The Highland Dancer (Book) - 9/22/2022 7:11:05 AM
<a href="https://slidecast.com/integrations/salesforce-integration/ "> Salesforce Integration </a>
On the Premises Contest#56 - honorable mention (Short Story) - 5/14/2023 11:46:15 AM
I read them all. They seem to be placed well. Some were funny. One was very poignant. And of course, the winner was truly the most ironic.
Yours was very sweet. I learned to share very early because my twin brother and I often were given one item during Christmas or otherwise because our parents could not afford to buy two of everything for us except matching clothes. And that was a stretch to find clothes that were matching. Easier out of the catalog then at the stores.
Ron
Nineteenth Century Ghost (100 word story) (Short Story) - 11/8/2022 1:46:06 PM
Those log cabins tend to be quite drafty. A cold breeze down the back of your neck can feel like someone touching it. As far as seeing apparitions, candlelight definitely casts shadows that certainly can seem like something moving ahead A few dreams, and you've got a ghost.
I never liked challenges that restricted my writing. Reminded me too much of school assignments that I did very well but hated the confinement.
As a result of having only 100 words, your story seemed cut off at the end.
Ron
Imaginary Friends (Short Story) - 8/1/2022 8:52:14 PM
"Imaginary Friends" is a wonderfully written story that hooked me with a relatable character and premise, and then surprised me at the end. I've always enjoyed stories with a supernatural twist, and Chantal really delivers with this one.
Stormy Romantic Getaway (Short Story) - 7/17/2022 1:01:50 PM
Your link did not take me to the story but got hung up trying to go through Facebook.
I suggest you simply copy and paste the entire story on the story template so the reader does not have to go to some outside page to read your story.
Ron
Dancing in the Rain (Short Story) - 6/4/2022 12:52:47 PM
My out of date (on purpose) browser could not open the story. Perhaps on my other computer.
I did this for a while with my poetry. But people complained about having to link to my website. So I began to post the whole poem or story here and got more readers and comments.
Ron
Persephone (Short Story) - 9/1/2021 10:30:56 AM
Another lovely story. But it is really two stories. Your motherly instinct took over when you took Persephone in and cherished her. And I can try to imagine what my mother thought when she learned she was pregnant as she was finishing high school with hopes of college that was never to be. Seven months later, Roger and I arrived. Our parents moved into a shack and we got a little dog, a rat terrier, to protect us from all of the mice.
That's the first time I've read about a jealous cat. But my brother Roger, had to get rid of a precocious poodle when her second daughter was born. Likewise, when my younger brothers were born, our mongrel buddy had to be given away because my mother was worried about him being jealous of these coming twins.
Ron
A Night with the Wolves (Short Story) - 8/4/2021 12:52:07 PM
I read the article with great interest. Although I had to look Montebello up because it is the name of the Franklin Delano Roosevelt family estate in New York. I did find that you are writing about Omega Parc in Québec. A place that few of us in the lower 48 know of. We have lots of exotic animals here in Texas, and I have visited the Safari next to the Natural Bridge Caverns twice, driving through and even feeding the animals.
But there is no place like you describe, with five packs of wolves in large enclosures with cabins strategically placed so that the occupiers can get up close and personal with the wolves. It was interesting how you described the wolf and dog behavior being similar, since all dogs are known to have been domesticated from the wolf.
It is sad to see so many animals held captive. But I believe they are well cared for and it helps the visitors to get to see so many native Canadian animals up close and personal like, "bonding with a doe."
Your article was very well written and clear except for whether the bears were seen from your cabin or not. And there was a bit of repetition about the fences and nets, making it like a zoo. The pictures beautifully illustrated what you are writing about.
I was very interested in your description of the wolf behavior because I am writing the story of a man living in the wilderness of central Europe 5500 years ago. Wolves are part of the story.
Ron
Tears from Heaven (Short Story) - 7/12/2021 7:45:07 PM
That was a beautiful, heartfelt story. Thank you for sharing your loss with us and the lovely way you discovered your grandfather's continued presence in your life.
Tears from Heaven (Short Story) - 7/5/2021 9:22:11 AM
I read your story about how you struggled with writing something for your grandfather when he died. From what you did write later in this article leads me to believe that he was not only a happy person, but a very emotional one went overwhelmed with happiness. I recall that only happened to me once. Only witnessed by my sister's friend who came to visit me in the hospital when I was crying because I was so happy to be alive.
