Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #85 (18.1)

 (Sorry in advance for the repeat, but I have COVID)

Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

A new twist in the confusing saga has now developed. Namely the presence of a small stuffed gator meant for Vinnie! Could this mean what it appears to mean? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #85 (18.1)

I know it’s silly to be taken aback by something so harmless, but the memories that tiny gator invoked…. Well, let’s say they weren’t pleasant.

“Vinnie…Vinnie…”

Ethan’s concerned voice drew me back to the present. He was stroking my cheek, and the expression in his beautiful blue eyes was one of alarm.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to space out like that.” I gave him a weak smile, but I knew he understood why I was rather upset. Not to mention this suddenly pointed the grave finger of suspicion toward someone I’d rather forget entirely, but he was making that difficult.

Who else could have sent such a chilling message but Chip, aka the Mangler? The million dollar question was—what did Chip have to do with anything?

“Isn’t that so cute?” St. Clair kept babbling on while my blood turned to ice. “And wasn’t that very thoughtful of him to send it to you? Although, to be honest, I’m not sure why he bothered. Come to think of it, he did seem rather obsessed with you. Even though you aren’t in the industry or anything. I kept telling him you’re no one important, but he just wouldn’t listen.”

My stomach churned at her words even as the truth slapped me in the face. But how? Why? He was safely locked away, behind bars awaiting trial. We’d ascertained that oursleves. Was this Billy Faulkner an accomplice of his? A henchman on the outside, committed to assist the Mangler in his dirty deeds?

Would I never be free of the man?

I couldn’t refrain from shuddering. Ethan helped me to my feet, anchoring me with his arm about my waist. “Miss St. Clair, you’ve been very helpful,” he said. Troy and Brendan had risen too, I noticed. As we started to walk away, Ethan paused and turned back.

“Oh, just ne more question, if you don’t mind. How did that stuffed animal arrive?”

The small gator still sat on her hand, as neither one of us had attempted to claim it. I mean, why would we?

“In the mail. How else, silly?” She cackled, as if she found herself amusing. I’m pretty sure no one else did.

Troy and Brendan made their good-byes as Ethan ushered me out of the building, back to our car.  I was doing my best not to panic, but failing at that pretty much. I kept remembering how St. Clair was able to escape her environs simply by using a double. Could Chip have done the same? Was he out there even now, stalking me…hunting me…waiting his opportunity to pounce? Bil rose in my throat that I had to force back down.

“What if it’s him? What if he’s out?” I asked, somewhere between a whimper and a whisper.

Ethan wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. “I don’t see how, but that’s something we can check on.

Troy and Brendan caught up with us then. To my dismay, I noticed Troy gingerly held the little gator. Why?

He answered my unspoken question before holding it out toward Ethan. “I just thought maybe there’s something on it. You know, like DNA or fingerprints or something?”

Who was the law enforcement officer here? I should have thought of that, but in my defense, I was a bit busy freaking out.

“Good thinking,” Ethan said. “Hang on a second.” He kissed me tenderly before he released me and opened the passenger door. Opening the glove compartment, he rummaged around for a second before coming out with a plastic bag. “I remember seeing this,” he explained as he carefully bagged the evidence. Evidence of what I wasn’t sure, but it was something.

Once he’d secured that, he pulled out his phone. I heard him talking to Anderson briefly before he hung up. “We’re going to find out if that is really him down in Florida, or an imposter.”

Would this nightmare never end?

 to be continued

Go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Saturday is Horror Day #128 - Saw, Tales of Terror

 Saw

Two men, Lawrence (Cary Elwes) and Adam( Leigh Wannell) awaken on opposite sides of a disgusting filthy bathroom with no recollection of how they got they or any idea of why they are there. To make matters worse, each man is chained and unable to escape. But if they want to survive, they are going to have to rely on one another...and time is running out.

Suddenly Lawrence thinks he knows what is going on, as he was recently a suspect in a serial killer investigation being conducted by two policemen, Detective Tapp (Danny Glover) and Detective Sing (Ken Leung). This killer has left a trail of grisly crime scenes and victims who died horrible deaths in gruesome traps. The only known survivor of his blood lust - at least so far - is Amanda (Shawnee Smith), and the tale she tells is a horrifying one.

The clock is ticking and Lawrence's family is at risk. He must do something before they'll die...even if it includes killing Adam.

