astone2292

More like inverted with some squiggly lines sticking out. 💜 Yep. I was going to stick with the bird's, but I got stuck...

Yay! Double-yay!! Glad y'all enjoyed it!

“Go, go!” The sound of thundering flaps filled the rainy air. Worry became the only emotion in his body. “Fuck, what's going on? Where are we going?” He and his brethren took to the gloomy sky suddenly, unsure which of them were leading the charge south. Varying answers came as the response. “Don't know!” “Who cares, shut up.” “Hurry!” Irritated and annoyed that he lost the comfortable perch, he yelled, “Seriously, what's the deal?” “We're going over here,” one

Holy smokes! I mean literally. Okay, not really, but use your imaginations for a moment. A dark theater stage. The crimson curtains slowly open to fog creeping out into the audience. A lone spotlight shines upon a mysterious silhouette. Who could it be? What is their purpose? Will they entertain or shock us? For those who fell asleep, it's the fourth Thursday of the month, which means it's time for the Author Guess Who reveal! If you missed out on the interview, you can read it right... > > > HERE < < < And for those who may have guess correctly, give yourselves a pat on the back! Without further ado, let's reveal our mystery author. It is... an Admin! This author... has written 565,324 words! This author... is... Valkyrie Check out these stories they've written! And if you enjoyed this blog game, feel free to join in on the fun! Send me a PM expressing your interest, and I'll give you a wonderful list of questions! See y'all in a few weeks!

It is time! No, not the Super Bowl. Not the yearly anthology either. Put your guessing hats on, y'all! Don't worry, I'll give you a few seconds... Darn, it's in the title. Jeezums, what am I supposed to do with all of this confetti? Maybe I'll hand it to a kid waiting at the bus stop and tell 'em to wreak havoc in class. Evil plots aside, it's time for Author Guess Who! For those who do not know or are new, this is a monthly blog game with a mystery interviewee. The only clues you get are that they're an author on GA and the following Q&A. Not only do you get to whip out your magnifying glasses, but you can learn more about some of our community here. If you think you know who it is or just want to point accusatory fingers, drop a guess or five in the comment section! Let's see what our mystery guest has to say. Who knows... They might've accidentally left a clue that will unmask their identity. • • • • • What is one thing the GA community might not know about you? I’m on the LGBTQ rainbow, but I won’t say which letter. You're making a peanut butter & jelly sandwich. What kind of peanut butter, and what kind of jelly/jam? Crunchy peanut butter with homemade grape jelly made with grapes from my mom’s next door neighbor’s grapevine. What prompted you to write your first story? I’ve always loved to read and wanted to try my hand at writing my own story about my interests. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? The living person. Unless it’s a vampire. A real vampire like Lestat or Louis. None of this Twilight bullshit. Are you a dog or cat person? Meow hiss What's something on your bucket list? To visit Alaska. Hey, how about that? Teleportation was just invented. Where's the first place you're going? Don't worry, the purple portal pad is totally safe. I’m going to visit my bestie, purple portal pad be damned! Is there a fictional character you look up to? Who is it? It’s a character I wrote, so What is your favorite movie/television show? Pee Wee’s Big Adventure You've been exposed to fictional radiation! Don't worry, it's not that bad... I think. What super power would you like to have? Teleportation without the purple portal pad. Which actor/actress would you like to see portray you in this year's newest documentary blockbuster? Either Kathy Bates or Dan Levy When you go on vacation/holiday, when do you pack your suitcase? The night before, a few hours before the plane takes off? Who the hell packs the night before? Procrastinators unite! Tomorrow… What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? Being at peace with who I am and where I am in life. • • • • • So, we got a procrastinating, cat-loving, Alaska-admiring author? This one might be a doozie. I hope y'all grabbed your detective hats because my lips are sealed. Mark your calendars for the reveal on the 22nd of this month. Did you catch a hint? If so, comment section! Go Go GO!!!

