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Fishwings

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  1. Fishwings

    Bummed

    By Fishwings,

    There's this guy I like but all we ever talk about are raves and school. Also he hasn't gotten back to me when I asked him out. It's been like four whole days (I think).
     
    I'm kinda bummed.
     
    brb while I play some sad sad piano and collect my tears in a jar and save the salt crystals so I can cook myself a fucking plate of stir fried depression
     
    #FIRSTWorldProblems
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    (I always get first* and third* world confused, why am I so dumb)
  2. Fishwings
    Interviewer: "Hello Bobby, do you support gay marriage?"
    Bobby: "Yeah of course. Gays should get to marry whoever they want."
     
    Interviewer: "Would you let them live near you?"
    Bobby: "Well... They might have AIDS and they might fuckin pass it onto my children when they open doorknobs and shit. But I still have much respect for them."
     
     
     
    Interviewer: "Hello Joe, what do you think about gays?"
    Joe: "Dude I'm totally cool with all the gays."
     
    Interviewer: "What do you think about gays and them holding hands in public?"
    Joe: "Oh I'm totally cool with that... unless my little bro sees it. He's like in preschool so, like, that would be totally wrong since he's so young."
     
     
     
    Interviewer: "Hello Sara, do you accept gays?"
    Sara: "Oh yeah! Oh yeahhhhh. They have the best fashion sense, I love the gays."
     
    Interviewer: "Do you think it's alright for Canada to protest the anti-gay laws in Russia when they go there for the Olympics?"
    Sara: "Well... not really, the Olympics are about sports, not about some political agenda."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    You claim to hate what's happening in Russia and India. You say you are gay friendly. You claim to set an example for the world.
     
    But are you really?
     
     
    /rageover
  3. Fishwings

    Trancestep

    By Fishwings,

    'Cause it never gets old.
     
    1) Seven Lions ft Fiora - "Days to Come"


     
     
     
    2) Royskopp - "Running to the Sea (Seven Lions Remix)"


     
     
    And time to study, cry.
  4. Fishwings

    EDM with great vids

    By Fishwings,

    Great song, hilarious MV, with a message that really rings true to me.
     
    1) Avicii vs Nicky Romero - "I Could Be The One (Nicktim)"


     
     
    Transgenderism (lol not a word) in EDM. JEAH.
     
    2) Avicii - "Silhouettes"


  5. Fishwings

    Biphobia

    By Fishwings,

    Disgusted cat is disgusted.
     
     
    Biphobia.
     
    What a strange word.
     
    So bisexuality actually never has been a huge topic of interest to me (ironic since I identify as bisexual), but since I've started to become more open about my preferences I've seem to be meeting more and more people who find the concept confusing, controversial, and even highly offensive. When I started dating, I was actually really surprised at the number of people who doubted the very existence of my sexuality.
     
    I've had to come out to my mom a total of 5 times as bisexual because she just could not grasp the concept (including tonight). Her beliefs fall in line with the many others that I have encountered who doubt the existence of bisexuality:
     
    1) People who identify as bisexual use it as an excuse to get around. Many of these people are probably primarily straight, or gay, but would/could/like to sleep with members of the same/opposite gender, respectively. Thus, because bisexuality here is only a product of lust, it cannot be defined as a "true" sexuality.
     
    2) People often come out as bisexual to reap the privileges of heterosexuality, when they are in fact homosexual. Bi now, gay later, because it's "easier."
     
    3) People who are bisexual are constantly in a state of indecision -- they must eventually make the ultimate decision to be gay, or be straight, once they enter a relationship. Once someone gets into a relationship, they can't be bisexual because being bisexual means that you'll be constantly wanting things from the gender that you are not dating.
     
     
     
    So I'm gonna address each of these points from my perspective.
     
     
     
    1) People who identify as bisexual use it as an excuse to get around. Because bisexuality here is only a product of lust, it cannot be defined as a "true" sexuality.
     
    I'm sure there are some guys out there who like to experiment but identify themselves as straight anyways. Sure whatever, gay it up in the locker room dude I don't really care, and I will believe that you are in fact straight/gay if you believe it too. If you're true to yourself, you can define your sexuality however the hell you want it to and no one should doubt you.
     
    So it becomes sort of a problem when someone who defines themselves as straight, says they're bisexual because it will get them more ass. I've honestly never really met someone like this, but I'm not going to deny their existence.
     
    And so, these people exist, but this is really a moot argument and belief, because just because there are some people out there who use bisexuality to get more sex, doesn't mean that everyone who identifies as bisexual do this.
     
    2) People often come out as bisexual to reap the privileges of heterosexuality, when they are in fact homosexual.
     
    I can see where this comes into play. In some circumstances, it is easier to come out as bisexual because it means that you still have some "hope" to end up with someone of your opposite gender. Usually this is in conservative environments where straight privilege is more important.
     
    But it's not like that for a lot of people. Heterosexuals and homosexuals both often shun bisexuals because it's unfamiliar and misunderstood. It would have been much easier for me to come out to my mom as gay rather than bisexual, because bisexuality was a concept that she did not understand or accept.
     
    3) People who are bisexual are constantly in a state of indecision -- they must eventually make the ultimate decision to be gay, or be straight, once they enter a relationship. Once someone gets into a relationship, they can't be bisexual because being bisexual means that you'll be constantly wanting things from the gender that you are not dating.
     
