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Cia

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  1. Cia

    Writing Prompts #406 & #407

    By Cia,


    Prompts
    Surprise! It's me! Our prompts aren't up so prompt this morning, whoops! But we're featuring 2 new flash options for authors from Comicfan today--so enjoy!
     
    Prompt 406 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following in a story – rain coat, patch of ice, steak, blue fuzzy slippers, Greek statue
     
    Prompt 407 – Creative
    Tag – The Clown
    Clowns have always freaked you out. You don’t find them funny and find the whole thing sort of scary. Unfortunately, this year your job decided to throw a party for the boss and the entertainment were some clowns. You weren't expecting that and nearly broke down into tears when you suddenly found yourself surrounded by five clowns. What happened?
     
    Featured prompt this week is from Dolores Esteban, with her take on Prompt # 405, with "Jump":

    To read the rest, check out her collection HERE.
  2. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day: Roommates By Krista

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month we featured Roommates by Krista for the CSR feature. I did an interview with Krista all about herself, her writing, and the inspiration behind Brett and Will, two best friends in college. Did you read the story? Don't forget to share what you thought! Krista will be available to answer your questions or to just chat about her story and writing at 8 PM, EDT.
     

    Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
     
    I don't see the point during the morning, but I do make my bed at some point during the day. Only because there is nothing more comfortable than getting into a nicely made bed. I don't have time to in the morning though, too many people want to stay in it until we're all rushing out the door.
     
    Chocolate or Vanilla?
     
    Vanilla, definitely.
     
    What brought you to GA?
     
    Dom's stories and the opportunity to post my own work. Dom's links from his Yahoo group is what led me to GA originally though.
     
    Is there a writer you’ve considered a mentor?
     
    When I first posted here, CJames helped me a lot. Not only with getting the feel of forums and writing, but we did talk via private messages a lot. I bounced some ideas and sent him some of my earlier anthologies to read as well.
     
    In the beginning the person that had the most influence on me and my writing was actually my very first editor. I met him when I posted my stories to a different site and he contacted me and told me that, although my writing is good, it needed editing. So he and I talked a lot while I sent him chapters to edit. He told me of his life, I believe he was in his mid-thirties. HIV+, but always generous and optimistic in his e-mails. I lost contact with him after I finished my first story, he had told me during our conversations that he wouldn't be around much as his HIV had really started to drain his energy. Eventually he stopped sending e-mails completely a month or so after that. I'd say he was my first online fan and my mentor while I didn't know what the hell I was doing...
     
    Right now as I continue on, I'd say, Wildone the ornery Canadian has been my mentor. The person that I discuss my stories most with, bounce ideas off of, and trust wholly when it comes to my creativity.
     
    Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
     
    Passive voice, I've always had past/present tense issues as well, and I have this terribly annoying habit of capitalizing things that have no business being Capitalized.
     
    When did you originally write Roommates, in comparison to your other stories?
     
    Are You Christian was on hold about fourteen or so chapters in. I found myself really lacking motivation with that story. So I dabbled around and started two more, the one I fell in love with happened to be Roommates. Mostly because the characters were entirely different. I wanted to write an angst-free or at least angst-lite story, when Are You Christian bogged me down on all the drama and angst. So in-between Are You Christian and my later story Standing In Shadows.
     
    Did the characters or the plot for Roommates come to you first?
     
    Characters. Always characters with me. Most of the time I don't know what I really want from a story until I get a sense of what I want from my characters. Then I just try to limit the plot to fit them.. and try not to let the plot spiral out of control too much.
     
    If Roommates was made into a movie, who do you picture playing the parts of Brett and Will?
     
    These characters were a bit mid-twenties to late twenties. For the hot factor.. since I believe Brett and Will just liked to undress themselves an awful lot, so on screen meat would be a big factor in casting... Luke Mitchell for Brett and Robbie Amell, I'd say. Although back when I wrote this all those years ago.. Ryan Reynolds and Chris Evans would have played the parts.. but they're just a bit too old now..
     
    What was your favorite part of Roommates?
     
    Will's coming out actually was a major theme in the story, but the way he finally did it is my favorite part.
     
    What are your future projects?
     
    A story called Force of Nature. Another story where the characters are well into early adulthood, but not really knowing what they really want out of life. Similar to Roommates in that regard, I guess, but everything else is completely different. I'm experimenting with a protagonist that may be difficult to like during some parts of the story.
     
    Then I have a story on hold that I am biting at the bit to get back to. If you talk to Wildone, he'll say I have a ton of projects, too many and they probably change too much for him to keep track. I mean we still have our joint writing venture on the table.. that I do so badly want to post one of these days.
     
    My projects change a lot, so I don't commit to anything long term until I have a significant portion of it already written. I have failed anthology attempts that I still want to tackle... I think I'm up to three of those now. With that said though, I do have the prologue and three chapters written to the project that is firmly behind Force of Nature on my list. If it stays there, we'll have to wait and see.
     

    So what did you think of Krista's story? Thoughts on the genre? Fan of another story of hers? Share your thoughts here!!
  3. Cia

    Ga's Newest Promising Author: Aditus

    By Cia,


    News Archive
    Please join us in welcoming Aditus to the ranks of Promising Authors on GA! Aditus has several stories to his name, including a novel, a series of shorts, and a lot of prompt responses for readers to enjoy. He's also part of our Author Promotion team--giving back to the site and volunteering his time to uphold our quest for quality fiction on the site. Please take a few moments to congratulate Aditus on his promotion--then go hit up some of his stories and leave him a review!




  4. Cia
    Some authors--and apparently teachers--are assholes. Yep, I said assholes. I've seen the ego on small-time so-called "professional" authors get large enough to capsize a cruise ship, and apparently Ryan Boudinot (who I have no personal connection to, but could not believe what he posted) is not only an author, but supposedly a teacher whose job it was to guide others. His article exposes a blowhard whose personal views beat them all. Out of every single thing he said, I can agree with only one comment he made, though I really hate to agree with him about anything on principal.
     
    You can see his article here, titled oh so politely as: Things I Can Say About MFA Writing Programs Now That I No Longer Teach in One. Or, as I'll dub it: Blowhard Speaks Out
     
    I do believe, whole-heartedly, that writing should be done to entertain, and not to self-aggrandize. I don't care how intellectual your underlying theme is, if you can't wrap a fictional tale up in a plot or characters in such a way to interest me in them without bludgeoning me over the head with your agenda, I'm not going to read it. Or worse, if you really irritate me, I'll give it a critical review as I've found most people who fall into that type of author group to be extremely egotistical and not open to less-than-fawning commentary.
     
    Like I said, it pains me to even admit to agreeing with him on that. But for the rest of that guy's drivel?
  5. Cia

    Weekly Wrap Up

    By Cia,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Surprise! It's me again. Renee took over my Signature Background this month, so I'm giving her a bit of a weekend break. This has been a busy week!!
     
    Monday was the announcement of the CSR featured story, Roommates by Krista. Don't miss out on the discussion day on Monday, March 30th.
     
    On Wednesday, Dark graced us with another of his Ask an Author... #25!! He shared questions answered by Nephylim, Stephanie L. Danielson, and Aditus. Want to know what they were? Check it out!
     
