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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
*UmbrellaP* Hi, Joey's Summer Sparkle Author Icon. I am honored to review your short story as a part of your shower at "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. *UmbrellaP*

*ExclaimB* My Thoughts: First of all, I love the photos and think they are very helpful in allowing the reader to visualize the different parts of the story. This is the first time I have seen a story contain so many pictures, and I think it works well. Next, let me tell you that I think this story was excellent. But because you specifically asked for reviews and critiques of this piece, this review may seem overly critical.

I couldn't help but wonder, is there a particular reason the husband's vows were to love, honor and cherish while the wife's vows were to love, honor and obey? It just struck me as odd. Also, Jack and Michelle weren't really married since Michelle only filed for divorce in Vegas. She was legally still married to Dennis. Also, she would have to file in the state that at least one of them lived. So if they were married in LA, they'd have to be divorced in LA or, in some cases, the state where they were domiciled (where they resided). And if she was running for her life, would she really take the time to stop and file for divorce? Leave it to me to fret about the small details. And I'm sorry - I just graduated law school in May, so I had to get some of that useless info out there.

I loved the irony in that the man Michelle trusted to protect her was the one she should have actually feared. It didn't appear that Dennis had done anything to her specifically, so she would have been much better off taking her chances with him. I assume that Jack and Michelle had a whirlwind romance and marriage. Maybe you could mention in dialogue between the characters that they had only known each other for weeks, months or whatever. Also, I wondered why Michelle had never seen Jack's estate before. Where had he been living since she had known him? And where had she been living? I know there isn't a lot of room for detail in a story with such a limited word count, but these are just some of the questions that came to mind as I read the story.


*ExclaimR* My Suggestions: In the fourth paragraph, "Is this fair to him" should end with a question mark. The sixth paragraph should end with a question mark after the question of how could Dennis find out she was in Florida. I would change "Danish and OJ are worn off" to "Danish and OJ have worn off." Five paragraphs later, I would change the semicolon after "not going to be there" to a comma. In the next paragraph, the colon between "clothes on" and "no reason" should be a semicolon. In the next paragraph, I would insert a period after "anyway," and start a new sentence with "She stays..." A few paragraphs later, I'd change "You looked worried" to "You look worried".

In the paragraph just before the photo of the house, I would end one sentence with "...surprised Michelle." and start another with "Circled by ancient live oaks, all surrounded by pink azaleas, it was a picture perfect southern mansion." Otherwise, it sounds like the surprised Michelle is circled by oaks and surrounded by azaleas. In the paragraph just before the photo of Mrs. Nilson, I would omit the comma after "suppose" and insert a comma after "warn you". In the next sentence, I would change the semicolon after "old" to a comma. In the sentence "I am more interested in the present, then the past." I would omit the comma and change "then" to "than". In the next sentence, I would omit the comma after "think". In the next paragraph, I would change the comma after "heart" to a semicolon. Several paragraphs later, I'd change the colon after "She opened the door wider" to a semicolon. In the next sentence, I would insert a comma after "pulled back". I would omit the word "over" from "Jack's hands caressed over his..."


*ExclaimV* Overall: Thank you for sharing this terrific short story. I wish you luck with the contest and hope this review was helpful. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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Review of The Cutting Edge  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (3.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I love the thriller/suspense genre, and I'm also a big fan of the story story. Needless to say, this story was right up my alley. I know from experience how difficult it can be to write a coherent and meaningful story in few words, but you did a great job here. The story flowed fluidly, and was practically error-free. I didn't see anything to indicate that it was written for a contest, so I assume you chose to keep it short and sweet. I prefer writing shorter stories myself.

A hospital is a perfect setting for a short thriller. It saves you the trouble of going into great detail about the setting, because anyone can imagine what a hospital is like, especially in the dead of night, which was also another nice touch. The way you informed the reader that this is the third instance in which something like this has happened was also well-done. You didn't take up needless space with a long explanation when the small phrase in the third paragraph worked just fine. The ending was terrific, not only revealing that the death was an accident, but also promising that there was more to come. Great job!


My Suggestions: The quick transition from Caroline in the first paragraph to "the person" in the second made it too easy to determine that Caroline and "the person" are one and the same. It made me wonder why you even bothered to try to hide that fact. I think it would be nearly impossible in a story so short to keep the person's identity a secret. I think the story would be better if you would just talk about Caroline instead of "the person" in the second paragraph. After all, I think most of the surprise comes from the reason behind the actions.

In the second paragraph, I would change "the person slows" to "the person slowed" because the rest of the story is in past tense. I would omit "this time" from the third paragraph, because I think it goes without saying that this time is different from the other two. In the last paragraph, rather than have such a rambling first sentence, I would insert a period after "crowd" and start a new sentence with "Once it was determined that she could be of no help, she walked..." In the next sentence, "plastic" is spelled incorrectly.


