Samhain

 

Samhain or Samhein (pronounced Sow-in);

The festival of The Ancestors, The Great Harvest

The ancient and most holy festival day in the year of the ancient Irish Celts.

On this day the last of the great harvest festivals was celebrated. This day marked the end of one year and the beginning of another, and is rightly considered the Celtic new year. The first half of the year was winter or the dark half of the year. The veil between the worlds is thinnest at this time. Most Celtic festivals are three day feasts. This feast is unusual in that it is not only the day before, of, and after that are celebrated, though it might have been thus in ancient times. Since the advent of the church and Christianity it is The Eve of All Hallows, November 1^st which is All Saints day, and the night of November 2^nd which is All Souls night that are celebrated. The day before was probably when they brought in the last harvest and made preparations for the festival. It should be honored as well.

Families would have gathered together both to fellowship with each other and hold communion with their ancestors and with The Divine in whatever forms they believed in, on the eve of all hallows. Traveling would have been very rare on this night. Sacrifices to show thankfulness to The Divine, and to try and ritually ensure good harvests the following year would have been made. In some places we know that human sacrifices were made but not usually in the horrific manner that many assume. Almost all of the sacrifices would have been people who were willing. The Celts believed in the transformation of the soul and in reincarnation so much that it would not have been as traumatic a process for them as it would be for us in modern times. Most people believed that they were protecting their peoples by allowing themselves to be sacrificed. The sacrifices were also to try and garner favor with the powers that be, so as to make the cold harsh bitter winters as short as possible. Many of the human sacrifices at this time would have been elderly people who felt they had lived a long life and wanted to make sure the younger generations had the chance to do the same. It is also understood that in some places, those willing to be sacrificed would have been seen as heroic and it was believed that their souls would have ascended right into the halls of the gods where they would be seated with the gods having become themselves divine in nature. This would have also led some Celts to ancestral worship.

It was custom at this time and at the time of Beltaine, that all the fires in the land were extinguished for a time and the high-kings fire which was made by his Druids would have been the only fire burning during the ritual. Torches were lit from this fire and runners went out from the kings fire carrying the light to ritual purify all the fires in the land which were re-lit and reborn from the flames of the torches, the runners carried. It was a beautiful tradition that was wiped out by St. Patrickus, who despised and later murdered or forcibly converted the druids and or their followers. Hence the legend of driving the so-called snakes out of Ireland. Snakes in the case being symbolic of the druids.

After the advent of Christianity which brought with it the idea of the angel of death, or St. Death which has various names in Christian and Jewish mythology (traditionally The Arch-Angel Azriel The lead death angel, who is under the command of Gabriel), and who later became myth-ified to another archetypal figure altogether whom we call The Grim-Reaper; Death itself was also honored to a degree in some circles after this era.

Taxes for the kingdom and the high-king were also collected at this time. Groups of Druids with escorts from the Fianna (The High-King’s or Ard-Ri’s personal military police force), went out from the kings hall and traveled through out the whole of Ireland, going door to door as we say. This is what informed the much later tradition we know of as Trick or Treat. The title hearkens back to the idea of various punishments the druids dealt out to people if they refused to pay their taxes when they were able to do so. Much in the same way our own IRS would carry out various punishments on us today even if we couldn’t pay our taxes.  

This was a time of great feasting and celebration. Stories would have been told around hearth fires of legends and also family histories. At this time of the year, ancestors were seen as being very present amongst us. 

May you find yourself blessed with all good abundance this Hallowed Season!!! 

 Blessed Be!

