Cia

I like your frog, he's cute. The vintage sweater is too adorable. I say 9.

You are perfectly normal. Not saying it's right...but normal, I'm guessing so. Have to say I laughed my ass off though.

Oh yes... I tried to come up with something that wasn't the expected. I like to throw twists that might not be the ones you see coming, not to mention finally start answering a few of the questions of the why's of the story. I think that the Shilan has more than met his match when it comes to evil doings. Thanks for commenting in my topic, it's very nice to hear your thoughts on the story!!

LMAO

Okay, Ch. 4 has been posted and that's it for the story. Short and posted quickly. Before I get anyone else too sad it's over I will say that I am thinking of revisiting these guys sometime in the future. I would love to hear more thoughts on Double Down and the characters, so feel free to post on what you've read or would like to read with Marc, Nat and Rylan.

I LOVE it! Ch. 1 laid the groundwork for a whole new world and the drama of the testing was a great emotional build-up to the scene where everyone gets locked up in ice. The voice in his head is fascinating, especially when it calls him certain names, that adds to the air of mystery. Ch. 2 seemed to give us a bit more information but also a lot of questions as well. We got a few more tastes of the voice. You definitely revealed more of it's alien nature (not as in e.t.), such as not understanding about stairs and such. Garrett's question about his powers being so different is one I echo and I can't wait to find out what happens to him and the others who disappeared into the flames. Winslow got what he deserved, YAY! I'm also wondering about Lady Demonte's comment towards his sword-sworn. All in all, a great start. I hope you don't make us wait too awful long before you send continue with this story!

Could I see these students getting possible charges of minor in posession from police? Yes. Can I see the validity of the school kicking the athletes off their teams? No. Also, I want to know who instituted the community service? Is it the police in lieu of ticketing the teenagers or the school's arbritary punishment for the student's that aren't athletes? Why are not all the teenagers getting community service? Were some doing thins that were worse than the others? Does forced community service equal not being able to play a game, even if there is the possibility it helps you get into college? Back when I was in high school the senior class always had a big drunk fest the night of graduation and a 'school official' volunteered a field on their property for it to occur on, it was impossible to raid because of the location. Every year the school offered a reward for any information leading to the shut down of the party, and yet it never happened. I was in a tiny school way in a rural setting, there were maybe a handful of students that didn't drink or do other things. There was never any accidents, incidents of alchohol poisoning or fights. I'm not condoing teen drinking, but really, if it isn't on school time, property or affect a function, is it not the parent's or the police's responsibility to respond? I think the school system in this day and age has become overly restrictive and completely too involved in dictating a students time away from the school. Morality clause, sheesh, these are teenagers for cripes sakes, the contracts aren't legally binding yet they don't allow the kids to play unless they sign, it's essentially blackmail.

Cube steak, creamy garlic pasta, organic white corn for us and personal cheese pizzas for the kids. Yums.

I liked the start you have made with Crossing Blades. The characters are well written, even in so brief a start. I can't wait to read more on this, find out what happens to the injured skater, the other skaters. Great time to come out with this, during the winter Olympics! With 'Trust Me', wow, did you inject a lot of action. This story has a lot of loose ends, so many questions. It seems as soon as I get an answer to one of them, three more crop up. I love that, it keeps me interested in stories when a writers does that. Can't wait to read more, you left it in such an intriguing place!

This story deserves the readership, it had a great plot from start to finish, lots of twists and turns and action. Congrats on the 20,000!!

Enjoy the chocolate cake, just for you! Have a great day!!

I can't speak to any of that, but did want to say hello and welcome to GA.

Unfortunately I'm somewhat on the boyfriends boat in this one. Trust is the foundation of all relationships. If you can't trust or you are always looking for a reason not to, you won't be happy. People need to just get on with life unless bad things are actually happening, lords know they do often enough.

That is a pretty scary thought, hmmm, do you wash your hands?

Okay, so I know I have been told this comes across differently when a guy does it, but sometimes I can smile back at a strange man who smiles nicely at me, so it can't be all the time. Anyhow, tangent. What I was going to say, was try an experiment that I try to do everyday. Smile at at least 10 strangers each day, as you are walking past on the street, in the store, oooh, especially those poor people who work as cashiers, tellers, gas pump attendants, anyone who you just know gets a lot of grief throughout the day. It makes them smile, which makes me smile bigger and really mean it, even if I didn't when I first made the gesture. Anyhow, just an idea

Why didn't you answer in a question KJames? What's the matter, Matt, boyfriend on the brain keeping you from thinking up good questions? I want pancakes now, who's going to make me some?

