Annette Mori's Blog, page 29
April 12, 2019
Let’s Talk About Sex Baby…Part 2
I was going to talk about this topic last week, but then my subjects got into a “Queen of the Hill” battle and Stereotyping pushed Clits off the hill. One of my earlier blogs was devoted to lesbian sex, so I’ve titled this, Let’s Table About Sex Baby…Part 2. When returning to this subject, my thinking on it evolved or devolved. I’ll let you be the judge. The cute video below is a must see…you’re welcome!
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As most everyone who reads my blogs already knows, I love to do research on my various topics. I had already started researching whether the size of a clitoris made a difference to a person’s sexual experience. No big surprise there is a lot more research on penis size. Just like there is a lot more information given to boys about sex than girls. At least that was the case when I was growing up in the dark ages. And, of course, there was nothing about lesbian sex.
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The poll I posted on Facebook indicated that most people did not have a “bloody clue” (thanks May Dawney for adding that; it was a brilliant choice) about whether size matters. That choice got 70 votes, the next option about technique being more important got 25 votes, followed closely by “No, not at all”.
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For those of you waiting for the actual scientific research on this topic, I am happy to oblige. Susan Oakley, MD, conducted research on this very topic and published her findings in the Journal of Sexual Medicine in 2014. Here are her findings:
An estimated 18-34 percent of women have difficulty reaching orgasm.
When compared to women who achieved orgasm more easily, the “anorgasmic” women had smaller clitoral glands and the distance between their clitoris and vagina was larger than the “orgasmic” group.
Anaorgasmic women tended to prefer vaginal penetration.
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I guess from an entirely scientific perspective, size does matter. But, and this is a big but, I believe it might only matter related to what each person tends to enjoy more (clitoral versus vaginal stimulation). Here’s what I believe…women are complicated-maybe more complicated than men. One size definitely does not fit all. Sure, like women, I think there is an emotional or in your head component. The visual, auditory and olfactory cues matter to both sexes in getting us all worked up, not just how a person is touched.
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There are also studies on how lesbian sex is better…uh duh…because the common theory is how better to understand your partner than if you are the same sex. I mean, come on, I’m a woman, so I know a woman’s body. Wrong! What, wait…yup…that’s right. I am blowing that whole notion to pieces. What I might enjoy could be totally different from my partner. Can every person say that every single female on female sexual experience was as mind-blowing as all those romance books suggest? It was so refreshing when I read one of Lynn Galli’s books, at least I think it was one of hers, and the first experience between the two main characters was awful. How did they overcome the disaster? Communication!
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In my youth, I listened to a friend who said that if I shaved my unruly bush, the sex would be so much better. So I did. It wasn’t. And….I itched like crazy when the hair started to grow back. Don’t get me wrong, I wasn’t having shitty sex, I just wondered if it could be even better. I’m a perfectionist after all.
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Recently, I watched an episode of the Degrassi reboot (don’t judge). There was an episode where one of the characters was experimenting with masturbation and wasn’t able to achieve the Big O. She thought there was something wrong with her. Thankfully the point was made that she was perfectly normal and everyone is different. The doctor stopped short of telling her to continue her exploration because surely she would find the magic formula, but it was implied. I loved that show!
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I was one of the lucky ones. My first sexual experience with a woman was in fact mind-blowing. I was naïve and had never had anyone put their mouth on my clit before. She was very, very, good at following the cues and reading my response. I believe that if a person isn’t as good at noticing those cues, then they should bloody well ask. That’s how to make the sex great if it isn’t. Communication! Because every single one of us is different and while size may scientifically make a difference, communication is Queen.
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Books have been my gateway drug into learning a lot more about what I might like and what I don’t like. I’ve learned so much. If only I had started reading them earlier. I’ve gone through phases of great sex and so so sex if I were honest. Learning more about my body is a truly good thing. So….here’s to books and learning. Every time I learn something new, I incorporate that into a new sex scene. It’s my attempt to keep things fresh. So…you know the deal by now. If you want to learn more about my sex scenes, click on one of the links below.
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April 5, 2019
Stereotypes Suck…
I was going to write about something a lot more fun (the size of a person’s clit and what that means), but this topic surfaced for me, so I had to go there. Don’t worry, I think I will try to write that one next week.
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Over the last few years, I’ve noticed an increasing number of posts stereotyping Americans. I’ve made the grave error of responding in hopes of gently educating people on the dangers of stereotypes. Epic fail in almost every circumstance because I probably wasn’t communicating well (sometimes socially awkward and sometimes not very good with my words). Usually the stereotype included the word, arrogance. There is a hashtag out there #americanstereotypesarereal. I should never speak for others. So, I will speak for myself. It hurts every time I see this stereotype posted and perpetuated with additional negative posts in response. It feels like the posts become fact. I shouldn’t take them personally. I know that.
