Bill W

Instead of spending the day working on my own stories, I spent it reading your five short tales. This is another wonderful start that could be fleshed out into a wonderful story, if you so desired. I was, though, satisfied with it the way it is, although it left me with a myriad of question. Great job, Myr!

Another wonderful start to what could be an intriguing tale. Since I didn't start with the first story and rest some of the other first, I find this just as mysterious as the other - and this time you added the fact that they're not human. Great job, Myr!

A cliffhanger with plenty of mystery. Is this the same Ethan from MindMaster? Is that why the riders are looking for him so they can kill him for what he'd done to Simon? I'm intrigued! Well done, Myr!

This would be a great start to a story, Myr, if you should at some point decide to revisit this short story. I was immediately drawn into this world and wanted it to continue. Well done!

Wonderful and very creative short story, Myr. It's too bad this is a stand alone, because I would have loved to find out more about Prince Justin and this kingdom his father rules over. I'd also like to know what happened to Ethan and the Chief Warder Gabriel for his part in the coverup. Well done.

Uhhh, Ray's dead.

A common scenario in our society. The bully and the one being bullied. Even though this is a side-story to another work, you can read it, understand what's going on, and enjoy it (although that's probably the wrong ter, to use in this case). Don't worry though, because Lee offers warnings where appropriate, if that was causing you to question whether or not you should read this story. It is very realistic and relatable, and it's also a warning about how situations like this can get out of hand, so if you see a bully, intervene and work to stop the bully's aggressive behaviior before the situation gets out of hand.

Lee, you constructed a very realistic and tragic scenario. You seemed to know a lot about bullies and bullying, so were you on the giving or receiving end while growing up? I wish I could say I was surprised by what happened to Claude, but you can only push someone so far before they react, and if they're smaller or weaker, they usually fight back with some sort of weapon to even the odds. Thanks for sharing this tragic tale.

Hiding information is the engine of narrative tension. By concealing a character's true motives, backstory, or plot details, writers create gaps that invite the audience to engage. This deliberate concealment—often referred to as the iceberg theory—transforms a passive audience into active participants. Drives Curiosity and Suspense: When key information is withheld, it forces the audience to ask why or what next. Instead of giving all the facts up front, a skilled storyteller teases clues that create narrative drive. The "How-dunit": Hiding the perpetrator or method builds mystery. The Backstory: Hiding a character’s emotional wound explains their current flawed behavior. Creates Dramatic Irony: Sometimes information is hidden from the characters but revealed to the audience. This gap allows the viewer to see the impending danger or misunderstanding, which builds agonizing, engaging suspense. Enables Powerful Character Arcs: A character's true identity is often hidden beneath a mask or a false sense of security. As the plot progresses and the "hidden" aspects of their personality or fears are forced to the surface, the character undergoes a meaningful transformation. Deepens Subtext: Beyond plot secrets, stories often hide their deeper themes or meanings. Allegories and metaphors allow authors to explore complex moral issues or human experiences in a way that feels natural, allowing the reader to discover the true message on their own. Allows for Rewatchability: When authors weave hidden clues and foreshadowing throughout their work, the story rewards audiences with a completely new experience upon a second viewing or reading.

The word hidden means to be kept out of sight or concealed. Etymologically, it is the past participle of the English very "hide", which derives from the Old English hȳdan ("to hide, conceal or preserve"). Interestingly, while the verb "to hide" (and its past participle "hidden") deals with concealment, English has an entirely unrelated word that is spelled exactly the same: hide (meaning the skin of an animal). According to the \(OED\), the adjective hidden (as a conversion from the verb) was first used in English in the mid-1500s. The earliest recorded evidence appears before 1547 in the writings of Henry Howard, the Earl of Surrey. Related words: Hide (verb): Traces all the way back to the Old English period (pre-1150) as hydan. Hiding (adjective): Earliest evidence is found in a 1483 English-Latin wordbook. Hiddenness (noun): First recorded around 1380 by the theologian John Wyclif.

