ReaderPaul

Sometimes it might be called a punchline.

"Puns are often a sign of higher than average intelligence." ~ David Lee

@Jkeeletupelo -- do you like novels, novellas, short stories, or some of all the above? Do you like science fiction, or fantasy, or historical/semi-historical fiction? Do the stories you read have to have mainly gay/bi/lesbian/trans characters, or do you just like well-written stories? Do they have to me stories about mostly adult characters and situations, or can they have some or mostly teen characters? If you like well-written stories featuring teens and some adults, I would suggest many of the stories of @Geron Kees. His Doorways series is good science fiction featuring two gay teen boyfriends and the grandfather of one of them. ["The Odd, Onward Door"; "Never a Door Lost"; and The Darkness Between Doors.] (The grandfather, Mike, becomes a major character in the second story, although important in the first story.) Geron's "Charlie Boone" series mixes fiction and sci-fi and fantasy, but then leans mostly to science fiction later in the series. His "Z is for Zombie" multi-chapter story mixes end-of-the-world survival fiction and science fiction, but his zombies are NOT like any you have seen before. Geron's shorter stories often have great observations about human nature, even an enjoyable partly humorous story like "The Party of the Third Part." Dabeagle has written a lot of good stories. So has Mawgrim. And have you checked out the stories of Myr, Ronyx, C James, James Savik, Bill W, and too many others to mention here on this site.

David Brin has written some good works. I see that "Thor Meets Captain America" was expanded by Brin into a longer work, "The Life Eaters." Both are available from a giant corporation founded by someone with the first name of Jeff.

Ah! So, given the specifics you gave in the above answer, then this could, with the right tech applied, form a doorway to other universes -- and connect the Doors Universe with the Charlie Boone universe! However, it would probably take a combined effort of the Kift tech used on Korig and the Arpithant, and possibly the probability index of a future discovery, plus a judicious application of Charlie's second presence combined with Keerby's talents... The possibilities are even more endless than I thought! (But also very difficult to achieve, in theory.) So please, @Geron Kees -- do not be in a hurry to connect the two universes. So, @drpaladin was correct also when he said, "Generally speaking though, this is almost entirely dependent on the conditions and properties on either side of said hole."

Hooray for Katrina Sams! Hooray for Queen Helga! Very good chapter, @R. Eric. I am looking forward to a chapter of your visionary story, Ark II, soon.

Thank you, @astone2292, for this Ask An Author series. I'm going to have to go back and read a lot more of these. @chris191070, @Headstall, and @drpaladin, Great comments. @drpaladin, I am very glad you pointed out the positivity in Geron's stories. Even in what some might consider "light" reading in one or two stories of @Geron Kees, there are many useful, good, and informative points about human behavior and interpersonal relationships.

I learned it as seize the day, as in make the day enjoyable and accomplish goals at the same time. But I have indeed heard other variations than the one I learned.

@Bill W, this is one of your best stories yet, and I have enjoyed several over the years. I also agree with @drsawzall on his commercialism comments completely. Your comments on attacks on the LGBTQI+ community reminded me of your wonderful story, Crash Landing, and A Gay Christmas Carol (Revised). Another or your wonderful Christmas stories is My First True Christmas. All of the three stories I mentioned are available right here on Gay Authors. Thanks you for the great writing.

Good chapter, @R. Eric. I will be interested to see if Stan and Mark have more body memory than the rest. Will they be able to get everything done in a week before coming back to Russia?

Well done, @R. Eric. So now back to Makarovia, then Ark II, then Blueblood, then Ark II, then I've Always Loved You," then Ark II, and so on. This story, Ark II, is possibly your most enjoyably imaginative yet, of the strictly fiction stories you have written. Please continue writing. To paraphrase Mr. Spock, "Live Long and Bring Joy Through the Prosperous Writing." Thank you.

Well said indeed, @drsawzall. While I cannot personally identify with every point of @astone2292, I thought what he wrote was well organized, well stated, and well pointed. Now if @kbois is average, then shouldn't we invent the term "averagy?" (No matter how I spell it, it looks wrong.) @astone2292, I was especially resonant with your points about validation, peace of mind, and writing. Love the sumo wrestler analogy.

So, @Valkyrie, this enjoyable story was a blend of old and new crypto-currency coinage of a story? Between you and @Geron Kees and @Parker Owens and @Aditus, I was glad for translate dot google dot com being available.

Thanks, @Valkyrie! Now maybe you can write the next story with the prompt "That's not my package!" The title could be "That's not my package! Really!" It could be about a guy who, when accused of sending a sext pic to someone, protests -- because the pictured prominent protuberance projecting from the package area is patently preposterous, considering what normally is resting there in a relaxed soft state. (You are welcome to use the idea freely, with no attribution. MY reward would be -- reading another great prompt story.)

