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Renee Stevens

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  1. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #736 & #737

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Welcome to another edition of "Writing Prompts". There are a lot of great prompts for you to choose from, just check out the prompt forum!  And today, we're going to add two more to the list. We owe a huge thank you to @comicfan for continuing to provide us with these great prompts. Now, let's see what he has for us this week!
     

     
    Prompt 736 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following words in a story – A laser, a police officer, a queen, a silver bell, and book.
     
    Prompt 737 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    The pale moonlight barely illuminated the gravestones as he rushed from one to the next, desperately searching for the right one.
     

     
    Did you do any prompt writing last week? Share a link in the comments!
     
     
  2. Renee Stevens
    With only about three months until the next anthology is due, I thought I'd take a moment to see how everyone is doing with their anthology entries! 
     
    Feel free to share something about your anthology entry, or planned anthology entry, in the comments. Just a reminder, the two themes are In the Stars and Snapped.
     
    Also, for veteran anthology authors, what is your favorite aspect of writing for the anthologies, and what advice would you give to authors who are contemplating writing their first anthology story?
     
    If you're a new anthology author, what are you most concerned about concerning the anthology? Do you have any questions that the veteran authors may be able to answer for you?
     
    Unsure what they anthologies are? You can read the guidelines here, and to check out last years anthology entries, just click on the banners below!
     
    Happy Writing!!!!
     

     

     

     

     
     
  3. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #734 & #735

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Yay! For once I managed to get the prompts up on time! Go me!  As you can see, here's this weeks dose of the writing prompts, provided to us by @comicfan!  Hopefully the two prompts below will prompt a new idea. Just remember, prompt responses under 1,000 words must be posted as part of a collection.  Happy Writing!
     

     
    Prompt 734 – Creative
    Tag – The Ring
    You’ve inherited an old family ring from a distant cousin. Unfortunately, the ring comes with a lot of responsibilities and powers you didn’t know about before you slid the ring on and became the new owner. What exactly does the ring do?
     
    Prompt 735 – Creative
    Tag – Medical Issue
    You’ve been working on a cure for the space sickness for the last seven years. You’ve finally come up with a possible cure with the help of your team, but there is one hell of a side affect. The cure works but it may just cause a part of humanity to take a huge evolutionary step forward. What does the cure do?
     

     
    Did you write a prompt response last week? Share the link in the comments!
  4. Renee Stevens

    Q & A: Round 4

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Well, it's time for another Q & A session with our site authors, poets, editors, and readers!  As you can see, these features have a little something for everyone. If you have ideas for questions for one of these groups, feel free to PM me!  And while you're at it, why not answer one of the Round 5 questions!  Now, let's see what we have for you this round! 
     
     
    Authors: Do you base characters off of real life people? Are they completely fictional? Or some of both? And how does it affect your writing of said characters?
     
    @Mikiesboy Some of my characters are completely fictional.  Some are from my own life, people i've seen or met. No matter where they come from, i still bend and shape them into the character i want. The most recent character i am writing is Aiden. He is based on a young boy i saw when we were out for dinner at a local restaurant. I've changed him slightly now, but he's the reason for my character.
     
    I think it's important to know your characters, even if you never share all their back story. Know who they are, so they will have natural and in-character reactions to the world you put them in.
     
    @Timothy M. My characters are mostly fictional, but they often carry something of me, and occasionally of people I know.
     
    @Dabeagle I do and I don't. That is to say, I don't copy a person, but I will copy come mannerisms or appearances for the sake of inspiration. When I do, I don't use their names or anything like that. I think it would be very difficult and constraining to try to stick to a real person because you have to decide how they would react in a given situation and, somehow, work that into the story framework you have. Generally characters that I 'borrow' from real people are because I like or was amused by them, so it's fun to have them appear. For instance in Ouroboros, Inc. I actually used a few people in minor roles. The characters of Cait and Bennett were based on real life siblings; the girl has made my coffee a time or two at our local Dunkin' Donuts. The family actually has four kids, all of whom seem to be lovely people. The boy Bennett was based on did many of the small things in real life that the fictional version of him did. Sometimes I only borrow a name because it strikes me as unique or interesting - like Drake from You Don't Know Me. Outside of the name, though, he was original. I don't think anyone would recognize themselves in my work unless I used something they'd personally remember. Many real life people provide fun character parts to play with and assemble into my own creature.
     
    @Thorn Wilde Often a bit of both. My characters are oftentimes inspired by people I've seen or people I know, but very fictionalised. In a way, though, I don't really think there's any such thing as a completely original character. Even if you're not aware of it, there's probably someone you've seen or talked to that lets you invent that character. I don't think it really affects my writing any differently. Even if a character I write is originally partially based on a real person, they will usually grow and change until they're not much like them anymore and become their own people.
     
    @BHopper2 Both actually. There's a little bit of realness to most of my characters, but for some, they are taken directly from my real life friends. Three of the characters in my Tampa Chronicles series are based off real people. Brayon, Chandon, and Jeremy fully embody the people they are patterned off of. Other's are fictional, like Adam from the same series, is the Dad I wish I had, and Robert is the brother.
     
    When writing about my friends, I will often ask them if they are okay with me doing so. If they are not, then I go the fictional route. Some of my fictional ones are based off old RPG characters, and they are easy for me to write more than some I totally make up.
     
    @Valkyrie Some of both.  My characters are fictional, but I incorporate mannerisms, physical characteristics, quirks, and sayings from people I’ve either met or observed in real life.  I think it lends them authenticity and also makes it easier to write them.
     
     
    Editors: How hard do you find it to edit a story that you can't get into? Have you ever had to refuse to continue on with a story? If so, why?
     
    @Timothy M. I avoid stories which don't appeal to me as a reader, so I'd say it would be very difficult. I've rarely refused to keep editing, and it only happened because the author didn't implement my edits and sometimes posted the chapters before I received them for editing. That was frustrating.
     
    @Valkyrie It depends on the author and the circumstances.  If I can’t get into a story, I try to figure out why and convey my reasons to the author, because something isn’t working.   I’m happy to discuss it, as long as the author is willing and not defensive about it.  If it’s a question of the author’s ‘style’ being one I’m not a fan of, then I keep my mouth shut and do more of a proofread or light edit vs a full edit, which includes beta comments.  I’ll complete the edit if it’s a one-off or short story, but longer works I will gracefully bow out.  Thankfully, I haven’t had to do this often.  I find it much easier to proofread a story I can’t get into vs editing one.  When I proofread, I turn off the ‘beta reader’ portion of my editing brain and refrain from making such comments, unless there is a glaring continuity error. 
     
    Sometimes it’s a matter of time constraints too.  I tend to take on too much, which doesn’t leave a lot of time for my own writing when authors send me stories/chapters all at the same time.  In that case, I’m sure to communicate clearly to the authors I’m working with where they are in the queue and how long I think it will take to get back them. 
     
     
    Readers: What is the main thing that entices you to read a story?
     
    @mollyhousemouse This is a good question! i don't know if there is just one thing that makes a story more enticing.
     
    i suppose the first thing i look at is the author. Have i read something by them before?  Is this an author who finishes stories, or posts chapters regularly?
     
    i'll also look at the reviews.  Reviews are SO important! if you read something and liked it, write one! it's so easy and it helps turn other readers on to a story you liked!
     
