Patrick Whitehurst's Blog, page 34

Review: 'Enslaving Eli' by Billierose (erotic novel)

'Enslaving Eli' by BillierosieBillierosie has done it again.
The accomplished UK author's latest erotic tale, full of explicit sexual tension, is just the thing for those who seek to explore the world of BDSM – an acronym meaning bondage and discipline, sadism and masochism, dominance and submission, in a mixed-bag kind of way.
In “Enslaving Eli,” that raunchy world of depravity is explored in loving detail.
Unlike so many BDSM novels, Enslaving Eli takes the point of view of a male submissive, Eli, after he falls for the wrong (or right?) girl. Jasmine shares her wild secret life with the eager young man, introducing him to The Coterie, an ancient, secret organization dedicated to full male domination. Can Eli escape their clutches? Or will his addiction to relinquish control overwhelm all else?
If you love BDSM, this is one for you.
Billierosie's short works have appeared in numerous anthologies, including " The Love That Never Dies:Erotic Encounters with the Undead," the Sherlockian erotica book "My Love of all That is Bizarre: The Erotic Adventures of SherlockHolmes" and many others. Her first collection of wonderfully smutty BDSM stories, Fetish Worship, raised the bar for quality erotic fiction.
This year she's hit her stride, releasing not only the captivating Enslaving Eli, but one other novella as well.
In June, Billierosie regaled readers with the meaty tale Memoirs of a Sex Slave: Confessions of a Submissive Woman , which tells the story of Elektra, recently consigned to live her final days at the Ravens' House for the elderly, and her strange life with Mark, her larger-than-life dominant. Elektra's love and sordid public encounters convey the woman's absolute affection for the older man in a manner only the most talented of authors can achieve – and Billierosie definitely knows her stuff.
See more from Sizzler Editions here.

'Revenge of the Gypsy Queen' a feisty, fun mystery

'Revenge of the Gypsy Queen' by Kris Neri.Since we both currently live in the red rocks of Sedona, Arizona, the name Kris Neri is one I'd heard often among literary circles, which put her on my radar.
I'd been planning to read one of her books for months before finally visiting the Well Read Coyote in West Sedona, where her books can be found on prominent display. Besides working as one of Sedona's most well known authors, Neri is co-owner of the popular bookstore and a noted writing instructor for UCLA in Los Angeles. With those credentials, I looked forward to reading “Revenge of the Gypsy Queen,” the first in three books featuring fictional author/sleuth Tracy Eaton.
“Gypsy” follows the mystery writer, and amateur detective, who also happens to be the daughter of two Hollywood legends, as she visits New York for her sister-in-law, Marisa's, wedding. Intrigue soon follows, however, when the bride vanishes into thin air. Eaton dives into the New York-based mystery with all the relish of a die hard crime solver and soon finds herself in the middle of a family mystery bigger than she could have imagined.
At times I wondered why Eaton would bother with so much snooping around and found myself doubting her motivation, despite the urgency of the kidnapping, particularly when it came to her own doubts about her husband Drew, but overall, the book felt alive in my hands. It had a pulse all its own and a flavor I'll remember for some time to come. I particularly looked forward to scenes featuring Marisa's boyfriend, Tony, and his humorously stereotyped Italian accent. Fans of the television show “Castle” may find a female version to enjoy within this series. Like the popular drama, Neri has an knack for snappy banter.
While normally a fan of more hard-boiled stories when it comes to my mystery tastes, Elizabeth George and Ellery Queen have also spent time on my nightstand. Neri's writing follows among those lines more than it does Chandler, Spillane or Ellroy. And even fans of tough guy fiction, at times, like something a little lighter in their brains. Neri's Eaton novel brings humor as easily as it brings memorable characters, which can be a daunting combination for some authors. You don't find much to giggle over when it comes to Mike Hammer.
Neri's other books include two additional mysteries featuring crime-solver Tracy Eaton; “Dem Bones' Revenge” and “Revenge for Old Times' Sake.” Revenge of the Gypsy Queen has been nominated for three awards, including the Agatha Award, the Anthony Award and the Macavity Award. Revenge for Old Times' Sake was nominated for a Lefty Award for Best Humorous Mystery Novel. Her other books include "Magical Alienation" and "High Crimes on the Magical Plane," two that ring close to home with Sedona undertones. Neri's also the author of the book “Never Say Die” and the digital book “Devil's Gambit - Devil's Due.”
Visit Kris Neri's website here.

PageTurner Editions

Screen shot of the PageTurner Editions website.

