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Valkyrie

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  1. Valkyrie

    Freaky Friday

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Sometimes life can get a little freaky.  So let's get our freak on and explain the unexplainable.  

     
    PT Prompt #221
    You're running late to work and don't have time to stop for your customary cup of coffee.  Instead, you end up taking a completely different route to work and end up experiencing what can only be described as a 'glitch in the Matrix'.  What happened?  
    PT Prompt #222
    You keep having moments of deja vu, to the point where it's starting to freak both you and your friends out.  Then you predict a bombshell event that comes true.  What was it and how does it affect you?
     
    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/
  2. Valkyrie

    Guest Blog - Writing Short Stories

    By Valkyrie,


    Writing Tips
    Today's blog comes to us courtesy of our resident Coyote Cub, @astone2292.  He's put aside his Ask the Author and Guess the Author hats to give us his thoughts on writing short stories.  Thank you, Aaron for sharing your ideas with us!  I would like to do a series of these blogs, so if there's a particular topic you would like to see addressed, please PM me and let me know.  Now on to our feature presentation!  
     
    Only one word comes to mind when I think about short story crafting:  Excitement. I might be considered a selfish dink when I say this but I am not thinking about a reader's excitement here. I'm thinking of my own. If I'm not excited for it, why would anyone else be? 
    Me, myself, and I, I tend to live in the now. If I find something funny, I'll be swimming in that proverbial pool all day. Retelling the event or joke over and over in my head, sharing with my friends and coworkers, and using that EXCITEMENT in my bounding gait for hours. That is the power of a short story, at least in my life. It's what I look for after reading one. Exciting things happen to us all in some shape or form, so why not use them in our field of expertise? 
    One of my favorite ways of crafting a short is using dad jokes. I know, I know, I feel several bullseyes on my person. But look at the core value: it's a joke that, albeit groan-worthy, will leave a lasting impression on one's mind and add itself to one's arsenal of conversation pieces. All you have to do is expand on it a bit. Why was the bicycle too tired to compete in the race? What was the true reason for the drummer to name his twin daughters Anna-one and Anna-two? See, I either made you giggle or grab the nearest can to pelt me with. Harness that emotion, grab your creative toolbelt, and run with it!
    I follow a piece of advice from one of my English professors in college. "If you don't have to think about it, don't." And I might as well have that line tattooed on my hand. I am notorious for my lack of brainstorming, and while it drives beta-readers up the wall, I can't help but cackle maniacally like an evil villain. Combine that with a golden rule Carlos Hazday gave me, "A chapter is done when it's done, regardless of word count," I have a fair idea when a story is done. Looking at the second story in my "Sticks and Stories" collection, I used 288 words to create a cute tale of a gingerbread man escaping a castle's kitchen. Did it need more? Heck no! I got my point across, and several people got their fair share of giggles. 
    So, with my rambling out of the way... What goes into a short story? Contrary to my advice of wild and rampant writing with no concern for whether your britches are being held, thought is required. Not much, but some. I recommend sticking with the basics: a beginning, a middle, and an ending. Refrain from branching out potential avenues, lest you tread into novella/novel territory. 
    Humble beginnings? More like crucial beginnings. This is the beast. The big game. This was my rambling earlier. What happened to pique your interest in creating a short story? Without the inspiration, you have nothing. Let's use... Oh, what's a good example? The too-tired bicycle dad joke! *dodges a thrown tomato* I was joking! Jeezums! In all seriousness, your beginning lays out the potential path to victory. Odds are you already know the ending, but you need to dissect the correct branch to form your middle. Trim the weeds, in this case, the audibles that speak for you to widen the story's length and winding road. Iron out the wrinkles of the chosen route that leads to the middle. 
    Speaking of, we're skipping the middle for now. The ending is the easiest part of the battle. How will your tale finish? Does the hero overcome his adversary or problem? Are you going to pull a Game of Thrones and lop off his/her head? Is it a happy-ever-after with a smoking-hot beefcake? I know my preference. *cough* But remember this: once you set your ending, you must coordinate it and your beginning to craft your...
    Middle! Oh, jeez. This can either be easy or challenging. Taking this year's Secret Author contest as an example, you have up to 30,000 words to use. What may be even more daunting is the concept of having one chapter to play with. Do you dare use every word at your disposal and create a lengthy document, or shall you cut it to make a precise piece? As an author, you must dance. Tango with the details long enough, and you lose your readers to repetitive boredom. Do the Lindy, and your readers will hop into the ending without realizing it. The key is placing your few plot points in proper beat to the rhythm of the short bop you're making. 
    Aside from all of the, what some may consider goofy nonsense, the most critical advice I can give for short story creation is to have fun. We're authors. We write because we love to express ourselves. I adore writing shorts. They consist of subjects or ideas that I want to put out there but don't have the proper time or attention span to give them. Do those ideas deserve more tender, love, and care? Probably, but I also have to conserve my energy. If I exhaust myself with novels, I'll be on the floor gasping for air in a forest cabin with no WiFi and a typewriter. Short stories are also an exciting way to throw spitballs on a wall. Readers will comment and clamor for more from certain shorts than others. That can signal you, the author, to expand on a story universe, thus creating a beloved tale, novel, or even a series. 
    For those who think they can't write a short story, I'm gonna poke you on the nose. You can do it. If some snot-nosed man-child from Banjoland, Kentucky can, you can. I found a home in writing novels. In the last year, I've popped out more short stories than I ever anticipated. I'm having an absolute blast! Toying with new ideas, giving dusty side characters new life, and experimenting with tones and emotions gives me writing energy. So, I'm challenging you, novel-exclusive authors. Make a story that resembles an elementary school science fair project. And if that paper-mache volcano explodes green goop instead of red, let it stain the gymnasium floor for all to enjoy for the years to come. In the end, you'll laugh and love it just as much as your readers. I promise you this. 
  3. Valkyrie

