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If the newsletter doesn't appear in your inbox next week, please update this post and we'll look into it more. It definitely is something we want to make sure doesn't become an ongoing problem.

Upside, a link is always posted to our Facebook and Twitter feeds at the same time the newsletter is sent out via email, so you can follow us there and not miss out on this week's.

Well, I didn't change anything in the way the newsletter was sent this week to the way it was sent last week in terms of our new subscriber list based on GDPR. And mailchimp shows that it was sent, but that you haven't opened or clicked it, of course. But you're not on the list of bounced emails either, so it went to your email. @Valkyrie @Headstall If you're using Outlook to handle Hotmail, live, etc..., are you aware it has a 'gray mail' filter that categorizes mail that isn't exactly junk but isn't traditional email from senders on your contact list either? It's actually geared toward site/newsletter sign ups. But some people don't have the newsletter category visible in their inbox area, so they can't find the emails. You need to do a few things to check this. Step 1. Open Outlook (I use the online browser version, you can also use the app/desktop download) Step 2. Go to the settings (cog wheel in upper right on online version) Step 3. Click on the Options link. Step 4. Click on the 'Categories' link in the Layout area in the left sidebar. Step 5. Check if you're filtering newsletters without having the "Show in folder pane" box checked. If it's unchecked, then check that box. That should show the newsletter category in your folder area by the inbox, junk, etc... and anything that is automatically filtered as a newsletter will appear in that area. Or you can uncheck the filter box and have Outlook stop filtering emails it believes are newsletters. I've added a screenshot to show the areas I mean.

@Headstall I can confirm it was sent out to you via Mailchimp as well. Have you checked your junk folder?

@Valkyrie I can confirm the newsletter went out to your email via Mailchimp but it shows no activity on your part for this week's newsletter, so you haven't opened or clicked it yet. Did you check your spam folder to see if it was filtered out this week?

“Fuck, Kohen, you ask some scary questions.” Captain had returned to his quarters, and Deke was with him. Neither one of them could seem to settle, and the space wasn’t big enough for one of them to pace, much less both of them. I curled into the corner of the couch, pulling my knees up to my chest and wrapping my arms around them. “I’m sorry,” I said. “Hey.” Captain sank down beside me. He put his hand on my shoulder, rubbing it up and down my arm. “We’re not mad at you. If anythi

Since members stated not having enough time to write was an issue for not participating in quarterly anthologies, but still wanted four themes total to write about each year, there are dual themes for each of the anthology events that happen in 2018. That means two different anthology categories are made live at the same time. Sure, we could just post links to the anthology categories in the announcement, but why do two different links to the anthology categories alone instead of just one link to the already existing blog post that explains what the anthologies are, thanks all the people who put in hard work to help make them happen on the site, and lists all the stories with links? Besides, those links to the categories would visually appear just like the link to the blog post would. To avoid downgrading the site's content rating, we don't want to duplicate content on the site, so it doesn't make sense to post the identical information in the announcement, so that's why just the link to the blog was added to bring more attention to the event as a whole. And hopefully more attention will translate to the next anthology, since it doesn't seem like having six months to write for one or both themes really helped increase the number of authors who had the time/inclination to enter a story in the event. Also, as with most websites, the title of a blog post is the link to the content itself. You don't have to click on the banner, then the blog post's title. All you have to do is click on the blog title in the announcement, just like you click on the title of a story or the title of a forum topic, etc... If you pay attention, you'll note that the old style of underlined/different colored link titles has changed and it's more common to see embedded text links that change color when you scroll over them to indicate they are a link. That is a drawback to those using touchscreens or adaptive technology, I agree, but we don't control the format the links now appear as on the forums as that is an IP Board feature.

I'm uncertain as to what announcement you mean as to the "on our story entry pages". Was this something posted previously when the blog first went live? As for the announcement posted on the 27th that appears all over the site, other than the text "In case you missed it" has links. Anytime there's a link placed somewhere like a post, blog, or announcement, that makes that sort of snapshot of the post/blog/ the link goes to, which includes the image banner, the title of the topic, a preview of the reactions, and the number of comments. The banner, title of the post/topic/blog, and even things like the comments are all links you can click on. When you click on the link in the announcement Myr shared, that goes to the blog announcement for the anthology, and the title of all the stories included in the anthology featured in that blog are links. And, of course, the anthologies can all be reached anytime through the categories link in the Browse options on the Stories page.

