Cia

Well, I don't want to promise any heat this week (those weirdos in Canada already getting hail and snow, what's up with that?) but maybe down in the southern hemisphere, they're enjoying the weather shift as we begin September. Perfect weather to sit on a bench and ask a ton of questions, like in last week's prompt. Did you try it? Or did your ex crash your big engagement... from beyond the grave? *shivers* That's an October-worthy prompt right there! Make sure you share your prompts below if you wrote last week, or maybe this week's selections will inspire you! Prompt 698 – Creative Tag – Witch Today you woke up in house you didn’t know. When you went outside you met a bunch of little people, a talking scarecrow, and a walking robot who keeps saying he is the army of this nation. The big issue is your house seems to have killed someone and they want you to put on some large silver sneakers that look like they weigh a hundred pounds each. Not only that, but they keep calling for some woman, and telling you that you’re a with like the little girl who came last time. Are you mad or caught up in something? Prompt 699 – Creative Tag – First Line Mom, what’s for dinner? Did you write a prompt response last week? Make sure you post it as part of a collection if it's under 1,000 words in length!

We reassembled into something that appeared to be guards hurrying Elliard away for treatment for any recording that might capture our escape and any staff we might run into since we didn’t have time to find his secret exit. Captain kept one hand on Elliard’s shoulder, but I could see his fingers digging in, not gently resting on his cousin in reassurance. No, he didn’t want to let go because he wanted to ensure the bastard stayed close so he couldn’t get away. I understood, though I’d alr

Time Will Tell... will you read this month's CSR story by Remijay? This recently finished story is one that also stood the test of time. It began six years ago with chapter one and just finished in August with chapter fifteen. There's a tale to tell about writing the story just as much as there is in the story itself, I'm sure, and I can't wait to bring more about both to you on the last Monday of the month on the Discussion Day, September 24th. Time Will Tell by Remijay Length: 35,267 Description: Two twin boys, and gay. How to tell this story is simple but complicated. Devon a boy of 16 struggling with difficulties of a home life. Josh a boy of the same age, that has everything he wants, but one thing, his brother. Both are struggling with their past and maybe present. Hopefully they find each other. Together they might overcome, what is to come. A Reader Said: Well you did end with a bang and it was a good ending. ~ NimirRaj Don't forget to come back on Monday, Sept. 24th, for the Discussion Day.

That's it. August is done. Finito. Wait... the season change doesn't come for 3 more weeks? There's still more warmth or the heat from H-E-double hockey sticks (depending on your locale) or smoke (I'm out west, it's awful!) to go? Well how about we stay indoors and read and write flash fiction? Yes, that's just the ticket! Don't forget that stories under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Prompt 696 – Creative Tag - The bench A bench appeared in the middle of town out of nowhere. Ever since the first person sat down on it, there has been a line of people waiting their turn. Whoever sits spends an hour with one person, alive or dead and answers their questions honestly except, if they are dead, what happened after they died. Your turn is next. Who do you sit with? Prompt 697 – Creative Tag – The Ex The table was set, the place was ready, and you were excited. Tonight you were going to announce your engagement to family and friends. You were just starting to pass your sister some more snacks for the kid’s table when the doorbell rang. Your mother ran to open it for you and screamed. You found her passed out in the entryway with someone kneeling over her. As you looked into the doorway you understood why. Your ex was the one holding your mother’s hand, and he was dressed in a tux. Only the big problem is he died in a car crash ten years ago. What is happening? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

“Kohen!” Captain shouted my name. “I’m fine.” I straddled Elliard. His face was pale, and his eyes were wide with shock. His hand was slack, his wrist pinioned between the fine bones by the thin blade. His fingers twitched spasmodically. “What you’re feeling is poison racing through your body from your heart pounding. You want to slow it down, to stop it, but you can’t. You have no control over your body. I have it all. See, there’s a paralytic on the knife, just like what got used on me.

