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"A TASTE FOR BLOOD"

By Diana Lee



Diana Lee's first novel takes up where Anne Rice's vampire epics leave off: by focusing on strong, immortal women. Ryan, a charismatic lesbian who was made a vampire in Scotland during a time of clan warfare, passes for male and is capable of seducing women sexually as well as drinking their blood in limited amounts and leaving them with pleasant memories. By the late Victorian age, she is 700 years old and has lost the ability to love. Painful losses over time will do that to a person, even the walking dead.


Ryan is not looking for a victim or a lover when the willful daughter of a successful factory owner rides her horse into the woods where Ryan lives in solitude. Carissa, the young lady, is looking for escape from the limitations of her social role, and she is fascinated by the woman in trousers who seems to have more freedom than Carissa has ever known.

The mutual seduction of mortal and vampire is described in passages which show blood-drinking smoothly combined with other sexual activities. The BDSM implications of vampire fiction are also explored in passages that recount Ryan's sexual history in various historical eras. In stories-within-the-story, Ryan tells her current lover, Carissa, about her past lovers, most of whom were Carissa's ancestors. In this way, Carissa learns about the community she chose to join when she asked Ryan to "make" her. Here the narrator describes a fourteenth-century seduction:

"Ryan kissed Glyn's face and down her neck until she found the pulse point in the hollow of her throat. Her tongue licked delicately, but she did not bite this wanton's neck. Not until the girl surrendered would she take her. . . The girl continued to struggle, but she did not call out. As the chase had been, this was a game, and Ryan laughed when Glyn pressed her crotch against Ryan's knee."


When Ryan informs Glyn of her "true nature" as a vampire, she explains: "we can feed in different ways: we can take life, or not. We can give pain, or pleasure." Glyn asks why Ryan gave her both. Ryan responds: "Because, my dear, you enjoyed it so much."

Glyn asks: "Does that make me some sort of monster too?"

Ryan tells her: "It depends who you ask. If you spoke of this night to your confessor, I suspect that he would think you beyond redemption." Ryan's warning to her lover has a clear parallel in the modern world.

After Ryan's dark hint about the danger of being discovered, the reader is not surprised to learn that she has been betrayed both by mortal and by vampire lovers. The unfinished business from her past serves to move the plot forward toward a grand finale in which Carissa is finally given the last piece of the puzzle of Ryan's life. Only then can she give or withhold her informed consent to being Ryan's eternal "bride."

The differences between "the chase" or "the hunt" as an erotic game and the real, non-consensual violation of human wills are raised in discussions between Ryan and her pupil Carissa about rape and prostitution, about social control by the Church, about the deadly political games in a Renaissance court, and about the Victorian social Darwinism (a belief in survival of the economically "fittest") which results in urban slums and a high death rate among children. Like a budding leftist/feminist reformer, Carissa becomes indignant about the general status of women and the working class in her time, and she becomes attracted to a nightclub singer who has lived a hard life.


The issue of polyamory is raised when Ryan encourages Carissa to seduce the woman of her choice, just as Ryan intends to continue finding new "pets" (mortal lovers). As she explains, a promise of monogamy which is actually meant to last forever just cannot be kept, but multiple lovers can be juggled in honest and respectful ways.

Morality, however, is shown to be subtle and complex. The two lovers in the foreground of this novel continue to spar with each other and themselves about what harm done to other people could really be considered shameful if the taking of blood (not only for survival but for pleasure) can be morally justified.

Several threads are deftly interwoven in this novel, although the author's tendency to show the historical past in terms of the present makes much of the description look oversimplified and lacking in period flavor. For those who are drawn to vampire fiction because of its promise of a guided tour through exotic times and places, the consistency of style and world-view in this novel might be disappointing.


The author's knowledge of Edinburgh, Scotland, where most of the plot takes place, is shown to advantage, and the way in which Ryan is inserted into the tragic life of Mary, Queen of Scots, is both daring and plausible. In a genre which, in some cases, has become stale, "A Taste for Blood" has more depth and originality than its title suggests.



 



 




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"Sticky Picks for Adult Flicks",


By "Just Call Me...'Sticky Lenny"



YO! Hey you! Yeah, you fuck…I’m talkin’ to YOU!