Overall: Thank you for sharing this story! I really enjoyed it and think it would be even better if you would consider my suggestion about revealing Caroline's identity in the second paragraph. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
*UmbrellaP* Hi, Gary Author Icon. I am honored to review your short story as a part of your shower at "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. *UmbrellaP*

*ExclaimB* My Thoughts: OK, I'll be the first to admit that I was skeptical about this story. First of all, I don't usually enjoy stories written as diary entries. Next, I'm not usually crazy about the sci-fi genre. Finally, I thought the story would be about something that didn't even seem possible. Now, let me admit that I was WRONG! This piece was fantastic. I was drawn in after the first few paragraphs and on the edge of my seat until the very last word. And I must say that it was a perfect ending!

Another thing: I don't know that I have ever rated a story in which I found so many suggested changes higher than a '4'. But none of those suggested changes detract from the story. In fact, I found it hard to bother telling you about them, because I didn't want to take the time away from reading the story. I finally decided it would be a more helpful review for you if I would do so. *Laugh*


*ExclaimR* My Suggestions: I don't think the comma after "Rarely" in the second sentence is needed. In the second paragraph, "dying" is spelled incorrectly. In the fourth paragraph, "affect" should be "effect". (It's spelled correctly in the third paragraph, but used in a different way in the fourth.) Also in that paragraph, I'd change "speeded" to "sped". In the fifth paragraph, "scientist" should be "scientists". I would change this sentence: "But just in case there are, I felt like it was important to offer my description of the truth." to "But just in case there is, I feel like it is important to offer my description of the truth." The sentence before it referred to "anyone", which is why I would change "are" to "is", and the sentence starts out in present tense, so I'd make the rest of it present tense as well. In the next paragraph, "aging" is spelled incorrectly.

Under the Sept. 29 entry, first paragraph, "a lot as" should be "a lot has". In the next paragraph, I would change "afflicted by" to "afflicted with". In the third paragraph, "there're" should be "they're". In the next paragraph, "one my favorite" should be "one of my favorite". In that same paragraph, "relived" should be "relieved". In the next paragraph, "shortness of breathe" should be "shortness of breath".


*ExclaimV* Overall: This piece will make me think twice when I see the commercials about underprivileged families and before I bite into a big juicy steak. This seems like something that really could happen, and it's the perfect way of showing how the solution to one problem could created an even bigger, more widespread problem. Thank you for sharing this terrific story!

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Review of Eigth Day  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: You pack a lot of feeling and emotions into such a short piece. I like the way this is written as sort of scattered thoughts of the author. While it answers many questions about what the author is thinking and how he feels, it leaves many questions unanswered. What happened during the previous seven days? Who is "she", and how does she play into the way the author feels? Why is the author so distraught? I like the questions left in the mind of the reader and wouldn't change a thing in that regard. Sometimes, it's easier to find meaning in the remaining questions that the answers.

My Suggestions: First of all, in the title, "Eighth" is spelled incorrectly. Near the end, I would change "Live on the past" to "Live in the past." I re-read this several times and can come up with no other suggestions. Changing this piece, adding more explanation or possible insight, would ultimately detract from the piece.

Overall: This was a very good piece. I'm sure that most of us can relate to the feelings of hopelessness that the story conveys. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to reading more!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I found your short story by using the random review tool. I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I loved this hilarious little story! This is the perfect example of a catastrophe that can sometimes result when one has the best of intentions. You did a superb job of describing Tracy and Carrie as well as the setting. I could easily imagine poor Tracy's frustration while picking the thorns from his body as well as his determination to finish what he set out to do. The cops were a nice touch, and I was laughing out loud by the time Carrie whacked him.

I know from experience how difficult it can be to write a meaningful and coherent story using only 300 words with prompts, and you made it seem effortless. You also made the three word prompts fit well within the story. Great job.


My Suggestions: In the first paragraph, I would insert a comma after "Halfway up". In the second paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "in that direction". In the fourth paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "top". Also, I would consider having Carrie whack him before the cop spoke up. It struck me as a little odd that she would do that after the cops had already caught him. Just a thought.

Overall: Thank you for providing this excellent read! I thoroughly enjoyed it and can't wait to check out more of your work.

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Review of Without You  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: Although this poem is rather short, it is packed with emotion. I'm sure that anyone who has ever loved and lost, for whatever reason, will be able to relate. Your descriptive writing style made it easy to imagine the sadness and frustration that the narrator was feeling. I like the way you made all of the positive things negative: the faded smile, the extinguished light, the muted laughter. You really painted a picture with your words. Good job!

