Classy Commercial from Crossdressing Clothiers

Suddenly Fem (Crossdresser.com) recently announced they'll be promoting their brand on national television.

According to their PR release:

Suddenly Fem has been recognized as the nation's leading supplier of clothing, lingerie and accessories for the male to female crossdressing community. Suddenly Fem has almost 20 years experience designing and manufacturing high-end styles for the transgendered customer. With its exclusive product offerings such as the first denim skirt line made for men and the first ultra-realistic sheer pocketbra design, Suddenly Fem is leading the way in fashion and respect for the sophisticated crossdresser.

Their website showcases a wide range of products for MTF crossdressers and trans women--everything from breast forms to clothing to heels to gaffs to wigs. I'm so happy to see mainstream representation of crossgender self-expression! I'm not sure whether we'll get to see these promo spots here in Canada, but I'll be on the lookout.

If you'd like a sneak peak at Suddenly Fem's new commercial, here it is:

4.5 Stars for UGLY NAKED PEOPLE

I recently received a wonderful review from Three Dollar Bill Reviews for my mainstream lesbian short story UGLY NAKED PEOPLE. Reviewer Emily goes so far as to say, "Everyone should take the time to read this moving and emotional short story." What better praise could an author ask?

Title: UGLY NAKED PEOPLE
Buy link: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-uglynakedpeople-444201-182.html

Back cover blurb:

Rave is concerned about her girlfriend Astrid’s rapidly declining weight and health. As Astrid’s eating disorder begins to take its toll on the couple’s relationship, Rave hopes that a dramatic move on her part will save both Astrid and the future they could have together.

Review snippet with link to the complete review:

Author Renarde sets up this expertly crafted story with care and depth, with characterizations that are fleshed out even within just a few paragraphs. [...] This story is not just a comment on the effect of societal pressures to fit a body image that is far from healthy. It also shows how being uncomfortable with one’s sexuality can manifest in very dangerous and destructive ways.

Read the entire review here: http://threedollarbillreviews.com/2010/12/27/ugly-naked-people-by-giselle-renarde/

Read an excerpt: http://www.allromanceebooks.com/product-uglynakedpeople-444201-182.html

Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

Visit me online
http://donutsdesires.blogspot.com
http://www.wix.com/gisellerenarde/erotica
http://twitter.com/GiselleRenarde

FREE Subscription to Lesbian Connection Magazine

This offer came through on the Sapphic Planet group I belong to. Lesbian Connection is a free magazine for lesbians. We're talking print, not e-zine, and they'll mail it to you at no charge. How wonderful is that? Details below:

Hello from Margy at Lesbian Connection magazine!

I’m trying to get the word out to lesbians everywhere about our FREE magazine. In case you haven’t heard of LC before, or if you just lost touch with us, here’s some info:

Lesbian Connection is the free worldwide forum of news, ideas, and information for, by, and about lesbians. We’ve been publishing since 1974, and we mail issues out every other month in plain brown envelopes (the word “lesbian” doesn’t appear anywhere on the outside).

This magazine is a grassroots forum, which means it’s truly written by our readers. On its pages you’ll find info for lesbians on places to live and where to travel, lesbian B&Bs and guesthouses, websites, cruises, festivals, conferences, lesbian land and retirement communities, products (books, CDs, DVDs, etc.), campgrounds and retreats, lesbian lawyers and realtors, as well as the comic strip “Dykes to Watch Out For,” and much more. There are also reviews, articles, and letters dealing with whatever issues LC’s readers are talking about, from “The L Word” to health issues, relationships, and politics.

So, if you’re a lesbian and you’d like to start receiving LC, all you need to do is email us (elsiepub@aol.com) your full name and complete (snail mail) mailing address and we’ll be happy to add you to our list. (By the way, our mailing list is totally confidential; we never sell, loan or share it with anyone else.) We’d also like to know where you heard about us. In case you’re wondering LC survives on the donations we receive from our readers. However, contributions are voluntary and subscriptions really are free to all lesbians. Our goal is, quite simply, to connect the lesbian community worldwide. (F.Y.I. our official name and address is Elsie Publishing Institute (EPI), PO Box 811, East Lansing, MI 48826, ph 517-371-5257, fax 517-3 71-5200. EPI is a U.S. tax-deductible 501(c)3 nonprofit charity.)

We hope to hear from you soon, and feel free to forward this information on to your lesbian friends and list-serves!

For Lesbian Connection,

Margy

P.S. If you email us by the end of the month we should be able to get you into our next mailing.

Quick Six TNG with DC Juris

Today we're lucky to have author DC Juris at Donuts & Desires for the weekly Quick Six TNG!