Lee, you just painted a foreboding feeling. What comes next can't be good!

If you're a golfer, just a duffer, or maybe someone who's just watched golf on TV, you'll enjoy this short and humorous story. It will probably even bring back some memories about things you've witnessed on a golf course, par-3, or even just of a driving range. Maybe even some memories of thing that happened to you when you were first starting out! Anyway, give it a read. You won't regret it.

Being an old duffer myselt, all I can say is golfing with someone that near-sighted would be like golfing with Stevie Wonder. Not a good combo. Very humorous, Lee, and captivating - just like most of your stories.

A fun and imaginative short story that bounces Arthur around in time with an unimpressed capybara. It's a fun read with a science fiction and comic theme.

Chris, this was a very imaginative and descriptive story, and quite enjoyable. I don't know what you were smoking when you wrote this, but please send me some - or at least a url or location where I could get a supply. 🤣

In storytelling, a "trace" refers to the subtle residues, clues, or echoes left behind by events, characters, or histories. It is the difference between explicitly telling the audience what happened and showing them the evidence, acting as a powerful tool to build depth, immersion, and engagement. The Core Roles of Trace: Suspense and Foreshadowing: Traces serve as breadcrumbs—such as a torn letter, a lingering glance, or a forgotten item. They hint at a broader narrative or upcoming twists, pulling the audience forward. World-Building: Leaving physical or emotional traces (like scars, ruins, or fading traditions) makes a fictional world feel lived-in, real, and anchored by a rich history. Active Engagement: Instead of spoon-feeding the plot, a storyteller uses traces to invite the audience to do the detective work. Connecting the dots makes the viewing or reading experience highly interactive and satisfying. Thematic Resonance: Traces represent the lingering impacts of themes like trauma, memory, and time, ensuring that past events continue to affect characters in the present. By strategically placing traces, storytellers create richer, more resonant, and immersive narratives.

*Note* Since trace has several meanings and each can be traced to a slightly different root, I focused on this meaning. As a noun meaning a very small amount, trace comes from the Old French noun trace (meaning a footprint or a mark left behind), which is a back-formation from the Old French verb tracier. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun trace original meaning emerged as a track, footprint, or mark left by a passing person or animal was first recorded in English around 1380. The OED defines the figurative sense as "an indication of the presence of a minute amount of some compound; a quantity so minute that it cannot actually be measured first dates to the 1530s.

Inquiry—the act of asking questions and seeking truth—is the engine of storytelling. It drives narrative momentum, transforms passive audiences into active participants, and shapes how we make sense of our lived experiences. Inquiry impacts the narrative process in a few key ways: Creates Narrative Drive: Every story is fundamentally a question waiting to be answered (e.g., Will they overcome the obstacle? What is the hidden truth?). Inquiry hooks the audience, maintaining tension from the setup to the resolution. Reveals Human Truth: In qualitative research and life narratives, inquiry uses storytelling as a method to explore lived experiences. It highlights subjective truths and emotions rather than just chronological facts. Fosters Critical Thinking: Inquiry-based storytelling shifts the audience from passive listeners to active investigators. It encourages them to evaluate prejudices, spot blind spots, and connect with evolving situations. Gives Voice to the Marginalized: Asking people to share their stories is an act of respect. Inquiry allows diverse and historically underrepresented groups to document their experiences and challenge larger societal narratives.

Inquiry stems from the Latin word inquirere, which means "to search for" or "to examine" and the Late Latin inquaerere. It is formed by combining the prefix in- ("into") and the verb quaerere ("to ask or seek"). It was carried into Old French as enquerre and adopted into English as enqueren or enquery, and over centuries of linguistic evolution, the word transformed into its current form. In the 15th and 16th centuries, writers respelled the word from enquiry to inquiry to more closely match its original Latin roots. Enquiry vs. Inquiry: Both have the same Latin roots, and while American English uses inquiry almost exclusively, British English often makes a distinction: enquiry is used for a general request for information, while inquiry is reserved for formal investigations. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "inquiry" (and its variant "enquiry") was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest recorded evidence dating back to around 1440 in the text known as the York Mysteries.

