Friday, May 23, 2014

The L in GBLT


The L in GBLT
Can I write it as good as a female?

Well here I am again, released from The Crypt, to share more views about GBLT erotica with you all.

As you know I write mainly m/m and transsexual erotica, two of the sexualities covered by GBLT, and just recently I have been thinking and also, to a small extent, writing f/f shorts (three of which can be found in The Crypt of Morbius) and this got me to thinking of a few things.

  1. Do women prefer to read f/f erotica written by women?
  2. Can a male accurately describe the feelings of two women making love?
  3. As it's a well known fact/myth males find the thought of two or more women together hotter and more erotic than anything, especially the heterosexual male, would I just be going for easy sales?
I was going to attempt the f/f genre with a new pseudonym, Julie-Ann, due to the first of those thoughts. However, thanks to our wonderful Mistress Gina's advice, Julie-Ann is now going to be my muse, not the author and J S Morbius will still be the name to look for on the cover.
As for conveying feelings hopefully the shorts I have so far written show I do know what I am doing, but I also know I have so many great friends if I do get stuck I am sure a helpful hint or two wouldn't be too hard to find (hopefully).
Finally the sales question. I know, no matter how long you have been writing or how good you think you are, there is no such thing as easy sales. Good erotica takes dedication, care, thought, practice and a lot of patience (something I am slowly learning about).
If the writing and story are both good then the sales will come and as my main aim is showing, and bringing, equality to all - no matter what a person's sexuality, not the number of books in the sales column - then whether I sell one copy or one hundred is irrelevant.

Society will eventually come to understand, and accept, every single person on this planet has the choice to live their lives exactly as they please and no-one has the right to dictate whether their choices are right or wrong.


This has been J S Morbius
Bringing Love and Equality to all.




Tuesday, May 20, 2014

Print Or eBook?

My NNP novel "Don't Call Me Baby" is soon coming out in print. While I write mostly in ebook form, I do like the feel of a print book in my hot little hands. There's something about the texture and smell of paper that I find satisfying. Plus, a print book feels more like a real book. I know ebooks are just as real and as valid as print books, but my mind hasn't completely given over to them yet.

I love print books. I collect old books so the printed word is very important to me. I have an entire 1905 collection of the complete works of Edgar Allan Poe, another Poe book illustrated by Harry Clarke, early 20th century hardback editions of Wells and de Maupassant, and Victorian pillow books. I'd love to get my hands on some Strand Magazines with the Sherlock Holmes stories in them and books illustrated by Arthur Rackham. Some day, some day.

That said, ebooks have their advantages. For one thing, they're often cheaper. I can store the same number (hundreds) of books on my Kindle that fill ten bookcases in my home. I can change the font size so my decrepit eyes can easily read. Some books are only available in ebook format. Ebooks are definitely the wave of the future. Even so, I do like to hold a print book in my hands.

Since "Don't Call Me Baby" is coming out in print, I wanted to make sure all my readers are aware of my Night Owl Top Pick novel. It's new adult, meaning the leading character is college-aged. She has quite the roller coaster ride of a life, too. Below are links and my Night Owl 4 star review.



DON'T CALL ME BABY WEB SITE

INTERVIEWS


Night Owl Reviews
Authors By Authors

BUY LINKS

Naughty Nights Press



Smashwords

REVIEWS:

TOP PICK - NIGHT OWL REVIEWS
Hitherandthee at Night Owl Reviews:


Don’t Call Me Baby is a fast paced, very adventurous romantic novel that will take readers on a roller coaster ride of scorching romantic fun. The main character, Catherine, is a woman after my own heart. She is young and fiercely independent, and beyond gorgeous. She is not wealthy, but she wants to live the good life and is not afraid to go get it. She is also very sexually liberated, and in the 1980’s this was sometimes a good thing, and sometimes a not so good thing. The story is so blisteringly hot and steamy; it’s difficult to put down. It took me back to a better time, and a time I enjoyed much more. It is a novel I truly enjoyed reading, and will definitely be reading time and time again. It’s not for the faint of heart, but it’s also not to be missed.

So many men, so little time. Catherine has a long list of men that she sees on a regular basis, and at the top of the list (for the moment, anyway) is Brian. He’s one of her professors at Quincy, and a married man, but that’s never been a problem. But he’s so demanding! So maybe some time apart will be just the trick. A summer theater camp at another local college for local teens should make him realize that Catherine is not his possession, right? That is, until she gets to the camp and meets the other counselors. Ryan is gorgeous, and the rest? Well, what’s a girl on her own to do? Why, enjoy as many as she can! In the meantime, Catherine will come to grips with her mind and her heart, and will figure out what she really wants in life.

