Myr is the author of a few gay-themed stories, but he is best known for having started GayAuthors
Q. Tell me a little about yourself.
I am an engineer and a complete geek. I love most things fantasy and science fiction. I tend to write fantasies more than anything else.
Q. What inspires you to write?
I am typically inspired to write after reading something good, watching something good or spending time out in the middle of nowhere. I read mostly fantasy stuff, when I get time to do it.
Q. What inspired you to start GayAuthors? What inspires you to keep it
going?
I started Gay Authors because I was tired of looking for good gay stories.
I would have chosen “gaystories.com” or something, but there was a lame site
already with that url. My primary focus on building Gay Authors was to put
my favorite writers in one spot. The very first author hosted at GA was
Comicality and he was there before I even had a front page. He was by
himself as I got all my stuff together and started to develop the site. I
started the community in July of 2003 and it has ballooned since. These
days, Gay Authors has enough support staff to keep the community going. I’m
mostly around to develop new stuff, approve new authors and that sort of
thing. We are currently getting over 1.3 million hits per month. What
inspires me directly is having Gay Authors being that beacon of light in the
dark for gay and questioning teens, as they struggle to accept themselves
and society.
Q. What are your favourite books?
I love the Last Herald-Mage Trilogy by Mercedes Lackey. I love the Crystal
Cave and Hollow Hills by Mary Stewart. (They are about Merlin and Author).
I love Harry Potter and Percy Jackson series. The Nightrunner Series by
Lynn Flewelling is also quite enjoyable. I have over 500 books laying
about, so I’ll stop there.
Q. What is the most thoughtful feedback you have received?
If you are talking about writing, I once had a reviewer on FanFiction.net
write a review on a chapter nearly as long as the chapter itself. They gave
a very detailed point-by-point analysis of the chapter. Everything they
loved, what they hated, what it all meant. It was pretty cool. As for the
site? Gay Authors stories are mainly geared toward older teens and young
men. I have had a few, both publicly and privately, send thanks to me and
other staff at GA for helping them through coming out and other issues young
gay men have to face. Over the seven years the site has been up, I’ve
gotten emails from guys telling me thanks and if hadn’t been for GA and it’s
supportive community, they would have committed suicide. That’s just
something that shocks you to the core and doesn’t allow you to stop working.
Q. What’s your favourite cereal?
I don’t have one these days. It used to be Lucky Charms though. Magically
Delicious 🙂
Q. Who was the latest author to join GayAuthors? What made you take them over some of the other applicants?
I believe Adam Phillips was just announced. (I now have a team that does
development for authors). We have a few pending. We have limited,
volunteer tech staff, so it takes time to build websites for authors.
Especially authors with a lot of stories. I am currently deep into a
software project that will radically alter how all stories are handled at
GA. I am hoping to roll that out this summer. As for turning down
applicants, I haven’t done that all that often. The Hosting requirements
are actually rather easy, contrary to popular belief. We ask that people
have a novel length story or a large bunch of short stories, that they have
some readers, and that they become a member of the forums. The one sticking
point that most people seem to have is that we have a “No Poaching” policy.
We actively recruit authors that post to our eFiction section. (anyone can
post there). We also pay attention to Nifty and other general hosting
sites. We do NOT recruit authors that go to other author hosting sites. We
do this to avoid any bitter issues or site wars. I’ve had the misfortune to
go through those in the past and it doesn’t help anyone. That said, if an
author from one of those sites requests hosting, we consider it like any
other applicant.
Q. How do you pay for the site to keep running with 1.3 million hits per
month?
Gay Authors is on a dedicated server and the costs are covered through
advertising and through our Premium Content section. (Members pay $7.50 a
month for access to unique stories not posted anywhere else. We also post
sneak peaks and other early looks there on occasion)
Q. Are you single?
Yup. I am a workaholic. Between my job and GA, I typically exceed 80 hours
a week. Not that I wouldn’t mind having someone to cuddle with at the end
of the day. 🙂
Q. What do you think of Twilight by Stephanie Meyer?
I bought the book, but I have not yet had a chance to read it. The movie
was passable. Probably due to eye candy.
Q. Is there another gay online author to whom you look up to, and if so, why?
I respect quite a few gay online authors and rather than miss one, I’ll not list anyone.
Q. If you had a million dollars, what would you do with it?
Truthfully, I would pay off all my debts, enjoy a nice vacation, and then invest the rest so that in a few years I could live off the interest.
Q. What is on your favourite iPod play list?
Aside from using Zune (all the self-respecting engineers I know avoid Apple anything), I have a wildly varying playlist. I do have a lot of brassy movie music. (John Williams, Hans Zimmer, especially Pirates of the Caribbean). I also have things like Daughtry, Linkin Park, Kris Allen, Queen, Bang Camero, Rascal Flats, etc) I’m very eclectic. lol.
Q. Tell me a little bit more about what it is you do for a living.
I’m a full time engineer. The stuff I work on is sufficiently advanced that I find writing science fiction too much like work, which is why almost everything I write is fantasy based.
Q. When do you feel most out of your comfort zone?
Dealing with people. I’m an egghead. Given the choice between socializing (going out) and sitting in and reading, staying home wins every time.
Q. Do you have any little quirks when you are writing?
I never sit still for long. Whether I’m reading, playing xbox or writing, I tend to hop up and head to a different floor of my home to get something I didn’t need.
Q. Who do you think you are?
I’m pretty sure I’m me. 🙂
Q. If you were writing a book about your life, what would the title be?
Geek Life
Q. Have you ever thought when a hearse goes by that you might be the next to die?
Nope. I don’t really dwell on death. I try to focus on living my life the best I can, every day. I’m better at that some days over others.
Q. If you could have one wish, would you give it to me?
No, you never give a loaded weapon to someone if you don’t know how they are going to use it. 🙂
