Cia

The worst rating/review I ever got on an eBook, imo, was the one that stated that the story wasn't good or bad because the reader was completely indifferent to it. The goal is to make people feel something, and that usually requires empathy or attraction. Not necessarily physical attraction, though that does stand to reason in the romance genre which is why you don't find a lot of 'average guys' on covers and in stories. An author has to stay true to the characters and plot but keep in mind how that comes across to readers because if you skew the story too much, it can turn them off. Unfortunately, there's no way to always avoid alienating readers because how and why a reader enjoys a story/characters can vary greatly.

Thanks, Geemeedee! Well I don't plan to just do 1k stories. I simply have had a lot of side projects in writing that you haven't seen because they're geared for publishing instead. I like the Briefers not for the exposure (at this point, we don't have a lot of participating authors) but because it gives me a reason to always post something for free for readers, no matter what else I have going on. Definitely appreciate the feedback though.

This chapter was a pivotal point in the information game. Lots of tiny clues, some more overt ones... I hope you'll like the next chapter too!

I flexed my fingers, my claws extending to their maximum. “Why were you on the side of the house?” I stalked closer to take a deep whiff of his scent. “That’s my fault,” Park said. “You were in the backyard with Kraig, and I thought it would be easier for Ritch to go around than to go inside your house.” “Why?” I growled. Ritch flinched, but so subtly that only the narrowing of his eyes gave it away. He looked calm; his breaths slow and even, his shoulders rounded and chin tucked slightly to

Thank you, Dawn! Flash fiction is a way to explore different ideas and styles, so it's always fun to mess around with.

August is here, and I'm spending all my time with the family, enjoying our extra time together... but sometimes it's not so easy being part of a family. Check out the drama and hopefully happy ending in Headstall's Treading Water for this month's featured CSR read! Treading Water by Headstall Length: 48,955 Description: Craig and Jared, former brothers-in-law, have been tormented in different ways, and lines have been crossed. Can they now find a way to make sense out of a challenging family situation? A Reader Said: Such a shame to see the end, but, hopefully it won't be for long...hint hint... I loved this short story and can't wait to see what you come up with next. ~ Cazpredroso ​ This month's Discussion day will take place on Monday, August 29th!

Congratulations, Puppi!!!

LOL. Rebel, me? Nooo! There is a lot coming up in the next chapter, so I hope I can keep it all straight. You guys notice all the little tricks I use nowadays. Thanks for reviewing, Gary!

You picked up on so many details! I love that.

So much drama, and then boom! The End That 1k limit really is a killer for me too, and some weeks it feels like Wednesday stretches farther than 7 days. There is definitely a lot coming in next week's chapter though. Thanks for the review, Puppilull.

I swallowed hard and consciously controlled my breathing. Kraig’s forehead was wrinkled and he was clenching my hand so hard his knuckles turned white. His whole body shuddered as he let out a deep breath. “They strapped me down and took blood, skin samples, saliva, semen”—I saw red knowing what they must have done to him to get that—“but the worst part was when they strapped my head down, drilled holes in my skull, and attached wires to my brain.” Horror consumed me. “They invaded your brain?