    I think a very common misconception of bisexuality is, what's that quote, "I realized I'm not bisexual, I'm just slutty!" Well, a lot of people who aren't bisexual are just as and just as not promiscuous. Someone's sexuality doesn't change when they get into a relationship, and if they want to sleep around while they're in a relationship... well, that's their sex drive talking. Their bisexuality is just a pointer that points them to both genders.
     
    I don't think most bisexuals are in a constant state of indecision. There are bisexuals who know exactly how much they are attracted to each gender. For me, it's always been a bit fluid. Sometimes I'll meet a guy I really like, and I'll feel like guys are all I like for awhile. Sometimes I'll find a girl that I really like, and I'll feel like I'll only ever be happy with a girl too.
     
    It's taken a long time for me to realize that my preferences change over time and situation, but I've always had the capacity to fall in love and lust with either gender. That's my own definition of bisexuality; there's nothing indecisive about that.
     

    LOL THIS IMAGE wtf
     
     
    I think I'm going to end it here. I was gonna make this blog super funny and shit but honestly I'm kinda tired of hearing people tell me that my sexuality just isn't valid.
     
    Anyways, I'd love to hear your thoughts on this subject!
  6. Fishwings

    Adventure Club

    By Fishwings,

    Gonna take a moment to fanboy over Adventure Club's new EP because it's amazing and I can't study... And they're so hot wtf, I want to marry them both.
     
     
    1) "Wonder" featuring Kite String Tangle


     
    2) "Gold" featuring Yuna


     
     
    Anyone else here on GA into EDM?
  7. Fishwings
    CONGRATULATIONS!
     
    You have leveled up and have gotten the achievement: “Is masculine enough to pass off as a straight guy.” WOW! Amazing job! Gays and girls will swoon over your fratty accomplishment, but first you gotta make a dating profile because dang all your friends are straight.
     
    Here are some steps to make your dating profile debut a success!
     
    1) Advertise your masculinity by putting the following key words within the first sentence of your dating profile.
    “Gym”
    “Masculine”
    “workout”
    “masculine”
    “___ times a week”
    “Masculine”
    “Normal”
    “Masculine”
     
    When properly formatted it should look something like this: "Sup my name is Tate, I'm an easy going normal masculine dude who goes to the gym 9 days a week, I'm normal and masculine and I work out, btw, I'm masculine."
     
     
    2) Don’t forget to advertise what you don’t like because man you’re going to get so many suitors you just really have to have some sort of mild filter.
     
    Some suggestions:
    - No Fems
    - No Fakes
    - No Fats
    - No Blacks
    - No Asians (Unless it’s a Korean, because Koreans are fucking trendy right now)
    - No Hispanics
    - No Browns
    - No Indians
    - No Indians (the other kind)
    - No offense
     
     
     
     

    ***Note: This all might sound incredibly racist, but seriously it’s not. Remember, it’s just your preference! It’s discriminatory to judge you based on what you desire!  

     
     
    3) Now that you’ve done that, it’s time to write about your interests. Make sure to write a lot. By a lot, I mean write it to the length of a fucking history dissertation. This really shouldn’t be that hard because after doing 2) you should have had at least 100 pages down, so what you need to do now is to formulate a check list on what you need in a partner to fill up the rest of the space. Here are some suggestions:
     
    I need a guy who…
    - Is 13-22
    - Has a pretty face
    - But a masculine body
    - Can be my gym bro
    - And my beer bro
    - And my “hiking” buddy (I don’t fucking know what hiking is, but hey everyone hikes)
    - Must like the Notebook and cuddle with me on rainy days
    - Tall is a turn on
    - “Normal” acting guy (By normal I mean masculine)
    - Who has aspirations and motivations in life and can hold a conversation and is smart, at least a bacherlor’s degree, who has a CAR, but all of this isn’t that important because I need a guy who is
    - Totally
    - Completely
    - Holy fucking
    - Masculine
    - God
    - Dammit
     
    4) Dig a little deeper within your soul and it’s time to hit them with the heavy stuff to fill in the last 20 or so pages. Write a few paragraphs about the following topics:
     
    Opinions about marriage
    - How you want to get married really soon
     
    Opinions about drugs
    - NO DRUGS unless you’re hot, then I will tolerate some 420 and maybe some LSD and heroin and meth and cocaine
     
    Sexual Positions and Gender roles
    - How you are definitely a top but will definitely bottom for the right guy
    - By “right” we mean masculine
    - But if I bottom you will have to pay for all my meals and my mortgage
     
    Politics
    - What is a politic?
     
    5) Now finally, you need to upload a picture of yourself! This is the MOST important step.
     
    Make sure to choose a picture where you are either:
    - In the gym with your shirt up
    - In the bathroom with your shirt up
    - In bed showing your ass with your shirt up
    - At a party with a beer in your hand with duck lips with your shirt up
    - Your shirt just needs to be up okay.
     
    6) Seal off your profile with a few wise quotes so it won’t seem like you’re too much of a masculine airhead. You’re a masculine smart person, for god’s sake.
     
    Here are some samples you can use:
    - "Bros before Hos" – By your dad
    - "Bisexuality is a phenomena that is a figment of the imagination" – By a fucking retard
    - "Brevity is the soul of wit" – By definitely not you

    YOU ARE NOW OFFICIALLY READY TO GET LOTS OF DICK! Sorry, that was crude. You were looking for marriage, dick is for effeminate faggots. If you don’t find someone to marry in the next week, or month, or year, or decade, you’re probably just too ugly or not white or something.
     
