Krista

I apologize, because I wrote the explanation/idea/thought process I had about gay chicken wrong. What I meant to say was, at times it feels like they forget they're supposed to be trying to on-up, break even, or win. That sometimes they get truly ahead of themselves and then are like, "Oh fuck, I won already, what the hell am I doing?" Then they quickly recover, announce the win, and the promise of retaliation. To their credit, they do break it off... frustratingly for both of them, but Percy already damn near took it too far.. I've started reading Chapter 5, so I'll leave that there. As the tone starts off differently, so I'll see what comes of that. I am fascinated by your characters. I have noticed there is a lot of moral convergences and divergences within them depending on what's going on in the moment. They think and decide moral things quickly, sometimes unapologetically. It can be rather messy. I have a story where I want my characters to be more like that... governed by moments, wants, what they deem necessary outcomes, etc... without so much straight-lined one way moral thinking and knowledge of possible consequence and outcomes. But anywho. I'm sick, so I have nothing better to than to force my husband to be my bedside nurse, ask for things like the baby that I am, and read. So here we go.

I thought point two would be the one you'd have issues with, but I'll take the win on that one. I don't get it in regards to that all that often. I am the giver of honest and blunt truths. Whether you wish to know what I'm thinking or not. Your dismissal of point three and the follow-up statement that you do call yourself a liar is all the proof needed. But I will stop, no one needs to hear hard truths all the time, it is bad for the digestion. And what do you mean you're used to going 100mph on a snowmobile? *Clutches my pearls* I know it is back from when you were younger and you're here telling of your wild tales, so you've survived such reckless behavior. But still, the pearls be clutched, my dear. Behave yourself.

I'm in agreement with everything you've had to say here. We certainly can't place the blame on Ryan, we know he's hurting. Skylar has told us that he is, by knowing him. He has painted a lot of different pictures of Ryan for us to work through. The dumb closed off bully jock, that's hot and has a crush on. Then the tutoring, how Ryan has shown to be more thought driven, closed inward, careful even... and possibly even hopeful about a life he's not brave enough to live yet. It was enough that it seemed to move Skylar's heart away from.. 'a hopeless crush...' to, 'this is about as bad as the titanic sinking.' They're both hurting. They're both guilty of actions that hurt the other, but none of it was done on purpose and in true and honest malice. So I think they can come back from this. Right now, it would be adding gasoline to a wildfire though... they're not remotely ready.

Oh gosh @Seraph28 what have you done? We can't be giving him ideas...

Don't wish that on either one of them. They would get absolutely nowhere. Hell they may even go backwards... I imagine it would be like two fainting goats meeting in a field and realizing their biggest fear are one another.

Well, I thought Ethan was going to be a quick and instant buffer between their bouts of gay chicken, his presence seemed to intensify an already intense game of it. It is almost like the two are forgetting they're playing this game until one of them does something just an 'inch' too far too soon. But it is still going to boil over and escalate anyway. Ethan could still be a buffer between them. It might be a bit premature if it happened this chapter. But you know, with you wilder things have happened. I do wonder what Five will think if/when that were to happen. Will he clap his hands together, call Bethany and say their job is done...their Captain Percy princess baby is a full fledged homosexual... especially if it happens before whatever 'didn't' happen in that shower scene. Will we see a jealous Five Daddy. (my god it pained me to play along with these names) I still don't think this is going to end well for Percy and Five. They're putting a lot of... weight onto a seemingly easy friendship. Five is apparently not straight, or he has urges that pop up from time to time. The post 12 year old fooling around bit of information was pretty telling. And Five and Percy have fooled around a little, that was established as this being a continuance of gay chicken from the summer. Percy doesn't know that it still stems from manipulation though. So he's playing this game not knowing that Five isn't playing by the rules. The talk of mines and unpredictable explosions, foreshadowing. Mountains and snow are two things I'm not all that familiar with. It snows here, but the most we've ever gotten was just over fourteen inches.. and that was when I was a wee little girl. I couldn't imagine a snow capped, unpacked snowy mountain and riding snow machines, definitely not at 100mph. I don't think I'm built for that kind of thing. I am a girl of summer. I like summer things.

Now wait a minute! You can't blame ME for distracting you. 1. I don't have the correct parts. 2. I'm always innocent of any wrongdoing. That's just how it works don't question it. And 3. It is very much established that you are your own worst enemy, you twist your own arm, and you cannot help yourself. So there. With that off my chest, I can read this chapter. PS. You can't miss a deadline if you call everyday Monday, and post a chapter almost every other day.

