Valkyrie

I would suggest looking for an editor now. Sometimes it can take some time to find one. If you don't have any luck, then do your best to self-edit it and we'll go from there. And don't worry about dropping the ball. There's plenty of helpful people on the site, and if you have any questions, feel free to PM me.

That's after the stories go through the proof team. Authors should send them to me first, as an attached Word document, then after the proof team sends it back it gets posted, but not published.

Check out the anthology guidelines I linked to in the blog. If you still have questions, then PM me

Now that the Secret Author contest is behind us, it's time to focus on our next site event... the annual Anthology! We have two themes this year - Horizons and Unspoken. Which one is speaking to you? Or are they both? There's just about a month to go before the deadline to submit stories to me for the Proof Team to do their magic. I've already had some stories come in, and I'm excited to see what else this anthology brings. So, raise your hands... who's got something in the works for us? Feel free to share a teaser in the comments!

So you're still a 57-year-old virgin? Nothing wrong with that, as there are plenty of Ace people around 💖 I'm not missing anything visible, but I have had some of my innards removed. And no, one of them was not my brain I've spent the past 22 years working with adults with all kinds of disabilities. I remember one guy I used to work with as an outpatient. He had a right-sided traumatic brain injury, which can decrease inhibition and make someone a bit of a social nightmare because they act really inappropriately. He actually had remarkable insight about this, which is rare in right-sided brain injuries. Anyway, we got along really well and I made a joke one time (I honestly don't remember what I said - it was in response to something he said) and he said "Did you really just say that to someone who's disabled?". My response was "Do you want me to treat you differently because you're in that chair?" He said "No, I don't. I really like you because you don't treat me any differently". I learned two things from that interaction. Watch what you say, because like Steve said, it may not be funny to someone else. And I was glad to hear he felt like I didn't treat him any differently. As far as the sun, I have two settings. Bright white and burnt to a crisp. Thank you, Anglo-Saxon ancestors!

It is my sad duty to report the passing of a beloved GA community member and author, Geron Kees. He passed away in May, after a lengthy illness. Geron joined GA ten years ago and posted 70 stories since then, including the popular Charlie Boone series. He was a regular contributor to forum discussions and actively engaged with his readers. His positivity and kindness were reflected in his writing and interactions with other GA members, and were something everyone who knew him commented on. I got to know Geron a bit through discussing his story “Rules of the Road”. The story was set in New York State, and as a fellow NY stater, it resonated with me. Not just the setting, but the time frame and characters really spoke to me as well. We also spoke about his Dutch heritage, which he was quite proud of, cars, and writing. I enjoyed our correspondence, and I regret it fell off after a while. In his author bio, Geron stated he viewed the world through rose-colored glasses, and even when he took them off, he still viewed the world the same way. I will leave this blog with what Geron posted in the About Me section of his profile. Sincere condolences to his family and friends. Rest in peace, my friend. Without the readers of the world, there would be no writers at all. Reading is the input of thought from someone else. Writing is the return of thought to the world at large. Reading is solitary; writing is sharing. Without the writers of the world, there would be no readers at all. --Geron Kees

Thank you! I've been working with developmentally disabled people for over twenty years, so this story is very special to me. I'm glad you enjoyed it.

The posting of this year's Secret Author Contest will be delayed indefinitely due to Cia going through a tragic family emergency. Please respect her privacy and do not reach out to her and ask questions at this time, especially about when the SA stories will be published. We apologize for the delay, as we know this is a highly-anticipated event each year, but family matters take precedence, especially during a time like this. Thank you for your attention and understanding. Stay tuned for more updates as they become available. I thought it would be nice to feature some past Secret Author Contests, so decided to rewind back to 2016 and the Secret Admirer Contest. @Cole Matthews story Jager was the winner this year, and if you read it, you will see why. I will warn you - make sure you have plenty of tissues on hand. This story has stuck with me over the past ten years, and it's easily one of my all-time favorite SA or anthology stories. Check out all the stories and let the authors know how you liked them.

