Will Hawkins

The elimination of the Electoral College has become an issue in the 2020 Presidential race. I agree that it seems to have lost some of its meaning, but one of the original reasons for its creation is still important. It was thought that uninformed or illiterate voters could be too easily influenced by some candidates to apply their vote poorly and they would be best served by having an educated person make a choice in their stead. While I believe in the one-person, one-vote philosophy, looking at the voter record for the last election may make me change my mind.

I guess I am an iconoclast, I will eat almost anything the can be put into one's mouth, except squid and octopus. I have even enjoyed snails plucked from the weeds in a garden (cooked though). Man is an omnivore and his digestive system can handle almost anything that is thrown at it. If it tastes good -- eat it! Many prepared foods like fish sticks, however are to be avoided because they contain chemicals that are NOT digestible. My partner, who is Portuguese, refuses to eat Brazilian Linguiça because it is not Portuguese Linguiça. Okay, but with mu untrained palate, I cannot tell the difference!

It is pleasant to see the liaison between Eric and Andy developing. Eric's pragmatic view of garden design coupled with Andy's educational background could make them an excitingly creative pair. Your writing shows constant improvement. Oh, I am sure the editing assistance you are receiving helps, but the plot and characterizations are still pinned to your chest.

I am aware that there are many anti-gay countries let in the world, but it is, in my mind, criminal to take physical action against someone because of who they love.I would say anti-Christian, but Christians are some of the worst actors in this regard. I have been following the presentation of the candidates for President in 2020 and am pleased to see that there is one who is openly gay. Hey, we elected a person of color, why not a gay man? I do not believe it will happen in my lifetime (I am 85), but hopefully someday a parson's sex or sexual orientation will not even be an issue either in politics or in military service. Females have proven they are capable of high political office elsewhere in the world, maybe it can happen in the USA, and if females can serve, why not gays?

"Before he gets sucked into the system", that says it all doesn't it? Care for the elderly or the poor (or for the temporarily incapable) is such a mess in the USA. I thank my friends every day for the care they and the free Brazilian health care system rendered me when I had a bout with simple diarrhea about a year ago. But two nights in the local in-patient clinic was enough -- the loud-voiced men arguing local politics in the next room for two nights in a row was enough! I was so lucky, a simple saline drip for fluid replacement and pills to take care of the runny rear end was enough. Of course less argument from the next room would have helped -- I was very glad to get home!

Pease pudding hot, pease pudding cold. Pease pudding in the pot, nine days old. OR: Pease porridge hot, pease porridge cold, etc, etc. Children's nursery rhyme. In either case, the recipe calls for a savory (not sweet) accompaniment to fish and chips using yellow peas, replacing Mushy Peas, especially in Scotland. There is also a German version for which Berlin is famous. Personally, I have never been fond of savory puddings served to accompany meat, not even, and this may be considered criminal in some quarters, Yorkshire Pudding.

My problem of a similar nature -- I place a cup of fresh, hot coffee, on the little table next to me, then, because it is out of sight, it drops out of mind as well. When I rediscover it later, it is cold, so I must bustle off to the kitchen to warm it up. I suppose the solution to this problem is either to learn to like it cold, or to purchase a plug-in cup warmer to reheat it. Hmm, I will have to consider these alternatives for a while, a couple of months, perhaps.

Firstly, an apology is in order, I am aware of how important 'comments' are to an author and I have been very negligent in making mine. I have been reading the story of Eric for several months and enjoying it very much,There are some differences between his life and mine: he is English, living alone in a small town and has a good friend providing him support. I am different from all of those things except for the last -- I am American, living I Brazil in retirement and way out in the country (but I do have support similar to Eric's, from a somewhat younger man with whom I am living). I can relate to Eric, however, in his unfamiliarity with contemporary life. I have been following his breaking out of the shell, story all through the previous book and found this one, thankfully, to be able to continue, but I have not commented as much as I should to let you know just how much I was enjoying your work, Northie. I am famous for being a nit-picker in reference to grammar, pace, characterization, and all other aspects of a story ( except punctuation, that is a morass into which I dare not enter.) So, my abject apologies to you for not supplying you the support that is sustenance to an author. No, your work is not quite perfect grammatically, but it is so far above the garbled trash I read from some other authors that is is a pleasure to see. I will continue to follow Eric's 'coming out' into the gay world with avidity and look forward to each new chapter. As our Aussie friends say, 'Good show , Mate.'

I feel that I have met many of these dramatic persons before. Nothing like creating indigestion at a wedding dinner!

I know that schitzo is difficult to cure, but it can be treated. Is it possible that by helping with Vlad's treatment,Tyson can learn to help himself? Okay, I know that the iceberg mother is a great stumbling block, but maybe Vlad and Ty can go off and live together hereby saving two souls. It would seem that Iceberg might provide some support just to prevent Ty from embarrassing her with her 'friends'. And certainly Vlad's family could provide accommodation as well, not in a material sense, but with loving support. Nah! That is too neat and easy a solution for an author to take!