My Suggestions: The comma after "Although" in the first line should be omitted. In the third line, "ounce" should be "once". This really detracted from the poem for me, because I kept wondering why you would be referring to a unit of weight until I realized you meant "once". Also, in the first line, you implied the person was there, but in the third-from-last line, you implied that the person was only there in your heart. This was a but confusing. I would suggest rethinking the first line. Also, in the description, second sentence, "Its" should be "It's".

Overall: This is a good poem that would be much better after a quick edit. Thanks for sharing, and I look forward to reading more!

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Review of The mystery  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (3.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This is a great idea for a short story, and the idea is well executed. I know from experience how difficult it can be to write a complete and coherent story using less than 400 words, and you made it seem effortless. Although the story was short, it was complete and concise. You did a great job of describing Martha and her worry regarding what she found during her shopping expedition.

You also did a great job of telling about what it would be like if a child who wished he would immediately grow up got his wish. I like the way you waited until the end of the story to let the reader in on what had actually happened. I can just imagine Martha's horrified thought that someone had stripped and kidnapped a child. I don't think she will enjoy window shopping again in the near future.


My Suggestions: In the first sentence, I would change "in the afternoon" to "that afternoon" to be more concise. In the second sentence, I would insert a comma after "4 p.m." and change "out on shopping" to simply "shopping". In the last sentence of that paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "place" and "hurrying" is spelled incorrectly.

In the beginning of the second paragraph, you imply that she had lost her balance, but you never actually mention it. I would mention that she had lost her balance before talking about her regaining it. In that sentence, "as if belonged" should be "as if they belonged". At the end of the sentence, "9 years" should be "nine years old". In the next sentence, a comma should be inserted after "attire". In the next sentence, "of those were worn" should be "if they had been worn".

In the next paragraph, the comma after "pile" isn't needed. In that same sentence, the comma after "head" should be changed to a period, and "That is when..." should be a new sentence. A couple of sentences later, "abandoned cloths" should be "abandoned clothes". A few sentences later, a comma should be inserted between "her" and "occupied". In the next paragraph, "blood on the cloths" should be "blood on the clothes", and a comma should be inserted after "clothes". In that same sentence, "those appeared as if those were torn away" should be "they appeared as though they had been torn away". In the last sentence of that paragraph, commas should be inserted after "Soon" and "people". In the last sentence of the story "cloths bigger" should be "clothes bigger".


Overall: This is a good short story that would be excellent after a thorough edit. I truly enjoyed the read, and I look forward to checking out more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: You have a great idea for a story here. I do, however, think you could make it more appealing to the reader. You could begin by making it easier for the reader to relate to Theresa by expanding the first paragraph. How old is she? How long has she been with her fiance? Where does she live? Does she have any family or friends she could turn to? Maybe you could give a little snippet as to why her boss fired her and more information about her boss in general. And/or tell more about the reason her fiance left her. I think this paragraph could rule the reader's decision of whether or not to read on. In that regard, Theresa should have qualities that more readers could relate to. Whether the qualities are admirable, evoke sympathy or make the reader feel she got what she deserved, the goal is to make the reader feel something here.

In the second paragraph, "fling her across the universe" made me wonder. Is this a figure of speech, or did the power actually cause her to end up in a new, unknown place? If so, where? I would tell more about the "new world" in this paragraph. Also, I would be interested in knowing more about Jhem in this paragraph - preferably his looks. After losing her fiance, one would hope that Theresa has met a handsome, charming stranger - preferably with a sense of danger. Tell the reader about it!

The third paragraph is terrific. I like the way you went from Theresa's viewpoint to Jhem's in this one. Although I have many questions after reading this paragraph (does the couple fall in love, etc.), I think the mystery works well, and I wouldn't add or detract from it. I think it's perfect as-is.


My Suggestions: I would change the last two sentences of the first paragraph to past tense to make them parallel to the rest of the synopsis. I would also change the first sentence of the second paragraph to past tense for the same reason. In the third sentence of the third paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "wizard". In the next sentence, I would change "both of their magic" to "of both their magic". In the next sentence, I would insert a comma after "Yet."

Overall: I hope my suggestions make sense and help you. I would be very interested in reading The Warrior Wizard and hope to check out more of your work soon. Thanks for providing this interesting synopsis!

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Review of On A Texas Dare  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (3.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting story exploring the topic of voyeurism. Your choice of first person narrative worked well for this piece. I know from experience how difficult it can be to write a complete and coherent story using 300 words or less, and you did a great job here. You did a good job of describing the narrator in the first paragraph, evidencing his excitement and nervousness at doing something forbidden.

