Terrie Figueroa from Romance Reviews Today (RRT) Erotic gives our Venus Press debut a "Multiple O’s" rating!"Public sex, ménage à trois -- what will this intrepid pair dare?Read the entire review HERE. (You'll have to scroll down a bit.) Buy the book HERE.
"Sexual tension starts on page one and the consummation is incendiary!"
Last minute shopping got you down? I have the perfect solution for the avid readers on your list! FictionWise, the industry leader in eBook sales, is having a fantasic end-of-year sale:Now through December 31, every MultiFormat eBook is discounted 20% and every Secure eBook receives a 20% Micropay rebate. These discounts also apply when you use the "Buy this eBook for a friend!" button, which is located right below the "Add to Cart" button on every eBook description page. These are just like gift certificates -- you can email them now to your friends and family or send the gift letter to yourself to deliver on Christmas. Buywise [15%] discounts combine with these sale prices....But wait ... THERE'S MORE! *grin*
With winter chills looming on the horizon, the days may be getting colder, but the stories just keep getting hotter. Today, we have Alessia Brio joining us to talk about a new release, Coming Together, another offering in a series to benefit various charities, this time The American Red Cross disaster relief efforts. Welcome to Coffee Time Romance and thank you for taking time from your busy schedule to join us, Alessia.
Thanks, Charissa. It's my pleasure, especially given our topic.
To start things off, could you tell our readers a little about yourself?
This is, for me, the most difficult question to answer, and it always seems to come at the beginning of an interview (when I'm all tense-like). Labels kinda bug me. I could tell you that I'm a 40-something work-from-home mother of 3, but what does that really tell you about me as a person? *grin* I'm far more comfortable talking about my work.
Each of the Coming Together anthologies benefits a charitable organization. Where did this concept come from and how did you gather so many wonderful stories for each collection?
A couple years ago, some writer friends & I were tossing around ideas for bundling our short stories and poetry into a self-published print anthology. At the time, none of us were professionally published. We hammered out the details, but we got bogged down when the discussion turned to money and how to handle the distribution of the proceeds.
That's when the suggestion was made to donate the proceeds to charity. We realized that the sales income, once divided 15 or 20 ways, was never going to amount to much. But, if we came together, we could do some good AND get a wider audience for our work.
The first volume of Coming Together hit the cyber-shelves of CafePress in June of 2005. Three months later, a second volume followed. Then, Hurricane Katrina ravaged the
In all, there are 5 volumes of Coming Together currently available (4 in print, 1 electronically). Readers can check 'em out at www.eroticanthology.com
Outside of your assembly of these anthologies, you've written or co-written works as well. Can you tell the readers about those and how easy or difficult is it to have a co-writer?
Actually, it was my work on the first volume of Coming Together that prompted me to collect my own short stories and poetry into an anthology. At first, I simply intended to self-publish a single copy as a gift to a friend, but once I had the manuscript pieced together, I figured I had nothing to lose by sending it off to a publisher. fine flickering hungers was contracted by Phaze just a couple months later. J
I joined the Phaze family in the summer of 2005, just as its first round of themed HeatSheets (Sparklers) were being released. When the call was made for the second round (Shivers), I knew I wanted to be involved. I nearly drowned in the research for Erotique, but it was worth it. The story is part of the Shivers line, and it has inspired several more tales co-written with Will Belegon. We have Switch, which is a Surge, and Amichu, which is a Samba, and we're just finishing a fourth story called Closing Arguments, which will be bundled with the other three in an anthology called ArtiFactual. It will be released by Phaze early in 2007. February, I believe.
As for the ease or difficulty of having a co-writer, I'd say it all depends on communication. Will & I work remarkably well together, complementing one another's strengths and compensating for one another's weaknesses. I prefer it to working solo, although I do continue to write solo & will have a couple more solo releases in 2007.
Every author has a best and worst part of the writing process. What is your favorite aspect and what do you like the least?
This depends on whether I'm writing solo or with a partner. I love plotting with Will—hammering out the story line and building the characters. My least favorite part of collaborative writing is editing it. I'm always afraid I'll overstep my bounds and create friction.
On my own, my favorite aspect is weaving the words together into a symphony of sensation. I love the craft—down to minutiae of a perfectly executed phrase. Least favorite, at the moment, is the challenge I face in producing longer works. I have two novels in progress that are currently collecting dust while I meet some deadlines. I'm tempted to just resign myself to the fact that I'm primarily a short-story writer, but ... nah!
