Cia

Bad Idea by Damon Suede My rating: 4 of 5 stars This was my first Damon Suede eBook. I'm a tad torn on the review and hopefully this won't come off as a bad review. I have to say I enjoyed the story. Trip and Silas were well fleshed out characters and their motivations were easy to see and understand. The plot was arced well and fit together seamlessly. The supporting characters, especially the women, blended together a bit for me and I'd have liked to see more character definition and quirks from them to set their personalities apart. Though I liked the story once I'd finished, I still felt a disconnect. I started and stopped this book twice when usually I can breeze through one this length in a few hours at most. It might be that I'm not a comic person. I'm not a movie person. Those two elements were vital vehicles to the character and plot progression. Without having that interest, and 'inside' knowledge, I think it was harder for me to really identify with the overall story. If I were to rate this on the plot alone, I'd give it 3 stars. But I am inclined to add another star for a writing element that would normally have turned me off completely. I was fascinated by the graphic feel to this book. I could almost, as I read along, see the action panes for each scene. It hopped from section to section that would usually make me complain about plot continuity and ease of reading but with Bad Idea... it felt deliberate. That sort of tie in, with the writing itself to the plot, impressed me. Overall, I think this was a good story. If you like comic artist stories, graphic novels, cons, movie effects, etc... this is right up your alley. Oh, and if the author had been able to commission and squeeze in an image of Silas' Con costume this would get sooooo many stars. Cause damn. *drools* View all my reviews

Swear, this is my son's version of every day after school... walk in door, drop backpack and coat, strip off shirt and pants, grab blanket... spend the evening in his britches. Friday's nothing special! LOL

Nature...? Well, you'll just have to see, won't you? no spoilers!

It's on the DL maybe. These fae were warned and are focused on the goal... find and fix the problem. Maybe the fae back at the castle are going nuts, but we can't see that since this is from Birch's POV and he's gone. Thanks for the review Daithi!

Thanks Mann! A lot of my shorts can be expanded... if and when I have the time, lol. I like making up 'new worlds' to write in. Thanks again for the review.

Birch squirmed, trying to find a comfortable spot. There seemed to be no way to sit without his horse’s spine digging into his ass. “Abandon all hope,” Birch muttered as they entered the forest. He glanced up at the branches that grew denser with every minute. The fae realm was always lit either by gentle sunlight or shimmering starlight and silvery rays from the moon. By contrast the shadows seemed darker and more menacing. “Excuse me, my lord, did you say something?” asked Forisilki. She fli

You might know Totallyy from chat or *coughs* his very colorful gallery pictures, but today's blog is all about his author side! Read on to learn what Ashi found out motivates one of GA's newer authors. Interview with Totallyy Interviewer: Ashi Totallyy is one of my favorite authors on GA. His writing is concise, and each of his word delivers a lot of punch than its initial impression. Some use of words are very poetic, and may require some deeper work on readers' part, but a couple read-throughs will pay off. I certainly feel I could connect with his writing. I hope you guys will, too. So here are some of the questions I asked of my favorite author. What inspired you to write? I started writing because I didn't like how ugly my feelings were and I wanted to make them into something beautiful. Hmmm.... Interesting. Ugly feelings.... Could you elaborate on that? I struggled with a lot of my emotions when I was a teen. I was sad a lot, and I didn't like that it always manifested so negatively. Writing helped me focus on something else other than how horrible I felt about myself. Feelings I Don't Know How to Say Otherwise, when you wrote that, what was on your mind? Basically, the title expresses the pieces exactly. I was listening to someone talking and it suddenly hit me: this overwhelming wave of emotional fluctuations. Writing has been my coping mechanism for a real long time, so I channeled those feelings into words. So the piece is just that, me, coping. As a reader, I find your writing style very lyrical and raw on emotion. Hahaha. That's the way I usually am. What/who was your inspiration of that style, if there is any? Honestly, people tell me my style is descriptive but that's just the way my emotions translate most wholly. A lot of fiction like to describe things, and places and people and those are really important. But I personally enjoy describing feelings more, the noise inside your body, instead of of the details outside. I find [them] more interesting, more universal. Interesting. On that vein, would you consider yourself more of an introspective person or do you seek experience outside of yourself? I'm usually introspective. I often dwell inside my mind. Totallyy's works can be found on GA. Please check his works out! Thank you Ashi and Totallyy for coming on today's blog!!

I ask for help. Seriously, that's gotten me out of several jams. Sometimes things just come to me, or I'll pick out a line I really like but often coming up with a title is enough to drive me batty. Sometimes I'll write half a story and have NO idea of the title and it ends up being just the character's name in my file folder until inspiration hits. Some of my best titles have come from chatting with my writing friends/betas though. If nothing else, you can also try doing a detailed synopsis of the story if you were trying to pitch it for submitting. Going over the highlights of your plot and characters can often jog a phrase or specific element that would also work as a title.

