Still More Philosophy

My Love of All that is Bizarre: The Erotic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes - Now Out In Paperback!

Here's some very cool news: the fantastic Suzzler Editions has just released the anthology I edited, My Love of All that is Bizarre: The Erotic Adventures of Sherlock Holmes, in a special, dead-tree paperback edition! 

 

 

In Control - The Introduction

To help celebrate my new BDSM erotica collection - from the always-great Sizzler Editions - In Control, here's the intro - hope you like!

INTRODUCTION: DISCLOSURE

I've written a lot of things over the years: gay erotica, lesbian erotica, bisexual erotica, all kinds (of every kind) of fetish erotica ... plus a smattering of romance, science fiction, horror, fantasy, and even non-fiction.

But, recently, a friend of mine said something that stopped me dead in my authorial tracks: "Why don't you write about what turns you on?"

To be honest, I've always been a bit ... resistant to writing about myself.  Part of it comes from the fact that I consider my sex life to be what I guess you could call sacred: a cherished time shared between me and the person I happen to be playing with.  I've always thought that writers who – and this is not meant as an insult ... or not too much of one – who sell their own sex lives on the page to be profiting from an intimate sharing of desire.  Another part, I freely admit, is that for all my writing and sex-ed teaching I'm still a bit shy when it comes to being out about what honestly, truly turns me on.

But, thinking about this, I had a freeze-me-in-my-tracks revelation: I actually write a lot about myself.

Take this book, for instance: a collection of some of my short fiction – a lot of it with a BDSM kink: pretty much every story here is a part of me.  Yes, the details may not be exactly me, but the emotional side of things – the important side as anyone who really understands about sexuality – is pretty much as intimate as you can get: "Alice" is the giddy nerves that comes with telling a lover what turns you on, "Moving" is about finding that special someone you can drop your guard down with, "In Control" is the fretting that arrives with the next day, "The Tinkling Of Tiny Silver Bells" is the glorious feeling of unquestioning love, "Dust" is the beautiful tears of being forgiven, "The Waters Of Biscayne Bay" is the liberation in the enlightened joy of a lover loving another person, Painted Doll was all about the tearing-of-the-heart from being too many miles away, and the sample chapter from Brushes is all about the pleasure that comes from giving pleasure ... and so on and so forth, with just about everything I've ever written.

When I teach erotic writing I talk very much about this: that the details aren't really important, that the best way of reaching out to anyone, no matter what you are writing, is to dig down deep and put down, onto the page, your own emotional truth.  Like a lot of teachers I simply forgot to listen to my own lesson.

So here are some stories I sincerely hope you'll like ... for, like when I spend time with a lover, it gives me immeasurable pleasure to put a smile on another person's face.

–M.Christian

What Folks Are Saying About Brushes

In celebration of the re-release of my erotic romance novel, Brushes, here's what some very cool people have said about it:

M. Christian is an author of formidable talent and impressive flexibility. He writes equally convincingly from straight, gay or lesbian perspectives, and is a master at seamlessly melding multiple genres.
- Lisabet Sarai, author of Raw Silk and Rough Caress

As convoluted and erotic as a skein of pure silk
- Ann Regentin, author of Second Sight and A Foolish World

Brushes is my favorite kind of novel—a multi-layered treat for the mind and the senses. M.Christian transports us to glittering Paris where we follow the adventures of eight denizens of the art world, from an acclaimed artist and his muses to desperate wannabes. As their lives brush up against each other, serendipitously, inevitably, all experience a compelling sexual encounter that changes their lives forever. A deliciously sexy tale of mystery for anyone who’s intrigued by the power of the creative--and the erotic-spirit
- Donna George Storey, author of Amorous Woman

Evocative and carnal, M.Christian's Brushes portrays multiple perspectives on the life of an artist in Paris, from the gloriously hot sex that he indirectly inspires in his models, his gallery representative and the forger of his work to the embittered fantasies of his estranged wife and brother. Christian has captured the feel of a European art world that draws the reader in, leaving them wanting to learn more about this man, his virtues and faults. Brushes is that rarest of combinations: a marvelous erotic novel and a good read, full of intriguing characters.
- Catherine Lundoff, author of Crave: Tales of Lust, Love and Longing, and Night's Kiss

Those who follow the prolific M.Christian will not want to miss this latest addition to his published work. Brushes is a straight, erotic, mainstream novel arranged in a collection of novellas. It's the story of an artist and the various people in his life. As is typical of M.Christian the quality of Brushes does not disappoint
- Jolie du Pre, author of erotica and erotic romance.

