Jump to content

Trebs

Archived Member
 View Profile  See their activity

  • Posts

    2,151

  • Joined

  • Last visited

 Content Type 

Blog Entries posted by Trebs

  2. Trebs

    Writing Prompts #170 & #171

    By Trebs,


    Prompts
    Prom-proma-proma-prompt me... I wanna feel dirty... Thrill me....
     
    Errrm - I mean - welcome to Prompt Me Friday! Here we look at fantastic writing prompts provided by the Prompt-guru himself, Comicfan. This week's prompts are:
     
    Prompt 170 –Challenge
    Tag – PoV
    Write a story from the point of view of an item that has been in your family for years. What story does this item have to tell? Is it great-grandma’s chine or grandpa’s watch? Maybe it is the ring your mother bought as a girl?
     
    Prompt 171 – Creative
    Tag – Helping Hand
    Tired of seeing the community in trouble you begin a program called Helping Hand. What is this program does?
     
    Great prompts aren't they? Try one (or both) and share with the community in our Writing Prompts forum!
     
    JamesSavik is no stranger to the Writing Prompts forum - in fact, he took on BOTH of last week's prompts, in very creative ways. His response to Prompt 168, a deceptively simple intro phrase of "Now why on earth would I do that?" led to this new story of his:
     

    Intrigued? Well, here is the rest of his prompt response - enjoy. And don't forget to try out one of this week's prompts!
  3. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    ANNOUNCEMENT: Don't forget, voting has started on the 2013 Anthology themes! This is your chance to have a voice in what our themes for next year are. Voting ends sometime on October 5th, but don't wait until the last minute, get your vote in now! Go to the Anthology forum and vote on the five 2013 theme choices!
     
     
     
    We're now officially into Fall (or Spring for those of you who stand upside down) and we've had a great week here at GA.
     
    We started off with a look at Red's Rescue by Hosted Author Lugh. Dark gave us a great review of this story Lugh wrote for a 2007 anthology.
     
    For Toss-Up Tuesday, K.C. treated us to a very insightful Interview with Carringtonrj.
     
    Wednesday, not only did we put out a call for more reviewers (and a few have already stepped forward - THANK YOU), we also had two great reviews - Cia reviewed Promising Author Razor's story When I Fall Asleep, and Andy021278 reviewed Zoila Lily's Rexer. Two great stories to check out!
     
    Continuing with past tips on beta readers, Dark on Thursday gave us "Working with your Beta Reader" with actual examples of changes that were helped by his beta's - a really interesting comparison.
     
    Comicfan's prompts for this week are fun and already have some takers - check them out and see what you might come up with!
     

    We finished the week, not looking back as usual, but looking forward - specifically to next Thursday and the upcoming Trevor Project Day. There is still time to contribute to our GayAuthors It Gets Better post that Podiumdavis is compiling. Check out yesterday's post for full details.
     

    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Winter Anthology "Desperate Ends"- Due Dec 8th Special Mayan Tribute Anthology "End of the World"- Due Dec 14th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    In the Arms of an Angel by Nephylim, book 1 of Wednesday Briefs
     
    Never More Lonely by Cia
     
    City Under the Waves by Nephylim
     
    The Prompt File by Lugh
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Choices by KingdombytheSea
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  4. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    If you didn't see yesterday's blog entry, the Fall Anthology: Friends & Enemies is now live. Thirteen great new stories for all to read - check them out!
     
    Also, on Thursday, we put out a new inquiry from Podiumdavis. PD has been fantastic in compiling various responses toautors on questions like How would you cast your story? and others. This time, he has a one for anyone who wants to reply, not just our authors.
     
    So the inquiry is:
     
    If you're interested, send your response on this to Podiumdavis and in a short while, we'll post the best ones.
     

    And now - on to the rest of our week in review...
     
    We started the week with Hosted Author C James's For The Love, reviewed by Wildone. This was one of CJ's early stories, from the days when he was still just a Prince of Cliffhangers.
     
    For our Toss Up Tuesday, we were treated to a great Interview with Cailen, conducted by Comicfan. Great new insight to this author/graphic artist.
     
    Wednesday, we saw in the Author Showcase a review by Radiant Renee Stevens of A Day in a Life of Misery by Promising Author Skylights, as well as Sidlove's review of Author lilansui's Bovian Image.
     
    We had a wonderful contribution on Thursday from Dark on Why a Beta? Dark also included some outside articles that helped on this subject.
     
    For our weekly Prompts, Comicfan (who never disappoints), provided us with two really interesting creative prompts. We also looked at three different responses to the previous week's Prompt 165.
     
    Lastly, in place of our normal Saturday blog entry, we had the announcement of the Fall Anthology.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Winter Anthology "Desperate Ends"- Due Dec 8th Special Mayan Tribute Anthology "End of the World"- Due Dec 14th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods (TWO chapters this week)
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Role Reversal by Bill W
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    Adverse Effects by Cia, Book 2 of Saving Caeorleia
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
     
     
    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    The Prompt You Say! by comicfan
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Murder in the City by CassieQ
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  5. Trebs

    Author Showcase

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    With great thanks, we give you LouisHarris' review of Promising Author WrathofMagneto's Slide, as well as Andy021278's review of The Other Foot, by Author Forty-Two. These reviews are fantastic and are such a help - if you have time to help us do a review of a GayAuthor's story, let me know! And once you've read the reviews, I hope it spurs you to check out these great stories.
     




    Slide


    by



    WrathofMagneto


     
    Reviewer: LouisHarris
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 4,113
     
    The title caught my eye. That was the hook for me. SLIDE. Many connotations. I also thought that this work could have been taken from a larger piece.
     
    The title, SLIDE, is used as a word to describe something that should be best forgotten. In this tale John, Alex's room mate, sets the lead character, Alex, up for a date. He has been hurt, and still relives the hurt through nightmares. John edges him on to go on a date even tho he doesn't want to. The depth of Alex's character that follows, is something we have all lived.
     
    Alex is a rounded character in that he has a complex nature and complex motives. He's more like a real person because there are things about him the reader doesn't know, there are more facets to him than meets the eye, so the fascination of mystery remains throughout the story.
     
    He is interesting because the reader doesn't know or cannot predict how he will behave or react in any given situation. One character I could mention like this is Sherlock Holmes. Having said this, it's important to note that fiction gives the writer the opportunity to place people in situations that will reveal their character and the brevity of the short story calls for simplicity in the rendering of a character and they will essentially be the same at the end of the story as they were in the beginning. Wrath has described Alex's behavior well rather than talking about him.
     
