Trebs

By now - you know the drill... We gives youse two prompts - you writes... Dat easy! Seriously though, thanks again to Comicfan for this week's prompts. We hope they intrigue you enough to try one or both - and please be sure to share with the community in our Writing Prompts forum. Prompt 160 – Creative Tag – The dog You hadn’t noticed it at first but now you can’t ignore it. There is a dog following you. You see him when you take your run through the park. You’ve seen him when you go to your local food store. Now there he is sitting at the end of your driveway watching your house. What is up with that dog? Prompt 161 – Challenge Tag – Story Time Think of an event you enjoy watching and know plenty about. What five words immediately come to mind – list them. Now write a scene about that event where you are forbidden from using the five words you have listed. These are both the perfect way to jump into writing and sharing what you write. Just pick one - and go... And who knows, in a future Prompt Me, maybe we'll feature your response. For this week, I went back to Prompt 47 that we had last summer. The prompt was: Pick any fairy/nursery/tall tale, take a secondary character's POV, and rewrite the story. Extra Credit: if the POV you chose is a good guy, make them the bad guy. And visa versa. Dolores Esteban took The Frog Prince and: To see how she finished the story, here is the link to her full prompt response. Now it's your turn - take a change and try out one of this week's prompts. Happy writing!

Here is the second part of the feature on Breaking Through that we started last Thursday. Great thanks to Radiant Renee Stevens for her compilation of this, as well as to podiumdavis for giving us the idea to do this kind of format in the first place. Enjoy! Breaking Through: Part 2 compiled by Renee Stevens So, after the success of the tip suggested by podiumdavis, I decided to take another question to the authors on the site! We had a great response and once again I have to break the responses up into two parts! The question I asked was: How do you get past "Writer's Block?" I hope you enjoy their responses and I even decided to weigh in on this one!!! Site Administrator/Hosted Author: Cia Ahh, for me I usually give myself a set time with no pressure to write. Usually a weekend, or until I read so many stories I've been wanting to read. That is always more fun than writing, lol. A trick I also try to do that will help head off writer's block before it strikes is to stop writing before I run out of ideas. I try to know what is going to happen next in the story when I save and close my file, that way, when I pick it back up again I know where to start. Forum Mod/Hosted Author: Renee Stevens I can't say how many times I have suffered from writer's block. For me, I have to have no distractions when I write, which is why I tend to write at night after the hubby goes to bed. Sometimes though, just a quiet house doesn't work and to help me get through a block, I'll turn the TV on and turn it to the Sirius radio. If I'm still blocked then I'll resort to the old fashioned pen and paper. Here's a quirk though, I can't just go pick up any notebook that's lying around or any pen. It has to be a new notebook and pen. Since buying notebooks all the time gets expensive, I actually set up a couple notebook pages on my computer that I can just print off when I'm going through a block. It seems to work as I'll sit down and write a couple pages by hand and then go transfer it to the computer, more often than not, it gets the story flowing. Sometimes even those two things don't work though. If it's a really bad block, I turn to my team. I have a great team that helps me on my stories and when I'm in a really bad block, I'll go to them and we'll hash out the story. A lot of times after that I can sit down and just write to my hearts content. When nothing works, I just have to force myself to step away from the computer for a few days and then come back to it. Promising Author: KingdombytheSea I use two different methods to try and break through writer's block. The first is to go back to the beginning of my story and start revising. Sometimes I find myself re-connecting with my characters that way--and picking up on themes I might've forgotten about along the way. The other thing I do is try and figure out if the block is there because I don't like where I've 'written myself'. In those cases, I usually take the trouble section/chapter... and delete it. (Of course, it's saved somewhere on the computer just in case...but I like the 'feel' of a clean slate). Then I rewrite that area until I find the 'aha!' moment that carries me to the next chapter/scene. Sometimes I end up writing chunks three, four, five times before I hit the 'right' way, but at least it keeps me writing Author: Michael9344 I don't get writer's block a lot, but when I do, there are three things I do 1 Have a break from writing for a few minutes. I could some house chores in that time.... 2 Go out and take a stroll or visit the mall. Sometimes I buy something I don't actually need. 3 I listen to Deep Blues and New Age/ Adult Contemporary music. If those three things doesn't help me, then forget about the story for a while and focus on other writings/ stories. Author: IntheMindofSunshine Writer's Block - the dreaded feeling of opening up a word document and having nothing to say. I personally believe there are two types of writer's block: (1) I am stuck on a certain story or (2) I am unable to write anything at all. If it is the first one and I cannot write a certain scene or I have no clue where to go next in the story, I usually put that story aside and work on another one. In the mean time, I throw around [sometimes ridiculous] plot lines in my head until something sticks out. Sometimes I have to wait for that 'aha!' moment. I have actually been working on a particular story for the better part of five years. I worked on it diligently, through many different versions, for about four years straight and then got the worst case of writer's block possible. I placed it on the back burner and worked on my other, newer, stories. Recently, I have picked that story back up again, and although it is slow going at the moment, I believe that just taking a (very lengthy) step back from that story helped me get inspired to get past the writer's block and continue writing it. After all, I created those characters; they deserved the ending I have planning to give them. I also brainstorm with a friend of mine who knows my stories, writing style, and overall personality rather well. That tends to bring out good results and gets me over the wall that I have ran into. Even if I do not like what she suggested, I can, most of the time, find a way to work out a scene that will more than likely stay in the final draft of the story. Sometimes she sees avenues I can take but have not seen. It always helps to have an outside voice giving me ideas for a storyline or telling me that I have not explained something clearly enough. On the other hand, if it is the second type of writer's block and I am unable to write on any story, my process of combating it is different. I try reading a lot - anything I can get a hold of that will actually keep my attention. This can span from stories on the internet to actual published books. I do not stick to a particular genre of reading material, either. The subject of the book or online story does not have to be and rarely is the same subject that I am currently writing on. Even the most unrelated aspects have caught my attention and given me inspiration to get past my writer's block. Sometimes, though, reading does not work either. Then I run or walk on the road that I live on, which is off the main highway in a rural area so I do not have to generally worry about many vehicles or meeting crazies. I prefer doing so at dusk or the few hours that follow. It is the time of the day when everything around here starts winding down and the air starts to lighten up. It is very peaceful and allows me to brainstorm without the constraint of a computer screen glaring at me. While I am not sure if it is the night air that clears my head or if it is the relief of not staring at a blank page, physically stepping away from my stories always helps me get past writer's block within a short amount of time.

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.

