Waterleigh Care Home by Molly Cutpurse (REVIEW)

"Life's a bitch and then you die"

Waterleigh Care Home is not an upbeat novel by any means, but it is an eloquent plea for human dignity. It is the unusual story of a transgender person, who, after many years of insufferable agony accommodating a male gender role, finally comes to terms with her true self and belatedly becomes the woman she was always meant to be. But, in the saddest of ironies, the anaesthesia administered during her surgery triggers a flat out plunge into dementia that lands her in a nursing home where she spends her final days in decline.

Molly Cutpurse speaks to us on many levels in this fine book. She tells us to enjoy life while we can and always be true to ourselves. She also makes it clear that our transgender protagonist is a person first, and, as such, needs to be treated with utmost dignity. Then there is the issue of true compassion, that very rare commodity possessed by so few. But why do we shirk our natural inclination to be kind to others when, one day we too will be at the end of our journey? My guess is that it is too painful for most of us to go there; too agonizing to view our own demise in the eyes of the sick and dying. That is where this novel shines.

This book was particularly impactful for me given that my own mother died recently. For most of her life she was a beautiful and charismatic figure, projecting a stunning magnificence and a radiance that often made the lives of those around her sweeter. She did not happen to be a transgender person, like Sarah, the protagonist in this novel, but like Sarah, she was very human and had an edgy side. She could be outspoken, sometimes feisty and often deliver a verbal jab that could put one soundly in their place. This very human quality was demonstrated to me even in her last days when I decided to pay her one final visit.

At first my mother, who even near the end still radiated a special beauty, seemed unaware of my presence, although I tried hard to stir her. Finally, it appeared that I had her attention and I attempted to make contact with the mother I once knew. She had not seen me in some time and she had never known me to wear a beard before, so I asked, "Mom, do you like my beard?" No answer. She continued to stare at me, a bemused, Mona Lisa look on her countenance. I repeated my query several times over. Finally came her measured reply. "What are you, a masochist?" She proclaimed. Those were her last words to me.

Read this novel for a taste of what it means to live.


[Reviewed by Samuel]

Re-imagining Your Own Fiction by Gryvon (Guest Post)

When I first wrote The Machinist for the Weight of a Gun gun-kink anthology, it was meant as a one-shot piece for the anthology, to be written and forgotten in the pursuit of other stories. But in the writing of it, Avery and Harrow and the world they lived in grew. There was potential in those two, in Avery's wit and fearless charm and in Harrow's scowling fondness for the machinist he'd caught. So when the call came around for Weight of a Gun II, it was inevitable that I return to Avery and Harrow's world.

With short stories, we're limited by the frame of the anthology. There are only so many words that can be slotted in beside the rest of the stories, so the scope of the story has to be pretty narrow and tight. Often, this means that the world the characters inhabit doesn't get explored as much as we would like. That happened in The Machinist. The story focuses primarily on introducing the characters: Avery as the machinist on the run in the Northern wilder lands, and Harrow as an invading lord who steals Avery from one prison to keep him in a prison of Harrow's making. It's the story of two people meeting and not quite falling in love, but close, at least on Avery's side, if you turn your head and squint a little.

In The Inquisitor, the Weight of a Gun II story that continues Avery and Harrow's adventures, the characters are already established and known, so I was able to explore more of the world around them. We get to see what life outside of the colony walls is like and learn a bit more about the shadowbeasts that attack in The Machinist. We also find out a little more about why Avery is out in the wilderness and why his profession – and Avery himself – are so important for Harrow to control.

While I was outlining The Inquisitor, I came upon a problem. I had an idea in my head about how the world from The Machinist was supposed to work. It was a dystopia, a future society where humanity had destroyed itself, leaving nature to take the world back while the remaining survivors pieced together what little they had. Hundreds of years later, humanity has grown, and they're starting to find all the old tech and need machinists to put it back together and get it working. At least, that had been the original idea.

