Comicality

Just wanted to sa that I had an AWESOME time talking to everybody! And I hope to do it again some time soon! ((Hugz)) Love ya lots! And I'll seezya soon!

Just letting everyone know that I've got some time off today! So I'm going to the Comicality IRC chat today to have some fun and talk to everybody from the site! <p> The last time I did this, it was at 10PM my time, which was fine for folks here in the States...but crap for all of you guys overseas! So this time, I'm having it at 3 PM instead! So hopefully it'll be better for you guys to come in and join us for a few laughs! K?<p> I realize that the fans in Australia and beyond are even FURTHER in the future than others. And it might be 5 AM where you are when I get online! But please feel free to let me know a better time, and I'll try to meet it for you guys too! K?<p> Love you all! And I'll seezya soon!<p> Ps- BIG thanks to 'AlexTheMagix' who was a part of our YouTube 'video gaydar test' last month! He recently wrote me the sweetest email! And he really appreciates the compliments and all that were made on his videos! So if you haven't been to his YouTube account, and haven't subscribed or commented....then DO IT!!! Hehehe, because he's aweomse! And he's gay. And REALLY cute! And English! Hehehe! So yeah....he's openly offered to support the Shack however he can! It is our pleasure to give him that same respect in return. ((Hugz)) Thanks Alex! We're always watching dude! Love ya lots, man!.<p> Gotta go to sleep now! But keep your ees open. Ok? Seezya soon!

Okay! So, the last time I went to the chat was GREAT for the folks here in the States with me! Hehehe, but NOT so great for you guys overseas, who live perpetually in the 'future'! <p> Dun dun dun!!!!<p> SO...I'm trying to be a bit more 'global friendly' this time around! And I'm going to the Comicality IRC chat at 3:00 - 3:30 PM my time here in Chicago! Which I hope will make things a bit easier on you guys from across the big pond! Cause I'd LOVE to talk to you too! <p> So there you have it! I'm gonna show my ugly mug in the chatroom later on this afternoon (Friday, Aug 21), and will come in for a few laughs and the like. Hope to see ya there!<p> Ps- I know thatfor the Shack fans in Australia, this is STILL, like...5 AM your time! So...email me and let me know what time is best for you, and I'll try to make a third chat time specifically for you guys too! K? Don't worry....I'll work my way around eventually! Hehehe! <p> Lie well! And I'll seezya soon! ((hugz))

Good points all around. Believe me, I'm taking notes. Especially because the next chapter of "Skylight" that I'm writing is taking forever to get it 'right'. It was a story that definitely needed to be told in 3rd person, because it involved a lot of different characters, a lot of different relationships, and everyone involved had to be separated from one another for long periods of time. So it would have been confusing to keep changing 1st person perspectives for that one. But I like it. And I, too, have some difficulty keeping conversations straight in 3rd person, without constantly saying the character's name over and over and OVER again. Hehehe, I always worry that I'm doing it too much, and try to change it up. But I can't. It kinda needs to be said. 2nd person is really...'different', but I wanted to try it a few times just to do something different. I did a story called "One Night, Why Not?" about a college boy going to a gay bar/club for the first time and finding himself someone special. I think it was really fun. I got to really bring the reader in by describing the whole experience to them directly. It's not something I would do often, but for the occasional break from the 'norm', it's a fun exercise. I'm trying a new story now with 3rd person, and I'm putting it in print, so I hope it goes over well. But for a lot of my online stuff, 1st person is still my favorite.

Hehehe, I think that says it all, dude! The big key is understanding that a story should have an arc. I think that's the best wa to put it. Now, I've got a lot of rose colored memories of being a teenager myself (And I know I get bitched at sometimes for the 'angst' factor in most of the stuff that I write), but I've read so many stories where the clothes are coming off by the fifth pararaph. And I just don't remember it being that easy. FUN....maybe! Hehehe! But not easy. I've never had a boy that I liked over to my house and just said, 'I love you' on the first visit...and then just have him be like, 'Love you too, let's get naked and fool around'. I think I DREAMED it a few times...but it never happened. I think another way to make a successful arc is to take time and figure out the beginning and ending of your story or series. As well as have an idea of certain vents that happen in between. I knew how all of my stories were going to end before I started writing them out. So the only real challenge is geting from point A to point B in an interesting and satisfying way. It helps to know where you're going with the story you're trying to tell. I know that some people thinks that it restricts their creativity, but it really doesn't. What happens between beginning and en of any story is entirely up to you. Knowing what the end will ultimately be is just a focus to keep you on track. Take some time, build excitement...and the 'payoff' will be so much more rewarding. And then, when you reach the height of your story, don't just stop it there...give the characters some 'cuddle time' afterwards. Hehehe, but not TOO much! ::Rememberes the end of "Return Of The King":: I think a story, no matter how short or how long, should feel like a triumph when it's over. Like the readers have accomplished something by taking the jouney you've laid out for them. It's something that I've always enjoyed when I was growing up, and I love to try to have the same effect.

