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Cia

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  1. Cia

    December Signature Feature: Elias by Krista

    By Cia,


    Signature Feature
    Today's Signature Feature is our last one for the 2025, and it just so happened to line up with Krista! One of GA's longest posting authors, no matter what kind of content you want to read, you'll probably find it in her author listing! I decided to slip back a bit from the happy holidays to a bit of a spook factor. Who doesn't like visiting gravestones in a ghost town during tinsel time???

    Length: 39,193
    Description: What else is there to do when your friends are having premarital sex in your car, then to visit the gravesite of a witch in an abandoned ghost town. What if ghost town wasn't actually a cliché?
    A reader said: Elias is a well written mystery and ghost story. It isn't a sad or scary story, but a very compelling tale that keeps you  engaged.  The characters are lovable and often fun.  The ending will leave you hopeful and wanting to visit again. ~raven1
    If you want to spread the word about Krista's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!

    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!
     
  3. Cia
    Did you catch Monday's feature of kbois story, When Opportunity Knocks? As we focus in on the holiday season, family can be what we lookforward to, dread, love and loathe... and sometimes all of the above for a variety of reasons. This story has love, drama, doubt, drama, friendship, and more. Have you read it? 
    Want to read more? Click here
  4. Cia

    C S R Discussion Day: Holiday Short Stories

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Wow, we've come to the end of the year and the final CSR of 2015. This month I featured 4 holiday short stories of all different types for readers to enjoy. Since we have 4 authors to feature, I did something a little different. Enjoy their take on these questions and their fun little micro flash giving you another taste of their stories. Don't forget to leave your thoughts and reviews!
     
    HOLIDAY SHORT STORIES

    Mann Rambling with Rudolph's Tijuana Christmas
     
    Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or memory?
    Every Christmas Eve after I get off work (I do retail, pity me now...) my partner and I setup a table full of finger foods that require minimal or no cooking such as: shrimp cocktail, flatbread pizza, fruit, crackers and cheese, and anything else we can think of. Then we start a fire in the fireplace and dim the lights while we drink cocktails, eat until we burst, and watch the marathon of A Christmas Story on TNT. 24 hours! Booyah, baby! On Christmas morning we open gifts with mimosas in hand and have a breakfast of fresh fruit and sweet danishes from the deli. That's pretty much all I need.
     
    What’s your favorite holiday story? (folk, fairytale, play, fiction, etc…)
    The movie A Christmas Story came out when I was a kid in 1981(?) and it's always held a special place in my heart. The fact it's a stock broadcast on Christmas (see previous question) only reinforces its dominance for me over all the stop motion Christmas specials I remember as a child. Which I absolutely loved, by the way.
     
    What inspired your story?
    My cousin Ken, who was my age and we grew up together, used to torment the younger kids about how Santa crashed during his test runs and there wouldn't be any gift for Christmas morning. (We were awful as kids. LOL) He was also the first person to make jaded comments about Rudolph's less than ideal growing up conditions. The “Santa, get a f*cking flashlight” line was all his. I give him full credit even if he never gets around to reading it.
     
    Micro-flash update: Can you share where your character(s) are this year for the Christmas season in 100 words or less?
    Santa and Rudolph have made a killing selling a new line of brandy flavored candy canes to the kids on the naughty list after peppermint was banned from the workshop. The profits allowed them to retire during the off-season and leave the continuing production to the elves. Mrs. Claus has taken her new stage act to Vegas, making insane amounts of money in spite of her not needing a job after becoming the majority share holder of Amazon. Let's put that on a snowglobe.
     
    Valkyrie with Penguin's Christmas Gift
     
    Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or memory?
    When I was ten years old, my parents offered me a choice for Christmas. I could start taking riding lessons, or I could get my usual slew of presents. If I chose riding lessons, it meant that I wouldn’t have any presents on Christmas. It was a no-brainer for this horse-crazy young girl…I chose the riding lessons. On Christmas day, I went downstairs fully expecting to not receive any presents, other than my stocking. To my surprise, I had three presents waiting for me! A model horse, a pair of jeans, and a shirt. I was thrilled! I still have that horse, and little did they know that those riding lessons would be the spark for my first career.
     
    What’s your favorite holiday story? (folk, fairytale, play, fiction, etc…)
    This is a tough one. I like a lot of holiday stories. I would say my favorite from when I was a child was Nestor, the Long-Eared Christmas Donkey. I’m also partial to the Little Drummer Boy.
     
    What inspired your story?
    Penguin’s Christmas Gift was inspired by characters from my story Penguin. I’ve had a lot of requests for more about these characters, so this was my ‘thank-you’ to my readers last year.
     
    Micro-flash update: Can you share where your character(s) are this year for the Christmas season in 100 words or less?
    There’s a follow-up story called A Penguin Prompt that gives another glimpse into these guys. I think that Sean and Daniel are in a good place in their relationship, and may be ready for the next step. They have a nice kitty family now, so maybe it’s time that they expanded their human family…
     

    Carlos Hazday with Muscle Bear Santa
     
    Do you have a favorite holiday tradition or memory?
    Christmas 1966 was the last one my family celebrated while still living in Cuba. It was years later I realized the meaning of what at the time had no significance: my mother is a very strong willed person. Communism had done away with official celebrations, but mom was obstinate. No such thing as Christmas trees around? No problem, let’s whitewash a dead tree limb, making it look like a snow covered tree, and decorate it. No toy store full of things to buy? No problem, send Dad to the docks, to do a little trading with Canadian sailors. Cuban cigars in exchange for some trinkets I can’t even remember. But I do remember getting a pack of minty chewing gum, something I’d never had before. The indomitable human spirit triumphed over ideology.
     
