What Happened To Chrysoprase?

[Former Member]

Did chrysoprase leave Gay Authors? Is that why I the links all come up missing?

[northie]

It looks like it. When some one asked the same question about another author last week, the answer was that the stories had been removed at the author's request.

[drpaladin]

This came up back in February. Apparently he just removed his content.

 

https://www.gayauthors.org/forums/topic/41352-what-happend-to-the-cape-in-august

[spike382]

He seems to put stories up for a few weeks and then remove them.

[Former Member]

I save and reformat stories to read in the Kindle app on my iPad and got his Home series confused with Nephylim's Home series. I managed to save all three of Nephylin's chapters, but only got chapters 2-28 of chrysoprase's. That's what I get for deleting authors from the file names…

[Former Member]

Oh, and thank you all for responding!  :-)

[chrysoprase]

Surprised to see my name come up in a post; still here .. mostly reading stories.  I tend to archive my stories when they seem to have run their course and I'm taking a bit of a break from writing.  Trying to figure out what constitutes "gay" writing, mostly, trying not to fall into clichéd coming out/coming of age stories, some of which I've been responsible for.  I'd be interested to hear other's takes on what makes writing specifically "gay", if that hasn't been handled in another forum.  I want to thank everyone who has taken the time to read and offer criticism of my stories here on GA; everyone has been very kind in what they've said.  I can unarchive my work if anyone is still interested, but I thought that was a "no-no".

[Former Member]

Well, even if you don't unarchive your stories, could you email me a copy of Home, chapter 1? (PM me for an email address if you'd like.)

 

 

Personally, I think that there are two separate definitions of Gay writing: work that is created for a Gay readership specifically (usually including LGBT characters; or of particular interest to an LGBT audience) or, more widely, content by a Gay author. Examples of the second definition, in movie form are bisexual director Bryan Singer's X-Men movies where the X-Men are often seen as metaphors for LGBTs. Cole Parker's Puppy Love (Awesome Dude site) doesn't seem to have an explicitly LGBT characters, but there is a Gay vibe and at least one character will probably grew up and Come Out at some point in his life.

 

I'm neither an author nor a movie creator, I just enjoy reading and watching movies. I binge-watch LGBT movies at Frameline (San Francisco's LGBT film festival – see my brief reviews of Frameline40 in The Pit) and am always amazed at the wide spectrum of topics at the festival. Although I avoid all the monster fantasy content here on GA, I did enjoy a Gay Zombie short film included in Fun in Boys Shorts. There are narrative movies that explore issues beyond Coming Out.

[chrysoprase]

(Chapter 1 - more of a prolog, really - is so short it might be easier just to post it here; thanks for your interest in reading it!)

 

He awakens into vague disorientation and a room dim with the grey light of morning.  He cannot immediately remember where he is - the chemical smell of new paint and carpet is heady and cloying - but then he does, and remembers as well the evening before.  He lies very still in the bed, staring up at the grey-white ceiling, as last night comes back to him in a kaleidoscope of images and sensations and emotions.  There is the sound of liquid, somewhere, a rattling splash of wind-driven rain against the glass doors of the hotel.

He glances over at the mounded and humped bedclothes beside him, but there is little trace of last night’s exertions in them.  He throws back the sheets and - naked - stands up and steps over to the curtained window and throws the heavy drapes open.  The grey light washes over his gaunt, thin frame.  He runs a hand through his lanky hair and slips his glasses on.  He has little concern that anyone from outside will see him standing undressed at the window.

The heat from yesterday has broken and a thunderstorm washes across the city.  Below, in the Plaza, cars and people execute an unrehearsed gavotte as they hurry to work in the storm.  This city is not a stranger to him, but he still marvels at the elegant architecture facing him across the creek; it’s a far cry from his current home, a drab and workaday midwestern city only two hours away.

He wonders if he could be happy here.

He glances to his left, at the graceful arc of this building - brand new - swinging away from him.  The college - small, Jesuit, known for the quality of its education - has been generous in putting him up here overnight in preparation for the interview later this morning.  News of the position had come via a phone call from a former classmate who’d ended up there in the English department.

He’d leapt at the chance even without consulting Julia; even now, her displeasure at possibly being uprooted from Springfield is telegraphed in her moody silences and aloof detachment … but those are things to which he has long been accustomed, no longer paying them any heed, knowing that she would tacitly follow him only because she had no choice.

