Renee Stevens

Another weekend is over and it's time for another review from the review team. This week, Timothy M has taken the chance to review "Yankee" by The Zot. Yankee TheZot Reviewer: Timothy M. Status: Complete Word Count: 80,483 This story sat unfinished on my favorite stories list for years, but in 2019 @TheZot realized the last three chapters were not present on GA and uploaded them. Some readers argue the story still feels incomplete, and I can see their point. It’s definitely open-ended and sadly so. Therefore, be warned – Yankee has no HEA or conflict resolution. Why do I recommend it even so? Partly it’s because I feel a kinship with the main character, who has no idea how to navigate in the world of teens-in-high-school. The social rules are unknown, people are incomprehensible, and navigating in crowds or new places is scary. The reason for this becomes clear after a few chapters, but there are subtle hints from the beginning, and perhaps you can guess just from my descriptions here. However, I bet all of us have worried about fitting in, when we were teens. Justin does his best, and seeing the interactions from his POV, but knowing what people around him expect and why they react in various ways, makes the story special and interesting. He spends a lot of his time running and doing martial arts training, which is useful in several situations. Almost by accident, he starts to hang out with a small group of people who gradually become his friends, much to his surprise. They help him and make him feel accepted, but sometimes he is the one to come up with unexpected solutions to their problems. To cite @Marty: I like the way you are slowly fleshing out the characters in this story, instead of simply having them all as two-dimensional. The difficult part of the story comes with Justin having to deal with someone being attracted to him, but refusing to admit it. At first it’s funny, but then the situation derails, and neither of them is able to fix it. I kept hoping they would spend time together as friends and gradually work their way to a better understanding of each other and the possibility of a relationship, but the background issues are too much to overcome, especially for the other guy. The explanation for that was the tragic part of the story, mostly because it was realistic in all its hurtful ignorance. Have I scared you off? Well, I admit this story may need several deep breaths and plenty of chocolate or other comforts. But sometimes it’s needed to describe what @IBEX calls: The hurt, the anguish we sometimes have to face growing up.... Category: Fiction Genres: Drama Tags: teen, school, modern Rating: Everyone

It's time for 4 more of the anthology stories to go live! Did you get a chance to read the first six stories? If not, there's still plenty of time. Don't forget to leave comments and reviews for the authors! Mates Come First Caz Pedroso Keraunophobia CassieQ As Betwixt the Devil and the Deep Sea Thorn Wilde Mother Moon's Message in Troubled Times Headstall

Thank You, Sir.

Since we have a few awesome poets in here, would you check out this link? I'm thinking of trying to put a pop-up Poetry Anthology together, but need to gauge interest... Thanks! Hope everyone is doing good today!

@MCVT A great group right there! If you ever decide to do another review, let me know, and we can work it into the site blog as a feature review!

Good night, tim. xoxo

You're welcome, Sir. i hope you have a good night.

It's time for 3 more of the anthology stories to go live! Did you get a chance to read the stories last week? If not, there's still plenty of time. Don't forget to leave comments and reviews for the authors! Accused Valkyrie Hill of Candles lomax61 Moon Dogs CarlHoliday

Thank you, Sir. i try to help where i can. Glad you are safe, Sir, and that the tree was the only main casualty. It was an insane storm.

No need to apologize, it's all good. If you ever have a question about what something on GA means, my inbox is always open. Sometimes it might take me a day or two to get back to you, but always willing to answer questions (or find the answer if I dont know).

Yes. Like Ashi said, it doesn't mean you did anything wrong, so don't stress . It will occasionally change as you post more.

I'm fairly certain it has to do with post count. You're a newbie until you reach a certain amount of posts (one dot), then member(two dots), but can't remember what's past that.

*hug* Sometimes doctors just suck! I'm sorry they've jerked you around so much, and I will cross my fingers that the deep tissue massage helps relieve the pain!

Sorry all, running late, so let's get this review up! Daddy Bears by MCVT Reviewer: Aditus Status: Complete Word Count: 6,284 I read this story because of its title—and because a friend recommended it. In the beginning we learn about a young man’s abusive childhood and his way of coping with it: every time it gets bad, he sends his mind on a journey. He turns the knob of an imagined red AM radio, and immediately he visits wondrous places all over the world--the streets of Hong Kong, Paris, and Durbin... even the universe. Selling bootleg CDs at the bus stop lands him in prison later. Because of an incident there, he requires the help of a nurse, a wide-chested, burly man famed for his brusque nature and professional efficiency. Afterwards, the young man enrolls in a community college, where he majors in the arts. While his art evolves he learns to speak eloquently with lines, colors, textures and shapes.... One day, a group of large men in leather visits the young man’s exhibition, one of them the big nurse from jail. The nurse is recruited as a model. The two become casual friends. This is a beautiful story written in poetic language, so it’s almost a painting itself. Parts of the story made me miserable, others made me smile—okay, giggle (I only say ‘earlobe’). Both characters are compellingly written; they became my friends, or at least acquaintances. (I wish) If I had to summarize the story as briefly as I can, I would say it tells of the awakening of an artistic soul and of a seeker conquering fear. My all-time favorite list has another entry. Category: Fiction Genres: Romance Tags: mature adult, gay, oral, light-hearted, psychology, 20th century, love Rating: Mature

