Cameron Yorke's Blog

Why A Complicated Love

Daniel Kemp

Why A Complicated Love by Daniel Kemp

My rating: 5 of 5 stars


Mr Kemp is a masterful story teller. This is the second book of his I've read, and as with the first, it had me enthralled right until the very end. this is a story, of forbidden love, but there are so many elements to the story - gangsters, unexpected murder, infidelity, intrigue... a real page turner! My only criticism is that it was too short. Otherwise a thoroughly enjoyable read.



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We all know that tops regard themselves as the alpha male of the gay sex world. They are dominant, masculine, He-men — pillars of testosterone and virility. Indeed, throughout some cultures, in some parts of the world there is also a misconception that a top is technically not gay because they ‘give.’ We asked a cross-section of the community what six things a bottom should never say to a top, and although some of the answers were similar, many were rather amusing. The results are in! Let us know if you agree!1. ‘Is it in yet?’This was by far the most common answer in our survey, and is possibly the most damaging and hurtful to the top. Being so proud and virile, the worst thing you can do is emasculate him by insinuating that his package is not up to par! Other similar phrases were ‘I can’t feel it!’ ‘Your Brother was bigger,’ ‘I preferred your Father,’ or ‘I went to be fucked, not tickled’ It’s also not a good idea to ask him to supplement his offering with wither a finger or a Dildo! You nasty bottoms!‘I could have done with a couple more inches, but hey, beggars can’t be choosers!’2. ‘is that all?’Having been through all that trouble to finally find yourself a hot top, and dragged him back to your apartment, we understand the frustration when its all over in a few minutes or even seconds. Regardless, its just not manners to attack his lack of prowess, and hey, you should be flattered that he has become so excited over you that he couldn’t contain himself! Maybe give him a few minutes, without judgement, to see if he rises to the occasion again, but if not, the answer should never be‘What do you mean, you can’t cum again?’3. ‘Do you have any top friends you can call to help you out?’This, of course, is also a huge wound to the pride of the top. As the Alpha-male, the Lion in the pack, he takes pleasure in the fact that he will show you who’s the boss, so it’s not nice to insinuate that he is not enough to satisfy you! ‘Ill need more than one of you to satisfy me,’ and ‘I like a bit of variety’ are not a good idea either. Similarly, during your liaison, in the full throes of passion, you should also refrain from saying,‘Pass me my phone please, I need to see who else is around on Grindr!’4. ‘Can you play some porn for me? I’m bored!’Your top is convinced that he is going to give you the ride of your life, so it’s a huge dent in his ego if you ask this mid-stride! Far better to suggest that you both watch porn together from the start, so you have it on in the background should you find yourself yawning whilst he is endlessly pounding away without imagination. You should also in this situation, refrain from saying.‘Hurry up, I’ve got another meeting lined up in 10 minutes!’5. ‘I haven’t douched/washed!’Nothing will deaden his libido quicker than the thought that there might be some nasty surprises hidden upon entry. You, as an eager bottom have an obligation to attend to these things ahead of time, in order to accommodate your top in the most hospitable way possible, imparting these comments is just not cricket, and you only have yourself to blame if he turns around and heads for the door! Other comments you should avoid include; ‘I had a killer Vindaloo earlier,’ ‘I hope I don’t fart!’ Or‘Well, if this doesn’t clear my constipation, nothing will!’6. ‘Turn around!’A true top hates the idea of having to reverse roles, and frankly you, as a bottom are just being plain irresponsible in suggesting it! Nowadays, with the prevalence of PnP and Chemsex, more and more tops are doing drugs and literally throwing their ankles in the air as if they were filled with helium! This has reduced the availability of tops in the community by at least half, so to try and convert those who are left, is a punishable offense! Once they have experienced the pleasures of being a bottom, there is grave danger they will never turn back, so don’t you DARE let them in on the secret!‘Are you sure you’re not a bottom also? Shall we try it and find out?And finally, having chosen your hot, macho, libido laden top, pried him away from the ravenous eyes of all those other bottoms in competition with you, it’s really not a good idea once you’re finally alone to utter the words7. ’I only want to cuddle!’ Or ‘Can we just be sisters?’

