"Very descriptive passage. I could see all the things you mentioned in my minds eye. Lovely setting."

 christianx@JUNO.COM

TAMMY ARCHER:

"You mentioned the difficulty of weaving the Weald stories into a novel, I'm curious as to why a novel. The Weald stories to me stand on their own. An explanation is never needed. Your stories lend themselves to continuing on and on forever without a definite end. With King's Green Mile, a part of the appeal was waiting for the next installment. The anticipation added to my enjoyment. I feel the same excitement whenever I see Weald/cherub - a wonder at the new adventure I'll experience. Erick has definitely found his niche or voice (as some call it)."

"Marvelous as usual! What a beautiful ritual of birth you have created of shared pain and joy that keeps the wheel of life turning."

"By creating an interest in Ahllie and how her name came to be hooks me to want to know more about the names and the swamp. Excellent hook, "You want to know 'bout Kindred? . . . . is like someone including me in a confidence or secret. The story has captured my interest and as soon as I say yes to the question I can't stop reading. Well, I'm already hooked by any mention of the Weald."

tarcher828@AOL.COM

SARA ELLEN ARCHIBOLD:

"I have read everything up to Ahllie's name and I am enchanted. I shall definitely return soon and finish everything you have posted. Thank you for sharing your talent with us. Your work vaguely reminds me of Ursula K. LeGuinn. Even though I've only read very little of her writing."

gracejust@mailcity.com

ERIK ARMSTRUNK:

"First off, I think it was quite a good story. Fantasy is one of my three favorite genres, so I was naturally drawn to your story. I thought it was quite well constructed. Particularly the names. The names you used were sufficiently different that one knows you’re not talking about the same planet, and yet pronounceable and not arbitrarily random letters simply to give the appearance of another language. I am now quite interested to know what the prophecy about Ahllie meant when it said, ‘she will be and then will not be and then will be again.’ A teaser for the next part perhaps? Once again, thank you for a well-written story. It was a delight to read."

Jrarmstr@PANTHER.BSC.EDU

JOELLENA S. ASHER:

"I wasn't intending to read everything tonight, but next thing I know I'm at the end of story 11 out of 11. You have a very strong body of work here. The dialect is a little difficult at first, kind of like reading Shakespeare. I'm also unaccustomed to reading much in the present tense but once I'd leapt both those hurdles I thoroughly enjoyed myself. Can't wait to sink my teeth into a novel. (Give me a 700 pager or so.) By the way is that where Amellia Erhart (is that spelled right?) went?"

"New creation myths that ring with the ancient connection of all creation myths, life light and order out of darkness and chaos. It's pleasant to hear ancient thoughts and myths sung in a new way."

"Two things strike me most about this story. One the way women were held during their time of the month reminds me of many Indian cultures who considered women dangerous during that time (as is proper). Second the way the village gathered for the birth of the baby seemed odd to me at first then I remembered when my friend had her baby several friends and family including myself gathered outside the door and tried to listen through it to hear the process and especially the first cry. Not so different after all. I can relate to this village."

"I love stories like this. I got goose bumps."

"One tiny thing to an otherwise fascinating tale...(because I obsess about these things) his lungs could not make his chest move filled with water or not. Lungs are pretty much inert...your diaphragm is what makes your lungs inflate which makes your chest expand. Actually this is all quite inconsequential to an imagination catching story."

"That was unexpected. A little more sudden than I was ready for. And left off at a most disturbing place. Hmmm..."

"I really like this one simple yet profound. Perhaps this is the way it all was truly meant to be..."

"Finally a culture with some perspective on death and life and aging. I could have gotten on well with them I think!!"

"It's reassuring that someone like Ahllie has fond memories of us, in spite of our short comings, like there's still something to be redeemed."

jediazul@gateway.net

"I love fantasy writing and it doesn’t get much better than this. Lovely. The gort is a ringer for my sixteen year old son, ‘cept he does damage to my pocketbook! Many thanks."

"A neat tale, well told. I’m a bit worried about you being stuck in all these alternate universes. It’s all I can do to handle this one! A good ending. I think the history explained the narrator’s actions well and you hit the exercise bullseye."

"Nice to be back with Ahllie and her kin in the Weald. Your usual workmanlike sub does the business with skill and effectiveness. I am happy to accept words that mean nothing to me, secure in the knowledge that they will! The place really exists!"

