Cia

That's right, this month we have a holiday triple feature! These Christmas stories are like sprinkles of joy you can use to brighten your day and hearts. Just the right length for a short read, please enjoy these stories brought to you from 2 of our Signature Authors and 1 of our Classic Authors. The Christmas Cracker by @Mikiesboy Length: 1,528 Description: Hawken picked up the red Christmas Cracker and offered the other end to Lori-Anne. She grasped it. They pulled. It snapped with a satisfying bang. Hawk carefully pulled out the contents. The others had received little gifts ... but his was different. He looked at Harish, who smiled ... A Reader said: This story was a sweet bit of Christmas magic. ~ dughlas Bear in Winter by @comicfan Length: 4,181 Description: William Watthews runs the local recreation center. Most people call him, Will or Bear, but it seems someone has other plans for him. Just what is going on at the rec center and what will it mean to Bear? A Reader said: I have to come back to like this, but I loved the story.. It was absolutely sweet and wonderful and full of heart. ~ Defiance19 A Gay Christmas Carol by @Bill W Length: 9,495 Description: Scrooge becomes a religious zealot named Franklin Phelps. He has some troubling beliefs about gays and on Christmas Eve he first encounters the spirit of his former associate, Patsy Falwell, followed by three ghosts that attempt to help him redefine his position, but will they succeed? A Reader said: lol well i like the « revised » gay xmas carol 😉 ~ Danilo Syrtis Don't forget to come back and share your thoughts on the CSR Discussion day, Monday, December 28th.

Awww, Steve, take some anti-inflammatories. That slow mo fall moment is so scary and you're cussing the whole time in your head--or at least I do! After I shattered my leg I fell a few times due to stuck crutches or my knee buckling over the years since then. Earlier this fall it happened coming down the stairs at work and of course people saw. So embarrassing, but at least I was just 2 steps from the bottom.

I was tempted to irk Garjah by testing the material around Bouncer’s feet. It was molded to his feet like a second skin. I’d seen the same thing holding liquid in the front of the hold, and it was flexible. I had to assume it was to prevent any of the poison they said was in his claws from coming out. Or did he inject it. The curiosity almost made me pick up his front leg and press on the pad, but Garjah’s hovering prevented it. Besides, what if his claws punctured it. I tilted my head… but

Holy cannoli! November is over! The holiday season is upon us, but first we must enjoy and discuss this month's featured story, Amafi Coast by CLJobe. Did you get a chance to read it? Share your thoughts below, or just enjoy my interview with this month's featured author! Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point? Since I am in bed, 100 percent of the time, I have a care giver who helps to change my bed. What is something most people don’t know about you? Besides being an old man, I have a degree in Chemical Engineering and I am a Registered Engineer. I owned my own company when I retired which allowed me to travel in Europe What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? Ireland, I fell in love with that country and the people I interacted with. What brought you to GA? I had been reading a lot of stories and by chance found GA. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? I’ve based my writing on my experiences, traveling and meeting different people. There is a little of myself in all of my writings. Did you need to research any of the legal information about wills or adoption for the story? No, I make assumptions and since my stories are fiction, there is no need tone 100 percent accurate. How did you decide on the setting for Amalfi Coast? I traveled in Italy, being of Italian descendent, I found that area of Italy very enticing. And I did spell it wrong, my readers corrected me. Who is your favorite character in the story? Do you relate more to Thomas or Geno? I think at my age I would relate more to Thomas, although I found Geno a loving young man. What is your favorite scene in Amalfi Coast? Would you like to share some of your current or upcoming work with readers? Yes, I am currently working on a story about a young man with a goal of providing sanctuary for boys and girls. Similar to my current story.

"Why didn't I finish that novel when I..." Yep, wistful!

We saw a few other Four Arms on our way to the hold. Garjah exchanged greetings with them, but none of them spoke to me. They stared at me intently, but I studied them just as closely. They all wore close-fitting suits like Garjah did, and they had boots on. The skin I could see varied in shades of green, and unlike Garjah who wore stripes across his skin, their markings varied. Some had spots, some swirls, a few looked almost geometric. Chevrons, squares, even waves. One smaller being had n

Thank you! I often come up with new worlds I'd love to come back to, but so rarely have the time. It took me a minute to think back, but you're spot on with the reptile. Funnily enough, 2 years later my son got a leopard gecko and my daughter a snake a few months after that. *shivers* I can hold the lizard, but not the snake.