A Memory to Share…

So today I spent a truly lovely day with a dear friend. For the purpose of this post I will call her “Lady D” to somewhat protect her identity, though she knows who she is lol. I have known her only for a brief time in life. For the past three years or so, one of the sweetest spirits I have ever encountered on this earth, with one of the kindest hearts has graced my life and become part of my family and my soul group. She is someone with whom I have had some of the greatest conversations of my life. She just gets me, and that is rare. I think I have a pretty great understanding of her heart of soul, and a healthy respect for her intellect. She is leaving the place where I reside. She is going out into the world to find her a new home and what to do with the next phase of her life. Today was possibly the last time I will see her in person. I hope that is not the case, but it might well be. As I look back on my time with her over the past few years, I can only be truly thankful for her presence. It has truly been my privilege in every sense of the word. I am so thankful to have had the chance to know her and call her friend. I am grateful to Spirit for letting our paths cross, even if only for a brief time. I am also thankful to her for being part of my journey these past years. Wherever she goes and whatever she does, and whoever she becomes from here on out; she goes with my love and my friendship, and best wishes and prayers for her life! Thank you for our time together Lady D, and thank you for such…such, a lovely day. Thanks for the laughter, thanks for tears, thanks for the talks, and thanks years. May God be with you always dear sister, and may your memory of me be as me memory of you; a light in the darkest shadows and times, when all other lights go out! Remember me with kindness of pray of thee please, and when those memories come…I ask, let them be with a smile and followed with laughter. When I think on you I know I shall smile, and hold you in a special place in my heart.

Blessed Be Lady D, Blessed Be 

 

A Portrait of "Lady D" by my Grand-Mother and Artist Billie R. McGehee

Lady D, Always remember you are a Grail Maiden

Fame and Fortune Blog Tour;

Greetings and Felicitations to one and all! The O'Raven Chronicles is pleased to be able to present this post stop for the Fame and Fortune Blog Tour for Author T. M. Smith!!!

Fame and Fortune

An All Cocks Story book #2
Love should be multiplied, not divided!

Victor Dimir moved to America with his traditional Romanian parents when he was just a child. His Romani parents taught him their traditions and how to be a shrewd business man, but it was the attention of a classmate at school that taught teenage Victor about his sexuality. When he came out to his parents he knew it would be difficult for them to understand, but he never expected them to disown him.

Andrew Jones grew up with a single mom and his grandmother teaching him about life, he had an absentee father at best. The only thing the man ever did for Andy that stuck was buy him a camera for his thirteenth birthday. When Andrew went off to college on a scholarship to study photo journalism, he wound up falling in love with his Romanian roommate.

They became inseparable and wound up starting their own business together: a gay porn website where people could go and watch romantic gay porn instead of the rough and tough, or wham bam thank you man crap that was flooding the internet at that time. After ten years together they were still perfectly happy, not realizing something was missing, until they met a broken young man that needed a family.

Matthew Carlson was homeless, jobless and broken. At sixteen he ran away from home after being brutally assaulted by several young men that he thought were his friends, and then being told he brought it on himself for being gay by his parents. Matthew has done a lot of things these last few years just to get by. When he finds the flyer for All Cocks, he decides to call and see where it leads. What has he got to lose?

Matthew has deep rooted scars that aren’t visible on the outside to most. But when he walks into All Cocks, both Victor and Andrew can see the darkness in his eyes; they also see him. Can three men that did not know they needed each other get past the stigma of society to find a place of happiness, together?

*Advisory warning: This story contains a scene of sexual assault.*

Proof Victor is a vampire, Look at those sexy fangs! lol...Just kidding...slightly...oh my; *Panting*

Buy Links Fame and Fortune: Amazon | ARe | Smashwords

Buy Links Gay for Pay: Amazon | ARe | Smashwords

Interview with Andrew;

I am so pleased to have as my guest today Andrew from All Cocks who takes a very central role in T. M. Smith’s latest book, Fame and Fortune.

I have decided to rent out a retreat house this week to do the interview. It comes complete with a hot-tub. So I have to tell you that I get to be in a tub with a half naked Andrew, one of the most blindingly beautiful hottest, sexiest men alive!!! I, of course, because I do not look like him will be fully clothed in the water lol. I believe he is waiting for me. Come on and let’s go join him.

