Wednesday, December 31, 2014

Hoops by Kylie Gable

While Kylie Gable can always be counted on for a solid, entertaining, well-plotted tale of forced feminization and humiliation, I do think Hoops may be her best yet. It has a great set-up, a legitimate agenda for the feminization, some exquisite detail in the feminization itself, and some really unexpected plot developments along the way.

It all begins with two high school basketball stars. Jimmy and Savannah used to be good friends, both on and off the court, but he's allowed success to go to his head, alienating many of those around him. A hallway confrontation leads to a challenge on the court - one that she wins, despite being knocked down with a bloody nose. When Jimmy decides he's too good to follow through on the consequences of their bed, Savannah and her friends concoct a blackmail scheme to make him their sissy bitch for the summer (and his best friend Kenny their bitch).

Like I said, the feminization itself is exquisite in its detail, from shopping to dressing, to the look and feel of the clothing, to the challenge of acting and talking like a girl. Savannah and her friends take their scheme all the way, going so far as to establish a social media backstory for Jimmy's new persona. Making him and Kenny act like teenage lovers in public may seem a little cliched, but it creates some of the best moments in the story. I'm not sure I'll ever be able to sit in a theater and share a bucket of popcorn again without thinking about what might be in it . . . and on it!

What brings it all together is the fact that Kylie Gable takes us beyond that summer, and follows up on its real-world consequences. We see characters evolve, personalities change, and justice catch up with those who deserve it, all leading up to one of her happiest endings yet.


Tuesday, December 30, 2014

One Little Sip... by Lyka Bloom

Magda is an incredibly powerful witch and a sexually liberated woman with a temper, one that has already seen a high school football player transformed into a Goth lesbian porn star because he dared take protest her sex-toy boutique (in Lyka Bloom's first Toy Chest story, A Touch of Magic).

Derrick is just a sexually frustrated husband who wants to put a little spice back into his marriage. Feeling unloved and unappreciated, he just wants to see his cold, disinterested wife return to the adventurous woman she was when they first started dating. She, of course, waits in the car while he pretends to be buying a dildo for a friend's bachelor party.

Had Derrick not been so curious, and had his wife not been so cold, things might have turned out the way he intended. Instead, he decides to try just One Little Sip of the potion Magda provided, half-certain that it's just a liquid form of Ecstasy. What begins as a suspect case of the flu soon takes on frightening implications has his body begins transforming, fueled by what his doctor dismisses as a stress-induced estrogen imbalance.

Where it begins to get weird is when Denise, his wife, starts slipping up, misgendering him, and misremembering details of his life, confusing him with a daughter they never had. Where it gets weirder is when Derrick starts having memories of highschool boyfriends he, clearly, never had as a boy.

Rather than spoil the magic, I'll stop there and let you imagine for yourself just what is happening to poor Derrick and why. It's actually a lovely little tale, well thought out, and well orchestrated. Bloom always does a wonderful job of exploring the consequences of her transformations, and that talent goes even deeper here.


Sissy Dreams: Sally's Evening Out by Paul Zante

Please Note: The following review is suitable for adults only.

Even I had not already ready enough Paul Zante to make me a fan, I knew I was going to love this from the first scene. When we first meet Sally, she is a blissfully happy, blessedly content sissy who revels in her femininity. There is no shame here, no embarrassment, and no insecurities. She loves being a girl and has completely give herself over to the fantasy - mind, body, and soul. It is so refreshing to see that side of the sissy lifestyle explored, and it gave me the biggest . . . smile. :)

The second thing that immediately endeared me to Sissy Dreams: Sally's Evening Out is the relationship between Sally and her Mistress. They are still married, and still love each other very much. Yes, there is a distinct and well-defined dominant/submissive relationship here, but beneath it all remains the love and affection that first brought them together. Both are concerned for the other's feelings, and I loved that we got to see Mistress a little unsettled by the thought of how Sally would deal with her surprise evening out.