This is the film that started it all - the first Saw movie, directed by James Wan and written by him and Leigh Whannell. This film is not for the faint-hearted, although it doesn't show the same degree of callousness as Terrifier. Much like its namesake, Jigsaw, the story is a puzzle with many layers, and the truth lies somewhere in the middle. I first saw it years ago, before I ever saw Lost, so I wasn't familiar with either Michael Emerson (who plays an orderly) or Ken Leung, but I recognize them now. 

I intend to rewatch the entire series, probably not in time for the new one next month. Even so, it will be fun. This one is almost 20 years old and it holds up well, setting the tone for what is to come. Except I already know the traps are going to get worse...far worse. Great beginning to one of my favorite horror series. I give this film 4 Stars.

Tales of Terror

Morella: Lenora (Maggie Pierce) returns to a home she has never known and a father, Locke (Vincent Price) who turned his back on her after her birth because of the death of his wife/her mother, Morella (Leona Gage). At first, he is less than thrilled to see her, until he learns that she is dying. But there is another who rejoices in this news and tends to make use of it - none other than the long-dead Morella, who has been kept uninterred in an upstairs bedroom.

The Case of Monsieur Valdemar - Valdemar (Vincent Price) is an older man who is dying, to the 

chagrin of his young wife Helene (Debra Paget). To make matters worse, he has agreed to allow mesmerist Carmichael (Basil Rathbone) to attend to him, and to be on hand for the moment of his demise in order to carry out his "experiment" regarding what happens at the time of death. Helene is opposed and so is Valdemar's physician, Dr. James (David Frankham). But Valdemark cannot be dissuaded. He also tells his wife that after his demise, she should be with the handsome doctor. But Carmichael isn't all he appears to be, and he has plans both for the dying man and his wife.

The Black Cat: Montresor Herringbone (Peter Lorre) is an unemployed drunk who abuses his long-suffering wife Annabel (Joyce Jameson) in order to get money with which to continue drinking. One day, by accident, he stumbles into a wine tasting contest, and decides to challenge a connoisseur of fine wines, Fortunate Luchresi (Vincent Price). Afterward, Fortunato takes the drunken Montresor home and meets the lovely Annabel. The attraction is immediate and an affair begins. Suddenly, Montresor has no problem getting the money he needs to go drinking and stay away from the house. But when he learns the truth, what revenge will he exact on the lovers?

This is one of Roger Corman's Poe-derived film, and is a favorite of mine, especially the Black Cat segment, which is based on the Cask of Amontillado. Peter Lorre does comedy very well. Also see Comedy of Terrors, which features the same cast, and which I'll probably review at some time. Basil Rathbone does his usual inimitable job as the villain in Valdemar, and Joyce Jameson is stellar as Annabel in the Black Cat. You can never go wrong with Vincent Price. I've seen it a number of times and will watch it again undoubtedly. I give this film 4 Stars.

Saturday is Horror Day #127 - Twice-Told Tales, Wrong Turn 5

 Twice-Told Tales

Dr. Heidegger's Experiment concerns a man, Dr. Carl Heidegger (Sebastian Cabot)  determined to not only restore youth to himself but to his best friend Alex (Vincent Price) and to restore the long-dead body of his fiance Sylvia (Mari Blanchard). Alex tries to talk him out of his well-meant intention, arguing that it cannot be done. But then Heidegger does the seemingly impossible...however not without a price.

Rappaccini's Daughter is about a man named Rappaccini (Vincent Price) so scarred by his wife leaving 

him that he is determined to never lose his daughter Beatrice (Joyce Taylor) in the same way. He inoculates his daughter with a deadly poison that ensures she can never leave the garden which contains the deadly plants, and makes her touch deadly to everyone else. A young man, Giovanni Guasconti (Brett Halsey) happens to see her looking out her window and is instantly smitten. However, she tries to dissuade him from visiting her. True love cannot be thwarted, even though she can never go out with him...until her father discovers what's up and determines to sever that connection for good.

In The House of the Seven Gables, Gerald Pyncheon (Vincent Price) returns to his ancestral home with his new wife Alice (Beverly Garland) after a very long absence, in order to claim what he believes is rightfully his.  His sister Hannah (Jacqueline deWit) attempts to persuade him to let the matter go, but to no avail. Alice seems inordinately sensitive to the presence of something or someone. When Jonathan Maulle (Richard Denning),  a descendant of Mathew Maulle, arrives to right an old wrong, things go horribly awry.