As with a few weeks ago, this Wednesday we're lacking any submissions for the author self-promotions and self-improvement blogs (shown below) so I thought we'd focus on some information and questions shared on GA by members and authors and maybe some other help I could provide when it comes to another vital aspect to writing to build on last week's post. The earlier exploring characterization explored past blogs that had different angles for writing characters as well as two file downloads I've used over the years to create characters. This week, let's take a look at what most people is the other essential aspect crafting a story (for some authors, it's primary aspect, but I'll let you decide that for yourself!) First, the author improvement features, so you can sign up if you're interested. Don't miss out on these, guys! Story Critique: Open to all GA authors. Sign up here. Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) Story Recommendations: Open to all GA authors & readers. PM your recommendation and why you recommend it to a Site Admin. Of course, you can find information on writing books as far as length (a vital part of plotting) and so much more in a lot of other places, such as: Writer's Circle Club Book Lengths - Writer's Circle Club To Structure or Not to Structure Your Stories - Writer's Circle Club Ideal Chapter Length - Writer's Circle Club The 8 Point Story Arc or What My Story Was Missing - Writer's Circle Club Writer's Resources Forum Ten Ways to Hook Your Reader Places to Plot - Websites/Programs Do you mind map or use notecards? You can sign up for free accounts with Onedrive and GSuite to access Powerpoint or Slides. Or you can use Trello after you check out this YouTube tutorial. X-Mind a visual mind-mapping resource for free Scrivener: very popular and well-known, but this is something that authors have to pay for Resources for Authors - Direct Downloads Elements of Literature - This is actually a PDF guide for analyzing literature for readers, but I find it's a primer for what authors should show readers as well. Source: TeachersPayTeachers Download: ElementsofLiteraturePowerPoint.pdf Story Idea Map - Basic Idea with character addition PDF Download: 30Days-Story-Idea-Map.pdf Three-Part Plotting Worksheet - Word file with 3 Act plotting outline with conflict prompts Download: Plotting-Worksheet-by-Annie-Neugebauer.doc More in-depth guide: Plotting-Worksheet-with-Prompts-by-Annie-Neugebauer.doc

Holy mackerel it's Monday, the last Monday of the month! How did that happen already? Well it's a good thing we're ready for it, right? Did you take advantage of the time you had to read Aceinthehole's story, The Hidden Ones: The Spotlight? I know it was really long! Hopefully you made a dent. I will caution you, if you're still mid-read, there are some questions below in the interview that have answers that might be a tad revealing about the story, so I've hidden them with spoilers. Or maybe they will just entice you to read it! Your choice. Do you eat your fruits and vegetables? I can’t say I always did, but I’ve gotten a lot better about it! I recently graduated college, where I used to only eat frozen pizzas, chicken nuggets, take out and the like. However now that I’m onto the next chapter of my life, I’ve tried my hardest to make a strong commitment to my health, both mental and physical. If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be? The Eighth Circle of Hell: How to Survive in a House with Four Sisters. I’m just kidding. I love my sisters and the chaos that comes with a packed house. But sometimes, it does feel like the eighth circle of hell! What don’t we know about you? In addition to loving sports and music, I’m a gigantic nerd. I love comic books, video games, T.V. shows and movies. These mediums are really what inspired me to become a writer. I’ve read and watched so many amazing stories, that I hope to one day contribute one of my own! Is there a literary character (in the whole universe of fiction) that you’ve read who you really identified with? I’d have to say Tyrion Lannister from A Song of Ice and Fire by George R.R. Martin. I’m nowhere as smart or tactical as he is, but I closely relate to him being an outcast. I’ve always been blessed with family and friends, however I grew up in an area where being gay isn’t widely accepted. His words and wisdom really meant a lot to me, especially when I was coming out to those close to me. Did something specific in your life/history inspire you to write The Hidden Ones: The Spotlight? I’d say my experience in High School was what really sparked the idea for this story. I can’t say I was bullied much, but I was also never that popular. Instead I was an anonymous kid who kept to his friends and simply observed everything that was happening around him. Yet what I observed always ate away at me. For no specific reason, certain kids got made fun of for the same qualities the ‘popular’ kids had. In addition, at every High School I knew, there was always one kid at the top, usually the captain of a sports team or school president. This kid always tried his/her hardest to seem perfect at every turn. Worst of all, they always offered help without ever actually intending to follow through with it. They rarely got their hands dirty in terms of bullying, but turned a blind eye to it. They pretended to be friends with everyone, but in reality they were in it for their own selfish gains. I guess what I’m trying to say is that the popular kid isn’t all that different from the kid with a target on his back. This hypocrisy was what really inspired The Hidden Ones: The Spotlight. I wanted to show what would happen if that popular kid ever learned just how much they had in common with the bullied kid. Is there anything you found particularly challenging while writing this series? If you could give advice to yourself when you had first started writing the story, what would it be? Stop overthinking it, and just keep writing. There were a lot of moments when I was writing that I just wanted to give up. I often doubted the story, and where it would go. I felt silly trying to create my own rock star, and citing music I’m not sure many people had heard. But now looking back, those doubts were silly. I was so worried about how it would be received, that I almost lost the story I wanted to tell. It may not be perfect, but I’m proud of it. I got to write about a genre I love, and about an issue that always seemed to bother me. I credit @JayT, who edited the story, with helping me through my doubts and even brain storming along with me during certain parts. By the end I was able to get to a place where I was really having fun with this story. What do you think makes The Spotlight stand out compared to other “similar” stories? I think what separates it from other stories is how dark and gritty it can get. This is not a light hearted, feel good story. It explores the boxes we force ourselves into, and how much damage that can do to a person. Even when things get better, the damage is already done. I understand that many people read stories to escape certain realities. After all, I read certain stories for the same reasons. However, we don’t always get the happy endings we dreamed of. Life has a way of warping our endings, and giving us what it feels we need. I always try to keep this in mind while writing, and to me that whole concept sets this story apart. I wouldn’t say this is a dark story, there are a lot of light and happy moments within it, but I tried my hardest to keep it as realistic as possible. What do you like best about the story? This is a very tough question for me, as this story is perhaps the most fun I’ve had writing so far. I got to combine my passion for writing with my passion for music. Often before writing a chapter I would sit down and watch music video after music video to help me get into the right mindset. It was like I got to take messages from the bands I loved and let it flow through me into my own story. However, after looking at the whole of the story, the thing I like best... Can you share something about your current work or an upcoming story? So I have a current story I’m writing along with the editing help of OzLoGo called The Golden City, and two upcoming stories Tales of the Underground Book four: Vision and an unnamed The Hidden Ones third book (although this book is more for fun!). The Golden City is very unlike anything I’ve written before. I’m not too sure where it came from. It’s just been this really fun and vibrant story. It’s the journey of Arthur Price following the loss of his single mother and his move to San Francisco. It follows him exploring his new city as he begins to discover his true self. It feels like a lot more of an adventure than anything I’ve written before. The fourth and final Tales of the Underground story, Vision, will be released after The Golden City is finished. It’ll take place a good twenty to thirty years after the first three books and will focus on Matthew Sanders-Taylor’s journey to find who he really is. This journey will require the help of many characters from this series and in many ways will mirror the first book, Velocity, that sparked my love for writing. Finally, the third The Hidden Ones which is still unnamed will follow the rising of a new rock star. It was a story I was uncertain about at first, but after receiving requests from some of my readers, is something I will happily begin. It will be a running story I update throughout the year. It’ll help people stay updated on their favorite characters, while also allowing me to continue writing characters I miss!

