Alessia Brio's fine flickering hungers

New Cover, Old Book

2012-01-02T10:30:00.000-05:00

In an effort to spur sales on a title that is (in my humble opinion) grossly under appreciated, I sexied up its cover:

Uploading it to all the ebook sites now. :)

Kindle Free for You from Me

2011-12-24T00:00:00.000-05:00

Ho Ho Ho! Happy Holidays!

I've often been asked what books I've most enjoyed writing or that hold a special place in my heart. Well, here they are. Free on Amazon for the holiday weekend. Both are short (under 10K words) but have plenty of nuance, emotion, romance, and hot sex. I hope you enjoy them.

peace & passion & properity,

~ Alessia

Whole Lotta #FREE #erotica #ebooks

2011-11-25T12:00:00.000-05:00

Not just for Black Friday, either! Did you give (or receive) an ebook reader this year? Load it up with free sexy stories. It's the gift that keeps on giving *wink wink nudge nudge*

I have lowered the prices on every ebook of fewer than 5,000 words to FREE at All Romance eBooks, OmniLit, Smashwords (along with its distribution channels: B&N, Kobo, Sony, Diesel, Apple, etc.), and Goodreads. Amazon, of course, doesn't allow publishers to set prices to free, although I have submitted a plea to have the titles offered at no cost.

The following titles are now FREErotica:

Round 2 - JUST ONE BITE

2011-10-07T07:00:00.000-04:00

You have to register (free) in order to read (also free) all 32 16 "Just One Bite" contest finalists, but it's well worth the effort. My story, Blood on Love, has made it to the 2nd round against some tough competition!

Blood on Love

2011-09-22T12:10:00.000-04:00

You have to register (free) in order to read (also free) all 32 "Just One Bite" contest finalists, but it's well worth the effort. My story, Blood on Love, has some tough competition!

Just One Bite

2011-09-10T16:00:00.000-04:00

News from the ARe Cafe: The 32 finalists have been chosen (and I'm one of 'em)! Look for these stories on All Romance on September 22. Voting for Round 1 begins on October 1. Good luck to all the finalists! Read a bit more about my story, Blood on Love, below.

Gathered Here This Night – Ada Maria Sot
The Run – Rachel Maria Gallagher
NC-17 – Debra Anastasia
Human – Sarah Gilman
A Fair Exchange – Ana Hart
At His Knee – Raven Corinn Carluk
Blood on Love – Alessia Brio
Night Carnival – Kathryn Meyer Griffith
To Love Again – Allie Ritch
Reflection of Love – Juliet Cardin
How Much is that Vampire in the Window – Ann Hinnenkamp
Inhuman Resources – Melisse Aires
Two Birds, One Stone – Barbara Elsborg
You Will Not Kill Me – Elaine Lowe
Ritual Ink – Joely Sue Burkhart
Red in Tooth and Claw – Kim Knox
Going Wild – Jocelyn Michel
The Vampire Next Door – Lauren Hawkeye
Ownership – Ashlynn Monroe
By the Fireside – Shermaine Williams
His For the Taking – Angelita Gill
This Cowboy Bites – Randi Alexander
Every Last Bite – Christine DePetrillo
Original Sin – Rosalie Stanton
Taste of a Werewolf – Megan Derr
The Visitor – Rukaya Hamdi
Bound for Death – Anitra Lynn McLeod
Bite the Dust – Sarah Madison
Friends, Not Food – Julia Talbot
Of Men and Mice – Mara Ismine
I Promise – Cardeno C.
Sitting a Feisty Stallion – ID Locke

~ ~ ~

Blood on Love

BLURB:

Jadzia is a misfit among outcasts. At an age when happiness is typically contingent upon fitting in, she wears a shield of indifference. Inside, loneliness consumes her. It isn’t until she encounters L’Aran that she discovers a world in which she not only belongs, but is powerful beyond her wildest fantasies.

SYNOPSIS:

Teen cutter, Jadzia, is without any color in her life. Nothing inspires. Her mother’s funeral brings her into contact with the mysterious L’Aran, who awakens feelings she wasn’t even aware were repressed. Together they begin to unravel the mystery of their very being, the heights of their power, and the depths to which others will go to pervert it.

The Mad Scientists of Smut

2011-08-09T10:00:00.000-04:00

Because Shanna asked so nicely, here I am... in daylight, with decent color & direct gaze, looking remarkably non-furtive. I don't believe I look like a compulsive masturbator, but looks can certainly be deceiving. However, I am the cheese on this Darth sammich. (Hold the mayo.)

With the 501st at the 2008 Philly Book Festival

Thinking about L.A. Banks

2011-06-11T17:43:00.000-04:00

RT Orlando 2009

I learned today, via Facebook, that Ms. Leslie (L.A.) Banks is not well. This makes my heart heavy. I had the pleasure of meeting Ms. Banks at Romantic Times in Orlando in 2009 after she'd written the introduction (see below) to Coming Together: At Last (our bestselling anthology to date), and I found her to be incredibly warm & genuinely caring.

When next our paths crossed, it was at RT in Columbus the following year. We talked about her incredible experience of meeting President Obama & introducing him at a rally (video embedded below). Ironic that the subject of that introduction was health care.

There is a fund accepting donations for Leslie's growing medical expenses. (Click here for more information on how to donate.) Please contribute if you have the means. <3

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

March 8, 2010

From Coming Together: At Last, Introduction by L.A. Banks:

What is the color of the most powerful force in the universe, love? When we look at hope and freedom and change and passion, do these words conjure a race or ethnicity, or are they values and ideals that cross the boundaries of form?

These are the questions I ask myself as I watch the world news. Surely a mother down on her knees wailing at the sight of a collapsed school building in earthquake-ravaged China is no different than the aggrieved father searching desperately for his children in cyclone-stricken Myanmar, who cannot in my mind be distinguished from the traumatized grandmother clutching pictures of her grandchildren to her breast as rescue workers look for survivors in the tornado-ripped heartland of America, any more than those people's cries are different than those of a mother in Darfur lifting her child up to a UN truck begging for mercy… or Baghdad's suicide bomber-embattled children wondering where their parents are after an explosion.

Then is there any difference between the people mentioned above and their losses than that of the inner city mom standing over her shot teenager calling on the Lord for mercy, than there would be for the suburban mother who has just learned that her teen has tragically wrapped their car around a tree on prom night and didn't make it? Images, images… oh, we have all seen them, paused, and held our palms against our hearts when we have. Maybe we've said a silent prayer for those people caught in the grip of tragedy because we can identify with their pain. For that glimmer in time, we don't see differences; we see the feelings and emotions of our fellow man and woman.

If we are really thinking, feeling members of humanity, we are called upon to reach down into our souls to ask fundamental questions. Can one deny that the waters of Katrina or those of the dreadful tsunami refused to delineate between religion, ethnic heritage, age, or gender? Did helpers who scrambled to assist survivors weep less for an orphaned child because of that child's hue? That's not what we saw during and after the 9-11 disaster. We saw people of all races and origins rushing in to help, some even giving their lives for strangers. We saw love sublime, strangers helping strangers, just because it was the right thing to do.

Therefore, it seems that the only logical conclusion one can come to is that love, hope, passion, pain, suffering… all these things are a condition of being human, and are not conditional upon what type of human one happens to be according to labels. A baby crying pulls at one's core, no matter what ethnic group that child was born into by the accident of birth… laughing children have that same effect. Tears shed for a profound loss also move us and break down walls. But if tragedies are so compelling, then let's step back for a moment and peel away the layers to consider one additional level of awareness. If we can understand the cries that follow a bridge collapse in Minnesota, and/or any number of horrific events that have happened, why can't we understand the colorblind nature of love?

It is one of the greatest conundrums in the world, in my opinion—because if people are laid prostrate from a loss of a loved one, doesn't that mean that they had to love whomever the tragedy befell? Doesn't that mean they loved their child just as you would love your child… that they loved their parent or spouse or friend or partner just as you would have loved yours? If we accept that as truth, then how can we regulate love to an artificial parameter like race, when we've just gone around the globe in this small exercise of recalling current events to show that all people have been touched by loss (which means they have also all been touched by love)?

For how can you have loved deeply and not weep when you have lost? It wouldn't matter, then. You'd remain dry-eyed and stoic. But that's just it. We've seen communities and families devastated and the pain of that spread out in roiling waves that effect us, even a half a world away while watching the news. Thus we can only conclude that where the tragedy hit, people were connected to others that loved them, and once the victims were no longer in the world, that bitter reality created indelible suffering for someone who cared that they were alive.

With that as a premise, rather than wait for a disaster or an act of God to create a glaring media frenzy to show just how human we are, why not embrace love for all people when the skies are clear and calm, when the waters have receded, when the shelling has stopped, and while there is laughter in our midst? Love is joy. Love is freedom. Love is hope. It is something that we all deserve and is provided for in abundance in the universe and on our planet, like air, as an ultimate act of God.

I personally believe in love and light… and the indomitable human spirit. I believe in hope and grace and caring, and in heroes and sheroes, maybe that's why I write about them... just as I believe in a Higher Power that levels the playing field, eventually… and I believe in angels. Most of all, perhaps, I believe in the ability of people to change for the better, to open their hearts and to receive the greatest power in the universe (and to use it for good)… and that is the power of love.

Peace and Stay in the Light!

~ L.A. Banks

The Merry Masturbatory Month of May

2011-05-12T08:13:00.000-04:00

Erotique, a fast-paced, sex-soaked short story, is free to read on Goodreads throughout National Masturbation Month! Write a Goodreads review & be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card (to be announced on June 1, 2011).

BLURB:

BOOK #1 of ARTIFACTUAL

Mandy stands to inherit the family legacy--a famous Philadelphia adult toy store and museum called Erotique--but she first has to meet the terms of the will and spend the night. With the help of her best friend, Bruce, she soon discovers the exhibits are VERY educational and her feelings for Bruce run deeper than she realized.

Hate Male

2010-11-04T06:30:00.011-04:00

This gem appeared in my inbox this morning, and I just couldn't keep it to myself. Apparently this individual is unable to distinguish between narrative nonfiction and 1st person POV fiction. He is also quite defensive, isn't he? Enjoy...

* * *

Dear 'Whomever has the guts to read my comment in its entirety' (I'm not holding my breath):

In the posted excerpt from DOUBLE DECKER PP-034, PURPLE PROSAIC, JANUARY 2010, I was ASTOUNDED to read the following:

"Now, I’m not one of those dykes who won’t touch a woman who’s touched a dick, but there’s quite enough drama in lesbian circles without bringing Buffy and her angry ex-boyfriend—the one with the Chevy Silverado sporting a Confederate flag and a loaded gun rack—into the mix. The last time I dabbled in that kind of pussy, I wound up having to send a linebacker to the E.R. with a busted tibia. Those steel-toed boots do come in handy on occasion."

Drama? HOLY SHIT, ARE YOU KIDDING ME??? Please forgive me for HURLING in disgust, but I find that the author's claim of hospitalizing an ex-high school football star/local-yokel-hick by breaking his leg with a single, powerhouse kick of her steel-toed boot to be A HUGE, STEAMING PILE OF SHIT!!!

Why do so many lesbians insist on espousing their IMAGINARY propensity for physical violence against males, to the point where they will LIE LIKE HELL in an attempt to glorify themselves into somebody they are not? It's just so fucking lame! You aren't fooling anyone with that crap, and you certainly aren't endearing yourself to anyone except other mega-angry lesbians with similar bullshit fantasies. All you have accomplished is to tell me that you have have deep-seated emotional problems and need a fucking shrink (what a shocker).

Why can't you just write about seducing and fucking one another without LYING YOUR ASS OFF about how street-tough and animalistic you IMAGINE yourself to be? I don't think you can - because you and your ilk apparently come (cum) as 'package deals' - super-butch and pretentiously bad/tough/cool. Try as you might, you will NEVER be James Dean…or Marlon Brando…or any other street-tough!

Think about it for a minute: In just a few sentences, the author comes across as immensely dumber and even more testosterone-soaked than the idiot redneck she ALLEGEDLY dropped with her Herman's Survivors super-kick to his shin! IT'S SUCH BULLSHIT...AND SHE KNOWS IT!

If you angry dykes insist upon BLAH-BLAHING about how important it is to 'be yourself' (as the author notes a few sentences earlier in the excerpt), then fucking be yourself, instead of pretending to be some fantastic super dyke hero with both the mindful vengeance and ovaries to pull-off such an idiotic, 'Barbie Bad-Ass' wet dream!

Get bent,

Big Al
Reston, VA

Step on a Crack

2010-10-23T01:00:00.001-04:00

From the lofty vantage of my late 40s, I can survey the depth and breadth of my sexual knowledge at each stage of my journey. When I look back at what I was taught by the authority figures in my young life, namely my mother and the Roman Catholic Church, it makes me shudder. To have escaped that indoctrination without a lifetime of crippling sexual hang-ups is, indeed, a miracle.

I'm still learning. Sex is fascinating on many levels. I know now that sex drive, being one of the most powerful forces known to nature, is used by organized religions and others, both individuals and groups, in an attempt to control. Young or old. Male or female or anything in between. Unbridled passions are anathema to those who know what's best for you. (You, after all, cannot be trusted to know what's right for yourself. You are, if you listen to them, weak and unworthy.) As a child, however, I lacked this insight.

Fortunately, I was born a rebel. A strong and worthy rebel. I am ever thankful that nature allowed the deeply recessive gene to surface in me. It certainly was not evident in any branches of the family tree that I could see.

When it comes to sex (no pun intended), I started young. Very young. I recall my first orgasm at 10, although I had no clue what it was called at that time. I just knew it felt good. I also knew my mother wouldn't approve. My childhood memories do not include any of my mother's laughter. None. I remember only her stress; her worry that I would "lay down" with boys, that I would get "a reputation," that I would cause "tongues to wag." My mother didn't approve of anything that involved touching your private parts. My brother & I were required to use a wash cloth for bathing so that we didn't have to touch ourselves. Yes, I'm serious.

That first orgasm was the result of masturbation, although I didn't know that word at the time, either. My bestest childhood friend turned me on to it, so to speak. How she discovered that scooting her pre-pubescent, cotton panty-clad crotch against the spinning fuzzy shoe-polishing machine, I do not know. Maybe someday I'll ask her.

I don't think much more than a day or two passed during my fifth grade year when she & I didn't simultaneously polish our pussies on that delightful dual-sided device. We called our orgasms "trances" and often competed to be the first to reach that state. The times that we "peed" a little bit in the process... well, those trances were even better. Our ignorance was magical.

It wasn't much longer before we abandoned the electrical device and sought our trances with one another. Although I knew I had to hide my activities from my mother, I felt no guilt, no shame. I assumed my mother was the one who was twisted, that I was normal. The concept of sin simply did not register sexually in the way it did with things like theft or murder or lying.

Fast forward a year. Sixth grade. I got my menses -- and breasts! While I had not yet achieved a "trance" with a boy, it wasn't for lack of trying. I can think of at least four boys who dipped their fingers into my honey that fall during high school football games. There were probably more, given that there were at least six home games each season, or maybe one or two of them had an encore. We'd sneak across the street and duck between the cars parked on the elementary school playground. There, on the crushed grass where kids played dodge ball during the day, I allowed George, Keith, and the Scott twins to finger me. None on the same night, mind you. I wasn't that progressive... yet.

My mother gave me a pamphlet about sex that year, shortly after I started my period. It was published by the Roman Catholic Church. Amidst the basic biology, it delivered dire warnings about sins of the flesh. Not only was I not to allow anyone else to touch me, I was not to touch myself. If I felt sinful impulses, I was to pray. Just pray. Well, I knew a faster and more effective way to make the "sinful" impulses subside... for a little while, anyway.

My seventh grade year was dominated by a new-to-me sensation: desire. Not desire for orgasm, with which I was already quite familiar, but desire for a specific person. Keith was the proverbial "bad boy" in the neighborhood. He was bigger than the other boys in my school, having been held back at least one grade. He smoked cigarettes and weed. He shaved. He had chest hair. He was a worldly rebel with a mysterious much older brother who told him stories about all sorts of naughtiness. I think, in hindsight, this older brother was probably in jail somewhere. I never saw him. My father threatened Keith's life on more than one occasion.

By 1976, my mother had taken to going to early Sunday morning mass. My brother & I were given the option of either attending mass Saturday evenings or later on Sunday mornings. He chose the former. I, the latter. Keith's house sat smack dab in the middle of the quarter-mile walk between my house and the church. I rarely made it past that point. I'd slip into his house, often mere seconds after his parents left for church, and into his bed almost every Sunday morning for a year.

I'm not sure how I managed to not get caught, but I am absolutely certain I learned more at Keith's house on Sunday mornings than I ever would have at church. Those lessons included my first orgasm with a boy, my first tactile exploration of a bare penis, and the first time I felt the electrifying sensation of a tongue against my clitoris. I also learned how much information was omitted from or misrepresented in that pamphlet my mother had given me. Nowhere in that publication was there any indication that sex could feel so damned good. How, I wondered, could they possibly miss that?

