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Please comment on my post here. Thanks!!
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Spine-tingling passion and suspense
Spine-tingling passion and suspense
So sorry that my comments aren’t working on the other page.
Please comment on my post here. Thanks!!
(To see the post, click here.)
So, your slutty muse and I seem to have a lot in common. 😉 First, two partners in a non-committed relationship? Not cheating. At all. As long as that point is clear, you’re good to go, especially with the deeper on erotic romance reading set. They get it.
As for what RWA said about age range? I call bullshit. Most of the books I read, along with my many erotica/erotic romance reading friends, are not with the twenty something set. If you doubt me, check out Cherise Sinclair’s Dark Haven series along with half of her Shadowland cast. And the book that put Lynda Aicher on the map? Featured a 40 something year old woman and her younger Dom. I could keep going, but I think you get my drift.
As for the BDSM aspects, if you ever want me to impression read a scene for you, let me know. I would do so happily.
Welcome to the Kinky side! It’s fun to be here. 🙂
Thanks for the welcome, Kitt. I’m having fun over here!
And doubly thanks for the feedback. Very good to know that the readers who will otherwise like Binding Choice won’t mind my protag’s wandering libido. 🙂
I may very well take you up on your kind offer. I just finished Binding Vows first draft last night and I’m letting it rest for a week or so. When I go back to edit, I’ll pm you on Facebook if I have scenes I’d like you to take a look at.
And you have the dubious honor of being the first person to comment on “Jessica’s” new website. LOL
I had NO IDEA! I LOVE IT! And you! I always learn from your writing and your insight into psychology. I haven’t been blogging as much (hardly at all sadly), and this fest has made me miss the community of community of writers who made me feel at home in their writerly world. I love that you created a new series and write in multiple genres. I’ve always wanted to write across genres and never liked the niche of sticking with one. Yes, I know we need followings, but I think there are also readers who are eclectic and read whatever they’re in the mood for, like me. And I’m putting yours on my TBR list!
Aww, you are so sweet, Jess. Thank you for the compliment. Yeah, this little old lady still has some surprises up her sleeve. 😀
I definitely find genres confining at times. It’s been cool spreading my wings some as Jessica Dale. Honored to know her books are now on your tbr list.
And I’m glad to see you blogging some again. I have missed your wit!!
And I seem to have confused WordPress thoroughly. It’s not sure which persona to assign to my comments. LOL
Confusing WordPress is easier than one might think. I really do not know anything about the genres other than what I read and don’t read and lately, it has been cozy mysteries. I know why and it has nothing to do with your question about erotica, or erotic/romance. My sense is you have such a command of your voice and genre that your stories will find a fit. For what it’s worth, I’m with Kitt especially regarding aging and cheating. As I say, you write what you know so you will find a fit and best of luck on the kinky side!
LOL I’m finding that out about Word Press. And thank you so much for the compliment.
I love writing and reading cozy mysteries (and traditional mysteries too) but I’m finding it liberating to write romantic suspense that’s a bit on the dark side.
Thanks for your vote on the cheating and age issues. I’m discovering that my audience and my dauther-in-law’s rom-com audience may not be the same people.
EXACTLY! They are not going to be your target audience for this one, and that’s ok. BTW, if you need some help pimping it later, I can help…especially in directing it to more accepting and interested groups. 😉
Awesome, Thanks, Kitt.
I love that you’re writing about a sexually adventurous woman who doesn’t fit into a stereotypical box! Whoop, whoop!
As for the line between BDSM and abuse (though I believe you said perversion?), I think consent is the key factor. The cornerstones of BDSM are safe, sane and consensual — and if anything isn’t consensual, it’s not “sex.” Is that helpful at all?? Thanks for the mighty consideration you’re infusing into the process. It really speaks of your heart.
Thank you, August! That means a lot to me.
I think Kitt’s post hit on the heart of my dilemma. If we portray or practice BDSM is that in conflict with empowerment and our feminism?
I’m getting so many good ideas to apply to my re-write/editing process on this story. I want to portray a young woman who is struggling with that conflict, a bit ashamed of her sexual preferences/behaviors and then ashamed of feeling that shame. And during the book, she moves toward more acceptance of herself and her sexuality. That’s what I want. Now I just have to make the words on the page convey that…lol.
Oh, I love this…
What an absolutely fascinating post!
I’d always say, just write the story with no fears or worries and see what happens. It might be that the whole point of writing this particular story is to actually resolve it on the way.
I say trust your writing. What’s the worst that can happen? You can edit out anything after it’s written, but not really before ??? x x x
Hi Tabitha. For some reason, WordPress held your comment hostage for a while, so I;m just now seeing it.
At this point, I have finished the first draft, and what you said is exactly what happened. As I wrote the story, it became apparent that the character’s struggle with all this needed to be more central. It’s too big topic to just address in passing as a subplot theme.
So glad you enjoyed the post!
This whole conversation about kink and shame and acceptance is so damn important… there are so many of us who’ve struggled to get to grips with our kink desires, and mainstream published BDSM stuff doesn’t cover that at all.
Personally, I feel that my kink doesn’t clash with my feminist views – if it’s between consenting adults, who’ve made an informed choice, who am I to judge?
Reading about older people engaging in kinky play? Sign me up!
Oh, and non-monogamous/polyamorous relationships? Yes, we need to read more of those please!
One last thought – August mentioned SSC (safe, sane and consensual)… the other way that some kinksters play is RACK (risk aware consensual kink) – it might be worth looking up both, to get an idea of what the difference is, as that *might* help you find a character POV.
Thanks again, Kitt. I will definitely look both of those up.
I like older characters and I like graphic sex if it serves the story; I don’t mind reading about challenging topics, either, and I don’t care about the cheaters thing, if it is clear that she is open to and about her lovers. I will definitely check out your books.
Awesome, Jenny. But now I’m all nervous that you all won’t like Binding Choice. This is what happens when one branches out into new territory, I guess. You end up back in “Nervous Novice” Land…lol
Kassandra, you are such an inspiration to me! You’re main objective with this post probably wasn’t to inspire but let me explain. In the last year I finally found the courage to admit out loud that I dream of becoming an author one day and I think starting my blog was the first step. For someone like me who is not a professional writer, it’s so inspiring and exciting to hear that you’re writing career started after a career in a completely different profession! I also think it’s VERY cool that you’ve found success writing in two totally different genres. I’ve never read a romance novel before so Binding Choice will be my first! I’m afraid I don’t have much advice to give but as a 20 something myself I can say first hand that it gets boring reading about other 20 somethings! I like reading stories and watching TV shows about women who are older than me because it gives me role models to look up to and other female experiences to learn from. I just want to say thank you for being such an inspiration. Reading your post was the highlight of my day and I can’t wait to check out Binding Choice!
Wow! Erica, I’m honored to be your inspiration.
And thank you for that insight into 20 something readers. That is a very good point. I’m finding most of my heroines so far in my romantic suspense stories are somewhere between 28 (Binding Choice) to 35 (Payback/Backlash), but I’m thinking I will eventually write about a couple in their forties, or even fifties finding love again after widowhood (Diana Beebe inspired that thought).
Best of luck with your writing!!
Kudos for letting your characters, not publishers or the market, guide you! As a writer, I’ve also struggled with keeping one ear to the market and one to the muse. When I abandon the muse, my writing suffers. I’m sure if you listen to your characters, they will let you know how to shape the story.
Thanks, Audrey. Ironically it was the though of expanding my market that helped me decide to listen to my muse. Now I’m glad I did!