People who know me are aware that I am rather fond of anime and manga. Last season I enjoyed watching an anime series called Kantai Collection based off a browser game of the same name.

http://www.crunchyroll.com/kancolle

Essentially the series features an enemy called the Abyssal Fleet which has taken over the seas. Fighting them are girls who wear weaponized outfits and possess the spirit of historical naval vessels known as kanmusu.

I offer this column from The New Yorker: "Free Speech Crisis" Not to start an argument, or to inflame anything, but in an attempt to bring some perspective.

I watched this programme which I thought was done in a positive way for the most part. I had a mixture of emotions about some of the contributors, fearing for some and knowing others had the best chance possible because their parents were 100% behind them.

If I have a criticism, it's that the whole transgender thing seems like a conveyor belt industry and I wonder how many rushing to get surgery or hormones will live to regret it. I hear all sorts of statistics and don't believe any of them.

I don't know who's seen this:

http://www.care2.com/causes/in-a-groundbreaking-move-the-doj...

Good going for the DOJ. I wish they'd have helped me 22 years ago.

Hi y'all,

It has been reported to me that my latest maps don't download, at least the pdf versions.

I have a Windows machine, and I have accessed them under both IE and Firefox - I suppose I could try Chrome in a minute.

I myself have had no problems (Firefox downloads take noticeably longer) but at least one user is having difficulties.

Her configuration is Linux/Firefox.

Has anyone else had problems?

I need to chase this down as it might affect the entire range of maps ....

Thanks for any assistance.

Di.

Oh...right...

The higher score wins.

Oh well.

Poor poor Kentucky.

Pllllllb!

John from Wauwatosa WISCONSIN

Hi all,

Penny's latest (#126) mentioned two maps, so I have drawn them and posted them in the Map Repository.

I simply don't have the time to make them all 'Palarandi', so I hope their modernity doesn't distract from the 'atmosphere'.
They do have lots of swishy colours!

They are numbers 3 and 12 in the list (currently).

Feedback is always welcome.

Cheers

Di.

Just getting dressed to head on down to Brighton to meet up with Bev Taff. It is, of course, raining...

It's been a case of ups & downs recently, none more so than the past few days.

As I've previously said, I've been suffering depression for a few months but it is under those conditions that I find I can concentrate on my writing as I effectively block out everything else. That doesn't mean that I ignore my teenage daughter, some chance of that, but calls & emails are unanswered for hours, or days.

God Bless the Child: Katie's book is a perennial seller and if you haven't read it yet, it's available on Kindle at the following link.

lots of ads appeared on the right, will there be a option to not them show appear in the my account section

So, work on getting the website revitalised and back up and running is going apace, thank you to everyone who has offered assistance in whatever form. With a following wind stage 1 should be ready to roll out in @ 4 weeks, I will of course keep you all up to date with developments.

The new Nena story is coming along, I'm currently working on chapter 3.

Today you can read Costone, chapter 35 of Gaby book 11 here on BC - if things go to plan there won't be much if any break between the end of this book and the start of Book 12 postings!

ttfn

OK, this is seriously weird. It doesn't concern this site, but I thought I should mention since it has to do with one of the sites on which the Mixed Tape anthology is posted.

I happened to go to TGStorytime to check and see how our latest anthology was doing on that site (I often check here, there, and on Fictionmania for reviews), What I saw when I got there made me think sleep deprivation finally got the best of me.

Tamara's Trials is heading towards conclusion and the writing emphasis will switch to Book 3 of Unaccounted Gains. I'm afraid that one or two loose threads will be left over after Trials finishes, but these will be picked up at a later date.

BTW To date Trials is 150,000 words, my longest piece so far, with the total Tammysphere running at 310,000 words - so far.

There is an upcoming TV prog called Transgender Kids.
It is scheduled for BBC-2 (UK) on Sunday at 21:00.

