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A Grumpy Old Man’s Tale 62 Hello Dad

A Grumpy Old Man’s Tale 62 Hello Dad

Dave laughed and said, “Simmering on the Hobb‽ That’s over the border in Northumberland isn’t it? Small spot no more that six hundred folk live there.”

Tommy Dowerson said, “Nah. You got that one mixed up, Dave. That’s Gravy on the Hobb you’re going on about over in Northumberland. The Hobb river over there is nay mere than a beck. Simmering on the Hobb is on the outskirts of Ross on Wye away down country, Herefordshire way. Ross has about eleven thousand folk and t’other spot has maybe four. Just on the other side of Ross from Simmering is Custard on the Hobb where the custard boreholes are which strictly puts it into Wales. The Hobb is a big tributary, mostly in Wales, of the Wye which eventually runs into the Severn Estuary. There’re some odd town names down that way like Builth Wells and Symonds Yat. I only know because I did a postmasters’ course in Hereford a few years back.” There was just enough truth in Dave’s and Tommy’s ridiculous remarks to cause some confusion in the newer outsiders, but considerable hilarity amongst the locals and regular attenders from outside. Inventing silly, often profanely coarse, place names and equally ridiculous personal names vaguely connected to the satirical comedies of Monty Python, The Goons and Much Binding on the Marsh was an ongoing game they played often at each others’ expense. Their recently invented favourites were the villages of Shaver on the Motte, Hard on the Rod and Whacking on the Edge, the last of which came about as a result of a discussion concerning killing flies with a fly swatter. For some reason he wouldn’t explain Fluff in the Hinge was considered to be particularly amusing by Alf.

Nothing is Routine - Chapter 4

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A night of passion shared, a want to bask in that with her this morning, but had Sara left or had she? There are storm clouds brewing though and a threat is leveled - one direct and one veiled.

Two New Girls

Two New Girls

by Lynn Oliver

Someone has been killing cats in the neighborhood. Kathy, who is 10, tries to protect her cat, but eventually, someone catches her cat outside and kills it.

When Kathy learns who has killed her cat and others in the neighborhood, she makes them pay by becoming two new girls.

Laura's New Life

Laura's New Life

by Lynn Oliver

Larry gave up on school around middle school and after graduating from high school, he now has few information age skills. His parents are afraid he will be run over in a large city due to his lack of skills and small frame.

His mother then comes up with and idea to send Larry to live with her sister in the small town where she grew up. There, Larry learns a whole new life and with the help of his aunt and mom, is able to go back to high school to learn many skills he missed out on in his previous years.

Lights in the Dark

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

 

Lights in the Dark

By Mel E.

Sometimes, when all hope is lost, a light in the dark can guide the way to salvation.

The Starlight Champion

Starlight Champion
by Lily Rasputin

I wasn’t the least bit surprised to hear the melodious sounds heralding Harouth’s arrival. After all, the buzzing in the base of my skull had been going off for almost ten minutes. More than enough time to extricate myself from whatever mundane task I was doing and change.

Little Hope - Chapters 31 and 32

Exchanged Art - Amazon
Chapters 31 and 32
by Sofia Hammerstein

'Little Hope' continues the story of Stacy's journey from 'Exchanged.' Stacy is a young college student who chose to travel to a new dimension to study their advanced computing technology at a prestigious university as an exchange student. Stacy thought he knew what he was getting into when he traveled, having visited before with his family and pre-arranged a sort of Amazonian foster family to take him in. Shrinking more than he had on his previous visit, he finds himself the size of a tiny Amazonian baby instead of the near Betweener size he had hoped to be. A further misunderstanding on his gender due to his name resulted in the need for a radical change to make him match the gender the university believed him to be, to maintain his scholarship. Having survived the initial CARES exam, now she and her adopted parents work to make sure she's ready to begin orientation at Emerson University. Can Stacy survive this new world? (Story set in the Diaper Dimension)

JAMIESTORY: Chapter 8

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JAMIESTORY


When 8-year-old Jamie stumbles upon a strange machine, a single interaction changes her life—she emerges as a girl with no explanation. Struggling to adjust, Jamie becomes obsessed with uncovering the truth about the machine. As she digs deeper, she uncovers cryptic clues, hidden conspiracies, and whispers of others who were changed before her. But the more she learns, the more she questions if her transformation was an accident—or part of something far bigger. In this suspenseful mystery, Jamie must confront not only the machine’s secrets but the deeper question of who she’s meant to be.