Have you ever wondered what it would be to live the life of one of your characters? If so, which one and why?
Who says I don't already? *wink* Hrm, I suppose "wondered" is not the word I'd choose. Certainly I've projected myself into some roles—lived vicariously through a character for a scene or a chapter or even an entire work. Which character and which story really depends on my mood du jour. There is a little (and in some instances, perhaps, a
What passions motivate you to get up and face each day?
The ultimate motivator for me is injustice. I will move mountains—and have—to right a wrong. I can't stand bigotry and intolerance. Discrimination makes my skin crawl. Until I began writing erotica and poetry a few years ago, all of my writing consisted of editorials and narrative non-fiction with a civil/human rights focus.
Do you have a single book or author who inspired you to put your own imagination to paper?
No, not really. My writing inspiration simply stems from a passion for... passion. However, I was undoubtedly influenced by those authors who filled my days and nights with their books as I was growing up: Robert Heinlein, Isaac Asimov, Piers Anthony, Stephen King, Peter Straub, John Irving, Leon Uris, John LeCarre, Lawrence Sanders, Anne McCaffrey, Anne Rice, Frank Herbert, J.R.R. Tolkein.
How that influence manifests itself, though, is a matter of opinion.
If you could spend one day with the person who has inspired you most, what would you plan?
To enact the scene from... Well, perhaps I'd better just take the Fifth on this one.
The world of erotica and erotic fiction is growing by leaps and bounds, becoming more mainstream and well embraced. Do you see it as just a passing trend or something here to stay?
Sex cannot be suppressed, and attempts to do so always fail—eventually. What we're witnessing of late is the dying gasps of another such failure. Digital publication is a boon for the author of erotic fiction because it's discreet. Your visiting pastor might notice what's on your bookshelves, but what's on your hard drive or eReader is not that evident. I look forward to the day when sex is not perceived as shameful... but I'm not holding my breath. Until then, I'll just be the delightfully perverted purveyor of erotic tales.
On your website, you mention another Coming Together anthology on the horizon. Could you share a few details about that and let our readers know what's coming up for you?
Ah, yes. Thanks for asking. Phaze is currently accepting submissions for a volume of Coming Together to benefit breast cancer research. As with the Special Hurricane Relief Edition, I'll be its editor. Submissions of erotic fiction up to 15K words will be accepted through June 1, 2007. Digital release is planned for August 2007 and print release following in October 2007. Please see the submission guidelines at www.phaze.com for details.
Thanks for the chance to talk about this project, Charissa. It means a great deal to me. Happy Holidays to you & yours... and to all the Coffee Time Romance readers out there!
peace & passion,
~ Alessia
SAN DIEGO SUNSET - Alessia Brio & Will Belegon
ISBN: 1-59426-567-4
December 2006
Erotic Paranormal Romance
Heat Rating: Pulsar
RRT Rating: Missionary ("Gets the job done.")
San Diego, CA - Present Day
She haunts his dreams with erotic promise and passion. Each night the dreams become more compelling and leave him restless and discontent. Dare he believe in the promise of the dream?
He haunts her dreams with erotic pleasure. She feels compelled to find him, yet, he is only a dream, even if the feelings she has for him seem more real than anything in her life. Dare she believe in the passion of the dream?
Two souls meant for each other, if only they dare to follow their dreams. SAN DIEGO SUNSET is a romantic and powerful short story about believing the impossible and making it come true.
Isabelle Spencer - 12/15/06
As two people dream of a meeting on a beach, they begin to wonder if it’s only a dream or a future meeting. Their stories are told concurrently, as they travel to what could be their destinies. Both have begun to realize there must be more to life, than what they have experienced so far. He begins to realize the beach is one from his past, close to where he grew up. For her it is somewhere new and exciting, although costing more than she’d anticipated. As they come closer to each other, the scents and sounds around them seem to change. Feelings of being unfulfilled no longer matter; they ignore everything as the dream takes them on a journey. A journey they have no way of knowing how it will end, if it is destiny or their imagination.