We can never know how lives will intertwine; the mystery of it is one of the hidden joys of life. M.Christian has captured perfectly the symmetry and surprise of lives that mesh together -- whether the people living them like it or not. In following the life of a painter and everyone he touches, Brushes proves everything is not always as it seems. Just as Escobar creates masterpieces with canvas and paint, M. Christian creates a gorgeous tapestry of words.
- Gwen Masters, author of One Breath at a Time

DIRTY WORDS And RUNNING DRY - Out Now In Print!

(from M.Christian's Queer Imaginings)

Here's some great news for all your folks who are fans of dead-tree editions: the fantastic folks at Sizzler Editions has just released two of my queer books as print editions - each for just $9.00!

Running Dry: The Modern Classic of Gay Vampires

Manlove trilogy first time ever in one volume!

M.Christian's masterful queer thriller/horror series is now complete. He’s immortal. He drinks blood. But he's not a vampire. Doud’s totally unique – a being no one’s ever seen before – and he’s desperately lonely for a lover: a special someone who will not just join him in his bed but his strange life as well. But every time he thinks he's found someone it all goes horrifically wrong. Then one day a monster from his past returns: a thing of bitterness and fury he believed was long dead. Doud, with his friend Shelly in tow, begins a terrifying chase that begins in Los Angeles and ends in a blistering confrontation in the desert’s baking wastes. 

There, in the heat and the dust, Doud will confront what he is, what he’s become, his deepest and darkest sexual desires and lusts. Doud will get what he’s always wanted out of his long, strange life–but it will be nothing that Doud, or you, could ever have imagined!

Dirty Words: Lambda Finalist Man-Love Collection

Lambda Literary Award Finalist for best gay collection!

M.Christian shows just how hot and imaginative manlove erotica can be! From mischievous Native American spirits, to victims of cybernetic nightmares, these stories will enthrall, arouse, shock and – always – turn you on. M. Christian's well-crafted tales, filled with what some people call dirty words and dirty men, will touch you in ways you’d never expect. 

With a very special introduction by Patrick Califia. 

"A sense awakening experience, which enlivens and sweeps you away in the same narrative breath.... It’s dark, it’s dangerous, it’s horny, it’s mouthwatering, it’s witty and it’s sharp. Read my lips: Read this book."- Skin Two 

"To get the most out of M.Christian's haunting mix of rapture and horror, love of language and lust for flesh, read him out loud. If you have someone to read him out loud to, someone who knows that the best porn is also art, you're both very lucky." - Clean Sheets 

"Part folklore, part horror, part brutal romance - and all erotically kick-ass. Dirty Words takes readers in a tour of 14 contorted mental interiors and labyrinthine psychic dungeons inhabiting M.Christian's mind. Smart, hot, and vorpal-blade sharp, Dirty Words is perfect reading for those who love their sex fantasies in-you-face." -AVN

Welcome To Weirdsville: Fear Itself (Back On Dark Roasted Blend)

(from M.Christian's Meine Kleine Fabrik)

This is very cool: the great Avi of the extra-great Dark Roasted Blend just reprinted our article on the Deadliest Creatures (that are Easiest to Miss) - which is also in my book Welcome To Weirdsville as "Fear Itself."

Check out this tease below - or click though to read the whole thing ... or buy the book:

Real terror lurks in quiet darkness

The deadliest (and easiest to miss) critters lurk in dark silence, ready to strike with either the barest of warnings or none at all - and with absolutely fatal venom. 

