Sasha White's Blog, page 21
March 23, 2012
New Swag
Got some new swag today. Ceramic coffee mugs I ordered so I can give them away while in New Orleans at the Authors After Dark conference in August. I'm not hauling all of them down to the US (Way too heavy) so I'm sure I'll be doing some giveaways for them online as well . Keep an eye out if your interested.
March 22, 2012
50 Shades & BDSM fiction
There's been a lot of talk about BDSM fiction lately. Mostly it's because of the novel 50 Shades of Grey. This story has become a bit of phenomenon and been the topic of many a conversation for a few reasons. I've been asked a few times, by different readers and writers if I had read it (or them, as it's a trilogy) and what my thoughts are. I had to really think about if I wanted to talk about it, and if I did, what my thoughts were. I tend to be a like it, love it, or 'meh' type of reader. I don't usually have a lot to say other than that unless I'm critiquing for someone, then I get really picky. I don't want to be that picky with this story because that's not my place. I purchased it to read, as a reader, not as a writer or editor.
However, I do have opinions and I've decided to share them on here.
I've read the first 2 books in this trilogy. 50 Shades of Grey, and 50 Shades Darker. I admit the only reason I bought the second one was the first ended in such a huge cliffhanger. I'm not sure if I'd have gone for the second if it hadn't ended that way. Why do I feel that way? Read on…
Is 50 Shades of Grey the best written book out there? No, but I've read worse (and some of those have been from traditional publishers). Is it the most original story out there? No, but originality doesn't always equal great storytelling. Do I think it's a BDSM story? No, I don't see it that way, but that's me, and if there's one undeniable truth about BDSM it's that there is no real standard. Each relationship is different, and there are all levels.
My impression was this author might've done some perfunctory research on BDSM, but she has no true understanding of the lifestyle or it's practices. That's just my opinion.
Now, when it comes to BDSM in fiction, people need to understand when they buy a book that says it's BDSM, that not all are the same, or will even feature the same elements of the lifestyle. Just like not all paranormal romances have Vampires, or Werewolves, some have psychics, some have witches or fey. The big difference here is that when If you buy a paranormal a romance you usually have abetter idea of what you're getting buy reading the blurb. With BDSM, it can be a bit harder to discern that way because many of the differences within the genre can be subtle.
I've not read the Twilight books, but have seen the movies, and while I didn't see the parallels when I first read 50 Shades, after I'd heard that it had it's start in fan fiction, I could see the similarities. BUT, the big thing people seem to keep forgetting is that there are a TON of books out there that share similar tropes. How many urban fantasy series are out there that have a Vampire Hunter falling in love/lust with a Vampire?(LKH's Anita Blake, Jeanine Frost's Cat Crawfield) How many stories (books & moves) are there out there where people are thrown together in a semi-controlled setting and pitted against each other while society watches it as entertainment? (Battle Royale, Death Race, The Condemned The Hunger Games)
Just because a plot, or story idea is similar does not mean the story is. As an author I try to come up with new angles to tell stories all the time, but I also know what really makes a story special are the character themselves, and the way *I* tell their story.
I don't think people are truly upset about the similarities in the 'plot' but in what can easily be perceived as someone riding someone elses coat-tails of success. Here's the thing though, even if it started out as fanfiction, and even if the author did use that start as a springboard for promotion/sales/or whatever, she still wrote 50 Shades. She sat down and wrote a novel (then wrote 2 more) and that is work. Nobody can take that way from her whether they think it's good work or not.
My final say about 50 Shades of Grey is that it's different, and that kept my attention for a while. The way the author made her sub-conscious and her inner goddess almost like characters did get a bit tiresome and overused, but for a while it was quite fun. If I was her editor or cp I'd definitely have had her pull back on that a bit. Lastly, I didn't like the way it used/portrayed BDSM because it was inconsistent within the story. However, it was entertaining when I didn't examine it too closely, and I like that it's exposed erotic fiction to many readers who otherwise would never look at an erotic story, and hope that now those readers will start to explore our genre more.
March 19, 2012
Body Decoration
When I was growing up you were edgy if you had more than one piercing in your ears, let alone facial or body piercing. I'm sure there were people out there with pierced nipples and clots and cocks and so one, but it wasn't as widely accepted as it is nowadays. Same goes for tattoos.
Now, I'm not saying these are bad things, I've got a couple tattoos, and I've had a body piercing or two, and I like them. I think they're a great form of self expression, and can be sexy as hell as well. What I don't like is the trend of authors giving their characters tattoos and piercing and thinking that that alone makes them edgy or kick ass.
