Krista

I am so jealous. Australia is No. 1 on my bucket list, but I don't want to be on that long of a flight over there... --- @wildone I think if I too also went quiet around the same time, people would start worrying about you. Thinking I finally made that 'road trip,' up to see you after one of your little attempts at being cheeky. I can imagine the screaming tot, but that poor dear had its whole schedule upended and it was too young to reconcile that. Poor dear. That is one of the things you have to contend with whilst traveling with wee little ones. I will be demanding all the more juicy details from your trip. There is no way on this earth that you behaved. It would be a shock to your system. Lastly, this man also didn't remind me of his trip. So I spent those days thinking someone got to him before I did. I was worried. He knows I cannot remember dates worth a damn. He's had these conversations with me, I forget holidays. I've walked my happy ass into work on holidays before... but does he remind me, no. He up and disappears. Rude behavior.

Okay, I'll be back with more then. Wanted to be sure I did it correctly before I bombarded the topic with a much larger post. Although, I feel it would be best if Authors would self-promote alongside promoting other stories, because authors know their stories best. It would simplify things.

Hmm... I guess both of my stories: Learned to Lie: and, The Best Year: Would fall under Drama/Romance, Young Adult, Slow-Burn, Mature, and "Epic" as both of them are above 300k, The Best Year being closer to 500k. If this sort of thing is something you're looking for anyway. I can supply more, if you like. Some of my personal favorites. Edited to Add: I mostly used my stories as examples to gauge if this is how you want this topic answered.

You can cry, I'll be snockered off my ass.

Don't burn your biscuits, Wildthing, you're Canadian you're not used to that.

Good luck y'all. Be sneaky... and all that. I'll be uninvolved. Probably.

I do not think I've touched the information in my profile for over a decade. Yikes.

Dark mode. I cannot stand to read digitally for very long without switching.

I already take care of one man-child - we all know who that is, I do not need two more. I have a full time job. And I've told @wildone more than once. If I wanted to tell my side of the story to a jury, he would've already been dealt with. Miles is just an excuse to go sightseeing, vacations do exist. Although, I'd have to book the trip for the one month in Canada where there's the lowest chance for snow, so he'd expect me around July. I like the element of surprise, but I do dread snow...

