Book Recommendations from Sweet & Giselle

WE LOVE BOOKS When it's gift-giving time, people love to give us books. Failing that, it's gift cards so we can buy our own! So my girlfriend and I got together to create a list of book recommendations for the holidays. We're both voracious readers, but there's actually very little overlap in what we read. I think autobiographies is really the only category we both dive into. So you can expect plenty of variety. I'll begin with Sweet's book recs, because... age before beauty. heh. Anyway, she's been telling me to get on J.D. Robb's In Death series for years, so that starts us off:

NOW DO ME! So those were my girlfriend's top picks. I have read a grand total of zero of those books. But here are a few books I've enjoyed this year, and I hope you will too:

Thank You for Giving

I thought I was referencing a movie title in my subject line. Turns out my memory is terrible and the movie I'm actually thinking of is called Please Give. Kind of at the opposite end of the scale, although maybe Please Give would be a better blog title. Or maybe Thank You for Giving and Please Give More would be appropriate.

Year-end means donation time for a lot of people, myself included.  I just finished my quarterly accounting for the charitable anthologies I've produced and set that money free. Fly, little monies! Fly away home!

But, honestly, I couldn't do it without you. If I'd put out LGBT LOVE and nobody had purchased a copy, I wouldn't have been able donate 100% of my royalties to helplines that serve queer people, young and old. If nobody bought Don't You Savage Me, I wouldn't be able to donate 100% of those royalties to organizations that serve Indigenous women in Canada.

Without you, these would just be books. With you, they serve the populations they depict. I really can't thank you enough. I could thank you a thousand times and it wouldn't be enough.

And I thank you, also, for purchasing my Erotic Poetry Adult Colouring Book, which only came out last week but has sold surprisingly well.  This December, all the royalties I earn from the Erotic Poetry Colouring Book go to http://sketch.ca/

In fact, the Erotic Poetry Colouring Book has done so well that I've turned my flash fiction anthology Flash in the Pen into an adult colouring book, too. It's full of short erotica and barenaked ladies! I've decided to donate all my December royalties from the Flash in the Pen Adult Colouring Book to Sketch as well. Sketch provides street-involved youth and young people living on the margins space and programming to create stuff like music and art. That's awesome, and this new flash fiction colouring book is also awesome, so buy a copy!

Here's that link again: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/152280014X?tag=dondes-20 It just came out today, so show it a little love!

If you can't buy a copy, how about using those social media buttons on the Amazon page to tweet about it, pin it on Pinterest, or share it on Facebook? That would be helpful and I'd appreciate it tremendously. Just like I appreciate YOU tremendously. Love, love, love! All you need is love and adult colouring books!

Hugs,
Giselle

Coffee Time Romance & More eBook Store Closing

In an email sent out Monday, Coffee Time Romance announced they will be closing the eBook store section of their site effective December 31, 2015. They cite Amazon's devaluation of the ebook as the central cause of this closure:

With their Kindle Unlimited Program which allows subscribers to borrow books in the program for only $9.99 a month, as well as, how they encourage self-published authors, and small e-publishers to give away their latest releases for free, readers now believe that even $.99 is too much for an e-book. The hard truth is, it is no longer cost effective to sell e-books in our store.

They go on to say readers who have purchased ebooks from their store in the past will not lose access to those books.

My heart goes out to the crew at CTR because I know how hard they tried to make it work. There's nothing more frustrating than working your ass off at something and being crushed by giants. In terms of sales suckage, I have an indie spot in their store (for the next couple weeks) and I haven't sold a book there since July.

Love you,
Giselle

Authors! The Premade Covers Are Up!

I'll make this quick because I just realized I have 3 baby gifts to knit by next week. (yikes!)

Yes, it's true: the FREE premade ebook covers have been posted and are available for request by authors and aspiring authors alike.

If you have no idea what I'm talking about, I'll direct you to this blog post I wrote the other day: http://donutsdesires.blogspot.ca/2015/12/authors-im-giving-away-premade-ebook.html

Basically, I've created a bunch of ebook covers that I'm giving away for FREE to authors and aspiring authors who are just a little skint right now, or don't have the funds to invest in graphic design.

After you've read the blog post I linked to above, you can check out this page to see the cover art and request one that suits your book: http://donutsdesires.blogspot.ca/p/authors-free-premade-covers-are-here.html

The absolute final day to request is December 18th, but it's first come, first served so DON'T DELAY or you might miss out!

If you're a reader and not a writer, I'll just take this opportunity to wave hi. *HI* Hope your December's going well.

Love you!
Giselle

Here's a Thing I Did: The Erotic Poetry Adult Colouring Book

If you like this idea, you can thank my sister because she's the one who encouraged me to make it. If you think this idea is terrible, you can blame my sister because she's the one who encouraged me to make it.

It=an adult colouring book. People like them, according to my sister.

A few month ago I found an old file from back in the days of Oysters and Chocolate and other sites that published erotic poetry. I kept thinking "I should put out a book of these poems" and then thinking, "No I shouldn't. Nobody would buy it."

