A Gigabyte of Gratitude

[BendtedWreath]

Dear forum friends and fellow authors,

I didn't want to create a whole blog just for this, so I figured The Lounge was a good alternative. 

I want to thank you for all the support, encouragement (and, hell, even the joking and the teasing) over these last two years. As my 2-year GA-anniversary approaches in mid-July, so too does the posting of the first chapter I've ever written of a project I've been working on since July of 2024. I must deeply express that it was inspired by your work. 

I am not kidding. 

The only thing I've ever written before 2024 were school essays, with variable success. But after reading the rainbow of 2024 event Secret Author entries, the various writing styles, each conveying something meaningful... I was compelled to try to write something of my own. 

Then, I realized it was way too challenging to convey the story that came to mind in a single chapter. So, I ended up practicing on a few prompts while I started figuring things out (provided by the prompt team, highly recommended! Here are a couple of prompts from May).

In my writing journey, I ended up working on a collaboration with @chris191070 that became its own series (The Amazing Friends), which helped me continue to learn and grow (one of which was even featured). We still have another collab to go, to hopefully end that series with a bang (not that we can't collaborate on another series after that, if we're so inclined). I thank @Cane23, @Lee Wilson, @ReaderPaul, @Valkyrie, @wildone, @Ticklishboy30, @Aditus, @astone2292 and everyone else that was mentioned in the series for humoring the cameos.

A huge, huge thanks to @kbois, @CassieQ, @Jason Rimbaud, and @Thirdly for believing in me, humoring me, and for providing examples through your own amazing series (Hazardous, Glacier Bay, Hybrid Journey, Shifter just to name a few). 

My thanks to @drsawzall, @W_L, @E K Stokes, @Jeff Burton, @Bill W, @Headstall, @Vcs, @Gary L, @Kileoli and anyone else who stopped read my work, novice as it was. 

Last, but not least, my thanks to @Myr, @Cia, and the other mods for their patience with not just my bumbling around learning how to navigate but for all the other newer members over the last couple of years and beyond. 

What do you know, I said I didn't want to turn this into a blog-sized post, but it's almost up there in length! 😂

You have my sincerest gratitude and have all played a part in the completion of my first multi-chaptered story (or, at least, my first multi-chaptered story that is 11 chapters long)!

Edit, story link: 

Your sap of a friend, 

Ben

Edited July 20 by BendtedWreath

[Gary L]

Thank you. You are a great addition to the site

gary

[chris191070]

You've written some great stories. I look forward to many more.

[Valkyrie]

Happy GA-versary!  Glad to have you here  

[Ticklishboy30]

[drsawzall]

Congrats Ben on your GA anniversary and your hard work and talent shines through!

[Lee Wilson]

Thanks, you’re welcome, congrats. I’m actually coming up on my 3-year anniversary here, July 14th. I probably haven’t read nearly enough of your stuff, but I can make a pretty long list of authors that applies to. Always enjoyable though.

[Vcs]

Congratulations, Ben. It's fun to look back on when you first dipped your toes in the water with The Mock Orange Scrub, and two years later, you're still successfully putting pen to paper, so to speak. Keep on keeping us entertained!

[BendtedWreath]

13 minutes ago, Gary L said:

Thank you. You are a great addition to the site

gary

The same goes for you! Looking forward to reading more of your work, as well.

11 minutes ago, chris191070 said:

You've written some great stories. I look forward to many more.

Right back at you, brother!

10 minutes ago, Valkyrie said:

Happy GA-versary!  Glad to have you here  

The official 2 year mark is on July 24, so that's the week chapter 1 will be released into the wild. 😱 I'm not concerned in the slightest.

[BendtedWreath]

14 minutes ago, Ticklishboy30 said:

13 minutes ago, drsawzall said:

Congrats Ben on your GA anniversary and your hard work and talent shines through!

As does yours. I look forward to seeing more of your work!

8 minutes ago, Lee Wilson said:

Thanks, you’re welcome, congrats. I’m actually coming up on my 3-year anniversary here, July 14th. I probably haven’t read nearly enough of your stuff, but I can make a pretty long list of authors that applies to. Always enjoyable though.

You'll hit your 3-year mark before I hit my 2-year mark! Congrats to you, as well! I also need to catch up on your work. It's always entertaining to say the least.

7 minutes ago, Vcs said:

Congratulations, Ben. It's fun to look back on when you first dipped your toes in the water with The Mock Orange Scrub, and two years later, you're still successfully putting pen to paper, so to speak. Keep on keeping us entertained!

Thank you! I'm still very much trying. 😂

Edited June 30 by BendtedWreath

[Ticklishboy30]

@BendtedWreath Tickle fight!                   Hehe 😛 

[Cane23]

My 3-year GA anniversay is on August 28th. Congrats to us all, now @BendtedWreath ...out with a story! 

[Bill W]

Ben, I will echo everyone's congratulations on your upcoming second GA anniversary.  Many of us has crossed that milestone and kept coming back for more.  Hopefully, you will do the same and you're been a valuable asset to the site since you first arrived.  

[Bill W]

1 hour ago, Cane23 said:

My 3-year GA anniversay is on August 28th. Congrats to us all, now @BendtedWreath ...out with a story! 

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary as well, Cane.  My anniversary is August 29th, but I won't bore you with the details of how long I've been around.  

[Cane23]

1 minute ago, Bill W said:

Congratulations on your upcoming anniversary as well, Cane.  My anniversary is August 29th, but I won't bore you with the details of how long I've been around.  

Congratulations to the veterans too! 

