Sasha White's Blog
May 22, 2012
Lately I’ve seen the same thing in a couple of shows that have frustrated me to no end.
A character who is being held against their will for whatever reason. (Serial killer, vampire needs a snack…whatever) anyway, here’s this person, with their hands tied together, in front of them. Rope wraps around their torso, holding them to the chair, but the rope wraps their arms to their elbows, so their hands can stay in front of them. Duct tape across their mouth. Then their left alone….
Now it shows them wiggling around, and squirming, and trying to move their chair towards some tool or a phone or something, yet they never use their hands to remove the duct tape, then their teeth to try and get the ropes off their wrists!!
It kills me. Seriously, if the ropes only reach your elbows and you can lift your hands from your lap, then why can’t you tear the duct tape from your mouth?
Maybe I’m to literal, but seeing this in shows just makes me think of the idiots who run upstairs to get away from the bad guy who’s trying to break through the front door, instead of hauling ass out the back door.
May 18, 2012
I’m starting a new thing and hope to host guest bloggers every Friday. You can expect most of them to be steamy authors because, well, I am. LOL Today’s post is brought to you from the lovely Natasha Moore, author of the Paolo’s Playhouse series from Samhain…and c’mon, don’t you just wish tere was playhouse near you?
She’s my first guest blogger so please leave a comment and make her feel welcome.
Paolo’s Playhouse. A new playground for consenting adults. Playrooms for every interest or desire. Bring your own plaything or we can provide one for you. We’ll help your fantasies come to life. Inquiries, phone…
The idea for my Paolo’s Playhouse series came a couple years ago when I was brainstorming ideas for a series. I’d never written a series before and I wanted something sexy, erotic, and emotional as well. I wanted the Playhouse with its many playrooms, to be different from the other sex clubs I’d read about. I didn’t want a big, public dungeon (although those are great!) I wanted a club with small, intimate rooms where people could live out fantasies that maybe they’d never considered doing for real. People who maybe wouldn’t normally go to a dungeon in the first place.
I had fun setting up different fantasies for each story and I purposely kept the stories short and focused. I wanted to concentrate on one couple for each story – a couple at a crossroads in their relationship, and show how letting go and living out a sexual fantasy together could make all the difference.
The first story in the series, Flaunt It, features exhibitionism in a playroom with a big two-way mirror. The second story, Risk It, features the couple on the other side of the two-way mirror, so voyeurism is the fantasy for that story. Birthday Girl is a sexy ménage story and the last story, Plaything, which released last week, is a BDSM story. Each story is as emotional as it is erotic and I’m really thrilled with readers’ responses.
Julianne’s the epitome of a successful businesswoman. But where her boardroom reality is full of decisions, her bedroom fantasy is the exact opposite—allowing a lover who knows what he’s doing to strip her of the need to make any decisions at all.
When she reads an ad for Paolo’s Playhouse, her long-ignored need twists inside her, too sharp to ignore. Trembling, she picks up the phone, and Paolo’s charm, lyrical accent and empathy soothe her fear just enough to agree to be the Playhouse’s bondage toy. One look at Paolo the following night, and she wishes she’d struck a different bargain. To be his alone.
Paolo can’t take his eyes off the brave and beautiful woman with hair like the fire he sees in her soul. Her sexual need to be bound matches his own powerful need to be the one to bind her. Tonight and always.
Except Julianne agreed to only one perfect night. Now he must convince her it could be the first night of many for them—if only she will trust him.
I want to thank Sasha for having me as her guest today and I’m delighted to give away a free download of Flaunt It, the first story in the series, to one lucky commenter. And I’m also happy to share an excerpt for Plaything, a little tease if you will :)
Excerpt:
She heard his footsteps move away from her and then the door opened. And then it closed with a quiet click. She was left alone, tied to a chair in the middle of a playroom, offering her body for someone else’s enjoyment.
And hopefully her own.
This was what she’d wanted, wasn’t it? An anonymous, erotic encounter. A one-time experience with bondage. She was there to live out her deepest fantasy. It didn’t matter with whom.
At least it hadn’t before.
She pushed the image of deep blue eyes and dark wavy hair out of her mind and concentrated on the sensations of the moment. She was tied tight, yet it wasn’t uncomfortable, at least not yet. She felt vulnerable, helpless. And so aroused she could feel moisture trickling from her core.
The air felt different now, softer, almost like the drag of fingers over her skin. She could barely hear the soft music over the blood pulsing though her veins. Her nipples beaded with anticipation. Her heart skipped in her chest. Her pussy clenched.
And she waited. And waited.
She discovered she didn’t like to wait.
