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Renee Stevens

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  1. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Sorry all, I'm a little behind on the wrap up for this week! It's time to look back at what happened this past week, but before we do that, a quick reminder. The 2016 Anthology Theme selection is going on now. If you have a suggestion for next years themes, please post them in the 2016 Theme Suggestion thread! However, please read the quidelines I've posted. Now, let's get on to the Wrap Up!
     
    This past Monday started the Signature Week off with a review of Adam Phillips' story Crosscurrents. Tyler gave us a great review and based on the comments, I'd say many of the members agreed with his take on the story.
     
    We continued our Signature Week on Wednesday with an interview Cia did with Adam Phillips. We learned a lot about Adam and I hope you enjoyed his answers as much as I did.
     
    Friday was prompt day, but we did something a bit different. Rather than doing two new prompts, we decided to give some other prompts a second chance to be noticed. For our featured story, we featured Valkyrie's short story response to Prompt #431.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2016 Anthology Theme Suggestions open July 1st - July 31st 2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd 2015 Winter Anthology: Blackout - Due December 3rd

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Classic Authors:
     
    The Meaning of Living by Dabeagle
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    The Strange Life of Jonas Marks by comicfan
     
    HMS Valiant by Mark Arbour; Book 7 of Bridgemont
     
    The Secret Life Of Billy Chase 8 by Comicality; Book 8 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Innocence & Carnality by Mann Ramblings
     

    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    Aditus' prompts and circumstances by aditus
     
    Lie of the Serpent by craftingmom
     

    Presence by Carringtonrj
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  2. Renee Stevens
    Every once in a while, I like to look over the past prompts and see what, according to the prompt forum, haven't been used yet. That's what I decided to do today. We're going to give some of those unused prompts a second chance to be noticed. Since the beginning of 2015, there have been 8 prompts that have gone unused. Hopefully one of them will inspire a prompt response. If you decided to use one, make sure to put it in the appropriate forum thread!
     
    Prompt 383 - Creative
    Tag: The New Year
    It is the last day of the year and you have some serious decisions to make. It seems every part of your life has been turned upside down the last few weeks and now it is time for you to take control. What plans do you want to put into action as you go into the new year? What changes will this have on the people closest to you?
     
    Prompt 389 – Creative
    Tag: Snowman
    You’ve just watched it snow for the past three days and feel like you have cabin fever. After shoveling your way out you realize there is no way your street will be cleared for at least a day or two. Stuck surrounded by feet of snow what do you do to help pass the time?
     
    Prompt 411 - Creative
    Tag: Spring Time
    The first signs of spring have begun to happen. What does that mean to you?
     
    Prompt 413 – Creative
    Tag: The Death
    You were hired to do make up on a new science fiction show. You went in to do the makeup on the star only to find him dead on his couch, wearing only his robe. What do you do?
     
    Prompt 415 - Creative
    Tag: The Apple
    It has been the strangest day. Since you got up birds have been singing, animals followed you around, and the woods on the way to work seemed almost threatening. It seemed whenever you turned around with an issue today, one of seven men were there to lend you a hand. On your way home you helped this little old man across the road and he gave you the reddest apple you have ever seen. This all seems strangely familiar, but right now you just want a nice big bite of that apple. What happens?
     
    Prompt 418 - Creative
    Tag: The Bite
    You went out for your daily jog but it was dark before you began to head home. As you prepared to cross the park near your home you are suddenly hit from behind and knocked to the ground. You must have lost consciousness for a moment because when you woke you swore you seen something move off into the fog and you found a large bite mark on your arm. What bit you?
     
    Prompt 421 - Creative
    Tag: The Interview
    Your job has put you forward for a great new job. Everything seems to be going great ‘til the day of your interview. As you enter the room and go to shake hands the elastic in your underwear lets go. Before you say or do anything your briefcase pops open and everything falls to the floor. How does the rest of the interview go and what happens?
     
    Prompt 424 - Creative
    Tag: Invasion
    For decades people have been talking of space men invading earth. Today, close to twenty five ships landed in front of the major ruling countries around the world. Are the aliens here to invade, to help, or is it something else?
     
    For this week's featured prompt response, I just couldn't resist Valkyrie's story about a certain tuxedo cat using Prompt #431. Enjoy!
     

    To read the rest, go here.
  3. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Hope everyone has had a great weekend so far. It's almost time to start a new week, but before we do that, we get to look back at what happened this past week. Also, don't forget that we're currently taking theme suggestions for the 2016 Quarterly Anthologies. If you have an idea that you think would make a great theme, don't forget to share it in the Anthology Forum topic. Please make sure to read the theme guidelines in the first post.
     
    On Monday, Cia announced this month's CSR feature. Have you read Frozen Heart by Dianjin? If not, now is the time and there will be a discussion of the story on July 27th!
     
    Wednesday, as a treat, I provided a new word search for you to have fun with. It's a bit bigger than the other ones so it might take a little longer.
     
    Friday was our regular prompt day, though this week we also posted the new poetry prompt. We had two features, one was by RomanRomaan and the other was by craftingmom.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2016 Anthology Theme Suggestions open July 1st - July 31st 2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd 2015 Winter Anthology: Blackout - Due December 3rd

    In Premium
     

    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Acceptance of Fate by Krista
     
    "Waiting Outside The Lines" by Comicality
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    HMS Valiant by Mark Arbour; Book 7 of Bridgemont
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Force of Nature by Krista
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    Aditus' prompts and circumstances by aditus
     
    April Musings by Valkyrie
     

    A Penguin Prompt by Valkyrie
     
    Presence by Carringtonrj
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  4. Renee Stevens
    Hope everyone is having a great week so far. We have brand new prompts for you, but first a reminder. I'm currently taking suggestions for the 2016 Quarterly Anthologies. If you have a suggestion for an anthology theme, visit the thread. Please remember that themes should be between 1 and 3 words for banner purposes. All the guidelines can be found in the opening post. Now, let's take a look at this week's prompts!
     
    Prompt 430 – Creative
    Tag – Something Special
    You hate blind dates and avoid them like the plague. Unfortunately, you didn’t find yourself a date for one of the most important events you company is holding. When you boss finds out, she says she has the perfect date for you. When you ask she simply says your date is “something special.” What is your blind date like?
     
    Prompt 431 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following in a story – a penguin, a bowl of soup, a lawn mower, a bicycle, and a bouquet of flowers.
     
    This week, we also have a new poetry prompt for you!
     
    Poetry Prompt #11
    Write one or more Haiku based on an animal observation. This can be an inspirational moment, like a snail climbing a mountain, or a peaceful moment, like a dog napping on the grass. Just anything you see from the animal kingdom that makes you pause and reflect. Keep a seasonal word, and maintain three lines of 5-7-5 syllables. For more information, go here.
     
    So, let's see... What should I feature this week. Maybe someone newer, both to the site and to prompts. Here's RomanRomaan's response to Prompt #428.
     

    To read the rest, click here.
     
    Now, how about a response from Poetry Prompt #10. I think this time we'll go with craftingmom's poem. Enjoy.
     

    Read the rest and review, here.
  5. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    I hope everyone had a safe and happy 4th of July. We went to the stock car races, watched 2 fires burning, and then watched the fireworks. How did you spend your 4th of July? For those who don't celebrate the 4th, how did you spend your Saturday? While you contemplate answering that question, here's what happened this past week on the GA News Blog:
     
    Monday was the CSR Discussion Day for Where Life Takes Us By Kuragari129. Cia did an interview with Kuragari, and then the comments were opened up for readers to ask their own questions.
     
    Myr took over on Tuesday to bring us a blog about tagging. He's given some great advice and I've even started using the tagging system for the GA News Blog.
     
    Wednesday was this months Ask An Author feature from Dark. These entries are great because they give the members a chance to ask their favorite authors a question, without having to ask it themselves.
     
