Cia

Question: Can I post flash fiction or poetry under 1k in length? Short Answer: Yes, but flash fiction should be posted to a story as individual chapters. Poetry should be grouped under a story as well. See full post for story. View full question

“I insist you call Seedrah to investigate this,” Sloval said. “He is,” Garjah said shortly. “Who do you think is outside looking for the launch source for the projectile orbs? This room should have been secure, with many different layers of checkpoints between here and any entrances or exits from the compound. Therefore he is investigating outside of the room, and I will handle the security matters inside.” Garjah crossed his upper arms. “Unless you have revoked my status publicly?” Th

How's the month treated you? Can you believe we're already at almost halfway through 2022?! As my school year draws to a close, and I think about the changes my graduating senior and soon to be junior are going through, I know all the drama of teen stories is REAL! What did you think of this month's story? Share your thoughts below after you read Jacob's answers to the interview questions. Chocolate or Vanilla? Definitely vanilla! While chocolate is a good flavor, sometimes it can just be a little much. Vanilla is always a solid choice! If you were an animal, what would you be? That’s an easy one; an African elephant! Ever since the age of 10, I have been obsessed with African elephants. They are my absolute favorite animal, and I may or may not have a growing collection of stuffed animal elephants… What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know? While I was open about the fact that “A Marching Band Story” was the first story I have ever written, I only alluded to how deeply important this story was for me. I am now a senior in college, and I only came out to myself and my friends four years ago when I was a first-year student at college. I have created stories in my imagination to escape from the harsh reality of the world around me for as long as I can remember, but after reading a story written by veteran author Ronyx, I decided to write my own story after I finished my first year of college. I had no idea what this had in store for me. In writing this story I have learned so much about myself and have been able to process emotions and feelings I once thought too complex and difficult to even begin to understand. Writing this story changed the very course of my life, and to know that my words might do the same for others is honestly still mind-blowing. What brought you to GA? Another easy question: Ronyx. Ronyx (The Mustard Jar) was the person that brought me to GA. As I said before, it was reading his story, “Dancing on a Star” that pushed me to write my own story, which I slowly published as I wrote it on a less prestigious platform with which I was most familiar. After I received a lot of positive feedback, I worked up the courage to reach out to Ronyx and thank him for influencing my life, and to my surprise and excitement, he answered back. We talked back and forth until he eventually asked to read my story, which was honestly a little nerve-racking. After he read my story, Ronyx, my gay author hero, said I should publish my story on GA right away as he thought it to be the perfect platform for my writing, and the rest is history! Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? This might sound cliché, but everything about writing this story was both much harder than I thought it would be and much easier at the same time. I have been creating stories for years, but to actually write one was a very different task. Probably the most challenging aspect was to nail down a plot that made sense while having a good pace that kept readers engaged. When I would create stories in my head, the plot could be much looser, but when writing, I found it important to have a solid storyboard, and that was difficult to follow at times. In addition, writing scenes of intimacy were very difficult for me. Before they were just my fantasies, but now they had to be written in a way that conveyed all the sensuality and emotions my characters were feeling, and that was no small feat. What’s the first thing you do when you start to write a story? The first thing I do when I start to write a story is to go for a walk. I find that I am the most creative when I am walking amongst the sounds of nature and humanity. I then essentially let my imagination run wild, and soon enough I will settle on a plot and characters that I enjoy and begin to build my story. What do you think makes your story stand out compared to other “similar” teen stories? I set three goals for myself when writing this story, and I believe it is these that help my story stand out. First and foremost, I wanted my characters to accurately portray what it is like to be a member of the LGBTQIA+ community in a heteronormative society. This looks very different for each person, so I tried to represent a diverse set of backgrounds and experiences while always making sure my characters were as realistic and relatable as possible. Second, I did not want this story to be driven by sex. Those stories have their place and time, but for the story I wanted to write, I wanted it to be a goal that the romance was driven by the friendship and the plot and only enhanced by the sex when it felt right. Finally, this story had to be true to the person I am continually becoming. Writing this story was an act of self-therapy for me, and as such, I made sure that every word I wrote I was comfortable with and proud of. Did you research band or do you have personal experience with it? Fantastic question; I have SO much personal experience with band! I was your stereotypical band geek throughout middle and high school, joining every band imaginable and then some. I am still in band in college, although it is not my priority now. Every year for five years I went on a trip with my marching band and even took a trip to New Orleans with my jazz band. As I have said to others, this story is partially based on fact. My senior year marching band trip was in fact to Canada for the Calgary Stampede Parade, and we did spend an entire day at Banff National Park, but that is where the similarities end. This story was an exploration of what could have been if only I had been more comfortable and confident, accepting who I was just a little earlier in life. Fun fact: I am writing this while on a tour in Spain with my college band! Can you sum up A Marching Band Story in one sentence? A whirl-wind teenage marching band romance that provides insight into the messiness that is true love. Will you share any of your current or upcoming story plans with readers? Now, this is a question I get a lot! To be completely honest, I am unsure of my current plans for upcoming stories. I have plenty more stories to tell, and I have even gotten some great suggestions for several sequel ideas to “A Marching Band Story”, but writing my first story was truly an act of spontaneity. I did it on a whim, and I had no idea how important this tory would become for me and so many others. Many have told me I have too much to say not to continue writing, and I think I can at least agree with that!

