Thanks Jim! I’m already thinking of ideas for next week. A lot of times though a story hits me out of nowhere. This week was one of those times. We will see what next week brings!
Thank you so much Kristin! I’m so glad you took the time to read it and that you enjoyed it. I write in the genre of crime fiction/mystery but I really just write about people. I love thinking about what motivates people and how they react to situations. It fascinates me. Thanks for spending some time with Dale.
Me too! That’s why I write it. I’m a fan first. I hope you’ll check out more of my stories! I also wrote a mystery novel, The Killer Chorus. Would love to hear what you think!
Thanks Lyndsey! I’ve always been fascinated by vigilantes and what motivates them. Sometimes their motivations are less altruistic - but that wasn’t the story I was writing. Thank you for reading it!
I was traveling recently and I saw a sign in the men’s room about watching for signs of human trafficking and I misted up. The fact that we have to put signs in a men’s room was lightly devastating to me. My fellow men can really be brutally evil. But some of us aren’t.
That's awful, isn't it. I mean, I guess a men's room is a good place for such a sign, but I'd like to hope most men would feel upset at the thought of it. I think you really did a great job with this story of conveying the horror without being prurient or creepy.
Thank you so much. I tried hard not to be exploitative without just writing a lecture on how terrible it is. I was trying to thread the needle between entertaining and informing. Dales motivation was a question because I feel like - for women especially - men’s motivations are always are. However there is some good and some men are willing to try and stop sexual violence against women. Maybe not the norm but still there. Not enough to overwhelm the tide unfortunately but perhaps a glimmer of hope in the presence of allies. Even if they are too few.
But yeah it was just the sort of casual idea of “well I guess we should put up a sign” that kind of wrecked me. In a men’s room in an airport. Because that’s a good place to put it. Because people might see girls trafficked there. Because evil. Mercy.
I think of course some men will always step up. That's important to remember. And when they do, they should be noticed and praised because we want to encourage a culture where more men step up and where it's seen as more manly to defend women and girls than it is to harm them. I appreciate your story also for opening that potential conversation.
A while back I wrote a story called Cat World, which is about child trafficking. Totally different setting and style. But definitely very emotional to write!
Great storytelling Jack. Really enjoyed this one and looking forward to the next already. - Jim
Thanks Jim! I’m already thinking of ideas for next week. A lot of times though a story hits me out of nowhere. This week was one of those times. We will see what next week brings!
This is a great story! I enjoyed it. Thank you.
https://a.co/d/2iBpxE0
Thank you so much Kristin! I’m so glad you took the time to read it and that you enjoyed it. I write in the genre of crime fiction/mystery but I really just write about people. I love thinking about what motivates people and how they react to situations. It fascinates me. Thanks for spending some time with Dale.
I absolutely love crime stories, especially mysteries and psychological thrillers.
See if that worked!
It worked. Thank you!
Me too! That’s why I write it. I’m a fan first. I hope you’ll check out more of my stories! I also wrote a mystery novel, The Killer Chorus. Would love to hear what you think!
Can I have the link to The Killer Chorus?
Beautiful story, Jack. We all need a hero.
Thanks Lyndsey! I’ve always been fascinated by vigilantes and what motivates them. Sometimes their motivations are less altruistic - but that wasn’t the story I was writing. Thank you for reading it!
I’m all about a vigilante story.
Jack, bloody hell. This scared me and made me cry.
Thanks - and yeah sorry the twist was a bit of a ride. I’m glad you stuck it out until the end.
I trust you as a writer! Also I did suspect that not all was as it seemed. Did not expect to be so moved, though.
I was traveling recently and I saw a sign in the men’s room about watching for signs of human trafficking and I misted up. The fact that we have to put signs in a men’s room was lightly devastating to me. My fellow men can really be brutally evil. But some of us aren’t.
That's awful, isn't it. I mean, I guess a men's room is a good place for such a sign, but I'd like to hope most men would feel upset at the thought of it. I think you really did a great job with this story of conveying the horror without being prurient or creepy.
Thank you so much. I tried hard not to be exploitative without just writing a lecture on how terrible it is. I was trying to thread the needle between entertaining and informing. Dales motivation was a question because I feel like - for women especially - men’s motivations are always are. However there is some good and some men are willing to try and stop sexual violence against women. Maybe not the norm but still there. Not enough to overwhelm the tide unfortunately but perhaps a glimmer of hope in the presence of allies. Even if they are too few.
But yeah it was just the sort of casual idea of “well I guess we should put up a sign” that kind of wrecked me. In a men’s room in an airport. Because that’s a good place to put it. Because people might see girls trafficked there. Because evil. Mercy.
I think of course some men will always step up. That's important to remember. And when they do, they should be noticed and praised because we want to encourage a culture where more men step up and where it's seen as more manly to defend women and girls than it is to harm them. I appreciate your story also for opening that potential conversation.
A while back I wrote a story called Cat World, which is about child trafficking. Totally different setting and style. But definitely very emotional to write!