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Ironically, my challenges are perceived as “white privilege” and American arrogance. I am deeply saddened by this. Clearly, I have done a poor job of expressing myself. Not an excuse, merely an explanation. For those who know me, my intent is never to be offensive. Ah, but intent and impact are clearly two different concepts.
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I believe America’s strength is how diverse we are as a nation. The stereotypes are perplexing to me. There is not one race, age group, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, shape and size, ideology or any other thing that would tend to lump all Americans into one group. I have not visited every country, but I suspect that may be true for every nation.
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I went to school in Brighton England back in 1979. The prevailing stereotype of American women was that we were “easy”. At nineteen years old that was a really bad thing to have to combat every single time we went to a pub to enjoy a pint. I wanted a pint, not a roll in the hay. We laughed it off, but the effect was rather difficult to manage in reality.
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I believe very strongly that stereotypes are bad. Some may be less harmful than others. But, stereotypes, particularly negative ones, often lead to bias. And, bias leads to inequities, violence, discrimination and a whole lot of other nasty shit! There are so many research studies out there that back up this notion. Go ahead and Google it. I did not have enough space to provide the info, because I have so much more to say about this topic.
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Do I engage in stereotyping? Probably. And, when I do, I sure hope people will challenge me and bring that to my attention. I don’t like Trump’s policies or his rhetoric. I was saddened to learn that some of my family members probably voted for him because his policies negatively impact many people and will undoubtedly negatively impact me personally. I felt like it was a direct hit to me and my relationship with my wife. Are Trump, and his supporters, racist, homophobic, misogynists? I’ve probably thought that and believed that. However, the facts are that Trump and some of his supporters (no-one has followed the millions around every second of every day to know) have made racist, homophobic, misogynist statements. The stereotype that Trump supporters are uneducated, racist, misogynist, homophobic men and women is unfair to label on all 63 million people who voted for him. I am going to make a concerted effort not to stereotype or label Trump supporters. Instead, I can challenge the statements, not the human beings. Separate fact from fiction. Facts are the statements made; fiction is labeling intent to those statements. We cannot possibly get inside their heads to know the intent. Head hopping in fiction writing is considered something to avoid. In my experience, assigning ill intent (hopping into another’s head) is destructive to positive human relationships and interactions. Assuming ill-intent has been the root of many conflicts in the workplace and probably in the world at large.
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Whenever I engage in an “us versus them” dialogue, I lose the part of myself I want to retain—my ability to empathize and my humanity. Every single time I look for ways to distance myself from others by highlighting those differences through negative stereotyping, I miss the opportunity to connect to them as human beings. Here’s what I know about every person in this vast world of ours. We have the commonalities of experiencing the same emotions: love, joy, sadness, anger, forgiveness, hate, etc. These are universal. No matter our differences, I believe we can connect with others and relate in ways that are profoundly human rather than as _____(fill in the blank on whatever group you belong to). I cannot possibly understand someone else’s experience when I have not walked in their shoes, but I can try. I should try. I want others to help me, not push me away and label me. The conversations may be difficult and yet I believe it will make me a better person in the long run.
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There is a great debate about writers needing to stay in their lane. Americans should not write British characters and visa versa. White writers should not write about persons of color. Men should not write about lesbians. Lesbians should not write about bi-sexuals or transgender experiences. The list is endless. One of my all-time favorite books, Yellow Raft in Blue Water, was written by a man. The book is a masterpiece in my opinion. The story is about three generations of Native American women and demonstrates the concept of empathy in a way that is unsurpassed by anything I’ve read thus far. Who knew a man could write this book? See stereotype…bad. Most of the time, I stay in my lane and write what I know about people, places and things I have experienced in my life. However, on occasion, I’ve driven outside that lane. I don’t know if I’ve done this well or not, but I hope I am given that freedom. Good thing we are less judgmental regarding lesbians writing about serial killers. If we were, all those thrilling books would never have been written! I’ve got to believe not all lesbians are serial killers…
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Wanna know how I’ve sometimes driven in another lane and hopefully didn’t kill anyone, you know the drill…click on the links below.
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Artist Free Zone US – Help Support these Amazing Charities – It Gets Better and The Trevor Project
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The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
Don’t forget about Love Forever, Live Forever FREE on Kindle Unlimited…take advantage of this! Cheap way to read one of my books!