Another thing I loved about this story is the relationship between the sissies, Sally and Danielle. Although both are owned by and wholly committed to their Mistresses, there is a bond between them that goes far deeper than the very sweet sort of love they share. Sisters in sissy submission, they are best friends and lesbian lovers who are responsible for providing one another for their monthly release. I loved all the little touches Zante includes here, from the tentative hand holds, to the tender kisses, to the shared smiles across the room. Just beautiful!

As for the story itself, Sally does find her boundaries tested, but her love for her Mistress and the loving support of her fellow sissy are more than enough to see her through her first night of fluffing. The last thing I loved about the story was how Zante dealt with the aftermath of that scene. Instead of either being humiliated or suddenly transformed into a bisexual slut, Sally finds the experience a little distasteful, but accepts it as something that pleases her Mistress. It happened, she performed well, and that's really it. She quickly moves on (with the help of a little mouthwash) to enjoy a similar act with Danielle, but with an enjoyment borne of love and affection.

Truly, a sweet and sexy story, perfect for anybody with an interest in the softer, more realistic side of dominance and submission, and the happier side of sissyhood.

Friday, December 26, 2014

Freebie Fiction Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then that must been it's time for Freebie Fiction Friday . . . time to put the 'TG' in TGIF (and the 'FD' in Friday)!

Every Friday I take the initiative to search through thew newly free titles on Amazon, and to identify those that might be of interest to trans* readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications, and covert it (if need be) with Calibre. I can tell you I do most of my reading on my iPad, using Kindle for iPad, and it works beautifully.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, though, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

A fantastic collection to fill your stockings this week, with plenty of hot, sexy, gender-bending reads to take with you on those dreaded family visits and holiday church services . . .

Thursday, December 25, 2014

Jack by Adrienne Wilder & Men Can Wear Dresses Too by Catie Maye

For those of you who don't regularly read Frock Magazine . . . well, you really have no excuse, since it's both Free and Fabulous! Seriously, though, if you happen to have missed an issue or two, I thought I'd offer up a few holiday treats, re-posting some of the reviews I've featured in my Frock Books column this year. After recapping February and April, we wrap things up today with a pair of June reviews from Adrienne Wilder and Catie Maye


“They made me wear a dress.”

And so begins the tale of Jack, a young man born into the wrong body who must battle the intolerance of a small southern town, the disgust of his own sister (who already abandoned the family once), and the cold, callous mistreatment of a psychiatric hospital in the 1970s. Already feeling an outcast, denied the acceptance of nearly everyone around him, it’s the death of his mother than triggers his final descent. Aside from his mother his best friend Elliot, nobody accepts his decision express the masculinity inside, and even the two of them don’t fully accept him as a ‘real’ boy.

Ultimately, however, it’s the treachery and cruelty of his sister that drive him to suicide, an act of desperation that she twists to justify her decision to have him committed, allowing her to wash her hands of the responsibility. As you might expect, it’s a dark tale, full of emotional sorrow and horrifying physical pain, but there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.

For those who are accustomed to Adrienne Wilder’s more light-hearted gay male romances, this tale of transgender identity may come as something of a surprise, but it clearly comes from the heart . . . and from an author who proudly and openly identifies as male.

Life in Meadow Field Psychiatric Hospital is just about as rough and frightening as you might expect. It’s a place that has no interest in treating people like Jack or in helping them to cope. Instead, secure in their narrow-minded biases, the doctors and nurses are interested only in curing Jack of his ‘delusions’. Jack’s therapy sessions with Dr. Chance are interesting, however, particularly in the ways that he tries to force Chance to see that there’s more to gender than genitalia.

Even with friends like Noah (who has anger issues) and Grom (who thinks he’s a wizard), Jack’s stay is a difficult one, plagued by dangerous patients on top of the professionals.

"Why do they want to change me?”
“Maybe they just don’t love you enough.”

