Cia

Did you guess the Secret Author was... 😮me? That's right, me, Cia... I've been doing all the posting. That's just a HUGE shocker, huh?! 😋😆 There are far more authors behind our Secret Author, and I have a list of those and the stories for you to guess, just as promised! We'll also have a poll next week for you to vote on your favorite story. Keep an eye on the topic & blogs for more contest & winner announcements. *The author has declined to continue participating further with Dangerous Activities. Please respect that decision. These Stories & Authors have been shuffled with Random.org so don't think you can figure out a system or hidden link or connection or hint I may have given. Goooood luuuuuck!! Stories: Off the Rails The Fascinator Murders Alltopia Hide and Seek Sparkling Water Ceramic Dreams Behind the Walls Hiding in Plain Sight Take me to Your Leader Nox or Not? For Ever Young Christmas in Glacier Bay Yacht Club Authors: Ieshwar W_L Jason Rimbaud Lee Wilson astone2292 drsawzall Thirdly kbois Cassie Q Mark Arbour Quokka Mancunian Mikiesboy

FYI... the Secret Author was keeping a secret... from ME! There's still one more story to post tomorrow, Wednesday 8/7. 😮 😮 😮 😮 No, really, it was my fault for miscounting. Forgive me, I was at my union convention last week and the weekend, and yesterday was crazy busy trying to catch up on EVERYTHING that falls apart when I dare to do something off-schedule. (Like, no one could go get milk? I don't even drink milk!)

Oooh, my organizational skills failed. I didn't see the last story, so SURPRISE! There's one more tomorrow!!

Edit to add: My organizational skills failed and missed there were 2 unpublished stories, not one! But that just means you have one more to go on Wednesday! Hey Secret Author Contest fans! I know you're eager for details, and there have been so many secret stories revealed. Guess what, there's just one more to come tomorrow! First off, let's check again for the stories that have been posted aren't secret. Tomorrow, you will get the last story. Then keep an eye on the Secret Author Story Talking Topic for the poll for your favorite story AND the list of authors and stories for your matching quiz this week! Keep up with the comments & reviews, plus all the fun in the Talking Topic!

If you look at the story meta data, by the title, it should tell you what you read last on it (if anything at all) so if you didn't read the chapter it's a new one to you.

Not telling how or why I posted stories at this time... that might reveal something. I am all about the secrets, lol. Neener neener neener!

Well, I know everyone has been enjoying these stories our Secret Author is posting... Way to go on the comments and reviews!! And the Secret Author Contest Talking Topic is going strong too! Are you having fun guessing who wrote what? *cackles* Let's see what has posted so far! As, always, keep chatting on our talking topic too! We still have more stories to come, but after they are all posted I will share a list of all the story titles and the author names for members (authors can play too!) to guess who wrote which story. We will have a badge for whoever gets the most right!!

So... clearly I was not good at Sneakin... because last month I failed to get the CSR out on time! Luckily this month penginsrgay answered some questions for me. Did you read this story about someone else not so good at sneaking around? Share your thoughts below! Q: Do you eat your fruits and vegetables? A: Religiously! Q: If you were an animal, what would you be? A: Next! Q: What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? A: Probably China. I've met a few gay Chinese men irl. They have a lot to say about different it is to be gay there, for better and worse. Q: What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know? A: I am rather physically strong Q: What brought you to GA? A: I was talking about nifty in a forum and another writer suggested that I post here. Q: What is your favorite story you’ve ever written & why? A: I love all my stories for different reasons. The one I love most at any given time is the one I'm writing. Sometimes I'm tempted to write a sequel to Sneakin. I have some loose exercises and a half of a chapter I'm not really satisfied with. I'm starting a new career so I have not had much time for writing, at least not in a very serious way, but once things settle down I'm hoping I will get much more prolific here. Let's see what readers thought about Sneakin... The flow had captured me and I want to read it start-to-finish in one sitting. Such sophisticated storytelling. Following you @penguinsrgay so I won’t miss anything else you share. ~Dan South This was fun. I especially like the protagonist's snarcasm. I'm glad to see the subtle art of mixing snark and sarcasm is still being practiced. ~James Savik OMG, too funny... I distinctly remember being less drama filled at that age. ~ centexhairysub

I like to keep you all on your toes. My games are ALWAYS challenging.

Remember, everyone, you WILL get the hint of a list of the stories and the authors at the end so all hope is NOT lost. Yet. I'm just not helping you at all now with the secret of who took up the challenge of writing one of these great stories versus who just wanted to be a reader, lol.

I would have made one instead of asking you to do it, but thank you!!

I hadn't thought about that. I'll have to ask @Myr if I can assign a badge to one person. Participating gets you an entry for a prize but a badge would be cool!

