Content: love

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Chance Of A Lifetime is a story about living life over again. The mistakes that completely decimated the life of John Riley, will be slowly sponged away. The past becomes the present, as the future becomes his servant.

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This suicide poem of a Samurai is an attempt to underscore the cultural differences between western culture and eastern culture. The west is largely Christian. In Japan Christians amount to less than 3%. The culture is largely agnostic--Buddhism and Shintoism are the primary 'religions' although they are more philosophies than religions.//Imagine not believing in a supreme being and contemplating the end of your life as an absolute ending, by your own hand?//This poem is the creation of the author's imagination and is not at all authentic. I'm not Japanese but I've lived in Japan for nineteen years over a thirty five year period from the mid fifties to the late eighties. I graduated from a Japanese grade school in 1964.//The Japanese have a deep sense of honor. They are particularly sensitive to anything that reflects negatively on themselves, their family or their company. Most suicides in Japan are over issues of honor.//Personally, I'll never forget receiving a hand delivered wedding invitation on Monday, only to have it have it retrieved the following Monday, because the father of the bride opposed the marriage, and executed his wife, son and daughter with a Samurai sword, and then took his own life. The groom was the President of a large Japanese distribution company.//This poem, and many other cultural differences and nuances, are what inspired me to write the novel Executive Samurai.

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Being workshopped as a draft. THIS IS PART 2. PLEASE ONLY READ IF YOU'VE READ PART ONE. THIS story is about LOVE and desire. About moral relativity. i added to the sex scenes today. i hope they come across as i want them to -- sensual, not 'erotic'

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Every day John L Porter sinks further into despair because of his obsessive lust for his sixteen-year-old niece, Cleo, abandoned as an infant to his care. He has reached the desperate point of provoking his own death so that Cleo will benefit from the proceeds of a life insurance policy. He plans to provoke Oriel Sanborne Wells, the preacher in John L’s church and the nightshift deputy sheriff in Blue Ruby, Virginia, to kill him. John L sees this as Cleo's only salvation from both himself and Wells.

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From the infantile existence of our vast universe unto the dawning of the next day, we have experienced the ability of God to take care of us. With the dawning of each day, His mercy is undoubtedly revealed. He constructed this vast biosphere just to house us, planted a lush and nourishing garden to provide for us, and even suspended, way before any of us were thought of, the sun and moon in the sky. Today, God continues to inspire us to reach for higher heights if we just take time to stop and listen to his voice.

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an at&t inspired poem

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A story about moral relativity and love, I think. Nits, suggestions are all welcome. This paragraph is an addition to add tension -- "It is fun to have someone to dance with. Pier -- does it add tension? The story has been edited on the basis of suggestions.

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Please start at the beginning, don't just dive in at the current posting. If you're a novelist you know what I mean and why. This is the follow-up to season one. Note: This season picks up right where season one left off. So those of you who start here might be totally in the dark as to what's happening and why. I highly recommend reading season one first. Note! This is something I write for fun. I have no desire to publish it and therefore, I don't stick to the rules of POV. I tried it and didn't like it. So if you're bothered by that then you probably won't like this.

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A woman spends time with friends on vacation in cape cod. The past effects her view of the present -- and vice versa. Nits are now completed in my own ms. Not a plot led work.

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This is about a lonely girl who sees a ray of hope...all reviews welcome

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Kiel Thrice-Loved reunites with his mother, and expresses his dissatisfaction with her captors . . .(To avoid confusion the squad leader has been given the name Carillon.)

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A sweet way for a man to see his wife...really just an expression of love, any reviews are welcome.

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This is just a quick little love poem about the newness (if that's even a word) of a realtionship.

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A Tale of the Loved.

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Some words written down is some sort of order. Comments welcome.

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As a child, I used to be punished for being curious about my body until I came to this conclusion. Just my humble opinion from a heterosexual point of view.

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A piece about honesty. You have read all the wonderful silken written poetry about love and all its fire and wonder. Now I invite you to read how it really is..

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As the day of the year approaches where one is challenged to gather and share oft overlooked, but never forgotten, appreciations, I thought these few words might resonate. For many, a muse is a fantasy. For some a reality. This is a dedication to the value, either way.

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Written for a flash contest. I think the story had to be romantic, less than 500 words, and a bridge had to be mentioned. Any sort of comment is welcome.

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2010 Flash Writing Contest Any feedback would be welcome.

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A confessional novel. The characters tell a story to someone. That someone might be anyone at the beginning -- a therapist, lawyer, a novelist. This ambiguity is purposeful, but clarifies as the story progresses. They talk in 2010 about events in 1994. Louise travelled to the MiddleEast in 1994, having broken up with British-Indian, Nav. Due to youth and inexperience they couldn't take the pressures of their relationship. In Israel, Louise becomes involved with charismatic Zack. They decide to travel together across Jordan into Sinai -- and then to cairo where things go very wrong. Both Louise and Zack are heavily influenced by the power of story-telling. This story is autobio in the racial content and the journey --the rest is heavily fictionalised. The families have been fictionalised for obvious reasons, but the issues involved are real.

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Another piece on my relationship

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For once... find a lot wrong with this piece. Did I put enough cliches in it! Is it truly horrible... punctuation stinkin... yeah... my Rude lewd and nasty review sought!

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This about waiting

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This should be six sentences and a story too. Is it?

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The Yankees have occupied New Orleans, and captured Vicksburg and Jackson. They want the South's cotton, the Rebs are dead set on burning it, the plantation owners are caught in the middle. In the midst of the Civil War, Guy Sell, an injured rebel corporal, stumbles upon a stash of stolen confederate gold, befriends a beautiful young widow with two sons, and sets out to establish a new community in the wilds of Central Mississippi.

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PLEASE start at the beginning--don't dive into the middle. Thanks.

Sinter Blackwell looks great in eyeliner, has an acting job in London, and a girlfriend who adores him, so why isn't he happy? Why can't he quit thinking about Andy, his gay best friend from high school, who once kissed him? Sinter returns home to the Pacific Northwest to find Andy, dreading how to tell his disapproving parents about his changing feelings. But his world gets even more complicated when it turns out his ex-girlfriend isn't finished with him.

Just tell me where you run into any problems. All reviews welcome. You may have gathered that this novel does deal (sympathetically) with gay issues, so if that's going to bother you, you might want to steer clear. I won't be offended.

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Celeste and Mark are reformed problem children, but are too similar in temperament to make their connection work.
They recognize this, but can't resist the strong attraction between them. Despite Mark's attempts to avoid entanglement, he can't help himself, and danger follows them despite their intentions of staying out of trouble.
Can Mark resist his efforts to bend Celeste to his will and can she accept his love without losing herself in the process?

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When Jamie, a peasant swordsmith, arrives at the castle to teach sword lessons, the last thing he expected to find was the willful Princess Carinthea awaiting his instruction. As their affection for each other grows, both are painfully aware that a peasant and a princess can never be together.

Okay, here we go again. I'm working on the new version, so it might feel a little rough, especially later on. It's undergone some pretty major changes. I'm mostly looking for content suggestions, but I'll take any help I can get.

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A poem for Vanessa

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This is the last section in the short story. How does it close?

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This is the second part of the story, again, is it too elementary? Is the voice true. Do the characters seem real?

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I reposted this to remind everyone that the New Year can represent a new start…..

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I am looking for a voice. Is it too elementary?

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Trying for a Tanka

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This story is based on scientific fact. Researchers have measured bodies at the precise moment of death. There is a difference in weight of 21 mg. Scientist believe the weight is from the electrical impulses in the brain and the nerves. I'll go a step further and tell you I believe a person's soul is in that 21 mg. Now, here is what the story is all about. Billy Harper is going home after eating with his wife Holly. There, he boots up his PC and discovers one e-mail. The subject, "Twins". The message simple, "Meet us at the tree". Almost 40 years ago Holly while climbing a tree slips. She's pregnant with twins and the accident causes the kids to be stillborn. Suddenly Billy is talking to the twins, God and Jesus. God teaches him lessons, people in his life needing forgiveness. Then, Jesus explains the Black Cloud. Why it's there and what people can do. Well, read the story, laugh, cry and let me know what you think. A big thanks to my favorite doctor who helped me with some editing. I must add, my wife helped polish the story with some rewording. Last word, thanks Cathryn for the tweak. And as always what would I do without Janet and Jim?

