Blackstone Book Review

I will start by saying that I did not read the first book of the series called Nightshade (I received my copy to review the book) so I am not able to compare the two books and probably certain subtleties in the plot I did not completely grasp in all their depth and significance. However it is perfectly readable as a stand alone.

I was fascinated and intrigued by the intensity of the words used to narrate what was happening, especially the love making part. It was like sipping a rich, intense, full bouquet red wine, that at times one just needs to stop, close one's eyes and remember to breath.

I particularly cherished how magick was depicted, not as force conjured and harnessed from the outside but as a power growing from the very visceral insides of the characters, with a will and strength of its own. Yet each character possessed a different kind of magick, one sort of, for lack of better words, earth, animal like and the other more air, intellectual, the combination of which I found delightful.

An opulent bountiful magickal read! Enjoy!

Published by Bold Strokes Books in August 2014

Out of This World Book Review

An enjoyable read with a lot of hot sex scenes in every single chapter and sometimes even more than once. So yes it is that type of fantasy that it will make you feel sizzling under your skin and in other parts of the body.

At first I thought that the book was just written for the tossing around in bed and other surfaces but then some kind of plot emerged.

I felt Iris was better described as a character than Anandra but then maybe that was actually what the author wanted to show through the book.

I found the plot could have been developed a bit more, given more twists and turns, toss it up with a pinch of unexpectedness.

On the whole it was a pleasant lesbian sexy summer read.

Published on August 1st 2014 by Bold Strokes Books 

Book Review of A Very Civil Wedding

A Very Civil Wedding by V.T. Davy
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

When asked to review this book I was intrigued by the subject the author tackled in the book: a same sex-marriage of the princess that one day will be Queen and Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
I said to myself WOW!. Someone finally decided to face a topic that can, in any near future possibly become reality.
What immediately struck me is the telegraphic, down to earth dairy style of the narration yet deeply supported by a well-documented research of the subtle details of cannon and land law.
The story unwraps itself through three main characters: Princess Alexandra the lesbian first born of the Prince of Wales, an initially unspecified gay young lad and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
Through them we get to know the various aspects of a society in its personal and collective journey to provoke, fear, hate and accept change.
In the name of love that knows no boundaries and the conviction that God's love is beyond heterosexual tagging, the sincere asking of a woman in love with her partner that wishes not only a civil marriage to bind a contract but a blessing from the faith that nurtures her believe in life but whose church refuses acknowledgment of such love.
I highly recommend.


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A Very Civil Wedding Review on Amazon

Review of The Fiche Room

The Fiche Room by Suzie Carr
My rating: 5 of 5 stars

This book took my hand and walked me down a long memory lane. Reading The Fiche Room was like reading my diary that I never wrote in those turbulent days. Those words that wrenched my heart, thoughts that split my head in two and emotions that ignited me alive.
There were "weird" moments when I thought that Suzie Carr was in my head some odd 12 years ago.
It is a book I would like that my ex-husband-to be could read, for him to understand how it feels being on the other side and that "cheating" was never meant to be on my agenda. To my mother, so she can feel what she insists in denying at a heart level. To my friends that do not know me, for them to see that being gay and accepting it late in life is never a "decision" lightly taken and for sure a tsunami in all spheres of life where all certainties are left behind.
All this and much more Suzie Carr has succeeded in describing with respect, sincerity and love for life.
Thank you!

"I'd like to hear how wonderful you think it is to walk along a romantic beachfront and not be able to stop and kiss and hold hands because of social stigma"


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Review of The Reluctant Tarot Reader: Adventures in the Gypsy Trade

It all started that I dreamt of Raven, of her giving a lecture on GLBT and religion. I tweeted this to her, several exchanges of tweets and all I know the next morning I found a copy of The Reluctant Tarot Reader ebook in my email.

I had just arrived in Malta. And obviously the Universe just though it was absolutely the right time to read such a book.

There is something that connects me to Raven but haven't defined it yet, not even after reading her book, nor after remembering that once I used to hear her podcast (before my 1^st iPod touch died).

We have many things in common and reading her book was like touching white fire, raw sensations, memories which were preferably lost but just kept nagging in the twilight zone.

I found the words burning into the electronic display. Somehow I could feel the pain it takes to write all that.

The pain it took to live all that.

The great courage it takes to make it heal.

Words are written with a purpose.

Paragraphs are used as vessels; Chapters as fullstops and fresh beginnings.

It is not about academical Tarot. It is Tarot in motion.
It is a book that spares nothing.
All is torn to pieces, to be burnt in rage and left to simmer until Love will have Its way, transforming this book in such an intimate gift for us all.

Thank you Raven for not being so reluctant!

