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As some know, I've been asked many times if we can redo past anthology themes. Since normally we don't use the same themes more than once, it was decided to do a special anthology using all of the Pre-2016 anthology themes, which we decided to call: Rewind. Authors could choose any past theme they wanted and write a 5,000 - 25,000 word story. Six authors took up the challenge and we now have a twelve story anthology for you, just in time for Christmas. Which seems fitting since there are a couple of Christmas stories in there! All authors who participated in the anthology were entered into a drawing as part of the author incentives. The winner gets to choose which prize they would like: 1 Month Premium Membership 1 Month Ad Space - This can be used for a GA story, a published story, or your story collection $5 Credit to the GA ebook store And the winner is Headstall (Pm me with your prize choice) On top of author incentives, we want to encourage readers to read and review the anthology entries. For each story a reader reviews, they will get one entry into the drawing. Reviews need to be more than just a "great story" or "I liked this". Share your thoughts with the author and you could win one of the following prizes: 1 Month Premium Membership $5 Credit to the GA ebook store If you'd like to better your chances, write me a blog review (200-500 words) on your favorite story from the anthology and I'll give you an extra 2 entries! Readers will have until January 6th to review stories and/or write a blog review. The winner will be announced in the Weekly Wrap Up on January 8th. Now, let's see what the authors came up with! (The original theme name has been included in italics) Bill's Christmas Gift comicfan Christmas Boxed In: A Christmas Story Headstall Blizzard / Christmas Daddy Issues Sasha Distan Friends & Enemies Faeries Anonymous Valkyrie Fairy Tales Family Matters Sasha Distan I'd Never Do That Finding Refuge Headstall Scars Maelstrom Valkyrie Blizzard Stepping Through the Mirror Headstall Living In The Shadows / Fairy Tales The Legend of Treehaven Woods Valkyrie Legend Trade Deals Sasha Distan A Night To Remember Voli Me Tangere aditus Fairy Tales / Ending & Beginnings Waiter. Waiter Cazpedroso A Night To Remember 2016 Special Anthology Support Team Anthology Coordinator Renee Stevens Tech Support AJ Proof Team Cia Rec Valkyrie craftingmom Parker Owens Anthology Banner Creation Mann Ramblings

Hope everyone is ready for some new stories and poems! We had a great turnout for this anthology, and we have 17 new stories/poems for you to enjoy. If you checked out the "Double Check" post, you already know which authors and stories we have for you, but don't worry, I'll include them here as well! Before we get to that, we have a couple of things to take care of. In order to encourage authors to participate in the anthologies, we came up with some author incentives. All authors who participate in the anthology will be entered into a drawing. The winner gets to choose which prize they would like: 1 Month Premium Membership 1 Month Ad Space - This can be used for a GA story, a published story, or your story collection $5 Credit to the GA ebook store And the winner is Defiance19 (Pm me with your prize choice) On top of author incentives, we want to encourage readers to read and review the anthology entries. For each story a reader reviews, they will get one entry into the drawing. Reviews need to be more than just a "great story" or "I liked this". Share your thoughts with the author and you could win one of the following prizes: 1 Month Premium Membership $5 Credit to the GA ebook store If you'd like to better your chances, write me a blog review (200-500 words) on your favorite story from the anthology and I'll give you an extra 2 entries! Readers will have until November 26th to review stories and/or write a blog review. The winner will be announced in the Weekly Wrap Up on November 27th. Now let's see what stories we have for you!!! A Blind Spirit Emi GS A Gift for Mom Emi GS Angel and Imp: Where Angels Fear to Tread Timothy M Death Left Forgotten Cia Dirty Pool Headstall Finding the Line craftingmom His Father's Son Defiance19 Khalid and Kalil AC Benus Kisses CassieQ Lost and Found Valkyrie Oliver aditus Out of the Blue Puppilull Poetry Saga FA2016 Emi GS Reality Dreaming William King Stained Cole Matthews The Coroner's Lament Defiance19 The Unforgettable and the Unexpected jfalkon 2016 Fall Anthology Support Team Anthology Coordinator Renee Stevens Tech Support AJ Proof Team Cia Rec Valkyrie craftingmom Parker Owens Anthology Banner Creation Mann Ramblings

