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Trebs

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  2. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Well - I'm baaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaacccccccccckkK!
     

     
    I want to thank everyone for their well wishes while I was in the hospital. I'm home now, and loving that part, but still isolated to the bedroom because of immuno-suppression. Right now, physically I feel great, but as my sister's cells finish grafting and producing new blood cells, especially white ones, I have to keep isolated and constantly washing hands, being careful, etc. But on the good side, I have my laptop, and can fully rejoin our community here and give Radiant Renee Stevens a bit of a break, since she and Cia have been so fantastic in keeping the blog going in my absence. They'll still be hard at work on the blog (heh - Renee has some content ready for the next few MONTHS) but I can help out more by being the main public face of the blog again. If you were chatting with Renee about things, such as reviews or anything - continue to work with her. I'm just here to smile and look pretty!
     
    Hehe - so with that out of the way, what a great week the blog has had. Monday, we wrapped up the March Can't Stop Reading Book Club with the story discussion on Libby Drew's State of Mind. If you haven't chimed in, you can still add to the comments on the Monday blog entry. Stay tuned to this upcoming Monday to see what story we're going to feature for April!
     
    Wednesday was again a wonderful entry in our monthly "Pulse Behind the GA Crowd" - a feature created and ran by our great Yettie One. For March, Yettie One interviewed Andrew Todd, author of the Riding Lessons series. I love Yettie's interviews for giving us so much additional background on the authors that we love here at GA.
     
    Our Friday Prompt Me! - oh MY (to quote my favorite Takei). Not only did Comicfan give us two GREAT new prompts, we also got a look at the beginning of a story by Layla that was started from last week's prompt. Between love for this new story and the interest generated by the new prompts, it is only Friday night and we ALREADY have 15 comments on this blog entry.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Poetry Anthology "Whispers in the Dark" - Due April 15th Summer Anthology "Roll the Dice" - Due June 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    There and Back Again by Michael9344
     
    Burden of Secrets by Cia
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Goon by dkstories
     
    Palouse by rec
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    Flash Fiction - Second Shot - The Senior Year by Andrew_Q_Gordon
     
    In The Arms of an Angel by Nephylim, Book 1 of Wednesday Briefs
     
    Adverse Effects by Cia, Book 2 of Saving Caeorleia
     
    Friends First by Renee Stevens
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Crosscurrents by Adam Phillips
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Prompt Ramblings by Mann Ramblings
     
    Blind Dates by FrenchCanadian
     
    Secrets and Lies by Dolores Esteban
     
    The Luxorian Fugitive by Mann Ramblings
     
    Because it Was Fun by Menzoberranzen
     

    Have a great week everyone! Read, Write, REVIEW!!!
  3. Trebs
    Update - it's been 12 days since the transplant of my sister's bone marrow/stem cells and I'm still feeling pretty good. Have had mild nausea twice in the past week (but immediately controlled by medication) and minor headaches/body aches, but overall, no major side effects. My platelets have been coming back strong (138 today which is just shy of normal range of 140-440). My white cells also are coming back well at 1.0 (was 0.5 just a week ago and normal is 4.1-10.9), but my ANC, or Absolute Neutropenic Count, the real "how well I fight off infections" is down at 0.16, with normal 4.2-6.3.
     
    So - normally they like the ANC to have started recovery, but with everything else coming in strong, as long as there are no complications, we're planning on me being able to go home THIS Friday! Now, once I get home, I'll still be in isolation in my bedroom, but at least it will be at home and not here in the hospital.
     
    Twice a week, a nurse will come out and draw blood for them to check that I'm still doing well, and if I get a fever or other symptoms, I may need to be readmitted. I'll also come back occasionally for clinic visits with my doctor to talk through status and stuff.
     
    Dan and the kids have been cleaning the house, especially the bedroom, and Dan changed out the air filters in the house. The dogs are going to be kept downstairs only - and when I go from car to bedroom, they'll be out on the patio for now. When my numbers recover a bit, I can visit them for short periods while wearing a breathing mask, and then immediately wash my hands when I get back in the room. Seeing the kids will be easier, but again - if they mention they've been around anyone sick at school, it will be just chatting via phone like we do now.
     
    A big part of the difference between my recovery this time and when I did the transplant with my own cells four years ago (an autologous SCT) is that due to potential host-graph rejection issues, I'll be on anti-rejection drugs for a while. These drugs suppress the immune system so where as last time, my immune system came back before my body did (I was really weak from the heavy chemo last time) - well, this time, my body feels great and I have energy, but for a long time, I won't have an immune system strong enough to do everyday things.
     
    It's a tradeoff - but the payoff is if all goes well, Mary's cells won't just keep me in remission, but could actually cure the Mantle Cell Lymphoma so it never comes back.
     
    In other news, really hopeful with the Supreme Court cases and have been very touched by all of the people who have been showing red profiles. Ya - it's not going to influence the justices, but it DOES show support and that is always a good thing.
     
    Hopefully, the next update will be from home - catch ya all later!
  4. Trebs
    Two recent FB posts
     
    From Mar 18 at 9:49pm near Sacramento:
    Day 3 after my transplant - continuing to feel really good, but have been warned that typically 6-7 days after (so this Thurs or Fri), I'll probably dip low on platelets and/or hemoglobin and need a blood transfusion. So, while I wish I was home with Dan and the kids, I know I'm being watched carefully around the clock until things get stable (another 11-17 days). Thank you everyone for your kind thoughts and words - they are all much appreciated!
     
     
    And from today, Thurs Mar 21:
    Zofran IV push - it's a good thing :-)
     
    Today started well but by midday, headache, minor body ache (took tylenol) and then tonight, mild nausea, which is what the Zofran helps with. I also realize, I'm past the halfway point for this inpatient stay. Got here on Mar 3 so today's 19 days down, 8-14 more days to go after today!
  5. Trebs
    So, for those not on Facebook, back on Feb 22 I gave an update on my health status with:
    Here's today's update:
    Just wanted to give a quick update on what's going on for me. Just finished the first of the two weeks of prep for the bone marrow transplant. My sister's cells were collected back on Feb 21 and are frozen and waiting and I'll get them this coming Friday, March 15.
     
    This past week was daily radiation treatment in the morning - what's called TLI or "Total Lymphoid Irradiation" - which means just of the major lymph systems, not of the whole body (which is TBI). So - it takes about 15-30 minutes, depending on how long it takes for them to line everything up. When I got back from radiation, I then had an infusion of ATG, which is the anti-rejection drug so to lower any chance of rejecting my sister's cells. It's not a lot of volume, but they infuse it slowly so it actually takes 12 hours.
     
    This weekend is a "rest period" - I'm still in the hospital and getting IV saline (for hydration), but nothing really big. Monday, I'll start the morning radiation again with Thursday both a morning session and then one afternoon one six hours later. I'm done with the ATG - that's only done for the first week. And like I said - Friday morning, they warm up and infuse the cells from my sister.
     
