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Sun, Nov 9, 2025

8:03pm EST

Members: 737

Guests: 4,187

Total Online: 4,924

Jack's Place

by Jack of Diamonds

Rated: 18+ · Book · Writing · #2329921

The place has been renovated and the door is open. Come on in and take a load off!

Hello and welcome. My name is Jack, and for around a decade, my "muse," whatever you conceive that to be, has been lying in a coma, rising occasionally to spout a line or two of gibberish, then falling back into oblivion. While I wait for her return, I offer reviews and this blog. Feel free to partake, but don't get too excited; the wake is still in progress. But thanks for your support, by the way. You guys are the best!

Jack...

Show Recent Comments

10 Most Recent Blog Comments:

Jack of Diamonds

Nov 4, 2025 at 11:55am
In response to "The Good Stuff, #2"

Thanks. On the way! J

1 Like

Amethyst Autumn Angel

Nov 4, 2025 at 11:53am
In response to "The Good Stuff, #2"

Thanks, friend

you can always use {fentry:###}, which is a little fancier:

Ignorance is Bliss from Angel Feathers

Jack of Diamonds

Nov 2, 2025 at 10:28pm
In response to "The Good Stuff"

Angel ~ Glad you enjoyed it, even if you did beat me to it. I found the threat to be quite original, and that impressed me quite a bit.

Dunstan ~ Thank YOU for the excellent story! There were a few hiccups that could use smoothing out, as I mentioned, but I don't think the ending was bad, per se. Yes, there are some more scenes that could be explored, but right now it has a Twilight Zone feel to it, one of, "Here's what happened. Now where do you think it went from here?" If you decide to take it further, be very careful. You definitely don't want to diminish the impact with something trite and cliched...

J

1 Like

Dunstan Whitethorn

Nov 2, 2025 at 4:53pm
In response to "The Good Stuff"

Hey Jack
Thanks for the positive review. I'll definitely have to revisit this and incorporate your suggestions. Amethyst Autumn Angel, I agree, the ending is too abrupt. I'll come back to it and see if can make it more satisfying.

2 Like

Amethyst Autumn Angel

Nov 2, 2025 at 1:28pm
In response to "The Good Stuff"

Ooh, I remember trying to wrap my head around that one a few months ago! Thanks for sharing, it was definitely cool. I felt bad it ended rather abruptly.

1 Like

Jack of Diamonds

Nov 2, 2025 at 12:21pm
In response to "I.V. Coffee Drip, Stat!"

WebWiԎch is Thankful

~ Yup. Doesn't matter which way it's going, it still stinks!

2 Like

WebWiԎch is Thankful

Nov 2, 2025 at 12:16pm
In response to "I.V. Coffee Drip, Stat!"

"But I do love the return to Standard Time." You and me both!

I cannot stand the wretched spring forward change. I wish they'd stop the madness and leave the clocks on Standard Time. ...

2 Like

Jack of Diamonds

Nov 2, 2025 at 11:33am
In response to "I.V. Coffee Drip, Stat!"

Amen, sister! You know, Arizona doesn't indulge in this nonsense, and I once heard a story that is at least humorous. Seems when the state legislature was debating whether to adopt DST and opened the floor for comments, an old Apache medicine man stepped to the podium and said, "No one but a dishonest white man would tell you that you can cut a foot off the top of a blanket and sew it onto the bottom, and somehow have a bigger blanket." Sanity has prevailed ever since. Too bad there weren't more Apaches to go around back then ...

3 Like

Raven

Nov 2, 2025 at 11:28am
In response to "I.V. Coffee Drip, Stat!"

(Clarification: the length of the Long Summer Evenings is determined by the position of the Earth in space, not our clocks. I know the days actually do get long, but they did that before the government started stealing my hour of sleep in the mornings.)

2 Like

Raven

Nov 2, 2025 at 11:26am
In response to "I.V. Coffee Drip, Stat!"

I haaaaaaaaaaate the time change. But I hate the one in the spring, where they steal an hour of sleep and everybody chirrups about Long Summer Evenings. (The length of the day doesn't change! Just our abstract human clocks! Your body just knows you're making it do stuff at a weird time!! People have more heart attacks and get into more car wrecks on time change days! It is known!)

Anyway. I don't care whether they leave it on Standard Time or DST, but I wish they'd just pick one and quit fiddling.

2 Like

November 9, 2025 at 3:25pm

#1101228

Facing the Music... Again.

I have tried, and tried, and tried again to return to writing, and it just isn't happening. I know I've been down this road with you once or twice before, but I just have to face it, writing isn't moving me. Since I came here a year ago, I've started several stories in the full flush of confidence only to see them stall like a worn out car on an isolated road. I'm just waiting for Hook Man to find me.
I'll never stop trying. What I'm going to endeavor to do is stop bothering you guys with my repeated failures. I'm going to round up everything that died mid-narrative on me and lock it away in a private folder. It will be there, and should the muse awaken from her coma and give me something to progress one of them, I'll do so, but I plan to make no more announcements about this wonderful project that's going to turn my life around and return me to writing. If I ever actually finish something, I'll share it with a grand announcement.
And, my friends, you have an important role to play in this: If I ever again post anything that says, "I've had this great new idea, and it's going to be the best story ever... and here are the first three scenes," your job is to call me out, call me down, call me a damned fool in public, because I know better, and I've promised right here not to do so. If I finish anything, I'll share it. Period.

* * *

In other news, I'm going to move my promotions of items I've reviewed to Wednesdays to avoid clutter. I'll still be sharing The Good Stuff, just once a week from now on.
And that's all I've got for now. I love you guys, and would love to share some new work with you, but the sad fact is that new work isn't coming, and I'm tired and embarrassed from saying it is, then having to disappoint you again and again. I'll be around reviewing, and rewarding, and blogging, and participating in your activities, but I don't plan to irritate you with stillborn comebacks any more. You guys have a great week, and I'll see you around the stacks!

Stay inspired,
Jack

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