Denise Verrico's Blog: Immortyl Revolution, page 9
April 1, 2012
March 31, 2012
Sexy Cedric: History of Japanese Courtesans/Final Day to Enter Drawing
Host Cedric Mackinnon's Portrait by Arlie Adams
I hope my darlings are having a Sexy Saturday! If not, contact me and we'll talk.
Today, I continue my discussion of courtesans. If you haven't yet entered to win my story, My Fearful Symmetry, in ebook, please leave me a saucy comment at the end of the post.
Drawing ends 3/31/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner to be chosen by random drawing from all commenters at this blog throughout March 2012. Please leave an email where you may be contacted. Your choice of format Kindle, Nook or PDF.
Courtesans: Part TwoJapanese Courtesans
Back in February, when I took on this project for the authoress, I realized that my subject is more extensive than I'd anticipated, so I've decided to discuss different aspects of the courtesan's art in their respective countries. Today, I'll discuss the history of courtesans in Japan.
Oiran, Japanese courtesans, were classified as a type of "woman of pleasure", but they were distinguished from common prostitutes by the virtue of also being entertainers. The earliest Oiran were actresses who performed in a form of theatre that became the basis of Kabuki. The Oiran's art arose in the Edo period (1600-1800). They were prized for their beauty, character, education and artistic talent. They were educated in the arts of flower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremony, as well as being skilled in conversation. To be pretty wasn't enough, an Oiran must also be witty and able to write with eloquence. Oiran costumes were elaborate and ornate, with many layers of sumptuous fabrics. They practiced traditional courtly entertainments that were far removed from the tastes of common folk. Formal rituals surrounded the employment of an Oiran. They were never engaged casually, but offered formal invitations from those that wished to enjoy their services. Only then would an Oiran leave her pleasure district with her retinue of servants and process to the waiting client. The illustration below depicts an Oiran.
*public domain image due to expired copyright
However, another sort of courtesan eventually eclipsed the Oiran. As the Oiran's art become more and more elitist, the more accessible geisha began to increase in popularity. The picture below shows a geisha in her lover's room.
*public domain image of an artwork for which no
known copyright exists.
The geisha's art arose from the custom of hiring dancing girls known as odoriko. These were generally teenagers that performed in the home of high-ranking samurai. The first woman recorded to have taken the name of geisha was a prostitute from Fukagawa in 1750. Kikuya was a talented singer and shaminsen player who quickly rose to celebrated status, paving the way for the rise of the geisha.
The pleasure districts of Japan were severely regulated, and it was outlawed for the geisha to sell sex, as not to compete with the Oiran. The geisha became highly prized as entertainers and erudite companions. When the Oiran finally fell from fashion, the geisha took on the more intimate arts of the courtesan. However, she had the option of deciding whether to become sexually intimate with her clients or not. Still, not all geisha chose the life itself. There were certainly girls sold in indentured servitude to geisha houses prior to the 20th century. Accounts tell of high prices bid for a girl's virginity.
In the WWII era, the name geisha became a somewhat tarnished term because common prostitutes often used it. Some years after the war, the art was revived, and the geisha returned to her traditional role of skilled artist and entertainer. She still enjoys that status today.
What about male courtesans in Japan? Oddly enough, the first geisha were men, who entertained clients waiting to see the celebrated Oiran--entertained in the sense of music and comedy, not sexually. In 17th century Japan homosexuality was not necessarily taboo, particularly among the priestly classes and the samurai. The samurai, like Greek warriors of the ancient world, prized male relationships and an older man would often take on a younger male companion in order to impart the virtues of samurai manhood. These lovers would often bear cuts on their bodies symbolizing their masculinity and the devotion to their bond. But these youthful love objects could not properly be called courtesans.
However, in the Kabuki theatre, young men and adolescent boys, who played the roles of women, functioned as courtesans offstage. Literature of the period shows many examples of love letters and poems written by men to other men, many of these were composed or inspired by said stage performers. Kabuki theater started in Japan in 1603 and featured racy storylines and dances. At first women performed female roles in Kabuki, but because they also practiced prostitution offstage, they were eventually banned and replaced by beautiful adolescent males. As these young men, or Onnagata, became celebrated for their offstage sexual antics, they were also forbidden and adult men took over the female roles. Below you can see a depiction of an Onnagata combing the hair of another actor.
*image in the public domain due to expired copyright
Next week, I'll be back with more sexy tidbits and details about a new drawing for my latest adventure, Servant of the Goddess. Don't forget to leave a comment so you can be entered in this month's drawing for My Fearful Symmetry!
Love and Dark Kisses,
Your naughty boy, Cedric MacKinnon
You can win this!
Here is a little bit about my tale:
Only the most gifted and beautiful Immortyls are chosen to serve Mother Kali as adepts of the ancient arts...
For nineteen-year-old Cedric MacKinnon, the promise of eternal youth and celebrity sounds like a dream come true. It becomes a nightmare when a master vampire plucks the boy from the London streets and spirits him away to India. In the fabled ashram of the adepts of the ancient arts, Cedric undergoes the grueling process of training as a temple dancer and courtesan. With the threat of revolution hanging over court, the chief elder employs the boy he names Shardul in dangerous games of seduction and intrigue.
Host Cedric Mackinnon's Portrait by Arlie Adams I hope my darlings are having a Sexy Saturday! If not, contact me and we'll talk.
Today, I continue my discussion of courtesans. If you haven't yet entered to win my story, My Fearful Symmetry, in ebook, please leave me a saucy comment at the end of the post.
Drawing ends 3/31/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner to be chosen by random drawing from all commenters at this blog throughout March 2012. Please leave an email where you may be contacted. Your choice of format Kindle, Nook or PDF.
Courtesans: Part TwoJapanese Courtesans
Back in February, when I took on this project for the authoress, I realized that my subject is more extensive than I'd anticipated, so I've decided to discuss different aspects of the courtesan's art in their respective countries. Today, I'll discuss the history of courtesans in Japan.
Oiran, Japanese courtesans, were classified as a type of "woman of pleasure", but they were distinguished from common prostitutes by the virtue of also being entertainers. The earliest Oiran were actresses who performed in a form of theatre that became the basis of Kabuki. The Oiran's art arose in the Edo period (1600-1800). They were prized for their beauty, character, education and artistic talent. They were educated in the arts of flower arranging, calligraphy and the tea ceremony, as well as being skilled in conversation. To be pretty wasn't enough, an Oiran must also be witty and able to write with eloquence. Oiran costumes were elaborate and ornate, with many layers of sumptuous fabrics. They practiced traditional courtly entertainments that were far removed from the tastes of common folk. Formal rituals surrounded the employment of an Oiran. They were never engaged casually, but offered formal invitations from those that wished to enjoy their services. Only then would an Oiran leave her pleasure district with her retinue of servants and process to the waiting client. The illustration below depicts an Oiran.
*public domain image due to expired copyrightHowever, another sort of courtesan eventually eclipsed the Oiran. As the Oiran's art become more and more elitist, the more accessible geisha began to increase in popularity. The picture below shows a geisha in her lover's room.
*public domain image of an artwork for which noknown copyright exists.
The geisha's art arose from the custom of hiring dancing girls known as odoriko. These were generally teenagers that performed in the home of high-ranking samurai. The first woman recorded to have taken the name of geisha was a prostitute from Fukagawa in 1750. Kikuya was a talented singer and shaminsen player who quickly rose to celebrated status, paving the way for the rise of the geisha.
The pleasure districts of Japan were severely regulated, and it was outlawed for the geisha to sell sex, as not to compete with the Oiran. The geisha became highly prized as entertainers and erudite companions. When the Oiran finally fell from fashion, the geisha took on the more intimate arts of the courtesan. However, she had the option of deciding whether to become sexually intimate with her clients or not. Still, not all geisha chose the life itself. There were certainly girls sold in indentured servitude to geisha houses prior to the 20th century. Accounts tell of high prices bid for a girl's virginity.
In the WWII era, the name geisha became a somewhat tarnished term because common prostitutes often used it. Some years after the war, the art was revived, and the geisha returned to her traditional role of skilled artist and entertainer. She still enjoys that status today.
What about male courtesans in Japan? Oddly enough, the first geisha were men, who entertained clients waiting to see the celebrated Oiran--entertained in the sense of music and comedy, not sexually. In 17th century Japan homosexuality was not necessarily taboo, particularly among the priestly classes and the samurai. The samurai, like Greek warriors of the ancient world, prized male relationships and an older man would often take on a younger male companion in order to impart the virtues of samurai manhood. These lovers would often bear cuts on their bodies symbolizing their masculinity and the devotion to their bond. But these youthful love objects could not properly be called courtesans.
However, in the Kabuki theatre, young men and adolescent boys, who played the roles of women, functioned as courtesans offstage. Literature of the period shows many examples of love letters and poems written by men to other men, many of these were composed or inspired by said stage performers. Kabuki theater started in Japan in 1603 and featured racy storylines and dances. At first women performed female roles in Kabuki, but because they also practiced prostitution offstage, they were eventually banned and replaced by beautiful adolescent males. As these young men, or Onnagata, became celebrated for their offstage sexual antics, they were also forbidden and adult men took over the female roles. Below you can see a depiction of an Onnagata combing the hair of another actor.
*image in the public domain due to expired copyright Next week, I'll be back with more sexy tidbits and details about a new drawing for my latest adventure, Servant of the Goddess. Don't forget to leave a comment so you can be entered in this month's drawing for My Fearful Symmetry!
Love and Dark Kisses,
Your naughty boy, Cedric MacKinnon
You can win this!Here is a little bit about my tale:
Only the most gifted and beautiful Immortyls are chosen to serve Mother Kali as adepts of the ancient arts...
For nineteen-year-old Cedric MacKinnon, the promise of eternal youth and celebrity sounds like a dream come true. It becomes a nightmare when a master vampire plucks the boy from the London streets and spirits him away to India. In the fabled ashram of the adepts of the ancient arts, Cedric undergoes the grueling process of training as a temple dancer and courtesan. With the threat of revolution hanging over court, the chief elder employs the boy he names Shardul in dangerous games of seduction and intrigue.
March 26, 2012
Janet McNulty's Favorite Books/ebook Giveaway
Today, I welcome Janet McNulty to Immortyl Revolution!
Contest: Please leave Janet a comment with some of your favorite books and be entered in my month-long drawing to win a copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Four of the Immortyl Revolution.
