Some Common Misconceptions about Pederasty in Ancient Greece

Pederasty, or the ancient practice of mentoring, was a social institute similar to modern day networking with religious and military implications that originated in Crete. This practice had nothing to do with the sexual orientation of the men involved. The mentor and his youth were more likely to be straight than homosexual, but since this was a social practice every male citizen (BTW that is redundant) participated regardless of orientation.

Sexual interactions between the older erastes (mentor) and eromenos (youth/future citizen) occurred in Crete and Athens primarily, although it varied from city-state to city-state. The only acceptable form of sexual activity between the two men was intercrural in nature. The term erastes means lover, eromenos means beloved.

What is intercrural? Intercrural refers to the older man placing his penis between the youth's thighs. This is literal and not an euphemism. Sexual activity was regulated by the class distinctions between the individuals. Penetration was for women and slaves, not men. And most definitely not social equals or even future citizens. In fact, penetration of a free man was considered to be a form of hubris, the ultimate sin.

The beardless youth was courted by one or more prospective mentors. The young man (mid-teens) was expected to chose the most noble man. However once he became a man, and developed a beard and body hair, he was expected to marry and produce heirs. The mentor was to remain supportive of his protege.

Even in Athens, the city-state were pederasty was most strongly tied to sexual behavior, the relationship was only intended to last for a few years. Sometimes a youth became a kept boy, but he did so at the risk of losing his citizenship and all the associated rights, especially the right to vote.

The Spartans practiced pederasty strictly for its religious and military aspects. The mentor was given the place of foster father. At least since the time of their greatest lawgiver Lycurgus, any sexual relations between the men required they either commit suicide or go into exile to redeem the affront to Sparta's honor (Aelian).

The Sacred Band of Thebes (378-338 BC) was made up of 150 pairs of male lovers. The rational being that "a band cemented by friendship grounded upon love, is never to be broken, and invincible; since all, ashamed to be base in the sight of their beloved (eromenos), willingly rush into danger for the relief of one another." Three hundred warriors were chosen and then grouped into pairs with an older man (erastes - lover) sworn to a younger man (eromenos - beloved). This group of warriors so impressed Philip of Macedonia, that even after their final defeat he said, "Perish any man who suspects that these men either did or suffered any thing that was base."

As you can see, the practice of pederasty varied significantly in the ancient world and making broad generalizations about it is impossible.

Don't Throw Stones at Glass Shoes

Naughty Nursery Rhymes Rule #1

Don't throw stones at glass shoes. - Cinder

Cinder is the main character in From the Ashes.

From the Ashes is a Cinderfella (m/m version of Cinderella) roughly set in 16th century France.

Roughly? you ask. It's a fairy tale, all of which are roughly set in a previous era. What does this mean? It means that magic and a fairy godmother exist in my story, but probably not in real 16th century France.

Unfortunately if you were looking for a story about a 16th century laundress, you will have to look elsewhere.

If you were looking for a cute, heartwarming m/m fairy tale, look no farther.

Excerpt:

Dancing couples parted effortlessly around them as the elegant man escorted him to the center of the floor. Cinder's cumbersome skirts swayed and swept the floor, threatening to entangle his feet past any hope of grace.

Fighting down panic, Cinder frantically searched his memories for how to waltz. He could do this. He had to do this. He couldn't risk discovery. He quailed at the punishment meted out to servants impersonating nobility. If anyone guessed, he would be beaten or worse.

Fumbling as he tried to remember which hand went where, Cinder placed his right hand on a broad velvet-covered shoulder. Strong, warm fingers enfolded his other hand and gave a reassuring squeeze. The man seemed to sense his unease. The awkward way he held himself, all tense and tight, had to be unmistakable.

Cinder corrected himself several times as he either stepped off with the wrong foot or tried to lead. How was he supposed to do this without harming either one of them? Why couldn't it have been a pavane?

The blasted slippers were so slick that Cinder had to hang on to the other man more than he wanted to just to remain on his feet. He had the distinct impression that the noble got the wrong idea from that.