Agreed! Wholeheartedly. I think if we take the time to look back at all the people who really made a difference, led a movement, started a change...probably didn't even realize it until they were in the middle of it. I think that all it takes is the compassion and willingness to try. I'm a huge believer of the ripple effect. What may seem like an insignificant gesture to us at the time, could have a huge efect on things in the future. Something as simple as sharing a smile with somebody could prevent a suicide. Something as small as helping a homeless person get something to eat, can help them keep their dream of getting back on their feet just a little bit longer. A compliment or whispered word of encouragement can get someone to follow their dream all the wa to greatness. So everything counts. Everything. And that makes life beautiful. It makes every moment precious, you know? And it makes you WANT to give a damn about how you interact with the people around you. What could be better than that? You know? I'd like to think the world would be much better if people realized the rewards and the consequences behind their actions.And understood how much their actions have an impact. But, you know? That's just me.

I've come to find that 'deflection' is really the only way to do it sometimes. Keeping secret things secret can be difficult when you deal with readers that are used to plot twists and big revelations, but it can be done. The hardest thing, I think, is leaving those foreshadowing clues behind without giving it away. I love building up to the big secret, but it can't just come out of the blue, you know? I always want people to be able to go through and read the story a second time...and then go, 'oohhhhhh....how could I have not seen that coming? There it is right there!" Everything should have some kind of cohesive 'center' to it, but I'd never want to ruin the surprise. Not if I can help it. Hehehe! So yeah, throwing readers off the scent, or setting events into motion early enough where they tend to 'forget'...seems to be the way to go.

It won't be long. But I still need to tweak it a bit more to make it...'less-hate-able', you know? Heh...sorry, I worry.

Aww, that's ok. So you guys are in the, UK then? I'll try to have the next one a lot earlier in the afternoon then. I wanna talk to you guys too!

Aww,

D'oh! Sorry...that's *7* hours from now! Ah whatever, do the math from wherever you are! ::Giggles::

I know I always pop in from time to time unnanounced, but tonight I'm going in to have fun for a few hours! So if you wanna come join us, feel free! The link to the chatroom is on the homepage of the Shack website! I'm going in around 10PM Chicago time. (Which is....ummm....about 6 hours from now!) Cool? Hope to see ya there! It's sure to be a party! Seezya soon!

Wow...thanks you guys! There's something about the LAST three sections of this chapter that are just driving me crazy! I don't know why I got so weird about it all of a suden, but when I look at it again, it just didn't 'flow' right. Some of those conversaions are important, you know? I'm so glad that you guys have been liking it! I know, I know...I'll stop being paranoid and just post. Hehehe! I'm trying to force myself to let go these days. It's like watching your kid go off to summer camp for the first time. Teary eyed mom that I am! Thank you all!

Hahaha! Both good ideas! I'd love to see somebody just randomly burst into flames. Makes for a memorable evening! And yet the multiple carnage idea is even more entertaining! ::Giggles:: Although, I don't know what's funnier, the idea that babyfaced Ariel would ever need to shave...or that the task of shaving might one day be in his clumsy hands!

A question about using the word 'AND' at the beginning of a sentence. Now, I do distinctly remember when you were NEVER supposed to start a sentence with the word 'AND'...only to find out later that it's ok once in a while, but not all the time. Does anybody know the ruling on this? What is the specific reason for this being right or wrong? Just curious! I'm probably gonna keep doing it wrong anyway. Hehehe! What can I say? I'm more comfortable doing it wrong now!

Hehehe, I didn't say I 'wouldn't'.... ::Giggles:: How do you want him to go? Meteor? Struck by lightning? Random land shark attack? ::Gets My Wheels Spinning::

It's a question that I like to ask of people every now and then...and wondered what you thought. When you sit back, and really think about it... do you think you have the ability to change the world? And I'm not talking about donating to a charity, or singlehandedly stopping global warming. You don't have to cure cancer or bring an end to the war in Iraq. And I'm not talking about being a part of a 'group' that's changing the world. And I'm not talking about just doing your 'part', like with recycling. If it came right down to it....and you had the chance...on a scale of 1 to 10...do you thik you could PERSONALLY make a change in the world around you? 1 being having no effect on the world at all....and 10 being able to create a revolution and evolution of everything you didn't like about the world in general. What do you think? How much influence do you think you really have (PERSONALLY, as an individual) on the world at large? Are you just another ant in the colony? Are you fored to play society's game? Do you have some minor influence on the people in your immediate vicinity? Or do you think you can have a Ghandi/Martin Luther King Jr/ Mother Thresa impact on the lives surrounding you? Let us know!