    Friday once again gave us a couple of new prompts from Comicfan. For the featured prompt response, I chose to feature Valkyrie's response to prompt #426.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2016 Anthology Theme Suggestions open July 1st - July 31st 2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd 2015 Winter Anthology: Blackout - Due December 3rd

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Saturday Shorts by Renee Stevens
     

    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    HMS Valiant by Mark Arbour; Book 7 of Bridgemont
     

    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Acceptance of Fate by Krista
     
    Force of Nature by Krista
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     
    Avery & Matt shorts by craftingmom
     

    Presence by Carringtonrj
     
    The Hollow Hills by Valkyrie
     

    2015 Prompt Responses by Valkyrie
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  6. Renee Stevens
    It's that time again! Yep, new prompts are here to hopefully spark your imagination. If you've been facing writers block, are new to writing, or just want to write something new, take a look. Don't forget to share your prompts in the prompt forum to give yourself a chance to be considered as the feature prompt response next week. This weeks prompts are:
     
    Prompt 428 – Creative
    Tag – The Nap
    You have been feeling totally drained lately and just don’t know why. Rather than go to see the doctor you decide you just need rest. You call into work and take a week off. Your boss isn’t happy but it is your first vacation in two years. You curl up on your couch and proceed to fall into a deep sleep. When you finally do wake up, you find you are in a hospital bed and fifteen years have passed. What happened?
     
    Prompt 429 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    “Go take a shower, while I make you something to eat.”
     
    This week, I chose Valkyrie's response to Prompt #426. Enjoy.
     

    Read the rest, here.
  7. Renee Stevens

    Ask An Author #29

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Dang, it's hard to believe that it's already July! This year is just flying by. Today we have the next installment of Dark's Ask An Author feature. Before we get to that, I want to remind everyone that I am now taking theme suggestions for the 2016 Quarterly Anthologies. If you have a theme suggestion, make sure to post them in the thread which will remain open until July 31st. Please read the beginning post before posting your suggestions.
     

    Ask an Author #29


     
    Welcome back to another quirky question and answer session with your favorite authors!
     
    In AtA #28, we had questions for authors joann414, James Savik, and wrathofmagneto.
     
    In AtA #29, we hear Carlos Hazday, ColumbusGuy, and Timothy M..
     
    For their protection, the members who asked these questions shall remain nameless (unless they choose to reveal themselves). Please note that all author replies are copied as is, spelling errors and grammar eccentricities original to the individual.
     
    Today’s first author is retired accountant Carlos Hazday in his blog debut. In July, Carlos celebrates his two-year anniversary here on GA, but only started posting stories in November 2014. In that time, he has posted 8 stories and one collection of prompts. Carlos likes to model his characters after his own experiences, writing in first person with an engaging commentary. Try Happy New Year to read about a cast of loveable and quirky characters and a plot spread over a year-long adventure.
     
    To Carlos Hazday: I find your characters larger than life and also relate-able. Is there anything you find challenging in your writing? Who or what made you want to write, and what do you like to read?
     

    My biggest challenge is trying to keep my characters and the story grounded in the real world while still providing an interesting tale which will engage the reader. Even while writing science fiction or fantasy I try to make everything else in the story as real as possible.I'm a decisive person and my characters tend to reflect that. Vere few doubts, very little second guessing and minimal recrimination. I started writing as a way of dealing with a bad depression which made me retreat from the world and hide in my home. Writing allowed me to interact with others. characters and readers, while I dealt with the causes behind my depression. Marc McNally and his story Love on the Rocks have been my biggest inspiration. In SUMMER, I've tried to create something in the US which compares to what he did with his story in Australia. He's also provided a lot of encouragement.My favorite all time writer is the late Sir Arthur C. Clarke. I love science fiction and have read most of his books and many of them more than once.
     
    Next up is author ColumbusGuy, also featured here for the first time. This guy is from Columbus, Ohio (I know that’s a shock), the place where I’m at for the month of July. It’s been a long time since I spent so much time here, how do you do it? The two of us share a dislike bordering on disgust for MSWorks and a love for cats. You probably will remember this guy as the author of Jay & Miles, but there’s also Pompeii Passions, which is way better than the movie. Of course, I like historical fiction and convoluted characters. Still, if you haven’t branched out to some of ColumbusGuy’s other stuff, you’re missing out. For shorter works, check out his prompts. I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s glad ColumbusGuy took the plunge to write again after all this time. And did you know there’s a Jay & Miles forum thread?
     
    To ColumbusGuy: I have read in your answers to reviews that your character, Miles, is based on you as a teenager (although the story itself is fictional). Do you find the experience of writing about some of your own experiences/emotions as a teenager to be cathartic?
     

    Miles is so much like me, it's scary; every emotion he feels was mine, his reactions were mine, even the description was mine at that time. I asked a friend who knew me just after that time to read my story, and she picked up on every facet. Back then, in a town of 2,500 people, you couldn't be 'out' and expect to have a happy life, though it was possible in big cities. The initial event of the note is true, and Jay is based on the person who wrote me that note, but I didn't show up, and we never progressed beyond casual friends. Every chapter has something factual in it, an event, a thing or a person--though I didn't try to kill myself, I thought about it a lot--but I kept hoping that the next day/month/year would be better--and eventually it was. The only entirely fictional people in the story are Jay's family--they are the parents I wish I'd had. Years later, I discovered my sisters all knew my sexuality, but never said anything until my nephew came out to me one Thanksgiving. This story has helped me clear up a lot of old feelings and regrets, and started to heal the gap in my soul my father left there--we didn't speak for his last thirteen years because he didn't approve of my sexuality when he found out--but last year my sister (with the gay son) told me my dad asked about me once in a while when she'd see him in Florida--so this is helping me deal with the new fact that he still cared, which I hadn't known once we moved away to separate cities. It's years too late to mend fences since he died in 2001, but those thirteen years and the ten more since his death disappeared hearing my sister say those words--and I'm not ashamed to say that I cried like a baby despite being 53 years old, shedding tears I had locked away behind doors saying I DON'T CARE in big letters--all it took was her saying 'he still loved you' to turn my world inside out, so this is helping me cope with finding him again.  
    And our third author today is also new to Ask an Author; say hello to Timothy M all the way across the Atlantic in Denmark. Like the other two authors today, he’s been around for about two years, but only started posting stories recently, beginning with prompts last October and now updating the multi-chapter fic Clueless Camping. Although Timothy thinks he’s posting slowly, Clueless already has 11 chapters. This is a story about young Russell’s path to self-discovery and love. Give him a try! 91 followers and even more reviews indicate something’s not rotten in the state of Denmark!
     
    To Timothy M.: Your stories are so well-done, so how much of a challenge is it to write in your second language, Danish being your first? I remember my attempts in German were pretty simple affairs, so you must have done a lot of studying to get such proficiency in English...do you plan them in Danish first, then translate into English, or do you start in English all the way through?
     

    My stories on GA are written directly in English, and I'm thinking in that language when I plan them - not that I do much planning beforehand. I tend to take an idea or a character and start writing.

    I do have several stories originally written in Danish, and I've started to translate and expand one of them for GA, but it's difficult to lose the Danish sentence construction and make the story flow naturally.

    Perhaps a reason my stories seem well-done is I'm fanatical about spelling, grammar and not using the wrong homonyms. My main problem is punctuation, I suck at placing commas correctly in English. Sometimes finding the right phrases and terms is difficult and I get mixed up on British and American word usage. Thank god for my GA editors.

    My challenge as a writer has always been content rather than form, and a lack of dialogue. In other words my stories are often technically well-written and detailed but boring (or is the term dull? ). I'm trying to improve by showing rather than telling e.g. by using more dialogue. I've always read a lot and reading and discussing stories on GA has certainly helped.  
    That’s it for now! For more info on these authors, go check out their stories, post in their forums, and/or catch them in chat!
     
    See you next time, with authors A.C. Benus, ricky, and Wanda Walker.
     
    Want to ask your favorite author a question? Simply PM me (Dark).
     

    Until next time!



    Dark


  8. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    It was a great week this past week, and now it's time to look back at what happened in the GA News Blog. Don't forget that tomorrow, Monday the 29th is the CSR Discussion for Where Life Takes Us by Kuragari. Also, another reminder, the theme selection for the 2016 Quarterly Anthologies will open on July 1st, so make sure to get your thinking caps on and post some suggestions once the topic opens.
     
    On Monday, we had a review of Twisted_Dreemz story Denn's Mobile Circus. The review was provided to us by AC Benus.
     
