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A Sporting Hero comes out

2/25/2013

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Man in the Box (Uncut) - Part 1: The Perfect ManMan in the Box (Uncut) - Part 1: The Perfect Man by Fergie Boy
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This book is currently free on Smashwords, so I would recommend you make the most of that now! This is gay porn not m/m romance, so you've been warned!

http://www.smashwords.com/profile/vie...

The hero is a Scot who wins Wimbledon and promptly announces he is gay. It was written long before Andy Murray accomplished the feat, but I wouldn't mind betting he provided inspiration for the tennis and physical side of things even if not the sexual!

None of the characters are real. From what I can gather, there aren't even specific parallels, more amalgams and bits of players to create Lewis McNair's own distinct Universe.

Even though it's not meant to be instructive or even a polemic fighting for justice, anyone wondering why so few high profile gay sports people come out, only need to read this book to understand. The scenario may have been done before, but the teasing way the narrator addresses the reader, while jumping back and forth in time gives the book (and the series) a distinct edge.

There is enough sex and fantasizing about sex to glibly dismiss this as gay porn, but intertwined through this and the other books in the series is a touching tale about a number of characters. Sure, the star is Lewis and his search for the perfect man, but along the way we get to know all the people his life brushes up against in all their strengths and weaknesses.

Usually I don't like head hopping, but in this case, I was quite happy to briefly jump into minor characters' heads.

There is a lovely understanding of people's needs and wants. Their fears and fantasies. The perfect may not really be perfect but even in their imperfection, each has their own qualities.

The only negative niggle I had was the number of very explicit fantasies the characters have. Maybe that's the point though. Closeted gay men or men who have limited sexual options do spend a lot of their time thinking about sex. In detail. In great detail!

Apart from a few homophonic typos, the writing quality is fluid and easy to read so don't let them put you off. I gather from correspondence that we've had that the author intends to re-edit and re-publish the series later in the year.

Fergie Boy is the pseudonym of a writer who also publishes under the names Jack Brighton and Tom Farrell. Each incarnation writes books in a slightly different tone. The Fergie Boy stories which originaly appeared on a website Gay Boy Books are highly erotic but not specifically BDSM in nature. Tom Farrell's books fall into two categories: 'Flaming Hot Gay Erotica' and 'Flaming Hot Gay BDSM'. Both collections are softer than Jack Brighton's normal work - the 'Erotica' collection much more so. But it is still Jack Brighton - his ideas and his style.

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BDSM Porn - raw, rough and ready

2/21/2013

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Last blog, Kim Dare spoke about the difference between BDSM porn and BDSM romance. Her stories are at one end of the spectrum, Jack's books are at the other. Both are excellent in their own way. Interestingly, both are British (as are Sd McGinley and Jane Davitt.....What DO they get up to in those public schools?)
A Road to BondageA Road to Bondage by Jack Brighton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

This is not m/m romance.

They don't use condoms
There is dubious consent
Little if any lube
They do BDSM while drunk
They don't have safe words
There is sex with other men

It is gay porn. The cocks are at least nine or ten inches and always hard. The studs can come more than six times a night. They can withstand dry fucking with little or no prep. They can withstand abuse and even kidnapping.

So why 4 stars and not 1 or 2? Because underneath all these pornographic trappings is a book that delves into the line between abuse and BDSM and the part alcohol plays in both. It also shows how "true love" can hit even the most jaded player.

In this case, sobriety prevents Alex from expressing the kinky part of his personality.

The Epilogue is the true essence of the book. But it needed the details of the rest of the story to make it real.
(view spoiler)[
Here we see the grown up versions of the two men ten years after they met and "tells" us how their relationship developed over those years. Some readers might have preferred to be "shown" that, but my imagination worked just fine in joining all the dots together based on the men I got to know through the first few chapters.
Rory stared at the face he had grown to love. It was a fine face indeed. Even now after these months of worry which had added a haggard element; Alex still looked amazing. He was forty-three; and five of those years had caught up on him suddenly, so that he now looked nearer his age. But he carried it so well; strong fleshy features under dark brown hair that always looked unkempt... and exactly right, even though the lucky bugger never bothered to do anything with it. The designer stubble he had taken to wearing, added to the manliness; and Rory really liked the new look, even though he nagged him to death about shaving it off. There always had to be something to use as his stick to prod Alex with.
It explores the way BDSM can fit into a "normal" relationship. How and when they switch into the groove.
Alex needed a bit of a prodding; but by God, could he spring into action once the mental barrier was crossed. Whisky and a few verbal jibes usually did the trick. The game had started and they were both fully aware of it. They never initiated it with direct words: no clear statement of intent, just an understanding of what was going to happen.
By being "told" we also see Rory's maturity and the understanding he has developed for his partner's needs and his own and how they can both be met.
Rory loved how he could push him and would have such fun in doing so; get away with blue murder for weeks on end: then slap! A hard crack across the cheek, totally out of the blue, and the balance was reset in an instant. And it was at that moment, when a flash of fear shot through his being and adrenalin flooded his body, that Rory loved him the most, that their relationship seemed totally solid, that he would do anything for this man and take whatever he chose to dish out, grateful for every thrust from his virile big cock and blow from his strong right arm.
(hide spoiler)]

Capped off by a novel way to use Maltesers.