    I brought you the Weekly Prompts on Friday's blog, #400 and 401!! I also featured the first line from all the prompts posted in the previous seven days.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines (except Poetry) are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2015 Spring Anthology: Full Circle - Deadline Passed! Look for the stories to be released soon!! 2015 Poetry Anthology: Remember - Due April 15th (Poetry Anthology is exempt from the Anthology Proof Team) 2015 Summer Anthology: Road Trip - Due June 3rd

    In Premium:
     
    The Harvest: Taken Now Complete!! Look for a new story coming next week!
     

    By our Classic Authors:
     
    Long Day by Dabeagle
     

    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Prompt Ramblings by Mann Ramblings
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Veil of Shadow by Stellar
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    A Prompt a Week by Comicfan
     

    By our Promising Authors:
     
    2015 Prompt Responses by Valkyrie
     
    Sanctuary by Sasha Distan
     
    London and Love by CarringtonRJ
     
    The English Year by JWolf
     
    Barbed Wire Heart by Cole Matthews
     
    The Hollow Hills by Valkyrie
     
    Runner Up by French Canadian
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  6. Cia

    Writing Prompts #400 & #401

    By Cia,


    Prompts
    Happy Friday, everyone! Unless Friday isn't the end of your work week, or your weekend work-at-home is just beginning... or any other non-fun Friday vibes are hitting. Either way, celebrate or distract yourself with some fun writing prompts from the flash fiction guru--Comicfan.
     
    Prompt 400 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    “But I heard you were dead!”
     
    Prompt 401 – Creative
    Tag – Infection
    It started at a lab in Washington, DC. It seems people began to morph and become a human animal hybrid. At first it was just a few but it slowly seemed to spread across the country, infecting one out of every four people. Was this a lab experiment gone wrong or something new in the evolution of mankind?
     
    To be fun, I'm going to post the first line of every prompt response promoted by the author in the Prompt forum over the last week!
     
     

    Check out these prompts and more in the Writing Prompts Forum.
  7. Cia

    March Csr: Roommates By Krista

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month I thought I'd feature something many readers can enjoy, since the weather's been so bad and we have four full weeks to read--a novel length college-age story by Krista. I hope you'll enjoy it! March's CSR Discussion day will be on Monday, March 30th!


    Roommates


    by Krista


     
    Length: 72,249
     
    Description: About best friends from college.
     
    A Reader Said: I know I say this about every story, but I really did love this one ~ Gene63
  8. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day: Pierced By Jvaughn

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month, a shorter than usual one, I also went with a shorter story. JVaughn's Pierced is a solid read, for all it's only about 20k in length, that I really enjoyed. I was happy to feature it this month, and I hope you're ready to enjoy learning a bit more about J, too. Don't forget to leave your comments or questions. J will be "live" on the blog from 4-6 PM, PST today to talk to you--so make sure you're ready!
     
    Single people often have more time to write. Are you single?
    Technically, yes. However, I have two teenaged daughters who live with me half time. I also have a more-than-full-time day job to work around. So, finding time to write can be a challenge.
     
    Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
    Are you talking about the cartoon? If so, I have to say I don’t like either one of them. It’s been many years since I’ve watched that show, but if I recall, neither character is particularly ethical. Tom is not very bright, and Jerry is just plain mean. I do like cats better than mice though.
    If you’re talking about some other Tom and Jerry, then I’m not cool enough to be aware of them. J
     
    What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)?
    I am wearing various shades of pink: sweats, an old rugby shirt, a torn pullover, and socks. Very comfy—my usual attire for writing.
     
    When did you first consider yourself a writer?
    I had been writing for a number of years before I considered myself a writer. It wasn’t until I was partway through my second novel, had an editor, and was publishing regularly on Literotica that I finally started thinking of myself as a writer.
     
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    I almost always write first thing in the morning, so of course I always have to have my coffee at hand. I don’t consider that a ritual though, more of a necessity. I don’t think I have any actual rituals. I do have two modes, though, when I write: flow mode and edit mode. When I’m in flow mode, I’m just trying to get words down on paper, move the story along, and capture the basic essence of what I want to say. I try to write steadily and not worry about the wording. I may use the word “beautiful” four times in six paragraphs. Then I’ll go back and edit what I wrote, word-smithing, cutting, embellishing, etc. I probably spend six times as much time editing as I do writing in the first place.
     
    My usual routine is to edit what I wrote the day before to get me back in the proper headspace. Then I’ll go into flow mode until I run out of time or until I run out of steam.
     
    What brought you to Gayauthors?
    I was originally encouraged to check out Gayauthors by a writer on Lit. That was a number of years ago. I read and enjoyed quite a few stories up here, and thought about posting here myself, but I’m usually super-busy so I never go around to it. Then recently, within the same month I think, both Cannd and metajinx, friends from Literotica, encouraged me to post here. So I finally made the time for it. I’m glad I did. I think it’s a better forum for what I write than Lit. When I put sex scenes in my novels they’re usually pretty graphic, but most of my writing is character/plot-based and the sex is just added for fun.
     
    How did you come up with the title for Pierced?
    I usually have a very difficult time with titles. Sometimes it’s harder for me to come up with a title than it is to write the story in the first place. I knew there was going to be some piercings in the story because that was part of the prompt. I didn’t title it until I was finished, considering and rejecting quite a few title ideas along the way. I finally settled on “Pierced by Love” but I still didn’t like it all that well—it sounded cheesy to me—but I was running out time to find another title. One of my beta readers suggested just “Pierced” and I liked it better, so that’s what I went with.
     
    Did any single prompt from the Goodreads contest inspire the story or was it just a matter of fitting them all in?
    I came late to the Goodreads writing party, so I tried to pick up the prompts that no one else was covering. The main prompt left was the non-con/dub-con theme; no one else wanted to touch that one. I had my doubts about it as well, not because I’m not comfortable writing with that theme, but because both the trilogy I had just finished (RoughBoys) and the novel I was working on at the time (The Valjevo Encounter) had non-con scenes in them. I would rather have done something entirely different.
     
    However, I took one for the team and made that the central focus of the story. All of the other prompts were surprisingly easy to fit in. I didn’t put all of the possible prompts in, but I got most of them, hopefully without it seeming too contrived.
     
    What do you think is the best part of the story?
    Hmmm. I like the scene where they take a shower together. Not only was it sexy and fun to write, I think that it is a turning point for both of them. Kyle realizes that he’s capable of getting turned on and having sex again without being overwhelmed by memories of the rape, and it’s Paul’s first time ever being with another man. After he’s had the real thing he knows he will never be satisfied with just his fantasies again.
     
    What are your future projects?
    I’m currently finishing up Christmas in Zonei. I had originally planned to finish it for Christmas this year, but as usual my schedule got away from me. I will publish it for Christmas next year in eBook format with a cover and everything, but I’ll keep it free as gift to my fans.
     
    I have quite a few ideas running around in my head for what to write next, but I am still undecided. I may do a poll on my author website to see what will draw the most interest. I suspect people will want a sequel to either The Valjevo Encounter or Christmas in Zonei or perhaps even Pierced.
     
    I’m a couple of chapters into writing a historic novel—a cowboy/Indian story—that I’m having fun with. I also have a plot for a fantasy novel that is just bursting to come to life. So, yes, still undecided on what to do next. Suggestions welcome.
     
