Cia

In many houses (non-palatial, of course) that role is performed by the person titled "Mom". 😛

That's just a weird word to say too.

Hissing was the last thing I wanted to hear. Did they have me in a medical bay like I thought? Or was I in some sort of zoo or specimen area? If these were unknown aliens and they were harvesting from the planet, maybe they thought I was a native and they’d taken me along with other creatures. Like that giant, slithering death machine that could swallow me whole. I did not like legless creatures. Not at all. Yes, it was biased of me. Yes, I was supposed to be a scientist—above al

Well it's almost over for October, and it's nearly November! How quickly the time does fly. Get it, fly? Like Fairfly, this month's CSR feature by ObicanDecko! Did you read it? Make sure you share your thoughts on the story below! But first, as always, my interview with the author for readers to enjoy! Do you eat your fruits and vegetables? Yes! I love my fruits (watermelon, peach, strawberry, you name it) and veggies – I could eat broccoli and spinach every day. If you were an animal, what would you be? I’d either be a house cat, so I can sleep all day, or a squirrel, so I can live in the trees and look fabulous with a big fluffy tail. What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? My story ‘The Island of Poa’ was partly inspired by the Easter Island, so I would have loved to have been able to go there (maybe one day). That’s the number one place on my travel list. I would also love to visit the old Aztec/Maya/Inca sites in Central and South America. I’m sure that would inspire a story or two! Anything to do with history. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? For me, the most challenging part is writing about topics or places I know little or nothing about. It requires a lot of research. For example, I’d love to write a story set in space, but I wouldn’t know where to begin. I’d have to do a lot of reading beforehand. That’s why writing fantasy is good – you get to create your own rules and no one can say they’re wrong! What’s the best part of being an author? In my opinion, the best part of being an author is being able to create your own worlds and characters and get lost in them. Sometimes I’ll get an idea about a story I would love to read about, and if I can’t find a book like that, I can try and write it myself. My writing is definitely a bit self-indulgent – I write about things that I personally want to read about. But if others like it too, that’s amazing! If you were a sorcerer, what kind would you be? Good, evil, indifferent? Hmm… I’d like to say good, but magic powers could tempt me to do all kinds of things, so who knows? I’d probably be eccentric and weird, so people would leave me alone instead of trying to use me for my powers. Okay, where do all the conjured items come from in Fairyfly? Do you define your rules of magic before you write or let it come organically? Good question! It’s funny because a friend of mine likes to tease me about the scene where Esthor turns the royal sorcerers’ magic wands into snakes. He says how the poor snakes must have an existential crisis, having been created so suddenly. I have to admit, I didn’t create any rules of magic before writing this story. It’s never explained where exactly magic comes from, and I think it’ll remain that way. Magic is simply a part of that world. I did introduce some limitations later on (especially in Book of Venoms). For example, Esthor is very powerful and versatile, but his main ‘branch’ of magic is conjuring/elemental magic. Sawyer’s specialty is nature magic, while Macarius’ is illusions and teleportation. Who is your favorite character in the story and why? Esthor, the main character, is by far my favorite in Fairyfly. Fantasy stories usually have a powerful sorcerer as the villain, while the heroes are weak/ordinary humans who have to grow in power or unite in order to defeat the bad guy. So, I wanted to switch it up and make the mighty wizard the protagonist and see what kind of trouble he could get into. Esthor is vain and a bit of a know-it-all, but his heart is always in the right place. What do you think is the pivotal scene in the Fairyfly? Ooh that’s a tough question! I’d say... (SPOILER ALERT) Do you want to share a little about your current or future stories with readers? I’d love to – without spoiling too much or making any definitive promises (plans always change!). So, ‘Charttoppers’ is now fully released and I’ve been having a lot of fun writing it, so I can probably see myself doing a sequel at some point in the future. I already have some potential storylines in mind, so we’ll see. I’m currently writing a medieval fantasy book about a man who makes a pact with a demon in order to find his missing friend. It will probably be the next to be released, but it’s still early in the writing stages. I’ve also been brainstorming sequels to ‘Fairyfly’ and ‘Book of Venoms’. I’m not sure if they will be two separate books or combined into one, but they will be coming! I’m very grateful for every single person who has been reading and commenting on my stories and sending me lovely messages asking for sequels. Please be patient!

