Sedonia Guillone

I was honored to receive this incredibly favorable review form Sensual Ecataromance. It’s the kind of review every author wants to get!

Genre: contemporary
Page Count: 197
Price: $6.58
Reviewer: Keely Skillman
Sensuality Rating: Sizzling
Star Rating: 5 Stars

A deranged villain, a determined and gentle hero, and a uke in distress make for one whopper of a deliciously yummy man love story that will bring tears to your eyes.

Yuzo Kitano has been Taro Suzuki’s plaything for far too long. Despite all the hard living he has done, Yuzo has remained sweet and even innocent to a degree. Desperate to break free and leave the abusive Suzuki, Yuzo makes a daring escape and goes to the one place where he knows no one will give him back to Suzuki: the White Tiger and its owner, Kikuchiya Fujimara. Yuzo has admired, perhaps even loved, and longed for Kiku for quite some time. He knows that he cannot stay at the White Tiger because of the danger into which his presence puts all the kind souls living there. A few precious days spent with Kiku will have to be enough for a lifetime.

Kikuchiya Fujimara was once a yakuza with the Suzuki-gumi. He left that life to lead the men at the White Tiger by example in the White Tiger path. His psychic abilities make getting close enough for a real relationship and finding a true White Tiger path partner more than a bit difficult. Touching Yuzo does not fill his head with the types of gut wrenching visions touching others gives Kiku. Can he find a way to protect Yuzo AND keep him near or is Kiku destined to lose yet another that he could love?

Sedonia Guillone delivers yet another masterpiece with Men of Tokyo: Sudden Surrender. Prepare to cry, laugh and get furious right along with all the characters; I know that I did. Though, you might want to get a VERY large pitcher of something very icy to keep your core temperature somewhere around normal enough to avoid spontaneous combustion. Yeah, the love scenes really are THAT hot. I did not even notice the passage of time while immersed in Sudden Surrender because it flows so effortlessly from page to page and completely grabs my attention.

Ms. Guillone does such a beautiful job of bringing all her characters to life that I find myself wanting to go kick some villain posterior every time Suzuki appears in the book and then cuddle and sooth Yuzo and Kiku. Kiku is so gentle and kind while being tough and protective that I cannot help but love him within just a couple of pages. Yuzo is such a sweet, resilient darling that I just want to gobble him up! Ms. Guillone has such a fantastic way of bringing Tokyo’s streets and the White Tiger alive that I feel like I am actually there. Let me not forget the myriad supporting characters; they bring a wonderful depth and realism to the story that just makes me want to move into the White Tiger despite all the yakuza buzzing about it. I could gush for pages and pages; but, really, you should just go get it yourself. Then we can gush together!

Just a word to the wise: If you are offended by men kissing men and more detailed man on man action, please do us all the favor of leaving this book on the virtual shelf. The rest of us promise not to point and laugh as we will be too busy devouring this offering.

My cold is working its way out. Mitch is coming home today so that is probably a big reason why I’m feeling so much better.

I’ve had good rest these last couple of days and got so much writing done I feel basically caught up. Of course, I’m working on Men of Tokyo: Sudden Heat and I reached that point in the story when I fall in love with the characters and I am beginning to feel the deeper connection between them. I know I’m there when I find myself wanting to re-read the scenes I’ve already written simply for enjoyment and to get that…what do you call it…that kind of sigh when the characters are falling in love along with the sizzle of the attraction between them.

Of course while doing that I’ve listened to plenty of Gackt and watched a couple of videos. His music seems to be good for my writing. Even the harder songs are heflpful when I’m writing passion scenes. I’ve been reading translations of his lyrics that a very intelligent woman in Japan did as a labor of love and it really helps to know what he’s saying although I’d listen anyway without the translation. It’s really the quality and sound to his voice that I like to hear beyond the lyrics.