It takes a lot more than body decoration to make a person rock, especially a character on the page. Describing their physical characters does not make them well-developed. Giving them blue streaks in their hair, or body art does not make them well-rounded. Personality comes from more than the way a character looks or dresses, the same way it does for the people you see on e the streets. Those things are, at the very least, wrapping, or at the very best, an expression. They alone are not personality characteristics.
A well-developed character makes the reader forget they are a a character, and think of them as a person. They'll have a speech patterns and mannerisms that show more than tell, and most importantly…. motivation for their actions, and emotional depth. As an author I urge you not to get so caught up in the way your characters looks that you forget to pay attention to the 'inside'.
March 16, 2012
PETA
This PETA ad caught my eye….and kept it there for a long time while my thoughts strayed into some very fun territory. I'm pretty sure it's photoshopped, but that's okay with me.
I do think this is there real one though. Nice, without the naughty. ;)
March 14, 2012
New Release
ROCK MY WORLD was previously published int eh ROCK AND A HARD PLACE anthology.
Rock My World a short story featuring Gina and Caleb from Sexy Devil.
Gina and Caleb love being married, but sometimes the adults need time away to play adult games, and Gina's debut at a Vancouver art gallery provides just the excuse they need.
In White's short story ROCK MY WORLD a weekend getaway with amorous intentions, an art show, and a magical entanglement all collide for a fun and sexy romp with a surprising twist.
Story Length: 40 pages
"Gina and Caleb harbor an insane amount of chemistry and it explodes all over these pages. I enjoyed the mystery part of the story as well but this couple was the star. "Rock My World" is wickedly hot!" - Miranda, Joyfully Reviewed
"The characters fit perfectly together and the sex is just the right blend of naughty and sexy. Marriage is an aphrodisiac to Gina and Caleb and I think that's totally awesome!"-Beth, The Readers Roundtable
Available in electronic format only.
Smashwords * Amazon Kindle
The one hour flight to Vancouver was uneventful, despite the fact that Gina was like a little kid—constantly shifting in her seat, playing with the entertainment screen, nibbling on Caleb's ear and teasing him with naughty suggestions in his ear about the mile high club that made his dick throb.
Okay, so that hadn't been like a little kid — more like a naughty lady, but damn he loved her.
She'd strolled into his life and turned his world inside out. Literally, and figuratively. He now knew there was way more going on in the world than he could've ever imagined, and he was full of more love and happiness than any man had a right to. Which was why he'd never complained about her "special" family and friends and the craziness that came along with them. Just because he'd never complained, that didn't mean he wasn't looking forward to some time away from it all, even if it was only a couple of days.
"I told the boys I wanted you all to myself tonight. We won't see them until the gallery opening tomorrow night," she'd said at the airport when he'd asked where Devil, her brother, would pick them up.
"Really?"
She'd winked at him. "Yes, really. Just you and me tonight, babe."
It had been music to his ears. Music that made it very, very difficult to keep his hands off her during the cab ride to the hotel. Christ, she made him feel hotter than a horny teenager.
Tamping down his impatience, Caleb stood in line at the hotel front desk and thought about hockey while Gina sat in a nearby club chair, twirling a piece of purple streaked hair with a finger. Her dark eyes gleamed at him as she crossed her legs, her short skirt flashing a lot of leg.
The line shifted and he stepped up to the desk eagerly. Stating his name, he handed over his credit card and listened with one ear as the prim little desk clerk went through the motions. Gina strolled up and nestled against him, her scent taking over his senses while he listened to the clerk run down the list of hotel amenities.
"It's okay," Gina broke in gently. She flashed a sassy grin at the woman behind the counter. "We don't plan to leave the room often."
The clerk nodded, a new twinkle in her eye. "Room service is available twenty four hours a day."
Caleb struggled to ignore the heat that flashed through him as his card was swiped and handed back to him. He shifted away from Gina's lush little body with the pretense of putting the card back in his wallet. If she rubbed against him one more time he would lose it.
The image of lifting her onto the chest-high reception counter, shoving her skirt aside, and burying his face between her thighs filled his head and he bit back a groan.
As if sensing he was about to break, his little wild woman shifted her stance, cocking a hip and thrusting her breasts out obviously. He had just enough time to think Oh Shit! at the devilish light in her dark eyes before she slid a hand over his taut biceps and spoke loudly. "God, I love your muscles. I can't wait to strip you naked and lick you all over before I ride you like a cowgirl at her first rodeo."
