Very short story about a bromance between two immigrants in Manchester.
vieira4
30 year old, Christian, socialist football fan. Have been writing all my life. I usually write about football, sometimes explicitly, other time subtly....
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30 year old, Christian, socialist football fan. Have been writing all my life. I usually write about football, sometimes explicitly, other time subtly.
Submissions by vieira4
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
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a short story by vieira4
A British woman finds herself at the heart of a tragedy abroad.
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a short story by vieira4
There are many ways to deal with disappointment. Here are just eleven of them.
Reviews by vieira4 74
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A review of Black Molassesby vieira4 on 04/14/2012Wow... I have to admit, I had to skim quite a bit of the end, taking in enough details to understand what was going on without focusing too hard, or I, like the protagonist, would have been sick. Ugh. I don't know how you came up with this :D Having said all that, your writing is excellent. I didn't spot any mistakes. I loved your description of Carlucci and his home, and... Wow... I have to admit, I had to skim quite a bit of the end, taking in enough details to understand what was going on without focusing too hard, or I, like the protagonist, would have been sick. Ugh. I don't know how you came up with this :D
Having said all that, your writing is excellent. I didn't spot any mistakes. I loved your description of Carlucci and his home, and the protagonist's motivation for house-sitting. Interesting that the woman/creature didn't have a heart. Is this some established horror-creature you're describing, or did you make it up? If she's all yours, what was your motivation for making her heartless? (Sorry for the pun.) I wonder if she wanted to have sex one last time before she died?
The only thing I'm not sure about is the ending. I did like the last line, the punchline - you'd never expect to have to say 'It's not what you think' in that situation - but it wasn't how I thought how it was going to end, and I thought it was weaker than the story. I'd have made the protagonist finish clearing up in time, only for his tooth to fall out, I think! I'm absolutely hopeless at ending stories well, though, so I don't really have any right to comment. Generally, this was very good. Thanks for submitting it. read -
A review of Not My Secret to Tellby vieira4 on 04/14/2012Time flew by while I was reading this. You have a real gift for keeping the reader engaged. I take it the couple had decided to kill Mr Hunt? That's what I took from the mildly ambiguous ending. If that's what you meant, it doesn't require clarification. I saw one mistake; on page 9, you wrote 'Denny' instead of Danny. I'm sure you've noticed, so don't worry about re-uploading... Time flew by while I was reading this. You have a real gift for keeping the reader engaged. I take it the couple had decided to kill Mr Hunt? That's what I took from the mildly ambiguous ending. If that's what you meant, it doesn't require clarification.
I saw one mistake; on page 9, you wrote 'Denny' instead of Danny. I'm sure you've noticed, so don't worry about re-uploading just for that, and losing all your reviews (I always notice a dumb mistake after adding credits to a story).
At the beginning, the way I read the text was that Betsy and the diner owner, not Betsy and Danny, had been high school sweethearts. I didn't figure out the truth until near the end. This could be tidied up just a little, to be 100% clear. Otherwise, this story is impeccably told. Well done. read -
A review of Executive Statusby vieira4 on 04/09/2012Hi. Thanks for this story, which I generally really liked. Your structure is impeccable, and your descriptions are vivid. I particularly enjoyed the central character's description of the New York sunset, followed by a verbal self-portrait. I was surprised by the guy's age when I eventually found it out. Was that intentional? The reason I found this disappointing probably... Hi. Thanks for this story, which I generally really liked. Your structure is impeccable, and your descriptions are vivid. I particularly enjoyed the central character's description of the New York sunset, followed by a verbal self-portrait. I was surprised by the guy's age when I eventually found it out. Was that intentional?
The reason I found this disappointing probably has more to do with me than you. Firstly, I wanted to know what was illegal about the transactions the guy was proposing. Secondly, I was kind of sad that there wasn't a final twist - he got away with it and/or managed to take the others in the room down with him. I liked Ms Drake's joke about not getting an end-of-year bonus. I couldn't work out what all the stuff about Mr Gregory not being there was in aid of.