The man caught his eye and smiled, somewhat more predatorily than Cinder was entirely comfortable with. What was going through the aristocrat's mind? Cinder began to feel like one of the small cakes the footmen carried on silver trays.

Did he want this man to gaze on him in that fashion? Cinder blushed and turned his face awkwardly away. He needed to concentrate on the dance. He didn't have the luxury of sharing soulful glances and chattering like a magpie.

He needed to find some way to extricate himself before he made a mistake and gave himself away. He didn’t normally have to worry so much because everyone already knew he was a girl and would ignore anything he did. But this man saw him with fresh eyes unhampered by the fiction of Cinderella. He would recognize any misstep.

The longer they were together, the more his risk increased. If he could escape quickly enough, the other man might never realize the deception. The noble might not care about an awkward woman he shared one dance with, but as the lie grew ever bigger, the duped man’s anger, if Cinder were discovered, would too.

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What's New with Apollo's Men

I know it's been a while since I said anything about how the series Apollo's Men is progressing. First it was because I couldn't get Blogger to work. Then it was because I was writing and writing and writing...

Now that I've got Blogger working and have made some substantial progress, it's time for an update.

Alexios' Fate was the first story in the series. Some readers felt it contained unresolved issues because let's face it, it's a series so I couldn't fix everything in book 1.

I immediately set about writing book 2 (it's untitled) to begin resolving one of the biggest issues as far the readers were concerned. I was about 1/2 way through with the MS when I received a call for an anthology of historical short stories (Lust in Time). So what did I do?

I wrote a short story entitled 496 BC. It is Alexios' Fate 1.5 and told from Galen's POV. He deserved to tell his side of the story. And boy did he!

Then of course, I went back to work on book 2. I even had the vague outline for book 3, A Spartan Love. About 2/3 through the MS (Are you sensing a theme here?), I realized that A Spartan Love takes place before and a bit concurrently with book 2. So I started on A Spartan Love.

But there was still one unfilled spot in that anthology. A short story about how Theron and Andreas from A Spartan Love first got together formed. No matter what I did, I couldn't keep Taming Theron under the 7K word limit. I chopped all over the place, but it felt like it had taken a hatchet to it. Finally, I gave up and made it into a novel.

Now (Finally!) I'm working on A Spartan Love. I'm about 1/2 through with this MS. But don't worry, I won't be switching gears. Because of how Taming Theron ends, I have to have A Spartan Love ready to release soon after Taming Theron. I don't plan on subbing them separately.

Then I'll get back to that poor unnamed MS. So I actually have three books written or nearly written and getting close to being subbed.

I also have a vague outline for an untitled book 5. Then I have a couple of contemporaries I really want to work on.

Apollo's Men:
Alexios' Fate
496 BC
Taming Theron
A Spartan Love
Untitled book 4
Untitled book 5

Sexy Men on Bikes

I'd like to welcome Deanna Wadsworth to talk about her latest release Easy Ryder. She has brought along several sexy guys to help make her point. Damn, isn't that a great cover?

I got Easy Ryder first thing on release day and read it in two sittings. I love Micheal and Snake's adventure and their sexy romance.

Take it away, Deanna!

What is it about men on motorcycles that makes them so sexy? And why do we love them so darn much?

Is it the muscles, the leather, or the adrenaline rush of having our arms wrapped around their waist as we fly down the road? Or just the pure, raw masculinity of seeing a guy on the back of a beautifully sculpted piece of machinery capable of taking us away from it all at dangerous, break neck speeds?

Hey, I don’t know what it is, but I love it, LOL

And so does Michael Ryder, the hero and narrator of EASY RYDER.

He is picked up while hitchhiking on the highway during the summer of 1976, America’s 200^th birthday by a sexy biker wearing nothing but, boots, jeans, a vest, and dog-tags. Snake is the sexy biker every one of us dream about.

