Children in Need Writing Marathon 2007

Prompts Dec3rd

2010-12-03T02:10:00.001-08:00

Why not join us at BC for a month of flashes and stories.

IT's FREE!

Email to Aimee

What a joy to climb into bed

BILL

Five and half million white plastic bags

STALINGRAD

I don't have a best side, take my picture in the dark

SHADOW

It's hard for a girl being rescued

TOUCH

Two sided triangles going cheap

BOMBER

In the falling heat of a late August night

1939

Who's turn in the barrel?

I know it, you know it

His anger pervades this place

Class 4N made Daisy cry

Known to bite.

Shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up, shut up

The winter evening settles like talcum from a child

Borzoi

One Saturday, we went down to the river

December Blast in Boot Camp. Free!

2010-12-01T01:14:00.000-08:00

BC is free for the whole of December 2010

Why not join us for our December "BLAST" where we all attempt to write at least one piece a day, or 31 in the Month, refusing to wind-down for the last month of the year.

Prompts every day, flashes and poems and stories posted anonymously via a secretary, feedback from everybody on everything posted.

TRY IT (You know you want to!)

http://bootcampkeegan.yuku.com/directory

One Village at a Time

2010-02-20T04:55:00.001-08:00

Changing the World

One Village at a Time

Alex Keegan: alex.keegan@btinternet.com

My wife works for BT but has been working on secondment with Global-Ethics and One Difference. Global Ethics works by selling products and using all the profits to fund good work in sub-Saharan Africa. Recently Debbie went to see how just £7,000 can transform the life of a community by giving a village access to clean, safe water.

I became interested, not solely because I care, but because I can see a way to raise money, and directly understand the result. Supporting huge charitable organisations is, for me, soulless. They are all, no doubt “worthy” but I have no emotional sense of my money or my effort doing something specific.

I love the simple beliefs of Global Ethics and “One” and I want to raise as many of those £7,000 units as I can. To be able to start with nothing and end with a specific village, real people, and know we have changed lives and saved lives, that is just fantastic.

That’s where the “I” stops. Now about US.

March 22nd is World Water Day, and quite naturally Global Ethics will be holding various events. Here is OUR event, on behalf of G-E and ONE, us, Joe and Jane Soap, getting together to aim to build one pump, two pumps, four pumps, ten.

IN ONE DAY.

The idea is simple. It is aimed at both READERS and WRITERS. We want a thousand people to commit to just one 24-Hour effort on March 22nd.

Think, if 1,000 people pledge £7 (the joining fee) we have a Play-Pump. If we get 2,000 people and they raise sponsorship, of, say, £70 each, that would be 22 Play-Pumps, twenty-two villages, thousands, THOUSANDS of people whose lives we change for the better, forever.

HERE’s the DEAL.

Starting at midnight March 21st (00:01 on March 22nd) a group of writers start writing stories. They write one an hour, and they try to stay awake, writing, for as much of the twenty-four hours as they can. Sure many will need to take a break and sleep, but some hardy souls will last the 24 Hours (only the first six hours are tough) helped on their way by the knowledge of what they are achieving, and that they are being read (more on this later) and that at the end of it there will be an anthology of the best work, and their name, their achievement posted in perpetuity.

We have run such “crazy” marathons before raising money for various causes. In one we had a THIRTY hour marathon. Half a dozen hardy souls managed the whole thing and we raised more than ten-thousand pounds.

But that was an impromptu, shoe-string, just-tell-friends congregation. Think how different this could be with Global-Ethics and ONE behind us, and with some truly spectacular prizes for readers and writers.

I am visiting Global-Ethics on Wednesday 24th February to tie-up the prize-structure and some truly wonderful opportunities for supporters of “One Village at a Time” the marathon itself.

What Would You Have to Do?

WRITERS

1 Sign up as soon as possible, pay just £7 to join, direct to G-E or ONE.

2 Tell your friends what you are doing.

3 Beg steal and borrow sponsorship

4 Start at 00:01 and write a story.

5 Continue writing or take breaks, trying to write as much as you can.

6 Post on the Facebook and other forums and be enthusiastic.

READERS

1 Sign up as soon as possible, pay just £7 to join, direct to G-E or ONE.

2 Tell your friends what you are doing.

3 Beg steal and borrow sponsorship.

4 Read stories and comment (they will be anonymous)

5 Continue reading or take breaks, trying to read as much as you can.

6 Post on the Facebook and other forums and be enthusiastic.

We are in discussion on the specifics but G-E/ONE will be offering superb prizes in a number of categories, and one will be spectacular, involving shiny airplanes, and crossing the equator.

Visiting one of the villages and seeing the children, seeing them having fun on a play-pump, seeing all that beautiful, clean, safe water… that is a life-changing experience. It could be yours.

The Suggested Categories might be…

Best Story or Stories (General)

Best “African” Story or Stories

Best Poems

Best Motivator, Best Helper

Top Sponsorees

What Do I Say to My Prospective Sponsors?

WRITERS could ask for a fixed amount, or a payment per story, or so much a word, or could ask for so much “per hour I stayed awake.”

READERS could ask for a fixed amount, or a payment per story read, or could ask for so much “per hour I stayed awake.”

Prizes will be funded from Story Fees. I believe prizes are necessary as they give the writers a genuine challenge, a competitive field, and help raise energy levels.

But we want to raise money for the charity, AND have fun.

You raise money for the charity by

(1) Paying the joining fee and
(2) Asking Friends and Family to sponsor you.

If you then are entering a story or stories in the short-story writing competition “in the normal way” you would pay a fee for that, but note ALL entry fees will go to prizes. That is, if we collect £10,000 in entry fees, we will pay out £10,000 in cash or goods.

Payments will go direct to Global-Ethics/ONE

Please note you might write 2, 5, 10 or 24 stories. We hope you would send them all in, but you would NOT be required to enter every story in the competition!

As the maximum theoretically possible would be 24 stories at £5, I would suggest that any writer raising £120 or more in sponsorship would be allowed to enter his/her stories free.

Thus some contestants could raise money in £5 amounts, others raise money by persuading friends to sponsor them.

Prizes and Prize-Giving

This will be arranged, probably in London, by Global-Ethics

Look on Facebook for:

GROUP: One Village at a Time

EVENT: One Village at a Time

Please, only join the group and/or the event if you are prepared to actively participate. Firstly, pay that £7.

Don’t “just join” the group or the event. Putting your name on the list tells us that you are serious and want to build these Water Pumps.

There will be a lot of news forthcoming in the next week. Prizes will be firmed up, the Prize Day will be announced, and details of the anthology will be confirmed.

Please SIGN UP. When you sign up, post your targets as a reader or a writer. Please post and say, “I have signed. I pledge my £7. I will raise sponsorship and I am aiming for £X,XXX
We can build a Play-Pump

We can build another.

We can change the world ONE VILLAGE AT A TIME

Excellent

2009-05-30T09:32:00.000-07:00

Check Out

~THIS~

http://saltpublishing.com/

They have a neat video "VIRTUAL REP" and Ballistics gets featured twice. COOL!

Prompts

2008-12-15T04:13:00.000-08:00

It begins as a creaking, a sort of ache

CROWS

The skyline bristles, the sky behind is red

BRAZEN

The gate will not rest

Grave men, who when near death, see with a sharper light

The magic of the persistent question

I am not sure if I'm still here

The without eye, the tongue within

There are walls that stand and walls that will crumble

Why the giraffe? Why the elephant?

He pulls at the cloth and cups spill

Sucking the decayed breasts of death

There are leaves on the water, but the water is pink

He spreads his knees, he laughs

OK, let's go!

The soot that falls from dead cold chimneys

The ship of fools is in dock

Falling and Flying are the same: only the landing is different

My father in my mirror

Black book, blank book, blank look

A Hanging

Whose woods are these?

BELLS

A confederacy of the delusional

PUS

I me a traveler, a simple soul, and quiet

SLICE

That Easter I was late leaving, things to tidy up

RAZOR

MORE INTERVIEW

2008-12-14T07:10:00.001-08:00

MORE INTERVIEWS AT

http://www.vanessagebbiesnews.blogspot.com/

Interviews

2008-12-11T11:38:00.001-08:00

I'm on a few radio stations tomorrow (see below)

an also on Vanessa Gebbie's Blog

http://www.vanessagebbiesnews.blogspot.com/

BBC Radio Berkshire between 0720 and 0800

http://www.bbc.co.uk/berkshire/local_radio/

and

BBC Radio Solent at approximately 0815

http://www.bbc.co.uk/hampshire/local_radio/index.shtml

I'm also on

BBC Southern Counties Radio, some time between 7 & 10
_________________

Interviews

2008-12-08T03:06:00.001-08:00

There's a long interview of mine being run over five days on BBC Southern Counties Radio

Fred Marden's early-morning show (0700-0900)

I suspect that interview will focus on the Clapham Crash (Dec 12th 1988) and maybe the writing will get a mention on Friday.

A much more detailed interview starts soon on Vanessa Gebbie's Blog, starting Friday 12th and running for a number of days

http://www.vanessagebbiesnews.blogspot.com/

Four Signed Up from Four Countries

2008-11-03T00:47:00.000-08:00

The List

01 Cheesepuff - Wales
02 Onasmallisland - Ireland
03 Merks - England
04 Aristo - Belgium
05
06
07
08
09
10

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

Children in Need 2008

2008-11-03T00:45:00.000-08:00

For the last three years we've held Flash Blasts for Children in Need (CiN) and these have raised well over £10,000 for the charity.

The format is simple. We start at 1800 Hours on the Thursday and write non-stop until midnight Friday.

Naturally, only about half-a-dozen hardy souls manage the thirty hours, but the idea is to have SOMEONE writing at all times. Many write 1800-2400 both days, and a bit in the day on the Friday.

We raise money in two ways.

First there's an entry fee of £30.

This breaks down into

£10 for prizes (all the prize fund is paid out)
£10 for CiN
£10 for a copy of the anthology (may be 2 copies)

SECOND, individuals collect sponsorship for their writing over the thirty hours. They deal with this separately but we total the amounts

All the stories/flashes/poems arrive anonymously and after the Blast we select the best XX for an independent judge to choose the 1-2-3-4-5

PS I disqualify my stuff from the competition

An anthology is produced of the best stuff but we try to include at least one piece from each participant. Obviously sales of the anthology (£10) will raise further monies for CiN

With a large organisation like Writers Dock we could easily get 100 participants, and that £10,000 raised could like like chicken-feed.