Oh, and of course, I watched a samurai film. Well, I’m not sure Zatoichi is exactly a samurai. He was a master swordsman who was blind and made a living beating yakuza out of their money in their gambling parlours (his hearing was so sharp he could hear how the dice lay and he could hear when a die was loaded) as well as giving massages. Being a masseur was a traditional line of work for many blind people in Japan in the feudal period. In any case, Zatoichi is a fascinating character and I have a small collection of those films. But the one I like to watch from time to time is Zatoichi Meets Yojimbo (The literal title of the film is Zatoichi to Yojimbo) because, you guessed it, Toshiro Mifune is in it. Ostensibly, Mifune is the bodyguard of the son of a corrupt silk merchant who’s taken over a small town that was once a dear place to Zatoichi. But things are not what they seem and the interactions between Toshiro Mifune and Zatoichi are at once hilarious and deep. I only recommend the film however if you like sword play with blood, like these characters and don’t mind Shakespearian/Greek style tragedy between family members.

Released today at Fictionwise! In desperation for his life, Yuzo Kitano escapes the sadistic clutches of Taro Suzuki, one of Tokyo’s fiercest yakuza, and seeks refuge with Suzuki’s arch-rival, Kikuchiya Fujimara, owner of the White Tiger, a luxurious love-hotel for gay men which also serves as a spiritual community for its inhabitants. From early meetings with the handsome, charismatic leader who trains men in the sexual Tao, Yuzo senses deep inside he’s found someone he can trust and who will keep him safe. What he doesn’t expect is the absolute sensual bliss he finds with Kikuchiya’s skilled lovemaking and realises he’s found what he’s really wanted his whole life. But does Kiku want him in return? At first, Kiku sees only Yuzo’s alluring beauty and desperate need for protection. But the headstrong impulsive Yuzo is also the first man Kiku has ever met whose touch is healing and calming for him, rather than a distressing channel for his psychic abilities, and the more he makes love to Yuzo, the more Kiku is in danger of losing his heart to another for the first time in his life. However, Kiku also knows that when Suzuki finds out where his slave has gone, there will be hell to pay. Kiku has already made one harrowing sacrifice to the yakuza in return for his freedom and might not survive a second…

This rough year started out with the death of a loved one and has continued to be difficult. Of course, there have been good things. Nothing is all one way, bad or good, but now I’ve had to stay back from the trip to Georgia due to a cold. It would be a really bad idea to be riding in the car and staying in the room with Mitch while I’ve got these germs and am feeling cruddy.

The thing that was bothering me is he’s on his way to purchase this beautiful house in the romantic marsh-filled, live oaks dripping with moss-filled area on the outskirts of Savannah (one of the most beautiful cities in the world) and the timing is so bad to get viral! However, he knows I am totally with him in my heart and will of course, be on the next trip and, God-willing, living in the house too when we go there. Oh well. I guess it’s a good thing that I have a White Tigers book to work on. Hopefully I’ll get some of that written. And then ther’es Netflix. I’ve been wanting to watch Akira and Rashomon. Perhaps now is the time to do that.

Going back up to Georgia on Sunday afternoon and I’ll probably have very limited Internet access for a few days. Please bear with me if I don’t update for a few days. I should be home on Wednesday evening.

However, I’ll leave you with a bit of the artist’s progress on our White Tigers yaoi manga project. She’s been working her tush off with the stippling and all to create Koji’s image. I think she’s doing an incredible job and I’m really excited about this collaboration.

Being someone who loves to study languages, I’ve come across these words in Japanese that are so beautiful, really because they are one word to express a concept or feeling. They both bring a sense of poetry to life in speaking.

komorebi - I found this translation on a site that translates lyrics of Gackt’s songs. This one is the first word of my favorite song of his, Leeca. The translation is as such: Komorebi is another one of my favorite words that fits in the “cannot be translated into English” category. This is the Japanese word for rays of sunlight falling through dense leaves to touch the ground. This one word paints such a precise and beautiful picture, I almost wish we did have something comparable in English.

