Graeme [Graeme] Leopard Skin Cover

[Graeme]

UPDATE: Please do not vote in the poll after you've read chapter 14. There's not really a lot of point voting after most of the candidates are eliminated

 

Now that the second chapter of my new novel is online, I thought it was about time to create a poll to gather opinions as to which player is gay. I've configured the poll to allow multiple selections, so if you've got a top two or three, you can select all of your choices as possibly gay.

 

The answer to the question will be revealed in the last chapter of the story, but I think it'll be interesting to view how opinions change over the course of the story. I believe the polling software allows you to change your votes so don't feel you have to wait before expressing an opinion.

 

The story will post a chapter a week until the conclusion.

 

[sharedmedia=stories:stories:3987]

Edited June 30, 2015 by Myr

[Trebs]

Love this story, and although I've long heard about Aussie Rules Football, I didn't really pay it a lot of attention.  So, in reading and seeing terms that I'd not really seen before, like "ruck", I did a little google/wikipedia searching.

 

OMG!!!  Why the heck didn't you people TELL us about this sport earlier?!?  I mean, players that are built a bit like US Football, but wearing soccer like uniforms.  Here is what I mean:

 

Yum - I mean...  um, how professional looking  

 

Regardless, as a fan of Graeme's other works, including Heart of the Tree and Price of Friendship, I would have read this even if the subject matter weren't so dreamy.

 

[Sammy Blue]

Really looking forward to reading more!

I wonder who will be correct! It's a shame not more people have voted on this poll, I wonder what others think!

 

You should have linked it on your last chapter in the chapter end note.

 

Sammy

[Graeme]

Thanks, Sammy. I'll include the link with my next chapter. The next chapter will post a little early because I'm going to be away next week and won't be able to post it at the normal time. I tried to schedule the last chapter to post at the required time, but I did something wrong. I got the chapter posted, but it didn't appear on the recent update list, so I want to do the next one manually

[Sammy Blue]

Yeah, I know that problem, it seems like that function is broken. :S

Looking forward to it!

[Graeme]

The function works sometimes -- that's how I posted all of Heart of The Tree. I've been told it has problems if you then go back and edit the chapter, which may be what happened. Anyway, since I'm not going to be around to force the chapter to publish if it doesn't go up on schedule, I'm posting the next chapter on my Sunday instead of my Tuesday.

[Rndmrunner]

I'm enjoying the start of the story. Its a difficult setting with so many characters but they are coming to life as individuals - a tougher feat when you are posting serially and instalments come weekly. The team camaraderie is a great element to build the story upon. It also creates more varied conflict potential re a player coming out as supportive friend s can feel hurt that they were not trusted and others need to accommodate having a gay teammate. I am looking forward to the next chapter.

[Guest]

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Edited January 21, 2021 by Guest

[Graeme]

Chapter 4 is now available!

[Rndmrunner]

Really interesting story. It is still difficult to tell the characters apart with so many in play (8 main players plus coaches and management). Great start though. I like the different threads (Ty's maturity, the gay theme, Julie and Tony's integration into the team). Can't wait for the next chapter.

[Graeme]

Thank you! I know it's a lot of characters, but hopefully their individual personalities will come through quickly. It's a complex situation, with lots of things going on, as you've pointed out. Fingers crossed that I can make everything clear enough

[Trebs]

With the players, I've found it easier to think about the 11 main players in the groupings of the three houses that they live in.  Yes, there is quite a bit of inter-house interaction, especially between the younger players or during practices but so far that seems to be minor compared to what happens in each of the three houses, so when I run across a name I haven't seen in a bit, it's like "Oh ya, he lives with X,  Y and Z".

[Dr. John NYC]

So, although I'm sticking -- so far -- with my original choice (it seemed from the initial read that Paul was clearly gay but I guess I missed something that I didn't find from my quick look back), is there anything that has happened so far that only one player is gay?

 

Certainly makes me read differently thinking about the poll, but it's still fun with all the different story lines!

 

Thanks, Graeme!

[Graeme]

It is certainly possible that more than one of the listed players is gay The poll allows you to select more than one person, if you like....

