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  1. I know it's Monday, and time to feature a new story, but before I do that, there's something else I'd like to do. Without a certain person, none of us would have such a great site to visit, read stories, and interact with so many great people. I doubt when Myr first came up with the idea for Gay Authors that he expected it would become what it is today, so with that in mind I would like to simply say, Thank You and.... Now, let's see the wonderful review of Geeks by CassieQ, supplied to us by Cole Matthews. Geeks by CassieQ Signature Author Reviewer: Cole Matthews Status: In Process “There was something there, something that was fragile as glass but strong as concrete and maybe it was love and maybe it wasn't. But whatever it was, it scared the hell out of him.” CassieQ is writing a beautiful love story about a couple geeks, who are quite different. Mikeal has never really dated and he meets a man at Dragon Con who he first thinks is quite the obnoxious jerk. The “green haired boy” is a young man named Adam who is into costume play, or cosplay as it is affectionately known. One thing leads to another and they find a mutual attraction they want to explore. Throughout the story, Adam shares his love for anime and Mikeal does the same with Star Wars. This reveals something distinctly personal in the process. The relationship deepens with their growing understanding of each other’s passions. CassieQ fills the story with the men dressing up for events, each time giving the reader another aspect to the characters. While this is happening, Mikeal discovers he has fallen in love with Adam and says so openly. Adam has a more jaded past and he tries deny what he feels for the other man. Adam is falling hard and though he has trouble expressing it, CassieQ portrays his dilemma so vividly with these few words. “While he was gone, Adam turned over onto his stomach and whispered into the pillow because he wasn't ready to say it to Mikeal. ‘I love you. I love you. I love you." This love story offers so much to the reader. From the teasing hilarity of “Because fangirls are perverts, that's why” to the prosaic, “Questions and doubts still circled his mind, anxious dogs that refused to stop chasing their own tails…” CassieQ spins words into images that evoke vitality and emotion. We don’t know if Adam and Mikeal will live happily ever after. We can’t know if their love is as strong as cement or as fragile as glass, or perhaps both. But one thing is certain. You will love watching these two men discover the answers. Category: Fiction Genres: Romance Tags: Light-Hearted, Modern, Love, College, Young Adult Rating: Mature
  2. This month's Signature Author Background and the feature for this week's Signature Week is "Second Shot" by Andrew_Q_Gordon. I always start out Signature Week with a review of the story being featured and this week is no different. Comicfan was kind enough to offer to do the review on "Second Shot". If you haven't already done so, don't forget to go and download your Signature Author Background. Second Shot By Andrew Q. Gordon Reviewer: Comicfan Status: Complete Word Count: 79,380 When I first joined GA Second Shot was still being written. If you hadn’t heard about it a trip into the chat room would have had you meeting TrevorTime who would tell you to do one thing – Go read Second Shot. So that just leaves you wondering one thing what the heck is Second Shot. Welcome to the world of Second Shot. Here we find two college students starting out in life and trying to figure out what they want. For Peter the world is work, school, and martial arts. He is out and not about to go back into the closet. He is sort of self reliant and trying hard to just survive. For Jason it is a world of soccer and trying to hide who is from himself and the world. However when these two meet for the first time fate takes over. Peter has to deal with Jason who just can’t deny the attraction between them. Besides the coming out issue, you have a strict college coach trying to keep all his people in line, and the world itself showing the couple the good and bad. College classes and friends add a rich background as well as keeping both men grounded. Add in mothers, sisters, and other problems that both Peter and Jason need to deal with as they navigate their way through life. Just as it seems these two might make a go of it there is a vicious attack on Peter that leaves the whole relationship up in the air. Will these two get a second chance at a life together? Can a tender love grow or will family and hatred tear them apart? Andy or Q as he is known to so many of us delivers a story that far outstrips the basic college love story. This story alone shows the talent that he uses so well in his stories and catapulted him from writer to Promising to Hosted. If you haven’t read this incredible story I’d suggest you take a little time, curl up, and read it. When you do, don’t forget to comment.
  3. It's Signature Week! This month's Signature Author Background features Dragon's Treasure by Signature Author David McLeod. I always start Signature Week with a review of the story being featured. Lucky for me, Aditus stepped up to do the review for Dragon's Treasure. Take a look and hopefully you'll like the review enough that you go check out the story as well, and perhaps enjoy it as much as Aditus seemed to! Dragon's Treasure By David McLeod Reviewer: Aditus Status: Complete Word Count: 28,591 Four boys—an Empath, an Illusionist, a Druid, and a Thief—encounter a dragon and find much more than treasure. That's how David summarized his story. Ever since I watched the movie 'Dragon Heart' I've been hooked on fantasy stories featuring dragons, which of course meant I had to read a story called 'Dragon's Treasure'. In the style of a classic tale of an epic journey, Ulee, Ian, Jeremy and Thorby leave their home to travel through Eblis. All four boys are magic users, which isn't unusual in this world. … any person working a trade or craft—whether he be a Currier or a Smith, whether she be a Weaver, or a Seamstress, or a Midwife—everyone uses a little magic to do their tasks. (Quote) Only they aren't simple craft magic users, they can do great magic, to call storms, to bring down mountains, to kill. (Quote) and this is why the boys are hunted by the Red-Robes, who take children away from their homes on behalf of the Prince of Eblis to bring them to his city, where they are forced to serve him. The story starts with Ulee and Ian. They encounter greedy boatmen, exploitive farmers, and the Red Robes, but also a wise mentor and eventually Jeremy and Thorby. It is as Ian's Nana has told them. You will find friends. Not many, but they will be there if you look for them. Do not trust too easily, but do not fear so much that you trust no one. (Quote) And of course they meet the dragon. This is a story of change, of growth, of learning to trust each other, of working together and of making sacrifices to reach the common goal. With his descriptive writing David made me crouch with Ulee in the muddy ditch and hold my breath until the soldiers had passed, he made me cringe when the boy told about his apprenticeship, he made me love and admire Josephus and yes, he made me sad, several times actually. Dragon's Treasure opened the door to an interesting and exciting world for me and I plan to read all the other stories which take place there and tell of other places like Arcadia and Elvenhold. I have one complaint, though: The story ended far too soon. I would love to read a sequel.