Roma Gay Pride 2008

I would like an everyday Pride.
I would like to see layman, wearing every day clothes, work clothes.
I would like to see partaking people from all social backgrounds and from all political areas.
I would like to see individuals who could not aid their loved ones while they were in hospital because they were nobody and no one gives permissions of any sort to someone who has no right to exist.
I would like to see individuals who weren’t able to go to their loved ones’ funeral because the other family didn’t like their presence.
I would like to see individuals who have been forced out of the house in which for years they lived together sharing their love in every day life.
I would like to see individuals who although sharing their lives together have no right to partake of their loved ones’ pension in case of death.
I would like to see families who as such can’t be called so because it is the state that decides who can build a family.
I would like to see those children who can’t official talk about their parents.
I would like to see those individuals who love each other day in day out, petty normalcy of life taking its course.
I would like to see these individuals, these citizens who have been denied the right to exist, to live, to love, to get married, to have children.
I would like to see these individuals marching down the streets of Rome which lately has become too fascist for my liking.
I would like to see only this…no carnival, no American style parading, no ostentation because this does not bring us anywhere to attain our rights.
What I would really like to see in this Pride is the virtuous boldness of those who live discrimination silently on daily bases.



Vorrei un Pride di tutti i giorni.
Vorrei vedere gente comune, vestita in abiti di tutti i giorni, in abiti di lavoro.
Vorrei vedere gente da tutti i ceti sociali e da tutte le appartenenze politiche partecipare.
Vorrei vedere persone che non hanno potuto assistere i loro cari quando stavano in ospedale perché erano nessuno e nessuno dà permessi a chi di esistenza non ne ha.
Vorrei vedere persone che non hanno potuto assistere al funerale dei loro cari perché la famiglia non li ha voluti.
Vorrei vedere persone che sono stati sfrattati dalla casa in cui hanno vissuto insieme per anni, dove hanno condiviso il loro amore nella vita di tutti i giorni
Vorrei vedere persone che pur vivendo insieme per decenni la reversibilità della pensione non ce l’hanno.
Vorrei vedere famiglie che tali non sono considerate perché è lo stato a decidere chi la famiglia la può formare.
Vorrei vedere quei figli che dei loro genitori non possono ufficialmente parlare.
Vorrei vedere persone che nella vita di tutti i giorni si amano con la banale consuetudine della vita che passa.
Vorrei vedere queste persone, questi cittadini a cui è stato negato ogni diritto di esistere, di vivere, di amare, di sposarsi, di avere figli.
Vorrei vedere queste persone sfilare per le strade di una Roma ultimamente troppo fascista.
Vorrei vedere solo questo….niente carnevale, niente sfilate all’americana, niente ostentazione perché tanto non servono a niente.
Quello che vorrei veramente vedere in questo Pride è la sobrietà fiera di chi la discriminazione la vive nel silenzio di tutti i giorni.

Il mercato di nicchia

Molti non hanno ancora capito che per sopravvivere nella situazione economica attuale bisogna trovare il mercato di nicchia. Trovo, inquadro il bisogno e creo un prodotto ad hoc.
Il mercato GLBT è completamente inesplorato. In Italia specialmente non esiste per niente. Mentre basta uscire fuori dai confini italiani per trovare tutto un'altro mondo.
La scorsa settimana sono andata a comprare dei libri in tema dalla Mondadori. Quando ho chiesto se avevano dei libri sulla omosessualità femminile (molto scientifica nell'approccio) mi hanno indirizzato sotto psicologia.
Scherzando ho chiesto se anche i romanzi trovi li?! Non ho parole per descrivere lo sguardo di quella commessa.
Allora poi che faccio. Sono costretta prima a cercare con fatica dei libri e case editrici da internet e poi scegliere se andare dalla Mondadori per ordinarli o se no fare l'ordine attraverso internet.
Ma neanche cercare su internet è facile. Se voi andate su qualsiasi sito che vendono libri online che sia Bol o Ibs non trovate nessuna sezione dedicata.Dovete già sapere il titolo o almeno una casa editrice dedicata.
Almeno io ho la fortuna di essere madre lingua inglese per cui faccio uso regolare di amazon. Infatti li è tutto diverso. Hanno proprio un settore dedicato con il nome Gay and Lesbian. La si trova di tutto dal saggio alla storia, dal romanzo alla politica. Purtroppo non hanno libri italiani.
Già che ci siamo vogliamo anche parlare dei DVD?
Natale è qui per cui ho avuto la brillante idea di regalare ad una amica mia un dvd GLBT.
Non vi dico le ore che ho trascorso su internet per trovare dei film GLBT che sono entrati nel mercato italiano(almeno hanno i sottotitoli in italiano). Pochissimi su tanti che ora il cinema internazionale sta producendo. "Tanti" paragonato a qualche anno fa.
Volgiamo parlare anche delle ore nei negozi per cercare il titolo. Meno male che avevo scelto un titolo che era abbastanza pubblicizzato sul mercato (A mi madre piacciono le donne)per cui ho avuto fortuna di trovalo.
Dettò ciò riuscite ad immaginare il potenziale di un mercato tarato per il GLBT. Per non parlare dell'accettazione che i mass media/pubblicità hanno il potere di creare.
Quanti di noi sono venuti ha conoscenza di cose che ignoravano l'esistenza, attraverso la pubblicità. Creare della pubblicità GLBT vorrebbe dire mettere in evidenza in modo universalmente accettato una parte della società che è perennemente ignorata e calpestata.
E fidelizzare una clientela che per principio comprerebbe dall'azienda perché ha saputo dialogare e usare un linguaggio comune.


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