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Cia

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  1. Cia
    This month I'm keeping the fantasy theme going and featuring the second of one of David McLeod's series that have one of my favorite mythological creatures, Dragons! The last ad was for Pilots, so I wanted to make this feature for Pilots II. I admit to indulging myself a little. Hopefully you'll join me (and continue to read on in the next story in this series too).  

    Length: 50,999
    Description: Two boys from Earth Analogue III awaken on World, and learn that if they ever will fly again they must find a dragon. You may recall that these boys, Paul and Larry, died when their plane crashed on a search and rescue mission north of J’ville, Wyoming.
    A reader said: You never cease to amaze me in the way you are able to weave the modern with the mystical or magical. Being able to weave the fabric of a story so well in both cultures is incredible and truly a gift. And I wait for the time when you weave all the stories together. So many dovetail already. Masterful! ~ricky
    If you want to spread the word about David McLeods's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  2. Cia
    Welcome to our last CSR Discussion day of 2021! What better way than with this interview with Headstall's story, Sidewinder. Did you read it? I admit I'm a country girl so I enjoy a good western tale done right. What did you think of the story? Share your thoughts in the comments below, but first you get to enjoy my interview with Headstall! 
     
    Chocolate or Vanilla?
    Chocolate, hands down.
    If you were an animal, what would you be?
    A faithful, devoted companion, like a dog or a horse. I might also have a little bit of tiger mixed in.
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    Something surprising? Hmmm. I’m pretty much an open book about my life. Maybe it would be that I’m a pretty good public speaker—I seem to have an easy time of fitting in and making people laugh—and I’ve usually been successful in the things I’ve wanted to accomplish. I’m struggling to come up with something interesting, but I’m drawing a blank. I guess I can add that people tend to confide in me, and look to me for advice. I’d like to think that means I’m a good listener. Sorry… that’s all I got.
    What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?
    Oh, that’s a tough one. I’ll say the Yukon, but Greece and Switzerland would be up there. I have story ideas for all those places. Actually, since I’ve been watching Yellowstone, I might choose a working horse ranch in Montana if I could go somewhere tomorrow, but that would be for fun as much as research. 
    Do you have any writing rituals or concrete habits when writing a story?
    I don’t believe so. No… not really, although I most often tend not to read what I’m writing when I’m on a roll. Does that count? Sometimes that will go on for an entire story, and then I’ll have to divide an 80,000 or so word document into chapters after it’s completed. That was the case with “Endings”, and “Sidewinder” was pretty much that way (other than I did separate chapters along the way after I got a ways in). I just kept writing and researching, and had no idea whether my western would be good enough to post when it was finished. Once done, I read through the whole thing in two sittings, editing the obvious stuff here and there as I went along. It was a relief to feel it was good enough to post (the pandemic was still screwing with me). After that, I spent weeks editing and reediting… and researching. I continually edit right up until I post, with every story I write… and am usually still editing in the GA editor before I submit a chapter. I’m a tough man to please in that regard.
    Others, stories that don’t flow so easily, that’s not the case. I might write a few paragraphs, and then go back over it right away. So, I suppose that means I was right that I don’t have concrete writing habits. I don’t usually listen to music, but sometimes I do. I might have the TV on in the background, or I might not. I write when I’m tired… or not. Sometimes I write for twenty minutes, and sometimes I write all day or evening. I guess I do have a habit in where I write, though. In a big, usually empty house, I always end up writing in one corner of my bedroom at my desk. My chair is comfortable and the lighting is good, and I can stare out the window at the trees when my eyes need a break.
    What book first inspired your love of the western genre and why?
    I’m not sure how to answer this. I was a voracious reader, but I don’t remember the names of a lot of books I read as a kid. I do know a lot of the westerns I did read were by Louis L’Amour. I remember someone giving me a box of them. “Hondo” was one of those, as was “Sackett”. And of course I read “Lonesome Dove” by the incredible Larry McMurtry when it came out.
    I don’t think my love for westerns came entirely from those books, though. I’m sure some of it seeped in because of reading—I’ve been horse crazy my whole life, and read all of Walter Farley’s books about “The Black Stallion”. I also devoured Marguerite Henry’s books, like “Misty of Chincoteague” and “Justin Morgan had a Horse” to name a couple. But even those weren’t the reason for my love of westerns.
    I would watch any TV show or movie that had horses in it, and I came to love TV shows like Bonanza, The Big Valley, The Virginian, Gunsmoke, The Rifleman, Rawhide, The Cisco Kid, Have Gun—Will Travel… I could go on. All of those spaghetti western movies too, were like candy for me, so that’s where a lot of my love for that genre came from. To this very day I will watch just about any western that comes on television.
    Even so, I’ve always known, even as a kid, that a lot of what was presented was not true to life. Indians weren’t savages, and the bad guys didn’t always wear black hats. One of the most powerful movie experiences I’ve ever had was watching a ‘western’ called “Soldier Blue” in the theater. The Indian massacre in that movie devastated me in ways I can’t even describe, and continued to affect me for many years. I’m not sure I could ever write about something so tragic.
    What part of writing a western story came easiest? Was the hardest?
    Easiest? I think that would be how I understand that pioneer spirit. I might have been born in the wrong time period. I’ve built two farms from almost nothing, and I had that drive to work from sunup to sundown, building barns and fences and clearing land, all while doing any chores that were required to be done… and working fulltime. Showing horses successfully takes tremendous dedication and a strong work ethic, and is a dream that takes a lot to achieve, and I rose right to the very top. So yeah, I’m familiar with the challenge of that kind of life. I can even make my own horse shoes, being a trained and licensed blacksmith/farrier.
    The hardest? That would definitely be creating a dialect that sounded authentic to my own literary ear—one I felt comfortable using for my characters. I did a lot of research, and believe me, it is sporadic when it comes to how folks talked back then. There existed such a regional variation that it was almost a series of different languages. Tenses were the biggest thing… they were often mixed up and improperly used, and word choice was vastly different. Language relates to the time period we are in, and so much was different in those times on the frontiers. It was a process, but I believe I found the rhythm, cadence, and word choice I needed to make the characters come to life. I actually find myself ‘thinking’ in that dialect now.
    Your story description mentions a lot of research. When it came time to write, did that help you develop Boone and Coy’s characters or was it more about the setting and authenticity?
    It was definitely both. Let me clarify. I needed to understand what made these guys tick, like with any characters I write, and research gave me the biggest key for that. It soon became clear that despite the lawlessness of the time, most folks were god-fearing. Their faith was what kept them going through the tough times in the harshest of environments. Sometimes a cowboy had no company but the Lord’s for miles around, and for months at a time. Faith wasn’t something they paid lip service to… it was the backbone of their existence, and once I understood that, I had my characters.
    And of course there were a lot of scenes in the story that had to feel right. They included aspects of hunting, weapons, terrain, types of game and edible plants, equipment, and cooking—even types of cattle. They are just some examples that required a lot of tedious research (not that I really minded). I did go down a few rabbit holes… okay, a lot of rabbit holes, but I believe I ended up with an authentic feel to the story. If that isn’t the case, it wasn’t from a lack of trying.
    And word choice! I can’t forget that. There are so many words we use without thinking today (like ‘okay’), ones which would seldom or never be used back in those times, so I spent a lot of time searching word origins and when some sayings came into existence, or when they were popular. That was ongoing throughout the entire story and its sequel.
    What is your favorite scene or line in Sidewinder?
    Can you share anything new about your current or upcoming work with readers?
    Sure. I am working on chapter eleven of a new story. It’s been waiting in the wings a long time, and it’s just a simple human drama set in contemporary times. I started it a long time ago, but the pandemic played games with my head, and I lost my desire to write. After writing my anthology entry, “Finding Refuge”, I’d always wanted to write another western, so out of the blue I started “Sidewinder” late one evening… and my research began. Later, I returned to this story, only to leave it again to write “Larkspur: A Sidewinder Tale”. Those voices wouldn’t stay quiet. I must admit I am having strong urges to write another western, so we’ll see if this one gets set aside again. I’m not doing a good job of selling this new work of mine, am I? J
     Thanks for the great questions, Cia. This was fun.
     
