Cia

Well this was a nice long month between Mondays, so I picked a short story and the novella continuation of the tale written by BHopper2 in A New Life and a New Home and My Son. Did you have a chance to read them before or this month for the feature? Make sure you share you thoughts below! You might also consider writing a review for the story or copying your comments there; authors always appreciate those! But first, as always, I have an interview with BHopper2. Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point? The short answer is no, and yes. Back when I was still in college, I took a course in Human Reproduction and Development. One of the assignments we had involved reading over a report from the CDC about the dangers of making your bed in the morning. Basically, it is better to not make your bed so that it can air out during the day, and get rid of the sweat and germs you slept off overnight. Of course, I do make it if someone is coming over that might see my room, but overall, nope, I don’t make the bed. If you were an animal, what would you be? I’ve been called a cuddly bear many times by my Ex’s, so I would be a bear. LOL. In the nomenclature of the Gay Culture, I would be classified as a bear. However, I’ve been partial to cats most of my life, and I’ve always liked Snow Leopards, Florida Panthers, and good old alley-cats. So, I think I would be a cat of some sort while hoping it was a Snow Leopard. Which is odd, because my native Floridian self can’t stand the cold. Or a bear… LOL If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do? I have too much free time as it is. I’m disabled, and not currently working. But if I had 30 mins to spend on anything thing I want, I would look for a nice quiet place to perform meditation. I’ve started to get back into the practice of doing meditation daily, and I feel that it helps. Just need to find the quiet, which is hard when all the family is running through the house. Especially now during summer. What brought you to GA? I first came to GA in early 2016. I was over on Nifty, reading some stories, and it was Comicality’s story called Shelter that I wanted to see if there were any more chapters. I did a Google search, and that led me to GA. I started reading the stories here and eventually created an account to interact and post my own stories. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Depends on the day, and if my disabilities are getting in the way. But, if it’s a good day… watching sunsets over the Gulf of Mexico, sipping coffee with some friends while talking about various topics, hockey, taking a stroll on Bayshore Blvd and the longest sidewalk in the world, hockey, watching the military men that use Bayshore as an exercise trail, hockey, watching some good shows, reading, and of course my Tampa Bay Lightning hockey. What’s the best part of being an author? Creation. Being an author it lets one create a world, fill it with dynamic characters, and tell a story (or stories) set in that world. Yes, some may use the real world, and take elements from real people to make a character, but the bottom line is storytelling is creation. We are making something from nothing. I recently relearned that according to one study it is estimated 75-80% of Gay Men have some form of Mental Illness, with the primaries being Anxiety, Bipolar, and Depression. I have all three. The feeling you get from creating a world, even if you don’t share it, can help with these issues. Most gay men will never experience the birth of a child that they help create. Not to take anything away from that experience, but writing can help fill the gap with the creation of stories and characters. My stories are my children, my legacy if you will. A prompt inspired A New Life and a New Home. What led you to expand the storyline in My Son? When I wrote A New Life and a New Home, I had just finished talking to the real-life person that inspired the character Chandon. I was looking for an idea to write about and saw the first line prompt. It reminded me of how the real-life version of Jill met her son’s boyfriend, and the rest they say is history. I changed the names of my friend, his boyfriend, and mother, and wrote the story. (They liked it btw.) It was the first story I worked with @Kitt on with her as my Editor. Posted it, and got some good feedback. When I started My Son, I was actually struggling with a different story. I was posting in tim’s Chat Thread @Mikiesboy Drop-In Center about struggling, and tim’s husband Mike (@MichaelS36) suggested I try something different from what I usually do. I had notes and an outline from a story I was planning on doing, that I felt could be used. I sat down at the kitchen table and was looking at House Design plans for a cousin that was building a house. While I was there, that’s when I spotted the house that I would use in My Son. It was gorgeous, and it sparked the first paragraph of the story. I excused myself from the family, set up my laptop, and immediately started the first chapter. Later, I took the notes and New Life and combined them as I kept thinking about Chandon and Brayon, while I was writing about Adam, Duncan, and Rob. I had originally only planned for one chapter for My Son, but the readers wanted more. I had the notes ready to go and finished out the story of Adam and Robert coming together. I now have Tampa Chronicles 3, which is about Duncan’s Nephew Jeremy Isen, and getting ready to start writing Tampa Chronicles 4, which will have all the character together. I must give credit to two people though. Without @Mikiesboy’s and @Kitt’s editing help, neither story would be as good as they are. If your story were made into a movie, could you picture anyone playing the main characters parts? I can see Christian Bale playing the part of Adam Smith, and Duncan Isen would be played by Chris Pratt. As for the kids, Tom Holland would make a good Robert Turner. Brayon Hopper could be played by KJ Apa (Archie for Riverdale). For Chandon Bolton, I can see Cole Sprouse playing him. What was your favorite part of the stories? Showcasing my hometown in My Son. Tampa is just as much of a character as the rest of the ensemble. Also, the sense of love and family, I’ve tried to convey. Can you share a little idea of your currently working on/future projects with us? I’m currently working on three projects. Getting Tampa Chronicles 4 plotted and planned. I do High Overviews in long arc stories, and I have a list of places I want the boys to go see. I have to give credit to @BabyXander1990, a fellow Tampa resident, for giving me some places for them to visit, that I hadn’t thought of. It will start off with a train trip that has Adam and Duncan taking Robert, Giles, Brayon, Chandon, and Jeremy to Boston for a bit, and then other places around the country before coming back to Tampa. Freedom Station is a new SciFi story that I’m working on. It tells the story of Twin Brothers who were separated and adopted by different families at birth. Their biological mother was part of a government gene-therapy program, and her pregnancy wasn’t discovered when they started. So the twins are more than they seem. They are a successful splicing of Human and Alien DNA. While the story is character focused on the Twin’s reuniting and developing a relationship, in the background Earth is in danger from an alien armada which will reach the Sol System in 36 months. Earth and her alien allies are trying to mount a defense, and Freedom Station a space station in lunar orbit, will be the shield. The last project is called Timeless, and it’s about Garrett. He’s a former US Army Ranger who was a career military officer until a roadside IED caused him to lose both legs at the knee. He’s an avid gamer and went to college to be a computer programmer. Garrett wakes up inside the game Timeless a VRMMORPG. He doesn’t know how he got there, and the story is about him escaping. Think TRON or TRON Legacy, but inside an MMO game, with other players playing normally. This is my first attempt at a LitRPG story, where it’s a story within a story, and when writing the game-world portions, there will be a discussion on game mechanics, the damage being dealt, etc. It’s a fairly new genre of stories that a major motion picture was made of one of the books called Ready Player One. Of course, there is a lot of shorts, practice pieces, and others I’ve done that don’t get published. I would say, about 90% of what I write, doesn’t see the light of day.

