#kemper thank you! these were so much fun to answer

[bmo-galaxy]

49, 44, 40!

Kemperrrrr, hello my dear friend.

40. Tell me something you always wanted to say to me. You've helped make me a more confident, thoughtful writer. Your feedback and analysis have undoubtedly helped me grow, and your encouragement always boosts my morale.

49. Make up a word and use it in a sentence. Solirium: madness brought on by the sun. "As the heat baked into his skull, burning rays beaming straight down into his brain, solirium took it's hold, painting mirages in the distance. Wavering, rippling images of springs of water and tiny huts promising safety from the punishing sun. 'It's not that much farther,' whispering voices promise in his head. Keep going keep going keep going,' the crazed voices urge."

44. Post one of your drafts with no explanation. Going to pop this under a read more since it's long~ also this is NSFW

Naruto can tell just by the sound of the door opening and closing. A sharp click followed by a slam. From his place in the kitchen, washing dishes from breakfast, the blonde listens to shoes being roughly kicked off. It must be particularly bad, because his husband doesn’t come to greet him like usual. Instead, Sasuke stalks down the hall past the kitchen and into their bedroom, slamming that door as well. Sighing, Naruto shuts off the tap and flicks the water from his hands. Drying them absentmindedly on a kitchen towel, he checks the time on the stove. Red numbers reflect 8:49p. A quick glance outside reveals deep orange and pink clouds and a deep indigo sky, the sun well on it’s way to setting.

A slow, mischievous smile spreads over Naruto’s lips. There are a few ways to deal with a cranky Sasuke. Usually, the blonde would leave him alone to cool down before suggesting a walk or maybe a bath. Something quiet, intimate. An activity that gives Sasuke the chance to relax and calm down while still being together. Naruto has something else in mind for tonight.

Walking purposefully out of the kitchen, he heads down the hall to their closed bedroom door. He opens the door slowly, peaking a blonde head in slightly. Sasuke is laying on the bed, flat on his back with an arm over his eyes. Even from the door, Naruto can see the frustrated pinch in the corners of Sasuke’s lips and the tight line of his jaw speaks of clenched teeth. Naruto smiles fondly at his husband, feeling an ache of pain in his chest at the sight. Stepping fully into the room, he crosses the room to sit carefully on the edge of the bed. Reaching out, he pokes the corner of Sasuke’s grimace.

“Welcome home,” he whispers, soft and sweet. Sasuke grunts. Naruto rolls his eyes. Shifting, he runs his fingers through thick, dark tresses slowly. From his scalp to the ends of his hair. Sasuke relaxes slightly under Naruto ministrations, letting out all of his breath in a long sigh.

“What’s for dinner?” Sasuke whispers, sounding slightly hoarse. Naruto grimaces for a moment, displeased by the sound. It must have been a worse day than he thought. Which… Naruto smiles deviously at an unsuspecting Sasuke.

‘Which makes my plans all the better.’

Shifting to kneel on the bed, Naruto throws one leg over his husband’s lap to straddle his waist. The sudden weight on his pelvis causes Sasuke to move his arm, revealing dark eyes that stare up questioningly. When his lips part to ask what’s going on, Naruto beats him to the punch.

“Dinner can wait, I have a better idea,” Naruto says in a tone that Sasuke knows he can’t argue with. Insistent, matter of fact, with a hint of tease. Sasuke’s brows raise and he blinks blankly at the blonde. Smirk growing, showing off unusually sharp canines, Naruto slides off Sasuke’s lap and holds out his hand expectantly. Sasuke doesn’t move right away, critical eyes studying Naruto’s face. The fox doesn’t lower his hand, doesn’t release his sultry smirk, doesn’t say anything. Just waits for Sasuke to take his hand.

After a couple more moments of staring each other down, Sasuke sighs and rolls his eyes. Naruto bites the inside of his cheek to keep from laughing, knowing that it will only piss Sasuke off. The raven sits up slowly, making a show of his annoyance. Finally, with narrowed eyes and a suspicious scowl, Sasuke’s hand slides into Naruto’s. Lacing their fingers together and holding tight, Naruto tugs until Sasuke stands from the bed.

Naruto smiles, striking a balance between sweet and seductive, before leaning up to kiss Sasuke. The raven’s tension melts a little bit, the edge of his annoyance softens. His free hand comes up to stroke along Naruto’s cheek and curl around his ear. Naruto’s empty hand finds its way to Sasuke’s hip, sliding around small of Sasuke’s back with fleeting, teasing touches.

The blonde pulls away first, not wanting to get carried away before he enacts his plan. Sasuke’s expression is confused and perturbed when Naru leans back, obsidian eyes reflecting his irritation. Naruto can’t resist leaning in for another quick peck when Sasuke’s mouth pulls into a thin lipped grimace.

“Come on, follow me,” he says before Sasuke can argue. Turning, he pulls Sasuke out of their bedroom and down the hall. Sasuke tries to veer into the kitchen when they get to it, but Naruto’s hold on his hand keeps him from going far. Throwing the blonde and exasperated look, Sasuke raises a questioning brow silently. Naruto just tugs his hand gently and nods toward the door. Sasuke makes a noise between a growl and a sigh, but wordlessly follows his husband to the door.

Shoes on and keys in hand, the couple leaves their little home. Naruto all but shoves Sasuke into the passenger seat. This time he does laugh when Sasuke glares at him petulantly, mouth curled into a frown.

“It’s my turn to drive,” he snipes, making a move to get out. Naruto blocks the door with his whole body, giving Sasuke no room to squeeze out.