Drawing ends 3/31/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner to be chosen by random drawing from all commenters at this blog throughout March 2012. Please leave an email where you may be contacted. Your choice of format Kindle, Nook or PDF.
My Ten Favorite Books
Janet McNulty
1. Lord of the Rings
I love this book and the basic story of the most unlikely person who turns out to be a hero. Frodo is a hobbit and such not many outside his home think much of him. But when the One Ring shows up only he volunteers to destroy it. But what Tolkien does is show how even a hero can turn bad. Throughout the story Frodo grows more attached to the ring and in the end doesn't want to give it up. Gollum, a despicable creature, actually destroys it even if it was by accident. I thought this an interesting twist.
Lord of the Rings is an imaginative story about loyal friends, good versus evil, and how the most unlikely people turn into heroes. But it also demonstrates how a good person can be corrupted, such as with Frodo. Another thing I like about this series is that every time I read it I get more out of it.
2. Harry Potter
A lot of people love the Harry Potter series and I am one of them. I love the imaginative story the Rowling created and it doesn't take place in some far off land. We have wizards living amongst us. Again, this is a good story about good versus evil, friendship, and loyalty. Harry, from the moment he was an infant, was destined to destroy Voldemort, the darkest and most evil wizard. However, being a hero doesn't mean you will succeed. And let's face it, without Ron and Hermione, Harry never would have succeeded. This series has that glue that makes it a timeless story that I believe will be read over and over by future generations.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia
If you're not seeing a pattern here, you will shortly. Once again this series has the basic good versus evil. But something else about Narnia, is that it is bog on the idea of belief. Lucy Pevensie is able to enter Narnia because she has that childlike belief in the unimaginable. Every child that enter Narnia after her does so because they have something to achieve there, but also so that they will come to believe that there is more to this world than we think.
4. 1984
I know many think of this as a bit of a doomsday type book and it certainly does have a sad ending. But what I like about this book is it serves as a warning to us about those who want to control what you do. It is set in a world where the government controls everything: where you work, live, think, say, even what you believe. When the main character decides to rebel in a small way, it causes a bit of an upheaval. Eventually he is captured and tortured until he becomes a robot like everyone else.
1984 is a reflection and a warning of what can happen when people are forced to serve a bloated government bureaucracy. It demonstrates what can happen when we allow ourselves to conform to one way of thinking. To me this book serves as a reminder that freedom isn't free and can always be taken away.
5. To Kill A Mockingbird
This is a timeless story and it is all told from the viewpoint of Scout as she remembers growing up in the deep south during the depression. What I love about this story is it gives insight into what life was like back then, but also some of the strife that existed. But most importantly it is about the lessons that Scout learns. She witnesses some of the darker aspects of humanity, such as Tom Robinson being convicted of rape simply because he was black and no one had the courage to call his accuser a liar. But Scout also learns to not be so prejudice herself when it concerns her neighbor Arthur Bradley. This is one of those books that can be read repeatedly without growing old.
6. Fahrenheit 451
Imagine a world without books. That is the world in Fahrenheit 451. In this story book are burned. They are not allowed to exist and the only form of entertainment is television. Basically, people spend their lives glued to the tube and never bother to consider thinking for themselves.
This story gets to me because I love to read and have a substantial library. Books contain ideas and that frightens some people. This story has a lot of bearing on the past and the future. Hitler had massive book burnings in Nazi Germany. In a lot of poorer countries around the world people cannot read. Fahrenheit 451 just serves as a reminder of the importance of books and the treasures within their pages.
7. Little Women
This is another of those timeless stories that can be read over and over. It concerns four sisters who achieving adulthood during the Civil War. They live in the north, butt their father is away fighting and they and their mother are forced to get by. They haven't much money and must do what they can to make ends meet. Among all this the sisters do charity work, go to school, fall in love. The story even continues long after the war is ended. This really is a touching story that follows the triumphs, frustrations, and heartache of four sisters as they go through life. The even learn to accept loss when one of them dies suddenly from an illness. Little Women mirrors life and many of us can relate to the four main characters.
8. The Art of War
This is a must read for everyone. The Art of War is a book about basic military strategy. But such strategy has a lot of bearing on life as well. For me, this book this been helpful in writing my novels.
9. The Secret Country
This is another fantasy story, but it focuses on four cousins who play this make believe game called the Secret Country. But one day when playing, their imaginative world suddenly becomes real, but is a much darker place than they envisioned. Now they must figure out what has happened, how to save it, and how to get back home.
This is a wonderful "what if your fantasy became real". The four kids suddenly have to save a bunch of people that were once just characters in a game to them. It is a wonderful story about family, sacrifice, magic, and growing up.
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
This story fits the bill of having one crazy adventure after another. Arthur Dent wakes up to find hi house is being demolished and thinks it's the end of the world. But before he knows it, he is gallivanting around the universe with a strange man named Ford Prefect and getting into one dangerous situation after another.
This book is just very entertaining. There is a lot of good wit and humor in here that makes the story fun and easy to read.
Janet's Amazon Page
Janet McNulty
Sugar and Spice and Not So Nice
Mellow Summers just wanted to go to college and get her film degree. She moved into a furnished apartment with her friend Jackie only to find that it already had a tenant: the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year earlier. Now it is up to Mellow to not only discover who the murderer is, but to prove it as well.
With the help of the ghost Rachel, Mellow sets out to solve the year old mystery. She soon finds out that she may have taken on more than she can handle. Pursued by someone who wants the identity of the killer to remain a secret, Mellow will have to use all her resources to outwit him and help the spirit of Rachel move on.
Janet's Amazon Page
Janet's website
Contest: Please leave Janet a comment with some of your favorite books and be entered in my month-long drawing to win a copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Four of the Immortyl Revolution.
Drawing ends 3/31/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner to be chosen by random drawing from all commenters at this blog throughout March 2012. Please leave an email where you may be contacted. Your choice of format Kindle, Nook or PDF.
My Ten Favorite Books
Janet McNulty
1. Lord of the Rings
I love this book and the basic story of the most unlikely person who turns out to be a hero. Frodo is a hobbit and such not many outside his home think much of him. But when the One Ring shows up only he volunteers to destroy it. But what Tolkien does is show how even a hero can turn bad. Throughout the story Frodo grows more attached to the ring and in the end doesn't want to give it up. Gollum, a despicable creature, actually destroys it even if it was by accident. I thought this an interesting twist.
Lord of the Rings is an imaginative story about loyal friends, good versus evil, and how the most unlikely people turn into heroes. But it also demonstrates how a good person can be corrupted, such as with Frodo. Another thing I like about this series is that every time I read it I get more out of it.
2. Harry Potter
A lot of people love the Harry Potter series and I am one of them. I love the imaginative story the Rowling created and it doesn't take place in some far off land. We have wizards living amongst us. Again, this is a good story about good versus evil, friendship, and loyalty. Harry, from the moment he was an infant, was destined to destroy Voldemort, the darkest and most evil wizard. However, being a hero doesn't mean you will succeed. And let's face it, without Ron and Hermione, Harry never would have succeeded. This series has that glue that makes it a timeless story that I believe will be read over and over by future generations.
3. The Chronicles of Narnia
If you're not seeing a pattern here, you will shortly. Once again this series has the basic good versus evil. But something else about Narnia, is that it is bog on the idea of belief. Lucy Pevensie is able to enter Narnia because she has that childlike belief in the unimaginable. Every child that enter Narnia after her does so because they have something to achieve there, but also so that they will come to believe that there is more to this world than we think.
4. 1984
I know many think of this as a bit of a doomsday type book and it certainly does have a sad ending. But what I like about this book is it serves as a warning to us about those who want to control what you do. It is set in a world where the government controls everything: where you work, live, think, say, even what you believe. When the main character decides to rebel in a small way, it causes a bit of an upheaval. Eventually he is captured and tortured until he becomes a robot like everyone else.
1984 is a reflection and a warning of what can happen when people are forced to serve a bloated government bureaucracy. It demonstrates what can happen when we allow ourselves to conform to one way of thinking. To me this book serves as a reminder that freedom isn't free and can always be taken away.
5. To Kill A Mockingbird
This is a timeless story and it is all told from the viewpoint of Scout as she remembers growing up in the deep south during the depression. What I love about this story is it gives insight into what life was like back then, but also some of the strife that existed. But most importantly it is about the lessons that Scout learns. She witnesses some of the darker aspects of humanity, such as Tom Robinson being convicted of rape simply because he was black and no one had the courage to call his accuser a liar. But Scout also learns to not be so prejudice herself when it concerns her neighbor Arthur Bradley. This is one of those books that can be read repeatedly without growing old.
6. Fahrenheit 451
Imagine a world without books. That is the world in Fahrenheit 451. In this story book are burned. They are not allowed to exist and the only form of entertainment is television. Basically, people spend their lives glued to the tube and never bother to consider thinking for themselves.
This story gets to me because I love to read and have a substantial library. Books contain ideas and that frightens some people. This story has a lot of bearing on the past and the future. Hitler had massive book burnings in Nazi Germany. In a lot of poorer countries around the world people cannot read. Fahrenheit 451 just serves as a reminder of the importance of books and the treasures within their pages.
7. Little Women
This is another of those timeless stories that can be read over and over. It concerns four sisters who achieving adulthood during the Civil War. They live in the north, butt their father is away fighting and they and their mother are forced to get by. They haven't much money and must do what they can to make ends meet. Among all this the sisters do charity work, go to school, fall in love. The story even continues long after the war is ended. This really is a touching story that follows the triumphs, frustrations, and heartache of four sisters as they go through life. The even learn to accept loss when one of them dies suddenly from an illness. Little Women mirrors life and many of us can relate to the four main characters.
8. The Art of War
This is a must read for everyone. The Art of War is a book about basic military strategy. But such strategy has a lot of bearing on life as well. For me, this book this been helpful in writing my novels.
9. The Secret Country
This is another fantasy story, but it focuses on four cousins who play this make believe game called the Secret Country. But one day when playing, their imaginative world suddenly becomes real, but is a much darker place than they envisioned. Now they must figure out what has happened, how to save it, and how to get back home.
This is a wonderful "what if your fantasy became real". The four kids suddenly have to save a bunch of people that were once just characters in a game to them. It is a wonderful story about family, sacrifice, magic, and growing up.
10. The Hitchhiker's Guide To The Galaxy
This story fits the bill of having one crazy adventure after another. Arthur Dent wakes up to find hi house is being demolished and thinks it's the end of the world. But before he knows it, he is gallivanting around the universe with a strange man named Ford Prefect and getting into one dangerous situation after another.