It didn't occur to me – at the tender age of twelve – that a church could be disingenuous; that it would intentionally seek to mislead its flock. I naively believed that religions were paragons of the virtues they espoused.

A year later, flat on my back under a tree on the dark riverbank with a gorgeous long-haired stranger several years older and several times stronger, I felt my first twinges of sexual fear. He was clearly intending to have intercourse, and I wasn't at all confident he'd take no for an answer. I wasn't overly protective of my virginity, but I didn't want to lose it like that: outside, cold, uncomfortable, and with someone I barely knew. He could've taken what he wanted from me, but he didn't. He was quite gracious, in fact. Almost gallant in his disappointment. Until that experience, I'd never heard the word rape or considered the possibility that sex could be anything but consensual and enjoyable for all involved. My once magical ignorance had become dangerous.

That loss of emotional innocence was far more profound to me than the loss of my physical virginity some six years later with a boy I dearly loved in the warmth and safety of his bed and his arms. I hated the introduction of fear into an area of my life that had, until that point, been nothing but fun & frolic. It really pissed me off, though I lacked the means to capture & express these feelings.

Did this potentially disastrous experience change my sexual behavior? Yes and no. I still had a hearty appetite for pleasure, but I turned my attentions back to their origins. Girls seemed safer. I could defend myself against another girl. The playing field was leveler and our topographies similar. I knew the turf. It surprised me to learn that not all girls wanted to fool around with other girls. What was this madness?

I look back on those critical, sexually formative years, and it's a marvel I emerged unscathed. They were, I think, somewhat less treacherous times. HIV and AIDS were a few years from interfering with our bliss. "Protection" simply referred to birth control.

Throughout my pre-teen and teenage years, there was no adult authority figure with whom I could discuss my experiences. Not one. The Internet was a couple decades from its maturity, and printed reference material was – as far as I knew – limited to dry, clinical publications & grossly misleading church pamphlets. There wasn't anyone to ask about the fluid that dampened my panties, about vibrators or other toys, about swallowing semen, about having sex during my period.

Luckily – and it was most definitely luck – I never got pregnant unintentionally, contracted an STD, or was raped, even though my college years were full of wild behaviors. Trial and error is not how I want my children to learn about sex. Nor do I want their sex ed limited to the dry mechanics of procreation. I don't expect them to bring their questions to me, even though I've tried to make it clear I'm receptive. I'm mom. It's awkward. I know this. That's why I'm glad there are resources like Scarleteen readily available online where they can get frank answers anonymously. They could use your support. Please donate if you have the means. Spreading the word & linking to them helps as well (and costs you nothing but a few minutes of your time).

peace & passion,

~ Alessia Brio

Author Beware

2010-09-06T08:00:00.134-04:00

There's not much that pisses me off more than hypocrisy. When a frank, honest post to a publisher's closed author loop is removed from the message archives because it disagrees with what the publisher wants the authors to believe, I see red.

Y'see, there was a thread of discussion about the payment of royalties. The publisher has traditionally paid monthly (late, per my contract terms, but monthly nonetheless). The publisher has also repeatedly claimed that its contracts stipulate quarterly payments. Recently, the publisher announced that it would be transitioning to quarterly payments. Okay, fine. That's certainly the publisher's prerogative. Renegotiate contracts, as needed, and implement change. No problem, right?

When a question was asked by an author, another author replied that the contracts stipulated payment 60 days after the end of the period. I pulled up my contracts to check and each clearly specifies payment 45 days after the end of the MONTH. Not 60. 45! And not QUARTER. MONTH!

I posted a reply to that effect. It contained no bolding, no "shouting" in all caps (as I've done above). It simply stated what my contracts said along with the fact that I've not been asked to sign any modifications to my contracts.

That post has been unceremoniously deleted from the Yahoo!Groups message archives. The publisher then posted that "Some older contracts stipulated 45 days after quarter ends." Perhaps some do. But some (e.g. mine) of the older contracts (And, "older" equates to 2008, by the way.) say: "Royalty statements are produced monthly within forty-five (45) days after the end of each sale month."

I'm not going to speculate on the reasons for this censorship. I'm not going to make assumptions about the fiscal health of the publisher. I'm simply putting the facts out there for authors to decide for themselves whether they wish to do business with a publisher who operates in this fashion.

I pulled most of my works of fiction from this publisher's catalog in January 2010 due to the persistent discrepancy between what my contracts stipulated and when the publisher reported and disbursed royalties. I was quiet about it. I didn't make a fuss. I did not want to publisher to experience any backlash from my decision. Some folks did inquire privately, and I couched my replies very cautiously. I still have a vested interest in the success of this publisher, after all, because all of the publications for which I did cover art and/or editing pay an ongoing royalty. I want it to succeed. I cannot, however, remain silent in the face of this sort of unethical practice.

Interestingly, my contract for cover art does specify quarterly payments, and I was willing to continue in my role as art director for this publisher. The publisher, however, chose a knee-jerk reaction and ousted me from that position. I was a bit stunned by that seemingly churlish & puerile move, but... well, whatever. At the time, it simply served to reinforce the wisdom of my decision.

This latest behavior will result in the removal of my remaining work from the publisher's catalog. I apologize to the other authors who are impacted. I do not feel I have any alternative but to distance myself to the maximum extent possible.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

A New Interview

2010-07-08T07:00:00.025-04:00

I recently responded to a request rec'd via my website's "contact me" form from a new review site preparing to launch, Deviant Divas. I completed an interview and submitted a book (Ripe) for review. The interview & review were posted on July 4th, which I learned only after a Google Alert notified me. You can read the interview HERE. (Do try to overlook the typos in the interview questions. I suppressed the urge to edit them while completing the interview.) The review (and I use the term lightly) can be read in one sentence, which I'll paste below. I kid you not. One sentence. One sentence in need of editing, at that!

"Alessia Brio's Ripe is a fast pace action short story with an erotic twist."

That's it. The entire review. At least they spelled my name right. Live & learn, eh?

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

T-T-T-T-T-T-TOUCH ME…

2010-06-13T06:00:00.000-04:00

This is a guest blog post I made for Lisabet Sarai's blog, Beyond Romance, in January. Since my goal for the summer is the organization & backup of my digital bounty (books, music, fonts, images, video), I thought it was worth re-posting here. Posterity 'n all, y'know.

Have a great summer, y'all.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

+++

First they ignore you, then they laugh at you, then they fight you, then you win.

~ Mahatma Gandhi

I hesitated with regard to writing yet another blog post about Publishing (with a capital P), publishing, epublishing, and self-publishing. You can’t spit without hitting one in the e-neighborhood these days, some with robust and often vitriolic discussions taking place in the comments. They’re all variations on the same theme: the antiquated business model struggles for survival in the face of changing market. (Yawn.) Adapt or perish. The End.

Yet it is the industry and those changes that currently occupy my attention as I strive to find my niche. (Niche being defined as that which enables me to indulge my creative impulses while simultaneously providing an income to feed my baser needs for food and shelter.) The resistance to change, especially within a system that was once profitable, is understandable. Corporations – like people – cling to what has been successful in the past. It’s safe and comfortable. Change is scary.

And, in the case of books, that level of safety is in the tangible. Tangible is comforting. It can be stroked, fondled, ogled. We can point to hoarded stuff and proclaim, “Behold, my bounty!” Not so easy to do with digital assets.

At one time in our not-so-distant past, the vast majority of business transactions involved an exchange of tangible goods: gold for land, livestock for slaves, cotton for woven cloth. Books.

We, both consumers and suppliers, do not quite know how to treat the intangible product, how to appreciate its value, how to stroke it. It's a relatively new concept in terms of civilization. It requires a level of trust and a shift in focus.

That started my wheels turning about money and the progression from a cash-only consumer base to one that is now predominantly credit/debit-based.

Money lenders have been around for a long time, so banking is nothing new. People were initially wary of storing assets in one physical location to protect them from theft.

Convenience won them over.

Yet, it took well over a millennium for the notion of the withdrawal of assets from a different physical location to catch on. Networks of financial institutions. Distributed assets. Distributed risks.

Convenience won them over.

With technological advances in communication, came the ability to rapidly confirm the availability of consumer assets and the introduction of the handwritten check. A modern IOU. It, too, was slow to gain acceptance. Yet it was still, in one sense, tangible.

Computers made cash transactions unnecessary. Even so, there was considerable consumer resistance to the use of credit cards. They were electronic. There was nothing to be fondled.

They were also easy… and fast. No delays while checks cleared. No waiting for payday.

Convenience won them over.

With the financial structure in place, the emergence of digital products was the next step in our electronic evolution. First, music. Vinyl cedes to magnetic tape which, in turn, cedes to compact disc. Still tangible, but stored on electronic media. And portable!

Convenience won them over.

Digital storage made it possible for consumers to own and enjoy movies in the comfort and privacy of their homes. The porn industry exploded. The Internet made it all available at the click of a mouse.

Convenience won them over.

Digital photography enabled folks to take virtually unlimited pictures without the expense of both film and developing and… waiting. Instant electronic gratification.

One by one our forms of recorded art and entertainment transitioned to the electronic as convenience and pragmatism replaced the ingrained need for a tangible thing.

Books are no exception. In time, the tangible book will cede to its digital form. The industry will conserve resources, reduce (if not eliminate) printing expenses, and repurpose vast amounts of physical storage space. And yet books will be more accessible than ever before.

The difference is that, this time around, consumers are demanding the shift rather than having it driven by the industry. Perhaps it’s due to my vantage, but in the past, it seemed to be the industry saying to the reluctant consumer: "Try this! You'll like it. It's nifty neat-o better than sliced bread yadda yadda." With ebooks and their related gadgetry, it's the consumers saying to a reluctant industry: "Make this! We want it. Now!"

It can't happen soon enough for me. If my work touches hearts and souls and libidos, I've achieved my goal. Having it packaged in an efficient, effective, environmentally-conscious fashion is just icing on my e-cake.

Happy New Year, y'all!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

My first audiobook release!

2010-04-26T15:00:00.001-04:00

It's HERE! Audiolark has released "Wetter Has Never Been Better" as an audiobook. I listened to the 90-minute adaptation last week, and it was fascinating to hear another person read my words. Just $5.99 for the download. Put it on your MP3 player and listen in (or out of) the bathtub for some hot, wet fun in the Costa Rican rain.

Sapphistocated Review

2010-04-13T08:00:00.000-04:00

Evie's Whispered Words has reviewed the EPPIE finalist + GCLS finalist anthology, Sapphistocated.

This anthology is comprised of four short stories by four talented authors. My personal favourite from this collection was the first story, Double Decker by Alessia Brio. It's the story of a young butch lesbian named Tess who is seeking to win not only a Kareoke Contest but the heart of the woman of her dreams. This one had me flicking through my cd collection to listen to some old favourites. I felt immersed in Tess's world and was anxious when she was anxious and excited when she was excited, and found myself sorry when the story ended. I think I'll check out some more of Alessia's work soon and I am going to have to remember the term "SOL day".

I bought one...

2010-03-03T10:48:00.001-05:00

...with the money I'd budgeted for EPICon (which I had to cancel 'cause of scheduling conflicts). The ad is rather melodramatic, but the device capabilities are really quite cool. I've barely had time to play with it, but I look forward to the exploration.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Two Lips Reviews San Diego Sunset

2010-02-24T06:00:00.000-05:00

5 kisses and a "Fantastic!" for San Diego Sunset from Sheila at Two Lips Reviews:

I loved the anticipation the authors built up in this story. Both have the dream. Both are searching. Both believe they have found the place, but will they find the person?

The ending of San Diego Sunset is perfect. I didn’t want explanations. I wanted the expectations fulfilled. And they were. Fantastic!

Read the entire review HERE.

Artistically Bound review

2010-01-29T07:00:00.008-05:00

A new-to-me review (thanks to Google alerts) from Seanachie at iReadRomance:

I don’t know how Alessia Brio and Will Belegon managed to pack so many sexual fantasies into one short novella. But who cares? It’s a naughty peek into the sex life of a deliciously open-minded couple who seem to have a never-ending supply of equally open-minded friends to indulge their fantasies with. What’s your fancy? Three-ways? Phone sex? Three-way phone sex? Eating out [cough] in public places? A little tie-me-down-and-spank-me action? Then Artistically Bound is your tour-de-force.

Grab some fresh batteries, and enjoy!

What a lovely discovery on a cold, winter morning. (This title will soon be re-released via our self-publishing label, Purple Prosaic. One of its two novellas, Artistically Inclined, is already available as an ebook.)

TwoLips Reviews Sapphistocated

2010-01-18T11:00:00.006-05:00

Sapphistocated: 4 Tales of Mirror Geography is an anthology of lesbian tales.

The first tale, Double Decker by Alessia Brio, tells of karaoke singer Tess as she competes in a bar completion. With few viable competitors she plays the crowd and gets a hold on them, especially one girl. But Tess is not after an audience member but one specific woman. Will she ever get that woman to recognize the love Tess feels for her?

I liked the build up of this story. It was not rushed although occurs in one day. I loved the planned seduction Tess has for the woman of her dreams but her uncertainty in her actions make the story realistic. The build up makes the story hot even though there is very little sex. I could identify with Tess. There was an emotional connection, not only between the characters, but with me, the reader, as well. I wanted to see if Tess won in the relationship department. Fantastic read! [Emphasis MINE!]

Rating: 4.5

Preditors & Editors Readers' Polls

2010-01-01T10:00:00.062-05:00

Happy New Year, everyone -- especially the three people who regularly read my blog. I wish you health, happiness, and prosperity throughout 2010 and beyond!

It's polling time again over at Preditors & Editors, and I would greatly appreciate your votes in the following polls:

Print/Electronic Erotica Novel published in 2009
Sapphistocated
http://critters.org/predpoll/novelerot.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Romance Short Story published in 2009
San Diego Sunset
http://critters.org/predpoll/shortstoryr.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Poem published in 2009
Is It?
http://critters.org/predpoll/poem.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Anthology published in 2009
Coming Together: For Her
http://critters.org/predpoll/antho.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Author published in 2009
http://critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Poet published in 2009
http://critters.org/predpoll/poet.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Artist publishing in 2009
http://critters.org/predpoll/artist.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Print/Electronic Books Publisher
Purple Prosaic
http://critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Book/e-book Cover Artwork published in 2009
The Taming of a Vixen
http://critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Print/Electronic Book Editor
http://critters.org/predpoll/bookeditor.shtml
* STANDINGS *

Thanks, y'all.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Aurally Yours...

2009-12-15T07:00:00.009-05:00

I am delighted to announce that I've signed a contract with AudioLark to produce an audiobook of my novella "Wetter Has Never Been Better" which was previously published by Phaze Books as part of my debut collection, fine flickering hungers, and is currently available as a single-title ebook via all major ebook vendors.

Tasked with crafting an ad campaign to make the rainy season an attractive tourist destination, Stormy Delgado travels to Costa Rica and discovers exactly why Wetter Has Never Been Better.

WARNING: The protagonist in this story has plentiful, uninhibited sex with a variety of partners… all in the rain. And, because this is fiction, it’s all wonderfully satisfying and hotter than hell.

$4.99
Author: Alessia Brio
Coming 3/2010

Second Verse, Double the First

2009-12-01T08:00:00.003-05:00

If you recall, I posted that my first month's self-publishing earnings SEXtupled the last author royalties reported by my primary publisher, Phaze Books. Well, I am delighted to report that my second month doubled the first!

I re-released several new titles in November, but it was October releases that carried sales -- with the lesbian fiction again leading the way. One title (Boiling Point, a $1.99 short story) accounted for half of my revenue through ARe, and it has become the #1 bestselling lesbian title on that site. Two other of my lesbian fiction titles are in the Top 5, as well. :-)

As with October, Kindle sales were again led by a heterosexual romantic comedy short entitled Legally Binding. It's erotic but not explicit, and it's so short (1750 words) that I was embarrassed to price it at 99 cents. (That's the lowest Amazon's Digital Text Platform allows.) The lesbian erotica does well on Kindle, but nowhere near as well as on ARe.

There were a few sales on Smashwords, and 1 Romance eBooks nudged onto the charts with the sale of two titles (which is enough to warrant my uploading more titles). Nothing on Lulu or Scribd, and no direct sales. Although all my titles have been approved by Smashwords for "premium distribution" (via Barnes & Noble, Fictionwise, Shortcovers, and Sony), very few of them have actually appeared on those sites. I look for a spike in Smashwords revenue once that distribution occurs. Reporting of such revenue, however, I expect to be... um... delayed.

December will bring a new distribution channel: My Bookstore and More. I signed the contract late last month and just received the upload instructions yesterday. I'll begin uploading titles this week. MBaM is Samhain Publishing's shopping cart, so I'm hoping for a sales boost there!

Oh, last thing: Print sales are not included in these figures (because sales are negligible).
It's all about the e, baby! Until next time...

peace and PURPLE passion,

~ Alessia

Your comment is awaiting moderation.

