Carlos Hazday

Thank you! This story and the more recent Hunting Season feature characters from my ongoing series in stand-alone tales. They fit into the continuity but can be read on their own. This was a result of my frustration with events mentioned here and other similar ones. Sometimes, writing a fictional account allows me to give voice to my thoughts while trying to be objective and give opposing views an airing at the same time. I can create entirely fictional events but using real life as the basis feels more honest to me. Looking forward to hearing from you again.

@Dmrman For better or worse, the CJ series builds upon what's happened in the past making it difficult to read the books out of order. The dads reactions and actions regarding CJ follow a pattern which at times can make people reach a conclusion and then change their minds a few chapters later. There are hints and Easter eggs scattered throughout which may cause the reader to realize why something's happening. I was reading over beta comments yesterday and one of them was about a little throw away line in a chapter which a dozen installments later provided the basis for something happening. Owen coming into the picture created a little stir. Some readers wanted a quick relationship while others didn't. I'm not telling what happens LOL

@Dmrman Better than your life? I wish mine was half as good. CJ does lead a charmed excistance.

I guess the damn pictures still there then lol. @Myr or a mod may be able to help.

I just deleted an image from an old album. Click on the image, find the Manage Image button below it, click on it and the option to delete appears.

@Dmrman Owen was well received by readers and that was a good thing, after all he'll be living in DC within six months. Hopefully he and CJ will be able to establish a good friendship. Tyson Hill was a fun character to weave into the story and his creator was gracious enough to lend him to me. I returned him unscathed LOL A couple more chapters in Oz and then back to the US. You may want to brace yourself for what happens next.

@Dmrman I wantd Owen to have a certain amount of sophistication thanks to his time in Sydney but still retain some of the country charm and manners which are so often present in those raised in the country. Let's face it, Liston Vineyards may be a boutique winery producing quality wines but it's still a farm. Let's hope he doesn't lose those qualities when he moves to Washington.

@Dmrman Although Cesar has a temper I think he's learned to control himself maybe due to his profession. Brett, on the other hand, is in the military and more apt to react quickly. They balance each other out. You won't get to it for a long time (heck, the chapter isn't even edited yet) but I recently wrote a scene where it Cesar reacting and Brett being cool. Something for you and everyone else to look forward to

@Dmrman By now you should have met the first cute Aussie CJ encounters in Australia. We'll have some fun with him. Harley and Thiago will soon be joined by Chipper so their little group will grow. I keep trying to make the characters distinct and Harley always ends up with the best lines. He's a fun character to write.

Who cares when you read. I promised I would always reply to comments and plan on sticking to it. I forget how many chapters take place in Australia but there'll be some serious sight seeing. And I may throw in a hot Aussie or two.

This was meant to be a fun chapter and hopefully it scored in that aspect. As for the Jeep's color, we find out next chapter and it also gets a name!

@Dmrman I enjoyed writing the chat between CJ and his mom. I tried (as I do all the time) to keep the drama under control. I want it to fit and not include confrontations just to ramp it up for the heck of it. I also try to keep it short. I dislike stories where a situation like this one gets dragged out and there's tears and all sorts of crap thrown in. CJ sees a problem deals with it, and moves on. Or at least that's where he's headed. He could have turned the entire thing into a sob fest but it's not his style and not mine to write junk like that! LOL

Cute story.

@Puppilull Interesting viewpoint. Not quite the way I see it so I guess we'll have to agree to disagree.

@Puppilull and @northie Not sure why you feel sorry for Terry. Assuming he's an adult, he's a homewrecker and a slimeball. He wants someone like Camilo so much he's willing to lure him into sex ignoring the consequences. If anyone should be the object of pity it should be the little girl. Too many damn tears for my taste. As the sister said, someone needs to grow a pair and stop sniveling.