*… We are walking down a long hall way. Ok now let me peer around the corner…OH my, yes, there he is in the tub…fucking hey…that is fine!!!

…Panting hu hu hu huhhhhhhh….*

*I open the door and we go in*  

So, welcome Andrew, I have to tell you I have long been a fan. Between you and me I still have that early video you posted of you and Victor online years ago and I still break it out and watch it. Now of course I have even more reasons to be a fan. I love the work you produce at your company. Even more than that though, I love how you treat the men who work for you and I love that you and your partners have paved your own way in love and journeyed beyond the common social conditionings. I was honored when I was asked to perform your wedding recently. It is one of my favorite wedding ceremonies I have ever performed. Thank you for coming by and blessing me with your presence today to answer a few burning questions I have as a fan. Beyond all of that…You are one of the most blindingly beautiful men on the planet!!! Wow.

“Oh stop before I blush…” *said in sarcastic tone*, “…Of course, anything for you Lucien. And the ceremony was beautiful by the way, thank you”.

Of course…it was my absolute pleasure!!! 

So alright let’s get to the Q & A.

“Water’s warm, come on in”.

*I step into the water and take all of you via this mind camera with me. Now we are in the hot-tub with Mcstudmuffin!!! Think about that for the rest of this interview lol*

Lol thanks, ok…

Question 1:

What immediately drew you to Victor back in collage?

“That voice, I mean damn, you’ve heard him. But the more we talked, I saw he was smart and sexy as well. I think he knew I belonged to him the moment we met. Just took a little persuasion on my part, if you know what I mean”.

Question 2:

When you decided to be together in business and not just personally, was the idea originally porn, or did you have any other ideas for a career at first?

“We didn’t really. Victor finished his degree at a record pace and started working for a Pharmacy, making the big bucks, while I finished mine. We never set out to work together, much less start an online porn company. We were a bit more risqué when we were younger and some of those risks wound up on the web. It was the comments on those postings along with my irritation at not being able to find any good porn online that gave birth to the idea. Well, to be honest it was more like Victor calling me out so I had to at least give it an honest effort. A little more honesty, I expected it to tank within a month or two, but it took off like a rocket and not long after that, Victor quit his job in the corporate morgue and we focused all our energy and attention on truly making All Cocks the best online gay porn site we could. I think our efforts paid off”.

Question 3:

What do you look for when choosing a new model for the All Cocks brand?

“That’s a hard question to answer because I don’t know that I look for any certain thing. Of course they have to be built and hung, that’s a given. They have to be personable, because in a way, they are selling the All Cocks brand, so they have to have the right personality and mentality to do that. I like diversity as well in my models, and while we have a few guys that are strictly bottoms or tops, versatility can take you a long way in the industry these days.

I’ll tell you a little secret. I didn’t want to hire Kory or Connor, that was all Victor. He saw something in them I missed at the time, and while it has been challenging, especially with Kory, I’m glad Victor overruled me on those two because they’ve brought a lot of fans to the site. And since Jon came into Kory’s life, he’s a little less prickly, thank god”.

Question 4:

What inspires you when coming up with ideas and story-lines? Because for me and I think with many of your members, I love the fact that romance and passion seem to play a part in every scene ya’ll shoot! It is not all just wam-bam-thank-you-man like on many other adult entertainment sites.

“It’s a combination of things. I read a lot of romance novels, so I get some ideas there. I watch some of our competitor’s videos occasionally so I can see what everyone else is putting out at any given time, and sometimes an idea will spurn from that. But then I read online forums and pay close attention to what members in the various groups say they would like to see in a film. We have comment sections for each of our videos as well as for the models and we hired a marketing company to compile listings of those comments for us to put together scenes and scenarios for scenes. It was online comments that pointed us in the direction that led to our first and still bestselling full length DVD, Love on the Docks.

I also think about things I would want to see. There was a scene that was never shot between Mattie and Jordan when Mattie was still considering starting in the industry, I didn’t realize it at the time, but that scene was my subconscious describing what I wanted with Mattie. I mean, think about it, I’m a happy, committed man, but I am still a man and I know what we think is sexy.

