Every once in a while it can be fun to go outside the box, away from the usual style, and go a bit wild with your words. Louis did an excellent article recently about weak writing and avoiding overused words and phrases. That stuck with me, as it is something I strive for as well. However, I just entered a contest on Kim Fielding's blog where the goal was to write a paragraph that her kids would find boring. I decided to do something ... different.
Stepping outside the box from my normal style had me choosing my words with careful consideration to share an image, a thought, a scene but in the most flowery and complicated way possible. This is completely opposite of my usual style where my goal is to entertain in the simplest words possible.
I've obviously not been stretching myself enough with writing projects lately, because this was the most fun I'd had in a long time, oddly enough. LOL
I'd love to see what kind of boring paragraph you guys can come up with too (and her contest is running to the 19th for a copy of her eBook an a $10 GC to Dreamspinner Press). You can find it through this link, here.
My boring paragraph:
Hast thou come for me, at the waning of my twilight? No sound heralds thy approach, save that of my soul's entreaty. In winter night, at midnight's call, my bedchamber resounds with sonorousness of thy silent advent to sunder my mortal coils. Fosooth, most merrily dost I greet thee, a fulsome fate to some, but to this wearisome world I bid, not a lament from my lips, but a soft fare thee well.
August already! Summer, at least summer here in the Northern hemisphere, has been flying by. I'm sure those of you still in winter are ready for a bit of warmth and a new season too. But first, we have August to get though. Reading this month's CSR Book Club selection just might pass a bit of time for you.
Don't Shout
by Sasha Distan
Length: 52,675 Rating: Mature
Description: Cole is fascinated by a boy who won't talk to him and has no idea how to be gay in a world in which a man's worth is measured by his skill in working the land and riding quad bikes. Jared thinks he's happy with his secret lover but when a boy who can't communicate with him puts in the effort to try realises that secret sex-friends might not be enough and even good boys get love too.
What a Reader Said: I really like this story, especially how you have taken the time to develop Cole's character and led us all to the discovery of Jared's deafness. Cole is such a sweet hot tough guy. He has fallen hard, but will be the most true friend Jared ever had if he lets him. I can't wait to read more. ~ From JohnnyJon1
Okay, readers, have fun with this story! It's the first one I read of this author's, though I found it off-site before Sasha came here, and I was glad to see it posted on GA. Make sure you come back for the CSR Discussion day on August 26th!
Apple Polisher by Heidi Belleau
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
Apple Polisher surprised me. It was an interesting name for an interesting book. I thought it would be full of cliches, and in a way it was. We had the classic character tropes, but many of them had hidden qualities that made them more human than their basic first impressions. Christian was anal retentive and uptight ... but he had so many reasons for being that way and he didn't like being that way--though from the synopsis I really thought he was an upright prig through and through.
Max's secrets were varied. I was really surprised by the dual natures he exhibited from his very *ahem* interesting job and his volunteering. As a couple, Christian and Max worked really well together. They were opposites, but more alike under the surface than I originally assumed.
The sub-plot existing with the romance plot was all about family, and the things we do to try to help each other out. I really liked Christian's aunt. I loved the progression he went through from blushing prude to blase flirt. Though, being the germaphobe that I am, the sex scene in the video store just about had me cringing away from my eReader.
All in all, this was an entertaining story. I came into it expecting to be a little bored, but in the end, really enjoyed the characters. The story was a little predictable, and one scene ... we'll call it the computer scene, to avoid spoilers, was just too far out of character for Christian for me to believe. I really liked the climactic moment it relayed between him and Max, but it was just so beyond what I'd learned of Christian's comfort zones that I couldn't really believe it.
I'd definitely recommend this eBook if you're looking for a sweet, if a bit turbulent, contemporary romance with a lot of chuckles. The humorous moments were definitely a big plus for this eBook, making my hubby send me numerous raised eyebrows.
Welcome to the CSR Discussion Day for July! This month we featured The Degan Incident by Rob Colton. His first story here on GA was immensely popular and we were lucky enough to get him to share a little about himself, his thoughts regarding his story, and his upcoming story as well for our discussion! I hope you enjoy this interview with Rob Colton!
*Staff note for those who like to favorite stories and chapters: We've increased your daily likes, so now you can show your appreciation even more!
As I always like to start … time to share all about you. Or just one or two things. No need for an autobiography, but tell the readers a few things they might not know.
I grew up in Michigan, so many of my early stories are set there. I got married to my partner in June of this year, on the day of our ten year anniversary.
Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
I love fruits, but I have to admit, I’m not big on vegetables. (At least the ones that are good for you.)
Chocolate or Vanilla?
Chocolate, definitely!
When did you first consider yourself a writer?
I think it really hit me when I received the contract for my first novella, "The Ranch Foreman." It is to be published by Dreamspinner Press this fall.
How did you get inspired for the foray into sci-fi after your many contemporary stories?
I love Sci-Fi! It’s one of my favorite genres of movie/TV. Even though this story is sci-fi, it still incorporates elements that make it a "RobCub/Rob Colton" story.
How did you come up with your title?
The original working filename was “Space Beast”. Obviously, that wasn’t a very good title! When Dashel arrives to rescue Devin, he says something about causing an interstellar incident. As soon as I wrote that line, it clicked and I immediately knew the title. I think the title has a very "sci-fi" feel to it.
What’s your favorite part of The Degan Incident?
I think my favorite parts are the scenes with Devin and Bastian's father, Dashel. I also have a fondness for Bastian's pet banti, Mishu.
You received a lot of feedback for the story; was there any one review you really treasured?
I love all of the feedback I get. My favorites are the ones where people who normally wouldn't read a story like this (sci-fi, m/m, mpreg, etc.) gave it a shot and were pulled in and ended up enjoying it.
I know you’ve went on to write a second story in this series that we get to share here on GA with our Premium supporters. How about a short blurb to whet their appetites for more?