But the privatism of sexuality is a relative newcomer to our species. Pagans expressed some of their highest ritualistic ceremonies through sex, including public sex, for ages until prudism began to reign. I'm not saying that sex should be treated cavalierly, I'd certainly never tell my kids that, but I think that this guy's thought about what sex means to him and the culture he lives in, and he's making a statement he feels strongly about. Exhibitionism is a fairly widespread kink, ( Lacey) and this guy is simply taking it one step further. Sex can happen in many different forms. While I would say having a private moment with a partner you love is the ultimate expression of feeling... that doesn't demean the connection that can be made from other types of sex. People can be happy and fulfilled with all sorts of sex and relationships. If this way makes him happy... then so be it. I'd think it'd be incredibly awkward, especially with a virgin, but that's just me.

Oh good lords. Exhibitionism at its finest, I guess. *shrugs* No one's getting hurt, and it doesn't involve me so if that makes him and his partner happy, great. I just wonder if he truly knows what he's in for. Guess he'll find out if it happens.

Wordless shouting surrounded Birch. He stood, frozen, locked in horror as Sayer changed. His dazzling white hair darkened to black and his skin became gray and pebbled. His eyes, now a malevolent red, began to shine. “Sayer,” Birch whispered. His beloved raised his hands and the shouts became fever pitched. Two muscle bound fae, the ones who’d been guarding the inside of the doorway, shoved the butts of their weapons into Sayer’s stomach, knocking him back. “Move, my lord!” Birch stumbled

Not always I chalk this one up to 'early learning'. I'm not an expert on the Feds, and I'll admit, the bad guy climax scene is awfully convenient. I try to do a bit better at believability than this story nowadays. Thanks for the review Timothy!

Happy November to everyone! The seasons just keep on marching along and soon it will be winter, with all the indoor snuggling time the cold brings. For you southern hemisphere folks, you can just beat the heat by staying in the AC too, lol! Either way, you can have a great time reading this month's CSR Book Club selection, The House Always Wins by Andr0gene. The House Always Wins by Andr0gene Length: 51,963 Description: $20,000, 1 month, 1 lie. What a Reader Had to Say: Two things 1) perfect ending to the story, I am glad it didn't change 2) you are an awesome writer but more chapters and more stories hehe. I read you stories, they suckered me write in then boom they are all done. I can't wait for the next story!!! ~ Daithi Happy Reading, and don't forget, the CSR Discussion Day for this story will be on Nov. 25th.

If I had to pick a decision that made the biggest impact on my life it'd be choosing to return movies instead of turning left to go home 2 blocks before a drunk driver hit my husband and me, causing me a lifelong injury and daily pain. That pain and the annoyance of rearranging my life makes you step back and think... what if I'd done this instead? What if I'd done that? It can also lead to a lot of bitterness if you dwell on bad choices. I try not to let myself second guess decisions. Our choices change the direction our lives take each and every day. Simple things can change everything, like returning two movies, taking a flight of stairs instead of the elevator, or not going up to that person you had a crush on and saying hi. There might be a lot I'd do differently in my life, but why worry about what I cannot change? Why not face ahead and leave the 'if' game behind.

Are you saying only guys have unrequited crushes, or gay people? Or that's just who you can personally empathize with? LOL So many of us face these situations. Okay, I was a 'kid' in the following situation, but then again, I met my hubby at 16 so that's the only age I have to pull from. I had the biggest crush on this guy I was really good friends with. We hung out, studied together, he was always loaning me his jacket, invading my personal space to sit close/give me those arm over the shoulder walk down the hall hugs. All those gave me mixed messages... until the day he said he didn't want to go to the dance with me and by the way, was my sister dating anyone? Talk about an embarrassing crash and burn. Then again, I got over it, and we stayed friends all through high school. Yes, it is even harder when you also have to decipher the sexuality of the crush, but we've all been there. I'm bi, I can remember a time or two wondering if a girl would be receptive but not being willing to risk it growing up in the homophobic environment I lived in. I think in many ways this type of situation is part of growing up. How we deal with it determines the type of person we are and the type of relationship we want to have with the other person. One element I don't think anyone covered is make sure you're safe when you talk to the other person. No matter what age you are, you can't always predict other's reactions. If you have any inkling that the person you're telling might react violently, you should be careful about when/where and especially how you mention your sexuality and/or your crush.