As one of the girls, I have to say I never considered anal sex a 'virgin' thing. If you've had sex, you've had sex. I guess you can still be tested and 'technically' be a virgin physically but yeesh, talk about semantics and splitting hairs.

Beings that I don't crush on anyone here and really think it's kinda juvenile, I'd avoided that message topic completely. I soooo agree with you. Icks, especially if it makes someone uncomfortable, which I could totally see it doing.

Whoda Thunk it? Congrats sweetie!! Party!!!!

I have to say I posted because I was encouraged to by Nephy and Lugh. I write because I get an idea from a situation, a story I've read or just something that comes to me. At times I have no choice and will sit and write for hours because it has to come out or I go a bit batty. The 2nd question, well, before I posted I would have to say it was fear. Fear of what others would say, what if no one commented or all the comments were harsh and super critical? I think everyone is plagued by self-doubt at some point or another. Mine happened to be when it came to my writing. TPoH was the first story I have ever shared and I felt like I was taking a flying leap when I did. the 3rd question, A grading system? NO way! I would hate to be held up against seasoned writers who have the skills and know-how that I am lacking as a newbie. I think that would be discouraging to many, even if it did manage to stay an un-biased system. Now, awards are flattering and gratifying I think. It may be partly a popularity contest but I have to say that being nominated for a few categories in the GA RCA was very gratifying. I appreciate every comment in the topics and every review I get for my stories, it definitely keeps me writing.

Of course you would come out with that comment James. Totally funny! I guess I have a wider view of sex. Sexual contact = sex = loss of virginity, no matter what the sex of the person is. I think the 'typical' societal perception is penetrative is the only thing that counts but I have some arguements against that. Say you have a threesome and one parter does not penetrate but is involved in touching of personal parts and there is orgasm (ejaculation or not depending on gender, I'm leaving that open). Would you consider only the 2 people who had penetrative sex to have had sex? I have to say imo, I think if 2 or more people have involved, consensual intimate contact that results in sexual pleasure or orgasm that is considered sex. Think of it this way as well, if your partner got a hand job or gave one would you consider it cheating or would the excuse, it's not like we had sex, apply?

I could never have just stood there, even if as a 'guard' it had cost me my job. That's awful to watch a single person ganged up on and beaten like that. Granted it was their 'job description' to only observe, but what is wrong with a little bit of common decency. Did they even try to break it up verbally? The article makes it sounds as if they didn't. The police officers the girl attempted to have protect her when she left the mall are even more culpable in my mind. Like the situation wasn't going to escalate outside of the Mall, even if they forced the violent group to leave by a different exit? Yeah, right! This was an unfortunate incident but if it makes the company providing the guards alter their duties and training accordingly then it has had at least some positive fall out.

Hi all. I forgot to start this topic when I posted Double Down. I started this story with an idea for the anthology. Unfortunately, I thought, it kept growing, absolutely refusing to stay a single chapter story. Marc has too many problems, Nat is too damn cute and Ry, well, that is one persistant little brother. I decided to stop trying to stifle them and let them go. This story is what came to me after that. I've written a good portion of it already but decided to post, knowing that would get me to finish it So, hopefully it won't be long until you all get to read the end, I just have to figure out HOW it ends In advance, let me say thank you to everyone for their comments!

The best way around 1st person is allowing the switch in 'characters' you are using for this. Say, chapter one is from "Saul's" pov and chapter two is from "Tom's" pov. It allows you to explore the inner workings and reactions of each character in turn but still limits you somewhat. Some people change pov within a chapter, but that needs clear delineation to avoid confusing the reader. Others simply retell the same events told in the last chapter in the beginning of the 2nd chapter, giving the new character's emotional/mental reactions to flesh out the physical events that was written the last time. It's great when done well but imo 3rd person omniscent is really the easiest to write and read. I'm currently writing 2 stories, one in each. 3rd person flows so much easier for me. Just my two cents.

Thank you again! And you saw this twist coming... but as for where it's going? Hmmm...