Posted on October 1, 2018 by Andrew ChristianBy Cameron YorkeWe all know men come in all manner of sizes and shapes, but as you progress through life, there are 10 basis profiles you’re likely to encounter along the way. Of course there are fat ones, skinny ones, athletic gym bunnies, guys with small dicks, and in all number of colours on the spectrum, however we’re not concerned so much with the physical attributes, but rather the prowess, and emotional baggage of each one!1 The First TimerRemember that inexperienced first time, when neither of you knew what to do? It was usually rough, hurried, maybe a little painful, but over almost before it began, and not entirely enjoyable! Even if you managed to lose your virginity to someone with more experience, you’re bound to have encountered this situation at some point in your formative years. Ironically for many of you, you’ll revisit this situation again in your fifties as you head through your midlife crisis and feel the need for youth to feed your ego. Does the age-old adage ‘The older I get, the younger they get’ ring any bells? The difference now is that with the benefit of age and experience you’ll be able to control the tempo and pace so it at least lasts a little longer!2. The Wham, Bam, Thank You Sam!This one is known under many guises; the one night stand, the fuck and go, and if you’re antipodean you’ll also know it by the name Wombat. (Eats, roots and leaves!) these types usually reveal themselves close to closing time in a club, or in the early hours on Grindr, also known as ‘scrape up time.’ You know the scenario -after a heavy night of drugs, or drinking at the bar, and with confidence boosted by the substances coursing through his veins he is horny as hell. He suddenly realizes that if he doesn’t strike now, he’ll be going home frustrated and alone, with only his hand for company, and so begins the frantic search of those still in the game, for someone at least half way decent looking. Even that doesn’t matter too much though, it’s not like he’s ever going to see this guy again, or even exchange phone numbers! For him it’s just a warm place to wank himself, so if you’re going to take him up in his offer, accept it for what it is, and don’t expect him to still be with you by morning!3. The Married ManQuite possibly the worst scenario in which to find yourself! He will promise you everything, profess undying love for, you while insisting ‘My wife doesn’t understand me’ or ‘We haven’t slept together for years!’ Of course he’ll insist they’re only staying together for the children, and once they’re at college you will finally be together… NOT! In this situation he has all the power, he sees you when he feels like it, has the perfect excuse when not! He may even buy you expensive gifts, but unless you like cuddling with Louis Vuitton, that won’t cut if for long. When he feels like it, you might even convince him to stay the odd night, but if you think he doesn’t fuck his wife/husband too, think again! Try telling him you have a dose of the clap, genital crabs or syphilis and watch the look of abject fear flood his face, when he thinks he’ll have to tell her/him!4. The Boyfriend or LTRFor a very few of us, this may the final straw in sexual encounters. They may fall truly, madly, deeply in Love and live happily ever after ’til the end. The sad reality for most of us though, is that there will be many false alarms before we find our ‘Prince Charming’, as attested by the scores of gay couples shopping for furniture at IKEA each week, whilst almost as many are trying to return last months acquisitions. If you manage to find that perfect partner, this can be the best sex of all and only gets better with practice, but we now live in such a fickle, disposable society that the chances of finding that one true love are pretty slim, and at the first sign of discord it’s often easier to walk away than to fight for what you’ve got, a decision you may well regret once it’s too late!5. The Open RelationshipIn every relationship, we all go through stages if discontent, but sometimes we become so tied up financially and emotionally, that it’s impossible to part quickly, easily or in agreement. You may still love him, you just no longer find him sexually attractive. Enter the open relationship! What ever role you play in this scenario, sooner or later it is bound to become toxic. There is always a younger, prettier, slimmer boy in the partnership, and he is generally the one who initiates the idea, basically as an excuse to fuck around with whomever he pleases — his get out jail free card, if you like, whilst still retaining access to Daddies money, and this is where it gets tricky. The other (older, uglier, fatter) one is left with no choice but to agree, knowing that either way, he will lose. Jealousies soon take hold, lies are told, and whether you are part of the couple or just an innocent third party, it almost inevitably ends in tears, from one, or all involved!6. The Power TopThis is the guy who has never really learnt anything since .1. What he lacks In technique and skill, he makes up for in brute force, control and staying-power, otherwise known as an inability to cum! He thinks he is the answer to all boy’s dreams, but in actual fact, sex with him is often uncomfortable, if not downright boring!7. The Power BottomAlmost as annoying as the power top! Your power Bottom will wait to be mounted, before taking on a life of its own, thrusting back at you, and dictating the power, pace and position. Power bottoms usually have jealousy issues too, so you will often find them at Sex parties, keeping a mental note of the guys they’ve fucked and who is left in the conquest. No one is safe when there are power bottoms around!8. The Revenge FuckYou see it happen every Friday night on the gay scene — a couple arrive at a bar and after a few drinks, one catches the other eyeing someone up. A fight ensues so the ‘eyer’ then decides if he’s going to be accused of it, he might as well do it! This is neither a mature or pragmatic way of resolving the initial argument, and can easily put in place a chain of events which will lead to the death of number 4. Above, Or the birth of number 5! If you’re the revenge element, the sex may quite possibly be good, but it will more than likely only lead to a number 2!9. The Sympathy FuckAnother cliché! Your friends boyfriend breaks up with him, he turns to you for comfort, one thing leads to another, and you’re at it like rabbits! You didn’t want to fuck him, but you felt sorry for him. This is wrong in every possible way! You will feel filled with remorse, and your friend will be left wondering if you love him, and on the rebound may start to look for more from you! DON’T DO IT!10. The ‘Dud Fuck’This the worst of them all! Usually they are the cutest of boys, but also the most lazy. If top, they will expect to lie on their back while you do all the work. If bottom it’s no better, they will plant themselves in position and not move for the rest of the night. You can pound away at them, pinch them, slap them, all to no avail, and it’s such a pity because they’re usually so hot, but that’s half the problem — they seem to think it’s their Devine right to just look pretty, and let everyone do all the work!Hopefully many of you won’t have to go though all of these before you find your Mister Right, and when you do, spare a thought for the east of us who are still chasing the impossible dream!Originally published at www.andrewchristian.com.