I thought I would offer a quick nod to PageTurner Editions this morning for their efforts in bringing quality suspense and other genres to the realm of digital reading. PageTurner offers up some of the best of the best with both established authors and newcomers to the field. Which is why I was thrilled when they accepted my manuscript for “Monterey Noir: The Barker Mysteries,” as I was already familiar with all the great titles offered there.
Featuring sci-fi, fantasy, horror, romance, westerns, how-to, mysteries and more, PageTurner's website is one I visit often just to check out the covers of the various titles offered. As a fan of design, the range of talent seen on the covers is astounding and just the thing for writers like me who use images to get their creative juices bubbling.
Started way back in 1999 as an imprint of Renaissance eBooks, PageTurner has been going strong for nearly 14 years, thanks to the efforts of a wonderful staff, such as Associate Publisher M. Christian and Publisher Jean Marie Stine. While not one of the big guns like Penguin, Random House and others, their longevity is a great indication of their quality and subsequent fan support. If you haven't checked them out already, I encourage you to do so!
Monterey Noir will be published in the coming months. Stay tune for a sneak peek of the cover, coming soon as well!

Adopting Lucy

Lucy after her first grooming on Sept. 29.
I first saw Lucy while scrolling through the pictures of dogs on the website for The Humane Society of Sedona.

Her raven-maned face jumped out at me, as did her curious eyes, furry head and white-furred chest. That day, Natalia suggested we go meet her at the shelter in person. There were a ton of dogs there, large ones like I am used to, and little ones. Separated in pens, exits are found in each - where they can all bark with one another in the more open end of the pens.

And bark they did. The place was a symphony of low, guttural barks and squeeling, high-pitched yips, some happy and energetic, others of a more warning, defensive nature. My head rang with their chorus after only two minutes with them.

A courtyard sits in the middle of the area, where the dogs are allowed to play. Sun shines overhead most of the time thanks to the balmy Sedona weather. I first saw “Cinda” scampering with two other small dogs that share her pen, including her sister Claire. They barked. She didn't. Nor did she bully her way around the others to seek my fingers through the cage, though she licked them when my hand came along. Despite the matted black fur hanging over her eyes like a curtain, she could see quite well. That's when I knew I wanted to meet her. I later learned she was part of a group of little dogs whose senior owner recently died.

We arranged a private room that representatives of the shelter were happy to oblige, followed by a second meeting with Natalia's thirteen-year-old Jack Russel, Miso. Both went so well I found myself thinking of nothing else the rest of the night. The next day I put in my application for Cinda. We'd already discussed how we would play on her name. Cinda could be Lucinda, which could be Lucy, and before we knew it we were calling her that - and we hadn't even submitted the application. I originally felt she would make a good Margaret, for Margaret Mitchell, as I geekily like to name my pets after authors. But she is Lucy.

After having Kerouac for thirteen years and watching him die last January, I didn't feel ready for another pet. But I don't think you are ever ready for it. It simply happens. Planets align, thoughts form in your head, a simple suggestion strikes a chord, or you look into the eyes of a living creature and realize you both need each other.

It's just that easy.

Click here for more information on the Humane Society of Sedona!

Stressers are beautiful people

Stress much?Let's count all the reasons to be stressed!
Actually that isn't a good idea. We all have our lists of things that twist the neck muscles and grind into our lower backs, that make our brains feel like pudding and make us all want to kick something. I even stressed about writing this blog for Christ's sake.
So instead I thought I would look into ways to shed the stress bricks on top of the head and shoulders. What's out there for people after the shit hits the fan? 
There's always a strong bottle of cheap whiskey and a Snuggie. Staring blankly into a wall, drooling a little and batting at invisible debt collectors who swirl in and out of your peripheral vision can make for one hell of an evening. 
Others turn to Yoga, drink lots of water, look to the bright side and ask their elderly parents for cash assistance.
These methods don't work for everyone.
There are a couple good techniques I've discovered. Art is good therapy. Doodle, paint, or scratch out violent images with a pencil. Just let it all pour from your mind through whatever tool is at hand. And don't even think about talent, what others may think, or if your dad would approve. Being an introvert, it works for me. At least it does after the shock and whiskey have worn off and the stress remains. While on the whiskey, I recommend journaling about those stresses. It makes for awesome reading the morning after.
Take a bath and soak your head under the water. Just lay there. Let your body enjoy the way it feels and forget about thinking. Whenever you start to drift into stressing about stuff, remind yourself not to. Stare at the ceiling. It's supposed to help. In fact, even when you're not in a bath, staring at the ceiling is a good way to relieve stress. Take deep breaths. That helps too. 
Music, reading and doing things that make you feel good work for me as well. Of course, don't do anything that costs money if that is part of the stress. So many people recommend spending money for stress relief: go to a restaurant, go shopping, golf, etc., but that does jack when your bank account is the elephant in the room. Getting your hands on a good book is free, most of us have CDs or digital tracks of our favorite music, but do the free stuff and see if it works.
Not recommended is the whole social networking thing, as it seems more like an addiction than anything else for so many people. It may be free, but don't seek assistance there. It's a stress circus.
No one needs to know you stared at the wall wrapped in your Snuggie. When you do that, when you find your stress relievers and tap them, no one else will exist anyway.