This book is just very entertaining. There is a lot of good wit and humor in here that makes the story fun and easy to read.
Janet's Amazon Page
Janet McNultySugar and Spice and Not So Nice
Mellow Summers just wanted to go to college and get her film degree. She moved into a furnished apartment with her friend Jackie only to find that it already had a tenant: the ghost of a girl who was murdered a year earlier. Now it is up to Mellow to not only discover who the murderer is, but to prove it as well.
With the help of the ghost Rachel, Mellow sets out to solve the year old mystery. She soon finds out that she may have taken on more than she can handle. Pursued by someone who wants the identity of the killer to remain a secret, Mellow will have to use all her resources to outwit him and help the spirit of Rachel move on.
Janet's Amazon Page
Janet's website
March 24, 2012
Sexy Cedric Interviews Shifters of 2040's Diamond and Keenan/Contest
Yes, my loves, your naughty Cedric MacKinnon is back after a short respite. The authoress has been monopolizing my time. I've been hard at work (ahem) with her on a short tale about yours truly. It will be released when we go out on tour to promote my latest adventure, Servant of the Goddess. Keep posted for details on how you can get your hot little hands on these stories! Please leave a comment at the end of this post for a chance to win an ecopy of my book, My Fearful Symmetry. Good luck!Drawing ends 3/31/12 at 11:59 PM EST. Winner to be chosen by random drawing from all commenters at this blog throughout March 2012. Please leave an email where you may be contacted. Your choice of format Kindle, Nook or PDF.
Today, I'm featuring a lovely couple, all the way from the year 2040, Diamond and Keenan. Diamonds are a girl's best friend, as they say, but Cedric appreciates them as well. Do I ever...
CM: Welcome to Sexy Saturday with Cedric! I do hope you'll share a few spicy tidbits, my darlings. Settle into my hot seat of love. Don't worry--I never bite unless invited. Please introduce yourself to the readers. Ladies first, of course.
Diamond: I am a hybrid. Half human-half shifter. Yes, my father was a shifter, who mated with a female human. My sister is a lot like me. We are twins after all.
CM: Interesting, my darling Mia is sometimes called the Bird of Prey. I knew there was something really special about you love. And you sir, I must say, are a man to be reckoned with.
Keenan: I am a cloned soldier, built for the SCM. That is the Shifter Counterinsurgency Military formed by General Raul. A madman if you ask me. They say I'm different, not like the other clones. I have a mind of my own. I guess that is what gets me into trouble.
CM: Ah, I understand. That independent streak leads to all sorts of mischief. I could go on for days.
To start us off, why don't you share a little about your vital statistics with the readers? What makes you such mouth-watering objects of desire?
Diamond: The humans say I'm hot. I guess sexy is what they mean. I have long, lean athletic legs and my lengthy hair cuts across my ample breasts. My shifter half is a golden hawk. I have light skin, blond-gold hair and amber-like eyes. I appear fragile, but have been through a lot.
CM: You are indeed lovely, my dear. Now, let's turn to this impressive gentleman of yours. You must have spent hours in the gym.
Keenan: Trained on base, I've developed quite a physique. Muscular arms and legs, a thick squared frame and inviting chest. I don't mind getting into trouble to help those I love.
CM: An admirable quality. Tell me a little about your relationship—don't spare any juicy details.
Diamond: Well, I know that Unseen (a hawk hybrid) has had his eyes on me since we were kids, but I've fallen in love with someone else. I don't feel like I belong on this planet, with these humans and neither does he.
Keenan: I met Diamond on a shifter raid. I went with a gang of soldiers and when I spotted her I darted down the alley to catch her. She was fast, and when I caught up to her I just got lost in her beauty. We were trained to believe these shifters were ugly monsters, something to destroy...but I didn't see any ugliness in her. I understood her. She was not fully human either.
CM: Diamond, how do you differ from other kinds of shifters?
Diamond: My world is ruled by the SCM. I guess Earth could have been a future, but the military runs us now. Fear. Hate. Oppression. That is my world. Humans either despise us or destroy us. But they don' even understand us. We don't mean them harm.
I differ from other shifters, because I descend from an ancient alien race from Equeue. I'm an Equeuean. I'm also half human. I know what it is like to be human and alien.
CM: Keenan, what are the drawbacks of this world of the future?
Keenan: Orders. Always lots of military orders shouted into my ear. Kill the shifters. Invade the forest. I don't get a moment's peace. The military is my world. This future is dark, sad, and not like anything I expected...because when Diamond bumped into my life everything changed.
CM: Diamond, what are some of the unique challenges that face shifters like you?
Diamond: Well, I'm not shifter and I'm not human, so there is this middle ground between two worlds where I teeter, not fully belonging to either. I can't understand the language of my ancestors, the shifters and some of them are jealous I can stay in human form indefinitely, because they only have a few hours. At least Keenan gets me.
CM: It sounds a lot like being a vampire in the human world. One is a person, but not quite human anymore. It's wonderful that you found someone to understand you. Keenan, you must also have faced difficulties.
Keenan: Falling in love with a shifter is a challenge in itself. How do you hide the fact that your sworn enemy is your lover? How do you pretend with soldiers who brag about the shifter they just killed? How do you hide your heart?
CM: Are shifters monogamous creatures? What do you look for in the ideal partner?
Diamond: We like to mate with a shifter of a similar animal. Hawks to hawks. Panthers to panthers. Wolves to wolves. Deer to deer. Bears to bears. And yes, we tend to be monogamous. But we always birth twins. This helps our survival.
Keenan: I'm not even sure what monogamous is, was that in the SCM training handbook?
CM: Yes, I seem to have a bit of difficulty understanding the meaning of that word myself, brother. I've had my share of tumultuous relationships, but I must admit, I prefer those that present a challenge. Do you like someone who lets you take the lead, or do you like strong-minded lovers?
Diamond: I like strong-minded lovers. Keenan and Unseen are both leaders. Unseen is the leader among the hybrids, being the oldest and Keenan is a leader among the clones, thinking for himself.
Keenan: I was never sure what I liked. I didn't even know I could feel anything other than what the SCM tried to program me for. Love? I've only ever felt that way about one. Her name is Diamond.
CM: What is your idea of the perfect evening out?
Diamond: I would love to fly to the highest trees in the Denali forest and eat mice off a plate on the branches. Perched up high, we could admire the world and stay hidden from SCM.
CM: And I thought my dietary needs were unorthodox. And you, sir?
Keenan: Anywhere off this base would be great. I'm so sick of General Raul's face.
CM: Supposing the plan is to stay in. All great lovers have their trade secrets. How do you create the perfect romantic atmosphere?
Diamond: Candles in the dark. I see pretty well in the dark anyway. Wink-wink.
Keenan: I'd love to take Diamond away from the city where all the soldiers are. Perhaps Kenai Lake in Alaska (where we all are). A nice boat ride.
CM: Anything else you'd like to share?
The link for our book can be found of the sidebar. This is our author's Website: http://amiblackwelder.blogspot.com/
Youtube trailer Link
Here is a short excerpt from our book:
Keenan sat with his unit in the troop carrier, taking a break from patrolling the frigid snow capped streets. Tired of browbeating the public, he leaned back and contemplated his military orders. As Keenan played with the new name tag clipped over his pocket, a name yet to be sewn in, he grinned.
Turning to him, Number 15 barked, "Why don't I have a name yet?"
"You haven't asked for one. Tell Sergeant Blake you want a name, too." Number 15 nodded. Changing the subject to thoughts heavy on his mind, Keenan continued, "You know what I don't get...?"
"What?" Number 15 replied.
"I don't understand why we never attended school or basic training. Other soldiers I've spoken to have, real soldiers."
"We're real soldiers, too," Number 15 defended.
"Then why didn't we do things the way other Marines have? Why don't we have families?" Keenan lowered his head.
To his right, the head sergeant, leading this group of five, commented, "You didn't need school, soldiers. All the information for the English language and military facts from the EIS (Electronic Information Surge) assimilated into your brains while you were still embryos. Dr. Marn attached the device to all of you."
"So, we know everything you know?" Keenan's brows arched.
"Not everything," the sergeant chuckled. "Just what you need to know to perform your operations...and you all are special. Typical Marines don't go through the intense training program you underwent, with videos, defensive fighting, and extreme physical exercise."
"We're special?" Number 15 asked.
"Yes, especially you, Number 15," the sergeant remarked and Number 15 grinned, but Keenan sensed sarcasm below the sergeant's words, shades of emotions and meanings that the other clones never perceived. Turning to Keenan, the sergeant ordered him, "Break's over. Go patrol the area." With the sergeant gesturing, Keenan stood.
Leaving the relative warmth of the troop carrier to stroll to the end of the block, his breath formed a fog in the early morning cold and he rubbed his gloved hands together, then tugged on the collar of his black uniform. A noise caught his attention and he turned the corner, making his way to the alley. Drawing back, he saw two young women rifling through the garbage and he paused, confused. Looking well fed and taken care of, he wondered who they were...
Before he finished pondering, one of the women fell against the wall, writhing in obvious pain. About to offer assistance, he stopped himself when she turned into a hawk, squawked at the other woman and flew away, clutching her sack.
Keenan froze, his feet one-hundred pounds each. Shifters — the very beings he'd been brainwashed to hate and trained to kill. Watching the second woman, still unaware of his presence, her human skin shined gold under the halogen alley light, and an angelic face fringed with blonde-gold hair. Stunned by her elegant, lean form, he wondered why the videos never portrayed the shifters so beautifully. She could have been the object of any great artist's painting, of the affections of thousands of men.
But within, a battle waged. Frozen at the sight of her beauty, the sound of Colonel Dray's voice snapped in his mind.
"Find the shifters. Hunt the shifters. Chase the shifters. Kill the shifters. Who is our enemy!?"
The noise from the room of cloned soldiers rushed over him like a thousand waves, "Shifters, sir!"
Colonel Dray shouted, "What are we going to do?"
The clones responded, "Kill the shifters!"
As the cacophony pounded in his head, Keenan fought with himself, a part not wanting to listen, and he stumbled forward. Her head jerked his way and the most picturesque golden-lit eyes focused on him. Alarm washed over her face and she hurled herself in the opposite direction down the alley. Reacting, he darted for her, directed by the pounding words. Golden species skin flushed her body in panic and her long hair dangled to her waist. Eyes that looked like a sun-drenched sky peeked behind to see if he gained speed. His stride moved like a stallion.