Finding typos and or misspelled words in a story description is usually enough to make me skip it. It's college, not collage. In this case I ignored my instincts and was pleasantly surprised. There are several spots where verb tenses are mixed and jarring but the story does have charm. There's also a one word sentence in the middle which still has me confused: is the rest of the sentence missing or did the proofreader fail to catch it? The tension's there from the beginning and the author does a decent job of ratcheting it up at a good pace. Confusion and fear draw the reader in and help create the right atmosphere for a Halloween inspired tale. Discovering the main character isn't what he seems fits in well with his reaction to the ritual he's forced to witness. Although I prefer endings where everything is resolved or a hint at a resolution is hinted at, in this case the doubt left in the reader's mind works well.

Hey bud, you should go to the CJ Series Discussion by clicking on the link below and follow the thread. It's where I post announcements and other tidbits related to the story. If you read through the most recent ones, you'll find I announced Georgetown: Roar will begin posting in 4 weeks. You may start the official countdown!

Sony laptop, Windows 10, Firefox Went looking for comments on my stories using Activity: My Activity Streams: Newest Comments on my Stories/Chapters Default setting of newest comments first Most recent one shown is dated Sept 5 although I know there are a couple dozen newer ones I've addressed previously. Was working fine this morning so this began sometime after noon Eastern

@Dmrman CJ's looks and personality were inspired by a couple of teens I've dealt with in the past. While writing him I often wish I'd been that wise at his age. Now, as for that band of brothers you think he's accumulating, I have no idea what you're talking about. But if you think they should have a name I'll see what I can do!

This was a fun chapter to write. CJ had not traveled a lot before moving to Washington and it's been a treat seeing places through the eyes of first time visitors. The dads are intent on spoiling their boy and he eats it up. I've introduced a few characters I thought would be playing a big role and then changed my mind and they've fallen by the wayside. Others, like Sean, were meant to be in one or two scenes but I liked them so much they stuck around. The redhead will be around for a while. Wait until you read Harley's reaction to the motorcycle jacket!

I have a tendency to cram too much into a chapter. Still doing it but Mann has helped me see the value of concentrating on one or two events at a time. I think the problem's in my mind I can see all these small details and try to share them all instead of allowing the reader to use their imagination to fill in the blanks. That part I do with open endings which leave things unsaid. Oh, well. If I live long enough, maybe I'll achieve the proper balance. People unwilling to admit they were wrong annoy me. Brett's apology was hearfelt and I think it'll end up strengthening his relationship with CJ. It takes a real man to admit he screwed up.

I think my favorite part of the chapter was CJ's conversation with the dads. It showed how much he values honesty and despises hypocrisy. The dads preached the same but in this instnce faltered. Most parents will fail at some point but in this instance Brett's reaction went against everything the kid stands for. I had a similar incident when I was 10. I stood up to my dad over something I can't recall and it earned me a spanking. I was never entirely open with either one of my parents again. The older I get the more I value honesty. So much that the word is tattooed on the side of my torso.

1. I hope your complaint is tongue-in-cheek 2. The Bumfuck, WV line (all the way back in Summer) was originally Bumfuck, Iowa. Considering the guys are in Washington I thought a nearby state would be more appropriate. 3. One of my motorcycle riding buddies is from WV. Scott always refers to himself as a hillbilly so I borrowed the monicker from him. 4. WV is a beautiful piece of real estate and I've had the guys go there to ski, raft, and they'll be there again in the future. Most of their trips are based on personal experience. 5. I've disparaged New Jersey and Mississipi too if I recall correctly. I also trashed Gary, Indiana at one point. 6. Used to hate WV when the Mountaineers and the Hurricanes both played in the Big East. I'm over that since they're both in different conferences these days 7. Guns, castle laws, concealed/open carry may all play a part in the story. Guns don't scare CJ. Take a look at Hunting Season if you doubt me. 8. Here's something to soothe your bruised sensibilities:

@Dmrman The overlapping storylines in the previous three chapters and the upcoming one will play a significant role in the lives of the people involved. Lots of changes coming to the Elite and in the Davenport/Abello household. As for the fathers learning and growing as parents, you hit the nail on the head. It will all come to a climax in the next chapter.

@Dmrman Two more chapters covering all the different events in this one so you'll have to wait for CJ to return to DC and see what Cesar's reaction is. There may be a surprise or two coming out of the Chicago visit. As for the pot smoking and CJ learning from his mistakes,