Peri's Bliss

***Peri's Bliss*** is the first book in the Free Spirits series, which introduces the Free Spirit Connection religion and many major characters. The book follows Peri Winger as she encounters the Free Spirits, joins their Local Gathering within her city, and rises to become a leader within its movement. While this occurs, a group of religious conservatives begin to protest the presence of the Free Spirits, calling them a dangerous cult.

## Plot Synopsis

Peri Winger is relaxing at home when Lila Jaworski, a member of the Free Spirit Connection's recently established Local Gathering, comes to her door. Peri is intrigued about the Free Spirits, a theologically liberal and ethically sex-positive religion, as well as attracted to Lila. As they talk, their mutual attraction leads to them making love. Lila leaves some literature and contact information before resuming her door-to-door outreach, and Peri looks into the Connection further.

Peri attends her first Sunday Celebration, where she meets other members, signs up for a "Wayfinding" orientation class, and is introduced by Lila to Andrew Hamady. Lila then shows Peri the communion rooms on the second floor, where people may talk privately and even engage in consensual sex. Andrew joins them in one of the rooms, and after talking about their preferences, they have a threesome. Lila departs the room first, and Peri and Andrew then leave together for more conversation at a coffee shop.

At the Wayfinding class, Peri and other prospective members are provided more detailed information on the Free Spirit Connection - its history, core beliefs, organizational structure, and sex-positive ethic. The last part of the class is held on the top floor of the meetinghouse where the communion rooms are located, and Peri and the other attendees express interest in joining. One of Peri's classmates, Willow Flaherty, shares with her that she is interested in a threesome with her boyfriend, Connor Lightfoot; the three discuss the matter briefly after class, Peri leaving it for the couple to talk and get in touch with her afterwards. Later, Peri joins Connor and Willow in Scotswood Park for a picnic and a threesome.

Shortly before Peri and other newcomers are to be welcomed as members of the Connection, she shares with a friend at work (who was previously aware of her being bisexual) that she in now happily dating both a man and a woman (Andrew and Lila); her friend, shocked at first, quickly accepts it and is happy for her. When her boss privately informs her that another employee has found out about her involvement with the Free Spirits, she defends the group and her membership, and he responds that he has no problem with it. Later, a friend of hers from the swinger community invites her to a party, but she declines because it conflicts with the joining ceremony at the Local Gathering; he asks if he and other swingers might attend, and she agrees. The Sunday of the joining ceremony, the four swinger guests attend and socialize with the Free Spirits, even joining some in the communion rooms, and then talking after that about forming their own Local Gathering north of the city.

With the Local Gathering's membership now over one hundred, a special meeting is held to elect two more members to its Council, and to plan to "birth" a new Gathering nearby; Peri's friend from the wayfinding class, Amalia Echevarria, is elected to the Council and volunteers to arrange an educational workshop on BDSM to be led by a dominatrix in the area. Peri also gets involved in responding to the "Citizens Concerned" group formed by Shiloh Baptist Church and other religious conservatives, who have been picketing the Local Gathering's meetings and distributing flyers warning others that the Free Spirits are a cult which uses its sex-positive approach to lure people in. The BDSM workshop goes well, and Peri is approaches by Amalia and her play partner Darla to participate in a group scene later on.

During an informal conversation with Council chair Tracey Bilodeau and other Gathering leaders, they receive word from Amalia that several people in the city's Unitarian Universalist church are looking to leave, due to the new minister Justine Taylor's overbearing actions and negative attitudes towards alternative sexuality (which had led Amalia to leave them earlier). Peri and the others discuss this group's request to learn more about the Free Spirits, and they plan for a special introduction, adapting the wayfinding class format for this particular purpose.

Peri then joins the Gathering's Celebrant, Dr. Lateshia Williams, on a radio talk show along with Pastor Nate Roth of Shiloh Baptist, and Reverend Justine Taylor from First Unitarian. Peri and Lateshia explain and defend the beliefs and actions of the Free Spirits, responding to the questions and criticisms of the other two guests, and taking calls from listeners.

Peri's polyamorous relationship with Lila and Andrew has grown stronger, and they arrange to spend a weekend together at Peri's apartment. Later, after a discussion with Willow, Connor is welcomed to join them while Willow is out of town. Peri also visits Bridget Torjesen, another friend from her wayfinding class, who shares her own story of leaving her family's conservative religious background and becoming a high-end escort. During their weekend together, Peri suggests to Lila and Andrew that they think about buying a house together, and they express openness to the idea.

At a later Sunday celebration, a lay leader from First Unitarian visits the Gathering; he shares that Justine Taylor had resigned after conflicts with the Board, and the church's interim minister wanted to reach out to those who had left the church. As the day's events come to a close, Peri notices a young woman sitting by herself, and then learns she is a youth member of Shiloh Baptist who was seduced and sexually abused by Pastor Roth. Lateshia arrives to counsel the young woman, named Rebecca, who is given sanctuary in the meetinghouse while the police are informed. When word of this reaches Shiloh Baptist, Pastor Roth's wife leads a group to picket the meetinghouse, accusing the Free Spirits of brainwashing Rebecca. Police Chief Delbert Graham, who is a friend of Lateshia, intervenes, and it is soon learned that two other victims of Roth have come forward. Pastor Roth is persuaded to surrender to the police, and the conflict is resolved.

Later, Peri has become Council chair for the newly birthed Local Gathering just south of the city. After an appointment with her new doctor, Marshall Chasen, she goes to a restaurant to meet Lila and Andrew after the workday, and runs into Rachel, and old friend who is trying to resume dating after having settled some family issues. Peri tells her about her open triad, showing a photo of her with her partners, and when Rachel expresses that she finds Andrew attractive, Peri suggests that she join them for dinner and see if Andrew would be open to spending the night with her. Persuaded to do so, she later joins the triad at their house, and with Andrew for the night. They later talk about their relationship, and their involvement with the Free Spirits, and she agrees to attend the downtown Gathering's Sunday Celebration with Peri. Rachel responds positively to the community, as well as the apparent interest of a bisexual male couple. Peri leaves her friend at the meetinghouse to explore possibilities, saying: "May you find bliss."