Something a little different this week - Radiant Renee Stevens has complied a great little piece on thanks. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did... Our Heroes We love when we get messages from Members with things to go into the blog. Recently we received on such message from FleetingRainbows who strongly believes that Readers should not be overlooked, and we agree. Readers are what keeps a lot of the Authors on GA writing. So today, we are sharing a special Thank You from FleetingRainbows as well as a Thank You from Hosted Author: C James! Author: FleetingRainbows GA houses a lot of great talent. That fact is clear every day when you look at the side bar to see which stories have been updated. There are many great authors and poets, who rely on their betas and their editors to make sure their work is fit to be read. While Authors, editors, and betas make up a vast amount of our population here, there is one group that shouldn’t be overlooked. And that is that of the Reader/reviewer. I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we love getting feedback from all of you readers out there. It makes our day to open up the comments section and find new reviews for the works we’ve crafted. Writers and poets even thrive on constructive criticism and are encouraged by words of glee and your energy keeps us writing more. Since September of 2010 one such reader has gone above and beyond in her efforts to support GA . She is enthusiastic about the story, she offers feedback, asks questions and never fails to comment on every single chapter of a story she likes. Her reviews offer a delightful mixture of constructive critique and genuine enjoyment of the story she has just read. By supporting the authors she is also supporting the site, and for this we wish to thank Lisa for her contribution to the community. She makes us authors smile. Hosted Author: C James There's only one way to start this: "Thank you!" Now I'll explain why I'm saying that; I've been offered the opportunity to say a few words about my forum posters, reviewers, senders of e-mails and PM's. So, the very first thing I wanted to say is 'Thank you!', and I'll be saying it more than once, because you're the reason I post stories. Getting feedback is more important than anything else to me, and I welcome it, good or bad. This helps me in a way nothing else can; allowing me to see the story through the eyes of a reader. This helps me improve, and I find it more valuable than I can express. I also get ideas from feedback, and also it allows me to see what parts are coming across well, and what needs more explanation. That's the practical side; how feedback helps me. Now, for the motivational side; feedback is why I post stories. This goes well beyond the practical help feedback gives me, it's the source of the only enjoyment I get from posting chapters. Without it, I would stop, for I'd have no reason to continue. Oh, I'd still write - I'm addicted to it - it's just the public posting that would cease. You're also why I keep up a demanding schedule; I'm not a fast writer, so for me, a chapter a week is hard. I'm currently nearing the end of the longest (by far!) novel I've ever written or am ever likely to write, and it would not exist without you; you've been my persistence and my motivation more times than I could ever count. So, to my friends - and I indeed consider everyone who comments, in any way, a friend - you are the reason my stories are online, and interacting with you is my greatest joy as a writer. Thank you. CJ:) Thank you so much to these wonderful authors for taking a moment to share their thoughts with us on what their readers mean to them. Would you like to give a shout-out to your readers? If so, why not either reply here or you can PM Renee Stevens or Trebs and we could do another Thank You next month! Hope to hear from you soon!!!

What a better way to start a week than with a great story. Hosted Author Libby Drew is one of our most talented authors with wonderful tales - here is a review of her short story Spark. Enjoy! Spark By Libby Drew Reviewer: Renee Stevens Status: Complete Word Count: 6,434 I have had Libby Drew on my “to read” list for quite a while, and today I decided why wait? I scrolled through her list of stories and one immediately jumped out at me. The description sounded like something that I might enjoy and I always like to start with an author’s short story, to really get a feel of their writing. The story I chose was “Spark” and I thoroughly enjoyed the read! The story takes place on a train, and not just any train, but one that’s path is through a treacherous mountain pass. The main character, Derrick is terrified, but the train is a necessary evil of his job during a time when things are hard for many people. He meets Nix, who is also on the train for business. Things develop between the two, but Nix is extremely hesitant, it’s only when he reveals his job to him that Derrick understands why. This story was very well crafted and kept me thinking. I had a couple of difference scenarios in my mind as to what was going to happen, but none of them ended up panning out. Libby Drew artfully kept me in suspense as I read on to find out exactly what was happening between the two main characters. It’s really not until about three quarters through that the mystery starts to unravel and I really began to understand what was happening. After reading “Spark” I am definitely intrigued and have become a fan of Libby Drew. I know that after this short story I will be reading more of her works and luckily for me, the majority of her works are short stories which I prefer. If you haven’t already checked her out, I strongly suggest you do so. Especially if you enjoy a good mystery. Happy Reading!

Well, our deadline for the big Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill" - has come and past. I can't wait until we all get to see what was submitted. I'm definitely looking forward to some new stories to read! AND - we have some new Anthology Announcements. One of the joys of working on this daily GA News blog, is pulling out older stories that sometimes just don't get enough attention. We did that on Monday with Radiant Renee Stevens' review of Under the Mistletoe by Hosted Author DomLuka. This charming tale just shows how well Dom can craft short stories, in addition to his longer (and more well known) serial stories. We then had a great Toss-up Tuesday entry on Premium Memberships - The Reasons Why. I liked what Renee had to write, but as usual, reader comments on the piece helped give even more information. For our Author Showcase, we had a review of Almost, by Promising Author Faust as well as a review of Mind Games by Author Ieshwar. Great reviews that expose you to stories you might not have come across and help you see if you might have found a new gem to cherish. For our Tip Thursday, Renee has started another two-part series, asking for input from various authors and compiling their responses. This time, it's "Breaking Through" - how do they get past writers' block. I love these compilations and again have to thank Podiumdavis for suggesting our first one. Our Writing Prompts this week - very intriguing. One is a first line and the other is to write using a set of specific words. But the more I look at the two prompts, the more I wonder what someone could do by combining these two specific prompts... Take a look and see if you agree... Finally, we had our Blast from the Past - and it was a great one, looking at an interview from the October 2006 newsletter with Kevin, aka AFriendlyFace. So - how was your week? Anthology Announcements: Fall Anthology “Friends and Enemies” – Due Sept 4th Winter Anthology "Desperate Ends" - Due Dec 8th *NEW* Special Mayan Tribute Anthology "End of the World" - Due Dec 14th *NEW* 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 Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP) Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont Circumnavigation by C James City Under the Waves by Nephylim Untouchable by Comicality By our Promising Authors this week: Tower of High Sun by JMH, Book 1 of Of Sun, Moon, and Stars Reach by CassieQ The Prompt You Say! by comicfan Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!

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.

