New story out today!
Hi all! It's been a while since I had my pimp shoes on, hasn't it? I've been trying to devote my writing time this year to longer pieces, and that means fewer releases (unless the universe comes through with those 36-hour days...).
Anyhow, I hope you'll be pleased to hear that there's a new story in the Paulo and Preston world. If you read Full Frontal (from the Wax Toy Box), you might remember Alex, the flamboyant saloniste and his lover, bearish top Bruno, who got Paulo all squeaky smooth for that story's climactic scene.
As I wrote that story, I got to wondering how Bruno and Alex got together. They're older, in their fifties, in Full Frontal, and vibed a decades-long relationship. But they were so different! How did they meet? What sparked their connection? My questions carried me back to 1978 when Bruno was a closeted leather boy and Alex was trying to find meaning in the disco 'round. I threw them together in a leather bar where Alex most assuredly did not belong, and took notes while they worked things out for themselves.
The result was "A Better Fate than Wisdom" and it appears in the CHERRY ON TOP anthology, out today from Torquere Press.
Here's a wee excerpt:
Just another Saturday night, right? Alex could do this. He knotted his polo sweater a little higher over his lemon-yellow Izod and pushed open the door of the club. Not his usual place, but he was here on a mission. The place sounded just like he'd expected -- hard-driving rock and roll played at eardrum-rupture volume. If that were the only difference, he'd have been relieved. The usual round of disco hits and mixes got a little tired after a year or two of Saturday nights.
But no, Steamroller was dark, monochrome. No mirror ball, no neon. The drinks in men's hands were monochromatic on the beer-to-whisky spectrum, and the men themselves were monochrome, too. Alex had never seen this much black leather outside of Drummer magazine. Not that he read Drummer. He was more a GQ type. Leather was just so... rough. Not Alex's style at all. Nope. He was here on a mission for the local gay rag. Alex suspected his editor had assigned him this story as a joke, or maybe as revenge for Alex declining his advances. Alex should never have shot down his boss, but seriously, the guy was, like, thirty-five, and Alex's ten-year rule wouldn't take the strain.
So. Find old-guard leather guys and interview them about their place in the New Gay Culture. Shouldn't be too tough to do in a leather bar. Alex ordered a Cosmo -- it was the wrong color drink, to be sure, and he ought to at least try to fit in, not that a Cosmo was a usual accessory for his part-time reporting gig. He was dressed to work, not to trick, but even if he’d been dressed for a night out, that fitting in thing was just not going to happen.The bartender gave him a seriously grim look, but Alex stood his ground, right down to his loafers, and the man mixed the damn drink.
Alex scanned the room, wishing he had a contact at least. He considered going back to the bartender, but the guy was scary and no mistake. Beefy older guys in leather held court here and there, and younger guys paid tribute. The stereotype was in full flower, that was for sure, with chest harnesses and leather vests and -- oh sweet Jesus, were those chaps? Tempting as it was to roll his eyes and dismiss these guys, Alex had enough self-awareness to know that his own brand of gay guy was a joke to these men, too. Common ground -- that would make a good theme for his article. Alex redoubled his efforts to find an approachable port in this sea of leather and testosterone.
Oh, hello. Over by the dance floor -- if you could call that dancing -- sat a leather-capped, mustachioed, hairy, burly general of the leather legions. And with him was a denim-clad demigod -- a lieutenant, maybe. The sidekick was dark and brooding and -- oh, God, yes -- staring twin bottomless holes right into Alex's soul.
Okay, that was a gross exaggeration. But the guy was giving Alex a pretty thorough once-over. Contact! Alex found his best smile, aimed it right back at the guy, and let it lead him and his Cosmo across the crowded room.
© Lee Benoit
There's a release party going on over at the Torquere Press LJ, with other authors from the antho stopping by all day. Check it out!
Cheers,
Lee xo