Samantha MacLeod's Blog, page 21
August 9, 2017
Book Review: Highland Pursuits by Emmanuelle de Maupassant
I didn’t expect to fall in love with this book.
Now, don’t get me wrong. I loved Cautionary Tales, de Maupassant’s collection of dark, erotic short stories (you can read my review here). But I’ve never been crazy about the Roaring 20s – The Great Gatsby notwithstanding – and stories about the idly rich tend to make me roll my eyes.
So it was only my love of de Maupassant’s other works that led me to open Highland Pursuits, a romantic story about a London debutante set in the 1920s.
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And it was awesome!
As usual, de Maupassant has such a gift for creating a setting; the Highland Castle Kintochlochie becomes another character in its own right, and a very romantic one at that. Not to mention Hamish, the ruggedly handsome Scotsmen (really, is there any other type of Scotsman?) who manages the Castle estate.
This novel contains de Maupassant’s usual knack for humor, which is sometimes dark and always entertaining, and her characters run the full gamut from sympathetic to downright dreamy to outright scoundrels. I especially enjoyed the braggart Americans and the crotchety old grandfather, who reminded me just a tad of Father Jack…
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And it wasn’t just the romance that drew me in. Lady Ophelia herself, the afore-mentioned London debutante, undergoes a rich and satisfying transformation. Her romantic, sensual adventures are part of that journey, but not all. Sure, she wants romance and sex, but she’d also like to do something with her life (much to the shock of her upper-crust mother), and it’s quite refreshing to read a romance novel with such a fully developed female protagonist.
Also, as an avid fly fisherman myself, I have to say: If you lose a sexy man’s fly rod, and in response he shrugs and tells you it’s not a big deal, you MARRY THAT MAN!
[image error]I married him.
Highly recommended, even if you’re not into the 1920s. 
August 7, 2017
Cleverotic.com
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Check out cleverotic.com, the home of literary erotica hot enough to melt your Mensa membership card!
Yes, Death and Beauty is on Cleverotic, as well as several of the books I’ve absolutely loved over the last year (like Ashbless’s Cover Him with Darkness and de Maupassant’s Cautionary Tales).
Maybe you’ll find your next favorite book there..?
Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.
August 4, 2017
I Have Returned
Well, I’m back from my four-day canoe camping adventure along the Northern Forest Canoe Trail.
How was it, you ask?
Oh, the usual.
Beautiful sunsets.
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Rainbows.
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Hammocks.
[image error]Pink toenails are a camping essential.
And paddling my six-year-old daughter and dog across a choppy lake to reach the campsite!
I’ll let you in on a little secret:
I’m actually kinda freaked out by water – I grew up in Colorado, after all, where the average annual rainfall is 16.5″ – so crossing a vast, remote lake by myself (husband and three-year-old were in a separate boat) was a bit scary, even though I do actually know my way around a canoe.
But you know what?
My daughter and I sang Moana songs, kept the canoe pointed straight, paddled like hell…and it was awesome!
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Sometimes, the only way to gain more confidence about your ability to do something is to just go ahead and freaking do it.
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July 30, 2017
To the Woods!
Well, I’m headed out on a four-day canoe camping trip in the woods of western Maine.
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Yup, just a girl and her canoe.
And her husband.
And their two small children. And their dog. Plus, two other families with small children and dogs.
Ah… I’m feeling relaxed already…
Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.
July 27, 2017
FREE: Persephone Remembers the Pomegranates
Those six juicy, ruby seeds, staining my lips and fingers. Sealing my fate. Damning me.
Well, maybe so.
But that’s not entirely the truth…
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Yes, my erotic short story inspired by Greek mythology is now available for FREE!
What Readers Are Saying
“If you thought you knew everything about the legend of Persephone and Hades then think again! Samantha Macleod puts a sexy and beautifully crafted new spin on the Greek myth in this delightful short story.” -A Reader’s Review Blog
“Not normally one for short stories, I highly recommend this one to anyone and everyone who loves romance. Or Greek myths. Or just good writing.” -Caldwell Publishing
“Well worth a peek.” -A British Bookworm’s Blog
Find it Here
But don’t take their word for it. Check it out yourself!
Persephone Remembers the Pomegranates is available on Amazon, Barnes & Noble, iBooks, Kobo, Instafreebie, and more…
Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.
July 25, 2017
Norse Gods & Nazis
I write sexy romance novels inspired by Norse mythology (which you can check out here). I also have a Master’s degree in Religious Studies from the University of Chicago, where I spent a fair amount of time studying Norse mythology.
There’s a dark side to Norse myth I’ve shied away from discussing.