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March 29, 2019
Dykes R Us
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I am at that age where I get to claim whatever damn label I want for myself. That hasn’t always been the case for me. This past week, I was binge watching a series called, Dyke Central. That got me to thinking…what do others think about using the word dyke? So, of course, I posted on Facebook that very question. For the most part, with some caveats, the women who responded were not bothered by the word or being referred to as a dyke. Some did not necessarily identify with the term, others were quick to clarify that it depended on who was using the term and in what context or voice reflection.
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I’m old enough to remember when the term was never considered acceptable, or so I thought. I went to high school in the 70s and I’d only ever heard the word used in a derogatory fashion. I also didn’t come out or realize I was a lesbian until well after college (in the early 80s).
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The first time I heard dyke used in what I considered a positive fashion was during a pride parade. I was fascinated with the Dykes on Bikes. I wanted desperately to be considered a dyke even though the only motorcycles I’d ever owned were a Suzuki 50cc and Honda 250cc. Both were dirt bikes that could be used on the road, although neither should ever be ridden on the highway. The top speed on the Honda was 50 miles an hour. At the time I was introduced to the Dykes on Bikes, all I saw were tough lesbians who absolutely owned that name. If I called myself a dyke at that time, I was jeered at. I was told I couldn’t really use that label because it didn’t fit. I was crushed. So, I owned lesbian for a long time.
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My fascination with motorcycles began at the age of 13. I had to win a game of chess with my father to earn the right to get that coveted 50cc bike. My mother was not happy. To this day, I don’t know if my father let me win or not. He swears he didn’t, but he’s a notorious liar. I never did graduate to something worthy of riding in a pride parade. Although I did get to be a different kind of dyke on a bike when my bicycle group got together and rode our bicycles in the Seattle pride parade. I’ve convinced myself that people were laughing with us. Not at us.
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You know I always have to give a tiny bit of history and research on whatever topic I am talking about. The term Dykes on Bikes was first used in 1976 at the San Francisco Pride parade. At the time, they received a lot of criticism because dyke was seen as a derogatory term stemming from the slang diesel-dyke, bull-dyke, and bull dagger, which were the original derogatory terms for a lesbian, particularly those on perceived as more butch than femme.
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The origin of the word dyke is very interesting with various theories. In the mid-19th century to early 20th century, dike was American slang for a well-dressed man, who was “diked out” or “out on a dike”. These terms may have been a derivative of the Virginia term, “decked out”. As early as the 1920s, the word bulldyker first appeared in Harlem Renaissance novels. In this case, it was used in a derogatory fashion. The theory on where this term came from was the 19th century slang “dike” when referring to the vulva. Adding the bull, a term for a male cow, then became bulldyke, or a masculine cu__ (this is one word I will never own).
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The very first time dyke was used in a positive fashion was in the 1970s in a poem titled, “Edward the Dike” published by Women’s Press Collective. Fortunately, this began the road to reclaim the word and empower the lesbian community. I am surprised by how far back this positive connotation goes. Honestly, I thought it was a more recent phenomenon. So…there’s your history on the word.
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I am dyke. Hear me roar. Yup, I like thinking I can own that label and I do now. I looked back on the books I’ve written. I’ve used the word on occasion, both in a loving fashion and when demonstrating how others have and still do use it to hurl insults. I no longer let them. It might not be safe to do this, but if someone yells dyke at me, my response will be, “You bet your ass I am, thank you for noticing.”
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Want to see how I’ve used the term in my books….you know the drill…click on the links below. I’ve used the word a lot more than I thought!
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The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
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March 22, 2019
Boobs and Bras….
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Wow…two blogs in one week. Being a part of a blog tour was super fun, but this topic was just too delicious to pass up. So…this past week there was a Facebook post that got a lot of action regarding detailed descriptors of characters or not – what do readers prefer. That’s a good topic, but not the one I’ll be talking about today because the discussion devolved as it usually does. OMG thank you Charlotte Epps Loudermilt. I can always count on you to spice things up. She mentioned her insistence on descriptions of the character’s breast. I, of course, had to chime in with a joke about saggy breasts on my older characters and it went downhill from there.
This got me to thinking about a research study I vaguely remembered from a few years ago about the effect of bras on breasts. And….no big surprise…I misremembered the conclusion. For some reason, I thought that not wearing a bra led to saggy breasts… au contraire. I know you want me to tell you all about this research study, so of course, I will oblige.
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I guess in France, not wearing a bra is commonplace. After a 15 year study….yes let me repeat that 15 years…the study concluded that, “Medically, physiologically, anatomically – breasts gain no benefit from being denied gravity. On the contrary, they get saggier with a bra.” Shut the front door! I say bring back the 70’s and let’s all burn our bras. It’s too late for me because all the jobs I’ve had required me to wear a bra, so the sag is definitely there, but for you young’uns….heed this blog. No bra, less sag.
