Search found 951 matches
- March 24, 2023, 08:50:11 AM
- Forum: March 2023
- Topic: The Lincoln Homestead by Robert Pettus
- Replies: 1
- Views: 1179
Re: The Lincoln Homestead by Robert Pettus
An interesting story that reminded me of other tells with similar themes. Nice into in which my interest in the story was captured, and my interest remained until the end. Too many exclamation marks were used. Cut down on their usage for too many eliminate their effectiveness and they become dull. N...
- November 15, 2022, 10:27:32 AM
- Forum: November 2022
- Topic: Willful Child by Trish Wilson
- Replies: 0
- Views: 914
Willful Child by Trish Wilson
Wilson
A very short story and a nice twisted story about angles and devils! To see the world from a devil’s viewpoint is interesting. The daughter takes on the mother’s characteristic — the mother is an angle. The father a demon.
Good job.
A very short story and a nice twisted story about angles and devils! To see the world from a devil’s viewpoint is interesting. The daughter takes on the mother’s characteristic — the mother is an angle. The father a demon.
Good job.
- October 21, 2022, 10:15:43 AM
- Forum: October 2022
- Topic: A Weekend Getaway by Mark Humphries
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1045
A Weekend Getaway by Mark Humphries
Captivating story and one that held my interest from beginning to end. Love stories about overnight stays at a cabin or hotel and the events surrounding their stay goes terribly wrong! In this case, giant birds as big as a condor attack a couple that is staying overnight in a motel cabin. They fight...
- September 06, 2022, 10:31:25 AM
- Forum: September 2022
- Topic: The Tale of Ernil by Emma Dainty
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1473
The Tale of Ernil by Emma Dainty
A tell set in the ‘Sword and Sorcery’ genre, and one the follows within that genre with a student that becomes a swordsman. He beats the goblins that have returned to his village after years of them staying away. All the good points of storytelling and good dialogue that is believable. I never read ...
- September 04, 2022, 09:47:44 AM
- Forum: August 2022
- Topic: Lunar Roller Coaster by Alan J. Wahnefried
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1474
Lunar Roller Coaster by Alan J. Wahnefried
Nice start — piqued my interest. We see that Dr. Steinhagen is a hard-headed know-it-all from the beginning who likes to insult others. The story shows how alternate thinking — or thinking outside the box — can save money and even earn money for a cause if administered properly. Watching people be t...
- June 16, 2022, 10:44:11 AM
- Forum: June 2022
- Topic: Homeward Bound by John E. DeLaughter
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1800
Homeward Bound by John E. DeLaughter
The first sentence piqued my interest which is essential when writing a story. The first paragraph should grab one’s interests, but I like it better if the first sentence entices the reader first. The remainder of the paragraph of this story explains the situation that Mary was in. ‘Golden path pain...
- June 06, 2022, 10:04:39 AM
- Forum: June 2022
- Topic: Auntie Brit by J. M. R. Gaines
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1419
Auntie Brit by J. M. R. Gaines
Nice intro for it got me interested. An old theme: Husband doesn’t get promotion. Jet support at first with the space shuttle, then rocket power to push it into space, interesting piece of technology that I’m sure is being studied. The dialogue was okay and that is what makes up the story. The inter...
- May 12, 2022, 11:00:25 AM
- Forum: May 2022
- Topic: The May 2022 issue is now live!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2142
I Think, Therefore I Am by Geoff Nelder
A futuristic setting with inter-galactic space travel. Rodents, lice and other unwanted passengers present a problem. Also, micrometeorites hit the ship, even in deep space that is a possibility,
Reminds me of surreal stories about space and time travel that I used to read in the 1960s.
Reminds me of surreal stories about space and time travel that I used to read in the 1960s.
- March 30, 2022, 09:06:48 AM
- Forum: March 2022
- Topic: The March 2022 issue is now live!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2835
Embracing Eternity by Charles E.J. Moulton
Poignant intro that makes one feel as if they were there on the couch with her. Susie’s thoughts and feeling, and her remembrance of the past filled the story for beginning to end. Grief is a hard emotion to overcome, and in Susie’s case she managed to live though it and get a second chance at life ...
