Saturday 31 March 2012

SMILING CYRUS - Cabaret of Dread stories revealed

Every Saturday for the next eleven weeks I’m revealing the tale behind the tale of Cabaret of Dread Vol.1’s main stories, together with a short excerpt of each to whet your appetite.

SMILING CYRUS


This is the first previously unpublished tale in the collection. I originally wrote it in 2011 for the marvellous Evil Jester Press' Attic Toys anthology, edited by the equally brilliant Jeremy Shipp. Unfortunately I missed the deadline, but the story wouldn't leave me alone. No other paying market suited its bizarro horror theme, so I decided it should have a place of its own in Cabaret of Dread.

So – what’s Smiling Cyrus about? 


Naughty Cyrus isn't where he's supposed to be, skipping school and playing in his parents' attic instead. He has lots of friends up there - and they all want to play.

That was over a year ago; Cyrus is still missing and his mother Debonair is sure she knows where her son is.  But with a violent husband Debbie has to choose her moment. Will Cyrus be waiting? And will the toys welcome his mother to the game?

I've been told this is some people's worst nightmare. Oh goodie.


Inspiration


Although I already had the anthology theme to spur the concept, the opening lines came to me on the scurry from the bath to my bedroom - beneath my own loft hatch.

As I struggled to jot the words down whilst still half-clad in a damp towel I noticed a family walking along the street past my house, no doubt on the way to the beach - a stone's throw from my front door.

The dad was a big burly bugger, striding ahead and shouting at his stick insect of a wife. Haggard and obviously down-trodden, she trailed behind - occasionally holding out a hand to her little boy. This ginger-haired cherub skipped along ignoring his parents, then - smiling - stopped to stroke a cat. His mum and dad had crossed the road and turned the corner without even realising their son wasn't with them any more.

How chilling - and how very Smiling Cyrus.

Excerpt


Hurtling. He’s hurtling. Cyrus has a head the size of three balloons welded into one, rubber bumps in all the right places. Someone set him up,
something stung him.

Trinkets and engraved goblets topple from overloaded shelves as the boy, nearly a man runs the length of the room and back again. His eyes are peas in the growing face. He tears at them, not knowing if they are about to sink forever into the burgeoning flesh or pop and burst. Salty old seadog, those tears that spill; they sting the stretch marks spreading and ripping at the child’s visage.

Blind, Cyrus throws himself to the floor. Screaming is impossible; the fattened mouth is full to suffocation with a tongue of weeping meatloaf. Who would hear him anyway?

They start with a jingle, the bells; whispering at Cyrus with their teasing voices. He slaps at the spaces his ears used to be, hearing only mosquito torture and fearing another assault. So they play a little louder. The boy shudders as the noise grows in volume. Tinkling, ding dong dinging, tolling and tolling and tolling until the sound is too much and the eardrums inside Cyrus’s attic-sized head explode. The roar that almost kills him is enough to wake Mr and Mrs Cleavage in their bedroom below.

It’s the same every night since their son disappeared. They hear him scream, always at the witching hour of 3:15am. Charlie Cleavage had stopped his wife Debonair from exploring the loft; that was over a year ago. It doesn’t mean she doesn’t wonder – still.

***
“Charlie?”

“What is it hun? Hey, are my eggs ready yet?”

Debbie flips them once, then back again without spilling a drop of bile-shaded yolk. Charlie doesn’t care for his wife’s allergies, or that eggs make her gag every morning. Charlie has needs.

“I want... I mean – can we have a yard sale?”

She slips the eggs onto a plate next to a pile of grits and chunks of fried bread. It’s casual, how she hands her husband his breakfast but he knows she’s up to something. He grabs her wrist. Debonair has long since learned not to give Charlie the satisfaction of a flinch. She sits down, ignoring the pain and smiles with red lips.

“I saw something you’d like.”

Charlie releases his grip, attacks the eggs in a spattering mess.

“What?” is all he can manage with a full mouth.

“Now honey that would ruin the surprise. You know how I like to please you.”

She runs her skinny hand over his knee, hating every moment.

“This is special. But I need a lidda bit of money, and I thought we could - you know, clear out the back-room, the attic, the garage...”

Charlie drops his fork on the plate.

“The attic?”

Debbie smoothes her skirt over knees made of sticks. They shake beneath the floral-patterned cotton.

“Yup. The attic. I decided you were right. Cyrus isn’t coming back.”

Cyrus isn’t coming back. She’s practised the line until it no longer shakes in her mouth. Charlie eyes her, his thick brows bristling like April caterpillars ready to spin a cold cocoon. Ain’t no butterflies in that bastard, Debbie thinks.

“OK.”

He pats Debonair’s leg, lingering at her thigh. She swallows the hate and claps her hands.

“Oh, goodie! I’ll make a start while you’re at the mill today.”

