layla

Well, where to begin. The trip was amazing, being up in the mountains, spending the days hiking and on horseback taking pictures was just this intensely peaceful and relaxing feeling. The first night there I arrived in the mountains too late to do much but have a campfire and cook dinner and start taking pictures of the mountains and the area around the campground. Mostly different birds and plants, cactus (cacti?) that were flowering, things like that. An osprey, (I think), some gophers , and the majestic mountains. The second day I was up at 6:30, cooked a quick egg breakfast over the fire, hand an apple with it and hiked down to the shuttle that took backpackers between trails. I hiked to a place called fern falls, saw a bear lol, (thankfully from a distance) and saw plenty of elk and other critters. Second day I spent I horseback, going up and down trails and taking pictures along the way. I hadn’t ridden in 2 years but it all came back quick and easy and it was so much fun. Saw mule deer and elk, awesome views, some neat flora and fauna, and of course, different views of the mountains. Third day I was again up at 6:30, did some hiking, a little fishing, then went on a jeep ride up and down some trails and holy cow, that was wild, learned a great deal about the mountains, took tons of pics, including some from an observation tower with a 360 degree view of the mountains and plains. That night I also got to take pics in the Stanley Hotel where the Shinning was written (and based off of). Forth day in the mountains was spent during even more hiking, bear lake and beaver lake trails, its so peaceful up there before tourist season hits, I can’t wait to go back but the next itme I go will be with a backcountry pass so I can hike even further into the mountains. Each night, being able to sit about the campfire was awesome, I got a ton of notes on all of my stories written, things plotted out, decided on some directions and did a ton of writing while on the bus as well. So, in regards to my stories, I just need to sit down now and type up new chapters for all of them. I’ve had a pretty busy few days since being back, its felt like a whirlwind in comparison to my laid back vacation. Finally replaced the living room couch today, YEY, the old one was slowly becoming a death trap of springs and broken recliner parts. There’s 3 pics up from the trip, I’ll prolly put more up later. Gonna start a chapter now, hopefully finish it tomorrow, Iowa is hot, I already miss the cool of the mountains.

Thanks Cia I've finally got everything packed, just need to get the sleeping bag and tent checked over and attached to the backpack and I'll be good to go. I don't know how i'm going to sleep tonight I'm so excited.

Just wanted to drop a quick note to the readers of my stories. I'd like to apologize in advance, i don't think i will be able to get another chapter of Broken Prince up before I leave on Saturday, but the good news is i plan to have several chapters written in my notebook by the time i come back on the 8th, so I'll be making up for the missed weeks then. A chapter of Guitars 2 before I leave is a possiblity, its written and in the hands of my wonderful Editor Lisa and the latest chapter of Roadhouse Reds just went up. I won't have a laptop in the mountains while im camping, but i'll be writing in notebooks to type things up when I get back. really looking forward to seeing colorado and taking pictures there, ill prolly upload some when i get back. Thank you to all the readers who have been keeping up with my stories I look forward to coming back home with a bunch of new chapters for you.

Wow, what a breathtaking end to the chapter. i did not expect tyler to end up there the way the date was going, and for Mike to show up, that's just horrible timing and made me feel really bad for him and for Asher too. you have a wonderful story going here. I hope that you feel better soon.

grandma sounds awesome! And what a sweet gesture that was from Bump.

Wow, so didn't see the little explosion at the end coming, but it did show that both guys have a few issues to work out. It almost seems like mike doesn't know what to do with someone liking him for himself, I felt like that was the only reason he said what he did. Def looking forward to more.

