Thursday, March 31, 2011

Spring Fling~Join the Hunt!

I just took another look at the prize list for this web hunt and...holy moly...that's a long list! I'm giving away a few e-copies of Ondine and Spring Fever, and on the Night Owl Reviews website it says "stickers" but I think I actually sent in some cute little Canada tattoos. Stickers for your skin LOL.

Anyhoo, there's a ton of stuff to win: print books, ebooks, gift certificates, totes, t-shirts, chocolate...the list goes on. Check out all the details here: http://www.nightowlreviews.com/nor/Pages/SpringFlingDetails.aspx
...and good luck!

Hugs,
Giselle

Wednesday, March 23, 2011

It's never ok to say "That's so GAY"~Gorgeous Poster


I think this is about the most beautiful anti-homophobia/anti-transphobia poster I've ever seen! It was created by Sera Snotrag at http://www.flickr.com/photos/xsnotragx/, who is cool with it being posted far and wide to spread the message. Gorgeous! Thank you!

Big Hugs,
Giselle

Sunday, March 20, 2011

Quick Six TNG with Adrianne Brennan

We're scaring cats today at Donuts and Desires as I Quick Six Adrianne Brennan!


1. What does "vanilla" mean to you?
It's the flavor of my unsweetened almond milk and my favorite chai. Alternatively, something I definitely am not. XD


2. Is there any moment from your life that you remember in slow motion?
I'd have to say receiving my first writing contract. I was on the moon. That thrilling, slow motion sensation would repeat upon seeing my first book e-published, then in print--and holding it in my hands while I jumped up and down screeching in the living room, scaring my cats in the process. XD


3. What's the most unsettling movie you've ever seen?
I'd have to go with The Sixth Sense. Creepy, but so good.


4. If you had to get a tattoo on your face, what would you want it to look like?
Something tribal, or perhaps something floral. Maybe a branch of ivy?


5. How many monkeys jumping on the bed?
Twelve: four are having a pillow fight, three are debating politics, two are fingerpainting the walls, two more are critiquing the fingerpaint, and another is just reading a book.


6. Which of the books or stories you've written is your favourite?
I am NOT choosing a favorite out of my children! In fairness, I'll choose my most recent release: The Oath, Book 4: Anointed.


Blurb:
Years ago, Lila pledged herself to the Greek god Dionysus, and the act of devotion changed her entire life. Now, her desire to serve has brought her to the doorstep of a secret society known only as "The Order". Through sexual magick and ritual submission she can become her truest self and achieve her magickal destiny.

But the trials of the initiation challenge even the strongest of wills. Can Lila's transformation through erotic servitude bring her closer to fulfilling her dreams?

Anointed: Transformed through sacrifice, the Hierophant must consecrate Lila as the worthy vessel after he receives the ritual blessing from his two attendants. This is her lesson in what it means to be anointed.


~ "Where love and magic meet" ~
http://www.adriannebrennan.com
Experience the magic of the Dark Moon series:
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#darkmoon
Dare to take The Oath in this erotic fantasy series:
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/books.html#the_oath
The future of psychic sex - Dawn of the Seraphs (m/m):
http://www.adriannebrennan.com/dawnoftheseraphs.html

Call for Submissions: Dormitory Heat (Lesbian Anthology)

Hello Fellows! (Fellow authors, that is...)

A lesbian erotica call for subs came across my desk so I thought I'd share it with you. Note that they're looking for paper submissions, so don't leave it to the last second like I always do LOL.
Please feel free to share and forward the following call for submissions:

Bella Books Call for Submissions
Dormitory Heat: Hot Lesbian Tales of Campus Lust
Edited by Therese Szymanski
Submission deadline: July 1, 2011 (to be published in 2012)

Ah, to be young, hot, and hopelessly in lust while surrounded by nubile
babes at one of the many great institutions of higher learning that help
to mold the future leaders of this country.

Therese Szymanski is seeking hot stories about women on campus, ?horny
sorority sisters, feisty women's studies students, queer drama dykes, we
want them all:

? From the sexy new sorority sister being initiated into the ways of her
newfound sisterhood?

