Bill W

How would you react if suddenly a whole bunch of strange, even weird, events started happening to you? Would you question your sanity, or would you question the sanity of those committing these unexplainable incidents? This is an interesting and sometimes comical short story about what happened to one guy and the explanation for what caused those things to occur in the first place. Read this marvelous short story and I'm sure you'll be smiling by the time you reach the end.

Knowing the mystical connections that twins seem to share, I'm surprised that they weren't adopted together - unless it was set up so that wouldn't happen. However, the situations that Cam had to deal with were both upsetting and hilarious. I was thinking doppelganger at first, but this worked out much better. Thanks for the great read!

Another fun and interesting tale in the Angel-Imp saga, but you don't have to read the other stories in the series to enjoy this one. There's plenty of information and clues to let you know what's going on, as long as you know that CC stands for Cupid Central and GC stands for Guardian (Angel) Central. Knowing that, you'll be able to enjoy this off-beat look at the world of Angels and Imps, is you haven't been hooked on it already.

Another fun A-I story. A unique paring and I'm wondering where this is going to go. I'm sure that since I'm trying to catch up on the old Anthologies that I'll find out before long. Great job!

There's definitely some interesting ideas here. Thanks, Myr, for doing the research for us.

There are a few words that I definitely attempt to pronounce differently than my parents and grandparents. I pronounce egg to rhyme with peg, they pronounced it agg. I pronounce milk to rhyme with ilk, they pronounce it melk to rhyme with elk. I also switched from using supper to refer to the evening meal to using dinner, otherwise I relate their pronunciation and choice of words to being a country or farm family type of thing, like most of the neighbors I grew up with. Oh, and I nearly forgot - they pronounce syrup as seer-up, while I pronounce it sir-up.

I used to take the kids camping every summer using tents, tarps, a propane stove, and a large bucket with trash liners as our toilet. I haven't been camping in years and couldn't do it any longer. Hell, I'm not sure if I'd want to do it now with how hot it is, but we all enjoyed it at the time. We also met some nice people along the way and we took our swimsuits so we could modestly wash off in a river or a stream. I have been known to dream about those days from time-to-time, which I guess was brought on by a TV show, a movie, or the news. We did have some great times and it is was one way the kids learned what it meant to not be dependent on anyone but ourselves.

The beginning is the narrative foundation that captures the audience's attention, establishes a tone, and introduces the central conflict. It creates a "promise" to the reader by setting expectations and defining the stakes. Without a strong start, the audience has no reason to engage with the rest of the story. Understanding the importance of a story's beginning requires examining a few key functions: The Hook: A captivating opening immediately grabs the audience's attention, making them want to turn the page or stay tuned. The Status Quo: It establishes the protagonist’s normal world and baseline, which provides a contrast for the changes to come. The Inciting Incident: This disruption shatters the status quo and sets the plot in motion. It introduces the central problem that forces the protagonist to act. Tone and World-building: The beginning sets the mood, genre, and rules of the story's universe without overwhelming the audience with excessive backstory. | Thematic Setup: It plants seeds that will eventually pay off at the end, providing a satisfying sense of completion and closure. Circular endings in storytelling—where the conclusion mirrors the opening scene, line, or theme—provides a powerful sense of closure and thematic unity. They allow the audience to measure a character's growth, reveal how a protagonist's perspective has changed, and reinforce the overarching message of the story. The Importance of Circular Storytelling: Measuring Character Growth: By returning to where the story began, writers highlight exactly how far a protagonist has come. The contrast between the opening and closing states makes internal transformation undeniable. Thematic Resonance: Returning to the starting point creates a framework that helps crystallize the theme. It answers the "what if" question posed at the beginning, showing the consequences of the journey. Providing Strong Closure: It satisfies the audience by neatly tying the narrative threads together. The return to a familiar setting or recurring line acts as the period at the end of a long sentence, leaving a final impression that is deeply memorable. Common Variations and Effects: Growth and Redemption: The protagonist returns to the initial situation, but handles it differently because they have gained wisdom. Endless Cycles: The ending implies that the struggle continues, the pattern repeats, or the character's journey is an ongoing cycle of life and destiny. | Tragic Irony: The story returns to where it began, showing that despite all the effort, the character or the world remains unchanged, often for the worse.

The word "beginning" derives from the verbal noun of the Middle English word "begommem" (to begin or undertake). This traces back to the Old English "onginnan," which combines the Proto-Germanic prefix "*bi-" (by, at) and the root "*ginnaną". The ultimate Proto-Indo-European origins of the root remain debated by philologists. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun beginning first emerged in English during the Middle English period – an overview beginning, n. meanings, etymology and more. The OED’s earliest recorded evidence of the word is from around 1175 in the Lambeth Homilies beginning. According to the OED, the verb "begin" (originally spelled beginnan) is an inherited Germanic word that traces back to the Old English period, well before 1150. It evolved from older Proto-Germanic roots to mean to start, originate, or initiate an action.