The other beautiful word is shosoku. This word I read in a talk given by Zen master Suzuki Roshi, called “Letters from Emptiness.” He explains shosoku as “the feeling you have when you receive a letter from home. Even without an actual picture, you know something about your home, what people are doing there, what flowers are blooming.” It’s a beautiful description and one every human being can relate to. Of course, Suzuki Roshi used it to describe to his listeners a way in which their minds can perceive hints of enlightenment even though such a big concept cannot be directly understood by the intellect.

That said, this video is a live performance of Leeca, which to me, is an incredibly pretty song. This live version is not as delicate and graceful as the studio version, in my humble opinion, but is still beautiful and heartfelt.

I was privileged to have Black Lace author, Madelynne Ellis invite me to guest blog Lust Bites. I’m there talking, of course, about my White Tigers series, going more in depth about the inspirations behind it. I hope you’ll come over and take a look.

Although the cover doesn’t show it, my story in this anthology is part of the White Tigers series. For those of you who hopefully have read the other books, you’re familiar with Basho and Timothy. Their story, entitled Yin Yang is in this book.

Just to toot my own horn, I received this praise for the story last night:
I finished you story! lol. I couldn’t wait to read anything before it. I’m going back to read the others now. But I just wanted you to know how much I loved it. Those two were just so incredibly… well… sweet. I was in tears when Basho was telling Ryu his story… and just how lonely he was… It was so sad… made it all that much better when they got back together. I thoroughly loved it!

Here’s a blurb and excerpt. I hope you like it. Sedonia

Fifteen years ago, Timothy Rush’s lover and soul mate, Basho Sakai, was murdered on a trip to Tokyo with his family. Timothy never stopped pining for the man who was his first and only love, comparing anyone else who came after him to Basho, the sensitive and handsome poet who stole his heart. Finally, still mourning and hopeless, Timothy travels from London to Tokyo to say a final good-bye. While there, he hopes to find some pleasure and some spiritual peace at the White Tiger, a gay men’s hotel in Tokyo that also offers the Taoist sexual path of the White Tiger. However, once there Timothy finds more than pleasure: he learns the true tragic story of what happened to his lover. And then…finds the missing half of his soul.

Basho lay on his futon in the dark, thinking of the first time Timothy had ever sucked his dragon. Golden-haired, blue-eyed Timothy, his velvety pink lips pouty and soft. The way they’d slid up and down his hard shaft. Perfection. Beauty. Before all the horrible shit had happened.

His hand went to his erection and stroked, base to head, following the memory of warm moist heat engulfing his cock, the press of Timothy’s large hands into his hips, anchoring him against the bobbing of his blond head…

Timothy had been the daring one, the first one to break the silence between them. They’d been mates since childhood, but that other part…the sexual desire, the raw need that simmered between them since their bodies had become men’s bodies…had been a forbidden topic. Until that night. Until Timothy cornered him in the alley behind the sushi restaurant Basho’s parents owned.

Basho was emptying the garbage and had just thrown some scraps to the alley cats after closing when he heard footsteps. At first he’d tensed, not knowing who it could be. His father had once gotten involved with some really bad people back in Tokyo and had made the asshole mistake of informing on them. Basho lived in fear they’d follow his family from Tokyo to London.

“Hey you.”

He’d breathed deep relief at Timothy’s voice and turned. A single bulb above the back door of the restaurant lit the alley way, made Timothy’s shaggy hair look like an angel’s halo. But when Timothy came up to him, the look in his eyes was not of an angel. The dark hungry glitter in them made Basho’s heart speed up.

“Hey yourself,” he muttered. “What’s going on?”

Tim drew closer. Close enough that his spicy aftershave invaded Basho’s senses, made him slightly dizzy. His body responded to Timothy’s muscular frame, outlined in his tight t-shirt, the way it always did, with heated blood and tightening deep in his balls, a sensual contraction which spread rapidly up his cock, making it push against his trousers.

“I’ve something to tell you, mate,” Timothy said softly. “I can’t wait any longer.” He took another step, bringing him nearly up against Basho’s chest. Leaning in, he pressed Basho back against the wall, face so close to Basho’s, Timothy’s breath fanned over his lips.