When I went back through and added up all of the tech used in The Machinist, there was too much for that. Guns. Night-vision goggles. Jeeps. Electricity. All in all, not very dystopian, or at least not post-apocalyptic. To make matters worse, at least for the original dystopian idea, The Machinist was already out in print. There was no changing things. I'd written myself into a corner.

The great thing about ideas is that they can change. Dystopian became colonial sci-fi. I read through The Machinist three or four times, taking notes on every little detail about the world I'd already written, and then turned that into a different world than what I'd originally imagined, still the same at the core but with a little different trappings. The elements were the same, but I had a new interpretation on it, and a more solid look at the world I'd already built. The role of the machinist in his world became clearer in my mind, and in outlining the second part of the story, a new characters was born – the inquisitor.

In Weight of a Gun II, Avery and his captor/lover Lord Harrow now face the threat of The Inquisitor, who's been searching the wilderness for Avery and is determined to catch him. But Harrow is very possessive of his prize and has no intention of turning Avery over without a fight.

Gryvon is a writer of things strange, fantastical, and queer. Her works span a wide range of tone, from dark paranormal thrillers to cozy romances. During the day, she works as professional code monkey with coworkers who think her far more innocent than she actually is. She's an avid gamer and all-around geek who spends a fair number of weekends running around (or LARPing) with people playing as vampires or werewolves. Her latest short story, "The Inquisitor", is now available in Storm Moon Press' Weight of a Gun II anthology. Her other works can be found at gryvon.com.

Holiday Bondage by Erzabet Bishop (Guest Post)

Christmas and bondage... ah what could be better? Nothing like a little roll under the Christmas tree to make the season bright. Add a few spankings and a creatively placed candy cane and you'll have me dreaming of sugarplums and flogger-wielding reindeer. Oh yes, the Milk & Cookies & Handcuffs anthology from Storm Moon Press was the perfect catalyst to tell Jonas and Holly's story.

Writing about BDSM and the holidays was a whole lot of fun. I thought about it for weeks. I hung Christmas lights and garlands in my writing space, trying to come up with a story that was original. Scouring books, I thought up naughty things to do with holiday paraphernalia (that was way more fun than it should have been). Then, it hit me. What about a lust demon with a penchant for Christmas ornaments? And, of course, said lust demon (Jonas) needed a smart aleck friend to give him endless Hell. Enter Mallory, a succubus with flair and a habit of saying just what's on her mind.

"It's twisted." Mallory sniped out, her tone coolly disapproving. Grabbing Jonas by the arm, they trudged down the main street of the Old Towne shopping district, dodging tourists and rabid consumers on a mission. "You have lost your mind. Here? Seriously?"

Holiday music piped through the air and the smell of chestnuts roasting wafted towards them. The Carver Hills Old Towne Winter Carnival was in full force and it warmed Jonas' soul to see it. Throwing caution to the wind, he let out another burst of energy and sent it spiraling into the crowd. What could it hurt? He was here on a shopping expedition of his own and it wasn't for the latest transforming doll or gadget. Nope. Lust. Just a little. He was hungry.

Lust was, after all, his personal vice of the seven deadlies. It really didn't matter the form. It was usually sex that got people into trouble, but any old lust would do. And right now, he was indulging in a little proclivity of his own. Christmas. Twinkling lights. Tacky reindeer yard ornaments. Tinsel. Garlands. Ah, the things you could do with a garland. A little tricky rope work and a willing partner and you had yourself your own little version of a bondage Christmas carol. A happy smile tilted up the corner of his mouth. It was funny as Hell, really. A lust demon with a fetish for Christmas ornaments.

Let's play a little game, shall we? This or That with Jonas, Mallory, and Holly!

1. Sushi or pizza Mallory: "Yes please." Jonas: "Jeez, Mal. No way. Pizza." Holly: "I second that, Jonas. Pizza! With lots of cheese."