In London, public transport is a divider. If you're poor, you take the bus. if you're OK, you take the train. If you're rich, you drive or take a taxi. Fascinating that it's a leveller in New York.
"the man whose temporary livelihood I just saved looks me up and down like a menacing punk" - brilliant! I like how someone who's just admitted to illegal financial activity cares enough about his fellow man to prevent them from becoming victims of petty theft. Ooh, I'm reminded of my football hero, who got sent off for a horrible foul yesterday, but went to Brazil to do charity work when he was just 16. "Vultures" by Chinua Achebe also comes to mind.
All in all, this was good, and got me thinking. I'd like to read any alternative ending you might have considered! read
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Submissions by vieira4
-
a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
Very short story about a bromance between two immigrants in Manchester.
-
a short story by vieira4
A British woman finds herself at the heart of a tragedy abroad.
-
a short story by vieira4
There are many ways to deal with disappointment. Here are just eleven of them.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
A local religious correspondent is intrigued by two men's shared paranormal experience.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama, mystery/suspense
A man of Ghanaian descent needs a distraction from his problems, and joins a tiny football team.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
After some much-needed love from Katie, Mark must face his nemesis.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
Reviewable without reading parts 1/2. A flashback to Mark's difficult formative years.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
Reviewable without reading part 1. A 13-year old feels scared, moody and introspective.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
A 13-year-old runs into trouble following an ordinary-seeming football game.
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a short story by vieira4
On his forty-third birthday, Jamie's life falls apart.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama
Scott is 13, and cross. Everybody bangs on about how he might feel, but nobody asks how he feels.
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a short story by vieira4Genres: drama, mystery/suspense
A man of Ghanaian descent needs a distraction from his problems, and joins a tiny football team.
Reviews by vieira4 74
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A review of Black Molassesby vieira4 on 04/14/2012Wow... I have to admit, I had to skim quite a bit of the end, taking in enough details to understand what was going on without focusing too hard, or I, like the protagonist, would have been sick. Ugh. I don't know how you came up with this :D Having said all that, your writing is excellent. I didn't spot any mistakes. I loved your description of Carlucci and his home, and... Wow... I have to admit, I had to skim quite a bit of the end, taking in enough details to understand what was going on without focusing too hard, or I, like the protagonist, would have been sick. Ugh. I don't know how you came up with this :D
Having said all that, your writing is excellent. I didn't spot any mistakes. I loved your description of Carlucci and his home, and the protagonist's motivation for house-sitting. Interesting that the woman/creature didn't have a heart. Is this some established horror-creature you're describing, or did you make it up? If she's all yours, what was your motivation for making her heartless? (Sorry for the pun.) I wonder if she wanted to have sex one last time before she died?
The only thing I'm not sure about is the ending. I did like the last line, the punchline - you'd never expect to have to say 'It's not what you think' in that situation - but it wasn't how I thought how it was going to end, and I thought it was weaker than the story. I'd have made the protagonist finish clearing up in time, only for his tooth to fall out, I think! I'm absolutely hopeless at ending stories well, though, so I don't really have any right to comment. Generally, this was very good. Thanks for submitting it. read -
A review of Not My Secret to Tellby vieira4 on 04/14/2012Time flew by while I was reading this. You have a real gift for keeping the reader engaged. I take it the couple had decided to kill Mr Hunt? That's what I took from the mildly ambiguous ending. If that's what you meant, it doesn't require clarification. I saw one mistake; on page 9, you wrote 'Denny' instead of Danny. I'm sure you've noticed, so don't worry about re-uploading... Time flew by while I was reading this. You have a real gift for keeping the reader engaged. I take it the couple had decided to kill Mr Hunt? That's what I took from the mildly ambiguous ending. If that's what you meant, it doesn't require clarification.
I saw one mistake; on page 9, you wrote 'Denny' instead of Danny. I'm sure you've noticed, so don't worry about re-uploading just for that, and losing all your reviews (I always notice a dumb mistake after adding credits to a story).
