LJH

First let me say congrats. There is no better feeling than a profound sense of achievement big guy. I am so stoked for you bro.

Vancil you will get your day this i promise. Best you keep looking over your shoulder to see if in coming. You're a prick and im sure Cailen has got you all sorted. Vancil, If you wanna judge you had best be squeaky clean and perfect otherwise you are gonna be eaten. Ian i dont know you altho ive seen a pic of you. If you hang out with Vancil you will also need to watch out for me. Who am i, Cailens editor no less. Snip snip cut cut. You had best watch out. You walk away with Vancil not even knowing the full story, what kind of a man does that? Cant wait for the next chapter.

This story bent my soul. I too have seen war and the atrocities delivered by both sides. The soul never really recovers. I wont go into the gory details of Apartheid. You convey loss and grief like it happened yesterday, and the memories of loss clouded my vision. Heartbreaking stuff.

Bestest birthday wishes on this your fabtastic day...

The delightful metaphores that made up the ingredients in the cooking of this little fairytale were stirred well, with a pinch of salt and a pinch of pepper. Good vs evil has always been the stuff of good literature. The lessons of morality linger for many years. KC has taken the horror of the evil Queen Mother who is obsessed by the powers of darkness since her own childhood, culminating in sexual abandonment, and forcing her own child to place his destiny in the hands of darkness, and he has infused it with someone the reader can root for. Marcus. The reader wants Marcus to succeed in overcoming the murderous intent of his Queen Mother. She uses her evil power to cause him pain, making her the perfect antagonist to the perfection of Marcus' protagonist. And what would a fairytale be without a magical character? Many fairytales have both good and evil magical characters that work to offset the other's influence. In this case, the magical character is Stuart, who brings with him not the magical influence of spells and incantations, but the universal spell of love and casts that spell upon Marcus. Marcus does not have an evil bone in his body. And this is what the Queen Mother did not reckon. She simply forgot that she is unable to control the belief or the destiny of one who follows the Good. For in life, Good will always overcome Evil, and that Good is rewarded by the universe. So Marcus is rewarded with no better gift than the beautiful Stuart, and his people are set free from slavery. A wonderful cooking with all the right ingredients to make a perfect "un conte de fees". I am honoured to be in the company of an awesome writer.

I came across To Move Forward on a lazy day when I had nothing to do and I'm glad I read the first chapter. It propelled me to wait for the next and the next and the next. Okay, there are only four chapters so far and I'm looking forward to the next four because I am totally engaged by the characters thus far. The blurb reads: Patrick has been unable to let go of the past. He finally decides to make an attempt to move forward but realizes there may be more chapters to add to the old story before starting a new one. Ben and Patrick HAD been more than friends at college before they went their seperate ways.Ben obviously had a major impact on Patrick's life once upon a time. In the years that followed, Ben married and Patrick remained true to his sexual orientation as a gay man. Patrick takes life seriously. This is a good thing, considering that he has recently had a fallout. By chance he and Ben meet at a fair, where Patrick discovers that Ben is divorced. Suddenly, Patrick is thrust into Ben's life once again, and he has no idea what he is getting himself into because, as much as Patrick desires Ben and vice versa, there are skeletons in the cupboard that are dying (excuse the pun) to be laid to rest. Indulge with me for a moment as I reveal exactly what Ben and Patrick have confided in me, you see, I have become one of their best friends, and as much as the author knows and talks to his characters, I do the same, especially with characters who invoke in me certain emotions: Ben wants readers to get to know him better. He has good qualities. He lives in the present and is a good listener. He wants readers to tell him when he goes wrong. He wants readers to care. He will not force Patrick into anything he does not want to do. Ben is patient and caring too and he's unforgetable. He knows that Patrick has other friends, but he's a little worried that Patrick isn't sharing all the details of his life with. Patrick's friends, just as Ben's friends, are an inmortant part of their past and future. However, he is leaving the choice up to Patrick. This is Patrick's response: Patrick is cautious because he doesn't want to get hurt . More to the point, he does not want to be hurt by Ben. His other friends, (Greg, Rob, Emily, etc.), he can deal with, as long as he knows that Ben would stand by him. Yes, others give character. Who does define me? Does who change definition? Friends? Confidants? A Lover? Yes, we are reunited. Where do we go now? Do we ignore these past years? Apart? Lonely? Still longing? Yes, Ben told me he missed me. What does that really mean? Does he miss me in his life? As a lover? A toy? Friend? Yes, the words can make me weep. How do I tell him? Do I toss caution aside? Blurt it out? Confess? Confide? Yes, I have waited many years. When is the right time? Do I be ordinary? At dinner? A party? Fair? Yes, I have waited too long. Do I need do this? Why extraordinary? To breathe, to live, To Move Forward. Randomness. I love it. It is well written and struck an emotional lump inside me. The writing is fresh and elegant. I look forward to following Patrick's journey. I hope every chapter will allow me to express my feelings. If there is one story you read this year, make sure it is To Move Forward. I certainly cannot move forward without the next chapter.

