[LittleBuddhaTW] SOOTB 14

[LittleBuddhaTW]

Chapter 14 is up ...

 

http://members.gayauthors.org/littlebuddhatw/SOOTB14.html

 

As usual, many thanks to Kitty for doing an excellent job editing!

 

Hope everyone enjoys!

[Drewbie]

Reading now. got to the part where connor is in his new room.

 

Love it so far

[Centaur]

Hi David!

 

I just read 14 - it was excellent! A lot of us were on pins and needles about what was going to happen to Connor for placement, so nice job on the suspense factor! He had been through a lot already, so I know all of us were hoping he would get a chance to stay at Ryan's house.

 

You do a great job of mixing in the positive and negative strands in the story. While Connor is happy to be in his new home with his own room and access to Toby, he still has to deal with the death of his mother (which he steadfastly refuses to talk about) and not being able to play at the pub. And there is the lingering issue of his rape and when that will come back to haunt him.

 

I have to say how amazed I am at your very cool musical knowledge. You put that in there in each chapter, and I find myself learning new things every time. Your song choices are always awesome (I love Elton John and Billy Joel also) - the Meat Loaf song was a great choice. I didn't know anything about the piano you described, but it was clear that Connor had a lucky break there. Your musical pieces, and the stories around them, really add a nice element to your story.

 

As I read this chapter, I knew that while this was a major positive step for Connor, there were still a lot of issues to deal with over the coming chapters. You can tell it's going to be hard for Toby, as much as he wants Connor to live with them, to be able to sit by and watch Ryan and Connor love each other. I'm sure he will try to find solace with Cody, but will that be enough?

 

You can also tell that the issues I talked about above, like his mother's death and his rape, are simmering at the surface just waiting to rise again. And how easy will it be for him to adjust to this new life after dealing with so many bad things in his old home?

 

I've really enjoyed reading SOOTB, and I have a few favorite pieces to the story now. I really like Ryan as a character. His depth of caring and love is a lighthouse through Connor's storm. I really love the musical additions. It's a deep part of Connor's personality, and you can see how music has kept him sane through the years. And I like Maggie. We all want a Maggie in our life to keep us safe at night.

 

So, kudos to you on another great chapter. Thanks to Kitty again for her awesome job on editing. You guys make a great team, and we all benefit!

 

I love it. Keep the great chapters coming. I read that you plan to make this a 20-something chapter story with an epilogue, so I'm absolutely relishing in the fact that we're only on 14! All I can ask is that you plan on another story like SOOTB! Otherwise, what will our Saturdays be like?!?!?!?

 

Thanks again!

 

Centaur (George)

[Rabble_Rouser]

LBTW,

 

Another great chapter and a happy conclusion to the Connor\Social Services cliffy! I kinda get that this chapter is a bit of a pause before we are propelled into the next bit of conflict.

 

Thanks for the great story and for giving me something good to read on a crappy (cold & wet) Saturday.

 

Thanks also to Kitty for all the work she's putting into editing this story... editors tend to be the unsung heroes of GA!

 

Steve

[ex52tech]

Great! I really liked it, as usual you did a good job.

 

 

I liked how deep it got at the end of the chapter. Connor staying alone on his first night with his thoughts, it showed alot of emotional maturity from a character who has built alot of walls so others couldn't see in, and so he could ignore the bad and some of the good things that were happening to him.

 

 

Thanks David, I needed a feel good story at the end of two stressful weeks.

 

Ex.

 

PS. The piano was really cool.

Edited May 7, 2006 by ex52tech

[C James]

Great chapter! I really liked it!

 

Everything seems to be looking up for Connor... So, why do I suspect that the sky is about to fall?

[nicks_a_writer]

Great chapter... i was really starting to get worried that connor wouldnt get to stay with them... but you proved me wrong... i am just wondering where you are gonna take the story now... any way i loved this chapter

 

later ~ nick

[Centaur]

LOL - I have to agree with CJames...

 

We're a little wary at this point because things seemed to be going so good.

 

Let's just say we've learned the hard way not to be lulled into believing Connor has found fantasyland!

 

Something wicked this way comes, perhaps?

 

Let's cross our fingers folks.

[Rigel]

Dang!

 

 

It's clear that Connor is going to need opportunities to perform. It's not just maintenance of the thing that kept him sane through his abusive homelife; it's also because performance is going to be one of the better formats for the therapy he will need. He really needs to figure out an alternative to the pub. And I have this background (and serious hobby) in arts management, so I've been thinking all night about acceptable performance possibilities for a 15-year-old, instead of getting my own arts-festival work done. Church coffeehouses were the first possibility that sprang to my mind, followed by opportunities for charity-related benefits. I don't suppose there are proper busking venues in the town in which he lives?

 

I am enjoying both the story itself and Connor's situation.

In my mind, I foresaw not only that Connor would wind up at the McCormacks, but that he would have his own bedroom, along with permission to visit Ryan every night. The best of all possible worlds!

 

 

And I presume that Maggie rescued the new DVD player (Christmas gift from Ryan) from the trailer, along with the Elton John cassettes and the box of books?

