Spikenard: Freedom to Fly by Winnie Jerome

The novella travels in two different parallel universe: a fantasy China of 400 B.C. and modern San Francisco.

In the first universe Zhong Shi is a young shapeshifter dragon who is in love with Chen Jing. Chen Jing is much older than Zhong Shi and he assumes a bit the role of master in their relationship, in all the meanings of the term. He teaches Zhong Shi how to behave among human, and also how to master his powers. Then, during a mission, Chen Jing is cursed, and he becomes a totally burden for Zhong Shi. The young dragon doesn't reject his new role as caretaker, but probably it's too much for him.

In modern San Francisco Sebastian is a young College student who is in a fated relationship with Luke. The sex is good, but truth be told there is not much more between them. Then Sebastian meets David, a way older IT consultant; David is past forty, almost fifty years old but he came out only two years before. In the blink of a moment, he saw his entire world crash down, his ex wife took all his money and his lover dumped him just before he moved to San Francisco. Even if older, David is like a newborn baby who trusts Sebastian as a friend. And when things between Sebastian and Luke get worst, maybe also as something more.

It's nice to try to relate the fantasy dragon pair with the modern men: who is who? it's not clear since the power games inside the couple change a lot. The dragon pair started as master and ward, to then changing in burden and caretaker. The modern couple started as young student and experienced mam, to moving toward lovers and in a way shortening the age difference.

I have to admit that I prefer the shapeshifter dragon pair, they are more sexy than the modern one. Today Sebastian is an interesting character, but David seems to me a bit too weak; maybe, knowing the end, it's not a wrong side of him, but still, I really had the idea that Sebastian was way more smart and interesting than David. For how he behaves, I also think that David's character was too old: all right, he has to be a man who came late to realize who he really was, but maybe a thirtyish man would have been more up to the character than a fortyish. Anyway this is only a novella, and it's to praise how the author manages to bring on the roles play not letting the reader being sure of who is who almost till the end. Nice supporting character role for Hector, Sebastian's cat, who has a scene all of his own and a really interesting personality.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2023

Amazon Kindle: Freedom to Fly: Spikenard

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Spikenard: Freedom to Fly by Winnie Jerome

The novella travels in two different parallel universe: a fantasy China of 400 B.C. and modern San Francisco.

In the first universe Zhong Shi is a young shapeshifter dragon who is in love with Chen Jing. Chen Jing is much older than Zhong Shi and he assumes a bit the role of master in their relationship, in all the meanings of the term. He teaches Zhong Shi how to behave among human, and also how to master his powers. Then, during a mission, Chen Jing is cursed, and he becomes a totally burden for Zhong Shi. The young dragon doesn't reject his new role as caretaker, but probably it's too much for him.

In modern San Francisco Sebastian is a young College student who is in a fated relationship with Luke. The sex is good, but truth be told there is not much more between them. Then Sebastian meets David, a way older IT consultant; David is past forty, almost fifty years old but he came out only two years before. In the blink of a moment, he saw his entire world crash down, his ex wife took all his money and his lover dumped him just before he moved to San Francisco. Even if older, David is like a newborn baby who trusts Sebastian as a friend. And when things between Sebastian and Luke get worst, maybe also as something more.

It's nice to try to relate the fantasy dragon pair with the modern men: who is who? it's not clear since the power games inside the couple change a lot. The dragon pair started as master and ward, to then changing in burden and caretaker. The modern couple started as young student and experienced mam, to moving toward lovers and in a way shortening the age difference.