"As usual, good stuff. You create a neat world with a believable character and story line. I like the way you screw around with the language for effect and think it really works. The overriding sense of horror comes over well. As usual it seems to me that in a 500 word sub it's tough to do the business AND create a new universe. But here you have pulled it off. A nice conclusion. I think you are writing about something so awful, so unthinkable and so painful that I admire you for your nerve."

Jem@HCCARTS.DEMON.CO.UK

ADRIAN BEDFORD:

"Impressed to hear about the extent of work you've put into your creation there. Reminded very much of Tolkien and certain other great masters of fantasy fiction, who began from the ground up, creating their entire worlds, landscape, language, culture, religion, history, the lot, before sitting down to write the story. I'll be honest here and say that the work you do isn't my cup of tea, but I do respect the incredible richness and depth you've got there. That's astounding stuff, Mr Emert. Why aren't you following in Tolkien's footsteps and writing your own great epic?"

abedford@COUGAR.MULTILINE.COM.AU

PHIL BENNETT:

"What can I say? This was superb. I think you must have spent a lot of time with your "mythology", before putting pen to paper. It was a good opening hook. I would certainly read on."

philo@VOL.NET

MARILYN BERRY:

"Good scene. I liked your mix of sentence length - kept me as unsettled as Ahllie!!"

"A very unusual flavor that I find intriguing. It stays with me after I've read it. I think you did it well; you have lots of dialogue and I think this helps in our being able to figure out who they are and how they interact better than if it were just narrated. It is easy-going female dialogue, smooth with some slang of the future. I enjoyed this different approach to the assignment."

skate@U.WASHINGTON.EDU

BOB BURDICK:

"This is the stuff that'll pucker your plumbing. Nice scene. You have more than a cliffhanger here. You have a sense of disaster going from the second paragraph."

rcbhorse@MONTANA.COM

VICKY BURKHOLDER:

"Yes, I do know what you write about - and I enjoy it immensely - but I never knew the background. Now that I do, I understand it a bit more."

"Thanks. BTW, don't just think about that novel - write it! You've got most of the work done already."

burkhold@DICKENSON.EDU

"Erick, I'm really getting hooked on the Weald stuff. I'm going to have to one day buy your book and have you autograph it. It's very fascinating and gripping to read. Good work."

"You asked me if your poetry worked well in your stories. The answer is absolutely yes. Normally that sort of thing DOES NOT work well. But with what you're doing it seems like a very necessary thing. This is another world and this world learns by some of the old ways--the reciting and memorizing of poetry. That's a very important part of a culture."

pnc9454@UTARLG.UTA.EDU

WILLIAM A. CLAYTON:

"When a character tells a tale, it must be told in, and with, character. Having perused with enjoyment the early works of Robert E. Howard and others who used dialect to their advantage, I find the scope and depth of your work a challenge, and a pleasure. Very well writ, indeed. "

"A single strand is from here to there, a weavin' is a spell, you take the strands of others, and weave, and weave them well.. Your characters speak well, and true, staying who they are. A very interesting idea, and world."

"Ah, a Lore master, most refreshing. Sir, you have a good and deep work here, which is, to my eye, a tale that has been in progress for some time indeed. Most interesting."

"Ah, gifts a plenty we have been granted, but how many know their use? You, however, do use your gifts well and wisely, Lore master, so does this poor Dragon perceive. "

"This work has the feel of a historical record, which does not lessen its Art, not my appreciation of it, it is merely a fact I perceive. It is deep and as vast as a world, as a people. It is an honor to visit such a place, and to dwell here for a time. I do wonder about, and shall look for, the Storyteller or the Lore master, who ascended from the Grandfather and Grandmother, the first tellers of tales to the young dreamers, that surely will have a place herein."

"There are oft times hard choices to make, to go this, or that? Your character has to make an even harder one, it seems, as hard choices go and you express that well, thru her view of the sky."

"I sorta caught up with this here at the end of the tale, and shall indeed read more. I have a friend who shares that name. She is crazy as a loon, as magical as the stars themselves, and a constant source of inspiration for me. Thanks for this one, it may be small in size, but its heart is great. "

"Yep, dead is dead and food is food, 'sides, then they'd just have to hunt again, and you don't get old and (just revered, well if the cook's skilled) by being et. As for Death, that particular Angel has a mostly thankless task, but is one I am honored to count amongst my closest friends, as that one has granted me a perspective on Life I would not have known, but for their gentle patience. "

SpacedmanX@AOL.com

MEGAN L. CREWE:

"This world that you have worked out in so much detail is amazing. Your descriptions of setting and cultural activities are so vivid that one almost thinks the place and people truly exist. :) The use of tone, both in dialogue and in first person narratives, is quite well done; you really get a sense of the characters from it. I like how you include poetry in your fiction; it adds another dimension to the stories. Great stuff! "

megan_crewe@tvo.org

"Can you give me the name & address of your publisher? I'm afraid an inquiry at a local bookstore was not very fruitful. I'd like to read more."

