Cole Parker
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Posts posted by Cole Parker
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I really looking forward to reading it at long last!
Well done young man!
C
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What a great note, Sunbloke!
Thanks.
C
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Another side of the coin, however, is this: won't many people who don't like to do much thinking for themselves, and there are a few of those around, allow themselves to fall into the trap of thinking, because a man can write, he must be smart, so if he has bigoted views, mustn't there be some intelligence behind his bigotry? Therefore, isn't it acceptable if I hold the same values? He's certainly smarter and more learned than I can ever aspire to be, so I'm sure I'm on safe groud believing what he believes.
And as much of his writing is for young people, isn't it possible his views can serve to pollute their psyches? If they admire him?
Separation of the art from the artist is a noble and mature view.
But there's some good in calling a bigot a bigot, too.
I don't know him, not ever having read any of his material, or seen any articles about him. But from the tenor of this conversation, it seems apologies are being extended for his rather basic intolerance of gays, if indeed that is a true attitude he professes. That makes me very uncomfortable.
I think progress has been made in the past decade towards reducing intolerance and isolating those who preach and practice it. I think, by culling those individuals from the herd and shining the light of societal censure on them, that progress has been greater than at any other time in my history. I myself think that's a very good thing.
C
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Des never disappoints: the wry and ribald renderings of a raunchy raconteur.
C
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Des, I always thought your knit was a little different.
C <g>
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Thanks, Blue, for giving me a chance to remove any misconceptions I may have left.
I said I hadn't read Darkfull yet, and by so doing hoped not to convey the impression I didn't like it. I also said I definitely would be reading it soon. I happen to be involved in several other stories at the moment, and can only juggle so many before their lines begin to blur.
I then went on to discuss a personal sensitivity I have to some darker material in response to another writer's prod. And asked if others shared this sensitivity.
But while doing this, I did worry a little I might be giving the impression that Grasshopper's writing, or this story, might somehow be offensive. I didn't mean to do that, and am glad to have the opportunity to clear that up.
I love Grasshopper's writing! It's great, great stuff, and I've not only read everytihng he's written, I've read it all more than once. I am eagerly looking forward to starting the new one. I've wanted to write to him many times to express my great admiration of his work, and his ability. Now I can say it publicly. What a wonderful writer he is!
I am positive this story won't be devoid of hope. That's the antithesis of Grasshopper's writing. I trust his writing explicitly.
You were right, Blue. The discussion was tangential to Grasshopper's writing, not focused on it, and wasn't about Darkfall, which I haven't read. I didn't mean the discussion to be based on that story. My remarks were based on thoughts generated from reading other's comments on the story being darker than most, and were general comments of my own sensitivity to some subjects.
I'm very excited, knowing there's a new Grasshopper story out there waiting for me.
C
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Damn but you guys express yourselves well!
I know where you're both coming from. I agree absolutely. As I said, I could tolerate a lot more violence, pain, bloodshed, abuse, all that sort of thing, in stories when I was younger. Just as a feeling of acrophobia began when I was about 45 and has grown stronger every year since then, these sorts of dark emotions and unpleasant realities bother me to a much greater extent now, too.
Stories need some angst, or conflict, or crisis or something of that sort to give them interest and meaning. Otherwise, they're too bland to hold our attention. And I put some in my stories, so I'm not entirely innocent here , either. I do prefer it not to go on and on, or to be describled in too luscious a detail, and I especially dislike the character feeling these emotions to be void of hope. That's more than I can bear.
Like Trab, I empathize too much, feel the anguish too much.
But a good story must have some of this. I just prefer reading ones where it's muted, or passsed over quickly, or isn't so horrifically detailed.
To each his own.
C
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I'm not hurting yet because I haven't started it yet. If it's too strong, too emotional, too dark, I might not be able to read it. I don't watch some TV shows or see some movies just for that reason, they're too much. Too violent, too hateful, too full of hopelessness and despair, just too.
This is a departure for me, this attitude. I used to be normal when I was younger. Now I just don't like all that angst in my life.
Becasue of the quality of Grasshopper's writing, I'll definitely read it, eventually, and if it isn't too painful, will even finish it. Like I'm waiting to finish JHS (Hint! Hint! Hint!) <g>
There are a lot of detailed stories dealing with child abuse, stories that go into specifics about the actual abuse itself, the pain and suffering. I cannot read those, even if the writing itself is mechanically sound. Do the rest of you read that material and make your way through it? Maybe I'm too suggestible.
