Over at annabetherotica.com, I've interviewed Charlotte Howard, author of The Black Door. I asked Charlotte about women expressing anger, motherhood and sexuality, and many other things. You can read the interview here.
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Showing posts with label interview. Show all posts
Thursday, August 28, 2014
Charlotte Howard Answers My Questions
Over at annabetherotica.com, I've interviewed Charlotte Howard, author of The Black Door. I asked Charlotte about women expressing anger, motherhood and sexuality, and many other things. You can read the interview here.
Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Interview with Lucy Felthouse!
AL: What got you excited about writing for the Curve Appeal series?
LF: I just really liked the theme. Positive stories about larger women. It’s a simple reality that not everyone is society’s “ideal.” I’m not. But health is much more important than being skinny, in my opinion, and I wanted to write something with that idea in mind.
AL: I love that your main character, Adele, is aware that she can be both Rubenesque and healthy. That's still not as commonly known in society as I would like. How did Adele come to that understanding for herself?
LF: The hard way, unfortunately. She’s always been overweight, and when she got to the age where she could no longer pass it off as puppy fat, she became very aware of it, and tried to do something about it. She developed bulimia, which of course had an incredibly adverse effect on her health. This scared her a great deal, and made her realise that being happy and healthy is more important than being skinny.
AL: Your title, Mean Girls, alludes to a pretty common experience for many women. What's motivating the bullies in your book?
LF: Pure spite and air-headedness. The three spiteful women are classed as society’s ideal, skinny women that can wear all the latest fashions and turn heads everywhere they go. But it doesn’t make them perfect. They’re not even nice people. They just see someone different to them, someone that’s not perfect, and turn into total bitches. It was really nice for me, as the writer, to give the three bitches their comeuppance.
AL: It sounds like Adele lands herself a mouthwatering man. What are three of Oliver's most attractive qualities?
LF: He’s kind, sensitive and sees Adele as a person, not just a shape.
AL: Your other single-author titles for Ellora's Cave so far have been in the EC for Men line. What was different about writing a book aimed at their female readership?
LF: Well, I’ve been writing for women longer than I have for men, and I’m always writing different stories for different publishers, so I didn’t really have to think about it too much. I just wrote what came naturally.
AL: I feel like I've seen an increase in Rubenesque erotica lately, with lots of submission calls for anthologies, lines such as Curve Appeal, etc. Do you agree with that perception, and do you think there's a reason for the popularity?
LF: I haven’t noticed too many more, so I’ll have to look out for them! I’m glad there are more calls for submissions, though. I really like the thought that more Rubenesque erotica and erotic romance is being written. Not every woman is tiny, so nor should every fictional woman be. I think the increase in popularity is because women want to read about someone like them, someone they can identify with. And for girls that aren’t skinny, myself included, it’s hard to put yourself in the shoes of a size six (UK size) woman as you read and lose yourself in fantasy. More power to BBWs!
AL: Despite the increase in romances featuring curvier women, body acceptance is still unfortunately far from mainstream—it only takes opening a magazine to see that. What's one body acceptance/anti-bullying message you'd like to see getting more play in society at large?
LF: I don’t read magazines for that reason. In terms of a message, and this applies across the board, I wish people would just live and let live. If we were all the same, this would be a very boring world.
AL: When writing about a character who's part of a population that often faces discrimination—a curvy woman, a woman of color, an LGBT person—I often struggle with whether to reflect current societal realities and show that character dealing with bias and bullying or to create a fantasy that shows that character receiving acceptance and dealing with other types of conflicts. What are your thoughts on these two approaches?
LF: I think both ideas can easily work. It all depends on the writer and their vision for the story.
AL: Is there anything else you'd like people to know about Mean Girls?
LF: Just that I hope people enjoy reading it as much I enjoyed writing it :)
*****
Excerpt:
As usual, Adele Blackthorne felt the weight of gazes on her as she walked from the changing room to the steps to get into the swimming pool. She was used to it by now, and had learned not to react, to just carry on as though she hadn’t noticed people staring and not-so-subtly pointing at her.
With a polite nod to Oliver, the lifeguard, as she passed him, Adele was grateful for his much more favorable reaction. If he thought she resembled a beached whale, he hid it much better than everyone else did. The warmth in his eyes as he nodded back even looked genuine. But she had no illusions, he probably slagged her off the moment he got into the staffroom, or home, talking about the fat woman who went swimming three times a week without fail. But for now, she’d pretend he didn’t. Pretend he thought she was sexy, and wanted to get lost in her abundant curves. God knows she’d like him to.
It was true, she was a big girl and she was most definitely aware of it. Ever since she’d gotten to the age where her excess weight could no longer be called puppy fat, she’d tried to do something about it. Every diet under the sun, ridiculous amounts of exercise… nothing worked. Adele had grown so depressed in her teens that she’d become bulimic. Naturally, she’d lost some weight that way, but she’d also made herself so ill that she’d had to be hospitalized. It had terrified the life out of her, and ever since, she’d resolved that she’d much rather be healthy than skinny.
Which was why she visited her local leisure center three times a week. She used the gym and sauna, and went swimming. And every single time she went, she’d catch someone gawping at her. But because of the years she’d spent—especially at school—being called all the names under the sun, she’d developed an incredibly thick skin. She was happy and healthy—so healthy in fact that she could probably beat all of those skinny bitches at a swimming race. Of course she never offered, never called anyone out on their rudeness and ignorance, but it made her feel better to know that she was fitter and much more polite than them.
Slipping into the fast lane, she settled her goggles carefully into position—she hated getting water in her eyes—then lifted her legs to rest the bottoms of her feet against the end of the pool. Looking at the clock on the wall that counted seconds, she waited until the hand reached the top, then pushed off from the side and launched herself into the lane. It was quiet, so she had this section of the pool to herself. Her arms cut through the water, her legs flapped wildly and she did ten laps without losing any speed. Emerging from the water, she checked the clock again and was pleased to note she’d beaten her previous time.
She was just about to start another ten laps, when she heard voices from the other side of the pool. Voices that clearly forgot how well they carried on water. It was as though they were right next to her.
“God, I’m surprised all the water doesn’t jump out of the pool when she gets in. And the way she swims—she’ll cause a tidal wave one of these days.”
The spiteful words were followed by a trio of sniggers, and Adele gritted her teeth. Part of her wished that she could create a bloody tidal wave, so it would sweep those bitches under water and drown them. The other part of her tsked at the thought. Ideas like that made her just as bad as them, just as unpleasant, just as cowardly.
Because they were cowardly—the way they spoke about her behind her back proved that. If they ever passed her somewhere in the leisure center or its car park, they never said anything, not one word. They’d just scurry away as fast as they could, then titter when they thought she was out of earshot. She hoped that just one time, someone would say something to her face, so she could retaliate, speak up for herself. There was no way she’d start anything—she didn’t want to add confrontational to the list of faults that the mean girls had obviously compiled about her.
Sucking in a deep breath, Adele launched into another ten laps, allowing the chilly water and the exertion of powering through it to burn away her irritation. Because that’s all it was—irritation. She wasn’t angry. Anger was too powerful an emotion, and one that was totally wasted on those ignorant women. She almost felt sorry for them, actually. If they had nothing better to do than to stare at her and slag her off all the time, then they clearly had very dull lives.
The thought cheered her considerably and when she completed her twentieth lap, she lay her forearms on the edge of the pool and hoiked herself up. Her back was pressed against the side, and from here she had a perfect view of the rest of the pool. Tugging her goggles down so they hung around her neck, she had a damn good look at everyone else. The small children and their guardians in the kids’ pool right at the other end of the enormous hall, the old people who swum so slowly as they chatted that she was surprised they stayed afloat, the relentless movement of the man in the medium-speed lane and, of course, the mean girls who were in the same sort of position she was, but at the side of the pool rather than the end. The side which faced the lifeguard station.
Adele narrowed her eyes and watched them—the two waif-like blondes and a brunette—as they chatted and giggled, and it seemed for a change, not about her. They’d clearly changed the subject since their previous spouting of vitriol. Their focus was very firmly on Oliver as he sat on his lofty perch, surveying the pools before him, ready to jump in should anyone get into trouble. She often toyed with the idea of faking a problem, just to get him into the pool and his strong arms around her. However, she knew that although he’d undoubtedly do his duty and help her, he’d never believe such a strong swimmer would need his assistance. Then he’d lose all respect for her, and probably stop hiding his disdain for her so effectively. And the polite nods and smiles she got from him were the only thing—aside from the center’s top-notch facilities—that made the place bearable. She was sure that if the three witches—a nickname she’d secretly come up with for the women—had their way, there would be a sign on the main doors to the building saying ‘No Fat People Allowed.’
