“The cult of celebrity is also a symptom of our sick society. Once heroes were clever, or wise, or courageous, or kind and decent; not those who ‘got a boob job’ or who cleaned up on the stock market or ‘got their face on television or Facebook’—which has to represent the most shallow and worthless sentiments of humanity.”
It’s a question worth asking: Is the cult of celebrity what humanity has come to be defined by?
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3. Tongue-Tied (Succubus)
a) Summary: Featuring a voyeuristic succubus driven by jealousy, a dangerous fixation, and a duty to please the sexually unsatisfied women of the world.
b) Excerpt:
I think of all the unsatisfied women out there.
What some women never know is the adventure of being with another woman.
They don’t need to end up with “another woman”—but some do, after they’ve found someone they don’t need to pander to, someone that doesn’t conveniently “forget” them in the heat of passion, someone that is really in tune, with no need for the external façade of being in tune.
When there is no need for displays, there is almost inevitably, more underlying substance.
In a less philosophical context, the experience involves engaging the intricate crevasses and curves of another woman’s body, without the all-too-common central point of the male orgasm—one’s bliss is exponentially extended by each never-ending minute.
I shake my head, trying to de-stimulate the mental fireworks in my mind.
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c) Jess’s Comments:
The motivation for this story was pretty simple.
I’ll let the following excerpt from an Amazon review illustrate my point (a review on the book, Alternative Witness Vol. 1, an edgy Christian short story collection which features one story that’s gay-friendly):
“Rainbow Revelations. . .I didn’t like how it was written. . .they want the gay (sodomite is more accurate) community to forgive the church for how they’ve “mistreated ‘gays’.” I’m sorry, but sodomy is an abomination according to God, and you really can’t be too harsh in condemning them.”
(review by Laura Andrews “Book Worm”)
In response to her review, an atheist by the name of David Adams replied: “I’m an atheist, but I respect people of faith. . .as long as that faith is based on universal love, and that faith inspires its followers to kindness and goodness. . .Laura’s review of Rainbow Revelations is very hurtful, borderline hate speech.”
Tongue-Tied was intended to be a GLBTQ-friendly story right from the start (since it originally appeared in my 4:Play anthology, which “dives into the depths of navigating gender, sexuality, and the lines of desire.”
I don’t really like labels, but if I had to, I’d call myself a mostly heteroflexible person. I attended two all-girls schools for ten years straight (I grew up in Singapore). Many of my high school (“secondary school” for folks following the British education system) friends were lesbians. For some reason my school had a rather “open policy” about it.
That being said, I’ve never been comfortable with the idea of controlling a person’s sex life (whether by religious doctrine, or political means, etc.). What a person decides to do in their personal life should be their business alone. I’m from a Catholic background too so I’m quite aware of the negativity associated with GLBTQ relations.
I can’t see the justification for hatred and violence against people who just don’t identify as “heterosexual” beings. Yes, a person could say “the Bible says so [that homosexual activity is a sin],” but not everyone in the world follows the same religion. In Buddhism, an “immoral act” is not even defined and sexual activity isn’t associated with any guilt feelings. Can it be confirmed that there’s only One True Religion on the planet?
Tongue-Tied was pretty enjoyable to complete—there’s a little bit of “sweet action” going on, a little bit of philosophy, and a little bit of “hypocrisy” exposed via some journal entries (where the character muses about GLBTQ characters in the mainstream media being subject to “straight ideals” at the end of the day).
I was considering leaving out this story from the Naked Heat anthology (since it’s the most GLBTQ-centric as compared to the other stories). But I decided to leave it in the anthology in the end. No social progress is ever going to be made if people remain extremely “structured” and unwilling to be open to other perspectives. Gay people get involved in sex and relationships too, so why should they be left out in an anthology that’s about relationship-based fiction in the paranormal vein?
With a little bit of kindness and compassion, it isn’t difficult to see that GLBTQ individuals are people too, who have a right to enjoy happy, healthy romantic and/or sexual relationships, just like their heterosexual counterparts.
Maybe that’s why the wise Dalai Lama says: “My religion is very simple. My religion is kindness.”
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4. Kylie (Succubus)
a) Summary: Kylie, a cougar succubus, gets involved in a complicated love quadrangle, where delirium and violent passions fuel unbridled killer instincts.
b) Excerpt:
“Bless me Father, for I have sinned.”
Mikhail begins his confession by making the sign of the cross while the priest gives him a blessing.
“What is your confession?” Father Abagnale, ever-so-kind, waits quietly and patiently.
Mikhail runs a hand along the back of his neck, a tired hand with chipped fingernails. Nail biting’s a nasty habit of his when he’s stressed and anxious.
I stay where I am, hidden in the shadows, wings arched and folded back slightly.
I stay because I know both these men.
I glance for a moment at the stained glass windows and small angel figurines adorning the interior of the church building.