2009-11-19T11:00:00.023-05:00

I left a comment on Allison Brennan's post about Harlequin Horizons over at Murder She Writes. Several comments have appeared after mine, yet mine is still awaiting moderation. Well, I don't feel like waiting to chime in, so I'm *ahem* self-publishing it. (And, because I can whore my work on my own blog, I've added links.) Here 'tis:

Thanks, Allison, for an insightful post.

It absolutely baffles me to think that an intelligent being would opt for HH’s platform when there are several established and reputable digital publishing platforms that ask NOTHING to host a self-published book. They take a percentage of each sale, but that’s true of HH and its distribution channels as well.

I started self-publishing last month (and, Shiloh, I’m happy to report that that 100 copy sales benchmark definitely does not apply even to re-released work) and places like Smashwords (with its "premium" -- and FREE -- distribution to Barnes & Noble, Sony, Fictionwise, and Shortcovers) make it easy to succeed. Amazon’s Digital Text Platform is free and will get your book on the Kindle rolls. And the folks at All Romance eBooks, where my sales are greatest, are absolutely wonderful to work with.

An author doesn’t have to use self-publishing as a last resort. For some, it’s a lucrative and viable alternative to jumping through the “traditional” publishing hoops.

by Alessia Brio November 19th, 2009 at 8:34 am Your comment is awaiting moderation.

The Emperor's New (Media) Clothes

2009-11-11T07:30:00.004-05:00

This past weekend, I attended—for the 4^th consecutive year—the La Jolla Writers Conference. I have always come away from this small conference with a renewed enthusiasm for the art of writing as well as the business of publishing. I have met some wonderfully generous authors, agents, and industry professionals who served on the faculty—without compensation. People like Robyn Carr, Mark Clements, Jane Green, Alan Russell, Steve Berry, James Grippando, Margaret Weis, Linda Lael Miller, Ken Kuhlken, Lisa Gardner, Lisa Jackson and Nancy Bush, Warren Lewis, David Morrell, Stephen J. Cannell, Eldon Thompson... to namedrop but a few. There are more. Many more.

In past years, self-publishing received a wee bit of attention from self-made mogul Greg Godek. Print self-publishing, that is. Print-on-demand might have been mentioned… in passing.

This year, however, was the first time digital publishing appeared—officially—on the agenda. I was thrilled. In fact, the new media session went a step further than even I'd anticipated, bypassing small press and epublishers completely. Author and podcast guru, Steven R. Boyett adamantly forecast a time in our NEAR future when the layers (agents, publishers, distributors) between artist and consumer would go the way of the dodo. It's already happening in isolated instances. He should know. His podcasts are a good example.

Having just launched my own self-publishing label, Purple Prosaic, a month ago, this was—as you can imagine—music to my ears. In my first month of operation, I earned SIX TIMES my last royalties check* just on re-packaged and re-released short stories, so I know first hand the accuracy of Boyett's assertion: the savvy new media consumer doesn't give a rat's ass about the so-called stamp of legitimacy bestowed by a middleman. That's just what we've been led to believe by those who have a vested interest. Whatever services those middlemen do provide (and there ARE unquestionably value-added services in the mix), legitimacy in the eyes of the new media generation is not one of them.

At a time when most authors are still defining the formula for success as the traditional agent plus New York contract, this news might sound ominous. To the new media entrepreneurs and consumers, well… it can't happen fast enough.

I'm ready.

peace and passion,

~ Alessia Brio

* One third of the way into its 2nd month, Purple Prosaic has earned two-thirds of its 1st month revenue.

Survey says: SEXtupled

2009-10-31T15:00:00.002-04:00

...with change (and a few hours remaining in the month). That's my revenue report for the first month of self-publishing via Purple Prosaic. That's right. In just one month, with just a fraction of my backlist, I earned more than SIX times my last author royalties check. I think that data more than supports a continuation of this little endeavor, don't you?

Here are a few more stats:

The entire revenue is from ebook sales (and most of it previously published material, at that). No print sales are included (although I did re-release fine flickering hungers in both paperback and commemorative hardcover).

The majority of sales (67%) came through All Romance eBooks *blows a kiss to Lori & Barb* with Amazon Kindle in a distant second (27%) and Smashwords finishing third (6%). (Of note, the Smashwords titles have not yet been distributed via Fictionwise, Barnes and Noble, and Sony. Thus, Smashwords figures will *crosses fingers* be growing.)

There is no revenue to report via direct sales or on the titles available on Lulu, Scribd, or 1 Romance Ebooks. I'll keep plugging away at Lulu because it feeds into the weRead app on Facebook and Scribd because I'm getting plenty of hits there that will hopefully someday translate into sales. I'm not going to invest more time/effort into 1 Romance Ebooks until I see at least a sale or two of what's already available there.

Three titles (Boiling Point, Say It with a Strap-On, and Hallowing Eve) account for 48% of the titles sold. THEY ARE ALL LESBIAN FICTION. I find this very interesting given that I've heard two of my publishers (Phaze Books & Torquere Press) report that the lesbian fiction in their catalogs doesn't sell well. Now, my stats may be skewed by the fact that these were the first three titles I released -- and thus, they've had all month to accumulate sales -- but I don't think that explains it all. I'm both puzzled and pleased by the success of these titles -- and I'll definitely be writing more in the genre.

Thanks to all the readers for their support!

Until next time...

peace and purple passion,

~ Alessia

Rainbow Awards: Sapphistocated

2009-10-16T15:00:00.021-04:00

Sapphistocated is a finalist in the "Contemporary Fiction - Lesbian" category of Elisa Rolle's first Rainbow Awards, and I would much appreciate your votes.

There are a slew of other categories in which to vote, but I only care about *cough* mine. Just kidding. I think everyone who reads rainbow (GLBTQ) fiction should pop over to her LiveJournal and vote in all the polls, regardless of whether or not they vote for Sapphistocated (which, by all accounts, they should).

Thanks, y'all!

peace and rainbow passion,

~ Alessia

Ahoy, authors! There be pirates in these waters!

2009-09-23T07:30:00.002-04:00

The category of "Romantic Fiction" on the AstaTalk forum is a big one. Apparently, those who believe they shouldn't have to pay for ebooks have a huge appetite for the genre.

It makes me wonder what makes these people tick. Where does a person acquire that sense of entitlement? Do they shoplift in meat space, too? Are they self-proclaimed Christians? Are they so dirt poor that they can't afford to buy what they steal? Do they have hard drives full of all manner of electronically pirated media -- music, movies, books? What are their demographics? I'm quite curious.

It is no surprise that those who post in search of "free" ebooks typically do so under nicknames and have their profiles set to private. They know they're doing wrong. KNOW it. Hence, they hide. And they sneak. And they steal.

They steal from me and those like me: authors, publishers, editors, and cover artists. And they'll keep doing it until someone does something to stop them. The "authorities" aren't much help at this juncture, so that someone is US.

So, when you become aware that your work is being pirated, post a link to where the book can be LEGALLY obtained. I recommend:

Thank you for your interest in my work. I would appreciate it if you would not steal it on this or similar sites. Not only is it wrong, it also deprives me of the income that I use to pay my bills. We -- author and reader -- have a symbiotic relationship. I'm doing my part. If you don't do yours, I may not be able to continue to write books for your entertainment. This book can be legally obtained via the following link:

INSERT BUY LINK HERE

In appreciation, if you send me your receipt, I will be happy to (insert incentive here).

Please post links to your activism in the comments. Perhaps we can make a difference.

peace and passion,

~ Alessia

Friday Flash

2009-09-18T07:30:00.002-04:00

Christine dipped her finger into the wine glass and with it drew a large, wet heart on her lover's stomach. "The difference between my love for you and yours for me is, as I see it, that mine IS conditional. I don't want unconditional love. I can't respect it because it's too much like worship. No, I prefer to be loved conditionally. Attach strings to your love. I want lines in the sand of your emotional desert, things I could do that would damage us. Without them, you're just a dog to me... and I'm a cat person."

Dude, we're not in Kansas anymore

2009-09-08T16:00:00.001-04:00

The title of this post was something I overheard while weaving my way through the lobby of the Atlanta Marriott this past weekend. It was spoken by a hotel guest who was not there to attend Dragon*Con, and it pretty accurately describes the event. Having attended my first Comic*Con this year as well, I can report that I much preferred Dragon*Con. It was far more about getting your geek on, whereas Comic*Con was a bit too Hollywood for my tastes.

Memorable moments from my first (but not last) Dragon*Con:

Learning the Thriller dance* alongside several hundred geeks in a wide variety of costumes, then doing it an hour later for the official attempt in a ballroom with 902 others, thereby breaking the world record. (Guinness hasn't blessed it yet, but it will. I'm sure.)

Turning to a complete stranger afterward and receiving a zombie fist bump. :)

Credit card receipts from vendors like "Intergalactic Trading Co" and "World in Chains." (I bought myself an awesome white katana -- since I already have kimono silk waiting to be sewn into costume awesomeness -- and a pair of green cat's eye contact lenses, plus gifts for my kids.)

Having the delightful Felicia Day autograph a Coming Together T-shirt that we'll auction as a charity fundraiser.

Attending Babylon 5 & Stargate ensemble cast panels. It's fun to watch them interact! (Would've preferred to see Claudia Black & Ben Browder on a Farscape panel, since I'm not a Stargate aficionado, but it was still fun!)

Watching the first two seasons of The Guild in a ballroom packed with several hundred other fans.

Abney Park! Oh, and the fan steampunk marriage proposal during their show. Lots of folks got teary-eyed, even the band. :)

There are a few photos uploaded to Facebook (friends-only access), and I'm sure I'll add more as they surface.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

* I'm the occasionally-visible pirate wench behind the dude in the blood-spattered white T-shirt.

Friday Flash

2009-08-28T07:00:00.003-04:00

Leah studied the small gift in her hands. A token, really. Inexpensive bordering on cheap. Certainly not a burden to the giver, requiring more thought than coin. Nevertheless, she wanted—needed—it, and she absolutely hated the fact that she had to ask for it. Anyone paying attention, the ultimate gift, would have known. Anyone truly committed to her happiness would—should—have known. She shook it. Its heft felt hollow, contrived, desperate; not fulfilling as it would have been if spontaneous. Sighing, she flung it against the wall. Even its physical impact disappointed her. "Too little. Too late."

Friday Flash

2009-08-21T07:30:00.001-04:00

Stepping off the roller coaster, Chloe blinked in an attempt to balance. Her body still swayed with the memories of the excruciatingly slow uphill climbs followed by the inevitable gut-wrenching plunges. How long had she ridden; how many circuits? She couldn't recall when she last felt terra firma beneath her feet. Her first steps were unsteady, tentative, but as she distanced herself from the ride, her confidence grew. It felt good to be moving on her own terms, at her own pace. Leaving the ride behind, she lifted her eyes to the horizon. There, she smiled. I'm going there.

Catching up on reviews

2009-08-15T09:00:00.005-04:00

A couple months ago, I set up a blog to house Phaze's reviews. Promo goddess Crystal Bright has been busily archiving reviews there (as well as posting the new ones). Last night, she posted two old reviews from The Romance Studio that I hadn't seen yet. What a treat!

Artistically Inclined
Alessia Brio and Will Belegon
Contemporary erotic romance
ISBN: 978-1-59426-950-5
January 2007

Cyndi is artistic, talented, passionate about her work. Roger owns a hardware store and hobnobs with top talents in Pittsburgh’s sports world. The two work at keeping their relationship erotic. For Valentine’s Day Cyndi suggests they each write down five fantasies and share them. Roger adds his own twist to the suggestion by saying they can’t have sex or orgasms until Valentine’s.

This writing duo pens a quickly read novella that explores the artistic world and scenery of Pittsburgh while heading like a speeding bullet toward the acting out of the couples fantasies.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Dee Dailey
March 26, 2008

fine flickering hungers
Alessia Brio
Erotic romance anthology
Available from Phaze
ISBN: 1-59426-540-2
November 2005

fine, flickering hungers by Alessia Brio is an anthology of erotic short stories and poetry. As there are too many to review separately, I'll pick a few to give you a taste of this sensuous, yet unusual book.

Wetter Has Never Been Better is the sensuous story of Stormy and the extremes she will go to in order to land a huge account, the country of Costa Rico, at the ad agency she works for. A "challenge" has been issued by the execs create an ad that will make tourists want to head to Costa Rico during the rainy season - and Stormy plans on winning that challenge…but how? Why not head to Costa Rico and see what might be special about the rainy season? Her discovery surprises and pleases her and introduces her to more than she ever expected, which leads to a winning presentation! This is a very hot story. Luckily, there is another story, Topping Love, that picks up where this one leaves off and introduces family and friends of Charlie, the man Stormy starts seeing once she's home! Very interesting story I wonder where the author got the idea of using pizza toppings!

Carly has always been a follower never a leader! On this night, when she's out with Jenna, her best friend, she finally decides to take the lead. However, Jenna isn't one to follow, until tonight! Carly, upon reaching her Boiling Point, gives Jenna no choice in the matter and Carly's dreams come true...but what happens now? We find out in the next story, Say It With A Strap-On. Carly buys something special for her next encounter with Jeana...if she has a next encounter! They occasionally talk on the phone but not about what Carly believes needs to be talked about! Jeana calls and invites her to dinner. She accepts and things go from good to great, as far as Carly and Jeana are concerned... until Jeana's husband catches them! So what will be next for these ladies?

This was a most unusual book, with a combination of poetry and short stories. Alessia Brio stories and poetry flowed and they were written with a touch of humor and a lot of heat!

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Pam
January 15, 2006

Friday Flash

2009-08-14T07:00:00.000-04:00

The process of first recognizing, then accepting, that the relationship was never going to be what she most wanted it to be drove Maria into an emotional abyss. Too tired, too angry, and just too fucking too to haul herself out of the pit, she stretched supine on its floor and wallowed in the muck of ennui. It sucked at her soul, and she knew she should divorce herself from it rather than continue to hope for change. Move on. Alone. Perhaps forever alone, or at least until she could scour the stain of such transient beauty from her skin.

A little kinky, a lot sick, and completely unexpected.

2009-08-02T19:00:00.002-04:00

It's an old review, but I like it...

TIME WARP - Alessia Brio

Fury HeatSheets

ISBN: 978-1-59426-522-8

Erotica Contemporary

Heat Rating: Nebula

RRTE Rating: Foreplay

Alex has a strange affinity for the Rocky Horror Picture Show movie and it holds special memories for her. Each year on Halloween she and her husband Dan celebrate their Halloween anniversary with hot sex and watching the Rocky Horror Picture Show. This year however is a bit different. Dan is leaving Alex to go back to his first wife, but Alex plans a last celebration Dan will never forget.

A little kinky, a lot sick, and completely unexpected. Having read Ms. Brio previously, TIME WARP was not what I expected.

Isabelle Spencer -4/25/07

BWAHAHAHA!

2009-07-06T11:00:00.001-04:00

"Second, there is a certain segment of digital publishing that is publishing porn under the guise of romance thereby diluting the brand of serious romance digital publishers."

Diluting the brand. Oh, that's rich! Let's talk instead 'bout the "serious romance digital publishers" who are publishing the "porn under the guise of romance" like, for starters, the publisher of a recent #romfail snarkfest. Rather than holding up Aphrodisia for public scorn, Dear Author instead opts to use an example from an author cooperative that has never claimed to be publishing "romance." eXcessica, on the other hand, has always been upfront about what it is (and what it's NOT).* I really can't say the same about any of those serious romance digital publishers.

To me, the referenced post sounds a whole helluva lot like a recent controversial blog post by the president of a large, purportedly professional romance writers organization. Same holier-than-thou attitude. Y'know, elitism *can* be a good thing if it raises the bar. This sort, however, only sounds petty and defensive.

Back to work...

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

* P.S. It's no secret that I admire Ms. Kitt for what she's done with eXcessica -- especially, precisely, for not sucking up to romancelandia while doing its own thing and bothering no one. It just goes about its business, not seeking "acceptance." I figure the quality of the material it puts out could be improved at about the same ratio as the "legitimate" (Oh, wait! That's an RWA word.) um... "serious" (Oops, 'nother one!) um... nevermind.

Some folks, however, are annoyed that eXcessica even exists -- kinda like some "career focused" folks are annoyed that epublishing exists. (Don't track that hypocrisy into the house!)

Re-covered

2009-07-06T01:00:00.002-04:00

Same hot stories, new cover art:

How the rednecks do it...

2009-07-05T13:00:00.000-04:00

Finale fireworks from my hometown, population less than 5K. Sing it with me now: And the rocket's red glare/The bombs bursting in air/Whoo-hoo!

FIREWORKS09

2009-07-04T01:00:00.005-04:00

Saturday through Monday

30% off everything using code
FIREWORKS09

Magic Mojo

2009-06-26T22:00:00.004-04:00

My hypochondriac daughter inspired this bit of creativity. Take the largest bottle of chewable Vitamin C you can find, and replace the label with this... and allow the child to self-medicate. :)

Cause I'm the Mom

2009-06-26T11:00:00.009-04:00

This is going on my kids' bedroom walls, framed. The Cafe Press poster reads:

DO YOU LIKE LIVING IN THIS HOUSE?
WAYS TO ENSURE I DON'T KICK YOU OUT:

Place all dirty dishes in the kitchen sink before going to bed each night. (Bonus points for rinsing.)

