Bill W

Interesting story and I really enjoyed it. Out of the mouths of babes comes pearls of wisdom. My mother-in-law always used a lot of garlic, and we not only enjoyed it, but it seemed to keep us healthy as well, because none of us seemed to come down with colds during the winter once she and my father-in-law came to live with us, and that covers several years.

A cute story and very touching how the collection started. I had a thing for Swedes after a family moved into our area when I was in high school. The father had been transferred there for work, and they guys had such wonderful blonde hair and blue eyes. In fact, their blond hair was lighter and more yellow in color than any other blond in the area, except for the females that dyed their hair, but I don't collect gnomes. They're not blondes. 🤪

What a cute story. I found it very enjoyable.

What a cute story and a wonderful tribute to your friends. There were times when I laughed and times where I felt sad for the characters, but I enjoyed every second of this story. Thank you for sharing this semi-personal story with us.

A sad and moving story. Thanks for writing it, Val.

This wasn't what I was expecting when I began reading this story, Addy, but I loved it. What could be better than a little magic for Christmas. Thank you for writing this cute story.

I'm glad you threw that curveball at the end, because despite what you told everyone else, I was about ready to advise Cole to leave Taran as quickly as possible. Glad I was wrong. Thanks for the interesting story, Cole.

Cute story, Val. I just wish it was that easy to meet a prospective partner at the grocery store. Maybe I need to go shopping more often.

The word nostalgia comes from the Greek words nostos ("homecoming") and algos ("pain"). The Swiss physician Johannes Hofer coined the term in 1678 to describe the homesickness of Swiss mercenaries fighting away from home. The earliest known use of the word "nostalgic" in English was in 1782, in the writings of T. Arnold. The word was formed by adding the suffix "-ic" to the word "nostalgia".

The birth of a volcanic island and it didn't even need a midwife. And then the squatters moved in - seals, puffins, and many species of birds, and the soil was perfect for plant life to spread from surrounding areas. Isn't Mother Nature wonderful?

Canine is derived from the Latin word canis (dog) and caninus and from French. It entered English in late Middle English. The earliest known use of the word canine is in the early 1600s. OED's earliest evidence for canine is from 1607, in the writing of Edward Topsell, Church of England clergyman and author. Canine teeth: The canine, also known as the cuspid, is a tooth located in all four quadrants of the mouth as the third tooth from the midline (central incisor > lateral incisor > canine). It is a sharp tooth with a single cusp, designed to tear or pierce food. In real life, many animals use their canine teeth to fight off predators and mating rivals. However, humans have smaller canines than many of these animals. The size and shape of our canine teeth is one trait that we share with the group called hominins.

Addy, another wonderful telling of this story and you've given us the closure we were craving. Thank you for this wonderful and exciting, although sometimes gruesome, tale.

This is part four of the Sparkle Anthology. The first part, "Zaidu", was posted on 3/932016, part two, "Adam", was posted on 6/9/2016, and part three, "Oliver", was posted on 11/10/2016. This part ties together the first three parts and shows the culmination of the efforts of the three characters. You will even discover where the term "sparkle", in the anthology's title, comes from. This part is just as well-written and vivid as the other three parts and it will give you closure. Don't miss out on reading the final part of this story.

This is the third part of the Sparkle Anthology. The first part, "Zaidu", was originally posted on 3/9/2016, and the second part, "Adam", was originally posted on 6/9/2016. In this part, Oliver, the young man mentioned in the two previous parts, has his own story told and we learn what happened to him after the night Adam had been beaten upon Oliver's father's orders. Oliver has now become a very skilled warrior, and the battles he's a part of are very vivid, intense, and powerfully written. If you've enjoyed Parts one and two, then you can't stop now! You must read this part as well, because you will hate yourself if you don't follow up with these characters and learn what is going on.

I love the power in your writing, Addy, and you make it so vivid that I can envision everything you're saying. The battle scene was intense and the three characters have come together perfectly. Bravo!

This is the second part of the Sparkle Anthology. The first part, Zaidu, was posted on 3/9/2016. This part vividly tells the story of the character, Adam, that was introduced at the very end of the first part. In this part, we first meet him as a seven-year-old and follow different episodes in his life as he grows old. This part is just as well-written and captivating as the first part, so do yourself a favor and continue reading this brilliant and imaginative story.

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Addy, your writing was so vivid I felt as if I was watching a movie, even through the gory and twisted parts of the story. How many times will they torture this poor boy? First, making him watch his mother burn at the stake, and then that horrible beating. Very well done. Kudos.

Through the millennia, countless cultures have been willing to sacrifice their children, their first-borns, to whatever god they worshipped. Did the children become servants of the gods or were they merely sacrificed and passed into death. This story explains what happened during the worship of Lamashtu. This story is well-written, creative, and compelling, so if paranormal fantasy stories with blood-sucking demons is your thing, then be sure to read this amazing story.

A fantastic, compelling, and imaginative story about a sad and tortured protagonist. Brilliantly done, Addy. You had me hooked.

It's always difficult when there's a co-worker that you don't get along with, especially after you've tried to reach out with friendly gestures only to be rebuffed. But what happens when you're thrown together in a situation that neither of you has any control of? How do you handle it and how does it turn out. That is the situation here, so read this powerfully written story to see what the relationship is like and how it turns out.

Cyril's original attitude toward his coworkers may have been a defensive mechanism. If no one likes him and he is rude and snarky without going over the top where they might be able to report him to HR, then that will keep them from butting into his private life and allow him keep his secret. What exactly happened? Did Cyril make Fred late for his dinner engagement and Fred threw him out? Or did Fred abuse Cyril again and this time Cyril left Fred and has showed up on Stuart's doorstep? Does Cyril even admit to Stuart about the reason he's there? Too often the abused person will end up going back with the abuser, so is that what happens here? Or does Stuart help Cyril break free of Fred, possibly even getting Cyril to report the abuse to the police? And if Cyril does make a clean break with Fred, does he stay with Stuart or look for someone or something else? You've stopped too soon and left too many questions unanswered.

We all have to live with the decisions we make in life, even when those decisions are based on what someone else wants, rather than what we desire. This story pointedly demonstrates that decision making process, but what choice will the main character make? You'll have to read this short story to find out.

We all have to live with the decisions we make, even when those decisions are based on what someone else wants, rather than what we desire. Hopefully Brady will eventually get the courage to follow his heart, before it becomes too late and he is left to live with regrets.

We all have to live with the mistakes we make, although some mistakes are not as life changing as others. When Kevin discovers why his boyfriend Mark keeps ditching him at parties, Mark has to live with what he's done. You'll have to read this story to discover what occurred and what happens to Mark and Kevin afterward.