    Vacation Time!

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    I just spent two wonderful weeks in the south of England, seeing everything from the Cerne Giant (Google it if you're not familiar...  )  to Stonehenge at sunset.  I could write an entire story about all the sights and experiences from the trip, but at the moment, will have to settle with two prompts based of actual things I experienced during my adventures. 
    PT Prompt #217
    After travelling for over 24 hours with pretty much no sleep and lots of Dramamine (motion sickness med that makes you very drowsy), you arrive at the house you rented in a foreign country with your friends.  You all enjoy a delicious dinner, then decide to hike up the local Tor to see the sunset.  Despite very little physical prepping for the trip, you make it to the top and celebrate this achievement!  On the way back down, in the dark, you encounter a man on his way up the Tor.  You stop to let him by, and end up talking for over ten minutes.  At the end of the conversation, the man tells you he loves you and then you exchange a heartfelt hug.  What was the conversation about?  What happens next?
    PT Prompt #218
    You've rented out the majority of a house for your trip with your friends with the exception of one room.  During your stay, there are other guests who have booked that room.  The one time you decide to cook breakfast instead of having yogurt or cereal, you set off the fire alarm in the kitchen. What were you cooking?  How do the other guests react?  
     
    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/
    As an FYI per Aditus' request, I wanted to let everyone know that he is taking a short break from his GA duties to attend to family matters.  Cole Matthews and I will be alternating weeks to continue to bring you prompts every week.  Addy hopes to be back by late summer.  
  4. Valkyrie
    I'd like to say a heartfelt thank you to everyone who helped make this year's GA Poetry Anthology a huge success!  We had 16 poetry submissions to read, all of which are linked to below.  If you haven't already, I highly recommend checking them out and leaving our site poets a comment, reaction, review, recommendation, or all of the above!  I'm thrilled with the support for this year's poetry anthology, and I'm already working on next year's anthology.   So thank you, site poets for your incredible contributions, and thank you, site readers for supporting our poets with so many lovely comments and reviews! 
    Putting together GA anthologies is very much a team effort, so I would also like to thank everyone who worked behind the scenes to make this anthology possible. 
    Anthology Coordinator
    Valkyrie
    Tech Support
    Myr
    Cia
    Wildone
    Anthology Banner Creation
    Cia 
     
