Yettie One

Details that paint a picture. Tiny, yet together they make everything whole. From the name of a designer jacket, the the make up on the eyes of a rock god poster. Call it what you will, but I call it wonderful. Again, I think you have got the essence just right. Many stories would have been onto long episodes of vigorous sex by now. Yet here, you have the pace just right. Desire is there, yet uncertainty reigns supreme. And I just love your choice of music.

Well, I'd have to suggest that someone is a Placebo fan! Nooooooo. Never. haha. Ok, I knew I liked Dave. Got a good head on his shoulders that one. And a good head in other places too I suspect! haha Again plausibility, reactions, conversations, exactly what you'd expect. You sure this isn't a true life story or something?

Awwwwwwwwww Butterflies in the tummy time. Haha, Mr Wilde, you have got the teenage air of uncertainty down to a fine art. I had thought that Nick would be more shocked at hearing Dave apologising I mean, after all, he is the one doing the more serious offence in his faux pas of yesterday, but then again, when I had a think about it, maybe the shock of getting an apology has opened the door to possibilities in his mind, and hope reigns supreme. Was that a subtle twist I did not consider at first? Love it. Great chapter, and the tiny hint of romance is just right. Friends! Ah huh!

My heavens. I nearly choked when I read that line "...felt like satan had shat in his brain!" Moments of pure bliss. I love it when a writer uses creative expression. The license for artistic imagination is limitless and in instances like this, it is tantamount to finding gold in my opinion. I love a story that entertains me so. Humour woven into tension, woven into drama, woven through experiences I can relate to is what enjoyment of literature is all about. I find your style and direction very refreshing, and while if I were writing, I would probably have done some things quite differently, it would only detract from the creation you have perfected. I have been sucked in the whole way, smiling.

Bloody hell. So Dave nearly kissed Nick? Or was going to? Or even wanted too? I bet that scared the bloody hell out of him! Again, realism creeps into the story as it would be easy to imagine a kid like Nick being quite able to lash out at Craig in that manner, as he's had a whole life of it from Dave and Co, yet when it came to retaliating against violence, he's choice was to run. Spot on. Also, leave it to a gay man to sense a creep in the man department. lol I gotta know what happens next though now... Not so much worried about the sexual tension building, as that is kinda to be expected (well I hope ) but........ WTF is Nick going to do about Craig now....... Oh my lawd!!!

Oh the human need of acceptance has such a sting in its tail. I actually quite like Dave. For all his faults, he's got some sense in that head of his. The way you have created your characters is brilliant. As much as they think they want to hate each other, and are being stubborn, proud men, there is an attraction to them, even for us as readers. We can relate to them. Hell I will admit I've even felt the stuff you are writing about myself, and in that, you have gotten inside the head of your characters and brought them to life. I salute you for that. I find myself with a little smile on my face at the end of each chapter, as I enjoy this quaint little tale more and more.

Teenage angst galore. Captured in sublime realism and stunning simplicity. There is no awkward overtones here, or big wordy sentences. It is to the point, a visual plethora of words that leave me with a mental image of clarity and certainty. Two boys, engaged in a somewhat queer relationship, learning to realise that sometimes out of the greatest pain comes something special. I love your characters. I love the tiny little details, that provide a hint of spice, give taste and depth to the narrative, and joy to us as readers. Very clever writing here Mr Wilde. I wonder if that leads to another Wilde what was brilliant with words.

Oh wow. Short, sharp, intelligent, flowing and vibrant. This is full of whit and a typical Britishness that fits the characters so perfectly. Hello any secondary school yard in the country and this would be the kind of scenario you'd find somewhere. That clear realism is addictive, and I found myself at the end before I wanted to get there. Very smooth. I LIKE this! A Lot.

And I still can't watch an episode of that old TV-show with the man (forgot his name) who gets green and gigantic when he gets angry.. Scary stuff !! Incredible Hulk I watched that episode of CSI. Damn I'd hate to be buried alive.

