C James

Now, now, Fossil, no leaking... Remember, you're the anonymous beta reader, so nobody knows you've seen the chapter already... It's a seeecret... Shhhhh... The title is actually... Homegoing. Ok, rather uninspired, but that's the title. Or, I might change the title... Or I might not... I really don't know yet... Can't make up my mind. Hrmmmm.... There are several other good titles that come to mind, but all of them would be spoilers for a few surprises in the chapter. If I use a chapter title that's a spoiler, I suspect that the Echidna might object... And those spines are sharp... OK, after much prevarication and rumination, I'll stick with Homegoing as the next chapter title. Heh, I almost slipped up and give the title of Ch 35, Hell's Fury, as that of the next chapter! That would have been doubly bad: it would give the wrong name for the upcoming chapter, and it would reveal the title of 35 before 34 had been released! 5-star hotels? Conner, you need to get back to your roots.. There's nothing nicer than a nice pile of hay in an old shed, out on the range...

Thanks for this, James... I'd heard about this guy, but not about the gay angle (that he was the one soliciting money, or from a male). Whoa..... Yes, that is indeed the height of hypocracy. I loved the line above all: That said, I'm disgusted by enoutmous bold-faced hypocrisies exhibited by BOTH parties. My favorite example was during Schwarzeneggers's campaign for California Governor; Then, the Democrats attacked his past as a womanizer, while the republicans claimed it was "old news" and "no big deal". The hypacricy was glaring on both sides, as they had both revrsed their prior positions for political expediance (with the side benefit of exposing both sides as opportunistic hypocritical liars). Or my favorite recent example: The Clintons criticizing Bush for commuting the jail sentence of Scooter Libby. That just takes the cake; Libby was charged with (and convicted of) perjury and obstruction of justice; not even the prosecution claimed he was the actual leak (in the Palme case) that was being investigated. Bill Clinton, too, was charged with (Impeached for) Perjury and obstruction of justice. Both Clinton and Libby are now disbarred lawyers as a result. Yet, Clinton apparently didn't feel that perjury and obstruction of justice was grounds for removal from office, let alone jail time, in his own case. I'll also mention the pardon of Marc Rich and hundreds of others. Yet Clinton felt free to weigh in on the Libby commutation, and it didn't even kick up a media storm. Why? Becuase these days, it seems hypocrisy is the normal thing in politics.

But... But... But... How come Bondwriter isn't a pincushion by now!?!!?!??! And changes? Uhoh.... Sorry, Bondwriter, but there is one flaw in your recount... the great escape occurred in very late 1969. Thanks, that was good! Hi Aillie! I'm glad to see that I'm not the only one who thinks taking Echidnas are evil... Hmmm, however we know he types (a lot: he's a dedicated postaholic) , but can he talk? Red Lasers? Well, let's just say that I feel it's my calling in life to help people see the light... The coherent light, that is. :nuke: BTW, I usually mention the title of the next chapter right about now.

Jan's idea was a good one; I may have to gice that a try... As for a voice interface, wouldn't it be problematic if most of the words in my stories were "Naaaaa!"? Thanks!! Actually, no, you are doing the reviews, while what I'm doing will be just regular thread comments. And his reviews are GOOD... Trust me on this if nothing else. I've already created the threads, so those posts are, in fact, a big part of why I'm in peril of bumping up against 4k soon. ACK SPOILERS!!!! Echidna? Oh Echidna... Here is a job for your anti-spoiler spines!