Whatever I wished to know. I could ask him questions for hours. Who cared about food? I wished I had a recording device. Notes. I needed to take notes. How else could I organize my thoughts or remember everything Garjah told me? Garjah settled a plate in front of me. It held fairly standard looking protein cubes and some feathery purple stalks. “What are these?” I asked. “They are safe. Timok had Andulsa program in a human-safe section to the food reproducer. These are your protein cubes

Did you catch the blog feature on Libby Drew's story, The Art of Walking in Snow, on Monday? Go download the banner if you want to share you love for this short story. If you haven't read it yet, well, why not? I'm featuring this excerpt because it reminds me SO much of all the years we took our kids out to cut down our own tree. The cold, the cocoa, the fun of picking just the right one... it's definitely Christmas! But this story goes so much deeper than that, so much more into what the season can truly mean if we open our hearts to those around us. Want to read more? Click here

Okay, I admit it... the holidays finally have me. It's not quite tree time, but we're sooooo close. So why not enjoy a little early holiday heartwarming with Libby Drew's amazing short story, The Art of Walking in Snow? Length: 10,023 Description: Jamie doesn't let people get close, but his new employer refuses to play by those rules. Maybe this is the year Jamie will banish the ghosts of Christmases past. A Reader said: What a wonderful tale as we approach Christmas. There is so much said and unsaid between Jamie and John that weaves this tale into something more than just a story. It's a fable about the forces of nature: the winter snow, Jamie, and John. Bravo, Libby! I'm going to email the link to my friends so they can enjoy and appreciate The Art of Walking in Snow as much as I have. ~Colinian If you want to spread the word about Libby Drew'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!

Medical knowledge and advancements, right? Like how about in the 1950s when they irradiated customer's bodies to size their feet with fluoroscope machines? Perfectly safe x-rays, people! Step right up and put your groin next to the box so your shoes aren't too tight. Yeah... that's gonna be your biggest worry in the future! lol Something that is meant to help a little can hurt a lot. Just saying!

Garjah pressed a spot on the straps and they retracted smoothly. What had he pushed? I didn’t see any button but I could have been free that easy? Not that there was anywhere to go. I didn’t see a way to open the door from the inside either, and the room was small. I sat up immediately and hissed as my feet touched the floor. They were bare and the pulse of an engine vibrating through the metal disturbed me. “Are we still moving?” “Yes, but you are awake now so Timok wants me to take you

Like calls to like? Essell didn't mind the bug but higher lifeforms would bother him. It would be important to find out what they view as a higher lifeform, right? It'll definitely be interesting, that's for sure. Ahhh, you are usually so good at picking up clues. Did you this time? Or are you in left field? Hmmmm Garjah is definitely a fun character to write. Alien characters are my FAV to explore. Thanks for commenting! A crush? Maaaaybe. He definitely feels sumthin.

LOL! No one likes it when people spew droplets about nowadays. Alien vaccines, hmmm.... Would THAT be a safe? They do seem advanced, but 'seem' is an operative word. Ahh, but the biological imperative is still there on a level that still hits us on a chemical level on top of the societal one. The dichotomy comes in when procreation comes in just for reproduction and not for any true desire to care for a child--which we see all too often, unfortunately. I suppose this was a bit of me putting some personal views into a story; my kids are the center of my world. I find it anathema to have children when you're not prepared to dedicate that level of personal devotion to helping them develop into their own beings as adults.

Yes, Bouncer was totally innocent! I do so love my irony! And I just knew the whole probe thing would pop into people's heads, lol. Yeah, it definitely wasn't what he expected. Then again, learning your universe isn't quite as ordered as you expect it to be is a shock many young people go through.

“His mouth was open the whole way here, showing off his flat teeth and that thick, pink tongue of his.” What? No wonder my mouth was so dry! And my tongue wasn’t thick or my teeth flat. Well, the ones in back were, but my teeth were normal. I glared at him, ready to tell him off with a vicious glare and snarl but then the clear cup of fluid waved in front of my face distracted me. My arms were too heavy to lift and hold it. The glare dissolved off my face, and I nearly cried. Water, righ

Well, spooky October is over and now we have November up. Heading into the holiday season, what better time to enjoy stories about compassion, family, and love? So please enjoy this month's selection! Amafi Coast by @CLJobe Length: 12,971 Description: A story of compassion. A Reader said: Awesome chapter, Sad thoughtfull and joyful, and a great end to get another awesome story. Thanks ~ mikedup Enjoy this month's ready, and don't forget to come back to share your thoughts on the Discussion day on Monday, November 30th!

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!