    His character is shaped by experience and his destiny by his behavior. And because the character is more central to this story, Alex comes under close scrutiny.

     
    The mystery in this short story is the date itself. Will Alex be swept off his feet? Will he be disappointed? To find out, you'll have to read it yourself. I recommend you do. Slide is a great discourse in revealing character.
     



    The Other Foot


    by



    Forty-Two


     
    Reviewer: andy021278
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 4,730
     
    I have read other stories by Forty-Two, but this was my favourite of the three currently available on GA. “The Other Foot” is an interesting take on how straight and gay friends interact.
     
    The story is the classic gay guy falls for his straight friend story, but with the unusual and brilliant twist that it was the gay guy who was open about his sexuality, whereas it was the straight guy who was in the proverbial closet.
     
    Killian, who is straight, has had a number of gay friends over the years and his aunt is a lesbian who has been with the same person for twenty years. His dad, whose career is never actually explained, has been working to improve rights for gays. Killian has also attended a number of Pride events, so being around gays and gay culture is nothing new to him, which explains why he seamlessly fitted in with Joseph and his friends.
     
    Sephie (Joseph) falls for Killian, and after making his feelings known, is both shocked and heartbroken to find out that not only is Killian straight, but he also has a girlfriend. Killian has never hidden the fact he is straight from Sephie and the others, but he has also never, in over a year, once openly expressed his sexual persuasions.
     
    The story looks primarily at the effects this revelation has on their relationship, but just how will a heartbroken Sephie react? How far will Sephie go?
     
    For a relatively short story, I was drawn in from the first word, and it was a really enjoyable read seeing Forty-Two’s take of how things could be when the boot is on “The Other Foot”. It is of the same quality as, but is distinctly different from, the authors other stories.
  6. Trebs

    Author Showcase

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    As we finish our first week of August, we decided to hit a bit of a dark Wednesday today. First we have a review of Promising Author Dark's Butterflies of Death, followed by a great review of Author Cehammock's Gaze. This review is by... (wait for it)... Dark! <cough - lame pun - so what>
     
    So to get the bad pun out of your mind - go read. These reviews should hopefully inspire you to discover some great new fiction!
     
     
     



    Butterflies of Death


    By



    Dark


     
    Reviewer: Renee Stevens
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 2,196
     
    So, I was sitting here at my computer tonight when I decided that I wanted to read a story by Dark. I hadn’t read one of his in a while and so it seemed like a really good idea. So I go to the Authors tab and I scroll down to Dark and click. Not really sure what I want to read, I decide to just scroll through the stories and see if something catches my eye and WHAM! One word, just one single word snags my attention. Unicorn. I love unicorns, I collect unicorns, so of course for me, this is an absolute must read!
     
    Now, one thing I will point out is that I was a little confused after reading this story, and come to find out it was because I couldn’t see the picture that Dark linked to the story. Just so that the rest of you readers aren’t confused, I want to make sure you know that the unicorn in this story is a bit like a shifter. He can switch forms between the traditional horse that you might picture and a much more humanoid shape.
     
    Now, with that out of the way, let’s get on with the story itself. This is a very cute tale about a little unicorn that faces his fear. The story starts out with some young unicorns being some mischievous little pranksters, but that isn’t the whole of the story. This little unicorn is afraid, but he faces his fear and it takes him on a journey as he sets out to do the one thing that no unicorn has done, he wants to climb a tree.
     
    Now, I’m not going to tell you if he manages to climb a tree, or what the outcome of this story is. What I will tell you is that I found this a very fun read (despite my confusion at first). If you’re looking for a story that is relationship based or full of hunky guys, then you might not enjoy this story. But, if you are looking for something light-hearted and fun, and a bit of a children’s tale, then you’ve got to check this story out. I personally enjoyed it and my love of unicorns isn’t the only reason. While this isn’t the type of story you’d normally think you’d find on a site called Gay Authors, I am personally really glad I found it. I hope you are too and take a moment to leave a review for Dark letting him know what you thought!
     
     
     


    Gaze


    By



    Cehammock


     
    Review by Dark
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 2,456
     
    Author Cehammock’s notes drew me into this story. HIV/Aids is a touchy subject and difficult to write about, but he sets up the story to not get dragged down by angst or a lecture. He also mentions that Gaze is meant to lead into a longer story and I can’t help but wonder if that’s something we’ll be able to see here on GA.
     
    I liked the evenness of the story. Brent tells the story completely from his POV and takes the reader through a few days in his life with his partner Hank. The flashback felt a little abrupt, but the story really shows the impact of HIV/Aids on a person’s relationship and outlook on life. Hank and Brent are real people with a real problem and they show various ways of coping.
     
    At first, I was taken with Brent’s dedication to his partner. He shows strength of character in how he handles their interactions, which makes the slight twist in their backstory just heart-wrenching. But the story doesn’t sink into melancholy. Hope permeates the rest of the story and I’m left intrigued and a little frustrated because this is a terrific lead into a longer story. I want to know more about these characters and what other surprises are in store.
     
    Cehammock has a knack for gritty, sympathetic characters. He takes a sensitive subject and doesn’t let it take over the story while still giving it the attention it deserves.
     
    Gaze is a hidden gem from a newer author. If that’s how he was writing in 2006, I can’t wait to see what might be hidden on his hard drive now.
  7. Trebs

    Writing Prompts #158 & #159

    By Trebs,


    Prompts
    Did everyone catch the full moon last night? It's the first of two this month so the August 31 Full moon will be a "blue moon". Let's see what extra creativity hits us all this month.
     
    To aid you, Comicfan has come up with two terriffic writing prompts. I hope you try one or both and share you efforts with the community in the Writing Prompts Forum.
     
    Prompt 158 – Creative
    Cue – First Line
    “Momma always said there would be days like this.”
     
    Prompt 159 – Creative
    Cue – List of Words
    Use the following words in a story : honeymoon, stripper, elk, broken down truck, and a jock strap.
     
    Hmmm - looking at these, who knows - you might even do one combining BOTH prompts :-)
     
    Looking at other previous prompt responses, I found one that I really enjoyed. It was Andy021278 response to Prompt 155: You really have had enough of being everyone’s perfect little teenager. So for prom you have decided it was time to be dangerous. Little did you know what you were getting yourself into with your choice of prom dates. What went wrong?
     
    On top of being just a great response, it is also his 30th prompt story and longest to date. And here is his take on the Good Kid:
     

    Cool start, eh? It gets even better, and you can find his complete story here.
     