  4. The weekend always seems to go by so quickly and once again, it's the start of a new week. You know what that means. It's time to feature a new story! Jo Ann was kind enough to provide a review to one of the 2014 Spring Anthology that she really enjoyed, The Lake by Signature Author: Dolores Esteban! I hope you enjoy! The Lake by Dolores Esteban Reviewer: Joann414 Status: Complete Word Count: 941 This is the story the author wrote for the recent Anthology, Nature's Wrath. The reason I felt it deserved a review and a boost is because I found myself going back to read it again already. You think that's crazy? Wait'll you hear this. The story is only 941 words. Kinda sounds crazy to think there's even enough there to review. Well, let me tell you! It's there alright, and more. Rick has lost his job and is not in a good place. After seeing an ad in a magazine, he decides to take a trip. Like many people who hope to turn their luck around, he heads to Vegas. Rick not only wins a large amount of money, but meets a handsome man named Frank. Before Rick knows it, Frank has talked him into going back to his farm with him for a few days. Franks's dad lives there and he doesn't seem pleased when Frank comes home with Rick in tow, and Rick's not impressed with the old man either. Since Rick spends his time in Frank's company, it doesn't seem to be a problem Late in the evening the day after their return to the farm, Frank treats Rick to a barbecue by the lake. He sets the grill up there and everything. Rick enjoys the meal and of course afterwards, the peacefulness and enjoyment of Frank's company as they sit beside the lake. While the two men are enjoying the summer evening and the chirp of the crickets around the lake, a shout for help reaches Rick's ears. He asks Frank if he hears it and Frank doesn't seem to be aware of it. After hearing the plea for help again, Rick goes to the rescue. If I tell you more, I'd spoil the surprise elements of the story. You see a story with so few words and a cast of three, you wonder what could be so great. Can't tell you that either. I can tell you this though. When I finished this story the first time, my mouth was hanging open and I was like, "What the hell?" Short and sweet? Hell, no. Short, definitely. Go read and I'd love to see your reaction in the first sentence of your review. I can assure you, it's a tale you won't soon forget
  5. Time to start a new week and with a new week comes a new featured story. Louis offered to do a review for the blog and chose the story "Roommates" by Signature Author: Krista. I hope you enjoy his review and if this sounds like something you'd like, then go read! Don't forget to leave Krista a review, or two, to let her know what you thought! Roommates By Krista Reviewer: LJH Status: Complete Word Count: 72,846 The law of attraction. This is the name given to the belief that like attracts like. In The Secret, by Rhonda Byrne –www.thesecret.tv– also known as the “law of attraction, it is defined as ”the idea that because of our connection with a “universal energy force,” our thoughts and feelings have the ability to manipulate this energy force to our liking. ... our thoughts and feelings attract a corresponding energy to ourselves. If our thoughts are negative, we attract negative things. If our feelings are positive, we attract positive things...we all have the power to determine our own destiny. We can all create our own reality. Through fully and consistently applying the “law of attraction,” we can be who we want to be and have everything we want to have." Even to the extent that opposites attract. William Carlson and Brett are roommates. Complete opposites. QUOTE: "One thing about living with Brett, you never know what is waiting behind the door." William controls every aspect of his life, while Brett is a player. But that all stops when William is invited to his parents' wedding anniversary. He asks Brett to tag along and meet the family. William hasn't seen his parents in seven years, and as for his sister, Kathryn, the last time he heard, she was somewhere in Africa. During this visit, Brett will finally come to understand that William inherited his controlling nature from his controlling, uber-rich parents. Everything had to be done their way or not at all. But, this visit is also a way for William to come to understand each member of his own family, and a way to reintroduce himself as a gay man, pushed by Brett and Kat (who has by now returned from Africa). For many parents, the discovery of a child's homosexuality is a painful and traumatic experience. They are often the first to suspect but the last to know. They deal with fear, blame and guilt which they are unable to discuss with friends or other family members. Krista offers a lesson to reject the secrecy between parent and child. In life, children have the freedom to choose their friends, as Willam does, Brett is his best friend, loves surfing, loves the bright lights of night life, and is bisexual. QUOTE: Some days he’s straight, others he’s bi, and then gay. Children are given freedom to choose their own occupation, William is a workaholic. They are given the freedom to make and spend money as they wish, but William is ever cautious when it comes to finance, even going so far as to reject his father's offer to advance him cash to buy his own house. And lastly, children allow parents to know only what they want them to know. William is happy, shares an apartment with his roommate Brett, and has enough cash of his own, and is gay. His parents don't know anything of this. He controls his emotions, is not in a relationship and is not looking for one. Krista also embellishes the known ideology that family is the most important institution and it's primary role is the support of its members. William's mother believes in this ideology and welcomes her gay son with open arms, whilst her husband at first rejects the idea but comes to full acceptance after careful thought as to his role as a parent. The story is a social documentary of the times in which we live; William, the control buff always aware of his actions and their consequences, Brett, the easy going, live and let live best friend, who loves Redbull and Cheeto crumbs. Kat, William's sister who wants nothing more than to be free and on the way finds herself pregnant. The story sets itself as much against the expectations of the gay subculture as against the studied indifference of the culture. Does it really matter if William's parents know? Or is it a way for William to forge forward with his life? Is this the reason he cannot find a lover? Need a boyfriend? The wit and language of the story is free and Brett's dialogue is on point. I found myself falling in love with him, waiting for his next sentence. There are scenes, like the golf-course scene that left me rolling on the floor with laughter. Brett's wit is genius, and Krista's digging into William's mind, makes the story absolutely believable. I have found an author whom I can trust. An author who infuses her work with an important writing principle; she makes an unwritten promise that her characters will change, and she keeps to that promise. Every scene is vivid and shown to the extent that I was taken on a journey with these characters, characters whom I grew to love and respect. She hooks the reader from the very first paragraph. I was very interested, very fast. She oriented me in the first chapter. I knew where I was, I knew what was going on and who was involved. She never allows the reader to look back, doesn't confuse. She begins with the moment when her characters are about to make a change, and she doesn't let go. She creates situations that must be dealt with, all exciting, stimulating and absorbing. The stressors involved in Rooommates include the following: How will William reintroduce himself? Will he? How will Brett react to William's parents and will they accept him? Will Brett accept them? How will the parents react to Kat's pregnancy? Can William find love with someone other than Brett? All of these stressors require change. These lines (there are more) were by far, the most meaningful to me: QUOTES “You can’t ask a man for his number when he’s passing around the meat,” he said then winked, “you have to wait until he’s passing out the chocolate.” “Why did I become friends with you?” I asked rolling my eyes. “To get your head out of your fucking ass, Will." “I’m meeting billionaires in a few fucking hours,” he said turning to look at me, “I’ll be lucky if I don’t shit my pants.” "I don't feel as free as you do." "If you're unwilling to fix this, then you're just a damn distraction." "It would have rocked living here," Brett commented. "I'd slide down the stair railing at least five times a day." Brilliant lines, from a brilliant writer who deserves more than accolades. If you're interested in writing a review for the blog, please PM Renee Stevens.
  6. It's Signature Week here at the Gay Author's New's Blog. Each month we're doing a week where both the Monday and Wednesday posts are dedicated to whichever story has been chosen as that month's Signature Background. This months choice was "Into The Deep" by Signature Author: CassieQ. If you haven't already done so, you can download your copy of the background here. To start off Signature Week, Lisa did a wonderful review of "Into The Deep". I hope you enjoy it. Into The Deep by CassieQ Reviewer: Lisa Status: Complete Word Count: 7,672 When Renee asked me to do a review on CassieQ’s “Into the Deep”, I said sure! Why not? I had no idea what the story was about, but I’ve read a few stories of Cassie’s and I figured it would be good. And she didn’t disappoint. Cassie’s beautiful imagery and personification floated in the forefront of my mind as I pictured the main character, Toumas, waking up every morning ‘to the salt of the sea and the crash of its waves against his ears.’ As Toumas got ready for his day on the water, catching fish, for this is what Toumas was, a lonely fisherman, living in a little hut as his father and grandfather had before that, he heard the waves as ‘the sea sighed and sang to him’. One day Toumas threw out his net into the waters and when he hauled out the fish, he noticed a treasure among his catch. I cannot tell you about this treasure, for that would be a spoiler; you will have to read the story to find out what wound up in Toumas’ net. That night he went home, fried up some fish and cooked his treasure. Toumas spent the next day catching many fish, earning him good wages to buy fruits, breads, and wine to bring to his sister and sickly mother. Toumas arranged a husband for his sister and he frequently stopped by and did what he could to help his family. One night Toumas was attacked while he sat on the edge of a cliff, watching the sea. It was dark so he didn’t see who or what attacked him. He passed out and the next morning woke up in his little hut, not remembering anything that happened the night before. He vaguely remembered arms around him, helping him fend off the attack. Strangely though, he kept hearing the sea continuously calling his name. He decided to listen to these sea cries as he dove into the chilly waters, pushing himself farther and farther down, still hearing his named being called over and over again. Again he felt arms around him and someone or something breathing life back into his body. A stranger walked out of the water and Toumas got a good look at his savior: ‘His body was covered with healthy muscle under pale skin down to his torso before it melded into a gray film of scaled skin that shimmered with water droplets. He had a handsome face, with dark eyes and long dark hair that floated like a puddle of spilled ink around his head.’ Cassie continues with her beautiful descriptions of this sea creature known as Tyrrhenian. Toumas and Tyrrhenian embarked on a magical night together. The next day Toumas woke up outside his home. As he was about to walk through the door a woman caught his eye. When he rebuffed her, she turned into a huge black bird that he was sure was the one who attacked him a few nights ago. The bird swept down and started to attack Toumas. As he tried to defend himself, the battle between man and bird-woman continued until the bird flew off in defeat. The next day he heard the call of the sea yet again and dove right in, coming in contact with Tyrrhenian once more. In order for Toumas to be truly happy, he must redeem himself from that treasure he had consumed. Cassie weaves a captivating tale of loyalty, sacrifice, and most notably, love. Her beautiful words flow through this heartbreaking story. She is a master storyteller who engages her readers from the beginning to the end with wonderful descriptions, beautiful imagery, and inspiring fantasy while writing about these legends.