1. What does "vanilla" mean to you?

I'd love to say the first thing that springs to my mind is something nice and innocent, maybe having to do with ice cream or yogurt, but it's not. I think of sex. :-P

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

When my husband (then fiance) was in the ICU for 3 days back in 2002. I remember feeling like I was walking through thick fog or soup the entire time. Every second just inched by, and the days stretched out into the nights and I barely noticed if it was light or dark outside. I don't think I slept at all until he came home. I alternated by spending my time at the hospital, at work, and at home on a cleaning spree. I was in constant motion, because I knew if I stopped at any moment, the reality of his life hanging in the balance would just kill me. Even now, if I think back, I can see the images in my head but they play out in this dramatically slow fashion.

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

The Secret Window with Johnny Depp. He plays Mort, a writer who finds out his wife is cheating on him, so he goes out to this secluded cabin where he suffers writers block. Then this guy shows up, and accuses him of plagiarism, but the guy turns out to be imaginary, and we discover Mort has dissociative identity disorder. He eventually kills his wife and her lover, but doesn't get caught for it. The whole movie is just creepy.

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

A spider web! Wouldn't that be hot? Not like, cheesy centered in the middle spider web like Spiderman. It would appear to come down out of my hairline, and there'd be a spider coming up from under my chin.

5. How many monkeys jumping on the bed?

Ugh! None! I hate monkeys! They have monkey hands and monkey feet and they smell.

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

"Finding Sanctuary". It's my newest release, and it's with Fanny Press. It's completely different than anything else I've written, and I absolutely loved following Vincent on his journey of discovery. He led me to write about things I'd never delved into before, and I worried that I was going too far, but in the end, everything is just so perfect for him. I love seeing a character struggle and grow, and come out on the other side more whole than they ever thought they could be.

Blurb:

Vincent is a typical, average guy who has begun to unravel. He has a respectable, mainstream life, with a solid job, nice girlfriend, comfortable house—all the material trappings. What, then, is causing this restlessness, these blackouts? The first revelation is that his best friend Eric is also his heart’s desire. But then Eric invites him to a weekend at a BDSM playhouse ... There Vincent will confront his fears and test the limits of his sexual boundaries. Eric has his needs, too—needs that conflict with Vincent’s. Will their fragile new bond survive the weekend?
Will Vincent find the sanctuary he so fervently desires?

Buy link:

http://fannypress.com/

www.dcjuris.com

www.twitter.com/dcjuris
http://dcjuris.livejournal.com

Find my work at
www.torquerepress.com
www.ravenousromance.com
www.mlrpress.com

Call for Submissions: New "Candlelight" Romance Line

I'm lucky to be working with some really amazing publishers at the moment, and Untreed Reads is one of my absolute favourites. Editor-in-Chief Jay Hartman has been incredibly supportive of my efforts to raise funds for LGBT Youthline, a queer-positive peer support organization, and he's just generally...awesome! Sorry, but there's no other word for him. He gets his authors' works out there in the spotlight and he makes us shine.

Gush, gush, gush...

But I'm totally serious. Love him to death. And now Untreed Reads has opened up a new line of short romance fiction I thought might appeal to a lot of the authors who visit Donuts & Desires. No, he's not looking for erotica, but he is looking for...well, instead of explaining how about I just post Jay's call below:

I'm pleased to announce the launch of a new literary romance short story line at Untreed Reads called Candlelight. The line is now open for submissions.

We do have VERY specific guidelines for Candlelight which are:

1. Every sexual orientation is welcome.
2. Word count limit is 7000.
3. The heat level is limited to PG or PG-13. Any sex scenes must be consummated "off-page." These should be "sweet romances."
4. Stories should have a very strong literary feel to them. Examples of current Untreed Reads titles that would fit into this would be: Song on the Sand by Ruth Sims, How to Eat Fruit by Anne Brooke,Continuum by George Seaton and 4 Stories Down, 4 Stories Up by Sara Elizabeth. Excerpts from these titles are available in The Untreed Reads Store to give you a better idea of our expectations.
5. Works need to be believable and real. No genies, werewolves, witches, aliens, etc.. Real people in real relationships.
6. HEA (Happily Ever After) is NOT a requirement. See #5.

I cannot stress enough that the stories must be very strong in both character and plot. The standard Untreed Reads Submission Guidelines remain in regards to what we will never accept (i.e.: rape, bestiality, etc.).

We are particularly interested in the following plots: 60+ romance, Spanish-language, minority cultures and family life (romance when you've got kids, while taking care of elderly live-in parents, etc.).

Should you have any questions, please feel free to direct them to me at jhartman@untreedreads.com . This is an open, ongoing Call for Submissions. Please feel free to redistribute to any mailing lists or groups you might have.