It’s long been known that evil spirits aren’t allowed on holy ground. Holy water burns the skin of demons and half-demons and makes them much more vulnerable to attack. The skin is said to become inflamed and encased in blisters, before the flesh starts to rot and peel away to leave raw bone exposed.
So far, I’ve been able to set foot on holy ground, without taking any damage (perhaps my “underlying intent” is sufficient enough for me to be considered a “benevolent” spirit). Though I still keep an eye on my skin, wondering if a piece will sear off any minute.
I watch the two men.
The younger of them, I know in the Biblical sense. I might always have a soft spot for my first victim.
The older one, I have no intention of corrupting at the moment.
Father Abagnale was originally a French missionary. Always been a genuinely nice and sincere priest. I remember my own first and last confessions to him at this same church (during my “pre-succubus” days). It’s unfortunate we hear so much about the priests embroiled in sex abuse scandals, while hardly any media coverage goes to the actual good guys.
I study the obvious torment and rage written all over Mikhail’s round boyish face, wondering if he’s going to be arrested once he utters his confession.
Maybe the police are hiding somewhere.
Maybe Mikhail’s friends and family will be greeted first thing tomorrow by viewing his official unglamorous mugshot all over the news.
Oh, Mikhail—what grave sins have you committed? My hidden, crouching body leans forward to eavesdrop on the rest of the confession, ears ready to pick up all of the juicy details of gossip gold.
“I accuse myself of the following sins: viewing pornographic material, using tarot cards...and I’ve been snap’natev’ryon.”
“I bet your pardon? What was the last thing that you said?” Father Abagnale gives a kind smile, leaning forward. A kind smile marked with a hint of caution and concern. The explosive inner energy coming from the young man is filling up the entire confessional box.
“I’ve been snapping at everyone,” Mikhail snarls. He sticks his foot out and accidentally kicks th
e wooden partition between him and the priest. “I can’t control my anger. Once I get angry I can’t calm down for almost the whole day. The past week I’ve felt like I’m really beginning to lose it.”
“And what is the reason for your anger?”
“It’s my neighbor—I want to kill him.”
“Why?”
“He’s turning my sister into a whore. I can hear everything from next door.”
c) Jess’s Comments:
I wrote this to see if my “incest fiction” (written in a “contemporary fiction” vein) would be acceptable according to retailers’ Terms of Service (since I’ve had some of my “erotic fiction” eBooks banned in the past).
I didn’t have any problem with any online retailers with regards to this story, most probably because it doesn’t contain any graphic scenes.
The structure follows the point-of-view style of Jackie Collins’ Poor Little Bitch Girl. Each chapter follows a certain character’s POV.
This one was a little different from the other stories because the characters were more “jaded” to begin with (none of them are in what could be described as satisfactory relationships).
It was a challenge to get jaded characters to find a reason to want to be together (lol). The characters turned out to be more layered that I expected. Kylie is likely to be another story I’d like to continue in future (maybe Naked Heat #2 will be Sven-focused, while Naked Heat #3 will be Kylie-focused—another option was to bring in characters from both stories for both NH #2 and NH#3, though I’ll only work on that if I can see some kind of plot happening, so that I don’t get too confused myself…).
I had Angelina Jolie and her brother in mind when thinking about the Mukki brother-sister siblings in this story. There were other things going on in the story—the history of a jilted lover, an unsatisfactory light BDSM component, a mention of past abuse—which I hope offset some of the dullness that could have resulted from “jaded” characters.
This novella is kind of a warm-up to what an intense sibling relationship could really be like, where they both really want each other and see each other’s suitors as rivals to be destroyed. I guess it gets even more obsessive/intense when they “deny” such strong feelings in the first place.
I’ll probably take a darker, more intense and vengeful slant if I continue this story sometime in future, with Kylie the cougar succubus caught in the middle of it, of course.
If I do work on the longer story, I already know the “ending” which will focus on Kylie, the succubus. The Kylie character was sort of influenced by the superstar, Kylie Minogue, in terms of youth, sex appeal, and general approach to relationships.
Now I’ll have to think about the other 95% of the story before “the ending” to keep things fresh and interesting…
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5. Tempt (Guest Post)
This is a short article re: “If Jess’s first date had been an incubus...”
[TEMPT | 29 Jan 2012]
* Originally posted as “Incubus, Succubus Sex” @ Jess’s Blog (on 29 Jan 2012).
[Incubus Image from Gaia Online]
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Naked Heat will be my first collection of incubus/succubus-themed stories (the first story was written back in late 2008!). While I’ve kept the focus on the storyline > graphic eroticism, all the stories still center around sex (which is the way it should be, following the definition of the word incubus).
The 740-word article below was originally written in 2011 for a newsletter issue of Bards and Sages Publishing. The participating authors were given a “subject” to write about (which I’ve included below).
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Author Subject:
Remember your first date? Maybe you have fond memories about that night. Maybe you have been trying for ten years to block it out of your head.