Place all dirty laundry down the chute before going to bed each night.

Ensure all dirty laundry is right-side-out and, if necessary, spot treated.

Do not use upholstery or bedding as a tissue. Boogers & snot-glaze do not belong on the arms of the sofa or the sides of your mattress.

Do not use upholstery or bedding as a napkin, either. Wipe greasy fingers on a napkin or even on shirt! (See above re spot treating.)

DON'T SPILL STUFF.

Don't create environments ripe for spilling stuff. Leaving glasses of juice on the table for the cats to knock over during the night is just. plain. stupid.

If stuff is spilled, fetch someone who knows what the hell they're doing to aid in its clean-up IMMEDIATELY -- not three days later, after the nail polish has become a permanent part of the decor.

Wipe the kitchen counter (and NOT onto the floor, either) after preparing food.

Don't give the cats people food unless you're prepared to have your nose rubbed in cat puke the next day.

Turn off lights & televisions when you're the last person leaving a room.

Learn how to thoroughly wipe your ass (without clogging the commode). No one wants their clothing laundered with underwear that look as if they were used as toilet tissue. It's just too damned gross.

REPLACE THE TOILET TISSUE if you use the last of the roll. (Don't know where it is? ASK! It's NOT hidden, and it's not a secret.)

Speaking of the toilet, should you take a Black Sunday dump, please wipe the underside of the seat so that it doesn't dry craptacularly speckled. (See below re microwave and splatters.)

If you make a mess, CLEAN IT UP! Leaving it for someone else is rude and inconsiderate, no matter how old you are. Period.

A good example: the microwave. It takes all of 30 seconds to wipe away the Beefaroni splatters if done while they're still wet. Two hours later, a power tool is required. Popcorn grease? Same thing.

If I step on a Lego in my bare feet again, everyone will be punished. It will be brutal and likely involve forced consumption of dead bugs. Lesson? PICK UP YOUR TOYS!

Thanks. Your cooperation will make life so much more pleasant for everyone. I'll be happier, and you won't have to sleep on a park bench.

Love, Mom

And I'll cry...

2009-06-21T08:00:00.003-04:00

The words I wrote for his funeral card:

Quote:

In your every deed,
Husband, father, friend,
Thank you for teaching us,
The true meaning of the word
GENEROUS
The true spirit of the word
SELFLESS
The true power of the word
HEART.

From a journal entry...

Quote:

March 21, 2006

Yesterday, I did my yoga stretches in a different room. Don't ask me why 'cause I have no clue what possessed me to vary my routine. Anyway, I was on the floor in front of the recliner where I typically sit while writing. It's a second hand La-Z-Boy that I inherited when my mother redecorated her living room several years ago. It was my dad's chair, and if I stare at it for a minute & then close my eyes, I can still see him sitting in it -- like the visual echo of a camera's flash.

From my vantage on the floor, I caught sight of something under the chair -- a piece of paper. I knew what it was before I wormed my hand through the skirting to fetch it, but I was surprised by the force with which the memories flooded my mind. It was a football parlay -- dad's favorite illicit pastime.

December 15, 1996. His choices were circled and the margins bore random notes in his hand. New England (given 7) over Dallas. Detroit (given 11) over Green Bay. Minnesota (by 7) over Tampa Bay.

It's been almost seven years since he died, and I miss him today as much as ever. The man defined the word "generous." In fact, those football parlays were the only thing I can recall him doing solely for his own enjoyment. I'll save my memento. Later this morning, I'll pull that box from the top of my closet and I'll add one tattered piece of white paper to his favorite ball cap, pocket knife, and chambray shirt -- and I'll cry.

Happy Father's Day, all you Dads out there!

#rwachange

2009-06-20T09:00:00.010-04:00

If you're a writer of romance or erotic romance, you're probably well aware of the kerfuffle about RWA's stance on epublishing and epublishers (a/k/a "author mills"). It's the same tired song, but--thanks to Kristen Painter and ESPAN, a new-ish RWA chapter for epublished authors--there appears to be more (and more organized) energy pushing for change. (There is also a Yahoo!Group for those interested.)

When the RWAchange [at] gmail.com account was established to coordinate a ribbon campaign for next month's conference, I offered to design an e-ribbon for use on blogs & such ('cause grassroots advocacy just turns me on). Deidre Knight said "Go!" and the results are below. There are also T-shirts, buttons, stickers, etc. in Coming Together's Cafe Press shop.*

Images are also hosted here:

http://www.alessiabrio.com/images/RWA Change e-ribbon 1a.jpg
http://www.alessiabrio.com/images/RWA Change e-ribbon 2a.jpg
http://www.alessiabrio.com/images/RWA Change e-ribbon 3a.jpg

Folks are welcome to link directly to the images if they wish. (Oh, and follow the madness on Twitter with the #rwachange hashtag.)

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

* If there are any other products you'd like to see there, just leave a comment. I primarily focused on buttons, stickers, and summer apparel/T-shirts, but Cafe Press has many more options.

Pimpin' My Flash

2009-06-15T09:00:00.004-04:00

Story Voting Rules

Voting begins at 9 a.m. EST today (June 15).
Voting will take place from June 15-June 26 (midnight EST on June 26).
You must be a registered forum member to participate in story ranking.

Here's how to vote (for ME):

We're using the star ranking system (examples: 1 = terrible, 5 = excellent) to rank stories.
To rank a story after you've read it, click on "Rate Thread" in the upper-right hand corner. Choose a ranking for that story (1-5)
You may read and vote on as many stories as you want. But please only vote on the stories you've read.
Only one vote per forum members per story.
No lobbying for votes on this forum, although you're welcome to ask for votes elsewhere.
No replies to stories or other forum discussion about individual stories until the contest is over!

Your support is most appreciated (i.e., the check is in the mail)!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

The ePublishing Restaurant

2009-06-10T07:00:00.005-04:00

I've read (or, rather, attempted to slog through) some pretty lousy books published by big, New York houses. You know, the type you want to fling across the room? The type you'd throw away if you hadn't plunked down cash to buy them?

I've seen some hideously lame and/or puerile movies released by major studios where the only thing keeping me from stomping out of the theater was the fact that I paid money for the seat.

Name your entertainment industry, and I can give a comparable experience. In no instance, however, have I painted the entire publishing house or movie studio with the awfulness of one of its author's/actor's performances or editor's/director's skills. Have you? Are you even AWARE who published that book you hated? Who released that movie you hated? Who directed it?

Why, then, do consumers tend to do so with ebooks? An epublisher farts, and suddenly the entire house is judged by one book, its stable of authors blog-tarred and Twitter-feathered. WTF?

The latest debacle is a fine example. I've never read a book from Siren-BookStrand, but I'd bet money they're not all examples of poor judgment or lax editing. Hell, even if no editing was done at all, some books will be better than others simply because some authors submit cleaner work.

Instead, online communities treat epublishers like most people treat restaurants. Bad meal? Don't go back. It's all the chef's fault, after all, and nothing on the menu can be trusted.

Right?

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Airing Tonight (June 1st)

2009-06-01T06:00:00.004-04:00

Catch me live (okay, recorded live) at the Romantic Times BookLovers Convention. The interview airs tonight at 9:30pm Eastern on All Romance's What's Hot in Romance. The MP3 will be archived on the Blog Talk Radio site and downloadable in case you can't catch the show live... erm, played back live from the live recording.

I had a great time chatting with Cat Johnson, and I even read a bit of my story "Double Decker" from Sapphistocated.

Stealing Home

2009-05-31T01:00:00.003-04:00

I squealed when I got the email informing me that Coming Together: With Pride was a finalist in the 2009 Next Generation Indie Book Awards' Anthology & Ebook Fiction categories. Then, a day later I got the news that Squeeze Play had taken top honors in the Erotica category (as well as being a finalist in the Ebook Fiction category). Can you say WOOT! ?

And to add to the squee-worthy scoring, I have a story in one of Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies which took top honors in the Erotica category of the IPPYs!

37. Erotica
Gold (tie): Tasting Him/Tasting Her: Oral Sex Stories, edited by Rachel Kramer Bussel (Cleis Press)

Geek-Squee!

2009-05-22T06:00:00.003-04:00

This weekend, I'm attending my very first sci-fi convention. This is odd, considering that I've been a huge (okay, not HUGE in the eat-sleep-breathe sense of some, but significant) fan of sci-fi since I learned to read. I didn't play "Cowboys & Indians" in the streets of my youth; I played "Kirk & Spock." (In case you were curious, I was always Kirk -- spewing my space seed into multi-colored, scantily-clad alien vixens across the galaxy.)

Growing up, my true "friends" were epic fictional characters in written form. Paul Atreides. Polgara. R. Daneel Olivaw. Hope & Spirit. Thomas Covenant. Arwen & Aragorn. Han Solo. Lessa of Pern. Lazarus Long and his long-lived, polyamorous family. They kept me company when I was just too weird for "normal" people. Actually, I preferred their company to that of "normal" people. Normal is boring.

I used to go to bed at night "praying" (in my atheistic fashion) to wake up in a world where Heinlein-esque "marriages" were accepted and encouraged. I fantasized many a time about being a Jondalar & Ayla sandwich. *fans self* I wanted Master Robinton to have been my music teacher, not the megalomaniac employed by my junior high.

And so, it is with great anticipation and no moderate amount of geek-squee that I head off to BaltiCon this weekend as an invited guest/panelist. While the con starts today, I won't roll into town until tomorrow (Saturday) afternoon, camera in hand. My first panel is Saturday night:

9pm
Seducing the Editor - Getting Published in Erotic E-books
Kathryn Lively, J. M. Snyder, Nobilis, and me

Seducing the Editor. Heh. Then on Sunday night:

9pm
Promotion for the Smut Peddler
Kathryn Lively, J. M. Snyder, Nobilis, and me

10pm
Doing Good while Being Bad - the "Coming Together" anthology series
Alessia Brio (a/k/a me) with Will Belegon and Helen E.H. Madden
Everyone in attendance will receive a print galley of Coming Together: With Pride (while supplies last, of course)

And the Ghost of Honor? Edgar Allen Poe. Dude! Hope to see y'all there.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Follow #balticon on Twitter

At First Whip Creamed

2009-05-15T20:30:00.001-04:00

Whipped Cream Reviews had this to say about our Urban Phaze short, At First (which also appears in volume 1 of Coming Together: At Last):

What happens when a gentleman from Chile with old world manners collides with a modern day sexually liberated American woman? Plenty!

Eduardo and Vivian run into each other – quite literally on a busy street in Washington, DC. A huge crowd had gathered to listen to a young charismatic speaker and Eduardo was rushing through the crowd oblivious to the beautiful woman in the yellow dress…that is until he collided with her knocking her to the ground. Determined to make amends for his unchivalrous behavior Eduardo invites Vivian to a small café for some Cokes to quench their thirst on this steamy DC Afternoon. However, Eduardo is once again embarrassed by his behavior as he inadvertently spills a Coke on Vivian’s sundress.

Coming to the rescue is Lupe, the waitress at the café and Eduardo’s friend. Lupe suggests Vivian and Eduardo retreat to his apartment where Vivian can wash the sugary concoction off her dress. Arriving at Eduardo’s apartment the sexual tension mounts and Vivian finds herself orchestrating the pas de deux much to the amusement of Eduardo who is not used to the more open sexual mores of American women.

I was a bit befuddled about who the dynamic speaker was that Vivian found so enthralling. [HINT: MLK, Jr. ~ Alessia] The authors never explained. Could it be Malcolm X who Vivian casually mentions later in the story? I felt if the authors went to the trouble of setting this scene of dynamism, they could have let the reader in on who they were referring to. [Clues aplenty. We did everything but type his name. ~ Alessia]

I did learn a new Spanish word – chupadita - which was interesting and self-explanatory. I thought the sex scenes were hot and very well described. Eduardo and Vivian learn that love and sex are the same in all languages.

Their chance encounter leads them to discover they have much in common despite their disparate backgrounds. The language of sex, however, is universal which they both discover on a steamy Washington afternoon. A good story.

Rating: 4 Cherries
Review by: Azalea

My Butt at 5:12

2009-05-14T17:00:00.000-04:00

Just in case you were interested...

Romantic Times Convention Recap on Vimeo.

The Emperor Has No Clothes!

2009-05-06T08:30:00.000-04:00

The cyclic RWA kerfuffle has resurfaced, this time on Twitter under the #RWAchange hashtag. Electronically published authors have their knickers in a twist again... or, rather, still... because RWA treats them like wannabes rather than the real deal. Nothing new there. A recap of the past iterations will suffice:

Why should I support an organization that doesn't support me?
RWA needs to wake-UP and join the 21st century.
We have to change the organization from the inside.
I only keep my membership because my chapter RAWKS.

And, my standard retort: Why should I CARE about RWA? The readers don't.

Yeah, I'm a member... at least until it expires. I joined, initially, for reason #3. I renewed for reason #4 (Passionate Ink). Last night, I was "this close" to joining ESPAN ('cause grassroots advocacy turns me on) before I came to my senses. My money is better spent elsewhere.

I wish the optimistic inside activists all the luck in the world in their quest. I have no energy for it, though, because I see it as moot. Even if proponents of change are successful in revamping RWA, what then? Is it going to result in a net gain for ebook authors? Kinda doubtful. I mean, does RWA influence sales numbers for the authors it already embraces? Why, then, would a digitally published author believe that RWA acceptance would make any difference whatsoever to her/his career?

The same amount of time and energy directed toward CONSUMERS of our work would have a far greater impact on our bottom lines, methinks.

This is about belonging to a club. That's all. RWA could just as easily stand for "Real Writers Association" (a legend in its own mind) and, as with other exclusive clubs, people will stomp and rant, kiss all forms of ass, pout, and even litigate in order to belong. Never mind that "belonging" doesn't DO much--if anything--to further an author's career.

RWA will teach aspiring authors how to woo an agent, you argue? First of all, if you're epublished, you're not an "aspiring author." You're already the real deal. Secondly, why do you WANT an agent? Epublished authors don't NEED agents. Why pay a middleman unless you're still convinced that to be a "real author" you must be New York published?

This is not intended to poke those authors whose goal is to be New York published. To each their own. No, it's intended to bitch slap those epublished authors who continue to allow RWA to dictate their legitimacy. Enablers! How about we just let our successes speak for themselves? RWA, as well as the traditional publishing industry, can embrace epublishing & POD... or eat its dust.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Ravenous Ranting

2009-05-04T09:00:00.014-04:00

There is a big, honking blog post today by Jane of Dear Author entitled Why I'm Not Wild About Ravenous Romance. In it, she outlines her reasons -- clearly and concisely, as usual -- for her dislike. I started to leave a comment there, then decided that my thoughts were better placed in my own space, since I'm liable to ramble off topic and wax pseudo-philosophic and make precious little sense.

Since becoming a published author in 2005, I have never hidden the fact that I primarily write erotica. I write about people (or other sentient beings) and how sex changes/evolves them. I tell their stories. I have also made it abundantly clear that I don't like being "shelved" with the romance genre. Unfortunately, that's where the industry puts most erotic fiction, so I inhabit Romancelandia as a matter of necessity, and I certainly enjoy some aspects of it. But from a strictly artistic/creative perspective, I do not fit that mold. Yes, some of my work does fit the romance genre, albeit in non-traditional ways. Most does not.

Romance is plot-driven. It is about the developing relationship between hero & heroine. (Aside: I cannot STAND the use of those terms. They do as much to marginalize the romance genre as miscategorized erotica, in my opinion. Want to be taken seriously? Stop using fairy tale words.)

Erotica is character-driven. It is about the transformative power of sex. It can occur in any permutation, from solo to menage. It doesn't have to be, but often is, explicit. It doesn't have to, but often does, sexually arouse the reader. Erotica, therefore, is NOT porn. (Porn's primary focus -- okay, that was overly generous -- porn's sole focus is arousal. It works on primal reflex.)

Erotic romance is NOT erotica. It is romance that includes explicit sex and is fully intended to arouse the reader. (This is going to piss off some people, but...) Erotic romance IS porn, in that sense. It is porn with plot, with happily-ever-after icing to make it respectable -- or less reprehensible -- to those who are offended by explicit sex for the sake of explicit sex. Ideally, inclusion of the explicit sex is integral to the story rather than gratuitous. Note I said ideally. This idealism, I believe, is the source of the schism within the romance community.

Recently, at the Romantic Times BookLovers Convention, I overhead a prominent, multi-published romance author repeatedly proclaim how "filthy" her books are and how that made her less-than-worthy to the romance powers-that-be (whoever they be). Good on her, I thought! The world needs more filthy fiction. But her statements also made me realize that every "romance" author, regardless of their level of success, feels marginalized by the publishing industry in some way. We all yearn for acceptance. That, I believe, is the sand in the swimsuit when it comes to Ravenous Romance. It is perceived as an obstacle to acceptance.