This reviewer found the story strange to begin with, but the prose was so enchanting, it swept me along. Despite very little dialogue, the story is easy to follow and interesting. The imagery is very strong throughout the tale. The conflict is within the two main characters, as they find themselves doing something completely out of their comfort zone. Moods become linked and the tale flows smoothly through doubts and worries as it wraps the characters and reader within its spell. The plot winds around them as they experience something new and exciting. Passion flares as they think about the culmination of the dream, taking the reader on a sensual journey of discovery. The ‘what if’s’ are left behind as the characters surprise themselves by their own audacity. As the sun finally sets, the reader is left with a feeling of peace as darkness blankets the characters.
San Diego Sunset is the story of two individuals who are about to be brought together by destiny. He dreams several times a week of lying on an empty warm beach, post-intimacy, with a woman, and waking just before he hears her name. On the days following the dream, he is both more creative and productive, and also more stressed. She finds the dream to intensify in vividness at the end of each month, and most especially at the year’s end. Both are determined to locate the location and to find each other.
San Diego Sunset is a fascinating short tale of two souls on a collision course with Destiny and each other. I found my heart catching in my throat as the two worked their way toward each other and then at first, passed by like two ships in the night, close but without contact. But Destiny won’t be denied.
This is the 3rd delightfully erotic romp for Alessia Brio. The story follows Mandy, who inherited Erotique, a successful upscale sex boutique and erotic museum and her lawyer boyfriend. While this is a short story it fulfils its promise with plenty of delicious titillation and even throws in a bit of mystery.
When a mysterious letter arrives requesting Mandy's deceased Aunt travel to Easter Island to retrieve and transport an artifact for the Museum, Mandy and Bruce decide to go themselves to see about the artifact. What lies ahead will no doubt cause you to think twice about the power of fertility artifacts from ancient civilizations and stop for a few moments longer the next time you visit a museum displaying such items.
Another terrific tale written with both humor and heat from a talented writing duo with interesting insights into the sexual psyches from the both points of view of both sexes.
Mandy and Bruce fly to South America to find out why a professor would write to Mandy's aunt. Curiosity leads them into a hunt for an artifact on Rapa Nui.
There is a lot of action, adventure, suspense and steamy loves scenes squeezed into this book. I'd have enjoyed it more if the story had more room to expand on some of the scenes. If you want the feel of a longer book but not a lot of time this would be good for you.
Mandy is the owner of a sex toy shop and museum named Erotique. Receiving a letter from a friend of her late aunt she soon learns of a generous donation of an artifact made to her museum. Embarking on the exciting trip to South America, she and her lover, Bruce, soon find that their journey becomes a battle not only for the safety of the Incan artifact but ultimately their own lives.
Although Amichu is the third in the series and I'm aware that I've not read the novels in the correct order, this is my first reading of this collaboration and I have to say the authors work extremely well together. Also, by reading novels in the incorrect order it does help to see if each book can adequately stand alone without their counterparts, and judging by things so far, it does appear that they can.
Much as I would love to know which bits are the brainchild of which author, it doesn't really matter because the final result is just pure masterpiece. There's a fine spattering of humour throughout the story and the sex scenes are naughty and fresh. Thorough research into the historical facts about the artefact and the different cultures encountered just strengthens the sense of credibility you receive whilst reading this book. Excellent read.
- Who are some of your other favorite authors to read?
In the erotic genre, I love to read Alison Tyler. “Four on the Floor” was hot as hell. I’ve been a fan of Will Belegon from way back before he was published. I like Alessia Brio, Rachel Kramer Bussel and Bill Noble. And of course, I devour anything Susie Bright puts down on paper.
Switch is an exciting erotic story that is sure to have you feeling the currents jumping out of the book and into the room. Mandy and Bruce are both exciting characters that are fully developed and fun to read about. I love the whole idea of this story and found it very intriguing and extremely sexy. I can’t say too much more since I don’t want to give away the story, but let me just say that this is one story that you don’t want to miss.
Forget the candy and the romantic candlelight dinner. Start a new Valentine’s Day tradition.
Bruce and Mandy are on their way to Rapa Nui, off the Chilean coast. They’ve been invited to collect an artifact for Erotique, Mandy's infamous sex toy shop and museum. This prized possession is from the benefactor Professor Eduardo Rojas Aguilar, a man from Mandy’s past.