Here’s an exclusive excerpt of the wild ride Snake is about to take Michael on, just for Kayla’s blog and her followers. Enjoy!

Excerpt:  I had no idea what to expect from my current lift, but I would be more than willing to do whatever this rough-hewn biker might require. I studied his hands on the grips, the strong macho lines, deciding a ride in exchange for those hands on my body would be an extremely fair trade.

What that said about me, I didn’t care to think about.

Trying to stay alert despite my exhausted state as we cruised into the bustling metropolis of Indianapolis, I wondered how he could tolerate the cool air wearing only a vest. Even in the height of summer, where the best place for relief from the heat was the night, being on a bike felt chilly. I was grateful for my jacket.

Out of the blue, the chopper whipped to the right.

Startled, I tightened my grip and moved with him, heart skipping several beats. We shifted back to the hammer lane. Then he gunned it, maneuvering past a second car. Thank God this wasn’t my first time on the back of a motorcycle. He hadn’t been kidding when he’d told me to hold on.

He picked up more speed, and my cheeks stung from windburn. The way he drove caused every insect to feel like shrapnel hitting my exposed face and hands. Another bug smacked my chin so I ducked my head and used him as a block, pressing against him more out of safety than any physical desire. The bike had no fairing, but he rode hard anyway, either used to the windy assault or indifferent to it.

Faster and faster we flew down the highway. Like Steve McQueen in that awesome car chase from Bullitt, we wove in and out of traffic with a chopper instead of a ’68 Mustang GT. Traveling at such a breakneck speed, I had to wonder if the man was on the run, desperate to get away from something or someone chasing him. Then again, maybe he just liked the thrill or wanted to scare me.

While part of me feared his recklessness, I longed to wrap my arms around him even tighter, bury my face in his back, and beg him to go faster. Every mile we logged took me farther from my past and closer to my future.

As if sensing my urgency, the bike roared and pushed onward.

Though I might be more at risk from his driving than anything he had planned, my heart thrummed in my chest, racing along with the chopper. I held on to his waist for dear life, his body tense beneath me. Over his shoulder, I squinted against the glaring headlights from oncoming traffic, hoping nothing hit me in the eye, and tried to predict his next move as we approached other cars so I could move accordingly. My every sense had come alive, exhilarated by the unknown dangers on the road ahead.

You can pick up your copy of EASY RYDER today in print and ebook!

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

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Buy Deanna’s books at Dreamspinner Press, Decadent Publishing or at any reputable eBook seller

Finally the Geek Gets the Guy!!!

If any of you have ever felt like an outsider, or a geek, THIS book is for you! 

I have long felt that one of the reasons women read or write m/m fiction is because they have a connection to the outsider, the person on the fringe of society, those less than acceptable to the "beautiful people." Perhaps because we were teased in school, unpopular, or just terrified of lunch hour. Maybe some or all of the above. 

For me, I have always related to people who are not society's ideal because I have never felt that I was the ideal. That is why I had such a wonderful time writing Jason Lewis, the hero from my latest 1Night Stand THE BEST EVER. I can relate to his self doubt, his awkwardness. Where I personally rely on talking to hide my awkwardness, Jason just reverts into himself.

In THE BEST EVER, Jason--the nerd--gets the guy and the Happily Ever After. 

I hope you enjoy this story as much as I did!

BLURB: Jason Lewis is a self-proclaimed nerdy guy who hates his red hair. Bullied most of his life, at 22 social situations still make him awkward. On a trip to the World Video Game Expo in Las Vegas, Jason decides to enlist the help of Madame Eve in his failed romantic endeavors. While at the con, he runs into sexy, professional baseball pitcher Blake Huntington, the guy he tutored in high school. Blake invites him to a party and after hanging out with his high school crush, Jason begins to regret booking his 1NS "encounter" later that night. But Madame Eve may have planned the best night ever

Decadent Publishing Buy Link

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EXCERPT:

From the corner of his eye, he noted the sheets on the king-sized bed had been turned down and a strip of condoms lay on the nightstand next to a bottle of lube.