These are three stories told by Nathaniel Hawthorne, but they are not quite as he told him. The writer and director have conspired to give them somewhat of a Poe-esque twist. So be warned if you read the book, this isn't really it. Especially House of the Seven Gables, which is a novel, not a short story. At any rate, it's worth watching for Vincent Price alone, even if it's rather dated now. You may remember Sebastian Cabot from Family Affair as the gentleman's gentleman, Mr. French. Beverly Garland was quite the femme fatale in her day but I remember her from My Three Sons as Fred McMurray's second wife. Richard Denning is probably best known for Creature From the Black Lagoon. All in all, still worth watching. I give this film 3 Stars.

Wrong Turn 5: Bloodlines

A group of college students decide to attend the Mountain Man Festival in West Virginia, on Halloween, and they meet you know who. Because of course they do.

I'll make this short and sweet. I didn't finish this one either, which apparently is the sequel to Wrong Turn 4 that I also turned off. I think I didn't even last as long with 5 because it was that bad. The sad thing is that I didn't even realize Doug Bradley was in it, and I always liked him as Pinhead. Oh well, can't win them all. I'll give this .5 just for Doug, but I recommend avoiding it like the plague. Guess we'll see what the sixth one brings. Will that be the charm?

Book Review: Love Mode, Vol 4 by Yuzi Shimuzu

 

Love Mode, Vol 4      

Author: Yuki Shimizu

Publisher: Blu

American release date:  October 31, 2006

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Yaoi Manga/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Naoya’s life is finally becoming more settled. He is back in school, working part-time, and living with Reiji, who is determined to teach the young man basic civilities. Reiji’s doctor brother, Kiichi, organizes a dinner with Naoya’s guardian, Kajiwara. The idea is to show him how well Naoya is doing, and to persuade him to allow Naoya to remain in Reiji’s household. A chance meeting with the man who took over Naoya’s father’s company, Aizawa, leads to hard feelings when the man displays his true colors in front of a businessman he is trying to impress. Unfortunately for Aizawa, the man is a friend of Reiji and Kiichi and is appalled with Aizawa, saying he will not do business with him. Afterward, in private, a shocking revelation is made.

Naoya has a bad dream that night, one he’s had before, about the accident that took the lives of his family. Reiji comforts him. After work the next day, Naoya runs into Kajiwara, who invites him back to his home. Naoya wants to know why he is against his staying with Aoe, and Kajiwara reveals all. Afterward, Reiji find Naoya in a horrible state, and cares for him. Together, Reiji and Kiichi confront Kajiwara and finally lay certain demons to rest.

Bonus story: Takamiya is not shy about telling Izumi that he loves him, but so far, Izumi has never reciprocated those words. Takamiya proposes they get together in two days and have a date playing billiards. Why that paticular day? It’s a special anniversary for them! Thanks to a chance encounter, they end up spending time with Reiji and Naoya, like a double date! Izumi is incredulous that anyone could live with grumpy old Reiji, but Naoya defends him as a good man. Meanwhile, Takamiya is needling Reiji for bringing home a stray when he supposedly hates cats. Izumi, tired of Reiji’s patronizing attitude, begs Takamiya to play a game of pool with him and clean his clock for him. He promises that if he does that, Takamiya can have anything he wants from Izumi. Yes, anything! Challenge on!

In a second bonus story, a young man is living with a foster family for certain reasons, and he realizes he cares about his foster brother a little too much. A sinister man seems to be stalking him, but can he save him?

Naoya’s past is out in the open now, and the truth has finally been revealed. Now he can let go of the ghosts that haunted him and move on with his life, whatever that may bring.  Will his relationship with Reiji heat up? Does he want it to? Only time will tell. I enjoyed the bonus story very much. I think Izumi and Takamiya are a cute couple! The second bonus story was more bittersweet than sweet. Another great volume, looking forward to the next one!

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #85 (18.1)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

A new twist in the confusing saga has now developed. Namely the presence of a small stuffed gator meant for Vinnie! Could this mean what it appears to mean? See what's going on in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan! Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale! Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #85 (18.1)

I know it’s silly to be taken aback by something so harmless, but the memories that tiny gator invoked…. Well, let’s say they weren’t pleasant.

“Vinnie…Vinnie…”

Ethan’s concerned voice drew me back to the present. He was stroking my cheek, and the expression in his beautiful blue eyes was one of alarm.

