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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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I wonder what we can do to celebrate?
It's quite amazing that we are still here. Have a look at the site history to learn more
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Wow Tim, that is really great. I haven't been a member that long but, I am pleased the place is still running. 
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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Interesting to read the history- even if the technical stuff is way, way over my head.
I offer you one idea to mark the 20th Anniversary.
You pick what you consider to be the best 20 stories you have hosted in that time?
I'm sure a lot of people (and I'm one of them) don't delve into the old archives so would enjoy reading these hidden gems.
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solsticeman
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Likes it here |
Registered: November 2012
Messages: 109
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Well Done You!!
Congratulations, and many thanks for everything you have done for us.
In my case you rescued me from writing right-hand stuff for Nifty and persuaded me to take writing seriously.
I'm sure many others feel the same sense of gratitude.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Quote:solsticeman wrote on Sun, 23 October 2016 18:46Well Done You!!
Congratulations, and many thanks for everything you have done for us.
In my case you rescued me from writing right-hand stuff for Nifty and persuaded me to take writing seriously.
I'm sure many others feel the same sense of gratitude.
--
Friction has an immensely valid place, too, but I think a good plot, with or without explicit sex, beats all
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Quote:ivor slipper wrote on Sun, 23 October 2016 18:40Interesting to read the history- even if the technical stuff is way, way over my head.
I offer you one idea to mark the 20th Anniversary.
You pick what you consider to be the best 20 stories you have hosted in that time?
I'm sure a lot of people (and I'm one of them) don't delve into the old archives so would enjoy reading these hidden gems.
--
This idea I like. I think I would prefer others to offer an opinion rather than me, though. You see, I like all the tales for very different reasons. So, let us pose the question, not to the mailing list, but to the denizens of the forum, to you all. The archives are vast, but each person will have a thought, and may delve differently. Let's see if it flies. I wonder if we can do the "Best story of each year?" But, having wondered that, it won't work. The changelog only goes back to 2002. Before that is, pretty much, me only.
So, over to the gang. Each of you may submit as many or as few stories, serials, vignettes, novels, novellas, short stories, as you wish, in this thread. If we get more than 20 then I'll make an executive decision. When we get a list I'll work out how to promote them.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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hillage
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Getting started |
Location: USA
Registered: July 2015
Messages: 8
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Quote:timmy wrote on Sun, 23 October 2016 12:13--
So, over to the gang. Each of you may submit as many or as few stories, serials, vignettes, novels, novellas, short stories, as you wish, in this thread. If we get more than 20 then I'll make an executive decision. When we get a list I'll work out how to promote them.
--
Personally Grasshopper's "Just Hit Send" series helped me through a lot of tough times. I'd nominate that series for sure.
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dgt224
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Toe is in the water |
Location: USA
Registered: May 2011
Messages: 81
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I have a short list of favorites, limited in part, I suspect, by the fact that I haven't come close to reading everything on the site and even further by the limitations of my memory. Anyway:
Mihangel: The Scholar's Tale, Nights and Days, A Younger Orogeny
Grasshopper: Beyond The Rain
Daniel Self: Jenner & Brown
Richie Ryan: What We Are
Merkin: Jesse's Year, Jesse's Loss
It's Only Me from Across the Sea: Chris and Nigel
Michael Arram: Henry in the Outfield
Jack Rowan: The Story of Tim
There should be something by Kiwi in that list, but I can't decide what. I'm leaning toward Westpoint Tales, but its table of contents might be a bit daunting to a new reader.
Looking forward to seeing what else gets nominated and wondering how many of them will have me slapping my forehead and wondering how I could have overlooked that one.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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No-one has, yet, looked at suggesting one of Kiwi's, though which tale?
May I steer you all, as well, to some of the less prolific and less recent authors? Neph comes to mind. I'm dropping hints, really.
I also have not worked out, yet, how to feature them. That will come.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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Quote:timmy wrote on Sun, 23 October 2016 19:03
"Quote:"solsticeman wrote on Sun, 23 October 2016 18:46Well Done You!!
Congratulations, and many thanks for everything you have done for us.
In my case you rescued me from writing right-hand stuff for Nifty and persuaded me to take writing seriously.