I should say, for those who have never tried "blasting" the results can be incredible. Many first prizes have evolved from CiN Blast work

So sign up now

Next post will show the list of people (pseudonyms are OK) but we would like their place of residence

eg

04 Aristo Belgium
05 Tommo Northern Ireland

Sunday Lunchtime Prompts

2008-09-07T04:25:00.001-07:00

Without a hero
The sound of wind at night
An awful stillness, heat
She was good at faces
You could shoot anything you wanted, for a price
Strange weather
There's a man in the house
Barcelona
This is the first thing I noticed
So when did it all start?
Gigantic, fantastic women
We could go to Alaska?
It's not that I don't like you
There's a man I know, talks only of Jesus
Sitting on the Dock of the Bay
Two strangers on the bus, Grandma
Alone
Afterwards they were black from head to toe
Voices in the dark
Filler
On his knees, scrubbing in tiny circles
A wild justice
My mother and father are dead, or in Orlando
Boneshaker
On the other hand, not
I am like a sleepy fish

Friday Prompts

2008-09-04T23:44:00.000-07:00

A small bird is taken by a hawk
It is a cold evening
RICE
An old man sits quietly netting
Porthcawl
A child looks from a train
He puts his hand to his face, unbelieving
SAGO
The air smells of fish
The sea is heavy, swelling
It is too dark
The road that used to go there refuses now
The headscarved women
History is bunk
You have to understand the fish
Only the poor can afford lots of children
CREAM
Does night change to day?
Stealing milk from the urn, scooping cream
Uncle Jonjo
For some reason, there are too many wheelbarrows
CARD
I want a dream kitchen, a kitchen to dream in
I eat fish we caught
We have too many books
No Matter What
Jennifer Eccles' Fat Sister
SALT
Call me and I will describe it.

Thursday Prompts

2008-09-04T03:36:00.000-07:00

His Mam loves him to bits

Blue Lagoon

At my door is a square of yellow corn

Davies the Doom has burned the chapel down

What city is this?

My father and my mother and my brother and my sister

Let's burn some books

The wink and nudge of secrets in the pub

It starts to feel like Ireland

I'd rather not be American

Piano Man

Last night I dreamt I ate wire

Why do some fat men look strong, some fat?

Resonant Frequency

Stone, Stone, Water, Wind

I see people in old photographs

Sawdust

Suddenly we are lost

If you time it right, you can get there at low tide

A place without certainty

He used to be safety officer on the Titanic

You want ice with that?

What are we waiting for?

A meteor lands tonight, we all must die

May I borrow your country?

I think I'll play monopoly, or charades

How much I love my daughter

Moon

The smell of an old railway station

My mother

Waiters on roller-skates, meals on wires overhead

Wednesday Prompts

2008-09-03T03:55:00.001-07:00

turned on the radio and water came out
Hatches, Matches & Dispatches
Thirteen ways to look at it
Because it dissolves
The electrician is out of contact
Riding the Yellow Trolley Car
You were being silly
He disappeared in the dead of winter
I sit in a dive on 52nd St
Knowing each other too well to talk
Out of the blue I remember. My father playing football
The brooks were frozen, airports closed
An island five miles inland
DECAY
They are living off their reputation but it cannot last
Catch 18, and it's going to get worse
That's a lovely offer, but
You were right my dear, even when you were mad
Mayfly
The best of times, the shittiest of times
If I grow up, I'm going to be a boy
The room was suddenly rich with soft light
Whacky Posters
Go tell it on the fucking mountain
TIN
Building new homes at Buschenwald
TACK
Time was away and somewhere else
I have a desert but no camel
The waiter does not come
I asked my son when was he getting married. In the afternoon, he said.
The day needs a plaster, a bandage
I stand for old values. Give the black man a fair crack of the whip
I dream of being loved by a chorus-girl
My guru says
I am old and I have too may layers of paint
There was a camp here

SUNDAY PROMPTS

2008-08-30T23:47:00.001-07:00

Tell us the story about the little boots

DONKEY

When Saturdays were only for football

Torn Envelope

And the pit-heads baths is a supermarket now

Death by Sunbed

There was a picture made of flowers

Dogs

He worked in the steelworks

How you can push, push with your anger

Tonight, January fog

How much that dies with them

A mother moves away to birth her lamb

Let the number be learned

In a few month's time I will stop and linger

Old men like monkeys

February Streets

In clear snow like laughter

I have known too many of the murdered

BELL

Mrs Blenkinsop keeps a tiger in her cellar

DISH

You wouldn't know the place now

EAR

Old, so old, and short of wind

We went on holiday to London with Mam

We who wait

The old sad things have been forgotten

When old age came he stood up and kicked it

On the wrist, a watch

SATURDAY NIGHT PROMPTS

2008-08-30T11:03:00.001-07:00

It was love at first sight

Mullet

All day it has rained

I am amused

Love drips and gathers

Knobkerry

Dominoes, Woodbines, Senior Service

Spangles
A most curious device

TRICK
Raking through the ashes

BAR
I have learned to dream with the sound off

Sailors Killed it

I think we need to say goodbye

It takes sixpences

With my pockets full of money

BOMB
Cinder-fucking-rella

M-T-G-G

You roll away and show me your sullen back

The Loch Ness Mobster

I was young and easy then

The window is filthy

Shall I get drunk or eat a piece of cake?

OLOLAQICI82QB4IP

Time ate my love and farted, then you departed

Snakeskin

Recognizing a red kite

Put a shilling in the gas, your head in the oven

Last night I met my father

I am preoccupied

Words are my instruments but not my servants

The Lover & Her Killer

A house with bleached-white walls

How to Kill 101

Saturday Prompts

2008-08-29T22:57:00.001-07:00

Barely a twelve month after
Tonto
Three old shops, all in the name Jones
Do not ask, "What is it?"
FOLD
Violence upon the roads
Two dark tractors, pausing
A pale light
sawdust bars, the sounds of angry men
BUZZ
A lovely piece of slate
There is a girl standing there
Our life is changed: their coming our beginning
Prophet
It was a soft October night, summer at last
His quick body
You can cast out past the fish
The sun used to shine, remember?
Leave, then
We heard a distant tapping on the road
A sunrise like military best
Smudge
She slipped away to die quietly
ITCH
I love this, as some day a child will love it
I have mislaid the key
For I have known them all already
Only an avenue, dark and nameless
I see the image of a naked man
We did not dare go near them
The entrance is blocked by brambles
Late in the summer the strange horses came

Tuesday prompts

2008-08-27T00:05:00.001-07:00

I told my son about my father
There's water still in the bath
Majestic
The pub quiz: it's all about winning
Bridge
Why not be a Brain-Surgeon?
Kite Surfing 101
There's a problem at the bridge
Trying to fix a light
Big Boy
Sudoku for the damned
The boys done well
A handy electrical gadget
A quarter ton of lego
The sound of cars passing in the wet
Why she doesn't phone
Whisky without the e
In the not too distant future, if all my dreams come true
This is a stupid way to die
With sawdust, string and patches
From the hill I saw a line of snaking tenements
Bush Meat
Under an awning, talking about nothing; rain
Peonies
Is surviving suicide a success or failure?
Two rooms done and the doors closed
A three-legged hippo
It may be pretty, but is it appropriate?
Holes
Arctic elephants are the same as African ones. But colder.
Treasure Island

Bank Holiday Prompts

2008-08-25T08:26:00.001-07:00

Pictures of old London
Undercoat
Discovered by a monk
Futurama
It torments me, this injustice
Crayon
She is big and plump and happy
If you can keep your head
Refreshed every two minutes
Shifting the furniture
Glasses, but naff
Tea, biscuits, a rest
The sound of bickering
I need to be very drunk
16:16
Oh for a muse of fire
What bells are these that toll?
Fokkers!
Do NOT close the cupboard
Anyone can use them
I wondered lonely, under a cloud
City of Angels
The thing I like is overcoming
Another Monday!
Muscle for the wing
Just at that moment, Carol came in the back door
He lifted a bowl of nuts and offered them
Deep Blue Goodbye
The Edge of Reason
I’ve come for a payment on the bed
Why the vacuum cleaner makes me angry
Out of the Sun
What I’m saying is I’m a drunk, not an alcoholic
Electric Polisher
An amazing ending
Mother, mother, where did you go?
I try not to see my sister too often
He was a sort of commando
A thousand blessings, Effendi
I claim death
The difference between clams and mussels
The café is shut.

Sunday Aug 24 Prompts

2008-08-24T11:43:00.000-07:00

I've been away a few days, but here:

When all this is over, I shall give them the finger
The weakening eye of day
I saw an x-ray of a baby
AXE
Unwearied still, lover after lover
Not even in my thoughts
I did not think death could undo so much
DANDELION
She is beautiful. I dream about her.
The rain flies down the street, flaps outside our door
BLOOD TEST
All the sun long it was running
Appointment in Basingstoke
The stove’s heat mottling her legs
Moving the books
Her dead body wears the smile of accomplishment
I know where you are
Thinking of an old lover makes it hard
JUG
We renounce everything except the self
Uzi Wedding
Her floured hands at the baking board
Show me the kitchen, the knives
Three thousand years ago they didn’t give a fuck
GUN
I would like to be terminally ill
Red and yellow, silver-back, half-imagined things
16 GIG
I kept my wife’s heart in a canary’s cage
DUFFY’S TRICK
I’m going to sail round the world
I cannot speak to you
Horses passed from dawn into the night, horses, horses, horses.
PAIRS
We come to terms with shade, the principle of grey
One or two blackmailers, a poisoner
Unnatural Acts
Every fear is a form of desire
Use the back entrance

Monday

2008-08-17T20:29:00.001-07:00

December. Another Monday.
If we mattered they’d have to feel guilty
Bright-faced, her eyes darting.
A brush with drowning
He could see her in his rear-view mirror, long and slim
Her thoughts were filling the silence
There was darkness and a silence she could feel
It was “Teach Yourself Flying”
She was shoeless and massaging one of her black-stockinged feet
They went down to the canteen via the back stairs
You measured harassment by the square yard
They heard a quick rush of men’s laughter
My Billy is an angel
The rounded-down sterility that came from a ball-point pen
They were brewing up behind the bar
She was a tallish size twelve with shining black hair
A thin air job
She wished that she was running, right now
Remember, God sent me.
They can do it to us because we’re nothing.
This is the one. She likes me.
She lived alone on a quiet estate of Barratt houses
Perhaps she had smelt something burning
Thank-you for your co-operation
We’re looking for a man in a dirty raincoat
They were bound to talk about men
Her hands at ten-to-two on the wheel
They parked in a side-street
A massive oak tree
Sunlight flashed off bone
He’s magnificent!” she said.
Four or five hundred yards away to their left
The temperature had finally crept above zero
A dark green sheen on the grass
She twitched her nose, sniffing at the air.
I feel shitty if you must know
From the bushes he saw the two of them
He was in a Nike shell-suit and a pair of New Balance trainers
Then the women turned and walked away
He felt something cold snap around his wrists
We don’t fancy the paperwork
The parking’s crap in central Richmond
Man-hating would do for now.