August is winding down! How about some end of summer fun with these prompts? If you're stuck, or you're considering writing for the first time, these might be perfect for you. Don't forget that stories under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Prompt 694 – Creative Tag – First Line I’m tired of this, so I’m going home! Prompt 695 – Creative Tag – The role You’ve been asked to guest star on your favorite show. What is your role like and on what show ? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

@drpaladin @Butcher56 Thank you both! You have some great thoughts and insights into this chapter, so I think you see it almost as vividly as I do. Honestly, this scene has been locked in my head for as long as I know who the 'bad guys' were and that one of them was actually related to Captain Querry. Brox is a whole company and just too amorphous as the big, bad evil to be the bad guy, and Lakshou was my red herring bad guy that no one expected, lol. These guys, Frujil and Elliard, were the true evil I had planted in my head and Elliard is the one I really hated on. This confrontation has been where things have been going for so long. @satyr1448 He didn't palm a knife from the bad guys, he palmed one of the knives he'd gotten from Deke that would fool the scanners. One of the things I was hoping people would note in this futuristic universe was the wide diversity of the natural aspects, not just the technology. It's something I think gets overlooked all too often in the quest to come up with the best techy weapons--but we (people, animals, anything biological really) are extremely vulnerable to anything that isn't native to our own systems. And when you mix planets with all sorts of diverse ecologies and species, there's all sorts of things to play with, like the incense Lakshou used, the pheromones from the alien who died and the wasps, the things that have been used on Kohen, etc... And now this knife with the unknown chemical lodged in Elliard's wrist. Which I won't tell you what it is yet. That's for next week.

Hello, @hypokris Those requests for story help typically go into the "Stories Discussion Forum" as that's where most authors/readers go to discuss regular author stories on GA, stories from off GA, or just stories in general. That's where the most members will see it that might actually know what you're looking for. Just remember to give as many details as you can remember from the plot and characters, and if you can remember about when you were reading them and if they were finished/unfinished that's always helpful. You never know what might jog the memory of another reader.