 

--Rigel

[C James]

Our esteemed author wouldn't do something like that ... would he?

 

Well, let's just say that I didn't start calling him Little Beelzebub Taiwan for nothing.

 

LOL - I have to agree with CJames...

We're a little wary at this point because things seemed to be going so good.

 

Centaur, I think it's only fair to warn you that agreeing with me has proven to be a darn good way to be wrong.

[Camy]

A good chapter all round. Possibly a lull before some nasty evil storm, though in the end I predict all will be well and Connor will get a well deserved record deal and buy Necker Island from Richard Branson.

 

Camy

PS I just can't believe Billy Joel is 57. It seems just wrong. (btw playing 'I'm moving out' a lot is an excellent way to end a house share).

PPS Goat's in shades rock.

[LittleBuddhaTW]

As one poster suggested, Ch. 14 kind of brings an end to one aspect of the story (although, perhaps, not entirely), and since it's at least 10 chapters away from completion, there is still plenty of time for more drama and conflict, although it may be of a much different kind, and I think we might be starting to see a very different Connor. But then again, I may be wrong ...

 

Kitty's working on Chapter 15, and I'm working on Chapter 17 (which is progressing much more quickly than Chapter 16, by the way) ... and within the next few weeks, there should also be a new chapter of "Service: Vampire Jarred 2" that I have guest authored for dkstories, so if you all haven't read that story yet, you might want to give it a try before my chapter is posted ... It's definitely very different than anything I've written before: http://dkstories.gayauthors.org

[Jack Frost]

So I predicted right. Connor stays with Maggie and the kids.

 

Now that ends one ascept of the story...Connor is no longer have to face shittreatment from his mother, working to make end meets, and so on. Now a new family and possibly Connor will face different things he never dealt.

 

I'll remain a loyal fan.

[C James]

I'd never disagree with a goat wearing sunglasses.

 

PPS Goat's in shades rock.

 

I'm so very glad the two of you said those things! It makes it so much easier to know that I have support for the suggestion I'm about to make...

 

Little Buddha, why is there (as yet) no Goat in SOOTB???

Edited May 9, 2006 by C James

[LittleBuddhaTW]

Little Buddha, why is there (as yet) no Goat in SOOTB???

 

Sorry ... there isn't one planned ... but that certainly doesn't preclude the possibility that there could be a goat in a future story. However, there are a couple of famous "cameos" ... one has appeared already, although I'm not sure if anyone noticed, and another much more easily recognizable one will be in an upcoming chapter.

 

Buddha

[LittleBuddhaTW]

*waves hand* I know, I know ... well, one of them, at least ... guess I need to go back and reread for the other.

 

Here's a hint:

 

Actually, the cameos in SOOTB have nothing to do with my chapter of "Service" ... I guess you'll have to dig a little deeper ...

 

I'll give you a hint ... he/she begins his/her appearance somewhere in the past several chapters, and is only partially based on the individual (i.e. the age is off, and it's obviously a completely fictional account).

 

Buddha

Edited May 9, 2006 by LittleBuddhaTW

[LittleBuddhaTW]

I'm not giving away any more clues, except to say that of the first (of two) cameos in the story: 1) Kitty's guess is wrong, and 2) it's not a TV/movie/music personality.

 

The first person to send me the correct answer in a PM will receive a prize (not kidding).

 

 

Buddha

[annushka]

My english is usually fluent enough to understand everything, but I'm affraid it has reached its limit: what exactly is a cameo please?

 

To little buddha: still a very nice story (I won't repeat myself again, I said it last time already LOL). Just like everyone else, I wonder what's in store for poor connor, 10 more chaps, there is room for a lot to happen... don't be too mean please ^^;;;

[LittleBuddhaTW]

My english is usually fluent enough to understand everything, but I'm affraid it has reached its limit: what exactly is a cameo please?

 

A "cameo" is a brief appearance by someone "famous" (or that we all know) in a story or movie.

 

Kind of like Stephen King always plays a very small role in each of the films that have been made out of his books, such as playing a pizza delivery man or some small role like that.

 

Hope that helps!

[C James]

I'm not giving away any more clues, except to say that of the first (of two) cameos in the story: 1) Kitty's guess is wrong, and 2) it's not a TV/movie/music personality.

 

The first person to send me the correct answer in a PM will receive a prize (not kidding).

 

 

Buddha

 

Well, I sent mine, and am probably wrong... I do hope, though, that at some point you tell us who it is?

 

BTW, for a while I thought, due to the Vampire Jarrod comment, that it was Jarrod who was making a cameo... My response to that was "Too bad he didn't get to meet Connor's Mom.".

[Kurt]

Wow... I am so far behind. I have not even finished chapter 14 yet. I really have to get on that. I am only to the part where Conner finds out that he will be staying with Ryan.

 

Kurt

[LittleBuddhaTW]

The "cameo" appearance should be pretty clear once you've read Chapter 15, so the contest is still on. If you can guess the character (and who he/she is supposed to represent), send me a PM. The first person to guess correctly will get to see Chapter 16 before it's officially posted.

 

Buddha