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maybe it's the time of year, time for poetic pondering, i dunno...the dimming glow...just like the twilight...looking back on a love that felt so right but had nowhere to go...

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Same overwritten poem about love and love lost. Old standby when a writer has an itch and needs it scratched! Any and all..feedback. Added punctuation but really don't like using it all the time in poetry. I like the use of ellipsis in voicing a pause.

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Sort of a "stream of consiousness" thing.

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This was inspired by Brosna11 Im not sure if I covered the criteria so if anyone is familiar with this form don’t hesitate to rebuke me lol

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My first attempt at some sap Suggestions comments appreciated

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Any and all feedback. Make you think? Make you feel? Make you nauseous! ha... Just having a bit of fun writing something totally romantic. Sort of about me but not a serious loss in the long run. Hurt like hell at time though so does that come through?

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In my quest to find spiritual peace through the Lord these days, he helped out by bringing an old friend back into my life. By doing so, he put me in a position to close a lengthy chapter in the book of E Charles Smith. God is good all the time. He knows exactly what we need, and often forces us to help ourselves with his guidance. Although the names have been changed (to protect the innocent), the memoir is honest. As I wrote this, I felt a sense of real freedom come over me. It was as if the words appearing on the screen were therapeutically clearing my soul.

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Dani hasn't had it easy. Raised in an abusive home by alcoholic parents her life has been a series of tragic events, stemming mostly from the violent death of her brother at the hands of their father. Since then she has come to rely on her best friend Reece to always be there for her. But the love that she has for him ultimately creates a barrier in their relationship, which is confused even more by the appearance of people from Dani's past. Told through a combination of flashbacks and present events Dani finds a way to cope with what to an outsider would seem like the typical teen angst but is anything but.

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Ulli sent me a magazine with a haunting picture on the front. This is in honor of that picture which I haven't been able to get out of my head. Hope it does it justice! Any and all feedback is welcomed but mostly what emotions were evoked.

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A little something for my dear wife.

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I don't really know what kind of feedback I'm looking for. Normally, I don't do much poetry, but this was one of those things that bubbled to the surface as painful feelings often do and I thought I'd throw it out there.

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Dedicated to the only man I will ever love, my soldier. For anyone and everyone who feels kindship to our soldiers, please pray for all of their safe returns home. All those men and women have people who love them. My heart is with all of them. Thank you for stopping by! And as to the rhyme scheme of this poem, i didn't actually intend for any of it to rhyme as I am better with free verse. But in the end it rhymes and thus I am surprised at how well I managed to make it sound. Initially I intended for this to be lyrics, sang as if by an angel ;P.

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Eolyn is the story of love and magic tested by dogma, war and shifting loyalties. Set in the Kingdom of Moisehen, it forces two friends into opposite sides of a violent conflict, the outcome of which will determine the fate of a millennial tradition of sorcery. Any feedback is welcome. Feel free to pick up the story at a middle or late chapter if you prefer, but please keep in mind that many plot elements will have been set up prior to the chapter you read. Thank you for taking the time to read and review. I hope you enjoy!

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It was a poem that I wrote about a story I created, about a boy and girl who grow up together, but the boy's father abused him. They made a pack to run away when they were teenagers, but one the night they were to run away the father killed the boy and it crushed the girl. They had a common interest in butterflies and she finds the letter from the boy that says, "The truth about butterflies is that no matter where I am, if you see a butterfly it is just me saying hi."

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I am writing an entire new version of this novel. For my AWESOME fans, I will still be submitting the FULL version with multi POV's to agents. But this is a toned down version. NOTE: first ch's are the same...changes start after the "Mason Hall Way happening." I REALLY need honest real feedback. Nit's are not what I'm lookinf for, I want to know about flow and content. IF you can't help yourself (rach?) go ahead and give me the nits...LOL (there are 30k words cut in this new version.)

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This is a new piece that is short and I hope sweet for erotica. I believe it could use some more character development but wanted to keep things short to get back into the game after a few months away from writing.

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My experience of enlightenment and perception of the nature of reality in 1000 words.

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Years ago my sister lived in Memphis, and insisted on my touring Graceland, Elvis Presley's mansion. Never having been a fan, I was reluctant, but noting literally thousands of people and cars teeming within the commercial -- shops, restaurants, museums -- area of the house, wheels turned in my head. This is a pilgrimage, a religious pilgrimage, I thought. To them, Elvis will never die. When the light bulbs over my head did not go away, I began to see possibilities of a novel, based on Canterbury Tales. After interviewing over a 100 and corresponding with 20-30 additional fans, I learned that each had their own story about Elvis and how he had touched their life. In a way, he was their Christ figure. I hope I will not offend when I say I truly gagged on a couple of remarks, but the hearts that spoke so willingly with me, were true. I went back to North Carolina and begin to outline "Holy Ground." I'm still at the writing and I will need all the help I can get in every area. The characters are numerous, as in Chaucer's General Prologue and that gives me fits, so I have narrowed it down to six or seven principals with a general plot running through the stories the pilgrims tell. I understand this is a long summary, but when you see me going down for the 3rd time, please throw me a line. Thanks, Olivia

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This work is a response to "Why God?". A poem in which a young widow, with a child who's husband was killed in Iraq, challenges God and bares her soul. It is important to read "Why God?" first, to put this response into context. By no means does the author attempt any more than consolidating answers throughout history to mankind's tragedies.

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Thanks to everyone for your very helpful reviews. I revised the story accoringly. Feedback needed: Did I break the dialogue into too many paragraphs? I also combined a couple of sentences. Did that leave me with too many "series" sentences? ie. "She would want to know my new salary, if Mrs.Whipple would still be my secretary, the color scheme of my office, and most importantly, what Mr. Wyatt and his secretary were wearing." Lastly, I'm interested in nits. Your honesty would be greatly appreciated.

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This work is an attempt to explore the emotions and questions that arise from human tragedy. It raises the questions, but not the answers. While the questions raised are specific to a situation, similar questions are eventually asked by all. //God is defined in the broadest sense--and I hope it causes thoughtful introspection only. There is also a bit of "Eastern Philosophy" in this, as we are all affected by our experiences--and I spent 19 years in Japan and four of my seven children were born there.// A thought to consider; mustn't God loves us all?(regardless of our specific religion, or lack thereof). This is the first in a the first in a series of poems designed to provoke thought.

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This is a story for anyone who likes to contemplate life's biggest questions... Because they don't come any bigger than those addressed in this book. Whilst I'm classifying the work as fiction, the story is built around my own personal experiences, and incorporates occult knowledge of the highest order. As such, I know that this project has the power to change lives - and liberate minds. Join me, then, as I embark on a journey that very few have taken, and even fewer have written about. "To rid ourselves of our shadows - who we are - we must step into either total light or total darkness." - Jeremy Preston Johnson

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Tommy must now learn to live with his father.

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When Maggie Bernett returns to Bonaventure Cemetery to visit her dead husband Clem, she has an experience of a lifetime.

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A strange note sends a mother and son on a journey of discovery.

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The Premise of ‘The Gold Mine.’ Jacob Townsend inherits a a gold mine in the Sierra Nevadas, from his Great-Great-Great-Grandparents, Tom Watson and Eliza Townsend. In the box containing the hundred and fifty year old legal documents is a map made by Eliza to the location of the mine and a diary written by Eliza. The innovations she designed and had built would amaze engineers of today. Scheming relatives would like to take a peek at that map. Living in present day Dallas, Texas, Jacob takes a business trip to Caracas, Venezuela with his friend, Jessica Lopez. While there, a copy of the map is stolen from their hotel room and a flight in a small plane to a local gold mine is sabotaged, forcing the pilot to land on a river in the jungles of Venezuela. The pilot and the two of them trek through the forest and raft down the river trying to get back to civilization. They encounter a Drug Gang, who hold them hostage. What Jacob does to escape will stay as a nightmare with him as long as he lives. Back in the US, more relatives make attempts to steal the map. An attack on Jacob leads him to a Drug Lord, Manos Santos in Brazil who has connections in the US. Jacob seeks help from the CIA who turn him down, but not before meeting an agent named Marilyn who falls for him. Now he has two women on his hands. He goes to Rio de Janeiro at the height of the Mardi Gras Festival to track down Santos and confront him. At the shoot-out in Santos mansion, Jacob is wounded. Marilyn makes a surprising appearance and helps him escape. Jessica is furious but thankful. The diary leads Jessica to believe that Eliza and Tom may have perished in the mine. With a GPS system Jacob and Jessica trace their way to the mine. Using modern safety suits they penetrate the interior of the mine to find a few surprises. One of them being the body of someone they know, overcome by poisonous gases. Now they know who had the map stolen. Another chapter in the diary leads them to an amazing find.

