Libby Drew

Hearing it is a huge relief. My sincere thanks! 😀

I logged on to GA on Christmas Eve to show my kid which book I was posting. This happened: Him: I remember when you wrote this. My favorite part was that chapter when [spoiler]. Me: *stares blankly* Him: You seriously don’t remember writing that part? Me: Sort of? Yes? Him: Wild. Well, you are getting older. Me: Screw you, son. *checks to make sure my socks match* My point, I guess my question, actually, is… is it just me? Have any of you authors out there ever opened a story you wrote a long time ago and remember how it started, how it ended, but not what happened in the middle? . . . . . It is just me, isn’t it? Guh. I’m gonna go hug my dog.

October 2012 Paradise Palms: Experience the Oasis. Experiencing such a thing at one in the morning proved difficult, even with a fat yellow moon in the sky. The community enjoyed the seclusion of an oasis, Lucas would give it that, sprouting from the swamps of the Florida Everglades in all its manicured, artificial glory. Palm trees flanked a ten-foot-high orange-and-white stucco entrance, complete with security gate and empty gatehouse—although Lucas bet not a single guard had ever st

Oh, thank you! You're the second person to mention that -- the story status -- and I'm just now getting back to changing it. It now reads "In Process" I misunderstood the nuance of that part of the posting process. But I'll tell you... when I've put blood, sweat and tears into a story, not to mention a ton of time, to bring it over the finish line and someone asks, "Is this complete or in process?" My first instinct is to answer, "It's complete, b****!" I mean, maybe that's just me... 😉 Thanks again for the heads up! Really glad you are enjoying it.

“You get yourself cleaned up,” Helen said, and Jase didn’t argue. His clothes were passable, but he reeked of stale sweat—the smell of fear, another instinctive bit of knowledge, as impersonal as knowing that the SUV parked in front of Helen’s brownstone got horrible gas mileage and Christian’s colorful action figures were from some Japanese animated television show that was all the rage. But who he was remained a mystery, like everything else that had come before the burning leaves, the pa

Thanks for commenting, everyone! The story is completely written, but in the process of being posted. I suppose I didn't think that through well enough while I was uploading the story info. 🤔 The next chapter is scheduled to post this morning. Going forward, chapters will post every other day. There are 21 chapters in total.

Happy Holidays to everyone! And best wishes for the New Year. And if your family gatherings are anything like mine, may there be plenty of alcohol to get you through the next two days.

Wait, it isn't anymore? Nobody tells me anything.

October 2005 He took his first breath and choked on the scent of burning leaves. Visions flashed through his head—a clock, a beating heart, green scales, a toothy smile. He recognized none of them. They merged into a flickering golden sphere, unmistakable even in its abstract imagery—the world on fire. The flames winked out. Alone in the dark, he sucked in his second breath. A breeze kissed his skin, chilling him through. In the distance, children laughed. A woman screamed

Seven years ago, Jase awoke with the mystical power to heal people—and no memory of his past. The only clue: the number forty tattooed on his arm. Driven by a mission he doesn’t understand, Jase follows his visions to those he’s meant to save. He is convinced that the fortieth person he’s drawn to is the key to finally learning the truth. Social worker Lucas Jacobson’s job is to protect Macy. So when Jase shows up claiming he’s there to heal the child, Lucas is wary.Then Macy is abducted, and Lucas has no choice but to trust in Jase. But Jase is certain of one thing: if Macy dies, a dark fate awaits them all.

I'm feeling strangely motherly toward your character, probably due to the continued abandonment and mention of lost sisters.

I'll touch base with her. I use Google docs, not Word. Thanks for the info!

Great Restorations Chapter 1 by Libby Drew - Gay Authors I am seeing this error. I figured it was something I did wrong when I posted. It's been a minute... Let me know what, if anything, I need to do. Thanks!

ONE more junk collector pushing up daisies. Not the most charitable of thoughts, but it was the best Marc could do while his Aunt May rattled on about where she wanted to start the estate sale hunt that morning. “It‘s a crying shame. A crying shame. Poor Mr. Steinbrick spent the last years of his life all alone, puttering around that huge house, and do you think anybody came to take care of him when he got sick? No.” Marc murmured something noncommittal. He shut the door, then t

...Were they ever really needed in the first place? I've been guilty of this too many times to count. It's not unrelated to your post(s) on Cheating, at least in my experience. I will look back at a book, read it again years after I originally wrote it and think to myself: Well that was lazy of you, Elizabeth. If I'd taken some thought AND time, I could have worked that detail into the story with more finesse and believability and, ultimately, enhanced my characterization. A well-paced, slow burn makes all the difference. But I wanted to get to the end. This is a really valuable post. Thanks for sharing.