    Tuesday, Myr took over the blog for his Tech Tuesday. This week he talked about the drop in forum usage as well as discussing the forum layouts. He also asked for suggestions regarding what the members think we should do to help solve the drop in forum usage.
     
    Wednesday, Graeme took over the blog with a list he compiled of stories that are about Marriage. If you're looking for something to read, these would be great for you.
     
    Friday brought us two new prompts from the prompt guru. For the featured prompt response, we featured an older prompt done by Dolores Esteban.
     
    Saturday, Cia joined us on the blog to announce the July Signature Author Background, Crosscurrents by Adam Phillips. If you haven't already done so, you can go and download the background that was created for Adam's story.
     

    Bulletin ..................... Bulletin ..................... Bulletin


     
    I hope you've enjoyed this month's story and author title scrambles in honor of Gay Pride month, and maybe even found a few gems to read! This has been a momentous month, and I'm so glad we've had the chance to celebrate in our way here on GA! Now, I'm sure you guys want to know the winners, right?!
     


    Gay Pride Month Contest Winners!!!

     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd 2015 Winter Anthology: Blackout - Due December 3rd

    In Premium
     

    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    HMS Valiant by Mark Arbour; Book 7 of Bridgemont
     
    Black Widow by Mark Arbour; Book 16 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    GFD 12: Blood Ties by Comicality; Book 12 of Gone From Daylight
     
    The Secret Life Of Billy Chase 8 by Comicality; Book 8 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Thwarted by Renee Stevens
     
    Force of Nature by Krista
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    2015 Prompt Responses by Valkyrie
     
    Presence by Carringtonrj
     
    Beneath the Current by Craftingmom
     
    Alex's Legacy by Valkyrie
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  9. Renee Stevens
    Hope everyone has had a great week so far and is looking forward to the weekend. What better way to start it off than with brand new prompts! If you've been feeling stuck, or maybe just want to do something a little different, maybe one of these prompts will jumpstart a new idea. Don't forget, if under 1,000 words, prompt responses that are posted in GA Stories must be posted as part of a collection.
     
    Prompt 426 – Creative
    Tag – The Marriage Proposal
    Life has seemingly been perfect lately. You have the job of your dreams, a house you refinished, and your health is great. There only seems to be one hole, namely you are single. Suddenly one night the perfect person appears out of nowhere at a friend’s party. Before the night is over you find you are on the receiving end of a marriage proposal. What do you do and who is this perfect person?
     
    Prompt 427 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following in a story – a snake, a wand, a shattered picture frame, a nearsighted neighbor, and a pig.
     
    We didn't have any takers this week, so I decided to feature an older prompt response. Here's Dolores Esteban's response to Prompt #123.
     
     

    You can leave Dolores a review, here.
  10. Renee Stevens
    Being the start of a new week, Monday's are also a good time to take a look at some of the different stories that can be found on Gay Authors. With so many great works, it can be easy to overlook one and Monday's provide an opportunity for us to help make one of them stand out and maybe catch your interest. Today, we're bringing you a review by AC Benus of Twisted_Dreemz's story "Denn's Mobile Circus." Enjoy!
     



    Denn's Mobile Circus


    by




    Twisted_Dreemz


    Author


     
     
     
    Reviewer: AC Benus
    Status: In Process
    Word Count: 56,187
     

    One of the features I like the most about GA is the great variety of stories posted here. Recently I was curious about the 'were-creatures' category, and clicked on it. I just wanted to poke around and see how different authors handled a topic I myself had recently posted on with my new novel.
     
    That's how I first came into contact with Denn's Mobile Circus, by Twisted_Dreemz. The quality of the writing grabbed me instantly, as the opening lines are:
     


    Like any other person I was born into this world bound by statistics and stereotypes:  
     
     

    Most likely to be undereducated;
    Most likely to be sexually active at a young age;
    Most vulnerable to AIDS;
    Most likely to drop out of high school and never see a GED, let alone college;
    Most likely to be dead or in prison before the age of twenty-one.  
     
     

    You can probably tell what color I am already.  

    Wow. And then the wit and witticism of the author flows in a ceaselessly smooth style to layout the very broad concept for his book.
     
    A young man, who is in a rather uncertain time of his life, has an episode at his job. When he snaps to, he can hardly believe what his coworkers tell him he did to one of the customers.
     
    From that moment on, we are in for a breathtaking ride. Micahel – or Micah, as he is called – begins to learn an incredible secret, but also to slowly build a concept of family and community. The analogy here of coming out and finding a new family is played with brilliant subtlety. Bumps and mega-surprises await the reader as we turn from chapter to chapter, but what never disappoints, or leaves our side as a constant guide, is Micah's prosaic sense of humor. Far from an 'angry' book, Denn's is balanced with polished skill, and comes compete with funny moments like this one:
     


    When that door opened and the smell of the food hit my nose, appetite came out from where it was hiding and hit me so hard my stomach let out a huge growl.  
     
     

    “Damn, boy. Sounds like you got a beast to feed,” Kyla remarked over her shoulder.  
     
     

    Before I could respond, her stomach let out a growl of its own.  
     
     

    “Oooh, better let me shut up then.” She chuckled.  

    Twisted also has a gift for action writing, and Micah encounters a well-spaced-out battery of physical challenges, but the poise the author brings to bear on his protagonist allows for humor, action, and emotion to stay in equilibrium. In other words, we come to care about Micahel effortlessly.
     
    Now, back to the Introduction, for that is where we will find the stunning 'statistics and stereotypes' passage: in roughly 10,500 words, our author takes us on a journey the likes of which you will rarely find better exampled on GA, or anywhere else for that matter. We follow young Micah from the age of about five, or from the time he was old enough to first inquire about his father, to only moments before his life changed at work. It left this reader feeling like a moviegoer emerging out of a film premier to a battery of lights and reporters. "What did you think?!" I, feeling overwhelmed, resort to the classic response, "I laughed; I cried; I loved it!"
     
    I think you will love this work too. No matter if you are first drawn to it for the listed categories, or come to it just seeking fine writing, Denn's Mobile Circus will not disappoint.
     


    Category: Fi ction Genres: Adve nture, Drama, Fantasy, Horro r, Thriller/Suspense



    Tags: mature adult, magic, psionics, were-creatures, adult, friendship Rating: Mature


  11. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    First off, let me start by saying Happy Father's Day to all the Dad's out there. I hope you all have an enjoyable day. We're going to get right into the weekly wrap up this week.
     
    On Monday we took a look at a Cia's premium story, The Experiment. Mann Ramblings provided us with a great review to start our week off. There's also all the information you need if you'd like to become a premium member.
     
    Tuesday, Myr took over the blog to share some site info and ask for suggestions from members to help increase participation in the forums. Have an idea? Go read the blog and leave a comment.
     
    Wednesday, I announced some changes for the 2016 Anthologies as well as giving a heads up as to when the 2016 theme selection will start.
     
    The prompts returned on Friday with two brand new prompts courtesy of Comicfan. For the featured prompt response, I featured Carlos Hazday.
     


    Bulletin ..................... Bulletin ..................... Bulletin


     

    I can't believe it's already the 4th week for this contest! So many people have been following all month long and enjoying the scramble. Have you taken a stab at them yet? You never know what story might catch your interest as you search for titles and author names. And, as always, these have a few tricks! Figure out what these have in common and my little twists—if there's one—and it might make your descrambling a little easier or earn you an extra point in the contest.
     
    The month of June here at Gay Authors we are celebrating Pride Month. We're going to run a fun scramble in Games & Humor every Sunday. The scrambled words? Titles and author names from stories here on GA! There will be 10 every week posted in a topic and then you PM your unscrambled answers to Cia. DON'T post your answers in the public areas of the site--or you hurt your chances of winning!


    What are you playing for?

    First Prize: A year's digital membership to Out magazine
    Second Prize: 2 Months Premium Access
    Third Prize: 1 Month Premium Access
     

    Rules: Both parts of the scramble must be correct to count. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the month wins the first place prize, 2nd most correct 2nd, etc... If there are ties, Random.org will be used to determine the winner, and those not winning will be entered in the 2nd and then 3rd place prizes as necessary.


