Renee Stevens

Wow, how the time flies. It's hard to believe that Baby J is just under 2 months shy of celebrating his first birthday! He is so active and is crawling, pulling himself up, and walking along the couch (or anywhere else as long as he has something or someone to hold onto!) We have baby gates all over the house, and so far they seem to be keeping the little guy mostly contained. And we now adapt whatever we're having for meals so that the little man can eat it too, with his 4 little teeth! Being a new mom is more than I ever expected, and so worth it. Especially when he gives me his big grin, or like the other night when I wasn't feeling good and Baby J just snuggled with me. Or he says mama or dada (the very occasional mommy and daddy). Of course, he has his grumpy boy moments, but they're usually only when he's tired or not feeling well. Luckily major meltdowns are few and far between. He's even been on his first major roadtrip. 17 Hour drive (one way) to meet his uncle, aunt, and cousins (we broke it up into 3 shorter days rather than 2 long ones to make it easier on him). Of course, everyone loved him, but Baby J really took to my brother. If my brother was home, Baby J was on his lap, or otherwise in the very near vicinity. As you can probably tell, life has been busy. We're lucky that Baby J hasnt really been sick much, primarily only having the flu at one point and a short lasting stomach bug another one. I've been sick a little more, but D has been great about helping out around the house, especially when I'm not at my best. We may have finally got a few answers to everything that has been going on with me. Vitamin D deficiency counts for a lot of my issues, and most of what isnt caused by that are most likely caused by a stomach/esophagus sphincter hernia. Which basically means that the above named sphincter, that connects the esophogus and stomach, is loose and allows for reocurring reflux. Not great news, but it's mostly controllable with diet and reflux meds (though I'm not on a daily med for it at this point). Surgery isnt suggested to fix the issue unless it gets much worse than it is, as it would require a major surgery. So that's what's been going on here. Not much writing going on, as I simply cant seem to find the time and or ambition, but hopefully that will return in time. There have definitely been some ups and downs, but overall I cant complain too much. Hopefully I'll be able to return to GA on a more full time basis in the near future (is that a little optimistic considering Baby J is nearly a toddler?) But I have a great team to help with my GA duties, and I owe a huge thank you to all of them! Not going to name names, just in case I forget one, but Thank you, all of the help is greatly appreciated! Until next time! Cheers Renee

Happy Birthday, Myr!

Wow. It's been a while since I've done one of these, but Steve is away for the weekend and asked if I could take care of it. Of course! Between not feeling the greatest the last couple of days and not having done it in a while, let's hope I remember how! So, let's take a look at what we had this week. And don't forget to check out Myr's post about the recent update! Anthologies 2019 Fall Anthology: Fall From Grace - Due November 15th 2019 Fall Anthology: Raincheck - Due November 15th Blog Opportunities Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to @Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) Story Recommendations: Open to all GA authors & readers. PM your recommendation and why you recommend it to a Site Admin. Guess the Author: Open to all GA authors. PM @Renee Stevens to participate. 3 Story Promo: Open to all GA Authors. PM @Renee Stevens to participate. Author Interview: Open to all GA Authors. PM @Renee Stevens to participate. Favorite Self-Written Story: Open to all GA authors. PM @Renee Stevens to participate. Story Recommendations: Open to all GA authors & readers. PM @Renee Stevens to participate. Questions & Answers: Open to all GA authors, readers, and editors. Visit the thread and PM @Renee Stevens to participate. Reader Recommended: Recommend a completed Poem/Story/Series for a short blurb at the end of the Weekly Wrap Up and PM @wildone to share your favourite stories. Classic Updates: A Mourning Storm by Ronyx Nathan and the Chav Prince by Mike Arram Panic! by Dabeagle Rich Boy: Growing Pains by dkstories The Castaway Hotel: Next Generation Book 3 by Bill W Signature Updates: Adrift by Mann Ramblings Aria Graice by Nephylim Denied by Cia Double Take by Comicality GFD: Dark Web by Comicality Lonely Pride by Cynus Love Looked at Me and Laughed and other poems by AC Benus; Book 11 of Verse Lyrical Laments by Headstall Prickly Prompts by aditus Zero to Hero, a Guide by AC Benus Promising Updates: Georgetown: Goodnight, My Angel by Carlos Hazday Here Kitty, Kitty by Caz Pedroso Keep Quiet by albertnothlit **Reader Recommended** Recommended by @Brayon Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!

