Through the Storm to Support the Survivors

 On November 8, 2013, one of the most powerful storms ever recorded slammed into the southern islands of the Philippines. Typhoon Haiyan created a storm surge as powerful as a tsunami, a giant wave that more or less wiped the city of Tacloban off the map. Over six thousand people are confirmed dead, with many people still missing and bodies still being found. Hundreds of thousands were left homeless and without resources. The Philippines is a poor country, compared to the U.S., Europe and even the Southeast Asian state where I live. Haiyan's victims started with little, but many now have nothing.

In response to this catastrophe, Coming Together, the original home of altruistic erotica, rallied the faithful to put together a brand new anthology, Coming Together: Through the Storm. Edited by Nicole Gestalt, this volume collects thirteen erotic tales on the general theme of weather.

All proceeds from the book will benefit the Mercy Corps, an organization dedicated to disaster relief.

Here is the table of contents:

• "Captive Briseis" (Sheridan Blythe)
• "And Lily Makes Three" (Leigh Ellwood)
• "Take Me Like a Hurricane" (Naomi Bellina)
• "Mud is Good and Wetter is Better" (Louise Nimble)
• "Storm Surge" (Teresa Noelle Roberts)
• "Sinkhole" (Annabeth Leong)
• "Twister" (Lisabet Sarai)
• "Storm Across the Prairie" (Spencer Dryden)
• "Heat of the Night" (Brantwijn Serrah)
• "Inside the Eye" (Skilja Peregrinarius)
• "Country Pleasures" (Teresa Noelle Roberts)
• "Duet" (Lady Grey)
• "Thunder" (Karenna Colcroft) 
  
  

If you find wild weather inspiring, pick up a copy from Amazon, All Romance Ebooks, Smashwords or Createspace.  (Barnes and Noble coming soon - check the general page above for news.) Just to whet your appetite, here's a quick snippet from my contribution, Twister

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I was mighty proud of the storm cellar. It stood some distance from the house, just east of Sally's kitchen garden. I had heard of folks who survived a twister in their cellar but who were trapped when the house collapsed on top of it. My cellar was spacious, twelve feet by fourteen, with a ceiling high enough to accommodate my six foot frame.

It was well-equipped. It had a little refrigerator (which I kept stocked with beer) that ran off a car battery, a good supply of canned goods and fresh water, a comfortable double mattress and some directors chairs, plenty of battery-powered lights and candles. Not to mention the flogging bench and the bondage frame that I had built in my spare time, and a reasonable assortment of home-crafted floggers, paddles and dildos.

Sally waited for me, sitting in one of the chairs with her hands folded in her lap. She had lit several of the candles and they cast a kind light on her weathered face. I was amazed, as always, how we changed when we entered this space together. Her practical, bossy ways slipped from her and she became hesitant and needy.

Meanwhile, my farmer's drawl faded, replaced by the arrogant, intellectual voice of my college years, when I wrote poetry and thought that I'd rule the world. Those years in Lincoln, majoring in literature and bridge, had shaped me in ways I was still discovering. That was when I first read de Sade and Reage; that was when I realized the desires that filled me with shame were common and even accepted in some society.

Her eyes followed me anxiously as I ducked to avoid banging my head on the door frame and then stood tall. I was an imposing presence, I knew, especially in this confined space. It didn't matter that I was wearing greasy overalls and work boots. Dominance begins in the mind.

"Stand up, Sally," I said quietly. "Remove your dress."

Immediately she moved to obey me, fluid and graceful as she pulled the cotton garment over her head. I was somewhat surprised to discover that she was naked underneath. Clearly she had made some preparations before running out to warn me about the twister. I would make the most of this.

"You are not wearing any underclothes, Sally. What a sluttish thing to do!"

She hung her head, but I knew she could tell that I wasn't really angry.

"Well, what have you to say for yourself, miss?"

Her voice was nearly inaudible. "Nothing."

"What? You know better than to address me improperly."

"Nothing, sir. I have no excuse, except that I thought it might please you."

Writing for Good

First of all, I want to thank everyone who has comment so far on my post last week regarding Typhoon Haiyun. I'm keeping the offer open (you comment - I'll donate) until Thursday. Then I'll announce how much I'm going to donate - and I'll give away an ebook to someone who took the time to share his or her thoughts, too!