He followed her down one alley and into another, noting that she stayed away from main street where cameras had been positioned. Ahead, the alley divided into two and she took the left road. Keenan sped up, unwilling to lose her, but unsure of what he wanted with her once caught. To kill or to kiss her.
His microphone squawked in his ear.
"Number 13, report!" Captain Lane's voice barked.
"In pursuit of a female shifter now."
"Don't let her get away! I'm sending backup."
Knowing more soldiers were on their way, Keenan determined to reach her first and sent his feet flying down the alley. Like a protective friend, or lover, he darted and just as she bent to turn a left corner, he leapt, grabbing her shoulder, and swung her around like a rag doll. She scraped her nose against the corner wall before her back knocked into the street, her hands bracing her in the fall. Her palms scraped against the grated road and Keenan's rough features drew near her. Setting his stone black eyes on her, he saw her flinch as if his touch was as cold as ice. Seeing his reflection in her pupils, he felt drawn to her. Images of lovers, husbands, wives flooded his mind and he remembered real soldiers had families. Raking his fingers through his black crew cut, his well-toned arms flexed.
Keenan leapt on her, wanting to keep her still, safe, away from the approaching SCM. With her female form struggling underneath him, his muscled hand pinned her right shoulder while his other hand threw a punch into the road on the left side of her head, trying to convey an attack to the listening ears at the other end of his ear piece. When the woman winced, he withdrew his left hand, but kept a grip with his right. He'd never touched a woman before, never been this close. He marveled and drew in her scent as goose bumps raced up his back and down his arms. The internal debate continued to rage, with a tensed forehead and concentrated stare, but gazing into the woman's eyes, emotion overruled logic. With a violent motion, he tore out the microphone from his ear and smashed it under his boot.
The woman kicked and punched, though her frame seemed delicate to Keenan, too fragile to cause any real damage. So, he continued his hold, sure his heart was right. But in underestimating the woman, she threw her leg up and knocked Keenan's side. In retaliation, Keenan had to grip both her wrists, pin them to the ground, and hold her down with one knee over her chest. He made no attempt to hit her with his electrical rod or fire his rifle, both of which were locked securely on the belt. The woman stared at the electrical prod as if she knew the brutal instrument well, and froze.
"Be…still!" he panted while they wrestled. "I'm not…going to hurt you."
His intense eyes locked on her as hard as stone in the caramel colored canvas of his face. Keenan's lashes fluttered and, as he stared into her, for a moment, the coldness in his eyes melted and warmth like the sun rising over a horizon, brushed over her.
He saw her eyes flicker to his name on his pocket. "Keenan. What do you want with me?"
"You...you're different."
"Yes," the woman snapped and tilted her head away from his fixed gaze.
"I'm different, too," Keenan declared and she didn't respond. She glared at him briefly before looking away again. Her eyes, despite her attempts at harshness, remained soft. He drew closer to her, his lips almost touched hers.
"I am not...human." The ease of his admission to her surprised him.
She flinched and jerked her head back in his direction. "What do you mean?"
He felt her movements soften underneath him and he loosened his grip, but still held her there.
"I'm not real...like the people on these streets."
"How can you not be real? You're right in front of me."
"I'm a copy. A clone." He sounded like his identity was a disgusting thing.
"Different," she echoed and softened her voice.
The man, Keenan, wanted someone to know his plight, to feel his confusion, his pain. Who else could understand, but a shifter? Who else, but a beautiful bird caught between worlds?
"Different." Keenan repeated as if this word, this identity somehow bonded them beyond human comprehension, in a way thicker than blood. His black stone eyes fixed over her frame and gleaming hair. When he released her, she didn't run. She remained with her hands braced against the street, sitting beside him.
"What's your name?" he asked, both puzzled and excited by her actions.
She hesitated before answering. "Diamond."
Keenan couldn't help but stare at the beautiful stranger beside him. A mix of adrenaline, fear and comfort confused him. Why had she stayed? For a few minutes, he allowed himself to be vulnerable with his greatest enemy. But the moment disappeared when several hard boots thumped against the sidewalk in approach. Keenan turned his head in one quick jerk and reacted, lifting her off her feet with the slide of his hands under her arms.
"Go! Get out of here! They'll find you!" Keenan shouted.
Diamond had no words, only motion. Her long, lean legs stretched away from Keenan and the pervasive sound of military boots. As Diamond drew away, she turned her head back to take one last look at the stranger, the enemy, who had consumed her. Then she metamorphosed into a great golden hawk.
Keenan watched with awe as she flew up into the sky, fairly certain she took his heart with her. Just as soon as she vanished, three SCM soldiers marched up to Keenan to assist him in his pursuit of the hybrid, which the military still considered shifters, unaware of the altered DNA patterns that resembled humans. Melissa and Bruce kept that secret hidden.
"Where is the target?" a tall blond soldier demanded.
"She escaped," Keenan replied.
"Which way did she run?" another soldier asked.
Keenan pointed in the opposite direction. "That way."
Author Ami BlackwelderI'd like to thank Diamond and Keenan for joining me today! Please leave a comment for them.
If you'd like to be interviewed by Sexy Cedric, or you seek romantic advice please contact the authoress at deniseverrico(at)yahoo.com or message me through Facebook.
Until next time!
Love and dark kisses,
Cedric MacKinnon
March 17, 2012
March 10, 2012
Guest Author Janine McCaw
Today my guest is Janine McCaw, author of Helens-of-Troy, a YA Supernatural Fantasy novel.
Janine McCaw
CONFESSIONS OF A GHOST LADY
Ghost stories. I've got a million of them.
Okay, maybe not a million, but more than a dozen. I believe that I saw my first ghost at the age of ten, during a sleep over at my friend's house. I pointed at the apparition that appeared by the window, and my friend calmly said "oh, that's my dead uncle." 'Nuff said.
I come by it genetically. My father, who has since passed, once told me that he left his body not once, but on a couple of occasions. He wasn't a big joker, my Dad, so I have no reason to disbelieve what he told me. He also completely understood when weird things happened to me.
I'm not a "Ghost Whisperer". These things don't happen to me all the time. I can't control it. But from time to time, the beyond tries to communicate with me. Sometimes they tap me on my shoulder. Sometimes they turn on my outdoor Christmas lights without any power. But the story I'm going to share with you today involves my Dad, and a trip he made back home to visit his mother.
My Dad came to Canada when he was young, met my mother, went to war and raised a family. After years of being away from Scotland, his homeland, he knew it was time to get back and visit his mother before she died. He saved his dollars, went there, brought back the requisite souvenirs, and threw his roll of photos in a drawer. He was a bit of a procrastinator.
Months go by, my grandmother passes away and Dad decides to get the film of his trip developed. In one of the pictures, he is gathered around relatives I don't know, but their poses are a bit, well…not quite right. My Dad said the reason it appeared that way, is that his mother was missing from the photo. She was there when it was taken, with them when they gathered before the camera, but now…she was gone. Not only from the photo, but from his life as well.
I wish I had the photo to show you, but I don't. I just know I get goose bumps when I think about it, and I hope you did too, reading this.
If you would like to share your own ghost stories with me, send me a note via Janine@helens-of-troy.com. I won't think you're crazy. I'll share some of them on the website.
Janine, thanks for joining me today and sharing your fascinating story!
Here is some info on Janine's book Helens-of-Troy
Helens-of-Troy
by Janine McCaw
FANTASY/SUPERNATURAL
"The Gilmore Girls meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Fifteen year old Goth-chic Ellie has a lot of explaining to do. She's just moved to the small town of Troy, fought with her uptight mother Helen, met the boy of her dreams and found a dead body on her sexy "new-age" grandmother Helena's porch. All on the first night!
But Ellie's not alone. Helen is hiding something. Helen knows all about the kind of eerie dreams her daughter is having — the dreams that show the whereabouts of the missing children of Troy — because she's had them herself. But she'll never admit it. Not while Ellie's sex-crazed friend Ryan is safely behind bars for the murders. Helen knows what it's like to be attracted to dangerous men.
Then there's the little matter between Helena and Gaspar BonVillaine, the teenaged vampire who is learning to feed on young prey. Now that he's caught Ellie, he doesn't know whether he wants to kill her or turn her to the dark side and keep her forever. Helena should have finished him off when she had the chance.
To survive the vampire feeding frenzy surrounding them, mom Helen needs to come to terms with her own insecurities and deal with the gifts she has. Helena must learn to ground herself for the good of mankind and more importantly her own family. And Ellie has the toughest choice of all. Ellie must decide whether its time to let her own childhood go and become the woman she is destined to be, one of the ageless and timeless "Helens of Troy".
Gaspar
Willie
Author Janine McCaw (Olivia's Mine, Feb. 2006,) has written this 100,000 word novel, the first in a fantasy series about "the Helens". The three generations of gatekeepers will take the reader on a trip to a realm mere mortals fear to visit alone, and they'll make her want to stay a while.
Contests: Please leave a comment for Janine to be entered in my month-long drawing! I will be giving away an e-copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Three of the Immortyl Revolution. (This is not a YA book. It is Urban Fantasy geared toward adults.) For contest details see "Sexy Cedric Interview". Also Lola James is giving away an ebook of Bound to Remember. Keep stopping back for additional contests!
Janine McCawCONFESSIONS OF A GHOST LADY
Ghost stories. I've got a million of them.
Okay, maybe not a million, but more than a dozen. I believe that I saw my first ghost at the age of ten, during a sleep over at my friend's house. I pointed at the apparition that appeared by the window, and my friend calmly said "oh, that's my dead uncle." 'Nuff said.
I come by it genetically. My father, who has since passed, once told me that he left his body not once, but on a couple of occasions. He wasn't a big joker, my Dad, so I have no reason to disbelieve what he told me. He also completely understood when weird things happened to me.
I'm not a "Ghost Whisperer". These things don't happen to me all the time. I can't control it. But from time to time, the beyond tries to communicate with me. Sometimes they tap me on my shoulder. Sometimes they turn on my outdoor Christmas lights without any power. But the story I'm going to share with you today involves my Dad, and a trip he made back home to visit his mother.
My Dad came to Canada when he was young, met my mother, went to war and raised a family. After years of being away from Scotland, his homeland, he knew it was time to get back and visit his mother before she died. He saved his dollars, went there, brought back the requisite souvenirs, and threw his roll of photos in a drawer. He was a bit of a procrastinator.
