someone else

Firstly, thank you for sharing your writing; I am enjoying reading this story. It is good that your characters use condoms, as safe sex is vitally important and some of your readers will treat your story as educational material, particularly younger and less experienced readers. It disturbs me that Vaseline is used; Vaseline should never be used with latex condoms - the Vaseline will rapidly degrade the latex, the rate dependent on factors like the amount of Vaseline, thickness of latex, stress, heat and duration. Only water-based lubricants (eg. KY) should be used with latex condoms. The use of Vaseline effectively negates the protection available from the use of a condom - this is not safe sex. Sorry to be critical, but I have lost too many lovers and friends to be silent on this issue. Perhaps you would consider revising your story to replace the Vaseline with KY or some other water-based lubricant?

I am Australian, and the event that I regard as most significant in my life, apart from the experience of being a parent, is the 1972 Labour government. After 23 years in opposition (it was a 2-party system), the Labour government was set to drag Australia out of the 'fifties and into the world. I was 18 at the time and was due (overdue) to register for national service - a lottery where the prize was 2 years of military service, typically including a tour of Vietnam. Just before the deadline for my registration, the new Labour government abolished national service. This changed the course of my life, as I had decided that I would become a "draft resistor" and, if necessary, go to prison. The issue had already cost me last shreds of my relationship with my father, but the sudden disappearance of the issue did not heal the rift. However, the relief was massive, and it allowed me to think of a future without prison (naturally, gay sex was illegal in those days, but custodial sentences were infrequent). The Labour government was also important to me because it forced me to confront some ugly truths about politics and society. Being young and somewhat naive, I genuinely expected that wrongs would be righted and massive social change would occur (you are familiar with the expression "young, dumb and so full of cum"? that was me, then). Unsurprisingly, politicians ran the government and rapidly proved their irrelevance and impotence; small minds came to the fore and cruelly dashed my young idealism. I was incredibly disillusioned at the time, but I did manage to find new perspectives and survive; a little more aware of the world and its ways. In some respects, the 1972 Labour government forced me to grow up; it certainly marked a time of turbulence and change in my life.

I have just caught up with the story and forum, having been out of contact for the last week or so. As always, the story is great and leaves me wanting more. I was amazed to find that no one has made a comment about Mark being very socially responsible in showing that unsafe sex has real consequences - while it does seem that Matt's symptoms do not fit with sero-conversion (but I have no medical training, so this is just speculation), he has been diagnosed with syphilis and this makes him more susceptible to HIV-AIDS and STD's in general for the rest of his life (he really needs to practice safe sex, if he survives this). Having lived and loved in the pre-AIDS era and experienced the truly awful devastation wrought by the disease among my friends and lovers, safe sex is something I take very seriously, even within committed relationships (perhaps I am just a cynic at heart, but I see no point in taking those risks for anyone). Whenever I start to feel the symptoms of influenza, I always manage to convince myself that I am about to die and pester my doctor relentlessly - I am fortunate enough to have never experienced sero-conversion, and I do admit to being a little dramatic at times. Mark is documenting some of this horror - not knowing, fearing the reaction of those you love, fearing an early but horrific death; all of this is real. In Australia, we have continual public education campaigns targeted to the gay and bisexual communities; all licensed sex on premises venues (SOPV; elsewhere known as , dark places) hand out condoms and lube on entry and unlimited additional supplies are available throughout the venues, without cost; outreach workers patrol beats and venues (not just SOPV, but bars and clubs also) handling out safe sex kits (condoms, lube and information). Intravenous drug users are included, with syringes available from needle exchanges and outreach workers, 24x7. Everyone who is sexually active with multiple partners is encouraged to take a comprehensive set of tests by their GP, at least every six months; it is always a great relief when the test results are negative. It is difficult, but still possible, to not come across these services. And yet, the number of infections continues to grow and lives are needlessly shattered. Unsafe sex has real consequences, and I do believe that we cannot do enough to educate ourselves and others about this topic - hence my surprise that this aspect has not yet been mentioned in this forum (and hence my rather boring post; another black mark on my reputation).

