Adam

In response to D'Artagnon: "Touché", in both the literal and fencing connotations of the word! Adam

We have had terrible terror attacks perpetrated on the city centres of London, Paris, Brussels, Nice, Boston, Berlin, and New York. They have varied in their degree of awefulness only by the level of the carnage the killers succeeded in inflicting on men, girls, boys, women, the peaceful communities they decided would be the token heads on the pikes of their ignorance-based hatred. 9/11 standing alone as an uniquely orchestrated case, the city centre bombings and shootings in more recent years in Europe and North America have, in addition to having had by now a terrible echo of repartition in method and choice of soft target, have also developed another level of inevitability. Just like school shootings in the US, actually that last phrase 'in the US' is almostredundant as virtually no school shootings occur anywhere else, but then. As I was saying, similar to school shootings, terror attacks in cities anywhere get wall-wall coverage. All other programmes are fused into a continuous airing of repetitious reportage of newsmen (or newspersons) talking to each other or to "experts" on esoteric minutiae or on things which even my little knowledge often finds the expert short of expertise. I found one such US professor during the Westminster attacks twice definitively identify for the watching millions on the most watched cable news channel in the States two churches in Westminster and the main entrance to Westminster all, each totally erroneously. The problem was the news channels has hours and hours to fill and little to say. So they put up self-styled experts who said nothing or said nonsense. All because every channel was feeling obligated to pay homage to the terrible fact that 10 or 15 or 20 people had died of shooting or bombing in a modern city centre. This week 21 people were blown up and shot during a 20 hour-long siege of a 5-star hotel complex in a modern city of some 6 million people. The city houses the fourth largest UN complex on Earth, is central to western military monitoring communications, and is headquarters for many international organizations. No, if it was Geneva, which will spring to the mind of many, you can be certain, the news would indeed be comprehensive. However, this was in Nairobi. So CNN, for example, carried an initialthree-minute news bulletin, followed later by a 5 minute longer story. It was never more than the third story of the day. By the second day, when fighting was still going on, it was barely mentioned at all. It must be noted here that the killers were the Islamist group al Shabbat, who are affiliated to IS or Daish, and they claimed the attack was in retaliation for the Trump Administration's decision to move the US Embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem. There was thus a clear link between this attack and the US. It was an attack by IS, which is an organisation the UD President says he has defeated. Yet this story does not merit coverage in the US. On the BBC website it was number one news, even though the Brexit debate was then going on in the British parliament. Theconclusion can only be that black African lives - or maybe even white African like mine - don't matter a damn to US audiences and that Donald Trump has it perfectly right all along. Perhaps he should just finish the job and build a wall with Canada while he's at it. It puts me in mind of the movie Maze Runner. Adam

This new author has a gentle sense of humour. His first two principal characters have indicated by their names an interesting sense of the cosmopolitan: Goedelic and Brythonic Celt and Flemish/Dutch in one, and a thoroughbred Highlander in the other. They may make good music, pun intended. Mendelssohn, perhaps! Or Vaughan-Williams? I think I like the way Juju has started this out. It has the interesting potential of being able to go in any number of ways. It teases with promise. That is the mark of a good first chapter. Thanks Juju. Adam

Hi my fourth Musketeer! I agree with theaforesaid in what both asserted and hope you pick up the literary challenge with your typical zany and off-left-of-field way of addressing the subject. However, I equally strongly hope you do NOT do it yet! Why? Because this site and others of this genre has sufficient stories of the, what I shall call the "hanging-chad" variety. They rob the reader just as those chads robbed the US of their rightful leader. I know I do not need to tell you that you already have five stories In Progress on Castle Roland. Two of these have seen no new chapters for over 9 months and one for over 3 years. This is almost Comicality territory, about par with Kyle Aarons! I often have to juggle writing academic articles for different magazines and journals, but I recognise my limitations and though I would love to do everything which catches my imagination - and for which in these cases I can earn a Shilling or two - I recognise that if I'm to do a satisfactory job of one or two, I cannot do five. Which is why my narrative writing has come so much later in my life than it has in yours, I expect. Of course you needn't heed me. But my teen readers who enjoy your hot stories hope you will. They are keenly awaiting the next installments of Riposte. Adam

I have been looking forward to seeing this story on this site and encouraged Sean long ago to allow the erudite readership of Castle Roland to have the opportunity to gain the rewards of reading his very worthwhile story. I shan't spoil any plots or forthcoming surprises, but those of you new to this story are in for an emotional roller-coaster, with interesting characters, some rarely seen in our site, to our shame. Occasionally you'll laugh at the American eye view of British life, but lads, roll with with the stereotypes and forgive, just as those of you on the East of the Pond still sometimes think all Yanks are actually Yanks and chew gum and build tree houses and call everyone (male) Sir. This is a great tale, well told and I look forward to reading my Castle denizens' opinions of it. Welcome Sean. Adam

