"Hello, Greta dear? . . . oh yes, I did get the shaper I ordered from you . . . oh yes, it works very well . . . oh yes, holds me in marvellously. Er, there's just one thing dear . . . oh no . . . quite reasonably priced. But you see, the reason I'm calling . . . yes, the colour's just fine too. No complaints about that. But the reason I'm calling you is . . . can you tell me how to get the flying hell OUT of this humiliating, patriarchal antique rig? Because you see, darling, I seem to be hopelessly stuck in it. . . . That's right, I feel like a complete idiot. Got it in one, dear. . . . Say it happens all the time? Pardon me, dear, but you're not actually laughing, are you? Because I do have a lawyer and I can sue for emotional trauma you know . . . you'll have a girl over right away? . . . you mean that cute little thing with the sassy look on her face? Thank you darling. Ta-ta for now . . ."

WHO ARE WE?

In our society the question which is thought to define who we are sexually is this one: which sex -- your own, the opposite, or both -- do you like to have sex with? This question is assumed to be central. Beyond that, everything else is seen as secondary.

But even if there is one primary question to be answered to determine the groundwork of our sexual identity, perhaps it is this: what gender do you want to be when having sex? Perhaps what is most important for some people is not which sex they want to do, as it were, but which gender they want to be while doing it.

LUCREZIA MAGAZINE REVIEWS BEST LESBIAN EROTICA 2008

For the whole review, which is very positive, check here. The reviewer also mentions my story, "The Ant Queen," among others:

"The Ant Queen" wields domination and humiliation. The story takes a concept like Mrs Robinson (The Graduate), and upends it. Power is reversed, placed in the hands of someone you'd least expect. Meanwhile Mrs Wellington extols her sexual confidence and knowledge (or presumption), with a patronizing air, to fall into the situational trap. Mrs Wellington's daughter's friend uses the moment for leverage and gains power. Dustin Hoffman was tongue tied in The Graduate, but this seductress is no wallflower..."

And she goes on to quote a bit of my story, if you're interested. I love being
reviewed!

THE LEFTY WAR NUT

Strange, but true. Those who have perused my blog will know my politics are very Left (as in socialist). Unusually enough, however, I am a war nut. Not a militarist, but one who has a great interest in some aspects of military history.

Why is that? Is there a fascist lurking within? Those in the political middle often like to say "extremes touch," implying that the radical Right and the Radical Left are essentially the same. Sometimes this is true. Morally, there is little to choose between Hitler and Stalin. But where is the Right Wing equivalent of Rosa Luxemburg? You can find tyrants on the far Right and the far Left, but in the latter you will also find people of integrity, brains, heart, and a real concern for people and justice. This cannot be said for the far Right. Love can be found in the radical Left, but not on the radical Right -- unless we include the love comrades in arms have for each other while murdering the innocent.

But I digress. Perhaps more anon . . .

WHAT THE HELL IS A COURGETTE?

Ah, I see -- a zucchini, according to my CONCISE OXFORD DICTIONARY. Why did I ask? A brief review by Helen Sandler of BEST LESBIAN EROTICA 2008, refers to my story, "The Ant Queen," thus:

"When a teenager finds her best friend's uppity mum trapped in a PVC insect costume, she stuffs her with a brace of courgettes."

Cool. I never hear that word before. I think "courgette" actually sounds sexier than "zucchini"!