Uplifted Spirit

Jaro, your comments, as usual, are always appreciated it. I sometimes have trouble working the parents in because there is so much going on with the kids. I just wrote chapter 5 of Knots 4 and the whole chapter was with the parents. I dont' want to give anything away so won't tell you more than that.

You are so right. It's so hard once you've had sex to stop. It's like a drug. Yes, it's nice to think kids can have romance, but I think that's a dream. They can be romantic and think they're in love, but it's usually lust mistaken for love. I think I deal with a lot of this throughout the story. I read a lot of gay stories an these 14 and 15 year olds are in love and monogamous. It takes time for them to get there otherwise there would be no story. I just find it hard to believe. Am I a cynic for thinking that? This is one of the big reasons Andy and Matt don't hook up. Andy likes his sex and Matt doesn't want to be tied down. Matt is trapped by the knots his tied. His motives were good, but he never expected the results. Aren't we all a little like that at times?

I'm glad to see you're all upset. Things are a mess and they get messier as things go on. So hang in there. And again, thanks for reviewing Knots. I told you I'd reply if you wrote. I'm not sure if I can stay up with you.

Jaro, I thought I'd replied to every one of Lisa's reviews, but I checked what she had to say after you referenced her and realized I hadn't. I'm a retired teacher so know what you mean about some educators. It's always good to hear when what you've written has moved them to anger or to tears.

Lisa, I didn't realize I hadn't replied to this comment. Jaro had the same exact reaction you had. He and I are both educators and we know people like this. But hell, stories are about conflict and there's plenty in this chapter.

Glad you like the quotes. I couldn't believe it when the guy wrote me and told me to stop and when I offered a little resistance blocked me from writing him. I often wonder what happened to him. It is a whirlpool of sex and it leads to exactly where you might expect.

Jaro, thanks for the correction update. I wrote it down and will fix it. I suppose the problem with having sex when you're young is that it is all consuming and it can of course cause us to tie knots we might not have ever tied. Matt's life changed. He wasn't ready, but he did it for Andy. And now what? He can't go back. Matt loves the sex but it doesn't keep him from remaining confused.

You're right Jaro. I know that once you've had sex, it's all that's on our minds so I wanted to create that kind of realistic chapter. But everything you say is right.

I spent a lot of time thinking about how I'd like this story to end. I appreciate your positive comments. It's still about friendship and love between two guys. But life for the two of them isn't than simple as I'm sure you've found out by now.

Thanks Jaro. Your comments mean a lot because of your comments on the previous chapters. I'm not sure why, but I felt all this as I wrote it.

Thanks for this. I'll check them out. I didn't realize I was repeating myself. I may have to add something or shorten them, otherwise it will throw the chapter numbers off. These things are good to know.

Interesting thought that you didn't think this chapter moved forward. But it's a setup for later chapters. I'm not sure I realized that as I wrote it. Actually, I did. Dillon had called out Matt's name while he was having sex with Andy and Andy ignored it and accepted Dillon's answer. But Andy is in denial and he will crash as you already know.

Jaro, you have raised a lot of questions and I know you've found the answers by now because I see you're already into Knots 2. I'm loving your reviews. Thanks again. It really helps to hear what others think.

Jaro, I have made that error of waste a number of times. It's not that I don't know how to spell it, I just get typing and when I read it for edits, I miss it. Lisa now catches me when I do it. I've talked to Lisa about editing the first chapters and between us we might improve them. If you'd be willing to help on those chapters, I'd greatly appreciate it. I have been losing readers and in those first chapters and it has concerned me. Elias

Ah, Jaro, you are caught up in the story. I guess you ended up being quiet surprise in the next chapters. That's great. But you caught the hint about Dillon calling out Matt's name. That was a little bit of premonition.

Thanks for the uplifting comment Jaro. I'm glad you kept reading. I'm not sure what do to with the first chapters. I was hoping you'd offer some suggestions. You did make an offer on some small edits. You said you were intrigued by the boys curiosity about each other. You are very observant because those early chapters are basically the original story. Dillon was added later. I got on a roll and managed to put more conflict in it. Of course, there wasn't much sex in the original chapters. Have any ideas? I welcome them. The idea of writing them over is a tough one, but I'd welcome any suggestions about why you thought they were weak.

Jaro Sorry I haven't written you back, but I'be been writing the next chapter of Knots 4. Hey, it keeps getting better. Again, thanks for taking the time to review.

Jaro Sorry I haven't written you back, but I'be been writing the next chapter of Knots 4. Hey, it keeps getting better. Again, thanks for taking the time to review.

Jaro Sorry I haven't written you back, but I'be been writing the next chapter of Knots 4. Hey, it keeps getting better. Again, thanks for taking the time to review.

SA So you're the one who managed to change everything for us. I went to change my story ratings and found they'd already been changed. Nice quick job. Thanks

water

Jaro, I watch The Young and the Restless, and the one thing I've learned is you have to keep your readers guessing. Hell, I keep myself guessing because sometimes I don't know what's going to happen next. You're right. Girls were available to Andy so he had sex with girls, but in the end, he knows he prefers guys. My goal was to use his sex with girls as a way of comparing later to having sex with guys. Sometimes I get the feeling that some gay guys act like girls are the enemy or the idea of having sex with them is disgusting. I often think we're born bisexual. Yes, we have the sex organs, but who we are and who we think we are is more than our sex organs or who we want to have sex with. After all many call it sexual preference. Andy in the end prefers guys, Matt doesn't have the slightest idea who or what he prefers. But Matt does make an interesting decision in the final chapter. So you'll have to read on to find out what happens.

Jaro, you are making my day. Your reviews are wonderful and make me realize why I want to be a writer. I think I expressed in my reply to chapter 12 that this story is really about friendship because I'm not sure you can have love or a good relationship without friendship. Because in the end, people hurt each other, but they can never let that ruin their friendship, which is really the relationship they have with one another. Sex will add to it of course. You will notice as you read more that Andy and Matt never lie to each other. They always tell the truth. This is something I feel that is the most important thing in a friendship, romance, or any relationship. Lisa said that I might have had Andy lie once, but I sure hope I didn't. I think if was a sin of omission and not a lie.

This story began and has always been about friendship and the knots that bind friends together. I think it is an unconscious thing, but I just expressed that thought for the first time. But I think it is in the story even though I'm not sure I consciously put it there. I like the image of twisting snakes writing together in a pit. I'll have to keep that in mind.

I haven't read this in awhile and I'm trying to remember the stats I quoted. Matt is confused. Andy knows he's gay and that helps him, but Matt, he doesn't know which end is up. I'm glad you're finding the story more enjoyable as you go along. I welcome any suggestions that would help improve the earlier chapters. I WELCOME ANY SUGGESTIONS THAT WOULD HELP IMPROVE THE EARLIER CHAPTERS. I've noticed that there is a drop off or readers in those chapters, so any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.