    PLAY THE GAME

     

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Classic Authors:
     
    The Facilitator by Dabeagle
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    The Secret Life Of Billy Chase 8 by Comicality; Book 8 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Cosmic Inceptionby Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    Beneath the Current by Craftingmom
     
    Alex's Legacy by Valkyrie
     
    Presence by Carringtonrj
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  12. Renee Stevens
    Hope everyone has had a great week so far and is looking forward to the weekend. What better way to start it off than with brand new prompts! If you've been feeling stuck, or maybe just want to do something a little different, maybe one of these prompts will jumpstart a new idea. Don't forget, if under 1,000 words, prompt responses that are posted in GA Stories must be posted as part of a collection. Also, please remember that if any of your prompt responses garner a Mature rating, the entire collection must have a rating of Mature.
     
    Prompt 424 – Creative
    Tag – Invasion
    For decades people have been talking of space men invading earth. Today, close to twenty five ships landed in front of the major ruling countries around the world. Are the aliens here to invade, to help, or is it something else?
     
    Prompt 425 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    “I never thought it could be like this.”
     
    This week we're featuring Carlos Hazday, who used prompt #422 to jumpstart a new story. Check it out:
     

    Read the rest of the story here.
  13. Renee Stevens
    Every once in a while we like to highlight a story that can be found in the Premium section of Gay Authors. For today's review, Mann Ramblings has provided us with a review of "The Experiment" by Signature Author: Cia. The Experiment is one of many stories that can be found in the Premium section of Gay Authors.
     
    While the majority of content remains free, the Premium section is a thank you to those who help support and keep Gay Authors going. Premium subscriptions also make improvements possible, including the unique GA Stories software and it's upcoming update. If you're looking to purchase premium, you can purchase one of four time frames. The longer time you purchase, the more you save. The current premium pricing structure is:
     
    1 Month Subscription: $8.10
    3 Month Subscription: $24.00
    6 Month Subscription: $47.00
    12 Month Subscription: $93.00
     
    To purchase premium, visit the premium section in the Gay Authors store. Now, let's see what Mann had to say about The Experiment!
     



    The Experiment


    Book 1 of
    Saving Caeorleia


    by




    Cia


    Site Administrator


     
     
     
    Reviewer: Mann Ramblings
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 94,841
     

    Ryker made a mistake. He listened to his government and volunteered for an experiment to help eradicate the alien menace on MC-214-XXV, the planet humans wanted to settle on. Using the blood of a captured native named Seral, the sadistic doctors changed Ryker into a hybrid: part human, part alien and dumped him and Seral on the planet, hoping to retrieve useful intelligence.
     
    But the aliens, or the Caeorleians, were far more than the simple savages the human government's propaganda would have Ryker believe.
     
    Now left behind on the planet, unexpectedly bonded to Seral, Ryker has to learn how to cope with the horrors of his past and find his future among this new world.
     
    The Experiment was one of the stories I was reading that brought me to GA. It was in progress and I was hooked, waiting impatiently for each chapter as it posted. A satisfying multi-chapter serial, we get to watch how Ryker evolves as he copes with the abuses he's endured over his five year stint as a lab rat, and finds himself mated to the tall, fierce, alien, Seral. Being the son of the Caeorleian leader, or Toleral, we are introduced to Seral's family and the structure of their culture and government, complete with all the underlying intrigues.
     
    The first novel in the Saving Caeorleia series, The Experiment is is a rich story with many levels and numerous subplots without confusing the storyline. Cia does an excellent job of using first person for Ryker's point of view and third person for Seral's to tell the tale. The transitions are well handled and I found knowing both of their thoughts to not be a detriment to the plot. The sci-fi elements help define their world without bogging down the narrative with dry technical details that could alienate the reader.
     
    Filled with a budding romance, political intrigue, and a fair dose of action, the Experiment is an exciting tale, well worth the read.
     


    Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Fantasy Tags: Medical, Aliens, Off-Planet, Anal, Future Rating: Mature


  14. Renee Stevens
    Sorry all, no prompts for this week. Hope you all are ready to do some reading! The 2015 Summer Anthology: Road Trip is NOW LIVE for your enjoyment. Eight new stories to help you get through the weekend. Don't forget to leave the authors a review to let them know what you think of their hard work. Now, what are you waiting for? Read!!!!
     




     
     
     
     
     


    3 PM
    aditus

     

    The office in the back of the coffee shop didn’t have the space to take more than three medium-measured strides, if at all, otherwise you ran into one of the overflowing cabinets.
     
    Jonah sat behind Romeo’s desk, feet propped up on a pulled out drawer, silently tracking his friend’s pacing.
     
    Step. Step. Dodge the suitcase. Step. Turn.
     
    “Maybe I should go up front and make you a valerian tea.” Not so ‘silently tracking’ anymore, but Romeo was starting to make Jonah dizzy.
     
    Step. Step. Dodge the suitcase. Step. Turn. “What?”
     



    Are We There Yet?


    Renee Stevens


     

    “Jake, hurry and finish cleaning up your room.” I set my son’s bag next to the door and moved into the kitchen as I hollered to my son. “Your mom is going to be here soon.” No sooner were the words out of my mouth than the doorbell rang.
     
    “I got it,” Jake yelled. I heard his footsteps running down the hall, followed by the barking of Murray, his nine-month-old puppy.
     
    “We’ll both get it.” I followed him to the door. I should have once again reminded him he wasn’t allowed to answer the door by himself, but since I was right there I just let it go. I watched him open the door, but it wasn’t who I was planning on.
     



    Boy River


    Cole Matthews


     

    “Apologize to Mr. Miller right now Clay,” the social worker said, fluttering her eyelashes frantically. “We’ve talked about this before.”
     
    Ben Miller watched as the woman’s hands sort of flapped as well. He thought Adelaide Getty was very bird-like in her mannerisms. She tended to preen and flicker quite a bit, especially when she was rattled like now.
     
    “It’s okay…” Ben started to say, but was cut off.
     
    “It’s not okay. Clay needs to learn manners and control his tongue. There are things it is simply inappropriate to say to people.”
     
    Adelaide was looking around her as she talked, pointedly not addressing the teen directly. They were at Eastdale Mall getting a few clothes for the impending trip. Nothing the boy had was presentable in public, not really.
     



    Exit to Redemption


    Valkyrie


     

    Pete pulled his silver Jaguar up to the hotel entrance. He exhaled sharply in annoyance at the two cars in line ahead of him. He checked his phone as he waited, drumming his fingers on the steering wheel. It only took a few minutes for the efficient hotel staff to unload the luggage from the cars and move them to the valet parking lot, but it felt like forever to the impatient black-haired man.
     
    He was annoyed to begin with. His employer required him to attend this conference every year, but Pete would much rather be in the office making trades and earning commission. “It’s about time,” he muttered as the valet opened the car door for him.
     
    “My apologies for the wait, sir. Are you here for the finance conference?”
     



    From Here to Forever


    comicfan


     

    The bright sunlight sparkled on the waters of Hudson Bay below as Charlie Wagner stood drinking his coffee on the deck of the restaurant. The noise of the patrons as well as his own family dimmed as he felt two arms encircle him.
     
    “So how is the sexiest guy in the place making out?” Scott Reeds asked huskily into Charlie’s ear.
     
    Charlie turned and smiled at his boyfriend. He had learned to tease Scott and was getting pretty good at it. “I don’t know. I think the waiter is awfully cute. I mean, he is big, strong, and has all that nice hair.”
     
    Scott’s deep blue eyes narrowed. “Don’t even think it,” he growled.
     



    New York or Bust!!!


    Krista


     

    “Get up, we’re wasting daylight!” My sister’s high-pitched squeal issued from just beyond my bedroom door. Grumbling, I rolled over and sat up in the bed. My morning wood needed coaxing before it decided to behave. I didn’t have time to relax. Glancing over at the clock on my nightstand, I shuddered.
     
    Too many days. Too many damn days of being on the road with my sister and her best friend, scouting colleges as far away from here as they could possibly get. The thought worried me a little. Growing up in the middle of nowhere, it seems easy enough to leave it behind. It is the rest of the world that may not wait around for the middle-of-nowhere people to catch up. To try in college so far away from rescue seemed a bit, well, stupid.
     



