B1ue

Lucky. I had the torture of it coming out over a couple of months, and not quite in order. I really should make time to read the final draft, now that it's up, but I haven't yet. Now seems like a good time. --Gabe

Hey. Thanks all. I did have a happy birthday, and today's looking up as well. -B1ue (with a 1)

Yeah, where is that last chapter of Marek and Jackson?

I think my favorite line in this was: "Stupid pockets." Nicely done.

But buttons are FUN to rip off Lucy, and fairly easy to repair if you get lucky enough that the shirt itself doesn't rip. And hell, even if it does rip, the shirt might still work for a barfly like Alex. I've been following this story from the first bit, and I have to say I like it, and I like watching your creative process even more. I'm also eager for 18.

Recently completed, this story has been one that I've eagerly followed almost from the first chapter. But since his story wasn't anounced to the Gay Author's public, I fear it may have passed beneath everyone's radar. To give people a little idea about the story, it's almost a standard coming of age story about the protagonist growing up, getting a boyfriend, and finding his place in the world. But where most stories focus on the first two aspects, Kanseiji chose the third. What really shows through, chapter after chapter, is how Chris adapts the way he has lived his life for the first seventeen years of it so he can now survive the rest of it. So if you have a moment, check it out, either here, or here: From Where I Stand. It's well worth the time. Edit: Here is a link to its location in the Efiction archive.

Down with writer's block. Fight it to the last ditch. Never surrender! Hey, that might work as a title. I was going to suggest, "Fantasy and the Fantastic" but "Never Surrender" might work better, considering what (admittedly little) we have seen of their characters. And, er, excuse my opening paragraph. I've been reading military sci-fi in my spare moments all week.

You could probably do what I do, use the blog for a rough draft, and then post it in final draft somewhere else, like say here. For soem reason, I work better typing into a blog than into word. Word doesn't like me. As for "Bash," I'm curious what happened in the intervening months, so if you do turn this into a regular thing, I hope you include that in your outline. These two stories are so different in tone that I feel like I want something to connect them, you know what I mean? Anyways, best of luck with that. --Gabe

Very nice. I found it to be well written, not that I would expect anything less from you, but also well told. I liked that both of the main characters, Janet and Josh, looked at the situation from a skewed perspective, and that you found a way to express that. Good job, Nick. --Gabe

Thank you all for both reading my story and paying me so many compliments. I'm glad you enjoyed it, and I'm glad my attempt to do something a little different didn't fall flat. And because I didn't think to thank her when I sent in the piece, I'd like to right now say thanks to Lucy for editing. I'm not at the moment planning a serial with these characters, partly because I don't feel I'm up to the task of writing one yet, but msotly because these are going to be my "anthology" characters. There's only one other story, originally written for the Halloween anthology (but finished too late), and the beginnings of another couple stories, that exist for them. To be honest, I haven't quite figured them out yet, so a serial is definitely beyond my reach right now. But, maybe someday. --Gabriel

Wouldn't work. Anyone that has already decided you are dishonest enough to change a sotry to thwart people from guessing what's coming next would never believe you'd actually plotted it out in advance, or if you ahd, would show him the real outline. But about the rest of your life, well, shopping can be helpful. For me, it isn't the actually spending of money that I enjoy, but the moment when they open the gift and realize that you were really thinking of them. Making someone else's day always makes mine. It might sound self-congratulatory the way I'm saying it, but it is just how I feel. I hope you are succesful tonight, and that you feel better soon. Gabe

Pretty cool. Where did you find this? I particularly like the line about steering hurricanes. Pedro

**Note: I do realize that your post was not meant to be offensive. I am not taking it as such.** Wow. Just wow. I actually hate the rallies and everything they stand for (in a knee-jerk emotional reaction), but not even I use that vehement language. The point behind the rallies and strikes is that most immigrant workers in California and the Southwest, whether they come here legally or not, either don't or barely earn a living wage. Actually, illegal immigrants aren't affected too badly by that, because a lot just send all their money back home anyways, so making anything is better than nothing, which is what they have to look forward to at home. It is those who came here legally, like, you know, my dad's family, and the illegals who have decided to stay (and want to become citizens, which up till about 10-15 years ago was very rare for Hispanic immigrants, people (for example, me) were called race traitors and eveything), that have trouble finding a job that pays enough so that they can feed their family and have some semblence of a lifestyle and hope for a future. Like I said, I hate the very principle of the rallies, so I am the wrong person to defend them, but I feel that others should actually know what the Day without Immigrants is in some way about.

