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chanter
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Getting started |
Location: Melbourne
Registered: March 2021
Messages: 5
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Thank you to Bensiamin for your stories of David and Jackson that have taken us through their development and onto the mext gen. The characters are likable and compelling, and the stories are laced with inrellect and compassion. (Who would have guessed you could learn stuff while reading teenage gay romantic loves stories .. haha)
I have especially liked and related to the Kaiser stories as I have the distinct honour of working with an incredible golden retriever doing therapy as well as counselling and support work. I have seen her many times achieve things that no human has been able to and to builfd the bridge of trust that has been needed in order for the young person to move forward. So much of Kaiser's actions and behaviour resonate with things I have witnessed. There are times after sessions that I have felt so amazed and humbled by the achievements of a beautiful golden retriever that all I can do is hug her myself.
(And I too use music as a bridge in some circumstances .. another point of relatability for me)
So thank you again Bensiamin for such great stories, and for hopefully opening a few people's eyes to what our best friends are capable of achieving.
I truly hope there are more stories to come.
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I echo your thoughts. I appreciate stories that stimulate the inellect as well as provide romanitic entertainment. Nothing sweeter than a good boy meets boy romance! 
“There's no grays, only white that's got grubby. I'm surprised you don't know that. And sin, young man, is when you treat people as things. Including yourself. That's what sin is.” - Terry Pratchett
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Thanks so much for your kind words, built especially for the comments about amazing therapy dogs and using music as a communication bridge.
I haven't done dog therapy work myself (though have owned quite a few dogs that would qualify), but have friends who have done the work and others that received the benefit. One being a reader who received terrific dog therapy in his early teens in a Children's Hospital.
It is absolutely amazing, and heart-melting, to watch some of what takes place. I worried that having Jerrod and Roger go down this pathway (led by Kaiser, LOL!) would be taken as unrealistic or somehow inappropriate. Young people can do amazing things, and when paired with the right dog... anything is possible!
Then, of course, there's the boy meets boy romance... but you faithful readers knew that was coming anyway!
Bensiamin
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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Perfect ending today to a great story. Looking forward to the next instalment.
As for the new puppy's name, how about 'Victoria'?
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Good suggestion, but wouldn't Victoria naturally go with Albert rather than with Kaiser?
Oh, wait no! These two won't be spouses, will they?
Bensiamin
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ray2x
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Really getting into it |
Location: USA
Registered: April 2009
Messages: 429
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Your story world is so warm and deep...but my main man (or boy in this case) is Sean...I can visualize his smiles and actions with Kaiser and with the other guys...I can even see the mother, her caring look as Sean is ready to throw the ball with so many minute steps that need to be completed...I can even feel Sean's love for all the attention which surrounds him...now, he's even going to grow and mature into a pre-adolescent boy, with the set of difficulties which may hit him hard, or harder than most boys his age...that's why I love the character so much...it reflects a realness that so many palsyed children face and how the boy or the girl can live a good life with the proper care from family and strangers and even dogs (or cats too)...hope to see Sean in future stories, maybe with a speaking part...perhaps in a short story...
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Ray - I had a boarding school roommate in high school for a year who had cerebral palsy, so that gave me a decent level understanding about youth with the condition. He was what is now referred to as "high functioning" (though he still had many handicaps and problems), but that was many years ago, and I certainly don't claim to have any deep insight into CP or the struggles that those with the condition have. As fate would have it, though, during the early writing of the Kaiser stories I was walking my dog one afternoon, and met a couple walking toward us--a mother and her teenage son. He was probably fourteen or so and had CP. It only took a few moments for him to get over being startled by these new entities that had appeared before him on the trail, catalyzed by my dog's wildly wagging tail, and his mother's comment that "he wants to be your friend," and a smile appeared on his face, his hand extended... and you can imagine how it went from there.
That event solidified Sean's character in the stories and opened up a pathway for a deep learning experience for Jerrod and then by extension for Roger... and ultimately for Matt, too. I certainly appreciate your kind words about the warmth and depth of the story. That means (to me, anyway!) that the characters came alive and their situations were real and relatable... and that's all an author can hope for. I'll certainly think hard about a more developed role for Sean in a future story, as the ideas for those spool themselves out.
[Updated on: Tue, 25 May 2021 15:58]
Bensiamin
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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I consider this story in the series definitely benefitted from having the non gay characters take a more central role. The change and development of Matt, how he connected with Sean and then how he started to build a relationship of his own with Jessica, added considerable depth.
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