Caution: This podcast uses explicit adult language. Listeners should be age 18+ to listen to this podcast.

Julie R. Enszer joined us on SistersTalk Radio to discuss her first book of poetry, Handmade Love.

In her first collection, Julie offers poems that are as unabashedly erotic as they are feminist.

Whether responding to queer cultural icons, fantasizing about sex, or mourning illness and loss, these poems are sweet, sultry, fierce and tender.

Author Andrea Askowitz joined us on SistersTalk Radio to discuss her book ‘My Miserable, Lonely, Lesbian Pregnancy.’

She Said, She Said is a podcast featuring lesbian couple Genia and Andrea. Genia is the host of SistersTalk Radio and Andrea is the assistant producer.

In Monday’s segment, we discussed:

*Analysis: Venice 1.01
*Book discussion: My Miserable Lonely Lesbian Pregnancy (by Andrea Askowitz)
*Listener submitted question: How can I tell when my girlfriend is lying to me?
*Parenting: When your teenager sneaks out the house at 1am
*Using WebWatcher to secretly monitor your partner’s web activity

If you’re as sick of mommy bloggers who do nothing but pimp baby toys and complain about their lack of sleep as I am, you’ll love Garland Stewart’s book Say Uncle. Stewart’s book should be required reading for every mommy blogger in America, especially those who think dirty diapers and teething babies are the worst parenting experiences in the world.

Garland Stewart never wanted to be a parent. He’s a single gay man who wanted to make lots of money, travel the world and meet beautiful men; instead, Stewart ended up parenting his five nieces and nephews, broke and settling for anonymous sex at his local small town Mississippi secret hookup spot. Say Uncle chronicles Stewart’s experiences as an inexperienced pseudo father who struggles with his desire to run as far away from Mississippi as possible and his obligation to raise his drug-addicted sister’s five children.

Readers learn that Stewart experienced childhood sexual abuse at the hands of his closeted gay stepfather – a man who Stewart eventually develops a dysfunctional love-hate relationship with. Stewart also tackles issues like: proper ways to discipline children, raising ornery teenagers who hate you, raising someone else’s ornery teenagers who hate you, and being a homosexual in the deep south.

Even though Stewart’s book tackles serious real-life issues, readers will find themselves laughing constantly – from page 1 to page page 207.

Author Cheril N. Clarke examines love, self-loathing and dirty politics in her novel Losing Control. Toss in a closeted lesbian, a closeted gay man, a confused married woman, an angry husband and an ambitious backstabbing campaign volunteer and you’ll be glued to the pages of Losing Control for hours and hours.

Clarke does an excellent job of examining the coming out process: from denial and self-loathing to the moment every gay person finally experiences full acceptance of who s/he really is. Every emotion her characters feel, you feel: angst, intense sexual arousal, anger, frustration and joy.

Losing Control is a touching, dramatic and tumultuous lesbian love story. Readers will want to skip ahead to learn the outcome of Brianna and Pamela’s relationship because the sexual tension will drive any warm-blooded person insane. The last page of this novel will leave readers asking, “What? Is that it?” and anxiously waiting for a sequel.

Have you ever received a letter from a long-lost friend that brought back dozens of happy (or not so happy) memories? Have you ever found a box full of old pictures and letters in your attic? If you’ve ever experienced either one of these events, then you know the kind of emotions Lamar Ariel’s novel Ready to Male invokes in its readers.

Ariel presents candid memories of his life in 109 pages of dramatic and intense storytelling in 33 letters to family members, friends, strangers, exlovers and future lovers. I laughed while reading his letter “Dear Because I Said So,” cried while reading the letter “Dear You Said You Loved Me” and shook my head while reading “Dear Nice Guy.”

Ariel’s readers watch him live, love and learn as he desperately attempts to understand himself and the world around him. Every Ready to Male reader will see a reflection of himself (or herself) in this book and it doesn’t matter if you’re male or female, Black or white, gay or straight.

Sometimes I wonder why authors send me their books to review. I’m not always kind.

Fred Nicklaus, a fellow Wisconsinite, called me a month ago and asked if it was okay to send me his new book The 9 Minute Combat Endurance Training Workout. I was hesitant at first because the accompanying web site reminds me too much of the format multi-level marketers use. But, since I made the same weight loss New Year’s resolution a lot of people made, I figured it wouldn’t hurt me to agree to the review since he was sending me the book for free.

The book contains an introduction, a complete 9 minute workout, advice about eating better and useful tips that will help you live a healthier lifestyle.

When I flipped through the book, the workout reminded me of junior high school gym. The workout is very basic and extremely easy for all fitness levels – even lazy slackers like me. I think it took more time to read the workout steps than it did for me to actually do the workout routine. I’ve been doing the routine for a little over 2 weeks and I dropped 17 pounds.

Now before any of you go running out to buy the book, keep in mind that I combined both diet and Fred’s workout routine, in addition to walking on my treadmill at least 3 times a week for 30 minutes (at the slowest pace possible, I was almost standing still!).

Fred’s 9 minute workout is a great way to ease into a more strenuous exercise routine. It’s like learning to ride a bike using training wheels. Once your training wheels come off, you can do the routine 2 – 3 times in a row to maximize its effect.

If any SistersTalk readers have a great workout routine, let us know!

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