The presenter (Louis Theroux) travels to San Francisco to look at a programme where transgender children are being helped to live in the sex of their choice rather than the one of their birth.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b05qkzt2

Friday we will be collecting the stories for the first Big Closet anthology. This one revolving around the bathroom issue. We appreciate those who have submitted something as we believe it will help defray some of the cost associated with the site. The anthology will also be good for authors and bring more visitors to the site as each story will have a link bringing readers to the author's page (the one that list all the author's stories, etc.) so they can view other works.

http://www.ew.com/article/2015/03/30/trans-stories-find-home... (I recommend using the link to read the article)

Posted March 30 2015 — 4:59 PM EDT

Bear in mind that when this was originally quoted, pen\pencil or typewriter and paper were the only method of getting works to the public.

Authors exist merely for the stories sake and not the other way around,
A good story has to do Two things inform and entertain.

The information part must be entertaining enough to let the readers live the story,
Without the readers feeling they are on the receiving end of a sermon.

Writing entertainment without information or without some insight into what it is to be human is a waste of good trees!

Today is an amazing day - its the birthday of that amazing author, fantastic friend, and wonderful woman, Jaci (AKA Tels)

Everybody, give her a birthday huggle!

Sorry folks just haven't got time tonight, things to do which can't be left. Hopefully tomorrow.

Well, I finally made it to the end of a really tough week. My job was very physically taxing all week, getting ready for this move is stressing me, and my spiritual struggles meant I was emotionally drained all the time.

Ah, well. Maybe next week will be better ...

Hello. I am new here although I have been reading blogs and fiction on BCTS for several years now. I have finally convinced myself it was time to create a persona.

I almost never remember my dreams, so when it does happen it is significant. I recently had a dream that I remember, and I think it holds special significance to the general subject matter of this site. If any of you are into interpreting dreams, this one should be pretty easy IMO. This dream is also the catalyst for creating a persona here on BCTS. I just had to share it with you all.

Many people may read my blogs and think that I am bipolar. I usually don't like to self-diagnose but sometimes I wonder the same thing.

But I have noticed a trend.

Kohellet (Ecclesiastes) 4:1 (Art Scroll translation):

I returned and contemplated all the acts of oppression that are committed beneath the sun: Behold! Tears of the oppressed with none to comfort them and their oppressors have the power-- with none to comfort them.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2015/03/26/salesforce-cancels-...

Scarpe Gucci sono una delle scarpe popolari che si possono vedere nel mercato di oggi. Gucci ha fornito l'abbigliamento di moda di alta qualità per diversi anni. Queste scarpe sono realizzate in materiali di altissima qualità e garantiscono la migliore qualità. Il marchio è molto popolare per le sue coppie di lussuose ed eleganti di scarpe. Possedere un paio di scarpe di Gucci è un segno di fama e ricchezza.

I finally had the time to finish this novellette and it's now finished and put to bed. I hope everyone enjoys it and hopefully we'll see some new readers to it since we've lots of great new faces here on the site.
*Great Big Hugs*
Bailey.

Hello and happy spring! And in the spirit of this wonderful time of renewal, I've revised my novella Two Weeks at the Last Firefly Inn (literary fiction/indie-sci-fi) and my novel Reaching the Point of No Regrets (TG romance) and listed them for sale for Amazon Kindle; in fact, "Firefly Inn" underwent a very thorough and exhaustive rewrite, including a happier alternate ending, as well as being rewritten entirely from the first person perspective of Alice, among other changes.

Hi
the keen amongst you will have spotted the new Gaby chapter here today already but for everyone else click here http://bigclosetr.us/topshelf/fiction/55484/gaby-book-11-cha...

Thanks for all your recent messages regarding the website and writing, all taken on board. I've decided to do the next Nena tale before banging on with Gaby, the first chapter is with my editing team now so it might be ready for Easter - in my dreams but certainly not long afterwards!

Nineteen months after my GRS I am going to tell my mom she has a new daughter. I have held off because my mom is from the pre-depression era and still in school when WWII began. She has that Egyptian disease Duh Nile. So I have been trying to figure out how to tell her. Many months were lost, the way I am telling her is the direct approach.
My siblings and cousins know as well as my Uncle, every one said they would not tell my mom.

Got called in for an extra shift last night so I'm physically tired.

Then instead of being able to sleep I found myself wrestling with God, so I am emotionally drained.

Spoons ... I need spoons ....

Sighs.

Ah, well.