When you're three aisles into grocery shopping, you have your oldest meandering beside you, because she's learned to behave... but two toddlers strapped to you via backpack leashes. The cereal aisle becomes a testament of patience. All those colorful boxes... all that cartoonish writing, and childish advertising. You can overlook the first crash of cereal boxes as your little tot finally got enough 'line' to reach a box. Pick them up, tell them no, too much sugar. Three aisles deep, a buggy half full of necessities you're not going to put back, because you're outnumbered and two sets up lips are puckered out and you see the oncoming tantrum. Twins - you piss one off, you've pissed the other one off... that happens from Birth onward. All those whispers from ladies that no longer were outnumbered by toddlers and children under the age of six in a grocery store and their judging eyes because you have two of them strapped to you like dogs and not little young people. I think that gives me the right, forever, to embarrass the brats. Nothing is more embarrassing than dragging two toddlers, both holding cereal boxes, because you've given up through the store on their butts, because apparently, if their hands are full their feet no longer work. Now they're teens. Paybacks are coming. ---- As for my parenting style, I am looking around and I no longer see parents actively placing expectations on the shoulders of their children. They wander through life being carried, partially, and give little in return. I knew from the start that my children were to have expectations. I mentioned this a few times to other parents and they blinked at me. Some would say, "kids that young?" And I would always answer with, yes. My kids were expected to gather their dirty dishes and give them to me, or place them in the sink. They were expected to clean their rooms. They were expected to bring their dirty laundry down to be washed. They knew they wouldn't be allowed any screen at the table, or in the family room when their attention and involvement/participation was -- you guessed it, expected. They come in from school, they do their homework. They do their chores. They eat their supper and we talk about their day. After we clean the kitchen together, afterwards they're free to decompress and do what they wish. When they were younger they'd bring their crafting, or toys, or whatever they wanted to do to the family room, not because they were told to, but because they wanted to be in the room with us whilst they played. Now they're older and stinky teenagers, so they do like their rooms more. But that went for the adults too. To place expectations on the shoulders of children, you should place them on yourself as well. Flexibility is key. Children have bad days. The world burdens them. You will never know every single burden, but you hope you've prepared them enough to manage it, or you've given them enough openness they will come to you when they can't. One of these days I'm sure one or more of my children will come to me and tell me something that happened to them, and it will shatter me. It may even be my fault in the end. Social media we do not allow though. I explained and rehashed my reasons for them not to be on social media. The oldest is driving now, and she still isn't allowed on any platform. I'm sure they get doses of it at school, the blocks on content are easy to get around, and they're allowed phones during down time and between classes to get that fix. They have friends, most of them with poor posture and eyes glued to their phones. I know I've done something good when they come home annoyed because their friends are addicted to scrolling endlessly looking for fifteen seconds of whimsy, and my children can't understand 'why' it is necessary to be on phones/tablets all the time and not engaging with the people around them. My children are also different individually. I worry about the boys more than I do the girls. They seem to take the punches the world gives them a lot harder. I admit that I am a beast when it comes to incidents that happen at school. I know what y'all are thinking. She's one of those.. "Little Jonny can do no wrong..." sorts. No, I don't think I am. I have explained to them that school disciplinary actions are important, they will follow through with them. I've told them after each incident there are better ways to handle it. That I understood heat of the moment situations are difficult to digest, but they are expected to handle it better in the future. I was privately proud of them both though. They stood up for what they believed, they just didn't choose the right words or way to do it. Most of you may be thinking... 'well they take after her...' But I am still a beast. Especially when I think the teachers were unfair. So far though there's only been two incidents that prompted a visit from me. They're mostly well behaved and I get great feedback on them. It was the two girls that I got called into the school over, not the boys. I won't go into detail about the incidents here, as they're rather specific and one of them even made the school's newspaper and I'm rather certain that publication is open to public viewing and not restricted behind the school's log-in, so I will not talk about that. Just know that my daughter wasn't the only one upset with that teacher that day, but you best believe I was the first one in that office and that teacher left having heard my opinion. I do get told that I am one of the most involved parents. I make it a point to be. I want to know what they're learning, what their assignments are, when they're due. I want to know how they're graded. I know each child's syllabus for every class. More parents should, we all have access to that information at least at the school my children are enrolled in. I went back and forth on whether or not to say any of this. I try to keep my footprint on social media rather minimal, so I don't like to specifically talk about anything to do with my children and family, jokes aside. I think I've kept this all vague enough. Only a few people know how I came to be a mother. It wasn't conventional. There was a time in my life when I thought I would never get the chance to be one. My husband showed me that it was a fight worth the fighting for and we made it happen, with a lot of help from my mother. Someone who I think I get a lot of my strength from, she doesn't know where I got all the sass though.

Well then, good for Gabriel, because sudden heel turns is a big and massively used trope. So, he was spared from that fall from grace, at least. Now he's just the boring, but hot, 'never really a choice' trope. And I say boring compared to the sunshine and storms that Ryan is by comparison. Not that he's boring, boring. I don't know which is worse.

I saw the twins inclusion. And I was thinking... Don't do that full on orgy... But also, I know the most consistent and really endearing thing about Percy is that he doesn't share. He may look, think about, weigh the options, but at the end of every thought he knows he doesn't share. Then Five comes right into that line of thinking as well. But still... the rating on that scene would reach filth heights I would be afraid to imagine.

They were so puppy dog innocent and cute this chapter... my goodness me. Madison finally landed a blow, and it stung. Good for her, finally stepping into the shoes she's been trying to get on for 10 chapters. But Sloan threw her into the trash like a fruitcake on Christmas morning though. If this was completely Sloane's ambitions and she is caught out, she is flirting with being expelled entirely. If pushing is zero tolerance, then digital bullying and everything that entails would likely hold just as high and strict no tolerance rules. She may be finishing her year home schooled... I wonder if she did it. Lex shows up, without Steve he shows himself to give good advice. Madison's stock in the school has to have fallen. Even with people seemingly scrambling to clear her and point fingers elsewhere. She was bested by Sloane, her rival. Then told off by three people "far beneath" her. How many falls is she going to take before she can't get up off the ground? This sort of felt like an ending. Ryan and Skylar wrapped up their relationship and formulated concrete terms and left little on the table as far as feelings and expectations are concerned. What they've set out to do will be difficult, but Madison should already know, she has to. She's already 75% there, she's just banking on Ryan not playing the same type of ball Skylar is, but even then, it was Ryan that broke up with her and lacked support for her, she's self-absorbed, sure, and that could be the only saving grace the two of them have. Gabriel must've really just been a Lassie type dude. Huh. Is this where you prove me wrong, when I am finally no longer squinting all twitchy in his direction?