Anybody ready for some new stories? We have some great offerings for you as part of the 2020 Spring Anthology. Wondering when the anthologies would start to go live? Well, wait no more! Today we have 3 stories for you to enjoy, and each week I will make another set live. Now, before we get to the stories, we had a bit of an incentive this go around. Every author who submitted a story into the anthology received an entry in a drawing. I added all the names onto random.com and randomized the list, and the following are the winners and their prize! @CarlHoliday - 6 Month Premium Membership @Carlos Hazday - 3 Month Premium Membership @Comicality - 1 Month Premium Membership Congrats to the winners! If you already have Premium Membership, it will extend your subscription, or you can choose to donate your winnings to a member of your choice. Just send me a PM to let me know what you would like to do! Anyway, I hope you enjoy the great stories that our authors have to offer!!! And don't forget to leave the authors feedback in the form of comments and reviews! Shared Blankets Comicality Destruction--Self and Otherwise Headstall Explosions Carlos Hazday

It was my son is my greatest accomplishment that gave me away, wasnt it? Lol

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..... Renee Stevens Did you get it right? Check out these stories from Renee!

Well, usually it would be a single story review for our feature today. But, we thought it might be nice to turn the focus onto our fearless leader. With that in mind, we visited Myr's stories and picked some of the various comments from readers to highlight the many stories that Myr has on site. Myr specializes in short stories in the fantasy and sci-fi genres. He generally leaves his readers begging for more, probably because most of his spare time is spent on improving GA and dealing with technical issues. But it’s still worth checking out those well-written and enticing snippets, as you can see from the comments. You could also try out his Harry Potter fanfic (not featured here). A Ranger’s Duty @Bill WA well crafted and imaginative world you have created for your readers. I found it captivating and your characters very believable and endearing. Category: Nature’s Wrath Anthology Genres: Adventure, Fantasy Tags: magic, adult, no sex, interracial Rating: Teen Psionic Corp – No Return @Carlos Hazday: Mike is a powerful young man who appears headed for greatness. His psionic powers, training, and family wealth seem to give him an unlimited future. Category: No Going Back Anthology Genres: Thriller/Suspense, Sci-Fi Tags: teen, psionics, no sex, violent, coming of age Rating: Teen Terran Confederation – Jeremiah @Brayon: this story is an excellent SciFi short, that gives the reader a glimpse into the life of a young child soldier in a futuristic world. Questions remain, to entice the reader to want more from this short story. Category: Out of This World Anthology Genres: Thriller/Suspense, Sci-Fi Tags: teen, aliens, psionics, off-planet, no sex, future Rating: Teen A Bad Day to be WET @Valkyrie: Wow! That was very action-packed. I loved the mixture of tension and levity. Category: Crossing the Line Anthology Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi Tags: young adult, psionics, space, military, future Rating: Teen A Bad Way to Wake Up WET 1 @drpaladin: Talk about bad days. This placed them in a real, but manageable mess. Category: Good Intentions Anthology Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi Tags: young adult, aliens, psionics, space, military, future Rating: Mature A Bad Way to Wake Up WET 2 @Puppilull: The start of a true adventure! What a journey they will have to undertake to get back. The possibilities for unexpected encounters are endless. Quite the set up! Category: Fight Back Anthology Genres: Adventure, Sci-Fi Tags: aliens, psionics, space Rating: Teen A Tempest in a Teapot @Cole Matthews: I love it! Refreshing and excellent take on pioneering and the kinds of people it takes to fulfill roles in society. Category: Good Intentions Anthology Genres: Sci-Fi Tags: young adult, college, no sex, military, future Rating: Teen The Forest @Headstall: That was intriguing, Myr. The ending has me wanting more. Who are these guys... what are they, and what have they done? Category: Fiction Genres: Adventure, Fantasy Tags: magic, mind control, wizards, medieval Rating: Teen Nick Cringle @comicfan: Well they say say anything can happen with a little magic. Face it, if Santa can't do it, no one can. Great little story and definitely something different. Category: Christmas Anthology Genres: Fantasy Tags: teen, magic, no sex, coming of age, light-hearted, modern Rating: Teen

You are most welcome!

It's Signature author feature time! This month we're taking a look at @Headstall! I'll share a few stories by Headstall, but feel free to share your favorite Headstall story in the comments. I'll only be sharing completed stories, so if it's a story that you've read, take a minute and go leave a review! A proud father of four, Headstall's personal journey has been a series of twists and turns, and his stories often reflect his experiences. He is an unapologetic romantic who writes from the heart. You will find this in his fiction and his poetry. They are both emotionally driven, and men who aren’t afraid of their feelings often populate his work. If you’re looking for happily ever after, you will likely find it here.