We've got another fantastic two part tip, with part two coming next Thursday. We hope you enjoy, and thanks to all of the authors who participated, but special thanks to the Radiant Renee Stevens, for compiling this! Breaking Through: Part 1 compiled by Renee Stevens So, after the success of the tip suggested by podiumdavis, I decided to take another question to the authors on the site! We had a great response and once again I have to break the responses up into two parts! The question I asked was: How do you get past "Writer's Block?" I hope you enjoy their responses!! Site Administrator: JSmith For me it's not so much that I hit a wall, but more of a mood thing. I can't force myself to write. In those cases I take the unconventional route and grab a bottle of wine (or a box, but no one has to know that) until I'm relaxed enough and can forget all of the drama that is life and focus on the story. If I'm too busy worrying about something it shows in my writing. When I do hit those blocks though, I usually turn to someone to help me brainstorm a bit. My beta MJ85 is great at helping me work through where I want to take the story. Once we've beat it to death how things should play out, it makes it a lot easier to put it on paper. And yes, I do mean actual paper. If I'm typing a story I get too distracted by emails and whatnot that I can't focus. Seeing the pages fill with words is also a good motivational tool for me. But again, if all else fails, a bottle of wine usually does the trick! Tech Support/Hosted Author: Lugh I don't get writer's block... I get writer's dungeon... or writer's moat. Sometimes writer's wall.... it's never one block. First I have to isolate the source of the 'oh hell no I'm not going to write that' protest going on in my head. That can take anywhere from a few minutes to a few years and can be something as basic as a character acting out of character or a young woman with an elizabethian wingback chair in her living room for no good reason... there has to be a story behind THAT one!... to some basic flaw in the story arc, plot, or logic. Something is niggling and I can't move on until I fix it -- whatever it is. Now... sometimes it's not the story itself, and this just adds to the fun of being me. Sometimes it is me. If I get over stressed I have a hard time writing so even if there is no block.. I'm blocked. Or I'll get manic and write like crazy and while I'm producing a lot... it's all shit... which is another type of block really.... dirriaha of the pen. And sometimes like now, it's just too much trouble (or effort) to think, much less to think about fantasy and write about it. Engh. It takes effort. So sometimes the block isn't anything more than the author being a lazy depressed whiner. Or maybe there is something else going on that a metaphysical slegehammer might help. Push come to shove... get laid. Works wonders on all accounts. Promising Author: Comicfan Writer's Block is a pain. When I am working on something and hit the wall I need a break from it. I find the more I try to get past it on the same story it becomes worse. Trying to just push forward doesn't work for me. Instead it seems to alienate me from the characters I've created and what appears on the screen is less desirable as well as makes less sense. For me, I end up taking a break from whatever it is I am working on. Instead of banging my head against the wall, I will work on a prompt, go play a video game, watch a movie, or do whatever I have to so that I take a break from that idea or story. When I come back to it then I am refreshed and can look at whatever had been causing the problem and see new ways to finish it. Author: Podiumdavis Writers block can be a difficult one, which can be amazingly good at times also. Think about it. Can't think of where to go? This can be troublesome aspect of writing. Nevertheless, half of my current story was thought up through writer’s block on where to take it. Most of the if's, when's, where's and how’s of the stories have come out of this; I wish I could be more specific in that respect, but much of those things still haven't come out in the story. However, when writers block hits, I'll take a step back; think of what I have written so far (if any), and move on from there. In particular, writers block doesn't have to mean that you're blocked in the way that it's typically known, but rather how you're going to word it. With this, I sometimes will sit back, think, and come back to it, only after listening to some music, taking a break, or going to play a video game. Other times it's been while at work, on break, thinking and then it hits you; you got a whole subplot to deal with now. In some ways, I take writers block as an adventure. It’s a chance to feel out your variables, to take leaps and bounds forward. It only takes the time to sit, think and move on. In time, you’ll see how great some of these writers blocks can be. In closing I like to say that writer’s block (at least for me) isn’t always a down fall, because at times it can bring you to something that you hadn’t thought of before; had you had any idea at all. So for me, sometimes, it’s a blessing to take a step back, and just think of some amazing ideas of where to go. In that respect, I know how my story goes, and how it unfolds. Author: Naptowngirl When I plot a story, I know the beginning, the middle and the end. I might use a different avenue, than I expected, but I reach the end none the less. So when I experience writers block, I do two things. One, I think about what I want to happen in the next chapter. The funny thing is I usually know what I what to happen, it's the words that aren't flowing, but I don't stress or fret because I know they will come. Second, I relax, use this time to catch up on stories of other Authors that I've fallen behind on, or find new stories to read, you'd be amazed how reading someone else’s writing can unlock the creative mind. There have been times when I've been reading someone else’s story and a light bulb goes off, I exit stage, left pull up my story and Taa Daa! The juices at that point are in over load. What started out as a hard 200 words are now 1500 and I feel like I put a nice size dent in it. Author: Andy021278 I'll put the offending chapter down and leave it alone for a couple of days. I'll read more than usual, watch more films and TV than usual; sometimes something happens in one of them that gets the creative juices flowing. It sounds very cliché, but I find just not thinking about it really does help (not easy for authors to do I know). Something else I find helps if I'm really stuck and about to start throwing large objects around; which thankfully doesn't happen too often. I'll sometimes actually write the entire next chapter first and then go back to the bit I'm stuck on. So instead of trying to write a chapter or scene that could, in theory, lead anywhere, I have a much more concrete destination set and it just becomes a matter of writing the journey; which I find becomes easier when I know exactly what happens next as opposed to having just my vague 10 or 15 word inkling of a chapter plot. That's why you will sometimes find me posting two chapters simultaneously; always an indication of writer's block, never a sign that I love you guys So, that's it for Part 1! Don't forget to come back next week to see what the rest of the author's I contacted replied with! There is lots more to come!!