If you guys find any bugs as you use the system to read, post stories or chapters, edit, etc... please remember to post them in the bug topic with all the requested relevant information:

This picture goes with prompt #686. With your wish, perhaps you got a magical potion. Which bottle did it come in? What does the amulet have to do with your wish? Is it a liquid, a gas or smoke, a powder? Do you need to drink, inhale, ingest it or does someone else? What does it have to do with your wish? Enjoy!!

Hi prompt blog followers! I was a little late this week, just by a few hours, but I actually dozed off last night looking for a picture and didn't get the blog quite up in time. Sorry! But you still have plenty of time today and the rest of this week to post your flash fiction inspired by the following prompts, and I did find a picture that was perfect this morning. Prompt 686 – Creative Tag – Wish The sign read, Wishes Fulfilled – All magic comes at a price. Your friend came wishing to find her perfect wedding dress. You though spending money on a wish dress was stupid. When the strange owner of the shop asked what it was you wished for, you laughed. “Anything can be had for a price!” You still don’t know why, but you took three hundred bucks out of your wallet, handed it to him, and told him the one thing you always wished for. The little man smiled and clapped his hands. Today, you have your wish. What was it? Prompt 687 – Challenge Tag – No more I Love You Write a love story, but you are forbidden from using the words “I love you.” Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below.