Well, I completely forgot that I needed 3 different Wednesday posts for this month. So the dilemma happened early in the morning as I wondered, what can I post for the day? Well... Since today is the last day to send in your anthology entries to the proof team, I decided, why not take a look back at the anthologies for last year! Notice, that I mentioned today is the last day? Yep, make sure you have your anthologies sent to @Valkyrie by the end of the day today if you want them included in the anthology! So, what were the Anthologies from last year? It Was Supposed to be a One-Night Stand JayT An Accidental Clarity Menzoberranzen No Escape Puppilull Feeling Blue Timothy M. Life's Decisions northie Touch CassieQ Ace Valkyrie Disco Camping jfalkon The Sphinx CarlHoliday Tomorrow Carlos Hazday One Little Snowflake Bhopper2 The Death, Life and Suicide of Tommy Crouch by Tarek Donohue Mikiesboy Lifting the Veil Headstall Jealousy CassieQ Culled Parker Owens Leading the Way Puppilull A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 2 Myr Superhero Surprise Cia A Taste of Amnesia AC Benus A Place To Live northie Martin Pop, Fixer Comicfan Wounded Comicality A Tempest in a Teapot Myr Igneous Valkyrie Castle Dark Cole Matthews A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 1 Myr Wow! That's a lot of stories! But hey, now's a great time to read them if you didn't read them when they were first released! Get yourself in the reading mindset for the upcoming release of the 2019 Spring Anthology. Happy Reading! And again, don't forget: Anthology entries are due TODAY!!!!!

For today's review, we have a review from Puppilull on @comicfan's story The Strange Life of Jonas Marks. If you haven't already started reading the CSR story for May, here is the review to whet your appetite. Don't forget to check out Cia's interview with comicfan at the end of the month and maybe ask your own questions. The Strange Life of Jonas Marks comicfan Reviewer: Puppilull Starus: Complete Word Count: 57,189 Some jobs require a bit more of you. Though I bet you’ve never had a job quite like the one Jonas Marks manages to snag for himself: assistant in the hub of an operation that traverses the entire universe and possibly quite a few other realms. Jonas Marks’ quite ordinary life gets overturned when he is tossed out of his home by his father. Why? Oh, he happens to be gay and that is unacceptable to his useless excuse of a father. So, within days of graduating, our hero finds himself on the streets, with no home, no job and no way to support himself. Thankfully, he has a great friend who invites him to stay with her and her family. Job hunting turns out to be difficult, but then he gets the chance he’s been waiting for. The name for his new place of work, the Fantasy Office in the fancy department store Kroger’s, should perhaps set off a few alarm bells. Adding to this, his new boss, Mr. Openseter, is somewhat scaly. However, no one else seems to notice. However, beggars can’t be choosers. Reassured by the fact that the rest of the staff seem to accept Openseter’s unusual appearance, Jonas rolls up his sleeves and gets to work. He gets busy fulfilling other people’s fantasies and desires for rare items as well as unusual partners, one more magical than the next. Many items are things I certainly wished were real. A bowl automatically filling with pudding or a ring that takes you where you want to go? A talking sword…? Or the most coveted by us readers – a fantastic cleaning device. This story can at times come across as an acid dream, but just as you think it’s going too far and your suspension of disbelief is threatening to rip at the seams, comicfan reigns us back in and puts a relatable and quite down to earth spin on events once more. He captures Jonas’ feelings of loneliness and insecurity but also shows us how he is surrounded by people who care for him and love him. Being mistreated by his father has given Jonas the ability to remain open and not judge. Maybe that’s why he can see all people and creatures for who they are and not be misled by appearance or misdirection. A capability that comes in handy when he meets his more exotic clients. Also, something worth thinking about after reading. How prepared are you to look past the exterior of others? Of course, there is a love story snuck into this wonderful weirdness. But I’ll let you all discover that little gem all on your own. I promise you won’t feel blue about it. Or well, when I think about it… Category: Fiction Genres: Fantasy, Sci-Fi Tags: young adult, aliens, magic, gay, alternate earth, friendship Rating: Everyone

So.... just out of curiosity, how's everyone liking the "Author Guess Who" feature?

