2 Taboo?

A few years back, I was developing a science fiction romance that I suspected would branch out into a series.  That book was Belle Starr, and I’ve since set other books in that same fictional universe. As I was world building, I stumbled across the excerpt for a m/m twincest romance. It shocked me, not only the topic, but the idea that a publisher would take the risk and put out a book with a subject so taboo. After all, this is the sort of thing that puts people into counseling, here in real life.

By education, I’m a historian and cultural anthropologist. I have a passion for learning about the cultures of others, which may explain why I enjoy writing in genres where world building is a requirement. While I was shocked by the idea of a twincest book, I was also fascinated and plunged into research on the subject. While I didn’t find any cultures that condoned m/m twincest, I was surprised to find that there are several societies where m/f twins are not only allowed, but expected to be joined in marriage. One Asian culture believes that the twins have been living in intimate contact during gestation, so they are morally obligated to marry. A Native American tribe has the tradition that twins were star-crossed lovers who lost or missed one another in a previous existence. Thus, the Gods have ensured that they would always be together.

While I was developing the supporting aliens in the Coalition universe, I decided to utilize the idea of twincest in a setting that felt normal and healthy. Thus, when I created the sensual, beautiful Somian species, they were conceived as a twin culture. Children are always born in same sex pairs. While they are close, they are not incestuous. In fact, they believe that twins are aspects of one person. When one of the pair dies, the other often cannot function without his or her sibling. In the book An Uncommon Whore 2: When I Fall, the tragedy of a twin orphan is demonstrated with the Somian ambassadors, Leighe and Ghlen.

There is a second element to the Somian: on very, very rare occasions, opposite sex twins are born. When this occurs, the brother and sister are always married and mated. Their offspring are prodigies…sheer genius. These are the children who push the evolutionary development of the Somian forward. In the upcoming book “The Bacchi,” you will meet Drakh and Balor Partain. They are the sons of a mated twin pair, and play a very important role in the book.

The title character of The Bacchi is Lefi Dhrahn, a twin orphan and highly esteemed prostitute. When he meets to rigid, controlled police inspector Afton Teris, he knows he’ll someday seduce the Valoran. When he doesn’t expect is to become friends…and then lovers.

To learn more about the Valoran, visit my blog for Alien 101: The Valoran.

 BLURB:
The Bacchi Lefi Dhrahn lives a life of luxury and decadence, but is tortured by memories of a lost love. He survives the pain by surrounding himself with sex, beauty and all forms of self-indulgence. When he meets the alluring Inspector Afton Teris, Lefi believes the detective will make a very nice addition to his string of conquests.

He doesn’t count on falling in love.

Afton Teris is a Valoran hermaphrodite and like all members of his species, is stern, cerebral and disapproves of the frivolous prostitute. Afton orients as a male, but the beautiful Lefi Dhrahn stirs him sexually, making him question everything he knows about himself. To further confuse his emotions, Afton finds himself tempted by the forbidden pleasures surrounding the Bacchi.

When a kidnapping ring strikes close to home, the two go undercover on a brothel barge to investigate a slavery operation. There, Lefi is confronted by painful memories from his past, while Afton is faced with a horror that threatens his future, and perhaps his very life. 

Their survival lies with one another, but only if Lefi can set aside his pain and listen to his heart.

(Warning: m/m content, m/f content, intersexed character.)

The Bacchi releases July 31 at http://www.loose-id.com

Belinda’s website: http://www.belindamcbride.com

Blog: http://www.belindam.blogspot.com