The Ultimate in Tentacle Sex: Exotic Alien Appendages

My first encounter with exotic—and erotic—penile appendages was in the 1989 anime Urotsukidōji: Legend of the Overfiend (based on the 1986 manga). Urotsukidōji is a mix of erotica, humor, and supernatural horror. It’s loaded with not only tentacle sex, but also kinky penile appendages galore.

Years later, I was pleasantly surprised to discover a similar concept in Emma Holly’s erotic paranormal romance PRINCE OF ICE: A Tale of the Demon World. While the stories are vastly different, the demon lovers share unique physical attributes in that their penises can stimulate a woman’s body in all sorts of unusual ways (to put it mildly).

Which brings me to the present. All of the above came to the fore of my mind while reading TRUE BELIEVERS by Maria Zannini. It’s not a spoiler to share that the hero, Taelen, is as generously endowed as his forebears in this regard. He’s an alien, after all! But not to worry—Taelen has other physical characteristics that mark him as otherworldly.

I’ll admit I’m a fan of heroes with a li’l something extra in their pants (or whatever they happen to be wearing). It’s certainly exotic and titillating and once in a while I’m in the mood for that sort of fantasy. In TRUE BELIEVERS, the hero’s exotic penis was just one aspect of the story. But the concept works really well for erotic tales, too. :P

Seems that in the case of science fiction romance, extra special penises serve double duty: they are both a worldbuilding element and a way to make humanoid aliens sexy. Given reader expectations for the subgenre, I almost can’t imagine one without the other. But is the pairing absolutely required?

In TRUE BELIEVERS, heroine Rachel Cruz is a Nephilim, so as an otherwordly being she acclimates easily to Taeren’s alien biology (at least, that was my take), but what about a human heroine? How does an alien hero introduce that aspect of his sexuality? When would be the most appropriate time? How might they determine physical compatibility (assuming a multi-tasking penis hadn't been contrived simply for titillation’s sake)? I mean, would some of those extra tentacles even fit?!

I’ll admit, based on what I’ve encountered in my entertainment so far, I’m kinda curious to find out for real…!

But depicting an alien hero with extra tentacles or other accessories can be a challenge to pull off without resulting in a BARBARELLA type farce. Incidentally, I recently finished SLAVE (Book 1 of the Cat Star Chronicles) by Cheryl Brooks, and this story also features a hero with an exotic penis. In the beginning of that story, the heroine (a human from Earth) sees the hero’s unusual penis almost immediately as a result of his status as a naked slave. She finds it intriguing, but I attributed her almost blasé reaction to the story's lighthearted tone.

Also, SLAVE tended to fetishize the exotic alien hero trope, which meant there wasn't much more of a takeaway theme/social commentary/sci-fi concept. The hero was reduced to nothing more than his ability to pleasure the heroine (and by extension, the reader). Reading SLAVE left me awfully interested in reading a more serious treatment on the subject.

I’m sure penile enhancements of the alien kind aren’t for everyone, and I totally understand if you don't want to go there. Still, I’d like to know what your preferences are for alien SFR heroes when it comes to their sexual anatomy. Is this something you’d rather not worry about, or do you want every possible exotic detail an author can create? When is exotic too exotic? Conversely, are some of our alien SFR heroes not sexually exotic enough?

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Angelia Sparrow’s Steampunk Romance SKY RAT Cover. This.

SKY RAT, an erotic m/m steampunk romance novella by Angelia Sparrow, was released in July 2010 by Pink Petal Books (the link also takes you to an excerpt). I’m bummed I had somehow overlooked this title and thus didn’t blog about it sooner, particularly since the cover is two hundred ways of awesome. It was designed by cover artist and illustrator Christine Griffin.

I’ll get straight to the point: whom do I have to sleep with to get more steampunk romance covers like this? Especially for ebooks?

This cover really wowed me, mainly because it’s digitally illustrated. I’d been so resigned to cut-and-paste stock image covers that I did not expect a publisher to greenlight an actual work of art for an ebook. I’m sure it’s been done—I just haven’t come across many (good ones, that is) in science fiction romance.

I’m betting the heroes featured on the cover are dead ringers for the actual characters, and if so, how refreshing! The steampunk elements are present and also crystal clear (brass goggles! An airship!) without overwhelming the promised romance. And there’s just something about the composition that made my heart sing. It’s very cinematic.

