Bill W

Thank you, Carybr, and did you truly recognize my style and know I was the author. I hope so.

Thank you, @Summerabbacat. and I'm glad you found this story delightful and interesting. And thank you for the wonderful review as well.

Were you right, Cane. Did you recognize that I wrote this story. I hope you enjoyed it.

Thanks for your feedback. Have your read any of my other stories. Was I on the tip of your tongue or was it a false alarm. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

Thanks, Gary, and I hope your surprise was a pleasant one. I appreciate your comment.

Well, I got two correct - mine and the story by Cassie Q, but other than that, I bombed badly. Thanks, Cia, for putting this together for us.

The concept of being "strengthened" in storytelling refers to how characters, themes, or narrative structures grow more resilient, powerful, or profound through conflict. This progression drives character arcs, validates core themes, and transforms passive plots into deep emotional experiences that resonate with audiences. Character Growth and Resilience: Overcoming trials: Characters face tests that break old habits and build inner power. Earning change: True strength comes from struggle, making victories feel real and satisfying. Proving themes: The protagonist's internal strengthening proves the main message of the story. Narrative and Structural Integrity: Raising stakes: Each hurdle makes the ultimate goal harder and the narrative tighter. Deepening conflict: Stronger opposition forces characters to adapt or fail completely. Enhancing payoff: The final resolution packs a bigger emotional punch when the build-up is robust.

The word strengthen comes from Middle English, formed by combining strength with the verbal suffix -en (meaning "to make"). The root noun strength traces back to Old English strengþu, rooted in Proto-Germanic and ultimately the prehistoric Indo-European root *strenk- ("tight, narrow"). According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of strengthened as an adjective is from 1578, found in the writings of the surgeon John Banister. The verb strengthen was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500), with the earliest recorded evidence dating back to 1450. The word strengthening as a noun dates back to 1535 in Miles Coverdale’s translation of the Bible and as an adjective in 1571 in the writings of theologian William Fulke. The noun strength was first used in English during the Old English period, or before 1150.

Damn, has Clue changed that much? I guess I haven't played it in quite a while.

It was a mid-80s song. Maybe you were still tied up with Disco music. 🤪

Patience in storytelling allows the narrative to breathe, giving characters room to evolve and for building deep emotional impact for the audience. Rushing a plot destroys tension, whereas taking time to develop worlds and pacing makes the final payoff feel earned and real. Why Patience Matters: Deepens Character Growth: People change slowly in real life, and characters need time to make mistakes, reflect, and genuinely transform. Builds Earned Payoffs: Surprises and dramatic climaxes work best when the audience waits and anticipates what comes next. Creates Real Atmosphere: Slow pacing lets you notice small, vivid details that make a fictional world feel alive and touchable. Maintains Trust: Allowing a plot to unfold naturally shows respect for the audience's intelligence instead of rushing to quick shocks.

The word "patience" comes from the Latin word patientia, meaning "endurance", "submission", or "suffering". This root traces back to the verb pati, meaning "to suffer or endure," and further back to a Proto-Indo-European root meaning "to hurt". It entered Middle English via the Old French word pacience around the 12th century, meaning "sufferance" or the willingness to bear adversity. According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the earliest recorded use of the noun patience in English was from around 1225 and was found in the early English religious guide Ancrene Riwle (or Ancrene Wisse), which was written for anchoresses. It had entered Middle English spelled pacience and its core idea was calm endurance under suffering. In the late 1300s it shifted to calmness in waiting for something to happen, and in 1816 it was used to describe a single-player card game (solitaire). The word patient (recorded initially as an adjective and noun) first appeared in English around 1350 and found in the religious text Apocalypse St. John: A Version. The verb form of patience was first recorded in 1596 by writer Thomas Nashe.

Cia says she starts school on Monday and that tires her out, so I'm assuming she'll post the actual stories and authors some time today.

Here is my final guess for the Match Guess - and that's exactly what it is - a guess. I'll be lucky if I get one of them correct. Oh, and I might be lying or telling the truth about the guess for my own story - it just that I saw it was @drsawzall's guess for the story I wrote. I figured it was as good as any other! 1. The Ledger of the Howling Void – GaryL 2. The Ledger – Topher Lydon 3. Wrong Window - BendtedWreath 4. Subtle Signs – Chris191070 5. Coffee with Supervision – kbois 6. Sweet Sour Paradox Logic – Myr 7. Just the Facts, Man - Ieshwar 8. Murder At 9th and Tom - Thirdly 9. No Official Reason - Mikiesboy 10. Undeliverable - Kileoli 11. Gemma – CassieQ 12. Peeping Tom – Lee Wilson 13. The Ivory Fig Ceremony – drsawzall 14. Emptying the Library - astone2292 15. Unexpected Discovery – Bill W

Ah, Steve Martin clones.

