:music: HAPPY NEW YEAR!!!! :music:

Well I hope everyone had a great night bringing in the New Year. I know I did The great thing about celebrating the New Year is not to forget everything that has happened in the past year, but also to look forward to what will come in the New Year. We will all be experiencing some changes coming up and I'm excited about it and looking forward to looking back next January 1st and seeing where we have come.

So for the final time, we will look back on the last week of 2016 for the GA News Blog.

We started out on Monday right out of the gate with Cia having the CSR Discussion Day where Kuragari129's story; My Life Started At The End Of The World was discussed. Cia started off here nail biting investigating style where we learned that Kuragari doesn't eat enough fruits and vegetables . Cia, being a mom, was able to overlook this and move onto other questions relating to his writing on site . Make sure to pop by and see the responses.

Next we had Myr make another entry on Tech Tuesday. This week Myr shared with us some more information about the upcoming changes to the site were we may have to adjust our minds around the difference between a Review and a Comment. Personally I like what is coming as it should enable both the authors and the readers the ability to communicate back and forth with the comment part, yet still review that will be peer promoted to give you an overall idea of the story. Myr included some screen shots of both the upcoming feedback tools. Now, hopefully I got that right as I'm still trying to figure out what the difference is between a forum, topic, thread etc. Even if you do have troubles with the wording, I'm sure this will be easily caught on by all.

Wednesday Renee brought us a new feature that we haven't seen before called Favorite Self-Written Story. This is a different approach to what usually relies on others opinions of stories to be reviewed. This time Renee asked authors what their own personal favourite story is that they have penned. This time she asked Valkyrie, Craftingmom and Mann Ramblings. In addition to finding out what the story is, we also learned the why.

Friday was a return to the Writing Prompts which always seem to get some takers to the challenge of creating something new. Renee and Cia approached this one a a bit differently being the last one of 2016. The first one of two that are New Years related was your thoughts at the moment 2017 begins. Looking back at last years resolutions and what you want to have for new ones in 2017. The second prompt was you receiving an envelope with a mysterious note inside; "I've been waiting for this chance to accomplish last year's resolution, so please meet me on the patio at 11:59". Lastly Renee shared some of the responses to Prompt 544 from JohnAR, Timothy M., and Jamessavik.

Saturday Renee updated us on the 2017 Spring Anthology: Jagged Edges / Unintended Consequences. We had a great response to the 2016 Anthologies so maybe hunker down at start off 2017 with a great anthology to share with everyone! You have until April 30th to git er done! Reading some status updates the other day a certain wolf I believe is 20,000 words in already. Jeez, bet they have next years Christmas shopping done too!!!

Anthology Announcements:

***NOTE: For the immediate future, please copy in Cia on all Anthology PM's to Renee
***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team

• 2017 Spring Anthology: Jagged Edges / Unintended Consequences - Due April 30th, 2017
• 2017 Fall Anthology: The Fall Out / Secret Spaces - Due November 15th, 2017
  

Premium Updates:

Studly Ranch Hands by Renee Stevens *Premium*

Signature Updates:

Innocence & Carnality - Part Two by Mann Ramblings; Book 2 of I & C

Mental Games by Bill W

Mine! by Cia

Studly Ranch Hands by Renee Stevens

Temporary Dads by Graeme

The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation Book 2 by Bill W; Book 11 of The Castaway Hotel

Promising Updates:

Confide/ant by Sasha Distan

Morningstar: The Malaise by Headstall

Headstall's Reflections by Headstall

Of Prophets, Saints and Sinners by AC Benus; Book 8 of Christmas at Famous-Barr

Tiger Winter by Sasha Distan

Walls by Carlos Hazday; Book 6 of CJ

Don't forget.... Read, Write, and Review!