Thanks Steve! And thank you VERY much for all the work you have done, both on FTL and helping me as a writer. You're the best Anonymous Beta Reader ever! If you keep this up, I might even, eventually, stop insisting that you remain anonymous. Seriously everyone, FTL is a team effort. Emoe, Shadowgod, Bondwriter, and Captain Rick have played a huge, huge role, and so too have all of you in this thread, and the commenters in eFic, and via PM and e-mail. Thanks!! I'd also like to add special thanks To Graeme, for his guidance and support. Hi Emoe!! Yep, Easy enough to tip over. I'm sure that isn't good for 'em, either. ROFL! Yes, that looks like a mountain goat; they have far better balance than I... Bondwriter wrote: If a goat can stand on a stick, I'm willing to believe it may type on a keyboard. I had no doubt after reading the chapter that Blackheart was dead. The evil guy never dying is a clich

Okay, okay, begging, pleading, and throwing myself at your foeet (you always wanted a goatskin rug, right?) Are the spots on your car a clue, or a hint that you want us to wash your car? Or both? This whole "blackheart" buisness is indeed troubling... I have no idea how that got started. We await with anticipation LiS 27...

Hmmmm... You sure do raise interesting points... In my opinion, I use the "movie guideline". If the movie is primarily intended to be sexual, then it's porn. If however, the sex is just integral the the plot, then it isn't. My own opinion is (and this is even more critical for text than for movies); It it's not unique or different, why bother? I once saw a story on Nifty. It made me laugh, so I read a few chapter. I wasn't laughing at humor, I was laughing at the author. Out loud. The author had written two or three sex scenes, and cut-and-pasted them throughout his story. Typos and all, over and over again. In any case, I think one issue here is individual tastes; the author isn't going to please everyone. Some readers like a lot of sex, some don't. The same applies to movies; everyone has different tastes. In the final analysis, the one person the author has to please is themselves. THEY need to like the end product of their labors, so they need to do it as they see fit.

You are so hard to please! I do wish you would make up your mind... You didn't want Blackheart to die, so I proposed a plot twist to give you what you want and bring him back... Then you wanted an Aussie, and I agreed, but you turned your nose up at the sheep-sheerer (and threatened to have him sheer me!) And now, I figure out a way for you to have your Aussie surfer, and again you seem recalcitrant... Tsk, tsk, it seems that both writers and hackers are sooo temperamental.

Ahhh, well, this is true, but... Complicated. "Living in Surreality" Is actually total re-write (including huge amounts of new stuff, plus some plot changes) of a story over at the crvboy story site. The story there is called "Failure of the Heart", and the Authors name is, quite coincidentally, "Blackheart". And just how much reading comprehension you you expect from a goat? Well, Good point.. OK, so, how many years would it take Eric to gain Aussie citizenship? OK, a quick google seems to indicate a residency requirment of two years. So, that would make Eric an Aussie around his 18th B-day, just in time to re-connect with Blackheart. perfect... Looks like Blackheart will get his Aussie surfer after all, just like he wanted... (I aim to please...) This explains a very great deal indeed... But, I'll also note that you, being an Echidna, mainly eat bugs, so perhaps your epicurean credentials are not quite sterling...

Awww, I had just the character in mind.... Smiling with lecherous intent through his few remaining tobacco-stained teeth as he cracked open a can of Foster's, the sheep-sheerer, still covered by the dirt, grime, and sweat of the day's labor, batted contentedly as the corks hanging from the rim of his battered old hat as he waited for Blackheart to arrive for their date... And, ummm, you wouldn't really have him sheer me, would you? That's just sooo mean... A surfer with an Aussie accent he wants, that's what he shall get... (never let it be said that I'm not helpful...) Eric, fleeing it Australia, picks up the accent in an effort to conceal his identity... Taking up surfing to pass the time and enjoy his large bank accounts, Eric, replete with a new passport, journeys to Hawaii, heading for the North shore of Oahu. Of course, while there he just has to look up his old pal Blackheart... I have cloven hooves, so the toe thingy works just fine.. And of course, I tried it with two pairs of flip-flops... Hrmmmm, Yes, I do see a problem; Blackheart just doesn't look Eeevil enough... But, after chapter 26 of Living in Surreality, who can possibly deny that he is? And I have been typing (not easy, with hooves...) I'm not only keeping up with FTL, but I've also written a story called Catagory 5 for the summer anthology, and I'm working hard on the first few chapters of my next serial, "Let the Music Play". LTMP is the same genre as FTL: Action/adventure, and the plan is to post the two chapters of it alongside the last two of FTL. Well, "Aloha" means both hello and goodbye, and they nearly did go goodbye from that mountain... Or, it could be said that he was trying to make their vacation a permanent one... Thanks Bondwriter!!! I had a lot of fun writing that chapter. The "forever" scene just popped out, and is one of my favorites in the story. The Blackheart encounter was fun, too. Ahhh, but you didn't say lifeguard/triathalite types... Thus leaving yourself open to my helpful interpretations... As for Eric.. Poor, misunderstood Eric, he'll be . and As for Mr. Williams, you'll just have to wait and see. Thanks!!! McDonnalds menus vary in some areas. You won't find Portuguese sausage and rice, nor Simian, on Mainland US menus. I think the oddest McDonnalds item I've ever seen had to be the Samauri Burger, in Hong Kong. And as a side note, if you love good Chinese food, China is not a good place to find it. :wacko: As for Pineapple, on a hamburger? Uggggh, that's almost as bad as having it on Pizza... As for the end of various characters, all I can say is that Ch 38, or maybe 39, depending on how things pan out when writing, will the the finale of FTL, followed by an epilogue. Blackheart told me himself that he'd never ride a harley, he much prefers Yamahas. :