    What’s your favorite holiday story?
    I don’t really have one. Christmas isn’t a big deal for me, commercialism and silly countdowns spoiled it for me a while back.
     
    What inspired your story?
    A fraternity brother sent me a Christmas card a few years ago; the image of it served as inspiration. A muscular, bearded, hairy man; wearing a Santa Hat, red velvet briefs with a black belt, and black leather armbands; standing in front of a fireplace with a beautifully decorated Christmas tree to the side. The setting became Tony & Colt’s living room, and the model became Muscle Bear Santa.
     
    Micro-flash update: Can you share where your character(s) are this year for the Christmas season in 100 words or less?
    “ANTONIO! Get up!”
     
    “Crap! What’s my mother doing at our place so early?” asked Tony, burrowing further under the covers.
     
    “Cooking!” replied Colt, wrapping himself tighter around his boyfriend.
     
    “How’d she get in? I haven’t given her a key.”
     
    “My mom probably let her in. You know they were planning on getting together to cook a couple of things.”
     
    “But at 8:00 a.m.? The meal’s catered anyway.”
     
    “I know. I’m starting to think it wasn’t such a hot idea to invite my family to spend the Holidays with us in New York.”
     
    “Next year we fly to Miami for Christmas.”
     
     
  5. Cia

    Prompt Me!

    By Cia,


    Prompts
    Through the magic that is GA staff who never seem to sleep (we're always watching you, so be afraid, be very afraid!) the Prompts are coming to you slightly late, but not so much. Ever get bogged down on your serial posted story? The novel you're dying to write just not flowing? Take a break and enjoy one of the prompts brought to you by our very own prompt guru, Comicfan!
     
    Prompt 470 - Creative
    Tag - The Pants
    Today is the big day for you. Everything seems to be going well until you dropped your pen, bend over, and your pants split. With your meeting about to start what pants are you now forced to wear?
     
    Prompt 471 - Creative
    Tag -List of Words
    Use the following words in a story - a gift, a sandwich, handcuffs, silk sheets, and a ring.
     
    the feature this week, we're taking a look at Carlos Hazday's response to Prompt #468:
     

    To read more, click here.
  6. Cia

    C S R Feature: Holiday Short Stories

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    The holidays can be hectic, crazy, wonderful times! I figured, why not show that off with a variety of short stories, from 1,852 words to 36,353 words. You may have read them before, or they might be new to you, but this is your chance to get into the spirit of the season through some great stories. Enjoy them now, and be ready for the Discussion day on Monday, December 28th. The authors have all agreed to pop in and respond to your questions and comments.
    Muscle Bear Santa by Carlos Hazday
    Length: 2,513
    Description: Is it really Santa in those red Speedos? A slightly gay, night-before-Christmas story.
    A reader said: You had me grinning from beginning to end! ~ AlbertNothlit
     
    Penguin's Christmas Gift by Valkyrie
    Length: 1,852
    Description: Sean thought that taking a cat sledding was nuts. At the end of the day, he was very glad he did.
    A reader said: Such a sweet little story. ~ Suvitar
     
    Rudolph's Tijuana Christmas by Mann Ramblings
    Length: 5,599
    Description: After being at the center of a scandal that ruins Christmas, Rudolph the Red Nosed Reindeer has to find a new way in life. Will the streets of Las Vegas, a bar in Tijuana and a best selling book find him the happiness he so desperately needs?
    A reader said: OH MY GOD?!?!? What in the hell did I just read? ~ Comicfan
     
     
    Don't forget the Discussion day will take place on December 28th!
  7. Cia
    That's it, we've made it to the end of the road, the last month of 2025, and our final CSR feature of this year! Seeing as it's December, the holidays, and yadda yadda... I couldn't pass up finding a story that was themed, of course. Did you read this small gem last year? If not, don't miss it now! 
    Darkest Days (The Wild Hunt)
    by @Jack Poignet
    Length: 10,399
    Description: It's cold up here in the mountains. Elias mourns his lover, but in these darkest of days between the years, strange things ride on the wind and the old tales come alive.
    A reader said: This captivating story of love and loss weaves a thrilling tale! The author masterfully blends elements of folklore, fantasy, romance, and action. The world-building is rich and immersive, transporting readers to a realm where magic and myth intertwine. The characters (assuming the wild hunt is a character itself) are complex and compelling, Elias' struggles resonate with the reader. I really loved it! ~ rafy
    Don't forget to come back to comment on the Discussion day, Monday December 29th!
  8. Cia

