C James

Good luck Sharon!

I personally feel that it should depend on the author's wishes, or, if they were not expressed, then whomever holds the rights to the works. I also answered "I wouldn't do it" because to me it would be like working off someone else's plot, and to me, creating the plot is a huge part of the fun.

I tend to use the term "postaholic" when referring to mega-posters such as Graeme or AFriendlyFace, or for that matter anyone with over a few hundred.

ROFL!!! Why thank you, oh Sovereign of the Malevolent Precipices. I'm glad that you agee. BTW, Shadowgod has formed a society called SPiCE. The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Eric. He wasn't too happy when he saw Ch 19, and he's upset that Eric was injured. So, he formed SPiCE. I have no idea why... there's never anything dangerous in my stories.

Uhoh.... Yes indeed! And also, there's the utterly undisputed fact that I never use cliffhangers. Now, Shadowgod, on the other hand...

Thanks!!! We've slogged through most of the design issues anyway, so hopefully I can keep the tech to a minimum. Thanks!! You're lucky I toned down the technicalese in the quoted bit, otherwise you'd have had a headache. Well, I'm just a shy and quiet (and non-cliffhanger-using) goat who happens to have a knowledge of nuclear weapons design. Nothing to worry about, really. :nuke:

But Graeme, I'd never try and make a cliffhanger evil... That's shadowgod's domain. Regarding the nuclear issue, thanks! I'm just wondering if I need to make the details clearer. I'm trying to keep the technical aspects to minimum, but I do have to show what they are doing to some degree. On the other hand, if I don't minimize it, you'd get an entire chapter or two on just the initiation, and ten on the explosive-lens fabrication. :nuke: You have it right; they were testing their design to make sure it would work. I did omit a slew of details though, in the interests of brevity. For example, forcing the plutonium into a critical mass is not the only job the exposives do. Once you have a critical mass, the chain reaction is not instant. While it is reacting, the critical mass is also trying to blow itself apart. Therefor, you have to play around the shockwave dynamics and eliminate the beta wave. What a beta wave is, is the low pressure zone behind a shock wave. You basically do this via materials (such as the pusher-plate) which adds mass to the initial impulse. and also has echo characteristics to damp down the beta wave. And, umm, "Beta" is not the correct term here. There is a specific term, but I can't recall what it is and I am too lazy to look it up. But in any case, the implosion not only has to compress the core, but KEPP it compressed and coherant for several miliseconds. This is called "explosive containment" and it is why they are using explosives by the ton. In a modern warhead such as you would find on an ICBM where both weight and volume are at a premium, it is done by precisely modeling the shockwave via adjustments of the detonation sequence, but that is extraordinarily complex and would be behind the means of The Scar and his crew; they would need a dedicated supercomputer for hydrodynamics evaluation, and an extensive test program, not just one as we have seen. So, I had them go with a much simpler designs, and they can, becuase they can get away with a larger, heavier device. But, from some of the above, you can see that I had to omit a lot of engineering detail from the story. It's still alluded to, such as in the pusher-plate design and the materials, but I don't go into detail. Could I ask a favor and ask that others weigh in on this too? Am I making the tech understandable, or do I need to be clearer? Thanks!! CJ

Thank you Sasha!!!