Months go by, my grandmother passes away and Dad decides to get the film of his trip developed. In one of the pictures, he is gathered around relatives I don't know, but their poses are a bit, well…not quite right. My Dad said the reason it appeared that way, is that his mother was missing from the photo. She was there when it was taken, with them when they gathered before the camera, but now…she was gone. Not only from the photo, but from his life as well.
I wish I had the photo to show you, but I don't. I just know I get goose bumps when I think about it, and I hope you did too, reading this.
If you would like to share your own ghost stories with me, send me a note via Janine@helens-of-troy.com. I won't think you're crazy. I'll share some of them on the website.
Janine, thanks for joining me today and sharing your fascinating story!
Here is some info on Janine's book Helens-of-Troy
Helens-of-Troy
by Janine McCaw
FANTASY/SUPERNATURAL
"The Gilmore Girls meet Buffy the Vampire Slayer"
Fifteen year old Goth-chic Ellie has a lot of explaining to do. She's just moved to the small town of Troy, fought with her uptight mother Helen, met the boy of her dreams and found a dead body on her sexy "new-age" grandmother Helena's porch. All on the first night!
But Ellie's not alone. Helen is hiding something. Helen knows all about the kind of eerie dreams her daughter is having — the dreams that show the whereabouts of the missing children of Troy — because she's had them herself. But she'll never admit it. Not while Ellie's sex-crazed friend Ryan is safely behind bars for the murders. Helen knows what it's like to be attracted to dangerous men.
Then there's the little matter between Helena and Gaspar BonVillaine, the teenaged vampire who is learning to feed on young prey. Now that he's caught Ellie, he doesn't know whether he wants to kill her or turn her to the dark side and keep her forever. Helena should have finished him off when she had the chance.
To survive the vampire feeding frenzy surrounding them, mom Helen needs to come to terms with her own insecurities and deal with the gifts she has. Helena must learn to ground herself for the good of mankind and more importantly her own family. And Ellie has the toughest choice of all. Ellie must decide whether its time to let her own childhood go and become the woman she is destined to be, one of the ageless and timeless "Helens of Troy".
Gaspar
WillieAuthor Janine McCaw (Olivia's Mine, Feb. 2006,) has written this 100,000 word novel, the first in a fantasy series about "the Helens". The three generations of gatekeepers will take the reader on a trip to a realm mere mortals fear to visit alone, and they'll make her want to stay a while.
Contests: Please leave a comment for Janine to be entered in my month-long drawing! I will be giving away an e-copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Three of the Immortyl Revolution. (This is not a YA book. It is Urban Fantasy geared toward adults.) For contest details see "Sexy Cedric Interview". Also Lola James is giving away an ebook of Bound to Remember. Keep stopping back for additional contests!
March 9, 2012
Guest Lola James on Paranormal Romance/Ebook Giveaway
Today, I welcome Lola James! Lola has shared some thoughts on the genre of Paranormal Romance. Lola has graciously agreed to offer a copy of Bound to Remember to one lucky commenter.
Here are the contest rules: Please leave a comment for Lola, telling her about your favorite supernatural creature. The drawing will run until 3/15/12 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen by random drawing and announced on 3/16/12. Please follow this blog and provide an email so Lola may contact you regarding the prize. Also, by commenting here, you are entered in the monthly drawing at this blog for an e-copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Three of the Immortyl Revolution. For details of that drawing, scroll down to the previous post by "Sexy Cedric".
Good Luck! I'll hand it over to Lola now:
Hi Denise and Thanks for having me! Before I entice your readers with my book Bound to Remember I have a little something I want to say about Paranormal Romance.
Paranormal or not!
When I first started writing, I had a hard time dealing with the category paranormal. This is strictly just my opinion, but vampires, witches, werewolves, and shifters deserve their own category. When I think of "paranormal," I think of ghost, ghost hunters, and spirits so, lumping my dear vampires in with ghost just doesn't sit well with me!
I've read a number of paranormal romance books and I have yet to find a human/ghost love story (if they are out there let me know)! I sometimes hear the vampire-werewolves-witches and shifters being put into the fantasy category, which actually fits them (they run through my fantasy's all the time) but I still think they deserve a category that will distinguish them from dungeons and dragons. I propose the new category of Supernatural's or Supes for short!
I can see it now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble under the fiction category just below Romance but right above Science Fiction, Supernatural will rest. They could even include sub-categories for each one! It would take the guesswork out of finding that werewolf love story that you love so dearly or in my case that vampire love story (I love vampires).
Again, this is just fantasy, but can you blame a girl for wanting to get to the vampires quicker?
Thanks for having me Denise and I hope you enjoyed my guest post!
Smooches
Lola
Here's the blurb on my book:
Bound to Remember
Spellbound Series Book One
Toni is a young doctor with a past she can't remember and a deadly reason for forgetting it.
Ben is a nurse who has his own tragic past and transfers hospitals after an act of heroism forces his secluded life public.
Ben can't believe his eyes when he meets Toni, she has an uncanny resemblance to an old friend of his, and Toni can't help but find Ben irresistible.
Enter Kevin, Toni's sexy but arrogant Ex. Kevin's jealousy of Ben blinds him from his main objective, Toni.
A dangerous secret is revealed and a magic spell seems to be a quick remedy, but the witch that helps has a little more than magic up her sleeve…
Here is a quick excerpt:
His lips were cold but the kiss sent warmth throughout my whole body and had a flavor to it, something that was sweet, like honey but also metallic. Either I had not been kissed in a long time or he was the best kisser. We kissed for what seemed like minutes before his lips released mine.
I felt feverish as I pulled back and looked at him, suddenly remembering we had an audience of nurses. I straightened up as he released the embrace he had wrapped me in during the kiss. I saw Kevin's frown and Dawn's grin, when did she get there? I looked around the break room at the awe struck on lookers.
"I'm sorry; I just couldn't resist it anymore," Ben said with a suggestive smile. He never took his eyes off mine, and I knew that true. I couldn't help that he happen to pick the perfect time to kiss me, in front of Kevin. I did something completely out of character: I put my hand around Ben's neck and pulled him down into another kiss — my kiss. Kevin stormed out. Somehow, my 5'7" self- pulled Ben's 6' foot self-down into a kiss that was even better than the first it was more hungry than the first.
Email: lola@lolajames.comWebsite: www.lolajames.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/1lola_james My Blog: http://lolajames-author.blogspot.com Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lola_jamesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLolaJamesFate Series Blog: http://thefateseries.blogspot.com/Spellbound Series Blog: http://spellboundseries.blogspot.com/Buy Bound to Remember on: Barnes & Noble Lola, thanks for visiting me today! Tomorrow, Janine MCraw will be my guest. Sexy Cedric will return next Saturday with more naughtiness and mayhem! While you're here, please take a moment to explore the world of Immortyl Revolution. Love and Dark Kisses! Denise
Here are the contest rules: Please leave a comment for Lola, telling her about your favorite supernatural creature. The drawing will run until 3/15/12 11:59 PM EST. Winner will be chosen by random drawing and announced on 3/16/12. Please follow this blog and provide an email so Lola may contact you regarding the prize. Also, by commenting here, you are entered in the monthly drawing at this blog for an e-copy of My Fearful Symmetry, Book Three of the Immortyl Revolution. For details of that drawing, scroll down to the previous post by "Sexy Cedric".
Good Luck! I'll hand it over to Lola now:
Hi Denise and Thanks for having me! Before I entice your readers with my book Bound to Remember I have a little something I want to say about Paranormal Romance.
Paranormal or not!
When I first started writing, I had a hard time dealing with the category paranormal. This is strictly just my opinion, but vampires, witches, werewolves, and shifters deserve their own category. When I think of "paranormal," I think of ghost, ghost hunters, and spirits so, lumping my dear vampires in with ghost just doesn't sit well with me!
I've read a number of paranormal romance books and I have yet to find a human/ghost love story (if they are out there let me know)! I sometimes hear the vampire-werewolves-witches and shifters being put into the fantasy category, which actually fits them (they run through my fantasy's all the time) but I still think they deserve a category that will distinguish them from dungeons and dragons. I propose the new category of Supernatural's or Supes for short!
I can see it now on Amazon and Barnes & Noble under the fiction category just below Romance but right above Science Fiction, Supernatural will rest. They could even include sub-categories for each one! It would take the guesswork out of finding that werewolf love story that you love so dearly or in my case that vampire love story (I love vampires).
Again, this is just fantasy, but can you blame a girl for wanting to get to the vampires quicker?
Thanks for having me Denise and I hope you enjoyed my guest post!
Smooches
Lola
Here's the blurb on my book:
Bound to Remember
Spellbound Series Book One
Toni is a young doctor with a past she can't remember and a deadly reason for forgetting it.
Ben is a nurse who has his own tragic past and transfers hospitals after an act of heroism forces his secluded life public.
Ben can't believe his eyes when he meets Toni, she has an uncanny resemblance to an old friend of his, and Toni can't help but find Ben irresistible.
Enter Kevin, Toni's sexy but arrogant Ex. Kevin's jealousy of Ben blinds him from his main objective, Toni.
A dangerous secret is revealed and a magic spell seems to be a quick remedy, but the witch that helps has a little more than magic up her sleeve…
Here is a quick excerpt:
His lips were cold but the kiss sent warmth throughout my whole body and had a flavor to it, something that was sweet, like honey but also metallic. Either I had not been kissed in a long time or he was the best kisser. We kissed for what seemed like minutes before his lips released mine.
I felt feverish as I pulled back and looked at him, suddenly remembering we had an audience of nurses. I straightened up as he released the embrace he had wrapped me in during the kiss. I saw Kevin's frown and Dawn's grin, when did she get there? I looked around the break room at the awe struck on lookers.
"I'm sorry; I just couldn't resist it anymore," Ben said with a suggestive smile. He never took his eyes off mine, and I knew that true. I couldn't help that he happen to pick the perfect time to kiss me, in front of Kevin. I did something completely out of character: I put my hand around Ben's neck and pulled him down into another kiss — my kiss. Kevin stormed out. Somehow, my 5'7" self- pulled Ben's 6' foot self-down into a kiss that was even better than the first it was more hungry than the first.