The poor dears. Momma seems to have taken to her Catholic correction the good father gave her. Accepting that if her son is gay 'and' a good catholic, that her focus should then shift on finding him a gay 'and' good catholic boy. It was an endearing change from the pine oils and yelling. It doesn't undo the chaos and heartache she created, but it is a step in a better direction. I do think if she knew how important Ryan was to her son, at least in the moment before the trip to see Father Matthew, it wouldn't have changed the damage she caused. Anyway, she just seems to do things very 'big' too big for a teenager of any age, especially a teenage boy that won't talk on the best of times. I'm scared for Madison. Sloane has way more bad bitch energy than Madison has ever shown. Sloane is a good big sister when she pays attention. She needed to see movement, signs of life, so she pushed Skylar in order to get it. She got what was going on out of him, then told him that he should confront it, to know. Sink or swim. When someone does that, they have to become the life preserver, you can't push someone then not support them when what you've done causes the worst case scenario. Even if that hurt is the first step towards the healing. She was able to be that for him too. But yes, Madison better take notes, because I do think Sloane will be rather immune to 'glares..' which seems to be Madison's go to weapon in her arsenal. I missed the Dad character in this story. All that moping on the couch and he never sat down in his throne to read the paper? Make a comment that would make me laugh, and also be so low-energy parenting that it could very well have been the most effective at getting Skylar moving. I still don't know what Gabriel's end-game is here. If you're sincere in your feelings for someone, it is rather noble to give them space to work through their feelings. But, he's also a teenager. He's new to the school and doesn't know Skylar 'that' well. It feels like he's inserting himself into a life that doesn't and never will have space for him. That might hint, at least it does for me, of a guy that doesn't have the confidence that he shows, it is a well constructed mask. If he truly is noble and has the patience of a saint waiting for Skylar's heart to change, then I need to give him more credit than I've shown him with this comment. Right now, he's saying he wishes to not be a road block or wall between Skylar and Ryan, just a friend. His actions sort of say otherwise though. Walking him to and from class, managing Skylar's schedule to meet him in the library, attending the same church, eating lunch, inviting himself as a friend to homecoming. All smiles and elegant nonchalance of friendship. Noble, but a wall nonetheless. It will take a lot for Skylar to break down Ryan's walls and pick up his shattered pieces he's going to find behind it. But no one should give up after seeing such torment brief as it was before the walls came back. Even if the titanic sank anyway, there's still enough room on that door for the both of them. Ryan's eyes gave that away.

Yes, he did show some restraint at the finish line of that altercation and didn't throw that punch everyone expected him to. He still is reacting to triggers though. Joel has thwarted or diminished Jaxton a couple of times now. This one worse than the chant that happened earlier in the cafeteria. People are catching on that Joel isn't going to be bullied, he's not going to stand down... now it's Jaxton's move again. But, at least no busted knuckles this time. Another sorry excuse for a party. People like Jaxton do not like their big egos bruised, do they?

As I read, my mind was thinking about a different B word, until I got down to the second to last line of dialog. Then I was like.. hmm.. I better behave. But yeah, the B word I thought about rhymes with itch. You may or may not put the B ahead of the itch to also find your answer. Give me my brain back, I need a break. I decided not to scrap the chapter I said I scrapped last night... but now I think I've gone off my rocker in the writing of it. We'll see what the Wildman thinks about it, if he isn't snowed under... if he is, I hope he at least tells me so I can laugh at him for it. The Canadian deserves it, living up there as he does. (Sorry for any of you fellow Canadians caught in the middle, I hope it doesn't snow all the way up to your foreheads, just Wildone's).

Hi! I'm a little late to the party, but if you go to stories, you can filter your searches and find stories that match your interests. You can find a more narrowed down and specific selection as well based on sub-genres within the generalized blanket of "Fantasy," and "Romance." Even slow-burn, is a searchable selection. Hope this helps!