Amichu is part of the Phaze Samba Short series of stories, and book three of the Erotique series, by writing duo Ms. Brio and Mr. Belegon. Mandy and Bruce are an insatiable couple and makes for some steamy encounters that only become more heated as they discover the artifact they’ve come to collect. The reader is given some interesting facts, not only about the central couple’s relationship, but also about the place they visit. I was able to appreciate the island with the information woven into the story. Both Mandy and Bruce seem like a very down to earth and sensual couple who thoroughly enjoy an active sex life. The sex does get heated and we’re gifted with an interesting opening scene that sets the tone for this story.
There are some interesting plot twists, and even an incident that will have you pausing in surprise. You don’t necessarily need to read any of the previous books in this series to enjoy this story, though I would recommend it to gain a fuller picture of Mandy and Bruce’s adventures before reaching this segment of their lives. The only thing that threw me out of the story a few times was Bruce’s turn of phrase; I didn’t expect this lawyer to speak like a surfer. Mandy and Bruce have an easy light banter that makes Amichu such an enjoyable story to read. With the added elements of adventure, and a little suspense, this makes for a wonderful afternoon read.
The writing duo Alessia Brio and Will Belegon are at it again with the third edition to the series started originally by Alessia.
This ebook is entitled Amichu. This story is filled with much more action and adventure than you can ever imagine. I sat in amazement after reading the enormous amount of creativity that was put into this ebook.
The story picks up where it ended in the previous installment, and starts off on a humorous tone, but then soon introduced an action packed plot and adventure for Amanda and Bruce as they head to South America to uncover the truth about an Incan artifact that was generously donated to Erotique, (Amanda's sex toy shop
and museum) by a lover of Amanda's late aunt.
One thing that I enjoyed about this ebook was that it was well written by the writing duo, and I could clearly and vividly visualize the story as I read it. There was some technical archaeological terminology in the dialog of the story that made the story a bit of a challenge but it fits the story very well.
In terms of the sexual heat of the story, it was well balance, considering how well the story was written.
One thing that I admire about the story is that the relationship and love between Amanda and Bruce seems realistic and is displayed in the skillful use of dialog between the two characters.
The story was outstanding.
DECEMBER
fine flickering hungers (print) - Alessia Brio
And, I'll be getting a new cover, too.
If you still believe that romance fiction is limited to endless pastel paperback covers with cursive titles and swooning virgins, prepare to have your world rocked.
There's never been a better time to be a reader with a dirty mind.
Or a writer with one.
Fresh from a "shocking" sexual adventure in Switch, Mandy and Bruce are headed to South America for another trek into the amorous unknown. When a friend of Mandy's late aunt sends news of an Incan artifact suited for Erotique, the duo travel to Rapa Nui to claim it. What they find instead could endanger not only the priceless item, but their lives. Amichu is the third in an exciting series of sexy adventures by the writing team of Brio and Belegon.
Would you vote for a candidate who wrote a trashy, pornographic romance novel that glorifies premarital sex and seeks to arouse sexual interest as your State Comptroller of Public Accounts?
Their mouths had fused hotly, desperately, a feverish urgency in his touch.
Cassidy at Joyfully Reviewed had this to say about Switch:Switch is a very innovative story! I can’t remember reading one quite like it, and I definitely enjoyed every spark that it generated. Mandy and Bruce unashamedly enjoy their sex life, and anything can (and does) happen between them as they joyfully experiment. Switch definitely sparked my fire and my imagination, that’s for sure!
Amanda is a strong young woman who loves her life running an upscale adult toy store, and her relationship with her nearly perfect lawyer and long-term lover, Bruce. Bruce is a great lawyer who also adores Amanda and their life together. During a fun night complete with her latest toys, a bizarre event changes them and gives a new understanding to "do you know what I am feeling".
Switch is such a cleaver (sic) romantic short story that pulls readers in quickly. The two are deeply in love without being sickening sweet. The background is developed fast and sets the stage for the book's main focus-a night of terrific sex they never thought would happen. The way the couple handles things is wonderful. I enjoyed every conversation and thought their interaction was well done. The sex is full of toys and stays very hot. There was little or no supporting character interaction, though these two strong personalities were enough to carry the book alone. I congratulate Will Belegon and Alessia Brio was a very creative and sexy story.
Amanda and Bruce are lovers that decide to have a little bit of fun one night during a raging storm. They bring out a lovers toy that requires electricity, and that’s when the lightening strikes. Not only do they lose power, but they also lose their bodies. To each other! After coming to terms that Amanda is now Bruce, and Bruce is now Amanda, they decide to have a little fun.