  7. Every once in a while we like to highlight a story that can be found in the Premium section of Gay Authors. For today's review, Comicfan has provided us with a review of "Burden of Secrets" by Signature Author: Cia. Burden of Secrets is one of thirty-two stories that can be found in the Premium section of Gay Authors. While the majority of content remains free, the Premium section is a thank you to those who help support and keep Gay Authors going. Premium subscriptions also make improvements possible, including the unique GA Stories software and it's upcoming update. If you're looking to purchase premium, you can purchase one of four time frames. The longer time you purchase, the more you save. The current premium pricing structure is: 1 Month Subscription: $8.10 3 Month Subscription: $24.00 6 Month Subscription: $47.00 12 Month Subscription: $93.00 To purchase premium, visit the premium section in the Gay Authors store. Now, let's see what Comicfan had to say about Burden of Secrets! Burden of Secrets by Cia Reviewer: Comicfan Status: Complete Word Count: 25,443 Sometimes you forget that Cia is more than the Site Administrator. Usually you meet her when she goes over your story, or has to deal with some issue that is happening on the site. However, she is also an author with a large body of work behind her. Needing something new to read while running around lately, I sort of stumbled onto her story Burden of Secrets. The story opens in the middle of fight between Chris and his girlfriend Julie at the restaurant they both work at. Within a very short period it is obvious that Chris and Julie aren’t in a solid relationship. Julie is a waitress, while Chris is a pastry chef who is interning at his family’s restaurant. Julie could care less who hears their fight, but Chris is more focused on the boiling sugar he has been working on for his latest dessert. When matters come to a boil and Julie tosses a plate at him, the story really gets going. In dodging the plate, Chris moves quickly and splashes boiling sugar all over the new busboy, Niel. The accident forces the two men to truly notice the other. Unfortunately both men have secrets that they aren’t sure how to explain to the other. Their attraction grows and while they both do overcome their own insecurities it is their secrets that might just end up destroying their love affair before it is realized. Can they be honest with each other or will this be another failed love? You will have to read Cia’s story to find the answer out for yourself. Another fully realized world is created in this short work of love, trust, and honor. Cia weaves a number of threads throughout this work and has to be read to be fully appreciated.
  8. I hope everyone had a great weekend! It's the start of a new week and that means it's time for a new story to be featured in the GA News Blog. This week we're featuring the story that Cia picked for the February Hosted Background. If you haven't already downloaded your background, it's not too late. You have the choice of one with or without a calendar. You can visit the Hosted Background blog entry and get yours now! Now, time for Cia's review of Love In A Chair! Enjoy! Love in a Chair By Altimexis Length: 147,154 Status: Complete Reviewer: Cia *Spoiler Alert* I give a broad outline of the plot in this, so if you really want to read it without knowing… stop reading my review and use the link to go read the story already! LOL I thought, for February’s Hosted feature, I would share a love story. Now, a lot of stories here have a romance. But this was not only an author’s first story, it was a story about first love in a coming of age/coming out story. Most of us have memories of our first loves—and for those who don’t, it’s coming—and treasure them. The age varies, of course, but many of us were teens. Teenager hormones flare wildly and often seesaw girls and guys into extreme behavior. That’s especially true when it comes to attraction, lust, and love. A lot of people don’t think teens can fall in love, but I do. I met my husband sixteen years ago, when I was just a few months after the older of the main characters was in this story. I could relate, in a way, to the story and so I decided to feature Love in a Chair. Some aspects of the story were spectacularly told. The ups and downs and accompanying drama definitely fit the teen characters. Aaron and Brian, while young, knew how they felt about each other. They both grapple with their sexuality and what it means to be a gay teen when not everyone is willing to accept differences. Kids can definitely be cruel, and it wasn’t easy. Of course a large part of the conflict in the story comes from an accident. Brian and Aaron panic when they think their relationship is going to be exposed, and a series of unexpected events leads to tragedy. Aaron faces persecution from Brian’s parents after a car accident where he was driving illegally leaves Brian paralyzed. He also faces prosecution from a botched investigation by a biased and bigoted sheriff’s office. Meanwhile, Brian is facing a life completely different from what he ever expected. Physically and emotionally he has to adjust to his new reality, harsh as it is. It leads to good things for both teens and then it all goes bad… anger, depression, attempted suicide, a near death experience all lead up to a dramatic climax. So, that’s the plot. As for the writing… well, this just goes to show how much a person can improve. I can’t speak to the sex scenes, since I skipped those due to personal preference, but the overall writing was rough. Not enough to prevent enjoyment of a story, but not nearly close to Altimexis’ current writing ability. While I believe that teenagers can fall in love, and stay in love through those years into adulthood, it’s not easy. It takes a lot of maturity, in fact. However, sometimes Brian and Adam’s dialogue was far too mature for their years. It felt unrealistic at times. What I loved about this story? The research and realism of the technical aspects of the plot elements. I’ve worked with quad and paraplegics. The medical information was spot on and the difficult, and often messy, aspects of learning to deal with/live with/care for someone with a disability like Brian’s wasn’t downplayed and glossed over. That impressed me because all too often people use the disability trope in a story and handle it poorly. Overall, I give Love in a Chair a 3.5 out of 5 stars. The amount of sex was a bit much for me, even for teenage characters, but if you don’t mind minor rough writing and like a long, complex teen story about coming out and coming of age with some serious bumps along the way, you should check out this story!
  9. It's time to start a new week and you know what that means! It's time to feature a new story. This week we are featuring a story by someone that I'm sure many of you know, Joann414!!! Louis (LJH) absolutely loved her story "No Room in the Lodge" and came to me asking if he could do a review for the blog. Of course, I said YES!!! So here it is, I hope you enjoy it and decide to check out the story yourself! No Room in the Lodge By Joann414 Reviewer: LJH (Louis Harris) Status: Complete Word Count: 11,005 Limerence. It’s not used often in everyday speech, but, man-oh-man, what a magnificent word. It describes the emotional excitement of being in love. And this is what the author excels at in No Room in the Lodge. The story enables the reader to fly without wings to become immersed in a story that unfolds like a beautiful song and at the end, even the angels smile. A Christmas story that can be read at any time of the year, over and over again. Jeff and Dan Boyd. No two people could be more different. Jeff is a thirty-five and the owner of the lodge. Each winter he hires college kids, kids who need extra income for their spring semester. Dan is perky at twenty-one and he certainly needs the money. Dan has helped out at the lodge before, and has always had his own room. But, this year is different for one specific reason, he shares quarters with Jeff. At first, he doesn’t like the idea. He wants to be moved, but Jeff won’t let him get off that easily. There has to be an underlying reason. The reason is plain and simple: Dan is gay. But, Jeff knows. He doesn’t take on staff without doing a thorough background check on all the staff. He also knows that Dan is about to come into a lot of money. So why hire him? What would a story be without a confidant? Brant supplies wood to the lodge and is also Jeff’s friend; Jeff has spoken to him about Dan often in years past. So, here’s where they stand in a secret place, where Brant knows that Jeff is interested in Dan, but Dan has no idea that Jeff is also gay. Brant’s advice to Jeff is simple: "Don't let fear rule your heart." Here’s what happens when Jeff comes out to young Dan: Jeff cleared his throat. Gulping down half his drink and ignoring the widening of Dan's eyes at his action, he spat out. "I'm gay." "I'd say you were a liar if I couldn't hear the nervous tinkle of the ice against the sides of your glass." Dan reached and took the glass from Jeff, afraid he might spill it on his bed. "Are you ok? Why are you so nervous? It's not like you think I'm homophobic or anything. Remember? I'm gay too." he chuckled, trying to lighten the moment. Let’s go back to that word, limerence. The two share their experiences with each other. The thought of Dan with another man hurts Jeff. Terms of endearment; Dan calls Jeff, “old man”, and Jeff calls Dan, “kid”. They get up late in the mornings. Neither is shy about nudity in front of each other. They start to share the bathroom. They joke with each other. Dan knows just how Jeff likes his coffee. Knows his bed time and so on This is taken from: http://www.lovepanky...sh-or-limerence Limerence is always assumed to be the same as love, but it is actually very far from it. In love, you want to share the best moments of your life with someone special, but when you’re struck by limerence, all you want is this person’s attention. And so it is with Dan and Jeff. Until a man from Jeff’s past turns up at the lodge. The story is absolutely believable. The characters are definately not stereotypical. And it's a great departure from boy meets boy stories where the main characters are teenagers. Here, there is the angst of limerence. The knowledge that things could go one way - bad, or the other way - good, for these two characters. What I admire most about the structure of the plot, is that there are only four speaking roles, but it looks and feels much bigger than that. Now, all you need to do, is read No Room at the Lodge. It will inspire, it will bring sadness, and joy. But above all, it will make you want to find limerence. Thank you Jo Ann for this beautiful, clever story.