I got angsty over two that I loved, then figured 'what the hell' and just picked one. Afterward, I was prompted to choose another response. I realize that's cheating, but IT'S SO TEMPTING.

Ah, you could very well be right. Portent, messenger... maybe even something else. That aside... the vibe got me. “Whoo. Youuuu.” Peck. Peck. Peck. The cold water turned to ice because the call came again, followed by taps of beaks on the glass. I shuddered and quaked, clutching the back of my neck and wrapping my other arm around my chest. Suddenly there came a tapping...Yeah. Poe has always affected me like that. Just like this first chapter did.

Am I the only one who got Poe Raven vibes? Can't wait for the next update.

"It wasn’t fair. She wasn’t even going to take me. I would have to get up and ride my bike while she and Janet slept late. There had to be some law against it. I considered calling children’s services, but they’d probably just side with her anyway." This passage should be printed alongside every description of 'entitled middle-class teenager' out there. I'm not making social commentary, just admiring the spot-on characterization. It succeeded in making me relate much more strongly to James than I had until that point. A good kid with limited perspective. I'm interested to see where you take him.

Beyond the already recced stories from this site, might I suggest The Adrien English series, by Josh Lanyon (a.k.a. Diana Killian). I happened to be around when this series was being published for the first time (can't believe I just admitted that) and thoroughly enjoyed it. I'm sure most are probably already familiar with Lanyon/Killian's work, but thought I'd mention it anyway. It's one of the first stories/series (not on GA) that came to mind when I read your post, probably because you said you liked detective stories. Series The Adrien English Mysteries (joshlanyon.com)

Wow. Just wow. So much great information that resonates, especially at the moment. It's always tempting to cheat because, for me anyway, some scenes just aren't as much fun to write as others. I often write my scenes out of order for this reason. If I feel like buckling down and working, I tend to tackle a more complex sequence, maybe one I know is important for character development. One that will help bind the reader to the character. In these scenes, wording and description is key, as you said, and can frankly be quite aggravating, resulting in multiple re-writes. We're our own worst critics. Thanks for sharing your advice and thoughts.

I touched on character description in an earlier post. Here's a brief summary of that article. Less is more because when you include too much detail, you’re telling your readers how to envision the character, rather than showing them how to envision the character for themselves. You, the writer, will never be able to tell them anything that’s as convincing and believable as what they invent on their own, or what you lead them to invent through the use of their own preconceptions. The more flexibility a reader has to invent their own character, the better. Some description helps that. Too much can reduce a reader's buy-in. Which is why the use of a "stereotype" can be so useful. Thanks for reading. I appreciate the comment. Exactly. The point is not that this is an ineffective writing device. It's that it is overused, as you say, by so many authors. Writing is, or should be, at its heart, a personalized effort. It's not that you can't insert these things into your narrative, but why would you when there are so many other ways to showcase that you are a unique and imaginative storyteller. Thanks for commenting.

Thanks for reading and commenting. I'm glad it was useful. You're right. The list is by no means exhaustive, and honestly I'd be interested in hearing what other tropes drive people crazy. Mark, honey, you get a pass from me on whatever the hell you want. You're welcome. I hope you found the article useful.

You're welcome. They slip in on everyone. That's why a sharp editor is worth their weight in gold. Here's where I admit I never read 50 Shades. I just couldn't bring myself after reading this: http://jenniferarmintrout.blogspot.com/p/jen-reads-50-shades-of-grey.html?zx=843bd69a54b109b6 My favorite villain is one who really has no compelling reason to be evil. It makes me want to dig deeper into the story. You're welcome! Thanks for reading. Dialog is a different animal, but even then it pays to try to trim cliches so they appear only here and there.

Hi everyone! Thanks for the replies. Sorry for my late response. I was on vacation without my computer, a truly glorious experience. As with all "wriiting tips", this one is far easier to explain than to do. Practice helps, but achieving that sense of balance is always a battle. Good luck and keep up the great work. Thanks again!