Thursday, October 30, 2008

Shorty but Sweety


In need of a free read? Here's a shorty but sweety for those who love lesbian erotica:

Repeat Broadcast is a melancholic poem of longing. I wrote it in bed one night, listening to my beloved CBC Radio Two. A concerto for bass guitar came on and I smiled not just because of the very bizarre orchestration, but because I'd actually heard it before. Repeat broadcast. And then my mind began to wander...

Read my poem of lesbian longing, along with poetry and stories by other talented authors, absolutely free at my new favourite site, Oysters and Chocolate.


Lot of Lovin'
gigi

Monday, October 27, 2008

Quick Six Interview with Vivian Vincent

Quick Six Interview with Vivian Vincent

1. Hi Vivian! Would you be so kind as to tell us what type of stories you write?

Erotic Romance primarily. I did write one very short story several years ago. It was a drama of sorts about a suburban housewife and the aftermath of a driveby shooting. I'd like to eventually try my hand at a thriller or cop drama.

2. What are you reading right now?

Nauti Dreams by Lora Leigh. Very steamy! Highly recommended to anyone who likes a good steamy romance with hot hunky ex-Marines!


3. I hear music in the background…what’s playing?

Probably something from the 80's. I'm hopelessly addicted to 80's music. It's a weakness!

4. Do you have a favourite naughty word?

I say the "f" word way too much. Especially when I'm angry.


5. Is there a word or phrase that absolutely makes you cringe?

"Your mom is in the hospital." I've heard that more than I should lately from my step-dad. :(


6. Be honest: What are you snacking on?

Pringles Screamin' Dill flavored chips! YUM!


Promo time! Flog your wares. Any exciting new releases? How can readers find out more about you and your work?

My first ever short story released September 15, 2008! It's called The Mechanic and is available through excessica.com.

Readers can find out more about me at MySpace: http://www.myspace.com/vivian_vincent

80's music? Well, thanks a lot! Now you've got me craving Boy George. I always was a sucker for the gender-queer. I'm going to have to tear this place apart looking for my old box of records. Actually--I just had a flashback--I had Karma Chameleon on record for sure, but my very first cassette tape was Madonna's Like a Virgin. How bizarre that I lost my cassette-tape-ownership-virginity to that particular recording.
Ahhhhhh...the memories.
Thanks for the interview, Vivian!
gigi

Monday, October 20, 2008

Quick Six Interview with Rick Laurie

Quick Six
Interview with Rick Laurie

1. Would you be so kind as to tell us what type of stories you write?

I like to write in every kind of genre, but, specifically, I like to write young adult fiction in a horror/mystery format. I have finished a novel titled The Boy in the Window about a fourteen-year-old girl solving a twenty-five-year-old murder. I am trying to get that published. I’m also about half way through another young adult novel titled The Book That Came True. This book is about a group of four teenagers who are reading a book assignment for English class, find out the book is really happening and they must figure out how to stop the inevitable ending.

2. What are you reading right now?

I’m reading Be Cool by Elmore Leonard. Prior to that I was totally immersed in Cormac McCarthy.

3. I hear music in the background…what’s playing?

More than likely Sting. Hold on. Yep, that’s it. A live version titled All This Time, right after the 9/11 tragedy.

4. Do you have a favorite naughty word?

Pussy. I can’t help it. If there ever was a perfect descriptive, that’s it.

5. Is there a word or phrase that absolutely makes you cringe?

“You’re such an asshole!” If my wife says that to me one more time…

6. Be honest: What are you snacking on?

Reese Pieces. Better than sex? Well, pretty fucking close.

Yes, Reese's Pieces have the whole sweet-and-salty thing going for them...mmm...just like melty chocolate on sweaty skin. Ahem. And I completely agree: I love pussy too. lol. Thanks for the interview!
gigi

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

poverotica

poverotica /pawvirottikaw/ (n) literature or art lending erotic qualities to the state of being extremely poor.
As you might have guessed, there’s no such thing as poverotica. It’s a new addition to my lexicon of made-up words. And you’ve probably never wondered why poverotica doesn’t exist amongst the numerous categories of erotic fiction on the market. I never did either until the righteous Alessia Brio asked Coming Together contributors to think about poverty as a blog topic. Have you ever asked yourself, “Why are there no sexy stories about those members of our society living at subsistence level?”

The question answers itself, doesn’t it? Of course we don’t think these things. Poverty isn’t sexy. In fact, without even realizing it, most of us have been conditioned to adopt a fundamental belief in just the opposite: Money is sexy. Without it, there is no romance.