  10. As many who follow the blog already know, Cia started doing a Hosted Background featuring a story by a GA Hosted Author. Every month she will feature a different Author/Story. I had already been trying to figure out some ways to feature Hosted Authors a bit more prominently in the blog and the feedback we received sparked an idea. In addition to the Hosted Background that Cia creates each month, I decided to start doing a "Hosted Week" each and every month, focusing on whichever story was chosen for the Hosted Background. I briefly thought about doing a separate story/author from that of the Hosted Background, but on second thought, realized that doing the same story would give the Hosted Author who was chosen even better exposure in the GA News Blog. This month's chosen story was Prophecy by Hosted Author: Comicfan. I asked Mann Ramblings if he would do a review for the GA News Blog and he quickly agreed. Without further ado, here's his review of Comicfan's story, Prophecy! Prophecy by Comicfan Reviewer: Mann Ramblings Status: Complete Word Count: 4,756 Like many people, I waited patiently (or not so impatiently) for the list of stories in December 2013’s Anthology – Recipe for Disaster to go live. I always look forward to the variety of incredible interpretations to the theme and this year was no exception. Hosted Author and Moderator Comicfan’s fantasy short Prophesy was among the list, and as always, he did not fail to meet my expectations. Without spoiling the plot, the story begins with a scene of supreme sacrifice of a wounded mother that ultimately leads to the formation of a non-traditional yet supportive family for an orphaned child. The boy’s future and what that entails is the basis of the story’s title. My favorite parts of Prophesy are Comicfan’s handling of characters. From The King’s rage to Duncan’s disgruntled discovery of the package on his doorstep, each member of the cast acts in a way that makes you believe in them. Even the dialogue flows naturally, which is often a victim of fantasy writing when the urge to be overly verbose overtakes the author. I don’t know about you, but for me, bad dialogue is a dealbreaker when reading any form of fiction. The fantasy elements are also handled well without miring the reader in the lack of reality, leaving the plot grounded and well balanced. The only true flaw I could find in the story (if you want to call it that) was that I simply wanted more. Even though the tale wrapped up cleanly, it could easily be the opening chapter for a grand epic adventure. And who doesn’t want that? I tried to persuade Comicfan to extend Prophesy but he politely refused as the tale was intended to be a one-off. Personally I think he just needs more encouragement. So read Prophesy and judge for yourself. Afterwards, I’m betting you’ll feel like I do and want even more. Even so, I can’t tell everyone to spam his inbox demanding a sequel because that would be wrong. (So don’t do it) I would like to point out to the mod staff that admonishing such behavior absolves me of all responsibility if such a mass action were to truly take place. Hope you enjoyed Mann's review and if you haven't yet checked out the backgrounds that Cia did for Prophecy, you can check them out here. Make sure to come back on Wednesday to see Hosted Week's Wacky Wednesday!
  11. Okay, so I'm running a little late this morning! I love having the chance to feature stories by our talented authors at GA and today is no exception. Today we're bringing you a review that Comicfan did on "So Little Magic Left" by Promising Author: Mann Ramblings! If you haven't already checked out the story, hopefully by the end of the review you'll have a taste for it and want to go read more! Enjoy! So Little Magic Left by Mann Ramblings Reviewer: Comicfan Status: In Process Word Count: 44,593 Everyone has a time when they feel they don’t belong, that they can’t connect, and they would like to see some sort of change come to into their life. In his story, So Little Magic Left, Mann taps into these ideas and runs with them. Not only does he look at the world as it is, but what if no matter where you were, you would find misfits. From the beginning of the story you are introduced to Shawn, an ex-marine who feels that he doesn’t quite fit into the world around him. He is a large intimating man with a Mohawk who doesn’t want to be part of the normal activities around him. Working in the local LGBT center he has come to the attention of Kenrick Balfour, a very wealthy man. Kenrick wants Shawn and isn’t about to let anything come between him and his conquest. In an attempt to win over Shawn, Kenrick sets up an attack on the LGBT center. However, things don’t go as expected. Shawn comes upon the scene as three thugs begin to break into the center and finds himself attacked. His life would have ended if not for the introduction of another outcast, Rath. Just what does a half orc/half elf do with an ex-marine that he has made his pet? Just what does Rath’s servant Maertagh explain about Shawn’s new position? (You have to read the bath scene because it is just that good.) Mann’s story is by no means finished, but it is a wonderful tale combining many themes and fantasy. If you are looking for something a little different, I highly recommend it. As always, I'm looking for more reviews for the blog. I'm running just a tad bit low. If you're reading a story that you'd like to see featured on one of our Featured Story Monday's, please PM me.
  12. It's time for another featured story! This week, Lisa was kind enough to provide us with a review of "Endings and Beginnings" by Viv, one of our Hosted Author's here at GA! Not only did she provide us a Hosted Review, but she also provided us with what could be considered a "Blast From the Past", so in essence, it's a two for one! We're always looking for reviews to feature in the blog, so if you've been reading a story that you would like to review for the blog, please PM me! Now, without any more of a wait, lets get onto the review, shall we? Endings and Beginnings by Viv Reviewer: Lisa Status: Complete Word Count: 10,442 This was one of the best stories I’ve read anywhere. And the good thing is, there are four more like it. Viv started “Endings and Beginnings” for the Spring 2007 Anthology and she continued with books 2-4 for the Summer, Fall, and Winter Anthos. Book 5 can be read in the Spring 2008 Antho section. I’m hoping that if enough people read this review, they will check out her stories and review them so she can see that she clearly has to continue with this fantastic series. That’s my hope anyway. I happen to love all her stories; she is truly a gifted writer, but I really hope that if enough readers comment on these particular stories, she’ll complete the series. Tracey Marshall is a very angry nineteen-year-old boy. Ok, ok, to me he’s still a boy even though many of you out there would consider him a man. To me, his actions make him a boy. His mom died two years ago and his father up and got himself a real trophy wife, totally disrespecting his late wife and his son. This really pisses Tracey off. It’s bad enough his mom isn’t around anymore and he misses her so much, but now his father has to flaunt his new bimbo everywhere he goes. One night after drinking, Tracey decides to go on a joyride over to Kingsman Bluff, a ranch about ten miles out of town. He barrels through the ranch, taking out one of the fences and crashing through one of the barns on his way out of there. Since his father won’t pay for the damages, the judge suspends Tracey’s license and rules that he has to live at the ranch and make the necessary repairs himself. Tracey is so overcome with guilt, remorse, and shame that he feels totally embarrassed and humiliated that he has to see the people that he hurt every day. Paulette is the widow who owns the ranch and she lives there with her twin nineteen-year-olds, Catherine (Caty), and Casey, Will, a ranch hand, and Janie, the wonderful cook. Caty is a beautiful, sweet girl who is crushing on Will big time. Of course Will is oblivious. Casey is a hot-tempered, angry boy and Tracey is just fueling his anger because all Casey wants to do is beat up the person who caused so much damage to their ranch. Casey and Tracey (don’t laugh), are so much alike but they don’t even realize it. They both lost parents, they both miss their parent so much, and they have all this anger simmering inside of them, with no where for it to go. Naturally, Casey and Tracey get off to a very rocky start. Casey has so much animosity towards Tracey and he’s just looking to start fights with him while Tracey wishes he could just disappear. He is wallowing in his own guilt and shame, as I’ve mentioned before, and he feels so badly about hurting the Kingsman family due to his own recklessness and contempt for his own life. Book 1 pretty much sets the stage for the next four books, but what a beautiful stage it is. I can’t say enough wonderful things about this series. If you like horses, ranches, a beautiful, funny girl, a sexy ranch hand, a compassionate mother, two hot guys, and a wonderful cook, then look no further: this story is for you!