I'm sure many others feel the same sense of gratitude.
--
Friction has an immensely valid place, too, but I think a good plot, with or without explicit sex, beats all
--
Some offbeat material as opposed to beat off material perhaps?
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bisexualguy
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Toe is in the water |
Location: United States
Registered: November 2012
Messages: 30
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I would like to suggest both stories by Paul Jamison. William and Liam are great stories.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Please will you all have a really good firkle about in the archive and find some that seem to be languishing, unread and unloved? I like all the suggestions so far.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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solsticeman
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Likes it here |
Registered: November 2012
Messages: 109
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Quote:bisexualguy wrote on Mon, 31 October 2016 06:42I would like to suggest both stories by Paul Jamison. William and Liam are great stories.
--
I second that, an excellent suggestion.
My other thought would be Andrew Foote's "Where do I fit in?" an excellent read at so many levels.
And ... no, Huw Jones Hiraeth is a classic, but at chapter one here, not yet an archive item 
The problem with Cole Parker, Mihangel and a few others is the scale of their output... how do we choose just one piece?
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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You have probably guessed that I am keeping a tally.
The answer with an author or prodigious output is that you plump for a tale or two.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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Just to complicate matters re Mihangel, I'll toss in another couple:
Those Old Gods
and
Habbakuk's Mill (although that isn't on here!)
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ivor slipper
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Likes it here |
Registered: September 2013
Messages: 128
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I appreciate that but thought that by mentioning it others might decide to 'seek and find'.
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Jolyon Lewes
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Toe is in the water |
Location: SW England
Registered: September 2012
Messages: 62
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I'd go for Mihangel's wonderful story A Time as my front runner but any of his stories would do.
And you'll know I like poignant and emotional if I also nominate Nick Deverill's What are Your Men Doing?
Kit has written some superb stories, too. Tapping is intriguing and full of suspense, and his short story Chat Room is one of the most original and unnerving stories of the supernatural I've ever come across.
Jolyon
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trick
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Getting started |
Location: uk
Registered: September 2004
Messages: 24
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Anything by Grasshopper.
Out of the rain by junco comes to mind as well.
on a different topic i have just realised its 12 years since i last logged in! life keeps throwing curve balls but i didnt realise it had been that long, i will be about more often from now on.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Plans are afoot! I am already preparing the index of the 20th anniversary tales. I'm keeping track of your suggestions, and theere is scope, please, for new tales, too.
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Quote:timmy wrote on Sun, 30 October 2016 16:44No-one has, yet, looked at suggesting one of Kiwi's, though which tale?
For me, The Flight of the Toucan in Westpoint tales has to be it.
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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I've also added in some of my own thoughts. My problem is that I have chosen 100% of the stories for the site because I see them as being great here. Obviously I like some more than others. In my own thinking I am not choosing any from 2015 or 2016 because I'm headed into the back catalogue. That half feels awkward for our new authors, but i suspect, too, that they understand this intuitively.
- Where Do I Fit In?, by Andrew Foote
- Out of the Rain, by Junco
- Those Old Gods, by Mihangel
- Nice Try!, by It's Only Me from Across the Sea
- Jesse's Loss, by Merkin
- William, by Paul Jamison
- Just Hit Send, by Grasshopper
- Nights and Days, by Mihangel
- Darkfall, by Grasshopper
- Jesse's Year, by Merkin
- Tapping, by Kit
- Flight of the Toucan, by Kiwi
- Liam, by Paul Jamison
- Jeet, by Josh
- The Scholar's Tale, by Mihangel
- Beyond The Rain, by Grasshopper
- Jenner & Brown, by Daniel Self
- What Are Your Men Doing?, by Nick Deverill
- A Time, by Mihangel
- Chat Room, by Kit
- Discovering Love, by Rick Beck
- Chris and Nigel, by It's Only Me from Across the Sea
- What We Are, by Richard Ryan
- Thy Love to Me was Wonderful (2 Samuel 1:26), by Neph
- The Story of Tim, by Jack Rowan
- A Younger Orogeny, by Mihangel
- Henry in the Outfield, by Michael Arram
I'm hoping for recommendations from way, way back, too, please.