Jaw slack, Caleb just stared at her for a second. Then a hot flush washed up his neck and over his cheeks, and his cock hardened to the point of pain.
Biting the inside of her cheek, Gina took the room key from the grinning front desk attendant and turned on a heel. She took three steps with her hips swinging deliciously before she turned back. "You ready, cowboy?"
He shook himself like a wet dog, and then chuckled as he grabbed the waiting suitcases and started to follow her. "Ready and willing."
They didn't speak in the elevator, and the heat grew between them during the short ride up. Gina used the key to open the door and Caleb followed her into their room.
He closed the door carefully then grabbed his wife and pinned her to it. The last few hours of almost constant teasing had tested his control, and he eagerly let it go.
Gina's lush body cushioned him as he took her mouth in a hungry kiss. Flavor that was all her filled him and he sank into it, nibbling, biting and kissing his way across the exposed skin of her neck and shoulders. He filled his hands with luscious breasts and rocked his hips against hers, trying to get closer. Sharp nails scored up his back as she hooked a leg over his hip and undulated against him.
"Yes," she moaned. "More. I want more, Caleb. Now."
He tugged the collar of her tank top down and growled at the lacy bra that blocked the path of his lips. Eager hands tugged his T-shirt from his jeans as he struggle to undo her bra clasp. Finally, with a frustrated growl, he stepped back and tore the button fly of his jeans open. "Strip."
Clothes flew and flesh was bared as they got naked with a speed that would've been funny if he wasn't so damn anxious to bury himself inside her. When Gina wore nothing but her socks and boots, he couldn't wait any longer.
"Fuck, who knew motorcycle boots could be so damn sexy?" he said as he moved in.
Reaching around, he grabbed her by the ass and lifted. With one hard thrust he was home. Bracing her against the wall, he began to move. Wet heat surrounded his cock, and he fought not to lose it as she wrapped her legs around him and her booted feet bounced against his ass.
"God, yes!" she shouted before sinking her teeth into his shoulder.
The little bit of pain had pleasure shooting to the base of his spine. Burying his face in the crook of her neck, he sucked in air and pumped faster. Heart pounding and blood rocking through his system, Caleb shifted a hand between them to palm a breast and tweak the rigid tip. Pressure built inside him and he pinched at the nipple between his fingers, making Gina gasp and squirm against him. Her cunt rippled over his cock and he groaned. He wouldn't last long.
Pulling out, he set her down and spun her around. "Hands on the door," he commanded as he kicked her feet apart.
As devilish and sassy as ever, Gina flipped her hair and smiled at him over her shoulder. "Yes, sir!"
With a feral grin, he grabbed her hips and slid his cock between her swollen pussy lips, torturing them both. "Are you sassing me, girl?"
"Never."
With a laugh, he entered her again and began a slow and measured pace. "That's my girl."
She arched her back and wiggled her ass against him. Without thinking, he swatted her and she jumped. Her cunt clenched around him and they both groaned.
"God, Caleb. Stop fooling around and fuck me."
"Your wish is my command." Planting his feet and bending his knees, he reached around and cupped her swinging breasts. His hips pumped hard and fast, sliding in and out of her slick heat while she moaned loudly and pushed back against him. Her insides clenched greedily around his cock and his balls tightened, the pressure damming up at the base of his cock until he couldn't hold back any longer. Leaning in, he reached between his wife's thighs and pinched her clit.
Gina screamed, her pussy spasming around his cock as the top blew off his head and the world disappeared in a swirl of sensation. A primal groan of satisfaction roared up from deep inside and echoed through the room, mixing with her moans as she milked every drop from him.
March 9, 2012
Entertainment
Is it just me our has there been a drought in good movies lately? There's been some passable ones, but nothing thats gotten me excited.
We went to see Safe House last night, and it was decent. I live Ryan Reynolds, so I enjoyed it, but there weren't any surprises for me. Before that I can't even remember the last movie I saw that really grabbed me.
I'm looking forward to John Carter though, mostly because I think it's the type of sic-fi story I'd like to write- with some additional adult themes. of course. :)
Anything good you've seen, or are looking forward to?
March 1, 2012
Time Management-March.
I'm definitely more productive when I'm busy. The more to do, the more I accomplish. Which is a good way to be I think.
It's March 1st, and I've got plenty to do as it marks the first end of the first quarter of the year. I started my day out with must-do errands, then sat down at the computer to get to work on must-do work. Today I'm hoping to finish editing my Lusty Ladies collection of short erotica stories.