Before erotica consumed my life, I was an academic. As such, I wrote a thesis on the surprisingly hegemonic implications of sex advice articles in women’s magazines. As a sidebar to my observations, I noticed that much of the advice given about improving one’s sex life involved purchasing products. For instance, when one woman wrote in to ask how she could begin to enjoy sex with her husband again after he’d cheated on her, the columnist advised her to “throw away your comfortable nightgown” and “switch over to some sexy lingerie.”

Apart from reinforcing the disturbingly common belief that her husband’s affair was this woman’s fault, by advising the inquisitor to “switch over to sexy lingerie,” this, like many other advice articles, subtly reinforces the role that sexuality plays in supporting Capitalism and consumerist behaviours.

The entire category of romantic love conspires with Capitalist endeavours to encourage commercialism through the purchase of roses, chocolates, jewellery, “romantic” holidays, weddings and much more, as signifiers of love and commitment. The conventional relationship-oriented objects and rituals that have the highest symbolic values, like the wedding, the wedding ring and the honeymoon, also have the highest exchange values. Just think about how incredibly profitable the wedding industry has become!

The idea that love, or sexual desire for that matter, is expressed through the exchange of items drawn from the specific lexicon of love-connoting merchandise has established a culture wherein “love” and consumerism exist in a symbiotic relationship: It is in the corporation’s interest to emphasize the symbolic value of its product in relation to love and sex, because this vastly increases the product’s exchange value.

From the example given above, it is far more likely that the advice-seeker, and other women in her situation, will purchase expensive, over-priced lingerie when they are led by magazine articles to believe that this will help to salvage their sex lives and even their marriages.

Conversely, such advice misleads readers into believing their relationships are doomed if they can’t afford the trappings of romantic love and desire. This is not just academic theory; it’s rehearsed again and again in real life. Hell, my girlfriend’s always reminding me how much she loves being treated to fancy meals and expensive gifts; they make her feel special.

How is it that even we, the educated and the socially aware, still fall into these Consumerist traps? The costly signifiers of romance are just that: empty vessels of connotation. There are far better ways of showing our loved ones we care, and these methods don’t require us to spend our life’s savings. Words cost nothing: “I love you. You are special. Come to bed and I’ll show you...”

Giselle Renarde
www.freewebs.com/gisellerenarde/
donutsdesires.blogspot.com

Monday, October 13, 2008

Ode to Mom

Here in Canada, we’re celebrating Thanksgiving this weekend. The holiday’s got me thinking about everything I have in life. I may not own half as much stuff as most North Americans, but I’m very aware of the abundance in my life. As long as there’s food in my fridge and a roof over my head, the rest is pure luxury.

That’s in terms of “stuff.”

But “stuff” isn’t the half of it, when I start to think about the things for which I’m really, deeply grateful. In that vein, I would like to publicly and officially give thanks for the most special person in my life: my mom.

I’m grateful for her sensibility and good decisions. It takes incredible strength for a woman to remove herself from a bad domestic situation. It takes diligence, hard work, and excellent budgeting skills to support four children unaided on a secretary’s salary.

Sure, mom and I had our screaming matches when I was in my teens, but as adults we’ve established a close bond. When I admitted to her, many years ago, that I’d been involved with a married man, she just listened. She didn’t lecture me like a child, she listened to me as a friend. That’s how I knew there’d been a shift in our relationship.

How fortunate am I to have a mother who, when I introduced the topic of sexual identity, wholeheartedly encouraged me to identify as “queer” if that’s how I felt? And how many moms would react to a daughter’s romantic relationship with a transsexual woman by saying, “That’s kind of weird, but I’m so proud that you’re so open-minded and accepting”? And since then, she’s gone on to become very interested in and supportive of my relationship with Sweet. She sees that I’m loved, and that’s all that matters.

I couldn’t ask for a better mom. The trouble is, I’m really bad at telling people just how much they mean to me. Tomorrow, when I gather with my family for Thanksgiving dinner, let’s see if I can finally work up the courage to tell my mom just how great she is.

And to all Canadians, Happy Thanksgiving and don’t forget there’s a federal election on Tuesday. Get out there and vote!

Bright Blessings,
Giselle Renarde

Thursday, October 9, 2008

On My Knees...Again...

This is becoming a quaintly familiar pose. What I'm begging for today is your vote. Hmm...have you heard that one before?

My wonderfully fabulous trailer for TANGLED ROOTS is entry #8 for the month of October's New Covey Trailer Awards. That's right: I've hit the big time, baby. So please click here to head on over and vote for it. Remember, the music was arranged and recorded by yours truly. That's gotta count for something, right?