You're missing the point of this discussion. The point of discussion is: There are some stories that authors feel pulled to write, knowing it will not be read. You may not see the importance of that, but it is there. Some creative minds want to think outside their usual, do a character study that interests them in the moment. It may not be within the confines of what's deemed popular. And they're doing it knowing it will find a very limited audience. That it may not be critically received well, and it may be too different from what the author's established audience will enjoy. Some creative minds will choose to write those stories anyway. They may not publish them. If your goal is that you 'need' to publish every story, either here or with a publisher, then yeah, you will have to be more flexible to make that happen. I believe the value of any story is the value you have for it, the time you put into it, and how you feel about the overall project and goals. I don't place the value of my stories in the hands of other people. I make those decisions. I have early stories posted here that I don't like. They were written by a thirteen year old girl that didn't know anything about writing. That's all the value to me they have, a memory of a different place and time and that's okay. I may not like them, but they're posted because I still stand by them. If you're allowing readership numbers, views, comments numbers, and such to dictate your story's value, then you're no longer writing that story for the enjoyment of it. With that said, this is a writing community. Yes most people want comments/reviews/engagement for our published stories, like others have said that's the currency we live with here. But, if you allow yourself to be dictated by numbers, fickle as they are, then I feel that's where you're setting yourself up for failure and loss. --- Do you know what's popular here? Coming of age Romances. They're everywhere. They're read. If they're good, they reach high readership views for the times, and they are discussed prominently. Shifter/Werewolf stories are also popular. General Dramas with Romantic elements are popular. Apparently, Demons or Romances involving Demons are the most searched and sought out Genre on GA at the moment. So, hop on that bandwagon if you're hoping for views, maybe. If you do not write within those genres, by the numbers alone, they will not reach the readership or engagement by comparison, but that shouldn't devalue the writing. If your purpose is to create for other people, go ahead, no one is stopping you. But that's not what we're discussing, that's a topic for another day. I feel most of us generally agree on. If you're in this writing thing for marketable value, then you have to make the story marketable. --- Personally, I will never put weight on numbers. I will not put a lot of weight on themes that are deemed popular here, or on publishing platforms if they do not currently align with my creative goals. If you start pivoting from your creative goal, then you've accomplished nothing, because the audience isn't guaranteed for that story. You've changed your story for no good reason other than to farm numerical values that may or may not ever show up. I hope no one places a lot of value and worth to the writing based on them, regardless of intention. That is something, that you will find yourself always falling short. If a story reaches 1M views, you expect them all to. The ones that don't become less important. You have placed weighted value against your own story based on numerical comparisons, and have devalued yourself and your writing in the process. That's what numbers do. And they make liars out of stories all the time. --- All of that differs if you're writing for profit, views, and engagement centered goals. As someone said, there is no wrong way to create, but that's not what the heart of this discussion is about, like I said... --- As far as readership here goes: There has been a dip in all of these niche communities, but speaking about GA in general, it was at one time one of the few fish in the puddle of gay online fiction. Hell when it first launched there wasn't a lot of gay fiction on many market platforms either. You had a handful. Now you have sub-reddits by the hundreds, self-publishing by the millions, other gay fiction communities. AI-generated nonsense. This is no longer a niche place carving out its own space and creating a massive crater. That's reality. The puddle has become an ocean. What we do have here is readers and authors willing to engage with one another, discuss general writing, poke fun, and relax. We do not know why authors leave unless they specifically say why they've chosen do to so. If numbers are an issue, then I doubt anyone writing with the intention of farming numbers will be satisfied. I personally am fine with whatever I get, but I have chosen to be more engaged with people who take the time to read my story. I want to ramble, joke, discuss, and generally talk outside the confines of what my story is, or even offers them. I am here for community. That is why I've personally stayed. I would also like to point out: Being this is a community, authors need to come to terms with engagement. If you are not engaging with your readers, within the community, and/or forming a presence and connection here then your writing will simply not reach that many people. If you don't respond to comments, you may lose the reader. If you don't promote yourself, you may never get them. If you don't take the time and energy to build yourself a platform and a place here, you will struggle to get it. You can do that though, without sacrificing your own personal creativity. Good writing helps. It is the main foundation, but it isn't the only thing. So yeah, at least for here it takes effort and it may take a few years. Some authors simply don't understand that. I took it for granted, but I've always been aware that I need to be present alongside my writing.

Oh goodness me. Notes: Step 1: Open a New Document. Step 2: Name Document: Banned Names for Krista's Characters Step 3: Add Gavin to the top of the list. Step 4: Start compiling a list of Names I can no longer use in any writing projects unless they are well over ten years since the last use. Step 5: Give the Document to @wildone because I can't be effed to remember the names on said list. That is why it is an issue to begin with. I am pretty sure I named a character Rhett in my somewhat dead Ellis story as well. Not that Rhett played too massive of a role in this story to warrant consideration for the ban list... but Gavin definitely needs to be put on the list. I think that name has made it to at least four stories now.

Ages ago. I think it ran away though, screaming. If you found it, don't torture it by giving it back to me. Let it live in peace.