Listen…wouldn't it be great if you had a friend in the porn business, a friend who could tell you about all the best movies coming out, which guys & girls to check out, and what movies to watch for the best action? And who exactly am I, you wonder? Well...if I told ya, I'd have to kill ya! HA!

Well, now you do - ME! Just call me..."Sticky Lenny!"

I watch t-o-n-s of porn all the time--hey! It's my job, okay? And now, I'm gonna do you a big favor. I’m gonna share the wealth with each and every one of ya! Sharin’ all the good shit---and my personal fav’s--right here right now, so you can get a jump on all the hottest merchandise bar none!


Are we ready? Then fast-forward past those dumb-assed phone sex commercials and let’s get to the first scene! My time's money, okay? You'll thank me for this later!




STRAIGHT PORN: FIXATION

(Nautica Thorn Productions)


Nautica Thorn
and her horny friends are Fixated on getting you off by showing you the most awesomely depraved acts they can think of – cocksucking, facials, squirting and plenty of fucking. They’ve brought their A game to the production of Fixation, a non-stop orgy of wet cunts, hard cocks and eager girls. Nobody does sex like Nautica Thorn, and this DVD gives you nearly two hours of Nautica, Jada Fire, Jasmine Byrne, Riley Shy and Nadia Styles giving it up for your viewing pleasure!

 


MALE DOMINANTS: YVONNE'S ODYSSEY


(Bruce 7)


It's always a pleasure to get someone into the world of bondage and discipline. When Yvonne was introduced, by the mischievous Shane, to Master Seven's dungeon, little did she know she'd be starting an odyssey through pain and pleasure! From after watching Seymore Butts' domination of Casee to a total submission to the Master himself, Yvonne and Shane decided they could do a better job. Alas, one taste is not enough, so Yvonne returns to the site of Bruce's new dungeon and brings a new little slave, Sydney, as a gift to Bruce and Mistress Ariana. After Ariana teaches Yvonne a thing or two, she and Sydney decide to take over the reigns and punish the Mistress. Yvonne had a great experience, and you will too!




FEMALE DOMINANTS: PRIVATE TEACHER

(Caballero)


Jimmy is a horny high school guy who spends all of his time spying on his kinky neighbors with a telescope. Worried, his aunt hires a sexy Private Teacher to help bring him out of his shell. After a few private lessons, Jimmy gets a firm grip on his own sexuality. And so do the girls next door!




GAY PORN: EL RANCHO


(Kristen Bjorn)


Carlos Montenegro is a horse rancher who realizes that life with his wife isn't where his fantasies lie. At night he dreams of the hot ranch hands who surround him. Until one fateful day, Carlos is finally raptured by a group of horny ranch studs who initiate him into the world of man to man sex. Meanwhile, you'll see Jean-Franko being gang banged by a group of international hunks. Dreamboat Rocky Oliveira and chiseled Peter Pauer take turns riding on Ricardo Safado's thirteen inch boner! Blond stud Peter Burg gets double poked by muscled Latin studs Daniel Marvin and Pedro Andreas. In a hidden mountain training camp for separatist rebels, Brazilian studs Alex Ferrari and Fabian Andrades take on Eastern European hotcakes Tibor Cernan and Mike Gonda to see which team can out fuck the other! Later, all hell breaks loose when Matthias Vannelli challenges Carlos to a big dick contest at the ranchers club, and Jordi Casal and Alex Bogan are also swept up into the sexual fury!





LESBIAN PORN: OUR LITTLE SECRET #3


(L-Factor)


Made for women who love women. But watching these women please each other to the utmost is, without a doubt, a treat for any fan of pussy! Starring Cecilia Vega and Hollie Hottie.




 



 




"BDSM Must-Haves For Your Kink Library"


By Master Erik, Publisher



Those of us who've been in the BDSM lifestyle for awhile can honestly say that some of our education and training has come not just from lessons learned from others and "hands-on experience", but also from the bounty of BDSM books available to us. But for those of us who're relatively new to kink, the choices on what to obtain can be a little overwhelming.

So, without any significance to the order they are listed, here's a handy dandy list of some of the more noteworthy manuals beneficial to get you started in the right direction to valuable educational references...and on your way to a very impressive Leather library!




