ReaderPaul

Great story, @Geron Kees.

I'll skip the milk in favor of the pie. I am allergic to straight white milk or straight chocolate milk.

So, @Geron Kees, this will be posted as two chapters or three? I enjoyed it hugely before, and am enjoying it again. Loved the following lines in this segment: For a moment the two glared defiantly at each other, before Speedy let his gaze drop again to Robin's crotch. He smiled, and licked his lips, causing Robin to flinch. "Stop that! That's not fair!" Speedy grinned, but nodded and looked away. "Fine. Just leave my Roy alone, and I'll leave your Dick alone." Luggage problems can be a real pain.

Hippy friends? Or harpy friends? Harpies are sometimes described as large, three-toed birds.

A more fun way to look at the Levitical Laws. I look forward to when you do some of the sexual rules. Due to mistranslations, some of the "abominations" should be read instead as "it is not our custom."

So, @Geron Kees, when do we get to learn more about Charlie's Uncle Fred, mentioned in "It's a Spooky Night Out There, Charlie Boone!" We know he has a pickup, Is he brother to Charlie's dad, or mother? Or did he marry the sister of one of them? He probably has skwish as well.

@BigBen, Gee IS on GA. I must have typed something wrong in the search bar when I was trying to find him here a few days ago. He has "The Wish," "A Zombie Valentine," "The Costume," "Northern Lights," and "My Best friend" on here. "Out of my League" is not on here -- yet. I hope he brings it here. "Borderline Insanity" and "The Scariest Costume of All" are two other great stories by @Gee Whillickers that I wish would appear on GA. One of Gee's BEST stories is "The Spelling Be," and I wish it would appear here. I see a story here I don't remember reading by Gee Whillikers. I will have to find time to read it in the next two or three days.

After getting sick from an undercooked egg when I was a teen, I like my eggs hard, hard, HARD, or hard boiled, or fully cooked scrambled. My favorite story/stories on GA? @Geron Kees "Doorways" series, @Dabeagle "You Don't Know Me," and Ouroboros, Inc, by Dabeagle; @dkstories "The Beard;" the "Logan and Seth" series by @Cynus, and one story by Dabeagle; the Charlie Boone series by Geron Kees; every other story by Geron Kees or Dabeagle; "Ark II" by @R. Eric, most of the stories of @JamesSavik, especially "In the Shadow of the Dragon" and "Get Into James' Shorts" one chapter short stories; and I'm discovering the wonderful stories of @northie. I am sure I will think of more after I hit "Submit comment." Came to GA by a reference on another site. Don't remember which. Life story? "Sometimes, Good Things Happen; Sometimes They Don't." Favorite soup? Actually, I prefer chili made at home by me or by my son.

Well, @Tim Hobson and @astone2292, now I have another author to try and find time to read! Tim, the concepts you are updating sound fascinating.

@Jkeeletupelo, here are some additional suggestions of specific science fiction and/or fantasy stories available right here on GA. @Dabeagle is a great writer (of more than just science fiction/fantasy). He has written a great story, "You Don't Know Me," which has an angle I had not seen in this exact form. A dying gay man in his fifties has his mental essence sent to the body of a fifteen-year-old self-absorbed straight-boy who was in a car accident. Another great story by Dabeagle is "Ouroborus, Inc." He has written a lot of great stories not science fiction, as well. @JamesSavik has written a log of good science fiction, including "In the Shadow of the Dragon". Five teen boys are sent to a place in the Colorado mountains by their parents to, hopefully, avoid the results of a nuclear and biological war. which is starting. James has also written a lot of science fiction short chapters in "Get Into James Shorts." He has other really good stories, here on GA, so he is well worth looking up. Gee Whillikers (pseudonym) is not yet on GA, but I keep hoping. As I think of others, I will let you know.

You used to have two mustaches at the same time?

The resolution near the end of "The Story of Richard Doubledick" by Dickens reminds me a bit of the resolution of this story, which one will see in the last chapter.

Actually, there were 989 NAMED characters in the works of Charles Dickens, and the other twelve thousand plus were unnamed. A very good story, a short one, by Dickens is "The Story of Richard Doubledick."

Thank you for those references. I've already read "Going to Waste" and will have to read the rest later, due to errands.

Great story, @northie. I smiled and chuckled most of the way through it.

Well done, @northie. Thank you. What other personifications have you done and in which of your stories?

I like these "Ask An Author" segments. Sometimes I can be inspired to check out an author I have not been reading because of the articles. It is obvious to me from this article that @Mrsgnomie and @kbois and also @astone2292 all have a good and varied sense of humor. I have a crazy caregiving schedule due to my spouse having physical and mental issues, including possibly spouse having the beginning of Alzheimer's. I do not get to read nearly as much as I wish. But articles like this one inspire me to try to read a greater selection of authors than previously. Well done, all three of you.

