Cia

I'm so glad the guys have grown on you! I know you're not into MMM, but as this isn't contemporary, I've really tried to keep the usual jealousy and love triangle BS out of the story--and I've plenty of other plot elements that it works. I think just about everything I create can be expanded into a new world and series, lol. If only I had more time (and the ability to focus on writing all the time like the really dedicated authors). And yes, you'll learn more about the aliens, I promise!

Thanks, Wayne! Those are questions I'm glad you're asking, and I hope other readers are thinking, too! I'm so glad you enjoyed the story; thanks for the review.

I did! I thought it was time to share one of the alien's POV, and Moshe felt like the natural voice to use for this chapter. He has a connection to the land that could really appreciate what Miah's stake means to him. I'm glad you liked the really hot parts too, lol. More coming with the winter anthol! Thanks so much for the review, hun!

Hey Gary... well, this is nothing like cheating. And, as it focuses on them as a group, and not just 2 and a third added in, I think it works well. There's no jealousy, no 'do you love him more than me?' drama planned. I hope you continue to enjoy the series, 2 more are already posted and only 1 left for the winter anthol! Thanks for the review.

Sorry I missed replying to this review, Caz! Thank you so much for reading, and I hope you enjoyed the next 2 stories.

Wow! I'd missed some reviews! Sorry about that bookjunky! You haven't gotten Lisco's POV yet, but maybe for the last one. I hope you've continued to read and enjoy this series and thanks for the review.

This was great! I could feel the authenticity of the period piece, and after your end note, I know why. If we can't do, seeing and hearing about something from someone who did makes for great realism. I really enjoyed the story.

I love this sort of 'story'. It's historical, in a way, but it's not. It feels more like fantasy--being so completely divorced from today. There's so little we know and so much we don't, that it's an imagination playground. The idea of homosexuality being anathema to the group due to survival instincts, yet still 'there'--even if the pair doesn't understand it--was a great subtle detail to the story. Also, to tell the entire story and not use any dialogue? So much harder than it seems, especially when you aren't doing contemporary and have to set the story in a foreign place/time/world. Great job!

I liked the bravery of your character--to overcome his own pain and fear to comfort another. I'm the first to admit that death makes me awkward. I don't know how to handle sympathy from others, preferring to be alone, and I never seem to know what to say. "Crap!" sums it up though. That was a great line in a short story that packed an emotional wallop.

I like it... and it's plausible for those little blurbs to come about as memories from reading the notes in the journal, but I noticed you only did the negatives. With a theme like Scars, I can understand that, but for the story was about the teacher's experience with his students--good and bad. I would've liked to see the way the good students affected his job, and his life, too. I could visualize each short scene, though, so your way with words to tell a story to create vivid mental pictures stays great, as always.

Gotta love werewolf stories. I like the battle, that was great and gruesome at the same time. I can't help but be confused by who Sal and the other wolf were and why the alpha couldn't handle sniffing out the one with death and craziness. If they weren't pack, why were they in the territory and known to the pack? Were they loners? Why could he feel them, but not feel them separately to know which was the crazy pissed off one?

Ahh, sentimentality! I don't have much of it, myself, but I love to read it in stories. I enjoyed this the first time I read it, but even more now when it's all polished, and I can just enjoy it.

Wow... the two stories I've read so far both dealt with abuse. I guess, with a theme like Scars, that is a topic that will probably come to mind a lot for people. I like this story, which has a romance and happy ending, yay, but with an ending where Toby forgives his abductor/abuser, getting to see those open emotional wounds heal up so he could get to that point would've been a more visceral read. We're told he has a change of heart in the story--we don't 'see' it, either when he decides to live again, or when he decides to forgive. Short stories are difficulty in that way, as you have to pick and choose what to show, so I understand the time leap as much as I wish to see more during it.

This was dark, but you kept it from going overdone by narrating some of the abuse rather than showing them. Usually I tell authors to do the opposite, but really, in many ways your story was about not giving up, even if you only keep going because that's all you know how to do. Well done on that aspect to give the end of the story that upturn.

YAY! Thanks for the hard work on the stories and proofing everyone! Always, thanks to AJ and Renee for making sure it goes off without a hitch.

Miah's in a jam. He can't work his stake, but if he doesn't accept his precious cattle, already paid for with nearly all the money he had to his name, he could lose everything. Lisco and Moshe still want him, and are willing to do just about anything to convince Miah they're serious. Will he let them help him out, or will he let pride ruin everything?

Miah glanced over his shoulder at me, eyebrows drawn down in a scowl. “You can put me down now.” “No.” I smiled at him. “Don’t you think you should help Lisco pack your stuff?” he asked. I shook my head. “No. He’s faster than me anyway. Better I stay out of the way. Besides, I like you in my arms.” I did. Miah was solid but no challenge for my strength. I almost wished he hadn’t gotten the hover chair to move around in until his hands healed. If we’d known how scared he was, and that the pill

"I'm here." Right after we got married my hubby and I were in a car wreck. I was pinned, seriously banged up and bleeding, but he was there. When I woke up from surgery, he was there. When he had to do everything for me for months, he was there. Come time for the house, and kids, the ups and downs of the job market scare... all the good and bad over the last 14 years we've been married, and the three before that, he's been there. That's really something in this day and age. Question: If, on getting up one morning, you'd been turned into the opposite gender, what is the first thing you'd do?

Happy Birthday, hun!!

