Cia

I love reading all the comments and how you guys think about this story. Thank you, everyone, for reading!! And it really helps me some weeks to decide just which questions should be answered. As for the Trepharo, you'll get to see its form "later". *goes to look up salt hungry creature*

Story views tells you how many times people have caught a link with your title somewhere/somehow and thought it sounded interesting enough to click on it to explore further versus people who click on your chapters because they follow the story. The read counts on chapters being accurate is important because it is good to know how many people "try" your story with the first chapter compared to continued read counts. And while the story views is not a totally accurate count, as I can think of a lot of times I click on a story to bounce around chapters as an admin, it does give you a general gist of things if you're exploring what kinds of content catch the attention of readers. Certain lengths of titles? Tags used? Categories? Blurb information and length? If you're interested in trying to explore the way your story details can help your story catch the eye of readers (a tenet of marketing, and often an idea of what kind of content sells or garners more feedback for future writing), the story views is important to be separate from just counting up the number of times people click on the chapters. Overall, the way our story views and chapter view counts are counted is a simple way of letting those authors who care to put in the work to learn more about readers' preferences.

“Null field engaged. All vulnerable areas of the ship have been sealed off. We’re going to start hunting on the level Kohen is on, as well as his quarters, and the level where the other rescues are sequestered. I’ve sent three teams, but with the null field, he’ll be aware that we’ve discovered his presence on board.” Deke’s methodical report reassured me, but I couldn’t relax. Not until they had him. It. They had no real gender characteristics when they were in their true forms but the bod

How did you add the chapter? That's vital information that must be shared for us to have any hope of helping but people continually forget to give us all the information we need to look into problems. Did you add the chapter to your story and publish immediately? Post-date? Add it unpublished and then use the drop menu to publish it? Use a computer, a tablet, a phone? What browser? Did anything happen differently from times before when the chapter saved? The more you share, the more we might be able to figure out what happened to prevent your story from announcing in the recent updates list.

That chapter you mention from Unwilling is from 2015, so it would be unrelated to anything happening now. I just went through the first 3 pages of stories and looked at the stories with multiple chapters posting relatively consistently over at least the last few months to a year plus, and there's no consistent drop in page views per chapter that I can see. Just an fyi that a quick look at the current stories doesn't seem to show a big issue. I'm sure when the techs have time, they will look into the back end of the system to see if there's anything that jumps out at them that could be a bug.

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring Sara Alva's coming of age short story, No Strings? If you're a fan of her 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 except because it tells you a lot about the story. Yes, it gives away a bit of the "BIG EVENT" but the true insights you get are into the characters. Sara has a knack for bringing them to life in amazing ways, with so little information shared about the actual characters. Instead, we learn about them as they're facing whatever trials and tribulations stand in their way... even a best friend who is making you her reluctant wingman in a bid to get her laid. To read more, click here.

“So you’ll tell Captain?” I took a deep breath and blew it away, trying to stay calm so Lakshou wouldn’t sense my emotions. I’d open that box I’d used before, the one that helped me survive my years in my cell, and stuffed all the things I couldn’t afford to think about inside it. Including how much I wanted to talk to Captain myself. But it was best that I didn’t. We hadn’t spent much time together before, so even though we lived just down the corridor from each other, it would seem o

Oh, those tumultuous days of teenage angst, as the high school years are winding down and graduation looms--real life is coming. How do they bridge the gap between child and adult? Well... Yeah, so it's not necessarily a complicated question. But then again, for some, it's not that easy either. Check out this great short story by Sara Alva, that just so happens to be our featured Classic Author story this month. No Strings by Sara Alva Length: 11,010 Description: Josh's friend has made an important life decision. Given the opportunity, will he make the same one? Some Readers Said: Really cute tale with some interesting switches, role reversals and a clever take on strings attached. Thoroughly enjoyed it. ~ Bill W The story is powerful and impactful without the length, something I hadn't expect Sara to be able to grasp immediately since her last story was technically a multi-part story. ~ JT Oh. My. God. I am literally the slowest person on earth. I FINALLY GET WHY BRENNAN TIED THEIR SHOELACES TOGETHER LOL, I think I read it too fast the first time around. OH GOD SO ADORABLE *dies* ~ Luc Rosen If you want to spread the word about Sara Alva'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!

