Why An Incubus Demon? – Zach Sweets on Queer Fear

In “Dark Revelation”, my short story written for Storm Moon Press’ Queer Fear anthology, I decided to make a villain as a half human half demon. I’ve wanted to write an Incubus Demon for as long as I can remember. For this story, I actually opted out to research demon characteristics and made it my own. I haven’t read a lot of them, though, so I wrote how I’d imagined it in my head. For all I knew, Incubui loved sex, and hey, I could use that to my advantage to make it a darker-themed story. It wasn’t an aww type of story, either. My demon raped his prey before he killed it. The demon needed sex to fulfill his demonic needs.

Now, moving on to the appearance of the demon. I had my own vision for how the demon in my story would look, and here is a tiny snippet from “Dark Revelation” to show how I described the demon:

Skin went from light tan to bruised purple, covering his entire body. His nipples and tongue turned orange, and four horns sprouted: two on his forehead, and longer ones on either side of his head. His eyes shone red, bright enough to light the room. His pupils vanished.

That was what my demon looked like inside my head, and he didn’t have wings either. When I eventually checked out the image search engine to see what incubus demons looked like, they usually had at least two horns on their heads and large wings along with fangs. Why follow those and make the story unoriginal? I figured it would be better if I actually created my own look, reinventing the incubus demon in my own way instead of trying to go with the popularly accepted norm.

The opening for my short story was actually tough for me to write. I didn’t expect someone to disappear quickly, but it was how the story flowed. It gave me a chance to explore the human side of Derek from “Dark Revelation”. If Derek was completely human, he would find a wonderful man to spend his life with easily, but being a half human and half demon didn’t give him the happiness he so badly wanted. I tried for a balance between good and evil. Derek was able to be like that. The good side about Derek was he had the willpower to sacrifice himself by living in isolation away from people. So, after I succeed having Derek isolated, I had to figure out how to make the story more horror-centric so it would balance out with the erotic. I wanted to give the readers the entertainment of reading a bit on the romance side right along with the horror. That was when I added new people and made the demon go crazy with his demonic hungers.

I tried to avoid using too much gore because it was basically a cheat to make the story plain old scary. I needed to get the reader inside the main character’s head to show how afraid he is. Yes, there is gore in “Dark Revelation”. It is not like Derek’s half demon is actually a clean demon. Every kill the demon makes would be a mess. It’s part of the package, no matter how hard any one demon tries to avoid it. There will always be a mess. There will always be blood. I can promise you the fatal scene isn’t that bloody. I wanted to keep the gore part to a minimum and let the readers enjoy the scary part. At the same time, I hope it will make readers feel something for the victims. Because when I wrote the murder scene, I felt more sad for the victim and Derek who had to suffer the consequence for being around humans.

Intrigued? Then I think it’s time for you to enjoy the short except from “Dark Revelation” below. I hope you like it and check out the Queer Fear anthology.

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“Look at us on our fifth date.” Derek Fowell chuckled weakly, feeling nervous. Against his better judgment, his feelings for Matthew Zee had grown. Something was different about him, but Derek couldn’t pinpoint it. For now, he wanted to enjoy the meal and get to know Matthew better.

Matthew smiled and showed off his perfect, straight white teeth. “So far, I’m enjoying your company.”

“I agree. How was your day at work?”

“Ready to order?” the waitress interrupted.

“I’d like to get a strawberry salad with chicken. Can you put the dressing on the side, please?” Matthew smiled first at the waitress, and then at Derek.

“Absolutely. And you, sir?”

“I’ll have the same, but with steak. Medium-rare, please.”

“I’m sorry, sir. We can only serve medium and above for the steak.”

“Medium’s fine, thanks.” Derek handed the menus to the waitress.

Once the waitress left, Matthew cleared his throat. “My day at work wasn’t bad. I just cleaned patients’ teeth and tightened a kid’s braces. Nothing exciting.” He chuckled and took a sip of red wine. “What about you? You never told me what it is you do.”

“Oh, I don’t work. My parents died several years ago, and they left me a rather large sum of money. I made a smart investment, and so far, it’s working out. I’m financially secure for the foreseeable future.

“Ah, I’m jealous. I’d love to not to ever work again.”

Their meals were delivered, and they ate in silence. Derek took his chance to watch Matthew eating. Strong sweet scents attacked his nose, he sniffed deeply. Mix of strawberry and his pheromones. Matthew clearly became horny just as soon as Derek slid his right foot toward his. Matthew’s cheeks grew red and avoid making an eye contact to Derek. Grinning, he changed his attention to his salad. Everything in his view turned red and something inside him awoke. Squeezing his eyes shut, breathing slowly, and his breath ceased the minute he heard his inner voice. He’s horny and smells delicious, it growled.

Shut up, Derek mentally shouted back at that inner voice. He shook his head, and his vision was back to normal. Colors and all. It wasn’t his demon eyes looking up at Matthew’s puzzled face. “Excuse me. Nature calls.” Derek walked away before Matthew could respond. Derek was pissed. It had been four dates without even a peep. It wasn’t until things had become more personal between him and Matthew that the inner voice had decided to speak up. Derek locked the door behind him in the restroom, and then his legs gave out. His muscles twitched, his body shook, and his head might as well be splitting open as the demon he valiantly fought took control of his limbs.

“About the fucking time. I’m back!” the demonic voice crackled.

Derek screamed in the demon’s head. You can’t do this. Not Matthew! Please, I
beg you. I’ll do anything as long as you don’t touch Matthew. Please!

---

Did the demon keep his promise to Derek? The answer is in “The Dark Revelation”. You can find this story along with four other erotic horror shorts at Storm Moon Press’s book store: Click HERE.

Zach Sweets is an army brat originally from El Paso, TX. He now resides in Arizona, where he moved to start a new adventure with his partner and dog. Zach writes as often as he can and likes to push himself with writing challenges. Joining the M/M Romance group on Goodreads.com has immensely boosted his motivation to become a successful Deaf author, writing about man to man love, with some horror thrown in for good measure. His latest short story, “The Dark Revelation”, is now available in Storm Moon Press’ Queer Fear anthology. Zach can be found on Twitter @ZachSweets.

