LittleBuddhaTW

I've read them both two times, and even recommended them in my blog. Although they could use some good editing, they are two of the most well-written (aside from the aforementioned editing "clean-up" needs) and moving (not to mention creative) stories I have come across. They can also be found at http://www.storylover.us I hope the author of "Shane" and "Tyler" will have another story for us soon.

I'm thinking that the "... wasn't, completely, wrong." line is referring to Luke feeling jealous when he was Seth and Rory together ... not necessarily because he wants to be the one sucking on Rory's ding-dong like an ice-cold 7-11 Slurpee on a 100 degree summer day, but because Luke 1) feels lonely and wants companionship, and 2) he wants time to spend with Rory before Rory leaves, while Seth is hogging most of that up ... actually, I'm a bit surprised that Eddie hasn't said something about this to Rory, too ... you'd think that Eddie would want to spend more "quality" time with his one and only (and very beautiful) son before he goes back to the evil clutches of Grandma Alice. One other thing I noticed in this chapter is the impending "driver's license" thing ... I always figured that to be one of the events that came towards the end of the story. It seems like things are starting to build up to a climax, with Rory about to get his driver's license, the "family vacation" coming up in just a few days, the whole Rory/Seth/Luke "feelings" thing coming to a head, etc. Doesn't mean the story will be finished in a couple chapters, but it feels as though it's definitely starting to come to a resolution, perhaps as soon as Ch. 35, although maybe Dom can stretch it out to 40 chapters ... hehe

It's because every good story needs an antagonist of some kind ... so Aaron is critical to the plot ... and because of that, I don't think we've seen the last of him.

What about a logo for DomLuka's new story, "With Trust"???

I think this analysis may just hit the nail on the head. As it stands now, I think this is probably the likeliest scenario. I honestly would love to see Luke and Rory together ... I'm craving it ... but trying to look at it as objectively as possible, I just don't see it anymore.

The way Dom described the thoughts that were going through Rory's head, all of the confusion, questioning Luke's feelings, analyzing everything about the way he interacted with Luke, and even questioning his own feelings was so brilliantly written. The constant twists and turns in the plots have become so frequent, I think all bets are off for how it's going to turn out. Just in this one chapter alone, the whole momentum kept switching back and forth ... both in Rory's mind (Seth? Luke? Seth? Luke? ad nauseum), but in the story itself ... Rory was pretty convinced that Luke liked him, and he'd even gotten the balls to confront him about it ... then Luke surprises the hell out of us (well, quite a few had predicted it before) by admitting it was Dave when Dom seemingly had us convinced that it was Rory ... and then the cliffhanger comes, and it seems like Luke may still like Rory yet ... OY VAY! I don't know how much more of this I can take! How much more insane can this possibly get? But at the same time, I think it accurately reflects the kind of teenage angst and mess of mixed and confused emotions that people Rory's age go through when they first jump into the whole "dating" thing. Well done, Dom! But, PLEASE, don't take too long on getting Ch. 33 out ... this is really killing me ... However, I get the idea that we are definitely starting to reach the main climax now, perhaps in another few chapters ...

Now I know where the name "Laika" came from! And the entire "dog discourse" was adoreable. I really hope he gets together with Nicky, and if he does, I'm sure the proverbial sh*t will hit the fan with his radical preacher father. Can't wait for Ch. 6!

Geniuses are a unique phenomenon. For a genius writer, the words just flow out of the pen and on to the page, most likely with very little thought as to their deeper significance. For genius musicians, the melody just appears to them. Some of the greatest writers have little or no training in literature, and some of the greatest musicians have very little training in music. We, as critics, look at a work at can find all kinds of hidden meanings, subtle nuiances, and significance that the creator (author/artist/musician) never even thought of ... it was just the natural flow of his/her creativity. The notion of "time" in Dom's stories is interesting ... but reading the discussion, I now remember why I switched from a philosophy major to majoring in Chinese! hehe Unless Dom were to state otherwise (which is the interesting thing about having an author that "interacts" with his readership, as opposed to most "traditional" authors), I would guess that he hasn't really thought about "time" in his stories, at least not at such an abstruse level. I agree that the "DomLuka" in his blog, and the "DomLuka" that comes through in the stories seem like two very different people ... however, I wouldn't describe him as "gormless" at all. I get the impression that he is extremely sharp, and his somewhat enigmatic air is quite intentionally (and methodically) crafted.

I got my reading fix this weekend from the latest installments of "Sea Change," "Laika," and "With Trust," as well as working on my own story ... but now I'm reaaalllllyyyy aching for DD Ch. 32 ... I just have to know what happens with Rory finding out about Luke's little "crush" ... **sigh** Don't let us suffer like this, Dom!