But fill it with naked ladies...

Now we're talkin'!

I have no idea whether this idea is going to fly, but I've decided to donate any royalties I earn on my colouring book this December to an organization called Sketch. For months, I've been trying to figure out what kind of book I could create as a fundraiser. A colouring book sounds like perfection.

Sketch is an inclusive, anti-oppressive Toronto arts space open to street-involved youth where they can create, express themselves and learn skills. I met an artist this summer who'd been through their programming and she made quite an impression.

You can find out more about Sketch here: http://sketch.ca/

And you can buy my colouring book here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1519624395?tag=dondes-20

Love you!
Giselle

#Authors! I'm giving away premade ebook covers--yes, for FREE

Hi. So... you know me.  I've been here for a while.  Ten years, to be exact.  Well, almost.  I started writing professionally in 2006, which makes 2016 my 10-year anniversary as a writer. My tenniversary.

When I reflect upon the early days, what really stands out is how much other authors helped me. I had no fucking CLUE what I was doing and many more experienced authors took me under wing. I haven't forgotten their kindness. I haven't forgotten THEM, even though many have since disappeared from the internet.

Since I can't necessarily repay their kindness directly, I've decided to pay it forward.

That's why, throughout 2016, I will be giving stuff away to readers and writers alike. I'm starting early because I just can't wait.

Okay, so... if I'm a writer, why am I giving away premade ebook covers?

I know. It's kinda weird. But it's because when I started out, I was always working with small presses or other types of publishers. They provided cover art.  When I dipped my toes into self-publishing, the scariest part was having to secure cover art.  Sure cover art should be left to the professionals, but I couldn't afford to commission graphic designs. To be honest, I still can't afford that.  So I taught myself a design program and I've been learning its ins and outs over the past few years.

Here's the thing:

It's getting harder and harder to sell books, and I don't want any aspiring or even established authors to NOT publish their book because they can't afford cover art.  If you can afford it, yes, absolutely commission your art from a designer. Support other artists, like a friend of mine who runs http://www.coverimpact.com. Her work is incredibly incredible.

But if you're poor like me, or you just don't realistically feel your work will earn back what you might spend on graphic design, I don't want you to feel put off.

I want to help.

Yes, for free. Yes, out of the goodness of my heart. Because so many authors have helped me over the years.

How's it going to work?

As of now, I've made a total of 16 unique covers that could be used for books across various genres (Mystery, New Adult, YA, Erotica, LitFic, Self-Help). When I post them in the coming days, you'll be able to judge whether one of them suits a book you're hoping to publish.

I've decided to do this on a first come, first served basis, so sign up for my newsletter NOW to be the first to know when the covers are available to request: http://eepurl.com/R4b11

All you'll need to do is fill out the webform when I make it available and give me title and author information to plug into the cover you want.  I won't be making multiple copies of each cover because I want authors to end up with a unique image (well, unique as can be considering I'm using stock photos). Also, please, only one request per author. Book titles will be rejected if they contain language that's racist, transphobic, homophobic or otherwise oppressive or derogatory toward any race, religion, gender, ability, sexuality, you get the idea. Just don't.

If you've written a book and you're fretting about what to do for a cover, whether you're a new author or you've been doing it as long as I have (or longer), maybe you'll find a suitable one in this giveaway. I hope you do!

And, just to reiterate, there won't be any fee for this service, upfront or hidden. I'm not expecting anything in return. One thing I learned this year is that expectations of reciprocity often lead to sorrow.  The best part of doing something nice for someone else is the feeling you get when you're doing it.  I know that sounds cheesy, but it's true.

Anyway, if you're not on my mailing list, join NOW:  http://eepurl.com/R4b11 I'll send out a quickie mailing when the covers are available for request.

Are you excited? I'm excited!
Love you,
Giselle

Everybody Knows is a Rainbow Awards Finalist!

"Rainbow Pride Cheesecake" is the official pin-up boy of the Rainbow Awards especially created by Paul Richmond

I've already mentioned that my anthology Everybody Knows received an honourable mention in the 2015 Rainbow awards (more than one, actually). Now I find out it's a finalist!

Congratulations to ME! haha.

And also congratulations to all the other finalist and honourable mentions and nominees. And yay for the LGBT organizations that received donations because of the Rainbow Awards (the entry "fee" for each nomination consists of a charitable donation to one such org). And thanks to all the volunteer judges who did the hard work of reading a bunch of queer books!

Congrats again to Everybody Knows! http://reviews-and-ramblings.dreamwidth.org/4722960.html

Tell Me What You Want (aka Giselle's Dreamy Christmas Book List)

When I was a kid, half the fun of Christmas was flipping through the Sears catalogue and making a list.  I have memories of going through an Eaton's catalogue too, but the internet says the final issue was sent out in 1976 (before I was born). I'm wondering if other Canadians can tell me if I'm misremembering my childhood or if there really was an Eaton's catalogue in the 80s.