I have to admit that I prefer the shapeshifter dragon pair, they are more sexy than the modern one. Today Sebastian is an interesting character, but David seems to me a bit too weak; maybe, knowing the end, it's not a wrong side of him, but still, I really had the idea that Sebastian was way more smart and interesting than David. For how he behaves, I also think that David's character was too old: all right, he has to be a man who came late to realize who he really was, but maybe a thirtyish man would have been more up to the character than a fortyish. Anyway this is only a novella, and it's to praise how the author manages to bring on the roles play not letting the reader being sure of who is who almost till the end. Nice supporting character role for Hector, Sebastian's cat, who has a scene all of his own and a really interesting personality.

http://www.torquerebooks.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&products_id=2023

Amazon Kindle: Freedom to Fly: Spikenard

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Gay Commercial: Israel Aids Task Force

First of all thanks to marame to pointing out the commercial of this week. Obviously the first thing that someone notices is how sexy and daring the commercial is (and yes, friends, it's not work safe, so don't click you have problem). First time I saw it, I thought, well, it's not doing a good job in preventing Aids if it shows this side of anonymous sex... I would be first in line to have an encounter like that. And also the tagline was almost enticing more than scaring "... you have no idea what a difference that makes..." implying having not protected sex... but then it closes with a punch on the gut, almost like one of those scary messages that metropolitan tales said you can find on the bedside table the morning after "...living healthy... or living with HIV... you have no idea what a difference that makes"

Commercial Closet Association

Company: Israel Aids Task Force
Brand: Israel Aids Task Force
Ad Title: Living Healthy or Living with HIV
Business Category: Nonprofit/NGO (gay)
Media Outlets: Television
Country: Israel
Region: Middle East
Agency: unknown
Year: 2007
Target: Gays

On the same trend of double meaning messages, I would like to show you the latest MTV commercial on HIV awareness:

( Some might stay forever )

The pic shows a pubic hair illustrations to demonstrate that when you have unprotected sex with people “Some might stay forever” with you. They do that by creating the illusion of pubic hair with the names of the different people you slept with.

The ads come from Belgium with photography by Pablo Vicente and Illustration by Bram Laebens.

Gay Commercial: Israel Aids Task Force

First of all thanks to marame to pointing out the commercial of this week. Obviously the first thing that someone notices is how sexy and daring the commercial is (and yes, friends, it's not work safe, so don't click you have problem). First time I saw it, I thought, well, it's not doing a good job in preventing Aids if it shows this side of anonymous sex... I would be first in line to have an encounter like that. And also the tagline was almost enticing more than scaring "... you have no idea what a difference that makes..." implying having not protected sex... but then it closes with a punch on the gut, almost like one of those scary messages that metropolitan tales said you can find on the bedside table the morning after "...living healthy... or living with HIV... you have no idea what a difference that makes"

Commercial Closet Association

Company: Israel Aids Task Force
Brand: Israel Aids Task Force
Ad Title: Living Healthy or Living with HIV
Business Category: Nonprofit/NGO (gay)
Media Outlets: Television
Country: Israel
Region: Middle East
Agency: unknown
Year: 2007
Target: Gays

On the same trend of double meaning messages, I would like to show you the latest MTV commercial on HIV awareness:

( Some might stay forever )

The pic shows a pubic hair illustrations to demonstrate that when you have unprotected sex with people “Some might stay forever” with you. They do that by creating the illusion of pubic hair with the names of the different people you slept with.

The ads come from Belgium with photography by Pablo Vicente and Illustration by Bram Laebens.

Nights in Pink Satin by Sharon Maria Bidwell

The normal level of Changeling Press' books is good but seldom they are "deep". They are nice stories thought for a light break. And so it was unexpected to find such a story like Nights in Pink Satin. Even from the title I was expecting a light tale, and instead it's almost a gothic romance with a touch of urban fantasy. Anyway I should have some hints by the cover, again one of those nice covers that Changeling Press lately reserves to some authors.

Vincent is a century years old vampire, and probably he is also bored. He is searching a new satin cloth for his coffin and when he sees a deep pink satin cloth he wonders who is the vampire who made such an order. Obviously he thinks to a woman, and he is so enthralled that he decides to pay her a visit. When he arrives to her flat, he discovers some odd things, like gay porn movie and make up, sex toys and posters on the wall like in a teenager bedroom. Who is the strange vampire who is living there? Before Vincent could realize the truth, Martin comes back home.

