Sorry all, running late today, so let's get right to today's story review!

Days Like This
by Drew Payne

Reviewer: Timothy M
Status: Complete
Word Count: 98,599

Some authors on GA attract attention from many readers the moment they start publishing a story. Others sneak up on us, quietly putting out a short story here and a longer tale there, until one of them gets noticed, often acquiring a small group of dedicated fans who like the author’s style. It’s always rewarding to be a reader who happens to stumble across one of those unassuming writers and subsequently watch them blossom due to the feedback and praise from their audience. I know many people agree this is one of the huge strengths of the site.

Drew Payne joined GA a little over ten years ago and uploaded his first story almost exactly three years ago. I came across his first multi-chapter story about six months later, and I was soon caught up in his writing. His stories depict the struggles of everyday life, and while they can contain sadness and anguish, they always have a kernel of hope or redemption. The main characters may face adversity, but they try to stay true to themselves and what they feel is right.

Days Like This is the story of Simon who is sixteen and knows he is gay, but isn’t quite sure how to deal with this. Especially when faced with the unthinking bigotry of his surroundings, mainly his father and other students at his college. At the start of the story he has no one to ask for advice or share his interests with, and he tends to worry about how other people see him. But he is also sensible and resists the pressure from his surroundings, if his gut feelings do not agree. I particularly like his refusal to accept the stereotyping of gay people, and his mother’s moody behavior and pessimism. 

The story follows Simon over four weeks as he, in Drew’s words, “navigates the difficult journey of his coming out.” He meets several new people, who have important roles to play, and my favorite is Nicky. When you have read the story, please tell me who you like best.

Category: Fiction  Genres: Drama  Tags:  teen, gay, coming of age, college  Rating: Mature