Erotically Ellen

Editing Released September 2011

2011-09-29T07:57:00.000-07:00

I edited a complex lesbian science fiction novel titled Mortal Instint by Widdershins. It released September 7th from Eternal Press. This all woman cast will keep you guessing about who will get together with whom, who will survive, and if they whole world will continue on.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,

Ellen

Story Acceptance

2011-09-03T12:05:00.000-07:00

My story, Good Girls Don't Do That was recently accepted for publication in Back Door Lover, an anthology being released by Ravenous Romance. I post details when I know them.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Review: Transplant

2011-09-03T11:47:00.000-07:00

I found a great review of my story, Transplant in the anthology Up for Grabs edited by Lauren P. Burka. An excerpt of my story, Transplant is on Fictionwise.

The reviewer said my story was one of her two favorite stories in the anthology. I am so excited.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Released in November 2010

2010-11-07T04:09:00.000-08:00

I edited Wolves Dressed as Men by Steve Lowe for Eternal Press, which release November 7th. It is a paranormal, werewolf story. Thiess prays to be cured of this werewolf affliction as someone hunts him. He meets Maria and hopes that her love will save him and the human race. Can their love save the human race?
Find out in this gripping story.

I edited Two Hearts Two Spirits by Michael Halfhill for Dreamspinner Press, which releases November 11th. This is a gay romance set in a Native American tribe preparing for the Bow and Basket ceremony. Helki and Igashu have been friends throughout childhood. Even though they love each other, Igashu feels torn about the ceremony. As the only surviving son, he feels the need to carry on his family name as a family man, instead of allowing him to be a two spirit with Helki. What will he choose? Will he choose Helki over his family or the other way around?

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Interview: Circlet Press

2010-11-03T20:56:00.000-07:00

For years, I strived to publish a story with Circlet Press. I admired Cecilia Tan as an editor and a writer, and I wanted to be connected to Circlet Press and Cecilia Tan. My story, Medusa's Mistress was rejected by Tan, but she sent me a very detailed critique. Later that story was published by Alyson Books in their anthology, Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2008. Finally, I published my story, Transplant in the Circlet anthology, Up for Grabs edited by Lauren P. Burka. Circlet has always been ahead of its time in genre combining and quality erotica. I highly recommend their books.

1) What do you see in the future for Circlet Press?

We've seen tremendous changes over the past three years where we've gone from a traditional book publisher to mostly a digital publisher with a few trade titles, but at its core our business is the same. Ninety percent of what we do is the same as it ever was -- it's that last ten percent of how we put the book in the hands of the reading public that has changed. The book industry is going to continue to change and hopefully we'll keep up with -- or just ahead of -- the pace of that change. We were forced to go digital by the sagging bookstore market sooner than a lot of our peers, but most of them are now being forced to follow, like Alyson Books and Dorchester. The part that's the same? On the editorial side, we're still seeking out the best erotic science fiction and fantasy and delivering it to the reading public, then putting money back in the hands of the authors. That hasn't changed.

2) Does Circlet plan to release print volumes of any of your e-books?

We're doing very limited releases in print on demand only. The business model of printing up thousands of books and having them molder in a warehouse while you hope against hope that either Barnes & Noble or Borders will give a damn about them is dead.

3) What is the difference between your imprints?

We technically have four imprints, though two of them have not seen any new publications in a long time, and a fifth is on the way. Circlet Press, our main imprint, is for erotic science fiction and fantasy.

Then we have these:
The Ultra Violet Library: non-erotic gay and lesbian science fiction and fantasy
Circumflex: non-fiction celebrating the erotic imagination
Luster Editions: erotica and alternative sexuality fiction that is not sf/fantasy
Clasp Editions: paranormal erotic romance

I should note for any aspiring writers out there that we do not accept over the transom (unsolicited) manuscripts for any of these imprints. The only thing we accept unsolicited is short stories for the various short story anthologies we do throughout the year. We do anywhere from 12-25 of these a year, so there are many chances.

4) What do you look for in sf/f erotica?

I look for a strong main character, an authoritative and unique narrative voice, a positive take on sex and sexuality, and if possible a new or interesting sf or fantasy concept. Basically, I look for good writing which portrays sex and sexuality in a good way.

5) What are your dislikes in the genre?

Cliches. The whole point of combining erotica with science fiction/fantasy is not to just take the worst cliches of each and glom them together. It's to use each genre as a lever to pry the other out of their comfortable little boxes. If you don't, you just get a lot of "alien anal probe" stories.

6) Why do so many of Circlet's e-book's start with the title "Like?" Is it a theme?

The "Like" series is a whole series of ebook-only short story anthologies, with from 3 to 7 stories in each volume. Each book is on a different theme. The only thing they have in common is their format: short ebooks.

7) Does Circlet plan on having another contest?

I'm unsure right now. I would like to do another contest because it always bring in new writers we haven't worked with before. But the last two volumes, Best Fantastic Erotica and Best Erotic Fantasy, had to be crowd funded to raise both the printing costs and the prize money, and I don't want to go to that well too often. If we could get a corporate sponsor for the contest, on the other hand, I'd do it every year.

What is more likely right now is that you're going to see a "Best of Circlet Press" volume along the lines of Erotic Fantastic appear every other year or so, with the very best stories pulled from the 25-50 anthologies we will have published between print volumes. As with everything in the down economy, it will depend on money and cash flow.

