Dena Celeste's Blog, page 3

A Branding Story: Searing Love

A permanent mark is an important thing in the BDSM world. It can denote ownership, family, and specific bonds that are meant to last forever. A brand is one of these important marks.

I wear my husband, MDR's, brand now, and a very good friend of ours Master O. (and his slave d.) helped make that happen. It began in June of 2013. On FetLife, a group posting let us know that there would be a branding demo in one of our local dungeons. I expressed excitement about that, and our friend posed the option of me being one of the demo bottoms for their presentation on branding. After some conversation, MDR and I agreed that it was a great idea. We even had a design for it!

I made several posts on FetLife going up to the day of the branding. I was so excited, and SO nervous! I mean, I knew the basics of what would happen, but there's no real way to prepare for the sensory experience of someone burning a mark into your skin for the first time.

The night of the branding, we got to the dungeon where the demo would take place. A few friends of ours showed up specifically to support this new step, but we knew most of the folks there already.

We went first. The other demo bottoms were getting brands that meant something to them, but mine was the only mark specifically to denote my position, the mark of my ownership.

The first step: apply the stencil. This was the painless part. They schmeared some stuff onto my right calf, placed the paper over it, rubbed, and pulled it away. Voila! Instant stencil, ready to be applied.

The mark is very special to us. MDR called me his butterfly from almost the get-go, and we both saw butterflies as a sign of good luck, transformation, and beauty. It also has his initials hidden in the design: the M on the left, the D top right, and the R bottom right.

After the stencil, I lay down on the flat leather table. My friend a. stood on my left and held my hand. Slave d. stood on my right and held that hand. MDR stayed at the end of the table, his hand on my foot, his gaze on mine. Master O. held the cautery pen, which is the method we used given the design.

The first touch sizzled before I even felt the pain. There was definitely pain, but it was so concentrated that it was unlike anything I'd ever felt before. Bright and searing, and the intensity rose as the pen moved over the stencil. I took deep, measured breaths through the pain, savoring the hot pinch of the pen as it kept going. I winced anytime they hit a particularly sensitive area. I squeezed the hands which held me, locked my eyes on MDR, and just kept breathing until they finished. Oh, and I do mean 'they' finished.

It didn't take long, and Master O. got to the 3/4 mark, but let MDR put the last bit of the mark on. Since it's an ownership mark, he wanted to make sure my Owner got the chance to be part of putting the mark on me.

When all was said and done, this is what it looked like just after the branding. It hurt, but I was high as could be on endorphins, and the sheer pleasure that came from finally having a permanent mark from my Man.

It did take a few weeks to heal completely, and in that time, I had to keep it very clean. I also had to remember it was there, because when I sat at a table, I sometimes moved my legs and got a painful surprise.

First it was tender, then it was itchy. However, since the whole point of the brand is to make a scar, peeling the scabs and scratching it (or rubbing it with a rough washcloth in the bath) is recommended. I also doused it in saltwater. Ouch! That was probably worse than the pain from the brand itself.

Here is the progression of healing, as it was just after, and then several months later. The ones at 7 and 9 months are a little harder to see (sorry!) because by then we'd stopped taking close-ups of the brand itself. However, I do find myself hoping that we'll get it retouched soon, perhaps even on the anniversary of the brand itself. Time will tell!

       

Monday Musings: 3 Years Collared

The 3rd of April was the anniversary of my collaring in 2011. It's amazing to me that it's been 3 years. It feels like it can't have been that long, while at the same time it feels as if we've been together forever.

My collar is simple: a silver heart-shaped necklace which has my husband's initials on it to proclaim me his girl. It has only been removed for cleaning, and then placed back around my neck, but for the first full year of wearing it, it never left contact with my skin.

It's an important symbol, my collar. It gives me peace and security. A sense of my Owner, always with me, even when we're apart. When life is chaos around me, it's a physical reminder of my place. He also gave it to me at an important time in our lives. You see, he was going to collar me at a kink event, a national one that we'd planned on attending for months. Now, I knew about the event. I had no clue about the collar.

But my Mama got sick. She had to go into the hospital. She had to have surgery. I couldn't go to some kink event with one of the best people in my life sick and scared. Needless to say, MDR wasn't about to go alone, and so we stayed at my house, and between school and work and visits, it took up some of our time. I still didn't know about the collar.

The 3rd of April could've been a really, really bad day with no redeeming qualities. I got a call from Mama, and she had bad news.

"They said it's cancer."