I thought this story line was interesting and had the potential to be so much better than it was. However there was constant head hopping that confused me and slowed down the reading. The beginning of the story seemed to drag a bit, and the characters and storyline seemed to just start in some random place. I understand this is following another story, but to readers that might not have read the first book you should probably find a way to incorporate a tiny bit of back story. The final thing that stuck me as bizarre, was there was no resolution in the end. The authors never say whether or not the characters switch back.
Switch did have some good points like playful sex, and the sensual relationship between the lovers. Overall it’s an interesting read, sort of a lovers version of ‘Freaky Friday’.
3 Kisses
Amanda Long runs a sex-toy shop and museum called Erotique. She and her lover Bruce enjoy trying out new items she has ordered for her shop. Bruce is Mandy’s attorney as well as her lover. He is more than happy to take lovemaking in lieu of payment for the work he does for her.
When Mandy and Bruce try out a pair of new electric nipple clamps during an electrical storm, they get the surprise of their lives when they switch bodies. Suddenly there is the very real possibility they may not be able to switch back, and so trying new things and getting adjusted to a different body becomes paramount.
I enjoyed this story. It had an interesting twist I was not expecting even though the title gives the reader a clue. This story is well written and the characters are believable. The descriptions of what it might be like to find yourself in a body of the opposite sex had me roaring with laughter. If you enjoy erotica from a unique viewpoint then this is the story for you.
Others have said it with far more eloquence than I can hope to achieve in my current emotional state--my partner, for example, on his blog--so I will simply light a candle in memory of a phenomenal person.Like it. Smart, sharp, slick.
Undercover Angel accepted, Alessia. It will be sent off for editing and illustration, and my partner, Desdmona, will be in touch about our further requirements and your benefits.
You write like you belong at Ruthie's Club. Welcome aboard.
I'm sure you'll find many kindred spirits.
regards
Neil Anthony
for Ruthie's Club
Amanda Long is dragging boxes from one room to another and snags her partner Bruce while he’s working on paperwork. They go for some experimenting and wind up with a surprise. The two fall asleep and that is when it leaves with a cliff-hanger.
Switch is short and to the point, and filled with technical jargon that left this reviewer’s head reeling with confusion. In this case, I didn’t find it as easy to get into and it was very short. For other books, I was able to understand the idea behind the story. In this one, I had a very hard time and probably should read the other books.
All in all Will Bele & Alessia Brio came out with an interesting story when they wrote Switch, but readers should know to read the other books in the series first.
If you have an alias or pen name, what is it?
Will: I’ve used Belegon as an alias for twenty years. The addition of Will to it was to make it realistic for publishing and because it’s both easy for me and a nod to my “old school” influences. Really old school.
Alessia: Um, it’s Alessia Brio. You didn’t think that was my real name, did you? Unlike Will, my nom de plume didn’t come into existence until very recently—until after I received “the call” from Phaze. Alessia is an Italian name derived from the Greek verb alexéin meaning “to defend/protect” and Brio relates to the Italian musical term con brio meaning “with spirit/brilliance.” (I suppose that would make my middle name “con,” wouldn’t it? *grin*) My heritage is 50% Mediterranean, so I thought it appropriate—and I love its meaning.
Tell us about yourself?
Alessia: I am a figment of the imagination of a woman with a raging libido, a creative mind, and an aging body. I’m young and sexy even on the days when she feels like a wart hog. I’m passionate, irreverent, smart, and occasionally funny. Oh, and *blush* I’m humble, too.
Okay, being serious for a couple sentences: I’m a work-from-home mom and a very outspoken crusader for the civil/human rights of people with disabilities. A lifetime ago, I was a computer geek for the U.S. Dept. of Defense, but I escaped the office environment and never want to go back. (I have a problem with authority, y’see.)
Will: Whereas I’m actively looking to get back into an office environment! I’m one of those guys who proves the old adage about never knowing just what lurks beneath the suit and tie of the conservative businessman. I look conservative, and my day job certainly reinforces that. However, beneath the corporate uniform a not quite reformed teenage rebel still tilts at windmills.
I took a look in the mirror a couple years ago and wondered who that guy staring back was. Since then I’ve dropped 40 pounds, started writing again for the first time since the 80s, and made a wonderful group of new friends who encourage me to push the limits of my imagination.