Gay and Lesbian Coffee Break Quickies: A Multi Authored Anthology by Storm Moon Press

Title: Gay & Lesbian Coffee Break Quickies
Author: Multi-Authored Anthology
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 118
Characters: Anthology-Many Characters
POV: 3rd and 1st
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Erotic Romance
Kisses: 4.5

Blurb:

Ah, the allure of the office romance. The sly smiles across the room as you wonder if anyone else knows. The danger of being caught by the boss. The thrill of those stolen moments in the copy room or supply closet. It’s this feeling that we’ve condensed, distilled, and captured in the short shorts of Gay & Lesbian Coffee Break Quickies. We’ve compiled thirteen brief tales of men and women getting it on with a co-worker or a boss in a steamy office romance.

Some of them are established and have been sneaking around the office for some time, like Lori Hunt and her P.A. Ms. Lovell in She’s the Boss or Tom and Neal in Personal Assistance. Others, like The New Guy’s Greg and Eli or the awkwardly-named Rebecca A. and Rebecca B. from Tele-Romance are just beginning to experience the allure that can come from keeping the secret. Nor are such trysts confined to the office itself, spilling out into stairwells, copy rooms, gyms, and even computer server rooms. Whatever the case, though, they’re sure to arouse your imagination, and maybe even leave you looking at your own co-workers a little bit… differently.

Gay & Lesbian Coffee Break Quickies includes:
Skype Wars by Rob Rosen
Hands On by K. Piet
One Week by L. Alonso Corona
Working Lunch by Ann Anderson
Personal Assistance by K. Lynn
She’s the Boss by Angel Propps
The New Guy by John Amory
Stair Walking by Harper Bliss
1-888-BOREDOM by Raven de Hart
Fair Play by Anna Hedley
His Nonexistent Coffee Break by Lor Rose
Tele-Romance by Erik Moore
Three Strikes by Piper Vaughn

Review:

Skype Wars by Rob Rosen

New technology naturally breeds new means for having sex. Skype, for instance. Paul needs his computer to work, but IT is doing maintenance. So Paul contacts his go-to-guy, Craig, who he secretly has a crush on due to many emails with smiley icons, and just Craig’s friendly manner. One small Skype session to help out leads the two men talking, and then having sex via Skype.

Hot internet sex with cameras is an excellent way to start this anthology. Paul and Craig are so cute together, and though not on the same floor of the building, the sex is hot. This is told in the first person.

Hands On by K. Piet

Sarah and Gwen are massage therapists who have no clients due to wintery conditions. Sarah has a huge crush on Gwen, and their solitary snow-bound situation allows them to get closer through an impromptu massage that goes spectacularly right.

This was a hot little lesbian tale. From Sarah’s point of view, we are left wondering is Gwen lesbian or not. A massage doesn’t always have to lead to sex, now does it? Fortunately for smitten Sarah, it does. The writing is close to the skin, palpable, sensual. Sarah’s sweet shyness vs. Gwen’s strong straightforward character made this a likable read.

One Week by L. Alonso Corona

Tom and Michael are colleagues on the same floor as salesman. Michael is sort of Tom’s boss but not quite. And they’ve had a heated moment in the backseat of a car, and though Tom kind of resents Michael for being so perfect, they’re trying to figure each other and their attraction out.

I admit this wasn’t for me. The story is told in the present tense which threw me a bit. Never been a fan. But once I got used to it, there were timeline confusions: I couldn’t distinguish what happened in the past and what in the here and now. Still, this was the most realistic story of all of these. We are very much in the dark about what goes on inside the mind of another—unless we allow ourselves to get close, even with the risk of losing our hearts. And that was what made this story stand out in the end.

Working Lunch by Ann Anderson

Janice is on a lunch break when she is surprised by her lover, Amber. Even knowing people can walk by or start coming back to the office any minute, Amber goes down on Janice—under her table.

Sneaky and sexy. This was just a window into the relationship of these two women, but the danger of getting caught while giving oral can certainly spice up sex. Hot, and recommended.

Personal Assistance by K. Lynn

Tom is the personal assistant to the most disagreeable boss in the office, Mr. Thompson. However, when no one is looking, there is tenderness in said boss, and Tom knows how to work (with) his boss.

Secret blowjobs when anyone could walk in? Not bad, especially for a couple who work diligently to keep the true nature of their relationship a secret. Tom has remarkable patience, and Neal shows his true colors while being pleasured. Definitely worth the read.

She’s the Boss by Angel Propps

Lori Hunt is the bitch queen of hell-also-known-as-office, and Ms. Lovell is her PA. However, behind the closed door of the boss-woman’s office, all bets are off. The boss becomes the slave.

A short glimpse into the intimacy between two women, BDSM elements are abound as domination shifts from employer to employee. There was only one bit that I didn’t like, which was the boss lady calling her PA daddy. BDSM vocabulary, yes, but sounded so off. Other than that one word, this was sexy all the way. There’s a masculine prop to this heated encounter, but under the circumstances it works. This is in the first person.

The New Guy by John Amory

Eli Grey is rich, but his family situation puts him in need of a job at the first of every month. A real job so he can learn to be self-sufficient. As a result, he’s the perpetual new guy. Until he becomes the assistant’s assistant to the exec of Mech Tech, Greg Fallon. A chance meeting in the restroom leads to an unanticipated but very welcomed sexual encounter.

This story has the best line in the anthology: “Aaand I just saw my boss’s penis, and it’s not even lunchtime yet. Great.” The unexpected sex here draws the reader in, just like this particular job with benefits draws Eli in. Recommended read! This is written in the first person and present tense.

