Midsummer Night is Released Today!

Priestess-in-training and part-time witch Zen Van Zandt loves biology grad student Ramesh Sudhra. Only two things stand in the way of their happiness: his traditional Indian-American family doesn’t welcome Zen, and Zen’s training requires a yearlong vow of celibacy.

Between Ramesh’s stern mother’s disapproval, Zen’s vow of celibacy, and her assistant’s romantic troubles with a wild new witch, Zen wonders if she and Ramesh will ever see their wedding day...

Hot off the press! The release of a new book is always exciting for the author! I've put much love and care into telling this story, and now I want to share it with you.

Please click on one of the links below to read Book 2 in the Pagan Spirits series. MIDSUMMER NIGHT is now released in paperback! Find the print edition at https://amzn.to/3UAhsO7

The Best Books I Read in 2009

Happy New Year! My first post of 2010 is a look back at the books I really enjoyed reading for pleasure last year.

10. The Surrender of Persephone by Selena Kitt (2009; Phaze Books) retells the Classical Greek myth of the virgin goddess of spring, Persephone, and her abduction by the god of the Underworld, Hades. In myth, Persephone grows into her role as queen of the Underworld to become a powerful and mysterious goddess. In Kitt's uncensored version, Persephone chafes at her mother Demeter's restrictiveness and dim view of males, both human and divine.

Up from the depths of the earth comes Hades, also known as Aidon. He lifts Persephone into his chariot and takes her to the eerily lovely splendor of his Underworld kingdom, the land of the dead. In his mind, this is a perfectly acceptable arranged marriage, a deal between Aidon and Persephone's father Zeus. Persephone feels a mixture of fear and attraction to the handsome, amber-eyed god. A thoroughly modern spin on an ancient fable.

9. From Dead to Worse by Charlaine Harris. Many things happen in this book (including Alcide's ascension to leader of the Shreveport pack and the appearance of a new fairy), but the entire effort is rather disjointed. Sookie is at her most fickle (she's suddenly keen on Calvin Norris and Eric, not so much Alcide and Quinn), and there is a notable lack of romance. Interesting, but not the best of the Southern Vampire series. On the other hand, Bill seems to want Sookie back...could the long-awaited reconciliation be in the works?

8. Dead After Dark by Sherrilyn Kenyon, J. R. Ward, Susan Squires, and Dianne Love. The four stories in this collection are all highly entertaining. The best of the best is J.R. Ward's "The Story of Son." It's not part of her Black Dagger Brotherhood storyline, but it's excellent, with a truly engaging heroine and a darkly romantic, tragic hero, a bit like Z in the Brotherhood. (And he's my favorite.) This is the first I've read from the other authors, but I'll certainly be wanting more in the future thanks to this introduction. All of the stories could be themed "They came from different worlds." Very spicy, very diverse tales, all very good.

7. Dead is the New Black by Marlene Perez. Ever since the days of Scoobie Doo, teens have wondered whether adults were conspiring to get them. And you know what? Sometimes they're right. Daisy Giordano is not only a resident of the quirky town of Nightshade, but also the only "norm" in a family of psychics. When girls at her high school start turning up undead, she and her hunky best friend Ryan must get to the bottom of this mystery. Is a vampire on the loose? Could it be Nurse Phillips, or perhaps Miss Foster, the head cheerleading coach? Daisy may not be gifted with her mother's and sisters' special powers, but she is smart, curious, and above all determined. If anyone can get to the bottom of this, Daisy can.

6. Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler. There are many reasons to love Hell's Belles by Jackie Kessler (Zebra Books, 2007). One is its heroine, Jezebel, who is literally a cloven-footed demon spawned in the depths of Hell. When Hell undergoes a change in management, succubus Jezebel is forced to give up her career of seducing the souls from mortal men and become a nightmare. Jezebel doesn't adapt well to the change, fleeing the Lake of Fire to become a mortal. And, since mortals have to pay the rent, she becomes a stripper.

Lacking a soul, Jezebel certainly isn't planning on falling in love. Still, when she meets Paul Hamilton, she's more fascinated by him than an ex-demon should be. Paul is beautiful, to be sure, but with his "poet's eyes" and boxer's broken nose, he's also a sweet and sensitive soul.

Other characters in this book are also well-written and interesting. There's Daun, the incubus. He gets his own book, Hotter Than Hell, two more volumes into Kessler's Hell on Earth series. Then there's Lucifer himself, who's given perhaps the most sympathetic and romantic portrayal since Milton's Paradise Lost. I was delightfully surprised by Kessler's reinterpretation of Lucifer.

Another wonderful surprise awaiting readers of Hell's Belles is the music. Kessler animates Jezebel's strip club with with classic Melissa Etheridge, new INXS ("Pretty Vegas," with JD Fortune as lead singer), The Bloodhound Gang and, best of all, a U2 medley with "Desire" and "Mysterious Ways." I wanted to stick a five dollar bill into the paperback to tip the dj.