At the beginning, the way I read the text was that Betsy and the diner owner, not Betsy and Danny, had been high school sweethearts. I didn't figure out the truth until near the end. This could be tidied up just a little, to be 100% clear. Otherwise, this story is impeccably told. Well done. read -
A review of Executive Statusby vieira4 on 04/09/2012Hi. Thanks for this story, which I generally really liked. Your structure is impeccable, and your descriptions are vivid. I particularly enjoyed the central character's description of the New York sunset, followed by a verbal self-portrait. I was surprised by the guy's age when I eventually found it out. Was that intentional? The reason I found this disappointing probably... Hi. Thanks for this story, which I generally really liked. Your structure is impeccable, and your descriptions are vivid. I particularly enjoyed the central character's description of the New York sunset, followed by a verbal self-portrait. I was surprised by the guy's age when I eventually found it out. Was that intentional?
The reason I found this disappointing probably has more to do with me than you. Firstly, I wanted to know what was illegal about the transactions the guy was proposing. Secondly, I was kind of sad that there wasn't a final twist - he got away with it and/or managed to take the others in the room down with him. I liked Ms Drake's joke about not getting an end-of-year bonus. I couldn't work out what all the stuff about Mr Gregory not being there was in aid of.
In London, public transport is a divider. If you're poor, you take the bus. if you're OK, you take the train. If you're rich, you drive or take a taxi. Fascinating that it's a leveller in New York.
"the man whose temporary livelihood I just saved looks me up and down like a menacing punk" - brilliant! I like how someone who's just admitted to illegal financial activity cares enough about his fellow man to prevent them from becoming victims of petty theft. Ooh, I'm reminded of my football hero, who got sent off for a horrible foul yesterday, but went to Brazil to do charity work when he was just 16. "Vultures" by Chinua Achebe also comes to mind.
All in all, this was good, and got me thinking. I'd like to read any alternative ending you might have considered! read -
A review of Beth's Couponby vieira4 on 04/09/2012Hi. Like the father, I'm not sure whether or not the daughter intended to put the manager in a bind, but I like how she gave the stuff back. Nice conclusion. I still carried a doll everywhere when I was 11, but then I moved house to an area where most people had given that up when they got out of a pushchair, and was forced to grow up. Shame, really. Your writing is generally... Hi. Like the father, I'm not sure whether or not the daughter intended to put the manager in a bind, but I like how she gave the stuff back. Nice conclusion. I still carried a doll everywhere when I was 11, but then I moved house to an area where most people had given that up when they got out of a pushchair, and was forced to grow up. Shame, really.
Your writing is generally very good and extremely clear. On page 5, as the father and daughter walk into the theatre, you write 'the' instead of 'she', and misspell 'heel'. Apart from that, I saw no mistakes. There were no areas of structural ambiguity. You got a lot of good content into a very good story that is unusually easy to read. I also like how it's an everyday story. You didn't need a supernatural being or a disaster to weave an enjoyable tale. Well done. read -
A review of Fantasiesby vieira4 on 03/29/2012Hi. I knew you'd be a good writer because I noticed one of your other stories had five stars! Never seen that before. Anyway, this story certainly makes one think twice about agreeing to act out one's fantasies. I love how you build the tension as if a man is looking at a stranger, drooling over a random attractive woman, possibly being unfaithful to his wife. Next, you find... Hi. I knew you'd be a good writer because I noticed one of your other stories had five stars! Never seen that before. Anyway, this story certainly makes one think twice about agreeing to act out one's fantasies. I love how you build the tension as if a man is looking at a stranger, drooling over a random attractive woman, possibly being unfaithful to his wife. Next, you find out that she IS his wife... then, the twist! Very good writing. I think she's a bit sadistic, making her husband get violated when she must know that he's hot for sex with her. She could have waited... Anyway, great story. Good characters. Your Dave is very like my friend Dave, whose conversational party trick is suddenly referring to something we were talking about an hour ago, without introduction. I've got used to it, but you can imagine how mad it sounds to the outsider. read
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A review of The Gospel of Michaelby vieira4 on 03/29/2012Hi. Sorry it took me so long to review this. I know your stories are long, and I didn't want to rush it, so I waited until I wasn't busy. I love your characters. I also really like the creative way you thought about people's sins and confessions. You looked at both serious failures, and the mundane omissions of everyday life. P7 Juxtaposition of donkey/sorry ass - brilliant!... Hi. Sorry it took me so long to review this. I know your stories are long, and I didn't want to rush it, so I waited until I wasn't busy.