Yay - it's August and that means only two weeks until the kids go back to school! (hehehehhe) And in other Wednesday news, we've got two terrific reviews for you. Radiant Renee Stevens gives us a review of Promising Author Faust's Almost and Andy021278 gives us a great review of Author Ieshwar's Mind Games. Check out their reviews then hopefully check out one or both of these interesting stories! Almost By Faust Reviewer: Renee Stevens Status: Complete Word Count: 2,688 One thing I have absolutely loved about being a part of the blog team is that I have read so many new authors. The most recent one was Promising Author: Faust. Faust has been a member for quite a long time, having joined the site August 06, 2006. When I first opened his story “Almost” I immediately noticed that it is not written in a typical story format. Instead, I found myself reading the story through a series of journal entries and newspaper articles. While at first I found the format a little jarring, I quickly became engrossed in this short story. “Almost” lets us into the inner most thoughts of the main characters. Through his journal we are able experience what he is feeling and it isn’t just one emotion. We are with him as he spills out what his fears are. We are by his side as he lets us into his innermost thoughts. We can hope with him as he tells about what he wishes could happen. There is a lot of angst in this story and at times I did find myself uncertain and a bit confused about what I was reading, but by the end, it all made sense. I will say that in my opinion, there is a bit of a twist, but you will just have to read the story to find out what it is. For those who are looking for something a bit different from the traditional story, this story might very well be what you are looking for. Hope you find it as interesting as I did! Mind Games by Ieshwar Reviewer: Andy021278 Status: Complete Word Count: 7,712 I’ve only recently started reading more here on GA now that I have a bit more free time, and have decided to read more stories written by our regular authors; I have come across some real gems and Ieshwar is definitely one of them. I’d read a couple of his anthology stories and was really impressed with the emotion that pours off the page and in the quality of his writing, so I was really looking forward to reading Mind Games. The story focuses on the Telepathic Police Force (TPF), which as the name implies, is a group of psychic police officers. Since they entered the police force, solving crime has become child’s play; they simply read people’s minds and discern the guilty from the innocent. Naturally, not everyone is happy with these psychic police officers; least happy of all was a group called Nova Roma. The psychic police officers have been hailed as heroes by some and condemned as mind rapists by others; they have been called everything from psyonic knights to voyeurs. Away from work, TPF officer Brandon Ullman is fed up with going on dates with guys whose minds he can read like an open book, that is until one day he meets Seiran; a guy whose mind he can’t read, and Brandon quickly falls in love with him. Shortly after meeting Seiran, the top secret training academy of the TPF is attacked by person or persons unknown and very few psychics survive the attack. Suddenly everyone who anyone in the TPF knows becomes a suspect; someone with intimate knowledge of the workings of the TPF has access to knowledge that nobody has. Seiran immediately becomes a suspect given the short space of time between meeting Brandon and the attack. Another TPF officer, Sharon, convinces Brandon he needs to violate their golden rule, and force entry into Seiran’s mind; she agrees to do the same thing in an attempt to clear or condemn her husband. The outcomes are unexpected for the both of them, but they are left with no time to dwell on the consequences of their actions, as the Parliament building is attacked and the TPF is placed on high alert. Events unfold, which mean that eventually, nobody is above suspicion; not even the sector commander of the TPF. As the story reaches its climax, not only is the source of the attacks a surprise, but the identity of the betrayer is the biggest surprise in the story; the identity of the betrayer even shocks Brandon Ullman to the core. Ieshwar weaves an incredible tapestry for such a short story; made even more impressive by the absence of a beta reader or an editor. The quality of the story is on par with his anthology entries I have read which in itself is no mean feat, and I was hooked from the first word to the last.

I'm happy to present a review of Hosted Author DomLuka's Under the Mistletoe. While many know of his longer stories, such as The Lo(n)g Way, Desert Dropping and The Ordinary Us, Dom has also done a number of short stories. Renee Stevens gives us a great review of Under the Mistletoe - and you should be sure to check out his The Spirit of James and my favorite, Valentines Day Goes to the Dog. Under the Mistletoe By DomLuka Reviewer: Renee Stevens Status: Complete Word Count: 7,592 I must really be in a Christmas story mood as I’ve been searching out Christmas stories that I have enjoyed in the past. This time I decided to re-read “Under the Mistletoe” by DomLuka. While I have read most of Dom’s longer works, I especially like reading shorter stories because I can read them without having to stop. I enjoyed this story just as much as I did the first time or two I’d read it. The story starts with Matthew when he’s only about five years old. He witnessed a kiss between his parents under the mistletoe and proceeded to find himself obsessed with how great it would be to kiss someone under the mistletoe. He’s watched couple after couple share a brief moment and he wants that for himself. Even at the age of five, he knew that he wanted it to be a boy. The story follows Matthew on his quest for a kiss under the mistletoe. It has everything that a reader might want. At times I found myself chuckling at the antics of boys and at other times I found myself wanting to cry for one or more of the characters and the situations that they find themselves in. There is a wonderful mixture of humor and drama that I found to be incredibly entertaining. While this story certainly isn’t as long as the majority of Dom’s stories, it is no less great. Dom shows a lot of skill in this short story and I think during the whole thing I only noticed one small error, but even the best makes a mistake occasionally. After re-reading this, I think I’ll once more be going through some of Dom’s other works. If you haven’t already read this short story, I’d strongly suggest taking a look. If you haven’t read Dom at all, this short story will easily help you decide if you’ll like his other works, though I doubt you’ll have any complaints after finishing this one.

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!!!

Looking back - 2004 seems so long ago but at the same time, seems so recent. Here is a review from Renee Stevens of a story we had in our very first anthology - Nick Cringle by Myr. Check it out! Nick Cringle By Myr Reviewer: Renee Stevens Anthology: 2004 Christmas Word Count: 5,676 I decided it would be a great idea to visit the very first anthology on Gay Authors. I was looking through the entries and noticed “Nick Cringle” by Myr. I remembered reading it a long time ago and absolutely loving it. I decided to read it again to refresh my memory so that I could share it with the rest of the GA members and it was just as great as I remembered! It starts out with sixteen year old Nick Cringle take a vacation from the family business. He took over when his father passed away and needed a break from the immense responsibilities he had to shoulder. He ended up going to school at the school that his family owned. Many things happened from the time he set foot on the exclusive campus, but as I don’t want to ruin it for the readers, you’ll just to read it to find out the ups and downs. All I can really say is that there are moments in this story that are incredibly sweet and touching. Despite the sadness of the father’s death, this tale was very enjoyable and snags the reader from moment you start reading. It was definitely no hardship to re-read this story and Myr really shows his skill in keeping the reader’s attention. If you haven’t already read this story I strongly suggest that you do so and why not leave Myr a review to let him know what you thought?