Some you've heard about, and so sit there and scoff. Yeah, big deal: rattlesnake, cobra, black widow -- either you can hear them coming, avoid going to India, or simply not stick your hands into dark places. They are nothing but annoyances: fatal only to the truly stupid, or very sick... But there are others, nasty little things as vicious and deadly as they are quiet and unassuming. 

1. The Cone Snail: can kill you in less than 4 minutes 

Say, for instance, you are happily walking through the low surf merrily picking up and discarding shells, looking for just the right one to decorate your desk back at the office.
With no warning at all, however, you feel a sharp sting from one of those pretty shells -- a sting that quickly flares into a crawling agony. With that quick sting, the cone snail's barbed spear has insidiously injected you with one of the most potent neurotoxins in existence. 

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Deadliest Creatures (that are Easiest to Miss)
Read more at http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/10/deadliest-creatures-that-are-easiest-to.html#10V3V2UKQUFTCQBu.99

Deadliest Creatures (that are Easiest to Miss)
Read more at http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/10/deadliest-creatures-that-are-easiest-to.html#10V3V2UKQUFTCQBu.99

Deadliest Creatures (that are Easiest to Miss)
Read more at http://www.darkroastedblend.com/2013/10/deadliest-creatures-that-are-easiest-to.html#10V3V2UKQUFTCQBu.99

What People Are Saying About BRUSHES

In celebration of the re-release of my erotic romance, Brushes (by the fantastic Sizzler Editions) here are some nice, juicy, blurbs and such:

M.Christian is an author of formidable talent and impressive flexibility. He writes equally convincingly from straight, gay or lesbian perspectives, and is a master at seamlessly melding multiple genres.
- Lisabet Sarai, author of Raw Silk and Rough Caress

As convoluted and erotic as a skein of pure silk.
- Ann Regentin, author of Second Sight, and A Foolish World

Brushes is my favorite kind of novel—a multi-layered treat for the mind and the senses. M.Christian transports us to glittering Paris where we follow the adventures of eight denizens of the art world, from an acclaimed artist and his muses to desperate wannabes. As their lives brush up against each other, serendipitously, inevitably, all experience a compelling sexual encounter that changes their lives forever. A deliciously sexy tale of mystery for anyone who’s intrigued by the power of the creative--and the erotic—spirit.
- Donna George Storey, author of Amorous Woman

Evocative and carnal, M.Christian's Brushes portrays multiple perspectives on the life of an artist in Paris, from the gloriously hot sex that he indirectly inspires in his models, his gallery representative and the forger of his work to the embittered fantasies of his estranged wife and brother. Christian has captured the feel of a European art world that draws the reader in, leaving them wanting to learn more about this man, his virtues and faults. Brushes is that rarest of combinations: a marvelous erotic novel and a good read, full of intriguing characters.
- Catherine Lundoff, author of Crave: Tales of Lust, Love and Longing, and Night's Kiss

Those who follow the prolific M.Christian will not want to miss this latest addition to his published work. Brushes is a straight, erotic, mainstream novel arranged in a collection of novellas. It's the story of an artist and the various people in his life. As is typical of M. Christian the quality of Brushes does not disappoint.
- Jolie du Pre, author of erotica and erotic romance.

We can never know how lives will intertwine; the mystery of it is one of the hidden joys of life. M.Christian has captured perfectly the symmetry and surprise of lives that mesh together -- whether the people living them like it or not. In following the life of a painter and everyone he touches, Brushes proves everything is not always as it seems. Just as Escobar creates masterpieces with canvas and paint, M. Christian creates a gorgeous tapestry of words.
- Gwen Masters, author of One Breath at a Time

Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker: Writing Coaches and Teachers

Check this out: the fun article I wrote for the new - and wonderful - WriteSex site has just gone up at the equally wonderful Erotica Readers And Writers site.  Here's a tease:

Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker:

Writing Coaches and Teachers

For new writers, the temptation is obvious: after all, if you don’t know something, shouldn’t you seek out a way to learn about it? The question of how to educate yourself as a writer is a necessary and important one, of course, but an often-invisible second question follows: how do you sift through the piles of would-be writing coaches, teachers and other purveyors of advice to find the ones who will lead you toward genuinely better writing? The problem isn’t that there are over-eager teachers galore, but that far too many of them are preaching from ignorance—or just dully quoting what others have already said.