Even though the story references several pictures and video clips, you only described one. I can understand your constraints as you were obviously limiting your word count, but this story could easily be expanded into something longer, describing everything on the memory card.


My Suggestions: "Pictures" is spelled incorrectly in the description. In the first sentence, "by" should be "my", and a comma should be inserted after "sweaty". In the next sentence, "jitters" is spelled incorrectly. A few sentences later, "iphone" should be "iPhone". In that sentence, since the rest of the paragraph is in present tense, "here they were" should be "here they are".

In the next paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "tap". A couple of sentences later, "squirming" is spelled incorrectly. In the following sentence, the comma after "her" should be a semicolon, and "barely" is spelled incorrectly. A couple of paragraphs later, a comma should be inserted after "tugged at her dress". In the next paragraph, "to busy" should be "too busy".


Overall: This is a good story that would be even better after a quick edit. I look forward to checking out more of your work!

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Review of Bliss Denied  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This was a terrific poem! I am sure that anyone who is in a friendship with a person they're in love with can relate well to this piece. You did a terrific job of characterizing your feelings for this person while giving the reader a glimpse of just how difficult the unrequited love has been for you. I like the way you switch back and forth from the dream, from your blissful state to tortured reality. It works so well with this poem! Fantastic job!

My Suggestions: In the first line, "I lay" should be "I lie", because "lay" refers to an inanimate object. Also, I had issues with the last line of the first verse. I don't feel that "My life from pain is free" flowed well with the rest of the poem. I think it's because I didn't like "from pain" being in the middle of the line like that, but I understand you did it that way for rhyming purposes. I would suggest changing it to something like, "My life is now pain free."

Overall: I thoroughly enjoyed reading this beautiful poem, and I look forward to checking out more of your work.

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Review of My Valantine  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This is a great tribute to your wife! I like the way you show how much you care for her while incorporating light humor in the poem. I imagine that your wife would get a chuckle out of this while adequately seeing how much she is appreciated. I like it when writers take a rather serious subject and insert a little humor throughout, and you did a great job here!

My Suggestions: "Valentine" is spelled incorrectly in the title and description. I would change "lawns" to "lawn" in the first line as I assume you have only one lawn. I would also omit the quotation marks at the end of that line. I would insert a comma after "clothes" in the second line and omit the word "And" from the beginning of the third line. In the fourth line, I would insert commas after "meals" and "shopping". The seventh line seemed too long. I would move "I love you rounding up the deer to the end of the previous line. I would insert a comma after "sublime" and another after "listen".In the eleventh line, I would change "pickup" to "pick up". In the next-to-last line, "eye's" should be "eyes".

Overall: Thank you for providing this funny poem. I enjoyed the read, adn I look forward to checking out more of your work!

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*Gold* My review has been submitted for consideration in "Good Deeds Get CASH!Open in new Window..
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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This was a good, well-written poem. You packed a lot of emotion into such a short piece. It was easy to feel your sadness and despair as a result of the events of September 11. I'm sure that every one of us who lived through those events can relate to this pom. I don't know that I would have classified the poem as inspirational. Tragedy would be my suggestion. I don't see the poem as inspirational since it speaks of nothing but tragedy.

My Suggestions: "Remembrance" is spelled incorrectly in the title. I would insert the word "ever" after "Can I" in the fourth line. I would omit the word "of" in the sixth sentence, as I don't think it's needed, and I think the poem would read more fluidly without it. The last line just didn't work for me. I don't understand how the wind blowing relates to the end of sadness and depression. If you decide to keep the line as-is, the period should be changed to a question mark.

Since the poem was written as a result of the tragedy of September 11, I would suggest expanding the poem a bit to let the reader know the poem is related to that event. I know it's set forth in the description, but I think it should also be in the poem itself.


Overall: Thank you for providing this tragic poem. I enjoyed the read and look forward to reading more!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (3.5)
Hi, C.D.Renteria Author Icon! Thank you for requesting that I review "The Evolution of ConsciousnessOpen in new Window.. I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I just finished reading the first chapter, and I really enjoyed it. I wrote the suggestions as I read and came back to write this, so I might address things that are also addressed in the suggestions.

The story was great. Although it isn't the type of story I would normally go for, I found myself becoming more and more interested as the story went on. You did a great job of describing Casey as well as the setting and scenery of the story. I had a problem with the use of "I" throughout the story. From the first paragraph, I assumed that "the Bastard of Haven" was Casey. Was I wrong in assuming that? If so, I suggest that you make it more clear that the Bastard of Haven and Casey are different people. Or if they are the same person, then I suggest you make it more clear who "I" is when you make that reference throughout the story.