Middle of the week - hey, that also means we're now LESS THAN A WEEK away from the deadline for the big Novella Anthology "Secrets Can Kill". If you need a few extra days, contact Lugh in advance and he can work with you. We've got two sweet reviews this week, first Radiant Renee Stevens gives us a review of Promising Author KingdombytheSea's Dare. We also have Percy reviewing Author Carringtonrj's Queertown. Take a look at these reviews and hopefully they inspire you to check out the stories as well. Enjoy! Dare By KingdombytheSea Reviewer: Renee Stevens Status: Complete Word Count: 5,315 I first read this story back when it was written for the 2011 Gay Authors Summer Anthology. I was thinking about stories today and decided that I wanted to reread this story to see if it was as good as I remembered it being. In my opinion, it was. This story follows Mark through his school years starting from the age of 12. After taking a dare, he becomes known as the guy who will take any dare that is given him. At his side through all of it is one of his friends, Shawn. The quietest and probably least adventurous of the group. Shawn just happens to be the one who is always helping Mark out when his hijinks don’t go quite as planned and is the one person in their group that Mark can count on to be there for him no matter what. The question remains, is there a dare that Mark won’t take? You’ll have to read this story to find out! I enjoyed this story immensely and found myself occasionally chuckling and at other times I found myself going, “Maybe this is one dare he should turn down.” KingdombytheSea showcases her talent in this short story and I encourage everyone to read it and go review! What do you have to lose? Queertown by Carringtonrj Reviewer: Percy Status: In Process Carringtonrj’s Queertown is an adventure, mystery and quest for self-knowledge. The story opens in a sagging, dog-eared bar where we meet the central character, Adrian. He’s soon drawn into a conversation with the bartender where both reveal lives marked by poor decisions, unfortunate coincidences and, ultimately, loss. Adrian is apathetic regarding his life situation and sees no hope for improvement. The bartender, a curious individual who also views life with a certain resignation, suggests Adrian may find rejuvenation in a place called Queertown. Leery, intrigued, and with nothing better to do with his time, Adrian agrees to meet the bartender in the man’s upstairs flat. His new companion begins to recount his journey to Queertown, and here the story takes on a surreal, gossamer quality. Toni, the bartender, shares with Adrian his life in Queertown, a place where every pleasure is indulged, every wish granted and every possibility experienced immediately and with perfect harmony. It is not a place of either/or but a place of all, always, all ways. Listening to Toni’s fantastical tales and increasingly swept up in his developing relationship with the bartender, Adrian becomes convinced that he must experience this Shangri La of sensuality for himself. He and Toni conspire to send Adrian on a mission to Queertown. Despite Toni’s enchantment with the place and Adrian’s excitement over the possibilities it holds for him, a mystery lurks in the tapestry of the town. Carringtonrj injects the tale with the occasional darkly discordant note, sounding a warning to Toni, Adrian and the reader that living in utopia has its risks. Primarily, though, this is a story of self-discovery. In Queertown, readers will find among its many charismatic characters the type of person they are, the type of person they want to be or at the least, the type of person they want to do. Carringtonrj’s lush narrative, scored by music from Dylan, Bowie and others, contributes to the dream-like quality of the story. The author’s intelligent treatment of human desires, concerns and hopes never lets fantasy completely overtake the storytelling. Queertown is an altogether scrumptious and entertaining read.