  3. Cia

    January CSR Feature: Dragonborne by Xfighter1984

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Well, I don't know about you, but I sometimes have a hard time facing the rest of winter after the magic of the holiday season has ended. Now it's just extreme weather and no fun... so I thought we'd enjoy some magic of a different sort and the fun of a coming-of-age short story with Xfighter1984's fantasy tale Dragonborne. And for those who like their tales to continue... a little birdie (read: the author note at the bottom of the last chapter) says there more in store for this world. So if you fall in love, never fear, more to come! 
    Dragonborne
    by @Xfighter1984
    Length: 23,082
    Description: Step into a world of magic, mystery, swords, and of course dragons. Young Levi doesn't quite know who or what he is, until one day a mysterious man shows up and everything changes
    A reader said: This is an exciting chapter. These are a well written series of chapters. The plot is interesting and the characters are well developed. I really look forward to the next chapter. ~JCtoGO2
    Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, January 31st!
  4. Cia
    This story captured many of the years, and it is one of the favored genres by a large group of readers on GA. Why? Well... tell us in the comments what you thought about Crosscurrents! If you haven't had the chance to read it yet, maybe these promos and the except I'm sharing on Wednesday will draw you into its web! 

    Crosscurrents
    by @Adam Phillips
    Length: 266,118
    Description: Andy and Matt, best friends and teammates from childhood, grow together, learn together, and struggle to remain friends when their evolving relationship outpaces their ability to understand it.
    A reader said: ...  I can count on my fingers and toes the number of net authors who have the craftmanship to write words that can shine the lights on various characters that elicit those emotions.  Adam Phillips has done a superb job giving his readers such expansive insight into the thoughts, actions, reactions and events that cause his characters own actions.
    He also built a well-crafted story, using great characters inside a well-painted setting to bring the reader to a conclusion that satisfies all of the threads within the story.
    Well Done, Adam Phillips.  Thank you for the hard work and effort you put into painting Crosscurrants for us to share.  We - the readers here - will never be able to fully thank you and the other authors for such hard and great work. ~ DaveinLA
     
    If you want to spread the word about Adam Phillip's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  5. Cia

    December CSR Feature: Sidewinder by Headstall

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Well, it's come. The final CSR feature of 2021... and what better than a time-traveling tale of the Old West? Headstall shares his passion for the genre with this comment on his story: "What was life like for a gay man in the Old West? Westerns are not a popular genre, but this author grew up on them, and I wrote this for me. This is my second story set in these times, and I wanted to explore how these men coped... how they survived, and what the attitudes of the times were. A lot of research went into this, but the trappings of the story are only a small part of it. This is a simple human drama about wanting what we all want... to stay alive, have a place to call our own, and someone to share it all with. Sometimes, it's just a dream...." ~ Headstall
    Sidewinder
    by @Headstall
     
    Length: 71,019
    Description: Life in the Old West was harsh. The work was hard, but the men were harder, and death.... well... it came easy. Boone had no one until he met Coy, a handsome cowboy with a good heart. Their friendship was quickly formed, and meant everything to him, but after five years of being at each other's side, it was time to move on. Coy didn't need him anymore, and Boone wanted someone made like he was. Finally accepting that was never going to be Coy, and tired of being rootless, he sets out to find a home... land that was his, and a place he could belong. Coy? Left on his own, what path will he take?
    A Reader said: This story with it's wonderful characters...Coy, Boone and others (Blue and Daisy, especially), ticked all the boxes for me, written so well, there was laughter, tears, adventure, cliffhangers, LOVE, a uniqueness, etc, etc, etc!!! Loved it, the ending was perfect!! ~ Onim
     
    Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, December 27th!
  6. Cia
    Welcome to November! I can't believe it's the second to last month of 2021. In some ways it feels like this year has taken decades, and in others, it feels like it has sped by. In a fun twist, I'm featuring the 2nd story in Underthehoodster's series, Perry and Jessie, series. 

