      |  A collection of 5 short stories by David Russell. Seductive Semaphore: Fashion Designer Bethesda and journalist Hector live opposite each other, with windows facing. They make initial contact through visible, provocative gestures. Soon afterwards, they get direct contact when Hector assists Bethesda with her folio. She invites him round to model for some of her fashion creations, and proceeds to seduce him. The seduction continues with a ritual visit to a sports centre, and then to a beach. They leave it open as to whether their relationship could ever become long-term. The Heroine and the Author: Dreamer Hecate discovers she has a terminal illness. She wants to make the most of the time she has left by being celebrated in literature as a charismatic, legendary figure. She meets Ferdinand, a ghost writer, who is happy to undertake this massive project with her. In the process, She gets an idea of his physique through jogging and the fitness centre. Then there is a seduction scene inspired by the literary models of Sappho and Donne. Being ‘open-minded’, they make a pact for each one to go and have a sexual adventure – his hetero, hers lesbian. Their relationship is enhanced by this extra dimension. Dreamtime Sensuality: Romona, highly literary and highly inhibited, goes to an exotic island location. She deeply desires a passionate encounter. At the Pension where she stays, she meets Stefano, who fulfils her requirements exactly. The proprietress of the Pension picks up on Romona’s shyness, and gives her reassurance, including some practice in the art of kissing. Romona orchestrates an elaborate beach seduction scenario, and they are both fulfilled. They never meet again, but their exchange of emails and text messages goes on indefinitely. Dancing with Danger: Verona is a Scriptwriter and Gareth an archaeologist. They both have ‘retreats’ near the coast, and discover their common interests. Verona contrives a half-seduction on a deserted beach, wearing 18th century retro gear – related to their common interests. After some further encounters, they give each other a ‘dare’ to go and have a really risky encounter with someone really dodgy. Gareth finds a young woman on the run. Verona has a rapturous encounter with someone who gets hauled in by the police, suspected of terrorism. She uses her charm on the interrogating police officer to extricate herself. So Verona and Gareth both meet up again, to tell their respective tales. Art and Life: "Sometimes it feels marvellous to escape from the stresses of life into art, and get recharged by turning away from life. But on occasion, the work of art can be invigorated by facing those stresses head-on. After all, fire was discovered through friction." This is an intrigue centered on two women, Hermione and Persephone, and two men, Ingmar and Lysander. All four are extremely good looking, and Hermione is a talented artist and fashion designer. She restores confidence to Persephone, whose self-esteem has been shattered by abuse, by drawing her and persuading her to model. In parallel, the two men, having been scarred by their relationships, become mutually supportive. The process of recovery culminates in a euphoric foursome. |
 | A second collection of 5 short stories. Therapy Rapture: Perry has a desire for the right woman to spend some time with, enjoying each other’s company, a romantic interlude that would lead to that one fabulous encounter, bringing complete ecstasy. Rowena is a therapist who has endured a repressed childhood. She loves dressing up and feels that the clothes have a way of caressing her body. She wants him to open up his mind to his dreams. He begins to ache for Rowena. He finds her dark, sultry and somewhat reserved. He finds hard professional women sexy, and she happens to be just the one he believes could bring out that strong urge that he needs to release. Rowena wants him to incorporate his dreams into a healing process. She is able to help him release his inner self as the two have some romantic interludes that lead to total satisfaction. By giving into what their hearts and mind desires, they are able to find that one medium that captures their souls. After everything is over, will they be able to face the world positively? Fool’s Paradise: In the heyday of the Hippie Counterculture, Jim, a disaffected postgraduate, goes on a rural retreat in quest of his identity. He finds a cool alternative abode, which initiates in a bizarre relationship with the housemother, Celia, who turns out to be an undercover police officer, but also with dubious connections. Things develop, including a delicious one—off with Celia, and Jim is drawn towards the edges of nefarious activity. He ends up waiting for his Barrister, convinced he will clear him. An Ecstatic Rendezvous: This is a short story, told in first person, about a shy man who is inexperienced with women, yet a self-proclaimed narcissist, and he is seeking a sexual encounter with the woman of his dreams. The narrating voice is quirky and comical, at times, making it a fun read as this man takes you through his rendezvous, an experience he has clearly thought about at length beforehand and meticulously planned. Great read and I look forward to reading other stories by this author! This story has a sequel entitled Darlene. Darlene: The hero, Percival arranges a date through a contact mag. He and Darlene have a rapturous scenario, handled with superb finesse and supreme command of the wardrobe. He finds some hints of her complicated past. Before and after the encounter, he is eyed up and accosted by malicious-seeming men. The sense of an underlying hornet’s nest is scary, and immediately detracts from the euphoria, which does finally prevail. Zenobia: "Our heroine was always torn between the contrived and the random, equally interested in doing things and knowing all their circumstantial details, longing to get involved in the thick of things whilst remaining detached from them. Simultaneously, she wanted torepresent a daredevil and to be a daredevil – to be both detachable from her dreams and blended into them." Zenobia is really in love with her self-image, and longs for the life of the 'fast lane'. She is charismatic, and has great skill as a financial manipulator. She is eager to take risks, but at the same time wants to hold on to her self-protectiveness. She goes on to excel at public relations in a Health Centre, where she is seduced by the manageress. She has had a huge number of partners, some of them shallow, manipulative and transitory, others reaching areas of true depth and sensitivity. She even has one 'peak experience' being examined by a senior police officer. For all her panache, she is deeply sensitive to the relationships in her formative years with two friends-cum-rivals, one who had a fatal accident, and one who was badly injured. They remain in her memory and she wishes, in a way, to atone for them. |
Book Publications 'Prickling Counterpoints' (Selected Poetry & Prose), Deadline Books 1998, 'Romantic Undress' (Erotic Poetry & Prose) JazzClaw Publications 2000. Current romantica/erotica publications are 'Self's Blossom' (novella), and 'Explorations' (short story), published by Devine Destinies; 'Therapy Rapture' (poetry,prose and artwork) published by Rose Dog Books. Forthcoming are two short stories, 'My Dream of Madonna/An Ecstatic Rendezvous', to be published by XoXo Publishing.
Also recordedsinger-songwriter: vinyl album, 'Bricolage' recorded by Billy
Childish for Hangman Records 1992; CD albums 'Bacteria
Shrapnel' and 'The Burglars of
Britain' (1998)
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