Yes, they finally got all their words right, out in the open, laid bare, and all that. Some people need smacked in the face by everything in order to get there. Apparently some people need to be plowed like a field in early spring. --- I do have an out of pocket guess as to who is hovering over Five as well. That very grateful dude with the injured kidney could've healed up enough to come waltzing through the front door. If it isn't Ethan. I guess most people lean Ethan, because Ethan seemed to want to mess up Five's attempts with Percy in the writing and it kind of fell through. Scorned, jilted, and bested... who knows. If I am correct then you've thrown one hell of a curveball. Is Percy Baby good at throwing curveballs? 😮 I actually forgot what position he plays... --- If Bethany will never pawn a gift from Five, then she is rather accepting of consequences. But, she did send him out to stud up Percy for a month to see where his feelings were. Maybe she is that selfless. I'm saying this still in possession of an engagement ring given to me by the one person that broke my heart and nearly wrecked me for over a year, so. Apparently I am not the pawning sort either. --- I know I've weighed their relationship against how I approach relationships and that's where most of my ranting comes from. Aside from interesting characters giving me fits. If I was looking at this without those shaders on, I would see all of them more fluid. A lot of wiggle room, so to speak, than I would allow my characters in most circumstances in my writing. Like I said, that's what makes them fun. I'll just rant though.

Dislike is a bit of a strong word. I've maintained that I've felt Five is the only one holding every card in this game they played from the beginning. When the stakes were raised, he kept playing knowing he was no longer just playing the game. I was critical of Percy, but unlike Five, Percy's involvement was more self-indulgent, until it also wasn't. They both lived and breathed in miscommunications and not telling the truth. A fault I find with all three of them, really. Five stood to hurt two people, he has hurt two people. Percy stood to hurt Five and himself, mostly himself as he kept shunning the idea that Five would choose or want him, and his assertion that he didn't want or need anything but Baseball. There is this confidence disconnect with him. And it is a triangle. It is a triangle of Five's making, it's just the parts doesn't fit together at the angles. Five wanted them to, he's said as much. Bethany is the type that has these... ideas, but in practice, she wouldn't like them. She would enjoy the sex with the two guys, but as soon as feelings were involved, I don't think she would be able to accept 'watching' the deeper romantic affection Five would show Percy and whatever. She'd be on constant alert to see if Five is being just as appreciative and affectionate with and to her, or that's how I see it. What also makes it a triangle is that Percy considers Bethany's feelings at times. Other times he disregards them, mostly when he's ass up and face down, but afterwards the thoughts came. Post orgasm clarity? Maybe? I write these drawn out rants on your characters because they have fascinated me. I wish I could write characters such as these, but it is not in my wheelhouse. They're messy, funny, there's some puppy-dog cute, sexy, and the creative cleverness throughout kept me here. It wasn't the filth. Sorry if that bursts any bubbles.

First, should've known it was just the sounds of filth being filthed in the next room over. Second, I was beginning to accept that the rest of it was a misdirection. That Five was a bit of a pervert with the soiled and pilfered underwear. Third, choose the next bits of writing very carefully. I may have ran Five through the coals throughout most of the latter half of this story. But, I like the guy. I just wouldn't date him. Although, no loss for him as he's firmly team Percy wrecking his ass for him. But... Oh, Bethany should just pawn that bracelet.

