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Cia

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  1. 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!! 
  2. 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.
  3. 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!)
                
  4. 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!
  5. 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!
  6. 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
  7. 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!

     
  8. 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!! 
     
  10. 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)
     
  11. 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!
     
  12. 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! 
     
  13. 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.
     
  14. 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!

  15. 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! 
  16. Cia

    July CSR Feature: Carter's Army by Topher Lydon

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    As a welcome back to GA, and since many of our newer members might not know this Classic Author, this month I thought I'd feature Topher Lydon's start to his Carter's Saga series. Check out this short novel and come back to share your thoughts on the Discussion day when I share my interview with Topher! 
    Carter's Army
    by @Topher Lydon
    Length: 60,266
    Description: A young immigrant to Canada discovers that love can be found in the most unlikely places. Andrew isn’t the run of the mill team Captain, can he show Will what it means to be in love? And can he coax the awkward, non-social boy out of the closet? Events spiral out of control after stolen kisses are caught, and gossip begins to spiral out of control.
    A Reader Said: I read this story quite awhile ago before I joined and I remember enjoying it greatly. All of the main/supporting characters is Will's circle are so true and it's easy to swoon and empathize with all of them. Even Will's father is true and not some stereotype of a "bad father".
    Honest and concise and completely engrossing. I look forward to rereading the rest off the saga. ~Miles Long
    Come back on the last Monday of the month, July 28th, to check out the Discussion day and share your thoughts! 
  17. Cia
    For 2025, the Secret Author Contest theme is going to be "Reveal the Truth". Now... the only one you can reveal the truth to in real life is your beta/editor, but in the story there should be some link to the theme of revealing the truth in some way. A juicy secret that comes out, a bitter reveal that one doesn't want to believe, best friends that finally end up doing the horizontal tango and the betting pool reveals who won on how long it took them to get there? Authors, you decide how it plays out! 
    Deadline: July 15th, 2025
    General Process:
    Write the story in Word or Docs. EDIT it first! Then send via email to Cia (cia@gayauthors.org) or PM (please PM Cia if you email or share via Docs to make sure she got it).  Stories will be posted via our Secret Author account.  Games will be played! Guess the Author is always fun. We will also do "Favorite Use of Theme" this year. Do NOT reveal the truth!  Stories will be returned to the authors and the winners of the Guess the Author (reader winner) & Favorite Use of Theme (Author winner) game will be revealed.  Author Info:
    Stories must be between 1k - 30k in length. Stories will be posted as 1 chapter but can be separated with double space breaks/timeline jumps.  Stories must adhere to all of GA's content & editing guidelines.  Stories must have some use, even tangentially, of the theme "Reveal the Truth".  Metadata needed
    Title: 
    Description:
    Story Note: 
    Chapter Note: 
    Genre(s) (3 Max):
    Audience Rating: 
    Tags (6 Max): 
  18. Cia
    This month I wanted to feature something that felt... substantial, and don't ask me why but I always tend to swing back to historical fiction when I'm warm and dealing with the swing of the seasons into summer. Probably because I was always running out of reading material as a kid on summer break and sneaking bodice ripper Harlequins and Louis L'Amour western paperbacks as a kid, lol! Now, I wouldn't put @Headstall's writing in either category, but I always enjoy his depth and dedication to the genre, so if you like western historical fiction at all, you should definitely give this long novel a chance! 

    Length: 109,191
    Description: Many men enjoyed the life and freedom of being a cowboy, but it wasn't an easy one in The Old West. The aches were many, but it was the loneliness that could wear a man down. Jubal was one of those who dreamed as he moved and protected cattle, and the day finally came he had enough money to buy his own piece of land. Fate, though, dealt him a terrible hand once again, taking everything from him and leaving him lost and alone. Was Lucas his savior, or just more trouble for a man who'd learned to trust no one?
    A reader said: Gary's colorful magic is clear to see in this perfect story of terror and happiness. With lots of love and many wonders to be found here in. With delicious description and dialogue which make this a story to fall in love with, I feel sure that if you read this amazing story you will love it too!  ~Albert1434
    If you want to spread the word about Headstall'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!
  19. Cia

