Comments on: The Lies We Tell The Children, That We Don’t Know Are Lies

By: Nicolas Papaconstantinou

Nicolas Papaconstantinou — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:14:00 +0000

Glad you liked it, Rivka…

The answer to all of your questions about the story are, as always, yes. Or no. It depends. ;)

By: Rivka Jacobs

Rivka Jacobs — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 00:26:29 +0000

An amazing and eerie story, to me. The way you’ve chosen to tell it, leaves me with the impression that there is a touch of urban fantasy involved, regarding the 12-year-old son. He almost seemed like a “Midwich Cuckoo” moving from a place far in advance of these human tragedies, back to being a little boy. Almost like he is something else, someone else, in a 12-year-old’s body.

Very subtle — which I like — was her own emotional internal conflict holding her to the chair, or something else? I very much like it when the psychological is as viable an explanation as the supernatural. Too few writers manage this these days, preferring either the total horror or creep-factor or a deliberately manipulative “gotcha” or trick.

As Andrew says, indeed, very chilling in the subtle and ambiguous way the mother and son are interacting.

By: Nicolas Papaconstantinou

Nicolas Papaconstantinou — Sat, 14 Nov 2009 17:38:40 +0000

Thanks, sir… was quite happy with the pace at the end, but wasn’t sure if the content was strong enough…

There are a LOT of commas in that first paragraph, huh?

By: Andrew Cheverton

Andrew Cheverton — Fri, 13 Nov 2009 16:57:34 +0000

A lovely shift from your ‘usual’ prose style, as long as you make sure to leave me some commas to use later. ;o)

The cascade of revelations towards the end is brilliantly managed, too. Chilling, in fact.