? To the wide-eyed freshman theatre major learning all about trust
exercises in her freshman acting lab?

? The sexy geek learning all about extra credit in her latest women's
studies class?

? The feisty track star getting hot and sweaty in the locker room with
her teammates?

? The beautiful Japanese student exploring women's culture in the states?

?And more ?your imagination' s the limit! I want them all, so long as
they're hot stories my readers will want to read one-handed in the
bathtub, bring `em on!

Use your imagination and your very best words to craft hot stories with
great ideas, real characters and interesting situations while leaving
your reader hot, wet and wanting more. Put your all into it, but as
you're bringing onyou're your best sleaze, remember that story reigns
supreme?humor and twist endings are fun, but the stories must also be
hot and sexy. Bring on your very best and realize that typos,
punctuation, grammar, odd/incorrect POVs, and other things DO count
against you.

Guidelines:

1) Stories should be between 2,000 and 7,000 words in length.

2) Please submit a typed, double-spaced hard copy in at least 12-point
type with one-inch margins. Preferably in a nice, readable serif font
like Times New Roman. Documents should be formatted with US standards of
8½"x11" paper, etc.

3) Characterization, plot, and story are key. (Really. I want a good,
hot story, with a believable plot and real characters!) but punctuation,
grammar and POV are important.

4) Stories must be erotic, lesbian and on topic.

5) Name, address, phone number, word count, and email address should all
appear on the first page. (If accepted, final manuscript must be
submitted electronically. )

6) Include a 50-word bio with your submission.

7) Only previously unpublished stories?or stories that have appeared on
the Internet (and can be pulled)?will be considered. (Please include
information on where and when the story was posted in your cover letter.)

8) Please include a brief cover letter with your submission.

9) Only three submissions per person please.

10) Include an SASE with sufficient postage to return the manuscript if
you would like it returned, or, if manuscript is disposable, please
state so in your cover letter.

11) Handy hint: If you don't necessarily need/want the manuscript back,
but would like to know if you've been rejected, please include a #10
SASE (that is, Self-Addressed Stamped Envelope) so we can let you know
if we're unable to use your story with a simple form letter (no feedback
can be given).

12) Email Reese at dormitoryheat at bigbadbutch. com with any questions.

Contributors will be paid upon publication and will receive two copies
of the anthology. No final decisions about stories to be included in
this anthology will be made before 1/1/2012.

Send all manuscripts to:

Therese Szymanski
3571 Far West Blvd. #122
Austin, TX 78731

Please do not send manuscripts in any way that requires a signature upon
delivery. If you enclose a self-addressed stamped postcard with your
story, Szymanski will be happy to drop it in the mail upon receipt.

Therese (Reese) Szymanski, the bestselling, award-winning author and
playwright of nine mystery/thrillers, four novellas, six controversial
plays and several dozen short stories, essays, articles, columns,
reviews and feature stories, is a marketing guru whose every
fiction-editing turn has been shortlisted for or won an award. She's
edited Back to Basics: A Butch/Femme Anthology, Call of the Dark: Erotic
Lesbian Tales of the Supernatural, A Perfect Valentine: Erotic
Valentine's Day Lesbian Love, Wild Nights: Mostly True Stories of Women
Loving Women and Fantasy: Untrue Stories of Lesbian Passion. You can
find out more about Reese and her work at www.BigBadButch. com.

Thursday, March 17, 2011

Watch Out for My Mistress' Thighs

Great news for fans of my erotic fiction focused on transgender characters: loveyoudivine Alterotica proposed, and I said yes!

Okay, well, more specifically they proposed to assemble my TG/genderqueer/cross-dressing stories into one convenient collection. This anthology of my fiction and poetry contains favourites like Third Rail and Friends of Dorothy alongside some wonderful never-before-published stories and sonnets written just for inclusion in this book. Oh...right...it's going to be a book. Did I say that? No, I didn't, did I? My Mistress' Thighs will be available in paperback for those of us who still like to feel those pages between our fingers. Exciting, right?

As promised (on Twitter) here's your first look at the gorgeous cover Dawné Dominique created just for this anthology, as well as the blurb and a link to loveyoudivine's webpage where it will be available for sale soon. I'll keep you posted!