*****
Blurb:
Adele Blackthorne is a big girl, a curvy chick. She knows it, and she’s been picked on all her life because of it. But she’s gotten to the stage where she doesn’t care. She may be Rubenesque, but she’s healthy, too. Much healthier than the mean girls at the leisure center that point and stare and say spiteful things about her. Adele rises above it all, and simply enjoys her secretive glances at the center’s hunky lifeguard, Oliver.
As the bullying of Adele becomes worse, Oliver finds it increasingly difficult not to intervene. He doesn’t want to get into trouble with work, but equally he can’t stand to see Adele treated in such a horrible way. Especially since he doesn’t agree that she’s fat and unattractive. He thinks she’s a seriously sexy woman, and would like to get to know her better. Much better.
Buy the book here!
*****
Lucy Felthouse is a very busy woman! She writes erotica and erotic romance in a variety of subgenres and pairings, and has over seventy publications to her name, with many more in the pipeline. These include Best Bondage Erotica 2012, 2013 and 2014 and Best Women's Erotica 2013. Another string to her bow is editing, and she has edited and co-edited a number of anthologies. She owns Erotica For All, and is book editor for Cliterati. Find out more at http://www.lucyfelthouse.co.uk. Join her on Facebook and Twitter, and subscribe to her newsletter at: http://eepurl.com/gMQb9
Tuesday, September 24, 2013
Tamsin Flowers Interview!
The zombie apocalypse has been done many times, but how about the zombie erotoclypse? Today, I'm excited to welcome Tamsin Flowers to the blog. She'll be telling us all about the sexy side of zombies.
What was the first zombie story you wrote? Was it the same as the first sexy zombie story you wrote?
The first zombie story I ever wrote was The Joy of Zombie Sex, which appears in my new collection Zombie Erotoclypse—and I think you can probably guess from the title it was also the first sexy zombie story I wrote. It's about Alice, a freshly minted zombie who has no idea she's just joined the walking dead. Luckily for her, a more experienced zombie recognizes her for what she is and sets about showing her the ropes—eating brains and experiencing mind-blowing zombie sex!
Zombies are sometimes played for humor, sometimes for high tragedy, and sometimes for both. Do you prefer one of these approaches? Which shows up the most commonly in your work?
Generally I've tried to keep all the stories in the collection fairly light-hearted. One or two of them are romantic and the final story, Bar the Door, is a bit of a tear-jerker. I wouldn't say I prefer one approach over the other—my main aim with this book was to write them sexy.
I love your concept of the zombie flesh hunger being erotic as well as murderous. Can you talk a bit about how you develop that idea?
Well, I'm certainly not the first to have come up with the concept of zombies being sexual beings - there's already quite a canon of zombie erotica out there. However, there are a couple of reasons why I wanted to explore it in my stories. Firstly, it stands to reason that if the zombies retained one human appetite—hunger—they'd retain others and, as an erotica writer, naturally their sexual urges were of most interest to me. Secondly, it's rare for zombies to be portrayed with an internal life—most zombie fiction is about how the surviving humans deal with the zombie apocalypse. But hold on—zombies were once human too, and it crossed my mind that there must be at least a vestige of the original person left inside them—with all that individual's urges and desires. If their hunger is magnified to a murderous level, then what happens to their sex drive?
Are your zombies lovers fast or slow?
I'd say they're fast—born out of desperation! The sensations and the emotions these zombies feel are intensified but so are all the difficulties in finding someone to have sex with. In I Was a Teenage Zombie Virgin, the hero John not only has to deal with all the usual problems a teenager has, but being a zombie makes everything a hundred times more difficult. When these zombies find what they're looking for, get the chance to get down and dirty—they really go for it!
I often think of the modern age as the era of the zombie. The popularity of the walking dead seems to have gone up, even as I sense waning interest in vampires and the common monsters of the past. Do you agree? Why or why not?
I totally agree—zombies are hot right now, in the cinema, on television, in books…you'll find them wherever you look. People are even having zombie-themed parties and going to zombie events. October 13 sees the return of everybody's favorite zombie show and I, for one, can't wait.
The zombie seems to have become a metaphor for our times, in more ways than one—are the brain dead zombie hoards representative of a politically apathetic generation, a generation so wired into social media that they walk around in real life like zombies, or are they feeding on our fears of becoming zombies in old age? Or maybe you see them as indicative of fears of some future disease that our unmanageable populations will become susceptible to like mad cows' disease or bird flu but worse…? It's a classic fictional manifestation of our fear of the unknown—and by turning them into something that we can chop down with a machete, we're trying to put those fears to rest.
Who knew that an interview about zombie erotica could get so deep?
Anything else you want people to know about your collection?
The all important facts:
Zombie Erotoclypse is available at the bargain price of 99c or 77p from:
Amazon.com
Amazon UK
Smashwords
Could I get a hot excerpt, please?
Of course! This is a snippet from the first story in the collection, Red Hot Zombie Cock.
Marsha has enough to contend with - a whole city full of zombies at the end of the pier where she's taken refuge - without having to put up with the antics of her cousin Skylar. So when he persuades her to visit a zombie sex club to celebrate her birthday, she knows from the get go it's a bad idea.
Two muzzled zombies are cuffed up to St Andrew's crosses and the club hostess calls on a member of the audience to come up on stage with them…
Mack steps forward and from where we're standing, slightly to one side, I can see that he's rubbing against the groin of his jeans with one hand. I can hardly believe what I'm watching and I almost forget to breath. After a couple of thrusts against his hand, the boy unzips his pants and wrestles his cock out through the slit, tangling with it until it's standing proud outside the denim. He makes a half turn to let the crowd see his impressive erection, a wide grin on his face.
"Jesus," I say and Skylar puts an arm round my waist. I'm not sure I want to see this.
"Fuck her!" yells a guy.
The kid turns back to the cross and puts a hand out to touch the zombie. He brushes it, quite softly it looks, across her breasts, making the zombie grunt and strain against her restraints. The grin has gone from his face and he looks completely fascinated. He runs his fingers down her torso, slowly, exploring the texture of her rough, grey skin. Under his touch, she bucks and the grunt becomes a moan that steadily increases in volume the further down he ventures. On the next cross, the male zombie seems to sense what's happening and starts baying as he, too, struggles to get free.
"Apparently zombies have an epic sex drive," whispers Skylar in my ear and I feel his hot breath on my neck.
"No way!"
"True," he says. "Just watch."
Mack spits on his index and middle finger and pushes them down between the zombie's splayed legs. It has an instantaneous effect, as if a jolt of electricity has been passed through her body. Her back arches and her head whips from side to side as she releases full-blooded zombie scream. In the enclosed space, it tears the air and reverberates in ears and chests. Mack looks back over the shoulder at the baying audience, his grin back in place. Then he takes his cock in one hand and uses his other hand to find a pathway into the zombie's pussy. He strokes his swollen head up and down between her lips and then I see his hips surge forward as he pushes himself inside. She screams again and the male zombie roars with her. When I look at him, I realize his cock's even larger now and he's pulling harder against the bindings at his wrists and ankles.
The crowd goes wild with catcalls and whistles as Mack pumps in and out of her. And despite my revulsion for what I'm seeing, I realize that between my legs I'm wet. Skylar pulls me back against his body and I can hear that his breathing has quickened. He grinds his hips against my ass and I feel the bulge of a nascent erection.
Author bio: Tamsin Flowers
Tamsin Flowers loves to write light-hearted erotica, often with a twist in the tail/tale and a sense of fun. In the words of one reviewer, 'Ms Flowers has a way of describing sexual tension that forces itself upon your own body.' Her stories have appeared in a wide variety of anthologies and she is now graduating to novellas with the intention to pen her magnum opus in the very near future. In the meantime, like most erotica writers, she finds herself working on at least ten stories at once: while she figures out whose leg belongs in which story, you can find out more about her at Tamsin's Superotica or Tamsin Flowers. Follow her on Twitter @TamsinFlowers or on Facebook Tamsin Flowers.
Tuesday, September 3, 2013
Interview with L C Wilkinson!
When I heard about L C Wilkinson's book, All of Me, I was fascinated by her themes of celebrity and passion. She was kind enough to answer some questions on the thinking behind the book. I'm pleased to have her here today!
Blurb:
Actress Flick Burrow’s career is in the doldrums. Dumped by long-term boyfriend at the altar and nudging forty she escapes to Italy touring with a theatrical company.
Orlando Locatelli is a successful businessman. He’s rich, clever and drop-dead gorgeous.
When the two meet, the attraction is instant. But Orlando is 15 years Flick’s junior; he’s the controlling director’s son; his stepmother is possessive and destructive. He’s trouble and he’s determined to have her.
Sparks fly when a tour romance turns into something altogether more dangerous, threatening to reveal pasts, and desires, both lovers are keen to bury.
***
Me: I was drawn to this story partly because it picks up on a lot of themes I find fascinating and problematic about celebrities, particularly the role of appearance and the vulnerability that comes with being looked at all the time. What got you interested in celebrity?