There was a void between the group even I could feel. Original crew and new. One eyed the other, not quite trusting, but needing each other to run the larger ship and get to port safely. Or as safe as we were all going to be. Because Captain was right. Their ship couldn’t help but tell Freska everything. If I wasn’t sure there wasn’t an AI yet developed, despite all attempts over the years to create the independently-learning computer brains in robot bodies, I’d think it was the first of

Well, happy Monday! Are those groans I hear? Well, hopefully you will either survive, if you're checking this blog before work or you obviously managed to make it through the day if you're home and hopefully relaxing. And what better way than to first read this review by LitLover of this eko tale written by our very own Promising author, Craftingmom? Blood of the Neko craftingmom Reviewer: LitLover Status: Complete Word Count: 61,158 Blood of the Neko is the sequel to the very popular Tears of the Neko by Craftingmom. This is a story about love, loyalty, and most of all, trust and how easily trust can be damaged. I’ve had a hard time reading stories about abused characters, but there was something about Kaden that drew me in and had me impatient for this sequel. Kaden is a young Neko hybrid; people who in this world appear part feline, with ears and a tail, and the agility of a cat. In Tears of the Neko Kaden was a slave, purchased as a gift for a nobleman. His sweet and loyal demeanor quickly endeared him to the household and to his new master, who eventually becomes his lover. In Blood the new lovers are learning how to live together as a couple and Kaden is adjusting to his freedom and life as the consort of a powerful lord. Kaden, fiercely protective of those he loves, decides he want to learn how to properly fight so he can protect Damien if he’s ever attacked again. Knowing his duke would disapprove putting himself in harms way, he decides to keep his lessons a secret. Damien, still smarting from his brother’s deception, immediately thinks the worst when he realizes his young lover is keeping secrets. The seeds of doubt fester as the days go by, resulting in angry accusations, a devastated hybrid and a kidnapping. The whole thing leads to an exciting ending that I won’t spoil for you. You’ll have to read the story yourself to see how everything plays out. Blood of the Neko is a story that pulled me in and had me wanting to wrap Kaden in a protective hug, while smacking Damien on more than one occasion. Warning; there is reference to abuse of a child in this story and it does involve physical abuse in the present day. It won’t be a story for everyone, but I think if you give this series, and this tale in particular, a chance you won’t be disappointed. Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Fantasy, Romance Tags: young adult, alternate earth, serious, renaissance, love, abuse Rating: Mature

No. The system does not currently have a way to bookmark things specifically that way. Of course, you can Favorite specific stories on the site (see FAQ topic here) and then like or comment on each chapter after you read it (which authors appreciate anyway, see FAQ topic here) and then restart reading at the chapter you haven't liked or commented on yet. You can view your activity on your profile to see where you have done this or use the Activity Stream options to easily track where you have done this. Or, if you do not have to worry about anyone monitoring your website activity, you can use the Favorites/Bookmark feature built in any web browser (Edge, Firefox, Chrome) and simply set a favorite (star on the url bar usually) on the chapter you either stopped reading on (if that's the last chapter on an unfinished story that's being currently being posted by the author) or set the favorite on the next chapter you wish to begin reading, if the story is complete and you have to stop reading for some other reason. To learn other helpful site information, you can review our extensive FAQ topics targeted to the specific areas of the site through the "Help" tab in the red menu bar.

Oddly enough, responding to a bit of @Graeme and @Daddydavek posts, most of my interaction with what could be considered a primarily 'gay' community would be online when it comes to GA and writing but that also led to a greater outing to the wider world since more and more people Google casually and not just people they are dating. GA is less obvious, since I go by Cia here, but I very deliberately published under my real name since I am just not good at hiding things and have the supreme luck/joy of not having to. A single Google search of my name brings up YouTube reviews of my books, Goodreads reviews, sale sites, my blog, etc... While I don't go shouting it from the rooftops when I meet people, my online life/publishing is actually something that made more casual acquaintances question me about the how and why of getting into writing gay fiction and has led to some very interesting conversations.