    November CSR Discussion Day: Ash's Marriage Trigger by Thirdly

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month I featured a story that I enjoyed reading by Thirdly, and I hope you did too! Odd, as I did not relate to the character (having married at 19) but I could just... get how intensely the characters were feeling at times. I always enjoy that and consider it the mark of a great writer. What did you enjoy about Ash's Marriage Trigger? Make sure you share your thoughts below, after you read this interview Thirdly did for me! 
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    Mostly vegetables, as I’m at the age where all fruits are now just considered sugar. Learned that if you eat any greens before anything else, it helps buffer sugar spikes. I’ve been doing my best to stick to that.
    If you were an animal, what would you be?
    A hummingbird, flying eternally backwards at 25mph, and never knowing where I’ll end up. 
    What’s something personal about you that people might be surprised to know?
    Soundtracks elevate everything for me: games, shows, anime, and movies. It could be the most basic, plain movie in existence, but if there is good background music or a solid playlist, it's going in my rotation of things to rewatch.
    Examples:
    Predator Badlands: Dek of the Yautja
    The Holiday: Maestro [and literally EVERY project Hans Zimmer touched, because his Chevaliers of Sangreal in the Da Vinci Code, his work on The Gladiator, Inception, the pirate movies, the Dune movies… I could go on forever.)
    Ferngully: Spirit of the Trees
    Deadpool 2: You Can't Stop This Motherf**ker
    Free Guy: Fantasy (Jodie Comer’s cover… and if you don’t know what I’m talking about, you have GOT to watch this movie)
    Bad Company (2002): Main Theme
    The Beverly Hills Cop theme, the Mission Impossible theme, Indiana Jones, Eye of the Tiger…
    The OA theme song, The Mandalorian theme song, the Severance opening, the Game of Thrones main theme…
    Bratz’s Flash N Dash (from the first PS1 game), Super Mario Land 2’s The Star Maze, Megaman 3’s insane intro, Sonic 3’s Ice Cap Zone (actually, there’s always a song in every sonic game that’s catchy AF… and the Sonic Frontiers game has no right to have so many song slappers tossed in there), Ragnarok’s Rag All Night, Chrono Cross’s Time Scar, the entire Xenogears soundtrack…
    For anime BGMs, there’s a song called Frustration from Haikyuu that is gorgeous, Naruto’s ‘Main Theme’ with that one shakuhachi flautist’s soul never fails to impress me (the scatting no one can quite replicate), the entire Tsubasa Chronicle OST and Hikaru no Go OST… I’m not mentioning openings and endings, as there are far too many to list.
    Is there one location you’d love to go to research for a story?
    I suffer from Paradise Lost syndrome, in which my first 7-10 years of life were spent on an island in a shack built without the government’s permission, so they tore it down when we left. I’m talking “slum beach front property” where I used to catch crustaceans with my bare hands and walk for miles just to get to school. That small neighborhood of low-income locals is gone, replaced with tourist condos. That, and the people who once lived there have passed away.
    No amount of money can bring any of that back, so it would be the power of time travel that I’d really need in order to research a story in that location.
    If you could give advice to yourself when you first started writing, what would it be?
    Let’s see…
    1.       Never post anything incomplete. Ever.
    2.       Diverse and LGBTQIA+ friends are worth keeping, often over selfish straight friends (regardless of ‘seniority’ and years of friendship)… and they don’t hesitate to provide mutual help with projects.
    3.       Everyone has a different method of madness, but starting with a bang and escalating is a solid approach, regardless of the method used. Just beware of Deus ex machina and excessive predictability (a little predictability is fine, though, as there are only so many ways some situations can unfold… and I know some authors who can prove even this wrong and can find that 3rd unexpected path).
    What is the easiest part versus the hardest part of writing to a prompt?
    Ideas are an endless farm of fornicating rabbits in my mind. Whenever I read a prompt, it’s like shining a spotlight on a singular rabbit, which focuses my attention. For me, it’s easy to add a cast of bunnies to that prompt idea… what becomes difficult for me is knowing where to stop the story and just how far to condense it. 
    If I’m lucky, the idea is simple and can be conveyed in a single one-shot piece. The minute I start creating charts to keep track of everything, though, that's when I start panicking.
    The most challenging part is wrapping everything up before the deadline.
    Your main character, Ash, feels pressured about relationships & marriage. Do you care to share your relationship status?
    My relationship status doesn’t exist right now. It turns out I was more gay than I thought I was and, unlike Ash, I’m attracted to women. My life is far stranger than the fiction I write.
    How did you come up with the character names in Ash’s Marriage Trigger?
    The name Ash was given to me by the prompt, as it’s what Aditus named the character (likely to more easily explain the prompt).
    I either look at the words floating around me to make some names up, or I research names that seem more fitting for characters. In this case, my nerdiness came out because the name “Ash” brought to mind “Barren” lands. I ended up naming that whole family desert-related names (Siena came from the hue “burnt sienna,” Sage came from the shrub ‘desert sage,’ Sandy from desert sand, Aster from Mojave Aster, which grows in some deserts…and their last name Barren from the phrase ‘barren desert’). The name “Cove” came from reading ‘Discovery Cove’ somewhere around me, likely someone’s pamphlet.
    Ashley, Cove’s daughter… her name was part of the story’s plotline.
    Do you have a favorite line or scene in the story?
    I have three favorite moments/lines, and they are all major spoilers:
    Can you share any of your current or upcoming work (published/unpublished/in planning stages) with readers?
    Published: Persistent Pheromones ( https://gayauthors.org/story/thirdly/persistent-pheromones/ )
    Unpublished: My Younger Self Rect Our Story Endings (MYSROSE, the third and final WRECK world story. I finished Act 1, but still have Acts 2 and 3 to complete). Come Early, Come Often (CECO, which used to be a collaboration with Robin. Robin gave me full rein to finish it as I saw fit, and I’m working that out, as well.)
    Planning: Fowls Committed (my first bird-shifter story, and a collaboration with Luna, which involves an incompetent Viking leader and his quad of soulmates). Loving Sable’s Prime (my first story that features primarily straight couples). Training Toki (based on an old collaboration with Toma, a story featuring winged, gay fairies).
    I actually have over 8 more projects, but I don’t even want to think about them until some of my other tasks are completed: 1.  A prequel spin-off to Crossing the Moon, titled Under the Same Moon. 2. An unnamed story of a shaman’s descendant, his narcoleptic brother, and Morpheus. 3. A feline shifter story featuring a nonbinary main character and a pair of twin mates. 4. Tulips and Roses, a (romantic comedy?) sci-fi regarding an outlaw and an enforcer joining forces to right certain wrongs. 5. Dying in 2005, a story written in honor of a close friend of mine who passed away before her time. 6. EPDA, a story of a pair of young detectives, which is both a crime novel and a romance? 7. Another unnamed story featuring seasonal elves. 8. Yet another unnamed story featuring an interesting take regarding souls and soulmates. 9. Kidnapping a Cuddlefish collab with Robin. 10. Borders and Bribery semi-collab with Robin.
  9. Cia

