QSFers Dani Hermit and Nevi Star have a short story in the new anthology “No Safewords 2”: “Something More.” And QSFer Madeline Elayne does too – “Second Opinion.” Note: includes a number of queer and spec fic tales.
Laura Antoniou’s consensual world of owners and slaves known as The Marketplace has been thrilling readers of BDSM fiction for over 25 years. In that time she has invited other authors to come “play in her sandbox” more than once. In this second anthology of “fanfiction” set in The Marketplace, 18 stories explore both familiar favorites and brand new characters, and delve into many of the themes that run through the series including service, sadomasochism, and the need to belong.
The authors range from award-winning novelists to fanfic veterans to bright-eyed new folks and their stories here run the gamut of genres including crime fiction, paranormal, and romance. Fans of erotic fiction may recognize the names of Elizabeth Schechter, LN Bey, Erzabet Bishop, and Soulhuntre. Karen Taylor, an erotica writer and also Laura’s wife, contributes an introduction to the volume, as well.
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Excerpt
“Eugene.” The office manager poked his head into the accountant’s office. “Finish up with the last round of daily numbers and close up shop.”
The man sitting behind the desk sighed and nodded. When he had put himself up for auction the second time, Eugene had hoped for a different kind of owner. One who might put him to better use than his first. Well, what was he expecting? His trainer had warned him over and over that being sold as a slave might not be like his fantasies.
Eugene gave a start as all of the phones that surrounded him went off at once. It was the end of the day and every department of the large corporate office wanted to leave. None of them were allowed to go anywhere until they made sure that they had reported in to accounting. Reaching out, Eugene held each of the phones aloft, spoke into them using the standard greeting, and promised to get to each in turn. Beginning the process of taking down their daily inventory counts, production rates, and sales, Eugene was for a moment glad that he was a tentacle beast. The writhing appendages made doing his job that much easier. It also didn’t hurt that he had a real head for numbers.
What wasn’t so great about being a handsome young man with tentacles was having the sort of inclinations that Eugene did. He’d believed when he had first come to the Marketplace that his days of hearing “but you’ve got tentacles, don’t you want to rape me?” were over. He’d dared to dream that someone might make him submit in all the delicious ways that he fantasized about. But in the three years of service, he’d learned the hard way that being a tentacle beast who enjoyed being used was a thing to be ashamed of. His only way to be useful to his owners was being regulated to office work.
So, at 6 o’clock every weekday, Eugene gave his reports to the company president and his owner, Mr. Ambrose. Once that was done, he retired to his sparse slave quarters in the upper levels of the building with the other slaves kept for office use. There he was free to devour book after book while he tried not to think about the lithe pair of werecat twins who went home with his owner. Timothy and Bonnie weren’t office workers, though they had menial positions in the company. They were bought with the sole purpose of servicing the sexual needs of Mr. Ambrose.
But that would be changing now. Today had been their last day in the office, though they had stopped serving the week before.
They were heading out to find a new owner. The gossip Eugene had heard was that they found Mr. Ambrose too hard to please. No doubt, though, that there were new slaves ready to move in at any moment. And no doubt that he’d get through another hundred pages in his book tonight. Ah, yes. His life as a slave was so exciting.
Author Bio
One half of the writing team of Hermit & Star Books, Dani Hermit started out as an avid lover of books. Around age 12, there was a moment that she clearly remembers that changed her life from being a bookworm to a writer. Standing in the local library, she looked around at all the books and realized that someone had to write all of them. She went home that day determined that she was going to be one of those someones.
Beginning with some really fun, though never to see the light of day, X-Men fanfics, she honed her craft until she met the love of her life and art school survivor, Nevi Star. Coming from a similar life-long love of books and stories, it was easy for the pair to bond over their love of writing. They began working on a massive multi-author project together and fell in love along the way. They have been partners in love and work for over 15 years.
Together they have been working on the Parliament of Twilight books, in all their various incarnations, for ten years along with other side projects and fanfictions. In 2014, they finally found the format and final version of the P.o.T. books and have been working diligently on making them the best they can be.
In addition to working with Nevi, Dani has also been working on several stories of her own that she hopes to release in 2015.
When not writing, thinking about writing, editing her writing, or writing some more, Dani is watching TV, obsessing over anime, or devouring books. She reads Tarot and does book cover design on the side to fund her book obsession and writing needs. Nevi spends her non-writing hours drawing, painting, and joining Dani in her TV and anime obsessions.