"After reading "Korathkin/Mirrors" I started writing to tell you my impressions, what I thought of it but what was in front of me on the screen wasn't what I was feeling inside. So I set it aside & started again this evening. The long & the short of it is that when I finished reading it, my cheeks were wet. I've just finished reading it again, & it still moved me. There is definitely something in that story that touches me deeply, but I haven't been able to look at it objectively yet. Maybe I never will. Some things shouldn't be dissected or put under the microscope, but just ‘felt’."

"You're running out of "up" stuff? But there's still so much to learn about life in Thelra, in the Weald, before all the baddies come & destroy it all..... Maybe you do need to do some more writing <grin> Just for the record; your stories are well worth their salt. I have cried reading your stories, especially the one about the mind telling us bad things, when Jalallie used Monggasie's hands as an example. I've read it several times, going over what you wrote about having mirrors, who reflect who we are, not the bad things our minds tell us we are."

mfdgp@AGT.NET

DIANA DAVIS:

"The phrase ‘cord sister’ piqued my interest more than anything else in this description. I hope you tell us more about Ahllie and Selggie. You did a marvelous job."

Chela@ESKIMO.COM

HARPREET DHANDAL:

"I agree with Gabriella...your character is very real. Even though I haven't read the story yet, I can almost imagine what she's like. Impulsive? Determined? Tell me if I'm right, because your characters are 3 dimensional. Very nice."

hkd@pacific.net.sg

SHELAH DINWIDDIE:

"See for me other than the map, this was my introduction to this world. The sadness, the mixture of story and poem was magical to me. Part longed to see the woman's demise yet thanked that it was not shown in full vivid detail. Thank you for bringing me into your world."

"I feel that I must have missed so much of the Weald tale that I long to read the beginnings and more. This was very touching the stark contrast of the song in her heart and the destruction of everything she had known for so long. So well told, the mix of story and poem.....wow."

scarlson@MAIL.LLION.ORG

"Where you been hiding? Need to see more poems like this one. Fertile imagination runs rampant."

"Have you published any of the Weald stories? I think that it is top notch stuff. Don’t know whether you researched cultural anthropology, or if it is just intuitive, but it smacks of fictional truth."

"The visit to Lani from Ahllie was pretty neat stuff. You have quite the imagination. Creating a world and maintaining so much about it. Impressive. Uppsala’s Play Pretties - you can see how well you have developed this world because of the bad feelings we all get toward the lords of the Upper City. I really wish that I could read the major work. For the Defense - another fascinating glimpse of the world of the Weald and Uppsala. I want more."

"Can I tell people I know you? Damn, I enjoy the hell out of your stories. Put me down with Sara for an open order of one per week, k?"

"OH MY GOD!!! I saw the map!!! It is truly beautiful!!! Fabulous!!! When you get this thing published, I want to be able to have this on my web page (Oh Please Oh Please Oh Please Oh Please Oh Please). At the very least, you'll have to construct a web page so that I can link to it. It'll be great advertising for the book(s), ONCE THEY ARE PUBLISHED. Wow!!!"

"Erick Weald Master has just reaffirmed my belief that our writing is capable of teaching and influencing others through the belief systems of the characters that we create. Nicely done, nice philosophy. Thanks Erick! Neat story, neat poem. The wisdom of the Weald is forever impressive."

mof@PROPHET.PHARM.PITT.EDU

ANITRA FREEMAN:

"I love the Weald. I don't get much time on the graphics machines, so I haven't asked for the map, but I do enjoy the stories etc's. Are you saving everything for a novel? Or do you have a web-page version up? I'd love to visit, please, please? I'll pay money to my server for the online time."

