centexhairysub

Well, chapter 15 was excellent as always but sort of bittersweet as well. I had wondered how long it would take before there was a split within Clara and Wally's household between Gathan and Ella and the others. It actually took longer than I thought. Zach is starting to remind me more and more of Billy, and not in a good way. Zach just seems to like to start s&*t just for the sake of doing so. I really like how both Gathan and later John handled Zach's behaviour. I am really glad that Will and Stef are getting some one on one time together. It is good to see Will connecting with his past in such a positive manner. I don't always agree with Stef's attitudes and behaviour but Will needs someone to be blunt and honest with him. I am glad they seem to be connecting. JP's worry over the cancer seems to be over-ridden by his fear or concern about Kristen Hendrickson. I wonder when that secret will come out as well. That is something that will either have a major impact on all the families or everyone will just go " eh "; but with this story, I am betting on an explosion... Glad that Robbie is going to France as well, maybe he and Brad can purge all the bad feeling from before... Keep up the great work Mark.

Well, even with some of them do owe Granger, with England and Spain at war; I am not sure they wouldn't still be forced to take Granger and his crew captive. Now, once he gets to land, his Spainish connections might be able to help but... I rather think that once there is any wind Granger's ship becomes much more manuverable than the xebec and that more than anything will turn the tide. I rather like to think that Granger will be master of his own fate.

I loved chapter 9 of St Vincent. I am amazed at how well Mark is able to capture the feel of battle and the detail of warfare from so long ago. I just really believe that Mark's writing on the Bridgemont series is exceptional. Just when I thought that Granger might suffer his first defeat, Mother Nature decides to intervene. I am sure that with the next chapter, Granger will complete yet another victory. I just hope that he cost isn't too high. I wish we knew what the issue was with Lord Chartley. There has to be a reason that he is acting this way that we aren't aware of. Granger is on the same social level and almost on the same level militarily, so it can't be just annoyance at having to deal with a lesser personage. I wonder if there is something in the past that Granger either doesn't remember or isn't aware of. I think Lord Chartley may turn out to be a very important person in Grangers life, just a feeling. As always, great job Mark, and can't wait for the next chapter of this amazing story...

Well, I really enjoyed this latest chapter of Poor Man's Son. I really am enjoying the dual narration and find it growing on me more and more with each passing chapter. I like the fact that we are getting basically two stories in one. I found myself thinking back to when Stef went back to Paris with others and showed them where he came from and how that ended up having repercussions on future stories and wonder if this one will??? I thought that Stef and Will's conversation was just pitch perfect. It played really true for me. I think it gave Will a lot to think about and maybe gave him a point of view that he hadn't thought about. I really like how Kristen stood by Gathan during the dinner. I have been around so many guys like Josh that thought they were just a little bit better than everyone else around them, and you know what, they rarely were... I thought Gathan handled himself in a very mature and thoughtful manner. Gathan is growing on me more and more each chapter. Keep up the great work Mark.

While I have actually grown to like Gathan, I understand rjo's reaction. I think part of the deal is that through the last few stories in this series, we have begun to see what an interesting person Will is going to become and we already have more invested with him than Gathan. While Gathan may already be an interesting addition to this story, for a lot of us; Will is on the verge of being a major figure since we have had more time to get to know him.

Well, really enjoyed chapter thirteen of this story, I am really enjoying the dual narration. I have to wonder if any of the Hendricksons know about JP's parentage? I know that nothing was ever said in the story but I wonder if JP's Hendrickson Grandfather or Father ever told anyone that we don't know about??? Somehow, I don't think so but all of this has me wondering... I really like the story line with Gathan and Kristen. I think they make an interesting couple for several diffrent reasons. I wonder how this trip to Paris will work out with everyone there. Hmmm can you say "menage a trois", but the question would be which three??? I thought both scenes with Brad and Will were pitch perfect. This is just the type of confrontation and conversation that I could see them having. I do think that they both have points and I can't wait to see how it all plays out...

I actually agree, I think it will be harder for the fourth generation to be as tight and cohesive as the previous ones but I think they will do it. I am not sure who will be the head of the family in that generation yet. I also think that Claire will probably be the head of the family when JP dies as well, Brad is just too hot headed still at times and Claire is the only one that everyone actually listens to. I know that with Stef's money going to Brad, he will be the richest, but that doesn't always indicate who will be head of the family in these types of families.