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I have worn everything from sports bras to really expensive bras specifically measured and designed for me by those special ladies at Nordstrom’s. I’ll admit, I felt as odd letting the Nordstrom person poke and prod as much as getting that annual mammogram. But, I was desperate. I was searching for the perfect bra. I looked far and wide for one that would not ride up and make me adjust myself every fifteen minutes. Bras are so irritating. I don’t care anymore and I’ll tug the damn thing down in the middle of a meeting right in front of the CEO. Don’t even get me started on the frickin straps. Just like with panties, I have still never found one as comfortable as commando. Can I call not wearing a bra, commando?
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I believe that after I retire I will never wear bras or panties ever again. I won’t give two shits what people see. The girls just wanna be free.
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So how can I possibly tie this into writing? Well, let me give it a shot. Bras are intended to restrain…to put a boundary around those luscious balls of flesh. Sometimes, as a writer, we feel the pressure to conform and put boundaries around our writing. I think I’ve done a good job of not conforming, thus I hope I don’t allow my writing to sag. Ultimately, we don’t want the writing to sag. So, I say, like with a bra, don’t enclose your writing in conformance, let it flow. If you want to know how I’ve done that, you know the drill, click on the links below.
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March 21, 2019
Sacchi Green Blog Tour-Annette Mori
I’d like to introduce Sacchi Green’s short story collection with a very short exploration of irony. I rarely read short stories and almost never buy erotica. Here’s where the irony comes into play. I’ve blogged before about where’s the love for other sub-genres such as sci-fi, fantasy, or honestly anything but traditional romance because selfishly I write in all those sub-genres. Sometimes people read my sci-fi or paranormal books and are surprised how much they like them. Well…in preparation for the honor of being a part of this wonderful blog tour, I read Wild Rides and Other Erotic Lesbian Adventures. To say I loved this collection of shorts would be a huge understatement. I am sufficiently embarrassed that I’ve been such a erotoshortphobe (my made up word)! I will never, ever bypass erotica or shorts again. Oddly ironic, huh?
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Please hang in there because guess what, there’s a giveaway link (in addition to what Dirt Road Books is giving away, I tossed in one of mine as well – The Book Witch) at the end and an audio clip! So…without further delay in Sacchi Green’s words…
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Short Stories In a Sea of Novels
Thanks for letting me ramble on here about writing short stories and erotica, a subject I never seem to tire of, especially now when my collection Wild Rides and Other Erotic Lesbian Adventures has just been published by Dirt Road Books. And many thanks to the wonderful folks at Dirt Road who are willing to take a chance on me, and on short stories.
Not that short stories are in danger of disappearing entirely; genres like science fiction and fantasy still welcome them. With readers of lesfic, there’s still a bit of interest in them, though not as much as there used to be. In romance, especially, readers understandably want to be immersed in the worlds of the characters for a very long time. In erotica, which is also seeing diminished attention, that novel preference may hold as well, although I’m not as familiar with those.
What I am familiar with is the general preference for novels, and the long-imbedded opinions that erotica is a lesser form of fiction, sometimes referred to as “plot what plot?” or similar catch-phrases. I don’t deny that there’s some cause for that, but there are still excellent authors doing fine writing that includes that vital part of our lives, sex. I know that because I’ve edited fifteen or so anthologies of their work.
General whining and moaning aside, I’ve seen some discouraging data. For example, in the sources of awards in LGBT+ writing, nominations of erotica have dwindled, and in some cases the categories have changed because of that. I’ve won the Lambda Award in erotica twice, and had nine Finalists, but that was out of a small range of nominations, and now the gay and lesbian erotica categories have been combined to just barely make one category worth saving. The all-lesbian Golden Crown Literary Society has now dropped anthologies from its erotica category, leaving only erotica novels (which may not make up enough to stand alone) and placing the erotica anthologies in the general anthology category. I’m willing to champion the quality of erotica anthologies to be equal to that of any others, but I’ve also been told that they have a great deal of trouble in getting judges willing to read any kind of erotica at all. I don’t know that the same holds for short stories in general, but I do occasionally get one-star reviews on Amazon complaining that the reader hadn’t realized that the book had only short stories. Even though it was labeled as an anthology. Sigh.
So onward, in defense of short stories, erotic or not.