“Sorry. Didn’t mean to space out like that.” I gave him a weak smile, but I knew he understood why I was rather upset. Not to mention this suddenly pointed the grave finger of suspicion toward someone I’d rather forget entirely, but he was making that difficult.

Who else could have sent such a chilling message but Chip, aka the Mangler? The million dollar question was—what did Chip have to do with anything?

“Isn’t that so cute?” St. Clair kept babbling on while my blood turned to ice. “And wasn’t that very thoughtful of him to send it to you? Although, to be honest, I’m not sure why he bothered. Come to think of it, he did seem rather obsessed with you. Even though you aren’t in the industry or anything. I kept telling him you’re no one important, but he just wouldn’t listen.”

My stomach churned at her words even as the truth slapped me in the face. But how? Why? He was safely locked away, behind bars awaiting trial. We’d ascertained that oursleves. Was this Billy Faulkner an accomplice of his? A henchman on the outside, committed to assist the Mangler in his dirty deeds?

Would I never be free of the man?

I couldn’t refrain from shuddering. Ethan helped me to my feet, anchoring me with his arm about my waist. “Miss St. Clair, you’ve been very helpful,” he said. Troy and Brendan had risen too, I noticed. As we started to walk away, Ethan paused and turned back.

“Oh, just ne more question, if you don’t mind. How did that stuffed animal arrive?”

The small gator still sat on her hand, as neither one of us had attempted to claim it. I mean, why would we?

“In the mail. How else, silly?” She cackled, as if she found herself amusing. I’m pretty sure no one else did.

Troy and Brendan made their good-byes as Ethan ushered me out of the building, back to our car.  I was doing my best not to panic, but failing at that pretty much. I kept remembering how St. Clair was able to escape her environs simply by using a double. Could Chip have done the same? Was he out there even now, stalking me…hunting me…waiting his opportunity to pounce? Bil rose in my throat that I had to force back down.

“What if it’s him? What if he’s out?” I asked, somewhere between a whimper and a whisper.

Ethan wrapped his arms around me and held me tightly. “I don’t see how, but that’s something we can check on.

Troy and Brendan caught up with us then. To my dismay, I noticed Troy gingerly held the little gator. Why?

He answered my unspoken question before holding it out toward Ethan. “I just thought maybe there’s something on it. You know, like DNA or fingerprints or something?”

Who was the law enforcement officer here? I should have thought of that, but in my defense, I was a bit busy freaking out.

“Good thinking,” Ethan said. “Hang on a second.” He kissed me tenderly before he released me and opened the passenger door. Opening the glove compartment, he rummaged around for a second before coming out with a plastic bag. “I remember seeing this,” he explained as he carefully bagged the evidence. Evidence of what I wasn’t sure, but it was something.

Once he’d secured that, he pulled out his phone. I heard him talking to Anderson briefly before he hung up. “We’re going to find out if that is really him down in Florida, or an imposter.”

Would this nightmare never end?

 to be continued

Go see what the other Briefers are up to!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Virtual Book Tour: When I Look in the Mirror by Tanith Davenport

 Good morning everyone! Please welcome author Tanith Davenport to Full Moon Dreaming! She is here today to discuss her new release, When I Look in the Mirror. Tanith will be awarding a $10 Amazon/BN GC to one randomly drawn commenter via Rafflecopter during the tour. The more you comment, the greater your chances of winning! To find the other stops on her tour, go here. Don't forget to look for the Rafflecopter at the end of this post!

 

WHEN I LOOK IN THE MIRROR

by Tanith Davenport

 

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GENRE:  Paranormal Erotic Romance

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

BLURB:

 

When hairdresser Tatum Fox takes part in a séance at a party, her only thought is of the attractive man sitting beside her, the mysterious Zack, who appears in her dreams that night and who she hopes to see again. However, when she begins to experience paranormal activity and finds herself confronted by an unnerving client at work, she discovers that the séance summoned a demon – and Zack may be the only person who can free her of him.

 

Zack reveals himself to be an angel, and shows Tatum that she also has the power to battle supernatural creatures – a power that is increased through sex with him. Their connection soon strengthens, but is Tatum strong enough to defeat the demon with Zack by her side – and can there be a future with an angel, or is their passion doomed to end?

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

EXCERPT:

 

“What you saw wasn’t in your head. It was real.”

 

“What are you talking about? I saw Dante turning into a—into I don’t know what. How could that be real?”

 

Zack sighed, taking her hand. “Listen. There are things in this world you don’t understand. And Dante is one of them.”