    The third thing i look at is recommendations from friends here.  If i see that someone i follow, another author i like, has read a story then i'm more likely to read it.
     
    @Timothy M. If it's written by an author I already know and whose stories I like, I almost always try it out. A good story description will often entice me to try a story, especially with adult characters.
     
    @Thorn Wilde The title is what catches my eye. I judge a book by its cover.  If the title doesn't seem interesting to me, I often scroll past the description, because there's only so many stories I can read anyway. After the title I read the description, and if that looks interesting, I read the story.
     
     
    Poets: Many know of the poetry teachings of @AC Benus, what is your favorite type of poem to write from those teaching? 
     
    @Mikiesboy AC's poetry prompts are wonderful...and he is just posting new revised prompts. Learning how to write various forms can only make you a better poet. I enjoy writing many of them. Using specific forms forces you to think, forces you to use your poetic tools and challenge is good. While i write this, i'm thinking that i really enjoy writing the Rubaiyat.  But there are so many forms i enjoy. I hope to see some more people take on these prompts. Join us in Live Poets ... lots of support for all poets and fans of poetry are welcome !
     
    @aditus I did them all, but I fell in love with the ghazal. One thing I have in common with Goethe, beside our first language of course.
     
     
    BONUS QUESTION: Do you have a favorite Valentine's memory that you'd be willing to share with us?
     
    @Valkyrie My best Valentine’s Day memory would have to be from my college days.  The guy I was dating at the time brought me flowers and made me dinner.  He also wrote me a poem and hand-wrote it on a heart he had cut out of card stock.  I still have that poem somewhere.
     
    @Mikiesboy My mother's birthday was February 14, so it's a bittersweet day for me. Michael is aware of course and we usually spend the day together quietly.
     
     
    Well, there you have it!  Round four of the Q & A!  Who's ready for Round 5?  You can check out the Round 5 questions in the forum thread, and then just follow the directions to PM me your answers!  I love seeing all the answers, and feel free to encourage your fellow authors, poets, readers, and editors to join in on the fun and send me their answers too!
     
     
  5. Renee Stevens

    Featured Story: Holding Back

    By Renee Stevens,


    Featured Stories
    It's Monday, and with the start of a new week, it's a good time to take a look at a story that you otherwise might have missed.  I hope you enjoy Puppilull's review of Holding Back by Thorn Wilde.
     

     
    Holding Back
    Thorn Wilde
     
    Reviewer: Puppilull
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 58,185
     
    I can willingly admit that I’m sort of conservative and careful how I spend my reading time. I simply don’t have enough time to read and enjoy all the great stories that have been published, here on GA or elsewhere. This, of course, means I probably miss out on stuff, but other aspects of life need attention as well.
     
    Choosing what to read is an ongoing process, and I’m mostly going with “nope”, which is difficult but necessary. A sort of rule I have is no fanfiction unless I know the story. Simply because I doubt it would give me anything. This is not without exceptions, but generally it’s a no from me.
     
    So, why am I telling you all this? When one of my favourite authors here, Thorn Wilde, started publishing a fanfiction on Deadpool and Spiderman my initial reaction was as expected “no”. I have not read those comics, and I’m not a great fan of the movies, even though I’ve seen one or two. My conclusion was I’m not the intended reader.
     
    Still, knowing how much I enjoyed Thorn’s other stories compelled me to take a chance. I can tell you I am so happy I decided to tag along.
     
    Since I have much less context than anyone actually knowing the comics, my impressions and reactions perhaps come from a different point of view. To me, this is a heart-warming story of two people taking that chance on love and lust (with a generous side helping of kink, so beware). Sure, there are bad guys, violence and intrigue suitable for a tale of two comic book characters, but the focus is firmly on Wade and Peter and their journey together.
     
    Wade is such a beautiful mess, with the voices in his head fighting it out to keep him on the straight and narrow or simply follow his instinct and wreak havoc. He has good reason never to trust anyone and when things get rough or emotional, he bails. Peter is from a very different background, with a clearer sense of self. When meeting Wade, he sees the world is perhaps not as black and white as he initially thought. To follow them as they grow is one of the better love stories I’ve read in a quite a while.
     
    The writing is fast paced, which suits the story, and it’s laced with a sense of humor to keep you giggling. Still, Thorn sneaks in so much deep emotion, so don’t be surprised if you end up a little teary-eyed at times. And did I mention there’s kink? Yup. This story does not shy away from exploring some less common (?) areas of sexuality. So proceed with caution, if you are of a sensitive nature. If you are like me, curious of all matters of the flesh, you’ll have a glorious time.
     
     Category: Marvel Crossovers   Genres: Adventure, Comedy, Romance  Tags: young adult, bisexual, anal, fetish, crime, fighting  Rating: Mature
  6. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #732 & #733

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    It's that time again! Time to spark some creativity with this weeks prompts. Enjoy!
     

     
    Prompt 732 – Creative
    Tag – List of words
    Use the following words in a story : A red rose, a box of candy, a new shirt, a lunchbox, and a torn sneaker.
     
    Prompt 733 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    The cat sat grooming itself as the puddle of blood slowly spread behind it on the old oak floor.
     

     
    Did you write a prompt last week? Share a link in the comments.
  7. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #730 & #731

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Who's ready for your weekly dose of prompts? We have two new ones for you, courtesy of @comicfan.
     
     
     
     
    Prompt 730 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    The snow was deep and hard to cross, but the fear of what was following kept you moving.
     
    Prompt 731 – Creative
    Tag – Love Cupid
    You’ve been picked to play Cupid in the college play. What no one realized was you didn’t audition, and love is already your full time job. While arrows are simply a myth, you are required to bring two of the most stubborn people you’ve ever seen together as a couple. Both of them are working at the play. How do you do it?
     
     
     
     
    So, you had the option of four different prompts last week. Did anyone do some prompt writing? Share your prompts in the comments below.
  8. Renee Stevens

    Improve & Encourage #14: Bliss

    By Renee Stevens,


    Critique
    Well, we're getting closer to wrapping up the Improve & Encourage feature. Working toward that goal, today we've got a critique on CassieQ's story, Bliss.  If you missed out on the opportunity to sign up for the Improve & Encourage feature, don't worry, there are other features available for you!  Let's take a look at what Mann Ramblings had to say about Bliss.
     
    Bliss
    CassieQ
     
    Critiqued by: Mann Ramblings
     
    Please give us a short summary of the story you chose.
     
    Logan is preparing an elaborate evening to celebrate his anniversary with his husband, Connor. Unfortunately, a severe bout of influenza has complicated the plan.
     
    What do you see as the strengths of the story/poem?
     
    One of CassieQ’s strengths is her ability to write characters and scenarios filled with legitimacy. At no time did I ever feel like any of the story’s moments “couldn’t happen.” You can empathize with Logan’s efforts to save the night to his own detriment because he’s determined to make it a night to remember. Real people do this.
     
    What do you see as the weaknesses of the story/poem?
     
    It’s rare that I find something that I can call an actual weakness in one of CassieQ’s stories. The only thing I can see as a weakness is the ending. Not because it’s written poorly. It’s not. It flows well and tells another part of the character’s histories. The fact it’s written as a flashback (which in and of itself is not a flaw) completely in narration that takes us away from Logan and Connor’s intimate conversation and never comes back to them. It makes the short story feel slightly unfinished for me. This is less of an issue than it sounds really. LOL
     
    How do you think the story/poem could be improved?
     