Stair Walking by Harper Bliss

The heroine here, speaking in first person, is drawn to Delphine, a masculine, unapproachable woman at their company who always seems to know everything, but is the total opposite of a people person. One day after work in the stairwell, the heroine is surprised by Delphine who takes total command of their sex.

We are not given a name for the heroine, since she speaks to us directly. Delphine is not a pleasant individual and she uses crass language and has a distinct lack of manners. But when she’s in charge in a sexual situation, submission becomes sweet for our heroine. I personally wasn’t taken with Delphine as I’m not fond of mean people, especially in romances. But… where the story leaves off we’re given a glimpse of the woman’s other side.

1-888-BOREDOM by Raven de Hart

Being a temp sucks. Being a temp who’s about to get fired sucks even worse. But having an office fling in the copy room with the post boy, Tommy, as a last hurrah? Not bad at all.

This was a fun little romp, perfected by the liberal use of a copy machine during fiery sex. Yay! When working in an office, getting a pic of your butt or your orgasm face is an absolute must. And we get a cute HFN ending. Quite liked this one. This is in the first person.

Fair Play by Anna Hedley

Ethan is an assistant to another jerk of a boss, Mr. Vincent Berk. Then one day Ethan has enough, and tosses a cup of hot coffee on his boss—the same cup Mr. Berk said was too cold. Guess it wasn’t, huh. What happens next is a spanking—but just who’s doing the punishing?

Who hasn’t had a bad boss in their work history? You know, the one who complains about everything, even things that aren’t real. But disciplining has its merits, here especially. Turnabout is fair play. This was exciting and rough, very good.

His Nonexistent Coffee Break by Lor Rose

Harris is the assistant to Dean Ingold, a total dick of a boss. Yes, there’s obviously a theme here. When Harris tries to leave to quit his job, Ingold tells him he can’t due to his family situation, and pretty much forces Harris into a sexual encounter. I won’t ruin what happens after the sex, but there are surprises in store here.

This one was my least favorite story in this anthology. From the first page, there’s a lot of cursing, all the way through, quite unnecessary. Then there’s, what at first glance seems like, the rape scene mixed with cheating. Sure, that’s not the right conclusion, but I was so turned off by this that by the time I was proven wrong with my assumption, it was too late to start thinking about passion, let alone love. I was left cold and disappointed.

Tele-Romance by Erik Moore

Rebecca A needs the help of Rebecca B to get his work stuff done. RA has a crush on RB, and one evening of working late an innocent little remark on the messenger chat reveals the possibility that maybe it’s more mutual than RA thought.

This was fun and sexy, even though the two ladies are only having sex via messenger. You get a sense of both women, and they turn out to be different than either of them thought. Their talk, brief and punctual due to their method of communication, sets you at the edge of your seat. Just don’t drop the keyboard like RA. I liked this a lot.

Three Strikes by Piper Vaughn

Jeremy Saitou is a cocky, insolent brat who’s making Shawn Cole’s, the manager, job that much harder. Then Jeremy breaks the rules by calling a client, well, a poopoo head, and as his third strike Shawn is supposed to fire him. Shawn is totally in lust with Jeremy, but his impudence cannot be tolerated. However, Jeremy tells Shawn that to keep his job he’ll let Shawn fuck him. Will Shawn take up the offer?

I love Piper Vaughn’s work, no secret. Shawn’s feelings grow as Jeremy makes an effort to behave, and as a result we see Jeremy from a different point of view too, as opposed to his smartass attitude. Jeremy has a surprising vulnerability in the end, and seeing these two come together was so sweet and so damn hot. By far my favorite story. A wonderful ending to the anthology.

Reviewed By: Susan

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Tough as Nails Trans Women – Kelly Rand on “Legal Briefs”

I once worked in the same newsroom as a transgender woman. We didn’t work together at the same time. She came years before me. But I heard enough about her that she could have popped fully formed out of my mind.

She often came up in stories about the craziness of the industry. A couple of former reporters there killed themselves. Another was fired only to write fervent weekly screeds to the paper until the cops slapped a restraining order on him. There were stories of alcoholics and drug addicts, compulsive gamblers, and old school employees who banged away at typewriters, cigarettes dangling Hunter S. Thompson-style out of their mouths. The fact that the transgender reporter was mentioned in the same context shows you how much people understood gender issues.

Journalists are enlightened on a lot of levels. They know way more than the average person about politics. The ones at the larger media outlets don’t have to vote based on political party. They know all the candidates personally, including their vices, personal habits and voting records. They know more about environmental assessments, court hearings, immigration laws and how to get the head of state’s assistant on the phone. But that doesn’t mean they know how to speak about the trans woman in their newsroom.

I’m frustrated with how some journalists cover the transgender community. I’ve seen many, many stories where the subject pre-transition is referred to as he, only for the story to switch to she three paragraphs later in reference to the individual post-transition. I don’t think they’re trying to be harmful. They just don’t know much about gender issues.

That’s why I like the idea of Luna, my protagonist in “Honest Lawyers,” a story in Storm Moon Press’ Legal Briefs anthology. In reality, the trans woman from my former newsroom left the profession for a quieter, more low-key career doing something else, and I can understand why. A small town newsroom is not, I imagine, a great environment for someone transitioning and finding new ways to adapt in their careers. So, I liked the idea of Luna sticking it out regardless.

She’d embarked on her journalism career with her male name, starting off in an all-male Belleville newsroom where the reporters called each other gaylord. She’d worked her way up to the newspaper in Waterloo, where she finally came out to the world. She caught snatches of inappropriate dialogue here and there. Some glances in her direction turned into stares. The young straight-out-of-college photographer visibly shook as she approached Luna, voice wavering. I just want you to know that I think you’re really brave.

Luna is a court reporter and can be found in the galleries at most of the interesting cases. She’s on a first-name basis with the prosecutors and defense attorneys and already knows how to spell the judges’ names. She might find herself surrounded by journalism students trying to puzzle out what the lawyers are mumbling before someone says “all rise” and everyone leaves.

