on the internet.

Howver…

I caught my train from Brighton at 1.49, and settled down to read my book. As is usual, I was so engrossed that I almost missed my station and jumped off at East Croydon, caught the next train to East Grinstead and stuck my nose back in my book. It was only when I got to East Grinstead that I realised that I didn’t have my handbag – money, cards, phone, tickets…

I cannot thank the young man at East Grinstead station sufficiently for his help, courtesy and, most important for me, his humour. I really appreciate people who can make me see the funny side of myself.

My bag had been found, and handed in … my faith in human nature has been confirmed today.

Oh, dear!

Announcing that over a hundred Earth sized planets have been found in the last week alone, the Mail boldly claims that:

‘The breakthrough raises the tantalising prospect that we may not be alone in the Universe.’

Immediately under that sentence the paper tells us that scientists now believe that there are over 100 million planets in the Milky Way, i.e. in our own galaxy. Given what we now know about the Universe, how can anybody believe that we are ‘alone’? Yet newspapers frequently, when announcing some new discovery, resort to the kind of nonsensical sentence shown above.

A little Gothic story

The main attraction at The Festival of Horror was garnering rave reviews in the press.

-Prepare to scream.

-More beastly than Brand, more Galloway than Merrick.

-Your tingling spine will porcupine.

-One level below Hell and almost two.

Reading these haunting words of fear the terror aficionados, Wart and Acne, looked forward to the show. It was a long time since they were scared. The last time was the first time they saw Saw.  They were greeted at the door by a six-fingered man, obviously he hails from Coatbridge.

Moving down the corridors of doom Continue reading “A little Gothic story”

Confused…

An old Pilot sat down at Starbucks and ordered a cup of coffee.
As he sat sipping his coffee, a young woman sat down next to him..
She turned to the pilot and asked, ‘Are you a real pilot?’
He replied, ‘Well, I’ve spent my whole life flying biplanes, Cubs, Aeronca’s, Neiuports, flew in WWII in a B-29, and later in the Korean conflict, taught 50 people to fly and gave rides to hundreds, so I guess I am a pilot.’
She said, ‘I’m a lesbian. I spend my whole day thinking about naked women. As soon as I get up in the morning, I think about naked women. When I shower, I think about naked women. When I watch TV, I think about naked women. It seems everything makes me think of naked women.’
The two sat sipping in silence.
A little while later, a young man sat down on the other side of the old pilot and asked, ‘Are you a real pilot?’
He replied, ‘I always thought I was, but I just found out I’m a lesbian.’

Serial Killers – July Short Story

Small, a beetle, a barely acknowledged and seldom thought of friend of Rabbit, remembered the early morning’s events with a glow of excitement. His pleasure was dimmed somewhat by the recollection that this particular amusement was over, for good, but never mind, he thought, I can find another hobby. He finished  his breakfast, a succulent morsel which once had been another very small friend-and-relation, unfurled his beautiful wings and took flight in search of more fun. Continue reading “Serial Killers – July Short Story”