@TetRefine I agree. It's not perfect, but each generation gets better, I think. I called out and sent a few JR High students (usually boys) to the office for using homophobic slurs, but that was far less than instances of acceptance I saw. Our district's code is: Be safe, be respectful, be responsible, and, above all, be kind.

@Valkyrie LOL, it could be worse. Myr was at one point working, getting his 2nd Masters, and keeping up with GA. I have no idea how. He still works more hours than I do and has to deal with all the techie and *gulps* legal stuff. I'll take blogs, authors, and writing ANY day! LOL But it's just a labor of love, I think, for all the staff and members who come to GA day in and day out (and you see that with these weekly wrap ups and the recent update list constantly changing, go ALL the authors and readers keeping us motivated!!) because without each other and all the work we put in together, GA just wouldn't happen.

LOL! Well, this is the only week I do the two blogs on a regular basis, plus I only do the first and last Mondays of the month. So I'm used to doing the 3 graphics/picking out reviews and excerpts and picking out stories and writing up interviews for authors month-to-month. Usually @Renee Stevens would do the prompts which are provided by @comicfan. And she left them already all set up in a post we just have to do the intro, copy, and post the blog ahead of time and feature it (which I can forget to do, whoops!). And, you put the writing prompts into topics in the forum, @northie. And reviews come from reviewers to the team lead for formatting to a topic where I can copy to post with a short intro for the story reviews. The AAA posts are written up and formatted by @Carlos Hazday and I just have to do some moving... There's a lot of collaboration going on behind the scenes because it really does take an army to keep the content coming on a weekly basis for you guys, year after year. It's one of the reasons doing consistent blogs and newsletters have fizzled in the past. So really, Steve has more to do with his blog than I do for the most part. He has to make sure he gets all the blogs that post or don't post, special announcements/site features, try to make sure none of the authors get missed in the story query, etc... Besides, I also do the mod queue for new authors every day, the weekly newsletter, the occasional support request geared toward my area of expertise of the site, and any PMs that come in from authors/members day-to-day, my writing challenge/lesson in the Writer's Circle Club each weekend, plus I write/edit for my Premium story that posts each Sunday, and I also have to write my chapter new each week for my flash fiction group that posts on Wednesdays. And there's behind the scenes graphic work, long-term project stuff, etc... All told, I probably spend 1 to 8 hours on GA work per day depending on the day of the week and time of the year. No idea what I'd do with a week off, LOL!

I'm a bisexual woman attracted to men and women equally, though my "type" is very different depending on gender. I'm not very feminine, though I've never questioned my gender. I've never sought out relationships with people (outside of my long-term monogamous romantic relationship, which has been with the same man for 21 years) based on their sexuality, gender expression, etc... nor do I seek out social outlets based on that aspect either. I'm far more interested in connecting with people on a deeper level than that because, for me, it's such a small part of who I am. Maybe it's because I've been settled with one person for so long. But I also think it's partially because I live in the Pacific Northwest, which is largely accepting to people being who they are openly anywhere/everywhere and really just being accepting and not making a big deal out of it. I see a lot of kids in the schools who are clearly bi/gay/questioning/exploring and who really do band together, but then I see them branch out and be individuals who don't need to be part of the 'group of like-minded souls' to be who they are and mingle with others their own age who don't identify the same as they do. And it's really okay either way.

Good thing there are a lot of chapters still for you to read, lol!

Well, hello again, lovelies! Did you all have a good week with all my blog features? It's me again, yes again! How about some writing prompts this time, once again thought up by the amazing guru, Comicfan? Though, I did add a photo in the comments last week that went well with one of the prompts. Was that helpful to wiggle a few ideas loose? Should we add in the occasional picture inspiration to the mix or just throw some in the comments as the fancy strikes? Share your thoughts! Prompt 684 – Creative Tag – Soldier You’ve run into him three different times this week, and his stiff outfit and manors mark him as newly minted from the service. Considering the Army base is at the edge of town, seeing a soldier isn’t so surprising. However, when you nearly walk into him on the sidewalk in front of your home you decide to talk to him. Who is the soldier? Prompt 685 – Creative Tag – First line What do you mean, you’re dating Death? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below!