Tuesday, May 13, 2014

The Pleasure of Writing by Gemma Parkes



 One of the things I like most about writing is the flexibility it provides. A writer can write about absolutely anything and anybody depending on the mood they are in. We can escape the hum drum or over busy world we live in and be someone else through the tap of a keyboard or the swirl of pen. This experience is usually only achieved through reading someone else's words, and, much as I love reading, I love writing more. It is fabulous to slip inside someone else's mind and pretend to be that character for a while. I can have thoughts that aren't mine, I can do things that I have never done and it's immensely satisfying.
When I first started writing I wrote only from a woman's point of view and more often than not in the first person. I enjoy writing Erotica in the first person as it helps me to express how I feel (or would feel) in certain situations, it can be a truly intimate experience. Sometimes though the story teller in me demanded third person writing and this, more often than not, was from a woman's point of view.
Pleasing Mia changed all that for me when Scott became the one whose feelings were more substantial:

It was a Sunday morning and Scott was standing outside the main shopping precinct. He had been buying beers from a small supermarket and caught sight of her hair first before realising it was her. She was gazing without interest into a shoe shop window talking on her mobile phone. The sight of her made Scott stop in his tracks, his breath caught in his throat. Mia looked amazing in black skinny fit jeans and a plain white T shirt. Her unruly golden hair was blowing gently in the warm breeze. Scott felt a familiar ache and wondered if he dared to approach her. What harm would there be in just saying hello? He couldn't be sure if Mia would be happy to see him or just embarrassed, but he decided that there was only one way to find out and strode purposefully towards her, his heart already thudding noisily beneath his navy blue T shirt.

After that I found myself being drawn to writing more stories about men's thoughts and actions though I have never mastered the art of two men as lovers. Men can generally be manipulated far more easily than women so this sexual power that women have over men is an endless source of inspiration to me. Take A Wicked Game:

“I just wasn’t expecting…” The sight of the girl had directly affected the tightness of Peter’s trousers. He hadn’t felt such a quick reaction in a long time and struggled to keep his composure.
“Do you want me to take it off sir?” Lucinda pressed.
Peter rubbed his brow then tugged at his shirt collar before answering.
“Yes.” His voice was barely a whisper.
Lucinda slowly pulled the short, elasticated waistband down past her shapely hips, pausing when she reached her thighs to watch Peter’s reaction to the nakedness she was displaying just for him.
Peter loosened his tie. His mouth felt suddenly dry. His apprehension was rapidly disappearing.
Lucinda continued to ease the skirt down past her knees before stepping slowly out of it when it pooled on the floor at her feet. She gazed at Peter from beneath her lashes as she stood, semi-naked before him.
She knew exactly what she was doing.
“Take off your blouse Lucinda.” Peter breathed, trying desperately to remain in control.
One by one Lucinda flicked open the buttons to her blouse. There were four in all. Peter counted them as her breasts began to peep out from behind the flimsy material. She hadn’t bothered with a bra.
“Now what sir?” Lucinda asked him.
Peter thought hard to remember the routine he had imagined in his bed last night, but right now all he could think about was bending this girl over his desk and taking her the way she wanted, hard and fast until she screamed his name. Think man think.

Writing is such a pleasure and a wonderful means of expression and escapism. Enjoy everything you write and remember, variety is the spice of life!


                                                  'Til next Time

                                                    Gemma


Thursday, May 8, 2014

Pt 2 of Paranormal Creatures, and new release!

That's right, not only am I talking about another popular paranormal creature this time, but it'll also be tied in with my latest release from Naughty Nights Press!
Courtesy of Victor Habbick & FreeDigitalPhotos.net

24th of April saw the official release of The Return of Their Master, Paranormal Erotic Romance with elements of horror. My first release, The Wolf in the Neighborhood, was about, you guessed it, werewolves. The Return of Their Master is about four vampire sisters, making their lives in the modern world after escaping from their abusive Creator, Vitalis. 

We all know the basics about vampires. It's the Lore and history that makes them different between different books and movies. There are vampires lost to the bloody lust, caring only about the next kill, then there are vampires who are still in control of themselves, and are able to hide in society, only taking what they need to survive. Angie and her sisters are of the latter group. Together, they run a store and manage to keep their secret well hidden. Until a fateful night when Angie and a male friend, Jake, are in a car accident. Angie saves his life, but now she has to fight off his affections to protect him. 