Book Review: Best Fantastic Erotica

2010-10-27T22:40:00.000-07:00

Best Fantastic Erotica edited by Cecilia Tan

Science Fiction, Fantasy, Erotica

Title: Best Fantastic Erotica

Editor: Cecilia Tan

ISBN: 1885865600 Publisher: Circlet Press

Book Review: This anthology collects twenty stories entered into Circlet's first erotica contest. The winning author, Arinn Dembo wrote "Monsoon." The landscape is erotic as the sex in this story. I only wish the author's bio hadn't left off the list of author bios in the back of the book because I'd never read a story by Dembo until this collection. Some of my favorite authors are in this collection, such as Jean Roberta, Connie Wilkins, and Thomas S. Roche. Connie Wilkins's story is a haunting gay erotica story. Even though I enjoyed the winning story, Connie Wilkins wrote my favorite story in the collection. With the high quality of these stories, I would highly recommend this collection and the new one with the stories chosen from the publisher's second erotica contest, Best Erotic Fantasy (and Science Fiction). Cecilia Tan always chooses high quality, literary erotica with elements of science fiction, fantasy, paranormal, or any mixture of speculative fiction. I highly recommend this anthology as well as any book from Circlet Press.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Editing Released in October 2010

2010-10-27T21:05:00.000-07:00

The gay erotica story, De Narvaez by Martin Delacroix, I edited for Eternal Press released October 7th.

This erotic romance asks whether you can go home again. How will things be different? How will things be the same?

Let me know what you think of this HOT gay erotica story.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Releases for September 2010

2010-09-15T14:25:00.000-07:00

I edited two books for Eternal Press that were released September 7th.

Inheritance by P.M. May is a paranormal romance. A love triangle with a twist - a ghost. Jennifer travels from the U.S. to England to live in her family's haunted estate. This isn't what she expected when she wanted to escape the aftermath of her failed marriage.

Malevolent Dead by Heather Kuehl is the second in the werewolf and vampire novel series. This follows werewolf Sarah Vargas from Fade to Black to her next adventure. If you love werewolves and vampires, you'll love this series. Sometimes they are enemies and other times they are allies. On top of all the action, you'll get a little erotica too.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically Yours,
Ellen

Editing Releases for July and August 2010

2010-08-13T11:31:00.001-07:00

Both releases for July and August are from prolific author, Cate Masters from Eternal Press. They are like day and night.

Winning by Cate Masters is about what happens when a family wins the lottery. What would you do? Would you do everything right or wrong? This family finds out when they win the biggest lottery ever. Is this how you would want it to turn out? Would that much money help or hinder your life? Find out by reading this short contemporary story.

Follow the Stars Home by Cate Masters is a historical romance between two Lakota youth. They want to marry, but the lack of food causes them to keep moving. Then, they are sent to school to learn the white man's ways. As they try to hold onto their pride and love, the school tries to remove their pride and Native American lifestyle. How can love survive under these tough circumstances? Find out if it does. The novel flows great, even though it will teach you a lot of history from the side we're not usually shown in school. You'll learn a lot and be entertained at the same time. It will be an emotional ride.

Let me know what you think of these two great books by the wonderful author Cate Masters.

Your editor,
Ellen Tevault

Editing Released June 2010

2010-06-08T16:56:00.000-07:00

I edited a scifi erotic romance for Eternal Press. Alien Deceptions by Regina Paul is long scifi, erotic romance between Angel and a handsome stranger she meets while researching alien abductions like hers. She wonders if he has the answers she searched for about the abductions and her life.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Released March & May 2010

2010-05-10T19:57:00.000-07:00

I edited a creepy novel that takes the reader into the scattered mind of a man struggling with mental illnes and desires to murder. Autobiography of a Worm by Ed Tasca was released from Eternal Press in March.

Released in May 2010, I edited a romance, Love at Last by Cassidy Ryan.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Released in January 2010

2010-01-31T11:06:00.000-08:00

Eternal Press released Players by Angela Daniels. Players is an erotic contmeporary, multicultural romance. What happens when two friends fight feelings they're beginning to have for each other?

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Released in November 2009

2009-12-08T22:56:00.001-08:00

Eternal Press released a futuristic, scifi, erotic romance I edited, titled On the Way to New Isosceles by Leigh Wood in November 2009. An alpha female soldier meets an alpha male soldier during a space opera you'll never forget.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

5 Top Queer Mystery writers come to Indy Oct 17th!

2009-10-12T13:34:00.000-07:00

I am sooo excited to announce this. My writer friend, Greg Herren and an writing acquaintance, along with others, will be coming to Indy this coming weekend. :-D I hope I can hook up with one or more of these writers for dinner or lunch this weekend.

I absolutely love Ellen Hart's Jane Lawless mysteries and Greg Herren's Scotty series ( I haven't read a Chanse yet). I'll have to buy one for this event.

See you there!

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Listen to and Meet the top queer mystery authors in the nation! Pick up your free ticket at Out Word Bound!

Event to be held at Theatre On The Square (TOTS), 637 Mass Ave. ~ Limited Cabaret seating

* * Pre-purchase a book and go to the front of the autographing line!

Don't miss...