"The Cassini Mission" features a character from "The Degan Incident", exobiologist Aron Adler. Not strictly a sequel, "Cassini" features new characters and builds on the events from the first book.
Dr. Aron Adler is ordered to take part in a rescue mission to a research colony located on an uninhabited planet in the outer rim. He is to immediately report to the U.S.C. Cassini, which will take Aron, two other scientists, and a unit of Union Marines to the colony. Once there, they are to assess the situation and retrieve any data or specimens.
Formerly a scientist in the Union Navy, Aron was dishonorably discharged following a court-martial for failing to obey orders. Stepping foot on the Cassini brings up old feelings he would rather forget. Shunned by the crew of the Cassini, Aron finds comfort in the arms—and bed—of Marine sergeant Kane Robertson.
Upon reaching the colony, it becomes apparent that not everything is as it seems. Once again, Aron is faced with a difficult decision: follow orders or follow his heart.
Okay, final question … you are planning on writing a third story in this series, right?
The epilogue of “The Cassini Mission” sets up a third story quite nicely, don't you think? I already have a title in mind and I’ve also outlined the plot… Now I just need lots of extra time to write it all down!
I do think the epilogue sets up the next story quite well! Having had the privilege of reading both stories, I know I cannot wait to find out what else you have to share! And congratulations on your upcoming published eBook and marriage; those are both wonderful events to celebrate! Thank you so much for participating in this month's CSR event and for taking the time to share a bit of yourself with our readers!
Okay everyone, now let's hear from you! What did you think of the The Degan Incident? What are you hoping to see in the next story?
Don't forget to suggest a story you'd like to see featured for August!
Check out this month's selection ... The Degan Incident by Rob Colton (formerly Robcub32). This science fiction story is one of my favorites and had a huge following. I really hope some of his fans come and comment here on the discussion day, July 29th. We'll be featuring an interview with Rob and some sneak peek info from his next work ... The Cassini Mission!
Oh, and check out this great cover Rob had made!
Click the cover to read the story now!
Length: 58,679 Description: Lonely spaceport worker Devin McSmith meets Bastian Drago, an exotic and beastly alien from the planet Dega, and begins an adventure that takes him to the stars and beyond.
A Reader Said: That cliffhanger was cruel and unusual punishment Rob!! I felt like I was at a buffet, starving and someone yanked my plate. Smooth though, real smooth.lol. Seems there's more to that Rando than just an old fling. I have a feeling the fur will fly. I especially enjoyed the description of the planet. I laughed out loud about the hover car lesson. Now, how I'm going to be able to wait till Friday for the next post is beyond me.
Don't forget to come back for the Discussion Day: July 29th!
ANNOUNCEMENT: Please check out our reminder that political posts are not allowed in GA Forums
Thank you, and now back to Can't Stop Reading Discussion Day for Reach, by Cassie Q!
Has everyone read the story for this month? I hope so, because it was really good! Cassie's Reach is worth the effort to untangle the wicked weave of the twisted plot she wrote.
Do you know arousal?" To make his intentions more clear, Chad stepped forward, trapping the teen against the wall and blatantly invading his personal space.
... So much of this story revolved around sex and procreation ... which totally ignored love. I love dystopian style stories, or ones where people are forced to struggle to live, but Cassie's story took a tack I don't see that often. I loved what she did with the scenes between Chad and Tibial in the beginning.
It was a rough read though. So much of had me twisting inside, squirming in my chair. Grand passion, drama, love triangles ... babies! Then... the ending. Whew. I soooo needed that ending! Tibial's journey from awkward boy who only knew how to do what he was told to strong adult who went after what he wanted was a great transition.
So, what were your thoughts on Cassie's story?
P.S. A few notes. Don't forget to suggest a favorite story or author for next month's CSR! Anywhere from 20 to 90k stories, by any author group, are open for selection.
Happy June! Jeez, summer is here already. I'm shocked, I tell you. This year has absolutely flown by. I thought this week I'd feature a great author you'll also be seeing in the Summer Premium Anthology, and following site eBook ... CassieQ! You have 3 weeks to read this selection before our Discussion day on June 24th!
Reach
by Cassie Q
Length: 51,113
Description: In a world similar to ours, a young man must take his final step into adulthood. After a cruel initiation however, Tibial finds himself torn...between who he is supposed to love, but doesn't and who he shouldn't love, but does.
Some Thoughts From a Reader: Yettie One said, "What a wickedly confusing thing you have woven here Cassie. Very clever indeed."
I hope you enjoy this month's selection. Remember, our Discussion day will take place on June 24th. Happy Reading!
Can you believe summer is almost here? Well, it is! But first, first we get to discuss some very interesting anthologies from the last few years voted as the best of each year ... by you! Well, the yous that were around each year when the site voted for the Reader's Choice Awards. In this case, we're discussing 4 stories from 2010, 2011, and 2012. Welcome to May's CSR discussion day.
2010: A Chance Encounter by Jian Sierra (tie) (Contemporary Drama)
2010: The Search for Pandora by Graeme (tie) (Sci-Fi)
2011: It Was A Holy Day by Lugh (Sci-Fi)
2012: A Friend In Need by Andy021278 (Contemporary Drama)
So, the first thing we decided earlier this month to do was to share our favorite lines for the stories we read.
So, what were your thoughts? Favorite lines? Do you have any questions for the authors? That was the second element of this month's discussion day. I didn't get any questions in advance, but authors promise to try and reply if you readers have any pressing NEED to know inquiries.
As always don't forget to post your thoughts for next month's selection!
Welcome to another look back at the week here on GA! Happy looong weekend to the USA'ers too.
Monday we featured TMmCallahan's Dust & Ash. Wicked Witch reviewed this truly wonderful, and looooooooooong story! lol. Trust me, you want to read this!
