Celestial Reviews 295 - July 22, 1998 Note: As seen in Ann Landers column July 16, 1998: Men think computers should be referred to as females just like ships because: 1) No one but the Creator can understand their internal logic. 2) The language they use to communicate with other computers is incomprehensible to everyone else. 3) The message "Bad command or file name" is about as informative as "If you don't know why I'm mad at you, I'm certainly not going to tell you." 4) Your smallest mistakes are stored in long-term memory for later retrieval. 5) As soon as you make a commitment to one, you find yourself spending half your paycheck on accessories for it. --------------- Women think computers should be referred to as male. Here's why: 1) They have a lot of data, but they are still clueless. 2) They are supposed to help you solve problems, but half of the time, they ARE the problem. 3) As soon as you commit to one, you realize if you had waited a little longer, you could have obtained a better model. 4) In order to get their attention, you have to turn them on. 5) A big power surge will knock them out for the rest of the night. Second note: Remember the Fourth Celestial Story Contest: <<contest>> <<contest>> <<contest>> <<contest>> About 50 years ago Ray Bradbury wrote a story called "The Veldt." In that story a family has a nursery for their children that includes what we would now call a virtual reality playroom. When the children go into the playroom, they get the authentic feeling of being in an actual veldt - a jungle area populated by mysterious and dangerous animals. Complications arise when the playroom takes on a life of its own - when the virtual reality becomes more real than virtual. You can imagine what happens when Mom and Dad decide to close down the playroom - or you can read the story (which is in Bradbury's book entitled "The Illustrated Man) to see how Bradbury handles the ending. Your job is to write a story based on the general premise of a virtual reality playroom. Feel free to change almost everything. You can have adults rather than children, and you don't need non-human animals at all. In fact, it might be best not to even look at Bradbury's story at all - let your own imagination have full play. Bradbury's story is actually a Frankenstein story with a moral - what happens when we fail to understand technology and its limitations? Your story doesn't have to be like that at all. You don't even need to know that Bradbury himself once said that "man's machines are indeed symbols of his most secret cravings and desires, extra hands put out to touch and interpret the world." Post your stories as you feel they are ready. Send me a copy. Deadline is August 24. <<contest>> <<contest>> <<contest>> <<contest>> Third note: Is there anyone out there who would like to review the receently reposted story entitled "Picket Fences"? My opinion is that it would be best that the reviewer be a fan of the series. Contact me if you are interested. Final note: Remember: even though someone else may be posting my reviews for me, my e-mail address is still Celeste801@aol.com. - Celeste ===================== Celestial Reviews: ===================== "Funeral" by John K (quickie) 10, 9, 9 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12776.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=368731938 "Sweet Inspiration" by Shelby Bush (romance) 10, 8, 8 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13062.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371795800 "Porch" by Crimson Dragon (ff romance) 10, 10, 10 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12213.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=363256015 "Shopping" by Sam (exhibitionism) 7, 4, 4 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13075.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371795879 "The Cruelest Month" by Hawkeye (relationships) 10, 8, 8 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13185.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=372872667 ===================== Guest Reviews: ===================== "Remember the Alamo" by Rob4Play (sexual rendezvous). Myers: 7. {Unarchived} "The Shower" by Tiramisu (shower sex). R'khaan: 4, 4, 4 {Unarchived} "A Matter of Need" by Watcher (deep emotions). Sven: 10, 10, 10 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13034.txt http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13035.txt http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13036.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386277 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386285 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386299 "Journey into Sexual Awareness" by Desdemona22 (housewife turns slut). Gandmar: really bad http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12880.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=370017287 "Sweets Stories: Shower Part 1" by Sweets1140 (multiple shower masturbation). BillyG: 6, 6, 5 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12608.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=367459539 "Private Dancer" by Steven A. Black (sex with a stripper). BitBard: 10, 9, 9 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13179.