Valkyrie

I'm glad Darren didn't have to go into the system after the loss of his parents. How heartbreaking for him, but he'll have the support of Angel and his family. I'm pretty sure I know who wrote this one

Very unique twist with using the aliens as the vehicle for Liam and Neil to reveal their feelings. I like how the aliens communicated with Neil and fixed their 'mistake'. I enjoyed this story.

I wonder how many "other lives" Henry has left behind Interesting story with a twist at the end that was unexpected. Well done, SA!

This has always been one of my favorites too.

This is a good start, but I definitely want more. This has the makings of a full novel based on the snippets of world-building in this slice of life piece. I had to... slice... scallopini 😁 Pretty sure I know who wrote this one

I definitely related to Jake's reticence at going to his reunion. And can I just say that how the frick is the class of 2005 twenty years ago??? I graduated twenty years ago! Oh wait... with my Masters degree... Anyway, I haven't attended any of my HS reunions because I have no desire to go back to that time in my life. I thought this was a well-written story, and I enjoyed it. I'm glad Jake and Derek were able to finally reveal the truth of their feelings for each other.

Oh what a tangled web we weave... I'm glad it untangled and everything worked out perfectly!

Like for many others, Ozzy was an icon of my youth. I remember being on the bus in fifth grade and my BFF at the time putting a cassette in a tape deck and blasting Black Sabbath. It was my first introduction to Ozzy, and my BFF was considered the coolest kid around for doing that. Sadly, he ended up passing way too young after cleaning himself up after a troubled youth. Rock on, Ozzy and Cory. Rock on.

Well damn... I was not expecting that ending! I think the author binge-watched Game of Thrones before writing this Well done. It's not easy to surprise me.

Sweet story. You had me at steampunk cowboy

I remember when Rock Hudson was outed and the reaction surrounding it. Autobiographical or not, this was an interesting read. It's important to remember those times. Thank you for sharing this story.

A very cute, well-written story. I enjoyed it very much. I have a couple of different authors in mind for this one, but I'm not going to make any guesses until I've read them all.

It's a good thing I have a student intern, because I'm sure as heck not getting any work done today

I can't wait to start reading! 😁

Every family has secrets. Sometimes the truth comes out, despite being buried for decades.

You can just send the name and the reason you feel they should be nominated. It doesn't have to be an extensive analysis of their work - that's what the author promotion team is for Just something like "I really enjoy their writing and feel it's among the best on the site".

I would highly recommend a laptop. I was very resistant about getting one when my last desktop died, but the portability is awesome. It's great being able to take the laptop with me when I travel. Personally, I think it's better to get a new one now. It really sucks having a computer die, then being without one while waiting for the new one. I have an HP Spectre and love it. Everyone who grew up in the '80s or before knows the only way to fix electronics is to smack the heck out of them.

If you want to nominate someone for promotion, then send @Graeme a PM. He's the head of the Author Promotion Team.

It's a belief across many cultures that birds are messengers from beyond, especially after a loved one has recently passed. Many people also feel that animals come into our lives for a reason, often during trying times. Let's explore both of these concepts. Feel free to use these prompts as a jumping off point for a story for our upcoming Creature Feature anthology. PT Prompt #297 After a loved one passes away, an animal comes around in a way that makes you wonder if it's your loved one come back to visit. Who passed and what is the significance/symbolism of the animal? PT Prompt #298 Write a story from the POV of an animal sent to help someone. 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/

Let's see how many stories we get featuring penguins

Thanks for the reminder.

While we're all eagerly awaiting the reveal of the Secret Author stories, I thought it would be a good time to check in and see how those anthology stories are coming along! We can't reveal the participants of the SA contest yet (or I should say Cia can't. I have zero insider knowledge about it. Yes, it's that secret!), but we can openly talk about who's writing what for the annual anthology. I've already had five stories submitted to the proof team - which is a record this far from the due date! The SA contest has at least 20 stories, so let's see if we can try to match or even beat that number! I have several ideas floating around for the antho, and I really hope I get the ambition to write at least one of them in time. It may or may not involve drunk otters, superhero penguins, and alien capybaras Those of you who have working ideas or who have written their story already, feel free to pop a teaser in the comment section and let us know what to look forward to.

There are two different observances in July that I'd like to honor with prompts. July 14th is International Non-Binary People's Day - halfway between International Women's Day and International Men's Day - and is aimed to bring awareness to issues faced by non-binary people. July is also Disability Pride Month. It commemorates the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and celebrates the accomplishments, experiences, and challenges faced by individuals with disabilities. Be sure to scroll to the end of the blog for a couple of recent prompt responses. PT Prompt #295 Write a diary entry from the POV of a non-binary person. Feature everyday interactions and experiences that subtly challenge assumptions about gender. PT Prompt #296 Many disabilities are "invisible", but still have a profound impact on an individual's life, such as autoimmune or cardiovascular diseases. People with these type of disabilities are often gaslighted by medical professionals, colleagues, and even their own friends and family. Write a story featuring a character with an invisible disability and their encounter with someone who doesn't believe they are actually disabled. 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/ Yesterday was capybara appreciation day, and while I don't think @wildone truly appreciates these cute creatures, he did take on my word list celebration prompt featuring capybaras. Read at your own risk! @BendtedWreath took @Aditus out on a date. Wait... uh... he was late to the date... uh... he wrote about Addy's date prompt Be sure to check that one out as well!