Bill W

If you enjoy stories about magic and powerful wizards, then this wonderful short story is for you. The authors paints powerful images that allow us to visualize what's taking place, and although not all of those images are pretty, there are many others that are, including the possibility of a romantic encounter. This story also raises questions that are relevant in today's society, and both of the main characters have decisions to make as to whether the wizard is evil or good. You may have to ask yourself that same question as you're reading this magical and captivating tale, because, as one of the characters points out, there are two sides, or viewpoints, to every conflict. Well done, @lawfulneutralmage!

I, like the others, enjoyed this chapter, yet I was slightly taken aback at the start due to the shift in time and the emergence of the new characters, Derek and Jordan. However, once I figured out what was going on, I love the way you brought it all together, from the ruins, to Derek and Jordan's conversation in the gardeer, to Jordan debating which was the right thing to do. That was a satisfying place to stop - temporarily , because I would also like to see this continued, if you have the time and inclination. I agree with Headstall as well, this story resonates in today's world as well. There are many questions that each of us must answer in our own minds, like Jordan, and hopefully we'll all do what we feel is best. However, we may never know if the choice we made was the correct one. Thanks for such a wonderful and enchanting story.

The word "rationalize" is formed from the adjective "rational" and the suffix "-ize". The word "rational" comes to English via the French word "rationaliser", which in turn comes from the Latin word "rationalis", meaning "of or belonging to reason," which itself comes from ratio, meaning "reason" or "calculation". Therefore, to "rationalize" literally means to "make rational" or "to explain something in a rational way", The word rationalize has evolved to mean the psychological act of giving a plausible but false reason for behavior to conceal the true motive. It can also mean to make something more efficient or effective, as in "rationalizing operations". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the verb "rationalize" is from the mid-1600s, specifically 1665, in the writing of N. Hodges. The most common modern meaning emerged in psychology. It was first introduced by psychoanalyst Ernest Jones in 1908, and this sense means "to devise superficially plausible explanations or excuses for one's actions, beliefs, or desires, often without being consciously aware that these are not the real motives". Examples of using "rationalize" in a sentence: "Sarah tried to rationalize her grandson's strange behavior by blaming it on the boy's father." "He couldn't rationalize buying such an expensive car." "John didn't bother trying to rationalize what the sound could have been." "Jessica couldn't rationalize her sudden urge to return to the cottage." "So what, then, is the big problem with simply trying to rationalize the system?" "You can easily rationalize it by telling yourself it's work-related." "Ernest selfishly tried to rationalize his decision by saying it would be better for everyone. " "How did the individuals who masterminded and ran the camp system rationalize their own behavior?" "Hard to believe that these people can justify and rationalize such sickening behavior!"

Yes, Steve, the year is flying by and Halloween in on Friday. I've lived on a dark cul-de-sac without street lights. I've been here for 16 years, and during that time I can count the number of trick-or-treaters I've had on one hand. I still buy a little candy just in case, but I end up eating it between Halloween and Thanksgiving. I haven't finished reading all of the Creature Feature Anthology stories yet, but I've read several, and overall they've been excellent. I'm very impressed and I'm still working on reading the remainder.

Quote: It had taken years for the magician to gather enough knowledge and power, Quote: First, the runes etched into the silver necklace he wore radiated magic older than this planet Quote: The magician pulled back the hood of his robe, revealing a man in his thirties. Response: It took his years to gather enough knowledge and power and gain a magic older than the planet, yet he's only in his thirties - and he did it all without the benefit of the internet - impressive! Quote: "Except for the slave girl Miranda and all other slaves Quote: Among the slaves stood Marina, Response: Changed names or a new character? Question resolved: I have learned what mercy is. Miranda here, the poor girl you sent to me to rape, she was merciful I loved this introduction to your story and can't wait to read the next chapter. Well done!