Wednesday we had the very sad news that a long term member of GA, NaperVic, passed away. A member from nearly the very beginning, Vic was always here to help others and touched many lives of members new and old. He was a mainstay in chat, where his presence will be sorely missed.
Friday brought 2 new prompts this week from our guru, Comicfan! This week's prompts include a themed prompt about a community service project and a first line prompt! He also featured Jo Ann's prompt response to first line prompt #230. My fav part of her response ... When Joann got back with the wax she spit out her beer when she looked at KC. "Those are my Victoria's Secret panties. LOL Oh yeah, it's all fun in love, war, and satire!
Anthology Announcements: Roll the Dice: Summer Anthology Due June 8th! *PAID* Premium Anthology: 3 Summer Themes Due June 15th!
New Reading
In Premium:
Binding by Lugh
From Our Hosted Authors This Week:
Line of Sight by Renee Stevens
Recovery by Nephylim
Adverse Effects by Cia
9.11 by Mark Arbour
Odyssey by Mark Arbour
Flash Fiction Second Shot: The Senior Year by Andrew Q. Gordon
From Our Promising Authors This Week:
Pour Me Another by K.C.
A Cook's Tale by Mann Ramblings
The Talents of the Fallen by JMH
Juvenile Feelings by Sid Love
Well, that's it! A long week, to be sure. Remember, read, rate, review! Also, the CSR book club this Monday is all about the RCA winning anthologies from the last 3 years. Pick your favorite line from the stories, one or all, to share and authors will answer questions if you have them, as they can!
Once upon a hot rock band ... a new author came to GA. Dust & Ash is an incredibly popular story following the Boys of Summer band as they face all sorts of challenges, both personal and professional.
Dust & Ash
by
TMcCallahan
Reviewer: Wicked Witch Status: In Process Word Count: 379,861
Dust & Ash is one of the most complex romances I've stumbled across, the work of master writer TMcCallahan. It keeps you hooked in an endless, dizzying plot of epic proportions full of emotional scenes. By the end of each chapter you'll most likely want to hit one or more of the characters over the head with a frying pan for their stubborn refusal to behave rationally, yet at the same time it makes you realise just how much trouble we let our pride, lust, stubbornness or tempers get us into.
Dust & Ash is the story of the band Boys of Summer, focusing on lead singer Ash and the new drummer who joins the band for the summer season after the normal drummer injured his arm. They soon hook up and many eventful months follow. However it brings with it a host of delightful characters who all have their own dramas and emotions.
The story is of the trials and tribulations that Dust, Ash and Co. go through as they all explore love, life and try to get themselves back on the tracks.
I've laughed and smiled and cheered and cried as I've read Dust and Ash; TMcCallahan has a gift for putting the reader in the characters boots. I can only say: I can't wait for more in this book.
Today we'd like to take another look at one of the site's Hosted Authors, a popular writer with a lot of skills which she brings to bear on all her writing. Please enjoy this review by Fishwings on Running Far Afield.
Libby Drew is a talented author; there is no doubt about that. After reading through the fast-paced, riveting “State of Mind,” I was eager to pick something else that she wrote up and so settled for “Running Far Afield.” I was more than just pleasantly surprised. “Running Far Afield” proved to be one of the best stories I have come across all year.
Aaron, a high school baseball player with a detached relationship with his appearance-focused, wealthy parents, had recently moved to Ridgton. There, he meets Chris, a mysterious but charming, juvenile delinquent of sorts, who proves to be equally as skilled at baseball as Aaron. Despite an initial awkward and rocky confrontation of sorts, Chris puts aside their differences and invites Aaron to join their team. Over time, a confusing yet intriguing attraction develops between them. It isn’t long before social norms, self-discovery, and parenthood explode and threaten the friendship they have.
After I read the first line of the story, “He felt untouchable,” I was already hooked. Utterly compelling would be one way to describe this story. The characters are well developed, fully fleshed out, real, breathing beings. Conversations felt natural and were a highlight of the story. The writing itself is top notch – Libby’s prose is complex and vivid, but not at all distracting. In addition, there is a graceful thematic unity tying the whole story together, and Libby even addresses several prevalent issues in today’s society with regards to social stigma. The combination of all these elements is what I thought really made this piece shine.
If you are a fan of quality romance with an epic story arc and resonating characters, then “Running Far Afield” may just be the story for you.
If you have already read the story, take a moment to drop Libby a review. I am sure she would love to hear from you.
I hope this review might interest you in reading a new story, if you haven't come across this short story before. If you'd like to share your thoughts on a favorite story you've read on GA, please contact Renee Stevens or Cia.
Sorry for the late post again this week; I had family visiting I haven't seen in a few months. As for GA ... lots of drama here this week! Let's take a look back, shall we?
Monday was relatively quiet ... I announced our short story line up for the Can't Stop Reading Blog Book Club. We will be reading the last 3 year's Reader's Choice Award Winners. Take a look at the stories, and join us for the Discussion Day on 5/27. You can ask the authors questions (or send them in ahead of time via a pm to me for those authors to answer that can't participate that day) and share your favorite line from the story(ies) you read.
Wacky Wednesday's writing tip was an article on adverbs by Andy021278. He shared some great tips on those -ly words and how to spell them. Quickly check it out, quite thoroughly!
Later Wednesday we had a Urgent Site News post from site administration. Something we always hate to deal with, but does crop up from time to time ... plagiarism. We found that a member I had recently put on the WST-and promoted to Promising author-had stolen all the novels he'd posted on the site from published authors. If you want to find out more, please review the blog post written by Myr. We want everyone to be aware of the issue, and please, if you suspect an author of stealing, or see a GA author's work off-site, let us know asap.
Now for a look forward!