Of course, it’s the relationship between Jack and Noah that centres the novel. It’s Noah’s pain that provides Jack with the opportunity to play the gallant young knight, and Jack’s pain that brings Noah out of his shell to become close to another human being again. Their love is an awkward one, especially as their respective secrets are brought to the surface, but tender and true. It’s challenged and tested throughout their stay, but never wavers. While their escape from the hospital is a bit too convenient, it’s hard to deny them the benefit of fate’s guiding hand in the skies. Both boys are guilty of acts of violence, but all in the name of self-protection and their escape is a necessary part of their healing process. In terms of the climax, it’s less of a spoiler and more of a reassurance to promise that there is a happily ever after, but some reader may need that glimmer of light to continue reading.


Over half a century later, a young boy stared into a mirror and saw himself cross-dressed for the first time.

I am Catie Maye. I am a transvestite.

And so begins Catie Maye’s tale, a true story and cultural exploration of what it means to be a transvestite. It’s a story that explores the parallel lives of the cross-dresser, hiding the truth from others, lying to protect that oh-so-necessary form of self-expression, and battling the depression that takes root from the need for deceit.

As part of looking to understand himself, Catie dives deep into the studies and statistics surrounding cross-dressing. He confronts the assumption that cross-dressing is rooted in some sort of adolescent abuse, and destroys the accompanying assumption that all cross-dressers are gay. He reveals the surprising truth of just how many cross-dressers are married, how many of them are open with their spouses, and how few of them consider it a sexual fetish.

Men Can Wear Dresses Too is largely an autobiographical tale, but one that’s intertwined with the studies and theories (many of them painfully dated, as Catie points out) that attempt to put that life’s story into context. Some of those statistics are fascinating – such as when the men first cross-dressed (4-6 years old), with who’s clothes (mom’s), and with what items (panties) – while others are surprising in their contradictions – with only 42% claimed to have ever felt guilty, but 77% having purged.

Risks and secrecy are a recurring theme of Catie’s story, to nobody’s surprise, but it’s sobering to realize how strong the need to express ourselves is, regardless of those risks. For some it’s the feeling of the clothes themselves, for others it’s a sexual sensation, and for others still it’s a way of dealing with stress. As Catie says, “I don’t dress to attract men (or women). I don’t do it for any reason other than to relax. Cross-dressing gets me out of myself. I don’t want to be cured because there is nothing wrong with me. I won’t ever stop.”

Where the story gets really interesting is when Catie talks about taking his cross-dressing public, and about learning to pass as a woman. It’s a funny story, with a young man in a wench’s outfit and wig, first trapped in a shed, then finding himself accidentally locked out of the house, but it’s all too easy to sympathise with the gut-wrenching terror of the experience . . . and the guilty compulsion to purge rather than deal with that fear again.

Rounding out Catie’s story is that of his wife, her discovery of his secret, and how they’ve come to terms with that aspect of his life. “To me,” she says, “it’s not the ‘dressing’ that’s the problem; it’s the secrecy.” Having survived (and strived) through that first difficult conversation, I can say her take on the situation isn’t unique, and should serve as something of a prompt for more men to come out and be honest with their partners.

Catie concludes his story with a chapter on ‘What Does it All Mean’ that attempts to summarize the salient facts and figures of the story. Rather than trying to define the cross-dresser, Catie’s goal is to dispel “the myths, social untruths, and pieces of pure gossip” and help promote a societal understanding of “whom and what we are.”

So, if you have ever wondered, questioned, debated, and doubted, believe that Men Can Wear Dresses Too.


Wednesday, December 24, 2014

Redefining Realness by Janet Mock & Kenna: A Transgender Life by Kenna Henderson

For those of you who don't regularly read Frock Magazine . . . well, you really have no excuse, since it's both Free and Fabulous! Seriously, though, if you happen to have missed an issue or two, I thought I'd offer up a few holiday treats, re-posting some of the reviews I've featured in my Frock Books column this year. We kicked things off yesterday with a look back to February, and today we make our way into April, with a pair of real-life tales from Janet Mock and Kenna Henderson.


It was 2011 when Janet Mock, editor of People.com, came out as transgender in Marie Claire magazine. In just over 2000 words she went from being a respected editor to an influential spokesperson for the transgender community. Since then, she’s gone on to put a positive, professional face on transgender issues, appearing in the pages of everything from London Times Magazine to The Telegraph, and on such television shows as Huffington Post Live to MSNBC.