Without any further adieu, here is an interview we have with our very own Renee Stevens, Hosted Author extraordinaire, Forum Moderator du jour and last, but certainly not least, News Blog Co-helper/Organizer/Goddess.... Interview with Renee Stevens by Comicfan In your “about me”, it states you began writing back in junior high. What were your earliest subjects about? This is kind of embarrassing now, but the first story I started writing was in the 8th grade. That story was about a killer mountain lion named Tom who was preying not just on cattle, but he was attacking the townsfolk. I never finished that story, but what I had written my teacher enjoyed. I was so lucky that I had an awesome English teacher who read through what I did write and gave me pointers and encouraged me. It was a far cry from what I write now, obviously. Here you are a straight woman, happily married but you are publishing on Gay Authors. What attracts you to writing M/M romances? I’ve been asked similar questions a number of times and honestly, I never have a good answer. I got so tired of reading the harlequin romance novels and somehow or another I ended up reading a story by Sara Bell called “The Magic In Your Touch”. I thoroughly enjoyed it and by joining her yahoo group at the time, I met a lot of wonderful people, a couple of which became really good friends. After reading Sara’s story I decided that I wanted to see what I could do in the Gay Romance genre. My reasoning at the time was that as a M/F Romance writer I would have less chance of getting published as it is so hard to get noticed amongst all the other authors that write M/F romance. With a lot of encouragement from the friends I met through Sara’s group, I started my first M/M story and Eternity was the result. You have been a member of GA for almost three years now. What is the one thing you have enjoyed most about that time? I think the thing I have enjoyed the most is the people I’ve met. There are so many great people on GA and I’ve been lucky in that I have become close friends with a few of them. Through those friendships, I keep meeting more and more people and my daily list of who I talk to just continues to grow. Also, I think it’s great that new authors can come to the site and get honest feedback on what they have spent their time creating. One of your many titles here is Hosted Author. For you what does that title mean? I consider it an honor and a privilege to be a Hosted Author at GA. But with that honor comes some expectations. For me being a Hosted Author means ensuring that I continuously post stories for the site readers. It has also meant multiple beta reads to ensure that everything I post is as error free as possible. As a Hosted Author I am always looking for ways that I can give back to the site. My way of doing this is getting involved in multiple aspects of the site, everything from the blog, to the anthologies, and to being a forum mod. In your stories you seem to go for the stories that involve folklore like Vampires and Werewolves. What is the attraction for you as an author? The only answer to that is that I just love Vampire and Werewolf stuff. And it’s not even just werewolves that I enjoy, I like all shifter stories. In fact, for this last anthology I did a story with a Tiger shifter that I’ve had a few people want me to turn the story into a full length novel. With vampires, there are so many stories out there about these “evil” vampires and while in most of my stories I do have that, I also like showing the other side of the coin. The same goes for werewolves. I like to take these types of characters and put a new spin on then, alter something that people feel is a regular part of their mythology. Whether it’s Vampires being able to go out in the sunlight or werewolves not being affected by silver, I like to make sure there is just something that is different from the “norm”. Your story Joined by Blood was well received on the site last year. Has the popularity of that story encouraged you to take more chances in your writing? I don’t know as it has encouraged me to take more chances in my writing. I mean, the biggest worry I had with “Joined by Blood” was on how the “triad” would be accepted by the readers. It was something new for me and it seemed like most of the readers enjoyed the way that story went. I have tried to branch out a little more lately, but that’s not really a direct result of “Joined by Blood”, and at this point none of my newer stories are anywhere near being ready for public consumption. There seems to be a sudden flurry of authors on the site publishing their works. Do you plan to have any of your work published as well? I do have some aspirations to get published and actually sent one of my stories, “No More Hiding”, to a publisher, but it was rejected at the time. The publisher told me what needed fixed and I am very slowly working on it and then plan to resubmit it. Also, I am hoping to submit “Joined by Blood” to a publisher in the near future. There are some things that need to be changed but I’m slowly correcting that as well. With that in mind, I would like to invite all those who have read “Joined by Blood” to visit my forum. I have created a topic asking my readers what they thought seemed off about the original so that while I am revising I can look at what people thought was unbelievable and correct it. You can visit the topic here. Besides being a Hosted Author at GA, you are listed as the Forum Moderation Team and now the head of the Anthologies. What exactly do those titles mean and what does that translate to for those here on GA? The Forum Moderation Team simply makes sure that the GA Members are following the rules that have been set forth by the Administration team. Some of these rules are necessary to keep GA up and running due to the revenue from ads and such. As a member of the Forum Moderation Team, it is my job to watch out for things that could affect the running of GA. Also, if members have questions or problems, they can come to me or any other member of the moderation team and we will do our best to help them. As far as the head of the Anthologies. I took over from Graeme as the Anthology Coordinator just this past Winter/Spring. My job as far as that goes is simple. I make sure that everyone knows when the anthologies are due as well as helping anyone who has questions. I also, with some help, go through all the entries to check for content and editing. Not just that, but in the fall, I will compile a team to narrow down the suggested themes for next year’s anthologies. What is the story you are most proud of having written and why? The story I am most proud of is actually one that is not even on GA. “Life After Loss” is a M/F story and was the first story I completed, but that’s not even why I am most proud of it. It has a lot of issues that need to be fixed, but the reason I am most proud of it is while the story is fiction, parts of it are based on some aspects of my own life. It was actually written in an effort to help myself deal with my brother’s death. It took a lot of courage for me to actually write it and out of all of my stories, it’s probably the one that means the most to me. Every writer has a story they have written that they feel might be overlooked. For you, which of your stories would that be? Out of all the stories on GA, I think the one that might be overlooked more than any other is “Night Walker.” It was actually the first vampire story I’d ever written and is a relatively short story at just around 12K. If I remember correctly, it was actually originally posted in the old e-fiction, but once it got moved, I think that’s the one that most new readers overlook. I have given some thought to turning it into a novel, but only time will tell if I do that. We know from the weekly blog you are involved in that as well. You and Trebs have been pumping it out regularly now since taking over from Lugh. While we all enjoy the blog what is the main thing you are hoping the readers get from that? There are so many things I hope the readers get from it. I think one of the main things is that I hope people check out a writer that maybe they’ve never read before. I think there is something for everyone in the blog. Whether someone is a reader, an author, or an editor, there is something that will hopefully appeal to them. Besides writing, what other projects do you enjoy doing? There’s a lot of stuff I do besides writing. During the summer months I am very rarely home as I spend a lot of time out at the lake camping, swimming, and fishing. During the fall, I’m on the mountain quite a bit for hunting season. While I know there are a lot of people out there who dislike hunting, there is something satisfying about helping to provide the meat for our family. Plus, it’s something I grew up doing. For most of my childhood, I lived on venison. Other than those, I enjoy reading, but I don’t read near as much as I used to. I also enjoy the beta work I do for some of the authors on site as well as the stuff I do for the site, like the blog and being the anthology coordinator. I like knowing that I am helping give back to the site. I have also recently started sewing quilts, though I have yet to actually get one finished. Other than that, I just write and occasionally play some games on gaming systems and just enjoy taking care of my hubby. Though I do detest housework, but it is a necessary evil. What is the next major project your readers can expect to see from you? Well, I plan to finish up “Forging Trust.” Also, I should have a story coming out in the Premium section in the near future called “Challenging Fate”, so watch out for that. Other than those, I have a few stories in the works, just need to see what one really jumps out at me after I finish “Forging Trust”. What is one thing you feel any writer should be aware of when they write? Have at least some idea of where you want your story to go. It may change a bit along the way, but if you have at least some clue where you want to end up, you’re more likely not to get stuck halfway through. This may sound odd, but when I’m writing, my characters “talk” to me. If your characters are trying to veer you off your path, at the very least listen to them and then think about how the changes could affect where you want your story to end up. You may find yourself in a different place than you planned, but sometimes that’s not necessarily a bad thing. I had this very thing happen with Joined by Blood and let me tell you, I couldn’t be happier with the way that story turned out. While I’m most proud of my non-GA story, “Joined by Blood” is by far my BEST story. So, just have an idea where you want the story to go and keep that in mind, but don’t be afraid to veer off course. What is one thing you wish all the members of GA to know about you as writer? I think one of the main things I want everyone to know about me is that I will always finish my stories. I don’t tend to post something I’m writing unless I have a pretty good idea where it’s going and while I try not to have any major breaks in posting, sometimes life happens but never fear that I will finish anything I start. And I know you said one thing, but also, I thrive on getting feedback from my readers. My forum isn’t used as much as I would like, but I love hearing via the review system what my readers are enjoying about a story. Even if there’s something my readers don’t like, I enjoy hearing about that too. In fact, some of the revisions I’m going to be doing on Joined by Blood are the direct result of some of the critiques my readers gave me. I do listen to what my readers have to say and enjoy their questions as they read my stories. While I may not always be able to tell you the reasons behind something that is happening in the story without ruining the plot, I will always try to answer a question as much as I can.

Well, when I wrote this review, it was because I loved the Carter series by Hosted Author Topher_Lydon (aka Christopher Patrick Lydon aka CPL aka Topher). I didn't realize that we'd have a re-appearance on the forums and a forthcoming new Carter book to look forward to. If you hadn't seen, CPL posted Saturday: So with that, here is my review of the first book of the Carter series, Carter's Army! Carter's Army by Topher_Lydon Review by Trebs Status: Complete Word Count: 64,295 Christopher Lydon is one of GA's prolific authors. Carter's Army is one of his early works, yet one that still holds up very well. It is actually the first book in his seven book Carter Saga, that starts with this story of Carter in high school through college and multiple careers. Will Carter is from England and had moved with his father to Canada. Very bright (and handsome), he feels a bit out of sorts with his high school, mainly due to being English. The sports he knows and excels at are not ones that anyone plays in his Canadian school, which is fixated on hockey. At home, it is even worse with his soldier father ("the Major") and his father's new family – second wife Jackie and infant daughter Lucy. Will never seems to quite measure up to his father's expectations. Still, Will has made good friends, excels in English and the written word though can't get by without a cup of coffee. There is quite a richness and depth to the people who surround Will - from good friends Lisa and Brodie, to new friends like hockey players Andrew and Jared, and even minor characters like Will's Aunt Majella and her husband Arthur as well as Andrew's mother Micheline. Topher fleshes each out and their actions and motivations ring true to who they are. A ruined locker leads to a missed bus and an encounter on the walk home in what becomes a huge snowstorm. As many times as I have read this story (probably eight or nine so far), the way Topher unfolds each scene and each detail still make me eagerly scroll to the next word and thought. Will soon after gets caught in a compromised position - seen being tender with another boy shortly after they had shared a first kiss. The other boy isn't clear to the witness, but Will's actions soon spread quickly through their small high school and town. How his friends, family and schoolmates react not only rapidly influence Will's life, but the school and town as well. This is a high school coming of age story, but it is also but one chapter of a longer story of Will Carter. This portion is set in 1994 and you'll continue to see many of these characters in books 2 - 7. There are many highs and lows in Will's life - and you get to follow along for a fascinating ride. I highly recommend the Carter series, especially this incredible beginning.