Then you have to realize that I’m not the only one bringing ideas to the table. Victor has a say in what we shoot as well at times, and now Jordan. They’ve come up with an absolutely atrocious idea for our next full length DVD. If it weren’t for comments on the sites, including ours, I’d dig my heels in on this one, it’s so out there. Thankfully Mattie and I have full control of set design and wardrobe”.

Question 5:

So, will All Cocks just continue on forever for the three of you, or do you think there will be a time you retire from the adult entertainment industry and possibly pursue other avenues of business? Or just retire and if so, what can you imagine yourself doing then in either of those scenarios? 

“There is that old saying, ‘All good things must come to an end.’ I’m certain at some point we will step away from the business. Whether or not we retain control and put someone in charge, sell off our shares or just shut it down and walk away completely, I couldn’t tell you. Whatever we decide we will make the decision together. Knock on wood, that day is a ways off. Regardless, I’m certain I will always be behind a camera in some form or another”.  

And on that note…Don’t forget about the series of photos you are going to do for me, the beauty and spiritual archetypes of men in nature; so I can update my wall art at home and at work! Lol

“ I haven’t forgotten. I am excited. It has been a while since I have shot any artistic photos to sell just for fun or commission. I’ve lined up some of our best models to do a shoot for you. I’m quite certain you’ll be happy with the outcome”.

I am certain I will as well.

Questions 6:

Ok, I, as a minister, am always fascinated by people’s spiritual life. Do you have a spiritual path? What do you believe in as a human being? Do you belong to any particular religion or spiritual community?

“I’m not religious as in going to church, but I’m spiritual in that I believe in God and heaven and angels. I think Mattie is much like me on this one, it’s Victor that has these strange customs and talismans hidden throughout the house. You can take the boy out of Romania , but you can’t take the culture out of the boy”. 

Remind me to ask him about some of those I would love to see them. Maybe I can show him some of mine as well. Lol

Question 7:

Ok, now, I was given your permission ahead of time to ask all the dirty, flirty, fun, and naughty and even down right filthy questions I want; so I have a few of those as well. This is a two part question. What first drew you to your husband Matthew? And the first time the three of you made love, what got you most excited?

“His eyes. They were full of pain and sadness when we first met him. The more time he spent with us, the clearer they got. And I don’t think I will ever be able to put into words the way it felt the first time he looked at me and I saw the love in those deep brown pools. And that second part, that’s a secret, gentleman don’t kiss and tell”.

Question 8:

So when you are making Love with Victor in what ways is it different then making love with Matthew and do you enjoy it when Victor takes you forcefully as much as we do? Because for me, some of my favorite naughty parts of your story that you shared with us and allowed us into, was when Victor was just pounding you hard enough to almost break you lol.

“Victor is a ferocious lover, he always has been, and I can take it. The difference would be that Victor only ever comes completely unglued with me. And I love being pounded into the headboard. With Victor it’s like a no holds barred WWF cage match. With Mattie it’s more subdued but no less fulfilling. Mattie is very sensuous while Victor is more animalistic, but they are both sexy as hell. And on the occasion that we are all three connected at the same time, well that is just pure fucking magic”!

Question 9:

Ok so now for a knock down - drag this to the lowest base graphic kind of question I can. Because, well, I can… and how often am I going to get this opportunity? Lol! Does Victor’s Romanian juice taste different and better than American juice?  Yup that is right, I went there, because I am so jealous you have a Victor. I want a Victor Lol! Yes that is me admitting to the sin of coveting lol. I am sure I will be sorry about it later and repent. Probably…Most likely….Maybe….or not. Hahahahaha

*Andrew falls into a fit of laughter that has him turning red and crying; and he almost falls back into the hot-tub as we get out of the tub and begin to dry off before having a seat. At this point I am almost having a panting fit because Andrew is so fucking sexy!!! *

“Oh my god, you are a hot mess Lucien. And to answer your question, yes, Victor and Mattie each have their own different, unique flavor”.

