Renee Stevens

Hope everyone has had a great week! I have a couple reminders and an announcement, so let's get right into it!!! Announcement: Keep an eye on your email! Due to the pending GDPR legislation the EU has hit everyone with, GA has to send out a new sign-up form that must be filled out if you wish to continue to get the site newsletter. ALL members who do not fill this out will be unsubscribed based on the legislation that we have no choice but to follow. There will be several reminders and opportunities to sign back up, but we want to warn everyone ahead of time that it's coming just so you're not surprised. Reminder #1: Anthology entries are due in to the proof team no later than May 15th! Time is running out, so get your story sent into Valkyrie as soon as possible! Reminder #2: @Carlos Hazday is looking for questions for the Ask An Author blog! Without your questions, he can't keep the feature going, so make sure to send in your questions for your favorite authors. Right now he's especially looking for questions for an Admin & Moderator edition, so if you have a question for an author who just happens to be an Admin or Moderator, make sure to get those to him ASAP! Admin's and Moderators that have stories on site include: Myr, Cia, A.J., wildone, Renee Stevens, & Graeme. I believe Carlos already has a question for Cia. I think that's all the announcements and reminders, though I feel like I'm forgetting something. Hopefully not! Now, lets take a look at what happened in the various GA Blogs this week. Yep! I forgot something! Have you read the idiom stories that were part of the latest newsletter game? Want to read stories by @BHopper2 @northie @Mikiesboy @Puppilull @Caz Pedroso @Defiance19 @comicfan @MacGreg @Valkyrie & @Dolores Esteban? Check out the list of idiom stories HERE! Anthologies 2018 Spring Anthology: Now or Never - Due May 15th 2018 Spring Anthology: Encounters - Due May 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Fight Back - Due Nov 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Good Intentions - Due Nov 15th Blog Opportunities Story Critique: Open to all GA authors. Sign up here. Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to @Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) 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. Premium Updates: Harbinger by Cia *Premium* Classic Updates: You Don't Know Me by Dabeagle Signature Updates: A Love Story by CarlHoliday; Book 2 of Warnton Stories April Musings by Valkyrie Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP) Clouded Purity by Cynus; Book 2 of The Trial Denied by Cia Dinner is Prompt-ly at Eight by Cole Matthews Exes and Ohs by Headstall GA Writing Prompts by Dolores Esteban GFD: Bloodstained Duet by Comicality GFD: Children Of Sunset by Comicality; Book 0 of GFD: Children Of Sunset GFD: Strobelight Puppy by Comicality Mojo by AC Benus Northern Exposure by Mark Arbour; Book 8 of Bridgemont Poetry Book by Dolores Esteban Promptings from Valhalla by Valkyrie Translation Trashbin by AC Benus; Book 7 of Verse When Pigs Fly, A Lich Dies by comicfan Promising Updates: April Weather: NaPoWriMo2018 by Parker Owens Delicious by Mikiesboy Fractions for fun by Puppilull Georgetown: As Time Goes By by Carlos Hazday; Book 9 of CJ Here Kitty, Kitty by Caz Pedroso Only Prompts by Mikiesboy Prompt's for 2018 by Caz Pedroso; Book 5 of Prompts and Shorts Spring Observation by Parker Owens tim's Bits and Pieces by Mikiesboy Will I or Won't I ... napowrimo 2018 by Mikiesboy ***Check out this GA Classic*** Little Raindrop Ieshwar All raindrops have jumped, except Little Raindrop. She is still on the cloud, alone and frustrated. She's waiting for the right moment. Is this right moment going to come? Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!

Oops!!!

The prompts are back this week! Yay!!!! Just a reminder, and for those who haven't worked with the prompts before: prompt responses under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Prompt 666 – First Line Tag – First Line “Shut up and kiss me already!” Prompt 667 – Challenge Tag – The Customer We’ve all seen that one person who causes a scene at a store or restaurant. Create a scene with “that customer” who flips out and demands everyone’s attention so they can try to get their way. How outrageous can you go and still make it believable? I know there were no prompts last week, but did you write one anyway? Don't forget to share it below.