I love your characters. I also really like the creative way you thought about people's sins and confessions. You looked at both serious failures, and the mundane omissions of everyday life. P7 Juxtaposition of donkey/sorry ass - brilliant! I think I need to re-read 'The Gospel of Ryan' to recall how Eibhlin turns out. Precocious child characters always appeal to me.
There were a few uncharacteristic mistakes. (Did you get overexcited and upload it without proof reading properly, like I do every single time?) P3 the bit about flushing the loo and tomato plants - I'm not sure you're supposed to put a hyphen in front of a bracket. Take out either the hyphen or the brackets. P6 'neighbours poodle' - needs an apostrophe. (Also P6 - I still think of PV as Patrick Vieira, even though you told me what it means!) P20 lightning, not lightening.
All in all, this was excellent. Thanks for another good read! read -
A review of Knock Me Outby vieira4 on 03/21/2012WOW. I should say that I'm quite an enthusiastic reviewer, and I only give a bad one if it's truly warranted. But... wow. You drew me in from the first sentence. My heart always sinks a bit when I see that a story's got 20 pages, but this one was so easy to read, even though I didn't understand all the slang words. You really feel Leanne's hopelesness, how she starts sabotaging... WOW. I should say that I'm quite an enthusiastic reviewer, and I only give a bad one if it's truly warranted. But... wow. You drew me in from the first sentence. My heart always sinks a bit when I see that a story's got 20 pages, but this one was so easy to read, even though I didn't understand all the slang words.
You really feel Leanne's hopelesness, how she starts sabotaging herself because she expects everything to go wrong, so she may as well make it happen. You see the goodness, deep at the heart of her being - how most things she does are to protect people. The love scene is beautiful, and highly erotic, even from the point of view of a heterosexual woman who's twice their age.
Did you mean for Malcolm to call Leanne 'Leah'? Is that a mistake he made because he doesn't care, or a typo? I don't quite understand, 'My ends are like a chessboard, bare people want to noss me.' I think this was the only full sentence I didn't understand, though. I saw no mistakes. This is an excellent job. read -
A review of Train Songby vieira4 on 03/17/2012Hi. Thank you SO much for sharing this story with us. I have never identified with any character as much as I do with Alex. Some parts of the story that I found interesting; "It’s something he has over her, another tool he can use against her." - This is strange, because Alex seems like a nice enough, introspective, interesting guy up until this point, and suddenly, he seems... Hi. Thank you SO much for sharing this story with us. I have never identified with any character as much as I do with Alex. Some parts of the story that I found interesting;
"It’s something he has over her, another tool he can use against her." - This is strange, because Alex seems like a nice enough, introspective, interesting guy up until this point, and suddenly, he seems cruel and manipulative.
"Alex was always in the process of finding things to distract himself from his own thoughts and anxieties. It was suffocating, and the fact that he wasn’t and couldn’t be safe even within his own head continued to terrify him." - This is me. I am glad that somebody else knows what this is like enough to write about it, although I hope you've never felt as bad as I have, because I couldn't wish that on anybody!
"And he’s torn, because he wants this, wants originality and freedom. And he wants her. And he doesn’t know if he can have both. And he fears he never will." - I said 'Aww' out loud! How painful!
You have a few technical issues with your writing. Nothing major, just very common mistakes. Examples;
"It looks used like the old man’s eyes of whom he’d gotten it from on the street."
- Brilliant sentiment, not well written. Try, "It looks used, like the eyes of the old man from whom he'd gotten it, on the street."
P11 "you’ve drank" - you drank or you have drunk. (My favourite mistake. I do this all the time.) Same page 'can't breath' - can't breathe.
There was one long passage in which Alex and Meghan were talking to each other, and I couldn't quite follow who was speaking. Well, I probably could have done if I read very slowly, but I think it would be better to have a few he said/she said type pointers. Again, a mistake I made with my first story.