    So enjoy Andy021278's story, and then take a leap of faith and try one of your own, using the two prompts above (or combine them), or any of our previous 157 prompts in the Writing Prompts forum. There are no right or wrong ways to do this - just take a chance, put in some effort and see what people think. To be honest, getting the feedback on some of these simple exercises sometimes is invaluable in the long run to being a better writer.
  8. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    The deadline for our big Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - the deadline is July 31 (although if you need a few extra days, just contact Lugh in advance)
     
    We started our week looking at Topher_Lydon's Carter's Army, his first story of his Carter series. Not only did we get a good look at the story that started his series, we also saw news that he is planning ANOTHER Carter book!
     
    Our Toss-up Tuesday gave us an interview with the multi-talented Radiant Renee Stevens. She gives us some insight on her many roles that she plays here at GayAuthors.
     
    Midweek, we looked at Dare by Promising Author KingdombytheSea as well as Queertown by Author CarringtonRJ.
     
    Our weekly tip was on Pen Names, with some great insight and ideas.
     
    Our Writing Prompts both gave great creative premises and I can't wait to see where people take them - be sure to share your prompt responses with the community in the Writing Prompts forum.
     
    We ended the week with a Blast from the Past looking at Nick Cringle by Myr, from our first anthology back in 2004.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st - TWO DAYS TO GO!!! Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     
     
     
    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    The Guild Book I by JMH
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  9. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    First, I want to make sure everyone saw yesterday's Blog - K.C. has a story stolen and the thief was selling it on Amazon. Amazon is looking into this, but as yesteray's blog noted, it is happening more and more. The blog also gives some good advice if it happens to you. I highly urge everyone to read it.
     
    Other big news on the horizon is the looming July 31 deadline for our big Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - the deadline is July 31 (although if you need a few extra days, just contact Lugh in advance)
     
    Speaking of Lugh - this seemed to be HIS week! We started our week as always looking at a Featured Story by a Hosted Author and got a really nice review of his :The Third Fire.
     
    Toss-up Tuesday then gave us a very insightful interview with Lugh that among other facts, let us know of a mutual desire between Lugh and Mark Arbour... Um, I mean, as far as writing goes
     
    For Author Showcase, we did a little change of format and instead of two interviews on two stories, we put up a compilation of reviews first on Promising Author Corvus' Mike and Winston, and then on Author Dan Umbero's Burying the Past. We gleaned these reviews from the reviews their readers posted on GA.Stories. Kinda a neat format if I do say so myself, and makes a nice change of pace.
     
    K.C. gave us a great self-interview on Believable Characters for our Tip Thursday.
     
    The week then wrapped up with our Writing Prompts from Comicfan, One of the prompts is one of the always fun word lists, and the other is Prom Date. Have you tried either? If so, share it with the community in the Writing Prompts forum. We also did our usual look at a past prompt response, but this time, I went all the way back to the very first writing prompt and some of the response, including a very interesting one from DomLuka...
     
    That brings us back to our yesterday prompt about the stolen story and tips to deal with similar situations.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st - NINE DAYS TO GO!!! Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    New Kid in School by Comicality
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    No Way! by Bill W
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Circle the Noun by JMH, Book 2 of The Watch
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  10. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    July is half-over already! Remember, the Novella Anthology is due July 31!!!
     
    This week, we looked our newest Premium Author, Quonus10 in a two part interview. Monday, we mainly heard about Quonus10's story Chosen of Honorus. Then as a follow-up, we concluded his interview on Tuesday with more of a focus on his experiences with publishing.
     
    Our Wednesday Author Showcase gave us reviews of Johnathan Colourfield's The Room, as well as Cailen's Somewhere Only We Know. We really appreciate LouisHarris and Houdinii (respectively) for these great reviews that help us get a glimpse at stories that we might not try otherwise.
     
    For our Tip Thursday, Cia gave us a great tip about how to keep readers interested in Fantasy stories.
     
    Our prompts from ComicFan are a great way to stretch your creative muscles and this week's are no exception.
     
    And finally we ended the week looking back at the May 2004 Newsletter, with an article from that issue about Waiting for the next chapter.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    It Seems Hard to Believe by Bill W
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Wedding Ring by JMH
     
    The Shunning by JMH
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  11. Trebs

    Author Showcase

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    In this week's Author's Showcase, we break out of our mold a bit by giving you first Editor Johnathan Colourfield's The Room, reviewed by LouisHarris followed by Houdinii's review of Author Cailen's Somewhere Only We Know. We hope you enjoy both reviews and check out these great stories as well.
     
     
     
     
     


    The Room


    by



    Johnathan Colourfield


     
    Reviewer: LouisHarris
    Status: Compete
    Word Count: 1635
     
    There is a strange aesthetic to this work that I can only describe as mercenary to the theme of the Spring Anthology. Two words drew me to the work, and those words make up the title, The Room. At once, the title attracted me to it and I was hoping to read a dramatic discourse, a framed moment in time of an event inside a room, not just any room, but this room, The Room. I wanted suspense, perhaps horror, I wanted drama, perhaps a little fantasy. I wanted something like Stephen King’s, Room 1408.
     
    To my utter amazement, I got more.
     
    Johnathan Colourfield’s story is based on something that may have happened to him for he admits that this is a “very personal experience”. There is the smell of volcanic ash. It is dark. There are voices; a child’s voice. There is a light. He is tied to a chair in a dark Victorian room with a bed and a TV set. There are nursery rhymes. One thing is clear, a house had been set alight.
     
    In the tradition of Virginia Andrews, the suspense builds up as the reader seeks a valid conclusion, because the author has drawn him in by using second person narrative. Using second person narrative is surreal, and there is a definite trend towards incorporating it into popular fiction. The second person viewpoint is often seen in experimental writing, cult or art novels, for example, in “Bright Lights, Big City” by Jay McIniery. Second person creates an almost intrusive intimacy, and is most effective when used in the present tense. The author wants to make his reader uncomfortable. He places the reader in the middle of the action, a witness to the events in the story.
     
    Johnathan manages this narrative extremely well, although there are breaks in present tense when he suddenly moves to simple past tense. A gremlin in the editing process I would imagine. But, by using second person narrative, he deliberately makes the reader the victim, so to speak.
     
    The Room is nightmarish. The YOU is bordering on dark insanity. There are nuances of blame for the fire, for the voice asks a question, “Why did you do it?”
     