     
  5. Valkyrie
    It's week three of our 2024 poetry anthology - Seasons, and we have six more poems and poem collections to enjoy!  Be sure to leave a comment or review for the poet.  A reminder that I will be on vacation from April 7-22nd with limited availability to be on site, so please direct any technical issues to @Myr @wildone or @Cia
     
     
  6. Valkyrie
    Welcome to week two of our 2024 poetry anthology - Seasons! Enjoy these next five poems and poem collections and be sure to leave a comment or review for the poet.  A reminder that I will be on vacation from April 7-22nd with limited availability to be on site, so please direct any technical issues to @Myr @wildone or @Cia
    @Aditus and @Valkyrie both have two chapters, so be sure to come back tomorrow to check them out! 
     
     
  7. Valkyrie
    I am very happy to announce that we have 16 amazing submissions for the poetry anthology this year!  We will be featuring them throughout the month of April, in celebration of National Poetry Month.  Enjoy these first five poems and poem collections and be sure to leave a comment or review for the poet.  I will be on vacation from April 7-22nd with limited availability to be on site, so please direct any technical issues to @Myr @wildone or @Cia
     
     
     
  8. Valkyrie

    Let's Write Some Poetry!

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Since National Poetry Writing Month is fast approaching, along with the Poetry Anthology, I thought it would be the perfect time to feature some poetry prompts! 
     
    PT Prompt #213 - Poetry
    Write a poem about a feeling without explicitly naming what that feeling is. 
     
    PT Prompt #214 - Poetry 
    Use spring as your springboard to start a poem.  Embrace the fickleness of the season! 
     
    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/
  9. Valkyrie

    Why April?

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Why did I choose April to feature the poetry anthology?  I thought it would be a perfect way to feature our site poets during National Poetry Month!  April is the month to celebrate all things poetry; so read, write, and if you're daring, participate in the NaPoWriMo writing challenge!  NaPoWriMo stands for National Poetry Writing Month. It's the sibling to NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month) in November.  So what is this challenge I speak of?  Simple.  Write one poem per day (30 total) during the month of April.  Or I should say write one poem per day average.  If you skip a day and write two in one day, the challenge is still met.  There are many sites where you can get daily poetry prompts in April, or you might decide on a theme for the month.  Or write a mish mash with no cohesiveness whatsoever.  The goal is to write; not to write masterpieces.  It's a fun time to experiment with form, rhyme, or style.  Many GA poets have taken up the challenge over the years.  In general, participants post weekly throughout April.   It's quite interesting to see different takes on the same prompt, or what someone has chosen as their theme for the month.   
    I'm happy to say we've had a great turnout for this year's poetry anthology, so I will be featuring anthology submissions during the entire month of April.  There's still time to participate, so check out the guidelines, and feel free to participate, even if you are new to poetry!  
     

  10. Valkyrie

    Calling All Poets!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    There's still time to get some poems written for the 2024 Poetry Anthology - Seasons!  We're already seeing some submissions come in, so let's make this a great anthology!  We need participation for these anthologies to continue, so even if you're new to the art of poetry, give it a try and see where it takes you.  A great starting point is checking out @AC Benus's prompts in the Poetry Forum.  
    https://gayauthors.org/forums/forum/369-poetry/
     
    Guidelines can be found here:
    So who's in?  
  11. Valkyrie
    We're just a couple of weeks away from drinking green beer and eating corned beef and cabbage, so let's celebrate all things St. Patrick's Day! 

     
    PT Prompt #207
    HR calls you into their office based on a report of an unfortunate pinching incident on St. Patrick's Day.  Who made the report, why, and is it true?  
     