    They'll be more drugs starting Thursday to minimize any potential host/graph rejection issues, and after the transplant, I'll still be in here for 14-20 days (basically, when my blood counts show that the transplant has taken root in my bones and producing sufficient white cells that I can go home). And at that point, it is being able to live at home, but isolated and just getting stronger for a few months and then back to work!
     
    So - mood has been decent. I get a little stir crazy but still keeping in decent touch with the "outside world." Appreciate all of the notes and messages I've gotten. A good friend recently posted that she didn't realize she was so grateful for Facebook, cause she was missing me and then realized he could check on me. My brother posted something similar as well.
    And I agree - I get to see a little bit of all of your lives as well, and don't feel isolated even if I'm "stuck" here for a month.
     
     
     
    AND if anyone wants to add me as a friend on Facebook, I am www.facebook.com/Trebs - but send me a message too so I know who the request came from please.
  6. Trebs

    Wacky Wednesday - Pulse Behind The Ga Crowd

    By Trebs,


    Author Interviews
    As the month of February comes to a close, we are treated again to another installment of the "Pulse Behind the GA Crowd" - a monthly interview column from Yettie One, with this month a wonderful interview with Nephylim!


    Pulse behind the GA Crowd

    by Yettie One

     

    In January Cia introduced us to the wonderful idea of the Can’t Stop Reading Book Club, and in January we got to read a story by Nephylim called Memories of Forgotten Love. Personally I thoroughly enjoyed the story, and it was a pleasure to be introduced to Nephy’s work, so it kind of got me inquisitive and I determined that for this months Pulse Behind the GA Crowd interview, I was going to discover a bit about the member we call Nephylim.
     
    The first thing I discovered was that Nephy is a proud member of our Welsh contingent here on GA, flying the red dragon in prominent place, she describes herself as a vampire, a fallen angel, a confused soul! This only served to inspire my intrigue and I was so looking forward to this interview.
     
    Nephy is a wonderful young lass that features as a Hosted Author on GA. She is published author, and has a well respected place at GA with a loyal following of fans and readers alike. But other than her wonderful stories, an ability to paint the most vivid pictures with words, who is this master of written art?
     
    Picture a hearse, with parking sensors to help her park, maybe a star or two, or a skull or something scary and Nephy logo’s on the windows, and you’d know that Nephy has just arrived. A massive fan of cats and owls, a girl who loves the colour silver and someone that is extremely ticklish, Nephy came to GA via google. “I simply decided one day that I wanted to share my writing with others, and someone had mentioned that I could do this online. I consulted with Google, discovered GA, and I’m convinced an angel was looking over my shoulder that day, because I started to post and the best chapter in my life so far began,” she tells me.
     
    Every time I chat with a member I ask them about their favourite stories and authors here on GA, and this time was no different, other than for the fact that Nephy mixed it all up for me by making it a challenge for all of us. “I’ll tell you my favourites, but I’m not giving you everything. If you really want to know which stories I mean, then go check out the authors stuff and enjoy discovering them as much as I did!” What a wonderful idea I thought.
     
    So her 5 favourite stories would list like this. Check out a story called Against the Machine. It’s by an author that makes his stories exciting, inspiring, intriguing. I never knew from one week to the next what was going to happen, and the flow and writing skill is amazing. Also check out a story by Cia with the blue guy in it. Such a unique and inventive story. I’d have to include the story about Avy, a vampire tale by Dark as one of my top five reads on GA, and let’s not forget the story written by Kavrik about a demon and a werewolf.
     
    See what I mean by mixing it up! (hehe, I love it, a challenge within the interview). In terms of authors, I’d recommend stuff from Marzipan who’s work will touch and haunt you with her art. Robin, who is so delicate and underrated on GA, but writes some really astonishing stuff. Andy Q has an ability to create a character that is compelling and dynamic, and Kia Zi Shiru has produced one of my favourite stories ever in Black Sheep.
     
    “I’m a home girl,” Nephy tells me when I ask about travel and adventure. “I love my home, it’s warm, comfortable and I’m surrounded by my things, the laptop and plug to the power socket being the number one priority.” Nephy has such a wicked sense of homeliness, even her favourite meal reminds me of good old fashioned home cooking. “It’d have to be a corned beef pie with crusty bread for dinner,” she giggles. “Followed by body chocolate eaten off a body that’s been tied to the bed, kept waiting for a while!” Oh I say, we all love a bit of a cheeky dominatrix, don’t we?
     
    But for Nephy, GA is the place where it was all born. “GA is responsible for launching me into the world of writing. The experiences I've had here will be with me for the rest of my life. It was not only my first foray into publishing my writing but also into the realm of communities and chatting to strangers. I have had nothing but positive experiences. Even the occasional spats and conflicts i've had have left me stronger. If I hadn't found GA I don't think anything that came after would have occurred. My stories wouldn't have been written, my characters wouldn't have been born and I wouldn't have had the confidence to get out there and published, that's for sure.”
     
    For a quiet powerhouse in the writing department, Nephy was a wonderful person to interview, and I enjoyed discovering more about the person whose words have so entertained me in my time here at GA. I’d like to thank Nephylim for her candor and sense of fun while I probed her time here at GA, and hope you enjoyed getting to see a side to her that will only add to the spice and life of the Crowd here at GA.
     
    Next month, we’ll meet a member who’s a lover of horses, a fan of Charlies Angels, and has a great story or two here on GA. Until then, take care, be good, and if you can’t be good be bloody good at it.
     
    The Yettie!
  7. Trebs

    Blast From The Past!

    By Trebs,


    Reviews
    Fire up the flux ca.... oh.... um, nevermind - wrong show. For this show, we have a review by andy021278 of Author Camy's JJ and the Boys, written for the 2006 Anthology Day of Silence. I hope you enjoy andy's review as much as I did!


    JJ and the Boys


    by



    Camy


     
    Review by andy021278
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 7592
     
    Set in a boarding school in England, it is the story of John Palmer, a seventeen year old prefect in the Lower Sixth, and Jimmy James (the JJ of the title) who is a sixteen year old boy in the same house as John Palmer, and is in the Upper Fifth. John Palmer has two secrets; the first is that he is gay, and the second is that he is completely in love with JJ.
     
    The story starts out with Prefect Palmer catching JJ and three other boys misbehaving in a classroom. Palmer has the idea that JJ was being bullied, but upon questioning, JJ says that he and the other boys were simply horsing around; leaving Palmer with no choice but to punish JJ as well. JJ comes to the conclusion that Palmer doesn’t care about him at all and that Palmer doesn’t care that he is being bullied; and even worse that when Palmer actually catches him being bullied Palmer gives him a detention.
    JJ has his own secrets; he is gay, and is completely in love with John Palmer. JJ writes in his blog: To love someone so much and not be loved back is too much. I can’t cope for much longer.
     
    Come evening inspection, it becomes evident that JJ is missing, and another boy reports seeing him with a bottle of pills. After reading the blog entry and hearing about the pills, John Palmer is fearful of what JJ might do, so he calls his friends together to help search for JJ.
     