Well, it's time for another Author Guess WHO! You'll have a couple of weeks to guess the author. Good luck! Sorry about the lack of extra formatting. Posting using my phone again. What is one thing that most GA members might not know about you? Something unimportant maybe, but people ask me about it again and again: I have two colors in my irises. What prompted you to write your first story? There was a particular story percolating in my head that needed to be told and read. As soon I had figured out how to begin, I couldn’t stop. Is there a genre that you haven’t written for that you would consider trying later on? I’d love to write a mystery murder story and send the readers on a wild goose chase. What do you like most about publishing on GA? I love the interaction with readers and other authors. Do you have any unique writing habits or rituals to help you get into a writing mood? I don’t know about unique but I do have some habits. I might play a round of Candy Crush before I start. Sometimes I read something entirely different genre- or style-wise as I intend to write because contrasts get my mind working. How has your writing style evolved over time? I hope the telling became showing and my dialogues got better. Do you have a significant other? Yes. Do you have any pets? Yes. Do you post multi-chapter stories as you write? Do you wait until you’ve finished writing the entire story? Or is it something in between? I post as I write. I wish I could wait but I’m too eager to learn what you guys think about my newest baby. What is your favorite television show? Elementary. What is your favorite movie? Oh man. This is slightly embarrassing. Thinking about how many times I watched it, it has to be Love Actually. Do you write poetry? Prose? Or both? I write both. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? Had fictional been an option this would have been so much easier. I’m not one to hero worship...hmm At the moment, Eleanor Roosevelt. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? For me personally: I learned to walk. Again. In general, I make people yell at me and thereby think. Happy Guessing!

Ugh, this was supposed to post tomorrow.... *sigh*

So I asked for authors to send me one of their favorite Anthologies that they'd written, this was the response I got. Don't forget, you have just under a month left to get your anthology entries to the proof team. @CassieQ Statuary was probably one of the anthologies that I enjoyed writing the most and when people want to see what my writing is like, that is the story that I usually show them. I took the theme pretty literally and while the story itself is pretty basic, the opening scene was strongly influenced by my own struggles removing wallpaper from my bathroom when I was decorating my recently acquired “I’m a grown up now” house. Only with no cute boyfriend or cursed statue hiding in the walls. My inner sadist also really enjoyed raining misfortune about my main character. I just remember how much fun it was to write, from start to finish. @Thorn Wilde My first and so far only Anthology submission was Half Jack, for the 2013 Winter Anthology, Recipe for Disaster. This story is very special and personal to me, because in a way it marks the start of the journey I'm currently on, by writing a character who is, in many ways, like me, though his story is very different. I'd had the idea for a while and writing it, it was like it was already waiting at my fingertips, just waiting to be let out. @northie This was my first antho submission, early on in my writing journey. I remember I was entirely caught up in its creation: it was by far the longest piece I'd written. It's quite unlike anything else I've written since. That's not a criticism, only an observation. Maybe it's a demonstration that the anthos are there to experiment with. I certainly did with The Bard's Tale: a fairy tale set in an alternative Middle Ages. A collaboration with @Parker Owens (he provided the bard's verse), it's set out in the manner of a filmscript. Writing this story was enormous fun and a fantastic learning experience. @Headstall Dirty Pool came to me on a 32K bike ride, completely out of the blue. By the time I arrived back home, I had the beginning, middle, and end, as well as most of the conversations. I can honestly say I don't remember the ride itself, other than it was hot as hell that afternoon. I often write stories in my head, but this was a first, physically exerting myself to such a degree while it happened. I didn't begin the actual process right away, but I didn't need to. It stuck with me in every detail until the time came to write it down. It was a fun story to write, mostly because I love dialogue, and this one was mostly that. And I have to say Kelly was one of my all-time favorite side characters to write. Cheers... Gary....