Thank you, Sir.

i’ll definitely have to give it a try, Sir. Thank you, Sir. While i am borderline on the diagnosis, it’s worth taking precautions and i’ve started trying to find various snacks that sound good and breakfast is always a struggle. i meet with the nutritionist on Tuesday to go over a plan that won’t result in me losing more weight. Just 9 1/2 more weeks or so and then just hoping it evens out and stays as gestational.

Great to hear it’s going so well for you, molly. Great job!!!! i might have to try these too now that i’ve been soft diagnosed with gestational diabetes! Hopefully not too hard for me to get over the oatmeal is supposed to be hot thing.

herm... maybe see if the Hubby would want to take the munchkin.... i'm threatened with bubble wrap a lot as it is, can you imagine me on ice skates (with sharp blades) on a slick surface? That might be a recipe for disaster, lol. xoxo

Great job, northie!

Nice job, Val! Really enjoyed your take on your idiom. Maybe Jack can make a future appearance

Nice job with the prompt you were given! Good to see you back

Nice job! For your first time writing steampunk, I thought you did really well!

Awesome job, Def. Absolutely loved it and just had to keep reading to find out what happened next. I especially enjoyed how Aput wasn't new to Papik, but instead was a presence from his past.

Great job making your idiom literal! Never been ice skating before, i'd probably start off on the wrong foot and end up the same way, regardless of which foot i started out on. Was great to see Faris and James again, tim!

Loved your take on your idiom, Sir! It kept me questioning up until the very end. Thank you for sharing!

Same to you, tim!

Happy Sunday, y'all! I hope everyone has had a great week and a wonderful weekend so far. At a quick glance, it looks like our promoted authors were very very busy this past week! So if you missed one of their updates, you can find it below! Don't forget, the deadline for the Spring Anthology is in just a couple more weeks, so make sure to get your stories to Valkyrie so that they can be looked over by the proof team. Please make sure they are edited prior to sending them in! Anthologies 2018 Spring Anthology: Now or Never - Due May 15th 2018 Spring Anthology: Encounters - Due May 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Fight Back - Due Nov 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Good Intentions - Due Nov 15th Blog Opportunities Story Critique: Open to all GA authors. Sign up here. Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to @Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) 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. Premium Updates: Harbinger by Cia *Premium* Classic Updates: Losing Kevin by Ronyx Signature Updates: A Love Story by CarlHoliday; Book 2 of Warnton Stories A Man in a Room, and other poems by AC Benus; Book 6 of Verse A prompt a week by comicfan April Musings by Valkyrie Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP) Clouded Purity by Cynus; Book 2 of The Trial Denied by Cia Exes and Ohs by Headstall GFD: 9/10 by Comicality GFD: Expiration Date by Comicality Leopard Hunt by Graeme; Book 4 of The Lilydale Leopards Mojo by AC Benus Northern Exposure by Mark Arbour; Book 8 of Bridgemont Poetry Book by Dolores Esteban Promising Updates: April Weather: NaPoWriMo2018 by Parker Owens Georgetown: As Time Goes By by Carlos Hazday; Book 9 of CJ Here Kitty, Kitty by Caz Pedroso Prompt's for 2018 by Caz Pedroso; Book 5 of Prompts and Shorts tim's Bits and Pieces by Mikiesboy Will I or Won't I ... napowrimo 2018 by Mikiesboy ***Check out this GA Classic*** The Worst Week Ever Linxe Termoil Andy has had the worst week ever, and today is the day he has to deal with what has happened. Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!