    Discoveries
     by @underthehoodster
    Length: 69,297
    Description: Perry (A fairly rich kid who always seems to be in some sort of trouble) and Jesse (A poor kid who is a blackbelt and has a bad past reguarding his previous schools and his father) find love for each other after Jesse moves to Perry's school from another city.
    A reader said: Nicely done with a lot of characters. ~ Dodger
     
    If you want to spread the word about Underthehoodster's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  7. Cia
    Well going again with the theme of doubles, I've picked a scene in Underthehoodter's novel-length coming of age story, Discoveries, where the narrating character is reading a story written in a spiral notebook by the other main character... a story they sort of lived. So a story within a story. Read on! 
    Want to read more? Click here
  8. Cia
    October's a month for fantasy and fun, so who and what better to feature than Myr's short story, A Ranger's Duty? This is one of my favorites of his work, and I always hope he'll go back to write more. Let's encourage him, shall we?

    Length: 3,930
    Description: A trade caravan left on the King's Way as soon as the roads cleared, but Winter hasn't quite given up yet. A storm is bearing down on them, and Ryn needs to get them off the road before it hits.
    A Reader said: I hope this is the beginning of something grander. This world is intriguing and I'm enjoying learning about the cultures you're creating here. This story was a very nice way to re-introduce your writing to some of us who haven't had the pleasure before now.  ~ Mann Ramblings
    If you want to spread the word about Myr's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  9. Cia
    Did you read this fun, twisted tale from Richie Tennyson before or after I announced it earlier this month? Readers really seemed to like the new take on the old fairy tale genre. What did you think? Share you thoughts before, but make sure you check out my interview with Richie here first! 
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    I certainly do!
    What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?
    A small country town with colourful locals. I read lots of books set in small towns and would love to write one.
    What brought you to GA?
    I came across GA when I was looking for a place to share my first story, Self-Portraits.
    Do you like original fairy tales or are you more of a Disney tale fan?
    I loved Disney fairytales as a child and was also obsessed with a lot of picture book adaptations. I wasn’t as familiar with early versions of fairytales but, when I was researching Happily Ever After, Ltd, I became a big fan of the gory Brothers Grimm version of Cinderella.
    One of your readers left an excellent review stating how the twists and turns had to be plotted out. Are you a plotter or pantser when you write?
    Yeah, I did plot most of Happily Ever After, but I was bit of a “pantser” for Ryan and Dorothy’s backstories.
    Did grown ups read fairytales to you when you were a child?
    Yes, my parents did – and I spent a lot of time re-reading them on my own too.
    Do fairytales have an influence on your writing outside of this story, or was it a one-off?
    I always enjoy playing around with the “happily ever after” cliché. When I’m writing, I like to find ways to subvert expected endings, and bring characters to endings that are realistic and earned, but hopefully still satisfying.
    Ryan and Dave both have quite the adventure. Do you identify more with either character?
    I identify more with Ryan. His backstory is adapted from my own life, and as a person, we share a range of traits. We’re both a bit awkward and often exasperated - and we both have a very crude best friend.
    What is your favorite part of Happily Ever after, Ltd.?
    Without spoiling anything, my favourite part is the scene where two characters are on a boat. It combines action, horror, comedy, love, absurdism, and more.
    Can you share more of your upcoming writing or story plans with readers?
    I am currently writing a psychological thriller about a group of old university friends (including three gay guys), who are reuniting ten years after they graduated. They stay in a very isolated lodge, but one of them has murder on their mind. So again, I’m using a well-known story structure (the “whodunit”), but trying to subvert expectations/tropes.
    Don't forget to share your thoughts below! 
  10. Cia

    Drama for Authors & Volunteers!

    By Cia,


    News Archive
    Heads up, Authors! We're still working on creating a great new sub-system for genres for authors, and during Myr's recent mine for data, one thing we noticed was that "Drama" is being used for many stories with no other genres on a TON of stories. Drama is going away with the new sub-genre system, and we want everyone to have a heads up that those stories will need to be moved to the correct new genre or sub-genre. Is your story primarily a romance? Comedy? One of the sub-genres we're coming out with like Historical Thriller, Tech Noir? Keep an eye out for more to come soon so you will be ready to move your story!

    Readers, do you love to find hidden gems to read and want to help others find stories to enjoy on GA? Are you a whiz at looking up stories for tags? Good at summing up stories in a few sentences? We're looking for volunteers to help assess the meta data on stories for genres, tags, and even the descriptions for inactive or deceased authors. We'll need helpers to find stories missing the data, and readers willing to help add the correct info for stories as much as possible. Let us know if you're interested! We'll be creating a space for this so you can comment here or send me or Myr a PM via our profiles. 
  12. Cia

    Weekly Wrap Up (Oct. 10 - Oct. 16)

    By Cia,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Welcome to your weekly update brought to you by yours truly!  Big reminder to all our site authors, you only have until October 31st to get your Anthology into the Review Team. If this is new to you, see the anthology info below for more details.
     
    Monday readers got a glimpse into The Thousandth Regiment by AC Benus with a review by Parker Owens on the humanization of war and the power of poetry. Please check it out! 
     
    Want to brush up on your Word-smithing? Learn what these words mean in Myr's    
    luftmensch     cumshaw     enhance     chimera     reverie    duopoly     volant
     
    Friday brought a refresh to Wayne's Prompt #7. Please look forward to a return of this feature coming soon from some new Prompt Volunteers!! 
    Comicality created dread in our Saturday Writing Tips, and if you're an author and you don't know what that means, take a peek now!
    Story goals for October have a lot of red! Can we bump these up before the end of the month?

    Upcoming Anthology
    2021 Anthology #2 Top Theme 1 - A Winding Path - Due October 31st, 2021 2021 Anthology #2 Top Theme 2- An Unconventional Gift - Due October 31st, 2021 2021 Anthology #2 Pot Luck Themes - Due October 31st, 2021 Anthology 101 - In the Anthology Forum. Everything you need to know about GA Anthologies
    Ask an Author 3.0 - Submit a story you like and 3 questions you would like to ask the author about. Send them to @astone2292 or @Renee Stevens **Please submit so Aaron can have a  bank of stories and questions**
    Blog Opportunities
    Guess the Author: Open to all GA authors. PM @Renee Stevensor @wildone to participate
    Story Review: Send it in to @Renee Stevens or @Timothy M. 
     