Sunday Afternoon Prompts

2008-08-17T05:09:00.001-07:00

A misunderstanding wings in
Bakelite
The spaces between people
Girls in the river, the water up to their waist.
Banana Salad
In the dark houseboats families were stirring
All our lives we must forget
Red Bus
The bride, holding her flowers too tightly
Drip-Dry
I predict my predictions are always wrong
Grief by instalments
On the muddy bank, boys are fishing
And still they die
I sit drinking, thinking. The coffee is bitter
Napkin
Prince Thingumebob, from what’stheplace
Wooden Crosses
What I am is not important
Fear swells the heart
Brute force will do
He trod cautiously over the dead
Champions
Dogs slavering behind barbed wire
Hammer
Syllable has too many syllables
A girl in exile
Pirates
Fool’s Gold still looks nice
Your daughter is accomplished, Madam
SKIP
What EXACTLY is in that sandwich?
Mistakes in Nightclothes
Things bin-men collect
A little bit to prove
The morning hits me like a fuck-off phone-call
What was left was fine
Some bastard stole my life and left my wife

Prompts for Sunday

2008-08-16T15:52:00.000-07:00

My father, crying in St Mary’s
I am worn out with dreams
My love, I never spoke to her, but she heard every word
Smoke in the Valley
I am a man now
Al night in submarine light
My hands are red with the blood of the dead
I think about the FBI
We drove fast, singing, playing the Stones
I know that I shall meet my fate
He was a schoolmaster
Agnes fiddling with her rosary
Tread softly
A boy like a ballet dancer, poised
Oh love and you so far away
I draw your attention to the window
A sadness of penguins
Hair pale as a breath
If I should love a fat lady
Somewhere, on the other side of this wasted night
I took my son’s girlfriend home
How delightful it may be
Losing is fairly easy
I lost my father in Waitrose
Boogie-Bloody-Woogie
My friends rise up and chant
Yellow pissholes in the snow
I can name them all
Television and other necessities
Passing bells
My daughter is drawing a picture
We can get so far in this world
I once bathed in a bath full of eels
Time is a bastard
Shall I compare thee to a Lamborgini?
Isobel from the estate kissed me
When all this is over, I’ll retire
It’s a shame about the shadow
At night I do not know who I am
I walk through your rooms, wondering
Underground
I am acquainted with the dark

Saturday Prompts

2008-08-16T03:11:00.001-07:00

In the depths of the Greyhound terminal
The soldier takes pride in saluting his captain
A white mare
My days wind out, aimless, hopeless
Pursuit
Old men and women, rich and poor
Pencil
Gold, Gold, Gold, Gold, Gold
A cricket bat, a box
Nothing to do with Hamlet
Two men in blazers
Crew
The boys are not well
It’s about the end of the world
Clear plastic
An aged man is a paltry thing
This is fresh
I shall hide behind being old
The fun starts here
We pace along the battlements, hoping
Two men have been found
Edgar wins!
A winding staircase, candles flickering
A Mexican green pepper
Without love, the world is too heavy
Rage-driven, rage-tormented
Swan
When we were young we had pretty toys
Tennis-ball
They are holding a public meeting
Silver
I started running weeks ago. I will not stop
Atlas
I’m trying to come to the point
On the cover of TIME
Through icy streets
There are places where I have not been
They reject spirit
This man can sing!
I imagine a land, rain-soaked

12 Signed, 3 Stories, 33 Flashes, 3 Poems

2008-08-08T02:05:00.000-07:00

Blind eyes like unshelled hard boiled eggs
There was a river
Parchment
An old man sits next to his beer
CHAIR
I have had lovers, all sub-prime
TABLE
Thinking of fish we have caught, almost caught
A Red Wheelbarrow
We took turns, and she said yes, then why did it feel wrong?
Pullman
Once, after a long day of unremitting rain, the sun
BECKS
What if the road you often took, was moved at night?
Scooping Cream
What if there was never surprise?
The nearest shop is miles away
The life of a leaf
Suddenly there are cattle, rumbling towards McDonalds
MicroLove
Shopping Carts and Rain, and amber light
Now something is in the air
I have heard, the children are returning
DIE, Bond!
If you could unwind history, where to stop…
CRANE
Of course the world is not enough
Late September
Once I asked my grocer for a perfect potato
Nobody there, just fruit on bramble
Stainless Steel
You said it wasn’t worth the trouble
Day Rises, and quiet
I caught a tremendous fish
I have loved three women, married others

Loadsa Prompts

2008-08-07T01:45:00.001-07:00

These are singled, the alpha-listed, then in reverse.
try reading it all, singing them, chanting

Wait for a voice to call you

They have promised to send a train, and we will leave
Father Maloney’s stare
Imagine a tender gravity, falling
Decision
And if I am writing, I am not holding my wife
I would like to sit close to the doors
How Morning is, and quiet
Tock
I have told you all this to give you pain
Bamboo Squares
They bubble-wrap hearts now and sell them three for two
The cook’s boy, the cleaning girl
VENOM
Stone to stone, heart to stone
CHIME
The rustle of history
NAIL, Hammer
Time clears its throat
BALL
Days of great love; of destiny
Do mad people love? What are there letters like?
GRATE
Birds Eye Frozen False Tears are on Offer
Jack of Hearts
We will talk about great things, and football
TAXI
I am silly, filled up with sleep and want
One Potato, Two Potato
Hardly a Joker
Should you not have time to memorise these instructions
Flat-Pack Marriages
The Chemistry of Distaste
And then cracking twigs
And we all stared at the box, and it inside

And if I am writing, I am not holding my wife
And then cracking twigs
And we all stared at the box, and it inside
BALL
Bamboo Squares
Birds Eye Frozen False Tears are on Offer
CHIME
Days of great love; of destiny
Decision
Do mad people love? What are there letters like?
Father Maloney’s stare
Flat-Pack Marriages
GRATE
Hardly a Joker
How Morning is, and quiet
I am silly, filled up with sleep and want
I have told you all this to give you pain
I would like to sit close to the doors
Imagine a tender gravity, falling
Jack of Hearts
NAIL, Hammer
One Potato, Two Potato
Should you not have time to memorise these instructions
Stone to stone, heart to stone
TAXI
The Chemistry of Distaste
The cook’s boy, the cleaning girl
The rustle of history
They bubble-wrap hearts now and sell them three for two
They have promised to send a train, and we will leave
Time clears its throat
Tock
VENOM
We will talk about great things, and football

We will talk about great things, and football, VENOM, Tick-Tock, Time clears its throat, They have promised to send a train, and we will leave, They bubble-wrap hearts now and sell them three for two, The rustle of history, The cook’s boy, the cleaning girl, The Chemistry of Distaste, TAXI, Stone to stone, heart to stone, Should you not have time to memorise these instructions, One Potato, Two Potato, NAIL, Hammer, Jack of Hearts, Imagine a tender gravity, falling, I would like to sit close to the doors, I have told you all this to give you pain, I am silly, filled up with sleep and want, How Morning is, and quiet, Hardly a Joker, GRATE, Flat-Pack Marriages, Father Maloney’s stare, Do mad people love? What are there letters like? Decision, Days of great love; of destiny, CHIME, Birds Eye Frozen False Tears are on Offer, Bamboo Squares, BALL, And we all stared at the box, and it inside, And then cracking twigs, And if I am writing, I am not holding my wife

27 Flashes, Two Stories, 20 More Prompts

2008-08-06T02:43:00.000-07:00

The tree-stump, devoured
OATMEAL
Sometimes everything I write seems a snapshot, with a thumb over the lens
Tomorrowness
Consider the grass growing
ECHO
Being a man and not a god, he leaves
Squawk
Once upon a time, there wasn’t
Much of my thinking is about loss
Postcards from Fiji
Blackberry, blackberry, blackberry
BASRA
Shut up. Shut up. There’s nobody here.
Shampoo
Running from Spiders
CHISEL
Peach or Mango
Two white, ripe girls on the tube
Last Supper II
Two a.m. bright moonlight, a train in moonlight, hissing
CARS
He sits with his absent wife
The sky ripped open
I stretch my arms
Fish know where to move and when
Furniture
One minute and forty-two seconds
Only the virus
Goodnight, and goodnight

Update and Prompts

2008-08-05T02:36:00.001-07:00

We now have eleven signed up, twenty flashes and one story posted and approaching 100 crits.

Here are some prompts to cover the week. Loads more at BC.

