STORY STATISTICS

[Mark Arbour]

GA has a feature where I can look at certain story stats, so I compiled them and thought I'd share them with you.  These stats are for books in the Bridgemont and CAP series only (no anthologies, etc.)

Total Words Written: 7,147,730

Total Comments Received:  24,603

Total Views:  13,095,894

Three most popular stories based on views per word: 

1.  The Gunroom

2.  Northern Exposure

3.  Black Widow

Four most popular stories based on views per chapter: 

1. Paternity

2.  Black Widow

3.  Northern Exposure

4.  Odyssey

Three most popular stories based on Comments per word

1.  The Freshmen

2.  Peace of Amiens

3.  Flux

[PrivateTim]

Funny, I remember all of those well except Flux, which is kind of a blur.

[Gary L]

Three most enjoyed by me:

1. Master & Commander - the trip to the W Indies and meeting his grandfather 

2. Black Widow - the evil bitch in all her glory

3. Northern Exposure - an historical and geographical tour de force 

Three best ever moments:

1. Will destroying clothes, shoes and cars before running away

2. Granger brings the ruby back to king and is knighted

3. Zach appears on Ru Paul’s Drag Race and can’t believe he’s been outed…. At last (we can all dream, no?)

Thank you for many years of pleasure, @Mark Arbour 🤗 

[Carnelian]

I discovered CAP on Nifty many, many years ago. I have enjoyed those 7,000,000+  words over the years and am so, so grateful that you have given your gifts to the world as you have. 
 

The funniest scene to me, in all of your works, is when Matt first shows up to dinner and the family puts 2 and 2 together, and they all lose their minds. Never fails to make me laugh.

[centexhairysub]

OMG, you can't just choose one....

[impunity]

Fun stats, well deserved. 

[Mark Arbour]

9 hours ago, PrivateTim said:

Funny, I remember all of those well except Flux, which is kind of a blur.

Think capacitor. 

[methodwriter85]

11 hours ago, PrivateTim said:

Funny, I remember all of those well except Flux, which is kind of a blur.

I mean, it's a Matt story where he kind of freaks out about graduating college and tries to hold on to his youth for just a little bit longer before surrendering to adulthood and his family with Wade.

[Mark Arbour]

11 minutes ago, methodwriter85 said:

I mean, it's a Matt story where he kind of freaks out about graduating college and tries to hold on to his youth for just a little bit longer before surrendering to adulthood and his family with Wade.

Actually it’s about Wade and Matt healing after 9-11 and getting back together. But there’s definitely a journey into adulthood for both of them. 

[methodwriter85]

Just now, Mark Arbour said:

Actually it’s about Wade and Matt healing after 9-11 and getting back together. But there’s definitely a journey into adulthood for both of them. 

It's an interesting time in your life. My grad school period was honestly the best two years of my life. I'd go back to 25 in a heartbeat in a way I wouldn't for 21. 

[Gary L]

1 minute ago, methodwriter85 said:

It's an interesting time in your life. My grad school period was honestly the best two years of my life. I'd go back to 25 in a heartbeat in a way I wouldn't for 21. 

Agreed! 

[Sterling888]

Many many thanks you’re all the joy you’ve given us.

My morning rituals aren’t complete until I check for a new Mark Arbour posting. 
And when a new post happens, it always gets read before the day can start. 
 

[drpaladin]

Congrats, Mark!

You've provided us with countless hours of reading pleasure.

[Gandalf]

So many hours of pleasure.  Read and re read.  You have kept this historian, social worker, and trans Atlantic sailor well entertained and at times distracted from reality in such a grand way.  Thank you so much for all you have done for us.  Pax Ste

[Daddydavek]

I've been reading Mark's stories for years, both here on GA and before that on his Yahoo group which has long since folded and they have given me countless hours of reading enjoyment over the approximately 20 years I've been reading his output which I continue to find:  AMAZING!

[Canuk]

Comparative newly, only been following MA since 2010 ( second longest relationship aside from family!), but 15+ years of amazing entertainment and interactions with people, some of whom seem to be as mad as me! Thanks!

[PrivateTim]

On 11/14/2025 at 9:37 PM, Mark Arbour said:

Think capacitor. 

 

I was thinking what Chinese gay men do.

[methodwriter85]

On 11/21/2025 at 5:06 PM, Canuk said:

Comparative newly, only been following MA since 2010 ( second longest relationship aside from family!), but 15+ years of amazing entertainment and interactions with people, some of whom seem to be as mad as me! Thanks!

I got acquainted with Mark in 2006 from the Yahoo group that Adam Phillips had built around his story Cross-Currents. I then began consulting with Mark after he began posting Chronicles of An Academic Predator in the summer of 2008.