Garjah snorted. “Who do they think that will impress?” “What are they projecting?” I asked, squinting. It looked like blurred faces. “The images of their forebears. It’s a reminder that they are the descendants of those who began as the leaders of our people and the tradition continues. Generally they use projects only during ceremonial displays on Inaugural Day.” They weren’t above political machinations, but for as subtle as Mereval could be, this felt clumsy. It was too overt,

Emphasis and Timing! That's important in sentence, paragraph, all the way up to essay and story writing. A lot of the students I work with really struggle with what we call "sequencing" in their writing. This can apply to non-fiction facts in order of importance or sequence of events or planning the beginning-middle-end 3 act construction of a narrative. We start them off in kindergarten around this time of year writing/drawing 3 page "instructions" to do a simple task like brushing your teeth, making a sandwich, etc... to kickstart the learning process. It's hilarious what some of them come up with!

Ases sent his mech to the far side of the room where it extended its legs and looked down on the room. We’d been announced, and the applause had sounded sincere enough. The knots of people were slow to approach our trio, however, even after the mech moved away. “The clothing is certainly interesting.” Many people wore outfits that mirrored the patterns on their skin, spots or stripes, but in many different hues. Others wore draped robes held over a single shoulder or wraps in plain colors b

This is a short feature this month, so I hope everyone gets a chance to enjoy Andy78's anthology story from 2013, The Dream Dreams the Dreamer. If you haven't read it yet, maybe you will enjoy this excerpt. Click here to read more

May is a month of changes, and this story is one I think fits perfectly with that theme. Have you ever read our Classic Author, Andy78's story, The Dream Dreams the Dreamer from the 2013 A Night to Remember Anthology? If not, check it out now! Length: 2,546 Description: Matthew dreams that he is recruited as an Angel of Death. A Reader said: A very enjoyable read, Andy. Seeing I'm getting up in years, I hope when the Angel of Death comes for me that it's someone cute like that, because then I'll go willingly. If the Angel is like the Darker version everyone else uses, I'll probably fight him tooth and nail. Great job and I really enjoyed this. ~BillW If you want to spread the word about Andy78'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!

There was a rush of bodies toward us, and I tensed, but Garjah reassured me quietly. “It’s all right.” Two Four Arms—Neejah’al just didn’t roll off the tongue quite as well—in smooth yellow robes cinched at the waist with white belts and hovering devices led the crush. “Can we have an interview?” Ah, they were some form of report casters. Garjah didn’t let go of me but he did tap one fist to his chest. “We would love to make time for the planetary news, but it has been a long jour

“The Galactic Council wants peace between the many unique species all over the universe. I have come with Garjah and Essell to start the introductions.” Ases stepped forward and bowed. “My name is Ases. I hope that you will give me time to learn your culture and forgive any mistakes in my manners, but know I have nothing but the best of intentions as we create a bridge to bring your worlds alongside the Galactic society.” “This is not our way.” That question was not staged. A contingent of

May already?! Well, in honor of the school year coming to a close in much of the US, I thought I'd feature a H.S. coming of age story which is quite popular on GA. So... this one time... at band camp. I know, I just dated myself, but maybe that gives you a hint at the story! It's not too long, and you have 4 full weeks to read it so I hope you will enjoy it. A Marching Band Story by @Jacob Windigo Length: 32,810 Description: Jarrod, a closeted gay high school senior, is the epitome of a band geek. He is a member of every band his at his school, but his favorite is the marching band, where the number of unfairly attractive boys seems infinite. But, there is one boy that stands out above the rest. Connor, a 15-year-old high school freshmen, is the boy of Jarrod's dreams, but a relationship with Connor seems forever out of reach. That is, until the unexpected happens on Jarrod's last summer marching band trip to Calgary, Canada. This story follows the journey Jarrod and Connor take as they discover themselves and the possibility of something more. A Reader said: I have just finished reading your story, I thought I should let you know that I think you wrote a very beautiful story, I hope you will write some more thank you for such a great story your friend Charlie ~ Cewright Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, May 30th!