From Nelson's description of the portrait, it seems as though Milo/Tommy is a bit of a size queen. Hopefully he won't be overly disappointed when he goes to ride the bologna pony with Nels and discovers that he's not all that he'd imagined ...

Great chapter, Dom. And absolutely no confusion as to whether or not Milo is gay now, I suppose ... hehe. That little scene was definitely unexpected ... especially the fact that it was a naked portrait of Nelson with a big 'ol boner. That was just too funny! I can tell that you've obviously put a lot of thought into this particular story. I think it may take some time to really grow on everyone. "Desert Dropping" has been such an incredible story, that it's going to be hard to top it, and I'm afraid that now people me try to compare everything to DD rather than taking it on its own value. But it's still a very good story, though!

Well, if Rory does believe Seth and doesn't just brush it off (as he is prone to do), I can certainly see how it could make things very awkward between him and Luke ... and if Rory decides that he doesn't care about Luke in that way, it could get even more awkward. I can see that awkwardness being enough to send him back to Nevada. I think Dom has really thrown a doozy at us ... this is a really difficult situation. Rory is in a relationship with a really nice guy, someone who treats Rory well, respects him, listens to him, etc. At the same time, he lives with someone who he is very close to emotionally, is hot as hell, who also treats him well and respects him, as well as liking him as more than a friend ... quite the debacle, and I don't see any way to resolve it without someone good getting hurt.

I could see Rory possibly cheating on Seth, driven by hormones and curiosity (who in their right mind wouldn't give their left nut to have Luke on top of them, sweating and moaning?) ... however, I don't know if I could imagine Luke letting Rory cheat on Seth with him, despite his liking him. If he did that, it would really ruin my image of Luke (I could probably understand better with Rory, because I think we all realize he can be pretty dumb sometimes). As for Wynter's theory, I don't see 1) as being very plausible (Rory confronting Luke about his feelings) ... I think Rory would feel way too awkward about that. I'm just amazed that Seth doesn't seem to be upset or jealous ... I mean, he knows Luke likes Rory, they live together, and Luke is totally hot ... if I was Seth, I'd be totally insecure, despite Rory saying that Seth is the only one he wants. I guess we'll just have to wait for Ch. 32 to find out what happens ... and hopefully won't have to wait as long as we did for Ch. 31 ... **sigh**

Now that Aaron is out of the picture for the time being as of Ch. 31, and Rory and Seth seem to have worked out the jealousy issue, I've gotta think up another way for Luke and Rory to get together, but it's getting more difficult ... *sigh* The only thing I can come up with is Rory coming home after a date with Seth, walking down to the basement to find Luke sitting behind an old Yamaha digital piano, softly playing the old Jim Reeves country song "He'll Have to Go": Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone Let's pretend that we're together all alone I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low And you can tell your friend there with you, he'll have to go Whisper to me, tell me do you love me true Or is he holding you the way I do Though love is blind, make up your mind, I've got to know Should I hang up, or will you tell him, he'll have to go You can't say the words I want to hear When you're with another man Do you want me, answer yes or no Darling, I will understand Put your sweet lips a little closer to the phone Let's pretend that we're together all alone I'll tell the man to turn the jukebox way down low And you can tell your friend there with you, he'll have to go ... As he finishes, a single tear runs down Luke's cheek, and Rory suddenly realizes that even though he really likes Seth, he's not 'in love' with him, and Luke really is his soul mate (I haven't figured out how he's gonna ditch Seth yet, though)

It looks like no matter who Rory ends up with, about half of the readership is going to be incredibly disappointed, unless Dom is really, really creative and can somehow find a way to make *everyone* happy ... but, Dom is a fantastic writer, not necessarily a magician or god. Personally, I would *love* for Rory and Luke to be together in the end, but even I am having very serious doubts. Despite the fact that Luke obviously likes Rory, and wants to spend long hours cuddling him in bed, gently kissing his soft lips, running his hands gently through his short, spiky hair, kneading Rory's soft butt cheeks with his strong hands, whispering sweet nothings into his ear about love, committment, etc. ... however, there are no signs that there are any problems in Rory and Seth's relationship ... even the Aaron/jealousy issue has been worked out, and Aaron is pretty much out of the picture for the time being. So, my hope is fading fast ... going, going, going ........ **sigh**

I think another major plot twist, or "curve ball," is pretty inevitable, as this seems to be a recurring theme in this partcular story ... whether this will involve Rory-Seth-Luke, I couldn't really say, but other than something dramatic happening between those three, I can't see what else there could be, especially since Aaron is going to be out of the picture for the next couple weeks. One thing I noticed is that Corey (Aaron's younger brother) sort of popped up again ... perhaps he'll have more of a role to play in future chapters ... maybe if Luke can't have Rory, he'll go for Corey (a much better choice than Aaron, IMO, and that would certainly piss off Aaron!)