There's minimalist... and there's not showing the true vision in your head because you already see it. I try to make sure you're more of the former and less of the latter, @Myr. And fix this, this, this, that, those, these, and all this too. I will admit to loving to revise based on others' edits of my work, but I hate revising on my own because I will take FOREVER and tweak every line. Then I still have to find the typos and errors. It's much easier to trade beta/editing with fellow author/editors and move forward in a more timely fashion because they identify the true issues and edits needed and less of the perfectionist tweaks.

Sardella cocked her head sideways. “Ahh. You are part of this crew?” I dithered, not quite sure how to answer that. Captain kept saying I was part of the group of rescues, but I was working on the ship, unlike the rest of them. “Sort of.” She didn’t move and kept staring at me, so I kept talking. “I was on the station where the crew found everyone. But I can be helpful to the crew, so Captain lets me help out.” “You were there?” Her voice dropped even deeper on the last word, and her h

These sorts of questions are best addressed in separate help requests so that it's clear you're asking separate questions so they aren't missed and you don't receive answers, or sent to me via PM since I am the staff member who oversees the Stories area, or by you reading the FAQ topics for authors which has the answers already lined out. You also asked this question yesterday in a comment on a blog about a completely different subject, and it was answered with a link to the faq as well. The Stories system faq has a list of topics which is topped by #1: How do I post a story? and #2: How do I add a chapter to an existing story? which has all the information authors need. However, as you have not posted your first story per the site's posting guidelines and need to make changes to it before you add any chapters, I have put your story into the moderation queue and will be sending you a PM with a list of fixes you need to make and how to do them so you can hopefully get on track and learn how to post stories as an author on GA.

If we're going to talk about vehicles and war... Roald Dahl was a RAF pilot during WWII and was even appointed to the US as an attache during the pre-American involvement in the fight. I highly doubt his journey across the Atlantic would've been as adventurous as James's... he took a ship, not a peach, as he couldn't fly anymore due to blackouts (he had a fair few number of crashes during the war that nearly killed him!). The voices in his head telling him all those fantastic, yet dark, stories probably had a lot to do with all that.

I thought this might be an interesting topic... what do you know about authors? Share a tidbit about one of your favorite authors other readers might not know! So, as a kid, I was a HUGE fan of Hans Christian Andersen. I had a book of his fairy tales. In fact, The Princess and the Pea is the first story I can remember reading to myself at 4. But... did you know that Hans Christian Andersen was apparently bisexual and expressed romantic feelings in letters to both men and women during his lifetime? And that it's believed The Little Mermaid (NOT the Disney film) was based on a love letter he wrote to another gentleman? Let's have a remake!

“You should know that you can’t secure any door against the captain of a ship.” I jolted awake, but I didn’t move. I’d become a master of that in my cell, observing without showing any signs that I knew someone else was there. Those few times the aliens had come to my cell had been a nearly overwhelming relief—that I wasn’t alone in that sea of white. That there was something beyond those four walls, beyond the silence in my own mind that often consumed me. But right now I could us

Happy April! This year is moving right along, isn't it? Well let's take a moment to read a story that might seem too good to be true... but yes, it just might make the characters' dreams come true! Part of a series, let's start at the beginning with X-Dream Makeover by Cris Kane! X-Dream Makeover by Cris Kane Length: 40,362 Description: A mysterious shop in San Francisco's Chinatown draws customers who wish to transform their lives. A Reader Said: If you want to make changes in yourself, Mr. Lee is glad to help. These four stories have Mr. Lee and his unusual shop in common. Each story can stand alone, but I think reading them in order gives the reader a clearer picture of what is happening. These were easy to read and very enjoyable! Yet in spite of being lots of fun to read, the message I got was "be careful what you wish for." ~JeffreyL Remember to read the story and come back on the last Monday of the month, April 30th, to share your thoughts!

Okay, okay, blanket comment back to everyone. I know, I am SO mean. They were getting close, FINALLY, and I derailed it. But remember, Kohen's interpersonal skills are poor unless he's 'scripted' by forces outside of himself, and Captain's an honorable man with heavy responsibilities. Allowing them to come together without qualms wouldn't be realistic. I absolutely hate miscommunication being the driving force behind the story conflict, however, so never fear that I'll let this linger beyond reason. Hope that reassures everyone, lol. @Headstall @dughlas @JeffreyL @deville @Sweetlion @drpaladin @Normischell