LCW: In my 20s I worked as an actress and even did some – bottom of the range – modelling and though I didn’t make it anywhere near celebrity status I think, perhaps, it gave me a stronger than usual appreciation of the strain of a life in the public eye. At auditions you are constantly judged on your appearance – acting ability seems to have little to do with much of the casting process, certainly in the early stages – and in the daily business of doing your job you are watched constantly, of course. However, I’d say that most women are vulnerable to this and, it seems to me, increasingly so. We are all expected to match up to some mythical ideal, the images of celebrities plastered across the magazine covers, and it is impossible to attain because it’s an illusion. The camera lies all the time, especially since the advent of Photoshop and the like. Even the models and actresses don’t look like this in real life. And as a society we are obsessed with celebrity; you only have to look at the magazine shelves in WH Smith. It’s almost impossible to ignore.
Me: Are there particular figures or stories that inspired you as you created the world that Flick and Orlando inhabit?
LCW: For Flick: not really. She’s a soap opera star and I don’t watch soaps. I am a huge film fan though and I do tend to mentally cast the characters in my stories. I had a young Linda Fiorentino (as she appeared in The Last Seduction) in mind for Flick, though I’m sure readers will picture her differently. Orlando is so divine I couldn’t think of an actor to play him, though there are some perfume models that fit the bill! There are so many stories of people in the public eye being hounded; venerated or berated, that I couldn’t honestly say that I drew on any stories in particular.
Me: I can’t resist reading stories about celebrities, and at the same time am aware of how difficult it must be to live in a glass house. Did writing from Flick’s perspective affect how you feel about that issue or how you read celebrity news?
LCW: Oh, I find celebrity gossip irresistible too! I think – hope – that I am sensitive and generous when reading and commenting on the lives, loves, looks of those in the public eye. When I was younger I thought I’d like to be famous; I know now that I would loathe it.
Me: So far I’ve focused on celebrities, but I think everyone has a public appearance and a different, often conflicting, inner reality. Do you think it’s possible to conduct a passionate love affair without dropping the facade?
LCW: Ah, good question. I think that you can have a passionate love affair without revealing the inner ‘you’, but it will be purely physical. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Great sex is great sex. Perhaps lust affair is a more appropriate description. But for truly deep emotional engagement you have to drop the mask and peel back the layers, and the sex is even better because the heart and soul are engaged then too. Or perhaps I’m a die-hard romantic…
Me: There’s a significant age difference between Flick and Orlando. If I were in Flick’s position, I’d be very afraid of my glamour inevitably slipping in front of a handsome younger man. Does she feel that way, or is she more confident about their attraction?
LCW: Flick is very aware of the age difference and what that means physically as well as mentally. Nudging forty and without any surgical enhancement, she feels that Orlando cannot find her mature body attractive. She takes some persuading! And because she is not a classic beauty, she feels threatened by the women (young and otherwise) he must encounter in his part-time, occasional role as a fashion model. She feels that she cannot possibly measure up to these goddess-like creatures. The irony is that Orlando loves Flick because of her so-called flaws, like the bump at the top of her nose – the result of a childhood accident.
Me: On your blog, you mention that you’re working on a sequel. Do you plan this to be a continuation of the romance between Flick and Orlando, or a story of new characters set in the same world?
LCW: At present I’m playing around with various ideas while writing another, completely new, romance. I have ideas to follow Flick and Orlando to New York, where Flick is working on a US TV series and where new pressures on their fledgling romance might take their toll. It would be interesting to see how they cope with them and how being catapulted into the A league changes Flick, if at all. In the States the pressure on Flick to remain ever-young (or at least look it) would intensify and how will Orlando react? And will Maria have her revenge? There are so many possibilities; it’s very exciting. I have also thought of bringing minor characters from All of Me centre stage – similar to Grace Marshall’s Executive Decisions trilogy. I’m interested in what happens to Johnnie and Emma for instance.
Me: I saw that you’ve also published a book in a different genre, under a different name. What made you want to write a romance? How did your previous experience help you or hinder you?
LCW: Alongside fiction and raising my boys I work as an editor, principally for Literary Consultancy, Cornerstones. Last year I edited a few erotic romances – they’ve been a not-so-guilty reading pleasure for ages – and I realised that I wanted to have a go at writing in the genre myself. A story that had been buzzing round my head for years had found its home and I had so much fun writing the book I didn’t think it could be any good. Alongside my other published novel I have written another two; one might remain in the virtual bottom drawer; the other is nudging towards a contract, so when I came to writing All of Me I understood structure, point of view, dramatic tension and other basics. But at the end of the day, it is characters that drive story, that make or break a book, regardless of genre, and by my fourth novel I knew how to build convincing, empathetic characters – I think! That horrid writer’s insecurity is always lurking…
Me: Thanks so much for your time, and I wish you all the best luck with All of Me!
LCW: Thank you so much for having me and for asking such great questions.
***
Excerpt:
Mr Hot led me through to a brightly lit room, the light scorching my eyes after near darkness. He pulled up a wooden stool and gestured for me to sit. I did as I was instructed. Row upon row of bottles of oil, condiments, herbs and spices lined shelves that covered an entire wall. It was a store cupboard, and the strip lighting was harsh; every fine line, blemish and open pore would be visible. Inwardly, I cursed my lack of foundation once more. I felt exposed, stripped right down, and vulnerable. I shielded my eyes, allowing my hand to drop low enough to conceal most of my face.
‘Better here, fewer people. Can I get you a drink? Cup of tea?’ he said.
‘Something stronger might be better.’ I attempted to cover my embarrassment with humour. He did not laugh, or even smile. ‘Water would be great. Wouldn’t do to be seen drunk. Imagine what they’d make of that,’ I added quickly.
Through a gap in my fingers I watched him push open swing doors with considerable force and sashay out, revealing the bustle of a hectic lunchtime kitchen; he barked out an instruction in a language I couldn’t quite place. Italian probably, possibly Spanish. This was no ordinary waiter in more ways than one. He returned moments later.
Despite his blistering good looks, or maybe because of them, I wanted to get the hell out of there; I gulped down the water. ‘Thank you. Can you show me the other way out now please?’
‘It’s not too soon?’
‘I have to be somewhere.’
At the exit, he paused and looked into my eyes, the hazel fading to black as his pupils dilated. He ran his tongue over those sensual lips. I couldn’t breathe and for a moment I thought I might pass out. The attraction I’d felt was mutual; he was devouring me with his gaze; his desire was palpable. Had it been a movie, or an episode of the cheap drama I’d been in, we’d have thrown ourselves at each other, kissed passionately, before being interrupted by an angry chef brandishing a meat knife. I coughed; it broke the spell.
He leant forward to grab the door handle, the bouquet of his aftershave mingling with a distinct, very masculine aroma. I was soooo tempted, but this was real life, and my personal life was enough of a mess. He opened the door, leant forward to look up and down the street before turning back to me and nodding that it was clear. Neither of us knew what to say. I had no idea if he knew, understood, or even cared why the press were hounding me, and I wasn’t inclined to explain.
I held out my hand. ‘Thank you. You saved my life.’
He took my hand, but rather than shaking it, as I had intended, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back. A charge raced up my arm, exploding in my mouth and groin. ‘It was nothing. Anyone would have done the same.’
‘Thanks anyway,’ I gasped. I had to get out of there, and quick. My internal red light was flashing: danger, danger, danger.
I stepped into the street and, unsure which direction to take, turned right and walked; the skin on my hand still thrumming from the touch of his lips. I wanted to look back, and tried desperately to resist the urge. After a few metres, I gave up and turned my head. There was no sign of him.
***
All of Me is published by Xcite in paperback and e-book formats. You can buy the book here and here.
***
About L.C.: I grew up in north Wales and now I live by the sea in Brighton with three fellas (my ginger sons and my husband) and a cat called Sheila. After many years working as a journalist, copywriter and editor of hagsharlotsheroines.com, I write fiction and work part-time as an editor for Cornerstones Literary Consultancy. All of Me is my first romance for Xcite. I hope that it is the first of many.
***
To find out more about L. C. visit her site – www.lcwilkinson.com – for news and freebies. Or follow her on Twitter: @ScorpioScribble
Actress Flick Burrow’s career is in the doldrums. Dumped by long-term boyfriend at the altar and nudging forty she escapes to Italy touring with a theatrical company.
Orlando Locatelli is a successful businessman. He’s rich, clever and drop-dead gorgeous.
When the two meet, the attraction is instant. But Orlando is 15 years Flick’s junior; he’s the controlling director’s son; his stepmother is possessive and destructive. He’s trouble and he’s determined to have her.
Sparks fly when a tour romance turns into something altogether more dangerous, threatening to reveal pasts, and desires, both lovers are keen to bury.
***
Me: I was drawn to this story partly because it picks up on a lot of themes I find fascinating and problematic about celebrities, particularly the role of appearance and the vulnerability that comes with being looked at all the time. What got you interested in celebrity?
