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Did you have a chance to read Graeme's short story, Street Life? This was originally posted as part of the 2008 spring anthology, and it's an emotional journey of surprisingly short length but with great impact. Make sure you share your thoughts below, but of course, first we have my interview with Graeme! What’s the best part of living in Australia? Checks to see if Tourism Australia has sent me a cheque for advertising. Hmm…nothing so far… Definitely the people and culture. While Australia is by no means perfect, I’ve generally found people across the country to be friendly and helpful (though there are always exceptions). Culturally, Australians are very diverse and generally tolerant (though, again, there are exceptions). As a result, while there is definitely racism, homophobia and religious intolerance here, I find it to be much less than it could be. As an example, it’s rare for the media to report the sexual orientation of a person, even when that person is a public figure (such as the head of a political party, or the president of a major professional body). In Australia, the sexual orientation of a person isn’t a big deal (unless you’re trying to date them). Oh, and would this be a good time to let everyone know that Melbourne has been name as the world’s most livable city by the Economist magazine for the seventh time in a row? Not that I’m boasting.... You’re very busy. How do you find time to write? At times, I struggle. If I’m working from home, I can sometimes squeeze in an hour or two of writing during my working day, but if I’m travelling it can be a chore. I work best first thing in the morning, but if I’m not working from home I lose that time. I generally don’t write at night as I often struggle with motivation at that time of the day. Do you plot out a story or write as it comes to you? It’s a little of both. For many years now, I won’t start a story unless I know roughly how it’ll end. That gives me a goal to write to, and I then fill in the gap with a number of possible events along the way. Once I have done that, I start writing and often find new things along the way that I didn’t original plan. I like my characters to drive the story, rather than have them being puppets to the plot, so while there is some control over what happens to ensure I get to the ending I’ve planned, I give the characters a lot of leeway. As an example, in Leopard Spots, one of the characters shows up unexpectedly at someone’s house. That had been planned from the beginning, but when I first plotted the story, it was a different person’s house to what appeared in the final story. The character interactions that arose during the writing changed the details of whose house it would be from what was originally planned. If you have 30 minutes of free time, what do you like to do? Read. Either on my tablet, browsing the Internet, or I’ll pick up one of my print novels and start re-reading a story. It’s always re-reading, though, because if I have a new novel, the reading time is never just 30 minutes…. Is there a literary character you’ve read (in all fiction) that you really identified with? That’s a tough one. I always like to put myself into a story when I’m reading, imagining what it would be like to be part of that universe. Since I like reading science fiction and fantasy, that means I’m often putting myself in the shoes of someone with special abilities, which is always fun. So, I don’t have a specific character I identify with, but I like to associate myself with lots of characters in different worlds. What are you currently reading? I’m currently re-reading some of L.E.Modesitt Jr’s Recluce series. The exact one I’m reading at the moment is Magi’i of Cyador. I’ve always liked the complex worlds that L.E.Modesitt Jr creates, and how he doesn’t make groups black or white. In the book that started the series, it was easy for the reader to think that those who followed Chaos were always going to be the bad guys, but then he wrote several stories, including the one I’m currently reading, where a Chaos-wielder is the champion of the story. You’re not shy about delving into serious topics in your writing, but do you remember what prompted you to write Street Life? Absolutely. Most people who have read both Street Life and New Brother will be aware that Street Life is a spin-off of the scene at the end of chapter 8 of New Brother. What’s less well known, though I’ve mentioned it before, is that scene is the very first scene I wrote before I decided to start posting my works online. I wrote that scene to see if I could portray the emotions I wanted. I was sufficiently happy with the result that I wrote New Brother. During the early stages, whenever I got stuck, I would go back to that first scene I wrote and tweak it, until it was