Cia

So people should only describe/talk about their children and spouse when talking to other people based on... what? Their looks? Their age? Nothing at all, just say, "I have a wife and kids"? Anything else is objectifying them by talking about their characteristics, skills, personality traits? I'm sorry, but whatever you think this issue is... it's really not.

Are you asking why people use terms such a 'my spouse' or 'my children', and insinuating that those are possessive in an ownership way rather than simply indicating personal relationship from the person speaking to the person(s) they're speaking about? Because, honestly, I really don't understand your topic post at all.

LOL! Duck indeed. I'm sure Deke really doesn't appreciate it, but I'm glad readers do!

;) You never know!!

I surprised you, woo hoo!! And me, cruel? Noooo. Muahahahahaha

Soooo soooo so much!

I use Pixabay for a lot of stock because it's free, but for models or recognizable structures, you still need a specific release even if the image is creative commons. I prefer to buy my stock instead, and my go-to site is 123rf.com. Unfortunately, I don't think you're going to have a lot of luck finding shirtless teen models. You'd be better off focusing on the character's specifics (hair/skin/general build/clothing style) and then skimming those different kinds of models for a pose/image/background that would work for your story. If you find a model who is sitting like you want, and they have black hair while your character is a pale blond, that doesn't really work out. Honestly, this is usually why, if I plan to create a visual for a story, I find a stock image that resonates for the character and/or setting and then base the story around that. Not always possible when you get inspiration for a story, but it definitely helps.

Right? And why did it happen then? Will it happen again? So many questions unanswered!

I try! Sometimes the story even takes me to places I don't realize it's going. Just wait--even more coming up!!

So much going on, tension is definitely the way to term it. Not much going right and a whole lot going wrong. The next chapter will answer some of your questions.

The true question here was...what really happened to him? Keep reading! Thanks for the review, Puppilull

Red herring... hmm... maybe? Maybe not? I'll never tell! *cackles* You get to meet him in the next chapter, though. Happy reading!

Good news is few and far between, isn't it? Chapter 17 has some revelations, but I'm afraid like for Deke and Kraig isn't getting a whole lot easier. Thanks for the review, Lux!

“You don’t remember?” I asked cautiously. “No, no, don’t sit up.” I gently pushed on his shoulders. “What am I supposed to remember?" Kraig asked as he looked around. “Wait, how did I get back here? I fell asleep at my parents’ house.” Kraig frowned and worked his jaw. He reached up and pressed against the bruise on the side of his face. “Ow. What’s going on?" “I brought you back here. You were unconscious because I knocked you out." Just saying the words was hard enough. The look on Kraig’s f

You definitely don't give a blow-by-blow, but I know some readers don't like to know the general direction a story is taking. If I'm not researching an author for a first-time buy, I typically won't do more read the blurb and skim ratings to see the general vibe for the story because I sometimes feel knowing even the basics leads to reducing the 'what if' tension or to grasp some of the finer aha moments before their time.

**Beware of some spoiler reveals in this reveal if you don't like to know anything about a story before you start reading it**

Are you ready for things to change? It's September so seasons and schedules are all out of wack for many people in the world, but one thing remains the same... we have great stories to feature for you to read! This month we're focusing on Thaw by Puppilull. Make sure you take the time to read this month's feature and come back on the discussion day to share your thoughts or questions. Thaw by Puppilull Length: 59,856 Description: The story of Joel and Lucas, meeting by chance or perhaps accident. A Reader Said: A wonderful way to say 'until next time' to the guys and awesome for grandpa! He has a girlfriend And OMG you made JAR blush *high five* ~ LitLover This month's Discussion day will take place on Monday, September 26th!

That's a "rule" we were all taught, but it's not an actual rule that most people or authors follow. More and more grammar rules are being adjusted to follow speech patterns, and avoiding prepositions ending sentences just isn't something most people worry about doing. CMoS 5.176 Ending a sentence with a preposition The traditional caveat of yesteryear against ending sentences with prepositions is, for most writers, an unnecessary and pedantic restriction. As Winston Churchill famously said, “That is the type of arrant pedantry up with which I shall not put.” A sentence that ends in a preposition may sound more natural than a sentence carefully constructed to avoid a final preposition. Compare, for example, this is the case I told you about with this is the case about which I told you. The “rule” prohibiting terminal prepositions was an ill-founded superstition. Today many grammarians use the dismissive term pied-piping for this phenomenon.

Try to add as much information as possible. Do you remember if you read it here or elsewhere? Was it a multi-chapter story or just a single chapter? Was the story complete? About how long ago did you read it?

*ding, ding, ding* I was hoping someone would notice that!!! Yep, if I were writing this for publication, that is exactly the type of thing that would need to be changed.