This month we're featuring Zenith's story, The Window Washer. Did you have a chance to read it? Hard to believe the discussion day is already here, but it is. Check out my questions to Zenith, where I pump him for vital information like his clothing habits, and he reveals his favorite places to plot! ​ Have you ever gone out in public, realized your shirt is on backwards, and just don’t care? Not backwards, but inside out. Unfortunately I cared. I was embarrassed. I like things to be ‘perfect.’ Publishing a spelling mistake in a story is like discovering my shirt is on backwards; it really bothers me. Although, I should learn to forgive (or get over) myself—it’s darn hard to write and edit your work, especially if you’re in a hurry to get a chapter published. What's your favorite room in your house? Do you plot or write there? Living room, for sure. I love to flop on the couch and read, although I wouldn’t describe myself as a couch potato, it’s just my favorite posture for reading. I do a lot of my plot development in bed. Either before going to sleep or first thing, early in the morning. The physical writing usually takes place while sitting at the dining table using my laptop. I like an uncluttered workspace. The only other thing I have there is my iPhone which I use as a dictionary/thesaurus. What brought you to GA? I was looking for good quality gay fiction. I’m a real fan or gay romance whether it’s contemporary, science fiction or fantasy. GA has tons of high quality stories that appeal to me. It’s a well run site, so thanks for that! What do you like to do when you’re not writing? I like traveling. If I could afford to, I’d do a lot of it. Unfortunately, with my budget, my go-to pastime is reading. I often read several books a week. I rarely watch TV, for some reason it agitates me. Where do you get your ideas? From all over. Often it’s a wannabe fantasy. Jerome connecting with Rob, the hunky window washer, was straight out of a personal fantasy. I used to love it when the window washers would swing by in real life. Sometimes I’m inspired by things I read—not to copy them, but to stretch my writing. What I find as I read best-selling authors is that they create almost impossible coincidences, which readers overlook because they’re absorbed in the plot. Readers will call you on factual mistakes, but rarely do they say ‘that’s too much of a coincidence.’ What’s the best part of being an author? Writing relaxes me and helps me process my emotions. I truly do write from the heart. My stories have HEE endings because that’s what I’d like in my life. Although ‘real life’ is often full of surprises and disappointments (as well as many, many good things, of course). And writing is a creative outlet, much the way painting might be to someone who has that talent. It’s fun and good for me at the same time. Did you decide on the window washer job before or after you got the idea for the accident scene? As I said above, the story was inspired by real window washers occasionally coming by my office window. My first ‘inspiration’ was to write a dark little piece about a window washer and an accountant who ‘connect’ then the window washer falls to his death. Now aren’t you glad I abandoned that ending? Do you have a favorite character in The Window Washer? Why or why not? No, I don’t have a favorite. I love them all equally. The nice thing about writing is that you can imbue your characters with traits you like. There were no villains in this story, so pretty much everyone is likeable. Your story has a lot of things in it like the careers of the characters, settings in different cities, etc... Is that all research based or did you use things from your own life for inspiration? Ah, good question. Pretty much 100% from my own life. I, like Jerome, was a bored accountant—only he was much better looking and got rich. My daughter is a flight attendant, which would really have been my dream job, so I know a lot about employee flying. The building where Jerome works is in Vancouver. In fact, it’s 900 West Georgia, where I used to work. I worked on the 9th floor, but I figure Rob would survive a 5 story fall a little easier. There’s really a glass canopy above the sidewalk and a coffee shop inside, just like I describe. Jerome’s condo is in Coal Harbour, Vancouver and there is a seawall and yacht sales place there too. (Although I don’t live in Coal Harbour.) I’ve only visited Santa Barbara once, but fell in love with it. I used Google Earth to locate the spot for Rob’s parents’ fictional home. (And, BTW, who wouldn’t fantasize about owning a Porsche convertible?) I’ve visited Venice Beach many times and always enjoy its bohemian vibe. It’s one of my fantasy ‘to live there’ places. Sailing: well, growing up on the West Coast of Canada I’ve done my fair share of sailing. I enjoy it, although it’s not really my thing. But it was a great way for Jerome to escape his troubles. One of my readers helped me with the finer details of the surrogacy process. The internet is used to fill in many blanks. And I wouldn’t survive a minute without my dictionary and thesaurus. Can you share a little of your current work or future projects with us? Well, there’s ‘Special Forces’ which is done. I’m working on two other stories and have one more in my head. The first story is about a guy whose b/f is framed for drug trafficking. The second one is about an otherwise colorless guy whose life changes when gets transferred to Honolulu. Both those are in process. The one in my head is about a kid whose life is ruined when he gets caught sneaking into the neighbor’s swimming pool…. One of my favorite themes is people who aren’t necessarily what they appear to be. Like Rob not being just a window washer. I try to use that ‘trick’ whenever I can. And I love recycling my characters. Giving them cameos in the next story. ***** Thanks for giving me an opportunity to answer these fun questions! All right, people, you know what to do! Have fun, share your thoughts on the story, or ask Zenith more questions!

I have a friend who does nice things for me and I do nice things for her. The last few years she took me to many appointments, even picking me up at 5 AM to drop me off for outpatient surgery since I couldn't drive myself and my husband had to work (she is not a morning person!). Tomorrow I'll be at her house at 7 AM tomorrow to follow her to the dealership to drop off her car for repairs and then take her elderly dog to the vet for surgery and hang around her all day until one or both are done and she doesn't need a ride. But we've been best friends since we were 6 which basically makes us family, and that's what family does. Still, when I think about what I've done for others and what they've done for me, that sort of thing is what really comes to mind because it's a constant--we're here to make each other's lives easier. Community works is a tenet of my personal beliefs. It's our job to do as much as possible to help our fellow people because that's just the right thing to do. I volunteer countless hours to promote readership and community service at my kids' schools in basic tasks as well as special events and projects. I donate food and drinks and personal care items to homeless people when it's safe to do so (dollar store toothbrushes, mini toothpastes, deodorant, and sanitizer wipes in a baggie can make a person feel just a little more human). We donate toys at the holidays and make cards for the elderly in care homes who might not have visitors. You never know when treating people like they matter to you, even if they're a stranger, might be the nicest thing that's happened to them in that day, that week, or that year.

