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It's time for another author promo! If you'd like to promo your own work, take a look at the thread for guidelines and then PM me. For this month, our featured promo spot is for Valkyrie. There were three questions that Valkyrie had to answer for each story. The questions were What gave you the idea for this story? What was your favorite thing about writing this story? & Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Valkyrie Signature Author 30 stories · 975 reviews · 264,746 total words Vodka At Moonlight Description: Bradley and Allen move into a new house in the country. They love their idyllic, new life until their son meets a new friend. What gave you the idea for this story? I love Halloween and have wanted to write a story about the holiday for a while. I wove a lot of personal elements into this story—such as Allen being so afraid of spiders. The person he is based on is afraid of spiders, and so is my mom. I remember several times as a kid having friends freak out over the blood-curdling screams coming from the basement and looking at me like I’m insane when I nonchalantly reply, “Oh, my mom found a spider.” Zeke was inspired by my friend’s son, who as a toddler used to talk about the ‘man in the closet’. The title and ‘vodka’ were inspired by the name of a racehorse I saw when I visited Cole Matthews and his husband. I saw the name and immediately commented how it would make a great prompt or short story. I thought it fit this story well. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? I really enjoyed coming up with all the twists in the story. I was hoping to keep readers guessing, and I think I managed to do that. I was also pretty proud of Bradley’s name. He’s named after Boo Radley—and another person whose name also starts with Br-. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. I’ve had numerous requests for a continuation. I won’t guarantee when, but I do have some ideas for a sequel. The Hollow Hills Description: This story centers around The Hollow Hills - a horse farm in Vermont - and Galen and Joshua. Galen moves to New England after breaking up with his boyfriend and meets Josh. Their relationship is anything but easy, with many obstacles standing in their way. When tragedy strikes, they need to learn how to redefine their lives and live with the after-effects. What gave you the idea for this story? This story has existed in some form since I was in high school. Josh first appeared in a story I wrote for my freshman English class. That story sparked the Hollow Hills universe, leading to the development of Alannah, Adam, Liam, and Roger, and eventually Galen. I’ve always wanted to write it, but had a lot of trouble narrowing down the storyline and finding an appropriate starting point. Now that I’ve gained more confidence as a writer, I felt ready to tackle such a daunting story. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? It’s still in progress and hasn’t been abandoned. I will admit to being very slow with posting chapters, but I want to remain as true to the story as possible and hope that the wait has been worth it. I would say my favorite thing so far has been the varied reactions of readers. These characters are near and dear to my heart, so seeing them from a different perspective has been eye-opening. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. There is a crossover between this story and my story Alex’s Legacy . Huge bonus points to anyone who can tell me what it is. Max's Garage Description: Elliot is living the good life, even though he hates his job. Then he meets Max, who helps him answer some tough questions he didn't have the courage to face. What gave you the idea for this story? I honestly don’t remember. It was written for The Backup Plan anthology, and was my first anthology submission to this site. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Writing Max and getting to know him was very enjoyable. I was also pleasantly surprised by how much people like this story and the sequels. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Max and Elliot’s story continues in Lawyer or Mechanic? And Proximate Cause . Pete’s story was told in Exit to Redemption .