    I can't wait for a free copy of Zonei, myself. Okay, so let's get to chatting! Thoughts on Pierced? J's interview? Suggestions?
  9. Cia

    February Csr: Pierced By Jvaughn

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    February is a month many people focus on love. But sometimes two people have to face seemingly insurmountable obstacles and there's no guarantee having a connection can be enough. I really enjoyed this story, so I decided to feature J Vaughn's short story for this month's Can't Stop Reading Book Club.


    Pierced


    by J Vaughn


     
    Length: 19,210
     
    Description: Paul is a college football player and deeply in the closet until he stumbles upon a rape victim who needs his help. Kyle is out and proud but dealing with the aftermath of a brutal attack. They are both strongly attracted to each other but will a relationship be able to flourish in spite of the obstacles? Paul will have to come to terms with his sexuality and Kyle will have to get over his fear and depression, but together they might be strong enough to help each other heal.
     
    A Reader Said: What a beautiful and heartwarming story. ~ Joann414
     
    This month's CSR Discussion day will be Monday, February 23! So take the next three weeks, read it (it's only 19k, though you'll wish it was longer!) and come prepared to chat about your thoughts on the story. Happy Reading!!
  10. Cia
    Britain approved 3 person IVF‏.
     
     
     
     
    In this process they'd remove "faulty" mitochondrial DNA from a cell and replace it with mitochondrial DNA from a donor female egg to help reduce genetic diseases before implantation. Examples of "curable" mitochondrial genetic diseases: Diabetes mellitus and deafness, blindness, multiple sclerosis-type diseases, some epilepsy, liver disease, heart disease... The mitochondrial DNA doesn't affect genetic information like hair and eye color, personality, etc...
     
    This is a fascinating area of study, but quite a debated one. I can see the controversy of designer babies vs. removing preventable genetic diseases to prevent suffering and death becoming a wider-reaching hot button subject since this decision has been reached.
  11. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day: Joe The Welder By Robert Rex

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Today's CSR discussion is all about Robert Rex's story, Joe the Welder. A very popular story from one of our newer authors, I thought this would be a great start for CSR's 2015! Did you guys like the contemporary romance? Make sure you share your comments below, as well as questions for Robert. He'll be here 'live' to talk with readers from 7 to 9 PM, CST, if you can make it. If not, remember, just leave your comments below and Robert will answer!
     
    Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
    Hm....Starting off with a tough question! Tom, I think. He's like me and lots of us: despite our plans and schemes and best efforts, things rarely go as planned. He's the lovable klutz who, despite his rivalry with Jerry, still maintains a solid relationship with him.
     
    The truth is, it takes both of 'em to make it work. So I may hafta rethink my answer!
     
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Yes. I grew up in a small rural town in north Louisiana. My family had an interest in a small farm, and it was easy access to good fresh stuff. Spoils you, though. Once you have truly fresh food, grocery store items will never do it for you again! Thankfully, I live in a rural area just north of New Orleans, so still have pretty easy access to the good stuff. Try a fresh, vine-ripened tomato, still warm from the sun, and tell me it can get better than that!
     
    Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
    Yup, bed is made as soon as I roll out of it. Kinda forces me to keep the rest of the room a little neater if the bed is made. I'm not a neat-nic by any means, but it kinda helps me think the day has started out a little more organized. And it's a luxury for me to climb into a made bed at night—like it's waiting just for me.
     
    What first brought you to GA?
    “Joe” is my first story based on a dare from a drinking buddy, and I'd published it on another site—one far more erotic than GA. It's a good site, but I wanted more. I wanted stories that focused on the story, and treated sex as an integral part of the story—not it's exclusive focus. I'd gotten 40 or 50 emails from readers at that site with generally positive reviews, but I wanted more. I wanted to be able to find out how many people had viewed/read the story, and that let them have easier ways of commenting than just by email. (Yeah, we're lazy, and creating an email isn't something most people will do. And yeah, I'm like most writers on here who crave input.) Finally, although I was pretty much happy with “Joe”, I certainly realized that I needed help and resources to nurture what I'd discovered to be the rewarding and challenging experience of writing.
     
    GA offers all of that. I get to read great stories where the plot matters and characters become real, not just rough outlines for sexual purposes only. I get to have metrics on my writing and an easy way to get reader feedback—or give my feedback. And God knows, help is available from every direction if I'm smart enough to take advantage of it—from editors, to beta readers, to friendly people who'll point me in the right direction for research. And most of 'em aren't “word Nazis” who beat you over the head with their knowledge—they're really here and eager to help!
     
    As an aside, I'd be in heaven if all the folks that read here on GA would start leaving feedback. The likes, the comments on the chapters and stories—all that makes a difference to the writers (especially me!). The “newbies” may feel intimidated by the quality or volume of the work here, but they got to GA with a love of reading and the reading skills that authors appreciate—and a newbie voice matters.
     
    Do you have an author you consider a mentor?
    Unfortunately, no. But it's like winning a Screen Actors Guild award on those occasions when I get reviews (critical comments included) from authors here. The opinions of the heavy hitters, those prolific, incredibly talented writers here provide both encouragement to keep writing, and motivation to “up the game” in terms of writing quality—and the fact that they're commenting on your work (especially if they point out good things) is a thrill. It's the recognition of what you hope will be a peer group.
     
    I have gotten encouragement from several writers here....and Carlos Hazday had read “Joe” on the other site, and encouraged me to port it here—so blame him! <grin> I'd been concerned that “Joe” was far more erotic than the usual fare here, but Carlos reassured me to press on. And OKFlash735 and I had built a friendship from the other site, and when I discovered GA, he encouraged me to publish it here, too.
     
    I'd hope that all the authors here would make a point to not just read, but comment on, works of new writers here. Based on my own experience, you'll never know the impact you'll make to encourage a “newbie” writer!
     
    Is there anything you find particularly challenging when writing?
    Yes—sex. Although I've “been around the block” (stop those giggles!), and I like to think I pretty much know what I'm doing, there's a world of difference being doing and describing. And sexual descriptions without bringing in emotions or all of the senses is dull to do, and dull to read about.
    I'd hope that sex scenes are hot because they're a complete picture of what's happening between partners; not just “insert tab A into slot B” descriptions.
     
    The other issue is that I tend to write the way I talk/think. So as a result there are lots of commas, lots of parenthetical remarks, and lots of dashes and semicolons to break up the sentences. Hey, maybe it's indicative of ADD? Oh look, there's a squirrel... Anyway, the current trend in most writing seems to be to eliminate as much punctuation as possible, and that's not the way I speak or was taught to write.
     
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    Generally write in the mornings after a night at the bar. (I sell real estate full time, work in the local gay bar a couple or three nights a week. I'll take the following morning off from real estate to “recover” from the previous long day/evening at the bar.) Lots of coffee and a few cigarettes are critical to get the heart pumping and clear the head—I'm not a morning man even in the best of circumstances—and have got to happen if I'm gonna attempt to have something approaching quality writing. (If I could just set up a coffee IV, I'd be far more productive!)
     
    I also take regular breaks—my brain runs faster than I can write—so I'll make notes on thoughts at the time, then walk away to get more coffee, grab a smoke, feed the washer, whatever. The writing seems to flow better if I give ideas time to “percolate”.
     