Anyway, this highly original, masterfully thoughtful piece really entertained and engaged me. I don't know how old you are, but you captured the inner world of an introspective teenager brilliantly. I feel like you must have worked on this for days, because the precision of what Alex feels is unbelievable. Maybe you're just talented and can knock something like this out in half an hour? If so, I'm jealous! read -
A review of Grandma Ellieby vieira4 on 03/17/2012Hi. What a brilliant story. Thank you for letting us read it. Who is Tyrone Allen? I googled it, and there seemed to be some stuff about a basketball player, although not much. Is that who it is? I guessed, previously in the story, that her boyfriend was a black guy, which was why she didn't want her grandmother to meet him. I didn't mind the fact that I saw the ending coming,... Hi. What a brilliant story. Thank you for letting us read it.
Who is Tyrone Allen? I googled it, and there seemed to be some stuff about a basketball player, although not much. Is that who it is? I guessed, previously in the story, that her boyfriend was a black guy, which was why she didn't want her grandmother to meet him. I didn't mind the fact that I saw the ending coming, though. The dramatic timing was brilliant, though - way to shove it in her grandmother's face! You might like my story 'Devolution', where I reveal the central character's true identity in the last line - your ending reminded me of my one.
It's an easy read, and a nice short one, too. I empathise with the protagonist's lack of confidence, thinking her man is too good for her. I guess some of this comes from the way her grandmother puts her down.
There are a fair few small mistakes that you could sort out. For example, you should put what somebody is thinking in italics or quote marks, to distinguish it from the rest of the text. p4 'I really think we could get out of here' - should be past tense, because the rest of the story is.
If you get a proof reader and sort out all the tiny mistakes, this story will be pretty near perfect. Thanks again for sharing. read -
A review of The Angel of Woodward Avenueby vieira4 on 03/15/2012Hi. Really liked this story. Your locations were so visual that, even though I don't know the USA at all, I could see what kind of places Borromeo was in. The story explored the familiar theme of whether or not a person has his/her time, at which they are meant to die. However, the implication was not that Stockman's time was up, but that a mistake in Heaven had caused his... Hi. Really liked this story. Your locations were so visual that, even though I don't know the USA at all, I could see what kind of places Borromeo was in.
The story explored the familiar theme of whether or not a person has his/her time, at which they are meant to die. However, the implication was not that Stockman's time was up, but that a mistake in Heaven had caused his death not to be undoable. My one criticism is that it's a little frustrating not to know what the mistake in Heaven was, that caused Freer's presence to go unnoticed. Did you ever read a children's book called 'Fred the Angel'? This book also explores angelic mistakes and their fallout, albeit in a gentler way.
I loved the plot, and didn't see any structural errors. This story is very strong, and I wouldn't mind a sequel. read
Comments About vieira4 42
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karlasbryant on 04/14/2012
Thanks very much for your review of my short story, "Not My Secret to Tell". Yes, Mr. Hunt is the one who gets killed. I've been trying hard to not write too much "on the nose" and may have ended up making the ending more ambiguous than I'd meant to. I'm glad you enjoyed the story and I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
And the "Denny" instead of "Danny" typo is driving me crazy! :)
Thanks again,
Karla -
f-ceska on 03/31/2012
Hi Jennifer,
I'm glad to see you enjoyed 'The Gospel of Michael' (and especially as I know you come from a Christian background, it's good that you didn't find it 'offensive' as some others may have done. Not that it's meant to be - obviously Michael is intended to be a good man, just not a very good priest.) Now you've read two of the Gospel series (though in the wrong order) and hopefully you'll be assigned some more because it would be nice to hear how you see them all coming together!
Thank you also for spotting those typos - proves I'm not infallible. I'll correct those!
Very busy with my other commitments at the moment, but hopefully I'll find time to start reading a few more stories soon and will hope to get another of yours.
Take care,
Francesca -
Mike Wolfson on 03/30/2012
Hi Jenni - Thank you for the kind review of Fantasies.
A good writer...it's a complient I'll gladly take, but trust me, I'm no better a writer than anyone else here.