I know, I know—who am I to start waxing poetic about science fiction romance covers? I learned some time ago to ignore the disconnect between the subgenre’s stories and their covers. Plus, genre details of an illustrated cover—especially for ebooks—might become lost when shrunk down to a thumbnail size.

Frankly, the cover for SKY RAT doesn’t make me any more or less inclined to read the book (but it’s on my virtual TBR pile anyway since it’s a steampunk romance, natch). The reason I’m excited about this cover is that the image lends both the subgenre and the individual book a visual “voice.” There’s no mistaking what it is and the quality is high (IMHO). Of course, my reaction is also purely subjective; your mileage may vary.

Since discovering the cover for SKY RAT, I haven’t been able to stop thinking about it. I hope to read this novella soon so I can see if the lush packaging is representative of the story. I hope we see more covers like this, too.

If you want to know more about Christine Griffin, I found a 2009 interview with her. She’s done covers for a variety of authors and publishers and doubtless many of you have heard of her already. I daresay she’s outdone herself with the cover for SKY RAT.

What do you think?

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Gear Up for Cindy Spencer Pape’s Two Steampunk Romances

Author Cindy Spencer Pape recently informed me about her two forthcoming 2011 steampunk fantasy romances, one of which will be a free download! Right now I’m prioritizing steampunk romances that fall closer to the SF side, but I do so enjoy steampunk-supernatural mixes (e.g., THE OSIRIS RITUAL by George Mann; THE NARROWS by Alexander Irvine), and have put her books on my TBR list. I also figured some of you might be interested in learning about these titles, so here are the shiny details:

March 7: STEAM AND SORCERY: Gaslight Chronicles Book 1

Sir Merrick Hadrian hunts monsters, both human and supernatural. A Knight of the Order of the Round Table, his use of magick and the technologies of steam power have made him both respected and feared. But his considerable skills are useless in the face of his greatest challenge, guardianship of five unusual children. At a loss, Merrick enlists the aid of a governess.

Miss Caroline Bristol is reluctant to work for a bachelor but she needs a position, and these former street children touch her heart. While she tends to break any mechanical device she touches, it never occurs to her that she might be something more than human. All she knows is that Merrick is the most dangerously attractive man she’s ever met—and out of reach for a mere governess.

When conspiracy threatens to blur the distinction between humans and monsters, Caroline and Merrick must join forces, and the fate of humanity hinges upon their combined skills of steam and sorcery…

April: PHOTOGRAPHS & PHANTOMS: a Gaslight Chronicles novella (this will be a free download)

Brighton, 1855: As a member of the Order of the Round Table, Kendall Lake is overqualified to be investigating strange phenomena at a seaside photography studio. But since the photographer is related to the Order’s most powerful sorcerer, Kendall reluctantly boards a dirigible to Brighton.

Amy Deland is haunted by a shadow that appears in some of her recent portraits. In each case, the subject died within days of the sitting. Does she have her grandmother’s gift of foresight, or has she somehow caused the deaths?

As Kendall and Amy search for answers, their investigation draws them together in a most improper way. But it seems the evil presence in the studio is determined to keep them apart…

***

Both of Cindy Spencer Pape’s titles will be released by Carina Press. Learn more about the author by visiting her blog. You can also follow her on Twitter (CindySPape).

Joyfully yours,

Heather

SFR Holiday Blitz Winners!

Who are the lucky ones this year? Read on!

The winners of the SFR Holiday Blitz at the Galaxy Express are:

* JustPeachy36, who wins BORN OF NIGHT; BORN OF FIRE; BORN OF ICE by Sherrilyn Kenyon (print) and an e-copy of BOUND AMONG THE STARS by Jennifer Leeland & Mima.

And a signed copy of SONG OF SCARABEAUS by Sara Creasy goes to:

* Jen in Australia

* LouiseD in New Zealand

Congratulations! Winners, I’ll be contacting you soon for your mailing addresses.

I’d like to express my appreciation of everyone who entered. Thanks so much for visiting The Galaxy Express! Stick around, there's much more fun to come in 2011!

Joyfully yours,

Heather

Guest Blogging at Book Smugglers!

Happy Holidays!

Today, I'm guest blogging for Smugglivus, a spectacular year-end event hosted by The Book Smugglers.

I cordially invite you to read 2010: A Science Fiction Romance Year in Review.

Joyfully yours,

Heather