Wow, there are a lot of things going on in the world right now. So, I thought, maybe it's time for something a little light-hearted, like maybe a new Author Guess Who!!!! We're always open to more participants, so if you're interested in answering the guess who questions, you can either PM me, or copy them from here, change the answers, and PM it to @Renee Stevens. The reveal will happen on April 21st!! Now, who thinks they can figure out this month's author??? What is one thing that most GA members might not know about you? I grew up on a mini-farm. It wasn't really a farm, but we had a couple cows, a few horses, a goat, and chickens. We occasionally even had pigs and a sheep or two, and always had a few dogs running around. The goat was my very own pet! What prompted you to write your first story? My English teacher in junior high. I can't remember exactly why, and the story was never finished, but that was the first time I can remember writing a story. What genre of books do you enjoy reading and have you written for that genre? Throughout my life, I've read just about every genre. Now, I read most stuff, with the exception of Horror. If I had to pick a favorite, I'd say contemporary and yes, I have written quite a few contemporary stories. Is there a genre that you haven’t written for that you would consider trying later on? I've dabbled in most of the genre's, and there's not really one that I haven't that I would be interested in. What do like most about publishing on GA? The community and the feedback that I've gotten. I really enjoy hearing from readers, and GA offers multiple opportunities for my readers to get into contact with me. Do you have any unique writing habits or rituals to help you get into a writing mood? Not really. I do like to have music going, but even that isn't absolutely necessary. How has your writing style evolved over time? More show and less tell, definitely. I've learned a lot of different editing tips and always try to remember the past mistakes. I used to refuse to have any type of outline from chapter to chapter, even in my head. Now, I try to plan out the story in my head and might even jot down a few notes. That's not to say the story never goes where I didn't expect, since I let my characters take the lead, but now I at least generally have a loose idea of where the story will go. Do you have a significant other? Yes, I do! Do you have any pets? I have a few. Do you post multi-chapter stories as you write? Do you wait until you’ve finished writing the entire story? Or is it something in between? It's somewhere in-between. There are stories that I've posted as I've written them, and others that I haven't posted until they're done. It just all depends on the story. Though nowadays, I prefer to post when they're complete. What is your favorite television show? Wow, that is a tough one. There are a lot of shows I enjoy, but I'm really not sure that there's a favorite. How about we say a couple of the one's I have DVR'd? NCIS: Los Angeles (I used to really watch the original NCIS, but I don't watch it much now that most of my favorites are gone!), and I like the game show America Says, and now that I think about it, I really don't have many favorite shows that I watch anymore. What is your favorite movie? Wow, another tough one. Again, there's a lot, but some of my most recent favorites are San Andreas, most of the Fast and the Furious movies, and I loved the movie Eight Below! Do you write poetry? Prose? Or both? A little of both. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? My great grandma! I've heard so many things about her, and I'm sure there is so much she could teach me, plus, out of me and my siblings, I'm the only one who never actually got to meet her (at least when I was old enough to remember). What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? My son is and always will be my greatest accomplishment. Happy Guessing!!!!

While short, this is one of those stories that sticks with you. I read it when it first came out, and I had to come find it again, because I made fried scones today. Any time I cook with a pan of oil, I remember this little story. Worth the read!

Hello out there!!!! It seems like it's been a while since I've posted anything in the blog. With everything going on in the world, let's focus on something else. Like the fact that it's time to take a look at another story that you might have missed. I hope you enjoy Parker's review of Between a Rock and a Hard Place by @Dodger. Have a great week and stay healthy and safe! Between a Rock and a Hard Place Dodger Reviewer: Parker Owens Status: Complete Word Count: 9,256 There are probably more stories about high school aged gay boys than there are visible stars in the sky. Why read one more? Why does this one stand out? Between a Rock and a Hard Place allows us a close-up view of two boys, Roger and his best friend, Charlie. Despite their notable differences, they have been friends for years. Charlie is one of those people we all know. They have the ability to dominate a scene; their vitality and energy are catalysts for those around them. For his sixteenth birthday, Charlie invites Roger over for the weekend. What makes this story refreshing is that, unlike other stories in this genre, we are not dragged into hyperventilated, overwrought sex scenes. Instead, we are treated to a deeply personal narrative of personal observations, told from Roger’s point of view over a period of two days. We’re taken on a simple, yet important journey that’s partly in his mind, and partly lived out in the everyday world. There are other characters that briefly make appearances, but the focus is on Roger and Charlie throughout. What charmed the most about this story is the way Dodger realistically portrays two teens circling one another, drawn each drawn to the other by their own natural gravity. The tension gradually increases to a quirky culmination and conclusion. The way this is described and narrated is detailed and believable. Take the time to read this story by a talented member of GA, and find out how Roger and Charlie manage to speak their own truths to one another. Category: Fiction Genres: Drama, Romance Tags: teen, north america, coming of age, light-hearted, friendship Rating: Teen

So sorry to hear that your dad is not well @wildone. I debated posting about the dream, but glad I did if it helped you in some small way.

Congrats!!!!!