    Palmer’s friends are a ragtag group who outwardly have nothing at all in common, yet they are a very tight knit group. However, it becomes clear that in order for John Palmer to save JJ he may have to reveal certain secrets to his friends that he may not want to. How far will John Palmer go to try to save JJ? Is he prepared to risk not only his friendships, but also his life at school, all for the boy he loves? Can he help JJ before it’s too late?
     
    I hadn’t read anything of Camy’s before, but I was impressed with his writing style, and really enjoyed this short story. The characters are unusually well developed for such a short piece, and as a reader I could connect with both JJ and Palmer on a much deeper level than usual with short stories. Having read the other entries from the “Day of Silence” anthology, “JJ and The Boys” is my personal favourite.
  8. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    ANNOUNCEMENT: We have a new Premium author - Michael9344 - who has been gracious enough to write and offer his story There And Back Again for our Premium subscribers.
     
    ALSO - a reminder that the submission deadline for our Spring Anthology, "A Night To Remember", is less than two weeks away. If you have any problems/concerns, the Anthology coordinator is the Radiant Renee Stevens.
     
    This month's CSR book club feature is Nowhere Man, by Promising Author Jwolf and if you haven't had a chance to read it yet, you have a bit over a week still before our discussion day on Feb 25th.
     

    This week's featured story was Guitars and Crossdressers by Author Layla. Monday, YettieOne gave us a great review of this in progress story.
     
    We have some fantastic regular contributors to this GayAuthors.org News Blog - and one that always gets a warm reception for her interesting and helpful articles is Libby Drew. This week, she writes on how Less is More, another spot on writing tip!
     
    Wrapping up the week, we had our wonderful weekly writing prompts, thanks to the ever inventive Comicfan.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Spring Anthology "A Night to Remember"- Due March 8th Poetry Anthology "Whispers in the Dark" - Due April 15th Summer Anthology "Roll the Dice" - Due June 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    There And Back Again by Michael9344
     
    Challenging Fate by Renee Stevens
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Dreams of Humanity by dkstories, Book 1 of Dreams of Humanity
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    Tentacles by Nephylim
     
    In the Arms of an Angel by Nephylim, Book 1 of Wednesday Briefs
     
    Jessie-101: Online Celebrity by Comicality
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    The Road to the Future by JMH, Book 4 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Spirit of Vengeance by Hamen Cheese, Book 2 of Adamagika Series
     
    Secrets and Lies by Dolores Esteban
     
    The Nano Wars: Rebirth by JMH, Book 1 of The Nano Wars
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     

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

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    Personal Announcement: For those of you who have been following my health status, here is the short story version - I may be more absent from GA depending on my upcoming treatments. The best part of that though is a recent test confirms that I am IN REMISSION (ie, no current trace of Mantle Cell Lymphoma - so the chemo worked). My sister comes in later tonight for two weeks, the first week will be tests to confirm she's healthy enough to be a donor, then the second week to stimulate production of the stem cells and collect them. They'll freeze the cells, start my prep probably at the end of the month then transplant her cells after 9 days of prep. The whole point is now that my body is in remission, basically use her immune system to help KEEP me lymphoma free (ie, cure it). So - I'll be around here and there, but Renee and others will be picking up my slack
     

    So back here on GayAuthors.org, we started the week, as we will be starting all months, with an introduction for the Can't Stop Reading book club feature, with February story being Nowhere Man, by Promising Author Jwolf. Last month's feature generated a lot of interest and comments, and I look forward to our February discussion day of Feb 25th.
     

    Wednesday, we had a fantastic look by Myr at Software, Browsers and You - which included information on some of the technology changes of GA.
     
    As always, we ended the week with two really creative Writing Prompts from our PromptGuru Comicfan. We're also very happy that it looks like one of last week's prompts has "prompted" the author to consider turning their response into a two or three chapter story!
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Spring Anthology "A Night to Remember"- Due March 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Challenging Fate by Renee Stevens
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Adverse Effects by Cia, Book 2 of Saving Caeorleia
     
    Dreams of Humanity by dkstories, Book 1 of Dreams of Humanity
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Tests of Blood by dkstories
     
    On the Outside by Comicality
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    One Night by Cia
     
    In the Arms of an Angel by Nephylim, Book 1 of Wednesday Briefs
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Tentacles by Nephylim
     
    Odyssey by Mark Arbour, Book 6 of Bridgemont
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    A Family Thanksgiving by comicfan
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     
    Juvenile Feelings by SidLove
     
    The Talents of the Fallen by JMH, Book 1 of Fallen
     
    Secrets and Lies by Dolores Esteban
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     

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

    Wacky Wednesday - Pulse Behind The Ga Crowd

    By Trebs,


    Author Interviews
    I'd like to thank Yettie One for his regular feature here at the GA News Blog - the Pulse Behind the GA Crowd. This month, he gives us a great interview with KingdombytheSea. Enjoy!
     

    Pulse behind the GA Crowd
    by Yettie One
     
     
     

    In the tail end of December I managed to pin KingdomByTheSea down while she was in Costa Rica (lucky fish) and grill her about her time here on GA. For me this proved to be an interesting insight into a long standing member of GA and the self published writer Sara Alva.
     
    There is a passion to writing that is communicated in the written work of KingdomByTheSea and it got me curious about her experiences here on GA. Thankfully she was kind enough to let me pick her brains we had a really awesome chat and here are the results.
     
    I asked Sara what brought her to GA in the first instance. “A couple of years ago, I was flouncing around the internet reading fanfiction and original fiction after a viewing of Brokeback Mountain left me in dire need of happier fare. One day my husband, who may or may not regret this, suggested to me that I write a novel and see how I fared. Little did he know how much writing would consume me, and so started my journey writing Social Skills. It was from here that I discovered DomLuka’s site and worked my way to GA from there. The community of readers and authors were so incredibly welcoming that I joined right away. I spent a few months reading, reviewing and gathering courage and then began posting my own work." Sounds like the rest is history, you could say.
     
    At 28 KingdomByTheSea is currently living in California, a golden state girl who’s been writing for about six or seven years now. She first had a crush on Harrison Ford (grrrrrrrr, who didn’t, hehe) and finds blue eyes the most seductive, but feels bad for the brown eyed folk like herself, so she says she has a tendency to write of them as the hot love interest in her stories. A rare breed, in that she’s managed to last this long in life without a nick name, however this is a sore point as she’s always wanted one. “Can someone give me one please?”.
     
    I asked Sara about the positive impact that GA had brought to her life, and she warmly spoke of how in her eyes GA has changed her life. “For years I’d dreamed of being a writer, but naysayers and self doubt talked me out of going for that goal in life. When I began posting on GA, the positive responses from readers and other authors literally floored me. Writing, and the friendships I’ve made through GA, got me through a very difficult year last year, and now in a brand new 2013, with the help of friends I’ve made here on this site, I'm about to publish two novels.”
     
    You can’t help but admire that courage. “I am so excited that GA is about to branch out into publishing and eBooks, and this step in a new direction is a wonderful new development for the site and writers like us. This continual evolution of GA is what makes it a great place to be and I think it’s a wonderful step forward for us all,” she says.
     