 

Tatum gave him a look. Seriously?

 

“This stays between us.” Zack gently took her chin in his hand, tilting her head up to look at her directly, and then…

 

A sudden glittering haze seemed to surround them, and Zack’s eyes glowed white.

 

“What the—”

 

“Shh.” Zack held her still as the glitter dissipated, his eyes returning to normal. “Like I said, there are things you don’t understand. Not yet.”

 

“And you’re one of them? What are you?”

 

“You don’t need to worry about me. Worry about Dante.”

 

“And what’s Dante?”

 

Zack’s thumb caressed her cheek. “Dante is a demon.”

 

A demon. The idea would have seemed impossible that morning, and yet now it was somehow believable. Dante, who had given her the creeps since she first met him, who she had seen turning into a hideous creature in the mirror, was a demon.

 

“How do you know? Ezer has known him ages and never picked up—this.”

 

Zack rolled his eyes. “Ezer is great, but he’s not the kind of person to pick this up. I only invited him to see if he might have that power—he doesn’t. His senses are dead in the water.”

 

“And mine?”

 

“Besides…” Zack continued as though she hadn’t spoken. “Dante wasn’t always a demon. Remember Nicole’s party? That was when it happened. He’s been taken over.”

 

 

~~~~~~~~~~~~~

 

AUTHOR Bio and Links:

 

Tanith Davenport began writing erotica at the age of 27 by way of the Romantic Novelists' Association New Writers' Scheme. Her debut novel "The Hand He Dealt" was released by Totally Bound in June 2011 and was shortlisted for the Joan Hessayon Award for 2012.

 

Tanith has had short stories published by Totally Bound, Naughty Nights Press and House of Erotica. She loves to travel and dreams of one day taking a driving tour of the United States, preferably in a classic 1950s pink Cadillac Eldorado.

 

Tanith's idea of heaven is an Indian head massage with a Mojito at her side.

 

www.facebook.com/TanithDavenport

www.twitter.com/TanithDavenport

tanithdavenport.blogspot.com

Books 2 Read: https://books2read.com/u/bOPO7W

Amazon US:  bit.ly/46xnwe5

 

 

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The Questions –

1) What is your idea of how to spend romantic time with your significant other?

When my husband and I do a date night we’ll usually go out to one of our favourite restaurants and then, when we get home, take turns picking songs to play on iTunes. It’s a great way to enjoy spending an evening together.

2) When you start a new story, do you begin with a character, or a plot?

It tends to be the character who inspires the plot, but occasionally I’ll have separate ideas for characters and plots and end up marrying them together. In the case of “When I Look In The Mirror”, I had the character of Tatum already in my head and also the plot on my ideas list, so it was just a matter of seeing it they worked together.

 
3) If they were to make the story of your life into a movie, who should play you?

I would say Florence Pugh. She’s got amazing range and I’ve loved everything she’s been in. I’d also like to cast her if any of my books became films, which I’m not hopeful of, but you never know.

4) Who’s your favorite horror villain and why?

I love horror films and have seen most, if not all, of the famous series, but my favourite villain is still Jason Voorhees from “Friday the 13^th”, primarily because the moment when he sat up in the bed in the second film scared me to death. I definitely preferred him in the earlier films, back when he was a man and not an unkillable zombie – I thought he was much scarier that way.

5) Do you have an historical crush and if so, who is it?

I’m a closet Ricardian – I’m fascinated by Richard III and am firmly of the belief that he didn’t kill the Princes in the Tower. He, like me, has scoliosis, so I think it’s remarkable that he was such a skilled soldier given how much pain he must have been in.

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Saturday is Horror Day # 126 - Kill Bill: Vol 1, Men

 Kill Bill: Vol 1

Weddings are generally joyous and happy events in a person's life. But sadly that is not always the case. A bride (Uma Thurman) awakens from a four-year coma to discover her world as she knew it no longer exists, ripped away by person or persons unknown. She is determined to have her revenge. But first things first...where is Bill?

I've heard about this movie for a long time and finally got around to watching it. Uma Thurman is the 

distraught bride who intends to put an end to those who caused her such pain, including the death of her unborn child. She systematically hunts them all down, asking everyone the same question - where is Bill? The fight scenes are decent, if bloody. But then it is a Tarantino film, so that's to be expected. I also expected more answers than I got. Such as where is Bill? I guess that's why they made a second film. Guess I'll have to watch that to find out.