    Now, let's look at new stories and chapters posted this week!
    Premium Updates:
    On Fire by Cia *Premium*
    Classic Updates:
    Bloom by Dabeagle
    Stuff People Do by Ronyx
    The Brilliant Boy Billionaire by Altimexis
    Signature Updates:
    Ancalagon by Cia
    Gap Year by Mark Arbour
    Larkspur: A Sidewinder Tale by Headstall
    On Fire by Cia
    Picture Me And You by Comicality
    The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Poetry by AC Benus
    The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Prose by AC Benus
    Promising Updates:
    Never Too Late To Believe by northie
    Let's get those goals up.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!! (and Recommend with a share to the forum topic!) 
  13. Cia

    October CSR Feature: Happily Ever After, Ltd.

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Who wants a happy ending? 😆 Come now, I meant this month's feature, Happily Ever After, Ltd by @Richie Tennyson. This lighthearted Cinderella remix is just what the season ordered!
    Happily Ever After, Ltd.
    by @Richie Tennyson
    Length: 62,791
    Description: Prince Charming goes missing from the pages of Cinderella, resulting in chaos in the offices of Happily Ever After, Ltd. The manager of the Cinderella division, Dorothy Weaver, has to try to salvage a happy ending. She temporarily replaces Prince Charming with nineteen-year-old Ryan Hooper, without realising he’s gay. Inside the fairytale, Ryan tries his best to find a happy ending …
    A Reader said: This fantastic story is a modern day re-writing of the Cinderella, but not as you would expect. ~Chris191070
    Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, October 25th!
  14. Cia

    September CSR Discussion Day: Thwarted by Renee Stevens

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    I can't believe it's the end of September already! This month has flown by, unlike the 56 weeks it took for Renee to write her 1k a week Wednesday Briefers flash fiction story, Thwarted. Did you read it? Make sure you share your comments below, but first my interview with her! 
    Chocolate or Vanilla?
    Chocolate
    What's your favorite room in your house? Do you plot or write there?
    My favorite room in the house is my craft room. I don’t really plot or write there though, partly because that room is honestly disorganized chaos. It definitely needs an in depth cleaning. I do mostly sewing in that room, as well as crafts for my at home craft business.
    What is your favorite book?
    It’s been so long since I’ve been able to do any reading, that I honestly couldn’t pick a favorite book. And many of the books that I read now are the books that I read to my little man. And while I cherish being able to read to him, I wouldn’t say any of his little books would be my favorite.
    What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
    My favorite things to do are camping, fishing, just being outdoors. Lately I do a lot of crafting, and playing with my little guy, but for the most part I love to share my love of the outdoors. We haven’t got to do much camping the last couple of years, for various reasons, but hopefully soon our summers and fall will  be back to spending time at the lake or in the mountains. Ironically, camping is always where I seemed to do my best writing.
    It’s been a while since you had time to write. What’s the best part of being an author you miss?
    Losing myself in the story. I used to be able to sit down and write and everything else just fell away. It let me get whatever I was feeling out, and at the same time allowed me to focus on something other than whatever was going on in life. I tend to bottle things up and for some reason, when I would be really into a story, everything just kind of melted away. I miss the release I got from writing, but I’m still hopeful that I’ll get back to it. The stories are there, I just struggle to get them out since I can’t stay up until all hours of the night, which is when I did most of my writing.
    If you could give advice to yourself when you first started writing, what would it be?
    The first one would be not to post until something is finished, with the exception of these 1K chapter stories. It puts too much pressure I think and trying to rush it in order to post can affect the story. The other thing is to not worry about it being perfect, just get the story out, as it can always be edited to fix major mistakes.
    What is the best part of writing a 1k a week story? The hardest challenge?
    The best part is that a 1K chapter is easily doable in a week, so it helps to keep an author writing. In fact, if I ever manage to get back to writing, I may very well start with flash stories just to get back into the groove of it. The hardest part is keeping chapters to the 1K word limit and have smooth transitions. In fact, while I really stuck to the 1K format for the first half or so of the story, in later chapters I have many that are a bit longer.
    Did you connect more with Mark or Trey when you wrote the story?
    I honestly can’t even remember. But that being said, I will say this. When I write, I have to have a good connection with all the main characters, or the story doesn’t get written. I’ve had stories before that I completely changed one of the characters because they were just not someone I could connect with. That wasn’t the case with Thwarted. I stayed connected with both Mark and Trey throughout and their characters never strayed from who they were to begin with.
    It’s been nearly 10 years since you wrote Thwarted. Would you change anything about it now?
    I don’t think I’d change anything about the storyline, but I would like to go back into it and smooth things out a bit. Maybe combine chapters and provide better transitions.
    Do you have a favorite scene or line from the story?
    It’s been so long since I wrote Thwarted that I really can’t remember any specific favorite scenes or lines. But, if pressed I’d have to choose the first prompt line, which was “Count sheep? I’d rather count…” mainly because it was the prompt that started it all, and I really think that scene kind of set the tone for Mark’s relationship with Jackie and Brent.
  15. Cia

    Weekly Wrap Up (Sept. 19 - Sept. 25th)

    By Cia,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    It's not me, I'm in disguise! 🥸 🤡 😜 In the absence of your usual wrapper, you get me... sorry, I'm simply not nearly as entertaining. Well, unless you watch me stumble around the classroom trying to to kill myself on all the student's things strewn about. That's hilarious. 😒 Last weekend Wildone said he was older than dirt and this week I'm a clown in disguise. I certainly entertain the students enough. Fortunately, we have one more day of weekend to enjoy. Why don't we take a look at what was shared this week in case you missed that!
     
