Random Reading

[Guest Dabeagle]

I've been doing a little reading here at AD, and of course taking my own advice and reaching out to the authors afterward. I thought it might be fun to put some of those thoughts here as well, just to see what kind of discussion it might generate. Keep in mind that I have never read these authors before and if posts existed previously for them...I didn't go looking.

Today I read all six of '...And Dream My Dreams of You' by Jay B. I've never heard of Jay before, I just randomly picked his name off the list. This story was filled with such angst, I loved it. I like angst anyway. It has flawed characters that can only get away with what they do because they are in High School. Teenagers get their own set of peculiar logic rules (that there rarely are any) and of course you'd like to choke them once in a while and push them in the right direction.

There were a couple of things that were less positive to me, things I would have liked to see more of. But I won't spoil it for anyone who hasn't read it yet. You will now, right?

I read 'iPlug' today as well. I really wasn't sure what to expect. Like I said to Bruin, my first thought was of a sex toy that played music or video. It was a real thinking man's story though, a cautionary tale about the good intentions and the road to hell.

I read The Parallax Effect by Altimexis, another random choice. This was a mind bender and at the end I was sort of thinking...no, wait, you can't stop here...now I have to decide for myself!

I also spent the better part of a week reading In Search of Me and I have to tell you, I really admire the character creation here. One of these characters I alternately hate and like. Well, maybe not hate. Distrust? Lots of good things in there.

[Bruin Fisher]

I read Altimexis' 'Parallax Effect' a long time ago, and I only needed to put it back on my screen for the story to flood back into my memory, so it must have had quite an impact on me. It's a great premise and really makes you think. A great short story, with the attributes of the best of its kind.

I hadn't read Jay B's 'And Dream My Dreams of You' but I did so in response to your post and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of high school stories seem to have a protagonist who is terminally dense about other people's affections, and it is obvious to everyone that the cute jock is keen on him, but he remains oblivious right to the last chapter, and the reader has been wanting to bang the guy's head against a wall to make him see sense! Anyway I'm glad it had a happy, if slightly abrupt, ending.

Thanks for commenting on my story 'The iPlug' - I'm glad you didn't mind that it turned out not to be about a novel sex toy!

I haven't read 'In Search of Me' but since I'm taking the NaNoWriMo challenge, starting a few hours from now, I won't have time to read it at least until the end of November!

[The Pecman]

I hadn't read Jay B's 'And Dream My Dreams of You' but I did so in response to your post and thoroughly enjoyed it. A lot of high school stories seem to have a protagonist who is terminally dense about other people's affections, and it is obvious to everyone that the cute jock is keen on him, but he remains oblivious right to the last chapter, and the reader has been wanting to bang the guy's head against a wall to make him see sense! Anyway I'm glad it had a happy, if slightly abrupt, ending.

Just once, I'd like to see a romantic story like this where they don't use the "is he or isn't he" plot. This is a well-written story, but it's hard for anybody to avoid falling into cliches when you have two best friends, each of which is secretly in love with the other, but neither knows the other is in the closet. I did a lot of eye-rolling while reading it -- but as I said, the author has talent, which makes it more frustrating for me.

At least "iPlug" was different and to the point -- very much like the classic SF short stories of the 1950s and 1960s (many of which I liked in my youth). Well-done!

[Cole Parker]

It's difficult to write, and to some extent to read, a story where the outcome can be predicted before the first couple of pages are completed. It says something for the skill of this writer to bring it off as well as he did. However, that prediction hovered over the story the entire time it was being read.

I'd read this before, and enjoyed reading it again.

C

[Guest Dabeagle]

Yes, it wasn't a perfect story, to be sure. There was the notebook plot device, which telegraphs certain parts. There is always the in love with the best friend story as well. I enjoyed it despite that, the angsty bits were fun.

[Cole Parker]

Yes, it wasn't a perfect story, to be sure. There was the notebook plot device, which telegraphs certain parts. There is always the in love with the best friend story as well. I enjoyed it despite that, the angsty bits were fun.

Me too!

C

[The Pecman]

Yes, it wasn't a perfect story, to be sure. There was the notebook plot device, which telegraphs certain parts. There is always the in love with the best friend story as well.

Those were among my two major issues. I also found it hard to believe that two best friends who knew each other for years wouldn't eventually figure things out.

On the other hand: my own real-life best friend, who was married, was totally flummoxed when I came out to him in my 20s. He revealed he had been bisexual for years, his wife knew about it, and it was no big deal. He never suspected, and I never suspected. But we had only known each other for maybe four or five years (at that time).

But kids... I dunno. If you knew somebody for over a decade, well into your teens... Also, the gimmick of having a written notebook in 2010 makes me wince. Why wouldn't this be on the kid's computer? Why chance somebody reading the notebook? The only reason I can see for this plot gimmick to exist is so that it can be discovered.

And yet it is a fairly well-written story, and the best compliment I can give is that it held my interest all the way to the end.

Like I say, though, I think there's a way to do more than just write stories about guys struggling with their sexuality. I wish the story could involve a lot more than just this angst.

[Merkin]

... I think there's a way to do more than just write stories about guys struggling with their sexuality. I wish the story could involve a lot more than just this angst.

I think many developing writers have to get that particular story-line behind them before moving on to something less angsty. The test of a good writer, for me, is usually the work that follows.

James

[Camy]

There's nowt wrong with a good bit of angst.

[Cole Parker]

There's nowt wrong with a good bit of angst.

As long as it isn't overblown. Anything overblown can get painful.

C

[Camy]

Anything overblown can get painful.

Hmm. Sore, definitely.

Ha! I've made a Des.

[Cole Parker]

You got my point, and here I was trying to be so droll!

C