    Picking Up Strays


    Cia


     

    My lips cracked and bled, but I stretched them out in a parody of a grin. No one had anything to smile about… which made my expression all the more disturbing.
     
    And likely to work. The bloody tang tantalized me when I licked at the cracks, darting my tongue in and out. I was crouched down, squinting at the dark figure backed by the setting sun.
     
    “What you got?”
     
    I cranked my head to one side, as if the question confused me. I placed my fingers on my lips, touching the wet spit and blood, smearing it back and forth. With my other hand, I scooped up a handful of the dry grit covering the old road.
     



    Rootin' Down The Highway


    Carlos Hazday


     

    “Mmm, I could get used to this. G’day, mate.” As I stretched my arms above my head, to help clear the sleep haze I was still trapped in, I rolled over in the large bed to look at my sleeping companion.
     
    “G’day, Brett. All you have to do is say yes, mate. Say yes, and I promise you’ll wake up next to me every morning. Come on! Come fly with me. This could be our big break; it could give us the chance to go anywhere we want.” How the hell did Buck do it? The man had more alcohol the previous evening than I did; he expended as many calories as I did, and he went to sleep just as late. Yet here he was, clearheaded, with a smile as bright as the summer sunshine streaming through the flat’s windows.
     


    2015 Summer Anthology Support Team


     
     
     
     
     

    Proof Team



    Cia



    Rec



    Andy78



    Valkyrie


     
     
     
     
     

    Anthology Banner Creation



    Mann Ramblings


     
     
     
     
     

    Tech Support



    A.J.




    Also, Thank You to all the participating authors and their teams! Great job everyone!

  15. Renee Stevens

    Author Interview: Bill W

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Our featured story this month for the June Signature Background is "Crash Landing" by Bill W. If you haven't already downloaded your background, the month isn't even half over yet so you still have plenty of time! We started out Signature Week with a great review that Cia did, and now it's time to hear from the author himself. Hopefully you enjoy this interview that Cia did with Bill W.
     


    Author Interview: Bill W. on Crash Landing


     

    Are you a person who makes their bed in the morning, or do you not see much point?
     


    It depends on the day. Most days I make my bed when I get up, but if I get up feeling run down and suspect I will end up taking a nap later, then I leave it as it is.  

    Who do you like best, Jerry or Tom?
     


    I've always identified with the underdog, so I would have to say I like Jerry better.  

    What first brought you to GA?
     


    The site I was posting on at the time suddenly shut down. A short time later, Myr contacted me and asked if I'd be interested in posting on a site he was starting. I agreed, and as they say, the rest is history.  

    What do you like to do when you’re not writing?
     


    I like to go back and read the classics, including Shakespeare's plays. I also like to watch certain sports and I'm an avid college football and college basketball fan.  

    Is there anything you find particularly challenging in your writing?
     


    You mean other than coming up with a good idea/plot for a story? Yes, because I've been criticised for not including enough description/details in my stories from some readers, while others tell me I've included too much. I'm not sure where I'm messing up.  

    Do you have a favorite story or character you’ve written?
     


    That's a tough one. I would have to say that I've always identified with Josh, the father in the Castaway Hotel series, but I've always got a kick out of Ricky, the first boy Josh adopted. Ricky has always been a little prankster and a bit of a devil at times, but he's also wormed his way into my heart.  

    Did something inspire you to write Crash Landing, beyond the anthology theme?
     


    I guess there were a couple of things that might have inspired the story. First of all, we're always concerned about the threat of pandemics, but when you combine that with a threat from space, it magnifies the destructive potential. Also, the talk about life in other parts of the universe and the theory that some elements, possibly including life, may have arrived on Earth via space has always intrigued me. I guess it all just came together when I saw the anthology theme.  

    Did the characters or the plot come to you first?
     


    Definitely the plot, then the characters were developed for specific purposes within the story.  

    Where did the technical knowledge and medical information in this story come from? Personal/work experience or research?
     


    Once I knew what I was planning to do, I did a lot of research to fill in the medical and scientific aspects. I guess the jury is still out on whether my research was a productive or not.  

    Crash Landing has a nice twist ending that creates the possibility for an alternate society Earth setting. Have you considered going back and exploring that further?
     


    Actually, I haven't. I felt I'd made the point that I'd intended, that there are those that are willing to rise above the pettiness of life and do what was best for everyone, no matter what the threat, while others would cling to their petty and closed-minded beliefs, even if it might mean their own destruction.  

    Do you want to share anything about your current or future work?
     


    At this point, I'm not currently working on anything and I have no plans to write anything new. I've heard from a few people that have told me they would like for me to add another book to the Castaway Hotel series, but coming up with new material is difficult at this point. Besides, I have a feeling that too many readers are suffering from Castaway overload, while prospective readers are daunted by its current size.
  16. Renee Stevens
    What better way to start off a new week than to take a look at a story that you might have overlooked amongst the thousands in GA Stories. To start off Signature Week, Cia has provided us with a review of Crash Landing by Bill W. If you haven't already done so, you can go and download this months Signature Background to go with the story. Enjoy!
     


    Crash Landing


    by



    Bill W


    Signature Author


     
     
     
    Reviewer: Cia
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 11,032
     

    When I first read Crash Landing, I expected a contemporary story, maybe about a plane going down. We come into the story meeting the local sheriff of a small town—no one else would expect a call at home about a disturbance—and I was prepared for some local disaster. But real quick we learn there’s something else going on.
     
    A lot of the town is out, looking for fun, as they search for whatever streaked across the sky. They don’t expect little green men… but what did they find? An ordinary science discovery. They think. And then things begin to go wrong… very, very wrong.
     
    I’m not going to spoil the story by saying what went wrong but I will say I loved the twist in how they fix it. The story has a really good moral underpinning the plot, but you’re not struck over the head with it. I liked the characters Bill wrote too. The sheriff is a good man who has the best interests of his town at heart; he’s good at solving problems and keeps things on an even keel.
     
    I would’ve liked to know more about his deputy, Conrad. He plays a pretty big role in the story, at least on a local level, but we don’t get much of who he is since the story isn’t from his POV. And no, it’s not because the story is a romance. I will admit to enjoying a good bit of love in a story, but it wasn’t part of Crash Landing, and I found I didn’t miss it. I was far too involved in what was happening to everyone and learning how they were going to survive… if they did!
     
    Have I intrigued you with all my veiled references to an apocalyptic misadventure? Well, why aren’t you reading the story yet?
     


    Category: 2011-4 Aftermath Genres: Sci-Fi Tags: Mature Adult, North America, No Sex Rating: Everyone


  17. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Hope everyone has had a great weekend! This past week wasn't near as busy as the last, but there was still plenty going on. The deadline for the 2015 Summer Anthology has now passed and we are working to get the anthology ready to go live. We'll also soon start the 2016 Anthology theme selection, so start thinking about what you'd like to write about for next year.
     
    Cia took the opportunity on Monday to announce this month's CSR selection. If you haven't already read Where Life Takes Us By Kuragari and want to participate in the discussion, you have until June 29th to read the story.
     
    Seeing as how this past Wednesday was the first one of the month, we had our monthly Ask An Author feature provided to us by Dark. Some great questions and answers, so make sure to check it out.
     
    Friday not only gave us two new prompts from Comicfan, we also had the newest poetry prompt from AC Benus. We featured two prompts this week, one of them was from poetry prompt #9.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd 2015 Winter Anthology: Blackout - Due December 3rd


    Bulletin ..................... Bulletin ..................... Bulletin


     

    Here we are, week 2 of the Gay Pride Month contest we're running featuring scrambled story titles and author names that can be found right here on GA! This week you might find the scramble just a little bit harder, but there's a small clue making it easier to find the stories... if you can figure it out. Pay attention now!!
     
    There will be 10 every week posted in a topic and then you PM your unscrambled answers to Cia. DON'T post your answers in the public areas of the site--or you hurt your chances of winning!



    What are you playing for?

    First Prize: A year's digital membership to Out magazine
    Second Prize: 2 Months Premium Access
    Third Prize: 1 Month Premium Access
     

    Rules: Both parts of the scramble must be correct to count. The person with the most correct answers at the end of the month wins the first place prize, 2nd most correct 2nd, etc... If there are ties, Random.org will be used to determine the winner, and those not winning will be entered in the 2nd and then 3rd place prizes as necessary.
     


