Northern Dutch Guy

Thanks for the info here and the extra info on the CAP Black widow forum. From the Black Widow Forum : Mark wrote, I'm in relatively good spirits, but I've just had some work issues that have absorbed my writing time and motivation. New responsibilities, new semester, new challenges, so all good, but that has sort of left me a burnt out shell in the evening. My mind migrates towards brainless video games or apps, as if it craves something easy and routine to do. I hope Mark can handle his issues, as private issues and work issues are (unlike in stories) most times difficult to handle. It seems Mark is in a situation where Granger could be in. On a small ship, in rough seas, under attack from stronger enemies and exhausted --- Mark, think about yourself and take the time you need

Hi Mark, Good to hear you're still alive and kicking and that not something real bad happened. Sometimes work and especially workissues can indeed drain you of your energie so you feel like burned out. Dear Mark, doing mindless stuff can be fun but will it help you get you out of this situation ? Mark you are very good in writing characters/stories. So maybe do as your characters in your stories. Get out of your chair, go to the gym, call a friend, go out a (blind) date Do something that gives you new energie and that will lift your spirits. Just for yourself. For you're worth it. Oh and yes, there are some CAP and Bridgemont junks... like me ... who want the 'old Mark Arbour' back ASAP ingood health.

Sweet, very sweet and surprising end. I think Eric must have been thinking about coming out for if John had solved the riddle or one of his straight friends all John's friends and most of the students would have heard of it. The way it ended here I think gives Eric and Tony some time together before coming out... Nice done.

Lovely story. Not just the outcome bus especially the main character(s). Colin he is a bit of a loner, but also a loner that cares and gives and helps. It tells a lot about him and his character. I guess that is also why Ken fell for him. Maybe Colin's former years might be a story for another prompt or contest ? One of the things I can recommend to all lonely people is to go and volunteer in something that matters. You meet new people and get in return a lot of love yourself. Hmm yes and animals can be good friends as well for the owner or in this case the boys of the shelter. Again lovely story. Thanks.

Mark thanks for another nice chapter to this story. I think Granger might be surprised and confused about his new job and new role, especcially what his status will be and what freedom he has to act. I think he can expect troubles in his new role... He might end up with even worse enemies in the fleet and some of his enemies might even stir up the rumours around Caroline to hurt him in new his possition. I think Granger handled handing over the stones as a gift well. For it could easily be seen as bribery. I think Daventry might be the right guy to tell the Prince of Wales of his share as Daventrywas under his orders. Not sure how the King , the Pince of Wales and the Duke of Clarence will react... And Grangers father might be in for a surprise when he learns about his new function. As always please keep writing. Andy G

Yes it really is/was. We had a blind date. No not by internet as it was not there at that time. He posted an add in a paper... and i reacted. And I told a lot about myself in that letter and ... yes now I would not do that anymore... gave him my adress and tel number... and asked him to write if he was interested to write a letter 1st before contacting me... so I would already know something about him as well before he called... OMG I was so innocent at that time and ... times were different. (OMG Now would not give my adress or mobile nr but just my e-mail...) When he called he was so nervous... as was I once I realised it was HIM...

You hit the main points I think. George and Caroline need to move on but how... Granger and Calvert... so much love lost... but soo much still there... and soo much hurt... and soo little time they can be around each other... to explain ... And if they can, communication is by letters most... but for the love they have they cannot write it that way... the risk is to great... for letters might be intercepted... or read... I do not know what direction Mark will choose... but I hope he does it that way ... that this short one night stand can heal a lot between Granger and Calvert... I think reading this story we can all feel the pain and realise there is so much love still there...

Hi Kitt Yep ... We both know there will be twist and turns... in Marks stories. I think I proposed a few in my two last messages here... but you do not comment on them... Maybe my views were not inspiring enough for you... ? LOL --- There may be more like... Maybe the big scheme might be... she (E/Lizzy) wants to get control of Wade's kids and... starting a war here might cause a break between Wade and Matt and the JP family... After that ... Eleminating Wade... and the mother... she might get control on his heir... Only Mark knows the big scheme but ... during this story... this might be yet a bit to far ahead...