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16-year-old Katie Smart has always been painfully shy and self-conscious. Her one ambition is to become a professional photographer. Possible romantic interest from Greg, a teenage worker her father hired to keep up the grounds surrounding their New England farmhouse, the increasingly sinister attentions of her photography teacher, and a sudden change of attitude toward her from Ben, the hottest and most arrogant boy in school, combine to send her into an emotional tailspin from which she may never recover. --- FIRST DRAFT IS COMPLETE and I have begun to edit.

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This novel takes place in the mid to late 1970's in the US and Japan. Bill Sanford is a young CPA working for the Tennessee Fried Chicken Corporation. He was brought up as a Foreign Service brat and had spent three years in Japan and four years in Europe. He had dreams of an international career but, his wife would have no part of it.// Ray Easton, TFC's Regional VP, Far East, is a cunning scoundrel and consummate liar. Ray is a master of insider trading of stock, and spreads the wealth to gain favors. He has always stayed one step ahead of the law.// Inoue San is an executive with one of Japan's major trading companies. He was a war hero who had been captured on Saipan and learned English from a U.S. Marine Officer. He launches a plot to bring a major U.S. fast food company into the Japanese market, relying on a high school chum who runs the Osaka Yakuza (mafia) to establish a chain of industrial espionage.// Strategic Planning is taking corporate America by storm. TFC'S CEO has caught the bug. He brings in a hot shot to produce and lead a corporate-wide strategic planning initiative. Resistance to strategic planning and the new hot shot builds, and the corporate politics accelerate, with battle lines being drawn.// Japan has been through post war reconstruction and is becoming a world class economic power. Some of its former military leaders are determined to achieve economically, what they failed to accomplish militarily.// Two trading company giants, Mitsugawa and Sawamura, become embroiled in a struggle for dominance of the exploding, western style, fast food market.// The cultural differences between Japan and the U.S. complicate matters for both sides. The inner workings of Corporate America and Japan are revealed in all their successes, but also, their corruption and greed.// Personal conflicts and deep seated vendettas, some originating during World War II, unfold.// Seduction and love affairs are an integral part of the plot. They illustrate the differences in social views of sexuality between the East and West.// Industrial espionage involving two highly competitive U.S. fast food companies, two Japanese Zaibatsu and the Japanese underworld unfolds.// Many of the key characters were involved in WWII and their individual experiences influence their business behavior.// Cultural differences subtly emerge, and the exploitation of others to achieve one's ends is front and center.// Personal ethics, or the lack there of, and the constant tug between good and evil are interspersed throughout.

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I have edited this piece to include some helpful comments from reviewers. This is solely my opinion. I do not pretend to be an expert in religions. I do however have some experience in teaching CCD and in raising seven children. My hope is that this work may cause reflection and discussion. Assuming one accepts God exists, then there can only be one.

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This is my entry for the "The Cloud" writing competition. It was originally over 6000 words, so I had to pare a lot to get it under 5000 (4977). As an eerie and mysterious cloud hovers over Las Vegas for months, it renders havoc on everything and everyone below. In spite of all the tragedy and gloom, love finds a way to grow and flourish. Any and all feedback is appreciated. Thank you in advance.

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"Strap yourself to a tree with roots, you ain't goin' nowhere" -- Bob Dylan This is the story of Cole Cayne and Joanna McQuire. They become best friends the day they are born. Then, after a thirty year separation, they get back together to undo the damage their childhood has done to themselves and to others. Any comments are welcome. Thanks.

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This is the story of three feral dogs living in the mountains, that a man tries to tame. I wanted readers to feel admiration as well as sympathy for the leader. Please let me know if it works. All suggestions are welcome.

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Everyday people. Not-so everyday stories. How do they connect? Open your minds, fill your hearts, and get to the bottom of "Love" once and for all.

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An unknown entity begins writing letters to the editor. R-Restricted

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Syn walks in a world of darkness for the greater good, or so she had been taught, in order to accomplish her mission to kill the Nightling's high Priest's heir. But in the darkness she found a new light and a passion not to be denied. Any feedback will be helpful and welcomed, but I really want to know if the content works, are the charaters strong, is the flow good and of course, how's my writing. Please forgive the abrupt ending, with the limitations of the number of words, I had to make it a two part story. Thank you.

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Syn walks in a world of darkness for the greater good, or so she had been taught, in order to accomplish her mission to kill the Nightling's high Priest's heir. But in the darkness she found a new light and a passion not to be denied. Any feedback will be helpful and welcomed, but I really want to know if the content works, are the charaters strong, is the flow good and of course, how's my writing. Please forgive the abrupt ending, with the limitations of the number of words, I had to make it a two part story. Thank you.

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Just what people think any feedback would be appreciated

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Lizzy's life seems to be going just perfect. She is dating the star quarterback and has the best friends and family anyone could ask for until Alex shows up. He turns her world upside down and Lizzy no longer knows what she wants anymore. Does her heart belong to D, a childhood friend who saved her life? Or perhaps Gabe, her star quarterback boyfriend? Or even maybe Alex, her best friend's stepbrother? I am looking for all feedback. Good or bad. I'm not having any luck with getting feedback from friends or family so I came here. So please give me your honest feedback. Thank you and enjoy.

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Necromancer, sequel to the Blood Inheritance, takes us to the darker side of the magical world Alexandria Reed has found herself emmersed in. Her friend's emerging powers as a necromancer has put them all in danger. An old enemy from the Cameron's past has come to exact her revenge. It will take all thier combined skills to stop the ancient evil, but will be enough to save them all?

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A little humorous poem from the chauvinist and conservative that I can sometimes be. Just in fun.

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Contrary to popular belief, I do have a gentler side...I think? Any thoughts are always welcomed!

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This is the collection of previous posts. I want to thank those of you who encouraged me to continue with the dog and cat saga. I named it Fabian and Stanley. I had to dig deep to keep the humor consistent, so please help in anyway you can. If you have already reviewed. (A dogs life) and (A Cats Response) just scroll to Bath Time For Stanley. Thanks again and any feed back is welcomed.

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TO RETURNING READERS: I revised the whole angle of the Alex/Romi relationship, giving him more of a personality, vs. just someone who has come-backs. These changes are reflected in as of Ch. 7 and on. Overall it's a little more grown-up as he has a hold on her, but I tried to emphasize humour in the inner thoughts. Also, her writing quest is a much bigger deal. Well, this edit will be back to the Agent and on submission to Publishers sometime in Feb. Thanks to all for online and offline feedback! Will edit for grammar offline. More feedback always welcome. ---------------------------------------------------------- STORY INFO: Should a self-sufficient 26-year-old be forced to sell her soul and cooking skills on IndianMarriage.com? Hell no! She should fight for love! But what if love isn't found after going through tubes of lip-gloss, vodka and wingmen? What if it's found in the place where it can never survive? Ohhh Romi...you are so screwed.

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Warning: This contains Purple! who am I kidding? its a velvet indigo cushion with tassels and gold trim. :D My first title choice was 'What's in a Name?' but it was taken. This place/event/characters are from my fantasy world. Although it does not take place in the current time frame of my novel. I hope you enjoy it.

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The story of my life, which begins in privilege, an alcoholic father, depression, divorces and emotional aridity, and ends in emotional rebirth, freedom and love. I'm especially interested to hear whether readers find they're drawn into the material. Does the introduction create suspense and curiosity?

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My fifteen year old son Erik, future 'Rock star' and/or starving artist, is trying his hand at putting his thoughts onto paper. Any comments would help my rising star...Thanx!

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Companion poem to previous submission.

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A bit of a change from my usual melancholy. I thought I'd give a love poem a try. Hope it's not too over the top. ;) enjoy!