Anything special the readers should know about you?
Alessia: Honey, there’s nothing about me that’s NOT special. (Did I mention being humble—and modest, too?) Now, whether or not the readers should know about it is another story entirely. A girl’s gotta have some secrets, after all. If you ply Will with drink, he just might tell you some of them.
Will: I’m not sure which of her secrets she thinks I’ll spill, but I appreciate the effort she’s showing to get me free drinks. Special? The best word to describe me is eclectic. I’ve always considered myself someone who was competent at many things and expert at none. So I’m comfortable in a very diverse set of environments.
How long have you been writing?
Will: About three years now. I had told stories for a long time, making up bedtime tales and even spinning a long narrative for an ex-girlfriend that I now desperately wish I had written down. I used to write poetry in high school and college and worked on the school papers. I finally tried my hand at writing fiction and discovered that the few people I showed it to wanted more. This is the result.
Alessia: Since about 2nd grade, I think. What? You mean, like, writing fiction? Oh, um…since the late summer of 2003. That’s when the fantasies swirling around in my head reached critical mass and demanded freedom. Until then, I just wrote scathing editorials and kick-ass essays. (I still write those, too.)
Where do you typically find your inspiration?
Alessia: It usually stems from a random conversation. A word or turn of phrase will strike my fancy, and it blossoms into a story line. Sometimes I’ll build a story around a sexual scenario, but I usually let the characters have free reign to build their own heat. (I hear voices, too. Did I tell mention that?)
Our collaborations have had their genesis in themed contests until recently. We just started on the sequel to Artistically Inclined, entitled Bound for Success. It’s the first of our joint efforts that has not been the result of such.
Will: I’ve also had some pretty random starting points, but mine are usually visual. I’ve had stories spring out of a look from a pretty girl, a scene from a movie, or just wondering what the story was behind a photograph. One of the ways Alessia and I make such a great team is that her influences tend to be more about smells, sounds, or sensations, and mine tend to be about light, shadow, and color. I think it adds to the depth of our writing. She reads something of mine and fills in the senses that I have unwittingly ignored and vice versa.
What genre do you write in? Do you cross over to other genres? Is it harder or easier to stay in one genre or to move back and forth?
Alessia: I’d say, aside from the obvious erotic elements, our stuff is pretty diverse. Wouldn’t you, Will? I mean, we’ve each done historical, paranormal, contemporary, and romance. My muse (a fickle bitch) tells me what to write. I just write it—and leave it to the publisher to label it.
Will: Our settings and plot lines have multiple elements and genres. One thing I do think we have managed to capture very well as a team is the everyday humor of life. Our characters do a lot of bantering back and forth and teasing each other, just as Alessia and I do. So even though our writings may run from the paranormal to the political, the humor is always as great a presence as the eroticism. I think that will always be true. Even if we tone down our sexual focus to put something more mainstream out there, it will always have a smoldering undertone.
Who has influenced you in your writing?
Will: Many of my influences are almost stereotypically classical. I consider Shakespeare a huge influence, for example. People tend to think of him as the establishment, but at the time he was writing he was as close to the edge of respectability as Hunter S. Thompson ever was. Tolkien influenced me by providing so much depth to his world. As far as erotica, my strongest influences have been modern. Gwen Masters immediately springs to mind, as does Anne Rice.
Alessia: My colleagues. I’m not talkin’ about the mega-successful authors or the literary genii. I’m talkin’ about my peers. We learn from one another. Will, for example, is a remarkable influence on capturing the minutiae of a moment in breathtaking detail.
What books do you have out? And do you have something new coming out? Where can they be purchased?
Alessia: Well, we’re here pimping our new release (which I’ll let Will tell you about). My earlier publications include Erotique and fine flickering hungers. (Yes, it’s supposed to be lower case.) Both were released in the fall of 2005 by Phaze. Erotique is a short story, while fine flickering hungers is a single-author anthology consisting of 8 short stories and 8 poems. Both have received glowing reviews.
Will: Our first published collaboration is currently available from Phaze. The title is Switch, which references the unexpected and unexplainable result of an electrical storm and some electric exploration on the part of our two main characters. The story started out as a scenario idea and then took off when Alessia suggested using Bruce & Mandy from her Erotique. I already loved the relationship between the characters and when she made the suggestion, things started rolling. We also have Artistically Inclined coming out soon from Venus Press. Switch is available as a Phaze HeatSheet at http://www.phaze.com and Artistically Inclined will be at http://www.VenusPress.com.