Monday Prompts

The Gods That Failed
Seagulls
Goldilocks is Asleep
When lovely woman stoops to folly
Man-bag
She turns and looks a moment in the glass
On the cheap
And children suffocate
Pictures
No one scrambles over the sliding chalk
Bacon, bacon
On the divan piled, stocking, camisoles, stays
Unreal Cities
Hardly aware of her departed lover
A Silen Fan
A sea-fog like gunsmoke
DAMP
So now the Victorians are all in Hell
BREAD
Your favourite word is wee, and you eat Eccles Cakes

TUESDAY

An so de rain a-fall and a-fall
Black Ball
There I places I will never go
Married and not pregnant: there’s posh for you
MARZIPAN
Where can I go then, from the smell
STALYBRIDGE
Bless you Alpha-Doggie
Good Boys
Into the grave that we have dug
Dai K lives at the end of the valley
Sin-Cake, Sin-Eater
Books, books, books
Of the forests and smashed faces
A crowd flowing over a bridge
COLD
A drowning child
Blodwen is leaving
He ravishes the fiddle, screams when drunk

WEDNESDAY

What are we waiting for, assembled in the forum?
GOOGLE as a number
The night we were struck, the night
Icing, meteors
Trains will run later, and fuck it
Cheesy Bond
September was when it began
Magic ingredient
A swarm of frogs, swollen, hideous
BERET
I can remember, see, my father walking home. I was never there
JUICE
Miss Marples, were they ever young and fucked?

THURSDAY

Blessing
You could try cheese
Mirror, mirror, on the fucking wall
The eighth dwarf
Crowds round the ticket barrier, a white face waiting
Death by Meteor
It has been said, that sometimes I lie, or bend the truth
Blind Faith
The very young T.E.
Was there a poster of me, with a moustache?
Blowing up the train
Poets only play with words, they always lie
We fight for something
There was an airfield here, the grass grows and leaves a pattern
Poppies
What is the opposite of E’s?
My father ran round the garden in the dark

FRIDAY

At least it’s something
September 1, 1939
There is no greater crime than leaving, except to stay
UNDESIRE
I may have been a Zulu, or wore petticoats
Mis-spelling, Miss Spelling
You can count on friends, but only to twenty or so
All I have is a voice
Aberyswyth
Accurate Scholarship is not of the soul
TS
But the corpse, alas, goes on dying
You do not love the dead, the word is LOVED
RAIN
After all you lasted longer
Practice hate, hate the village

SATURDAY

I sit in a dive on fifty-second street
CLINK
Truth-loving Persians
And where, exactly did the peach come from?
Why declare war?
TOM
Listen, there is a hum, and ticking
Through half-deserted streets
Tennis for the dead
Dogs skittering on polished floors
Snap!
And I have known the eyes already
Pop!
How the door clicks open
Crackle
Let us go and make our visit
Do I dare?
The soot that falls back down the chimney

PROMPTS

2008-08-01T15:16:00.001-07:00

Ten songs, one solid block of agony

Tourists, not Terrorists

Your father, in his terrible pose

Jill Dando

and inside the house, the bewildered child

Certainty

It began to snow at midnight

BOUNCE!

Where and when, exactly, did we first have sex?

BACK

Whose woods these are, I think I know

TAIL

the ragged road, the wood, the yearning

Kids on Stage

Breathing at my side, that heavy animal

Extensions

Back out slowly, step off your life

Samson

It's only a week, but you're slipping

Lighthouse

They have captured the moon, it's in a box

Getting There!

I will go back to that silent evening

BALL

When you have a plan, your life

You've been knocking a door, but it is just a door, nothing else is there

Acker Bilk, or the Other one

You could have just been another maggot

Rock's the cradle

ARIA

Finney, I will never forget

SIX SIGNED!

2008-08-01T05:06:00.001-07:00

Various Boot Campers have still to respond, but already we have four guests signed up for the month, a total of six writers.

Flashes posted to date (well it IS early!) SIX

Prompts & Advice

2008-08-01T00:45:00.001-07:00

Please note that there is no "rule" which says you must read "this" set of prompts "NOW" and immediately write a flash.

The purpose of flashing is to UNLEASH, to break your own pre-set rules

but all we want is for you to write fast, unthinking, instinctively, with the gut.

If that means reading lines of poetry or looking at pictures, or listening to music on repeat, that's fine.

If it means reading 1-2-3-4-5 sets of flash prompts, that's fine, too.

What is important is letting rip, writing free of constraints and without planning.

PROMPTS

Burning burning burning burning

Armadillo

Children's voices in the orchard

The Pub Quiz

Where the grey light meets the green air

Lost Voices

I have been here before

SAND

I remember now. I did not know if it was grief or love

Restless nights

It was now a soft October

BLOSSOM

I have gone at dusk through narrow streets

A wallet filled with fat

CHERRY

I will always miss her, miss her

Bike!

The winter evening settles down

Gently, gently

I will row into the current, towards the falls

Tomorrow, then

A South Wales Argus came swirling about my feet

The boys in new kit

Wipe your hand across your mouth, laugh

This hour or so, drinking

Among the Dead Cities

I remember the nights, and the sound of nights

I would like to gently

August Blast

2008-07-31T17:34:00.001-07:00

http://bootcampkeegan.yuku.com/

Boot Camp is running an August Blast. (FREE)

This involves "EXTREME" activity to get us through the hardest month for writers.

It involves members (and guests) committing/attempting to write EVERY day (at least SOMETHING)
and attempting to complete a flash or story or poem EVERY day for the whole of August.

A set of prompts will be posted every morning and twice every evening (see explanations elsewhere)
and Members/Guests should try and produce a flash or story a MINIMUM of once a day.<

The trick is to try to write THREE!

For the five Sundays there is also a STORY deadline 8PM Sunday.

The ideal participant would write a flash every day, some days more than one, AND manage a story each week

PLEASE don't bleat and say it cannot be done. We KNOW it can be done. We know that the quality of work
IMPROVES due to the pressure, the hectic nature, the "buzz".

Boot Campers and guests (Children in Need, Previous Blasts, East of the Web) have been responsible for hundreds
of publications and more than twenty first prizes in competitions, all from "impossible" blasts.

There is something in the very nature of suspending all and crashing forward, a sense of fear moves to one of liberation

ALL WE CAN SAY IS TRY IT.

CURRENT BOOT CAMPERS, FORMER BOOT CAMPERS AND STRANGERS/GUESTS ARE ALL WELCOME. There are a number of "AUGUST BLAST" forums. Apply here (no charge) and Alex will arrange access to the other forums.

We ask a few things

1. Commitment. If you aren't prepared to "give it a go" don't bother applying.

2. A sense of constructivity, in work, commitment, mutual motivation.

3. A willingness to (briefly) critique flashes and critique stories (authors are anonymous) and NOT to respond when your own story is critiqued 4. NO Flames. I do not warn people. I simply delete them, IMMEDIATELY.

August Blast

2008-07-31T17:34:00.000-07:00

Wednesday Night Trial Prompts 19:30

2007-11-14T11:29:00.000-08:00

1. What seas, what shores, what rocks
2. The child wonders at the Christmas tree
3. I see the eyes but not thetears
4. In a brown field stood a tree
5. The wind sprang up at four o’clock
6. Children’s voices
7. Then you break it. Why?
8. Take me where the good times are
9. Meet me on the corner
10. Twice daily, at noon and dusk
11. Lean forward, touch the spot
12. Underneath the town clock, a knot of people
13. He went quiet, as if he was ashamed
14. So faint, I wasn’t sure I heard
15. We were talking about the little things
16. The protagonist is not at home just now
17. A man should clear a space for himself
18. Houses as couples, singles, groups
19. They were going to build a bridge here
20. A fox patters slowly, murder on his mind
21. Alleys, stinking of stale piss
22. We stand in line in the rain
23. As if brightness or sweetness could save us
24. Sundays are good days. We should waste them carefully
25. If you are old enough to read this, you understand
26. Now suddenly you can hardly stand
27. How long has it been since you told him?
28. You loved him once, held his heavy shoulders
29. I see this woman on a roof, about to fall
30. A man enters a florist, buys some flowers
31. It’s just a little party, nothing special
32. I kissed her and the tube doors closed
33. There are too many people to thank

Midnight Early

2007-11-13T15:28:00.001-08:00

I'm shattered. Fallen asleep at the wheel twice

Here's midnight in case I miss out

TURKEY

Bye, Bye, Blackbird

Escalators

Not in the top ten

Set inside the four walls

Jimmy Brown

Blessing

I'm afraid you think you need to bow before me

Sad stories of the dearth of kings

Jeffrey Archer, Poet Laureate

Human ash is a fine fertiliser

O child this is your dream

Before the making of the toast and tea

Slag

Softly, in the dusk, a woman is singing to me

Creative Writing Class

Under My Kilt, Another Kilt

Very, very patchy

Boiled Beef and Carrots   

I am the scent of a feather falling from the sky

Jingle Fucking Bells

Drizzled with goose fat

When sheets are damp with cold sweat, no love

The corners of this evening

The boat came in at Liverpool, a Monday, raining.

I would like to be a ticket-collector

Fuck this

Wipe your hand across your mouth, laugh

Let us go then you and I

Trampled by insistent feet

Jingle Fucking Bells

Drizzled with goose fat

When sheets are damp with cold sweat, no love

The corners of this evening

The boat came in at Liverpool, a Monday, raining.

I would like to be a ticket-collector

Fuck this

Wipe your hand across your mouth, laugh

Let us go then you and I

BING!

Trampled by insistent feet

The Lottery

At four, at five, at six o'clock

A dog, a dark street. This is hope

I miss Saturday afternoons

A bird freezes, dies

And Sunday, belly full, asleep on the sofa

Tuesday Prompts 23:00

2007-11-13T14:47:00.000-08:00

She is perfectly acceptable. I am afraid of her

But she used to worry sheep

We have dozed and dreamed, watched the fire's glow

Absence Makes the Heart Go Wander

Come near, come near, come near

Some knives are beautiful

A thorn is a thorn is a thorn

Our shutters are shut, our fire is low.

Claudia Sniffer and the Hat of Many Flowers

The other side of the story

Reading Banville

Don't say shirt-lifter.

Smoothed by long-fingered surgeons

With ten minutes to kill and the whole place deserted

Under the blue spotlight

Chin up, duck! There are always people worse off

I killed myself quickly then hid

Getting and spending. We lay waste our powers

You set the olives down beside the feta

People my mother fucked

I know all women, especially those I haven't met

She smiles in corners

Anger management

There will be time, there always is

Chucky-Chucky-Chucky

Prrrrrrtttttt!!!

A woman, her delicate wrist

Her hand twists a paper rose

I have no passport. I am exiled here

Alleyways, winding like tedious argument

My sister had daughters, my brother, sons.

