Mancunian

Now I've caught up I feel that I can comment. I love it, this has the makings of an idyllic school romance, but I get the feeling that our esteemed author, @Mark Ponyboy Peters, has other ideas and will throw in a spanner or two. In the meantime, I'll make the most of things while it's going well. I wish I could have this opportunity in school but when you're home-schooled for most of your school years it's not going to happen and when your body is less than desirable that puts you in the negatives, but one can still dream.

This is very different to the stories I usually read but it is a good read. It seems that Nico is trapped in a hidden world in his coma, one that doesn't make any sense to him although he takes it in his stride. I'm guessing, that until he recovers in this fantasy world hidden in his subconscious, he will not return to reality. Malcolm is waiting, worrying and missing his Nico, I hope his wait is not a long one. In my humble opinion, this is a good first chapter to a story that hasn't concluded. It has me intrigued and I hope our secret author has plans to continue the story when the anthology closes.

Don't sell yourself short, I'm sure you have a lot of good stories just waiting for you to write. A few tips which I hope will help you. Check out the Writers Circle, there are many useful tips and links posted there. Try using an app such as Grammarly (there are other similar app's) that can help with grammar, spelling and punctuation. Enlist the help of an editor and/or a beta reader, good ones can help immensely in producing a smoother read to your stories. I'm sure others can also pass on a few useful tips and possibly more.

Your author profile will appear automatically when you post your first story and will list all of your posted stories. Your author reputation will be visible when you receive your first reaction to a story or chapter. For most authors, it does not take long before they reach that magic 250 reputation score.

One that does throw some new authors is the difference between member reputation and author reputation when they post a story or chapter and it is placed in the moderation queue. You are already gaining a member reputation by taking part in the site, when you start to post a story you will start to gain an author reputation. It is an increased author reputation that will free you from the moderation queue. You can see both when you click on an author profile page, under the author avatar you will see two numbers, the number in green is the member profile reputation score, and the number in grey is the author reputation score. The author's reputation score increases when readers react to stories and chapters, when it goes above 250 your stories will post immediately, while it remains below 250 any story or chapter will join the moderation queue to be checked by site admin before it is posted. I hope you can get your head around that, it took me a bit of time before I understood it.

GA does have a few quirks, , but it does get easier the more you settle in. Very often the answers to questions can be found in the help forum, if you can't find the answer you're looking for just ask, help is always to hand.

Welcome to GA, joining while @Cia is posting the secret author stories is a fun time to join and gives you a lot of fresh stories to read. I see you have taken author status so I'll look out for you when you post your stories, I love to read what new authors bring to the site. Remember one thing as you explore GA, there are no strangers here, only friends you haven't met yet. 👋

Poor Carter, all he wants is to be allowed to do a good job and prove himself as designer. Instead, he is unknowingly caught in a devious man's plans to seduce Jeremy. I'm sure in my own mind that Dexter had more than a hand in the course of events that got Carter fired. Maybe Jeff will catch wind of what has happened and be able to do something, but I'm not sure what. I think Carter needs a good friend, maybe Jeff can be that friend. But Jeremy needs to wake up and smell the coffee, if he doesn't he will find himself the victim of Dexter and his own scheming mother! I've no doubt she had a hand in matters too.

This a skilfully written story in journal form and authentically written with the errors in grammar and spelling that some of our youth make. It draws you in with a real feel and grips your attention. @Lee Wilson has posted alternative endings so you can decide how this story ends for you. If you decide on ending in Jamie Is Found II take heed of the warnings, they are there with good reason. As a hardened reader I will say that each of the alternatives are valid endings for the story. Reading the chapter comments will explain. Read and be drawn in by this well-written story.