Are you doing any sinning or appearances soon?
Alessia: Well, I do the “sinning” part every day. In fact, it’s a priority in my life. *wink* As for the appearances, I’ll be in Bethesda (Maryland) on June 3rd with a few other Phaze authors for a reading and book signing at the South Beach Restaurant & Loft Lounge from 12:30pm to 5:30pm.
Will: It’s nice to see that Alessia is as willing to tease you about Freudian typos as she is to do it to me. I had to develop a thick skin after sending off a few late night ramblings. The hard part about appearances or signings for us is that we live at opposite ends of the country. We may have an opportunity to get together at the Happy Ending Lounge in NYC on August 11th for a Phaze reading and signing. Alessia will definitely be there, but my participation is still pending due to the travel involved. I live in San Diego, so you can’t get much further away and still be in the continental U.S. I’d say it’s about a 75% probability right now.
Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Will: Michael Jordan is credited with saying that you miss 100% of the shots you don’t take. To relate it to the sport I was the best at, I would say you can’t hit a home run with the bat on your shoulder. But I’m also very well aware that it is a nerve wracking step to submit for publication. So I would say that the first step is to show someone, anyone at all. Your husband, your best girlfriend, a poker buddy, I don’t care. I received some incredible advice from Alessia and fellow professionals like Gwen Masters after telling them I wrote as well as read. Sure, I’ve had to smile through a few I-told-you-so's. Believe me though, it was worth it.
Alessia: I know quite a few very talented and prolific “aspiring” writers who, for one reason or another, are hesitant to submit their work to a publisher. My advice to them is simple: SUBMIT! It ain’t gonna get published if you don’t. To the not-so-inhibited, I say: Write every day! No exceptions. No excuses. Bottom line: If it’s worth having, it’s worth working for.
Do you have a website or a blog?
Alessia: I’m all over the ‘Net. I have a site (www.alessiabrio.com), an author blog (http://alessiabrio.blogspot.com), and various accounts on MySpace, LiveJournal, Xanga, Yahoo!360, TagWorld, BlogLegion … you name it. *blush* The ancillary accounts are largely inactive and simply direct visitors to my main sites. I created them because if someone is searching for me, I want them to find me. The publishers expect us to pimp—I mean, promote—ourselves, so I’m giving it the ol’ college try.
Will & I also maintain a blog for our collaborative works. It’s named after the novella we recently contracted with Venus Press: http://artistically-inclined.blogspot.com
Will: In addition to the joint blog, I have my own at http://willbelegon.blogspot.com, and I also have a Yahoo! group at http://groups.yahoo.com/group/willbelegon. I have a MySpace account, but to be honest, I rarely pay much attention to it. The Blogspot and Yahoo! group get much more of my time.
Do you prefer fan mail/email?
Will: I’m an admitted feedback slut. It was my desire to learn more about what I was reading that did much to fuel my first attempts at writing, kind of like the kid that picks up a guitar to play along with the radio and then becomes a rock star. So please, if anybody out there has any comments or questions I would love to hear from you. The easiest way to reach me is by signing up for my group or emailing me at willbelegon@yahoo.com
Alessia: I absolutely love hearing from readers (and other authors and, most especially, publishers wanting to buy my work). I can’t bring myself to use the word “fan,” though. I definitely prefer e-mail, and my address is Alessia@EroticAnthology.com
Other than being a writer, did you ever picture yourself doing anything else?
Alessia: Actually, it’s being a writer that I never pictured. And a poet? Pffft! (That’s a VERY recent fetish.) I still wanna be an architect when I grow up.
Will: That’s one place Alessia and I differ. I’ve considered myself a poet, if a poor one, for over twenty years. As far as other things, my overactive imagination has created daydreams of being everything from character actor to musician to professional athlete.
If you had time off to do whatever you like, what would you do?
Alessia: Research, of course. *grin* An author can never do enough research. I know, I know! It’s an incredible sacrifice to travel to exotic locations, to field test all those toys and positions and scenarios—but, hey, someone’s gotta do it. Anything for my art…
Will: I’d become a professional student. History, art, science. Everything except math. I’ve balanced enough checkbooks to last a lifetime. The travel thing appeals to me, too. I’d love to walk the streets of London or Paris or Rome and just think about all the people that have done it before me.