     
    Or you could you know, step back and realize that your narrow-minded pencil dicked views are a product of media and unfortunate socializations and you should really work on reducing all of your prejudices so to not make other people who are different feel ostracized like you were when you were teased in elementary school for having that limp wrist and so you had to work so hard to eliminate your own effeminate characteristics.
     
     
    But who wants to do THAT!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Bibliography:
     
    Pof.com
    Okcupid.com
    Grindr
    Gay.com (is this even a website? HOLY SHIT IT IS LOL)
  8. Fishwings
    It relieves you of all the stress, I swear. Finally got a chance to see Zedd this weekend and holy it was the shit. Nothing compares to the feeling of a bass so loud you can feel deep in your chest. Couldn't embed my facebook videos but well, this is good enough.
     
    Look at those lights:
     

    <iframe src="
    https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10153287025635223" width="724" height="1280" frameborder="0"></iframe>

     
     
    Seriously, look at those fucking lights:
     
     

    <iframe src="
    https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10153287058520223" width="1280" height="720" frameborder="0"></iframe>

     
     
    Clarity in 18 seconds of pure glory. By glory I mean non stop hand vibrations:
     
     

    <iframe src="
    https://www.facebook.com/video/embed?video_id=10153287083295223" width="724" height="1280" frameborder="0"></iframe>

     
     



    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=i-gyZ35074k

     
    I had some debates on whether or not I should be getting crunk at all of these molly induced concerts in the middle of a storm of midterms but honestly, I've been spending my entire Biology degree going nuts over my marks and I feel like I've lost track of what makes me happy and who I am. Listening to EDM has always soothed me and excited me and it makes me feel alive so I can write, draw, go out, workout, have fun, make music, and make me feel motivated about what the actual fuck I'm going to do with my future.
     
    So if I walk into a midterm and fail it with a massive headache because I've been living in a world of music that makes me happier than I have been in a long time... fuck it. Idc anymore
     
    Also, straight guys are so homosexual when they're high lolllll
     
    Anybody been to any good concerts lately?
  9. Fishwings
    "Procrastinatory Poetry"





     

    Fuck this essay

     

    in the butt

     

    with a ten foot broomstick

     

    lit on fire

     

    I


     

    just


     

    don't








    wanna








    do








    anymore








    work


     

    slash (/)


     

    homework


     

    idk


     

    idc


     

    F


     

    M


     

    L


     

    (Fuck my llamas)








    - Luc Rosen


  10. Fishwings
    So holy cow I've been reading some really good poetry here on GA. I don't know shit about poetry (I swear everyone says this), but I do know if I read something and it moves me, awes me, inspires thoughts in me, then I consider it good stuff.
     
    In no particular order, here are some of the awesomest poetry I have read on GA (and beyond) by far:
     
     
    1) Foster
     
    _Foster's work is amazing. I've noticed that many of his pieces do not in fact have titles, but the poems speak for themselves. They're simple, poignant, and true. I've also noticed that he's removed some poems, I don't know why, but he had one about a flower that I found absolutely breathtaking (PUT IT UP AGAIN!!!!!) Without further ado, here is "Work in Progress:"
     
     
    My Thoughts:
    I had a chill down my spine while reading this! You should visit the original link as it has a picture of him in it that completes the experience. Preservation of memories and our past selves through the use of pictures is something that everyone does, because we know that we are amorphous and our time here on earth is limited. This poem is a very nostalgic, insightful, and a beautiful retelling of this phenomenon.
     
    Find _Foster's poetry here:
    Foster
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    2) harveybirdman
     
    My new discovery! Idk how long harveybirdman has been here but his words are amazing. A lot of his poems are complex in prose but perfectly understandable (just think a little harder). I really enjoyed "Two Brothers Share the Night" and "Ode to a Cigarette," but this one, "Standing On The Shore" is my absolute favourite because it's so simple yet so powerful.
     
    My Thoughts:
    My interpretation of this piece was about a man in which sadness, perhaps even suicide, is his familiarity that he has covered up with facades and worked hard to keep suppressed. His salvation, his death, the ocean. Absolutely stunning.
     
    Find Harverybirdman's poetry here:
    harveybirdman
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    3) Morgan Johnson
     
    This non-GA lady is a dear friend of mine who's poetry has always spoken volumes to me. Her work is what opened my eyes up to the world of poetry. She has a vast collection that speaks volumes about friendship, heartbreak, and love, in all forms. I loved her poems "My Surrender," and "The Perpetual Soul," but here is a short one, "Hearts&Stars," with a vivid picture and a great analogy.
     
     
    My Thoughts:
    This is a poem of vivid imagery, and one that brings back many memories of the loved ones that have faded from my life.
     
    Find Morgan's poetry here:
     
    ThoughtsInPoetry
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    If you liked what you read "follow" and "like" what they have! But don't forget to leave a comment!
     
    Now, I haven't updated in awhile due to all the things that have been happening IRL but I still will be lurking around GA, so if you guys wanna contact me just hit the PM button and fire away.
  11. Fishwings
    So, Ieshwar just introduced a story called "My Immortal" to me.
     
    It's honestly the best story I have ever read in my entire life. I think it was originally on FictionPress but it probably got taken down since it was probably nominated for a Nobel prize. It's so, so, so beautiful -- so beautiful I just can't even
     
     
     
    http://emilkirkegaard.dk/en/wp-content/uploads/My-Immortal.pdf
     
     
     
     
     
    GA authors step up your game, Jesus, Domluka ain't nobody got time for your shit.
  12. Fishwings

    The Annoying Muse

    By Fishwings,

    Me: *In a public bathroom.*
     
    Muse: "Pssst. I've got a story idea for you that I know that you will just love!"
     