A fellow reviewer of Hell's Belles found the ending "a bit pat," but I disagree. The ending made me cry, with its poignant blend of sadness and hope. I highly recommend Hell's Belles to all lovers of paranormal and fantasy romance.

5. The Singular Exploits of Wonder Mom and Party Girl by Marc Schuster. First rule of parenting: you don't use drugs in front of your kids. Especially if you're the one member of the parent-teacher association charged with running the school's Just-Say-No program.

Audrey Corcoran is blindsided when her husband of ten years leaves her for a much-younger, thinner woman named Chloe. Desperate not to lose her young daughters the way she lost Roger, Audrey decides to get in touch with her fun side. Her adventures lead to her try cocaine, against her better judgement. In this tragicomic novel, Audrey copes with life on and off drugs.

I'm always a little amazed when a male author paints such a touching and realistic portrait of a woman's life. Scott Simon did it for 17-year-old Irena Zaric in Pretty Birds, and Marc Schuster does it for 30-something Audrey Corcoran. Thanks to Desperate Housewives, the suburban mom secretly on drugs may be something of a cliche, but Schuster never allows Audrey's life to become a caricature or a morality play. He simply gives her 292 pages to be her Super Mom + Party Girl self, and readers will be grateful for that.

4. Happy Hour at Casa Dracula by Marta Acosta. Thoroughly enjoyable. In this witty novel, Acosta creates a wonderful heroine in Milagro de los Santos. Mil, as she is known to friends, wants what every girl wants: to be taken seriously as a writer, live in rat-free apartment, and maybe find a fabulous guy she can get serious with. That guy is definitely not her ex, Sebastian, the hot writer du jour (del dia?) who is sitting on top of a pile of dark secrets. Along comes Oswald, who may be a vampire, and whose secrets may or may not be of the dark variety. Wonderfully written, funny and romantic, this one is a real winner.

3. CrowWoman and MudGirl by Victoria Selene Skye Deme. The author is, I believe, the illegitimate love child of Sylvia Plath, Barbara G. Walker (who wrote the wonderful Women's Encyclopedia of Myths and Secrets), and American Indian writer Louise Erdrich. CrowWoman and Mudgirl is an all-too-brief collection of poems steeped in myth and folklore. The theme, generally, is the reconciliation of the age-old dichotomy of feminine archetypes: is a woman a sweet-faced angel, or a raging bitch-goddess? In Skye Deme's poems, she is daughter, lover, monster, and more. These are big poems for such a tiny book, and deeply satisfying. My personal favorite is "Dreary Summer Day." What sounds like something perfectly mundane is actually a beautifully spun vampire tale.

2. The Prestige by Christopher Priest. First, you have to see the movie, which stars Hugh Jackman and Christian Bale as a pair of warring stage magicians. It's sort of a steampunk-ish thing, where turn-of-the-nineteenth century technology meets the late Victorian/Edwardian era. AFTER you've seen the movie (and drooled over your choice of Jackman, Bale, Scarlett Johannson or David Bowie!), read Chris Priest's awesome book, which stunned me by being even weirder than the film.

1. GoneAway Into the Land by Jeffrey B. Allen. Remember, in the 1971 film Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory, when Willy Wonka took the children and their guardians for a ride in a boat? Remember how the boat ride suddenly because dark and sinister, and you sensed there was something seriously evil afoot in the chocolate factory? Keep that boat ride in mind, and you'll have some idea of where GoneAway Into the Land (2008, Wandering Sage Publications) is going to take you.

"His name was Danny Greber, Daniel Johannes Greber, but I named him the beast." From its opening line, GoneAway crackles with danger. Author Jeffrey B. Allen creates a vivid, animated world in which trains breathe and an attic full of discarded housewares plots its revenge. Clearly, Allen has a poet's eye. His young hero, thirteen-year-old John, has a poet-warrior's heart. Imagine Harry Potter if, instead of the slightly unpleasant Dursleys, Harry had been raised by a full-grown mountain troll. John's beast of a father is unpredictable and dangerous. He takes the story book villain to a whole new level of greed and ignorance.

"The beast" finally goes too far when he disappears, taking John's little sister, Marny, with him. The search for Marny leads John and his mother, Ellie, in the Land, a place they couldn't have imagined in their wildest dreams. (Think of Candyland crossed with Gregory Maguire's vision of Oz and you'll have something of an idea.) Allen skillfully combines the everyday world with the fantastic, a seemingly seamless combination which reminds the reader of the very best of fantasy novels. Yet, GoneAway never imitates the style of other fantasies. It remains fresh and surprising, giving the reader little thrills of recognition but never descending into fairy tale cliches.