Hey authors! If you submitted a story to the anthology, please make sure it's listed below. If it's not, PM me! And hey, if you didn't submit a story for the anthology, then here's your chance for a sneak peek at what author's you will see when the anthology goes live. Hope everyone has a great weekend!!! Yes, the links for the stories are included, but alas, you'll still have to wait to read em because the stories haven't gone live yet A Blind Spirit Emi GS A Gift for Mom Emi GS Angel and Imp: Where Angels Fear to Tread Timothy M Death Left Forgotten Cia Dirty Pool Headstall Finding the Line craftingmom His Father's Son Defiance19 Khalid and Kalil AC Benus Kisses CassieQ Lost and Found Valkyrie Oliver aditus Out of the Blue Puppilull Poetry Saga FA2016 Emi GS Reality Dreaming William King Stained Cole Matthews The Coroner's Lament Defiance19 The Unforgettable and the Unexpected jfalkon

I hope everyone is ready for some new reading!!! To help you get over those hump day blues, we have 9 brand new stories for your enjoyment. The theme for the anthology was Crossing the Line and there are some great takes on the theme. Hopefully you enjoy the stories and don't forget to leave the authors a like, and a review to let them know what you think. A Bad Day to be WET Myr “Calculations are complete,” Aegis reported. “And how did we do with that last one?” Bill asked dryly. “We did much better.” Bill chuckled. “One more jump do you think?” Aegis paused a moment. “That would appear likely, sir.” “Okay. I’m setting jump coordinates for Neptune Test Point Charlie.” Continue >> A Hazard Taken Parker Owens Daniel Akindele stared numbly at the wreckage of the fancy hotel room. The remains of a sandwich still sat on the coffee table, uneaten. An unopened gift, pressed into Daniel's hands as they left their small wedding celebration – their very own wedding reception – atop a small suitcase. The silk sheets on the bed lay wildly disarrayed as he and his beloved Ibrahim – Ibi - had left them. As they had made love – and then slept in them. Now federal Immigration agents bustled about the room, searching, for what, he couldn't possibly guess. Where was Ibi? Where were they taking him? Continue >> Full Disclosure Renee Stevens Dom leapt over the fallen tree trunk, barely even breaking his stride. He missed having Landon at his side during a hunt, but his best friend had told him to go without him. It wasn’t the first time, and Dom was beginning to worry. Landon seemed to have been pulling away from him lately, and he still wasn’t sure why. He didn’t think he’d like the answer and so he hadn’t asked. A heavy weight slammed into him and sent him colliding with a tree. A sharp pain in his side spoke of possibly broken ribs. Dom managed to stagger to his feet, still reeling from the blow, and struggled to catch his breath. He’d barely made it back on four paws when he was hit again, sending him back to the ground with another wolf looming over him. Continue >> Guarding the Line craftingmom He was in charge of holding the line. His comrades in arms were doing their best to hold off the offensive moves of the Raiders, but he was the last line of defense. Brady's sharp eyes cut to his right for only a moment. Ryan. He knew exactly where he was. Waiting. Cheering. For him. His heart thundered in his chest. Ryan. He didn't know what it was about the new kid, but Brady couldn't stop thinking about him. The shy teen had pushed every one of the desires Brady had kept carefully hidden behind the threshold of his virtual closet for the last few years. Desires he was sure his friends wouldn't approve of, would ridicule him for. He felt a pang of regret every time Ryan's eyes flickered with a moment of hope that Brady saw him as more than just a friend. But that was all they could ever be. Continue >> Mixed Emotions The Eminent MGK I had stridden strength, holding her, entire night. Until the morning, it was like a fight. Pacing alone, I was worried so high. They had said, they'd try whatever they might. Continue >> Obsession Valkyrie His movements were languid and smooth, as he posed like one born to the modeling profession. His golden hair shone in the midday sunlight, tousled by the breeze like an intent hairstylist. He had no formal training but didn’t need it. The upturn of his mouth, eye contact at just the right moment, sculpted body at just the right angle—he oozed sensuality with no effort on his part. I don’t think he had any idea of the effect he had on people. Passersby of both sexes frequently gave him a second look. He carried himself with a heady mixture of innocence and raw sexuality with the way he dressed in flattering and fashionable clothes and the way he interacted with others and the camera. It was intoxicating just to be in his presence. The click of my camera was as regular as my pulse when I was around him. My heart stuttered in time with the shutter when he smiled directly into the lens and into my soul. We were meant to be together. I knew it just as surely as I drew breath. Continue >> The Epicure Cole Matthews I looked over at the hospital