I don't know about y'all, but the weather here is a little wonky. 59 degrees Fahrenheit is a tad bit warm for February. Hold on a second... I think that's because we have a new Ask An Author edition that's hot off the presses! Eh? See what I did there? Aren't you proud of me? Nah, I can feel a few sets of eyeballs on me as I type this. I'll take the "boo's" in the comment section, please and thank you. Anyway, new interview! I had the lovely opportunity to chat with @Lee Wilson and see how their mind works. Enjoy the interview! • • • • • Lee Wilson 8 Stories / 398,382 Words What prompted you to start writing, and what has kept you going? There are really two answers to that question. I started a novel many (very many) years ago from an idea I had. It was just a spark really, but I spent a bunch of time on it. I don't get back to it often enough. My intent was self-publishing it, but it stalled after a few chapters. Secondly, while surfing the net, I came across nifty.org. After reading a few stories there, and one that triggered a memory, I figured, hey, I could do this. I set up a new email address to be anonymous and started writing. Interestingly enough, Lee Wilson is one of the characters' names in the aforementioned, truncated novel. Anyway, the story grew from that single memory into something a whole lot more. One of the comments sent to me mentioned this site. I started a story that the moderators there couldn't classify, so I moved it here. I'd also gotten to another story that I saw getting longer, so I brought the first couple chapters here as well. What keeps me going? Two things. Obviously continuing to come up with new ideas, and the folks here. I feel like I fit in somewhere; I don't have a lot of friends IRL. What genres do you enjoy writing, and what genre have you always wanted to explore? Well, primarily the stuff I've written here. I guess you'd summarize it as gay relationships. Apparently, I'd always wanted to explore that, it's thirteen stories and counting later. Do you have a favorite food or beverage? Something you could have every day without growing tired of it. Pasta, probably seafood alfredo specifically, but Bolognese works too. Top it off with a Mountain Dew, and I'm happy. What is one story/book you could read until the end of time and why? Stephen King's 'The Stand.' It's just a great story. Awesome characters and it's not exactly horror, for anybody that might be afraid to try it because they don't like the genre. Horror doesn't bother me, though; I have all of SK's books. And all of Lee Child's, John Grisham's, what I could find of Dean Koontz and Jeffrey Deaver, a lot of Richard Laymon, Jo Nesbo, a couple of James Patterson's series, John Saul. Did I mention I like to read? If you could chat/gush about one story you've written, which one? Wow tough question. If I were to pick one that's here (since most of what's on nifty wouldn't fly here), I think it would be 'Don't Blame the Band.' I took that one all over the place. It's also the longest one I've written so far. But to be completely honest, it would be the first one I wrote on nifty. DM or email me if you're interested in knowing how perverse I really am. 😁 • • • • • Thanks for the interview, Lee! Make sure y'all check out their stories. In the meantime, don't forget to send me some questions for your favorite authors!

The alarms are going off! Two week have come and gone, so now is the time to see if you guessed our mystery author. If you missed the questions or forgot what the responses were, you can click HERE to read 'em. Let's check the reveal! It is... a Promising Author! This author... has written over 1,124,061 words! This author... is... kbois Check out these stories they've written!

Sometimes it takes years to find words, for both story and comment. I live by the motto, "Take your time." The words will come to you sooner or later. And don't you worry, I'll be returning to this series soon enough. Been buried in work and my own stories, but I'm eager to read when I find time.