Anthony Bidulka, author of 'Aloha, Candy Hearts', the latest in the Russell Quant series

Ellen Hart, author of 'Sweet Poison' and 'Mortal Groove', the latest in the Jane Lawless series

Greg Herren, author of 'Murder in the Rue Ursulines', the latest in the Chanse MacLeod series

Neil Plakcy, author of 'Mahu Vice', the latest in the Mahu series

Mark Zubro, author of 'Hook, Line & Homicide,' the latest in the Paul Turner series and 'Schooled in Murder,' the latest Tom and Scott mystery

Editing Released in August 2009

2009-09-05T22:10:00.000-07:00

A contemporary romance I edited for Awe-Struck Books is Fascination by Connie Keenan.

Another contemporary romance I edited for Eternal Press is Picture This by Cate Masters.

Let me know what you think.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Author Chat: Ellen Tevault July 16-18

2009-07-02T18:20:00.000-07:00

Ellen Tevault will host the July 16-18 Circlet Press author chat at the Circlet Press LJ commnity. Ellen penned "Transplant" in Circlet's recent publication Up For Grabs, a collection of genderbender scifi erotica. A sample of her story can be found at Fictionwise.

To join this chat join the Circlet Press LJ commnity.

See you there.

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Editing Released in June 2009

2009-07-01T15:38:00.000-07:00

An ebook I edited The Journey is now available from Awe-Struck Books. It's a contemporary romance about three friends who are teachers taking a trip to Europe during their summer vacation. Do they all find love in the romantic cities they visit?

This is my first editing assignment for Awe-Struck Books. Let me know what you think.

Ellen

Up For Grabs Released

2009-06-18T09:38:00.000-07:00

My story, Transplant is available in ebook, Up For Grabs from Circlet Press. If you love genderbender scifi erotica, this is the collection for you. If you want to read an excerpt of my story, you can look at it at Fictionwise. If not, you can read a wonderful excerpt on Circlet's website. I hope you enjoy this collection. Please, let me know what you think of my story. :-D

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Interview: Custom Erotica Souce

2009-06-16T14:05:00.000-07:00

By Ellen Tevault

Have you ever wanted to give your loved one a gift like no other? Custom Erotica Source allows you to order a custom written erotica story with your loved one as the main character in a scenario you choose. Just imagine your loved one’s face when she receives this special gift that no one but you can give.

As a CES writer I wanted to introduce you to this wonderful service and let you know that the authors work hard to provide you with a special, customized story that will please your loved one.

JJ Lovell joined Custom Erotica Source as President in 2008, with a commitment to continue the tradition of excellence pioneered by CES founder Sage Vivant. The company creates high quality, tailor-made erotic stories. With a background in customer service, social networking, and erotica, JJ is driven to help everyone become comfortable exploring their fantasies in the safe, anonymous, creative CES community.

Q: What is a Custom Erotica story?
JJ: The quick answer, of course, is fiction that we write just for you. We’re not talking about canned stories into which we simply stick your character names. Each story at Custom Erotica Source.comis custom written from scratch by our talented team of renowned authors. If you find yourself disappointed or unsatisfied when reading standard erotic literature, then you are in for a treat the first time you read about yourself, or your partner, right there in the center of the action. Your story can be a private embellishment, a sensual gift, or a celebration of your affection for your partner. It might even be a sales pitch or “recommendation” for something that you’ve not quite figured out how to talk about directly.

Q: In what format will my loved one receive the custom erotica story?
JJ: We offer three formats now, and I’ll tell you about an exciting new option that will be available soon. Your story can be delivered electronically if that is your preference, but for most clients we print the story in a lovely handmade booklet suitable to be cherished as a token of affection or a personal collector’s item. Illustrations can be included if you wish. We also can provide an audio CD of your story. Samples of the available voices are on the website at www.Custom Erotica Source.com.

Q: Can I order a custom erotica story that includes GLBT, BDSM, Master/slave, heterosexual, etc. for my loved one or myself?
JJ: Yes, we’re enthused by all of these genres and our authors provide great diversity and versatility in a wide range of styles and specialties.

Q: Can I order a genre custom erotica story such as sci-fi, fantasy, or historical?
JJ: Of course!! We receive lots of requests involving superheroes, celebrities, comic book heroes and politicians. Sometimes a client requests that he or she be written into a popular sitcom or movie as a character, and sometimes we are asked to spin a filthy tale about a wholesome personality. If you want to fuck the president, we can make that happen.

Q: Can I order a non-erotic custom story?
JJ: Absolutely. When you place an order, we ask you to select from three levels of graphic language: “romantic”, “naughty”, or “filthy”. These classifications guide us in the selection of the words used to portray the scenes. Filthy words usually accompany filthy deeds, but that’s not always the case. It’s challenging for the author, but a scene that juxtaposes conservative language and filthy events can be very surprising and exciting for the reader. Tell us what you’re comfortable with and we’ll write to your standard.
ELLEN: I wanted to let you know that under Sage there were times customers ordered stories that did not involve sex at all. The customer provided a scenario and characters, but requested no sex at all. The writer wrote the story according to those provisions to still make a custom story for the receiver of the gift. So, you can order non-erotic stories, by providing the information of the people involved, the scenario you want to happen, but make sure you state somewhere on the order form that you want it to be a nonsexual story. An example is if the story involves two heterosexual guys who like to do stuff together and one of the men wants to give his buddy a customized story, but wouldn’t want it to be sexual. We can still do it! :-D

Q: Are there any no-no topics?
JJ: We won’t write about incest, bestiality, nonconsensual sex, or nonconsensual violence. And we won’t include minors as either participants in or witnesses to sex acts. More information about these constraints can be found on our website in the FAQs section.