I imagine Luna being made of tough stuff. She is a diligent and exceptional reporter who has transitioned on the job and received relative acceptance from her coworkers. There would be other people to deal with, too – every source on her beat, everyone in her community, and every person she interviews who she has interviewed before for whatever reason. It would require a solid sense of one’s own ability, to say the least.

Luna is less certain of herself in romance, which is why she can’t believe that Craig, the law student she meets at the courthouse, wants anything to do with her. But he does. Craig comes from a lower-class background, a family of working poor, and he sees life through a no-bullshit lens. His profession has a certain degree of emotional dishonesty, too. Craig is a womanizer, as evidenced by this tell-tale excerpt:

The elevator doors opened and they headed out in unison. He walked alongside her toward the door, reaching out to touch her sleeve. “I like your dress.”

When Luna looked at him, he was smiling. “Thank you,” she said quickly.

“It’s a good color,” he continued. “It brings out your eyes.”

Yes, he pulls off what George Costanza never could. He feels her material.

They have a one-night stand, but I like imagining it going farther than that. I like the idea of Craig and Luna seeking out emotional honesty with each other – the sort of relationship that has a no-bullshit clause. I tend to write short stories, which is a format I love. I don’t do it by default; I do it because I love the challenge of packing as much as possible into a few thousand words.

Unfortunately, it leaves even me wanting more. I might revisit these two characters someday. The idea of them is really irresistible to me. I hope you read them and find them irresistible, too.

Kelly Rand has a website at http://www.kellyrand.net. She is also on Twitter at @rand_kelly, where she tweets daily writing quotes. Her latest short story, “Honest Lawyers”, can be found in Storm Moon Press’ Legal Briefs anthology, a GLBTQ charity anthology whose proceeds go toward Lambda Legal.

Surviving Elite High by John H Ames

Title: Surviving Elite High
Author: John H Ames
Publisher: Budding Moon Press
Pages: 120
Characters: John Ames and Nick Hawking
POV: 1st Person
Sub-Genre: Contemporary, Coming of Age, Series
Kisses: 4.5

Blurb:

John Henry Ames is a sixteen-year-old boy from a small New Jersey town. John is humble, shy, and studious. He lives as an outcast in the shadows of an elite high school where he is tormented by two psychopathic bullies.

On the verge of dropping out of school due to overdue payments, a teacher enrolls him in a tutoring program where he meets the school’s star quarterback and hero, Nick Anthony Hawking. Since he was doing poorly in several subjects, Nick needs John’s help to pass and graduate high school. As John becomes closer to the jock, he develops a strong affection towards him even though Nick has a strong reputation of sleeping around with a lot of women. Nick becomes his friend and protector in school. Their sincere friendship helps to bring out the best in each of them, even as several tragedies, like a school shooting, threaten to change their young lives forever.

Review:

While I do read some coming of age stories I have found few that I really liked. When I do find an author whose story I enjoy they automatically go on my must get list, and I watch their websites like a hawk waiting for the next story to come out. After reading Surviving Elite High author John H Ames has become the newest author added to my must read list.

Told in the first person by main character John, Surviving Elite High tells the story of a young man coming to grips with being gay, while also having to deal with the actions of two school bullies. This is a story that could be taken from the headlines as it gives the older readers a look at what goes on in high schools today. I could not put this book down, and once finished, requested books two and three of the series.

When the story started I wondered how this story would compare to the other geek/jock stories on the market today, but that is where any similarities to the other stories end. John and Nick, while from totally different backgrounds, are in many ways very much alike. Both are gay but in the closet, worried about what will happen should their secret come out. Yet, while John is shy and reserved, Nick is very much a player with the ladies and has made quite a name for himself. Brought together by their school so that John can help Nick with his studies, the two young men are soon drawn to each other. John and Nick face many challenges as they start their relationship, especially once the nature of their relationship becomes known. I was surprised by the actions of Nick’s parents, and could not help but think about the fact that this is something that actually happens in real life.

There is a secondary story line woven into Surviving Elite High. The actions of the Matthew and Jacob, the schools bullies, come across very realistically. I was shocked by how this storyline played out. I did not see some of the twists and turns coming and was near tears more than once.

Surviving Elite High is a very interesting story that will hold the attention of the readers until the last page. If you are a fan of the coming of age sub-genre than I would strongly recommend this story.

Reviewed By: Lydia

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Immortal Symphony: Overture – Episode 1: A Meeting of Fate by K. Piet and SL Armstrong

Title: Immortal Symphony: Overture – Episode 1: A Meeting of Fate
Author: SL Armstrong, K. Piet
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 39
Characters: Dorian Gray, Gabriel Lawrence
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: BDSM, Bisexual, Urban Fantasy, Dark Themes, Ghosts, M/M, M/M/F, Ghosts, Violence, Abuse Themes
Kisses: 4

Blurb:

You think you know the story of Dorian Gray, but you’re wrong. The real story didn’t end the way Oscar Wilde penned; in fact, it hasn’t ended at all. The ageless beauty of Dorian Gray walks now in our world of cellphones and lattes and internet porn. His latest conquest is Gabriel Lawrence, a paranormal investigator with a secret or two of his own. But the trouble with a life as long as Dorian’s is that the skeletons are threatening to overrun the closet… and not all of them want to stay dead.

Season 1: Overture introduces Gabriel to the truth of a world he had only suspected, where ghost hunting is the least of his worries. And at the heart of it all is the mysterious and fascinating Dorian Gray, as though he’d stepped out of the pages of the book bearing his name. But if he has, he hasn’t come through alone. And this figure from a past Dorian had though long behind him bears a grudge nurtured for a hundred years and intends to tear down everything Dorian has built, a piece at a time.

Review:

When I was told that Storm Moon Press was doing a monthly serial, I was immediately excited about the news! I was even more excited when I found out the writing team of SL Armstrong and K. Piet were contributing to it. I’m a huge fan of these two authors and have enjoyed everything I’ve read by them.