- March 30, 2022, 09:01:56 AM
- Forum: March 2022
- Topic: Embracing Eternity by Charles E.J. Moulton
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1642
Embracing Eternity by Charles E.J. Moulton
Poignant intro that makes one feel as if they were there on the couch with her. Susie’s thoughts and feeling, and her remembrance of the past filled the story from beginning to end. Grief is a hard emotion to overcome, and in Susie’s case she managed to live though it and get a second chance at life...
- March 12, 2022, 09:49:19 AM
- Forum: March 2022
- Topic: The March 2022 issue is now live!
- Replies: 2
- Views: 2835
Tears For The Gifted by S. A. Locket
Nice intro. We are introduced to superhuman powers of old such a magic. The Gifted ones can create havoc in this world, and at birth often kill their parent. Ben the most powerful of the Gifted, seems to appoint himself as the overseer of these Gifted Children and manages them the best he can. Ben k...
- March 06, 2022, 10:36:31 AM
- Forum: February 2022
- Topic: The Freezing by Vismay Harani
- Replies: 0
- Views: 2080
The Freezing by Vismay Harani
Nice beginning with the introduction of mental snakes. That’s gets one’s attention. A story based on the old ‘nuclear war theme’ that once was so popular—how the survivors of a world-shattering event lived afterward. The main character, Leita, became real to me as I read the story, but the others di...
- March 06, 2022, 10:33:03 AM
- Forum: Aphelion 2022
- Topic: The Freezing by Vismay Harani
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1489
The Freezing by Vismay Harani
Nice beginning with the introduction of mental snakes. That’s gets one’s attention. A story based on the old ‘nuclear war theme’ that once was so popular—how the survivors of a world-shattering event lived afterward. The main character, Leita, became real to me as I read the story, but the others di...
- January 11, 2022, 10:26:13 AM
- Forum: December 2021/January 2022
- Topic: Zoo Ship by K.A. Williams
- Replies: 1
- Views: 21740
Re: Zoo Ship by K.A. Williams
A Creative story and one that did hold my interest from beginning to end—and I enjoyed it very much! That’s all that a good story can offer. I like the twist about Pete, and I liked the independence of the ship’s computer at the end, for it decided to rebel and think for itself. With the autonomous ...
- December 10, 2021, 11:00:01 AM
- Forum: December 2021/January 2022
- Topic: Exile by Jakob Angerer
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2305
Exile by Jakob Angerer
The intro is active in getting one’s attention. A short one here similar to flash fiction. Internal thoughts are the story in this story. What type of punishment given him, the judge mush have known about the creatures that lurked there. I'm assuming a barren planet or possibly some large moon is th...
- November 26, 2021, 10:16:14 AM
- Forum: November 2021
- Topic: Do Not Cry for Me, for I Am Saved by Cedrick May
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1869
Do Not Cry for Me, for I Am Saved by Cedrick May
The intro is active in getting one’s attention.
A take on the old vampire theme. Good writing and a nice twist around social issues that have been tackled in the modern world. Once we thought the church the center of all good, now we know better!
A nice read!
A take on the old vampire theme. Good writing and a nice twist around social issues that have been tackled in the modern world. Once we thought the church the center of all good, now we know better!
A nice read!
- November 20, 2021, 10:25:10 AM
- Forum: November 2021
- Topic: Always Hungry by Brad Ruxton
- Replies: 0
- Views: 3254
Always Hungry by Brad Ruxton
Nice into
Good little story bordering on flash fiction. Short-easy read with a twist at the end.
Reminds me of a story about a spider that developed a new method of attracting prey.
The old maiden trapped in a tower theme still has many stories in it.
Nice job!
Good little story bordering on flash fiction. Short-easy read with a twist at the end.
Reminds me of a story about a spider that developed a new method of attracting prey.
The old maiden trapped in a tower theme still has many stories in it.
Nice job!
- November 16, 2021, 02:46:13 PM
- Forum: November 2021
- Topic: Music Therapy
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3111
Re: Music Therapy
Nice intro for it got my attention and the remainder of the story kept my attention. Vibroacoustic? Interesting since I was a musician—still sing in a barbershop chorus—and often heard vibrations on windows and fixtures sometime during rehearsal time. Usually, the tubas and base trombones generated ...