[Updated on: Sat, 17 December 2016 20:33]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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Pedro
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Toe is in the water |
Registered: March 2014
Messages: 94
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My suggestions, not in any specific order.
i have biased to pick shorter stories as a flavour of the author's work, not necessarily my favourite story. There are some more recent ones here but then I am aware that some may have been posted earlier elsewhere. I have also restricted myself to only one story by any author, the intention being to encourage readers to like what they see and look for more whether here or elsewhere.
- Doug by The Composer, 2002. I related to this very strongly. Quite dark, definitely not rose-tinted.
- The Dragon and The Virgin by Richard Campbell, 2011. I re-read this whenever I want a smile.
- At Day's End by Arthur, 2014. Post-apocalyptic tale of four boys.
- Just Hit Send, High School Years by Grasshopper, 2002. Which of Grasshoppers work to pick? Best start at the beginning.
- Adult Fiction by Solsticeman, 2016
- What are Your Men Doing? by Nick Deverill, 2012
- All The Queens Men by Nick Fourbois, 2015
- Henry in the Outfield by Mike Arram, 2006. There are several reference to other parts of the Peacher saga, but this is close enough to a stand alone.
- Summer's End by Ryan Bartlett, 2015
- After Hours by AJ, 2004. Something slightly different.
- Cutting a Edge by Merkin, 2011
- Railroad Bridges by Nicholas Hall, 2012, or The Carpenter and the Piano Man
- Clouds of Glory by Mihangel, 2002
- Minister by Camy Sussex, 2012
- Flight of the Toucan by Kiwi, 2006. Another writer with a vast linked oeuvre. Toucan is probably closest to a stand alone.
- Another Life by Andrew Foote, 2016. Yes Andrew does have other earlier stories here and elsewhere, but this is the one I suggest for present purposes.
- Holiday Themed Scenes by Cole Parker, 2009. A bit of a cheat as there is more than one short story, but they do allow you to see the range of Cole's writing.
- Emails from Kenny by Kit, 2014
Pedro
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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"Pedro wrote on Sun, 18 December 2016 08:36"My suggestions, not in any specific order.
i have biased to pick shorter stories as a flavour of the author's work, not necessarily my favourite story. There are some more recent ones here but then I am aware that some may have been posted earlier elsewhere. I have also restricted myself to only one story by any author, the intention being to encourage readers to like what they see and look for more whether here or elsewhere.
- Doug by The Composer, 2002. I related to this very strongly. Quite dark, definitely not rose-tinted.
- The Dragon and The Virgin by Richard Campbell, 2011. I re-read this whenever I want a smile.
- At Day's End by Arthur, 2014. Post-apocalyptic tale of four boys.
- Just Hit Send, High School Years by Grasshopper, 2002. Which of Grasshoppers work to pick? Best start at the beginning.
- Adult Fiction by Solsticeman, 2016
- What are Your Men Doing? by Nick Deverill, 2012
- All The Queens Men by Nick Fourbois, 2015
- Henry in the Outfield by Mike Arram, 2006. There are several reference to other parts of the Peacher saga, but this is close enough to a stand alone.
- Summer's End by Ryan Bartlett, 2015
- After Hours by AJ, 2004. Something slightly different.
- Cutting a Edge by Merkin, 2011
- Railroad Bridges by Nicholas Hall, 2012, or The Carpenter and the Piano Man
- Clouds of Glory by Mihangel, 2002
- Minister by Camy Sussex, 2012
- Flight of the Toucan by Kiwi, 2006. Another writer with a vast linked oeuvre. Toucan is probably closest to a stand alone.
- Another Life by Andrew Foote, 2016. Yes Andrew does have other earlier stories here and elsewhere, but this is the one I suggest for present purposes.
- Holiday Themed Scenes by Cole Parker, 2009. A bit of a cheat as there is more than one short story, but they do allow you to see the range of Cole's writing.
- Emails from Kenny by Kit, 2014
--
I want to avoid the most recent works, 2015 and 2016, to emphasise the huge back catalogue. Perhaps this is eccentric of me!