Copyright © Natasa Jacobs. All Rights Reserved.

Circle of Life

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry


Circle of life

Fate can bring many twists and turns as Arthur discovered when his life fell apart, and he discovered the meaning of true friendship.

 

Naughty Magic - Chapter 4 - The Violet Queen

Max never truly believed that his dream of becoming a magical girl could become a reality - but he never even imagined that becoming the villainess of the magical girls was a possibility! 

***

Ever since the first Magical Girls appeared, to fight against the Violet Ooze threat, Max has dreamed of joining their ranks. Not that he’s particularly interested in the girl part - no way! - but the magical bit? The being a hero bit? That’s everything he’s ever wanted in life! So when a Magical Crystal offers him an out from the mundanity of college life, he agrees without a second thought! 

Unfortunately, the Magical Crystal gets attacked by Violet Ooze during the formation of their contract! Instead of a purehearted magical girl, ready to face the forces of evil, Max ends up as the Violet Queen - the new leader of those very same monsters!

Of course, the problems don’t end there! She's got magical girls aiming for her head, powers that are fueled by people lusting after her, and - worst of all - a ‘corrupted’ crystal that insists the true threat to the world is actually the (unwitting) magical girls themselves!

Cover by my lovely friend Lulla. Naughty Magic Cover (SH).png

The Male Crisis

I’m Lisa Wilson, biologist. In the winter of 2079, a viral cold swept the world. It caused people to briefly experience spots of blood in the urine and feces, but otherwise was unremarkable, and people recovered from it like any other cold, so not much was thought about it at first. But it was persistent, with more and more outbreaks among people who had not yet suffered from it throughout the year.

The Last Greek Class, Chapter 7, Training

We were late getting up the next morning. Lisa met Helen in her dressing gown and showed her to the lounge whilst I speed-dressed, no need for shaving any more. I slowed down to make a dignified entry into the lounge, Helen was sitting on her usual armchair and rose to greet me.

“Sorry I’m late, slept in…”

“Looks like you both did… all OK?”

“Yes, great… definitely, great…”

“I’ve something for you, things are a little more relaxed here than in the UK.”

Is Late Better than Never? Chapter 7

Is Late Better than Never? Chapter 7
by Lily Rasputin

I got home about ten minutes before Devon’s bus arrived. I waved to him as it pulled to a stop and the doors opened. Bouncing off the steps, he ran over and gave me a hug. As I hugged him back, it dawned on me that his attitude since my return had been overtly friendly. Not that he was a shy kid to begin with. It just seemed like he was extraordinarily excited that I was here.

Suicide Survivor Chapter 12

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

Laura recalls some of her experiences in this chapter, and quite graphically. I’ve marked them in red in case you prefer to skip.

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

Some Christmas Magic

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

 

Some Christmas Magic

A seasonal story by Iona Laing

 
 
(This is my first published story, so please be gentle with your comments. I wish to thank Penny Lane for all her encouragement and her editing of this story. Any remaining errors or omissions are all mine. Thanks, Iona.)

The Last Sleepover 2

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The Last Sleepover

Part Two

At a sleepover with his childhood best friends, Elliot hears them making fun of a transgender celebrity. Elliot has always felt different and an outsider. He works to discover his true identity and when he does it's hard to accept. Elliot struggles between staying silent and standing up for himself. Will he reveal his secret or pretend to be someone he’s not?

It was different then.

It was different then.

I just felt different – but I knew nothing. I was alone – like all the others. Hidden, secretive, scared.
Even if I had been of an age and with money to do it – I couldn’t go into a shop and ask about panties or lipstick. Public disgrace and worse.


Lisa, part 6

“Beautiful,” I involuntarily whisper as I watch the image on my screen, grateful that my microphone is on mute and that none of the other teenagers — the other girls — on the call can hear me. And in fairness, the images I’m seeing ARE beautiful.

The 15-year-old girl looks effortlessly elegant as she glides across the floor in her pink tutu. Even her pink face mask doesn’t detract from the illusion that she is the perfect image of a ballerina — although the badge stuck to the tutu that says ’15 today’ does a little.

Royal Performer - Chapter 18


Royal Performer

Royal Performer - Chapter 18

Princess Alexandria Alessi’s life has turned upside down in the blink of an eye. Only a few days ago, she was enjoying a clandestine summer shopping with her best friend at the local mall. Coming home, she was alarmed to discover her mom was there, and her secret of being transgender was suddenly no longer secret! Within a few short hours, her life became like a movie as she discovered that her long-lost father was the Crown Prince of Osané, a small, secluded island nation. Alexandria was immediately thrust into the spotlight in a whirlwind weekend that led to a Monday press conference to announce her royal lineage.