The floor, memory

I need one good line, one that sings

Indeed there will be time

Putting up tinsel, crepe

BEEF

Should I not smile?

Of restless nights, and beds that smell of pussy

A day for slow fever

People my mother fucked

I know all women, especially those I haven't met

She smiles in corners

Anger management

There will be time, there always is

Chucky-Chucky-Chucky

Prrrrrrtttttt!!!

A woman, her delicate wrist

Her hand twists a paper rose

I have no passport. I am exiled here

Alleyways, winding like tedious argument

My sister had daughters, my brother, sons.

The floor, memory

I need one good line, one that sings

Indeed there will be time

Putting up tinsel, crepe

BEEF

Should I not smile?

Of restless nights, and beds that smell of pussy

A day for slow fever

Tuesday Prompts 22:30

2007-11-13T14:33:00.000-08:00

It's a football match for orphans. The referee's a bastard

Well, the smart money's on Harlow and the moon is in the street

Will you walk a little faster?

BRASS

I was so filled with longing

Climbing the style with the girls

Yesterday, can I have it back?

Collateral damage from holy water

Sabbath.

I first learned to swim in my father's study

I almost love them; they are my children.

Tell Us The Truth, John

Hundreds of women were looking

Cold marble

I AM communicating with you

Her lightness drew me, after so many heavy, dark days with you

I would prefer to die with drama

Gathering

We look for communion

When I am asked, I say I'm a quiet lad, I pick no fights.

Do not go gentle

Few go happily, radiating joy

How wellingtons become heavy in mud

Reasonably contrary

Still a lot to do

I prefer Eliot

Duffy answers back

It is only murder

Lilacs

Arrange the scene yourself

BUCKET

I am so far behind. I glimpse his heels

When the evening is spread out against the sky

She twists her wedding finger as she talks

If you shou die some sunny afternoon

We have lingered too long, we will hear them calling

Christmas Bollox

Stainless Steel

More time than a man needs to sin twice

The Sink

Do not go gentle

Few go happily, radiating joy

How wellingtons become heavy in mud

Reasonably contrary

Still a lot to do

I prefer Eliot

Duffy answers back

It is only murder

Lilacs

Arrange the scene yourself

BUCKET

I am so far behind. I glimpse his heels

When the evening is spread out against the sky

She twists her wedding finger as she talks

If you shou die some sunny afternoon

We have lingered too long, we will hear them calling

Christmas Bollox

Stainless Steel

More time than a man needs to sin twice

The Sink

The bad joke gene

Tuesday Prompts 22:00

2007-11-13T13:49:00.000-08:00

I loved my father most as he walked home from work

Squinting against the late-afternoon sun as it cut through the birch trees

Shit!

Zulus boxed in their glass cases

Had hung in darkness and smoke

It was in those days when I wandered about hungry.

I felt like a quartered chicken

Love of art, not others

My astrologer told me Saturn has been flopped over me like a giant cosmic fried egg

I suspect that there were deaths

Mitch Midgely's last walk

For he's a jolly good driver

Here, one can see Oliver Reed's testicles impaled

Blackberry Way, Singing

I am a man now

Jill-in-the-Box

All men kill the thing they love; women suck out the life.

Don't always be a thought ahead

Maybe it's because I'm a Londoner

I caught a tremendous fish

The end of the Sopranos

This is the wind, this is the rain

And what about us?

Google Jones Puppy Cheese

Your body is your country

What is this life, if full of care?

Ding Fucking Dong

Who Made You? God made me.

Stone cries to stone

Eternally downhill

At the other end of the string, a child.

Pampering the workers

Not far from the railroad tracks

Did you pack your bag?

Let us go then, you and I

Letters from mad lovers

Run him down

The prostitute and the miner

I have sent you an ear

In our present state of knowledge

Tuesday Prompts 20:56

2007-11-13T12:55:00.001-08:00

A brave and rare man, Hungarian
UNDERDOG
Knuckling Down
Memories of Zippy and Bungle
Mildred Bonk
Sleeping in the car, one sock on
Travel is a contrary thing.
The funeral empties every farmstead, every farm
What we were like then. What we will be like
A Month in the Wilderness
Various problems with the penis
We don't know why Brownlee left, only that he is gone
My mother bought a piglet, my father bought a pig.
The doctor has warmed the speculum in her latex-gloved hand.
A Silver Dish
Cream Crackers
Screaming, laughing staggering
Hurricane!
You confront yourself
It starts in the pub, in a smokey back room
Eating in a public place has been banned
Two different kinds of shit
They only want praise
Make the sacrifice
I have been told by the best people
Where were you on the night?
Oswald Missed!
Whatever they want
Ever since the accident I've walked this way
Hey Peter!
To kill, a cross, some nails, an audience
Bullshit baffles brains
They are shaving people's heads at Heathrow
The man who invented asbestos
Live secure in your warm houses
Pandora's other box
This is you at the speed of light
I see flames
The smell of steaks in passageways

Tuesday Prompts 20:00

2007-11-13T11:57:00.001-08:00

A wooden turtle

I am crushed into a corner

Morning coffee with the Misses Tavistock & Green

When the leaves fall upwards to the trees

Pimp My Mac

Women stripped to the waist

A very small bone, broken

I think of how I lay here as a lad

Judge Me Not Too Harshly

It is impossible to see anything

Rain, rain and more rain.

Whatever it is you are struggling to remember

Mothercare

Big as fists, dull as old eyes

I am going to write bits of conversation as I remember them

Let us go then, you and I

About to sit down with my half-pint of Guinness

Angels on Earth

Zephyr Zodiacs, Ford Consuls, Leather Bench Seats

Woman Found Hurt

Which must absolutely be kept from that angel

Bloodless coup, a real letdown

Commons Sketch

Everything looked normal.

The moving finger writes

Great crowds are fleeing from a major disaster

I have never visited him in his quarters

Oh Allen, come and hold my hand.

Order Fulfillment Form

Consider, please this dish of ratatouille

You I could not save

Try to understand this. I'll say it simply

Drunkards whose throats will be cut soon

We will not invade, but we will build on your borders

Two people do what?

The gorilla in the corner

FORK

The time of fools is coming, then dying

Our theatrical DNA

An exploding football

Daddy, I made this for you …

Tuesday Prompts 19:37

2007-11-13T11:37:00.001-08:00

Sorry they are late. Forgot

Prompts at 19:30

Pink rubber gloves, dishwater
And the last sound, your father arriving home late, late
And were we innocent then?
He had my heart. I have his in a jar.
Intelligence and Women: A Short Book
With the man in the wind and the west moon
A Round of Applause for Your Stepmother
By this axe
Not everybody's childhood sucks
Bloody Sunday
I sold him a toothless, beakless, canary: sucker!
The accident and other topics
The troubled midnight
You do NOT touch my things
Grasshopper
Long, thick, creamy fingers
TEA
Tiger!
Their hooftprints splashes of light
Trucks have been unloading something all afternoon
Trouble in Cow Country
Despite everything, morning comes
From the hill I saw a snaking terrace
We brushed the dirt off, held it to the light
Every morning she comes on deck early.
Spot On
Why the Welsh are revolting
Hunger
In the aeroplane, over the sea
Call me when you're sober
Clockhouse, Counthouse
Cowslip, Marsh Mangold, a boot
The unread mail, the patients.
I don't want it to be this way
An itch
Journeys
At last his guilt became apparent
Her lower lip is beginning to quiver
So, apart from a couple of hitches, Plan A was working out fine.
Hair to Dye For

Tuesday Prompts 19:00

2007-11-13T11:00:00.001-08:00

Jennifer Eccles and Her Sisters
Mummy and Daddy, in various disguises
You must be happy
Suddenly, after the quarrel, a moment of tenderness
Zoo
CHECK
The sorrow will pass but not the conviction
That Friday Feeling
My daddy was a jockey and he taught me how to ride
The clouds cast moving shadows on the land
The northern sky rose high and black
Danger, Existentialists operate in this area
If God forgot to have a man be dead
My dad just left it by the shed
The bustle of waitresses and the chink of silver on china
You wake up taller, the day presses you down
As the door closes, as the dark envelopes
David Time's view of himself began at the station platform, his polished boots.
Families, and How to Survive Them
They call me Mr Pitiful
When you see millions of the mouthless dead
How can I get a sense of country?
My mother is sleeping
For some reason, there is a camel in the dining-room
Friends Reunited
Tea With Dan Dare
Mary had a little car, it caused her jubilation
Moods of the Sea
When I looked at my parents I never thought of tragedy
My gums bleed
Light, dark, dry, damp
Lead me with your cold, sure hand
Armadillo, Armadillo, Mrs Jones
Wanda you could lose some weight
Grey and Nearly GREY
You'll need your passport
Even Better Than the Real Thing
Sadness, that's normal, it goes with the territory.
Everything looks too beautiful for me
The darkness dissolves

Tuesday Prompts 18:00

2007-11-13T09:22:00.002-08:00

Remember to email to say if you are "in" for each session

PROMPTS

Yanks
I had just poured a glass of wine
They build the world of love from sex, after-the-fact
Let me never be a father
Jesus Smith, Traffic Warden
Red Wine
11p
Too tired to step aside
Does the twat in Spandex still bang that fucking drum?
What could be hurting so much?
When she rises in the morning
Has anyone seen my sky?
Today is the tomorrow we worried about yesterday
Lose it before you use it.
Nancy With The Laughing Face
A broken flower-stem, a broken vase
Lucy lives behind this house
SALT
"I'm here to see the owner."
Irish carpentry, American kindness
They sat in what Mrs Coldfield called her office.
Inside the restaurant had been shuttered-gloomy.
I daresay death was no more than a gentle subduing
I caught an amazing fish
Beowulf, but then again
I love you. That's the main thing.
I've been wondering about drowning
You make a noise like a dog dreaming.
Life Streaming
In the middle of the night, if we got up
Then I gave myself a fright
King Fred
Like a dwarf on stilts
TOAST
Please note the last sentence of this letter regarding unauthorised connections
Mother, may I?
This was the end of a man who also died
They're sending in their regional inspector
Your house is too warm
Honey, I saw your note and understand you're a little upset.

Tuesday Practice Session in 38 Minutes

2007-11-13T09:22:00.001-08:00

Hope you're ready!