Y'all would be so proud of me. I set an alarm to get this month's edition of Author Guess Who all typed up! If you don't know the drill, Author Guess Who is a blog game where our community is given some answered questions and is tasked with guessing which of our wonderful authors participated. Don't be afraid to be analytical about the responses. There might be a hidden clue buried within. Here we go! • • • • • What is one thing the GA community might not know about you? I struggle daily with self-confidence. Peanut butter: Crunchy or creamy? Crunchy. But I'm not super picky. What prompted you to write your first story? Unemployment and boredom. Do you have a significant other? Yes. You're stuck on an island. You're allowed one book, one food item, and one beverage. What are they? Too hard to pick only one book. That's like trying to choose which kid you put the oxygen mask on first when the plane decompresses. Food is easier. Steak. Preferably rib-eye. Beverage, clean, crisp water. Survival has to take precedence over anything else. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? Hmmm. Robin Williams. The man was brilliant. Are you a dog or cat person? Woof. What's something on your bucket list? The Edinburgh Military Tattoo. Hey, how about that? Teleportation was just invented. Where's the first place you're going? Don't worry, the purple portal pad is totally safe. Duh... Edinburgh during Tattoo. Is there a fictional character you look up to? Who is it? Rip on Yellowstone. He's badass. What is your favorite movie/television show? Lassie How would you describe the taste of salt to someone who has never had it before? It tastes like the ocean smells. Which actor/actress would you like to see portray you in this year's newest documentary blockbuster? Melissa McCarthy When you go on vacation/holiday, when do you pack your suitcase? The night before, a few hours before the plane takes off? Usually a day or two before, but I'm always throwing crap in as we're going out the door. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? Honestly, my stories. They're something that pushed me to do something completely out of my comfort zone. In doing so I became part of an amazing community. • • • • • Edinburgh, Lassie, and crunchy peanut butter... I would say I don't have a clue, but I carry the answer. Did anyone else pick up anything important in that interview? Any bells or alarms go off? Shout out your guesses in the comment section below! The reveal will be posted on the 25th, so mark your calendars.

Kinda been in a funk. Still alive. Having one of those "living in a cabin with a typewriter" moments.

2024... For some reason, I thought we'd have hover-cars and Futurama's tube transportation by now. Instead, I get a pinched nerve in my neck. Yippee! I'm not sure about y'all but I got a few resolutions to work on for this year. Speaking of resolutions, I think this is a good time to sit down and reflect. In a few months, I will have been working on Ask An Author 3.0 for three years. It's been a fun ride with a few bumps along the way, including the one I tripped over when I realized I forgot to get today's in order. And... The piggy bank is dry. I'll mark it as a sign to start 2024 off strong on the blog-side of things for our awesome community here. So, where do we go from here? Do I keep doing the same thing-- using reader-asked questions and ringing authors' doorbells like a Boy Scout selling popcorn? Do we switch things up a bit? Honestly, I'm open to feedback. I've contemplated creating a set of questions that would intrigue interviewees while capturing readers' attention, then ask random authors in our community instead of waiting for potential interviews to fall in my lap. But I combat taking the lead on stuff like this. I like hearing from those who listen, and that's you. What shall become of Ask An Author? Quitting is not an option for me. I want to feature authors on this site, and this is a way for me to do just that. While I ponder and hear back from y'all for a week or two, how about we make this edition a community event? Let's hear from the comment section a bit, eh? Since I've been tackling the idea of becoming a streamer for my writing... Chat, here are your questions: What is your favorite story/collection on Gay Authors? What is your favorite food? If you could accomplish one thing for 2024, what would it be? Sound off in the comments what you'd like to see of Ask An Author, plus your responses to these three questions!

Hope everyone had some happy holidays! Yours truly did. Seeing Momma Stone's eyes light up when she opened her new iPad was a great moment. The bro-in-law got me an indoor counter-top grill, so I'll be using that every day for the next week until I accidentally leave it in the farthest corner of the cabinet. Speaking of weeks, your two weeks are up. Time to see if y'all guessed the author. If you missed the questions or forgot what the responses were, you can click HERE to read 'em. Let's check the reveal! This author... has 68 stories logged! This author... has written over two million words! This author... is... Cia Check out these stories they've written! Thanks for participating, @Cia! Always a pleasure to read you're work (when I have a spare moment). As for you, dear reader, January is right around the corner. That means another edition is on its way! In the meantime, if you're an author that would like to participate in our little AGW game, feel free to send me a message.

I'm sure we'll see Jared again... at some point. Got a few stories ahead of him, though. I do have a story started for this universe but it'll take some time. Need more planning and development.

Nope, not me. She did that on her own. Absolutely evil of her to put the pandas on the Huntington team...