She was used to taking matters into her own hands, whether it was a decorating job or her own satisfaction. But to wait for the unknown. To anticipate the best. To agonize about the worst. She didn’t like it one bit.
There wasn’t a damn thing she could do about it, and perhaps that was the lesson she was supposed to learn. Let go. Don’t worry. Wait and see. Everything was out of her control anyway.
She was here to be someone’s plaything. Someone who would be coming to this room to play out his fantasy as well. She had to remember that.
As she sat there and waited, her heartbeat slowed to something close to normal. She relaxed into the chair and closed her eyes. Let go. Don’t worry. Wait and see. The words repeated in her head. She might have even dozed off in the darkness that surrounded her.
Then she heard the click of the door opening. The door closing. Footsteps nearing. Her poor heart kicked up into high gear again. She straightened as best she could, sitting tall and proud. She wanted to please whoever it was Paolo had entrusted her to tonight. She licked her lips and attempted a shaky smile.
He hadn’t said a word. Hadn’t moved since the footsteps stopped. He wore some exotic scent that tickled her nostrils. Who was he? What did he look like? Why didn’t he have his own bondage toy to play with? Was he someone like her, someone who hadn’t been able to find a willing partner?
He was so quiet. He had to have been looking her over. Checking her out. Perhaps he was trying to decide what the first thing was he was going to do to her. Oh God, what was he going to do to her?
Her breathing began to come faster, harder. Panic scrambled in her chest. Maybe she couldn’t do this after all.
“Shh.” He brushed his hand gently down her cheek, through her hair, across her shoulder. And then again. “Shhh.” The soft strokes calmed her and she felt foolish for panicking. Paolo had promised she would be safe with this man. And while she might not know this man enough to trust him yet, she trusted Paolo. She believed him.
I’ll hold the contest open until Monday, May 21st. What’s your favorite fantasy? Please leave your e-mail address along with your answer for a chance at a free download of Flaunt It.
purchase PLAYTHING at Amazon, B&N, Samhain
May 17, 2012
I’m in the process of trying to change my habits. The biggest one for me is my sleeping habits. After more than 20 years of working night shifts I’m having a very hard time keeping a regular somewhat ‘normal’ sleep schedule. I do okay for a week or so ( and by this I mean going to bed by 2AM and getting up at 10 AM) but then I slowly start to creep into staying up later. If I get going with writing, or reading something good, then it totally gets blown to hell and I stay up until 5, 6 or 7.
Why am I doing this? Because my Dr told me it would really help with my focus and with my fat loss efforts. Why am I talking about it today? Because I just woke up and I’m really trying to stay awake but my brain hasn’t quite made it awake yet, so I can;t think of anything else to really talk about. *blush*
Plus, if you’re hanging out on my blog I’m thinking you want to get to know me better, and it’s okay to simply babble. Am I wrong?
The other big thing on my mind lately is what to write. I’ve got so many stories started I’m driving myself crazy. Normally I don’t think too much when I start a story because I like to just get into it, but for whatever reason, that’s not working this time. I think I might just get drunk tonight and start writing. Sometimes that helps me get past my thinking too much problem. Hey, I know it sounds bad, but I’m not talking slobering drunk, just a few drinks , enough to you know, loosen up. It helps my characters loosen up too.;)
“Write drunk; edit sober.” ― Ernest Hemingway
May 14, 2012
I’ve been a reader for far longer than I’ve been a writer. I have my idols, authors who I’ve followed avidly, stalked bookstores for their books, and dreamt of someday meeting. One of them is Karen Robards. I have a postcard from her that is almost 20 years old because I wrote her a fan letter years and years ago. So imagine how I felt when I saw this on her facebook page.
“what I find most disturbing about FIFTY SHADES is that it will probably spawn dozens of imitators. The thought of going from a reading world all but taken over by vampires to one filled with Doms and Subs makes me what to hang up my e-reader.”
Ofcourse I could ignore it, and just decide to never buy her books again, but I had to reply. Speaking my peace has never been a problem for me. Let me stress here I do not agree with attacking someone for speaking their mind. It’s not personal. I firmly believe in people being able to voice their thoughts and opinions, to agree or not, but it should always be done respectfully, and never as a personal attack.
My reply:
As an author who’s been writing stories with BDSM elements for almost 10 years I don’t think that’s something you need to fear. Every genre goes through the cycle of popularity at some point or another. BDSM as a sub-genre has been around for decades, just like vampire stories had been around before Twilight became a hit. And even if it does spawn a bunch more BDSM stories, I wouldn’t worry about it, after all, there’s millions and millions of readers out there. As much as I wasn’t a fan of the 50 Shades stories personally, I’m thrilled to see that more and more readers are becoming open to the genre. Maybe now they won’t be scared off by the title of BDSM as a genre because some of the best fiction I’ve ever read is part of that genre.