    Myr made some BIG updates to Stories. What were they? Spoilers, a death knell for readers! Follow his blog, or click below to read all about it.
     
    Did you get started on your anthology story yet? It's coming soon!
     
    All week long Myr posts words of the day. Some features this week are wyvern, veridical, nidus, and will-o'-the-wisp. Which words do you know, and which ones are new to you? Check out all his Word of the Day blogs through this gif link: 

     
    Monday I brought you this month's Classic Author feature, Topher Lydon's Sigil of the Wolf. Now, this SOUNDS like it would be maybe medieval or perhaps paranormal. If you just go by the title, not the genre, that is. But it's a pretty compelling sci-fi story. (psst, keep reading for more about the importance on genres at GA from Myr)
     
    Wednesday I tempted readers with a snippet of story. I do so live spacey stories, and these are long and... well, what genre would you put them in? 
     
    Thursday Renee Stevens whet your anthology appetite with a revisit to Wombat Bill's story. 
     
    Saturday Myr revealed survey results that are driving a new format that will help authors and readers sift through the genres on GA to really drill down into both what is wanted for reading and what authors like to write (or wish to explore). Please check out the amazing information he collected and ideas on how to move forward!
     
    How did we do with our goals so far this week? Down to just one red bar. Let's get that fixed!

    Upcoming Anthology
    2021 Anthology #2 Top Theme 1 - A Winding Path - October 31st, 2021 2021 Anthology #2 Top Theme 2- An Unconventional Gift - October 31st, 2021 2021 Anthology #2 Pot Luck Themes - October 31st, 2021   
     
    Anthology 101 - In the Anthology Forum. Everything you need to know about GA Anthologies
    Ask an Author
    Ask an Author 3.0 - Submit a story you like and 3 questions you would like to ask the author about. Send them to @astone2292 or @Renee Stevens **Please submit so Aaron can have a  bank of stories and questions**
    Blog Opportunities
    Guess the Author: Open to all GA authors. PM @Renee Stevensor @wildone to participate
    Story Review: Send it in to @Renee Stevens or @Timothy M. 
     
    Now, let's look at new stories and chapters posted this week!
    Premium Updates:
    On Fire by Cia *Premium*
    Classic Updates:
    Bloom by Dabeagle
    Stuff People Do by Ronyx
    The Brilliant Boy Billionaire by Altimexis
    Signature Updates:
    Ancalagon by Cia
    Disasters, Delights and Other Detours by Parker Owens
    Larkspur: A Sidewinder Tale by Headstall
    My Only Escape by Comicality
    On Fire by Cia
    The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Poetry by AC Benus
    The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Prose by AC Benus
    Promising Updates:
    Never Too Late To Believe by northie
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!! (and Recommend with a share to the forum topic!) 
     
  17. Cia
    I went in the opposite direction, and I'm bringing you Book 2 in Topher's popular Falcon Banner series as this month's feature. Yes, this is a super long novel, and yes, you should read it! 

    Length: 173,703
    Description: Darien Taine has resurrected a forgotten hope, freedom to his people, and set his sights squarely on Earth. Shadows of the Empire's dark past reach out to ensnare that hope, a fallen General strives to restore the one symbol that would unite the Empire again. The architect of the fall of mankind weaves a dark net; to lure the Excalibur into his clutches as he brings an ancient superweapon to bear. And fate, wielded as a weapon by a man 300 years dead, is Taine’s last recourse
    A reader said: Another excellent story, and follow up book to the first in the series. Well written, and thought out, it kept a good pace. However, it ends on a cliffhanger. If you read the series, just on this site, then you are left wanting more. ~ Brayon 
    If you want to spread the word about Topher's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  18. Cia

    August CSR Feature: Electricity by MozLover21

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Welcome to August. Wow, I can't believe we've already made it here. Summer in the northern hemisphere is in full bore, but we can see the end in sight. Change is in the air, and what better way celebrate that than with a tale about personal change? And sports! Football!! Yes it's American football, people, but this is the month for it. Plus, don't forget to congratulate MozLover21 on being a member of GA for a year on August 16th!!
    Electricity
    by @MozLover21
     
    Length: 74,284
    Description: NFL quarterback Andrew Thompson is tired of being blasted in the press for his notorious playboy lifestyle and wild reputation. But just as he's trying to make changes in his life and become a better man, a brand new article by respected journalist Aubrey Miller, goes viral. The author berates Andrew for perpetuating a negative image of gay men in the media and questions his dedication to the community. Initially, the quarterback is furious with Miller, but a chance encounter with the handsome writer leaves him rather conflicted about his feelings.
    A Reader Said: Easily one of my favorite stories. To see how the characters mature was awesome. Definitely looking forward to more stories from Moz.  ~Wesley8890
     
    Don't forget to come back to comment on the discussion day on Monday, August 31st. 
  19. Cia

    September CSR Feature: Thwarted by Renee Stevens

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Happy September, we're in the home stretch of 2021! This month, in honor of Labor Day in the U.S., I'm featuring a story about soldiers. For all those who work with their hands, who build, who labor, thank you! I hope you enjoy reading Renee Stevens' story, Thwarted. Maybe we can lure her back to writing again with some comments! 
    Thwarted
    by @Renee Stevens
    Length: 62,434
    Description: After getting out of the military, Mark is unsure what he wants to do with his life. Then he meets Trey, a current soldier in the US Army. Sometimes it seems like everything is conspiring against them. Can they make it or will they be... thwarted.
    A reader said: Finally managed to read the last chapters. I've enjoyed the story and your great characters, and I like to think they will have a happy life together. A sequel sounds good  ~ Suvitar
    Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, September 27th!
  20. Cia

