Werewolves and vamps – or Red Riding Hood exposed

I’ve been gone for some time, having to work on making money — eating is still, unfortunately, a necessity — and doesn’t that make you wish you were some supernatural being, all powerful, cut off society but also free of it, because of your curse which is also a gift? Don’t you want to write stories about such beings?

Yes, but.

After the enormous success of Twilight and the overwhelming flooding of the market with movies, books and stories in general about such creatures, it’s not a mystery why many authors stir clear of the topic. Too much of the good thing can spoil it.

Yet erotica works differently – perhaps because it gives the topic what has been missing: the good stuff. The spice. The real possibilities. Isn’t that what Little Red Riding Hood is all about?

Now you’ll say, and what does a fairytale for children have to do with sex? (apart from it being a candidate for erotica retellings of fairytales, of course). It does have a wolf, but werewolves? sex?

Well, it would appear that in the earlier versions of this fairytale (not really created for children, after all), the wolf is really a werewolf. He gets into granny’s bed, and asks Red to remove her clothes, one item at a time – then get into the bed with him.

Growl.

Just how old is Red anyway? And how handsome is this werewolf?

Ah. Werewolves are sexy. Maybe it’s the idea that they lose control – a man losing control in his passion – a man who has a little of an animal spirit in him, mystical and wild and magnificent.

But why talk about them today?

For one, Ravenous Romance is calling for novellas about werewolves and vampires, and for short stories for in-house anthologies. Werewolves and vampires are all the rage in erotica, even if other markets are saturated – because they’re hot.

So go out and write and let the beast into the house!

LITTLE DEATH to be published in”I kissed a boy” anthology

My erotica story “Little Death” was accepted for publication in the “I kissed a boy” anthology of Ravenous Romance.
Need I mention I am very happy about this?

Blurb: Luke knows he can’t be gay – he just appreciates the beauty of the male body. Or so he keeps telling himself until he meets Troy.

Luke travels to Costa Rica in the hopes of coming to grips with his brother’s death. After he gets mugged in a national park, he wanders, lost in the coastal jungle, until he is rescued by Troy, who is mourning his mother’s death. The two men bond over their recent loss, and Luke’s attraction to Troy grows, but he still holds back. Will Luke take a leap of faith and kiss the other man, and so give them both a chance at happiness?

LITTLE DEATH is a contemporary m/m erotica of approximately 5000 words, written while I lived in Costa Rica, in the national park in which I placed the story (Cahuita national park, Caribbean Coast). I hope you enjoy reading it as much as I enjoyed writing it!

The Falcon and the Jackal in top ten of LooseID contest!

Yay! I have sent off my first 1000 words for the LooseID Hot Hooks contest after it was selected among the top ten. Now waiting to see if it is selected in the top five, but I am satisfied with these results already. I love this novel, and I do hope to publish it one day.

Other news: I sent off Mador’s story for the Samhain Angels and Demons anthology – keeping my fingers crossed on that one! And writing other stories for a number of calls for submissions – including a SF novella and other erotica stories.

Have a great day, everyone!

BEDKNOBS & BEANSTALKS in Ravenous top 10 sellers list.

BEDKNOBS & BEANSTALKS just hit the Ravenous top 10 sellers list. I was thrilled to see this, and although I can’t claim all the fame for myself (I am after all just one contributor – “The Merman’s Tail”), it is very motivating!

So now I am going away to work on Mador’s story with a big smile on my face.

“The Falcon and the Jackal” in top 20 of Hot Hooks contest!

James had never been attracted to a man before. But Horus, the Egyptian god of the sun, is not just any man. Drop dead gorgeous, Horus is also the harbinger of bad news. He proclaims James to be Seth, his dark godly counterpart and ally, and warns that Osiris, god of the dead, is about to take over the world once more. Caught between a game of power and falling in love with Horus, James must remember his past and regain his powers, or he’ll lose everything—his future, his former lover, and his own life.

This is the story of James and Silver, alias Seth and Horus, come back to life to battle evil Osiris and save the world. heh. And have some serious sex in the process, because the jewels that bear their godly power need sexual charging. Which means, ahem, sex. Right.

Here is the beginning of the novel:

“James, I swear you like that amulet more than you like your girlfriend.” Dan winked from the museum’s ticket desk.

James winced. Yet another relationship he’d been unable to keep. “Can I just have my ticket, please?”
“At least give my niece a call, will ya?”
James avoided the man’s gaze. “You know we’re not together anymore, Dan.”
Ticket clutched in his hand, he strode into the quiet museum and took a deep breath, inhaled the familiar smell of floor polish and recycled air. Maybe he really should make up with Elisa. He should take his finance studies more seriously, patch things up with his mother. It was past time he got his life in order.
But instead he stood in the Rosicrucian Egyptian Museum’s brightly lit entrance hall, between Tuaret, the bloated hippopotamus goddess, and Bes, the dwarf god of fertility. Their eyes were accusing.

Damn it.