People's perceptions within society has always been something that's interested me. It is quite funny actually, without even meaning too, we develop these pre conceived ideas about how life and our place in society should look. We get this from our parents, social norms within our culture, social trends within the world around us, our peers, the media and the way in which this vast array of information that hits us as we grow up is interpreted and received by those that have the biggest influence over us. One of these pre conceptions that has always fascinated me is how men and women perceive themselves and their place in the world in regards to women in a straight setting, or in regards to their partners within a gay/lesbian environment. Men feel the need to appear macho, tough, deemed to be strong and capable of protecting themselves and their kin. At least this is the impression you get when you look at the traditional view of what a man should be like. Now we like to think of ourselves as modern, and adaptable, and the image of a man certainly has changed in some ways. I mean, men's grooming products is an industry rapidly catching up with the female make up business in its range of products, and procedures available to help a man look his best for as long as possible. In terms of fashion trends, it is acceptable for men to be viewed as pretty for the first time in our existence. The whole idea of a man being soft or effeminate was something that for the large part has been something that men have shied away from for fear of being branded as 'queer' or 'soft' or 'bent'. Men enjoyed this dominance within society that has meant that they have endured this perception of status that I am not certain that man deserves. I mean, let me try be honest for a moment. Since a young age, I've always been a boy's boy! To explain that, I've always been one of those guys that really didn't want to be viewed by friends, family or the public at large as a soft touch. Yet the truth is, I am really quite a sensitive guy. I mean hell, simply poke me in the ribs, and I'll jump the Brooklin Bridge, and make it look like child's play doing it. Now there, I've just admitted one of my biggest weak spots. I literally HATE being tickled. It stems from two older brothers who always thought it was highly amusing pinning me down and tickling me till I couldn't breathe. However they took it too far one day, and it ended up with the most embarrassing accidental discharge in the nether regions that left me very wet and red faced, my brothers "ewwing" and performing like a choice pair of school girls, and my mom mad as hell. Now there is something that a "Man" would never admit to have had an accident doing. But, that is just ridiculous, as it is a funny story, and one that really I shouldn't have to be embarrassed sharing with people. It is part of growing up, and the reason that I am really rather impartial to a jab in the ribs, or tickling of any sort. But, the idea to some men, that they should be able to admit to a moment of weakness is tantamount to treason. It is just something "Men" do not do. The Yettie is also a big softy when it comes to snakes. Put one of those creepy things in front of me and I am likely to pass out in very rapid style. In fact it is something that I have done on two occasions, and I've even taken to running out of a reptile house in a mad panic as a young boy holding a snake for the first time panicked as it began to move over his shoulders, and began running in my direction with the damn thing! Needless to say, the whole group we'd gone on tour with knew that the Yettie had a "thing" about snakes! Do these fears make me any less of a man? Um, no I don't think so. I think fear is a part of life. It is something that we all deal with for one reason or another. To show it, to admit it, or to accept that it is something you live with does not make you any less of a person. Plus, let me be frank, I have far greater fears if I am completely honest. A fear of a long, scaly creature that could possibly bite me with painful consequences is hardly life changing. Fears like a fear of rejection are far more damaging to us as individuals than fears of physical harm. Psychological fears that damage and affect our self esteem and our value process are things to worry or be cautious of far more than appearing to not be a strong and macho man able to be the ever dominant protector of our domain. It is these internal fears that are more important to learn to control and overcome. We are so concious of how people regard us. It is such a big thing to be rejected and to be honest when it happens a few times, especially in situations where we have allowed some kind of feelings take root within our imagination, a hope that maybe this person or that person might feel the same way, and see in us all that we see in them. Building up our hopes to have them crushed when we are turned down is a bitter pill to swallow, and if it happens often enough the dent it has on our self esteem can be long lasting and hugely detrimental. These are the fears we should be able to talk about, be honest about, and accept as a part of our characteristics as people. We are all flawed in some way. We all have stupid things to deal with, things we hate about ourselves. Hell we are our own worst enemy when it comes to finding fault. Sometimes we really need to be able to talk about these things to be given any kind of a chance of overcoming them. So next time you wonder to yourself what it is that you fear, find it, accept it, and try if you can not to bury it. You are human, and if you can be strong enough to be able to admit and be open about your weaknesses, maybe, just maybe it is a way of taking some step towards overcoming that fear. We are not inadequate We are valuable, precious individuals. It may work out that the people we hope will see this truth, are not the ones that realise it, but life has a really strange way of knowing who is right and who is wrong for us, and we should learn to trust that a little more. If is not meant to be, casting yourself into a darkness, a depression, a rut is not going to change it. If anything, it is only going to make it harder to over come the next thing that knocks us. Learning to accept that we are not going to be important to every person we meet, will help us understand that our time and energy is precious, and if someone is not interested in it, move on and make friends with someone new. Guard your precious assets, the fire inside your soul, the smile on your face, the friendly, cheerful nature of your character. These are things that will carry you much further than riches and popularity and fame. It is ok to be human, it is good to be scared, and it is great to be able to learn from the things we face in life. Learn to grow, learn to be better, learn to be humble and good. These are the important things in life. Thought for today - "Opportunity is missed by most people because it is dressed in overalls and looks like work." - Thomas A Edison.

