Bonding Energy by Ryan Miller

[Graeme]

WARNING:

There are people on this site who have threaten grevious bodily harm for those authors that provide spoilers

Just warning you :D so you know what you're letting yourself in for.

Cheers!

Graeme :)

[RMiller]

WARNING:

There are people on this site who have threaten grevious bodily harm for those authors that provide spoilers

Just warning you :D so you know what you're letting yourself in for.

Cheers!

Graeme :)

Sorry, I just like to tease the readers. I'm sadistic that way. That is the closest I get to a spoiler. Besides, I never said who was going to die.

[RMiller]

For those who have been waiting for chapter 8, I have not forgotten about it. I am half-way through and am trying to make sure it sounds authentic and not that I am just pulling stuff out of the air. I can?t give any deadline for when I expect to be done with it, but it will be finished in the next two weeks.

The chapter, mind you, not the story. There?re at least 4 of 5 more chapters left in Opportunity Cost and a whole other sequel after that.

[EleCivil]

There?re at least 4 of 5 more chapters left in Opportunity Cost and a whole other sequel after that.

!

Cool!

[RMiller]

I'm glad I didn't violate any preview protocol that time.

[RMiller]

After about a month of putting stuff off, I am done with chapter 8. I have sent it to The Dude, so it should be up soon. And I am a little worried about it since it is darker than anything else I have written in the series and want to know if it comes off well or if it sounds like I am just making stuff up. But since it is fiction, of course it is made up. I just want to know if you can tell.

[EleCivil]

Loved chapter 8. I was really impressed with Kyle in this chapter - going to start that confrontation took a lot of guts. And balls. Gulls? Yeah...gulls.

And I'm really curious about what's been going on with James.

[RMiller]

Loved chapter 8. I was really impressed with Kyle in this chapter - going to start that confrontation took a lot of guts. And balls. Gulls? Yeah...gulls.

And I'm really curious about what's been going on with James.

You had me worried there with ?gulls.? I though you were making fun of a typo. But my panic attack was quelled when I searched my story and found no such mistake.

And James has issues. I don?t know if I should resolve them in the next chapter or later, but he has some major issues. There?s been a lot of drama lately and I want to take the story in a lighter direction for a bit, but momentum is pretty heavy and I don?t know if I can stop certain parts of the story. I?ll send you a draft and you can tell me if it fits or not.

[RMiller]

It's been a long summer and I have had little computer access, but I can now start writing more chapters for Opportunity cost. Thanks to those who have kept track of the story and have been waiting for updates. You patience is about to pay off. And this summer has provided me with a lot of inspiration for other works, so I should be writing a lot more in the weeks to come.

[EleCivil]

New chapter! Yeah!

Didn't see that coming at all. This is such a huge turning point...definitely an "end of disc one" kind of moment.

Awesome job at balancing the dark with the light, though. I was laughing through the first part and nail-biting through the end.

...Tactics was way better than VII, though.

[RMiller]

...Tactics was way better than VII, though.

That one will slide since I am fond of you and Brandon. But don't think it will go unnoticed.

And to address the rising concern among readers about the ending of this chapter, those who are of a literal and linear mindset will not have enjoyed it. A great many things were left un-explained and ignored, but that is why it is a bloody cliff-hanger, people! It's that damn western mindset so many of you have been socialized to. "Oh, we refuse to enjoy a story that does not have a consummate explanation of the inexplicable. Woe is we!"

I do give mad props to one Dragonweir for getting it right. Perhaps the rest of you will follow his example and see the forest in spite of the trees.

-Ryan

PS: Props for the sweet name, Dragonweir.

[RMiller]

Just a quick question: Is it going to be a trilogy?

Trilogy?

Yes.

Is Opportunity Cost done?

No.

It does seem like a very nice place to end it, since much of the story conflicts have been resolved, but I am not so sadistic a writer to leave you with a completely open-ended ending that requires you to scratch your head until you start bleeding profusely and curse my name. That ending does lead into a very different story, but more of a "Part II" than a different tale.

When Opportunity Cost is over, you'll know it.

[RMiller]

So, what do all the disgruntled readers think of this follow-up chapter? I hope you all feel better after the cliffhanger and know I wrote it with a purpose and didn't do it just to piss you off. You're my readers and I love you all and hope you can be more patient with my unconventional storytelling. (At least it defies western conventions. Freakin' Americans.)