Hi Jack! What cliffhangers? Thanks!!! Don't blame me!! Barbra knew at the end of the chapter, and she didn't say even though she was thinking that not knowing was no kindness. So, blame Barbra. Or, Blame Shadowgod. Seriously though, I'll try and explain why I did that. It was a false report, so I felt it better not to say specifically "Eric's dead". Also, I do like having some aspects of a mystery story in my stories, so there are things for the reader to figure out. Helen's "He'll die young" and a few other things pointed at Eric, though a few could indicate Chase, and the one Wildone found about Brandon falling out of bed could have meant Brandon (but it was actually just meant to foreshadow the falling). Now, had I had Barbra say "Eric's dead", IMHO it would have been more definite that he was, when in fact he wasn't. Not naming names was a clue that something was not as it seemed, or so I hoped. Also, Eric is the favorite character of quite a few readers, so I didn;t want to just have him apparently dead. I did try writing it both ways, butt leaving it unsaid seemed to work better for me. However, I might well be wrong. I did need the incident itself to occur, though. One reason is it is what bought Helen fully around on the paparazi issue, and also it led to a revalation of what was going on with The Shadows, and there are other reasons too that I can't yet say. (wait a few of chapters and then remind me, if anyone is curious). And BTW Graeme, I never use cliffhangers. I can't say where they are going, because the Echidna will make a pincushion out of me if I do. (spoilers, ya know.). However, hrrrrm, what can I say... <eyes the Echidna's spines nervously> Umm, well, ahhh, it's already been mentioned in the text that they are going to Europe on the tour. (there, I don't think he can call that a spoiler, becuase I'm just saying what's in the text, right?) Okay, a serious question: Did everyone follow along okay on the implosion test? Did I make it understandable what they were doing, and why? CJ

That would be great if your could!! Hrmm, how about a shy and retiring goat who saves your protagonist? Perhaps even saving them from one of the many cliffs you will leave them dangling from? Oh, BTW, "I've been framed"? I wonder what he means by that... Hmmm, I dunno, he probably can, but I have a hunch he might be mean about it. He's evil like that, ya know.

But Graeme, of course I'll re-iterate it: I'm a quiet, shy, non-cliffhanger-using lurker! Thanks Ieshwar!! (Not that I'm admitting using any cliffhangers, mind you. ) And of course I'm a lurker.. I lurk, therefor I am.

I visited the site for a few months as a guest before signing up. I've had a blast here, and love this place. I very much like the feel of community here, and I love to joke around. I can't imagine why people would register and then never post, because to me, they are missing out. To any non-posters reading this, join in, it's great fun.

I voted "Other" becuase, to me, nothing beats an Australian accent.

I still don't see why you imply that LTMP 19 was a cliffhanger? It was, however, I do admit, perhaps a little bit tense.

WHAT scurrilous accusations? LiS 26 was a doozie of a cliffhanger! Shadowgod even admits it! I was merely acknowledging the fact. And Graeme, I AM defending Shadowgod's reputation! (he's the King of eeevil cliffhangers, after all!) I suspect Shadowgod has been spreading rumors again. I'm just a nice, sweet goat who needs eydrops for red eyes evey now and again.

I'm very relieved to hear this! So, does this mean you have finally accepted that I never use cliffhangers?

I hope you have a great B-day!

Thanks Ieshwar!!!

Happy Birthday Krista!!

ROFL!!!! OK, a serious story-related news item here: I screwed up! Red Rock Canyon is just west of Las Vegas. I knew this becuase I have driven by it in ther past, plus I looked at it on google earth. BUT, in the chapters I have it as EAST of vegas. in other wordes I cleverly managed to confuse east and west! A reader just e-mailed me to let me know. (If you are reading this, thank you!) I'll of course be fixing this and sending the revised files with the next chapter update.

I've only voted once. I DID vote for two options though, becuase at that time LC had the poll set to allow it. I also haven't tinkered with the results. (otherwise they would be significantly different. LoL)

ROFL! Yes indeed! BTW, I see that "It's all Shadowgod's fault" got a second vote! Yay!!! I keep telling you guys that it's all Shadowgod's fault, when will y'all start believing me?

Thanks Carl!! Sorry your "Jake" ended up in a bad way. Yes, I do share Eric in LTMP's reaction to tequila, though not quite so bad. LoL Thanks Sasha! I'm playing around with an idea for a serial sequel. It would be short, under ten chapters, but, well;, it might be my next project after LTMP. Thanks Conner! I'm glad "Jake" came across okay. I've always felt that character development is one of my weaknesses as a writer, so for Jake to come across so well so quickly was a very pleasant surprise for me. Maybe I should drink more often? LoL

Thanks Ieshwar! So, the roasting is at least postponed? BTW, time for me to release the next chapter title: It's Chapter 21! Oh, I suppose I should add that it's called "When in Rome".