Renee Stevens

What better way to start the year than looking back at all these awesome reviews from 2020! If you're looking for new stories to read, maybe one of these reviews from the last year will catch your attention. Thank you to @Timothy M. for compiling the list of reviews, and thank you to the review team for writing so many great reviews for us to read! 2020 January 13th: 2019 Reviews Revisited - Timothy M. Review comment: I always look forward to reading reviews from the review team. This feature is an invaluable addition to the many facets of GA. February 10th: Josh.mp4 by Albert Nothlit - Puppilull Review comment: You can't go wrong with any of Albert's stories. March 9th: Nothin' Town by Sasha Distan - Timothy M. Review comment: I read this ages ago and really enjoyed it. Definitely one of those where you want more. March 23rd: Between a Rock and a Hard Place by Dodger - Parker Owens Review comment: Dodger's short story is funny, and sweet. It is the perfect way to take your mind off things. I enjoyed it very much. April 13th: Myr feature - Timothy M. / Renee Review comment: I binge read all of Myr's work awhile back. Once I started, I found I couldn't stop. May 11th: Tales from the Sauna by Thorn Wilde - Puppilull Review comment: I really loved those stories and it made me long for a nice hot sauna. June 8th: Daddy Bears by MCVT - Aditus Review comment: MCVT has a knack for characterization and writing emotional stories that pack a punch. June 22nd: Yankee by TheZot - Timothy M. Review comment: I'll add it to the list. Informative review. July 13th: Songs of the Heart by Jordn87 - Spikey582 Review comment: For once a story I haven't read, so I'll have to give it a try. Great review. August 10th: His Story by Drew Payne - Parker Owens Review comment: One of the things that made this story so meaningful to me was the fact that the author admitted he was writing about something that was deeply personal to himself. August 24th: The Paladin by David McLeod - Timothy M. Review comment: Sounds good. I like humans, elves, and dwarfs... and new and different worlds... and magic. September 14th: Do You Remember by ObicanDecko - Spikey582 Review comment: Definitely a feel good story. And the few bumps along the road that is mentioned were part of what made it feel so good. October 12th: The Answer by Wayne Gray - Parker Owens Review comment: Wayne is a talented author and this story was an experiment he challenged himself with. It worked brilliantly. November 9th: Rothenian Tales by Mike Arram - ancientrichard Review comment: f you find you are at home with nothing to read at this moment, check it out. I'm sure you won't be disappointed. November 23rd: How I Accidentally Slept With My... by Ethan - Aditus Review comment: The story is a real page-turner, and I was riveted as I read it. December 14th: Our Christmas Cookbook by Aditus, Cole Matthews and Valkyrie - Timothy M. Review comment: This is a fantastic book, with great recipes. It comes highly recommended.

Well, we didn't have any takers to take up Ask An Author, so with the start of the new year, I wanted to come up with a way to keep the Ask An Author feature alive. Since I'm the one who will be doing it, it needed to be something not too time consuming. Hopefully what I've come up with will work out well. Instead of readers asking a single question and directing it to the author, I thought maybe we'd focus more on the story instead of the author. The way this will work is, the reader picks a story of their choice, they can then ask the author three questions about that story. Since there's will only be twelve Ask An Author features per year, I'm going to set it at no author can appear more than once a year. That doesn't mean you can't ask your questions, but if you pick a story by an author who has already appeared for that year, your Ask An Author will simple be delayed. So, pick your story and your questions, and send me a message! I'll try and get those questions answered for you! To start us off, I asked @Mann Ramblings a few questions about his story So Little Magic Left. So Little Magic Left Mann Ramblings What do you do when you simply don't fit into your world? Shawn Martoni never did. A past of turmoil and misfortune kept a solid foothold from ever forming. But what if there was another world under our own? Someplace where all that's left of the creatures long since forgotten might live. Would Shawn find his place there or simply find another form of the underworld? Where did the idea for So Little Magic Left come from? The initial inspiration came from a GA writing prompt actually. Specifically, from one of Comicfan’s prompts titled “The Beast” from several years ago. (2012-2013) The original 1k scene is still sitting in my collection of prompt responses “Prompt Ramblings” https://gayauthors.org/story/mann-ramblings/promptramblings/5 Some elements may have been altered from the final story, but writing it set off a huge brainstorming session and I sort of took off from there. I loved the opportunity to create a modern fantasy story. How do you pronounce the Queen’s name and where did it come from? I used an elvish word translator I found online to create her name. (Yes you can find just about anything on the internet if you look hard enough.) Dahmsaedroma is a loose translation/compilation of the words I found to mean “light-dancing” or “dancing-light” to describe her grace and magical aura. Her name is pronounced: Dahm – Suh – Dro – Mah Would you ever consider publishing So Little Magic Left? I’ve considered it. SLML is a novel I’m particularly proud of. It started my current tendency to write longer book length stories with more complex plots. These days if I write a story under 100k, it feels undone. I’m not sure if I’m ready to take on the task of revising the technical issues the story has as one of my earlier works, but I’m not saying it would never happen. It might be worth it. However, I have other projects that need to be completed before I can consider stepping back and reworking an older piece.