ROFL!!! What have I done? Blackheart has a fan club!!! And here I thought Eric would be the one... If it's an Australian accent you want, an Australian accent you'll get.

Hi Maddy! Welcome back!!! Well... Hrmmmm... I suppose, if you spare me your anti-spoiler spines on this issue, we could plan out a new and less exisntance-challenged future for Blackheart... Hrmmmm... Would Y'all like a happy ending for Blackheart? A happily-ever-after ending? I'm thinking of a wedding... Though it will have to wait a couple of years, as the other groom is presently a minor. But, the wait will be good, as the other groom's nose will have healed by then...

:o But... But... But... Shadowgod possibly killed Jacob... Surely he can't be uneeevil? And I'm shocked... Shocked I tell you... That Blackheart is getting such support, while cute, sweet, innocent me is getting besmerched! Here you have us, side by side, And people are telling me that Blackheart doesn't look evil? And implying that I do? I can't say what will happen to Blackheart, whether he lives or dies, but I will say that the answer will be in the epilogue of FTL.

Bordering? Nah, I wouldn't say bordering... OK, so, he's more of a freelance, mercenary killer? ****** :nuke: ******WARNING!******* :nuke: ****** Spoilers for the most recently posted chapter (26) of Living in Surreality below!!! :nuke: :nuke: :nuke: BTW, to anyone who is wondering what some of the blackheart/motorcycle references in this thread are about, Shadowgod has been known to go by the nom-de-plume "Blackheart", and he is also the writer of the very excellent Living in Surreality, where one of the beloved protagonists has just had a motorcycle crash, and his fate has been left unsaid in one of the most eeeevil cliffhangers I've ever seen. The motorcycle that was being ridden in that scene was a Yamaha R6, as described in FTL 33 as Blackheart's bike. All connections between Blackheart and Shadowgod are, of course, entirely coincidental.

I think its all part of his eeevil plan to deceive us... Well, not to give anything away, but nothing in the story so far actually confirms his death. Chris saw him sailing towards the rocks (gracefully, of course!) with his brake-light glaring, and saw the column of smoke and flames from the explosion. You meant the murder-for-hire hacker? Out of a fear of the Echidna's spines, i cannot comment on future plans, but let's just say BTW, I love your new member' title!!

You couldn't mean me... Everyone knows I'm a lurker.. Graeme's stories can be found here. Time shortages are the nemesis of writers everywhere. Graeme, thank you so much for the time you spend, both enriching the world via your writing, and enriching the forums with your thousands of wise and sagacious posts.

A PM is on the way.... BTW, could anyone who is having problems DL'ing the pics please let me know? I'm trying to figure this out and fix it. Also, if you can't see the pics, just let me know and I'll pm them to you as an attachment. Thanks! CJ Here's the pic of Blackheart from the FTL gallery.

