Poor Man's Son

[centexhairysub]

Really well written chapter but like Westie was not really sure about how this ended. I guess the last chapter really did tie up a bunch of Will's issues and this tied up at least one of Gathan's issues but just felt a little abrupt.

[Mark Arbour]

I got so much shit about this story, I decided that I could dispense with my normal formula and not have a happy ending. Still, the optimist in me couldn't handle a total disaster, so I left it with kind of a "meh" resolution. I think that works.

 

My objective was to draft a transitional story, where I could introduce some new characters and flesh them out a little bit. I exposed more of Gathan, and we got to know Will as an evolving teen, and JJ as well. Zach Hayes got set up as a villain who has either reformed, or hasn't. Tony Carbone made his debut, as did a few other people I'm sure we'll see in the future. We closed out the issues with Neil in Paris. And two new babies were born.

[rjo]

Mark I guess I agree with you. Will got his new room and good advice from Robbie in the last chapter. Gathan seems the loser however. I know life is not always the perfect picture. I really thought that Kristin and Gathan were good for each other. Of course with Gathan starting school it would be boring if he was tied up. We must remember that Matt met Wade at school. Maybe it's time for Gathan to explore new things in Cali. Maybe it only seems dark. Two good things may have come from this. Gathan can control he temper and maybe Zach is a better person than we think he is. Only time will tell.

 

I was going to end my comments with those words but I could not in good conscience not continue to express my thanks and total admiration for our author who, book after book, story after story comes up with better and better characters and writing which I believe must only amaze us. I have read the saga from beginning to end so many times I honestly don't know how many. Every time I think Mark can't do any better, he does. I am sad Poor Man's Son has ended, but I look forward to the next book, knowing that it will be even better!! Thank you Mark!

 

Edited November 25, 2011 by rjo

[methodwriter85]

My objective was to draft a transitional story, where I could introduce some new characters and flesh them out a little bit. I exposed more of Gathan, and we got to know Will as an evolving teen, and JJ as well. Zach Hayes got set up as a villain who has either reformed, or hasn't. Tony Carbone made his debut, as did a few other people I'm sure we'll see in the future. We closed out the issues with Neil in Paris. And two new babies were born.

 

Mark, I have to tell you that I really liked that you didn't go with the usual happy ending. At 11 stories in, it's great that you're shaking up the general formal. And really, having Gathan betrothed as a "happily ever after" half of a couple is a bit hard to swallow for a character who's only 18, and it kept the story field more open. It was much more realistic the way Gathan and Kristin ended.

 

I liked that you set up conflicts that we're going to see the next generation dealing with, such as Zach. He is soooo going to end up messing with Will and JJ in '03 when he goes out to California to attend USC. LOL.

[Gene Splicer PHD]

I really like the way you ended this story with things not fully wrapped up and new characters to get to know. I liked Gathan's raw anger at Kristin and I like that he was able to see past it and not burn the bridge with her, but at least remain somewhat civil with her.

 

Thank you for a good story.

[B1ue]

I still don't trust Zach, I think he and JJ will as soon as they meet will form the Anti-Gathan Leage, with Matt now as their social-secretary. I do like the way you ended this piece, though like others it seemed to come out of left field. Less because it's abrupt in and of itself, more that we just haven't seen much of Gathan lately, will all the tidying up Will seemed to require.

 

I imagine the conversations involving Will went something like this:

 

Mark: Writing team! We need to find a way to resolve Will's issues. Specifically, we need to find a way to remove the giant stick from Will's ass.

 

Will (inside Mark's head): But I like it there! It feels awesome.

 

Mark: Not helping Will.

 

Will: I'll need something else up there in it's place.

 

Mark: Hush Will.

 

Will: Something. Anything at all. Preferably indiscriminating.

 

Mark: I said hush! Go to your room.

 

Will: By myself?

 

Mark: Will! Go!