“You can drive the next three times. Besides, you don’t know where we’re going,” Naruto reasons, throwing on his most charming smile. He can tell it works, at least a little bit, because Sasuke slowly sits back against the seat and pulls his legs fully into the car. Crossing his arms over his chest, the dark haired man glares as he considers the offer.

“And I don’t suppose you’re going to tell me where we’re going,” Sasuke says rather than asks. Naruto nods. Ocean blue eyes sparkle with mischief and delight. Sasuke pointed looks away from them, knowing that they’ll be his undoing and wanting to stay annoyed.

“That is correct.” With that, Naruto closes the passenger door and rounds the car to get in the driver’s seat. After buckling his seatbelt, Naruto starts the car and sets the playlist to Sasuke’s favorites. Warmth flutters in Naru’s stomach when, out of the corner of his eye, he sees Sasuke fully relax. The first notes of music start and the raven tips his head back with closed eyes. Naruto smiles at him fondly, endearingly. The action makes Naruto feel trusted; Sasuke never lets anyone else drive and certainly wouldn’t close his eyes if they did. Looking away before he gets misty eyed, Naruto carefully pulls away from the curb and heads into the night.

The drive is quiet and peaceful. The roads aren’t empty, but traffic is light. By the time they reach the highway leading out to the beach, there’s hardly a car on the road at all. Naruto steers with one hand, the other holding Sasuke’s over the center console. His thumb idly plays over Sasuke’s knuckles in slow sweeps. Quick peeks at his husband let Naruto know that his eyes stay mostly closed. The blonde can tell he’s awake though; whatever Sasuke is thinking about intermittently makes his nose crinkle in a way that makes Naruto melt a little bit.

It doesn’t take them long to reach their destination. A deserted parking lot along the beach, overlooking the water. Naru pulls into a random space and parks, rolling down the windows before killing the engine. The crash and pull of waves can be heard now, soothing and consistent. The air smells of salt and brine so strongly that Naruto can taste it on his tongue.

The absence of movement and presence of sea air prompts Sasuke to open his eyes. Blinking slowly, he stares at the dark waves washing over the beach with a flat expression. Naruto doesn’t give him the chance to make the sarcastic comment that he’s sure is sitting on Sasuke’s tongue. Reaching between Sasuke’s legs, Naruto grabs the latch under the seat and pulls. Sasuke slides back immediately, stopping when the seat can’t move back anymore. Withdrawing, Naruto maneuvers over the center console with surprising agility and grace in such a tight space. Caging Sasuke in with one knee on either side of his legs, Naruto once again straddles his husband with the full intent of fucking him senseless.

Sasuke catches on quickly, staring up into deep blue eyes laden with desire. Steady, strong hands shoot up to grip Naruto’s hips. The blonde slides his hands up Sasuke’s stomach and chest slowly, appreciating well defined abs and the steady beat of Sasuke’s heart against his palm. With an impatient jerk, Sasuke’s dress shirt is freed from his waistband. Making quick work of the buttons, the shirt is pulled off and discarded into the backseat.

Sasuke’s hands explore the blonde’s body as Naruto relieves him of his shirt. Gripping his ass, dragging over his thighs, trailing up his chest to tease Naruto’s nipples. The raven haired man is surprised when Naruto slaps his hands away.

“Tonight is about you,” Naruto says in a deep, husky voice that sends a spark down Sasuke’s spine. It settles in his belly, igniting a fire that churns his guts. The fox smirks when he feels something twitch under his ass. “You had a hard day. Let me take care of you.”

Those damn blue eyes-- half lidded and particularly dripping with lust-- burn into Sasuke, stoking the fire in his pelvis. Naruto’s smirks at the dazed expression on his husband’s face. It’s a powerful feeling knowing that he’s the only person that can elicit this kind of reaction from Sasuke.

Pleased that Sasuke’s hands return to his waist, Naruto rewards his compliance with a sloppy kiss. Their tongues tangle, tasting and drinking each other in greedily. Naruto nips at Sasuke’s lower lip, sucking it gently before releasing it to kiss along his jawline. Warm hands fondle along Sasuke’s chest, pinching his nipples and rolling them gently. A slow roll of his hips drags a low moan from Sasuke. His erection presses more firmly to Naruto’s ass when Sasuke bucks his hips slightly. Naruto smiles against his neck, enjoying himself thoroughly. It’s an intoxicating thing being able to please Sasuke, Naruto doesn’t think he’ll ever get enough of it.

Careful not to leave any marks that would be visible with clothes on, Naruto sucks and bites down the column of Sasuke’s throat. The raven continues to groan and sigh, the vibrations buzz against Naruto’s lips. The blonde whimpers quietly, feeling his own cock strain against the fabric of his pants. Once below Sasuke’ collar line, Naruto starts to mark him in earnest. Bruising bites and reddening hickeys across Sasuke’s collarbone, an undeniable mark that Naruto had been there. When he reaches one hard nipple and laves over it with a hot tongue, Sasuke’s hips jump with a throaty moan.

“Naruto, god fuck,” Sasuke groans, thin fingers gripping Naruto hard enough to leave their own bruises. And oh god, Naruto moans at the sound of his name from Sasuke’s lips. Vulnerable and breathless and trusting. Unable to help himself, Naruto grinds his hips firmly against Sasuke’s. Their clothed erections brush and the car is filled with a collective groan from both men. Naruto licks and sucks Sasuke’s nipple in earnest now, sealing his lips around it and swirling his tongue. Light fingers dance along Sasuke’s sides down to his pants before skimming over his belt.