From the brilliantly creative mind of @Jack Poignet we are honored with a wonderfully crafted montage of natural and unnatural characters that populate a magical, and often humorous, paradoxical fantasy world filled with equally distinctive protagonists on a high-priority mission. His deliciously designed descriptions and excessively opulent observations are so vibrant that they paint a multi-colored mural in your brain that makes this world of myth, lore, legend, and zoology come to life in vivid detail. "Sparklehoof and the Great Fluffing" is a delightful word salad of anthropomorphic characters and their absurd antics. This tale is an analogy screaming out against mindless conformity that evolves into a stagnant and soul-devouring existence. Do yourself a favor and check out this marvelous long-short-story (I know, it's an oxymoron) and you'll quickly discover it's well worth your time and effort. You'll be glad you took the time it takes to read this artistic tale, and I'll give you a hint: think of an animated version of Don Quixote and friends on steroids, with one exception -- the battle in this story is real and not merely imagined by the main character.

That was a magnificent entry for the anthology topic, because your story was marvelous creature feature. Kudos on a job well done. I love it and I'm about to add a wonderful review. I hope you enjoy it as much as I enjoyed reading this masterpiece. I give it a 10!

All is cover art was missing was an otter.

A problem faced by modern spiders requiring psychological intervention.

The word "collusion" comes from the Latin word colludere, meaning "to play together". It is formed from the prefix co-l-com ("together" "with") and ludere ("to play"). While its roots are playful, the word has always had an underlying sense of deceit, and has evolved to mean a secret agreement for fraudulent or illegal purposes. The three main types of collusion are overt, tacit, and vertical. Overt collusion involves open, explicit agreements, while tacit collusion is a form of implicit coordination without direct communication, often using price leadership. Vertical collusion occurs between companies at different levels of the supply chain, such as a manufacturer and a retailer. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first known use of "collusion" in English was around 1397, in the writings of Geoffrey Chaucer. Examples of "collusion" used in a sentence: "Mason points out that accusations of collusion between the two companies were nothing new." "The investigation revealed that there had been collusion between certain officials to rig the election." "Athletes from different teams faced penalties for collusion to fix the outcome of the game." "OPEC has been accused of collusion when various member countries have agreed to limit the production of oil, in order to keep the price of oil artificially high." Categories of "collusion": Academic: Working with another student on an assignment and submitting the joint work as if it were individual. Allowing another student to copy your work or sharing your answers to a test. Having another person write or edit your work without authorization. Coordinating a plan for an individual assessment and then copying that plan for the final submission. Economic and Business: Price fixing: Competitors agree to set prices at a certain level instead of competing on price. Market division: Firms agree to divide a market into territories and not compete with each other in those areas. Output reduction: Companies collectively limit their production to keep prices high. Bid rigging: Companies collude on bids for contracts to eliminate competition. Tacit collusion: Competitors coordinate their actions without explicit communication, such as matching price increases after a competitor raises theirs. Political and Governmental: Two or more governments colluding to give their countries an advantage over other nations. Politicians or political parties secretly cooperating to limit the influence of their opposition. Other examples: Sporting scandals: A history of match-fixing scandals in professional sports, such as in football, demonstrates a form of collusion. Labor Disputes: In professional sports, players' unions sometime allege collusion among teams to prevent contracts from being signed.

Another amazing tale from GA's master of the western romance stories. Moss and Lincoln (Link) are two teenage cowboys riding together because their destinations are fairly close to one another. During the ride, they share stories about their lives, and it becomes clear that Moss has had it far worst than Link. Their talks and confessions during their journey, along with unspoken tension, makes them rethink what they want out of life, but is it enough to make them change their plans? You'll have to read this wonderful tale to find out, and I'm sure you'll be happy you made that decision after reading this short story.

Another excellent and breathtaking tale, Gary. I thoroughly enjoyed it. Being an old country boy living on a farm in the hills back home, the speech patterns reminded me a lot of my grandpa and some of the neighbor menfolk. I found Lincoln and Moss to be likeable and believable characters and I'm glad they ended up together. Maybe one day they can ride back to where Moss used to live and take his money out of the bank. I'm sure they can use it to improve or expand the farm and maybe afford to have a hired hand or two to help them out. Kudos, my friend.