    August CSR Discussion Day: Still You Want Me by Mrsgnomie

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    It's been a long month, but this month's feature was a long read for you to enjoy! Did you read Mrsgnomie's Still You Want Me? Make sure you leave your thoughts in the comments below, but first, enjoy this interview with her! 
    Have you ever gone out in public, realized your shirt is on backwards, and just don’t care?
    Backwards, inside out, see through with black bra (not on purpose like the current trend). I wouldn’t say I’m a hot mess, but I’ve had my moments. I tend to embrace them. Life is too short to fret over trivial things like this, plus, it might bring a smile to someone’s day!
    What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
    Traveling. 100%. I never left Oregon until I was 24. Never went on a flight until I was 26. I’ve spent the last 10 years making up for lost time. The value we gain from visiting other cultures is paramount. I’ve grown more in the last 10 years then I did the 26 before that. I want travelling to be so normal for my kids that they take it for granted.
    If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
    From Acorn to Oak Tree.
    What brought you to GA?
    I published Still You Want Me on a different site. It got pretty good feedback. Some of the best feedback. Someone emailed, we became friends, then she directed me to GA and told me to post here. I admit, the feedback on GA wasn’t nearly as good as the other site. Looking back, I didn’t know GA well enough and the learning curve was a little harsh. I almost didn’t post my second story, Three Strikes, but I thought, why not? What do I have to lose? I’m glad I did. Now GA is my go-to and the other site is an afterthought.
    What’s the best part of being an author? The hardest part?
    Best part and the hardest part of being an author is the readers. The best because they are awesome, encouraging, and insightful. They’ve made my stories better because of their comments and foresight. They keep me accountable, they keep me writing, they keep motivated. Knowing they enjoy something I crafted from scratch is a high like no other. But it’s a double edge sword, because they can be brutal. I got a email a few months ago from a reader who RAILED me because I depicted Seamus’s family as being trailer-trashy. Well, let me tell you, this reader had some things to say (1k+ words) about that! Evidentially, because of Covid and the negative effects it had on people, this depiction was heartless, cold, and alienated my readers. It wasn’t Seamus’ family’s fault for needing to be on assistance. A) covid is not referenced in my story. His family is generational white trash, by choice. Needless to say, they were beyond offended and “will no longer be reading any of my stories”.
    But yeah, it can be hard to read negative feedback even if it is part of the process.
    Did something specific inspire you to write Still You Want Me?
    I guess, my own reading desire inspired me to write. I was enjoying (insert the many tropes you’ll find in SYWM) but I was running into a brick wall finding similar stories. I decided to take a stab at it myself. What you can’t find, you write. I’d read some pretty terrible stories, so the bar was kind of low.
    The story has Drama, Comedy, and Romance as the genres. Do you feel one dominates the plot?
    I was going to say, no, I think they’re evenly distributed. But then I was like, who am I kidding? Drama. Definitely drama.
    Do you identify with either Colin or Charles more, and if so, why?
    This is a big fat neither. Don’t get me wrong, each character has something about them that was taken from me (Colin’s love of tea. Charles’ love of eating out and being the best hostess) but overall, both Colin and Charles are so different from me. Probably why I wanted to write them. But, if my hands were tied and a gun was pointed to my head, I’d say I most identify with the second-half-of-the-story Charles. Once you strip away his ego, money, and status, Charles is extremely thoughtful and kind…just like me.
    What is your favorite quote or scene from Still You Want Me and why?
    Okay, first of all, this is rude. I haven’t re-read this story since I posted it back in 2018, so I had to go back to find a quote. Now I’m eating brownies and cringing. It is clearly my FIRST ever attempt. That much is obvious. Like, could I have used more exclamation points? *shudders*
    I think my favorite scene is when they go to the gym. Colin is still in denial about his feelings but seeing another guy hitting on Charles sends him for a loop. He gets territorial and the claws come out. It’s all very out of character for Colin. Plus, Colin’s nicknames for his competition crack me up. Shorty McDouchebag, Short McFlirt, Shorty McUglyface, etc. The un-beknownst-to-Colin jealousy amuses me.
    This line from Colin to Charlie: “Can you try to focus on me instead of Shorty McFlirt over there? I don’t want the weights to fall and crush me because you’re too busy ogling some twink with a bad haircut.”
    Can you share a little of your current and/or future work with readers?
    Absolutely. I’m currently 4 chapters deep on a spin off from Boss Nanny. Jay Petermeyer is the first football player to be drafted as out and proud. He’s been playing professionally for 10 years and in that time, he’s built a stellar reputation. You can’t find a smudge to his name. You also can’t find a shirtless photo. It’s not that he’s prude, he just believes that some things should be private—that the world isn’t entitled to every piece of him. Loren, on the other hand, is one of the biggest social media influencers, period. He started as a pre-teen playing video games in his friend’s room. A decade-and-a-half later, he’s got over 20 million followers.
    Loren is a wild horse.
    Jay is the patient trainer who can see what lies beneath.
    The other story I’m working on is called All the Kings Men. It’s not fully worked out but it’s about a group of friends, they’re close. The type of closeness that forms from childhood trauma. A rags-to-riches situation, in a sense. As adults, they’re the it group. The friend group that everyone wants to be a part of. They’re social and outgoing, but at the end of the day, they’re not accepting new members. In the middle of this group is James King. After a toxic relationship isolates him from his friends for five years, they’re finally reunited. Not only are they ecstatic to have their friend back, they’re now insanely protective of him, too. They almost lost him once…
    Trevor has a the best one-night-stand of his life while visiting family in Denver and before heading on the road to do a few Keynote speaking events for work. As one of the top commercial real estate agents on the west coast, he’s a hot commodity. When he finally gets back home, he goes for a drink with his friends. That’s when he sees the super-fun-one-night-stand guy. He’s not big on relationships but he won’t lie and say he’s not a little interested in James. He’s also familiar with James’s friends. At once point, he wanted to be in their circle because it was the place to be. Now he wanted in their circle because getting to James will never happen without the approval of the King’s Men.  
  21. Cia
    So picking an excerpt for this story was a little hard. There's a lot of interesting information about Buddhism, this spiritual retreat, and the main characters. The story has a bit of romance, some drama (they are teens, after all) and a lot of struggling to the end. Will it be a happy ending? Well, the story is short so I hope you'll give it a chance. To help you decide, I've picked an excerpt that gives you both a taste of the characters and the world they are immersed in for the week. 
    Want more? Click here. 
  22. Cia
    This month I'm sure we're all a little stressed and can use some peace. How about checking out this short Classic Author read?