She stands, escaping before he can spread his hand wide enough to hurt.

*************

Like the excerpt? You can read a few more pages of SMILING CYRUS, plus the opening tale DRESSING-UP BOX and a few mini-tales by visiting Cabaret of Dread's 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon.

Of course, the best way to read this - and the many other stories in Vol.1 of Cabaret of Dread, is to download it. If you do, I am ever thankful... 

Buy/Download Cabaret of Dread from
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com


Friday 30 March 2012

Lily's Friday Prediction

Apologies for the tardy posting. It's been a long day, lovely day, sad day, fun day... and a slightly poorly day (damn the common cold!) A friend and long-term colleague has retired to a life of scrabbling around graveyards - as is only right (for whatever reason). I'll miss her.

But back to unreality...

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge


A challenge indeed. But you weren't stumped.

The winner of last week's Prediction Challenge is our wandering Aidan Fritz with Cupid's Arrow. I braved billowing clouds to trail this meandering myth, laughed and loved with its characters and fell hard with Monday's rebirth. Congratulations Aidan, you've left me wistful and yearning.

Runner-up, with a tale that evoked the same emotions as Aidan's but with an awe inspired by nature itself, is Pernicious Petals by Alfred Taitague. Well done Al! This beautifully-entitled/written piece puts me in mind of Crazy Town's exquisite Butterly video.

Words for 30 March 2012


Firstly - you have two weeks to enter this challenge so the pressure's off. Here's what you've got to play with:

  • Amsterdam
  • Hammer
  • Personal

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have until 9pm UK time on Thursday 12th April 2012 to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday 13th April (Any Paraskevidekatriaphobics/Triskaidekaphobics out there?) If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it. Do give feedback to your fellow Predictioneers - we all appreciate it.

May Ostara's leaping hare bring you fertility where you need it this Easter. And if that means putting lead in your writing pencil, so be it...
___________________________________

Saturday 24 March 2012

What’s it all about? Cabaret of Dread stories revealed

Every Saturday for the next eleven weeks I’ll be revealing the tale behind the tale of Cabaret of Dread Vol.1’s main stories, together with a short excerpt of each to whet your appetite.

DRESSING UP BOX


I have to confess, Dressing Up Box is possibly my favourite tale – not just in the collection – but ever! I smiled with wicked pleasure as I wrote it and it has a special place in my big, red, beating heart.

I wrote the story in 2010 specifically for The New Flesh Magazine’s ‘Inaugural Flash Fiction War’ and much to my surprise it received the highest number of votes and won the competition. Considering the other stories it was up against, from inspiring writers such as Jodi MacArthur and Chris Allinotte I was truly humbled.

So – what’s Dressing Up Box about? 


An un-named demon with a passion for dance helps itself to body parts that fit the right shoes. Come visit the demon’s flagrant wardrobe, the hanging flesh, the glistening innards...

Curtains rise – you are all invited to the cabaret.


Inspiration


Dance. I love to dance. Most people are embarrassed by me because I flail but that's OK because I don't give a flying F* what they think. I am an old Modette turned Goth but love extremes of music from gypsy to garage, Brel to Winehouse, Cabaret to Placebo. 


Dressing Up Box brings all those styles together, this time giving particular attention to ballet and Flamenco. It struck me that only an extra-natural being might be able to truly absorb its passions, and that sometimes that might involve 'borrowing' performers' limbs and extremities in order to echo their skill.

Excerpt


Yesterday’s body was squat and dark, an aged gypsy. I slough off the old man’s skin, marvelling at the bruises incurred from seven solid days of stamping and click, click, clicking of heels. Yellowed stains litter the shins and I poke them hard, revelling in the pain before grasping the blackened feet that I pull off like old shoes; the toes broken and seeping with infection.

Spin.

Today I am a ballerina, wanting the fairy tale. In a drawer there are pink-ribboned slippers, full of meat. I stole the pretty shoes from a libidinous girl I found larding on chocolate at the back of a theatre in a bulimic frenzy. Before she could plunge two fingers down her throat to vomit up the sugared treat, I declared myself. She thought me a film star, the pirate of her dreams. I let her fantasize whilst I ravaged her. My hand was already over her mouth when I revealed myself. Oh, the joy! I ate her face, tearing out sinew and muscle as I gorged. I left the playhouse staff to pick up the girl’s dregs but not before pocketing the eyeballs and stringing the shoes around my neck...

*************

Like the excerpt? You can read the entire story, plus a few mini-tales and even the opening pages of the second main story SMILING CYRUS by visiting Cabaret of Dread's 'Look Inside' feature on Amazon.

Of course, the best way to read this - and the many other stories in Vol.1 of Cabaret of Dread, is to download it. If you do, I am ever thankful... 