This is particularly true of erotic romance. Now, I have to admit I’ve been more than a bit spoiled by other genres, where you can write about whatever you want without much of a chance—beyond clumsy writing—of getting rejected for not toeing the line, so approaching erotic romance has been a bit more of a challenge. Romance authors, after all, have been told time and time again that there is a very precise, almost exacting, Way of Doing Things … and if you don’t, then bye-bye book deal.

But times have changed, and while a few stubborn publishers still want erotic romantic fiction that follows established formulas, the quantum leap of digital publishing has totally shaken up by-the-numbers approaches to romance writing. Without going too much into it (maybe in another column…), because ebooks are so much easier to produce, publishers can take wonderful risks on new authors and concepts, meaning that they don’t have to wring their hands in fright that the new title they greenlit will go bust and possibly take the whole company with it.

Because of this freedom, erotic romance can be so much more than it ever was: experimental, innovative, unique, challenging, etc. These are no longer the Words of Death when it comes to putting together a book.

One of the great, underlying tasks of teaching—one I love, but with some reverence and an occasional pang of dread—is challenging the boring, formulaic, way that so many talk about writing (which is also to say that a huge part of the reason I love to teach is that it’s a weird form of revenge against all the bad writing teachers I’ve had over the years). There are, however, far too many writing teachers who relentlessly parrot that erotic romance has to follow a strict formula to be successful. They spell out this formula in stomach-cramping detail: what has to happen to each and every character, in each and every chapter, in each and every book.

[MORE]

I'm Going To Be At Dark Odyssey: Surrender

(from M.Chrstian's Classes And Appearances)

There's cool then there's cool: I'm very (ahem) 'excited' to be a teacher/participant at the renowned kink fest Dark Odyssey: Surrender here in San Francisco. Stay tuned for what I'm teaching and on what day but in the meantime check out their wonderful site.

On a side note I'm worked with a lot of events but the folks at Dark Odyssey are a real delight to work with! Thanks!

Bridging Kink, Sex and Spirit

Nearly a thousand people came out for Dark Odyssey's West Coast debut last November, and now we are thrilled to announce the return of DO: Surrender to the City by the Bay for 2013! Come learn, explore, and play in a no holds barred, sexually charged atmosphere. Interactive workshops fill your days, while at night you'll explore dark dungeons, powerful rituals, passionate scenes, and mind-blowing ecstasy all under one roof in a proven scene friendly hotel in downtown San Francisco.

Join us as we combine sexuality, spirituality, education and play in an immersive environment where fantasy becomes reality. We are omnisexual - straight, gay, bi, queer, trans, and genderqueer. We are leatherfolk, kinksters, swingers, cross dressers, sex educators, Tantra practitioners, Pagans, and perverts. We are vanilla and kinky, beginners and veterans, singles, couples, triads, and more.

Dark Odyssey: Surrender features:

• Over 40 local & national educators, authors & activists
• 80+ unique & dynamic workshops & special events
• Classes on BDSM, polyamory, sex, tantra & spirituality
• 20,000 sq ft of fully equipped dungeons
• Sex-O-Rama play space
• Parties, events & open play until 3:30am
• Little Miss Littles SF contest
• Animal show & agility course
• Meet & greets, speed dating and sensual exploration events
• Queer & gender queer mixer
• Sacred sexuality rituals
• Hook suspension experiences
• Burlesque, drag & kinky performances from local & national talents
• Downtown San Francisco kink friendly hotel

Join us on an adventure where we play, discover, and learn to achieve more ecstatic states of love, awareness, and personal sexuality. Dark Odyssey Surrender will immerse you in an atmosphere of sexual energy and experimentation that will add excitement and passion to your relationships and create deeper levels of connection between you and your partners.

For notices about future events — just ask to be added to our mailing list!

