Bill W

I was really getting into this story. I loved the characters, I loved the setting, and I loved the premise - and then hot damn, it was over. I was hoping this story would be continued, since I wanted to see how Timon and Joneh would manage in a strange part of their world. Then again, we have people like that in our world as well, so I guess I shouldn't have been surprised.

Yes, Thirdly, Tomas is still alive, since he didn't go on this venture, but will he seek revenge for his cousin's death?

You weren't the only one who felt that way and had to look up the term "steampunk."

A very enjoyable story about some of the members of two families that had known each other since they were very young at a masquerade party. You'll find a little mystery, some romance, and some surprises along the way, so sit back and enjoy this intriguing story.

Enjoyed the story, and just out of curiosity, is this where you got the idea for some of the costumes?

Yes, @Thirdly, I thought the same thing. If only Caleb had figured out Carel's orientation sooner, he and Derek could be well established by now, although Carel would still have lost out.

Must be Caleb didn't know his brother was straight!

The term "dystopian" comes from the Greek words "dys-" (meaning "bad" or "difficult") and "topos" (meaning "place"), combined with the suffix "-ia". It essentially means a "bad place" and is used to describe a fictional society characterized by undesirable or frightening conditions, often as the opposite of a utopia. The term "dystopia" was popularized in the 19th century, with John Stuart Mill using it in a parliamentary speech in 1868 to critique the Irish land policy, contrasting it with the utopian ideals of Thomas More. While "dystopia" is the more common term, another Greek-derived word, "cacotopia" (meaning "bad place"), was also proposed as an antonym for utopia. The adjective form, "dystopian," as used in its current sense, was first recorded in the 1960s, specifically in 1962 by C. Walsh, according to the Oxford English Dictionary. While Mill's use of the term was in the context of political commentary, the term "dystopian" as a literary genre emerged later, with works like Yevgeny Zamyatin's "We", and later, George Orwell's "1984" and Aldous Huxley's "Brave New World," becoming key examples of the genre. Examples of the word "dystopian" used in a sentence: "Like the novel, it portrays Gilead, a dystopian society not too far in the future." "I'm not an Internet utopian, but I'm not an Internet dystopian either." "The novel conjures up a lawless dystopian world of youth violence and institutional mind manipulation." "In Lee's dystopian vision of the world of entertainment, television is all-powerful and all-corrupting." "Cyberpunk was known for dystopian futures with alienated loners who lived on the fringes of society." "The movie was released in 1982 as a dark "film noir" look at a dystopian corporate future in 2019 (which looks remarkably like 2005)." "The story is set in a dystopian future in which an overpopulated world solves the problem by allocating people only one day per week."

Unlike some of the other readers, I didn't see this story in quite the same negative light that they did. Yes, the antagonist used some very deceptive methods, and the protagonist failed to heed many of the warnings that he'd been given while growing up, topics that were most likely discussed on multiple occasions. Maybe those warnings had even been harped on prior to this encounter, but I didn't see the story in a completely negative light. Since there was never any physical contact and no one was forced to do anything, I feel the antagonist only wanted to help a young gay boy accept who he is and to eliminate the feelings of shame about his attraction to other boys. You, however, will have to judge for yourself, but I found the prose and descriptions wonderfully written, and it was merely the subject matter that made others uneasy, often, it seems, to the point of being overcome by an emotional reaction.

When we first met Morris, and Lucas talked about the bubble of silence that seemed to keep out the normal sounds of life continuing on around them, I felt that possibly Morris was some sort of a mage, maybe even a demon or the devil himself. However, I like @Lee Wilson didn't immediately take an evil intent from Morris. Sure, Lucan failed to heed the warnings he'd been given while growing up and managed to cross numerous barriers that should have stopped him, but with what we read, I felt Morris was merely attempting to help Lucan become comfortable with being gay. Maybe that's why Morris was attracted to Lucas in the first place, and since the black and white photo that hung in Morris' home was of him when he was younger, maybe he'd had the same shame when first realizing he was gay that he wanted to help Lucan overcome that same shame - first with his naked body and then in the fact that he was attracted to other boys. I don't know who the Secret Author is, since as @kbois pointed out, he seems to be from the UK, not the US, but I don't feel the author would have gone any further than this, now that Lucas was able to accept himself for who and what he is - a gay boy.