[Graeme]

Just in case anyone is interested, the AFL season has kicked off and the AFL website now has lots of photos and videos of the games.

[Timothy M.]

OK I've cast my vote for Paul, Ty and Charlie. I'm sure it'll be wrong, but that's part of the fun. Although I was a bit upset to read that you plan to reveal the truth in the LAST chapter. I want to see 'Ken' be happy with Tony after he finally comes out, so please plan for a couple of extra chapters, or at least an epilogue.

[Trebs]

From past stories, Graeme has a tendency to set up a conflict up early in his stories, and then once that conflict is remedied, stop the story, allowing the reader to decide on their own what happens next.

 

For example, Heart of the Tree

Starts with the tree dying and moves toward trying to save the tree

 

 

or New Brother

Deals with David/Stick reacting badly to Adam/Ads and losing Adam's friendship

 

 

So... um, just fair warning from someone used to Graeme's stories (and love every one of them)

 

:-)

 

[Graeme]

Okay, for the record, I've started work on the sequel I will not promise that the sequel will see the light of the day, but I'm just finishing a first draft of chapter 2 today. Once I get to chapter 5, I'll know if the sequel has enough momentum to continue to the end. That's when I'll probably start the editing process.

 

I have a policy (now) that I won't start posting a story unless I'm sure I'll complete it. That's why I want to be well into a story before I consider posting it online.

[wildone]

Damn you Graeme

 

As always being a very appreciative reader of yours, I also know of your little tricks of writing I still remember my public humiliation of totally guessing wrong a plot point in Heart of the Tree (okay, only I was humiliated to myself, but still ).

 

So when I saw this one posting I hesitated before started reading. Something about the way you write that makes us question our opinions of your characters is infuriating, yet very rewarding at the same time (hug).

 

Now that I'm all caught up, I made some guesses, but I know I'm wrong on one of them already, yet...am I wrong? LOL. You are good at this.

 

I won't be changing my picks, but will definitely going back to it at the end.

 

I was even thinking maybe it was maybe Peter or Will, but you have mentioned in the first person, that they are a player. So that eliminates them. Maybe Julie, I wouldn't put it past you

[Graeme]

LOL -- I'll take that as a compliment

 

I was even thinking maybe it was maybe Peter or Will, but you have mentioned in the first person, that they are a player. So that eliminates them. Maybe Julie, I wouldn't put it past you

Actually, I had one early reader make an almost identical comment, only eliminating Julie as a suspect when the narration clearly said 'he'. To confuse them further, I had a typo in the original draft and referred to her as "Paul's brother", fuelling the speculation That typo's been fixed

[Timothy M.]

From past stories, Graeme has a tendency to set up a conflict up early in his stories, and then once that conflict is remedied, stop the story, allowing the reader to decide on their own what happens next.

 

I know, I know - I've been leaving frustrated comments about that on almost every story Graeme has written

 

The Price of Friendship was one that had me tearing my hair out when I saw the Completed tag

 

So this time I thought I'd get my complaint in early - and look: it worked. He's already writing a sequel  

[Graeme]

After a suggestion from MikeL, I've gone searching on YouTube and found the following highlight's from the opening game of this season's VFL competition. This will give you an idea of the game, as well as an indication of how popular it is (check out the size of the crowd watching). The scenery is also pretty nice:

 

And for those wanting to know what a 'mark' is, this clip shows quite a decent mark, plus a more typical mark as part of 'goal of the day'.

 

That game featured the Box Hill Hawks who appear in the story. They were last season's premiers.

[Guest]

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Edited January 21, 2021 by Guest

[Cole Matthews]

I refuse to guess. I'm enjoying the ride. Big fan of the story so I don't want it to end. *stubbornly stamps foot*

[Graeme]

Sadly, all stories must end at some point. I'm aiming for more closure than I had with The Price of Friendship while, I'll admit, left too many loose ends. As I've said above, I'm working on the sequel (my first sequel) at the moment, so hopefully not too long after Leopard Skin Cover finishes the new story will start posting.