    November CSR Feature: Ash's Marriage Trigger

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Oh, November... that month we all love. It feels like it goes on forever, and can we just get to the good holidays??? For those of us in the U.S. it also includes the Thanksgiving and gathering of friends and/or family, and all that fun (or friction). In honor of the onus of family, as well as feature another great event GA hosts, I thought I'd feature a prompt response by one of GA's popular authors! Have you ever tried writing to the featured prompts? It can be fun, as Thirdly shows readers!! 
    Ash's Marriage Trigger
    by @Thirdly
    Length: 28,449
    Description:  PT#84 (posted by aditus)
    In order to avoid the pesky marriage-soon-trigger, Ash doesn’t date, officially. Amid plotting the most outrageous excuses to tell his family, he is greeted with a splash of the past. 
    A Reader said: It began with a tiny prompt and an amazing story rose from the ashes. ~Aditus
     
    Don't forget to come back to comment on the Discussion day, Monday November 24th!
  10. Cia
    Once again, I'm featuring a story that brings up that topic we often think of this time of year, family and love. Why do we love our family? Do the people in our lives truly love us? What might that prompt us to do, or not do, for love, family, friends and more? When Opportunity Knocks has some hard topics, light moments, and a lot of great writing. Please take the time to enjoy it! 

    Length: 96,473
    Description: Jett Anderson and Kyle Benton are starting to build a relationship. Life decides to throw in some speed bumps and hazards to make navigating the road not so easy. 
    Add in some unexpected family dynamics and soon enough things get challenging. 
    Can they work it out?
    A reader said:  Wonderful wrap up to this story.  But you're not done with these characters.  (That's not a question)  I don't want to let go of Kyle and Jett and Kim and Bruce and Rosie and Tater and Bo and Noah and ...
    Great writing, as always.  Whatever your next opus is, I look forward to reading it.  Thank you. ~ Quixo
     
    If you want to spread the word about kbois' story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!

    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!
  11. Cia

    October 2025 CSR Anthology features!

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Hi all! How many of you have taken the time (or have been on GA long enough) to have enjoyed some of the earliest anthologies? As readers and authors gear up to enjoy all the amazing entries to this year's event, I thought I'd feature a few of the past Hallow-spooky themed events to both fit the season and get you ready for these themed reads! 
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/category/10-2006-fall-halloween/
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/category/20-2008-winter-ghosts/
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/category/28-2010-winter-haunted/
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/category/134-2019-fall-fall-from-grace/
    https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/category/63-2013-poetry-anthology-whispers-in-the-dark/
    Enjoy and don't forget to comment!! 
  12. Cia