    PT Prompt #208
    After a night of drinking too much green beer and Guinness, you wake up in a strange bed that's much too small for you.  Next to you, fast asleep, is a guy dressed as a leprechaun.  Convinced the beard is fake, you pull on it, only to discover it isn't, and then the guy wakes up, not too pleased to be woken up that way.  What happens next? 
     
    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/
  12. Valkyrie

    It's Time to Vote!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    I'd like to extend a huge thank you to the Anthology theme selection committee for submitting some pretty awesome themes to vote on!  It was not easy narrowing down the entries.  In fact, we ended up with a top six instead of a top five!  We are trying something a little different this year to select our top theme.  Please click on the link below to rank your top three choices.  The theme that has the most votes for first will be our 2024 anthology theme!  

    https://gayauthors.org/surveys/index.php/459382?lang=en
     
     
    Thank you @raven1 @CassieQ @Aditus @drown @E K Stokes @northie @astone2292 and @Gary L! And thank you to @Myr for creating the survey!
  13. Valkyrie

    Announcing the 2024 Poetry Anthology!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    I am happy to announce that the poetry anthology will be returning again this year!  Please check out the guidelines below, and I look forward to reading a lot of excellent poetry in April! 
     
    2024 Poetry Anthology - Due: April 1, 2024
    The 2024 Theme is “Seasons”
    Feel free to interpret the theme in any way you want. The anthologies are not exclusive, but inclusive, so don't worry if you think your entry has only a tangential link to the theme. If you are inspired, then write some poetry!
    Please read these submission guidelines carefully.
    You may address this theme in any poetic style. Be creative! However, please note that this anthology, UNLIKE the other GA anthologies, is an anthology of poems. Therefore, no prose allowed, unless it is prose poetry.
    Who may participate:
    Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. However, you must be a member here at GA with author or poet status (which is free and can be purchased through the Activities tab: Store link).  Please RSVP to the 2024 Poetry Anthology – Seasons event (can be found by accessing the activity tab, then events) to receive reminders and also to give the anthology team an idea of number of participants.
    Submission Guidelines
    Submission Date: April 1, 2024
    Please Note:  Anthology submissions must be uploaded into Stories and the link posted in the 2024 Poetry Anthology Exploration Links topic, which can be found under the Anthology tab in the Writer’s Circle Club, by midnight EST April 1, 2024.   
    Your entry must include the following:
    At least one poem – there is no upper limit; however, submissions may not exceed 10,000 words total. Posted as a single story submission A maximum of five chapters may be included (“chapters” may consist of multiple poems). Due to site limitations, if there are multiple chapters submitted, one chapter will post every 24 hours. This is not something we can change. When submitting multiple chapters, DO NOT SET A DATE FOR THE ‘STORY’ OR CHAPTERS!  Site staff will set the dates for you once they are moved to the anthology category. The ‘story’ and first chapter will publish on the anthology release date, and subsequently, additional chapters will post every 24 hours after that.  
    Submission Procedure *Please read carefully*
    Once your poetry collection is complete and has gone through your beta and editing team, please complete the following steps:
