There must be something seriously wrong with my brain. Here I am, listening to hurricane statistics on danger, damage, and death, and all I can think is, "I wonder whether there's any hurricane erotica out there?"

The September 2008 issue of True Tales is devoted to Hurricanes Gustav and Ike. You can read an editorial on the Galveston County prisoners, peruse an essay by Daddy James that was written on the eve of Hurricane Ike, and view bittersweet erotic art by Michel Giliberti.

Plus, hurricane porn.

Links on the Military Men page have been added to fiction about submarine men's confrontation with hard truths, erotic navy art, an interview with a gay soldier about his relationship with his straight roommate, and a video that can only be summarized as "Hard fighters, erotic scenery."

Links on the Leathermen page have been added to fiction about a fister's search for healing at Southern Decadence, master/slave bear art, a true tale about a gay man's introduction to leather life, and a related song that was popular in gay clubs in 1979 . . . but was too edgy for the straight clubs.

In addition, the Submissions page has been altered into a Submit a Link page. Whether you create works on masculinity and power, or just enjoy them, feel free to submit a link.

A note from the editor: I now have a MySpace page. It covers all of my writings, but among other things, I will be posting notices of updates to True Tales there. Feel free to request to be added as a Friend.

EDITORIAL: Protecting Those Outside Our Backyard: The Importance of Regionalism and of Free Erotic Speech. A natural disaster and legislation highlight how much we have to lose.

August 30, 2005. "Hey," I said to a family member, "do you know anything about a hurricane in New Orleans?"

FEATURE: True Tales Leather Journalism Awards 2005. Illustrated with a photo by Andy Cloud. The awards honor excellence in leather news, commentary, and information on current events. This year's awards commend well-crafted and useful leather news, commentary, and information about Hurricanes Katrina and Rita.

FICTION: Mardi Gras. By Max E. Verga. It was the best Mardi Gras ever: Owen had found a tattooed woman who gave him everything he could have dreamed of. Then the boyfriend came home.

"You suck too?" he added as his eyes narrowed to slits. "No," Owen responded, which was the truth, but not one he thought the cop was about to accept.

NONFICTION: A New Orleans State of Mind. By Max E. Verga. The author tells how he first discovered the hidden world of New Orleans.

New Orleans opened herself up to me, like a clam shell exposing the ripened Venus. Only this Venus was male.

NONFICTION: We Made It Out Alive. By Rip Naquin-Delain. The publisher of a New Orleans GLBT magazine describes what it was like to be in the city during the worst of the flooding.

As the city became pitch black with nightfall, the noise began. . . .

POETRY: New Orleans, Nos 1 to 9. By Master Sade. Gay, straight, gender-bending. . . Master Sade's poems explore a New Orleans that many misunderstand.

new orleans wears leather, carries handcuffs, takes, does not forgive . . .

NEWS: Hurricane Katrina Report. News about five weeks that forever changed the life of the American South's gay capital. With resources for leatherfolk, BDSM folk, and bears.

NEWS: Sherwood in Exile. By Wally Sherwood. A column by New Orleans journalist Wally Sherwood, evacuated from the city due to Hurricane Katrina.

PHOTOGRAPHY: George Dureau: Nude Male Photography and Art. Introduction by Mark I. Chester. Links to George Dureau's photographs and artwork of disabled men, African-American men, and others. Includes models who appeared in the "Maimed Beauty" issue.

They are uncompromising explorations into the heart of homoeroticism – portraits of black men brimming over with sensuality; images of physically different men, seen through the eyes of love.