I'm Going To Be At Convolution

(from M.Christian's Classes And Appearances)

This is going to be a blast: I'm going to be attending - and on various panels, etc - at the upcoming Convolution event here in the Bay Area.  Click here for more info ... and when I get my schedule I'll post it here, of course.

Confessions of a Literary Streetwalker: Save the Frog

The coolness continues!  Check out this brand new column I just wrote for the fantastic WriteSex site - where I'll be contributing a monthly piece.  Here's a tease - for the rest you'll have to check out the great site.

#

For new writers, the temptation is obvious: after all, if you don’t know something, shouldn’t you seek out a way to learn about it? The question of how to educate yourself as a writer is a necessary and important one, of course, but an often-invisible second question follows: how do you sift through the piles of would-be writing coaches, teachers and other purveyors of advice to find the ones who will lead you toward genuinely better writing? The problem isn’t that there are over-eager teachers galore, but that far too many of them are preaching from ignorance—or just dully quoting what others have already said.

This is particularly true of erotic romance. Now, I have to admit I’ve been more than a bit spoiled by other genres, where you can write about whatever you want without much of a chance—beyond clumsy writing—of getting rejected for not toeing the line, so approaching erotic romance has been a bit more of a challenge. Romance authors, after all, have been told time and time again that there is a very precise, almost exacting, Way of Doing Things … and if you don’t, then bye-bye book deal.

But times have changed, and while a few stubborn publishers still want erotic romantic fiction that follows established formulas, the quantum leap of digital publishing has totally shaken up by-the-numbers approaches to romance writing. Without going too much into it (maybe in another column…), because ebooks are so much easier to produce, publishers can take wonderful risks on new authors and concepts, meaning that they don’t have to wring their hands in fright that the new title they greenlit will go bust and possibly take the whole company with it.

Because of this freedom, erotic romance can be so much more than it ever was: experimental, innovative, unique, challenging, etc. These are no longer the Words of Death when it comes to putting together a book.

One of the great, underlying tasks of teaching—one I love, but with some reverence and an occasional pang of dread—is challenging the boring, formulaic, way that so many talk about writing (which is also to say that a huge part of the reason I love to teach is that it’s a weird form of revenge against all the bad writing teachers I’ve had over the years). There are, however, far too many writing teachers who relentlessly parrot that erotic romance has to follow a strict formula to be successful. They spell out this formula in stomach-cramping detail: what has to happen to each and every character, in each and every chapter, in each and every book.

[MORE]

A Better Teacher: Step Off The Cliff

 

This is very fun - especially with the re-release of my erotic romance Brushes by the wonderful Sizzler Editions: a brand new column on romance writing by myself just went up at Romance Beat.

Here's a tease - for the rest just click here,

#

“Love is a better teacher than duty.”–Albert Einstein

It’s unfortunate that romance has been labeled … well, let’s be blunt and say ‘formulaic.’ Part of this, of course is more than a bit true – but then it’s the truth for every genre in every form of entertainment: the audience wants what it wants and so the business side of things wants to give them that.

From comic books to television, from science fiction to erotica, from movies to food … if you want to create it there always seems to be ‘the way’ to do it. In the case of romance, though, ‘the way’ for many authors/editors/publishers seems to be been boiled down to such a A to B to C to D formula that there’s little, or absolutely zilch, room for innovation. Even more than quite a few publishers of romance have taken to spelling out this recipe for success in their Call For Submissions or on their Write For Us websites.

Now there’s nothing wrong with knowing your audience – in fact it’s a universal key to success both critically and financially: if you look, say, at blockbuster or bestselling [Insert Genre Here] you can see, in hindsight, how the creator(s) looked right into the heart of their readers/watchers/eaters and delivered exactly what they were looking for.

Which is where those formulas always seem to spring from: hindsight. But the problem with hindsight – and I know this is an old chestnut – is that it means looking backwards. The books/movies/TV shows that rocket off into the stratosphere, yes, may have known and respected their audience but they also did something that’s even more important:

They took risks.

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