He’s overslept; in an hour he will be sitting down with the department head and the Dean.  He turns away from the window to prepare for the day and, in doing so, dislodges a scrap of paper that falls leaf-like to the carpet.  He bends to pick it up; on the front is a sketch - economical, quick, executed in blue ballpoint - and he smiles at the image.  He turns the scrap over.

On the back is a name, and a telephone number.  He stares at the paper, his hand shaking, and he can feel his body responding as last night again floods his memory.  He knows now that he will do anything possible to relocate to this city and accept the implied promise of the words on the paper.

[Former Member]

Thank you!

 

I'll comment here in lieu of the chapter reviews after i've read more…

[Reader1810]

This thread has been moved from Promising Authors to the Lounge as it is a more appropriate location for this discussion.

Thanks everyone.   

 

Reader1810

Site Moderator

 

Now, for my own comment. I have enjoyed your stories chrysoprase, very much. I had planned on reading your most recent story all in one go, but then it was gone. I don't know a thing about archiving or unarchiving stories but I hope you can do it. As for leaving your stories on Ga in  - for lack of a better term -  "active mode" that leaves them available for readers to discover when they are looking for something interesting to read especially if they like to read completed stories. I know when I discovered GA I searched and found stories that were more than a few years old but they were still enjoyable nonetheless.

[Valkyrie]

I agree with Reader.  I've read a few of your stories and enjoyed them very much.  I wouldn't mind reading the ones that I haven't read yet, but can't since they're not there anymore. If you 'unarchive' them, I'm sure you will find people will still want to read them.

[Graeme]

On the subject of what constitutes "gay" writing, my view is there isn't such a thing. I write stories that may or may not have gay characters. If there are gay characters, they may or may not be the central characters (they usually are, but not always). I simply write. Yes, the majority of what I write has gay themes, but sometimes I'll write a short story that doesn't have an obvious gay character. Twice that I can recall off the top of my head, I've written short stories where one of the characters is gay, but that's not evident in the story itself. Their being gay just wasn't something that fitted into the story -- it would've potentially weakened the story to try to put that information in.

 

Just my thoughts.

[Ron]

I tend to archive my stories when they seem to have run their course...

 

This idea perplexes me. The idea that a piece, or body of work has run its course is a rather odd idea. Considering that new readers "discover" authors and their works all the time (whether they announce that discovery or not) is a fact and not a myth; I'm in complete disagreement with your assumption based on personal experience. I suggest that you let those who read your writing decide for themselves whether your work is derivative, something sublime or if it lands somewhere in between. If the work was worth publishing (yes, this is publishing) in the first place then it is deserving of being read. Your work cannot be read if its languishing in an archive.

[Myr]

I agree with Graeme on what is 'gay writing'.  It is whatever you want it to be. 

 

I personally frown on authors removing their work at all

My "to read" pile tends to grow to epic sizes.  If someone removes them, then it also tends to generate topics like this you see and Support Requests, emails and PMs that you don't see.  The Stories 2.1 (the next next version) will have a request system for authors to remove their work and require them to fill out a reason so that the story will still be listed in the archive, but no longer available.  It will take a LOT of work off the staff's hands...  It will also help an author understand the disruption they create when they remove their work.  People are not very good about leaving reviews and comments to the authors.

[Mikiesboy]

I think it's kind of sad to remove your work. It's a history of your growth as an author, well I think mine would be. I hope I improve as I go along. 

 

And to me GA is a place for LGBT authors to post their work, whether the themes or characters are gay or straight or alien or whatever.  I know there are straight authors, who may feel more comfortable posting their gay themed work here. 

 

It's a great place and I'm glad I stumbled across it. 

[chrysoprase]

Thanks for all the encouragement; I've "republished" all of my stories (probably not the same as unarchiving and - I hope - not something that causes trouble for the site admins).

[Ron]

Nice to know that you came to your senses.

[Reader1810]

Thanks for all the encouragement; I've "republished" all of my stories (probably not the same as unarchiving and - I hope - not something that causes trouble for the site admins).

 

I thought Pete at Forty was your first story...I see I have a lot of catch up to do

[Myr]

Thanks for all the encouragement; I've "republished" all of my stories (probably not the same as unarchiving and - I hope - not something that causes trouble for the site admins).

Nope, the system is set up to only announce a chapter once.  so republishing a story doesn't cause issues.  It solves a lot though, as I mentioned in my post.  Glad to see you've changed your mind