Mancunian

A well written sad and emotional story with an up-beat ending. Alex/Sacha'a story is an emotional roller coaster with a lot that is unsaid but skilfully left to the readers imagination which helps to draw the reader in. The ending is more up-beat than the rest of the story and leaves an opening for follow up, at least in a short form, so I hope that there plans for that at some point in the future.

Beautifully and sensitively written, I can understand how difficult this chapter must have been to write. I wish I could say just one more day of sadness to go but unfortunately, as many of us know this still only the start of the grieving process that everyone will go through. I'm sure that will be written just as sensitively. I'm looking forward to reading of the future for the Devlin-Major's and the bright future that Andrew and Ryan will be working towards.

Absorbing, compelling and gripping these are just three words to describe this story. It's an emotional read in many parts covering the sensitive subject of abuse in many forms, it pulls no punches without being overly or gratuitously graphic. Be warned you will need tissues in some parts and a stress ball to release the anger. A recommended read.

Silas Drake is a teenager who, with his dog Adelaide as company, has spent 18 months on the road after leaving home before his parents could throw him out. He's just spent the last few weeks travelling with a rock band, Demons of The Crossroads. When they reach the town of Crow's Lake Silas decides it's time to move on again, just him and his dog. They stick around for while and events take a course that Silas could never have dreamt of. Now don't sit there reading my review go and read all about it, I'm sure that you will be drawn in as I was. @Cynus has written a brilliant story that I recommend you read.

Hi @TiggerDude I hop you enjoy GA and the many great stories on offer here, I look forward to seeing around on GA in the future.

How do you write a story that is a rollercoaster of emotion and gains gripping pace as it unfolds? I don't know but @Billy Martin does and this story is full of it as Andy Collins lives his adolescent life. I don't want to say too much or I may give away the story so I suggest that others should read and enjoy it for themselves, it is a really good story that I recommend.

Hi and welcome to GA, I hope that enjoy reading many of the great stories here and leave us your thoughts on them as your thoughts are as valuable as others. If you feel like writing a story or two yourself please share as we are all enriched by sharing and reading each others offerings.

Wow, this is well written and from the heart. It draws you in and brings tears to your eyes as the goose bumps form on your arm. It's an amazing piece of work, I'm not going to say story because it isn't, it's the authors personal experience which makes it more powerful. This is more than a recommended read it is a 'must read'.

When I joined GA it was as a result of an upsetting event in my own life and GA helped me to process that to a degree, I'm not going to go into any detail at this time but I may do so at some point in the future. I originally joined to read some of the stories that had and were being written at the time and I enjoyed doing just that. Soon I had a thought pop into my head which I decided to post as short story. I wasn't brilliant or researched but very spontaneous and received mixed but mainly good responses. Since then with encouragement from a few other members I published another short story, this time it was about homeless people and those who give up their own time working hard to help those who become homeless. The response was far better than I had any right to expect, there are much better authors than I can ever hope to be. This lead on to a longer follow-up and spin-off stories which for now, possibly permanently, have come to an end. This is largely as I've always considered myself a reader not a writer, something my old school teachers would confirm. I have many ideas going around in my head for other stories to write, some expend on already existing series others are not, but I am undecided if I should continue writing. What ever I decide I will remain a member as I really appreciate and enjoy reading the stories that others produce. I sometimes wonder why others joined GA and why they remain a member, if anyone feels like sharing please do.

A wonderfully lighthearted take on St George and The Dragon with plenty of bawdy humour. I'm sure that if such a village existed it would soon become a major town or city, hehehe. This is a recommended read if ever there was one.

A nicely written story of budding friendships and a some of the hilarious antics of these Australian students in one semester, it's a wonder that they made it through and got their grades. I'm giving nothing away, you have to read to find out.

This not what I expected at all! But I thoroughly enjoyed it. This story has twists and turns that I could never think of, every twist and turn added to the intrigue and kept my interest. Oh and did I say it's a very different but good read? No, well it is and thoroughly recommended.

One thing that I like about some of the blogs on GA is when some of the more experienced and established authors share hints, tips and ideas with us. This one is definitely a very good idea and I'm sure that I and other authors will benefit from, it can really help us to develop our characters which will help to improve stories. Thank you for sharing.

A very nicely tied up 'loose end' from the story A to Z, but I would have liked to see Ray Ericsson sweat a bit more and maybe grovel. Okay maybe I'm being a bit over the top but Ray's kind deserve it.

A well crafted and brilliantly told story. The journey of Stefan/Eric/Andy is gripping, as is his overall characteristic of uncertain determination keeping him going until he meets Zander. The uncertain and shy dance of hopes and dreams of both boys until they discover their mutual love for each other is fascinating. I see the end of this story as the beginning of another, I hope one has been or is planned to be written. This has to be a definite top ten read that I highly recommend.