    September 2025 CSR Discussion Day: Cliff's Pendant by Altimexis

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Did September last eleventy-millionth days for you as well this year? I swear, it just gets longer and longer. Hopefully that just means you got a ton of great reading time in, though you shouldn't have needed too long for this gem. Also, Altimexis shared an image they had on another site for Cliff's Pendant, so I wanted to add that here for you along with the Author interview. Enjoy and don't forget to share your comments below! 
     Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
    Growing up, my room was messy, but there were two things my mom wouldn’t tolerate. Firstly, clothes were never to be left out — if they were dirty, they needed to be dropped in the hamper and if they were clean, they needed to be hung up in the closet. Secondly, I was never to leave my room without my bed being made. It wasn’t that she was strict, but she was firm about keeping my room clean, if not neat.
    To this day, the first thing I do when I get up is to make the bed.
    If you were an animal, what would you be?
    Technically, we are animals. That said, my avatar at AwesomeDude is a crow I photographed while hiking in Bryce Canyon. My avatar for Zoom is a pair of doves I photographed on our terrace in New York. Whether it’s a conscious choice or not, apparently I’d be a bird.
    What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?
    If there are no limits, I’d say Mars, with the Moon being a close second. If I’m limited only to places on Earth, it would probably be Cape Town.
    I’ve traveled extensively and been all over North America, including 49 of the 50 states. I’ve been to Cuba, Argentina, Japan, Taiwan, China and Australia. I’ve been all over Europe, both east and west, before and after the fall of communism. I’ve been to Russia and to Turkey.
    I’ve yet to get to Portugal or Spain, which are high on my list. Likewise for New Zealand. I’ve yet to get to Southeast Asia, a place I’d very much like to visit. I had planned a trip to Antartica, but was hospitalized the week before we were to go and never made it back. The most glaring omission, however, is the entire African continent. I’ve heard the Cape Town is exceptionally beautiful and of the places I haven’t been, it’s probably the best setting for a story.
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    Although I consider myself a rather private person, I’ve not been shy about my background. My early history is covered in the Introduction to Naptown Tales, and other aspects of my personal history, my religious and political philosophy and my professional life have made it into my stories in one way or another.
    Perhaps the most surprising things for a prolific writer of gay-fiction is that I’ve never been in a gay relationship. Growing up as a teen in the Midwest, I thought that homosexuality was a mental illness. I did my best to ignore my feelings. Once when I was twelve, I convinced my best friend to get naked with me, but that was as far as it went.
    Finally, at the age of 29 while doing a residency at Stanford in the San Francisco Bay Area, I acknowledged I was much more attracted to guys, but I went to see a psychologist who told me it wasn’t a good time to be gay! That was in the Bay Area, of all places. In his defense, we still didn’t know the cause of AIDS yet. However, he also said something of much more significance – that I shouldn’t worry about my sexuality. The main thing was to meet people. Less than a week later, I met a woman who blew me away. Forty years later, she’s still my wife.
    Do you have any writing rituals?
    The only rule is that I never post a story until the first draft is complete. Nothing frustrates me more than a story that’s left unfinished, or one with obvious inconsistencies. My stories are character-based and I like to develop my characters over time, which is why I favor story series. Some of my series have lasted years, during which my characters may grow from early adolescence to young adulthood.
    When I write a new story, I start with a premise and a character or set of characters. I usually have an idea of how I want the story to end and what sort of things will happen along the way, but I don’t work from an outline. I give my characters defined personalities and the stories pretty much write themselves. That said, I love to leave clues of what is to come, and nothing is more fun than using deception or distraction to keep the reader off base.
    Because I get frequent migraines that can last for weeks, I don’t like to write on a deadline. Indeed, the migraines forced me to retire early, leaving more time for writing. I write when the urge strikes me, which may be at home or when out and about – even while riding the bus. I’ve written entire stories on my iPhone.
    How many stories have you written? Do you have a favorite and why/why not?
    That depends on how you count my stories. My series may include stand-alone short stories, multi-part novellas and full novels. I’ve been writing for about twenty years and have written dozens of short stories. I’ve written four full-length novels: Love in a Chair, which was my first story and an embarrassment, Legacy, which is a Naptown Tales sequel, Conversations With Myself, which is a sci-fi thriller, and Brilliant Boy Billionaire, which is nearly a half-million words in length.
    My favorite story is Conversations With Myself, even though it didn’t seem to get much traction with readers. The premise was of a government scientist who develops the technology to communicate with himself in the past, but through his dreams. However, meddling with time is serious business and to avoid it falling into the wrong hands, he does much of his work in secret. Then he makes a critical error. As a test, he contacts his past self on the night before September 11, 2001. It was only supposed to be a proof of concept, but his past self acted on the information, preventing the 9/11 terrorist attack. Things spiral out of control as he goes farther back into the past to try to fix the problems he creates.
    It was the most challenging story I’ve written because there were seven periods in the main character’s life that were involved and each time he made contact with a past self, it affected events in all timelines after that. Presidents changed. History changed. It was lot to keep track of. I ended up creating a graphic to keep track of the seven timelines as they progressed simultaneously. Of course there are aspects I would do differently if writing it today, but I’m particularly proud of how well-it turnout in the end, in spite of a two-year hiatus in writing it.
    When writing Cliff’s Pendant, did the idea for the character or the plot element of the pendant come to you first?
    Because the theme of the anthology was the gift, it was the pendant that came to me first. A lot of the characters in my New York Stories series are Jewish and so I imagined a Star of David, inscribed with the Hebrew word for ‘life’, with a rainbow background of iridescent glass. My next door neighbor’s kid, who’s currently a student at the University of Michigan, attended Brooklyn Tech High School at the time, so I conceived of a kid of similar age and wrote the story about Zach. To make the gift unique, I came up with the story of Cliff.
    Is there a particular line or scene in the story that you love the most?
    That’s easy – the scene in front of the Stonewall National Monument. Zach’s father hadn’t given him the gift yet, but the way his parents let him know how they felt still brings me to teas.
    Coming out stories can be very popular on GA. This is a very personal event that can go very different ways. Do you want to share your choices on the plot development for Cliff’s Pendant for that?
    I think the main reason Zach was still in the closet was because his parents, both emergency medicine physicians working staggered shifts, just weren’t around. I think the real coming out story was that of the father’s best friend, Cliff. After all, it’s Cliff’s name in the title. Cliff grew up in a much more restrictive environment, in Indianapolis in the 80s, and he led a double life. Zach’s dad didn’t even know his best friend was gay until he developed AIDS. However, out of the tragic story of Cliff came the pendant – a beautiful symbol of love between friends – which became a symbol of love and acceptance between a father and his gay son. Then when Zach made a duplicate, it became a symbol of shared love with his boyfriend.
    Can you share anything about your current or upcoming works with readers?
    My current story, A Summer in Iowa, is in progress right now. It’s a prequel to one of my New York Stories, and it’s partially autobiographical, based on when I was sixteen and spent the summer at the University of Iowa.
    The characters from Cliff’s Pendant have appeared in two subsequent New York Stories, most recently in October Fire, which is about the Hamas attack on Israel of October 7, 2023. I’ve been planning a sequel ever since, but then the world went off the rails. For a while, I wasn’t sure where to begin.
    My next story doesn’t have a final title yet. The working title is Fallout. I’ve written two chapters so far and there will probably be a dozen or so. Rather than focus only on the aftermath of 10/7, I’m going to try to tie up most of the loose thread in the New York Story series. Whereas October Fire involved multiple primary characters and was written in third person. Fallout is told in first person by Zach’s kid brother, Jake, who’s now sixteen years old, and he’s straight.
    Jake is a budding journalist who’s given the chance to take a summer trip in the American West with a group of his friends, most of them older, established characters from the NY Stories series. A number the kids are victims of 10/7 and two of them are in wheelchairs. Jake will go, hoping to write a story about the survivors of 10/7, but he’ll come away with much, much more. He’ll experience personal loss and the triumph of the human spirit.
  13. Cia