There are rules for just about everything--though finding them can be difficult when they're not expressly laid out for your particular circumstance like Graeme's situation. What is important? Consistency. If there isn't a clear cut 'this is right and this is wrong' that is specific and logical, then you have to work it out on your own. As long as you devise a logical format and stick with it, your readers will understand. Now, if you're publishing it's important to know what the house style is and use that, but otherwise, it's all about consistency more than strict adherence to any single set of rules, especially if they don't really apply to a 'real world' situation.

“He’s definitely out, but that’s all I can tell you. His pulse and breathing are fast, but steady. What was wrong with him?” “It was like he went feral. He didn’t seem to recognize any of us, not even me. Could it be something they did to him?” “Honestly, I don’t know. Was he cognizant before this? Knew where he was? Who he was? Who you are?” I nodded. “Yes. Weak, malnourished, exhausted and sleeping a lot, but he was still ‘Kraig’. We’ve been together since I found and blooded him, but I was

This was a great CSR event, and I'm so glad everyone made the time to read the story and comment this month.

August is coming to a close, and with it summer for the northern hemisphere--the last hurrah for many families having those family/friend barbecues and spending time together. But not all families get to do that--which is exactly what we see in Headstall's Treading Water. Did you have a chance to read it yet? If you didn't, well be careful of spoilers in the comments but you can still enjoy my interview with Headstall. Who do you like best: Tom, Jerry, or Huckleberry Hound? Huckleberry Hound, without a doubt. I loved his ‘voice’ and with him we also got Yogi and Boo Boo, Pixie and Dixie, and Mr. Jinx. Even back then, as a kid, I loved that these cartoons were presented as fleshed out stories. If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do? That’s easy. Write, read, give a friend a call, or ride my bicycle. If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be? Ironically, “Treading Water” would fit nicely, but so would “The Long and Winding Road.” Is there a literary character (in the whole universe of fiction) that you’ve read who you really identified with? One character? No. But there are many characters I’ve related to because I see bits of me in them or their experiences. A number of my own characters have traits of mine, but I don’t think I’d ever want to see all of myself in one character, or my entire life in a story. That would be a hard read to get through. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? That’s a good question. I could be flippant and say time and typing, because those are real challenges for me. The world’s worst typist here, but I’m getting better, and that helps with the time factor. It used to be such tough slogging at the beginning… tedious and frustrating. The first time I used a word processor (Wordpad) was the day I wrote my first ever chapter for “Cards on the Table.” Anyway, I guess my more appropriate answer is that nothing stands out in particular. I love the overall challenge of writing. It’s hard work, but is so rewarding when people respond to it. On a personal level, I thrive on the challenge I give myself to improve. There are so many ways to say the same thing, with only the slightest nuanced differences, and I want to get to the point where I feel I mostly choose the best option… the one that most fits the voice, or paragraph, or the sentences and content around it. Actually, maybe my biggest challenge is keeping it short. J What’s the best part of being an author? Of course, the response and feedback from readers. But for me personally, I have always been creative. My original outlet was art, and I was one of a small group picked for an experimental five-year scholastic art program at the beginning of high school. Life got in the way, and my creative side took a back seat for a long time. There was an empty space where it used to be, and writing… being an author… has filled that back up. It makes me feel blessed. Did the scene relating to the title, or the actual title, come to you first? I don’t know why, but the titles have always come to me first, for every story. I should say though, I hear voices. J The story percolates in my head to some degree, and even lines of dialogue pop out of nowhere, but before I write anything I have the title. There’s a lot of general contractor re-design elements in Treading Water. Did that come from life experience or research? Life experience. I have completely rebuilt two houses all by myself, including large additions, and I have the same designer gene Craig has. Do you have a favorite scene of the story? Yikes. Toughest question of all. I loved the garage scene because it set the tone, and I loved the pond scene for the emotion and tension of it, and then there’s the diner scene and the freedom of it, but for some reason, the scene when Jared wakes up thinking he’s alone, and runs down the stairs in a panic is one that has always resonated with me. I think it’s the vulnerability he shows that makes it stand out to this day. That was only one, right? J Do you have any sneak peeks or future stories you can share with readers? Crap. My head is so full. I’ve had a lot of requests for Jeremy’s (from CotT) story, and it’s all pretty much written in my head (probably not at all what people are expecting). And then there’s the one about two horse trainers. Yes, I have its title already, but I can’t tell you. There’s also one about a man struggling to hold onto his farm, and another about a man who might or might not be swept downriver in an early spring storm. The most ambitious one floating around in my head takes place on another planet, but after “Morningstar,” it might be too much to take on. Did I mention the vampire with a difference? Yeah, he’s in there too. I also have a story for the ‘Blindsided’ anthology. My main goal though, is to get back to “Cards” and bring it to its close after I finish up “Morningstar.” That’s it… a partial look inside a very crowded head. Cheers.

This chapter is definitely geared to make you ask all these questions and more. Finding out what all the information the doctor has in his files just became imperative!