  13. Before we get to this week's Featured Story, I'd like to take a minute to tell you a little bit about our Premium Section here at Gay Authors. Gay Authors is a free site, but it is certainly not free to keep going. In order to keep GA online, we rely on income from various sources, including advertising. One such resource that funds Gay Authors is our Premium Content. Premium Content is a section of the site that members subscribe to. As a thank you for helping to support the site, you get access to stories that aren't available to the general public. Unless I counted wrong, there are 28 stories currently in Premium and more will be added. The latest story in the Premium section is the now complete "The Cassini Mission" by popular author, Rob Colton, and is the second story in the "Galactic Conspiracies" series. "The Cassini Mission" is also the story we are featuring for the week. The Cassini Mission by Rob Colton Reviewer: Daithi Status: Complete Word Count: 37,239 Rob Colton is an amazing writer I think. He doesn't write complicated or intricate mysteries or earth shattering romantic stories. What I find so amazing about his writing is the fact that he can take something a little out of the norm and make it so you can't put the book down . It doesn't really have a set criteria either, there really is no off limits subject, be it interracial, ex-con or sci-fi; everything just seems so natural and fits when he writes his stories. I think the first story I ever read of his was "The Degan Incident" and I loved it, reread it numerous times. So when "The Cassini Mission", the second book in "Galactic Conspiracies", was posted I was right there and couldn't wait to read it. I remember Aron from Devon and Bastian's story and I couldn't wait to find out how things turned out for him after all the hoopla in "The Degan Incident". The first few chapters grabbed me right away. Aron finds himself back in the Navy. The same Navy, by the way, that dishonourably discharged him for what he thought was right. He is given no choice, he is reinstated and sent out to the far reaches of space with almost no details. Also along on this trip is two other scientists which he knows and a troop of enhanced Marines. Everyone other than Kenji, one of the scientists, and Kane Robertson, an enhanced marine, won't have anything to do with him because of his past military history. Now, why would the navy reinstate someone then ship them out to the far reaches with no info? It just screams intrigue and you know someone is up to no good. These enhanced marines are your typical high school bullies ,bigger, meaner and in your face and every chance they get they constantly bully the three doctors . By this time Kenji and Aron have pretty much decided something isn't right with the assignment, from the no detail mission to the ship that they have to fly in. The Cassini is literally a rust bucket with a skeleton crew, now if this was such an important mission why are they going on a ship that looks like it is held together with bubble gum and baling wire. As time moves on both these doctors and Kane sorta band together. Once they hit the planet and the research center more and more things become clear and crap hits the fan. But for each question Rob answers another one seems to pop up . As of the last chapter before I wrote this all hell seemed to be let loose and Aron once more is put in the hot seat of making a choice to follow what he knows is right or what he knows to be safe. I am looking forward to what happens next to Aron and Kane as they set out to right wrongs done to them and as we find out about Devon and Bastian as well. And of course, another face off with the Navy is sure to be in the cards for Aron. This story is part of the Premium Content on GA , which means that is requires a membership subscription to access the story but take my word for it the stories, including this one by Rob Colton, are worth the few dollars a month needed to access them. Interested in reading "The Cassini Mission" by Rob Colton? Want to help support the site by subscribing to Premium? It's easy to make the purchase in the GA store. The longer subscription you sign up for, the lower the price per day and you can even set it to renew automatically! The current pricing is: 1 Month Subscription: $8.10 3 Month Subscription: $24.00 6 Month Subscription: $47.00 12 Month Subscription: $93.00
  14. We sent out a call for reviews and you responded! Thank you. Louis (LJH) gave us this wonderful review of Author stephanie l danielson's For the Heart of Phillip - enjoy! And if you want to write a review for the blog, just let Renee Stevens or myself know. For The Heart of Phillip by stephanie l danielson Reviewer: LJH Status: Completed Free PDF Ebook Size: 1.34 MB “Deepening”. Some stories have it, many don’t. It’s not easy to define. It’s certainly easy to identify a story that doesn’t have it. For the Heart of Phillip has it, in buckets. (The following is taken from Stephanie Danielson's blurb describing her novel. I have made some changes to the blurb) Phillip Marnier is a shy, loving boy and he meets Andrew, a similarly shy boy at school. The two regard themselves as best friends. As they grow older, the feelings deepen and surface. Andrew has fallen for Phillip, but keeps it a secret. However, all is not well. Phillip has found another friend, Robert. Devastated by this turn of events, Andrew dismisses the friendship and stays away. Phillip and Robert remain together until college, even talk about marriage! Then Andrew shows up. He has forgiven Phillip and wants him back in his life. Of course Phillip wants Andrew. It's been Andrew all the time. But fate intervenes one stormy night and shakes up everything. Suddenly Robert is out of Phillip's life, and Andrew is in! But infidelity, once personified, is an ignominious leveller. Andrew is a top photographic model. His job takes him away from Phillip more often than not and one night he meets someone else. Phillip is mortified and they decide to break their commitment to each other. He makes one last attempt for Robert, but cannot get Andrew out of his mind. Is it too late? Can the love between Phillip and Andrew be resurrected? The story engaged me on a level that is more than surface experience. Look at novels like To Kill a Mockingbird, The Catcher in the Rye, thrillers like Lost Light by Michael Connelly and The Long Goodbye by Raymond Chandler, The Hunger Games and yes, even the Harry Potter series, there is much more going on in these books than their counterparts. In deep storytelling, as in For the Heart of Phillip, there is a resonance. The pleasing last note that lingers. Keeps readers coming back for more. None of it is easy, if it were, first drafts would be all we needed to write and typing would be the most important aspect of the craft. The story digs far deeper. Flourishes below the surface. Questions. I imagined the author asking the plot questions. She has made a complicated situation virtually free of complication. I imagined she hounded the characters and forced them to give answers. Hundreds of them, and allowed her imagination provide the answers. I imagined her looking for the next answer. So many times writers settle for the first thing that comes to mind, or the familiar. It’s the unfamiliar we are looking for. The deepening. Two people tied up in each other’s lives looking for one thing only. The LOVE and affection of one man, Phillip Marnier. The emotional rollercoaster in this story is overwhelming. I was gripped by what was going on inside the heads of Andy and Rob and Phillip. The insecurities within each of them. Ms Danielson's ability to transfer emotional intensity to almost every scene in the story, is perfect. The action from scene to scene, chapter to chapter, is not the same, but the feeling is replicated with justifications in each character. Three people who love and then LOSE love. LOSS. The intensity of each of them losing the person they love, moved me beyond words. Stephanie Danielson writes about FEAR. In all the characters there is this deepening: “THAT”S NOT JUST WHO I AM…THAT”S WHO THE HELL I AM” This is a line from the Broadway musical, How To Succeed in Business Without Really Trying, maybe you remember it. Phillip knows who he is and what he’s about. Same with Andy. Same with Rob. They know what they want and have a hard time getting it, but in the end they get it. Maybe with the exception of Rob and David. The author writes about the consequences of one’s actions. Like a death in the family; it affects the whole family. Sometimes the effects are short lived, other times the effects are permanent. Another deepening that flustered me (a good fluster) is the conflict. Conflict fear. Conflict love. Conflict joy. Conflict sadness. Conflict passion. Three people who love and lose love, and all FEAR becoming a GHOST to each other. Neither Phillip nor Andy will allow this haunting. They simply need each other. Nothing will kill that. They are unable to live without each other. They have become one unit. Like Siamese twins, an attempt to separate them might end in tragedy. Although we are all products of an infinitely complex web of experiences, in fiction one can simplify for a purpose. And the purpose is a deeper connection to the main characters. I identified and was moved to tears of joy when Phillip and Andy came together for the first time, tears of sadness when they broke up, and in the end,tears of joy when they came together once again. I was paralysed by the fear of these two characters not getting it together. This story would be complete without sex thrown in. However, I did enjoy the eroticism that both Phillip and Andy resurrected in their lovemaking. I was filled with joy when they laughed together. I was filled with angst whenever Rob was in a scene. In fact, I hated Rob for his “better than thou attitude” which the author did not overdo. Andy’s attitude is in retaliation of Rob’s attitude. The conflict screamed. This is a story that I will celebrate by reading repeatedly in the years to come. The reason is simple. It is passionately, and compassionately written. And there is deepening.
  15. Huh?!? Wut? Wacky Wednesday AND Featured Story? YES! Because we used this Monday's blog for a review of reviews (um - ya, I think I said that right) - we didn't want to miss featuring a story this week. Joann414 was gracious enough to lend her reviewing talents to give us a look at Porcupines by Author Cole Matthews. As we mentioned Monday, we always need more reviews as well as good informative articles, such as writing tips or author interviews. If you have an idea you want to work on, contact Trebs or Renee Stevens - we always appreciate the help. And now - joann's fantastic review: Porcupines by Cole Matthews Reviewed by: joann414 Status: In Process Word Count: 78,351 The title alone caught my interest, and being the curious,reader that I am, I had to check it out, and see what in the world porcupines were doing in a story. lol Well, this authors two lead characters were indeed, skillfully portrayed as two very prickly porcupines at the beginning of a wonderfully entertaining tale!. Dylan, is a twenty-four year old, good looking waiter at a restaurant called Sweet Noras,in the town mall. It is owned by Lynora, who considers her young employees her children, more than just workers. She wants Dylan to find a sweet guy and settle down. After leaving the restaurant one night, Dylan is mugged on the way to his car. When he comes to his senses, he sees the mall cop leaning over him, to see if he is ok. Dylan rudely tells the guy he is fine, and to just leave him alone. Realizing that he can't stand alone, he lets the mall cop help him to his feet. Needless to say, after being mugged, Dylan has to rely on the mall cop to drive him home. (Did I tell you that Dylan had been rude to the mall cop, just being an ass on more than one occasion? Yeah, he had, and now, the cop is his rescuer.) Chuck,the mall cop, thinks Dylan is a beautiful man, but well out of his league. He takes the young man home, and stays the night with him, making sure he doesn't have a concussion. Chuck loses his job, because he doesn't go back to work for over three hours,because he doesn't want to leave Dylan. I'm not going to spoil things by telling what transpired that night and the next morning. It's a key part of the story. There's a lot going on with these two, Chuck is manic depressive at times, and Dylan is still dealing with the loss of a loved one. Mix all of that together, and you've got an odd, opposites attract couple. Chuck grew up in a trailer park, and Dylan comes from money. But, there's a definite attraction between the gorgeous Dylan, and the pale, sad eyed Chuck, and Cole Matthews turns it into a beautiful love story. One of the pleasant surprises in this story is Chuck's culinary expertise, and it's greatly appreciated by Dylan, who encourages the shy mall cop to utilize his cooking talent. The authors mixes in Chuck's sister Kellie and her son, that Chuck presently lives with, and also Dylan's brother Kelly, and his little girl Susie. Yeah, both of their names are Kelly(Kelli), and they both try to look after their siblings the best that they can. Oh, and did I mention the prissy little antagonist Isaac, who loves to needle Dylan every chance he gets. Isaac's aunt is Lynora, the owner of Sweet Noras, but Lynora pulls no punches when it comes to dealing with her mouthy young nephew. The authors throws in a couple of other characters, and gives each of them their own little part to play in this crazy tale of these two guys lives, and how they become woven together. As he introduces each character, the reader just as well add another dot to a piece of paper, because the author begins to connect the dots, as the story progresses in a surprising way. If you haven't read Dylan and Chuck's tale of finding real love, you're missing out on a "feel good" story. Go check it out, and let the author know you like it, and leave a review. I'm going to go a little ahead here, and give the author a plug on his upcoming story for the holidays, Advent. I've already given it a read for him, and it's not to be missed. I love it!