The second guard had time to turn toward me before I had my hands locked under his first set of arms. I yanked him forward, dislocating both joints. He howled, his voice high-pitched and penetrating my skull like a dagger. I flinched backward, flinging him up and over my head even though he was twice my size. Spinning, I locked my knee against his short, squat neck, searching for the weak spot. There was always one. His lower arms batted at my free leg as he continued to howl through the

Did you catch Monday's blog post feature of this month's Classic Author story, My Jump Off by Nickolas James? There's something to be said for reading about flawed characters who have a real life and problems they might not handle like you would want a character to do... since real people and real life so seldom follows a script. And that's just what this story has going for it. I picked this month's featured excerpt for that reason as well. You can really see the 'teenage drama' and the self-involved focus Jarred has even as you want to reach into the computer and smack him upside the head for being an idiot. Or maybe that's just the mom in me, lol. To read more, click here.

This month we're keeping the theme going with another teen story by one of our site authors. This time it's My Jump Off by Nickolas James, one of the site Classic Authors. All too often authors write their teenage characters as if they are minor adults--a little more impulsive and stuck in high school still--but with all the wisdom and maturity to make the "right decisions". Well... what happens when right doesn't feel right and wrong feels so much better? I think Nickolas James's story features that aspect teens struggle with all too often in a very real way. Check it out! Length: 32,999 Description: Jarred Fedina's a high school sophomore who's got a problem....his boyfriend. Jarred's been thinking about leaving him for another guy for a while. Then, one day during a chance encounter, Jarred has an epiphany. A Reader said: I was there engulfed and sharing in all the emotions and love, confusion, and frustrations.indeed A VERY WILD RIDE for me...it brought Reality in its finest moments to me...(meaning I have some unfinished business. To handle there...... My heart goes out to you and your abilities and skills THANK YOU SINCERELY. .HUGGS ~ Dmrman (Ch. 20 of Staking My Claim, series book 2) If you want to spread the word about Nickolas James'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!

Thank you, everyone! 💖 It was the usual sort of day for me, so that means busy LOL I did chores, errands, walked my 3.5 miles, then for a first in a LONG time, I had to work--not usual with a summer birthday and a school job. But I like math so an all day math curriculum workshop wasn't bad, and the family took me out to dinner. I got a few nice things and ran to the mall with my daughter to redeem a birthday $10 certificate at The Body Shop for girly stuff (banana hair mask) and finally got home to relax at 9:30 PM.

Happy Friday, prompt authors! How do a few creative prompts sound for this week's challenge? There's something very, very wrong with both of these scenarios, and you have to figure out what that is... have fun! Prompt 692 – Creative Tag – The trunk Aggravated, you march out to the garage looking for boxes to pack your belongings in. You spot the trunk in the corner, grab the handle and go to drag it out, only to nearly dislocate your shoulder. Stopping, you open the trunk only to stand there screaming into the night. What was in the trunk? Prompt 693 – Creative Tag – Twin This morning you got up and knew something is was wrong. A minute later, your mother calls demanding to know if your twin is okay. You have no idea, because as far as you know, because you’re an only child. What’s going on? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

I wiggled my tongue against the capsule cautiously. I couldn’t break it, but I wanted to. My heart was racing, and tears were leaking from my eyes. Captain was cursing and pissed, Deke wasn’t any better, and their struggle and failure to suppress their rage helped our disguise. Only the promise I’d forced them to make kept us going after I’d become paralyzed and the first salty drop streamed down my cheek to drip off my chin. I’d feared it would happen, because losing control was a trigge

