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Good morning, everyone! And to all of you in the Northern Hemisphere, happy spring! (To my friends in the Southern Hemisphere . . . Sorry about that. :)
I know that Piper and Erin and the whole admin team have been working really hard to fix all the damage from the recent hacking incident. And I know that we aren’t back to normal functionality yet. But we aren’t just a website, we’re a community. And there are things we can do together to make things better again. We’ve had fewer stories posted, and each story has gotten fewer reads, fewer kudos, and fewer comments than before. I really appreciate the authors who have persevered and put out new content, knowing the reception won’t be great right now. Let’s show them some love — dive in, read their stories, track down the kudos button if it’s hiding again, leave a comment. Don’t let random phantom logouts deter you! As an author, I’ve been kicking my muse in the butt (hey, turnabout damned well IS fair play!) to get a story ready to start posting later this week. As a reader, I’ve been trying to read, kudo and comment even more than usual, to try to pick up some of the slack. We can do this. Time to spring forward! |
Spring Forward
A word from our sponsor:
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Announcement for those in places that have just gone ...
... to "Daylight Savings Time" (or whatever it's called locally.)
The Annual Meeting of the "I Hate Daylight Savings Time" club is being held today.
It starts one hour ago.
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Now, this UTC-5 (formerly UTC-6) guy has to go off and reset all my clocks. Except my phone and computer - they're 'smart enough.'
I will readily admit…….
That I have NOT been on the site as much since the issues started a week or so ago, but not for want of trying. More than anything, what I missed when the site was down was the connection to my friends and family here. I can always find something to read; yes, it may not be as compelling, or I may be re-reading something I have previously purchased, but reading material is not the only reason I visit this site. There are many, many very good authors here and a great deal of very good work - but more than that, there are people I care about.
The hard work by Piper and company has been, and still is obvious. Every time I visit lately the site seems to be just that little bit more back to normal - and easier to navigate. And there is new work by some of my favorite authors - stories which I have been and continue to follow!
So let’s go people! Start reading, and start commenting! And as for the log in issue - yes, it’s annoying but you can just ignore it for the most part.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Hey, Dallas!
Love that Spring look!
I agree with you completely. The connection to all of our friends here is the most important.
Emma
Swearing at the computer
I'll be honest, I was getting really angry at the site the other night. Proper pissy, swearing out loud at things—first time I've done that in a long time at a website. Why? Because I had new parts of both Allison Zero and Toni With An i ready to go and it wasn't going smoothly. I persevered though, and this afternoon things are better again. I'm getting readers, kudos and comments.
I absolutely would not be writing as much as I am without this website; both the technology of the website and the people on it. It's a massive encouragement. According to my stats I have written 172,082 words—roughly—for BCTS. Not a patch on some authors, but I'm happy. And it wouldn't have happened, and I wouldn't have had as much fun without the people here; staff, authors and readers.
Kudos to all you!
Happy Spring Emma-Sama!
Next Sunday is Palm Sunday, the week followed will be called Holy Week, that week long trial by fire that leads to Easter Sunday and after Easter Sunday the true season of Spring will be ushered in. As always, you sweet words encourge us to become the best version of ourselves we can be. You are a blessing! And a blessing to this tiny little community that we have formed here on the friges of the internet. I eagery await you to release your newest master piece and I hope that the Easter Bunny will come and visit you too on Holy Saturday Night!
May the Easter Bunny bring you not only renewe inspiration and renew your muse, but an overflowing basket filled with chocolate that been molded into egg shaped pieces of candy and filled with peanut butter, a huge chocolate easter bunny also filled with peanut butter and maybe cameral or something, bags of other candies and a plushie to sit at your writing desk and judge all you write and offer comfort when it seems the muse has dried up!
Rebecca Anna Coleman
I agree
I REALLY missed this site for about two weeks. Extra thanks to all of you for writing and sharing stories.
I have a poem ready to post. I’ll try to get it up tomorrow. One of my goals for this year is to get back to some serious writing.
Gillian Cairns
Our Spring Has Sprung
And that's no cause for commiseration. Today, or tomorrow (I'm never quite sure) is the equinox and we can look forward to cooler but more pleasant days and nights here in sub-tropical Brisbane. It might get a bit chilly in Melbourne and Hobart but they're over 1500 kilometers closer to the South Pole. If we had a Canada they are our nearest equivalent, but they're more probably a Seattle or Vancouver, not a Toronto.
But the main cause for celebration is that BCTS is being healed. It may be a bit slow, but hats and bonnets and fascinators off to Piper and our magnificent crew of administrators. Please thank Piper by throwing money at her GoFundMe campaign. Applause is lovely but it doesn't pay the bills or help her and family get a roof over their heads.
I have to echo others in that it is the community here which really matters. I like to come here to read stories but also to see the comments and to be part of the repartee and conversations. When the site was attacked....and, yes, I believe it was a malicious attack...I was afraid that the damage would be irreversible and I would lose my place of refuge, so I'm mightily relieved to see life coming back. Some of our excellent authors are posting again and that shows their faith in the recovery.
Please, everybody, give them all the encouragement you can.
For those of us in North America……
The equinox this year was March 19 - a day earlier than usual due to the leap year.
D. Eden
Dum Vivimus, Vivamus
Typical Emma
You're always thinking of the greater good, that's just one of the things we love about you! I was helped with my BC issues by some of the ladies on the Discord channel. You may have to Google how to do it on your computer, but emptying cache and clearing out the 'cookies' brought my computer (iMac) back to functionality.
I have gotten busy with our Trans community here in Greater Detroit, but I will be back online commenting and writing as well. This really is a community on BC, and one that has helped me tremendously during my transition. I am heading to our state capitol tomorrow for the first ever LGBTQ Commission our governor is sponsoring. I hope Michigan can help lead this country out of the transphobia hysteria.
Your muse paid me a visit Emma and suggested I share an idea with you. Talk soon. :DD TAF
DeeDee
Love the new picture!
Love the new picture!
Being without this place for a week was a shock to the system and a reminder of how few places like this exist. I'm working on a couple of solos and hope to post something soon-ish.
And this is what I missed so much . . . .
"Talking" with all of you wonderful people. :)
As promised, I got a little light something posted. It'll run four or five chapters, nothing huge. I'm working on something else too, but that one is proving really hard to write. I'll keep at it! And in the meantime, I will try to keep on top of as many of the great stories that are starting to flow back in as I can.
It is so very, very good to be back.
Emma