Middle of the week - hey, that also means we're now LESS THAN A WEEK away from the deadline for the big Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill". If you need a few extra days, contact Lugh in advance and he can work with you.

We've got two sweet reviews this week, first Radiant Renee Stevens gives us a review of Promising Author KingdombytheSea's Dare. We also have Percy reviewing Author Carringtonrj's Queertown. Take a look at these reviews and hopefully they inspire you to check out the stories as well.

Enjoy!

Reviewer: Renee Stevens
Status: Complete
Word Count: 5,315

I first read this story back when it was written for the 2011 Gay Authors Summer Anthology. I was thinking about stories today and decided that I wanted to reread this story to see if it was as good as I remembered it being. In my opinion, it was.

This story follows Mark through his school years starting from the age of 12. After taking a dare, he becomes known as the guy who will take any dare that is given him. At his side through all of it is one of his friends, Shawn. The quietest and probably least adventurous of the group.

Shawn just happens to be the one who is always helping Mark out when his hijinks don’t go quite as planned and is the one person in their group that Mark can count on to be there for him no matter what. The question remains, is there a dare that Mark won’t take? You’ll have to read this story to find out!

I enjoyed this story immensely and found myself occasionally chuckling and at other times I found myself going, “Maybe this is one dare he should turn down.” KingdombytheSea showcases her talent in this short story and I encourage everyone to read it and go review! What do you have to lose?

Reviewer: Percy
Status: In Process

Carringtonrj’s Queertown is an adventure, mystery and quest for self-knowledge. The story opens in a sagging, dog-eared bar where we meet the central character, Adrian. He’s soon drawn into a conversation with the bartender where both reveal lives marked by poor decisions, unfortunate coincidences and, ultimately, loss. Adrian is apathetic regarding his life situation and sees no hope for improvement. The bartender, a curious individual who also views life with a certain resignation, suggests Adrian may find rejuvenation in a place called Queertown.

Leery, intrigued, and with nothing better to do with his time, Adrian agrees to meet the bartender in the man’s upstairs flat. His new companion begins to recount his journey to Queertown, and here the story takes on a surreal, gossamer quality. Toni, the bartender, shares with Adrian his life in Queertown, a place where every pleasure is indulged, every wish granted and every possibility experienced immediately and with perfect harmony. It is not a place of either/or but a place of all, always, all ways.

Listening to Toni’s fantastical tales and increasingly swept up in his developing relationship with the bartender, Adrian becomes convinced that he must experience this Shangri La of sensuality for himself. He and Toni conspire to send Adrian on a mission to Queertown. Despite Toni’s enchantment with the place and Adrian’s excitement over the possibilities it holds for him, a mystery lurks in the tapestry of the town. Carringtonrj injects the tale with the occasional darkly discordant note, sounding a warning to Toni, Adrian and the reader that living in utopia has its risks.

Primarily, though, this is a story of self-discovery. In Queertown, readers will find among its many charismatic characters the type of person they are, the type of person they want to be or at the least, the type of person they want to do. Carringtonrj’s lush narrative, scored by music from Dylan, Bowie and others, contributes to the dream-like quality of the story. The author’s intelligent treatment of human desires, concerns and hopes never lets fantasy completely overtake the storytelling. Queertown is an altogether scrumptious and entertaining read.