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=373022527 ===================== Reposted Reviews: ===================== * "April Showers" by Hawkeye (college showerroom sex). BillyG: 10, 10, 10 http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/year98/13183.txt ===================== On this day in Celestial History Celestial Reviews 102 - July 24, 1996 ===================== * "Fleeing Gods" by Mary Anne Mohanraj (sex with a god) 10, 10, 10 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=170525220 * "Crossing The Line" by Ann Douglas (sex life of porn writer) 10, 10, 10 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355289396 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294449 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294460 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294456 * "The Rocks" by Mark Aster (childhood) 10, 10, 10 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=242335937 ================== <<<The Reviews>>> ================== "Funeral" by John K (jsk123@pdq.net). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12776.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=368731938 "I'm not sure how she managed to convince her father to let her wear that dress to a funeral, but I was glad she had." When she gets up to take a leak during the service, she winks and nods to the back of the church. Hmmm... Gives new meaning to the phrase "belief in an afterlife," doesn't it? Perhaps the narrator offers the best summary: "Best blowjob I've ever had, wants me to fuck her in the ass, and she's a virgin. In a church, at a funeral. This has got to be a dream!" Ratings for "Funeral" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 9 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 9 ===================== "Sweet Inspiration" by Shelby Bush. http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13062.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371795800 Because of the death of his wife, Shelby Bush stopped posting stories on a.s.s. about a year ago. He's back with a "true interlude" about his romance with Beverly, a long-time friend who has recently become a lover. This is not really an outstanding story - yet; but it concludes with a cryptic "--- not the end ---." And so we may yet see a fully developed story. However, even in its present incomplete format this story will be enjoyable to people who have followed Shelby's writings on this newsgroup and who will be glad to hear from him again. Ratings for "Sweet Inspiration" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 8 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 8 ===================== "Porch" by Crimson Dragon (dcrimson@yahoo.com). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12213.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=363256015 This author has written several very good stories recently. You can add this one to that list. Michelle and Lara are professional women. Michelle is on the verge of becoming a partner in her law firm, but she sees life as devoid of the beauty and enthusiasm it should have. Lara has just broken up with her boyfriend. While comforting her friend, Michelle spontaneously expresses her love for her and scares her off. The main focus of the story is on the fear and other emotions that go through Michelle's mind as she tries to make sense out of this dangerous but beautiful new relationship. The scene in which they first consummate their love is extremely sexy and touching. Ratings for "Porch" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10 ===================== "Shopping" by Sam (tievol@hotmail.com). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13075.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371795879 I suspect Sam doesn't give a damn whether I like his story or not. But I read this entry expecting to find a story, and so I think I'll go ahead and write a review to help someone else avoid the same mistake. What we have here is an IDEA for a story. Two people like to have sex where they might get caught. And so they do. Have sex that is - not get caught. Twice. My suggestion to Sam is to develop a story with a focus. Sam himself probably sees this story in a richer context than the one he wrote it in. He should share that context with us. As it is, this story is analogous to telling some funny things that happened instead of telling a joke. The difference is that the joke has a build-up and a climax - it's a story instead of a list of events. Ratings for "Shopping" Athena (technical quality): 7 Venus (plot & character): 4 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 4 ===================== "The Cruelest Month" by Hawkeye. http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13185.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=372872667 This is a follow-up to "April Showers," to which BillyG gave high ratings back in CR 272. I'll repost that review. Both stories are a part of Hawkeye's "Seasons," and somebody named doogiewoodburner has reposted all seven stories in this series. Good Doggie! In this episode Sam is trying to have a long-term relationship with Lisa, but he boinks Julie again in the shower one fine Sunday morning. The title refers to the fact that "breaking up is hard to do." Or, as T.S. Eliot more aptly put it in The Waste Land April is the cruelest month, breeding Lilacs out of the dead land, mixing Memory and desire, stirring Dull roots with spring rain. Of course, the previous story in this series {April Showers} was a play on the words by the more popular but less known poet who wrote April showers Bring May flowers. I've come to two realizations. First, the