Check out the cover. What do you think?
It will contain a bunch of short stories that I've written over the years, most of them previously published in various anthologies, whith a couple of new ones. All of the stories are from the female's POV, and all of the females are strong women, unashamed of their sexuality. They're not erotic romance, they are erotica, and they range from 1-10 pages in length, so it's the sort of collection you might want to read before going to bed and jumping your partner, or perhaps reading in bed with your partner. *g* Either way, I hope to have it released by this time next week….which means getting busy.
Next up at bat after this story is the long awaited sequel to Gypsy Heart. Gypsy Heart was the first attempt at a novel I ever wrote. I say attempt because it ended up only being 55,000 words. Category length. Gypsy Heart was also a bit more romantic in tone than anything I'd ever written, but it still brought the heat, and I really enjoyed writing it.
That said, the sequel, Rogue Heart, is going to be a bit different. It'll definitely match the romance tone in Gypsy Heart, but the edge factor will be notched up quite a bit. Not just because my writing has changed in the last 8 years since I initially wrote Gypsy Heart, but because this story has some BDSM elements. Femdom elements to be exact.
Femdom isn't as popular as Male, but I hope my readers will enjoy it just the same, as I believe that you can enjoy an erotic story, even if it's about a kink you yourself might not have. What do you think? If the author does their job right, does it matter if the kink is one you fantasize about?
February 22, 2012
Inspiration
As a writer the most asked questions is where do you get your ideas, or your inspiration. Well…here's an image that inspired me. I look at it, and I think who is this guy? what's his story? Who's the woman he'd do anything for, and how did they meet?
When you look at this image, and ask yourself those questions, what do you come up with?
Answer any one of those questions in the comments to be entered to win your choice of my backlist titles. I'll choose a winner and announce on Friday.
February 16, 2012
Which Way?
Alice came to a fork in the road. "Which road do I take?" she asked.
"Where do you want to go?" responded the Cheshire cat.
"I don't know," Alice answered.
"Then," said the cat, "it doesn't matter."
~Lewis Carroll, Alice in Wonderland
Sometimes you just have to have a sense of adventure.
February 13, 2012
Pleasure button
Butt's don't just look sexy, they are sexy! Anal sex used to be the big Taboo, only gay men, or bad girls did it and enjoyed it. Not true anymore. Personally, I think that like many things, it's always been more popular than people knew, but the age of the internet and information overload has made it more acceptable.
As an author of erotic fiction, I use anal sex in stories not just to up the edge factor at times, but too bring characters closer together. For women, letting men in the back door is often a very intimate thing. It's a trust thing, because if not done right, there can be a lot of pain, and even damage done.
Unfortunately, in erotic fiction anal sex has sort of become a cliche. It's not common for female characters to be virgins anymore, so it seems to me that being an anal virgin has become the next best thing. Personally, I like female characters who are eager to explore and don't need to be coached into it, but maybe thats just me?
Moving on…
I've also written some male/male scenes that include anal sex. One was with a gay couple (secondary storyline in Wicked) and one was with a menage story (One Weekend) The act of anal sex between straight men is often misunderstood. People think just because a guy enjoys anal sex, or even oral sex, with another man, that he's gay, even if he won't admit it. But that's not always true. The best way I've sheen it explained was in a 2008 article in the Village Voice when therapist Joe Kort was quoted saying "When these straight men have sex with other men, it is not about an attraction to the other man—it is about an attraction to the sex act. When asked about what they enjoy, it is never the actual man, but instead his body parts, the sexual behavior they engage in."
I knew when I was putting the two men together in One Weekend that some readers might not like it, but I had to do it. I had to follow the characters lead, and they were two very hot, sexually open and adventurous men, and let me just say, the scene was super hot too, and I will be revisiting those characters again.
Anal sex is not just for male/male encounters though, and it's also not just for women. Another way to add a little edge to some sex play is by using your hands. Teasing touches around the back door while engaged in oral sex can be very hot. If the person is open to it, take a bit further with a little penetration. Be sure to use lube, and ladies, if you have long fingernails, be extra gentle. If you do penetrate, then do a little search for the prostate gland. You'll know when you find it, as it's basically the male G-spot. It's a small, chestnut-sized bump maybe 2 inches in. Less than a fingers-length, which works good. Massage that little bump, and prepare to watch your man come so hard his knees will shake. *g*
When exploring the back door, just always remember to be safe and clean. Wash before, use plenty of lube (water-based is best), and take your time exploring each other.