Basho’s mind swirled. His vision blurred and…kuso…the brush of Timothy’s chest against his made his nipples tighten, even through both their layers of clothing. The warm summer evening got much hotter. “What is it? Tell me.”

Timothy chuckled, but Basho heard the nervousness. They were both nearly twenty and he’d known the bloke for eleven years, knew just how Timothy was feeling from just one sound. And he knew well what Tim’s laugh sounded like when he was nervous. There were only a few sounds he’d not yet heard Timothy make…

Tim’s large hands cupped his shoulders, pressed him more snugly to the wall. “You’re daft, aren’t ya, Bosh?” He remained hovering close, lips a mere few centimetres away.

“I…I guess so.”

“Well, I already told you.” Tim’s posh accent rolled through Basho’s mind and trilled through his body like hundreds of tiny fingers massaging him. “I can’t wait any longer.”

Basho blinked. The words carried through the fog of his mind. All the blood had rushed down to his cock…he couldn’t…think. “That’s what you wanted to—“

Tim’s lips crushing on his ended the sentence. At first Basho had jumped, as if given an electric current, but Tim’s taller, broader form pressed him back, pinned him in surrender. The tip of the other man’s tongue pushed open his lips, demanded to go deep inside.

Basho parted his lips, accepting the velvety moist heat. He’d never kissed anyone before, man or woman and this was fucking incredible. Better than any saké or food.

Tim slid his tongue along Basho’s, danced against it while his body rubbed Basho’s in a slow heated rhythm. Tim’s cock was hard, like steel, against his. Even through their trousers, each grind sent licks of heat through Basho’s whole lower body. Blindly he reached around with both hands and grabbed Tim’s ass cheeks, pulling him as close as he could possible get. If he could have pulled Tim deep inside him forever he would have, to keep this incredible feeling, so it would never end.

Back on his futon, the memory took over and Basho could no longer tell the difference between the reality and his thoughts. His hand became Tim’s mouth, after Tim had pulled away from their kiss and yanked open Basho’s trousers.

“I’m gonna make you feel so good, Bosh,” he’d breathed and dropped to his knees. In the next second, Tim’s mouth had invaded his cock, pulled the plump head in with hot suction.

Available at Total-E-Bound

This zodiac reading could explain why I feel so opposed this year! Not to say that there is nothing good in my life. I have much to be grateful for. But at the same time, I feel sometimes like I am coming up against some invisible force that’s pushing back against me. Maybe this explains it!

Rooster Overview
In general, none of the Rooster’s traits appeal to, or are well tolerated by the Rat. After the Horse, the Rooster is the sign most likely to have a challenging year. There will, nevertheless, be a few opportunities. A cooperative attitude, and winning allies. are likely to be keys to your success. On the other hand, if you succumb to the Rooster propensity for arguing and quarrels, you could have a very difficult time. It is up to you to minimize the damage by displaying the right attitude.

Rooster Rating
37% (2 favorable, 1 neutral and 9 unfavorable months)

Rooster Career
Progress may be a little slow on the career front this year. Do not dismay when plans go astray and be especially careful not to over-react to your coworkers when they do. Take time to understand the roots of your problems and use your sharp mind, not your tongue, to resolve them. If you wish to be successful in a more challenging year, you will need the support of your co-workers and your superiors. This is definitely not a year to go it alone. Mental stimulation is high this year, so be sure to seek out training opportunities.

Rooster Relationships
The energies of the year are not as conducive to relationship success for you. The single Rooster needs to take care not to rush into anything new this year, as things may not always be quite what they seem. Your social life will be fun, although you must be careful not to do anything too crazy and get yourself caught up in a situation you do not want to be in. The Rooster in a relationship needs to take care and avoid missteps, as small problems have the potential to erupt into larger, uncontrollable ones this year.