Anyhoo, I didn't come here to talk about catalogues. Christmas lists.  Writing down everything you want. That was empowering. That was FUN. And I like making lists (even grocery lists and To Do lists), so I've decided to make a tiny list of books I'm looking forward to reading.

All (the books) I Want for Christmas:

Now it's your turn.

What books are on your wish list?

#FREE #erotica! This December, Lexi's Giving It Away!

Remember Lexi Wood? She's the sock puppet who lives under my bed. Well, she's been a very busy creature in 2015. She's written an ton of taboo smut and she wants to give it to you. I keep telling her you're respectable people. You don't want to read about sexy stepdaddies fucking their equally sexy stepdaughters... but she's begging me to share this news, so here goes:

This December, you can pick up our little Lexi's Taboo Secrets for FREE at Smashwords. I didn't count exactly how many stories she's giving away, but it's got to be at least a dozen.

December's a stressful month. You're busy. You've got things to do. So maybe erotica isn't top of mind. But, on the other hand, maybe it is.

If you're so inclined, stock up on free smut. Here's a taste, but you'll find many more free Lexi books at Smashwords:

I Like Big Books and I Cannot Lie

Promised I'd let you know when Femdom Lesbians was available in print, so this is me doing that. Two novels in one collection translates into a paperback that's almost 400 pages, so if you like big books as much as I do, this is the one for you!

Print books usually populate to Amazon pretty quickly (sometimes within minutes... sometimes hours) so it should be popping up soon.  If you buy paperbacks at other retailers you might have to wait a little longer.


Enjoy my big book! Love you!
Giselle

It's a good day to love #femdom #erotica!

FEMDOM LESBIANS is $0.99 this weekend. That's TWO novels featuring women who dominate!
 
Ripe cheeks. A firm hand. When control edges toward obsession, will Gabrielle and Summer seek rescue or surrender to unfathomable forms of discipline? Enjoy two erotic BDSM novels featuring women who dominate: Nanny State and Seven Kisses by award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

This book has been BANNED BY APPLE (twice!) but you can grab it for only $0.99 this weekend from:

Amazon
Barnes Noble
Excitica
Kobo

I've fallen behind when it comes to uploading my books in print (NaNoWriMo is absorbing way more of my time than I'd anticipated) but I'll try to get the paperback version of Femdom Lesbians out there in the next few days.

(I also promised you I'd post this last night, but I hit "save" instead of "publish" so that's pretty much where my brain is at these days.)

Anyway, love you! Enjoy your weekend!
Giselle

Nominate Your Favourite Erotica Author for a Ravishing Reads Award

Did you know there's an Erotic Authors Guild? Well, there is and they give out awards.

Readers can nominate their favourite author for a Ravishing Reads award. (I know what you're thinking, authors, and the answer is no--sadly, you can't nominate yourself.)

There are a bunch of categories, ranging from Best Use of Toys in an Erotic Scene to Best Cowboy/Cowgirl Erotica. Lexi will be pleased to know there's even an award for Best Taboo Erotica.

Here are the rules stated in the nominations form:

The Erotic Authors Guild is excited to be giving awards for the best erotic works of 2015! These awards are open to any erotic authors and their works even if they are not a Guild member.

Rules and Limitations
* You may nominate an author for more than one category.
* Self-nomination, including via your Personal Assistant or street team, is not allowed and will be grounds for disqualification. Anyone else may nominate, including readers, authors and bloggers.
* Duplicate nominations for an author by the same reader/author/blogger will be disqualified. However, you may nominate different works for the same author in the categories involving specific works. Each nomination for a specific story must be submitted separately.
* The nomination phase will remain open until January 7, 2016. Further details on the final voting will be given after all nominations are received and verified for validity.
* All nominations will be vetted by the awards committee for fairness and validation of nominations.

The link to the nomination form is found on this page (click where it says "Nominate"--I missed it on first read): http://eroticauthorsguild.org/ravishing-reads/

You've got until early January to nominate an author and/or their work, so keep the categories in mind while you're reading dirty sex books.

Love you!
Giselle  

#TDOR Everybody Knows News (and a complimentary copy for you)

I usually put together a personal, heartfelt post for Trans Day of Remembrance, but I've been dealing with a family emergency this week so instead of giving you a post, I'm giving you a book. Yes, an entire book. And a critically-acclaimed one, too.  Keep reading for details.

NEWS 1: My erotic anthology Everybody Knows: 15 Transgender Love Stories was recently awarded an honourable mention in the 2015 Rainbow Awards. You can find out more here: elisa-rolle.livejournal.com/3196206.html

NEWS 2: Everybody Knows was also reviewed at Bending the Bookshelf, here: http://bibrary.blogspot.ca/2015/10/everybody-knows-15-transgender-love.html

NEWS 3: If you prefer your books in print and you're a New York library patron, you can check out a copy of Everybody Knows here: http://browse.nypl.org/iii/encore/record/C__Rb20627296?lang=eng
If you're in San Francisco, your library's got it too: https://sfpl.bibliocommons.com/item/show/2975424093_everybody_knows
Let me know in the comments if Everybody Knows is sitting on your local library's shelves. If it's not, ask them to purchase a copy. Or three.