    The tale leaves enough space for the reader to formulate his own views. But if the reader has taken note of the nursery rhyme and the newspaper report, it will become evident that the man is the victim, and maybe, just maybe, this is a hate crime. And maybe, just maybe, the entire story is based on hypnotic regression? Nothing is as it should be in this story. So many questions. No available answers. This is precisely why I mentioned in the beginning of the review, that The Room has a strange beauty that is mercenary.
     
    The prose is beautifully constructed. The sentences are clear and cut to the bone. This ismade deliberately to heighten the drama, and the darkness of the piece.
     
    I was pleasantly surprised by the execution of the prose itself. Masterful. If I did not know that Johnathan wrote it, I would have assumed it to have been written by Edgar Allen Poe, or maybe even Virginia Wolf, all artistes of dark prose.
     
    To paraphrase The Room. Enter. YOU will be scared shitless. The rest is up to YOU. Hopefully, YOU will awake from YOUR nightmare.
     
     
     



    Somewhere Only We Know


    by



    Cailen


     
    Reviewed by Houdinii
    Word Count: 40,257
    Status: In Progress
     

    I've never really been one for the coming of age bravado stories, but one actually caught my eyes. The raw emotions found in “Somewhere Only We Know” by Cailen prove to be just as fine as the graphic arts he contributes to so selflessly. The first time I took a read, I expected the run of the mill “I'm young, just figured out I'm gay, he's cute, we date” sort of story. How wrong was I?
     
    I can't say I have a lot of patience, and so far this story is driving me insane. As far as love interest goes, poor Danny boy gets the short end of the stick. This work is about a high school student that was forced to move to Tennessee by a father through adoption, and placed on a farm not far from the cutest guy in town. Typical, I know, but this story encompasses much more.
     
    I'm sure all that read this have witnessed a bully go against a weaker mate, and an innocent friend of said bully stand by. While a tale of this nature seems to either speak only of love or bullying, the story I've been reading actually takes both, and creates a lucid and believable story line. Although it has not been completed, I've been pulled back to it many times, and again that is rare. I am a fan of the completed story, but on Mondays I find myself back to the same story time and time again.
     
    I recently had the opportunity to talk with Cailen about his story, and I can give a heads up, I suppose. He wrote: “You're going to see that Ryan and Danny are not a perfect match for each other, that they have flaws and make mistakes. But it takes sheer commitment to see a relationship through even though you have doubts.” It kills me to think I am going to be forced to take love advice from a person living a distance away.
     
    If you haven't started reading it, “Somewhere Only We Know” is an excellent read, and I'm sure you'd enjoy it. Not many stories peek my interest, and many more fail to cause a continuance, but this one, for sure, has my attention. Cailen proved to be a more proficient writer than I once believed (I know, but the graphics arts guys are typically nerds. Proven wrong once again.), and I'm grateful for his contribution. Thanks, Cail, for a great story, and I wasn't kidding when I said I wanted quicker chapters
  12. Trebs
    A great way to wind down after a long week - check out these two new prompts from ComicFan and share your responses with the community in the Writing Prompts forum!
     
    Prompt 150 – Challenge
    Cue – The Scene
    Write a scene where the story is dictated by the atmosphere of the location. In other words create a story that might use a graveyard, a haunted house, a cheery nursery, or a cabin in the woods.
     
    Prompt 151 – Creative
    Cue – Changing The Past
    Everyone is always saying that if they could change just one thing, everything in their life would be perfect. The opportunity came only instead of better, your life became so much worse. What did you try and change and why?
     
    I love looking at past prompts responses and this week, we have a treat to show you. Yettie One took BOTH of last week's prompts on, and with fantastic results.
     
    For prompt 128 which gave a starting phrase, he wrote Sold:
     

    He also took on prompt 129, which I think is one of the most interesting word list prompts, to use Starry sky, bottle of champagne, Zombie, a ticket, and a deer all in a story. His take on this is Dawn Breaks:
     

    I hope you enjoyed these snippets as well as I did - check out where he took each (the above are just part of his prompt responses) - the title of each story will link to the full prompt response. Or, check out his full set of Prompt Responses. I hope you enjoy them as much as I have.
  13. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    How's your week been? Mine personally has been fantastic (check the little personal blog entry at the end if you're interested)
     
    In Blog-land, life has been good as well. We started the week with a look at Hosted Author Bill W's The Castaway Hotel - Grand Reopening 1. Andy021278 did a great review, in part because of how much he grew to love the story.
     
    On Tuesday, we had a highlight about Premium Membership, what it is, why it exists and the benefits of being a Premium Member. Also, after four years, the price of Premium Membership is slightly increasing and this blog entry explains the new price structure and why the change.
     
    Out Wednesday Author Showcase highlighted Just Love Him by Promising Author Dion as well as Author GREEN's A Hero in the Hallways. I've read both stories and they are both excellent - I hope you check them out.
     
    Thursday saw Part 2 of our two part series on Getting in the Mood. What started as a simple inquiry by podiumdavis (THANKS AGAIN!), turned out to be a fantastic look at how various GA authors get themselves in the mood to write such wonderful fiction. The variety of responses was great! Thank you also to all of the authors who contributed.
     
    Our weekly Writing Prompts, courtesy of Comicfan, are ... well, even more humorous than normal, this week. I burst out laughing when I saw the one "How in the hell did you think this would be a good idea?" I cannot wait to see where people may go with that. The second one with a list of words - well, when one of the words is Zombie - again, fun times can ensue.
     
    Finally, we ended the week not looking back, but instead having a Blast to the Future with an update on GayAuthors.org software updates. Informative stuff and cool to know about.
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    My Only Escape by Comicality
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase by Comicality, Book 6 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Tower of High Sun by JMH, Book 1 of Of Sun, Moon, and Stars
     
    Confounded: Part II by Andr0gene, Book 2 of Confounded
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
     
     
     

    What? You're still reading? Ok - you might have noticed the mention about having a good week at the top. So Saturday, I went to a wedding. It was a two hour drive each way and Dan couldn't go because of Tyler's Little League. It turned out to be one of the best weddings I've ever been to.
     
    I met both the bride and groom 21 years ago when we were all in college in the Sacramento area. They dated for about three weeks then figured it wasn't working out. Then two years ago, out of the blue they ran into each other and a friend goes "Oh - have you met..." to which "Ya, didn't we date?" They hadn't seen each other in all this time.
     
    They exchanged numbers, called a couple times and went on a date - and it just grew from there. They are both extremely wonderful people. I don't keep in close touch, but know what's going on generally with them and could NOT be happier. It was more of a reunion than a wedding - all of the old friends I saw and chatted with. The setting was beautiful. I can't just stop the high I got from being there tonight.
     