LCW: In my 20s I worked as an actress and even did some – bottom of the range – modelling and though I didn’t make it anywhere near celebrity status I think, perhaps, it gave me a stronger than usual appreciation of the strain of a life in the public eye. At auditions you are constantly judged on your appearance – acting ability seems to have little to do with much of the casting process, certainly in the early stages – and in the daily business of doing your job you are watched constantly, of course. However, I’d say that most women are vulnerable to this and, it seems to me, increasingly so. We are all expected to match up to some mythical ideal, the images of celebrities plastered across the magazine covers, and it is impossible to attain because it’s an illusion. The camera lies all the time, especially since the advent of Photoshop and the like. Even the models and actresses don’t look like this in real life. And as a society we are obsessed with celebrity; you only have to look at the magazine shelves in WH Smith. It’s almost impossible to ignore.
Me: Are there particular figures or stories that inspired you as you created the world that Flick and Orlando inhabit?
LCW: For Flick: not really. She’s a soap opera star and I don’t watch soaps. I am a huge film fan though and I do tend to mentally cast the characters in my stories. I had a young Linda Fiorentino (as she appeared in The Last Seduction) in mind for Flick, though I’m sure readers will picture her differently. Orlando is so divine I couldn’t think of an actor to play him, though there are some perfume models that fit the bill! There are so many stories of people in the public eye being hounded; venerated or berated, that I couldn’t honestly say that I drew on any stories in particular.
Me: I can’t resist reading stories about celebrities, and at the same time am aware of how difficult it must be to live in a glass house. Did writing from Flick’s perspective affect how you feel about that issue or how you read celebrity news?
LCW: Oh, I find celebrity gossip irresistible too! I think – hope – that I am sensitive and generous when reading and commenting on the lives, loves, looks of those in the public eye. When I was younger I thought I’d like to be famous; I know now that I would loathe it.
Me: So far I’ve focused on celebrities, but I think everyone has a public appearance and a different, often conflicting, inner reality. Do you think it’s possible to conduct a passionate love affair without dropping the facade?
LCW: Ah, good question. I think that you can have a passionate love affair without revealing the inner ‘you’, but it will be purely physical. Nothing wrong with that, of course. Great sex is great sex. Perhaps lust affair is a more appropriate description. But for truly deep emotional engagement you have to drop the mask and peel back the layers, and the sex is even better because the heart and soul are engaged then too. Or perhaps I’m a die-hard romantic…
Me: There’s a significant age difference between Flick and Orlando. If I were in Flick’s position, I’d be very afraid of my glamour inevitably slipping in front of a handsome younger man. Does she feel that way, or is she more confident about their attraction?
LCW: Flick is very aware of the age difference and what that means physically as well as mentally. Nudging forty and without any surgical enhancement, she feels that Orlando cannot find her mature body attractive. She takes some persuading! And because she is not a classic beauty, she feels threatened by the women (young and otherwise) he must encounter in his part-time, occasional role as a fashion model. She feels that she cannot possibly measure up to these goddess-like creatures. The irony is that Orlando loves Flick because of her so-called flaws, like the bump at the top of her nose – the result of a childhood accident.
Me: On your blog, you mention that you’re working on a sequel. Do you plan this to be a continuation of the romance between Flick and Orlando, or a story of new characters set in the same world?
LCW: At present I’m playing around with various ideas while writing another, completely new, romance. I have ideas to follow Flick and Orlando to New York, where Flick is working on a US TV series and where new pressures on their fledgling romance might take their toll. It would be interesting to see how they cope with them and how being catapulted into the A league changes Flick, if at all. In the States the pressure on Flick to remain ever-young (or at least look it) would intensify and how will Orlando react? And will Maria have her revenge? There are so many possibilities; it’s very exciting. I have also thought of bringing minor characters from All of Me centre stage – similar to Grace Marshall’s Executive Decisions trilogy. I’m interested in what happens to Johnnie and Emma for instance.
Me: I saw that you’ve also published a book in a different genre, under a different name. What made you want to write a romance? How did your previous experience help you or hinder you?
LCW: Alongside fiction and raising my boys I work as an editor, principally for Literary Consultancy, Cornerstones. Last year I edited a few erotic romances – they’ve been a not-so-guilty reading pleasure for ages – and I realised that I wanted to have a go at writing in the genre myself. A story that had been buzzing round my head for years had found its home and I had so much fun writing the book I didn’t think it could be any good. Alongside my other published novel I have written another two; one might remain in the virtual bottom drawer; the other is nudging towards a contract, so when I came to writing All of Me I understood structure, point of view, dramatic tension and other basics. But at the end of the day, it is characters that drive story, that make or break a book, regardless of genre, and by my fourth novel I knew how to build convincing, empathetic characters – I think! That horrid writer’s insecurity is always lurking…
Me: Thanks so much for your time, and I wish you all the best luck with All of Me!
LCW: Thank you so much for having me and for asking such great questions.
***
Excerpt:
Mr Hot led me through to a brightly lit room, the light scorching my eyes after near darkness. He pulled up a wooden stool and gestured for me to sit. I did as I was instructed. Row upon row of bottles of oil, condiments, herbs and spices lined shelves that covered an entire wall. It was a store cupboard, and the strip lighting was harsh; every fine line, blemish and open pore would be visible. Inwardly, I cursed my lack of foundation once more. I felt exposed, stripped right down, and vulnerable. I shielded my eyes, allowing my hand to drop low enough to conceal most of my face.
‘Better here, fewer people. Can I get you a drink? Cup of tea?’ he said.
‘Something stronger might be better.’ I attempted to cover my embarrassment with humour. He did not laugh, or even smile. ‘Water would be great. Wouldn’t do to be seen drunk. Imagine what they’d make of that,’ I added quickly.
Through a gap in my fingers I watched him push open swing doors with considerable force and sashay out, revealing the bustle of a hectic lunchtime kitchen; he barked out an instruction in a language I couldn’t quite place. Italian probably, possibly Spanish. This was no ordinary waiter in more ways than one. He returned moments later.
Despite his blistering good looks, or maybe because of them, I wanted to get the hell out of there; I gulped down the water. ‘Thank you. Can you show me the other way out now please?’
‘It’s not too soon?’
‘I have to be somewhere.’
At the exit, he paused and looked into my eyes, the hazel fading to black as his pupils dilated. He ran his tongue over those sensual lips. I couldn’t breathe and for a moment I thought I might pass out. The attraction I’d felt was mutual; he was devouring me with his gaze; his desire was palpable. Had it been a movie, or an episode of the cheap drama I’d been in, we’d have thrown ourselves at each other, kissed passionately, before being interrupted by an angry chef brandishing a meat knife. I coughed; it broke the spell.
He leant forward to grab the door handle, the bouquet of his aftershave mingling with a distinct, very masculine aroma. I was soooo tempted, but this was real life, and my personal life was enough of a mess. He opened the door, leant forward to look up and down the street before turning back to me and nodding that it was clear. Neither of us knew what to say. I had no idea if he knew, understood, or even cared why the press were hounding me, and I wasn’t inclined to explain.
I held out my hand. ‘Thank you. You saved my life.’
He took my hand, but rather than shaking it, as I had intended, he lifted it to his mouth and kissed the back. A charge raced up my arm, exploding in my mouth and groin. ‘It was nothing. Anyone would have done the same.’
‘Thanks anyway,’ I gasped. I had to get out of there, and quick. My internal red light was flashing: danger, danger, danger.
I stepped into the street and, unsure which direction to take, turned right and walked; the skin on my hand still thrumming from the touch of his lips. I wanted to look back, and tried desperately to resist the urge. After a few metres, I gave up and turned my head. There was no sign of him.
***
All of Me is published by Xcite in paperback and e-book formats. You can buy the book here and here.
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To find out more about L. C. visit her site – www.lcwilkinson.com – for news and freebies. Or follow her on Twitter: @ScorpioScribble
Thursday, July 4, 2013
Interview with Lula Lisbon!
Me: The obvious kink for a Cinderella story is foot fetish, but you’ve gone for a whole lot more—-pegging, forced feminization, sissification, and a bunch of others. What made you connect those themes with Cinderella?
LL: Well, in my Cinderella, she is an apprentice to two stepsisters, Druscilla and Arabelle Ravyn, who have a tight grip of control on their city’s Society of Houses. The Houses are places where clients can indulge in any kind of kinky fantasy with a Mistress or Master; Druscilla specializes in Cock and Ball Torture, or CBT, and Arabelle is known for her beatings. After their parents made an alliance to form the House of Ravyn, their fame skyrocketed. The stepsisters looked alike enough to be blood, and at times that’s a taboo fantasy they have on offer for their clients.
As much as I enjoy foot fetish, I had much grander ideas planned for my retelling of Cinderella. Who needs magical shoes when you could have a magical strap-on that comes to life, instead? I really enjoy writing femdom and forced feminization – although maybe I didn’t realize the extent of that enjoyment until I got wrist-deep in Cinderella, if you’ll pardon the fisting pun.