Q: What information should I provide to get the best personalized custom story?
JJ: Many of us are shy when it comes to discussing our dirty little secrets, especially if we’ve never shared them before. But that’s what CES is all about; it’s our job to make it fun, safe, and private. When you place an order, you’ll provide the details either by filling out our web form or by emailing your requirements to us. On our form we guide you and make it easy to give all the information that the author needs. Some of the things we ask for are the names and descriptions of characters, the setting, plot line, and graphic level (romantic, naughty, filthy). We also want to know what is “most important” in the story, whether that be an event, a dialog detail, or any other story element that you wish to embellish. Feel free to describe body types, fetishes, positions, racial characteristics, and anything else.
ELLEN: As a CES writer I will tell you that the more information you provide for ALL of the characters involved in the story the easier it is for the writer to write you the story you want to give.

Q: Can I choose which staff writer I want to write my custom story?
JJ: Our authors are profiled on the website, and many of them have provided samples of their work. For most projects our clients rely on us to match the requirements with the most appropriate author, but if you have a preference for a specific person, that’s great. This is especially important when you want a sequel written with the same tone as the original. We’ll try to accommodate your choice subject to workload.

Q: Anything else you can share with me about Custom Erotica Source?
JJ: Earlier I promised to tell you about an exciting new format option. Narrative fiction gives you two of the things you want most in a custom work: it’s about sex and it’s about you. But it’s a passive art form that lacks interactivity. We’re working on a new format that will add audience participation. You will still order the work in the same fashion, but we’ll write it as a play, or script in which you will take on the role of one of the characters. In addition to providing you with the script, we’ll supply actors and actresses to complete the cast. You’ll perform with the other cast members by teleconference and we’ll create an audio recording of the performance for you. We’ll also offer a webcam version that enables you to perform by videoconference. In this case, we’ll edit the performance and make it available on DVD or by video streaming. Keep your eye on the website for these product announcements.

Book Review: First Person Queer

2009-02-18T23:24:00.000-08:00

First Person Queer edited by Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel
Pansexual Reviews/Anthology
TITLE: First Person Queer: Who We Are (So Far)
AUTHOR: Richard Labonte and Lawrence Schimel
ISBN: 978-1-55152-227-2 PUBLISHER: Arsenal Pulp Press

BOOK BLURB: In this amazing, wide-ranging anthology of nonfiction essays, contributors write intimate and honest first-person accounts of queer (fay/lesbian/bisexual/trans) experience: from coming out to "passing" as straight, to the devastation of meth addiction, to growing old to living proud. These are the stories of contemporary queer life - and by definition, are funny, sad, hopeful, and truthful. Representing a diversity of genders, ages, races, and orientations, and edited by two acclaimed writers and anthologists (who between them have written or edited almost 100 books), First Person Queer depicts the diversity, the complexity, and the excitement of contemporary GLBTQ life.

BOOK REVIEW: This anthology of personal essays is an award-winning collection for a reason. It has won the Lambda Literary Award for GLBT Anthologies and Independent Publisher Award (GOLD) for Gay & Lesbian. This collection shows the writers as people beyond a stereotype of a queer person and anyone could relate to so many of these essays. You'll be amazed at the list of contributors. It ranges from well-knowns to new comers to the GLBTQ literary community.

My favorite essay, Shirts Versus Skins by Christopher DiRaddo discusses body image issues of a young gay man. To me, this essay transcends queer and embraces the issues all teenagers have with their changing bodies. We've all been there at one point in our lives. Some of us are still dealing with them.

Another essay that stuck with me is Threats by Arden Eli Hill. Even he has started testosterone he still relates to the fears of being attacked as a woman. Discussing how he is still vulnerable to them because he's still female-bodied even though the the hormones help him pass as male. As someone who suffers from chronic depression I related to Arden's descriptions of anxiety and mental illness. I felt at home with his essay.

Some essays showed both sides to a political issue. Daniel Gawthrop and Joy Parks discuss the fight for GLBT folks to marry. One for, while the other is against. I understood both sides of the coin, but Joy's essay brought up bad feelings for me. She discussed how the lesbian community fought against the patriarchy and now, we'd be giving in to them. As a femme dyke who has felt that the matriarchy put more strings on me as to who I could be or could not be than the patriarchy ever thought of, I was saddened by her essay.

No matter what your stance is on GLBT issues you'll find these essays to be thought-provoking. I strongly recommend this collection to all readers, no matter what gender, orientation, or any other label you choose for yourself or is chosen for you. This is an essay collection for ALL people.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Some Kind of River

2009-02-18T23:14:00.000-08:00

Some Kind of River by Andi Marquette
Lesbian Book Reviews/Romance
TITLE: Some Kind of River AUTHOR: Andi Marquette
ISBN: 978-1-60370-270-6 PUBLISHER: Torquere Press

BOOK BLURB: River guide Dez Parker is looking forward to another summer rafting and kayaking, this time in Idaho. She's also looking forward to another summer with fellow guide Melanie "Mel" Hammond, and for reasons Dez has only just started to explore. Problem is, Mel seemingly isn't interested in anything but friendship with Dez and Dez struggles to bury her feelings in the interest of maintaining that friendship. But when Mel reveals that she has a crush on someone in the guide camp who she won't name, Dez is forced to confront her own emotions. She can either continue to keep her attraction to Mel a secret and risk losing her to someone else, or she can tell Mel how she really feels and risk losing her for good.