The contrast between Vlad's family and Tyson's family is overwhelmingly accurate. Vlad is loved and cherished even though imperfect. Tyson can never please his mother no matter how he behaves, how many languages he becomes fluent in, no matter how good his maths are... His mother is an iceberg, frozen and 90% under sea level. I feel the potential for recovery is much greater for Vlad, even though Schizophreniis much harder to treat than many other brain storms some doctors say that it is incurable, that the patient and his family must just learn to live with it. Medication can help, but the commonly used treatments all have significant negative side effects. Tyson's mental problem is categorized as acute depression with suicidal tendencies. It is frequently treated with anti-depressants (medication), but it, too is thought to be very serious. As long as his mother is behaving the way she does, he will not be able to lead a normal life either. I feel sorry for both of them. If there is any hope for Tyson, something must turn his mother's iceberg attitude around. And as far as Vlad is concerned, Tyson's love for him and his expectation of nothing in return holds out the best hope for him, not for recovery, but at least for a rewarding life.

physiologists agree that the tongue is the strongest muscle in the body - I believe in a philosophical sense this is true. Communication, though it is certainly NOT dependent on the tongue (speech) alone. Though it is an overwhelming force in human relations, but correct only if one adds the other organs of communication; gesture and expression. The problem here is in improper translation. As humans we frequently err in internalizing speech into concept if we do not take into account the place from which the speaker is coming (heart is a way of describing this.) That is a very circular method of saying, we should use our eyes as well as our ears in listening to others. Is that statement confusing? Perhaps I got mixed up in making the statement. It is a very difficult idea to put into words. Ideas are frequently buried in syntax in this world.

Tyson's outlook on life has been poisoned by the attitude of his mother -- hopefully he can overcome hat poor\rich boy start and learn to live his life for himself -- with Vlady's help, not for her.

One of the first things Tyson needs is a new family -- my God, the kid is a genius... four languages! Hell, I have trouble with one! it is obvious that his mother does not recognize she is one of the problems in his life. It is good that he has found a friend, perhaps they can help one another.

Superior characterization and pace. I am anticipating much pleasure from reading this.

My life partner is Portuguese and I got very suspicious about the similarity between the Spanish sausage and his favorite Portuguese sausage, linguiçe so I looked it up and sure enough they are the same thing in two different languages. Small world, I guess. It is going to be fun finding out about the two different wands. identical except that one is white and the other black. Curiouser and curiouser.

okay. the twin brother with the missing hand has been living in the woods eating pet dogs for five years... Sure, just an ordinary ghost story!!! This one is a real Sweetheart.

As in true in most small towns, everybody knows about the skeletons in everybody else's closet and is doing their damndest to hide their own. I am pleased to see that Kevin acknowledges his sexuality, but with a Pastor father he is in for a pile of trouble. I feel there is a great deal more to the Claudia story -- a person just does not walk down the street covered in blood carrying a severed human hand without there being a back story, I know it would put me in an institution as well! I am sure we will read more about the relationship between Cash and Benjamin; I hope something good develops there. Cash seems like a good guy, but of course he carries internal problems, just as does everyone else. I believe he is confused about his own sexuality and not willing to accept himself and his feelings. That relationship is going to be the crux of this story... in truth, a real Sweetheart!

Cash and Benny -- something tells me there is more to that relationship than we have been told so far. And I am not thinking about Cash's sister -- I know there is a whole tale there as well. Ah well, just have to keep reading, not that is any great burden. You are a subtile and devious writer, Super, I love it!

That West Virginia is in the 'Bible Belt' may be the understatement of the year -- West Virginia is the Bible Belt. And a town named 'Sweetheart'! Oh my! This story promises to be totally fascinating.

Wow! This chapter is a real explosion! The fear\dislike\distrust\hate between vampires and lycans is something new to me, but then much knowledge of mythology has escaped me in my lifetime. It certainly adds something to the story, however. I looked 'Lycanthropy' up on the Internet: their discussion revolved around 'shape-shifting', which it seems is slightly different from the concept of 'glamor' being used to hide\disguise a being's true appearance, but in my limited experience with mythology and mythological beings, a reflective surface would not show anything of a werewolf or vampire -- no reflection at all. But, then. Super, this is your story and you can have any rules you wish. At any rate lycanthropy sure adds an interesting twist!

Even if Will were to bite Damien, he would still be a twenty-year-old and Damien is in his forties. Wouldn't that be too much of a December and May arrangement for Will, who is also an heir to royalty in the vampire community? I could foresee several bumps in the road, if not actual roadblocks by the vampire community in that case. How should one refer to the vampires, as a community, as a nation, as a kingdom, or is there some word more fitting? Damien's deceased wife, was named 'Annabella', that is a very Italian name. Is Italian an appropriate tag oris the name merely a coincidence? If Damian is truly progeny of one of the Apostles, would he be considered Roman or Jewish? Not that his ancestry is important, but if he is of Roman ancestry and his deceased wife was as well, that would make his children Italian/Roman a well. Just a matter of curiosity.

Hm, yes a crush on Anthony by Austin is a strong possibility, but I don't see Anthony returning it. Even though his crush on Will is at best difficult and may even bee very dangerous, Anthony seems to be more deeply involved wit the vampire than he should be. There seems to be the strong possibility of trouble there. Anthony's children are going to be an increasing problem as well, the girls are spoiled and there is a strong feeling of separation with his son. Leadership competition between males is an attribute of canine packs and it seems to be leaking over into Anthony's family as well. A father's relationship with his maturing son can be a great problem -- one only needs to read a little history about Kings and Princes-Royal to see that again and again. No, I do not foresee any swordplay, real or figurative, between the two of them, but estrangement and leadership competition is a part of growing-up.

A continuing good story, thanks fr your writing it

Shame on you -- that I a baaaaad pun!