Bite Me, Sexy Man!

There's a new paranormal MMF anthology on the way, and I want to share its majorly gorgeous cover art with you right away.


If there wasn't already a heat wave here in TO, this cover would certainly have me panting! Hot stuff, am I right?

Bite Me is a BBA/Torquere Press compilation of stories from some of your favourite authors (and me...LOL) and I believe the release date is scheduled for August 26, 2009, but I will certainly keep you updated and tell you a little bit about the story I've included in this antho when it comes out.

Release will be in e-book format and print. I may be an environmentalist, but I still think paper is sexy.

Sticky hugs,
Giselle Renarde

Let's get MOIST!

How do you react when you hear the word moist?

If it's anything like this guy, you're in the majority.

You know how I'm a huge fan of CBC Radio Two? Well, I was listening to the supremely cool Rich Terfry's show Drive last week, and he was talking about commonly-despised words. Apparently linguists have concluded the following are some of the most hated words...especially by women:

moist
panties
goose pimples
squat
cornucopia

Okay, panties I agree with. What a stupid word. But I'm kind of sad about moist. Why are women so opposed to moist? I spend most of my life moist! (Reading, writing, and watching porn has that impact) It's a useful word, along with juicy and wet. Seems to me the discomfort bred by this most-hated of all words stems from a sexual source. Are women uncomfortable with their own moisture? With the state of being moist? With the perception they might be moist at any given moment?

Am I saying moist too much?

Please, let me know why women hate this word. I don't understand the actual visceral reaction people have against it. Enlighten me!

My vote: moist, wet, juicy...all good words.

I've interviewed countless other erotic fiction authors on my blog, and I ask them all, "What's your favourite naughty word?" Seems to be a tie between "fuck" and "cock." I also ask, "Is there a word that makes you cringe?" A lot of authors say they can't stand the word "cunt." I guess it's a jarring word; I'm trying to reclaim it...like "dyke." My girlfriend hates the word "queer" but, again, I see that as a reclaimed word.

So, what do we think? What words do we love? What words do we hate?

Do tell!
Cheers,
Gigi

Pains, Trains, and Shimmering Nails

On Saturday morning, I walked home from the train station.

The two-hour walk was for old times' sake. It was one year ago that I took the train home from my Sweet's house outside the city after a whirlwind overnight adventure. The summer morning was cool and the air fresh--a rarity in a major metropolitan centre--so I chose to walk instead of taking the subway home, clinging to my memories of sleeping over at Sweet's house.

When I arrived home that day, I wrote a story called THIRD RAIL. If you've ever tried getting literary transgender erotica published in a fairly narrow marketplace (narrow when it comes to gender identity, I mean) you'll know how difficult it can be to get even really great work out there for all to read.



Well, boys and girls and everyone in between, today the fictionalized version of my overnight with Sweet is up and available at RUTHIE'S CLUB. I love Ruthie's Club! Like a picture book for grown ups! And the illustration by Dan Skinner does a great job in representing the emotion of the piece in addition to the eroticism. I just love his work.

So go read THIRD RAIL! After that, read my flash fiction LITTLE LAMB ON BAY STREET, a short short about lesbians playing in public (and in costumes!). Ruthie's Club is a membership site, so join up. It's worth it. And, by joining, you're helping to put kibble in my kitties' bowls, so you can feel extra good about that.

Bright Blessings,
Giselle Renarde

GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION

Hi All!
I'm very excited about this upcoming anthology, so I'm sharing the call for subs here at Donuts & Desires in hopes that some of my fellow allies and transgender readers (or should I say authors?) will join me in submitting a little something. Please have a read below.
Hugs!
Giselle Renarde

Call For Submissions
GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION
Kate Bornstein & S. Bear Bergman, eds

Deadline: 1 September 2009

In the fifteen years since the release of Gender Outlaw, transgender narratives have made their way into cultural locations from the margins to the mainstream and back again. Today’s trannies and other sex/gender radicals are writing a radically new world into being. GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION (Seal Press) will collect and contextualize the work of this generation’s most forward-thinking trans/genderqueer voices—new voices from the stage, on the streets, in the workplace, in the bedroom, and on the pages and websites of the world’s most respected mainstream news sources. Edited by that ol’ original Gender Outlaw herself, Kate Bornstein and writer, raconteur, and theater artist S. Bear Bergman, GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION will include essays, commentary, comic art and conversation from a diverse a group of trans-spectrum people who live and believe in barrier-breaking lives.

*What we’re looking for*

GENDER OUTLAWS: THE NEXT GENERATION wants to collect work that represents a quantum leap forward in thinking and talking about gender and the gender binary, in the same way Gender Outlaw did almost twenty years ago. So blow us away. Bring the smart, bring the sexy, blind us with science, break the gender barrier, shine a bright light (or a disco ball) on the whole gender situation. Tell us about your future, what you imagine, how you want things to go and what you (and your friends) intend to do about it. Think big.

We’ll look at whatever you have for us – essays, graphic art, interviews/conversations, haiku, rants – as long as you’re thinking smart and fresh about sex and gender (and being an outlaw, of course). We will feel especially keen about your work if it adds to or advances the conversation about gender (as distinct from simply reflecting it, or lamenting it).