C
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I love that Camy. I have carte blanche to say what I want, and it's Wibby's fault. Too cool!
:cry: But Trab, isn't that your normal modus operandi?
Hee hee hee!
C
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Please have a wonderful birthday bash. A sober one.
Please.
C
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Jamie:
I was wonderful to hear from you! And I've never, ever read anything by you I didn't love. I look forward with eager anticipation to this new story.
And I hope you're back to writing again!
C
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Here is the index page for Grasshopper. Scroll to the bottom for the new story, Darkfall.
Trab:
Is this one finished? I'm always so disappointed when he leaves one undone, as his characters are so compelling. If it isn't done, I'd rather wait a bit. Personal preferrence.
C
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I don't think I ever have quite got the gist of this entire topic, which would be fine except that Des seems to know what's going on, so it can't just be an age thing, it has to be a stupidity thing, and I hate when that happens.
However, the point now seems to be someone advocating Camy gets shafted, and I want to put my oar in at this point and say, unequivocally, I'm against that.
C
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Both having equal advantage means neither has an advantahge over the other. Therefore, neither has an advantage.
As Canadians supposedly have a superior educational system over and above Americans (not counting Canadians as Americans any more than San Salvadorans or Brazilians; hey, don't blame these conventions on me!) then you'd both have advantages over people to the south of you. Hence my statement dealing with advantages.
C
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Oops!
Score: Trab- 1
WBMS- 0
And you're both Canadian, so there were no advantages anywhere.
C
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Awww!
You guys are sooooo sweet!
C
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Aha. So I'm living in a suspense story then. I know I've been told often enough that I'm on the edge, and that everyone around me is on edge too. And here I always thought they meant "sharp" when they said that.
:wav:Trab, please review the above definitions. You're not living a suspense story, you're living Gothic Fantasy, because quite obviously, if you thought they meant your were sharp, you were living in a make believe world.
Heh heh heh.
C
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I enjoy the compassion noted from everyone for Dude's headache, but think it's unwarranted. I didn't read his malady as an actual headache, but a metaphorical one caused by too much attention to a nonsensical question and the ensuing metaphysical responses. That being the case, if it be, then the answer isn't to find various and creative ways to score some Tylenol; it's to end this nonsense forthwith and dispense with 84, no matter what it's meaning or lack thereof. Without the source, the metaphor dies.
Or I could be all wet and the headache approaching the pounding, throbbing, seeing spots and nauseous stage.
C
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I read Tappings some time ago and loved it. I don't usually read fantasy, but am not even sure this should be classified in that genre. Weird, eldritch sort of story that was very well written and a joy to read.
C
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If you say so.
???
C
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Hearing about insurance companies, I'm surprised. I would have thought that they would have denied both claims.
Colin
Tut tut tut. So young, and yet so bitter.<g>
C
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Des said:
The problem is not so much as to what is "straight-acting" as it is to find and recognise the self-respect each of us should have for ourselves as individuals and not for some cultural expectation of how we should "act", whether that is an adopted masculine, effeminate or gay image.
These are the labels on the clothing of our humanity that do indeed maketh us the man or woman of our own perceptions of ourselves. Choice is being eroded by wearing other peoples' designs.
We should do all that can to make sure we do not succumb to wearing the designer label personalities of any culture and instead seek to be ourselves.
Trying to make people accept politically correct designer fashions of cultural images should not be our goal. Acceptance and encouragement of our differences as unique individuals is being overlooked for the sake of misplaced ideas of community safety with social acceptability.
He also said:
To get back to literary basics, we are seeing some effort in understanding and exposing these issues in some of our stories and poems. The gay novels that liberate us from the clutches of the homophobes can also free us from our own misgivings.
In the mean time gay romantic fiction is serving not only as an amusement but as an important breaking down of the barriers which stop all humans, all of us, from appreciating ourselves as sentient beings, capable of loving each other and being in love.
What words of wisdom, and how well expressed!
You continually amaze me, Des, with the depth of your understanding of the human condition and your ability to articulate it.
C
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Altimexis:
I've told you several times that I really like these stories, and I'll say it here publicly. They are great, and I look forward to each new episode.
I'm glad you're going to bring Dave Reynolds back. I grew very attached to him when this all began, and though he's shown up in other tales, having another based on his doings is very welcome.
C
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Damn it, Des! Now you've got that melody running through my head.
C
:cry: 
:wav:
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No, the chapters are in Dude's hands.
If they don't post on schedule, blame him, not me.
I did my part. I wrote the damn thing!
C