I'm enjoying reading Jack Brighton's books and those of his alter ego's Tom Ferrell and Fergie Boy. Yeah, there is a sameness about the sex, but there is also a story there.

A few typos stop it being a five star.

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Grilling Kim Dare about BDSM

2/11/2013

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AB: So, far I've had interviews with Jane Davitt which can be read here and Dusk Peterson whose interview can be found here. Today, I’m thrilled to be chatting to KIM DARE. Stick around and at the end there will be a prize to be won by a lucky commentor

First up, I do appreciate you giving up your time in what must be a busy week as you have a new release. Can you give me some details?

KD: Thanks for having me! My next story will be a Valentine’s story called Once a Brat. It's a prequel to two other Valentine’s tales that came out in previous years - Call Me Sir, Boy! and All the Gear, No Idea.

Those two books came out with All Romance E-books, but Once a Brat is coming out with Riptide Publishing. The transfer to Riptide marks a new starting point to the collection, which now has a new and improved series title—Kinky Cupid.


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Call Me Sir, Boy! And All the Gear, No Idea will both move across to Riptide and become part of the Kinky Cupid series in due course. 

But, getting back to Once a Brat! I'm so excited about this one. It's the story of Bret and Marcus and how they met. Bret was a really fun character to write about - Marcus had no idea what kind of whirlwind was about to enter his life! 


AB: Ooh, that’s great news. Bret is such an integral character to both those books. Cupid is a great description. I’m really looking forward to reading it. What's it about?


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KD: Experienced dominant Marcus has a stalker. On the plus side, the boy following him around his local leather club is gorgeous and a self-professed submissive. Unfortunately, he’s also inexperienced, bratty, and liable to drive Marcus insane within his incessant chatter and questions.

Bret Daniels fell head over heels with Marcus the moment he first saw him. He’s willing to do whatever it takes to get Marcus’s attention and prove his worth as a submissive. He might not be a traditional sub, but he knows he has a lot to offer a dom who can handle his quirks.

When Marcus gives in and agrees to do a scene with Bret, sparks fly. One scene quickly becomes another, and another. But will it be a case of once a brat, always a brat? Bret intends to prove to Marcus that—expectations and experiences aside—he deserves his master’s collar. 


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And the blurb for the Kinky Cupid series as a whole:

When it comes to traditional vanilla couples, the cute little flying cherub might have everything under control. But what about the guys who prefer crops to candy hearts and gay leather clubs to candle-lit dinners?

Sometimes, Cupid needs a little helping hand. Whether Bret is convincing the dom he loves to collar him, or matching up his master’s friends, he’s more than capable of playing Kinky Cupid, reminding the men around him that leather and love can be a perfect match. Valentine's celebrations at The Spread Eagle leather club will never be the same again.


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You can pre-order Once a Brat here: http://riptidepublishing.com/titles/once-brat



AB: And now for the hard questions. Why do you choose to make BDSM the focus of your stories? What draws you to that as opposed to writing a story in which the characters are just kinky or even if steeped in the lifestyle it's just a part of who they are?

KD: In real life, I'm a dyed in the wool sub, so vanilla romance doesn't make much sense to me. I write kinky characters because I want people “like me” to have a chance to live happily ever after.

I do like to make the developing relationship the focus rather than throw in lots of distractions from the core story. So, I guess that means kink often comes front and centre.

That said, in a lot of the books, the conflict comes from other parts of the relationship—differences in “real world” statuses, paranormal species, sexual orientation, and a whole host of other things.

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AB: How do you research for your BDSM books?

KD: I don't really do any research for the books. I did spend a lot of time reading about BDSM several years ago, when I first started to realise that there were other people out there who liked the same things as me, but fiction was the last thing on my mind. Since then, I might check my facts regarding an unfamiliar kink or piece of equipment, but that's it.

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AB: What do you look for when you read BDSM?

KD: I think it's changed over time. I’ve read from the sweetest to the most extreme ends of the spectrum, the classics, the free things on the net.