    I would love to see the flashback turned into a revelation through conversation mixed with narration. That way we’re not pulled away from their wonderful interaction and we can just get more of it while we learn of their background and competitive natures.
     
    What was your favorite part? (scene/sentence/etc)
     
    Logan’s attempt to not ruin the night with his illness even as Connor starts to try and seduce him resonated with me. In my 20s, I missed 5 New Year’s Eves in a row by coming down with the flu, including staying home while my partner at the time went out.(I insisted, and he came back early.) So Logan trying to hide his condition reminds me of some of those times and strikes home CassieQ’s ability to make believable and likeable characters.
     
     
     
  9. Renee Stevens
    Since I'm rather sick at the moment, I'm going to just get right to it. Here are the four prompts as promised.
     

     
    Prompt 726 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    The sound of heavy boots and crashing furniture woke you from an uneasy sleep.
     
    Prompt 727 – Creative
    Tag – Situational writing
    Now for something a little different. Your scene is created based on what happened to you last. Who was the last person you talked to? They are now your main character. What is the sitting on your kitchen table? That what the scene needs to revolve around. Where is your favorite place to go in your town? Blend the three parts into a story.
     
     
    Prompt 728 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following words in a story – A star, a crushed box, a broken tablet, a skunk, and an icy sidewalk.
     
    Prompt 729 – Creative
    Tag – Suddenly Daddy
    Six years ago your best friend got married to her dream man. Four years ago they moved across the country for his job and you lost contact. Five minutes ago you found out she and her husband were killed in a fire, but their son survived. Both were only children and they named you as their son’s guardian. How do you take it, Daddy?
     

     
    Have you written any prompts over the last couple of weeks. Share a link in the comments.
  10. Renee Stevens

    Anything New?

    By Renee Stevens,

    So much has happened in the last year. There's so much I wanted to do, that I never actually managed to accomplish. Of course, a lot of that pales in comparison to my biggest accomplishment yet...Baby J. We waited so long for him, and at times I still feel like maybe we're living in a dream, or that something is going to happen that will take it all away. I try my best not to focus on the negatives, but sometimes it's hard. Then I look at that little boy's smiling face, or hear his little giggle, and I realize that everything I didn't accomplish, doesn't matter. What matters is him, and my Husband, and our little family. What matters is making the most of every moment that we have together. It's been a rocky road getting to where we're at now, but in the end, it was all worth it. 
     
    I came to a realization this evening, as I was sitting here listening to the Hubby and Baby J sleep. I was looking at the themes for the anthologies this year and thought that just maybe, I could write something for it. It's been so long since I really did much writing at all. And I realized something. About the time I quit writing, really writing, was about the same time that I got diagnosed with Anxiety. That stupid A word that makes me think that every little twinge is something wrong. To be fair, many in my family have had health issues the last couple years, and not just minor ones. But that had happened before and I'd always been able to write through. I'd always been able to put my feelings to paper and it helped. Then a dang nurse at a doctor's office mentioned one word, and I saw something wrong with me around every corner. (Note to nurses: Don't tell a patient (all perfectly calmly) that their blood pressure is in stroke range and you'll just give it a moment and take it again. Nothing good comes from that, especially when less than five minutes later you take it again and go "Oh, it's a lot lower now, maybe it was a mistake". Maybe? MAYBE? You mean you don't know? You're talking about my damn life, woman!  GRRRRRR) I'm lucky in that I have a Husband who is willing to do whatever it takes to put my mind at ease, but sometimes I feel like it gets a bit ridiculous. And the more I looked at things, the more I realized that is when I stopped writing. I was so focused and worried about what MIGHT be wrong with me health wise, that it consumed me.
     
    I started with a new doctor, and at first things seemed good, up until I refused a medication that I read more bad than good about. Sure, it worked for people's anxiety, as long as they never tried to go off of it. And it wasn't even something that he thought for sure would work, but something that he just wanted to "try". Everything I read pointed to people being completely hooked after only a very very short round of dosages, even less than how long he wanted me to "try" them for. And these people had a nightmare of a time trying to come off of it, many of which never managed it). After talking about it with the Hubby, we both agreed that neither of us were comfortable with me being on that medication. My doctor's response was basically to tell me that he didn't know what else I wanted him to do then. Ummm... I don't know, maybe try and actually rule stuff out rather than blaming anxiety for EVERYTHING!  In the end, we THINK that some of the ER trips, EKG's, chest x-rays, and doctors appointments that I was told were just anxiety, were the beginnings of my gallstones. They hurt, but we're thinking the gallstones just weren't big enough to cause the excruciating pain that finally got the ER docs to do an ultrasound and find the stupid gallstones. Gallbladder removal, and surprise, no more than the occasional twinge that could be just about anything. 
     
    Fast forward to now. I've started going to a new doctor that is doing a really long blood panel to see if anything comes back. It's early days yet, but he has promised that he will NOT blame anxiety for things without ruling other issues out first. So we'll see how that works out.
     
    Anyway, that's a long winded way of saying that perhaps I need to look at things a little bit different now. I've always had some anxiety, but never as bad as it has been in the last couple years.  If what I now suspect is true, perhaps it was my writing that helped me to keep my anxiety in check. Could it be possible that by losing my writing, I lost that outlet that gave the anxiety free rein? If I could get back into writing, is it possible that I'd be focused enough on that and Baby J that the anxiety would take a back seat?
     
    I'm hoping to find out. Of course, there are no guarantees, but this year, I'm going to put forth a concerted effort to get back into my writing (most likely during Baby J's naps and after he goes to bed at night). It might just start out with short stories, or prompts, but writing was my escape for so long, and I think when I quit writing, I lost the part of me that was able to keep other things at bay (though I got something back too, in the form of Baby J). Anyway, this was all on my mind, so I thought I'd get it down while thinking about it.
     
    I hope to have something new to share soon!!!
  11. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #724 & #725

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Happy Friday, y'all!  Sorry for the delayed prompts today, but here you go!  Hopefully these inspire you to write something, whether you're a seasoned author or someone writing for the first time. Enjoy!
     

     
    Prompt 724 – Creative
    Tag – New Year, New You
    On New Year’s Eve like so many others you made a promise that in the new year you would change and do much better. Having had a bit too much to drink and no one special to share the night with you went home and collapsed into bed just before midnight. When you wake, you have a hell of a hangover and stumble to the bathroom to take care of business. As you catch sight of yourself in the mirror you scream. You aren’t you anymore, but that’s just the start of a new year and new you. What do you do?
     
    Prompt 725 – Creative
    Tag – Midnight Kiss
    Your grandmother has always told the story of everyone in the family finding their true love by being kissed by their soulmate at midnight on their eighteenth new year. You were alone and didn’t get kissed. She begged you to out and celebrate on your twenty-first, saying it was the last chance. You finally do, only to be grabbed by a stranger seconds before midnight and given a soul searing kiss. What happens?
     

     
    Did you write a prompt response last week? Share a link in the comments!
  12. Renee Stevens

    Q & A: Round 3

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Well, it's time for another Q & A session with our site authors, poets, editors, and readers!  As you can see, these features have a little something for everyone. If you have ideas for questions for one of these groups, feel free to PM me!  And while you're at it, why not answer one of the Round 4 questions!  Now, let's see what we have for you this month!  This month, we're going to turn it around a bit and start with our editors first!
     