Who's ready for another Author Promo? This month we are taking a look at William King. William was asked to pick up to three stories and answer the three questions: What gave you the idea for this story? What was your favorite thing about writing this story? & Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. If you would like to do an author promo for the blog, please check out the blog feature opportunities thread. William King Author 6 stories · 116 reviews · 109,393 total words I'll Kiss You in the Rain Description: Alex and Matty have been best friends like forever, but all that changes the day that Matty says he's gay! What gave you the idea for this story? The idea for the story of Matty and Alex's relationship came from the first chapter originally just a short story about two best friends who reveal to each other that they are gay. As the novel builds and introduces other characters, we meet Jake, an older guy who hits on Alex. There are other things going on in the background concerning Alex's group of school friends, but the main storyline is the interplay between Alex, Jake, and Matty. The book poses, but never resolves, the question as to whether or not three people can love each other and live together as a 'ménage à trois'. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? All my stories contain elements of personal experience, I don't think they would be real if they did not. The most extraordinary thing about writing this book, in fact any of my books, is the character development, the way in which the characters take on a life of their own and live. I have confined the story limits by giving attention and detail to the three principle characters, but if that were not the case, any of the characters could be developed, but of course that would tell a different story. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. You are told that any story has a beginning, a middle, and an end. Broadly speaking this is true, but I tend to blur the edges of this concept, because this story is a cameo from the lives of Alex, Jake, and Matty. It could quite easily continue to tell what happens later between the three of them, the end is purposely left open, a sequel is always possible. This is interesting for me as a writer because it allows me to step back, it gives time for reflection, and that freedom lets the theme for the possible subsequent novel emerge. The continuation of the story presents itself, I don't need to invent it, it's there saying 'write me!' Rompecabezas Description: Amidst the drama and choas of a journey interrupted by dreams and different realities, is a quest to find the one person who can deliver the means to discover the answer which will allow all the pieces of the puzzle to reveal the whole. What gave you the idea for this story? A paragraph written by a friend on Facebook inspired the story which is why it is set in Mexico, although that fact is not specifically stated until the end. It's not your usual type of story, although it is strangely enough a romance. Nevertheless, as one reader commented, "it borders on the surreal." Reality, dreams, past and present are blurred at the edges and interwoven into the narration of a journey. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? It presented an enormous challenge to me as a writer, how to progress the story so as to encompass three different threads - the journey through a hot dessert landscape, the other reality of the Palace and it's gardens, the boy Demitri from the narrator's past. To do this in such a way so as not to lose the reader completely, but to allow them to guess at what was going on. What were all the pieces that would fit together to reveal the puzzle. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. In chapter 7 the narrator arrives at La Terraza Sobre el Mar (The Terrace Over the Sea), it's the chapter title. This is a real location, when I was describing it I was remembering the Café Hafa in Tangier. I relocated it from Morocco to Mexico! Here's the description from Wikipedia: "Café Hafa is a cafe in Tangier, Morocco, located along the cliff top overlooking the Bay of Tangier. Opened in 1921, the cafe has retained its 1920s style of decor and through the years has been visited by numerous writers and singers, from Paul Bowles and William S. Burroughs, to The Beatles and the Rolling Stones. The cafe is known for its mint tea, a Tangier special brew. With its simplicity, with its dominance over the Strait of Gibraltar, with its plastic chairs, its tables with tablecloths, with its blue walls, with its trees that grow without concern to none and with charm to which no one can resist, the Café Hafa has built its glory, its history and its reputation that crossed borders and have inspired numerous international writers." I wouldn't presume to class myself as an 'international writer', but it did inspire me.

Wow, it's been a while since we've done an author promo. This month we're taking a look at Lilansui. Lilansui was asked to pick three stories and answer the three questions: What gave you the idea for this story? What was your favorite thing about writing this story? & Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. If you would like to do an author promo for the blog, please check out the blog feature opportunities thread. Also, I have an author who would like to share their author promo opportunity with other new authors. If you've only just started out, but have at least one completed story, send me a message with your story choice and the answers to the above questions. There are only two spots open for this shared author promo, so it will be first come, first serve. Now, let's take a look at what Lilansui has for us. Lilansui Author 22 stories · 848 reviews · 812,753 total words A Rescued Life Description: Stabbed and left for dead, Toshiro Shindo is at the end of the rope: no hope, no one to care, no reason to live. And then Jason rescues him, and shows him kindness and then love. When the man who stabbed him returns for him, Toshiro fights to keep the life Jason rescued. What gave you the idea for this story? We hatched Toshiro Shindo (the main character) with this really good friend of mine...sort of like what would a guy with nothing look like..hmm..thoughts??? From there, the story took life. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Absolute freedom while writing this story. I didn't allow myself to let anything disturb the flow, in fact, I still seek out the sense of freedom I felt when writing Toshiro's story. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Toshiro is bad ass! He'll let nothing bring him down, as he's been down and doesn't want to be there again. A Healing Heart Description: Talin focuses on work, barely giving anything else attention. One encounter in his club's parking lot drags him out of his dull life. Dimitri has watched Talin for so long, when Talin storms into his workshop, Dimitri decides he won't stay in the sidelines any longer. He wants Talin for life. What gave you the idea for this story? This was a challenge to create a story of villains and characters living in the grey area. Neither good or bad, and what happens if you find yourself living in between unable to choose either one? No one in this story is good...they are all in different variations of bad, either some bad or extremely bad... What was your favorite thing about writing this story? How effortless it was to write love between Dimitri and Talin. It just existed, so there was no thought or effort, it showed up. I can't begin to explain how precious that is sometimes. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Talin can be pretty selfless, and Dimitri is a man who gives his all for the people he cares about. It's a darker story than most people like, but it does offer a good ending at the end. A Haunted Love Description: Kazuma and Hyde learn to fight for love and life, even when it means hurting others. What gave you the idea for this story? I got my heart broken. In fact, the ending of the story ended way better than I had initially imagined. This story is a short exploration of unrequited love and where it can lead some souls. For the Harus out there, as I've been one this year. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Developing Hideki. He remains the most strange character I've ever made. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Love is not easy, it can be twisted, and dark, and lead you to do weird and terrible things.

