Wednesday, November 17, 2021

Noelle's Diary: A Very Messy Christmas Romance #LesbianDiaries

I've written a Christmas instalment of my Lesbian Diaries series for you to enjoy this holiday season!

Noelle's Diary

A Very Messy Christmas Romance
By Giselle Renarde
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 10
Ebook ISBN: 9781005006013
Hardcover ISBN: 9798767511884

Christmastime is here, but Noelle has got no cheer. Her parents are spending the holiday season on a cruise while she's stuck at home with her brother and his girlfriend, Candy, also known as the most annoying person on the planet. Tied for the title is Noelle's needy ex, who will not stop texting.

The only person Noelle wants to spend time with is her fiery crush, Juniper. Problem is, Juniper's gone home for the holidays. All Noelle wants for Christmas is love. Can she possibly lure Juniper away from a quaint little town with the lure of Big City lights? Or will Noelle's irritating sister-in-law team up with her meddling ex to ruin her chance at making Christmas merry?

Read Noelle's Diary, a lesbian holiday romance from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Buy Now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09LMQGNBT?tag=dondes-20
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1115365?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=wolOEAAAQBAJ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1595712185
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940165087226
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/noelle-s-diary-a-very-messy-christmas-romance

For more sites, check out the Universal Book Link at https://books2read.com/u/bWGXZW or check to see if your favourite retailer or library system has a copy of NOELLE'S DIARY.

Tuesday, October 26, 2021

Call for Submissions: Best Lesbian Erotica Volume 7

Shared with permission from the editor, here you'll find the call for submissions for the anthology Best Lesbian Erotica Volume 7:

Editor: Sinclair Sexsmith
Publisher: Cleis Press
Deadline: October 31, 2021
Payment: $50 and 1 copy of the book within 90 days of publication
Rights: non-exclusive right to publish the story in this anthology in print, ebook, and audiobook form. Authors will retain copyright to their stories.

Stories should be between 2000-4000 words.

Please submit your work through this Google form: https://forms.gle/rKpFPU1tE4URMdMUA

DETAILS:

Sinclair Sexsmith is editing the next volume of Best Lesbian Erotica, and is looking for your best sexy stories about queer women.

“Queer women” is intended to be in the broadest sense of the word, including, but not limited to: trans women, women of all kinds of gender expressions, cis women, and nonbinary folks who are rooted in lesbian and queer culture are all welcome. Neopronouns can be used.

Representations of queer women, non-binary people, and trans women’s sexuality that are not as frequently seen — with ability, race, ethnicity, class, neurodiversity, ace-spectrum, size/fat, age, religion, or other social justice politic viewpoint — are particularly of interest.

Writers who have not previously published are encouraged.
Writers of color are encouraged.
Trans women writers are encouraged.

The anthology is not limited to certain kinds of sex acts. “Vanilla,” BDSM, fetish, ace, and all kinds of sensual and sexual expression are welcome. I look for a wide variety of sexual identities: mommy, mistress, sir, puppy, girl, servant, etc.

I will consider reprints of stories published in 2021, but prefer unpublished stories. No simultaneous submissions. Up to two submissions per author. No poetry or speculative fiction. Stories should be between 2000-4000 words.

Submissions in English required; American English not required, but we will edit it to be in American English for final publication. If there are cultural specifics, we’ll work on how to translate them into American English during the editing process.

Characters must be a minimum of 18. All stories have to be within legal guidelines [consult Sinclair's site https://sugarbutch.net/2021/08/cfs-ble7/ for details.] 

Queries are welcome; contact sinclair@sugarbutch.net.

FORMATTING:

Submit your story in a Word document or .doc file (you can export to .doc from Pages, Google Docs, and other word processing programs).

Name your file “Full Name – Story Title – BLE7.doc”, where “full name” is the name you wish to be published under.

Please use standard book publishing formatting:
— single space after the end of a sentence
– legible, standard font (times, arial) in a typical size (12ish)
– no underlines or bold, use italics for emphasis
– indents at the beginning of paragraphs and double space after paragraphs

Please submit your work through this Google form: https://forms.gle/rKpFPU1tE4URMdMUA

If it does not work to submit your story via this form, please contact Sinclair directly at sinclair@sugarbutch.net with the subject line “Best Lesbian Erotica submission” and include your story as an attachment in .doc, .docx or .rtf format (not a PDF). Include the story title, your legal name, pseudonym (if applicable), 150-word bio, previous publication information for the story, and mailing address. Submissions that do not have all of this information included will be considered incomplete and will not be considered.

Friday, October 22, 2021

Mindfulness Music for a New Age


I'm presenting you with another album I recorded. This one was released last year, but I chose to put it out under a made-up keyword-y name in hopes that people would stumble upon it. That didn't happen. At all! So I updated the metadata and Mindfulness Music for a New Age is now a Giselle Renarde production.

Be on the look-out (listen-out?) for my featured guest: the air conditioner I spent way too much money on that doesn't even work very well.  It was so loud that I chose to make a recording of it, distort that recording, and then loop it on a couple tracks.  It doesn't sound much like an air conditioner on this album--more like Hypnotoad from Futurama.