Leave it to the warped and wickedly funny mind of @Lee Wilson to turn a ride in the car on the way home from the vet into another humorous gem. If you like or love pets, then you won't want to skip over this comical banter between two dogs in the backseat. Hopefully, you'll be able to stop laughing long enough to jot down a comment or click on an emoji.

Leave it to @Lee Wilson to turn a ride in the car with the pets into a humorous short story. Well done, Lee.

Although his logic may be slightly confusing, it's amazing how he's more rational before the bars/pubs open. 🍺 🍹

A perfect story for Halloween, with ghosts, two roommates that appear at first to be polar opposites, but eventually find a common link. There's also a black cat to tie it more closely to ghosts and something bewitched, and a mystery to solve about a malfunctioning laptop. This story would be a great read no matter what the season, but tying it in with Halloween makes it even better. There may also be a warning about the dangers of messing around with AI.

Wonderful story, Myr. Oh, is Elliot your alter-ego or a clone? It should also serve as a warning about messing with AI without understanding all of the ramifications! Could prove fatal! If this were a restaurant menu, I'd describe the story as: an entre of paranormal, with sides of romance and humor, and for dessert a black cat for a touch of levity. Wonderfully done.

The word "buffoon" originates from medieval Latin buffo "clown". That was picked up as the Italian word buffone, meaning "jester" or "clown". This word came from the Italian buffa, meaning "jest," and likely derives from the imitative sound buffare, "to puff" or "puff out cheeks," a common gesture in clowning. The French then borrowed the word as bouffon before it entered English in the 16th century. The word "buffoon" first appeared in English around the mid-1500s, with the earliest evidence from the Oxford English Dictionary (OED) dated 1584. Initially, it was used to refer to a professional jester or clown. It was likely adopted into English from French and Italian, which both used related words to describe someone who performs jokes or jests. In the 1550s, it was a rare Scots word to describe a kind of pantomime folk dance, which in the late 16th century came to denote a professional jester. Examples of "buffoon" used in a sentence: "He has a keen sense of humor without becoming a buffoon." "When they have a complete buffoon running the country, the combination is explosive." "He was accused of being a buffoon, but he was also a brilliant strategist." "He loves to play the buffoon at parties to make his friends laugh." "The class clown was a bit of a buffoon, but his antics were mostly harmless." "He was not the buffoon that people said he was."

For some reason, as I was reading this story it made me think of it as being a Sci Fi version of a western. Instead of a wagon train, there was a line of mechanized camels that they were taking to a predetermined location. Instead of whiskey causing the problem, part of the problem could be attributed to fairy wings, and we're not talking Tinkerbell here. Instead of the wagon train being attacked by hostile indigenous Americans, they were sabotaged by techies that created a potentially threatening situation with their coding. I found this story to be captivating, with interesting give and take between the two humans on this mission, and the plot kept me guessing until the end. If you liked the book or movie "The Martian", then I'm sure you'll find this inventive story fascinating as well.

If a programmer got past the auto-restraints as was responsible for the camels doing something to harm the humans, then that shithead is going to have to answer for causing two deaths. I wouldn't want to be in his shoes. I was enjoying the give and take between Bent and Patel. At times they sounded like an old married couple. My only question is, what was that part about Bent taking all of the camels as he continued the journey to the research station at Terra Arabia after Patel's death. What was that all about? I thought Bent was continuing the mission only to discovered that he had died as well. Did he leave his howdah without his suit and die in the Martian atmosphere, or did the camels somehow evict him from the howdah and cause his death? That part wasn't exactly clear to me. It's also my fear about an out-of-control AI if it isn't regulated properly. Even though I was a little confused about what happened to Bent, I still enjoyed this story!