Part of my objective is to celebrate the 20 years of the site, but the other part is to aim readers back in time, to see the breadth and depth we have had since the beginning, when the email list struggled to reach 100 souls instead of the almost 1,000 we have today. I'll incorporate the 2014 and before choices gladly.
The back catalogue gets no exposure, and that saddens me. Older tales hardly appear in the stats. New tales are devoured voraciously. Folk miss the great fun re-reading a tale brings. They forget that they forget what happens!
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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I am fast coming to the conclusion that this is not a celebration of a single day, on a single day. The depth and breadth of writing is too huge.
What I intend to do right now is to add the 20th anniversary index page to the site left hand menu, and to declare a two month actual celebration of the anniversary, starting on 20th December, and ending on 20th February. During that period the link to the anniversary page will be given prominence on the home page as well.
The list is not yet closed. Let us close it tomorrow, at midnight UTC.
New Material for the anniversary, THAT will be released on 20 January 2017.
[Updated on: Sun, 18 December 2016 11:20]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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timmy
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Has no life at all |
Location: UK, in Devon
Registered: February 2003
Messages: 13771
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Ok gang, remember that the list does not close until midnight UTC on 19th December 2016, but here is the 20th Anniversary Page
Site pedants will notice a couple of other changes to the left hand menu to split out Christmas and Halloween into their own separate pages, too. The overall Special Occasions page remains. You may need to refresh your browser to see the changes
[Updated on: Sun, 18 December 2016 11:51]
Author of Queer Me! Halfway Between Flying and Crying - the true story of life for a gay boy in the Swinging Sixties in a British all male Public School
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hillage
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Getting started |
Location: USA
Registered: July 2015
Messages: 8
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I do apologize for the late reply, but I just wanted to leave a bit of a thank you here.
I found this site at a time many are familiar with, definitely a tough time. Looking at the list and seeing many favorite stories that helped me through those times brought back many emotions. Seeing many unread stories makes me quite happy, and I will most definitely be giving those a read in the near future.
Although I am not here often, and I rarely log in to chime in... I wanted to extend many thanks to you and to everybody for what goes on here. It helps many people, myself included.
Much love to all of you. :p
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'Henry in the Outfield' by Michael Arram was the first gay story I ever read. I found it originally on The Nifty Archive, my first discovery of gay stories on the internet with my first home computer around 2005... But, it wasn't long before it moved here, now with all his other stories.
I remember writing to Michael and I also recall setting most of his stories up as complete Pdf. format novels and running them off on my laser printer, an old office machine I was given, but most serviceable for long run monochrome printing. I used to take them on train journey's to read or holidays so they became my holiday reading. I met Michael in Oxford and we had lunch. I mentioned that I'd a sort of germ of a tale to tell and he simply said at the end of the meal. "If you've a story in your head, write it down." Michael had mentioned a new site IOMfAtS.
I did, It was William. I sent it to Timmy to read, when I'd completed just a few chapters, the rest is history. Timmy wrote back with some 'suggestions' that would improve the story. I adopted them. One, I recall most particularly, 'Speech Contractions'... read back your dialogue out loud, if it sounds wrong... look to contract, as we do in actual speech. He was, of course, absolutely right. I had written every word in full. We don't speak like that!
I cannot thank Timmy enough for the help and encouragement through early somewhat difficult stages. So thank you for all who've read and enjoyed my two tales of 'William' and 'Liam'. I have in the pipeline the third story, but due to two major bouts of illness last year, I'm not far enough to publish anything yet. It was a pleasant surprise to find both my tales in the 20th Anniversary list. I've attracted some more readers and a few more emails just recently. I do reply to everyone who writes.
Heartfelt congratulations to Timmy for the site... Here's to the next 20 years of IOMfAtS.
Paul Jamison
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Jolyon Lewes
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Toe is in the water |
Location: SW England
Registered: September 2012
Messages: 62
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I'd like to add my congratulations to Timmy and to his highly civilised website, where it has been a pleasure to read some truly excellent stories and a treat to have some of my own efforts published. I've made friends with people from all parts of the world, a couple of whom I have since met in person and a couple of whom I'm in regular correspondence with.
Here's to the next twenty years!
Jolyon
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Re: The site is 20 years old in January 2017 
Re: The site is 20 years old in January 2017 
