Thank you for the id and password to access your library. I have just finished reading your 'nunc nimittis'. I found it most pleasurable, one could almost believe it to be autobiographical, but it clearly is not. Nevertheless it read as an authentic account of true happenings. As my introduction to your stories, it could not have been better

Kind regards

I wish to express my sincere thanks for your generosity in sharing your stories with us, your readers. I have enjoyed several of your fine stories, but "Nunc Dimitis" is extraordinary. The struggles the youth goes though, especially with his faith are so realistic and believable as to be autobiographical. Your word pictures are superb. In this story I did not notice any grammatical errors.

I come from a deeply Christian family, with unusually good parents. I majored in Biblical Studies both in college and grad school. I wrote many term papers for those classes. I appreciate good writing. I was strong in research, but never approached your writing skills. Since I am reading your stories you can deduce that I have struggled with some of the same issues as Andre in this story. I am very thankful that our Lord is loving and full of grace, and not salvation by my own works. I understand the Bible to be God’s Word, and He does NOT make mistakes. The same cannot be said of humans. The leaders of the Roman Catholic and other Churches have made obvious blunders over the centuries, hardly infallible, but often arrogant. Some are truly loving and sincere.

Again I want to convey my thanks to you for your sharing of your time and talents as a bard.

I've read some more stories... I'm impressed with the quality of your writing. It's hard to stop reading once you start. You certainly know how to keep your readers interested.

Nunc Dimitis - That was a great story. Very moving... I wept a lot. The beginning was punctuated with good humour as young Andrea learns that sex and religion don't mix very well. A lot could be said about that... This is the main reason why I'm very spiritual but not very religious. I found the death of Benjamin very tragic and sad. It was the same every time a relationship ended. Again, this story is very romantic. To this day, this is the best story I've read from you.

Thank you Andrej for sharing your stories. I wish you all the best and a lot of love.

Warm regards,

I just had to take a break between stories to write and tell you how much I am enjoying your stories and your wonderful website!

I have read "Nunc Dimitis", "The Black Clover", "Snotboy" and "Toyboy" and have enjoyed each of them. I appreciate the time and effort to not only create these great stories but to translate them so more of us could enjoy them. The stories I have already read prove that have a great talent as a story teller and I am enjoying being allowed to be carried away within the adventures.

I came across "Goldfinch" listed at the Best of Nifty website and was hooked. I have to agree with the webmasters of Best of Nifty , it was a great story.

I thoroughly enjoyed it and then had to go to your website and get my password so I could continue the adventures.

Just finished reading Nunc Dimittis. Loved it. Mirrors much of my own life. Enjoyed the real plot line with enough eroticism without being just another porn story. Almost cried a couple of times. I've had some short term affairs and now am with a wonderful man 19 years my junior. We've been together for 12 years. Story brought to consciousness the fact that even being so much younger, I might survive him. That was a shocker and a real twist of plot. Thank you so much and keep writing. I'll be keeping reading.

Your brilliant erotic stories on the website have held my interest for weeks now.

I first read "Nunc Dimittis", a wonderful novel with well-drawn characters and some of the best male erotic writing I've read anywhere. The naturalness with which you approach the protagonist's, Andrea's, homosexual nature is truly inspiring, like nothing I've ever read before.

I am amazed at the English translation because it's fully correct yet retains some of the beautiful cadence of the Italian language.

Andrej, it seems to me that you have much in common with George Quaintance. He expressed his sexuality by visual means in his appealing paintings. You have done the same thing in writing - treating the homosexual experience as natural and beautiful with little regard for society's condemnations.

The ultimate test of male erotic writing is does it give you a hardon. Your stories most certainly do! But beyond that you have instilled the sexual with a spiritual and romantic beauty that I've read nowhere else. Your style is unique - clear, straightforward and honest, but rich in heart-felt humanity. It is far above the pornographic. It's true erotica.

I'm recommending your website and your stories to all my gay and bisexual male friends.

Sincerely,

I have just finished reading your novel, "Nunc Dimittis." It's wonderful. Your style is highly readable, an amazing quality for being translated from Italian. The book is touching, filled with genuine emotion and evocative of their time and place. It's a work of art which should be in print and bringing its author the proper rewards.

I can't wait to continue reading your stories. It's a pleasure. As an editor, I often spot errors in on-line writing. However, what I have read so far is almost free of mistakes in spelling, grammar or usage. I also like the large type which is appropriate for Internet reading.

Excellent job!

Sincerely,

I would like to thank you for the pleasure you have giving me while reading these beautiful stories.

I am 53 years old and alone. I have been unfortunate in love as I have never been able to find somebody that I can love who also loves me. Partly, because in my younger days it was impossible to be open about my true inclination and later in life, though most of my friends now know I am gay, I still live an almost completly straight life style.

Your stories have awakened my desire for true love and though it is probally too late for me, I intend to try harder to find someone with whom I can share at least my later years. How, I don't know but I must try before it really is too late.