BOOK REVIEW: I enjoyed Dez's struggle with remaining friends with Mel and her blossoming feelings for her. I haven't read any lesbian romances in quite a while, but this novella grabbed me by the heart and forced me to fall in love with these two women. Andi's descriptions of the Idaho camp made me want to go camping and rafting, even though I'm not much of an outdoorsy dyke. I'm more of a pampered, city-girl femme, but the author's descriptions are so alive. The scenery and the characters breathe fresh, outdoor air into the reader.

Since I don't want to give away anything, I will simply say that this novella is for all the lesbian romance readers out there. In fact, all romance readers will enjoy this no matter what their orientation is. Highly recommended romance!

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Drag Thing

2009-02-18T23:06:00.000-08:00

Drag Thing by Victor J. Banis
Pansexual Reviews/Action/Adventure,
Pansexual Reviews/Science Fiction
TITLE: Drag Thing: The Strange Case of Jackle and Hyde AUTHOR: Victor J. Banis
ISBN: 1-4344-0192-8 PUBLISHER: Wildside Press

BOOK BLURB: In Victor J. Banis's hilarious gender-bender send-up of the mutant superhero genre, hetero Peter Warren's ambition is to design women's dresses, and his most secret desire is to wear them. His cop wife, Teri, also secretly longs to see her hubby "dressed up," but hasn't yet found the right way to tell him. And when Peter drinks the "wrong stuff," he turns into the eight-foot-tall monster called Drag Thing.

Add to the pot a pair of lesbian scientists working on a formula to make women stronger and more aggressive; a trio of hapless Homeland agents planning to purloin the formula for purposes of warfare, inept gangbangers who call themselves The Moes and kidnap pets for ransom, a nefarious villain who becomes The Owl, a horny Great Dane with lavender toenails, and a monster cat who turns into Franken-pussy, drag queen Lorelie Lee, Nurse Gladys Kravitz and her homophobic husband, Abner, and a naughty trick or two, and the result is a genuine treat for the reader!

BOOK REVIEW: This is fast-paced and quirky. I had a hard time deciding how to classify this one. It has superhero elements, but the orientation and gender elements are mixed up. I think to make the reader realize that there is no such thing as normal and that in one way or another, we're all queer. There are elements that may shock some readers, but I thought they were well-handled. My wife on the other hand that they were too over the top. She understood that they were probably there to make a political statement, but she thought the author went too far and could have accomplished in a better way. I don't agree. They were over the top, but the whole novel is. That's what makes this book so great. I loved the underlying political jabs, the Hulk-in-a-dress superhero, the bumbling idiot gang-bangers, and the stupid Homeland security agents.
The characters are well-developed. The plot is strong and fast-paced. Also, I liked that Banis played with people's perception of others and the muddy definition of what is queer and what is normal. This novel socks a great political punch, while entertaining the reader with a great story.
I recommend this to readers who won't squirm when things go too far. I loved that normal and good was a little murky at times. I highly recommend this to lovers of superheroes stories and other readers that want to read something totally unexpected.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Vintage: A Ghost Story

2009-02-18T22:58:00.000-08:00

Vintage: A Ghost Story by Steve Berman
Gay Book Reviews/Horror
TITLE: Vintage: A Ghost Story AUTHOR: Steve Berman
ISBN: 1-59021-053-0 PUBLISHER: Lethe Press

Walking an empty stretch of highway on a lonely autumn night, a gay teen meets a strange boy who disappears into thin air. What begins as a dream turns into a nightmare as the dangerous obsession of a star athlete killed in 1957 begins to haunt the teen. Vintage is an intense thriller that looks at the dark side of gay urban fantasy, where the dead can never rest and trapped spirits yearn for peace.

I wanted this book to be longer than 148 pages, but once I read it, I couldn't think of one scene that I thought could have been expanded upon. Maybe Berman could've went into more detail about the main character's parents, but I didn't feel like it was a hole in the story. His descriptions involved me fully in these teens' lives, including the angst of breaking up, finding a new love, coming out, hanging out, school, and so much more.

There were two places where the dialog didn't ring 100% true for me, but over all, the story was very well written. One scene where the dialog jumped out at me as staged was where Trace's new boyfriend tells the main character that he's envious of their friendship. I just couldn't believe the conversation for some reason.

For a ghost story, this was definitely not a cliche. I was afraid it might be, but was pleasantly surprised to find that Berman reached well beyond the usual to write an original ghost story. Even the ghosts were well-rounded characters, such as Josh Wyle and First Mike. When the main character contemplates dating Josh, I wanted it to work out for him. A part of me knew it probably couldn't, but I rooted for him. His descriptions of the ghosts capture their time period, such as the old librarian. As a librarian, I worried that he was writing a stereotypical librarian character until I realized she was a ghost from a previous time. Then, it made sense why she dressed and acted like the old librarian stereotype.