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what true love feels like, how you can be so far away from her yet so close.. how nature and beauty can be one...if your fascinated by love, by all means your welcome to read my poem! i accept feedback of all sorts

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A story about loss and gain.

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It's about a first kiss. Had to make the Title "The Kisss" because the system said there was another work with the same title ("The Kiss"). However, a search for that title didn't reveal it. Anyway, now it's "The Kisss" Any and all feedback welcome!

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Chapter 1 of A Lazy Incompetent Life records the birth and pre-school life of the "hero" in Rosewood and Coolangatta/Kirra in south-east Queensland, Australia. It also records the political, economic and social environment which he knew - with increasing sensitivity - up to and including 1927. Later chapters recall the narrator's experiences in World War Two, in love and marriage, in career and in illness and health.

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Synopsis: Phoebe lives a privileged life in a repressed and controlled society until she discovers the husband she thought was dead, is imprisoned by the regime that protects her. She becomes obsessed with his freedom.

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A month shy of graduation, despite her demons, Kiralyn Jacobs should have the world at her feet, but when she's chosen as the new keeper of The List and people around her start dropping like flies, she quickly learns the spinning orb on which we all tread is anything but a step stool. It's more like a hell...from which there's no escape...no escape but death. Others before her, much stronger, larger, braver, smarter, gave in to self-destruction. As broken as she is, how does she stand a chance and how can she save the one guy she loves from reaching the top and being lost to her forever. * * * I'm working on Sapphire Reign right now, so this is a back burner project that I will pick up a later time. I'm looking for feedback on the voice, because I've never wielded First Person before, and the overall concept.

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The war over Wyoming land rights did not begin with the lynching of Jim Averell and “Cattle” Kate Watson in 1889, nor did it end with the Butch and Sundance-style execution of Nate Champion outside his KC Ranch cabin in 1892. Those whose generations have lived in the Cowboy State know that land counts for much and family can be a secondary thing. When Sheriff John Pruett’s wife of 44 years is murdered by her own brother in the whirlwind of a family feud over precious mineral rights in the gas boom of the 2000’s, he will face not only a test of professional mettle, but also a formidable reconciliation with both his faith and his own flesh and blood—Pruett will ultimately battle his child, his town, his ghosts, and his God. This is a tale of twisted, hardscrabble greed set against the majesty of one of the last, true American paradises.

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Set in Australia in the near future. UK English spelling. As Court Photographer (think Poet Laureate) Phoebe lives a privileged life in a totalitarian society when she is sent on assignment to create a "suitable" impression of an outback detention centre detaining Non's (unacceptable people). She discovers her husband is incarcerated there, though she had been told by the authorities eight years before that he'd died. Numb to all emotion since his 'death' and the forced relinquishing of their newborn baby, she finds herself suffering an intense emotional reaction on seeing him. It blinds her to everything except a quest for his freedom but for this she needs the help of her current husband Adrian and his brother Garth, head of the local Security Forces. Feedback required: I have the story outlined quite well, but the writing of it needs help. (not to mention this shitty summary) That's where you brilliant guys come in. This is chapter one and I've re-written it so many times I now need your feedback. Cut it to me straight. I think my problem is that I show too much emotion - get too close to the character - and I don't drive the story forward enough. I need to know if you like it (or not) as much as I need writing advice.

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The is the second novel about a young teenage healer. Rayn Monroe. She knows that whenever she choses to use her gift a part of her life will be taken. Rayn and Dustin face new challenges that will test both their limits... leaving each other may be the only way to survive.

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Because this novel does not fit into any specific genre, I am going with Commercial Fiction. It has equal elements of Romance, Love Story and Drama. Suspense and humor are no strangers to the story, either. To me, it is a drama fueled by the quest of two lovers to find one another after a very lengthy separation. Two young lovers, Randy Harris and Brenda Chandler, are separated by totally unexpected circumstances beyond their control. They are taken from their small-towm roots of rural Kansas, Randy to Georgia and Brenda to Texas. The year is 1963. Weeks turn into months, months into years. Each starts a new life of his and her own. However, rarely does one completley forget about the other. But Randy and Brenda face substantial, and sometimes horrific, challenges in their new, seaparate lives. The drama and tension hover around every corner. Randy goes to jail, charged with the brutal slaying of his dearest friend. And that's not the only major trauma in his young life. Brenda's life moves in a most unexpected direction for a naive farm girl. She has her own tragedy to deal with. The untimely deaths of people they love torment both of them. In Brenda's case, the death leaves her with a heavy burden of guilt she can't seem to shake. Each enjoys moments of joy and rewards. But it seems there is always something lurking around the corner that wants to dampen those moments. But you will fall in love with the quirky humor of old Pop Johnson and the compassion of Bruce Armstrong. They are sure to make you smile between the tragedies and challenges. And there are a couple of places where you might want to have a Kleenex handy. Pop's story of his early days in Georgie will almost certainky bring a tear to your eyes. Randy's return from Vietnam culminates in a gut-wrenching discovery. There is quite an unexpected twist at the end. You probably won't see it coming! All comments, suggestions and nits are welcome. And thanks in advance for your time to read and comment, should you choose to. PS: The improper grammar in some of the dialougue is intentional.

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A Re-boot of the Rhiannon series. It rewrites the first Rhiannon story (published elsewhere)The Gorgon. It is deliberately inconsistent with other stories published or workshopped. Rhiannon is more complicated, Rosalyn has a different status, it is in 3rd person. It has themes of transformation,the loss and reclamation of important things (although they are not what the characters or readers think at first). A word on its setting: this is not set in medieval Europe. It takes place on a world that is about 11th century in terms of its social and technological development, but is 30 lightyears away from Earth, which is occupied by a world (Terra) with 21st century development. It takes place in our future, but in that world's (worlds') past. One culture is corrupted by Terran society, others are not. Oddities like the characters using slang from the US c. 2009 is thus explained. It is the tale of the fall and rise of Rhiannon, the ever so great descendent of the lengendary woman/goddess of the same name. All feedback is appreciated. Thank you.

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A moment on Ali's 10th birthday that was very profound. I wanted to document it.

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This is a true story. (edited/revised) Thanks to all of you who helped me cut/edit the words so that I am now under 3500. I'm open to all comments and suggestions for the story. Thanks for your help and support.

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A blind woman's relationship with her daughter-in-law moves from cautious to loving. Subtle change....do you see it?

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This is the third installment of the story of my marriage and the struggles I am going through to help salvage it. In this installment I discuss where we are three months into the process.

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This past winter we spent some time in the Adirondack Mountains and I wrote this after a long walk.

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A simple theme.

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Second book, after "My Gioia" (that book is such a mess LOL) Brooklyn 1978: People Gioia (Joy-ah) knew didn’t travel, so she is shocked to hear they were going to Sicily. They arrive at their rich aunt and uncle’s house with high expectations, only to find it’s nothing like they imagined. It was worse. They are poor and living in a crumbling villa. Her mother, who is easily impressed with money, learns the couple gave all their assets away. But to who? And what’s left for her? As Gioia begins to fall in love with her gorgeous cousin, she finds herself struggling with moral concerns. Thanks reading!!!!

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I wrote this while going through my divorce a couple of years ago. It was a great catharsis but I am not sure about the writing. The initiating event was taken from my work as an air traffic controller. I just built a story around it. Feedback on characters and whether or not they need to be developed further would be appreciated. And just overall feedback about the story would be great also.

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This is a dance of interracial love, passion, desire jealousy, guilt, and social class set in the uk, the middle east and india. Fia and Nav are an interracial couple with a past. Sean reappears in their lives, a working class man, gifted intellectually, who has achieved highly in life. He wreaks havoc in Nav and Fia's lives. Sean is a bitter man. The story highlights how race and class effect life in the UK and how history lives with us. On a personal, note it shows how guilt, lust, love effects our decisions! This is a fictional story based partially on 'real events'.

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The exquisitely beautiful Angelica (Angie) is voyaging by great ocean-liner to rejoin her husband Jeremy (Jemmy) after five months' separation.

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Romantic image I have carried for year.

