Slammr,
You've posted an incredible feast of new stories over a very short time. They are consistently very good to outstanding! I look forward to each new post with your name attached.
I hate to suggest it to any author, but you may want to slow down the rate at which you post on the Archive. You need to force your fans to slow down and savor each morsel, rather than greedily plunging into the next one. I suspect that other readers are as guilty as I am of that sin of gluttony. Because the next feast is ready for our enjoyment, we don't stop to take the time to post our appreciation for your fine work.
I've enjoyed them all, but "It's God's Will" is especially nice. With all of the miscellaneous Fundamentalist and literalist churches out there, I'm amazed that the 6:00 news hasnt featured some small church taking Matthew 19:12 (or 5:29 or Revelation 14:4, or any of the other Bible verses which can be interpreted as encouraging castration) very literally. Heavens Gate cant possibly be the only such group in the religious circus that is the contemporary U.S. Your story is not only well written, it's absolutely plausible.
I only get to Portland two or three times a year, but I know that I will be thinking about your story on my next visit - wondering whether and/or where it took place. I will look at people I pass on the sidewalk wondering if they are members of the congregation. Youve given me an entirely new appreciation of one of my favorite cities.
GREAT JOB!
Slammrs stories
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JesusA (imported)
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Slammr (imported)
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Re: Slammrs stories
Quoted from post by Jesus
Slammrs stories
Jesus:
Thanks so much for your post! It, alone, makes up for any lack of appreciation that I could have been feeling. That it comes from someone who writes as well as you do, makes it even more poignant.
Quote/
I may have little choice about the rate at which I post. Im finding it more difficult to come up with new ideas. A request for a story from Eric gave me the idea for the Gods Will story. One of Nathans stories gave me the idea for The Last Game. I wrote A Story for Bboy, somewhat it response to his fantasy. Thats what I meant in a post I made elsewhere about writing for this archive being an interactive process.
Ouote/
Its important to me to write a plausible story. If I can leave the reader wondering if the story actually happened, so much the better. Each story, therefore, either incorporates personal experience, or, at least, some research. The church I mentioned in the story exists. I thought it particularly interesting that they dont keep any membership records, yet have thousands of members worldwide. Do they have something to hide?
LOL! In writing this post I just thought of another story.
Slammrs stories
/QuoteJesusA (imported) wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:36 am Slammr,
You've posted an incredible feast of new stories over a very short time. They are consistently very good to outstanding! I look forward to each new post with your name attached.
Jesus:
Thanks so much for your post! It, alone, makes up for any lack of appreciation that I could have been feeling. That it comes from someone who writes as well as you do, makes it even more poignant.
Quote/
/QuoteJesusA (imported) wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:36 am I hate to suggest it to any author, but you may want to slow down the rate at which you post on the Archive. You need to force your fans to slow down and savor each morsel, rather than greedily plunging into the next one. I suspect that other readers are as guilty as I am of that sin of gluttony. Because the next feast is ready for our enjoyment, we don't stop to take the time to post our appreciation for your fine work.
I may have little choice about the rate at which I post. Im finding it more difficult to come up with new ideas. A request for a story from Eric gave me the idea for the Gods Will story. One of Nathans stories gave me the idea for The Last Game. I wrote A Story for Bboy, somewhat it response to his fantasy. Thats what I meant in a post I made elsewhere about writing for this archive being an interactive process.
Ouote/
/QuoteJesusA (imported) wrote: Mon Sep 30, 2002 9:36 am I've enjoyed them all, but "It's God's Will" is especially nice. With all of the miscellaneous Fundamentalist and literalist churches out there, I'm amazed that the 6:00 news hasnt featured some small church taking Matthew 19:12 (or 5:29 or Revelation 14:4, or any of the other Bible verses which can be interpreted as encouraging castration) very literally. Heavens Gate cant possibly be the only such group in the religious circus that is the contemporary U.S. Your story is not only well written, it's absolutely plausible.
Its important to me to write a plausible story. If I can leave the reader wondering if the story actually happened, so much the better. Each story, therefore, either incorporates personal experience, or, at least, some research. The church I mentioned in the story exists. I thought it particularly interesting that they dont keep any membership records, yet have thousands of members worldwide. Do they have something to hide?