One thing many readers have in common here on GA is that, at one time or another, we've had to grapple with the fact that we're not quite what everyone expects us to be when we're growing up. We're different. But others can't tell. And sometimes, when you're reading, that's a good thing! There are a lot of teen coming-of-age stories on GA, but BlindAmbition really connected with this one for his review. Read on to find out why! Losing Kevin Ronyx Reviewer: BlindAmbition Status: Complete Word Count: 57,913 Choosing a story to read can be difficult, whether you’re craving a certain genre, or a specific mood. Deciding which story to review can be just as difficult. GA has a vast library of stories and authors. I gravitate more to stories that evoke reaction, or real emotion. Losing Kevin by Ronyx is one of those stories. This story has your typical teenage angst, but there's so much more complexity within these characters and their relationships. It’s a binge worthy pleasure from one of GA’s Classic Authors. Losing Kevin centers on Kevin Williams. A boy who is coming to terms with his sexuality, and what exactly that means for him going forward. A difficult moment for any teenager. Add in his identical twin Devin, and well, it’s a recipe for disaster. The brothers have become increasingly distant as they grow older. Kevin is a master at blending in and keeping secrets, while Devin is Mr. Popularity juggling a social climbing girlfriend. The only thing these two have in common is pleasing a demanding father. Each has their own way of dealing with him. This has created a certain level of sibling rivalry. Kevin has kept a low profile. That was until new student Cameron Lynch enters the picture. There’s instant chemistry. Something which hasn’t gone unnoticed. Brewing storms from multiple fronts are ahead for Kevin and Cameron. The realization of secrets and truths will pit brother against brother, friend against friend, parent against parent, parent against child in this complex tale. Ronyx masterfully dissects these relationships layer by layer, giving the reader multiple views of situations. He does this with extreme neutrality, leaving the reader the opportunity to form their own opinion. I’m usually not a fan of too many teenage coming of age tales. Ronyx is an exception. He tackles tough and taboo subjects. Sometimes the issues are hard to read about, but they are handled with an honest and delicate curiosity. The teen characters are well formed individuals. You know they are teens, but there is a level of maturity there. Losing Kevin is a good introduction to Ronyx’s stories if you’ve never delved into his library of work. Happy Reading! Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Romance Tags: teen, gay, coming of age, university Rating: Mature

Friday is here! Busy week for me yet again, with the CSR on Monday and the post about crafting characters on Wednesday. But maybe you can use some of that info to help you when writing for one of these great prompts supplied by our guru, Comicfan! Prompt 690 – Creative Tag – The horoscope Imagine reading a horoscope and having it come true, but only in accidental ways. What happens? Prompt 691 – Creative Tag – Fairy Tale Gone Wrong You’ve been trying to make your father happy, but your first three quests have gone wrong. The frog you kissed turned into a three hundred pound woman who ran immediately back to her husband. The cat you saved and gave boots to, well she turned out to literally have been a witch’s lover. You won’t even tell your father about fighting to a ruined castle to save some sort of sleeping beauty only to arrive moments after some other guy got there. Now he is sending you on a quest he found. What happens? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

There was a lot of talk that sounded like words I should know but somehow, I knew that what the people around me really meant wasn’t what they were saying at all. All I could do was wait beside Captain and absorb everything I could. I’d learn. They’d given me that, along with the strength and speed I’d need to take down everyone who Captain said stood in our way to a life together in freedom. I’d barely adjusted to life on the ship, but I already couldn’t bear the thought of losing what f

This week we have something a little different for today's blog post though we're keeping it all about improving and encouraging authors. Remember we have various opportunities for authors to be featured such as: Story Critique: Open to all GA authors. Sign up here. Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) Story Recommendations: Open to all GA authors & readers. PM your recommendation and why you recommend it to a Site Admin. But since last Wednesday was the Ask An Author post, and we don't have a story review to post, and no one has signed up to do an Improve & Encourage Story Critique, then... what could we do? I wanted to continue to feature content for authors, and I'm all about improving writing skills. My focus is often on grammar and the stickier rules relating to line editing, but today we're going to focus on an older blog post that Lugh added way back when we first started sharing site blogs to help encourage authors to improve their craft, and I also have a few Word files for authors to to use while crafting characters to download if they want so make sure you scroll to the end of the blog post! There are two minds as to if a story should be plot or character driven. But, no matter which way you pick, you need to ensure that your story is crafted to its fullest potential on both elements. This week we're going to focus on characters. First up, we're going to take a look at a blog post Lugh shared in 2012 about physical descriptions for characters: CassieQ shared some thoughts about character motivation and stereotypes: How about creating a villain? Renee shared her thoughts on the bad guys here. There are a ton of great articles like these, all about writing and editing, in the writing tips blog especially toward the back of the blog and last pages. These are just a few to whet your appetite! And, now that I hopefully have you hooked, I'm going to share a few Word files below. The first is a Blank Character Bio Sheet. You can use this to fill in your character's physical characteristics, age, birthplace, background, religion, family, habits, likes/dislikes, skills, home-life, job, fighting ability, backstory, etc... it's as comprehensive as I could make it and open enough to cover just about any genre. And, to help you fill it out, there's a character interview question file to make you think about what your character might answer if asked more abstract thoughts to help flesh out their personality and beliefs. Blank Character Bio Sheet.docx Character Interview Questions.doc

