SWHM Guest: Megan Reel

ST. PATRICK’S DAAAAAYYYY!!! Hi everyone! I feel like I should be turning everything green. But … you know. I didn’t, so I guess “me speaking” being green will have to suffice today. 

There. :D Good enough right? So it’s definitely still Women’s History Month. The Mary of the Gael aka St. Brigid of Ireland aka Saint Brigit of Kildare is also one of the patron saints of Ireland. Did you guys know that? We’re not talking about that though – because I’m handing it over to Megan Reel now!

Hi [Everyone],

Thanks for inviting me to the blog. It’s exciting to begin a new branch to my professional writing career as an independent author, and writing erotica is a lot of fun. I love world building. I had always wanted to try my hand at a novel that has more of a fantasy feel because fantasy gives me the tools to explore social constructs without the constraints of real history or culture. I can shape the history and culture to explore themes that I find interesting. I also have the leeway to create a culture that is steeped in sex, which is too entertaining for me as a writer.

As I created Alendra, my young queen coming of age in a very matriarchal and sex-positive culture, I couldn’t help thinking about how women’s power and sexuality have always intersected through history. Thinking back on three of the most powerful, and most ambitious female rulers of olden times, I find it both fascinating and disturbing that their sexuality is intrinsically linked with their mythos.

Elizabeth I reigned over England during a golden age of art and exploration. She chose to position herself as “The Virgin Queen,” and refused to marry, knowing that any political union she chose would result in a loss of her personal power. Instead she used her image to consolidate her power both with the political powers of the time and also with the church. Yet, in spite of her carefully crafted image, popular culture hardly ever portrays Elizabeth without also referring to the lovers rumored to have graced her bed.

Cleopatra was a master of political manipulation. She knew very well her position as pharaoh was threatened by the powers of Rome. While her brother is hardly ever mentioned, Cleopatra has inspired great art and drama, but always in her role as the Egyptian seductress. She was the one who rolled herself up in a carpet to seduce Julius Caesar, and she was the one who became Marc Antony’s lover in his bid to throw Octavian from power. I’m not sure it is fair to reduce her political savvy in such turbulent times. She played a delicate hand in a dangerous game of cards and she used everything in her arsenal at the time. It seems reductive to think of her power as coming solely from her love affairs.

Finally there’s Catherine the Great. Married to a man she could not stand, who seemed to wish to defect to Germany instead of actually ruling Russia, she took command of an empire. Now what is she remembered for? Horses. In her case, her ambition to rise to power, and her affection for much younger men, was seen as so unnatural, her name can’t be separated from rumors of bestiality.

I’m glad I can use fantasy to give Alendra more freedom to grow into her power as queen of her people, and use her growing sexuality as a symbol for her blossoming strength as a leader of her people. Sexuality should be seen as our strength, not a weapon to be used against us. Fantasy lets us do just that.

I hope you enjoy Alendra and her six champions. They each have something to teach her both about her sexuality, and about her power as queen. She has a lot to learn, and I’m very glad, because things get rather hot when she does.

Happy reading everyone,

Megan Reel

Bio: Megan Reel loves to spend her time outdoors. When she is not working in her garden or taking care of her horse, she’s exploring the gorgeous and sensual worlds she creates through her writing. Currently she lives on the east coast and enjoys watching the fireflies at night from her deck while drinking a glass of wine. Follow her on Twitter @meganreel. Website, Kindle, iTunes, Kobo, Nook.

The QueenSix lovers. Six ways to seduction. Which one will she choose?

The feast of Rahnis means blazing fires. Sweat-slicked skin. Throbbing drumbeats that drive erotic dances and incite orgasmic pleasure. As the ruler of a country driven by sexual ritual and elaborate ceremonial orgies, young Queen Alendra has presided over countless rites but remains untouched…until now.

Alendra can’t control the intoxicating siren song of her body discovering physical pleasure, but for as much as she wishes to feed her sensuality, she fears losing control and facing the unknown. To make matters worse, the one man she would trust with her awakening is someone she can never have, and now ritual has forced her hand.

It is time for the virgin queen, a deity in human form, to conceive an heir.

Six champions have been chosen. Perfection in male form, they have sworn to satisfy her every desire. Alendra must never know their true identities. Instead she knows them only by the mask they wear, Stag, Bull, Hawk, Serpent, Leopard, and Fox.

The feast is about to begin…

Really interesting subject, and famous figures, yes? Do you have someone who comes to mind that fits the “mold” that Megan mentioned?”

 

2 thoughts on “SWHM Guest: Megan Reel

  1. Pingback: Guest Post! | Megan Reel

  2. dholcomb1

    I can think of a few female leaders whose sexuality was never discussed–but they were still important: Margaret Thatcher, Golda Meir, and Indira Gandhi.

    Denise

    Reply

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