Did you catch Monday's feature with Jack Scribe's Life's a Grind banner? Why exactly IS there a mask on it? Hmm... answer in the comments if you know! Or share what you thought of the story if you've read it. I picked this section of the story, a few chapters in, because it gives you a good sense of Jeremy's character. He's pretty smart for a teen, certainly responsible, but wowsers... the curveballs life's bringing his way could be interesting. Well, if you're into that sort of thing. 😜 You might think you know from this snip, but oh, there's so much more to the opportunity he's considering.... To read more, click here.

It was the feet. Those broad soles and flat toes digging into the earth were made to move soundlessly. And the subtle green striping would probably help the creature to blend in amazingly with the foliage around us, if he wanted to. Based on the way he stood, feet spread apart and four arms braced, two on the torso and two outward facing me, he wasn’t hiding at all. The planet did not have any structures or even ruins that indicated an advanced civilization or culture; nothing to show manufa

Please remember to keep all comments regarding any politics directly related to the story character and events. Any references or mentions of current politics, parties, or events outside of the story content may result in moderation.

Happy October! Thanksgiving for our Canadian friends, Halloween for just about everyone, or all sorts of festival fun if you're not a follower of the candy trick-or-treats theme. The year is passing by so fast, and we're almost done with 2020 (whew!). I thought the title of this month's feature was apt for how many of us probably feel about this year.... Enjoy! Length: 97,474 Description: Jeremy and his group of friends are seniors at a Chicago high school. He juggles a part-time job (to help pay expenses at home) with the academic challenges and school activities of his final school year. His life reaches a watershed moment when he is offered a very unique job at the same time questions about sexual orientation are tested and answered. A Reader said (Chapter 1): Wow... what a valuable, but unsteady childhood for Jeremy. I am glad that Winston and Karl had given him the good, bad, and ugly on everything before they passed on. Most children who are exposed to the fact that someone they knew died of AIDS make them subtly reinforce the "deviant" excuse of how people contract the disease. It's pretty sad, but I'm glad Jeremy got to learn everything and had positive role models in lieu of a proper father figure. ~ J.T. If you want to spread the word about Jack Scribe'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!

He was trotting along ahead of me, weaving through bushes I had to hack a path through, when his rigid stance caught my eye. “What is it, boy?” I spoke quietly to avoid spooking him or alerting whatever had caused his alarm. A loud blast overhead sent me into a crouch at his side. He was belly down flat to the earth, his ears folded flat and head swinging wildly. What was that? We’d walked most of the day. I’d observed several insects, but for all his ability to walk far quieter than I c

“Bouncy?” I tossed him another tidbit from the bag, flicking it with the fork so he could jump and catch the bite. It’d become a game for him, but I was trying to see how high he could jump. Those powerful hindquarters definitely gave him some spring. “Springy?” He caught the next bite that I really hadn’t expected him to. “Wonderful!” I praised him, clapping. He skittered back, not liking the sound. “Aww,” I said. “Did I scare you?” That brought back another memory. I’d had many differe

Happy Halloween month! This is a month for fun of the paranormal type. Magic. Were-creatures. Myths. Fantasy. Ghosts. Or whatever else tickles your ghoulish fancy. I'm going with a story by ObicanDecko for the CSR feature, Fairyfly. This is an older story, so you might not have read it or you might be due for a reread. Enjoy!! Fairyfly by @ObicanDecko Length: 65,659 Description: Young Esthor is the best sorcerer in all the kingdom and beyond. When King Norius calls upon him to save his eldest daughter, Esthor resorts to drastic measures that will have some people fighting to get his head, and others vying to win his heart. A Reader said: I think you had as much fun writing this as we had rereading it. I hope you think to follow these characters forward to a new series. Best Wishes to you. Don ~Damack1957 Don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on Monday, October 26th! As some extra reading fun this month, share your favorite stories on GA that fit this month's theme in a comment below!