Now you listen to me Rob...how dare you! If you wanna cause trouble gor someone just pick someone else. I bet you would never have phoned Ben if Patrick was not with him. If Ben broke your heart why do you pursue him? Leave. Ben. Alone. (i know you wont). Ben diesnt even like you cos You did something i bet. It'll all come out you know. And Ben. Oh lord i think i am falling in love with you. You are sweet and unassuming. I love impulsive men. I like men who are experienced in the ways of the world. As homo fictus you are just a normal man thrust into a situation that could blow up in your face. I will save you. Patrick...well i might also just be in love w you too. But man are you touchy. You just storm out of there like a star racer without finding out the truth. Wow. Ok. Well. The memories are warm and fuzzie and how u guys actually refrained from having sex boggles the mind cos i would have sorted you out in no time at all. Hmmm i think u are not giving Ben a chance and it rely upsets me and im serious about that. Give the guy a break.i know u need a break too but you cant get that if you continue storming out of a situation. Ben still has strong feelings for you. Find out what is happening and then act . A well written, fairly emotional chapter. I enjoyed thanks bro.

I read this story because the title Never More Lonely hooked me. Then the first word of the first paragraph hit me, and I couldn't stop reading, not for a second. It tells the story of Owen who met Connor online and this line sums up the entire story for me. Maybe it's the fact that my inspiration isn't someone I know in real life. My sunshine is someone I've never even met.The pacing is fast and there is an element of suspense to the story. When I heard the bangs, I really thought there could be robbery or a murder taking place next door, but boy was I pleasantly surprised. The story grabbed me emotionally, and as you well know, emotion does it for me. I didn't cry or anything like that, but my beaming smile made even my yorkie smile, such was the effect. A great flash. It has all the elements of good story telling.(Anything less from Cia would be a disappointment). All the elements are there. Plus, I felt it was a good character building exercise. The descriptions of Own and Conner mix well with the dialogue and narrative. First Impressions: I loved the strong, fast pacing. It held me glued to the screen straight through. Characters: Both are equally well developed and realistic. Intense personalities. Plot: Strong, well planned with a beginning, middle and end. realistic. Dialogue: Authentic. It gave me details of place and character. Content: Well, placed. Precision and clarity abound. Easy to follow. It catches and hold the reader with flair. Emotion/Imagery: Strong emotions from me towards the end, adds drama and realism to the characters. Likes: Skeevy, geeky,sleek, Suggestions/Typos Well, us. I mean, we've been chatting for a year and we've said how great it would be to meet face to face. But if it was just a visit, could we do it, you know? Could we resist this between us and stay friends, because I don't want to lose that." (needs an open quotation mark) Final thoughts: A delightful, interesting read that I would certainly reread (and I have). Amazing characters by the way! Thank you for sharing this, Cia.

I thought I'd jump in here and start a discussion of Wildheart's story titled Among us. The basic synopsis of the story: Damon's aunt calls for him in the middle of the night asking him to get a book. After she disppears he goes on a hunt for her and the book. He meets two mysterious strangers who neither are what they seem.It is a fantasy filled with romance and drama, suspense and love. So far I have enjoyed reading the story and jumped in as Wildheart's editor because I found the story to be panoramic and engaging, and, after all, to be engaged, to live with, love or hate the characters, is one of the rewards an author seeks in his writing. I think Wildheart has this, and more. Drop in and tell us what you think.