Email: lola@lolajames.comWebsite: www.lolajames.comTwitter: www.twitter.com/1lola_james My Blog: http://lolajames-author.blogspot.com Goodreads: http://www.goodreads.com/lola_jamesFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/AuthorLolaJamesFate Series Blog: http://thefateseries.blogspot.com/Spellbound Series Blog: http://spellboundseries.blogspot.com/Buy Bound to Remember on: Barnes & Noble Lola, thanks for visiting me today! Tomorrow, Janine MCraw will be my guest. Sexy Cedric will return next Saturday with more naughtiness and mayhem! While you're here, please take a moment to explore the world of Immortyl Revolution. Love and Dark Kisses! Denise
March 3, 2012
Sexy Cedric Interviews Rodrick Dracon of the Devon Falls Series
Host Cedric MacKinnon's Portrait by Arlie Adams Greetings, my darlings! Today is the first of my Saturday series, in which I'll be featuring character interviews, posts on naughty subjects and letters from the lovelorn. There will also be a monthly drawing. You'll find the juicy details at the end of this post.
To kick off this feature, I'm very excited (that is the appropriate word) to have as my guest the stunning Rodrick Dracon, hero of Haunting Magic, Book Four of the Devon Falls Series by Raine Delight.
I've never met a wolf shifter before, and I must say, after meeting this delightful man/wolf, I really don't understand all the nastiness between wolves and vampires.
So, without further ado, I'm pleased to introduce my guest, Rodrick Dracon!
Welcome to Sexy Saturday with Cedric, Rodrick! I do hope you'll share a few spicy tidbits, my darling. Settle into my hot seat of love. Don't worry--I never bite unless invited.
Rod settles in the chair and gives a warm smile to Cedric. "Thanks for having me here, mate. Happy to be here."
Back at you, mate. To start us off, why don't you share a little about your vital statistics? What makes you such a mouth-watering object of desire?
Rod: 'Well man, I am a six foot tall wolf shifter, shoulder length black hair, golden yellow eyes and about 185 pounds of pure muscle. My wolf is silver once I shift I am a bad boy with a heart of gold *winks*."
Mmm…I haven't gone wolf before. Perhaps I need to broaden my horizons. Share a little of the history of your family and your fascinating community.
Rod: "Devon Falls is a small paranormal community where we can live without fear of being hunted by humans' hell bent on destroying any paranormal creature. My family was a founding family of Devon Falls and we have lived, worked and have strong community ties with our business, The Dragon Inn, a restaurant/small hotel, that we run."
As a vampire, I must deal with certain limitations. I just can't seem to find an effective sunscreen. Aside from temporary grooming issues, what are some of the unique challenges that face a wolf shifter?
Rod: "Oh man, I feel for you. *shakes head sympathetically*. I swear I can't keep buying clothes. Shifting is hard on them and my mother always shook her head as she mended one shirt or jeans after I forgot to take them off before shifting and ended up ruining them. I learned the hard way to take clothes off before shifting or else I am riding my motorcycle naked a jaybird home."
Now, that is an image to dream on.
Rodrick, I'm the sort of lad who gets around a bit. Are you the monogamous type, or do you play the field?
Rod grins: "Cedric, a man or is it vampire, after my own heart. Before I settled with my mate, Jaxon, I loved women of all sizes and shapes. My twin threatened to put a revolving door on my part of the house because I always had more than one woman at a time. Now though, Jax would skin my hide if I even looked at another woman. I only have eyes for her and she knows it."
Maybe you should be looking at other men? We Immortyls are rather more omnivorous in our tastes and habits. Oh well, one can always hope, darling. Tell me about your turn ons and turn offs.
Rod thinks: "Turn on-I love confidence with a touch of innocence, someone who knows her worth and doesn't take any crap from no one. A person who can bend but not break and is honest to themselves as well as to the person they are involved in. I don't have a type I enjoy per say but I can say honestly, I never anticipated my mate to be woman who always made quips about my romantic life and sneered at me. Turn offs-arrogance and a know it all attitude."
I've had my share of tumultuous relationships, but I must admit, I prefer those that present a challenge. Do you like someone who lets you take the lead, or do you like strong-minded lovers?
Rod grins widely: "Jaxon is my equal in every way, Cedric. She is strong willed, can take charge and constantly challenges me in every way. She can drive me insane sometimes but I adore the woman. I do love to make her submit every now and again and other times, she is the aggressor."
I agree. There's nothing like a strong female to excite the beast in a man. Tell me more about this special person in your life.
Rod: "Jaxon is my mate and life, man. She was an unexpected gift from the gods and now I can't think of life without her." *Looks around* "Is this going to get back to her? If so, I am never going to hear the end of it." *sighs dramatically*
What is your idea of the perfect evening out for the two of you?
Rod: "Right now, Jax and I are cementing our mating bond so we have been staying in and *winks* having picnics in our bedroom. But soon we hope to go listen to some local bands, spend time with family/friends and maybe have a romantic dinner together. I enjoy to cook for my mate, family and friends so hopefully if the weather cooperates, we will have a BBQ soon."
Cooking is something I've yet to master. I'm the sort of boy who makes reservations. So, supposing the plan is to stay in. All great lovers have their trade secrets. How you create the perfect romantic atmosphere for that special someone?
Rod grins widely: "I love bringing flowers and wine to a date. Chocolate covered strawberries or berries and whipped cream for dessert and soft music with a possible fire in fireplace sets the mood perfectly."
Whipped cream...hmm...that sets the imagination on fire. Rod, (inspiring name) I've really enjoyed having you here to kick off my new feature! Thanks a mill, mate, and the best of luck to you and the lovely, Jax. Before you go, is there anything else you'd like to share? Feel free--I'm all ears, love.
Rod smiles and stands, hand out for a shake: Thanks for having me here, Cedric. I really enjoyed myself."
Haunting Magic
Devon Falls 4
Raine Delight
Secret Cravings Publishing
Paranormal/Contemporary Erotic Romance
Check out the hot book trailer at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tvmFxgLQtx4
Rodrick Dracon is the twin heir to the Dragon Inn. When he finds himself longing for a mate after being footloose and fancy free, he finds himself drawn to the most obnoxious, brassy woman he has ever met: Jaxon Sinclair. She is the one woman who doesn't melt when he goes by or hangs on his every word. Jaxon is just aggravating and down right sexy as sin! Soon the sparks fly, passion goes into boiling and Halloween approaches. Can this wolf shifter get this woman to heel before the full moon? Will Jax turn the tables on this ladies man and tame the wolf?
Excerpt:
He looked even better close up though she damn well wasn't going to tell him that. He had a swelled head as it was, considering all the honeybees that swarmed all over him. She mentally gathered her defenses. If she didn't know better, she would have thought she was in lust with Rodrick, impossible as seemed from the way they sniped at each other. Shaking her head slightly, she felt his gaze move to her and heard his startled breath as she walked up to the porch.
"Hey, Rod, slow night?" Jax asked. Her eyes drank in the way his muscles bunched under his t-shirt. She felt her stomach clench, though it could have been the anticipation of food that waited inside the dark mahogany doors. The way he was watching her had her nerves on edge. She didn't know what the hell his problem was, but Jax was determined to get in and out with her order before Rod pushed her buttons. She just was not up to dealing with him tonight.
"Yeah, seems everyone is getting ready for the Halloween costume dance tomorrow. What are you up to tonight? Got a dinner date?" Rod growled at her, his eyes shining with a glow that almost made Jax take a step back before she caught herself. Shaking her head, she said, "What the hell is wrong with you tonight? I was going to have dinner with Grady, but he got short-staffed and had to cover tonight. I just wanted to see if I can grab a take out from your mom." Jax marveled at how normal it was between them. Though she thought the hair on his arms bristled at the thought of her on a date, it probably was her imagination. Rod wasn't interested in her, just the ones who wanted a good time and an easy lay.
"I am sure my mom would love to give you something since everyone knows you can burn water without even trying." The smile that tugged at his lips had her eyes go wide then narrow in annoyance.
"What the hell would you know about cooking, you jackass? I bet you couldn't make something if your life depended on it," she sneered. Her hands closed into fists and she was tempted to smack him for being so damn annoying. If she didn't know better, she would have thought there was a smile lingering on his smug face.
"Oh, are you challenging me, Jax? Can't take the fact that I may actually know something you don't? Want to take that to a test?" Rod leaned forward, stroked a finger down her nose, and said softly, "Afraid that maybe I can do something that will make you readjust your opinion of me?"
Jax was stunned by the clenching of her pussy as he traced his finger down her nose. If she didn't know better, she could have sworn there was a flare of interest in his eyes; though it could have been that she was moon-mazed or something. Jax tried to still the weak-kneed response to him touching her as she tried to form an annoying response.
"You can boil water? Oh, my god!" Jax looked up at the darkening sky and then back at Rod. "Wow the sky hasn't fallen yet. Did you pay off Heaven or something? Has Hell frozen over and no one told the Devil?"
The smile that played on her lips had him growling low in his throat. Jax didn't know what to think when Rod yanked her to him and said, "You have a death wish don't you Jax? You really don't want me to show you that I can do that and so much more." His voice was low and husky; Jax felt her bones turn to mush as he nipped her ear. He turned her on, no two ways about it and damn it, why him? He has to be the most annoying man on this planet yet he also was sexy as sin and damn it to hell and back, he made her want him with every inch of her being. Trying to shove away from him was like trying to hit a rock with an open palm. He was an immovable object and his eyes, she could have sworn, glowed faintly.
"Will you please let me go, you ass?" Jax tried to keep her voice strong and pissed off but dang it; he was making her stomach do flips every time he nipped her ear. "If you really want to prove to me you can cook, fine. I swear it is like your male ego got in a snit or something." She huffed and blew her breath out when nothing else seemed to make him let go, though if she were honest with herself, she liked his hands on her body. Still, it wasn't like she was going to tell this idiot that. No telling what else he would do with that information.
"Is it possible that I can go grab some food before I die of starvation? I swear if that was your goal tonight, Rod, you are not doing a very good job." Jax said as she felt his hands glide down her arms then let go, the lack of his touch almost had her keening for more. This attraction she had for him was getting out of hand, especially since she and Rod rubbed against each other like oil and water.
Her treacherous body leaned into him before she caught herself and as she glared at him, she didn't know what the hell was going on tonight but for some reason tonight he was determined to drive her insane.
"Go get your take out, Jax, but tomorrow, make no plans for the evening. I got something to prove and frankly, I am more than a pretty face, Jaxon. I think it's time for you to see what else I can do besides be the resident "Lathario" as you so charmingly call me."
