Category: Screeve

Thank you all for your kind words, I appreciate them all. So far, my experience of Covid-19 is like having the flu. Bad flu. But my neighbour died of it and left two young children and their mother alone. It was distressing when I heard of his death. He was young, fit and had no underlying medical issues.

I am in a vulnerable group and have always been very careful. I had all the vaccinations, took social distancing seriously, and seemed to be constantly washing my hands. The main effects, so far, are a blocked nose, tickly throat, sneezing and feeling like crap. The persistent coughing and sneezing have affected my ribs and my chest aches. But I’m not having any issues breathing. The moment I’m short of breath is the moment I turn up at my local “Emergency Department”. My anti-viral medication was delivered yesterday, and I am taking it: three tablets twice daily. I’m hoping any trips to the hospital won’t be necessary.

If you look at the mainstream media, Covid isn’t mentioned very much. But Covid is still with us, and it is just as deadly. People are getting complacent, and so is the government. Vaccinations are no longer offered to the general population, and I’m not aware of any plans for boosters for those of us who are vulnerable.

I spent three years being scared of contracting Covid, and now I have it. I’m hoping all the vaccinations and the anti-virals will prevent me from becoming seriously ill. I still have more stories to tell and won’t let Covid stop me. I hope Covid won’t stop you from reading them.

The pandemic may be over, but Covid-19 hasn’t gone away. I spent the past three years successfully avoiding Covid, but my luck has now run out. Yesterday, I thought I was coming down with a cold and tested negative. This morning, I checked again, and it was positive. I have Covid-19!

I feel like crap, but so far, it just feels like a bad cold. I’m hoping it doesn’t get any worse. I’m immunosuppressed, so I am in a vulnerable group. I’ve put in a call to the NHS, and they may decide to give me anti-virals.

The new story is going well on the writing front and promises more action than you could hope for. That happens when you get five young men at a beach in the Mediterranean. Bear with me; I promise you won’t have to wait much longer.

I have been quiet recently, but that does not mean I haven’t been busy. I am so glad I managed to finish the saga of Max and Min (Finn), and that story really took it out of me. I didn’t know it would take a life of its own and take me to places I didn’t realise it would go. When I start a story, I have an idea of what I want to say, where it will go, and how it will end, but I don’t let that constrain me, as sometimes it takes me in an unexpected direction.

But something has been warming me up in this cold season. The temperature outside may be hovering around zero degrees Celsius, but inside, I am busy editing a story that takes place in summer in the south of France. The weather is hot, the beach is inviting, and the Mediterranean is refreshing. I think I have most of it written, and I’m editing what I have, but I don’t want to start releasing it until I’m further down the road.

I hope you will be patient with me as I dangle the promise of a new story in front of you. I do love things that dangle!

Many thanks to everyone who has visited Screeve; I wish you all a Happy New Year. And a big thank you to those who have commented, rated stories or emailed. I appreciate it all.

I have been posting episodes from the life of Max & Finn since October 2022, and despite many challenges in 2023, I managed to post updates regularly. That story is now over, but I do not promise not to revisit it from time to time.

I have a new story next year, “The Punishment of Neil Wilson”. I didn’t want it to form part of the main story about Max and Finn for reasons I will explain next year.

Some of you may have celebrated New Year already; others may not be celebrating yet. But raise a glass to your friends and family. And if you don’t have any, raise a glass to me. We all need to look after each other. I have raised a glass to all of you this year.

We would all like an easy straight road to get where we want to go, but life is seldom like that. For the past few months I’ve been winding my way through the crap life throws at you. On top of that, the Black Dog paid me a visit.

I’m feeling better now, but I’m still navigating my way through many responsibilities that are keeping me very busy. So I had to let a few things slip, unfortunately, Screeve was one of them. I am hoping to get back on track soon and later I will be posting another chapter of the Fletcher family in Cockaigne. I haven’t stopped thinking about them.

Back in mid-July, I went on holiday to Wales. Since then, I haven’t written anything until today.

When I returned from holiday, I went into a deep depression, and as I was coming out of it, I went to Sweden for work. It’s taken me a week since I got back to feel up to writing again.

It may be travel and illness that stopped me from writing, but I also know that I’m coming to the end of the Max and Min saga. I only have a few chapters left to round things off, and whenever I reach the end of a series, I always find a reluctance to finish it, as it means I have to let go. But, my dear readers, you still have at least another twelve chapters to go.

Max & Min Forever.

Sorry if I’ve left you dangling this past week. My work sent me to Sweden, and it isn’t easy to do much when you’re in a tiny budget hotel room in the evening. I didn’t even have a desk. But I had a great time. I was working during the week, but I was out with friends at the weekend. Some of you know I used to live in Sweden, and it was great to go back. I’d forgotten how much I miss living there. And I love those cinnamon buns; they are much better than the ones we get in the UK, even in Ikea.

But rest assured, normal service will now be resumed, and I will post another chapter about those beautiful brothers, Max and Finn, later today.

Well, it seems that Max and Min are controlling my life. I am writing about the boys’ life in Cockaigne, and the story keeps rolling around my head.

I woke up at 5:30 this morning with Max and Min. I couldn’t put their story aside, so I had to get up and start writing. I’m at a particularly moving part of the story. Max is having some difficulties at school, and I needed to continue to write about it to help him get through it. As you can guess, Finn has no problem adjusting to life in Cockaigne, but Max is more reserved and is struggling. Perhaps it’s time for Max to stick up for himself.

There is some fun and some pain to come for the brothers. I can’t wait for you to read about their continuing adventures and reading your comments. Cockaigne is a place where anything can happen, and you can be free to be who you want. I love it.

When I started writing queer stories, it was about sex. I wanted to write erotica. I still do. But as I have grown older, I want to write about what it’s like to be queer and the pleasures and adversity that come with it. Max feels that adversity, and I feel his pain as much as I feel Finn’s pleasure when I write about his life.

Tomorrow will see a new chapter of “Conversations with my Brother” as the boys return from Cockaigne.