I really wanted to create a semi-modern feel, with aspects of goth, metal, and 24/7 BDSM culture along with a liberal sprinkling of magic. I adore magic, and I just couldn’t take that out. Cinderella’s City is modern, but you can imagine that it might just exist in an alternative universe.
Me: Could you give a few examples of things that appear in the original story and how you’ve changed them for your story?
LL: Of course there are still stepsisters. Originally they were going to be twins, but when they surprised me with a really hot sex scene involving punishing Cinderella for perceived impertinence, I thought it would be safer to change them back into stepsisters. This novella, if I say so myself, is too good to risk it being banned anywhere!
Another big thing is the heteronormativity. I cut my teeth on romance novels, and I was a big fan for years – but that was before I realized I was a lesbian. The rampant sexism and dog-tired alpha male tropes burned me out on the genre for years. I’m still a sucker for a good romance, but anything not doggedly cliché in regards to gender roles is what really interests me now.
But of course, the most important part would be the switching of the magical shoes for a magical strap-on that comes to life! To quote Fairy Kink Mother on that particular bit of cleverness: “Damn, I’m good.”
Me: Tell me more about this magical strap-on. I myself would love to really know how it feels to have sex as a man.
LL: Not being a man myself, this involved a bit of speculation. I’m very happily female-bodied, but I’ve had plenty of fun with strap-ons – on both ends. I’ve written erotica from the point of view of both men and women, though, so I don’t think it was much of a stretch. Cinderella is able to fuck – and to cum – with both her female parts and her magical male parts; she has just as much fun with this magical providence as you can imagine. Her male orgasms are shorter and more animalistic compared to her female ones. In contrast, the submissive rock star Kink-Bottom Prince, who in the story is looking for a new live-in Mistress, explores his feminine side; with the help of Cinderella’s magic cock, he takes her inside of him and is able to have multiple non-ejaculatory orgasms, just as a woman does. I might add, this is entirely possible and realistic – when I was still dating my ex-boyfriend, I witnessed this phenomenon and thought it was amazing. I wrote it much as I experienced it.
Me: I have to ask what you think of the Disney Cinderella.
LL: What little girl doesn’t love the concept? Cinderella was always one of my favorite fairy tales, and I loved the movie as a child. But, again, the heteronormativity. I haven’t watched it in years.
Me: Fairy Kink Mother versus Fairy Godmother. What are three things they have in common and three things they absolutely don’t have in common?
LL: Common denominators:
1. She appears magically and saves Cinderella when she needs help the most.
2. Kindly and with a bit of sense of humor at herself, but also quite self-satisfied at the opportunity to show off.
3. The magic only lasts until midnight.
Uncommon denominators:
1. Fairy Kink Mother is like a magical case worker. She has many clients, and often is run thin trying to manage them all, magically speaking. She has enough magic to last until midnight, but she promises to return to append the spell to permanence once she has attended to some other urgent cases. Still, she has a raunchy and mischievous sense of humor, and can laugh at anything.
2. Fairy Kink Mother, while quite kindly, is not altogether altruistic. She has won the prestigious award of Fairy Kink Mother of the Year six years running, and is determined to keep the winning streak alive. She likes to show off, and is bit more vengeful than an angelic Fairy Godmother would be.
3. Fairy Kink Mother knows all your innermost fantasies and desires, and is not shy about sex in the slightest. You know, she sounds quite a bit like me – something that my beta readers pointed out to me!
Me: You mentioned on your blog that you originally envisioned this story as a shorter work. Was there a particular scene or concept that you just had to expand?
LL: The very first inking of inspiration for Cinderella: A BDSM Retelling was actually sparked by a call for submissions for an anthology of kinky fairy tales. The maximum word count was 5,000 words. I didn’t end up submitting because my idea hadn’t coalesced fully yet, and I think that that was a blessing in disguise. After releasing my erotic science fiction novelette, Doubled, in which a sexy lady scientist who has always been too shy to be with a woman clones herself and sexiness ensues, I’ve been meaning to write longer pieces. Doubled clocked in at a bit above 12,000 words, and at over 21,000, Cinderella is nearly the double of Doubled! Maybe I should have called it Cinderella: BDSM to the Fourth Power. I’m gradually challenging myself to write longer and longer pieces until –oops!—I’m at novel length!
Anyway, to really answer your question, the ballroom scene ended up much longer than I expected. Cinderella comes and steals the show, playing out an intense BDSM scene with Kink-Bottom Prince in front of the cream of the Society of Houses’ elite. I had a few specific acts in mind, and I didn’t want to rush any of them.
And of course there was a scene with a client, earlier on, in which I had Cinderella explore forced feminization and realize just what it was she wanted in her perfect submissive. Then there was the ménage a trois with the stepsisters, and the delightful scene where Fairy Kink Mother appears… I could go on, but I suggest you read the book instead!
Me: Anything else you’d like to add?
LL: I adore fairy tale retellings. My first was Wolf Moon: Redd’s First Ride, in which I took the story of Red Riding Hood and turned it into an alternate pre-Emancipation America, complete with racial divide and werewolves, called weyres, being the enslaved race. I previously thought that it would be a quintet of novelettes, but maybe I’ll just rework it and release it as a novel all at once. I’m not sure yet.
And if you like paranormal romance, I have a great concept for a BDSM retelling of Beauty and the Beast, which will also be of novella length. I don’t want to say much here, but if you enjoyed Wolf Moon, and if you enjoy Cinderella, you will without a doubt enjoy Beauty and the Beast: A BDSM Retelling. However, I don’t have a release date on that determined as of yet.
To pitch a bit more, if you enjoy science fiction, I would definitely suggest Doubled: An Erotic Science Fiction Novelette. It’s one of my favorite pieces I’ve written to date, and perfect for the bi-curious with an appetite for fantastical yet plausible science.
Me: I’m so pleased you took the time to answer my questions! I hope Cinderella does well for you.
LL: Thanks again for having me, and for the interesting questions. I very much appreciate it.
AUTHOR BIO:
A femme queer-identified woman residing in Philadelphia, Lula Lisbon enjoys penning LGBT erotica and romance. Lula’s interests include historical fashions, dark music, and craft beers. She loves to bicycle as much as possible, and stays tight and toned with a grueling regime of pole dance fitness classes.
Lula’s femdom story “Icing on the Cake” is her first to be included in a print anthology — editor Rachel Kramer Bussel’s The Big Book of Orgasms. It will be released by Cleis Press in October 2013.
Lula loves to hear from her fans, and they can find her on Twitter: @LulaLisbon; on Facebook: www.facebook.com/authorlulalisbon; on her website: www.lulalisbon.com; or they can email her directly at Lula.Lisbon@gmail.com.
Cinderella: A BDSM Retelling is now available at Smashwords, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, Kobo, Rainbow eBooks, and soon available on Sony, Diesel, and iTunes.
As for Lula’s entire catalogue, it is available at Amazon, Smashwords, Barnes and Noble, iTunes, Sony, Kobo, Diesel, and Rainbow eBooks.
GIVEAWAY:
Leave your email address and your thoughts on this post in the comments section to be entered to win an eBook copy of Doubled: An Erotic Science Fiction Novelette by Lula Lisbon.
Check out the rest of Lula's tour stops here.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Louisa Bacio Interview!
Louisa Bacio is here with me today, answering questions about her new release, Mirabella's Mardi Gras Menage. Enjoy!
1. Mirabella's Mardi Gras Ménage takes place in a world you've written in before. What should new readers know about the setting?
Within New Orleans, the world of the Others – paranormals – and humans – coexist. Yet, the humans don’t really know they are there. With the vampires, there are two primary factions – those that keep their soul and are more “humane,” and those who go rogue.
The “hero” of this story, Nick, is pretty complicated. His story began in Chains of Silver, and he’s gone through a lot of changes. I don’t want to give away a lot. People can definitely pick up this novella and appreciate it. However, they’ll get more out of it if they read the others first. Right now, Nick is probably my favourite character – next to Trevor from the original story – so I’m a bit prejudiced.
2. Mardi Gras is traditionally a last chance to let loose before a period of ritual fasting. Does that theme — or others related to the holiday — get picked up in your narrative?
Most definitely! Mirabella’s tired of being under the watch of her aunt, and she decides to get out in the world and live. It just happens to take place during the Mardi Gras activities. Pretty perfect timing, I’d say. Some conflict comes up, though, because she doesn’t quite know how to handle it.
3. Mirabella is in some ways a very innocent character — for example, she's still a virgin at the start of the book, thanks to her overprotective aunt. It impressed me that she doesn't get overshadowed by her two much more experienced lovers — especially since they have a bit of an existing relationship. What do you think keeps the relationship between the three of them balanced?