2. Christmas or Halloween Mallory: "I'm a demon. Halloween of course!" Jonas: "You would say that, Mal. Give me twinkle lights and gingerbread any day of the week." Holly: "I love them both, but I have suddenly developed this new, um, fetish for Christmas trees and red ribbon." Blushes bright red.


3. Apple cider or appletini Mallory: "I love a good fling at a bar. Bring on the appletini's and don't hold back on the studly young appetizers." Jonas: Rolls eyes. "Apple cider." Holly: Laughs out loud at Jonas' expression and grins at Mallory. "You two." Shakes her head. "I have never tried an appletini but I like apple cider just fine."


4. Vanilla or Kink Mallory: Grins broadly. "I'm a succubus. What do you think?" Jonas: Looks over at Holly and smiles seductively. "Oh, I think a bit of kink, don't you?" Holly: Giggles and hugs Jonas. "I couldn't agree more."


5. Floggers or good old fashioned knot work Mallory: "Flogger. Definitely." Jonas: "You mean I have to choose? I like them both. So much potential." Holly: "I don't know. I kind of liked it when you tied me up with the ribbon." Grins at Jonas and waves a red ribbon at him.

Taking a journey with Mallory, Jonas and Holly was a whole lot of fun. Mallory's wit and audacious behavior is just what I imagine a succubus could become after walking the earth for centuries. Jonas is world weary but finds happiness in the sights and sensations of Christmas. When he meets Holly in the bookstore and holiday shop, the pieces fall into place for a kinky romp underneath the mistletoe.

The little minx behind the counter just stared at him, speechless. He towered over her, a petite redhead dressed in a tight fitting red sweater that left little to his overactive imagination. He couldn't see much of the black slacks she had on, but if the rest of her looked as good, he was in for a treat. The waves of lust emanating from her were like a homing beacon to the gnawing hunger in his gut. He felt it burn through him while he was basking in the glow of the holiday lights. The force of feeling behind her emotion was staggering and he held onto the counter with a death grip to avoid leaping over it and taking her right there. The sound of holiday carols playing in the background mixed with the heady scent of baking cookies and spiced cider made his heart happy.

"Is it for sale?" The smile in his eyes burned bright with a sensual flame. He notched it up a little, just to see what she would do. The game was on.

Thanks for having me on the blog today! I hope you enjoyed getting to meet Mallory, Jonas, and Holly. May you have a wonderful holiday season and many nights of kinky reads with Milk & Cookies & Handcuffs!

Erzabet Bishop has been in love with books since she could sound out the oddities of Dr. Seuss. Inspired by the life size cutouts of Dracula and his bride that adorned her wall as a teenager, she has been reading and writing fiendishly ever since. She has been published in the Coming Together: Hungry for Love anthology, and her most recent short story is part of Storm Moon Press' Milk & Cookies & Handcuffs. Under her real name, she reviews music, is an aspiring YA author, blogs about books, and can be found watching monster movies with her husband, crocheting strange looking objects, working at her job at the bookstore, or chasing around one of her furry children and insisting they behave. They don't often listen. Erzabet can be contacted via e-mail at erzabetwrites AT gmail DOT com. Check out her erotica reviews at her review blog and find her on Twitter @ErzabetBishop.

It's Always Okay To Be Me by Danielle Marie Bergan (REVIEW)

This very well-written transition story outlines the author's transformation to a female gender role, as she grapples with the inner demons she has long kept at bay. Not for the faint at heart, It's Always Okay To Be Me: A Journey To Recovering Lost Hope is a memoir that reads like a novel, grabbing the reader's interest from the very first page.

The story outlines Danielle Marie Bergan's attempts to deal with the ravages of her life-long gender dysphoric feelings through denial and the use of alcohol and illegal drugs. When acting on self-destructive impulses and the use of mind-altering substances no longer work, the author finally turns to Alcoholics Anonymous and, with the additional assistance of some highly supportive therapists and associates, she finally comes to terms with her gender variant feelings.

