KYE

I can remember crying when holding my first born in my arms in the delivery room. I can remember the joy of holding my new grandson in my arms not so long ago. I would gladly give my life for my children or grandchildren and will do all I can to protect them and in this story Brad has way more resources than I would have to protect my family. But with that said, do you feel you really developed the story to show a real threat to Brad's children or just someone screwing around with Brad and Robbie's emotions? As you said nothing will get you riled up faster (screw with their emotions) than messing with your kids. Did the story show a real development of whether there was an actual threat to the kids? Surely you can see were some may think that this just gave Brad an excuse to get even with Carson for the whole Robbie thing. If it was a real threat, is that threat now gone with Carson's death since he was Alex's tool? If JJ is getting bullied in school what will Brad do? Just thinking about the situation, not criticising.

True, but those were Brian's "internal" thoughts that Brad was not privy to. So here you base Brad's murder of Brian on something Brad did not know? Don't get me wrong, I think you did create an evil person in Brian but if I killed everyone that has screwed me over there would many more graves around.

Well I have been a BIG Brad fan but I totally agree with you on your thoughts.

I was in an open relationship once. It was a disaster, jealously was always trying to raise it's ugly head from both of us. The relationship ended when on a trip to London, he made arrangements to look at a flat in the afternoon, he was thinking of going to school there. Said he wouldn't be long, was just curious and no need for me to tag along. He did not return for dinner, or even that night, didn't even call the hotel to let me know he was ok. Leaving me alone in the hotel in a great city. He returned about noon the next day. He had spent the night with the 2 guys that had shown him the flat. I cursed him out, spent the rest of the trip exploring London by myself and I broke up with him on the way to the airport when we where leaving. There has to be some respect for your partner IF there is a chance for such a relationship to work.

I'm in the same wimpy boat with you and agree with your comments. Brad was my favorite character up until now. Now I don't know???? I do have a couple of kids, so I can relate, but that still pushed my maternal instincts a bit much. And if Carson was merely a tool for Alex, why would his death end any threat to Brad's kids? Then the graphic sex scene with a dying twitching corpse that had it's brains blown out on the bed, really pushed the wow and shock factor. Reading that and I just froze, and then turned off my computer. If Mark's intent was to push the reader's limits to shock he sure succeeded with me. As as with you, I look forward to the continuing saga.

Congratulations. You have obviously put a lot of your time, energy, passion, and imagination into this story. Glad to see you get a just recognition for all your hard work. I realize praise is important to a strong writer and happy you are getting some much justified praise.

Chapter 70 was a very interesting and I felt a very valuable chapter to the story for several reasons. First is the boardroom battle drama that was important and played out very well with some excitment. Then during the plane flight with Stef and Brad it is realized that Brad has come into his own in the Corporate world. Not just an associate of Stef's but now an actual leader in the business world of his own right. We also see that Brad would have had a hard time achieving to this level and confidence in the Corporate world without the strength he draws from Robbie and their renewed relationship. We see the desperation of Brad to be by Robbie's side to support him with the first big milestone in returning Anders-Hayes to it's height and power in the Hollywood Movie world. Showing that Robbie and Brad need each other to actually fully succeed. I'm not into the whole S&M thing, but the double penetration with Brad and Robbie being more into each other than into Aaron was loving and erotic. But I saw that actual scene as more of the conflicts Brad and Robbie now have in being with someone besides themselves. After Brad and Robbie reconciled they talked about getting back to being monogamous again. It would seem that this was an important step in that process for them with Brad not really wanting to be a part of this S&M scene Cody seems to be forcing them into. So I am sure for many readers the graphic sex was important, to me the conflicts it created were more important to the story. For me this chapter also just re-enforced my dislike of Cody. He knows what Brad and Robbie have been through and where they are in rebuilding their relationship. But he again is a selfish prick by pulling Brad and Robbie into another sexual situation they really do not want to be in. Add this to the episode where he got them high on E and involved in bareback sex with dragging himself and Kevin into Brad and Robbie's most private intimate sexual experience of fisting while they are high. I continue to think of him as poison and selfish. I started feeling his way about Cody in the story "Bloodlines" with his selfishness and games he played with Matt and Brian. I blame Cody as a participate for the way Brian turned out as a selfish evil person. Cody causes issues with other people and their feelings but never seems to take resposibility for any fall out of his actions. I realize that Cody is one of Mark's favorite characters (boo,,, hisss) , LOL. This chapter shows for me how successful Mark has been in character development with his story because I can see each character in my mind and develop an opinion or emotion of each of them based upon how I see their actions. I am sure we each may see those actions in different ways.