Oh, she’s a little bit frightened by them. I had to temper her down a bit. I think it’s more of the excitement and passion of being with them that helps counter the experience aspect. Plus, there’s a level of trust there. Nick’s saved Mirabella in the past, and she’s used to being around paranormals, so she knows he’s not going to harm her.
4. The gender mix in this book (two women and a man) is different than in some of your others. Do you find the emotional shape of a romance changes when you're writing a different combination of genders?
When the idea for Mirabella’s story came to me, I thought it would be a more traditional M/F/M. To my surprise – nope! I’ve written some lesbian stories, so the same-sex comes naturally to me. What I didn’t want to happen, though, was for Nick to bring Marguerite into the relationship. That seemed too domineering, and self-serving. Instead, I like the way it happened — that Mirabella and Marguerite got together first, and then Nick came into play.
Let me say, as a novella (which was supposed to be 20,000 words, and came in at 25k), there were more scenes I wanted to do. So, I might release a F/F excerpt at some time in the future.
5. You've written a lot of ménage, and I'd love to get any tips you can share on how to handle the dreaded pronoun problem — I always struggle to make it clear, say, which "she" I'm talking about.
Good place for a plug. I’m teaching a “De-Mystifying Ménage” workshop for Savvy Authors that starts today, March 25 (http://www.savvyauthors.com/vb/showevent.php?eventid=1745). The pronouns can be tricky and so can keeping the body parts in order. I’ve got some great tips from Stacey Espino – one of my fav. ménage authors – on the acrobatics. Part of it, for me is having more than pronouns or names. So nicknames or descriptions. In Mirabella’s story, Marguerite has red hair, so she became the redhead lover, etc.
6. Do you plan to continue writing in the world of The Vampire, the Witch, and the Werewolf?
At this time, I have one more full-length title planned for the fall. The story features Jana, a non-shifting werewolf we meet in The Wolfe Pack. Tired of being an outcast, she takes off for the city and shakes up with the original Vampire, Witch & Werewolf. Let’s say she has plenty of enticing experiences in this new environment.
7. Is there anything else you'd like to add, about Mirabella's Mardi Gras Ménage, or writing in general?
This story was extremely fun to write. On that note, follow your instincts with a story. Listen to your characters, and they will come alive!
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!
Thanks so much for having me here today.
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Mirabella’s Mardi Gras Ménage
Constantly under the watchful eye of her Voodoo priestess aunt, Mirabella longs to break free during the events of Mardi Gras. Escapades draw her into the arms of Marguerite, a fiery redhead with a passion for life, and Nick, a familiar vampire who’s haunted by his transformation and past.
What starts as a new experience – a Mardi Gras Ménage – soon turns deadly, and none of their lives will ever be the same.
Available via Ravenous Romance, Amazon, Barnes & Noble and other eRetailers.
Bio
Louisa Bacio is the author of six erotic novels, including the paranormal series The Vampire, The Witch & The Werewolf, and numerous steamy short stories.
Bacio enjoys soaking up the sun in Southern California, and spending time with her family. In addition to writing and editing, Bacio teaches college courses in English, journalism, film studies and popular culture.
Drop in for a visit at
http://www.louisabacio.com
http://www.facebook.com/louisabacio
http://www.twitter.com/louisabacio
Giveaway:
A .pdf of a book from my backlist. Leave a comment with a valid email address, and you’ll be entered to win.
Tour-wide:
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$20 Rafflecopter Gift Card
For other stops in the tour, visit the tour page here.
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Tuesday, March 5, 2013
An Interview With Kyoko Church
I first encountered Kyoko Church's writing in her excellent contributions to anthologies by Mischief Books. Now, she's on tour to promote her new stand-alone title, For Her Pleasure. She kindly allowed me to ask her about femdom, moving into writing longer work, and more. Enjoy!
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The blurb:
Imagine an average guy with a wife, a job, average house, average car, average sex life… Well, not exactly. He has a secret he finds so embarrassing that he never talks to anyone about it. And then one day he meets her...
An architect chairs the newly formed Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Committee at his office. When the consultant he hires to help him organize the new committee turns out to be a red-haired bombshell, he tries to rein in his untoward thoughts.
But when she uncovers his embarrassing little secrets, this married man ends up in a relationship that’s so wrong on every level of his carefully put together life.
How long will he let his burning carnal desires threaten everything he’s worked so hard for?
***
1. You’ve said that For Her Pleasure is based on previously published short stories. How did the story of subPaul and his Mistress begin?
I’m not sure if you mean how did their story begin or how did I begin writing it. I’ll try and answer both. The first incarnation of their story had them meeting in an elevator of a building they were both working in. They did not share any kind of professional relationship, nor did it have anything to do with the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Committee -- that came later. They just shared a moment where they really saw each other, if you know what I mean. As for writing, it began with this idea of a man who could turn a perceived weakness into a source of arousal. I find that idea to be really intriguing and it inspires all sorts of thoughts and fantasies for me.
2. A lot of authors who start out writing short pieces seem to struggle to put together longer work (myself included). Can you talk a little about how you converted short stories to a single-author novella?
Sure! As I said, I had a lot of ideas for scenarios that subPaul and Mistress could find themselves in. I find it’s fairly easy for me to come up with snippets of hot encounters. But yes, weaving them into a longer work was a challenge. And it was the first time I’d written a single-author novella! Up to the time when I wrote this I’d only written short stories. I have to say, my editor at Mischief helped me. Although I had a lot of the scenarios and relationship elements laid out, it was he who suggested to me that there needed to be an extra element of tension. There needed to be more at stake for my sub. And that is when I came up with the idea of him chairing the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Committee. In the end, the juxtaposition of this man indulging in all his kinky fantasies while chairing this committee not only gave the story more heat, it also afforded me more opportunities to be a bit funny. Lol. Because femdom so often ventures into the realm of the absurd!
3. Wrongness seems to be a theme of For Her Pleasure. Sub Paul chairs the Sexual Harassment in the Workplace Committee, he’s married, and so on. Wrongness can be very uncomfortable -— but it can also be very hot. How do you use wrongness in For Her Pleasure, and what makes it a turn-on?
I’ve never really thought of it in those words but you’re right, wrongness is a prevalent theme throughout. Yes, it can be so hot! In this story, as I talked about, it provides tension for the plot. But also for Paul in his sexual exploits. Mistress toys with him quite a bit in terms of his job and his wife and his marriage. He has those moments where he thinks, this is so wrong… why am I so excited by it?? That’s a great question, what makes it a turn on. And one you see discussed more and more, in terms of infidelity. How do you escape the fact that, while infidelity is certainly not something positive, it is increasingly difficult to deny that the very fact you are not supposed to do it is part of the allure for some. It’s difficult to say why that is. I don’t think I can put it into words. I think it is just a natural part of some people’s psyches that, as soon as you say don’t do xyz, suddenly xyz is all they can think about doing!
4. I was really interested by a quote I found on your blog: “If the idea of femdom scares you or doesn't interest you or is something you think is really weird and you don't get it... I'll ask you to go with me a bit on this. You might be surprised. Because, before I started writing in this subgenre, I was like you.” I’d love to hear more of that story. What made you try writing femdom if it weirded you out at first?
Aw, you checked out my blog? And found something interesting?! Yay! That totally makes my day. As for writing femdom, yes, it did weird me out at first. I didn’t have any experience with it and had never really given it much thought. What little knowledge I did have was populated by stereotypical images of harsh looking women in leather brandishing whips and weak looking men cowering at their feet. I didn’t understand it and I dismissed it as something that was simply not my cup of tea.
So I didn’t wake up one day and decide, I want to try writing femdom! It just evolved into that. My writing always comes from little fantasies I have and all my fantasies are derived from power struggle. Up to that point I had always related more to the submissive side and since I’m female that translated into stories that were maledom. But when I think about it I have always been fascinated by the issue that Paul struggles with in this book: premature ejaculation. (Hm, that deserves a whole blog post in itself! Stay tuned to the tour for that!) So in indulging my fantasies about that, it created these characters and this story grew from there.
5. You’ve also suggested For Her Pleasure might provide a fresh perspective on femdom. How so?
I guess that was a little naïve or perhaps presumptuous of me to say. In my eyes it’s a fresh perspective since I had not encountered a more sensual approach to femdom before. I had those harsh stereotypes in my head. I hadn’t considered that a female character could dominate while still maintaining a soft, sexy and even loving demeanour. So to a reader who is like I was – with limited knowledge of the subgenre and who might dismiss it as just weird and unflattering – I am hoping this provides another way of looking at it.
6. As a writer of both femdom and maledom, do you feel you’re speaking to different audiences? Or do you think there’s overlap in the readership? Most of my femdom reading has come about when I followed a favorite kinky author to the “other side.” To what extent do you think a person can enjoy both?
Ha, I love you thinking of it as “the other side”! That’s funny. Like, come join us over here on the dark side. We’re having loads of fun! Lol.