It's time for another author promo! If you'd like to promo your own work, take a look at the thread for guidelines and then PM me. For this month, our featured promo spot is for Cia. There were three questions that Cia had to answer for each story. The questions were What gave you the idea for this story? What was your favorite thing about writing this story? & Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. As a Signature Author, Cia also had the option of picking one of her published stories that could be found on Amazon. Hope you enjoy this look into Cia's work. Cia Signature Author 55 stories * 1957 reviews * 1,249,873 total words The Price of Honor Description: One man wakes to find himself alone...and not where he expected to be. Who is the strange man that appears..and why is he...blue? Follow the story of Cale and Bel'loc as they find out where their honor will take them, and what they will pay to keep it. Oh, The Price of Honor… written so, so long ago. I honestly can’t remember how the idea came to me, but I just knew I wanted to explore new worlds and aliens. The best part of writing this was ‘The End.’ Before I joined GA, I’d never really focused on what I could do writing down the weird things in my head. Now, my skills back then were horrible (I use this story to show that everyone starts somewhere and even writing geeks like me can have a time when they’d forgotten all the lessons they learned in school and had to relearn them) but I told a story that I still really thinks has merit today. One thing you might not know from reading the description is that there’s a short prequel written after the story was completed titled, “The Lords Sacrifice”. Coupled in Synchronicity Description: Synchronicity acted in mysterious ways in my life, it always had. Scientists had been trying to decipher the magic of the planet since we landed; there seemed to be no guided intention to the events that happened, no sentient design, but still … things happened, important things, that could not be accidents. This is one of my favorite short stories, and I’ve a longer novel planned that just has to be written. I got the idea for the plot while I was doing some research into philosophy. It’s in the title, but the theme of ‘Synchronicity’ is part of Jung’s theory that nothing is truly coincidental and seemingly random events are actually connected. Researching this was actually my favorite part; I’m a ginormous geek as anyone who has worked with me on a story knows. I think I probably spent twice as much time coming up with the concept than I did writing it, lol. A fun fact not many people realize in the story… the planet, Synchronicity, is sentient! The Experiment Description: In the distant future, humans wage war against the alien planet Caeorleia, with no tactic off-limits if it will help the humans get their hands on Caeorleia’s resources. Ask Ryker. He thought he volunteered for a simple experiment that would help his government in the war. He didn't realize sadistic doctors would turn him into the experiment—by injecting him with blood from a captured Caeorleian, Seral Iorflas. Nor did Ryker realize he’d be sent to sabotage a planet full of the very beings his world is battling, beings who kill humans on sight. But then, thanks to the experiment that irrevocably changed him, he isn’t exactly human any longer—and with each passing day, as his blood bond with Seral strengthens, he’s less and less sure as to whose side he's on. The Experiment actually started off as a prompt response, if I remember correctly. Before this was published, it existed as a free story that morphed into a novel, and that’s how I’ve continued to write the rest of the books in the series before I submit them to Dreamspinner Press for publication. You can still find the stories in GA’s Premium section if you don’t like to buy eBooks. My favorite part of writing The Experiment was coming up with the alien stuff, like the fizzy seeds in the mae fruit and the trees that glow when they absorb energy from other living things. I didn’t share this in the description, but most of the time the planet is so warm that Caeorleians go about in short cloth wraps around their hips… or naked!