The story comments/review are more for your thoughts on the story itself. Guesses or conversation back and forth between readers (and authors are also readers here in GA so being an author doesn't mean they can't guess, lol) mostly happen here so it can be ongoing through the contest. Also, that way, when the contest is over and the Secret Author has to give up the stories to their rightful owners, the legit authors can go back and reply to comments about reader thoughts/questions on the characters, settings, events, or just overall kudos instead of just contest info. Though that is okay too!

That's right! Get your spy glasses, red herring hunting, secret revealing blacklights on (okay, maybe not that... who knows what you'll see?!!) 🫢But today is the kickoff for the Secret Author Story Contest Stories. One will be posted per day until they've all been revealed... but the authors are still hidden. Just who wrote these stories?! Read today's kick off story here or find each day's new story featured in the Stories tab. Discuss your thoughts (after you read, like, comment, and review!) in the contest topic!

That's right, here's where you'll get a chance to discuss your thoughts on ALL the hidden secrets in this year's contest! Please remember to visit our Secret Author, read the stories (like, comment, and review!) and then chat away. Later on, I'll actually reveal who participated in the contest and you'll get a chance to guess match the authors to stories, vote for your favorite, and win! Thanks for playing along! Visit our Secret Author here Let the fun begin!

The first story will post TOMORROW, July 25th!!

Okay, there's no secret around the deadline! Today's the last day to send me your submission for the Secret Author Story Contest. The theme is "Hidden". For readers, I hope you're ready! Authors, remember, don't share that you're in on the contest quite yet!! One story will be posted each day by our "Secret Author" until all of them have been posted. Please like, comment, and review! A topic will be started for readers to share their thoughts on who wrote each story. After each story has been posted, the names of all the authors who participated will be revealed, and we'll see who can do the best to pair up author and story titles! We'll have a poll for readers to vote on their favorite story. FINALLY! One reader who comments, reviews, and participates in the contest topic will be randomly selected along with one of the participating authors to win Premium Membership. Now who's ready for some excellent stories?

Did you catch the feature on Monday with this month's story, Christmas Confidential that brings readers Christmas in July? Christmas Confidential takes readers on a mission of holiday cheer for those who need it. Maybe you need it? Check out this excerpt from my favorite story. Want to read more? Click here

Well, it's July... and what's more fitting than a Christmas in July feature? I couldn't think of anything, so that's what you get! This month I'm bringing you a story that's really a series of stories written by Valkyrie (along with Aditus) that you should read now if you're craving a little holiday cheer. Length: 14,024 Description: Gabe Murray is on a mission to deliver holiday cheer on behalf of a mysterious benefactor. We'd tell you who it is, but that's confidential. A Reader Said: You get 5 stars and a hug from me! May all your holiday's bring us happy stories and poems to us all the time! It doesn't have to be a holiday though to read your awesome stories! ~ Sherye Story Reader If you want to spread the word about Valkyrie'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!

Did you catch Monday's feature of Stellar's story, Spirit of Fire? If you love fantasy, Stellar never disappoints with his stories. If you are daunted by the large word count... well that's just more to love! Check out this excerpt below; it's just one example! Want to read more? Click here.

For some June is a month where it heats up, others it's a month of change... so this story is perfect! Then again, those are just a few tidbits on the surface, and if you've ever read a novel by Stellar, you know there's so much more underneath. Why not sink into this LONG story posted a few years ago? Length: 196,536 Description: With a life that is almost painfully normal and unremarkable, 16 year old Torsten has no reason to believe in anything out of the ordinary. Then, a series of cryptic events throws him beyond the boring familiarity that he knows, into the mystery and magic of reality unmasked. A Reader Said: I have been eagerly following this story from the start, waiting for a new chapter to be uploaded as soon as I read the one just uploaded. The plot, characters, lore and writing are delightfully stellar (pun intended). This story just left me feeling the void left behind, like those you get after reading a fantastic book. This is an absolute must read for fans of the fantasy genre. ~Avaloch If you want to spread the word about Stellar'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!

So... why not throw another curveball at you? Plus I really chuckled at the username. This recently finished short story is by a newer author to GA but comes with a high recommendation in its only review... lets get some extra comments and reviews on the story this month! Sneakin by @penguinsrgay Length: 14,472 Description: A delinquent sneaks out of his home to go shoplifting. A Reader said: I opened this and started reading it 40 days ago when it posted. It’s taken me so long to finish it because every time I picked back up I had to start from the beginning again. Not because I’d forgotten the storyline…it’s not forgettable. The flow had captured me and I want to read it start-to-finish in one sitting. Such sophisticated storytelling. Following you @penguinsrgay so I won’t miss anything else you share. Come back on the last Monday of the month, June 24th to check out the Discussion day and share your thoughts!