reason college tuition is so high is that college guys spend so much time in the showers with the hot water running while they masturbate or occasionally play sex games with their lady friends. Second, although this story is not all that good as a stand-alone, the overall "Seasons" series is an excellent story of a young man's sexual odyssey. So if you read this story at all, read it in the right order with the rest in the series. And thanks again, doogiewoodburner. Ratings for "The Cruelest Month" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 8 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 8 ===================== "Remember the Alamo" by Rob4Play (Rob4Play@aol.com). Guest review by Dave Myers. {Unarchived} When a writer knows how to express his own enthusiasm, it makes up for a lot. Synopsis: A traveling salesman makes a date with his regular thang on his way through Texas. She's hot to trot, as usual. When writing for the "encounter" type of story, the most important thing is the early hook to make the reader know, understand, and like the characters. Oh, yeah, and to make them want to wait around until they get fucked. Here, the author almost gets the right dosage of pre-sex story-building, but still undershoots by a tad. Still, he's playful and game about the whole thing, and as I said before, that makes up for a lot. I mean, how many stories feature a cockprint made on paper and inked in lipstick ? But there are some improvements that can be made in the general style of the writing. The writer needs to decide earlier on how far he wants us to "believe" the story. The level of detail is very inconsistent. I'm left unsure whether to believe this is a fantasy world filled with people from this world or a "real" world filled with fantasy people. Now, perhaps that is the point of the story anyway, but in an encounter so brief, there is no time to get sucked in, to get into the characters' rhythms. So, the story needs to make up its mind sooner about how convincing it needs to be. Rating: 7 ===================== "The Shower" by Tiramisu (no address). Guest Review by R'khaan (rkhaan@ix.netcom.com) {Unarchived} So, we have Sara and Jim, middle-aged parents who find themselves without children one night. Sara's a little cranky because Jim's been off his feed of late, being rather stingy with the one-eyed wonder worm. While pondering her daughter's relationship with a new boyfriend, Sara undresses and heads for the bathroom to speak to Jim. To her surprise, Jim's in the shower doing the knuckle shuffle; and Sara is suddenly very angry that he can find time to do himself but not her. As she watches her husband stroke himself into a pending orgasm, Sara finds she's becoming very excited at the scene before her. Girlfriend's hypnotized as Jim continues to massage himself and, despite herself, calls out to her husband. At least Jim tries to play things off, not that Sara buys it. Sara manages to surprise herself by suggesting that Jim can finish what he was doing - but he can't come until she says so. Jim agrees and allows Sara to blindfold him, as his wife's presence seemed to unnerve him. Now blindfolded, Jim proceeds to do as Sara bids, and Sara's really getting her cookies off on being able to control her hubby, as well as the sight of Jim really going for what he knows. Sara gets off and allows Jim to get off and that's the show. This story was cute, if not very original. Celestial Ratings for "The Shower" R'khaan (technical quality): 4 R'khaan (plot & character): 4 R'khaan (appeal to reviewer): 4 "A Matter of Need" by Watcher (llxzt@hotmail.com). Review by Sven the Elder, who may be contacted at Sven@brass-neck.demon.co.uk http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13034.txt http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13035.txt http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/13036.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386277 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386285 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=371386299 This story is a simple one - it deals with the trauma of a devoted married couple, one of whom dies, and the subsequent trials and tribulations the surviving partner goes through as his friends attempt his rehabilitation. Now consider that the above synopsis is like saying that either St Paul's Cathedral in London and the Capitol in Washington are just buildings. This story is a tear jerker - I don't mind admitting that at the end I cried - sentimental old fool that I am! Using colours to describe the changing mood and turmoil in the mind of the main character is a masterpiece of writing. It portrays what is almost an exorcism superbly. There are others who can probably vouch for the accuracy of the mood swings and feelings, better than I. Without actually having undergone the sort of agony portrayed, I can only imagine the situation - Watcher, for me has captured those feelings with total clarity of description. I have been deliberately a little cagey in the depictions and synopsis; saying too much would detract from the story itself, that I most certainly do not wish to do. Finally I feel that I just read *my* story of '98. It will be a remarkable one that comes along to displace this from *my* number one. It *should* be in the top ten for the year at the very least. If you read no other stories from this set of reviews, this has to be the one. As to the ratings - this is the first story I have read that I genuinely feel is outside the rating structure, it is that good. However to comply:- Ratings for "A Matter of Need" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 Sven (appeal to reviewer): 10 "Journey into Sexual Awareness" by Desdemona22 (desdmona22@aol.com). Guest review by Mary Jorsay Gandmar. (maryjg@finebody.com). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12880.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=370017287 This one has it all: passive voice, hackneyed cliches, hashed metaphors, laboured humour, no plot, no characterization, clumsy language and, worst of all, not a vestige of eroticism - everything, in fact, except style and substance. The by-line is just plain silly: "written by an adult for an adult in an adult fashion". Indeed. The writing is plain bad: so much so that I found myself cringing, every line an assault. "We had experimented a little and when I say experimented I mean in an old-fashioned petri dish sort of way, let's put this on top of this and see what develops after awhile." Awhile? The OED says "awhile" means "for a short time", quite different from "a while", meaning after a little while. And how can sex be like a petri dish? A petri dish is round, shallow, has a vertical edge or lip and one cultivates bacteria or agar or some such thing in it, right? And this petri dish sex, we are told, is a 'hypothesis'. Duh. Also, it apparently lacks variety. Therefore the author "had out done the missionaries." Have mercy. Then there's the carelessness with grammar, spelling, syntax, construction: "Then along came my prime." Who dat? And she loves "the gates of hell" - they open up twice in four pages. Anyway, for what little it matters, here's what we're being told. Domesticated housewife suddenly finds herself turning into a bubbling cauldron of lust. Hormones seething in her bosom and elsewhere, she heads off to the local library and picks up a copy of the Kama Sutra. Back home, in bed with her husband (such excitement!) she presents him the book (here's the first set of the gates of hell yawning open). Lo and behold they discover that there is such a thing as anal sex, position 22. At this point the writing slips from its already precarious perch. "Finally I grabbed the book and turned to position 22. I had always known that A would fit into B but this was showing how A could also go into C. My "c" kind of liked the idea and began to moisten in it's avid approval. I showed him the picture and waited. Long minutes passed, and I had already begun to listen to the burning synapses between vagina and brain and was casually fingering." A? Going into C not B? Avid approval? Burning synapses? My c kind of liked the idea? Surely this is the bottom of the barrel. More of the same. Madam's anus, asshole, whatever, is daintily referred to throughout as her hole C. The other proximate orifice, a.k.a. vagina, cunt, slit, pussy, etc., is hole B. Go figure. Madam is hot, we gather, because her 'pre-orgasmic body had already taken control of the intellectual side and told it to take a much needed nap". When Monsieur hesitates at buggering his missus, she threatens to "do the Bobbit and proceed without him". How this miracle is to be achieved we are not told. Perhaps just as well. Now Monsieur needs "lubrication" which he obtains by "finding hole B first". This "nearly sends" the missus "from stoic control to blathering idiot". The former is inexplicable in the circumstances, and by now the reader is strongly tempted to regard the latter as the lady's natural state. Then they "proceed" with the "main attraction" (he having so "decreed") and this results in what must surely rank as the erotic howler of all time: "Take that libido!!" a tiny voice in the recesses of her mind cries. I didn't know one had to take revenge on one's sex drive. Meanwhile her nerve endings do something called a happy dance. Is that like the birdie dance, clap your hands, flap your wings? Punch line. Madam wants to progress to position 69-101 and eventually earn "frequent user miles in that aisle at the bookstore." Um, I thought it was the library a few paragraphs earlier. No matter. A mere peccadillo, it pales in contrast. As for the user miles bit, the less said the better. Bereft of a single redeeming feature, this 'story' doesn't deserve a rating. "Sweets Stories: Shower Part 1" (sweets1140@aol.com). Guest Review by BillyG (hayden@mindless.com). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/Year98/12608.txt --- http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=367459539 "Shower Part 1" suffers on several counts, most notably that it's an immature story, poorly written with poor grammar. Three gardeners, Tom, Dick and Harry - a son, his father and his grandfather - are offered repeated weekly views of a woman masturbating in her shower. In turn, this provides the stimulation for them to do the same. That's it. At times the story has the appearance as one written by someone who has English as a second language. Still, the flavor of it would be enhanced simply by cleaning up the grammar and punctuation marks for starters. The inherent limitation of voyeurism serves to keep people at a distance from each other, physically as well as emotionally. That distance is operative in this story to a fault. Ratings for "Sweets Stories: Shower Part 1" Athena (technical quality): 6 Venus (plot & character): 6 BillyG (appeal to reviewer): 5 "Private Dancer" by