Of course, despite what seems like an overnight success, Janet’s life was not so different from any other trans woman, looking to cope with the struggle of her own identity. In Redefining Realness she talks about growing up in a world where being trans was not something you took pride in, or even talked about with anybody outside your immediate family. It was a world of dehumanizing depictions found in popular culture, usually played for laughs, for shock value, or trashy titillation.

Her story has all the hallmarks of the trans experience. She recalls being caught and scolded for wearing a dress at the age of thirteen. She remembers telling her mother that she was gay, unable at that age to separate gender identity from sexuality. With no concept of a trans identity, the idea of a thirteen year old boy becoming a girl was nothing more than a fantasy. Somehow, she still managed to express that fantasy with Wendi, who was the first to do her eyebrows and makeup, and who continues to serve as her makeup artist today.

Janet was fifteen when she told her family that she wanted to be called Janet, following that up by declaring to her teachers and classmates at school that ‘she’ was to be called ‘Janet’ and ‘she’ would be wearing dresses to class. For the most part, her acceptance at school was positive, but there were challenges, such as the chemistry teacher who continued to refer to Janet as ‘him’ and as ‘Charles’ at every opportunity, and the principal who scolded her for dress code violations.

More than anything, Janet’s story is one of triumph. She acknowledges the challenges, the disadvantages, and the issues she faced, but never dwells on them or lets them dictate her story. Instead, she constantly takes charge of her life, insisting that her mother take her to the doctor for hormone treatments, coming out to her first boyfriend, and then coming out to her estranged father with a touching, heart-felt letter and a copy of her yearbook photo. When she talks of her father writing back to tell her she “looks nice,” I’ll admit to shedding a few tears, even if he goes on to caution he’ll need time to come to terms with ‘Janet.’

There is some darkness to her tale as well, particularly surrounding her life as a prostitute, but she owns that life, owns her choices, and almost justifies them as a means to an end. She doesn’t sensationalize it, even if it does end with a Pretty Woman type proposal (which she rejects), and it is here that Janet steps outside her own story to talk about the risks of suicide, HIV, and rape.

Ultimately, Janet’s story is a journey of self-revelation, of understanding who she is inside, and of taking steps to realize that on the outside. It’s an extraordinarily emotional tale, raw and honest, but at the same time polished and profound. She doesn’t try to make herself out to be the perfect woman, and makes it very clear she never set out to be any kind of role model. Instead, Janet shares with her past, invites us to reminisce, and promises a brighter future – something to which we can all aspire.


Kenna Henderson writes of a childhood filled with loss and confusion, one where a young crossdresser, already feeling guilty, is further ostracized by the move to a new community and a new school for his last years of schooling. She writes of a life of wild swings, of embracing and indulging her femininity, and of rejecting and purging herself of every scrap of evidence. It’s a life that I’m sure may of us can relate to, particularly the guilty purges, and that honest shines through.

When she writes of spilling the secret to her wife, of having reached the “boiling point at which hiding something like this from the person you love most becomes terribly painful,” I literally had to put the book down and walk away. My own memories of that situation were just too intense. I shared her fear of ending the marriage with that disclosure, and of not wanting to hurt the other person . . . but no longer willing to hurt ourselves.

The framework of Kenna / A Transgender Life is interesting, with the primary narrative centred around her decision to deliberately seek work as a woman. She admits to being completely unprepared, and to basically “winging it” as far as voice and mannerisms are concerned. There’s something comic-tragic in that experience, but it serves well to ground the rest of the story, in which she reminisces about the things in her life that brought her to that decision.

I found it comforting that hers was not just a story of transition, and of never looking back. Far from it. Kenna changes her mind about herself many times over, veering back and forth across the imaginary line of the gender binary, sometimes pushed, and sometimes pulled to the other side. When she ultimately does decide that it’s time to stop and make a choice, she does so by drafting a coming out letter that I think is quite remarkable.

It begins with the simple statement, “I can burden others with knowledge they would rather not have. Or, I can die knowing that I hid the truth from some of those closest to me” and goes on from there. She writes of mental agitation, professional help, of fear and depression, and of reaching a turning point. She doesn’t demand acceptance, but makes it clear there is no room left for argument.

