Wayne Gray

Awww. That's so sweet. What a great gift to give a creature - a place to love and to be loved. 🙂

There's this album by "The Decemberists", and it's called The Hazards of Love. The first time I heard it, I didn't know it was an epic. It's a story, and it's told from song one to seventeen, in order. The title fits as well as a tailored glove. It's not all good, and it even ends in ... well, nevermind. I'll let you listen to find out. Regardless, a couple of days ago, I had this scene slam into my head. If you want to read the unedited, raw scene, it's here. In it, we watch someone suffer through one of the hazards of love, and it's not exactly pretty. Still, people go on. Some are forever changed, but they go on. And from that scene, I've outlined an entire story, and titled it The Hazards of Love. Loving is a risk, after all. But if we're brave enough to face the Hazards of Love, maybe we can win something wonderful. My outline is almost done. Then the real work starts.

Thanks, Parker. I really wanted that. The cold, the gasoline, the lights, Andy's desolation, Brad's struggle to protect and help him, Officer Kenson's war between professionalism and empathy. I wanted all of it there to be experienced, without my saying it needed to be. I just wanted to paint it. It's a new way of writing for me, and the differences are subtle. The Answer started me down the "Deep Point of View" rabbit hole, and I'm seeing how far I can go with it. I like it. 🙂

Asking those good questions, I see. Thanks, Tom. And I think I have a title for the story. "The Hazards of Love" homage to The Decemberists album of the same name. By the way, there has never been an album with a better title!

They're just short ideas/scenes. Ohhh ... did you make it to Brian and Aaron? Hahahaha

What a lovely thing to see. Thanks for featuring my story, and thanks to Chris for the nice review. Camp Refuge is a strange little love affair I had with writing - one that's still going. It's really where I decided that characters need to be imperfect, and they need to reflect the real world if I want readers to relate to them. I'm glad it worked. I'm happy I got to tell all of these intertwined stories, and that readers saw themselves reflected in the characters.

Thanks, spyke. Even as I reply to these comments, more of it crystalizes in my head. And ... I just want to say ... Not everything is as clear, simple, and straight forward as it might seem. But it wouldn't be a story if it was!

Well, looks to me like the cliff already hit, and we're just seeing the aftermath. But I'll still take the title. 😛 Thanks, kbois. Yeah ... I'll likely end up writing this one. It's still buzzing in my head, and that's pretty much a sure bet that it won't go away till I've put it down on "paper".

Thanks, drsawzall. I am working on description, and trying to find the balance between Tolkien and Paulsen (wrote a book targeted to teens called Hatchet, and it's one of the most succinct works I've ever read) when it comes to details. I know I need more of it in my work, and if I write this story, I'll focus on it.

Thanks, Butcher. I'll see what I can do about that. 🙂

Thanks, Chris. We might find out more. 🙂

Thanks, Magrim. I'm trying harder to write more in the moment, and let the reader see the scenes - not tell the reader about the scene. It's a subtle distinction, but I feel it's an important one. I'm glad it felt dramatic to you - it certainly did to me.

Thanks for the nice words. You're right - in that there are many directions to take with this little sliver of life and death. I'm building a plot in my head, using up unoccupied CPU time in the brain when I'm doing other things. So it's probably going to turn into a full story. 🙂

"I'm here," Brad cleared his throat, pushing the waver from his tone. "I'm here." Andy clung to him, face buried against his neck. His friend's body heaved in wracking sobs, and he dragged in breaths in staccato gasps. Brad held him - his oldest friend. The lights of the police cruisers strobed over the scene of the accident, and the odor of gasoline stung his nose. "Guys, you gotta get back." A policeman with a firm, yet understanding tone extended his arms. "Come on, back up a b

Nice! I got that reference immediately! Lol Well, I’m glad you’re taking this one for a drive, even if were-creatures aren’t your usual fare. To be honest though, this isn’t your typical shifter tale … 😉 Thanks for reading and for the comment!

Glad you had a good time, Chris. Everybody needs that. Howdy all. Happy Saturday!

Thanks for the Birthday wishes, all. 🙂 47 is a weird number. It's prime, and when you add the numbers together you make another prime (11). Add those together and you get ANOTHER prime (2)! I don't know why, but my brain just does that - hunts for interesting patterns, particularly around numbers. Anyway, enough number geekery. Don't get me started on 36! 😛

Great job getting vaccinated. Yeah, the variants are infecting folks who've gotten vaccinated, but we're seeing those people have a much easier time of it than those who've not been. Still, take care and allow yourself to recover.

I pushed "like" because I agree with you with all my being.

OMG, I just noticed the screen name of the guy who posted this. LOL ... wow.

Dropping in to share this ...

I saw that. Pretty amazing

I'm glad you enjoyed this one, Bft. Transitioning in 1952? WOW. Well, that's wild. I can't imagine the kind of hell she got for that. But it goes to prove how important living authentically is. If she was willing to walk that path in 1952, then she didn't really have a choice. I wish more understood that. Thanks for the information. I'll look her up.

Thanks, tesao. Yes, it forces some reflection and that’s the goal. I’m glad it worked! 🙂

Thanks, Tom. And yes, it'd have to be an adjustment for everyone involved. That's what I was going for here - showing that struggle for someone close to our transitioning Dane. I'm glad his attempt to deal constructively appealed. 🙂