“We’re on approach now.” “Are we ready for this?” I sat in a chair and watched our arrival on the planet. It was beautiful from the air. They had so much open space, filled with natural wonders. The colors were vivid from space with small areas of lights dotted here and there as we grew closer. Still, the overwhelming majority of the planet had been kept in a pristine state. I had to hope that Ases was ready, and that the satellites ringing the planet would bounce the signal he was usi

April showers bring... well, snow in my neck of the woods! It seems like everywhere I looked online people were talking about strange weather. Life on Earth has been rough the last few years, but could it be worse? That's explored in astone2292's story based on our prompt game, Corporate Galactic. Did you enjoy these snapshots in future time? Share your thoughts below, and enjoy my interview with him too! Do you eat your fruits and vegetables? Do wine and cheddar broccoli soup count? Have you ever gone out in public, realized your shirt is on backwards, and just don’t care? It’s happened a few times, but it hasn’t since I filled my closet with short-sleeve button ups. It’s really hard to wear one inside-out. What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know? When I was eight years old, my parents’ house was hit by a tornado while we were inside. All I remember is the sound of a stampede, then a two-by-four smacked me in the face. If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be? The Man with a Million Masks: Someone Who Doesn’t Know Himself. What’s the best part of being an author? I can do whatever I want! Authors can do things normal humans can not. Go back in time, travel to outer space, invent new worlds. I went to school to be an artist, but my fingers would never translate what I wanted to create. Using my imagination in writing, I regret not spending more time in English and other writing classes. Which was a harder genre to tackle Dystopian or SciFi? Well, each was difficult in its own way, but I’ll give the award to Dystopian. Dystopian involves creating a society of sorts that operates with great suffering. This can lead authors down a rabbit hole into the dark corners of their imagination. How warped can an environment be without truly breaking the human psyche? Corporate Galactic was a dip in the water for me, and I might be tempted to take a plunge. There are three main characters, one in each chapter. Do you relate to one character the most? Not particularly. I see a part of me in each of them. Jared because I like being analytical and having as many options available. I relate to Symanthus when I work. She likes production, smooth operation, and seeing success. Silyn for his leadership style. He doesn’t want to rock the boat, but when things don’t go according to plan, he’s able to act with a sense of compassion. Hybrid human & alien cuisine… in a taco. What kind of dessert do you think Silyn would enjoy? Ha! If there’s one thing every species could come together on, it’d be cuisine. If there were to be more hybrid human and alien cuisine combinations, specifically for dessert, the easy answer is cake and pie. Oh the possibilities! The human race will always argue which is superior (The correct answer is pie. Bring it on, comment section!), so I can’t imagine what the other species in the Galactic would bring to the debate table. But for Silyn, I’d say brownies. He already goes to the aura bar, and we saw what those pods can do. Can you sum up this story in one sentence? What would happen if Jeff Bezos and Elon Musk became rulers of Earth? Can you share a little of your current or future story(s) with readers? The current story I’m working on is Death in the Shadows, the final book in a trilogy starring a man who can control shadows using magic. He’s destined to fall in love with a local shapeshifter, and fight the man who murdered his parents. Along the way, he meets many new friends across the globe, develops his understanding of magic, and even becomes a puppet to a few of the seven gods who run the universe. A warning for interested readers: the first book is terribly written, as it was my first attempt at writing. I used third-person omniscient after snorting a line of Fun Dip. POV switches-a-plenty! A thorough edit is in progress, and the new changes look much cleaner. A blurb from Death in the Shadows: Future stories in my to-write bank include a guy who purchases a mail-order bride but receives a husband instead, a Frosty the Snowman origin story, and a collection called Tales of Inanimate Objects where I take on the perspective of various objects used on a daily basis, such as a cigarette or a doorknob. Will the objects be tortured? Will they be sexual? Who knows?