    It is the people in your life, the communities you create - these are the treasures you keep (and grow) forever.
     
    Robert
  14. Trebs

    Writing Tip: Sequels

    By Trebs,


    Writing Tips
    A nice lazy Saturday, the perfect time to crank up the way-back machine and look at a GA Newsletter entry from Nov 2006. Here is AFriendlyFace's take on Sequels... Enjoy!
     


    An Article on Sequels



    Featuring:
    Staking My Claim by Nickolas James

     

    Many people have a love-hate relationship with sequels. Oftentimes, fans are elated to see their favourite characters back in action and there's always the hope that more loose ends will be tied up or more mysteries revealed. For many, however, the sequel contains the threat of "tampering" with the original, of killing a story by playing it to death. So when do sequels work?
     
    The answer is when the characters remain realistic and vivid and when they remain true to themselves and the framework within which they are set. Another key factor is when the storyline remains fresh and the narrative exciting. In Staking My Claim, the sequel to My Jump Off, Nickolasjames certainly manages to accomplish these goals! The characters have never been fresher and the storyline never more intriguing!
     
    Andrew Stout seems to have it all: parents who love an accept him for who he is, a good home, material comforts. What Andrew doesn't have however is a boyfriend of his own; instead Andrew has someone else's boyfriend. In this sequel to My Jump Off Nick shifts the focus from the "cheater" to the "other man". Such a perspective is indeed rare; it's also a great deal of fun to read!
     
    But can Andrew convince Jarred to leave Phillip? Is Andrew truly in love with Jarred or is he simply in love with getting what he wants? Does Jarred love Andrew or Phillip or does he simply love the sex? How will Andrew's parents react when they find out what's going on? Will Phillip ever learn the truth?
    Follow Nick as he resolves these questions and, in so doing, proves that sequels can be more than "guilty pleasures", but instead be powerful artistic works in their own right!
     
    AFriendlyFace
  15. Trebs

    Author Showcase

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    Middle of the week - to help you get over the hump, here are two great reviews of stories here on GayAuthors! First, Cia gives a very frank review of Life, by Promising Author Jian Sierra. Now, not all stories fully appeal to all reviewers - and while Cia loved the crafting of the story, as you will see, she had some reservations too. Our other review is by Comicfan, of Author Mark92's Another Fairy Story.
     
    I love reviews like these in that they give me all of the background so I can see if I may enjoy the story, even if the reviewer had issues with it. And you know - if you have a different view, please be sure to leave a review for the author. The first review does make use of our "spoiler" feature - PLEASE do not click on show if you intend to read the story soon and don't want too much given away. I tend to read the story, then go back and see the spoiler
     
    With that, ENJOY!
     



    Life


    by



    Jian Sierra


     
    Reviewer: Cia
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 7,839
     
    Renee mentioned that she needed another Promising Author review so I told her to pick an author and a story and send it my way. This sometimes is a great way to find a new story, or author, you might enjoy. Of course, I've read most authors on the site but in this case I had never read Life before so I settled in to enjoy this short story of just under 8,000 words.
     
    First, I like to check the story description and tags before I read something new. I don't want spoilers, but they give me a good idea usually of what is going to happen. Right off the bat I know that our main character will find out that he has cancer before he meets a love interest. That is a very tragic set of circumstances and the story does follow through with that. The story follows Paul and Matt's meeting, and shows how they come together as a couple; the climactic scene at the end is very emotional. However, I had several issues with the way the characters were portrayed and the plot proceeded that failed to bring it home for me.
     
    This section explains my reservations, but as it includes quite a few spoilers, I've hidden it for those who would like to make their own minds up. My perceptions of the story are the basis of my review, but for someone else, this story might be just the bittersweet romance they are looking for, so I don't want to ruin that.
     
     
    The story was obviously carefully crafted, but I had such a hard time with the character's interactions and relationship that I simply didn't connect with it. Part of that was the first person monologue style, I think. There were also some tense issues and dialogue punctuation errors, though those were minor overall and didn't detract much from the story, if I had been able to get into it and really connect to the emotions being shared.
     
    So, while Life wasn't really to my taste, Jian clearly carefully crafted the story to showcase the character's story and emotions and in that he didn't fail. As shown by the two existing reviews, others really enjoyed the story and found it quite poignant. I'd love to discuss other's thoughts on the story in his discussion forum, so why not check it out today!
     
     
     
     
     
     
     

    Another Fairy Story


    by



    Mark92


    Reviewer: Comicfan
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 10,211
     
    Anyone who keeps track of me knows I am a bit bias when it comes to Mark. I’ve worked as beta and editor for many of his works. However, I am proud to say I am not the only person he works with. So when I found out that Mark hadn’t been reviewed by anyone yet, I couldn’t wait to bring some attention to his work.
     
    This piece is the second that Mark has written concerning fairies around Pond Farm. His editor for this work is another known name here on GA, K.C.. Mark’s story here returns the reader once again to the world of fairies that live and breathe around Pond Farm. This time the focus is on a dark Fay named Gizmo Nightshade.
     
    Gizmo made the mistake of trying to over throw the other dark fay and was instead thrown out himself. Flying along he soon finds Pond Farm and the fairies Apple and Teasel. Gizmo has decided he will take over the area as his new base of operations. All he needs is discover the where Queen Arwen, leader of the Pond Farm fairies is so he can overthrow her.
     
    Gizmo decides the easiest way to get that information is by taking Apple hostage. Apple’s lover Teasel is a Guardian and isn’t going to take his lover being held hostage lightly. What will the end result of this encounter be? Is Apple always to be the victim or is he capable of more? What will the result be of Queen Arwen being challenged for her right to rule?
     
    Mark weaves a marvelous tale of modern fairies in the English country side. His tale is both sweet and violent, keeping your interest from start to finish. Give this tale a read and leave him a comment as well. I hope you will enjoy it as much I did.
  16. Trebs

    Featured Story: Almost Home

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    It's Monday! Hope everyone has had a wonderful weekend, and while I'm sad to see it end, I'm also happy because it gives us another choice to bring you a review on one of Gay Author's wonderful Hosted Authors! Not only is our author today a Hosted Author on the site, he is one of the earlier members of the GA community. He's the author of the chapter story "A Shot of Bourbon" but has shown that he can write not only longer stories, but also short stories as well as poetry. Today we are happy to bring you a review of Hosted Author: Shadowgod's short story "Almost Home" reviewed by podiumdavis. I hope you enjoy this review and that it prods you to go and take a look at this story as well as others written by Shadowgod. Enjoy!
     