    May CSR Discussion Day: The Answer by Wayne Gray

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    I hope you were able to take the chance to read the 5k short story, The Answer, that  Wayne wrote back in 2020. The best part of the CSR (Can't Stop Reading) blog features is that I get to pick newer and older stories on the site to bring to readers who either loved the story the first time and are happy to read it again or newer members who might have missed some of the older works. Things are always changing so fast, just like people, but we love to keep these stories alive! Please make sure to share your thoughts below my interview with Wayne. 
    Do you eat your fruits and vegetables?
    I do! I try hard to get my allotment of healthy stuff, particularly now that I'm fifty years old. I've found the best way for me is to make a shake first thing in the morning for breakfast. Just get it done.
    If you were an animal, what would you be?
    A spoiled house cat. 100%.
    What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know?
    Hmm. Well, I am polyamorus. I have a husband and a boyfriend. The husband also has a boyfriend. It works for us.
    What brought you to GA? 
    The search for quality storytelling above what Nifty offered. While Nifty is fine for porn, I wanted plot, progression, belivable scenarios, and good characterization. Also, GA became a fertile place for me to share my own work, and that has been such a great thing.
    If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
    Running from Paradise. It'd be the story of why I left Kentucky, and how painful that was and continues to be. But some things are best left in the past, and that's Kentucky for me.
    When you write, is it post as you go passion or finish the story then edit and post? 
    Both. I've done both. I'm currently posting as I write for my Engineer Benson story. My preference is to write a work completely and then post it after polishing thoroughly. With Engineer Benson, the post as I go method adds to the journal format it's in.
    The Answer includes a poem in your short story. You also have works of varying lengths. Does any style of writing (poetry, short story, novella, novel) call to you the most and why?
    I particularly enjoy novels. For a long time, The Answer was my only short story until I wrote Why Pride?  Novels allow me the space to build characters, to make foreshadowing mean something and have an emotional punch, and to just tell the story I really want to tell. That said, The Answer pushed me. I had to do a lot with the space I'd allotted myself, which forced an efficiency in my writing I didn't know I could manage.
    As you were writing The Answer, did you feel more of a connection to the characters of Shawn or Ian? 
    Ian. While I understood Shawn and could appreciate him and his ways, I relate more to Ian. I suppose that's a bit odd since I wrote it from Shawn's perspective, but if you'll notice, the poem the story is based on is from Ian's. I love that mirror too.
    If you were a character in the story, what do you think you’d say or do when Shawn’s struggling? 
    Well, it depends. If I were one of his many discarded conquests, I'd probably feel that he deserved whatever struggles he experienced. But if I were looking through the eyes of Ian? Well … there may be someone here who has yet to read it, so I'll stop here.
    It’s been a while since you wrote anything for GA, have any new passions taken over? 
    No. It's just the struggle to retain sanity in an uncertain world. When there's little currency left after spending all we've got on making it through the day, it's hard to make time for creativity. I'm slowly getting back to writing, though (Engineer Benson). And I've had two unpublished stories in process for quite some time. I'm not ready to let the world win, and I'll post another story at some point. First, though, I need to finish Engineer Benson. And I will.
    Thank you for the chance to talk about myself and my story a bit. The Answer was a great writing experience, and I hope new readers find and enjoy it.
     
  21. Cia

    May Classic Author Feature: Black Swans by Graeme

    By Cia,


    Signature Feature
    This short story is a short story written long ago by Graeme (almost 20 years!) but it shouldn't be missed. Please take the time to read and review this series of snapshots, as he termed it, that fits right in with the theme I'm using to feature this month's stories! 

    Length: 3,175
    Description: Snapshots of lives as a young boy grows up, a young couple age, and an old man goes through his retirement.
    A reader said: No guarantees in life.😬 ~AlexLittel
     
    If you want to spread the word about Graeme'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!
  22. Cia

    May CSR Feature: The Answer by Wayne Gray

    By Cia,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    This month has featured quite a few stories already, with the Comicality Tribute Anthology, and I wanted to feature someone who isn't new to the site but who did write a story that I thought would have fit right into that theme as well. We have so many coming of age stories on GA where authors tackle those life changes that aren't easy regardless of what year or setting they occur in... just like The Answer by Wayne Gray. This slightly older story is a short story gem you should read and come back to comment on on the May Discussion day! I hope you will enjoy it. 
    The Answer
    by @Wayne Gray

    Length: 5,848
    Description:  In his youth, Shawn passes through life as if it's an amusement park ride. Men come and go, all while his slightly judgmental friend, Ian, looks on.
    This is the story of Shawn dealing with the repercussions of his choices, and then him growing into his own life.
    A Reader said: Let's just say...it's definitely "Wayne's World"!! Amazing short story that hit all the right spots and showcased his excellent talents...and also the bonus of sharing a beautiful poem!!! Both were brilliantly done, thanks to you both!💯 ~ Onim
    Come back on the last Monday of the month, May 26th, to check out the Discussion day and share your thoughts! 
  23. Cia
    Welcome to April's Signature Author Feature! I'm obviously featuring one of our Classic authors this month, and this oldie but goodie, might have escaped you. Dolores posted Space Pioneer 1 way back in 2014, so I wanted to bring it back now for your reading enjoyment. It features two of my favorite themes, Ancient Egypt and space! 

    Length: 50,140
    Description: On his trip to Mars, Jeff's shuttle gets dragged through space by an alien spaceship that is performing a space jump. The Daglon captain Lest takes Jeff on board of his ship and Jeff's journey through space begins. The crew chases Ezer Malk, who plans a space-time jump in order to steal Ancient Egypt artifacts from Earth. Lest is an outlaw and Jeff is lost in space. Will the two men get to know each other, will Lest come to terms with his past, and will Jeff find his place in the world?
    A reader said: I guess I should mention... I really had a great time reading your story. ~ Toast
    If you want to spread the word about Dolores' 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!
  24. Cia
    If you didn't catch Monday's feature, check it out. I'm here to tempt you with a tidbit of the story text, and if you haven't already twigged to the fact that there's more to this story by the 1 in the title... there is! Nothing I like better than knowing I can start a story and keep going if I enjoy it. So what are you waiting for?
    Want to read more? Click here
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