I'm typing through a veil of tears, I'm sure it will be understood when I say that I don't like this ending, I much prefer the other version. This is well-written and captures the mood very well, but that's not why I don't like it. It hits where it hurts the most, in the heart of any decent human being, but that is still not why I don't like it. The reason is that it is very believable. I can see how the story could end this way in real life and I'm sure that there are more than a few real-life stories out there that have some parallels with this story. That is why I don't like this version. Although I don't like this end version I can understand why it was written. I think that posting it as you have, complete with the warnings given, is a bold move and the best way to do it. Not all LGBTQ+ stories have a happy ever after in real life and this should be reflected in fiction too. I can't condone Dak's actions, nor will I, but I fully understand the reasons for them. Until the violence and bullying of those of us from the LGBTQ+ community stops, this can also be said of any minority group who suffers this type of behaviour, we are left to watch our own backs.

@Albert1434, I'm stunned. The story is great and so well told. Thank you.

@Albert1434, here's the link for the next secret author story.

The story starts with a Sub running away after an argument with his Dom, but it is not a dark story so don't go thinking it is, it is the opposite. The Sub is taken on a road trip back home by a straight friend but it is much more than that. It is a story about love and a fun road trip that strengthens bonds and so much more. It is a fun story that leaves you with a warm fuzzy feeling at the end, read and join in the fun, it's the only way you find out about the details.

Starting with an argument between a Dom and his Sub this story transforms into a story about love, fun and self-exploration with a game of hide-and-seek as the backdrop. It looks like Kaira and Noah had a lot of fun on this road trip and I'm sure I'm not the only one who would love to do that. Liam, the Sub in the story, enjoyed the freedom to have fun and experience independence with Kaira, his straight friend, helping him become more grounded. This never detracted from his love for Liam, his Dom, it added to the appreciation of the relationship he has proving that absence often does make the heart grow fonder of what you have. Liam was outfoxed for a while but then he did catch up, instead of rushing in and claiming Noah, who is more than his Sub and prize he is his much-loved partner, he stays in the background watching and taking delight in Noah's fun. The excitement and love at their re-union is beautiful and will probably strengthen their relationship. While I don't understand the dynamics of a Dom/Sub relationship I do know about love, and that is what this well-written story is about.

@Albert1434, I love it. With your descriptions, I can almost smell the sea breeze.

Something has arrived, I'm off for a read.

I've just checked, there is nothing there.

Five years passed, and today, Koa and Frank stood with Joyce and Howard talking together before their children's wedding. Koa held a large envelope. "Do you think they'll like it?" Joyce smiled and put a hand on Koa's forearm. "I think so. Beatrice loves that house and the garden." "Those two are a great match. They'll get that house finished and have a wonderful life there," Howard said. "They will. You're right, they're a great team." Frank nodded and reached for Koa's hand. "I guess we'd better take our seats." When I read the above paragraph I guessed that Koa and Frank bought the house and garden from Joyce and Howard to give as a wedding gift. The wall was built by Bea's grandfather to give Bea's grandmother a feeling of security in her 'melancholy'.

You're welcome, my friend.

Aloha Albert, I hope you and Steve have a good weekend.

@Albert1434 here's the link for the next secret author story.

This is a well-written smouldering love story based around a secret garden that should not be missed. Read and be drawn into the story by Blue and Bea, you will enjoy it.

Wow, this is a beautiful story of the hidden garden and its meaning of love and devotion. But it's more than that, it tells the story of Blue's self-discovery and acceptance of himself as straight and not gay like his fathers and what he thought he should be. It is not what I thought it would be, but that does not detract from it or the slow-growing romance of the story, if anything it adds to it. I can guess what the envelope contains, the deeds to the house and garden. I'd love to read a follow-up describing the house renovation and the continued love of Bea and Blue for each other and the garden. Our secret author has a talent to be admired.

Luckily Jamie was found, although not in good health, a full physical recovery was on the cards. I say it like that because I don't think he would make a full emotional or mental recovery. This story shows that a HEA is not always full of huge wealth and children, often it is fairly ordinary but still happy, I like it. I do wonder what the alternative ending in the next chapter will be like.

To answer your questions, yes and yes. This is really good and a very interesting start.