A cross-dressing cowboy, a post-war pin-up, and a wolf in grandmother’s clothing all find a special home in My Mistress’ Thighs. This collection of erotic transgender fiction and poetry by Giselle Renarde makes room for everyone. There’s a secret solstice sacrifice, a case of spring fever, an online romance, and a Wednesday night dinner routine that’s anything but dull. This anthology includes erotic favorites, new surprises, and never-before-seen poetry. From the timid closet dresser of “Love in the Time of Instant Messenger,” to the post-op rodeo queen of “Leslie Goosemoon Rides Again,” all who seek love find it in the world of Giselle Renarde Erotica.

Coming soon to loveyoudivine Alterotica!

Hugs,

Giselle

Wednesday, March 16, 2011

The Best Lesbians Are The Best!


I can't recall if I ever mentioned that I have a story in Best Lesbian Erotica 2011. Have I said that already? Seems like something I might have shouted from the rooftops, but I just don't remember doing it.

The collection, edited by Kathleen Warnock, introduced and selected by Lea DeLaria, and published as always by Cleis Press, has been receiving wonderful reviews and was recently named a finalist for a Lambda Literary award in the Lesbian Erotica category. You can check out all finalists in all categories here: http://www.lambdaliterary.org/awards/2011-finalists/

I also noticed the other day, when I was on the Toronto Public Library's website, that they've ordered five copies. If you're in the city and you've got your library card handy, place a hold on a copy here: http://www.torontopubliclibrary.ca/detail.jsp?Entt=RDM2742851&R=2742851.

And if you're not in Toronto, check out your library system and see if they've ordered copies. If not, you can always ask them to. Or you could buy a copy for yourself, of course.

Hugs,
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

Monday, March 14, 2011

Quick Six TNG with Sofia Antonia Milone

I'm very pleased to announce I have a stockpile of Quick 6 interviews with some great authors of lesbian fiction! We'll start today with Sofia Antonia Milone:

1. What does "vanilla" mean to you?

It's a flavour of ice cream, clearly. Oh, and a tiny lesbian bar in the gay quarter who's clientele stare at people they've never seen quite ferociously.

2. Is there any moment from your life that you remember in slow motion?

Most of it, due to over analysis, both good and bad, but particularly moments of falling of horses and seeing the floor about to hit my face. Certainly nothing romantic.

3. What's the most unsettling movie you've ever seen?

Hostel, without a doubt. I know there are worse films, but after this I vowed not to subject myself to movies with such pointless horrific violence. Burlesque is a close second, there's no accounting for crimes of cliche.

4. If you had to get a tattoo on your face, what would you want it to look like?

Something tribal of my own making, like Chakotay.

5. How many monkeys jumping on the bed?

What? None. I fired them after the last escapade. My poor cat will never recover.

6. Which of the books or stories you've written is your favourite?

I've only had one story published so far, so I suppose it has to be that. But I imagine my favourite will always be the next one.

Age Of Aquarius

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=3028

Young and often political English artist Charlotte Hope clashes with renowned New York Times art critic Rachel Stein, whose praise is hard to earn. Set in the late sixties in New York City during the infamous Summer of Love, and with a backdrop of national and international conflict, tension builds between two women, who find themselves working together toward a common goal. Charlotte learns she doesn’t have to like everyone she sleeps with, while Rachel discovers quite the reverse. Eventually they learn that tragedy can bring people to their senses, and bring them together.

Sunday, March 13, 2011

Don't Freak Out. Change is Good!

Hi Everybody!

So...uh...notice anything different around here?

Yup, that's right: I changed the look of my blog. It was red before, remember? The header was red and green. I did that for Christmas, when I held my "Festive Frenzy" holiday extravaganza.

Well, I'm always the last person I know to take down my Christmas tree, so it should be come as no surprise that it's taken me until March to take down the "decorations" from the blog.

I like the new look...for now...but I have a fear of commitment, so we'll see how long this one lasts. LOL

Anyhoo, yes this is Donuts & Desires. Same you, same me. Nothing's changed but the window dressings.