Listen Now: https://open.spotify.com/album/4uNztoB8tdezxOc6EY4XVZ

Wednesday, October 6, 2021

Heaven's Diary: A Succubus Story from The Lesbian Diaries Series


Heaven’s Diary
A Succubus Story
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 9
Word Count: 48,000



What will Heaven do when her dream house turns into a nightmare?

As a young trans woman working in a soup kitchen, Heaven never imagined she'd be able to buy her own home. With the help of her girlfriend and best friend, she's finally able to achieve this goal. But from the moment Heaven, Terra and Elle move in, strange things happen in the house.

Why is Heaven the only one seeing ghosts and sensing a sexual presence in her bed? Terra and Elle tell her she's hallucinating, but is that really true? Is Heaven imagining the haunting or is a succubus stealing her soul?

Read the chilling tale in Heaven's Diary, lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Buy Now from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09H8R58L8?tag=dondes-20
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=5d5FEAAAQBAJ
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1107098?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/heavens-diary-a-succubus-story/id1588667050
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/heavens-diary-giselle-renarde/1140275910
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/heaven-s-diary-a-succubus-story

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/3GwJJK

Wednesday, September 22, 2021

Maggie's Diary: Now Available from More Retailers! Plus there's an audiobook!

Maggie’s Diary
A First Time for Everything

by Giselle Renarde
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 7
Word Count: 38,000
Ebook ISBN: 9781005962371
PRINT ISBN: 9798201430658

Maggie has just started her first year at university, but living at home is cramping her style. When she meets another student commuter, it's clear that Patience is looking for more than just a study buddy. Maggie isn't attracted to her fellow student, but when Patience brings her home to a nudist household, she can't control her desires. How many good-looking girls can Maggie get with before Patience finds out? And what will she do when her world of lust comes crashing down around her?

You can find the ebook at many different ebook retailers, including Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=zfo_EAAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/maggie-s-diary-a-first-time-for-everything

Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/maggies-diary-a-first-time-for-everything/id1586660787
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/maggies-diary-giselle-renarde/1139384892

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1101812?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XW13QJ9?tag=dondes-20

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/4Dx8ok

If audiobooks are more your style, be on the lookout for Maggie's Diary. I narrated it myself, as usual!

Wednesday, September 1, 2021

But Fear Itself: Snake Shifter Short Romance by Giselle Renarde

You might remember this short romance from an Evernight anthology called Alpha's Claim. That book is no longer available, and I've got the rights back on my story from it, so I'm bringing you this sssssexy tale about a shapeshifting sssssnake! 

But Fear Itself
Snake Shifter Short Romance
by Giselle Renarde
Word Count: 7,000
ISBN: 9781005234263

When Racine finds out her lover of the past four years is married with kids, her world crumbles. She'll never find another love. Life is closing in on her. The years are catching up. But, when Racine burns every belonging her ex left at her house, the fire attracts a creature that scares her stiff. Racine's never been a fan of snakes, but when Boh transforms before her eyes, she's willing to make an exception. Can she ever hope to trust another man? And, even if she does, how can she possibly share her life with a snake? 

Buy BUT FEAR ITSELF Now from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1101393?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=yKU_EAAAQBAJ

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09DVR2TBV?tag=dondes-20 

Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/but-fear-itself-giselle-renarde/1140114827
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/but-fear-itself

Or read it at Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/book/522400868/But-Fear-Itself

READ AN EXCERPT 

“Going back to him is not an option,” said that deep, masculine voice in the darkness.

Racine felt a tickle across her bare foot. When she looked down, a garter snake glided effortlessly across her toes. She screamed, dropping the hose, and accidentally kicked the snake into the air. In the darkness, its black skin shimmered orange with firelight.

She stumbled backwards, tripping over the hose and falling flat. Her wet clothes adhered to her skin like they’d been glued on, but she couldn’t steal her gaze away from the snake caught mid-air.  

Was it stuck in a spiderweb, or something? How was it doing that, floating there?

And then, as the lawn held her down, something unbelievable happened: the snake… changed. At first, she couldn’t tell what was going on. It grew bigger, wider, thicker, and as it did so, its form altered considerably. The snake became more than just a snake. It sprouted arms, sprouted legs. The tail remained a tail, of sorts, except it moved to the front and… oh! Racine felt awfully naughty when she realized she was staring unapologetically at a cock.

Her gaze darted up the man’s form, stumbling over rippling abs and a hard chest. His skin was as dark as could be—much darker than hers—but it lost the characteristic glimmer of a snake’s. Standing before her was a man, no question. A naked man—no question about that, either.

“What… who…” Racine skittered away from the stranger, her hands and feet slipping against the wet grass. “Is this for real?”

Tuesday, August 24, 2021

Home Fires: 10 Kinky Sex Stories

 Hi, fam! 

I uploaded this book last week and then I got food poisoning and was out of commission for days.

So I apologize for the delay in telling you about it!

This book has been in the works for years, since I got my rights back on a bunch of short stories I'd written for erotic anthologies about a decade ago. I used to do a lot of short story writing. I was so prolific early in my career. 

When I looked over the list of stories I had to work with, I got the idea of dividing them into stories that took place at home (ie. in the character's own house) and stories that took place elsewhere.

What I like about this theme of at-home sex is the idea that my characters could feel really... well... at home. That way, they're comfortable enough to delve into new desires and kinks.

