What is your opinion?
Popping Out of Pages!
"First and foremost, I have never been to Canada, but the way you've painted the place makes me think it's a beautiful and serene country. Okay, my thoughts about Stories, I was on the fence when I saw its genre was Erotica. But I was glad I got to read this. Why was I fussing about it? So what if it was? XD It is absolutely normal for married couples to be intimate, Jo! Anyway, I like realistic stories, shall we say. Stories dealing with mundane complications and pleasures; and delving into the situation of Mark and Monica about their troubles and their suppressed craving for each other have been such a great read. How they recreate what they write for the upcoming respite weekends, their only night for erotic escapades after three months of full parenting mode, is very clever and creative. I had to hide from everyone when reading the erotic scenes! 😆 I cringed a bit when there was some foot rubbing action. But it was alright, each to their own, I suppose. 😅 I tend to make jokes whenever I feel uncomfortable, and while reading the detailed lovemaking, I cracked jokes under my breath. Moving swiftly on, being a parent, in my opinion, is a fulfilling and lifelong job. I may not be a parent and have no idea how to raise a child, but I honestly feel sympathetic about their condition with their son, Kevin. It must be challenging. And reading this, hands down, I salute every parent out there for never neglecting their children and sticking by them through tough times. And I absolutely give you, Cameron, great praise for this cause it has made me feel unusual sensations about being a parent and what it must be like to be in marriage! I genuinely enjoyed Stories. Even though it made me uncomfortable at times due to the high intensity of their conflict and, you know…, sexual exchange, I really liked this book. Great job! 💖 "
Stories!
"Absolutely loved this short and sweet tale, or should I say, tales. I loved how there were two separate and very distinct stories happening simultaneously that complemented each other beautifully. Each serving as a respite from the other. They may be two very different stories, but they’re written in such a way that there is no room for misunderstanding. You know which story you’re reading each time you’re reading them. I appreciated the clarity that even though they are two very distinct stories, the reason for them is clearly defined in the book as a whole. I just want more of it! I would have loved for some of the scenes to be drawn out further. Don’t rush. They’re both amazing stories that are both heartbreaking and heartwarming at the same time. Well done, author. Bravo!"
Stories
"The title and cover are both great but maybe the title could have a little more spice? The intro and first few chapters were intriguing and interesting and I love how you’ve numbered the chapters with just the numbers so the readers don’t get any spoilers! At the start of chapter 2 I love how you describe Mark on his computer, very descriptive! Overall it’s such a great book and I would recommend it to anyone"
Great read!
"Overall a fantastic story! I adore your two plots that you have going on, with the real life setting and the more fantasy like vibes of the story Mark is writing to Monica. I like that you switch back and forth, that was a fun touch. I also like that you started with the story Mark is writing. After getting my bearings, I thought this was a really great move on your part. It created a fantastic hook and set up your book well. I think Mark and Monica’s story is very believable and felt pretty realistic for the most part. Even in their day to day life, I felt invested, so great job with immersion. I think where you shine the most is in your writing of the story Mark is writing to Monica. Those scenes were very well done, so massive props to you for that. Overall, I’m loving reading this! Great job!"
A Must-Read for Every Married Couple & Parent
"Cameron shares the third chapter from his much longer story, "Respite," in this short 12-chapter novella. Here we follow Mark's story as he navigates life as a father to an autistic son, and also as a husband, while trying to maintain a strong relationship with his wife. As a foreword to my review of the actual story, I need to express that every couple and every parent has problems, struggles, and fears, but the 'ordinary' issues that can oftentimes make us feel that our problems are the worst of the worst, pale in comparison to the real-life and everyday struggles posed by Cameron through Mark and his wife, Monica. This story is guaranteed to make you reevaluate your life and family if you don't know what it's like to have a child with this or other such disorders. Through this, it also excels in showcasing the strength that can be built between a couple DESPITE their struggles. Suddenly, those little things that drive you crazy about your kids or spouse don't seem so important anymore. If Mark and Monica can do it, and still love their son and each other at the end of the day, so can I... I highly recommend that EVERY married couple and/or parent read this story on that basis alone! Now for the story... To try to maintain a somewhat normal relationship, Mark and Monica plan a date night every so many months in which one presents a fictional romantic fantasy they've written as a story for the other. The reader follows Mark in his writing journey as he creates the most beautiful, sensual story for the woman he loves with all his heart and soul. Through a dual story format in alternating chapters (his real life, and that of his own fictional story), we truly get a sense of his feelings for his wife and how deep their love runs. Cameron takes us through extreme highs and lows as we experience Mark's worries and stress over their son and the relationship between he and his wife, then shows us the beauty of his love through exquisitely done love scenes. The sex perfectly enhances the story. The writing style really captured my interest, as it was very emotional, but not overly done. Topics were presented matter-of-factly, but scenes therein drove the facts and attached emotions home through dialogue and interactions. I may have spotted a couple of spelling errors, but otherwise, Cameron's technical skills are on-point! The only downfall, in my opinion, was that because this was only a snippet of her larger work ("Respite"), it ended a bit abruptly for a stand-alone. But, it did very much make me want to go out to Amazon and download "Respite" to continue my journey with Mark and Monica. <3 Thank you, Cameron, for this beautiful insight into the world of parenthood and marriage with an autistic child, and for sharing your lovely talent with us!"