Anthology Announcements:
Quarterly Anthology: Roll the Dice due June 8th! Special Premium PAID Anthology: 3 Summer Themes due June 15th! **I need more submittals!**
NEW READING:
In Premium This Week: Empty Corners by Comicality
By our Hosted Authors this week: Legacy by Altimexis Line of Sight by Renee Stevens 9.11 by Mark Arbour One Night by Cia The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality Second Shot: The Senior Year by Andrew Q. Gordon Odyssey by Mark Arbour In The Arms of an Angel by Nephylim Jessie 101 by Comicality
By our Promising Authors this week: The Road to the Future by JMH Pour Me Another by K.C. A Ruby By Any Other Name by Comicfan
Lots to choose from to read! Please remember to rate and review. Have a great weekend!
For May's Can't Stop Reading Book Club I decided to go an easy way out and pick short stories I know are site favorites since we were avoiding a novel. So, for this month we will be reading the past 3 year's Reader's Choice Best Anthology award winners! We'll have 4 stories, not 3, because the 2010 winners tied. I hope you enjoy reading one, or all, of these.
HELP!!!: I'd love some feedback from participants for this month's discussion day. What would you like the format to be? More reviews? Thoughts on writing these stories from the authors? Include a question(s) posed by participants shared here to ask the authors, like a custom interview? Ask each reader to pick their favorite line from each story and why for the discussion day?
2010: A Chance Encounter by Jian Sierra (tie) (Contemporary Drama) Length: 6,729 Description: Due to their personal circumstances, Bill and Nate only had a day together. But as they get to know each other, something more than physical attraction developed. What happens when the day comes to an end?
2010: The Search for Pandora by Graeme (tie) (Sci-Fi) Length: 4,843 Description: Iswirl and Herk are searching for Herk's sister and they are down to their last lead.
2011: It Was A Holy Day by Lugh (Sci-Fi) Length: 16,493 Description: Prince Anarix is finally Bound. However, much to his father’s displeasure he cannot recall who that might be. Therefore, the King has given his only son until the moon turns to locate his mate or join the priesthood and forfeit the crown.
2012: A Friend In Need by Andy021278 (Contemporary Drama) Length: 3,812 Description: Michael has been through a lot, and his best friend Gavin has been there with him through it all. Michael now needs a kidney transplant. Just how far will Gavin go for Michael?
With a little over 35k to read of varying styles, authors, and genres there should be something for everyone! I hope you enjoy these stories and are prepared to come back on May 27th for the discussion day.
Don't forget to comment on my question; I want to keep this book club alive, please help me do so by making it interesting for everyone involved!
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13397771-built-4-it" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Built 4 It" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1328332391m/13397771.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13397771-built-4-it">Built 4 It</a> by Daisy Harris<br/>
My rating: 4 of 5 stars<br /><br />
Made 4 It was an interesting story. I hadn’t read any other story in The Love-Bot series, but this still made a lot of sense to me. I get that there might be nuances of the supporting characters from earlier stories that I missed but the general gist of the world the author created made sense.<br /><br />Ala Frankenstein … but not nearly as primitive, scientists have created a whole style of lab rat that are actually legal and called steins. The ethics of such a thing, and the lack of humanity required to bring people back to life and then experiment on them, was a disturbing theme. I found the character of the head doctor, Frith, to be particularly callous and cruel. <br /><br />What was interesting to me was the way that humans reverted so much to animalistic tendencies as steins. They would create pack structures, used touch and physical cues to communicate when speech was beyond them. The leader, Kee, was the biggest and strongest … and curiously, also the smartest of them all. Emotions rule the steins’ actions … and Kee has a serious amount of emotion for the reluctant lab assistant Ben, who hates his job. <br /><br />Throughout the story, Kee grows, Ben learns new things … and they both get something they wanted. In the end, their differences don’t seem to matter that much, even if society would condemn Kee and Ben for them. Their journey, sometimes together and sometimes apart, was good and I liked the romance but I found the philosophical questions brought on by this story almost more interesting than the story itself.<br /><br />It begs the reader to question if the potential for Kee's recovery of his 'self', based on the electrical impulses of the device in his head that brought him back, would be limited to him for some reason. If given better implants could all steins regain full intelligence? What does that mean legally? Should people be brought back from the dead and limited to a certain level of intelligence deliberately? Can they be people again with all the same rights as the conventionally living if given a chance and should they be given that chance?<br />
Could this be possible in OUR future? <br /><br /><br />
<br/><br/>
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5881541-alicia-nordwell">View all my reviews</a>
It’s that time again … CSR’s Discussion Day. This month we read Josh’s Blog by Carl Holiday. I hope you enjoyed the story; I can’t wait to see what thoughts readers had. Below is a review by yours truly where I shared my feelings on the story and Carl’s writing. Check out the info afterward about CSR in general too; I need your help! Yes yours!
Quite the comment to be starting off a review with, right? Yet, this paragraph is in the first chapter of the story, Josh’s Blog, by Carl Holiday. I don’t often read teen fiction, because there are parts I just don’t want to get a mental image of, lol, or the authors just don’t give the characters that ‘teen truth’.
In this story, I think the teen character of Josh actually epitomizes the true reality of a teenage boy, as much as I can remember from being a teenage girl at least. He’s embarrassed by his parents, he’s frank and somewhat crude and worries entirely too much about his appearance. He shows that same character trait all through the story, like a lot of his personal comments during his visit in the old folks rehab center of Shady Maples.
Carl’s writing is pretty smooth, and he definitely has the characters down pat. I think, partly because of the format of this story, a series of blogs, that I wasn’t quite as able to connect with the supporting characters or feel the scene. I’m probably more of a traditionalist and like immersing myself in an actual narrative/dialogue style plot rather than this monologue style.
Still, the story is creative … in ways I can’t even begin to go into. I’m sure many of the other CSR participants will highlight the many facets of the story, so suffice it to say we have some drama (in a teenage story, NO WAY!) and some comedy, and a whole lot of really good writing!