Moment of Random Nostalgia
Do you remember THE TRASHCAN TANGO from Sesame Street? I'm not sure what just reminded me of it, and I'm also not sure what we did before youtube. It didn't take much searching to find this clip from my favourite childhood TV show. Click here to watch it. Gosh, that takes me back. In fact, it's even funnier than I remember.
Well, friends, thanks for sharing this moment of random nostalgia with me. I always did like Oscar best. Hmm...maybe that's why I end up writing characters like Simone from TANGLED ROOTS.

Bright Blessings,
Giselle Renarde

Monday, October 6, 2008

Quick Six Interview with Selena Kitt

Quick Six
Interview with Selena Kitt

We're in luck today! Why? Because we have the one and only Selena Kitt joining us for Quick Six.

1. So, Selena, would you be so kind as to tell us what type of stories you write?


SK: At the moment, primarily erotic, but I also enjoy writing horror and suspense.

2. What are you reading right now?

SK: The "Twilight" series by Stephanie Meyers (because the kids picked it up and made a big deal and I had to see what all the fuss was about!) So far, sparkly "vegetarian" vampire meets very odiferous human girl...hmmmm...

3. I hear music in the background…what’s playing?

SK: Music? Oh, no, that's just The Wiggles... the only singing group in existence who have made me seriously contemplate both homicide and suicide...

4. Do you have a favourite naughty word?

SK: Spasmed. I'm told it's not even a word, but I'm a rebel like that :)

5. Is there a word or phrase that absolutely makes you cringe?

SK: Billowy. Ugh. Don't ask me why, I think it's just such a silly word. I'm one of those writers who hates long, drawn out descriptions of...well...anything... I'm of the mind that if you can't use it in conversation, throw it out. Seriously, where are you going to use this word in conversation? "Look at those billowy clouds!" Really? Come on!

6. Be honest: What are you snacking on?

Honestly? Celery and peanut butter with a few raisins on top. Kids call them "Bugs on a Log" - which makes it sound soooo much more appetizing, right? Now if you asked me what I WANTED to be snacking on... OMG... chocolatechocolatechocolatechoc...

Promo time! Flog your wares. Any exciting new releases? How can readers find out more about you and your work?

New stuff coming out all the time... and a pretty big backlist, too!
www.selenakitt.com


Hmmm... The Wiggles and Bugs on a Log? There are so many things in this world I have yet to experience. And what about sails? Can they billow?
*smirk*
Thanks so much for your time, Selena!
Cheers,
gigi

Thursday, October 2, 2008

That Explains the Donuts

You’ll have to excuse me if I sound a little light-headed; I’ve eaten nothing but donuts today. One after another, after another…and then one more. Maple cream, glazed sourdough, old fashioned chocolate, and a blueberry fritter. And you wondered why my blog was called Donuts & Desires!

That explains the “Donuts.”

As for the desires…let’s just say they’re being expertly fulfilled as well. Okay, maybe not four times a day (at least, not since that night a couple weeks ago when I took Sweet to the theatre. She really appreciated it.), but six months into our relationship, it still feels very new. We’re still figuring things out, especially when it comes to sex.

I’d never been involved with a transsexual woman before Sweet. She’d never been in a lesbian relationship before me. Actually, I don’t think I’ve ever shared this with you, but in the beginning, Sweet was adamant that this relationship—this girl-girl sexual relationship we now share—would never manifest.

How irritating it was for me, finally meeting Sweet in her girl form and being incorrigibly attracted to her, only for her to say, “Too bad! You can’t have me.” By the time she formally introduced herself to me as a woman, we’d been at it like rabbits for months in our boy-girl relationship. I was beyond ready to embrace Girl Sweet, and not just emotionally. The moment she appeared on my doorstep in that long flowing skirt, wearing makeup and jewellery, I wanted her. I wanted her like mad. But it was “No, no, no” at every turn.

I remember thinking…
HE is my lover. SHE will barely flirt with me. How do I reconcile this dichotomy when I can do nothing but wait out her resistance?
HE is my lover. But SHE is more real than HE. How can I be truly important in this person’s life when SHE doesn’t want to be the object of my love and desire? When my sexual energy can only be meant for…HIM…the lesser half…?
Girl Sweet fought my desire, but I knew in my heart that her opposition was not an insurmountable obstacle. I loved her. She loved me. It would all work out.

So how did we get from there to here? I patiently eroded her resistance, of course. * smirk * Yes, there’s more to the story, but I’ll share that with you another day. Patience pays, my friends.

Bright Blessings,
Giselle Renarde