    Almost Home


    by



    Shadowgod


     
    Reviewer: podiumdavis
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 3,008
     

    I’m going to admit it; I’m a diehard for a good drama. With that in mind, I went searching around for a short story that would help break the dust from within my ears. I’m sure Shadowgod doesn’t need much of an introduction considering he’s a hosted author within the GA community, and I can see why.
     
    ‘Almost home’ is a tantalizing story of two main characters, first James and second Bryson. Shadowgod has a talent to describe the physical world into writing that I haven’t seen in some time. From the very first line, you’re sucked into James’ and Bryson’s story. With a break from college, they decide to go on a ski trip up in the mountains to get away from the stress and stay at one of their parent’s cottage.
     
    The words used to describe the scenery, were woven like velvet, you can see it all within your mind as if you were there yourself looking through their eyes. You can clearly see just how much each of them means to each other. May it be through a word, actions without words, or even a gentle kiss.
     
    In the end, you feel like you're a part of the story rather than a spectator. Which makes for a great read; the ending especially.
  17. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Our Summer anthology deadline has come and passed, so looking forward to soon being able to read some good "Choices".
     
    Our week started by Seeking Nirvana - a story by LittleBuddhaTW that was reviewed by Mark 92. Seeking Nirvana is a great story that I first read when David wrote it, but it was sooo good to take another fresh look at this gem.
     
    We had a couple of great tips this week. As one of the possible uses for Tip Tuesday will be interviews, what better than a tip on conducting interviews? We also had a look at Beta readers - specifically this time, how to find one that you can work with.
     
    Our Author Showcase this week spotlighted The Funny Thing Is by Promising Author JWolf as well as Author Naptowngirl's Hello My Name Is.
     
    Friday's Prompts by ComicFan were "Beloved" and one using a Word List - and Dolores Esteban has already risen to the challenge with a whimsical poem called "A Real Man". We also looked at another past prompt response, "Confession" by Percy.
     
    Wrapping up this week was a review of ComeWhatMay's anthology entry from 2008 "Living in The Shadows".
     
    Speaking of anthologies (deja vu), in addition to our upcoming Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill", due July 31, we're also announcing the Fall Anthology "Friends and Enemies", which will be due Sept 4. These are great ways to get your writing further exposed - consider submitting something for one or both of these upcoming anthologies!
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    The Experiment by Cia
     
    Picture Me And You by Comicality
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 6 by Comicality, Book 6 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    The Kandric Saga by Kyle Aarons
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     
     
     
    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    GA Writing Prompts by Dolores Esteban
     
    The Shunning by JMH
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    The Strange Life of Jonas Marks by Comicfan
     
    Nemesis by David McLeod
     
    Circle the Noun by JMH, Book 2 of The Watch
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  18. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    First - the deadline for the Summer Anthology "Choices" is LESS THAN A WEEK away! Also, if you haven't seen Myr's Thursday post on the "EU Cookie Law and You", please take a moment to check it out.
     
    I hope your weekend is going well. I seem to have a bit of a head cold so this is going to be a more minimal wrap up - hope you understand.
     
    Our Hosted Author Feature story was Double Down by Cia.
     
    In the Author Showcase, our Promising Author spotlight was on Dolores Esteban and our Author story was Kyle and Kodi by Andy021278.
     
    Our Tuesday Toss-up (the new category for the Tuesday GA News blog entries) was a call for volunteers, and a number of you stepped forward - THANK YOU!
     
    Our weekly writing prompts are up - please check them out.
     
    Lastly, our Blast From the Past looked at an newsletter review of Nickolas James' Birds of a Feather.
     

    GayAuthors.org Announcements:
     
    We have a new "Promising Author" - welcome JMH to the Promising ranks
     
    Anthology Announcements:
    Summer Anthology “Choices” – Due June 8th *** THIS IS LESS THAN A WEEK AWAY *** Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Displacement by DKStories - NOW COMPLETE!
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Dribbles by Cia
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Standing in Shadows by Krista
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     
    Hypnotic by Cia, Book 3 of Carthera Tales
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Nemesis by David McLeod
     
    The Academy by JMH, Book 2 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    The Princes of Mir by JMH, Book 2 of The Gods of Mir
     
    Tower of High Sun by JMH, Book 1 of Of Sun, Moon, and Stars
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  19. Trebs

    Blast From The Past!

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    Glorious Saturday! And here at the GA News Blog, we like to look back on Saturday's to previous newsletters or anthologies. Today is a review by Birds of a Feather, of a poem by Nickolas James called The Hand that first appeared in the December 2006 newsletter. We hope you enjoy!


    The Hand by Nick James
    Reviewed by Birds of a Feather

     

    Poetry Review

     

    There is an eminent paradox that most poets at GA have confronted, but few have conquered as triumphantly as Nickolas James. Is there a way of reaching out to people with our truest thoughts and feelings without being destructive? This is the precise intention behind his poetry - to provide an outlet for our sentiment and give introspection from his own experiences. Nick’s poetry is drawn from life itself; a series of recollections turned eloquent.
     
    “His Hand”, a poem reflective of the adolescent perception of a father-son relationship, is an ode dedicated to his father - the universality of the message, however, helps his poem transcend to an ever greater scale. During our ‘conversation’, Nick told me, “I wrote it after I had a pretty nasty argument with my dad… and then I sat around and I thought about how insignificant it was in the grand scheme of things.”
     
    For this gifted poet, regret seems to be an inspiration. How can such a muse provide a drive to write poems? “I Understand”, a poem portraying his latent understanding of uncontrollable circumstances, answers the question superbly - it is only through years of questioning and remorse that he finally commiserates with and comprehends the true benefits of his father’s decision. His repentance, in turn, is the reason why we can all enjoy this author’s poems.
     
    During the interview, Nick mentioned that writing poetry was a “very sporadic process” for him. “Sometimes I feel like I have something to say, something I want to release… and when it hits me like that I find that I can’t concentrate on my chapter stories until I get it off my chest.” Lastly, I asked Nick why he posted his poetry at GA. He said that “I like to share my thoughts and feelings with people, and maybe by posting my poetry I have a way of reaching out to people with my truest thoughts and feelings without being destructive.”
     
    It seems like Nickolas James luxuriates in a full understanding of his writing inspiration, something that many older authors still search for.
     
    Birdsofafeather
     
     
     

    Poem:



    His Hand



    by Nickolas James


     

    I used to reach for your hand when I was smaller



    Now sometimes I push it away.



