Thorn Wilde

My grandmother had breast cancer. She had a mastectomy and only has one breast now. I always thought it looked funny when I saw her in her nighty when I was a kid...

That's sad. I've never been able to understand why people can't discuss matters like politics and religion in a civilised manner. Thanks for your answers!

Thank you for reading and leaving so many thoughtful reviews! Makes me really happy!

Cheers very much, Stephen! Thank you so much for reading. I'm glad you've been enjoying the story.

Thank you for reading and leaving your comments! It's been a pleasure.

Thank you so much! Alan's and Matt's stories are the ones that are finished, so you'll get your wish fairly soon. I think Dave's father was forced to weigh the shame of having a gay son against the shame of disowning said son. He in no way accepted the relationship, he just realised there was nothing he could do about it. Disowning or kicking his son out would have resulted in further scandal, not to mention that he only has the one child and heir. He did the math and grudgingly made a deal with Dave. Writing the epilogue was a lot of fun. Makes me a little sad that I have no plans of writing about their time in Manchester in detail. Part of the reason for that is I really don't know Manchester well enough to place a full length novel there, only been there once. Thank you so much for your thoughtful comments!

Thank you! I've tried very hard to balance the story progression in order to make it believable. I'm glad you feel I've succeeded.

I'll try not to make you wait that long. Lol! i'm so glad you've enjoyed the story. This world is my baby and I intend to nurture it. Thanks for sticking with it and being a star!

Thank you, and thanks for sticking with the story!

It is not. In some ways, I wish my life had been this interesting. But I'm very pleased thar you find it realistic, and though it's not a true story, there are aspects of it that come from real experiences in my life and in the lives of my friends.

I can be nothing but honoured if you choose to compare me to my namesake. I'm deeply flattered. Thank you for all your kind words!

Thank you so much! I'm glad you're enjoying it, and so, so happy that you find it realistic! Realism is what I'm going for, after all. Cheers!

Thank you so much for sticking with the story! I'm so happy that you've enjoyed it so much, and that you seem pleased with the ending, however bittersweet.

Awesome list, Zombie! I'd like to add that some forms of same-sex marriage have been allowed throughout history on a technicality. In the Middle Ages, for instance, the church technically recognised marriage between a man and a eunuch. Also, some Native American tribes have recognised same-sex unions through the concept of people with two souls, technically a form of transsexuality, where a person of one sex could take on the gender roles of the opposite sex, to the point of marrying a person of the same physical sex as themselves. Out of curiosity, is there anywhere on these forums where one is permitted to discuss politics?

Well, everything has to end some time, but I can promise you that I'm not done with this world yet. There are plenty more stories to tell, and I intend to tell them.

No one can take it away from me. No one can tear it apart. It may be elaborate fantasy, but it's the perfect place to start. Because a heart that hurts is a heart that works. Epilogue: Bright Lights And that's all, folks! Or, almost, anyway. The short story collection Hubris, about the story's supporting characters and antagonists, is in the works, with two completed stories that will be up soonish and more to come. I also intend to start plotting the sequel very soon, though you might have to wait a while for that. After all, this novel was ten years in the making. Hopefully the sequel won't take quite as long.

Yay! Thank you! I'm so glad you enjoyed it! Only the epilogue to go now.

So, due to a bit of a cock-up with me trying and failing to queue updates because I'm going away for a few days... Don't let them have their way. Don't let them have their way. You're beautiful and so blasé, so please don't let them have their way. Don't fall back into the decay. There is no law we must obey. So please don't let them have their way. Don't give in to yesterday! We can build a new tomorrow, today... Chapter Eighteen: Speak in Tongues After this, only the epilogue remains, and I will post it a little bit later.

Welcome to the fold, Eilias!

Yeah, sorry about that. I accidentally posted them ahead of time. They'll be up later. I'm glad you're enjoying the story so much! I am actually working on a short story collection with a story for each of my supporting characters and antagonists. The ones for Alan and Matt are already complete and will be posted at some point upon completion of this novel. Thank you for reading and reviewing!

Exactly. Couldn't have put it better myself.

If my writing twists your insides and leaves you feeling raw, I'll consider it a job well done. Very thoughtful analysis. It makes me so happy to know that people are getting emotionally invested in these characters. I've been writing them for so long, they've become a part of me and I love them dearly. Thank you for reading, and for your words and thoughts.

Matt is a sweetheart. Love him to bits! Thank you so much for your kind words!

Matt has stated before that he thinks Alan is hot. Poor Alan, it's not so easy being him... Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Matt is one of my favourites too. Jason is pretty awesome. He's sort of the person i wish I was. With the travelling and the activism and the absolutely massive brain. Not to mention the kick-ass motorbike. Love him! Thanks for reviewing once more!