[Adam Phillips] Crosscurrents

[Adam Phillips]

Late this week you'll get my first new chapter of Crosscurrents in over two years. It will be posted late Thursday night or Friday morning.

 

I hope y'all don't have your hopes up too high. It's very much a transitional chapter, and kind of silly. I know some of you may say, "I waited two years for that??" but I needed to tell this part. There's a couple of things happening in it that have some importance, at least for characterization purposes if not storyline. And also, this is a segment that some of my longtime e-friends have heard me talk about for years, and I wanted it in there if only to fill those guys in. Which, of course, is basically a concession that this incident actually happened in my real life.

 

But we won't go there.

 

In any case, I plan on keeping my promise that there will be new installments weekly until I'm finished. And the storyline will get more substantial.

[Amelia]

Late this week you'll get my first new chapter of Crosscurrents in over two years. It will be posted late Thursday night or Friday morning.

 

I hope y'all don't have your hopes up too high. It's very much a transitional chapter, and kind of silly. I know some of you may say, "I waited two years for that??" but I needed to tell this part. There's a couple of things happening in it that have some importance, at least for characterization purposes if not storyline. And also, this is a segment that some of my longtime e-friends have heard me talk about for years, and I wanted it in there if only to fill those guys in. Which, of course, is basically a concession that this incident actually happened in my real life.

 

But we won't go there.

 

In any case, I plan on keeping my promise that there will be new installments weekly until I'm finished. And the storyline will get more substantial.

 

How about making our weekend and posting TWO chapters then? Just thinkin'....

[Adam Phillips]

How about making our weekend and posting TWO chapters then? Just thinkin'....

 

Wow. Give 'em an inch...

 

Can't happen. Not even possible. Sorry.

[Amelia]

Wow. Give 'em an inch...

 

Can't happen. Not even possible. Sorry.

 

Didn't figure, but it can't hurt for trying.

[nightsky]

Didn't figure, but it can't hurt for trying.

 

I like your style. It would be great if we could get two, or three, or the rest of the story posted this weekend.

But I know it ain't gonna happen. No way, no how. So, I'll just enjoy each chapter as they come along.

 

 

I will say that this second read through (or, second, third, and fourth read through) that I'm picking up on a lot more of the nuance and details. The first time, I read it in two sittings, and really just wanted to know how it ended.

[Adam Phillips]

I like your style. It would be great if we could get two, or three, or the rest of the story posted this weekend.

But I know it ain't gonna happen. No way, no how. So, I'll just enjoy each chapter as they come along.

 

 

Yeah, so you could procrastinate on what?

[Mark M]

i am so excited! for more chapters...maybe not the next....any idea how many chapters in total this story will have? and will you be posting them in the "other" place where your story was held? or not!

 

anyway EXCITED! DO IT DO IT DO IT

 

 

[Adam Phillips]

i am so excited! for more chapters...maybe not the next....any idea how many chapters in total this story will have?

 

34 or 35, depending on a couple of variables.

 

 

and will you be posting them in the "other" place where your story was held? or not!

 

 

 

They will eventually make their way to the other couple of places where CC is posted, but not immediately.

[nightsky]

Yeah, so you could procrastinate on what?

 

 

 

i have no idea what you're referring to...

 

I"m working on it... and besides, no one HERE is interested in what I"m working on OR in reading it. They want to know when they'll get their next fix of CC.

[Toast]

Okay have finished 21 and 22. So I am up to date. And I want my new chapter. HeHe. The last few chapters really hit hard, stirred up all kinds of feelings.

[Adam Phillips]

Okay have finished 21 and 22. So I am up to date. And I want my new chapter. HeHe. The last few chapters really hit hard, stirred up all kinds of feelings.

 

It'll be here Thursday night or Friday, I promise.

[Adam Phillips]

As NaperVic beat me to the punch in announcing, Chapter 23 of Crosscurrents--my first new chapter in over two years!--has been posted. In this chapter you'll see Andy go to quite the crazy extreme in his quest to prove to others (and himself??) that maybe he and his buds aren't so different after all.

[Toast]

Finished Chapter 23. Wow. This was an interesting development. Thanks Adam, enjoyed very much.

[soup]

It was great, very ballsy

[Amelia]

Interesting. i would have loved to be in that room. .... And Vic, if I smoked, I might have joined you.

 

Adam - looking forward to the next chapter!

Edited August 28, 2010 by Amelia

[Mark M]

OH MY GOD.....HOW AMAZING. What else can i even say????

 

next weeks seems too far away right now!

[Toast]

I have been thinking about Andy, he spent a year or more closing down. Shutting himself away. Now he is becoming so open. Is it just coming to terms with his sexuality, that has brought this about? It makes me think of Matt, who was always open because of the support initially given by Andy. I think this is the other side of that, what Matt gave Andy is the foundation Andy is now building from. What I am saying is I saw a lot of Matt in Andy in this chapter. Does any one else see this?

