How did you end up here?

[mickey1952]

I've been curious about something since shortly after I joined GA. I noticed that many of my brothers and sisters list themselves as straight or something other than gay. Some say, "Ask me", others are "Not telling". I've never asked anyone for an explanation out of respect for their privacy. But perhaps some of you don't mind sharing.

 

First off, I think it's wonderful that GA welcomes everyone here. Many of the folks I've friended are listed as something other than gay. But I'm still curious and interested. For instance, what motivates a straight person to be here, some even writing gay fiction to post. Others identify as gay, yet they're in an opposite sex marriage with kids. Until I was midway through college, I truly thought guys were just "a phase" I was going through, that I would grow out it and eventually get married. Did some of you who are gay get married because of societal pressure? If so, what made you decide to continue to honor your commitment years afterward?

 

If anyone is interested and willing to share their story, I, for one, would find it immensely interesting to hear. And if not, you're still my brother or sister, and most of all, my friend!

Edited February 22, 2014 by mickey1952

[TetRefine]

I found GA off a link from a blog/porn site called The Gay Surf Report. That was back in April of 2009, and I lurked in the shadows for a while reading the forums and some stories until I finally decided to create an account in August of 2009. It's been a hell of a ride ever since!

[Andy78]

I was reading Ghostryder15's Kombat Kids over on Nifty, and there was link to here

[Suvitar]

I had been reading stories on Nifty for a long time when decided to google what else was there and found myself here 

[Slytherin]

I have a profile on Literotica and one author there, don't know if you've heard of him, robcub32/Rob Colton ( ) wrote on his page that he was posting more chapters from his new story on a site called gayauthors so I came here to take a look.. I am so glad that I did - I love GA  

[Aditus]

I was talking to Lisa and she told me about GA. I lurked around for a few month, then I became a member because I wanted to comment on one of Cia's stories. Last year I finally wrote my first story for GA.

[mickey1952]

Wow! I wrote the title then went back to expand. And four of you responded from just the title and within minutes, to boot! Thanks so much!

[Never Surrender]

read straight lit on Literotica, started questioning my own sexuality and moved into the LGBT sections, was looking for more info and alternatives to straight erotica and to Lit itself as i found it endlessly frustrating that many good stories on Lit were being abandoned. Found here through our favourite search engine, started reading bits on here and absolutely adored the whole 'completed', etc. aspect because i prefer to only read completed stories  (yes im so, so easy to please haha its the simple things ) which lead to me sticking around, ended up joining on one of my long train/ferry trips up to Orkney because i wanted to have the option of providing more feedback, and so i could follow individual stories/authors

 

i think thats pretty much it, anyway. there were a couple of other factors, but those are on a more personal level

[A.J.]

I was reading a story called Perry and Jesse by underthehoodster on Nifty and he eventually became a Hosted Author here.  I came here around 2005 I think to check on the story.  I lurked for years reading stories off and on until mid 2012 when I decided to join and submit a story I was writing.

[Mann Ramblings]

I was reading on Nifty and came across Rob Colton's Timber Pack Chronicles when it was first posting. From his chapter headers I found the url for Literotica and so many other authors. I read a bunch of Cia's work and found her link to GA. While reading stories, I got the urge to write Little Man and another online author encouraged me to post on GA as a better place for starting authors. I joined and decided to stick around. Who knew?

[Aaron Penrose]

I have been reading gay fiction since I was about 12. I'm pretty evenly bisexual, but I prefer homosexual stories and porn and most things simply because they're more interesting. Physically I'm much more attracted to men than to women, but I form emotional relationships with women much easier that often translate into physical attraction of the same or greater intensity. Pansexuality probably describes me better than bisexuality, but people understand "bisexual."

 

Anyway, to answer your question, I ended up here when I decided I wanted to try my hand at novel-writing. I have been writing off and on for years in a role playing format on a site called Elliquiy, but I started to accumulate such a wealth of characters and stories that I found myself wanting to put it all down in one place. Being transgender, there is no creative outlet that is as cathartic and just plain damn vindicating for me as writing. It's the only time I can freely express as a man without physical limitations.

 

Thank you for this topic. I am intrigued.

[Arpeggio]

I googled something and found this instead. XD Not complaining

[Suvitar]

and absolutely adored the whole 'completed', etc. aspect because i prefer to only read completed stories  (

 

That´s one of my favourites here too, I love knowing when a story is complete, especially an older story, I just hate it when after reading a long story there´s no ending...

[Cia]

Hmm... got rid of dial-up in 2009 (yes, late, I know... we just weren't computer-centric before then, I had babies) and I began reading online. I found a Mm/MM/MFM/Fm/Mf/Mfff/MMM on an obscure site through search (and have never found again) and all other sorts of combos vampire story that was intriguing but it was way too porn-ish. So I googled 'quality gay fiction' and yeah, GA's tagline hit right at the top. I really enjoyed Don Hanratty's work, and read all of it. Nifty's sidebar images scared the crap outta me so I never read there. The organization and formatting on other sites was okay, but GA was the best (even back with efiction) so I stayed here. Found chat, never shut up, became a chat mod, started writing, became a promoted author, became a site mod, then admin... and here I stay. I do branch out to other sites to read and post some of my work.