Also, he didn't stick with the usual coming-of-age story. His characters seems so real it doesn't feel like another coming-of-age book. He captured the goth culture with ease. This book transcends categories. I would highly recommend this to anyone, especially GLBT youth.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Crave

2009-02-18T22:52:00.000-08:00

Crave by Catherine Lundoff
Lesbian Book Reviews/Anthology,
Lesbian Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Crave: Tales of Lust, Love, and Longing AUTHOR: Catherine Lundoff
ISBN: 1-59021-033-6 PUBLISHER: Lethe Press

Crave is a lesbian erotica collection. It includes 15 stories, which span genres from science fiction to contemporary.

Lundoff's science fiction and fantasy stories delve into more story development beyond the erotic element, than her contemporary fiction. Her contemporary erotica reads more like she followed a formula, but inserted quirky characters that were interesting, but not always fully developed. I think if the stories were longer, they would've developed more plot beyond the erotic. Her genre erotica is a great example of this.

In "Heart's Thief," the erotic element is a small portion of the story. The story has a symbolic quality, which takes the reader beyond the sexual, leaving the reader wondering what the heart gem symbolizes in the world Lundoff has created.

Her story, "Leader of the Pack," reads like a combination of stories, Patrick Califia's Little "Red Riding Hood" and Lawrence Schimel's "Take Back the Night." The idea of women/lesbian being wolves has been used in the above mentioned stories, but Lundoff expands upon the idea in a touching love story of two women in a small town.

All of her stories have a dominance and submission undercurrent, but very few of them indulge in bdsm sex. They mainly stay within the vanilla flavor of erotica. Despite the title, "Kink," the story was an erotic story about a women who enjoys wearing leather, especially boots. The first story to really deal with BDSM was "The Party," which is a hot story about a women's first play party. It is light as far as her description of BDSM compared to stories by Laura Antoniou, Patrick Califia, and various other authors known for their kinky erotica, but it an excellent read.

"Blind Faith" was my favorite story. Even though it followed Lundoff's contemporary erotica formula, the narrating character was intriguing and honest in a way that I could relate to. I could imagine myself feeling the same selfish thoughts she had under those circumstances.

A couple of times, I felt a little cheated that the story ended so soon after the sex. In "The Party," I felt bumped out of the story for a moment because the transition from her masturbating to leaving for the party seemed rushed. "She collapsed and lay still for a moment, gently grinding her hips against the patchwork coverlet." The next paragraph jumps away from the intimacy and leaves the reader feeling awkward. "After that, of course, there were cats to be fed and bills to pay and all the other little errands that fill up Saturday afternoons."

Lundoff has written women of many colors, which is a nice switch from most story collections. This collection shows the beauty of erotica, love, romance and so much more between different types of women. I would recommend this.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Supervillainz

2009-02-18T22:47:00.000-08:00

Supervillainz by Alicia E. Goranson
Transgender Reviews/Science Fiction,
Lesbian Book Reviews/Science Fiction
TITLE: Supervillainz AUTHOR: Alicia E. Goranson
ISBN: 0-9763411-8-2 PUBLISHER: Suspect Thoughts Press

Rump-smacking good action-adventure trans fiction ... that boots transgender literature out of the classroom and into the streets. A hard-edged tale of passion, revenge, and low-rent apartments. Supervillainz has romance, car chases, brutal superheroes, epic battles in dyke bars, and a climax that will have you reaching for the tissues.

Despite what the book blurb above says, I never felt like grabbing for tissues. Even though I enjoyed this award-winning novel, I was frustrated by the fact that it wasn't what I expected. Since I love superhero stories, I expected a different novel than what this story provides. If I had read this novel without my strong expectations, I would've enjoyed it more.

The plot is fast-paced and the characters are well-developed. When Devon convinces Bit to smoke, I was disgusted. Since smoking is a pet peeve of mine, this scene clouded my view of Devon throughout the book. I found it hard to like some of the characters, including the main characters, at times.

I don't know if I missed earlier signs, but I thought Devon was a transgender butch until he took a testosterone shot in the middle or last half of the book. It wasn't until then that I realized he was a female-to-male transexual. I understand that Goranson maybe didn't want to spell out where the characters were with transitioning, so that readers could visualize them the way they wanted them to be, but I would have liked to have known sooner. I think Goranson expected the reader to understand where the characters were on the gender spectrum and other topics in the plot, which I missed at first. I think the author needed to explain these things in the novel further, instead of expecting the reader to figure it out on his own.

This novel is fast-paced and a good attempt for a first novel by a new author and has won Project: QueerLit 2004 and was a 2006 finalist for the Lambda Literary Award for Transgender. Goranson stretches genre fiction and characters into new territory. I enjoyed the fact that Devon and Bit didn't receive a lot of negativity from the lesbian community they hung out in for being transgender. I recommend this book to readers craving transgender characters which are real, even if they aren't always likeable.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Amazon Girls Handbook

2009-02-18T22:41:00.000-08:00

Amazon Girls Handbook by Becky Thacker
Lesbian Book Reviews/Non-fiction
TITLE: Amazon Girls Handbook AUTHOR: Becky Thacker
ISBN: 0-89733-508-2 PUBLISHER: Wicker Park Press

Think ladies' garden clubs. Think hiking clubs. Think bird watchers. Think competent women in sensible shoes. Think about the Amazon Girl oath, which says, "As an Amazon Girl I promise to always try to be out and proud, to be kind to the beasts, the children, the very old, to live the goof life, and never sweat the small stuff."