Merry Christmas! It's hard to believe the year is almost over! To help finish out the year, take a look at all these features anthology stories if you haven't already done so! I hope you all have a safe and wonderful holiday! Getting In Step northie The Keys to the Far Castle CarlHoliday Two Lives Wombat Bill Bridges to Friendship wildone Born Again Valkyrie The Seven7h Magpie lomax61 The Apostles Cole Matthews Battle for Souls Cia 2020 Fall Anthology Support Team Anthology Coordinator Renee Stevens Tech Support Myr Proof Team Rec Valkyrie Parker Owens Cia Anthology Banner Creation Mann Ramblings

Merry Christmas everyone!

I'm so sorry to hear about your dad and the struggles you've been having. Take care of yourself and know we're here if/when you need us.

Who's ready for some more stories? Well, you're in luck, we still have one theme for the anthology to share. Don't forget to let the authors know what you thought by leaving them a comment or, even better, a review! Happy Reading!!!! Getting In Step northie The Keys to the Far Castle CarlHoliday Two Lives Wombat Bill Bridges to Friendship wildone

So, this isn't going to be the full announcement for the 1st anthology of the year, but I did want to announce the themes and the deadline. A more in depth announcement will occur after the current anthology is finished posting. One thing I want to point out, for 2021 there will be two main themes per anthology and a pot luck. The pot luck includes MANY theme options for if you don't like the main theme options. The number of themes used this upcoming year will help determine the number of pot luck themes (if any) that will be picked for the 2022 themes. There will be some minor changes in the submission procedures to accomodate the pot luck themes, but they will be announced in a more in depth post later, as you won't need to know them to begin your stories. Anthology #1 - Due: April 1, 2021 Top Theme #1: On the Road Top Theme #2: Forbidden Potluck Themes: But Wait; There’s More Through a Glass Darkly Of Gods and Monsters It Takes All Kinds Darkness Falls Boys of the Hills You Wouldn’t Understand On the Beach Great Balls of Fire Laughter, the Best Medicine Ozark Rumors The Tracks National Park The Warmest Color A Visitation New Moon Turn Back Time Chiaroscuro Jump Ship King of Eighteen Up! Submission Date: April 1, 2021 Please Note: Submission date is for submission to the Anthology Proof Team. Proofreads should take no more than 72 hours once you have been paired with a proofreader, if you have not received your story back within 72 hours, please contact Renee Stevens via PM. If you send your stories in within the last 48 hours of the deadline, you have 48 hours after receiving it back to upload it in order for it to be included in the Anthology. Non-Poetry No Story Limit: Each story submitted must meet quality and editing guidelines and only one story can be under 1,000 words. Each story posted as its own submission Minimum Word Count Per Story: 1,000 Maximum Word Count Per Story: 25,000 Poetry Up to five poems Posted as a single submission (a collection) Each poem posted as its own chapter

Well, hard to believe, but it's the last review of 2020! @Timothy M. has picked the perfect story for the holiday season.. Enjoy the review of Our Christmas Cookbook by @aditus @Cole Matthews and @ValkyrieWishing You Happy Holidays and All the Best in the New Year from the Review Team Our Christmas Cookbook by Aditus, Cole Matthews and Valkyrie Reviewer: Timothy M. Status: Complete Word Count: 56,617 In December 2019 we got this wonderful treat jointly written by three authors to celebrate special food traditions associated with Christmas. What a difference a year makes, but reading the last chapter it could almost have been written in 2020, since that features distant friends cooking together, where they each make favorite recipies while chatting online via computer. It's an almost prophetic end to the story, but before that we get plenty of other special moments and interesting recipies. Because each chapter includes instructions on how to make the food featured in the story. Such a tremendous effort deserves a revisit and, hopefully, new readers. If you, like me, have already read other stories by the three authors, you will also enjoy encountering some favorite characters again. However, beware spoilers, because if you haven't met these people, it may reveal important matters (Red Running Shoes, i'm looking at you ). If you are nostalgic for the Decembers and Christmas holidays you used to have, this trip back into time should cheer you up. It certainly put a smile on my face, while writing this review - and I even discovered here were chapters, I had missed reading last year. Give the cookbook a try, and let us know which recipe you might want to have a go at. Category: Fiction Genres: Comedy, Drama, Romance Tags: Christmas Rating: Teen

