Guest Author - Naomi Bellina!

A Companion by Any Other Name

Prostitution, the world's oldest profession, is legal and regulated in many countries, legal but not regulated in others, and outlawed altogether in the United States, except some rural counties of Nevada. Prostitutes have been portrayed in romantic comedies like Pretty Woman, Mighty Aphrodite, and The Owl and the Pussycat. Paul Schrader gave us a glimpse of a male escort with Richard Gere as an American Gigolo, and who can forget the delightful Deuce Bigalow, Male Gigolo? All these movies portrayed different lifestyles of call girls (and boys), but one that interested me was the companion character on the space western series Firefly.

I just finished watching that delightful program, (I know, I'm a bit behind with my television viewing), and Inara, a companion, captured my imagination. Wikipedia describes the companions in this show as high-society courtesans, part of the social elite, offering not only sexual services but nurturing services as well. Companions were generally regarded in high esteem, though some people looked down on them. Mal, the hunky hero in Firefly, often ridicules Inara's job, but we suspect that's because he cares for her himself and is jealous of her clients.

I enjoyed the way Inara decorated her shuttle to produce an elegant atmosphere, in contrast to the rather stark environment of the rest of the ship. Her tea ritual was designed to put clients at ease, and she gracefully handled every situation that came her way. Not only was she beautiful, spending time with her seemed to be a most relaxing, pleasurable experience. I can see why she was such a popular companion!

In my short story, Let Me Entertain You, the heroine, Molly, is a rather unladylike and feisty lady of the evening. She knows how to fight and how to defend herself. In her world, sex workers are called adult entertainers, and Molly corrects a dwarf who calls her another name she finds insulting. Her town is known throughout the land as a mecca for their many desirable entertainers, so we know prostitution is legal there. When Molly needs to unwind, she visits a place where she can receive tender services, much the same as Inara offers. You can find this tale in my anthology, Lust and Longing.

What do you think? Should prostitution be legal in the United States? If you're in a country where it is, how does that work out?

Thank you to the ladies of Nice and Naughty for letting me be your guest today!

Blurb:

A not-so-ladylike lady of the evening accepts a dangerous job from a dwarf, against her better judgment. Carrying out the mission will take all her skill and cunning, and requires a visit to her favorite place of relaxation, a bathhouse of sensuous delights. Join Molly as she gathers her energy, then charges ahead for the adventure of her life.


Excerpt:

Molly didn’t know whether to laugh at the strange little man’s request or chide him for wasting her time and throw him out on his ear. As she had always been an inquisitive woman, curiosity won out, and she decided it would amuse her to hear the whole story.

“Now, let me get this straight,” she told him. “You want me to get friendly with a palace guard named Hagar, get him to take me into the castle at Astatula and kill someone of great importance. And you’re asking ME to do this, why?” she asked.

“Well, seeing as how you’re a whore and all…” Dolan began.

Quick as lightning, Molly reached over and grabbed Dolan’s wrist in an iron grip.

“I’m an adult entertainer is what I am. That’s what you need to call me.”

“You see? You’re perfect for this job!” Dolan exclaimed as he tried in vain to extricate his arm from her grasp. “You got good reflexes, you’re a decent lookin’ woman, and you’re strong. I see you working out at the practice field. You’re in good condition, top form. I know you can handle yourself. Hagar likes his, ah, entertainment, that’s why I think you’re the right person to do this.”

Molly preened a bit at the compliment, and let go of his wrist.

“A woman in my line of work has to stay in shape. Sometimes I get…unwelcome attention; I have to protect myself. But back to your story. Tell me, who is this person of importance you want killed?”

Buy link:

http://www.amazon.com/Lust-Longing-Sexy-Erotica-ebook/dp/B007Z3R40E/ref=sr_1_6?ie=UTF8&qid=1335971971&sr=8-6

Bio:

Naomi lives in beautiful sunny Florida with the love of her life and a magical black cat. She writes for various fiction and non-fiction markets, but finds she is drawn to erotic romance because her characters insist on canoodling, and sometimes even falling madly in love. So she lets them. Occasionally, however, they go to dark and strange places. She lets them do this also. Most of her stories will surprise readers with unexpected twists and turns, because isn't that what makes life exciting?

Her interests include dancing, hula-hooping, drumming, and creating healthy meals. She takes the opportunity to play, have fun, and indulge in the pursuit of passion whenever possible. She hopes you enjoy her stories and would love to hear from you at naomibellina(at)live(dot)com. Visit her website at http://www.naomibellina.com/

Her motto: Never pass up the opportunity to have an adventure!