Fifty Shades of Grey review: 'He said, She said'

'Fifty Shades of Grey.' One of the most popular books ever?Written by Patrick Whitehurst and Rita Reger
“Fifty Shades of Grey” is on everyone's lips lately. E.L. James' trilogy of novels has hit nearly every best-seller list out there. Reviews on her writing have run the gamut from trembling admiration to downright nastiness. Her success is something every author should admire, whether they enjoyed the book or not, and like J.K. Rowling's post-Harry Potter efforts, it will be interesting to see what she comes up with next. The following review takes a “he said, she said” approach to “Fifty Shades of Grey.” We thought this approach might illustrate differences between a male perspective and a female one when it comes to this particular erotic novel. And it may surprise you!
As a guy, what worked and what didn't
The idea of having a submissive woman do everything you want is pretty cool. But it can get old. About 300 pages too old in my thinking. Fifty Shades would have worked far better at 200 pages in length. But the idea of total obedience works, strictly from a guy perspective, at least in the realm of fantasy. Some guys will daydream about being rich and popular after reading this book as well, though I doubt anyone will hold lead character Christian Grey up as a role model.
Other parts didn't work for me at all. Anastasia Steele's constant bickering with her “inner goddess” nearly killed the book for me. It began to feel less like a narration device and more like a case of multiple personality disorder the further I read. When other voices began to sit up and bang around in her head as well, her subconscious and other pseudo-characters, I began to wonder about this young girl. When her jealousy reared up, whether she glared at Grey's cook or bitched about past women in his life, Mrs. Robinson in particular, she became downright unlikeable in my opinion. For a guy, Anastasia Steele became nothing more than a petulant, bitchy drama queen with MPD; pretty much someone even stupid guys would avoid like the plague. 
As a girl, what worked and what didn't
Though I tried to like it, very little about this book worked for me. The part that worked best was the way in which the action of the sex scenes were written. Detailed, experiential description, allowing the reader to place themselves into the scene, for a little while at least. Not bad writing, though content became predictable in future scenes. Until they started talking. The dialog in those scenes, along with the running inner-thought commentary, did nothing to contribute to the mood and was distracting. It often actually “killed the mood,” what little there was of it, that the description had begun build. So much for reading this book solely for the purpose of a steamy turn-on. Though if you're in the market to learn the proper way to write a BDSM legal contract, you may find this helpful. If not that, then maybe it's a good story line with interesting characters? Hopes dashed again. Right from the beginning, the author failed to establish a consistent, cohesive character in either of the leads. As a result, the reader is left with little or no emotional investment in either character, as neither was really likable enough to root for. They just weren't real, or believable enough to generate more than a mild, passing interest in their growth or care what comes next.
Often, the actions seemed so outside the range of consistency with how a particular character would react, based on how they had been presented, that it just wasn't reconcilable. So the story continued to fall apart as the facts just didn't fit together. I found myself not trusting the characters, was never able to get lost in the story and always painfully aware that I was reading a book.
As a guy, final thoughts
'Fifty Shades'  has inspired clothing, satire novels and art.Speaking of inner goddesses, the book is obviously designed for female readers. Like Stephanie Meyers' 'Twilight,' perhaps I just don't get it because I am not a woman and not a member of the target audience. My inner goddess has a sign out that says “be back when you need me” and it's covered in cobwebs. Like women, however, men enjoy a good raunchy tale as much as anyone. Lauren Wissot's “Under My Master's Wings” remains a favorite of mine and far richer in both detail and hotness than Fifty. It offers a sense of fulfillment in far fewer pages, while Fifty Shades of Grey meanders on with no noticeable change, no plot-driven personal growth, evident in either character. In some books main characters are expected to remain stagnant with little growth. Fleming's James Bond for instance, but in a book like this, you pray for it.
As a girl, final thoughts
Overall, the book left the reader with a sense of bewilderment, confusion and annoyance. Certainly not the stimulation that it sets out for. I found myself wondering, as smart as Anastasia was supposed to be, how dumb was she to continue to dribble and drool over this self-absorbed, immature and emotionally stunted oaf who had never really been successfully painted as "intriguing" or "dangerous." In my mind, he came across as just beautiful, rich and annoying. He probably smelled good, I'll grant the girl that much, but, still - not enough to warrant that kind of simpering, tripping over herself, compelled "moth to a flame" complex he seemed to generate in her. Sure, there are lots of dumb, beautiful men out there, but does that warrant regressing to 13-year-old teen heartthrob idolatry? She was painted as smart, savvy, capable and sassy, yet responded as naive, inexperienced and insecure. Christian also had the mood swings of a psychopath and was even less dimensional than Anastasia. It felt like random facts about him were simply thrown together from different jigsaw puzzle boxes (he's had a screwed-up history, he plays piano, he's rich, he's mean, he makes mysterious phone calls to Darfur, he pilots a plane, he likes to spank people, etc.) with no attempt to actually integrate them into a cohesive picture that really tells you who this man is. And maybe that's the point - he's not a man, but a screwed-up, selfish little pouty boy with too much money. There was no explanation, no great reveal, not even an enjoyable journey along the way.
At the end of five hundred-plus pages of confusion and annoyance, you still have no idea what the book was supposed to be about, what its theme was or what target audience it is supposed to appeal to ... or why? Keep the Fifty Shades drawn. If he's supposed to be the fantasy man, I'll take a rain check, and a real man, instead. 