    A fan of turtles or terrapins or even tortoises, KingdomByTheSea tells me that she’s once been told that she needed to bring her love for turtles down a notch. A true romantic, she believes you can’t have love without happiness and they belong together.
     
    You can’t speak to a person about GA without asking about their favourites, so while grilling Sara, I asked for her top stories and authors.
     
    “I would have to pick In Due Time by J_Ross as my all time favourite story on GA. It was the first story I read directly on GA, and it will always have a special place in my heart. The emotions portrayed are raw without being over-the-top angsty. It’s a realistic high school story with some quirky characters that really entertained me. Some of the other stories I’ve enjoyed would include The Ordinary Us by DomLuka, Square Peg in a Game of Dominos by K.C. and Should I by CarringtonRJ.”
     
    “To choose a favourite author is so difficult. There are two that vying for my attention I guess and they would be J_Ross and DomLuka as they both manage to write with such a natural voice in their storytelling, you almost forget you are reading.”
     
    Towards the end of our chat I asked Sara what stood out to her as the best feature of the site, and she was quick to point to the review facility. “As an author, being able to interact with readers is both exciting and educational, because it allows me to see my story through new eyes. I’ve taken a few reader suggestions into account for revised editions, and believe my work is better for them.”
     
    It was frustrating to end my chat with KingdomByTheSea, but all too quickly our time was up. I can honestly say that I’m glad I got a chance to share some time with her, and find out about her experiences here on GA. I’d like to thank her for her time and friendly openness and hope that like the rest of us you check out her work and enjoy reading, getting to know her, and maybe make a friend of another member that adds to the Pulse behind the GA Crowd.
     
    Thanks for reading
    The Yettie.
  11. Trebs
    First - thanks MUST go to Cia for coming up with concept and the legwork to make this happen.
     

    Well, that wraps up the reading time for the first story of the GA Can't Stop Reading Book Club! Hope everyone enjoyed the story Memories of Forgotten Love by Nephylim. Now, before we get into the discussion, Renee contacted Nephy and asked her to give us her thoughts on the story. What gave her the idea in the first place? So to start off this discussion, let's here what Nephy has to say!
     
    **SPOILER WARNING**
    The following is a discussion of the story Memories of Forgotten Love by Nephylim. If you have not read the story, we suggest you do so before reading on.

     
    Now, for a few questions to get the ball rolling. Feel free to answer one, or more, of these however you like.
     
    1. Who was your favorite character? Why?
     
    2. What was your favorite part of the story? Why?
     
    3. How easy was the technical aspect (medical info) of this story related? Was it easy to understand?
     
    4. How did Noah's situation impact you emotionally?
     
    5. How villainous did you find this story's villain?
     
    6. If you could change the ending, would you? How?
     

    Okay, Nephy's brain picked ... questions asked ... blog posted ... GO! Discuss!
     
    P.S.
    If you'd some input in next month's selection, please add a comment with the title of a completed story posted here on GA, between 20-50k (I shortened the overall allowed length since February is a short month). We'll go with one of your selections! (Yes, you can pick a story someone else has picked)
  12. Trebs

    So cold

    By Trebs,

    After constant warnings to the kids about packing for cold weather, it has finally hit. So, we're grateful that so far, it has been nice in the 40's, right now is 30 with strong gusts (all temps in F BTW). Forecast is even showing possible snow on Friday (kids "yay", me "groan").
     
    The trip, as Dan has blogged, has been sooooo fantastic. The kids loved how close we were to the stage at the Inaugural yesterday. Obama's speech literally brought tears to my eyes and both Kelly Clarkson and Beyonce were fantastic. Highlight was also James Taylor singing America the Beautiful. On Sunday as we wandered around the Mall, we could hear him practicing as well.
     
    I'm in a bus right now on my way back from Dulles Airport. We had a rental car for these first four days, to get our luggage and us to our first hotel, a trip out to the Air and Space Annex museum, then to take our luggage to our second hotel. So, just returned the rental car and headed back - Dan and the kids are checking out more of the American History museum, and when I get back, we're all going to spend the rest of the day at the American Portrait museum. If you haven't been to DC before, all of the Smithsonian museums are free. We're getting around everywhere with a Metro pass, which is relatively cheap at $57.50 for a 7-day pass. This bus ride from Dulles back to downtown DC is "free" because of my pass.
     
    Tomorrow the plan is tour the Supreme Court in the morning then at noon is a guided tour or the Capitol. Thurs morn is a guided tour of the Pentagon. Also looking forward to meeting everyone at the GA GetTogether at noon on Saturday! Sounds like a lot (and it is) but 1) we're here for almost 10 whole days, 2) this is a trip the kids will remember forever and 3) with the upcoming bone marrow transplant, I'll be home bound for about 9-10 months, so putting everything into this that we can. Heh - I'll have plenty of time to "relax" later.
     
    That's about it for now but be sure to check out Dan's blog as well. http://www.gayauthors.org/forums/blog/494-dkstories-blog/
  13. Trebs
    I always love it when we get a feature from Libby Drew - having someone who has been there, able relate writing tips from experience, is a valuable experience. Here she talks about using the characters various senses in your writing. Enjoy!
     


    Don’t Leave Your Readers Deaf and Blind



    by Libby Drew


     

    “Stop! You’re scaring me,” Megan said
     
    “I’m not trying to scare you,” Steve soothed. “We need to talk.”
     
    “Don’t come any closer!” Megan cried.
     
    “Don’t be afraid, Megan,” Steve said. “I only want to help.”
     
    “But I thought— You’re not here to kill me?”
     
    “I never was. Do you believe me now?” Steve asked.
     
    “Yes,” Megan affirmed.
     
     
     
    Well, I don’t believe him. Out of context, I haven’t the faintest clue why Megan would either. Dialog without any sense impressions, thoughts, or feelings of the viewpoint character becomes totally abstract. It stops making sense. The reader gets lost. Don’t let that happen. I’m not saying insert epic volumes of purple prose. Just add enough to keep the reader oriented.
     
    A flurry of dialog doesn’t mean everything else should stop. Readers wants dialog—they crave dialog—but they’re not willing to be cut off from the rest of the story to get it. So how do we keep them connected?
    Let the reader SEE things that are happening as the characters speak. Let the reader HEAR things that are happening as the characters speak. Let the reader SMELL, TASTE, and FEEL. Give them tactile sensations. Show the reader any THOUGHTS the viewpoint character is having. Express the emotions of the viewpoint character. (Try to show and not tell, if possible. Megan didn’t feel terrified. She trembled.) Make the reader aware of the viewpoint character’s goal.

    “Stop!” Megan stumbled backward until her elbows hit the balcony railing. “You’re scaring me.”
     

    Steve halted, raising one hand to Megan while he reached into his pocket with the other. “I’m not trying to scare you.”
     
    He had a gun! The tremble in her knees spread to the rest of her body. She pointed a shaking finger at Steve. “Don’t come any closer!”
     
    A cold wind whipped at them both, plastering Megan’s silk blouse to her skin and sneaking up her skirt. It stung her bare legs and dried the tears on her cheeks instantly.
     
    Steve eased his hand from his pocket and held up a small envelope. “Don’t be afraid, Megan. I only want to help.”
     