And there's a lot of kink in this book! Off the top of my head, I can recall threesomes and moresomes, voyeurism, butt stuff, various forms of BDSM. Have you ever been whipped with a damp towel? It hurts! And I don't want you thinking this is all straight stuff. There are lots of lesbian couples in this book, too. 

Have fun with this one. I hope you thoroughly enjoy it. 


Home Fires
10 Kinky Sex Stories

Giselle Renarde

Happy husbands, loving wives, kinky couples, trios and more! The amorous folks in this erotic anthology know they can get the good stuff under their own roof. Only at home do they feel safe enough to truly let their freak flags fly. Why go out? Stay in tonight and keep the home fires burning bright!

Buy HOME FIRES from Apple: https://books.apple.com/ca/book/home-fires-10-kinky-sex-stories/id1581882144
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/home-fires-giselle-renarde/1140035101
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/home-fires-10-kinky-sex-stories

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1099715?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=bBM-EAAAQBAJ

Get the Hardcover version from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09CRSNR8C?tag=dondes-20
Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/mdDDkZ

Wednesday, August 11, 2021

Play It On My Radio: A Diary In Music

I'm ridiculously excited about this new book. It's full of posts from my music blog, A Friendly Musical Visitor Every Day. You can still read the posts in this book for free on that site, but you can also own your own curated copy in a form that can sit on your bookshelf--whether your bookshelf is digital or physical.

Writing daily posts for my music blog has been a life-saving endeavour. I hope you'll enjoy visiting or revisiting my words in this fabulous new book!

Play It On My Radio
A Diary In Music
By Giselle Renarde

Join award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde for a year's worth of music and memories. As we listen to songs from a variety of genres, Giselle shares anecdotes about growing up in the 80s, being a teen of the 90s, and listening to the radio on those long and lonely nights in her first apartment. Accompany Giselle on a musical journey as she revisits the days of her youth through song.

From the introduction to Play It On My Radio:

My name is Giselle and I'm your new best friend. Well, maybe not "best friend." A best friend usually listens in addition to talking, but that's not me. What I will do is be here every day to share whichever song pops into my head.

Why? What's the point?

Well, here's the thing: I'm a writer. It's a pretty lonely job. Over the years, I've become increasingly socially isolated and you know what? It sucks. It sucks bad.

The truth of the matter is that a lot of us are socially isolated, these days. And not just older people—younger ones, too. There are "friendly visitor" programs for seniors, but those of us under 65 are kind of lost at sea. I speak from experience.

If you need a no-pressure visit every day, let me be your friendly visitor. I'll bring a song—whichever song pops into my head, gets stuck in my head, or seems relevant to something that day.

As a person with chronic depression, music has helped me more than anything. It's magic, I swear. I hope my little musical visits will give you something to look forward to every day, because they'll certainly do that for me.


Get the hardcover version from Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B09C356XW7?tag=dondes-20

Buy your digital copy now from Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/id1580636705
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/play-it-on-my-radio-a-diary-in-music
Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1098514?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

Or read it free with your Scribd subscription: https://www.scribd.com/book/519662407/Play-It-On-My-Radio-A-Diary-In-Music

Be sure to look for PLAY IT ON MY RADIO wherever you buy or read books, including your local library!

Wednesday, August 4, 2021

Come Play (Solitaire) With Me

 I've been playing Solitaire on Youtube, and I invite you to join me! I'm very chatty when I'm alone in my apartment, so it's a pleasure to talk to you. 

Thanks for joining me! 

More videos to come, so be sure to subscribe to my channel.



Sunday, August 1, 2021

POPPY'S DIARY from The Lesbian Diaries series is now available in more stores!


You can now purchase Poppy's Diary from more online retailers! 

Check your favourite online bookstore to see if Poppy's Diary is in stock!

Poppy's a small-town girl and that's the way she likes it. She loves working at the only hotel in Friendly Corners, taking walks by the river, and coming home to her comfortable apartment. Life is great. She just wants to share more of it with her long-distance girlfriend, Kristen.

When Poppy proposes, Kristen is hesitant to leave her lucrative job in the city. She likes their relationship the way it is. But it's not enough for Poppy.

Can she sell her girlfriend on the small-town experience, or is life about to send Poppy more surprises than she can handle?

There's drama around every corner in Poppy's Diary, lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.


Now available from the following stores, with more being added every day!

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1096659?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093X2W92Y?tag=dondes-20
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=FbQ6EAAAQBAJ

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/poppy-s-diary-1
Nook: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/poppys-diary-giselle-renarde/1139926010

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/b5oQr6

Thursday, July 1, 2021

Smashwords July 2021 Sale Daily Showcase


Smashwords is having a huge sale this July! 

I'm here to guide you toward great deals on Giselle Renarde Erotica! I will try very hard to be here every day to update this list with a new deal.

These aren't one-day-only deals, by the way. I'm featuring a different deal every day, but they will all be available throughout the month of July.

There are plenty more sale items from me and other authors at Smashwords, so make sure to check it out and stock up this month!