Robbie because he is family, a blood relative, and the name of the story is Bloodlines; and Matt could not ask for a stronger or smarter supporter. Wade obviously goes (no CAP reader would have it any other way; they just read so well together); I suspect that they are inseparable at this point. Tough choice between Brad and Cole; introducing Brad as Robbie's husband would be almost a political act, but honouring Wade's choice to remain sexually incognito would win the day in my speculative version of the story. Besides, I assume the purpose of the trip is conciliation, so gay political theatre would reduce the chance of success - Wade would point this out, should there be a need. Then again, this is idle speculation induced by the lack of more chapters to read (you have the power, Mark). In any case, I am rarely correct but always enjoy surprises; the writing is rarely predictable, plot-wise.

I recommend A Father's Son (https://www.gayauthors.org/anthology/spring2009/markarbour.html); there are a wide variety of "monsters".

I felt the same, but then I remembered that the bastard is a successful politician so he would have quickly understood that he was not going to win this skirmish; he knows and plays the long game and would have already been plotting a grim future for Matt. You are not alone. Mark (author) suggested that there are 10 more chapters; I hope this is correct, as I seem to recall that he mentioned earlier that there were only 42 chapters (maybe it was just a nightmare). Fingers crossed; the anticipation is delicious.

Just to clarify, the primary family grouping that features in CAP is the gay branch of the Cramptons of Claremont, USA; like attracts like, and JP has crafted his family, the Californian Cramptons, to be inclusive of and attractive to his gay blood relatives. JP is not an only child, and, in the strory to date, his brother's side of the family appear to be a heterosexual branch of the Crampton family. Heterosexuals are also common among JP's children and grandchildren. JP has extended his branch of the family with his lover and some "strays and waifs" (Brad, for one); given JP's orinetation, it should come as no surprise that that these additions to his family are predominately gay. When Matt was outed at Thanksgiving, the condensed debate with the Carrwolds at about nature versus nurture illustrated these points. Gay family members often feel uncomfortable (not completely welcomed by all) at family gatherings (birthdays, anniversaries, christmas, etc.). When they recognise each other's discomfort (or exclusion), they console each other with each other's company. In this way a gay grouping occurs within the family gathering; in some respects these are formative events in the creation of a gay branch of the family. While this is only tangentially relevant to CAP, it does illustrate that gay branches of a family are not completely unknown and have a sociological rationale. Given that CAP is posted on GayAuthors, and that I see it as a story about families, it therefore does not surprise me that the story deals with a gay branch of a family. I find JP's family quite credible, and true to my expereince and observations of family life (given the quality of the writing, I would read it anyway). In any case, JP's family, extended or not, is far too small a sample to be statistically relevant and therefore says little about society at large. I still going with 16.66%."odd" is subjective, so clearly we occuy different perspectives; I celebrate diversity.

Most of the posters and lurkers in this forum, and others on this site, know that there is a protocol about responding to certain posters who exhibit an almost unnatural preoccupation with stereotyping people by sex roles, particularly the primary roles in anal sex; it is the nancy reagan protocol - just say no (i.e do not do it). Now you know, and you perhaps weren't to have known, so please take this in the lighthearted spirit it is offered in. Also, I think I can settle the argument here: 16.6 (repeating) is the percentage of the population that is gay (or, at a stretch, bisexual). For evidence, I offer "Five to One": (for listening) http://www.youtube.c...h?v=ciBpob-Lo4A (for watching) While there are many theories about the semiotics and literal meaning of the lyrics, it is clear to me from the combination of the band, the singer, the lyrics, the musicc and the times that it refers to the ratio of non-gay to gay people. And, if you peek over the brim of your tin-foil hat, Jim Morrison's dad worked in intelligence, so he would know the real deal. I think that irrefutable evidence is rare, anecdotal has little weight. Anyway, I hope this helpful. Regarding the preponderance of gay characters in the story, it could have something to do with where it is posted, maybe? Alternatively, it could be that a major theme of CAP, to me and mr music at least, is family and how gay people make families where blood relationships are secondary but the family is a strong unit made up of people that love each other.In any case,CAP is so well written with such great characters that it provokes a large amount of discussion, here and elsewhere - this shows that people relate to the characters and story easily, typically because it reads as true to life, despite being fiction - it is just the way the story is, take it or leave (but I'll alwasys enjoy it). And yes, the story pprovides insight to how mark would like to be perceived by his audience; read it as you may. It must be 4:20 now, even in the southern hemisphere, so thank you for indulgng me.