LOL! In writing this post I just thought of another story.
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JesusA (imported)
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Re: Slammrs stories
Slammr,
"Serving 'Father'" is a wonderful short piece.
I was in Fresno last week on business. It may have over 1,000,000 people today, but it still feels like a backward Valley town. It's certainly bleak enough to be an appropriate starting point for your story.
The Moonies are definitely an interesting (and somewhat scary) cult. They have acquired considerable economic and political power in several countries. In the U.S. they have far more political power than their numbers or wealth would seem to warrant. I once published an article in one of the Unification Church journals and had more contact with them than I care to think about. Your details are right (except for the castrations, which I can't confirm). The story FELT right.
Putting the "Moonie" center in the Anderson Valley, near Booneville works well too. Until the past few years, all the Anderson Valley was known for was its isolation and that it is the best "pig hunting" country around. (I can confirm both attributes, though recently tourism and the wine industry have taken off.) The valley was first settled by Southerners right after the Civil War. Despite its incredible isolation and poor soils, the settlers were very prosperous. The legends in the surrounding area are that, even more than hard-scrabble farming, bank robbery was the valley industry. Bank robberies two states away are attributed to Booneville natives, though no one was ever formally charged (at least that I'm aware of).
The other thing the Anderson Valley is known for is "Boontling," a created local language which is basically unintellible to English speakers. Natives claim it was invented to while away the isolation. Outsiders claim it was invented (mostly using normal English words for radically different meanings) so that professional bank robbers could discuss their trade in public with no one else the wiser.
On one of my trips there, one of the words I learned from a man in his 60s was the word for "testicles." It's not in any of the locally published dictionaries for tourists, nor in the academic works I've read on the lingo. The word is "tuds," named after a mentally retarded boy named "Tud," who used to masturbate in public in downtown Booneville. I was so shocked when the reserved old man gave me the term (while I was asking him about words for body parts: arm, leg, finger, etc.), that I didn't follow up on it properly. He blushed brilliantly after he told it to me, but also implied that Tud was "cured" of his social problem by the removal of his "tuds."
A rather long statement to say that I really enjoyed the story, and may use it as a springboard to writing a story of my own based on "Moonie" characters. I've lived in Korea and would probably set it among the flock there. Thanks for the inspiration.
"Serving 'Father'" is a wonderful short piece.
I was in Fresno last week on business. It may have over 1,000,000 people today, but it still feels like a backward Valley town. It's certainly bleak enough to be an appropriate starting point for your story.
The Moonies are definitely an interesting (and somewhat scary) cult. They have acquired considerable economic and political power in several countries. In the U.S. they have far more political power than their numbers or wealth would seem to warrant. I once published an article in one of the Unification Church journals and had more contact with them than I care to think about. Your details are right (except for the castrations, which I can't confirm). The story FELT right.
Putting the "Moonie" center in the Anderson Valley, near Booneville works well too. Until the past few years, all the Anderson Valley was known for was its isolation and that it is the best "pig hunting" country around. (I can confirm both attributes, though recently tourism and the wine industry have taken off.) The valley was first settled by Southerners right after the Civil War. Despite its incredible isolation and poor soils, the settlers were very prosperous. The legends in the surrounding area are that, even more than hard-scrabble farming, bank robbery was the valley industry. Bank robberies two states away are attributed to Booneville natives, though no one was ever formally charged (at least that I'm aware of).
The other thing the Anderson Valley is known for is "Boontling," a created local language which is basically unintellible to English speakers. Natives claim it was invented to while away the isolation. Outsiders claim it was invented (mostly using normal English words for radically different meanings) so that professional bank robbers could discuss their trade in public with no one else the wiser.
On one of my trips there, one of the words I learned from a man in his 60s was the word for "testicles." It's not in any of the locally published dictionaries for tourists, nor in the academic works I've read on the lingo. The word is "tuds," named after a mentally retarded boy named "Tud," who used to masturbate in public in downtown Booneville. I was so shocked when the reserved old man gave me the term (while I was asking him about words for body parts: arm, leg, finger, etc.), that I didn't follow up on it properly. He blushed brilliantly after he told it to me, but also implied that Tud was "cured" of his social problem by the removal of his "tuds."