In looking back at the beginning of the story and the note you sent with the review request, I see that you wrote the story with a character-narrator. I do think that's a good idea, but you didn't make it sufficiently clear. Is the first paragraph merely a description of the setting rather than an actual part of the story? That makes more sense, but I would suggest you italicize it or something to clue the reader in.

I like the way Casey is undergoing so many conflicts in the story - fear for his brother, distrust of his companions - there are a lot of potential conflicts, and it made me look forward to continuing to read to find out just what is going to happen to him. As to the Bastard of Haven, if it isn't Casey, I think a lot more character development needs to be done - who exactly is he? what is is purpose? is he invisible? Just some thoughts.


My Suggestions: At the beginning, when you are describing the characters, under "Victoria", the word "lengths" is spelled incorrectly. In the first sentence I would insert a period after "room" and start a new sentence with "A red light..." In that same sentence, "reflected of" should be "reflected off". In the next sentence, a comma should be inserted after "corner". I would change "where the smoke permeated from" to "from where the smoke permeated" to avoid ending the sentence with a preposition. In the last sentence of the first paragraph, "breath" is spelled incorrectly.

In the first sentence of the second paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "slopes". In the first sentence of the sixth paragraph, "you're" should be "your" since you're not using it as a contraction for "you are". The same thing two paragraphs later - "You're life" should be "Your life" and "you're brother" should be "your brother". Also in that paragraph, did you mean "on the shelf" instead of "on the self"? A couple of paragraphs later, a comma should be inserted after "The more he thought about it".

In the twelfth paragraph, I would change the comma after "building" to a period and start a new sentence with "He slipped..." In the first sentence of the next paragraph, "had saw" should be "had seen". In that same paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "half dead".

Later in the story, when talking about the weapon, you say "I felt my essence prickle..." Who is "I"? It must not be Casey, since he is referred to throughout as Casey. Is the narrator also a character in the story? If so, I would suggest giving a better introduction, preferably earlier in the story. This was very confusing for me. A few paragraphs later, I would change "make out distinctly" to "distinctly make out".

In the last sentence of the first paragraph of the second part of the story, I would set "although it scared him" off with commas. In the last sentence of the next paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "Lastly". A couple of paragraphs later, "where the lies where" should be "where the lies were". In the sentence "I hadn’t noticed how close I had drew to him but I couldn’t resist." I'm again confused about who "I" is, and "had drew" should be "had drawn". A couple of paragraphs later, "as a second thought" should be set off with commas. In the first sentence of the next paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "stairs".

In the paragraph beginning, "In a flurry of movement" a comma should be inserted after "movement". In that same paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "tensed". A couple of paragraphs later, a comma should be inserted after "From behind". In the first sentence of the next paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "fresh air".


Overall: I think you have a fantastic idea for a book here, and I think it would be even better after more character development for the first person referenced in the story and an edit for clarity. I look forward to reading more!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: ASR | (4.0)
*UmbrellaP* Hi, A*Monaing*Faith Author Icon. I am honored to review your short story as a part of your shower at "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. *UmbrellaP*

*ExclaimB* My Thoughts: You took five seemingly unrelated things and wrote a terrific and interesting short story. Your idea was original, and you made the incorporation of the various prompts seem effortless. I know how difficult it can be to write a complete and coherent story using prompts and a limited word count, and you did a great job here!

I think first person narrative worked well with this story. You were able to answer all of a reader's potential questions through the use of dialogue and narration of events. I was wondering what sex the narrator was, and you made it clear it was a female in the scene in the diner with the celebrity. I love the way the story ended with the narrator reassessing her career path as a result of her recent success in defending herself. Excellent!


*ExclaimR* My Suggestions: In the third sentence of the first paragraph, I would set "then again" off with commas. In the first sentence of the second paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "Regrettably". In the third paragraph, I would change "saunters" to "sauntered" since the rest of the story is told in past tense. In that same paragraph, I would set "as MMA greats go" off with commas. In the fourth paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "drink order". I would change the period after "appraisingly" to a comma. Otherwise, the last sentence is a sentence fragment. In the first sentence of the fifth paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "enough". In the last sentence of the sixth paragraph, "jerks" should be "jerk's" since you're attempting to show possession. In the last paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "imminent future".

*ExclaimV* Overall: This is a great short story. I really enjoyed the read, and I look forward to checking out more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
I am reading and reviewing entries in "The Christian Writing ContestOpen in new Window., and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This is an informative and thoughtful piece. You did a good job of conveying what the parable means to you and giving reasons for the same. You also gave adequate reasons as to why some decide not to follow God's word and wrapped it up nicely at the end by giving personal reasons as to why you decided to do so, and provided encouragement for others to do the same.

I think this piece would work better in story form. You have some terrific ideas and, while I understand the reason you wrote this the way you did, I think it would be much more appealing in sentence/paragraph form. You have some wonderful thoughts and ideas. Highlight them!