This film does contain some familiar faces, such as Daryl Hannah and Lucy Liu. I don't think it's as great as the hype makes it out to be, but it was worth watching. I'll hold further judgement until I see the second part. I'll give this film 4 Stars.

Men

Harper (Jessie Buckley) is distraught over the death of her husband James (Paapa Essiedu) and decides to retreat to the country to soothe her aching soul and find some sort of peace.  Unsure of whether his death was a suicide or an accident, she blames herself. The more she tries to forget, the more she remembers. She finds the men in this remote village to be...well, off. Even the parish priest seems to blame her for what happened to James, and then there is a insufferable child who speaks to her as no child should.

The more she explores her beautiful surroundings, the more troubled she becomes. Is there something 

sinister here? Why do all these men resemble one another so much? Many questions, but few answers. And then there is the naked man (Rory Kinnear) who just appeared outside her window one day, and haunts her. She can't seem to get anyone to help her! Maybe coming out here wasn't such a great idea after all!

I'm not gonna lie, I was intrigued by the trailer and excited to watch this film. It doesn't hurt that I am a huge fan of Rory Kinnear. The setting and photography was lush, I really enjoyed it. The acting was top notch, as was the direction. But the story...oh, the story. Where I was turned off was when it turned from simple horror story to something else entirely. Metaphorical, maybe? As in not everything you're seeing is real, it's all part of her grief.  Yeah, not what I wanted or expected. And the ending...oh the ending. It's...beyond words. See for yourself and see what you make of it. I'll just give this film 3 Stars and move on.

Book Review: Kiss All the Boys, Vol 1 by Shiuko Kano

 

Kiss All the Boys, Vol 1      

Author: Shiuko Kano

Publisher: Deux Press

American release date: April 1, 2008

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Yaoi manga/192 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★

 

Tetsuo is 32 years old. He writes a porn comic for his best friend Michiro. He is also the father of a 15-year-old son named Haruka, whose mother is Michiro’s sister. Tetsuo hasn’t exactly been a hands-on father. But when his ex is offered a long-term opportunity in Paris that she just can’t pass up, Tetsuo finds himself playing father full-time. On top of that, Tetsuo has another kind of problem  - he can’t seem to get it up, which makes dating difficult and frustrates him to no end.

Tetsuo accidentally discovers Haruka is gay (if you consider snooping accidental) and doesn’t know what to make of that so he confides in Michiro, who is also gay. Michiro advised Tetsuo to simply accept his son for who he is and to be a better father. Seems like good advice. When Tetsuo leaves Michiro, he happens upon a porn theater and decides to clear up one problem before tackling another. But outside the theater, a strange man unexpectedly crumples on top of him, seemingly terrified by the thought of going in. Deciding to play Good Samaritan, Tetsuo helps him in (basically to avoid embarrassment on the street) and they end up sitting together. The man is aghast when he finds himself hard, although Tetsuo assures him that is natural for where they are. But when Tetsuo suggests he head to the bathroom and take care of the issue, the man says he is afraid to get up. But then the unexpected happens when Tetsuo takes the “problem” in hand.

Afterward, Tetsuo is confused about what occurred. Luckily, he’ll never see that guy again. Except that’s not how life works. And the man – whose name is Momoyama – turns out to be Tetsuo’s new neighbor!  He seems smitten with Tetsuo, and offers to return the favor! One thing leads to another and Haruka unexpectedly catches them in the act (guess who’s confused now!) and he runs off. Turns out there is a guy he likes named Tamaki and he doesn’t know what to do about it.

Complications continue to arise as Tetsuo tries to deal with the idea that he gets hard with Momoyama (who he nicknames Homoyama) and he is also working through the problems with his gay son, while Momo just wants to get Tetsuo to acknowledge him. Momo ends up being confronted by Michiro, who tries to tell him it was just the alcohol, but he accuses Michiro of being in love with Tetuso himself!

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I began this yaoi manga, but I quickly found myself engaged with the characters and the story. Tetsuo has a tendency to be a rather clueless and selfish prick but I think he has a good heart and hope he will get better. I see a triangle brewing, maybe even more if I correctly read Tamaki’s reaction to something he unexpectedly witnessed. I’m a little conflicted about Haruka because he’s only 15, and I hope he doesn’t get any sex scenes, even with Tamaki. Guess we’ll see. Enjoyed the first volume and looking forward to the next!

 

Wednesday Briefs: Bad Karma and the Family Plan #84(17.4)