A note at the end of the book promises the GoneAway series will continue in a second book. The GoneAway series promises to be a fascinating one, as the first book ends on notes of hope, but also of missed opportunity. It will be rewarding to see how the series develops.

GoneAway Into the Land is a highly satisfying reading fix for older children. It will not disappoint adult fans of fantasy, either. Readers who enjoyed Keith Miller's The Book of Flying and other fairy tales for grown-ups will also appreciate GoneAway.

Vamps...New dead girl anthology from Torquere Press

I may be dead, but I can still dream.

I dreamt I was the maiden Persephone, my sun-streaked brown hair falling in curls down to my slim adolescent waist, my golden skin shining in the late afternoon sun of the meadow. Suddenly, a shadow fell across my body, chilling me. In an instant I was snatched away to the Underworld by grim, darkly beautiful Hecate. She declared herself my queen and my lover, but I refused her. Refused her, until she squeezed between my unwilling lips the juice of six blood-red pomegranate seeds. With the sticky, sweet and tart juice on my tongue, I became part of the Underworld.

I was just about to claim my rightful place as co-regent of the Realm of the Dead when I was awakened by loud voices. The television, I soon realized. My mortal lover, Hollie, had suddenly cranked up the volume as she sat in the living room.

As I vainly attempted to stuff Hollie’s pillow and mine into my ears to mute the noisy intrusion, I heard a familiar, televised voice. "Affirmative action perpetrates the worst kind of injustice, Larry," the woman said. Followed by more intellectual blah blah blah, interrupted at some point by Larry King’s follow-up question. I tossed my sheet aside angrily and crept up behind Hollie’s recliner.

Hollie’s hand still held the remote, as if poised to turn it up louder, should the need arise. It wouldn’t, of course. My hearing is far better than that of mortals.

"Mama looks good," I said. Hollie startled when I spoke, dropping the remote. Three months undead, and I’m already a master of sneaking up on folks. "Damn good. She must be getting some regular." I settled onto the arm of Hollie’s chair.

"You scared me," Hollie said.

This is an excerpt from "Oakley Falls," my contribution to Vamps from Torquere Press.

Oakley is a lesbian, a vampire, and a stripper. She and her mortal lover Hollie have their issues, but Oakley's unlife is going well...so why does she find herself waking up chained to a chair in the basement of The Third Eye Gentleman's Club? Could it have something to do with her favorite pro basketball player, flamboyant, New Orleans-bred Johnny Lee Bayliss?

A Hanukkah Treat For Gentiles and Jews Alike

It's that time of year again! Dig in to a delectable winter treat, as warm as a potato pancake on a frosty Hanukkah night!

Caught up in the magic of the Festival of Lights, Gabriella wants everything to be perfect for her holiday with Jared. Jared has very specific tastes-and a slight obsession with teasing the individual flavors out of the aromas of fine wines. Even the kosher wine he chooses for the first night of Hanukkah is subjected to his beloved wine aroma wheel.

But wine is not the only thing that can be tasted, analyzed, and savored. Gabriella and Jared discover new uses for Jared's favorite toy as the Hanukkah candles burn down...

Read "Spicy, Earthy, Sweet" by Erin O'Riordan at Ravenous Romance (update, 2015: Although originally available at RR, the title can now be found on Etsy).

Help out a starving artist for only $1.99! It's a beautiful story (but only for readers 18+)!

Erin O'Riordan, despite what her Irish name may lead you to believe, is of mixed Catholic, Protestant, Jewish and Pagan descent. Following the philosophy of Joan Borysenko, she proudly embraces all of her diverse spiritual heritage. Her spiritual-sexual writings include the Pagan-ritual-inspired erotic novel Beltane, from Eternal Press. Visit her home page at www.aeess.com.

"The Boy," New Fiction

"The Boy" is a short fiction piece I wrote, literally, in my sleep. I was dreaming this right before I woke up this morning, in almost these exact words, as nearly as I can remember. Parts of it recall George Gordon, Lord Byron, but it isn't strictly historical fiction. It's only a dream.

What am I? A poet, some would tell you. A monster, others would say. They call me “monster” because they have never known one like me. What they call badness I merely call enjoying the full range of pleasures bestowed on me by my Creatrix.

I traveled with a man-servant I was in the habit of calling The Boy, because he had been in my service since, when he was eleven, his aristocrat mother turned him out of the house, deciding he should make his own way in the world. That was nearly a decade ago, and he was certainly a man now, with a beard and a physique any Classical sculptor would have killed to reproduce in stone. Not that I thought of The Boy like that…until the occurrence at Lillian’s.

Lillian is my grandmother’s first-born grandchild, my cousin, and blessed with all of the privileges of a first-born. She possesses a superior intellect and beauty beyond what any painter has ever captured in oils. She was my friend and confessor, naturally my lover, and occasionally my drinking partner.

