Fringe Florida in Demand
My friend, Cathy Wos, a Hillsborough County Librarian, shared that there are 10 requested holds for my book Fringe Florida, and it’s not even in stock yet. 
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Fringe Florida now on Bookstore Shelves
I saw a copy of Fringe Florida on the shelf at Inkwood Books in Tampa last night. Strange, I didn’t have the euphoric, giddy response from seeing my first book in a bookstore that I had anticipated. Of course, that probably has a lot to do with just having listened to National Book Award-winner Bob Shacochis read from his latest, The Woman Who Lost Her Soul. Nothing is more humbling to this writer than listening to the words of a great one. Add to that, the falling-off-a-cliff fear of knowing that less than a month from now I’ll be the one sitting on the wooden stool explaining my book and all the humanity and strangeness it entails – the nuances of furridom, 1%er biker wars, swinger conventions, orb tours, and a long list of other seemingly disparate things found in Florida.
Catch me floundering at Inkwood on Tuesday, Oct. 8, at 7 pm. 
On Scientology
Some have asked why I didn’t focus on Scientology in my book chapter on Florida’s unusual religions and practices. After all, it was founded by a sci-fi writer. It uses an electropsychometer, a device which looks and sounds like something from a 1950s b-movie, to help “clear” practitioners of implanted “spiritual disabilities.”
The church’s outreach group is called Sea Org and upper ranks dress like naval officers. And most germane to Florida, it owns about half of downtown Clearwater. The Gulf coast city is home to Scientology’s spiritual headquarters, or Flag, as the church calls it, being short for flagship. These are just a few of the church’s, shall I say, unconventional attributes. Solidly fringe material.
But Florida has so many faiths that fall outside the norm. I gravitate to irony, so I juxtaposed one of Florida’s oldest religious communities which holds séances and orb tours with the Disneyfication of Christianity at Holy Land Experience. Little evokes “Florida!” more than a theme park.
That’s not to say I didn’t consider Scientology. During my Florida travels, I stumbled upon a Scientology gathering at one of their multiple buildings in downtown Clearwater. I got an e-meter demonstration by a Flag member wearing gold lipstick. I watched the church’s slickly produced, ambiguous videos on large HDTVs while the same Flagger watched me. I took their personality test, which another Flagger said showed I was depressed. (She told my friend the same thing.) My unplanned visit was quite enlightening, but after reading about the church’s response to press and the South Park parody, I decided it best to leave in-depth coverage of Scientology to those with a legion of lawyers on retainer.
This week’s article, In Texas lawsuit, judge orders Scientology and its leader to stop harassment, by Joe Childs and Thomas C. Tobin in the Tampa Bay Times reminds me of my wise decision.
Fetish Con Revisited
It’s only appropriate that near the release of my book I return to where I began the adventure, Fetish Con. Yes, this is a convention with a trade show floor, conference rooms and all the trappings of bourgeois commerce, except Fetish Con vendors push everything from super hero porn to shock wands. Kinksters attend seminars on age play (think men in diapers) and how to safely beat their partner. The downtown Tampa Hilton (formerly the Hyatt) has hosted the kinky event since 2004, so long that leather-clad fetish models in platforms and a man dressed as a bumble bee standing outside the hotel don’t get second glances from the passing suits on lunch break. It was here in 2009 that I discovered that my state is a beacon in the dark world of sexual fetishes. No state outside of California, of course, matches Florida in kinkiness or business enterprises that supply the goods, be they fetish models, latex clothing, or human pony tack.
For the Bubba Rubberist.
I met my first ponygirl at Fetish Con along with an international pony play champion. They weren’t around during my visit this past weekend, but I did find evidence of the champ’s handiwork. A pony play newbie from Deland was wearing some of his hand-crafted leather tack complete with a real horse-hair tail.
Gene and his new ponygirl at Fet Con 2013. Gene is sometimes a pony, too. Photo by author.
Holding her reins, Gene B., formerly of Florida, said he said he’s a switch, which in pony world means that at times he’s a pony and at other times, a pony trainer. His business card says he’s also into tickling, human pets, and human furniture. Like a good submissive, the vinyl-hoofed pony was quietly under her trainer’s control (pony play is an extension of BDSM). Plus, she had a bit in her mouth which makes pronunciation virtually impossible. When I asked if she liked being a pony, she managed a light whinny. Gene said he’s adding her to his stable of human pony trainees. Never mind that he now lives in Texas. Ponies will travel for the right touch. For that matter, kinksters of all flavors travel to Florida to fulfill the fetish fantasies. This Jersey/Virginia couple has been planning their annual vacation around Fetish Con for 10 years. They say it helps their marriage.
William and Karen keeping it unreal at Fetish Con 2013. Photo by author.
Fetish Con 2013: Not clear if Williams sees himself as the bee on his back or if it’s more like a Wanted poster.
Bernie Bondage Bunny of Orlando was also on parade. I first saw him bouncing up and down the aisles of the vendors selling dildos and leather whips back in 2009. My only surprise is that it took until now for Fetish Con to make him the official mascot.
Bernie Bondage Bunny at Fetish Con. Photo by Lori Ballard. All Rights Reserved.