James Carnarvon

Thank you, drpaladin! I never really agreed with the calls for a sequel to 'The Summer of the Firefly', which is why this story is from a different character's point of view. However, I hope it will satisfy some of the readers' curiosity about what became of Gianni, Angelo & co afterwards. It's fun that you seem to remember Toto. It's been nearly two years since I posted the last story! I'll aim to post chapters daily. It's all written; I still have a tiny bit of editing to do on the rest.

The July sun beat down on the parched olive trees, and cicadas sang their scraping song in their silvery depths. A dusty footpath made its way up the valley from the coast. At a turning near the top of the deserted path a crazy, serpentine flight of steps snaked its way up the final climb to the Italian mountain town of Ravello. At the foot of this stairway sat a lone figure clad in a navy-blue polo shirt and khaki shorts. Toto, fourteen, kicked savagely at the broken, spalling concrete of

A short story in four chapters set on the mountainous Italian coast. Seven years after ‘The Summer of the Firefly’, another teen struggles with his identity following a bust-up with his father and his best friend.

I stand corrected. Glad you enjoyed the chapter!

I can't believe you just binge read the whole thing! One or two chapters at a time works best for me - but I'm glad you enjoyed it. Thanks!

Gianni and Angelo: The Awkward School Years? I’m not sure that would be quite so magical! Be careful what you wish for, I guess. When books I have loved have had sequels that were not originally intended, it has sometimes been disappointing to the point of diminishing the original ending. Thanks for the tips regarding other sites, that’s really helpful, and I may follow it up. I think I made the right decision by basing my story here.

Always, always leave them wanting more! Thank you for reading, travlbug. Your comments have made me smile.

Thanks redwood! Some of the comments on earlier chapters have credited me with more cleverness or subtle messaging than I really brought to this, but on this point I can say yes, those things were absolutely set up to recur and play out differently later on. I had brief character outlines and a family tree of the two main families and wrote to a carefully planned twelve chapter outline. I knew exactly what each chapter needed to achieve from a plot and character point of view. This is how I roll as a writer. The fascinating thing for me, though, was that once I started writing, the characters really did take on a life of their own and the antagonistic characters became significantly humanised. The climax at the terrace was planned from the beginning, but the tone of the ending changed to something much more optimistic.

And thank you all for staying with me to the end, even after it looked like the worst was going to happen. Keep the faith! It has been a pleasure to share the story with you all, and to generally have such positive comments is a powerful validation of my work. I wish I could say I’ll be back on here with new material soon, but the reality is that I haven’t written a thing other than rewrites on this story for a number of years since it was first drafted. I live a busier life now than I did when I first wrote this. The other ideas I have had have also not been gay stories per se. But who knows - if I continue to lurk here, I may be inspired. It has to be said that I rather had my heart on my sleeve when I wrote this. I’m not sure lightning could strike twice, at least not yet! johnnyd, sorry, I hadn’t picked up on that comment yet, but the web site sounds interesting. I will definitely check it out.

All Gianni could think about was how he wanted to be alone, somewhere he would be safe from the stares and gossip of passers-by, and how he needed to get there as soon as possible. Grabbing his bicycle from where he had left it propped against the wall the previous day, he mounted it and rode out into the street without looking. He already knew where he was going, and he wasn’t going to waste time playing it safe. Turning down the hill, he made straight for the avenue of oleanders and swung

I’m actually glad you’re wrestling with that question. In my mind, at least, there are no ‘bad guys’ in this story.

Ideally I'd have posted chapters 11 and 12 together... but for readers following me 'live', I'm afraid there will be one more enforced wait!

Gianni had soon left the hotel behind him, but still he ran, his flat-soled wedding shoes pounding the uneven paving stones in the darkness, oblivious to the chirruping of the nighttime crickets and the cheerful sounds of voices and music that drifted out of the houses as he made his way up the hill. A tide of pain and humiliation was welling up inside him, driving him on at a desperate pace, a jumble of images and voices filling in his head as the events of the evening echoed in his mind. O

Hi John, there are just two more chapters to go. We are definitely heading towards the finale now. You actually dreamt about this? I would love to see that dream!

Fair enough, I can see how you would all feel that way. I did my best to build up to it, but no story is perfect! This is a key turning point in the plot and isn’t one that I could avoid. I hope you’ll be more satisfied with the way I deal with the fallout.

Fair enough. I agree that it does seem a reckless act and here perhaps we have a character who is rather naive. None the less, I hope you’ll stick with me to the end now we’ve come this far!

Indeed! The next chapter, Chapter 11, was the most difficult to write. But it's all working towards the climax the story was always going to have!

Gianni made it most of the way up the hill to Angelo’s house before they had to get off and walk. Perched on the back of the saddle, Angelo clung to Gianni’s waist as they freewheeled down the zigzagging descent from Gianni’s grandparents’ house; it was a feeling Gianni thought he could happily get used to. Angelo, however, was quieter than usual; a few days ago, Gianni supposed, he might have whooped and cheered, but now his enthusiasm was more muted. He managed a laugh as they shot down the hi

I didn’t intend Marina to seem irritated by Gianni, but I do think she is constantly clumsy in dealing with him. I can see though how her past actions might lead you to that conclusion!

Yes, I reckon I will be doing that!

Well, I've just made it to the end. I enjoyed this! One of the things I liked best was the way you contrasted Andy's life with Eric's. Andy and Adam's full-bodied life as a happy couple couldn't be much further removed from Eric's solitary lifestyle and habits. However, portraying the two lives side by side somehow emphasised the significance of all the small but important steps that Eric was taking. I also think Eric's journey as a whole is nicely understated. In a way, his day-to-day life by the end of the story isn't all that different but, crucially, it is now infused with friendship and hope. Had Eric's life totally changed in every respect, it wouldn't have been so believable. Through his association with Eric, Andy has grown as a person, too. Nice work.

Well, okay, let's say just my "writing style" or "description" then - or something else similarly superficial.

The next morning, Gianni awoke feeling energised. He and Angelo were due to meet in the square at half past nine, and they were going to go for a hike up Monte Brusara. Angelo had promised secluded leafy glades and panoramic views; for his part, Gianni just hoped that they would have the opportunity to spend some time alone. Gianni showered, adjusted his hair carefully and put on the smartest shirt he could find that was practical for a morning’s walking. To this, he added Angelo’s pendant –

Thanks. All three of you have stuck with me for over a week now, and to see you all so engaged and commenting with such insight - into my characters, not just my writing - well, as a writer, there’s no greater vote of confidence really! Thanks also to other returning readers who have commented on the earlier chapters. There’s more I could say, but I will let the story do the talking. I have four chapters left to share with you. What will happen next?

By the time Gianni and Angelo had returned to Angelo’s home, Anna had finished trying on her dress and relative normality had been restored to the Rossi household. Marta and Anna were shocked when they learned of the accident, and fussed over Gianni, despite his protestations, until they were satisfied that he was suitably patched up. Angelo tried to stick with him, but was shooed away by the two women, who seemed to want nobody to get in the way of their ministrations. When it was finally decid