Are You in For Tonight?

2007-11-13T07:13:00.000-08:00

Session tonight CINNERS and I've only heard from about half the crowd

Please email me and let me know if you are in.

Alex

First Practice Session

2007-11-13T02:21:00.001-08:00

The first formal practice session is tonight (Tuesday) at 1800 hours
where you have a choice of joining on the 60 minute or 90 minute schedule

Prompts will be posted here, at Boot Camp and by email.

alex

CIN Forums Set Up

2007-11-13T02:18:00.000-08:00

A set of forums, chat, admin, prompts, stories etc

have been set up at Boot Camp

http://bootcampkeegan.yuku.com/

Non Boot-Campers will need to take out free GLOBAL Membership of Yuku
and post in the public area of BC so I can activate their temporary membership

Alex

Children-in-Need 2007

2007-11-13T00:35:00.000-08:00

I'm resurrecting last year's blog-site (save the planet!)

Here is the list of participants for 2007

17 people, 16 active. I'd like 30, really

01 Alex K, Berkshire, England
02 Claire, Cumbria, England
03 TomC, Yorkshire
04 Joel, Finland
05 Dan, England
06 Caroline, England
07 Britbird, Brighton, England
08 The Secretary!
09 Colin, England
10 Missy, England
11 Ants, Leeds, England
12 Ralph New Zealand/London
13 Dave Prescott, Herefordshire, England
14 Chrissie, Spain
15 Cedric, Romania & London
16 Jonathan Pinnock, UK
17 Nancy, Bristol UK

The "open" hours have been extended for those who can't get Friday off and the flash prompts will be posted

from

1800 THURSDAY

to

1200 SATURDAY

Obviously, nobody is going to attempt to do the 42 hours without a break

Prompts will appear in 3 places for extra safety

1 Participants IN-BOX
2 Here
3 Boot Camp http://bootcampkeegan.yuku.com/

Prompts will appear on the hour AND the 1.5 hours, this to allow those participants wanting to work a 90-minute schedule to do so (how's about that for contorted English?)

As per usual, IF a participant responds to say he/she is "in" for that session/prompt-set they are allowed an extra five mintes to post their story.

Stories should be posted to Lexie (secretary) and to me (AK) again, as insurance. I will not look at my story emails but it's useful to have a cover in case (for example) Lexie's machine blows up.

All participants will score the stories "blind" (not every participant critting every story!) until an obvious consensus opinion has been formed. Stories will be assigned to a number of categories with the important two being "Clear Finalists" and "Marginal Finalists"... There will also be a category where "split-vote" stories will be argued over.

When the CIN sessions have finished and every story has at least 4 marks, and the split-vote stories have been adjudicated, Eclectica Magazine will look at the finalists and 7Q magazine ditto.

There will be a print anthology from 7Q

Alex

CIN Night. Brain Dead Print Anthology

2006-12-17T21:53:00.000-08:00

We have a few dozen copies left of the print anthology produced showing one piece each from all particiapants in The Children in Need Night Marathon, plus the best stories, thirty-eight in all.

This is a fine A4, colour-covered magazine and is available for £6 (includes postage) in the UK, £7 inc pp Europe, USA, Rest of World. Payment may be maid by PayPal but please add 50p to defray PayPal's charges.

Order from Alex Keegan

alexkeegan(at sign)btinternet.com

Eclectica-Magazine CIN Night Prizes

2006-12-17T21:52:00.001-08:00

Eclectica Magazine have chosen the following five stories, four by Boot Campers and one by a Guest as their top five Children in Need Stories for 2006, to appear in a forthcoming "Eclectica"

Killing Bulls
The Year of the Card Player
Geoff Says Farewell
The Undressing of Ursula
Ramirez

These are by

Cedric Popa
Cedric Popa
Michael J Hulme
Michael J Hulme
Kenneth Shand

I believe this to also be the winning order, but await confirmation of that for the award of prizes.

The CIN Night, to date has produced 46 Hits, one paying $100.

alx

Internet Down

2006-12-04T10:46:00.000-08:00

(Monday)

I've had no web access Thursday-Sunday so am now behind.

Hope to catch up tomorrow

Alex

Children in Need Winners

2006-11-28T23:43:00.000-08:00

The 12 stories in the CIN Final

A Muse Lost
Claude Romarin
Falling In
Geoff Says Farewell
Imaginary Things
Not Killing Lembit
Pavel's Grey Painting
Six Uses For a Hedgehog
The Nest
The Undressing of Ursula Nelmes
The Year of the Card Player
When the Colours Exploded

Congratulation to

Vanessa Gebbie (2)
Tom Conoboy (2)
Cedric Popa (2)
Cally Taylor (2)
Colin Upton
Laurie Porter
Fleur Chapman
Michael J Hulme

These were the best 12 stories from 345 and the winners
(chosen by competitor votes)

were

Cedric Popa
Fleur Chapman
Vanessa Gebbie

who win £100-£0-£25 respectively

Pictures Don't Lie?

2006-11-24T03:52:00.000-08:00

No idea why Blogger doesn't want to show the GREAT cover
to our BC-CIN Anthology but you can see the real thing at

http://www.7thquarkmagazine.com

oops

2006-11-24T03:05:00.001-08:00

Don't know what happened there!

Covers are nothing like that!

Ha-Ha!

Children in Need Anthology Cover

2006-11-24T02:52:00.000-08:00

I have a copy of the CIN Anthology in my sticky mitt.

Here is the front cover, cool huh?

Almost Forty Stories from 24 Writers and all for a good cause.

Email AK at alex.keegan (at sign)btinternet.com to order a copy

One copy £5+£1 p+p UK (or more if you want to help kids

Here's the Back Cover

BC-CIN 2006 Anthology DONE!

2006-11-23T22:09:00.000-08:00

Feeling good after last night's H E Bates 1-2 for Boot Camp but even better knowing that last Thursday-Friday's Childen-in-Need marathon produced 346 stories, that every one has had 5 critiques, some as many as 10, that I critted the whole damn lot of them, and, and, and, at 01:15 Thursday Night into Friday I printed off the first copy of the Anthology!

I deliver the PDF this morning and the anthologies will be in my sticky paws by close of business.

How's that? A week earlier than the pros did it last year.

CONTACT ALEX KEEGAN
IF YOU WOULD LIKE TO PURCHASE A COPY
£5 OR MORE DONATION

The Marathoneers

Adam Warren
Alex Keegan
Alex Wire
Antony Davies
Barbara Godwin
Bonzo Browne
Cally Taylor
Caroline Davies
Cedric Popa
Christine Tothill
Colin Upton
Dan Malach
Fleur Chapman
Joel Willans
Kenneth Shand
Laurie Porter
Louise Graves
Michael J Hulme
Nancy Saunders
Nigel Allison
Ralph Hockley
Tom Conoby
Toni Peers
Vanessa Gebbie

Burco Con
Dave Prescott
Kirsty Davies
Jacob Andelin

Alexander Fox
(Secretary)

Special thanks to Lexie Fox for staying up the whole thirty hours to send out the prompts by email.
Thanks to Kirsty & Jacob who were unable to take part but nevertheless raised sponsorship monies.
Thanks also to “Burco” who was taken ill early in the night, and to Dave who was “distracted”.

CIN Latest

2006-11-22T02:11:00.000-08:00

We have 350 stories to plough through (250 done) to get a longlist, then shortlist

(I now HATE flashes)

Money raised is over £5,700 closing on £6K

22:00

2006-11-17T14:54:00.000-08:00

000,309 Pieces

158,879 Total Words

000,514 Average

15:00 Friday

2006-11-17T07:14:00.001-08:00

000,230 Pieces

123,101 Total Words

000,535 Average

Ten Hours To Go

2006-11-17T06:15:00.000-08:00

We are two-thirds of the way through

000,222 Pieces

119,658 Total

000,539 Average

106,256 words

2006-11-17T03:35:00.000-08:00

000,197 Pieces
106,256 Total
000,539 Average

Approaching 100,000 Words

2006-11-17T02:14:00.001-08:00

We march on.

Now

000,182 Pieces
096,211 Total Words
000,529 Average

2006-11-17T02:14:00.000-08:00

We march on.

Now

00,182 Pieces
96,211 Words
00,529 Average

06:00 Friday

2006-11-16T22:08:00.000-08:00

First 12 Hours

151 Pieces
80578 Total Words
534 Average

02:15

2006-11-16T18:15:00.000-08:00

I'm getting seriously worried

Just written a ghost story

6 stories, 4 poems, 4,380 words

Group Totals at least

116 stories/poems

64,426 words

555 average

One in the Morning

2006-11-16T16:58:00.000-08:00

I've written five stories and four poems in seven hours, and we've been on Radio Berkshire twice

My word total is 3,558

The group has passed 100 pieces, probably 110 (they take a while to go up) and we are on more than 57,000 words!

Cedric Popa (Romania and London)

Ralph Hockley (New Zealand & London)

are working away in the kitchen on laptops.

alex

Update 2

2006-11-16T13:26:00.000-08:00

First 3 Session

38 Pieces

24,279 Words

639 word average

as for me, I have to go out and get a CINNER from the station so I've just written the world's worst poem

alex

Marathon Ongoing Report 1

2006-11-16T12:31:00.000-08:00

20:31 started two and a half hours ago.

Just finished third piece, a poem (playing catch-up) after two stories, one serious, one a romp.

Cedric Popa is somewhere else in Kingfisher Barn, has written two stories and is straining to manage a third while dealing with his 5-year old son.

Things sent to try us. I put my back out this morning so am dosed up on PK's. I'm OK if I don't move!

I have 27 minutes to write another piece or go to the loo.

Hmmm...

alex

Tonight's the Night

2006-11-16T04:38:00.000-08:00

So far the official pledges (2/3 of participants) are up to 3,600 UK Pounds so we are still in the running to collect £5,000

There are 28 people paid up and raring to go.

You could help the cause by ordering an anthology £5 plus UK postage or by sonosring either the group of Alex K (I need the sponsors!

With the practice stories we expect to go well past 500 stories/poems and over 250,000 words

Think of us in the wee small hours. When you get up for work tomorrow we will have been writing for 12-13 hours and have 17-18 to go

Alex

Seven Already in for Tonight

2006-10-30T06:22:00.000-08:00

who's in?

