Bondwriter

Chapter 8 has the plot getting thicker. Where does Cassie actually stand? Friend or foe? Did she come back on the bright side of the force? I really like the way the story flows, and despite all of Trevor's praise for the editing (thank you ), I must say his storytelling keeps me holding to my armrests. The dialogs are getting better. And warning, this author has gotten into designing EVIL cliff-hangers.

Nice teen marivaudage all the way through. What strikes me is that at no point, though they're friends, do the four of them sit down and talk things out, it always goes on with one-on-one encounters. Glad Andrew can assess he's grown up through hurting. The opening lines of this chapter with the recollection of Hiroshima was great, though it brought to me much wilder ideas about what would happen, since it has become fashionable to have characters have motorcycle accidents or being threatened to be killed by their half-brother lately. So, no physical harm at least. Now I can go read My Jump Off.

So they get some extra vacation, all expenses paid. Not too bad, is it? And some payback with the flashy shirt, thanks to Bob, as Ieshwar pointed out. Still no news from Eric? I

I do. I have my first illustrated novel (my artwork), written at age 7, which was a 'Famous Five' rip-off. Except that it was only two cousins, since I couldn't manage to design a full-fledged cast. They had pet sidekicks, though and defeated some really bad smugglers thanks to their wits (and the animals helped too). Do you own any baseball collectibles?

Happy Birthday!

Happy Birthday!

I'd say, your honor, the court is lenient. Condemning the defendant to one chapter within a month is like condemning Bill Gates to a $10,000 fine. Though for the ordinary man it may seem high, it is not much for someone who publicly confessed knocking a 4,000-word chapter in one hour and an anthology story in 20 minutes. And I'd suggest your court holds in Salem, Massachusetts, where these individuals should be judged.

Why would he? Though they made the point in the skit of the expensive dance lessons and stuff like that, which was comedy, I don't think any point can be made about gays costing more. I had friends who were having their parents buy tons of brand clothes for them and who were straight. I just got what mine could afford, and I hated shopping anyway from a very young age.

Darn, I hat having my nose rubbed in my... for I never ever will be able to write a good story in so little time. Coming after the discussion, there's not much to add. I didn't feel any problem with not having a gay character. Your "family father" voice rings true, and all fathers don't have gay kids. Bob doesn't come across as someone who'd be open to anything besides traditional choices for his daughter, but it's funny to see how you speculated about his homophobia (I didn't think one minute of this when I read the story). I agree with Graeme, the rape situation is reported, so you see it through the eyes of a father, and once you learn about it it's over, it's not like a "real" graphic rape scene.

Oops! Forty miles East, yes. With the Red River in the backyard. But in the front yard, it was flat for miles and miles and miles, and with so few trees! The place wasn't too bad, but you had to drive another 50 or 60 miles east or south east to see some hilly landscapes. Which were beautiful indeed.

Yes, I'm original and creative in my titles! Thanks for stopping by, guys, you rock. Lots of good news today: the lessons I gave in Paris went well, I got some translation job at a proper rate (yeah! good money!), I had lunch with a good friend, and the weather was just perfect: sunny and in the 70s (23

I'm glad you stopped by and commented, Bob, since I thought about you when doing research: Lucien & Andr

You've just put yourself in the position of being harassed until we know about Tyler and Justin. Some bully-bashing would fit me perfectly. (I know, I said it earlier, but it's only the beginning...)

I had exactly the same fear and just wondered how CJ would get around killing his characters in the 1st person. As for the character development issue, CJ seems to want to tell more about his characters through what they do. It works for me.

I think chapter 7 is great, with family drama, sweet romance and then Cassie's utter meanness. I picture her as one of the mean girls in Carrie. These girls get what they deserve in the end. Nice job, Trevor.

Strangely enough, we've had exactly the weather I imagined for my anthology story. Last year at the same time, there was a major heat wave (90

This is where I think more should be said about not fearing one's fantasies. Not for gays only, but for society as a whole. You're better off unleashing your dominant tendencies in a role-play with consenting partners than in bullying employees, or worse, being power-mad and on a corporate board or a government. Actually, I discovered this peculiar kinky interest through fiction (comics, TV series) that featured distress. If you read The Adventures of Simon I posted in eFiction, that's what we aimed at. The lead character is a boy-hero, hence leaving aside any sexual innuendo (well, at least for me, the first host for our site didn't see it this way), and gets into tie-up situations all the time. I wanted to deal with this fantasy for an all-age audience, and I'm proud to say the most touching feedback came from teens the stories made feel good, or at least helped to identify these fantasies as being just that, and not a mean streak that made them evil. In CJames' story (which I imagine you've all read by now, if not, brace yourselves for a breathtaking marathon, because once you begin you can't stop), what is a bit of a turn-off is that the characters are left there to die, and are damn close of getting there. In old comics, the tie-up stuff always hinders the heroes temporarily, and they free themselves or get rescued, so you sigh with relief, after having had these weird feelings as you watched the scene. It doesn't have to be, my friend! The first story I posted in eFiction, The Perils of Mathurin, which was a fiasco in terms of feedback (which doesn't matter since I got tons on other boards/ forums, even from straight people) tries to answer this issue. Having a lengthy (150 pages, only five or six posted here, most of it is in French) bondage story. It is semi-consensual (completely consensual doesn't allow for much action) with twists in the plot, betrayals, deceptions, alliances, and guys bound & gagged at every page. So, thanks for replying, I don't feel like a total weirdo.

If you thought Friday the 13th is bad, you just have to wait for Monday the 16th. This sucks. I hope you can get it fixed without losing all your savings.

Yes, North Dakota is flat and boring. But one can manage to live in such places. I was amazed at how I could have enjoyed living in Minnesota, 40 miles west of Grand Forks when I went to spend a year as an exchange student. But somehow, when you're a high school student, with band activities, sports and a few social stuff, you may have a fun and fulfilling time. I went back ten years ago for Christmas, and as you drive north from Minneapolis, the distances from one town to the other stretch until you can drive fifteen or twenty miles without crossing a town, usually made up of two streets intersecting, with the farm co-op buildings and possibly a grocery store and a bar/ diner. I don't regret my year there, but it's definitely not the place I'd go and settle in. I still love your geographical descriptions. Thanks for the trip.

I think the debate may go on, even after you've added your contribution. You won't shut us up this easily, no siree! One thing I noticed in other heated debates is how much we judge the characters on facts and deeds. In a story (and it doesn't necessarily come across in my previous posts), what matters is how the writer will have you feel about the character. There are tons of stories written by a talented writer in which he makes the reader sympathize with a psycho killer, for instance. That doesn't mean the reader would not be appalled in real life by what the character did.

Glad you guys liked my Communist "terrorists". I actually come from a family that would have had more to see with the de Doriville. And both my grandfathers were named Andr

Actually, yes. I found out about some kick ass heroes for troubled times who deserve (now that I know them better) to have further adventures. And I'm SO looking forward to reading your entry, BSK. The person below me enjoys the sound of the thunderstorm outside.

So you managed to get it written by someone else? And a goddess, no less?

Well, on impulse she chooses to get someone fired, so though this doesn't exactly define a psycho, that's still kind of close!

Not asking for the author's arbitration, but it seems that the way the story is told, Aaron is not presented as just the cute kid who grows up being the bullying-quarterback-to-become-mindless-fratboy. This is what I meant above. Now I'll have to reread Rave Boy. Dang.