Bill W

An interesting and imaginative story. I loved the transporter system between Alex's house, Simon's house, the safehouse, and the ship. It was a shame that Simon had to watch his mother claim she didn't have a son, since her memory had been erased, but it had to be that way in order to protect her. And since all the government agents had come into contact with the memory shield at Alex or Simon's house, it won't be long before they forget about Alex, Simon, and Sally as well. Let's hope they all find a welcoming home on Alex's planet and they live happily ever after. I hope that's part of a follow-up story, and I can't wait to read what Alex's planet is like. Thanks, Caz, it was a captivating and fun story.

I'm sure that most, if not all of you have heard about conversion therapy camps, and this story tells about one from hell. This story is very dark and maybe a little over the top, but it will definitely evoke a strong emotional reaction as you read about it. By the time you reach the end of the story, you might even have a sliver of hope that things will either improve or this camp will cease to exist.

This story was really dark. I've read a lot about conversion therapy camps and they all seem to be dehumanizing and abusive, but not to the degree of physical abuse or the lack of simple conveniences, such as toilets and showers, that you described here. This doesn't mean that there can't be an outlier facility that is similar to the one you envisioned, but if there is or was, I hope someone reported it and the place was shut down. Other than that, I found the story quite riveting.

It appears that we have some very prolific poets. Kudos!

The word euphonious was first used in English in 1774. It comes from the Late Latin word euphōnia, which means "sweetness of voice". Euphonious is an adjective that means something is pleasant to the ear or agreeable in sound. For example, you might describe a voice as euphonious. Euphony was first used in English in themid-15c., from French euphonie, from Late Latin euphonia, from Greek euphonia "sweetness of voice," related to euphonos "well-sounding," from eu- "good" (see eu-) + phone "sound, voice," from PIE root *bha- (2) "to speak, tell, say." It is related to: Euphonic (1782); euphonical (1660s); euphonious (1774).

Elicit comes from Latin elicit- ‘drawn out by trickery or magic’, from the verb elicere, from e- (variant of ex- ) ‘out’ + lacere ‘entice, deceive’ to English in the early 17th century (1600s). According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first known use of the word "elicit" in English was in the early 17th century, with the earliest recorded evidence appearing around 1624 in the writings of Francis White, bishop of Ely.

The original fairy (faery) tales were very grim, especially those written by the Grimm Brothers. This short story shows the dark side of faeries and you'll never look at Tinkerbell the same way after you read this story. It is well written though and might be a good choice for Halloween night.

Val, I didn't know that you've been hiding such a disturbing dark side. That was truly gruesome, but it had some positive aspects as well, in that the human got revenge on Briar, but I do hope the human survives. Maybe he'll be able to regain his strength and heal, but who know if Shade is going to succeed on his mission or if the King will have his head. That truly would be a Grimm tale.

Inundated means "overwhelmed" and come from several Latin root words: Unda (wave), in (into, upon) undare (to flow) and inundare, literally "to flood or to overflow." It came into the English language in the late 16th century. Overflowing is still one of the meanings of the adjective inundated. The word "inundate" was first used in English in the early 1600s. The earliest known use of the word is in 1623, in the writings of lexicographer Henry Cockeram. The adjective inundated was first used in English in the 1870s. The earliest known use of the word was in 1875, in a text by geologist Charles Lyell.

Ok, I'll play that game. The ringette was a win, the flag football a win, the U-14 hockey and Junior B hockey were ties. How'd I do? lol As far as travel, I've been to 30 of the US states, 3 Canadian Provinces, England, Scotland, and Wales. I wish I'd done more, but that's all there is.

This is a wonderful, cleverly written, and humorous story that will keep your interest and won't allow you to stop reading. Tim gives wonderful descriptions of both the angel and the imp, along with wonderful and sometime infuriating and other times humorous dialogue between them. Be warned that it is sometimes fairly erotic as well, but if you're looking for something light, different, and entertaining, then this short story fits the bill. Do yourself a favor and take the time to read this intriguing story.

Tim, I love this story. I love how you described both the imp and the angel, and I loved the interaction between them. I thought it was clever and funny, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. Great job! Since I'm late at getting to read this story, I know you've already written two more and I can't wait to read them as well.

This is a cute, imaginative, and witty tale about the Queen’s bard and a young knight. It is written in a slightly unusual style, but it shouldn’t take long for you to adjust to it, The author also uses some terms and phrases that might make you question if the story is set in a modern or medieval setting, but neither of those issues will lessen the enjoyment you’ll receive from this charming tale. So, if you enjoy romantic stories set during a chivalrous and courtly period, then be sure to give the short story a read. You won't regret it.

Northie, I enjoyed this medieval tale with knights in chain mail and a bard writing poetry for the Queen. Like Val said, the form was a bit unusual and took some time to adjust to, but I worked my way through that problem fairly quickly. However, there were times when I wasn't sure if the story was set in a modern setting or during the middle ages because of some of the terminology or phrases you used - referring to the bard as a yank or yankee, having the bard claim that he'd sent his clothes to the cleaners, the use of the word "Dude", and mentioning a paper bag to name a few. Otherwise, I found your story/script witty and quite enjoyable.