     
     
     
    Editors: What is the most common error you see? How can authors avoid it?
     
    @Kitt - I have a lot, but the worst are misused homonyms hear/here and your/you're.
     
    The first you can remember by the fact that you hEAR with your EAR,  but you are either here or There
     
    The latter try replacing the words "you are" for the your/you're in question.  If you are works, you need the apostrophe!
     
    @Timothy M. - I'm sure someone else will have mentioned homonyms like bare/bear and break/brake, and using apostrophes (') where they're not needed.
     
    So I'll go with shift in verb tense. Experienced authors rarely make this mistake if the whole story runs in the same tense. But since a deliberate change of verb tense from past to present, or back, can set the pace nicely, the wrong verb tense may occur even to the best among us/you.
     
    I'm not sure how to avoid it, other than putting the story away for a day or two, and return to read the sections with different verb tenses separately.
     
    @Valkyrie - I would say comma usage tends to be the most common error I encounter when editing.  It's something I struggled with when I first started writing, so I understand it can be difficult to get a handle on.  If an author is unsure if a comma should be used or not, they should ask themselves if there is a complete sentence following the conjunction.  If there is, then add the comma.  If not, then don't.  Commas are also necessary after introductory phrases.  For example:  After I woke up, I got a cup of coffee.  I realize there is a lot more to comma usage, but the two instances I outlined are the most common omissions I see.  
     
     
     
     
    Readers: What is your favorite genre? What is your least favorite? Why are they your favorite and least favorite?
     
    @Disjecta Membra - My favorite genre (to read and write) is fantasy.  I love fantasy because to me, reading and writing is about getting lost in a different world.  There is so much that can be done in fantasy worlds that cannot be done in other kinds of writing.  I find it also allows for a great deal of invention, with creatures, magic, places, etc.  I always find it wonderful to see what the unique minds of other writers can come up with.  There are really no rights or wrongs in fantasy either; a reasonable answer can always be provided for something even if it wouldn't make sense in the real world.
     
    That being said, I do still enjoy other genres.  Fiction is fiction, and it always has the ability to take the reader somewhere else.  However, I have never been a fan of historical fiction.  I don't know that I have a super justifiable answer as to why not, except that I've just never been able to get into it.
     
    @Thorn Wilde - Interestingly, the answer to both of these is Fantasy. IRL I practically only read sci-fi and fantasy. Good SFF is interesting and engaging and plain fun, it lets you escape from your own life, your problems, everything that hurts, even when it's serious stuff. But then you get to the tropes. Oh God, the tired old tropes! If it's not absolutely excellently written fantasy, they cannot be overlooked. You've got your high fantasy with Tolkien inspired elves and other creatures, your vampire stories that all seem to draw on Anne Rice in one way or another (and don't even get me started on Twilight, ugh), so many dragons, crappy world-building where everyone is white (because for some reason all fantasy has to be based on medieval Europe, apparently; you can have elves and gnomes, but you can't have people of colour? Give me a break!) , and the list goes on. Mix magic into your sci-fi, and it all becomes crappy Star Wars rip-offs. I swear, a lot of fantasy novels could just as well be fan fiction of better works. If they were, I think they'd be better.
     
    @mollyhousemouse - i really enjoy reading stories about second chances, and slice of life stories with adult characters.  i'm not too fond of teen romances, might be that i'm so far removed from that time of life; also, not too fond of shifter stories.  well i did enjoy those by @JohnAR , but they weren't what you would normally think of when you say "shifter stories" 
     
    i like the second chance stories because we all like to believe in second chances, don't we? and the slice of life ones well it's nice to peek into the neighbors house to see what's going on.
     
     
     
     
    Poets: What inspires you to write poetry?
     
    @aditus - When I feel the need to bring order to things it’s good to sort by meter.
     
    @Mikiesboy - The world, people, feeling, colours, nature. What i see and feel everyday. Poetry let's me express my joy, pain and love.
     
    @Valkyrie - I tend to draw inspiration from my life and surroundings.  Sometimes I'm inspired by current events or an article I read.  I also enjoy the challenge of National Poetry Writing Month and seeing what I can create based on daily poetry prompts.
     
     
     
     
    Authors: What was the hardest story for you to write? Why?
     
    @Thorn Wilde - I think it's a tie in my case, between the Craig short in Hubris, and Nobody's Valentine.
     
    With Craig, it was simply the subject matter. It was a hard story to write because it was so painful and heartbreaking. It was also difficult to give a character who did such awful things a backstory and a soul. A reason, even if it wasn't an excuse.
     
    As for Nobody's Valentine, I wrote it a few months after my ex dumped me and it was more than a little bit based on what I was going through at the time. It drew on my own recently lived experience of heartbreak, and that hurt a lot. Even when I reread it now, three years after the break-up, I relive the pain of it and I kind of want to cry. It's hard to admit, but I still miss him, even though I've otherwise moved on.
     
    @CassieQ - It is usually whatever story I am working on when the question is asked, but that’s a cop-out.  Some stories are easier to write than others, but the one I struggled with a bit was Save Tonight.  It is about grief and loss, and those are very hard things to experience and write about.  I was pleased with the final result, and I’ve gotten great feedback on it, but there were definitely some moments when I had trouble getting the words down.
     
    @aditus - Noli Me Tangere. This story doesn’t have a HEA ending, only hope. I knew the readers wouldn’t like it.
     
    @Mikiesboy - That's a tough one. Changes because it took a lot of research and it was quite emotional. But i think it would have to be After The Past. I had to make some tough choices with respect to what happened with the characters. I had to make sure i wrote it well enough so readers would accept the choices i'd made.
     
    @Superpride - The hardest story for me to write was Hero Wanted.  The first reason was because it was hard for me to find an exact premise of how the characters got their superhuman abilities.  This story is actually the third iteration before I officially published the first chapter in this site.  It took me a lot of research to find how my characters got their abilities that would make sense in my head.  After going through nanotechnology and ether, I finally settled with the manipulation of light as the premise. 
     
    Another reason is the balancing of world-building and the romance between the two main characters.  I really wanted to write how the world of Hero Wanted works, but I also wanted to go deep into the developing romance between Ryan and Chris.  I wanted both elements of my story to be just as captivating, and I didn't want to focus too much on just one of the two.  I don't know if I was successful with that endeavor, but I hope to continue that mission as I make this story into a series.
     
    The last reason is the tons of research I did to connect this story to the various world mythologies, specifically Filipino mythology and connect those mythologies together, like the diwata of Filipino mythology named Maria Makiling who could transform ginger into gold and connect her to the origins of the three sacred treasures of Japanese mythology.  It was a lot of time I spent with my eyes on my computer screen, but it was really worth it since I learned a lot about different mythologies, and I got to learn about my own Filipino culture as well.
     
    @Valkyrie - I found my anthology story for the fall 2016 anthology--"Lost and Found"--quite difficult to write.  When I wrote it, I was struggling with a bout of writer's block, so I  had to to push myself for every word.  The subject matter didn't help, as it was a difficult topic and not easy to write about in the best of times.
     
     
     
     
    Well, that's it for this session of Q & A. Don't forget to check out the thread for the Round 4 questions!
     