OMG... I loved loved loved chapter 12... This story is finally growing on me and I am getting really into it. I really liked the action in Claremont with Gathan and Kristen and I equally like the action in Cali with Will and John. I hope that this trip to France will be as interesting as the last one. Isn't Armand's brother a big shot doctor in Paris? Maybe we can bring some of that part of the family back into the story... Love those Frenchmen. Well Mark knows he can't kill JP off, finding out where Mark lives as I write this. Keep up the great work and can't wait for the next chapter...

Amen

No, what I was arguing is that the odds of any of the main protaginist knowing someone that dies on 09/11 is so small that everyone reading this would have a better chance of being hit by lightning... There was a really good article about two years after the event in New England Journal of Medicine that estimated that the odds of an average person in the US knowing someone that died on 09/11 was something like .00027; the article was examining the way that people reacted to the tragedy. The article talked about how the magnitued of the incident was greater in the public arena versus any actual personal connection. The Danfields as Mark has written them are very very Blue Blooded... There are several former Governors, Senators, etc... in the family tree. I will say once again, the Senator and Elizabeth Danfiled might have known the Olsons in a political or work venue but there is no way they would have in a social venue. Plus, Matt being so much younger would have rarely socialized with any adults outside of close family friends or family in Washington DC.

I don't think that George will ever be a one person kinda guy, so to speak; but I do think he always seems to have one man in his life that is more important that the rest at the time. I just think he needs that one person, besides Caroline, that is his rock.

Well, you could leave Claremont, OH and be pretty much anywhere in New Jersey under six hours; it takes longer to go from northern California to southern California. On top of this, you would be fairly close to both Columbus, OH and Pittsburg, PA so air travel wouldn't be that bad either. I just think that for those on the list John Carullo is the only one that makes sense. Having said that, I could easily see Gathan ending up with a girl like Kristen H. John has already proven by picking a school all the way across the country that he can be away from his family. I know that John would be through with college in the next year or two but could stay in the area getting a Masters or Doctorate degree, although I could see John being one of those guys that when 9/11 happens joining the military.

Methodwriter and Tim, I don't think either of you really understand how insulated Washington DC high society is in reality. I can see the Senator and Elizabeth having known Barbara Olsen from political functions, they are both rabid right wingers after all, but not socially. Elizabeth Danfield came from mega money and married into a truly blue blooded family of Virginia politicos and the combination would put them at the highest level of Washington DC society. Barbara Olsen was married to Theodore Olson, the Soclicitor General of the United States, but this is by no means on the same level. Neither the Olson family nor the Bracher family from Houston would have been on the same socioeconomic level of the Danfields. I can give you that Wade's parents probably had met her at some political gathering but would be shocked if it was a social setting. On top of that, it is rare in Washington DC high society for children under 21 to socialize at many gathering with older members of society that are not family. So many on that level of society have the kids off at boarding or private schools that the odds would be that Wade would never have met someone like Barbara Olson. The Olsons and the Danfields just would not have been on the same social scene together. There is a big differnce between political and social functions in Washington DC. Now, I understand methodwriters seeming desire to see an intimate connection to the tragedy for someone in the family. After all, it will make for a better story for there to be some type of personal connection, I just don't think it is needed. There was such a viseral connection for all of us that witnesse the tragedy from either up close or far away. The enormity of the situation was such that you felt the essence of pain suffered by those involved; even if you had no direct connection to the tragedy.

I am not just being argumenative here but I think the odds of Wade knowing one of the victims at the Pentagon would be even less than knowing one of them at the World Trade Center. 125 people were killed on the ground at the Pentagon, this doesn't include the 58 or 59 that were on the plan that crashed into it. Lt. General Timothy Maude was the highest ranking officer killed. He was the deputy chief of staff for personel at the Pentagon. He often testified before Congress and might have been known to Wade's father but he was 53 years old and I doubt that Wade would have known him. Even as insular as Washington society is, I really think it would be rare for Wade to actually know anyone in that small group that died. I can see the Senator or even his wife knowing one or two of the people but not Wade. There were about a dozen others of command rank killed but once again because of age or position, they would probably not have been known to the Senator and his wife, much less Wade. Washington DC is a very stratified community. With the exception of the Lt General, I don't think any of the others killed were of a level that they would have ever met the Danfields in a social situation. Now, if one of them came from a money or blue blood background, they or their kids might have met Wade at a private school but even that would be a stretch. the Danfields as they are drawn would be at the very top because of the Senator's position and Elizabeth's family money; they would not associate socially with many out of that arena. I am not trying to be difficult here, I just think we have a tendancy to want to make a connection to this tragedy to give it a greater since reality. I think the scope of the tragedy iteself does that and don't believe we need to have that one on one connection to realize the magnitude of it.