Welcome to the end of May... how did that happen? No, seriously! It's crazy how fast the year is flying by, and we're almost halfway done with 2018. And what does flying have to do with this month's author and featured story? Well, did you read Lie of the Serpent? Or you can check out my interview with Craftingmom. And don't forget to share your thoughts on her story below. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Of course, I've recently watched the Infinity Wars movie, so the Marvel superheroes and their powers are what's coming to mind. I think manipulation of time, like Dr. Strange, would be cool so I could fix things I feel I did wrong (but then you get into the whole question of how that change would affect future outcomes and all), but, still, I have regrets that would be nice to not have. Of course, a lot of my dreams involve flying, so maybe that's my subconscious telling me I'd prefer flying as my superpower! What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)? A grey comfy nightgown and cozy slippers—it is 2 am, so yeah... What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? I'd love to go to Greece. Mythology was my specialty in my English minor and I'd like to eventually write something with a Greek or maybe Roman setting. It would be hard because there is so much out there involving the Greek and Roman gods, but maybe twist off of a minor myth. What brought you to the GA? I originally had started posting at AFF and Fiction Press with Tears of the Neko. Then I found GA in looking for stories, and tried posting Tears of the Neko here. The feedback/critiques I received here were (and have been) by far the most helpful and insightful. They helped me to revamp Tears by adding over 20k words from its original form. Comments and questions from readers have greatly helped me to advance my writing and grow as an author. And now I only post here! What’s the best part of being an author? Well, I've been writing since at least middle school (so over 30 years). Obviously, the 'old' stuff is mediocre at best, but even then the thrill of creating my own world and characters has been a driving factor in my writing. Of course, there's the tiny part of me that enjoys sharing my writing with others and hoping they like it. For the longest time (years—until college anyway), the only person who I ever allowed to read any of my fiction stories was my best friend, and she'd try to steal my spiral notebook while I was still writing. In college, I allowed a few more friends to read my stories. I would publish short stories and poetry in the school's literary journals, but never any of my longer works. I didn't put anything major out for the mass public to view until putting my young adult works on Amazon in 2013, and then Tears of the Neko on AFF in 2014—the start of my journey into writing m/m fiction. How did you come up with the title for Lie of the Serpent? Well, I think of a snake laying in wait to pounce and devour its prey. They're stealthy and slithery and can often hide in plain sight. So that's how I think of Bryan's mother. And of course she's lying to Bryan about Wyatt and how she feels about his relationship so.... Lie of the Serpent. Lie of the Serpent is actually based off of an idea of a story I wrote back in high school. The title then was The Sexton Keeps the Key, a line from an Emily Dickenson poem. While some basic plot elements are the same (the mom kidnapping and trying to kill her son's significant other and the disabled brother helps save them), Lie of the Serpent became so much more, as the original was not nearly as engaging, detailed, or planned. I kinda suck at coming up with titles. So sometimes when reading poetry or listening to music, I'll jot down a line or phrase that intrigues me and keep a list. Sometimes those help trigger me to think up more interesting titles... sometimes, not all the time... Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you wrote Lie of the Serpent? I find writing a hateful or abusive parent rather difficult, but they are out there as we see in the news all the time. There has to be some motivation behind their actions and detailing that can be challenging. Eddie was also difficult, because while he's complicit in Wyatt's captivity, he also wants what's best for his brother. The conflict his mother creates for him is difficult for him to reconcile because he wants to please both his mother and brother. Did you do any kind of research for it? A little research on the health problems Wyatt would be facing during his captivity and after his rescue. A lot of times readers will offer suggestions or ask questions that has me looking things up as well. What’s your favorite scene in the story? Probably Wyatt's rescue where Eddie brings Wyatt out to Bryan. Bryan and Eddie's utterly unconditional love for each other is what familial love should be, contrasted with their mother's selfish betrayal of her sons. If you could write a spinoff story for character(s) in this story, which one would you pick? Oh Eddie, definitely. While Bryan and Wyatt are whom I would consider the main protagonists, Eddie is a strong third and is definitely a dynamic, sympathetic character who deserves his own love interest.