(Aside: Personally, I believe that our best means of achieving acceptance and respect is to lead by example. Tarring those who do not adhere to our standards, whatever they may be, achieves nothing. Snark begats snark. Excellence begats excellence. So... begat, damn it!)

Sure, erotica can (and often does) qualify as romance -- and vice versa -- just as fantasy can qualify as YA or inspirational as sci-fi. Genre is merely a label, and books often carry multiple labels. That is a GOOD thing. However, since love and sex cross-pollinate, a great deal of confusion and controversy ensue over which label belongs where.

Love and sex have been butting heads since the dawn of relationships. That sex is necessary for procreation just complicates the recipe. Add organized religion, which uses sex to control people, and stir. Voila! We have controversy soup. The fuss within the publishing industry is but a wee mirror of this overarching theme.

Back to the case against Ravenous Romance. Jane makes some valid points about the quality of writing and editing. In the examples I've seen, there is room for much improvement. (Does poking fun at these mistakes have a positive result, or does it just serve to make the pokers feel superior to the pokees? Smells like Star-Bellied Sneetches to me.) However, I can say that about many publishers, especially in their infancies. As it grows and matures, as with all houses, the quality of its product will improve, or it will flounder. Survival of the fittest.

In the meantime, I doubt Ravenous Romance will significantly tarnish the shiny *snort* reputations of either romance or epublishing. Its ability to ruffle feathers with its hubris (and the PR money behind it), on the other hand, seems unbounded and will continue to provide much entertainment within the blogosphere.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

OF NOTE: I have a very short story in one of Rachel Kramer Bussel's anthologies published by Ravenous Romance. (It is erotica. Not romance. At all.) As an insider, my view of the publisher and its business practices differs, and I believe there is much to learn from its approach to epublishing -- both pro and con. Further, I have a great deal of respect for Rachel's work, and am delighted to be included in any collection she assembles -- especially *TOOT* Tasting Him, which is a finalist in the IPPYs!

Sapphistocated Review

2009-05-03T00:00:00.003-04:00

Loving Venus - Loving Mars had this to say about Sapphistocated:

I’ve read a few anthologies now from Alessia Brio and to date, I haven’t been disappointed. There are always some very interesting and unique stories in them and Sapphistocated is no different. In this book, four authors whose names I’ve come to recognize as well known in f/f, lesbian romance and erotica, but not had the chance to read yet, are represented and it was a great chance to get a taste of each author’s writing.

What I liked with this book was the variety in stories. Each had a different flavor and ranged from very sweet, with characters who are soft and real, to gritty, in your face type characters who learn something about themselves. All the stories were well written and definitely grabbed my attention.

Double Decker by Alessia Brio- Tess is a very confident woman. She has her days, but then she has her SOL days, sex on legs days in which everything just falls into place. She’s participating in a karaoke contest in which the prize is a weekend trip to a resort and she really wants to win. It’s a quarterly contest held in a dyke bar, the Double Decker, and she knows she has a good chance to win. And she’s lucky because it just also happens to be an SOL day for her as well. She always manages to find someone to go home with after these karaoke contests, but on this night there is only one woman she wants. But that woman has no idea what Tess feels.

This story is one in which the over confident person get a little comeuppance. Tess as a character came across at very arrogant. She knows she’s hot and she’s sure she’s the best singer. She’s also very confident that she can seduce anyone in the audience to get who she wants when she wants. I had mixed feelings about her. She’s not someone I would normally like and the fact that she goes on and on and on about how great she is through most of the story got a bit tedious.

I wished there would have been more interactions with the woman she does want and less of the build up of Tess’ ego. I wanted more tension created between them. But Tess does get knocked down a few pegs when the one woman she does want seems to blow her off. Tess does then recognize that she got too cocky and that’s what turned the story around for me. Plus, there’s hawt sex. I’m shallow like that, what can I say. B+

I Know What I Want- Jolie du Pre- Allie is working as a waitress in a sucky job, but she’s gorgeous enough to eke out a small living modeling on the side, which is what she’d rather do. One day a friend of a photographer calls Allie and tells her she has a modeling job for her and will pay her 2k per hour to be a centerpiece at her party, but she needs to interview her first.

Vivian, the woman who hires her, is an older and very wealthy woman who comes onto Allie sexually but cuts Allie off before really doing anything. Allie is very intrigued by her and wants to be with her. Vivian then plays this game with her of making Allie feel that she is interested and yet blowing her off all the time, controlling the relationship totally. Even after they have sex and Vivian says she loves Allie, she never quite gives Allie the satisfaction that she will really be with her.

When Allie gets a call from a major fashion magazine that wants her to be their main model, she goes to NY and although Vivian has said she would come, she doesn’t. In the meantime, Allie gets with the assistant of the magazine editor and they fall in love. Then Vivian shows up.

I have to be honest; the end of this story was very abrupt and a bit disappointing. While I got that this is about Allie deciding what she wants, I felt that the stronger part of the story, or lets say the part that was the most developed and had the more interesting dynamics, petered out.

Vivian is such a delicious, mysterious character. She in total control of that relationship with Allie and had some really interesting Domme characteristics that made her exciting. She’s very cool and yet, very patient with Allie as Allie tries to figure out what the deal is with Vivian. Yes, Vivian is very manipulative, but the cool mystique around her made her the most compelling character in this story.

The beginning of the story is all about Allie and Vivian, but then it shifts to Allie and the assistant. Allie is just your normal type girl with no real outstanding qualities who’s enthralled with Vivian and wants her, but also gets really pissed off with being dicked around. She has a more normal, realistic relationship with the assistant, but is unfinished with Vivian. When Vivian comes back into town, she calls Allie acting like nothing is bad between them and Allie blows her off. Then it just ends. What? Wait… don’t stop.

Personally, as a reader, the focus of this story was on the wrong person, it should have been on Vivian who was the more complex character. What makes her tick, why she’s acting like she is, does she really love Allie or is it a game… so much about her I wanted to know. Not so much about Allie. And the D/s elements that were hinted at, but never really developed, were also way more intriguing than the story between Allie and the assistant.

So I’d have to say that on quite a few levels this was a really cool story, but there was disappointment in the ending, which left me wanting a lot more. B+

Better with Age by Beth Wylde- Olivia is a woman heading into middle age and alone. She has a grown daughter who’s in college and is coming home for a night for her birthday before going back. Olivia is lonely, suffering from empty nest syndrome, but gets by keeping busy with her job.

Aleesha is also an older woman who hasn’t really found that person with whom she can really love and settle down with. She’s come back to her home town and bought a small bakery and is just living life… that is until quite by coincidence, Olivia shows up to pay for a cake she ordered for her daughter’s birthday.

Olivia and Aleesha were lovers in high school until Olivia’s mom caught them together and forced Olivia to drop Aleesha or she and her father would cut all ties with her. Being young and naïve, she let go of Aleesha. Now meeting Aleesha after all these years, the sparks fly again between them and they find that they cannot resist each other.

Oh what a totally sweet story this is. I loved, loved it! Beth Wylde really captured that feeling between the characters of a love that never dies and that feeling of coming home and rightness that happens when you find and are in the presence your soul mate. Neither one of these women have found a person who could replace the other or give them what they had together and they get immediately that after all those years that they still feel the same with each other.

I also thought their fears and vulnerabilities about their much older bodies being desirable to the other to be very touching as well. Olivia and Aleesha are just two characters that are so easy to relate to and it’s a nicely written, very satisfying story. And it's always nice to read a story about two older characters who find love. A-

Drawn by Yeva Wiest- Sydney is a cartoon artist who gets a little too involved in her characters, is definitely a butch who has very specific tastes in what she likes in a woman’s looks, and… she’s a player. She hasn’t had any nookie for a while and while creating a character, she creates the perfect woman but with two heads that can be swapped. One head is for the character’s nice personality and the other for the evil one. When Sydney goes in to see her boss to show her the new character and story, she likes what she sees in Beth, her boss’ assistant. Beth is tall and willowy and just Sydney’s type. She asks Beth out and Beth agrees.

But wait… who also shows up in the office is Alice, the boss’ daughter. She’s round and voluptuous, has huge breasts and heavy thighs and Sydney has an immediate reaction against her thinking Alice is too fat for her. And yet, there’s something about Alice that Sydney finds herself attracted to. The next day when Sydney goes to meet Beth for a date, Alice just happens to be in the hall of the apartment building since she lives in a nearby apartment and again, Sydney finds against herself that she feels this intense attraction to Alice.

Alice gets that Sydney has judged her straight away as too fat and keeps cool with Sydney even though both of them are aware of some kind of attraction going on. After a while it becomes too much for Sydney when she finds herself thinking of Alice non-stop and getting all up in that soft, round, womanly body and she finds any excuse to meet with her.

First, all around, this was a very quirky story, which had a bizarre fantasy element going on with it. Sydney’s drawing, Kisha, messes with Sydney all the time, demanding her attention and doing awful spiteful things. Sydney also has sex with her. It’s written in an odd way so that I never quite knew what’s going on with that. It’s obvious that when Kisha is involved that it’s Sydney’s imagination and maybe even the two parts of herself being expressed, but it’s written as Kisha literally doing those things, so that part is a bit strange. Ultimately, I didn’t really get the point of that, why it was even there really.

What I really got off on in this story is how Yeva Wiest has Sydney all flustered about suddenly being attracted to a woman who is so not her usual taste and who changes the usual dynamic of her being butch who loves femmes. And Ok, I liked that she falls for a fat chick and that it’s Alice’s curves and fullness that turns her on. I just like stories in which a character finds themselves acting out of character and being totally turned on by that.

Then there was the weird night Sydney had with Beth. Truly, this story went into bizarro land a few times and it was very entertaining, like being in a lesbian erotica story written by Seinfeld. B+

Sapphistocated was a general, all around good read and I’m glad that I finally got a chance to read a few stories from some authors I’ve been meaning to get to. It’s definitely a nice collection of distinctly different stories, but all ending on a good note. And the sex in all of these stories was deliciously written and sizzling as well.

Sex rating: Orgasmic- very erotic and steamy f/f, some minor anal, strap on. Mostly vanilla.

Grade: B+

Romantic Times BookLovers Convention

2009-04-21T06:00:00.000-04:00

Well, we're off to Orlando this morning... by car. We'll be stopping in Clemson, SC for an all-too-brief visit with dear friends and expect to roll into Orlando mid-afternoon on Wednesday. Google Maps says each leg of this trip is 8+ hours. Oh, joy! But, I fully intend to work on edits for Coming Together: Against the Odds while Will is taking his turns behind the wheel. I have my adorable little Eee loaded up & ready to go, lots of CDs packed, and plenty of energy drinks. I wish I could say I was "up" for the madness that is RT, but I'm just not. I'm not excited about my costumes AT ALL. Plus, I'm still annoyed at how the RT machine marginalizes ebooks & small press.

The ebook expo, for example, is Wednesday afternoon from 4:30 'til 6:30. Hardly "prime time." More like nap time. However, it is Earth Day and I will be celebrating the release of Coming Together: Al Fresco, an ebook exclusive from All Romance eBooks.

Also on the up side, I'm really looking forward to finally meeting Piers Anthony (especially since I both did the cover and edited his latest book with Phaze), seeing Robyn Carr & Barry Eisler again, and handing L.A. Banks her contributor copies of Coming Together: At Last.

Except for a couple of sessions, I'll be hanging out at the Phaze table in Club RT most of Thursday and Friday, and I am participating in the Saturday book fair (although I've no clue what -- or even if my -- books will be there for me to sign). Stop & say howdy if you're attending!

Alternatively, you can follow the festivities with the #RT09 hashtag on Twitter.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Breaking Boards for St. Jude's

2009-04-14T10:00:00.004-04:00

My partner & I will be participating in a fundraiser for St. Jude's Children's Research Hospital this Saturday (April 18th). We'll be doing our best not to break our own fingers and/or toes while attempting to break taekwondo boards.

If you're able to pledge/donate, we'd appreciate it. I've set up a PayPal page for it.

Thanks, y'all.

Amazon and the Terrible, Horrible, No Good, Very Bad Day(s)

2009-04-13T20:00:00.004-04:00

image credit to some other blogger

It exploded in the Twitterverse on Sunday--Easter, ironically--but had apparently been brewing for months. Amazon stripped the sales ranking of all books tagged with "adult" content, claiming (per email replies to customer service inquiries) to be doing so to protect the delicate sensibilities of its entire client base, who just might be offended by an unexpectedly sexual search result.

Offended.

The hashtags #amazonfail and #glitchmyass quickly rose to the top of the trending topics on the microblogging site.

At the risk of potentially offending the proverbial everyman, Amazon compromised the livelihoods of literally hundreds of authors, dozens of publishers. It also seriously "offended" the entire GLBT community, because any books dealing with gay or lesbian topics--whether erotic or not--were tagged as having "adult" content. Seriously. Even non-fiction self-help titles were *poof* transported to book search purgatory.

One Tweeter made the wise observation that there is no such thing as "adult" content; only its obverse "child safe" designation. I agree.

It wasn't long before a counter-conspiracy theory arose, blaming the fiasco on a troll who purportedly hacked Amazon's metadata, exploiting an opportunity to have the behemoth's algorithm favor one demographic's agenda. Of course, some asshat took "credit." The theory, however, didn't hold water, since there were numerous accounts of email and voice replies from Amazon customer service reps demonstrating that the changes were the result of "policy" designed to avoid aforementioned offense to the client base.

Just the use of the word "base" in conjunction with this matter brings to mind W & Co's coddling of the fundamentalist Christian base. *shudder* Makes me feel dirty--and not in an "adult" way.

It was difficult to get any work done while this was going down. (Oops, I said "going down.") I wanted to watch the real-time feed like I was rubbernecking at a digital train wreck. I even wasted time creating very basic #glitchmyass and Glitch, please! products for Coming Together's Cafe Press store. (And they're selling! Hey, some good may come of this.)

Amazon's delayed response was just as disturbing as the initial erotic witch hunt. I went to taekwondo class hoping that by the time I got home, there would be some sort of official response. And there was. The "glitch defense" had been replaced with the "ham-fisted cataloging error" excuse. (It seems as if Amazon wants us to forget about the policy explanations that were emailed in response to early queries: In consideration of our entire customer base, we exclude “adult” material from appearing in some searches and best seller lists. Since these lists are generated using sales ranks, adult materials must also be excluded from that feature. Or, perhaps, this is what ham-fisted refers to.) Further, Amazon acknowledges that its scope goes way beyond GLBT titles. Well, we already knew that.

I'm not sure what the long-term impact of this SNAFU will be, but I hope the repercussions provide some sort of silver lining for all those who were adversely effected.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Charm City Fetish Fair

2009-04-03T06:00:00.007-04:00

If you're in the Baltimore-DC area, stop by and see me tomorrow (Saturday, April 4th) at the first annual Charm City Fetish Fair at the BWI Ramada! I'll be joining Phaze authors Bridget Midway and Leigh Ellwood as we sign our books and schmooze. I'll have print copies of all my titles, including those in the Coming Together erotic anthology series, and we'll also have a smattering of books by Phaze authors in absentia. Plenty of choices, no matter form of adult reading you prefer! The doors open at 9:30 in the morning and close at 4:30 in the afternoon. Hope to see you there!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Ah, spring!

2009-03-29T15:00:00.000-04:00

Daytime temps are getting to the comfortable, open-the-windows range. Nights are still dipping into the upper 30s. The delta is making the frogs fuck-happy and the underbrush bud.

The forsythia is beginning to bloom and will be at its riotous peak in less than a week, followed immediately by the wild dogwood that glows white-green at dawn and dusk, so much prettier than the cultivated variety. The industrious carpenter ants are marching in search of a place to build their summer encampment. I refuse to surrender my kitchen, not even the dark damp space behind the Bunn, not even if they promise to leave the oat bran alone.

The birch and maple look like they have a 5 o'clock shadow of pale green stubble, but the stubborn oaks are holding out for a few sunny days in the 70s before they concede winter's passage. Fitting, since they're the last to let go in the fall. The curmudgeons of deciduousness. The pines, ever envious that they have no spectacular seasonal displays, are preparing to throw a heavy pollen tantrum that turns the storm water run-off into a piss & cinder soup.

The kids are already pestering to wear shorts and sandals, and the first notes of the weekend lawnmower symphony have been heard, although the blades aren't yet giving up their greenscent nor is the wild onion yet carried on the breeze.

The back meadow is almost ready to burst into a viney, wildflower extravaganza. It was cleared last fall, so while the deer are thrilled, the snakes and frogs and small furry critters are vulnerable to the red-tailed hawks that swoop from one side to the other, occasionally snagging a meaty treat.

And the storms. I adore the storms.

I my mountains.

How I Spent My Saturday Afternoon

2009-03-16T05:00:00.000-04:00

Gotta love a leather fleamarket. Unlike last fall's foray, this time, I managed to keep my credit card in my wallet and focus primarily on promoting my books. Well, that is, when my focus wasn't on the chick with the enviable body bound to the St. Andrew's cross being tormented by her partner... or on the vast array of floggers and canes, often lustily tested... or on the walking straightjacket demos.