    Megan squinted through her tears. That was her name on the envelope, written in her mother’s delicate hand. Her mother was alive? “But I thought— You’re not here to kill me?”
     
    “I never was.” Steve ripped open the envelope and showed her the note inside. Even from across the balcony, Megan could make out the scratchy “My Dearest Daughter” at the top, along with the date. January 1st, 2012. Less than a week ago. “Do you believe me now?” Steve asked.
     
    “Yes.” The relief stole the last bit of strength from her legs, and she sank to the cold concrete, clutching the railing as the tears overwhelmed her. She’d been wrong about everything. Could Steve ever forgive her?
     
     
     
    Because I know you won’t be able to sleep until you know… Steve did forgive her. Although he also wants to secretly kill her for being so whiny. I know I do, but maybe I’m projecting.
     
    Sense impressions and thoughts. Intentions. Emotions. Now the reader knows where we are. He has a physical impression of the place (the balcony), understands Megan’s viewpoint and why she’s scared, understands her plight and her emotional reaction to the threat, and in general gets involved in the scene.
     
    This is vital. Curing the so-called “talking head” syndrome is not about adding “he said, she said” so we know who’s speaking. (Actually, it’s usually about removing those things.) We need to keep the reader connected to the action in a subtle, peripheral way. Don’t leave your readers deaf and blind.
     
    Of course there will be times when dialog is very simple and straightforward and keeping the reader oriented will be a piece of cake. But there will be other situations where the character’s movement, the scene’s complexity, or the depth of the viewpoint character's thoughts, feelings and changing motives may require considerably more author interpretation. How much you put in depends on all those factors.
     
    In any case, you need to keep the reader in the story. Just because you see and hear the details in your head as you write the scene does not mean that the reader will by osmosis discern the same details. Good stories are ones we can see, hear, smell, taste, and touch. Appeal to your readers’ senses. Involve them.
     
    ~Libby
  14. Trebs

    Featured Story: Moment Of Clarity

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    Welcome to the beginning of another week here at GayAuthors. I know personally, I could have used a much longer weekend. I loved the post on Facebook by George Takai, "I really need a day between Saturday & Sunday." Anyways, one thing to look forward to about a Monday is seeing a new featured story - this time we get a review from Dark of Moment of Clarity, by Author Jason Rimbaud. Enjoy!
     



    Moment of Clarity


    By



    Jason Rimbaud


    Review by Dark
    Status: Complete
    Word Count: 4,107
     
    Jason Rimbaud is another author from California, a place called Belmont in the San Francisco area. Moment of Clarity is his only posted story. His hook caught my attention: Tobias was having nightmares, his boyfriend thought he was using drugs, and someone would not stop pounding on the door. In a world where everything blurred together, all he could hope for was a moment of clarity. Of course, I went into the story thinking it was about a nightmare, and I was right; however, what I found was something much more than ‘simply’ a nightmare.
     
    The story ratchets up the tension with one clever description after another. Each time Tobias hears knocking at the door, the scene changes, leaving the reader guessing at reality. Despite the hallucinations, I found myself rooting for Tobias. I wanted him to find reality, to find that happy ending. I was horrified by the news of Steven and the arrival of the policeman sent a chill up my spine.
     
    Jason Rimbaud has found a way to create a satisfyingly sympathetic character even amidst his creepy visuals. Of course, I’m partial to the serenity of Tobias’ final scene in the story, but there’s even a short epilogue for those who just have to know what really happened.
     
    Is it the pounding in Tobias’ head, the knocking on the door, or something more sinister? You decide! The moral in this story will leave you perhaps not jumping or laughing in joy, but heart-warm nonetheless.
  15. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    This week has been a great week of announcements. For starters, if you will be in the DC area two weeks from now on Saturday, January 26 around lunchtime and would like to meet some others from GA, including Dan and myself, we're having a GA GetTogether. Check this topic for more info!
     
    We also have launched our GA book club, called the "Can't Stop Reading" (or CSR) Book Club, the format is that we'll announce a story to read at the beginning of each month, and then have a discussion on the story at the end of the month. So far there has already been a lot of interest and it will be a lot of fun to see how this grows month by month.
     
    Wednesday, Myr shared with us the Gay Authors State of the Site for 2013. A great read on where the site has come to and plans to move forward!
     
    Finally, Friday came and brought us two great new prompts - hitting milestone prompt 200 and 201. Try them out, or just stop by to see the wonderful prompt responses we get every week.
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Spring Anthology "A Night to Remember"- Due March 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Challenging Fate by Renee Stevens
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Adverse Effects by Cia, Book 2 of Saving Caeorleia
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    Tentacles by Nephylim
     
    In the Arms of an Angel by Nephylim, Book 1 of Wednesday Briefs
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     
    Harry Potter and the Sword of Gryffindor by dkstories, Book 1 of Harry Potter Destiny
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    Someone called Soul Mate by SidLove
     
    The English Year by Jwolf
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Angels Ascending by JMH, Book 3 of The Centurion Cycle
     
    The Talents of the Fallen by JMH, Book 1 of Fallen
     

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

    Writing Prompts #200 & #201

    By Trebs,


    Prompts
    Once again it is time for our weekly prompts thanks to the hard work of Comicfan. Best way to show your appreciation? Try one of these out, and please share it with the rest of the community in our Writing Prompts forum!
     
     
     
    Prompt 200 – Creative
    Tag – List of Words
    Use the following words in a story: strawberry, tea rag, bottle of soda, brownies, and cat.
     
    Prompt 201 – Creative
    Tag – The Cat
    Your cat has been bringing you presents. They aren’t the usual – no mice, birds, or anything like that. No your cat has been showing up with diamonds, gold nuggets, and emeralds. What is the story and where is your cat getting these gifts?
     
    Last week generated some fantastic prompt responses - I hope you check them all out at the Writing Prompts forum. The one that i want to highlight is to prompt 199 which gave a first line of "Here we go again"
     
    Here's what Andy021278 came up with:
     

    Good sweet beginning, eh? Check out the rest of his story here!
  17. Trebs

    Ga's Csr Book Club

    By Trebs,


    CSR- Can't Stop Reading
    Book clubs have had a long and storied history - providing both social interaction for the members as well as providing a forum for discussion of books/stories that might otherwise have not received as much attention.
     
    Cia recently came up with the idea for a GA Book Club and the rest of us here at the GayAuthors.org News Blog thought it was a fantastic idea. Here's an initial idea of how this would work, as well as the focus for our first month's choice - Nephylim's Memories of Forgotten Love. So with that - here's Cia and the launch of GA's CSR Book Club!
     

    GA's CSR Book Club
     
     
     

    We have a fun new idea for the New Year for the Gay Authors News Blog! It's a new system for the wonderful story features that I have dubbed CSR ... Can't Stop Reading. That's right! We're going to have a book club.
     