People of any identity are encouraged to submit work. This means you – yes, you!

We intend to privilege non-normatively gendered/sexed voices in the book but will include all the good stuff we can, regardless of current identifiers of the author.

*The Details*

Deadline: Sept 1 (early submissions are encouraged). Submissions should be unpublished; query if you have a reprint that you think we’ll swoon for. While we hesitate to list a maximum, please query first for pieces over 4,000 words. If you have an idea and need help writing it out, contact us to discuss an interview-style piece or other accommodations.

Submit as a Word document or black/white JPEG (no files over 2MB). Please include a cover letter with a brief bio and full contact information (mailing address, phone number, pseudonym if appropriate) when you submit. Submissions without complete contact information will be deleted unread. Payment will be $50 and 2 copies of the book upon publication in Fall 2010. Contributors retain the rights to their pieces. Send your submission as an attachment to genderoutlawsnextgeneration@gmail.com.

~please repost lots and lots, as appropriate~

I'm Ba-a-a-a-ack and Happy Holiday!

Hi everybody!

I'm back from a very restful vacation--one week at the lake, one week at the girlfriend's house--and my cats have never been more affectionate. Whoever said cats don't miss you when you're a way is a dirty rotten liar. (Hugs to my sister for taking care of the hairball twins!)

Well, it's time to get back to writing, promoting, editing, revising, submitting, and all the good stuff an author has on her To Do list.

Bah!

It's so hard to get back into work mode after two weeks of barely looking in the direction of a computer screen. I spent most of this morning in front of the Mac with a pair of scissors in hand, trimming my split ends. After revising three pages of a manuscript due today, I called my mother and we engaged in an hour's worth of mutual procrastination. She had work she was trying not to do as well.

And, anyway, today is a holiday here in Canada. It's a weird non-mandatory holiday called:

• CIVIC HOLIDAY in Ontario, Alberta, Manitoba, Northwest Territories, Nunavut

• NEW BRUNSWICK DAY in New Brunswick

• NATAL DAY in Nova Scotia and PEI

• SASKATCHEWAN DAY in Saskatchewan

• BRITISH COLUMBIA DAY in BC

With all those holidays going on today, why should I have to work? Right? Right..? Okay, I know what you're thinking: "Get to work you lazy bastard!" That's what I'm telling myself too. So, I'll quit procrastinating here with you and get writing.

Hope you enjoyed the mini-lesson in unofficial Canadian holidays!

Hugs,
Gigi

I'm the Nut

The other day, a girl I work with mentioned that she likes her boys a little girly.

“Why don’t you just date girls, then?” I asked her, very nearly following it up with the assurance that I wasn’t coming on to her. Statements like that coming from an out lesbian always seem to put straight girls on DANGER ALERT.

“Nah,” she replied. “There’s a balance to a girly guy. Plus, girls can be a little nutty.”

That’s the point I’ve been pondering ever since our conversation:

GIRLS CAN BE A LITTLE NUTTY.I write a lot of lesbian romance and erotica, and more and more I’m finding myself writing these characters who are—how else can I phrase it?—a little nutty. Clarification: both partners are not nutty. If there’s a nutty girl in my story, there’s a sensible, level-headed girl to complement her.

Yes, I draw a lot on my own life and experience when I’m writing. Does that mean my girlfriend’s a little nuts? No, no…no, she’s pretty mature and relationship-savvy.

I’m the nutty one.

So, in honour of all us nuts, here’s a list—a little sampling if you will—of various neuroses that can challenge a relationship:

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Syndrome?
Check.
Radical Feminist hypersensitivity?
Check.
“She’s bound to break up with me when she realizes what an ass-face I really am”-related anxiety?
Check.
Trust issues?
Check.
Abandonment issues?
Check.
Other issues as yet unidentified but nonetheless detrimental to interpersonal interactions?
Check.
Mood swings linked to chocolate and/or caffeine overdose and/or withdrawal?
Check.
Undiagnosed Tourette’s provoked by minor inconveniences?
Check.
Various garden-variety neuroses?
Check.
Psychoses?
Not quite, but I’m working on it.
Don’t get me wrong; I’m not claiming that all girls are nuts. I’m just saying that I am. And it’s true: sometimes I wonder why the hell anyone would ever want to put up with me.

My girlfriend shrugs off my nuttiness, claiming that “we all have our issues,” but aside from transgender concerns, she doesn’t wear hers like I do. My Sweet’s pretty level-headed. Lucky her…and lucky me. It’s a major comfort, to find that complementary someone.

Hugs,
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

Summer in the City

I keep seeing these calls for submissions for anthologies centered around specific world-class cities: London, Paris, San Fran...but never Toronto!

I guess Canadian cities, particularly this one that tends to be maligned as a ruthless business centre by other Canadians (there's a documentary called "I Hate Toronto") and off the radar beyond this country, aren't perceived as having much sex appeal.

Well, if you happen to live in Toronto or you're visiting at the moment, a few of my favourite events are on this weekend, July 10-12 2009.


