Rutabaga

Just a quick note to mention that this story now has a revised manuscript from Cole and has been modernized for reading on smartphones and tablets. R

Even though Halloween is a long way off, I re-read this story with great pleasure. Nerds rule. R

By total coincidence I read that one a couple of weeks ago when I was browsing around. It was just crazy enough to be totally realistic. And the crazy guy got excellent advice and guidance. R

I wonder if any further installments to this series are coming . . . ? R

That’s it. I would never have found it. Thanks, R

Once again I'm wracking my brain trying to remember where I saw a story. I'm pretty sure it was at AD. I thought it was by Gee Whillickers, or maybe Merkin, but no joy either place. I've checked a few others but still no luck. It might have been called "The Wall" or "The Gate" or something having to do with midnight. (How's that for vague?) The story involves a mid-teen boy whose back yard adjoins the back yard of the house on the next street over, where another mid-teen boy lives. The two boys were pals until two or three years ago, when the protagonist stopped hanging around with him any more, and I believe had stopped talking to him altogether. I think the protagonist may also have gone goth or something similar at school. These two boys had previously had a ritual where they met in the gate opening between the yards at midnight on a particular day (a birthday?). In the story, the protagonist is building up the courage to go to the gate again at midnight, where once it strikes 12:00 he will deem himself able to talk again. Or something like that. I have probably garbled the story line, but does that suggest anything to anyone out there? R

Decided to revisit this story in a brief respite from working on Cole's catalogue. He has been cracking the whip mercilessly. 😎😎😎 Anyway, the story is here. And a good article about donairs is here. Now back to the salt mines . . . R

And the story is back again for this Valentine's Day. Find it here. I like the picture at the beginning, and I also like the multiple layers of irony as the story develops. Nicely done. R

I thought I had read all of Chris's stuff but I don't recognize this one. It's also possible that senility is setting in. Anyway, I second your recommendation. R

Found here. A laid back story with a sweet ending. R

I can't remember if I ever figured this out (or if it is later decoded in the story): mrubo vozok tljor uboys oktld cczur utlut dodmr rhu If so, I've forgotten now what I did. R

Excellent news. We need new stories to feed our voracious appetites! R

A quick note to readers: The Sebastian trilogy now has its very own index page which in turn leads to the three stories. It is right here and still has a special button on Cole's story page. Because of the changes, however, links to these stories in old Forum messages are generally broken, because they lead to a different set of directories. I have not spoken to John about whether we should put redirects in for those. I don't think that is a normal policy here. But -- getting back to this story trilogy -- I highly recommend it to those who have never read it, or have not done so recently. It is quintessential Cole and will make you happy. R

This is one of the stories that got facelifted, with a new picture added as well. R

It's also one of my favorites. R

Consider clearing the cache and deleting PayPal cookies. R

As long as we don’t all break into thong. R

Santa has brought a bagful of new stories this morning -- hope he didn't have too much trouble squeezing down the AD chimney! Here's what Cole dropped in our stockings: A Peripatetic Christmas. 12-year-old Daniel has a roller-coaster experience leading up to Christmas. My laugh-out-loud moment came with this remark early in the story, while Daniel's cousins are visiting: I hadn’t done what they were doing yet, and hearing them, I wasn’t sure I wanted to. Sounded painful. I suspect he will find out the truth very shortly. R

Is that what was meant by “reindeer games”? R

Seems like a good time to start up a Happy Holidays thread! So -- here's to all wishing a great holiday season and a blessed 2023. Here's wishing continued recovery to Mike and to anyone else laid low with health issues. Here's wishing inspiration and spark to the many AD authors who delight us all with their imaginations and wit. And here's to the readers who keep this site going. Merry Christmas and Happy New Year! R

Not so much "abject hoodoo" as "bovine doodoo." R

Finding glitches is one of the few things I'm actually good for. 😎 R

Found here. The young narrator (Graham) loses his best friend to suicide, and learns what is involved in moving on. R

Just reread this as my own Pick from the Past. Still a good read. And scary in places. R

Finished "Billy Boyle." Things definitely picked up as this book progressed, and a number of surprising twists were revealed. It was a good yarn. My only complaint, and it's a minor one, stems from the author's recycling of a well-used trope involving suicide notes. As soon as I saw this and read the text, I recognized it for what it was. As it turns out, it didn't distract the hero from figuring out what really happened. Overall a good recommendation -- thank you. R