time to drop it into the story. That is why it’s one of the strongest scenes in the story; it had a lot of work put into it! Since I had put some much effort into that scene, I always wanted to write Craig’s tale as its own story. That task languished for a long time, partly-written but not completed, until the Living in the Shadows anthology came along. That theme fitted the Street Life so well that it motivated me to complete the story and post it online. As for the original inspiration, the basic setup was from newspaper reports from that era. That area of St. Kilda was well known at the time for street sex workers, though most were female. However, I read an article in one of Melbourne’s newspapers about some streets where the sex workers were young men. That article also mentioned how the locals gave what support they could to the kids living on the streets and surviving by selling their bodies, and that was how Mrs. K ended up in the story. AIDS has changed so much since the years this story is set in. Have you written about someone facing the disease in more modern years in your works? Just one other short story: Bad News. I still don’t know for sure but I suspect I wrote that story as a warning to myself about the dangers of straying. As most readers will be aware, I’m a married man who came out to his wife over ten years ago. She stayed with me, and I’ve stayed with her…but I know that I can’t afford to do what the protagonist in Bad News did. I have AIDS as a major part of another story which was originally written as a Valentine’s Day story, but that’s more about how love doesn’t care about things like AIDS, rather than someone facing the disease in more recent years. Despite the tough scenes readers experience in Street Life, you managed to end the story on a note of hope. How important was it to show that scene rather than just let readers imagine it? It was important because the story summary had already been published in New Brother. I had to get from where I started to a place where the events told in New Brother were a logical extension. That, plus the fact that I don’t generally prefer dark endings, meant I couldn’t leave things with Craig in despair. I’m happier if a story ends on an up note, even if life isn’t perfect, and that’s what I did here. How about you share something readers might like to know about your current or upcoming work? I’m currently working on a fourth novel in the Leopards series that follows on from the end of Leopards Leap. Unfortunately, the work has been going slowly (I’ve been working on it for over a year and haven’t gotten very far) but I’m still hopeful that I’ll be able to finish it. Originally, the story was going to concentrate on the group in Sydney, but I’ve expanded it so the story will encompass both the Sydney and Melbourne groups. I hope I haven’t bitten off too much with what I’m attempting....

September was a short month week-wise for reading the CSR story, so we had a shorter selection (and much shorter than last month's!) with Remijay's Time Will Tell. Did you make the time to read this contemporary twin feature? That's one of the interesting parts of this--the story started posting years before it was finished. Make sure you share what you think in the comments below, but first I want to share my interview with Remijay where I ask him about writing over the course of years. Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate If you were an animal, what would you be? I would like to think a Tiger. What brought you to GA? My favorite author, Comicality. Is there any quote or saying about writing that resonates with you? There is a lot of quotes that I could use, but the one I like the best is, "Without risks there are no rewards". What’s the best part of being an author? The hardest part? The best part would be inspiring others from your words. The hardest part would expressing yourself in a way that leaves you vulnerable You began writing Time Will Tell a very long time ago. Do you remember what prompted you to begin the story? I was in a very dark place at the time. The story Time Will Tell, originally was supposed to be a poem. But I couldn't shake the feeling that it could be much more. If the author you are now could give advice to the author you were then, what would it be? Listen to others. Write from your heart. Be passionate about what you write. If you could pick actors to play Devon & Josh, who would they be? Dylan and Cole Sprouse. What’s your favorite scene in the story? There are actually two scenes. One is when Devon is introduced to Trent, and the second would be the ending part of the story. What else are you writing or plan to post next on GA for readers to enjoy? I am currently continuing to write Twist Of fate, along with Modern High Take 3. Other than that, whatever comes to my mind as a story.