Suddenly, the illicit nature of the whole evening hit him. Sweat broke out on his skin. Shit, why had he bothered to shower? He took a quick whiff of his pits. Thank God, his deodorant was still on the job.

Where was this guy? What if he turned out to be old? Who hired this kinda service anyway? And who used an alias as lame as John Smith?

Suck it up! You can do this. He may have been a gangly nerd in high school but he’d taken up karate, per Blake’s suggestion—dammit! Stop thinking about professional baseball players you’ll never stand a chance with. This is about going after what you want!

The bathroom door opened, and he smoothed his shirtfront, trying to be presentable.

A man walked out, towel-drying his hair.

Jason sucked in a sharp breath, and his dick stood up and took notice of the big, athletic body, fresh from the shower. Tanned and muscular. Water streaked furrows into his perfect layer of chest hair. A skimpy towel hung from narrow hips, a solid thigh peeking out from the side, but his face remained hidden.

#holycrap #hotness

“Sorry, I kept you waiting,” the man said, slow and seductive. “I figured, why waste time getting dressed.”

Then he dropped both towels in a practiced maneuver, standing there in all his naked glory. Jason’s gaze traveled from his feet, up those long legs, past a thick cock and over a perfectly chiseled abdomen.

When their eyes met, the man’s sly grin faded in an instant. He gasped, hazel eyes wide.

Jason let out a gasp of his own. “Blake!”

Deanna Wadsworth might be a bestselling erotica author, but she leads a pretty vanilla life in Ohio with her wonderful husband and a couple adorable cocker spaniels. She has been spinning tales and penning stories since childhood, and her first erotic novella was published in 2010. When she isn’t writing books or brainstorming with friends, you can find her making people gorgeous in a beauty salon. She loves music and dancing, and can often be seen hanging out on the sandbar in the muddy Maumee River or chilling with her hubby and a cocktail in their basement bar. In between all that fun, Deanna cherishes the quiet times when she can let her wildly active imagination have the full run of her mind. Her fascination with people and the interworkings of their relationships have always inspired her to write romance with spice and love without boundaries.

Find Deanna here:

facebook.com/deannawadsworthauthor

twitter.com/DeannaWadsworth

deannawadsworth.blogspot.com

Review of The Best Ever by Deanna Wadsworth

4.5 out of 5 ★'s

Jason has always been a geek, a red-headed geek at that. High school was just a bad memory that he's tried to forget. To temporarily escape a life that still isn't going his way, Jason attends a gaming convention to meet up with his online WoW friends, hoping to catch a glimpse of the star of the newest pitching game while he's there. And since what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas, he books an encounter through 1 Night Stand. He's tired of being unable to get a date and while this isn't love, it looks like a sure thing.

Blake is now a professional ball player, but once his dream of making the cut rested on improving his math grades with the help of his tutor Jason. When Jason walks up for an autograph, Blake is ecstatic and invites him to the spondsored party after the signing.

Jason shows up, but rapidly feels out of place surrounded by jocks. All the insecurities of his youth he had thought he'd left behind come roaring back and he heads for the door. But Blake catches him and they spend a couple hours enjoying each other's company. All too soon the hour of eleven approaches and they have to leave. Both men contemplate cancelling their encounter to continue reconnecting with a friend, but decide to meet up the next day instead.

Madame Eve's assistant Deanna Wadsworth brings together her third couple in this loosely linked series. As with the previous offerings, her characters are not just the standard geek/jock pairing. The characters have quirks that make them uniquely hers.

Even though this is a 1 Night Stand story, it is not about a one off. The sex is sweet and endearing. The men share a depth of caring not often seen in short works without resorting to instalove. Jason and Blake can now explore the feelings they had for one another, but were too young and inexperienced to deal with before.

I always enjoy Ms Wadsworth's sexy, quirky tales of finding love where you least expect it.

Available July 26th at Decadent Publishing