But a couple of what?

Calm in storytelling acts as an essential anchor. It provides contrast to high action, lets the audience rest, and highlights deep character feelings. Without quiet moments, high stakes lose their punch and leave the reader tired. Why Quiet Moments Matter: Builds Contrast: High energy feels loud only when low energy exists right next to it. Shows Real Emotion: Characters reveal their true inner thoughts when the noise stops. Helps the Reader Breathe: Pacing needs pauses so the brain can process big plot shifts. Deepens Bonds: Quiet dialogue or shared stillness makes us care more about who the people in the story are. How to Use Calm Well: Pacing: Place a slow scene right after a major battle or a loud argument. Details: Focus on small details like a cup of tea, a quiet room, or the sound of the wind. Structure: Keep sentences longer and softer to slow down the read time. Reflection: Let characters reflect instead of always rushing to the next task.

The word calm traces back through Old Middle French calme, meaning "absence of wind", and Italian calma, meaning "stillness" or "quiet", to the Late Latin cauma , meaning "heat of the midday sun" or "resting during it". It originated from the Greek word kauma, meaning "scorching heat", or "heat of the sun", from kaiein "to burn". In the Mediterranean, intense midday heat caused the wind to die down and the sea to grow still, shifting the word's meaning from "heat" to "stillness". According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the earliest known use of the word "calm" in English dates back to the late 14th century. It appeared as a noun in 1393 in the writings of the poet John Gower. It appeared as a verb in 1399 in William Langland's alliterative poem Piers Plowman. It appeared as an adjective around 1440 in the Middle English-Latin wordbook Promptorium Parvulorum.

The title of my story has two or more words, so you can cross me off for writing Gemma.

A young man, who was winter born, was the person that choose the stone indicating he would be the one sacrificed. This is a powerful, moving, and touching first-person short story that gives his POV as to how he views his selection. This tale is not as sad as you might suspect, so give it a read and see what you think.

Powerful and moving, Lugh. I'm sure there were times as we were growing up that we heard or read about human sacrifice, and I'm certain that a few of us wondered what it would have been like to have been chosen as the sacrifice, I know I did, but this is the first time I've ever read a story where the author placed himself in that position. Very sad, and yet touching.

Continuance (or continuity) in storytelling keeps the narrative logic, character traits, and world rules steady over time. It protects audience trust, prevents jarring plot holes, and deepens emotional investment so readers or viewers stay fully immersed in the experience. Building Trust and Immersion: Stable rules: When a story sets laws for its world or magic, sticking to them ensures stakes feel real and earned. No contradictions: Small errors, like a character changing eye color or forgetting a life event, pull the audience out of the dream. Smooth flow: Logical progression lets the mind focus on feeling the story instead of questioning mistakes. Strengthening Characters and Themes: Consistent growth: Character choices must match past lessons and emotional wounds. Believable timelines: Aging, travel time, and sequence of events must line up so history makes sense. Deepening lore: Explaining sudden shifts using established rules expands the world naturally.

The word continuance comes from the mid-14th-century Old French word continuance, derived from the verb continuer. It traces back to the Latin root continuare ("to join together") and continere ("to hold together"), formed from com- ("together") plus tenere ("to hold"). According to the Oxford English Discttionary (OED), the noun continuance was first used in English around 1374. It entered Middle English meaning "perseverance" or "keeping up a course of action" in the mid-14th-century, and by the late-14th-century it shifted to mean "holding on or remaining in a specific state". By the early-15th-century it adopted a specific legal sense meaning the deferral or postponement of a trial or hearing to a future date. The earliest known use of the verb continue in English dates back to before 1340. This first recorded evidence appears in the religious and spiritual writings of the Middle English hermit and author Richard Rolle. The noun continuation was first used in English around 1374, as found in a translation by the English poet and administrator Geoffrey Chaucer.

Alex and Darry (Daryl) had grown up together in Storyville and were bff. Alex was a closeted gay, and when Barry moved into the area when they were in high school, they decided they were attracted to each other and started dating. The problem was, Barry turned out to be very violent and very jealous, even of Darry, and one day he outed Alex. After that, Alex's life became a living hell, and when he left for college, he vowed he would never return to Storyville. The thing was, Darry and his family still live in Storyville and Darry is trying to talk Alex into coming to Storyville during his vacation and attend a Halloween party with him. Will Alex do it? And if he does, how will it go? To find out you'll have to read this compelling short story, and prepare yourself for a roller coaster ride along the way.

Now that sounds like a sandbagger if I ever heard one.