 Good morning and Happy Hump Day! If it's Wednesday, then it must be time for more flash fiction from the Wednesday Briefers! We're a group of authors who bring you our finest flash fiction every week, 500 to 1000 words, inspired by one of our prompts.

Why is it that Vinnie can never get this horrible woman out of his and Ethan's lives? Now they are face to face with her at the fancy place she was taken to avoid going to jail. Will she tell them what they need to know about the person who orchestrated this insane plot? See what's happening in this week's chapter of Bad Karma and the Family Plan. Don't forget to visit the other Briefers and see what's up with them. Their links follow my tale. Enjoy!

Bad Karma and the Family Plan #84(17.4)

Without waiting for her to respond—or to launch herself at me, whichever might be her preference—Ethan, my knight in shining armor, bravely leapt into the fray with a segue meant to redirect her attention where we wanted it to go.

“Actually, I think the better question is have you been talking to your current director? What was his name? Faulkner?”

I couldn’t help but notice Troy had a restraining hand on the actress’ arm, as if he didn’t quite trust her either. With good reason.

“If you’re thinking of breaking into the business, I wouldn’t bother. He’s no miracle worker, you know.” She chortled, as if she’d said the funniest thing ever. Being the bigger person, I didn’t deign to make a response.

“Has he come to see you here?” Ethan asked, as if she hadn’t spoken.

“No, he’s been busy. But he did send chocolates,” she said. “The good kind. Hand-dipped by a very famous Belgian chocolatier. Nobody you could afford, of course, on your pitiful policeman’s salary.” She smirked. I could feel Troy’s exasperation, even as he rolled his eyes, although she couldn’t see that from her angle.

I didn’t bother to remind her that we were more than policeman, in fact, and neither did Ethan. Didn’t seem particularly relevant at the moment.

“It’s a shame you weren’t able to send him your audition tape,” Ethan pretended to commiserate with her.  “I’m sure he would have been very impressed by what you did. Don’t you think so, Troy?”

“Absolutely,” Troy agreed, although he must have been as baffled as I was. But Troy’s a very good actor, so it isn’t surprising that he does improvisation well too. “We honestly didn’t know that was you, Carrie, did we, Brendan?”

“I was completely fooled,” Brendon admitted. I got the feeling he tried not to do much talking around her, maybe intimidated by her overpowering personality. Brendan’s a sweet guy, and rather shy.

“You’re wrong, anyway,” St. Clair continued. “He did receive the video. He told me so.”

“How does that work?” Ethan asked. “When did you have time to send it?”

The look she shot Ethan told me more clearly than any words that not only was she “over him”, but she didn’t have any great respect for him either. Sort of a condescending why are you so stupid look. “We didn’t need to send it. Have you never heard of livestreaming?”

Whoa, didn’t that open up a whole new line of thought.

“You mean you were posting on the Internet as it happened?” Ethan sounded concerned, and I can’t blame him. Having our faces out there, and having someone maybe tag us as undercover agents,, could be seriously detrimental to our careers.

The actress giggled again but didn’t immediately respond until Troy prodded her.

“Carrie, where did you post to the Internet? Which social media platform?”

She released a long sigh then replied, “I wish. That would have been pretty amazing. But no, the video went straight to the director. His computer or his phone, I’m not sure which. I just know he got it and was pleased with my work.” She brightened up at that, as if the sun had come out and chased all her clouds away. Talk about mercurial…

I could sense a change in Ethan. His energy level seemed to spike dramatically, and I had an idea why. I watched him catch Troy’s eye, then glance at his watch meaningfully.

“Carrie, I hate to say it, but we have to go,” Troy said apoloetically. The actress immediately went into pout mode, but Troy quickly hugged her.

“Now, don’t fret. You probably won’t be here very long, right? You’ll be heading back home, won’t you?”

If by home, he meant the other sanitarium where she’d been staying, I had to wonder what was keeping her out of jail. But I really did know the answer to that question without asking.

“I don’t know yet,” she admitted.

I wasn’t surprised. She wasn’t exactly there by choice. Still, she should be grateful for the privileges her Hollywood status had gained her.

“Oh silly me, I almost forgot something.” She laughed, a rather edgy sound and not the slightest bit mirthful in my opinion, as she reached into her pocket. “He told me to give this to you next time I saw you.”

At first, I thought she was speaking to Troy, but then I realized her hand was stretched out toward me. And in the palm sat…a small stuffed gator.

I felt my world begin to spin.

 to be continued

