Josh Aterovis

You are correct! It was deliberate. I thought myself very clever back then. 😉 That was a great movie.

This made me literally laugh out loud. Why thank you! It's probably because I spend so much time confused myself. 🤣 And did you know I collect antique Ouija boards (and spirit boards in general)? 💀👻

My mouth was moving, but nothing was coming out. How was I going to explain this? Did Jake see me? Even if he didn’t, Todd would tell him I’d watched him change, and he’d be mad at me. As my panic mounted, Jake burst into laughter. “Killian, I’m kidding. I knew you were there the whole time. Did you enjoy the show?” “You jerk!” Was it all a setup? Did he and Todd plan it? He was laughing so hard he was almost bent double, clutching his stomach. I, on the other hand, faile

I was waiting nervously in the living room for Mom to arrive, pacing back and forth like one of the big cats at the zoo. Mom wouldn’t tell me on the phone why she wanted to see me. All she would say was that it was the kind of thing we needed to talk about in person. I could tell something was wrong. Finally, I heard her pull up outside. I was at the front door before she even got out of the car. Her appearance confirmed my fears. Something was definitely wrong. Her clothes were rumpled an

WWJD - what would Judy do?

Thank you! I promise it won't go on indefinite hold as long as I am alive and well. The story is finished, even the rewrite as of this week, so it should be smooth sailing. (I say as I knock on wood and light a candle...)

Patience is a virtue, my friend. (So I try to tell myself whenever I'm reading a story that isn't coming out quickly enough for me...)

I actually laughed out loud.

Mercedes Lackey was one of my absolute favorites!

Damn. Thank you! A very high compliment.

As tired as I was, the moment my head hit the pillow all I could think about was what Judy had said on the porch. Someone was after me, though she couldn’t tell me who. She’d also said he was closer than I thought, which was really saying something since I already knew the killer recognized me. Unless the person who was after me and the killer weren’t one and the same. That thought sent a chill down my spine. There was also the question of how did Judy know all those things? Wa

👻👻👻

By the end of the day, the whole school had heard about Gilly and me. Guys I hardly knew were slapping me on the back and giving me thumbs up. Girls who’d never had the time of day for me before were waving, smiling at me and calling me by name from across the hall. It was truly bizarre. Like popularity in a box, just add beautiful girlfriend. I didn’t run into Asher anymore that day, although I was half hoping I would so I could apologize. I even waited around by the door closest to his l

@Mark Ponyboy Peters I'm trying... 🙃

@Geron Kees 😆 You are not wrong. I'm actively rewriting two books while trying to write the first book of a brand-new planned trilogy, and developing a theater project at the same time, all while working a full-time job. I need more days in the week...

After I calmed down, I drove home. I needed to talk to somebody, and Adam the person I could think of. Unfortunately, when I went inside, I found a note from Adam saying that he and Steve were gone to get dinner and would be back soon. I didn’t feel like I knew Steve well enough to spill my guts in front of him, so my talk with Adam would have to wait. To kill time, I went up to what had become my room and started on homework. I was interrupted a short while later by a buzz from my p

Good to know! I dug them out this week and realized that Adam's story will take a LOT of rewriting—basically restarting from scratch. I knew there was a reason I left it out of the collection when I published the book of short stories set in the Killianverse. LOL That said, I think it's a worthwhile project. It just postpones my return to the new book I'm working on... Oops...

It's really been an interesting project for me to return to Bleeding Hearts for such a deep dive 25 years after I wrote it. I was 22-years-old when I started it, 23 when I finished. I wasn't even out at the time, and had almost no real life experience, having been a very sheltered religious home-schooled kid. As I've mentioned before, I've rewritten it a few times over the years, including one major rewrite to modernize it (we didn't have cell phones in 1999!) and update some outdated views, but this time around, I can really see how young (and scared) I was. It really shows through in decisions and reactions made by Killian and Asher. They are just kids, and I was still a kid in so many ways when I wrote it. I know they're my characters, but I have a lot of empathy for them and their (often) poor choices. Most of us made mistakes when we were 16. Besides, it would be a pretty boring book if they always did the right thing! 🤣 I think some of the elements of this story really stand out in 2024, while others translate all too well. Either way, one of the things I'm most proud of is the emotional impact, so thanks for saying that. 😊 That said, believe it or not, this version is a LOT less emotional and histrionic than the original! I remember when the book was published (and winning awards...just saying) back in 2001, the primary criticism was that the boys cried too much...which I always thought was an odd critique considering all Killian goes through, but I think men being in touch with their emotions was much less talked about back then. We've come a long way, baby!

I was standing in the park by the pond. I could feel more than see another presence, lurking just out of sight. The shadows writhed and danced around me, slowly closing in. I was turning, trying to watch all sides at once, but it was hopeless. All at once, the shadows began to take form, become more solid, and from them stepped a figure dressed in black from head to toe. Where his face should have been, there was nothing—no features at all, only a horrible blankness. He w

I own it on DVD...somewhere. I never unpacked them after my last move, so I couldn't put my hands on it, but I know I own it. I was so excited to find it on Tubi! It was published four separate times! I've published seven books and one of them was even a finalist for a Lammy award in 2010. But yeah, my publishers kept going out of business left and right faster than I could build a following, so I mostly flew under the radar aside from a very dedicated base of readers who I adore and are the only reason I kept trying. I had to start over so many times. It gets really discouraging after a while. That's one of the reasons I decided to repost here, with encouragement from @Geron Kees! And don't let anyone tell you there's only one way to write. Rules are made to be broken (judiciously). @Jeff Burton I just realized I've read some of your stories! Keep writing! (No, seriously. Keep writing. I want to finish Jacob's Advocate and Salvaging...😂)

Thank you! So glad you're enjoying it.

Thanks! I've really enjoyed revisting it. I wrote a couple of little novellas back in the day with more about Adam and Seth's backstories. Maybe I'll post those next if there's interest.

How I ever got any sleep that night I’ll never know, but somehow, I did. I woke up to my alarm the next morning and wanted to chuck my phone out the window. Kane slept through the alarm, so I kept as quiet as I could as I got ready for school. I’d hoped to tell him goodbye in case his mom picked him up before I got home from school, but he didn’t stir, and I didn’t want to disturb him. I might as well have stayed home for all the attention I paid to my classes that day. I was equally distr

Things will definitely get worse before anybody gets a happy ending. Take that as you will. 😉

I thought I was real clever 25 years ago. Adam also left Eve for Steve...