Now, about this free book...

I've made Everybody Knows available for you to download FREE today and tomorrow at All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-everybodyknows15transgenderlovestories-1753520-166.html You'll find the pdf version, epub and mobi there.

It's a quality collection--and I know any author would say that about their work, but you know me. I can't bullshit you. Anyway, there's a lot of me and my relationship and my life in this book, so enjoy.

And if you've got some spare money to splash around town, try throwing it at http://www.translifeline.org/

This line is primarily for transgender people experiencing a crisis. This includes people who may be struggling with their gender identity and are not sure that they are transgender. While our goal is to prevent self harm, we welcome the call of any transgender person in need.

US: (877) 565-8860    Canada: (877) 330-6366

Christmas Comes Early! FREE and $0.99 Specials

I know, I know--it's only November. But there's something about holiday stories that satisfies readers all year long. That's why HAVE YOURSELF A SEXY LESBIAN CHRISTMAS, my delicious little erotic anthology, is FREE at select retailers until the end of November. Why? Because I love you and I want you to have nice things! Grab your FREE copy from: All Romance Ebooks: https://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-haveyourselfasexylesbianchristmas-1696009-166.html Kobo: http://store.kobobooks.com/en-CA/ebook/have-yourself-a-sexy-lesbian-christmas iTunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/book/id949927136 BN: http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/have-yourself-a-sexy-lesbian-christmas-giselle-renarde/1120874454

Stepbrother Christmas is $0.99 This weekend only, get Adam and Sheree's excellent Christmas adventure for under a buck! When Adam heads home for the holidays, the secret he uncovers will blow your mind! Christmas is supposed to be a time for peace, joy and generosity. But when Adam and Sheree agree to cool things off for a week, they both need other ways to occupy their time. And, like it isn’t hard enough to keep his hands off Sheree, Adam discovers her old diary.  Her confessions are shocking, salacious, and truly taboo.  Adam can’t believe who Sheree seduced. Sure she’s a flirt, but this is just wrong! Still, he can’t put her diary down. Can Adam and Sheree hold out until after Christmas? Or will spilled secrets bring an end to their forbidden love? Stepbrother Christmas won't be $0.99 for long, so make sure to buy your copy today! Amazon:  http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017KVZY3O?tag=dondes-20 Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017KVZY3O Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017KVZY3O Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B017KVZY3O

Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples

Happy Book Birthday to Rachel Kramer Bussel, whose erotic anthology Dirty Dates comes out today!

What happens when date night involves a blindfold, a corset, handcuffs, or a spanking? The couples in Dirty Dates combine kink and romance in this collection of erotic stories that provides plenty of ideas for your next sexy outing. Your 50th date can be even hotter than the first ones if you play by the rule of Rachel Kramer Bussel, which means NO rules at all except for an emphasis on pure pleasure. Rachel Kramer Bussel has quickly become America's favorite erotic writer with dozens of best-selling books, awards, and deeply satisfied readers to her credit. Dirty Dates is a delectable collection of stories redolent with romance featuring two people in lust. From first dates to long-term lovers to hook-ups and missed connections, the common theme is coming together in every sense of the word!

Preorder Stepbrother Christmas for only #99cents! #MySexySaturday

Hello, my friends. If you read Stepbrother Summer, then read Stepbrother and Company, you're probably itching to read Stepbrother Christmas. It's the final book in the Adam and Sheree trilogy.

The wait's almost over! Stepbrother Christmas comes out next Friday (the 13th!) and you can preorder NOW for only $0.99!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017KVZY3O?tag=dondes-20
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017KVZY3O
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017KVZY3O
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B017KVZY3O

When Adam heads home for the holidays, the secret he uncovers will blow your mind!

Christmas is supposed to be a time for peace, joy and generosity. But when Adam and Sheree agree to cool things off for a week, they both need other ways to occupy their time. And, like it isn’t hard enough to keep his hands off Sheree, Adam discovers her old diary. Her confessions are shocking, salacious, and truly taboo. Adam can’t believe who Sheree seduced. Sure she’s a flirt, but this is just wrong! Still, he can’t put her diary down.

Can Adam and Sheree hold out until after Christmas? Or will spilled secrets bring an end to their forbidden love?

In honour of My Sexy Saturday, I'm sharing a 7-paragraph excerpt from Stepbrother Christmas. Adam has just found Sheree's diary from when she was 19 and he feels super-guilty about reading it... but that doesn't stop him:

Dear Diary…

Is it just me, or did Uncle Brian somehow become super-hot?

Adam’s stomach did a back flip. She must be joking, right?

He came to stay with us because he and Auntie Nasreen are going through a rough patch or whatever. Adam’s at camp for two weeks, so Uncle Brian’s staying in the room next to mine and… I don’t know. It’s weird. It’s like I feel this pull toward him. Hard to describe, but it’s like he’s got a magnet down his pants and I’m all iron.

