LJCC

Light Mode, Dark Mode, and Auto - Theme will be light or dark or switch automatically with your device settings. Yes please. I'm in love with these updates already. My eyes aren't suited to the brightness. I'm a nocturnal animal. So, what would you like to see in Stories? What function are we missing? Personally speaking, this is just me; I want to see updated stories that last more than 24 to 48 hours. Imagine posting a chapter, only for it to be relegated to the back pages of the stories tab, or you find your story on the 5th or 8th page after several days and then no one reads it anymore. It would be great to see your story chapter last for at least a week to help that story gain traction with readers who are TOO LAZY (I'm looking at you, some Lazy McGuire readers out there) in browsing the back pages. Not sure if this is possible, but yeah, I just want some stories full visibility. Because it feels like your story has visibility for the first 48 hours until your next chapter post. I post really long chapters, and I'm planning on posting my story once a week because per chapter is 7k to 10k+. And I'm worried if, let's say, there are a lot of people posting chapters on that particular day, by day 2 after I posted my chapter, my chapter story would be on page 5 or 8. I'm not sure if we'll still have the same format in the new upgrade, but yep. That's what my spider teets are telling me. Like I really like AwesomeDudes presentation of their stories. Their new stories, new authors, updated stories, etc. are all presented in the foreground on their front page. But then they do have curated stories and a lesser amount of X authors so I'm not sure if their site management is easier (I'm not a software programmer so I have no idea what I'm suggesting.) And as I'm about to screenshot their front page, their site is down. Maybe it's just me or it's really down. I'm really excited about this update though. All I want to see is black. 😂

Yep, this is the right place. Keep posting updates here, even if you think no one will read them. Someone reading your story will be bound to read your updates.

Damn it. I thought my Ancestry was going to slip by and no one would notice! Hail, Queen Amelia Mignonette Grimaldi Thermopolis Renaldo. God, I'm so gay.

I'll quote a comment from Quora, to piggyback that being a native-born English speaker isn't a prerequisite to good writing. It's understanding its form that makes you good at writing in English. Look at me, I'm not a native English speaker. I come from Genovia in Europe. We speak Genovian and Simlish. It's a very difficult language, harder than Latin, Ancient Egyptian and Babylonian. Even harder than Atlantian. In our language Me-sul-sul means, "Fuck you, your parents, your brothers, your sisters, even your dog, you stupid piece of shite!" Imagine three words having so much meaning. Like our word, Oh-feehbeh-lay which means, "I'm hungry, so you better start cooking something in the kitchen, otherwise, they're gonna be hell to pay." Even our simple woofum which directly translates as dog, which means "You whiny-ass dog, stop barking or no dinner for you." Our language is so complex that it's very hard for me to write in English. ANYWAY... You have to watch shows and movies that make the English language cohesive. Like an Armenian friend of mine said, he used to watch the 90's comedy show, Friends and emulated the way they talk. The weird thing was, he literally has an English-American accent while living in the UK. It's bonkers. For example, the show Succession has probably had the most modern interpretation of the English language made today that has depth and meaning. You can imagine the words in that show being said in everyday life, a modern take, but it has so much humor, zest, and wit that makes the writing excellent: "Forgive me, but are we talking to each other on the poop deck of a majestic schooner? Is the salty brine stinging my weather-beaten face? ... Then why the fuck are you wearing a pair of deck shoes, man?" "Ohhhh, but they are not in fact receipts. Greg! You’re a criminal mastermind…what polyglot genius could ever hope to crack your impenetrable code?" "Don't threaten me, Gerri. I don't have time to jerk off." "Is he nice? You’re asking about the moral character of a man named rat-fucker Sam?" "I would like some suck suck for my dicky-dick" "A small person could fit through there, right?!? Like an attack child?!?" "Do you think it’s possible to sue a person, a grandparent for example.. in an affectionate way? that might convey, like, "I love you and, I’m glad you’re a part of my life but I am taking legal action against you?" "Excuse me I actually have to go watch a fucking satellite launch in Japan, that I’m actually in charge of, that I reorganized for you but you’re to fucking carbon neutral to enjoy." Just reading off these one-liners shows how funny it is and how witty it is, and imagine if you, as a writer, could make up and write words like these in your own novel? And the line written that won the actor an Emmy, apart from this show having won several Emmys: "I wonder if the sad I'd be without you would be less than the sad I get from being with you." Absoute banger of a line, imo.