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This is the story of how one man comes to grips with personal tragedy and its meaning for him. The protagonist, Jim Reynolds, flees to a fishing village in Maine and lives with an elderly aunt. In Maine he meets a young widow, Karen, and they become friends. Eventually he returns to Virginia to pick up the pieces to his life and takes a job doing 'opposition research' for a political campaign. His success is the downfall of an opposing candidate, and Jim eventually is rewarded with a job in the governor's office, where he specializes in behind-the-scenes politics. He returns to Maine for his aunt's funeral and renews his acquaintance with Karen. He struggles to accept the tragedy but at last comes to grips with it in a way that severs his ties to the world of politics and helps him begin a new life.

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When Leland Garner went to Georgia to meet his future wife, he didn't expect to meet a 16 year old girl. But as he gets to know more about her, he is drawn into her world of pain. They marry and enjoy a happy life together. His death 19 years later brings back his son, Gregory, home. He and Maddelyn learn that Leland has left them his country and a last birthday present. A present that leads them back to her past. A past that they go to extract revenge for the wrong done to her.

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This story if about a dog, the only witness to a murder. It was a challenge to write because I wanted to write it from the dog's point of view. I could not have anything happen without the dog being in the scene. Please let me know if you think it works. I am open to all comments, including grammar.

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This is the second piece in a series about the break down of my marriage. I anticipate a few more essays in this series. I would love to get feedback on the personal nature of this memoir.

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This is a rewrite of the Soul of Fire - Soul of Ice novel I've posted earlier (that version is now removed, as I've changed too much for them to be considered the same story). Let me know what you think. I've changed some of the setting and some of the characters. I've also shortened some of the chapters. A witch is forced to go undercover at the local vampire coven, to try to figure out who is behind the turning of powerful witches and other magical beings into vampires. Can she overcome her hate of vampires long enough to learn to trust her companion Lucas? Will she discover the mystery behind the turnings before it is too late?

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IF YOU'RE JUST STARTING THIS NOVEL, PLEASE GO TO THE ORIGINAL POSTING --ECHOSIS--AS THE FINAL DRAFT IS BEING CONTINUED THERE. IF YOU'VE NOT COMPLETED THE 17 CHAPTERS HERE, GO TO THE ORIGINAL, AS THE REDUX CHAPTERS HAVE BEEN POSTED THERE, AND FROM 17 ON, ALL REVISED CHAPTERS WILL CONTINUE WITH THAT LISTING. THANK YOU.

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For as long as I can remember, I've been an excellent judge of character--canine character. Not so with men. While choosing the perfect canine companion comes easily, making healthy romantic choices proves much more challenging. In my 20s, my heart ached for Dave, a talented and sexy celebrity chef who dumped me for the fiancé I didn’t know existed. That’s when I went to the pound and got a dog, Blondie, who consoled me with unconditional love. Then at 28, I turned to Ryan, a 19-year-old out-of-work actor who was looking for someone to mother him while my dog nurtured me. My 30s were filled with frustrating relationships with men but Blondie never let me down. In my 40s, Blondie died and guided me to my new dog, Baldwin, who introduced me to the world of dog sports and therapy work with hospitalized children. But once again, I was swept off my feet, this time by a manipulative Brit who promised me the world but warned that when we got married, he would not allow me to sleep with my dog. Along this bumpy journey, I met Berry Berenson Perkins whose life and upbringing couldn’t have been more different from my Valley Girl roots. Married to actor Anthony Perkins, sister to actress Marissa Berenson, it turned out this socialite who grew up in London and attending boarding school in Switzerland had more in common with me than it appeared on the outside. Like me, Berry didn’t grow up in the most loving, nurturing household. Somehow, Berry and my little blonde dog helped me learn to overcome my rocky relationships and move into a place of self-love and acceptance independent of any man but filled with canine love and support. This contradiction between canine and human relationships lies at the heart of Sleeps with Dogs, my sometimes painful, sometimes amusing, but always honest memoir. In the same vein as bestsellers, Marley & Me and The Dogs of Bedlam Farms, this memoir takes readers on a journey through the life of a dog lover. As a successful career woman in Los Angeles who runs a busy public relations firm, I began to wonder why I spent so many years riding the roller coaster of singledom. I'd read all the advice books on how to find my soul mate, attended countless seminars and followed the advice of friends as well as strangers but in the end, remained solo. I finally stopped trying to make love happen and accepted and, yes, even embraced my single status. If you want to know why, then Sleeps with Dogs is a MUST read. It illustrates how the unconditional love of my dogs helped me navigate the crazy maze of romantic entanglements that I encountered in Los Angeles spanning three decades, from the 1980s until today. By recreating my childhood then revising my relationships from my 20s, 30s and 40s, Sleeps with Dogs illustrates the hurt, pain and struggle of being single. My faithful dogs helped me move beyond those emotions to a place of self love where at 50, I no longer need a man to feel complete.

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My true story of my love life and my daily walk in love and passion

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This is a story of bullies, revenge and a class reunion all entangled in a twisted love story. Oh and there might be a bit of redemption in there too... I have more chapters coming... :-)

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Born human in a world of darkness, Nicolai held a secret longing to be his father's son. Now, four hundred years after his death, he is still the outcast, a danger to all he holds dear. In the search for a way out of his cursed existance, Nicolai may find his destiny. All reviews and comments are very welcome.

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He rises again this time in 2008 ... he is rested, hungry and slightly worried. He has no idea how long he has slept, nor does he know the state of the world ... he is not even sure if he wants to be the 'Savior" this time around or just a plain Joe the plumber type.

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Gioia (Joy-ah) got Karl Baron’s attention. She’s hot, young and gorgeous, a perfect match for movie star royalty like Karl, but is he willing to wait in line with all the men in Gioia’s colorful life? With her first screenplay ready to roll, Gioia travels to her grandparent’s hometown in Sicily. All the problems she left there twelve years ago, come back to haunt her. And some new troubles follow her there.

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Mollie and Jim are moving in together. Can their love for each other overcome the scars from the past?

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Johnnites is a thriller/ horror dealing with the eternal struggle between good and evil. But what have a young writer, a mythical being and a serial killer have in common and can they stop the evil lord before he claims the earth for himself.

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This is chapter one of a full length book thus, the title. It concerns a family and how their paths diverge as they leave home and create lives away from their dominering mother. Patsy Lou is a loner all the while craving the love of her family. As the seventh of eight children she strive to educate herself and thereby become special in the eyes of the world so her family will love her. She becoms famous, but still that isn't enough to fill the empty place inside her and gain teh love anad respect of her birth family...until...

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This is a story I wrote 25 years ago and have only recently (within the last 5 years) started to expand it into a novel. I'd love your thorough critique of it.

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Pulling from the archives now... :D

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Welcome to Chandler, Maine. Many have compared this to Peyton Place and other guilty pleasures. Any similarities are coincidental. It centers on several gay men and their families. One thing I hope to do here is make people laugh and counter the myths and gay stereotypes. I hope I succeeded. There are several characters and all serve a purpose. The very last chapter is a family tree, rather family trees. Note! This is something I write for fun. I have no desire to publish it and therefore, I don't stick to the rules of POV. I tried it and didn't like it. So if you're bothered by that then you probably won't like this.

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Sometimes things change... [Not sure what category it fits into best. Romance? Humor? Other?]

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...yes this is a PICTO of lips and what you might find in a kiss like this!!

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A third person limited story of a successful business woman in the new york banking world. And her daughter, an environmentalist and poet. The book is largely stream of consciousness, pulling on modernist techniques. It veers between concrete and poetic language and between past and present. The story takes place in a day. There are two layers to this story - Will Sara meet her daughter again. And a critique of what it means to be a successful woman and person.

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Synopsis: Phoebe lives a privileged life in a repressed and controlled society until she discovers the husband she thought was dead, is imprisoned by the regime that protects her. This is one of two choices for first chapter. I wrote another because I thought no-one would want to read such a depressed first scene. Was I right or wrong? There will be errors in punctuation and grammar but the thing I would like most to know about is the writing - does it get you or would you pass it by. Constructive stuff appreciated. Word count: 1106

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no....not a picto (makes an interesting shape when centralized though!) but a poem dedicated to a guy i should have let go long ago...yep, a torrid affair and i'm still hanging on in there...but he's a player not a stayer...he's inspired quite a few odes as it goes and this is pretty personal i suppose...but i would appreciate feedback from those that have a literary nose for such prose...um yes i mean you lot, so please feel free to take a shot! cheeers me dears!!!