Ases buzzed for entry, and Garjah opened the door for him. “Oh, hello.” He looked up to meet his gaze. “I, ah, wasn’t sure if you would be here.” “Come in,” I said. I just finished putting out the food Garjah had ordered. I adjusted one plate. “We have a meal prepared, and I need to speak with you.” “You do?” Garjah stepped back, and Ases entered our cabin. “Uh, what about? Is it my mech?” He peeked over his shoulder. “It isn’t a threat, I promise.” “We know that.” Garjah nodded w

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring Interlude by Luc? This is a novella-length story that explores the idea of fate and true love... and who doesn't love love? Or doesn't want to love love. Since our commenter from Monday's blog fell in love with Ch. 6, I thought I'd share a scene from that chapter. Enjoy! Want to read more? Click here

As we like to do, this week's Classic feature aims at bringing another one of the older stories on GA by a past promoted author to the forefront so newer readers don't miss out on the gems that were enjoyed by others in the past. So... what are your views on long lost loves and fated meetings through time? Length: 39,350 Description: Sometimes the connection between two souls is so deep that it transcends time and gender. This is a story about two such souls who are joined and then torn apart—and go on to seek and find each other through time. A Reader said: I stumbled upon this chapter through a google search, I haven't read the rest of the story yet but I had to comment on this chapter. It was so beautiful, I was openly crying by the end. You are very talented and I am definitely planning to read the rest of this story now. ~ prettypersuasion (Ch. 6) If you want to spread the word about Luc'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!

Unfortunately/Fortunately (for his success) Rob's moved into the Patreon & visual story and video game world.

I placed my hands over his, wanting to touch. I laced our fingers together and leaned my hand into our connected palms. “We need to find some allies who can prevent that from happening, because I don’t think I’d like jail.” He huffed. “As if I’d let Seedrah put you in a cell.” “Instead of sneaking us back on the planet, we need the rebels to help us make as big an entrance as possible. Do you think they can do that?” “Maybe.” “And Seedrah… is he loyal to you or to the Kardova

A big thank you to @Timothy M. for sharing this great review of one our (plus one of my favorite) GA authors, and sorry to readers for the late post! Moving On by Rob Colton Reviewer: Timothy M. Status: Complete Word Count: 21,912 Sometimes it’s great to return to old favorites and read them again. Moving On by Rob Colton falls in this category for me. The story has some signature Rob features, including a ‘bear’ fetish and plenty of steamy sex, but this is not the only reason I like the story. Mason, the main character of the story, is a genuinely nice guy. He is a devoted husband and a loyal friend, even when he is annoyed by the antics of his best friends, Damien. But when he’s betrayed by both his partner Dale and his friend, and I bet you can guess how, Mase puts his foot down and leaves. In spite of his unhappiness, he isn’t swayed by entreaties to forgive and forget, and I respect him for that. The ex-friend, the husband and his cronies deserve nothing but contempt. However, Alex, one of Dale’s friends, does not condone his behavior, and he seeks out Mason to help and support him. I guess Alex can be described as a ‘gentle giant’, but he’s not afraid to stand up for Mase and tell Dale to go to hell. Soon, it’s pretty clear he would like to court Mason, but it’s not so easy to risk your heart again, when it was recently ripped apart. Rob posted Moving On on GA almost ten years ago, and it’s well worth a (re)visit, and a great introduction to a Signature Author, who – in his own words – “loves stories that feature big, burly men who find true love and happy endings.” Category: Fiction Genres: Romance Sub-genres: General Romance Tags: adult Rating: Mature

Really, the English language isn't so much just "weird" as governed by obscure or historical rules that many users intuitively understand or were taught as young learners and have since forgotten why they spell things certain ways. It frustrates many of my SPED students when they get told "it doesn't make sense, you just have to do it" so I always try to give them some logical explanation for the rules or exceptions I teach. In this case, multiple objects that are considered a singular object for the subject of a sentence is because 1) its use requires that it is combined (jeans need both legs, glasses must have both lenses paired together to work for most visually impaired, all the cards are needed in a deck to play) or 2) the word origin itself dictates its spelling since English is also a language with many of its words imported from multiple languages over time.