Releasing one nipple, Naruto kisses his way to the other, giving it the same treatment as the first. Nimble fingers make quick work of the raven’s belt, moving it out of the way to undo Sasuke’s pants. There’s another impatient buck of Sasuke’s hips, a silent plea to remove his pants, but Naruto makes no move to remove them. Instead, Naruto pulls away from Sasuke’s chest to plant another wet kiss on the raven’s lips. All the while doing slow, teasing thrusts against Sasuke’s cock. Sasuke is positively vibrating under Naruto at this point, dark eyes glassy and lips shining. Every thrust of Naruto’s hips pulls another breathy “fuck” from Sasuke’s mouth. The hands at his waist twitch and shake, desperate to move but knowing not to. It’s almost enough to undo Naruto right then but the blonde takes a shaky breath and grins seductively. Sasuke moans at the look alone, head falling back against the seat and eyes screwing closed.

His erection is borderline painful now, pressing into the starchy fabric of his work pants. Dribbles of pre-cum create a wet patch in his boxers that chafes the sensitive head. Every cell in his body is burning and yearning and straining to take his husband in every sense of the word. A desire so strong that Sasuke is ready to beg.

“Fuck, Naruto, please,” he whispers on the edge of his breath. Only for Naruto will he ask nicely, only for Naruto will he beg. There’s no shame when he pleads with Naruto, only understanding, only relief. “Fuck, I want you.”

Hot breath tickles Sasuke’s ear and he moans lowly when a wet tongue drags along the shell. “What did I tell you? Tonight is about you, you can have whatever you want.”

The warm breath disappears as Naruto sits back and shifts off Sasuke’s lap. Sliding down to kneel in the cramped space on the floor, Naruto reaches up to grip Sasuke’s waistband and pulls. Sasuke lifts his hips and helps by pushing his pants down. Pulling them just below Sasuke’s knees, the raven’s cock springs free. Fully erect, flushed the prettiest shade of pink that Naruto adores, leaking little pearls of precum. Naruto licks his lips, watching a bead slide from the slit. Sparing a glance up, sapphire meets obsidian. Sasuke is staring down at him, lips parted and eyes clouded with desire. The tension from his day is nowhere to be seen amongst the love and trust and passion. A flush stretches across his cheeks and up along his ears, vibrant against pale skin and dark hair.

“You’re so beautiful,” Naruto whispers without thinking, breathless and awestruck, before looking back down at the weeping dick before him. Calloused fingers slide slowly up the inside of Sasuke’s thighs. The blonde can feel muscle jump under his palms, little spasms and twitches that speak to how tightly wound Sasuke is.

The raven groans loudly when Naruto finally takes hold of him, grip firm and satisfying. Giving a few quick pumps and swiping his thumb over the head to smear precum around, Naruto lowers his head to kiss the tip lightly. Sasuke hisses through his teeth, one hand shooting out to bury in light hair. Naru hums approvingly, sending delightful reverberations through the head of Sasuke’s cock.

“Fuckkkk,” Sasuke blurts out, “Fuck I won’t last if you tease.”

This is Naruto’s favorite part. When Sasuke loses himself in the fire and pleasure. When he loses just a little bit of that strict filter that he uses around others. When he bares himself completely to Naruto, trusting Naruto beyond a shadow of a doubt. It never fails to exhilarate the blonde, jolting him like lightning and driving him wild.

Parting his lips, Naruto takes Sasuke’s head into his mouth and gives one hard suck. The fingers in his hair curl into a tight fist, pulling at the locks. The little sting of pain makes Naruto groan around Sasuke’s cock, resulting in a sharp thrust of Sasuke’s hips. His cock pushes into Naruto’s mouth, tickling the back of his throat. The blonde feels tears prick his eyes but lets his jaw and throat relax against the intrusion. Strong hands hold Sasuke’s thighs tightly, stabilizing Naru as Sasuke fucks his mouth.

Lost in the pleasure, Sasuke moans and groans and sighs as his prick slides in and out of Naruto’s mouth. Impossible hot, wet, soft, engulfing his entire length in ecstasy.

“So perfect,” he mumbles, the words chased out by a choked groan when Naruto presses his tongue firmly against the underside. “Gods, Naruto, you’re perfect.”

Naruto offers a pleased little hum, the only response he can give with a dick in his mouth. Sasuke hisses when the vibrations run up his prick and into his pelvis, feeling like little shocks of lightning. Naruto’s hands starting to wander intensify the sensation, the blonde’s fingertips feel like they conduct the lightning trapped under Sasuke’s skin. They drag over his thighs and over his hips before dipping down to massage his balls. One strays to stroke the very base of Sasuke’s cock, the little bit that doesn’t quite fit in his mouth.

As the dark haired man’s pace starts to pick up and Naruto feels the telltale tightening in Sasuke’s thighs, he quickly pulls his mouth off and sits away. The hand in his hair squeezes for a split second, trying to pull him back, before Sasuke releases him.

Naruto breathes deeply, getting his bearings and catching his breath. Spit shines on his lips and falls from the corner down to his chin. Blonde tresses are messier than usual, mussed and tangled from Sasuke’s fingers. Bright red is washed over his cheeks, up to his ears, and spreads down his throat. Sasuke groans at the sight, feeling his dick twitch with arousal. Naruto catches it too and those sweet, shiny lips spread into a coy smile.

“Do you want to get off like this, or should we move onto the next part?” He can’t help teasing a little bit. Who would they be if they didn’t tease one another, even in bed? Sasuke looks down at him with hooded eyes and raises a brow. Naruto smiles, that somehow sweet and devious smile.

Reaching into the center console, Naruto produces a bottle of lube that he keeps for these very occasions. Car sex isn’t the most common for them, but it’s good to be prepared. Sitting back, Naruto watches Sasuke’s eyes widen for a millisecond before he closes them with a shuddery breath. Naruto preens a little bit, thoroughly enjoying how flustered he’s gotten Sasuke.