SM101, by Jay Wiseman


This book goes into depth in the attempt to present a comprehensive introduction to BDSM and all of its many facets: technique, safety, psychological/emotional issues, finding a partner, relationships, the subculture, and many other aspects.



CONSENTUAL SADOMASOCHISM: HOW TO TALK ABOUT IT & DO IT SAFELY, by William Henkin and Sybil Holiday


Easy to read, easy to follow, and easy to understand book which examines the psychological power of erotic dominance and submission; provides a carefully considered guide for safe BDSM play, and explains how BDSM can be an activity of intense intimacy, as well as one of simple sexual pleasure.


 

THE ETHICAL SLUT: A GUIDE TO INFINITE SEXUAL POSSIBILITIES, by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy (Catherine Liszt)


"The Ethical Slut" eloquently discusses the numerous alternatives to the often unrealistic ideal of lifetime monogamy. Chapters include: "Who Is An Ethical Slut?, Values and Ethics, Paradigms, Old and New, Boundaries, Jealousy, Health, Childrearing, and Finding Partners".




THE NEW BOTTOMING BOOK, by Dossie Easton and Janet Hardy (Catherine Liszt)


Almost a decade ago, "The Bottoming Book" taught tens of thousands of people that bottoming - being a submissive, masochist, slave boy or girl, or other BDSM recipient - is as much an art as Topping. Since then, the growing popularity of BDSM, and the blossoming of the Internet as a source of information and connection, have created a whole new universe of possibilities for players.

Now, the completely updated revised New Bottoming Book gives even more insights and ideas, updated for a new millennium, about how to be a successful, popular bottom! New sections on dominance/submission play, bridging the gap from on-line to real-time relationships, the four stages of a scene, and more. Plus, Fish`s hot illustrations of bottoms in action, many moving and funny anecdotes, and an extra-large helping of the realistic wisdom for which these authors are known.
 

 

SCREW THE ROSES, SEND ME THE THORNS, by Phillip Miller and Molly Devon


One of the better instructional/overview BDSM books. Lots of technical info (with illustrations and photos) on bondage, leather, knot tying, whipping, spanking, promises and pitfalls of dominant-submissive relationships, and the real-life BDSM scene. There is also an extensive Appendix containing a suggested reading list, as well as listings of support groups, computer bulletin boards, suppliers of equipment, and books.



MISS ABERNATHY’S CONCISE SLAVE TRAINING MANUAL, by Christina Abernathy


This manual offers expert advice on the training of a slave. Great ideas about voice commands, body positioning, what to look for in a submissive, full time relationships, etc. 87 pages including a resource guide.




THE LOVING DOMINANT, by John Warren, PhD


A long-time player in the BDSM scene guides readers through this rarely seen world, and offers clear-eyed advice guaranteed to enlighten the most jaded erotic explorers. He reveals the hidden basis of the D/s relationship: the care, trust, and love between partners. An in-depth treatment of BDSM, including mental aspects, style, fantasy, technical details, plus a source list at the end. A great handbook, especially for a Dominant (or switch). Revised updated second edition.


FLOGGING, by Joseph W. Bean


Possibly the most popular activity in the erotic power exchange lexicon, flogging offers sensations ranging from gentle massage through tearing agony. Long-time Leatherman Joseph W. Bean explains how to choose a flogger, negotiate a scene, read your partner's mental and physical state, select patterns and strokes to create a palette of sensations, and much more.




THE SEDUCTIVE ART OF JAPANESE ROPE BONDAGE, by Midori


From ornately decorative to excruciatingly stringent, Japanese rope bondage is an art which has developed over centuries of martial and erotic practice. Now, accomplished Japanese-born educator and practitioner Midori shows step by step how to achieve beautiful and exciting Japanese bondage on a variety of genders and body types.

Each chapter starts with a spectacular, tasteful full-color photo of the finished bondage pose - harnesses, hogties, standing and bent-over poses, and more - then goes back and explains with text and line art how each rope and knot is placed to achieve the final result. Readers can use the detailed instructions to experiment safely and erotically with their own partners - or simply enjoy viewing the results of Midori's expertise.




THE MASTER’S MANUAL, by Jack Rinella