    Was the choice of using the character’s name “Joe the Welder” deliberate instead of using another type of title?
    It was deliberate. I used it as a tentative title, and it seemed right, since it was about the development/changes in Joe, and it stuck. As it turns out, it told a story of changes between Joe and Rex, and how they explored their emotions both verbally and sexually.
    Looking back, I might not do it again. I think if you use a name/title in the story's title, your character has to be so compelling it drags the readers along through the end of the story. I'm not convinced my writing of a character is that good, so I'd seriously consider renaming the story.
     
    Did the main character or a plot scene from the story come to you first?
    The dreaded “chicken or the egg” question! I'm an observer of people, and it's especially fun in a bar. People will come in, I'll make up stories in my head about 'em from time to time. A guy stopped in the bar one night when I was bartending; nice guy and totally straight. (It's a bar kinda like a gay “Cheers”--everyone's welcome!) So my character was the starting point. Then later that night, when having an off-duty drink with a buddy there at the bar, he dared me to write a story. (“You always tell good stories, you need to write 'em!” Yeah, I'm the old-time bartender in the dark bar that everyone talks to, tells everything to, and interacts with as a friend/buddy.) The plot developed pretty quickly on its own from there.
     
    What was your favorite part of the story?
    I'm a sucker for a happy ending—so the last chapter really did it for me. I'm especially proud of the epilogue, since it really filled in the “ever after” part.
     
    Having said that, the scene in the hospital with Rex standing by, helpless but faithful, was also a high point. Interesting to see this hard-boiled business guy reduced to base emotions—and to see how he allows his more human side to come through.
     
    What are you currently writing?
    I'm currently working on “Landfall”, in progress exclusively here on GA. It's the story of a straight guy, who after the accidental murder of his wife, falls for his FBI “handler”. It's a totally different story from “Joe”, far less erotic, far more nuanced, as the straight guy works through his emotions. Is he now gay? Is he bi? Is he straight, but gay in the circumstances? Is he only gay for his FBI handler? It's been an interesting story to write! And the characters are real enough to me that I feel like most of the time I'm not creating a story, I'm merely reporting it! I'm hoping the readers here will check it out, and give feedback on how I'm doing—I'm hoping they'll find my writing has improved since “Joe” was first published a few months ago and find the story interesting.
     
    And Joe and Rex will appear in “Landfall” shortly, and may play a big role in the story line. You'll hafta read “Landfall” to find out the details.
     
    What are your future projects?
    I actually have several I'd like to explore.
    I'd love to do a story on a May/September romance between an early/mid-30s professional guy and his newly-found late 50s/early 60s or older lover. Ageism is rampant in American culture, and especially pronounced in LBGTQ culture. Think that story would offer lots of options for plot/character development, and be interesting to see the hurdles they have in building a long term relationship, including varied life experiences, expectations, and the range of emotions each man brings to the table. I've kinda got a working title, thinking at this point of “Lion's Lair”. (If older women are “cougars”, are older men “lions”?) I've got a science fiction story I've batted around—and it's so far beyond my comfort level it's intriguing to me. (Love sci-fi and have been an avid reader, but never attempted to write it, obviously, since “Joe” is my first story.) What happens when a disc (say from Voyager or another probe from a later time) is discovered in the ruins of a bombed out library on a far-distant world—and it's filled with music. What if all the music is trapped in the damage disc, and their disc reader can only read just a few bars of a haunting melody and vocal? What does the music say about the people of its originating planet? How does the music's discovery affect the people who discover it? And what does the storage of music say about those who curated it into the library? In my mind's eye, it'll be called “Earth Songs”, but still thinking that through—and trying to find the courage to start on it. And yeah, it'll have both action and romance in good measure. The other story line is set maybe 10 years down the road when gay marriage is fully in place. How does marriage affect the dating rituals of gay men? Does Grindr go away? What takes its place? If marriage is acceptable as adults, is there a simultaneously mutual change so that gay dating in high school becomes commonplace? Are there other impacts on society when two men (or two women) legally partner? Think there's a bunch of impacts to gay marriage we haven't really explored. This is still in the rough sketch stage, but you get the idea.

    There are a couple of other ideas out in play, but those seem to be bubbling to the top right now. I'd love input on what readers think about those.
     

    Thank you for such a great interview, Robert. Okay folks... I asked my questions, now share yours!
  12. Cia

    Space Vampires!

    By Cia,

    Okay, this is funny because I am posting the third story in what has been called my 'Space Vampires' trilogy. That, and it's just soooo true at times!
     

     
    " data-width="466"> Post by Jena Gregoire.
  13. Cia

    January Csr: Joe The Welder By Robert Rex

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month I thought I'd feature one of our newer authors, Robert Rex, and his story Joe the Welder. So how about some contemporary romance to kick off the new year?


    Joe the Welder


    by Robert Rex


     
    Length: 28,206
    Rating: Mature
     
    Description: A gritty story of a casual meeting that turns into more than you might expect. You'll meet Rex, a real estate agent, Joe, a new-to-town out of work welder, and watch as people and events occur that shape their lives. You'll have a first row seat to a story that reflects adult situations, adult language, sex--and personal development--as well as a fun approach to life.
     
    A Reader Said: You are a gifted storyteller. ~ Charlieocho
     

    This month's discussion day will be Monday, January 26th.
  14. Cia
    No, I'm not sharing my own advice for writing--I'm sharing one of the sources I use to explore and research various aspects of the business from figuring out those pesky grammar and punctuation rules to questions about publishing you might not know you need to ask.
     
    Writer's Digest.
     
    Seriously, if you're an author, but you're not hooked up with this site and getting their free newsletters via email--you're missing out on a valuable free resource you should be using! Today, they've put out what they view as their top 50 articles from last year, so go check it out. Then sign up!!!
     


    Writer's Digest: 50 Articles on Writing to Help You in 2015

  15. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day: Space Pioneer By Dolores Esteban

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month just flew by! I hope everyone enjoyed their holidays. Did you have time to read this month? Hopefully you didn't miss the chance to read our CSR feature, Space Pioneer by Dolores Esteban. Due to the time/language barriers, Dolores won't be doing a 'live' Q&A, but she does plan to pop in off and on to reply to reviews and comments/questions posted here, so make sure you share your enjoyment of her story! To get the ball rolling, we have a great interview with Dolores to share, along with a sneak peek of her sequel to Space Pioneer!!


    Space Pioneer


    by Dolores Esteban


     
    Single people often have more time to write. Are you single?
    Yes, but I don’t feel I have more time to write. I have a full time job and often help my sister with her business on the weekends. I’m an accountant
     
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Yes, plenty.
     
    What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)?
    Blue jeans, a black sweater, and a red scarf with white flowers.
     
    What brought you to the GA?
    I was looking for a place to post my stories and stumbled over the site.
     
    Is there anything you find particularly challenging when it comes to writing?
    Writer’s block. I can’t write when my muse is absent.
     
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    No.
     
    You have 54 stories on GA. Do you have a favorite?
    I like the Aglanthol series, and Space Pioneer is actually my favorite.
     