    Length: 12,151
    Description: Nicky goes to a Zen meditation retreat, searching for enlightenment, but what will he find?
    A reader said: This was really great! I was so happy to read a story that is so different from the norm! ~ CassieQ
    If you want to spread the word about Little BuddhaTW's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!
    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

  23. Cia

    August CSR Discussion Day: Electricity by MozLover21

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Whew, a long month and a long story! At least they went together, right? I hope you enjoyed the Electricity (and welcomed back football!) this month. Now how about my interview with MozLover21? My questions weren't so easy, so make sure you read the thoughtful answers before you comment with your thoughts on the story below!
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    I love horror movies. They’re my guilty pleasure. But somehow my fondness for this genre always becomes an issue in my friendships and relationships, because nobody that I know enjoys watching them. And their usual assertion that the movies are “too scary” is baffling to me, because I find reality far more terrifying than any horror.
    If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
    “Know Yourself”—I’ve recently become interested in ancient Greek mythology, where the principle of knowing yourself is an important theme, and one of the mottoes carved on the temple of Apollo. It sounds simple enough, but knowing yourself comes with a good dose of eating humble pie, because it requires examining your flaws and limitations. But if you continually go through that process, you can end up improving and refining yourself into the best version you can be. And that doesn’t mean a perfect human, but it does mean someone who is better equipped to deal with the suffering that living often entails.
    What brought you to GayAuthors?
    When I first published “Electricity” on another website, one of the readers recommended that I try publishing on GayAuthors for a more targeted audience that preferred a unique storyline over an entirely love/lust driven plot. It was a great suggestion as I find the readers on GayAuthors profoundly helpful in providing useful feedback. They also truly commit themselves and become emotionally invested in the stories they enjoy. It makes it a more rewarding experience for me to interact with an enthusiastic group of readers.
    What’s the first thing you do before you start to write a story?
    My writing process is something I’m always actively seeking to fine-tune. Ideally I would be the type of writer who could make a detailed outline and diligently work on it chapter by chapter. Unfortunately for me, that’s never how it happens. First of all, my ideas pop into my head during the most inopportune times, like when I’m driving on the freeway or heading into a meeting and unable to write them down. And typically, the scene I’ll have in my head isn’t the beginning of the story, but a fragment somewhere in the middle or towards the end. So then I have to work my way back and untangle what happened before, and slowly put the puzzle pieces together. My first draft is always a wreck, and it’s a painstaking process, but the moment when it all finally clicks into place and I can see the bigger picture, is a moment of great satisfaction.
    Do you like other stimulus around when you write or do you need a quiet environment?
    I’m not someone who can write in the middle of a crowded coffee shop. I typically need a peaceful environment. At times I can listen to specific music that contributes to the vibes of a particular chapter. For example, at the moment I’m working on a story where one of the characters is a famous rapper, and it’s been useful for me to blast some Drake, some J.Cole, or some Kendrick while I write those scenes. But for the most part, I need silence. I’m particular about my visual stimulus as well. I can’t write if there’s things scattered on my table. The only objects allowed are a cup of coffee, a notebook with a pen, and the current books I’m reading.
    Sports and Journalism… Why those themes? Any personal experience with them?
    I have some experience with both. I was a writer for my high school newspaper and I’ve published a few articles in the past six years. I also played basketball in school. Aside from simply admiring the commitment and determination it takes to be the best in either one of these areas, for me, the two are also greatly intertwined. I believe journalists are an integral part of what transforms an ordinary human being with great athletic ability, to an otherworldly entity. For example, respected sports journalists can make or break the public image of an athlete, and shape the way in which they’re viewed by the world. An athletic feat happens fast and then it’s gone, it can only be replayed on TV, it can’t ever be relived. But writing is frozen in time, and if your moments of glory and your character are written about with admiration, you’re immortalized.
    When writing “Electricity” I knew right away that Andrew’s character would be a pro athlete. Then when I started brainstorming Aubrey, I wanted him to be the person capable of becoming Andrew’s biggest nemesis or his greatest strength, and I quickly realized that it couldn’t be a fan, or a fashion designer, or an Instagram model, but that it had to be a journalist. It had to be someone with the power to bring him down so that he could rise from his ashes and become a better man.
    How did you come up with the title for “Electricity”?
    It was inspired by a scene from the movie Billy Elliot—which, for those who don’t know, is about a working-class boy in England who uncovers his passion for ballet, and has to overcome his father’s objections as well as the stigma associated with male ballet dancers—where Billy explains what he feels when he’s dancing. He compares it to a feeling of electricity.
    What’s funny is that I didn’t think anyone would ever make that association, but one of my readers actually emailed me asking whether that was the inspiration for the title. I have incredibly astute readers, nothing gets past them.
    My idea behind the connection between Aubrey and Andrew was a natural electric current that charges both of them up, and helps transform them into better people. And that was also the danger factor in the story, because with electricity there needs to be a fine balance, otherwise you can get a short circuit and burn everything down. I’m intrigued by ideas that contain duality, and this was a major theme for me in “Electricity”. Andrew and Aubrey could work together and create this wonderful form of revolutionizing energy, or they could potentially destroy each other.
    Do you have a favorite scene in the story?
    The story has many scenes that are dear to me, but one that comes to mind in this particular moment takes place in chapter 16, when Andrew is reminiscing about his college football coach’s speech regarding failure, and how the worst failure is never trying at all. I think having a mentor is so crucial to our development as humans, and unfortunately many of us grew up without a good mentor. If we were lucky enough we encountered a “Coach Dean” in our lives to help guide us along the way and shield us from falling into dysfunctional patterns. This is another crucial theme for Andrew, who has a cordial, yet somewhat distant, relationship with his father, and who ends up falling into a very unhealthy mode of living. And it can be difficult to rewire yourself once you’re steeped in your ways. That’s also where the idea of “electricity” comes in—an electric bolt to jolt Andrew out of his toxic behavior.
    This is why that scene holds weight with me, because I respect the idea of an individual being able to get their life together. In this case, Andrew rising out of his alcoholic stupor and deciding to actively pursue this slim chance at love, rather than giving into disenchantment and bitterness. At the end of the day I truly believe that if you’re committed to something, you’ll find a way.
    If your story were made into a movie, who could you picture playing Andrew’s and Aubrey’s parts?
    In my fantasy universe, I could see Tom Hardy as Andrew. As for Aubrey, I think Wentworth Miller during The Human Stain period would have made a good choice. As a side note, I was watching a lot of basketball in-between working on “Electricity”, and both Aaron Gordon and Klay Thompson influenced Aubrey’s looks.
    Would you like to share anything about your current or upcoming work with readers?
    I’m working on a couple different projects at the moment. I recently started a Patreon (www.patreon.com/mstories) and I have a new story on there titled “You Don’t See Me”, which has a darker theme than my previous work. I’m also working on my other story “Where Does Crimson Flow” here on GayAuthors. And I’m halfway through finishing my first book, a thriller about a father searching for his son’s killer. Last but not least, I’m toying with the idea of writing a horror screenplay that my friends and loved ones can finally enjoy
  24. Cia