    The first Monday of the month we will announce the chosen selection of a completed story here on GA, typically between the 20-90k range. You then have until the last Monday of the month to read the story. The last week we will host a discussion of the story in the weekly blog. We might offer up some questions for readers, or a lengthy review by a participant ... something to get the ball rolling on the discussion. Of course, if you don't finish in time to take part, and you want to avoid spoilers, you can always leave the author your thoughts in a review in GA Stories.
     

    "Wait!" you say. "What about the regular review set up?"
    Don't worry, other than the first and last Mondays, we will still be sharing regular in-depth reviews provided by the lovely readers here on GA (nudge nudge, we can always use more of these!).
     
    "How are the stories chosen?" you ask. "Don't we get a say?"
    Well, this time I chose the story, one of my favorites by Nephylim. I know, I know, autocratic of me, but it's really a great story that I think many readers will enjoy! Starting next month, you will get to help pick the story. We'll have a system set up on the discussion day so that members can let us know what they'd like to read next.
     

    So that's it ... not a big change, but one that I hope will help readers connect with each other and authors they know and love, or might not know at all! You can find the information on this month's selection below along with a link to the story that will also be pinned this week, as well as the discussion week. There will be a reminder link each weekend in the Weekly Wrap Up too! I really hope members will join in and enjoy this new program designed to enrich the GA community.
     
     
     
     
     
     
     
    Memories of Forgotten Love
    by Nephylim
     
    Length: 48,733
    Rating: Teen
     
    Description: Noah wakes from a coma to find that he has no memory, none at all. As he slowly comes back to life, learning to walk and talk, being introduced to family and friend who are all strangers to him, he begins to realize that something is wrong with the picture he is being presented with, very wrong.
     
    Some thoughts from a reader: "This is a fascinating story that explores the true meaning of strength, and the reality of weakness of character in supposedly strong individuals who hide behind a show of strength to cover up their own weakness." - Stephen
     
    Discussion Date: 1/28/13
  18. Trebs

    Wacky Wednesday - Tetrefine Chat

    By Trebs,


    Author Interviews
    Continuing in our monthly feature Interviews by Yettie One, here is December's interview with member TetRefine (ya, two days late - but the week started in December so....)
     
    Enjoy!


    The Pulse Behind the GA Crowd



    by Yettie One


     
     
     
     
     
    I was really genuinely excited to be able to interview this months member. As a new comer to GA, one of the people that I noticed played an active role in the community here is none other than TetRefine, a young and vibrant 20 year old guy who at the time I joined, had just returned from an exciting trip to South America. Located in Philly, TetRefine is a Manic Poster to GA, and can often be found in the forum or chat rooms.
     
    I really wanted to find out more about the guy and so approached him for an interview for my series The Pulse Behind the GA Crowd. Happily TetRefine agreed and here are the results.
     
    “I grew up an avid reader,” says TetRefine as we discuss how he came across GA in the first place. “I’d never read any gay fiction, and one day came across a link on a site called The Gay Surf Report that I used to frequent. I figured that it’d be cool to check out some gay themed stories, and so GA became the place I spent a lot of time exploring the world of homosexual writings.”
     
    “My favourite story on GA, The Perks of Loving You, was the first full length story I ever read on GA, and I completed the first 10 chapters in one sitting. I’d met the writer in chat and he recommended that I read it, so I gave it a whirl. It is not a complicated or deeply reflective story, but it captured the angst of coming to terms with your own sexuality as a teenager in high school, and I actually got to contribute a piece of writing to one of the chapters,” he says with a sly wink. “And no, I won’t tell you which one!”
     
    “I guess I’m also slightly biased as the writer Camilo just happens to be my boyfriend,” TetRefine admits. “Other favourites include All I Wanted (an anthology short story), Social Skills, Second Shot and Chronicles of an Academic Predator Book 1.” I quizzed TetRefine about his favourite writers on GA and found that it is Mark Arbour that leaps out as a clear winner in his eyes. “I just love the way Mark is able to capture the time period in which his stories take place so vividly. I really feel like I am transported back to the time in which the story takes place. It is his attention to even the littlest, seemingly insignificant details that paint a truly amazing scene.” Other authors fondly reflected on by TetRefine included KingdomByTheSea, Comicality, Quonus10 and DomLuka.
     
    I wanted to find out a bit more about the guy himself, so dug a little. “I really love the Toucan as an animal. It is a stunning example of the vibrancy of nature,” TetRefine tells me as I dig. “I am ticklish,” he giggles, “But only in certain spots though.”
     
    “My favourite eye colour would be blue, you rarely see blue eyes around here, and gosh I’d love an Audi R8 (damn good taste in cars me finks).” Known fondly as “Little Man” by his uncle growing up, TetRefine told me that he believed that you can have love without happiness, so in his opinion happiness is more important in life. And if your taking him out on a date, A bacon cheeseburger with mayo, ketchup, lettuce, tomato and pickles with a side of seasoned Cajun fries and honey mustard sauce is the route to his soul. (Fussy eater much? Hehe)
     
    As we discuss the positive things of GA, TetRefine tells me that it has to be the Chat Room that stands out as his favourite feature. “I met a lot of great people in there (including my boyfriend of almost 3 years) and have had many meaningful, stupid, funny, heartfelt and dumb conversations in there. I also love the active debate of the soapbox, even though I am sure I’ve made a lot of people hate me due to my stance on certain issues.”
     
    “For me, the most positive thing GA has given me has been a sense of not being the only one. When I first came to GA, I didn’t know the first thing about being gay, and didn’t know that many others like me existed. I was a confused, naïve 17 year old, and through GA I learned so much. If it weren’t for Cia and all the help she gave me I don’t know where I would have ended up in life, as corny as that sounds. I had originally planned to sign up to the army, but through GA and meeting Camilo the plans I’d made in high school all changed for the better. Crazy as it is to think about, joining the GA community has really had a massive impact on my life.”
     
    In closing our chat together, I asked TetRefine what, if anything, he’d change about GA. He pondered this for a while before saying, “It is hard to think of an improvement as Myr and his team do such a great job in keeping things going. I guess I would like to see the rating system for non-authors go away, simply because I don’t think it serves any real purpose.” With that thought, I wrapped up our time together, and it is with much thanks for the candour and openness that TetRefine offered to me during out chat that made this interview so enjoyable. I hope that it is as insightful of a great young guy to you as it was to me. Next time you see him in chat, say Hi, I’m sure you’ll find he’s not got such a bad bite.
  19. Trebs

    Featured Story: Vegas Sun

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    Everyone have good plans to ring out the old and ring in the new? I had a LOT of great times in 2012, and some not so great moments, but ending the year in a great mood after spending some real quality time with friends.
     
    Speaking of friends, it was also really nice to read this review by Comicfan of Vegas Sun, an anthology story that Hosted Author (and total studmuffin) Shadowgod wrote. I hope you enjoy the review and the story!
     
     
     
     
     



    Vegas Sun


    By



    Shadowgod


     
    Review by Comicfan
    Status: Complete
    Length: 9801
     
    Every once and awhile I like to see what else is out there. I enjoy reading something by an author I don’t know so I will read a lot of new authors to the site. Occasionally I like to look at those who are the crème de le crème, or more commonly known as our Hosted Authors.
     