A rather long statement to say that I really enjoyed the story, and may use it as a springboard to writing a story of my own based on "Moonie" characters. I've lived in Korea and would probably set it among the flock there. Thanks for the inspiration.
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Slammr (imported)
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Re: Slammrs stories
Jesus:
A most interesting, informative post!
The story was actually a fictionalized autobiographical story. Some things were added, or possibly...cut out to suit this audience. As I think on it, the year was actually 1975. I was...am Jon. When I got off the BART in Berkeley, my backpack strapped to my back, I was approached by a young man dressed in a suit. He invited me to dinner at the house described in the story.
They had a farm in Boone Valley. I went there the following weekend. It took me two and one-half weeks to escape, not that they physically restrained me, but that they psychologically restrained me. They eventually kicked me out because I reacted so negatively to their dogma. I became dangerous because I had assumed a leadership role among the initiates. By that time, getting kicked out was probably the only way I could have gone. I was incapable of leaving on my own. It wasnt the place that held me, but the people. They had their hooks into me. Wiggle as I might, I couldnt get free. All I could do was make keeping me disagreeable enough so that they would throw me back.
The fictionalized parts are as follows:
1. There was no Steve, although my father wasnt much different, just not so extreme.
2. Im from Texas, not Fresno, but my first wife was from Fresno.
3. There was a girl, as described in the story, but we didnt sneak out at night. She did talk me into staying the second week, however.
4. I still have my testicles.
5. I was neither 15, nor a runaway, but some of the kids may have been.
Everything else in the story is as I remember it.
Shortly after I left, I read an account of a girl who I had known at Boone Valley being kidnapped from the Moonies and deprogrammed.
If anyone tells you that the Moonies are dangerous-BELIEVE IT!;)
A most interesting, informative post!
The story was actually a fictionalized autobiographical story. Some things were added, or possibly...cut out to suit this audience. As I think on it, the year was actually 1975. I was...am Jon. When I got off the BART in Berkeley, my backpack strapped to my back, I was approached by a young man dressed in a suit. He invited me to dinner at the house described in the story.
They had a farm in Boone Valley. I went there the following weekend. It took me two and one-half weeks to escape, not that they physically restrained me, but that they psychologically restrained me. They eventually kicked me out because I reacted so negatively to their dogma. I became dangerous because I had assumed a leadership role among the initiates. By that time, getting kicked out was probably the only way I could have gone. I was incapable of leaving on my own. It wasnt the place that held me, but the people. They had their hooks into me. Wiggle as I might, I couldnt get free. All I could do was make keeping me disagreeable enough so that they would throw me back.
The fictionalized parts are as follows:
1. There was no Steve, although my father wasnt much different, just not so extreme.
2. Im from Texas, not Fresno, but my first wife was from Fresno.
3. There was a girl, as described in the story, but we didnt sneak out at night. She did talk me into staying the second week, however.
4. I still have my testicles.
5. I was neither 15, nor a runaway, but some of the kids may have been.
Everything else in the story is as I remember it.
Shortly after I left, I read an account of a girl who I had known at Boone Valley being kidnapped from the Moonies and deprogrammed.
If anyone tells you that the Moonies are dangerous-BELIEVE IT!;)
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Kamil (imported)
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Re: Slammrs stories
Hi Slammer!
I just would like to tell you, "SERVING FAHER" it was one of the best written stories. Everything looks like real! And also the topic , I mean what happened to adolescent for wrong behaviour was very well chosen. Go ahead! Kamil
I just would like to tell you, "SERVING FAHER" it was one of the best written stories. Everything looks like real! And also the topic , I mean what happened to adolescent for wrong behaviour was very well chosen. Go ahead! Kamil
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Slammr (imported)
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Re: Slammrs stories
My latest story, "Jeopardy," a horror story, hasn't posted. It appears in my stats as having a submission date of 1969. It contains a graphic description of the torture of two boys by a serial killer. It may be too intense, even for this archive.