Eww! Sheree had a crush on their uncle? Not that Uncle Brian was a real uncle. He was just a close family friend. But still. Gross.

At dinner tonight, we had this great conversation about music. Isn’t it weird that we listen to all the same bands? I mean, he’s like thirty years older than me. Or… twenty-something? I don’t know, but most middle-aged guys who like young things just seem pathetic. Uncle Brian is cool. I never thought so before. I mean, I don’t think I ever really noticed him.

Oh my god, I’m a freak. Wow, Diary. You should lock me up right now, because I get the feeling I’m about to do something really stupid.

Stepbrother Christmas won't be $0.99 for long, so be sure to preorder today!
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017KVZY3O?tag=dondes-20
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B017KVZY3O
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B017KVZY3O
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B017KVZY3O

Happy Tenniversary to YOU! Preorder Femdom Lesbians for #99cents

I started writing erotica (for fun and profit!) in the year 2006. That means we're coming up on my 10-year anniversary as a writer!

To celebrate my tenniversary, I'll be releasing some of my novels in themed pairs. And because I'm a very impatient person and can't wait until 2016 to get started on this, my first tenniversary book comes out November 27th!

Femdom Lesbians includes my books Nanny State and Seven Kisses. Nanny State is absolutely filthy lesbian fetish erotica, including everything age play--from spankings to diapers. Seven Kisses is a magical realism urban fantasy dark romance (arguably not a lesbian romance, but certainly lesbian erotica and, anyway, it's my party) about a cruel therapist who's so much in denial about her attraction to women that she subjects her poor patient Gabrielle to forcible confinement, fucking machines, and so much more.

I had a game plan about this whole preorder dealy, but Apple fucked me over a bit by banning the book (which deserves a hard eye roll because Nanny State and Seven Kisses are both available from iBooks on their own. I guess you put them together and it's just too much hardcore lesbian BDSM...)

Also, I can't find Femdom Lesbians at Kobo, so either they've banned it (probable) or it'll show up for sale 400 years after the release date (also probable).

Anyhoo, the good news is YOU CAN PREORDER FEMDOM LESBIANS FOR $0.99 AT THE FOLLOWING RETAILERS:

Amazon
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017E1FX0Y?tag=dondes-20
Barnes and Noble
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/femdom-lesbians-giselle-renarde/1122874511

Wow, quite a list.

Ripe cheeks. A firm hand. When control edges toward obsession, will Gabrielle and Summer seek rescue or surrender to unfathomable forms of discipline?

In Nanny State, Summer expects her new landlady to treat her like an adult. Fat chance! Victoria exerts control over every aspect of Summer’s life. Landlady soon becomes Nanny, coaxing Summer into the big bed for suckling, discipline and, yes, even diapers. But when Summer wants to include a girl her own age in their play, will Nanny punish wayward Summer or accept another charge into their uncommon household?

In Seven Kisses, Gabrielle’s life changes drastically the day she stumbles upon a creepy Victorian hospital. When she finds out Loindici Manor is actually a rehab clinic, she figures the place must be packed with celebrities. Wouldn’t it be cool to spend a week spying on rock stars? Gabrielle has no clue what she’s getting herself into when she submits to the care of sadistic Madame de Villeneuve. Horrors quickly compound as her cruel psychoanalyst subjects her to reprehensible treatments, including therapy by beast. Little does Madame know that the young beauty’s beast might just be her ticket out of sinister Loindici Manor.

Two erotic novels by award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

By the way, that $0.99 price point won't last, so you're going to want to preorder now!

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B017E1FX0Y?tag=dondes-20
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/femdom-lesbians-giselle-renarde/1122874511

Tell your friends!

Vampire Cutter #MySexySaturday #99cents #TrickorTreat

This week's My Sexy Saturday topic is Our Sexy Halloween. In celebration, I've released a new ebook at the introductory price of only $0.99!

Vampire Cutter is actually NOT a story about someone who slashes vampires. That would be kind of awesome, though.

See, a few years ago I wrote this great MMF menage erotic romance short called Blood Addict. I loved that name so much I called the anthology in which I published it... you guessed it... BLOOD ADDICT.

The anthology sadly under-performed (especially for a book full of red-hot paranormal stories), so most readers have never been exposed to this tale. I couldn't publish the story as Blood Addict after publishing an anthology as Blood Addict, so, to prevent confusion, I've renamed it Vampire Cutter for the ebook version.

That's not confusing at all, is it? Only took three paragraphs to explain. heh

Anyhoo, since it's My Sexy Saturday, I share with you the first 7 paragraphs from Vampire Cutter:

It was just like quitting smoking.

That’s what people didn’t seem to realize. If you wanted to give up blood and you had a hell of a lot of willpower, you could do it. It wasn’t easy. Hell, it was probably the hardest thing Byron had ever done, but it was possible.

Vampire stories were so romanticized. All the undead stuff, the melodrama of addiction, the eroticism, the homoeroticism? That wasn’t life, for Byron, even if he was gay. Well, bi, actually.