    But I’ll never forget how you still loved me



    the day I told you I was gay.



    We fight a lot and you still yell at me



    Every time I act like I don’t care



    But the truth is I still idolize you



    From the way that you walk



    To the clothes that you wear.



    God blessed me with you



    But you say that I’m wrong


     

    You call me the blessing



    Somehow you stay strong.



    You’re the man in my life



    and you’ve taught me so much.



    How to be my own man



    How to always stay tough.



    I know you panic whenever I’m sick



    But then I get better and act like a prick



    Still you know I love you



    Even if I act out



    I hope in your heart there’s never a doubt



    Just because I’m not little



    I hope you understand.



    I’ll always be willing to hold my dad’s hand.


    © 2006 Nickolas James
  20. Trebs
    So... It took me a while to find my blog. Everytime I tried to search, it would just show me the GA New Blog because of all of the entries I've made there. But eventually - YAY - found it again.
     
    Ya, blogging. I'm not good at it. I love FaceBook because I can do quick updates or thoughts on things, but kvetching about my health - heh, an actual blog seems better.
     
    So - nothing as horrible as my last health problem but - meh...
     
    Started a couple of weeks ago. As part of the follow up to the lymphoma, I see my oncologist every six months for a check-up. At the last one, he thought my blood sugar was a little high, but the lab hadn't been a fasting one so he wanted me to fast for this one. On Mon the 21st, I went in after 13 hour fasting and had my blood drawn - then I'd see him the following Tuesday for results.
     
    I also had a PET scan scheduled on Thursday the 24th. PET scans also need 12 hour fasting so I didn't have anything after 9PM on Wed. Then Thurs, one problem after another and instead of getting in to the tech at 9AM, I wasn't seen until 11:30. With a PET scan, they put radioactive sugar in your blood then you have to just rest for 30-45 minutes. Then you go in to a big machine like a CT, and it scans for the sugar in chest/abdomen. Cancer cells draw in the sugar more, so they light up the screen on the scan.
     
    Of course, before they put in the radioactive sugar, they test your blood to make sure your sugar count is low enough. 100-120 is normal, 140 is iffy, 200 is no way. Mine - um... 210.
     
    Ya... so it's finally happening :-( See, both my parents had diabetes so it was just a matter of when. Though, you'd think that if you get to 45 without it happening, you might be home free? Or is that just tag.
     
    So first thing I did was to call my oncologist's office to see if they had the monday lab results and if they were similar. Oh ya - monday it was 250. So made an appointment to see my primary care for a diabetes consultation and was able to see her the next morning.
     
    I came in to the office, and someone had gone to a European bakery and brought back great danishes. I figure it would be my last chance - so I had one. I thought most of the analysis would be based on the labs my oncologist did, as they had faxed them over to the primary care. Nope - they took my blood sugar when I got there and oh my - 363 (translation - NOT good). To say my doctor was upset would... um, be putting it mildly?
  21. Trebs

    Feature Story: Double Down

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    First, for our US members, here is hoping you have an enjoyable Memorial Day. Though my father didn't die in service, he was in the US Military from shortly before World War II until the late 60's (and in three different branches - Army, Navy and Air Force). So thank you - to all who have served and died while in service.
     
    On to our feature story - I'm grateful to one of our favorite guest reviewers, Fozzie Bear, for this great review of Hosted Author Cia's Double Down. Enjoy!
     



    Double Down


    By



    Cia


     
    Reviewer: Fozzie Bear
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 24,399
     
    Wocka, Wocka, Wocka. Your favorite bear is back with another look another amazing author. This time I’m turning my eye to the resident Administrator, Hosted Author, and all around answer Queen. Ahh!
     
    Cia has written all sorts of stories from one shots to a story she has just finished that spanned three books. However this poor bear has decided to take a look at one of her shorter chapter stories. Welcome to the world of Double Down.
     
    The story centers around Marc Whitson. Marc is the oldest of two brothers and when his parents unexpectedly die is left to deal with everything, including his younger brother Ry. Marc barely makes it through his parent’s funeral and is only able to function due to the assistance of his friend and soon to be lover, Preston. However, things don’t go as one would expect for Marc.
     
    Preston takes advantage of Marc using the money he has inherited to pay off his gambling debts. However, Preston soon owes more money than Marc has to people that can’t be ignored. One day Marc finds himself hustled down to meet one Mr. Mestrick, to whom Preston owes a great deal of money. Unable to pay him off, Preston offers up Marc as sacrificial lamb, telling Mestrick that Marc is an incredible card counter.
     
    Marc soon finds himself involved in the shady world of gambling, trying to pay off Preston’s debt, and keep his brother safe, leading to his own steadily declining life. Ry refuses to see his brother suffer and soon finds a way to discover what is happening in his brother’s life in the form of Nat, a private investigator.
     
    Marc is soon walking a fine line where he is trying regain his life and rediscover who he is. Will he be able to escape Mestrick? Will Ry be safe? Is the handsome Nat as straight as he seems? Wocka, Wocka, Wocka. Wanna know? Then read the story, ahh. This bear isn’t giving up all the secrets Cia wrote.
     
    Double Down is a great little find. Take the time and read it, this bear thinks you will enjoy it. Wocka, Wocka. Oh, and don’t forget to leave a comment or click like if you enjoy.
  22. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Hope your weekend has been going well - mine started poorly due to allergies but major recovery today, so that's good.
     
    We had some fantastic reviews and other material here in the news blog this week. On Monday, we got a great review of prolific Hosted Author Mark Arbour's Wars End. If you haven't checked out any of his work, this may be the one to try first!
     
    Tuesday, I extended the conversation started the previous week, getting some additional input on this news blog. I really appreciate everyone who chimed in, and if you still have thoughts that haven't been voiced yet, you can always send them to me as a PM.
     
    We had a cool set of reviews on Wed - not only were they both of poems, they also were both reviewed by Mark92! First he reviewed Promising Author Bugeye's The Art of Poetry, and then he reviewed Author Menace's Poetry Collection. We don't feature poetry often enough, and we are grateful to Mark92 for these reviews.
     
    Thursday we had another wonderful tip by Cia, on "Ingy verbs" and how NOT to start sentences with them. Or the more wonky title: 'Present Participle Phrases Do Not Belong at the Beginning of a Sentence' - heh...
     
    Our weekly writing prompts, by the ever-inventive ComicFan, are there to give you some starting points - this time with two creative prompts called "The Date" and "Elements".
     
    Lastly, we wrapped up the week with a look back - this time to a 2007 anthology entry from Altimexis called Broad Ripple Blues.
     