Dog. Clues. Noir.

New promotional drawing for 'Monterey Noir: The Barker Mysteries,' coming soon from PageTurner Editions. Drawn with pen and colored pencils, sketch features Barker and two of his dogs.

Modern Pulp and Adulthood

Second issue with a cover by
Roxanne Patruznick.Sometimes I feel less than adult.
Too many comic books? Too many action figures as a youngster? Too many video-game characters to emulate? Is it my desire for Klingon coffee or is it my desire to see a Sliders Motion Picture that fill my thoughts? 
I should probably be more concerned about politics and retirement-planning at my age, but to be honest I know more about Robocop than I do 401Ks. But I'm getting there. I'm getting older. And someday I'll own my own ED-209.
Heady books help shape my adult life. They're the sort of things I know adults should read; Newbery Award winners, Pulitzer winners, folks who write about terrible things that really occur on the planet, hoping as most authors do their mechanically deft words will herald change - the good stuff that will make people think I'm smart. Like my allergy medicine and muscle relaxers, I enjoy them with more and more regularity.
But I often seek escapism in my literature as a way to combat the fatigue of award-winning literature. By these I mean the old pulps and adventure novels that once decorated the densely populated book realm. Besides classics such as The Shadow and The Spider, I read Ian Fleming and Stephen King, Nick Carter Killmaster novels and Edgar Rice Burroughs as often as I flipped through Ghost Rider's latest exploits and lost myself in the latest issue of Moon Knight and the Master of Kung-Fu, which of course turned me on to Sax Rohmer's weirdly compelling pulps. 
Later I copied my friends and steered some time into Steinbeck, Rushdie, Vonnegut and Anne Rice. Back then, modern pulps still existed on swirling racks at the local grocery store. There you could find the Executioner novels, Killmaster and even characters like Dirty Harry spun into their own pulpy adventure novels. And I always snuck them in, in between bouts of James Joyce and Anais Nin.
Eventually those modern pulps burned out. They can still be found here and there, but not in their former volume. More often you find them at thrift stores or balancing the short leg of a bar stool.
The landscape altered. Novels chose intellect over story, awards over characters. Gaining critical acclaim became more important than entertainment value. Clever authors can combine them all, of course, but those were hard to come by. Getting an MFA in writing or literature trumped seclusion and alcohol when it came to a writer's resume, and still does for the most part.
But once again the landscape altered. Digital books, Kindles and Nooks, self-publishing and print on demand became the new hot topic in the literary world. With them comes authors born of seclusion and alcohol and, more importantly, a return to digital pulp. Publishers, such as PageTurner Editions, offer a variety of great novels by Jack Bludis, Michael Kurland and many others. Here readers can find a return to gritty, stylized action reminiscent of Spillane and Chandler, with a dash of Bolan's Executioner and Murphy's Destroyer thrown in for good measure. Here stories prevail over awards, though these works deserve more than their fair share. The world of e-books has created a nation of new ideas and the means to expose them to the world. Other authors who share a love of modern pulp can find one another so much easier thanks to sites like Amazon.com and Goodreads. 
One sterling example are the folks cranking out Blood and Tacos, an awesome throwback to pulpy “Man of Action” grit in a wholly original way. Here, various modern writers create heroes in the era of late pulp, namely the 60s through the 80s, but also dream up irreverent, disco-hip authors to go with them, some with tough guy mustaches and all. It's a wonderful idea and a flashy, souped-up reading experience with nary a tablet or wifi connection to be found. 
While I may not be the grown-up society expects, at least I'm not alone. I'm in no hurry to grow a mustache and wear a blazer anyway.

'Monterey Noir' images

New images for "Monterey Noir: The Barker Mysteries," available soon from PageTurner Editions.

New banner for the Barker Mysteries, available soon from ...

New banner for the Barker Mysteries, available soon from PageTurner Editions.