Steven A. Black (sblack@mail.coin.missouri.edu). Guest review by BitBard (bitbard@newsguy.com). http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=373022527 In "Private Dancer" a salesman loses his job and live-in girlfriend on the same day. He moves back to his hometown and mopes around a bit until he visits a strip joint. There he meets Sasha, a dancer at the club who is not only very beautiful but also very interested in our hero. It's obvious that these two need to get together, and they do. He gives her his address, she comes over and you can guess what happens then. Fade out. Five years pass. Fade in. They get hitched. I feel safe in telling you all that because it's really not giving anything away. There are no surprise twists and turns here. The reader can see what's cumming a mile away. Well maybe not the five years later part but there's a reason I'm including that in the summary. Within this rather predictable plot, the reader will discover a most excellently written story. The author does a great job creating and setting moods as well as settings and character. When the author applies these skills to the sex scenes the story explodes in vivid erotic imagery. The author takes a predictable plot and through sheer talent makes the story interesting and compelling. Yet it is that very same talent that proves to be the bane of this story. In creating the mood and background for the narrator's character the author touches upon subjects like the dangers of "open" relationships, the need for honesty in a relationship, and even the ups and downs of life itself. These touches create a fantastic opening mood. The problem is that these are very powerful subjects and this story really doesn't explore the issues it brings up. Granted this is a sex story and granted too this is a short story and whole books could be written about any one of those subjects; but I think the author missed the chance to really bind these issues together and say something beyond sex with a beautiful stripper is orgasmically good. In a way the story sets itself up to compare and contrast two relationships but then doesn't do either. We know why the first relationship failed; but beyond the fact that Sasha is a gorgeous babe and a really hot fuck, why did the second one work? The reader never has a chance to find out, because any answers the story may have are lost in the five year transition between their first fuck and their vows. Despite my disappointment with the plot, this remains an extraordinarily well written story with compelling writing and even more compelling sex. I *ENJOYED* this story. But I'm still left wondering how much better it could have been if only we had been allowed to peek into that five year gap. Ratings for "Private Dancer" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 9 Bitbard (appeal to reviewer): 9 * "April Showers" by Hawkeye. Guest review by BillyG (hayden@mindless.com). http://www.qz.to/erotica/assm/year98/13183.txt First, the housekeeping: "April Showers" by Hawkeye was reposted by john_dark@anon.nymserver.com and is said to be part 4 of "Seasons" (c) 1993. The four- or five-year-old copyright may explain why I was unable to find the bigger story. If "April Showers" is an accurate reflection of a larger work, it'd be worth finding. {Celestial note: I am reposting my review of "Hazy Shade of Winter." That gives us two of the four seasons. If anybody has Summer and Autumn, I'd sure like to see them reposted.} Most efforts at erotica employ a device that positions the players in a situation that allows, even encourages, sexual intimacy. Many of these devices are hackneyed and improbable. A few border on being overworked, but still come through, as does these vignette in a college dorm bathroom. The protagonist, Sam, meets Julie Brauer, the girlfriend of a dorm mate, as they're both walking to the washroom. Apprehensive of being discovered, Sam still positions himself in an attempt to steal a flash of skin as seen through a large mirror. He reflects a moment on his behavior, recognizing he'd be flustered were he to be confronted with her totally nude, but admits to his voyeuristic compulsion. At this point, the story takes an unexpected turn, a delightful one, a sexually intense one. And after the culmination, we're left not knowing if this was a one-time thing, never to happen again, or the start of a larger adventure. As such, it's a sweet, erotic slice of life that left me wanting more. Ratings for "April Showers" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 BillyG (appeal to reviewer): 10 * "Fleeing Gods" by Mary Anne Mohanraj (moh2@midway.uchicago.edu). http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=170525220 The stories by this author are - how shall I put it? - unusually creative. They tend to have plots that make me stop and think. Sure, they contain sex; otherwise I wouldn't be reviewing them on alt.sex.stories - although I did have to skip one of her stories ("Fireworks and Storms") because the only sex in it was implied. But the actual genital contact, although explicit, often plays a secondary role in a highly creative plot. Here we have a woman waking up and finding that Zeus is about ready to make love to her. It seems that Zeus and Hera have been on hiatus for a millennium or two, and so he is not prepared for a contemporary American woman. He's used to ancient Greek shepherd maids who were coy and tried to run from him and even changed