Often TG fiction features characters who go to great lengths to establish that they are transsexual. They go through a huge amount of angst to prove, or at least to assert, that they are NOT GAY, and/or NOT A TRANSVESTITE.

Can anyone tell me why that is such a frequent theme?

We used a term in Catholic school to describe zealots. That was “holier than thou”. It seems sometimes that some authors want to express a “trannier than thou” attitude.

Just finished binge watching Thirteen Reasons Why on Netflix.

This should be required watching for every high school student.

It scored a 90 on Rotten Tomatoes.

Accurate portrayal of bullying.

Quite moving.

Jill

Last week I attended a large sales meeting. I had to hang my overcoat on the back of my chair. During the meeting, the person next to me rolled his chair over part of my coat and ripped it.

On Friday I went on Amazon, using the link you've provided https://www.amazon.com/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl2&...

I found just the London Fog I wanted, at a great price far below what I thought I would have to pay.

According to Erin’s numbers about 8,000 unique visitors a day read at least one story on BC.

I’m going to assume that many, many BC users are frequent users and will guess that about 25,000 people read five to ten stories a month.

Those 25,000 readers are enjoying an immense service. About 1-3% of those are authors who also have the satisfaction of a great place to post their fiction.

I was watching the news last night on the local FOX affiliated station. Much to my surprise they were interviewing my cardiologist. He was explaining “broken heart syndrome” in connection with Debbie Reynolds' death.

Not too many years ago he had given me the same explanation. We were in his office going over my medical history, including my family’s health.

I had told him that my father had died in his sleep from a surprise heart attack. Less than a week later, my mother, who had not displayed any heart problems, died from a “heart attack.”

In 1849, it was written in the Polite Manual for Young Ladies:

“Novel-reading strengthens the passions, weakens the virtue, and diminishes the power of self-control. Multitudes may date their ruin from the commencement of this kind of reading; and many more, who have been rescued from the snare, will regret, to the end of their days, its influence on the early formation of their character. It is, too, a great waste of time. . .If you wish to become weak-headed, nervous, and good for nothing, read novels."

I've just completed a draft of a new story for Hatbox called "Aunt T's" and need beta readers.

The story involves the semi forced feminization of a late thirties male.

I need an unsullied eye to find those inconsistencies that invariably happen.

I don't get any of the Hatbox revenue . . . so consider any help you give me an ultimate gift to Erin. Hatbox usually attracts more subscriptions when new material is offered.

This story is a bit dark . . . but travels toward the sun.

As usual Rasufelle has made a wonderful point. I would like to add to it without high-jacking her thread.

Although most of the writers on BC are on the distaff side, there is a right way to ask for more, as Dickens has shown us.

When an audience rises as one and asks for more at a concert, they're taking part in a dance in which they know the singer/band have held a favorite in their pocket for an encore.

Writers normally don't hold back. When they add "The End", it usually is.

For the last nearly twenty years I've been writing TG fiction. Most of my work contains one basic theme. "People know more about us than we think they do, and accept more that what we imagine."

I continue to regurgitate this theme because I hate the guilt feelings that I, and others like me have about our desires.

Sometimes I feel like I'm shouting into the wind. Other times, worse.

I wonder of what we read does shape how we think?

I just bought trash compactor bags and stain remover for my pool. The combined purchase price was about $500.

Erin will receive somewhere between $15 and $35 simply because I entered Amazon through her portal.

It was painless. And, I feel good about it.

Jill

On most issues "Donald: The Voice of Reason" is an oxymoron, however. . ..

For whatever reason, cynical conservative politicians have decided to use transgender as a political football and wedge issue. Their bathroom bills have prompted bigotry to crawl out from under rocks.

I read TG stories because they affirm my belief that there are a lot of people in the world who think somewhat like I do. I feel threatened by what I see as a less than compassionate attitude expressed by many in RL. The more I believe there are millions of TG people, the less I fear my own reality.

So why do I come to Big Closet for TG literature?

Once again Rasufelle (Melanie E) has been the inspiration for a raft of new standalone stories.

While I applaud the skill and determination of the serial writers, I long for more short and intemediate stories.

Over the last few years Melanie has pushed, cajoled, and coaxed writers through contests and challenges to produce stories, mostly short stories. I shudder to think how few short stories would have been posted had she not been such a driving force.

She's my Easter bunny carrying baskets full of short stories.

Yesterday a blog gathered opinions about corporal punishment.

This site spends a great deal of time discussing bullies. There doesn't seem to be any argument that bullies are awful human beings. Yet, it appears the majority of those who responded to the survey support corporal punishment.

I've been working on a new story for months. I've pushed and shoved the plot and characters through several massive rewrites. Nothing seems to work. I know it will find its way out of me at some point and the effort is the joy/

Along the line I started to think about forced feminization stories. Is it possible those of us who have struggled with being transgender have tried to put a face on our compulsion through these stories? I know that my feminine compulsion has been the single most consistent driving force in my life. Nothing else comes close to matching it.

A thread about the need for a spell check before submitting stories reminded me of a learning experience.

I once read a story that was posted here and approached the author in a PM asking if she would like a private critique, to which she agreed. (What else could she say?)

I subsequently sent her five or six paragraphs of marvelous suggestions for "improving" her story.

She replied, "Or, I could sit on the beach with a glass of wine and enjoy life."

A few months ago it was announced that Harper Lee had decided to publish anther book.

I was so excited I signed up with Amazon for first day delivery, because To Kill a Mockingbird is one of my all time favorites.

Before I had a chance to read the book I started to hear negatives remarks, but I was in no way prepared for the amateurish writing in Go Set a Watchman.

Either –

1.) Harper Lee was blessed with one hell of a good editor for Mockingbird, or,
2.) She didn’t write Watchman.

Caitlyn's ESPY acceptance speech started off slightly off key but quickly became . . . perfect.

http://heavy.com/entertainment/2015/07/caitlyn-jenners-speec...

For the many, many years I've been opening the door to this Big Closet I've been amazed at our communities ability to heap pain on one another. Maybe it's just what writers do.

I was reading a Bathroom Reader last night ( http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1607109026?psc=1&redirect=t... ) and found the following.

Truman Capote on Jack Kerouac: "That's not writing, that's typing."

These statistics are hard to believe.

http://www.statisticbrain.com/reading-statistics/

It’s quite possible many of you are quite a bit younger than me. I’m the same age as Caitlyn Jenner and feel compelled to make a statement.

As a young athlete she was truly amazing. She was a American football player who became injured and had to switch sports. She made herself into a terrific athlete by putting in eight to tem hours a day in training. She supported herself during this time selling insurance at night.