Becoming an Amazon Girl is a process. Novice Amazon Girls are known as Tomboys when they learn the oath, the ideals, and the motto: "We're prepared for a few things." When a Tomboy stomps up to Amazon Girl she will begin to earn badges and to select a path (Warrior or Mistress). Supremely dedicated Amazon Girls may aspire to the ranks of Matriarch or even Goddess.

For the less organizationally inclined, the handbook supplies suggestions for activities to build character (or not!), organize outings, improve home life, think about spirituality, support community, learn new skills or have fun, inexpensively.

With humor, Thacker has written a manual for grown-ups who wanted more out of scouts or for those who want to build a community of friends for exploring new things. The book is geared toward lesbians, but with an adjustment of the language anyone can explore the principles in this manual. The categories are Your Home and Family, You and Your Community, The World Around You, and Living Well. She gives exercises the reader can follow to earn badges within these categories, such as picnics, party organizing, camping, hiking, sports, reading, cooking, and tool usage.

Her humor is delightful throughout, but the information is useful for building a bond with new friends or old buddies taking it to the next level, which she calls tribes. Her description of a Warrior reminded me of a lot of butches I have known over the years. "A warrior is an Amazon Girl who is frequently called "sir" by unseeing clerks and waitpersons. She knows that "packing" means more than just filling a suitcase."

Some of her suggestions are just for fun, such as "Mistresses: If you have a sweetie or admirer, find out what outfits or type of outfits she likes you to wear. Wear whatever you feel sexy in; she'll just have to cope." Okay, so maybe this is useful for the Mistress wanting to open up communication with her sweetie, but it allows her to still exert her power over her choices.
Others are useful in exploring something new, so the reader can broaden her horizons. "Research and report on one historical figure from another culture. Share this new information with your family or your tribe, preferably over dinner." Another example is "Visit an art museum or gallery."

There is something in here for everyone, the homebody to the jock. On her website, the reader can buy the badges they earn for the various activities described in the book. I highly recommend this for the humor and for the activities it encourages the reader to try. A lot of the suggestions are geared to get the reader to try new things, including things outside of her comfort zone.

Grab this manual, build a tribe, and learn new things about the world around you.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: Under This Cowgirl's Hat

2009-02-18T22:36:00.000-08:00

Under This Cowgirl’s Hat by S.A. Clements (ed.)
Lesbian Book Reviews/Western, Lesbian Book Reviews/Anthology,
Lesbian Book Reviews/Erotica
TITLE: Under This Cowgirl's Hat AUTHOR: S.A. Clements
ISBN: 978-1-60370-164-8 PUBLISHER: Torquere Press

Five lesbian erotica stories with a western theme. Meet the ladies of Under This Cowgirl's Hat!

"Tea and Kisses" by CB Potts ~ When Iris' neighbor Randy decides to auction off his ranch, she decides to put a bid in on the place. Renee is the Randy's sister, and she figures Iris has ulterior motives. Iris is honest, but city girl Renee doesn't understand how country friendships work. Can Iris make Renee understand how good being neighborly can be?

"Reversible Cowgirls" by Shanna Germain ~ Stephanie has some problems with her love life. She's seeing a married woman, their relationship is going nowhere, and Stephanie needs to break it off. Then she meets Macie, the new veterinarian in town, who takes her by surprise with the heat they generate. Can Stephanie work through her problems and take Macie on full time?

"Bright Lights and Boob Jobs" by B.A. Tortuga ~ Maddie works in the city as an exotic dancer. She's missing her cowgirl ways and her family, but she's too proud to go home a failure. When her best friend Shannon shows up, Maddie's torn between what she thinks she needs to do to succeed, and what Shannon urges her to find in her life. Can love change her mind?

"From the Boots Up" by Andi Marquette ~ Meg isn't at all sure she wants to spend time with a reporter who wants to do a feature on her father's dude ranch. When she meets Gina and helps the other woman fix a spare, Meg hopes they'll cross each others' paths again. When Gina turns out to be the reporter she's expecting, Meg thinks maybe she was too hasty in her judgment about the press.

"The Good Life" by Jodi Payne ~ Ruby has come home to New Mexico for her father, who's in the hospital. She's been living her own life in the city, far away from cows and scrub brush. Caroline is a cowgirl with a lot of charm, but will Ruby be able to give everything up and stay at the ranch?

The novellas in this collection are full of story. The erotic parts are condiments on a meaty story with well-developed plots and characters. Even though this collection is classified as erotica, it provides so much more for the reader to enjoy.

These novellas are so realistic the reader will fall in love with the everyday women and not care that all the stories are realistic, present day, cowgirl rancher stories. For the readers who have read Green and Valencia's collection, they will find more wonderful western stories to get lost in. They will cherish these novellas for their in-depth characters and situations. These stories will make the readers want to throw away city life and get back to nature.