But now – especially as I’ve just finished three months of teaching English reading and writing to a group of immigrants and refugees from Africa, the Middle East, and Eastern Europe – I want to drag this out into the sunshine and be done with it.
Fascists – both past regimens and modern groups – have occasionally found it useful to appropriate Norse mythology. This was somewhat true for the Nazis, and it’s even more true today, with some modern white supremacist groups claiming to follow a religion derived from Norse mythology.
So let me be perfectly clear here:
There is no basis for white supremacy in Norse mythology.
[image error]And Loki will call you out on that shit
Why?
My friend, I’d love to tell you…
1. Norse Gods Lived in a Multicultural Society
Odin is one of the Æsir, or the gods of Asgard. And he lives with other Æsir in Valhalla, right?
Well, yes and no.
First we’ve got Loki.
[image error]18th century illustration of Loki
According to the prose Edda, Loki “is counted among the Æsir,” even though he’s actually a frost giant, or a Jotun.
Why?
Because (in the poetic Edda) he swore an oath of blood-brotherhood with Odin.
Yes, Odin made friends with a frost giant, and then invited him to come live with the gods.
And Asgard is even more diverse than just allowing one token Jotun in their midst.
[image error]Idun and the Apples by J. Penrose, 1890
There are two groups – dare I say races? – of gods in the Edda, the Æsir and the Vanir. The Æsir and the Vanir fought a war which ended in a draw, and now they live together.
Yes, instead of annihilating each other, the Norse gods learned to live in peace with their former enemies.
In fact, making peace with your enemies is a reoccurring theme in Norse mythology…
2. They Intermarried Like CRAZY
Racial purity is not a thing in Norse mythology.
Not. A. Thing.
In fact, one of the Norse gods’ favorite ways to subdue their enemies (especially the Jotun) is to marry them.
When the giantess Skadi comes to Asgard seeking vengeance for the death of her father Thjazi, do the Æsir give her a big, manly duel?
Nope.
They offer her a husband, they make her laugh, and they put her father’s eyes in the sky as a constellation.
[image error]Njord and Skadi by Wagner, 1882
And when the god Freyr sits on Odin’s magical throne and spies a beautiful woman… who turns out to be a giantess… do the Æsir tell him to forget about her because he can’t marry outside his race?
Nope.
He marries the beautiful woman, even if it costs him his magical sword.
[image error]Freyr by Gehrts, 1901
Yes, marriage in Norse mythology can be one god, and one frost giant.
3. Odin is More than a Warrior (So Much More…)
Modern white supremacists make Odin out to be some supreme warrior, fighting his way through any and all challenges. And yes, Odin can fight – he’s got a spear for a reason. But Odin is just as likely to trick, sneak, or sleep his way to what he wants.
When Odin wants the mead of poetic inspiration, does he rush in on his eight-legged horse Slepinir and kill the giants who have the mead?
Nope.
He drills a hole in the side of the mountain where the giants keep the mead, turns himself into a snake, slithers in, and then spends three days and three nights screwing the giant’s daughter in exchange for the mead.
Odin is a lover, people. A seducer.
In the myths, Odin has much more in common with a magician than a blood-drenched white supremacist battle-god.
[image error]Odin the Wanderer by Georg von Rosed (1895)
There’s a reason Odin was the inspiration for Gandalf.
4. Thor Dressed Like a Woman
This is a really excellent story from the prose Edda.
One day, Thor woke up to find his hammer Mjolinar was missing. When Loki finds Mjolinar with the giant Thrym, is there a huge, epic battle?
Nope.
They make a deal. If the Æsir agree to bring the beautiful Freya to Thrym as his wife, he promises to return Thor’s hammer. Freya is less than thrilled with this idea, so Heimdall suggests Thor dresses as Freya and sneaks into Thrym’s castle to reclaim his hammer.
Hilarity (and slaughter) ensue.
[image error]“What a Lovely Maiden!” by Elmer Boyd Smith (1902
Okay, so this only happened once, and Thor only dressed like a woman to get what he wanted.
But this story still says something about Norse mythology, and their definition of manhood.
Namely, it says dressing as a woman doesn’t make you less of a man. Norse masculinity was not so fragile that it could be damaged or destroyed by a bunch of clothes.
In Conclusion…
As you can see from just a basic, cursory reading of the only two surviving texts that contain stories about the Norse gods (that’s the prose Edda and the poetic Edda), there is no basis for white supremacy in these myths.
White supremacy is, at its core, the belief that some people are better than others. Not because they are smarter, or stronger, or better educated, or born in a certain part of the world. Just because they have white skin.
And there’s nothing like this in the myths. NOTHING.
In the Eddas, the Norse gods are frequently backed into a corner by their enemies. They’re tricked, they trick their enemies, they make peace treaties, and they co-exist happily with other races. Some gods are strong, some are clever, and some are brave, but these traits are expressed in their actions; they are not a random accident of birth.