I hope you all enjoyed the last Improve & Encourage feature, because it's time for another one. These features are meant to both provide feedback to authors and, similar to story reviews, point out stories that readers might not otherwise have found. It's similar to a review, in that the person doing the critique tells you what they liked about the story, but it differs in that they also provide constructive criticism. Each author signed up to participate, and sign up's are still open! These will post once a month until the last author signed up is critiqued. If you'd like to provide a critique for the blog, sign up in the thread. I'm hoping to have a lot more authors sign up, and just remember, by signing up, you are also volunteering to have your story critiqued and featured. TJ JayT Critique By: jkwsquirrel Please give us a short summary of the story you chose. After his parents are killed, TJ must move in with his brother and nephew in Texas. But his brother has a secret which sends TJ’s world into a chaotic whirlwind. As TJ adjusts to his new life, he finds the love he needed, and begins to feel wanted. What do you see as the strengths of the story/poem? The plot of the story is strong and you can tell Jay did a lot of planning right from the beginning. I think the characters really began to find their voices and hit their groove around chapter four and then continuing through the book. Everything is well thought out and the story gets stronger as it goes along. The reader can relate to TJ’s plight easily as the story develops. What do you see as the weakness of the story/poem? I thought the pacing of the first chapter or two was a bit rushed. The reader barely has time to figure out who is who and what is going on. The first chapter could have easily been three or four chapters. When TJ’s parents die, it doesn’t have as much impact as it could because the reader barely knows them enough to care about their deaths. The story doesn’t have time to breathe in those early chapters as everything happens so suddenly that it’s hard to keep up. It takes a few chapters for the characters to really find themselves. TJ’s nephew, Josh, takes a while to mature. He is a junior in high school but he sounds much younger in the early chapters. How do you think the story/poem could be improved? Again, the pacing of the earlier chapters is where I think the story could be improved the most. We never have time to feel much of anything for the characters because everything happens too fast. Jay sometimes has to backtrack in later chapters to fill in details that could have been fleshed out earlier. For instance, the reader finds out that Robert is the assistant principal at TJ’s new high school out of nowhere with no build up. Jay has a good story to tell but rushes to get through the introductory things. Slow down and let the story develop, then when the events of the plot happen the readers will feel a deeper connection to the characters and the story. What was your favorite part? For me, my favorite part was seeing the growth that Jay displayed as a writer as the story advanced. Much of the weakness in the pacing in the earlier chapters settles down in the later chapters, and Jay allows the story to tell itself without rushing through. TJ is a strong protagonist, and it’s fun to get into his head. The characters really begin to find themselves once the pace slows down and they are given room to grow. I really liked the characters and grew to like them even more as they interacted. The dialogue is witty and enjoyable. Overall, an enjoyable reading experience!

Before we get started this beautiful Monday morning (at least here), I wanted to give a quick Thank You to @wildone for handling the wrap up for me. It was greatly appreciated! Now, let's take a look at what the review team has for us this week. Today we're featuring Boy Story: The Road Taken by Rip Skor. Thank you to Puppilull for this review! Boy Story: The Road Taken Rip Skor Reviewer: Puppilull Status: Complete Word Count: 172,006 As I sat down to write this review, I thought about how to describe the story and not put people off from reading it. You see, Boy Story isn’t a tale of extravagant action, heartbreaking drama or romance so fluffy you need wool cutters to get through it. No, this is a story about the lives of two boys and to be honest, they lead pretty ordinary lives. They work, go to school, do sports, hang out… So why read it? I would say just for that reason. I have rarely read a story that manages to be so close to a documentary and still have me longing for the next chapter. So, who are the boys? Our main characters are Matt, who defines himself as straight, and Parker, who isn't shy about where his appetites lie. The attraction when their paths cross is so strong Matt can’t help but give gay sex a try. After that, he doesn’t really go back, and we get to follow the boys through those formative years at the end of high school and then through college. The lack of drama is never a drawback, but instead, for me, it's the main selling point of this story. The writer’s 'slice of life' approach works so well, and I enjoyed reading about quite normal people with quite normal issues and struggles. Also, as a woman who for some unknown reason likes to write about men having sex (hint: HOTNESS!), this story has taught me a thing or two about the male anatomy, by being just as honest when it comes to describing sex—and the effects thereof—in a very open manner. The way guys react to relationships and life in general also gave me food for thought, even if I did disagree at times with our protagonists. My rants in the chapter comments are only testament to how close I felt to these guys and how real they were to me. To see their love story unfold before me was such a treat. Category: Non-Fiction Genres: Drama, Romance, Creative Non-Fic, Screenplay Tags: young adult, mature adult, senior, bisexual, gay, autobiography Rating: Mature