My fist slammed into the mirror. The impact was ear shattering. An intricate network of cracks spread across the face of the reflective surface, spreading outward from the epicentre; the point of my frustration, my exasperation, my desperate need. A fine sliver of glass protruded from my knuckle. I stared at my trembling hand as if massive pain engulfed me, when, in fact, it was not a physical pain, but a mental release of emotion, an out-pouring of pent up feelings. So much bottled up, hidden

The world of physical abuse is a dark place, filled with pain, depression, confusion and emotion. Often we don't understand why people seem to remain in these abusive, destructive relationships for so long. This story seeks to see things through their eyes.

I guess when you have the power of being a circuit court judge, things can happen for you at a rapid pace. I love Snow Patrol, and Chasing Cars is a great tune. Get's played an awful lots over here though, so at times it can be over played. I am glad things have seemed to have worked out, and things are going so well for Joey.

Hahaha, A little bit of Jerry Maguire going on ey! Some really cute interaction going on between the boys. So Andy has actually been able to admit he's gay. Hmmmmmm That is a pretty big step for the young boy. I wonder how his dad...friends...school are going to take this. So I am Guessing that the judge is planning on placing Joey with Roger's family. Assumption yes, but I do love guessing, and I've been pretty spot on so far. Cool Chapter Billy.

Ouch. I hate reading about abuse. It is always really hard to stomach. It is one thing that happens in this world with far too much alarming regularity, although it happens behind closed doors and out of sight, making it easy for the rest of us to carry on as if nothing is happening. So when it comes to the surface, and we have to deal with it, it is difficult to swallow. I am not sure that a youngster would speak that openly to a complete stranger about graphic sexual detail, or be able to communicate the levels of his abuse so coherently. That is just my opinion of course, argument could be made in support of Josh being innocent and having lived a sheltered life within the parameters of his father being a minister. Another thing that I would question is a seasoned circuit judge making such a strong promise to a child, even if he really did mean it. I mean if anyone was going to understand the difficulty of the process ahead of them, it would be a judge. I assume the school contacted Joey's father to let him know that he's been taken to the hospital, and I have a feeling he's walking into a whole world of pain. In a way I was expecting this part of the story. I had hopped that I was wrong to a degree, and while the circumstances came about in a way I might not have expected, I can't say that it was easy to read, or that I enjoyed it. Having said that, there is a flow that the chapter carries, an underlying tension that carries the story forward, and that kept my attention focused. Well done in that respect, and kudos for writing such a difficult scene so well.

Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm I kinda expected something might have happened by the way that the plot was developing, but I am inclined to avoid jumping to any conclusions at this stage. I have learnt too many times that things need to be left to develop before I draw any conclusions, as I'm far too eager to make assumptions. Funny, I didn't think that Andy was going to be a drama queen. Maybe he don't like the sight of blood, but that wouldn't fit with the bloodied nose in the opening sequence. Hmmmmmmm Interested to see where this leads. Keeping the interest going, that is awesome. Great chapter Billy.

A group of typical teenage boys. You have captured the essence of lads that age really well, from the wild swing in emotional tugs, to the forgetful nature of responsibilities to be informative to their parents. I am not sure I understood the full meaning behind Debbie's warning. You have taken Joey and turned him into a really rather charming young man. It is no wonder that Andy is somewhat attracted to him, despite his good looks and wonderful eyes. Cherry red lips and stunning smile. What more could a gay boy want.

Haha I totally love the little elements of humour that you've managed to include in the story. I found myself giggling a couple of times, and I always admire a writer that can weave a funny line into something serious and full of tension. Ok so we have finished playing catch up, and you are still leaving us on the edge of the seat at the end of the chapter, which is a good thing, so yeah. Great chapter, and the plot line is developing nicely. Onwards to chapter 3.

Great opening gambit. Flash forward and then play catch up. Always a good way to sink the hook into a reader. Central character is strong and has a cheerful, quirky air to him, which I really like. Sounds like a typical day for a teen starting out in senior school, till a blonde bombshell sends it all tumbling downhill ey! One or two tiny grammatical errors, nothing major. Really good start. Let's see where this takes us, shall we?

Damn man that was a devastating story. There was a really smooth flow to the story, yet I found it hard to go on at times. I knew that there was tragedy coming somewhere in the future, and all of that hard won ground they made up in the fight against the tumour would bleed out somehow. That hurt. It hurt to see their love come and go, and in the end, I couldn't help but feel the pain that drew William so. Tragic. Oh so tragic. Well written and thought out.

Religion and homosexuality is always going to be a hot topic. I was brought up in a very religious home, and it has taken me a long time to accept that I am who I am, there was no choice to be this way, I don't believe i was created to be gay. It is just part of who I am. However there will always be people in the world with prejudices, even gay people. As shameful as it is, true peace and acceptance will not come to this world. There is too much money and power to be had in wars, and hate, and crimes against humanity. While the dollar rules, people will continue to suffer for all kinds of greed and hate.