LOVED this story - great storyline, characters, perfect pace - not too fast nor too slow. I loved some of the side characters too, the details of them, not only the family members but others like Samantha and Marie. Thank you for a wonderful read

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!!!

Hate to say, I can see them not pulling a story - imagine the damage that unscrupulous people could pull on an author by constantly reporting their story as piracy. Now if Amazon drags and takes more than, say 3-5 days, I could see the lingering damage, but as long as they act quickly, it's more of a case of avoiding unintended consequences from acting too fast.

While this is the first time I've heard of it happening where the person was selling it on Amazon, we did have other cases in the past, most notably someone reposting DomLuka's Desert Dropping as a Harry Potter fanfic (the whole story was the same, just the characters changed to Harry, Ron, etc). But when you have such a memorable opening line of "Arizona. Ari-fri-kin-zona." - well, it was easy to figure out. The mistake that person made was only posting part of it, and readers trying to find the rest by searching, and instead finding the original Dom story.

Everybody's working for the weekend! (urm, please tell me I'm not the only one who gets this reference) ANYWHO... We have our usual Friday writing prompts, again courtesy of the one and only (due to a restraining order against god) Comicfan! Take a look at them, try one or both out and share them with the community in the Writing Prompt Forum! Prompt 154 – Creative Cue – List of Words Use the following words in a story: pile of books, swim suit, raccoon, cup of coffee, and black roses. Prompt 155 – Creative Cue – Prom Date 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? So - you ever wonder how this all started? Prompt #1 in June 2006 was: Play descriptive Taboo: Pick an object in your living room, then list the five most obvious words you'd need to describe it. Then write a vivd description of the object without using those words. Repeat with an object from each room of your house. This gave us a few very interesting prompt responses, such as this one from Adonelos: or from Mattie: which was partially inspired by this favorite From DomLuka Hope you enjoyed this edition of the way-back machine!

K.C. has helped by stepping up and writing a great self-interview on creating believable characters. I found it a fantastic read - hope you do too. THANK you KC! How do you develop believable characters? What makes a great character is goes beyond skin deep. We know that every sexy main character is six feet tall, has a full head of lush gorgeous hair and a flawless smile…right? Wrong! Fiction is where anything can happen, so why not throw out the cookie cutter molds and start thinking outside the box. What makes a well-developed character into a great character? It’s more than their physical traits. This is where the reader becomes emotionally invested in the character’s life. We want to know what makes them tick. Why do they do and react the way they do? Even if the reader isn’t told the entire backstory of each character, we can learn about them by how they react to a situation. Family and economic status also molds who a character is. Someone who is the eldest child in a single-parent family of five will have different point of view from someone who is the youngest child in a wealthy family. What if these two guys were on a date? How would they react to a $500 bottle of wine? Not every character is perfect. In fact some of the best characters are flawed. Their imperfections can make them more interesting. A crooked smile, a unique scar, or nervous twitch can make them stand out in a crowd. So, what do you when the character that you're working on does something unexpected? I usually go back to the character profile and try to see if it is something they would do in real life and if so I have to have a good reason. If I can't justify why a character does something (forgive the pun) so out of character, then I go back and make a list of alternative outcomes until I find one that fits my character. How about something bad happening to a character you've really invested in? It's hard to see bad things happen to good people but that is real life. Sometimes the bad guy wins and the nice guy finishes last. When I get emotionally invested in a character I'm working on, I hate to see something bad happen to them, but I'll take a step back and take a look at the story as a whole to see if the actions move the plot of the story forward. Thanks again KC - and if you have something you want to share with the community, please let Renee Stevens or myself know!

For this week's Author Showcase, we did something a little different and are looking at reviews posted by the many readers of the showcased stories. We first look at Promising Author Corvus' Mike and Winston, and then we have Author Dan Umbero's Burying the Past. Let us know what you think of this format, and also - as we always need more reviewers, if you have time and the interest to write a review, let Renee Stevens or myself know! Enjoy! Mike and Winston By Corvus College wasn't supposed to be a dull and solitary routine. Mike decides to break it. Against his better judgment, he meets Winston, a thirty-something man both married and closeted, and begins an unexpected journey of personal discovery, trials, and, perhaps, triumph. Corvus has been a long-time member here at GA and has penned many different stories. Today we’re going to look at what some of his readers have to say about his story, “Mike and Winston.” One reader says: I love your writing style- its captivating and to the point. Captivated me from beginning to end. In my opinion, that is a very good endorsement, but if you need more… From another: Overall, i loved the whole concept and the twist almost at the end. I must say i was expecting another kind of ending. But hey, it was a good ride, though! Wait! There’s a twist towards the end? Wonder what it could be? Like me, you’ll just have to read to find out! Those are just a couple of the reviews for this story. At nine chapters and nearly 40,000 words, this story is complete and is just waiting for more readers and reviewers! Those that have already reviewed it have given it a 5 star rating. So, now that you’ve heard from some of Corvus’ readers, why not go ahead and take a look at his story and form your own opinion on it! Enjoy!!!! Burying the Past By Dan Umbero A middle aged man returns to his childhood home to bury his father and confront the man from his past. Dan Umbero has been a member of GA since May 2011. During that time, he has written and posted two stories on Gay Authors. One of his stories is rated five stars, but the other one is rated four stars by its readers. Today we are going to look at what his readers had to say about his story “Burying the Past.” One reader wrote: This was a truly beautiful story, heartfelt, plausible and mature. Thank you so much, and I would love to read more. In my honest opinion, there are those stories that, despite having enjoyed the story, a reader is glad to see it end. I love to see author's that leave their readers wanting more! Another had this to say: I really felt for these two men, and I think the ending is perfect. The only thing I'd add is that the switches between 1st and 3rd person are really jarring. But, wow, you had tears in my eyes in places. Awesome job! Despite the comments regarding the point of view switching, this reader still read to the end and anyone that can bring tears to the eyes of their reader is definitely worth checking out. I’m definitely going to be adding this author to my reading list. The story is marked as complete and is a short story at just over 10K. Why not take a look and if you like this story, add a few reviews and maybe even add a like and help this author reach that magic 50 that will get them out of the mod queue!

