Valkyrie

Wow. A riveting mystery woven into the reconciliation of estranged brothers. Of course, anything with horses is a winner in my book This is a great introduction to a larger story. The mystery is really secondary to the healing of the brothers' relationship, but its use as a catalyst for that healing is really well done. Now that Jim and Joe have acknowledged and forgiven the past, maybe they can move on and solve the mystery of Cloud Rider. I'm with the other commenters. The secret author better finish this at some point, because we need to know the details. I have a stash of torches and pitchforks at the ready!

That's traditionally been done after voting is closed and before the winners are revealed.

I've got guesses for 7 of them, and 5 I'm pretty sure of. I'll be curious to see if our guesses are similar.

“Jimmy? I know it’s been a while, and I’m probably the last person you want to hear from, but we need to talk.” I gripped the phone handset so hard, I thought it might break. My heart pounded in my chest, and I felt like all the breath left my body at once. Was this really who I thought it was? “Say something, please.” It sure the fuck was. The voice on the other end sounded laced with pain. He was in pain? What about all the pain he’d caused me? Every muscle in my body tensed as thi

Young adult fiction is full of teen detectives - The Hardy Boys, Nancy Drew, The Three Investigators. Following in their footsteps are The Turbot Brothers. What happens when teenage detectives grow up? Do they continue their investigative ways, or take a more a more traditional path in life? Jim and Joe Turbot have to face the answers to those questions while revisiting their most memorable case - the case of Cloud Rider.

I've got guesses for several. I'm so curious to see if I'm correct!

This story is very thought-provoking. I read it first thing this morning, and have been thinking about it all day. I like the twist with Steven being the apparent religious person and not a homophobic parent. Like others have said, I don't think Steven was necessarily seeking out a religious experience, but was, rather, using the church as a place to sort his thoughts in a sensory-friendly environment. I grew up in a non-denominational church where everyone was accepted and welcome. They went through the process to become an official open and affirming church, and even have a gay pastor. I'm reminded of the UCC (United Church of Christ)'s motto: God is still speaking. It seems Steven was listening. There were hints in the story that Steven is on the autism spectrum, and I can totally see that. I don't think he's Ace, but rather someone who needs a strong emotional connection to their partner in order to have sex. That can be a trait of autistic people. I think the author did a great job portraying aspects of someone most likely with autism in an extremely natural way without making it seem like a disorder. I love how up front he is about everything, and I'm so happy he found Gio. Great story, SA. I truly enjoyed this.

An interesting murder mystery with an unexpected twist at the end. My brain is a bit fried at the moment, so I can't think of more to say, but I enjoyed it.

Anyone who hasn't read any of the Secret Author contest stories yet should really do so. There are some fantastic stories so far, and there's still more to go!

Get that bunk house ready! It's my favorite Spruce Meadows weekend, since it has the derby. There's plenty of time to see the Stampede too, after the North American finishes

I also find it extremely suspicious that Bob happens to be on his way to Kentucky the same week I am going there. I will be on the lookout for averagely-dressed, polite people who follow the rules with obsessive obnoxiousness.

Haha this was brilliant! Great response to the prompt

This was an unexpected take on orcs. Ewell found himself exiled by his own people, only to find home in a place he never would have dreamed of. The development of his integration into orc society was well done. I expected a friendship and a respected role in their culture for Ewell, so was pleasantly surprised by the ending. Well done, Secret Author!

Whew. Yeah, we definitely need an infusion of rainbows and sunshine and fluffy puppies and kittens. The ending has a glimmer of hope, as I get the feeling Trace suspects why Joel was kicked out of the house. I also get the feeling Trace is not someone who will be a temporary solution for Joel. I'd like to think he takes Joel in and he eventually becomes a part of the family. I also hope that Joel is able to have a relationship with his little brother someday. Joel is stronger than he thinks, so hopefully the future holds good things for him.

Psst… I have a secret…. Few things grab our attention more than knowing a good (or not so good) secret. Secrets add suspense and tension to stories, and are great ways to sprinkle in conflict. I know something you don’t know… How many of you heard this from your siblings as kid? Secrets can be benign or life-shattering. They are mysterious, dramatic, and powerful. Secrets shape our lives and can be a great tool for character development. Revealing a secret? Plot twist! Since ‘secret’ is the theme of the month, with our Secret Author contest stories being revealed daily, I thought it would be fun to feature some not-so-secret prompts. Well, as far as who writes them, anyway. The prompts themselves will be full of secrets. So write away… and shhhhh… PT Prompt #145 Create your own secret society. What’s its mission statement and purpose? Who are its members? Where do you meet? PT Prompt #146 Center your story around a secret that, when revealed, would destroy one person’s life while saving another’s.

Wow. I'm blown away by the quality of stories for this contest so far. This story was a gut-wrenchingly accurate portrayal of how mental illness affects the entire family. I'm guessing the author has personal experience with dealing with this, since they've completely hit the nail on the head. I don't have much to add at the moment, since I'm still processing my thoughts and feelings about this. I think I'll join @astone2292 with getting some sunshine, although we're experiencing severe thunderstorms here at the moment.

What I've read so far has been fantastic. Choosing a winner will be tough. I have some guesses as to authors, so I will be very curious to see the author list and if my guesses are even on it

Great questions and answers! I definitely recommend checking out The Cat Burglar. It's some of Addy's best writing.

Like some of the other commenters, I also immediately thought of The Sixth Sense, so the ending was not unexpected. That doesn't mean I didn't enjoy the story, because I certainly did. The stories of the ghosts were heart-wrenching, and I'm glad Chris got what he needed to move on in the end. I am so curious to see if my author guesses line up with the author list in any way, shape, or form!

Wow... what a start to the Secret Author contest! I love how Sidney didn't try to force reality on Arthur. How painful it must have been for him to see Arthur living the life that could have been, knowing the memories never truly happened. I felt all the emotions while reading this. Great writing. I will be extremely interested to see the author list and see if my inklings are even close. Well done, Secret Author.

Be sure to follow @Secret Author to get notifications of when new stories publish. I'm looking forward to reading these and trying to figure out who wrote what.

Two weeks is definitely a long time to be away. I'm not sure I could handle being away that long. That brekkie looks amazing, minus the tomatoes. I find them too slimy, but I love avocado spread.

Carlos and I joined GA at about the same time, so I have never known the site without him. He never hesitated to become involved with site happenings, and his mentorship of newer authors was something to be admired. Carlos unabashedly shared his passions with us, and lived life on his own terms. I have a lot of good memories of interactions with Carlos, and while I may have rolled my eyes at him sometimes, I have nothing but respect for him. One of my favorite Carlos-isms was when he commented "I read it" on all the anthology stories. It was his way of supporting anthology authors without dealing with any backlash from comments containing constructive criticism. My response was "I read that you read it". He thought that was hysterical and messaged me to tell me why he wrote the comment. I will miss these interactions and feel his loss keenly. RIP my friend. I wish we could have met when I went to Florida last year, and that we could have flipped off a certain residence in that area together. It never once occurred to me that we'd never get the chance. "With your chrome heart shining in the sun, long may you run"

The raw emotion here comes through perfectly. A fitting tribute to a force of nature gone too soon. Carlos would be proud.