Yep, you read that right, the first of the 2020 Fall anthology is now live! In deciding which anthology to post first, I decided to pick the one that the first story submitted was in. So, we hope you enjoy these 4 stories submitted from site authors! Enjoy!!! And don't forget to leave the authors a comment to let them know what you think of their stories! Born Again Valkyrie The Seven7h Magpie lomax61 The Apostles Cole Matthews Battle for Souls Cia

I want to start out this blog by saying a HUGE thank you to @Carlos Hazday for all his work doing the Ask An Author feature for the last 3 years!!! I am deeply appreciative of all the work that Carlos has put into the feature over the years. To be honest, keeping a single feature going on a monthly basis for that long is A LOT of work and yet Carlos managed to always have one ready for us. Unfortunately for us, after 3 years of dedication to the Ask An Author feature, Carlos has decided that it is time to pass the Ask An Author torch onto someone else. Once again, THANK YOU, Carlos for helping me out over the years!!!! A little background on the Ask An Author feature for those who don't know. The original Ask An Author feature was started by @Dark many years ago. When Dark was unable to continue, I did one or two Ask An Authors, and then lucky for me, Carlos offered to do them. I gratefully accepted! Normally, I'd just do the next few while we look for someone else to take over, but for the time being, I just don't have the time. In fact, if it wasn't for the other blog contributors, the blogs would be in shambles as I just haven't had the time to devote to them like I have in the past. (Who knew juggling a toddler and school work would be so time consuming?!) Anyway, this is where the rest of the members come in! If you would like to be considered to take over the Ask An Author feature, please PM me. Please keep in mind, this is more than just a one time thing, and will require a monthly commitment from whoever takes it over. We will do our best to help you get questions to ask, but ultimately it would be up to you to gather questions, contact authors, and create the Ask An Author post feature and have it ready to go by the first Wednesday of every month. Hope to hear from some of you SOON! (Note: We do have a couple questions waiting in the wings to help you get started.)

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

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

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

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

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

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

Well, that's it for this years voting! The voting was for the top 4 themes to use in the first two themes of the year 2021. The remaining themes have been put through the list randomizer at random.org and will be split up for the potluck for those same themes. Since there were 43 themes left over after the top themes were chosen, one anthology will have 21 themes in the potluck, and the other will have 22 themes. The third and final theme for the year will be a Pre-2021 Anthology Themes and won't have additional themes, so here we go! Anthology #1 Top Theme #1: On the Road Top Theme #2: Forbidden Potluck Themes: But Wait; There’s More Through a Glass Darkly Of Gods and Monsters It Takes All Kinds Darkness Falls Boys of the Hills You Wouldn’t Understand On the Beach Great Balls of Fire Laughter, the Best Medicine Ozark Rumors The Tracks National Park The Warmest Color A Visitation New Moon Turn Back Time Chiaroscuro Jump Ship King of Eighteen Up! Anthology #2 Top Theme #1: A Winding Path Top Theme #2: An Unconventional Gift Potluck Themes: Pick Your Poison Lockdown Left Behind Dire Monotony Mutation is Progress Blood Moon Birthday Presents Falling for Fall Elves or Elvis? Life’s Past The Woods Rings of Fire Plateau Wolves Rock Men and Women A Legend Retold Echoes The Last Sentinel Tomorrow A Label Surpassing Twilight Falling Anthology #3 All Pre-2021 Themes More info regarding next years anthologies will be announced after the Fall Anthology.

Thank You, Sir.

as i've heard that the storm that hit here has garnered international coverage (it apparently made the news in France) just thought i would let my friends in here know that other than a single tree that was sacrificed with no damage to anything else,, me, Hubby, and the little guy came through relatively unscathed (it got a bit chilly) and have power back.

Well, it's time to see who our mystery author was for this month. Do you think you got it right? Well, let's take a look shall we? This month's mystery author was..... northie Did you get it right? Check out these stories from northie!

Good night, tim. Sweet dreams!

i agree, Sir. So many missed opportunities if one only counts on the school system. Main reason he will go next year is the social aspect as he's mainly with me or his Daddy. While he doesn't say the color or shape yet, he can match colors and shapes and also knows all the body parts that are a part of the heads, shoulder, knees and toes song. We're just starting on the alphabet, numbers, and more animals. He's smart and i'd be failing him if i didn't work to expand what he knows.

i'm sorry you have to go through this, Fae. They have the option here too. In-school, online learning, or homeschooling. This entire mess is part of why i'm so glad baby J has another year before preschool starts.

Sorry you had to deal with that hon.

We're up to 27 votes now! Keep em coming!!!!