Valkyrie

Thank you for your comments. Our society is so hypersexualized, that it can be difficult for people who have no desire to be a part of that aspect of it. Especially teenagers. It's very isolating when everyone around is talking about dating and boys/girls and sex, but it's like they're talking a foreign language because the asexual person isn't feeling those same desires. Then other labels come into play. Prude. Frigid. Goody Two-Shoes. Jason is also at an age where asexuality wasn't even heard of when he was growing up. Finding others like him has to be quite freeing.

Thanks so much. A dear friend's daughter gave me an interesting perspective about labels. I've always said the same thing... it's not necessary to label everything, even though they do have their uses. Anyway, her take on labels is that it helps like-minded people find each other. So while not the end-all-be-all, they can be helpful to individuals who feel like they're the only one that feels a certain way.

I love that song! I had to look up the video, and I can see the similarities. I love it! Finding other like-minded people is a wonderful, liberating feeling. Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

Thanks, Albert

There was a sitcom on USA Network not too long ago that featured an asexual character. I can't remember the name of it. It was about firemen/paramedics. It also featured a gay character. But I agree with you. Asexuality is something that's not discussed very often and there's not a whole lot of support out there. At least not as much as other orientations. Thanks for the thoughtful comments.

Yay! I look forward to reading all the stories. I love the banner. Thanks, Renee and the rest of the anthology team

Security Camera Operators Reveal the Weirdest Things They’ve Caught Someone Doing The man clicked on the link in the Facebook post, then shoved a handful of Cheez Doodles in his mouth while he waited for the page to load. He sighed, exhaling artificial-cheese-flavored breath directly in the face of the tiger cat that had decided he wanted some of the bright-orange snack. The animal wrinkled his nose at the offensive odor and jumped off the bed, stalking toward the kitchen, twitching his tail

Freak. Introvert. Loner. Bachelor. After clicking on a random Facebook link, Jason discovers a new word to describe himself. One that will change his life.

*backs away slowly* Nice Myr... good Myr... *pushes a box of pizza and a six pack toward our frazzled leader*

Thank you for posting chapters so quickly. I'm loving this story so far. It seems things aren't so good for Liam at home. The bruise makes me wonder if he's being abused. It's good he's found Graeme and Jake.

It's totally understandable to not know how to feel. That's a lot to process.

I don't think there's any way you 'should' feel. You feel what you feel. You may associate your brother with a difficult time in your life, so it's understandable to be wary of meeting him. As far as answering the question in the title of your blog... no. I don't believe the sins of the parents should be transferred to the children. I'm willing to bet your brother didn't have it very easy either. You said he's a good guy and he was clearly emotional upon seeing you again. I say give him a chance, but that's entirely up to you. You know what you can handle emotionally.

Both of these speak to me. Animals have a way of giving us purpose. One of my favorite times at the barn was feeding time, especially at the end of the day. Listening to the horses chew, content with their piles of hay, after a hard's day work, is so satisfying and mesmerizing. The second is a nice counterpoint to the first, the answer to the question you were asking.

I love Jake's grandparents. All the characters are vivid and unique, including the cat. There's so many interesting dynamics happening, and I'm looking forward to seeing how they play out. Graeme's mom running off the bathroom and retching... not a migraine, but perhaps a 👶 ? Guess I'll have to wait to find out!

Thanks! I'm glad you liked it

I LOVE LOVE LOVE this story! I read it shortly after I joined GA and it's stuck with me since. It's very well-written and the ending got me right in the feels. It's well worth checking out.

I could see this as a novella. Moving Seth's declaration of love until later would work in a longer piece. You could really ramp up the tension then or drop hints the reader sees, but Balt remains clueless. Like you said... so many possibilities

A human/vampire/werewolf triad... oh this story just screams for more... lol I enjoyed this. I love a good vampire story, and I think it's hysterical he read Twilight, although it doesn't say if he liked it or not

I need to wipe away the tears before I can write my comments. 😢 This was a beautiful story. A quite realistic story of a family dealing with grief. I love how Mark guided his brother to Tim (or vice versa), and while I'd love to read more, I think you picked a good ending point.

Well it's good to have you back. I read your "Lions" story years ago and loved it.

Well I'm hooked. I'm looking forward to reading more.

This is great advice. I like stories with dark themes, especially when they are about healing and dealing with the tragedy and moving on. My own stories tend to feature dark themes and it can be difficult at times to find a balance between the dark and the light, but your point in #3 is valid. Readers need something to grasp onto... a bit of hope that things will get better and the author will provide meaning or some type of redemption and healing. I've read plenty of stories that feature the extremes you mention in #2. When I edit or beta read I tell authors that sometimes 'less is more'. A character doesn't need to collapse on the floor in a sobbing mess when hearing tragic news. A clench of the fist or jaw, tears streaming down their face is just as effective at conveying grief. In my current story "The Hollow Hills" Craftingmom embraces dark themes in her stories, but no matter how dark they get, I trust her to get us through it and provide healing for those that need it. Great article

Time and distance are meaningless for true friendship, even if we wish distance wasn't an issue

Sounds like paradise

Thank you, Parker. It can be difficult having long-distance friends at times.