Rick Beck and Discovering Love

[Trab]

I happened to find this one in my explorations, and am enjoying it a lot.

Discovering Love

[Guest Brandon T.]

I swear, some day, I'm going to build a temple to Rick Beck. I think that story used to be called Discovering Gregory. It was the first online story I ever read. Well, not the first, but it was the first one I read that I can remember vividly and clearly. It's definitely my favorite, not only out of Rick Beck's works but the whole of online fiction. It was just one of those masterfully crafted stories with complex characters and complex dynamics. And the truly amazing thing I thought was that, really, it was all quite simple. The characters are all relatively simple on the surface. Young, sex-crazed, and all falling more and more in love with Greg. Including Greg himself. But out of that simplicity come some truly profound and prolific themes. And it's just a really beautifully written, resonant piece of fiction. =o I loved everyone in that story, including Greg. JUST. AMAZING. AMAZING. AMAZING.

Yes. So nice.

Good eye, Trab. Very good eye.

[Rubilacxe]

I swear, some day, I'm going to build a temple to Rick Beck. Yes. So nice.

...

Good eye, Trab. Very good eye.

Trab and Brandon -- very true and on target! I remember Rick's story when it was Discovering Greg but it still resonates strongly today as it did back when. Wonderfully sculpted characters who go beyond the norm in morphing into characters that you just want to hug in the end.

[littlejoe]

I first read this on Nifty, way back when I was only interested in stroke stories. I had read some of his shorter stories and they were good for what ailed me. I clicked on this one, thinking it was going to be another story about a cocky, self-involved stud with a big dick who gets off on other people worshiping it. Well, yeah, it is just that, at first, but I read on and was amazed when it transformed into an actual story, with plot points, character development and everything. Good story by a good writer (though a lot of his characters do tend to speak in an extremely terse style; that's how I can tell I'm reading a Rick Beck story.)

Why isn't this story on AD, anyway? Under contract to IOMFATS or something?

[The Pecman]

Rick's story has been around a long time, at least ten years, and was originally posted under the title "Discovering Gregory." I think it might have been the first one that made me write him, back in the 1990s, and we carried on a correspondence for some time. [Addendum: I just checked my files and saw it was January 1998.]

I really liked the story (and still do), but felt like the ending was a little incomplete, kind of evasive, without any real finality. That having been said, I really liked the delineation of the characters, how frustrating it would be to deal with a character like Greg, and the ups and downs of their relationship. I believe some of it was based on reality, and I think the actual end of it wasn't pleasant (but you wouldn't expect anything else). But there are examples of great writing in this novel; for example, Chapter 3 is a fantastic example of seduction, one of I've read many times, and it's an example of a scene being incredibly arousing without being explicit.

Rick's a dynamite author, and I'm glad to see others promote his work. He's definitely one of the shining lights on the web, and I really enjoy his work.

[Trab]

For what it's worth, I've corresponded with Rick about this story, and he would like to repost it as well, but feels that it needs some proofing work. I agree with him, and have been working on that, now being up to Chapter 40 of the 62. Unfortunately, I have run into a severe time shortage and have had to cancel with several authors, so this particular project is on the backburner. I'll get there eventually, and Rick might not even wait till I finish. That's up to him. I think it is a great story, and deserves to have many of those early typos corrected.

[TracyMN]

I agree with him, and have been working on that, now being up to Chapter 40 of the 62. Unfortunately, I have run into a severe time shortage and have had to cancel with several authors, so this particular project is on the backburner. I'll get there eventually, and Rick might not even wait till I finish. That's up to him. I think it is a great story, and deserves to have many of those early typos corrected.

If it's just proofing, I might be able to help with that. There was a formatting issue when I was

doing the original OTFL, but he has a new 'puter now. I'd like to know if that's resolved anyway,

so i'll let him know i'm willing, and leave the rest between you guys.

I'm glad to hear he has some competent help, and I know he must be too. I didn't remember

that DG ran that long, but then I may have read it as one whole piece.

I'll send your comments along to Rick, makes him happy and me feel useful.

Tracy