Shuffling a bit, Naruto shucks off his shirt and tosses it away. Wiggling one leg out of his pants is a little difficult in the small space, but Naruto manages without kneeing himself in the face. Once he’s mostly naked, pants hanging around one ankle, Naruto pours some lube into his palms. Sapphire eyes watch Sasuke the whole time, feeling his heat gaze crawl over Naruto’s body. From the hand filled with lube, up his arm to his face, down his chest and stomach to stare at Naruto’s erect cock. Flushed pink with drops of cum gathered at the slit. Sasuke’s hand twitches to grasp it, but a sharp look from Naruto stops him.

“You tonight,” he repeats firmly, ocean eyes flashing seriously. Sasuke nods, breath leaving him in a rush. The raven doesn’t mind Naruto focusing on him, and would never say no to Naruto wanting to worship his body however he pleases. It’s just difficult to resist the urge to reciprocate, to shower Naruto in all the same passion and attention the blonde is providing. His husband deserved that. Always. Sasuke recognizes the adamant gleam in those bright eyes though and knows that Naruto won’t budge, no matter how much Sasuke tries to sway him.

Naruto smiles, fond and patient, before patting Sasuke’s thigh with his clean hand. “I’ve got you,” he says simply, easily. Those simple words feel like a gut punch to Sasuke; such tender, intimate words that dig under his skin and brand his soul. Sasuke opens his mouth to reply but he quickly forgets what he wants to say when a warm hand once again wraps around his dick. His hips jump, searching for firmer pressure against Naruto’s palms. The blonde chuckles, complying with Sasuke’s wordless request and squeezing a little tighter as he lathers lube over Sasuke’s length. His strokes are long and slow, pressure just enough for Sasuke to moan but light enough that it comes out frustrated and breathy. He takes extra time to fondle and massage Sasuke’s balls, enjoying the sharp gasp it draws from his husband.

When Sasuke is good and lubed, Naruto strokes from base to head and teases Sasuke’s slit for just a moment before he sits back on his heels and smiles prettily. Sasuke is a puddle at this point, achingly hard and desperate for release.

“Would you rather watch me prep, or help me prep?” Naruto whispers in a husky voice. It’s an even split chance on what Sasuke will say. As antsy as he’s been to pleasure Naruto tonight, he may want to do it himself. On the other hand, Naruto knows exactly how much it drives Sasuke crazy watching Naruto stretch and prepare himself for Sasuke’s cock. The raven usually can’t resist the sight of Naruto being good for him, being ready and willing to take everything that Sasuke has to offer.

Sasuke only thinks for a split second before the answer rolls off his tongue, desperate around the edge.

“Watch.”

A quick tongue licks his lips, anticipation burning in his dark eyes. Naruto nods, feeling a thrill of excitement as Sasuke’s gaze tracks his every movement, seeming to know what they are before they happen. Being the entire focus of Sasuke’s intense attention is intoxicating. Naruto will never grow tired of feeling that intent stare sink into his skin, through his bones and into his soul. Their eyes meet, light and dark clashing, intensity vibrating in the air between them. It’s moments like this that make Naruto feel like they’ve known each other for lifetimes; when their eyes meet and their souls greet each other fondly and it feels like there’s never been a moment in history when they didn’t exist together.

“I love you,” Naruto whispers, voice heavy with desire but soft with adoration. Sasuke replies by leaning forward and kissing Naruto hard and fierce. With the kind of intensity and fervor that leaves Naruto starry eyed and disoriented, feeling as if there’s no world outside of Sasuke’s lips on his.

“Wanna fuck you so bad,” Sasuke murmurs against his lips, “Get ready for me, babe.”

Naruto doesn’t need to be asked twice. His hand disappears between the seat and the door to grip the lever that leans the seat back. Sasuke dutifully presses his weight to aid the process, laying back at an angle once the seat stops moving. Wiggling to shift up the seat, Sasuke gives Naruto room to straddle him again. Their cocks touch briefly, heads brushing against each other and cum smearing along their skin. Both mean gasp and groan, shaking from the aftershocks the buzz through their bodies. Once he’s positioned comfortably, Naruto pours himself another generous supply of lube and tosses the bottle into the driver’s seat.

Spreading the liquid over his fingers, Naruto reaches under himself to press a finger to his hole. The warm, wrinkled skin gives easily as Naruto pushes a finger in, moaning lowly at the sensation. Sinking down onto his own finger, Naruto sets a slow, leisurely pace as he stretches himself out. A second finger joins the fist, Naru’s eyes fall shut and a sigh falls from well kissed lips. Sasuke swears quietly, nails digging into the seat below him. His prick twitches, hot precum burning along his slit and leaving little trails down his aching cock. The noise makes Naruto crack his eyes open, glimpses of bright blue peaking at Sasuke.

It’s a clear night and the bright light of the moon spills in through the car’s sunroof. Pale skin, covered in a sheen of sweat, glows under the beams. Sasuke is ethereal, breathtaking bathed in the soft light that blurs his edges and softens his features. As a third finger enters him, Naruto stutters out a moan and glances down at Sasuke’s cock. His pace picks up slightly, impatience coursing through him. His fingers are a pale substitute for the perfect, utterly satisfying way their bodies fit together.