Very gruesome and I did make that mistake, so thanks for pointing it out. He's on my mind... well, you'll see why. Thanks for the review, Puppilull!

I'm with you. Patience is sooo hard! I think knowing more about what the doctor was doing is definitely going to be absolutely vital. Thanks for the review, Gary!

I know, right? So dramatic, but I'm glad the character development is coming across too. Thanks for reading, Lux!

Did you catch Monday's post with Comicality's favorite reviews from Light Reaches Earth? Didn't get the graphic for your signature? You can still check it out here. Now we're going to feature Comsie's chosen excerpt. Comicality says... "This story was written for one of the GayAuthor Anthologies, and I really wanted to tell a story with a science fiction edge to it, but mostly existed as an emotionally involving tale of true connection and self discovery. No sexual content needed. Just a narrative on who we are and what we're searching for in this life. Happiness. I hope this story did the trick. I chose this section as an introduction to the meeting between both boys, and the intrigue and fascination that comes with them preparing to match wits on the idea of intelligent life itself in the universe. I hope it will get you all to read more." Want to read more? Check out the rest of the story here!

“I’m not a glutton for punishment, so I’ll call Uncle Radford this weekend. I don’t want to talk to him after he’s had to teach a freshman class.” “Trust me, I get it. You wouldn’t believe the lectures he gave me about proper behavior and appreciating that this streak allowed human werekin to pursue higher education.” Kraig covered the bandage around the bad wound on his wrist. “Not that I ever got to attend a class.” “You don’t have to talk about that right now. Do you feel up to going for a

Comicality's Light Reaches Earth is an intriguing take on the theme "Out of This World" from the 2010 anthology. Have you read it? Well maybe this will make you want to! Did you know it's also an eBook? If you want to share your love for Comsie's story, there's a signature ad below for you to download. Length:16,722 Description: Riley Jordan is a teen at a group home for boys. Disturbed and confused by his newfound feelings for someone of the same sex, he continues to hide it away from anyone who might see it. But when a new transfer comes into the group home it is more of a 'visitation' than Riley was prepared for. Reviews: Ricky says... "One of the things I really enjoy about your work, all of it, is how you bring what many see as core values to light as something to constantly question. Your writing stirs us from our complacency. Very much the way Richard Bach does in Illusions and of course Peck in the Road Less Traveled, but you do it in a much more, true to life example to bring about the application of comparison." An Amazon Customer says... "An absolute gem! Just love Comicality's writing style. Read the entire story in one sitting and had tears in my eyes at the ending. Thank you!" Rob says... "Very intriguing story that not only involves your emotions but also causes you to question some of your own beliefs. A captivating read that will keep you glued to the screen to the very end." Rick Gaz says... "Another great hit-to-be from Comicality. Lots of thought went it to it and it makes you think....do YOU believe? I certainly do. Happy tears at the end, something Comicality does best." Matt M says... "I was greatly moved by this story and I would just like to express my deepest gratitude for your phenomenal writing. The story is just beautiful on many levels, especially towards the end. Thank you so much for this compelling and gripping story; it really gave me a brilliant time =)" Remember to check back on Wednesday to see what excerpt Comsie chose to share with readers! Want to show your support and enjoyment of Comsie's story? Download the banner above for your site signature!

LOL! I'm glad you did. I loved the irony of the contrast of Elian's choice and his boon along with the name meanings (did you look up Elian and Cresil? I also wanted to play with the double-edged nature of the US-style lottery by making the lottery Elian faced have a negative death tie but then also do a nebulous positive tone too. Plus I don't mention where he Ascends or how, so it's only really "death" if you think of this life as the only physical existence possible.

Well a lottery can be so many things, as seen from The Island, Hunger Games, and the US $$ version, but I wanted to go a little different. Teasing hints of what the lottery entails, but I didn't really explain it all, so it could be expanded later. LOL, a lot of my prompts could, actually. Thanks for reviewing, Lux!

Thanks, Gary! I was using a few different underlying themes with this short like the names and that whole poetic justice you mentioned.

Interesting, except streak dynamics don't work that way. No one picked up on the fact that Uncle Radford has a job outside the streak, so that means... well, I guess readers will learn next week. LOL Thanks for reading, Gary!

“Marked for Ascension, I see.” Felix tapped a few buttons on his computer and robotic arms picked up my car and began working underneath. “That makes sense then.” “What makes sense?” Elian asked. He fingered the sunburst on his forehead. “Why someone would cut your brake lines. They failed because you lost all the fluid. You designate your successor?” Elian gaped at him. “I-I did. Every lottery winner has to before Rising.” The mechanic shook his head. “I’m real sorry to hear that.” It was