One of the things I appreciate about both Storm Moon Press and their authors is how they aren’t afraid to push the envelope when it comes to their books. Each and every story really resonates with me as a reader, even when I might be taken out of my comfort zone, I still enjoy them because of their originality and character driven romances.

The blurb does an excellent job at describing the gist of the book. Dorian Grey is exactly the way he’s always been portrayed. He’s handsome and spoiled at getting what he wants, and has a wicked and irresistible sexuality that draws others into his erotic life. The thing is, there is definitely more to Dorian than meets the eye. He’s not what people assume he is. (You’ll have to read it and find out)

Once he meets Gabriel for some reason Dorian begins to take notice of him. When it comes to lovers, Dorian has a revolving door and rarely remembers them, much less become intrigued by them. He finds himself uncharacteristically wanting to be around Gabriel, but what he doesn’t realize is that Gabriel has some secrets of his own.

Loved this first installment of this serial! It definitely begins and ends with a bang and I can’t wait to read what this amazing writing team has in store for us next!

Sexy, erotic and a whole lot of romping fun, Immortal Symphony promises to be nothing but a guilty pleasure to read. If you are looking for something unique with characters who will automatically fascinate you, then this serial will definitely be for you! Highly Recommended!

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Finding Trans* Fiction – Kelly Rand

Ever tried to find good transgender erotica? In fact, ever try finding a great adult story with a transgender protagonist – not necessarily about that person being transgender, but a transgender person doing cool, interesting shit?

Yep. Me, too.

I’m half afraid to broach this topic because I have a feeling people will shout titles at me, telling me how daft I am for not looking at the right spot. But I can tell you, it’s been really hard for me.

First, I always check the library, and check the library I did. I’m a library geek, and I spent many hours in the library in St. Catharines, Ontario, poring over the quiet fiction aisles, running my hands over thick volumes and checking out way more books than I could read. I knew the sociology section that dealt with gender well enough to cite every book on it. There was Kate Bornstein’s Gender Outlaws. Transparents by Cris Beam. She’s Not There by Jennifer Finney Boylan. I knew those rare moments when a new gender-related book would show up, and it happened once or twice in the five years I lived there.

Fiction was a tougher row to hoe. Most of it was in the young adult section, and aside from another book by Cris Beam, there was Parrotfish by Ellen Wittlinger. Since the book was written for young people, to my adult eyes, the main character in Parrotfish was kind of an after-school special trans person. Every scene in the book felt like a teachable moment. Grady was born a girl, but he’s a boy, see? Here’s a picture of him playing with little boy toys at five. Here’s a picture of his relatives, who ask why he dresses like a boy, and here’s Grady explaining gender dysphoria to them. Here’s a picture of him getting the girl, because he deserves it.

I headed to the Glad Day Book Shop in Toronto and zoomed in on the trans section. That was a little more satisfying. I picked up books such as The Riddle of Gender by Deborah Rudacille — in-depth accounts of the science behind where we land on the gender spectrum. But the fiction shelves were dominated by gay fiction. I was unable to find engrossing fiction stories about ordinary, flawed trans people who loved and lost and cried and fucked and held jobs. The closest I got was a transgender erotica anthology that struck an unsatisfying cord somehow. It was still ‘transgender person as fetish object’. The trans person got someone else off rather than the other way around.

When I got a Kindle, the first thing I searched was transgender fiction, specifically transgender erotica. At long last, I held limitless choices. Maybe I didn’t know where to look, but I recoiled at most of the search results for the term “transgender erotica.” There was a lot of forced sissification. A lot of porno-looking bullshit, with buxom women wielding their members on unsuspecting men. Gross, disrespectful stuff that I’m sure must have its place somewhere, but I wanted characters. I wanted living, loving, laughter, sex. I wanted it respectful, goddammit.

Storm Moon Press is one of the only erotic romance presses I’ve seen that makes a real effort to solicit and publish trans erotica. They bought my story, Pearl, which was quite simply just the type of trans story I wanted to read. They’re publishing another one of my trans short stories, “Honest Lawyers,” in their upcoming Legal Briefs anthology (which will be sold for charity, by the way).

But enough about me. They do other cool shit, too. They regularly have at least one anthology call out there for trans stories. They write blog entries and are vocal advocates of increasing the amount of trans erotica out there. They want it. They encourage it. They publish it, and it’s always the kind of stuff I want to read.

If you’re an avid reader of trans fiction like me, if you’re genderqueer or an ally, do you know how cool it is to know where to look? I imagine you do. Sadly, it’s not the library. Fortunately, as a reader and as an author, I found Storm Moon Press.

Kelly Rand is the author of the trans* historical short story Pearl. Another of her short stories, “Songs From Devil Lake”, is part of the Torn in Two anthology, available now from Storm Moon Press. Kelly can be found at http://www.kellyrand.net and on Twitter @rand_kelly.

Giveaway Opportunity!

This guest post is part of Storm Moon Press’ 3rd Anniversary Blog Tour! Comment on this post or any other post on the blog tour with your e-mail address, and you’ll be entered for a chance to win the Grand Prize of receiving 1 FREE e-book each month of 2013 from that month’s new releases for a total of 12 free e-books! Runners up will receive a $25 gift certificate to their choice of Amazon or All Romance eBooks. For more details and to find out about our 3rd Anniversary, head over to Storm Moon Press’ Official Blog. Thanks for joining us!

Making Ends Meet by SL Armstrong and K. Piet

Title: Making Ends Meet
Author: SL Armstrong and K. Piet
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 166
Characters: Zach Grayer, Wil Eastland
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Contemporary Romance
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

Includes 12 black-and-white illustrations by Diana Callinger!

Zach is just seventeen years old, but despite his youth, he has more than his fair share of responsibility. An experimental fling in high school has led him down the path of single fatherhood. Now, he holds down a job, takes his college classes online, and pays his own bills as best he can—all while juggling daycare and chores and play-dates for his four-month-old, Mae. It’s a rough, 24/7 life, but to Zach, Mae is worth every penny spent and every minute of his day.

