Vcs

Something in the Water is a touching, thought-provoking telling of a people’s history that honors the love of two men.

Graft and Tinsel is the tale of two men living in a low-income flat, though, despite their monthlies, they are winning the battle of survival. This heartwarming story shows that it’s not about how much one has, as long as they have their person.

Throughout offerings by @Topher Lydon readers can readily find drama, suspense, intrigue, well-developed characters and story lines, as well as so much more. In the unique cadence of 13 Hearts, one experiences eerie heart-pounding tension as well. Meet unsuspecting high school students who are drawn into perverse games manipulated by an unknown puppet master. The endgame destroys lives for entertainment and financial gain. Read on to discover who survives the soul-crushing, deadly games and at what cost.

A tender story of two young men: though they meet briefly, their brief encounter has profound effects on their lives, having shared and learned from one another.

An Everlasting Smile is the story of a young boy, Patrick, who has withdrawn into himself as his family breaks apart. Alone and interminably lonely, a schoolmate with an endearing smile becomes his one true friend. As they grow together, young Patrick learns invaluable lessons from his friendship with Philip. Will he, too, learn how to smile?

It’s been interesting going back to chapter 8 with the knowledge of what’s transpired from there to this chapter. Rereading brought to mind so many different images, along with questions about the characters introduced. Who is Hank really? Accountant indeed, sounds like he certainly knows how to settle the books. Then, there’s the Sheriff, a prissy little thing who puts on a good show and apparently sure enjoys his spankings. The scene in the office leaves one to wonder how those two met. At long last, someone has heard Jesse; he’s no longer alone and is safe in the box. To ensure his protection and future, he has to be the piece of meat meant to draw the wolves, as he is the one the wolves are most hungry for.

An absolutely perfect description of a Texas rainstorm, painted beautifully with keystrokes: The stagnant Texas heat didn't just break; it shattered. One moment the air was a wet wool blanket, and the next, a wall of gray water slammed into the windshield of the truck with the force of a physical assault. The wipers groaned, fighting a losing battle against the deluge that turned the world outside into a smeared, flickering ghost of a landscape.

Ben Goes to the Zoo is a touching story of one boy’s love and devotion to his developmentally challenged younger brother. Ben’s brother looks past the limitations and sees the person within, ultimately teaching his own mother true compassion.

The Boy Next Door is a sweet, heart-touching story of a friendship that develops between a grandmotherly neighbor and a young boy. We should all be so fortunate to find that kind of connection in life.

Frustrating, huh? For those of us following the story, it’s well worth the wait. Take a breath, it will come. Meanwhile, thanks for the heads up on Chapter 12 coming out!

Such a heavy burden to be capable of turning stories that readers enjoy so much they want more. 🤗 Started over tonight to refresh and hoping for more chapters soon. The pace is perfect for this: slow, steady, precise, and free of unnecessary verbiage.

W.T.F. Was ZumTeufel Wird Ihre Antwort Sein - Dieter’s Story, although noted as on Long Term Hold, is actually finished. However, the last line leaves the ending as a cliffhanger. In the comments, the author notes that additional stories in the WTF series were written; unfortunately, this is the last one published. In this reader’s opinion, Jenny and Dieter were such an adorable couple that it would have been fun to keep following their path. The author also shared that El Dorado, the 1930s Berlin club, was an actual establishment, before the nazi took over, of course. This reminded me of the movie Swing Kids, which came out in 1993, about the nazi era.

Dieter and Jenny are the sweetest couple! I only wish there were more stories published in the WTF series.

Hands down, W.T.F. Do I Make Of That? is this reader’s favorite in the WTF series. Once again, we enjoy the coupling of Jenny and Dieter. So far, he’s been a true gentleman, just the prince charming that Jenny needed and deserved. Will their relationship deepen?

Hell’s Vengeance: The Incubus is a story that certainly lives up to its name. Horror at its best. Funny, some say Karma is a bitch, but in this tale, readers discover she has nothing on the Incubus.

Exactly as it should be: Sometimes, those do-gooders in Heaven outsource their dirty work to us...

Mancunian spoke of how a street boy captured a man’s heart; well, this story is sure to capture the hearts of all who read it. Amafi Coast is the tale of a close-knit, devoted family created through love and compassion.

A Christmas Story is the tender, sweet story that will tug at the heart of how Chad and Troy, through the spirit of giving, received a most treasured gift for the holidays.

The summer of 1968 is a slow-paced coming-of-age tale, with TJ echoing the thoughts and emotions of so many who struggle to understand their own. At his side is his pooch, the ever-present Rufus, best friend, confidant, and devoted protector. In the hot, humid Tennessee summer of 1968, JT is faced with the challenge of coming to terms with inner secrets he doesn’t feel safe enough to share with anyone but his buddy Rufus. However, in the months ahead in his small town, he discovers he isn’t the only one with secrets. What will be revealed, and how will those unspoken truths affect JT and those around him? As for JT’s secrets, will anyone be able to tell what he’s hiding?

Singing In The Rain, the third installment of the Volvo Tales, is by far my personal favorite in the series. Eryk and Mikey’s story has proceeded with a few life challenges and rewards along the way. Follow along to see how they met each challenge and what life gifted them along the way.

I love A Rainy Night is a sweet little tale of a romance found at a neighborhood bar featuring a blend of characters. Most fun of those has to be Aunt Sally, who deserves a story.

Tommy Banks and the Christmas Miracle serves as a touching tribute to those who so unselfishly give of themselves to others in need. This is a beautifully written, heartwarming story sure to delight readers. Many don’t realize it’s actually quite simple for an individual/family/group to reach out to others by contacting the local aid society to ‘adopt’ a family for the holidays, whether it’s for Thanksgiving, Chanukkah, or Christmas, Kwanzaa, etc. Can’t afford much? That’s okay; the point is to care enough to share, be it groceries for a holiday meal, enough for a week, or maybe a single wrapped gift and a heartfelt card. Prefer the contributions to be anonymous? Arrange with the agency’s staff to drop off the donations so the family in need can pick up your package(s) there.

Sounds like someone I would have enjoyed sharing language skills with! 🤣

Love, love, love this paragraph: There were volcanic combinations of four-letter words…four-letter words with “ing”, other prefix’s and suffixes attached, along with bicycles, nuns, circus acts, sexually impossible acts, further mores, just what’s fucks, along with thunder storms and lightning bolts. It reminds me of an occurrence in high school when the powers that be were informed, they’d be hearing from the Anti-Defamation League and the American Civil Liberties Union. Interesting what effect a little legal action can have on bigots. Poor, pathetic principal was demoted to janitorial staff.

Empty Shoes is masterfully written with heart, compassion, and respect for the victims of such tragedies spoken of. My personal wish would be to see this, as @raven1 so beautifully described, an impassioned plea for reason over extreme ideology, reach the public at large.