Now that we've gotten all worked up about Seth telling Rory that Luke likes him, it would be such a travesty if the first line of Ch. 32 was "Just kidding!" That would be soooo evil ... but if it is true, I just don't see how this could possibly work out without someone nice getting hurt, be it Seth, Luke, OR Rory. I bet Rory in his wildest dreams would never have thought two HOT guys would both want him (make that three if Aaron was honest when he said that he really did like Rory) ... I mean, how lucky can one kid get?!

Actually ... this could end up being worse drama than the Rory/Aaron thing ... at first, I thought Rory would probably go into denial about Luke liking him, and just brush it off ... but he didn't do that when Luke pointed out to Rory that Seth liked him. So now, the only questions are 1) will Rory confront Luke about it? (very unlikely), and 2) how is this going to affect Rory's relationship with Luke, his relationship with Seth, and his own emotional well-being? I can just smell the potential drama ...... Aaron's out of the picture for the rest of the summer, Dave's gotten Angela to go out with him, Rory's cruising along well with Eddie ... and now that the Luke/Rory/Seth thing has come to a head, I think this is gonna be the main dramatic plot line until Rory makes his decision about whether to stay in Arizona or go back to Nevada (although there will most likely be some other drama between Rory, Eddie, and Grandma Alice there too). Wooohoooo!

I can't really come up with any stimulating commentary right now, but that was a REALLY good chapter ... definitely worth the wait! The whole thing with Aaron was really fascinating, and I felt like in some ways, the reader was finally allowed inside of Aaron's head, albeit based mostly on Seth's explanations and Rory's own insights (since the story is told in first-person narrative and all). I even found myself feeling sorry for Aaron, since I've known quite a few guys just like him. And ... Seth really is a nice guy ... a really, really sweet guy. But, this whole "Luke thing" could potentially (probably?) turn into a big issue ... I was a bit surprised that Seth told Rory that Luke likes him so matter-of-factly, as if it didn't bother Seth (if I was Seth, I'd be jealous as hell of Luke), but not surprised at all that Rory had no clue. However, despite still being quite dense, I think this chapter continued to show Rory's growth as a person, something that has been consistent throughout the whole story ... his gradual growth as a person, and Dom has written it all so well and in great detail. You really feel like you're inside Rory's head, seeing through his eyes, sort of like his unconscious conscience (if that makes any sense). I've thought before that I'd like to read a story by Dom that is NOT in the first-person narrative, but I think DD is best told from that point of view. However, I would suggest that Dom try third-person narrative at another story in the future, because it's more difficult to write that way, but it would also be a good "test" of Dom's writing skills (and I'm sure he could do it well). Anyway, that's a longer commentary than I planned on making, but this was a really good chapter, and like I said, well worth the wait ... I just hope we don't have to wait that long for Ch. 32, because the "Luke cliffhanger" is going to drive me INSANE!!!

Fiction is fiction ... this is not a memoir or biography of the author's life, or a historical novel ... it's a fantasy, and through the characters and plot, the author reflects his/her (ideal) view of the world. The fact that the prologues take place in the future, with the main story being a reflection back in time by the narrator (Perry) just further demonstrates that the story is a form of "fantasy." If fiction were too true to life, then no one would want to read it. Perhaps the author is trying to get at something with Perry being able to be a "jock" (although I wouldn't call him one ... just playing sports and being reasonably popular does not a "jock" make), yet at the same time being emotional, displaying what you call "feminine traits" (although this is just another vexing social construction ... I personally don't see Perry as being very effeminite at all ... he's a boy who's only in the middle of puberty, hardly a "man" yet). Could the author's portrayal, therefore, be a sort of social commentary? Anyway, I personally don't get caught up too much in the "realism" aspect of the story ... sure, there are parts which are difficult to believe would actually happen (two beautiful boys coming together like Perry and Jesse and falling madly in love with each other in the 8th grade hardly happens very often in real life to begin wth) ... but that's not the point ... this is an "ideal world," a way for the author and readers to live parts of their lives vicariously through the story and characters.