With no free time to speak of, it feels like a miracle when Zach meets Wil in the check-out line at his work. Handsome, grounded, from the proverbial “right side of the tracks”, and—even better—good with kids, Wil is everything he could want in a boyfriend. But as interested as Wil is in Zach, he has his own life, his own family, his own job and college career to think about. All the various draws on their time means that it’s hard just to find chances to be together. But Zach’s no stranger to hard tasks, and believes he owes it to himself to try.

Review:

When it comes to writing amazing stories, SL Armstrong and K. Piet are definitely the dynamic duo of romance! I’ve loved every book and novella I’ve read written by them and I admit that they are one of those authors that are a must read for me. There aren’t afraid to tackle the sometimes difficult issues we all have as we go through life, and they write realistic heroes that I can identify with and I still would be honored to call a friend in my life too.

At seventeen, Zach has had to deal with a hard dose of reality. After a quick, experimental one night stand with a friend, he suddenly finds himself having full custody of his infant daughter, Mae. Although most teenagers would try to push this responsibility onto others, Zach is determined to work hard and support Mae on his own. He put his own dreams and ambitions on hold, so he can be a good father and does his best to support them without having to heavily rely on others to help him. Zach is also aware that having Mae has put a huge damper on finding someone who is willing to date a teenager with a child that they support, so he’s not expecting to fall in love. Instead, he concentrates on Mae and making the best life he can for her.

One night while working as a cashier at the local store, a handsome young man flirts with him and to Zach’s surprise, leaves him his number. The young man’s name is Wil, and even when Wil finds out that Zach has a baby, it doesn’t bother him at all. Instead, Wil steps up to the plate and starts to see Zach while becoming a big part of both Zach and Mae’s lives. As their relationship grows, Zach becomes more and more reliant on Wil on both an emotional and financial level. This bothers Zach because he doesn’t wish for Wil or anyone to think he’s not able to raise Mae on his own, without heavily relying on others. When Wil’s parents disapprove of their relationship, and Zach finds out that not only do they not approve of them being together, they also insist on Wil breaking it off with him, Zach is once again faced with the hard decision of doing what he thinks is the right thing. Will Zach and Wil’s relationship be strong enough to work through all of the obstacles that seem to be trying to pull them apart?

I LOVED this book! I honestly can’t rave enough about it. I thought Zach was an amazing young man who has a huge capacity to love while still working hard at being a good father to Mae, made him one of my favorite heroes. Zach is young, but the situation he’s in makes him grow up very quickly, so he’s more mature than other young men his age. I loved watching him continue to grow and evolve as a person and really liked the man he is starting to become.

Wil is another hero that I adored. I loved his willingness to love and accept Zach and Mae into his life as well as his drive to still be his own man, while he fights to keep his lover and Mae as part of his future. He’s honest and has a giving, beautiful heart and I thought he was perfect for Zach and Mae. I loved the way Wil and Zach’s relationship slow developed as the story progressed and honestly think the pacing of the book was perfection.

One thing I really appreciated about this book was how both authors did not sweep how challenging and difficult it can be to raise a child. Zach truly struggles, both emotionally and financially and he second-guesses himself when it comes to doing the right thing for both him and Mae. I thought this was a very realistically written story, and I absolutely loved every moment I spent reading it.

I also would like to point out that Making Ends Meet has some gorgeous illustrations throughout the book. I thought the artist did an outstanding job at capturing the essence of the story and the characters themselves. In my opinion, I thought the illustrations made the book even more enjoyable, and I hope that there will be more of these types of books in the future. Highly Recommended!

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Devil’s Night by SL Armstrong, K Piet, Alina Ray, Azalea Moone, Tali Spencer

Title: Devil’s Night: Storm Moon Press Anthology
Authors: SL Armstrong, K. Piet, Alina Ray, Azalea Moone, Tali Spencer
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 102
Characters: Various
POV: 3rd
Sub genre: Demons, Dub Consent, Paranormal, Torture, Violence, Dark Themes
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

The infernal host is on the prowl. They want your soul, and they’re not afraid to bargain for it. They’ll promise you everything you could ever desire, but the price tag may be steeper than you can handle. Whether tempting and seducing mortals, defiling angels, or reveling among themselves, the fiendish creatures in these four haunting tales know that while good is okay, evil is just more fun.

Thaddeus sold his soul to save his family long ago, but the deal he struck with the demon Belial has him spending eternity managing Le Carnaval du Diable, filled to the brim with other’s damned into servitude. Belial wants more than Thaddeus’ soul, though, and his constant advances only add to Thaddeus’ stress as he faces a threat to The Devil’s Midway.

Craig Peters finds himself Hell Bound and destined for an eternity of torture at the hands of the demon Karawan, despite having no memory of the sin that condemned him to this existence. Over time, though, those memories return, along with an unnatural attraction to Karawan, which leads them both down a path neither of them could have possibly imagined.

When the Hounds Come Out to Play, Ryu and Keir are released from their chains to hunt the wayward damned and drag them down to Hell. A breath of freedom is an opportunity for fun, however, and Ryu isn’t about to waste it, even if it means getting caught in a case of mistaken identity with a handsome stranger.

Finally, Beltran is a man of heritage and honor, and when his cousin is brutalized, he has few qualms about consulting a local Inca shaman on her behalf. Little does he know the price of the charm he seeks will make him The Seventh Sacrifice in the amaru demon Kitara’s ancient quest for revenge.

Review:

Demons, devils, and other dark creatures prowl the night. They’re looking for souls to take and they’re willing to make a bargain. They’ll promise you everything you could ever desire but the cost might be more than you can handle. Whether tempting or seducing mortals, defiling angels, or just partying among themselves, they know that while good is better, evil is plain FUN!