“That was… Kohen, I….” Captain stumbled over his words as he stared at me. “Felt good.” I nuzzled his thigh, then sighed. “But you have to go. And you want me to stay here, with the guards, where it’s safe.” I hated that. I wanted to be with him, now that I wasn’t afraid that my mind was going to be taken from me. He cupped my head, running his hand over my skull and then running his thumb along my cheekbone. “Yes. I don’t know exactly what these people were planning, even if Laksh

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring Altimexis's coming of age contemporary novella, Fish Out of Water? If you're a fan of the story, don't forget to download the signature graphic to share it through the month. If you haven't read the story yet, maybe this excerpt will help change your mind! I picked this excerpt both to share with readers and to help design the ad because who doesn't think of fireworks and love together? Okay, so maybe it's cliché or corny, but really, if you've been in a relationship in the summer (and in the US, for the most part, for our Independence day like the setting of this story) then you've experienced the hot summer night under the sparkling lights that are the explosions of color rocking the horizon. Or maybe wrote someone's name with a sparkler? Maybe cuddled up on a blanket if the heat of the day suddenly cooled and gave you a good excuse to canoodle? Well... there might be some of that (and more) going on in this chapter... but you'll have to check out the excerpt to find out! To read more, click here.

There's something about summer that brings back a tinge of nostalgia. The heat, the hormones, the first flush of love... and that's what Altimexis's story, Fish Out of Water, has in spades! Check out this story from the 2009 novella contest featuring two American teenagers experiencing all life has to offer for those just starting to look forward to adulthood! Length: 62,573 Description: Danny and David are two typical American teenagers who share a passion for skateboards, alternative music, philosophy . . . and each other. (2009 Gay Authors Novella Writing Contest) The author gratefully acknowledges the assistance of David of Hope in editing and Alastair in proofreading this story, as well as the support of Gay Authors, Awesome Dude and Nifty. I would also like to thank Rigel for correcting errors with respect to Orthodox Jewish practices. A Reader Said: Absolutly beautiful and warming story. Love does seem to triumph in many cases. I do not believe in ANY organized religion, however, Dannys take on helping humanity is an excelent substitute for the negativity portrayed by many faithful people and Davids father has truely seen the light in his sons eyes for the betterment of us all...… ~ wenmale64 If you want to spread the word about Altimexis'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!

What a week! First it was Baby J's birth day, and now it's your birthday. I hope you have a great day!!

Maybe this tree will strike your fancy to go with prompt #682. Is it sunset or sunrise? Who knows?

And just like that, almost half of July is gone! How does this keep happening? I swear, there's a time warp that makes time ahead of us seem to stretch out forever, but as soon as it's passed, I have no idea what I did with it. How about you guys? Maybe that should be a prompt? LOL Prompt 682 – Creative Tag – The Tree Create a story that begins and ends under a tree in the park. Prompt 683 – Creative Tag – The List Use the following words in a story – a grave, a test tube, a bowl of rice, a cell phone, and a pink fingernail. Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below!

Yes, that's right, now is when Renee's real job begins, because Baby J is finally here and ready to cause some trouble!! He was born tonight at 8:17 PM at 6 lb. 3.9 oz and 20 inches! I'll let her share all the rest of the goodies when she has time and energy, but they're both recovering from a long day. (Spoiler alert: Baby J looks like he has perfectly squishy cheekies for baby smooches!) Happy Birthday, Baby J!!