Yep, it's been a while since I actually posted one of these. So here is the round 5 answers. We only had a few answers that I could find in my inbox, so thank you to everyone who sent in answers. Authors: What first got you into writing? What was your first story about? @Timothy M. Reading about how writing erotica online was becoming a trend (years ago). After reading some of the stories on a Danish site I thought "I can write a better story then this." Also, if you contributed stories, you didn't have to pay for membership. So of course my first story was about sex, more specifically how my alter ego was seduced by a slightly older couple and realized he was bisexual. And I have to say, it''s a lot easier to write pron, than the stories I write for GA. @Superpride What first got me in writing was being an angsty high schooler who created, in his head, a fictional small town in the state of New York where my characters, mostly teenagers as well, lived and had so much drama. I developed their individual stories like they was episodes of a teen drama, and I knew that I wanted to share their stories to my friends. The need to share what I created was what first got me into writing since all you have to do to start is to put words down, whether that is pencil on paper or typing the words in a word document, and then you improve from there. It's different from making comic books which requires a bunch of other skills like drawing, coloring, etc. That goes to the next question which is what was my first story about? My first story was actually a short story, about twenty pages in length, and it took place in the fictional small town in New York. The main character was a guy whose father was a pastor and was overshadowed by his older brother and sister who were both popular when they attended high school, while the main character was less so. Despite that, he had plenty of friends, including his best friend who was one of the star soccer players of their high school and after the main character's boyfriend breaks off their relationship to go to college, he sought comfort in his best friend's arms. This leads to their friendship transforming into something else, something more, and it ended with them becoming boyfriends. Of course there was a lot of drama since his best friend used to be in a relationship with his other best friend who was a girl. I know this story totally falls into the friends-to-lovers trope, but I was still a teenager during the time I first wrote this story, and it definitely allowed me to release a lot of my angst I was experiencing during that period of my life. It also allowed me to share my story with my friends and get honest feedback to improve this story which was actually the catalyst that caused me to write more seriously and eventually post future stories of mine on this site. @Thorn Wilde I always just made up stories in my head. I can't remember a time when I wasn't making up these worlds and scenarios and spinning tales. When I was a kid, if I was bored and had nothing to do, I'd just sit on my own and make stuff up, sometimes drawing pictures to go with it. I just always wanted to be a writer. My first written down stories were about animals. Poets: Has your idea of what poetry is changed since you began writing poems? @Valkyrie Yes. I started writing poetry in high school. In the beginning, I never edited my poems. I thought poetry flowed directly from my brain to the pen and just “happened”, therefore editing changed the fundamental nature of the poem. *facepalm* Then I took a poetry course and the first thing my teacher told me was to edit my poems. It was an eye-opening experience for me. I learned to appreciate poetic form, and my favorite challenges involved conveying thoughts with an economy of words. I think this is why I like Haiku so much. Now when I read and write poetry, I appreciate the form as much as the content, and am not afraid to slice and dice with the red pen. @Thorn Wilde I used to think of poetry as this difficult, unattainable skill that only a few special people could master. I thought I wasn't a poet because the word poet in and of itself carried all this baggage based on things I thought were universally true about poetry. But since I started to properly write poetry (which is something that only truly happened a few months ago, really, not counting song lyrics), I've come to realise that the core of poetry is emotion, and conveying that emotion. Then there are just different ways of approaching that, and there's no right or wrong way to go about it. So maybe I'm a poet after all. Editors: Sometimes editors and authors clash over aspects of writing. One such thing is independent body movements. What is your stance on independent body movements? @Valkyrie I am not a fan of independent body movements. When I come across them in stories, I picture disembodied parts crawling all over people or eyes floating around the room. It immediately brings me out of the story. I’m reminded of an episode of “The X-Files” that featured a man who could detach parts of his body and send them wherever he wanted them to go. So if you’re describing that episode, or a character with a similar ability, then use independent body movements to your little heart’s content. Otherwise, it lends an air of inauthenticity and conveys weak writing, IMO. When I edit, I always encourage authors to provide attribution to random body parts. Unless said parts are part of a murder investigation and are actually disarticulated from the body. Readers: When reading online, do you wait to read a story until it's finished? Or do you read in progress stories as well? Why?  @Thorn Wilde I read in progress stories. I sometimes prefer it, even if I run the risk of a story being left unfinished, because otherwise I have a tendency to binge-read, pulling all-nighters reading whole novels in one go. @Valkyrie I don’t mind reading in progress stories, as long as the author remains active on site. I think most authors value feedback as the story progresses. Bonus: What is your all time favorite quote? @Thorn Wilde Always be yourself. Unless you can be a unicorn. Then always be a unicorn. —Unknown Well, that's it for this round. I'll try to get some new questions posted in the next few days if people are still interested in doing Q & A posts.