Finding Home by Diana DeRicci My rating: 5 of 5 stars Sometimes, I like a feel good story. Diana DeRicci's story, Finding Home, starts out rough for our main character, Parker. He's gotten the crap kicked out of him by life. Sometimes, pride is all a person has left but Parker takes the ride and the $20 offered to him by a well-meaning older man. Even more amazingly... just a short time later, he takes the help offered by a local gay couple, one of which is a local cop, to stick around for a while. People pop up to help Parker settle in to Jasper. No one offers him a handout after the initial effort of the ride and a bit of money for food, but they certainly offer him a hand up. I loved the realism of the struggles Parker faces as he begins to stand on his own two feet once more. Diana could've given us a pat romance device of uniting Parker with his first love, and the reason for his journey on the road, but she's a better writer than that. I loved the interweaving of Parker's past life and people from it with the connections he was making in the present with Ian and Caleb's families. I adored Summer, as we were meant to, of course. Okay, so the plot moves a bit fast for all the changes and the emotional leaps for the characters. I'd have enjoyed more story and getting to know Parker and his romantic interest more as a couple. That, however, is exactly what every really good story I read leaves me wanting. I know as an author that isn't always the way it works, but as a reader, I WANT! lol All in all, I definitely recommend reading this story! Oh, and I read this outside of the series, having never read the first or second, and had no troubles keeping up with the story as a stand alone. I'm sure I might have been more familiar with a few of the other characters had I read it after them, but it wasn't necessary. View all my reviews

Life isn't a gay romance. All the 'signs' in the world can be nothing more than your hope and desires. Yet, for every 'we didn't tell each other but we were both wanting it' there is a grain of truth. For some people, it CAN work out like that. The flip side is that for every one of those stories you can find a 'I told him I want/love him and he flipped and we're no longer friends' story. Again, grain of truth. Sometimes events do lead to that. For ANY relationship, communication is key. Friends, lovers, committed couples... honesty and being able to talk about things between you is the only way things really work. You have that choice though. Communicate and ask him flat out and risk losing him as a friend, or have him shoot you down but stay friends (probably after an awkward period) or he may not be comfortable being friends with you at all knowing you're attracted to him. Or you can say nothing and not expect anything to change. Oh, and the touching a person while they're sleeping and cannot/have not given consent? That's assault. Probably should avoid doing that in the future, beyond just the creepiness factor.

Sayer's up for a butt kicking for sure, but he may have fallen victim to his own hubris. Then again, sometimes events don't give you the time you really want to think things through. I'm glad you liked this chapter! Things are really ramping up to a climax now. Some of your questions will be answered next week.

A very sad story I so didn't expect that ending.

Ooh, great voice over! Thanks so much for reading Gene. The 1k limit does make it really hard, but I try to make each week exciting and move the story along. Next week will definitely be pivotal!

I don't try but that 1k word count makes it hard to do anything else, lol. So much to tell, so few words to tell it in. The risk of drawing power, when Sayer was already showing signs of being affected more and more was dangerous, but necessary. Now... what will Birch do? You'll find out next week!

“I can do that with my glasses! I’m sure I can.” Vernon frowned. “I’m not sure I’m comfortable with this.” The Alchemist frowned. “What do you think will happen to me? I’m sure the king will bring guards, and you’ll be there.” “What if we find the source of magic and someone becomes a Darkling? The very person who is supposed to keep you safe might put you in danger.” Sayer couldn’t order the Alchemist to help him, or Vernon to not voice his very real fears. He had similar concerns for B

16 years committed to the day in and day out that is the slog of walking side by side with another person. Sometimes it's great and sometimes... not, lol. I don't think it is outdated at all, just hard and people have grown lazy. When I read, though, I want commitment to the ideal of romance. Not froofy gestures, but the time spent together taking care of the one you love. Even when it isn't the easy thing to do.