Devil’s Night is an anthology from authors who display their talents in these four tales of what happens when the dark side goes looking for lost souls or wanting to make a deal to acquire innocent ones. The characters in these stories are not anything like what you would normally expect and the unique and original twists make these stories a delightfully different read that I really, really enjoyed reading.

The Devil’s Midway by S.L.Armstrong and K. Piet

Thaddeus sold his soul a long time ago to the demon Belial in order to save his family. The deal he made has him managing Le Carnaval du Diable, full of other damned souls cursed to servitude for all eternity. He’s constantly having to deal with the stress of following Belial’s orders on where the next stop is to be, the constant fighting among the performers, and the occasional demon hunter. On top of everything else, he has to contend with Belial wanting more from him than just his soul. The constant battle he fights against the demon’s advances and his own desires make his job that much harder as he deals with a threat to the very existence of thwarted carnival itself.

Spellbound by Alina Ray

Craig Peters wakes up in Hell with no idea why or how he got there. Sentenced to an eternity of torture at the hands of the demon Karawan. He has no memory of the sin that condemned him but finds himself strangely attracted to Karawan, as over time his memory gradually returns. When offered rhetoric chance to go to heaven if he feels remorse for his sin, he turns it down so he can spend eternity with the demon he has come to love.

When the Hellhounds Come Out to Play by Azalea Moone

Keir and Ryu are two hellhounds released from their chains on one night of the year on Halloween to hunt down damned souls and drag them to hell. Ryu takes advantage odd that freedom to shift into human form and enjoy himself while he can. He meets a handsome stranger who mistakes him foe someone else and they go to a Halloween party. Ryu finds himself attracted to the handsome young man and they have a night of wild sex. Just before dawn, as he is getting ready to return to hell, he realizes that the man is the soul that he has been sent to take to hell because he murdered someone.

The Seventh Sacrifice by Tali Spencer

Beltran is a man of honor and when his cousin is attacked and brutalized by a former lover, he has no qualms about going to a local Incan shaman on her behalf to seek revenge on the man who attacked her. He doesn’t realize that the price of the charm will make him the seventh and final sacrifice needed to finish the ancient amaru demon Kitara’s quest for revenge.

I really enjoyed these four tales that are anything but ordinary. The authors are able to breathe new life into the old standby of evil is bad and give them original and unique twists and turns that keep you guessing until the very end!

Reviewed by Pat

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The Brush Whistler’s Song by Augusta Li

Title: The Brush Whistler’s Song
Author: Augusta Li
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 56
Characters: Arjin, Najadira
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Fantasy, Romance
Kisses: 5

Blurb:

Young Arjin is caught in the web of an ancient truce. Barely into his adulthood, he is given as tribute to the mysterious Najadira, part of a race of nigh-immortal horned warriors known as the Ansari. But Arjin is no innocent. Since his childhood, he has been trained for this day, groomed by the temple priests for a singular purpose: not to please the Ansari, but to murder him and free his people from the terms of their agreement.

Najadira, though, is old and jaded, and unsurprised by Arjin’s true nature. Still, he chooses to keep Arjin near to him, finding that the young man’s zeal quickens his old blood like few before him ever did. He allows Arjin access into his world, a world of beauty and wonder that had before now been denied. And as Arjin learns more about Najadira, he begins to question his teachings about the Ansari. Ultimately, he must choose between taking a life in the service of his beliefs or abandoning his duty and thereby condemning his soul to the decadence and sin surrounding him.

Review:

Augusta Li is one of those authors who writes stories that I keep an eye out for. Her descriptive storytelling ability is so smooth and almost lyrical; it immediately sweeps this reader into the imaginative worlds she creates and into the lives of her sexy and unique characters.

Ever since he can remember, Arjin has been trained to kill one of the remaining members of the Ansari. Raised by monks, Arjin has been programmed to not question their beliefs, and since they think the Ansari is an evil race, Arjin faithfully believes them and does what he’s told to do. He is prepared and given as a ‘gift’ to one of the last Ansari, Naja, and even though Arjin knows he must give into the Ansari’s will, he has every intention of earning Naja’s trust so Arjin can do as he’s been trained to do. Kill him.
But to Arjin’s dismay, things don’t always go as planned. Even though he knows he’s supposed to hate Naja, he doesn’t. The problem is Naja doesn’t act as evil as Arjin thought he would be. Instead, Naja welcomes him into his life, offers his knowledge and as well as the freedom for Arjin to be himself. Soon, Arjin knows he’s starting to fall for the beautiful Naja, and starts questioning everything he’s been told and believed in the past. Will Arjin be able to see the truth and realize that his love for Naja is truly a gift, or will his past beliefs keep him from having that once in a lifetime love?

For a short story, The Brush Whistler’s Song has a lot of intrigue, passion and content. It’s so well-written it doesn’t read like a short novel. I was immediately swept up into these characters lives and before I knew it, the story ended. Ms. Li has a knack of really getting into the heart and soul of her characters. They are not perfect heroes. They must go through a lot of soul searching and personal growth before they can make a life together. I loved watching Arjin’s character start to question what he’s been programmed to think and truly start recognizing the truth before him.

The publisher warns that this book has some dubious consent content between the heroes. I’ve read MANY books and several of them have been tagged as dub con, but in all honesty I didn’t feel uncomfortable with any of the sexual content between Arjin and Naja. It’s true that Arjin is confused, but Naja is very caring and doesn’t do anything to Arjin that he doesn’t want. I personally thought the sex scenes were quite seductive and lovely, but this is only my opinion and if you have any reservations about it, I would encourage you to read more reviews on the book or even ask the author about it, and make a decision that you feel comfortable making.

My only gripe about this book is…I wish it had been longer. I loved these two heroes and thoroughly enjoyed watching them fall in love with each other. Ms. Li has gained another die hard reader and she’s officially become one of my ‘must buy’ authors. Highly Recommended!

