Recent Comments

11/7/20, 1:58 PM
Plus I think letting the characters retain their personality creates hope in the reader, even if it's false hope, that the enslavement can somehow be reversed. Death of personality is usually only good for demonstrating the direness of the situation, or as the climax of a story. Once a character is a mindless drone, there's no opportunity for character growth, they are at best an obstacle for your protagonists to have to deal with at some point.
11/7/20, 11:20 AM
> That complete erasure of personhood and the destruction of genuine emotional connection (be it between parents and children or true lovers) like it is nothing is *horrific*. > 100% agreed! That's why I went there rather than mind-wiped slavehood. This allows the Hosts to retain their personalities -- rather than just be drones -- but have motivation to obey, however severely misguided it may be.
11/7/20, 11:15 AM
> It reminded me of storylines from the old Batman series, where Marsha the Queen of Diamonds... would use a potion or pheromone perfume to make men fall in love with her. > That particular episode is ingrained in my head -- it was the first time I realized mind-control got my little tween penis hard. Or maybe it was Burt Ward's acting skills.
11/7/20, 8:35 AM
@Feed Your Head, I found those scenes more amusing (and arousing) than horrific. It reminded me of storylines from the old Batman series, where Marsha the Queen of Diamonds or (more appropriately) Poison Ivy would use a potion or pheromone perfume to make men fall in love with her. Maybe I'm just not a romantic, but that's been the hottest part of the story for me so far, watching these love relationships (or father-son relationships) diminish in importance as one of the men gets controlled by a Great One.
11/7/20, 3:52 AM
What a terrific chapter. Honestly, I never liked Sheriff Lane--even all the way back in the first part of the series, he was an arrogant, cocky jerk. Seeing him get his just deserts is indeed delicious! :p Less tasty for me, though--and definitely playing into the horror element, which you do beautifully--are the scenes where the more powerful Symbionts use their abilities to make their victims fall utterly, hopelessly in love with them. That complete erasure of personhood and the destruction of genuine emotional connection (be it between parents and children or true lovers) like it is nothing is *horrific.* Imagine loving someone all your life, swearing up and down that you were meant to be...and with a single gesture, all of that love is destroyed. That makes me shiver and even cry a bit...you truly are an amazing author! :)
11/6/20, 7:55 PM
I wish him luck in resolving his issues and hope he is able to join us soon!
11/6/20, 6:47 PM
What a sweet romance! I look forward to the next chapter.
11/6/20, 6:31 PM
> I’m a Rubbrsome fan, Absman. The more twisted and trippy, the better! > Funny you should mention Rubbrsome! I'm happy to say I got an email from him this morning, because he'd heard we were talking about him in the Forum. He's healthy and well, though he's dealing with some life stuff, and he'll come back to us when he can. I'm even happier to say he's reading this series -- and he likes it!
11/6/20, 6:20 PM
> Believe me when I say the next three chapters are a roller-coaster ride and none of it – I hope – what you expect. Personally, I'm satisfied that I managed to guess the big twists regarding the Deputy, Lane and Snake, and Rugby Boy based on your foreshadowing and some very generous hints from you. I'm still waiting for the other shoe to drop with my theory about Rugby Boy, but I'm confident that will play out at least mostly as predicted- though of course, I welcome an unforeseen twist. Balancing the twin needs to satisfy an audience by meeting their expectations to create enjoyment and satisfaction while also subverting their expectations to create interest and emotional investment is difficult, even for people who tell stories for a living. > Everything we know and have been comfortable with has been thrown for a loop and we’re off in a different direction than we’d been set up for. I'm a Rubbrsome fan, Absman. The more twisted and trippy, the better!
11/6/20, 5:55 PM
> someone with a mind control kink would probably be perfectly fine with an alien invasion story ending in the symbiosis and mental enslavement of humanity > This series -- all the way back to the Original Tale -- has always been a Horror Story. An erotic horror story -- however weird that seems -- but horror nonetheless. We are at the moment of divergence with this chapter. Everything we know and have been comfortable with has been thrown for a loop and we're off in a different direction than we'd been set up for. Believe me when I say the next three chapters are a roller-coaster ride and none of it -- I hope -- what you expect.