"Fine," She snapped at him, disgusted with her at the way her body aroused from the way his voice. "If it makes your fragile male ego happy to prove something, come on over and frankly it better be edible please. Nothing frou-frou or stuff that I cannot pronounce for god's sake. I get home about six so come by after that."
The next thing she knew, he leaned over, snatched her from her spot on the sidewalk and smiled as her eyes widened. "Jaxon, if I didn't know better, I would say you are intrigued by me making dinner for you. If this keeps up, I think I am going to have to show you some of my other hidden talents." Then before she could form a coherent thought and punch him, he leaned forward and laid his full wet lips on hers, teasing her with a light caress of his tongue and with light firm kisses until she was panting and flushed. Before she could form a sane thought or even think of pushing him away, she kissed him back, teasing him with hard kisses as her tongue dueled with his as her arms wrapped themselves around his waist. With one last reluctant kiss, he stepped back. His eyes glittered in the moonlight and Jax saw his arousal strain his jeans. "Now the deal is set, Sweets. I will be there around six-thirty so don't be playing the 'I am late' game, I will be waiting for you." Then he sauntered away back into the Inn, leaving her body primed for something and ready to kill him.
Again, I'd like to thank Rodrick and his creator Raine Delight for joining me today.
Please leave a comment for Rodrick and Raine, and I'll give you an entry in my March drawing. This month, you can enter to win an e-copy of my book, My Fearful Symmetry in your choice of PDF, Kindle or Nook format. Winner will be chosen by random drawing. Please follow this blog and provide an email. Deadline to enter is 3/31/12 at 11:59PM EST.I will post the winner on 4/1/12.
I'm breathlessly awaiting our next tryst.
Love and dark kisses from your naughty boy,
Cedric MacKinnon
If you are a character in novel and you'd like to write to me, seeking romantic advice, or would like to be interviewed by me, please email the authoress: deniseverrico@yahoo.com
Please include "Sexy Saturdays w/ Cedric" in the subject line.
February 14, 2012
Cedric Gives Relationship Advice. Book Giveaway.
Today is the big day! I hope all of you are having a brilliant Valentine's Day. Your personal love god, Cedric MacKinnon, is here to answer your most fevered prayers. Today I'll be sharing a few saucy tidbits, and if you leave me a comment with your Top Ten Most Shag-able Characters of Sci fi and Fantasy at the end of this post, you can enter to win a free ecopy of my story, My Fearful Symmetry. Kindle, Nook or your choice of format offered on All Romance.
So to set things rolling, I want share a few letters from readers.
Dear Mr. MacKinnon,
I was pleased to discover that you are an adept of the ancient arts since I'm looking for some advice this Valentine's Day. This is the first Valentine's Day I'll be celebrating with my wife, Sarah, with whom I have been in love for over three hundred years. It's a long story.
Sarah and I are very much in love, and we have traveled quite a journey to find our way back to each other after oh so very long. My wife likes to joke and say she and I are a pair. A pair of what, I ask. Just a pair, she says.
"Like a pair of socks?" I say.
"Yes," she says. "We're a pair of socks. We go everywhere together and spend our nights knotted up."
As the nocturnal type, I can only see my beloved at night, but that works quite well for us. Our romantic life is great—or whatever word expresses better than great (I haven't a thesaurus handy)—but I would like to make this Valentine's Day a special one and I'm open to any tips (for the bedroom or otherwise) that might help me make this a night to remember for my beautiful wife. She has suffered in the past, and now she deserves all the best life can give her.
I appreciate your time and look forward to your response.
Yours Most Sincerely,
James J. Wentworth, Ph.D.
Professor of English Literature
Salem State University
My response:
Dear Dr.Wentworth,
It sounds like you both are the monagamous type, so I won't suggest employing the service of an Immortyl courtesan to spice things up. I'm always up for a threesome. My advice is to provide all those things your beloved Sarah loves best. Buy her a really knockout gift, something she's always wanted. Take her to a luxury hotel and pamper her with a spa treament. Have an intimate dinner in your room and play some music that has special signifigance to both of you. Slow dance with her. Tell her all of the reasons that have made you stay by her side for 300 years. When you retire to the bedroom, make sure its been stocked with champagne and an assortment of toys and yummy massage oils. Do as I do with my lovers. Worship her with your body--become her slave for one night. Stimulate all of those places that will set her humming. Cater to her every need and you'll be surprised how she'll reciprocate. If that doesn't work, you know where to find me.
Happy Valentine's Day!
Your Bad, Bad Boy,
Cedric MacKinnon
You can learn more about James and his lovely wife at these links: Her dear and Loving Husband on Amazon
Her Dear and Loving Husband on B&N
Author Meredith Allard's website
Meredith Allard on Twitter
Another reader writes:
Dear Cedric,
I've been with my boyfriend for sixth months, and while we click despite some very obvious differences, there is one issue we just can't work out on our own. We're a pretty unconventional couple. He's a vampire, and I'm not. In fact, I'm what most people would call a vampire hunter. (I dislike the term hunter. I don't actually hunt them. I just slay them if they try to kill me and my friends, y'know?)
The problem we're having involves my stakes. As in the sharp, pointy kind. I carry them with me at all times, and my boyfriend takes personal offense to that. He thinks I don't trust him. I've explained a million billion times they're not for him, but he keeps trying to get me to leave them at home when we go out at night.
Am I being insensitive? Should I really not trust him because he is urging me to be defenseless when I leave the house?
Thanks,
L, Confused in Florida
My response:
Dear L,
I can see why the boyfriend might be a wee bit upset, but since I also slay naughty vampires, I know how important it is to keep your weapon of choice close at hand. I use a katana myself. It might help to remind him that he's a vampire and always armed and dangerous, and your stake simply levels the playing field. Your stake is like his fangs and vampire powers. He should be flattered that you don't think him a sparkly, wussy-ass vamp. Tell him to grow up and get over it. If all else fails, hire the services of a male vampire courtesan and have a blissful threesome.
Your Hot and Bothered Boy,
Cedric MacKinnon
L's alter-ego Jazz Sexton is an active blogger and offers editing services:
http://wordsmadefresh.com/
http://www.jazzsexton.com/
.
Cedric's Top Ten Most Shag-able Fantasy and Sci Fi Characters of Film and TV
10. Spike- Buffy the Vampire Slayer
A bad vampire boy after my own heart.
9. Han Solo- Star Wars
Anyone who can get into Princes Leia's gold bikini pants has got to be special.
8. Catwoman- Batman
Every blessed incarnation with favorite nods to Julie Newmar and Eartha Kitt. Grrrr...
7. Capt. Malcolm Reynolds- Firefly
I like his sense of justice--rob from the rich and nefarious and take your percentage off the top.
6. Mr. Sulu- Star Trek
Who can forget the bare-torso swordfight?
5. Princess Leia- Star Wars
The gold bikini. Need I say more?
4. Arwen- Lord of the Rings
I hear elves have special powers.
3. Aragorn- Lord of the Rings
I'm still waiting for the King to come.
2. River Song- Dr. Who
I just love a bad girl.
1. Capt. Jack Harkness- Torchwood
The coat. The man inside. Immortal and bisexual. The perfect combination in my book.
Now, I'd like to share a little excerpt from my newest adventure Servant of the Goddess. Keep in mind this is told from Mia's POV.
Sudden shouts battled against the sound of the wind. I peered down the block. Teen-formed Immortyls, sewer rats, closed a circle around a tall male, who held his hands high above his head. From the direction of the wind, I couldn't yet ascertain this stranger as mortal or Immortyl. Best to investigate. I ran toward the disturbance, wrapping my fingers around the Glock strapped to my hip.
A shrill whistle split the air. Two of the sewer rats lunged for the stranger. He crouched and pirouetted on one leg, letting loose a rapid succession of kicks that knocked his attackers sprawling onto the sidewalk. A rat named Tommy growled and launched himself at the stranger. To my amazement, the stranger leapt high into the air and hovered there for a moment like a falcon before lashing out with both feet. Tommy's head snapped backward, and he flattened against the pavement. The remaining rats hung back.
The slender figure of a boy maybe eighteen or nineteen touched down and crouched again, poised to strike. No mortal could perform such maneuvers with this speed and agility, not to mention almost ballet-like grace. The Immortyl's face betrayed raw emotion, indicating he was new to the blood, probably not much older than his form suggested. Eamon, the rat pack leader, drew and aimed a pistol at him. The stranger raised his hands above his head once more.
I gave a sharp whistle for Eamon to stand down. "What's going on here?"
Eamon lowered the gun and spit on the ground. His forever-twelve-year-old face scrunched up. "We found this one skulking about," he said. Even after a century and half in New York his speech still gave away his Dublin origins. "Says he's come from the chief elder's house."
The wind kicked up harder. Long, auburn hair whipped about the newcomer's face. He shivered, hugging an Indian-styled shirt around him. Traces of black kohl and sienna rouge clung to his eyes and mouth, as if he'd scrubbed the paint off in a hurry. The make-up and impractical clothing pointed to origins more exotic than the russet hair and milky complexion suggested. His story sounded plausible. However, the odds that this kid had escaped the chief elder's compound near Calcutta and made it all the way to New York on his own were unlikely. No slave had ever left there of his own accord.
Kurt had stood trial at the chief elder's court for inciting rebellion. He'd told me that the chief, Kalidasa, employed state-of-the-art security, as well as vampire-eating tigers. The place was a veritable fortress. Still, there was always a first time, and this newcomer had held his own against Eamon's band.
I had to admire the kid for standing up to Eamon and his thugs.
The pack leader and I didn't care much for one another, but he'd fought for Kurt in our recent war with a rival elder. For political reasons, I forced myself to take a civil tone with him. "Did you bother to ask his business before you ordered an attack?" I called to the newcomer, "You--come here."
The boy lowered his hands and slinked forward. I'd never seen a man move quite like this, with delicacy just brushing the feminine, yet suggesting coiled up, sinewy strength like a jungle cat. Instinct prompted my hand to reach for the Glock concealed on my hip. The kid had danger scrawled all over him in big garish letters.
"Is this true?" I asked.
"I ran away from court," the boy replied, his speech tinged with a Scottish burr. "I'm seeking refuge here."
The plaintive tone struck a chord in me. I sized him up again. His winsome looks didn't belong to the usual brand of vampire assassin, but to a household slave chosen for his decorative value. Still, his swift feet could kill if given the chance. Wouldn't it be just like Giulietta to send death in such an appealing guise?