The Crucible's Leather Fleamarket & Play Party in Washington DC was, again, a very high-traffic event, and we were the only vendor there selling books. I'm looking forward to the next one, and also to the inaugural Charm City Fetish Fair in Baltimore next month.

Focus reviewed by Book Wenches

2009-03-07T10:00:00.003-05:00

Title: Focus: Highlighting the Power of the Short Story

Publisher: eXcessica Publishing
Release Date: January 2009
Length: Anthology of Short Stories
Genre: various
Sensuality Level: 4
Rating: 4

Focus: Highlighting the Power of the Short Story is a collection of 17 short stories by a diverse group of authors. These stories run the gamut of genres and themes: from straight to gay and from erotic to literary to horror. Each of these stories has a forward written by the editor that helps to explain the story and put it in perspective. These small forwards are an unusual touch that I find enhances the reading experience greatly.

Butterfly Wings by Renee Blaine:

Locked away in a mental hospital, a young witch who has been driven mad by her power begs the man who once loved her for help ending her life.

This is a lovely and evocative story. The heroine is like the butterfly that she holds in her hands: she is too damaged to continue with her life yet too whole to die. Death for her is the ultimate kindness.

Dancing Wildly by Will Belegon:

After suffering the frustration of a long-distance relationship and six months of the delays that life can bring, a young man reunites with his girlfriend. Although he is initially uncertain of the reception he will receive from her, it soon becomes plain that their connection is as strong as ever.

The author of this short story has combined a poem with narrative to tell a tale of young love and joy. Although I am not a fan of poetry overall, this one is very well executed, and its use in this story is very effective in evoking an emotional reaction.

Monday by Selena Kitt:

A schoolgirl who is being raised by her drug-addicted mother is shocked and frightened when she witnesses her mother turning a trick for her dealer.

Since the action in this story is seen through a child’s innocent eyes, it takes a moment for the reader to realize what is happening, although it is immediately evident that the little girl is somewhat neglected. Much of the tension revolves around us knowing that although she files the experience away and remains a carefree child, it will surely affect her when she reaches adulthood.

Virgin Tracks by Natalie Lamont:

In order to pay off her family’s debts and have college tuition, a young woman sells her virginity to a high-class brothel. The money is necessary, but she is resentful that her first time will be with a man who pays for it. However, the greatest shock is not her actual deflowering, but what happens after the customer leaves.

This is a very surprising and original story where what you see is not necessarily what you get. There is not a lot I can say without giving away the plot twist, but I can say that the author has created a very well executed and clever surprise for her readers.

Prince Raskolnikov and the Rusalka by Norman A. Rubin:

A prince, weary from battle, rests beneath a tree. He awakens to find a beautiful sprite of a woman who so inflames his lust that he follows her into the river to make love with her. And there he finds that she is no ordinary woman but a beautiful – and deadly – spirit of the water.

This story is told with an air that makes me think of traditional oral storytelling. I can almost envision a bard sitting in a great hall entertaining the people with his story. The language is poetic and descriptive and feels almost like a song in some places. Well done…very well done, indeed.

Linda Turns Another Page by Ralph Greco, Jr.:

As his girlfriend reads a book and ignores him, a man with a breast fixation masturbates in her lap, deriving sexual pleasure from the humiliation of her supposed indifference and her indirect dominance of him.

This is a very funny story, and I dare you not to be entertained by it. The narrator is a somewhat perverted fellow, but the reader will like him in spite of – or even because of – this. He has a very appealing voice, and one cannot help but be amused as he recounts this sexual experience.

Float by Tessa Buxton:

In a hotel on Jupiter’s moon Io, a man falls in love with an android. Although he has made the artificial boy the object of his obsession, the man also knows that there is no future in his feelings. Because the android is at the end of his life cycle and is slowly dying.

This little bit of science fiction reflects the pain and yearning felt by the main character very effectively. While it may seem to be strange for someone to fall in love with an android who is so obviously not human, one can’t refute the depths of the main character’s feelings. This story is sad and sweet although not just a little bit twisted.

Knead by Alessia Brio:

A woman recounts her experience receiving a professional massage. While her body enjoys the attention, her mind races as she deals with a lack of self confidence and the discomfort of her body image. The experience is highly sensual while not being sexual, and the narrator reflects on the meaning of beauty.

This is a very relaxing and contemplative read, and it is incredibly well done. Indeed, after reading this story, I really want a massage! The narrator comes out of her experience with a renewed confidence and a changed body image, and it is a beautiful thing to witness.

In Their Shoes by Kev Henley:

A woman’s cat becomes a human man hoping that his love for her will make her happy after a string of lovers have not. However, he finds that nothing can force her to be happy when that is not what she actually wants.

This somewhat sad story, told from the cat’s point of view, underscores how human nature tends to overanalyze issues. The woman cannot allow herself to let go and find her dream but must instead talk herself down into believing that she must be miserable in life. The cat’s perspective is a unique one. His actions and thoughts are a well executed composite both the human and the feline and made this story very enjoyable for this cat-lover.

Thank You, Sensei by Amy Lee and Annastasia:

After suffering an emotional meltdown after a BDSM session with his dominant, a young man slowly comes down to reality and re-centers himself with the help of his Master.

This story makes it very clear that both of the participants in the BDSM relationship – both the masochist and the sadist – have needs that are met by their activities. Even though those of us who don’t understand this scene might have a little difficulty seeing how someone might take pleasure from pain, it is obvious that the act of submission and masochism gives Jonathan satisfaction as well as expressing his adoration and gratitude for the man he calls Master or Sensei. The emotional scene at the beginning of the story is clearly an aberration from the norm for him.

Amanuensis by Tessa Buxton:

A winged woman sits in a cage with no door and thinks back on her youth, ruing the choice that she made to leave her own kind and live with a human man. She has given up her freedom for a life she does not enjoy and is sinking into madness and self-neglect. Nothing forces her to stay, but she makes no attempt to leave this life that makes her so unhappy.

This is a poignant story that will make the reader feel sad for the caged woman but at the same time frustrated that she takes no action to change her situation. There is a deep feeling of melancholy and loss on the part of both of the characters as well as a sense of helplessness as their lives wend to an end. This story left me feeling unaccountably upset, but it is quite well done.

Downriver by Gwen Meyers:

Every year, the most beautiful girl in the village is sacrificed as an honor to the gods. This year, the chosen girl prepares for her ordeal but is instead rescued by the young man who adores her. After they avoid capture, the two affirm life with sex, switching the sacrifice of life with one of the girl’s virginity.

After reading this story, I can’t help but wonder about the people who have been sacrificed to various gods over the ages and what they must have been feeling at the time. It seems like such a terrible practice, yet it was the cement that held societies together. I appreciate the fact that this one young sacrifice doesn’t make it to the alter in this story.

Faith by Selena Kitt:

An angry and depressed mother finds out that at age forty she is once again pregnant. As her pregnancy progresses, her anger grows, and she does everything she can do to harm the baby growing within her. She is determined not to let the unwanted child ruin her life, regardless of the wishes of her husband.

In this story, a woman practices her own method of abortion. Although the narration is from her perspective, she is drawn to be an extremely unsympathetic character – she dislikes her husband, envies her own children their youth, and wants only to maintain her career. The person in the story we feel sorry for is the husband, who still loves his wife for all that she has tried to kill that love. Although the conclusion is sad and shocking, it is not unexpected.

Triple Forged Coupling by Anthony Beal:

Hiding in the recesses of a closet, a man watches his lover cheat on him in fascination and pleasurable agony. As the couple has sex, he begins to see them as machines instead of people. After they are finished and the woman departs, the voyeur rejoins his lover, who no longer looks mechanical but is once again the man he loves.

This story is something of a surprise, and it is a tale of voyeurism rather than cheating. The imagery in this story is very well done, and as the two spied-upon lovers copulate, they are redrawn in the readers’ eyes with machine parts instead of soft flesh. In the eyes of the voyeur, it is the act of sex that makes man (and woman) into something mechanical. It is an intriguing and quite original viewpoint.

To Save a Witch by Kiki Howell:

When an inept young witch uses the power of the full moon to case runes and look into her past and her future, she conjures a dangerous ghost and must be rescued by a man who has loved her from a distance. She finds that she is doomed to always want and never be fulfilled unless she can learn gratitude.

This is a story about a woman learning from the mistakes of her past lives and finding love by relaxing her pride. It is mildly entertaining, but I didn’t find it especially memorable as some of the other stories in this anthology are. Still, a happy ending is always pleasurable to experience.

Alabama Hotel Room by Renee Blaine:

In this story, a man seeks retribution for the murder of a young woman by systematically killing everyone involved in her death. He sees himself as an executioner and has followed those who he believes to be human monsters around the entire continent.

This story is a journey into the mind of a killer, a man who may very well be sliding into insanity and who is aware that he is turning into a monster himself. The atmosphere of horror is thick and ugly, and the reader is left wondering if the dead woman is just an excuse for the main character to go on a killing spree.

Gender Issues by Elliott Mabeuse:

When a man meets a young woman at a party who is dressed as a man, he is intrigued and wildly attracted to her. All he can think of is making love to her, so does that mean he’s gay? It’s all very confusing to him, but in the end, it doesn’t matter if she is a boy or a girl, and it is equally inconsequential whether he is straight or gay. What they have found is a connection that goes beyond gender and that wipes the slate of their pasts.

This story ends this anthology with a bang and is the shining star of the collection, in my opinion. It is well written, surprising and extremely sensual, and it raises some interesting questions about gender identity while at the same time raising an eyebrow or two. No toss-away read, Gender Issues will linger in your thoughts well after the conclusion.

--BD Whitney

~ ~ ~

Sapphistocated's 1st Review

2009-03-01T16:00:00.003-05:00

Rainbow Reviews had this to say about the F/F collection:

RATING:

BOOK REVIEW:

"Double Decker" by Alessia Brio ~ Rating: 4.5 ~ This story was definitely one of the gems of the anthology. Tess enters a karaoke singing competition with her sights set on far more than just winning the contest; she wants Kayla, the woman who runs it, too.
The author succeeds beautifully in capturing the heat and sensuality of Tess' performances, bringing to life both the rush of performance and the twisting fear of stage fright.
There does seem to be some confusion as, early on in the story, it seems like Tess does not know Kayla very well, as Tess and her friend discuss whether or not Kayla wears a wedding ring, but then at the end of the story, it's implied that Kayla and Tess have had many "frank discussions" about sex and have a long-term friendship.
Despite that, it's easy to become invested in Tess' happiness. Nothing comes easily to her, even with all her determination, but the romance is sweet, and the sex is very steamy.
"I Know What I Want" by Jolie Du Pre ~ Rating: 3 ~ Allie is a model in search of more opportunities for both work and love. When she meets Vivian, a wealthy and powerful older woman, she thinks that she's found the love she's been looking for, but nothing turns out quite like Allie thought it would.
I will say right off the bat that this story was simply not to my taste. I believe it would get a higher rating from a reader who prefers a less emotional, less descriptive style to romance/erotica stories. The bondage Vivian placed Allie (and presumably her previous lovers) into was, to me, an unfortunate choice of metaphor for Vivian's distant and controlling nature. It felt like yet another case in which the kinky character is the "bad guy."
That said, even without this story being to my taste, the writing was clear and strong. The development of the main character, Allie, from a clingy, uncertain young woman to a confident and decisive adult was well done. As she experiences more of life, she obviously learns more about what she wants for herself, and that progression was enjoyable to read.
"Better With Age" by Beth Wylde ~ Rating: 3.5 ~ When Olivia runs into her first love after twenty years apart, it turns her world upside down.
This story's concept ~ rekindling an old flame ~ is one of my personal weaknesses. I love it. As Olivia and Aleesha discuss the old hurts that had kept them apart in the past, I was immediately drawn into their struggle, hoping they would find their way back together.
There was just one thing that kept this story from getting a higher rating: the resolution came too easily. While the author does an excellent job of showing the reader how much these two women want to be together, the path to their happiness seemed entirely clear of roadblocks. Everything happened too easily, too conveniently, and that was very disappointing.
"Drawn" by Yeva Wiest ~ Rating: 4.5 ~ Yuri manga artist Sydney is attracted to her latest artistic creation, Kisha Karnes. She's also attracted to Beth, her editor's assistant. When she meets the editor's daughter, though, Sydney is surprised to find herself attracted to Alice, too.
The elements of magical realism in this story are definitely one of its strengths, as Sydney interacts with ~ and finds her romantic interests sabotaged by ~ Kisha, the main character from her latest manga proposal, 'Head Girl.'
Kisha is Sydney's physical ideal, slim and built. Beth suits that ideal, as well. Alice, on the other hand, is a big woman with large breasts and plump thighs, not Sydney's type at all. Sydney doesn't understand why she's so drawn to Alice, and the author does an excellent job of exposing Sydney's insecurities and drawing the reader into the struggle as Sydney tries to deal with her conflicting desires for Kisha, Beth, and Alice.

Review by Fox

Available now in ebook & print from Phaze Books.

TRS reviews At First

2009-02-13T20:00:00.001-05:00

The Romance Studio gives At First, the story behind the story of ArtiFactual, four hearts and some very nice praise:

At First -- Washington D.C. is the story behind Alessia Brio and Will Belegon's story, ArtiFactual. Set before the foundation of the Erotique Mystique, Senor Eduardo "Eddie" Rojas Aguilar is a young archeology student. Wandering the streets of D.C., he literally plows into Vivian Long and fireworks ensue. What is it about tall, dark, and mysterious that has Vivian so wound up? What's the spark in her touch, and why can't Eduardo seem to tell the woman, no? Why is he attracted to such a forward woman?
Attraction at first sight or is it love? Either way, Brio and Belegon know how to keep the intensity at the forefront. From Eddie and Vivian's first encounter to the chain of events that Vivian allows, and sometimes orchestrates, to draw them along and together, the chemistry between the characters is amazing. Not having read ArtiFactual, I'm not sure of this story's meaning, but I found At First stands well on its own. I love the concept of different personalities and instant attraction, and found the authors have an uncanny way to make it real. I enjoyed being drawn and made privy to the character's thoughts. Nice romantic elements and intense sex make this story one hot read.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Explicit

Reviewer: Bryl Tyne

Just $2 from Phaze Books!

Two-Thirds

2009-02-11T09:00:00.001-05:00

It's not a happy story, but it is a free one. Free is good. Check out my Valentine giveaway at Phaze Books. There's a new story from a Phaze author every day between February 1st and Cupid's holiday. Snag them all HERE. Enjoy!

My story is also posted at Literotica as past of the Valentine's Day Contest, so if you're so inclined, pop on over there and leave me a comment.

Mirror Geography

2009-02-08T08:00:00.000-05:00

New print and ebook release from Phaze Books...

Sapphistocated: Four Tales of Mirror Geography

Four rising stars of women's erotica come together in this sometimes funny, sometimes heartwarming, and totally engaging collection of stories about women who love women.

"Double Decker" by Alessia Brio: Tess is determined to win the big Karaoke contest at the Double Decker bar, and the heart of the woman organizing it. Will her evening end on a high note?

"I Know What I Want" by Jolie du Pre: Allie is an up and coming model who catches the eye of a wealthy, dominating woman. While the attentions and money from "special" modeling sessions are great, Allie wants more...but how much is enough?

"Better With Age" by Beth Wylde: After nearly twenty years, Olivia runs into her first love, Aleesha. While time seems to fade as they reunite, Olivia isn't sure passion could possibly have survived. It takes a surprising discovery at home to convince her to find out for certain if she's gotten better with age.

"Drawn" by Yeva Wiest: Manga artist Sydney loves 'em thin and leaves 'em shortly afterward, so why is she obsessing over the big, beautiful daughter of her publisher? As her Yuri artwork torments her and friends advise her, Sydney struggles with these new feelings and learns that where love and passion are concerned, she doesn't have to draw the line at any particular size.

Whipped Cream reviews Surrender

2009-01-25T07:00:00.000-05:00

Surrender: Tales of Erotic Submission by Eden Bradley, Eliza Gayle, Reese Gabriel and Alessia Brio
Publisher: Phaze Books
Genre: Contemporary
Length: Short/Anthology
Other: BDSM, M/F, F/F, Spanking, Voyeurism
Rating: 3.5 Cherries
Review by Lilac

In this scorching anthology, four couples find more than they are looking for as they learn to surrender.

In Eden Bradley’s “Breaking Skye,” believing that one night will help her get over her secret fantasy of sexual submission, Skye Ballard places an ad hoping to find the perfect Dominant. She’s in for a surprise when she meets Adam Dunne. Adam set out only to train Skye, but soon finds himself longing to keep her and hopes to convince her that one night of submission will not be enough.

The relationship between Skye and Adam is fascinating as two almost-complete strangers find something they didn’t know they were missing when they both learn to let go of their control. Their encounter changes them both and their passion heats up the pages in this steamy tale of learning to trust.