I got a FB PM from her this morning. She tells me that she still loves me but because of her belief's WILL NOT concider me to be her sister. Not only that but she will continue to use male pronouns and my birth name to introduce me to others and speak to me. She says she wants to have a conversation with me about my transitioning however from what I got from the PM, she is absolutely sure that God conciders what I am doing to be an abomination.

New Smashwords Survey Helps Authors Sell More eBooks. This might be of interest to some of our Authors:
http://blog.smashwords.com/2013/05/new-smashwords-survey-hel...

There was no Bike last night or a blog explaining why because the site refused to accept either for which I expect there is a reason beyond a sudden attack of good taste. I gave up at nearly 1.00am GMT having tried for 45 minutes to post my latest offering of scintillating charm and wit - only my modesty holds me back, I know, but we geniuses have great insight!

I got a lengthy message from someone on Facebook, and since I have not friended them, the message went to "other" and I do not often check that slot. She was quite upset at me.

This is going to bump my other thread off of BCTS but that is OK.

It's like this. I don't intentionally hurt people. And I caution people that "friend" me on Facebook that I do not talk much, if at all, about GBLT stuff. I just don't. And if someone I have "friended" does it, I drop them like a hot potato. It is my right to live in stealth, and no you do not have the right to out me.

I thought I would ask questions here before I go haring off in the dark.

When I am not using headphones, I play my sound quite low as I live in an apartment house. It is frustrating that when an advertisement comes on, the sound generally surges to very loud and this is a problem when I am listening at midnight.

So surgery went well. I am in the massively boring part where I lie around and sleep. Let me say that I never thought that ice packs could be your friend. The area is lovely from what I've seen and even the hospital room wasn't that bad. Well the sleepy has befallen me so...

Take care and I'll type at you later.

Finally, I see a crack of dawn, the early light that promises a new day is coming. The last three years have been agony on me as I lived daily in fear that my life was going to be ended.

9:31 a.m.

I'm at a desolate, deserted Souter Point on England's gloomy north-east coast. And I'm far from happy.

Ever since St Augustine suggested that humans had free will ( he had to or it implied his god was responsible for everything) there have been others who argued that we didn't. The evidence is mounting to show that we're a mass of influences beyond our control from our genes to our environment, culture and almost anything else you care to name.

This lengthy article is worth the effort to read.

http://www.theguardian.com/science/2015/mar/19/do-your-genes...

A millenia ago an act of anger by a scientist called Silvinas changed our world to his fantasy. The war between the races is again erupting with help from Silvinas. This is a time for men to be real men, women to be real women and dragons to sing old Lennon and McCartney songs.

This can be found at this link; ( btw: BC gets some profit if your click and buy from this link !)

to any who might wonder about the picture on my blog answers, it is old faithful, a geyser, in Yellowstone park.

The doctor picked up the package of birth control pills, “How do these pills EFFECT or AFFECT you?”

Rebecca realized that this was more of a grammar question, than a medical question, so she replied, “The pills AFFECT my body, by overcoming the testosterone my body may make. The estrogen works to feminize my body.”

Proper use?

There is more than one way to keep track of your character and their characteristics, as evidenced by the comments made in response to my previous blog entry concerning character sketches.

I'm sure others have seen this: http://www.autoblog.com/2015/03/17/woman-refuses-to-help-tee...

I was trying to be funny with the title, I'm not that narcissistic (or am I). Anyway, I created a couple of memes, if you like them, please post them on your facebook wall or whereever you would like. There are three.

When we were actively publishing it seemed I spent half my time warning wannabe writers to watch for the con artists. Writers give birth to a story. Because it is their baby they are willing to do almost anything to see it in print. Whether they are thinking of being the next Tom Clancy and famous and rich or just famous, the author stops thinking of risk.

I'm not a big fan of the sun most of the time, but today?

Today is beautiful.

It's in the high 60's, and the birds are out singing, the insects and frogs and other wildlife are joining in, the air is fresh after a few days of rain, and it's just absolutely gorgeous, the kind of day you want to throw the windows open and just let the fresh air wash away all the staleness from a stuffy, enclosed winter.

So, that's just what I've done.

Some of you may find this interesting ....... http://www.buzzfeed.com/arabellesicardi/trans-teen-jazz-jenn...