Melancholy is a Sadness. A lonely retreat I found this piece alluring And softly upbeat. How does she sleep When there is sorrow in the grass How does she live If her gloom is based on her past. I enjoyed this piece. Nice short sentences that capture the gloom and sorrow of melancholy personified in a woman. The wind. The dark. The despondency. Maybe she seeks to be loved? Well done.

Well firstly, the secret to writing the middle is action and sequel. The middle chapters should all flow from the premise in the first three chapters. Plus, a novel should have subplots that intertwine with the main plot. A sequel chapter cannot follow another sequel chapter, it needs to follow 1 or more Action chapters. I am rewriting a novel at the moment, but what im doing is basic. Adding in where the formula doesnt work. What motivates me is the end product. To reach a final word and say there! Thats it. No more.

A lovely memory filled with moments. Public affection amongst some gay men is just taboo. Why just last December my hubby and i and another GA member (whom i shall call D) went to the East Rand Mall for dinner. It was D's new boyfriend's birthday. Hubby and I do not show affecrion in public and much to my surprise, D and his bf held hands and snuggled up to each other in the restaurant. I was delighted. Sure, we hold hands and gug and kiss at Pride, but usually we stay away from it. What irks me is when we are in a line at the movie house with two kids snogging in front of us. Your story comes full circle. At the end you are holding hands in the rain. A great feeling of togetherness, trust, loyalty and love. Hugs n respect

Hey Patrick, you should meet my family. All crazy. Just like Ben's family. And, just like them, we are all hospitable. Im glad you kicked it off with Darrin and in a way, glad you ignored Greg's domineering character. Shows me you dont take to attitude lightly. Ben's ex wife is rather sweet but I'm more concerned about Rob. He knows more than he is revealing right now. Does he know Ben as a heartbreaker? Did Ben hurt him? Or is he playing a game here? Since our last communication with each other, Patrick, i don't have a problem if you wanna visit Ben. I think you guys have a lot of catching up to do. Soul searching included. I just don't wanna see you get hurt. Rob's cautionary warning tells me you may just be in for a rollercoaster ride. But that's good. I live it when a character is more than one dimension. If you beed someone to talk to, im here (estoy aqui). Ben. You once told me that i dont know you. Thing is, i do. You are complicated and you come to Pat carrying loads of baggage. You seem always to have rhe upper hand. You know that Patrick wants to be closer to you and i think you want him too. But there are questions the answers of which are not clear yet. What dows Rob know and why would he caution Patrick? Im sure it will all out sometime in the near future. Ben, i love the dact you are close to your family. It shows you are a caring, gentle, loving man. But why did you turn West when you should be going East? Nice work, Randomness. You leave a lot to rhink about. You have created real good charactersAnd im looking 4ward to read more. Hugs

Joey is saved. And, like a true hero, Andy deflects the credit for saving him. True, Roger had a hand in it, but both did the saving. Joey is so lucky to have Andy love him beyond love's boundaries. A rare and special case of true love. Something all of aspire to, but few of us ever experience. You have a way with words and indeed, your ability to write passionately about passion is a big plus, and a I admire that. Each chapter you have written thus far has had my throat lumping or my eyes watering, this one was no exception. Any more of this and I will have to mop up the tears on the floor. You engage the reader in an emotrional rollercoaster ride, so much so, that I never want a chapter to end. I'm looking forward to the next chapter and the next.

Hi there W1 great to meet you. Hope to see you in chat.

Thanks Sid. I wonder what kind of a duo they would have made. I think that one, or both, would come short in the long run. Maybe I should have called it Shadow Therapy or something like that, because his Andrew certainly wants to play in his brother's shadow. I also deliberately left out any description of Andrew, but in the orginal version you could see him as skinny, with an earring in his right ear, a guy who likes wearing black vests, and likes money. LOL Thanks for reading. Really appreciate it.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.

Thank you Random. I'm glad you enjoy my work. So much can be gleaned from the way a character moves, the way he talks, the way he opens a car door, or a bottle of wine, the way he treats people around him. Trying to put it all into one little chapter of less than 2000 words would have been chapter suicide. I deliberately chose that "stutter" detail because I believe that one good detail is worth a hundred weak ones. This is a once off chapter, but i might extend it to two or three chapters.