Hugs,
Giselle

Saturday, March 12, 2011

Thank You, Natalie Portman, for Selling My Book

Okay, now I get why I've been having sex dreams about Mila Kunis for the past year. It must have been in the ether...

A couple years ago, I wrote a book called Ondine. It's about a ballerina. Actually, it focuses on a pair of ballerinas. Lesbian ballerinas. Yes, oh yes, oh yes. Because what could be hotter than lesbian ballerinas?

Nothing.


That seems to be the conclusion the masses have reached around the film Black Swan. Unfortunately, I haven't actually seen this movie (I saw The King's Speech instead--I seriously need to get my ass into gear!) but judging by the steady increase in sales of my book
Ondine since Black Swan came out, I can only assume I have Natalie Portman to thank. And Mila Kunis. (I should thank her for the sex dreams, too, while I'm at it. They're seriously hot.)

So, my sincere thank you to everyone who's elevated ballet as an erotic art form in the public sphere. Thank you for selling my book! I love you all!
Ondine is available as an e-book and in print. Check it out!
Hugs,
Giselle

Tuesday, March 8, 2011

Red Velvet and Absinthe: Paranormal Erotic Romance


When the call went out for gothic romance stories to fill a new anthology called Red Velvet and Absinthe: Paranormal Erotic Romance, I was actually a tad intimidated. I don't write a lot of paranormal fiction, and I'd never tried my hand at anything I'd consider gothic romance. In her call for submissions, editor Mitzi Szereto asked for "atmosphere, passion, desire... imaginative stories that send a shiver up your spine and make your heart beat faster."

Over the Christmas holidays, I came up with a little lesbian mistress/maid story called Milady's Bath:

Elizabeth, one of the manor house maids, will never understand her mistress' behavior. Why slip out the window every time the moon is full only to return with her flesh torn and her gown tattered? A beast of a man is involved, she perceives, as "Milady" always returns dripping with his seed and ready for a bath. But Elizabeth can't imagine why her mistress returns month after month to the man's rough embrace when she could so easily stay home to enjoy the maid's loving caress.
Once I delved into the darkness, the werewolf overtones, the atmosphere of luxury and infinite night...oh, I was sold! Now I understand the appeal of the gothic romance. It took writing the story to get me there.

Anyhoo, the "news" portion of this post is to inform one and all that my story was accepted into this great new Cleis anthology. Isn't that just an incredible cover? I always love the look of Cleis books, and this one in particular gives me shivers.

Red Velvet and Absinthe: Paranormal Erotic Romance
is available for pre-order now from Amazon, though it'll be a little while before it hits the shelves. Keep an eye out, though. This is the kind of book that might just pounce if you turn your back...

Hugs,
Giselle

Monday, March 7, 2011

Quick Six TNG with Kallysten

I can't believe it's taken this many years to get the answer "69" for question #5! Here's today's quick six TNG interview with Kallysten:

1. What does "vanilla" mean to you?

If I'm eating, it means the perfect complement to rich, dark chocolate. If I'm writing, it means focusing on what the act of sex means for the lovers' relationship rather than spicing up said relationship with sex games.



2. Is there any moment from your life that you remember in slow motion?

Walking off the plane the first time I flew to my then-boyfriend's, now-husband's hometown, and finding him waiting for me with a camera in one hand, and a bouquet of flowers in the other. I wasn't too happy about the camera – it had been a long flight and I looked like it – but the flowers were as lovely as his smile. (This was back in those days when people could wait for passengers right at the gates.)



3. What's the most unsettling movie you've ever seen?

Welcome to Gattaca. Unsettling to me because it's not hard at all to think that the movie's premise of a society based on the quality of your genes and DNA could become reality within a few decades, or even sooner.



4. If you had to get a tattoo on your face, what would you want it to look like?

A star on my right temple.



5. How many monkeys jumping on the bed?
69.



6. Which of the books or stories you've written is your favourite? (Please include buy link and blurb in your response)

Every time I release a new story, it becomes my favorite – until the next release, that is! This one however might retain the title for a while because I fell in love with all three members of the "Fangs and Lullabies" family, to the point that I started writing a sequel before the story was even released.

http://original.kallysten.net/2011/fangs-and-lullabies/

A child's birth. His first teeth and first steps. School friends and bullies, recess, school plays and science projects. A girl, a crush and a broken heart. These childhood experiences are shared by countless little boys from different horizons.