Do you literally do nothing, or are their mindless tasks to do in the meantime? As hectic as my first job out of college is, I am having a hard time seeing the problem of being paid for nothing, especially since you also have access to a computer into which to type. But hey, it's not my life. About SOOTB, when I saw your name attached to the announcement that With Trust 11 was up, I was very excited, and then disapointed that it wasn't the next chapter of your story. That you could, even for a moment, steal thunder form Domluka speaks volumes about your own talent, I think.

That happens to me all the time. I managed to spin out entire story-arcs based on throw-away lines. In fact, when I am revising, I look for all those little spots that i missed, and either eliminate them entirely, or expand upon them if they haven't taken over already. Can't wait to see the revisions and chapters, and the continuing adventures of Kung-Fu.

Like Modesto's any different. Look at this group that I am a member of on Facebook.com: You belong to this group because: orchard parties are fun cruising down McHenry is what you do when you get your license 99 is the only freeway Vintage Faire Mall...it is the "best" and closest place to shop it's not unusual to see motorized wheelchairs in the driving lanes you wake up to the fresh smell of fertilizer Southside Modesto is little TJ half your high school attends MJC or Stan State or did they even graduate? you know all about the Laci Peterson trial you hate Gary Condit the smoking and drinking habits start by the age of 14...or if not already Concert in the Park is the place to go in the summer iceblocking is fun curfew at midnight is enforced by the police drunk driving checkpoints are everywhere Riverbank is THE city of action you or most of your friends played water polo or soccer rice rockets are everywhere...damn noisy cars... confederate flags are flown on trucks taco trucks are good it is not norcal, it is called the central valley bitch scurfing aka canal surfing is the coolest the lake is our beach Hella/Hecka...yeah we say it.... IF YOU LIVE/LIVED IN THE 209 aka Modesto or surrounding areas, JOIN! I mean, CANAL SURFING?

I took a couple classes on writing when I was in college, just so I could actually claim credit for something I would have done anyways, and let me tell you, I got the best awkward silences when I took my turns at reading. It was some of the best experiences reading through everybodies comments, some clearly unnerved to be analyzing young gay male characters. But then it turned back on me when they got used to it, and everybody (including several of the straight guys) asked me why I wasn't letting my characters have sex, "what, with all the tension you've built up between these characters." I had not the slightest thing to say in response.

Sometimes I'm like that, where I can't really begin unless I have a title to live up to. More often, I just pick a title at random, and as I get into it and towards finishing it, I go through several more titles trying to find a better one. I wrote a short story a month ago, about fourty pages long, and its various titles have been: "Faulkner's Bastard," "Finals Week Recovery," "Passing the Love of Women," "Photograph," "Every Memory," and the final one, "We re," which is a slight joke, harkening back to the orginal influence of William Faulkner. Carde Diem does sound pretty spiffy, and fits into where, yeah, I still can't remember his name off hand, Kung-Fu is growing as a character.

Some thoughts... Except that Milo doesn't go to their school, so the popularity bar doesn't really apply. And quite honestly, justified or not, Jame is a jerk to keep up the tension between himself and Nelson. If Nelson had said something first, ever, Jame might be more likeable, but as it is, he's just a Sh**-disturber who can't keep his mouth shut. Yeah, I realize this spat has been going on for quite sometime, and that Nelson is just as much an idiot for keeping up the agruement once it starts too. I've wanted to smack both of them. I keep hoping one will say "Chill out, I don't feel like fighting today," but I'm not going to be holding my breath for that. Just form these chapters, my mind is turning trying to guess what will happen. I want to see what happens when Nelson comes out to his friends. Caleb, by his remarks towards the end of the chapter, I'm guessing already knows Nelson is gay and is waiting for him to tell him. Haley will flip, but that's her lot in life. Joe I'm REALLY curious about, because there is so little to work with as far as how he relates to Nelson and the others. I can him either turning his back on Nelson, or trying to sleep with him (though I dont see the second one as terribly likely). I hope he just doesn't say "ok, whatever," because that is not something a wild guy character needs to say. I also wonder if Jame is gay. That would explain a lot of his animosity towards Nelson in particular (frustrated attraction, since apparently everyone wants Nelson's nuts), and against the popular set in general, as well as how Milo and he met and why they hang out. Edit: I also wondered about the possiblities hi_college_guy just raised.

I liked this chapter, and the Hispanic maid. This chapter not only kept me interested in the story, it also gave me an opportunity to practice my Spanish, which my parents approve of (our last name being Cruz and all). All in all, time well spent. Thank you Domluka.