Royal Performer is the second Tiffany Shar's 'Suddenly Royal' series.

The Chosen - Chapter 14

Chapter 14

There was a car outside and waiting for me at seven the next morning. Mum had come into my room and pulled my duvet off at six thirty, so I was up and breakfasted and about to reach for my phone when the doorbell rang.

I recognised him from the demonstration David and I had given – pang of hurt at the thought of David – but I didn’t remember a name or even if one had been offered.

“No Finn?” I asked more breezily than I felt.

“Er, commissioned officers don’t tend to pull driver duty, er, ma’am, er, miss. Sorry.”

The Defeasance Protocol - Chapter 10

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Cameron is slowly moving towards acceptance of her new fate, but not without a few bumps in that road. A new 'remembrance', hope they can effectively stand up to their hosts, and an unexpected presence reveals itself. What will happen to all she's come to accept in this reality she's been living?

The Time I was Reincarnated as a Fire Goddess 8

In the shadowy halls of the grand temple dedicated to Bellatrice, the High Priest stood in front of an ornate altar, his expression twisted with frustration. The soft glow of candles flickered around him, casting long shadows dancing in sync with his growing anger. The assassin knelt before him, head bowed low in shame, trembling under the weight of the High Priest's piercing gaze.

A Birthday Wish Chapters 1-3

Chapter 1: The Wish

The morning sunlight filtered into the small bedroom, casting a soft glow on Daniel’s face as he sat on the edge of his bed, staring at himself in the mirror. His hazel eyes looked tired, and his brown hair, always a bit unruly, stuck up in all directions. He sighed, pulling at the loose hem of his shirt.

Today was his fifteenth birthday, but he felt as invisible as ever.

Mates 63

CHAPTER 63
There was a place to leave the bike at Soapy Joe’s, just behind Kul’s car. I did the multiple lock thing, and slipped into the back seat behind Maz.

“No butts today, mate, even if they are cool. Did you mail head office?”

“Not yet. Wanted to make sure we can tie this one down before potentially looking stupid. Talk me through it again, please”

The Bride to Be

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

The promised rain had finally caught up with me around two miles from home. The shower was heavy, so much for the forecast of just the odd light shower.

Suicide Survivor Chapter 11

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

This is the bit where the CAUTION: Violence applies. When the text changes to dark red or maroon, it means things are about to turn a little rough. When it changes to bright red, then things are about to get a lot worse. Please take care while reading.

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

Sacrificial Destiny

Caelan grew up as an orphan in the shadow of Avaloria’s palace, scraping by on the streets and bound by the ruthless thieves’ guild that demanded his loyalty. He never felt right in his own skin, never found his purpose, only his friends kept him from despair: Eira, the beautiful thief he secretly loved and longed to be like; Thorne, the mercenary who pulled him out of crime; and Alric, a healer who gave hope to the hopeless.

When Caelan is wrongly accused of a crime and the palace guards begin hunting him and his friends, his world falls apart. With nowhere to turn, a mysterious stranger offers a way out; a dangerous mission to find the lost princess of Avaloria. With everything to gain and nothing left to lose, Caelan and his friends set off on a journey that will change them, and their kingdom, forever.

Author’s Note: This is a full-length novel of nearly 100,000 words. I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I had writing it.

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry
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Sacrificial Destiny

A Cold Fey in Hell 2: Chapter 18

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Chapter 18: Cold as Ice

Crystal has gotten used to being a girl, a Nymph, a Muse, and even a mother figure, but is she really ready to go to an all-girls school and start working at Pandora's Box? The life of a trouble magnet is never easy.

 

She turned around to glower at me, her face red with fury, and snarled, “What?”

Recovering From Trauma Chapter 6

Blake Medical Recovery Center, Napa Valley, Northern California:
Cindy and Sara’s Office:
Dakota was sitting at a little table that Sara had bought for her to color and play on her tablet while she worked. Sara knew Dakota sometimes didn’t like being alone and felt better if she was nearby. She looked over towards Dakota and could tell she was happy.

Suicide Survivor Chapter 10

This one's not for the faint of heart. Over the course of the story there will be death, suicide attempts, a fair amount of physical and mental abuse, some egregious torture and a hefty dollop of foul language, but hopefully a happy ending. Actually, the last bit's a given since it's me doing the writing, but between here and the end is a rocky road, so please if any of the above is likely to be triggering for you, please, please think twice about reading.