Hehehe! By 'finish', I just mean the next CHAPTER! LOL! Although, for one or two stories, the next chapter IS the last chapter, but the others still have a ways to go yet! I can tell you that "Between The Lines" and "Boy #6" will only have one more chapter. And "Just By Chance" only has two. But that's all I can say about that for right now. And....sighhhh...hehehe, but there will be two NEW series starting by the end of this month. (Don't throw stones though! Hehehe, I was ust inspired! Couldn't help it! I'm focusing!!! I swear!) :: Gets Back To Work ::

Alrighty...I'm sorta taking a minute to retrain myself on how to post and manage and 'stuff' again. For some reason, this new version is really slow and awkward on my system. (Sihhhh.....I know, I know....buy a laptop. ) That's like a homeless person complaining about the rain, and people are just like, "So go buy a house." ::Smacks forehead:: Why didn't I think of that? Never crossed my mind. ANYWAY, I'm slowly getting back to business, as everything I've been working on is taking forever to actually FINISH. Some of them are driving me crazy, but I think it's good work. I just need to take a day or two and not do anything else but write. No boards, no emails, no chats, nada! I've got this next weekend off! If nothing comes along to screw it up, I might just do that! Hehehe! Anyway, I know it's been forever, and I've been bouncing around online for weeks now like a rabid monkey snatching purses on the subway (Yeah...it's like 5 AM here right now. Don't ask where that came from), but time is getting a bit easier to manage. I just hope it stays that way. And for longer than a week or two. Love you guys something awful! nd I'll seezya soon!

Yep, I'm guilty! I dropped the ball this week. I tried to come up with a decent topic for Monday, but my creativity had a sudden 'malfunction' and just refused to give me any ideas! Arrrgh! I've been writing too much! I'm exhausting the old 'dream machine'. BUT...that is gonna make for a REALLY cool Summer for the Shack! So I hope you guys like the stuff I've been working on over the next three months! It all starts off in June with the '30 Days Of Night' Update! Which means a TON of brand new vampire tales and spinoffs from the "GFD" universe! All throughout the 30 days of June! So enjoy, and look for details soon! And in July...a return to some stories that you thought were long forgotten! So look for some exciting flashbacks to some oldies but goodies! Then comes August, where the site favorites return in force! The biggest names on the story list all get updates, and a few beloved series come to an end. AND....(Yes, there's more)...I'm also writing a series exclusively for GA called "Lost In Question", which I hope to get posted sometime soon! Do straight boys fall in love with other boys? You'll have to check it out and see! That's it for now! But I'll get some more topics together for the next week or two. I don't know...I'll drink some magic brain juice or something. Replace some of that 'mojo'! Hehehe! Seezya soon!

I'm of the belief that it's something you're born with also. Always have been. Especially since I think I was too young to really make a 'decision' on whether or not I was gay when I first started looking at other boys. I didn't attach any FEELINGS to it until I was 11 or 12 years old, but I was looking and observing years before that. I also saw a documentary ("For The Bible Tells Me So", very good doc on homosexuality and religion) where they stated that the more boys a mother has, the higher the risk for homosexuality. So with every boy born, the chances are higher. Something about the female body recogizing the fetus as feminine or something like that. I can't remember the full explanation. BUT....if you know any cuties that come from a big family full of boys...... ::Wicked Grin::

Hehehe, thanks dude! And don't worry about waiting for me to be all sorted out! I'm NEVER sorted out! Trust me. So go right ahead whenever you have the chance! K? Good luck on you exams! I always stressed myself out like crazy during finals! Hope to hear from ya soon, man!

Hmmm, a story never written....like the one you can't get posted? Hurry up already! Geez! Very good points made, though. I think I would only try to finish someone else's work if I thought I could honestly do it justice. Or if I could somehow bring a whole new perspective to it. I think it would be hard for readers not to know the difference. Like I saw the new 'Terminator' movie recently, which was very cool...but obviously not James Cameron. You can just tell from the feel of it. Anyway, write that story! Don't let it bug you! That's your muse telling you something good!

Yikes...ok, so now that makes me wonder... Do the terms I use in my stories ever sound weird to you guys then? And is that just like an 'English' (just the UK) list of expressions? Or is it a much bigger 'nearly all of Europe and beyond' kinda thing? Hehehe, just curious. After all, us Americans are still behind on the metric system, so it wouldn't surprise me if we were the only ones using a particular brand of English.

Yep! Right as rain! (Whatever THAT means!) I could use some sex though! Hehehe! No, but seriously...you selling?