Things quickly go awry, and Jake is thrown into the darker side of life that he never knew
about, as an enemy approaches. The vampire who Created the girls has returned, still suffering from madness, contracted by drinking the blood of a sick person. After the battle, Angie discovers that there is much more to the Lore than she'd believed.

The Return of Their Master is just the first taste into this new world of vampires, and I look forward to taking you on this journey, and show you that it's not all black and white in the life of a vampire. 

The Return of Their Master:
Angie and her vampire sisters are happy, making their lives in the modern world after escaping from their abusive Creator, Vitalis. Jake is a mortal man who has fallen hard for Angie, unaware of her secret and just how it affects his own life. Their lives, however, are about to be thrown into chaos. 

Has Vitalis really found the sisters after all these years, just as Angie finds love? 

Preparing to battle for their freedom and the life of their sister, Angie must ready herself. Not only must she take on the father she once loved, but she also must choose between the mortal life she wanted with Jake, or to protect vampires and humans alike from an unknown, ancient threat.

The Return of Their Master is the first taste of a dark world held in check by a covenant that Angie believed was a myth. She is the only thing standing between the world of humanity and utter chaos, but will she sacrifice her chance at a normal life with the man she loves? 


Phoenix Johnson is an Australian author who has always had the passion for the written word. She had her nose in at least one book ever since she could read and would even scrutinize the back of the cereal box every morning at breakfast. It was only natural she take up writing.
After reviewing a few delicious titles for Naughty Nights Press as she wrote her first title, The Wolf in the Neighborhood, Phoenix was of one mind to submit it to NNP, and she hasn't looked back. The Return of Their Master now joins her first title for sale, and both books are receiving great reviews. Phoenix feels that being invited to write for the NNP blog is a great honour, and loves being part of the team!
You can get in touch with Phoenix on Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, Tumblr or view her website here

Thursday, May 1, 2014

Writing Gay Men of Color

Unfortunately the media is filled with stereotypes. How people perceive men of any color is a guy lacking emotion, rough, most of the time an alpha with a bad attitude. Then there’s the gay man who is sometimes portrayed as overly girly, weak, and more often than not, a sex addict. In the early 2000’s we were blessed with Queer as Folk, showing beautiful gay men of all types, embracing their sexuality, dealing with the same issues as straight couples trying to survive in the modern era. As brilliant as QAF was, it was missing a key element. In my opinion, a gay man of color who was also a main character would’ve added something to the show.

Some time later, Noah’s Arc came along and I believed it only lasted two seasons. From the couple of episodes I did see, it portrayed gay men of color in a positive light. Seemingly, this series might not have been interesting enough to keep running so it disappeared without a trace.

What about in fiction? These days we have a wealth of colorful gay characters in many books. The question is how do we write them? Do we draw on the stereotypes? Black and or Hispanic men who are angry and always intense; Asian men who seem timid and weak. Those are just a couple of examples. Do we need to add this to our books for them to seem real? In my estimation we don’t. I often wondered why authors, whether it be books, TV, and or movies can’t make a character, especially a gay male character of color, who doesn’t fit that mold. Sure, you can add to the setting to make it more “real”; a young black man from a poorer neighborhood. Perhaps his family hates that he’s gay and his friends don’t accept him. Yes that’s all the reality I need and let me say, not every black man comes from a background like that. But with his attitude? Must he be overly angry at the world and seething all the time? Well hell, he could be a goth boy. That would make BL happy. *grins* Or could he be an intelligent scholar, from a not so poor neighborhood. Perhaps he was the rich one and his white counterpart the middle class working man. My favorite with that kind of background was Bonnie Dee’s Undeniable Magnetism which I enjoyed thoroughly.

What’s my point here? When I write a gay man of color, I try to avoid the stereotypes unless it is a central part of the plot. I feel people should be written as people, without pulling from the so called mold.

Regardless of race or nationality or orientation, we’re all human with unique traits and attitudes that make us stand out from others. Characters should be treated in the same fashion.

* * * *

Coming in late May I Love You Rhett Vorhees

BL's alter ego Rawiya has expanded on the Unforgettable Valentine story from the Only THAT Night Anthology. This story features a gay black man who doesn't fit the "mold"