  16. Happy Monday! Um - why do you have pitch and feathers out? Hmmm... Maybe if I told you that today we've got not only a great review, but an even better interview? K.C. has done of review of Author stephanie l. danielson's Ice Fairy AND interviewed her as well. I hope you enjoy this treat - I did! Ice Fairy by stephanie l. danielson Reviewed and Interviewed by K.C. Word Count: 57,393 Status: Completed Since I’ve been pressed for time, I’ve found myself waiting (impatiently at times) for stories that intrigue me to finish posting before starting them. I was immediately interested in Ice Fairy when Stephanie started posting and hearing the buzz around GA about this story. I couldn’t wait to start reading and when I did I was very impressed with Stephanie’s creation. Sam and Brett are from two different universes, the only thing they have in common is ICE. Sam is a champion ice skater and Bret is a fiercely competitive hockey player. The ice in this small town isn’t big enough for both. One afternoon a major collision on the ice, sends both of their worlds spiraling. Sam and Brett are the spotlight of this story but there’s a bigger issue at hand, bullying! I sat down and talked to Stephanie about her story and got to dig around in her brain to find out where the ideas for her story Ice Fairy came from and a little more about this amazing new Author on GA. Here is what she had to say: Stephanie, how long have you been writing and what brought you to GA? Hello, KC! Thank you for the interview! Let's get started. How long have I been writing? Since I could hold a pen, to be honest. It's been a lifelong love and hobby for me and I'm thrilled to finally be able to get somewhere with it and be able to bring my stories out for people's enjoyment. I started writing them to sell in 2006. What brought me to GA? Actually, it was a couple of people. Nephylim and Sid. I work closely with both of them and they talked about it so much I just had to see what all the fuss was about. I'm thrilled I joined! I've never gotten so much positive feedback and kind remarks on my stories in my life and absolutely love it here. Your story ‘Ice Fairy’ deals with a lot of bullying, have you ever been bullied in your life? I usually thought of bullying as being someone who beat you up or threatened you. In that sense; no, I'd not been bullied. But as the definition evolved into teasing, name calling, harassing; then yes, I'd definitely been heavily bullied most of my school years. It's what drove me to be a complete introvert and very anti-social for many years. To this day I am still shy at times; but have learned at least to express my opinions openly and not be afraid of being teased anymore for what I write or what I look like. Sam is a talented ice-skater, where did you come up with his character? I'd always wanted to do a story about a figure skater. I've watched the sport for years and can remember quite a few Asian skaters that caught my eye (as well as most of them have). I love the sport and to write about it and have a lovable character embody my passion for the sport is a dream come true. Do you ice-skate? Yes, and I'm finally getting back into it after a nasty fall 18 months ago nearly ended it completely. But I can't let it stop me. I'm not getting any younger and my goal overall is to reach level 5 so I can become a coach (like Sam wants to do) What would you tell a teen or young adult who finds themselves being bullied? I would say that the best defense is to be comfortable in your own skin. Love yourself first and no one can stop you or put you down. If you're having trouble, talk to your parents, siblings, friends, but only those that are supportive and understand you or help you to make things better. Don't be with those who are into activities you disagree with just because they see themselves as 'cool'. Trust me, they are dragging you down with them. Don't let it happen. Love yourself, respect yourself and stand up for it. I see that you have started posting part 2 to Ice Fairy, where do you see this story going? Is there a message you want readers to come away with? Yes! I had such an overwhelming response that I had to start book #2 right away. So far I'm not sure where it's going; Message to the readers? Stay tuned. I'm writing this without an outline and am using feedback to form the tale as I go. Can you give us any clues to Sam and Brett’s future? Right now everything's coming up roses; but there are thorns in the bush. I won't say that all will be smooth sailing; my tales never are happy all the time But I do see a happy ending and sharing an apartment for sure. Beyond that will be years away for them and 2-3 more books just to get there. Ideally it will end in the future with a wedding and HEA*. But you never know... Thanks Stephanie! It was great getting to know her and getting an inside view on this story. Ice Fairy 2 is in progress with 13 chapters already posted. Go read, review, and enjoy. Winter will soon be coming and this is a heartwarming tale to keep you warm on a chilly night. * Happily Ever After
  17. I want to thank Lisa for offering to do today's review - she had written us since she loved this story and wanted to bring it to more people's attention. I hope you enjoy it and check out JBlankeview1's story, Boystown! BOYSTOWN by JBlakeview1 Reviewed by Lisa Word Count: 30,904 Status: In Process Have you ever read an online story where every chapter ends with a cliffhanger and you just cannot wait until the next chapter comes out? Sort of a silly question since you’re reading this on GA. Now I know why a lot of readers like to wait until a story is completed before they begin reading it. But I’m already hooked on this story, so it’s too late for me. “BOYSTOWN”, by JBlakeview1 is a prime example of what I’m talking about. I was just perusing the “Latest Story Update” section when I came across a story that was just added. I don’t know about you, but I’m very impulsive when I see a new story has been added. No matter what I was doing previously, I stop it and click on the new story. This particular story I clicked on was entitled “BOYSTOWN”, by JBlakeview1. I clicked on the story and read the summary. It sounded good. I never heard of the author before and I was excited to read something new. Boy, was I glad I did. “BOYSTOWN” is a fast-paced story centering around a group of friends and relatives who live in the Chicago area. There are many plots going on simultaneously and it’s sort of like “Six Degrees of Separation” because the lives of each character are so interwoven with the other characters that when something happens to one character, other characters are affected. The reader will certainly feel anticipation (and anxiety!) as to what will happen next and who will be affected. It’s definitely not your typical boy-meets-boy, boy-loses-boy or boy-gains-boy story. Plus there is a male/female married couple in there also, just to add to the mix. Except the male in that relationship isn’t so into his male/female marriage, unbeknownst to his ‘female’. I have been reading the story since the first chapter was posted on June 24th. The chapter left me with some anxiety regarding one of the characters and this anxiety has carried me through all the chapters so far, with my trepidation focusing on a different character throughout each chapter. “BOYSTOWN” is a very detail-oriented story. While reading the various chapters, I feel like I’m the one in Chicago (and in the little bit of Notre Dame that we have seen in the story), seeing everything from the perspective of the character. The dialogue flows and it is very believable. I can also relate almost every single character in the story through some of my own personal experiences in life. The story will make you laugh, it will make you cry, and it will make you feel anger towards some characters. But that’s what’s best about the story: it will make you FEEL. There are a few chapters posted so far, but I am looking forward to devouring the remaining chapters of this wonderful, entertaining, and sometimes nail-biting story!
  18. This GayAuthors.org News Blog thrives because of our community - so many of the reviews and articles are offered up by our wonderful members. For this week's review, we K.C. asked if he could do a review of one of his favorite stories - not only did we say yes (of course) but were thrilled when we got this great review. I hope you enjoy it, and if you are interested in reviewing a story or offering a Wacky Wednesday article (such as a writing tip or site tip), let me know! Man of Montana by carringtonrj Reviewed by: K.C. Word Count: 71,565 Status: Complete Richard is one of my favorite authors. His views on sexuality might be unconventional, but they are utterly amazing. He brings a fresh twist to every new story he writes. With such a large collection of stories, CarringtonRJ had contributed over 40 stories for GA’s readers to enjoy. When he started posting Man of Montana, I waited with baited breath to get my paws on the finished story. If I didn’t have one of those pesky little things they call a job, I would have finished this story in one sitting. Man of Montana captivated me right from the beginning or should I say right from the end? Richard threw in a major twist right from the start. This story starts in a very intriguing way by starting with the ending! The main character, Chris was born and raised on a ranch in Montana, but he has never connected with country life. He’s always been an outsider amongst his family and everyone in the small town where he grew up. Excelling in school, Chris was sent away to boarding school at an early age. Studying away from the ranch, Chris has found his place in life until one day it’s all turned upside down by a mysterious accident back home. It was his older brother, Jed who excelled in everything to do with the ranch and inherited the family business. After Jed’s sudden death, Chris comes home to run the ranch and quickly finds himself in a world he doesn’t belong. There are secrets in this small country town that Chris can’t put his finger on. From Jed’s unexplained death and Chris’s mother’s strange behavior when he returns home, to the strong, silent, sexy ranch hand named, Carson that turns out to be Chris’s biggest mystery yet. The story starts with a climax and suddenly fills with questions. It is a slow and steady build. The characters that Richard created are very believable. They are well rounded, full of mystery and endearingly flawed. Check out Man of Montana for an excellent read.