I highly recommend this collection for all readers who love westerns, erotica, and stories that'll make you feel at home. For the readers who aren't into erotica, I recommend you give this collection a chance because they transcend the erotica genre and will feed you a down home story with all the fixings.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Book Review: The Future is Queer

2009-02-18T22:27:00.000-08:00

The Future is Queer by Richard LaBonte and Lawrence Schimel (ed.)
Transgender Reviews/Science Fiction, Lesbian Book Reviews/Science Fiction,
Gay Book Reviews/Science Fiction, Gay Book Reviews/Anthology
TITLE: The Future is Queer AUTHOR: Richard LaBonte and Lawrence Schimel (ed.)
ISBN: 1-55152-209-8 PUBLISHER: Arsenal Pulp Press

In a world increasingly complicated by questionable technologies and factional politics, what does the future hold for gays, lesbians and transgenders? The gay marriage controversy, scientific "breakthroughs," and well-organized campaigns by the Religious Right seem to ensure that we are still far from achieving any kind of pansexual utopia some forty years after the advent of gay liberation. But in this anthology, provocative stories and comics posit a queer future of limitless possibilities.

The Future is Queer asks probing questions that relate as much to our past and present as they do to the future; of gays and lesbians, it asks, who are we, what do we want, and what should we be afraid of?

I enjoyed most of the stories in this collection. My favorite was "My Long Ago Sophia" by Diana Churchill. It was nice to read about an older character, instead of the usual young people in most GLBT literature. The other stories I found to be very gripping tales were "The Chosen Few" by Caro Soles, "Instinct" by Joy Parks, and "the darkest evening of the year" by Candas Jane Dorsey.

In "Obscure Relations" by L. Timmel Duchamp, I had a hard time distinguishing between the characters and their clones, but then again, I'm not into hard core science fiction. Other than that, I found the story to be compelling and enjoyable.

The one disappointment of mine was the comic by Neil Gaiman and Bryan Talbot. I didn't feel that it really added anything to the collection. I think another story or two would have been a better choice.

Even though I wish there were more stories than eight in the collection for the price, I recommend this collection to GLBT readers and science fiction readers.

Review by Ellen Tevault

Reprinted from Rainbow Reviews

Books 4 Sale

2008-12-25T22:01:00.000-08:00

I meant to have this posted in time for Christmas shopping, but my computer died. Now, that I have it back I thought I'd post this in time for Valentine's Day, so you can buy a special gift for a loved one. ;-D

Erotically yours,
Ellen

WARNING: Several Ellen Tevault books are erotica. DO NOT follow links if you are underage.

1)”Secret Desires” in Yes Ma’am: Erotic Stories of Male Submission, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel, published by Cleis Press http://www.cleispress.com/book_page.php?book_id=233

2)”Femme Princess” in Lipstick on Her Collar, edited by Sacchi Green & Rakelle Valencia, published by Pretty Things Press http://www.amazon.com/Lipstick-Collar-Other-Tales-Lesbian/dp/1576122980/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1228728697&sr=1-1

A lesbian erotica collection.

3)”Medusa’s Mistress” in Ultimate Lesbian Erotica 2008, edited by Nicole Foster, published by Alyson Books http://www.alysonbooks.com/9781593500429.html

A lesbian erotica collection with my bdsm retelling of Greek mythology.

4)”Houston Heatwave” in Tales of Travelrotica for Lesbians: Erotic Travel Adventures, volume 2, edited by Simone Thorne, published by Alyson Books http://www.alysonbooks.com/9781593500146.html

5)”Splish Splash Anniversary” in Best Date Ever: True Stories That Celebrate Lesbian Relationships, edited by Linda Alvarez, published by Alyson Books http://www.alysonbooks.com/9781593500092.html

6)“Bronco Butches” in After Midnight: True Lesbian Erotic Confessions, edited by Chelsea James, published by Cleis Press http://www.cleispress.com/book_page.php?book_id=172

7)”Make Love to Me” in Perfect Valentine, edited by Barbara Johnson & Therese Szymanski, published by Bella Books http://www.bellabooks.com/mm5/merchant.mvc?Screen=PROD&Product_Code=b-bad-perval&Store_Code=bella&search=Perfect+Valentine&offset=0&filter_cat=&PowerSearch_Begin_Only=&sort=&range_low=&range_high=

Valentine’s Day themed lesbian erotica collection.

8)”Summer’s Frisky Kitten” in Early Embraces III, edited by Lindsey Elder, published by Alyson Books http://www.alysonbooks.com/9781555837372.html

Coming Soon:

1)”Transplant” in Up for Grabs, published by Circlet Press http://www.circlet.com/
A scifi, gender bender erotica collection releasing in ebook.

2)Superqueeroes – looking for publisher for this GLBT superhero collection.

Two Erotic Edits Released

2008-12-14T02:15:00.000-08:00

I had two books released that I edited for Eternal Press and Loose Id. No Holds Barred by Jaydyn Chelcee was released from Eternal Press. Jaydyn's first book, In the Arms of Danger was a best seller. Both books are suspenseful erotic heterosexual romances with a case to be solved. A Gift Worth Sharing by Marty Rayne released from Loose Id on December 9th. This is a hot story about a man who gives another man to his lover as a gift. The three men share in several erotic fantasies.

When you read these erotic stories, let me know what you think. :-D

Erotically yours,
Ellen

Transgender Erotica Sale

2008-12-12T03:25:00.000-08:00

I sold a story to Circlet Press for their genderbender scifi ebook, Up For Grabs. My story is a futuristic MTF/FTM erotic love story. I am so thrilled about this sale because I have been trying to sell a story to Cecilia Tan for years. ;-D

Erotically yours,
Ellen