An interesting tale with plenty of drama and suspense. I was hoping Bobby Ray would have to pay for what he did to JT, and he did after the first trial when he lost his car and the insurance money, but it didn't stop him - he was bent on revenge. I was hoping that Bobby Ray wouldn't succeed, but I didn't expect that would mean his death. However, I'm glad that Rufus was there to protect JT, and that Pete and the Sheriff got there, maybe a little late, and I'm also happy that JT and Tommy Lee were able to become lovers.

That's a strange looking creature. Is that a big proboscis or is it something it's eating?

The word decorum eomes from the Latin word decorus, meaning "proper" or "fitting", which itself is derived from the Latin decor, meaning "beauty, grace, or ornament". It entered English in the 16th century, initially referring to what is "proper or fitting" in a literary or artistic composition before broadening to mean proper and polite behavior. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word "decorum" was first used in English in the mid-1500s, with the earliest evidence from before 1568 in the writings of Roger Ascham. The word comes from the Latin word decōrum. The term was first recorded in English around the 1560s to describe literary and artistic propriety, and by the 1580s, it was being used to mean "propriety of speech, behavior, or dress". Examples of "decorum" used in a sentence: "it was important to maintain decorum in the council chamber." "At the start of the hearing, the judge warned the audience to keep decorum in the courtroom." "There are some democracies where business is conducted with correctly soporific decorum." "They have a reputation for decency and decorum while playing a tough and skillful game." "Suddenly, all decorum and perspective was out the window." "The public should have high expectations of politicians in terms of their personal conduct and decorum." "In a place where manners and decorum are at the absolute bottom of the priority heap, all that is really required of you is to avert disaster."

The word "inhalation" comes from the Latin inhalare, meaning "to breathe in". It is formed from the prefix in- ("in, into") and the verb halare ("to breathe"). The suffix -ation denotes an action or process, making the noun mean "the act of breathing in". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the first use of the noun "inhalation" in English was in the early 1600s, with the earliest specific evidence from 1623 in the writings of lexicographer Henry Cockeram. It was derived from the Latin word inhālātiō. The verb "inhale" first appeared in English between 1715-1725. The first recorded use of the verb in the dictionary was in the OED's 1900 First Edition. Examples of "inhalation" used in a sentence: "The fire killed 36 people, all of whom died from smoke inhalation." "The dogs suffered smoke inhalation but were revived at the scene, the spokesperson said." "The fire started in the garage and sent one person to the hospital for smoke inhalation." "She made no noise except the occasional inhalation and exhalation of air." "Treatment includes resting the voice and inhalation of humidified air." "Hyperventilation is the repeated inhalation of fast, full breaths of air and rapid exhalation."

The word "abhor" comes from the Latin abhorrēre, meaning "to shrink in horror" or "to shudder at". It is a combination of ab- ("away from") and horrēre ("to bristle," "to shudder"), which is the same root found in the word horror. This etymology highlights the strong sense of loathing and repulsion inherent in the word's meaning. The combination literally means "to shudder away from," which evolved into the modern meaning of "to loathe" or "to regard with disgust". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the verb abhor was first used in English before 1425, during the Middle English period (1150-1500). The OED cites its earliest evidence from Guy de Chauliac's "Grande Chirurgie:, a translation of a French surgical treatise. In Shakespeare, "abhor" means "to feel intense hatred, loathing, or disgust for something", essentially the same as its modern meaning. It can be used to express "a strong rejection or aversion", as seen in lines from King Lear where the character shunned his "abhorred society," or in Macbeth where Young Seyward calls Macbeth an "abhorred tyrant". Examples of "abhor" used in a sentence: "They abhor above all others the highest and worthiest sign... the sacrament of the altar, the precious body and blood of Christ." Romans 12:9 of the King James Bible: "Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good." "He abhors the way people leave their trash at the picnic sites in the park." "The man abhors them the same way the Longhorns despise the Sooners. "Some even used the words the labor union abhors more than any other: salary cap." "It's the use of a legislative tool to block bills you abhor." "Chances are you abhorred that kid who used to torture the frogs in biology class." Five synonyms for abhor are: hate, detest, loathe, despise, abominate.