What happened to Morgan Fevre is wrong on every level and I sincerely hope that he has a full recovery. As I stated in my previous post unfortunately there are still instances of discrimination, admittedly some of which are violent and that is totally unacceptable. No matter how accepting and inclusive any town or city is anywhere in the world these attacks do still take place everywhere and I agree that we still have to be 'on our guard' to protect ourselves. I still stick to my previously posted statement, which should be read in full, that over all Manchester is a good and accepting place to live, unfortunately I cannot say that it is totally accepting as nowhere in this world has progressed that far. Bigots and haters will always exist which is an unfortunate fact of life and will probably always be the case.

I agree with @Brayon the title is a little misleading, but WOW what a story. It's like an emotional roller coaster, it brings tears of anger and sadness but mostly tears of joy. It's really good read and it goes to show how much joy you can get from a good relationship if you're prepared to work at it. Definitely a recommended read.

A brilliantly written story with a powerful message that brought tears to my eyes as I'm sure it will for others who read and I do recommend that others do read.

I live in Manchester which is one of the major cities in the UK. It is very cosmopolitan and multi-cultural and so it is generally very accepting of all, although as with most areas there are still instances of discrimination sometimes being violent. It has an established gay community and 'Gay Village' where there are many gay bars as well as other gay friendly gay venues. Over all it is a good and accepting place to live where all are welcome.

I'm sorry to see that you have had a rough time of things lately and sincerely hope that you are coming out the other side stronger and better for it. If I am one those people that you have referred to in your post then I unreservedly and wholeheartedly apologise as I would never knowingly or intentionally wish to cause harm in any way to anyone. What you have written takes courage and a special strength, I hope that you can keep that courage and strength within you. I can, to some degree at least, understand what you have experienced and how it has made you feel after having gone through a similar experience. What I wrote and posted in https://gayauthors.org/story/mancunian/a-brief-period-of-life/ explains it best. Luckily I have a good support network which with professional support enables me to be here today. I believe that you too have great support in your husband who I believe is a very loving a supportive man, lean on him and trust in him and it will help. During my last stay in hospital following, thankfully, an unsuccessful attempt at taking my own life I was placed in a ward with some great counsellors and nurses who helped me to see thing in different way. Around the ward were many posters created by other survivors, they are of quotes by famous people that had inspired them. I have printed some of these quotes and framed them placing them around my home so that I can have a few helpful reminders when I'm feeling down, I've listed a few in the hope that they may be of help to you too. I wish you well for the future and that you can regain your enjoyment of being a part of GA. Winston Churchill “Never give in, never give in, never, never, never, never – in nothing, great or small, large or petty – never give in except to convictions of honour and good sense. Never yield to force, never yield to the apparently overwhelming might of the enemy.” Nelson Mandela The greatest glory in living lies not in never falling, but in rising every time we fall. Oprah Winfrey If you look at what you have in life, you'll always have more. If you look at what you don't have in life, you'll never have enough. Audrey Hepburn "Nothing is impossible, the word itself says, ‘I'm possible!'"

Congratulations @Mawgrim it is well deserved.

Courtroom drama, how boring I can hear you say. Well lets put it this way, I started to read intending to read a couple of chapters day but no it didn't go that way. It was so interesting it drew me in and I had to binge read it till I finished it in one day, even being late going to bed! It's a brilliant courtroom drama and very different, in the best way, to other stories on GA and a very gripping story in that grips your interest. I definitely recommend this story, it's one of the best reads I've had in a long time. Well done @RichEisbrouch and thank you for a great read.

This was a hard chapter to read, as my waterlogged keyboard can attest to, I can only imagine how hard it was to write. I'm steeling myself ready for the funeral as I imagine that that will be as emotional as this chapter has been. Please do not apologise for any delays in posting new chapters, I'm sure that we all feel the same, we prefer quality to quantity and your writing is quality. Thank you for all of your efforts.

This could not have been easy to write and I applaud your courage in doing so. As you rightly pointed out none of us who have lost a loved one will ever 'get over it', what happens is that we find ways to cope and learn to live with it, for some it becomes easier but not for all. We have memories that we can cherish and through them our loved ones can live on in our hearts, our minds and our actions. I hope that your memories bring you as much happiness as mine do for me.

Thank you @sojourn for your valuable comments and openness. We all have our problems and none of us deal with them in the same way as we are all different and as unique as the things that we all have to deal with and face. I am managing much better these days and although I still have my 'down periods' but, like you, I'll never go down that road again. I have a good life and a lot of support, thankfully my life has been getting back to 'normal'. I haven't returned to work but that is by choice as I have no need to work. I have started to re-establish links to support more worthwhile activities by assisting with administration and other 'behind the scenes' duties. I now have a clear goal to work towards and I am determined to achieve my goal. I wish peace, happiness and good health to all, and will always give what support I can to others.