room door again. Two uniformed officers were talking in hushed tones. I didn't know what they were discussing and frankly, I doubted they knew much. I took the report I'd just read and placed it back into the folder and slid it into my leather computer bag. I glanced down at the newspaper on my lap and picked it up. Rifling through it, I came upon the section of the Minneapolis Mercury-Times I wanted. It wasn't something I usually read. I liked the sports section, the comics, and occasionally the regional news. I never perused the lifestyle section and most assuredly not the food columns. Continue >> Worthy Cia Ebodar gasped. “You didn’t go out there alone, did you, verl?” He had a name, though none had used it since his mark appeared shortly after he was born. He remembered it, though he’d only heard it said in a whisper his mother had shared in his ear when she’d see him struggling. It had been too many years since she passed, and it was hard not to resent the way even that had been taken from him. Sudal wouldn’t forget the name she’d given him although all those important gave up their identities to the clan. Sudal’s father, as the leader of their clan, was addressed only as Lord. Continue >> Zaidu aditus The fire crackles in the background, but its warmth doesn’t reach him. Standing in the cave’s entrance, his gaze wanders unseeingly over dense forest. Long-forgotten memories have assaulted him: a walled garden, green leaves whispering in the early morning breeze, and the cries and giggles of his siblings somewhere in the house. But not the name his mother called him. Not her face. Just a faint scent...jasmine? His hand involuntarily clenches into a fist, and he turns his face toward the slight breeze coming in from the sea hidden behind the green. Continue >> 2016 Spring Anthology Support Team Anthology Coordinator Renee Stevens Tech Support AJ Proof Team Cia Rec Valkyrie Johnathan Colourfield Anthology Banner Creation Cia

Please Note: This thread is to announce the anthology as well as for questions and to provide the links to your stories after submission. I have started a second thread for authors to discuss the anthology and visit. This is to ensure that I don't miss any submissions or questions that anyone may have. Feel free to visit and talk, but please use the discussion thread. Any posts discussing the anthology may be moved to the anthology discussion thread without notice. Thanks ~Renee The theme of the 2016 Spring Anthology is Crossing the Line Feel free to interpret this theme in any way you want. The anthologies are not exclusive, but inclusive, so don't worry if you think your entry has only a tangential link to the theme. If you are inspired, then write a short story, poem or play, and submit it. Please read these submission guidelines carefully. You may address this theme in any style or genre you choose. Be as creative as you want to be with the theme. However, please note that this anthology is an anthology of short stories. By definition, a short story must stand alone and not require reading a prior story. It therefore cannot be a chapter in a serial. Who may participate Everyone is welcome and encouraged to participate. However, submission to GA Stories requires that you be a member here at GA so you can be assigned as the author. If you have author status (which is free and you can get after five posts in the GA forums), you can submit stories. Submission Guidelines Submission Date: February 26th, 2016 Please Note: Submission date is for submission to the Anthology Proof Team. Proofreads should take no more than 72 hours once you have been paired with a proofreader, if you have not received your story back within 72 hours, please contact Renee Stevens via PM. Once your story has been sent back to you, you will be given a date to have your story uploaded into GA Stories. It must be uploaded by that date in order to be included in the Anthology. Non-Poetry No Story Limit: Each story submitted must meet quality and editing guidelines Each story posted as its own submission Minimum Word Count Per Story: 250 Maximum Word Count Per Story: 20,000 Poetry Up to five poems of a minimum of 5 words each Posted as a single submission (a collection) Each poem posted as its own chapter Submission Procedure *Please read carefully* Once your story is complete and has gone through your beta and editing team, please complete the following steps: Contact Renee Stevens via PM. Include in the PM the following information: Title, original editor, genre, synopsis, word count, and excerpt in the body of the PM. Attach your story file. You will be paired with an editor from the Anthology Proof Team who will perform a final proof for the anthology and return the file to you. *Please Note: The Anthology Proof Team is not meant to take the place of an author’s normal editing team so all entries MUST be edited prior to contacting Renee Stevens.