First, short stories are a fine way of finding new writers that you might want to follow. Second, some writers just happen to be short story writers at heart, the way some find novels their more natural form. There is excellent, even brilliant, work being done in short stories, and it doesn’t take much time for a reader to read one to discover that. Third, maybe the last I’ll try to explain, there are times when less is more, when carefully constructed scenes, where each word counts, can be more intense than drawn-out wordy ones, like vivid miniature paintings, or small gems in just the right setting.
How can a reader find the good ones? All I can advise, for erotica, is to search out the publishers who seem to produce the best books, and sometime follow your favorite novelists when they write the occasional short story. I can say with no modesty that scanning the table of contents of the anthologies I’ve edited for, say, Cleis Press and Lethe Press, will show you names of writers whose stories are well worth looking out for. And getting back, at last, to the new collection of my own work, you can decide whether you like my style or not (or styles, for that matter—variety is my best trait,) and even if my work is not to your taste, you can be sure that any other editors’ anthology you see my name in will include many more writers whose work you really shouldn’t miss. And that includes some anthologies edited by several of the folks at Dirt Roads Books, some of whom have also contributed to my anthologies in the past. A small world, right?
Whew. Rambling, or rather rant, off. Thanks for putting up with it!
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Follow Along…Blog Schedule
Date
Host
URL
3/19
Sacchi Green
http://sacchi-green.blogspot.com/
3/20
KD Williamson
https://kdwilliamson.org/
3/21
Annette Mori
https://annettemoriauthor.com/
3/22
Andi Marquette
https://andimarquette.com/
3/25
R.G. Emanuelle
https://rgemanuelle.com/
3/26
Beth Burnett
https://bethsnewlife.com/
3/27
Women and Words
https://womenwords.org/
3/28
Cheyenne Blue
https://cheyenneblue.com/
Sacchi Green is a Lambda Award-winning writer and editor of erotica and other stimulating genres. She lives in western Massachusetts, with an alternate retreat in the mountains of New Hampshire and occasional forays into such real world spots as NYC for readings. Her work has appeared in scores of publications, including multiple volumes of Best Lesbian Erotica, Best Women’s Erotica, Best Transgender Erotica, and Best Fantasy Erotica, and she’s also edited seventeen anthologies over the last fourteen years, most of them lesbian erotica. Nine have been finalists for Lambda Literary Awards, and two of those have been Lambda winners, while four have won Golden Crown Literary Society awards. All these awards, of course, are actually due to the fine writers who trust her with their work.
Sacchi has most recently edited Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year 20th Anniversary Edition, Best Lesbian Erotica of the Year Volume 2 and Volume 3, and, possibly the most fun of all, Witches, Princesses and Women at Arms: Erotic Lesbian Fairy Tales. Her very first novel is Shadow Hand, a superheroine book that puts a new twist on the genre, and her newest publication is a collection of her own short stories, Wild Rides and Other Lesbian Erotic Adventures, from Dirt Road Books. You can find her online at: https://www.facebook.com/sacchi.green and http://sacchi-green.blogspot.com, and contact her at sacchigreen@gmail.com.
March 15, 2019
Cleaning Up Shit…
I quite enjoy analogies. My brain often thinks of analogies. When I hear or read really good ones, I like to share them. My extremely long stretch of not being able to write has continued. Sure, I started adding words to two stories. One was a short story, a dystopian theme, which of course does not sell as well as traditional romance. Another is an idea from a few Facebook posts. I like the idea. I just don’t like the less than 1,000 words I’ve written. Thus, I’ve labeled them shit.
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That’s where something that K’Anne Meinel posted got me thinking about analogies. Her brilliant post was this, “So, you say you wrote shit. At least you wrote something. Shit can be cleaned up.” She’s right, of course. This is how I normally write. I pound out one to two thousand words a day when I am writing and don’t overthink anything. I am a pantster, after all. I simply get the story on the page and then clean it up later. But wait….there’s more to this little aha moment. Let me tell you a little story.
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Yesterday when I was lacing up my hiking shoes (the ones I wear back and forth to work because I walk to work), I smelled something really rank. I started the old sniff test and was a little appalled thinking I was back down the “I smell like old woman” path. But, this was not old woman smell. I started to panic. Could I be old enough to not know I have leakage?
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And then I saw it…the little brown spot on my hand that I must have picked up from the laces that somehow landed under the shoe, and on the dog shit I’d apparently stepped in without knowing it. Yuk. I proceeded to wash my hands, a bit crazily, like a person with OCD (which I have). Then I went outside and stomped in every tiny snowdrift left over from the snow storm we had last week. No matter how many times I rubbed my shoe in the snow and puddles, there was more left over. I was left with a dilemma. Do I bring the shoes inside my apartment and wash them off in the tub and then throw them in the washing machine? Do I toss a perfectly good pair of hiking shoes into the trash because I fear I will never remove the dog shit? Should I watch where I am going to avoid shit altogether?