Please keep all comments related to political events and figures directly related to this story's specific events and characters. All other comments may be subject to moderation per GA site guidelines for political discussion outside of approved areas.

I kicked my legs and struck something that gave. Freed from the grip pulling me across the ground, I rolled, reaching for the shock wand I dropped when I’d been grabbed and yanked away from the wall. A heavy weight pounced on my back, shoving me into the soil. I inadvertently took in a mouthful, spitting and coughing. “Ugh. Ggg, groff!” The stuff was like fine, powdered dust when dry and a sucking mud that clung when wet. I was in a mix of both from the heat of the fire and the damp of the m

Did you read Forces by Invnarcel this month? A little dark, a little twisted, maybe a journey you weren't quite expecting... just right to get us in the mood for Fall! Enjoy my interview with Invnarcel below, then leave your comments on his story or writing! Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate. If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do? Meditate and connect with myself. It’s relaxing and great. What brought you to GA? A love of reading and posting gay stories! Is there a literary character (in the whole universe of fiction) that you’ve read who you really identified with? Not really. I feel like a very multi-faceted being. A lot of my own characters represent facets of me or facets I used to have. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Not really. I can be bad at getting inspiration at times, but so can anyone. When I was more amateurish I used to have a problem with excessive adverbs. What’s the first thing you do when you start to write a story? Jot down a ‘plot skeleton’. The meat of the story then gets filled in as I write. Even if the story is very freeform I still write a ‘chapter skeleton’ for the first chapter even if it’s just three or so points. If you had to pick a favorite among the characters in Forces, who would it be and why? I would have to say Stanley Milton. Though the main character has his own interesting psychology and I relate to him way more, Stanley is a character I did the most research for. He is very peculiar and a lot of the story’s focus is on trying to figure out what kind of person he really is. I think he’s fascinating and I hope other people do too. What inspired you to write Forces? Before writing my gay-thriller-romance novellas I read two books because we know that reading other stories helps with our writing. Before starting Forces I read a psychology book and an old French novel about narcissists talking about their romantic exploits. The angle I took with Forces was different to my other novellas so I was looking forward to exploring that. Your stories can have many dark elements that are well-written to leave readers guessing. Did you do research about psychopaths for Stanley’s character or did you wing it? I read a full clinical textbook in preparation for Stanley called ‘The Mask of Sanity’ by Dr Hervey Cleckley. In fact most characters are named after researchers cited in that book, including my main character Phillip Cleckley. Prior to Forces I’d also read other psychology books including memoirs. Research and capturing realism is very important to me. Do you want to share anything about your current work-in-progress or the next story you plan to share on GA? I don’t know much about it yet. I do know that my characters are older now, since writing about high school kids is something I wanted to branch away from being a 25-year-old myself. Phillip and Stanley were 22-years-old and so university/college students in their early twenties will most likely be the focus of my next novella. I will probably go back to exploring supernatural elements, it has always been a guessing game in my past four novellas whether or not the supernatural is involved. I’ve touched on incels in the past, and I’m curious to explore that dark and messy realm of human psychology. For now I haven’t decided on anything. Don't forget to leave your comments on Forces below!

My scans indicated there was a rocky outcropping nearby, and based on what I’d seen of the wildlife so far, I wanted nothing more than to put some solid stone at my back. Climbing would do me no good, and while the ground level was rarely safe either, I’d have to take my chances there. Setting up a shelter would take too much time, though I’d brought collapsible poles and and flex fabric. I would fear what I couldn’t see. Being inside a shelter wouldn’t make the predators go away, and I’d ra

Did you catch Monday's feature with the banner for Rec's story, Palouse? Check it out if you want to feature it in your signature. So I live in Washington, so I know how special this region of the state is, how scenic it can be... but just how few opportunities there can also be for anyone who is 'different'. Rec's story has all of that and more. I think you'll enjoy this excerpt as well. Click here to read more

Man, I live in an area like that. Ugh!