The Nasdaq hit it's "closing " high on March 10,2000 at 5,048.62 although it actually had hit a high of 5132.52 during daily trading. By December 31,2000 the Nasdaq had fallen to 2,470.52, having lost over half of it's value in less than 10 months.

I was also put off by the title "Chronicles of an Academic Predator". I first started reading the CAP series with Millennium but soon found I had trouble putting all the charactors in place without the background stories. So I stopped reading Millennium and went back as far as the story "Be Rad" trying to understand the charactors better. Then I found I had trouble understanding Be Rad without the background of the other stories. I really did not want to go all the way back to beginning story "Chronicles of an Academic Predator" primarily due to the title, which turned me off. But I finally did go to the CAP series beginning "Chronicles of an Academic Predator" to start reading the series from the beginning. To me the title did not fit the story except were JP, a professor, forced his bully student back to his condo to torture and rape him. I also found that to be the low point of the story for me. But I was by then, too much into the story and series to let that episode hinder my reading. I found being able to start with the first story and read completely thru the completed CAP series in order from the beginning, though it took me several weeks, to really add to my enjoyment and understanding of the series. And the stories really would not be complete for me without that first story even though the title was a turn off. Since retiring reading has become my primary hobby. The CAP series, all 10 stories now, has been an overall pleasure to read and I have gone back to re-read the stories while waiting for new Millennium chapters, including Chronicles of an Academic Predator. I have some history in my past with writing reviews. I would be tempted to review the stories but I have a tendency to be detailed and long winded with reviewing.

Same here.

I thought Chapter 66 was awesome. The family elements were a great read at this point in the story. You also had me holding my breath fearing if Robbie or Brad was going to end up winning your Death Poll.

That was cute, especially the way you wrote the story with a bit of suspense that somethng wasn't exactly right when Brad got to the hotel and before he walked in to find Robbie. For a second or two I was wondering if Brad's stepmother had an unexpected surprise waiting for him (rapid heartbeat moment, lol). There is much talk here about offing Brian, but if Alexandra does that will Brad and his family have to worry about their own safety as well if he is able to destroy her empire? I did enjoy the chapter, the way it flowed, the way Brad dealt with Elizabeth and the suspense with the Robbie surprise at the end. But I do agree with what another said about showing the DVD to so many people. That would not be a very smart thing to do in the corporate world. With something like that the fewer eyes the better. Patiently waiting for the next Chapter.

In the original CAP story (Chronicles Of An Academic Predator) there is a mistake on the dates between Chapter 47 and Chapter 48. In Chapter 47 the date of November 12, 1963 is shown for Jeff's Birthday and the day JP and Jeff get back together. In the Chapter 48 the first date listed is November 15, 1963 and the paragragh starts "The last ten days had been a dream." with that date. That is only 3 days. Going back to your original story on your website it shows November 5, 1963 for Jeff's birthday and that part of Chapter 47. Didn't really compare to see if anything was missing from the Chapters but the dates stuck out to me since your use of dates has been important to the stories. I often find myself going back in the stories some or back a chapter just to get a time line. You might want to review those 2 Chapters.

Why do the chapters have a 1-5 star rating system and also a plus or minus rating system? It only makes sense that with the system(s) in place they will be used. But it is like you could give a double negative or a double positive by using both stars and a plus or minus or even a mixed rating by using both. I've always had a problem with 1-5 ratings because some chapters in anyone's story are better than others. So when there is a really good moving chapter it is easy to rate a 5 but if you rate them all as a 5 then it seems the rating system really means nothing as far as rating the chapters goes. So many times in a good story some chapters are meant to build you up to that big climax, sort of like foreplay, hehehe. So how does one rate the foreplay as compared to the actual climax? If I where to give less than a 5 to a chapter does not mean I did not like the chapter. Also with the plus or minus it is like there is no in between when rating the chapter. Maybe someone just doesn't like something in the chapter? I think it was on your yahoo site that someone said they did not like stories about infidelity? But it seems like the system is set up for the plus or minus to not really be a rating of the chapter but the author from what you are saying??? Seems confusing How can you rate an author from one chapter? I've been using my plus's on some of the lessor known author's stories that I like since your count is so much higher but I'll try to spread the love around so you get some too. After re-reading my rambling of the rating system even my rambling has confused me.