    PLAY THE GAME

     

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Classic Authors:
     
    Ticking by Dabeagle
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Force of Nature by Krista
     
    Veil of Shadow by Stellar; Book 2 of unnamed
     
    Finding Alex by Krista
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    GA Writing Prompts by Dolores Esteban
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    Space Pioneer II - The Titan Plot by Delores Esteban
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    Beneath the Current by craftingmom
     
    Neko Shorts by craftingmom
     
    Presence by carringtonrj
     
    Alex's Legacy by Valkyrie
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  18. Renee Stevens
    Hope everyone has had a great week so far and is looking forward to the weekend. What better way to start it off than with brand new prompts! If you've been feeling stuck, or maybe just want to do something a little different, maybe one of these prompts will jumpstart a new idea. A couple of things to remember: Prompt responses under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Do to the high number of collections containing only a few "chapters" we have set a limit of five collections per author, any more than this requires prior Admin approval.
     
    Prompt 422 – Creative
    Tag – The Gift
    Many years ago you were asked to send a gift to a student as part of letter exchange. While the rest of your class got a letter and package back you never did. Now, nearly a decade or more later, your mother has called to say you have a package waiting for you at home. It takes a while but you finally head back to your parent’s home for a visit and are given your gift. What is it and why did it take so long?
     
    Prompt 423 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following in a story – bird bath, loaf of bread, Chinese checkers, a daffodil, and a painting.
     
    We also have the next Poetry prompt!
     
    Poetry Prompt #10
    Write one Italian Sonnet about a recent dream. Use the quatrains to paint the sights, sounds, and other senses of the dream in an unsentimental way. With the sestet, introduce the emotions of how the dream made you feel. Keep consistent 10-syllable lines, and use the rhyme pattern of: a-b-b-a; a-b-b-a; c-d-c-d-c-d. For more information on this type of poetry, visit the thread!
     
    Now for the featured prompt responses, this week we'll feature a past poetry response, plus a response from last week's prompts!
     
    This week I decided to feature Valkyrie's response to Prompt #420:
     

    Want to find out what happens next? Read the full response here!
     
    And for the poetry prompt, here's jamessavik's response to Poetry Prompt #9
     

    Read the rest of James' poem, here.
  19. Renee Stevens

    Ask An Author #28

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    I can't believe it's already June!!! Not only that, but it's the first Wednesday of the month, which can only mean one thing. It's time for another Ask An Author feature provided to us by Dark. If you have questions you want to ask your favorite authors, but don't want to ask the questions yourself, you can always send your questions to Dark for inclusion in the Ask An Author feature.
     


    Ask an Author #28


     

    Welcome back to another quirky question and answer session with your favorite authors!
     
    In AtA #27, we had questions for authors Mark Arbour, Andrew Q. Gordon, and Rob Colton.
     
    In AtA #28, we hear from joann414, James Savik, and wrathofmagneto.
     
    For their protection, the members who asked these questions shall remain nameless (unless they choose to reveal themselves). Please note that all author replies are copied as is, spelling errors and grammar eccentricities original to the individual.
     
    We had another question for Joann414 earlier this year, so this will be my third time featuring this extraordinary person. Please join me in sending positive thoughts her way, as it’s been a tough spring. Joann414 was one of the first supporters of the Ask an Author feature, first appearing in AtA #2 with a question about writing advice. Authors still brag about the number of comments they’ve garnered from this sweet lady. Be sure to check out I'm Here for the Party, the holiday-themed 11th story posted by Joann. If everyone who has ever received a review from Joann gave her one in return, she’d be one of the most-reviewed authors on the site! Write on, Joann!
     
    To Joann414: As a mature writer, what life experiences have you had that gives you an advantage over a younger writer?
     


    Me, mature? Maybe older, but according to some, a mischievous kid at heart. Now, to the question. The first would be raising my daughter who is now thirty. I saw her experiences with other young people, good ones, bad ones, and even cruelty she's dealt with. As far as writing gay fiction, of course my own sexuality and dealing with both sexes, male and female. I've been a victim and seen others victimized. So, yeah, experience is food for thought, and the older you are, the more experiences you've got and you can feed from that knowledge.  

    This also marks the third feature for Author James Savik and 2015 will be his 10th year here on GA. James’ blog entries contain some of the most thought-provoking insights on humankind, like “nuking hypocrites” and a list of red flags for abusive relationships. There’s also his 20-something stories, a book of poetry, and his responses to the weekly prompts. I particularly like a short autobiographical piece about Jeff, a man James has mentioned before and who has played a key part in making James the man we know and admire today. He also keeps us smiling with the popular forum thread Make us Laugh! among others.
     
    To James Savik: Why do you write? (Is it for yourself, to entertain others, to explore a passion, a combination or other)?
     


    I come by it honestly. My background and education is in math and science.  
     
     

    Very early on as a tekkie, my bosses discovered that I could put sentences together rationally. Apparently that's a rare gift for tekkies as we usually communicate with grunts and flashing lights.  
     
     

    I wrote user documentation for computer programs and lots of it. The more of it I wrote, the better I got at it. The more people wanted me to write the stuff.  
     
     

    I once heard that technical writing was so dry and boring that it read like stereo instructions. If there's anything worse than reading the stuff, it is writing it. I took great pains to make my stuff readable by using dry wit and the occasional cartoon.  
     
     

    It was fun for me to see someone installing software that I documented actually laughing at the instructions. If it wasn't so painful to read, they would read it and not make as many mistakes.  
     
     

    That's where I got my feet wet. I changed jobs but ended up writing again by doing the long range planning for a state agency. I took them from old 80s minicomputers to a modern networked campus over the course of a decade. It was slow as watching paint dry but one guy with the right idea pushing in one direction can get a lot done when he's willing to do the paperwork no one else wants to do.  
     
     

    I wrote my first fiction in college. After reading it everyone was convinced that I was horribly disturbed. At the time I probably was. I don't know- I don't remember it very well. I got clean and sober 11 years ago. It's trendy with Hollywood people to go in and out of rehab. Ordinary people are expected to grow up and get responsible.  
     
     

    Where was I... OH! Why do I write? Because I can. Because I look at popular fiction and know that I sure can't do any worse.  

    We last saw Promising Author wrathofmagneto in AtA#5, a long long time ago, so welcome back to this Michigan-dweller, comic-book lover, and sworn enemy of OSU. GA has been witness to a few breaks from this author over the 9 years he’s spent with the site, so keep your fingers crossed that this current one shall pass soon. Where are we to get more comic-book-flavored stories if not from Lord Magnus? (sigh) I for one look forward to more chapters in the sci-fi story Footsteps of Giants, a story that reminds me of James White’s Sector General books. I love me a good sci-fi story, and this one has a detective-who-dunnit vibe as well.
     
    To wrathofmagneto: If you could get one author to change a relationship in one of their books (or series) to a gay relationship, which author/book would it be and which characters would you make fall in love?
     


    For me, the one character I would change to a gay relationship if I could, would be the delightfully quirky title character from Dean Koontz's Odd Thomas series. Odd is just an instantly likable character, and he just totally made me love him from the first paragraph of the first book. I wouldn't have him fall in love with a different character though, I'd just gender swap his girlfriend Stormy into his boyfriend, as the two of them are perfect for each other.  

    That’s it for now! For more info on these authors, go check out their stories, post in their forums, and/or catch them in chat!
     
    See you next time, with authors Carlos Hazday, Columbusguy, and Timothy M.
     
    Want to ask your favorite author a question? Simply PM me (Dark).
     
    Until next time!
    Dark
  20. Renee Stevens
    Howdy y'all! We're doing something a little different today for the Signature Author Wednesday post. As most probably know, today is when we'd normally feature the Signature Author Interview, but occasionally it's good to switch it up a bit. Instead of the interview, Krista gave us a little addition to Finding Alex in the form of an extended short scene. Leave Krista a comment on this blog to let her know what you think!


    Finding Alex - Extended Scene



    by



    Krista


     
    I sat patiently beside Mattie as he worked on his homework. Math, his worst subject. I couldn’t help remembering Alex’s expression when I told him that I had went into Accounting for college. The same expression was mirrored on Mattie’s face right now as he grimaced over a problem. He would momentarily look straight ahead, I couldn’t tell at what, most of the time. Wanting to concentrate momentarily on something that wasn’t math related.
     
