Bill W

This was a great Halloween story. I know everyone here at GA felt deeply for Ralph and Darrell, because unfortunately this isn't a new or unique story for gays. It's too bad more of the thugs that committed these crimes weren't still alive so they could have been punished and Ralph and Darrell would have finally received a little justice.

Devin is a college student and he and his roommate, Jonah, was walking the dog Devin was dog-sitting with. The dog had run off and Devin chased after it and got lost in the process. That's when he met a mysterious man in the woods and became obsessed with him. He was doing his best to learn more about this mysterious woodsman and wasn't making much headway until Halloween night, when it all became clear. To find out what Devin discovered, you'll have to read this this seasonal short story.

I hope Jonah doesn't see this news report or find anything online about it or he'll never let Devin live it down. The story kept me hanging in there to see who the mysterious man was, but I was a little disappointed to discover it was only a drug pusher creating his product out in the woods.

I think I've finally figured out all 15. Now my head can stop spinning! Yay!

Then you must have been the editor or the beta, otherwise you're cheating. 🤪

I remember some of those lines, I just can't recall which story it came from.

A character's confidence shapes storytelling by driving plot action, revealing internal growth, and creating engaging dramatic tension. It dictates how a hero takes charge, reacts to failure, and connects with the audience. Driving the Plot and Agency: Taking Action: Confident characters show strong agency, making active choices instead of just reacting to events. Inspiring Others: A secure leader or hero pulls secondary characters and readers along through sheer self-belief. Raising the Stakes: High confidence makes high risks feel earned and dangerous. Character Arcs and Vulnerability: The Danger of Arrogance: Unearned or blind confidence turns into hubris, setting up a major fall or lesson. Overcoming Doubt: Moving from insecurity to true self-assurance provides a satisfying emotional transformation. Exposing Flaws: True confidence coexists with flaws, allowing characters to admit mistakes and adapt.

The word confidence comes from the Latin word confidentia, meaning "firmly trusting" or "bold", and with the verb confidere, meaning "to have full trust or reliance". It passed through Old French as confidence and first appeared in written English around 1400–1430 to mean an assurance or belief in someone else's good will or truth. Over time, the focus of the meaning moved from trusting others to having reliance and trust in one's own abilities and judgment. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun "confidence" was first used in English around 1430, during the Middle English period, and was found in the writings of the English poet and prior John Lydgate.

Although this story is tangential to the theme, it's still a good read. Herman Steel is a superhero who tries to retire and live a normal life, but it doesn't work out quite the way he imagines. Read this interesting short story to learn why it didn't go as planned.

Although the underlying scenario is all too familiar, it's good when superheroes and non-superheroes stand up for what right and not politically expedient. Great job, W_L! I loved it.

Andy has been chatting with Jayce online for several months and they finally agreed to meet up in real life. Andy is a little nervous and is busy visually picturing what Jayce will look like, but it doesn't start out as he expects. If you want to find out what happened, then you'll have to read this short story.

The woman just disappears after pulling off that gag? I would have thought she would have stuck around, at least for a while, so she could apologize for being part of such a cruel joke. I wonder how Jayce talked her into doing it in the first place, and now Jayce will find out if Andy forgiving person. However, I would advise Jayce to be prepared for almost anything next April Fool's Day.

A steady or steadfast character provides grounding, stability, and clear moral compass in a story. They anchor the chaotic plot, highlight the flaws of changing characters around them, and prove the core message of the theme. Why a Steady Character Matters: Anchoring the Plot: Gives the reader a safe, reliable point of view when everything else in the story world changes or falls apart. Proving the Theme: Acts as living proof that the character's starting truth or value is right, testing it against heavy pressure without breaking. Guiding Other Characters: Shows a strong example that forces dynamic characters to face their own flaws and decide whether to change. Building Trust: Makes the narrative feel safe and predictable in a good way, so the audience can relax and focus on external conflicts.

The word steady comes from trhe root word stead (meaning a place, spot, or station) combined with the suffix -y. It may also compare to old continental forms like Middle Dutch or Middle Low German stēdig. It appeared in the 1520s to mean firmly fixed in place. It traces back to Old English and Germanic roots meaning a standing place or position. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the adjective was first used in the 14th century, and the verb steady first appears in English in the mid-1500s (specifically 1530) in the writings of scholar and teacher John Palsgrave. The adverb steady was first recorded around 1605 (though related forms like steadily appeared slightly earlier in 1540). The noun steady was first recorded in 1792 in the writings of George Cartwright. In the 1520s the adjective was used to describe things "firmly fixed in place or station," replacing older words like steadfast for physical objects. In the 1530s the Verb was adopted as an action word meaning to make or keep something firm and free from shaking. The meaning was expanded over time to describe even rhythms, calm behaviors, and regular habits, as well as romantic partners ("go steady") in the 20th century.