     
     
    Me: *Finally drifting off to sleep at 3 a.m....*
     
    Muse: "Psst you sleeping? Didn't think so! Get up 'cause I am not visiting you in the morning."
     
     
     
    Me: *Sitting down to get some homework done...*
     
    Muse: "Hey buddy, you look like you're working hard. Not anymore!"
     
     
     
    Me: *Finally sitting down to do some creative writing...*
     
    YouTube: "HOLLA BROTHA."
     
    Tumblr: "WASSUP HOMIE."
     
    Facebook: "LONG TIME NO SEE BITCH."
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    FUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU
  13. Fishwings
    I have been playing close attention to the ratio and how POVs (point-of-views) correlate to the stories on GA as well as other websites, and I have been quite interested in what people here prefer to read or write.
     
    If you guys don't know what first-person, close third-person, and omniscient third-person is I'll just give you a very brief n' bare overview of what they are and the advantages/disadvantages of each POV are based on research and personal experience.
     
    Before I start, I'll touch on the topic of subjectivity + objectivity with regards to POV. The not tl;dr version the more subjective a point of view is, the more it is coloured by human perception, reactions, and opinions. The more objective a point of view is, the less it encompasses these human sensations -- the reader will only see what a camera will see.
     
    First-person, Close Third-person, and Omniscient Third-person, the way I see it is on a scale of subjectivity. First-person is on one end of the spectrum -- it is the most subjective, thus the most "hottest" with regards to human sensations. Omniscient Third-person is on the other end -- it is the most objective, and thus the "coldest."
     
     
     
     
     
     
    1) First-Person POV
     

     
    (Yes, James Savik, yes you do).
     
     
    First-Person is the most subjective POV you can choose from. It tells the story directly from the protagonist's point of view, using "I," "we," and "me." Despite the conception that many fresh writers think that it's the easiest POV to write in, it's been long argued that it's actually the hardest POV to write in, because you need to make sure your voice isn't annoying or self-absorbed, but at the same time you can't have the voice sound too distant. As a result the number of published First-person POVs are significantly lower across genres.
     
    Example:
     
    Take KingdomByTheSea's short vignette-like story, "Dare," for instance. She's a great author and from what I remember most of her stories are from this POV. I think she strikes a decent balance between the "hot" and "coldness" of first-person POV, and in addition creates a very endearing character. But that's totally just my opinion.
     
     
    Advantages:
    - Easy POV to pick up writing
    - Intimacy of emotions is the "hottest" so readers can identify themselves with protagonists the strongest
    - Most direct format to show characterization/character development to reader
     
    Disadvantages:
    - Intimacy/intensity of voice can wear reader out (voice may sound annoying, contrived, self-absorbed)
    - It is the smallest "box" to write in -- you can only show what the protagonist perceives (this also means you can't use words or descriptions that your character wouldn't normally say/think)
    - Switching viewpoints is extremely hard to do effectively, and one view point can easily bore reader
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    2) Omniscient Third-Person POV
     

     
    (Omniscience kitty knows ALL YOUR SECRETS)
     
     
    Omniscient means "all-seeing." This is the most objective of all viewpoints because you can get into any character's heads or write about any inanimate objects that may or may not relate to the characters, at any given time. I won't go into too much detail with this point of view because i) I have never used it (and when I do it's by accident), ii) it's just way too difficult for most writers to pull of successfully. Often times, a new Close Third-Person writer will accidentally slip into another person's head, making it omniscient.
     
    Example:
     
    Here is an amazing omniscient third-person perspective passage written by Ann-Marie MacDonald in "Fall on Your Knees."
     
     
     
     
    Advantages:
    - Gives you the most "freedom" with story telling -- you are not limited by a single character's viewpoints
     
    Disadvantages:
    - Bouncing from point of view to point of view will sacrifice depth of characterization as well as development
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    3) Close Third-Person POV
     

     
    (These cats are "close" to each other.)
     
     
    Close Third-Person is the middle ground between omniscient and first-person POVs. Like omniscient, it uses pronouns "he," "she," "they," whatever, but unlike omniscient you are limited in the head of the protagonist. However, it offers a happy medium between the intensity and limitations of first person while eliminating the boundary-less, coldness of omniscient Third. It is the most often used viewpoint I have encountered in the published world but I am not too sure if this is the same for online writing communities.
     
    Example:
     
    This is a passage from "The Other Side of Me," written by our talented hosted (missing) author Domluka. As you can see, the passage is of Frank's POV but there is a distance achieved and an awareness that Frank is an observable entity by the usage of pronouns.
     
     
     
    Advantages:
    - Good balance between the intensity of the "voice" of first person, making it relatable to readers, and the "coldness" of omniscient third
    - Allows for easier switching of viewpoints
    - Greater freedom in choosing the complexity of prose -- it doesn't have to exactly fit the vocabulary of the protagonist
     
    Disadvantages:
    - Authors may neglect development of a voice, contributing to weak emotion and decrease of dramatic intensity (easier to avoid in first person)
    - May be easier to accidentally jump into another character's head, making for awkward episodes of omniscience
     
     
     
     
     
     
    With that being said: Which view point do you like to read/write in? Why?
  14. Fishwings
    Hello authors, readers, unregistered users and the like,
     
     
    April 15th the deadline for "Whispers in the Dark" is fast approaching, so if you're interested in sending in a poetry submission refer to this link: Click me. With that being said, here is the banner that I have designed in Photoshop this time around:
     
     

     
    I encourage you all to copy the url of this image/save it and share this poster on your Facebook or website or whatever you use so not only the anthology gets read but GA as a whole gets more exposure. Make sure to include the link to the antho/GA or hyperlink the image if you use it (you could even hyperlink it to your anthology submission itself!). If you would like to use it in your signature or in your submission, here are some resized colour variations that will fit snugly:
     
     

     

     

     

  15. Fishwings
    Hello readers, authors, unregistered users and the like,
     
     
    It's been a long time since I've written. I've decided to start a blog about my latest story, "Six Seconds," which has been published as part of the fantastic "A Night to Remember" Spring Anthology. To anyone who hasn't read it/is considering to read it, I'll give you a brief overview.
     