July 31:


Food of Love: Gourmet Erotica is on sale, and I donate all my royalties from this anthology to Indigenous food soverignty organizations and food banks in Canada's North. https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/686736?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 30: How to Fail Miserably at Dirty Words is only $0.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/750768?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 29: Erotic Fiction: Selected Novels by Giselle Renarde is 25% off! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/766743?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 28: As Seen Through Windows is FREE!  https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/927463?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 27: Classic Giselle: Queer and Quirky Erotica is on sale! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/786590?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 26: Ghost of a Chance: A Sensual Paranormal Second Chance Romance Short is 50% off! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/807740?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 25: Butt Stuff: Anal Erotica is 25% off! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/719658?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 24: Pie Girls and the Very Lonely Man is a novella I LOVE and it's on sale! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/920415?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 23: And Kimi Makes Three: Lesbian Threesome Erotica is FREE! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/945948?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 22: 50% off Office Sex! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/946955?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 21: Ariadne's Diary: I’m in Love with my Teacher! is the first book in my Lesbian Diaries series, and it's on sale! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/958701?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 20: Country Girl, City Lights is only $2.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1006130?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 19: Girls Just Wanna Have Girls: 20 Lesbian Sex Stories is on sale. Great time to buy this one! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1008934?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 18: 50% off This Stage of Life, a younger/older gay BDSM romance short! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1061384?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

 July 17: 50% off Wedding Heat: Bachelor Party, the latest story in the series! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1076535?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 16: Sex Toy Erotica: 15 Steamy Stories is on sale! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1084931?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 15: The Secret Life of Sitters: Six Sexy Stories of Innocence Lost is only $5.99--that's a buck a story! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/660775?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 14: The Couple with the Dragon Tattoo is FREE! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/931755?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

 July 13: Capture the Bride is only $0.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1027493?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 12: Only $2.99 for Wet Weekend: A Second Spritzing of Lesbian Gold. If you love golden showers, you much check out this book! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/562945?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 11: Femdom Lesbians: 2 Erotic Novels for only $5.99https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/589071?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 10: 50% off the very naughty Monstrous Obsession! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/434348?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 9: My crossdressing cowboy story Friends of Dorothy is FREE! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/372885?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 8: 50% off What Do Lesbians Do In Bed? 21 Sapphic Stories https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/469828?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 7: There’s a First Time for Everything is an absolute steal at $0.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/534082?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 6: We've got a fan favourite today! Taboo Lesbian Erotica: 10 Scandalous Stories is on sale! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/668964?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 5: Love Yourself First is FREE! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1029890?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 4: Older Women, Lesbian Desires is only $2.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/696222?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 3: Friends Like These only $0.99! https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1087412?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 2: Erotica Every Day: 30 Flash Fiction Stories is only $2.99! (Wow! 30 stories for under $3?) https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/890972?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

July 1: 50% off The Lesbian Diaries Volume 2: Emma's Diary, Juliet's Diary, Fortune's Diary https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1089448?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

Saturday, June 19, 2021

The Lesbian Diaries Volume 2: Emma's Diary, Juliet's Diary, Fortune's Diary

The Lesbian Diaries Volume 2
Emma's Diary, Juliet's Diary, Fortune's Diary
by Giselle Renarde

Ready to indulge in queer confessional fiction? Three books from Giselle Renarde’s Lesbian Diaries series are now available in one collection! This volume includes Fortune's Diary, Juliet's Diary: My Secret Plague Journal, and Emma's Diary: Anxious, Insecure, and Madly in Love.

Emma finally has everything she wants in life, so why isn't she happy? If this is supposed to be the best time of her life, then why is she constantly questioning her situation? It's not easy to build a full-time future with someone when you're sure it'll all fall apart. A million things could go wrong, but will Emma ever learn to see how much is going right?

Juliet is young and in love. Problem is, there’s a pandemic gripping the planet. She knows she’s not supposed to leave the house, but her lust for her girlfriend makes her defiant. How can Juliet get close to Romi if she has to stay away?

Fortune is thirty and living with her mother. There's nothing she'd love more than to be swept off her feet by a beautiful stranger, but that hasn't happened yet. She's worried it never will. And then along comes Maya, her mother's tarot reader. Can she possibly date a girl who claims to see the future? Fortune doesn't believe in psychic ability, but is she willing to let true love pass her by?

Lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.


Buy the ebook from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1089448?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=ny8zEAAAQBAJ

Apple: https://geo.itunes.apple.com/us/book/id1572552293?at=1010l9S2
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/the-lesbian-diaries-volume-2-giselle-renarde/1139697021

Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/the-lesbian-diaries-volume-2-emma-s-diary-juliet-s-diary-fortune-s-diary
Indigo: https://www.chapters.indigo.ca/en-ca/books/the-lesbian-diaries-volume-2/9781005083632-item.html

Go to Amazon for the Hardcover: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096VVCZVL?tag=dondes-20

Universal Book Link: https://books2read.com/u/4XQJvg

Monday, June 7, 2021

Friends Like These

I uploaded this book last week, and then immediately came down with a migraine/hangover that put me right out of commission. I rarely drink, but when I do it ends badly. I am definitely not in my 20s anymore (or 30s, for that matter...).

Friends Like These started out as a short story--queer fiction with no adult content.  It changed, over the years.  Got longer, acquired a more expansive plot and sex scenes, and now you can buy a copy. Before now, it only existed on the hard drive of an old computer of mine.