“We need to tell him.” I mimicked Garjah’s pose with my legs spread and faced him head on. “We’re walking into a situation where the Kardoval were actively looking for us because they feared us doing exactly what we did. We revealed your species to the universe. We’re bringing back an ambassador who has no idea those in power want nothing to do with him.” I cocked my head. “What would they have done to me if they caught us that day we were followed?” Garjah sighed. “I don’t know. Separ

Sorry for the late start, but the upside is this month's selection--while also being one of my favorite genres--is a short story. I hope you will enjoy Corporate Galactic by astone2292 and come back on the CSR Discussion day! Corporate Galactic by @astone2292 Length: 10,247 Description: Companies were always out to make a profit. They want to sell product, expand their business, and wreck the competition. As technology advanced, so did efficiency. Like most planets in the Galactic Union, Earth's offerings were considered unique and vital for other races. How would corporate power and greed alter humanity's existence? A Reader said: Aaron masterfully built a detailed dystopian sci-fi world in a small package. He spun a fine tale balancing risk, hope, and fate that demands more! Well done, Aaron 👏 ~ZekeNix Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, April 25th!

Wildone figured out a way to make the Weekly Wrap Up new this week, he went on a trip... so I'm doing it! Do you think he had that plan already in the works last week?🤨 Well, I'll have you know I spent my first Saturday of Spring Break on a day trip, and for once the coast was B-E-A-uuuutiful! Take a peek in the spoiler below if you want to see. But I'm back to bring you all the news you might have missed, salt-soaked skin and all. Wave to the crusty crab we found peeking out in the tide pools! Blog Updates Monday featured Ridley by Krista in our monthly CSR Discussion post. Tuesday Graeme shared Mawgrim was GA's newest Promising Author! Congratulations, Mawgrim!! Do you know what a subject and predicate is? Myr goes over that in Thursday's Grammar Guide There were no prompts this week... April Fools! Friday brought some announcements about National Poetry Month and some prompts. Check it out. Comicality brings us his take on MacGuffins... No, it's not a new breakfast sandwich! Bombast! Hamartia! No, I'm not trying out interesting 2022 versions of curse words... Check out Myr's Word of the Day blog if you want to know what these 2 featured words from this week's selections mean! Blog Opportunities Guess the Author: Open to all GA authors. PM @Renee Stevensor @wildone to participate Story Review: Send it in to @wildone or @Timothy M. Story Goals We've hit 3 months into 2022, so let's see how the yearly goals are going so far! Story Updates Last but not least, the story updates for this week! Recently Updated 'Premium' Stories A Fresh Start by Comicality Recently Updated 'Signature Author' Stories Gap Year by Mark Arbour Left Without Words by Comicality Savage Moon 06 - The New Breed by Comicality rima fragmenta, Fragments of a Rift: Fifty Sonnets for Kevin by AC Benus CDMX by Carlos Hazday JUMP! by Aditus The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Prose by AC Benus Jay's Loelife by Mrsgnomie Ancalagon by Cia The Great Mirror of Same-Sex Love - Poetry by AC Benus A Fresh Start by Comicality Recently Updated 'Classic Author' Stories The Brilliant Boy Billionaire by Altimexis Finding Good Trouble by Ronyx Recently Updated 'Promising Author' Stories To the Weyr by Mawgrim Hidden Secrets by Mawgrim Recently Updated 'Author' Stories Canaan Club by Westley D. I Hate This Town by Demiurge It's All About Love by Ajbt2001 Death in the Shadows by astone2292 The Amitea Project: Black.Castle by LJCC Bodark Creek by RichEisbrouch Fourth Down: Second Quarter by FrankD Running for Home by Lux Apollo La Tombola by drsawzall Lux's Indulgences by Lux Apollo The Syndicate by BKWildenberg Incandescence by Demiurge Revelations by mastershakeme Brothers by Yeoldebard Fairyfly II by ObicanDecko A Slice of Life by Xfighter1984 Amethyst Cove Chronicles by Ajbt2001 Juvenile Care Lovers by Georgie DHainaut Ex gay husband by Zuri ARROW by CLJobe The Spirit of the Plum Blossom Tree (TSPBT) by Kong Wen Hui Never walk alone- Walk on by Andre Delport Recently Updated 'Poet' Stories Musings of a Wordsmith by JACC Read, Write, and REVIEW!!! (and Recommend with a share to the forum topic!)

As a reader, this resonates with me! Great article this week, and I hope others enjoy it too!