 

As for my profile sexuality status. I'm ask me and have never minded anyone actually asking. I am bi, but have been with my husband since '97. He knows and benefits from my equal opportunity sexuality. We're not in an open relationship, but I love to point out hot chicks to him, lol. I'm not very girly, and I've always been more comfortable around guys. Women in large batches usually become bitches. As for writing and reading MM... *shrugs* My tagline on my blog header is 'Love in all forms'. I like stories with other plots, but I love a good romance too. I don't care who the couple are, but I tend to gravitate toward MM for the most part. Just like with being bi, I don't really question it. I'm happy, my readers are happy, so it's all good.

[Mark Arbour]

This is a timely question, since in two days, I will have been a member at GA for 9 years.  Wow.  I was so much younger and hotter back then. 

 

I came here following/stalking Domluka when he made the move to GA.  And because Sharon and Vic told me to. 

[TetRefine]

This is a timely question, since in two days, I will have been a member at GA for 9 years.  Wow.  I was so much younger and hotter back then. 

 

Who said men over 50 can't still be hot?

[Dark]

I'm a 'not telling' because for many years I had no words to describe what I felt and even now it is difficult to explain myself.  I grew up an angry, bitter kid who had no idea where all the anger was coming from but I directed it at my brother.  My sister is really the only person who ever recognized how much I struggled with my insane jealousy.  Eventually, I found ways to manage it and then 2008-2009 became a pivotal year for me.  I got out of a long-term relationship and started questioning again, because once more I found my anger out of control and spiraling into depression.  Some days I'm surprised I'm still here.

 

Anyway, a comic I followed touched on some gay topics and led me to an artistic site dedicated to m/m drawings/paintings/etc.  From there, I found several authors I enjoyed and something clicked in my head.  I started to do some research.  I started to talk, at first to new friends online, and then my family, most of whom I hadn't talked to in years.  One of my favorite authors has a website and part of that website had links to stories she liked.  I read them all and eventually one led me to one of DomLuka's stories and I found GA.

 

I have come to many conclusions about myself, that I am trans but switching genders is not an option for me (in most of the ways you're probably thinking as you read this).  It's funny how just knowing myself better has led me to more peace than I've ever known in my life, but I also still find it difficult to talk about because it's so hard to find the words.  Ironic, I know.  I thank God I found GA because the community is so accepting and nurturing and I honestly don't know where I'd be if I hadn't followed that link long ago and read that comic.

[layla]

I found GA after i'd written my first same sex story. it was something I'd wanted to write for some time, but the site I was posting on wasn't really open to that kind of story, so I landed here and looked around and started reading and got amazing help from Cia on cleaning up the story and posting it. Having her help me, and having others read the story and not judge me for writing it, gave me the confidence to keep on writing the stories I really wanted to. I've met some awesome people since joining and gotten to read some amazing stories too.

[JamesSavik]

How did you end up here?

 

Tis a question I used to ask myself a lot while drinking heavily. When I sobered up in 2003 I decided not to ask it anymore and go with the flow.

 

The flow brought me here.

Edited February 22, 2014 by jamessavik

[mickey1952]

This is a timely question, since in two days, I will have been a member at GA for 9 years.  Wow.  I was so much younger and hotter back then. 

 

I came here following/stalking Domluka when he made the move to GA.  And because Sharon and Vic told me to.

 

Funny, I was just thinking about Vic last week!

[mickey1952]

That´s one of my favourites here too, I love knowing when a story is complete, especially an older story, I just hate it when after reading a long story there´s no ending...

I like knowing when a story has an ending or not also. I also like the type of writing here. There's sex, yes, but it's not gratuitous. It's usually an integral part of the story.

[Kitt]

When I first joined, I didn't really know anyone around the sight so I listed myself as ask, but I make no secret of the fact that I'm straight. 

 

I used to read a lot on Literotica but found myself becoming irritated with the sight. Seemed like stories were being stolen from there more and more, and it resulted in a lot of stories I was following just going poof.  I sort of tripped on a M/M story accidentally and got hooked on the plot before I even realized it WAS M/M. When that author decided to make the switch over here, I followed him. Once I got here and caught up on his story, I started poking around and the rest as they say, is history.

 

Why do I stay and read gay fiction when I am a married straight lady? Simple - I am a sucker for a good romance and good drama in a story. None of the other sights make finding those sorts of stories anywhere near as easy as GA does. When I first started reading here I swore I was going to stick to completed stories with the execption of the story I followed to this sight, but so much for that idea! I'm hooked so I start following a favorite authors new work right from the get go.

[Arpeggio]

Wow, I just realized I've been a member for five years, time flies!

[DynoReads]

I was looking for more stories from an author I read elsewhere and found this site. I read anonymously for about 2 years. Then my youngest sister told me she was bi, then gay, then bi, etc. Not long after my step-daughter admitted to being Bi. Both were disappointed at my casual acceptance.

 

I joined to get to know others with differing sexuality for greater exposure to something outside my normal life.

[Daddydavek]

I blame my being here all on Mark Arbour.  Somehow, long ago,  I hooked up with his Yahoo forum and read his stories there.   Yahoo can be flaky at times and when he mentioned his stories were on GA, I started reading them here.  I read other authors too including too many to name without leaving someone important off.  Finally, I joined the site in April 2009.   Then I bought a paid subscription a few years ago so I could read the premium stories and have kept it up ever since as I feel the site is worth supporting.  

 

I had a computer with dial-up since about 1992.  I graduated from slow dial-up modems to faster ones and finally to DSL in about 2002.   In 2011 I moved to ATT Uverse and have been happy with it.

 

As for reading gay fiction, I found Nifty in the early 1990's when it was started and run by some college kid.