That is why I live in the middle of nowhere. I have way too much road rage to function in annoying traffic. My work traffic is too much for me and I'm only in it for about ten to fifteen minutes.

I do remember them outing Jay and Stephan to a point. I recall two people being complete liars too. tsk. tsk. tsk. I didn't agree with their methods with Jay either. And I forget half the things I say, because I say so much. Bit of a rambler... A closer at Stanford would have been good to be fair, so he is giving up a lot. Stanford is difficult to get into, even where athletics are concerned. Closers also make a lot of money if they're any good. Starters and Closers are where it's at for pitchers. Starters get more attention, but having a nail down end the game with a W closer... it pays well. Lots of pressure though.

Decorations are half the battle. I have my tree up... but nothing on the outside of the house. It is 10 days until Christmas... do I even bother at this point? lol. Yes... I will bother my husband, so I can bother with it.

They do have good uniforms, baseball. I had to google to make sure you didn't make up the San Jose Giants, but I do know MLB farm systems have a lot of minor leagues dotted around. But the San Fran Giants haven't been that good for years, definitely not good enough to spend an afternoon staring out a window.

The first one, was traditional in all its chaotic goodness. They had an ugly sweater contest, a dinner, secret-santa presents. All things traditional. Everything else just slapped in the face and I loved it. This one doesn't feel like a christmas story yet. I know it will get there with more christmas elements thrown in as their 25 days start to pass by them in more detail. Writing on the fly is something I used to do. Write to post... live with the consequences. But unlike you, I can't keep a semblance of a posting flow. Living in the same place with the writing as your readers is a different feeling. One that I kind of miss.

Okay... well. Five and Bethany have a lot to prove to me. Where do they get off trying to tell someone they're not the best gay version of themselves? They may love and know Percy, but that still doesn't give them the right to pressure him in any fashion towards anyone, any lifestyle, or any decision. Percy is just as grown as they are. So the lies, the manipulation, and the secrets that Five says he cannot keep, because he just doesn't keep them... need to come out. They've already hurt Percy and he doesn't know it. I also don't know how the next few chapters are going to go, as behind in the reading as I am. But the first half of this chapter, I really fell out with Five and Bethany. The "Percy baby," took on a whole new feel. I know he isn't intentionally belittling his best friend, but with so much hanging over their heads that Percy doesn't know, it takes on that sort of feeling. That Five is there to save Percy from himself, when he doesn't need it, or ask for it. Quitting University to play baseball for cash, lets hope he moves up in the rankings, because minor leaguers are always teetering on moving up which means a pay increase, or being forgotten about and not having much to fall back on. But, these people aren't doing so bad for themselves as a family, I don't think Percy would be pushed out of the nest and left destitute, especially if the rich ol' grandpa seems okay with Percy branching out and making the attempt to live his dream. I can get behind that. The latter half of the chapter, the gay chicken is heating up... chaotically and... well I'm too much of a lady to say. And they fell right into it... The following day has started out a lot better, but that nagging lie between them... and it is a lie still. Percy is not working with a full set of truths in order to know where he stands in Five/Bethany's plotting. And even when he does know, the audacity of those two is something I will still have an issue with. But that is all story and character dynamics that I'm here to read. So... here we are. At least with this chapter I can now scroll up and see what everyone else is saying.

I on the other hand, scrapped the chapter already. Didn't like it. Which is frustrating and horrifying for me. Buffer and all.

Oh goodness me.

Are you attempting to get the both of you into trouble? Because it's working. He's been busy with real life, he may not know what I'm going to be fussing at him for, the poor dear. He probably needs fussing at for something, I'm sure.

Thank you for taking the time to read. I saw that Celia snuck into this story as well... I really need to keep a document of "Names used.." because there are a lot of repeat names in my stories it seems. Maybe I'm sneakily writing alternative universes and time traveling... reincarnation? or I get stuck on names and here we are. At least there wasn't a Gavin, to my knowledge. I think Asher had older brothers, do not break my heart and tell me one of them was named Gavin... lol because I can't remember. There was "instant" chemistry between Rhett and Asher, that kind of broke some hearts when I ended on just chemistry. Asher wasn't ready to leave his hometown and Rhett had his own life though. One chance meeting shouldn't change the course of two lives... sometimes people come along and they go just as quickly. But you know, if I gave this my usual 100k words treatment Rhett and Asher would be writing letters. Yes... handwritten and all, back and forth and fall in love that way.. and BAM! Yet another romance under my belt. lol. I hope this doesn't give people hope, I have no interest in doing that. But, food for thought.