Take a look at this recent post from a group blog that features some Top BDSM authors and the comments from readers who have been reading the genre for a long time. http://www.smutketeers.com/2012/05/09/bdsmapalooza/
Smutketeers » Blog Archive » BDSMapalooza!
www.smutketeers.com
BDSMapalooza!
Maybe I shouldn’t have put a link in, but it wasn’t to promote, but to help educate that this genre has been around for a long time, and has many talented authors. It’s easy to understand why some, especially writers, find the 50 Shades books hard to read, because the writing isn’t the best around. There’s no way around it. However, perfect writing does not always mean a good story. God knows if it did, I’d probably not be able to make a living as a writer because it’s a standard joke with my family and friends that I couldn’t tell you what a verb or noun was even if you held a knife to my throat. But I know people, and I love delving into characters and telling stories, and that magic is what makes readers enjoy my books. (I think, anyway.)
Anyway, back to the point. I wanted to show that the genre has been around for along time, with talented writers and storytellers and a very large fan base.
I left the conversation after that because I thought, in all honesty, her comment wasn’t that bad. I don’t think it was worded the best way, but the worry that BDSM might dominate the market for a while could be scary for someone who doesn’t write it. I mean, I’m thrilled about it because selling BDSM to my editors hasn’t always been an easy thing to do.
Then I read this….
Karen Robards OMG, people, let’s leave race and gender preference out of it. Nothing to do with it. The problem with Fifty Shades is that it sets the women’s movement back a hundred years. It is NOT all right for women to be viewed as property, to be punished, or hit. The female character’s acceptance of this behavior is what bothers me so much. I feel that if the hero hadn’t been rich, she wouldn’t have been nearly so complaisant. Do you all not feel that his money had something to do with her tolerance?
My heart broke. Really. Not because she doesn’t like BDSM and dared to speak out about it. I think that’s totally cool. To each their own, and authors need to be able to speak freely about what matters to them just as much as anyone else does. What broke my heart is that in this day and age, there are still people who think BDSM is all about abuse.
There are aspects of 50 Shades that I didn’t like (The stalking sort of thing) but it didn’t bother me as much in 50 Shades as it does in the Twilight Saga because 50 Shades is a story for adults, and adults should recognize that it’s fiction, a fantasy, and that if someone is showing up at your work, and sending you presents after you’ve tried to leave them behind, it’s not okay. It’s not romantic, it’s stalking. The Twilight Saga is for teens and such, and that it romanticizes Edward’s behavior is not okay to me, because pre-teens and teens might not be able to see it for what it is.
Yet, there was no outcry about that. No, instead there’s an outcry for a story about two adults entering into a consensual situation with activities and limits laid out openly between them.
I have no problem with anyone voicing their own opinions. I do have a problem with people thinking BDSM is based on, or is all about abuse. But if people won’t read up on BDSM because of pre-concieve notions about it, how do you educate them? It’s as simple as that.
ETA: I wanted to add that I’m still a Karen Robards fan. To me this post isn’t so much about HER, as the misconception she’s shared. It’s also not about the 50 Shades books themselves. I also want to stress again that I do not like personal attacks when someone shares an opinion, but that I do think respectful, and thoughtful, discussion is always a good thing.
May 10, 2012
Joss Whedon’s letter to his fans on Whedonesque.com
“Dear Friends,
Well, it’s been quite a weekend. Someday, long from now, I will even have an emotional reaction to it, like a person would. I can’t wait! But before I become blinded by this “emotion” experience, there’s a few things I’d like to say. Well, type.
People have told me that this matters, that my life is about to change. I am sure that is true. And change is good — change is exciting. I think — not to jinx it — that I may finally be recognized at Comiccon. Imagine! Also, with my percentage of “the Avengers” gross, I can afford to buy… [gets call from agent. Weeps manfully. Resumes typing.] …a fine meal. But REALLY fine, with truffles and s#! . And I can get a studio to finance my dream project, the reboot of “Air Bud” that we all feel is so long overdue. (He could play Jai Alai! Think of the emotional ramifications of JAI ALAI!!!!) What doesn’t change is anything that matters.