- November 12, 2021, 09:30:10 AM
- Forum: November 2021
- Topic: A Word In Your Ear The Killjoy Effect by Rob Wynne
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2438
A Word In Your Ear The Killjoy Effect by Rob Wynne
Nice intro! Captured one’s attention. Nice intro! Captured one’s attention. Essays are interesting because they give us an insight into the author’s mind. I liked this one because it gave good food for thought, and had one good axiom: Someone who honestly doesn’t care about something would simply go...
- October 28, 2021, 07:13:47 PM
- Forum: October 2021
- Topic: Locker 49, or the Volunteers by David Rogers
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1916
Locker 49, or the Volunteers by David Rogers
A Fibonacci sequence is interesting. I’ve forgotten it, but will look it up again. I believe I had it in a section of Calculus devoted to series, and their use in calculating trig tables. It’s been about fifty years. The story was longer than the usual ones I read. The beginning grabbed my attention...
- October 20, 2021, 10:21:30 AM
- Forum: October 2021
- Topic: Good Neighbor or Pickle Lotus
- Replies: 0
- Views: 1911
Good Neighbor or Pickle Lotus
With the good use of sensory input, I could feel the ship, hear the slapping of waves against it and sense the dread that existed there. Very nice indeed!! At pandemic-based story that has many twists and turns as it unfolds throughout the encounter with the ship. Good narration and interesting word...
- October 16, 2021, 09:38:34 AM
- Forum: October 2021
- Topic: October Swarm
- Replies: 1
- Views: 2282
Re: October Swarm
I liked it very much, for it held my interest from beginning to end, and the wording used made it easy to follow. Stories like this one are entertaining from the first word to the last. Nice use of language. Very creative theme, one in which I didn’t see coming at the end. Good character development...
- May 11, 2021, 09:20:20 AM
- Forum: May 2021
- Topic: The Hunting Ground by Benjamin Davison
- Replies: 1
- Views: 3026
The Hunting Ground by Benjamin Davison
A long description of the setting in this one. The balance between showing and telling is always a problem when writing a story. How much? That depends on the story content, its setting and the characters that will show themselves and interact with one another. If an astronaut is lost on an isolated...
- May 03, 2021, 12:15:27 AM
- Forum: Writers Workshop
- Topic: I Robot
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3879
Re: I Robot
I like the way you think!
- May 02, 2021, 09:57:25 AM
- Forum: Writers Workshop
- Topic: I Robot
- Replies: 2
- Views: 3879
I Robot
Found an old copy of I Robot and intend to read it again. My first reading was in Vietnam! I know, I'm showing my age, but what the heck--if it wasn't for my age I wouldn't be here now! LOL A little funny on word usage which I do love. I'm wondering what I'll think of it today. I've seen Sofia talk ...
- April 21, 2021, 10:42:34 AM
- Forum: Fun and Games
- Topic: April Flash Challenge - Of Gods and Men
- Replies: 4
- Views: 5073
Re: April Flash Challenge - Of Gods and Men
I'll have on ready, God Willing!
- April 18, 2021, 09:58:46 AM
- Forum: Fun and Games
- Topic: Cryptid Challenge
- Replies: 8
- Views: 7863
Re: Cryptid Challenge
Got my vote in. One I really like!
- March 24, 2021, 09:20:04 AM
- Forum: March 2021
- Topic: Shadow in the Dark by Martin Groff
- Replies: 0
- Views: 3013
Shadow in the Dark by Martin Groff
I like it. Good word choices, great sentences that flowed together which made following the story easy, and, the most important element—the story grabbed and held my attention. The internal monolog gave us a theme that has been the subject of many novels, plays and poems. The great novel Crime and P...
- March 05, 2021, 09:58:53 AM
- Forum: Fun and Games
- Topic: March 2021 Flash Challenge: Cryptids
- Replies: 5
- Views: 5749
Re: March 2021 Flash Challenge: Cryptids
I'll get one in! I think I have one around the house, and it hides in closets? Or the basement. And eats the dog food and drinks my wine. lol
- February 25, 2021, 04:31:14 PM
- Forum: February 2021
- Topic: Children and Fools by Iain Stark
- Replies: 0
- Views: 3126
Children and Fools by Iain Stark
The story gets my attention in the first sentence. Nice use of words like--–Darra’s voice chimes with pleasure! Darra must be a witch or demon that lives off the life of others. With the reference to ‘inhale’ and ‘cool breath,’ I was reminded of the ‘Steam’ in Stephen King’s novel Doctor Who . I lik...