In her moving tale, the author develops, with great depth, the character of the people who surround her, both family and friends. By the conclusion of her story, Danielle has so vetted her gender issues, that her transition seems a normal and natural solution to her life-long angst. This fine work ranks near the top of other such books of this genre.


[Reviewed by Samuel]

Bonnie Bliss Book Blitz (A Slave for Christmas & Cuff Me, Santa)

A Slave for Christmas
Bonnie Bliss
Holiday Doms; Book 3
Genre: BDSM Erotic Romance
Word Count: 17500
Now Available: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance, Smashwords

Book Description:

After Kenny steps away from Brad and Millie, he makes the ultimate sacrifice for his best friend. He takes not one bullet, but two for him in combat. Trapped in a military hospital for the holidays, he forces Brad to go home to Millie for Christmas. Reluctantly, Brad heads back to the states, leaving Kenny behind to spend his first Christmas alone and in a bed.

What no one expects, especially Kenny, is the tender care of a very sweet and submissive nurse. Lindsey Williams has been caring for Kenny since he came in injured. Old friends from high school days, Lindsey has no clue that Kenny is a Sadist—looking for his perfect slave. After spending a long night Christmas Eve talking, she discovers his secret. Only to be hiding something of her own. She has been longing for a 24/7 Master/slave relationship since she realized the level of her submission.

With Christmas right around the corner. Lindsey has her heart set not only being his naughty elf, but giving him a Christmas he is not soon to forget.

Disclaimer: This story shows a ‘total power exchange’ relationship, and may contain content that is objectionable to some readers. There could be, but not limited to acts of humiliation, orgasm denial, double penetration (by objects), BDSM punishment and discipline, and is intended for readers over the age of 18.

Excerpt:
**Mature Content**

Lindsey froze in mid fork lift.

She thought she had blacked out for a moment. There is no possible way that she had heard him correctly. He needed to whip a woman? Did he also need a woman on her knees naked, head lowered in pose for him? God, she could feel her heart pounding in her chest. For a moment she couldn’t breathe. It felt like time had stopped while she just stared at him. Her fork with the thick mashed potatoes poised to go into her still gaping mouth. Her eyes started to hurt. She wasn’t blinking, and she noticed him shift uncomfortably. Before the moment passed she knew that she had to get him back to that place. That needy place where he desired a slave, a woman, and the hunger to inflict sadistic pain.

“You want to what?” Her voice was hoarse.

Lindsey placed her fork back on the plate lightly. Licking her lips she brushed a hand through her loose bangs. Her long hair was pulled back in a braid. A messy braid that left stray tendrils falling around her heart shaped face. Clearing her throat, she looked down at her plate. He was laughing and making strange noises from his throat to avoid the question.

His throat made a sound to clear it, “Nothing, I was kidding.”

Her shoulders slumped. She licked her lips before she dove into her mashed potatoes again, annoyed that he was changing the subject.

“That’s a shame,” she whispered. It was directed more as a silent comment.

“What?”

Her head jerked up. Kenny was looking directly at her. His eyes bore into hers. They glittered with mischief, desire, and—arousal. No, that couldn’t be it. Though, she did notice the distinct gaze of Dominant that was hopefully looking at a submissive woman. He looked eager in that moment. Lindsey’s body got tight. Her nipples puckered under the thin green scrubs. The feel of her labia swelling under the intensity of his gaze brought her out of reality and into the fantasy that he could make her a dribbling idiot. Fear peaked at the prospect of being shut down. She was so tired of men shooting her down. This was a man that could have any woman he wanted. He probably did get any woman he wanted. Slaves falling at his feet, kissing his shoes, and posing so beautifully for him. That mattered. She was forever the submissive that just oozed too much toppiness.

Toppiness?
Was that even a word?

She broke out of her silent musings and shook her head at him. Lifting the food again to muffle the sound of her own voice, she quickly mumbled a nothing and took a long drink of the beer.

