Response to Anthology Challenge
In his blog entry, FishWings has come up with the Anthology Challenge. Since he asked so sweetly, I couldn’t refuse.
My Picks (in particular order):
KC Grim
SidLove
W_L
Comicfan
FishWings
1. As The Music Plays by KC Grim
"Jade lives and breathes music, it’s her entire universe. What will she do when she finds the girl of her dreams, but can’t share the most important thing in her life with one person she loves the most?"
My Thoughts:
Given that it’s from KC, I knew this was going to be a great story. And it was as beautiful as I expected, if not more. For someone who wrote a f/f story for the first time, he did a super great job. It’s sweet, it’s cute. It’s difficult not to go “Awww” at the end of
the story. What I loved in the story is the message. If you really want to do something for someone you love, nothing can stop you. Amazing.
2. Holding on To Hope by SidLove
"Brad finally meets the man of his dreams on the Valentine's Day. He even loses his virginity to him. But the problem occurs when he wakes up the next morning and realizes he can't remember anything about the guy - not even remembering what he looks like. His best friend, Leslie, thinks he has imagined it all. But was it a mere imagination? or was there something more dangerous to that story?"
My Thoughts:
This is the SidLove’s first story that I have read. So I didn’t know what to expect. First paragraphs itself, I was completely blown away by his way of writing. The characterization and the interaction between the characters are top-notch. You just have to fall in love with his characters. I still can’t manage to pick out one of them as favourites. I guess it will be a four way tie between Leslie, Brad, Ronan and Ian. Sid so calmly brings out the various aspects in the story- the humour, the tenderness, the thrill and suspense. I will surely be looking forward to read more of Sid’s work.
"A Real-Life based tale of a cold New England night"
My Thoughts:
Real life can be as moving, as weird as fiction. And this story is a perfect example. My first reaction to this story was “W_L, you are really brave!” In a situation where most of us would have been screaming like a girl or wetting our pants, he calmly handled the situation like the perfect heroes in fiction. I guess, he’s a hero in real life.
W_L efficiently evokes the tension, the danger of the whole situation and tells us his every thought, sharing with us his good and bad. A glimpse of an unforgettable night, indeed.
"Andy thought he had found the love of his life in Teddy, then Teddy walked out one day. Andy found himself lost at sea with a strange woman who reminds him vaguely of someone he knows. Will he ever find his back or will this be a night to remember."
My Thoughts:
Another author whose work I had the pleasure of discovering during the anthology. What I loved is how Wayne plays with your mind through deceptive hints placed all around the story. I kept guessing about the ending through out the story. At one moment, I was “OMG, he’s going to fall for the mother. “ LOL But in the end, Wayne manages to tie all those hints in a well-crafted ending. Great read.
"Pressed for time, Callen Worthwright drives down a treacherous route back from his snowboarding trip. The roads are icy; the snowstorm is a whiteout, and his car skids straight into the Pacific Ocean. Hanging desperately on to life, a supernatural presence grants him a second chance at redemption. Callen is propelled kilometres across the continent to visit a long-lost friend whom he never had the chance to admit his feelings to.
The catch? He only has six hours to live."
My Thoughts:
I have to admit. When Renee posted the list of stories, I was most intrigued by Fishie’s story. Given his entertaining/funny posts, I was wondering if his story would have the same humour. And boy, I was so wrong. Because Fishie can do much more than humour.
In the first chapter, FishWings grabs your attention and doesn’t let it go through out the story. He brings out the humour, the tension, the romance, the tragedy at the right place in the right dose. What’s best, he does it at the right pace, without ever rushing or slowing the story. Given the plotline, he brings out the best ending possible, bringing a closure to the characters, the story and more importantly to the readers in the epilogue. A great story about love, friendship, compassion and hope.
Writing and reading for this anthology reminded me how addicting GA anthologies can be. No wonder 11 out of my stories are GA anthos. This was a great experience, especially discovering stories from authors whose works I have never read before. The theme was very well-chosen, giving the writers the freedom to express in their own way.
Cheers
Ieshwar
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