All three of them have done my head in. And now there's a mystery that I paid no attention to that I must now think about. I thought we were done with Ethan. How can one person be so sneaky, codes, cameras? Don't these people believe in changing the codes every now and then to keep people like Ethan from re-entry? So if this is Ethan involvement of any kind, I wouldn't know how any one person could be so sneaky and messed up. Apparently Gramps needs to invest in extra security measures if the Ethan theories prove themselves out. But my guess is that the sound he never heard before would be Percy having some sort of medical episode in the shower and everything else is coincidence or red herrings. The headaches, drinking too much, and all that. His career in baseball may end up being over before he gets into the new year if he keeps this up. --- Anyway all this is criminal. --- Percy and Bethany irked me more than Five this chapter. So, gold star to Five, I guess. Why Five feels the need to prove anything to Percy, prove what exactly? He's still freakin waffling. He's still making statements like, "I wish I could have you both..." this goes beyond not wanting to hurt one over the other. It points to a continued indecision. Mind you, we're not even a day out from the argument, so yeah, that indecision is very real and very understandable. But it would be more helpful to all involved if Five convinces himself, first. As Percy already laid it bare. He won't share. Bethany seems like she is hurt, but also would feel open to a polyamorous relationship as long as BOTH dudes were willing to play and be with her. Since Percy is not, then she wants Five. But, she is showing a bit of guarded selflessness and leaving it in Five's corner. Still think that guarded selflessness is forced though, she had to know this could happen. She said as much. Her letting him walk out that door, board that flight, and be up there should have led her to where we are now being a possibility worth preparing for, at least as far as her heart and mind are concerned. I do not like Five pressing Percy to come out. Percy has every right to come out the way he chooses to. The whole point of being closeted is to protect oneself from hurt, harm, and prejudices that the person cannot overcome or handle 'at the moment.' There is a fine-line between being closeted to protect yourself and what you're ready to feel. And, to be closeted because you're diminished by that fear and it is threatening to overtake your wants, dreams, and desires. Five feels that Percy has become the Deer in the headlights, too scared to move. But like I said, fine line. It is also a wee bit selfish for Five to demand that Percy be out, when Five doesn't even know who the hell he wants. Why does Percy have to declare himself, when Five is still waffling to do the same? Percy legitimately can be out to whomever he wants, it is no one's business. It won't completely hinder any relationship he'd have with Five. They can't kiss in public, hold hands, etc... but they can still love one another. Five has years in Florida as well, their lives aren't as settled for any hard line out and proud declaration demands right now. -- Edited to add: Percy is also in college. We've not really discussed his sports balls much, but there are doors that can close for any number of personal reasons. Get caught doping, even if it was baseline elevated blood panels. Could close a door. Percy's drinking could close doors. And, sadly, even in 2026 doors can close for gay men in some professional sports. Any player is an investment based on performance. Any baggage could weigh against them. It would be smarter for Percy to prove himself worth the investment, so that he has leverage enough to keep doors open and not closed.

Michael's whole apology and communicating was so off key. So Five and Percy were "the right stock of gay," that he respected. He was astonished to meet them and made the comment that leaned into that. Or at least that's how I read the words. It was so condescending in tone that I rolled my eyes. Percy and Five aren't ambassadors. But if Michael leaves having some lessons learned, he's better for it, but good lord he just crawls around so insufferable that I wouldn't be able to manage it. I hope he makes everyone involved rich, if not then I he's lost a lot of friends and coworkers in the process of making a fool and an ass of himself. They know him better than we do, we saw a driven by science, money, hope, and a little greed Michael, but yeah, there was defense of him from the others this chapter. Not a lot, but it was there. They made some excuses for him at least. I do not like the saying, "He's really not like this..." because that always falls short with me. If he wasn't like that, then he wouldn't have shown himself to act the way that he has the entire time he was there. So obviously he is like that and they've become numb or apologetic to that side of him. At least some of them, anyway. Krista wouldn't put up with Seb smoking, by the way. The very hint of it on his fingers, breath, or clothes and she'd give him an ultimatum. Smoking or her. Percy didn't want to listen to Krista. Shame. Because she proved her point not five paragraphs later. Maybe Percy should've listened instead of balked. Five is a coward. I'm sorry, but I can't with him. He is a liar and a coward. He doesn't deserve Bethany, although she seems duplicitous but even then, there is ample evidence that Five wasn't honest with her either. This was never a fishing expedition to see how he feels, he kind of already knew that. So he's lied to her as well. He doesn't deserve Percy. Percy may even tire of him, people who cannot make up their minds, want you to fall in line with their waffling - they're exhausting to be around. Even when pushed he couldn't make his mind up. His declarations of love cannot be trusted. Heat of the moment, the near miss of loss it can make people unpredictable in their feelings. I think that's a little bit of it, but the rest of Five's words and plans just makes me think that the boy's balls have fled to his abdomen. Until they come back, he cannot be relied upon to give any kind of real and honest truth. Percy needs to apologize for his part in all this too at this point. I still see him as a partial victim in all this though. Willing, but partial. Bethany and Percy seem to be living in Five's world. If they respect themselves they won't settle for the parts he wants them to play.