My Suggestions: I would insert periods at the end of sentences. I would also omit some of the ellipses. I think so many of them take away from the credibility of the piece. In the third paragraph, "Your too serious" should be "You're too serious" and a period should be inserted at the end of the sentence. In that same paragraph, "believe" is spelled incorrectly. In the fourth paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "Yes". In that same paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "life". In the fifth paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "Well". In that same paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "pay". In the sixth paragraph, a comma should be inserted in the first sentence after the word "Lord" In that same paragraph, "person am today" should be "person I am today". In the next sentence, i would set the word "Lord" off with commas. In the next paragraph, I would capitalize "Christian" and insert a hyphen between "thirty" and "two". I would also insert the word "it" after "regretted". In the last paragraph, I would insert a comma after "babies". And your husband of forty years did what? That sentence is incomplete. When you're listing items in that paragraph such as cabbage leaves, carrots..., commas should be inserted between the items. Same goes for boiled potatoes, cabbage, carrots..."Discard" is spelled incorrectly. "takes us too it" should be "takes us to it".

Overall: Thank you for providing this informative read. I really enjoyed it and look forward to reading more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.5)
I am reading and reviewing entries in "The Christian Writing ContestOpen in new Window., and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This is an interesting view on the prompt. I admire your honesty. The humor you incorporated in the essay will likely interest some who wouldn't otherwise read "religious" pieces. I found the essay to be rather thought provoking. I had never thought of soil in the manner you described, but you're exactly right. All too often, we fail to take the time to appreciate the think we consider insignificant that actually play a large role in the scheme of the world. Bravo to you for pointing that out.

I loved the line, "Then, holy and precious you can change the word of God, from an ungerminated seed into a wonderful plant." I also like the way you encourage the readers to let God's seed grow in them. Such a simple thing, but it makes all the difference.


My Suggestions: All of my suggestions concern the ninth paragraph. In the second sentence, I would insert a comma after "Clearly". In the fourth sentence, I would insert a comma before "in this day and age" so that the phrase will be set off with commas. In the next sentence, I would insert a comma after "trick". In the following sentence, I would omit the comma after "guys".

Overall: I enjoyed reading this well-written and informative essay. I look forward to reading more of your work.

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
I am reading and reviewing entries in "The Christian Writing ContestOpen in new Window., and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: This was an interesting story, and I enjoyed reading it. You gave a lot of good examples of how horribly people sometimes treat others who are 'different'. While I could see where you were going with it, I think it strays away a bit from the parable. If I didn't know the prompt, I can't say that I would know what this was about - I'd think it was merely a pastor's reflection on the mistreatment of others.

The story did make me think about the misfortune of others and how we should work to be more considerate and accepting. I loved the title of the story and the phrase "to see a seed that found the ground of grace."


My Suggestions: In the first sentence, I would insert a comma after "musing". In the second sentence, I would change "wonder" to "wondered", because you began the story in past tense. In the third sentence, I would insert a comma after "eyes". A couple of sentences later, "might as will" should be "might as well". In the following sentence, a comma should be inserted after "pastor". In the sentence, "...left her a only a shell..." the first "a" should be omitted. In the following sentence, a comma should be inserted after "day". In the next-to-last sentence of that paragraph, "give" should be "gives". In that sentence, I would insert a hyphen after "hope". In the third sentence of the following paragraph, "who" should be "whom". Near the end of that paragraph, "I is as if..." should be "It is as if..." In that same sentence, I would omit "but her". In the last paragraph, "a find" should be "I find". In that paragraph, I would change "thanksgiving" to "thanks" and insert a comma after the word. In the last sentence, a comma should be inserted after "day".

Overall: Thank you for providing this interesting read. I look forward to reading more of your work.

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I am reading and reviewing entries in "The Christian Writing ContestOpen in new Window., and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed reading your prose about the parable of the sower. You provided an excellent interpretation that most readers, especially those who have read the Gospels, will be able to understand and relate to. Using relatively few words, you summed it up completely and concisely. I like the way you briefly described Matthew, Mark and Luke in the piece to give readers who are unfamiliar with the Gospels a little information about them. Not only did you give a great interpretation, but you also gave enough information to interest someone who doesn't normally partake in reading religious works. Great job!

My Suggestions: In the third sentence, I would change "ask" to "ask" since the rest of the piece is told in past tense. In the fourth sentence, I would change "Matthew, Mark and Luke" to "they" since you addressed them all by name in the previous sentence. I would also change "direct" at the end of that sentence to "directly." In the second sentence of the second paragraph, "mother house" should be "mother's house". In the last sentence of that paragraph, I would change "was also" to "also was", change "help" to "helped" and "Jesus" to "Jesus'". In the next paragraph, I would change the semicolon after "word" to a comma. In the last sentence of the fourth paragraph, "their hearts" should be "his heart" because you're referring to "a man". The semicolon isn't needed in the second sentence of the sixth paragraph.