    How did you come up for the concept for your alien cultures?
    I didn’t plan the story. The story developed as I wrote it. I wrote a lot of historical pieces and a few fantasy stories. I wanted to write something different.
     
    Overcoming the language barrier is often an interesting subject in sci-fi stories. Your way seemed to mimic the way a non-native speaker often fumbles with becoming fluent in a new language. Did your own experience as a non-English speaker, writing stories in a foreign language, contribute to that element in your story on purpose?
    Not on purpose, but the way Jeff learned the Daglon language seemed natural to me.
     
    Which of your main characters came to you first? Jeff or Lest?
    Jeff. I saw Lest for the first time when Jeff saw the captain.
     
    What was your favorite science fiction element in the story?
    The Daglon warship and the trips through space. I would like to have a spaceship of my own, and I would want to be the captain. *lol*
     
    You shared the fact you wrote the sequel to Space Pioneer. When do you think that’ll be ready to publish on GA?
    I wrote several parts of a new story (or maybe two even) during NaNoWriMO. I usually write chronologically, from beginning to end, but this time I jumped a lot between scenes and parts of the story. I need to combine the parts, add and delete scenes and then edit the whole story a couple of times. I plan to start the process after the holidays, but it might well take until spring next year. I can’t really say.
     
    Can we get a sneak peek at the beginning of your sequel?
    Sure. This is a sneak peek of The Titan Plot (first draft).
     

    The Titan Plot
     
  16. Cia

    Writing Prompts #378 & #379

    By Cia,


    Prompts
    Surprise! It's me again! This week has just flown by, and we're a bit late posting these. Whoops! But hey, we're not going to leave you hanging without your prompt fix. I have two great ones to share with you.
     
    Prompt 378 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following words in a story – gift, broken shoelace, brown coat, scarf, and a zebra.
     
    Prompt 379 – Creative
    Tag – Birthday Revenge
    Four months ago your partner’ had their birthday. They told you they didn’t want a party, just a nice dinner out. Of course you decided you knew better and huge party was put together that they absolutely hated. They smiled sweetly and through clenched teeth told you that you would pay for this disaster. Tomorrow is your birthday. Will it be what you expected or a case of birthday revenge?
     
    Several of the authors here on GA are writing ongoing stories with prompts for each chapter, and I thought I'd feature Timothy M's response to Prompt #328: You expect me...
     
     
     

    To read the rest of the prompt response (or the story if you haven't been following along) you can find them here: Timothy's Terrible Prompt Stories
  17. Cia

    Author Inverview: Myr

    By Cia,


    Author Interviews
    The original GA member, Myr, is mostly found behind the scenes (Don't look behind that curtain!) on the site, but he's also an author. As you'll see from his interview, that isn't always easy to do with everything else he has going on. I hope you enjoy this interview, and if you haven't had a chance, go check out his featured story and download the Signature background!
     
    Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
    Jerry, obviously.
     
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Nope and Nope. Still don't eat any fruits, but I do eat enough vegetables.
     
    What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)?
    Polo shirt, kahkis, boxer briefs, socks and shoes. But that what you get when you ask questions when I'm on lunch at work.
     
    Gay fiction has gone through quite an evolution since you began GA. What do you think the biggest change is?
    Popularity, by far. Gay fiction has gone mainstream. It used to be difficult to find it, and now its everywhere.
     
    What’s your favorite genre to write and why?
    Fantasy. I'm a big fan of escapism and as an engineer working on cutting edge technology on a daily basis, Sci-fi is too much like work. (seriously). With fantasy, I like a world where the entire playing field can be flipped around to fit the plot. As long as you have rules and consistently follow them at least.
     
    What was your biggest challenge in writing back when you wrote Nick Cringle? How about now?
    My biggest challege hasn't changed. It's time and focus. I need my free time to align with my ability to focus on a task. The two don't align often. I'll get free time and want to rest or I'll get a great idea I want write about, but be in the middle of work. It get's really annoying after awhile.
     
    Nick is very self-assured, though he’s just a teen. Was that part of his ‘heritage’ or just the way he came to you as a character?
    Nick is an only child that grew up knowing what his life's work would be. That removes a lot of uncertainly in life and gives him the strong confidence of knowing who and what you are. When we meet him, he also has the powers that come with the sack, to so speak. So, in this case, it was a combination of both nature and nurture.
     
    Did Nick’s character or your interesting spin on the Santa mythos for your short story come to you first?
    It was sort of both. I started with the general idea of Santa's son, and Nick quickly popped into my head. And he sort of wrote himself. The character quickly dictated the twists to the Santa mythos though. If that makes any sense?
     
    Do you have a favorite MM story that features a Christmas theme?
    I can't really think of one off the top of my head.
     
     
     
    I want to thank Myr for taking the time to do the interview, with his busy schedule and all. I hope everyone enjoyed it (and maybe if you have a fav MM Christmas story, you can share it here).
  18. Cia

    Featured Story: Nick Cringle

    By Cia,


    Featured Stories
    How is this month going so fast? December is already halfway gone! Today we're featuring this month's Signature background story, Nick Cringle, by Myr. If you haven't already downloaded your Signature graphic, you can do so here.
     


    Nick Cringle


    by Myr



    Signature Author


    Reviewer: Celethiel
    Status: Complete
    Length: 5,676
     
    A story about Santa Claus, except the Santa Claus is 16 year old who has taken over the family business, or as one could put it, Corporation. Which is what it sounds more like. the young man also happens to be gay, however you don't find this out until over half-way through the short story. The story has a general feeling of being rushed, kind of like Santa is rushing through Thankgiving to get all them gifts made for Christmas.
     
    There is no Romance, then suddenly Nick Cringle is picking up a guy to live with at the North Pole, who up to that moment where he explains he's Santa, is only his friend in school.
     
    Its the story that is every American Boy's Dream come true, Get rich, inherit the family corporation, and get a love for life without much effort on at the least the last part.
     
    It's a good story that would have done a lot better if it was drawn out more and had more to it.
     
    For fun, since this story was written so long ago, I thought we'd also feature a review in the story topic from back in 2004 when it was first posted, by Miguelsanchez55:
     
    Truly lovely story dude. I never figured the ending like it was but, oh well, silly me. Should have known better. Great.
     
     
     

    Category: 2004 Winter Anthology--Christmas Genre: Fantasy Tags: Teens, Magic, No Sex, Light-heated Rating: Mature


  19. Cia

    100 Million From Ga's Amazing Authors!

    By Cia,


    News Archive
    GA Authors have achieved posting 100 Million words in Stories!! Congratulations, Authors, on all your hard work to make GA a wonderful place for fellow authors and readers! To celebrate this event, we're going to run two contests. I'll post links to both, as they will be in the site Lounge forum, and that is where you can enter one or both contests. 
    Contest #1: One month FREE Premium membership
     
    Contest #2: One $5 Amazon Gift Card
     
    *Contest will run from the time the topics open until Saturday, December 20th, at 7 PM, Pacific time. The winners will be announced on the Weekly Wrap Up! site blog that goes live on Sunday. Winners will be chosen by drawing through Random.org*
     
    FYI... as another awesome achievement, we've now had 100,000 reviews written on those stories!