There is no cure. She cannot go on pretending or performing. She recognizes that it’s time to make a commitment, and to stick with it. Although there’s a brief epilogue, her story really ends with the fitting declaration, “Kenna would prevail.”


Tuesday, December 23, 2014

Kiss by C J Payne & Caroline's Company by Caroline Jane Wetherby

For those of you who don't regularly read Frock Magazine . . . well, you really have no excuse, since it's both Free and Fabulous! Seriously, though, if you happen to have missed an issue or two, I thought I'd offer up a few holiday treats, re-posting some of the reviews I've featured in my Frock Books column this year. We'll kick things off today with a look back to February, and a pair of fantastic reads from C J Payne and Caroline Jane Wetherby.


When it comes to transgender erotic romance, it seems like many authors tend to take one of two routes with their book – gender confusion or sexual confusion. In the case of the former, they approach every transgender individual as a full-fledged transsexual, just waiting to be revealed. In the case of the latter, they use transvestism as a cover or a coping mechanism for repressed homosexual urges, and explore it as an act of coming-out.

What few authors seem content to do is explore gender expression for what it is, which is an act of expression. Rarely do they allow a transvestite to simply be a straight man who takes comfort in occasionally expressing himself as a woman.

With Kiss, C J Payne focuses, for the most part, on that gender expression. Even if she does eventually cross some lines in terms of sexual identity, there’s no confusion, no covering, and no coping, just the natural progression of placing one’s self in situations that enhance the look and feel of femininity.

Alex Mann is an average, ordinary, well-adjusted young man who very much enjoys his transvestite outings. He is a man who carefully studies the way women walk, talk, and move about, looking for traits to emulate. For him, transvestism isn’t about the feel of the clothes or the taste of lipstick, it’s about the act of taking on a new persona and being accepted in it. When Kara Richardson begins developing a friendship with him, he looks to her as not just a girlfriend, but also as a ‘girl’ friend.

In fact, it’s Kara who is the main character here, and the narrator of the story, which offers an interesting twist on things. It is Kara who drives Alex’s sexual explorations, and Kara who deliberately puts him in situations where he is tempted to further explore the authenticity of his feminine experience. Ultimately, it’s the act of being courted and desired as a woman that convinces Alex to consummate his relationship with a man, but he never loses sight of the fact that it’s Kara that he loves.


What initially struck me about Caroline's Company was the amount of care and detail Caroline Jane Wetherby put into making her story feel authentic. The palatial mansion, the typical domestic staff, and the elegant dominatrix are all standard story elements for the genre, but it’s what she does with them that makes the story so delightful. All too often it's like these stories are set in a museum, devoid of any warmth of personal touches, but Caroline's home is as comfortable as it is magnificent, and the domestic staff are all ordinary human beings, personable and pleasant, with even a bit of a back story.

As for Caroline, she is a charismatic and loving woman, and a natural leader. There is a strength to her that doesn't need to be expressed with whips and chains and collars and all the rest. She is a woman of passion and elegance who expects to be obeyed, but who also understands that she is responsible for those in her charge. I think that sense of ownership, paired with genuine affection, is what makes the story so compelling.

Caroline's Company is a 4-part story that follows a very traditional story arc, but in an unusual way. After the Dreams provides a sort of introduction to the characters, their world, and the relationships involved. A Private Collection takes the story to the next step, evolving those characters, while also exploring a dramatic rescue. The Wages of Sin follows up on that rescue with a tale that is largely focussed on justice and revenge, but which continues to evolve the characters. Ecstasies and Agonies then wraps things up with a story of salvation, redemption, and happy endings.

Something that I really appreciated about the primary story arc is the realistic way in which the transgender element of the story is addressed. While Cassie does have a relatively easy time transitioning from a physical perspective, her mental and emotional transition is far more complex. I loved the fact that she was allowed to have real doubts and fears, to be impatient with her own development, and to be genuinely excited by her success. Similarly, Sadie's story is handled very well, especially once her tragic history is revealed. There is a very ‘forced’ sort of transformation in the later volumes that strains that realism, but it’s justified in how it ties together themes and characters.

