I wanted to tell you that I have been reading your stories, and have been enjoying them. I have been reading, "Epistolary" lately, and I have to tell you that it has been so moving! I am all teared up now, just thinking about it.

What a beautiful story. And how you've wrote it, it sounds like this must have really happened. I'll tell you, I was so moved by it that, tonight, I wrote a letter to a friend that I haven't talked to in a long time, that poured out his heart to me in letters, and I never took him seriously.

Your story inspired me to reconsider our relationship...

I first discovered your website several years ago, possibly in the mid-nineties, and just came across it again. At that time I downloaded seven of your stories, printed them, punched the needed holes and put them into notebooks. As I would finish reading one story, I would put it back up on the shelf and start the next.

As I said, early on I downloaded and printed seven of your short stories and reading them helped me in the learning-about-myself process. Then as my life got busier -- don't ever let them tell you that after retirement you will have time to do many of the things you have been unable to get to before while you were working, I have been busier since I retired than I was while I was working, it is just that I have been doing things that I like to do, not so much that I have to do.

It is only in the last two weeks that I have re-discovered your website and downloaded an additional story. I just finished reading Epistolary this morning after having briefly reviewed some portions of the stories I had previously printed out. When I obtained from you the password information to be able to download this new story, you asked for feedback. I was very negligent about feedback those several years ago when I first started reading your work, but I resolved to correct that oversight this time. So here goes, please be sitting down and perhaps even a good stiff shot might help:

I am in love with the story line and the two principal characters involved. As a person who has hidden in the "straight" world in his life, I can well sympathize with the two differing attitudes of the characters. I have met people like them in my life. And the gradual process of realization and "coming out" or, in this case coming to grips with his buried Id that Federico goes through in the story.

I do have one type of problem with the story however. I don't know whether this problem stems from the original manuscript (which I assume was written in Italian), in the translation into English or in the "editing" of the English text, but the language, at best, is stilted and too formal. Especially after the two characters get to know one another better and their business relationship changes into a more personal and intimate one.

These two people are young, living in the contemporary world and I do not believe that even in Italy with its veneer of Old World conservatism, would casual writing -- a personal letter with sexual overtones for example, be that formal. Many times the selection of a formal "dictionary" word, instead of, not a slang term, but a more casual word, interrupts the flow of the writing to one who is a native English speaker. And I am not even concerned with the Continental English words (as opposed to American usage). Am I wrong in saying that to be so formal in letters exchanged between young men (who have had a blossoming sexual relationship) interrupts the characterization?

Another point, as long as I am dumping on you; I might as well get it over with all at once! Federico and Sebastiano are both artistic types, but only in a very few cases do either of them wax poetic about some scene of another. Federico does when he is describing the scene with the shepherd boy he saw in Greece, and the description of the view of the rooftops and chimney caps of Rome seen from the apartment window is truly what an artist might see. But these incidents are rare and even when the two of them are speaking about their relationship in the later letters; the commentary is almost medical/academic. Do not either of these two have a romantic soul? I think that surely Sebastiano must have some poetry in his.

Okay, now that I have completely destroyed the story, please be aware that my comments are strictly my own opinions and surely are no reflection on your writing. They are merely some stylistic modifications that might make the story flow more easily in English.

Now, an order to you! Of course, you must stand at attention and click you heels at this time! Get busy in translating your latest stories into English! I am eagerly awaiting the reading of your later work and am even willing to edit some of it if it is necessary to have that privilege. You have so helped me in resolving the mental conflict I have had in my life what with the being in- and out- of the closet that I have become addicted to your writing. Just because you now consider yourself an old man, hell I believe I am at least five years older than you are. And even I have a young boyfriend (well, he is fifty-seven, that makes him young to me). We are still chasing each other around the bedroom, but I guess that is too much information!

Best wishes to you and to Matt, and ciao,

I have read Epistolary and The Eight Books of the Golden Collar. Another two wonderful stories.

hope u two are doin good!
i've read 4 of andrej's works,
epistolary, happy christmas neil and norman, dear eugenio and infamous trade, the first three i've read too many times i lost count already. loved em, especially epistolary.

BIG thanks for sharing ur works man, same goes for the translator, kudos to ya both!

I just read Epistolary & The Puppets' Theatre again last week. The lessons & wisdom in The Puppets' Theatre are Precious.

Take care of yourself Andrej. All of your romantic adventures have happy endings.