 

Will: But what if I get lonely? Or cold? I get chilled, draping myself dramatically across my bed as I do, with no blankets or clothing on, and my body greased up like a wrestler for anyone to find.

 

Mark: *is appalled*

 

Will: Hey! Could I have a wrestler come with me? And a stick?

 

Mark: Look you twice-baked harlot. Go to your room, or you will develop horrible flatulence during your next sex scene.

 

Will: Meep! *flees*

 

Writiing Team: *is very, very worried after having witnessed only one half of that conversation.*

 

Mark: You know, twice-baked? Sun-baked and totally baked off JP's herb.

[methodwriter85]

I still don't trust Zach, I think he and JJ will as soon as they meet will form the Anti-Gathan Leage, with Matt now as their social-secretary. I do like the way you ended this piece, though like others it seemed to come out of left field. Less because it's abrupt in and of itself, more that we just haven't seen much of Gathan lately, will all the tidying up Will seemed to require.

 

I imagine the conversations involving Will went something like this:

 

 

Now that was just funny.

 

It'd be funny to see Zach and JJ form an unholy alliance, but why would Zach do that? Gathan is his "in" with the family and their billions of dollars. He stupidly burned those bridges with Will and John, so Gathan is his best way in.

[PrivateTim]

Mark, I have to tell you that I really liked that you didn't go with the usual happy ending.

Freakin' A who says it ain't a happy ending? I am tickled to death that Gathan gets to have a normal college experience without some high school girlfriend back home for him to moon over.

 

I still want Will to fall for Alistair. The classic story of the intellectual and the "brute". See Will with someone his age and in tender moments. Someone who would give Will the loyalty he didn't find in his hunky phucks.

[Daddydavek]

Gathan catching Kristin in flagrante delicto thus ending their relationship was a slight surprise. I really expected her to catch Gathan again, but instead of with Will, with Zach and with the encounter having been set-up by Zach.

 

Now I'm curious to see how the clan and crew respond to 9/11 and just who is directly effected...

[Mark Arbour]

We have a few more challenges to deal with before 9-11.

[methodwriter85]

I still want Will to fall for Alistair. The classic story of the intellectual and the "brute". See Will with someone his age and in tender moments. Someone who would give Will the loyalty he didn't find in his hunky phucks.

 

I don't know if I'd call Will a brute, but that's how Alistair views him so it works for me. It would be a pretty cute story. It'd be nice if Will became an intellectual as a result of hanging out with Alistair- it really feels like the "Academic" part of the family has been missing since we got to Brad and Robbie's generation. They're well-educated guys, but I wouldn't call them academics and we haven't really had one since JP.

 

As for Will and dating, I kinda like what's been set up here. Will gets his angst about teen dating and the like, whereas JJ gets his own teen angst about figure skating and balancing school, but won't be angsting over love interests because he's frankly pretty asexual and doesn't have the time to date. It's nice to get all sides covered here.

 

Mark's already said that we're not done with the fall of 2000 by a long shot, so 9/11 is one more story away at this point.

Edited November 26, 2011 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

I still don't trust Zach, I think he and JJ will as soon as they meet will form the Anti-Gathan Leage, with Matt now as their social-secretary. I do like the way you ended this piece, though like others it seemed to come out of left field. Less because it's abrupt in and of itself, more that we just haven't seen much of Gathan lately, will all the tidying up Will seemed to require.

 

I imagine the conversations involving Will went something like this:

 

Mark: Writing team! We need to find a way to resolve Will's issues. Specifically, we need to find a way to remove the giant stick from Will's ass.

 

Will (inside Mark's head): But I like it there! It feels awesome.

 

Mark: Not helping Will.

 

Will: I'll need something else up there in it's place.

 

Mark: Hush Will.

 

Will: Something. Anything at all. Preferably indiscriminating.

 

Mark: I said hush! Go to your room.

 

Will: By myself?

 

Mark: Will! Go!

 

Will: But what if I get lonely? Or cold? I get chilled, draping myself dramatically across my bed as I do, with no blankets or clothing on, and my body greased up like a wrestler for anyone to find.