Is there a favorite author you haven’t met that you’d like to?
Alessia: There are a whole bunch of ‘em – many as yet unpublished. You can find ‘em all on the Literotica Author’s Hangout (forum) – which is where I got my start writing erotica and poetry & where I met Will. Oh, and add Gwen Masters to that list. She’s a dynamite writer and one helluva supportive colleague.
Will: Gwen is on my list, too. She first took me under her wing two years ago, but every time we have thought we were going to be able to finally meet for that fabled cup of coffee, something has gone wrong. After the incredible camaraderie I’ve experienced in meeting some of the Author’s Hangout writers, I would always jump at a chance to meet more of that fantastic group. One man I have met briefly that I would like to have more time with is fantasy author George R.R. Martin. His bravery in letting a story take him where it will is amazing.
My book, fine flickering hungers, received a 4-star review from Romantic Times magazine!Brio pens a powerfully erotic anthology of poetry and prose that's sure to garner attention.
Stormy is on tight deadline to develop an ad campaign for Costa Rica. She flies to the country to discover what could be appealing about the rainy season. Sensual adventures aplenty ensue as she learns all about the tactile quality of water in "Wetter Has Never Been Better."
Chloe is in a hurry to return home to see "Jake" in this mischievous and amusing short story. And in "Boiling Point," a trip to the mall leads two friends to twist the bounds of love and friendship in this sensual exploration.
Brio's collection shows sexuality at its fullest. Interspersed with equally moving poems, this collection is a pleasurable experience because of its honesty and spice. (dl $6.00)
—Sarah Wethern
You know what this short story (28 pages) reminded me of? That movie Waxwork starring Zack Galligan. [clipped] Anyway, Erotique reminds me of that movie because the heroine in this short story inherits a sex shop that features ancient sex toys that are possessed; like if you touch a dildo owned by Cleopatra, you will get a psychic image of Cleopatra sticking that dildo into Julius Caesar's ass. Or something. I know what you're thinking. Another story about a sexually-retarded heroine inheriting a sex shop and learning to explore her own sexuality, right? Nope. What's great about this story is that the heroine isn't a neurotic, frigid schoolmarm type that wouldn't know the business end of a dildo if it smacked her in the face. Heh. Dildo is a funny word.
The plot is very simple. In fact, as Bruce, the love interest of the heroine says, it's very "Scooby Doo". It's like this: Mandy, the heroine, conditionally inherits Erotique from an eccentric aunt who died under questionable circumstances. Mandy gets to keep Erotique if she stays within the store by herself for a full night on the next full moon. If she can make it through the night, Erotique is hers fair and square. If not, then not so much. Mandy finds outs that the sexual artifacts in the store all bear psychic imprints of their users from a previous life and she is both horrified and sexually fascinated by what she sees. As she explores the history of each object, Mandy finds herself caught up in them, even as they threaten to devour her. Mandy suspects that the objects may have caused the death of her aunt, but she is unable to keep away from them. Even as Bruce worries about her, Mandy realizes that she will do anything to keep Erotique even if it means her own destruction! Dun-dun-dun...
The premise may make it sound like a twisted Twilight Zone episode crossed with an above-average Blaze book, but this was really entertaining. Though the first few pages of the story are a little clunky and loaded with exposition (like the history of Erotique) that is revealed through dialogue (ugh!), Brio hits her stride by page 6 and it becomes a much smoother read. The interaction between Bruce and Mandy feels real and their verbal bantering is very amusing. They seemed like people you meet in college and hang out with. In fact, I'm pretty sure I've woken up next to someone like Bruce before and slipped out the door before he woke up. I'm polite like that. It's too bad that this story is too damned short because I wish I could have gotten to know Mandy some more. What are her motivations? Why couldn't she see what a catch Bruce was until the story is almost over? Why was Bruce single if he was such a big catch? Will Mandy and Bruce continue to see each other after the story ends or will they get together once, have really awkward sex, avoid each other for months, then gradually get back the friendship they had before? Am I projecting again? Man, I should really stop that.
P.S. Despite the cover, this story doesn't feature elves, vampires, or bad CGI hermaphrodites.
Shay, from Sensual Reads, today provided our very first review of Switch. Needless to say, we are thrilled with it:
