Wilde Oats Issue 20

Wilde Oats issue 20 is up, here.  It includes a new story from me, I am Sidhe.  There are six stories in the issues and three non-fiction pieces.

ElvenSword, chapter 5

From this website

I've been rewriting, in some places very substantially, my first novel ElvenSword.  I've uploaded chapter 5 to my website.

“The man who died, died by accident. He and some fellow ruffians attacked a—friend—of mine, who was defending himself with difficulty. I intervened, and the man attacked me from behind. When I turned, I threw him as far as I could. Most unfortunately, he hit the wall, and broke his neck.”

“Yes, I had heard much that story. And where is your friend?”

“Here!” said Steppan, his mouth quirking ironically, turning towards Fluin.

Fluin bowed. “Your Grace.” Magda had taught Fluin how to address each rank in the Capporean nobility. She had also taught him that, though he should be polite, he was as good as anyone, and need not feel himself inferior. Yet despite this, he found the Khedha formidable. Her face was hard and there was a manic gleam in her eyes. She wore power as easily as a coat.

Steppan stared at Fluin, with just a hint of a smile around his eyes, and Fluin stared back. The bond between them was almost tangible. How touching, thought the Khedha, sourly, observing Fluin properly for the first time. Obviously the lord’s catamite. Understandable. Very beautiful. This was an interesting complication.

You can read this chapter here.

ElvenSword

I shall in a day or two start posting chapters from ElvenSword to my website.  I'm doing some very substantial editing and rewriting, so I will only be able to post a chapter a week.


Meantime, you might enjoy this item about an Xbox game which features gay sex and gay pillow talk.

Tempora mutantur et nos in illis.  How the troglodytes must hate this!

I Get No Kick From Champagne, chapters 5 and 6

Chapters 5 and 6 of I Get no Kick from Champagne have been uploaded to my website.

I get no kick from champagne
mere alcohol doesn't thrill me at all
so tell me why should it be true
that I get a kick out of you?

Ya know, I'm really enjoying rereading it. Can't always say that about my writing.

ElvenSword

Looking back on it now, I have to say I'd write it differently. A bit too florid, for me, these days. But it was my first novel, and I've already rewritten it about 10 times. So I'm not to keen on rewriting it again. Anyway I've posted another chapter at my website. I loved writing it. There was this whole fantasy (if you'll forgive the word) of a world where love is polymorphous and in some cases positively promiscuous. Men love men and women, sometimes at the same time. Something I think would be a good thing in our world, though one must always be alert to unintended consequences.

They do say that you should write your first novel then throw it away: because you learn so much doing it, and your subsequent novels will be so much better that you'll be embarrassed.

Well I didn't, and so you get to read it. Or not, as the case may be. I might still rewrite it, or rather re-edit it, but... there are so many projects still in the pipeline.

Anyway, enjoy. Oh and enjoy this image of Orlando Bloom. Mega cute.