At the moment, the only kinky things I'm reading are John Preston’s books. I'm gradually building up a collection of all his titles. I've yet to read one that I don't find amazing. I’d recommend them to everyone who likes MM and/or BDSM.


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AB: What do you try to convey when you write BDSM?

KD: It depends on the story, sometimes I just want to give the reader and the characters something to smile about. Other times, there are more complicated messages that I want to get across. I often find myself writing about how love and leather can intermingle and how the kink is at the essence of the love story, not just a fun added extra.


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AB: Has "Fifty Shades of Grey" helped the BDSM genre or harmed it? Is kink coming out of the closet?

KD: I haven't read it, so I can't really say too much. I've heard that some of the content doesn't depict the more ethical/realistic side of BDSM, but each to their own preferences.

I think the biggest problem kink faces when something like Fifty Shades of Grey becomes so successful in the mainstream is that one book’s content can affect the way lots of people judge a whole way of life. People end up believing that the BDSM depicted in it is the only kind that exists. It becomes the “One True Way” for them.

As a result, it can become more difficult for anyone else to show people the whole range of intensities and the differences in what various parts of the community like to get up to. You can suddenly find yourself facing a lot of “that’s not the right way to do it. It’s not supposed to be done like that. In Fifty Shades of Grey they…”


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AB: Why do you think "Fifty Shades of Grey" appeals to readers who aren't in the scene and have no wish to get into the scene?

KD: I think the same could be said of all BDSM fiction to an extent. I know I have quite a few readers who don't identify as a dom or a sub, or have any interest in getting kinky. They just like reading about it. Maybe for them it's the same as reading about a cop or a werewolf without having any interest in being a detective or a shape shifter? Or maybe they like it for the reason some women like MM - because it's different from their day to day experiences?

And, of course, there are those who like it because it is in the spotlight, because liking it is the done thing of the moment, or because it seems to have become an “I’m not repressed/closed minded” badge of honour in some quarters.

A fair percentage of the same people were probably raving about Harry Potter or Twilight not so long ago. 


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AB: BDSM usually gets classified as erotica or porn regardless of the amount of sex present. Do you think this is fair?

KD: It’s never fair to pigeon hole things.

I think the current form of classification can make it difficult to write stories that, by nature of their plot or characters, need to contain little or no sex during either parts of, or even during the entire, story. Because it will still be categorised as hot, spicy or extreme, readers will expect a lot of sex throughout the story and might be disappointed not to get it.

It would be great if there was a way to get around this problem. Maybe it’s just a matter of time. The same used to be true of the way all MM books were classified, but the sweeter side of that spectrum is at least recognised as existing now.


AB: What do you think of the proliferation of abuse fiction doing the rounds that gets perceived as BDSM? Do you see that as a problem?

KD: I haven't read any of the books in question, so I'm not sure if they fit into this theory, but in general I think there are two different types of BDSM fiction. (And I want to stress that these are my definitions, not the ones that other writers/publishers/readers use.)

First, there's what I call BDSM porn - which is all about reading whatever fantasy rocks your boat. And, the fact is, that fantasies aren't always ethical, or even logical. These stories aren’t about what you'd like to happen to anyone in real life, or what real life BDSM is all about, they’re just about some things that it can be enjoyable to think about, or which can raise enjoyably intense emotional responses in certain people. I've read stories like that, and enjoyed them on that basis.

Then, there's what I call BDSM romance, which for me is all about a completely different fantasy – these are the stories that I would like to happen to someone in real life. In this context, things need to be ethical and realistic (for a given value of realism of course, lol). Personally, I'd struggle to accept any kind of abuse in the main characters relationship with each other in this kind of story. I want the characters to live happily ever after. I want them to be safe, sane and consensual, or to at least practice RACK – risk aware consensual kink.

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AB: Is there something you feel is taboo for BDSM books? Anything you wish wasn't as taboo?

KD: I think a lot of the main publishers, especially those whose target audience is female, tend to have very similar, and very fixed, rules about what they consider taboo.

The core taboos are acts like under age sex, bestiality, necrophilia. I’m fine with those being off limits.

But there are other taboos that I think can and should be tested on occasions. For example, one book I have out with Total-e-bound (The Mark of an Alpha) contains knife play and scarification, which I think would both be considered taboo by a lot of similar publishers, but I believe it works in this case, and they were willing to go with it, which was great.

I have other stories, which I have yet to pitch, which contain water sports. I hope whoever I ultimately approach for those books will consider pushing their boundaries a bit and allow me to break the taboo. 