I tried to be strong for her on the phone, and later on when we visited. But after I hung up, I sobbed. I was weak in the knees, and my heart was breaking. I was terrified. My Mama was the best person I knew. How could she have cancer? It wasn't fair!

MDR comforted me for hours, just holding me and listening to me talk. Once I was calmer, he said he'd brought a surprise. I tilted my head. "What surprise?"

"Well, I was going to give this to you at the event, but since we're not going...I still want you to have it." He'd had it made sometime in March, and was just waiting for the right time.

Right there, by the dining room table, in the midst of sun beams, he collared me. It was simple, without much in the way of ceremony and officiousness. But it fit us, and our personalities, and the situation at the time. Maybe the timing was less than "convenient" but...life isn't really convenient either.

I needed the extra security for the hard times to come, and I must say, it helped me keep hold of myself for the months we spent apart (long distance relationships are hard!), while I took care of Mama as best I could, finished school, and continued working. And when we lost Mama...I held onto it like a lifeline until he could come to me, as my entire world fell apart. But that experience is another story altogether.


8 months and 5 days after we met, and now 3 years after that. I'm owned, quite happily. We're married! And since being married, we are finally together full time.

Acknowledging these special steps in our relationship just helps to reaffirm the rightness of our decisions every step of the way.

Any special anniversaries for you guys? I'd love to hear about them!

Happy Monday everyone!

Monday Musings: Zombies and Edits

Well, it's Monday, so last night I spent my time watching The Walking Dead (and drooled over Andrew Lincoln on The Talking Dead afterwards). It's one of my favorite shows, and the finale definitely lived up to some of my hopes and dreams. I was cheering at certain parts, and if anyone else saw the finale, they probably know exactly which ones!

Now, come Autumn, the season 5 premiere had better have lots of carnage and bloodshed. Funny enough, not every episode has lots of it. It's due! So come on TWD writers, give the fans what we so desire!

In other news, I'm progressing on the edits and expansion of Her Master's Gift, and foresee 3000 words or more added to the original word count total. Between writing and the Lifestyle, the experiences I've gained since I first wrote the story add an additional depth I feel will be appreciated. I'm also having tons of fun with these additions!

What about you guys? Any favorite shows out there that exceeded expectations? Or books, for that matter?

Have a happy Monday!

From Hearts on Fire Reviews - 2.5 stars “A fun, sexy little read.”

Hey guys! Well, Feeding the Beast has received its first review from Vivian at Hearts on Fire Reviews. I thank her for the time spent reading and writing her thoughts about the story down. _________________________________________
Author: Dena Celeste
Reviewed by: Vivian
Publisher: Amber Quill Press, LLC
Genre: M/F/F
ISBN 13: N/ARating:  Summary:
Naomi has always been one of the most submissive members of her pack. It is for that reason that she has received the honor of becoming the Stigma, a rank higher than any she could have expected, but one that requires a certain spirit in the one who serves. Marked by Eric, the Master of her pack, Naomi will serve through sex, blood, and the utter willingness to submit.Jewel is the Mistress of the pack. Mated to Eric, she is now bound for months without being able to shift forms. Her inner-wolf must be given an outlet in order to maintain harmony in the pack. The Stigma feeds her beast, her soul, and tames what is otherwise untamable. Jewel must come together with Naomi in a partnership that requires no boundaries for her trapped wolf.From bondage in the cabin to erotic moonlit hunts through the woods, Jewel and Naomi take each other on a journey through the nights of the full moon. But when the nights come to an end, Jewel has to decide whether Naomi is the best choice for feeding the beast within…Genres: Lesbian / Dark Fantasy / Werewolf / Ménage (F/F/M) / Group Sex / Bisexual (F/F) / BDSM / Exhibitionism / Public PlacesReview: This is a dive right in werewolf tale of lust and submission.The blurb sounds more ominous than the story. While it is F/f, the play is light with minimal rope bondage and a lot of pussy worshipping. Which is eagerly and pleasurably presented with a great deal of reciprocity considering the Alpha female/Omega female pairing.Naomi, is the omega of the pack and brought forward to service the pregnant Alpha female while she can’t shift.The title and status given to the pack member given this duty is Stigma. The reasons why are sketchy, more you just need to except it as the premise for the story. There are a few details like that are missing from the storytelling which lack clarity and make this more a one-handed read. We only spend the three nights with Jewel and Naomi, so whatever happens during the day when more story could have been developed isn’t. This is three nights of sexual servitude and not much else.That said, it’s pretty hot if that’s what you want. I guess I’d hoped it would have been developed more. There is brief public activity in front of the pack and light humiliation via language used that asserts Jewel’s dominance over Naomi. Written from Naomi’s viewpoint, she is always humble and deferring to the alpha pair. She also services the Alpha male, Eric while with her mistress Jewel. Her role is bonded to Jewel, but in service to the pair.The only bit that might seem a bit odd to some and made me wonder and reread twice,again for clarity, was the partial shift during sex. Apparently wolf tongues have a bit more to offer than a human one does. Flirting with bestiality, but not really going there. That and some claws for marking, which is the extent of the bloodplay which I had expected more from the blurb. I actually expected quite a bit more sadomasochism.Fun, sexy little read.