You know what I like about the holidays? There's the food, the gatherings, the booze. But there's also games, and it's time to play! Right here, right now. Get your guessing hats on because it's Author Guess Who! For those who aren't familiar, we have a lovely interview with a mystery author. It will be your job to deduce who it could possibly be, which may or may not be easy. After you've taken some time to think about who it might be, make your guess in the comment section! Let's get into it, folks! • • • • • What is one thing that most GA members might not know about you? I'm afraid of clowns. Seriously, IT at age 8 with a sadistic best friend ruined me for clowns AND scary movies. What prompted you to write your first story? On GA? Authors here who I beta read for told me to post the ideas I had. As a kid? I told stories to my step-siblings at bed time until they fell asleep and they wanted to draw the pictures, so I would write them out for them. What genre of books do you enjoy reading and have you written for that genre? Yep and oh yes! Is there a genre that you haven’t written for that you would consider trying later on? Of course. Writing the same thing is boring. What do you like most about publishing on GA? Comments, duh. LOL I love the community of readers/authors. Do you have any unique writing habits or rituals to help you get into a writing mood? Nope. Writing is part mood but mostly just "do it, get it done!" once I commit to a project. How has your writing style evolved over time? Editing for sure. I also moved away from all those horrible cliches (at least I hope so). Do you have a significant other? Yep, for a long time. Decades. Ages. Eons. Since the dawn of... "Hey, stop stealing the covers!" was a thing I could know existed. Do you have any pets? Furry friends are a must! Do you post multi-chapter stories as you write? Do you wait until you’ve finished writing the entire story? Or is it something in between? As I write. I sometimes don't even do a read through before I post. *shrugs* I'm impatient. And last-minute. What is your favorite television show? TV bores me. Currently the family likes Prodigal Son and 911. What is your favorite movie? Willow Do you write poetry? Prose? Or both? Gods, no to the poetry. Don't really like to read it either and refuse to beta it. Prose is where I fall. If you could meet one person, living or dead, who would it be? Grandma, because there's never enough hugs from that person in your life. I didn't see her enough in my life, since we always lived thousands of miles apart, and I miss her beyond belief since she passed. What would you say is your greatest accomplishment? The legacy I will leave behind when I die, my monsters. • • • • • I must say, these are some very interesting responses. Who could it be? Were there any major clues in the interview? Get those guesses in! Y'all got two weeks to rack your noggins. The reveal will publish on December 28th, so take your time. Do some research. Whisper among yourselves to figure it out. And for the authors that think this sounds like fun, send me a message! Authors are welcome to participate. I'll give you a big ol' list of questions for you to answer! See you in two weeks!

Glad to hook ya! Carlos was always harping on me to get out and stop being a homebody. This was my way of doing that.