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So what’s the point of the above story? Think about the questions asked above and let’s take the analogy a bit further. Maybe like with the dog shit above, I might need to reconsider how I write. Maybe I need to toss out what I have and start with something new. Or, maybe I need to pay a bit more attention to the words I write, lest I am unable to remove all the shit and the stories are left with a stink I can never get rid of. Makes ya think, huh? Regardless, I think I am ready to sniff out the rancid odor in my writing because the smell is kinda getting to me! I know. You don’t need to tell me I am an odd one!
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One final thing…while I was looking for pictures to add to this blog, I came across this fun fact (see picture below). You’re welcome!
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People have told me my stuff does not stink. I hope they are correct and I’ve managed to clean the shit up as K’Anne has suggested. Perhaps you should judge for yourself and take a peek inside my books and let me know!
Artist Free Zone US – Help Support these Amazing Charities – It Gets Better and The Trevor Project
The Book Witch on Amazon Australia
The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
Don’t forget about Love Forever, Live Forever FREE on Kindle Unlimited…take advantage of this! Cheap way to read one of my books!
Love Forever, Live Forever Link
Proud to be an Affinity Rainbow Publications author!
Sign–Up for the Annette Mori Author E-Mail List
Affinity Author Page Amazon Author Page
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March 8, 2019
The Underbelly of Writing…
I hadn’t really been following the whole scandal with Cris Serruya (ghostwriter for Cris who plagiarized other romance writer’s work) until recently with a brand new piracy site popping up. Here’s what I fail to understand. Why would a writer ever use a ghostwriter? Ghostwriting is such a foreign concept to me. The whole idea of being a writer is that I write my own stuff, not have someone else pen my story. Can you imagine if I’d asked my professors in my Master’s program if I could use a ghostwriter for my thesis? I would have been laughed out of graduate school. I might have gone back for my doctorate if I’d been able to use a ghostwriter for my dissertation.
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Sure, I get that ghostwriting is a legitimate career and a way for talented writers to make a living. I can certainly understand a famous person wanting to have a ghostwriter pen their story, but it only makes sense that writer would receive the writing credits for the book. I simply cannot understand why in this day and age, a writer would be happy with another person’s name attached to their work. It feels unjust, slimy and just plain wrong.
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Now, let’s take a few minutes to talk about plagiarism. Similar to music, there are going to be similar chord progressions in different songs, just like there are somewhat common storylines or even favorite sayings in romance books.
Putting a hand to the small of a woman’s back
They sat in comfortable silence
Arching an eyebrow or furrowing her brow
Looking down at her feet, etc.
You get the picture. I’ve always wondered at what point does it travel into the plagiarism territory or just a new version of a similar plotline.
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I know that I quite enjoy lesfic versions of fairytales or popular books or movies. I admit to writing a few myself. Certainly, my book coming out in May, A Window to Love, has elements of Where Dreams May Come and Made in Heaven. Asset Management was inspired by both The Three Musketeers and Robin Hood (a very modern lesfic version). I haven’t the foggiest idea where The Dream Catcher came from, probably all those sci-fi, evil government conspiracy movies or one of the series I tend to binge watch. Would this be considered plagiarism? I am currently working on a novel that is the lesfic version of Death Takes a Holiday…well sort of…because it isn’t death, it’s inspiration.
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Three things I do know for sure:
I’ll never use a ghostwriter. I’m not sure I could find anyone as quirky as me to pen what’s in my head…plus I have control issues.
I’ll never be a ghostwriter for two reasons: 1) Who would want me and; 2) I’d want the credit for writing the book.
I don’t fear my work will ever be plagiarized it’s just a tad bit too unconventional for the average person to want to copy!
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Now I say all this, but who knew that I would be the kind of writer the piracy sites would target. Pirated books of mine pop up all the time. So…I guess if I am ever plagiarized in the future, perhaps I will try to put a silver lining around it and take it as the ultimate form of flattery…kidding!
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Want to see how I altered various movie plots to make them all about lesbians…you know the drill, click on the links below. Ooh…and now you can hear my latest book because it is out in Audible (my first).
Artist Free Zone US – Help Support these Amazing Charities – It Gets Better and The Trevor Project
The Book Witch on Amazon Australia
The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
Don’t forget about Love Forever, Live Forever FREE on Kindle Unlimited…take advantage of this! Cheap way to read one of my books!
Love Forever, Live Forever Link
Proud to be an Affinity Rainbow Publications author!