The way Mark writes the story, Elisabeth is absolutely unpredictable and is scheming on more levels. JJ was the reason she started but ... she also involved Zach and Will, Brad and Mark, JP and Stef... in her scheme... so... I guess she has not only one person in mind when taking the next step. Mark very cleverly disguises that fact and I think we will will find that there are many more twists and turns... So not to be predictable... In the next few chapters I think the sparks will fly... LOL... And Mark as always please keep writing.

Hi John So far as I remember... There was a Brian as a relative from JP in earlier stories. He got/was killed in Milennium. But he was involved deeply and probably E/Lizzy knows how he got killed. There was a Brian Parnell around Zach... the story before Black Widow. The Parnell name is also... involved more than once in Mark's stories. Zach kicking Trevor was because he told him lies. Zach is furious for he and Will are/were so in love... and so totally for the long term. Trevor told him lies, Trevor harmed his relationship with Will and... once Zach realised that he went MAD. But unfortunately for Zach Trevor was just the guy that brought the message, not the one that was behind it. I have to re read the Millennium to realise what E/Lizzy has about Mark. Personally I think she has maybe also something about Will. As he was (with JP's partner Stef) in a gay bar (yes illegally and very under age... in Itally) starting to dance and ended as a stripper... I think it was in the story after Milennium. She might also have something on Stef. As he was also in that club and saw what happened. Him witnessing an underage guy strip... his underage grandson strip in a gay club. Being in a club where an underage boy strips... OMG ... would not be there when that happened and people realised I was there... like everyone realised Stef was there. So maybe there will be another twist in Mark's Story...

Dear Mark, Thanks for the new chapter. Good to find you still alive and kicking.... ! and yes ofcause writing... LOL... love NDG

I understand that feeling as well when I was your age. I only hope you have not to wait as long as I did... till you will find your lover... I repressed seeking for my lover a lot of years. For ... I had that feeling I could not be out... And I had a lot of years a terrible bad time... So for you I hope you will have the courage to search for your lover ... more early than I did... Dear friend, have courage and... understand there are a lot of boys like you... wanting the same. So again have courage ... opening up to your best friends or to the guy you want... Or devellop your gaydar... LOL When so much older I realised I lost a lot of time...I could have been much more happy being out at a younger age... But it is the same dilemma for you. I did not dare to take the risk at your age... but waited until I was financially independent...

Hmm yes... Sex only will ... feel that way... I know. and ... it is not the OK feeling.... But sometimes ... it is and feels different... Sometimes It is also as you said... you want to be held and loved... I hope you will find that way... that special way... soon... Love,hugs and... Be happy....

OMG... I think I know your feelings... and Please ... understand... the love rockets sometimes start one way 1st... My partner was in love with me... he said the 1st moment he saw me... And for me it was... like... Hmmm, interesting and certainly not ugly... .... And it was because he gave me so much love.... we dated... and became a couple... and I fell in love with him after that.... for I had never felt that feeling before... being loved... --- So be good and... be open to friends and who knows ... like me you will find the lover you are looking for like forever... Love H&M

Soooo sad your friend passed away... Love, hugs... kisses

OMG I more or less grew up the same. Parrents never said anything about sex. Both me and my partner come from very strict religious families... What I know now is ... there were a lot of early marriages because of pregnancies... between teenagers... OMG... Only much later I learned that the things I did with some older boys since I was like 12 yo... was sex...

Hey have hope... I was a gay virgin till I was 30 YO and met my lover and partner till... Yes we are together since like that day (though we had a few short breakups in the first few years...) and now we live together over 20 years. So keep your head up ! So you have a lot of years to go... to mature and find/meet that guy. Mine comes from the pre internet time... Just a message in a paper... Can you believe that ? I could not believe a guy like him needed an advertisement !!! So .. Also keep an open mind and ... do not shut down your friends because they are not gay... reach out and make new friends and somehow in that growing circle you will find...that special someone... Love AndyG

Being Dutch I know what a crazy language we have. We have so many words from different origin... read languages. And that makes our language... (in my opinion) crazy... with crazy grammar rules about with words like that. For example we have many words starting with oct or octo coming from (I think) Latin... but the in our stupid composed language... we write oktober instead of october. And besides that we have a second (and much older) language in our country. Yes ... You guess right .. I come from that area... in my country. a long time ago that language was spoken in the coastal areas from the North of (what is now) France till the North of Denmark. And yes... it is like the Asterix and Obelix strip ... only a small area in our country ... LOL Our crazy Dutch grammar rules make English look simple... but I often get confused by the (almost) same pronounciation of very different words. But do not get me wrong ... It does not mean I'm fluent in English because it is that simple... Have fun. AndyG.