Interview with Lugh Interviewer: Renee Stevens What got you interested in writing Sci-Fi/Fantasy stories? Realistic fiction has too many rules. You can’t do this or you can’t do that… you have to be rich or powerful to pull off most things. However, in soft sci-fi and fantasy, you can create your own rules, so long as you stick by them. Oddly that is sometimes more difficult than sticking by real societies rules though or makes you think of why there is a rule for that. So it can get interesting at times. Was there anything in particular that steered you in that direction? As a kid I was able to disconnect with the world around me when I wrote. If I wrote about the real world I don’t think the disconnect would have been beneficial for me. I didn’t, and still don’t, like horror stories. I’ve written in a few genres, but usually come back to soft sci-fi/fantasy. Out of all your stories, which one did you find the easiest to write? I wrote Forever Boy in three days. I wouldn’t say it was the easiest to write though. It was very emotional for me, almost a purging. It was like Darby was talking through me and his story had to get out of my head. I think I slept for an entire day afterward. What one did you struggle with the most? Gefahradan. You all haven’t read it yet. It’s the world Catara is set in. I’ve been fighting with that setting and “series” since I was about eighteen years old. It won’t let me go and I don’t want to let it go. You create some very intricate worlds, what do you like most about them? Depends on the story. I mean they all have their own personality with the associated strengths and weaknesses. Which of your stories are you most content with? None of them? I’m very self-critical and I see things that can be fixed in them all. Some are minor, but some… I wish I had time to just rewrite. Which story of yours do you feel is most under-appreciated? I’m not sure I can answer that. I was pissed when people were reading Forever Boy and not Catara because I felt that Catara was the better story. And some of my stories people don’t like because I write short fiction, not novel length stuff. So I don’t think it’s any one story, but the entire short story section that is under appreciated. They are not as easy to write as some people might think. Sure, writing a novel takes skill, but so does putting together a complete story in 1k to 25k words. Is there anyone on GA you would like to collaborate with, either as a beta, editor, or author? Mark Arbour but we would kill each other or get naked so it might not be a good idea. There’s been a lot of people recently publishing their works, do you have any plans for publishing? Yes, but I have to finish something first. What do you think is the hardest thing about writing in the fantasy genre? Non-humans. You don’t want them to be too human or too weird, but since they are non-human they need to be able to communicate somehow with humans (or vice-a-verse). Of course this includes some bits of their language and names, both should be pronounceable by human tongue and not so confusing that they are hard to remember or get easily mixed up. Also if they are going to have sex their genitals needs to be compatible within reason or there needs to be a damn good explanation as to how it works. I managed this in Catara (and a couple other stories, but Catara the best I think). Then of course, are the shape shifters. You can’t ignore that fact. So somehow the shift needs to be described. You can’t just say, “He was standing there and suddenly a wolf was there instead.” I can’t imagine any way at all the transmorgifation would occur instantly. Clothing. Why would non-humans dress according to human (even American) sensibilities? It’s not required. Of course there are other things, but these just popped in my head. Your Day stories were quite popular in the Anthologies. Any hints as to when we can expect the conclusion to that story? Well, Puck and I had a conversation recently. It went like this: Children often make appearances in your tales, and they are usually well protected from harm. Is that a conscious choice or just the way your stories normally develop? Depends on the story and the age of the kid usually. I don’t like child abuse unless there is a damn good reason for it. However there are children in life, so why shouldn’t they be in stories about life? Follow up to that question. Of course to every rule you have exceptions including this last anthology and your Forever Boy story. What draws you to the dark side that you explore here? Confluent was more about abusive relationships and fighting back as a teenager. There is really no way to know how long the relationships have been going on, just that he has had enough. Forever Boy was something else altogether. Children go missing in the US (and worldwide) every day. In some countries it is not impossible to purchase sex with a prepubescent child. For this to happen there has to be a group of adults who procure these children and teach them that sexual contact is what they want, need, and enjoy. I didn’t go into a lot of details with Darby’s story because I think a lot of that is… inappropriate… however I did touch on some of those issues. I also touched on how Darby felt through the entire process as it was from his POV. This story does have a bittersweet ending if you are planning on reading it and is not for the weak stomached. You’ve been a member of GA for going on 7 years now. I’m sure there have been a lot of changes over that time. Is there anything you miss from your earlier years at GA? Joey (and others) being a teenager. They were hella fun. There were less rules and more respect for each other and the people running the place. People were happy to just have a place to hang out and post their stories. Now, quite a few people seem to think it’s their right to come here and spout off their bullshit. Authors were still Drama Queens (myself included) but members didn’t TRY to drive them away… What are your future plans for your writing? I’m supposed to have plans? Damn I knew I forgot something! I posted some goals for the year in my blog. I’m not quite on track but I’m not too off track yet either. Take that as you will. Any new stories that we can expect to see release in the near future? There might be something coming up for “Secrets Can Kill”, maybe. There is an anthology in September. I still have that Vega-5 that Cia is going to kill me if I don’t get it done. Um… yeah there might be something. Is there anything else you’d like to tell your readers here at GA? Read. If your favorite authors aren’t writing, read someone new. Look in the Peer Review stories and see if you can find something in there. They are often new authors who are looking for feedback and readership. If you like them then let them know. If you don’t, PM them and tell them why – nicely. It will only help them in the long run. Review. I don’t care if it’s my stories or someone else’s stuff. If you read it, leave a review. One every couple chapters at the very least, then one at the end. Leave at least one like on the story if you can’t like every chapter. Follow your favorite authors, even if it’s anonymously. I follow a lot of you and you don’t even know it. Engage. Post on the forums (and not just the games and lounge). Talk about your favorite stories, your favorite authors, who you are reading now, even about who you didn’t like – and why! Always the Why! I know I don’t engage a lot with my readers, but that is mostly because my readers don’t talk to me much. Sometimes I wonder if I scare people. So I would like to issue this invitation -- If you like, or don’t like, something -- post it in my forum. I don’t mind explaining why I made that choice over another one… even if the answer was I flipped a coin (which I have done).

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!!!

How's everyone's week been? Looking forward to the weekend? Before you cut loose and enjoy, check out these new writing prompts from our prompt-guru, Comicfan. And please - don't be shy - share your prompt explorations with the rest of the community in the Writing Prompt Forum! Prompt 152 – Creative Cue – First Line “Do you mean to tell me that was your first …. Oh crap!” Prompt 153 – Creative Cue – The Ad You’ve finally done it. You created the perfect product. Product X. So … What the hell is it and why do we need it? For one of our recent prompts, Comicfan took a stab himself and came up with "Touchdown". This is in response to Prompt 141 : 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? And here is Comicfan's Touchdown: To see how the rest turned out, here is his full prompt response!