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Into a Better Place by Riley Jericho


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Gods Riley... way to go to rip my heart out. It's only me who gets to do that. I suppose it's poetic justice now the shoe's on the other foot. That is one of the most.... stories I have ever read. You're awesome.

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This story upset me, but it held my attention and I read it. I believe that was the intention. I only hope others read it and apprecate the skill in writing the story.

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This story upset me, but it held my attention and I read it. I believe that was the intention. I only hope others read it and apprecate the skill in writing the story.

 

I agree ... but I found it to be a stretch for soul or a ghost to impart feeling and knowledge

 

Nice to see music in a story - nice to see the first story to have one on GA

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While I found parts of the story to be unnecessarily melodramatic (particularly the scenes involving the other boy), I still enjoyed the piece. The writing was of a good standard, as was the grammar and flow, and I didn't feel bored when reading. Actually, I thought it was very enthralling. Definitely a memorable piece of writing. You're certainly a writer to keep an eye on.

 

Good luck x

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This was a really compelling story, and the sadness wasn't overwhelming, even though it was very real. I liked the narrator's wry sense of humour, e.g.: 'It had killed me to write my last letter, but even then, that was only worth a B in the end.' Without it, the story might have been unbearably painful, but this way it was just right.

 

Looking forward to your future stories. :)

 

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  • Site Administrator

I read this when it was first submitted for the anthology and I remember the impact it had on me then. That's why it's taken me a while to re-read it so I could comment :) Riley, you said it was a tough story to write, but we really appreciate it that you did. I'll just note that one of my two sons has been bullied at school, though for completely different reasons (he was only eight at the time), so I can appreciate how helpless David could feel.

 

There's not much more I can say... Thanks, Riley! :hug:

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Guest The Nature Nut

That was a good story. I liked the use of song as well. Thanks, Riley, I enjoyed reading that.

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I just wanted to drop a note to say thanks for the comments left on this thread and also for the various emails sent as a response to this Anthology entry.

 

I remember asking Graham as to what might count for an entry - haivng never been involved before - and had been thinking about using something I'd already written. the something being "Essence of Eternity" which kind of fit the theme. Discovering that it needed to be something previously unpublished, I was going to just give it a miss when an idea grew our of nowhere. It was at the time when there had been a couple of threads in the Lounge on the issue of suicide, even one asking our community if anyone had personally contemplated it. Then I think somebody also dropped a note that they had "lost another one" - a reference to a guy who works in the social services environment in the states who had seen one of the teenagers he had been working with commit suicide.

 

Into a Better Place literally came together during one sleepless night and I wrote it down over the next couple of days.

 

You have no idea how hard it was to write and perhaps the writing touched me more than the reading may have done you, and I wept many times during its formation.

 

Perhaps some might say its a bit slushy and unreal, but I wrote it, as you found out by the end, from the perspective of a simple 13 year old boy, who's view of the world was uncomplex but full of personal reality.

 

The songs became meaningful as I wrote the story and they seem almost made for the tale which strove to weave together horrible reality with an almost "fairy tale" like view of death.

 

I find it incredibly difficult to know that so many of our young people become trapped between a rock and a hard place, much of which is not their own making, and often find no way out other than to end it all.

 

It still makes me weep.

 

Thank you for reading.

Riley

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Thank you for the great story about suicide! I would like to translate your story into german, because you have made in my eyes a very good impression about suicide. Please, let me know if it's possible to translate your story.

 

 

 

 

kind regards

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Wow - I put off reading this one as I suspected it would be sad but - wow! Riley, I've read your other stories, which I enjoy very much, but this is so different. What a talented author you are. I know just what you mean about a story coming to you in your sleep. That is exactly what happened to me with a few of my stories. It's amazing how a thought can emerge from your subconscious mind - something you'd have never considered when fully awake. I can't wait to see what else you come up with in the coming years.

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Of course, please go ahead - I'd be honoured. Just keep my author name and email with it. I'm glad you appreciated it Stix.

Riley

 

Thank you for the great story about suicide! I would like to translate your story into german, because you have made in my eyes a very good impression about suicide. Please, let me know if it's possible to translate your story.

 

 

 

 

kind regards

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Wow - I put off reading this one as I suspected it would be sad but - wow! Riley, I've read your other stories, which I enjoy very much, but this is so different. What a talented author you are. I know just what you mean about a story coming to you in your sleep. That is exactly what happened to me with a few of my stories. It's amazing how a thought can emerge from your subconscious mind - something you'd have never considered when fully awake. I can't wait to see what else you come up with in the coming years.

 

Thanks - actually the story came out of the blue and surprised even me! I agree it was sad, but I hope it left you with a good sadness by the end?

 

Your friend,

Riley

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Of course, please go ahead - I'd be honoured. Just keep my author name and email with it. I'm glad you appreciated it Stix.

Riley

 

 

 

thank you, i will translate it and put your name and e-mail address on too.

 

 

 

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Well done, Mr. Jericho.

 

Interesting perspective and quite an ending. Thought provoking.

 

I dare say one cannot write such a powerful piece about loneliness without first hand knowledge. I'm sorry for that - I've been there myself.

 

I would guess that there are many hugs waiting for you here from your readers. I shall take my place in that line.

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  • 2 weeks later...

Well done, Mr. Jericho.

 

Interesting perspective and quite an ending. Thought provoking.

 

I dare say one cannot write such a powerful piece about loneliness without first hand knowledge. I'm sorry for that - I've been there myself.

 

I would guess that there are many hugs waiting for you here from your readers. I shall take my place in that line.

 

Well - you're probably right.

And thanks for the hug!

Riley

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  • 6 months later...
  • 3 months later...

That was a powerful piece. Considering the subject you deserve kudos for writing it.

 

Thanks Camy. It was also quite painful to write though it fell onto the page without me hardly having to do anything. Glad it's still being found and read!

 

Riley

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  • 2 weeks later...

Riley - another amazing story. I always think about the saying that suicide is a permanent solution to a temporary problem. I can't say that I haven't thought about it myself, because I have. But I know how much it hurts people, and I also know that I'm always interested in what is going to happen next. I don't know what I believe any more - whether I believe that we hang around for awhile or if we are gone somewhere else immediately. I'm not even sure I believe in an afterlife, even though I am very involved in a great church.

 

Be all of that as it may be, thanks for a beautiful, heartfelt story. Keep up the good work.

 

Jon

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  • 2 months later...

Interesting to find a suicide theme in an anthology submission!

 

It was well written, a wee touch predictable at a couple of points, but the two other boys were just a masterstroke. I thought that showed a real compassion, and an insight that perhaps has much more ambivalence (in its proper sense) than intended.

 

Personally, having been there, I have to disagree with the main conclusion. But that's just differing opinions. Keep an eye for the forthcoming anthology for a contrary view, perhaps.

 

I'm not sure I believed the age of the main character. I'd have put him one or two years older. But who cares. The overall piece was really good, and definitely a very well spent half hour of anybody's life to engage with one of life's remaining taboos.

 

Thank you.

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