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This song is dedicated to my recently deceased mother. I wrote it as a testament of my grief and despair. I plan to rewrite this as a traditionally metered ballad some day. As usual, ANY and ALL feedback is appreciated and desired, so please take a bit more time and review while you view.

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This is my personal take on the economic debacle that we now face. It has some truth and much speculation in it. All inputs are appreciated.

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With Valentine's Day upon us and its celebration mercilessly becoming more and more a senseless exercise in commercialism, I thought it perhaps appropriate to lay out some questioning ideas relative to its supposed theme...romance.

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This is a story about a couple away from the kids and alone in the big city for the first time in almost twenty years. it is a tale of love, sex, and joy.

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Any comments are welcome...

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This is a story of a camel who fell in love with a boy. Please let me know if you see humor and drama in the story. I am open to all suggestions grammar and otherwise.

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Betwixt is the first story I ever posted on tNbW. Lots of new members now and the time has come to post again, a tale of love lost and regained, though not as one may expect.

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Love story between movie star and normal guy. I know the story's been done before but I'm hoping the fact that they knew each other while kids gives it a fresh angle. Tell what you guys think.

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Memories of childhood past. Where peace but for a moment could be found. Any and all feedback is more than welcomed. This is rough and needs work but hoping to learn if emotionally strong but not cutesy. Let me know your feelings.

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Say what you will: PS - I appreciate it all..

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An adult child discovers his father wants a separation from his wife of forty years. The son is dismayed and confused, but his wife understands and is not surprised. I tried to write a story about everyday people dealing with a common problem adding some humor and frustration. Please tell me if you think it works. I welcome all remarks and suggestions.

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Summary: Woman involved in car accident - any critique gratefully received.

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This is rough, written on the spot. It is entirely true, as well. I would appreciate feedback on the "feel", I want to see if it makes you feel like I do.

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ok so....this is a flaming PICTO!....the flickering flame of a candle perhaps....or maybe a fickle flame that was too hot to handle?....beware cos one might burn your fingers whereas the other might give you heartburn if the memory lingers!!

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YOU ARE WELCOME AND INVITED TO JUMP IN ANY WHERE YOU WISH. All the chapters have been revised. The novel is posted in its entirety so you may read at your leisure (DISABLED CHAPTERS WILL AUTOMATICALLY BE ENABLED FOR ANY NEW REVIEWERS GOING BEYOND CHAPTER 3). There has been some shuffling so the previous reviews may not always match up with the chapter that it is attached to (likewise with the chapter number in the text). I have made substantial changes and the story will be shopped as two books rather than one. The break is clearly marked. I hope this final go through will make it ready to publish, so any comments whatsoever will be appreciated - punctuation, character, dialgoue, flow, ANYTHING you think would improve the readability. Though it is basically true, the characters are composite and the time lines may be occasionally altered with some literary license thrown into the mix - so, I have changed the genre from memoir to commercial fiction, and now YA this time around. Especially interested in the new flow pattern. Opinions? Thanks for your help and advice.

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This is a Typical English Sonnet. I write it for the challenge. Just to inform you of the barriers required. There is 10 syllables in each line. The first 8 lines have a problem, the last 6 solve it. The Ryhme Pattern is ABABCDCDEFEFGG. I hope you enjoy it and any feedback is appreciated!

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A man is dying of cancer and he is trying to find a home for his dog. I would welcome all reviews, especially grammar and plot.

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It has been a while since I have written here, I just re-enstated my membership, and I have a story to share. Its a Fictional Memoir of a persons love story. I would love to get feedback on my delivery of it, and what you think can be done to improve it. Thank you.

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Some things lead to others. A friend sent a long email and photos of himself kiteboarding. I meant to write a haiku about the pictures, the water, the colors, how I imagined it felt to be right there-- and this intercepted those thoughts. Strange.

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First attempt at a form of poetry I truly know nothing about. This is for a writer who prodded me enough to try. Haiku for J Michael Vernon..

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This is the revised, new version of THE YANK GIRL'S GUIDE TO CHEATING ABROAD. It may take a while to post, as I'm rewriting practically the whole thing. All readers and feedback are welcome, whether you read the old version or not. Thanks!

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This is the story of the Fortners, who rise from the ashes of the Civil War to become major landholders in the wilderness of Florida. Loosely based on the lives of my great-grandparents, George and Dorothy Fortner, it's the story of men and women making the transition from war to peace, facing tragedy and loss with love and passion as they discover what it takes to turn an American dream into reality. I'm reposting this because crazeesharon asked what happened to this story. Thanks for taking an interest in this story.

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The humorous story of an attractive forty-something woman, labeled by some in society as a "cougar," trying to succeed as the public relations manager to a sex-crazed Mayor in the world of Philadelphia's city politics. The wild antics of her dates, co-workers, and especially the mayor, add up as she tries to keep the mayor out of trouble and successfully land her dream job as a White House public relations manager. Things really get out of control when a religious foreign diplomat comes to town, accompanied by his beautiful twenty-two year old "party down" daughter.

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Does this stand on its own? Ending abrupt? A girl leaves a boy after a wild night together.

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I said I'd take a break and just review, but I couldn't help it. I was experimenting, playing around with this form. It's that common rut that a person in love (lust?) falls into-- everyone but you can see what a loser your lover is, and can't figure why you don't leave the jerk already. A little addiction, perhaps? I was having a conversation with a friend who was telling me about his latest crush, and I just got to thinking about all the people, and all the relationship woes of unevenly matched pairs. **26 Aug 08:I'm fiercely holding on to the repetitions, because I believe they are essential to the slightly crazed, deeply addicted feel. What I missed though, in the original version, was the breaks between the stanzas. Pehaps this may alleviate (some of) that rushing, confusing, dizzying look of the poem. If not, then it's not meant to be a pantoum-- I'll pare it down.

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CAUTION: YOU MIGHT NOT WANT TO READ THIS IMMEDIATELY PRIOR TO DINNER, OR LUNCH, OR... Just a silly little thing that crossed my mind. After reading this, you'll probably wonder if I even have a mind! It's totally tasteless and has no redeeming qualities what so ever. But, I follow my muse...she insists! Feedback? Well, if you're desperate for credits!

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Novel written like a transcript...1/4 of the way through chapter one, it will become easier to read... Two years ago, twenty-nine year old Jayne, a reclusive writer and single mom, suffered a tragedy. After two years and many therapy sessions later, she decides to move to London to continue her writing there. And, in the process move on with her life. By the way, this book will not be in chapters it will be by conversation. Each conversation is its own chapter so on this site, each chapter might have more than one conversation.

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This is a different poetic style for me. Does it work for you?

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This work is from the novel, Corporate Samurai "love begets hate, trust begets betrayal, lust leads to death". It attempts to convey the emotions and thoughts, in song form, of a woman Samurai to the one true love of her life--who is also a Samurai. This song is written at a time when she suspects their relationship will not be sustainable, as her lover comes from a much inferior heritage than her own--something her family will not accept.

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This is a love quest, a story about family secrets in the age of sex, drugs, and rock-n-roll. While American youth were growing their hair, experimenting with psychotropic drugs and protesting the Vietnam War, I was running for my life to Alaska, hoping to outdistance my troubled, murky past and vanquish the demons in my head. I knew my past was dark, but I did not know it all. The storyline is a progressive quest for adventure, self-discovery, and enlightenment with more twists and turns than a Texas sidewinder: from a six-month cruise in the Caribbean to a jail in California; from a cabin in the Sierra Nevada to a remote river camp in the Trinity Mountains; from the Aleutian Islands to Hawaii. Wrapped in a riddle with psychological and paranormal overtones, the story embodies the adolescent spirit of romance, rebellion and idealism, and celebrates the contention that given even less than half a chance, life not only endures...it prevails.

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As my oldest God Daughter (that I helped raise, I'm the only father figure she's had) prepares to go to Middle School, I am feeling nervous. So I wrote this for her.

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This is my entry for the My Writing Life contest. Parts have been borrowed from my memoir, Root Hog or Die. Any suggestions for improvement will be appreciated. Thanks.

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My first novel attempt. This is about a woman transformed into a werewolf against her will. Tess has to find her way in a world where none of the rules are clear to her. She makes mistkes that risk both her and her younger sister's life. One of her mistakes takes the form of a rogue werewolf who she accidently entices into a mating dance. Plus, those that transformed her seek her for capture and study. She'll have to learn to embrace her animal or be destroyed by it. At this point, I just want to know if the story is compelling. Do the characters work? Do you want to read more?