Oops.... But, for this, I blame my anonymous beta reader (Shadowgod) for not pointing out the problem during beta.

Thanks Conner!!! I went with the stars for a solution to their adrift problem, because I figured that anyone living under clear night skies all their lives would be able to recognize the north star. (The skies here have no light pollution, so you see a tremendous amount of stars.) YEs!! That's the T-shirt from the story! What a coincidence that you would have a photo of it!!! BTW, also note the dark-blond spiked hair. Oh, BTW, if anyone is curious about the logo I described on the back, the two gothic dragond holding an Ankh, it looks like this:

Well, the reason for the early post was that I had to pre-empt something sneaky and underhanded that he was up to, so, I guess we can credit Shadowgod for being sneaky and underhanded? You raise a darn good point on the flip-flops. It's a case of the writer flopping. Wildone raises a good point below, and new flip-flops can KIND of be run in, if you clench your toes. It's awkward; I tried it tonight to see. You sure can't run too fast. Here's what really happened; I changed the escape scene a few times while writing. Originally I had the bad guys catching up due to the flip-flops, but then i realized that they wouldn't have time to get on the scooters and escape. So, I changed it, and forgot about the flip-flops. Oops. Sooo, been as we have some testimony (thanks Wildone!) that they can be run in, and the guys already had a 50 yard lead down the back of a small strip mall (and were starting from the middle) could they have barely made it, as written, or should I do some editing and change that? Good point on the motorists calling the cops: But how do we know they didn't? The police wouldn't have caught up (it was all over in maybe three minutes, if that) and Chris and Steve went down Tantalus the other way, so wouldn't have seen any arrive. Been as this is a 1st person POV, we don't know. A note here: Lost Cause appears in the chapter credits, because he was kind enough to help me with the on-scene information. I haven't been to Honolulu in years, and then only briefly, so I couldn't recall the roads that well, and I'd never been up Mount Tantalus. I was originally trying to remember some suitable terrain near Diamond Head or up the coast. LC suggested Mt Tantalus, and between his guidance and a good map, plus some googling, I had my scene. Thanks LC!! I remembered the Portuguese sausage and rice at MacDonald's from my visit there, and had to look up the Samin (I remembered it, but not the name). And what? Kill off Eric? But.. I thought it was a bad idea to kill off the heros... (Shadowgod, are you listening? ) Hi Andy! ROFL!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Yes, the racks of computer gear were a tragic loss, agreed... And as for Blackheart, all I'll confirm is that he's either dead, or alive. Sorry, but there is no chapter 34 to post on Tuesday; it's still in Beta and 35 is only half done. I posted early to preempt some sneaky skulduggery by the eeeevil Blackheart. On Mount tantalus. I should have mentioned that they were swinging stuff only when near; not all the time. You can ride a motorcycle one-handed if you don't need the clutch, but yes, trying to manage a baseball bat would make it very difficult, so diffucult that one might nearly hit a garbage truck and end up over a cliff. And cliffhangers? Nope, I never use 'em... As for the flip-flop furor fiasco, I can't imagine where you got that idea. Thanks!!!

Happy 21st!!!

Thanks Bob!!! BTW, In order to forestall some sneaky machinations by the Eeeevil Blackheart, FTL Ch 33, Blackheart, is up a few days early!

Hi LC! Congrats on the new blog!! It sounds like you are very in touch with yourself, and that's a very good thing! And as for the "boyfriend", UGH. Sorry to hear that. CJ

Grame, congratulations on making :king: 2000 Posts :king: :music: :music: :music: :music: :music: Thanks for all you do, and for being such a great member of our forum community!!!

Twice!! Mine was probably due to a watch. A cheap electronic one that played "Stars and stripes forever" as the loud, tinny alarm. The watch malfunctioned one day, and I couldn't get it to stop playing until I adjusted it with a rock. Wouldn't have been that bad, if I hadn't been a pallbearer at a funeral when it happened.