Would this be the same elf as the Story-that-might-languish-eternally, part 2? If so, see, Domluka was right about using characters over an over. As a rule, I don't generally make up new characters, except on accident (this person needs to meet someone, let's see...Oops, there's a new character), as it is satisfying to me to reuse the ones I have over and over. Plots aren't hard to come up with for me, but a fully rendered character takes work, particularly because I want to avoid virtual duplicates with previous characters. Actually, I think plot should come easy for you, too. You are already pretty fantastic at writing a beginning, so just think about how you want it to end, and what it would take to get the characters in the situation you want them to end up in. You might even write an outline, or the entire closing, though I don't suggest that, because you will have to rewrite it. In the example of the first undeveloped story, say you want the character to wind up with a boyfriend whose family all but adopts him, but at the same time has to come to grips with the fact that their real son is gay. Christian charity trumping family values, sort of "The Ordinary Us" from Jude's p.o.v.. With that as a goal, you can connect to it, with a couple basic steps: 1-main character (see, I'm terrible at remembering all first person character names, not just Kung Fu's) sees to own survival, gets a construction job, apartment, that sort of thing. ATsame time, meets potential love. 2-Love potential becomes love actually, though slowly, as main character (MC) is trying to hide as much of his life from love as possible. Also, love is closeted, and doesn't want to give into his sexuality. 3-Love does give in, but a series of disaster makes MC's life less stable. He loses his apartment. Love gets wind of it, tells his family, who intervene, and force MC into their home and love's bedroom, which is nicely awkward for both. 4-they of course get over it, knock boots, and are discovered. MC is outted at work (the family tries, but is unable to get him to not work, as he is over 16 and legally able to drop out, he says he'll save up a bit and continue school maybe next fall), but Boss sees potential in MC and moves him to office work, whihc he is obivously well suited. However, the family also gets wind of it all, and...react. 5-Love and MC are seperated, Love is chastised. By this time, MC is quite attached to the idea of a family, and they are attached to him, but not crazy about their two sons having sex. They don't kick either one to the curb, but one parent makes it clear they would be happier if MC was no longer in their home. ANd like Mana from the sky, Dad shows up, and MC is dragged kicking and screaming away, to Love's and one parent's dismay. 6-Finale. MC is unhappy, Dad is unhappy, and one day Love shows up at his door, having run away to look for him. It can't last though, but Dad surprises both by agreeing to move to Love's hometown, for the first time doing something for the MC's benefit. All is righted with world. MC even works at construction place's office afternoons, doing paperwork. That is, of course, one option, and not a particularly original one at that. I just wanted to show you how easy it can be. But, if you do any of them, do the Elf story first. B1ue.

That I believe. Your blog worries me. None of the things mentioned bother me a bit in stories. They're stories. My creative writing classes think I'm obsessed with sex, but really only my characters are, because the situations that surround sex are hilarious to me. But alas, many of my friends who read my writing ask if I plan on being a romance novelist, and the scary thing is I'm actually starting to take them seriously. And if the stuff does remind me of high school it is because I am a small town kid, and there was little else for most people to do, though I didn't do mcuh of it myself. It is weird, but when I was younger and not as religious, drug and alcohol use bothered me a lot, as did the thought of unprotected sex. Now that I have survived UC Santa Barbara (a.k.a. the University of Casual Sex and Beer), and more religious, that stuff doesn't bother me so much any more. I mention this, because I talked to a friend of mine who is straight edge, and she mentioned that she was a virgin, completely abstained from alcohol, cigarettes, and other drugs, and was atheist. And I, well, I don't do drugs, but aminly because I am related to too many addicts, and I don't want to risk it. Shows how much stereotypes know. Cheers, B1ue

My sister, who is in the army and has to spend weeks and months away from her husband, says it isn't absense that makes the heart grow fonder...it's abstinence. I wanted to claw my eyes out to get rid of that mental image, but it still strikes me as true.

I kind of disagree with you Vic. I think the "natural" fit that Luke is means he has a more brotherly affection for him, and so less complicated by the need to impress him. That's not to say he won't wind up in Luke's bed at some point, I'd actually be pretty shocked if that was the case, but with Luke he needs a brother, someone who can look out for him (since he obviously can't trust his own judgement), not a boyfriends wiht his own needs. On the other hand, Seth he likes mostly because Seth likes him, or at least that's how I'm reading it. Again, this is filtered through Rory, master of delusion, so I'm not sure, but I have found myself more attracted to someone simply because they amde it clear they wanted me. To Dom: It is really great that you are bringing out these chapters at such a fast rate. I really appreciate the personal energy you are putting into entertaining us all, and I doubt that I'm alone in that. -Blue I say just catfight, 'cause that was the first thing to pop into my head when I finished the chapter.

The actor that plays Brian maybe. The actor that plays Justin looks (and is) WAY too young for either character, and he's too old for most of the other characters as well. Shame, really, but that's my gut feeling. No suggestions of my own, for now.