  20. Cia

    Csr December: Space Pioneer By Dolores Esteban

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    So this is December, a month for beating the heat if you're on the southern half of the world or curling up away from the cold if you're in the northern half. Either way, it's a great time to read. And since it's also a common time for presents, I decided to feature a story that is right up my alley as a gift to me. This month we're going to read Dolores Esteban's short novel, Space Pioneer.


    Space Pioneer


    by Dolores Esteban


     
    Length: 53,808
    Description: On his trip to Mars, Jeff's shuttle gets dragged through space by an alien spaceship that is performing a space jump. The Daglon captain Lest takes Jeff on board of his ship and Jeff's journey through space begins. The crew chases Ezer Malk, who plans a space-time jump in order to steal Ancient Egypt artifacts from Earth. Lest is an outlaw and Jeff is lost in space. Will the two men get to know each other, will Lest come to terms with his past, and will Jeff find his place in the world?
     
    The discussion day will be Monday, December 29th. A few days after Christmas, a few before New Year's... the perfect time for a good discussion about a great science fiction novel I can't wait to read!
  21. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day; Tears Of The Neko By Craftingmom

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    I can't believe November is almost over! This day crept up on me and then hit with a 'Hey!!' bang just yesterday, lol. This month we featured Tears of the Neko by Craftingmom. She's given me a great interview with a lot of interesting answers (I don't remember her working at the CIA! ) so read on. Plus she asks for some input so make sure you leave comments and questions for her, because Craftingmom has also agreed to come 'live chat' on the blog for a Q&A session from 1-3 EST!
     



    Tears of the Neko


    by Craftingmom


    Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
    Jerry, definitely--I loved Sliders, as I really like science fiction, and Jerry O'Connell was my favorite character in that show. Of course, Tom in Splash, Sleepless in Seattle, and ... well anything really is also pretty good, but I think I like him more for humor, than anything else... -- or, were we talking Tom Cruise? Because he wasn't too bad before he started all that Scientology stuff, so...
    Oh wait, we're probably talking about Tom or Jerry, the cartoon ; Oops, okay, then it would be Tom. I always felt sorry for him. Plus, I love cats.
     
    What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)?
    Since I write at night--pink pj top with a coffee mug on it that says "I love Coffee" and matching pants with lots of coffee mugs along with my fuzzy slippers. Oh, and a pouch full of three sugar gliders around my neck--one of which is crawling out of the pouch and down my back; which reminds me, I really need to clip some claws.
     
    Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
    Most of the time, I just pull the comforter up to make it look neater, if I'm the last one up; otherwise, it may tend to stay unmade since my husband doesn't think to do it. I sleep with like 5 fluffy pillows all around me, some of which end up on the floor, so I'll throw them back on the bed. My husband also has 5 flat pillows himself, so I'll often stack them at the head of the bed ( I give him pillow cases that are a darker shade than mine so we can tell them apart--he used to accuse me of stealing his).
     
    What do you do other than write?
    Read. Read. Read. I think I've spent more money at Amazon buying books for my kindle than on any other hobby. I used to scrapbook, but I haven't done that in a long while. Our family is also into Renaissance Faires; we've been going for over 15 years--costumes and all.
    As for jobs, I worked at a grocery store in the bakery section in high school, and then I worked a couple summers at the CIA, the main campus in Langley, Va. In college, I was a professor's assistant and a grammar tutor, of all things! I worked for nine years teaching in middle school after getting my master's degree in Education. But after my second daughter was born, I stayed home to be with my girls--thanks to my wonderful husband, I am able to do what I really enjoy, stay home with my girls and write when I want to! I did teach preschool while they were younger, since it was only a few hours in the morning and I could still put them on the bus and be home when they got back home in the afternoons. Even though they are in middle school now, I still stay home, but I watch my nephew for my sister who works odd hours like noon to ten--so sort of working as a daycare provider--but I have Mondays and Tuesdays off so I tend to use those days for writing (that and nights).
     
    When did you first consider yourself a writer?
    I would say I've considered myself a writer since middle school when I really started writing stories and actually allowed someone (my best friend) to read them and she'd beg for more. However, I would say I really felt like an author after I finally got up the nerve to publish my first book about two years ago when my daughter begged me to publish them so she could have them in book form. She's a lot like me and reads constantly (you rarely find her without a book in her hand, even when we go out to eat!), so she wanted copies of my stories she could carry around and weren't in the huge three ring binders I had them in. Shortly after publishing them, I was asked to be the guest author at a local book club, so yeah, that's probably when it finally hit me that people might actually like my writing.
     
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    Not really. Maybe that I tend to first spend a bit of time listing all the possible names for characters. I think a character's name says a lot about them, so I like to find one that suits them.
    I tend to write when I feel like it, but getting started is usually the hardest part, even if I have a story idea in mind because, to me, the beginning is one of the most important parts--to grab the reader. Sometimes the story is flowing so much in my head and I can't get it down fast enough, so I have a notebook that I'll scribble down notes in until I can get to that part in the story. My husband actually has told me to get out of bed in the middle of the night and go write because he can tell when I'm not sleeping and knows it's because story stuff is running around in my head.
    I do like to write out the whole story before posting or sharing it though because I tend to go back and change too many things before it is complete. I also like to read it over at least twice myself before publishing anything to try to catch as many errors as possible, but it seems no matter how often I read it I'll still edit and tweak wording.
     
    What part of a story do you think is the easiest to write? The hardest?
    I love dialogue, so I really like to make it flow as naturally as possible. Most of the time that comes pretty easy, but then sometimes, like in chapter 9 of All in, it takes many rewrites to get it to go where I want it without it seeming too forced. I find the hardest thing to write is setting. I don't like stories that go on and on about describing the setting, so I tend to skimp on it in my own stories.
    I also haven't written in the first-person yet, but I keep thinking about it. I really like stories that are written in the first person, but I keep finding that I want multiple POVS, like Damien and Kayden's or Jason and Devyn's.
     
    Why write a story in the Neko universe?
    Well, my favorite genres right now deal with slave fic and shifters, so Tears of the Neko was sort of a mix of the two. Growing up, my favorite books were historical romances, and as I said, my family and I are avid Renaissance Faire patrons (in fact, my husband and oldest daughter are cast members now), so I would say I very much enjoy the historical aspect that makes up Kayden's world.
     
    Did the characters or the plot come to you first?
    Kayden probably came first because I've been reading a lot of shifter stories lately. I love abused characters who get 'saved' and eventually find their inner strength. But an interesting fact is that the main characters of all three of my m/m stories all have a 'y' in them--Kayden, Avery, and Devyn. I love names with 'y's--I don't know why--but both of my daughter's names have a 'y' in them too! Of course, mine doesn't, but still...
     
    What prompted your edit of Tears of the Neko?
    Honestly, it was the reviews I received from the original posting of the story here. While the reviews of the original loved the story, they also posed questions that had me thinking what I could do to make the story even better. Some edits addressed things reviewers saw as inconsistencies in character reactions, especially Damien, others added more to Damien's background and the neko universe in general. Most of the large additions to the story were scenes that had more interactions between Damien and Kayden, which a lot of people really seemed to want.
     
