raven1

Wow! I got caught in one of those when I lived on Mt Hood. It took a week to get power, and a few days more to get out of my driveway. Hope things were not that bad for you and Steve!

Whoops! You said torment, not torture. My bad.

Good Evening Drewth! 😈 Are you ready for me to start? I thought we'd start by using something to try to remedy your problem with everyone teasing you about your height.

Hi Page! I see you got caught up in the rebellion today. Good luck with that!

Hi Albert! How did you day go? I heard there are a lot of storms in the Sierra Nevada Mts. How's weather your way?

Whoa Spike, You got Drew so upset he's beginning to stutter! Wicked!

I love the word urinalists. It sounds like a young Spanish speaking student learning English. Your sense of humor is a wicked sharp sword.

An epic first battle! Great writing to make the whole thing come alive. Like others, I wonder how the stolen plants will help Zoel and Dejya overthrow Cain. I also want to know why Cain is holding his team back from becoming pros. Rafe and the team are staying focused on their battle. I wonder if the team they are to battle is as strong as Rafe's team.

Congratulations! Finding Good Trouble is an excellent story that deserves recognition as a featured story. It is the reason I immediately started to follow you and am reading this story. James does seem a typical teen, but with a bit of a temper and lack of social filters to keep his mouth in check. I agree that he fits the description of the 'entitled middle-class teenager'. I do have to say that the problem with the teacher was partly the teacher's fault. From the description, she does not act like a professional. Teachers need to respect students as humans and not make fun of them. Fortunately, she is the exception to the rule and not a standard for teachers. I do like what's happening at the nursing home. Lillian and Nurse Dorothy are characters I am looking forward to see more. Your use of dialogue to provide information about the characters and advance the story is perfect.

Wilhelm may be creepy, but he sure sounds like he has a lot of great stories to tell about Ed. Wilhelm did come off as scary. The fact Ed has told Wilhelm a lot about Alex, and Wilhelm understanding his affect on Alex does reduce the tension to more manageable levels.

Fanfic proves that fact! Some readers even fight over their "beloved character" with other readers. GA stories are filled with thousands of these comments. Not that I'd ever do that.

Drew can be such a sneak! He attacked us with a simple visual that required acute observation and analysis, then hit us with the old Order of Operations. You are truly evil DrewPi!🤪

@chris191070 is so right about Finding Good Trouble. I read it recently and will read it again in the future. It is raw realism that strikes at racism, injustice and violence. I loved the book, but had to wait several days to right a review, because I needed the time to settle the emotions it stirred in me. It is an excellent piece of literature!

Hey Gary, I'm sorry to hear about the theft of your work. Also, glad you and GA authors have settled the matter.

Walks and hikes are great times to observe nature, but something like this is a truly amazing moment. You captured it so wonderfully in your poem Gary. Thanks for sharing this with us.

Well the mystery of the oily blood was explained, as well as confirmation that Gideon and Kavan are bloodsongs. Gideon's decision to leave the clan might have been what Kavan thought Kavan wanted. However, what Kavan wanted was not what Kavan needed. Now he needs to go get his Gideon back. That should make more than Caspian happy.

Alex doesn't buy Ed's BS about father issues. I wouldn't either, because Ed is definitely not father material. Ed is in denial, but right about putting up with a lot of immature BS for several more years until Alex becomes mature. That is no easy task.

Hey Albert! I'm sending my prayers and best wishes also.

We've been missing you! Take care and send mum my love.

I enjoyed this two part essay on Cheating! You made some very excellent points. In this part I was struck by Devine Destiny and Well That Happened. What came to mind with Devine Destiny was JKR's Harry Potter series. It would never have been successful if Rawlings had let the fate of the Chosen One remain static. She used many of the suggestions you made and as a result the books became darker and Harry's outcome less sure. It is why the series is not just for children like the eleven year olds I taught when The Philosopher's Stone first came out. Those same added elements have inspired a huge volume of fanfic as fanfic authors pursued what would have happened if... The other part was Well That Happened. My only comment is to say one of the best books I have read ever is Finding Good Trouble, by @Ronyx. The whole book is based on actions and consequential results that reverberated and built as the story continued. Ronyx has woven a powerful story where actions and dialogue reflect what had happened before that sets up the current emotions, decisions and actions. It felt like a big book, but only used about 70,000 words. Bravo, Comicality!

I had to goggle the Vodka ad. It was so camp!

That's great! Orchids are amazing plants with a huge variety of forms and shapes. They don't require hard work if you have done the research and are consistent in caring for them.

Yes I do remember, and the scene brought tears to my eyes. I loved Sam's last line as he picks Frodo up.

It is very sweet of you and Clo to offer help, but Dugh's herd are taking care of Dugh so no help is needed. As for the new additions, Gary know where to send them so Dugh will get them safe and sound.

I remember these times well Mawgrim. You have captured them in writing, and it was an emotional trip back in time for me. That includes the fears that Dean was having over his sexuality. I was probably about 10 years older than he is in the story, but had about the same school environment.