His boyfriend Tyler was always on him about bisexual invisibility and how they shouldn’t let people think they were gay just because they were two guys who loved each other. Byron didn’t care so much what people thought, but for Tyler’s sake he corrected their mistakes.

Sometimes.

Well, okay, maybe part of the reason he let people assume he was gay was that it helped in his profession. If you’re styling a woman’s hair and she’s sitting there thinking you’re gay, she’ll open up to you like crazy. It makes the job easier. Tell her you’re bi and suddenly she’s wondering why you mentioned it at all. Are you hitting on her? What’s your deal? So, often, Byron let sleeping dogs lie. No skin off his ass.

And then along came Amy and everything changed.

I've got a few buy links for you--only a few because I left this to the last minute to upload. Oh, and the American Amazon page is messed up as I'm posting this. On my end it says Vampire Cutter is available for sale, but the site says it's not. So you'll have to give the link a click and hope for the best!

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/589345?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/dp/B017E2DIA0?tag=dondes-20
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/ebook/vampire-cutter

Oh, and if you're reading this post on Halloween, you can still get A Taboo Trick or Two FREE right here: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XFMTJK

Trick or Treat! Get Your Halloween Erotica Here!

Last week, a certain sock puppet by the name of Lexi Wood came to me asking for favours--as usual. She'd written a taboo tale called Trick or BRAT, and she wanted me to write a companion piece.

As you know, The Other Side of Ruth came out last week. Yeah... the novel I worked on for five years was finally hitting the market and Lexi wanted me to spend my precious hours writing a story to complement hers?

But I did it, of course. I can't say no to that sock!

Lexi's story is about Chloe's Halloween night. My story is about Chloe's best friend, Anisha. Chloe bails and Anisha ends up going to this college costume party alone. She's having a pretty lousy time to begin with, but nothing can prepare her for the moment when her FATHER bursts through the door... with his hot young girlfriend!

Her father's been dating Maryam since summer, but lying to her, telling her he was divorced. NOT TRUE. Anisha's devastated, but she can't help feeling sorry for Maryam. Helps that her father's girlfriend is gorgeous in her frosted pink lipstick and a dress that looks like a more pastel version of one of these:

Anisha's dressed like a sexy bee, by the way. In case that helps set the stage.

Anyway, once I'd written this lesbian companion to Lexi's Halloween tale, it needed a name.

I couldn't come up with one. (Don't you just hate it when that happens?)

So I stole a line from a song I find very evocative: More Like You, by a Toronto band called Brave Shores:



Shaking Up This Costume Party is at Amazon.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XFMP0I
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016XFMP0I
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B016XFMP0I
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B016XFMP0I

So is Lexi's story, Trick or BRAT.

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XGN2Z4
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016XGN2Z4
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B016XGN2Z4
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B016XGN2Z4

Because both stories are available, bundled into one cute collection called A Taboo Trick or Two!

Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B016XFMTJK
Amazon UK: http://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B016XFMTJK
Amazon Canada: http://www.amazon.ca/gp/product/B016XFMTJK
Amazon Australia: http://www.amazon.com.au/gp/product/B016XFMTJK

Happy Halloween from your friendly neighbourhood smutketeer!

This is the day we've all been waiting for!

Okay, it's the day I'VE been waiting for. (No, not Back to the Future Day...)

Ever since I got that email from CreateSpace saying they're FINALLY going to start distributing directly to the Amazon.ca site, I've been antsy about seeing my new lesbian novel, The Other Side of Ruth, pop up there.

Well, today's the day! http://www.amazon.ca/The-Other-Side-Ruth-Lesbian/dp/151776159X

Okay, maybe not THE day, because although Ruth is listed at the Canadian Amazon site, it's listed with this caveat:

Temporarily out of stock.
Order now and we'll deliver when available. We'll e-mail you with an estimated delivery date as soon as we have more information. Your account will only be charged when we ship the item.
Ships from and sold by Amazon.ca.
Gift-wrap available.

I'm guessing it'll be listed as "in stock" soon, so if you're Canadian and waiting anxiously to purchase your copy from Amazon, be sure to fill in your email address on the page and Amazon will email you when it's officially available.

Here's that link again: http://www.amazon.ca/The-Other-Side-Ruth-Lesbian/dp/151776159X

If you buy your books elsewhere, like at an independent bookstore, or if you get books at the library, ask them to order a copy. They should be able to, although I think it can take a number of weeks for titles to populate from CreateSpace to certain vendors. But can't hurt to ask, and you'll be doing me a huge favour by spreading the word about Ruth.

Love you!


via GIPHY

Guest Post: On Doing, and Writing, Blood Sports

A Guest Post by Xan West
Part of the "Show Yourself To Me" Blog Tour


The first play party I went to was at Castlebar, a dungeon space in San Francisco that has been closed for over a decade. It was originally a warehouse, had high ceilings and a big central room where most of the play happened. There were also smaller rooms you could rent for private play, and social areas with comfortable chairs and couches. I was a novice, and I’m sure my eyes were wide and my gaze hungry and fascinated and frightened all at once, as I took everything in.