[Camy]

When Opportunity Cost is over, you'll know it.

Because it will be finished?

[blue]

I've read Opportunity Cost and I'm going back to reread Bonding Energy when I can get to it.

You've got strong characters and some plot twists... and the story has more to say than what's on the surface. I like that. I like that it gets into the nature of love and friendship. It's honest and doesn't shy away from things.

Ryan, when you get a chance, please check your PM box and your email. You should've received something from me.

[RMiller]

Uh, for those who frequent the story, should a different thread be posted for Opportunity Cost, since it is a different story? I just figure, in light of the author's page they gave me, should the thread be divided as well?

[RMiller]

New chapter out.

Take a look.

Leave a comment.

And happy Day of the Ninja.

[EleCivil]

Hey, this is the second chapter in a row where someone tells Kyle that they play DDR to keep their ass in shape. This is starting to become a major theme. Man v. Man, Man v. Himself, Man v. Nature, Ass v. DDR. Heeey...that gives me an idea. Possible climax of Op Cost:

Stone: All right, here's how it'll go down. I'll let you have William...IF you can beat me.

Kyle: Beat you? At what?

*Stone pulls sheet off of large DDR machine*

Kyle: You, too?

Stone: What? Keeps my ass-

Kyle: Oh, god! Don't say it.

Stone: Whatever. Kid, I admire your guts, but you're about to get served.

Kyle: ...Let's do this.

...Well, you did ask for speculation.

And I just noticed that nobody's mentioned my cameo appearance at the end of chapter 11.

[RMiller]

Hey, this is the second chapter in a row where someone tells Kyle that they play DDR to keep their ass in shape. This is starting to become a major theme. Man v. Man, Man v. Himself, Man v. Nature, Ass v. DDR. Heeey...that gives me an idea. Possible climax of Op Cost:

...Well, you did ask for speculation.

And I just noticed that nobody's mentioned my cameo appearance at the end of chapter 11.

I don't know what the deal is with everybody. It?s like everyone?s all embittered now after chapter 9 and they refuse to leave comments.

Crybabies.

And, no. I will not have the climax of my novella reduced to a DDR showdown. The ass vs. DDR thing is a running gag, but not a plot device.

And I don't write things like, ?you're about to get served,? or ?Let?s do this.? It?s Opportunity Cost, not Agent Cody Banks.

[EleCivil]

And I don't write things like, ?you're about to get served,? or ?Let?s do this.? It?s Opportunity Cost, not Agent Cody Banks.

Maybe if you took more influence from the works of Frankie Muniz, you'd get more feedback. Granted, most of it would be along the lines of "What the hell happened to your style?", but it would be feedback.

[Graeme]

I'm sorry, but I haven't kept up with a long list of stories. I keep promising myself, but I don't do it.

To make things worse, someone recently recommended Dan Kirk's "Dreams of Humanity" and there went a week's worth of reading on just one story. I had intended to only look at enough of it to decide if it was suitable to take with me on holidays, but I got hooked....

[DesDownunder]

Okay Graeme, So, being a Sci-Fi movie fan, I went and had a look at Dreams of Humanity.

Strangely I haven't always found the gay Sci-Fi fiction to my liking. That's just me.

But I really am hooked with Dreams of Humanity. Touches of Star Wars, Dune, Blade Runner, Star Trek, Brave New World and others, not to mention some original concepts as well.

I love the background story about old Earth being relegated to the forces of religious conservatism. The idea of democracy being flawed and replaced by a different system is fascinating. Not to mention the Gay clones. Terrific stuff.

The author should be turning it into a movie. That would scare the conservatives on Earth at the moment.

Thanks for the heads up on this one.

[RMiller]

A few of you have been asking, so I thought I?d let you know the progress of the next and final chapter for Opportunity Cost. I am still working on it and plan to have it finished within the week. Drafting might be a while, since this is the last glimpse of Kyle we will get for at least a few months and it should be a good one.

I thank you all for being patient and for your encouragement and input.

[Graeme]

... the progress of the next and final chapter for Opportunity Cost. ... this is the last glimpse of Kyle we will get for at least a few months ...

This implies that there will be another book in the series where Kyle appears again. Have I misread things?

[RMiller]

This implies that there will be another book in the series where Kyle appears again. Have I misread things?

No, your observations are most astute.