Sign–Up for the Annette Mori Author E-Mail List
Affinity Author Page Amazon Author Page
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March 1, 2019
Lions and Lambs…
It’s the first day of March and I am reminded of the old saying that, March comes in like a lion and out like a lamb. In my experience, this is never really true.
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First, the weather is never predictable. A friend of mine who was in the meteorologist business used to say that predicting weather from a scientific viewpoint was often as accurate as tossing a bag of bones on the table and using that as a source for predicting the weather. Second, this saying completely ignores those parts of the country where March is not the month that transitions to spring. For example, my pals in Australia or New Zealand would happily remind me that March is the start of fall for them. Third, this saying completely ignores parts of the world where the warmth of the sun likely shines brightly throughout the entire month of March and the seasons bring different weather than what I am used to in the Pacific Northwest.
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This got me to thinking where did this saying originate. Of course, I am going to share my research on this. You know how much I love Google! There are three interesting details I discovered:
According to The Paris Review, there was an early citation of this in a proverb book that came out in 1732 by Thomas Fuller.
Another theory is the saying was based in astrology because the constellation Leo the Lion is on the eastern horizon at sunset at the start of March and by the end of the month, Aries (the Ram) is on the western horizon. Okay, granted a Ram is not quite a lamb, but it sounded better than in like a lion and out like a ram.
The Farmer’s Almanac has several other related sayings, but of course, those are all tied to springtime in the US, completely ignoring the rest of the world!
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So, what does this have to do with writing? I believe a book release is a bit like this common saying known in my part of the world. The ranking is like gangbusters the first week, coming in like a lion and then eventually it tapers off. The inevitability of newer, shinier book releases cause the rank to fall. I think that’s an okay thing because March eventually moves on, then comes April, May, June and finally the start of summer here in the US. I enjoy those lazy days of summer…the mellowing of the weather. After the initial push and once the lamb makes an appearance, I can sit back and let those lazy days come. I don’t need to ride the lion anymore and make sure she roars the message of my new book release.
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Right now, I am still riding that lion, though. So…you know the drill, click the links below to see what all the fuss is about!
Artist Free Zone US – Help Support these Amazing Charities – It Gets Better and The Trevor Project
The Book Witch on Amazon Australia
The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
Don’t forget about Love Forever, Live Forever FREE on Kindle Unlimited…take advantage of this! Cheap way to read one of my books!
Love Forever, Live Forever Link
Proud to be an Affinity Rainbow Publications author!
Sign–Up for the Annette Mori Author E-Mail List
Affinity Author Page Amazon Author Page
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February 22, 2019
Odd Girl Out…
I’ve always known I was a little different. I’m sure that is an experience many of you can relate to. Story after story of what it was like to be a lesbian in middle school and high school are relatively prevalent in lesfic. But, I take that one step further. Within that small community, I have a reputation for being unusual, quirky, odd and quite a bit outside the norm. I’ve always been an overachiever. Unfortunately, that isn’t a very good thing if a person wants to stay above water as a writer.
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Reviews often note my oddness or how unusual my stories are…in a good way, which is nice to know. I appreciate hearing that my unusual style, topics, and books, resonate with some. I loved when a reader thought up The Mori Zone. That was hilarious and spot on to describe some of my story ideas.
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Most of the time, I’m okay with being the odd girl out. But I have to admit that sometimes, like when I was in high school, I just want to fit in…be one of the cool kids… have a bit of success. This has never been more evident than with my experience this past week. For once, I wrote a traditional romance without the mashup or heavy dose of quirkiness. Sure, there was one little quirk added (the cat point of view). But, for the most part, I followed the rules and wrote a straight (not literally) forward romance. Miracle of miracles…my book, Artist Free Zone, made it for a brief moment to the #2 spot on Lesbian Romance and Lesbian Fiction Amazon charts. Given my recent experience with other releases in the past year, this was a monumental improvement and the best ranking I’ve ever achieved, including for my book that won a Goldie, Locked Inside.
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Honestly, writing traditional or contemporary romance does not come easy to me. I always think the conflict is too forced or the storyline pure trope and I feel compelled to add a little pizazz to the story. The only reason I was able to write Artist Free Zone was that I relayed heavily on my own personal experience. The story is my love story and a lot of it is true. If you want even more insight into the story, check out the Therapy Cafe podcast, Episode 49, Rules of Engagement: Therapy Cafe Podcast
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I am thrilled the story is doing so well because as I’ve already posted like a gazillion times, every penny goes to two charities: It Gets Better and The Trevor Project. It’s a good damn thing I donated this book and not some of my other more unusual stories or the charities might not have received anything and poor Stone Soup would go in the hole! Trust me, because of my OCD, I worried about this…a lot…
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Thanks for letting me be one of the cool kids for once. You made my year. For those of you who have not downloaded Artist Free Zone, what are you waiting for? It’s on Kindle Unlimited, it’s for two deserving charities, it’s getting good reviews and…for a short time I don’t feel like the odd girl out!
