Well, it's been a pleasure to participate in the week-long celebration of the drabble. Firstly, I'd like to thank Michael Brookes for all the hard work he has put into the events. And secondly, thanks to all those who participated in some way. I'm sure you'll agree it has been a success in highlighting the popularity of this flash fiction form.

I was delighted to discover late last night that my entry for the drabble competition was picked as the winner. I genuinely never thought mine would stand a chance! The winning drabble is shown below.

I've a couple of further things up my sleeve as the festival closes. Firstly, I have a pair of signed drabble books up for grabs. To be in with a chance of winning, simply post a comment below this article. Entries close 10pm Monday 16th November 2015.

And, finally, it seems fitting to close the week with... a drabble. Here's my latest, never before published. Enjoy! And happy drabbling/drabble-reading!

The Experiment

The candle’s flame is wondrous. A ball of golden warmth. It stands tall, proud, astonishingly still under the glass dome. And I’m inside with it. The flame is my sun. It’s my god. Or I am its god! It is sheer beauty.

Time passes.

I no longer flutter and fly.

Instead, I crawl around intermittently.

The flame is still bright. But shorter. Weaker.

It too is fading.

And then I realise we are competing. I’m desperate to outlive the flame but at the same time cannot bear to go before it dies.
​
Outside the glass, large human eyes watch wickedly.

I certainly don't write as many drabbles as I once did but it's hard to break the habit. Here's one of my latest, never before published.

Guy

“It’s like a mummy,” Tom said. “It’s like a mummy, Mummy!”

“Yes, darling. But stop bouncing about and hold the legs still.”

Tom giggled again while his mother wound tape round the legs.

“Mummy, can’t we give him a proper face?” Tom asked, reaching for the bin sack around the head. His hand was slapped away.

“Open the door for me, darling, and help me carry him.”

Outside, Tom swore that the guy twitched.

“It’s the flames playing tricks. Don’t be silly.”

“Okay,” Tom replied. “I wish Daddy could be here.”

The guy burned and mother and son watched in silence.

If you're on Facebook, you can join the week-long Festival of Drabbles HERE.
There's still time to download your free copy of 100 One Hundred Word Tales.

No introduction needed for this - what it says up there!

Drabbles benefit both readers and writers. The world moves so fast and it’s not always easy to fit in reading time. Reading and digesting a 100-word story, though, is doable - on the train, bus, toilet… but wash your hands afterwards.

This flash fiction is much trickier than it looks, its author having to encapsulate a tale in such a short space. You are forced to make every word count, phrase things so that you wring the maximum amount of emotion and surprise from as few words as possible. Put simply, it gets to the bone of what good writing is.   

If you're on Facebook, you can join the week-long Festival of Drabbles HERE.
There's still time to download your free copy of 100 One Hundred Word Tales.

Tomorrow: a never-before-seen drabble from me.

Over recent years, the popularity of the drabble - a story told in precisely 100 words - has soared. Ideal for writers to hone their skills and perfect for readers to digest in a minute, the drabble is one of the most popular forms of flash fiction around. 

Author Michael Brookes has championed the drabble from the beginning and has set up an entire week to celebrate it. Over the next few days, there will be a wealth of articles, competitions and, of course, drabbles across a range of blogs and websites. I will be posting something new each day on this blog.

I have written several hundred drabbles over the last few years and published two books of my very best, one of which has contributions from my author friend, Kath Middleton. For the next few days, you can pick up a copy of 100 One Hundred Word Tales FREE for the very first time. And Beyond 100 Drabbles is half-price at only 99p/99c.

For full details of both books and an award-winning drabble, click HERE. Alternatively, click the book covers to go to their respective Amazon pages.

And if you're on Facebook, you can join in the festivities HERE.

Tomorrow - a post in 100 words on why I drabble.

The Anniversary
by 
Jonathan Hill

It’s the office Christmas party. Cheap booze is flowing, the lights are dimmed and tinny music blasts out of a rubbish stereo. Chris’s hair is gelled around reindeer antlers. Amy’s foot is caught in some photocopier cable. Martin is waving about an inflatable penis decorated with tinsel. And Janet is dancing alone, her husband dead, presumed murdered… by her.

When Janet offers to spend Christmas Day, the anniversary of my own partner’s death, with me, I find myself wondering what she wants. 

And why do I accept?

The chilling new novella from Jonathan Hill.

Coming soon to Kindle and in paperback.