Aw. Thanks mate. Glad you enjoyed it :-).

DNF is Do Not Fart—most commonly plastered in Airlines, tight communal spaces like an underground sex dungeon. A single fart, so nefarious, can deflate several erections and ruin the mood. I almost forgot to mention, I DNF'd (Do Not Farted😞 On Earth We're Briefly Gorgeous by Ocean Vuong. The novel is more about processing and articulating difficult memories than direct communication. The novel is about the swirling, the digging through those tangled memories, sifting them like sand through your fingers, trying to catch hold of the weight, the shape of them, wrestling with the ghosts until they make sense if they ever do. That's how the novel felt to me. Same sentences. DIfferent interpretations. The second sentence is a bit more tiring though.

What genre are you into anyway?

Docile by KM Szpara—Same! That tagline is what annoyed the shit out of me. I had anticipated a biting critique of the worst aspects of capitalism. I assumed it was going to make a point using the analogies of slavery and rape. Instead, I was met with a bland hiss and a speculative fiction that resembled the gay version of 50 Shades of Grey. I'm like, this would have made more sense if this was smut. Red, White, and Royal Blue—it's too, rated 18-20+ for me. Cassandra Clare's—I only watched the series. More like I watched the gay snippets of the gay couple in YT. HAHA. The gay scenes with the gay warlock and Alec are kinda' hot. Call me by your Name—Elio's inability to acknowledge and act on his feelings, in my opinion, is what makes this appealing. If I were to imbibe some lessons on it, I would emphasize first love and what constitutes a healthy relationship as opposed to a destructive one. But I understand you not finishing it. The book is forgettable, in my opinion, while having some beautiful wording and significant ideas. It doesn't appear to me that Aciman meant for it to be interpreted as a lesson about unhealthy first loves, at least not in a way that could be considered reflexive. Based on some interviews I saw,, it appears he is just fascinated with writing topics that are “taboo” and romanticizing the hell out of them, which I feel is something a lot of his readers do too. So he may be into that weird ass shit, and me, as a reader, is just extending its meaning apart from the author, liking said weird shit. HAHA! Also, I prefer the movie to the book. Twiliight—I read all books. I had to study what makes bad writing bad somehow. And so far, I still couldn't forget her use of overused words like: grimace, chagrin, incredulous, glower, and crooked smile. That fucking crooked smile. How crooked can it be Stephanie? 20 degrees crooked? Thirty degree? 180? Did his expression circumvent the laws of physics and turn him into the clown from IT? Is it 190? 200 degrees, Stephanie?

I know we are mostly authors here, but I perceive the majority of us have a knack for reading as well. I used to be all in, 100%—if I cracked open a book, I’d finish it, no matter what. Even if I knew, deep down, it wasn’t for me, even if the pages dragged like dead weight, I’d push through. That’s how it was. But then, this year, something shifted. I started putting books down, unfinished, and I didn’t feel guilty about it. I realized I’m a mood reader, completely, and my rating, my whole experience, swings on that vibe. I DNF’d It Ends With Us after just one chapter. The writing—man, it’s just bad, really bad, couldn’t even pretend it wasn’t. So I dropped it, no looking back. And I refuse to read it further based solely on her insistence that it didn't need a trigger warning. And if you liked the book, I have nothing against you. It just didn't sit well with me.

I am curious to read her book, a Turn of Light now. Her writing is fairly great: "Given the little meadow where the girl sat was home to nothing larger than butterflies, single-minded bees, and the occasional indiscreet mouse, it would seem unlikely she expected an answer. But this wasn’t any meadow; this was hers. Too close to the old trees. Too close to the Bone Hills. Too close to sunset’s first, deepest shadows. Night’s Edge, the settlers called it and no one else came here." I tried embodying the Spirit of Sylvia Plath in the story I'm writing now, but I wrote too dramatically with too many adjectives. Anything more then I might be extending a telenovela plot. I did this after reading The Bell Jar. Haha. Maybe I should read spy thriller novels again if I aim to write one. Not biographical confessional writing. Great for dramas, but I don't think it's an excellent inspiration for action-paced writing. Haha.