There's a pop-up reply option with the text editor, but I don't think it's rolled out for all author groups. I'd have to check that for sure with Myr as to when/if it's going to be live, however. Really, it's less of an interaction area and more of a spot that is for an overall review of the story for potential readers written by fans who've already read the story. And, to be fair, if a reader really wants to comment in a place where the author can reply, they can simply do so on the last chapter in comments and save the review area for an overall "hey, I loved this so you might too, prospective reader" promo.

What I see when I look at your story history, what I saw is that you saved/published Chapter 4 on 5-9-18, then edited the chapter today. Typically, if you "edit" a post-dated or unpublished chapter, it screws up the announcing date/time, even if the chapter then shows updated 5-23. That probably means the "announcement" date would be for the original publication date of 5-9, which is why you wouldn't see them in the recent updates lists on the Forum/Stories pages. How did you make your chapter live? Did you edit the chapter or just use the drop menu to publish it? There may be a bug in the system regarding unpublished chapters announcing, but we'll have to test it to make sure. The more information we have on exactly what you did, the better. On another note, I noticed in your chapters that you have incorrect spacing between your paragraphs. You should have a single space between every paragraph, unless you're using a double space to indicate a scene break in a chapter. You have single spaced and then double spaced paragraphs mixed throughout your chapters randomly.

I curled up on the edge of the couch, my head on Captain’s thigh. I felt better when we were touching. He crafted messages that seemed completely normal, until he showed me the code he used with his contacts. Then I could decipher the hidden messages inside them requesting more information on the current council and political maneuvering among the military. “Hopefully these will yield results. They’ll go out as soon as we hit non-shielded space, before I approve Kekillill’s reports, just

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring Gabriel Morgan's sexy contemporary Texas story, Stonegate Stables? If you're a fan of his 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 chose this short excerpt from chapter three because it's incredibly descriptive in a way that makes you desperately want to see what the characters are seeing, for one, and two, because it gives you so many ideas about what is going to happen next. You get a glimpse of Sean's day-to-day life and then, bam, a big moment hits. Those sorts of you'll know it when you see it, if you're ever lucky enough to have it happen to you, life's about to change because this person is just... them. But life doesn't always turn out how you think it will, and Stonegate Stables might be a contemporary story with a hefty dose of romance (and sex, lots and lots of sex) but the author didn't forget that either. So this excerpt might just not mean what you think it means... but to find out, you'll have to read it, and then read the story! To read more, click here.

All you have to do is look at the title to know there's going to be a lot of *coughs* fun going on in this story. Because where there are stables, there are horses, and where there are horses, there are guys dressed in tight pants who ride horses... and... I'll let your imagination take it from there. Or, you could just go read Gabriel Morgan's Stonegate Stables if you haven't already! Length: 221,486 Description: Against the backdrop of a horse stable in Texas, Sean deals with the lives and loves of his friends and neighbors as he pursues the biggest prize in show jumping and works to keep his own relationship strong and steady. A Reader Said: I think this is the sixth or seventh time I've read Stonegate Stables, stem to stern. Delighted to do so again here at GA, discovering some new (to me) authors and writing. Gabe, I love your style, your honesty, your ease with which you create both the characters and the relationships. Most of all I appreciate your sense of normalcy that each of these relationships expresses, the richness of being true to one's nature and being engaged and contributing to community in the here and now. You're a model for the greatness of being within all of us in these stories, and I thank you! ~ Sclyburn If you want to spread the word about Gabriel Morgan'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 doesn’t help when you provoke her,” Captain said. “She hates that the head of security has more say in the mission than she does as your second. She acts like I’m some newbie in the ranks, not a commander in my own right.” “She’s new.” “And that right there’s the problem.” Deke leaned forward. “This mission has always been different. The orders came down the pipeline instead of in person. You had to take this ship and a good third of the crew is new.” “They work fo