“What are you doing?” Captain finally looked down and seemed to realize that I was opening his uniform. I tugged on the open edges of his jacket. “Come on.” I pulled him into the other room. The bunk was made—I had no idea when he found time to do that—but I was about to destroy the tightly tucked blankets. Gently, I pushed him down. “Give us a minute,” I said to the crew member who looked up when the door started to whoosh shut. His eyebrows rose, but before he could say anything

This week we're featuring a story by one of GA's Classic authors, one that isn't quite finished based on the story status (always important to check if you have a preference). Good thing we have a lot of ways to filter stories. Even better than just doing a search for stories, are these great reviews by our very own review team. And today's review of Duncan Ryder's story is by Parker Owens. Let's see what he thought of How The Light Gets In. How The Light Gets In Duncan Ryder Reviewer: Parker Owens Status: In process (= unfinished) Word Count: 91,687 The lives of two young men who have known too much darkness in their lives intersect. They and their friends search for relief, and for healing. This is a sequel to the excellent story Everybody’s Wounded, but it can stand alone. How the Light Gets In is the second in a two-part novella. In the first part, Everybody’s Wounded, we meet three of the four central characters in part two. Even so, How the Light Gets In is the more powerful, more compelling of the two halves, perhaps because the reader is given deeper insight into the dark night of hurt which haunts each one. Readers should be warned that this story deals with very problematic subjects: rape and suicide. Ryder writes about these things with considerable and commendable care and compassion for his characters. The two central personalities, Luc and Matt are returning to university in deeply unhappy circumstances. Each is enveloped in his own inky well of gloom. Josh and Scott, students at the same university, are lovers. They, too, have a history of hurt. These four men share interlocking stories and injury and love. The tale unwinds some of these, while each man slowly gravitates through his own ache to that place in the dark where he realizes he is not alone. Ryder shifts viewpoints deftly to describe and develop their intersections, and these drive the story forward. One might be forgiven for feeling that one is reading or watching a French film. Conversation, both intimate and general, propels the plot onward at many points. This is not to say there aren’t dramatic moments of action; there are. Yet it is not these instances we recall, but how these young men handle, discuss, and interpret them. Growth comes with reflection and dialogue. It is a subtle way to tell a story, but effective, and very much in keeping with the way real people recover from deep injury. The growth and depth in the central characters is an abiding strength of the novella. Each has many facets, each has multiple layers. These young men, as well as their circle of friends, are well drawn without forcing too much detail upon the reader. One can easily call each person in the story to mind, but variations in what readers invent are certain. It is a trait of good writing to allow the reader to imagine, and Ryder does this especially well. However one imagines them, Ryder gives us understanding to connect with these men individually. One cannot help but care for them and sympathize with them as they make their way toward something more hopeful. How the Light Gets In is not without its flaws. There are times when characters respond to situations with maturity and wisdom quite unexpected in young undergraduate students. They seem older than their years, perhaps because of the burden each one carries. In addition, readers complained that the final chapter did not feel like an ending. A number of comments expressed a need for more, for some definite feeling of closure. Ryder does not give readers a happy-ever-after denouement. Instead, we get a far deeper moment in which darkness is transcended by the ever brightening and broadening cracks in its curtain. In this way, Ryder connects us to the quote from Leonard Cohen’s lyrics which provided the title for the story. This was one the first things I read on GA. Its quality made me return to explore further. I hope other readers will find this classic tale still compelling, and that it still sings its song and weaves its spell for many more to come. Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Romance Tags: young adult, adult, gay, university Rating: Mature

Weird. I just went out and looked, and for some reason it did just go out to one segment of our mailing list instead of all 3. I just went out and resent it. It goes out in waves, but everyone should have it soon. Thanks for the heads up!

I'm back again! Happy Friday! Did everyone make it through the week? Did you get some writing done? There's always time for a little flash, right? Well, maybe you wrote for the game featured last week or maybe you wrote for the weekly prompts, or maybe you wrote something of your own. Either way, great job! Or perhaps one of this week's prompts will catch your fancy. Give it a go! Prompt 680 – Creative Tag – First Line Don’t bother trying, kid. I’ve been trapped here a week, I think. Prompt 681 – Creative Tag - The class When you were hired, you were told you’d be teaching English as a second language to aliens, and you’d have five students. When you heard aliens, you thought you meant children from somewhere south of the border or perhaps Asian. Instead there are five literal aliens from another world. What do you do? Did you write a prompt response last week? Don't forget to share it below. And here's a link to the site newsletter with links to all of the Gay Pride Headline Prompt Game responses!