Anyways, are you guys also a seance when you write, embodying the spirits of authors as you write your stories? A moment ago, I was writing about socks...and was literally uninspired from the get-go. So maybe I needed to read a book to get inspired again.

I prefer a story with a happy ending. But they have to earn it, slog through it, lose all limbs if possible, and there has to be a sensible struggle not because you want your character to be a paraplegic who'd won the Olympics 3x in a row for no reason, but because his/her circumstance has led him to such avenue that he has to overcome it; otherwise, the author decides to kill him off—which is a bad alternative if I were that character, knowing my maker will murder me if I don't win said struggle. Or if not, if it's a horrible ending, then the good ending the main character should be getting has to carry through with someone in that universe getting that person's good karma. You can't just leave a story ending in senseless nonsense by giving everyone eyeball cancer for the hell of it. It has to mean something like they get eyeball cancer because the next generation of eyeball cancer patients would be getting the cure from their sacrifice (you get what I mean?). There always has to be a cause and effect. And the cause and the effect have to always be justifiably sane.

I've eaten it a lot, but I normally add some MSG or siracha since it's a bit bland for my taste. And I'm a true blue carnivore, sadly, for all those grass feeders out there. My father used to hunt live animals. Sometimes we'd hunt together and we'd have what we caught for dinner, and he'd taught us not to waste any animal parts, so, erm, we also turn into werewolves every full moon, so there's that. And also, I'm a faggot, I mean, we all are, so it would be ridiculous not to eat a part of what makes us faggots Kidding aside, I prefer haggis. The gravy and peppery taste is what I love about it. Maybe I haven't had a good tasting faggot, no pun intended.

True. I loath Marmite/Vegemite (for the oz) with conviction, despite putting it on soups regularly to thicken its consistency. I don't drink soy sauce on the tub so why would I slather a thicker variant of it in my mouth? But then again, my Scottish ex loves Marmite but hates haggis, while I could eat haggis for days and I'd squirm at his face whenever he'd put Marmite on toast. To each their own, I guess.

Imagine if Sainsbury sold: Anchor Light Real Squirtie Cream Spray 250g And then they'd have one in Edinburgh: Anchor Light Real Skooshy Cream Spray 250g For those who are unaware, the Scots, btw, have a different language of their own. A sexy language, if you get what I mean. Skoosh me mister. Skoosh me now, aye?

Yeah, I've seen some authors from other sites who've gone AFK, and the moderators have no way to contact them. I really hope he's alright.

In the US, you say 'asshole' to someone you generally dislike or who has purported offensive behavior on your behalf. In the UK, 'wanker' is what you say to a wanker who has pissed you off. It generally sounds nicer, crisper, and very well-trodden to receive a middle finger when said to a fellow motorist on the road who has overtaken you. "Get off the street, asshole!" Doesn't really ring a bell, doesn't it? Chances are, the asshole would have cussed you out with the F-bomb, eliciting more anger from both sides. "Get off the road, wanker!" Such a statement would solicit a behavior so detestable and contestable...that the person who has received such offense would literally wank you off until you come. "I'm a wanker, you knobhead? Let me wank you off then you cum-guzzling shite, you!" So happy endings in the UK. And a horribly sad, "Fuck you!" from the US. Very different endings, it seems.

For a promising author, he just vanished off into the face of the planet. I've been a lurker all these years, and I've always seen him being very active in this sight. And then, poof, he's gone. I hope he's alright.