According to "New Oxford American Dictionary," the name "sedan" comes from the Latin word "sedere," which means to sit, and also "sella," which means saddle. It's a fitting name for the sedan, as it's a car that's associated with a comfortable interior and a smooth ride. The name derives from the 17th-century litter known as a sedan chair, a one-person enclosed box with windows and carried by porters. A sedan is designed as a 3-box configuration vehicle — engine, passenger and cargo. The word sedan is used in American English, while the word saloon is used in British English. As for notchbacks, these are sedans with a less pronounced boot or trunk space. They are sedans with a hatchback rear. The word "sedan" was first used to describe an automobile body in 1912. However, the word had been used to describe a covered chair carried by multiple people since the 17th century.

The word nausea comes from the Greek nausia or nautia, which originally meant seasickness (Greek naus = ship). Nauseous and nauseated are used interchangeably casually, but if you are writing formally, nauseated describes the feeling that you might throw up. Nauseous is an external stimulus that nauseates you, such as a nauseous smell or sight. According to most sources, the first recorded use of the word "nauseous" in English was in the early 1600s, appearing in Robert Cawdrey's dictionary "A Table Alphabeticall" around 1604, where it was defined as "loathing or disposed to vomit.".

As teens or 20 somethings, people are capable of actions that they later regret. They may even get into trouble for their actions and be punished for whatever they've done, and those that are truly sorry for the grief they'd cause are always hopeful that they may get a chance to start over. This story tackles that tough issue and the author does it with powerful, well-paced writing, and deftly handles the delicate nature of the subject matter. If you enjoy thrilling dramas with lots of tension and many possibilities, then read this excellent short story.

I'm sure all of us have done things in our past that we regret. We may have ended up in trouble for them at the time, maybe in legal trouble, and we may have also received some form of punishment for what we've done. Too often there are those that don't want to let us ever forget about those actions and do everything in their power to make sure you don't ever get a change to start over, after you've paid for what you've done. Even though it looked rocky at first, I'm glad Casey was able to prove himself and had someone in his corner helping him along (Miguel), and I'm glad Brian changed his tune and brought Brandon so he and Casey could talk and finally put the nightmare to an end. Val, thank you for a powerful and sensitively handled drama where redemption was no only possible, but there is also hope that two who severed the most might be able to make up for lost time.

Teenage years can be confusing for many. Teens are young enough to just want to have fun and live a carefree existence, but it's also a time filled with a great deal of angst. That could be caused by issues of parental control and expectations, school, or relationships, and that's true about gay males as well. Even though homosexuality is more acceptable now, there's still a lot of pushback and for some there's no way of telling if they'll be accepting and if they'll turn on you. That's why some gays are hesitant about coming out. But what if you're questioning your sexually and haven't yet figured out which sex you're attracted to? This is a story that covers many of those topics, while also pointing out that truth and honesty is important in any relationship - gay or straight. If you want to see how these teens answer these questions and resolve those problems, then you'll want to read this short story. You'll find it to be hard-hitting, skillfully presented, and definitely worth the time and effort it will take you to read it.

I agreed with Oliver when he asked Patrick why he wanted to wait before coming out, just asking for a reason. Was it that he was afraid of his parents reactions? Possibly other family members or friends? Was he confused about his sexuality? Or was there another reason? It's unfortunate that Oliver found out the way he did, but on a positive note it prevented him from wasting more time with someone that wasn't honest in the relationship. The good thing was that Oliver still has a good friend in Leah, but there's also hope of a possible friendship/relationship with Dylan. I hope that one works out for him.

Marc is a twenty-something gay man who comes from a dysfunctional family. He is also is raising his younger sister, Coralie, a high school student, due to that family dynamic. He was having a very bad time at work one night while tending bar for a private party, when a handsome stranger who was part of the group came to his rescue with some obnoxious and drunken customers. Marc later discovers this attractive man has an equally attractive boyfriend, and after "last call", they invite him to join them for drinks and something to eat at another location. What does this mean? Are they only being friendly, or do they merely feel sorry that the others at the gathering had been verbally abusing him so horribly. This is an interesting and well-written story with many twists and turns, and it is well worth the time and effort it takes to read this short story. Be advised, however, that there are some very graphic sex scenes scattered throughout.

Cassie, another great story and I really enjoyed it. I know others have commented about how difficult a three-way is, but the reason this one will work is because Gabriel is gone so much. I kind of feel the some as Coralie, in that I'm also upset that they all have two boyfriends now and I still don't have one.

Adulatiion is from the Latin word adulatio means "flattery." It's made up of the roots ad ("to") and ulos ("tail"), and if you're thinking of a dog wagging its tail to and fro to get a treat from its owner, you're on the right track, because adulationem (nominative adulatio) "is a fawning; flattery, cringing courtesy. That was then passed along to Old French adulacion and became adulatiion in late Middle English. The earliest known use of the noun adulation is in the Middle English period (1150—1500). OED's earliest evidence for adulation is from around 1400, in Book to Mother.

Very interesting, and once you get past the spiders on The Lord of the Rings and Harry Potter, they become much harder to believe.

Draconian “unusually severe or cruel” is based on Latin Dracō (stem Dracōn-), plus the adjectival suffix -ian. In ancient Athens, a city-state that is now the capital of Greece, Draco (known to his fellow Athenians as Drákōn) was a statesman who was famous—or infamous—for the unusually harsh laws he enacted around 621 BC. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first recorded use of "draconian" in English was around the 1870s, with the earliest evidence cited from 1876 in the writings of Charles M. Davies.