    “Do you need any help, Matt?” I asked after a longer pause between writing.
     
    “I’m done with this one,” he said, sliding it aside for me to look at. I smiled when I read through his chicken scratch, untidy writing, to find his answer. How teachers graded their work, I couldn’t imagine. He looked to have the problem correct, so I smiled and slid it back in front of him.
     
    “Good job, go on to the next one,” I said, and he grimaced then studied straight ahead again. I tried to look to where his attention was taking him.
     
    “I asked Nanna about Dad,” he said, turning to look at me. His brown eyes looked hesitant, like he didn’t want to ask me. I hadn’t offered much on Alex over the years, thinking Mattie wouldn’t understand. He had been so happy with me; I didn’t want him thinking about what he lost. I also wanted him to remember everything I told him and didn’t think he was old enough yet.
     
    Mostly though, I was selfish and didn’t want to talk about Alex with him. I didn’t want to feel the hurt I felt when I thought about Mattie and Alex. How Alex would have been with him, how much their mischief and playfulness would cause me headaches and laughter. I was always the careful one, the one that worried. I definitely was the one who didn’t like change. None of which Alex had in him. It was what drew me to him in the beginning. Even if it all seemed to happen so easily between us, I had been scared to death.
     
    “What did Nanna say?” I asked, wondering what Mom would have told him. She had been trying to convince me that Mattie was ready to learn. It was Alex who had led to me adopting Mattie to begin with. She probably wouldn’t be able to keep from telling Mattie eventually; she was a sucker for those brown eyes. Sarah hadn’t had any children with Chris yet, so Mattie was her only grandchild.
     
    “To ask you. She always says that,” he said, whining as he sat neglecting his homework. “Maybe Aunt Em will tell me.”
     
    “It wouldn’t make you sad?” I asked, my voice threatening to crack. I swallowed waiting for his response as he thought it over.
     
    “No,” he answered, unsure of himself.
     
    “Do you know what being gay means?” I asked, and he nodded.
     
    “You already told me that,” he answered, rolling his eyes. I smirked, relieved he still had a lackadaisical response to that. His class was too young to really bully him yet, but I fear those days are numbered.
     
    “Well Alex is someone who Daddy loved, and still loves, very much,” I said, and he nestled against my side, turning away from me to look at the picture of the two of us on the coffee table. It was the one Emily took at the wedding where we first met, under the flower arches when my sister got married.
     
    “More than me?” he asked, glancing up at me momentarily.
     
    “The same amount,” I answered, and his eyes widened. It was a running joke between Mattie and me about who loved whom more and how much. I was always able to outdo his imagination, and if I couldn’t I made numbers up better than he did. “He’s your dad; he has to love you very much too.”
     
    “How do you know that?” he asked, skeptical.
     
    “Well he wanted you, so we could be a family together,” I answered, “and you’re easy to love, you little brat.”
     
    “I know,” he countered giggling. “So you miss him a lot.”
     
    “Yes,” I answered even though he wasn’t really asking. It surprised how much Mattie knew about me, without me realizing it. I couldn’t help being a little worried. That maybe I hadn’t seemed as happy as I thought. “He was a lot like you really, very funny, full of meanness.”
     
    “Nanna says he helped you out a lot,” he said, “before I was born.”
     
    “She did?” I asked, smiling. “He helped me not be so careful and boring.”
     
    “Oh,” he said, “you’re not boring, Daddy!”
     
    “I was very boring once,” I said my face getting hot. I had been able to hold back the tears, but I could feel that resolve breaking as the discussion went on.
     
    “I wish I could meet him,” he said, and that’s when I noticed his voice crack. When I looked down he blinked away tears and wiped his face.
     
    “I know,” I said, reaching over and pulling him closer. “I bet he’s thrilled to know that. He’s probably pretty angry with me for not talking about him more. I promise I will.”
     
    “You will?” he asked, breaking the hug to look up at me. My own tears had finally fallen, and I hadn’t wiped them away.
     
    “Promise,” I said, holding out my hand for him to shake. He smiled, clearly liking that I was making the deal with him as he took my hand. “After your homework, though.”
     
    “Deal,” he said wrinkling his nose, but he pulled the table closer to us. I knew he had a ton of questions for me running through his head. Smiling, I bent over and watched him work and waited for him to need my help, hoping I could answer all the questions he had about Alex. At least the questions about math would be easier to answer.
  21. Renee Stevens
    For those that missed this month's signature background announcement, this month's Signature Background is "Finding Alex" by Krista. If you haven't already downloaded the background, there's still time! As our featured Monday post, we're sharing a review that Suvitar provided us. Suvitar obviously enjoyed the story and hopefully, after reading today's review, you'll decide you want to take a look for yourself. Enjoy!



    Finding Alex


    by



    Krista


    Signature Author


     
    Reviewer: Suvitar
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 17,451
     
    “Finding Alex”, finding someone special, is exactly what this story is about. It tells us about Daniel who attends his sister´s wedding and meets Alex, the best man. The story is divided into four short parts (and I believe there have been pictures attached to the story once upon time, but at least I can´t see them anymore).
     
    The first part is the wedding and the main characters are introduced and we briefly meet some friends and relatives. In the second part, Daniel and Alex, obviously, and Sara and Chris, the newlyweds, and Daniel´s best friend and cousin, Emily and her boyfriend Steve are having plenty of post-wedding fun by a lake. A leisurely summer day ends with a toga twister party. Actually, for some the day ends with a kiss, their first kiss. This part of the story is all about love, summer and friends, and falling for someone special. It´s also about butterflies and blushing, and mainly, just having fun with old and new friends.
     
    The third part of the story is about Daniel and Alex planning their future and finding a way to stay together. The fourth and final part of the story….*sighs*.
     
    Finding Alex is a charming little story, so I can´t really say much more about the storyline, don´t want to give too much away. It is a lovely story and I recommend it to anyone who likes their stories sweet and romantic. I only wish it were longer and had told more about Daniel and Alex, but then I usually think stories should be longer (probably just me being greedy), the end often comes too soon. This is one of those stories where characters and the plot left me wanting more. More than likely that was the author´s intention.
     


    Category: 2008-3 Anniversary Genres: Romance Rating: Everyone


  22. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    First off, let me start by saying to all the mother's out there.... HAPPY MOTHER'S DAY! I hope you all have a wonderful day. Also, just a reminder that there is less than a month to get your Summer Anthology entries sent to the Anthology Proof Team. The team is standing by, ready to complete your final proof. The theme for the Summer Anthology is Road Trip. I look forward to seeing what everyone comes up with! Now, let's see what happened this week in the GA News Blog.
     
    Our May CSR Book Club story was announced on Monday. This month we're taking a look at Penguin by Valkyrie. At under 15,000 words, there is still plenty of time to take a look at this great story and be prepared for the discussion day on May 25th.
     
    For those who enjoy the Ask An Author feature by Dark, Wednesday was the day for you. This month's Ask An Author featured Mark Arbour, Andrew Q. Gordon, and Rob Colton. There were some great questions asked of these authors and if you want to know what their answers were, make sure to check it out!
     
    Friday brought some brand new prompts for you to play with. Not only were there the regular prompts provided by Comicfan, but this week we also had the next Poetry Prompt given to us by AC Benus. For the featured prompt responses, we took a look at Cazpedroso's response to prompt #412 and totallyy's response to Poetry Prompt #8.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2015 Summer Anthology: Road Trip - Due June 3rd 2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    Dreams of a Father by dkstories; Book 2 of Dreams of Humanity *reposting*
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Jessie-101: Online Celebrity by Comicality
     
    Space Pioneer II - The Titan Plot by Dolores Esteban
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    Streak by Mark Arbour; Book 15 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    The Life of Seeon by comicfan
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    Aditus' prompts and circumstances by aditus
     
    Barbed Wire Heart by Cole Matthews
     
    London and Love by Carringtonrj
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
  23. Renee Stevens
    Who's ready for a new set of prompts to get the wheels turning? Sometimes an author hits a road block that they just can't seem to make their way through. The weekly prompts are a great starting point to jump start some new ideas. Whether you're looking to just do a quick flash piece or maybe you want to do a bit longer story, why not give them a try! A couple of things to remember: Prompt responses under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection. Do to the high number of collections containing only a few "chapters" we have set a limit of five collections per author, any more than this requires prior Admin approval.
     