HAHAHA I thought so! Ok Bonus question:

Do you have a model that you are attracted to sexually that you and victor before Matthew considered ever inviting to your bed? And we can dispense with all the fake polite answers like, Oh no I only saw Victor, or Oh no never with Employees. We are talking about attraction and fantasy lol. You work with some seriously hot fucking men. Besides Victor, I have my personal favorites. Kris and Jordan are two of them. I am also quite fond of Kory. Lol

“We actually did mix business and pleasure early on. There was a gorgeous man of color that worked for us the third year we were in business and we mixed it up a couple times with him. I won’t go into details, but it didn’t end well. That was the last time we invited a third into our relationship until Mattie. You’ll note I didn’t say invited into our bed, because we never invited any of our playmates into our bed. Mattie was the first and only one to have that honor”.   

Ok well that is all the questions I have for you… right now, I am sure I will want to know more later lol perhaps off the record *wink wink*. Thank you so much for coming by and spending this time with me. And now for a total break with all precedence. I am going to let you ask me three questions. Anything you like, there is nothing off limits because you have been so candid with me and are one of my new best friends. A friend who doesn’t mind that I drool over him, his husbands, and several of his employees lol. So ask away.

“Hmmm, it’s sort of like getting three wishes with a genie, I don’t know what to ask.

1.Top or Bottom”?

I am what I call a versatile bottom lol, I prefer most of the time to bottom but every once in a while through circumstance or because of a certain guy I have the urge to top lol. And that is more than our audience ever wanted to know about me lol. Sorry gents and ladies lol.

“I get that. Ok 2. If you could have one night with an All Cocks model, which one would it be? Model Lucien, keep your dirty mind off my two men”!

Off your two men…does that mean I can desire a night with you? lol

“Careful now, I might just have to tell Victor how naughty you have been today and he might just have to put you over his knee and spank you! He has a temper you know”.

*Andrews light hearted naughty chuckle fills the air*

*I am now seriously blushing scarlet while Andrew laughs at me*

No seriously lol, I don’t know. There are three that I am really attracted to. I really like Kris, Jordan , and Kory. Having said that…have you seen Kris’s best friend and his man, and also Kory’s new man? I have to say I might desire a night with one or more of the extended family at All Cocks. If I have to give a definitive answer though…probably Jordan the most. He is just so fucking dom and sexy! I long to have a man who knows how to truly dominate me in the bedroom and who knows how to be an equal partner outside of the bedroom lol. 

“3. So…What are your thoughts on Prison Porn”? 

Hahahahahaha, Um well I have mixed thoughts. I have seen it done really well…and I have seen some that is just too fucking ridiculous or grotesque, to personally give me the thrills. I do have a couple of scenes I have saved though that are fun! Lol

“Really, you’ll have to send me the links for the fun ones, I’ll be sure you have my card before I leave.”

Ok I will do that. Thanks again Andrew, I will call you later. Bye sweets!

*And there he goes folks…let’s us all wish him a fond farewell as we drool ourselves to death. Lol*

*Andrew smiles and waves before, making a mad dash to the bathroom to change.*

*I drool after him as he leaves and for a minute or two afterwards…I need a cold shower now I think*

 Oh he is terrific isn’t he folks!?!

Ok so, we all know that authors and their readers have different Ideas in their heads when it comes to what characters look like. So we have been told who the character inspirations were for the characters by the author. I thought though it would be fun to share what the characters look like in my mind lol.

So here are the Characters as they appear in my mind when I am reading. I am sure the characters themselves as well as the author will either get irritated or get a kick out of the ideas my mind came up with upon listening to the characters and their descriptions.