  13. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #722 & #723

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Hey All!  Have you missed the prompts for the last few weeks? Now that the anthologies are fully posted, it's time to return to our weekly prompts. If you haven't already done so, make sure you check out the 2019 Fall Anthology. There were some great entries, and I'm sure that you'll be able to find something that you like. Now, let's take a look at what prompts comicfan has for you this week!
     
     
    Prompt 722 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    “Not my problem anymore!”
    Prompt 723 – Creative
    Tag – Birthday Gift
    You are about to face a major birthday alone. Things haven’t been going well, when you get a gift. What is it and who is it from?
     
     
    Since we haven't had prompts for a few weeks, I'll ask instead.... What story have you been working on?  (If you've done a prompt in recent weeks, feel free to share that as well!)
     
  14. Renee Stevens

    Writing Prompts #716 & #717

    By Renee Stevens,


    Prompts
    Are you looking for yet another writing opportunity here at Gay Authors? Luckily for you, we offer weekly writing opportunities for you. And if you don't know what to write, or just need that little push to get started, then the Writing Prompts are for you!   Also, while talking about writing opportunities, don't forget that the deadline for the Fall Anthology is fast approaching. Make sure to send your stories to @Valkyrie no later than the 15th.  Now, let's look at this week's prompts!
     

     
    Prompt 716 – Creative
    Tag – The Lie
    It is a beautiful day and you call out of work saying you are sick. Deciding you will enjoy the day you head out to the city and take the train. Going down the stairs to the track, you are struck from behind and fall down the stairs, slamming your shoulder, breaking your collar bone. The accident is caught on camera and is shown on the local news. How do you explain when it is shown all over?
     
    Prompt 717 – Creative
    Tag – Vampire
    You’ve been reading everything you can get your hands on about vampires. You read about sparkly vampires, white chalky vampires, ugly vampires, and seductive ones.  None of them seem to fit the creature you seen last week or again last night. What is the vampire like?
     

     
    So, did you take advantage of the writing opportunity last week? Don't forget to share your prompt responses in the comments!
  15. Renee Stevens
    Happy Friday, y'all!  Hope you all have had an awesome week. Are you ready for this week's prompts from @comicfan? Have a wonderful weekend!
     

     
    Prompt 714 – Creative
    Tag – List of words
    Use the following words in a story – a purple umbrella, a bagel, a crumpled newspaper, a seagull, and a garbage can.
     
    Prompt 715 – Creative
    Tag – First Line
    “What the hell is that?”
     

     
    Did you write a prompt last week? Share the link for it below!
  16. Renee Stevens

    2018 Fall Anthology Wrap Up

    By Renee Stevens,


    Anthologies
    Sorry all, I know that this was supposed to post this morning, but the CenturyLink nationwide outage has affected us and made doing much of anything next to impossible. Hubby managed to get our mobile hotspots working so that I could post the wrap up blog. We had 17 brand new stories for your enjoyment from a variety of authors. Hopefully you've had a chance to read all the offerings, and there's something for everyone, but if you haven't, here's a master list for you of all the 2018 Fall Anthology entries. Don't forget to leave authors a comment, and if you have a few extra moments, a story review would be wonderful!  Thank you to all the Authors and their teams, the Anthology Proof Team for giving the stories a final polish, and Mann Ramblings for the Anthology banner! I also wanted to take a moment to thank @Cia for helping out with this anthology, and @Graeme for organizing next years theme selection!  If you missed it, next years themes will be as follows:
     
    2019 Spring Anthology
    Due: May 15, 2019
    In the Stars
    Snapped
     
    2019 Fall Anthology
    Due: November 15, 2019
    Fall From Grace
    Raincheck
     
    Now, with that all being said, let's take a look at the complete story listing for the 2018 Fall Anthology: Fight Back & Good Intentions.  Happy Reading!!!!!
     

     
     
     

     
    Tomorrow
    Carlos Hazday
     
    One Little Snowflake
    Bhopper2
     
    The Death, Life and Suicide of Tommy Crouch by Tarek Donohue
    Mikiesboy
     
    Lifting the Veil
    Headstall
     
    Jealousy
    CassieQ
     
    Culled
    Parker Owens
     
    Leading the Way
    Puppilull
     
    A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 2
    Myr
     
    Superhero Surprise
    Cia
     
     

     
    A Taste of Amnesia
    AC Benus
     
    A Place To Live
    northie
     
    Martin Pop, Fixer
    Comicfan
     
    Wounded
    Comicality
     
    A Tempest in a Teapot
    Myr
     
    Igneous
    Valkyrie
     
    Castle Dark
    Cole Matthews
     
    A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 1
    Myr
     

     
    2018 Fall Anthology Support Team
     
    Anthology Coordinator
    Renee Stevens
     
    Anthology Coordinator Assistance
    Cia
    Graeme
     
    Tech Support
    Myr
     
    Proof Team
    Cia
    Rec
    Valkyrie
    Parker Owens
     
    Anthology Banner Creation
    Mann Ramblings
  17. Renee Stevens
    Hello all, I hope you all had a wonderful holiday!  It's hard to believe that the year is nearly over, and it's been such an exciting year. For today's blog, we're going to start wrapping up one of our previous blog features. The Improve & Encourage feature was a fun one to do, but it's time to move on to a new feature. With that in mind, I'm working on getting the final few Improve & Encourage posts and it will be complete in the near future. Today, to help get us started, we have a critique by @aditus of The Tollbooth Operator by @Timothy M.. Enjoy!
     
    The Tollbooth Operator
    Timothy M
     
    Critique by: aditus
     
    Please give us a short summary of the story you chose.
     
    Frankie lived all his life in a gated community. Like his father, he works as their tollbooth operator and lives in a tiny cottage attached to the booth. Residents and colleagues like him for his work ethic, friendliness, and helpfulness, even though some might think him slightly odd. Every day he unwavering follows a strict set of routines. One of those routines proves to be very helpful in a criminal investigation; as a result, Frankie has to step out of his comfort zone and leave his home for the first time.
     
    What do you see as the strengths of the story/poem?
     
    The Tollbooth Operator originated from Cia’s newsletter Grid & Dice game. Timothy M. had to write a flash fiction piece from: A neurotic tollbooth operator hides in an inner city one-star no-tell motel because: "Fuck, they saw me!"
     
    When I read this combination it made me grin at first, then I was tremendously glad I didn’t get this particular challenge. I found it difficult to think of any ideas for this prompt. Timothy however, obviously didn’t have a problem with the task, or so it seems after having read the story.
     
    Usually we learn about a character by observing them while the story unfolds —not this time. We get to listen in as Frankie recaps why he has to hide from criminals and how he feels about it. I loved this. It’s a sneaky way to show us how uniquely his mind works and what an extraordinary and strong person he is. Timothy developed an engaging tale around him and gave it a nice twist by cleverly using Frankie’s quirks. On top of that, he somehow managed to include the one-star no-tell motel because “Fuck, they saw me!” without it being awkward or forced. Unbelievable!
     
    What do you see as the weaknesses of the story/poem?
     
    Obviously Frankie is not your run of the mill character. There are only hints at what makes him special. I liked this, but I found the just hinting a little overdone. A small piece here, a description there, emphasizing certain quirks, detailing unusual needs and routines.... At some point, I was  thinking ‘Okay, I I got it.’ But this is admittedly just nitpicking.
     
    How do you think the story/poem could be improved?
     
    That’s easy, with writing an end that doesn’t feel as if the author ran out of time! Or at least by adding a part two.
     