Well, it's time for another Author Guess WHO! You'll have a couple of weeks to guess the author. Good luck! Sorry about the lack of extra formatting. Posting using my phone. What is one thing that most GA members might not know about you? I’m a loner. What prompted you to write your first story? Therapy. What genre of books do you enjoy reading and have you written for that genre? I enjoy reading history either fictional or non-fictional, and I tend to write in that genre. Is there a genre that you haven’t written for that you would consider trying later on? I used to read a lot of sci-fi as a kid, and I’m tempted to give it a go. What do like most about publishing on GA? The readers, especially the members who contribute with comments and reviews. They’re a discerning bunch who know their onions, so I have to work hard to keep them happy, but the feedback can be priceless. Do you have any unique writing habits or rituals to help you get into a writing mood? I have plenty of rituals and habits but luckily not when I’m writing. How has your writing style evolved over time? I hope so. It has certainly improved. I don’t like people reading any of the early stuff I wrote because it’s so bad. I’m under no illusions, I know I still have a long way to go. Do you have a significant other? Haha. I refer back to my first answer. Do you have any pets? Yes, one. That’s more than a one-word answer, right? I have to be careful here, any more may give the game away. Do you post multi-chapter stories as you write? Do you wait until you’ve finished writing the entire story? Or is it something in between? I’ve done both, but it’s definitely easier writing the whole story first. Every new story I write now is finished before I start posting, the most I do is little edits here and there. What is your favorite television show? I like documentaries and comedies but I haven’t got a favorite. What is your favorite movie? Terminator2. I’m a sucker for Arnie in his prime. Do you write poetry? Prose? Or both? I think it takes a special talent to write poetry, which I haven’t got. I’ve tried but will never post. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? I would like to say someone noble like Nelson Mandela, but if I’m honest, it would probably be someone more devilish and lesser known like Peter Cook (look him up). He has made me laugh like no one else. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? Being able to recognize mistakes I’ve made in the past and learn from them has made me a better person. I don’t know if that’s an accomplishment or not, but there are a lot of people who can’t do that.

Well, I've kind of slacked this week (read as completely forgot), and there was no Wednesday post. I had a plan, but the good news is that the current Q & A has been extended, so you have until the end of this month to get your answers to me! Also, there were no prompts last week since we had a promotion announcement, so this week I'm making up for it with 4 new prompts for you to contemplate and perhaps use to pen your next story! Happy Writing! Prompt 740 – Creative Tag – Elf You needed a vacation, away from all the noise, people, and technology. You dug out your hiking boots, tent, knapsack, and packed up. You took the bare necessities and go deep into the forest to relax. Your first night was great, but after your second day you feel like you are being watched, and by the third you know so. When you decide to find out who is tracking you, you find yourself face to face with an elf. Now what? Prompt 741 – Creative Tag – Vampire In this day and age, he was a rarity. He was twenty four, handsome, intelligent, healthy, and crushingly shy. He worked on a computer from his apartment and barely had any face to face contact. When he spotted the odd man one night outside his apartment, he was sure he had to be mistaken. He was tall, dark, with red eyes, and sharp white teeth. Being the nerd he was, he raced home and began to research on his computer. What he wasn’t ready for was opening his door and finding him standing there. He sniffed once, smiled widely, and simply said, “A Virgin!” What happened next? Prompt 742 – Creative Tag – First Line Smell of fresh dirt and rotting flesh filled the small bedroom as he crawled away from the nightmare that slowly shuffled through the doorway. Prompt 743 – Creative Tag – Spring The first buds of spring had broken through the ground. Demeter smiled as her daughter slowly made her way into her embrace. This time Demeter decided she would create something special for her daughter, Persephone. What does Demeter do to celebrate her daughter’s homecoming? So, have you written a new prompt response over the last couple of weeks? Share a link in the comments!