How Victor Looked in my head till the author introduced me to him lol, say hi to D.O. ; 

I had at first a porn superstar named Lucas in my mind as I began to read the story and then it changed to Matt Dallas;

Matthew for me sort of changed form several times lol. The last two times was a young Heath Ledger, and the it finally settled on an image of a young blonde man whose name I do not know but he became my Matthew until as with all the other characters the author introduced me to her visualizations of the characters; 

*Several minutes later after Andrew has left the building… the Phone Rings*

Please hold on everyone while I answer the phone...  “Hello”! 

*a deep husky thickly accented voice answers* 

Lucien, it is Victor. I am thinking I tell you about my dream of me and man in robes wearing cross. 

*Me...squeek* ....  “Oh um... Hi”!

“Joking aside, you come to studio and we shoot a private scene with you, Jordan and Kris”.

*dead air for a few seconds*

“Lucien, are you still being with me”?

“Oh, sorry, yes I am still being with you. Um  hu well, I’ll have to check my calendar”.  *Lol squeak*

*Victor’s rolling laughter floats through the phone*

“You do that”.

*call ends*

*O-mg I want to hide under the covers now but first I absolutely need a cold shower*

 So good bye everyone!!!

*shower shower shower shower panting panting panting panting*

About the Author; 

Author Bio;

A military brat born and raised at Ft. Benning Georgia; Smith is an avid reader, reviewer and writer. She now calls Texas home from her small town on the outskirts of the DFW Metroplex. Most days you can find her curled up with her kindle and a good book alongside a glass of something aged and red or a steaming cup of coffee!At 42 years young, she's decided to enter the next phase of her life by adding the title of "author" to her list of accomplishments that includes single mom of three disturbingly outspoken and decidedly different kids, one of which is Autistic. Smith is and outspoken advocate for Autism and equal rights for the LGBTQ community.

Her series Opposites goes beyond the norm of society, exploring what society would be like were it the norm to be gay/lesbian. To be straight labels you the outkast. Her latest series, the All Cocks Stories, is set within the world of online gay porn. 

Amazon || ARe || Smashwords || Website

Facebook Author || Facebook All Cocks stories || Twitter

Goodreads || Pinterest || Youtube

Fame and Fortune blog tour schedule: 

September 1^st –

*I Read Selfies | Spotlight, Excerpt

*Foxylutely Books! | Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast

  The O’Raven Chronicles | Spotlight, & Character Interview with bonus content

September 2^nd –

*SiK Reviews | Spotlight only

*Two Chicks obsessed with books and eye candy | Dream Cast, This or That, Guest Post

 Divine Magazine | Excerpt, Dream Cast, This or That, Guest Post

 For The Love of Men | Spotlight only, Excerpt 

September 3^rd –

*MM Good Book Reviews | Excerpt, This or That

*Sinful Reviews | Excerpt

  Morticia Knight | Excerpt, Character Q&A

  Iyanna Jenna | Spotlight only, Dream Cast 

September 4^th –

*Gay Media Reviews | Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast, Guest Post

  LaQuette Romance Author | Spotlight only, Excerpt, Guest Post

*KathyMack Reviews | Excerpt, Playlist, Dream Cast, Guest Post

 September 5^th –

*Bike Book Reviews | Excerpt, Dream Cast

*Bayou Book Junkie | Excerpt, Dream Cast, Character Q&A

 The Purple Rose Teahouse | Spotlight only, This or That

 Love Bytes | Excerpt, Guest Post

 Eyes on Books | Excerpt, Guest Post 

September 6^th –

*Gay Guy Reading and Friends | Playlist

*Molly Lolly | Playlist, Character Q&A

 The Novel Approach | Excerpt, Guest Post

 Jessi G Books  | Excerpt, This or That, Guest Post 

September 7^th –

*3 Chicks After Dark | Excerpt, Playlist, This or That

*Cathy Writes Romance | Dream Cast

*MultitaskingMommas Book Reviews | Excerpt, This or That, Guest Post

*Smut Hut Books | Dream Cast, Character Q&A

Giveaway;

a Rafflecopter giveaway