[Adam Phillips]

I have been thinking about Andy, he spent a year or more closing down. Shutting himself away. Now he is becoming so open. Is it just coming to terms with his sexuality, that has brought this about?

 

I think Andy says it best himself in Chapter 19:

 

After that final desperate grip of Matt's hand, that anguished night lying on his pillow, I told myself that when I got to college, I was going to be who I was without shame; if anyone gave me shit about it, I'd see to it that they'd come to regret it.

 

Invoking that new resolve was the only thing that got me through those final days in my hometown. College would give me an opportunity to make up for my moral failure of the previous year. If it ever came up--and I figured it would--I wouldn't lie about myself. I didn't know if I could explain it to anyone, because it wasn't as neat and clean as it was for guys who are totally gay or totally straight; but I wasn't going to apologize for being who I was. Not to anyone. Especially not to myself.

 

And something else followed from that: I wasn't going to let anybody disparage or shame anybody else like that either. Not in my presence. Not about that. From this point on, I promised myself, I'd stand up against anyone who tried to humiliate a person because of his sexuality. I hadn't seen much homophobia in my world, but I knew it was out there. I knew the jocks from back home, and most of them seemed okay with gay guys, but my new teammates...well, who knew how any of them thought? I wouldn't sit quietly if someone ever started ragging on guys who were attracted to guys; I'd get in the face of anyone who threw down that kind of shit. I owed it to the memory of my friendship with Matt, and to the memory of how I'd destroyed that friendship over just that kind of homophobia. Homophobia I'd directed at myself.

 

It could be said, maybe, that Andy is overcompensating for the disaster with Matt in a big way. But in any case I think he explains himself in the above paragraph. Also, he's bound and determined not to let Shane hurt Kyle. I think that's also a part of what he's up to--trying to get his teammates, in any way they can, to see things differently. One way, he thinks, is by getting them in touch with whatever feelings of ambiguity they themselves may have inside, if they have any such feelings; the other is to try to get them to see that, visually anyway, guys making love to guys is not repulsive. He's trying to replace whatever sleazy images they may have in their heads about gay sex with something that involved great visuals, good-looking guys enjoying each other, and just a little fun and light-heartedness.

 

As for your other stuff about Matt...well, whatever he's doing in relation to Matt, it should be pretty clear that he's not going to be able to get Matt out of his head or heart. He continues to shape who Andy is and what he does.

[Adam Phillips]

Back in April when Crosscurrents first began posting at Gay Authors, I told you that there would be a new chapter out every Friday.

 

Then for a while, Steph and I were getting new chapters up Thursday night.

 

You'll notice there's not one up yet.

 

I finished the chapter on Friday night. I need to look it over tonight, then I'll send it to Steph.

 

It shouldn't be too much longer.

 

I'll be back on schedule next week.

 

Thanks for your patience.

[Adam Phillips]

Chapter 24 of Crosscurrents has been posted.

 

This chapter narrates the "return engagement" that Brad had requested with Andy. That night Andy discovers some things about sex--and about Brad--he hadn't expected to.

[Adam Phillips]

By the way, I know there are numerous typos. Trust me--nobody hates that more than I do.

 

It's what happens when I rush. And, believe it or not, even though CC 24 was late, it was rushed in that it didn't get a look from my three proofreaders.

 

My apologies. Eventually I'll fix it.

[Amelia]

I felt the intensity, both sexually and emotionally. We are each our own worst critic. Yes, there were typos, but I barely noticed because the story so engaged me. Great chapter!

[methodwriter85]

What a beautiful chapter, Adam. Really, truly beautiful story about the connections we make with people.

[nightsky]

By the way, I know there are numerous typos. Trust me--nobody hates that more than I do.

 

It's what happens when I rush. And, believe it or not, even though CC 24 was late, it was rushed in that it didn't get a look from my three proofreaders.

 

My apologies. Eventually I'll fix it.

 

Well. wow.

 

 

I wish we all had a "Brad" during our formative years. He was all man, even in college. No hiding, no games. Just him. Not sure how Andy didn't fall in love with him. I think I sure would have.

 

ps. I barely noticed any typos. Only one was glaring to me. Guess what it was?

Edited September 6, 2010 by nightsky

[methodwriter85]

Far too many guys play games in college, unfortunately. I wish I could have had a Brad around myself.

 

The afterglow, with the two men giggling like little girls and stroking each other's chest- that was the hottest part of the story for me. When I was sexually active, I didn't get to experience it that much, unfortunately.

Edited September 6, 2010 by methodwriter85