Check it out for yourself, if you haven’t had a chance yet, but be aware if you read on to check out the comments that there will probably be spoilers ahead!
So, I’m always asking for more input from you guys. I’d love to see what sort of features you’d like to have in the CSR Book club. We get a lot of review discussions through the comments, but I’d like to see if there are things you guys would like. Should I do questionnaires for you to consider when writing up your posts? Coffee or muffin recipes to share for my fav book discussion times so you guys can enjoy them to? Change up the club format somehow? I want CSR to be popular, so that means you guys have a lot of input and say in what we do. Use it!
For May, I did get some feedback requesting a change previously I’m going to do for this month. Instead of featuring a novel, I’d like to feature (3) short stories. You can read one, you can read them all… but it’ll give us variety and options. If you have any ideas for things during the Discussion blog day for this, let me know! So, when you post, don’t forget to add your nominations for May’s CSR features … your favorite short stories!
Once again from yours truly... a look back at this week on Gay Authors!
This week's blogs started with a review by Wicked Witch of The Rider's Pride by dkstories. This novel length story is a fanfiction of McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern stories. Dan did a great job creating a story in much the same manner of the original work; Wicked Witch called it a "superb piece of fanfiction". As a fan of the series since I was a girl, I have to agree!
Wednesday brought something a little different; Myr shared a blog post on what the word free really means when it comes to GA. We heartily encourage members to support the site if they're able and to always remember that we strive to bring everyone the best experience on GA that we can, but sometimes we need a little support which can be done in various ways. Check out the blog, What Is Free?, for some suggestions on how to do that.
Our resident prompt mastermind, Comicfan, brought us two new flash fiction prompts, a creative plot idea and a prompt where you feature a list of words. Let's see what authors can come up with for next week's featured response!
Site Announcements:
Don't forget April is Team Recognition Month! This chance to publicly thank your team is almost over!
Please welcome K.C. as a Promising Author if you haven't already. Congrats again KC!
Just Announced! Please welcome Michael9344 as our newest Promising Author!
Anthology Announcements:
Summer Anthology "Roll the Dice" - Due June 8th
Summer Premium Content Anthology Event - (Paid Submission Call) 3 Themes! Due by June 15th.
NEW READING:
In Premium This Week:
Empty Corners by Comicality
By our Hosted Authors this week:
In The Arms of An Angel by Nephylim
Palouse by Rec
9.11 by Mark Arbour
One Night by Cia
Recovery by Nephylim
Line of Sight by Renee Stevens
Circumnavigation by CJames
Harry Potter and the Destiny of Prophecies by dkstories
Legacy by Altimexis
By our Promising Authors this week:
Blind Dates by FrenchCanadian
Caught Behind the Shadows by Michael9344
The Road to the Future by JMH
Pour Me Another by K.C.
The Luxorian Fugitive by Mann Ramblings
The Game They Played by Michael 9344
Scars - The things we bare by Comicfan
That's it, whew! Our authors have been busy this week ... check out these, and more, under the Stories tab. Please remember to review if you like what you read!
Happy Monday! Please enjoy this week's story feature!
The Rider's Pride
by
dkstories
Reviewer: Wicked Witch Status: Complete Word Count: 107,446
The Rider's Pride is a story by dkstories; It is a superb piece of fanfiction set in the world of Pern, created with its own twists on the mythos of Anne McCaffrey's world. dkstories has some great works on GA but this is my favourite of them all.
I fell in love with this story as soon as I began reading it; it carries you along on an adventure in an alien world, filled with love, tragedy, hope and emotion to a final crescendo that is in my opinion one of the most perfect and most emotional endings to a story I've yet read.
The alienness of the society in which the dragon rider's find themselves needing to live in order to protect their world is strange to read of, but described in a way that you can really get a feel of it and it becomes very natural to read of. At least for me it left me wondering was it all worth it?; was the sacrifices they made worth so many lives in an endlessly repeating pattern, and were the ancients morally right to condemn so many people to this life style. It is an interesting question that I think made this story something more than just a tale and gave it a real depth.
I sobbed my heart out at the ending to this story, it is quite an emotional read. In my opinion a story has hit the mark when it can make you feel an emotion, be it fear or intrigue, laughter or sadness or perhaps happiness, and The Rider's Pride did this in spades for me.
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17305027-covet-thy-neighbor" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Covet Thy Neighbor (Tucker Springs, #4)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1359499031m/17305027.jpg" /></a><a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/17305027-covet-thy-neighbor">Covet Thy Neighbor</a> by <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/author/show/3185029.L_A_Witt">L.A. Witt</a><br/> My rating: <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/show/576844927">4 of 5 stars</a><br /><br /> I was lucky enough to receive a copy of this eBook and delved right into it. I adored Tucker Springs #3 and couldn't wait for books #4 and #5 in this series. Each book focuses on a different couple, so they can be read alone, but couples show up from each in the community in this series. <br /><br />In Covet Thy Neighbor, Seth's conflict was quite well done and clear. He was obviously the main character and had a lot to deal with. I agree with another reviewer in that he didn't come across necessarily as a non-believing atheist, but a person whose faith had been nearly obliterated by bad experiences in a judgmental and hostile religious environment. <br /><br />His inability to believe he can be accepted by Darren, when they have this major difference, creates a rift inside him that he doesn't know how to bridge. The fact that Darren doesn't just believe, but is a pastor, freaks Seth out. He cannot seem to see past how he believes Darren must act, as a Christian, to how Darren is acting. <br /><br />Darren's character wasn't nearly as fleshed out in my opinion. He had less emotional conflict about the situation between him and Darren. I liked his interpretation of faith more than most religious characters. A fundie Christian would probably scoff, but then I don't think most fundies read MM romance, lol. <br /><br />I enjoyed the story, and while I wouldn't say the plot wasn't complete, I felt like it was understated. The complex emotions just didn't resonate with me, and I felt like that was less to do with me as the reader, as to the immediacy of the writing of those emotions. Even with that, L.A. Witt's ability to craft a well written story has to be applauded. I would recommend this, but not as readily as other eBooks in the series that I enjoyed just that much more.