    Submit your poems into the GA Stories Archive. For help, please read How do I upload my anthology entry into GA Stories? Make sure the story is unpublished. Select “Fiction” as the category. It will be moved later by staff.  Mark your story status as COMPLETE. Only completed works are allowed in the anthologies. Please note that once you submit an unpublished story for the anthology, it will NOT show up in your list of stories for readers until the anthology has gone live. Copy the URL for your story (not any chapter page) and paste it in the links topic so your submission may be checked to ensure it meets submission guidelines and can be moved to the anthology category.  [*]Please do a visual check of your story once it has been uploaded to ensure that it posted correctly. If it did not, contact @Cia or Valkyrie. 
    IMPORTANT: Please DO NOT do ANYTHING with your story once it has been submitted to the anthology. We lock edits to anthologies, but we can only lock so much and making ANY changes can cause issues with the system. If there is something with your story that absolutely needs fixed, added, etc, PLEASE contact @Cia or Valkyrie. Thank you!
    Extensions
    Occasionally things happen that prevent an author from meeting the deadline. If you need an extension, contact @Valkyrie or @Cia before the deadline (not the day of or after), and something may be able to be worked out.  If you have NOT made arrangements prior to the deadline, your anthology entry will not be included. You are welcome to post your poetry independently and include a story note stating it was originally meant to be part of the anthology.
    Poem Titles
    Please do not use the anthology themes or your GA Username as a title. Be as original as you can. In case of duplicate titles within the anthology, we will request that titles be changed. No foreign language or ALL CAPS for the titles, please.
    Unacceptable entries & Content Warnings
    Entries that are obviously unedited (containing many errors) or that violate site guidelines will be either declined or changes may be requested as a condition of entry. For information on what is considered to be unacceptable, please see the Story Content Rules FAQ. 
    Please include a Content Warning in the story notes if your story contains sensitive content, e.g.: abuse-physical, mental, sexual, extreme violence, taboo topics, etc... 
    Previously posted stories/poetry (whether at GA or elsewhere) are not eligible for inclusion into the GA anthologies.
    Editing
    All entries MUST be edited prior to being uploaded. If you need an editor, please visit the https://gayauthors.org/forums/forum/372-editors/ forum to request one. We recognize that poetry sometimes breaks the rules when it comes to grammar and wordplay; therefore, it is not a requirement for poetry to go through the Anthology Proof Team.  If you would like your poems reviewed for obvious misspelling, misused words, or something specific to the form you’ve attempted, then please contact Valkyrie and a proof team member will review your submission.
    PLEASE do not format text beyond bold and italics unless absolutely necessary. Changing the font color, size, etc… or other excess formatting breaks the custom GA reader controls which are helpful to those who may have visual impairments.
    Copyright
    As with all content in GA Stories, the rights remain with the individual authors. Your story will post with a simple 2024 copyright notice, using your GA user display name. If you have another preference (for example, a different name, or a Creative Commons license, or specific copyright wording you'd like to use), please include that with your submission.
    However, with this anthology, by submitting your poetry, you are giving GayAuthors.org first worldwide rights with 14 days exclusivity. What that means is you are giving GayAuthors.org permission to archive your story on its website, distribute it via RSS, kindle, iPhone, iPad, eyeball…. And you agree not to publish it anywhere else for 2 weeks.
    If you later decide to post your story at another site, please mention at the beginning or end of the story that it was first published as part of the 2024 Gay Authors Seasons Poetry Anthology and include a link back to GA if possible.
    If you have any questions, please post them in the Anthology Forum or PM Valkyrie.
  14. Valkyrie