Well, hell, it has been a good many moon's since I've sat and had a plonk away at the keyboard to fill out some space on my blog. Where the hell have I been you ask? Good question really. Things in my personal life have kept me really busy of late. Some really weird shit, some pretty exciting stuff, and of course, there is the stuff we get up to here at GA that keeps us out of mischief too. Haha. Ok to explain that a bit more.... Well not so long back, my mom had a TIA or Mini Stroke to some, and it made things at home very very interesting. Right now, mom doesn't fully recognise me as her son. I am the man that looks after her most days, once in a while her dad, and sometimes her lover. Sound weird? Yeah, heck it is pretty strange to deal with. The day it happened was pretty damn earth shattering. I had to turn around and walk away, as it was surreal standing talking to my mother and she had no clue I was her son. You hear stories of this all the time in the world of Dementia and Alzheimer's, but nothing prepares you for it when it happens, and there is an awful lot of adjusting to be made to allow for the unfamiliarity you now share with your loved one. I've done a lot of tongue biting, and shed silent tears behind closed doors of late, but in the burden of despair I've found a new inner strength, and managed to find a way to create a new friendship out of the darkness and gloom that came out of the strangeness. There is an ability to cope within us on every level. Somehow, when we need it the most, we find a way through. Adaptability is one of our strengths as humans, and I guess one of the prime reasons we are so damn successful as a species. So yeah, despite the fact that at times I want to scream, and get frustrated at trying to have even a simple conversation at times, I am humbled daily by the strength I see in my mom, and her tenacity and will to fight on and enjoy what she can of her life. Then there is my ikle business. I set it up as I saw an opportunity through being involved with a community program I work with in the broadcasting world. Not so long back I ventured out into the world of Music Management, and have met with some degree of success on the adventure thus far. Four artists in, two singles, one making it to no 14 on the electro charts, and a music video and promotional tour under my belt, and it's been a roller coaster of fun, energy and things I never imagined when I set out on this new path. I've not discovered the next Rhianna or found a new Madonna or anything quite that spectacular, but I am thoroughly enjoying working with some amazingly talented people, discovering so much about the music industry every day, and getting to meet and listen to some amazing musicians along the way. Now who wouldn't enjoy that? And then of course there is GA. So as a part of the WST, I now get to do even more reading than I'd ever thought possible, and Cia challenges us all the time to find little gems of treasure, that when combined will make a treasure junkie green with envy. Yeah, it is really exciting to be involved with some of the stuff that GA is doing to make the site an even better place we can come and share, read and enjoy. But even more important than that is the time I get to share with some fantastically amazing writers. Every time they send me something to look over, I am blown away by the talent that GA brings together. These are men and women that create worlds inside of their minds, build stunning plot lines, develop characters we fall in love with, identify with and cherish. I have nothing but respect for our writers. One and all, they bring something to the table. It may not be as perfect or as refined as each others stuff, it may be something creative, something historical or simply poetic, yet whatever it is, it enriches our lives, puts a smile on our faces at times, makes the tears run freely at other times. These writers give so much of themselves. They share with us every time their pen touches the paper, and yeah, maybe we type and use computers these days, but it is still their blood, sweat and tears we get to enjoy. I love the way they are themselves in their work. They get to express things in their way, not my way, they go off on tangents I'd never have seen, and woo me with language I'd never have used. It only stands to reason that the next time you spend a little time reading, it is only fair to take a little of your own time and make an effort to be yourself in a few words of thanks, feedback, criticism if you dare, or just a simple shout out about a wonderful story you've read. Make an author feel good about themselves next time you enjoy a story. It ain't hard. Hugs and snuggles to you all. Yettie stylee and all that stuff. Thought for today - "Look back and smile on perils past." - Walter Scott

Ok Right just to bounce around an update. I think that most of the suggestions have kind of zero'ed in on July, so let's say a date within the first two weeks of July. I am opting for Manchester. So if we can have a show of hands, then I'll get cracking and make some bookings. (Dates, Venues, Times to be supplied as soon as I find out what is available)

Wow. Some really amazing stuff in this one. I admire those that can write great poetry, and touch a reader in so many different ways. One of the things I love about poetry, and it is something that is demonstrated really well in the reviews, is looking at the different interpretations, and the way that a piece will touch or affect people in different ways. I find that amazing, and such a nice difference from say a story with a plot-line. Good writing people, and thanks for sharing with us readers. Respect!

Ouch. Um heck, I think I just imagined that the three are related, overall a tale of woe. That could be my imagination, for parts work, part are open to guess work, parts don't fit, so maybe that is my imagination playing games on me. It's not till I read this one that it dawned on me and pieces began to slot together, but I didn't make a full picture. Maybe that is what poetry is. Still, made me sad when I read the final part.