“Oh no little one, you will tell me.”

It was a demand coated in a slight growl. Gooseflesh rose all over her flesh. Her scalp even tingled from the way he commanded her. Then what he had just called her crashed over her desire, and she was back in the reality that she lived in.

“Little one, that’s funny.” She mocked. Her voice dripped with sarcasm as she took another swig of beer.

She needed to get drunk and wallow in her own self pity tonight. Lindsey knew if she told him everything, he would laugh her out of the room and break it to her how much her being submissive didn’t work. Just like every other man she met. No Dom seemed, ‘Dom enough’ to take her on.

“With the right training, you would make one hell of a submissive.”

Training.

It was like a slap in the face. She hated that she came off so strong. Lindsey knew that he would think she was a joke if she told him. Only one man so far had taken on the challenge of breaking her. He could smell submission on her, he had told her. That club back home, he was a Master Sergeant. Before that it was a kid in high school, at a Senior party. The one lone guy in high school that had wanted her, started to spank her as a ‘joke’, and…

“I’m submissive!” She blurted out.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

Cuff Me, Santa
Bonnie Bliss
Genre: M/M/M/F Erotica
Word Count: 8705
Now Available: Amazon, Barnes and Noble, All Romance, Smashwords

Book Description:

Alex never could leave her presents alone. Its Christmas time again and her boyfriend has left her something naughty under the tree. Determined to try her new toy out before everyone wakes up, she makes the couch her sexual playground. Come midnight Alex hears a noise. Before long she’s no longer alone after Santa arrives and together they create a Christmas neither will forget.

Full of sexy Christmas cheer, this is one Christmas you are not soon to forget. Not only will Alex have some Christmas magic, but Santa will get one heck of a gift himself from the sultry Alex.

Disclaimer: This short story contains adult content. Features one naughty but nice female, and a Santa that is not from your Night Before Christmas. With the stockings hung by the chimney with care, you will sure get a Merry Christmas to all, and to all a good night.

Excerpt:
**Mature Content**

She giggled at her own thoughts before she hiked her legs up. Alex hadn’t even bothered putting her PJ pants back on. Resting her heels on the edge of the couch, the cool air in the room caressed the glistening seam of her now pulsing cunt lips. She opened her mouth and started to suck the huge plastic cock, readying it for her tight little hole. She may bang Bobby a lot but he was her first boyfriend, and this was the biggest dick she had ever seen. Moaning as she pushed the thick shaft in and out of her mouth. She popped it out and spit on the head, using her tongue to spread the moisture all over the member.

Carefully, she ran it up and down her sensitive labia. She used the flared head of the fake cock to part her delicate folds and started to press. It stretched and parted her pretty lips as she went in for more. She adjusted herself, pushing her ass over the edge of the couch more. Her free hand reached down and rubbed her engorged clit. With one final hard shove the pink cock was shafted fully inside her.

“Oh fuck me that feels so good!”

Just as she started to get momentum with the toy a crash, a grunt, a hard thud, and a billowing cloud of soot and ash filled the room. Leaving the menacing pussy puncher inside her, she looked over. She had to blink a few times. There was no possible way she was seeing what she saw—right?

His pants down to his ankles, the protruding belly, the cherry red cheeks, and the white beard. He was huge. That man was over six foot four. He was handsome despite his size. Alex licked her lips. Her pussy clenched hard around the toy as she looked at his huge cock. It stood straight to attention. God, was she doing that to him?

“Um, Santa?”

She closed her legs, but didn’t pull out the toy.

♥♥♥♥♥♥♥

About the Author:

Bonnie Bliss is not just a willing submissive, but she is a wife and a mother. By day, she is a busy, stay at home mother. At night, she is a sultry storyteller. Her tastes go towards the dark and the extreme. She loves to twist up fairy tales and sweet stories we all know and love. Her lust for Dominance and submission has taken her into the dark inner workings of Sadomasochism.