I hope your younger readers think hard about what true love really is, as depicted by your stories, and the pleasure to be gained from it. Perhaps then they won't end up old and lonely with many sexual conquests behind them but never having really experienced love.

Yours

I've been reading all your stories now. one after the other. thank you so much for providing us with such beautiful stories, am in shelve #4 now, reading all those with english translation ... am so fascinated with "goldfinch", "nunc dimittis", "the puppets theater" & so were the others.

more power to you & God Bless!

I have become completely impressed not only by the prose, but also by the elegance and ease by which this particular story, Nunc Dimittis, has been written.
Please inform me if you have been able to write this story in collaboration with another author or were you able to present it all by your self?
I found the narrative to be completely believable and original. I sincerely hope that you will be able to continue in the same way throughout your life.
Thank You very much for a wonderable story.

You are writing with very much feeling and love in you heart. It seems that could be the story of your own life. I will be reading more of your story and hope that you continue to write.

Sincerely and with love,

Kind regards

Funny how small this world is, hm? (And don't say you don't remember me!) I read the first chapter of Nunc Dimittis. You know, I really liked it. Poor little boy, fighting nature... I thought I'd write you about it, since you so specifically asked everyone to do so...

The only problem with your stories is, they're all so darn long! I really wish I had more time to read them, but I rarely get any further than the first chapter.
:)
(I must say, you're output is amazing. How long have you been writing all these stories? Because there's a whole lot of them too. And how long (for instance) did you take to write Nunc Dimittis, without the translation? I can take a whole week for only 1000 words. shakes head. You must tell me how you do it.
:)

His Foot in too many Shoes is a quite fascinating story, I cannot wait to read the later parts to find out the true love of "Dad." I must say that the story intrigues me more and more. "Dad" fell in love with Orlando, how beautiful, but what will happen then? No, don't tell me, I want to read it. I felt strongly for Dad, and a lot things that he said and felt really touched me. Maybe it is because I am married and trying to live the "straight" life now as "Dad" did. And since you have been married before, I have a feeling that you had very similar experiences as "Dad" did as well.

I finished reading Epistolaryas well, and it just took my breath away. It moved me to tears and then it also awakened me and liberated me. You are such a masterful writer, your characters are so vivid and so real, and yet their backgrounds are so diverse. I also liked your writing style, so good and beautiful. Yet each one of your stories is told in a unique way, none of them is quite the same. How did you do it, dear Andrej? I have downloaded all your stories and plan to read them all. Your work is a real treasure, no doubt about it.

I can tell without a doubt that you are man of humanity. Your life experiences and your wisdom enlightened me and I admire you more as I read more of your stories.

Yours,
Matt

I am just about half way through your story Nunc Dimittis and I am enjoying it very much. It sounds autobiographical. It is certainly historical. I was born a bit later in 1935, but I do identify with much of what you have written. It is tastefully written and translated and I am enjoying it very much. I may touch base with you again when I finish the story.

I come from a strong religious background (although Protestant not Catholic) and can easily identify with the early conflicts you describe between sexual orientation and religious belief. I've thrown out more than one collection of male books/mags over the years vowing never to buy another. Of course I always did.

Thanks for sharing your story.

I very much like your plots and storytelling, and generally find you paint the characters quite well; I certainly end up caring about what happens to them, and that degree of involvement is rare for me, especially in Web fiction!

Yours are the only stories that have ever moved me to tears! Generally, your pacing is good, I have only found a very few places where I sensed perhaps a slight unevenness.

I have to say that I found the erotic parts in "Nunc Dimittis" work less well for me; at most, I find them mildly titillating, and at worst, a faintly embarrassing and rather unwelcome interruption to the story.

I'm afraid, though, that this says more about my sexual preferences than about your story-telling; I find that for me to get turned on by words, they need to have a fairly limited range of vocabulary, mainly centred around 'talking dirty'. The slightly coy and rather quaintly euphemistic way you describe the sex scenes does little for me personally, other than sometimes to leave me with a faint air of embarrassment - almost as if you were trying to describe the scene to me, but were yourself too embarrassed to do so other than indirectly.

Having understood Andrea's character, that is perhaps to some extent appropriate in any case. I also find that the rhythm of the 'sexy bits' is a bit too slow for me; there is no kind of progressive buildup to an eventual climax, but rather, the sexual impetus drops off in between bits, if you see what I mean? But I guess all this means is that I am already conditioned to the "wham, bam, thank'ee Ma'm!" American style of erotic fiction.

However, overall, I have really enjoyed the things I have read of yours, and I simply love your stories.

Love and hugs

I will tell you that it is rare that I read stories because I find myself analyzing them, and I lose the magic (it's the same when I see a movie or go to the theater. Sad, but that's what happens...)

