Conner

Fascinating entry! As a reader, I have never paid attention to "writer prompts". Why would !? These are just "practices". I only want to show up for game day - the serial stories, anthologies, etc. I've been missing out on some good stuff here!

That really didn't work. He was with perhaps the one man who totally repulses him. He's suffering from a massive hangover. So he has sex with Dean?

Ugh! Tough chapter! I don't understand why Coop did things the way he did. I would have talked to CJ first and explained about Liz's firm decision to go to Chicago and re-emphasized that I wanted them to be together. CJ could have still balked at that but at least he wouldn't be feeling that his father was abandoning him without a fight. I suppose Coop is also trying to avoid having CJ totally pissed with his sister for basically making the decision for him. Like I said, Ugh! Totally excellent chapter, Jwolf!! I'm taking you off my MIA list!

Truly an excellent ending, KC! I just loved it. Max is just so adorable. Writing classes??? You mean up until now you didn't know what you were doing? Fooled me easy enough! Anyways, during writing classes, don't you have to write stuff?

I think "wierd" is the kindest and most generous adjective that Derek could have come up with to describe Dr. Baker. Based on that alone, I knew Derek was on the road to recovery. Although, I must say, I will miss his previous "sense of self" a little bit. It was always entertaining. The ending was definitely hopeful. So, yes, you kept your word on that. Happy? Not quite. But the ending did feel right. The closing dialogue between Charlie and Derek was superbly done. It was very moving. Kudos to you, Hamen!!

Happy B-Day, Riley!!

I'm intrigued. Excellent work here and well edited.

However clever and creative, that was shameless self-promotion!! I must say, though, the timing was simply genius. Are you a marketing executive by any chance? Just asking. I never would have guessed Jared in a million years. If there had been a clue in the story, it certainly went over my head. You've set the stage for the last chapter rather admirably. Pins and needles and all that stuff. Great chapter!!

It is not at all realistic to consider the morality of Billy's decision in isolation of his parents' beliefs on homosexuality. There's cause and effect in play here. Is it immoral for a hungry child to steal a loaf of bread? In any event, there's nothing immoral about self-preservation - not in this case at least.

You've set up the next chapter rather nicely, KC!! Can't wait for it.! I don't recall where Max is on the "out" scale. That may have to be a consideration. Hopefully, it'll be for the best, longterm anyways. So Max is at the auction as Rocket's "date"? Did I get that right? Great chapter, KC!!

Congratulations, Nephy!! Well done!

Dean is a douche. Ok, here's the opening script for the next chapter: a punch to Dean's solar plexus which doubles him over, a knee to his head breaking his nose, followed by the la piece de resistance - a twirl around karate kid kick to the cojones. I'll leave the details to you. Do NOT let me down!!

Jealousy has a pretty bad rep as far as human emotions go. It seems we have to feel guilt or shame for having this emotion. Well, I disagree. It is a human emotion and if we feel it, we feel it. It's what we do with it, how we act or not act on it that is important. From what you've said here, you have identified it, you've looked it squarely in the eye and have seen it for what it is. It's not serving you. As for your pic, some of us never looked for a face. We got stuck on the buttons. lol

Here's a little "trick" that I use to help me deal with those repetitive thoughts that some of us have - thoughts that tend to leave us out of sorts. A little background first. Our brains can be trained. A simple example is tying your shoelaces. When we first learned how to tie our shoes, we had to really focus on what we were doing. Soon enough, though, after considerable practice, we "master" this little action - to the point where we can be carrying on a conversation with someone or thinking about what to make for dinner and the shoes get tied without any particular attention. Now this is a deliberate training. Unfortunately our brains sometimes get trained in a way that isn't so deliberate. A good example is anchors. We all have anchors - something that triggers a thought, a feeling, a memory. "Smells" are a good example of anchors. The brain will always respond to the anchor in the same way - good, bad or indifferent. It's been trained to do it. It would be extremely helpful if we all knew what our anchors are; but that is not always the case. But, like anything else, we can get better and better at it. If the brain can be trained, it can be un-trained. Or even better, re-trained in a more deliberate way. Here's a personal example. As a child, I was a bed wetter. It drove my mother to distraction. It also really pissed her off. It got to a point where she started to threaten me that she would put me in a diaper and make me go outside where all could see me. She would say to my older brother, "Jimmy, go get all your friends and bring them over here." I don't think I need to go into the fear and anxiety that that created within me. In that simple instant, my brain "anchored" the sound of my mother's threatening tone to those feelings. I also got into the habit of replaying that whole scenario in my head over and over again - I think I thought I could somehow change the ending, but, of course, that never happened. It always ended the same way. So here's the trick I was taught to help me out here. Whenever the scenario popped into my head, I played it out this way - my mom was dressed in a clown costume, painted face and all; I shrunk her to about 3 feet tall; I would have her jumping around up and down in a rather silly way all the while saying silly stuff. I would run that scene in fast forward - very comical. The scene would end with me throwing a pail of water on her and she'd melt a la Wizard of Oz. Now I had to practice that repeatedly until my brain finally gave in and said, "Ok, I can play it like that." Now I can just get a chuckle over it. So be creative. Start with something that is easier to deal with - not your worst memory...and practice it until your brain surrenders.