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Become what you detest most (meant in humour. Maybe).

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There came a specific moment when I knew what I wanted to do with the rest of my life.

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My journey into the world of writing how one person inspired and lit the fire but also snuffed the flame. Finding my voice Listening harder, watching closer, feeling textures emotionally reaching hope thanksgiving for help on site. Comparing work and seeing if improving. Open and honest opinions as am taking this seriously and honestly due to a reviewer and his courage to point out the flaws.

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Is this generic? I am exploring religion and trying to figure out what I think. This is one of the darker ones.

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Is the verb tense right? This is about when something happens that you don't expect that changes everything and it is so much better because it is unexpected.

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A poem of someone who tries to show their love in in hidden gestures.

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Stanza three--is the last line workable? Is it too much alliteration? This is a play on the idea of the Tinman.

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Something wrote forty years ago and tucked in a bible. It is crude as just wanted to release pain and disappointment once again at unreturned love. I am not going to edit it or change it's form as this was who I was then and to change it would lose something of me!

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This is just an observation of a picture of my son,his wife and my grandson. Her gaze is hypnotic and you just want to know what she is thinking. Just want feedback on how it reads, is it clear, am I doing any better with punctuation!!!

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Words and intimacy...what a combination

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Just thinkin' bout my baby one night.

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I was listening to John Coltrane's immortal disc "A Love Supreme", and decided to add a poetic twist. During the time of this record, Coltrane was going through a spiritual awakening...this is my take on it.

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NOTE: THIS IS AN OLD DRAFT NOW; I'm revising it as WHAT SCOTLAND TAUGHT ME, and have disabled all but the first three chapters for now. Thanks for all your help!

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This is just a loving message to a hurting heart. It can be a message to many who too have experience this heartache. I have taken the liberty to grow quiet and try to put myself in the beautiful spirit of the one called Raven. It is a responsibility I don't take lightly but if I go deep enough, try to change places and hear the messages is painful yet beautiful as in Cool Breeze Blowing. The remaining partner is this love story said it was exacting like hearing from his beloved.

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Had some leftovers from another piece and decided to put them to good use.

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This is a work about the person who loved me the most as a child.. who taught me the most and provided a safe haven where I could be a child. It is full of small simplistic acts that made me whole.

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Making love with words...

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Once again i am not sure where to put this. it is a love story..it is the truth A true love story that we all would hope to experience. I know both parties and dearly loved them both. They taught me what love should be and I have never experienced. We lost one of my heroes to ALS not so long ago. I wrote this as a tribute to this beautiful man. I tried to climb into his soul and tell him what he wanted to say to those he left behind. especially his partner. I only pray I did him juctice.

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The Guardian of Eden is the story of a teenager, Garrett, and his twelve year old sister, Eden. After years of abuse from their mother and her boyfriends they finally achieve what seems like a happy life. Their mother has married a good man, Garrett has a beautiful girlfriend, and both he and his sister attend a prestigious private school. But tragedy lurks beneath the surface as Garrett discovers that the abuse to his little sister goes beyond what he ever imagined. His overwhelming love for his sister and desire to protect her lead him to commit a murder that could destroy them all.

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I don't know really... playing with thoughts and words

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Can I describe it in deeper strokes? Let me know if this is too bland, too broad.

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When Lina, a thirty-two-year-old nurse, takes a live-in job in a Seattle retirement home, her life acquires two disturbing twists: she learns that ghosts have haunted the old house since a manslaughter-suicide in the 1930s; and she finds herself falling for her mysterious twenty-something coworker Ren, who seems to know more about the strange house than he is telling. NOTE: The Wild Rose Press has offered me a contract for this novel, so I'm editing it under their guidance now. It should be out in ebook and paperback format within the year. (See my website, www.mollyringle.com, for the cover design they've provided.) Thanks a million to everyone who helped me shape it up! Those who haven't read it yet still can, as long as I keep it here.

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Remembering a happy moment in the past.

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no....not a PICTO!!! just an ordinary poem on a highly original subject that no one has ever thought to write about before! ha!

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When the agony of heartbreak festers and just won't go away. Please let me know if you see the lines broken up differently. Thank you.

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This piece is only an attempt to explore some of the continuing, unanswerable questions that face mankind. The stated answers are only intended to cause the reader to think. Obviously these questions have faced mankind since conscience thought became possible.

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This is my first attempt at a novel and I am certainly open to any criticism. The novel begins in January 1924 a little less than 60 years after the Civil war and five years before the Great Depression. The main character is getting married today. She describes her home, her life to this date in some of her mannerisms and dialog because she is expecting to take on a totally new life after the wedding vows. She breaks Southern Tradition is sort of a feminist. There is an element of super natural in each chapter. It is so subtle until it may not be apparent until much later in the book.

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Self explanatory

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Ever imagine what a poet dreams?

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Somewhere between last night and this morning love lay in shambles beneath our feet.

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Just one musing over love.

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This is a story about my mother who died two years ago. I had a difficult time writing this and Whatta spent a great deal of time helping me improve it. Thank you, Mitch.

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Reflections of steppin out and takin in the sights and sounds of the jazz scene.

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This is the first draft of The Erstwhile Hearts Guild Chapter 3. This story is coming to me sort of haphazardly,(hence no Chapter 2 yet) but I take it with me everywhere. Any feedback is helpful. Thank you in advance

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There's nothing quite like waking up on a Sunday morning with love by your side.

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Redemption, Arkansas is a small country town where things aren't always what they seem and the people never are...

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This is a story about the relationship between tragedy and necessity, and the changes we make to keep breathing.

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Chris began to question the wisdom of this trip. The familiar crunching sound of tires on the gravel driveway gave away her surprise arrival. She had planned to arrive undetected, take a look around at her former life, and if necessary, leave undetected. As she pulled up to the once-white, house with the slanted front porch and broken screen door, she was at once joyfully nostalgic and severely repulsed. Before Chris could turn off the engine and step out onto the gravel and oil driveway, Ma was already waving from the window in the big bedroom upstairs. Chris shook her head when she notice Ma wearing the same faded red, pansy-printed house dress she was wearing exactly one year before on Easter Sunday and likely every other Sunday for the last thirty years or more. The hem of this dress must have been re-sewn by Ma’s plump hands a hundred times or more and the buttons were a mere rumor, replaced by multi-colored diaper pins. Even without seeing it now, Chris could describe each frayed piece of the fabric, not only because she seen it in her mind whenever she pictured Ma, but because she’d spent so much time as a child, hiding from the world on underneath it. They met inside the house, at the bottom of the stairs and greeted one another the way they always had. No “I love you,” or “good to see you.” No touching moment and definitely no embracing, just right to the business at hand – avoidance. “Lawd chile, I ain’t know who dat was pullin’ in my driveway all fast.” Ma said, barely stopping at the foot of the staircase. “Uhn, uhn, uhn. What you doin’ wit’ ya hair now?” “All that money, - cant you pay somebody to do something with that hair?” Chris sighed. “It’s called the natural look Ma, and I did pay somebody to do this.” Uhn, we’ll you done thrown dat money away. Look like a natural mess to me. I’ put a pressin comb on it fo’ ya fo’ free.” Ma laughed. “Lawd have mercy, now I got to go upstairs an’ put some clean sheets on dat bed. Go on out back and say somethin’ to Dad.” Chris walked through the old house, through the dog’s room on the back porch and out into the back yard where Dad sat atop his ancient, red, riding mower, mowing and drinking what was almost surely corn liquor, wrapped in a brown paper bag. “Hey there, Lil Bit, what you doin’ here? Dad slurred. “You done drove all the way from New York City to help me cut all this grass.” All morning, Chris sat in the kitchen with Ma snapping peas, peeling potatoes and soaking greens. “You listen here girl, now I ain’t gonna have none of that mess you pull last year at my Easter table, you hear me?” Ma warned. “What’s past is past.” “Now, ya Mama an’ them comin.’” “Again, Ma, she is not my Mama” Chris said. “Well, she carried ya ‘round in her fo’ nine mont’s di’nt she?” Ma exclaimed. Chris started, “Ma, but she never did nothing for me….” At this, Chris was immediately shocked by her improper language, and how easily it came back to her. “She my daughter, and yo’ mama, an’ this is my house and I say she’ comin’ here to have Easter dinner wit’ us, now you just keep ya mouth shut if ya aint got nothing nice to say, hear.” ‘Ma, if she brings him again, I can’t sit at the table and act like everything is ok.” Chris explained. Ma fidgeted. “Don’t you say it.” Suddenly, Chris felt possessed. “What, Ma, that he raped me and my Mama was too high to do anything?” Ma looked around for something to hold on to and settled on a bag of flour on the. Ma said, “Don’t ya talk with dat nasty mouth in my house girl, now, I jus’ ain’t gon’ have it.” Brushing flour off her dress, Ma quietly demanded, “Now make yourself useful and go set the table.”