However, in your case, I found myself drawn in, and, if I may, I would like to download these treasures and savour them at length. Since they are translated, I am certain that they are more poignant in the original.

I read only 4 of your stories: Nunc dimittis, Cardellino, Il giocattolo del Boss, and Epistolario.

I found myself able to understand, but I am trying not to translate in my mind, and this makes the reading a task at present. However, and still, I found myself totally drawn in. You are a marvellous storyteller!

Now here's the truth: every summer, I go on a one-writer binge... I get everything s/he wrote, and I spend my time immersing myself into his/her world. So: I did not have such a project yet, and now, it is you (and, of course, reviving my knowledge della sua lingua).

With respect

Peace with smiles! I first read your "Priest, forever", and since I am a Catholic, it "suited" me, and I enjoyed it very much -- especially the excellent ending. Then I read your "Life begins at 25", which I also found to be excellent -- I have several friends who work with the handicapped, and I only wish I could share it with them, but I cannot (what would a nun think!?!). I have started your "Nunc Dimittis" (of course, the title caught my eye, since I am a former Latin teacher).

I have also visited your web site, and particularly wish to congratulate you for your Memorial Hall -- helps me to reinvigorate my praying. I often pray to that martyr of ours, Matthew Shephard.

Take good care of yourself.

Ciao, with brotherly affection,

My name is Allan and I writing to u in connection with your story "Nunc Dimittis", which I have read with much interest. You have written a very good story, but I am wondering is it true??

I would love to have the other Chapters so that I can know what happened to Andrew Nike and his many adventures. I was really saddened by the death of both Michel and Benjamin!!!

Thank you so very much for sharing your wonderful talent with other. Pax vobiscum,

It is my firm oppinion - although not very likely to happen - that you should be nominated for Nobel prize for your Nunc Dimittis- stories. I have read plenty of stories in Nifty archives, but never have come across text with such sensitivity and artistic quality as your work. It is truely Literature with capital L.

I have been to Italy, I am extremely fond of Italian culture and mentality, maybe that's why it is so pleasurable and easy for me to relate to your vision and material.

Thank you very much for the hours of joy you have given me, hoping to find more of your works in the net in the future.

I haven't read ALL your stories, but what I did read has impressed me because it is obvious that you have taken the time and effort to research the times and places where your stories take place. I was a history major in college, so accuracy is very important to me. In your story "Nunc Dimittis" the only mistake I spotted was that Germany, not Russia, invaded Norway.

You also indicated you are looking for help in translating your stories into "Good" English form, and I think I might be able to help you there. I of course do not understand more than about two words of Italian, but I do think I would be able to help "polish" or "refine" your rough English translations.

Thanks very much,

On the eve of WWII, a reporter of British citizenry but Italian descent has an affair with a young British Lord whose family owns the London Times newspaper. Real life intrudes, and the two find themselves serving in the Royal Navy on the same ship. This chapter was an excerpt from a longer novel available on the author's web site.

Like "Jungle Ecstasy" this story was written by a non-English speaker (Italian, in this case) but the translation was accomplished much more smoothly. I could see the story working very well as a PBS drama, a sort of gay historical drama/romance taking place against the political background of occupied Europe. It sounds like the author is writing from firsthand experience, in the sense of living through the era... such as the revelation that priests and nuns piloted boats to participate in the evacuation of Dunkirk. Interesting stuff, with or without the romance.

I have never written anyone before about a story I have read, tho, I have only read the first six chapters of Nunc Dimittis, I can truly say I am moved. If this story is true (and I hope it is), then I envy you. Envy not from the sex, but from the love. I believe that all people need to express true love, that love that only comes from the soul no matter the partner or preference.

In only one respect did my life parellel yours (in the story), I listened to the padre, and covered and controlled my desires to fit what society demanded. To this day I regret that decision, but through time and age I have been resigned to the fact that I will always be Uncle Chris, or the only family relative to arrive at a party single. This is not a cry, it is only a soft moan for time and love missed.

Sorry to ramble on, but I just wanted to say thanks for the story, and I will try to find the rest either on your site or at the gaycafe library.
May peace be with you.

I just finished Chap 5 of Nunc Dimittis. I used up several kleenex. Great stuff! It strikes me as being what Noel Coward might have come up with if he could have written what he wanted to. I think to fit in with the period the characters should be reticent. Screaming Castro queens would be more than a little bit anachronistic. I am not one of those who thinks every gay story has to have at least 3 violent orgasms in the first paragraph.

regards-

Thank you again for your generous sharing of your stories.

I can tell you have a pleasant literary style.
Your story, and especially the story TELLING, is extremely enchanting. I feel that I am right inside little Andrea's head. Also, I can see in my mind's eye the scene of each vignette.

I am curious to know what the title Nunc Dimittis means, and why you didn't translate it. Is it Latin?

I hope to read the rest of this story VERY soon. It has captured my heart already, and so I am very anxious to see what happens and how Andrea's life goes.