    Anthology Update

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    The anthology theme committee is hard at work narrowing down their submitted themes to a top five for the GA membership to vote on.  Stay tuned over the next couple of weeks for the announcement!  There are some pretty cool themes up for consideration.  In the meantime, be sure to check out the guidelines for the GA Poetry Anthology - Seasons, due April first.  It's not too early to get started on some poetry!  

     
  15. Valkyrie

    Let's Talk About the Weather!

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    What does conversation inevitably drift towards when all other topics are exhausted?  Whether you like it or not, it's usually the weather  

     
    PT Prompt #199:
    You're a weatherman who got the forecast completely wrong before a catastrophic storm hit.  What were the consequences?  
    PT Prompt #200:
    Because the weatherman was so colossally wrong, you were taken completely by surprise by this storm.  What kind of storm was it?   Where did you weather it?  What happened afterwards?  
     
    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/
     
  16. Valkyrie

    Time to Travel!

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    Winter decided it wanted to dump our annual snowfall on us all at once this week, so it's a perfect time to think about being somewhere where the air doesn't hurt your face.  

     
    PT Prompt #197
    You decide to plan your next vacation by closing your eyes, spinning a globe, and going wherever your finger lands.  Where do you end up going on vacation? 
     
    PT Prompt #198
    Plan a vacation that's the polar opposite of your dream trip.  Don't like cruises?  Go on a cruise.  Hate the cold?  Go to Alaska.  Let us know what happens.  
     
    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/
     
  17. Valkyrie

    2024 Writing Events - In Full Swing!

    By Valkyrie,


    Anthologies
    Even though we're only days into the new year, we've already kicked off our year of amazing writing events with our tribute to Carlos Hazday.  If you haven't checked it out yet, be sure to do so. 
    We have several other exciting writing events in the works, including a poetry anthology and our annual anthology.  We will be holding another secret author contest as well.  There are some really cool prompt-related events coming down the pipeline as well, so stay tuned for further information regarding all these opportunities to feature your writing! 
    I am working on updating the poetry anthology guidelines, so stay tuned for that announcement.  
    I will also  be looking for volunteers to serve on a committee to select the theme for the annual anthology.  If you are interested in volunteering, please send me a PM.  
  18. Valkyrie
    January first has always been a day to look forward to for fans of Carlos Hazday.  He always posted something new for readers to look forward on this day.  While it hurts like hell knowing we will never have that privilege again, today we celebrate the man that was our friend, mentor, author, and site contributor.  So, raise a toast in honor of Carlos (or flip off the sky - I think he would appreciate either sentiment!) and check out these 11 tributes in his memory.  Long may you run, my friend.  Your chrome heart always shone brightly in the Florida sun!  

     
    Thank you to all who contributed to this tribute.  It's clear how much Carlos meant to our community, and how much he is missed.  Please take the time to react, comment, and/or review these tributes.  
    I would also like to thank @Cia @Myr and @wildone for their behind-the-scenes support.  Cia created the awesome banner used for the tribute stories. 
  19. Valkyrie

    It's Resolution Time!

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    New Year's Resolutions - love them or hate them?  Some people thrive on resolutions and use them to make changes in their lives, at least for January   Others scoff at the idea and remain their fabulous selves without some arbitrary date telling them it's time to effect positive change.  Since New Year's is right around the corner, let's explore some resolutions! 

     
    PT Prompt #191:
    You've always been steadfastly against making any resolutions come January first and have treated it just like any other day.  This year, however, you've created a list containing two resolutions.  What are they, and what changed your mind?
     
    PT Prompt #192:
    Write two different sets of resolutions set 100 years apart, either past or future.  
     
    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/
  20. Valkyrie
    Our first writing event of the New Year is fast approaching!  The deadline to submit tributes to Carlos is December 27th at 12:00 pm EST.  Anyone is welcome to submit a tribute.  If you are not currently an author/poet, let me know if you need help navigating the process.  We've already received some entries, and I am looking forward to a lot more.  Let's show our love for Carlos!  

     
     
  21. Valkyrie

    Happy Holidays?

    By Valkyrie,


    Prompts
    The holidays aren't always the picture of perfection depicted in Hallmark movies or on holiday cards.  In fact, it's pretty safe to say that the opposite tends to be more true to reality for most people.  We all have that relative with opposite views who loves to start in at the dinner table, or a busybody who's all up in everyone's business and then proceeds to pass judgment on it.  Then there's making sure the food is perfect, the table is set, and the house is clean.  Planning for the holidays is a process, that's for sure!  There's also people for whom the holidays are a tortuous affair.  Maybe they lost a loved one, or have past trauma associated with this season.  For them, the holiday blues are something to be endured until they can breathe a sigh of relief in the new year.  So for today's prompts, we are embracing the less glamourous side of the holiday season.  
    PT Prompt #187:
    Potluck gone wrong:  You've been invited to a potluck and are famous for your delicious casseroles.  People are lining up just to try your food.  Unfortunately, the line dissipates pretty quickly once everyone sees the expression on the faces of people trying your food.  You rush over to see what the problem is, and taste the dish, then promptly spit it out.  What went wrong? 
    PT Prompt #188:
    The year without a holiday: It's post-pandemic and you're finally able to celebrate with family again!  You have four days off of work, ingredients for your favorite side dish in the fridge, and everyone's presents ready to go.  You're a little tired, but it's been a long week at work and attribute it to the post-work week let-down.  Until you take your temperature and see you have a fever.  Then take a test to find out it's positive for the virus.  To add insult to injury, the winter storm that was forecast all week hits full force, sending a blizzard that lasts for two days.  So sickness notwithstanding, there would be no celebration anyway!  What do you do to acknowledge/celebrate the holiday at home alone?  
     