Reviewed By: Gabbi

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Written in Flesh by Kimber Vale, Alina Ray, Suzanne van Rooney and Alex Whitehall

Title: Written in Flesh
Author: Multi-Authored Anthology
Publisher: Storm Moon Press
Pages: 117
Characters: Various Heroes
POV: 3rd
Sub-Genre: Paranormal, Contemporary
Kisses: 4

Blurb:

For many people, there’s nothing hotter than a man with tattoos. He might get them to commemorate a lost loved one, celebrate an event, or just to look bad-ass, but there’s no doubt the man enjoys showing off his ink. Tribal, classic black and white, or elaborate colored artwork spanning the entire back, each mark has a story, an indelible reminder of the past etched onto the human canvas with care and precision. We’re showcasing four of those stories in Written in Flesh.

Key is Bound by Ink to a woman he does not—cannot—love. He runs to escape his fate, but finds Dax, another fugitive, and learns that some bonds go deeper than skin. In the heyday of the 1980′s, Ian Grothe’s club is about to discover the Next Big Thing, but Ian only has eyes for the lead singer. But as the band’s star rises, Ian gets left behind, his hopes turning to Powder.

Then, in Helotry, Rontak is an escaped slave who wears the mark of his service beneath his skin. While on the run, he is sheltered by Tréy, an artist with a heavy secret of his own. Finally, Ellis comes to the Sui Generis Protection Agency bearing the Mark of the Familiar, magical animal tattoos granting him remarkable shapeshifting abilities. When he feels a True Bond to William, the Wardsman of the agency, he has to convince William of the truth or risk losing his sanctuary, and perhaps even his life.

Review:

These stories are about how tattoos can either be a symbol for love, hate, ownership or remembrance of the events in one’s life. Each story explores how the markings put on skin can either be a symbol for shame, a source of pride, or a commemoration of a special event in your life.

I really loved reading this book. Written in Flesh is a wonderfully written collection of stories that explores how tattoos can express myriad meanings, depending on who does the marking, why it’s done, and who sees them.

Bound by Ink by Kimber Vale

Key is being tattooed by the ink-witch of his tribe to symbolize his upcoming marriage to the chief’s daughter, with whom he has been lifelong friends. He doesn’t want to go through with the wedding because he prefers men, but feels that he must obey the customs and dictates of his tribe.

The ink-witch tells about the day her grandson broke tradition and left the tribe to seek the legendary island of All-World, a place where members of the same sex can be bonded in marriage.

Key flees that very night to find this mythical place as he feels he has no choice but to follow his heart and not his head. The chief sends his hunters to search for Key to avenge the dishonor of him abandoning her daughter on their wedding day, injuring him in the process.Dax finds the injured man and nurses him back to health.

Dax turns out to be the ink witch’s grandson who had left the tribe three years before because he refused to follow the customs of the tribe. Dax and Key fall in love and travel to All-World to become a bonded pair.

Powder by Alina Ray

Ian is the owner of a small hole-in-the-wall club that is auditioning an unknown band. He notices that the lead singer of the band called The Shredding Angels has tattoos on both arms. He finds them and finds them fascinating and becomes instantly attracted to him. He really likes the band’s music and books them to play once a week at the club for the next two months.

As the band plays every week, word of mouth spreads the band’s praises and the crowds get larger and larger. After every performance Ian and Arnold go out for coffee and powdered doughnuts. Ian critiques the band’s playing and gives Arnold advice on how to package the band to become more famous. He also advises Arnold to change his name to Apollo and to let his hair grow out.

Ian invites Apollo to his apartment to celebrate New Year’s Eve and they finally give into the attraction that has been building between them for months. Ian surprises Apollo with the news that the head of a record label is coming to listen to the band to see if he likes what he hears.

The record label hires the band and before Ian knows it, Apollo and the band back out of playing at Ian’s club and stop all contact with him. Ian finds himself in a severe depression that leads him to sell his club to his manager and to retreat from the world for several months. He finally pulls himself together and decides to open a bigger and better club near Broadway in Manhattan. He names the club Powder and works hard to make it the most talked about club in the city.

Just before the grand opening, Apollo shows up to explain why he disappeared almost a year before and to beg forgiveness from Ian. He shows Ian the new tattoo showing a doughnut and a cup of coffee that he had done as a symbol of their relationship and Ian finally forgives him.

Helotry by Suzanne van Rooney

Rontak Is a slave on the planetof Thiaki, a desert planet owned by the company Incarnadine Inc. The company mines the planet for the precious metal nassidium and uses the native population as slave labor and to entertain the company executives in whatever manner they prefer. Rontak manages to escape by attacking one of the executives and stowing aboard a cargo ship whose destination is Krisha, the home planet of the Incarnadine empire. He accidentally runs into Trey, a young man who is taking pictures of local landmarks.

Trey finds himself attracted to the beautiful young man and is fascinated by the exotic tattoos he has over most of his body. Trey takes Rontak under his wing and they become lovers.

Trey discovers than Rontak is a runaway slave and that the tattoos on his body are a sign of ownership. He becomes enraged at the lifestory that Rontak tells him and enlists the aid of a powerful friend and his own influence as the son of one of the majority stockholders of Incarnadine to publicize the plight of Rontak’s people. The public outcry forces the company to free the slaves and to turn over the ownership of the planet to the native population.

Mark of the Familiar by Alex Whitehall

Ellis is a magical shape shifter who is rescued from a cruel master and is taken to a safe house for the rehabilitation and protection of abused magical beings. He encounter William, the half human, half Succubus son of James, owner of the safe house.
Ellis finds himself hopelessly attracted to William and William feels the same way but fights it because he thinks it’s wrong to take advantage of him. He finally gives into the attraction when he realizes that Ellis is his intended magical mate and that they are fated to be together. Matching tattoos appear on each man as they make the bonding permanent by making love.

I really enjoyed reading these stories that span space, time, imagination, and ordinary life to explore the myriad meanings that tattoos can represent in relationship to people’s lives.

Reviewed By: Pat

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