Home Visits by Gemma Parkes

After yesterday's review of Gemma Parkes' short story, "Good Doggy," I decided to purchase "Home Visits" - a short story also available for Kindle. You can't blame me for trying, right?

I don't want to take back what I said yesterday. Everyone has their tastes in erotic literature and Parkes' work might not tickle my fancy - could it be that I'm not British? However, there's something unsexy about the use of the word "bottom" when referring to one's ass. Babies have bottoms. Adults have asses. There's nothing exciting about the former - we find them cute (sometimes). Words are an author's trade. Picking the right word should be a matter of importance. Hell, in the coming weeks, I'll probably look this review over, find a mistake or something that might need rephrasing and edit it. Or I'll shrug and then carry on. I accept that we sometimes have to stop working on the edit - though, one of my mentors once told me that a writer's editing work is never over.

So what about "Home Visits?" It was slightly more erotic than "Good Doggy," I'll give you that. However, it's still lacking the essence that I'm looking for in an erotic story. There's not build up. There's no want or need or longing. Instead, it's all wham, bam, thank you ma'am. Which is all right for a one night stand, but I plan on taking my erotica to bed with me (take that anyway you want to).

Once again, Gemma Parkes brings us into the world exhibitionism when a woman takes a client for a friend. Expecting the same old escort/prostitute song and dance, she learns that she was hired to play with the client's wife/girlfriend instead. She gets turned on attempting to please the woman and the man at the same time - he's watching after all. It's around this time when the narrator starts to worry, "I glance up at the man. He still appeared calm. I realised that this wasn't hot enough for him." Irony? Can we call this irony? Here I am, the reader, hoping for some excitement, but instead get this story.

I'll give it a break. I'm not going to deny Parkes the right to express her sexual desires. I'm just not going to partake in them anymore. Until next time, keep on huntin'.

Good Doggy by Gemma Parkes

I was a little skeptical. I believe I had every right to be skeptical. After posting my review of Alison Tyler's "On Finding Jon's Porn" on Good Reads - which then announces it on Twitter - I got a reply about Gemma Parke's short story, "Good Doggy." Being the good book hunter that I am, I quickly went over to Amazon to check things out. I then went to Good Reads to see what others were saying about the story in question or anything else by Gemma Parkes. 

"Good Doggy" wasn't the story that caught my eye. That was reserved for "Home Visits." However, I was deterred from purchasing either story. The reason? Both stories had five-star ratings, which were give by Gemma Parkes. There's nothing wrong with self-promotion, so I don't hold it against the author to advertise on Twitter by replying to anything I post. In fact, I encourage new or unknown writers to do so. However, I draw the line at self-rating. So I almost went without purchasing any story by Gemma Parkes. But then, curiosity - as it is my mortal enemy - overwhelmed me and I purchased "Good Doggy."

I've never heard of the term dogging before tonight. It's essentially having sex in a car parked in a public place with other people watching or even joining in. Okay, you've piqued my interest. 

The story follows a woman's introduction to the dogging scene. The story isn't any special, but I'm not stating it's not worth a gander - it most certainly is. I'm not going to jump the shark and state that Gemma Parkes should just quit while she's ahead. Maybe this story wasn't for me. Maybe, I should've just gone ahead and purchased "Home Visits" instead. Either way, I'm not going to quit on her now. 

My problems with the story - first let me go over the superficial things - starts with the format. I don't know who to blame this on - I mean, Alison Tyler's "On Finding Jon's Porn" also had some format faults that bugged me. Spacing before paragraphs that come and go begins to make me tick. The pace was also a tad too quick. Sex is supposed to be sensual, therefore, erotica should follow suit. If you're lover doesn't tease you with foreplay and rushes to the point, you feel unsatisfied and unworthy of their patience. The same goes for the erotic writer. I don't want "less poetry." I don't want the writer to just "be specific." I'm also not looking for the next Anaïs Nin. If I wanted cheap thrills, I'd just watch pornography.

Gemma Parkes has potential. And I wish her luck on this journey. "Good Doggy" is available for Kindle for only $1.00. Until next time, keep on huntin'.