Bill W

Gary, thank you for the feedback and for sharing your similar experience. I'm glad you enjoyed the prologue.

Umber comes from French (terre d')ombre or Italian (terra di) ombra, literally ‘(earth of) shadow’, from Latin umbra ‘shadow’ or Umbra (feminine) ‘Umbrian’. While some sources suggest a possible connection to the Italian region of Umbria, where umber was first mined, the prevailing etymology points to the word's relationship to the Latin "umbra" and its meaning of "shade". This is fitting, as the color umber is used in art to create shadows and darker tones. The word "umber" as a noun, referring to a brown color, was first used in English in 1568. Examples of umber used in a sentence: "The wall of umber air thins for a span and the city sharpens." "Cassie can't help turning a deep shade of umber." "I don't use Raw Umber nearly enough." "A mottled umber moth found its way onto a Glasgow window." "For a deeper color burnt umber may be added." "Coal is worked chiefly for lime-burning, and umber is prepared for the manufacture of colors."

This is an intriguing vampire story that focuses around one particular vampire. It seems the vampire witches had made a prophesy about him that claimed he would trigger the awakening and become very powerful at his 50th anniversary or rebirth ceremony, which celebrates the 50 years he'd been a vampire. The prophecy proclaimed that he would somehow share this power with the other vampire families, but what the power was and how this would happened was not foretold. We are privileged to follow this vampire before, up to, and during the ceremony, and it will leave you wanting more!

A collection of varied and intriguing stories that are meant to honor the Master. Rest in Peace, my friend, and thank you for touching our hearts and our lives with your marvelous tales.

Comicality has taken GFD to a very dark place and I wonder where he was taking the franchise next. Was he going to bring the Mimic to the forefront and fulfill the vampire prophecies and start the war, or was he planning to find a way to stop it from happening. This short story, or chapter, was an interesting glimpse at the vampire lifestyle and a chance to read another truly Comicality tale that will leave us wanting for more, when we know that is no longer possible. Thank you for this final offering, Comet, and Rest In Peace, my friend.

A wonderful and imaginative fantasy story about a King's ranger out on patrol just as a big storm is about to hit the area. He finds some travelers who are seeking shelter, because they are not prepared with clothing suitable for the upcoming storm. It describes how the ranger helps them, showing great concern and tenderness as he does so. I'm sure you'll be begging Myr to write more when you reach the end of this brief tale.

Great start to this story, Myr, but there's a lot more than needs to be discovered. If this is a big storm, it means they will be there for days, so I think we'd all like to see how they make out - and that can be taken a couple of ways. I believe that Logan will continue encouraging Finley until he gives in, and I have a feeling that maybe Duncan and Ewan have been fooling around with each other and that's why Logan wasn't hesitant in making his offer. I'm also curious if there fathers will set out looking for them, fearing they were in serious trouble being caught in the storm. Please consider continuing this story, but please don't make us wait until the next anthology before you do it.

Thanks, Chris. I tried to think of a coming of age story that Comicality might have chosen to write about himself, or would simply enjoy reading.

Thanks for the encouragement and feedback, Lee. You're right about Conner, but I think he already knows that you don't disclose information like that, since I'm sure Cooper explained it to him back in New Jersey, possibly when Conner caught Cooper and his friends in various situations , probably not even sexual. The younger kids often pick up a lot of this type of understanding from just watching and listening to their older siblings, but sometimes they still slip up, so I hope that doesn't happen.

Thanks again for the feedback, Chris. I'm glad you found my descriptions of the various members done well enough that you've fallen in love with them. The youngest two seem to have it the easiest though, plus they have the dog, so it should work out well for them. Cooper and Paul found each other due to a mutual physical attraction, although they're both somewhat shy, but hopefully their friendship will grow and expand, because physical attraction lasts only work for so long, unless their aren't mutual interests and goals.

Thanks for the feedback, Lee, and thanks for sharing. I guess in this day and age we've all moved a few times, sometimes to accommodate a growing family and other times for a new job, or possibly even for health reasons. Once the children start school and before they graduate those moves can be difficult on the kids, until the move is in the same general area. I hope you enjoy chapter 1.

Yes, we all are hoping Cooper makes out well... I guess that statement has a dual meaning... 😜. And I think we hope the other kids do well at the same time. Thanks for the feedback, Chris.

A truly emotional story, with realistic and relatable characters that will tug at your heart as you read it. This is an engaging short story that will elicit a wide range of feelings, but will leave you feeling good when you reach the end.