"I have been itching to stick my fingers into your Weald postings and code them for HTML, with hypertext references and all. If you'd like to have it done, I'd love to do it. You review everything, own all copyrights, etc. From the tone of your message, you'll probably be patient with me if it takes awhile to get it all done. :-) But I can imagine it, and it's *so neat* <squeal>."

anitra@SPEAKEASY.ORG

"I picked your story to read because I thought your crits were excellent. This story does not disappoint me. I like Ahllie because you sweep me into her need and her problem immediately and because she has courage. You also give her depth and distinctness when she turns with her brother to the creed of courage her people live by. (I liked the use here of the "ancient?" tongue and of the sense of poetry throughout). This also was proofread and formatted to please an editor. Good Story IMHO."

sdg@PSTBB.COM

DYANNEROSE GORDON:

"Incredible imagery. I'd love to read the others in this series. Thanks for sharing it."

srgordon@MCN.ORG

CRISSY GOTTBERG:

"I agree... WOW... this is so wonderful, the imagry, wording... everything is just... well... awsome."

"I love the way you creat her dielect here... So much diffrent then 'normal' English and so much more encaptivating... I also like the context of the poem though I think I missed the point of what the name means."

jeslaran1@yahoo.com

ROBERT GUTHRIE:

"Good job with this. In my opinion you have given this story a much better opportunity to be heard. Just out of curiosity: is this a partial legend or complete fiction? Very intriguing, either way."

"This story makes a much better read in a longer format. I would suggest you take this to the next level and work it into a fantasy novel. The constraints of a short story are too much for this tale. As much time as you will put into a series, you’d be better off just making a book out of the darned thing. What you have so far are wonderful character sketches. Already you are building reader interest in the characters of your story. You also seem to have enough affection for this legend to sustain the long process of turning this into a novel."

rguthrie@gumby.dsd.TRW.COM

"I could feel Ahllie standing with me in the heart of my soul as I moved towards the dark pool. I just read the ending. I think it's perfect. Thanks again, Erick, for your help. While a trip to Weald couldn't possibly solve all the pain of the last 26 years, it has certainly gone a long way towards helping me come to an understanding of what I'm working with. Thank Ahllie for me."

iriswrit@MIDWEST.NET

KISHAN W. HARRISON:

"This villain is a gruesome dude. I can tell by the dialogue that Locus has a raunchy attitude. Locus’ talking to Keller’s dead body gives me a sense that this villain has gone mad. I really like your use of dialogue. It explains the quality and attributes of the villain. A naturalistic point of view. Good job!"

harrison@UNCFSU.CAMPUS.MCI.NET

SORAYA HAJJI :

"I haven't gone completely through your library (yet), but I have *definitely* made plans to read them all in the future. The characters I've read about so far are intriguing, and your use of poetry to accentuate the story just helps it stick in the mind . . . but I'll stop wasting precious time now ;) Keep writing!"

Synnocint@aol.com

DAVID B. HASEMAN:

"Well done! The character is continuously furious. I find myself expecting this character to be as hard on his men as his enemies."

"She seems so distraught. I am warmed to find out more about her and her relationship with her cord and cord brother. This will be a physical, emotional and heart rending quest. Am I interested in her story? Yes. The whole is a well crafted scene."

"In all I like the story. I must say I am pleased that folks in Uppsala live a long time. Ahllie and Lockksie are growing up. Gilrrie likes the maturity he sees in them already. The dialect seems to fit all the previous submissions that I've read - preserving a theme that you've already set up."

"Cool! I like the setting, the syntax and dialect. I am there at the fire, listening to the songs. Very nicely done. A story with a start, middle and end - with summation."

David.B.Haseman@DARTMOUTH.EDU

EMILY HENKEMANS:

"Morning anywhere is special in its renewal of life and energy and its banishment of shadows. You captured this really well in the beginning. In the second part I really felt the friendship of the two girls."

Zaphod_01@hotmail.com

MICHAEL T. HUYCK JR:

"This is my favorite from the Weald. So full of life as it is. Keep it comin' - short or long."

gumby@SRV.NET

"I can't help myself; my first reaction to this poem must be: wow! I could mention how you have built up this poem to make it so great - but I get a feeling you already know that. Alas, let me say that you've managed to capture powerful emotions within a limited space... and touched me. =) Well done. "

"Oh, it's so beautiful... You master simple words with an eloquence I would not have perceived possible, had I not seen it... A couple of years ago I spent all my spare time studying old Native-American texts... Your poem brings back memories and feelings I thought were gone. I read your texts with my heart rather than with my brain."

"Very strong - to be read out aloud at least, if one can't sing it. I liked it very much, though I first thought of the Swedish town Uppsala (close to Stockholm), and was a bit confused...=)"

"I am completely captured by your fascinating stories... I'd go on reading all day, but I'm being thrown out from the "computer hall" right now. I'll come back."

