ReaderPaul

Wow, @Wombat Bill, the chapter was so well written I thought it barely over a thousand words, until I looked at the word count. Lots of stuff happening in a very short span of time. I don't blame Craig for going on the reserve list. At times, one can like the type of work one does, but feel surrounded by non-friendly co-workers. Sounds like Edward and Justin need to do more talking, just the two of them. Looking forward to seeing what others say. Good chapter, Wombat Bill.

So, @Geron Kees, Pacha has learned to read the elf location guide! After all, he had never been to Kinniston before. Or has Mike or Bobby learned to read it and translates it for Pacha? After all, they, especially Mike, has been around Pacha for years now, and also have been exposed to Moth, elves, Ragal, Casper, and probably other power users as well, not to mention Charlie, Kip, Adrian, and Rick. Good ending for the story. So does that mean only Keerby (and possibly Nicholaas) can get the guys to and from the alternate universe of Costel and Pilfer, at least at this time? Does Max need to work with they guys (including Horace) to upgrade their shields in a major way, so that sensitives cannot detect them?

Seeing Chapter Nine and Chapter Ten shows how much power Pip and Frit have gained in the last year. It is really great to see. And, at least for now, Keerby has a time ability that (for now) only he and Nicholaas share. Although, Max will probably try to catch up with Keerby on this one, and Max's brother (Jakos?) might as well.

Whoa, wait a minute! Is Blinken the same as Ethelbert, which Keerby referred to in a previous chapter? And if vampires have shown up, why couldn't werewolves, werewhales, werebears, Bigfoot and more show up? Next question would be, how complete is the change? If Charlie turned into a dog, and a female dog was in heat, would his body want to breed it? Some cautions are hopefully at work here.

There is an old poem, which goes -- The difference between -- the men and the boys / is the length of their hair, and the price of their toys. The PG rated version is, "The difference between -- the men and the boys / is the size of their [four-letter word {plus an "s" added on the end} for the male organ of generation], and the price of their toys."

@Geron Kees, you said in the comments a few chapters back that "Amy will be along shortly." Could you have been thinking about Abby instead? If you meant Abby, could we briefly meet Amy in the Christmas story, when the guys go to check on things at their office downtown?

So, @Geron Kees, there is one adult the guys could discuss things with -- Bob Travers. After all, he has met the elves of Twombly, Nicholaas, Pacha, Kontus, Auggie, Frit and Pip, Ragal, Casper, Max, and Ronja. and possibly others by now. For the Christmas story, how about taking Uncle Bob, Keerby, Mrs. P, and Ronja and Auggie (or maybe not Auggie), to Engris for Christmas shopping? Keerby, of course, has been there before, so could transport them. And I'm sure Mrs. P could use the location guide just fine. So could Frit or Pip or Max transport them. And, has Pacha figured out how to use the elf location guide yet?

Great going, @Geron Kees. Charlie's talent is obviously growing. I think the growth may have also been influenced slightly by contact with not only the elves, but with Pacha'Ka, Sefton, Durapar, Ragal, Casper, Nicholaas, the Moth, and the peripheral contact with the Beltracians. Each has a slightly different take on power use/magic, and the impact on the guys' skwish would be slightly different. In addition, the "wish magic" Kiri and Kiley gave them could be influencing their growth, even without the guys knowing it. I think Rhea is not sure what to make of the talents Keerby and company and Charlie and company have. The way things are going, the guys might end up in a universe with vampires, were-whales, Bigfoot, and moveable versions of Gretchen! I'm loving it. Can't wait to see comments from @chris191070, @Ivor Slipper, @drpaladin and more have to say!

As @drpaladin said, we have not yet met Amy, who runs Third Planet Inquiries (TPI) for the guys. Abby of the boarding house seems to be an energetic and fascinating person. As the four guys grow in skwish, @Geron Kees, could Keerby or Max enable them to add to the location guide for elves for location and teleportation purposes? Or maybe that's a talent Pip has, that is not common among elves? Charlie as M? @Ivor Slipper, that is a great thought! Geron, this keeps getting better and better.

Oh, that was good, @Wombat Bill, and what a great chapter comment, @Summerabbacat! Loved all of it! Edward need to do more disguising of details. There needs to be enough difference in details to really disguise the crime. Really good chapter.

Only two persons might be better than Max to approve someone. Erma -- or Zerfa. And my money would be on Erma of those two. I'm glad to hear about TPI. It reminds me of Max's organization, PEE (Planet Earth Enterprises). When do we get to meet Amy? Oh, and I'm guessing Casper and Ragal can also access the Engris bank money.

I think Keerby will show up. About halfway down in this chapter, Horace said That cars were also parked in driveways on either side of him. I look forward to see how Pacha and company fit in with this, and possibly Casper and Ragal and Sefton.

[There was just a wisp of sadness, even loneliness in that statement, that touched Charlie's heart. He reached out and patted the ghost hunter on the shoulder, and smiled. "No one's ever alone, when they have friends."] For some reason, when I read the above quote, I read that as "bitterness" instead of loneliness. I am wondering if Horace might have been rejected by a lover or potential lover early in his life. And then, the final exchange at the end of the chapter: "We'll make the offer," Charlie returned, nodding. "I'm sure they'd love your house." Horace laughed, his eyes full of light. "Well...I'm sure my house will love them, too!" Somehow, that seems to portend something.