     
    What is "Six Seconds?"
     
    "Six Seconds" follows Callen Worthwright, a young man who, while driving back home from his snowboarding expedition, takes a dangerous shortcut down Blackcomb Mountain. He hits a patch of black ice, loses control of his car, and crashes it into the Pacific Ocean. Mortally wounded and trapped in freezing water, a mysterious presence speaks to him and grants him six hours to see the one person that is holding him the most back in life: Sage Hefferman -- a boy and a long-lost friend whom had gone missing for many years to come.
     
    Callen is propelled by supernatural means kilometres across the country and lands in Sage's home turf... naked.
     
    Needless to say, his arrival comes as a complete and utter shock to Sage.
     
    Click below for an excerpt:
     
    "Six Seconds" is primordially a Romance/Suspense but it touches on a lot of other genres. According to my beloved editor and a story writer himself, colinian, it is a "fantasy and a bit of science fiction and a bit of horror and a love story all rolled into one. And a mystery, too." It is around 19K and will take you about an hour to read.
     
     

    Click
    HERE for Chapter 1.

     



     
     
     
     
     
    What Were the Inspirations? (some spoilers)
     
    The creative process is a complex procedure of remixing all things you have read, watched, and experienced, to create an end product that is a unique blend of all of that. With that being said, I feel the need to attribute elements to my story to these following muses. There are many other inspirations that I drew upon including tragic real life events, bone-chilling EDM and other fantastic novels, but if I listed all of those we'd be here until next week! So, here are the four main driving forces behind "Six Seconds:"
     
     
    First, the words "A Night to Remember." It was what started this whole procedure. When I read them, they had such an impact. No immediate ideas popped into my mind of course, but I knew I had to do something because the line was so simple yet so powerful and really resonated within me (I think this was suggested by comicfan). Just read it out loud. Read it in the most monotone way possible. It still sounds fucking dramatic and sexy as hell.
     
    Besides getting the ball rolling, these words played further roles in developing the events in the story. "Six Seconds" involved several major life-changing nights that Sage and Callen could and could not remember: Callen's accident, Sage's secret, their memorable sleepovers, etc.
     

     
     
    Secondly, a part of Sage's character motivations, as well as several romantic aspects, was inspired by a book, "the Keeper of the Isis Light," written by Monica Hughes. The novel follows Olwen Pendennis, a girl who had been transported onto a distant alien planet to safe-keep it for immigrating humans who were coming from an apocalyptic Earth. Her human physique had been medically altered so she could survive better on the planet Isis, and her appearance stirs up controversy and prejudice when the immigrants land on their planet. Notably, it stands in the way of her love for a young man who was amongst the new settlers. Obviously, it is a very different story from "Six Seconds," but Olwen's strength, her need to be free from the authoritative voices that caged her life, dictated her happiness, really had a big impact on me, and influenced Sage to embody some of these character elements.
     

     
     
    Thirdly, the basic framework of "Six Seconds" was inspired by the phenomena when your brain remains active even after your heart stops beating. You are pronounced "dead," but there are some cases where victims claim that they can still observe their surroundings even afterwards because of the fact that the ganglia in your brain continues to fire action potentials through synapsing neuronal cells. Ben Breedlove's story is one notable example, a real life tale which was the first catalyst in the planning process of "Six Seconds."
     


     
     
    Finally, the story was influenced by the concepts of "hypertext" and ultimately "multiverse (multi-universes)." Initially, "Six Seconds" didn't start off including that topic, but then I read "Garden of the Forking Paths" by Borges, which was assigned to me in one of my university classes. I hated the story at first. The language was pedantic and after reading it three times I was still like "what the fuck I don't get this shit," but when I dug deeper into "Schrodinger's cat," the film "Source Code" and started tying it into things that I learned in the past such as wave-particle duality properties of light, the concepts of alternate universes, alternative realities, and the illusion of time -- it all began to make sense, and I realized that it just fell into place with the theme of my story.
     
    And plus, quantum physics is simply fascinating.
     


     
    What if, in every turning point, every subsequent moment of decision, both and all outcomes continued to exist, and there is a bifurcation and creation of another dimension? What if reality isn't as we know it? Isn't linear? And is instead a vast, immensely complex, infinitely growing, phylogeny of possibilities?
     
    I mean, could another you exist, right at this moment, wearing another sweater, walking down a different street, who made a different career choice? Could we have fallen in love with another person? Could perhaps some of our deceased still be with us in another universe whom had avoided untimely accidents and diseases? Could there be a parallel you who was happier?
     
    And relating back to "Six Seconds" -- could Callen and Sage finally be together? And, if space and time were so vast and indefinite as we know it and don't know it to be (another quantum video for another day), could Sage and Callen actually exist in another reality?
     
    I certainly believe so.
     