Bonnie is a native of Southern California, and says that everything in the Katy Perry song, California Girls is totally accurate. She has done everything from waitressing, customer service phone rep., Corporate Real Estate, and spent a pretty impressive part of her life working for the Disney Corporation—including as a Disney Princess. When she’s not writing, she is ordering too many custom bows for her daughter, baking the best cupcakes in the world, going to Disneyland, laying on a beach, and sometimes playing hockey for release.

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From Minor Character to Female Lead in "Hearts of the Hunted" by Kathleen Tudor (GUEST POST)

Earlier this year, my story "War and Peace and Brotherhood" was included in the Fraternal Devotion anthology from Storm Moon Press, featuring a m/m romance in an alternate reality, where superhuman powers are spread through sexual contact, and many of these newly minted supers are hunted down and killed by the fearful and power-hungry.

While the main characters fought for their love despite their differences, another character cropped up in the background, and though she didn't seem to have a huge role to play in that original story, she definitely appealed to me as a complicated and passionate character. That character was the young Camille, who became the heroine of my first novella, Hearts of the Hunted.

Camille was young and scared, but she was still passionate and energetic and determined to do what was right, even if it was harder or scarier than the course she was already on. She abandons her escape to a safe haven, choosing instead to continue the heroic efforts of the new Underground Railroad, bringing the Transformed of the embattled Midwest to safety in Canada.

I was so pleased to be able to give Camille her own story. From the moment that she first popped up in the original story, I knew that she would be an important character. As I wrote, I was surprised to discover that her part didn't really get any larger in the original story. I guess I was just saving her for something special of her very own. And when my editor emailed me to ask what happens to Camille after finishing the first story, I knew that I was right to have decided to pass the spotlight on to her in my next piece. Camille would never have accepted anything less!

While a few references are made to the original story, including using the former Underground leader as a contact during a moment of desperate need, Camille's story is completely different and wholly her own. Far from the careful underground flight to freedom that "War and Peace and Brotherhood" portrayed, Camille has a problem closer to home: a woman has been raped in her base city, and unfortunately for everyone, the rapist is a Transformed man.

The implications are quickly clear—if Camille and the victim, Hannah, can't stop the rapist, he might eventually attack someone who would be willing to use their involuntary transformation to infiltrate and take down the entire Underground. Not to mention, the police are clueless, and a violent rapist is on the loose.

Camille might be distrustful, but who can blame her, since Hannah's power seems to be the ability to persuade and manipulate others? And Hannah isn't in the mood to be a hero; she's just come through a terrible trauma, and the last thing she feels like doing is letting down her guard and learning to trust someone new.

Nevertheless, these two very different women—one who has spent years on the run and in the wild, and one who prefers the wilds of the shopping mall—have to work closely together to achieve their joint goal of making the city a safer place by taking a rapist off the streets.

They will face dangers along the way, and both will have to stare their fears in the face to get what they need out of their partnership.

This was a really fun story for me to write, not only because I got to give a minor character that I loved a bigger role in her very own drama, but because I got to explore a different mindset than I normally do in my erotic romance. Mostly, characters in erotica are ready to go when it comes to sex, but Hannah has just suffered a serious sexual assault, and her mindset and emotions are in a very different place than most characters in an erotic romance.

Not that this book doesn't get steamy! Camille and Hannah have a lot to navigate, feelings to explore, a criminal to stop, and decisions to make about the shapes of their futures and the paths they walk. I invite you to come along for the journey, and find out what the shape of their romance becomes!


Kathleen Tudor (aka D.K. Jernigan) got her start in freelance writing, but she eventually discovered that the erotic side of life is where the fun is at. She lives in California with her partner of over a decade, and a small menagerie consisting of a dog, a cat, and a fish, who mostly get along despite the obvious conflicts. Her novella, Hearts of the Hunted is available now through Storm Moon Press. She can be found via e-mail at JerniganWrites@gmail.com or by visiting her website, KathleenTudor.com.