Well done, @Geron Kees. And thanks for mentioning Ricky's younger sister and even younger brother. Since Adrian can manipulate electricity, he probably, with more thought and practice, could manipulated magnetic fields as well. Possibly he could also raise the frequency and manipulate light as well. As his control of magnetism grows, he probably could also generate magnetic monopoles as well. Of course, Charlie would have to explain to him what magnetic monopoles are, and how they could be used. But it would make an interesting app of Adrian's growing magic. In a few minutes, I will read chapters 3 and 4. And very much looking forward to it! As always, Geron, should you wish to use any of the ideas presented here, you may freely use them, with my blessing.

@Summerabbacat -- I loved your analysis of this chapter. I agree with you on sounding and fisting -- they do not appeal to me. But what other may choose to do is up to them. @Wombat Bill -- I loved the prompts Edward used. You might have some possibilities with those. I would like to suggest some other possibilities. As he studied the list of prompts, one jumped out at William: "What a crazy idea the kid had, using mayo, barbeque sauce, mustard, pickles, tomato, potato chips, and asparagus on his sandwich. The murderer had used the spicy BBQ sauce to disguise the taste of the poison two weeks ago...." Batson looked at the story he was reading again. It was supposed to be a story about Australia, but was so full of wrong spellings and word usage as to be laughable. "Throw a chimp on the barbie?" "Fozzers, Australian for beer?" "Riding in the Out Back?" "The Sidney Opery House?" "He had a 22 centimeter cocc?" Didn't anyone proofread at all now? What would he see next, the word chim-knee? Just then he spotted that word partway down the page.... "He was a dark and stormy knight." "The knight had a stormy countenance. And it was dark outside the castle, as well." "The car that pulled up was black, with windows tinted such that it was difficult to see inside." "Richard and Christopher had been friends from childhood. But the friendship was getting strained, as they competed to win the attention of the same person..." "Jerry and Jack's relationship is in trouble," Martin told Sam. "Jerry has fallen in in love with Jack's sister!" In the very unlikely you wish to use any of those, do so with my blessing, Wombat Bill.

Oh, this is good! I think Dante is bi.

So Ragal left the bathtub running on that moon, way before the Armenti built a spaceport there? (From "Is That A Monster in the Closet, Charlie Boone?") @Geron Kees, I thought you weren't planning to connect the series! Realistically, they could be connected if Charlie were to dream about the Door universe, and send his split-presence there. But the physical laws would be different enough that Max or Auggie could not take them there (since Auggie uses a slightly different means of transport than Max or Keerby or Pacha uses).

Wow, @Wombat Bill. Another fascinating chapter. I like how Thomas and Jonathan are moving forward with their lives. It would seem that Lachlan is a good influence on both. A very intriguing teaser for the next chapter. Approximately how many chapters ahead do you try to write before posting? I know some authors write with a brief outline and write a chapter just shortly before posting, and some like to have anywhere from five chapters ahead to having the whole story written. I am always very interested in how authors do the things they do, and there are so many methods that finding which method or multiples of methods an author uses is a delectable and delightful desire of discovery for me. Thanks again!

@Wombat Bill, I don't know how I missed seeing the notification for this chapter. But I am glad to see it now. I agree with @chris191070 and @quttzik on what they said. I may have had a mini-stroke recently, about a year after my major stroke I don't seem to remember as much and have trouble typing. I have to proofread carefully and correct errors. Who's Alfred? Has he been mentioned before? Will we get to find out how Andy and Dean, Daniel and Rani are doing during the lockdown? I thank you very much for starting this segment of the lives of the various guys. Thank you again!

As a reader, I see great possibilities with this. However, I do hope that the sub-categories don't get so specific that we end up with a category for "gay right-handed one-armed wallpaper hangers with one left arm." I don't know what categories have been tentatively planned at this point. I hope such categories as Adventure, Romantic, Erotic, Mystery, Horror, High School, College, and even Twenties, Thirties, Forties, etc., or Recent Past, Near Future, Present, Time Travel, Alternate Earth, Alternate History, Alternate Universe, Historical, Ancient, Light Humor, Humor, Serious, 1930s, 1960s, 1990s, 2000 or 2K, Werewolf, Were-creatures, Shapeshifters, Space Travel, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Furry, and Other are considered.

Great story, @jamessavik. But one question. I know what AA is. Is NA Narcotics Anonymous? If not, what is it? I was in high school from 1964-1969. But the attitudes were about the same. I grew up in a mostly rural area, with an evangelical Baptist background. The story almost seemed as if it could have taken place in the area of the Midwest USA where I grew up. Well done, James.

It has been two or three years since I read this story. As I re-read it in leisurely fashion, I am impressed with some of the wise and also common sense things I see. Thank you, @R. Eric.

I'm glad to see this chapter, @R. Eric. It is a good one.

The short story "All You Zombies" by Robert A. Heinlein comes to mind. It is not obvious until later in the story that the main character is trans.

I have seen a situation like this written, and not everybody can pull it off, though the other author did so. I've seen another story where a girl hires a gay guy to be her boyfriend for one event -- and he falls in love with her brother! Looking forward to reading this, @dkstories.