[Thirdly]

I... am not going to threaten to squish you between my boobs in a hug. I see that Val and Andy (or at least I think it was Andy) have already taken care of that. Considering the, uh, shocking (?) day I've had, this was something I really needed. So thank you. And stop worrying, everyone will love STC. I know I do and all I did was goad you into writing smuttier scenes. 😅

[Thirdly]

Happy GA-versary to @Lee Wilson, @Cane23, and @Bill W and anyone else I missed too, just in case I forget or miss it. 

[ReaderPaul]

Yes, @BendtedWreath, it has been a joyfulness to have you on the site.  May you write for years and years!

(By the way, for some reason I think of you as "Benjamin D. Theodore Wreath."  I am guessing that is NOT your actual name, but stranger things have happened.)  I like your writing and your collaborations.

[Bill W]

2 hours ago, Lee Wilson said:

Thanks, you’re welcome, congrats. I’m actually coming up on my 3-year anniversary here, July 14th. I probably haven’t read nearly enough of your stuff, but I can make a pretty long list of authors that applies to. Always enjoyable though.

And happy upcoming anniversary to you too, my dear friend.  I'm sorry I didn't include you in one of my earlier posts!

[BendtedWreath]

2 hours ago, Cane23 said:

My 3-year GA anniversay is on August 28th. Congrats to us all, now @BendtedWreath ...out with a story! 

Let's go! Happy early GA Anniversary to you.

1 hour ago, Bill W said:

Ben, I will echo everyone's congratulations on your upcoming second GA anniversary.  Many of us has crossed that milestone and kept coming back for more.  Hopefully, you will do the same and you're been a valuable asset to the site since you first arrived.  

Happy GA anniversary to you, as well. 

1 hour ago, Thirdly said:

I... am not going to threaten to squish you between my boobs in a hug. I see that Val and Andy (or at least I think it was Andy) have already taken care of that. Considering the, uh, shocking (?) day I've had, this was something I really needed. So thank you. And stop worrying, everyone will love STC. I know I do and all I did was goad you into writing smuttier scenes. 😅

Thanks to you and Cassie for that insight. And don't forget we're here for you. 

1 hour ago, ReaderPaul said:

Yes, @BendtedWreath, it has been a joyfulness to have you on the site.  May you write for years and years!

(By the way, for some reason I think of you as "Benjamin D. Theodore Wreath."  I am guessing that is NOT your actual name, but stranger things have happened.)  I like your writing and your collaborations.

I wish that were my name. I can tell you the Ben is actually from Benedict.  The rest I'll explain in a PM. 🤣

[Kileoli]

Oh no I'm late..so congrats Ben, is there a cake?

Thank you for sharing your stories with us 

I'm looking forward to the ending and how things happen....wait I have to start reading the whole 11 chapters....that reminds me of another story @Jason Rimbaud I have to read  I may stop annoying the author's to write more before I have read everything...not!

Did I say you're awesome, Ben?! Keep on writing and let the girls @Thirdly @CassieQ help with the smuts...they have observed any noted everything for...too long😅😁

 

[BendtedWreath]

4 minutes ago, Kileoli said:

..wait I have to start reading the whole 11 chapters...

Don't worry, I haven't started posting it yet it will go "live" on July 21st, if all goes well. 

Edited July 1 by BendtedWreath

[chris191070]

Congrats on your GAversary.

[BendtedWreath]

I've finally begun posting the story and wanted to add the link: 

 

[Carl Accolla]

On 6/30/2026 at 9:58 PM, BendtedWreath said:

Dear forum friends and fellow authors,

I didn't want to create a whole blog just for this, so I figured The Lounge was a good alternative. 

I want to thank you for all the support, encouragement (and, hell, even the joking and the teasing) over these last two years. As my 2-year GA-anniversary approaches in mid-July, so too does the posting of the first chapter I've ever written of a project I've been working on since July of 2024. I must deeply express that it was inspired by your work. 

I am not kidding. 

The only thing I've ever written before 2024 were school essays, with variable success. But after reading the rainbow of 2024 event Secret Author entries, the various writing styles, each conveying something meaningful... I was compelled to try to write something of my own. 

Then, I realized it was way too challenging to convey the story that came to mind in a single chapter. So, I ended up practicing on a few prompts while I started figuring things out (provided by the prompt team, highly recommended! Here are a couple of prompts from May).

In my writing journey, I ended up working on a collaboration with @chris191070 that became its own series (The Amazing Friends), which helped me continue to learn and grow (one of which was even featured). We still have another collab to go, to hopefully end that series with a bang (not that we can't collaborate on another series after that, if we're so inclined). I thank @Cane23, @Lee Wilson, @ReaderPaul, @Valkyrie, @wildone, @Ticklishboy30, @Aditus, @astone2292 and everyone else that was mentioned in the series for humoring the cameos.

A huge, huge thanks to @kbois, @CassieQ, @Jason Rimbaud, and @Thirdly for believing in me, humoring me, and for providing examples through your own amazing series (Hazardous, Glacier Bay, Hybrid Journey, Shifter just to name a few). 

My thanks to @drsawzall, @W_L, @E K Stokes, @Jeff Burton, @Bill W, @Headstall, @Vcs, @Gary L, @Kileoli and anyone else who stopped read my work, novice as it was. 

Last, but not least, my thanks to @Myr, @Cia, and the other mods for their patience with not just my bumbling around learning how to navigate but for all the other newer members over the last couple of years and beyond. 

What do you know, I said I didn't want to turn this into a blog-sized post, but it's almost up there in length! 😂

You have my sincerest gratitude and have all played a part in the completion of my first multi-chaptered story (or, at least, my first multi-chaptered story that is 11 chapters long)!

Edit, story link: 

Your sap of a friend, 

Ben

Two years, eleven chapters, and a whole committee supervising the smut 😂 Congrats Ben! You’re on my follow list now, so I’ll be checking out some of your stories.