In terms of sexuality, Wetherby smartly avoids shocking and titillating the reader with tawdry and explicit vulgarity. Instead, the sexuality here is subtle, suggestive, and oh-so-sensuous. I honestly cannot remember the last time I read a novel (erotic or otherwise) that took such a sweet, tender, and wholesome approach to a BDSM-themed lifestyle. Although the story explores everything from old-fashioned collars to cutting-edge bio-feedback tails, from maid’s outfits to pony-play, it never loses sight of the women at the heart of it all. This is not an environment full of degradation and humiliation, but one of mutual pleasure and, most importantly, empowerment.

Similarly, I love the fact that the entire story arc embraces, accepts, and empowers so many different expressions one one's self. There are no labels or definitions regarding gender or sexuality, just women who are at presented at different stages of their own personal evolution. There are also no labels as to gay, lesbian, or bisexual, just the rules that sex should always give enjoyment to more than one person.

The tone of the story does change drastically in the third book, forsaking much of the down-to-earth romantic fiction for a harder, more edgy sort of thriller, but it’s necessary to bring about a truly happy ending. We see that there are right ways and wrong ways to play with sexual power, and that there are consequences for abusing people. When the darker plot fully emerges, the story really climbs to a new level. As she deliberately contrasts the love and affection of Caroline's household with the cruelty and the sorrow of the human slave trade, Wetherby reveals even deeper layers of strength and solidarity in the girls.

This is a wonderfully written novel that is both extraordinarily moving and incredibly arousing. Caroline's world is the kind of home that we all aspire to, a place to feel safe, loved, accepted, and empowered. Wetherby goes to great pains to remind us that the rest of the world is not so friendly, but she also provides hope that goodness can and will prevail. While it’s much more than just the tale of Cassie and Sadie, those two heroines are never far from the core of the story, and their evolution into women is absolutely delightful.


Friday, December 19, 2014

Freebie Fiction Friday - Putting the TG in TGIF!

Well, if it's Friday, then that must been it's time for Freebie Fiction Friday . . . time to put the 'TG' in TGIF (and the 'FD' in Friday)!

Every Friday I take the initiative to search through thew newly free titles on Amazon, and to identify those that might be of interest to trans* readers, fans, and lovers. Even if you don't have a Kindle, you can still download the titles through one of Amazon's free reading applications, and covert it (if need be) with Calibre. I can tell you I do most of my reading on my iPad, using Kindle for iPad, and it works beautifully.

Please do be sure to check the price before downloading anything, though, as most freebies are limited time offers, and some are specific to certain regions.

A fantastic collection to fill your stockings this week, with plenty of hot, sexy, gender-bending reads to take with you on those dreaded family visits and holiday church services . . .



SAYYOULOVE IT (MNDBRKR Book 3)

Two-Way Trip: Discovery (gender change, bimbo TF)

Gender Swap Girl on Top (Gender Switch, BDSM)

Get a Job Gender Swap (feminization bareback erotic romance)

The Cuckold Accident: She Takes It All (cuckold, voyeur, cheating wife, bull, marriage, hotwife, affair, stranger, anonymous, loving wives, size queen) (Cuckold Confessions Book 3)

Tales of Domination 2 - Kathy's Promotion (BDSM Erotica) (Tales o Domination)

The Challenge: Femdom, Forced Feminization, Caning and Chastity: A BDSM Fetish story, of Female Domination, Forced Feminization & Enforced Male Chastity (The Teacher's Pet Femdom & BDSM saga Book 1)

Owning His Ass (The Sexual Awakening of Alison Tyler Book 1)

Sentenced to Gender Swap: The Geek's Surprise

Gender Swap Cherry Pop (Alpha Male Gender Switch Curse Book 1)

Swapped: One Step Closer (taboo gender bender erotica)

Tamara's Tranny Surprise for Tim (Shemale Sex Stories Book 2)


Enjoy!