Thank you, northie! I really appreciate the help!

Hope everyone has had a great week so far. It's time for this weeks writing prompts. If you're stuck, or you're considering writing for the first time, these might be perfect for you. Don't forget that stories under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Prompt 664 – Creative Tag – List of Words Use the following in a story – red basket, old coat, a boat, a diary, and a pear. Prompt 665 – Creative Tag – Chance Meeting Last night you went out with friends and met a man who checked every box you ever had. He invited you back to his place, but you were out with friends, felt you couldn’t be in his league, and slipped away, eventually going home alone. Today, you met the new partner at your firm. The partner just happens to be the man from last night. What do you do? Don't forget to share your prompt responses from last week!

Sorry for the delay this morning! Just a quick reminder that today is the last day to get your entry in for the 2018 Summer Novella contest! Now let's take a look at this week's happenings. Contests 2018 Summer Novella Anthology: Summer - Due Today Anthologies 2018 Spring Anthology: Now or Never - Due May 15th 2018 Spring Anthology: Encounters - Due May 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Fight Back - Due Nov 15th 2018 Fall Anthology: Good Intentions - Due Nov 15th Blog Opportunities Story Critique: Open to all GA authors. Sign up here. Ask An Author: Send your questions for your favorite authors to @Carlos Hazday (no questions = no Ask An Author) 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. Premium Updates: Harbinger by Cia *Premium* Classic Updates: Losing Kevin by Ronyx Signature Updates: A Love Story by CarlHoliday; Book 2 of Warnton Stories April Musings by Valkyrie Denied by Cia Exes and Ohs by Headstall GFD: Back In Business by Comicality GFD: The Secret Death Of Billy Chase by Comicality Mojo by AC Benus One Hundred and Fifty-Five Sonnets by AC Benus; Book 5 of Verse Poetry Book by Dolores Esteban Shadow Honor by Cynus Spirit of Fire by Stellar Translation Trashbin by AC Benus; Book 7 of Verse Promising Updates: April Weather: NaPoWriMo2018 by Parker Owens Drifts by Puppilull; Book 3 of Hot and cold Rest in Peace - Songs for the Dead by Mikiesboy Will I or Won't I ... napowrimo 2018 by Mikiesboy ***Check out this GA Classic*** Bodega Bay NickolasJames8 Kevin has always had turbulence in his life, but things when suddenly go from bad to worse and he has no where to turn, he sets off to return to the one place where he was able to build good memories in his young life.

Thanks to @comicfan, the prompts are back this week! Yay!!!! Just a reminder, and for those who haven't worked with the prompts before: prompt responses under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Prompt 662 – Creative Tag – First Line “Why do you always do this?” Prompt 663 – Creative Tag – The Crew It seems like forever ago this began. You remember your mother kissing you goodnight and falling asleep in your bed. You awoke on the airplane with the others on the way to the spaceship. The crew were fellow kids except for the captain and your four teachers. After ten years you finally will find out why you were all taken from your families. What happened? Did you write a prompt response for one of the second chance prompts last week? Or a response the week before? Don't forget to share it below.

Yeah, I've realized my timing for this sucks. Even if you can't do it in time for the other blog post, nothing says you can't still do it

Deadline has been changed to May 13th.

As long as you meet the guidelines for the challenge, I don't see why not.