  19. There have been times where I've cajoled and pleaded for someone to write a review - today's review and the next few that we have, are all from readers coming to me and saying "I just read a story that I want to write a review on - can I?" I hope you enjoy this great review by joann414 of Author InTheMindOfSunshine's The Paradox of Friendship! The Paradox of Friendship by InTheMindOfSunshine Reviewed by: joann414 Status: Completed Word Count: 143,832 Many times you read a story and try to figure out how the title pertains to the story. You won't wonder that after reading this fantastic piece of work. All you've got to do is read to get a clear meaning of paradox. I felt like I was in a game of connect the dots for geniuses and I was determined to master the game! Nix is your all-american, athlete, popular, in the click high school boy. Spencer is his opposite He's the invisible, insecure, poor high school nobody. This strange mix of personalities weaves a plot to be reckoned with, the challenge of being able to figure out what's going to happen next and who's going to have to deal with the aftermath that drips down from someone else's actions. After Nix gets between Spencer and two of his homophobic friends, the two become firends. Did I say friends? I meant, they become something. "shrugs" You'll have to make that call when you read it. I found myself confused, intrigued, but desperately seeking answers that seemed to be right in front of me throughout this story., Little,did I know. Nothing is as it seems. Nix has a host of friends, that have friends, that have friends. Yeah, I meant to write that twice. I pieced together, connected dots, and read on to find that once again, I was wrong. It was him,,no, it was him. She's a bitch, but, oh, she had a reason to be a bitch.. What? This girl is harboring a deep, dark secret, and Nix knows. Why doesn't her boyfriend? What happened that night, and who caused who to get killed? Wow, what an unholy mess! Yep, I just sent you a jumbled, figure it out yourself when you read it. If you do choose to read, you'll thank me for recommending it. I started reading it and couldn't stop. Forty-two chapters of homophobia, mystery, bdsm,rape, and friendships bleeding into friendships that you would've never guessed was friendships. Or, was it just a paradox? The title says it all. Let me throw one more thing out here. There's some pretty heavy stuff in some chapters, and a few of the reviewers slapped the authors hands, unjustly. The warning is there at the beginning of the chapters. Read the warnings before reading if you're easily offended. It's there for all to see. This is a great read to fall into on a quiet weekend when you've got a lot of time on your hands and a clear mind. I'll be re-reading it again on a long winter's day, because mystery is great in the dark of winter.
  20. This summer has been a fantastic time for GayAuthors.org in terms of Premium content, We've had two great Premium Anthology stories, Save Tonight by CassieQ and Coin in the Fountain by comicfan. Cia has also started and is going strong on her new story Picked at the Peak. And we had the completion of two wonderful stories - Binding by Lugh and Burden of Secrets by Cia. These, and all other Premium content, are available as a "Thank you" to those that are current Premium members. The current pricing scheme for Premium membership is: 1 Month - $8.10 3 Months - $24.00 (save $0.30) 6 Months - $47.00 (save $1.60) or 12 Months - $93.00 (save $4.20) You can see how the longer you subscribe, the more you save so please consider joining as a Premium member if you are not already one. Here now is joann414's review of Cia's newest completed story - we hope you enjoy it! Burden of Secrets by Cia Reviewed by: joann414 Status: Complete Word Count: 25,443 When I was approached to write this review, I pulled up the story and was thrilled when I realised what story it was. I've read this and loved it! The first paragraph of this story is branded in my mind. I barely had to skim it to remember this great plot and its two main chacters. Chris works in his father's restaurant, in hopes of one day being the chef in his own restaurant. He is dating one of the waitresses until they have a big blow up in the kitchen, resulting in Neil (the busboy) getting burned with melted sugar that Chris was cooking on the stove. Avoiding a plate the angry girlfriend throws at him, Chris sloshes the hot liquid and is shocked when he hears the cries of anguish and sees the boiling sugar on the skin of the young man. The story of Chris and Neil is unique to say the least. As you read about these guys, you can't help but fall in love with them. We all have our secrets, and some we hope we never have to reveal. I wouldn't dare spoil the story by revealing secrets, but one of the boys has a BIG secret, and it's worth every minute you take to read their story to find out what it is. I was enthralled with the story from the get go. Cia writes in a way that always makes me take sides when it comes to her characters, and I seem to pick the good guy everytime, so far.. I promise you. Her imagination can take you places that you've never imagined or dreamed of, and she does this in 'Burden of Secrets'. The plot has a little bit of everything. You have the drama from beginning to end. There's sex and romance, and a little bit, or maybe a lot of fantasy thrown into the mix. It is definitely something you need to read and find out. You can't go wrong with such a great writer and captivating story. Go read and let Cia know how much you enjoyed it. It's definitely one to be put on your list of "must reads" if you haven't already done so!
  21. One of the current advantages of being a Premium Member of GayAuthors.org is access to wonderful stories like Binding, by Hosted Author: Lugh. Lugh recently completed Binding and we're fortunate to have a review of this work by one of our terrific new GA members, Daithi. Before we get to Daithi's review, I just wanted to share our philosophy of having a Premium section on GA. We strive to keep most of GayAuthors.org as a totally free site, building a community of authors and readers, as well as the ever needed editors, beta readers, artists and the like. On the flip side, to host and bring you all of this content is quite expensive on a monthly basis - and is offset in a number of ways, from GoogleAds to Premium memberships. Premium memberships are one way for community members to help with the costs of GayAuthors.org, and as a THANK YOU, we try to give our Premium members exclusive content on a regular basis. The cost of a Premium membership decreases per month, for those members who purchase blocks of months. The current pricing scheme is: GA Premium Membership Price Structure 1 Month - $8.10 3 Months - $24.00 (save $0.30) 6 Months - $47.00 (save $1.60) 12 Months - $93.00 (Save $4.20) As someone points out - that's typically less than a couple of coffee's a month, and as you can see, the longer you subscribe, the more you save! Please consider joining as a Premium member. Thanks and enjoy the review and Lugh's newest story! Binding By Lugh Reviewed by: Daithi Word Count: 21,511 Status: Complete If you were to look up Lugh in the authors list on GA you would read a small description of what Lugh writes. One line sticks out the most for me. ‘Some is good, some is better, some is “Most Excellent Charley!”’ That describes Binding to a tee, it is indeed most excellent. Binding is the third book of the Vega-5 series. Vega-5 the planet where dreams come true. Before I found this story, I had previously read some of Lugh stories, I liked that his writing style combines mystery, intrigue, comedy and eroticism all in one story and he does it exceptionally well. In Binding, quite often I would have tears flowing from my eyes, sometimes in sympathy, quite often in hilarity, periodically sadness. You never really knew what was coming up next. I was drawn to this story because of the aliens and off-planet tags and because the blurb intrigued me. Dreams coming true, even dreams you didn't know about. This was right up my alley - I had to read this and sure enough by the second or third chapter I was hooked. Imagine a planet where the slogan is “ Where dreams come true”. But what happens when a wife plans a romantic get-a-way for two but before they can go, there is an accident and she dies. This is what happened to Bernat Arnad. His wife planned the vacation but died before the date arrived. By the time he put his life back together it was too late to cancel. So what is a father to do, he needed to get away and so did his small daughter Poppet. So with the help of the travel agent Bernat changed his romantic getaway to a family oriented vacation and that’s where the fun begins. The Sun Shade Inn where they will be staying starts off the mystery, Bernat was planning on focusing only on his daughter then came the first surprise they planned on making his dreams come true as well. Now we all know what a customer survey is - well Lugh took it to a whole new level. The only requirement to filling it out was don’t think, just answer the questions; the faster you answer the more truthful they were. Eventually Bernat meets Eron, a kilt wearing alien. From there it is a ride that never stops till the final word is written. Both men undergo many changes, some surprises but end up finding something they never expected to find, a love that surpasses everything. So come to Vega-5 where dreams come true…….just be careful of the spiders you never know where they might pop up.
