Update: I went ahead and posted my second entry already: Regional.

As an aside, the site had a bad crash but the rest of my posts should be restored soon.

M. Christian's Very Bloody Marys

There are things I can complain about, but I won’t do that here — I have plenty to be amused by. Life has brought such delights as watching spankings performed with giant clown shoes, a long visit from my “pet,” eating tasty little Mexican chocolate bars, and discovering the varied pleasures of San Marcos, a sweet little college town. The mail has brought good things too: a box full of sex toys to review for sextoy.com and some books from my friend M. Christian. He sent along The Circus of Dr. Lao, which is research for a secret project, and a copy of one of his own books, The Very Bloody Marys (one of the few by him I haven’t read yet). Speaking of M. Christian, if you remember my announcement about the The Bachelor Machine — the new edition (featuring my introduction) is now available on Kindle.

I haven’t been making very much progress on my own writing, but I have a couple ideas I am working on. I woke up the other day with an interesting idea, and some brainstorming with new writer friend Autumn Christian — no relation, but I am also looking forward to reading more of the unpublished novel she emailed me — helped me figure out the gender of my protagonist, which turns out to be especially important in this case. I also got some good news about one of my stories; it isn’t the kind of thing I am comfortable announcing here, but it’s a positive ego boost that will hopefully encourage me to make more words.

Last night I watched Paprika, which is one of the films by recently deceased Japanese auteur Satoshi Kon. I always feel a little weird when I do that thing where you only investigate an artist’s work because you hear they’ve died, but here I am anyway. I’m glad though because I was blown away. I don’t agree with any of the nerdy speculation that’s popped up around the Internet that Christopher Nolan ripped off this movie for Inception — there is simply too much shared mythology around dreams to make any meaningful statements about that, but I do feel like maybe they are cousins — with Paprika being the cousin who got really into the good drugs.

In closing, clown shoe spankings are fucking hilarious.

The Bachelor Machine by M. Christian

I’m a longtime fan of author and editor M. Christian, perhaps most especially his short story collection The Bachelor Machine. I first read and reviewed it back in 2004 when it was in print from Green Candy Press. Not only is the book back in print as an e-book from Circlet Press, it now features my brand new foreward:

M. Christian is a writer who doesn’t let the reader off easy. I don’t mean that his books aren’t easy to read (he has a fine way with words and a unique, recognizable voice). The thing about his stories is that even at their filthiest, they also make you think.

You can take a peek at the rest of my introduction, which will hopefully convince you to buy the book. Your money will be going to support not just a hungry author but an almost 20-year old small press dedicated solely to the publication of erotic genre fiction.

Say you are on the Esplanade and the most beautiful creature you’ve ever seen comes up to you – and every single one is always the most beautiful creature you’ve ever seen in a moment like this — and asks you to share a sugarcube with a kiss.

Read the rest of my post…

Houston Art Nerds logo by Christoper Glenn.

Change is constant. I mean, really fucking constant.

The last few months have been a whirlwind of love found, lost, and changed. I’ve moved to a new city (though I write these words from Houston, my former stomping grounds). I’ve made new friends and lost ones I never expected to lose.

The weird part of all this is it has made me feel more mature than I thought I was — I’m managing to keep putting words on the page, and maintain my responsibilities in the face of all kinds of upheaval good and bad. I may not be pouring out thousands of words per day like the writers I watch enviously on my twitter feed, but I am continuing to work on all my various projects including those that are directly paying the bills. It’s weird to feel not very together but then realize you’re actually less shaken than you think.

As a result it’s very appropriate that our next Houston Art Nerds salon, a.k.a. Le Salon du Subversif #5, has a theme of Change. We’ll be gathering as usual to make art together, but will also be repeating the ‘Storyteller’s Circle’ of one of our previous salons, sharing stories about the theme and how it has touched our lives, or the lives of fictional characters. If I can make myself put enough words on the page between now and then, and not waste all my time with blog entries, twitter and other catwaxing, I’ll have part of a current work in progress to share.

If you’re going to be in Houston this Friday, July 30th, and are interested in the event please get in touch with me, or visit the Facebook group page.