    So that was our week - how did yours go?
     
    Anthology Announcements:
    Summer Anthology “Choices” – Due June 8th *** THIS IS JUST AROUND THE CORNER *** Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Displacement by DKStories
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus10, Book 1 of Champions of The Gods
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Hypnotic by Cia, Book 3 of Carthera Tales
     
    The Experiment by Cia
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 6 by Comicality, Book 6 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    Nemesis by David McLeod
     
    The Strange Life of Jonas Marks by ComicFan
     
    The Prompt You Say! by ComicFan
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  23. Trebs
    Friday - start (for me) of a three day weekend! Hope you enjoy your weekend but first, our weekly writing prompts, thanks to the genius of ComicFan.
     
    Our prompts this week are:
    Prompt 140 – Creative
    Cue – The Date
    This wasn’t what you expected when you finally agreed to go out. You figured maybe a movie and dinner but that isn’t you got. Who could have expected this on a date? So what did happen?
     
    Prompt 141 – Creative
    Cue – Elements
    Life is created by the elements around us from the elements found on the periodic table. That is challenged when a meteorite strikes the earth near the farm lands. You have been studying the fragments brought back but you have also gotten calls from the farms in that area. Seems new plants are growing and their makeup includes items of new elements. Life is changing due this fragment. What will these new elements mean to mankind?
     
    Take a chance and see where you can go on one (or both) of these, and share it with the community in the Writing Prompts Forum.
     
    Every week, we also look at how someone approached a past prompt. We featured James Savik's response to Prompt 127 already and now I want to show you how Andy021278 took the same prompt and went in a totally different direction. And that's one of the things I love about our writing prompts, the varied responses the same prompt can generate!
     

    Like the beginning of what Andy wrote? Here is the rest!
  24. Trebs

    Writing Tip: Ingy Verbs

    By Trebs,


    Writing Tips
    Ingy Verbs - Where They Don't Belong



    by Cia


     

    Interesting title, no? I thought it was better than if I hit you with 'Present Participle Phrases Do Not Belong at the Beginning of a Sentence' because that's just confusing right? I mean, who remembers what those grammar rules and names were for all the little bits of a sentence? *puts hand down* Soooo not me. So, if you're like me and it has been a long time since you took grammar lessons in school, I'm going to go with laymen's terms like . . . ingy verbs.
     
    They have a place in writing, and I've recently learned, that is NOT at the beginning of a sentence in almost all cases. I have learned that when you write, using the ing form of a verb tends to lessen the dramatic punch of the action you want the word to convey. It can also lead to your characters doing things in an order that just doesn't make sense or the action ends up happening to the wrong thing in the sentence. Editors frown harshly on it, and from what I've read, it is a frequent mark against writers who attempt to get published. Unfortunately, it's a habit that is hard to break!
     
    So, how about an example?
     
    Ingy verb use that is not okay:
    Crying out, he sat down hard on the ground again, cussing as he gripped the offending body part.
     
    Possible rewrite:
    Dane cried out in pain as he sat down hard on the ground again, then cussed as he gripped the offending body part.
     
    So, see the change in what I did? Not only did the first clause with the ing verb remove the impact of the cry, all those actions were technically taking place at the same time. There was no sequence of events. How do you cry out, fall to the ground, cuss and hold your ankle at the same time? Readers need to see a sequence for the story to flow without having to think about it. You could have him crying out and falling at the same time, since that is physically possible, and my edit grouped the two actions, crying out and falling, with cussing and gripping, and gave the sequence of events.
     
    I know this isn't an in depth explanation on all the technical aspects of ingy verbs. There are places that they can be placed and work well in your story; it is knowing the difference can be difficult. I didn't want to do too much at once in this blog so I chose to highlight the format most often redlined by editors. I do know a few good websites with more information as well as the popular book written by King and Brown, Self-editing for Fiction Writers, which includes a section on participle phrases. That can be found on Amazon or possibly your local bookstore, I know my fav local one has it used for only 6.95. Website links below.
     
    Grammar Wench
     
    Novel Publicity & Co.
     
    The Editor's Blog This one also explains different participle phrases. They do belong in some places in sentence structure; the ones I found that editors frown on are the participle phrase at the beginning on the setence, dangling modifiers, and participle phrases with passive voice. This one is technical but with great examples and includes punctuation rules.
     
    About.com Grammar Page on Participles Again, technical page on participles with further examples.
  25. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    The weekend is almost over - but at least NEXT weekend will be a three-day one for many of us in the states.
     
    We've had a busy week with a ton of great feedback. For our "Tuesday tip", we did something different and had a poll as well as requests for open comments about this news blog. If you haven't chimed in, or if you have something new you want to add - please go and either post there or as a comment here.
     
    One of the suggestions has even been implemented already. As we continually ask for reviews, MJ85 noted that we hadn't covered writing reviews as a tip in the blog. Well - now we have with our Thursday tip on reviewing. Now - heh, I'm not saying we're going to be this quick with all of the feedback, but this one was perfect and we just had to get it on deck as soon as possible.
     
    In addition to these tips, we've had our usual great reviews of various stories on GA. Monday, Fozzie Bear gave a review of Hosted Author Lugh's story Catara. If you're looking for a new story and like Sci/Fi - Catara sounds like something you might want to check out.
     
    Wednesday we had reviews of both Promising Author Rilbur story Choice, as well as a review of Author Houdinii's story Agoraphobia. Both stories are intriguing and and based on these reviews, I've already gone and read Choice myself, and looking forward to checking out Agoraphobia.
     
    Our prompts this week both gave a snapshot of a background for a story, one called "The Oracle" and the other "The Sleeper". I am looking forward to seeing where people may take these.
     
    Finally, we looked back yesterday on a writing tip from VLista that appeared in our December 2006 newsletter, giving advice on how he approaches the writing process.
     
    So that was our week - how did yours go?
     
    Anthology Announcements:
    Summer Anthology “Choices” – Due June 8th Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - Due July 31st

    NEW READING
     

    In Premium this week:
     
    Displacement by DKStories
     
    Chosen of Honorus by Quonus 10
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Hypnotic by Cia, Book 3 of Carthera Tales
     
    Belovéd by Don H
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 6 by Comicality, Book 6 of Billy Chase Chronicles
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Perfect by Nephylim
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Forging Trust by Renee Stevens
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Nemesis by David McLeod
     
    Reach by CassieQ
     
    GA Writing Prompts by Dolores Esteban
     
    The Prompt You Say! by ComicFan
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
×
×
  • Create New...