Kathleen Bradean

May 21st, I'll be guest blogging at Torquere Press Live Journal


Drop by for a Chaos Magic short story, SPAM poetry, and a contest!

I feel like the Red Queen from Through the Looking Glass. I'm running as fast as I can just to keep up with where I was.

I'm always off my pace when I get back from Saints and Sinners, but this
year I have so much else going on that I'm worse off than usual. Or better off. Love Runes came out, so I'm working on promoting it. I will be hosting Torquere's Live Journal on the 21st, so drop by if you can. I'll probably give away a copy of Love Runes, so drop on by. (Now I have to figure out a contest...) Haunted Hearth andSapphic Shades was just released by Lethe Press this week. I'm planning on going to James Buchanan's reading at A Different Light this Thursday, and all Saturday, I'm working theManLove Romance booth at BookExpo America in the LA Convention Center. (which means being perky for hours. oy.)

All of that hasn't left me much time to blog about my Saints and Sinners experience, which is a shame. Aside from meeting Becky Cochran and Timothy Lambert, who were high on my "to meet" list (they were wonderful. buy their books!) I got to spend some time with friend Trebor Healey, and Greg Herren (how should I describe our relationship? Friendly acquaintances, maybe. Greg and I don't use the word friend lightly.)

Trebor and Amie Evans co-edited an anthology called Queer and Catholic. I went to the reading at the Faubourg Marginy Bookstore. It was packed. The owner, Otis, kindly hosts a reading every year. Afterwards, we went across the street to the Praline Connection for dinner with some very interesting people. I wish I could remember the name of the Bed and Breakfast two of the gentlemen down at my end of the table ran. I'll have to ask Trebor if he knows, because I'd like to give them a plug. They were great dinner companions, and I had a feeling from the way they talked about how special their guests were that they're great hosts. Another highlight of that evening was meeting one of the founding mothers (?) of the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence, Sister So Am I (That's the short version of his name). It's like meeting your past and realizing it's still vital and moving and happening all around you. Very cool moment.

I've been hemming and hawing about writing a mystery novel for years. Now I have the characters and the caper, and my publisher is interested in seeing the novel, so I sat down poolside with GregHerren (author of many detective novels set in New Orleans. Wonderful books. When you're buying Timothy James Beck books, pick up a GregHerren novel too.) and talked about writing mysteries. Since mine is going to be a light romantic comedy with a mystery, Greg is pretty sure I can seat-of-the pants it. That's good, because I am not an outline kind of writer. Greg is kind of a sarcastic cheerleader, but somehow that works for me. I fret about handling a mystery, he rolls his eyes, takes a puff of his cigarette, exhales slowly, gives me 'that' look, and says, "Darlin'." That's really all the pep talk I need.

Love Runes is out today!

The second book in the Chaos Magic series is out in e-book and in print today. Sam and Hector - what can I say? They've always had a troubled relationship, but Sam's immaturity is wearing on Hector. It only gets worse when Hector finds out that Sam is paying the Goddess of Eternal Youth to keep him looking, and acting, like a nineteen year-old.
Buy It Here.





The original Chaos Magic is also being released in print today! I love the new cover.

We arrived Thursday and spent most of the time exploring the corner of the quarter around our hotel since we hadn't been over there. It was far away from the madness of Bourbon Street. Quiet, beautiful, and had that funky/artsy neighborhood feeling.

(I love doorways, and New Orleans has some great ones, so you'll see plenty of pictures of them in my blog.)





Friday, I checked into the conference and was greeted warmly by Paul Willis who actually recognized me. With all this man does, that he took the time to do that was so sweet. After I
checked in, I hung around in the lobby. Met some people I didn't know before and caught up with friends. Then it was off to master classes. I was very sorry to hear that Jim Grimsley fell ill and couldn't teach his master class this year. I always get a lot out of his sessions. However, the one on characters was great, and I finally met Becky Cochran. I always joke that even when we're in the same room together, I somehow miss her. This time, she was sitting right in front of me, and I STILL would have missed that it was her if her writing partner, Timothy Lambert, hadn't pointed her out. I'm so glad that I met her, and him. They were incredibly generous with their time. This is why I love meeting other writers. I get so energized by our conversations.






Saints and Sinners is a huge task. The woman Paul Willis is with in this picture from the opening night cocktail party is his assistant Karissa (I hope I got her name right) I have a feeling he couldn't put this on without her, because she is non-stop energy and devotion. But
she will take time to sit and chat with people, and she's truly interested in who they are and what they're doing. Paul and Karissa are phenomenal people. And on top of it all they do this as volunteers. That's right - they work their butts off for no pay. Simply amazing. Oops - must also mention the volunteers from No AIDS Task Force. They work so hard that the weekend flows smoothly (or it seems to). Every person I met was helpful, nice, and seemed to really enjoy helping out.

I walked into the house about two and a half hours ago, so this will be a short entry. Like most of my trips, I start on the last day....

Overall - as usual - Saints and Sinners Literary Conference was fantastic. My reading from Haunted Hearths went really well. (It helps that its a funny piece and lends itself well to performance.) I had a great meeting with my publisher. I met Vincent Diamond and Shanna Germain (it's late, I may have the spelling of their names wrong) both whom are great erotica writers.

But about the last day - we ran into friend Trebor by pure coincidence as we had our morning espressos at Club Envie. Then we went to our usual praline shop. I was sad to see my favorite fried gator on a stick place on Decatur was closed. (Favorite not because I'd eat it, but I loved their sign.) Then we wandered around Royal and went into a bunch of mask shops and bought a really cool leather one that we are having shipped out to us because we were afraid it would be ruined in our luggage. As usual, I was feeling a little low about Saints and Sinners being over as we headed back to our hotel to check out - which was when one of those "Only in New Orleans "and "I couldn't make this stuff up if I Tried," moment happened. We walked right into the tail end of a jazz funeral for a local jazz musician who was killed by a car earlier that week. It led us right to the front steps of our hotel. Somehow, it felt like a fitting send-off.

Before I head off to New Orleans for Saints and Sinners, a little head's up. My story Wanton Delight in Three Way will be up on ErosMonthly.Com soon. (I checked this morning, and it's still last month's issue.)

I wrote this very short story for a specific call for submissions, but the anthology was never published. What is one to do with a 1500 word story? It's far to short for most calls, and I didn't feel like padding it out. So the poor thing sat , unloved, for almost two years. Then, viola! a call for short, short stories! I'm glad that this is seeing the light of day. It's so frothy that it's almost foam, but I like it.

It's the first anniversary of Erotica Revealed. Come by and see the updated website and browse through the current and archived reviews. It's been an interesting year. What do we want? Literate Smut! When do we want it? Now!