“What? I didn’t hear what you said.” Darren spun around in his chair behind his desk and glanced out the window, admiring the beautiful Chicago skyline. He never wanted to move from this place despite the high cost of living because he loved his hometown. Besides, he still had family here who cared for him deeply. They were his rock when he needed someone to lean on.
At the moment, he was enjoying a conversation with his former lover, Terrell who’d moved on to play baseball for one of the minor league teams in the south. North Carolina to be exact. They’d broke it off when both realized they loved one another but weren’t in love. That’s why they stayed the best of friends.
“Yeah? And no prospects of fine men down there, huh? Like I said, you should’ve stayed here in Chi, my man.”
“Naw, naw.” His smile came through the phone. “We agreed it wouldn’t be good for us to live in the same town after breaking up. I love it here but I do miss home, especially the restaurants and nightlife. Damn.”
“Hey Terrell, I’m over you, okay? I can handle it. Like I said, it wasn’t your fault we didn’t work, it was all me...”
“And the love you had for a little boy you used to know in elementary school. Listen, you need to get over that, okay? You haven’t seen the man in years and you ain’t heard from him. For all you know he might be−”
“Don’t say it.” Darren cut him off and shifted his chair back around. “I know it could be a possibility he’s left the country, married, or hell he could be−” Darren couldn’t bring himself to say Rhett Vorhees could be dead. He blinked back the memory of the day at Rosner Elementary when he laughed at him and all his classmates teased him to no end. God, how he wished he could change that day for the better. He cared for Rhett immensely and never had the cojones to tell him so. Darren held out hope he’d meet Rhett Vorhees again.
“Darren? Darren you drifted out on me again didn’t you?”
Darren shook his head and rubbed his temple with one hand. “Yeah I did. Sorry. I was just thinking about Rhett. I wish we hadn’t made fun of him.”
“Yeah well. Heck, we were scared to take sides with him and show ourselves right? I mean imagine the hell we would’ve caught if all the boys found out we were into other boys, huh? They don’t really associate with us now after we came out and told them we were dating.”
“Screw ‘em, Terrell. I always told you not to worry about those fucks anyhow.” Darren opened the drawer and stared at the crumpled card he’d held onto for the last decade plus. It was his good luck charm, his memoir of a young boy he had the hots for and let him go because of stupid pride. A red heart with black scribble on the front, saying, To Darren from Rhetta. As an adult, Darren presumed he’d changed it to avoid any questions from Darren’s parents if they looked at it. So simple, beautiful, this was the only thing other than the picture of Rhett he cut out from the school graduation shot.
After that, Darren heard from a mutual female friend that Rhett and his family moved away to Texas. If only he had the chance to see Rhett again, just to tell him how very sorry he was, and possibly get to know him better. Darren would do just about anything for that opportunity.
“Darren? Damn, will you stop that?” he yelled through the headset. “You’re like a love sick puppy when we start talking about Rhett. The boy was strange as hell. Real pretty but way too quirky.  Remember he used to like collecting just random stuff from people? Things they didn’t want, he’d ask for. I remember the one time he asked everybody if he could take a sample of hair to do some kind of study on the texture and why it was coarse as opposed to silky,” he laughed. “And he was a cross-dresser which wasn’t all that big of a deal but why his parents allowed him to wear skirts and kilts to school is beyond me.”
Darren turned up his lips and shook his head. “Wasn’t that for a science project? And as far as his way of dressing, obviously his parents supported him to be who he wanted to be. That’s commendable. Hey listen, I need to get going, all right? I got some last minute paperwork to finish before it’s time to head home.”
Silence. “Sure you do, Darren. You wanna sit back and stare at that card for a while, don’t you?”
“No.” Darren closed the drawer quickly, knowing he really did have stuff to do. “I got some work that needs my urgent attention. Thanks for the phone call. I’ll come down to see you play soon.”
“Alright then. You should go with me to Fall League. It’s usually spent in the Dominican or something. A lot of fine Latin boys to look at.” He grinned through the phone.
“Yeah maybe. I’ll see you later.” Darren pulled the phone away from his ear and put his finger on the disconnect button.
“See you Darren. And go out somewhere for Valentine’s Day. Get laid!” Right after that comment he hung up.
Darren sighed inwardly and pressed the button. He leaned back in the chair and yanked that same drawer open once more where he kept the familiar keepsake from the boy he used to know in elementary school.
“Where are you, Rhett?” Gently, he picked it up and gazed at it longingly, noticing the chicken scratch handwriting, the red heart that faded because of the time passed. The paper had been flattened in Darren’s journal and kept in a little wooden box with Rhett’s picture to protect it from harm. Through high school, college, grad school, and every dorm, apartment, he moved into, the tiny box went with him. He’d never discarded them because deep down, he just knew he’d get the chance to apologize. And even if Rhett hated his guts, he still craved to tell him how sorry he was for laughing at him.
Darren even told his mother how he’d kept the faith all these years, desperately wishing he’d be able to see Rhett’s face once again. He held out hope that Rhett was still alive and well. Even better, still single so they could explore the possibility of being together.