"I think the reason why I like your character Ahllie so much is because you've made her so real. She's not like us, yet she is more like us than we are, sometimes. The texture of her feelings is the same as ours, and the way she expresses them so to the point makes me shudder. With delight, as always when I read something really, really good."

"What struck me first? The soft rhythm, playful rhymes, the swelling emotions? I can't really say. Your words wrap me up in cotton. I truly love them..."

"If I'm not mistaken you've studied several creation-myths, and woven them into one? There are traces of both the Christian Genesis, but also others... Hmm, well, anyway. It's very well done, and fascinating. I like the idea of a man and a woman working together - though if I ever write a Creation-myth, I'd let them be born together, rising from the same shell...I'm rambling, I know. =) Your work is such a source of inspiration!"

"You open my mind and make me think... There are so much I would like to say, things I'd like to discuss, you leave me as open as a bleeding heart - both with your writings and your comments - and it's a rare sensation. Some day I shall write you a poem. Thanks for your persistent wandering through my library. "

"So beautiful. You seem to let the rhythm and pace of the story/poem interlace and entwine, just as you describe the cords. It's fantastic. A vibrant tale - deserving the name "Firetale". "

"It's been a long time since I visited your gallery, for practical reasons since I haven't had access to a computer with Internet, but still it feels like I read your (or Ahllie's) words only just yesterday. I love how they swirl in me, and yet are so full of unaffected truth, of both hope and despair... I can't really say anything about the form since I'm quite hopeless with writing Sonnets myself. I believe in the freedom of the word. Or maybe I'm just lazy."

tfirstgontmoon@rocketmail.com

"Erick, this was a fun piece, and you set up the story really well with your description. Your style is lovely."

Moh2@MIDWAY.UCHICAGO.EDU

STEPHEN KNIGHT:

"Pretty far-out there Erick. Excellent use of the exercise requirements to create an environment that shouted out at us who Selggie might be."

"Very good writing. I really enjoy you taking risks in this workshop by writing Science/Speculative Fiction and Fantasy. The details in your sub are clear and understandable to the reader, even if they have just joined the group and are reading them for the first time. I want to know more about Captain Briggs and will gladly turn the page for that."

"I'm looking forward to seeing this story en todo. Are you attempting a novel or novella? Ahllie characterization is solid from many elements that you have included here."

"It's truly a joy following your well-drawn characters through their trials and tribulations in that distant land. I can't wait to see what Ahllie has to face next...and how she courageously deals with it. Keep those chapters and episodes coming!"

gigong@ANNEX.COM

JOAN KREMER:

"Oh, Erick, you've blessed us again! The more I hear from the Weald, the wiser I feel. It's such a gift! Thank you, thank you!! You prefer to let the Weald stories tell about you, and they do! So beautifully. And so truly! You make my heart smile, Erick."

"Thank you so much for sharing more of Ahllie's cord. I could see them, each with their own strengths, walking happily along. What I found so interesting, though, was that Selggie, who is their soul, is the one known for joking and excitement and laughter. I think that's the way it is. In our laughter can our souls be reached!"

joankr@PRESSENTER.COM

"I want to have your babies."

"When will your stories of the Weald be published? When? I love them. I love the place you created, and the characters. I really, really, really, want that book - in HARDCOVER even!"

"I honestly believe you should rework the whole thing into a novel. The thing is, I don't care for fantasy -- nor sci-fi -- only read a bit here and there and never enough to get hooked. But your stories are truly special. Reminds me of some of the lyrical stuff Ray Bradbury has done. And Ahllie and the children are all so fantastic."

lkraus@VOYAGER.NET

ALIDA KRIND:

"What does the word "krind" mean and what language is it -- Dutch, Sranan . . . ? (My last name is Krind and I've just discovered my grandfather was Surinamese.) I enjoyed the family bond, and the lengths to which the villagers went to acknowledge and strengthen it, displayed in this story. It trully takes a village to raise a child."

mkulick@USA.PIPELINE>COM

RALPH KRUMDIECK:

"Erick, this is an interesting start for a story. The narrative-poem / oral history part sounded good. You’re on the right track. I don’t know what kind of a market there is for this genre. Hope you place it. Are you thinking in terms of a novel?"

ralphkru@OREGON.UOREGON.EDU

MARIANE KULICK:

"No question but that it’s a picture of a man whose overwhelming interest is the preservation of his own men and his own contraband. In many ways I’m afraid that it’s a very realistic picture - not of someone who’s off his rocker - but someone whom many could become under the right circumstances. I think that it’s a good piece - very well done."

mkulick@USA.PIPELINE>COM

"Good cliffhanger. I'm not familiar with such terms as Hollidae and stanchion, but it didn't ruin the story for me. I could easily envision this scene. You described Ahllie's tragic situation very well."