June flew by! Alas, all too many years have passed since these times in the stories written by Mark Arbour in this month's CSR selections, Furlough and War's End. Did you have the chance to read these anthologies? They do tie together, so you really should read them that way so you can review both of them. If you haven't, first enjoy this interview with Mark and then go check out the anthologies and then come back and share your thoughts in the comments below! If you had 30 minutes of free time, what would you do? When I have half an hour of spare time, I generally pick up my iPad and catch up on games (like Words with Friends) or the news. I guess the preferred answer would be that I’d write, since that goes with the theme here, but to do that it takes more than time: it takes motivation. What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? I’m hoping to get to England in the next year or two. I’ve spent limited time there, and what time I spent was in London, which I loved. My plan is to spend some more time in London, then head down to Portsmouth to the Royal Navy Museum, and most importantly, to visit HMS Victory. What's your favorite room in your house? Do you plot or write there? The bathroom. No one bothers me there. I don’t write there (SMILE). What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know? I flew on the Concorde from Paris to New York and I’ve travelled on the Orient Express (train). If you had to only work on one project for the next year... what would it be? My ADD addled brain finds the idea of working on just one project absolutely abhorrent. What draws you to work on period pieces when you write stories? There’s really two pieces to that question…there’s the time period and there’s the location. I’m an avid reader, so during my reading travels, occasionally a time and place will intrigue me, and I’ll store that away for a potential story topic. For a longer story (like the Bridgemont Series), it has to be an era that has truly captivated me. You didn’t ask, but if I were to write another historical series, it would probably be set in Ancient Regime France, most likely around the reign of Louis XIV or XV. Did you pick WWI as a time period for a particular reason for Furlough and War’s End? I picked World War I for three reasons, the first two of which are books. I’d finished reading John Keegan’s “The First World War,” then I’d read Jeff Shaara’s “To the Last Man.” Keegan did an excellent job of outlining the war from a historical perspective, and then Shaara made it come to life in the talented way that he has. The final reason was that my grandfather fought in WW1, and I had been going through some boxes in the basement and I’d uncovered his gas mask and helmet, stark reminders of the hell he’d gone through at Verdun. Do you have a preference for one story over the other? I like War’s End better, because I’m a sucker for happy endings. Both stories have strong themes relating to soldiers/war and recovery. Was this just their story that came to you, or was there an underlying theme to the story from events in real life at the time? I wrote these stories in 2009-10, and during that time frame our soldiers were coming back from the debacle that was the Iraq War and Afghanistan. There was much talk of Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), but unfortunately the talk didn’t seem to manifest itself into action. Suicides were much too frequent, and when it happened to a family friend, that brought the whole issue to the front of my brain. I continue to agonize over how we, as a nation, glorify our soldiers when they go off to fight, yet after they are done and come home, we really don’t give a shit about them. Do you have a favorite scene/moment/sentence in either story that resonated with you that you’d like to share with readers?

Welcome to the end of May... how did that happen? No, seriously! It's crazy how fast the year is flying by, and we're almost halfway done with 2018. And what does flying have to do with this month's author and featured story? Well, did you read Lie of the Serpent? Or you can check out my interview with Craftingmom. And don't forget to share your thoughts on her story below. If you could have one superpower, what would it be? Of course, I've recently watched the Infinity Wars movie, so the Marvel superheroes and their powers are what's coming to mind. I think manipulation of time, like Dr. Strange, would be cool so I could fix things I feel I did wrong (but then you get into the whole question of how that change would affect future outcomes and all), but, still, I have regrets that would be nice to not have. Of course, a lot of my dreams involve flying, so maybe that's my subconscious telling me I'd prefer flying as my superpower! What are you wearing (and no fibbing!)