Rock My Kindle Off!

Another format becomes RMSO-friendly! : )

If my calculations are correct ...

... my story "Phone Support" is in the new issue of Forum [UK]!

(If my calculations are incorrect, I have an editorial in Sandpaper Specifications Quarterly.)

Here's how the story (not the editorial) begins:

The art-department manager had a typical set of goals for this retreat—a glorified camping trip for the art staff. And Alec, always a good sport about corporate nonsense, had resolved to show the proper team spirit.

But much more important to Alec was the personal goal that he’d set.

Alec’s goal was to take things as far as he could with Iris, without crossing the line. No, he couldn’t cross the line—that was of paramount importance—but he was also intent on not leaving any thrills untasted on this side of the line. In the coming days, it was desperately important to him to make the most of the magic of flirtation and the sparkle of play.

Paulette, waiting back home, would expect no less of him.

Thank you, Forum!

“What makes this book truly special ...

“... is the raucous sense of humor upon which the sex is buoyed.... There is not a cliché to be found in the entire novel and, when it comes to erotica, that alone is quite a feat.”

—Oysters & Chocolate Erotic

Thank you, O&C!!!!!

Kinky Smidgen

The gracious Angela St. Lawrence is featuring a new mini-piece of mine at her ZenFetish blog! It's a kinky smidgen of dorm-bathroom fun called "Co-Education."

Thanks, Angela!

Draw a Cougar!

Or be drawn by a cougar?

No, this isn't an art-school ad from the back of TV Guide. It's a blog event at AuthorIsland's Cyber Launch Party site, where we're partying over the release of The Cougar Book. If you comment, you'll be entered in a drawing for a free copy of the antho!

The Cougar Book Is Ready to Roar!

I'm pleased to announce that the Cougar Book (ed. Jolie du Pré) is now available in both print and e-book forms from Logical-Lust Publications.

Here's an excerpt from my contribution, "Boston. Breasts. Bohemian" (which is the first story in the collection!):Okay, okay ... for a non-Wordle excerpt, go here.

Microcosm

Another excerpt from Rock My Socks Off is now available for your perusal—this time at the eminent M. Christian's Frequently Felt blog!

This particular excerpt is of a rather (ahem) athletic nature. And, though brief, I think it incorporates many of the main elements of the book as a whole, making it a sort of microcosm. And there's even a microcosm (as I describe it) within the passage. Microcosms within microcosms! Pass the fractals, please.

The generous M. Christian, by the way, is always on the lookout for stimulating material to feature on his blog. He encourages submissions!

Thanks, M.C.!

Okay, so I'm going to talk about this, after all.

I think Amazon Vine is a terrific program, and I'm very grateful that my publisher took the initiative to offer copies of Rock My Socks Off to UK Vine reviewers. It's wonderful to have a publisher who's always exploring ways to get more exposure for our books, and I'm very glad they took advantage of this opportunity to promote RMSO.

The thing about Amazon Vine, though, as I'm learning, is it comes with its own set of risks:

• Your book will likely be reviewed by people who wouldn't have chosen your book to read, based on their general tastes, had it not been offered as an "assignment."
• Your book may be reviewed by people who habitually give low ratings to most of the books they review.
• Your erotic novel may be reviewed by people who generally find erotica unimpressive and uninteresting.
• Your book may be reviewed by people who not only don't care for what you're doing—which is fine—but who also don't get what you're doing—which is just sad, imo, especially if what you're doing is not particularly inscrutable or esoteric.

Some hints:

If you only like books that are "heavy" in tone and content, you will not like Rock My Socks Off.

If you think banter is a waste of time rather than a means of developing character, demonstrating interpersonal chemistry, and engaging and entertaining the reader, you will not like Rock My Socks Off.

If plot devices like a dysfunctional, specialized museum and protagonists like—OMG—an astronomer(??!!) are too wild and crazy for you to accept ... then I guess you won't like Rock My Socks Off.

Fair enough.

And now I'm done talking about this.

"Reflections," à la Wordle

Stealing inspiration from Janine Ashbless and her artistic collaborator, I've just Wordled my story "Reflections from the Art Museum"!

Coming through the teletype ...

... tick-a-tick-a-tick-a-tick ...