April Fools! Okay, so I suck at pranks. We are doing a story; this month we're going with the story suggested by Percy. I'm loving all the detailed feedback readers are sharing with each other and our authors. One of the suggestions I've heard a few times is giving short stories a chance. I'd like to feature 3 short stories, up to say, 25k each but they can be less, for next month's selections. That way people can pick and choose what to read, any or all of them. Keep that in mind for the story discussion on April, 29th so you can nominate your favorites. On to this month's selection!
Josh's Blog
by Carl Holiday
Length: 69,713
Rating: Mature
Description: Joshua Burk is sent to Pine Corner, Wisconsin, to live with his father. While there, he falls in love, twice, discovers life can be a little strange in a small town out in the cornfields, and begins an unbelievable journey of discovery and wonder.
Some thoughts from a reader: I really, really like this story. This is going to be a fun ride. It's July, 1523 and some kid is BLOGGING from there. HA!
Don't forget, the story discussion will be held on April 29th!
Hey Prompt Fans! Check out this week's inspiration served up hot and ready by our flash fiction guru, Comicfan.
Prompt 220 – Creative Tag – First Line “Why is my underwear hanging off the chandelier?”
Prompt 221 – Creative Tag – List of Words Use the following in a story – bird cage, night club, glass slipper, banana, and a fisherman.
This week's prompt feature was written by Layla. I enjoyed the world, and the lack of the appearance of the prince is bugging the crud out of me. I'd love to see more of this, so maybe if she gets a lot of comments, we can find out more! Here's hoping, anyway!
This week we have a great installment by Yettie One once again, focusing on what keeps GA going ... the members! Read on to find out more...
Pulse Behind the GA Crowd
by
Yettie One
So as I hinted last month, we are going to meet a member of the horse loving community here at GA this month. Yup, I’m going to have a good chat with the writer of the Riding Lessons series of books that can be found on the profile works of Andrew Todd.
Andrew has been writing and sharing his stunningly detailed stories of boys and horses here at GA since November 2012, and if you haven’t check out his stories as yet, I would suggest you do. You’ll get lost in summers of fun, childish pranks, the wonders of sexual awakening and the joys of a youth spent in the freedom of large open spaces, and in the company of some quite majestic animals.
But enough about the writing, let’s discover a bit about the man. It may come as a little bit of a shock to us, but Andrew is a passionate horse loving man. 45 and a resident of Florida, Andrew describes himself as a man who’s been after finding happiness as possibly one of the more important things in life. A guy who had a thing for Jaclyn Smith, despite nature explaining to him at a later stage in his life, that she was clearly on the other team in the cricket squad.
Andrew came to GA in search of the Castaway Hotel series by Bill W, a hosted author here on GA. On his blog, Andrew speaks fondly of GA, and the support and community spirit that he found here, and at the suggestion of a reader he finally plunged in and began posting his Riding Lessons series here.
I asked Andrew what his favourite features of GA were, and he instantly pointed to the freedom as an author. “On GA, I am free to post stories as I want, when I want. I’ve been frustrated by being at the whim of an archivist or webmaster on other sites, so this is one of the freedoms that I cherish here at GA.”
“I would have to point to ‘The Foley-Mashburn Saga’ by Brew Maxwell as my all time favourite story. Brew only submitted the one series, a wonderful legacy of love, acceptance, gay kids growing up strong. It’s a story I’ve read about 7 or 8 times and one I’ll never get tired of.” Andrew’s exuberance as he talks of this story has prompted me to add it to my list of books to find and read. Others included in his top five favourite tales include. The Adventures of Trey and Jay, The Castaway Hotel series by Bill W, A New Life & Life Goes On by The Eggman and Andrew indicated to me he couldn’t leave out ‘Dust and Ash’ by TMcCallahan.
When it came to his favourite authors, Andrew struggled a bit. “It is so hard to chose just five,” he complained at me, but still, at my insistence he managed to come up with this list. “If you are going to check out some really great writers, then I’d recommend; Brew Maxwell, Bill W, Sequoyah, The Eggman, Jeff Allen.”
I asked Andrew if he was ticklish, and with a cheeky giggle he answers, “Hell yes, but please stay well away, I don’t want to squeal like a girl.” I can’t help but giggle with him at the thought. Weakness discovered.
Andrew finds deep blue eyes attractive. “Actually the deeper the better,” he confirms. I asked Andrew about a positive impact he’s experienced from his time on GA, and after a short pause he points firmly to the feedback he’s experienced on the site. “Everyone has been so welcoming and encouraging. It’s a great community to be a part of. Writing, for me, started as a whim, and the fantastic encouragement I get here has only helped me continue.”
It is a common trend I find talking to members each month. There is a wonderful sense of community here at GA. I ask Andrew if he had one thing he’d improve about GA, what it would be. “I’d make the site a little more navigable,” he suggests. “I’ve had readers that read my stuff on other sites refuse to come to GA as they find it too hard to navigate,” he tells me.
As ever, meeting, chatting to, and listening to Andrew has been a pleasure this month. I really do enjoy my time finding out about the Pulse Behind the GA Crowd series of interviews, asking writers about their time on GA, and discovering more and more hidden gems here at GA.
Next month, I have a chance to chat with a rising star here at GA, a young man who’s writing I’m learning to admire and thoroughly enjoy. Until then, I am so greatful to Andrew Todd for his open and candid answers to my questions, and please if you haven’t met him yet, visit, read, say hi and get to meet a really great guy, just one part of the big picture that makes GA such a special place to be.