  22. I've loved TheEggman's writings for a long time, and when I saw that TheEggman had stated posting "A New Life" here on GA.Stories, I was very excited. I'm not the only one - many of our members are avidly following this story and joann414 was gracious enough to write up a review of Author TheEggman's fantastic story. Enjoy! A New Life by TheEggman Reviewed by: joann414 Status: In Progress Word Count: 206,099 So, as many of you know, when I see someone post a new story, I can't resist. I have to check it out. Well, "A New Life" by TheEggman was a wonderful and interesting surprise. The author introduces three of his main characters, and you kinda think, hmmmm. Then, I kept reading and he brought in a cast of characters that made me say, "What?". Meaning, when he introduces you to a character, he gives them their own place in his tale, a backstory, and makes you fall in love with them. His story takes you into a happy accepting family that has a gay son that falls in love with a new Californian, that is a transplant from Texas. Their journey is one including their two best friends, who are also gay, a couple of kid brothers, and awesome parents. Did I forget to mention a homophobic dad and brother of one of the friends?. Nothing is ever all rainbows and ponies as we all know. Sometimes an author throws so many characters at you that you have to re-read the last chapter to see what the heck is going on. Eggman throws his characters out there with a story, and you don't forget it. Each and everyone find a way into your heart. I don't even have to glance at the last chapter to figure out what is going on. I just know. This is not a spoiler, but he gives us a chapter in diary form and it blew me away. The character that the diary belongs to tugs at your feelings from the time he is introduced into the story. Once you read the diary, you feel like a whole new glimpse into this plot has been unveiled. As the story moves along , the characters develop, and many things unfold unexpectedly. The boys grow in their relationship, their best friend faces the homophobic father, and they all deal with their feelings after this major event. If you haven't checked out A New Life, you are missing a great story, and a great presentation of youngsters trying to become who they know they are, dodging the cruelty and disapproval of society and family. Go read and let Eggman know how awesome his story is and the enjoyment it gave you. It certainly did it for me.
  23. We have a great review from a new member who has only been with us for a short while, but who has totally embraced and been embraced by the GA community. Not only is Sasha an author as well, but in less than four months has over 360 posts and a reputation of almost a thousand. Here is Sasha's review of Nemesis, by Author Thorn Wilde and if you enjoy Nemesis, Thorn has six other current stories on GA.Stories. Enjoy! Nemesis by Thorn Wilde Reviewer: Sasha Distan Status: Complete Word Count: 61,073 Thorn Wilde’s first novella Nemesis made me smile pretty much all the way through, except for the bits that made me unspeakably upset and concerned for the characters. Mr Wilde puts them through hell, and even though some of them deserve it, it was tough going at times. I read Nemesis mostly because the title and the blurb kept on hanging around my brain, and I loved the idea of having a ‘best enemy.’ The story follows the final school year of Nick Davies and Dave Thompson, who have been bitter enemies since the age of five, who find each other somewhere between hate, animosity and dropping books on each other. Thorn writes his two protagonists of Nick and Dave in a coherent and consistent manner. Dave is cocky and arrogant in his voice and actions, while Nick is softer; shy and endearing, but perfectly able to use his great wit and stand up for himself. The relationship and history between the two is palpable and entertaining and their various little tics and habits help to enrich the story and along with the realistic descriptions of the town and school (and of course, the bike sheds) make the world that Thorn has created intriguing and exciting. The cast of supporting characters are well rounded and interesting, and the exploration of the through Thorn Wilde’s collection of short stories is a lovely added bonus to the novel. Dave’s collection of friends start out falling into very defined stereotypes and while the main characters find their way in the big bad world of love and relationships, the supporting cast bash their way out of their boxes, developing and changing to become real solid people. It is a refreshing and exciting expansion of the core story. Nemesis is an enthralling story, one which I read as a reward system on which I then ended up cheating on myself with because I was driven to continue reading by the various twists and turns the characters take. Throughout the novel there are elements of fear and secrecy, the town in which Thorn sets his stories is deeply suspicious and homophobic in a very real way, and the constant drive to act undercover drives the characters to make rash decisions, chose interesting choices and ultimately build themselves up toward a climatic finish. The main character of Nick is a delight to experience. The little tousle haired geek who reads Neil Gaimen religiously and snaps at those who annoy and irritate him got right under my skin and drew me in. His circumstances, the rocky relationship with his mother, his sweet but rather independent sister and her deeply irritating and downright dangerous boyfriend, all spin together to create an empathic and believable character. This book has taken a decade to come to fruition, and it is easy to see where Thorn has allowed his character time to develop. The world he creates is rich and detailed, utterly absorbing, and the central relationship between Nick and Dave is strong enough to take a hell of a beating whilst still being beautifully fragile in the way of teenage romance everywhere.
  24. As always, we couldn't do this without help. Thank you Wicked Witch for this great review of Promising Author JMH's "The Centurion Cycle" - much appreciated! If you have a story that hasn't been reviewed yet and want to write a review for us, let us know! Trebs and Renee Stevens The Centurion Cycle by JMH Reviewer: Wicked Witch Status: In Process Current Word Count: 698,166 Some authors awe you with the way they managed to build vast, complex cohesive plots that make perfect sense. JMH has achieved this with the massive Centurion Cycle, some nearly 700,000 words of the life of Jason Argot, Legatio of Qul Tos and his expansive group of true friends and loves. An amazing mix of medieval, fantasy and science fiction that defies genres, Centurion Cycle hooked me and then wound me right in and I spent nearly a week not stop reading it from beginning to end. Centurion Cycle isn't so much a romance as an epic novel covering war and death, struggle and ultimate sacrifice and the fate of an entire world, with romance included for good measure. Something I thoroughly enjoyed was the way JMH builds Centurion Cycle as something that is the history of the world as we know it. In the end I felt delighted I had read this masterpiece, it left me feeling much benefited by the read. An amazing portrayal of human emotion will dance across the pages as you read this, with delightful characters. Jason is just a young boy when the story begins, and you will watch him mature, grow and developed mentally and physically as the story unfolds. But he is not perfect, and not everyone can be saved. If you are looking for something with a plot that you can really sink your teeth into, you'll enjoy Centurion Cycle.
  25. Our thanks to Wildone, who has written a great review of Hosted Author Krista's Something Unexpected. We hope you enjoy it! Something Unexpected By Krista Reviewer: Wildone Status: Complete Words: 158,336 I was in conversation with Krista a while back and she mentioned a story of hers that I have never had the opportunity to read. Something Unexpected is a very appropriate name for this great story. I debated on if to call this review a ‘before and after’ entry or maybe a ‘must get an editor’ one. As many of you know, Krista is one of our long term Hosted Authors that has continued to post over the years here at GA. I would call a lot of her stories as romantic but in this case, I would submit that it is a well written teen angst story. Now as far as the ‘before and after’ comment, it should be noted that Krista actually wrote this story when she was in high school (I can’t even guess how long ago that was ). Being her first novel, this story is full of spelling and grammatical errors that show often with new authors. The thing is that if you look at her current stories you will see how over the years she has become an experienced author as well. The ‘must get an editor’ comment falls in line with previous one as well. Like others she tried to do this alone. She is willing to admit that it does show what can happen if you try to publish without an editor or at least a beta reader. The story starts out on the first day of Grade Nine for Highschool student Andy. Quickly we learn of his overbearing older sister who is a senior and willing to protect her little brother. The only thing is her little brother is a basketball star and about a foot taller than her. Throw in that his mother is a very busy plastic surgeon and father is a multi-business owner who is home seldom it has a feel of a modern day family with two teenagers. Andy gets on the bus the first day and is intrigued when he meets a new student starting Grade 9 as well named Jase. He quickly finds out that he went to a different middle school and probably won’t have any friends at the new High School. Andy always being the polite and good kid that he is decides that he will become Jase’s new friend. Things progress through the first week of school and then Andy along with best friends Ann, Mandy, Tim and Evan decide to attend their first High School Party. They invite Jase too in order to make him feel welcome with the new group of friends. This is where things go horribly wrong for the first time in this story. I won’t give away the whole story and plot line but will mention that I was surprised when it didn’t really follow the typical teen angst plotline that you will find on the web. There are more twists and turns that make you unsure of what will happen next. Sometimes I was sure something would happen only to find out that it went totally a different way. A couple of warnings; one, you will probably be like me and wish you could find an edit button and fix some of the rookie errors within the story. One of my favourites was when someone was ‘jumping on the cough’ . Although there is mistakes, Krista has left it as it was first published as that is where she was so many years ago. Second is the ending. A bit disappointing in my opinion but she probably had to end somewhere and didn’t plan it out as best as it could be. That being said, Krista said she would like to maybe someday create a sequel to find out what happens to all the group of friends after the current ending. I invite everyone to enjoy this good read for the storyline and the plot. It is overall a great story for someone that first broke their teeth in High School for writing a complete story.
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