Merriam Webster's having a hissy fit with the word: In fact, antidisestablishmentarianism isn't entered in any of our dictionaries. Yes, we know: we enter acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene and don't enter antidisestablishmentarianism? What kind of lexicographers are we? We are the kind that like to enter words with meanings. There are three criteria all words must meet in order to be entered into the dictionary: widespread usage, sustained usage, and meaningful usage—that is, evidence that the word is used to refer to something. Where antidisestablishmentarianism gets disqualified first is the "meaningful usage" criterion. Go ahead: what does "antidisestablishmentarianism" mean? It's an example of a long word, but that's not its meaning. A word with meaning contributes essential information to a clause or sentence. When antidisestablishmentarianism is used as an example of a long word, it doesn't have a meaning at all. But can't we construct a meaning for it? Sure. Based on its component parts, antidisestablishmentarianism would mean something like, "opposition to depriving a legally established state church of its status." Our problem is that we have scant evidence of it being used with that meaning. In our files, which go back over 100 years, we only have three citations for antidisestablishmentarianism used with something like that meaning. Three citations do not constitute "sustained" or "widespread" use. You could make a case that we should enter antidisestablishmentarianism simply because it's a well-known word. With more widespread, sustained, meaningful use, we will—and then it will still not be the longest word in the Merriam-Webster.com dictionary. Because, at 28 letters, antidisestablishmentarianism is two letters short of beating the 29 letters in acrylonitrile-butadiene-styrene. Of course, they'll both fall short of the "longest word" title if we enter supercalifragilisticexpialidocious. So, in other words, Merriam-Webster abhors long words. I wonder what they mean with: Our problem is that we have scant evidence of it being used with that meaning. In our files, which go back over 100 years, we only have three citations for antidisestablishmentarianism used with something like that meaning. Three citations do not constitute "sustained" or "widespread" use. Does this mean that the 100 years of evidence is actually found in the Library of Alexandria? Is Merriam-Webster a secret sect of grammar nazis?

Honestly, it's not about reading. It's all about comprehending what you're reading. And as you're reading, you ALWAYS have to have three mindsets. The mindset of a reader. The mindset of a writer. And the mindset of an editor. Each flow of thinking requires years of honing and training. It's like reading with the reader's mindest: reading to understand who the characters are and why the characters did this, did that, have so much personality, have zero personality, the plot is plotting, the plot is a dumpster fire, and what the story is all about, if the science isn't logical, if the facts aren't factual, if the nonsense written is a shortcut to dumbassery, if the author thinks you're too dumb as a reader to notice such a glaring flaw, if this excellent piece of prose was missed or wasn't too impactful in the context it's displayed, which reflects mostly the task of beta readers. The writer's mindset: how each of the characters was written in a way that reflects their personality. How the plot answers to the theme of the story. How is the phrase or sentence written in a way that encompasses the character's emotions? Or how the single short line reflects everything this character has gone through. These are mostly the questions you'd ask when you're in the writer's mindset, critiquing other people's work. The editor's mindset: how the sentence is structured? If the facts stated in the book are correct, or even sensible? Grammar issues: more or less. Too many descriptions. No descriptions. Needs an ounce of description. The sentence doesn't make sense. Very flowery. Too much purple prose. Characters are walking heads. Basically, what your reader's mind notices, your writer's mind should be able to answer. What the writer's mind sees, your editor's mind should be able to explain logically. And what the editor's mind points out should reflect what your reader's mind is seeing. If Jane Austen is in front of you, asking you to critique her work, her novel, which you've just finished reading, and you say to yourself, it's perfect...I can't see any problem with it. Then you need to look in the looking glass and ask yourself, really? There's no improvement. You didn't think Mr. Darcy's being a simp to Elizabeth? You didn't think her description of where they were traipsing around the hall was too laboriously done, as though it was sent through the rigamarole of descriptions that it was too frigging long? You didn't think to praise her novel as satire and not an elaborate love story, but the mockeries of classism relegated in its time? And if you can think like that while reading other people's works, I'm sure you have the propensity to write one yourself.