I totally understand. Now you have me thinking about if I read the other stories, for the same reason.

Prompts are designed to inspire and get people writing, so you can absolutely do any prompt at any time. You do not have to do both prompts and definitely can mix and match as you choose. Please copy/paste the link to your prompt story in the blog so people can find it. And you never know... we may decide to feature prompt stories in the blog too

In honor of the Secret Author Contest - don't forget to send your submissions to @Cia by July 16th - I'm going to feature 'secret' as the theme for today's prompts. Remember not to reveal if you're participating in the SA contest. Shhhh... it's secret! PT Prompt #350 Your best friend thinks they're keeping a secret, but it's obvious to anyone who knows them. How do you confront them about it? PT Prompt #351 Tell the tale of how you discovered a secret society. Do you join or are there other consequences to your discovery? Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection. If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here: https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/

LPW stands for Last Post Wins, a thread in the Humor and Games forum.

I'm so sorry for what you are going through. I hope your meds continue to work to keep your pain at bay.

Happy GA-versary! Glad to have you here

When I was a kid, I loved going to the zoo and seeing the animals. I still do, even though I haven't gone in ages. Most people love the monkeys or the lions and tigers, but my favorite was always the capybara exhibit. I think it's because it was astounding to me that rodents could get that big. Plus, they're cute Anyway, my local zoo just got a new capybara named Mozzarella. And since life can be a bit chaotic, I thought today's prompts could use a zoo theme. There's also the matter of the missing giraffe in Texas. I know Texas is big, but how the heck do you lose a giraffe??? PT Prompt #346: Your local zoo just got a new animal and is holding a contest to name it. You win the contest. What's the animal, its name, and what did you win? PT Prompt #347: Your job is crazy and feels like a literal zoo. With so much on your plate, you end up making a colossal mistake. What's the outcome? Does it end badly or surprisingly well? Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection. If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here: https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/

Thank you!

It's a big weekend for show jumping, with the third leg of the Longines League of Nations, and also the Hickstead Derby. I haven't really been following the World Cup. I don't tend to watch the major sports, but do follow our local teams and like when they do well.

This one is stuffed

I can't leave behind my stuffed capybara wearing bling and shades 😎

Thanks everyone but Steve! I'll read those prompt responses when I feel better. I have a horrible stomach bug

Well, it's somebody's birthday today 🐧so I figured I would post some totally random stuff that probably only makes sense to me. And probably @chris191070 and his time-traveling capybara. My birthday present from everyone can be writing a prompt response. @wildone PT Prompt #342 Use the following word list in a story: ceiling fan, penguin, closet, snapdragon, fork, rutabaga, otter PT Prompt #343 Tell the story of a birthday gone either horribly wrong, or horribly right. Or both. Please include the prompt number either in your story/chapter description or title to help readers who would like to search for specific prompts. Also, please remember that stories less than one thousand words must be posted as part of a collection. If you check the subgenre ‘prompt’ in your story tags, then people/readers can find everything here: https://gayauthors.org/stories/browse/subgenre/prompt/

I love reading short stories. Well-written short stories pack a punch and make the reader think. I still remember reading stories like The Lottery and Flowers for Algernon in school. I won't say how long ago that was... I also love writing short stories. For me, they're an experiment. Sometimes it's a thought experiment - I wonder what would happen if.... Sometimes it's a form experiment. Writing in third person vs first person or writing a story without dialogue. @Libby Drew wrote a wonderful guest article a few years ago on writing short stories, so I thought it would be a good time to re-feature it. Give a read, and let us know in the comments your thoughts on reading/writing short stories.

Anyone who hates John Denver is a monster And lying I listen to the radio in the car sometimes, but mostly listen to CDs at home or iTunes on my phone. I mainly listen to classic rock, German punk bands, and folk music.