James rushed down the deserted aisles. In half an hour the museum would close. Flickering lights illuminated cases with statuettes and painted sarcophagi. He caught a glimpse of his crinkled t-shirt and mussed blond hair in the glass, and frowned. It had been a long day. Smoothing back the short strands, he entered the temporary exhibition hall. He hastened between stone carvings and mummy portraits, and came to stand before a plain black display case.
The amulet.
A disc of pale silver, delicate designs of snakes entwined around its border. In its center, an inlaid, underlined circle in shiny jet.

Keeping my fingers crossed. Let’s see what the readers vote!

Publishing date for Merman’s Tail in Erotica anthology!

BEDKNOBS & BEANSTALKS, Gay male erotica anthology based on fairytales coming out on Oct 20 2009! That’s next week!!! *dances* It includes my story “Merman’s Tail”, the story of Karan and Tir, the merman with the long blue hair.

Here is an excerpt:

As the waxing moon sank low in the sky, Karan glanced at his baskets filled with fish. Pleased with his catch, he rowed towards the shore. Strong strokes brought the boat alongside thick groves of glowing willows and ash. Strident laughter ran among patches of silvery reeds. A shiver climbed up Karan’s spine, but he kept the rhythm of his rowing steady.

No wonder few fishermen ever came to this large lake to fish, although it teemed with life. Dangerous mermen frolicked and danced in the waters, cursed mortals, fools who’d stood against wizards or witches and now sought to drown hapless mortals. Nixies played among them, malevolent water horses, sprites of death.

Yet, the reluctance of most fishermen to come here meant bigger catches for those who dared.

Hunger makes you brave. Need makes you bold.

Karan had been fishing here for weeks, but had not seen any of the cursed creatures yet. According to the tales, the spells that bound them grew stronger as the moon waxed.

Karan glanced uneasily at the silver disk in the sky. Soon it would be full. A distant splash rang and he shivered. I’ll make it. A few more catches, and then I’ll leave this place of death forever.

He forced his thoughts elsewhere, lest fear drove him away like all others.

He’d sell his catch to the wandering merchant tomorrow and send the coins to his sick mother. He let the oars rest and bowed his head. Would she make it through winter?

Stop worrying. He pushed long bangs from his eyes. She’ll get the coins and she’ll be just fine.

Sudden racket. Laughter and music erupted next to his boat. What’s this? His hands clenched on the oars, his breath coming in short gasps. He hunched, making himself small.

Pure song burst out to his left, a melody made of notes without words, a voice like a flute, high and perfect. A head broke the surface of the calm water, dark eyes gazed right at him.

Karan’s sweaty hands squeaked on the oars. His mouth went dry. Oh God, they’re here.

The male head rose, first streaming pale hair, then a profile, white against the night. A huge dark tail splashed as the merman rose out of the water as far as his waist, singing to the moon. Other forms rose around him, their hair floating on the water in a carpet of colors.

Karan swallowed hard. The mermen’s beauty, a shiny net, caught his writhing mind.

The song broke off, and with a splash, the mermen gripped and rocked his boat like a cradle, laughing in high trills. Nixies joined them. The ghostly water horses neighed and shook their manes. Moonlight shone on the mermen’s sinewy backs, long dark hair and upraised pale arms, and on the horses’ glittering manes.

Karan clutched at the boat, trying to keep his balance, faint with fright. The mermen stared back at him with dark eyes. Silent now, they rocked the boat, again and again, their faces somber and implacable. They tipped the boat to the side and pulled the oars out of his hands.

Karan’s chest heaved. Water began to fill the boat.

Another splash sounded. He glanced about, his pulse pounding in his ears.

Suddenly the rocking ceased and the mermen released the boat. Karan fell inside, and water drenched him. He saw great fishtails waving in the air. Deafening screeches sent Karan’s heart into a frenzy. He scrambled upright to have a look.

The waters frothed and bubbled. Arms grabbed tails, long hair sent water flying across the surface. A fight?

Then he saw him. One merman fought the others, hitting them with his arms and tail. He turned, dove and surfaced again, shoving the others away in a sinuous dance, striking them with his body.

Why would a merman defend him?

A large, white-haired merman raised his long fishtail and hit Karan’s protector, sending him splashing under the water. He vanished into the froth.

“No!” Karan leaned over and searched the water for sight of him.

The silvery forms fixed their gaze on him, still as statues. Then they swam away. Silence lay thick on the water.

Karan swallowed against a throat gone dry.

When a hand grabbed the prow, he cried out in alarm. The merman rose through the surface of the lake, and dropped Karan’s lost oars back inside the boat. A crest of light blue hair rose on his head, and longer strands floated around him and molded on his shoulders. Almond-shaped eyes of the darkest green stared at Karan, unblinking. Soft-looking lips pursed.

Karan stared back, entranced. He had never seen such a beautiful creature. The water glimmered on the merman’s muscular chest and long neck. The hand that gripped Karan’s boat was strong and long-fingered, the skin pale like snow. The desire to kiss those lips, to caress that body, rolled through Karan like a wave. As if under a spell, he reached out.