This is an intriguing look at a very dark period for the gay population, one that older readers can identify with and younger readers can gain a better appreciation for what the elder gay generations endured. However, this story is not all about the dark times and shows the growth and emergence of a gay person with a vision and a goal, one where he worked very hard to attain success and fulfillment, while also navigating those rocky waters .

I remember this time well and it was very scary. It's good to get a more personal view of Rock Hudson, and it's a shame he died so young. I know the revelation that he had AIDS sent a shiver throughout all of Hollywood, because at the time the cause and how it was spread wasn't entirely known. This lead to speculations that you could get AIDS by just kissing someone infected, shaking his hand, or even eating using the same utensils and dishes. A scary time indeed, and it's nice to see that this Secret Author managed to flourish during these dark times. Thank you, Secret Author, for writing this sensitive and endearing story.

The word "exquisite" originates from the Latin word exquisitus, meaning "carefully sought out" or "choice". It is derived from the verb exquirere, which combines ex ("out") and quaerere ("to seek"). In essence, the etymology of "exquisite" highlights the idea of something being carefully selected or searched for, leading to its modern meaning of something exceptionally fine, beautiful, or refined. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "exquisite" first appeared in English around the year 1460. It is a Middle English word, borrowed from the Latin "exquisitus". The OED's earliest example is from the writings of John Fortescue, a political theorist and judge. The word entered the English language in the early 15th century, initially meaning "carefully selected". Examples of "exquisite" used in a sentence: "He chose his words with exquisite care." "Her singing voice is truly exquisite." "Scroll down to tour the exquisite home and see the full listing on Realtor.com here." "Much of the work happens in just a small portion of the stage's square footage, and the dancers are exquisite." "The words issuing from her lips gave exquisite pleasure as they flowed over him." "Some of this softening should probably be understood as a reaction to the sheer beauty of these exquisite exhibition spaces."

A light-hearted and cleverly written coming out story. It's short and well written, so do yourself a favor and read it.

I love how the secret author played two events off against each other, the breaking of the Miku statue and the book that revealed Jeff was gay. Ryan was feeling so guilty about breaking the statue that he hadn't even noticed the book, and when it was brought to his attention, it took a while before he realized that it meant Jeff was gay. Well done, Secret Author.

The word "diatribe" traces its origins back to ancient Greece. It comes from the Greek word diatribe, meaning "pastime, study, or discourse." This in turn, derives from diatribein, which means "to thoroughly wear away" or "to spend time." The modern sense of a bitter, abusive attack developed over time, possibly from the idea of a long, exhausting discourse that "wears away" the listener. The word entered English through Latin and French, with the French disatribe already carrying the ssense of invasive, according to the Online Etymology Dictionary. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the word "diatribe" was first used in English in the late 1500s, specifically in the year 1581. The OED's earliest evidence for its use comes from a translation by James Bell. Examples of "diatribe" used in English: "Our manager privately subjected a few of us to a lengthy diatribe about how terrible the company's new policy is." "I'd prefer a reasoned argument to the diatribes that typically litter the newspaper's editorial page." "He launched into a long diatribe against the lack of action in Congress." "A few years later I took my revenge by writing a diatribe against presentiments." "I won't bother repeating his words, suffice to say they are the usual offensive diatribe." "Somewhat rambling diatribe against the education offered by Balliol as being unsuitable for today's young men. [8] H. Fairbrother to BJ."

Thank you, @Ticklishboy30. I believe Mac will be able to handle Clint without giving in. Yes, Bailey has caught on to the Mac/Bear similarities, but Preston will find someway to get Bailey over the hump when the boys go home for Christmas break and when they leave for good after graduating. As far as finding jobs close by, there's nothing in the area that they boys are interested in pursuing, because those jobs are all in Texas and California, and maybe a few in Florida. We'll see what happens, but those are the basic facts.

Seeing this photo, it's easy to see how they got their name. I didn't realize they were such craftsmen, err chaftsspiders that they could construct the trapdoor in such a way that it had a lip on it, and then it also created a matching lip around the hole so the trapdoor didn't fall all the way down the hole when it closed. That would take more planning and creativity than I thought spiders were capable of. That make me wonder if any spider might be capable of planning revenge against a human that killed its spouse? And if it happens to be a poisonous spider, that could man a bite and injecting more poison than usual.