Best,
Jay Hartman
Editor-In-Chief
Untreed Reads Publishing
http://www.untreedreads.com

What's Your Crush Type?

I used to know, but I don't anymore.

Fifteen years ago I could predict exactly the type of person I would develop a crush on. I knew every last characteristic. That person would be:

• Male
• Healthy & Fit
  
• Aged 48-60
• Bald
• Highly Intelligent/Academic
• Refined Manners and Tastes

Think Patrick Stewart. Yeppers, that was the man for me. Every time a man like that crossed my path, I'd melt into a gooey puddle of crush-juice.

Ten years ago, I noticed a shift in my crushes. Bald men stopped turning my head. A different type of person started attracting my attention:

• Female
• Artsy/Quirky
• Aged 18-30
• Small in Stature
  
• Eclectic Tastes
• Dark Hair

My rockabilly babe, pin-up model Bernie Dexter, should give you some idea of the kind of girl I'm talking about.

Now...I just don't know anymore! I can't predict when a crush will come along and what she'll look like or act like. It's like there are absolutely no commonalities anymore, except that I haven't had a crush on a dude in a good long time (except Professor Snape...does he count?).

What is my "crush type"? I've been mulling this over for a couple days now and...I've got nothing!

I mean, I think about my girlfriend of two+ years, and she doesn't fit into any known category. Sweet's:

• MTF Transsexual
• Tall
• Redhead
  
• "Curvy"
• Generous
  
• Wise Woman
  
• Geeky/Trekkie
• Tells Really Bad Jokes

Mind you, I don't remember ever really having a crush on Sweet. I knew there was something special about her, and I fell in love. Or maybe I did have a crush on her...and maybe I still do. I certainly do find myself fantasizing about kissing her while I'm dozing on the subway. I still think about her all the time. Every time I'm in a store, I can't resist buying her a present, even if it's just a bottle of iced tea.

But that doesn't help me in establishing my crush type. When I think about the women I've crushed on over the past five years, I see no similarities. Maybe we only see the similarities in retrospect. Maybe five years from now, it'll all be clear.

What about you? Are there certain physical qualities you know you'll be attracted to in any given person? Or do the physical qualities have to accompany personality qualities? Can you clearly identify the kind of person you'll develop a crush on?

What's your crush type?

Bright Blessings,
Giselle Renarde
Canada just got hotter!

Love Romances Cafe's 2011 Best of Awards

Duck Season! Rabbit Season! Nomination Season!

If you have a favourite book, series, author, or publisher from 2010, now's the time to make your voice heard! Love Romance Cafe is ready for your nominations. Here's the info from the LR Cafe loop:

It's that time of year when we at the LR Cafe loop get ready for "Best of.." Awards. This is the awards where the readers get to nominate their favorite authors, publishers, books and more.

Readers, please read the following information carefully because if directions are not followed, your vote WILL NOT be counted.

Please be aware that you can only nominate ONCE per category. You don’t need to nominate for all the categories if you choose not to.

All books must have been released between January 1st, 2010 and December 31st, 2010. I will double check on release dates with publishers if I feel there is a question on the nomination.

To nominate your choice in the categories, email me at dawn_roberto @ yahoo dot com with “BEST OF AWARDS” in subject line. Anything else WILL NOT be counted. Make sure you follow these instructions or your choice will NOT be counted. I will then tally all nominations and the top 10 (no more than 15 nominees total) nominees will be the finalists. In event there is a tie in semi-finalist nominations, they will both be counted in the finalist round.

You have from Monday January 10^th, 2011 to January 16^th, 2011 to nominate your picks. At MIDNIGHT on 1/16/2011, the voting closes (this is in USA Eastern Time). Any email time stamped after midnight EST on this date will NOT be counted. I will announce the finalists on January 18th, 2010 on the LRC loop at 2 PM EST.

Voting for finalists will begin on January 20^th-29^th, 2011 and close at MIDNIGHT (USA EST) on the 29^th. Winners to be announced on the LRC loop from Noon-3 PM EST on January 31^st, 2010.