“When Sheshtun hurt Yuri, I didn’t help him,” Peten muttered. “I should’ve. But I don’t know if you’ll understand what it was like.” Hatred burned in his eyes. “What he did to us, just because he had the power. We hadn’t joined with your clan long before you mated with Yuri and Sheshtun really went off the deep end. You didn’t see how bad he could be. You don’t know how much he could make life hurt.” Benny’s nostrils flared as he held on to his temper by the narrowest margin. “You think I didn’

Ouch. I feel so bad for southern kids, especially ones who are stuck in those types of places. I remember 'fag' being the worst insult ever for the guy who was so clearly gay in our class where I grew up in Smalltown USA. Then again, he used baking soda in the cake we had to make for home ec and got me an F... so yeah, I kinda hated him too. He wrecked my perfect grade! Oh the teenage drama, lol! That video is a perfect example of the way things seem so immense and out of control to teens, but how the 'It gets better!' campaign really can help.

This month’s Signature Background featured 9.11 by Mark Arbour. Usually when we feature a story by a Signature author, we like to get a review from one of the site members… but the very nature of 9.11 made that difficult. It’s a story in a very long, very complex series, and CAP isn’t something you can just jump into anywhere. So, instead, I thought we’d let a few of Mark’s over 1000 reviews (holy crap!!!) share reader’s favorite parts and thoughts from the very emotional tale. 9.11 by Mark Arbour Signature Author Series: CAP Saga Bk 13 Length: 502,253 Status: Complete From BigBearPaul: I know that this is my first review but I sometimes get overwhelmed by the quality of the postings here. That written, I really love the CAP stories and I love this constant struggle that appears between the Schluter and the Hayes men… Again, great story and so much more to look forward to. From jack.unders: OMG!!! What more can I say that has not already been said so eloquently by all my fellow fans and readers of CAP and other sagas that have been borne from the imagination of such a fertile mind as that of our beloved auithor, Mark. To all of his assoicates that have contributed to the publication of what has been up to now an amazing journey through the lives of JP's family, my heartfelt thanks. From dtothesecond: It just gets better with every book. It is easy to see, just by having read this book in its entirety, that 9.11 took a lot of blood, sweat and tears to put together. That was such a turbulent time in everyone's lives, mine included. I've stayed quiet for a long time (I think I last posted when "Paternity" was still new...dang time flies) but I just want to say once again just how much I appreciate your amazing talent for writing and the fact you share it with us, your devoted fans, here on GA. I look forward to seeing what awaits that Crampton/Schluter/Hobart/Danfield/Carrswold/etc clans in the coming book. It's my (and many other readers, from what I've seen) hope that Matt finally figures things out in the next book. I guess only you know if he and Wade will eventually work their ways back to each other and I eagerly await the twists and turns that are sure to come in the next book. From Mark M: Wow, realising I joined the CAP series in 2008 with Be-Rad means I've been reading your work for like six years. (Holy crap) These story are just pure gold in my mind. However some authors I read kill of characters left right and centre. I believe the creator of "Game of Thrones" (The Author) has the record for most introduced and killed main characters. I have not read his work but I do watch the show. And alas he is gone and has not returned I will mention Vlista here also as one of the most descriptive brutalish writers I have read. But in Also Seriousness, Mark. I Rank you in one of my favourite authors of all time. And there are many more reviews where these came from!! Mark has one of the most vocal readerships I’ve ever seen—commenting on his characters as if they live—because for so long may have for readers within the series. To keep up the continuity well enough to please fans in the time-sweeping CAP Saga is an impressive feat, because they’re certainly not shy in sharing their criticism on the plot and characters just as freely as they praise it. And that’s just what we like to see here on GA!

Ahh, but there are those who are far more vocal than I am. I work on a small scale. I think, in a way, it's easier for me. I have kids that need to be taught what is right and what is wrong. I also have to deal with the idea of them possibly being bi like me, or gay, or straight but having really weird taste in partners... First and foremost, I want them to know that no matter what they are into, they're just fine. I love them no matter what. The natural progression of being okay with yourself is that you should be okay with others--if they're not harming anyone else, even if what they're into isn't what you're into, that's their business. I grew up with a bigoted parent. I know how that can mess with you, if you don't have your head screwed on right. I won't let that happen to them.

Choice is an interesting buzz word when it comes to any social issue. Free will means we can't MAKE anyone do anything, but that doesn't stop other people from trying. Intolerance for sexuality is very common, right up there with racial profiling, religious persecution, etc... It can be as simple as a kid using the word fag to insult someone, without even really knowing what it means, to Westboro Baptist protesting at military funerals for fallen soldiers that don't fit in their ideals of a worthy human being. And you can't take that choice away from them. You can argue against it, you can ignore it, but you can't force your choice to be open-minded on anyone else if they don't want to see things from your point-of-view. But people CAN change, if give the chance. I've seen it. I've pushed back at family in my life who are bigots, peacefully and with logic, and got them to agree to stop using hateful language around me and mine. It's a slow process. My husband's family were using quite a few gay slurs last weekend up camping when sitting around the fire visiting, laughing like it was funny, but I wasn't laughing. They've toned down some of the slurs over the years, because I find them offensive and asked they stop, but people don't change overnight on how they've been taught to think and speak. Some families beliefs are too entrenched in social bigotry or religious intolerance to be that easy to change. With strangers, you don't know why they are the way they are. It's much harder to combat when you don't know what will get through to a person. Sometimes you just can't. I'll probably never make the choice to march in a protest or wave banners during a vote, that's not my style. Others do, and that's great. I will continue to work on my family and friends, and teach my kids to accept diversity and reject bullying and hate. I teach them they can't take away the bully's choice to be mean, but they can stand up and say it's wrong, and make sure the person being hurt knows they don't have to suffer it alone--no matter what they're being bullied for. I believe in making changes around us, and the more people try to do that, the better off we all will be.

Oh, you always ask the best questions. You pick up on everything I hope readers do, every time! Don't worry, you'll get more answers next time, I promise.