Knowing he’s a minute or two from being ready, Naruto reaches out his free hand to wrap around Sasuke’s length. A guttural groan slips out of Sasuke, hot and low in the space between them. Hips rocking, bouncing the blonde slightly, Sasuke pushes his cock into Naruto’s palm. Normally Naruto wouldn’t mind watching Sasuke squirm a little bit, leaving him hard and desperate while Naruto leisurely fucks himself with his fingers. Tonight is about the raven though, his comfort and pleasure, so Naruto teases Sasuke’s swollen head with his thumb. Slowly over the slit, around the seam where the head becomes the shaft. Sasuke quivers under him, thighs trembling and nails scratching into the seat fabric.

“I want you,” Sasuke whispers, strained, “Wanna feel you, Naru.” It’s said like a plea and a prayer, coming from deep in Sasuke’s being. Naruto whimpers, fire in his belly flaring at the words. It’s a weak point of his, hearing out loud that he’s desired, longed for, wanted. Sasuke knows that and never fails to make Naruto’s heart melt and knees weak.

Deciding he’s well and stretched, withdraws his hands to plant them solidly on Sasuke’s shoulders. They kiss, heated and sloppy and wet. Teeth grazing lips and tongues sliding against each other. Sasuke’s hands grip Naruto’s waist hard enough to bruise, pulling the blonde closer. Naruto’s cock presses against Sasuke’s stomach and he moans into his husband’s mouth.

Pulling away, panting, Naruto takes in the sight of his husband. Absolutely ravished, flushed, glazed eyes and well kissed lips. None of the tall walls or armed guards, just an open, vulnerable Sasuke below him. Completely at his mercy. Looking at him with nothing but lust and desire and scorching love. The heat of his gaze makes Naruto buzz, tingle, burn in a way that only Sasuke’s attention causes. It’s too intense and not enough in all the same breath. A frantic, fluttering feeling gathers in Naruto’s chest, flooding his lungs and between his ribs. Bubbles and butterflies and the chaotic flutter of confetti cannon going off near his heart.

Desperate to be close, to be connected, to lose himself in their love and passion, Naruto reaches down to align Sasuke’s head with his hole. He wiggles a little bit, getting comfortable and maybe teasing Sasuke just a touch. The raven shoots him a sharp look, knowing exactly what his husband is doing. Naruto plasters on his sweetest smile, blue eyes glossy from desire and sparking with mischief.

“I already told you, bastard,” and in the static air around them, the insult is endearing and sensual, “Anything for you tonight,” and he leans just a hair closer, pinning Sasuke with wild, hungry sapphire eyes.

[scenestertv]

Interview with Caragan Olles, an extraordinary high school student making a real impact on other kids of all ages with dyslexia. She is the creator/founder of Bright Young Dyslexics, and the 2018 World of Children Youth Award Honoree!! More info here: https://worldofchildren.org/honoree/caragan-olles/  But first, Q&A!

Joanna:  Last year your own math teacher mocked dyslexia in front of you and the entire class, despite knowing about your own dyslexia and efforts to help other kids. How did you deal with it at the time? And also, how did fellow classmates react? And was the teacher fired?

Caragan Olles:  Unfortunately, the mockery that my math teacher expressed did not seem unusual for him. I don’t think he was mocking dyslexia to direct it at my expense. In his mind. dyslexia was something that could be made fun of. In the moment, I did nothing to stop him or tell him otherwise. Afterwards, I emailed my principal and the employee in charge of our learning resources/student services, but they did not give us much of an answer. They replied with a simple apology. I only know of one fellow classmate that reacted and felt the same way I did.

The teacher was not fired or even punished for what he said. In the eyes of my teacher and the administration professionals who were aware of the situation, they saw nothing wrong with what happened. They did not understand how largely dyslexia and dyslexics were pushed to the side and ignored even in their own school. It’s very hard to change someone’s habit of thinking or mindset, but that’s what I am trying to do with Bright Young Dyslexics. Dyslexics can not afford to be pushed to the side anymore, and schools need to realize how they are affecting their students, dyslexic or not.

Q:  What do you tell other kids about how to deal with bullies?

A:  No matter what you do, there will always be bullies. All we can do is be strong and just keep being who you are.

Q:  What do you think is the best defense against bullies?

A:  It’s always best to start out by telling a parent or an adult you trust. They will help you to figure out who to bring this issue up with (school, other parents, coaches, etc.). After the bully or bullying has been handled it’s up to you on how to react to them moving forward.

Q:  How and when did you start Bright Young Dyslexics?

A:  My brother Carter (now 19) and I started Bright Young Dyslexics in March 2013. After I was diagnosed with dyslexia in 3rd grade, my family and I saw the lack of acknowledgement and knowledge about dyslexia and we felt we had to do something about this. We started Bright Young Dyslexics with the intention of just helping a few dyslexic students in Wisconsin afford phonics based dyslexia tutoring. Looking back, we had no idea how much we could actually achieve and how much of a difference we could make for our community.

Q:  Do you find it overwhelming running Bright Young Dyslexics on top of school, and do you plan to continue after you graduate high school?

A:  On top of school and Bright Young Dyslexics, I have played varsity tennis since my freshman year, and I also participate in tech for school musicals and other shows/events. With those four things, most of time is taken up, but they are all things that I am passionate about and want to continue doing. I make time for all of these things and try to squeeze friends and other events into my remaining time.

Q:  Have bigger non-profit organizations ever tried to help you?

A:  Yes, we have been fortunate to receive monetary support from other nonprofit organizations to help our mission.

Q.  You’re a role model to a lot of kids. Who are your role models?

A:  I have many of them! My role models are anyone and everyone who is willing to stand up for what they believe in. Someone who is willing to put the work in to achieve their goals or to make the world a better place. I am constantly motivated by those around me to make a difference in my community.

Q:  Have you found any new apps/sites or technologies that you think are useful to people with dyslexia?