Well, now imagine if your date had been a paranormal creature (werewolf, vampire, etc). How might it have gone differently? Have fun with the tropes of paranormal romance and recall that date if he or she had been supernatural.
The article should be between 500-2500 words long, [written in] a quirky, lighthearted approach to engage readers and give them a chance to get to know you a little.
Tempt, by Jess C Scott (written in Sept 2011)
My first date tried to impress me by clearing all the levels of an arcade game on a couple of quarters for one play (the individual succeeded on both counts!).
This occurred almost exactly ten years ago. The guy was the same age as I, and most of the evening went pretty well.
I often think of incubi and succubi when I think of paranormal creatures. The subject of sex and sexuality (outside the realm of commercial pornography) has always intrigued me, and the incubus and succubus are creatures that blend the aspect of sex with something that is supernatural.
The function and purpose of this paranormal creature gives my imagination lots to ponder over, since (according to lore and tradition) the creature has to feed off the sexual energy of mortals as they sleep. Sex is more than intercourse, and for me, seduction of the mind is always as appealing as physical seduction.
Had my first date been an incubus, I think he’d have capitalized on my preference for being seduced via conversation and the mind first (before any form of physical action).
I remember checking out some CDs at a HMV outlet with my first date. We spent quite a long time looking at the Top 40 albums at the time (I remember a “Britney Spears” album somewhere, along with one of Michael Jackson’s albums).
My incubus-date would have corrupted me via music: he’d have introduced me to old-school classic rock that’s characterized by an almost mystical power to evoke primal passions. Many songs by the greatest rock bands are infused with that exact type of vibe and energy (“Get Down Make Love” by Queen; “Whole Lotta Love” by Led Zeppelin; “Welcome to the Jungle” by Guns n’ Roses). I’d discovered some of those bands by my mid-teens, though I wasn’t really attuned to the “groove” yet of music that, basically, had a purely sexual element to it.
I think my incubus-date might have brought me to the classical department of the CD store also (I’ve always listened to and equally enjoyed rock and classical, along with many other genres).
We’d have checked out Vivaldi (Four Seasons – Summer), Mozart (Turkish March, Piano Sonata), Bach (Cello Suite No.1 – Prelude, Concertos No.3 – Allegro Moderato) , Chopin [Vladimir Horowitz, Yundi Li #1 (Nocturne Op. 9 No. 2), Yundi Li #2 (“Fantasie” Impromptu, Op. 66)!!]—music which requires one to possess some level of culture and taste and openness to genuinely appreciate. I think the dichotomy would have shown the “two sides” of my date. Someone hard to pin down piques my interest and keeps me on my toes.
The incubi I write about in paranormal stories are hard to fool (until they get entangled in “complicated” situations) because I’ve always sensed that the creature would be sensitive to a person’s inner needs and desires.
With regards to my first date in real life, I guess the incubus-date may have picked up on both my underlying intensity and relative innocence at the time.
He probably would have worn something sharp/stylish, to appeal to the budding woman in me (what another date did do—but not the first one). He might not have tried to have done too much on the first date (it would have depended on my “responses” at the time). I think he might have picked up on some hesitancy on my part if he got physically too close, too quickly (from what I remember of how I felt about dating and sexual activity at that point in my life).
Most of what my incubus-date might have done would’ve been understated—he’d understand the power of a whisper, the thrill of a light touch, the allure of quiet confidence, the animal magnetism of sensuality and sex appeal. A propensity for seeing to the details would have both captured my attention and awoken an insatiable curiosity in me, which probably would have had me hooked on the individual (as an astrological saying goes, “A hooked Virgo is a curious Virgo”). The incubus wo
uld simply have kept seducing till he had the target (me) willingly eating out of the palm of his hand, begging for more.
To this day, I experience my fair share of long, vivid dreams at night, where I remember every word and gesture, down to the details as to how a voice sounded like and how much pressure there was in a touch. Occasionally I wake up exhausted, but wanting to meet the dudes I dream of during the night.
I sometimes wonder if I’ve ever been paid a visit by an incubus. I can’t say with any certainty that I haven’t.
* Originally written for Bards and Sages Publishing [February Theme: “If you love me, you’ll let me eat your brain”].
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NAKED HEAT ANTHOLOGY
CONCLUSION:
The Naked Heat anthology features a type of paranormal fiction that’s grounded in reality and “psychological” themes.
A lot of pop culture and key social issues were added into the stories along the way, as these things portray the human condition.
According to Wikipedia, the human condition “encompasses the unique and believed to be inescapable features of being human in a social, cultural, and personal context. It can be described as the irreducible part of humanity that is inherent and not connected to factors such as gender, race or class. It includes concerns such as the meaning of life, search for gratification, sense of curiosity, the inevitability of isolation, or the fear of death.”
My aim with Naked Heat was to capture some of this, with the help of incubi and succubi carrying the plot forward, of course.
I hope you’ve enjoyed this walkthrough.
If you’d like to check out the full Naked Heat anthology, here is some information about it. The book is available in print and digital formats.