And yet… Jacob is anything but average. For as long as he has been able to understand, a secret has shaped his life, kept even from his closest friends: his father, Andrew, is a vampire. And so is his other father, Nicholas.

In a strange era when demons are beginning to appear all over the world and threaten humans and vampires alike, the three of them form quite an extraordinary family. And yet, at the same time, they could hardly be more normal.

Two fathers raising a son neither of them ever thought he would have. A Sire and Childe resuming their relationship after years of estrangement. Through snapshots covering Jacob's life from birth to adulthood, discover this unusual family, and how, in the end, all it takes is love.

:)

Kallysten

Thursday, March 3, 2011

Call for Submissions: In Love With Lust

Authors, you wonderful, lovely, generous, giving people, you!

I hope you will all join me in submitting a little somethin' somethin' to a set of anthologies that will raise funds for Fredericton PRIDE. The fabulous editor, Madeline Elayne, tells me Fredericton, New Brunswick (consult google maps for details LOL) has the 2nd largest per capita LGBTQ population in North America, and yet their Pride festivities receive no municipal funding.

Living in a city with extravagant Pride celebrations, where our FORMER mayor always rode the parade floats, I guess I just take all that for granted. (Though, Toronto's racist turd of a current mayor scares the shit out of me, and has been quoted as saying things like...women get AIDS from sleeping with bisexual men...?...but Toronto politics is another blog post entirely!)

On to the Call for Submissions!

Are you LGBTQ, or do you consider yourself an ally? Do you have the occasional moment of dirty-mindedness? Then Fredericton Pride 2011 needs you!

Fredericton (NB, Canada) native erotica author Madeline Elayne is looking for submissions for two queer erotic/erotic romance anthologies, the proceeds of which will go toward funding the best Pride celebration yet in Fredericton in 2011.

Just Love (and Lust) will be a compilation of two sinfully sexy books:

-In Love With Lust, a collection of queer erotic and erotic romance short stories by writers from Fredericton and around the world.

-In Lust With Love, a showcase of local Fredericton and Atlantic Canadian queer erotic poetry. Fredericton is well-known for its poets, find out why here!

This call for submissions is open to established and new writers alike. If you've always wanted to try your hand at sexy writing, then this is a perfect opportunity! Please note that since all profits from this collection go toward Fredericton Pride, this is not a paying call for submissions.

Intrigued? Check out the nitty gritty details below:

Erotic Poetry:

-All poems must have both erotic and LGBTQ content. Currently accepting single poems (up to 4 pages single spaced) and small collections. Authors selected for the anthology will also be asked to provide a short bio. Pseudonymous submissions accepted, but please include your real name in the submission for legal purposes.

Erotic/ Erotic Romance Short Stories:

What we want:

- Smart, sex-positive, LGBT-themed erotica and erotic romance short stories between 1000-9000 words, with a preference for stories between 2500 and 5000 words.

- Works by authors who are 18 years and older, which follow our “Just Love” theme. We want stories that feature love or the potential for love, with a happy-ever-after (or happy for now) ending.

-Clean, polished, literary works (not rough/first drafts) with an erotic focus. Following the norms of the genre, please avoid heavy euphemisms when describing sex. It's a cock, not a “manly spear of lust.”

-Electronic submissions only, double-spaced, 12-pt. times new roman font, in .doc (NOT .docx) or .rtf format.

-Previously published works considered, provided you have the rights to allow our publication in ebook and POD formats. We ask only for non-exclusive anthology rights.

What we don't want:

-Anything with a negative attitude toward sex (including eroticizing rape or non-consent)

-Any depiction of sex acts involving participants under the age of 18.

-Horror, gore, bestiality, or other squick factors. (please note that tastefully-depicted consensual BDSM is just fine)

-non-erotic, or exclusively heterosexual erotic works. These could be wonderful stories, but they don't fit our theme, thank you.

Please send all queries and submissions to Anthology2011@frederictonpride.org. Submission Deadline for both collections is May 1st, 2011, for publication in early summer. Multiple submissions accepted.