I guess we will find soon a part of the story from Brad's POV. So far JJ and Will played a beautifull and surprising part of the story. Young guys finding out bad times and coping with them ... creative and ... not going down when problems arise... but heads up and retalliating if neccesary... Mark writes/creates strong personalities... in his stories. I really like that. And in the case of Will and maybe JJ ... they were so much younger in the past stories... and now... they grow... grow up... and cope with new situations on their own or together with support from each other... If they can cope yet on their own agaist Wade's Mom/sister... and their scheme... and their contacts... We will see... But JJ is already thinking out of their box... And It turns back on them... Now I guess some of us want Mark to safe Zach and his carreer... and in the long run ... that Will and Zach will be together again... long term...

Liked the last (11th) chapter. So many things coming together and diverting. So many twists and turns. Yes there is the question if Wade's mom is involved. Yes it seems to be her thing. But the motive ? Yes probably she wants to control Wade's children the way she used her own children/family before. To reach that means to destabilise the best support group/family Wade has. And maybe after that threathening to do more damage if Wade will not comply... The second motive might be found more in The Millennium story I think. There were a lot of open ends there. And yes Wade's mom and Brad's hatefull family if they joined forces might create such a scheme... Whatever twist and turns goes on next... I realy like the move Mark made to more a thriller type of story. The personal aspects and drama of 9 11 were written beautifull. Flux/Streak as well but the continuing story needed some pepper... ( I think). So I'm perfectly happy how this story is coming up. Thanks Mark and as always ... Keep writing. Love Andy G

Beautifull and exciting devellopments. Many twists and turns making this a key chapter to the story i think. I really like the whole of the 'Chronicals'. But it needed some pepper... and this goes right the way I love stories from you... Thanks and keep writing NDG

Dear Mark, Just to cheer you up, me and my dog picked you some flowers. Tulips ofcause... Take the time you need. We will be patient waiting for new parts of your (well liked) stories. Love

Thanks for the last 2 chapters. Now Wade is back as a narator ...and Matt as well, we see more sides of the story. You did not do that in 9 11 with Matt. So a lot of times we did not see his point of view and ... therefor a lot of times he seemed just an asshole. Now we see the story from Wade's and Watt's pov and we see the conflicts from both sides. You write (I think) very beautifull about their conflicting feelings and of the love they still feel for each other. Very convincing for me how you made Wade come back to Matt, let him explain his feelings and also again showing he still loves Matt a lot... and yes... a nice twist after the HIV test ... I hope Wade is right and Matt's antibodies show a false HIV sign. Also how you devellop Will's character ... Thanks beautifull writen story... so far ... Chapeau !

Thanks Mark for the nice final chapter to Odyssey. Like Ricky and Mileslong I worry a bit about the The End notice at the end of the story. I do hope the story will continue and that the The End notice does not mean the end of the whole Bridgemont storyline.... So I looked back at the ending of other books you wrote... and found another The End in the last chapter of 1968 the second book of the CAP saga. And the Cap saga did not end there .... ! So I have good hope for a next book in the Bridgemont series. I also wonder about the meaning of the special precedence Gearge got and the meaning of it on the whole system of ranks and what it means in relationship to the Dukes of Sussex/Suffolk and Freddie. But maybe someone can explain.... Thanks again for the nice story and pehhlease keep writing.

Somewhere earlier in this forum there was some discussion about the title of the new book. My guess is it will not be the name of a ship. Or something with 'the guild' in it. 'Windsor' would be my guess. The main story line ? What about : - fight with 'The Guild'. - fight with a fraction of John Company - some political scheming Granger encounters when he is in Windsor - a big problem in between Granger and one of his Brothers because one of them is involved in one of the points above... - a new lover.... Kingsdale ? Cavendish ?