Hero

It was a very real reunion, one that didn't quite work as Stef said, “This was a failed experiment.” and that does kinda make it sad. I guess coming out late in life is a big handicap, the only stories Sebastian had ever seen about people coming out late in life were usually dismal, and ultimately they’d wind up alone. But who's to say you end up as a couple, or if you do, that it lasts. That is destiny, desire, and a willingness to give up some of the stuff you wanted for yourself, even a lot of those things. A lasting relationship is built on compromise, in a very real way it's somewhat artificial and becomes comfortable like the home you've lived in for years.

Africa, a huge continent with huge disparities and countries where they would kill you for being gay. How do you reconcile that? ‘I’ve never really paid attention to all the shacks out here... so many people live in them. Like, I don’t know what it’s like not to have electricity and water. And the country’s been free for more than a decade but you look at that and think there’s been so little progress.’ I have the impression a lot of African countries have gone backwards, South Africa, I don't know, its had its Angolan war, conscription, and is still very much divided, rich whites, poor blacks, apartheid has gone, but like America, the problems don't just disappear with the wave of a magic wand!

And this: it was a long, slow, gentle thing, a kiss that sighed, searched, afraid of itself even as it yearned to erupt into something more. Plus, as far as I could tell, the universe was comprised of only me and him holding onto each other and the soft sweet sensation of falling, slowly falling, down an unending shaft of starlight. Simply beautiful narrative descriptions which embody a sublime tenderness. This gives me the impression of reading a classic novel by an acknowledged author. Superb!

Rob even joined us once, but then texted afterwards that he couldn’t move a chess piece without wanting to burst into tears, and had taken to bed with anti-inflammatories and a PlayStation. That made me laugh. Tamboerskloof, Theewaterskloof, Franschhoek, I thought the British won the Boer War, what happened to all those English named towns? I guess all the English stayed in Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, East London and Durban? This is a story with education - Gesondheid! Bajabule! Impilo! Nqa! Pholo e ntle!’ Impilo enhle! Bophelo bjo bobotse! Cheers!

It's definitely the writing of a professional author (even if it doesn't earn you anything). The descriptions roll off the page like ice cream melting in the mouth. You have real talent!

This book was excellent, so well crafted, the story like a puzzle where you are not ever certain how all the pieces fit together. You search to see if a piece fits where you think it might. You hope certain pieces fit together as you are swept up in the emotions. During the whole time you are transported to another world evoked with great skill. In the end the puzzle is complete, all the pieces come together, and there you are, looking at a beautiful picture with a certain satisfaction and a wonderful feeling. All this thanks to a marvellous author who has created such magic!

Great book, nice ending, loved it!

That the story is set in South Africa is

OMG! What a cliffhanger...

Oh no! I thought the Aussies were big on this.

I read with interest the review comments (Amazon) on the book, which left some questions about the story and to answer those one needs to read on.

The author notes you add turn this into a very intimate story, one in which I have the impression of watching the story unfold almost at the same time as these little insights reveal the author writing it.

Mostly readers are looking at Giaco and Marco, and deciding which one is good, who is at fault, is Giaco untrustworthy and playing, is Marco jealous and manipulating? Who is doing what to whom? I'm blaming Dani in all this, I don't see him as Dani the hero, but Dani the boy who wants to avoid getting hurt, who wavers and sways with the slightest breeze. Dani is the problem here, not Giaco, nor really Marco, but of the three of them the most honest and caring is Giaco. What more could he do? He has gone as slowly and carefully as he could with Dani, no pressure, and when Dani stuck a knife in his heart and twisted it, telling his boyfriend he didn't trust him, and that after sleeping together on the mountain top, Giaco simply walked away and left him. For me, Giaco is the hero and the selfless, not Dani and certainly not Marco!

For what it's worth my thoughts are that Marco is undeniably in love with Dani, so his reaction to the news he slept with Giaco is very understandable. This raises doubts for Dani about Giaco, but these doubts he has had all along the way. Giaco, I believe, is not playing with Dani, but neither am I sure about how he really feels only because I don't think he knows himself. I don't think Giaco reflects on life like Dani and Marco do, he doesn't ask himself those deep questions. I think he just goes with the flow and his feelings at the time, and going with the flow means you might wash up anywhere! Is anyone selfish, is anyone selfless, as the title poses the question?

"Sebastian was about a third of the way through a seven part youtube video essay on the behind-the-scenes development of the Muppets…" Well, I'm sorry, but that cracked me up. Not that I don't like Kermit and especially Miss Piggy, but who the hell watches a seven part video about how it was all put together? You gotta be really bored or a fanatical fan. But it's a great throw away piece of info!

"...and the rest was so many stars in the darkening sky." Beautiful!

My reaction is that you wrote the final scene between Giaco and Dani brilliantly, that you described their budding relationship with tenderness and respect. The whole encounter was one of the heart and never fell into the often over described sexual encounters in some stories.

This was a discovery, rather apt: the CAROSA FOUNTAIN 1928 AD - THE PATHS OF LADY CHATTERLEY These are the paths where David Herbert Lawrence, during his stay on the Amalfi Coast, loved to walk and where he imagined Lady Chatterley's meetings with her lover took place. https://www.discoverscala.com/en/nature/fontana-carosa-en.html

i really enjoy writing these setting description chapters. it's so much fun. That is one of the huge strengths of this story, those narrative descriptions, I really enjoy reading them and take my time to laguidly soak up the atmosphere. I could see the twinkling light, feel the still warm sand between my toes, and hear the soft lapping of the ocean along the shore line.

I found your photos and wanted to share them with other readers (hope that's okay). https://jamescarnarvon.home.blog/influences-and-locations/

Feedback: sometimes I feel a bit insecure that my writing isn't sexual or heated or passionate. I didn't really do a lot of reading around this site because I am pretty easily influenced, and I wanted my writing to not be shaped by what other people were doing. Your writing is all good, sexual, heated, passionate, happens when or if it happens, this is good the way it is. Good move not to get influenced by other authors, stories, you have your own style. Talking about style, you write in a particular way and use expressions and words in a way I wouldn't. Examples: "...though his eyes maintained on Iggy..." for maintained I would have written, stayed. "Just because he was down to smoke..." I would have written, up for a smoke. That makes me smile simply because it's the opposite. But, hey, it's the way you write, it's become your style and it's all good.

Loved it!

Feedback, but first you got to know I love the story: March 6th, 12:15PM I would add - 3 days earlier. It's nothing really, but saves looking back at the date. i am kind of over the "traditional religious household trauma" storyline, I'm pleased that is not in here simply because it's very particular to the USA and just kind of doesn't exist in Europe. Sure, there is a Christian, Catholic, right-wing, those who took to the streets protesting against same sex marriage, but even if it looked like lots of people it is no where near the 25% of evangelists making up the America population. And religion in Europe is really no big deal, most people don't even think about it, and anyway, which religion, Hindu, Seek, Muslim, Catholic, Protestant, Buddhist, Jehovah's Witnesses ... sometimes talking to her did wear down on his mortality. just love your narrative descriptions, these little gems are unique!

Fantastic!

"I'd written the whole thing over the course of a week, hated it, and then proceeded to rewrite it " Well your effort paid off!