Review of Wishbone

Wishbone was reviewed over at GoodReads. I thought I’d posted this before, but it doesn’t look like I had.

This was a very strange, but interesting story. Honestly, I probably would have skipped it had I known it was set in a historical-like setting. In spite of that, I found myself enjoying the main character, Wishbone, and learning more about the Shih-aan species introduced here. I would recommend this book to people who enjoy historical and paranormal themes.

Review of Wishbone

I just got one of the best reviews evar on the LiveJournal of Elisa Rolle.

Wishbone is at the same time classic and innovative. It’s classic where it retells the story of Pygmalion, or My Fair Lady, or Pretty Woman (see how many time it was told?): a wealthy and cultured man picks a filthy whore from the streets and teaches him how to behave. It’s innovative since, what the wealthy man teaches to the whore it’s a totally different thing from the usual lessons on good manners or polished language, but is instead the power you have in surrendering.

Review of Wired Hard 4

We got a review from Out in Print.

The collection starts off with “When Angles Fall”, by Helen E. H. Madden, a sexy and endearing science fiction story about how one man’s upbringing in a religious “cult” effects how he deals with his dying mother and the future that she leaves him.

One of my favorite stories was Tom Cardamone’s, “Royal Catamite”. It is a wonderful erotic story that pushes the taboo buttons of underage sex and incest, in a way that only Tom can do.

Review for Wired Hard 4

The Erotica Readers and Writers Association has a nice review of Wired Hard 4.

We now live in an era of ebooks and genetic engineering, instant messaging and cybersex, gender reassignment and gay marriage. The world has matured and many of the fantastic imaginings of Circlet’s authors have become familiar facts. In the second decade of the twenty first century, Circlet is still delivering some of the best speculative erotica available—appropriately in electronic form. Wired Hard 4 is a splendid example.

The eight stories in this collection are remarkably diverse. They are unified, first, by their raw sexual energy, and second, by the intimate mingling of human with other: machine, robot, animal, vampire, or god. Xan West’s lyrical introduction points out that most of these tales deal with transformations. Sex here is more than an avenue of pleasure. It is the gateway to new and different selves.

Torquere LiveJournal Chat

I’m hosting today’s Torquere Social LiveJournal Chat in honor of the recent publication of the publication of my novel Wishbone. Come on over and chat.

A Review of Wishbone

Torquere’s in-house review of the book is right here. It pleased me that the author enjoyed it, though that isn’t surprising. They don’t find an in-hourse reviewer who hates the book. What did surprise me is how well the reviewer got it. As an Aspie, knowing that I’ve communicated successfully with people is a powerful positive experience. Almost as positive as hearing from people who told me they had to go home early from work after reading my fiction.

Edit: Ok, now all the url’s are fixed.

Wishbone is out

Wishbone Cover

My first novel-length work to hit publication is now available from Torquere Books.

This calls for an excerpt. Why look. Here’s one now.

Read more

Review of Wired Hard 4

Click to buy me

In other news, today we got a very nice review of Wired Hard 4.

As big a fan of explicit depictions of gay male sex as I am, an anthology of straight-up porn with no other major elements to it would probably not sustain my interest from cover to cover. Did I mention that I read this whole thing in one sitting, from start to finish? I did, and it was because each of these stories are beautifully told and packed with ideas. .

Praise for “The Memorial Garden”

“In MEMORIAL GARDEN, Lauren Burka has created a world of decadence ruled by an empress who values her own pleasure far above the lives of her consorts.  Full of erotic and ironic twists and turns, this story creates a tapestry of sensual surprises and forbidden pleasures.”
NYT best selling author Rebecca York

“The Memorial Garden” is out!

My ebook novella, “The Memorial Garden,” is now available for sale at Torquere Books.  Torquere has a very nice “pepper” rating scale so that readers can pick fiction that meets their comfort level, from sweet and mild to controversial and kinky.  “The Memorial Garden” rated a jalapeño, not a habañero as I might have expected.  Now I really want to read some of their habañero-rated fiction…

I’m including a surprisingly work-safe excerpt below.

* * *

Sofian opened another door. This room was not empty. A pile of clothes covered half the bed and spilled onto the floor. Empty bottles stood in ranks on the dresser. Where were the attendants? They always whisked away Sofian’s discarded clothing from his own room before it hit the ground. Though it was daylight, the curtains were drawn.

The pile of clothes on the bed moved and opened eyes the color of smoke from a dying fire.

Sofian fumbled with the door, which had jammed on a up-curled corner of rug. “I’m so sorry,” he said.

“Don’t be,” said the man on the bed, sleepily. “The doors don’t lock here, haven’t you noticed?” He lifted his head. Sofian recognized the man from the hall of sea statues. Untied, his pale hair spilled down his back like a broken fan.

“I’m Sofian.”
“I know.” Then, perhaps realizing his reply lacked courtesy, he added, “I’m Numair.”

His garments looked worn, and they hung loosely on his dissipated flesh. He smelled of alcohol-tainted sweat. There was a wasted beauty to him — Sofian imagined breaking himself on the man’s body, as if it was made of marble and barbed wire. Now that Numair wore no gloves, the dead mark was visible on his right hand. If he was a consort, why did he live in such squalor? If not, what was he doing here?

Light flooded the room, mercilessly illuminating the unswept corners, the undergarments spilling from open drawers, and the pile of dirty dishes on a chair. Numair winced and squeezed his eyes shut. Sofian looked down and saw the light radiating from the mark on his hand.

“I don’t understand.”

“She wants you.”

“What?”

“Go back to your room. That bitch Nibal will be looking for you.”

Sofian shut the door and ran back down the hallway, his guts twisting and mouth paper-dry.