    I certainly believe that there are many Sages and Callens as there are ponies and Finns and Edward Cullens floating out there in our ever-expanding whole universe somewhere.
     
    (I'm only half-joking).
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    So What do You Think?
     
    ... of that? The confounding existence of Sages and Callens and mythical creatures? About alternate realities and brain activity after cardiac arrest?
     
    ... About "Six Seconds" in general? Did the story make you think and wonder? Did you cry?
     
    I hope you did.
     
    I'm kidding.
     
    (I'm only half-kidding).
     
    Leave me a review to tell me your thoughts.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    ps: Artwork?
     
    I was initially going to use this drawing as a cover for my story but I never got around to completing it because I was in the middle of studying. I still don't think I'm going to use it and I might actually remove it altogether because this is only my interpretation of how the characters look like. It is certainly not everyone else's.
     

  16. Fishwings
    I am by no means an expert at writing, but I am a very avid reader of all sorts of genres -- published, not published, gay, straight, sci-fi, horror, romance -- and I've noticed some very common writing faux pas that are present in a lot of non-published works -- and in some published works as well (*cough* 50 Shades of Grey).
     
    Some of these fuckups are subjective and some of these fuckups are bigger than others, but I have found all of them hindering to the reading process.
     
     
     
     
    1) Long paragraphs.
    Believe it or not, the white space of your paragraphs does matter to a certain degree. If you have paragraphs that go on and on and on, like huge bricks of text, readers will much less likely want to start reading your stuff, or be willing to continue. Mental breaks are important. Break it up around thoughts and your prose instantly becomes much more easier to digest, both visually and mentally.
     
    If you REALLY don't wanna break up your paragraphs, interrupt them with pictures of cats.
     

     
    It will also make your view count and ratings skyrocket.
     
    (btw, that is a picture of James Savik getting his latest paycheck).
     
     
     
     
    2) Monotone sentence structure.
    If all of your sentences are long, pedantic, and contemplative, interject them with shorter sentences involving action. Likewise, if all of your sentences consist of short, action type sentences, connect some of them together so you're left with asymmetrical sentence lengths. Similarly, you need to start off a lot of your sentences differently too. If you tend to start them off with subjects (Edward put down the phone. He sighed. He then walked over to the couch), switch it up! Tie in a verb (Putting down the phone, Edward sighed. He then walked over to the couch). As a reader, I need variation to keep me stimulated.
     
     
     
     
    3) Lack of speech tags.
    This is a necessity. I've read far too many stories where the author just neglects "he said" or "she said" and instead puts... nothing. You might have read it a lot in some published novels or whatever but it's a pain in the ass for readers when they don't know who exactly is talking. It also doesn't do anything for the reader visually -- they have no idea what your characters are doing in the conversation. Tie in action with speech to make it interesting and less confusing!
     
    - Example:
    Edward groaned. "What the hell are you doing?"
    I don't know, what are you doing?" Jacob asked.
    "Hey Bella's coming... what's up homie G?"
    "Nothing much brohams. I see y'all starting to neglect the use of speech tags. You know our reader is going to get really confused in no time."
    "Nah man, I doubt it."
    "Yeah don't be an idiot, we got this."
    "Yeah we got this."
    "Wait who's got this?"
    "I dunno, who are you?"
    "I'm not sure... who am I?"
    "I don't know but this is starting to sound like a fucking interior monologue."
     
    I'd go in more detail but here is a great article by Libby Drew that you should really check out if you haven't already:
     
    http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/blog/258/entry-13208-wacky-wednesday-dont-leave-your-readers-deaf-and-blind/
     
     
     
     
    4) Wrong speech punctuation.
    Learning punctuation regarding speech is like giving birth -- one of the most painful things in the world.
     
    I'm kidding.
     
    Getting kicked in the balls is more painful. (Kidding again)
     
    - Example: "You look so sexy in that black swimsuit," He smiled.
    Is totally wrong. "Smiled" is not a speech tag, so you need a period after "swimsuit." If it was a speech tag, "he" should not be capitalized.
    - Correct: "You look so sexy in that tiny black swimsuit." He smiled.
    - Correct: "You look so sexy in that tiny black swimsuit," he said.
     
    You need to get this (somewhat) right because incorrect usage of speech tags is a surefire way to make veteran readers ditch your work, and there are a lot of veteran readers out there. I mean, before I wrote my latest story just a month ago I was just relying on instinct and I thought I had it all right.
     
    I was wrong. Totally wrong.
     
    Refer to this article first and brush up on your dialogue skills. They seem very un-intuitive but eventually you'll sort of get it.
     
    http://oxforddictionaries.com/words/punctuation-in-direct-speech
     
    Memorize everything. I did (not).
     
    After you make a bit of effort in fixing up your story, get yourself an editor or a beta reader. I recommend Sharon as an editor 'cause she knows her shit. She does a lot of editing for like half the GA population. I think LJH does the other half. And then Cia does the one half as well. I also almost failed math in grade 6.
     
     
     
     
    5) Use of speech tag variations and speech tag adverbs.
    - Example:
    "Your pulsating dick is so veiny and sexy and hot," Jacob crooned lecherously.
    "I want you to do me hard," Edward groaned hornily.
    "No you. I'm a bottom," Jacob whined irritably.
    "I'm going back to Bella," Edward droned neutrally.
     
