Former Member

Why bother? Just reload the page several times. Much easier with the same effect on the statistics. ;–)

When I was homeless, I encountered way too many people demanding respect while not offering it first (or ever at all)! People hear the slogan, but don’t understand the context. I tried to be very respectful, especially when people were giving me something free (like a meal). I still don’t understand how people can complain when they aren’t paying for something.

That’s the show! My friend sometimes wrote the scripts! I forgot it was on TV! ;–) Not the same guy. ;–)

One thing that distorts the views statistic is that chapters get significantly more views when we check to see each new Comments or Reactions to our Comments. Interesting choice of words! If that were my choice, it would be because I was being very sarcastic and catty. But Canadians are nice, not like rude Americans. Have we corrupted one? ;–)

I’m glad I’m a reader, not a writer. If no one Reacts to my Comments, I might wonder why, but not really worry about it. It doesn’t affect my future decisions to Comment. ;–) If I were a writer, I’m sure I’d be just as polarizing as I am in the Forums. ;–)

You might try asking what your readers think will happen next. Try to turn it into a conversation. One author I follow used to ask questions designed to provoke a response. ;–)

I can’t remember the Brit’s name.

I’m sorry you had that experience. Most authors I’ve talked to have said they get much more interaction here on GA than sites like Nifty. I know that when I used to visit Nifty, I’d try to email authors when I enjoyed a story. I also tried to offer constructive criticism, but was ignored. I find that authors here are more responsive to my Comments and PMs. I don’t have an answer for you. I am puzzled by the appearance of several stories with multiple hundreds of views, but no Comments. Since I am on a limited income, I figure the only way I can ‘pay’ for what I read is by giving feedback to the authors who are providing free entertainment to me. My job is to Comment on what I read. ;–)

Alex has been skating under Donnie & Susie’s radar. They don’t realize what he’s capable of so they don’t focus the scopes on their AK-47s on his behavior like they do with Robbie. And he’s mostly been behaving fairly well since he’s been staying there. Little Mr Chaos (aka Luke) and Robbie seem to provide sufficient cover for Alex too. ;–)

I used to know an astronomer who wrote for a short (5 min?) little radio show that would tell you what to look for in the night sky that evening: meteor showers, planetary alignments, lunar eclipses, and other celestial events. He had also been published in a widely distributed astronomy magazine (at least back in the ‘90s when I knew him). I’d forgotten all about him until I read your response! The story itself didn’t trigger the memory even though he is Gay too. When you write about geologists who specialize in earthquakes, I’ll be able to recall two men from that same general time period. The Gay one was associated with a nearby university and the older straight man used to work for the USGS and was often interviewed on TV after major earthquakes or to comment on quake-related geological reports. And then there’s the sexy blond Brit from that university who they often interview on TV these days (so I can drool over him). ;–)

While viewing the Newest Stories page, I noticed that there are a couple stories where many people have viewed the story, but absolutely no one has Commented. If I read a story, I try to find something to Comment on. I will come up with wild tangents or crazy pairings to keep myself entertained if no one else is saying anything interesting. If there are hundreds of view, why can’t the readers say something, anything, to the author! Are they merely satisfied with the story? Why are they continuing to read new chapters? I admit I haven’t read the stories that fit this description so I don’t know what the quality of writing is, but I’ve read other stories by one of the authors in the past and quality wasn’t a issue. I’m not trying to embarrass any authors, so I’m not mentioning names. I’m just curious about what I see as an odd phenomenon. I’m guessing that once a pattern has been set, no one wants to be the first to break the ice. I know that some of the stories I read get several pages of Comments for each chapter. Others of a similar high quality only get a dozen or fewer per chapter. I know that the length of the chapter/story and the sheer number of readers make a huge difference, but some stories generate more speculation about future developments than others. Does anybody have any insights to share?

Yes, nearly forty years in just five parts. This is a great story with fun protagonists and strong, lasting relationships. We skim along revisiting the protagonists in various significant portions of their lives. An express version of a grand historical saga. ;–)

An interesting premise that combines aspects of at least two different genres in a new and unique manner. As always, Geron Kees creates engaging characters and situations. By the time you get to the end of the tale, you’re desperately searching for the next chapter or a sequel only to discover this is a complete stand-alone story. ;–)

Naturally Alex would immediately jump to the conclusion that Robbie tied up Rory! It’s what he would have done. Somehow, that’s going to bite Rory on the butt… Poor Rory. Such a nice guy, but so misunderstood. Will Alex hit on Rebecca or will he give her his spin on the photos? I just know that Alex is going to be the one who causes problems for Rory, intentionally or not.

But it’s a small town and everybody knows everybody else’s business – there are no secrets in that town (only things they didn’t discuss in public)! ;–)

Are (or were) Ezra’s parents alive? Most grandparents forgive all sorts of ‘unforgivable sins’ when they find out they have a grandchild. I’m surprised that Ezra’s parents never made contact with Sarah and Artie.

This fits my current mood: Good Times by Kyle Dixon & Michael Stein featuring Christine Aprile When We Rise soundtrack I also like Thinking of You by Austin McKenzie from the same soundtrack

I knew it! Adam & Ezra were together at one point! They even had some sort of sex! Adam’s reaction seems appropriate to someone who was victimized by someone who was thought to be a friend/lover. Adam doesn’t have any reason to trust Ezra. And Ezra isn’t giving Adam any new reasons now.

I prefer a less violent resolution. ;–)

But Carlos, you and I are at a very different part of our lives than some who read those angsty stories! ;–)

The heterosexual Australian, Barry Humphries as Dame Edna, refers to her audience as ‘possums.’

What a clever idea! I forgot about Sadie. She certainly knew Ezra back in the day and is likely to know if he’s changed over the years. ;–)

There were several people who told me I ‘present well’ when I was homeless. ;–) That just means my issues aren’t visible to most people. ;–)

Teen Romance as a sub-genre of the Wish Fulfillment genre. That seems about right. Most of the stories are written by authors who want to revise their teen experiences to suit what they believe are wildly different circumstances. But they forget to adjust their reactions and experiences to a level consistent with the age of their protagonists. Of course, there are exceptions to these generalizations. Several of the authors I follow write very realistic teen characters. I do have a few guilty pleasures and one or two that I got so far into that I’m just waiting for the conclusion after a once promising beginning.

My therapists were shocked that I was so Out when I was homeless. Of course, they also couldn’t understand why I couldn’t use that strength to overcome my other problems. But it just doesn’t work that way for me. ;–) I started Coming Out to others in my mid-20s in the mid-‘80s. ;–)