😂😂😂 Sorry about that. Yeah, my beta reader also commented on that part that the beginning doesn't make sense for him, but he's on board now, I believe (I think.) Right @drown? 😂 I'm still working on writing towards the end, so the beginning (the one you've read) will definitely change once I write that part, because the ending and the beginning (this part) will have a very important connection. Here's the link of the 3rd POV narrative I put as an excerpt: Also, the excerpt: Story Excerpt, taken from Scene 1, Chapter 8: Relationships? Advice—Anyone? As twilight settled in, the running lights danced along the inlet, their glow seeping through the large, clear window. A glass of wine sat untouched on the table, with the other glass sipped clean and bonedry. Klebber was at the corner table. Seated across was Sargeant Morone. They were outside the terrace, their gazes fixed on the docks and the Brooklyn Bridge. The ambient light underlined Klebber's hair and his lashes, framing his right eye. He had worn a winter's topcoat for the night, with an open vest revealing his collarbone and chest—a seductive way to end things. Why did he wear such an outfit if his intention was to break someone's heart? Hearing the words that wavered out of Klebber's lips, Sergeant Morone struggled with his own thoughts that gnawed in his chest. But he knew he had to say it. There was no other way. With a mournful smile, the officer left a couple of ten-dollar bills on the table, his eyes locked on his beauteous date. "If you ever have a change of heart, you know where to find me," he whispered. Getting up from his chair, he planted a tender kiss on Klebber's cheeks, and in the blink of an eye, he hauled a cab and vanished into the city's nocturne—likely to seek the company of libations at a local gay bar to drown out his sorrows. Klebber held his mouth. Moist welled up in his eyes, threatening to overflow. He hurriedly left the restaurant, seeking to abate feelings of loneliness on the familiar bench just across the restaurant overlooking the East River. Klebber's always been like this—locked up tight, never letting anyone get too close. He'd always share the story of his late husband with his dates, thinking it would make them understand why he had chosen to be alone. But deep down, his heart has been shattered three times. First, by his twin brother. Next, by his father. And then by Adam. Subjecting himself to another heartbreak would be asking for it. So he'd rather protect himself from getting hurt again than risk falling in love and having it all ripped away. Meters ahead, parked near the restaurant, a 2020 white Lexus LX sat idly, its hazard lights blinking. Inside the car, Dennis put down the binoculars and turned to Marissa, seated at the back, a quizzical expression on his face, and asked, "What's up with your uncle? It seemed like he ended things with that guy, but why does he look so down? Don't tell me he's catching feelings for that loser!" With a chicken nugget in hand, Marissa dipped it into the barbecue sauce and said between bites, "Auntie Tamara said that Uncle Klebber has a big problem with getting attached to anyone. She said he still loves Uncle Adam." So, yeah. The majority is told in a 3rd POV story, not from an interview perspective. Otherwise, it would be weird to write almost 190k++ words of pure transcript. Haha. That would be exhausting to read, and I don't want to drive readers crazy. One thing I value more as a writer is quality over quantity. If you happen to browse any of my stories, you'd know what I mean. My pedantic self would never allow such to compromise my work. So yeah, I'd rather put out something I'd be happy to read ten years from now and say, "I fucking did that...damn," than say, "Shit! I forgot to put a period and there's a run-on sentence. WTF." Anyway, I've been working on the story for nearly a year now. Originally, I wrote around 40k+ words, but lost it when my laptop died and I forgot to save it. I stepped back around for a few months and asked myself if I really wanted to write this again, and seeing as the plot, the characters, and the world this story is were living in my mind rent-free where I couldn't evict them, I knew I had to keep on writing this. I keep posting updates here: Previously at 144k words on the day of this posting (06/01/24). Previously at 159k words on the day of this posting (07/01/24). Currently at 173k words on the day of this posting (08/01/24). To show that I'm working on this until I finish it. Currently, as of this writing, it's at 190k+ words now.

CBD has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a drug for the treatment of drug-resistant epilepsy, suggesting that the compound has a satisfactory long-term safety profile for this neurological condition. Yes, it's effective. But you have to be aware of what kind of mental problem you specifically have where you'd still want to discuss it with a professional. Most licensed therapists will provide prescriptions for it.

It's supposed to be a three-part story no less than 15k but, er, sadly, I was busy. I'm afraid this will just be one of those unfinished story intros to what could be. Just wait for this novel to get done: Read that! 😂

AND SO IT BEGINS... Not that far from the truth that I’m a miserable sod enjoying my own company, it’s just that finding someone to relish in your own miserable time has proven to be a challenge, I said, blurting on the phone to Troy, this young fellow I’d been sponsoring at my AA meetings several weeks ago. The essence was there, hoping he’d gathered the real meaning when I blathered, “But I’m happy being single, mate.” It would be egregious if he sought the contrary of what I meant.

was editing my post, accidentally deleted it, and then clicked saved and now I don't know what I replied. I thought I was clicking a shortcut to back. I'm an idiot.