    Shadowgod as an author was unknown to me. Yes, I might be known by some on here but do you know how many authors there are on here? So like anyone else I occasionally take the leap of faith and try someone new. In this case I tried Vegas Sun, his entry for the anthology in 2007, Endings and Beginnings.
     
    Welcome to Vegas, the place with the nickname of Sin City. Neon lights, casinos, and all sorts of rotten people seem to fill this place as the story unfolds. Enter the youth known as Cody. Cody is a runaway, or a throw away, as we find out once the story gets going. As such he needs to make money and does it by entering into the world’s oldest profession. To say Cody is successful would be a great exaggeration. The poor boy can’t seem to walk across a room without trouble finding him. And it is after one such encounter that Cody, left beaten and black and blue, meets a cop with a heart of gold.
     
    What happens when Cody is beaten up and ends up in the hospital? Will his pride prevent him from taking a new chance offered him? What about the cop who seems so interested in him? Will the Vegas sun burn away his pride or will the night see him back on the corner? There is only one way to find out how this story ends, READ IT! When you do be sure to leave a review as well.
  20. Trebs

    Featured Story: Riding Lessons

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    Riding Lessons


    by



    Andrew Todd


     
    Review by Wildone
    Status: Complete
    Length: 132,747
     
    Relatively new member and Author here at GA (Beginning of this November), Andrew Todd, joined GA and began to share a story that he was posting over at another site .
     
    After reading the first chapter of Riding Lessons I was instantly hooked.
     
    Zac, the 15 year old loner, had big plans for the summer working at the library helping kids out with reading and other tasks to be looked after. This was right up his alley as he tended to shy away from kids his own age, adults, and I would even say himself. Like all great plans by a teenager, they are quickly ruined when his mother announces that he will be working at a local ranch helping out with the care of horses and doing trail rides for customers.
     
    Being that Zak had never even owned a dog or any other pet in his life had him doubting that he would last the first day. Not having the least interest in learning anything about horses found him promising his mother that he would give it a try at least, but in his own mind he knew it wouldn’t last.
     
    The first day arrived and he found himself getting up early, his mom giving him a ride to the Triple J Ranch. Needless to say, the idea of shoveling horse manure doesn’t have him too ecstatic of the looming summer job. Mom dropped him off, then after getting knocked on his ass by a greeting from the ranch dog-a golden retriever named Ember-he meets Mr. Jones to find out his fate. Mr. Jones is a nice enough man Zak confesses to that he has never been around animals in his life. Mr. Jones questioned this immediately with the way that Ember took to Zak. After looking back at the story, I don’t think either could predict what was in store.
     
    After an explanation of what he would be doing that left Zak wondering about a horse with 17 hands , Mr. Jones has to leave Zak to go tend some chores in another barn. He was to wait for another ranch hand by the name of Dusty to show up for work and get acquainted.
     
    When Dusty appeared and introduced himself to Zak, sparks began to fly. The 16 year old half Native American Kiowa and half Anglo-Saxon with the long black hair tied back in a ponytail made Zak swoon. After Dusty got his hand back from the slack jawed Zak, Dusty went to check on Mr. Jones who was tending to a mare who was about to foal.
     
    Zak, curious, walked around the main barn and slowly becomes acquainted with some of the horses living there. Finally walking down one wing, he found a lone stallion being kept by himself. Zak, not knowing any different, approached the horse and noticed the water bucket turned over. Slowly Zak entered, grabbed the bucket and went to fill it up for the horse. Coming back to the stall, Dusty returns and was shocked to see Zak about to re-enter the stall. Yelling for Zak to stop, Dusty was extremely concerned, as the last person to enter the stall of Onyz, the stallion, spent the night in the hospital.
     
    Without giving away the whole story, which I could easily do, I will let you find out how the summer turns out .
     
    Several things appealed to me throughout this story. First off the rural setting and the involvement of horses made me yearn for a childhood that I never had myself. I’ve always been drawn to horses as I know nothing about them myself. The depth of knowledge the author has of horses is amazing. Second, the easy going ‘simple’ nature of the story drew me in. I don’t mean simple as a put down. More so the flow of the story with the characters being easily developed and the conclusion of each chapter making you feel like you are on the ranch with the boys. Lastly, there is enough romance in the story to keep you interested in a way to not be overdone and does not take away from the plot and characters.
     
    Riding Lessons is now complete and is a very enjoyable read. I would highly recommend it to any reader who wants to be captivated by the story and the characters, even if you don’t think of yourself as a horse person. Richard Todd’s descriptive nature of writing can make even the most dedicated urbanite escape to the reality of the Triple J Ranch.
     
    I sincerely hope that he has more ideas for stories that he will share with us. If Riding Lessons is any indication of the quality of work we will see in the future, then my click on Follow This Author was definitely worth the effort
  21. Trebs
    For those that celebrated it, I hope everyone had a great Christmas yesterday. And for those that don't celebrate it, I hope you still got a good haul.
     
    Now on to Boxing Day, Kwanzaa, Post-Festivus winter sales, and the ever important Pre-New Year's Eve creative writing exercises ("This year, I *WILL* stop gagging everytime I see the neighbor's newborn", "This year, I promise to exercise... starting next week - or, by the end of the month... well, maybe...").
     
    And to help you with your writing, here is another lovely tip from our own Libby Drew. Enjoy!
     
     
     


    ‘Write What You Know’ Doesn’t Mean Show Off


     

    We’ve all heard the saying “write what you know.” It’s made the rounds because it’s valuable advice. Not that a writer can’t earn a living making up stuff like evil unicorns and sparkly vampires, because some people obviously can, but you can also use what you know. You’re smart. Capitalize on it.
     
    Your special area of expertise, whatever it may be—doctor, computer programmer, horse groomer—is useful. It’s previous research. It’s gold at the end of the rainbow. Readers enjoy learning new things, and they’ll appreciate that your details are authentic.
     
    What else might you bring to the table? Maybe your vocabulary is better than the average bear’s. Perhaps you’re well-traveled. These are all things that will help you write fiction.
     
    But beware! Just as too little knowledge can be a dangerous thing, too much erudition can doom your story. Don’t show off. Good writers never show off. They don’t load their prose with facts that won’t advance narrative. Nor will they purposely use big words when simpler ones will do.
     
    Talented writers introduce their expertise unobtrusively. They sprinkle it over their dialog. They mix it with senses and impressions. They also remember that people don’t like books filled with fancy words they don’t understand. Because, here’s the bottom line: Readers don’t care how smart we are, or that we’re walking thesauruses. They just want a good story. If we show off in our copy, they’ll abandon our fiction faster than you can say ‘zombie attack.’
     
    Perhaps you’re writing a scene in which your character is baking a cake. If you find yourself waxing poetic about confectionary sugar and egg whites, stop. Take a deep breath and examine whether you’re letting your career as a pastry chef get in the way of your career as a writer. (If you’re not a pastry chef, seek professional help.)
     
    It’s a fine line, but the more we practice, the easier it gets. Very complex ideas can be explained in simple language. And we can give readers lots of fascinating facts and details without coming across like blowhards. Practice moderation. Work your knowledge into the narrative slowly and subtly. And if something isn’t relevant to the scene, scrap it.
     