The merman’s long tail hit the water, bringing Karan back to reality. “Your name?” said the merman in a deep voice.

Karan drew back, fear twisting his belly. “I’m Karan.” He swallowed, gathered his frayed thoughts. “Thank you for helping me.”

“Karan.” The name sounded so different coming from the merman’s lips. “Leave and never return. They will kill you if you stay.”

Karan froze. “I can’t leave. Not now. I need the catch, or my mother won’t make it through winter. She’ll die!”

The merman shook his head. “And if you die, you perish both.” The green eyes flashed. “Your decision.” He released his hold on the boat and disappeared into the water.

Merman’s Tail

What happens when you take a traditional fairy tale and twist it into an erotic one?

Merman’s Tail.

Many fairy tales contain erotic symbolism. A classic example is Red Riding Hood. Scholars say that in the original tale the wolf (a werewolf in fact, and a man) asks her to remove her clothing piece by piece before jumping into bed with him. And he dressed like a woman. Kinky! :-O

The Frog Prince is another such tale. A version of this tale from Germany has the princess throw the frog against the wall – an action which breaks the spell. Ouch! But the fact that he asks to sleep with her every night is not to cuddle. The frog probably has other things on his mind…

Merman’s Tail is a twist on the old Frog Prince tale. Karan, a fisherman, nearly drowns in a storm when Tir, a merman, saves his life and demands a place in Karan’s life for three days and three nights. Repelled by the merman’s bestial form, yet drawn by the parts of Tir that are all man, Karan wavers between following through with his promise, or returning Tir to the water. Will Karan find the courage to break the spell over Tir, or will they both lose their chance at happily ever after?

I am very happy that editor E.M. Lynley has chosen this story of mine to be included in the upcoming BEDKNOBS & BEANSTALKS: Gay Fairy Tales Anthology from Ravenous Romance. I hope you who read it come to care  for Karan and Tir as much as I do.

Idriel’s Sin

I am working on a number of MM stories right now, many of them with angels and demons due to the multiple calls for anthologies from erotica publishers. It is a topic I love in any case, so these calls gave me the opportunity to delve into one of my favorite areas of interest. Yay for erotica!

“Idriel’s Sin” came into being after a short I wrote with the theme of an angel and demon falling in love (called “Suriel’s Sword”, I will talk about it in another post). Idriel is an angel, accused wrongly of betraying his comrades and sent to a training camp for demons and angels on earth, pending his Fall to Hell. Eligor, also at the camp, is a Fallen angel, a demon, given a second chance because of good conduct. It takes some time for Idriel to convince Eligor that he is innocent and their feelings for each other grow. Caught in a plot to dethrone God and bring down Heaven, they must fight to save each other and their own soul.

Keywords: lust, beautiful male bodies, angst, pain and desire. Yay! Currently writing the last chapter. Once done, the novel will be about 60 thousand words long. Then of course it will go through the grind. Some parts will be trimmed down, others expanded, but the word count should stay pretty much stable. I hope! *crosses eyes and toes to keep fingers free for typing*

I will be telling you more about Idriel and Eligor in the future.

The Dispossessed

No, I am not talking about Le Guin’s novel. I am talking about myself.

I just moved back to my native country. Native, of course, referring to my birth here. I was away for sixteen years, and that’s a long time to be away from the place one calls “home”. What I am trying to say is that I don’t feel like I have come home, really. And I wonder if I will ever be able to call a place home.

Everything seems out of place for me here. The longer I stay, the weirder I feel. Like a tourist who forgot to return. Return home. But where is that? I lived in different countries of Europe, also in Latin America. There is a piece of home in each of these countries for me – familiar streets and stores, faces and activities, mentalities and food. But no HOME.

I am feeling restless, cornered, isolated and overwhelmed. I don’t really know what I am looking for, if for anything at all, except for this feeling of contentment and relaxation that means home for me.

I hope one day to capture it and feel at ease where I live.

Mador

I have started writing a new novella length story, which for now I called “Mador” after the demon protagonist. I have written a number of demon/angel erotica stories lately, I just love the theme. Demons in particular have that drama and tragic air about them (because they were angels who fell from heaven for love or pride) like vampires do. They are just hot! So Mador is an angel who fell after Lucifer’s fall from grace, and now lives in Hell as a minion of demon prince Sitri. He craves freedom, but is enslaved for eternity.

Enter Jay Serin, a mortal, who summons Mador, temporarily makes him flesh and blood and binds Mador to himself. Mador is not happy about this, esp. when told he will have to fight a great demon come midnight to protect Jay’s life. He tries to run away, but the binding doesn’t let him.

But is Jay telling the whole truth? Mador can feel the mortal is lying, and yet is attracted to him. After making love, and on the strike of midnight, Belial arrives to claim Jay’s soul. Will Jay let him have Mador instead, or will he surrender for the sake of the first sparks of love he feels for the demon?

I am very happy I finished the first draft of this story. I have too many stories in my mind right now. Time is my only constraint.