Stories
""Stories" is a story about a young family whose child is on the spectrum. The parents, often at the end of their rope, write erotic stories for each other to reenact on their longed-for evenings together. Usually, I am not a fan of the erotic genre as many stories lack a good plot, if not almost all. However, in this case, Cameron Forrest completely knocked my socks off. "Stories" is honest, brave, and for me, truly a game-changer in this genre. I don't have a child on the spectrum, but I am a parent, and I could relate so well to many situations told in this story. Above all, Mark's honest assessment of his life, the unpalatable truth of how helpless partners, grandparents and the system often are, shows an honesty that many already know but now have found a confidant in a story which portrays these struggles in an unfiltered version. I admire the author for that. Does the story still need polishing? A little, yes, but those hiccups can easily be fixed with another round of editing. Most of the text has been beautifully realised, and I enjoyed every chapter and character; I felt their emotions and passions. And that I truly found wonderful."
One of the best on Inkitt!
"Very interesting concept, and what makes it even better is that it is VERY well done. I was hooked from the first chapter. Even the sex scenes are beautifully done. I mean this is a story that would be eaten up by book clubs. It hits a lot of the feels, and despite not being the father or a caretaker to a person with mental disabilities, this story hits emotions and feelings that are serious and needed. I mean this when I say this: Your story is publishable. Great job."
Stole my heart!
"I don't have the right words how to describe the things that I'm feeling right now after finishing the story. I'm a single parent of an autistic child myself and reading this book brought out so many emotions which I never thought anyone could even understand let alone write them in such beautiful words. Every line, every scene seemed like are taken right from my own day-to-day life. Like so many others before I had already expressed, this book is so refreshingly different than the general mature stories that we see on online platforms. I envy your writing skill and the easy flow of your thoughts and emotions. The erotic scenes never felt like something dirty or naughty, rather they felt so amazingly natural and spontaneous. Fantastic work! Hope to see your book achieve more and more attention and readership in the coming days."
Roadmap Competition Review
"You have a talent for prose. Rarely am I treated to such good writing here on Inkitt. Your ability for capturing emotion without even referencing your characters is enviable. The story (past the slightly bumpy start) was beyond compelling and I was completely invested by the end. And while “Stories” doesn't have your classic antagonist/protagonist showdown, no one who reads it could deny the intense struggle and resolution. Work on your showing vs telling, especially in the early chapters, take your infodumps through a critical run in the cutting room, and tidy up some of your fragments, and I wouldn’t be surprised to read this in B&N one day. (This review posted ahead of schedule for verification purposes)"
Intense in so many ways!
"I loved this. The stresses of real life, mixed with the way this couple has chosen to escape from that life, if only for a night every once in a while. The "real life" scenes were heartbreaking, especially when contrasted with the writer's story of innocent young love. As a story on its own, the inner story would have been lacking tension of any kind - but when taken as a balm to the very real tension in the real life scenes, it was just right."
Review
"Realistic life issues and struggles while trying to stay connected as a couple! Amazingly written! Recommended read."
Unexpected and Unique
"When I read the blurb, reviews, and website info on Respite, I was so excited to read this story. Finally, a new type of erotica. One which isn’t built against an unbelievable backdrop of cliches and contrived notions. One which blends reality with fantasy in equal measure. As soon as I read the first two chapters, I was spellbound. The concept of a story within a story left me in awe. I felt connected to both lead males and practically devoured through the short chapters to see how each unravelled. Then, there is the fantastical portrayal of parenthood and marriage - two pillars which bring such body to this sensual tale. For some moments I forgot I was reading erotica altogether until it arrived and hit me in the face! Unlike the considered and respectfully crafted scenes of family life, the topic of sex was dealt… altogether differently. Unfortunately, I found most of the depictions of sex very uncomfortable to read. Personally, some of the language choices were too crude, and I found the sexual acts themselves too coarse. I guess, given the ancient, tribal element, their intercourse was bound to be animalistic, but I found it to be too extreme for my tastes. Reading other reviews, people have been able to appreciate these scenes as a sort of unfiltered, raw beauty. Everyone’s fantasies are different of course. I guess I just expected something more subtle and soft given the sophisticated subject matter of Autism. The two sides of the story were quite confronting to read. In some ways, this was to the author’s credit. I had a very visceral reaction to this story. I felt sympathy, admiration, sorrow, frustration - proving that I did bond with this author’s work. There is no doubt, this is an important tale, and I admire it for taking on such an underrepresented issue and bringing it into the light of day. For that, I highly value this story and its intentions. "
Review
"Great job on painting a scene and really making the reader feel the characters struggles. I would have liked more conversation between the characters so I could connect more with the storyline though."