* Once you receive your proofed file, complete your edits and submit your story into GA Stories, for help, please visit the FAQ. Make sure the story is unpublished by unchecking BOTH the publish boxes, one for the chapter and one for the story itself Select “Fiction” as the category. It will be moved to the correct category by the anthology team. Mark your story as COMPLETE. Only completed stories are allowed in the anthologies Please note that once you submit a story it will NOT show up in your list of stories until the anthology has gone live. Copy the URL for your story and provide Renee Stevens with the URL via the announcement thread so that your submission may be checked to ensure it has been submitted correctly and meets submission guidelines. This also ensures that it will get moved to the anthology category. Please give the URL to the STORY page, not the chapter page. Please do a visual check of your story once it has been uploaded to ensure that it uploaded correctly Extensions Occasionally things happen that prevent an author from meeting the deadline. If you should find yourself in such a predicament, PM Renee Stevens, before the deadline (not the day of or after), and something may be able to be worked out. Please contact Renee only if you need an extension; requests will only be considered when requested by the author personally. However, if the same author is consistently asking for extra time, extensions may no longer be granted for that particular author. Deadlines exist for a reason. The Anthology Team needs time to prep the anthology to go live and extensions, while occasionally warranted due to unforeseeable circumstances, add to the already hectic workload. If you have NOT made arrangements with Renee prior to the deadline, your Anthology will not be included in the anthology. You are welcome to post your story on your own and include a story note stating that it was originally meant to be part of the anthology. Story Titles Please do not use the anthology theme or your GA Username as a title. Be as original as you can. In case of duplicate titles within the anthology, we will request that titles be changed. Unacceptable entries & Content Warnings Entries that are obviously unedited (containing many errors), are overly graphic, or which are deemed to have unacceptable content will be either declined outright, or changes may be requested as a condition of entry. For information on what is considered to be unacceptable, please see the Story Content Rules FAQ. If you still have questions, ask. Please include a Content Warning in the story notes if your story contains sensitive content. Examples of sensitive content: abuse, especially graphic/extreme abuse or child abuse, in-scene graphic violence, suicide attempts/themes, allowable incest, etc... if you're unsure that your story springs within this type of content please alert Renee Stevens when you send the PM requesting the final edit. Previously posted stories (whether at GA or elsewhere) are not eligible for inclusion into the GA anthologies. Editing All entries MUST be edited prior to being sent to the Anthology Proof Team. If you need an editor, please visit the Writing Support Requests forum to request one. There are editors who prefer to edit only one shots, such as anthologies. Please make sure to state that your story is for the upcoming anthology. Also, please make sure to follow the guidelines when requesting an editor. Copyright As with all content in GA Stories, the rights remain with the individual authors. Your story will post with a simple 2016 copyright notice, using your GA user display name. If you have another preference (for example, a different name, or a Creative Commons license, or specific copyright wording you'd like to use), please include that with your submission. However, with this anthology, by submitting your story, you are giving GayAuthors.org first worldwide rights with 14 days exclusivity. What that means is you are giving GayAuthors.org permission to archive your story on its website, distribute it via RSS, kindle, iphone, ipad, eyeball…. And you agree not to publish it anywhere else for 2 weeks. If you later decide to post your story at another site, please mention at the beginning or end of the story that it was first published as part of the 2016 Gay Authors spring Anthology: Crossing the Line, and include a link back to GA if possible. Contact Information We are now using the 'my media' system. Therefore when you post your story it generates a story in your media area. For you to interlink the forum thread and the story you have to create both. Some people do not want a forum thread. If you want one, create one. If you want the two linked, PM Renee Stevens and she can help you link the two. If you have any questions, please contact Renee Stevens via PM or via the Anthology Blog or Forum.