Or, you know... teach an animal to fish out its own grubs and it'll feed itself, fish out the grubs for it and it's gonna expect you to keep feeding it. I'd hope Essell isn't going to eat those grubs. They don't sound tasty at all, not even if you cooked them. Slime, yuck! He definitely has that four-legged friend quality, yes. Thank you, frosenblum! I'm always trying to be as original as possible with my stories and take them directions readers don't expect. Oh you do, do you? Hmm... I wonder, dughlas.

Right? It doesn't seem to be very "attacky" but it does have a lot of defenses. Essell is learning quickly that maybe he wasn't quite as ready for the field as he thought he was--famous parents or not, lol. And you put a name on it, hubris. He's definitely eating some personal humble pie. Now, will he change and take that into account as he moves forward?

No tent... and definitely not the friendliest, right? LOL, he has a lot of research to do. He doesn't seem the most equipped to do that research though, does he? Thanks, NoSkis. I write all sorts of fiction, and switch between first and third person. Scifi is my favorite genre to write as well. I try not to go over 1k, but occasionally I miss it.

LOL! Well, the planet doesn't have any intelligent species according to the scans. So no Friday that he'll pick up. But yes, he is rather young and going on faith and enthusiasm, isn't he? LOL, exactly! So blase about it. *snorts* I laughed when I read this. Every so often I have to write those TSTL characters... you love their enthusiasm but you really want to smack them at the same time. He's definitely one of them, even if I wish he was smarter.

Sometimes you just want to sink into a story, and Rec is an author that lets you do that. His stories always drag you in and don't let you go from beginning to end. Palouse is no different. Have you read it? Length: 110,617 Description: Palouse is a coming-to-maturity story of a half-Navajo boy who is a virtuoso at violin. The story traces his rise, fall, and reemergence in the context of a domineering mother. It is a story also of a developing love between the boy and a gay friend. A reader said: An amazingly beautiful story that continued to grip this softy with all manner tears shed as Micah's past touched so much of mine and others life experiences. Thanks for the Epilogues in bringing closure. Above all else for your sensitive and imaginative literary talent in bringing the enriching stories of Jake and Micah. ~ napaguy If you want to spread the word about Rec'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!

It reached in again and scraped the log but pulled back an empty paw. Whining again, it jumped on top of the log, then reached again from the new angle, this time getting another small grub. Sheer terror had me on the defensive, and I’d only thought I was observing the beast. I kept thinking I knew what it was, but no… I was wrong. This was not the same one I’d seen earlier. It wasn’t one of the young ones either. It was between the two sizes. Not as a big, not as dark red. The stripes w

They were gone. Straightening, I groaned as my back protested. Should I move on, try to find a camping spot? “Wonder if they left any grubs?” Maybe I could preserve one. A small one. The big ones looked like they had pincers that could break a specimen jar if I didn’t get them sedated fast enough. I stepped around the tree, eyeing the deep hole the big one left behind. A progenitor, most likely. Older siblings rarely had the patience to spend that amount of time feeding the young of a pa

It's a month of changes, and this story was written to make you wonder... are things what they seem? Are are the characters who they seem? I guess you'll have to read Invnarcel's story, Forces, to find out! Forces by @Invnarcel Length: 35,514 Description: Phillip Cleckley is a young journalist investigating a murder at Lochdale college. He begins an unfortunate liaison with the prime suspect, the wealthiest family's son Stanley Milton. Both men are different, but together they find a similarity. A Reader said: Well it certainly kept me guessing. Good story!! Thanks invnarcel! ~KayDeeMac Don't forget to come back to comment on the discussion day on Monday, September 28th!