Looks like it's time for another Author Promo! This month we're taking a look at Signature Author, Mann Ramblings. For his author promo, Mann was asked to pick three stories and answer the same three questions for each story. As a Signature Author, Mann also had the option of picking one of his published stories that could be found on Amazon. Hope you enjoy this look into Mann's work. Mann Ramblings Signature Author 11 stories * 1209 reviews * 442,572 total words A Sense of Family Description: Matthew has lost the most important person in his world. Why is this the moment when his estranged mother decides to walk back into his life? Why can't this be a happy moment? What gave you the idea for this story? I wanted to write something contemporary and dramatic. The most emotional thing that sprang to mind was a dealing with family drama at a funeral. The muse struck so hard, I had to set aside the current novel I was working on until I got it onto the page. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Building a surrogate family around the main character to replace the family he lost. Building believable relationships between each cast member was the biggest challenge. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. At the time this story was written, I had never actually attended a funeral. We hadn't had a death in my family since I was a child, (and only the adults went because it was in New York) or it was from a long lost relative we didn't keep in touch with. The reviews tell me I did a decent job of projecting my own sense of how the characters would react given the circumstances. I'm quite proud of this piece. So Little Magic Left Description: What do you do when you simply don't fit into your world? Shawn Martoni never did. A past of turmoil and misfortune kept a solid foothold from ever forming. But what if there was another world under our own? Someplace where all that's left of the creatures long since forgotten might live. Would Shawn find his place there or simply find another form of the underworld? What gave you the idea for this story? This story was based off the GA Friday prompt, The Beast. When I needed to start a new story, I let Layla choose between four possible storylines. This was the one she chose, so I had her beta read along with MJ85. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? This was my longest and most complex story to date. Plotting the storyline and making it come to life was an absolute joy. Making all the threads come together at the climax is something I'll always remember. The reviews made me smile for days. Sometimes I re-read them. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Every character has some fractured relationship with at least one other member of the cast and the most fun is keeping the readers guessing what comes next. There are more than a few surprises to be had. The Luxorian Fugitive Description: Sergeant Liam Jacks has made a life for himself on the cargo vessel the Santa Claus to escape the memories on civil unrest on Alpha Centauri. Life should be simple enough, but one mysterious passenger can unravel the quiet in ways he hadn't imagined. What gave you the idea for this story? This was my second novel length story and the comic geek in me wanted to go sci-fi. I have a fascination with geisha imagery and made Hadrian into a blend of geisha and gladiator with a little para-human ability mixed in. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? The action scenes! My attempt to get the pacing right had me acting out the key sequences so they made sense. Thankfully, no video exists of said activity. So quit asking... Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. My favorite part of Luxorian, and part of which I'm happiest, is there are two stories running alongside each other and interwoven throughout the entire novel. Even so, they manage to work as one story with the connections between them.

It's time to start our new blog feature: Author Promos! Authors were allowed to choose up to three of their stories to be promoted in the blog. For each story, they had the same three questions to answer. For our debut blog entry, we're bringing you Carlos Hazday with his stories Melvin Ford, Children of the Dust, and Happy New Year. Enjoy! Carlos Hazday Author 16 stories * 777 reviews * 287,170 total words Melvyn Ford Description: A 1929 Ford Model A Tudor is passed from father to son, through several generations. What gave you the idea for this story? The idea for the story came from a photo prompt posted by Comicfan. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Aside from the obvious close family ties described, I loved being able to hint at societal changes taking place in the United States in the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. The story blurs the lines between gay/non-gay stories. Historical and fictional events are mixed together, to provide a backdrop for the love affair between four men, and the car they all own at some point. It’s a subtle commentary on how Americans, and their attitudes towards same sex relationships, have changed over time. Children of the Dust Description: The story of two young men, and how the Vietnam War affected their lives. What gave you the idea for this story? The idea for the story came from an article about Ameriasian kids I’d read the week prior to writing it. What was your favorite thing about writing this story? I enjoyed working out the way the two main characters connected initially and then reconnected after many years. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Although the story is fictional, the historical events are accurate. The fall of Saigon meant an unknown number of children, fathered by American GIs, where trapped in a country which had no use for them. Happy New Year Description: The Lumberjack & The Professor What gave you the idea for this story? A comment about one of my stories having characters who were stereotypical gay fantasies made me want to write about a connection being made between blue and white collar workers which wasn’t stereo typical itself. Around that time, someone on Facebook replied to one of my posts by telling me I racism was not a problem in America any more. Ha! What was your favorite thing about writing this story? Setting it in the middle of Minnesota was a challenge for someone who lives on the beach. But I fell in love with the northern woods a long time ago while traveling in the area. I was fun to dredge up those memories. Please tell us something about this story that is not already in the description. Although this is a love story, racism plays a part in strengthening the bond between the characters.