A Kiss on St. Patrick's Day by Gabriel Belthir (GUEST POST)

Hello, my name is Gabriel Belthir. Thank you so much for having me here at Bending the Bookshelf. I'm very excited to present my first solo story, a post-apocalyptic journey that frames a love story between Evelyn Johns, the medic for a caravan, and Lissa, a younger girl who hitched a ride. Evie and Lissa are some of my first characters who didn't go through a standard character creation process. It was, in fact, modeled after a dream that woke me in cold sweats. However, I must not start this story with the dream, but the night before.

My partner and I were cruising through the bar district of Memphis on St. Patrick's day. Bars and Clubs, for the most part, are not my scene, but we found an Irish pub with a good DJ. I sat at a table and watched my partner wander around the room seeing his friends. I finally caught sight of a girl that just captured my attention. She barely came up to my chest, with long and curly blonde hair that had streaks of green in it for the holiday. She had the brightest smile, and a piquant little face. I watched her dance for most of St. Patrick's Day. When we decided to leave, I swallowed an awful lot of fear and approached her. "Excuse me, I hope you don't mind a compliment... but you're the most beautiful thing I've seen tonight," I said, knowing it felt stupid. She smiled at it, and replied, "Oh, honey. You're beautiful, too," and moved up on her tiptoes to plant a kiss squarely on my mouth.

I don't remember much about the drive home except rolling the window down and letting the cold air wake me up. I used a phrase in the story that kept repeating itself in my head, that she'd fried every fuse in my brain. That night, I dreamed about this desolate wasteland and these two characters, myself through Evie and her through Lissa. I watched as the world fell apart and I found her, with a ridiculous aviator's cap on that made her look like a steampunk diva. I'm fairly certain there was a Hollywood kiss and several sexy scenes between the two, but I woke when there was a last stand against what eventually became the Ravagers.

The dream was deeply important to me, and I started composing Lily of the Wastelands, which is now available from Storm Moon Press. There was a long period of world-building, throwing out what didn't work from the dream. Paula and Saoirse came into being in post-production as it were. The addition of a child into the plot was a difficult choice for me, but I found that it flowed when I decided on it. The basis of Evie's persecution by others is that she is doing nothing to further the human race in an apocalyptic setting. Through a series of events, she collects a new family. This is in line with some theories of homosexuality and evolution. One study suggests that homosexuality exists in our genetics to provide parents for otherwise orphaned members of society, that family units can still exist when tragedy strikes without having to shoehorn orphans into already procreative families. I thought this terribly interesting, and explored it. I found that Lissa rarely puts Saoirse down, and Evie is completely wrapped around the baby's tiny finger. Saoirse's story is one that has fascinated me, being a child conceived and born after the Cataclysm, and being raised by two loving mothers in a mire of criticism.

The confrontation with Baron Kalfu arose from a different dream after the writing began. His appearance is left to the reader's interpretation, and I had quite a lot of different opinions on him. Some saw him as Native American, while others saw him as South American or Haitian. His caring for his people is evident, though his society choices are more primitive than our caravan's. I saw him as an old military man, fiercely protective and intelligent. His encampment has their own stories, and may have to adapt over time due to their lack of drilling equipment and growing population.

The characters of this world popped mostly fully formed into my head, and the story flowed easily. However, it took that kiss on St. Patrick's Day to start the whole process, and I had to immortalize the girl. I don't know her name, and I'll never see her again, but it was worth telling a beautiful love story for. The best love stories start with a kiss.


Gabriel Belthir is a freelance author who lives with a husband, a cat, and a dog in Ohio. After forays into poetry and game design, zie has decided to begin exploring the worlds of fantasy, science fiction, and alternate history. Between an active academic life and running hir own photography business, Gabriel enjoys all kinds of creative pursuits, including graphic design and painting. Hir short story, Lily of the Wastelands is now available from Storm Moon Press.