Tuesday, March 1, 2011

What Better Way to Spend Saint David's Day...?

...than reading a Welsh erotic fairy story about sex magic and mystical transformation?

Secrets of the Solstice Sacrifice has been very well-received, procuring most recently a 5-star rating from the Bibrary Bookslut herself, Sally Sapphire, and since March 1st is a Welsh holiday, I figured what better day to give it a shout-out? I have grandmother who came here from Wales, and that's why I chose to set this story among those verdant hilltops.

Sally Said:

The lovely Giselle Renarde has done it again, first capturing my attention, and then completely surpassing my expectations - if this keeps up, I'm afraid my expectations for her work are going to become simply unreasonable!

You can read the whole review here and I highly advise it, as I do so enjoy getting my ego stroked. (What? I said ego.)

If you don't recall reading about Secrets of the Solstice Sacrifice, here's the blurb and an excerpt for your enjoyment:

When Trysta, a mixed-blood fairy engaged to another, seeks the help of the magical professor Selyf, their desire to give in to temptation mounts—particularly when Selyf realizes the only way to resolve Trysta's problem involves a sexual sacrifice on the solstice.

Excerpt:
He knew she’d return. He sensed it in her look of longing as she left for dinner with that stupid sod of a caru. “You’re here for my bed, I presume?” Selyf said as she slipped in the door. Her eyes revealed everything she longed to say, but he understood her restriction. “Will you sit with me?” he asked, beckoning her into the chair by his desk.

Gazing into the empty seat, she shook her head. “I should not have come,” she said with a look of apprehension in her conflicted eyes. Slipping her bag from her shoulder, she sat in the chair. “You should know you represent a distinct temptation for me.”

Selyf was not easily scandalized, but her bold admission took his breath away. “As do you, for me,” he admitted. “But you needn’t fear me, Fay Trysta. I have spent all my adult life as a solitary magical. I know denial and self-sacrifice only too well. You are safe here in my home.”

With tears in her eyes, she nodded. For a moment, she looked as though she might speak, but then said nothing. As she rose from her chair, she finally blurted, “What if I don’t want to be safe anymore?”

He only stammered, with no response at hand.

“You speak of denial?” she went on. “What do you think my life has consisted of up until now? At my age, I have yet to experience the pleasures of the flesh. In the village, I must pretend to be exactly what I seem, and why? Because only my mother, her mid-wife, and I can know the truth. You have no idea the trust I’ve put in you, Professor Selyf. You hold my very life in your hands.”

“I hold your life,” he repeated, rushing around his desk to meet her. “Why may I not hold your body as well?”

Slipping past him, she hurried to the window, mumbling, “Bedwyn.” Just as Selyf’s heart began to plummet, she continued, “He mustn’t see.” Ensuring the curtains were fully closed, she walked to him like a vixen on the hunt. Her eyes burned like roaring embers as they explored the lengths of his body. Wrapping her arms around his neck, she ensnared him in a kiss the likes of which he’d never imagined. He felt her veiled passion course through his veins as his mouth melded with hers. Their tongues fluttered and surged one against the other. His whole body was so rapt with hers he could hardly breathe. As they kissed, he ran intrepid fingers through her silken hair and down her back. In turn, she held his cheeks and his neck, his back and his sides. When he grasped the firm flesh of her buttocks, Trysta wheezed and broke free.

The look in her eyes was indiscernible but for the temptation they aroused. He almost apologized for being so dreadfully forward before realizing it was she who’d kissed him. Grabbing her wrists, he pulled her into his arms and carried forth the sweet embrace she’d abandoned. After a moment of brave indecision, she gave in to the kiss and melted in Selyf’s arms. His tongue wrangled hers until she broke away once more. Pressing her soft lips to his ear, she whispered, “I’ve never felt like this before.”

“Neither have I,” he admitted. “You’ve aroused in me the sleeping serpent.”

At that turn of phrase, her body grew limp in his arms. “Yes,” she said. “I know only too well what you mean.”
You can buy a copy from Amazon, ARe, or any number of retailers.
Happy Saint David's Day, Wales!
Hugs,
Giselle