I'm sure Clint is working on finding one, although he is currently fixated on Michael, but it seems Mac isn't about to give in. Yes, at our age, and I'm assuming your a senior citizen as well, any food the looks good and tastes delicious is usually bad for our diet or our health in general.

Lee, you must remember back when you were Clint's age and how difficult it was to keep pressing about doing something, maybe not sexual though, even though someone tole you to stop. Clint's the same way. Yes, I was surprised that no one commented about my using there term "animal magnetism" earlier in the comment section. I thought it was an apt term to use at that point.

The word "serendipitous" derives from "serendipity," which was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. He formed it based on the Persian fairy tale, The Three Princes of Serendip, where the heroes make unexpected discoveries. "Serendip" itself comes from the Arabic name for Sri Lanka, Sarandib, ultimately from Sanskrit. Walpole created the word "serendipity" to describe the gift of making fortunate discoveries by accident, inspired by the fairy tale. Therefore, the adjective "serendipitous" signifies something found or happening by chance, often with a positive or fortunate outcome. The noun "serendipity," which was coined by Horace Walpole in 1754. Walpole created "serendipity" based on the Persian fairy tale "The Three Princes of Serendip". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the word serendipitous was first used in English in the 1950. Specifically, the OED's earliest evidence for the adjective "serendipitous" is from 1958, in the Times Literary Supplement. The word is formed by adding the suffix "-ous" to the noun "serendipity". Examples of "serendipitous" used in a sentence: *"Early examples of organic reactions and applications were often serendipitous." *"To some degree, the delays in the production proved serendipitous." *"In a serendipitous coincidence, the Arts Council's new plan included a focus on criticism as an art form." *"The comet was thus a serendipitous discovery, but one that quickly overshadowed the results from their main observing program." *"I bit my lip as a whisper started in my head, suggesting that such a serendipitous phone call could only mean that things were looking up." *"And in a serendipitous twist of fate, he is now in a position to offer my band discounted studio time at a local recording studio." Examples of "serendipity" in a sentence: "You might say this is serendipity, but you really have to make these things happen." "Evolution seems to proceed not by design but by chance and serendipity." "Success often depends on serendipity and clues turned up by other investigations." "His work still evokes the dreaminess and serendipity of a stroll through the streets.: "Through a bit of serendipity, I was asked to give my take."

Yes, Bailey may have figured it out, but I doubt she'll tell anyone else. 😜

You made some good points, but since Preston told Mac all of those examples of possible shape shifters throughout history, he might be receptive and understanding if he suspected their capabilities, rather the condemning it.

Since I've received comments about concerns over Preston, I thought it would be good to have him join the Thanksgiving celebration that Devin and Mac were having for Lonny and Clint. He also joined them at the football game, so maybe this will ease people's fears about what he might be up to.

The word obsolescence is the noun form of the more common obsolete, meaning "something no longer used." Both words stem from the Latin obsolēscere, which means, logically enough, "to fall into disuse." The prefix "ob-" in obsolescere likely means "toward" or "against," and "solescere" is connected to "solere," meaning "to be accustomed". According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the noun "obsolescence" was first used in English in the 1830s. Specifically, the earliest evidence for its use in the OED is from 1832, in Noah Webster's dictionary. The term is also closely related to the adjective "obsolescent," which appeared even earlier, around the mid-1700s. Examples of the word "obsolescence" used in a sentence: *"Once cell phones became equipped with visual tools, regular cameras became an obsolescence in the technological industry." *"It was proven that the unused floppy disks were an obsolescence when they could not even be given away at a garage sale." *"As I was cleaning out the office supply closet at work, I knew the shelf containing items of obsolescence like typewriter ribbon could be tossed out. " *"Due to the obsolescence of the car’s transmission, the mechanic knew he couldn’t purchase the needed transmission from any manufacturer in the world." *"Since the granite countertops were such an obsolescence in the neighborhood homes, the builder knew he would need to upgrade to higher quality materials like marble." *"The chief reason is not economic geography - the obsolescence of cities built to look to the sea or the coal fields." obsolescence