A:  Since dyslexia is a spectrum, different tools work better for different people. Bookshare is a wonderful free resource for dyslexic students that provides audio books, and scanning pens are very helpful for those who struggle with penmanship.

Q:  How do you explain dyslexia to young kids who know nothing about dyslexia?

A:  Dyslexics are not dumb. To be dyslexic you actually have to have at least an average intelligence, if not above average intelligence. Contrary to popular belief, dyslexics do not read backwards or any differently from any other student. Dyslexics mix up there B’s and D’s and M’s and W’s because they do not associate the sound the letter makes with the actual look of the letter.

Joanna: Thank you so much for the Q&A! I’m extremely inspired and impressed by your work and hope Bright Young Dyslexics only grows.

A few pics from the World of Children 2018 Annual Awards and Caragan are below: 

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Kay Isaacson Leibowitz, Caragan Olles and Harry Leibowitz attend the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit Honoring Heroes for Children on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Kay Isaacson Leibowitz, Caragan Olles and Harry Leibowitz attend the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit Honoring Heroes for Children on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Caragan Olles attends the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit Honoring Heroes for Children on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Anta Mbow, Caragan Olles, Kay Isaacson Leibowitz, Sandy Kemper, Ehsan Mehrangais, Harry leibowitz and Phyllis Keino attend the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit Honoring Heroes for Children on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Caragan Olles speaks on stage at the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Victoria Delphie Meyer and Caragan Olles on stage at the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Carly Schreiber, Victoria Delphie Meyer, Caragan Olles and Stella Schafer on stage at the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Carly Schreiber, Caragan Olles and Victoria Delphie Meyer attend the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

NEW YORK, NY – NOVEMBER 01: Sarah Rose Summers and Caragan Olles attend the 2018 World of Children Awards Ceremony and Benefit on November 1, 2018 in New York City. (Photo by Dave Kotinsky/Getty Images for World Of Children Awards)

Interview with Caragan Olles, the Creator Of Bright Young Dyslexics, and the 2018 @WorldofChildren Youth Award Honoree!! #Dyslexia #Dyslexics #Teenagers #MakingADifference @BYDyslexics Interview with Caragan Olles, an extraordinary high school student making a real impact on other kids of all ages with dyslexia.

[ncmagroup]

Doug Ackerman

In a nutshell…

We interviewed 6 businesses to learn their strategies for winning back customers. Learn from what they did, and let us know about your own successes!

Wouldn’t it be great if you could win back lost customers?

If every person who came into contact with your business was bowled over by your customer service?

Exceptional customer service drives the best online businesses.

They know how to handle customer complaints. And know the benefits customer feedback has on their store.

So how do these businesses approach customer service?

How do they make sure customers are never left in any doubt that they are valued above all else?

6 businesses share their approach to wowing and winning back lost customers.

6 Ways to Wow Customers

Nobody raves to their friends about average customer service.

Meet their minimum expectations and they might return another day.

But their head will be swayed by the offer of exceptional customer service elsewhere.

And they certainly won’t stick their neck out amongst friends to recommend your company.

However – if you go that extra step (not too much further in most cases) you’ll win their loyalty for life, and maybe a few from their personal network too.

Every company’s customers differ in their expectations. Meaning each business may have to take a unique approach to wow their customers.

Here are 6 ideas to get you started.

1. Calm and Understanding Kayla Farr, Ultimate Paintball

The most recent “Wow!” moment I had actually happened just yesterday. A woman had called in expecting the worst customer service, I could tell as soon as she began her story about returning an item. She was somewhat rude at first but I never let that sort of thing discourage me from being polite and civil. I always put myself in the customer’s position and think about how I would like to be talked to and helped. So when she had finished her explanation, I then explained our return policy to her in a few sentences and I offered a store credit (this woman had really been through the ringer). She graciously accepted and complimented me on being so calm and understanding even when she “wasn’t being the nicest person”.

2. Recommend a Competitor Tom Kemper, Playing Cards, and More

We wow customers on a regular basis, or at least we try to. When we do not sell the item a potential customer is looking for, we freely recommend a competitor of ours that is better suited to meet the customer’s needs, this always impresses the customer. We believe in answering the phone in person, no need for a customer to work their way through a myriad of options. We believe in prompt, friendly service from a member of our team who is motivated by successful customer service.

3. Over and Above Expectations Barney Byfield, Davpack

We “wow” customers every day. We get lots of praise about our speed of delivery and keeping customers informed, which is over and above general expectations. We do this by treating every customer as an important customer. Making sure our customers know that when they ring us during office hours, they’ll always get to speak to a person – never a machine. By getting everyone in the business to think about the customer, so that we sometimes do inconvenient things for us, but actions that fulfil our promises. Customer service is a massive positive. When you get it right, customers come back and the business grows. That sense of doing a great job and moving forward creates a great buzz around the business.

4. Do the Unexpected Mark Vautour, Landry’s

This part is fun for me. I don’t think of this as customer service I just think of it as just having fun and doing the unexpected. I’ve driven customers home before when the weather is bad, I like to write thank you notes (always hand written), I’ve dropped products off at customers’ houses, and on many occasions I’ve loaned out my personal gear. We tend to see a lot of customers from out of town, I love to recommend restaurants and other local attractions that are not necessarily Landry’s specific as hospitality should be genuine and not forced. I want our customers to love Boston as much as I do. This in turn will reflect on Landry’s. Begin each situation with the confidence that you will solve it in a way that everyone will be happy and feel good about the ending. This confidence that every situation has a great ending is crucial

1.Apologize

Say I’m sorry. It can be hard but say it like you mean it. Don’t blame someone else. If you don’t say “I’m sorry” you are likely wasting everyone’s time.