Thank you, Lee, and I'm glad you were moved by the wedding and Daniel's little surprise. I believe that was his way of letting the boys know how special they are to him, although he only spent time with them for a week, although Clint's attachment to the boys had an influence on that as well. Yes, I think everyone is hoping that Preston's interest remains purely academic and nothing more comes of it. Yes, it is highly unlikely that they'll end up in Fort Collins or Boulder once they get a job, so chances are they won't encounter Preston again. 🫰

Awww. Sorry about that drs. It was a little surprise that Daniel had planned for the boys, and I'm glad it touched your heart. I'm sorry to hear that you thought Preston came out looking like a dork. In all fairness, I think he was trying to take advantage of the last time he might see the boys in person to see if his suspicions were correct. And if they were, he said the reason he was asking was purely academic, although it was enough to bother Michael and then Devin. ⚡

Thanks, db. I'm glad you enjoyed the wedding, and I think we're all hoping that Preston doesn't become a problem for the guys.

Unsettling elements are the lifeblood of narrative tension, forcing the audience out of passibe consumption. By disrupting expectations, unsettling moments create profound emotional engagement, heighten psychological depth, and force characters—and readers—to confront complex, uncomfortable truths about the human condition. Unsettling your audience relies on a few key storytelling pillars: Dismantling the Illusion of Safety: Stories become gripping when the audience realizes no character is safe. Disorienting the reader forces them to heavily invest in the protagonist's survival and choices. Subverting Expectations: The unsettling often lives in the "uncanny valley." By taking familiar settings or character tropes and slightly warping them, you make the audience question their own assumptions. Encouraging Reflection: Discomfort demands attention. Exploring disturbing themes (grief, moral ambiguity, societal flaws) acts as a catalyst for honest, brutal reflection on real-world realities. Building Psychological Depth: Focusing on what is unseen or implied cultivates a lingering dread that taps directly into primal emotions, far more effectively than cheap shocks.

Unsettle is a verb that means to disturb or change something from a fixed, stable state. It is formed by combining the negative prefix un- with the verb settle: Un-: An Old English prefix of negation (meaning "not" or the "reverse of"), which can be traced back to the Proto-Germanic \(*un-\) and the Proto-Indo-European (PIE) root \(\ast{}ne-\) ("not"). Settle: Derived from the Old English verb \(setlan\) (meaning "to place in a fixed position"), which comes from the Old English noun \(setl\) (meaning "a seat"). The compound word unsettle was first coined in the late 1500s to literally mean "to undo from a fixed position." By the 1640s, the meaning expanded metaphorically to refer to the unsettling of the mind or emotions. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun/adjective "unsettling" was first recorded in print in 1665, used to describe something causing a change from a stable state. It is a derivative of the verb unsettle, which was first coined earlier in the late 1500s.

I think Michael and Devin have pretty much decided to stay clear of Preston for now, although they still sort of like Preston, but they don't want to take any chances. I'm sure they'll mention this to Gramps and Pops when they get a chance, but since they don't expect to see Preston again, they're not in a big rush. And if Preston brought his dogs, they'd probably never leave Devin alone and might disrupt the wedding. Yes, different Bibles interpret the original text that was written in Greek, with some Aramaic, in different ways. I have been in churches where one said it one way and the next used they other, but it all boils down to the same thing in the long run. The Presbyterian, Baptist, and the United Church of Christ/Congregationalists/Evangelicals all use debts/debtor, while Roman Catholics, Anglicans/Episcopalians, Methodists, and Lutherans all use trespasses/trespass(ers). I hope that helps.