I wrote the initial version of this story more than ten years ago, I think.  The thing about writing queer fiction is that it kind of feels like contributing to a time capsule.  By the time you dig it up, the world has changed.  I have that thought every time I read an older piece of queer fiction I've written.

Anyway, I'm happy to see that readers bought copies of this story before I ever told anyone it existed. That's promising.  If you've already purchased your copy, thanks so much!

If you're looking for a copy, here are a few of the many places you can acquire one: 

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1087412?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096FZ55YV?tag=dondes-20
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IwsxEAAAQBAJ

Radish: https://radish.app.link/WqTr5hrJTgb

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friends-like-these-giselle-renarde/1139628330
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/friends-like-these-18

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AOyoe


Friends Like These
A Novelette by Giselle Renarde

Where would Nav be without her beloved queer friends? They've been part of her life since school. Now that they're out there in the world working jobs they hate, they still make time for each other. When Nav starts dating a girl who's trans, she assumes her friends will welcome Cassandra into their group with open arms. If they don't, Nav's got some tough decisions to make. Breaking up is hard to do—especially when it's your friends you need to break up with...

Buy Now from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1087412?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B096FZ55YV?tag=dondes-20
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=IwsxEAAAQBAJ

Radish: https://radish.app.link/WqTr5hrJTgb

BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/friends-like-these-giselle-renarde/1139628330
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/friends-like-these-18

Universal Link: https://books2read.com/u/4AOyoe

Thursday, May 20, 2021

Sex Toy Erotica: 15 Steamy Stories by Giselle Renarde

A couple weeks ago, I realized I'd written a whole bunch of short stories featuring sex toys, and yet I'd never published a themed collection of them. Well, I'm between books at the moment (writing them, I mean), so I'm focused on the publishing side of things. Hence, a new erotic anthology!


Sex Toy Erotica
15 Steamy Stories
Giselle Renarde

Curious about sex toys? Then this is the erotic anthology for you!

Sex toys don't have to break the bank. The good news is that pretty much anything can be a sex toy if you're creative enough. Characters in these fifteen sex stories by award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde indulge in a variety of sensual activities involving a vast array of toys. Some are store-bought, from the practical to the eccentric. Others are common household objects you might even have on hand.

Fresh ideas for fantasy and play are waiting for you in Sex Toy Erotica!

Buy Now from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1084931?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B0959LMP5X?tag=dondes-20

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1568368286
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164911478
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/sex-toy-erotica-15-steamy-stories

Saturday, May 1, 2021

Poppy’s Diary: Just A Small Town Girl #LesbianDiaries

Can you believe it? I've written ANOTHER book in my Lesbian Diaries series! Poppy's Diary is the third one since March of this year! If you're looking for a series to dig into this spring, The Lesbian Diaries is now eight books strong, although two of them are only available through Amazon at the moment.

Poppy's Diary was a lot of fun to write. Unlike Fortune's Diary, which is pure romance, Poppy's Diary involves a lot of secrets and cheating and drama around every turn. If that's what you're in the mood for, come and get it!


Poppy’s Diary
Just A Small Town Girl
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 8
Word Count: 46,000
Release Date: April 30, 2021

Poppy's a small-town girl and that's the way she likes it. She loves working at the only hotel in Friendly Corners, taking walks by the river, and coming home to her comfortable apartment. Life is great. She just wants to share more of it with her long-distance girlfriend, Kristen.

When Poppy proposes, Kristen is hesitant to leave her lucrative job in the city. She likes their relationship the way it is. But it's not enough for Poppy.

Can she sell her girlfriend on the small-town experience, or is life about to send Poppy more surprises than she can handle?

There's drama around every corner in Poppy's Diary, lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Read it now at Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B093X2W92Y 

And read for FREE if you're a Kindle Unlimited subscriber--limited time only!

Friday, April 16, 2021

Fortune Has Arrived! Fortune's Diary #LesbianDiaries is Available Now!

Speaking as an author with a bit of a tarot obsession, it was an interesting experience to write a lesbian romance about a character who doesn't believe in tarot, astrology, or any of the divinatory arts. But that way I got to create some conflict in my character when she fell in love with (big surprise...) a tarot reader. 

Fortune's Diary is probably the most romance-y romance I've ever written. Most of my books are not romantic in any traditional sense, but this one is sure to satisfy readers of lesbian romance who love mix-ups and misunderstandings, internal conflict, spicy love scenes, and eating out--at restaurants, I mean.  You'll be able to tell that I wrote this book during a pandemic.  It's been more than a year since restaurants have been open in my city, and MY GOD do my characters spend a lot of this book in restaurants!

I must miss restaurants more than I'm willing to admit. I've been ordering take-out and delivery to support local eateries, but dining in the same ol' kitchen just isn't the same as eating... well, in any other place, frankly.

The province where I live is under stay-at-home orders right now. If you're in the same boat and looking for entertainment, I highly recommend reading my new book, Fortune's Diary.  At 60,000 words, it's the longest novel in my Lesbian Diaries series, and you can buy your copy now. Enjoy!