2.Empathize

Relate to the customer in their shoes. Let them know you understand the whole situation. Being understood makes everything else easier.

3.Fix it

This is the fun part. Often times I ask “What does a positive ending look like to you?”. You’ll be surprised how reasonable most people are when given the opportunity.

5. No Questions Asked Wendy Shankin-Cohen, Dr. Harvey’s

We have the joy of “wowing” our customers all the time. First of all, we answer almost every email that we receive within 24 hours. Secondly, we have a “no questions asked” return policy. If a customer is not happy with any product, we will take it back for a complete refund – every time. And last but certainly not least, Dr. Harvey will speak directly to pet owners to guide them through the transition to a healthier life. Customers are “wowed” by all of this and very appreciative. We get many lovely messages from grateful pet owners. It’s the best part of our job. This engenders loyalty and what you give to your customers comes back to you ten-fold.

6. Take Time to Teach Sondra Halperin, Telikin

We sell computers for new computer users and those wanting an easier-to-use computer solution.

Our goal is to wow customers on each call by providing the kind of service that can’t be found in other computer support organisations.

Every day we teach customers how to use the computer – not just address technical issues. This allows us to provide a personalised approach to learning and a more personable experience overall.

Our most challenging situations involve customers who become frustrated using the computer and want to return. This is often due to misunderstandings that arise from inexperience.

The most effective technique is to fill in the gaps by helping the customer understand what they are experiencing, and providing any resolution or guidance for moving forward. For example, a customer may feel the computer is not working because the weather display is not updating.

It may be easy to surmise that their internet connection is no longer active and that a power cycle of the computer and/or modem may be required. However, ensuring the customer understands how the computer and internet work together – and how to easily recognise and resolve this situation in the future – will make their computing experiences more pleasurable vs seeing it as a dead end. We exercise this approach continuously throughout the day.

6 Ways to Win Back Lost Customers

You put in all the hard work to win a customer in the first place. Sometimes it can take just a little bit of effort to prevent them leaving if something’s gone wrong.

In fact, it’s 6-7 times more cost effective to win back lost customers than to replace them with new ones.

How should you go about winning back those customers?

1. Feeling of Importance Kayla Farr, Ultimate Paintball

Ahh, saving a sale. This is one of my most favourite things. Anybody in customer service knows that moment when you’re about to lose a sale and you turn into the Salesperson of the Year. You do all that you can to get that customer back and to make them feel like they are the only thing that matters. This is my go-to technique for winning any customer back. Truly, all humans have a desire to feel important. Whether it’s offering them free shipping, or a store credit, or a free t-shirt you should always make your customers feel important, but going that one extra step is what really seals the deal.

2. Returns: Tom Kemper Playing Cards and More

We often wow customers by accepting returns long after the stated return period. We wouldn’t be in existence today if we did not commit to superior customer service years ago. We treat every customer the way we would want to be treated if the roles were reversed. As a result we have many loyal customers that buy from us year after year.

3. Time, Cost and Quality Barney Byfield, Davpack

Time, cost and quality are the key aspects to get right in packaging. We win business from competitors because we are more reliable one or more of these factors. Simply having around 5,000 items in stock for companies to call off in small quantities means that we win on lead time and stock commitment, which is often more important than being the cheapest on everything. That’s because packaging is low value compared to the goods being transported, but a delay in packaging holds up a business and poor packaging leads to expensive damages.

4. Apologise Sincerely Mark Vautour, Landry’s

I’ve won back many a customer by replying quickly and apologising sincerely. Most issues are a simple misunderstanding. Many customers just want to be heard. Ask with sincerity what’s on their mind and they will likely tell you. I then try and repeat back to them what you think they’ve just told you. When you are trying to do the right thing and they don’t see that at times it can be hard not to take it personally. When this happens I try to give the customer the benefit of the doubt. You never know who is dealing with a tough personal situation and taking it out on you because you are standing in front of them.

5. Full-sized Sample Wendy Shankin-Cohen, Dr. Harvey’s

Recently we came out with a new product that replaced a product that many of our customers loved. Many of our regular customers did not like the change. We listened to our customers and when we improved the product, we sent some of those customers who complained a free full-sized sample of the new product. These customers were thrilled, surprised and very grateful. And have begun ordering again.

6. Understanding Sondra Halperin, Telikin

As a manager, I have to deal with the most challenging customer situations through escalation. However, the best example I can give you is a conversation I saw in chat the other day where an agent described how he calmed a furious customer who thought their computer was being hacked. The customer explained that they could “hear” someone downloading a virus to the computer. The agent asked if the customer was experiencing hot weather in their area. The customer said it was in the 70’s. The agent explained that when the computer gets warm, the internal fan goes off more frequently to cool it, and that the fan noise is audible – and could that possibly be what they were hearing? Once the customer understood this, they did a complete turnaround, being satisfied that no harm was being done to their computer. I thought this was a simple and elegant way to help a customer with great results. It proves to me that understanding is the key to happy customers.

  Go to our website:   www.ncmalliance.com

6 Ways to Wow and Win Back Lost Customers Doug Ackerman In a nutshell… We interviewed 6 businesses to learn their strategies for winning back customers.

[kuathletics]

#One Team - Madi Vannaman In the epitome of an example of how one will never know the extent or the size of the doors that can opened, or made available, just by opening a previous door. For Madi Vannaman the door she opened to become a substitute on the Kansas women’s basketball bench crew paved her way to the game-clock operator seat in Tampa, Florida, for the 2017 College Football Playoff National Championship Game.   Q: When did your love for sports develop? A: Probably from my dad.  Back in the day, we only had one TV and he would commandeer it and watch sports. I don’t ever remember him training or teaching me, but he had to answer my constant barrage of questions because I know a lot about sports. It seems inherent now, but it must have been from him training me. Q: Did you compete in sports at all?