    Prompt 414 – Creative
    Tag - List of Words
    Use the following in a story – a drag queen, theater tickets, split pants, a taxi, and a skunk
     
    Prompt 415 – Creative
    Tag – The apple
    It has been the strangest day. Since you got up birds have been singing, animals followed you around, and the woods on the way to work seemed almost threatening. It seemed whenever you turned around with an issue today, one of seven men were there to lend you a hand. On your way home you helped this little old man across the road and he gave you the reddest apple you have ever seen. This all seems strangely familiar, but right now you just want a nice big bite of that apple. What happens?
     
    And it's time for the next poetry prompt!
     
    Poetry Prompt #9
    Write one English Sonnet about your first love. Remember, we are looking for the pivot point, so if the love ended sadly, contrast that with a moment of brightness; if it was joyous, contrast it with a moment of doubt that might not last, etc., etc. You get the idea. You can read more about Sonnet's in this thread.
     
    This week I decided to feature Cazpedroso's response to prompt #412, enjoy!
     

    The rest can be read, here.
     
    And for the featured poetry prompt, we have totallyy's response to Poetry Prompt #8:
     

    To review, click here.
  24. Renee Stevens

    Ask An Author #27

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Hope everyone is having a great week so far! Once again, it's the first Wednesday of the month, which means it's time for this month's edition of Ask An Author. A big thank you goes out to Dark for continuing to provide us with this great feature. Remember, Dark can only provide the Ask An Author feature if members keep providing questions.


    Ask an Author #27


     
    Welcome back to another quirky question and answer session with your favorite authors!
     
    In AtA #26, we had questions for authors Carringtonrj, Joann414, and Mark Arbour.
     
    In AtA #27, Mark Arbour returns, as well as Andrew Q. Gordon and Rob Colton.
     
    For their protection, the members who asked these questions shall remain nameless (unless they choose to reveal themselves). Please note that all author replies are copied as is, spelling errors and grammar eccentricities original to the individual.
     
    Mark Arbour was the last author presented last time, so let’s have him go first today. No introduction is really needed for this Signature Author; he’s more frequently liked than the latest thing to go viral on youtube. Having been around since 2005, Mark’s been a witness (and sometimes willing participant) to the many different incarnations of GA. Can someone who’s been around awhile tell us if he’s had the same profile pic for 10 years? Geez, can you believe it! 10 years is longer than many sports careers and yet he’s still plugging away, entertaining us with his historic dynasties. Fall in love with history all over again and wish Mark a happy birthday on May 13th.
     
    To Mark Arbour: As one of the most successful and prolific authors on GA, did you ever imagine your series of novels would have the success and following that has grown form them?


    Thanks for that, but to answer your question: No. I started writing Chronicles of an Academic Predator after I watched the movie Hairspray and was nostalgically transfixed on the early 1960s. It was an experiment more than anything, but with some strong encouragement, especially from Sharon, I kept on writing. I was pretty surprised back in those days to have that story vault up to the most-read in the non-promising/non-hosted worlds. I'd been a reader here for a long time, but I never thought I'd be able to actually write a story myself. Guess you don't know until you try.  
    This will be the 5th year anniversary on GA for “The Author formerly known as ‘Q’.” Lots of things have changed for this popular author. He’s gotten officially married, has a baby girl, and is involved in a myriad of different ways in online publishing. One of the first books that Q published was “The Last Grand Master.” Its sequel is due out in June, not soon enough for its many fans. In a recent blog post here on GA, Q let us in on some of his upcoming plans and says, “Also, I like to leave an open invite to anyone who has questions about publishing, marketing, or writing. Feel free to message me here or email me. I promise to always reply.”
     
    To Andrew Q. Gordon: Do you have any new stories or ideas that you are working on for GA after the latest in the Purpose saga?


    Yes, I have some other things I'm working on - I will start posting a new story that after the new Purpose story is complete. And I'll be returning to SS the Senior Year as well. I'd like to do more anthologies, but I always seem to take too long to get my things finished and I end up missing the deadlines. Beyond that, most of my energies is going into books I've committed to working on for my publisher, so I don't foresee any new full length novels being posted here in the near future. Parenting has really restricted the amount of time I have to write, so I'm trying to allocate it as best I can.  
    We last heard from Signature Author Rob Colton in AtA #22. On his website, Rob describes himself as “… a software developer by day, and avid reader of romance novels at night. A romantic at heart, he loves to read and write stories that feature big, burly men who find true love and happy endings.” Goodreads.com members nominated Rob in 2013 for having the best alternate universe for his story The Degan Incident, the first story posted to GA and still one of his more popular, though “The Timber Pack Chronicles” are up there and my personal favorite is “Noah’s New Plan,” which I’ve mentioned before. Hopefully, Rob will have another exciting story for us soon.
     
    To Rob Colton: I have seen your writing grow to something amazing and relly signature you. What kind of impact did it have on your writing/publishing that you settled in Gay Authors?


    I feel more a part of a community at Gay Authors than on other sites. Everyone here has been great. I also feel like I have more control over my content. I can format it the way I want, and set up chapters in advance. It's very powerful. Cia has been especially helpful with admin tasks, as well as being a gracious guinea pig, helping to beta read my pre-release. She has given me excellent advice, and I've become a better write because of her. I also took advantage of the resources here to get set up with an editor for my newest release. Mann Ramblings has been great to work with.  
    That’s it for now! For more info on these authors, go check out their stories, post in their forums, and/or catch them in chat!
     
    See you next time, with authors Joann414, James Savik, and wrathofmagneto. What? No Mark Arbour? Patience, Grasshopper, he’ll be back soon.
     
    Want to ask your favorite author a question? Simply PM me (Dark).
     
    Until next time!
    Dark
  25. Renee Stevens

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Renee Stevens,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    I hope everyone had a great weekend. As we get ready to start a new week, it's time to take a look back at what happened this past week in the GA News Blog. There was a lot of great things going on, and if you haven't already checked out the past week's post, now is the chance for you to get a glimpse and maybe go read up on the posts you missed.
     
    We started the week out with the CSR Discussion on Rumors of War by Cynus. There was a great interview and then Cynus joined us in the blog to answer readers questions.
     
    Wednesday had us looking once more at grammar, with Grammar Rodeo #3. If "affect" and "effect" or "ellipses and em dash's" confuse you, then make sure to check out Cia's Grammar Rodeo. It's full of great information on how to determine which to use.
     
    On Thursday, Cia posted the May Signature Background. This month's feature is Finding Alex by Krista. If you haven't already done so, go download the background!
     
    If you're looking for some inspiration, check out the brand new prompts that were posted on Friday. For the featured prompt response, I featured Atruefan's response to Prompt #410.
     
    Anthology Announcements:
     
    ***NOTE: All Deadlines are for submission to the Anthology Proof Team***
    2015 Summer Anthology: Road Trip - Due June 3rd 2015 Fall Anthology: Blurred Edges - Due September 3rd

    In Premium
     
    Pretty Little Thing by Nephylim
     
    By our Signature Authors:
     
    Space Pioneer II - The Titan Plot by Dolores Esteban
     
    Leopard Spots by Graeme; Book 2 of The Lilydale Leopards
     
    Force of Nature by Krista
     
    Sword of Kings: Tested by Adversity by Bill W
     
    "Waiting Outside The Lines" by Comicality
     
    Global Explorer II by David McLeod
     
    Fortitude by Cia
     
    Cosmic Inception by Cia
     
    Streak by Mark Arbour; Book 15 of Chronicles Of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    By our Promising Authors:
     
    The Hollow Hills by Valkyrie
     
    Dinner is Prompt-ly at Eight by Cole Matthews
     
    Barbed Wire Heart by Cole Matthews
     
    London and Love by Carringtonrj
     
    Sanctuary by Sasha Distan
     
    Don't forget.... Read, Write, and REVIEW!!!
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