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

Margaritas, Beaches, and Bikinis (2)

Margaritas, Beaches, and Bikinis

Chapter Two
Belk's Department Store

A few days passed. And the writer's block still held its firm iron grip on me. I still felt like I'd abandon all of my writing projects and I felt like I owed my readership a reason why there had been no new Emily stories. Or any updates on her many misadventures. But every time I opened up a blank word document  and told myself that now I was going to work on her stories I found my mind going blank. Blank like the word document I was peering at.

Just A Girl

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The Day After Thanksgiving

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December 2024 Change A Life Christmas Story Contest Entry

“Last call everyone. You no have to go home, but you cannot stay!”

The bartender, Jakob Adamovich, bellowed. He was the sole worker, except for his wife and mother who worked in the back of house to deliver the best cheeseburger with a pretzel crust to ever grace the planet. I was able to try it once, three weeks prior when they had an extra one after someone mouthed off to the six-foot-three Jake who threw him out with absolutely no effort. Jake allowed me to sit at a table at the back of the bar so I could study as it was difficult to do homework by the dashboard light.

Demon Queened - Chapter 54 - Talking Things Through

After flubbing a powerful incantation, meant to give newly coronated Demon Queens the wisdom of their ancestors, Devilla Satanne awakens to memories of her past life as Jacob Divington, a human from Earth. Having gained a new perspective on life, she quickly comes to a rather horrifying conclusion: she's been a complete and utter brat! No wonder everyone hates her!

And then there's the fact that she's apparently been reincarnated as the villainess of Tower Conquest, a lesbian porn game with a surprisingly intricate plot. One in which the Heroine conquers Dimona Tower, turning Devilla's people against her in the process. In victory, the Heroine brings about a glorious age of peace between demons and humans for the first time in millennia. ...Which actually sounds pretty good for her people, come to think of it. Devilla knows her terrible behavior is beyond forgiveness, but maybe she can still make up for her past mistakes? She just needs to make sure the events of the game unfold correctly. Though there is one little detail she'd like to change - the part where Devilla herself is killed or enslaved!

The series cover was commissioned from https://twitter.com/HaizeUqei

Demon Queened Cover, featuring Abigail and Lucy grabbing Devilla's arm and hand, respectively, on opposite sides.

Altered: Chapter 18

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Eli grew up on a ranch in Montana. He had heard about Incursions, Breaches, and the Titans that came through those breaches to slaughter some people and capture others. To him though, it had always been something that happened far away to other people. His life was forever changed though when a Breach opened near his home, everything he knew was destroyed or taken, and he ended up Altered.

 

Altered
Chapter 18: Familiar Faces
By
Amethyst
Her eyes immediately widened, “Is that really you? I heard about how Fairy-types change, but I didn’t think I would ever know someone who had gone through it. How are you dealing with…”

The School Bully

The School Bully
A Vignette
By Maryanne Peters

It was the home of Jason Davis – the school bully. Jason’s mother answered the doorbell. Chrissy was still wearing the ridiculously short skirt, but had changed her top to something that better displayed her burgeoning breasts.

“Hello Mrs. Davis,” said Chrissy. “I am here to see Jason.”

“My God. It’s Christopher isn’t it?”

“Not for over a year now, but yes, it’s Chrissy now.”

“Come inside, Sweetie,” she said. “What a brave child you are. It must have been so difficult for you.”

The Other Side of Me - Part 34

The Other Side of Me – Part 34
by Lily Rasputin

Before that moment, I considered myself a fairly articulate person for the most part. I mean, I knew I wasn’t going to ever be a debate champion, but my grasp on the English language as a whole was pretty good.

Staring into Samantha’s eyes, still tasting her flavored lip gloss transferred to my mouth from that incredibly passionate kiss, left me feeling like an idiot. The wheels were turning but there was zero traction.

“Who … what … out?”

Yep, complete failure in coherent communication.

In the Closet. Chapter 6 of 6

Another festive season approaches, another year of my postings comes to an end. I would like to wish all the staff at BC a Happy Christmas and a Safe New Year. I'll be spending my time writing more to post. To all my readers, thank you for the kudos ticks and all the comments, good and not so good. There are a lot of very competent writers on this site, my thoughts are with you all.
I certainly wish all of you the best for 2025.
Marianne

Chapter 6

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