Martin is a very young vampire, and he was a very young man. The vampire who turned him didn't teach him as to live as a vampire, and Martin is trying to go on with his ordinary life with some adjustment. But he is very lonely, and so, when he comes back home to find an handsome vampire in his one bedroom apartment, he is all for making friends, and maybe something more. On the other hand Vincent doesn't know what to do with a gay vampire... lately he isn't really interested in sex, and when he feels a stir of desire, he always relates that to a woman. But now in front of him there is Martin, and Vincent is both attracted by the man but also by the "innocent" vampire.

Forced to share a closet for a day (yes, really, a closet, the only place in Martin's apartment where there is enough darkness), Vincent lets it go any reticence, and Martin doesn't think twice to take advantage of the situation. But when the day will be over, and with the night Vincent will be free to go, will he have to courage to leave Martin alone to his fate?

I have the feeling that Vincent is drawn to Martin more since he is bored than for a real sexual interest, and Martin is drawn to Vincent above all since he is lonely and desperately wants to be with someone like him, a vampire. Martin has probably had enough bad experiences of rejection when he was a man due to the fact that he is gay, and now as a vampire he is re-living all of that, now he has another reason, even more scaring, to hide from people. It's so sad to see his life through Vincent's eyes when he is spying in the apartment, all the objects tell a life of loneliness and lost hopes. Even if I was really wishing that Vincent would have been starstruck by Martin at first sight, his reluctance makes for an even more interesting reading, I loved to see the innocent seduction of Martin, and the sex in the closet was hot and "symbolic".

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1171

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle

Nights in Pink Satin by Sharon Maria Bidwell

The normal level of Changeling Press' books is good but seldom they are "deep". They are nice stories thought for a light break. And so it was unexpected to find such a story like Nights in Pink Satin. Even from the title I was expecting a light tale, and instead it's almost a gothic romance with a touch of urban fantasy. Anyway I should have some hints by the cover, again one of those nice covers that Changeling Press lately reserves to some authors.

Vincent is a century years old vampire, and probably he is also bored. He is searching a new satin cloth for his coffin and when he sees a deep pink satin cloth he wonders who is the vampire who made such an order. Obviously he thinks to a woman, and he is so enthralled that he decides to pay her a visit. When he arrives to her flat, he discovers some odd things, like gay porn movie and make up, sex toys and posters on the wall like in a teenager bedroom. Who is the strange vampire who is living there? Before Vincent could realize the truth, Martin comes back home.

Martin is a very young vampire, and he was a very young man. The vampire who turned him didn't teach him as to live as a vampire, and Martin is trying to go on with his ordinary life with some adjustment. But he is very lonely, and so, when he comes back home to find an handsome vampire in his one bedroom apartment, he is all for making friends, and maybe something more. On the other hand Vincent doesn't know what to do with a gay vampire... lately he isn't really interested in sex, and when he feels a stir of desire, he always relates that to a woman. But now in front of him there is Martin, and Vincent is both attracted by the man but also by the "innocent" vampire.

Forced to share a closet for a day (yes, really, a closet, the only place in Martin's apartment where there is enough darkness), Vincent lets it go any reticence, and Martin doesn't think twice to take advantage of the situation. But when the day will be over, and with the night Vincent will be free to go, will he have to courage to leave Martin alone to his fate?

I have the feeling that Vincent is drawn to Martin more since he is bored than for a real sexual interest, and Martin is drawn to Vincent above all since he is lonely and desperately wants to be with someone like him, a vampire. Martin has probably had enough bad experiences of rejection when he was a man due to the fact that he is gay, and now as a vampire he is re-living all of that, now he has another reason, even more scaring, to hide from people. It's so sad to see his life through Vincent's eyes when he is spying in the apartment, all the objects tell a life of loneliness and lost hopes. Even if I was really wishing that Vincent would have been starstruck by Martin at first sight, his reluctance makes for an even more interesting reading, I loved to see the innocent seduction of Martin, and the sex in the closet was hot and "symbolic".

http://www.changelingpress.com/product.php?&upt=book&ubid=1171

Reading List:

http://www.librarything.com/catalog_bottom.php?tag=reading list&view=elisa.rolle