Now see what's up with the other Briefers!

Cia Nordwell

J Ray Lamb

Saturday is Horror Day #125 - Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings, Deliver Us From Evil (doc)

 Wrong Turn 4: Bloody Beginnings

A group of college students on a snowmobile trip get some bad directions and end up taking shelter at an abandoned sanitarium...where it all began.

I am going to save some trouble and cut to the chase now. I couldn't even finish this one. Since I sat through both 2 & 3, which were horrendous, this has to say something. The focus (at least, of what I saw) was exploring the couples' various sexual exploits, including one lesbian couple. Never mind they're stuck in this creepy, abandoned, filthy building, they all want to get their groove on. 

My advice is to do what I'm doing. Skip this one and jump ahead to the next.

Deliver Us From Evil (doc)

The brave survivors of priestly sexual abuse step forward to talk about what happened to them in this documentary by Amy Berg. Their families are present as well, having suffered from what was done to their loved ones. The surprise here is that the priest also speaks - candidly and openly - about what he did to those children. And it is clear to see by his expression, in his voice, and the casual air he maintains, that he is not truly sorry for what he has done.

Father Oliver O'Grady (Father Ollie to those close to him) was accused during the 1970s of horrendous acts against children. But, as has come to be expected of the Catholic Church, rather than do anything about the problem, they simply relocated him - to another parish, with other children! And the abuse would start again. Of course there are those higher ups who claim they didn't really know. As if they would admit to it. This story is indicative of the Catholic desire to gloss over the abuses of their own, and simply pay out hush money to the victims.

Father Ollie was finally taken to court, received fourteen years, served seven, and was deported to Ireland, where he runs around happy as a lark and fancy free - freely among children.

This is an eye-opening and disturbing documentary which will make you question why this church gets away with so much. Kudos to the brave survivors who dared to tell their stories. I give this film 4.5 Stars

Book Review: Love Mode, Vol 3 by Yuki Shimizu

 

Love Mode, Vol 3       

Author: Yuki Shimizu

Publisher: Blu

American release date:  July 3, 2006

Format/Genre/Length: Paperback/Yaoi Manga/184 pages

Overall Personal Rating: ★★★★★

 

Because of a bike accident that caused him to miss a lot of class, Arashi should be in summer school. In trying to get out of it, he finds that he has been volunteered to do some volunteer work instead! So much for summer vacation! Oh well, what can he do? He ends up helping a 69-year-old man named Maryuma Kantaro in his home. First order of business – fix the roof!

Izumi is the number one host at Reiji’s male escort club. Recuperating at home due to some health issues, he is bothered by a persistent former member of the club. He knows members are not allowed to meet escorts in private, much less former members, but he doesn’t seem to take no for an answer. Reiji’s doctor brother is concerned, as is Reiji. At one time Izumi had feelings for the owner, but realizes he has found love with someone else. He worries that he will never be loved and accepted for who he really is.

And then a man unexpectedly drops into Izumi’s backyard – literally. Turns out, Arashi was working on Kantaro’s roof and he is Izumi’s neighbor, and Arashi lost his balance and fell. Unfortunately, he collided with Izumi and got bond in his hair! The poor man was forced to get a haircut! Appalled, Kantaro forced Arashi to go with him next door and apologize profusely to Izumi. Izumi wasn’t flustered, said he needed it anyway because of the time of year.

Arashi has to agree with the old man’s assessment that Izumi is indeed a beauty. But Arashi does something that gives him reason to think Izumi hates him, and when he goes next door to explain, he sees another man there and grows jealous, unaware that it’s just the doctor. When the unthinkable happens, and the old man ends up in the hospital, they run into each other again.

There is certainly an attraction there, but Izumi is worried that he won’t be accepted because of what he does for a living. He receives an opportunity to travel with abroad with one of his clients. Reiji says it’s strictly up to him. Izumi can’t help but think it would be best for Arashi if he were out of his life. The path of true love never does run smoothly.

We met Izumi previously, when our young Izumi was mistaken for him and thus began his relationship with Takamiya. Izumi longs for love but doesn’t believe in himself. He’s never met anyone like Arashi, who seems to genuinely like him.  But Izumi believes himself to be tainted and not worthy. While I don’t like this couple as much as the first two, I do like them, and their story is very sweet. Good volume, look forward to more.