Hugh is a high school senior (last year) and hasn't yet informed his parents that he's gay. He chooses a very special time to finally tell them, along with another surprise. This story turns out to be quite romantic and very intriguing, so if you like those types of stories, be sure to read this one. it will make you laugh, keep you guessing, and might even make you cry a little.

It was a rainy day here, Tim, so I opted to read this story between the FIFA Quarterfinal matches. I loved this story and couldn't stop reading. Nicely done and you handled Hugh coming out to his family nicely and were very sensitive in handling the racial different between Hugh and Dean. Loved Grandma too, she even reminded me of my own Grandmother who died in 1973, and my father-in-law had dementia, but he only forgot his grandchildren's names and didn't get raunchy. Thanks for the touching read.

This was an intriguing story where Tom gets a phone call from his ex (Lex) who seems to be in trouble and needs Tom's help. Against Tom's better judgment, he makes a lengthy trip to where the images in the message indicated Lex was, and it proves to be one very eventful night. This story also includes some references to paranormal encounters as well, along with some historical British words that I had to look up. I wish that northie had included a brief description of the meaning of those words in parenthesis or brackets, but it was still an interesting story.

This was an interesting story, but not being a Brit I had to look up several words as I went along, reiver and Bastle to name a few. I think Tom is a good guy to go to so much trouble went he thought his ex might be in danger, and I can understand his anger when he discovered what it was all about. Since it cost him his phone, a lot of petrol, and the cost of food and a few other necessities, I hope that reimbursement budget had enough in it to cover those expenses.

The story starts out with Anthony feeling his life is on an upswing, but suddenly that feeling ends. Where do most twenty-somethings go when life hands them a setback - he heads home to spend time with his mom and dad until he can sort things out, and that's when he realizes there's still hope, just not what he was expecting. Read this excellent short story to see what that newfound hope turned out to be.

I really enjoyed this story, Gary. You can say that it had me hooked on a lot of levels. Great job!

I knew someone would eventually bring up the song from Annie. 🤪

I guess Myr must have liked the earliest stories I wrote and posted on Nifty, and although there was a lot of sex in those stories, I always tried to ensure that each one had a plot, rather than just being about sex. Myr asked me if I wanted to have my own site back in 2003 and I accepted. I liked it because of the immediate feedback potential and the fact that I was able to chat with other members, and I've been here ever since. There have been periods when I've had to cut back temporarily due to health concerns, but I've always returned, and I hope I've been a credit to this great site.

The concept of "tomorrow" serves as the primary engine for audience engagement in storytelling, transforming a passive viewing experience into an active, emotional journey. It creates urgency and provides hope, driving characters to make critical choices that shape their destinies and resolving unresolved conflict. Storytellers leverage the concept of tomorrow in several vital ways: Creating Stakes and Urgency: By introducing a looming deadline (e.g., "by tomorrow morning"), writers establish intense tension. This compels characters to act, revealing their true nature through difficult decisions. Building Anticipation: The promise of the future keeps audiences turning pages or staying in their seats. It acts as the ultimate hook—the lingering question of what happens next. Thematically Exploring Consequences: Speculative narratives and sci-fi use imagined tomorrows to hold a mirror to today's societal issues, exploring potential futures based on current choices without the risk of real-world conflict. Fostering Empathy: Stories about tomorrow (e.g., in Gabrielle Zevin's novel Tomorrow, and Tomorrow, and Tomorrow) allow audiences to process grief, heal, and connect with characters facing insurmountable odds. Driving Character Motivation: A character's vision of a better (or worse) tomorrow is often their primary psychological anchor. This is the "why" that gives them the strength to endure the trials of the present. Understanding this temporal anchor helps you construct narrative arcs that resonate deeply on an emotional level.

The word tomorrow literally translates "at morning". It traces back to the 13th-century Middle English tomorwe (originally written as two words, to morwe). It is a combination of the preposition to (meaning "at" or "on") and morrow, which stems from the Old English morgenne (meaning "morning"). Because "morrow" originally referred to the early part of the day after the present one, the phrase to morwe evolved to mean the entire day following today. Over time, through the 16th to the early 20th century, the two words merged into the single, unhyphenated "tomorrow". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word tomorrow was first used in English around 1275. The earliest recorded use is found in the writings of the poet Laȝamon, meaning "at or on the morning following the present day".