“I knew I was asking too much of you. If you’re scared, Kohen, you don’t have to help us. I know asking you to spend time with the other people we rescued and more of the crew was asking a lot. You’ve been in isolation for years. I am so sorry.” “What?” I lifted my face from the perfect spot against his neck, shaking my head. “I don’t want to spend time with them, but I’m not scared. Not of that.” “Then what’s wrong?” Captain’s hands stilled, but he kept them on my back. “You’re sh

Do you read fanfiction? There are a lot of readers who enjoy it, and a lot of writers who write it, including Myr. It's a small, but growing group on GA. So this month I thought I'd feature a Harry Potter fanfiction featuring Sirius Black and Remus Lupin--Nocturnal Emissions by Julie L Hayes. Did you have a chance to read it? Make sure you share your thoughts below, but first enjoy this interview with Julie! Do you eat your fruits and vegetables? Definitely! More vegetables than fruits, although I do love avocadoes and coffee (Did you know coffee is a fruit? It is!) Have you ever gone out in public, realized your clothing was inside out/backwards, and just didn’t care? I have to confess I have, especially if it’s almost the end of the work day. If it’s still early in the day, I’ll fix it, though. But after a few hours, if no one else noticed, I’m not gonna sweat it. What’s one thing most people on GA don’t know about you? I suspect most people on GA don’t know that I’m back in college, working on my associate’s degree, and will be going for my bachelor’s after that, with a major in history. What’s the best part of being an author? No question about it, it’s the writing. Telling the story, getting to know your characters, and putting everything down on paper (even if it is digital now lol) What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? So many to choose from! I think that first it would be Tuscany, because I’m dying to go there. What drew you to writing fanfiction in general? I have to confess my two daughters got me started. I didn’t even know it existed before they introduced it to me. And they were writing it and having such fun, that I decided I wanted to write it too. What made you decide to write Harry Potter fanfiction specifically? I read the books at the same time my kids kid, and was still very much into that world my daughters introduced me to fanfiction. Al first, I confess that I wasn’t familiar with yaoi or m/m themes, but once I became interested, it became a foregone conclusion that I would write it. Although my first pairing wasn’t what you might think it was. In fact, I wanted to do something different, so I chose Sirius/Severus. But once I started shipping Remus and Sirius, I could never go back. What’s your favorite line or scene in the story? My favorite scene is when Remus comes to Sirius’ rescue in Chapter Six, his Prince Charming. Don't forget to share your thoughts below!

Sorry, everyone, the weekly newsletter has mixed up links! If you wish to volunteer to help test out AJ's new filter, please go to this topic:

