Kitt

Hmmmm, It's November in the story line, If Kevin's mussings are right will Will be around to help deliver baby Dansfield #2? That would be around the end of August, so I guess it would be a function of where Wade chooses to go to law school, and if he has moved yet at that point. I have to agree with some of the other reviewers - three sexually active young men on a plane owned by Stefan Schulter and they could only come up with one condom? I have to disagree however that it was all for a bit of gratuitus kinky sex. Gathan spent a lot of time over the last few chapters trying to tell Will he was cruising for trouble with Zach, and Will completely blew him off, and not in the enjoyable sense. I see the rift between Will and Gathan as an issue of trust. Will felt Gathan didn't trust him to make his own decisions about Zach, and Gathan felt Will didn't trust him enough to actually listen. Agreeing to barebacking showed that they both were trusting the other immensely. Tops may be at a reduced risk as compared to bottoms, but reduced does NOT mean risk free. I was half expecting much more drama at the dinner table. Ethan being there seemed to be a non-issue execpt for Emaline trying to rub Elizabeth's nose in Jeff's infidelity. And even that little dig seemed less meant for Ethan and much more just to irritate Wade's mom! I'm not seeing a bunch of tidy little bows here Mark. Does that mean these stories will continue in the next book? If your comment a few chapters back still holds true we only have one chapter left. I can't for the life of me see how you can settle some of these issues in so short a span! Write sir, write! Like any addiction I find myself wanting more and more. This is one addiction I have no desire to kick!

Speaking from a readers standpoint, It's a rush to have an author "like" your comments, most especially if you have been involved in one of the debates we've mentioned!

I've never understood the tendency to toss such acidic words in a review. I doubt there has ever been a story written in the history of the written word that has pleased every reader to look at it. If I dislike something about a chapter and feel the necessity to comment negatively on it, I feel I should at the very least be polite about it. One can criticize a work without being insulting to the author. Those sort of "negative" reviews could be helpful. A review so filled with acid and hatred achieves little but to hurt an author.

Who knows? Perhaps one day I will learn to direct this silly little voice and "the rest of the story" can hit the screen.Thank you.

Isn't the entire topic of heaven and hell - angels and devils confusing? Hope you enjoyed.

What's that old saying? "Even a blind squirrel finds a nut once in a while". It was a fun prompt to play with! Thanks for taking the time to read and review.

I don't think any author would be upset with even a two word review. Who could hate "Great chapter!" ???

I'll drive the little blue one out there as soon as she is done here. Start lunch and I will call when we are 5 or 10 min out so you can put the kettle on!

As glad as I was to see Maertagh light a fire under a search party, what I am most curious about is what Kenrick is, and just what he is going to do that screws up the rescue!

I think a lot of the forum participation is generated by conflict in the story itself, and readers becoming polarized by their empathy with certain characters. The best example I can give of that phenomenon is Mark Arbours discussion forum for 911. People have sort of divided up into camps and discussion gets lively. Mark told me that he considers a review and response a personal conversation, and the forum as a public one anyone is welcome to join. I think that an apt description. Sometimes it seems that the author themselves don't follow that open discussion very well. The more involved the author him/herself is, the more likely I am to participate. Author response is important I'll grant you. No one wants to feel like they are being overlooked. I love Stellar's idea of posting the link to the pertinent forum in the chapter notes at the end. When you finish reading and reviewing a chapter is when you are most likely to comment in a forum. If you find that you are not remembering to reply to forums, follow it! There is nothing like a little snippet under notifications to remind you to go reply! And be patient with us support staff guys. Sometimes it gets really hard to remember what chapter you covered a subject in, especially if we are way ahead of the posting dates or working on multiple stories. We don't like leaking spoilers any more than you like seeing them Joann!

I have to agree with Adam. Not sending our athletes to Sochi would have achieved no lasting results. I think having several members of our committee going over being openly gay may in the long run have a much bigger impact. That being said, I sort of agree with Thorn as well in that avoiding the purchase of advertised wares would also have a major impact. Simply not watching however only hinders yourself. I suggest if you are of that mind to watch - enjoy - note the products advertised and avoid purchasing those goods and services!