We had just finished one such drinking binge and were lounging carelessly in the large, luxurious tub of one of her bathing rooms. She was sitting on my lap, and though penetration was quite out of the question given our drunken state, I was nonetheless admiring the shapely form of her buttocks and enjoying the feel of her skin caressing mine. That was when The Boy walked in, despite my explicit instructions to the contrary.

I hurried from the tub, quickly wrapping Lillian in one of her fine towels, though I took no measures to cover my own nakedness. I upbraided The Boy, then turned to Lillian and apologized to Lillian for her embarrassment.

“No matter,” my lovely, nonchalant cousin replied. “I was about to go to bed anyway.”

“Sweet dreams,” I said, kissing her. “Dream about your future husband, who I am certain will be a great scientist with whom you will make many bold discoveries.”

“Only if you promise to dream about your future wife, who I’m certain will be a charming aristocrat without a thought in her head, whose immense wealth you will recklessly squander.” We laughed, and she went off to bed.

When she’d left the chamber, The Boy turned to me with fire in his eyes. “You know she is your cousin.”

“And what difference does that make to me? I’ve done the same with three of my four sisters.”

“I want you to do with me what you do with her,” came The Boy’s bold reply.

“No,” I answered flatly. “What you are talking about is called sodomy, and they put men in prison for it.”

“Then let them put us in prison, where we’ll be alone together to do it again and again.” With startling speed he closed the space between us and pulled me into him for a powerful kiss. The Boy’s inclinations came as some surprise to me, as he had never before shown interest in any of my romantic entanglements, either with women or with any of the other men. Still, the drunkenness seemed immediately to clear from my mind, and my erection sprang to life, vying for space against The Boy’s solid cock.

Perhaps this is why they call me mad and dangerous, and why I am unwelcome in most any society I visit, but I threw all caution to the wind. I sent The Boy to my chamber to fetch the special ointment I keep for such occasions, then bent him over the edge of the bathtub and applied the ointment liberally to his entrance. If The Boy felt any pain from the taking, he made no sign of it, though his cries of enjoyment were loud and frequent. Though I had never thought of The Boy like that before the occurrence at Lillian’s, he was to be the love of my life.

In Sleeping Beauty's Bed: Bawdy Fairy Tales by Mitzi Szereto

Pure, naughty fun: Mitzi Szereto's multicultural fractured fairy tales (Cleis Press, 2009) aren't for kids, but they are the kind you could read out loud in a pub to amuse your friends. In that, they resemble the oral versions of classic tales told around campfires in ages past. (Along with the tales, the author also includes a brief introduction giving some information about the story's origin.) Like the ale-soaked storytellers of old, Srezeto injects a good dose of humor into each bawdy yarn. She retells European fairy tales, including "Little Red Riding Hood" and "Rapunzel," but also ventures into Middle Eastern and Asian fairy tales, giving each a unique, humorous twist undreamt-of by the original tellers. This book will sit comfortably on my personal bookshelf in between Feminist Fairy Tales and The Virago Book of Erotic Myths and Legends.

One note: very sensitive readers may wish to bypass "Michel Michelkleiner's Good Luck," as it contains scenes of violence some may find offensive.

New, Original Writings on the Web

If you're not using Gather.com, you may have missed some of my latest, freshest writings. In case you did, let me catch you up:

My tribute to the late Betty Page: A Film Review
In honor of the passing of model Betty Page at the age of 85, I've decided to share my review of the 2001 DVD Betty Page in Bondage. If you are a Betty aficianado, you can rent the film from www.dvdavenue.com. Not one of my personal favorites, really, but here's the info you need to know before you rent the DVD:

"Actually, my favorite part of this DVD was when I first took it out of its sleeve. The picture on the disc itself is a pretty one. Betty Page had a really nice body. To truly enjoy this video, though, one would have to be a hard-core Page fan. It's composed entirely of antique "stag reels" of her . . . interesting 1950s costumes and music, but only mildly naughty by today's standards. Scenes of girl-on-girl bondage that were probably quite titillating in the mid-20th century are just rather quaint and even bizarre now."

Other Recent Posts:
Original Short Story, "God and The Devil Are Married" at http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977754375

Reprint of "Chocolate Jesus and the Oral Thing" at http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977754159

Review of Witch's Heart, a book by Tabitha Shay at http://www.gather.com/viewArticle.action?articleId=281474977741950

And don't forget to take the latest Facebook quiz and find out "Which Beltane Character Are You?" You can find it at http://apps.facebook.com/whichbeltanesowgpc/?_fb_fromhash=3bb3bf9c249e2c69417dfeae82690e0c.

If you love Beltane, buy "Bomb Pop" from Erotique Press at www.erotiquepress.com. (Note: the website may be down for a redesign for a day or so, but keep checking back!)