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Want to check out my books…you know the drill.
Artist Free Zone US – Help Support these Amazing Charities – It Gets Better and The Trevor Project
The Book Witch on Amazon Australia
The Book Witch on Amazon Canada
The Book Witch on Affinity Rainbow Publications
Don’t forget about Love Forever, Live Forever FREE on Kindle Unlimited…take advantage of this! Cheap way to read one of my books!
Love Forever, Live Forever Link
Proud to be an Affinity Rainbow Publications author!
Sign–Up for the Annette Mori Author E-Mail List
Affinity Author Page Amazon Author Page
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February 15, 2019
Inspiration…
I’ve been thinking a lot about inspiration lately, which is odd because right at this moment I possess zero of the slippery little bugger. I researched the definition of inspiration and thought it was perfect: “the process of being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially to do something creative.”
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I’ve joked on Facebook about this, admitting that lately Inspiration has taken a long sabbatical and threatened never to return. Not to get all maudlin, but I wonder if the lack of inspiration or feeling is a mild form of depression. I don’t necessarily feel depressed because I’m not sure I have any strong feelings about anything at the moment. I mentioned that I should perhaps write a story called, Inspiration Takes a Vacation. I thought it could be the lesbian version of Death Takes a Holiday…with a twist of course.
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The story might go something like this: Inspiration takes a human form and falls in love with a writer. She doesn’t want to go back and fulfill her role, but if she doesn’t the writer she loves will never create another story. Not only does this affect the writer, but by taking all inspiration away from the world, other writers, painters, photographers, sculptors, musicians, and thespians stop creating or create without passion. Then something truly awful happens, the world begins to not care about anything and racism, homophobia, sexism, etc. runs rampant without those inspired to fight against these awful things. Inspiration must return or else the world is doomed. Now that is truly depressing…so how in the world can that story generate a happy ending?
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Most people know that many of my books evolve from jokes or dreams. Contrary to popular belief, I don’t make fun of everything. Even when something starts as a joke, I’ve managed to sneak in a few messages that I believe are important to impart to the world. Sometimes those messages are obvious, like in Unconventional Lovers. The Termination or Locked Inside. Sometimes the messages are more subtle, like in Out of This World, The Dream Catcher or Captivated. Two books that have yet to come out, The Panty Thief and Pleasure Workers have serious messages woven into the romance and story, along with my trademark quirkiness and humor. So what’s the point?
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The point is, that as an artist, even if a story starts as a joke, I have to be inspired by some element in the plot to make it worthwhile to finish. Ironically, I am a tiny bit inspired by this idea of writing a story about Inspiration taking a vacation because the thing I continue to be worried about in the good old USA is lethargy…an acceptance of what is happening, versus an inspiration to change what is wrong in the world right now. Want to know the antonyms to inspire? Here’s what I found: bore, calm, deaden, depress, discourage, dissuade, halt, leave alone, lull, quiet, stop, dishearten, dull, innervate, lose. Does this sound like something we all should be doing while we slowly, step by step, allow the haters to continue their path of destruction? I cannot allow myself to give in to that lethargy. Because…what we permit, we promote and I sure as hell cannot permit Inspiration to stay on that long holiday.
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Maybe my stories or blogs are not all that inspiring, but if I’ve reached one person, that’s enough for me. It’s always been enough for me. I can tell you there is one person that inspires me more than any other and that is my wife. I wrote a tribute to her in my latest book, Artist Free Zone. There is a double passion with this novel, not only is it the passion of my love for my wife, but 100% of the proceeds go to two very inspiring charities: It Gets Better and The Trevor Project. Stats from The Trevor Project are alarming. I want to cite just a few.
Suicide is the 2nd leading cause of death among young people ages 10-24 and LGB youth seriously contemplate suicide at almost three times the rate of heterosexual youth.
LGB youth are almost five times as likely to have attempted suicide compared to heterosexual youth.
Suicide attempts by LGB youth and questioning youth are 4-6 times more likely to result in injury, poisoning, or overdose that requires treatment from a doctor or nurse compared to straight peers.
For more stats, here is the link to The Trevor Project page: The Trevor Project Stats
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It is incredibly important to me that these charities receive as much funding as possible and I sincerely hope you will consider supporting Stone Soup Community Press and our LGBTQIA youth.
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