Having been born abroad, and therefore learning all about Britain, and in particular, London, without the benefit of English schooling, I thought I might share a few of the interesting facts I have gleaned during my short residence.There are more languages spoken in London than any other country in the world, if you don’t believe me, stand at Oxford circus on a Saturday afternoon.The London eye is comprised of 32 capsules, each one representing the 32 boroughs of Greater LondonIt legal for a man to urinate in public in the city of London, provided it is on the rear wheel of his vehicle and He has his hand on said vehicle. A pregnant woman however may pee wherever she pleases!!The longest escalator in is in Angel Tube Station, Islington, at 197ft.It is illegal for London cabs to carry rabid dogs or corpses. By law they must ask if each passenger has either the plague or smallpoxFrom 1307, the head of any whale found washed up on Britain’s shore must be given to The King, and the tail is to be given to The Queen. This is in-case she needs bones for her corsets. Catherine of Cambridge, take note!Big Ben refers not to the tower, but to the actual bell-end. The largest clock in London is not on St Stephen’s tower (Big Ben) either, but on the Shell Mex building on the Strand.There are no roads with-in the square mile of London, only streets, places, gardens, or courts.The London Underground was built in 1863 and was the first metro in the world. Today it is quite possibly the most outdated, broken down, inefficient service in the world!It is widely rumoured that there is a secret tunnel from Buckingham Palace to Green Park Tube Station, to protect the monarch in times of war. I hope the queen remembers to take her Oyster card before she leaves — those ticket inspectors on the Victoria line can be vicious!