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It's my wife's birthday. Happy birthday, honey.

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This love letter is from a woman Samurai to her life's only love. She is forced by tradition and 'bushido', (the Samurai's code of honor), to obey her brother's demand that she end this relationship, with an inferior Samurai, forever. Her purpose in this letter is to confirm her undying love and devotion for her lover, while appealing to his sense of honor to understand she has no choice but to comply. This poem is part of the novel Corporate Samurai, which attempts, in part, to provide some insight into the eastern way of thinking.

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...ok, admittedly not a perfect ring but this is supposedly a PICTO of that band-of-gold worn third finger left hand......

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Love requires

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Remembering first love, first kiss. Just a loosening up, trying to get into writing.

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The working title of this novel is Corporate Samurai "love begets hate, trust begets betrayal, lust leads to death"// This novel takes place in the mid to late 1970's in the US and Japan. Bill Sanford is a young CPA working for the Kentucky Fried Chicken Corporation. He was brought up as a Foreign Service brat and had spent three years in Japan. He had dreams of an international career but, his wife would have no part of it.// Ray Easton, KFC's Regional VP, Far East, is a cunning scoundrel and consummate liar. Ray is a master of insider trading of stock, and spreads the wealth to gain favors. He has always stayed one step ahead of the law.// Mike Adachi is an executive with one of Japan's major trading companies. He was raised in San Francisco and speaks English as a native. He launches a plot to bring a major US fast food company into the Japanese market, relying on a complex chain of industrial espionage.// Strategic Planning is taking corporate America by storm. KFC'S CEO has caught the bug. He brings in two hot shots to produce and lead a corporate-wide Strategic Planning initiative. Resistance to strategic planning and the new hot shots builds, and the corporate politics accelerate, with battle lines being drawn.// Japan has been through post war reconstruction and is becoming a world class economic power. Some of its former military leaders are determined to achieve economically, what they failed to accomplish militarily.// Two trading company giants, Mitsubishi and Sumitomo, become embroiled in a struggle for dominance of the exploding, western style, fast food market.// The cultural differences between Japan and the US complicate matters for both sides. The inner workings of Corporate America and Japan are revealed in all their successes, but also, their corruption and greed.// Personal conflicts and deep seated vendettas, some originating during World War II, unfold.// Seduction and love affairs are an integral part of the plot. They illustrate the differences in social views of sexuality between the East and West.// Industrial espionage involving two highly competitive US fast food companies, two Japanese Zaibatsu and the Japanese and Mexican underworld unfolds.//The head of the Yakuza (Japanese mafia)is an effective eliminator of problem people.// Many of the key characters were involved in WWII and their individual experiences influence their business behavior.// Cultural differences subtly emerge, and the exploitation of others to achieve one's ends is front and center.// Personal ethics, or the lack there of, and the constant tug between good and evil are interspersed throughout. View table of contents..

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This is my attempt at a villanelle in iambic tetrameter. I know nothing about poetry, so I hope I got this right. This rigid poetry consists of 19 lines: 5 tercets and 1 quatrain. The 1st line of the 1st tercet has to be the last of the 2nd and 4th. The last line of the 1st tercet has to be the last of the 3rd and 5th. Then those two repeated lines have to end the quatrain. The rhyming structure is basically like a stack of Oreos, all the chocolate cookies have to rhyme, and all the cream filling has to rhyme. And at the very bottom is an extra chocolate piece. :)

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A young woman's unwilling trip to a fortune teller offers a way out of what had seemed to be a bleak future.

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I actually started this as a way to stop my darned writer's block. Instead I ended up with a story I did not know I had in me. I guess that is the way these things work. Well to be honest I am unsure what category this should go under. Also I am confused if this should be longer, or if it is fine the length it is? It is a story about love bred from an unexpected source, so strong it last through two lifetimes.

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A girl brought up as a con artist, is now a grown woman who accidently falls in love with her next victim. She is framed by her colleagues and now must prove her love and her innocence to a man who's convinced she is a criminal. If she doesn't, she is going to lose her freedom, and most importantly her heart.

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I was feeling kind of dispirited the other day...nothing had gone right....I felt quite alone. So I got quiet, and in those moments, I felt at peace, and these words are a result. Enjoy them!

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I was thinking about the holiday season, and this little ditty popped into my head. Hope you like it.

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.....pucker up!!

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is it a cat..? is it an alien..? no it's supposed to be the face of a teddy bear..!!!

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When love is love until it isn't

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For a short-story contest with a 1500 word limit as well as the prologue of a novella. I'm 100 words below the limit. Please let me know if you feel the story "needs" anything. Also, please let me know which title you like most: BELOW HEAVEN, FOREVER TOMORROW JONES

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This is my emerging memoir. For the time being, each chapter is a stand-alone "episode," and I have not yet determined the framework for tying them together. Don't worry about reviewing them in order. Imagine that I am making a necklace, and I am crafting the beads one at a time; once they are crafted, I will string them in a pleasing and relevant order, adding the necessary transitions at that time. This memoir will include my childhood in the 1970's, teens in the 1980's, motherhood beginning in 1994. The main themes of the larger work relate to three diagnoses in my forties: Borderline Personality Disorder, Bi-polar Disorder, and Breast Cancer.

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Simply put, this is an echo of my life. The words are exact, albeit put in "poetry form". I don't presume to tell you, the reader, anything. Just listen to YOUR heart!

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I was taking my early morning walk; the day before had been rather difficult; full of questions unanswered, and as I was thinking about it, part of this writing popped into my head...the title and the first 2 lines. I came home and added the rest.

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This was written as I pondered the magnitude of my situation. My husband and I are both in our 60's, and got married in August, 2005; he after 30 years divorced, myself after 15 years. We met on-line; it was love at first e-mail, and was a long distance courtship, of sorts! He had just had surgery for cancer; I was a full-time missionary in D.C.The wedding was the wedding of my dreams! But, because of his health situation(there is no cancer!), things are moving a lot more slowly than I would like! We still can't be very active, but hope to travel a lot...whenever!!! This is the first time I have done this; your feedback is truly welcome!

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Two men, who can barely stand each other, set out on a road trip from England to Béziers in the South of France. It is a journey of love, fulfilment and ultimately, one of closure. (this short story is taken from a novel in progress)

--- My Tribute to the summer of love:
Although a short story about loss (a long one at that - 3800 words - flash fiction fans beware) this is also essentially a love story.

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Angus Chase is a man of mystery, but his life has changed dramatically since the time he met the Benedicts. Now his priorities revolve around family, and a special little girl he calls Angel. Mirielle is a sweet girl who leads a charmed life, but she's about to learn that 'having it all' means nothing to her without her adoring godfather. When Angus disappears suddenly and his house blows up taking half the block with it, Mirielle will question all his spy stories and look at her own family with new eyes, wondering all the time what is true, what is real, and what's merely fiction. This is the first installment of a two-book series.

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Rhiannon, prodigal daughter of the king of New Fairy, has suffered a terrible curse. Having humiliated a witch, she must suffer a unique shame--she must go naked, regardless of the weather or social situation. These are the stories of how she reclaims her dignity and fights the evil of men, and her own inner conflicts. Many of these are more light hearted than Rhiannon's Ordeal, and show Rhiannon in the heroic capacity that emerged in her post-curse life. Rhiannon's relationship with Rosalyn is more ambiguous--at least to Rhiannon; I don't think the reader was ever fooled. There are other differences, but I don't think that should matter to the reader. Rhiannon's still her dear, sweet, naked self.

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