01 Alex
02 TW
03 Dave PR
04 MJH
05 RR?
06 CLT
07 Ralph

CIN Practice Again Tonight (Monday 30th)

2006-10-30T03:02:00.000-08:00

Please note there is a Children in Need Practice Flash Session TONIGHT

(Join us even if you are not "CINNING")

if new to ezboards, go HERE http://p220.ezboard.com/bbootcampkeegan

and say hello first,

If you are already on board the CIN Forums will be

http://p220.ezboard.com/fbootcampkeeganfrm250

Please email me if your doing some!

LATEST SIGN-UP LIST

2006-10-29T22:28:00.000-08:00

Please note that any sign-ups from this date must immediately pay their £25

This breaks down into

£10 for Children in Nedd
£10 for Prizes (All this returned to entrants)
£05 for an anthology (UK Postage)

001 Alex Keegan
002 Alexandra Fox
003 Dave Prescott
004 Kirsty Davies
005 Ralph Hockley
006 Caroline Davies
007 Cally Taylor
008 Cedric Popa
009 Tom Conoboy
010 Antony Davies
011 Dan M W
012 Bonzoid
013 Colin Upton
014 T Williams
015 Alex Wire
016 Adam Warren
017 Chrissie
018 Claire English
019 Kenneth Shand
020 Nigel Allinson
021 Nancy Saunders
022 Hazera Forth
023 Fleur Chapman
024 Laurie Porter

025 Michael J Hulme
026 Barbara Godwin
027 Joel Willans
028 Lucy Portsmouth
029 Sonam Choki
030 Tarl Rivers
031 John Allen
032 Jan Bradshaw
033 Sue Baccino

Last Warning

2006-10-24T23:52:00.000-07:00

If you are a volunteer but still have not paid your £25 you are very close to being OFF the lust.

Contact the organiser, NOW!

We have helf three practice flash session and received 77 Stories, some not so good, many not OK and some super ones!

Here are BC's Flashes Tuesday Morning

At Seventeen I've Come to Read a Poem

Cow Pancake

I Must Retrieve Sire's Saddle

BOAT

All the boys are howling to take the girls to bed

Acorn

A Faraway War

Carbunkle

She lay beside the bridge.

Bent double, like old beggars under sacks.

Wilhelm Could Wrinkle His Forehead in an Amusing Way

Me Equals Empty Squared

The barbarians are due here today

Stuart Backwards

As I pass through my incarnations in every age and race

Actors explode, girls go berserk

How beautiful; those rockets are which fill the dark

The Long Line in the Grey Morning

Something From the States I Think

TONIGHT!

2006-10-22T22:03:00.000-07:00

Prompts on the hour from 6PM in BC
for those who want to practice flash
for CiN Night

PLEASE NOTE

About a dozen of the 30 people signed up for CIN Night have not yet paid their £25

We need these £25s IN, so we can confirm minimum prizes etc.

Third CIN Practice night Monday 23rd

2006-10-22T00:00:00.000-07:00

Will take place in Boot Camp for CINNERS

Prompts from 6PM through to Midnight on the hour.

Write 1-2-3-4-5-6 or 7 flashes, feel the buzz

You need to be HERE

Children in Need Practice Forum

but have to say hello HERE

http://p220.ezboard.com/bbootcampkeegan

so I can arrange access

alex

If You are REALLY in...

2006-10-18T06:16:00.000-07:00

Please note, on the previous list (reposted here) a fair proportion have yet to pay their entry.

Last year we had drop-outs (hence the sign-up charge to guarantee interest)
and we really need to start calling in the outstanding £25s asap

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada
£25:00 013 Colin Upton
£25:00 014 T Williams
£25:00 015 Alex Wire Nottingham
£25:00 016 Adam Warren Leicester
£25:00 017 Chrissie Majorca

£00:00 018 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 019 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 020 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 021 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 022 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 023 Laurie Porter
£00:00 024 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 025 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 026 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 027 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 028 Jan Bradshaw London
£00:00 029 Fleur Chapman London
£00:00 030 Nigel Allinson
£00:00 031 Sue Baccino
£00:00 032 Kenneth Shand

Numbers Continue to Grow

2006-10-18T06:14:00.001-07:00

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada
£25:00 013 Colin Upton
£25:00 014 T Williams
£25:00 015 Alex Wire Nottingham
£25:00 016 Adam Warren Leicester
£25:00 017 Chrissie Majorca

£00:00 018 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 019 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 020 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 021 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 022 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 023 Laurie Porter
£00:00 024 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 025 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 026 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 027 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 028 Jan Bradshaw London
£00:00 029 Fleur Chapman London
£00:00 030 Nigel Allinson
£00:00 031 Sue Baccino
£00:00 032 Kenneth Shand

Reminder, Seven Practice Sessions Tonight

2006-10-17T09:29:00.000-07:00

Cin Practice Sessions at Boot Camp's Open Area

http://p220.ezboard.com/bbootcampkeegan

then go to

http://p220.ezboard.com/fbootcampkeeganfrm250

Here are the prompts for the 6PM shift

A Stitch in Time, Doctor

One Night in Moscow

Ping!

A Discounted Amount of £30 will be accepted

Blessings

and the guy was just there

One day before or after forty-two, I became a distance runner

The Thirteenth Tale

Ein und Ein ist Svei

The Year of Magical Thinking

Bloop! Bloop!

Stuart, Backwards

I Have Cut Through

it Depends, Really, on How Much You Want to Live

Latest Sign-Ups for November

2006-10-16T07:17:00.000-07:00

Now Seven!

2006-10-16T07:09:00.000-07:00

01 Alex
02 Nancy
03 TomC
04 Lexie
05 DavePR
06 Missy
07 Chrissie

so far booked in for Tuesday

(6PM to Midnight, prompts on the hour)

Three Immediate Sign-Ups

2006-10-16T02:18:00.001-07:00

Signed up for Tuesday Night

plus we have help with Admin

01 Alex
02 Nancy
03 TomC

CIN Practice Tuesday 17th October

2006-10-16T02:11:00.000-07:00

There will be another "CIN" Prractice Session Tuesday Night 1800 thru 0100 (but join for any amount of time)

UK Times

if you have not previously signed up, join ezboards (a pain, but free) and then email Alex with your ezboard sign in ID

Use a GLOBAL, not a Local ID

the prompts will be displayed at

http://p220.ezboard.com/bbootcampkeegan

and stories (author-blind) (private) will be displayed at

http://p220.ezboard.com/fbootcampkeeganfrm250

but you will need to be granted access, hence the ID requirement.

Please let us know if you are up for this.

29 Now, But Need Some Fees

2006-10-16T02:01:00.001-07:00

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada
£25:00 013 Colin Upton
£25:00 014 T Williams
£25:00 015 Alex Wire Nottingham

£00:00 016 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 017 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 018 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 019 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 020 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 021 Laurie Porter
£00:00 022 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 023 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 024 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 025 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 026 Jan Bradshaw London
£00:00 027 a p Nottingham
£00:00 028 Fleur Chapman London

CIN Practice Reviewed

2006-10-11T02:03:00.000-07:00

YESTERDAY'S Blast in Boot Camp (for BCers and CINNERS) went very well with 37 pieces written in an evening, posted and already, some at least, critted. For my own part I found the combination of admin, (receiving, sorting, reposting anon etc) and writing almost impossible, but I managed three flashes (2 decent ones) and three poems, all placeable.

But I sagged badly after 9PM and couldn't stay awake after midnight.

We had about ten people roll up (not all working the whole evening)

Today...

SOME GOOD PROMPTS TODAY

I went to several preparatory schools, beginning at six.

Post!

The Power of the List

Sorry, Too Black.

Sometimes I feel, I'm not sure why, a touch of foretold death.

Live White Females

Who is that yellow-haired girl in the costume?

SCOOP!

We stayed at Montagne for six weeks.

Zen and the Art of the Difficult Shit

MECANNO

Every soul worthy of itself desires to live life in the extremes.

TRAMMELL

My father regards the tray of pink cupcakes

MAO

I speak in earnestness and with sadness

CRACK

Why We Should Hate Feminists

1400 Monks in Hoodies

CRUCIFIX

Saving Two Kennedys

When I Nod My Head, Hit It!

CLANG

As a proof of my readiness

Finding Tin-Tacks in the Dark

I was born at a time when the majority of youn people had lost their faith in God

Views of My Father Weeping

The Suicide Club's Quiet Annual Reunion

23:59 The Last Set

2006-10-10T15:29:00.000-07:00

Negotiations With Paddington

I moved like a double agent among the big concepts

A Reluctant Tragic Hero

The Dangers of Tobacco

A shadow his father makes with joined hands

The Cherry orchard

The helmeted pump in the yard

Swan Song

Their boots crunching the gravel

Shape Without Form, Shade Without Colour

Ohio Impromptu

Madame Sosostris, famous clairvoyante

I was once a pirate wot sailed the 'igh seas

Words & Music

And four wax candles in a darkened room

I think the candour of the light dismayed us

New words prayed at cows

My heart displayed, bleeding, on a white linen cloth

2300 Prompts for CINNERS

2006-10-10T14:50:00.000-07:00

Make Barricades out of Butcher's Knives

Buttered Toast

Screen

He was not going to be rushed

An Indian Mutiny

I crossed over to the hut and looked inside

Where are the tommy-guns?

Smilies

The night drops swiftly down

Carrots

The bedroom hot as a bakery

Child's Frock, Lace, One

Postcard From North Africa

Listen, Whisper, Tickle, Cry

A Fat Paperback

2200 CIN Practice

2006-10-10T13:46:00.000-07:00

We have already received 22 Stories with the 2100 Flashes not yet in!

PROMPTS

Green-Shadowed People

A Little Tummy Trouble

A Plum

Parking at the Rugby Club

Bikes

All the Fun of the Fair

Trick

When the dire cloak of dark stiffens the town

Porthcawl

I am a woman lying on a leaf

The governor came into her cell, middle-aged and serious

Blossom?

Briggs had always been quite uncomfortable with Carol.