Thank you for saying this, Celes. I've been wanting to say something similar but I kept having this video playing in my head where Marky heads out to his tool shed and grabs his axe. That said, though, there are many members who have contributed a part of themselves to this thread who deserve the same recognition. I thank you all for that.

Derek didn't take the Camero! What was he thinking? That boy is definitely out of sorts. I was disappointed Derek didn't want to "talk" to Andrew. I like the "gentle giant". He seems to have a wisdom beyond his years - something Derek is short on right now. Nice touch that Andrew is "Big, fat and ugly". Made me laugh. I must say that Mrs. H is one big disappointment. Hanging on to the spurious and romanticized belief that her "real" husband would one day show up....well, it makes me nauseous. Derek calling his uncle was a complete surprise. I'm glad he did. I'm most definitely looking forward to that conversation. Great chapter, Hamen!!

I love vampire stories. You're doing a great job here. I'm guessing Sean will need a period of adjustment! I liked the way the chapter opened and closed with the same sentence. Neat!

Great love scene! Sensual, erotic with just the right amount of urgency. A cigarette would be good right about now.

It was a nice twist to have Jacob "unchained". In fact, hearing how all the main characters fared was quite enjoyable. Thanks for the story.

Happy B-Day, Kyle!!

I know you won't comment on plot direction.....but....it's got to be Ugly Davey! I refuse to believe anything else. I'm dying to see how this all unfolds. Super chapter, Emdee!!

I can't wait until we have a scene where all four of the guys are in the same room...with no exits of course. Looking forward to more, intune!!

Only a good storyteller could have pulled off the nasty nasty ending to this chapter! You had me believing Derek's interpretation of Chalie hugging Travis. Believing it as in hook, line and sinker. Having Derek sacrifice his own happiness for Charlie's would be totally consistent with the last several chapters. BUT one of the reviewers kindly quoted Charlie from their last encounter at The Spot. You sly dog! Allow me to caution you here - a quote from Shakespeare no less, "The evil that men do long lives after them; whilst the good is oft interred with their bones." Well, you are sort of evil, you know! Such dastardly things you do to your readers. I loved the way Derek stood up to his father. Great scene! The "interogation" scene was absolutely hilarious...beginning with Rebecca and her axe - shades of "I never leave home without it" - to the officer's question to Mikee to which he responds something like, "I love murder mysteries." I was truly disppointed to see that scene end. As always, great chapter, Hamen!!

Upon reading the chapter tittle, I thought I would be reading long descriptions of frilly dresses, wedding music and such. I thought you dealt with the wedding rather efficiently. A rolling bride gathers no moss! My favourite line..."Twisted logic was a strong point of mine." It does prove to be the source of much of his...uhmmm....entertainment. I mean things would get dull at the manor, you know. We can't have that. I believe it's also very much to James' credit that he accepts that his logic is twisted. Honest self-examination, so long as it's not overly done, would benefit us all! Another thoroughly entertaining chapter, Marky!!

Definitely squealing!! Super-duper chapter and a real holiday treat! Thank you. Frankly, I would have been hugely disappointed if Parker hadn't turned out to be Max. I'm wondering if Percy will tell Max that he was lusting after him while he was lusting after his other ...him. Too funny! I think Max will love it - he's the winner either way! Ok, you're not evil anymore!