    The reason why so many authors use "he said" or neglect speech tags altogether in favour of using action to show what your characters are doing is because both methods make the tag practically invisible to the reader. Attaching adverbs to speech tags sometimes is unavoidable, but if you use them too often it's just a cheap way to get an image of your character's actions across. Likewise, if you catch yourself using "crooned" or "groaned" or "snorted" or "guffawed" too often, replace them with the old fashioned "said" or tie in action. It makes for a much less interrupting reading.
     
    A good strategy is to not use both the adverb and the variation of the speech tag itself together. For example, If you use "said," it's relatively to safe to attach a non-distracting adverb to it, like "flatly."
     
    - Example: "Yeah I so didn't know that Bella was a bitch," Edward said flatly.
     
    Likewise, if you use "screamed," don't attach anything else to it or you'll be distracting the reader away from the conversation itself.
     
    - Example: "I told you to hide Bella's head in the oven! Now the Volturi are going to rape us all!" Jacob screamed hotly.
     

     
    (And that is a picture of James Savik... just before he seduces me successfully.)
     
    For a complete example, check out Cia's article: http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/blog/258/entry-12265-tip-thursday-said-bookisms/
     
     
     
     
    6) Use of adverbs.
    The subject of the use of adverbs is often controversial. Adverbs are obviously necessary, but sometimes they are just not needed. I'll just give you a very common example to illustrate this point.
     
    - Example: Edward couldn't stop crying, and his tears flowed easily over his cheekbones.
     
    There is no point in using "easily." If Edward couldn't stop crying, readers can already infer the amount of tears that are falling from his eyes, so don't replace it with "freely" or "copiously" or "neutrally" either. A better strategy would be to say that "his tears poured over his cheekbones." You might argue that this is being nit-picky but trust me, people do notice details like these.
     
    While eliminating these unnecessary adverbs, make yourself productive by describing things that set up the mood that you want to create. Write about how Edward's tears glistened in the fluorescent lighting, his expression, thoughts, feelings and how Jacob's throbbing cock was growing bigger every second in light of this confoundingly inappropriate and awkward situation.
     
     
     
     
    7) Overuse of ellipsis and questions.
    Ellipsises (what is the plural form of ellipsis?) should almost never be used in the middle of action. It should also never be overused, unless you interject them in speech. It does really big things to the pacing of your story and the moment you step over the threshold of the tolerable number of ellipsis (subjective number) your writing will feel contrived. It's the same with questions (Example: What am I doing here? Why am I all alone?). They are a good device to spark variation in your paragraphs but if you overuse them it has the same effect as overusing ellipsis.
     
    The take home message of this point is: save your best tricks for last.
     
     
     
     
    bonus) Bouncing eyes.
    Okay I'm not really sure if this warrants a whole new point, but you need to be careful when you make your characters' eyes do things.
     
    - Example: His eyes bounced with happiness as he laughed.
     
    I read this "eyes bouncing" line in several novels and I have to say it cracks me up every single time. My eyes do not bounce when I laugh -- they stay in my motherfucken eye sockets.
     
     
     
     
     
     
    If you've made one or all of these fuckups, don't worry about it. I, as a writer, have too. I've likely made like all of them before in the span of a single chapter. I'm probably still making some of them.
     
    The point being is that you're acknowledging your mistakes, learning from them, and then improving.
     
    With all this being said, if you write a really, really good story.............. disregard rules if you need to, people won't care as much. Although, if you aren't JK Rowling or Libby Drew or Domluka it's best to colour within the lines before you start scribbling outside of them.
     
     
     
     
    So my question for you is: What deters you as a reader?
  17. Fishwings
    Hello readers, authors, unregistered users and the like,
     
     
    As you all know, the "A Night to Remember" Anthology has been out for two days. A bubbling, frenetic, galvanizing sort of energy has permeated the cyber-atmosphere of GA as readers and authors alike begin reading and reviewing the twenty entries dedicated to this inspiring theme (recommended by comicfan, I believe).
     

    CLICK HERE to access Anthology

     



     
     
     
     
     
     
    So What's the Anthology Challenge?
     

     
    Pick 5 Stories (5 or more, 5 or less) that you have read from the "A Night to Remember" Anthology and review them in your blog! (if you don't have a blog, MAKE ONE! It's so easy. Fact: Everyone likes blogs).
     
    RULES: For the people who have been "Reviewed" in this blog, you are essentially "TAGGED," so y'all gotta do 5 each now. Try to tag a new anthology author in each blog post, but that's not really necessary if you're dying to review a certain story. Also you don't have to be an author to do it of course.
     
    Once you have done that, post your blog link on the comment sections below so I can check 'em out.
     
    Fishie's Tags:
    Mann Ramblings
    Michael9344
    Ieshwar
    Rosenkrantz
    carringtonrj
    + Anyone else who wants to do it, you dont have to be an author
     
     
     
    Note: in spirit of the Anthology, this is not a rankings list, so I'm going to encourage whoever participates not to make it as such.
     
    I'm only a little bit more than halfway through the Anthology myself, so I'm likely going to post another part of the challenge after I finish the whole thing next week (but that is not guaranteed -- which is okay, since you guys are obviously going to help me out, hehe). Again, this activity is just to encourage more pro-activity in the site and the goal of which is not to induce inflammatory cross-story judgments.
     
    With that said, here are the five that I picked this week.
     
     
     
     
     
    Fishie's Thoughts on 5 Anthology Entries (in no particular order):
     
     
    I. Tequila Revelations
    - by Mann Ramblings
     
    What's it about?
    It is John's last night before he gets married with his fiancee. Artie is his best man, and they're indulging in a drunken night filled with tequila shots. When John crashes over at Artie's place, the night goes from fun to pulse-racingly confounding and erotic as the men explore uncharted waters in their sexuality. In a night of unprecedented passion, what can their intoxication reveal to them in the morning?
     