The Toronto Fringe Festival has been fringing away since the start of the month. Fringe is a festival of theatre for children, adults, ADULTS, and dance enthusiasts. The plays selected for Fringe are selected by lottery (not merit) so keep in mind that they could very well suck. But that's the whole fun of Fringe: Pay for your economy-friendly $10 ticket (only $5 for children at the FringeKids! shows) and see if you can pick a winner.

I've seen some hilarious musicals at the Toronto Fringe Festival, as well as some pretty excruciating modern dance. It's hit-and-miss. I tend to stay away from the one-person shows. A bad 60-minute monologue is about as excruciating as theatre gets, if you ask me. Also keep in mind that there's a lot of ADULT ADULT content in many of the shows, though if you're reading my blog, adult material probably isn't something you find objectionable. :-)


www.fringetoronto.com for details.

What else does Toronto have on tap this weekend? Why, it's the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition, which kicks off tomorrow, Friday July 10th 2009, and runs until Sunday. As you might have gathered, this exhibition is...outdoors...at Nathan Phillips Square, in fact.

The great thing about this exhibition, aside from the sheer volume and variety of art (from pottery to mixed media to bizarre etchings) is that you can buy pieces directly from the artists. Isn't that better than a gallery employee telling you what little he or she knows about the piece, then taking a commission for the sale? I think so.

And yes, the Toronto Outdoor Art Exhibition will still be going on despite its location on municipal property and the fact that there's a city worker strike. Toronto's got no garbage pickup at the moment, but we do have art!
http://www.torontooutdoorart.org/ for details.

See you in the sun!
Hugs,
Giselle Renarde

I'm an Oyster...Big Surprise, Right?

Samantha from Oysters & Chocolate (my go-to site for erotica) sent me this fun little quiz to reveal what kind of girl (or guy) you are. Here are my results:

What's Your Flavor? For Her My Result: Oysters giselle You're an Oysters girl - you love to share your bed with a seductive woman. The soft touch of a woman's lips, her sweet scents, expert fingers and the press of her nipples against yours drives you insane with passion and desire. Big-tittied butch dykes, lipstick lesbians, strap-ons, drag kings, belly-button rings and lap dances are a few of your turn ons. Suggested erotic story: "Dress Up" by J. Sinclaire Quiz School Take this quiz & get your result

What's Your Flavor? For Her » Fun Trivia Maker

If you're a "her" you can take the quiz yourself right here:

What's Your Flavor? For Her » Create Quizzes

Or, if you're a "him" give this one a shot:

What's Your Flavor? For Him » Quiz Maker

Hugs and Licks!
gigi

I Fell in Love with a Lube (and onto the warpath with another)

No more drugstore brands for me. No, no, no. I've got my hands on a real lube, and I'm never going to let it go...

Maximus. Oh, Maximus water-based sensual lubricant, I look forward to all the encounters for which you ease the way, you non-greasy darling. You last even longer than I do, with no need to reapply. You're tough enough to handle anal encounters, but without being sticky and overbearing. Maximus, you are the love of my sex life.

I'm being a little silly, but I'd heard nothing but good things about this master lube, and now I know why. Although, I must admit, my runner-up favourite is an exclusively drugstore brand, and one you probably wouldn't think to buy.

Vagisil brand makes an "intimate moisturizer" (I kind of LOVE that euphemism) which claims to feel "like your body's own natural moisture" and you know what? It does! I'm really impressed with this lube. I've been a repeat-buyer of the product for probably ten years and will continue to buy it because it's a great vaginal lubricant. The reason I made the purchase of a (pretty gigantic) bottle of Maximus is that Vagisil really can't handle the anal aspect, and everybody who's into anal play NEEDS a good heavy-duty lube around the bedroom (or wherever).

The other thing I got in the mail recently was a free sample of KY INTENSE AROUSAL GEL FOR HER, which was a pretty great thing to get for free even though I've never found arousal gels to have any effect whatesoever.
The main thing that captured my attention, though, was the packaging. You probably can't make out the "directions" from this photo, but it reads:

DIRECTIONS: Arousal is at your fingertips--or his. During foreplay, gently massage a drop of gel onto your clitoris. Reapply as desired. Can be used with K-Y (R) Brand personal lubricants. Use externally.

Can you guess what caught my eye? I'll give you a hint: "OR HIS"...not "or hers" or "or theirs" or "or your parter's" or "or your partners'"...just another nod to heterocentricity. It makes me wonder, you know? Lesbians have TWO CLITS...or more if they're polyamorous! By putting that one word, "his," on the packaging, K-Y drops any possibility of marketing to lesbians. Oh, and bi women? You can use this with a guy, but not with another girl. 'K?

Crikey!

I know, I know, I over-analyse EVERYTHING, but words are important. Words tell us where we are welcome and where we are condemned, what is applicable to us and what is not. What is a manufacturer saying to a COMMUNITY when they put something like that on their packaging? It says to me, "This product is not for you, dyke!" If it's an oversight, why aren't you looking at my segment of the population?

It's time to break out the rainbow flags, K-Y. I'm on to you!

*Whew* What a rant! But, seriously, who's with me in the war on heterocentricity?

Peace and Empowerment!
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!