I believe comments on The Kendric Saga are becoming simply too technical and, I believe such a word exists, pernicketty. The fact is, whether it is 80,000 or 800,000 words, Kyle has woven in this book the weft of a created history from his own imagining, and the weave of a panoply of characters as rich as that in The Old Curiosity Shop or The Utred Chronicles. Many contributory writers to this fine site have good story ideas, but haven't Kyle's way with words. Some have good English skills, or American ones (lol), but truly have precious little to say. Still others feel that, if they can build one or two strong characters, then the same old, same old, formulaic story line; pick any one from three or four; and voilá you have a fresh, new story. However, there is a handful, a clutch of highly gifted story-tellers who write for The Castle and elsewhere who break out. They create wonder, greater than anything in Orlando or Anaheim - because it involves the imagination of the youthful mind. Dickens realised this. As did Kipling and J K Rawling and C S Lewis and the Brothers Grimm. These authors provide that magic which is a combination of adventure, make-believe, credible yet incredible characters, alive yet larger-rhan-life heroes, parallel storylines and sub plots, things that go bump in the night.....in essence Disney world on Paper and in the Imagination. Making it, in fact Disneyland Plus Plus Extra! My young readers are constantly emailing or tweeting their counsellors demanding "Why can't you give us the next episode?" . And it is so GREAT when teenagers WANT to read! And they're in Canada and Corsica and Cardiff and Köln and Cairns and California. And they're refugees from every conflict zone you can imagine, and both LGBT and straight in this story's case. Thanks Kyle. Now, all I need to do is provide Diazepam to all your teen fans until your next episode is published !! Adam

Arthur, further to the email I wrote you early in the series, now the book is complete I feel compelled to say again how much this book has been a surprise and a pleasure to me. I very rarely dip my spectacles in the writings of those immersed in mysticism, ghouls, goblins, elves, vampires, and things that go bump in the night. I think Reposte and Coupé were last time I did so. Thread is a thoroughly enchanting story. It is a good adventure, doesn't attempt to gloss over the reality of man's natural traits to be cruel towards those he can bully or those who have bullied him, and it ends on the eternal message that love conquers all. What more could one ask for in a gay teen novella? I As an African I'll totally forgive your giving the Kiswahili language for people to speak totally where they couldn't and tribesmen walking 2000 km in days. It's just a story. It is the Dark Continent after all! Please write more in this ilk. Adam

One cannot debate with a person convinced beyond reason that he or she is right, and further is incapable of rational, abstract exchange of ideas without getting angry or resorting to the use of expletives. I have surrendered trying to debate with Biblical literalist, for example, or Quaranic literalist for that matter, and I have close acquaintances each such irrational mindset. We simply don't waste one another's time going over old ground on this as each of us knows we will not change the other. It is an unfortunate cross we who are always right must suffer. Others are never as lucky as we are to have been given such perfect revelation. LOL !! Adam

Indeed, Roland, the mark of a worthwhile relationship is mutual respect and the sign of a thinking mind is the ability to see life from the opposite point of view. Perhaps too many of those who the speak the loudest have travelled the least both geographically and philosophically. I once had the dubious "honour" of being seated next to an aide to then popular televangelist Jimmy Swaggert at a political event in Virginia. Conversation was difficult, but I was determined to attempt to be pleasant. I was there with my wife and two children - my gay second son being someone yet on the distant horizon at that point - but being a paediatric surgeon I had very realistic views on child sexuality. I thought I might interest the man in some small talk onEmmanuel Kant, No? Plutarch, No? "Please, Dr keep to Biblical issues, sure issues". Ignoring the fact he had overlooked who Kant was, I then enthusiastically invited him to discuss his opinions on Thomas Merton's ideas. After further blank looks I gave up and talked to my 10 year old son about his Sunday School project about Miriam in Islam. Acquaintances often disappoint one. If they're worth keeping, they will either say, "I don't want to discuss this please. Kindly respect my wishes to move on to a less provocative subject. I don't want anything to be said which might tarnish our relationship". Or they'll be magnanimous enough to roll with the punches, giving and taking, and still smiling at the end. But, Roland, I have studiously avoided a word you used repeatedly in your excellent note. I avoided it because, as with the words hero, icon, unique, and others, by its over use it has become cheapened. The word is friend. I have a score of close colleagues, hundreds of acquaintances. I count myself as having been truly blessed with two friends in my life. Who would listen to my nonsense! Adam

Of course, welcome to the family of writers at the Castle, Linden. Your story follows a very well trodden North American path so far, so I look forward to new and innovative twists in future chapters. Not being au fait with US laws, I often read stories stories about kids in your great country being fostered seemingly overnight after cursory oversight by the appropriate authorities. In Europe, Canada, or even lowly Kenya gaining foster parent status takes time and a great deal of background checking. On a simple rôle setting exercise, also, and to set the tenor of the story as to whether it is to be read as a "this really could happen, home town" type story or a total fantasy, it is not whether a guy can retire on $300 million at 30. These things do happen, and much more often than most people realize. No, the fantasy tipping point for me, a surgeon, came when the caring saviour in the story took a 11 year old, with blood on his head and face and hands, in obvious trauma away from an urban area where there might be a doctor, even a small hospital, and drove him 90 minutes in the back of a truck to his remote home and plonked in a bath! With great respect, even allowing for narrative licence,this millionaire is setting a piss poor example in basic care. I am looking forward to how he walks himself into some new voice in the rich billionaire tech single man finds abandoned abused boy scenario. Or am I just a cynic? And so to chapter 2,... Adam