    Weekly Wrap Up (Sept. 21 - Sept. 27)

    By Cia,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    While Wildone is still off being his wild self... I'm bringing you the blog. I am SO not wild! My day consisted of cleaning, laundry, running errands with my daughter to Daiso for lined sticky notes (my FAV for work) a stop at the local health food store and Kroger (titled Fred Meyers) to top off my grocery shopping. I did find some delectable looking peaches... so make of that what you will!  Hopefully you all are making the most of the weekend! What are your wild and crazy plans? Are you polishing up your anthology story if you haven't submitted it yet?
    3 Days LEFT!! to submit to the proof team for the 2025 GA ANTHOLOGY  before the Deadline: October1st.
    Myr's Deep Dive this week can keep you on the edge of your seat: 
    Here's Valkyrie's Anthology reminder if you need it! 
    You're invited to get "technical, technical"  in this week's prompt blog:
     
    Myr brings us new knowledge or a wordy refresh with his words of the day:
    brontide    cacoethes    choler     dolor     ennui     frisson      nostomania
     
    Upcoming Writing Events 
    2025 Yearly Anthology - Creature Feature - Due Oct 1, 2025 - All the information you need is here.
    2025 Prompt Team Event - More information to come!
     
    Member Participation Blogs - Great way to promote yourself!!
    Ask an Author 3.0 If you have a author you want to get some answers from, write a PM to @astone2292
    Author Guess Who Get our members to guess who you are and also let everyone know who you are. Also write a PM to @astone2292
    Here is the look at the past weeks postings on all our Authors and Poets!
    3 Recently Updated 'Signature Author' Stories
    The Freshmen by Mark Arbour In Process Learned to Lie by Krista In Process Kandanga Falls by Mark Ponyboy Peters In Process 7 Recently Updated 'Classic Author' Stories
    Carter's Order by Topher Lydon In Process Swing for the Fences by LittleBuddhaTW In Process Capt vs Goofball by Topher Lydon In Process A Summer in Iowa by Altimexis In Process Secrets 3: The Road to the Future by Bill W In Process The Watchers: Paradox Lost by Topher Lydon Complete Ottawa Tales by Topher Lydon Complete 37 Recently Updated 'Author' Stories
    Confessions of a Gay Supervillain by Jason D. Karl In Process What the Ship Remembers by andy cannon In Process Misaligned by Laura S. Fox In Process LEGALLY BOUND by vanalas In Process In My Mind by ChromedOutCortex In Process Love on Campus by chris191070 Complete Rókus by E K Stokes In Process Traded Goods by Yeoldebard In Process The Librarian and the Assassin, a Sapphic Romance at the End of the World by Adam Andrews Johnson In Process Another Time by Celian In Process Welcome to Redwaters by Hardianarcher In Process Peter's Story by Connectwriter In Process The Storm Wolf: Gathering Clouds by RedMoon In Process The Field of Love by Enoch In Process Essence of Life by W_L In Process Reverent: Six by Tony S. In Process Serenity by Albert1434 In Process A Grave So Haunting by solemnity In Process Family life, but not as we know it by Robert Hugill In Process Jude by E K Stokes In Process How the Coronavirus Jump-Started my Sex Life by KKirk In Process The Truth of Yesterday by Josh Aterovis In Process The Golosina, the Forgotten Land and the Skurkene by J92 Complete Kill the Messenger by mastershakeme In Process Surrounded by the Darkness by Lupus In Process Bell(e)s in the Woods by Celian In Process The World Out There by Drew Payne Temporary Hold Angel Awakened by Painawakened In Process Down In The Holler by CasualWanderer82 In Process Not just another Summer by Robert Hugill In Process A Jewel in the Dirt by Celian In Process The Seducer: A Gone From Daylight Inspired Story by MrM In Process Chess Friends by Thomas Lindblad In Process Northern Lights by Golden Ghost Pen In Process Spring And A Ring by Griz Complete Ark II: Life on Gaea by R. Eric Temporary Hold Beyond the Veil by Laura S. Fox In Process 1 Recently Updated 'Poet' Stories
    Marvin B Erotic Poetry Collection by Marvin B Temporary Hold Read, Write, and REVIEW!!! (Don't forget to Recommend too!)
                
  14. Cia

    September Signature Author Feature: Bonkers by JamesSavik

    By Cia,


    Signature Feature
    How about some another feature of an older story by a popular site author for our readers who might have missed it? Rated "G" for a feel-good story by the author himself (and I agree!) you can't miss this story that's just *ahem* a little Bonkers!

    Length: 1,263
    Description:  Two fearful boys meet an outstanding dog.
    Dedicated to all the dogs out there who are sometimes smarter than their boys.
    A Reader said: This snapshot of life creates a feel-good moment as you see a young boy overcome a great fear.  Thanks, James. ~ raven1
    If you want to spread the word about James' story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature!

    Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!
  15. Cia

    September 2025 CSR Feature: Cliff's Pendant by Altimexis

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    In light of the time of year, the start of the school year for so many from preschool to college, and the nearing deadline of the coming anthology, I wanted to feature a past anthology with a school tag. I plugged in those filters (have you tried that system?!) and viola! This month readers get to enjoy Cliff's Pendant, a short story written by Altimexis for the 2021 Fall Anthology themed "An Unconventional Gift". And if, like me, you're going crazy with your IRL schedule, this is a snack-sized submission! If you like it, though, it's part of another series you can submerse yourself in! Just another gift to you.  Remember to come back to share your thoughts on the Discussion day! 
    Cliff's Pendant
    by @Altimexis
    Length: 7,527
    Description: Zach thought he was fooling everyone and was only out to Jake, his kid brother. Then on his 15th birthday, his dad gave him a rainbow pendant inscribed with the Hebrew word ‘Chai’, which means ‘Life’. His dad had had it made to give to his best friend, Cliff, who had AIDS, but never got the chance. Zach promised to wear it with pride, but hid it under his shirt, forgetting he had to undress for gym, a class he shared with Tanner, his secret crush.
    A Reader said: A brilliant and worth-while read from this year's Anthology. The amount of detail sucked me in and wouldn't let go. Filled with the character's intelligence and awkwardness, this short story put a smile on my face. Very well done! ~astone2292
    Come back on the last Monday of the month, September 29th, to check out the Discussion day and share your thoughts!
  16. Cia
    Did you catch Monday's ad feature for Headstall's story, Bearpaw: An Old West Tale? Have you read it or put it on your to read list yet? Even if you have never read a Western fictional tale before, you should really give it a chance. His writing has a way of making you invested in the characters and their lives, and you won't be sorry (even if it's a bit longer than most, though that's the draw for me usually!). Check out this excerpt, if you haven't read it yet. 
    Want to read more? Click here
  17. Cia

    2025 Secret Author Stories Posted!

    By Cia,


    Announcements
    Readers!! Are you ready for the tea? Some juicy gossip? A horrific dark drama you cannot look away from? These tales are here just for you! It's the 2025 Secret Author Stories! Yes, they have been revealed... ahem, sort of! Our sneaky Secret Author has taken on posting to give you the thrill of enjoyment without knowing who wrote the story you will be voting for as your favorite! Feel free to speculate who wrote which story, but those participating author names won't be revealed until after the story poll (to be posted in a few days. Now: Discussion topic link can be found here!!) before readers get the challenge to pair up stories and authors in another fun game later! 

    Remember to like, comment, and review! 
    Authors!! If you notice some missing metadata, well... sometimes it might have given info away to readers, the system didn't have an exact match, or the info had to be narrowed down to fit within the system size/limits. BUT, if something (other than story text typos) is flat out wrong, please private message me (Cia) to get it fixed ASAP! You may, or may not, comment on/review your own story to throw off readers (oh, did I say that?) and you will get control back from our sneaky Secret Author later, but don't engage to reply/thank anyone now!! We're still keeping SOME secrets for a bit longer!

     
  18. Cia

    2025 Secret Author "Reveal the Truth" Winners!

    By Cia,


    Announcements
    For my FINAL 2025 Secret Author Story "Reveal the Truth" reveal ... our Contest Winners!!! 

     
    The "Reveal the Truth" Reader winner is... @impunity 
     
    The "Reveal the Truth" Author winner is.... @Thirdly
     

     
    Winners receive a Premium Subscription. I will reach out to you via PM with more details, so be looking for that. Authors, if you haven't noticed, all stories have been revealed and returned to you. Thank you so much to everyone who took the time to write a story, read a story, like, comment, review, participate on a blog, poll, or topic game! As always, this is a fun event that creates a lot of buzz and connection for the passion we all share our community that just shows how great you ALL are!! 
     
  20. Cia
    That's right, it's time to Reveal the Truth... of the Authors! You've all been waiting for this! I'll put the list here and in the guessing topic as well for comparison. I hope everyone has had fun with this year's Secret Author Story contest, and I appreciate all the patience with my absence and the short delays. I'll be assigning back the stories to the authors this week and doing the Random.org drawings for the participants & authors.
    Carpe Veritas by kbois
    What It Takes by CassieQ
    Busted by Thirdly
    Exposing My Own Reality by Gunther Allen
    Thirteen by EK Stokes
    Unmasked by BentedWreath
    Fledgling by lawfulnetrualmage
    A Chorus Director’s Dilemma by Chris191070
    The Reunion by Jeff Burton
    The Case of the Scallopini-ed Mayor by Mikiesboy
    Four Hours by Cole Matthews
    Angel Keeps a Secret by Lee Wilson
    No Doubt About It by Jack Poignet
    Can I Tell Ya a Secret? by Topher Lydon
    Family Secret by Valkyrie
    Thetis by Mark Arbour
    Green Lightning by Aditus
    Adrift by northie
    Well, This Happened by astone2292
    The Rainbow’s Unicorn by drsawzall
    Liminal by Camy
    My Dead Ex Is Haunting Me Through Grindr by Inkognito
    Septima’s Potential by Lorenz Qatava
     
    For my secret (medical)
     
  21. Cia
    What so many readers & authors have been waiting for! It's time to guess which story begins to which author! I'll provide 2 randomized lists of the story titles and author names below. You get to match them up! Yes, authors can play along. Yes, they MAY tell the truth about which story they wrote... or they may NOT reveal the secret. Muahahahahaha!

    Visit the topic to PLAY ALONG! 
     
     
     
    FYI, I won't be responding much today or tomorrow.  Why? Want to reveal that secret? It's medical, so if that icks you out, don't open the box!
     