In storytelling, the concept of rebirth is a powerful narrative archetype that represents renewal, redemption, and profound personal transformation. It allows characters to overcome trauma, shed their flaws, and forge new destinies, which resonates deeply with the universal human desire for hope and positive change. The Core Roles of Rebirth in Storytelling: Character Arcs and Redemption: Rebirth plots often feature flawed or even villainous characters who undergo a dramatic shift in perspective. It is the ultimate storytelling tool for demonstrating that individuals can learn from their mistakes and redeem themselves. Overcoming Adversity: These stories typically involve a protagonist falling under a dark shadow, facing a crisis, and eventually breaking free to experience psychological or spiritual regeneration. | Universal Themes of Hope: Rebirth provides a metaphor for resilience, reminding audiences that even after great loss or destruction, a fresh start is possible. Real-World Examples: A Christmas Carol by Charles Dickens: This is perhaps the most classic rebirth narrative. Ebenezer Scrooge transforms from a bitter, miserly man into a generous and joyful figure after confronting the errors of his ways. Modern Media: The rebirth archetype extends to a wide range of modern and classic stories, including Beauty and the Beast and The Secret Garden, where cursed or isolated characters find renewal through love and connection. Why It Resonates with Audiences: Psychologically, narrative transformations are deeply satisfying because they mimic the very real human process of adapting to life's challenges. It gives readers and viewers a framework to process their own struggles, proving that personal evolution and positive behavioral changes are achievable.

The word "reborn" derives from the combination of the prefix re- (meaning "back" or "again") and the word born. It emerged in the late 1590s to describe a physical or spiritual state of being born again, heavily rooted in theological concepts of spiritual renewal. According to the Oxford Endlish Dictionary (OED), the adjective reborn was first used in English in the late 1500s. The earliest recorded evidence dates to 1598, found in the writings of the English linguist and lexicographer John Florio. According to the OED, the noun "rebirth" was first recorded in writing in 1790 in the writings of the English religious writer William Huntington. The verb form emerged much later and is traced by the OED to a 1976 publication in the New York Times.

This is a hard hitting story that will elicit a wide variety of emotions as you read it. This is a topic that few dare to tackle, but it's something we should all be aware of, in case we encounter a child or children enduring the same types of bullying or abuse. Clarke, the main character, is correct when he states that most bullying begins at home, and it can end at home as well. If you are capable of reading about individuals being bullied and the targets of physical and/or mental abuse, I strongly suggest that you read this story, because you'll be better off if you do.

Your story struck a few chords with me, because of the household I grew up in. I won't go into detail, but we were always on edge and never knew what to expect next. I'm glad you brought this subject out in the open and exposed bullying and abuse, because I'm sure that there are a lot of people out there that went through similar situations. It's too bad this story isn't attracting more readers, but at least those who have read this have a better understanding of what they should do if they ever encounter a child in that type of situation. Thank you for tackling such a difficult topic and doing it with such great understanding and empathy.

Hope in storytelling is a ferocious, active moral force rather than mere passive optimism. It is the psychological and emotional anchor that allows audiences to engage with bleak realities, inspiring agency, motivating action, and proving to readers that even the darkest circumstances can be overcome. Hopfulness: Fuels Emotional Engagement: Hope creates narrative tension. When characters face insurmountable odds, the audience's hope for their success builds suspense and makes the stakes matter. Overcomes Despair: It actively combats feelings of apathy and isolation. Seeing characters strive toward a better future gives audiences a psychological blueprint for resilience in their own lives. Inspires Action: Agentic stories—where characters actively shape their futures—trigger real-life motivation and problem-solving, moving audiences from hopelessness into positive engagement. Posits Solutions: Rather than just diagnosing humanity's problems, hopeful stories challenge authors to imagine a path forward, proving that transformation is possible.

The adjective hopeful dates back to around the year 1200. It is formed by combining the noun hope, (Old English hopa, meaning "confidence in the future") with the suffix -ful (from the Old English full, meaning "full of" or "characterized by"). Rooted in Proto-West Germanic tōhopōn, hope meant "expecting something desired." In late Old English, it carried deep religious undertones, referring to "confidence in God or Christ". It shares linguistic ties with Middle Dutch (hope) and Danish (haab). Originating as an adjective and used as a word-forming element, it signifies a state of being completely full of the quality described. The modern meaning of the word—exciting or inspiring expectation of good—first emerged in the 1560s. It became famously prominent in the late 1500s in the works of William Shakespeare. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective "hopeful" was first used in English in 1597, in the writings of William Shakespeare. It was first documented with a meaning indicating being full of hope, or exhibiting qualities that excite hope. The noun hopeful was used in 1720 to describe a person on whom hopes are set (e.g., a "political hopeful" running for office). The word "hope" has been used in the English language since the Old English perior (pre-1150). It originated from the Old English verb hopian, meaning "to have a positive expectation, trust, or confidence". The adverb hopefully was first used in English in the mid-1600s. The OED records its earliest appearance prior to 1639, where it meant "in a hopeful manner" (e.g., doing something full of hope). Its modern use as a sentence adverb (meaning "it is hoped" or "I hope") arose in the 1930s. The OED notes the noun "hopefulness" emerged shortly after in 1628 in the works of poet George Wither.