"You gave good backstory while bringing the characters into the story. People living for hundreds of years. Interesting. This is a story I'd keep reading. Good dialogue and accents."

writer@SOWEST.NET

"Hi Erick, I have really enjoyed all that I have read so far. The world you have created is very different and exciting. It's a pretty rare twist to see something like that. You are very talented with the content and expression of your writings. You have really brought this world alive, it's so full of energy. Wonderful work, I have loved my stay here. "

Forbiden_Nyght@yahoo.com

GINNY McHENRY:

"Loved your submittal. Briggs’ values are extremely clear - human life holds no value. The beliefs of his men, Briggs’ word is absolute; and the belief of Solloja as she accepts it without utterance - that this is life - were beautifully shown. The details that showed his anger all were believable and accurate. The level remained high through the piece."

"I like the idea - it is age old. The vengeance goes with this kind of personality. A well written piece. This would make a good book. The greatest books ever written are about hard fought ideals."

"Thoroughly enjoyed reading your dialog interspersed with internalization and action. I have a feel for who Ahllie, Lockksie and Gilrrie are and their interrelationship. You were also able to give a feel for the culture of another world by showing a different way of identifying family than names - cord symbols. It is interesting. The idea of a 'fatherly' type person sharing the lore of their family is familiar and heartwarming. Excellent job. Delightful story."

GmCHE25386@AOL.COM

LYNN MEADER:

"Wow - I read your wonderful poem. Your writing is wonderful. Your poem is full of revealing softness and heart. You paint wonderful pictures with your words. I am amazed that a man is willing to open his heart and let others see inside. Many won't. I REALLY mean that!!"

outblue@SISNA.COM

GENE W. MILLER:

"I enjoyed your tale. I would like to know more about the background of this land and the characters. If this is part of a larger work I would be interested in reading more. She seems to have a hidden strength, even though she is asking for strength from her cord mate. Good submission! I look forward to reading more of your work."

gmiller@SILVERLINK.NET

HEATHER MINA:

"Thank you for introducing me to Ahllie's cord. And in such a beautiful way, too. A powerful piece of work you have there."

"Whew! When I finished reading that, there was a tear making its way down the side of my face. Well written, buddy. You're one talented SOB, you know? I'm jealous."

"I always love your Weald stories and poems. You certainly assaulted all the senses with this one; great job! <shakes head> I'm jealous, man, really really jealous of you... Thank you for sharing that!"

heamin@FEDERAL.UNISYS.COM

PAM MOWAT:

"I enjoyed your story. We are all connected in some way. Your last story captured me. If I can see the colors, and smell the smells, I have been captured. At times I feel like Gassie, I look at myself and think I am unattractive. The mind is so programmed as to what is beautiful and what is not. My wish would be to have people who look beyond the physical and into the heart, surround me."

pammowat@QNET.COM

SHERRI MURPHY:

"I did like the hook of KINDRED - THE FIRE TALE. I thought this was very effective in generating interest. Especially the mystery of 8 people bonded for life, and what that could mean and how it might work."

"Hmm . . . your world sounds interesting. Cords--8 persons raised or "mated" for life or some such? Very neat concept. Your description of Erde makes me think of Anne McCaffrey's Pern series. What's made me compare Erde and Pern is that you mentioned culture, down to songs and poems . . . and McCaffrey does that too. What a wonderful world you've had at your fingertips for so long! Anne McCaffrey went a long way in the writing world with her world, I bet you could too, if and when you decide to. "

Dvantesget@AOL.COM

TERRIE MURRAY:

"I wanted to say that your poem is wonderful. It read like a myth, like something ancient, like something I’d like to hear sung around a fire. Marvelous, Erick. Marvelous. I’m glad you’ve joined our group!"

"I can’t think of any gift better than the story/poem you sent me. Thanks, Erick. I feel greatly honored that you’ve sent this private story/poem and I’ll treat it with the respect it deserves. As Adrian from Oz would say, ‘I’m chuffed.’ In Oregon language, mine, I’m moved to tears. Thanks."

