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Did you catch Monday's feature announcing with Classic Author & story we are highlighting this month? If not, go check the reviews from some big fans of Dabeagle's story, Things We Lost, as well as downloading a graphic for your signature if you want to share your love of Dabeagle's story. In the meantime, check out why Timothy chose this story and excerpt to share with other readers! Timothy M. said: Ehren has lost most of the things many of us take for granted: loving parents, a home, the chance to have friends, go to school, have enough to eat, clean clothes and a shower s needed. Living on the streets is a hard life, but he’s clever and resourceful. On the day we meet him, he makes a snap decision to help a girl in need, in spite of being scared of the potential consequences. The ripples from this first stone are complicated further when Ehren flings another daring missile, and life as he knows it unravels around him. I’ve chosen the moment when Ehren is confronted with the desperate plight of a stranger. How would you react in his stead? To read more, check out the rest of the story here.

This month's selection will have your heart racing, breaking, and then mended all over again... With a nomination by Timothy M, September's feature is Dabeagle's Things We Lost. This contemporary novella-length story is just right for a weekend reader (or single day, if you're a binger like me!). Length: 37,449 Description: Ehren's act of kindness pays off when he's most desperate for a place to hide. Tris, though, is more than he ever hoped for. His old life, before hitting the streets, is revealed and the glimmer of a future unfolds. Some readers said: If you want to spread the word about Dabeagle's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature! Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt Timothy chose to share!

How has November treated you? I can't believe we're almost done with this year, but in the same respect it just can't go fast enough! I felt like that when I was reading Dabeagle's story, Bloom. I wanted to know what happened next so I kept reading faster and faster, but I wanted to savor it before it would end too soon.... as all good stories do! What did you think? Share your thoughts below, but first, enjoy these interview questions he answered first! Chocolate or Vanilla? Chocolate has its time and place, but I'm partial to Vanilla myself. If you were an animal, what would you be? A Beagle, of course 🙂 What’s one location you’d love to go to research for a story? Oh, this is a tough question, really. I'm of the opinion that my stories are character driven rather than location driven, so it would be harder for me to research an area, except for details to make something a bit more realistic. There was a story written years ago in collaboration with a friend where I wanted to write a little epilogue with them getting a honeymoon in Venice – so maybe a return to Venice. Not the worst reason to go there! What’s something personal about you people might be surprised to know? Again, hard to say. Depends how long you've 'known' me. I was once married to a woman and I have three children – though I think many people know the second as foster care has featured more than once in my stories. Bloom features a romance where one character has some surprisingly romantic moments. Are you a romantic? In theory, yes. One of the great failings in me as a person is I stink at the day to day things, but am good at the grand gesture stuff. Need the dishes done daily? I will screw that up. Ned a big birthday night out? More my speed. I usually get secondhand embarrassment from intensely romantic situations on TV and sometimes in books, but I guess it kind of got away from me here. How did you get the idea for Cal’s interest and drive for plants and genetics? Caleb was complex in my head. I introduced my kids to the movie 'Lucky Number Slevin', which one was impressed enough to call genius (trust me, not much I do with them gets that label) and the character of Slevin who has the condition described in Bloom, kind of fascinated me. What if you took that and applied it to someone in a more mundane setting than hitman? To me it suggested an entirely different line of reasoning. So Caleb grows up scrutinizing himself because he thinks he needs to 'normalize' himself – because his peers do. But he notices at some point that not everyone does that, and that points him to Hunter. The involvement with plants and genetics actually didn't occur right away, until the parties were introduced. From there tying the plants to Hunter's eye color seemed obvious, yet practical. I also think it ties Caleb to his family through their business, yet also is unique enough that others may not understand or care to. The retail settings of Bloom are all too realistic! Have you ever held a job in retail? Yes, I have visited the ninth circle of hell. As a kid of course I worked a few grocery jobs and indoor retail setting as I got older. I managed a video store and a GameStop. My experience in the field is out of date, but I think there is enough there for people to identify with. Twins… you did a great job with those! I have 2 sets in my immediate family and twin brain is real, as well as the sudden snaps of hostility and crazy. What made you choose to bring in that dynamic with Hunter and Andy? Andy is probably one of my better developed secondary characters. I wanted her to stand out in being unconventional in her interests, yet entirely human in how she makes mistakes – and stubbornly sticks to her decisions until it's too late. I actually have practically no experience with twins – not in years. When I worked as a camp counselor I was friends with a family of a boy I mentored who had twin sisters. They would set each other off laughing with a look, something private only they understood. They didn't fight each other often, but especially as they grew older, man it was personal. As I was setting Hunter up to be a senior – the cusp of graduation – I didn't want his sibling trailing behind or just ahead because I felt it would put too much separation between their social circles, not to mention Andy's appetites would be less palatable for some. I like the idea of empowering a female character to go for what she wants as much as a male character. What is your favorite scene or line from the story? I have a couple. As readers comment, I frequently re-read the chapter they are reading (it's how I find my typos). Some folks recently were reading an older story of mine, and I end up reading the whole damn thing again. But to your questions, two scenes come to mind. The first is when Caleb tells Hunter everything has been aimed at winning him over. I like those moments when a character literally is blindsided by something good happening to them, and Hunter struggling with the complexity of his growing feelings for Caleb versus the safety of the 'fact' Caleb is straight and now that is all in question is very enjoyable for me. Second is that I frequently use images to influence how I describe a pose, a setting, an expression or how the light lays in a scene. So when the end comes and Hunter has the idea that a drone shot from above would be amazing I tend to agree with him – it would be something to see, perhaps in black and white. Honorable mention to Issac's scenes because he's fun to write. Can you share a little bit of your current or upcoming work or ideas with readers? I usually have a few ideas rolling through what passes for my brain. Unfortunately I don't share all of them at GA because my Sanitaria Springs stories frequently rely on the foundations laid by earlier chapters. Case in point I thought 'I Got You' was stand alone enough to post at GA, but it mightily confused someone who even took the time to review the story. I do have a few Sanitaria stories that will be posting soon, first to my Patreon and then to my site. I have a serial story that is magic centered that I'm also working on, but with the nature of my brain, all of that could change at any moment. The magic story is a twist on a part from a series of books I read...whose name escapes me. But the concept of how 'magic' works with a practitioner was interesting to me and I am running with my own idea.