Thanks Kim for giving such great responses to my questions.
Kim has offered to give away one copy of any e-book title from her backlist
or a title from her coming soon list.
We'll choose the winner on 19th February,
but let's make it interesting by telling us in 200 words (or less)

what you like or don't like about the genre!
About Kim Dare

Kim Dare is a twenty-nine year old, full time writer from Wales (UK). First published in 2008, she has since released close to eighty BDSM erotic romance titles.

While most of Kim’s stories follow male/male relationships, she also writes about characters that enjoy male/female, female/male (female dominant), female/female and all kinds of ménage relationships. Kim’s titles have included contemporary stories, fairytale re-tellings, vampires, time travelers, werewolves and werelions—not to mention the occasional wereduck.

Regardless of the gender of her characters or the different genres they inhabit, from short stories to full-length novels, there are three things Kim always wants to give her characters—kink, love, and a happy ending.

Contact Info

E-mail: kim@kimdare.com
Website: www.kimdare.com
Blog: http://kimdare.com/blog.php
 

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Full Release - Understanding the Genre

2/6/2013

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Full ReleaseFull Release by Marshall Thornton
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Full Release - Understanding the genre

It’s important when reviewing a book that you assess it in terms of the genre it slots into. If you missed it, check out this blog by the author himself. http://marshallthornton.wordpress.com...

This story is mystery/suspense. So what elements do we look for in this genre?

A crime, someone to solve the crime, logical steps along the way to reveal the villain and tension while doing it.

Mystery/suspens has been written for centuries. Judging by the sheer volume of books available in stores it’s one of the widest read and biggest selling. So it’s rare to find anything new.

So how can a writer stand out from the crowd. By setting the story in an unusual setting, updating the methods of solving it to a specific time and expertise, having an unusual crime solver and giving that person a distinctive voice.

In this case, the investigating hero is gay, but his sexuality is only relevant in the way it has affected his personality, his relationships with other people and the background the story takes place in. Along the way there is sex needed to drive the plot along, and even a possible long term hook up, but more importantly it gives the author the chance to make some pithy observations on the gay community and the different people who populate it. But all this is still background, the story is not about “being gay”.

Marshall’s sleuth is a fairly innocuous accountant, the last person anyone would peg for an action hero. One reviewer accused him of being too stupid to live. Well, that’s exactly what he’s meant to be. He’s out of his element, out of his depth and needing sleep.

The question is then, does Marshall deliver on the rest? All the “guns on the wall” fired. I found the story very readable. His descriptions were good, his writing style smooth. My main bitch is the number of silly typos that pulled me out of the story time and time again, usually missed prepositions or wrong words. Most people may not even notice them, but I’ve done enough editing to make something like that shine out at me. Especially as they were basic things that should have been pulled up. Apart from these, I felt the character’s voice suited the plot and depiction. The background setting was skilfully drawn. I found the crime and its solution believable enough given the basic premises. Realistic? Probably not, but we’re talking fiction here.

Someone also suggested it was a comedy and the juxtaposition of murder and comedy was wrong. This is definitely not the case. Sarcasm about life does not equal comedy. For someone who was forever being put down because of their profession (accountancy = boring), being vanilla, having a failed relationship, being cleaned out of all his money by an ex-partner, with a job under threat even before the crime is committed of course he’s going to be wanting to fight back, however he can. In this case, with words and throw away lines about the city he lives in and the people around him.

I found the bitterness and bitchiness of Matt very similar to a couple of gay guys I know.

Did I feel the story was good as it could be? No. Apart from the typos, one of the problems came from the structure of the book and the character himself. Because he was so alienated, alone and helpless, he has no-one to bounce dialogue off, no side-kick, so a lot of the plot development – the clue solving, has to take place in his head. If, as a reader, you don’t feel any sympathy for the guy, or relate to his “voice” then this can all become dry.

It didn’t make me stop reading or dislike the book, but it does make it harder to emotionally become involved with the book or the character. I probably should read some Raymond Chandler or other authors who have written the lone warrior style hero and see how they get around this problem. Maybe they don’t, and then it comes down to a preference of styles.

If you like this type of story where the single, much put upon underdog has to bumble around trying to do something he’s not trained to do, then you will enjoy reading “Full Release”.

I found Matt’s efforts to solve the case rewarding enough, and because I can’t see any other way the story could have been better given that scenario, that set-up and setting, I’m giving it 4 stars rounded down to 3.5 because of the typos.

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An update: This book has been republished since this review was written.
The new edition is minus the typos, so I'm happy to give it another star.
Here's the link to the new version.
I reread this to remind me of some of the pitfalls in trying to balance action/mystery and romance.
Not an easy mix to get right.
NEXT WEEK - Kim Dare talks about BDSM
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    A.B.Gayle

    This is a collection of reviews I've posted at Goodreads and
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