I don’t think about an audience when I write. I can’t. I just don’t think my writing would come out authentically or with passion if I did. I write what pleases me and then just hope others like it too. I don’t think I’ve been publishing long enough to be able to speak knowledgeably on the topic of overlap between femdom and maledom readership. I really don’t know. I think there could be. I think if you enjoy power exchange in a sexual context, which is really what’s at the core of almost everything I write, then it’s possible to enjoy reading both, even if you wouldn’t want to explore one or the other in real life. That’s what the fun of reading books is all about, right?
7. Anything else you’d like to add about writing in general, femdom, or For Her Pleasure?
Just that I hope readers will check it out, whether they’re a fan of the subgenre or not. I really feel the story holds up on its own merits, not just as an excuse to write hot femdom erotica. Having said that, don’t get me wrong, there are LOTS of hot femdom scenes filled with tension and lusty, naughty behaviour! So do have a look. And I’m always eager to know what readers think. I encourage people to comment, tweet or otherwise contact me with their thoughts!
Thanks so much for taking the time to answer my questions!
***
Excerpt:
When he got back to his office she was stretched out on the leather sofa beneath the large picture window that looked out high over the city. Her feet were up, Kate Spade heels on the floor. Again, those red toenails.
He shut the door behind him.
‘I hope you don’t mind,’ she said. ‘I made myself comfortable while I was waiting. Been on my feet all day.’ The look she gave him then could only be described as imploring. Imploring in a way that sucked his gaze back to those gorgeous feet. An inexplicably helpless feeling bloomed in his chest.
‘Have a seat,’ she said, indicating the sofa beside her.
He settled uncomfortably at the other end, not knowing where to look or how to position his body. She chuckled. ‘A little closer, silly,’ she said, lifting her foot up, offering it to him as he moved closer. He blushed but took it, gently. Her foot was surprisingly small and slender, the skin pale so the red toenails stood out sharply.
His mind raced. Raced. Everything in his brain screamed how wrong this was, how they were the two people in the entire building most aware of the wrongness, charged as they were with informing the entire company on the intricacies of how wrong everything about a man touching a woman’s foot in a work setting was.
Especially when said man was pitching a tent in his pants.
But he absolutely could not stop. His dick screamed back at his brain to shut the fuck up, just shut up for once and let me have this one.
Well, what harm would a little consensual foot rub do? That was the key word, right? Consensual. He began to massage slowly.
‘Wait a second.’ He looked up. ‘Turn to me a little,’ she said. ‘That’s right. Now lift your knee up onto the couch.’ He did so and jumped as she placed her other foot gently but firmly against his crotch. ‘Keep rubbing,’ she commanded, gesturing at the foot in his hand. ‘I just want to make sure you’re not getting excited.’ Fire exploded in his face. He looked away from her, at her foot, then looked away from that.
She laughed. ‘It’s OK,’ she cooed. ‘I know you like my feet. And I do need a foot rub right now. So you rub my foot.’ He hesitated. ‘Do it,’ she said, not laughing now. ‘But I just need to make sure, you know, for legal reasons, that you’re not being a disgusting pervert and getting all excited about my pretty feet. I need to make sure this foot rub is just about you doing something I’ve asked you to do for me. Alright? For massage therapy purposes.’
How could he be so confused and at the same time his dick be growing? Did she mean it? Of course she didn’t, but he couldn’t be sure.
He rubbed, obediently trying to clear his mind, trying to think of anything but her slim foot in his hands. But there was also the pressure of her other foot against him. And then she started making little noises. Little whimpers, groans of pleasure. ‘Mmm, that’s right,’ she purred. ‘Ooo, right there, that feels so good.’ He was helpless. He sat helplessly rubbing her sexy foot while his cock grew with a mind of its own.
‘Oh my god, what is going on?’ She looked at him. ‘I can feel you, you know,’ she said, wiggling her toes against his stiffness, only worsening matters. ‘God, what horny little thoughts are going through your head? Was it the noises I was making?’ she chided. ‘I was only enjoying the foot rub! You weren’t thinking that’s what I sound like when I fuck, were you?’ Oh! To hear that word. To hear that word come out of her mouth. It hung in the air, like a spark, like an echo. A mere half hour ago she had been standing in the conference room lecturing on what constituted inappropriate language in the workplace! But he could not deny that he had never heard that word sound so fucking sexy ever before. A hard slap of a word and when she said it he immediately wanted nothing more than to do it. With her. Now.
He stared into his lap, unable to respond. ‘Well, if you are going to act like a horny, little dog, then that’s how I’m going to have to treat you.’
This is how it was that the chair of the sexual harassment committee of X Architects found himself on all fours on the floor in front of this goddess, pants around his knees, praying, hoping against hope that no one opened the door to his office that he didn’t think to lock, while he humped his straining shaft against her foot like some kind of human lap dog.
It was sheer and utter madness. And he was powerless against it.
Even though she didn’t make it easy for him, did things like swing her foot away, complain that he was going too fast, laugh, force him to keep all four limbs on the ground, to not use his hands, even still his little problem reared its ugly head.
He spurted, hips helplessly bucking, after two minutes.
Oh no.
Here it comes.
He knelt in front of her and braced himself. He steeled himself against the familiar onslaught of feeling – frustration, anger, shame – that always raged through him like a firestorm, burning through everything in its path. But instead of the usual reactions of disappointment, pity, anger or worse, the yawning silence, pregnant with judgments and unspoken resentment, there was something different.
Giggling. Like tinsel. Like glasses chinking together, crystal laughter.
‘My, my, my, we are the eager little beaver, aren’t we?’
Heat rose, he could hear the blood pump through the vessels in his head.
‘That’s OK, sweetie,’ she said and she leaned over, put her lips right next to his ear, so he could feel her breath on his skin. ‘Mistress has all sorts of ways of dealing with a horny little puppy like you,’ she whispered.
Oh fuck.
‘Starting with,’ she said, dipping her finger in the creamy mess on her foot, ‘rubbing your nose in it.’ She swiped her finger across the space between his nose and his upper lip. A moustache of his own shame. The sharp, acrid odour immediately brought a fresh jolt of humiliation. ‘You may not rub or wash that off,’ she announced. She took his chin with her fingers, stared right into his eyes. His heart pounded in terror. ‘You will wear your disgusting mess on your face. It will be there for all of the rest of your meetings today.’ Oh god. ‘And when you go home and kiss your wife.’ Oh god! ‘And when you put your head on your pillow tonight.’ She sighed then, closed those gorgeous eyes and smiled. ‘When you have your shower tomorrow morning you may wash it off then.’ He realized then he wasn’t breathing and took in a gasping breath.
And suddenly he realized something else. Something astounding.
He was hard again. Harder than he had been the first time.
There was shame. But no anger. There was humiliation. But no frustration.
Pure humiliation. Not blazing, like the white hot heat of the firestorm of his secret torment, but rolling in slowly, like molasses, covering him, turning his insides liquid, enveloping him in a mass of humility, shrinking him down, making him want to place his hard, needy little cock before her in an act of complete submission.
And what she did then made it throb and ache even more.
She leaned in and placed the smallest little kiss with her full, soft, pouty red lips right on the tip of his nose. Like the period at the end of a sentence.
There it was. Just like that. Turned a hair to the left. His torment died.
His kink was born.
Buy Links:
Amazon
Amazon UK
***
Bio:
Kyoko Church discovered the power of the written erotic word when she was 16 years old and penned a very explicit missive to her boyfriend detailing all the naughty things she wanted to do to him. When he received it, boyfriend was impressed. When he found it, father was not.
For the next 18 years she hid her naughty thoughts in shame. Until she found a community where they were once again appreciated for the well-imagined smut they are. Her short stories have been published in anthologies by Black Lace, Rubicund Publishing and Xcite Books. Book One, Nymphomania, and Book Two, Sapphic Secrets, in her Draper Estate Trilogy were published by Xcite in 2012. For Her Pleasure was published by HarperCollins Mischief in February 2013.
A Canuck by birth, she has recently made Australia her home. She is currently learning to drive on the left and say G’day convincingly.
Website: http://kyokochurch.blogspot.com
Facebook: http://www.facebook.com/kyoko.church
Twitter: https://twitter.com/kyokochurch
Pinterest: http://pinterest.com/kyokochurch/
Tuesday, February 19, 2013
Kay Jaybee Interview!
***
Digging Deep's blurb:
As site supervisor on an archaeological dig, in the grounds of the Ancient Roman city of Leptis Minus in Tunisia, Dr Beth Andrew’s hands are well and truly full. Her first foreign excavation, which she co-runs with the American archaeologist Dr Harrison Harris, gets off to a shaky start due to the jealous interference of Harrison’s ex, and an overzealous student… Love and lust really can cloud even the cleverest person’s judgement!
***
1.The setting to Digging Deep sounds awesome -- an archaeological dig on the grounds of the ancient Roman city Leptis Minus in Tunisia. How did you discover this place and decide to set a book there?