    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/
  22. Valkyrie
    Long May You Run - A Tribute to Carlos Hazday
    Our beloved Carlos had a tradition of posting something new for his readers to enjoy on January first.  It was a great way to ring in the new year.  In this vein, we thought it would be fitting to feature a tribute to him on January 1, 2024. 
    Anyone is welcome to contribute a story, letter, poem, or whatnot on a topic that resonates with them with respect to Carlos, be it bikes, tattoos, Florida, politics, writing, or something else. The rules are simple:
    No minimum length
    One submission per author, containing one chapter, or one prologue plus one chapter.
    The usual GA content guidelines do apply. Please use appropriate genres, tags, and story/chapter notes as applicable for your submission along with any message you wish to add to your tribute. 
    Post the link to the completed submission in the following thread:
    DO NOT SET THE PUBLISH DATE/TIME!  I will do this when I create the blog entry. 
    Due date to post link to thread is December 27, 2023 by 12:00 AM EST. 
     
    Edited to add link to event:  
    Please RSVP to the event if you plan on contributing.  
     
     
  23. Valkyrie

    2024 Writing Events

    By Valkyrie,


    Announcements
    As the new year approaches, it's time to start thinking about what's on the agenda for 2024. We've already announced one event for 2024, and the first story for Carlos' tribute has been posted.  I'm super excited to announce what else we have planned for next year.  It should be a great year with lots of opportunities to participate in site events! So without further ado, here is what's coming up in 2024. 
    2024 Writing Events
    Long May You Run - A Tribute to Carlos Hazday - Due December 27th.  Information can be found here:
    Poetry Anthology (theme TBA) - Due April 1st  
    Secret Author Contest (theme TBA) - Due in summer   
    Annual Anthology (theme TBA) - Due October 1st
    Prompt Team Event/Contest 
    Stay tuned for details, and just a reminder that submissions for Carlos' tribute are due soon!   
  24. Valkyrie

    Thank You to Our Prompt Team!

    By Valkyrie,


    Announcements
    Prompts have always been an integral part of GA and something to look forward to every Friday.  Starting with our dear Comicfan and now continuing with the Prompt Team, seeing how authors come up with different takes on the weekly prompts is always exciting.  Prompts have sparked some popular longer works and also some great short stories and character sketches.  I always look forward to seeing what my fellow Prompt Team members come up with every Friday.  So, the Admin Team is continuing our week of thanks by extending our sincere appreciation for the hard work put in by the members of GA's Prompt Team.  Please join us in thanking our OG Prompt Guru, Comicfan, and the members of our current Prompt Team:
     
    @Aditus
    @Cole Matthews
    @Valkyrie

     
    As a token of our appreciation, they will receive the following badge on their profiles: 
     


  25. Valkyrie

    Happy Thanksgiving!

    By Valkyrie,


    Announcements
    It's Thanksgiving Day in the US today, and the Admin Team here at GA would like to continue our week of thanks by thanking YOU for making GA the amazing, welcoming, supportive place it is.  GA Staff work behind the scenes to make sure everything runs as smoothly as possible, and we do it for the love of GA's community at large.  So, to all the readers, authors, poets, Premium subscribers, members, lurkers, commenters, and editors/beta readers, the Admin Team would like to say a heartfelt:

    You all are the backbone of the site, as it wouldn't exist without you.  Now it's time to fill up plate #1 with turkey, stuffing, mashed potatoes, squash, and a boatload of gravy   


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