shapes to escape his amorous advances; this modern bitch is eager to devour his cock and actually changes shapes to KEEP him. It's a delightful story. I'm tempted. Someday I'm going to let my students read one of this author's stories instead of "Daisy Miller." Ratings for "Fleeing Gods" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10 * "Crossing The Line" by Ann Douglas (AnnD55@pipeline.com). http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355289396 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294449 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294460 http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=355294456 Cathy Donohue has a habit that helps her get through boring meetings: she picks out someone in the crowd and has sexual fantasies about that person. Imagine that! You don't think students do that to their teachers, do you? Even worse - you don't think readers of these reviews would do that to this reviewer, do you? Anyway, Cathy is a member of the local PTA and she has a theory that the initials actually stand for Pussy Tits and Ass. I myself once went to a major PTA meeting wearing a tee-shirt that said, "PTA is in the middle of temPTAtion!" I was advised to remove the shirt by an officer who is very unlikely to be reading this review: "What if the newspapers take a picture of you?" I was tempted to literally remove the shirt right then and there, but saner heads prevailed. In her secret life, Cathy Donohue is Anne O'Donnell, writer of erotic short stories. Of course, the people of her community think of her as merely a happy homemaker and helpful member of the community, not as a porn writer. {This story is starting to strike too close to home.} Unfortunately, the college kid who comes to fix her computer makes the connection between Cathy and the Internet. Fortunately, he's a hunk. Being a gentleman, Glen promises not to reveal Cathy's secret identity. Being a lady, Cathy asks if there is anything she can do to repay him for fixing her computer. Being a horny virgin, Glen asks her to write a story for him. Being a horny non-virgin, she offers to go one better than that. Being a sexually active person, I'm getting pretty horny myself at this point. Being an English teacher, I'm pretty impressed with the parallel use of participial phrases in this paragraph. That's it! If I concentrate on the grammar I can make it through this story without having to do anything about my more mundane urges. OK. They're fucking now. Damn this is good stuff! I've got to do something to help me finish this story. The grammar. Concentrate on the grammar. Oh good, she said "eluding" when she meant "alludinig" - I mean alluding - I'm going to make it - or should that be "illuding"? Damn! I'm not going to make it after all. Maybe if I rub my pussy just a little while I finish this review... I'll even keep my pants on.... This won't be hard.... Won't be HARD! I've gotta watch what I say, but it's hard - I mean difficult - to type with just one hand... Oh good, she said "...excuse as to why she stood home." She's talking like Yogi Berra now. She meant "stayed home." Maybe she shoulda slud. I'm starting to lose it.... It really won't hurt to take my panties off.... Oh, Oh! Sabrina has found out that her son Glen fucked Cathy; but now they're discussing how she found out. Encryption! That's good; if they keep on discussing encryption I may even be able to put my panties back on. No; they're already too wet. Oh, great! Sabrina knows Cathy's secret identity, and she even made hard copies of her stories and took them on the cruise with her and therefore she humped her husband with renewed vigor each night and sometimes during the day. Oh shit! Now they're discussing their sexual relationships with other women.... If they make love to each other, I'm going to cum in my pants.... Except that I'm not wearing any pants.... Would you believe my husband's at a meeting at church? I'm a grown woman; I can take care of myself.... Good! She said "lay" instead of "lie" but that doesn't help - too much sexual innuendo in the "L" words. Now they're making love. I mean REALLY MKAING LOVE. OOOOH SHIIIIIT!!!! This was an exceptionally good story. I strongly recommend it. Ratings for "Crossing The Line" Athena (technical quality): 9.5 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10 * "The Rocks" by Mark Aster (MyFrThAl@aol.com) http://search.dejanews.com/getdoc.xp?AN=242335937 This story is preceded by this unusual disclaimer: "This story does not contain explicit sex of any kind. If non-sexual stories offend you, please stop reading at once." What kind of pervert, you might ask, would post a story like this? Actually, taken in the context of the entire Allen Sisters saga, this story is about sex in a very indirect way. My husband is by no means a pedophile, but he once told me it turned him on to see my parents' home movies of me as a child. He liked my innocence, he said, apparently in comparison to the sophisticated sexual dynamo I have become. Likewise, since readers of the whole series know that Pat and Julie are incredibly sensuous adults, it is sensuous if not actually sexy to see this snapshot of them at an early age, discovering the differences between boys and girls. The main difference, as the story reveals, is that boys throw rocks a lot more often than girls. Ratings for "The Rocks" Athena (technical quality): 10 Venus (plot & character): 10 Celeste (appeal to reviewer): 10