    How long?
    Words: 7,389
     
    Fishie's Thoughts:
     
     
     
     
     
     
    II. A Friend for the Doc
    - by Michael9344
     
    What's it about?
    Pat is cold, unfriendly, and he doesn't trust anyone. The reason being? Someone dear to him once betrayed his deepest secrets to the world. In a night of crisis, and working together with an unlikely, yet charming man, Pat feels his walls tumbling down...
     
    How long?
    Words: 3,344
     
    Fishie's Thoughts:
     
     
     
     
     
    III. Till The Last Breath
    - by Ieshwar
     
    What's it about?
    What if you saw the most beautiful, most radiant man of your life, one who's skin glowed with a brightness of a thousand suns, who loved you back as much as you loved him, but whom you could never have? This is a tale of the heart-wrenching love between the son of the Dark and the son of the Light. Can they ever be together?
     
    How long?
    Words: 1,102
     
    Fishie's Thoughts:
     
     
     
     
     
    IV. Sex
    - by carringtonrj.
     
    What is it?
    The night is old, and the husband, the kids, they're asleep. It is Katie's birthday, and she is drinking. She doesn't do it often, but once a year, she allows herself to remember a long lost friend and a long lost love. Step into Katie's world as she takes herself back into the past and recalls how their transcending relationship had been ruined.
     
    How long?
    Words: 1,642.
     
    Fishie's Thoughts:
     
     
     
     
     
     
    V. The Strength of Love
    - by Rosenkrantz
     
    What is it?
    Eli has inherited a debilitating illness: disorganized Schizophrenia. The visions, the voices, the lethargy and the confusion all starts, but Eli refuses to give up because there is Adam -- the love of his life. Can Eli fight his sickness? Or will the darkness overcome his personality, his soul, and ultimately destroy the love between Eli and Adam?
     
    How long?
    Words: 1,233
     
    Fishie's Thoughts:
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Fishie's Overall First Impressions
     
    I wasn't too sure what I had been expected before reading the first story, but once I started my first impression of the Anthology was that the quality of writing is exceptional. I feel like authors this year really stepped up the bar. Obviously the entries of previous Anthologies were great as well, but I felt like the authors this time around really put in the time and effort to make sure their entries were polished and buffed to the best of their abilities. Every single entry was well executed in terms of technique, highly aiding the reading process.
     
    I shall finish the rest of the entries another day. I'm in no rush. There are twenty entries, and twenty is not a number to conquer.
     
    Twenty is a number to savour.
  18. Fishwings
    Hello authors, readers, unregistered users and the like,
     
     
    I am well aware that "A Night to Remember" has not yet been released but I thought I might as well share this promotional poster I whipped up on Photoshop on a caffeinated spree just a few hours ago:
     



     
    Now you have a graphic that can be attributed to the Anthology! I encourage you all to copy the url of this image/save it and share this poster on your Facebook or website or whatever you use so not only the anthology gets read but GA as a whole gets more exposure. Make sure to include the link the antho/GA or hyperlink the image if you use it. I've designed the Anthology banner as well, and thought I'd share it here just in case you want to paste it into your stories/signature/share it/look at it lovingly/etc.
     

     

     

     

     
     
     
    The top is the original but who can resist PINK? They are dimensioned so they fit in your signature. To the authors: if any of you have any problem with your name being featured in the poster, PM me. If you find a typo, let me know (I might shoot you in the foot). If you want to have sex, call me maybe.
     
    Just kidding. Don't call me.
     
    Just come right over. Hur hur.
     
     
     
     
     
    Fishie out.
  19. Fishwings
    Me: "Hello. Thank you so much for taking the time to Beta my story. Here are the chapters to my story. Thanks."
     
    *1 day later*
     
    Me: "Hello, I just made a minor edit for chapter 3, so read this one instead."
     
    *2 days later*
     
    Me: "Hello, I just made a major edit for chapters 1, 2, 3, if you haven't started reading my story, here they are. If you have... here they are. I'm so sorry."
     
    *3 days later*
     
    Me: "Hello, I just rewrote chapters 1235678 in all it's entirety and added a prologue, epilogue, a preview to my next story because it's so riveting, and a fucking back story of the protagonist's sister's friend's mom when she went on a vacation to the Bahamas to have interspecific sex with a whale-shark. I deeply apologize for the inconvenience but these edits are of the utmost importance."
     
    What I imagine the Beta reader wants to say: "I hope you choke on a dinosaur dick."
     
    What the Beta usually says: "Don't worry about it! : )"
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    RESPECT.
  20. Fishwings

    Acoustified

    By Fishwings,

    Winding down on a Friday night with some acoustified EDM. There is something amazing about the translations of a loud club banger to an intimate, moving unplugged.
     
    "You Got to Go" - Above & Beyond ft. Zoe Johnston
     


     
     
    "Spectrum" - Zedd ft. Matthew Koma
     


  22. Fishwings

    Prog House - Nigel Good

    By Fishwings,

    Discovered Nigel Good on plug.dj and his music is progressive house at its finest. So much beauty.
     
     
    1) Myon & Shane 54 ft. Natalie Peris - "Outshine (Nigel Good Remix)"
     


     
     
    2) Nigel Good ft. Sarah Clark - "This is You (Original Mix)"
     

    http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_niEJ1aa394
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