I finally got up off my lazy butt yesterday and forced myself to go to the supermarket and get some cleaning done, and today at work I worked a bit on the conclusion for my thesis, which is about halfway finished (the conclusion that is, the main text of the thesis is mostly done, save for a bit of revising and polishing up) ... it always seems, however, that the last little bit is the hardest to write, and although I know what I want to say, and even though it's mostly just re-hashing the main points of my thesis, I just can't seem to force myself to sit down and write it out at one sitting ... which I could do if I really wanted to. On the bright side (or maybe not-so-bright-side), I think I've read pretty much all of the good gay stories online now, so there's really nothing to keep me occupied except for my thesis and starting to prepare for my Ph.D. entrance exam (I swear I'll start preparing one of these days ... my goal is to at least get started by the middle of February ... we'll see if I can actually stick to that). However, being the lazy procrastinator that I am, I'm sure I'll find something else to keep me occupied besides what I should be doing. :wacko: On a positive note, yesterday I received an invitation to critique a paper on "Li Yu's Garden Life and Eremitic Thought" at an academic conference at the end of this month ... it kind of surprised me that they asked me, a foreigner, to critique a Taiwanese grad student's paper ... I didn't even know that I qualified as an "expert" on Li Yu (a writer/philosopher from the Ming/Qing dynasty period, very well known for his plays and novels), although I did publish a paper on a couple of his homoerotic short stories about a year and a half ago. It should be interesting, though ... So, now, I just REALLY need to get myself together and finish this goddamn thesis ... I've been working on it for like 1 1/2 years now ... if I actually get into the Ph.D. program, I don't know how I'm going to actually write my dissertation ... writing a M.A. thesis is hard enough ... and I keep getting distracted by these damn stories ... **sigh** I guess it's my way of living the kind of romantic life I wish I had vicariously through the characters ... pretty pathetic, huh?

Gender inversion is nothing new to gay fiction. Fiction is just that ... fiction. The author highlights or "over does" certain traits/characteristics, scenarios, plot lines, etc. to make either underscore a certain point or to increase the aesthetic value/impression of the work. The impression I get from the original poster is that he hasn't read a whole lot of gay erotica, and has very little background in literary theory/criticism. In that regard, I disagree with his critique. I really have enjoyed the P&J series ... my major critique of the story is that the plot tends to drag A LOT. However, the character development, and especially the unique way in which Perry sees the world (and Jesse) are fascinating. The story is both erotic, while at the same time having an interesting (albeit sometimes lethargic) plot, a decent message, etc. I definitely look forward to reading more.

Or .......... Rory could make a "surprise" visit to Seth's house, only to find Seth and Aaron "in the act" ... Rory (obviously) freaks out, feeling that the whole world is against him and nothing could possibly go right in his life. He runs home and locks himself in his room ... Eddie, Jase, and Luke all try to talk to him, but as usual when he's hurting, Rory just clams up, shutting everyone else out ... he won't even let himself cry, he hates the world and he hates himself. He's now more determined to go back to Nevada and his old life. That night as Rory lies awake in bed, unable to sleep, unable to even feel, Luke comes into his room, crawls into bed with Rory, and despite Rory's weak protests, Luke wraps his arms around Rory and holds him tightly. As Rory is wrapped up in Luke's arms, Luke tells Rory that he can't shut himself off every time he's hurting, and Rory finally breaks down crying, Luke continuing to hold him tightly, softly stroking his back and hair. When Rory finally calms down, Luke says, "I'm sorry, Rory." Rory tells Luke that it's not his fault, and Luke replies that it is. Rory, of course, is confused, and Luke continues on to say, "It's my fault because I was too scared to tell you how I felt about you. If I'd told you sooner, you wouldn't have to have gotten hurt twice. Maybe you don't feel the same way as me, but I love you, Rory. Just know that whether or not we're together, there is someone out there who really loves YOU, and would never hurt you." Rory is stunned, but he suddenly realizes that he is loved, not just by Luke, but by Eddie, Jase, and even Grandma Alice. He realizes that the world isn't perfect, and life (and love) are full of ups and downs. He also feels stupid that he didn't realize how Luke felt about him ... afterall, all the signs were there. He holds Luke even tighter to himself, slowly leaning in to kiss him ... and then he gets his driver's license and calls Eddie "dad."

I read Dom's blog, and I was really disturbed with the kinds of things he said people were e-mailing him ... it's one thing to ask *nicely* when he plans on releasing the next chapter or gently nudge or rib him about it on the message boards in a congenial spirit, but it's a totally different thing to insult him or send nasty messages (which it appears quite a number of readers did). Compared with most net authors who usually put out a new chapter only once a month (or longer), we've been extremely lucky how quickly Dom posts new chapters, and with the time and quality he puts into each one. He is providing a service to us, because he enjoys writing and making his readers happy ... he has no obligation whatsover to do what he does, and I think perhaps we are not appreciative enough. He's young, has his own life (and work) outside of his writing, and I think we all need to cut him some slack. If he keeps getting treated the way he has been, he could easily get frustrated enough and give up writing altogether. So, please, just let Dom be ... and for those of you reading this who sent nasty messages to Dom, I think you all should send an apology.

Rory will get struck by lightning, and when he wakes up in the hospital will have turned straight. Luke will be so distraught that his chances with Rory are even fewer now, so he gets a sex change and becomes "Pearl." Luke and Rory get together and there romance is perfect, other than the fact that because of his sex change, Luke/Pearl isn't able to reach climax during sex.