I completely agree, Gathan may not end up with a man at all. Kristen does seem like a really interesting person. Plus, even though almost no one actually knows, she is related to JP and would just add to the mixing of the families. I still want Gathan and John Carullo to met up and play around, he was my pick from the list but I can say I wouldn't be upset if he ended up with Kristen...

I think that you are over-estimating the number of people that actually knew someone that died when the towers fell. I live in Texas but did know one person that was from here originally that I had stayed in contact with over the years and even visited a few times in New York. I have several friends from that area though and we actually talked about this a few years after the tragedy. One of my friends was a commodity broker and had been for almost 15 years when the towers fell and even though the vast majority of the firms in the towers were financial in nature, Steven did not know one person that actually died. I had a couple of other friends that grew up and have always lived in the area, one from New Jersey and another from Queens. Bonnie lived in a fairly small town in New Jersey and about half the people left every day going to New York City to work, she did not know anyone that died in the tragedy either, nor did Mark from Queens. Now, they all knew someone that knew someone that died but I actually am fairly good friends with about a dozen people that live in the area; and I am the only one of them that personally knew someone that died on that day, and I live in Texas... Now, I know that sort of proves your point, you don't have to be from there to have known someone but I just really don't think that many people in California are going to necessarily know someone that died that day. Now, I do think that Wade, Matt, John, Darius, etc... will all know someone that goes off to fight and maybe die in Iraq or Afganhistan. I just am not sure that even people as connected and diverse as this clan is will have anyone that personally know that dies when the towers fall.

I loved this chapter... I really am enjoying this story. I love how Mark is able to bring the story to life and I almost feel as if I am in the past experiencing these things with Granger. I am sort of sorry that we won't have Iggy around but I have to wonder about Brigadier Lord Charley. I wonder if he is going to be the one to replace Travers. Even though Granger seems to enjoying being on top ever so often, I really do believe that he is more of a bottom or even submissive naturally, when it comes to male on male sex. He is very take charge in life but I just believe that his true nature is to be submissive with a truly alpha male, which I sort of wonder if Brigadier Lord Chartley isn't Alpha with a capitol A... I really do think that Granger will end up with a man that can sexually put him in his place. This new additiona might be the one, although having him in the army, would be hard to take... LOL... Keep this story coming Mark, I think it is the best one you are working on right now... LOL...

Oh, I could see the information of JP's true parentage causing all kinds of issues... I am sort of suprised that this chapter did not get a better rating, it was the first chapter in this series that I liked completely... I am starting to think that some people here are heterophobic....

I did not really get into this forum when it was first done a couple of years ago because I was sure that Mark would have two or three stories before the tragedy of 9/11, and I was right... I voted for none of the above. You did not have to know someone that dies to be profoundly effected by the happenings that day. Just being alive was enough for you to be effected, although I did know someone that died when the second tower fell. I don't feel the need to have any of the family perish to make that day any worse. I can honestly say that those that picked JP, are you all crazy? JP's death will end the series, it is after all really all about him...