@Valkyrie -- Be sure to title that prompted story something like, "That's not my package!" That way, I will know to read it. I can think of a minimum of three storylines -- all of different meanings -- that would fit that title/prompt. And looking up "package" on dictionary dot com, including the British dictionary section -- has given an idea for a fourth storyline (one of the original three storyline ideas was from urbandictionary dot com).

@Butcher56 -- good summary. @R. Eric, this is a very good chapter. So hopefully, a chapter of Ark II next, then Cinderfella III?

I notice that the last time dkstories visited GA was in 2013. @Timothy M. or anyone else, did something happen to Dan of dkstories? It concerns me that he seems to have dropped out of sight.

A great chapter, @R. Eric. I am very glad to see this detailed update. I am hoping that next is an update on Ark II, then another story, then Ark II, then Makarovia, then Ark II, then another story or two -- Please, stay alive and keep writing for a LONG time! And Is Cosmo getting dressed as well as the four visitors for the Proposal?

It seems to me that Uncle Bob is developing some magic mechanic traits of his own, being able to replicate Ragal's surprise black octopus thing. His telekinesis abilities have grown also, with being able to deflect and redirect the water, as well. To me, this is not surprising. After all, Keerby had said, way back in an earlier Charlie Boone story, that talents tend to run in families. And did Robin father any kids in the last 800 years? Questioning minds would like to know, @Geron Kees. Hopefully, Durapar will be able to go with the group to the realm of the dead, as well. For a real powerhouse, Zerfa and Rufe might come along, as well. But that close to Christmas, probably not.

While all of the stories of Geron Kees help a person to think, in some ways this was more serious than many of his stories. I can't say as much as I would like, or I might spoil the story for others. Wonderful new characters are introduced in this story. Momphis, Chirka, Browbeat, and Jol appear, and some others. Uncle Bob and Ragal and Horace gain some new powers, and we learn more about Casper's powers, as well. This story is wonderfully packed with thrills, chills, and life pills. I want to say a lot more positive things, but I really think you should read the story for yourself. It is THAT good.

Something I don't recall seeing anything in the comments about yet: "I was thinking about Robin, too," Charlie said. "He might be invaluable in dealing with someone like Tallfield." "We can figure all that out at home," Kippy decided, waving a hand. "So when are we coming back?" "We have two jobs coming up back at the office," Charlie reminded. "We can come back here and do what we need to do, and still get them done," Ricky argued. "No time, remember?" "You're stalling," Kippy said gently. "Why?" Charlie nodded. "Yeah. I want some time to mull a few things over, is all." He shook his head. "That moment when I realized Tallfield was trying to take my mind away from me...it left me with a lot to think about." No one said anything for a moment, as they all remembered. "But we are coming back, right?" Kippy finally asked. Charlie smiled at his boyfriend. "I'm thinking we'll come back the week before Christmas." I am hoping that this means that @Geron Keeswill start the Christmas Charlie Boone story 7 or 8 days before Christmas, AND tell us briefly or in detail about the two jobs they have to do at the office. Geron, how about putting a branch of one of the banks on Engris in Charlie's home town? Then Nicholaas wouldn't have to jiggle and joggle and juggle funds from Engris to Earth for the guys. Of course, regular Earthlings would be allowed to deposit and withdraw money, as well.

I doubt that this is in any part of the story as to what will happen next, but something pinged in my mind when I read the following: Charlie shook his head. "Wait a second. Can you try to follow them back and see where they came from?" "Oh. Wait a moment." Horace closed his eyes. "Um...I can see them. Let me see if I can roll this backwards...okay. Yes. Here they are inside Engris, and now here they are arriving. at Engris...and...backtracking...and...no." He opened his eyes. "Go back a ways, and they just fade away. I can't see where they came from before that." "I didn't think you'd be able to," Jol said. "I think you only were able to follow them back that far because you were present on Engris when they first arrived. That is your common factor with them. Following them back before that would require a time element. And, as we all know, there is none here." This is a long shot, but if Ragal and Horace joined hands, and were powered by Adrian and Kippy, with magic mechanic advice from Ricky, would Horace be able to see back further, to when Ragal was in this level? There would be a gap, since he has been alive again almost 3¼ years, since October of 2019, but if some members of the collective were already there in the lower level before October 2019, they might be able to trace it back further. But Geron probably has a differing solution. Or does it have to be closely connected with Engris? Yes, it is.

I look forward to seeing how this works out. An interesting set of pocket worlds/universes/pods has been created on the level of the dead. Max once said in a different story, that -- "It's different with elves." That might explain why they have not yet run across any elves in this level. Something about this reminds me of Philip Jose Farmer's "World of Tiers" series. Geron, did you read any of those in your younger years?

@drpaladin, @Ivor Slipper, @weinerdog, and @Geron Kees -- "Puns are often a sign of higher than average intelligence." ~ David Lee

Sounds like a potentially hairy situation to me!