Ron

Here is an unconventional theme for you: Mistletoe and the Ho!

Mine would be and unfortunately is...pepperoni and mushroom pizza with extra cheese. I'm defenseless!

A CD Walkman will sound better playing through a DAC as well

Ha, Mikeal is stealing kisses from a seemingly drunk guy by the pool and he is worried that saying the word fabulous makes him sound gay. Too much! I like how he first tests the waters with a light caress of his thumb under the guys lip. That was actually a pretty intimate gesture for a first approach. I'm looking forward to the next chapter.

Digital Audio is the future of music I think and there is good reason for it, it is amazingly portable. Unfortunately, it is impossible to play digital from a computer directly and get excellent sound. The computer clock puts out a synchronous signal and music needs to be asynchronous so no matter what you play the music through, it will not sound ideal. You need a DAC (digital analogue converter) that will take the computer signal and convert it to get the best sound from it. DAC's also can have the ability to upsample the signal and make the music sound even better. But no amount of upsampling will take an original signal that has been dumbed down in mp3 and make it sound spectacular. My playing is like this: USB Hard-drive --> USB Cable --> Computer (lossless music files) --> USB Cable --> DAC (upsampling to 24/196) [CD is 16/44.1] --> RCA Interconnect Cable --> Stereo (integrated) [this could also be surround processor for TV system] --> Speakers ------ or you can bypass stereo/surround processor if you have powered speakers. or this: Computer --> plug in asynchronous DAC --> Headphones or RCA Interconnect Cable --> Stereo (integrated) [this could also be surround processor for TV system] --> Speakers ------ or you can bypass stereo/surround processor if you have powered speakers. but mostly this: iPod Classic (lossless native ACC encoded music files ripped with error correction) --> Pure i20 iPod dock (which contains a DAC) --> Digital Optical S/PDIF cable --> Upsampling DAC (you can skip this because dock contains its own DAC [non-upsampling]) --> RCA Interconnect Cable --> Stereo --> Speakers I get amazingly excellent sounding music from my iPod on my system. I also get amazingly excellent sound from my downloaded 24/192 FLAC files from my computer. I am fortunate to have an amazing pair of stand mounted speakers, B&W n805, to listen to the music from. But even with great speakers or great headphones, if the music is dumbed down or going out in the incorrect signal it will not sound its absolute best. I hope this post isn't too far off topic, after all you need some way to play the jazz. I'm not aware of a way getting Blu-ray music files onto a computer but you can get downloadable DSD (SACD encoded files) and there are computer softwares available (just as you would need to play FLAC encoded files) to enable playing them from your computer. Once again, you will need an asynchronous DAC connected to your stereo/sound processor to be able to do so properly.

While I do think people can change and some do, there is so much truth in the dialogue of this chapter. Thanks, Andrew for creating such a dynamic chapter within the confines of the word limitation. Well done!

Rustle, that was so wonderfully sad. I know that's oxymoronic but it is both truly wonderful and so very sad. Great story!

Oh, my God *closes eyes tightly, sings - la,la,la,la,la* must get image out of head! Great story !

Best Ghost Story Ever! Of the sentimental kind that is Although, there were a couple of spooky moments as well. You even managed to make me feel sorry for the would be thief and that takes some doing, my friend. The set up was great and that little moment when Jonah speaks out after reading something amusing in The Guardian... so poignant. When Jonah began crying, I have to say that I couldn't hold back anymore either. Poor Shashi got erased. Cheers, Excellent!

Vampire in the mail, huh? What a clever tale you've woven, Aditus.

Interesting take on demons. I suppose that being around for so long and hanging with your peers will lead to such reminiscences. I'm sure the young man in the bathroom had a very different take on demon behavior.

Oh, my gosh. What a sweet ride that was. Poor Christian Beck has an accident and we get this amazingly well woven story. You did such a wonderful job of intertwining all of the differing slices of Christian's life. He and the supporting characters are so richly human in their behavior and interactions that it is so easy like them. Well done, Kim. Really well done.

Just a short note to say how well you write. Every scene paints an image; you make it come alive so very wonderfully. Bravo, Kim!

That bathroom scene was a hoot. It sure had me laughing and nothing like laughter to cure the trepidation that I would be feeling if I were in David's shoes right now. I can't imagine waking up and finding my world has changed.

The story description was intriguing, it got me interested and this introduction has me firmly encamped. I'm new to your writing, Kim and this looks like a good story to begin with.

Cool! I didn't know you could do that.

That story is so very hard to read emotionally. When I first realized that it was true, it shocked me so badly that it made reading it all the more difficult. I'm glad that I finished it and I am sorry for the loss of your online friend.

This is easy, Rustle. Once you have posted your story just highlight the URL (https://www.gayauthors.org/story/ron/whatsinside) copy and paste (if using a PC it is easy, hold down the Ctrl button and hit the letter V at the same time) and the link is formed. This is one of the easy ones to explain. Cheers!

I think that Stephan is right. I don't believe that I ever gave it a name but the feeling of hope does run all through the story. For me that translates as - The right guy is out there and when you find him, no matter what happens there is a way to work out differences and when the world throws crap at you (singly or together) it can be dealt with. With the man you love by your side, you can do it. - The guys survive everything and bounce back stronger, more knowledgeable about how to deal with the next thing. There is always the next thing, right. As I said, the characters are believable and well liked. If they can persevere and triumph, then perhaps there is hope for the rest of us. No matter that they are fictional characters because it is the ideal that is important. This is conveyed throughout the story.

That was great. I most definitely agree that the men were gorgeous.

The first time that I read Book 1 was as a 'lurker'. I re-read this a second time and finished recently, I thought I would say something. You sure do paint a pretty picture with your words. The characters are amazingly believable people with all their foibles intact. Their back histories, particularly Darrin’s, you spelled out in such a realistic manner that even though I do not share their experiences, I could certainly sympathize with them. The conflicts, both relationships related and through the obstacles (manufactured or otherwise) that life throws at Mitch and Darrin, was handled with aplomb. I want to mention the sex as there was much of it. The sex was sweetly described when it was tender and when it was rough and tumble (often), it was made to feel very appropriate to the character's dispositions and the setting. I enjoyed reading about Darrin and Mitch so much that I followed right along with the continuation of their lives into the books that followed. I haven’t been disappointed along the way.

I'm looking forward to reading everyone's stories. I wouldn't want to miss a single one. Will each author post links to their story here for us to find them easily?

Nice and homey, makes me all warm inside. Very nice!

This is not such a bad thread idea. I'm not sure what I could add to it but I would certainly follow it and hope to learn something.

What a charm(ing) story, Kitt. I wonder if there will be repercussions? After all, somebody got bit by a zombie.