It is now fairly clear that Wade is his father's victim, so I guess I was wrong about this plot point. Maybe I should draw on Matt's resilience to get over the damage to my pride here; he was able to bounce back from the loss of his adoptive parents very quickly. The Thanksgiving dinner scene was loaded with emotion and truth, and, as usual, well written; a genuine late 20th century horror story and now the story continues with the full ugliness of the senator's abuse of his son. I am resisting the temptation to make a prediction, but I do feel that Mark has been preparing us for something horrendous.

Enough already. Wade does not have to have been the victim of a paedophile to be neurotic. While there are a few plot points in favour, it is equally true that neurotic parents rear neurotic kids; usually through postitive-negative conditioning: subtle but intensive training plus generous helpings of neglect (almost typical modern family). Wade's description of his family, plus the aspects of his character that we have seen so far support a "simple" neurotic and dysfunctional upbringing. Despite its popularity in the gay canon, paedophilia is relatively rare in modern society; even after applying an order of magnitude for under-reporting, the rate of charge/prosection/conviction is low (I'm give a reference, but it is sunday morning and I'm still smiling, so I'm too lazy to check the CIA Worldbook for statistics). So, enough already; the story structure does not need the flash and smoke of sexual abuse, and Mark has a strong track record in realistic characters. And Wade is one of his best characters, and he might be the vicitm of sexual abuse, or might just come from a neurotic family. And the story will be good anyway.

I think you are selling yourself short. Cody is a relatively young man, and he is still searching to find his place. He is brave enough to try difficult things, like re-committing to Brian, and honest enough to still enjoy Matt - he is exploring, and growing. To me, he is no more dyfunctional than 99% of the population and I fail to see his behaviour as self-destructive or unfeeling to others. Again, the fact that he stimulates so much discussion points to the reality of the character and the quality of the writing; more please.

That certainly correlates with my own experiences, although I cannot recall a single instance of any positive outcomes. Cody's character, as drawn so skillfully by Mark, is very realistic to my eyes - someone who derives self-esteem from being an object of lust, and is reluctant to allow anyone to get too close. In the story, Matt sagely diagnosed the way that Cody invariably pushes a lover away when they get too close, but also always tries to keep them interested. Cody is relatively young, and not everyone settles into a long term relationship at 26; he is almost a sex god, so good luck to him. There is a power dimension to every sexual contact and relationship, and although Cody may not have the maturity to understand it, he does react instinctively to preserve his ego. In any case, I seriously doubt that Matt is ready for committment. The very fact that we are so actively disucssing this is testament to the quality of the writing, so why not just chill a little and enjoy? Cody is a very finely drawn character in a great story.

I second that. The characters have been so finely detailed in the earlier stories that it would be so easy to break the illusion. As usual Mark (author Mark) is masterful and treats us to a delightful suspension of reality, but loaded with truth. A treat that keeps me watching for the next installment. More sooner, please.

no, matt carrswold does not need to be a blood relative but it would seem to be obligatory given that every other story in the CAP series has involved blood relatives, more or less. frankly, i am just so pleased to have a new CAP strory that i am prepared to go along with just about tenuous relationship or connection that mark may choose to tantalise us with. did i say that a new CAP story makes my day (and i have been told that i am not a man of simple tastes...)?

why did steph and JP so readily accept cody's glib analysis of erik's behaviour? to me, erik's analysis was just simplistic trading in stereotypes and implied that erik had an infantile understanding of his sexuality and his relationship to JP (and steph). erik has yet to be developed as a character in the story, and given the hustler stereotype, perhaps i should not expect too much from him; but JP and steph are not exactly intellectual lightweights, which makes me wonder why they so readily accepted cody's theory - or do i expect too much from a relationship (or story)? otherwise,an excellent story, another triumph for the CAP series; mark is to be congratulated, and encouraged to continue.