I remember vividly my maternal grandfather's funeral. It was a dreary spring day and so sad. He had been calling for his only son, my uncle, for a week before he died, but my uncle had disappeared into another life because his trucking business was failing, his father was dying and he needed to get away from his obligation to five children from two wives. Thinking back now, I could write great stories about both of my grandfathers. Back then, I wasn't writing stories, I was making them happen in my life.
And for some reason, I don't remember my paternal grandfather's death from prostate cancer. If there was a funeral, I didn't go to it. It probably happened five weeks I was in the hospital after surgery that paralyzed me. Maybe my father didn't want me to know in my condition at that time.
Ron
A Family Camping Trip (Short Story) - 6/6/2021 4:15:21 PM
Sounds like my kind of story! Would love to read it...
Diana...
Nostalgia (Short Story) - 3/1/2021 10:10:20 AM
Your story was putatively presented in the magazine but a bit longer than I have time for so I skimmed through it rather than the usual detailed reading. I found it filled with incidents from from a childhood of the 1980s (?) with the kind of detail that I am unable to bring up from my childhood memoirs that I am currently writing here.
On my visit to Toronto in 1980, I found that it wasn't a very interesting city except for the tower that I toured. But it was the site of my only international conference where I led a panel of futurists in a lively discussion that had the room filled completely to standing only. On a cruise about 2005 a guy came up to me and told me that he remembered hearing about my talk from the radio reports of the conference.
I visited Montréal on a trip across the country briefly during Expo 67. Along with Ottawa with its characteristic government buildings in gray stone with green copper roofs, Montréal with its French character was one of the most memorable places I've ever visited.
I do recall trips with my father driving and my mother at the map. We never missed a turn. She gave me that old Atlas of roadmaps from Rand McNally and I used it for over 20 years. Driving across the country and getting directions from a local telephone call on how to get to where I was going. Got so that I hardly needed to use the map at all. But in recent years, when I tried to go somewhere that I remembered from 30 or 40 years before (a lot of people use ago, I don't), I come up short and have to call again. Fortunately not having to use a payphone.
It's a good story and certainly nostalgic. If I were your editor I would've helped you make it better. But I'm not an editor, so I'll pass on it. I just read a lot and written a bit. Studied a little.
Ron
Rest In Peace (story #7 in Emily Series) (Short Story) - 11/26/2013 9:08:25 AM
You are right Ron.
Although this is a fictional story, it was highly inspired by my grandfather's passing and his funeral.
Thanks for your compliments!
Rest In Peace (story #7 in Emily Series) (Short Story) - 11/26/2013 8:30:50 AM
I can't help thinking that this story is really the story of your grandfather's funeral. My grandparents died many years ago and I only attended my maternal grandfather's funeral because I was away during the other three funerals. I recall we were fishing with grandfather Wenzel one time at the river near where you live near where he lived, and he told my twin brother and I that he was, "just waiting for the good Lord to take me away."
Your story is very well written and detailed, evoking memories of funerals past. My memory of my brief stay in Montréal in August was wonderful.
Ron
The Halloween Party (story #6 of Emily series) (Short Story) - 10/13/2013 8:18:14 AM
A well-written story filled with all the imagined Halloween horror that people expect after visiting haunted houses reminiscent of the old carny freak shows that seem to interest people because of their outrageousness. It is a formula story destined to please those who like “scary, but not brutal” stories brought on by dreams and childhood fears carried into adulthood.
Growing up, a few miles away in Plainfield, there was a farmer hermit by the name of Ed Gein. Several young women disappeared in the area over the years. When he was discovered, Ed was cooking a human body part on the stove and had his house filled with crafts that he is made from human body parts and bones. The chairs in his kitchen were covered with leather made from human skin. Ed Gein has been used as a model for movies like Psycho and Hannibal Lecter. True life is often more interesting and horrific than fiction.
While I occasionally write horrific stories brought on by dreams and other brain conditions, stories of this type are not of any real interest to me. But, based what I know about human nature, you have a large following.
Ron
Confronting My Fears (Article) - 2/13/2023 11:47:04 AM
I couldn't download the article for some reason. May try later on another computer.
Ron
My experience in the over capacitated ER (Article) - 10/5/2022 11:11:39 AM
Your ulcerative colitis sounds terrible. I can't imagine how it affects your life. I've known people with colitis that died from it. I have had a neurogenic bowel that occurred 59 years ago when I was partially paralyzed in surgery. It was more of a nuisance, having to run to the restroom and sometimes not making it. But never required me to go to the ER except when I had bleeding hemorrhoids. Requiring me to get a blood transfusion at the height of the covid epidemic here in Houston in January 2021.