? A grey comfy nightgown and cozy slippers—it is 2 am, so yeah... What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? I'd love to go to Greece. Mythology was my specialty in my English minor and I'd like to eventually write something with a Greek or maybe Roman setting. It would be hard because there is so much out there involving the Greek and Roman gods, but maybe twist off of a minor myth. What brought you to the GA? I originally had started posting at AFF and Fiction Press with Tears of the Neko. Then I found GA in looking for stories, and tried posting Tears of the Neko here. The feedback/critiques I received here were (and have been) by far the most helpful and insightful. They helped me to revamp Tears by adding over 20k words from its original form. Comments and questions from readers have greatly helped me to advance my writing and grow as an author. And now I only post here! What’s the best part of being an author? Well, I've been writing since at least middle school (so over 30 years). Obviously, the 'old' stuff is mediocre at best, but even then the thrill of creating my own world and characters has been a driving factor in my writing. Of course, there's the tiny part of me that enjoys sharing my writing with others and hoping they like it. For the longest time (years—until college anyway), the only person who I ever allowed to read any of my fiction stories was my best friend, and she'd try to steal my spiral notebook while I was still writing. In college, I allowed a few more friends to read my stories. I would publish short stories and poetry in the school's literary journals, but never any of my longer works. I didn't put anything major out for the mass public to view until putting my young adult works on Amazon in 2013, and then Tears of the Neko on AFF in 2014—the start of my journey into writing m/m fiction. How did you come up with the title for Lie of the Serpent? Well, I think of a snake laying in wait to pounce and devour its prey. They're stealthy and slithery and can often hide in plain sight. So that's how I think of Bryan's mother. And of course she's lying to Bryan about Wyatt and how she feels about his relationship so.... Lie of the Serpent. Lie of the Serpent is actually based off of an idea of a story I wrote back in high school. The title then was The Sexton Keeps the Key, a line from an Emily Dickenson poem. While some basic plot elements are the same (the mom kidnapping and trying to kill her son's significant other and the disabled brother helps save them), Lie of the Serpent became so much more, as the original was not nearly as engaging, detailed, or planned. I kinda suck at coming up with titles. So sometimes when reading poetry or listening to music, I'll jot down a line or phrase that intrigues me and keep a list. Sometimes those help trigger me to think up more interesting titles... sometimes, not all the time... Is there anything you found particularly challenging when you wrote Lie of the Serpent? I find writing a hateful or abusive parent rather difficult, but they are out there as we see in the news all the time. There has to be some motivation behind their actions and detailing that can be challenging. Eddie was also difficult, because while he's complicit in Wyatt's captivity, he also wants what's best for his brother. The conflict his mother creates for him is difficult for him to reconcile because he wants to please both his mother and brother. Did you do any kind of research for it? A little research on the health problems Wyatt would be facing during his captivity and after his rescue. A lot of times readers will offer suggestions or ask questions that has me looking things up as well. What’s your favorite scene in the story? Probably Wyatt's rescue where Eddie brings Wyatt out to Bryan. Bryan and Eddie's utterly unconditional love for each other is what familial love should be, contrasted with their mother's selfish betrayal of her sons. If you could write a spinoff story for character(s) in this story, which one would you pick? Oh Eddie, definitely. While Bryan and Wyatt are whom I would consider the main protagonists, Eddie is a strong third and is definitely a dynamic, sympathetic character who deserves his own love interest.

How'd you enjoy The Assassin? I know when I read it that I couldn't stop. I just had to know what was going to happen next, what sort of plan was unfolding, who was coming after the guys, who they might turn to... so many twists and turns in the story evolution. I enjoyed it, and I hope you did too, so make sure you share your comments below. But first...! My interview with Lilansui is below, so you get to know all the deep details of the writing journey before you comment. Have you ever gone out in public, realized your shirt is on backwards, and just don’t care? Something close, it was inside out and not backwards. My workplace was running a conference. I woke up late, so I dressed fast in a black top and jeans, rushed out of my house to collect supplies from my office, and then drive to the conference hall. At the venue, I worked for a solid hour until one of the ladies I work with took me by the hand and led me into a small office. She’s like, ‘Your top is inside out.’ It should have mortified me, but I just laughed, changed and continued as if nothing happened. Thinking of it now, was it to happen in my starting out days, that would have mortified me, but not anymore. If you were an animal, what would you be? A cat. I have one and she just sleeps and eats without a care in the world. All she has to do is cute poses and I’m done for…hahaha. What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? Istanbul, Turkey. The carpets, the architecture, the history…so much. I can just imagine it already. What has been the toughest criticism given to you as an author? What has been the best compliment? The toughest criticism: - I have had criticisms, lots of them, from ‘your work needs more research’, ‘bad grammar’, ‘huge plot holes’ to ‘I don’t understand what you’re trying to say with this one’. I take them, love them and learn more. Best Compliment: - Came in a personal message sent to me on social from someone who thanked me for writing an Asian character in Kiss Me to Spring Time who found love in a gay story. He said it gave him hope, hope and more hope and to keep creating more such characters. He made me cry. Is there a literary character (in the whole universe of fiction) that you’ve read who you really identified with? There is a manga named Nana by Yazawa Ai. It’s about two girls with the same name, Nana, moving to Tokyo for a fresh start. When I first read it, and I was around twenty or so, I swear, I fell in love with Nana the rock star. Her ambition made her so awesome, that I wanted the best for her always, plus she was in love with a guitarist, and she built her own table. She was soo cool. I collected all the books in this manga series. For a while, I thought I would only ever wear Vivienne Westwood knuckle rings and listen to punk rock, hahaha. Nana inspired me to find courage in my own life. Up to this day, I find great pleasure in rereading her story. I loved that she had a dream, and decided to make it come true on her own terms. I loved, and still love her style of doing things. She’s a get-it-done kind of girl, and I strive to be that too. There was this assassin… and a milkshake at the mall. Seriously, where did those two ideas come from and how did they get paired together? When I was in high school, my friends and I were in different schools and we would have to wait for each other at the food court in the mall, so that we could do whatever we had planned for the afternoon. Whoever made it first would buy a milkshake, as they waited. I figured Kian would try one out if he ever went to the mall. He likes the strawberry one, lol. A lot of your stories have eastern influences. Is it easy or hard to mesh cultures when writing fiction? When I first started writing, it was hard. I worried a lot about mixing characters with different ideals, and such different backgrounds, putting them together and going like, dear readers, here you are, believe this can happen. It was hard, and I needed to do a lot of research, I even thought this might be a crazy idea, better stop. Then one day I decided to stop worrying and just write what I wanted to express. From personal experience at work and life, I meet people from all types of cultures. I’m comfortable thinking of Diwali, the lunar year or going to an Indian festival of colors, the same way I invite people to my house for Chuseok, thanksgiving or Christmas, that it now seems commonplace to have meshed cultures. I can’t be the only one who has this happening. So, I decided to jump in and bring my characters to life in a similar way. I think communities as they exist today are very diverse in nature. There is no place in the world you’ll go and find only one kind of person, in terms of culture, or any other category you might choose, unless the community itself is living in a kind of vacuum. We’ve all become a global village of sorts. Thinking of it this way, writing meshed cultures has gotten so much easier and I don’t struggle as much as I did when I first started. Did you connect with Daven or Kian more as a character as you wrote The Assassin? Why? I connected with Kian the most, as his life unfolded for me from when he was quite young. He was someone who had lived a life without love, or comfort at home. He had a lot of hardship and a very warped sense of what things are right or wrong. By the time he’s meeting Daven, he has met the world, and it has given him love, (in Taewon), then forced him to give it up to protect it. He’s not confident in himself and does not even think of seeing the future. I wondered how I would ever get Daven to like him. Hahaha. Daven came to me in a situational sequence; I had to spend a lot more time getting to know him. He came out stronger than I expected, and it was fun getting him to rescue Kian at some point. He was a great hero to create. In this story the characters jet around the world to quite a few locations. Have you visited any that were mentioned in the storyline? I had a work exchange a few years ago that had me in France for a week. My host family had a charming apartment in the city. Their daughter, Hye Sung, who turned into my very good friend, took me to café du trocadero when she got out of work, or very early in the morning for breakfast when we could. My stay with them was very short, but very inspiring experience. I had to give Paris a mention. What’s your favorite part of The Assassin? Why? My favorite part is Kian and Daven’s date in Amsterdam, although Kian leaves Daven at the end of it, I think it was the first time he truly did something he wanted without fear. I thought it beautiful.