Carlos Hazday

Glad you enjoyed it, Chris. I'm ready for the reception. Champagne to start and Liston wine with the meal. And lots more wine during the honeymoon. I think I was channeling @Defiance19 when I wrote those chapters.

Thanks, Dave. I seem to be making people cry a lot recently. I think the reception and the honeymoon will not be as emotional and hopefully, tissue usage will decrease.

Thanks, bud. I definitely didn't want the old suit or coat and tie attire. I thought about mirroring the colors of the rainbow and decided to instead play around a bit. Super straight Thiago gets to wear a pink shirt and the Kennedy brothers evoke their Irish heritage by wearing green. Their outfits are practical and can REALLY be worn again. The Obamas get a little dialogue in the next chapter.

Expect a call from my attorney. Name of Michael Cohen. He's my fixer and will discuss with you how to stop these horrible rumors about me being romantic. After all the buildup, I'm glad the chapter resonated with you and others. I added the number of days since they met at the last minute. It should at least show I'm more of the slow burn type. Yeah, my characters may be the type to jump in bed five minutes after they meet, but they'll take their time before committing to more than a roll in the hay. This one's forever. More classic Harley in the next chapter. And yes, Sean makes another appearance.

Now, THAT's different. I like your son and his wife already.

Thank you! I write primarily for myself. As I told someone recently, I'm aware I have a certain style and I'm happy with it. The fact that style and what I write can move readers it's gravy. When someone tells me they cried or laughed over something I shared with the public, the hard work is worth it. Hope crying at work didn't get you in trouble.

Glad you feel that way, Wes. Not as ornate as Prince Ginger's but I thought it fit our guys.

Thank you, Avid. The reception will once again bear the imprint of the grooms' personalities. As for the song, I wanted to use old music so I started to plant the seeds of Chipper liking those songs a long time ago. The duet between Stewart and Latifah is one of my favorite recordings.

Thanks, Tony! The joy's not quite over. There's a reception coming up!

If I'm Butthead, does that make you Beavis? Glad you liked it, Dan! I'm kinda happy with the chapter myself.

I'm in trouble if people start sending me bills for tissue boxes. I did promise after the last two books ended in tragedy--Trump's election and Lix's death--this one would have a happy ending. Hope you enjoy your time off

Thanks, Dugh! Yeah, it had to be something reflecting their personalities and not cookie-cutter. It was also a culmination of a bunch of hints I've dropped about what would happen. I forget when but CJ had seen a wedding at the Jefferson Memorial before. And as an astute reader mentioned during Cesar's 40th b'day party, the tiered arrangement of key lime pies for that occasion inspired the wedding cake.

Thank you! Although the entire affair might be considered over-the-top by some, I wanted it to be all about two guys who're very much in love with each other once the glam outer layer was stripped away. Having Liz be a part of the wedding was another layer in their effort to include family.

That's a relief! Kangaroo paws are native to Western Australia but they thrive here in South Florida. An invasive species some consider a pest, I think they're beautiful. They were included as part of my effort to have the wedding blend both their heritages.

Some of the grooms’ relatives stayed at the Georgetown Inn on Wisconsin Avenue so they could be close to the townhouse, even though the wedding and reception were being held elsewhere. With the ceremony scheduled to begin at eleven, all guests were asked to be at the Watergate Hotel—where other out-of-towners were lodged—no later than ten o’clock. Buses would transport everyone to the National Mall and back to the famous Washington hostelry for the luncheon and party. CJ could not sleep as

Great little story even If I'm more confused now that I was when I started reading. When is a birthday present not a birthday present? When it's a miracle of course. When a young kid gets a present from his uncle, it turns out not to be the pet he thought it was. There seems to be lots of secrets surrounding the protagonist family and this story but scratches the surface. A good short read that left me wanting more.

I think his hesitation is part of lingering concerns over CJ's wealth. I would say more but I'm certain you wouldn't appreciate spoilers. LOL Hope you're feeling better.

Interesting premise but the writing quality could be improved. I had to force myself not to stop reading during the two opening paragraphs. The length reminded me of run-on sentences. I'm unsure if back when this was submitted Anthology stories went through a proofreading. It could use help with spelling, bloat words and misused homonyms. The head of the school is a principal, not a principle. When the government forces one to sell property eminent domain is the tool, not imminent domain. We're is the past tense of a verb, where is a location. Past and pass are not the same thing. Some may be able to overlook these deficiencies but I find them too distracting. Overall, not one of my favorite stories.

I'll let you know if it happens again. Or if I run into DB Cooper next time I'm in the Bermuda Triangle trapped on a boat with Michael Bolton looping on the music system.

Worth the read, Val. Interesting and not the usual fare. Personally, I would have preferred Rachel to meet an untimely demise but the ending works anyway.

Jeff, a widowed Vietnam veteran, faces challenges raising his four children alone. His war experience and alcoholism influence his actions to the point we end up with a main character who's not a likable person. Throw in a religious zealot as the antagonist and conflict ensues. The author painfully takes us through the protagonist's decline as his family falls apart. It's Jeff's story but the supporting cast is essential to the tale. Commentary on various social issues is skillfully blended into the narrative. A rough ending is somewhat satisfying. Those snippets I give into the story may dissuade some from reading but I advise against ignoring A Soldier's Guide to Single Parenting. It's a well-written tale worth your time.

Although nearly 15 years old, this New York Times article still provides a good description of my city. https://www.nytimes.com/2004/05/15/us/a-gay-boomtown-is-more-mainstream-and-less-the-cliche.html I dug it up after walking through closed-to-traffic Wilton Drive—the town’s main street—during the Stonewall Festival this past weekend. The outrageous outfits, loud music, and alcohol consumption were still there, but what grabbed my attention was something else. Lots of kids, from infants in baby carriages to slightly older ones walking with their parents—both same-sex couples and heterosexual ones. Corporate America and governmental institutions amongst those with booth displays. Police officers from neighboring cities who volunteered to work the festival to show their support for the gay community. These are all signs our lives as outlaws are nearing the end. That the GLBT community is becoming an integral part of the melting pot. And that it does get better thanks to the struggle of those who came before us.

Life is so different in a large urban environment and I've tried to point that out often. I had my bar-fly period; these days my life is much more sedate and I prefer to stay in more often than not. Gay bars will always be a refuge for many people and they can be the breeding ground for change. After all, it was at a gay bar--NYC's Stonewall Inn--that the spark for gay activism was ignited.

Some people will support the leopards until they start biting. I keep hoping the biting isn't lethal and we can put the leopard down before he causes too much damage.