Until next month, be good everyone. Hugs and snuggles The Yettie.
Today we're featuring a review of Libby's story, State of Mind. She graciously gave out eBook copies, and members could read it on the site, of course. Fishwings accepted my request and wrote up an excellent review to entice you to read the story, just in case you haven't already. Bear in mind, however, there *are* some spoilers. Read ahead at your own risk!
Fishwing's Review:
First of all, I'd like to thank Cia for letting me write this review. She knows that I'm a huge fan of Libby Drew and I am honoured to be able to review one of my favourite stories on this site.
“A State of Mind” was actually the first Libby Drew novel that I read, after which I became an instant fan. I still remember staying up at four in the morning on a school night, loathing myself because I simply couldn’t summon enough willpower to put it aside for later!
The story follows the Organization, a secret agency consisting of "gifted" men and women with paranormal, psychic powers of persuasion and telekinesis. "A State of Mind" thrives on several strengths, including a riveting plot and a clever concept that is an entertaining nod towards other secret agent and superhuman novels. However, I think its biggest strength lies in its amazingly well-developed characters.
One such character is Nicolas – one of my favourites. He is an egotistical brat, a jealous bitch, with borderline ambiguous motives, but at the same time remained a reliable friend. I thought this combination of flaws and strengths really humanized him to the point that I felt sorry for him being third-wheeled. Both protagonists were similarly well-fleshed out. Grier is a brooding, cynical, at times socially awkward, wisened, deadly warrior with a sad childhood who eventually becomes quite devoted to Alec. Alec is archetypically blond and stubborn to the point of irritation, but he’s also quick witted, reserved yet flirty, with enough loyalty and good heart to make him both a relatable and an admirable character.
Another thing that I enjoyed is how Libby balances the romance with the action. It was simply perfect. The unresolved sexual tension keeps on growing and doesn’t get in the way of their pulse-racing escapes, nor does the action subvert the chemistry between them – it enhances it. Libby builds up their relationship through several sweet (and life-threatening) moments until that one, explosively huge, satisfying bedroom scene. I usually skip over sex scenes in novels, or I observe them with the detached manner comparative to how an entomologist might regard the dissection of an insect specimen, but this scene worked for me because of how well it was planned. I remember screaming into the air:
“Well ABOUT F*CKING TIME!” (pun intended)
Now regarding the action. Libby’s prose is vivid, without a touch of purple, and she knows how to structure her sentences to amp up the adrenaline. The most memorable scene of the entire novel I thought would have to be Alec and Grier’s confrontation with Kay at the restaurant. I was hanging on every single bloody word, and the way the situation was resolved I thought was very clever. Libby’s characters were proactive, and their autonomous thinking/actions impressed me on numerous occasions.
One area that I wasn’t entirely convinced was regarding the villains. In contrast to the protagonists, I felt that they weren’t very well developed and were rather stereotyped. In particular, the way Kay dismissed Alec’s friendship was unrealistically abrasive, and she quickly faded from being a source of intrigue. I thought if she had suffered from more ambiguity it would have humanized the antagonists a little more and made them more interesting. Another thing that I noticed is that Libby sometimes uses the mirror technique to describe character appearances, which kind of makes me go “oh I see what you did there…”
… and now I’m just being nitpicky.
Although I can’t seem to think of any deep-rooted themes that correlate to this book, I honestly don’t really care. "State of Mind’s" primordial purpose was to entertain, and it more than delivered. I laughed, bit my knuckles in anticipation, fell in love with Alec, with Grier, with Nicolas, pumped my fist in the air when Kay fell to her death, and didn’t regret going to school the next day feeling like death because I had stayed up all night reading.
And typing up this review.
Overall, I loved "State of Mind." Thank you so much Libby Drew for writing it and allowing it to be hosted on this site (and for kindly PMing members free copies of your book), and for just existing in general. Keep doing your thing, you amazing writer, you.
So what did YOU think? Leave your comments on the section below, BUT don’t forget to post a review on Libby’s story as well! Authors thrive on feedback.
Thank you, Fishwings, for the excellent review! Now on to more thoughts from readers! Comment below with your thoughts of the story. Don't forget to suggest a story for next month, between 20-90k, completed! After today we'll have had 3 months of CSR's book club. The last 2 months have netted some great reads and thoughts for the authors chosen. How about some feedback for the blog itself? You can pm me or post here, but I'd like to know if we're going along great or if there are any features/suggestions you might have!
Hey folks! It's that time again, prompt time! We have 2 more creative prompts from our resident flash inspiration guru, Comicfan. 218 is right up my alley so I'm going to try to do something for it later this week, I think. Site flash fiction is something I have, to my embarrassment, been neglecting. It's a cool little way to inspire authors to write-even if it's just something small and fun. You can do a 30 word poem, or a 100 word microflash, or an under 1k regular flash, or a prompt could inspire a whole new world for you to dabble in. That part is up to you. But try doing one, because it is a valuable tool in a writer's arsenal, I believe. We need to be able to stretch ourselves from our routines now and then. There are literally hundreds of prompts to choose from too!
Prompt 218 – Creative You were promised to another before you were even born. Your whole life you knew you would have no choice in this marriage. Now your life partner is due to arrive in mere hours and your entire kingdom has been working none stop to make sure everything is perfect. What is your life partner like and how will you survive with that person for the rest of your life?
Prompt 219 – Creative A letter was mistakenly delivered to you. You had opened and read it before you realized it wasn’t meant for you. What was the letter about and what do you do about it?
Last week we bypassed the prompts, but in the last two weeks no one opted to try a new flash piece. So I'm going to whip something up, right here, right now, for this week's prompt feature to get everyone started. Hopefully there will be many more added! You can post these in your flash collections, in the topic, etc... but write, post, have fun!