Buy/Download Cabaret of Dread from
Amazon.co.uk | Amazon.com


Friday 23 March 2012

Lily's Friday Prediction

Spring is here! The Equinox has brought us beautiful warm days here in the UK, but we are already in a state of drought so Mother Nature gives with one hand and takes away with the other. There's always balance whether we like it or not.

A Pause for Punctuation


I know The Prediction Challenge is a bit of fun but I've noticed the state of punctuation has been slipping in some Prediction entries over the last couple of months. Can I please send out a request to do a final proofread before you submit.

Check your apostrophes, make sure you put a full stop (period) before you start a new sentence. Where you do start a new sentence, the first word should have a capital letter. Indeed, capitals are one of my main niggles; they seem to be sneaking in on nouns mid-sentence. Why is that? Please check for this too.

The majority of you obviously do edit and proofread but I don't think it's unreasonable for me to request the best from everyone. After all, punctuation slips are often enough to get a submission for publication rejected by editors - regardless of the voice or the power of a story.

Thank you.

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge


The winner is a writer, rather than a single story - it has to be John Xero! Three outstanding pieces, each of which thrilled and shocked and were exquisitely-written - truly. John - why isn't TOR or a similar imprint grabbing you? Your writing is crying out for the big time. Congratulations on winning the little Prediction trophy (there's a drop of bubbly in there if you look deep enough.)

Runner-up, with a tale and a character that still chills me - Marietta Miles' untitled piece. Well done Marietta - Pastor Friend needs to be locked up, but not before you've imprisoned him in a full-length thriller for us (please).

Words for 23 March 2012


  • Monday
  • Notch
  • Speed
Quick - what comes to mind?

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have until 9pm UK time on Thursday 29th March 2012 to enter.

The winner will be announced on Friday 30th March. If you can, please tweet about your entry, using the #fridayflash hashtag, and blog if you feel like it. Do give feedback to your fellow Predictioneers - we all appreciate it.

I sense a shift in theme this week; where are you going to run to?
___________________________________

Tuesday 20 March 2012

News - GANGLION PRESS

Friend, best-selling author of the Joe Hunter crime thrillers, and Thrillers Killers 'n' Chillers Ed. Matt Hilton said "Check this out for top horror and crime fiction from Lily Childs and Col Bury http://www.ganglionpress.co.uk/"

OK - so the cat's out of the bag :-) I'd better come clean.

It's true. I've started up a new small press GANGLION PRESS, ostensibly as a platform to publish my own e-books. But I'm very proud that Col Bury has joined me at Ganglion to relaunch his gritty crime collection MANCHESTER 6.

We have plans to publish future e-books, as well as further collections and anthologies, and may have a few other writers on board shortly too. The long-term plan is to also publish and sell my husband's esoteric artwork (he did the Magenta Shaman covers too) and run some exhibitions and events.

In the meantime the site is slowly coming together, though WordPress is not treating me as kindly as I'd like! And I need to set up Ganglion's Facebook, Twitter and other accounts plus a Mailing List - sooner rather than later.

But there you are. Feel free to pop on over to www.ganglionpress.co.uk to see what we're up to. I'll be shouting it from the rooftops soon enough. No, make that... howl.


Friday 16 March 2012

Lily's Friday Prediction

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

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

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

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

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

Words for 16 March 2012

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

  • Curdle
  • Cherub
  • Rip
Get your teeth into those!

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have until 9pm UK time on Thursday 22nd March 2012 to enter.

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

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

At last! CABARET OF DREAD - out now.

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

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

To buy, or download a sample:

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

Product Description:

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

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

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

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

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

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

Praise for Cabaret of Dread

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

Sunday 11 March 2012

MANCHESTER 6 by Col Bury: re-released

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

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

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


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

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

Friday 9 March 2012

Lily's Friday Prediction

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

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

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

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

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

Words for 09 March 2012

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

  • Carousel
  • Spy
  • Joker (not 'joke')

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

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have until 9pm UK time on Thursday 15th March 2012 to enter.

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

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

Thursday 8 March 2012

Latest news on Cabaret of Dread

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

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

Book Description:

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Thank you my friends.

Monday 5 March 2012

New Flash - RESCUE MISSION - and a Writing Group Recommendation

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

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

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

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

RESCUE MISSION

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

***

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

***

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

***

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

***

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

***

It’s just me now.

***

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


Friday 2 March 2012

Lily's Friday Prediction

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

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

Very excited now!

Winner of Last Week's Prediction Challenge

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

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

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

Words for 02 March 2012

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

  • Negotiate
  • Cleanse
  • Cage
Are you ready? Go!

Rules

The rules are: 100 words max flash fiction or poetry using all of the words above. Please add your entries in the Comments box below. You have until 9pm UK time on Thursday 8th March 2012 to enter.

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

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

Lily Childs is a writer of horror, esoteric, mystery and chilling fiction.

If you see her dancing outside in a thunder storm - don't try to bring her in. She's safe.