Fortune’s Diary
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 6
Word Count: 60,000
Release Date: April 1, 2021
ISBN: 9781005052164


There are three things Fortune doesn't believe in: psychics, astrology, and the possibility of ever finding a place of her own. While her mother spends money they don't have on internet tarot readers, Fortune imagines a new life with the girl of her dreams. Not that she's met the girl of her dreams... until she attends a lesbian speed-dating event and falls instantly in love with Maya.

The problem is that Maya isn't one of the participants—she seems to be dating the event organizer. In case that isn't enough of a deterrent, Maya is also the tarot reader Fortune's mother has been spending oodles of money on!

Why can't life ever be easy?

Fortune would give anything to escape the drudgery of cooking and cleaning for her mother, but she doesn't believe in the business Maya is building. How can a girl who's given up on love ever find her happy-ever-after?

Lesbian romance from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Buy Now from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1077502?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091J9K3JL?tag=dondes-20
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=NYsoEAAAQBAJ

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1561369757
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164862466
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781005052164
Scribd: https://www.scribd.com/search?query=9781005052164&language=0

Monday, April 5, 2021

The True Story Behind Giselle's First Tarot Deck (It's A Video!)


 Hiya!

I made this video to celebrate my lesbian romance novel FORTUNE'S DIARY, which comes out April 9th, 2021.  That's only a couple days away! Can't wait!

FORTUNE'S DIARY is a part of my Lesbian Diaries series. At 60,000 words, it's the longest diary to date. It's also the most romantic, in that it follows the rules of romance. Lots of mix-ups and misunderstandings, but no cheating (if you think there's cheating, just keep reading!). 

The reason I made a video about my first tarot deck in relation to this book is that FORTUNE'S DIARY features a woman who doesn't believe in tarot. Of course, she falls in love with a tarot reader. OF COURSE she does. It's a romance. heh

About FORTUNE'S DIARY, from the Lesbian Diaries series by Giselle Renarde:


Fortune is thirty and living with her mother. There's nothing she'd love more than to be swept off her feet by a beautiful stranger, but that hasn't happened yet. She's worried it never will. And then along comes Maya, her mother's tarot reader. Can she possibly date a girl who claims to see the future? Fortune doesn't believe in psychic ability, but is she willing to let true love pass her by?

You can preorder FORTUNE'S DIARY today at various retailers, including:

Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B091J9K3JL?tag=dondes-20

Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/1077502?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica

Apple: https://books.apple.com/us/book/x/id1561369757
BN: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/s/2940164862466
Kobo: https://store.kobobooks.com/en-us/Search?Query=9781005052164

Thursday, April 1, 2021

Wedding Heat: Bachelor Party is Here!

Wedding Heat is back, baby!

I believe it was 2012 when I started writing the Wedding Heat series. I'm pretty sure new "episodes" were published every two weeks throughout the summers of 2012 and 2013. The most recent story was published in 2014.

And then years went by... with no Wedding Heat...

So sad.

But now I've written a new one!  

Why now?  Because my Wedding Heat series was recently featured on the Radish Fiction app, and a bunch of new readers got eyes on it.  I figured the time was nigh for a new one.

So, here we have Wedding Heat: Bachelor Party, which should be the penultimate in the series.  Now I just have to write the wedding.  That might take me another six or seven years.  Or eight or nine.  Or ten.

We shall see.

But for now, we have...

Wedding Heat: Bachelor Party
Series: Wedding Heat
Book: 14
Word Count: 6,500
Release Date: March 24, 2021
ISBN: 9781005667115


A bachelor party is supposed to be exciting, but what's the point of watching a bare body move if you can't get down with the dancer? Ed knows a girl who's always up for it, and that's his fiancee, Maggie. But when Maggie's secret life comes to light, how will Ed react? Will he call off the wedding, or will he be aroused beyond measure? 

Thursday, March 4, 2021

Maggie's Diary: A First Time for Everything, from the #Lesbian #Diaries series #NewRelease #KindleUnlimited

For the past few years, I've been giving up something for Lent. I'm not religious; I just like the idea of making a change for forty days. It teaches me the value of things in my life.

Every year I give up something different. This year I decided to give up social media.

Is it smart, I hear you asking, to release a new book when you're taking a break from social media?

The answer is probably no. But I did it anyway, because I've got all this free time on my hands now that I'm not doomscrolling through Twitter fifteen hours a day.

Usually, my books are published at pretty much every ebook retailer on the planet. I decided to put this one in Kindle Unlimited for 90 days so that subscribers can enjoy it for free. If you're not a KU subscriber, you can still purchase the ebook at Amazon.

This book is a blast: Maggie has lots of sex with lots of different characters. If you're looking for a pick-me-up, this is it. I had fun writing this book, start to finish, and I'm sure you'll have fun reading it!

Maggie’s Diary
A First Time for Everything
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Word Count: 38,000
Release Date: March 1, 2021


Maggie has just started her first year at university, but living at home is cramping her style. When she meets another student commuter, it's clear that Patience is looking for more than just a study buddy. Maggie isn't attracted to her fellow student, but when Patience brings her home to a nudist household, she can't control her desires. How many good-looking girls can Maggie get with before Patience finds out? And what will she do when her world of lust comes crashing down around her?

Lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08XW13QJ9?tag=dondes-20
Amazon UK https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B08XW13QJ9
Amazon CA https://www.amazon.ca/dp/B08XW13QJ9
Amazon AU https://www.amazon.com.au/dp/B08XW13QJ9

Here's a hint: if you're shopping at any other Amazon site, just plug the code B08XW13QJ9 into the search bar and you should land on my book.

Monday, March 1, 2021

Bridie's Diary Book Trailer and Audiobook, from the #Lesbian #Diaries series

The audio version of my book Bridie's Diary is now available for your listening pleasure. I narrate all my audiobooks, but this one was a particularly enjoyable experience. 

Look for Bridie's Diary pretty much anywhere you buy or stream audiobooks, including:

Kobo https://www.kobo.com/us/en/audiobook/bridie-s-diary-1

Audiobooks https://www.audiobooks.com/audiobook/bridies-diary/497985

Booktopia https://www.booktopia.com.au/bridie-s-diary-giselle-renarde/audiobook/9781662168949.html

Also, check to see if your library systems owns a digital copy you can listen to. If they don't, you can request that they purchase a copy through Overdrive and other lending services.

More information about the book:

Bridie’s Diary

by Giselle Renarde
Series: The Lesbian Diaries
Book: 2


Bridie never expected to find herself in this position at midlife: leaving her husband and moving to the ends of the earth, purchasing her childhood home, falling in love with her tenant... 

Ness is everything Bridie is not. She’s young and bold and artsy and trans. Bridie can’t fight the attraction. It’s addictive. It’s overwhelming.

But when Bridie’s best friend shows up to remind her what life was like when they were lovers, she’s torn between fresh possibilities and familiar passions. Will Bridie choose the old or the new? Or will life choose for her?

Lesbian fiction from award-winning queer Canadian author Giselle Renarde.

Get the ebook from Smashwords: https://www.smashwords.com/books/view/987942?ref=GiselleRenardeErotica
Google Play: https://play.google.com/store/books/details?id=Fgi5DwAAQBAJ
Kobo: https://www.kobo.com/ca/en/ebook/bridie-s-diary
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/dp/B07ZJSPY4F?tag=dondes-20
Barnes and Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/bridies-diary-giselle-renarde/1134377075?ean=2940163374076

Radish readers can read the serialized version here: https://radish.app.link/eNqKBykw50

Tuesday, February 9, 2021

Valentine's Day Ideas for Fun, Food and Romance During Covid

 Here in Toronto, we're locked down and under stay-at-home orders. How will we be romantic without leaving the house?

Just a few ideas:

1. Try New and Different Sex Stuff

I don't know about you, but I've got plenty of ideas I keep meaning to put into practise. When it comes right down to it, though, my partner and I usually resort to the same-old-same-old. Not that it's bad! It's good stuff, I swear, it's just that it's easy to fall into a pattern. Valentine's Day at home presents us with a great opportunity to shake things up.


2. Massage Your Person

If you're celebrating V-Day with a partner, try giving each other massages.  This could be sexual or not sexual or a bit of both.  The only time my partner has ever fallen asleep during sex is the time I poured oil all over him and gave him a cock massage. He found it so relaxing he was out like a light. 


3. On-Demand Sexy Skills Webinars

Whether you're going solo this Valentine's Day or you're spending it with someone special, check out these on-demand webinars from sex and pleasure educator Luna Matatas. I've attended Luna's webinars and they are fun, informative, and welcoming to all genders. There are plenty to choose from, including Dirty Talk Skills, Hotter Handjobs, Delicious Dominance Skills, and Seducing the Butt.


4. Ruby Waters Digital Concert (and Dinner, if you're in Toronto!)

Thanks to Crow's Theatre in Toronto, you can purchase digital tickets to listen to the sultry tones of Ruby Waters this Valentine's Day. If you're in the city, you can also opt to purchase a fancy-ass dinner that will be delivered to you. Find out more here: https://www.crowstheatre.com/whats-on/view-all/dinner-and-a-show-ruby-waters


5. Write an Erotic Letter

Writing your fantasies down on paper is an especially useful communication tool for those who have trouble expressing their wants and needs verbally. If you've got someone special to write to, great! If you don't, no problem--you can still write to that dream lover. This is an especially great idea for anyone who can't be in the same room with a partner due to pandemic restrictions.


6. Make Homemade Cards

I loved crafty stuff when I was a kid, and I still love crafty stuff as an adult. Wasn't it fun as heck to make homemade cards for your classmates? Break out the doilies and the scented markers, because it's time to draw some hearts.


7. Exercise Together

Release those endorphins by exercising together! I can tell you from experience that it really builds a bond. Take a hike if you like, or find an exercise routine online you can try together. And if you're just you, do it to it! It's icy outside, so I do a lot of walking videos online. You don't even need a lot of space, and I always work up a sweat.



8. Breakfast in Bed

The early bird bakes the bread. Or cooks the bacon. Or butters the toast. No matter the makeup of your household, if you get up first, treat your people to a special brekkie. If you don't live with anyone else, you can always bring breakfast back to bed. Who's gonna stop you?



9. Bake Something Sweet

I love baking. I find it to be such an indulgent activity, and I thoroughly enjoy sharing my baked goods with the people I love. Bake with your household, or bake on your own and drop off your sweet stuff at the homes of family and friends who haven't seen in a while in a contact-free way.