Yes, *gasps* I read off GA. Honestly, most of my time here is taken up with staff duties-which sort of stinks for my love of reading-but one of the things eBooks can do is give us an idea of what to aspire toward. Most of the authors I know online won't be traditionally published but the advent of eReaders and the exploding eBook market can be an invaluable tool to spread your stories, and make a bit of cash.
I love to read, but I do the mod queue here on GA, so I get a lot of serial works I am trying to keep track of plot wise for approvals, so when I do get a chance to read, I'll admit to a bit of an eBook obsession. It's done, complete, and in a handy reading format. It won't ever be my sole reading source, because I love so many of the authors on GA, but hey, I won't turn down free reads either!
Today I'm going to start sharing my weekly eBook reviews from my off-site blog. I'd also love to feature *complete* free stories from GA on my blog for my fans over there, so if you have one-and are willing to take my unvarnished opinion-pm me a link to your story!
I chose to review ZA Maxfield's Crossing Borders.
Plot synopsis: Tristan's got issues; he knows he does. So when his most recent girlfriend dumps him via messenger, and he can't stop staring at the messenger's cock while he's breaking the news, Tristan figures it's about time he makes some changes. He formulates a foolproof plan to get himself someone who can show him what he's been missing -- until who should crash his little adventure but Officer Michael Truax, the man who gave him a really expensive ticket for boarding without a helmet back when he was in high school.
Michael has been trying to catch Tristan for years...to give him a second ticket. Suddenly he's faced with his 'Sparky', all grown up -- and looking to get laid. The habit of protecting him isn't gone completely, but the opportunity is too much to resist. He figures the kid must know what he's getting into, so he takes him home. There, they carry on a cautious dance, only to find out that neither is what the other expected, and that together, they're hot enough to melt glass.
My Review:
<a href="http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/6082786-crossing-borders" style="float: left; padding-right: 20px"><img alt="Crossing Borders (Crossing Borders, #1)" border="0" src="http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1231497603m/6082786.jpg" /></a><a Honestly, I held off on this book for a while before purchasing it during a 50% rebate day at ARe. It seemed a tad cliché from the title, but really, the plot wasn't the focus for me when I read it. While that sounds silly, it's true. <br /><br />The characters made this story. 'Officer Helmet' aka Michael was interesting as seen through the eyes of 'Sparky' aka Tristan. As a fellow redhead, I soooo got Tristan's beef with his nickname. I loved the disparate ages-yet similar desires. It just went to show that opposites can be more alike than most think, and make it work.<br /><br />Not to say the plot wasn't interesting-if not exactly 'new'. I laughed my ass off as 'Sparky' plotted and planned to find a man at the bookstore coffee shop. The texts back and forth were witty and definitely made the scene even better. I liked that the will they or won't they aspect was resolved pretty quick, which left the actual relationship the focus, imo. <br /><br />Since the relationship was the focus, and the source of conflict in the end, I felt the plot arc fit, even if it did feel uneven. The author could have predicated that aspect a little better by seeding in small moments here and there earlier in the story. It would have also served to give us a more realistic interaction between Michael and Tristan-even newly together couples generally aren't that perfect. <br /><br />Still, this story was mostly full of warm and fuzzy feelings, even once the drama hit. As always, ZA Maxfield's writing flowed and I was sucked in start to finish. Definitely a recommend! <br/><br/> <a href="http://www.goodreads.com/review/list/5881541-alicia-nordwell">View all my reviews</a>
Hello members! So, many of you know I'm off visiting family. My grandma has terminal cancer, which prompted my visit with my kids so they could make some memories of her they will always remember before she gets too sick. Fortunately, she's still pretty good. As a bonus, I have several siblings and their kids, parent and an ex-parent, who are here to see too. We managed to have some fun for the kids sight-seeing, going on a wild dolphin harbor cruise and taking them to swim in a spring I got to swim in as a kid too.
But while I've been getting ready to leave, and here visiting, I'm still getting a lot of messages and hearing of messages from authors that they are saying to others about how unfair the guidelines for Promising seem to be and why people get promoted and when. Even to th point where supposedly people are ready to leave the site over their 'lack of recognition'.
I can't blame anyone but myself over not guaranteeing the information on how to become Promising was in the new faq we instituted. It was before, so that's on me for the lack. I know I've answered the question several times elsewhere or in chat, though. Still, the information I fact checked and approved for Comicfan to share with you was the 'rough' guidelines that the WST uses to make a decision when an author is nominated.
HOWEVER, every author is judged based on THEIR work, THEIR contributions (and members don't always see them, btw, as we can see things like unpublished/post dated stories, or behind the scenes assistance for the site) and the decisions are always in the hands of a team, not a single staff member. Certain things others don't see, like the propensity of an author to publish works on the site then remove them, can also influence the team's decision but that's only for THAT author.
Writing is both a medium that can be subjected to specific criteria, such as the use of an editor and the ability of an author to follow commonly used writing guidelines for grammar/punctuation, but we don't judge any prospective Promising's work against other prospective or existing Promising. I can't stress that enough. I'm tired of hearing that promoting someone that other's feel isn't as 'worthy' based on this or that aspect they hold to the GUIDELINES (not requirements, as they are somewhat fluid and subject to discussion between the WST members) because that's not how it works.
I know some people might be irked by this system and/or this post about our system. I'll take the blame on the information on advancement not being readily available, but I won't apologize for the way we've been doing things for years. While my PM box is always open and I try to let everyone know I will answer everything I can, or find them the answers, I am not infallible on sharing information.
Authors: In the future, if you have questions-share them-before you're 'ready to leave the site'. I can't head off things before that point if you don't.
I have dinner plans, then packing, then a flight cross-country tomorrow after some emotional goodbyes, but I will try to check this tonight and tomorrow before I leave to respond to any comments or questions. I am more than willing to make the system as transparent as possible, without hurting anyone's feelings or violating private forum rules.