I love all the speculation!!! You guys are great, and you always have so many thoughts! @drpaladin and @Dr. John NYC Oh yeah, there is definitely more to come. We've had one attack for sure, and who knows what else has been going on and could be... definitely going to be tense as they get closer to the central planets. And, yes, Deke caught the Trepharo. Also remember, in chapter 22... this rescue mission is different from ones the Captain and his crew have taken on before. The order came down forcing Captain to take a bigger ship with some unfamiliar crew members along with his usual crew. So who can they trust? @glennish and @Butcher56 are right to question. @Puppilull It's kind of frustrating to me as the author too, lol. I am so limited in how much I can share because it all has to be from his point of view. We can't learn it until he does. Makes for a slow, loooong story. Ah well, all the better to enjoy each week, right? And we're getting into the action now! @Headstall Well you always know when another chapter will come, Gary, so I am glad I can provide more each week to enjoy! Thank you so much for reading, I know the word count makes it a frustrating story to follow. Same goes to you, @dughlas I've got you guys pictured in comfy recliners just chilled out until then, lol.

I flexed my feet, my toes scraping along Captain’s hairy legs. I could move again, but I didn’t want to. Even in those cloudy memories I had of before the station, and my cell, and the tests, I couldn’t remember feeling like this. Happy, warm, no pain, no fear, no hunger. Thirst didn’t torture me with every dry breath. The only thing I could smell was the spice of Captain’s skin and the thump of his heart beat slow under my ear where I’d tucked my head under his chin. His arms were wrapped a

It's May... already?! How did that happen? I swear the time keeps flying by, but that just means we have to remember to take some time out to stop and enjoy ourselves. This month, that means you get to read Craftingmom's story, Lie of the Serpent. This contemporary crime mystery will hopefully keep you on the edge of your keyboard from start to finish! Lie of the Serpent Lie of the Serpent by Craftingmom Length: 70,591 Description: When Bryan finally finds the man he wants to be with forever, he thinks his life will be perfect. But it's taken time to convince not only Wyatt that he's sincere, but his own mother as well. Between Wyatt's anxiety to trust again after a brutal breakup with an ex, the ex still trying to wreck havoc in Wyatt's life, and Bryan's own mother's doubts, Bryan is over-stressed. So when Wyatt disappears days after their engagement, he's left devastated and confused. A Reader Said: I love all the books by this author and have read them all. This one was slightly different from her usual writings, but still a compelling read. I liked the storyline in this one because even when you find out who is the bad guy, you still can't see how the good guys are going to work it out in time. The bad guy isn't unexpected, but the lengths they go to are. As always a well written and thought out story from an imaginative author. ~ Caz Pedroso Don't forget to come back on the Discussion Day, Monday May 28th, to share your thoughts!!

“What? Humans don’t bond.” Captain jerked back, and I whimpered at the loss of his touch. “Who cares about that in this moment? Put your hand back on Kohen right now,” Aparoe ordered. His hand was even warmer than before and shaking slightly. Or was I shaking? I couldn’t tell. But I could breathe, and the pounding in my head and ache all over my body I’d felt for the last few days started to ease. “It looks like he’s just having a panic attack. He’s had them before.” “Has he?” Lak