I had braved my way into a dyke leather social. I went alone, heart in my throat, hands that couldn’t stop fidgeting, fascinated by things that barely made sense to me. Why was there a bowl of clothespins on each table that seemed to delight people so much? They were colorful, different sizes, but what did they mean?

I managed to connect with a few folks at the social, despite being completely distracted by the fact that all these queer women were actually kinky. Our small group, that included a couple other novices and one experienced player, decided to go out to dinner and then go to the women’s play party that very evening. I was barely able to pay attention to anything during dinner, barely able to eat. Excited, scared, trembling a bit with nerves, I walked in the door.

Castlebar had this disclaimer form that you signed before they let you in, acknowledging that you understood what you were getting yourself into, along with a set of rules to read. They also had a list of what you might see in huge letters right at the door. I had read a lot about BDSM, of course. But I didn’t know enough terminology to understand some of what was on that list. The words I did know made me feel even more nervous. But also…free. Like the point was to accept that I might see anything, or everything, that I had fantasized about, and a hell of a lot more possibilities I hadn’t even dreamed of.

I wandered around the party, losing my group almost immediately. I must have spent a good three hours in the big dungeon space, watching. Just watching. It was enormously liberating, the idea that it was totally ok to watch. I’d been to fag public sex spaces before, and there was often this air of secretiveness, of avoiding the gaze, hiding in the shadows of the back room at the bar. This was very well lit, and the edges of the room had chairs where you could just sit, and look, welcomed that. It was a revelation, this ability to just look, and listen, as people did kink. To let myself sink into fantasy as I did so. It changed me.

After I’d had my (temporary) fill of watching for the night, I was a bit giddy. I went into one of the social rooms and sat on a comfortable chair, began to chat with some dykes close by. One of them was this butch who was preparing to top someone in one of the private rooms, and was revving herself up for that. She pulled out some needles and explained, in a casual cheerful tone, that piercing was one of the ways she got herself ready to top, that it put her in the right headspace. She stripped off her vest, and began piercing her own chest. I couldn’t take my eyes off her, so close, no voyeuristic distance between us.

Her gaze lifted and she looked right at me, and said, in this husky voice all changed from the firm cheerful one of a moment ago, “This works better if someone does it for me.”

I explained that I didn’t know how. She said she’d teach me.

Oh, she did, giving a quick and dirty explanation about safety precautions, then holding my gaze as she explained that she thought of it as fucking. That you were fucking someone’s skin this way, and that’s what made it so hot. That made a lot of sense to me, especially once I had a needle in my hand, and it was inside her skin, blood running down her chest. Oh yes, this was a glorious way to fuck someone.
She gave me a few needles to take with me. I kept them for years.

That was my first lesson. The next time I learned blood sports was in a class I had organized a few years later, because no one else was asking people to teach the damn subject. A leather dyke stood in front of the room and had us practice on mangos with scalpels. She talked about the need to be especially careful and responsible when doing blood sports in public because they were so taboo (a huge contrast to my first lesson in blood sports). What I remember most about that class was learning that I didn’t have to draw the blood for blood sports to get me high as a kite. Just watching her cut into her submissive, and I experienced this intense beautiful rush that had me loopy for hours.

I don’t just get that experience from doing blood sports, or watching. I get it from writing blood sports, too, especially when characters drink blood. If I write a blood sports scene well enough, I can see it so clearly in my mind, feel the deep sadism and burst of desire and satisfaction all wrapped together. I’m a sadist who loves making tears fall and loves drawing blood. When the writing is good, it can get me off just to write about licking either fluid from a bottom’s skin, or watching the glory of them slowly dripping.

I write blood sports into my stories more than most folks, and it’s not just because I love them and get off writing them. It’s also because blood means so much, is such a nuanced and varied path for play, for intimacy, and for communicating culture. Blood play is a lovely element that can add so much to a story.

Most of the vampire erotica I’ve read seems to think of feeding on blood as a metaphor for sex, an aphrodisiac, an expression of power, or a path to intimacy. And certainly blood sports can feel like all of those things, but they are also a pleasure unto themselves, complete and beautiful and scorchingly hot. My vampire story, “Willing”, is written from the perspective of a sadist and a blood sports enthusiast, and I think it brings something different because of that. Here is a taste for you, a short ride inside this vampire’s desire for blood. As a heads up, this excerpt includes descriptions of pain play, D/s and blood sports.

“Please use me, Sir,” is all he says.

Mine. Possessiveness washes over me. I double the belt and start slamming him with it, the welts rising rapidly. Vision begins to blur. This is all about sound and movement. My body senses where to strike. My blows hammer him into the table. I can feel a growl building in my throat as his scent shifts. My cock swells as I hurl the belt into his back in rapid crashing surges.

“Mine,” I growl. “Mine to hurt. Mine to use. Mine to feed on. Mine.”