Wonder how many people rushed to the story "Be Rad" trying to find the chapter with that character for a refresher? Chapter 14 over half way thru the chapter to help those interested. Remember the Dutch have a long history with ice skating so I thought it would just be a natural for Tiffany. Plus you could go in several directions with giving her that name. Maybe give us a chance to learn about her family or background more and revive a brief character from Brad's past. Plus there is the Dutch love of pot smoking that could fit well into the story also, lol. Maybe even a return trip to Amsterdam.

I thought so, don't forget that the ice skate was actually invented by the Dutch and is a big sport in the Netherlands.

Well Mark since you like to cross characters and relatives so much, I would suggest van den Boss for Tiffany. That is the last name of the Dutch guy with the Datsun in Be Rad that Brad helped with the blown tire (and who also got to blow Brad). Tiffany van den Boss.

I started out finding stories on Nifty.org. I've found some good stories there but the biggest problem is that so many stories there never seem to get completed after the author starts them. One of my favorite stories on nifty is Tim and Hank by Robcub32: http://www.nifty.org/nifty/gay/highschool/tim-and-hank/ After communicating with him he lead me to the Literotica site where the rest of his work is located: http://www.literotic...age=submissions I also found the cryboy site and there my favorite series of stories is (a 3 book series) by Draginacht. I find his series to have a family, business, friendship, military theme I could compare to your writings. But at the same time different. http://crvboy.org/authors.html I have also found some good stories from the Tickie stories site: http://tickiestories.us/Main.htm

I thought the chapter had some really good parts but I think returning to the scene of the rape by a rape victim and then having sex there was a bit over the top. As a rape victim myself I could not image that and I was only raped once, not multiple times.

I think that is a good point to make here. Since Mark's stories are based around history so much I have a tendency to go back to Mark's history in the CAP series since Millennium is story number 10 in the series. His history with long term couples has not been so good. JP & Jeff, JP & Sam, Stef & Deke (and a few others), Marcel and Max, even Stef & Greg were sort of on the outs when Greg died, the list could go on with failed Gay relationships in the series. Maybe that is one reason I've rooted so much for Brad and Robbie to grow old together. But I wonder if Jeanine and Tiffany will be a long term couple? They have already had 2 major blowups over sex with the guys and now it's result. Jeanine has a strong connection to the family with Brad, Robbie, and the kids but Tiffany does not. What if Tiffany decides to leave and drag Matt & Wade thru the mud with the kid? Could get messy. Also women go thru alot of changes during pregnancies and with the 2 of them pregnant and trying to build a relationship at the same time. Oh my. I got a call one night at 2 am saying a couple of my lesbian friends (lovers) were in a fight and I needed to do something. Their house was about 10 minutes from mine and when I got there they were faced off with each other in the front yard cursing at each other and the smaller one was swinging a baseball bat at the other. I stepped in between them and took the bat away. I still have friends that tell me I either have big balls or am completely stupid to step in between 2 lesbians fighting with a baseball bat. :wacko: They settled their differences but broke up a few months later. At the same time I've known some gay women who have been in fairly long relationships. So is Matt and Wade's relationship long term? Jeanine and Tiffany's? Based on the CAP series history, hmmm? Wonder if we could get Las Vegas odds?

I have very much enjoyed the last few chapters of this story. Even though Brad narrates Millennium, I have looked at the story as a partnership between Brad and Robbie. Their ups and downs, strengths and weaknesses, their dependence on each other when they each need some strength. With so much being about Brad's family in the story it is now good to see more detail into Robbie's family, again adding balance to the story's partnership between the two. A couple of other things of note that stood out for me in these chapters was Brad's continued quick temper with JP. Also I personally hope that JP's seemed reluctance concerning a "Love Den" (or S&M chamber) for him and Stef, could be because of JP's torture and raping of some of his students in the first story of the CAP series. While he was a professor at Northwestern in Chicago. Maybe since he is older and has matured he can realize how wrong those acts really were. Of course that is what my take from it hopes, correct or not. It seems with each new chapter more story lines keep on opening up. That just makes me look forward to the next chapter even more.

Same here and I got 3 duplicate e-male notifications

Happy New Year to you as well. May the New Year bring you as much enjoyment as reading your stories has brought to me.

I agree. Plus look at Cody's track record since entering the CAP Series. Always playing emotional mind games from Chicago, to Brian, Matt, Alejandro (after he turned 18), Max and I think even with Brad to a certain extent (couldn't wait to be the first in line when Brad and Robbie had a crack in their relationship and is always bringing emotion into their sexual encounters). Now with Kevin? Cody is toxic but maybe a leopard can change it's spots?

This is the picture I have in my mind for him.