Meanwhile, if you are an author, I wanted to make you aware of an opportunity to do more for the victims of this terrible disaster. The altruistic erotica imprint Coming Together is rushing to put together an anthology of erotic stories focused on weather, to benefit Mercy Corps, one of the main charities working on the ground in the affected area.

Here are the details:

Coming Together: Through the Storm

Editor: Nicole Gestalt

Publisher: Coming Together

Deadline: November 30, 2013

Payment: Proceeds benefit Mercy Corps, which is on site wherever aid is needed, particularly when a natural disaster occurs. http://www.mercycorps.org

The Coming Together series has for many years raised money for various charities and the latest anthology will be raising money for Mercy Corps who take aid over to disaster areas around the world. The need is urgent and so there is a very short deadline on this anthology.

Word Count: Minimum 5k but can be very much more

Payment: Since this is a charity anthology there is no payment other than the knowledge you've helped, although all authors who have a story in it will get a copy of the final pdf.

Theme: All the stories submitted need to have a weather theme

Genre: This is an erotic anthology although I will accept romance based stories. Any pairing(s), gender or genre will be considered. Give me your best just make sure it has weather in there!

The No-No's: No scat, bestiality, under age sex, golden showers, rape or forced sex. If in doubt ask.

Email your submissions as a .doc,.rtf,.txt to reliefanthology 'at' gmail 'dot' com

Format of submission: Please send the submissions double spaced in Times New Roman, 12 point black font. Indent the first line of each paragraph half an inch and double space (using normal double spacing please do not add an extra line between the paragraphs). Please submit your final, complete and totally edited version of the story.

Deadline: 30th November

Editors page with a constant update on anthology: www.nicolegestalt.blogspot.com

Coming Together submission page: http://www.eroticanthology.com/throughthestorm.htm

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I know the deadline is tight but CT does accept previously published stories as long as you own the rights. 

If you have questions, feel free to contact Nicole, or me.

You don't get paid when you write for Coming Together, but let me assure you, there are other rewards. (And by the way, CT anthologies have taken honors in several EPPIE contests!)

Typhoon Haiyan - You Comment, I'll Donate

 

Dear Readers,

The Philippines may seem very distant to you. As I live in Asia, the country is more or less in my backyard. And as the horrific images and shocking news pour in about the devastation wrought by superstorm Typhoon Haiyan, I feel the need to do something, however minor, to ease the suffering of the survivors.

Not since the tsunami of 2004 has there been a disaster of this proportion. I lived through that, too. My entire adopted country wore black for a month. Haiyan "only" killed 10,000 according to current estimates, not the 100,000 or more souls wiped out by the giant wave, but even 10,000 deaths is hard to imagine.

Meanwhile, life hangs by a thread for those who escaped Haiyan's wrath. They need food, shelter, medical care. One of my favorite charities, Medécins Sans Frontières, is already on the ground, caring for the sick and the wounded.

Below you'll find a snippet from my upcoming release Rough Weather (coming in January), which features a violent storm (though nothing like Haiyan). Read. Comment. Think about the poor people half a world away from you and if you can, donate to MSF or the Red Cross. And for every comment left here on this post, I'll donate 50 cents to MSF, up to a total of $50.

 

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She fought the wind along every inch of the path through the dunes. Crouching low, leaning forward to offset its force, she battled against fierce gusts that threatened to sweep her from her feet and dash her to the sandy ground.

The intermittent showers had become a chill downpour. She paused to catch her breath, peering through the grey curtain that obscured her view of the sea ahead, and sent her mind questing for another trace of Marut. Thunder crashed around her. Otherwise there was no answer. Dread tightened into an aching knot in her chest as the rain beat down upon her nakedness and plastered her hair to her head.

The rain is hers, the sweet springs and the salty billows, all of the watery world.

Although usually she loved the rain, now it was just another obstacle keeping her from her lover. Enough. As soon as she issued the silent command, the precipitation slackened to a drizzle, though the wind continued its relentless assault. She had no time to wonder at this. Ahead of her, massive breakers rolled onto the beach, up to the very foot of the dunes. The rocks where she’d first seen Marut were half-submerged in a roiling whirlpool flecked with ivory foam.

Stepping into the seething ocean, she felt the current tug at her ankles and draw her deeper. A sheer wall of water loomed over her, gleaming like polished black glass. She dove into the wave before it could swallow her, kicking hard to send herself into calmer waters closer to the bottom. 

 

You comment - I'll donate.