"Kurt's counselor, Chase Powers, can vouch for me," he continued. "Take me to him."
"You know Chase?"
"We met in India during Kurt's trial. He said I'd be welcome here. Please Miss. You have to believe me. I've come such a long way and got nowhere else to go." Desperation filled the spooky, green eyes. They almost glowed, more like a cat's than a man's. "There's probably a bounty offered for my return by now."
"What did you do?"
"It's not what I did. It's what I am." He held out his hands. Henna tattoos snaked around the wrists and tops, elaborate whirls and spirals. "The marks of my order. I'm an adept of the ancient arts."
He was an adept? I'd always imagined these temple devotees and de facto courtesans as Indian in origin. I gave the boy a closer look. His clothing had seen better days, but the sinuous way he moved made them a fashion statement. You couldn't deny the perfection of feature and figure required of his order. He stood out from Eamon's mangy lot like an emerald in a box of Cracker Jacks.
February 13, 2012
Sexy Cedric Discusses Courtesans
Today, my lovelies, I will begin discussing courtesans. People say, "A male courtesan? Surely, such a thing never existed in history." Well my darlings, I'm here to set you straight. Wait, let me choose another word. I'm here to enlighten you.
Cedric portrait by Arlie Adams
During the Renaissance the Italian word "cortigiana", came to refer to "the ruler's mistress" and later evolved to mean a well-educated, trained artist of dance and singing who provided companionship to wealthy, powerful, or upper-class men. The English word courtesan was derived from the French "courtisane" during the 16th century.
Veronica Franco, Venetian poet and courtesan
However, the art of the courtesan is much older and not restricted to women. Many ancient cultures had some version of a courtesan. In ancient Greece, the Hetaera was a woman of education and some freedom. When a woman married in ancient Greece, she was expected to breed and raise children, living a cloistered life. In contrast, a Hetaera could live a public life, own property and even take part in political discourse. One of the most famous of these women was named Aspasia, the companion of Pericles. There is some evidence pointing to a small number of women servicing other women with lesbian companionship,So, just what is a courtesan? Many people will say a prostitute. True, sex is a large part of the trade, but throughout history, courtesans were often well educated in many subjects and talented performing artists, like yours truly. The word courtesan originally meant a female courtier, one in attendance to a king or other powerful noble. Often, they were entrusted with secrets and employed as political operatives.
Ancient Greece has a reputation for prizing homosexual relationships, but this wasn't without restrictions. For two grown men to have relations was generally frowned upon, instead Greek men sought the companionship of adolescent boys. Both art and literature of the time show that the erômenos (beloved) was a teen ranging from 13 to 20, or in some cases up to 30. Most evidence indicates that to be an eligible, a youth would be of an age when an aristocrat began his formal military training.
There was widespread male prostitution, as certain acts, such as oral or anal sex, were looked upon as unseemly for upper-class Greeks to ask of an erômenos of their own class. In many ancient cultures, it was considered taboo for a man or youth of status to be "passive" in intercourse. The sanctioned act was to employ the thighs, not penetration, and the boy wasn't supposed to ever feel arousal. It is likely however, that this recommendation wasn't strictly adhered to. The life of a common prostitute in ancient Greece was stigmatized, and it became illegal for a free youth to sell sex. Indeed, men who later in life were exposed as former prostitutes could be stripped of rank. Can any of these be called a courtesan? Not by my definition, but some male entertainers who provided companionship could be properly referred to as courtesans.
This system of institutionalized pederasty is certainly repugnant by today's standards. Many of these youths weren't consenting and accounts often reveal that the objects of affection resented being used by their older lovers.
Alexander the Great flouted expectations of what male relationships were supposed to be. His boyhood friend, Haphaestion, remained his lover into adulthood. Alexander was gifted a young Persian named Bagoas. Bagoas had been made a eunuch in his childhood and became a favorite of Darius III, emperor of Persia. When Darius was murdered by his generals during Alexander's invasion of Persia in 330 BCE, one of the conspirators, Nabarzanes, gave Bagoas to Alexander as a gift. Apparently Bagoas was quite persuasive with Alexander. The historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, who wrote a biography of Alexander in the 1st or 2nd Century CE, says that it was Bagoas' pleas that saved Nabarzanes from being killed by Alexander for regicide. Curtius referred to the boy as "Bagoas, an eunuch exceptional in beauty and in the very flower of boyhood, with whom Darius was intimate and with whom Alexander would later be intimate." Bagoas is the hero of Mary Renault's historical novel, The Persian Boy and a character in her Funeral Games.
Alexander Battling Darius III
Throughout history, we see examples of courtesans attached to temple service. Babylonian women before marriage were required to go to the temple of Ishtar and sell themselves to a man for sexual intercourse, but these women weren't courtesans. There are other examples of such practices in temples of Aphrodite and Astarte, but these indicate more of a rite involving one-time sex rather than an ongoing relationship that characterizes the art of a courtesan.
The devidasi of India were pre-pubescent and young adolescent girls from villages forced into a ritual marriage to a deity or a temple. They were trained in music, dancer and spiritual rituals. They worked in the temple as spiritual guides, dancers. Originally, the devidasi were celibate, but they later were expected to sexually service male devotees. In the past, some celebrated devidasi attracted the attentions of powerful men and became their companions. A few of them even exercised political influence. However, there are still young women forced to become devidasi, despite the Indian government's work to end the practice.
It seems, my dear, that this subject is a much more involved than I anticipated, and so I've decided to dedicate a portion of my upcoming Saturday posts to discussing different types of courtesans.
Until next time!
Your passionate and loving boy,
Cedric
*All images are in the public domain, excepting Cedric's portrait by Arlie Adams, owned by the author, and the bookcover by Linda Houle of L&L Dremaspell which is allowed to author for publication purposes.
Cedric portrait by Arlie AdamsDuring the Renaissance the Italian word "cortigiana", came to refer to "the ruler's mistress" and later evolved to mean a well-educated, trained artist of dance and singing who provided companionship to wealthy, powerful, or upper-class men. The English word courtesan was derived from the French "courtisane" during the 16th century.
Veronica Franco, Venetian poet and courtesanHowever, the art of the courtesan is much older and not restricted to women. Many ancient cultures had some version of a courtesan. In ancient Greece, the Hetaera was a woman of education and some freedom. When a woman married in ancient Greece, she was expected to breed and raise children, living a cloistered life. In contrast, a Hetaera could live a public life, own property and even take part in political discourse. One of the most famous of these women was named Aspasia, the companion of Pericles. There is some evidence pointing to a small number of women servicing other women with lesbian companionship,So, just what is a courtesan? Many people will say a prostitute. True, sex is a large part of the trade, but throughout history, courtesans were often well educated in many subjects and talented performing artists, like yours truly. The word courtesan originally meant a female courtier, one in attendance to a king or other powerful noble. Often, they were entrusted with secrets and employed as political operatives.
Ancient Greece has a reputation for prizing homosexual relationships, but this wasn't without restrictions. For two grown men to have relations was generally frowned upon, instead Greek men sought the companionship of adolescent boys. Both art and literature of the time show that the erômenos (beloved) was a teen ranging from 13 to 20, or in some cases up to 30. Most evidence indicates that to be an eligible, a youth would be of an age when an aristocrat began his formal military training.
There was widespread male prostitution, as certain acts, such as oral or anal sex, were looked upon as unseemly for upper-class Greeks to ask of an erômenos of their own class. In many ancient cultures, it was considered taboo for a man or youth of status to be "passive" in intercourse. The sanctioned act was to employ the thighs, not penetration, and the boy wasn't supposed to ever feel arousal. It is likely however, that this recommendation wasn't strictly adhered to. The life of a common prostitute in ancient Greece was stigmatized, and it became illegal for a free youth to sell sex. Indeed, men who later in life were exposed as former prostitutes could be stripped of rank. Can any of these be called a courtesan? Not by my definition, but some male entertainers who provided companionship could be properly referred to as courtesans.
This system of institutionalized pederasty is certainly repugnant by today's standards. Many of these youths weren't consenting and accounts often reveal that the objects of affection resented being used by their older lovers.
Alexander the Great flouted expectations of what male relationships were supposed to be. His boyhood friend, Haphaestion, remained his lover into adulthood. Alexander was gifted a young Persian named Bagoas. Bagoas had been made a eunuch in his childhood and became a favorite of Darius III, emperor of Persia. When Darius was murdered by his generals during Alexander's invasion of Persia in 330 BCE, one of the conspirators, Nabarzanes, gave Bagoas to Alexander as a gift. Apparently Bagoas was quite persuasive with Alexander. The historian Quintus Curtius Rufus, who wrote a biography of Alexander in the 1st or 2nd Century CE, says that it was Bagoas' pleas that saved Nabarzanes from being killed by Alexander for regicide. Curtius referred to the boy as "Bagoas, an eunuch exceptional in beauty and in the very flower of boyhood, with whom Darius was intimate and with whom Alexander would later be intimate." Bagoas is the hero of Mary Renault's historical novel, The Persian Boy and a character in her Funeral Games.
Alexander Battling Darius IIIThroughout history, we see examples of courtesans attached to temple service. Babylonian women before marriage were required to go to the temple of Ishtar and sell themselves to a man for sexual intercourse, but these women weren't courtesans. There are other examples of such practices in temples of Aphrodite and Astarte, but these indicate more of a rite involving one-time sex rather than an ongoing relationship that characterizes the art of a courtesan.
The devidasi of India were pre-pubescent and young adolescent girls from villages forced into a ritual marriage to a deity or a temple. They were trained in music, dancer and spiritual rituals. They worked in the temple as spiritual guides, dancers. Originally, the devidasi were celibate, but they later were expected to sexually service male devotees. In the past, some celebrated devidasi attracted the attentions of powerful men and became their companions. A few of them even exercised political influence. However, there are still young women forced to become devidasi, despite the Indian government's work to end the practice.
It seems, my dear, that this subject is a much more involved than I anticipated, and so I've decided to dedicate a portion of my upcoming Saturday posts to discussing different types of courtesans.
Until next time!
Your passionate and loving boy,
Cedric
*All images are in the public domain, excepting Cedric's portrait by Arlie Adams, owned by the author, and the bookcover by Linda Houle of L&L Dremaspell which is allowed to author for publication purposes.
Immortyl Revolution
Author of Cara Mia, Book One of the Immortyl Revolution the first of a new vampire series.
- Denise Verrico's profile
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