@CincyKris, as you liked this story, you should also check out more stories by @Geron Kees -- especially Geron's "Doorways" series here on GA, and "Z is for Zombie" here on GA. They are top rate science fiction stories, The Doorways stories go in this order: "The Odd, Onward Door,' then "Never a Door Lost," and most recently ""The Darkness Between Doors."

No, they would not be simple to answer. BUT -- from something you described in a Halloween Charlie Boone tale some years back, I get the idea that Ricky's sister is about two (at the most three) years younger than Ricky. Kiernan is one year or not more than two years younger than Rick, so --- It would be a possibility for Kiernan and Ricky's sister to meet and date. Since Ricky is loaded with skwish, his sister probably is, as well. She just has to discover it. That might make a good side trip in the Boone universe -- but I can't think of a good title. One you definitely don't want to use would be -- "My Sister is Getting Skwishy, Charlie Boone!" "My Sister is Getting Crafty, Charlie Boone!" might be slightly better, but not much. LOL.

Another great story in the "Charlie Boone" universe. Charlie and several of his friends, and this time adding Auggie, Robin Hood and new friend Jeremiah Hawkins, return to once again face Lane Tallfield in the realm of the dead. They first do research, and find out many interesting things. (No, I'm not saying what they find out. You need to read that for yourself.) We learn more and more as the story progresses, and once again, things are not completely as they originally seem. The story is well worth reading.

I think Browbeat would have a lot of fun with Frit and Pip! They like to have fun, though they can be serious when needed. Since Horace can summon people in the lower layer, can he now also summon people in the present layer, somewhat like Charlie can inspire people to call whether on Engris or Earth? Does Charlie's ability include persuading Murcha, Onglet, or Illia to call him? Can he inspire persons to call someone else -- such as inspiring Uncle Bob to call Horace? Does Amy have any siblings? Maybe she is becoming like an "honorary Aunt" to Ricky's younger sister and even younger brother? Is Ricky's younger sister old enough to date Kiernan Willman?

Well, @Geron Kees, now you can do a short Valentine's Day story! Amy or Horace proposes, and they get married on Valentine's Day 2023! Surely the town of Kinniston has a witch official who is authorized to conduct marriages, who could come to Third Planet Inquiries to conduct the wedding. Or, perhaps Jeremiah knows someone in Holdover who could perform a ceremony, and would keep their mouth shut about the attendance of Ragal, Casper, Durapar, Auggie, Pacha, Kontus, and Browbeat. Human and elf visitors to the wedding, such as Frit, Pip, Max, Keerby, Bob, Kiernan, etc., would be no problem.

@Geron Kees. I like your ending better than the ones I had thought as possibilities. Well done indeed. Now they have three major places to visit in the lower level -- Jol's reality, Lane's Holdover reality, and the library. I still think they should perform their show for Amy, Ilessa, Nara, and, if he can come to their town, Hendrick. And Nicholaas, Ronja, Max, Mrs. P, Frit, Pip, and Keerby and his girlfriend, and Kiernan. And the Pacha group. And definitely, Durapar and Sefton. And possibly Adrian's mother, and possibly Rick's Aunt Susan. After all, as the wife of an illusionist (Uncle Bob Travers), she is used to seeing odd things. A very satisfactory resolution to the story. I had to agree with @Fae Briona and @drsawzall and their summaries of the story. It brought real tears to my eyes, as well.

So -- one of Lane Tallfield's new abilities is to be able to see or discern through Casper's illusions? This might mean they have to put on an unscheduled show of fighting Tallfield before the scheduled show. I am only guessing, but I am guessing that Jeremiah and Auggie will have something major to do in the next chapter, and quite possibly Rick, as well. Browbeat will be important as well, I predict. When they get back, they could put on a private show for Amy, Kiernan, and possibly Hendrick, Ilessa, and Adrian's mother? Possibly Pacha, Mike, Bobby and Kontus as well? Possibly in an epilogue? Surely, Adrian's mother has noticed some skwish, even if on an unconscious level, while working at the Ornament Graphics division of Northern Industries? (See the second Charlie Boone tale, "It's the Gayest Christmas Ever, Charlie Boone!") Adrian's mother could possibly be the first of the parents to know more about the four guys who run/own Third Planet Inquiries. Enquiring minds would like to read more, @Geron Kees!

Excellent chapter, @Geron Kees. I look forward to seeing what Carl will have as a part in the next chapter. It is obvious that things are setting up for fireworks. 4th of July at Christmas time! So will Fred and Dave Evans show up soon?