  22. Cia

    Secret Author Story-Favorite Theme Use Vote!

    By Cia,


    Announcements
    It was brought to my attention I forgot to feature the poll topic in a blog this week. 
    Oops!! 🤯 
    Make sure you vote on your top 3 uses of the "Reveal the Truth" theme in the stories you read. I did have to split the titles across 2 questions, and you have to have at least one story picked in each, so if all 3 of your top choices are in 1 question/answer, please place your votes in a comment and I'll add them in at the end! 
     
  23. Cia

    July CSR Discussion Day: Carter's Army by Topher Lydon

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Can you believe all the stories we've had this month, the authors we've had return, and the reading I've asked you to do? C'mon... it's good for you! A favorite series of GA readers more than a decade ago (I sometimes can't believe I've been here that long either) I hope you enjoyed reading Topher's story, Carter's Army. Check out his interview and what he has going on past and present with that and more! Make sure you share your thoughts below once you're done; maybe we can keep encouraging our Classic Authors to keep returning to GA! 
    Chocolate or Vanilla?

    Neither, I’m a coffee purist.
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    Most people are surprised when I tell them I’m a dad. I kinda of adopted a foundling a while ago, and did my best to give him a home and stability. Most people assume being a gay man I wouldn’t be. I kinda like subverting expectations that way… plus half my grey hairs are his fault, and worth every one.
    What do you like to do when you’re not writing?

    Reading, I am a voracious reader, I churn through them. I was a teacher, a professor, so reading has been such a vital part of who I am. I got to share that love with my students, and there is nothing more enjoyable than finding a book that you can share.
    What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story?

    I’ve gone to lots of places, and draw on them for stories. I’ve sailed seas, walked deserts, sat in Jungles. I’ve eaten a Big Mac outside Lenin’s tomb, crossed the Great Wall and climbed the peace tower. Been down under and up north, walked in mud huts, and through palaces. All of this travel is research.

    My favourite place is Hong Kong, never had a chance to write about that yet, but I will.
    What brought you to GA (originally and/or recently returning)?

    Myr invited me. He reached out and offered a home, and it has been a home. Recently I got a new pair of glasses, that allowed me to read again after nearly a year of eye surgeries and being unable to… I wanted to read a book on here, One of dkstories’s Do over books. That required logging in, and a converation with Wildone… and myr… and I realized I hadn’t put the last few chapters of a book I’d started on here… it was like Dominos falling.

    I reread one of my old books, disliked how it had gone, and decided to edit it, and next thing you know… I am writing Breach.
    What’s the best part of being an author?
    Knowing that I can hold a book with my name on it’s cover. Something that is truly mine that will be around after I am gone. Legacy.
    Do you have a favorite line or scene in Carter’s Army?

    The rink scene, where Andrew teaches Will to skate. I have always felt that scene to be witty, fun, and full of real emotions. There’s a magic on ice, and at least to the half of me that is Canadian, a genuine love for it.
    What about a favorite story in the overall series & why?

    Carter’s Shadow, and the West character. A departure from the rest of the series I wanted to write the Anti-stereotyical jock. He was already out to his parents, accepted for it. The trouble he was having wasn’t convincing anyone he was straight, it was convincing them he was gay. I loved the flip of the script. Peter and West’s interactions vibrate with tension that I’ve not had with others… maybe Luke and Scott from Return of the Sun… but no West was a unique soul on page.
    Hockey… personal sport you enjoy or just something you used for the plot?

    My first job was as a goal judge at a hockey rink. I sat behind the goal and watched to see if the puck went over the line. I was on track to becoming a hockey referee/official. In small town Canada life revolves around Hockey rinks. You played, you were a parent, or you worked there. I’ve grown around hockey players, dated so many of them. Loved a fair few of them, and been loved in return by them.
    Can you share something about your current or upcoming work with readers?

    After Breach, I am going to go one of three ways. 1. go back to my roots and write a simply little love story like Return of the Sun, of like Army. 2. Another thriller…. or 3. Well that’s the trick there, I might, and I am not trying to get readers hopes up, but I might open Book 6 of the Falcon Banner and finally finish it. But I cannot promise it, I am intimidated by the book, the series is so tight, so filled with it’s own lore that I am going to have to go over every book to figure out where to begin. I am suffering a bit from George RR Martin syndrome, stuck on the last book.
     
  24. Cia
    That's right, the deadline of July 15th is creeping up soon. 7 authors have taken up the challenge to reveal a secret... were you one of them? (DO NOT TELL NOW! On pain of retribution of the evil Cia 😈) Do readers know who likes to submit early and who might be an author who likes to push the timeline boundaries? Hmmm.... how about some clues?
    Some Title(s)
    Exposing... My....
    Bust...
    .... It Takes
    ...Teen
     Good luck with your guesses! 

     
    Want to take part or learn more about the Secret Author Story Contest? Click on the banner below!

  25. Cia

    2025 Secret Author Story Contest Deadline!

    By Cia,


    Announcements
    That's it! Today's the day. Get your Secret Author Short Story in now!! Info on the contest is linked here.

    Readers, the games of picking who wrote a story, who wrote which story, and picking your favorite story are all coming! The first one, how many stories do you think were submitted, has resulted in a few guesses: 
    14, 10, ONE MILLION (HA!), 8, more than 7 (SOOO cheating!)
    Were any guesses right? 

    Feel free to keep guessing! Actual numbers  Cheater McCheater guesses will not result in a number reveal! 
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