The temp here will drop down into the 80s for the first 9 days of the month, and then it will go back up into the 90s. It will stay that way until the last few days of the month and into Sept when it drops back into the 80s. The nights will start to cool down in Oct, and then the days will start to cool down in Nov. Hopefully I can keep from turning the heat on until Dec, because using the air conditioning has played hell with my utility bills and I'll need a break before having to heat the house will bring them back up again. The Secret Author stories were awesome and I hope everyone read each of them and enjoyed them. Thanks for all of your hard work, Cia, and I hope things are getting back to normal with your personal life.

Conrad was born on April 1st, April Fool's Day, so people are always playing pranks on him on his birthday. It has also led to other things happening, some not so good, but eventually he gets to celebrate a joke free birthday. If you want to discover what makes that day so special, then read this charming short story.

Without realizing it, Neil actually did Conrad a favor by cheating on him. Of course, Conrad got physically injured at that time, as well as emotionally hurt, but if Neil hadn't cheated on him, then Conrad wouldn't have been able to hook up with Chase. I've never known anyone born on April 1st, but I can appreciate that it must be a pain, but you turned it into a sweet story. Thanks Adi.

Oliver Treadwell, a high school math teacher, writes an article for a magazine that earns him an invitation to be the keynote speaker at a conference in San Francisco. Unfortunately, his connecting flight in Chicago on the way there is delay by snow, and that's not the only thing to go wrong on this trip. If you're curious about finding out what else went wrong, then read his enchanting short story.

Shakespeare would have title this story A Comedy of Errors. I noticed when he got to SF that the sign read Tidwell, and although Oliver might have just thought they'd misspelled his name, it was the first clue for me that this wasn't his ride. I'm sure the other guy felt the same way. I liked how the story ended on a positive note, so maybe Oliver and Martin may have a chance after all.

Someone pulled a prank at work, and from that time on new pranks are being played around every holiday. The other employees are getting fed up with these stunts and are trying to figure out who's doing it, but they're unsuccessful. In fact, they don't even recognize the prankster when he's basically caught, but comes up with a reasonable explanation for why he isn't the one.

Some of the readers may have figured out in advance who the pranksters were, since we were getting additional information, but their co-workers couldn't figure it out because they were looking for a single jokester, not two. It was also easier to see why everyone was beginning to get annoyed with the pranks, because after a while they're not funny any longer.

A character’s strong presence in storytelling is vital because they drive the plot, create emotional connections, and anchor the theme. Without a clear and active presence, a story loses its heart and direction. Driving the Plot: Making Choices: Characters take action and make decisions that change the direction of the story. Creating Conflict: Their personal goals clash with outside forces, which builds tension. Avoiding Flatness: An active presence keeps a character from feeling like simple background decoration. Building Emotion: Sparking Empathy: Readers care about people and their struggles long before they care about events. Showing Growth: Watching a person change, fail, and overcome flaws makes the journey rewarding. Raising Stakes: When we know what a character stands to lose, every moment feels important. Delivering Meaning: Sharing Perspective: Characters act as the eyes and ears through which the audience experiences the world. Revealing Truths: Their ultimate choices show us the core message or lesson of the tale.

The word presence comes from Old French as presence (Modern French présence), and Latin praesentia ("a being present"), which comes from praesentem and the verb praeesse ("to be before"), formed by combining prae ("before") and esse ("to be"). It was borrowed into English during the mid-14th century to mean the "fact of being present" or the space around a person. According to the Oxford English Dictionary (OED), the noun presence was first used in English during the Middle English period (1150-1500) (specifically before 1325 in the Statutes of the Realm). It expanded usage to describe being face-to-face with a person of high rank or nobility in the mid-14th century. It was adopted to mean personal carriage, physical demeanor, or impressive bearing 1570s and used to describe the feeling of a divine, spiritual, or incorporeal entity in the 1660s.

This story is filled with riddles, deception, intrigue, and suspense, which makes this story also a mystery, besides being an alternative history of the end of the Civil War. Once the story jumps to the 20th and 21st centuries, the protagonists are William H. Seward, Lincoln's Secretary of State, and his grandson, Billy Seward. There are also several antagonists who are trying their best to keep the truth from coming out. This longer shot story is a fantastic read and I strongly suggest it to anyone who loves a good mystery and wants to see another version of how the Civil War may have ended.

What a fantastic alternate history of this time period. As Billy and the others discovered, as was expected, that Grant and his senior staff were murdered because of greed and power. I loved the circuitous route they were forced to take to discover the truth and the intrigue and decption involved by those who were attempting to prevent that from happening. Great job, SA!