Invites the bear to dance in my back yard - at night and inside the confines of our privacy fence. More than twice the average annual snowfall in our area is quite enough!

Well it's about time SOMEONE got around to looking for Shawn! Leave it to Maertagh to light the fire!

Thanks Lisa! The old man seems to like talking - maybe he will talk enough to write it down.

LMAO! Yes, I do take it all as a supreme compliment! Perhaps you should not go back and read last years prompts tho. That little voice just shuts up when I get to about a chapter worth. There is only one story so far that managed 3 chapters, although Hil and the old man have whispered at me a bit more, just not enough to publish yet. Maybe I should introduce them! Thank you Mickey!

And you guys thought I only watched the old flicks. Your turn Thomas

LOL - blame that on my mothers penchant for "Saturday Afternoon at the Movies" on then WPIX channel 11, and the fact she hated sitting there alone watching! How about "Yes,yes. And I want to getr un-lost as soon as possible."

Now that is an easy one! Breakfast At Tiffany's

lol - If I could get that little voice to ramble that far do you think I would have stopped here? We shall see - maybe he will be cooperative for a change. Let me go look at the prompt list...

Thank you Ron. The shop in the story has sat on that main street unchanged since i was about 8 years old. Perhaps next time I drive through I'll take a photo and post it.

Interesting to see Gathan not just parrot what Wally has been saying about Zach for a change. Perhaps he realizes it is time to look at Zach and see what is there and not what he thinks should be there. I would love to have been a bug on the wall when Frank and Wally got into it about Zach. And no blow up from Will about the gal and needing a condom? The boy is growing up. Saying there will be no blame in a situation like that and actually dealing with it are two very different things. Now, correct me if I am mistaken, but Wally is actually Zachs father isn't he? Will be interesting if he decided that Zach has to return to Ohio. I doubt there would be any legal standing for Frank to assume custody, and unless there is a whole lot more happening than Mark has shown us so far I don't see another emancipation on the horizon.

The Shop Briar looked up and down the street. It was horribly cold and there was no one about. The main drag in town was usually bustling with activity, but with the temperatures well below freezing, no one wanted to be outside any longer than necessary. A huge square delivery truck turned the corner and tossed a bundle of newspaper out the passenger side door, slamming it shut again as fast as he could in an attempt to maintain at least some of the feeble heat the old relic

I'm hoping that Wayne has a penchant for happy endings. I REALLY want to know the story behind the oddity of the brothers!

Oh my! Talk about major changes! Guess we don't get to see ALL the drama in this family up front. That must have been one whopper fight between Frank and Wally to get Isadore to agree to buying a place near the school Zach will be attending and move out of Escorial, even if it is only a part time move and only temporary! If I beg "Pretty Please?" might we get a guest narration early in the next book filling us in on just how this came about? Why would Wally suddenly want to drag Zach back to Ohio? Just what is his motivation for ripping the kid apart all the time? He had obviously managed to get Gathan to believe his version of Zach's football career, as evidenced by how impressed big brother was in spite of Will, Brad and Frank singing praises all this time. I get the feeling there is a whole lot more going on here than we are seeing. Makes me want to dig deeper! As usual a fantastic chapter Mark! While you are so busy tying up loose threads to end 911 - you are creating entire skeins for the next book. Something tells me I had best take a few minutes between the two to check safety restraints on this roller coaster!

Damn well told Mickey! While it would be nice if Dom, or any missing writer, could let us know, sometimes that simply is not possible. I had an online friend with whom I had become very close disappear. At first I waited patiently, then railed, and finally accepted that what ever his reasons, he would not be back. To my surprise one afternoon a lady came into the chat room where we had met asking for me. It was the gentleman's daughter, and she wanted to let me know that he had been terminally ill and had finally passed. I thought it very sweet that he not only thought of me in his last days, but also told his daughter about me, and that his daughter would take the time to track me down and let me know what had happened to him. Here's hoping that Dom and the other missing authors are missing for good reasons, and someday will come back to us.