 

Mark: *is appalled*

 

Will: Hey! Could I have a wrestler come with me? And a stick?

 

Mark: Look you twice-baked harlot. Go to your room, or you will develop horrible flatulence during your next sex scene.

 

Will: Meep! *flees*

 

Writiing Team: *is very, very worried after having witnessed only one half of that conversation.*

 

Mark: You know, twice-baked? Sun-baked and totally baked off JP's herb.

 

Too funny. Some insights into my writing team:

 

Sharon would shake her head, but as long as it's not too outrageous, she'd let it go. She would correct the grammar though.

 

Peter A. would point out the continuity problems, wondering where the stick came from, what kind of stick it was, and whether the body lube Will used was glossy or more of a matte finish.

 

Jeremy would rage that Will got a stick up his ass, while JJ didn't.

 

Dr. Peter would patiently explain the risks of having a stick up one's ass, and point out what could happen, worse case (at my urging), if the stick broke.

 

Jay would turn the whole thing into a complex bondage scenario.

 

And Adam would be fine with it as long as no football players were harmed.

 

 

They're awesome!

[centexhairysub]

Mark, just wanted to say that you and your whole team are just the best.....

[sat8997]

Sharon would shake her head, but as long as it's not too outrageous, she'd let it go. She would correct the grammar though.

 

Gerbils...the less said, the better.

[methodwriter85]

Jeremy would rage that Will got a stick up his ass, while JJ didn't.

 

 

Come on, you know me better than that. It would go like this:

 

Me: You know, Will's stick up his ass feels really representative of his generation. I think that's a great idea. You're doing a great job of representing how different this generation is from Brad's generation, which preferred fisting over the stick. I must stress again how important is to differentitate the two generations, to keep things from feeling repeitive. You've done a great job of doing so, thus far.

 

Mark: Thank you.

 

Me: At the same time, I like that you stressed the differences in between Will and JJ, as JJ has opted out of having a stick put up his ass. Having JJ instead opt for an ice pick was genius. I really feel that does a great job of setting JJ apart from his brother, and represents his own determination to forge a path of his own as he naviages the tumultous decade of the 2000's.

 

Mark: As always, you are right, Jeremy. I am so lucky to have such a bright young man as my muse.

 

Me: I'm just happy to be of service. You know I'll always have your back.

 

Mark: And I'll always have yours, son. *Mark envelops Jeremy in comforting and fatherly hug*

Edited November 28, 2011 by methodwriter85

[Mark Arbour]

Gerbils...the less said, the better.

 

Sharon's rule: No animals may be fictionally harmed during sex acts in the story. That's why I had to pull the chapter with Stef and the horse.

 

Come on, you know me better than that. It would go like this:

 

Me: You know, Will's stick up his ass feels really representative of his generation. I think that's a great idea. You're doing a great job of representing how different this generation is from Brad's generation, which preferred fisting over the stick. I must stress again how important is to differentitate the two generations, to keep things from feeling repeitive. You've done a great job of doing so, thus far.

 

Mark: Thank you.

 

Me: At the same time, I like that you stressed the differences in between Will and JJ, as JJ has opted out of having a stick put up his ass. Having JJ instead opt for an ice pick was genius. I really feel that does a great job of setting JJ apart from his brother, and represents his own determination to forge a path of his own as he naviages the tumultous decade of the 2000's.

 

Mark: As always, you are right, Jeremy. I am so lucky to have such a bright young man as my muse.

 

Me: I'm just happy to be of service. You know I'll always have your back.

 

Mark: And I'll always have yours, son. *Mark envelops Jeremy in comforting and fatherly hug*

 

It's times like this that I really miss the "negative" button.

[sat8997]

It's times like this that I really miss the "negative" button.

 

Bus!!!

[methodwriter85]

Hey, just curious...does anyone remember the scene where Will showed JJ how to masturbate, and when that took place? I want to say somewhere around August.