Welcome to another Monday! Did you remember to set your clocks forward an hour? It's time for a new story review, and this one is brought to you by Cole Matthews! Enjoy! Lighthouses: Volume One ValentineDavis 21 Reviewer: Cole Matthews Status: Complete Word Count: 67,960 Gayauthors is a great place for writers and readers for many reasons. There are lots of new characters, topics, engagements, love, folly, and fictional conflict providing us with a venue to communicate with one another. We can explore relationships between people who are gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, and many other points on the spectrum or rainbow of human affection. We can delve into what it means to define ourselves and to show our many perspectives. I think the best thing about Gayauthors is we love to experiment with different kinds of writing. While we enjoy our coming of age and coming out stories, we also try new avenues of fiction. There is a vibrant poetry-writing community here and lots of exciting genres from mysteries to fanfic to fantasy and sci fi, yet we aren’t limited by these choices, which leads me to a book by Valentine Davis21. His experiment has made me think and wonder about what lies beyond. Lighthouses’ Volume One tells the story of three couples who over time find a lighthouse that acts as a lodestone or magnet in their lives. These three couples have very different stories, but they occur in different eras and so we begin to see patterns even as the times change so radically. We start with Judas and Duane in the present day. They are traveling to an island. Judas is a bit needy and Duane is happy to take care of him. Their back story begins to come out as Judas remembers: Something else is going. We’re not sure what is happening, but we get a glimpse when Judas has a visitor. This guest isn’t a flesh and blood one, but not really a ghost either. Here is how Judas introduces Johnny and Thomas. Judas and Duane’s story pauses in a bit, and we are then introduced to Johnny, and the setting in 1959. The young man was found with another boy and in those days, it was believed that something needed to be done. Johnny is being ‘treated’ and ‘helped’ to cure his ‘illness’. Johnny’s predicament is handled delicately. It’s obvious his aunt and uncle are trying to help, but it’s not working. That’s when we get a glimpse of the lighthouse again, and we meet Phillip Russo. There is something haunting and familiar about their meeting. It slides inside your brain and makes you squirm. So much is going on, but we don’t know what. And then we meet Thomas. In 1929, Thomas was invited to the island to ghostwrite a biography for an accomplished man. He meets Agamemnon Angelopoulos, and something passes between them, and here is a taste of it: The story has interwoven links and themes that suggest things, hint, and let the reader wonder. What is the main story? Are all three couples the same people or are they drawn to an object that warns of danger? What is the peril that binds these men? Certainly, Thomas, Judas, and Johnny are connected but how? Valentine Davis finished the story, but it’s not complete. He promises to revisit it in another volume, but what I love about this book are the questions it raises. I adore the characters who are fresh and flawed, open and yet bound to each other. They are struggling to cope, yet there is happiness and promise. You can feel hope right around the corner, even as you realize you just passed the corner filled with despair. Read and savor the ideas and see where it takes you. This lighthouse is the calm within the storm of these men’s lives. Category: Fiction Genres: Thriller/Suspense, Historical, Mystery, Paranormal Tags: mature adult, depression, abuse Rating: Mature

❤️ I think this is my favorite set of stories by you, and Hypnotic remains my absolute favorite story of yours!