@BHopper2 I do know many authors who use pen names successfully, but it's something you have to decide BEFORE you start publishing. And you have to be careful when doing certain things that require a 'real name' like FB which doesn't like to have pen names instead of legal names or newsletters which have the legal requirement of who is sending it out and where they/their company is located added to each and every newsletter. Many members know that beyond my admin duties I also write and post here, self-publish, and publish with Dreamspinner Press. This is just my experience talking. Free stories: I have cross-posted some of my free stories on places like Adult-fanfiction.org, Fictionpress, Literotica, etc... (I don't do Nifty cause their lack of organization kills me, and I dislike their graphic sidebar ads as a mom/user of a computer where my family can see my screen). The different sites tend to have different audiences. Wattpad is popular with the younger authors, I've noticed. Original work gets less attention than fanfic on the fanfic sites, but you do get some reads. I get a LOT more views on Literotica, but less "quality" feedback. GA is my 'writing home' however, and I put all my free fiction here. I tapered off from posting on the other sites because I found there is a LOT of plagiarism happening by people stealing works from those sites (especially Literotica). I determined that because I always change something in each site's version of my story to make the distinction between versions so I can know where something is stolen from. If you post online, odds are that's going to happen to you, so it's one step you can do to find out which sites are trolled by thieves a lot of the time. Make sure you use all the options on the sites to communicate with readers. On GA that means maybe putting up a story topic to discuss inspiration, prompts, art inspiration, reader thoughts, etc... that don't work in comments. Link to it in the chapter end notes. Use the profile banner and the site signature options to place links to your work. Join in the various events on the site for authors, join clubs, etc... Most sites have a lot of the same types of options to post author notes in with your free stories or on the site profiles. Btw, It's important to use the same username as much as possible and contact info, or even mention your other site accounts, so that readers don't think you stole your own story, lol. That also leads me to branding. Publishing: If you wish to publish, you really need to brand yourself. You'll find that I use the same avatar and header banner on GA, my off-site blog, and my social media sites. I do use a nickname on most free fic sites, but it ties into my real name so it's not hard for readers to make the connection. Graphics are important, but make sure they're going to be appropriate to use. If you plan to publish, start this branding and marketing WHILE you're writing, before you start editing, and before you sub to a publisher or start your formatting/publishing process. You want readers and followers to find you beforehand because the most valuable and cost-effective method of advertising for people trying to break into publishing is going to be viral marketing/word-of-mouth style. Start a newsletter. Join Goodreads. Make an Amazon author page, etc... but again, many of these things need to be done well before that release date. Connect with fellow authors! Yes, there are many ways to market your works for authors who wish to expand their audience to their personal sites/blogs or eBook authors. You can do blog tours, send ARCs out to review sites, join FB groups and Yahoo groups (make sure they allow promotion, many don't) that feature works similar to your story/eBook. These are all things that require you to invest time to be a part of the community, but it can pay off in people offering to help out when you publish. Make use of the internet's ease of reposting things nowadays. You can do some pre-promo, but don't post a lot of reveal info until you have a link for sales because people tend to click when something catches their eye. Wasting your time promoting before they can buy doesn't make a ton of sense. It's better to do small stuff like teaser blurbs, a countdown to release with funny stories/quips, etc... Do a cover reveal only once the preorder goes up or during release day blast and ask fellow authors to social media promo or post on their blogs/websites that day. Use rafflecopter's free options to set up a contest--even a small prize can get people to visit your FB page (you can't make them Like it to gain an entry per FB rules) or share a tweet, sign up for your newsletter, etc.... Set up a blog tour where you do different posts about writing, the story, the characters, inspiration, your experience publishing, author interviews, exclusive excerpts, etc... and then use social media to link to the hosts' sites/blogs each day. DON'T overdo it. Especially with social media, it's important not to constantly sell, sell, sell. I try not to do more than 1 in 5 posts selling stuff or promoting business. And I've found that the best way to gain and keep an audience is to 1) post free stuff for readers to keep them visiting your site/profiles and 2) post consistently. And/or publish consistently. And that is hard to do, but with writing/publishing, you will get out what you put into it.

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring Libby Drew's murder mystery, Paying the Piper? If you're a fan of her 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 excerpt because it's the start of the story. It's very dramatic, for one, shocking and graphic, but you also get a very quick glimpse into the main characters, both their basic personality and a lot of individual information about each of them, but the way they interact as well. All within a few paragraphs! Libby's always excellent at that, and I couldn't pass up highlighting one of her great hooks with this excerpt. ~ Cia To read more, click here.

Captain’s words echoed in my head the entire way back to the ship. How could he feel that way about me? How could he know that I wasn’t going to turn on the crew and betray them when I didn’t know it myself? I didn’t think there was someone out there controlling me through whatever they did in my head, but would I know it? At least he planned to have Lakshou with me. Surely Lakshou would feel it if something inside me switched off and I began to follow someone’s orders. Because that is th

This month's great mystery isn't how to find the Leprechaun's gold at the end of the rainbow... but just whodunnit in Libby Drew's murder mystery story, Paying the Piper. Set in small town, USA, this story is really driven by the characters--and with a small town, everyone knows everyone and ALL their business--so the drama is high! Length: 81,568 words Description: One small town, two murders, and countless suspects. Irreverent police chief, Quent, and his reluctant side-kick, Cale McCoy, must discover the truth behind the crimes before anyone else loses their life. Circumstances become even more complicated when new kid in town, Drew Marcus, turns out to be the biggest mystery of all. A Reader said: Excellent read Libby, I too will read more from your obviously talented pen. ~ Stephen ODonohue If you want to spread the word about Libby Drew's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature! Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

This is a story I've wanted to have time to write more on for years. Alas, time is always a problem. But it's on my list to do a full-length novel, yes. Thanks for reading/commenting, Xanderuk.

“Someone attracted the flame wasps to the crew with pheromones? How did someone get a queen’s scent?” Aparoe shook their head, studying the screen in their hand. “This isn’t an attractant. The scent isn’t even flame wasp pheromones; they’re twisps.” “What are twisps?” “Stick-like figures that migrate in swarms. They consume organic material then move on, leaving behind barren paths behind them. Nothing can stand against them because they don’t seem to have any higher functio