Leptis Minus wasn’t so much discovered by me in a whirl of writer like research, but was thrust upon me as a student. Many years ago, when I was in my second year at university, I was sent to Tunisia to take part in the excavation of a Roman city. I was very privileged to be put to work on digging the bath house -- it was an amazing experience.
I have long wanted to set one of my stories on an archaeological excavation. The challenges of that particular excavation, with its additional pressures of extreme heat in the day, extreme cold at night, lack of running water, and limited food, made it the ideal one to play with!
2. It sounds like there's a story behind the dedication to Digging Deep. Care to share?
There is indeed! Only a handful of students were chosen to go to Africa and represent my university. The remainder of the dig staff came from similarly selected students from a university in America. At first it was all a bit ‘chalk and cheese’ - but soon we were all rubbing along very well indeed! Saying no more!!
3. Your writing covers a range from romantic to hardcore erotic. When you're writing something on the more romantic side, such as Digging Deep, does anything change about your approach?
I must confess I find writing the more romantic stories much harder than penning the BDSM kink. I’m constantly having to hold myself back from adding in extra sex scenes with ropes and chains!!
With the hardcore erotica I plan my stories less. The scenes seem to naturally flow from one to another, each sexual episode broadening the story, and carrying the plot.
In romantic tales however, the sex is often the ultimate aim -- the goal in the minds of the two lead characters. Keeping the tension going in a way that won’t send my readers to sleep means I have to think around more corners than I do with the more complex BDSM stories!
4. The heroine of Digging Deep is British, and your hero is American. Love across the pond seems to be a subject of endless fascination to people on both sides of the divide. What interests you about it?
I guess there are a lot of ‘love across the pond’ romances. I hadn’t really given that a thought to be honest! Until Digging Deep, all my stories have been based in the UK.
When I’m writing I have to be able to picture all my stories locations in my head. If I can’t, then I just can’t get across the feel of a place, and consequently the stories don’t work. So when I wrote this novella, it was more to do with basing a story outside the confines of the UK for a change.
As I can still picture the sights, sounds, and aromas of Tunisia so well, it seemed too good a setting to let go to waste. Plus of course, there is nothing like having two characters from different backgrounds having to work together -- who knows what frictions may occur!
5. In an interview you did for Victoria Blisse, you mentioned becoming desensitized to erotica. I've been thinking about that ever since I read it (it struck me because my own relationship with erotica has certainly changed as I've read and written more of it). How do you keep your writing hot when that's the case?
In my early days of writing, I knew my erotica was working because it turned me on as I wrote it. These days they are simply words on a page. I guess after seven years of twisting human beings into sexual knots you are bound to become desensitized to it.
On the plus side, after all those years, I have also picked up an idea of what my readers like and don’t like. I have a bank of ideas that I know work, and another set of plots that simply don’t – and will never be used again!
I keep things fresh (at least I hope I do), by trying to take as many ordinary scenarios as possible, and then making extra ordinary things happen within them. Nothing is sexier than taking an everyday occurrence or place, and allowing fantasy laden things to take them over!
6. I first read your work on Oysters and Chocolate, where you were a frequent contributor. The owners of that wonderful publication recently announced they were shutting down. Would you mind reflecting a bit on your experience with O&C in honour of a site I will definitely miss?
Oysters and Chocolate have been a major influence in my writing career, and I will certainly miss them.
It was just over seven years ago when they took my very first piece of erotic poetry- Regrets (http://kayjaybee.me.uk/news/oysters-and-chocolate-a-fond-fairwell/).
After that, the editors Jordan and Sam, kindly took over 30 pieces of my work. From short tales to poems, to books reviews, and even a ten part serial, (Going Against Type), they have supported me all along the line.
My serial later became ‘Not Her Type: Erotic Adventures With A Delivery Man’, and was published by Oysters and Chocolate’s sister company, OCPress (which is also sadly no more).
I will particularly miss providing the web site with an annual Christmas story. My first one, Santa’s Little Helper, visited a very select grotto -- while my very last, Candy at Christmas, took the reader into the world of pony play!
So many people use O&C, not only a place where they could read a new piece of fresh kink every day, but as a place to spot new talent. In fact, if it wasn’t for my short story, Punished, (that featured on the site a few years ago), then I would never have been asked by Sweetmeats Press to write The Circus novella for their Immoral Views collection, and consequently, wouldn’t have written my third novel, Making Him Wait. (Sweetmeats Press, 2012)
7. Anything else you'd like to add, about writing in general or Digging Deep specifically?
Thank you ever so much for such for inviting me over for such a lovely interview!
The last twelve months have been an amazing experience for me in the world of writing. I’ve been lucky enough to have two novels come out (The Voyeur- Xcite, Making Him Wait- Sweetmeats Press), my first anthology re-released with a brand new cover (The Collector- Austin & Macauley), and two Secret Library novellas published (A Sticky Situation and Digging Deep). I’m still in shock to tell you the truth!
2013 is shaping up to be just as hectic. I have just finished my first non-erotic novel (all hush hush for now!), and am about to start writing parts 2 and 3 of The Perfect Submissive! Part two will be entitled The Retreat, and will be out in October. Once that’s written, I’ll be cracking on with part three...
***
Digging Deep is published by Xcite Books, and is available from Amazon UK and Amazon US, and is coming soon to all other good eBook retailers.
***
Bio-
Kay Jaybee wrote the novels Making Him Wait, (Sweetmeats Press, 2012), The Voyeur (Xcite,2012), and The Perfect Submissive (Xcite, 2011), as well as the novella's Digging Deep (Xcite, 2013), A Sticky Situation (Xcite, 2012), and The Circus (Sweetmeats Press, 2011). She has also written the anthologies The Best of Kay Jaybee, (Xcite,2012), Tied to the Kitchen Sink, Equipment, (All Romance, 2012), Yes Ma’am (Xcite e-books, 2011), Quick Kink One and Quick Kink Two (Xcite e-books, 2010), and The Collector (Austin & Macauley, 1st Ed 2008, 2nd Ed 2012). Kay has had over 60 short stories published by Cleis Press (inc. Best of Best Women’s Erotica 2, Best Women’s Erotica 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012; Best Bondage 2012, 2013, Sweet Love, Gotta Have It, Sweet Confessions), Black Lace (Sexy Little Numbers), Mammoth (The Mammoth Book of Lesbian Erotica), Xcite (inc.Ultimate Sin, Boy Fun, Power Play, Threesomes, Finger Music, Tricks For Kicks), Penguin (Oysters and Chocolate; Erotic Stories of Every Flavor), Seal (Oysters and Chocolate; Nice Girls, Naughty Sex),and Sweetmeats Press (Immoral Views).
Details of all Kay's work can be found at www.kayjaybee.me.uk
You can follow Kay on Twitter- kay_jaybee
And on Facebook- http://www.facebook.com/KayJaybeeAuthor
Friday, June 22, 2012
Erotica as Declaration
One of my publishers, Forbidden Fiction, recently posted an interview with me as part of their pride month celebration:
Read the rest here. While you're at the site, check out interviews with other Forbidden Fiction authors, including Lynn Kelling and Thirteen.
What do you like about writing GLBT themes?
All erotica is a declaration of independence to me. It's a way of owning my freedom -- to act, to think, to fantasize, to put those things into words and open them up to others. Stories with GLBT themes are often hot to me sexually, so that's an important thing to note -- they fit that goal of erotica. They also, however, fit with this need for declaration. I think it's important for me to say that these themes are hot, and to get at the issues they bring up. I identify as bisexual, but have spent a lot of my life "passing" as straight. It feels good to express my full identity in my writing.
Read the rest here. While you're at the site, check out interviews with other Forbidden Fiction authors, including Lynn Kelling and Thirteen.
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
On Self-Censorship
Author Giselle Renarde interviewed me for her blog, Donuts and Desires, on self-censorship and other issues around being a writer:
Read the full interview here.
As an added note, I'm really disturbed by what's been happening recently -- books getting pulled from sites without explanation. Read Giselle Renarde's description of her experience with the sudden disappearance of Elementary, My Dear Kathryn, a lesbian anal fetish e-book. You can still pick the book up from the publisher.
I definitely self-censor. I had to dip my toes into erotica bit by bit — I am a deeply kinky person, but it was hard for me to reveal that as a writer. I would be reading extreme blood play lesbian BDSM, and then publish a vanilla story about a straight married couple. I have started to get into more of my true kinks recently, but I have to say that what has been happening with PayPal and censorship on book-selling sites has had a chilling effect on me.
Read the full interview here.
As an added note, I'm really disturbed by what's been happening recently -- books getting pulled from sites without explanation. Read Giselle Renarde's description of her experience with the sudden disappearance of Elementary, My Dear Kathryn, a lesbian anal fetish e-book. You can still pick the book up from the publisher.
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