The Category list for nominations is as follows:

Best Contemporary Book-2010

Best Fantasy Book-2010

Best Paranormal/Urban Fantasy Book-2010

Best Historical Book-2010

Best Thriller/Romantic Suspense/Mystery Book-2010

Best Paranormal author

Best GBLTQ Author

Best GBLTQ Book-2010

Best BDSM Book

Best Anthology/Multi-Authors Book 2010

Best Science Fiction/Futuristic Book-2010

Best Book Cover

Best Erotic Book

Best E-publisher-2010

Best Shape-shifter Book-2010

Best book all around

Best Vampire Book

Best Series

Time to Vote in the 2011 Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll

Lots of people have been wondering lately how to access this year's Preditors & Editors Readers' Poll. Well, looks like they had some server problems early in 2011, but the site is up now and it's ready for your votes and nominations in categories like:

Horror Novels
Romance Novels
Science Fiction & Fantasy Novels
Erotica Novels
Mystery Novels
Thriller Novels
Children's Books
Young Adult Books
All other Novels

Horror Short Stories
Romance Short Stories
Science Fiction & Fantasy Short Stories
All other Short Stories

Anthologies page
Poems page
Nonfiction articles page

Artwork page
Book/e-book Cover Artwork page
Magazine/e-zine Cover Artwork page

Authors page
Poets page
Artists page

Book/e-book Editors page
Magazine/e-zine Editors page
Print/Electronic Book Publishers page

Review Site page
Bookstore page
Promotional Firms, Sites, and Resources page

Fiction Magazine/e-zines page
Poetry Magazine/e-zines page
Nonfiction Magazine/e-zines page

Writers' Discussion Forum page
Writers' Workshop page
Writers' Resource/Information/News Source page

Best EVER Poll

You can have your say by clicking on http://critters.org/predpoll/ and then scrolling down the page until you get to the different category headings. Click on one to cast your vote from the list, or add your own nomination!

Oh, and because of the time offline, the poll has been extended this year until January 26, 2011!

Cheers,

Giselle Renarde

Canada just got hotter!

For Those Who Resolved To Lose Weight

My girlfriend has vowed to lose fifty pounds in six months. Yes, fifty. Yes, six. Yikes.

When she asked me to help her out, I said sure, as long as she didn't bitch at me when I nagged her. I mean....when I encouraged her. Unfortunately, my Sweet no longer remembers the whole "nagging is an acceptable means to an end" conversation and...well, I don't exactly agree with her chosen weight-loss method.

It's nothing terrible. It's not like she's taking laxatives and starving herself...not exactly. She's just decided that the best way to lose weight is to eat only to satiety. That's a great start--being mindful about food is a wonderful thing. The problem from my perspective is that she's still eating pretty crappy foods. Just smaller portions.

So now instead of feeling the energy she would if she were eating lots of wonderful vegetables and beautiful fruits and other natural foods, she feels tired all the time. And cranky. Sluggish. Nappish. And...did I mention CRANKY?

Nagging me and cranky her? Bad combination. So in month one of this six month endeavour, I've already learned to keep my damn mouth shut.

However...

Today I will be sending her a link I found today for CBC's "Live Right Now" movement. It's all about making small changes to get healthy.

At LiveRightNow.ca you'll find lots of ideas about eating better and getting more physical activity into your routine. There's a lot of fun stuff like "build a snowman" and "dance for 10 minutes" and "walk around while you're talking on the phone."

When you go to the LiveRightNow website, click on "challenges" and explore family, food, physical activity, and community ideas for getting healthy in 2011.

Because, really, it's the little things in life...right?

Hugs,

Giselle Renarde

Canada just got hotter!

Quick Six TNG with Maia Strong

Torquere Press author Maia Strong is here today with sane answers to crazy questions. ;-)

1. What does "vanilla" mean to you?

Richly exotic and cozy at the same time.

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

The 2001 Nisqually earthquake. I remember being very calm while a co-worker freaked out next to me under my desk. A long file drawer was drifting open from the movement of the building, and I reached out and shut it so it wouldn't hit anyone.

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

The Rapture - Unsettling because it was an absolutely awful film, and I found it disturbing that anyone thought it was a good idea to make it.

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

A Celtic Tree of Life - But, dude, that would hurt!

5. How many monkeys jumping on the bed?

Only four these days.

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

Not counting the very first novel I ever wrote, which isn't published, I'd have to say Client Privileges. I love the characters and their world.

Buy link: http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2160

Blurb: Jonas Vaneau's life seems ordinary, with days working at law courts and evenings at home with his cat, plus countless Sabbath dinners with his parents and an endless string of potential brides. Meanwhile, an unusual encounter with seemingly ordinary brothel client Jonas causes Micah Hartshorn considerable consternation. When Jonas inexplicably bursts past his emotional defenses, Micah can't even fall back on his professional skills to help him.

The attraction between Micah and Jonas grows, despite their misgivings. As they grow closer, all personal problems are swept up in political unrest when new laws threaten both men's livelihoods. When even greater troubles send Jonas' world spinning beyond his control, it's up to Micah to save Jonas from the downward spiral if he can.

~~~~~
MaiaStrong.com 
Maia's Blog - Just add coffee