“Submissive Secrets,” Eliza Gayle’s steamy entry in the anthology, features a private investigator who is shocked to find her ex naked in her bed. Aidan needs Carli’s help to find her brother and is surprised by what he learns about Carli as he searches for clues to her brother’s whereabouts. Carli craves domination and Aidan is determined to provide it for her as he never quite got over her. Their hot encounters and Aidan’s reappearance bring up past feelings as the couple comes together in this quick read.

This was a very enjoyable story about two people reconnecting as they rediscovered a love that never died. I really liked the characters of Aidan and Carli and the fact that they had a past relationship. It added depth to the story and their current encounter. The storyline involving the brother was left unfinished, but other than that it was a good read.

In the third story of the anthology, “Cupid’s Captive” by Reese Gabriel, cynical John Cupid finds more than he bargained for when he is forced into taking out his partner’s little sister. Steffy has grown up and changed from the teenager that John remembers and when she asks him to teach her to submit he is stunned. John tries to resist, but the feelings Steffy stirs in him are just a bit too much for him and soon their relationship heats up.

This was a good story, but at times Steffy annoyed me and I found the relationship between she and John hard to believe. However, I really liked the premise and plot of the story, which helped save it for me--as did the sizzling sex scenes.

“Listen to Me” by Alessia Brio, the final entry of the anthology, is a quick and brief short story told in first person from the point of view of a female Domme with a female submissive. The story read like a foreplay scene and ended rather abruptly leaving me wondering what would happen next in this fiery read.

While some stories were stronger than others, overall, Surrender is a good anthology with each story providing readers with an interesting look at a Dom-Sub relationship or encounter.

Better Sex Erotic Fiction Contest

2009-01-19T08:00:00.001-05:00

It's an oldie, but a goodie. (Or is that goody?) Anyway, my short-short story, Allure, is a contestant in this week's erotic fiction contest at Better Sex. I'd really appreciate your vote of support.

Thanks!

New review for Fantasies I

2009-01-12T00:00:00.001-05:00

Phaze Presents Fantasies, Volume I features four stories by four different authors. The stories focus on many elements from multiple partners to the paranormal to second chances. From the steam generated by each story, who needs a pot of boiling hot water!

In Pura Vida! by Alessia Brio, traveling can lead to fun-times under the sun. Charlie, who owns a traveling agency, expects to get business done while in Costa Rica with his good friend and lover, Stormy, who owns a partnering advertisement agency. With recent hire Pietro along for the trip, the three set out to explore the island and each other, in hopes of creating a new advertising campaign. Will their secret of living a polyamorous life be kept underground forever?

In Midnight Passions by Leigh Ellwood, good things come in twos. Colleen, a divorced mother of an eight year-old, still has dreams of a fairy-tale life with her current beau, Daryl. A good deed done by her landlord, Professor John Spence, opens her eyes to a man who she never would have considered sexually. John Spence has his fair share of secrets as well, enchanted ones to be exact. Will John Spence’s secrets prove too overwhelming for Colleen’s sensibility?

In Service Recall by Bridget Midway, second chances do come true. Carla Ewell, now Carla Middleton, is a newly divorced woman ready to move on with her life. For over ten years, she was married to a man who was controlling and no good for her. But a chance meeting with her high school classmate, Duke Boscoe, who is now a plumber slash business owner, exposes Carla to a completely new outlook. Carla considered Duke as the quarterback with the sexy eyes and lips and Duke considered Carla, a beautiful African American woman. Both, had been attracted to each other all those years ago. Who ever knew a clogged kitchen sink could lead to an unclogging of another kind?

In Midnight Conversations by Ann Regentin, fixing something old can lead to new pleasures. Cassie, enjoying the freedom brought to her upon divorce, does not mind that there are ghosts in her new house who speak to her. In fact, she rather enjoys the sensual stories they share with her. When previous owner Tristan offers to help her with some badly needed remodeling and landscaping, she jumps at the assistance.

Each story offers a unique spin on sensuality and offers steamy sex scenes with interesting main and secondary characters. Also, each story is a nicely written work of fiction with realistic undertones. I recommend Phaze Presents Fantasies, Volume I to all romance and erotica lovers.

Reviewed by Chantay Wesley
APOOO BookClub

Tasting Him reviewed by Erotica Revealed

2009-01-01T16:00:00.002-05:00

My story, Down on the Beach, appears in this collection.

Tasting Him: Oral Sex Stories
Edited By: Rachel Kramer Bussel
Cleis Press
ISBN: 1573443239
September 2008

Reviewed By: Lisabet Sarai

When I agreed to review Tasting Him: Oral Sex Stories, I had some serious reservations. How could a collection of twenty-plus stories with such a narrow theme sustain any level of interest? And wouldn’t a focus on a single, physical sex act – fellatio – tend to move the content away from the psychological and emotional explorations that I view as the essence of erotica toward more superficial presentations reminiscent of bad porn?

I am pleased to report that my concerns were largely unfounded. Rachel Kramer Bussel has succeeded in assembling a surprisingly varied collection of tales that feature cocksucking but focus less on the activity itself than on the reactions of the characters involved.

Most of the tales involve a woman going down on a man. However the volume also offers Radclyffe’s exuberant “Blessed Benediction,” in which a drop-dead-gorgeous femme demonstrates (in public) how she can make her tough butch lover cream by sucking her strap-on. This story, perhaps more than any other, illustrates my oft repeated claim that arousal begins in the mind. Simon Sheppard is uncharacteristically cheerful but sly and entertaining as usual in “It’s a Wonderful Blow Job,” about a gay man who’s especially turned on fellating a married man. The protagonist in T. Hitman’s “Long Relief” is ultra-straight, a baseball player on tour, but that doesn’t stop him from enjoying a blow job from one of his team mates. Lori Selke turns the tables in “Cocksucker,” with a submissive male who begs to suck his girlfriend’s artificial dick. Shanna Germain takes the switch one step further in “Sculpted;” her heroine’s strap-on is an actual replica of her lover’s cock.

All of the stories in Tasting Him are on the light side – no deep conflicts, no secrets, no scars – but there’s a pleasing variation in tone and point of view. Tsaurah Litzky’s wonderful “Tony Tempo” is told in the wry voice of a former jazz great who is suffering through his golden years in the Crescendo Home for Aged and Indigent Musicians, treated like a child by the nurses but still dreaming of his deceased wife’s blow jobs. “This Just In” by Heidi Champa, gives us a second-person account of a woman living out her fantasy of sucking her commentator husband under the desk while he reads the news. Editors often reject second-person accounts as amateurish, but the perspective works in this story. “Getting Used to It,” by Tenille Brown, is a folksy third-person narrative featuring the very ordinary Herbert Miller, his wife Evelyn, and their next door neighbor Minnie, along with brisket, pot roast, peppermints, and of course, blow jobs.

My unquestioned favorite tale in this collection is Alison Tyler’s “Prego.” Although the protagonists are a long-established couple, it still manages to be outrageously spontaneous and intensely erotic.

Even our most vanilla activities tend to involve accoutrements such as rubber dishwashing gloves, velvet blindfolds and Wesson oil. So I suppose I shouldn’t have found it odd at all to walk through the swinging doors of our kitchen and discover Jackson fucking the jar of spaghetti sauce.
But I did.

Both find him, and find it odd.

As it turns out, the sauce in question is the last jar in the cupboard, intended for the pasta about to be served to the dinner guests currently assembled in the next room. It hardly matters; the lure of Jackson’s tomato-marinated cock is irresistible.

Craig J. Sorensen’s “Equanimity Unbound” was another stand-out, mostly because I empathized with the uptight, workaholic main character. Fortunately, the Goth beauty he meets at the Tshirt and novelty store in the mall knows how to loosen him up. Then there’s the original and intelligent “A Treatise on Human Nature”, by Robert Peregrine, where the bisexual male narrator undertakes to fulfill his recently-encountered companion’s request that he teach her “how to give head like a man”.

Overall, I found Tasting Him frequently entertaining and occasionally arousing. Against significant odds, Ms. Bussel has managed to put together a collection that is varied and satisfying enough to make the reader want to swallow the whole thing.

Preditors & Editors Readers Polls

2009-01-01T12:00:00.007-05:00

The Preditors & Editors 2008 Readers Polls are now open. I would greatly appreciate your support in the following polls:

Print/Electronic Novels : Erotica
Squeeze Play by Alessia Brio & Will Belegon
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/novelerot.shtml

Short Stories : All Others
"Past Perfect" by Alessia Brio, Clean Sheets
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/shortstory.shtml

Anthologies
Coming Together: With Pride
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/antho.shtml

Poems
everybody's hero by Alessia Brio
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/poem.shtml

Book/e-book Cover Artwork published in 2008
Surrender: Tales of Erotic Submission
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookart.shtml

Author Published in 2008
Alessia Brio
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/author.shtml

Poet Published in 2008
Alessia Brio
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/poet.shtml

Artist Published in 2008
Alessia Brio
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/artist.shtml

Print/Electronic Book Editor
Alessia Brio, Coming Together
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/bookeditor.shtml

Print/Electronic Book Publisher
Phaze Books
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/ebookpublisher.shtml

Writers' Discussion Forum
Literotica Authors' Hangout
http://www.critters.org/predpoll/writerforum.shtml

In order for your votes to be counted, you must verify your email address -- but you only have to do it once. Thanks, y'all. HAPPY NEW YEAR!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Surrender a Recommended Read

2009-01-01T00:00:00.000-05:00

What a lovely way to start the new year!

TITLE: Surrender: Tales of Erotic Submission
AUTHORS: Eden Bradley, Eliza Gayle, Reese Gabriel, Alessia Brio
PUBLISHER: Phaze Publishing
ISBN: 978-1-60659-087-4
FORMAT: ebook
RELEASE DATE: Sept. 2008
GENRE: Erotica/BDSM
RATING: RR (RECOMMENDED READ)

Breaking Skye by Eden Bradley

Fantasies of being dominated have tormented Skye since high school. Determined to get these urges out of her system, she contacts Adam, a BDSM trainer, through a bondage website. Adam is just as determined to break through Skye’s defenses and show her that she’s a true submissive. Skye struggles fiercely to let go of her tightly held control. Under Adam’s firm but caring commands, Skye learns the erotic pleasure that comes from complete submission.

BREAKING SKYE is fiery hot, a truly erotic tale of deep seated desires. The chemistry between Adam and Skye is electrifying on its own. When you add in the bondage and submission play, the story becomes a must read for anyone who likes their romance with a pair of handcuffs on the side. Pure lust and need is unashamedly palpable between the characters. Eden Bradley has written a dramatic and compelling romance that will satisfy readers love for a sound spanking.

Submissive Secrets by Eliza Gayle

Unable to face telling her teenaged fiancé that she needed pain and domination in the bedroom, Carli left him practically at the altar. Carli has regretted that decision ever since. Eight years later, she finds him sleeping, butt naked, on top of her bed. Has Aidan come back to her for love and pleasure, or something more sinister? Will Carli find the gumption to let Aidan know how she needs to be mastered by him, or will she let her second chance with the love of her life slip away?

Many people find it difficult to openly express their fantasies with their partners. SUBMISSIVE SECRETS intimately reveals the hurt and pain felt by the characters due to their unwillingness to open themselves to their lover. Eliza Gayle delivers a highly sensual romp with extremely edgy sex scenes. I found the domination scenes tremendously riveting. With SUBMISSIVE SECRETS, Eliza Gayle has guaranteed herself another fan—me!

Cupid's Captive by Reese Gabriel

Steffy has finally decided to be adventurous and do something about her long-standing crush on her older brother’s, best friend, John. Home from college, on a school break, Stephanie doesn’t resemble the gum chewing brat that John remembers from several years ago. John is not happy when his friend presses him into squiring Steffy around town on Valentines night, especially when she shows up looking like sex on wheels. How is he supposed to keep his thoughts from how he’d love to bend her over his knee, flip up her skirt, and redden that pert butt with some well placed smacks?

CUPID’S CAPTIVE is a classic cat and mouse story, but told with a lot more spicy zing than usual! I loved how Steffy played with John, setting him up, teased him left and right, and drove him wild with desire. Reese Gabriel built the characters fantastically, and made them very relatable. The sexual tension between John and Stephanie was intense and continued to build throughout the story, and was nicely intermingled with emotional elements. CUPID’S CAPTIVE will surely ensnare your attention and keep you enthralled.

Listen to Me by Alessia Brio

Two women alone in a room, drawn together by their needs and what they could give to each other, a negotiated rendezvous with its own set of rules. Almost silently, they touch, the master taking control, leading, guiding and exploring new territory with her new submissive. Softly, the sounds of zippers, moans and slaps fill the air with a palpable tension, each new noise, building the pleasant sense of anticipation.

LISTEN TO ME is absolutely filled with crazy hot images that are sure to fill the reader with desire. It’s a very short story, but so powerfully delivered that the length is not an issue. If this is a representative example of the compilation from Alessia Brio’s book, FINE FLICKERING HUNGERS, I have to recommend readers buy it. LISTEN TO ME definitely piqued my interest!

~ Manda

Free eBook

2008-12-26T07:00:00.003-05:00

In celebration of the season, I'm offering my two Amazon Shorts, The Seven & The Seven Revisited, for a limited time as a free ebook download. Enjoy!

50% Sale - Christmas Day!

2008-12-24T07:00:00.002-05:00

Phaze is having its third annual 50% ebook sale.
One day only: Christmas Day.
The sale code will be FESTIVE.

Purring tonight on Sex-Kitten Radio

2008-12-17T05:00:00.000-05:00

Join me this evening at 10pm Eastern on XXBN where I'll be chatting with the one and only Gracie Passette on her radio show, Cult of Gracie.

We'll be talking about erotica, smut writing, altruism, and Coming Together.

Whipped Cream Interview

2008-12-09T11:00:00.003-05:00

Check out my new interview over at Whipped Cream Reviews, the erotic arm of Long and Short Reviews. Then, tomorrow, join me on their Yahoo!Group for a little interactive Q&A!

Want more context for some of my quotes? You can read the raw, unedited interview here.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

How it all began...

2008-12-08T00:00:00.000-05:00

Before Mandy Long and Bruce Winfield began their globetrotting stewardship of the most unique retail establishment in Philadelphia, there was a woman who built the foundation for Erotique. Built it with her will and her sense of adventure. A woman who was ahead of her time in many ways.

Vivian Long's life was full of triumphs and tragedies. As we celebrate the beginning of a new era in America, come back with us and experience the beginning of the Erotique era for the Long family.

On a historic day in Washington D.C., Vivian Long and Eduardo Rojas Aguliar make some history of their own. And like this country, their lives will never be the same.

For those of you who have been craving more Bruce and Mandy...

Well, you'll have to keep re-reading ArtiFactual. We will return to those two beloved characters, but their next adventure is still in the plotting phaze. *wink*

Win, Place, and Show

2008-12-03T07:00:00.001-05:00

The polls are closed on the Romance Erotica Connection Yahoo!Group, and I was pleased to discover that I'd done well in several of them. In particular:

My cover for Jude Mason's book, Jesse's Homecoming, won the "Lesbian (F/F) Romance & Erotica COVER OF THE YEAR".

I won "Editor of the year" (by one vote over the wonderful Mychael Black).

My art department at Phaze Books won "PUBLISHER Best Cover Artist Service" in a landslide! :)

And my publisher, Phaze Books, won the "PUBLISHER Best Customer Service" poll.

It would appear that the fiction awards went to those authors who worked their readership the hardest -- as is the way with most such polls. And, losing Cover Artist of the Year to Anne (not "Anna") Cain is like losing a swim race to Michael Phelps.

This takes a wee bit of the sting out of the fact that none of the Coming Together anthologies made the finals for the EPPIES this year. *sniff* I'm having a tough time summoning enthusiasm to even attend EPICon now. Hopefully the cover art awards will rekindle it.

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

The Lust Chronicles Anthology

2008-12-01T00:00:00.004-05:00

Available in ebook and audiobook from new publisher Ravenous Romance:

* Publish Date: 2008-12-01
* ISBN: 978-1-60777-065-7

Synopsis

“Rachel Kramer Bussel has created her own type of erotica. An earthy, true-to-life style that draws her readers in and keeps then focused until the very last word”—Alison Tyler

The Lust Chronicles takes readers inside the minds of men and women who know how to get their kink on. Fantasies are fulfilled as they go to orgies, join the Mile High Club, seduce sexy strangers and do all the naughty things they’ve always wanted to try. In “Luke Lushious,” Lolita Wolf attends a summer sex camp and finds the man of her dirtiest dreams, while Alex M. Quinlan learns “The Consequences of Complaint.”

Here you’ll find an ode to older women, lust for a girl in a fedora, one woman’s love affair with public sex, and several passionate paeans to the lovers you just can’t forget. Readers will identify with their cravings for over-the-top sex, and get off along with the narrators as they recount every last intimate detail. Proving that truth is far hotter than fiction, the Lust Chronicles authors bare all, letting you live vicariously through their steamy, 100% true stories.

* * *

NOTE: My bio on this publisher's site was modified from "Sometimes, usually by accident, it even qualifies as romance." to "It usually ends up as romance." I do not approve of the change.

Gobble me up 'cause I'm on sale!