    What are your future projects?
    Well, I've promised to write a sequel to the Neko, so I've been trying to work out some basic plot lines and talking with one of my betas about ideas--so if anyone has ideas they'd like to see in the sequel, let me know your ideas. I'm considering a shifter story, maybe a merman, or another slave/cinderfella-like fiction. (Cinderella is my favorite fairy tale, so many of my stories have the poor, abused character who needs saving, even in my YA fiction.)
     
    What brought you to GA?
    I was searching for more reading material because, you know, I read ALOT, and came across Weeping Lily by Nephylim and the Paradox of Friendship by IntheMindofSunshine. Those were the first stories I found here, and since then I have enjoyed reading many stories. I admit, though, I'm horrible at remembering to write reviews because I read on my tablet and I hate typing on the on-screen keyboard, plus I get so into the story, I keep going through the chapters until I'm done. I'm trying to be better though, and plan to go back to review the stories that I've read. After posting the Tears of the Neko here, I discovered I liked this site much better than AFF or Fiction Press, which is why in posting All In, I decided to post a couple chapters ahead here first (so while I'm posting it at the other sites, GA is ahead by a couple chapters!)
     

    Thanks so much for great interview, Craftingmom! Okay guys, don't forget to leave your questions or come back between 1-3 EST!
  22. Cia

    Csr November: Tears Of The Neko By Craftingmom

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    November! The weather has definitely shifted for most people--either cold and rainy/snowy or warming up to hot, so you hopefully have plenty of reading time! I thought I'd feature a newer author to GA with the first novel she completed, and recently updated, on GA. Enjoy!!
     


    Tears of the Neko


    by Craftingmom


     
    Length: 76,473
     
    Description: A younger brother buys his brother, the Duke and heir to the throne, a surprising gift for his brother's birthday--a young, very skittish neko slave. But ,Damien has no use for a personal slave. But a bet with his two younger brothers has Damien keeping the boy at his side as a matter of pride. When attempts on his life begin, Damien discovers just how protective the cat-like human can be.
     

    This month's discussion day will take place on Monday, November 24th, so get reading now! And a twist to the usual, I'd like to ask you guys to share your questions you'd like to see the authors answer each month. I can't guarantee they'll all get answered but I'll add them to my list!
  23. Cia

    Csr Discussion Day: Seasonal Spooktacular!

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    It's a Halloween week feature for those who like to get into the season! I hope these anthology stories got you in the mood this month. Did you read the stories and poem? Did you have a favorite? Change your mind on some of the featured spookies?
     
    To kick off today's discussion, I asked the authors to answer a few questions about their stories and Halloween!
     
    Ghosts: The Harpsichordist by Carl Holiday
    Why did you use ghosts as a character in your story/poem?
    Why did I use a ghost (actually 3 ghosts) in my story (The Harpsichordist)? I think I was thinking of an old house on a bluff above the ocean. Old houses seem to be a place where you can definitely find ghosts. Having three in the same house, well, why not. Two little kids and the title character provided the protagonists with a medium where their recovery from a personal tragedy could have a happy ending.
     
    Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?
    Favorite Halloween Memory: this occurred back when kids could roam freely throughout the neighbor with out any danger of some think like this: there was a weirdo driving around trying to run over kids; it came to a happy ending, though; seems this kid was out in his cowboy suit and for some reason he put his hat on top of a fire plug; from a distance or with drug/alcohol influence, it looked like a kid with a cowboy hat that wasn't running away.
     

    Recipe for Disaster: Ones and Zeroes by Mann Ramblings
    Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?
    I wouldn't call it a favorite, but it is my most memorable. In third grade, I wanted to be a vampire for Halloween. I had the fangs, the cape and the makeup, but at the last minute I let my mother know I needed to have my hair slicked back, because that's how they looked, you know? We didn't have any hair products that could do the job and she wasn't about to run to the store at the eleventh hour so she made do with Vaseline. I kid you not... Vaseline.
     
    Did you know it took three weeks to wash that crap out of my hair? We used shampoo, laundry detergent and a few other things I've forgotten about. We probably should have just shaved my head, but I liked my hair too much for that. I'm surprised it didn't all fall out after all the abuse we heaped on it that year.
     
    Do you have a favorite Halloween legend?
    I have to admit I'm pretty partial to Sleepy Hollow and the Headless Horseman. I saw the Disney version every season as a kid and it was exciting, creepy and utterly fascinating even back in those days. I even loved the Tim Burton film starring Johnny Depp and bought the DVD when that came out. I like to watch it at least once during October.
     

    Pandora's Box: Rise of the Serpent by Celetheiel
    Do you have a favorite Halloween memory?
    I was 7 and looking at my moms home-made costume that i was going to wear... I was a little Indian boy... I was really wowed that my mom made that costume, herself for me.... Afterwards we had enough candy that it lasted us half-a-year. Mom and dad would put it all in a big old glass jar and it would sit there...and if say it wasn't wrapped all melt together in a big...pile of sugar...
     
    Do you have a favorite Halloween legend?
    Not really, the only real Halloween legend i remember is The Legend of Sleepy Hollow, doesn't help that it plays every year at Halloween.
     
    Why did you use a vampire as a character in your story/poem.
    The simple answer would be... because it fit... It fit with the Theme... It's actually based in the same universe with my big Vampire Story, A Crimson Frost, and I felt like it was a good tale to tell.
     
    What's your favorite treat for Halloween?
    Candy Corn, I believe I like the most.
     
    The Back-up Plan: Magic in the Air by Andy78
    Do you have a favorite Halloween legend?
    Aside from the traditional Bloody Mary, The Thirteen Floor is one of my favourites.
     
    The Thirteenth Floor (which I think originates from Pennsylvania) is about people who enter a haunted house on Halloween and try to reach the thirteenth floor. Each floor tried to scare them from going up to the next floor. The only people who survived were those who fled before reaching the thirteenth floor.
     
    What's your favorite treat for Halloween?
    Anything with sugar and nothing with granola I'm very partial to toffee apples (candy apples) this time of year, but they're not really Halloween specific.
     
    Okay, so what did you think of this month's choices? Enjoy them? Don't like creepy crawlies so you were hiding behind your hand as you read? Want to share your fav Halloween memory?
  24. Cia

    Author Interview: Renee Stevens

    By Cia,


    Author Interviews
    In honor of this month's creepy critters theme, we featured Renee Stevens' story, Joined by Blood, with our October Signature Background. Who doesn't like vampires, right? If you like your vampires bad... this story has them! If you like your vampires good... this story has them! But figuring out which is which...? Maybe not so easy! If you haven't read it yet, you really should, but first, read this interview with Renee where you can learn some more about


    Interview: Renee Stevens on
    Joined By Blood

     
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Some, not all. Some fruits and vegetables I really like, some I absolutely detest and you couldn’t pay me enough to eat them.
     
    What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)?
    Jeans and a t-shirt… and my camo slippers.
     
    Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
    Lately I try to at least throw the blankets so they somewhat cover the bed; otherwise I end up with dog hair all over the sheets.
     
    What brought you to the site?
    Mainly, I was looking for a new place to start posting my work. I found GA, became a member right away, and started posting in the old eFiction. I just never left and am now coming up on my 5 year GA Anniversary.
     
    Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
    Sometimes it’s just finding the motivation to write, especially lately. It seems like there’s just one thing after another happening that makes me lose my focus.
     