High up in the hills, with breathtaking views across the entire city, bay and harbour sits what, in my opinion is one of the best backpacker hostels in Europe – Madeira Happy Hostel.Owner Elisabeth is originally from Venezuela, but with the political unrest there, and holding dual citizenship with Portugal, a move to Madeira seemed an obvious choice. Having had no experience in hostel management, and in fact not having ever stayed in one before makes it all the more remarkable that she has done such an amazing job. Nestled high up on the hillside overlooking Funchal, it is a 15 minute bus ride from the centre of the city, but well worth the extra effort to get there.The Hostel could almost be called ‘boutique’ with just 18 beds, including one double room, which is, not surprisingly, almost fully booked all year round. The rooms hold a maximum of six super comfortable beds, with quality memory foam mattresses. There are ample power points in the rooms, which are light, spacious and airy. The bathrooms are spotlessly clean and well equipped, with a wide range of complimentary toiletries on offer.A large common room stretches almost the entire length of the three storied house on the second level, equipped with excellent WiFi and a large cable TV showing programmes in English, Portuguese and German. This provides the perfect spot to gather over a glass of local wine which can be purchased in house. It creates a great atmosphere for guests to meet and compare the days adventures and excursions in the evenings. Elisabeth is always on hand with friendly advice and recommendations for car hire, tours, and excursions, many of which can be booked from the hostel. From 7am, a complimentary continental breakfast is served, including espresso coffee or a wide choice of teas and the fully equipped kitchen is available to cook meals at anytime of day.‘I knew I wanted to start something in tourism,’ Elisabeth tells me, whilst we’re sitting on the balcony admiring the sensational ever-changing views which spread across the entire city of Funchal and harbour out to the wide blue Atlantic Ocean. ‘At the time there were only two hostels in Madeira, so it seemed there was a market for budget accommodation. At the exact time I started looking, there were 10 houses available and this was the first I looked at. Immediately I could picture how I wanted it to look, and I knew this was the one, especially because of this view!’Being slightly out of the city centre means the surroundings are extremely quiet and tranquil. The bus to the city departs 20m from the front door at a cost of €1.95, with a regular timetable throughout the day. At night the 10 minute taxi ride will cost you €12 from the centre, and with prices starting from just €10 per night, it has to be the best value for money of anywhere in Europe. Transfers are also available from the airport and can be added when booking your accommodation.Contact Madeira Happy Hostel