Oh, how the world turns... for so many in the upper hemisphere, summer is coming to a close and that means school is beginning again. And with school, we think of teenagers and all that comes with them--the angst and pain of growing up and fitting in or maybe not fitting in. One of our recent promotions to the ranks of Promising Authors, Aceinthehole is one of the site authors who has written a popular story featuring a story that is "a slice of reality of broken people. The ups and downs of growing up" (review by mogwhy). Intrigued by that review and the others on the story, I'm going to take a leap and feature a story that so many readers seem to have been drawn to already even though it's a lot longer than a normal feature. So take advantage of these few last lazy days, if you have them, and enjoy August's CSR feature before the Discussion day on Monday, August 27th. The Hidden Ones: The Spotlight by Aceinthehole Length: 188,633 Description: Imagine your perfect life. What’s it like? Are you rich? Are you popular? Do you have a million cars? Well 17 year old Teddy Haner doesn't have to imagine. Being student body president, and captain of his lacrosse team…he has everything! However when a new mysterious friend flips his world upside down, and starts to ascend to stardom, he finds that there’s a lot more to life than popularity. A Reader Said: Great story about the rejected kid and the most popular one in school and what they want in life. but keep a box of kleenex nearby for some of the chapters. ~tabaqui Remember to come back and share your thoughts on the Discussion day on Monday, August 27th.

This varies, and I know we've posted the information in other Help questions before but it'd probably take me longer to find it than to just write it out. We have some authors who ask to move their content to Premium in lieu of removing it since deleting content from GA is one of the ways an author can ensure they won't be able to be promoted; we do want to provide a way for authors to learn and grow, but we don't want to be a place for authors to polish their work with site reader feedback and then remove it for publishing constantly. So that's one way we have stories moved to Premium. Other times we put out calls for short stories or novellas for specific events. This is usually for fun and we offer up a small payment in return such as a Premium subscription or a payment or do it as a donation basis. These terms are usually spelled in the open calls so everyone knows what is being asked for and offered, then the stories are run at a set time. The third way is the most common and that is for authors to approach us, or vice versa, and provide a manuscript they have ready or idea for one, and we do a review to see if it's something that historically is read well by our Premium subscribers. We prefer longer novel-length stories that are already edited, though we will work with authors on that, and then we will do a variety of remittance options depending on the situation the author prefers. Anywhere from a single payment to exclusively post the story and maintain a copy in our Premium subscriber archive before the author self-publishes, to a reduced payment and providing an ISBN and advertising when the author self-publishes in exchange for the exclusive posting/maintain a copy, to no upfront payment but we will provide all editing, formatting, and self-publishing assistance for the author who wishes to follow that avenue from platform and pre-marketing advice like some branding and graphic assistance and cover art, ARC and eBook formatting, creating a book tour and book review site tour advice, etc... in exchange for exclusive posting and rights to maintain a copy. Payment amounts vary and are discussed privately with each author. These stories are usually run back-to-back whenever one story/novel is complete then the next begins. That means authors can submit a query to write a story well before one is needed and have time to write or edit it. What you probably remember was the discussion and information Myr posted in your Bait & Switch topic, btw.

Happy Friday, blog followers! Time for some flash fiction and for some weekend fun. Hopefully fun, at least. If you have to work the weekend, maybe you can write a short story for a character to have the fun you can't inspired by one of the following prompts provided by our prompt guru, Comicfan. Who doesn't enjoy a good death threat? Prompt 688 – Creative Tag – List of Words Use the following in a story – a nest, a spider, a snake, a bottle of wine, and a motorbike. Prompt 689 – Creative Tag – First Line If you die on me, I’ll never forgive you. Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

You mean like restaurants or cafes or clubs or stores that fly giant rainbow flags on top so you know it's an establishment that's basically owned by/for purchasing things gay-friendly/specifically welcoming people who are gay or gay-friendly and not somewhere you're going to experience homophobia unless some random asshat comes in and acts like a jerk because it's flying a giant gay flag and is a place that caters to those who are gay or gay friendly...? Yeah, those are fairly common here in the Pacific NW in the larger cities. Or, like the large community area(s) where the community tends to be very gay-centric Matt mentioned in his Do You Identify As Gay? topic.

I watched everything. I wanted to ask questions, but once Captain issued his orders, the crew moved very quickly. We approached the central planet, and I couldn’t help but wonder at what was coming. Would we succeed? Deke and Captain were exchanging furious looks, but Captain kept avoiding my gaze while Deke would look at me. Captain finally stood and went over to where Deke was sending orders to the security crew through one of the consoles. They spoke low enough I couldn’t hear what they w