Did you read Deeds of Their Past by @mcarss for our Can't Stop Reading, or CSR, Blog Feature for May? This story has magic, foul deeds, and a few twists and turns to keep readers guessing. What did you think? Share your thoughts in a comment below the author interview! If you were an animal, what would you be? Most certainly a bird. I love all birds, but especially hold a deep affection for corvids. More than once, I've considered befriending a murder of crows. The idea of having them follow me around on my morning walks brings a mischievous smile to my face, but I've no doubt the noise would anger my neighbours. What do you like to do when you’re not writing? Creating music is a lifelong passion (I've released 70+ albums) and recently became my full-time career. Working for oneself without dealing with clients has been remarkably freeing. It's also provided me with ample free time to write stories on a regular basis. Bonus! Gaming fills my free time as well. Currently, I'm playing Baldur's Gate 3 (fantasy RPGs are my favourite), Helldivers 2 and Warhammer 40,000: Darktide (shoot the baddies with friends online), and Watch Dogs: Legion (generic Ubisoft fare that some people dislike, but I enjoy its simplicity.) What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? Given my love of the medieval European fantasy trope, I've always wanted to visit Scotland, especially the northern highlands. The rugged beauty of Scotland and the ancient architecture of its castles fascinate me to no end. With so many having been converted to hotels and B&Bs, the idea of sleeping within the walls of a place with such a long and rich history provokes a thrill I struggle to express in words. I know visiting these places would inspire me greatly. What brought you to GA? Despite being a member since 2011, my account lay dormant until early this year (2024). When I originally discovered GA, I was amazed by the depth and breadth of the stories shared, as well as the active community. I'd tucked the link into my favourites, and then forgot about it entirely. Oops. Upon discovering the link again years later, I realized it could be a perfect place to post my novels. Sure, they'd been available on Amazon and all the other platforms, but being an unknown, amateur author meant my stories had fallen into obscurity. In any case, I'd never written a word with the prospect of making money. All I hoped was to find an audience that would enjoy what I'd written. The GA community has left me humbled by their enthusiasm for my work. No amount of thanks can express how accepted I feel here, but thank you all the same. Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing? Oh boy, where do I start? As I mentioned earlier, I'm a musician. For me, it's easier to express emotion and mood with music rather than prose. Countless times, I find myself grasping for the right word or phrase to express what's in my head. I think setting a scene is the most difficult task for me—having descriptions sweep across the page, painting an image in the reader's mind. On a technical level, sentence structure and flow are other aspects that always need attention. What is your favorite genre to write? In case it wasn't obvious by this point, the fantasy genre is my favourite for reading and writing. Do you prefer to avoid tropes in fantasy or lean into one or more to make it easier for readers to sink into the story? Tropes exist for a reason. People, myself included, enjoy them. I don't consider myself clever enough to put an original spin on a common theme, so I'll leave that to more creative authors to tackle. I certainly appreciate readers who are tired of hackneyed plot devices, thirsty for something original. In that case, I'm not the author for them. How did you come up with the names for the characters and places in Deeds of their Past (imagination, generator website, writing books)? Brohm's name was inspired by a piece of art I liked from the mid 00s. The title was: Brom the Butcher (I added the 'h' to Brohm's name) and features a surly bugbear/hobgoblin wielding a giant cleaver. Unfortunately, I can't find the source anywhere, nor do I know the artist's name. It's been over a decade since writing Deeds, so I can't recall everything clearly, but I know I used name generators to help in the creation of other characters. Locations were gleaned from lists of old towns and hamlets in Europe. Early in the writing process, I needed a map to keep track of Nathan and Brohm's travels. I found some royalty-free map assets and built one in Photoshop. It's viewable on the story's main page. Do you have a favorite scene in the story? Not a scene per se, but a segment of the story where, for the first time, the two protagonists (Nathan and Brohm) have a moment to breathe. Chapters nine and ten give them time to discover each other, and in turn, the reader learns more about them. Can you share a little of your current or upcoming work with readers? I'm very close to completing the first draft of The Roaming Sea. The story follows a young army medic, Callum, doing his part in a century's long war between humans and pactrids (giant elephantmen.) He finds himself tossed behind enemy lines, captured, and interrogated. His captor, however, tells a very different story as to why they're warring. Callum can't decide if it's the truth, or deceit to turn him against his own kind. I hope to have it available by the end of the year, and you can be sure that it'll be available on GA first before I publish it elsewhere.

Did you breeze through the poems Parker Owens posted earlier this year? Or catch it when I featured Calliope's Carousel on Monday? If not, maybe a glimpse at a snippet from one of his poems will draw you in! Which week did this post in?? Want to read more? Click here

This month I thought I'd feature something light with variety... like my weather today as I set up this blog which has been hail, rain, sun, rain, clouds, sun, rain, sun, sun, sun... seriously?! I hope you will enjoy @Parker Owens options a lot more! Length: 2,774 Description: A collection of poems for NaPoWriMo 2024. A reader said: You sure know how to paint a picture. ~weinerdog If you want to spread the word about Parker Owen's submission, 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!