    What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment?
    The toughest criticism is hard, but I think it would have to be the one when I was simple told that a story I wrote was “boring beyond belief” and had absolutely no plot. The thing was, the story in question was simply a look inside the lives of two characters. There wasn’t supposed to be a major set-up with them. Luckily, no one else agreed with the person who said it.
     
    The best compliment… I’ve gotten a lot of compliments on my writing. With that being said, I think it’s a toss-up between two things. One of which is those readers that continue to follow me and read my work. I’ve heard from a few readers that they’ll read anything I write and honestly, I don’t think you can get a much better compliment than that. The other compliment is similar, in those readers who will wait for chapters, no matter how long it may take me to get them out. I’ve had stories get stalled because of life happening(a couple have been stalled for years), and yet, when I manage to finally get a chapter out of them, I get a review (or comment) from someone saying that they are so happy I’m working on the story again.
     
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    If I’m determined to write, then I turn music on. Other than that, only if I’m stuck. If I’m stuck, then I turn music on and grab a pen and paper. Here’s the thing though, it can’t be just any pen and paper. If I am truly stuck, it has to be a new pen and a new notebook. I actually have a stack of single subject notebooks and a stash of never used pens that when I get really stuck on a story, I grab a new set and start working through my thoughts. Once in a while, even that’s not enough to get me through the block, but most the time it works.
     
    How did you come up with the title for Joined by Blood?
    I always have a really hard time coming up with titles for stories. Generally, I run title options past Cia, and sometimes we go through numerous title options before settling on one that we both like. If I remember right, I thought of “Joined by Blood” because of the simple reasoning of, all of the bonds in the story are blood bonds and require the ingestion of each other’s blood. I ran the thought by Cia (probably Lugh, Nephylim, and Frostina as well) and it was agreed to be the perfect title.
     
    Why vampires?
    I’ve always been fascinated with vampires. When I wrote “Joined by Blood” I had already written a couple of shorter vampire stories, but I wanted to try my hand at something longer. I also always wondered as to what made a vampire good or bad, writing “Joined by Blood” gave me the chance to explore that.
     
    At what point did you realize that Dante, Damian, and Vik were destined to be a triumvirate? Was that the initial idea that came to you, or did it evolve as you wrote the story?
    Honestly, that was NOT in the original plans at all. The original plan for the story was simply a Vik/Damian pairing, but the further I got into the story, the more I realized that Dante was playing a more important role than originally planned. He had a bond with both Vik and Damian that just begged to be explored. I wouldn’t say there was a “moment” that I just “knew” they were destined to be a triumvirate though, I think it was just a gradual realization. Little things started to come together until there was no other conclusion I could come to.
     
    What was your favorite part of the story?
    That is a tough question. There were so many parts to this story that just beg to become my favorite, but I think one part manages to edge the others out, just a little. In Chapter 6, both the reader and Damian learn of the true relationship between Jarrod and Vik. It’s a bit of an eye opener for everyone, but especially for Damian and it’s a bit of a turning point in the story.
     
    Have you considered writing a sequel to Joined by Blood?
    When I first completed “Joined by Blood”, I considered the story complete. Since then, I’ve done some thinking and considering and there just might be a sequel after all. It’s not really even in the planning stages right now because I have so many other stories in the works, but I do have a few thoughts and plans for if/when I get some of my other projects done. However, there is no timeline for when I might start work on it or when it might come out.
  25. Cia
    It's a rerun! Due to the sudden alert of stories being rated incorrectly and Google being a PiTA, (read more here) we preempted a lot of the blog last week. So, to be fair, Renee gets her feature day back again!
     
    Something a little different this week for the review for Renee Steven's featured story, cause I like being different, lol. Most of the time a reader would be the one to do the review, but this time, I'm going to do it. I had the great pleasure to be a beta reader/editor for this story, so I got an inside view to Renee's creation. Of course, I had great fun while it was being posted teasing everyone I knew what happened ahead of time.


    Joined by Blood


    by Renee Stevens


    Reviewer: Cia
    Length: 82,036
    Status: Complete
    Joined by Blood is a vampire novel... and who doesn't like vampires! Well, I certainly do, so I was super excited when Renee told me she was writing this story. There are so many different elements--a prophecy, a turning or two, evil and magic, love and loss... and so much more!
     
    And there are so many dichotomies in the story--like how vampires are so powerful and ancient, yet hide from humans. In the woods and caves of all places! When so many authors are willing to bring vampires into the modern times, Renee seemed to set hers back. The setting helped give the story its gritty, desperate vibe--and damn, were they desperate.
     
    Vik--the prince of his people--has a vampire who wants him dead. That same vampire who stole Damian's sister's innocence and turned her evil. But after seeing that, how is Damian supposed to trust Vik and his men, including the head of his guards and Vik's best friend, Dante? They're guys, so of course communication isn't their strong suit. There is a lot of posturing and a lot of misunderstandings, but fate's taken a big ole interest in the course of their lives, so they have to figure it out.
     
    Renee writes a lot like I do--she gets an idea and starts writing it. Then the story changes. There were so many times we sat on the computer and bandied about ideas. If Damian's sister did this... wouldn't it mean that? Does this line in the prophecy really mean what we think it does? It was almost like going along in the story with the characters! I love that about working with Renee. I remember once telling her she might have one scene changing so Dante could do something... and it was so funny, because it was actually 'normal' for her to tell me, "Dante just wouldn't do that!" and for me to smack my forehead and go, "Well, duh, of course he wouldn't!".
     
    Why? Cause Renee's characters certainly live in her head. She had firm ideas on who each of the guys were, what their stories and histories were like, and how badly she was going to torture them before they got their happily ever after... if they got it. Sometimes, with her, you're just not sure! I think that's why her story was so popular--with such vivid and alive characters, who couldn't be drawn into Joined by Blood?!
     
    Others had definite feelings about the characters too! For instance:
     
    Daithi said: And we all know how much of a walking trouble magnet Damian is lol.
     
    CW Price said: Damian also seems to have a bit of an anger problem as well. He seems to like to fly off the handle, like a little drama queen
     
    Rosenkrantz said: Dante is my favorite character in this. He's the only one who seems to retain any common sense when it comes to the technicalities.
     
    cogito_ergo_sum1666 said: love damian for being so hot to have two sexy vampires wrapped around his fingers, love VIK *swoons* for being a possessive boyfriend and when he's being a jerk? he is still sexy and never annoying!!! Oh and Dante? can i keep him? lol i mean this is like a fantasy lol. So there, see? i told you i love all of them
     
    Conner said: I don't know if you intended it, but I find Damian to be so obstinate and stubborn to the point where it makes him thick-headed.
     
    Frostina said: BOOOO! @ becca! That Bitch! she's... she's... she's.. PURE evil!
     
    Comicfan said: Vic needs to decide how he is going to handle Damian. Sometimes he is so sweet and tender and the next he is the caveman carrying his clubbed mate back to the room so he can ravish him. lol.
     

    So what about you? Did you have any feelings about the story or the characters? Were there any scenes where you just wanted to butt in and let them have it? Share your thoughts below! Also, make sure you head over the Signature Background feature blog to download your copies of the background. (There are hot guys on it... who doesn't want to stare at hot guys?!!)
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