Good luck with your own work.
Mike -
benito2 on 03/26/2012
Hi V,
I’m from Mali (West Africa). Now I’m not an active supporter… But my friends are divided between Manchester United and Arsenal.
Thank you for asking, and thank you again for your feedback!
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KSisk90 on 03/22/2012
Sure, happy to help.
I thought that it may of been a language thing with george, but wasn't sure.
Thanks for briefing me on the end of the story. Sorry I admit I'm actually pretty bad with names in movies / stories.
9 / 10 times I'll go through a movie and never know the main character's name. lol -
KSisk90 on 03/17/2012
Thank you for your kind words about my story.
Tyrone Allen is a purely fictional character that I had thought up for the story who could show the message that I wanted to share. So the name is just a coincidence.
Ill start doing something in the writing to distinguish a persons thoughts, thanks for the advice. Do you think 'marks' would be adequate to show it is a thought?
Also, I had originally wanted to refer to Tyrone as "Ty" at the beginning of the story, and later reveal. But I thought people would see "Ty" and automatically think it was a black name, so I decided against it. What do you think?
Thanks again for reviewing my story, I'm glad you enjoyed it. -
gulfcoastomega on 03/17/2012
Hi V,
Greetings from the colonies.
Thank you for taking the time to give my story a read.
Comments/thoughts much apprecisted! -
KSisk90 on 03/13/2012
Hrm there isnt a private message type feature on this site is there?
Ex: The next thing I knew, my grandmother was stood in the office, on her crutches.
I might of said: The next thing I knew, my grandmother was standing in the office, on her crutches.
"was stood" just seems a little off to me.
And it is true, I do see how putting your mind into the game and concentrating could be a beneficial thing. Exercise is great stress relief after all. As well as pride you get in doing something well, which is a mood booster. -
kashan on 03/10/2012
Thanks for reviewing Fire In The City.
This is my first submission and you are its first reviewer! Thanks again.
I have noted the mistakes, corrected them.
"But here’s the trap of absurdity, if this feels like a
dream, then an instant can be a lifetime or more." - dreams are timeless. defining an instant in a dream could mean the same as defining a lifetime. I don't know if it still makes sense but for whatever its worth...
It is Leh (in India), the lake, moon and even the fire. One of the most beautiful places on Earth. You must visit. -
Mike Wolfson on 03/09/2012
Hi, to answer your question:
vieira4 wrote:(Can I ask you a question? At what point in the story did you work out that it was him?)
I didn't know for certain until the end. I had my suspicion that if it was a domestic UK player it had to be him. However, the possibility was there that it could have been an overseas player looking for a few extra games while he was banned.
Take care - Mike
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Comments About vieira4 42
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Quote
Thanks very much for your review of my short story, "Not My Secret to Tell". Yes, Mr. Hunt is the one who gets killed. I've been trying hard to not write too much "on the nose" and may have ended up making the ending more ambiguous than I'd meant to. I'm glad you enjoyed the story and I appreciate your thoughtful comments.
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Quote
Hi Jennifer,
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Hi Jenni - Thank you for the kind review of Fantasies.
+ more commentskarlasbryant on 04/14/2012
And the "Denny" instead of "Danny" typo is driving me crazy! :)
Thanks again,
Karla
f-ceska on 03/31/2012
I'm glad to see you enjoyed 'The Gospel of Michael' (and especially as I know you come from a Christian background, it's good that you didn't find it 'offensive' as some others may have done. Not that it's meant to be - obviously Michael is intended to be a good man, just not a very good priest.) Now you've read two of the Gospel series (though in the wrong order) and hopefully you'll be assigned some more because it would be nice to hear how you see them all coming together!
Thank you also for spotting those typos - proves I'm not infallible. I'll correct those!
Very busy with my other commitments at the moment, but hopefully I'll find time to start reading a few more stories soon and will hope to get another of yours.
Take care,
Francesca
Mike Wolfson on 03/30/2012
A good writer...it's a complient I'll gladly take, but trust me, I'm no better a writer than anyone else here.
Good luck with your own work.
Mike