Overall: Thank you for providing this spiritual read. I hope you continue to enter the contest so I can read more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 18+ | (4.5)
Hi, dejavu_BIG computerprobs Author Icon. This is my third and final review for your package in the "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. However, I plan to continue to reviewing your work, because your writing has me hooked! Hope you don't mind. *Wink*

My Thoughts: Another excellent read told from a male perspective. First person narration worked well with this story as did the omission of the character's name. Anonymity seemed right for this piece. Your vivid descriptions made it easy to picture the dreary scene, and you gave adequate background information to apprise the reader of how the character ended up here. It also allowed me to empathize with the character.

I like the way the body made the narrator think of his grandmother. It showed the reader, as the description promises. You told a meaningful, complete story using a limited amount of words. Great job!


My Suggestions: In the second sentence, I would insert a comma after "life". One of the periods at the end of the next sentence should be omitted. In the second sentence of the second paragraph, "it's" should be "its" because you're not using it as a contraction for "it is". In the third paragraph, "August" should be capitalized. In the fourth paragraph, "it's shadow" should be "its shadow" for the same reason as aforementioned. In the seventh paragraph, "it's leftovers" should be "its leftovers". In the first sentence of the next paragraph, I would change "Moistness" to "Moisture". In the next-to-last sentence of the last paragraph, "cops problem" should be "cops' problem" to show possession.

Overall: Thank you for yet another terrific read! I will definitely continue to visit your port!

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Review of South of the Wall  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I like your descriptive writing style, and I enjoyed reading the story. However, I felt like it was incomplete. You used the prompt well and introduce some interesting characters, but nothing really happened. I know it's difficult to write a complete story using such a limited word count, but you want to leave the reader feeling something after reading the story. As the story is, it leaves something to be desired. You have an excellent idea here, and now that the contest is over, it would be a terrific piece for you to expand upon!

My Suggestions: First of all, I would suggest changing the rating from "E" to "ASR" because of some of the story's content. For some reason, "He could remember the sounds of the city when he was a child." made me think you were saying that when he was a child, he remembered the sounds of the city. I would change the sentence to "He could remember how the city sounded when he was a child." A couple of sentences later, "gasoline" shouldn't be capitalized. In the next paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "heavy". A couple of sentences later, a comma should be inserted after "Street". Also beginning at that point in the story, you switch to past tense even though the first part of the story was told in present tense. I would suggest changing the rest of the story to past tense to make the first and last parts of the story parallel.

Overall: Thank you for sharing this short story. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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Review of The Prize.  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: You started with a good title that immediately caught my attention and a description that made me want to read the story. The story was interesting, and first person narrative worked well. You gave adequate background to help the reader relate to Mara and get an idea of her hard work and dedication. The action part of the story was interesting, and I was anxious to see what would happen. The ending was great, providing closure and allowing the reader to share in Mara's triumph. Great job!

My Suggestions: In the second sentence "5" should be "five". The word "that" isn't needed in that sentence. In the next sentence, the comma after "race" should be a period, and you should start a new sentence with "It's taken..." Next sentence, there shouldn't be an apostrophe in "foods". There should be a comma after "gold" in the first sentence of the second paragraph. In the next sentence, a comma should be inserted after "me", and there shouldn't be an apostrophe in "athletes". In the last sentence of that paragraph, there should be commas after "me" and "mistakes". In the first sentence of the third paragraph, "Its" should be "It's" since you're using it as a contraction for "It is". In the next sentence, "defiantly" should be "definitely" and "soothe" is spelled incorrectly.

Overall: Thank you for sharing this sharing this short story. I look forward to reading more if your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: 13+ | (4.5)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: I really enjoyed this story story! I know from experience how difficult it can be to write a complete and coherent story using few words, and you did a terrific job here. The title was perfect, and in a rather short piece, you managed to give a background for the character and tell about a tragic experience he had while parrotsitting poor Telly. Your use of first person narration worked well for this story. I particularly liked the fact that Telly continued to taunt the character in his last declaration. Great job!

My Suggestions: First of all, I'd change the rating from "E" to "13+". The subject matter warrants a higher rating. Near the end of the story, you say, " Possessed by a murderous rage. I bolted upright..." The period should be changed to a comma. Also, maybe you could give the reader the character's name to help the reader relate more to him. Perhaps you could do it in Telly's dialogue, such as "Use your noodle, [insert name].