Fountain pens to me, are the epitome of style and class. A page of written prose looks so much more elegant when written with a nib, no matter what width, style, type or colour.My first experience goes back to the age of eight when I received my first fountain pen at primary school, with which, back then it was compulsory to learn to write. My first attempts at mastering handwriting with a fountain pen were dismal to say the least, and I still have memories of huge ink blots all over my initial exercise book pages, of which no amount of blotting paper could clean up. Being left handed it was doubly difficult for me as my hand would rub across the page, following the written word, meaning I would invariably end the day with smudged words and an inky left palm. I very quickly learnt to angle my book, positioning my hand above my work so as to at least leave something legible at the end of the day.When writing with a fountain pen, it’s all about pressure. The heavier you press the nib on the page, the wider the nib spreads, so the faster the ink flows. We were taught to press firmly on down strokes and glide lightly upwards, creating a beautiful dark and light effect and I still write in this manner today, some 45 years later. Often, half way though a lesson, your pen would run out of ink, and in those days we had an ink well, a small round hole drilled in the top of our desks, which held our regulation school ink bottles perfectly. You would unscrew the casing, dip the nib into the bottle and draw the ink into the chamber by pulling up the small silver lever on the side, creating a vacuum which filled the chamber and away you went again. During school holidays, particularly over summer it was important to empty your pen of ink and fill it with water, to prevent the ink drying out and blocking the entire mechanism.Perhaps my earliest memory of such a creature, was the gold Mont Blanc my Grandmother kept in her bureau, strictly out of bounds to us grandchildren, and kept specifically for writing invitations and thank you letters to her friends for the many dinner parties, social events and soirées she both hosted and attended. Sadly this is a custom which has now been all but lost in today’s society, but back then, they were imperative if you ever wished to be invited back. Grandma’s cursive or copperplate handwriting was beautiful, but the medium nib she used in penning such missives, made it all the more elegant. She always used ‘Cross’ blue fountain pen ink – a clear mid blue colour with light and dark shades which showed a coppery sheen when held against the light. That same colour is still my favourite today, and I go out of my way to ensure I always have a supply of it, whenever I visit a ‘Cross’ outlet. At school however, we were encouraged to use blue/black, which I always found grubby looking, and as soon as I entered upper school, I would plead with Grandma every holidays to be allowed to escape with a bottle of her treasured ‘Cross’ blue! Many of my school friends had by this stage graduated to cartridge style pen refills which were basically plastic tubes already filled with ink, that clicked into the barrel of the pen, piecing the cartridge on contact. Grandma, however would have none of this and for my twelfth birthday I remember being thrilled to have been given a Schaefer, sterling silver pen and pencil set which consisted of a fountain pen, ballpoint, and pencil. In upper school we were permitted to use ‘biros’ but I continued to use my beloved fountain pen.When Grandma died, I was distraught. She and I both shared the same extravagance in all things designer and she was the Queen of style. Knowing of my love for gorgeous little expensive things, she bequeathed her beloved Mont Blanc pen to me in her will, and I still have it to this day. I’ve had various other cheaper versions over the years, and when I became an Author at the age of 39, My Boyfriend bought me a rather gaudy, jewel encrusted Cross Fountain pen, costing eye watering amounts of money, with which to sign books at signings, however Grandma’s Mont Blanc has a lovely feel and balance, and still to this day, 45 years on, it still shows off my handwriting in the best light. Of course it has the added bonus that whenever I use it, I think of her with the fondest of memories.Nowadays, the art of fountain pen writing is all but lost, however it’s still possible to buy a fountain pen to suit any budget, at any good stationery store, and there are of course a myriad of different ink colours still available. The top brands, namely Crossand Mont Blanc offer their own brands of inks, nibs and accessories, and Parker, Schaefer and even Bic offer more affordable options.It’s also important never to lend your fountain pen as it’s said the nib wears itself in to your own writing style, and having some foreign user writing with it can severely effect the balance, which makes my Grandma’s one even more special, knowing her pen obviously approved of its new owner.Over the years I’ve dabbled with calligraphy, and explored writing in italics, particularly for hand written invitations to some of the more exclusive parties and events I’ve hosted, and each style requires a different nib, which, on good quality pens can be interchanged with relative ease, however by now I’ve realised that my own childhood learnings and cursive style are the most elegant, and I still doggedly cling onto the old fashioned notion of a hand written notes of thanks, to every private party I attend, written on Basildon bond paper, monogrammed of course, by the quill of my Grandma’s beloved Mont Blanc.

Hounded by Ellie Douglas My rating: 5 of 5 stars This is not a genre I would usually choose, but wow! it had me hooked from the start. Fast paced, bloody, and gory, it tells the story of a zombie apocalypse, coinciding with a human virus which has hospitals overflowing, at the same time as pet dogs are becoming the undead. The plot develops rapidly with lots of twists and turns along the way, to the point where you are never sure where it's going to take you next - just when you thought it was safe to read another chapter... The Author writes with a unique style, her graphic attention to setting the scene making the characters jump out of the page, and have you squirming in your seat, as the blood spurts and the rancid flesh hangs in shreds. This book will have you riveted until the very end! Ellie Douglas is the Mistress of Horror! I loved this book - escapism at its absolute best!