Did you catch Monday's blog featuring this month's Classic Author story? You can download a copy of the banner if you want to share your love for Dabeagle's story. Or, if you haven't read it yet, here's an excerpt to catch your attention. What are you waiting for? I chose this excerpt as a undeniable lure of drama, intrigue, and action. Just what is the relationship between these two? Why are they running? Who are they actually running from? Will they escape? Want to read more? Click here

This month's feature is a very popular, recent story posted by Dabeagle. A teen coming of age story, this one kept readers enthralled from start to finish--not easy to do with this genre that sees a lot of stories. What made it so popular? Well, check it out! Length: 67,281 Description: Ethan has a plan. No dating, nose down and get good grades so he can go to college on a scholarship and get away from his drugged zombie mother, criminal father and what's left of his siblings. He's going to drag his best friend Mason along with him because someone has to look out for the moron. The best laid plans are broken up by his greedy father, and someone who cares enough to defend Ethan. A Reader Said: What can I add? Probably one of my ALL TIME FAVORITES !!! Just perfect. Thank you again Dabeagle for a wonderful ride. ~ KayDeeMac If you want to spread the word about Dabeagle's story, download the graphic below and add it to your signature! Make sure you come back on Wednesday to see the excerpt I chose to share!

:wizard: Happy Birthday, Dabeagle! I hope your day is as awesome as you are!

Happy Birthday, Dabeagle!! I hope hubby and the kids spoil you today Here's a beagle cake I thought you'd appreciate Have an awesome day!! :D