    ‘I was hoping this open-ended finish would leave you in a state of mind similar to Frankie's, so you'd feel the uncertainty and what now?’
     
    Sorry, that didn’t work .Well, not with me. I’m greedy. I want an ending for this unusual, quirky story written by the author himself and not cobbled together by my inadequate brain. Pretty, please? You can do this so much better than me, Tim!
     
    What was your favorite part? (scene/sentence/etc)
     
    I loved how Frankie handled the reporters. It showed that he isn’t a push-over. It was an important realization for my understanding of him.
     
    And then there is Detective Kasumaki. Let’s whisper his name together with Frankie and hope the author finds it in himself to write a little something more.
     
  18. Renee Stevens

    Christmas Story Special Review

    By Renee Stevens,


    Reviews
    Well, it's Christmas Eve. Hope everyone is ready and if you celebrate, hopefully Santa visits you tonight. Make sure you're in bed early! To help you get into the holiday spirit, we asked the review team to pick some of their favorite Christmas/Holiday stories and write a short review. If you haven't already read these stories, they are definitely worth checking out. And maybe, if you have an extra moment or two during a lull in the festivities, leave the authors a story review!  Now, I'm going to leave these with you as I finish with the preparations for Baby J's very first Christmas!
     
    Merry Christmas
    from the Gay Authors Staff
     

     
     
    Last Christmas
    Comicfan
    Reviewer: Parker Owens
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 10,821
     
    There are so many good things to say about this story, I’m not sure where to begin. That’s probably why it’s a favorite Christmas tale. For one thing, it’s about healing, a theme toward which I naturally gravitate. The central character, Frank, has suffered traumatic loss after traumatic loss. Tragedy and misfortune have taken so much away. He’s changed his profession from trainer to artisan; now he ekes out a living selling the products of his hands.  He’s numbed by it all and seems beaten down by life.

    Yet something stirs inside Frank when Chris walks into his store.

    We see a friendship unfold and something potentially wonderful begin to flower for Frank. What warms the heart is watching Frank thaw, seeing him reclaim himself from his pain. The reader can cheer him on, willing Frank to see what ought to be plain.

    Of course, isn’t that an experience common to so many of us? We miss something splendid and incredible right under our noses, just as Frank does. Fortunately, he finds the courage to reach for that very thing, only to see it become something far more fantastic than he expected. 
     
    Category: Fiction   Genres: Fantasy, Romance   Tags: gay, love, brothers, holiday  Rating: Everyone
     
      Meeting Santa Wildone Reviewer: Puppilull
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 3,287  
    Christmas… The time for cheer and goodwill toward all. However, the sweetness of the season can put you in a foul mood, just for being too much and sometimes fake. If this happens, I would prescribe an antidote in the form of Meeting Santa, a story devoid of Christmas coziness. It revolves around a man hellbent on proving Santa exists, and he has some big plans for the jolly, old man if or when they meet. Anticipation builds throughout the short story and your curiosity will mount for every paragraph. With a few, well selected lines, Wildone outlines his main character, a man who is rather bitter. Instead of letting the injustice of life paralyze him, he’s taking action. As an added bonus, the story will teach you quite a bit about what preparations and equipment are needed for a trek to the North pole.
     
    Category: Fiction   Genres: Adventure   Tags: mature adult, no sex, modern, holiday, christmas  Rating: Mature
        Muscle Bear Santa
    Carlos Hazday
    Reviewer: Timothy M.
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 2,992
     
    If you like stories with lots of banter between hunky guys, Muscle Bear Santa is the perfect choice. Plus the banner will probably make you wish for a Christmas Night visit from this special Santa – or any night he’s free. Enjoy the warm feeling of spending time with two great guys who care about each other and people around them.
     
    Category: Fiction   Genres: Comedy, Fantasy, Romance   Tags: young adult, adult, gay, north america, light-hearted, christmas  Rating: Mature
     
      Rudolph's Tijuana X-mas Mann Ramblings Reviewer: Renee Stevens
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 5,599   I kind of forgot how twisted this tale really was until I re-read it for this review blog. We all push the limits sometimes, and Mann Ramblings is no exception, which he clearly shows in this little tale. A moment of jealousy, peppermint schnapps, a riot, and a scandal that ruins Christmas send Rudolph far from the North Pole to escape the chaos. Sounds a bit messed up, right? Well, that’s because it is. I guarantee that after reading about Rudolph’s Christmas, you won’t look at Santa, Rudolph, or the elves in the same way as you did previously. At least, that’s the general consensus among those who have already read Rudolph's Tijuana X-mas. Mann freely admits that brandy may have been involved when he wrote this little Christmas tale, though he claims that was the only mind-altering substance involved. Regardless, this little tale will have you shaking your head and laughing out loud from the first word to the last.   Category: Fiction   Genres: Comedy, Fantasy   Tags: mature adult, celebrity, 20th century, holiday  Rating: Mature
     
      Santa's Little Helper craftingmom Reviewer: Blind Ambition
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 5,674  
    The true spirit of Christmas is often lost in the commercialism and capitalism that we so often see during the holiday season. Christmas is a time to share with family and friends. A time to cherish past memories. More importantly, Christmas is a time to give of your time and heart. Craftingmom reminds us of these simple things in Santa's Little Helper, as we see the unfolding story of Chase. An innocent, bright-eyed child asking the mall Santa for a larger car to sleep in. How will Dean, Santa's aide, provide a little spirit and hope to Chase and his father Tony? This is a heart-warming story that represents the true magic of the holiday. A reminder of compassion, love, and empathy. Humanity at its best!
     
    Category: Fiction   Genres: Drama   Tags: child, young adult, gay, christmas  Rating: Everyone
        The Sweater
    Valkyrie
    Reviewer: Aditus
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 1,152
     
    For Dean and Tommy everything starts with a joke, which then becomes their first Christmas tradition. Add another family member, and some more well-loved rituals and routines, and you have an amazing Holiday season to look forward to every year. Until everything changes and the bliss of the past seems to be out of reach. 
     
    Their daughter Ashley thinks she has found the solution. By gift-wrapping the joke that started it all, she hopes to free all the beautiful memories locked away, and pave the way into a hopeful future.
    On a personal note: I couldn’t help buying an unbelievably kitschy novelty mug, big enough for the first portion of much needed coffee on Christmas Morning. 
     
    Category: Fiction   Genres: Historical, Romance   Tags: holiday, christmas  Rating: Mature
     

     
    Since this is the last review for the year, I just wanted to take a moment to thank the review team. You all are awesome, and I so appreciate your hard work and the time that you have spent providing me with reviews for the blog. I look forward to working with all of you in 2019!  I wish you all a very Merry Christmas, and the absolute best in the coming year. Thank you, again.
  19. Renee Stevens
    Well, this is it. The last of the anthology stories is finally live. Today's installment brings you three different authors. Don't forget to leave a review to let the authors know what you think and how much you appreciate their contributions to the anthology. In case you missed any of the previous sets, I've included the links below. 
     
    Fall Anthology: Set 1
    Fall Anthology: Set 2
    Fall Anthology: Set 3
     
    Now, let's take a look at Set 4!!!
     