I want your love to have a happy ending too.

i've read a few of your stories, the english ones and man, you're a writer worthy of praise. something just crossed my mind, perhaps you could have been a lot more famous if you had lived alongside oscar wilde, robert ross and alfred douglas, [......hmmmn what literary pieces would you have written....] though i doubt if you'd trade the experiences and treasured times you had and still have now

these are the stories i like most
1. epistolary ----- this one's really cool
2. happy christmas, neil and norman ---- i like the part here where norman provoked neil, norman's leaving neil's apartment and norman's apologising to neil the next night
3. dear eugenio
4. the puppet's theater

i'm 21yrs old. i have no knowledge regarding the italian language, so i can only hope that a lot of people will come to aid you to translate the rest of your stories in english.

hey andrej, keep it up!
happiness to both you and matt!!

You have made me wonder is I, being gay identified, could fall in love with a woman if the right one came along. I'm not sure if that's possible, but sometimes it seems so.

The story "Happy Christmas" is special to me because I have always fantasised about taking a younger man 'under my wing' as it were, and both of us falling in love and becoming equal partners. I like the story and think it will appeal to romantics like myself.

There are stories of yours that I prefer (Epistolary, Boy San, and the story about the puppets). But that is because they appeal to me in a special way.

I finished reading Epistolary as 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.

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 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 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

I read The Black Clover...
You are a man who seems to have so much love in his heart and soul.
If you have a lover he is a very exceptional person indeed.

Then, The Star's Shadow...
This was fantastic! Vous etes tres fantastique!

I think I am i love with a man I have never met, but who's spirit if it is as pure as the things he writes can take me anywhere and does.

I hope you don't mind but I have to ask, are either you or your lover present or passed handicapped... you protray these parts so well.

Again I have been moved to tears reading Epistolary. I have had to start keeping a box of kleenex next to the computer you write so beautifully.

Thanks again

I have read most of what you have thus far translated into English. I appreciate your creative stories and feel you are a true romantic.

In fact, my only relationship was much like Epistolary, only unfortunately, played in reverse. But reading it made me remember some good times and brought a smile to my face.

After reading the "King of Sitges" I read "Puppets' Theater" and then "Epistolary."

I enjoyed the Puppets' Theater for its interesting plot twist as the interaction of the characters became apparent.

I enjoyed "Epistolary" less. But the reason is because I really got into the story and wanted to slap the guys into a sense of reality. But then, that level of emotional involvement is precisely what an author wishes to achieve, isn't it? Sebastiano is a real prick. So maybe I should not say I enjoyed "Epistolary" less, lets say I got pissed off at the fuckheads! So, Good JOB!!!

I wish you the best and I shall continue reading your stories (in English) as I have the opportunity.

Well I'm a new a reader of your story. I found out that your style of writing is different from the other writers. Eventhough I' m not a writer myself, but I after reading many stories from different authors, I would say that your writing potray your professional experiences.

I haven't finished reading the story but I'm just so eager to tell you how much I like your styles.

See ya soon and I would write more after reading the other parts of story Epistolary.

Good luck ...e all the best.

Ibrahim

Having now read the whole of Epistolary, may I compliment you on it; I found it utterly spell-binding and quite beautiful! I stayed up till the small hours of the morning to finish reading it, I simply couldn't stop until the end. I really felt I knew the characters, and what's more, I CARED about them. I also found so many of the things they said were very close to my own heart; indeed, there are so many parallels between the situation of Federico and Sebastiano and my own that at times I felt too close to them for comfort, and I have to tell you, I cried lots of times! I very much liked some of the early comments about a man in his surroundings, and how that was a way of expressing more of oneself.There are so many other things I liked, I couldn't possibly remember or mention them all.

Never before have I been so engrossed in anything I read from the Internet, and indeed, few books have ever moved me as much.

Ciao !

I just read your story Epistolary - well, the start of it actually, since I was so excited I wanted to write to you straight away.

I really love your style, and the refreshingly different format of your story. I can't wait till I have enough time to read all the rest of it!

Yours most sincerely

Micah

Enjoyed "Epistolary" -- charming, old-fashioned, very sweet. Thanks for writing and sharing it.

Cheers,

I liked your latest story "Epistolary"... it was quite a departure, but still very effective....

This story is unlike anything else you've written...and it's so compelling that I think that although it describes two straight/gay men, it is universal...and that is one of the best points of your writing and why I love to read it...

I hope to see your other stories up soon... and I hope that them also will get a very good response!

Wonderfully done!

I think you have done a fine job on "Epistolary", Andrej. When I started to read it, I was not sure about how it was going, but I became fascinated with the development of the characters, especially that of Sebastiano.

And the letter angle is quite cleverly done. It lets the characters write the story!

Love,