Well, I really enjoyed this chapter fully. I think this is the first chapter of this story that I can't find anything to really bitch about, I know, a miracle. I really am enjoying the dual narration and think it is giving a really interesting perspective to the story. I think that at least to some extent Will is behaving just as his parents have raised him. Brad has always seeming treated Will as a young adult. Brad and several others in past stories have talked about how mature, serious, and grown up Will is. Suddenly, Will decides to act like an adult and start to make some of his own decisions and everyone is freaking completely out. I think it is harder to gauge Jeanine's parenting style because you just haven't seen much of it, although, I get the feeling that Jeanine was pretty loving when the kids were little but after they got a little older, each child seemed to pick a parent to bond with more closely. Darius choose Robbie, JJ choose Jeanine, and Will choose Brad; and each of the kids seem to reflect the personality of each of those parents to some extent. Although I think Tim makes some good points, I think that ultimately he is not realizing that a threat can be more to just someone's physical well being. I think that Will views his parents behaviour as a threat to the very core of who he is. When Brad and Robbie ran away, there was not any immediate threat that Robbie was going to be taken, but Brad and Robbie believed it was a possibliity so they acted. I actually agree with some others that say Will is more mature at 13 then Brad was at 17. I don't think that Will is acting in a totally irresponsible manner. I do think that Will needs some more structure in his life but sometimes parents are not the best ones to provide that. I can't wait for the trip to Paris... Have we ever found out who all is going? I sort of hope just Stef, Will, and John but might be more drama with a few others going... Gathan and Kristen would be an interesting addition. LOL... Really like how Gathan related to Kristen and found that part of this chapter very interesting. Wonder where Kristen is going to college?

Goon by dkstories would seem to fit the criteria perfectly... It is one of the better time travel stories, that I have read in a while. Plus, it is complete...

I so enjoyed this chapter of St. Vincent. It was a nice Easter gift. I really do think that writing in this series is among the best on gay authors, period. Mark's research and attention to detail makes this story so historically accurate and yet compellingly enjoyable. I love the interplay between Granger and Nelson and even between Granger and Miller. I really do think that Granger maybe Mark's most completely developed creation. I am excitted to have Iggy back, even for a short while, I wonder if his whatever that tried to slit Granger's throat last time, will be traveling with him... Will be interested to see if Iggy has the same marks on his wrist that Granger does??? Plus, Granger will at least get to spend a little time on land when he gets Iggy back to London. I think that Granger is wonderful for taking time to try and help Perkins. I realize that Granger understands that he is attracted to Perkins but at the same time he understands that Perkins suffered in the past and needs help. Most people in Granger's position would not be like that, they would only be out for themselves or to see if they could use the situtation to their advantage. I can't wait for the next chapter of this story....

Well, I really liked half of this chapter... LOL... I really like the part with Will. I do think that Will needs to have a little more parental control but unlike some others, I don't think he came across as out of control in this chapter as others did. As Mark stated, all 14 y/o believe the world revolves around them. I actually thought Will handled the confrontation with Jeanine pretty well overall, and I liked that he realized in the end that she did love him and he her. I agree with methodwriter that it is great that John doesn't feel the need to declare himself to be gay, he can just go with the flow... And you just knew that Claire and Jack were going to be okay with it. I can't say that I was as fond of the Gathan section although the ending with him going off with the Hendrickson girl worked for me. I just think that he and Zach are just way to combustible and Gathan should realize this and stay as far away from Zach sexually as he can. I can't wait for the trip to Paris... I just know something good is going to happen there... I wonder if Will's mistake, where he will learn he isn't perfect, will happen there???

I vote for the Ancient Roman or Greek or even Egyptian story... While I will probably read whatever Mark writes next, I can say I have never been a huge fan of French Literature, love French philosophy, religion, or history but not so much the literature, as far as the French kings; well we all sort of know how that ended up...

Really enjoyed the latest chapter of Poor Man's Son, I am finally getting into this story a little bit more. I really think the trip to Paris will just be Stef, Will, and John. When Stef and Will talked about it in the previous story, my impression was that it was going to be just the two of them but I can see Stef wanting to include John since I am sure he knows something is going on there. I thought the way that Gathan handled the situation with Harry and Ed was really masterful, this is the first time that I sort of felt that Gathan might actually be an okay guy; then he screwed it up by sleeping with Zach... I don't think that him and Zach should even be in the same house together, I can see this all coming out and being a major issue at some point. I think Zach may end up the Billy of his generation, in actions if not in having the same fate. I think having Will stay with JP and Isidore might be just the thing, part of the reason is that I really like him and John together; but also because I think that Claire might actually help him. I don't think that she will be putting up with any of this crap the way the rest of them do. This might be just what he needs, to have an actual parent around. Keep up the good work and let's not forget the next chapter of the Bridgemont series either....