As someone who might, if I wished, be prescribed Cannabis but choose not to, I think I'll throw in my 5 cents worth here. (By the way I have MS that's why if you're wondering). As a surgeon treating trauma patients, cannabis based pain killers are infinitely better and less potentially addictive than the most readily available alternative for post operative neurological pain, which is Fentanyl. The greatest cause of death among patients over the age of 18 in our hospitals isn't too many opioids, or even cigarettes, and certainly not too many cannabis stogies, but too many hamburgers and bratwurst sandwiches and high stacks of pancakes with butter and bacon on the side! You want to compare operating on a fit, lean African 45 year old man of 55 kg for , say a tumor on the liver, and compare with having to hack through layer after layer of fat on a similarly aged 80 kg American from Ithaca! Cannabis? Legalise the stuff! Put a 40 per cent tax on processed meats. Provide free health care for children attending school. Pay for it by the new "Sin Tax" People need to pay for their choices. And have the right to have those choices too! Adam

I generally enjoy Sequoyah's stories, and not only those published on the Castle. Most my Network arbitrators find eminently appropriate for teenage readers. This, admittedly early story of the author's has proven itself not to be among the more popular with this age group, I must say. And from Sequoyah's seemingly dismissive replies to Will King's thoughtful questions posed to him, it is as if the writer ialmost wants to disown the story himself. Learning from Will King in this attempted interview that Sequoyah comes from an academic background explains a lot. Those of us who cross over from the rarified atmosphere of Academe into the writing of popular narrative have to unlearn the instinctive pull ever to cross each T and dot every I. I am eternally conscious of my own shortcomings in this direction. Sequoyah's later stories, in the most part, illustrate how quickly he honed this story-telling craft of leaving some things unsaid. Adam

Ken, An excellent beginning to what promises to be an intriguing interlude in the sage of Admiral Norris's campaign against the misguided evangelical radicals. (Does that ring a bell somewhere ?!?!). Too many of the other strings of the Revolutions Universe seem to have been tied up in the some some way. The Geeks will be old college professors by now and whatever battles some of the UNIT were to fight will be taken over by fighters by Hezbollah and gunships launched from Chinese islands created in the Yellow Sea or by new Russian warships built in Crimean shipyards by captured Syrian prisoners of war. Or am I just a cynic? Adam

AB, I have written several authors via email, including you, preferring the privacy of one-to-one communication to the free for all of the forum in some things I have to say. Nevertheless, this medium is the proper one for public plaudits. There are more good writers per column centimeter on Castle Roland than any other non academic e-publishing site on the web. That is the general opinion of the English language readers among the network with which I am associated. I am not talking only of the LGBG genre sites here. Oh there are fantastic stories on other sites, not carried on the Castle. However, one must sift through so much more dross to find it. Consequently I have found myself writing peons of prim praise to writers of the ilk of Will King, and D'Artagnon, Karl Aarons and Arthur, and, and, and.... And...of course you, AB. Your gift of narrative is simply that, a gift. And you draw on a classicist's love of drawing out the plot the nth degree. Just as the Greek tragic verse, like the Poetics of Aristotle, did. In life, our personal lives, as this tragic Immortal boy you depict does, we pass through so many highs and lows: loves gained and lost, births, marriage, deaths, illnesses, joys of friendship, career ups and downs; but we can always have recourse to our art, be it music making, painting, or perhaps writing. AB, clearly your craft is as an author. I hope there will never be a time you try to hide your light under a bushel. Thanks for your sharing. Adam

I am pleased to have opened somewhat of a can of worms here, but if you'll forgive my mixed metaphors, let none of us get hot under our collars. Each I feel have made valid points, but Bill, I do know of writers for on-line publishing sites whose books have gone hard back and sold on the "legitimate" market very successfully. Riding Lessons is a modest example, surely. And if sites such as the Castle are a breeding ground for gay talent to be noticed by a broader market, well bravo I say, even if it is certainly not its focus or raison d'être. If you'll forgive me again, Comicality is beyond a bad joke. He is to the tradition of Dickens, Hugo and Goethe what D.J.Trump Esquire is to the western liberal democracy. Obviously, as a young narrative author (not chronologically but experientialy, you understand), I have things, as my English cousins would put it, arse about face, in my esteemed fourth musketeer's opinion. You see I assumed one already had the plot of the story panned out before one scratched the first letter on paper. I may be very old fashioned, but my mind is racing several chapters ahead of my pen and my computer fingers cannot keep up with my thoughts. I DO have a very full time job - and a very time consuming after hours refugee commitment. The difference as I see it is, at the risk of being boring and repeating myself, I feel I have entered into a commitment with my readers every bit as real and binding as if they had bought a book costing $25.00. My word is not for sale! I promised them a story. Not an unfinished one. QED