"Oh Erick, what has happened in the Weald? The scent of smoke -- Ahllie in tears -- what's going on? Endings or beginnings? Much feeling packed in here, my friend. Ahllie is so dependent on her family, I can't believe she's alone. Keep us posted."

timurray@MAIL.TELEPORT.COM

"It's wonderful....I can't wait to read what happens next......this is really excellent! Your stories are a part of you. I really really enjoy your stories <smile>.

ppruden@IX.NETCOM.COM

"Good job Erick. I enjoyed their interactions and playfulness. As lovers they are also convincing, comfortable with themselves and each other. The setting, although seemingly foreign, is also familiar."

jrackley@OZ.NET

JOHNNIE RENICK:

"Cool.... I love her and I love the goal of survival. I want to follow her as she flows through her trials finding her people. You have done a beautiful job. I feel her fully and see her as though I were there. You have done a beautiful job in making her come alive for me."

tenderrite@USA.PIPELINE.COM

JOSEPH RIENSTRA:

"Fascinating story, it teaches about all of us! It's a wonderful illustration of engaging teaching methods, and the principles themselves at work... Thanks for a wonderful story."

firstjoseph@iname.com

JUDGE BARBARA ROLLINS:

"This one's a hook. It gives you a hint of what's to come and leaves the reader wanting to know something specific. You've done a good job, Erick. I look forward to more of your work."

"I assume this is the start more or less of the new book, and I'd love to read it as or after you work on it. You done good."

"As usual, Erick, you've sketched a picture I know nothing of and made me believe it and identify with it. Good stuff!"

brollins@BITSTREET.COM

JASON J. ROMEIN:

"Very interesting indeed. I try to come up with ideas like this for my own world, but I never write about them...maybe I should...yours certainly turned out extremely well! Cords are very unique. Good job!"

"Interesting...you seem to have put a lot of thought into designing these cultures! Good poem!"

"Harsh, aren't they? I'd hate to walk around there...a bit risky, if you ask me. I like the rhyme scheme for this one. It's different than others. I like!"

Web_demon12@hotmail.com

CARRIE ROMERO:

"Ahllie's goal is to reunite with her cord brothers and sisters, without them she does not feel complete. I feel sympathy for Ahllie. Her obstacles could be many. The journey itself perhaps or if they have been taken slaves, rescuing them. I would read on to see if (how) Ahllie reunites with her cord family. I like the way her thoughts upon seeing her destroyed village are written in poem form."

lxgl56a@PRODIGY.COM

FRED ROSSENBERRY:

"Enjoyed the story, good writing and interesting characters. I liked this. You show us, by Briggs' extraordinary attention to the detail of the "Seal of State" that the state is important to him. Such a man will do his duty. You write well. Vivid scenes, muted sense impressions, and the dialogue flows ever so smooth."

Fredpill@AOL.COM

KAYLA LYNN RUNES:

"Your song intrigues me because I can hear the meter in the words but I can't quite hear the music. If I were a talented enough musician, I'd offer to write the music for you but I'm not, so all I can offer is my praise. It really is very good, I can see you were truly inspired."

Kayla Lynn Runes@aol.com

"I enjoyed your most recent posting about birthing in the Weald. I really think you have some marketable writing there. I hate to sound so crass, I mean, the only authority I have is that I read an awful lot . To me, your writing is concise while being beautifully descriptive at the same time. Nothing is wasted. Your writing doesn't get in the way of me being there, in the forest, with your characters. Like Tolkien, you've created a language, too, there's a whole lot behind the Weald that you've created that gives it extra substance."

jschneid@MAIL.TELEPORT.COM

CHRISTOPHER ALLEN SHEPARD:

"Hey Erick, I just realized that the link you put on my guestbook was "Elfwood writer" and not "Elfwood artist"! Oops! Sorry! I would have commented first if I would have realized that sooner, but it seems like you've gotten a pretty warm reception anyway, congratulations! Anyway, your stories are outstanding as I predicted, and I will return for more. Good luck w/ future publications!"

sweetberries@juno.com

PETEY SHREVE:

" I've been reading through your displayed works here, and thought to save my comments for the last, but was unable to help myself with this one. It's truly beautiful both in spirit and in form. I wish I had better words... Thank you. It's wonderful. I'm so glad you shared it with us all. "

" Well, I made it. I read all the way through everything you've shared here, and still can't find the proper words to express my awe at your work. You are a truly brilliant author, and I look forward to having the opportunity to read Myth in its entirety some day. "

maps1974@juno.com

KATHRYN FAVALE-SILVA:

"Good job. I liked Ahllie - young, strong, proud, caring, and I sympathized with her as well. You succeeded at making her likable and then proceeded to show us her pain, a wonderful way to create sympathy. I get a feeling for this character’s personality and what motivates her - it’s important that she appear strong. Her family was proud; they are gone; she will not tarnish this image, in their memory. All in all, a success. You executed this exercise beautifully."