Rooster Health
As it is not the best year for relationships, you must be particularly careful when the added stressed caused from relationship problems could be detrimental to your health. The best thing for you to do this year is stay active and use the physical activities to reduce the added stress levels you are experiencing. Remember, the mindset of the Rat can be particularly aggravating to a Rooster, so take care of yourself.

Rooster Wealth
If you have not already created a budget for the year, now is the time to do it. When you do, make sure to plan for the unexpected as heavy expense may occur and have you dipping into your hard earned savings. Take care when shopping and spending, as the temptation for something new could come back to bite you down the road.

More from Astrology.com
Explore more with a free sample Year of the Rat Forecast!
Count your blessings with this unique free sample reading!
Embrace Eastern wisdom with a free sample Chinese Personality Analysis.

I’m so excited and honored to have Black Lace author (and fellow Gackt lover), Madelynne Ellis on my blog in an exclusive interview. Yay!

About Madelynne
Zodiac sign: Cancer, Water Ox
Favorite foods: Cheese, Chocolate, Olives
Music: Gackt and far too many other things to list.
Authors: Winston Graham, JRR Tolkien
Films: Labyrinth, Infernal Affairs, Ashura, Dangerous Liaisons

SG: Hi Madelynne. Thanks so much for being on my blog today.

ME: Hi Sedonia, and thanks for having me. I feel all honoured.

SG: I’ll start with the question all erotic romance authors are asked: What got you into writing this genre?

ME: Well, back in the mid-nineties a friend of mine found the Black Lace book I was reading and suggested that I have a go at writing one. I had no writing aspirations at the time, but it sounded like an interesting idea, so I sent off for their guidelines, and rather a long time later they published my first book – A Gentleman’s Wager. Now, I can’t imagine writing a book that doesn’t include sex in some form, both the act and the complex emotions that surround it are such a large part of who we are.

SG: This is the question I love to ask. Do you have certain guys who inspire the heroes in your books?

ME: I don’t particularly go looking for people who resemble my heroes, but occasionally I stumble upon someone who makes me go, ‘That’s .’ And then I will collect pictures of them. Jonathan Rhys Meyers with long hair always reminds me of Vaughan from A Gentleman’s Wager and Phantasmagoria, while this image (1) of Gackt is exactly how I imagine Takeshi in his wedding outfit in Dark Designs. Gackt in this guise was very definitely the starting point for Blaze in Broken Angel (in Possession). Actually, much of the story was inspired by his promo video for the song Vanilla.

SG: As you know, I’m particularly fond of Takeshi from Dark Designs. Can you talk a bit more about the inspiration for this character as well as the story in general?

I’m not really sure why I decided to have a Japanese character in Dark Designs, other than it seemed appropriate to the setting. The book is about Remy Davies a gothic fashion designer with a yaoi fetish. I wanted to make Takeshi unashamedly geeky but in a cool, slightly aggressive way. A lot of the elements of his character (and those of the others) are references to comics, manga and anime, for example his silver-blue hair and bosozoku (biker gang) background. Really I suppose that book is populated with exaggerations of characters I’ve encountered through life. It was enormously fun to write.

Curiously, many of the video game, comic and music references I included, I expected to be asked to remove in the revisions phase. The fact that they made it to the published version makes me all kinds of happy.

SG: Readers may not know that you won Best Male-Male Sex Scene Scarlet Magazine, 2006 Erotic Fiction Awards for a scene between Takeshi and the other hero Silk. I did love that scene myself! Was writing m/m something that has just come naturally to you or has there been a process of discovering that this is a genre that you love writing in?

I think I’m just wired that way. From the outset, I’ve included m/m scenarios in my work, although until recently I’d never written anything longer than a short story that was entirely m/m focussed. I tend to veer towards the ménage a trois in longer works as it allows for loads of conflict. However, I’m currently finishing up a Regency set story about two men forced to spent a night together in a haunted folly and that’s entirely m/m. Hopefully, someone will love it enough to publish it.

SG: I know that you also enjoy writing historicals. What periods do you favor and why? I’m currently reading A Gentleman’s Wager and I’m impressed by how vividly you evoke the period. How much research do you need to do to achieve this?