Xcite Books is offering a FREE three-story e-book as a Valentine's Day gift to erotica lovers! The freebee is also available in iPhone format.

... tick-a-tick-a-tick-a-tick ...

For a chance to win a free copy of The Cougar Book, visit Goodreads.

... tick-a-tick-a-tick-a-tickle-tickle-tickle ...

Revisiting

In conjunction with the imminent release of The Cougar Book (that's February 14th; print and e-book), publisher Logical-Lust is running a series of contributor interviews on their blog. (Start here if you need to catch up—you don't want to miss Heidi Champa, Shanna Germain, and the others!)

It's my turn today, and this link takes you to an excerpt from my piece ("Boston. Breasts. Bohemian.") and a discussion of how I used this submissions opportunity to revisit a setting I'd known as a young man.

And right now, Logical-Lust has a special offer! Preorder The Cougar Book, and you'll receive a free copy of editor Jolie du Pré's previous L-L anthology, Swing! (in which I also appear).

Rock iSocks Off

It's now available for your iPhones!

Audience participation

Today I'm offering another excerpt from Rock My Socks Off.

In this scene, Jacob and Normandie are visiting Los Angeles, and they decide to attend a game-show taping. (My fictitious game show is called Think! but the evocative illustration at right is a vintage still from Match Game.)

‘Remember,’ said Normandie. ‘No panties.’

‘Reminder appreciated but unnecessary.’

The lights went up on the stage, music began playing, and an announcer’s voice came over the PA system. While everyone around them came to life with the electricity of a television show about to occur before their eyes, Jacob felt a different type of electricity coursing through him, with Normandie the source. She brought his hand onto her thigh and gave him an impish look.

Her light summer skirt was just billowy enough that a hand could slip under it without unduly stressing the fabric. Whether a hand was or wasn’t making itself at home beneath this sort of skirt could be a woman’s own secret – and, of course, that of the hand’s owner.

With her bareness inviting him, it would have been easy for Jacob to tune out the hubbub of Think! – the drama, the music, the cheers. But that wasn’t how Normandie’s game was to be played.

‘We have to keep watching, OK?’ she said. ‘We have to pay attention to the game, and make it look like we’re just typical audience …’ she stroked his crotch ‘… members.’

‘Right.’ He winked at her, and, in perfect synchronization, they turned their heads to watch what was happening under the lights.

On the stage, three contestants raced each other for the privilege of answering various difficult questions.

In the audience, a man’s right hand found a path beneath some billows to encounter a friendly thigh.

On the stage, an emcee solemnly tested somebody’s knowledge of geography.

In the audience, Jacob navigated without a map.

The show went to a commercial.

Jacob’s hand went around back and fondled Normandie’s bottom, right where it met the vinyl seat.

The show returned to play another round, and Jacob’s hand returned from behind, easing its way around a naked hip.

Under the lights, the contestants made progress toward various prizes.

In the dark, Jacob made progress toward one specific prize.

They were getting close.

So was he.

On the stage, a contestant raised her fist triumphantly to celebrate a correct answer. ‘Yesss!’ she shouted.

In the audience, a woman spread her legs generously to welcome a wandering hand. ‘Yesss,’ she whispered.

The first-place contestant came forward to play a solo round. Slowly but surely, she made her way up a ladder of increasingly valuable questions.
Meanwhile, Jacob’s fingers played a solo on Normandie, leading her up a ladder of her own. She was dripping for him, and her lips and clit responded tremulously to every touch.

He needed to unzip, and she was squirming right on the edge.

‘Oh, Jacob.’ When she breathed his name in her moment of ecstasy, he thought he heard it echo all around him.

He did. ‘Jacob. Jacob Hastings,’ said the emcee. ‘You have been randomly selected from our audience today to help Marcy here.’

Inside his trousers, his erection twitched. ‘What the hell am I supposed to do now?’ his penis seemed to be asking him.

Erotic atheism

It's February (as you probably know), and I'm delighted to say that my erotic exploration of spiritual atheism and nonspiritual atheism, "Tapping into Theresa," is featured this month at Justus Roux's Erotic Tales. (My story is the second piece on the page.)

Thanks, Justus!