The possessiveness rises in me, a tsunami cresting and breaking over him as I blast the belt into his back, rending his skin. Welts form on top of welts and break the surface. He is moaning as I howl, the beast fully in my skin and oh so hungry. I lay the belt across the back of his neck and crouch on the table above him, eyes focused on the gashes opening his back to me. I drop on top of him, rubbing my chest into the blood on his back.

I breathe the scent of him in and growl happily, “Mine.”

I free my cock, swollen to bursting, and shed my pants. I will savor the first real taste. Right now, it’s enough to smell it and feel it against my skin, and I know there is more for the taking. I rub it onto my cock, stroking it in as I close my eyes. I want inside, now. Want to rend him open. Thrust myself into him, bloody and hard. I want to tear his back open with claws and teeth, and feast.

I describe this to him, and he moans his consent. “Please, Sir,” he says softly. “Please.”

He is all want and need and crave, and where his hunger meets mine, we will crest.

Having a taste of blood sports as a novice helped me know something very important about myself as a top, was one of the first times I touched my sadism. I came to kink as an edge player, and this experience was a vital moment of recognition that I was an edge player from both sides of the kneel. I treasure that, and want to offer opportunities for similar moments of recognition in my erotica.

About Show Yourself To Me

For ebook or print copies at Go Deeper Press: http://godeeperpress.com/projects/show-yourself-to-me-by-xan-west/

For ebook on Amazon: http://www.amazon.com/Show-Yourself-Me-Queer-Erotica-ebook/dp/B015RVWLGM/ref=dondes-20

Barnes and Noble:
http://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/show-yourself-to-me-xan-west/1122731925?ean=2940152666939

Book Description:

In Show Yourself to Me: Queer Kink Erotica, Xan West introduces us to pretty boys and nervous boys, vulnerable tops and dominant sadists, good girls and fierce girls and scared little girls, mean Daddies and loving Daddies and Daddies that are terrifying in delicious ways.

Submissive queers go to alleys to suck cock, get bent over the bathroom sink by a handsome stranger, choose to face their fears, have their Daddy orchestrate a gang bang in the park, and get their dream gender-play scene—tied to a sling in an accessible dungeon.

Dominants find hope and take risks, fall hard and push edges, get fucked and devour the fear and tears that their sadist hearts desire.

Within these 24 stories, you will meet queers who build community together, who are careful about how they play with power, who care deeply about consent. You will meet trans and genderqueer folks who are hot for each other, who mentor each other, who do the kind of gender play that is only possible with other trans and genderqueer folks.

This is Show Yourself to Me. Get ready for a very wild ride.

My website:

xanwest.wordpress.com.

The stops on the blog tour:

• October 1: Xan West https://xanwest.wordpress.com/
• October 2: Book Birthday! Go Deeper Press http://godeeperpress.com/
• October 3: Heather Elizabeth https://kinkopedia.wordpress.com/
• October 4: Sinclair Sexsmith http://www.sugarbutch.net/
• October 5: Hermia Swann http://www.cuntext.com/
• October 6: Dilo Keith https://dilokeith.wordpress.com/ and Cecilia Tan http://blog.ceciliatan.com/
• October 7: Kinky Brits http://thekinkybrits.com/
• October 8: Stella Harris http://stellaharris.net/
• October 9: F. Leonora Solomon https://fdotleonora.wordpress.com/
• October 10: Tasha Harrison http://tashalharrison.com/
• October 11: Benji Bright http://www.theeroticledger.com/
• October 12: Tamsin Flowers http://tamsinflowers.com/ and Karida http://submissionandthecity.com/
• October 13: Cassandra Perry http://cassandrajperry.com/
• October 14: Peep Scoop http://www.peepscoop.com/ and Radical Access Mapping Project https://radicalaccessiblecommunities.wordpress.com/
• October 15: Sugar Cunt http://www.sugarcuntwrites.com/
• October 16: Emily Byrne http://writeremilylbyrne.blogspot.com/
• October 17: Oleander Plume http://poisonpendirtymind.com/
• October 18: K. A. Smith https://authorka.wordpress.com/
• October 19: Giselle Renarde http://donutsdesires.blogspot.com/
• October 20: Butchtastic Kyle http://www.butchtastic.net/
• October 21: Lisabet Sarai http://lisabetsarai.blogspot.com/
• October 22: Syrens https://syrens.wordpress.com/
• October 23: Anna Sky http://www.iamannasky.com/
• October 24: Jade A. Waters http://jadeawaters.com/
• October 25: Ashley Young https://indigostheory.wordpress.com/
• October 26: Rebekah Weatherspoon http://www.rebekahweatherspoon.com/
• October 27: Malin James http://malinjames.com/
• October 28: BD Swain http://www.bdswain.com/ and Jillian Boyd http://jillianboydauthor.wordpress.com/
• October 29: Kaleigh Trace http://thefuckingfacts.com/
• October 30: Kiki DeLovely https://kikidelovely.wordpress.com/
• October 31: Xan West https://xanwest.wordpress.com/ and Annabeth Leong http://annabetherotica.com/