So not a good weekend. My daughters bunny had babies unexpectedly earlier in the week (we just got her this past weekend, didn't know she was pregnant) and saturday my roomies and i came home from taking the kids bowling and one had died. By the end of the night, they were all dead, we're not sure what triggered it but just one right after the other we were pulling them out of the cage and having to bury them. Obviously my daughter was pretty upset, but has lavished all of her attention on the mama bunny and her other pets. Me on the other hand, i'm still crying over the baby bunnies two days later.Or at least, that's what's kicked off this latest bout of drop of the hat tears. I've always been closer to my pets and nay animal really than I am to most people. Hell, i can fully admit that people very rarely have the means to bring me to tears but seeing an animal hurt, or dead, will have me tearing up in an instant. I hate crying, trying to stop is just giving me a headache though and i hate those more. it pisses me off that those little bunnies had to be born just to die so absolutly pointlessly, like what was the point of it all. I never understood those things as a child and i don't understand them as an adult and I hate having to sit there and hug my daughter and try to assure her that there was nothing that could be done yet when i stuggle to see why it had to happen in the first place. Sorry if this is rambling and makes no sense, i just, im sitting her by myself and still so very upset over the whole damn thing that each time i try not to think about it,it just makes me feell worse.

"Long is the way and hard that out of hell leads up to light" - Milton (Paradise Lost)

no no no more reboots. I'm sick to death of them remaking things, people need to get original for crying out loud!

for movies: The crow (original), All three of the reboot batmans, V for vendetta, Sin City, Man on a Ledge, Red Dawn (original and reboot), Freaks (by Tod Browning), and The Greatest Show on Earth. For TV shows: Chicago Fire, Arrow, Game of Thrones, Sons of Anarchy, swamp people and Project Runway

Some interesting Information here, a little D and D mixed with Vampire lore. One thing that stood out was the use of 'empathy' if he was feeling 'empathy' then he would likely be an 'empath' A little more description might help flesh out the scene some, and I kind of felt myself thinking that the history lesson could have come later and in place of it, have the older vamp go more into what Xavier could expect by being a vampire, why being a vamp meant he couldn't leave the house, and how long it might take for any powers and ability to manifest.

I haven't read American Gods in years, I may have to pull it out again as you've reminded me of just how much i loved it. Neil's Sandman series still remains one of my favorite Graphic novel sets to this day, and his short story collections were wonderful. Like you, I've been dealing with the evolution of a story and the changing/shifting of the characters traits and personalities over the years. I think that's one of the wonderful things about characters, and that's as we, as writers, grow and change, they are able to change and evolve with us.

This first chapter makes me curious, I didn't see vampire the tag for it, but the mental image I had is vampire. Writing a story in first person is pretty tough, i just finished one and wanted to pull my hair out by the end so I hope it doesn't drive you as batty as it nearly drove me. I do agree with the suggestion that you place a request for an editor, and possibly a beta reader too, they would be able to help you clean up spelling, grammar and tenses, The one major comment I have is that this section felt a little disembodied, it was hard to get a clear picture of where this character was laying as he bled. What did he see above him as he looked up, or around him as he lay bleeding? Little details that would help connect the reader to the scene. All in all, I plan to read more, I'm curious to see where you take this.

I'm a huge fan of Gungrave, Wolf's Rain, Vampire Hunter D, Saiyuki, Cowboy Bebop and Trinity Blood, along with Peacemaker, Crying Freeman and Gantz. Darkside Blues and X were also really good for movies, as was Ninja Scroll. Some are a bit dark and bloody though.

I like seeing this new side of Michael, his interactions during the game, his sportsmanship were really telling signs about his personality. I I'm curious as to where this friendship will go, they are from obviously different worlds and Micheal's drinking problem is certainly going to be a factor at some point. Very nice chapter, i look forward to reading more.

Samurai. I know the ninja trained with more weapons, but the samurai's code of honor and their ability with a sword has always appealed to me.

A tumor, oh man, that sure makes for a bad situation, and lots of guilt for Alex. I like were you're taking this. More more more please

That was intense. WOW!

Loved the way you used sensory images, this was beautiful and touching and romantic. I enjoyed it a great deal.

LOL naughty buddha! this was quite the read, thanks for sharing.

Wow, touching, sad, almost bitterly sad, i loved the repitition of 'that night' because as a reader I knew something was coming but that wasn't what i expected. Loved this

You really wove life and the seasons together, a passage of time, long and short, can been seen in the words that you chose. Thank you for sharing this, it was quite lovely.

Those last four lines were the most powerful of the poem for me, really pulling the whole thing together and driving the point home. Great job.

I really enjoyed the first two, but i loved this last one and how it changed from not knowing one another, to an unknown and unseen love. Wonderful job.