    August's CSR Feature: Still You Want Me by MrsGnomie

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    In honor of her recent promotion to GA Signature Author, I am featuring MrsGnomie's first submission to GA posted back in 2018! Can you believe it's been that long? Now, the story is also longer than most of our CSR reads, but I know many get sucked right into her stories and can't put them down which fits right into our Can't Stop Reading-CSR theme! Please enjoy. 
    Still You Want Me
    by @Mrsgnomie
    Length: 115,768
    Description: Colin begins a new job and befriends Charles, a socialite who represents everything Colin despises. Despite fundamental life differences, they begin to build a deep friendship. Unbeknownst to Colin, Charles is falling in love with him, only to watch Colin fall in love with—and begin to build a life with another man. Colin must reconcile the deeply rooted expectations he’s created for himself against the reality; that desires of the heart never play by the rules.
    A Reader said: This was my first introduction to @Mrsgnomie's storytelling.  It's still my absolute favorite, but every story she publishes since definitely makes it a contest to see if it'll topple this one.  These characters and their lack of communication (and stupidity) have you cheering each one on at different times.  Definitely worth your time to read! ~mfa607
    Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, August 30th!
  25. Cia
    Well, this month was a little different with an anthology of sorts by a single author, giving you the chance to pick and choose among the stories if you weren't up to reading all of them. Make sure you share your thoughts in the comments below, but first, enjoy this interview where Drew spills all (including what story he cameos in... can you guess which one before you read it?)
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Yes, I try to get my five portions a day. What’s a good meal without vegetables?
    What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?
    Paris or Berlin, because both are amazing cities with so much in them that inspires my imagination. They are cities that have such varied neighbourhoods. But with all the travel restrictions, I’ll choose the British Library because I can research whatever I want there, and their café is nice.
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    I have a model railway.
    What’s the best part of being an author?
    I can explore the themes and issues that are important to me, but emotionally nothing compares to when something I write touches/moves a reader
    What’s the greatest challenge of being an author?
    Not enough time. I have so many ideas and not enough time to write them. After that is the challenge of promoting my own writing. GA has given me a great platform to find readers but I’ve recently self-published a collection of stories and promoting it, so I can find readers for it, is such hard work.
    If you could give advice to yourself when you first started writing, what would it be?
    Recently I have been re-reading stories I wrote back in my twenties. Some are good, some are okay and some are plain awful. I would tell my younger self to write about the things that were happening around me (They were certainly interesting times), the things that were happening to you, rather than my wish fulfilment over what I wanted to happen. I would tell myself to stop over-writing and learn to type.
    I would also tell myself to have confidence in my writing and to send it out to publishers and magazines (I didn’t start doing that until well into my thirties).
    And lastly, I’d say to join a writing group because honest feedback can really benefit my writing, and meeting with other writers is so helpful.
    What’s your favorite story in Stories Written on Lined Paper?
    Out of the Valley. This story is based (Though very loosely based) on the breakup with my first boyfriend. I took a painful experience and worked through it by writing about it. It was one of the first stories I wrote about being gay.
    I came back to it twenties years after writing it and did a big rewrite to it, especially changing the ending. But I kept the central character and the structure of it. It showed me that I could understand these situations and people, even back then.
    Is there a particular character you most identify with, and how so?
    Davie, the nurse, in The Longest Day Must Have an End (Found in Stories Written on Lined Paper).
    He is a minor character but he is the first time I put myself fully into a story, he is a cameo appearance by me (Like Alfred Hitchcock did in his films). His job, on that ward, was my first job after qualifying, he has my hairstyle from then, he has my attitude and manner from then, and he is shagging a senior colleague which I did in that job. I don’t make cameos in my writing much, if at all, and this was the first time I did it. I liked making my own experience a minor story line.
    Over how many years have you written these stories? Have you found your craft has changed in that time?
    I started writing prose when I was twenty and started writing about being gay when I was twenty-two. I’m fifty-five next week.
    I have been writing all that time and practice has improved my writing, but also so has reading. Learning from the best authors and learning what not to do from the bad ones. I have also learnt from honest/good feedback. The feedback that has helped me to improve my writing, though I’ve had to learn what is good feedback and what is bad, and should be just ignored.
    I’ve learnt not to over-write, to keep my style readable, using three words when one could do can easily put off readers. I’ve learnt to use my experience of people and my knowledge in my writing, if I make my writing more real then readers can relate to it, even when writing fantasy. I have also learnt to trust my instincts and knowledge on where a story should go.
    Can you share something about your current or future work with readers?
    I am writing a story about a young man just released from prison. The story looks at what led him to prison and what happened to him while he was there. I hope to start posting it, chapter by chapter, soon. Then I really need to finish the other two stories in the series I started with A Walk Along the Promenade.
    I am looking at self-publishing more. I am working on a collection of stories about people facing life-changing experiences.
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