Hers To Save Complete Series by Michelle Connor My rating: 4 of 5 stars Michelle Connor Hers To Save Complete Series The cover of this book has a dark, sinister look to it, complete with Dragon in flight across the moonlit sky, so I was aware that this book was fantasy, but apart from that, before picking it up I had no idea what to expect. To begin with, the Author, Michelle Connor, sets the scene beautifully, describing the characters so they instantly become real in your minds eye, literally jumping out of the pages at you. I instantly developed an empathy towards young Aveline, the main character in the book, who is forced to care for her younger brother from a young age, when her Mother dies in childbirth with him. Her Father is an ogre who likes a drink, and is handy with his fists towards his children, but she decides enough is enough, when one night he comes home to announce that she is to be sold into an arranged marriage, to an old, rich landlord, in a deal which has already been agreed, and will see him not have to work again. She takes flight in the dead of night whilst father is sleeping, and thereby starts an epic Journey which sees her meet a Prince, a Dragon, and host of rogues, gathering other children along the way which she takes under her wing. Set, supposedly in the middle ages, the story has an almost 'Knights of the Round Table' feel to it, and the scenes and surroundings are also described beautifully, with excellent use of vernacular, fitting to the era. The plot is well developed and keeps the reader guessing throughout the whole story, and I think it would be equally enjoyable for both youth and adult readers All in all, even though its not one that I would have chosen myself, I would happily have given this book five stars, had it not been for the lack of proof reading, resulting in words used in the wrong context, and the odd grammatical errors throughout, which rather spoilt the flow for me, but in spite of this I thoroughly enjoyed it.

FLORENCE: A Traveler's Guide to its GEMS & GIANTS by Patty Civalleri My rating: 5 of 5 stars I Absolutely adored this book! Whether you have been, or are planning to visit Florence or not, this is entertainment at it's best. Entirely factual, it tells the story of the amazing architecture and artworks still in existence in the city to this day, but also gives an in-depth and often humorous account of the famous historical figures to have contributed to the city since the dark ages; including a complete account of the generations of the Medici family who financed its development, artists you know and love, such as Dante the thinker, and writer of 'The Divine Comedy', Uccello and his hatred of cheese, Donatello the only sculptor who could compete with Michaelangelo, or those of which you've maybe never heard, but who contributed so much to the richness of the history of this amazing city. Packed with clever little anecdotes, funny stories and facts not normally available in traditional history volumes, it is complete with photos, drawings, diagrams and maps, and explains the details of each famous artist or personalities' life, who they were friends with, and what they accomplished. the writer, Patty Civalleri has a beautiful writing style, and narrates the book as if she is by your side, telling you the story as a tourist guide. Her sense of humour is evident throughout, and I found myself chuckling the whole way though the book. Even if you have no interest in Italian architectural and art history, you will also love this book for it's comedic value, if nothing else, but I'm sure you will come away from it wiser and better informed about some of the most influential art history ever recorded. Undoubtedly my favourite book so far this year, and well deserving of five stars!

The Story That Had No Beginning by Daniel Kemp My rating: 5 of 5 stars Daniel Kemp The Story That Had No Beginning This book is artfully and beautifully written. The story really doesn't have a beginning because it starts at the end, and Mr Kemp has well and truly mastered the art of segueing back and forward in the tale of the two main characters. The story centres around Tom, or Bobby Brown to his peers, who is already dead, and his twin sister Alice, or Alicia in her newly reinvented life. it traces the way their lives have travelled in two opposite directions, even though their paths often cross inadvertently through their separate social contacts. The plot twists and turns, moves forwards and back in time, and introduces new characters as others meet untimely demises. This is underground London at its finest, and the story is told in alarming detail. The research is extensive and anyone who has lived in the city will identify with the streets and places mentioned. I had no pre-conceived ideas about this book, but I thoroughly enjoyed it. Mr Kemp is a masterful story teller and I can't wait to see what he delivers next! A thoroughly deserved five stars.