Did you have a chance to read these short stories featured in Cris Kane's fantastical tale, X-Dream Makeover this month? While there is a common thread in all 4 chapters, they do standalone quite well, so I hope a lot of people got a chance to read at least one of the four. Did you have a favorite character? Makeover? Make sure you share your thoughts below in the comments, but first, as always, I grilled the author to find out a little more about him and his writing! If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do? Nap. What's your favorite room in your house? Do you plot or write there? The bedroom. That's also where my computer is located, so I guess the phrase "that's where the magic happens" actually applies in this case. The stories I've posted here are unusual for me in that I haven't outlined them in advance. I've come up with a premise and let the writing process tell me where it needs to go. That said, once things start to fall into place and a structure reveals itself, I end up jotting down lots of notes for events and details that should fall later in the story, if only so I don't forget them. What’s the best part of being an author? As many have said before me, I like having written more than I enjoy the actual work of writing. That said, my favorite part of the process is the moment when a particular phrase or sentence pops into my head or flows out of my fingers and surprises me. Something that perfectly fits the precise situation. Something that could ONLY work at that exact point in the specific context of the set of characters and circumstance I've put in place. Some realization that I would never have come to if I hadn't been writing this particular story. I don't feel like I can take much credit for such brainstorms, but I do feel lucky that I'm the first person who gets to enjoy them at the moment of conception. I hope they eventually give the reader a similar amount of pleasure. What kind of research did you do for X-Dream Makeover? Location? Theme? Character? The most helpful "research" for this series of stories has been my visits to San Francisco over the years. I don't live there, but have been there enough that I have a general lay of the land that I figure my sense of geography won't be glaringly off the mark. Otherwise, this group of stories didn't require a lot of intense research. Despite the fantastical nature of the transformations, I did try to treat the situations as realistically as I could, exploring the potential drawbacks that might come about if Mr. Lee's various potions and devices actually existed. The line in the first chapter, “So what is it you wish to have that your money cannot buy you?” feels particularly… sinister. Sort of in a ‘Beware, go no further, danger, danger’ vibe that directly contradicts the modern Mr. Lee we see at first. Did you deliberately merge these two natures of his character or did it develop organically as you wrote? From the very beginning, I wanted to paint Mr. Lee as enigmatic, leaving his origin and even his age intentionally vague. He might seem like a stereotypical "old Asian wise man" but he knows more than he's letting on. He's clearly putting on an act to some degree, speaking in a stilted manner and purposely coming across as less worldly than he actually is. From the get-go, I have him hiding a Whopper Jr. and a Mello Yello from his customer. I like that he's fundamentally a benevolent person, but with a sly sense of humor that he hides behind his created persona. Perhaps the key descriptor in that first chapter is "When you've been doing something as long as Mr. Lee, it becomes inevitable that you start to fuck around with the clientele, just to keep it interesting for yourself." I enjoyed taking his point of view, as someone who had been doing this a long time and had seen many situations, so little surprised him. He knows the pitfalls of his clients' requests because he's seen how wishes have backfired on people in the past who haven't thought things through. He also wants to stay under the radar, so it's to his benefit to discourage ill-advised transformations. Each chapter has a very different tale with insightful lessons the characters learn about themselves. What message do you think the story has, beyond ‘be careful what you wish for’? We all have things we would change about ourselves if we could, so there's a definite wish-fulfillment aspect to these stories. I would hope the stories also convey that sometimes what we think is a flaw could actually be a strength, or that often what we want to change about ourselves isn't actually what's causing our problems. In the end, hopefully the characters end up with a better understanding of their true selves. Nobody goes through an encounter with Mr. Lee without being changed, although probably not in the way they anticipated. Do you plan to write more stories for the people Mr. Lee helps? He's such a fun character to write that I would definitely go back to using him if the proper story presented itself. It helps to have an established character who we know can do fantastical things, rather than having to come up with a brand new story device every time you want to bring about a magical transformation. I did write one additional chapter, titled "Where'd He Go?", which I consciously did not post as part of this series. I like it, but it's a bit darker and more cynical than the other four chapters, which I feel have a more consistent tone that allows them to hang together as a coherent group. That standalone chapter can be read here, along with some other transformation tales I've written over the years: https://www.gayspiralstories.com/newStory/show/2320 What other projects are you working on that you might like to share with us? I'm attempting to motivate myself to write a screenplay, so I haven't been too productive lately on the fiction front. I do have one story pretty well mapped out that could find its way to GA someday if I somehow find the time to write it. All of my stories seem to have an element of the fantastical, although it doesn't reveal itself immediately in this one.

Thank you! I still think this needs to be longer, I just never have the time to write more for it.

Oooh, just what could the null field do to him? I am so surprised you're the only one who mentioned that!! I loooove to try and hide little breadcrumbs in the story that only make sense later on. Those "Oh, wait, AHA!" moments are fun as a reader for me too.

You are very intuitive. Get out of my brain! Or maybe he needs someone who thinks of him first? Like the captain has been trying to do.... Awww, from you who does wicked and twisted so well, that is the ultimate compliment! <3 Probably put a wrinkle in that whole scenario. LOL

Oh, definitely shocking truth coming! I'm glad someone picked up on the PTSD-tones of the breakdown Kohen is going though, and not just a seesaw of emotional behaviors. Yes, he's been recovering and adjusting to freedom, but nothing is ever only a forward battle. He needs help, for sure. Remember, there are all sorts of aliens out there and all sorts of bonding. What happens with Lakshou for his patients isn't the same as for all other races. I do so love reading that it was unexpected! I thought I was trickling in little clues. More about it to come next week, of course.