     
     
    Castle Dark
    Cole Matthews
     
     
    A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 1
    Myr
     
     

     
    A Bad Way to Wake Up WET Part 2
    Myr
     
     
    Superhero Surprise
    Cia
     
    Well, there you go. The posting of the 2018 Fall Anthology is complete. If you fear you've missed a story, or two, don't worry. Join us next week for the Anthology Wrap Up, where I'll post links to all the stories that are in the anthology. Again, don't forget to leave the authors feedback!
  20. Renee Stevens
    It's that time again! Hope you're ready for another round of anthology stories. If you missed the first two sets, you can find them at the links below:
     
    Fall Anthology: Set 1
    Fall Anthology: Set 2
     
    Now, lets take a look at what we have for Set 3!
     

     
    Culled
    Parker Owens
     
     
    Leading the Way
    Puppilull
     
     

     
    A Tempest in a Teapot
    Myr
     
     
    Igneous
    Valkyrie
     
    Well, that's it for this week!  Make sure to join us next week for the final set of the 2018 Fall Anthology stories. It looks like we'll have three final stories to finish things off, 1 by @Cole Matthews and 2 by @Myr. Don't forget to leave the authors feedback!  Enjoy!
  21. Renee Stevens

    Q & A: Round 2

    By Renee Stevens,


    Author Interviews
    Who's ready for another Q & A session??? For the second round, I added in a question for Poets. I had A LOT of feedback this go around, so I really hope I didn't miss anyone! Read on to see what Authors, Readers, Editors, and Poets had to say! Enjoy!
     
     
     
     
    Authors: Do you use an outline? Why or why not?
     
    @Thorn Wilde -  I used to be terrible at outlining my stories, but I found that it resulted in a lot of unfinished novels and novellas. I don't do outlines for short stories, because to be honest, I tend to finish the rough draft in one sitting, but for longer stories I'm getting really good at outlining chapter by chapter. It helps that I use Scrivener for writing which makes it really easy to organise and outline your chapters, cork board style (literally). I find that doing keywords per chapter works much better than writing a single long outline for the whole story, as it makes it seem much more manageable and less daunting.
     
    @Valkyrie - Sometimes.  I like to outline longer works and will sometimes outline a chapter or a short story.  It depends on how smoothly the writing process goes.  If I'm struggling, then jotting down my thoughts helps keep me focused and organized.
     
    @Mikiesboy - Yes, my own sort of outline. I've tried several kinds of outlines, none of which did anything for me until i discovered my newest favourite thing. It's Office 365's One Note.  I fell in love with it. I can open a page under the title of the book, for each chapter. It is simple, fluid and i can easily move between the pages to add more details as i think of things. Love it.
     
    @Krista - No, I don't use an outline. I create a character sheet, ages, character quirks, plot dependent things that are, 'set in stone,' going to happen. That's it, short and sweet. If they're in High School and I'm writing in-depth about their high school experience, I make up a class schedule for them so that I don't forget how their school day goes along day-to-day with teacher names, so I don't forget those. Maybe that is a little bit of an outline, for the most part though, I don't outline. I have a base idea in my head of what I want to cover within the story and how I want to end, everything else that happens comes from randomly spawned ideas that pop into my head. I am getting better at keeping the spontaneous more fitted with the general theme of the story, I think. I just know (as I have attempted in the past), that if I do in-depth A leads to B that leads to C outlining that my motivation for the story falters as it already feels to me like I've wrote it. 
     
    @CassieQ - Most of the time, I don’t use an outline.  I’m a pantser/discovery writer and I like starting off with an idea and a character and seeing where it takes me.  When I started Touch, I knew I wanted to write about infidelity and a workaholic main character and that was all I had.  The rest of the story came to me as I wrote it.
     
    I actually dislike outlines, even though most writers swear by them.  Part of the fun, for me, is figuring out what my characters are going to do next.
     
    I will sometimes use a vague outline for longer works, just to make sure I get all I want to get across in there.  But I’ve never done a meticulous outline where I outline every single scene.  I tried that, once, and the story is still unwritten if that tells you anything.
     
    @Disjecta Membra - I don’t use an outline in writing my stories, at least not in a traditional sense.  When I’m plotting things out, I generally have another Word document open besides the one I’m writing my story on.  I’ll jot down plot points and ideas I want to incorporate, but I don’t utilize an official template or any standardized planning method.
     
    Personally, I find that I back myself into a corner if I use an actually outline.  I get myself stuck in a rut trying to figure out how to get from point A to point B, and my muse is stubborn and won’t let me move on once I’m stuck like that.  But with my “(Story Name) Ideas” document, I can incorporate preconceived concepts at any point, and oftentimes my story goes in a different direction altogether and many ideas are scrapped.
     
    For me, it allows my story to unfold more naturally and things that are meant to fall into play do so when the time is right.  I know for many authors an outline does just that, but for my personal writing style I like to keep it less organized.
     
    @Superpride - I don't use an outline for two main reasons.  The first reason is I mostly develop the plot of a story as I write it, meaning I don't know the climax of a story until I'm actually typing in my computer for example.  The other reason is what I have planned for a story usually changes, so creating an outline beforehand is useless to me if the direction of my stories changes as I write them.
     
     
     
     
    Poets: What do you find is the most difficult part about writing poetry?
     
    @Valkyrie - For me, it's rhythm and meter.  I can count syllables and match syllable counts and follow those kind of patterns, but I struggle with finding the right rhythm and meter.  I usually need someone help me out with it if I attempt a form where those two elements are important.
     
    @Mikiesboy - Oh to me none of it is difficult. Well, writing is hard altogether, but i love poetry, it was what i cut my writing teeth on. i love the process, the hunt for the right word, bending them into what i want the reader to experience.  as i've grown and learned i've found time is the most important thing, for all writers. The time you leave your work sit, lets it mellow. And let's your brain work on it too, in the background.  So waiting to post it, is hard!
     
    You know, i think the hardest thing about writing poetry is finding people to read it.  Poetry today is not like it used to be. It's not all sonnets by Shakespeare (which are wonderful).  They are in plain English for the most part and can bring much more emotion than prose. There are poems like the Haibun which is part prose and poetry and lets you tell a story.
     
    Poetry saved me i think, because it let me express things i had no other place to. So, yeah, for me not difficult at all.
     
     
     
     
    Readers: What is your favorite trope? What draws you to it?
     
    @CassieQ - I love the enemies to friends trope.  I’m fascinated by seeing how a relationship between two enemies can mellow and eventually turn into friendship.  Something about it is so warm and pleasing to read, especially compared to things like friends turned enemies.  I also like situations where two enemies have to work together towards a common goal.  I also like reading about platonic friendships in general.  I guess I just like friendship!
     
    @Valkyrie - Cia has a name for my favorite trope, and of course I can't remember the whole thing.  It's hurt/heal/something. Or something hurt/heal.  Where the characters meet, one goes through something horrific, then the other helps the hurt character heal and they eventually get their happy ending. 
     
     
     
     
    Editors: What is your biggest pet peeve when editing? And why does it bug you so much?
     
    @Kitt -  Simple spelling errors.  Come on guys, turn your spell check on!
     
    @Valkyrie - I have several, but I would say my biggest pet peeve is not being thanked.  Whether it's editing/beta reading/proofreading, a lot of time and effort went into reviewing, commenting, and correcting spelling and grammar.  Whether an author agrees with the comments or suggestion is irrelevant.  Thank your editor/beta reader/proofreader.  I shouldn't have to say this, but you'd be surprised at how many times I haven't been thanked.   
      
