Renee Stevens

Hope everyone had a great weekend! I've been doing lots and lots of school work! Ugh! Anyway, to help you start your week off right, take a look at this review that Parker Owens did on Wayne Gray's story "The Answer". Have a great week! The Answer Wayne Gray Reviewer: Parker Owens Status: Complete Word Count: 5,848 Short stories can be riveting and entertaining, but they are often immensely difficult to write. An author must craft a compact, yet compelling, story arc into five or six thousand words. The Answer delivers admirably. Wayne Gray takes us on a journey through the seasons of a life, allowing us to see the changes in his main character, Shawn. We see him in his twenties, his thirties and into his fourth decade. There are few constants in Shawn’s life; his business, his friend Ian, and his own inconstancy. It is against this backdrop that we watch the journey of the years play out, and the understanding of maturity dawn upon the main character. I liked the intimacy of this story, especially. There are little details in each snapshot that let the reader sense what his characters taste, touch and see. Wayne does a great job showing us both significant and subtle alterations in both Shawn, and in the other characters who intersect his life, changing as often as the weather. Those readers who may have reached a certain age or wisdom can closely identify with the markers the author describes, pointing the way to middle age. What comes to Shawn in maturity may not surprise readers, but it will surely make them smile. This story appeals for many reasons, but most importantly because it speaks to me of optimism and hope. Wayne Gray demonstrates that “too late” isn’t inevitable, and that real change can happen to anyone. I’d encourage everyone to sit down and read this story by a gifted member of GA. Discover The Answer for yourself. Category: Fiction Genres: Romance Tags: young adult, mature adult, adult, gay, North America, anal, friendship Rating: Mature

So many things I'd like to say, but I'll just say this. The last few months, even years, have been a roller-coaster for you and it's been rough, but you've persevered through all the trials. Take the time you need for you, figure out who you are and where you want to go from here, but don't worry about doing it all at once. You are so much stronger than you've ever given yourself credit for. Those around you have seen it, even when you doubt it. Take care of yourself right now, and just know that you have friends that will be there for you when you need them. Sending you lots of hugs and healing wishes.

Sorry y'all! While I do have some blog entries that I could really get put up, school has been absolutely INSANE!!!! My instructor (I have the same one for all 3 classes this semester) is using a new program and since I do fairly good with it, somehow I keep getting asked to troubleshoot and see if things are working like they're supposed to. A little extra credit for this would be nice, but... oh well. Anyway, that hasn't been leaving me a lot of time for other stuff lately. With that being said, I thought today might be a good day to see how everyone is doing on their anthology entries! Feel free to share a little bit about your anthology in the comments. No spoilers, but maybe you can give us a peek at your main character, or if you already know what your story description will be, share that! How far along are you? What do you think your final word count will look like? Yeah, I know, lots of questions, but hey, the masses wanna know... Well, I want to know, lol. Let's see, what else can I share about the anthologies. We have a new incentive for the anthology. @Valkyrie has offered to edit (post-anthology) up to a 25K story for a new anthology author! That's right. If you've never participated in an anthology before, this is a great opportunity to not only get your work a little more attention, but to win an edit from the head of our proof team herself. If you do enter, make sure to tell Valkyrie that you're a first time anthology author when you send your story to the proof team. And remember, stories MUST be edited prior to be submitted for final proofing. If it is clear that it hasn't been edited, it will be declined until editing has been done. So, with all of that being said, share your progress below! Themes: Shadows and/or Bridges Due Date: November 15th, 2020 Word Count: 25,000 words MAX Poetry: Up to 5 poems posted as a collection You can get the full list of rules and guidelines in the anthology forum! Happy Writing!!!!

Renee could handle the s***, it was the hurricane level winds that came with it that was the problem. That heavy, wet, s*** weighted down the trees and combined with the winds that toppled tree after tree!

Thanks, but I just post them. @spikey582 is the one responsible for the great review!

Happy Monday, y'all! I'm running behind and really should be sleeping, so I'll make this quick! Its time for a new review, if you haven't already read this story, check out spikey's review and then go check out the story! Do You Remember ObicanDecko Reviewer: spikey582 Status: Complete Word Count: 56,780 Perhaps I’m a bit of a romantic at heart, but sometime I just really need to sit back and enjoy a more lighthearted story, something that has me smiling as I read. Life has been rather stressful for me of late, and so when I do take the time to read something, I really do prefer something that is a bit of an escape from my daily stresses. Do You Remember by ObicanDecko, was just that kind of story for me. This story follows two young men, Alex and Jeremy, who meet at a summer camp in their early teens, and become fast friends. The camp ends, and they go their separate ways, with promises to keep in touch, but of course life gets in the way. They are reunited by coincidence ten years later, and begin to rekindle their connection. All that being said, this tale isn’t without its conflicts. Alex has had to move back home and drop out of university, seemingly a failure with serious financial problems. Jeremy, though realizing his dream of opening his own bakery, and doing what he loves, is also living a bit of a double life, hiding who he really is from his family. Then of course there is Brandon, the wealthy, attractive, eligible bachelor who has his sights set on Alex. Seeing how all these characters interact, how they navigate the challenges set before them makes for a delightful read. There’s some definite bumps along the way for these men, but joining them through their journey, had me constantly smiling throughout, and there may be been a single manly tear or two as well. If you are looking for a bit of fun drama and romance, this is highly recommended. Check it out. Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Romance Tags: teen, young adult, gay, coming of age, coming out, love, friendship Rating: Mature

I'll state this again later on, but during theme selection next year, the number of pot luck themes may be dependent on exactly how many get used this coming year.