Ian, I thank you for your moving words and I'm sorry you had to experience all of the heartache and loss from having to move so many times, and for the boredom you experienced and the lack of connection to the school setting when you reached high school in a foreign country. I know there is no way my words can channge what you went through during that time, but I hope this prologue not only reminded you of what you endured, but the upcoming chapter will bring you hope and maybe remind you of better times in your life. Thank you for the feedback and for sharing your story with us.

Empath, you have written a truly emotional roller coaster ride in this story, using realistic and relatable characters, and I will describe what I went through using vague general terms so I don't ruin this for others. Your story took me vicariously through your characters from severe disappointment, to a temporary reprieve, then to emotional abuse, to a loss, to another temporary reprieve, to another loss, to total emotional despair, to a new sense of hope, and finally to total happiness. It was personally draining, yet heartwarming and uplifting, and I thank you for this wonderful adventure. Well done, and I agree with @HARRYWALTER, Comicality would have loved your story.

Intelligible is of multiple origins. Either (i) a borrowing from French. Or (ii) a borrowing from Latin. Etymons: French intelligible; Latin intelligibilis, intellegibilis "that can understand; that can be understood," In Middle English also "to be grasped by the intellect" (rather than the senses). In English, sense of "capable of being understood, that can be understood" first recorded c. 1600. Related: Intelligibly. The first known use of the word "intelligible" in English was in the 14th century, specifically in the Middle English period. It was borrowed from Latin, with the Latin word "intelligibilis" as its origin. The Oxford English Dictionary's earliest evidence for "intelligible" is from before 1382, in the Wycliffite Bible (early version). Examples of using Intelligible in a sentence: "How much can you leave out while keeping it intelligible, he asks?" " "What we need a program that can display this data in an intelligible form" "While it's clear and intelligible, a musical really deserves at least a stereo soundtrack." "By doing this, it would make the system more intelligible to the general public" "Why is the entire issue of footballers' pay invariably lost in a maelstrom of barely intelligible envy?" "He makes silly films intelligible." "The hurricane of 1938 followed a path that is perfectly intelligible, in retrospect."

I remember either a movie or TV show about "The War of the Worlds", or maybe it was on the movie poster that would have been in the theaters, but wherever I saw it, the mechanical Martian weapons looked very similar to that jumping spider.

You drew me into your story, but you left far too much untold. What was the prophecy? What changes did the transformation make on Judah, besides giving him wings? Why was everyone looking at him with their eyes wide and heir mouths open? There must have been more changes to Judah than just having wings, but what were they? If the prophecy was correct and Judah was meant to give the vampires additional or increased powers, why did the witches tell the others to kill Judah? I hope there will be a follow-up to this story that will answer these questions, because now that you've piqued my interest, I won't be satisfied until I know "the rest of the story"!

Thank you, Chris. I was worried that people might think that I was focusing too much on myself in this story, rather than on Comet, but I knew of no other way to tell this tale. I'm glad that you enjoyed it and realized what I was hoping to portray.

Comicality left this world way too early and far too young, and in the process left some of his stories unfinished. Lee took one of those stories and attempted to bring it to some sort of a conclusion, and he did it in a charming and devilish way that I believe Comicality would have approved of. I urge you to take a look at this short story and see if you agree with me.

Great job, Lee. I think Comsie would have approved at the slightly twisted and devilish way that Adler got revenge on Seth, and then pulled him into a naked make out sessions in a room full of their sleeping friends. Well done!

What a lovely, and comical, story about your young neighbor friend. Those are the types of experiences that will last you a lifetime, and maybe even longer. Thank you for sharing this, Philippe!

This is a beautifully written story about two high school athletes, Bryan and Michael, who are inwardly dealing with their sexuality, while keeping it hidden from everyone around them. You will feel the depth of each character's struggle and the anguish they're going through. You will also jump for joy when you see how their stories play out. Be sure to take a moment to read this wonderful and moving short story.

What a beautiful story MrM. The way you described both Bryan and Michael made me love them, and I could also feel their pain because they believer they couldn't come out. I am ever so grateful that Bryan was able to keep Michael from jumping off the bridge, and I'm glad they had some time together before going off to college. It also makes me wonder how much worse the harassment that Bryan was facing from some of his teammates got after this revelation. I also want to know the treatment that Michael received from the rest of the school once Sylvia outed him. It was a sad, yet sweet, story about Bryan and Michael. Thank you. By the way, I believe Comicality would have loved this story!

Yes, Ian, many of us had a troubled past and it took a long time to come to terms with our sexuality. Unfortunately, you and I took a long time to make peace with it. I'm glad you did and that Comicality was the one who helped you crack the amber. And welcome to GA, a safe harbor with lots of friendly and helpful people.