Tales of Sex and Love ...and poems

"Tales of Sex and Love ... and poems" consists of three short stories, each of which represents experimental innovations in short fiction. These stories (as well as my works to come) all take place in the past -- from the recent to the distant past. I find an historical setting to be particularly compelling, for it offers much more of an escape, and perhaps a refreshing departure, from the reader's daily reality.

My stories are more "style" and "thought" driven than action-driven. In fact, I write what I refer to as "slice of life" fiction: representations of a particularly important segment - or "slice" - of a character's life, and how that brief segment of life forges an indelible mark, or produces a turning point in the lives of my characters.

My first short story, "The Contessa," is a turn-of-the century love story, in which a high school senior, a loner, named Michael, becomes obsessively infatuated with a charming and mysterious older woman. As his infatuation grows, he discovers that the woman, an immigrant Italian countess by title is gravely ill, and he is forced to face the grim reality that love, no matter how strong, cannot overcome all obstacles. (This story is "G-rated.")

"La Fountain de Jules" (Jules' Fountain) involves a young Parisian, bent on a strange and singular mission, who discovers that life has many unexpected twists, which turns his own peculiar sexual mission on its head. (This story is sexually explicit.)

"Proud was her Steed and Swiftly She Rode It," inspired by "The Iliad," follows the Amazon warrior Cleite's ship after it is blown off course on its way to Troy. This tale of female bravado and power culminates in a chance duel that ends in a strange twist. (This story is sexually explicit and contains graphic violence.)

Finally, the poems are a potpourri of sonnets, lyrical stanzas, and free verse, and are the accumulation of years of life, punctuated by all too brief moments of inspiration. For some, the poems alone may be well worth the purchase of this book. In any event, I hope that as many readers derive enjoyment from my works as possible.

Dettagli