10. Get Cooking, Good-Looking!

If your household usually takes turns cooking dinner, do it together this Valentine's Day. All hands on deck! And if you live alone, you could cook virtually with friends or family. Technology is our friend.



11. Play Games

My partner and I play cards and board games all the time, and it always makes me feel like I'm on vacation. It's nerdy good fun. Being a word person, I happen to love Scrabble and Boggle and crossword puzzles, but I can also recommend cribbage--a game I learned as an adult--and poker, which I played as a child, odd as it seems. My grandmother used to play Scrabble online against her internet friends, so there are lots of virtual options, too!



12. Read a Book

I'm not just saying this because I'm a writer and I want you to buy my books--I also think it's a great and unusual recommendation for Valentine's Day. This idea came to mind because my partner was telling me that, when he was a kid, he wasn't allowed to read at the table. BUT there were some days he would come home for lunch and his mother would ask him, "Would you like to read today?" and he would eagerly nod yes.  He has fond memories of the two of them sitting at the table together, reading their books in silence, and enjoying every minute of it. Kind of cute, right?


Just because restaurants aren't open doesn't mean we can't enjoy a romantic Valentine's Day during a pandemic. Remember, you can still support local restaurants by buying take-out or delivery. 

Whether you're spending Valentine's Day with yourself, a partner, or an entire household--and whether you're looking to spend a little money, a lot of money, or none at all--I hope a few of my ideas will appeal to you and make it a little easier to plan a romantic occasion without too much planning in advance.

Love you!

Giselle

Monday, January 11, 2021

Positive Changes in the Personal Sphere #MondayBlogs #Mindfulness #Meditation

 It's four in the morning and I can't sleep, so I'm reflecting on some of the positive things I've accomplished over the past year.  I'm weaning myself off my habit of ruminating on everything I'm not satisfied with, in my life.  There's a positive, right there.

I wrote some books.  That's something.  It's something I don't customarily acknowledge as an accomplishment, now that I've been writing books for 15 years. I need to work at celebrating each new book I write.  I'm a work in progress, in that regard.

For well over a year now, I've been posting daily to my music blog. That's something I'm proud of.  Doing anything daily is hard work, and there have been many times I've considered throwing in the towel. I kept at it, though, and I'm pleased to share music and memories with the reading public every day of the year.

The things I'm most proud of are personal.

But not too personal that I won't share them with you.

Since the start of this pandemic, I've enrolled in three free online courses that focused on personal growth. I completed the ones on happiness and relationships, and I'm currently working on a course in mindfulness.

One thing that came out of the happiness course was a commitment to meditation practice. I try to do this daily, but it doesn't always happen. Every time I meditate, I feel like I've done it wrong. I don't think I'm getting results or seeing effects.  But I keep hearing about all these studies showing the positives that come out of meditation, so I keep at it, and I see those positives manifest in my life. 

Even if I don't feel like I'm doing meditation right, I'm still seeing benefits.

The most significant course I took this year was a course of therapy.  This is something I've needed for decades, but I've never had the resources. The pandemic changed that, for me, because the province I live in made free therapy available to everyone.  

I went through an extremely intensive twelve weeks of CBT combined with the support of an excellent therapist, and I'm not exaggerating when I say that it changed my life.

Honestly, the reason I sought out therapy was that I looked at my behaviour, my mood swings, my midlife crisis, my perimenopausal rage, and I saw that I was being very unfair to my partner. Unpredictable. Irrational.  Out of control.  I was so afraid of losing him. Our time together has been the best time of my life.

I wish I could have sought out therapy for ME instead of doing it for my partner, but I guess I never valued myself highly enough. I never thought I was worth it. 

Looking back, I realize therapy would have been worth any money--even money I didn't have. But I can't change the past, so I won't bother saying I wish I'd done this decades ago. Because I did give therapy a shot decades ago, the last time I had access to free therapy sessions. Unfortunately, there therapist I was paired with wasn't a good fit for me.  The three sessions I had were not terrible helpful.  Certainly not life changing. 

These ones were.  

The work we did led me to insights about my personality that were truly mind-blowing. And they were the kinds of things where you're like... how did I never notice that about myself? Why did I never connect those dots? They're the sorts of things you see in someone else and go, "Oh, well, she behaves this way because of that thing that happened to her." 

Easy to see in someone else, much more difficult to see in oneself.

When I did that happiness course, I found out that my overriding positive personality trait is gratitude. 

But I could have told you that.  

I am deeply grateful for this career I get to keep because of readers like you. I'm grateful that book sales provide a roof over my head and put food on the table. I am grateful to have a loving and supportive partner who welcomes personal growth rather than being intimidated by it. And I'm grateful for all the resources I've been able to access that cost only my time and effort.

The other day, I said to my partner, "This time last year, I thought I was going to lose you. With all my hormonal changes and mood swings, I didn't think you'd stay with me--and I couldn't have blamed you, if you'd left. But with all the therapy and meditation, I feel so much calmer. Is it just me, or have I changed?"

He assured me that the change has been tremendous. I guess I didn't need him to tell me that, but it's always nice to get positive feedback from someone you hold in high esteem.

Now I just need to work on being one of those people I hold in high esteem.

The work is never done.