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   I want to go ahead and answer a few of the common questions that were
directed at me after this was posted to the UseNet newsgroups:

   Have you written anything else?  - Erotic fiction-wise, no.  Not yet,
anyway.  I started another story in the same vein, but it spent several
long pages meandering around (literally and figuratively), and didn't seem
to want to get anywhere.  I think maybe it wanted to be just plain fiction,
rather than erotic fiction, or maybe it just wasn't ready to be written
yet. I've also written a lot of short stories, poems and lyrics, and even
had a few things published, including a regular music column I wrote some
years ago.  Some of those (the more Pagan-related ones) appear or will
appear on my White Rose Emporium site.

   Is Hallie based on you?  - Not really.  Okay....  just a little.  Not
enough that you should draw any conclusions about me from this story or
character, anyway.  I set out when I started the story to make sure that
she would stand on her own as a character, outside of the perspective of my
life, and I think I did a pretty good job of that.  Griffin and Brendan,
though; they're pure fantasy....

   Why did you use "dirty" or "rough" language like (Gods forbid!) "cock"
and "fuck", when there are other words you could use for these things?  -
Frankly, it started out of a simple attempt by a first-time writer to make
sure that the story was both sexy and sexual, following in the example of
what I had read from other writers.  I later realized that much of what I
had read was borderline in quality at best, and that I would be better
served (and would better serve my readers) if I looked at some other work
for inspiration.  Some of the best work I saw then and since has been
completely devoid of such terminology, using biologically correct words
like "penis" and "vagina", or alternatively, overly esoteric sounding names
from Eastern languages and faiths.  While I respect the desire to make sex
and sexuality less taboo-seeming by avoiding language that has been pegged
as "dirty" or "profane", the simple fact is that we are a human animal, and
our sexuality is (and perhaps should be) oftentimes no less basic and
aggressive than deer rutting in the woods.  (There I go using that language
again!  ;P).  Therefore, with this current version of the story, I made a
concerted effort to more evenly balance the two aspects by removing much of
the rougher language, and replacing it with the best and most realistic
alternatives I could come up with; which I think is a service not only to
the average reader (as well as my usually pristine sensibilities ;), but
also to the characters, as it makes them more real as well.

   Can you give me more information on your religious beliefs?  Would you
take me on as a student?  Can you teach me how to do a love spell?  Would
you do one for me?  - Yes.  No.  No.  and No.  In that order.  Yes, you can
have more information on my beliefs.  But it's simply not possible for me
to respond with as much depth as needed to answer such questions as well as
they deserve to be answered.  The place to get that information is on the
main part of The White Rose Emporium Site at http://www.faeriefire.com. 
Look thoroughly through that (especially when I've had a lot more time to
fill it up), and you'll have more from me than you'll want!  ;) - If you're
looking for a teacher, the start of my answer is the same as the last.  The
rest (for the forseeable future) is to investigate the links I've provided
on The White Rose Emporium's Links page.  Right now, many of these sites
provide more indepth information for "students" than I have easily
accessable (hence the reason why the Classroom is still Under
Construction), and you may indeed find someone willing to take you on as a
student if that is what you want.  - Love Spell, Shmluv Spell...  What you
read in the story is in no way a "love spell"!  And if you're looking for a
spell to make that gorgeous guy you saw at the mall (or our friend Leonardo
DiCaprio) fall in love with you (hey, wait!  If you want Leo, you're
probably too young to be here...  Shame on you!), you need to go back and
re-read the story.  It's no good for you or him/her (or your karma) to
interfere with someone's free will.  Besides which, it wouldn't work
anyway. As for something similar to what you did read in the story... 
Well, you've got some sort of a start already if you read the story.  For
me, magic is really more appropriately done from an earnest expression of
yourself, with whatever trappings you desire, than from a strict ritual
with specific tools and words.  What I give you probably wouldn't do you
much good, anyway, for just that reason.  If you want a spell, buy a book
(preferably one from my bookstore page, since that insures you don't end up
with something that tells you how to turn your intended's ex- into a frog
or dog).

   Lastly: I could certainly try to do a spell for you, but: Get off your
lazy rear and do it yourself!  Re-read this last paragraph a hundred times
for penance, then think about whether you want whatever you think you want
enough to make it happen!  That's the core of real magic.  Not to mention
real passion....