Overall: Thank you for sharing this great story story. I look forward to reading more!

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Review of Simple Answers  Open in new Window.
Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.5)
*UmbrellaP* Hi, michaelanthony Author Icon. I am honored to review your short story as a part of your shower at "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. *UmbrellaP*

*ExclaimB* My Thoughts: I enjoyed reading this short story about a person with luck similar to my own. Although the story was rather short, it was complete and interesting. I'm sure that most readers will be able to relate to Jack's predicament. It seems that every time we're running late, everything that can go wrong will go wrong. You conveyed that perfectly with this story. I especially liked the irony you revealed at the end. Poor Jack! The description doesn't do this story justice. I think, instead of "Contest entry", you should give the reader an idea of what the story is actually about. Although I was pleasantly surprised when I read it, it would likely get a lot more attention if you hinted at Jack's predicament. Regardless, this was a great story, and I could relate well to Jack's frustration. Good job!

*ExclaimR* My Suggestions: First of all, I suggest breaking this into paragraphs to provide for an easier read. In the third sentence, I would change the comma after "option" to a period and start a new sentence with "But here he was..." I would change "there" to "here" in the next sentence, because you referred to it as "here" in the previous sentence. Also, you use the word "had" four times in that sentence. I would change at least a few of them to a different word. A comma should be inserted after "out" in the next sentence. In the next sentence, a comma should be inserted after "days", "did" should be "does" because it's Jack's dialogue, and he wouldn't be talking about a current situation in past tense, and the comma after the quotation marks should come before the marks. A couple of sentences later, a comma should be inserted after "should". In the next sentence, "finally" should be "final". In the next sentence, the comma after "now" should be omitted. In the last sentence, you use the word "just" twice in very close proximity. I would change the first instance to "only".

*ExclaimV* Overall: This is a good story that would be even better after a thorough edit. I'm glad you shared this short story, and I look forward to reading more!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with Showering Acts of Joy Group  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (3.0)
*UmbrellaP* Hi, Ida_Matilda_Wright Help Author Icon. I am honored to review your short story as a part of your shower at "Invalid ItemOpen in new Window.. *UmbrellaP*

*ExclaimB* My Thoughts: I know from experience how difficult it can be to tell a complete and coherent story using few words, and you did a great job here. First person narrative worked well for this piece, and you adequately conveyed your feelings of fear and unease. If this is a true experience, I am so sorry that you were forced to endure that. If not, your descriptive and emotional writing style makes it easy for a reader to believe that it was. This would be an excellent story to develop into a longer work, going to to tell what happened with the bus driver's son and how the experience with the bus driver affected you later in life.

*ExclaimR* My Suggestions: First of all, I would change the rating of this story from "E" to "ASR" because of the implications in the story. I would also suggest changing the title to something more related to the story itself. If you choose not to change the title, "you" should be changed to "your". You changed tenses quite a bit in the story. I would suggest sticking with past tense. For instance, in the second paragraph, I would change "tells" to "told". In the third paragraph, I would change "have" to "had" and "places" to "placed". In the sixth paragraph, I would change "says" to "said". Also in that paragraph, you should insert quotation marks after "want" and quotations marks before "No" because "he says" is not part of his quote. In the last paragraph, "imagining" is spelled incorrectly.

*ExclaimV* Overall: Thank you for sharing! This is a good short story that would be even better after a thorough edit. I look forward to reading more of your work!

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Review by OOT™ Author IconMail Icon
In affiliation with SIMPLY POSITIVE GROUP  Open in new Window.
Rated: E | (4.0)
*CakeB* HAPPY WDC ACCOUNT ANNIVERSARY FROM "Anniversary Reviews ~ Summer BreakOpen in new Window.*CakeP*


First of all, happy account anniversary! I'm OOT™ Author Icon, and I'm honored to review your work.

My Thoughts: You have an excellent idea for a story here! The plot is interesting and rather original, and it was easy to connect with Siam. You provided sufficient background along with a valid reason for her journey. By the end of this piece, I was able to empathize with Siam over the loss of her mother and nurse and worry about what would happen if her father were to find her. Your vivid descriptions made it easy to picture the scenes as you described. The story is off to a great start, and I can only imagine the obstacles that Siam will encounter in her journey. Great job.

My Suggestions: My first suggestion is to finish this story! I don't know that I would use the same description of "swaying grasses" within a few sentences in the first paragraph. I suggest describing the grass a different way in the second instance. Near the end of the first paragraph, "evenings" should be "evening's" since you're attempting to show possession. In the middle of the third paragraph, a comma should be inserted after "requested". In the following sentence, "bear" is spelled incorrectly.

Overall: Thank you for sharing this great read! I look forward to reading the completed work!

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