My favourite era to write in is definitely Georgian England. There’s such a lot going on in the world, you have rigid social divisions, and most importantly fantastic clothes. I particularly love men’s costumes from that period, as they’re so lavish and pretty with their abundance of beads, buttons, ribbons and lace. The illusion of androgyny fascinates me. I love that the men look like butterflies, but are still sword-carrying alphas underneath it all. Oh, and of course the strength and beauty image feeds straight into my whole fascination with bisexuality.

As for how much research I do… Well, I have a broad idea of the time so I tend to just research specific details as required. I’ve made period costumes in the past, and being in England I have numerous castles and great houses virtually on my doorstep if I want a bit of inspiration. Obviously, there’s a lot to account for, but the most research heavy book I’ve written was actually Passion of Isis, which is a contemporary set on an archaeological dig in Egypt.

SG: What are you currently working on?

I’m still tidying up Pure Folly (mentioned above) and I’m busy outlining the next book in the A Gentleman’s Wager series. I’m keeping the title secret, but this book will wrap up Vaughan, Bella and Lucerne’s story. It takes place shortly after the conclusion of Phantasmagoria and will be very relationship based.

SG: What releases do we have to look forward to in the near future and could you please share a snippet of something for us?

No definite release date for anything in the future at the moment except for a short story, El Alquimista, in Love at First Bite.

This is a snippet from Phantasmagoria.

‘Let go!’ Bella fought against Vaughan’s hold, but remained trapped between the flexing steel of his warm body and the wall. Vaughan quashed her cries, forcing his tongue into her mouth and kissing her hard.

She melted.

Nobody else ever kissed her with the same knee-buckling intensity, with a taste that washed straight to her quaint. She’d never been able to resist his kiss. Never.

‘Get off me,’ she snarled, when he finally pulled back for air.

‘Not yet.’ He locked an arm across his chest, while his body still pressed against her as unyielding as pig iron, and with his free hand he lifted her hem.

Her arousal exposed, Bella turned her head away from his scalding breath. ‘I’m not your plaything. Not even your mistress.’

‘You’re my lover.’ His breath troubled the pulse point in her throat. ‘If not my mistress, what are you, some slattern that needed a bed for a night?

She snapped her teeth at him, but he merely laughed and pushed his fingers into her heat. His thumb worked bitter circles around her clitoris, driving her onto her toes, gasping for breath. Arousal so thick it felt like bellyache knotted her lower half. Slickly, his fingers worked their magic, driving her to the brink of joy, and transforming sharp words into sharper breaths.

She couldn’t speak. She felt his cock lying unbearably hard against her hip, so full of promise.

‘Sing for me, my nightingale. Come.’ He dragged his lips down the side of her neck and sucked. She couldn’t fight it. Shards of frosty hatred cracked into sparklers of delight. The swirl of his thumb, the twist of his fingers brought such sweet, swift pleasure, her limbs trembled.

Bella’s pulse raced with need and expectation. She managed to win one arm free, and immediately dug her fingers into his bottom. The muscles clenched and unclenched as he rocked against her thigh, taking his pleasure from the friction. The dance of their bodies slowed, as her breaths became shallow and ragged. Everything was concentrated in her clit and the tingle of her nipples. The whole world seemed to contract into one point as she gasped into his chest and her orgasm rendered her soft and pliant.

Bella snuggled against his shoulder, her eyes wet with tears, content for a moment to simply exist in his embrace.

‘Now you’re even.’ Vaughan disentangled their bodies, and stepped back. ‘Don’t ever presume to tell me whom I can bed in my own house.’

She felt the blood return to her face. Her eyes narrowed, but so did Vaughan’s. Was this battle of wills really what she wanted? She longed for Lucerne’s easy smile, the safety of his embrace.

Vaughan was the most exciting, sexually aggressive man she’d ever met. The most perverse, the most infuriating, and it hurt to love him.

God, how it hurt!

Thank you, Madelynne!

Visit Madelynne’s website.