Kfavalesil@AOL.COM

AMBER K. SILVER:

"I really enjoyed your work! It creates a lovely picture in the mind's eye and this land that you have created ... are there even any words to express it? Lovely is one. Bravo comes to mind."

"I LOVE this poem. As I read it, I was hit with a great feeling of melancholy, that I knew exactly what Ahllie was feeling. THIS is a poem that I will be reading again and again. I can about promise it. (Again, WELL done!!)"

"Hey, I just wanted to drop a comment. Your stuff is really good. Great use of ... big words. *G* I enjoyed and plan to read your WH-OLE gallery soon enough."

indigochild@usa.net

TINA STAMPER:

"Wow, Erick, may I never make fun of the Weald again! A gort may hunt my puny little hide down if I do. Words just can't describe what I just read about the Weald, so I won't even try. All I can think of to say is -- Wow! How in the world do you do it? You have actually found another World -- the Weald, haven't you? Really neat! Thanks for the read, I feel better educated now. The Weald, huh?"

kzas11a@PRODIGY.COM

CHRISTINE STARR:

"Interesting critters, smells, sights. You’ve created a vivid imaginary world."

"War sure is ugly. Briggs comes off tense, explosive and with a conscience that doesn’t blink."

"The beginning of remembering by your character arises plausibly from an ‘intimate’ encounter. Then, the snatches of his memory are ticked off, just as one remembers things, rather than in complete sentences. Nice work. I loved the last bit of dialogue."

"Ahllie is on a mission of some kind, one she knows she should fear, but doesn't. Very effective hook. Powerful use of interior monologue in the midst of action. You do a nice job of using all the senses too."

CHopeStarr@AOL.COM

"Yes, I like Ahllie. I'm charmed by the accent and find it easy to read."

LindaT@AOL.COM

"It seems like you have a good story to tell, and the background is one which would interest me."

writnma@VS1.INVSN.COM

"I was going through my e-mail and noticed your poem. Hmm. I’ve heard you and the others mention this Weald before. What exactly is it? The descriptions in the prelude to the poem are intriguing, by the way. Interesting way of linking the stanzas."

janmava@TUKKI.JYU.FI

"I enjoyed reading your sub, even though I do not usually read sci-fi or fantasy. I’m not sure which genre this fits into. The piece has a nice feel about it that makes me want to read on. I love the description of Selggie."

"You did a good job on this one. The incident is riveting. Briggs is a well defined, memorable character."

"You were right on in meeting the exercise requirement, Briggs's motivation for freeing the slave girl was in response to his grief for his missing wife---a softer side of Briggs. Lucky girl, in another situation she could have been drawn and quartered."

Khgwalsh@GVI.NET

SARA WILLOW:

"Thanks for the Vigroth deep chat sharing - I feel it of another time, somehow familiar, somehow true, perhaps ourselves uncovered, what/how we were meant to learn to relate. I like your use of cord members & assume this is part of something longer you are working on? I like your voice, the gentleness, the depth & appreciate having begun to hear you share yourself at the coffee house too. Thanks again."

"Healing medicine you often offer - like the drumming, like the tone, the images, the feelings... Glad to know you’re here at the coffee shop - you’ve added a wondrous new corner..."

"You did an excellent job of crafting ex13. Really powerful portrayal. Too true for comfort. Is this from the novel too? I like reading your stories although this was uncomfortable, as I know that person too well, but you did an icy job of it. Were you in a war somewhere?"

"Read your wonderful sub - amazing writing Kaloo. Truly moving."

zwillow4@ROSENET.NET

T.J. WOLFPUPPY:

"Wow! and in fact, wow again! Where the hell have you been? This is astounding! Welcome to the coffeehouse, have whatever you want on me. Damn, this is good!"

"I keep wanting to learn more about your Weald, and you keep teasing us with a little here a little there. Keep it coming, you’ve got us all hooked, I suspect."

"It must be gratifying for you to see people posting messages of concern for Ahllie. When you can create a place and a people that are so real that people who are real (well, as real as we get, anyway) worry about their health and happiness then you've clearly struck a responsive chord. To my way of thinking that's what the whole writing thing is about."

redhorse@EARTHLINK.NET