December is here, and you know what that means... There's one song I'll be muttering under my breath for the next three weeks. No, it's not Mariah Carey's Christmas song. The husband is already wanting to strangle me for singing Trixie Mattel's "All I Want For Christmas is Nudes" nonstop the past couple of days. But you're not here to hear me sing, and if you are, you've come to the wrong blog article. December also means y'all get another Ask An Author! Let's see, lemme dig around. I know I got one here somewhere. Jeezums, it's dark in— AH, GOT ONE! Took me a bit, but here ya go. Time to see what @WolfM is up to... • • • • • Higher Education WolfM 21 Chapters / 105,204 Words / Status: Complete What was the draw for writing and creating in this genre? Maybe it was my name that started me down this path. I do have a passion for the furry beasts I’m named after. More seriously, for as long as I can remember, the idea of shapeshifters has been a favorite fantasy of mine. I’ve written about being homeless and living on the streets a couple times. It wasn’t a pleasant world on the best of days. Creating in this genre made for a fantasy world I could escape into where I was able to hide from what was around me. Beings that don’t usually get sick, are strong enough to protect themselves, and can heal injuries just by shifting between their different bodies had a big appeal to a teen who tried act like he was never scared. On second thought, it was definite because I’m named Wolf. 😉 In almost all of your stories, the characters both primary and secondary may start single or coupled; but by the end they almost always coupled. Is there a reason that you tend to put your characters into relationships? To be honest, it’s not something I really gave much thought to. When I started writing Running with the Pack, I wanted it to be a boy meets boy story. I didn’t think of it as writing a romance story, but that’s partly what it became. For me, I really didn’t see myself as someone who’d have a meaningful relationship with anyone, but it was fun to see in print. While I was more-or-less happy being single while I wrote, I wanted something a little more for my characters. Aiden got Ethan. Casey got Darius and Cody, the greedy bastard. In The Journal of Chris Williams, it seemed like a natural progression of Chris’ healing that he found his true mate; what’s considered the ultimate happiness for a shifter in the world I create. Dorian was going to remain single, but I liked the character of Karissa Ryan and had fun when I expanded on their time together. I also thought she was just the person to knock some sense into the man. In Embers, Brandon is based on me more than any other character, even though Ethan’s beginnings match mine, so he started with his mate to match mine. I guess I could have created a similar dynamic between characters without putting them in a relationship. Through multiple books, Trevor had always been the playboy; always playing the field and getting laid with as many women as he could. So far I haven’t mated him off to anyone, though it came close. At the end of Higher Education, despite his summer relationship he does return to Harvard a single man. Maybe I’m just a romantic at heart. While this genre would be one that would lend itself to outdoor setting; you seem to set not only this story but others in areas with amazing outdoor sites. Is there something about the outdoors that really call to you, or more just that this genre needs to have some of those settings? I’m not an especially big fan of the outdoors and yet I’ve spent a lot of my life in it, which is probably why I’m not a fan. It’s a vicious cycle. That said, I kind of felt with my characters being part animal, they need to be outside of a bustling city with places they can shift, hunt, and run. I did kind of go against that in Embers with the ones living in Sydney. With Higher Education I decided to reuse the same rural Northern California town from The Alpha. The way I’d left that pack offered a good starting point for another book. Trevor hadn’t spent much time in that pack’s territory, so it was natural to have him explore. While there’s many fun and incredible things you can do in a city, I prefer writing the relaxed setting of the outdoors. Visiting a beautiful waterfall or climbing to the top of a volcano usually aren’t usually available options in a metropolitan location. I did place or mentioned shifters in and around San Diego and Los Angeles. If I hadn’t, Trevor wouldn’t have had the fun he did with Brandon in Hillcrest’s bars and restaurants. Well, the nude beach definitely qualified as outdoors near a big city. Where I’ve used a real location in a book, I’ve tried to see what’s around for my characters to do. Between the time I wrote The Alpha and Higher Education, I got to spend time in the area controlled by the Pit River Pack and was able to experience some of what I’d written about. That alone, increased my desire to reuse Burney, CA as a story location. Trevor was able to see more things than I used the first go around. Tourists do tend to find more than the locals who are used to having it around. Maybe the outdoors does call to me more than I’d like to admit. Just as long as camping isn’t involved. I get enough of that as a firefighter. • • • • • Thanks for the interview, @WolfM! It's always a pleasure chatting with you. Well, if you didn't catch my subliminal message before the interview, I'll reiterate. We've reached the bottom of the barrel again, folks. There's no more stories in the piggy bank. Help a little blogger and give him a few Q&A sessions for Christmas. If YOU have read an awesome story recently and want to learn more, send me THREE questions in a personal message pertaining to an author's story. Have a good holiday, y'all! See ya next year.

Thanks, Chris! I've been sitting on this story for many months, so I hope everyone receives it well!!

Zach has been invited out for his sister’s twenty-first birthday. Unfortunately for him, he’s stuck at the nightclub with little to do. The music is annoying, and he does not drink. His saving grace? The bartender giving him Perrier and truffle fries. How exciting. Can anything or anyone rescue him from his boredom?

Ooooooh! Did I give y'all enough time to put your guesses in? I know @Valkyrie has been a wee bit antsy to find out who this month's AGW participant was. Let's see if anyone got it right... This author... has 13 stories logged! This author... has written over 139,000 words! This author... is... Mancunian Check out these stories they've written! Thanks for participating, @Mancunian! Keep your peepers open. December's edition is right around the corner.

Y'all are adorable!! Making me blush while I'm tipsy and stuff!

Thank you, Mod Team! Your efforts and dedication are greatly appeciated!!

I mean, Long John Silvers just brought back their fried cheese bites. Those things don't deserve to be in their menu. They're amazing!

Me thinks you meant to use the Ask An Author link, not the new Author Guess Who.

Sorry about that Lee! New Q&A has been put in.