A: I did not compete in sports and I regret that. I compete in other ways now, through my volunteer work. 

Q: So when did you have the opportunity to start working at University of Kansas athletics events on the bench crew?

A: Those opportunities started because of my husband, Robbie. At the time, he was working for internal audit and was doing some audits in athletics. At the time, they needed a sub for the men’s JV (junior varsity) team back when they used to have JV teams.  He started on the men’s crew back then. Mark Turgeon was the JV head coach, so this was back in the early 1990s. Robbie then started to also work on the women’s bench crew and when he did that I started substituting on the women’s crew and eventually on the men’s crew.  Robbie also worked the on the “chain gang” for football and an opportunity came up to run the play clock for football.  He recommended that I do it because I love sports, but I love warmth too so this would get me out of the weather. I started doing the play clock at that time as well.

Q: Do you remember when you became a full-time member of all three crews instead of a sub?

A: Wow, I don’t really remember when that was. It just evolved. With football, I started working with the Big 12 in the early 2000s.  There was a situation that arose in a Big Ten football game where a home clock operator disadvantaged a visiting team (2001 Michigan vs. Michigan State football game, also known as Clockgate). (After that season), the Big Ten took over game operations and started using former referees (to run the clock). The Big 12 followed suit and brought in former officials to run the game clock and I was still running the play clock.  Then they decided they wanted to run the play clock as well, so (the Big 12) invited us to become independent contractors and I have been doing that since 2008. Then in 2010 or 2011, I was moved to game clock and that’s what I do.

Q: Working football and men’s and women’s basketball have you ever considered the number of games you have worked?

A: Oh my gosh, and I am one of the youngsters on the crew. No, I have not thought about that.

Q: Tell us how you were given the opportunity to run the game clock for the 2017 College Football Playoff Championship Game?

A: Walt Anderson, who is an NFL official, is the supervisor of the Big 12 officials. We obviously work with the Big 12 officiating crews. I was in Hobby Lobby looking for Christmas ornaments and my phone rings and it says “Walt Anderson.” Ten thousand things run through my head.  He said, “Madi, (you) had a pretty good season this year.”  I said, “Yeah, thank you for the opportunity to work Big 12 football games.” He followed with, “Well, the Big 12 was chosen to officiate the College Football Playoff National Championship Game. Normally, the facility that hosts the game supplies a clock operator, but this year the Big 12 was asked to bring their own clock operator. I would like to check with you to see if you would be interested in that.” I said, “Of course I would, that would be great.” He said, “Well, I didn’t know about your schedule, so I wanted to make sure.” I said, “I don’t even have to look at my schedule – I’m going.” That’s how that went.

Q: This isn’t your first postseason experience is it?

A: No. The KU men’s crew used to do the postseason men’s games at Kemper (Arena).  The women’s crew also did a women’s Final Four at Kemper. And I also did the Big 12 Championship Games.

Q: That being said, where does the opportunity to work the College Football Playoff Championship Game rank for you?

A: This is probably the pinnacle. It will probably never happen again. It was totally out of the blue and totally unexpected. It is a rare and wonderful opportunity.

Q: Did you ever think that the journey you started back in the early 1990s would lead to this?

A: I have KU to thank for that, because KU gave me the opportunity to become a play clock operator. (Thinking back), I had a colleague tell me that when the crew I was going to be working with was first told I was going to be the new play clock operator at KU their reaction was, “A woman?” So, I’m glad that they gave me the opportunity and accepted me. I would also (like to thank) the Big 12 for allowing me to do this too, because back in the day when officials would come we would have to go meet with them before (the game). I would be the only one outside the locker room and (I would) knock on the door, the door would open and (the officials) would look out, see me, and close the door because I was not what they expected. I had to bite my tongue a lot (early in my career), because the officials would ask, “Have you done this before?”  I so wanted to say, “I can’t wait to see a home run hit” or something facetious like that. (For me), it has always been about doing your job and doing it well. It is more comfortable then.

Q: Are there any nerves heading into the big game?

A: It is kind of a “Hoosiers” movie-type moment. Because, this is the national championship game. The biggest stage. The field is the same size, the officials are the same, the rules are the same, so I just have to remind myself of that. Put it into context that way.

Q: What is the recurring nightmare of a game-clock operator?

A: That I will make a mistake and the officials will have to announce it and the clock will have to be reset because of an error I made. Sometimes other things happen that aren’t my fault where they reset the game clock, but my recurring nightmare is that I would make multiple errors in that vein.

Q: Since this story is being printed after the game, we will know if we did not hear that announcement during the game that you knocked it out of the park right?

A: Yes. I have to be there for my team, who are the field officials.

Q: Any more, there is so much at stake with the college game – they aren’t just games, do you think about that at all?

A: If I take care of my job, and focus, I don’t have to worry about that other stuff.

Q: Are there any regrets about getting involved in the bench crew?  

A: I have so much fun doing this, my only regret is that I don’t get to see KU football games. I obviously cannot work KU football games because I’m a graduate, I work here and I donate. I get to work one nonconference game at the beginning of the season. This year my off weekends were when KU football was out of town. That is my only regret, because I want to support our team – especially now, so that is my only regret.

Q: Who would have thought that watching sports with your dad would have led to this?

A: My dad passed last December and I think, “How proud he would have been for me?” It’s come full circle.