    ~Libby
  22. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    ANNOUNCEMENTS: Be sure to check out the 2012 Mayan Tribute Anthology - now LIVE!
     
    We started off the week looking at a returned story - The Beard by dkstories which is now back and complete on GayAuthors.org.
     
    For our midweek Wacky Wednesday, we are grateful once again to Libby Drew for her writing tips, this time on No Warm-Ups Required.
     
    And since it looks like we survived the end of the 13th baktum, we were all able to see the new weekly prompts from Comicfan in this Friday's Prompt Me. Now the bigger question - did you celebrate the 14th baktum by trying one of them?
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Spring Anthology "A Night to Remember"- Due March 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Empty Corners by Comicality
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    A World Changing Gun by Cia
     
    Rich Boy: Awakening by dkstories
     
    Jessie-101: Online Celebrity by Comicality
     
    The Secret Life of Billy Chase 7 by Comicality, Book 7 of The Secret Life of Billy Chase
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    School Time Tripper by comicfan
     
    The Talents of the Fallen by JMH, Book 1 of Fallen
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Someone called Soul Mate by SidLove
     
    All Flowers Grow by Dolores Esteban
     
    Loving Sam Lynch by Skylights
     
    End of the Beginning by comicfan
     

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

    Writing Prompts #194 & #195

    By Trebs,


    Prompts
    Well - since the world ended, no one is reading this, right? Heh - just in case, I guess I should let you know what this week's writing prompts are. I mean - maybe our Prompt-guru Comicfan knew something the Mayans didn't, because we have two new prompts from him.
     
    So - if we're all here tomorrow, check out these prompts and give one (or both) a try. But when you do, please share with the rest of the community in our Writing Prompts forum - cause you wouldn't want bad karma because you decided not to share, eh?
     
    Prompt 194 – Creative
    Tag – The Boat
    You were found unconscious on board a boat that can carry about sixty people. The boat is empty but there are clothing and things belonging to many different people. The police question you to find out what happened. Why were you on the boat and where are the rest of the passengers?
     
    Prompt 195 – Creative
    Tag – The Fey
    Things have gone wrong and you are left with no choice. The only way to possibly make this right is to cut a deal with a member of the Fey. Everyone warns you that any deal you cut will only favor them. When the time comes you meet a totally captivating Fey who agrees to broker a deal with you. What is the deal and why did you have to make one with a Fey?
     
    So as usual, in addition to giving you new prompts, we look back at past prompt responses. And as I guessed, last week's prompt 192 gave us quite a few ... interesting responses, notably by our Infamous Trio though layla's entry was great as well. Rather than just highlight one response, I urge you to check out the full thread here. I mean, with a prompt of "Use the following words in a story – baseball, handcuffs, torn pants, dollar bill, and a nun." - well, it is no wonder that we got such humorous prompt responses.
  24. Trebs

    Featured Story: The Beard

    By Trebs,


    Featured Stories
    The Beard


    by



    dkstories


     
    Reviewed by: Trebs
    Word Count: 77, 013
    Status: Complete
     
    So many gay stories are based on tired storylines - the best friends agonizing over the other knowing their attraction while all around them can see they're in love, or the gay boy kicked out of home only to find the perfect family and boyfriend, or that most classic cliché of the hunky rich jock falling in love with the poor geek/nerd.
     
    Once in a while - rarely though it happens - an author will break from the pack and turn a cliché on its head. And so it goes that dkstories (a.k.a. Dan) has given us such an occurrence with The Beard. And for those that have had the pleasure to read other stories by Dan - you know that you can never exactly expect what may comes next. Do Over, Waiting for the Sign, Dreams of Humanity - all involve elegant plot twists that leave you wondering why you didn't see them coming, while at the same time just wanting to see what's next.
     
    Now to be fair, I should disclose that in addition to being one of Dan' biggest fans, I also happen to be his husband. Also I want to note, though Dan has been absent from this site, he has returned and is starting to repost his various stories.
     
    One of those that he has finished reposting is The Beard. I'm thrilled because of the stories he has written, it is one of my favorite.
     
    The story starts off with Dale at work - a greasy fast food restaurant named Darlow's, when Cole stops in to order a chocolate milkshake. They know each other from high school, share a few classes and even worked on a project together in the year prior. But Dale know's Cole is out of place here - he doubts Cole has ever been to Darlow's before. Plus, Cole was Mr. Perfect:
     
    So why was Cole here? After a round-about conversation over lemonade and berry pie, with topics such as the school slut to what activities Dale used to do with his dad, and how's Dale's mother's health was, Cole finally gets to why he showed up and wanted to talk to Dale.
     
    To say that Dale didn't see it coming would be an understatement, but he soon figures out what is going on and why Cole needs him.
     
    At 77K words, The Beard is a wonderful novella that will leave you smiling and wanting more even though the story is complete onto itself. While Dan has not committed to writing more of Dale's story, I am one of many who have been asking for a sequel. Plus, there are certain characters that come into the final chapters of the story, that provide a tie-in with some of Dan's other creations.
     
    So - while admittedly biased, I highly recommend The Beard and hope you may have time to read and enjoy the story as I did!
  25. Trebs

    Weekly Wrap Up!

    By Trebs,


    Weekly Wrap Up
    ANNOUNCEMENTS: The Winter Anthology Desperate Ends is LIVE - check it out through this link!
     
    And how was our week? Well, we started the week with a great review by Dark of Promising Author Jian_Sierra's poem "Come With Me."
     
    Andy021278 then gave us a great Wacky Wednesday with his piece on The Infinitive: To Split or Not to Split.
     
    And finally, Prompt-Guru Comicfan gave us two new prompts in Prompt Me - including one that challenges writers to come up with a response that includes "handcuffs", "dollar pants" and "a nun", along with two other phrases - or as one posters noted "Me is having bad thoughts"!!!
     
    So - how was your week?
     

    Anthology Announcements:
    Spring Anthology "A Night to Remember"- Due March 8th

    NEW READING
     
    In Premium this week:
     
    Challenging Fate by Renee Stevens
     

    By our Hosted Authors this week:
     
    Paternity by Mark Arbour, Book 12 of Chronicles of An Academic Predator (CAP)
     
    Rich Boy: Awakening by dkstories
     
    Legacy by Altimexis, Book 29 of Naptown Tales
     
    The Beard by dkstories
     
    Orphic Revelations by Cia
     
    Circumnavigation by C James
     

    By our Promising Authors this week:
     
    The Talents of the Fallen by JMH, Book 1 of Fallen
     
    Protector of Children by David McLeod
     
    Tower of High Sun by JMH, Book 1 of Of Sun, Moon, and Stars
     
    Confounded: Part II by Andr0gene, Book 2 of Confounded
     
    The Escape of John Doe by comicfan
     
    The Prompt You Say! by comicfan
     
    Someone called Soul Mate by SidLove
     
    Refuge by David McLeod
     
    Fair Enough by Dolores Esteban
     

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