What doesn’t change is that I’ve had the smartest, most loyal, most passionate, most articulate group of — I’m not even gonna say fans. I’m going with “peeps” — that any cult oddity such as my bad self could have dreamt of. When almost no one was watching, when people probably should have STOPPED watching, I’ve had three constants: my family and friends, my collaborators (often the same), and y’all. A lot of stories have come out about my “dark years”, and how I’m “unrecognized”… I love these stories, because they make me seem super-important, but I have never felt the darkness (and I’m ALL about my darkness) that they described. Because I have so much. I have people, in my life, on this site, in places I’ve yet to discover, that always made me feel the truth of success: an artist and an audience communicating. Communicating to the point of collaborating. I’ve thought, “maybe I’m over; maybe I’ve said my piece”. But never with fear. Never with rancor. Because of y’all. Because you knew me when. If you think topping a box office record compares with someone telling you your work helped them through a rough time, you’re probably new here. (For the record, and despite my inhuman distance from the joy-joy of it: topping a box office record is super-dope. I’m an alien, not a robot.) So this is me, saying thank you. All of you. You’ve taken as much guff for loving my work as I have for over-writing it, and you deserve, in this our time of streaming into the main, to crow. To glow. To crow and go “I told you so”, to those Joe Blows not in the know. (LAST time I hire Dr. Seuss to punch my posts up. Yeesh!) Point being, you deserve some honor, AND you deserves some FAQs answered.”
I have to say this absolutely fabulous. Not just because I love all things Joss, but because this guy is so real. He’s always had mucho talent. His stories speak to me as a viewer, and he himself as a writer, and a fan. I think that this guys is a genius, and a class act, and I want to be like him when I grow up.
May 9, 2012
Be sure to drop by the Smutketeers Blog and check out their BDSM-apaloosa. Yes, I was invited to be part of it. :) Not only are there interviews, but chances for commenters to win prizes so go visit, ask questions or just say hi!
April 27, 2012
When I was grocery shopping yesterday, there was an old man in the line behind me, and as seems to be typical for me, we started talking. I love talking to people, and my close friends laugh because no matter where we are, some stranger will always just start talking to me out of the blue.
Anyway, this guy last night kept telling me little tidbits like how high heels came about in Italy, and the term well-heeled was born because when they were first invented it was alas that only the high society women were allowed to have heels on their shoes.
Then he told me how there was a time in history when two unconnected, unwed women were pregnant and had to decide if they should keep the child, or try to abort. (In the old ways) and how those women chose to have the babies, but wouldn’t life be different if they hadn’t, because one of the babies was Michealangelo, and the other was Hitler. I have no idea if it was true, but just talking to this old guy was interesting because was obviously enjoying telling his little stories.
After walking to our cars I got in and drove home thinking about how long it had been since I’d heard someone telling stories that way, passing them down, and I thought, “I need to call Grandma tomorrow.”
April 25, 2012
I just put a short collection of erotic fantasies Free for 2 days on Kindle.
LUSTY LADIES has 9 short stores, all have previously published at some point or another over the past 10 years. The Mirror and The Gym, are 2 of the very first pieces of fiction I ever wrote while Unknown Wanton and Private Pleasures are only 2 years old. These are pure erotica, but I hope readers will find the stores fun and naughty and enjoyable to read.
None of the stories are truly BDSM, but there's a little spanking, a little blindfolding, and some other adventurous ones in the mix. They're all very short,and if you've been reading my stuff for a while, you might even have read them before, but this is the first time they've every been all in one collection. Plus, they've been sitting on my hard drive for years, doing nothing since the first time they were published, so I thought why not put them out there?
So if you think you, or your partner, might enjoy a naughty bedtime story or two, go pick it up and give it a try.
PS: Mavericks of Space, Rock My World, and it's sequel Highland Heat: Dougal are also on sale for only .99 cents right now. These stories can be purchased at Smashwords, iBooks, B&N and ARe as well. The covers are different on B&N because they're slow to update, but they are the same stories. Go By title.
April 22, 2012
I just put a short collection of erotic fantasies Free for 2 days on Kindle.
LUSTY LADIES has 9 short stores, all have previously published at some point or another over the past 10 years. The Mirror and The Gym, are 2 of the very first pieces of fiction I ever wrote while Unknown Wanton and Private Pleasures are only 2 years old. These are pure erotica, but I hope readers will find the stores fun and naughty and enjoyable to read.
None of the stories are truly BDSM, but there’s a little spanking, a little blindfolding, and some other adventurous ones in the mix. They’re all very short,and if you’ve been reading my stuff for a while, you might even have read them before, but this is the first time they’ve every been all in one collection. Plus, they’ve been sitting on my hard drive for years, doing nothing since the first time they were published, so I thought why not put them out there?
So if you think you, or your partner, might enjoy a naughty bedtime story or two, go pick it up and give it a try.
PS: Mavericks of Space, Rock My World, and it’s sequel Highland Heat: Dougal are also on sale for only .99 cents right now. These stories can be purchased at Smashwords, iBooks, B&N and ARe as well. The covers are different on B&N because they’re slow to update, but they are the same stories. Go By title.