Monopoly

The Desperation in the Act of Love

SFW

Tame water lanes, tall sheds, a traveller

21:00

2006-10-10T12:57:00.001-07:00

Blessings, My Children

BRASS

Animal, Vegetable or Mineral?

CHINA

On the Walls of Carelton's Bedroom

Chappaquidick

My age, fallen, floats away like a soap sud

Folders

Last night I dreamt I went to Basingstoke again

Running on Empty

Boys dream of native girls and breadfruit

Where's the Looney Bin?

It's Possibly Plastic

A Place to Suck a Buck

Accidentally started avalanche while putting out fire

Anenome

The mower stalled, twice, and kneeling

This is a special way of being afraid

8PM Practice Session

2006-10-10T11:59:00.001-07:00

Monday is Soup, Friday Fish, Saturday buggery or Murder

There is an evening coming in

The View is Fine From Fifty, They say

The first thing you need to know is I'm not a detective.

Tonight I go to War. Peace is a nice quiet place; I have friends over in Armistice, but the village of War is where it all happens. It is better to wait until dark.

A smear of fresh blood has a metallic smell.

Angela came back to me in a dream, her head tilted up towards me, her bulging eyes screaming “why are you doing this?”

It was a bright cold day in April and the clocks were striking thirteen.

Frederick J Frenger, Jr, a blithe psychopath from California asked the flight attendant in first class for another glass of champagne and some writing materials.

Outside was bright, light, blue.

We are at rest, five miles behind the front.

We meet at the Butterfly Farm, Sundays, half-nine.

.

He seemed incapable of creating such chaos,

There was a little bloke in the aisle screaming his head off.

Carrying my father's lean old leather case, my mother's cardboard

PEACH

Don't Look Now

1900 More Practice Prompts

2006-10-10T10:55:00.000-07:00

The Ugliest Woman on TV

My Dad never took me up the mountain but I took my son there

COD C.O.D.

Blood gauze through the wound of manwax

Dai Pugh's mother believed in luck

NASAL

I know that, before I can begin, I must introduce myself, even though this story is not about me.

Man in his maggot's hollow

The man, Gabriel, needed to get to LA by Saturday.

Trim this, use an axe

I was out on the garage forecourt taking in the sun when I saw her.

National Vomit Week

A smell like incense. London darkness beyond the window; the deep breath of metal, heavy on the river far below us.

The note you hold, narrowing and rising

Tom is watching a movie with his mistress when something in the story-line touches him, and breaks through his well-constructed façade.

It was about eleven o’clock in the morning, mid October, with the sun not shining and a look of hard wet rain in the clearness of the foothills.

18:05 Prompts

2006-10-10T10:04:00.001-07:00

Evening of Prompts on the hour for CIN Practice

email stories to alex or lexie

ideal time for flash 30-60 minutes

maximum time for flash 75 minutes

1800

Please reply (at 1800) if you are in)

Grrrrr... I cut and pasted 15 readied prompts and manage to lose the lot!

PROMPTS

LOCK

A Border-Line Case

Each ancient, stone-necked minute of love's season

TRUMPET

The rector clenched his fists, and swore that God exists

BULB

The Breakthrough

Saturday afternoon and Dai Griffiths sits with his finger-polished roll-up tin.

A Noise Like Living

It is Winter, lightless morning, here in the shallow city, soundless and shipwreck-grey, the tarmac pavements are slept still, glistened with frost, deep and breathing, and beyond my window's sightless eye, the shuddered, huddled, common trees, stuttering towards the sea, the sadrack, greyslack trawler-slapped sea.

She Was Still Intent Upon the Menu

The proprietor spread out his hands in a gesture of regret

POLLEN

I always think, you know, that it’s like being on stage.

When Shelagh Awoke the Sun Was Streaming into her Room

or Google: woman beach 456

CIN Practice!

2006-10-10T09:29:00.000-07:00

Earlier today wrote something really wild. Used most of the prompts

Time to get serious

Back in with the kids (smell those pizzas!) and stinky from second 45 minutes in the gym. Have prepared 9,762 prompts for tonight's 7 flash sessions 6PM onwards on the hour and not just have time for a shower before we start.

TONIGHT a Chance to practice flashing for Children in Need, prompts on the hour from 6PM

Be There!

Tuesday Night is ON!

2006-10-09T06:48:00.000-07:00

We already have seven definites for the Tuesday Night CIN Marathon which gives everyone seven opportunities to write a flash, prompts on the hour from 6PM to Midnight, typically 45-60 minues a story but members ARE allowed to run over by up to 15 minutes and still be competing.

Members hooked by an idea and wrting a longer piece, may, of course do so, but their piece is then not competitng for prizes

The Children in Need Practice Forum is PRIVATE (your stuff can't be seen by the general public) but this means you must pre-register on ezboard and post in the ope area of Boot Camp so I can give you access to the CIN Forum

Flash Practice Tuesday 10th October

2006-10-08T23:28:00.000-07:00

Hang on to my shirt-tails, gonna try for a story or flash (or a CW article) every day for the rest of the month. Might try also to catch up those two missing days.

PS If you're interested in Flashing Tuesday Night, a set of prompts on the hour from 6PM to Midnight, (up to 7 flashes) please respond to my email address asap. This is particularly for Children in Nedd Maatnoneers to practice but all are welcome.

You think it can't be done? It can, and far more, and for whatever reason, these sessions always surprise people. They produce stories they did not believe were in them.

email alex.keegan@btconnect.com

PLEASE NOTE

Though the ideal is to sit down at five-to-six and blast away until one a.m. (seven flashes) doing 1, 2, 3 or more stories is still good practice, and you get to test yourself, find out stuff you didn't know. I am always amazed at the best work from these flash sessions. The best is classy. Some BCers, for example produce their BEST work under this kind of pressure, work that reads better than stories they've toiled over.

So join us, even if only for one story. But let me know beforehand so I can set up a mailing list.

alx

Monday Morning Prompts

Nothing Either Way

Seen from the cliffs the sea circles slowly

The Music in the Wire

Wakening, peering through eye-windows, uncurious, not amazed

GATES

Angle-Poise

The force that through the green shoots drives the flower

MSS

Caught in an octagon of unaccustomed light

I meant to say, because I'm dying

Telephone Call for the Condemned, Telephone Call for the Condemned

SHEEP

The Difference Between Perhaps and Maybe

BLANKS

Solicitors with poker faces

CHANGE

Coming, in September, through the thin streets

TICKET

The cottage squatted in its tangled gardens

Creeping Up. Want to Practice?

2006-10-08T01:26:00.000-07:00

If you are already signed up for the Children in Need Marathon, or not signed up but interested, and would like to practice some back to back flashes, then email me alex.keegan@btinternet.com or respond in this thread.

If we get 10+ interested we could hold one or more Flash Nights where a secretary will post a set of flash prompts on the hour say from six PM to Midnight.

If enough want it we can make a competition of it, with prizes, and the best story goes in Seventh Quark Magazine.

I'm not worried about "standards" as I know from experience that if we get twenty-forty flashes written there weill be half a dozen gems in there.

Interested?

Another Payment

2006-10-07T04:20:00.000-07:00

It's about time the various participants started asking their friends, acquaintance, colleagues for help and sponsorship.

Why not aim for £1,000? One individual managed that last year!

Anoher £25 has come in but we still haven't reached 50 signed up and paid.

Enlist your friends.

It's a great cause, but trust me, the night you will never forget.

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada
£25:00 013 Colin Upton
£25:00 014 T Williams
£25:00 015 Alex Wire Nottingham

£00:00 016 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 017 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 018 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 019 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 020 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 021 Laurie Porter
£00:00 022 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 023 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 024 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 025 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 026 Jan Bradshaw London

Up to 26, but We Still Need More

2006-10-04T02:21:00.000-07:00

Prize Money now should be £260

Say £200-£40-£20 for the top three

but expect it to go a lot higher yet!

SIGNED UP

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada
£25:00 013 Colin Upton
£25:00 014 T Williams

£00:00 015 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 016 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 017 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 018 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 019 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 020 Laurie Porter
£00:00 021 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 022 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 023 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 024 Alex Wire
£00:00 025 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 026 Jan Bradshaw London

Last Year, This Year

2006-10-02T14:30:00.000-07:00

"Missy" Jan from London contacted us to tell us that a flash from last year's "CIN" had just been accepted for an anthology, and Missy is joining us for this year's CIN, also, taking the total to 25

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada

£00:00 013 Colin Upton
£00:00 014 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 015 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 016 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 017 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 018 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 019 Laurie Porter
£00:00 020 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 021 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 022 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 023 Alex Wire
£00:00 024 John Allen Hillingdon
£00:00 025 Missy London

TWO DOZEN!

2006-10-02T10:16:00.000-07:00

Welcome to Bonzo, our 24th Cin Marathoneer

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£25:00 012 Bonzoid Canada

£00:00 013 Colin Upton
£00:00 014 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 015 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 016 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 017 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 018 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 019 Laurie Porter
£00:00 020 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 021 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 022 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 023 Alex Wire
£00:00 024 John Allen Hillingdon

One More! (And Prompts)

2006-10-02T08:36:00.001-07:00

Welcome to John Allen of Hillingdon

PS To join us, email alex.keegan@btinternet.com

£25:00 001 Alex Keegan Newbury, Berkshire
£25:00 002 Alexandra Fox Northants
£25:00 003 Dave Prescott Hay-on-Wye
£25:00 004 Kirsty Davies Birmingham
£25:00 005 Ralph Hockley
£25:00 006 Caroline Davies Befordshire
£25:00 007 Cally Taylor East Sussex
£25:00 008 Cedric Popa Romania
£25:00 009 Tom Conoboy Beverley, Yorks
£25:00 010 Antony Davies Leeds
£25:00 011 Dan M W
£00:00 012 Colin Upton
£00:00 013 Nancy Saunders Bristol
£00:00 014 Michael J Hulme Norwich
£00:00 015 Barbara Godwin Southampton
£00:00 016 Joel Willans Finland
£00:00 017 Lucy Portsmouth Surrey
£00:00 018 Laurie Porter
£00:00 019 Sonam Choki BHUTAN
£00:00 020 Tarl Rivers
£00:00 021 Hazera Forth Hertfordshire
£00:00 022 Alex Wire
£00:00 023 John Allen Hillingdon