A story with Butts in the title? Where can you go wrong? LOL Check out this month's interview with the author of Wrangler Butts and share your thoughts about his story. Don't forget to vote for next month's story too! Without further ado... I bring you: RedDirtWriter. I love to get to know a bit more about our authors, so how about we start this interview with a little bit about you? What don’t we know? Okay, let me think. I’m not too unique, or at least I don’t think I am. I guess I’d say that I’m a reader first and foremost. I was that kid in grade school that when the public library had their summer reading challenge, I read that many books during the first week. I was the guy in junior high whose dad would yell “Get your damn nose out of those books and get outside and do something useful.” That’s me. I’m perfectly happy to be lost in a world of my own imagination. Okay, a very important question… Vanilla or Chocolate? Oh, that’s an easy one. Vanilla. The stronger the vanilla flavor the better. Now that we have that out of the way, when did you first begin writing? I started writing fiction pretty recently. Wrangler Butt was actually the first fiction I’ve written. Maybe something in the dim recesses of high school, but nothing I can remember. I’d been a long time follower of on-line sites like GA and the stories with rural characters weren’t the way I wanted them to be, so I finally decided either shut up or give it a shot. So I did. Man, my writing has improved since I started, but now the challenge is not to lose my voice behind all the rules. Like everything, it takes practice. But it’s still about the story, and I’ve been making up stories and telling them to anyone who’d listen since I was three or four. Apparently long before I could read, I would flip through the books and make up my own tale based on the illustrations. Who supports you the most? A reader that became a friend, family, fellow authors? I have several loyal readers who keep in touch and are so supportive. Also the person who works with me on the on-line stuff is great to bounce ideas off and see what he thinks. But I was terrified when I sent my first submission. I think it took three days for me to get enough courage to send it. I just knew I’d be shredded, but that’s not what happened at all. I got a few, very gentle, suggestions that I should have someone proof read for me.  Mostly I got great emails that have continued since where my readers share their appreciation of the stories. I’ve actually gotten that email saying “I’m hard and crying, now what do I do?” Definitely reader support has kept me doing it. I’m always a little disappointed when a posting doesn’t get much response. When did you get the idea for Wrangler Butts? Well the name came from a friend of mine in college. She drove a pickup and had a bumper sticker that said “Wrangler Butts Drive Me Nuts” I always thought it was hilarious. But then she also did mud wrestling, so she was a bit of a unique personality. The story itself was total discovery writing. The initial Darrin and Mitch are based on people I knew when I was much younger. Well, more like a combination of several people. But as the stories have evolved, the characters have developed personalities that are uniquely their own. I’ve been writing them now for a couple of years and they’re like old friends. It’s so comfortable to write about them. They have a cameo in a new novel I’m working on, and it was such a nice familiar feeling to be writing about them again. But the little dickens, they still throw me a curve ball from time to time. Can you share a bit about your current work with us? Anything coming up real soon for readers? Oh wow, lots of stuff actually. I tend to have several things going so I can switch around if I need a break from one of them. I’m continuing to work on my current online project “Lariats and Lacrosse Sticks” about two college roommates who fall for each other. My first published piece “Heart of the Pines” is coming out on December 1 under the pen name of Jon Keys as part of DreamSpinner Press’s 2013 Advent Calendar. I also am now one of the “Wednesday Briefs” group and posted the first chapter of a new serial titled “Controller” last week. It’s a story about the ups and downs of someone who’s new to college, and still working on the whole relationship thing. I have another novella “Home Grown” submitted to a publisher and should hear back in December. Fingers crossed. It’s a romance between one of the venders at the farmer’s market and a hard-core foodie who is one of his regular customers and how they’re dealing with baggage that each of them have. A little further out I’m finishing a new story called “Rekindling” that I’m submitting for DreamSpinner Press’s Open Call “Juicy Bits”. I’m also working through the edits on a new contemporary western called “Drawing the Devil”. Set in the homophobic world of rodeo, it’s a story about an up and coming bullrider and one of the rodeo bullfighters (rodeo clowns). Hmm, let’s see. Oh, I recently finished the rough draft on my first M/M/F story. “Three is Just Enough” is about a young polyamorous trio who are working out the intricacies of a relationship between three people. And, in a final fit of insanity, I’m doing NaNoWriMo starting November 1st. “Obsidian Sun” is a story that I’ve been planning for a long time and I’m excited for it to see the light of day. It’s one of those that everyone has, the one you keep back until you’re good enough to do it justice. But I’ve decided to just “Let ‘em buck” as Mitch would say. This will be a first for me, an alternative history fantasy with a cool magic system based on weaving. Wow, it’s a little daunting to see it all written out. I’m really not as crazy as that list looks. There are other plot bunnies, but new ones at this point get put in the plot bunny pasture where they can all play together and keep each other entertained until I need them. One last question. The final question. One you must answer with all honesty… What are you wearing? It’s a lazy cold weekend and I’m taking full advantage of it. I have on a tee, sweatshirt and pants from UnderArmour. Maybe wearing athletic clothes will inspire me to work out. Nah, probably not. LOL! Thanks for the great interview! Okay folks, you know the drill. Share the story love and share you thoughts on the story. Check out the options below for the stories for next month, and don't forget to vote! Hello, My Name Is... by Naptowngirl Attraction by meanderingsNmusings Messy Business by Myiege The House Always Wins by Androgene

You know, I hate Spongebob, but you hit it on the nose with Scoobster. Nice name for your little girl. Definitely caught my attention, lol.