In fact, the only possible way to make the Norse myths into a justification for white supremacy is to completely disregard what the myths say about Odin and his world.
That’s like taking a religion based on a man who told his followers to abandon their possessions and love their enemies, and using it to elect a racist, billionaire president.
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*sigh…*
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July 23, 2017
What Do The Trickster’s Lover & The Scarlet Letter Have in Common?
Sex, right?
And brilliant writing? Unforgettable characters?? Dark romance???
PLUS, two authors linked to a small town outside Portland, Maine!
That’s right, Nathaniel Hawthorne, author of The Scarlet Letter (which you probably read in high school), spent part of his childhood in Raymond, Maine, the current home of Samantha MacLeod, author of The Trickster’s Lover (which is altogether inappropriate for high school students).
Here’s a picture of the two sexy authors taken yesterday at – I kid you not – Everybody Loves Raymond (Maine) Days.
[image error]Bummer about all those one-star reviews, dude.
My book has a better rating on Goodreads, but I didn’t rub it in…
July 19, 2017
Book Review: Sleuthing with the Enemy
Vampires, werewolves, and Norse mythology.
Nothing here I don’t like.
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I loved Danielle Hardgrave’s funny, romantic page turner To Trust a Wolf (check out my review here). This novel is the second in the series and, I have to say, it just gets better.
Sleuthing with the Enemy fleshes out Hardgrave’s world, where a tenuous peace treaty keeps various supernatural entities from an all-out war. But when a priceless, mysterious artifact goes missing from the vaults of the Helsen werewolf family, the badass and slightly reckless Annemette vows to recover it. Even if the trail leads her to sexy vampire prince Jonas Weiss…
I absolutely loved Annamette. She’s a strong female character who also manages to be believable, and her vulnerabilities really pulled me in. Plus, her wry, relatable narration made it easy to slip into the world of vampires and werewolves.
I also appreciated the way Hardgrave turned a few stereotypes on their head by having her kick-ass, punch-first-ask-question-later, werewolf character be female, and her thoughtful, sexy, vampire character be male.
And finally, I’m delighted to report Hardgrave’s spot-on sense of humor kept me giggling through the entire book. Yes, it’s action-packed and sexy, but it’s also freaking hilarious.
Think werewolves, Norse artifacts, and vampires can’t possibly make you laugh out loud?
Think again.
Sleuthing with the Enemy does a fabulous job of wrapping up enough plot lines for a satisfying ending, but leaving plenty of open questions for the next books in the series. I can’t wait to see what happens with the stolen cuff, the peace treaty, and the mysterious Benji (I’ve got loads of theories about him!).
Sleuthing with the Enemy is a stand-alone novel, and a heck of a lot of fun on its own, but you’ll be missing out if you don’t also read To Trust a Wolf.
Like what you’ve read? Join my newsletter and I’ll send you a free copy of Tam Lin, my sexy modern take on the Scottish folktale.
July 17, 2017
Ghost Plant
It’s been a wet summer here in Maine.
Yesterday we walked through the woods to our secret wild blueberry patch (so we could make wild blueberry sangria, of course) and found, amongst all the wild mushrooms on the forest floor, these crazy little flowers.
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Google tells me these are called ghost plant or, somewhat less romantically, corpse plant or Indian pipe. They have no true leaves and no chlorophyll; instead of using photosynthesis like a proper plant, they have a complicated relationship with beech trees and/or fungus (Google is a bit unclear on whether or not they’re parasites).
The flowers are a translucent white until they’re fertilized, when they turn pale pink and stand straight up.
Proving that, even in the plant work, virginity is boring.
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July 14, 2017
Indie-pendence Blog Hop & Giveaway!
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And welcome to Samantha MacLeod’s blog!
I write erotic romance inspired by mythology and folklore. If you’d like a little taste, my short re-telling of the myth of Hades and Persephone is free.
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For the hop, I’m giving away a signed paperback of my latest release, Death and Beauty, an erotic fantasy romance inspired by the Norse myth of Baldr the Beautiful and Hel, Ruler of the Underworld.
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To enter, please comment on this post with your favorite myth!
Winners will be chosen at random. Giveaway is open from 12pm EST on 7/14 until 11:59pm EST on 7/28.
The next stop on the hop is romance and erotica author Caitlyn Lynch. To enter to win her prize, please visit her blog here: http://www.caitlynlynch.com/
And don’t forget to visit: http://lovekissedbookbargains.com/2017/07/12/indie-pendence-blog-hop-giveaway/ to enter the Grand Prize Giveaway to win a FREE Kindle!
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