    As far as the actual editing process, my biggest pet peeve is misused words.  Their/they're/there.  Loose/lose makes me grate my teeth every time.  Ball/bawl.  Another common error I see and hear frequently is "I seen it." It's not correct grammar.  "I saw it."  or "I have seen it."   
     
     
     
     
    There you have it! Whew! That was a lot of answers. Let's see how we do for Round 3!  You can find the questions here!
  22. Renee Stevens

    Featured Story: The Hollow Hills

    By Renee Stevens,


    Featured Stories
    Welcome to another Monday!  While Monday's might be the start of your work week, there is also a bright spot, at least on THIS Monday. Today we have a review from Cole Matthews on Valkyrie's in progress story, The Hollow Hills. Just a reminder, if you'd like to bring some attention to a story that you're reading, you are more than welcome to write a blog review for it!  We do have a review team, but we also welcome reviews from members outside of the review team. If you're interested in reviewing a story for the blog, please message @Timothy M. to sign up for an available review slot.
     
    The Hollow Hills
    Valkyrie
    Reviewer: Cole Matthews
    Status: In Process
    Word Count: 86,114
     
    Writers dream in stories. We fantasize about scenes, conjure characters to people them, and fill their fictional lives with events and emotions. That’s what a writer does to create a truth of their own.
    Readers indulge in a writer’s fancy, digging deeply into the words and images conveyed. A reader interprets a writer’s words and the characters come alive. 
    At least that’s what happens when reading a story like “The Hollow Hills” by Valkyrie.
     
    This is Valkyrie’s introduction of the story to the reader.
     
    This story centers around The Hollow Hills - a horse farm in Vermont - and Galen and Joshua. Galen moves to New England after breaking up with his boyfriend and meets Josh. Their relationship is anything but easy, with many obstacles standing in their way. When tragedy strikes, they need to learn how to redefine their lives and live with the after-effects.
     
    The story seems pretty straight-forward. 
     
    It’s not.
     
    Galen and Josh both have rich personal histories. Each man’s past affects their actions and reactions. These characters are steeped in pain, happiness, love, and fear, and they struggle to make their lives better. 
     
    Surrounding these men are other characters, both loving and deeply flawed. They provide the kind of contour and texture that makes both men feel like people we know. 
     
    In fact, I can identify with these guys personally. They are that real.
     
    The story is called “The Hollow Hills,” which is the setting for this drama. However, Valkyrie has managed to make this horse farm another actor in the story. The ranch is the place where Galen and Josh meet and interact, but those interactions take on a greater meaning as the farm becomes a protector.
     
    The horses too, are integral parts of the story as both men learn to heal with their help.
     
    So far, I’ve only described the setting, the story outline, and the theme. The story is so much more, so let’s take a look.
     
    Here is an excerpt from the first chapter, from Galen’s perspective.
     
    Galen’s past is still part of him.  He’s struggling with the loss of his partner, Jamie, and yet he’s not alone. The man has a cousin, Liam, who is there for him like a brother. Jamie left him therefore Galen is dealing with waves of self-doubt and a crisis of confidence. He’s determined to move on though.
     
    Then, Galen meets Josh, and feels a striking attraction. Josh has a boyfriend, but that doesn’t prevent Galen from experiencing an interest in him. And vice versa.
     
    In chapter four, we begin to see the world through Josh’s eyes. Let’s take a peek.
     
     
    Josh also has a past filled with love and disappointment that he carries with him. His boyfriend, Roger, is a person he believes is good for him. The thrill of being around Galen is tempered by his love for his partner. 
     
    Josh’s housemate at the ranch is Alannah, who can’t stand Roger. She’s a warm, no-nonsense woman, and something makes her view their relationship critically. What could that be the reason? 
     
    You’ll have to read the story to find out. 
     
    “The Hollow Hills” is written in first person from Galen and Josh’s perspectives. It’s set in modern times and I would characterize it as a novel. It contains some very disturbing content, so if you avoid stories with violence or depression, this isn’t the book for you. Valkyrie is finishing the last couple of chapters so it will be complete shortly. If you want a moving, emotional story you can sink your teeth into, you will enjoy “The Hollow Hills.” 
     
    It’s worth the wild ride. 
    Category: Fiction   Genres:  Drama, Romance  Tags: adult, rape, animals  Rating: Mature
  23. Renee Stevens
    Who's ready for some more anthology stories? Did you like and comment on the 4 posted last week? In case you missed them, you can check out the first set in last week's blog post. So whose wonderful stories do we have for you this week? Well, let's take a little looksie, shall we?
     

     
    The Death, Life and Suicide of Tommy Crouch by Tarek Donohue
    Mikiesboy
     
    Lifting the Veil
    Headstall
     
    Jealousy
    CassieQ
     
     

     
    Martin Pop, Fixer
    Comicfan
     
    Wounded
    Comicality
     
    So there you go, this week's round of stories!  Don't forget to like and comment after you're finished reading.
  24. Renee Stevens
    Can you believe it's already December?  Nope, your eyes are not deceiving you. Cia has been super busy, but luckily for me, she'd already chosen the December CSR, and now it's my turn to help her out!  Hopefully in between all your holiday activities, you'll be able to find time to read this story, set in 1948!  The discussion day will finish out the year here in the blogs, and will be on December 31st!  If you haven't read anything by Geron Kees yet, now is a great time to start!  Hope you enjoy and we look forward to seeing you on New Years Eve to discuss The House of Storms.
     
    The House of Storms
    by Geron Kees
     
    Length: 56,882
     
    Description: It's 1948. Teens Frank and Joe Dane, sons of nationally famous private detective Ben Dane, are enjoying their summer vacation. But then their dad asks them to come along on a little trip up the coast, to a tourist town where strange things have been happening...and the boys are off on a mysterious case with two friends in tow.
    Events take an immediate turn for the worse as it soon becomes obvious that someone is out to stop the investigation...someone willing to use any means at his disposal to win!
    An homage to the Hardy Boys adventures that some of us read as kids, except that in this one, the boys are...um, well...you'll see.
     
    A reader said:  Didn't know anything about the Hardy Boys - maybe they never made it across the pond. However, that didn't detract from my enjoyment of this story that moved along at a rapid and, at times, very tense pace but also with an amazing amount of detail. Indeed it is a magical story! ~Ivor Slipper
     
    Don't forget this month's Discussion Day will be Monday, December 31st. 
     
  25. Renee Stevens
    Welcome, welcome, welcome!  Hope you've come to do some reading!  As decided via the poll, we're going to try a new way of posting the anthologies this go around. Might be a good thing as we have a pretty good sized anthology this time as well. At first glance, it looks like the anthologies will post in four sets. We're starting with the first set this week and then will post a set every week until they're all posted. Hopefully this new way of posting will garner a bit more feedback for all of the awesome authors who participated in this anthology. Each set will contain stories from both topics. I'll try my best to go in the order received, but please bear with me if they post out of order. Thanks all, and enjoy reading. Don't forget to leave all these great authors some feedback!
     

     
    Tomorrow
    Carlos Hazday
     
     
    One Little Snowflake
    Bhopper2
     
     

     
    A Taste of Amnesia
    AC Benus
     
     
    A Place To Live
    northie
     
     
    So there you go!  The first four stories of the 2018 Fall Anthology. Happy Reading!!!!
     
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