But your experience and your account of others, having to wait for a diagnosis and treatment is beyond the pale compared to mine. I called 911 and an ambulance took me. That way, instead of waiting hours in the waiting room with infected people, I got right in, wheeled in a gurney, but had to wait to get admitted to the hospital. Got very bad treatment from the overworked and understaffed nursing staff and acquired a blood clot because I wasn't turned. It took two days for me to get my transfusion. Within three months, I had a hemorrhoidectomy that has stopped the bleeding and nearly made me regular again with occasional accidents, since I cannot get out of the wheelchair to go to the bathroom.
As result of my incontinence, I had a barium enema (very painful) and several colonoscopies that fortunately show my bowel normal and free from any growths or signs of cancer. I am curious about the use of the colonoscopy for you. To find where it is bleeding and stop it?
I was on prednisone for two years when a neurologist thought it would "cure" my declining function from my spinal cord injury thinking it was inflammation. The drug had some unpleasant side effects like making me very hungry and giving me an enlarging tummy I didn't want.
I heard of many ERs here in the United States that were overwhelmed during the pandemic as well. If only the deniers had taken the vaccines when they were first available so much suffering and death would've been avoided.
Finally, when I fell once, smashing my shyness and fracturing my eye orbit, I waited in the emergency room that had only a few other people waiting for five hours to get a CT scan. The whole time I had a tremendous headache that could have been my brain bleeding and no one seemed to care or give me any medication for it. Thankfully, the scan found the fracture and the headache went away eventually.
Ron
Living with a crappy, invisible illness (Article) - 6/19/2021 12:33:59 PM
Chantal,
Your article is a beautifully written and thoroughly read description of what colitis is, what it does and how one deals with it, day-to-day. I hope that everyone here posting on AD has an opportunity to read it like I have. I will also post my comment on The Suburban if there is a comments section, after. I posted it to your website. My comment is much too long to post here.
I am spinal cord injured in surgery when I was 20. As a result, I've had some of the symptoms and one of the cures, that you have had in a long battle with colitis. I have not had colitis but I do have a neurogenic bowel and bladder caused by the paralysis and aging.
Keep up the good work with your writing and telling your story. I finally found out what colitis is after having some misunderstanding about it all these years by not asking or looking it up.
Ron
Leaf Angel (Poetry) - 9/22/2023 11:07:24 AM
What a wonderful poem of mood reversal! And they thought I never had. That one could make an angel from leaves just like from snow. Delightful!
And your photo shows delight in your eyes as well.
Ron
Ducklings (Poetry) - 4/29/2023 11:00:30 AM
Unfortunately, I couldn't open the link to view your poem. Perhaps, you could post it here, making it easier for readers to read.
You reminded me of the time, several years ago, when we had a rookery of Indian imported cattle egrets in the neighborhood, spawning all kinds of wildlife in suburbia. Behind our house was a jungle of uncut growth. Twice, in the afternoon black bellied whistling ducks came through under the fence and into my backyard with a bevy of ducklings. So cute. They nest in trees, like wood ducks.
And then one night, the ducklings appeared on both my front and back decks because they were lighted and the little guys were chasing bugs like crazy. We left the back sliding door open and two of the little guys got in the house. We finally got them shooed back outside. What fun.
Ron
Indian Summer (Poetry) - 4/2/2023 11:22:01 AM
This time I couldn't access your poem on Safari. And when I tried on Chrome I got a jumble of repeated pages, I think.
But I can imagine the delightful time you had with a squirrel. My partner got videos this morning of our local squirrel who is very skittish and she's trying to get him to take nuts out of her hand.
I find Indian summer to be a magical time and wrote two poems about it in the past. They are from memory because here in Houston, while we have warm days right up until Christmas, we don't have anything like Indian summer in northern climes.
Ron
My Potion (Poetry) - 10/4/2022 9:05:34 AM
I'm sorry, but this old browser cannot seem to open your potion poem. Maybe you could just copy and paste it here.
Ron
My Potion (Poetry) - 10/4/2022 4:54:34 AM
oh you got me spelled. and no, i actually enjoyed. ooh is this some reverse psychology trick? you are so good. two thumbs up for your piece. it was delightful.
My Four Seasons (Poetry) - 9/2/2022 4:47:28 AM
thank you for letting me see your four seasons. we don't have thise here in my country, and i love that i get to experience it through your writing.
The Field of Wishes (Poetry) - 7/4/2021 9:34:55 AM
And I'm sure her puppy understood every word from the look on his face and his licks of hers.
Ron