Congratulations!!!

Clucky, cheeky, and nuisance may be words I would use to describe you, my dear. If asked I mean. As far as gardening, love it. I have flower gardens that have Lilies, roses, lavender, and a few that I've planted and forgot the names of as they're perennial and just need pruning and given space to keep growing and coming back. I do a Vegetable garden as well. Tomatoes, broccoli, cucumbers, cabbage, pie pumpkins, jack-o-lantern pumpkins, butternut squash, zucchini. I want to start an orchard, likely peach trees. Strawberries and me don't get along, but they seem easy for a lot of people I know, I just can't get optimal harvests out of them. It may be my demand of them that makes me think they're not doing their best. The only thing I have little to no luck in that I really want are ferns, they're so needy. It seems that if you look at them they die on you so I've given up on them really, but as a backdrop plant they're lovely.

Steve Irwin and Jeff Corwin. I don't think I would look good dressed up like either one of them though.

I will never say that I am good at writing physical scenes. I don't go into them thinking that I am good at it. That is why I insert dialog, sometimes even plot and character important dialog in the middle of everything. They say don't break up a lot of the action with meaningful distractions such as that. The whole... someone noticing a rose while on the battlefield scenario. The character needs to focus on not being bludgeoned to death and not the rose. But, the longer I stay in the consecutive sentences of the physical act the more awkward I know it feels/gets. That's why the dialog is important to me. It also gives me a reason to read it back, otherwise when I know it is coming I skip over it and the next thing I know @wildone has to tell me that I'm smooshed body parts that doesn't like being smooshed... well I guess if the character isn't into that sort of thing. Which begs the answer: Why do I do it then? I don't know, I can't find myself doing "off screen," or "fade to darkness," scenes in the writing. I feel, especially in mature romances that if you've been working up to the physical act then it needs to be written. Slow burn romances take that one step further, which I typically write. I spend thousands of words enticing, teasing, making the connective steps and to off screen it or fade it to nothing after a few kisses and gropes, I've always felt like if I did that it would steal something from the writing and the experience readers may be seeking within the story. But yes, I will always champion Female authors in M/M fiction. I can see where there is a bloated market and that markets can be dictated by majority rules. I will not sit idle when people preach the removal of us, because it doesn't solve anything. We all must learn that championing and fighting for what we want does more good than telling people they cannot exist in the genre just because. As for male characterizations in my writing, I do fall into comfort zones. I like light hearted and joke-heavy best friends, for example. A character 'there' to be the counter to anything heavy themed. I like Warm/Cold relationships, where one person is a bit more reserved and calculated and the other flies by the seat of their pants. I do think some of my romantic tendencies do lean female, but I go into it hoping that I can still do the male characters justice within the story itself. I try to write grounded 'human' types. --- I'll stop rambling now. There is a noted difference in the way I answered here and how I answered all those years ago as well. Regression or growth, who is to say of that opinion?

I'm boring as hell and I only drink water. Occasionally I'll drink juice if I can find low sugar, zero added sugar it is surprising how junk most juices in this world actually are. Peach juice being my favorite. For a warmer drink I'll mix a little concentrated peach juice into tea, but my body doesn't handle caffeine, so it has to be a low caffeine blend. I am a pure indulgent sucker for unhealthy, sugar heavy, artificially flavored + blended up cherry milkshakes and/or smoothies though. I allow myself to have a few of those in the summer months. I make them myself and I fuss at myself the whole time knowing all the terrible things I'm putting into them, but doing it anyway.

Thank you for taking the time to read this little ghost story/light mystery that's not really a mystery.