2008-11-26T00:00:00.004-05:00

Thanksgiving Sale: 40% Micropay Rebates on 53,000+ eBooks
Thanksgiving is celebrated this week in the United States. The day after Thanksgiving is called "Black Friday" – it is the traditional start of the holiday buying season and is typically the busiest retail shopping day of the year. But they’re not waiting at Fictionwise! They're kicking things off early with a massive sale: buy now and receive 40% Micropay Rebates on every title (when making a credit card purchase). This sale runs through Sunday, November 30 and WILL NOT be extended. You will not be seeing anything else like it this year, so take advantage of this special now!

Happy Birthday to Phaze

2008-11-22T00:00:00.006-05:00

Phaze Books is 4 years old this month, and the presents are for the readers who've made its success possible! Today and tomorrow, take 25% off your entire purchase (both ebooks and print) using code BIGFOUR.

Goooooooo, E!

2008-11-05T12:00:00.002-05:00

With Big Exception, Trade Sales Slowed in September
-- Publishers Weekly, 11/5/2008 7:57:00 AM

Reports from various publishers and booksellers that sales slowed considerably in September are borne out by the just-released AAP monthly sales estimates. According to the 17 publishers that report adult hardcover results, sales fell nearly 30% in the month, while sales in the trade paperback and mass market segments were both off by more than 8%. The children’s hardcover segment provided some good news, with sales jumping almost 42% led by shipments of Brisingr, If You Give a Cat a Cupcake and Disney High School Musical 3 Junior Novel; all three had first printings of over 1 million. Children’s paperback sales were down 19.1%. The strong performance of e-books continued in September, with the 13 publishers that report sales totaling revenue of $5.1 million, a 77.8% increase over last September.

VOTE!

2008-11-04T00:00:00.001-05:00

The first of the year-end polls

2008-11-03T00:00:00.003-05:00

There are a whole bunch of polls posted on the Romance Erotica Connection Yahoo!Group
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/polls

If you are so inclined, I (we) would much appreciate your support in the following categories.

You gotta be a member to vote, though. You can join here:
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/join

Cover Artist of the Year
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/surveys?id=12835631

Erotic Romance - All OTHER Genres Novel of the Year
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/surveys?id=12835904

Erotic Romance - Contemporary Best Female Character
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/surveys?id=12835851

Editor of the Year
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/surveys?id=12835665

Cover of the Year (Surrender & A Little Taste of Red)
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Romance_erotica_connection/surveys?id=12835664

Thank you!

~ Alessia

Cover Art Entries

2008-11-01T09:00:00.001-04:00

Want some candy?

2008-10-31T01:00:00.003-04:00

Today only, Halloween, get 20% off your entire order at Phaze Books using the code CANDYCORN

Happy reading!

Surrender is a NOR Top Pick

2008-10-27T06:00:00.006-04:00

Dee from Night Owl Romance gives Surrender: Tales of Erotic Submission 5 of 5 Hearts and a Reviewer Top Pick!

As a group named Surrender: Tales of Erotic Submission is a fun short read. Each goes into the characters emotional states – some more than others but they still have the same feel. All the stories are easy to follow and full of continuous action. I think Breaking Skye is strong enough to be on its own, but with this group each shines a little more.

BREAKING SKYE by Eden Bradley is about Skye and Adam meeting over the internet when she searches for someone to help her deal with her submissive symbols. They meet face to face and she’s apprehensive but finally submits and agrees to come to his home Friday. From the beginning Adam is impressed with Skye but he has issues of his own to work out.

SUBMISSIVE SECRETS by Eliza Gayle begins with Aiden naked in her bed when she gets home. Because it’s been 8 years since they were together Carli has a problem with him being there in the first place. Carli had some emotional/sexual issues she felt she couldn’t confide to Aiden and broke off their wedding. Carli now has to find out why Aiden has reappeared and live with the fact that no other man has measured up to Aiden in all this time.

CUPID’S CAPTIVE by Reese Gabriel involves Carl’s law partner John taking Carl’s sister Steffy out for Valentine’s Day. They had grown up together but Steffy was 10 years younger, and John had a hard time getting past that. When John and Steffy got together she was a wildcat, a big surprise to John. The title Uncle John was soon lost as they both learned about each other in a new way.

Fine flickering hungers LISTEN TO ME by Alessia Brio is told in first person and less than 10 pages long involving three people. We are allowed to visit the action in the beginning and left to contemplate where their passions lead.

Although the first scene is very erotic I would still like to read more of the author’s imagination, maybe it’s because of the enticing beginning that I want more.

~ ~ ~

I waived my royalties on this one, since my contribution to the anthology was (a) extremely short and (b) already published in fine flickering hungers, but it's still very gratifying to get a juicy review!

New Review!

2008-10-22T07:00:00.006-04:00

Loving Venus - Loving Mars reviewed fine flickering hungers:

Fine Flickering Hungers is a nice eclectic mix of short stories that contains many juicy and highly erotic fantasies. There’s a bit of something for everyone in here. However, what I mainly loved was the fair amount of girl-on-girl content, especially of the “first time experience” nature. Outside of that, I enjoyed each story for what it was.
This book also includes very short poems between each story, which I thought was an interesting touch and liked most of them. And I say that as someone who is not really into poetry.
The only negative I felt about this book was that some of the stories ended a bit too abruptly for me. And one in particular got me all worked up with no where to go. None of the characters are fulfilled in that story, but I’ll talk about that later.
A little blurb about each story:
Wetter Has Never Been Better: This was one of the best stories in this book. It’s about a young advertising woman who goes to Costa Rica to get some inspiration for an ad campaign for the Costa Rican tourist office, which wants people to come during the rainy season. While there, she ends up in all kinds of sexual situations as when it rains, everyone becomes horny. I just loved the whole concept of it and that a natural element, especially rain, causes everyone to get hot and bothered. m/f, m/f/f, f/f.
Topping Love: This story included some of the characters from Wetter Has Never Been Better, but went off in a different direction. This is about a sex expert/therapist who has become asexual and has really intellectualized sex. He allows his wife to get her needs taken care of with others and she goes with both men and women. When his brother, wife, and her best friend get together for an evening, it’s all talk, talk. The therapist decides to make pizzas having everyone put toppings on according to meanings he has put to those toppings. It boils down to an analogy of pizza toppings with what we desire in a mate/ relationship.
This story was a bit confusing to me and it was very philosophical with lots of discussing and proselytizing about the nature of love and sex. There was no actual sex in this story though. Meh, it wasn’t my cuppa, but others might like this one.
It’s All About Customer Service: Oh, I liked this one. A woman calls a furnace repair man to fix her furnace and you can guess what happens. This one is a nice little hot erotic fantasy. Doing it with the repair guy? Yumm… m/f
Jake: This is about a woman who has to leave her lover to go on a business trip, but worries about him because he seemed ill when she left. She rushes home, all tense, worried and excited to finally have sex with him again, only to find him lying in the same position. OK, seriously, this was hilarious. Very different and creative, although there was no real sex in this story, just implied sex. f/?
Listen to Me: This is a first person story of a woman seducing another in a single night. It had the feeling of two strangers who’ve agreed to try it and there was a slight bit of BDSM feeling to it. I loved this story and thought it really steamy right up until it ended abruptly. Both characters are getting worked up; the D is leading by bringing the s to the brink many times and stopping, and then, THE END. No orgasmic finish, nothing. Just a third party male is suddenly at the door. So, this one was incredibly frustrating for me. Alessia, please, at least let the characters get off if they’ve gotten all steamed up. Other than that, this was one really hot story. f/f
Timeless: OK, this story went right over my head. It’s about a couple, in a hotel room, who aren’t supposed to be together, or they’re together illicitly? I don’t know really. Somehow they are from another time and there’s a sword involved. Seriously, this one was too poetic for my plain old brain and I just didn’t get it. Once again though, others out there might find it very intriguing. No graphic sex in this one either. m/f
The Second Person: A story written in, you guessed it, the second person. This one was really hot. A guy on a business trip jerks off all over the place in his hotel room thinking about a woman who is also at the meetings. She kind of likes him though, especially after he defends her against the office a-hole. Just by chance, ahem, they’re both going to the airport after the last meeting. So they go together stopping at her house along the way, where she shows just how much she likes him. This was very juicy and erotic and the second person writing didn’t bother me at all. m/f.
Ghouls Just Want to Have Fun: A short, cute story of a woman who hates Halloween, but gets seduced by a ghost on Halloween night. Mostly she’s ordered to masturbate by it. A very nice, very hot story. f/ghost
Hallowing Eve: Two girl friends spend a weekend in a cabin and get it on with each other for the first time. This is a very spicy, first time girl-girl experience and it was nicely and realistically written. f/f
Under Cover Angel: A female detective hired by a woman to catch her husband in the act, finds out the woman is the real cheat and she meets with the husband. This is an interesting fantasy, however, it was written a bit oddly. I was a bit distracted by how quickly the husband is into the detective, but that’s fantasy for ya. Still, it was an interesting story. m/f
It’s Just Sex: This was one very salacious and slightly humours story. A priest is tired of hearing boring confessions day in and day out and hires a company specializing in fulfilling sexual fantasies to have someone come in and confess something really hot and juicy. And he gets his money’s worth. I love the whole irreverence in this story and there’s an unexpected twist at the end. The poem- Surrogate Sin, just before this story is hilarious. Very creative and entertaining. M, f, mutual masturbation.
Memento: is a very short story that is a continuation or epilogue of It’s Just Sex. The good Father is brought a memento of his fantasy in the form of a high heel with a message written on it. Meh, it’s not really a story actually. So I can’t comment on it as such. If you have a shoe fetish though, this little ditty might get you going. m/shoe.
Boiling Point: Oh this one was hot, hot, hot. Two girl friends, both married, have been sexually fantasizing about each other for a long time but have never talked about it. It comes to a head when they disagree on the outcome of a movie. The friend who mainly does the following and not leading in the relationship, decides to take matters into her own hands and finally pushes the envelope, forcing the other friend to acknowledge her feelings. The other friend is very reluctant though and fights her desires even though they have a really hot time together and the story is left at that. Nice, graphic and highly erotic girl-on-girl sex in this story. f/f
Say it With a Strap-On: This is a continuation of Boiling Point. The girls haven’t really been speaking to each other since that one night and the one who initiated the whole thing is just wracked with pain over not being able to be with the other one. When the reluctant one calls her up for an evening together, things come further to a head in their relationship. Once again, very nicely written and there’s a satisfying HFN outcome. The angst and feelings that would come up in such a situation were very nicely and realistically written and again, there was some very steamy sex. These last two stories were my favorites. f/f- strap-on use.
While Alessia Brio’s style of writing seemed to fluctuate between very gritty and poetic, which kind of distracted me at times, I really enjoyed how she portrayed many of her characters and most of the stories/ fantasies were very creative, different and engaging.
Sex Grade: Commando. toys, strap-on, f/f, m/f, m/f/f, hint of m/m, masturbation.
Grade: between B+and A-

Yup, Alessia's writing--just like Alessia's life--fluctuates between very gritty and very poetic. She is, indeed, distracting. *grin* (I'll stop talking about myself in the 3rd person now.)

eBook Bail-Out Extended

2008-10-14T16:00:00.000-04:00

Sale extended through October 16th (Thursday) ... so there's still time to take advantage of this incredible promotion!

50% MicroPay Rebate Sale!

The Feds bailed out Wall Street last week to the tune of $700 Billion, and at Fictionwise they say: why let the fat cat CEO's have all the fun? So starting now, every single title in their store sports a massive 50% Micropay Rebate when paying by credit or PayPal! But hurry: they will run this insane eBook Bailout Package either through Sunday October 12, or until they give away $700 Billion worth of Rebates, whichever comes first!

Wow! That means you can buy HALF of my entire backlist, then go back and get the other half with your rebate! :)

~ Alessia

Squeeze Play

2008-10-12T01:00:00.001-04:00

Now available in ebook & print from Phaze Books:

Together in one volume, get ready for an incredible seventh inning stretch with the sexiest baseball stories since Bull Durham!

Double Header: Andrea Spring doesn't love baseball, but she sure loves baseball players. When her carefully-crafted casual sex life gets rocked by unexpected forces, she meets the challenge with her unique style. There's nothing conventional about this woman. When Andi plays, everybody wins.

Spring Training: As the new season rolls around, Andi's focus has shifted from players to coach. Does Mark Hamilton have what it takes to earn Andi's trust and complete Spring Training?

978-1-60659-092-8 ($6 ebook)
978-1-60659-053-9 ($12.95 print)

50% MicroPay Rebate Sale!

2008-10-10T01:00:00.003-04:00

Wow! That means you can buy HALF of my entire backlist, then go back and get the other half with your rebate! :)

~ Alessia

A shout for a friend

2008-10-07T10:00:00.002-04:00

Hey, y'all! Go buy Murphy Jacobs' first ebook release: In the Temple of Nogged! It's only $1.49

I had the pleasure of reading this short story before it was commercially available, and I assure you that your buck and a half will be very well-spent.

What are you waiting for? Go!

peace & passion,

~ Alessia

Video from the Baltimore Book Festival

2008-09-27T23:00:00.000-04:00

It was wet. Very. For most of the afternoon, this was the raging river at my heels:

The view from my perch (the last table in the author tent):

Baltimore, here I come

2008-09-25T10:00:00.000-04:00

This saturday from 11am through 7pm, I will be signing/selling/schmoozing at the Baltimore Book Festival. Come & see me!

Here's an article about the event from the Baltimore Sun.

Best $5 I ever spent!

2008-09-24T20:00:00.001-04:00

This arrived via email and is just too much fun not to share:

Instead of (or in addition to) sending around more emails about how horrible Sarah Palin is as a potential vice president, let's all make a donation to Planned Parenthood... in her name.

When you make a donation to Planned Parenthood in her name, they'll send her a card telling her that the donation has been made in her honor.

You'll need to fill in the address to let Planned Parenthood know where to send the "in Sarah Palin's honor" card. I suggest you use the address for the McCain campaign headquarters, which is:

McCain for President
1235 S. Clark Street, 1st Floor
Arlington, VA 22202

Make sure to chose the "Honorary or Memorial Donations" link on the left side of the page at:
http://www.plannedparenthood.org/donate/donate-89.htm

I just made a donation. The thank you email I received in response says:

Your contribution to Planned Parenthood Federation of America is tax deductible to the fullest extent allowable under law. IRS regulations require us to state that we did not provide any goods or services to you in consideration of your contribution.

However, I believe I was provided a wonderful service for my contribution. It's called poetic justice. Priceless!

Misinformation Study

2008-09-18T08:00:00.000-04:00

There's No Arguing With Conservatives... No, Seriously...

A new study out of Yale University confirms that offering reality-based rebuttals to conservative lies only makes conservatives cling to those lies with greater vigor. In essence, schooling conservatives makes them more ignorant. (Or is that ignoranter?) From the September 14th Washington Post article on the study:

Political scientists Brendan Nyhan and Jason Reifler provided two groups of volunteers with the Bush administration's prewar claims that Iraq had weapons of mass destruction. One group was given a refutation -- the comprehensive 2004 Duelfer report that concluded that Iraq did not have weapons of mass destruction before the United States invaded in 2003.

Thirty-four percent of conservatives told only about the Bush administration's claims thought Iraq had hidden or destroyed its weapons before the U.S. invasion, but 64 percent of conservatives who heard both claim and refutation thought that Iraq really did have the weapons. The refutation, in other words, made the misinformation worse. A similar "backfire effect" also influenced conservatives told about Bush administration assertions that tax cuts increase federal revenue. One group was offered a refutation by prominent economists that included current and former Bush administration officials. About 35 percent of conservatives told about the Bush claim believed it; 67 percent of those provided with both assertion and refutation believed that tax cuts increase revenue.

In a paper approaching publication, Nyhan, a PhD student at Duke University, and Reifler, at Georgia State University, suggest that Republicans might be especially prone to the backfire effect because conservatives may have more rigid views than liberals: Upon hearing a refutation, conservatives might "argue back" against the refutation in their minds, thereby strengthening their belief in the misinformation.

Nyhan and Reifler did not see the same "backfire effect" when liberals were given misinformation and a refutation about the Bush administration's stance on stem cell research.

** The added links are my doing and did not appear in the original Washington Post article or the forwarded email I received. ~ Alessia

Mystique Books reviews Switch

2008-09-17T08:00:00.006-04:00

Y'know, it totally doesn't suck to start one's day with a review quote that reads: This book is a work of genius.

Here's what Rachel Nail of Mystique Books says about Switch:

I've always been told to unplug electrical devices during thunderstorms. Something about a lightning traveling along the building's wires and coming out the other end. This hazard had the possibility of causing complications with computers, telephones, disk players...sex toys?

This book is a work of genius. To have the two lovers switch bodies during sex was an awesome twist to any story, not to mention very, very sexy. I was hooked to the story, wondering what would happen. My only complaint was that the reader was left wondering how, if at all, Mandy and Bruce return to their bodies. An excellent read!

Four and a half Mystique Moons. (Excellent)

Class Five sensuality. (Raging Carnality)