Monday Musings: Weekend editing snippet

Well, it was a mostly quiet weekend. Yesterday I got to dedicate myself to edits on Her Master's Gift, and I am very excited about how it's coming along! With over 1000 words in new material, but the charm of the familiar characters, the expansion is doing well. I'm hoping to complete these edits over the next few weeks, barring catastrophe.


Of course, you guys know Murphy's Law, right? *grins*

In honor of the editing, and because you guys are awesome, I'm posting a little snippet of Her Master's Gift! Enjoy!

***


“It’s time to play now, my beautiful slave.” Sam slipped a finger through the O-ring on her collar and interrupted her thoughts with a tug. Excitement raced across her nerve endings like lightning as she once again became trapped by his gaze. He led her to the middle of their spacious in-house dungeon, and there stood a beautiful, sturdy red chestnut St. Andrew’s cross built by Sam's own hands. Next to the X-shaped device, a table stood with implements of her pain and pleasure waiting on its surface. Further surrounding those were three spanking benches, a high-backed chair, a padded table, and two couches. Katie waited by the table as he picked up a leather cuff and wrapped it around her wrist. Then he added a matching cuff on her other wrist, and proceeded to tug on the attached D-rings to make sure both were snug. Katie pulled back just a bit, which put an amused sparkle in Sam's eyes. “And where do you think you’re going?” he asked. “Oh, just making sure I won’t get away, that’s all,” she replied, the picture of innocence, if innocence could be naked, collared, and about to be tied down. 
He pushed her up to the cross until the edges dug into her flesh, her body trapped between cool wood and hot man. From this position he lifted her right hand and used a quick release clip to attach her cuff to the O-ring hanging from the right arm of the cross. He stroked down her left arm and repeated his actions. She yanked at her bonds, and they held up to her struggles. “Yep, I’m stuck.”Sam chuckled. “Of course. You wouldn’t have it any other way.”  

Floggus Interruptus: Pets Don't Understand Privacy

So, we made our lovely paracord floggers, and decided to test one out. (It felt awesome, by the way!)

It's really hard to have a nice flogging session when our dog comes out to investigate our noise with these huge, shining brown eyes that look so concerned, and a hesitant little tail wag that speaks volumes. Like he's asking, "Daddy, what are you doing to mommy?"

It's kinda hard to maintain that sexy mood with all that uncertainty radiating out from him. So instead we comfort him and have a cuddle pile while we watch a movie.

Ah, the glamorous kinky lives we lead. grins

Monday Musings: Paracord Floggers and Knives

Happy St. Patrick's Day! Kiss me, I'm...well, part Irish somewhere.

It's been an interesting few weeks! Once again, the day job has had me swamped, but that's okay! I persevere. And get perverse, but that's another topic altogether.

This weekend hubby and I went shopping at Wal-Mart. We went there for fabric softener, mints, and Listerine. We wound up getting that, plus a few extras. You know how it goes, plus, I again fail at browsing. Actually, this time we both did, so it's not completely my fault.

Like knives. Yes, we like to play with knives, but also, I just like having sharp, shiny things. And they're so pretty! In addition, they helped with cutting pieces for a nifty little project...

Paracord floggers! We got blue and purple diamond braid paracord, and we've made up some awesome toys. One longer flogger (about 4 feet) and one shorter (about 2 feet).

We did a pretty simple handle with duct tape (it has polka dots, some of which match the paracord colors), and plan on attempting to braid some kind of handle over it. We shall see! For now, the flogger is nice and functional.

How about you guys? Any purchases or projects, sexy or otherwise? 

Monday Musings: I fail at browsing

So, my previous computer, a lovely little HP laptop, has been retired. It refused to consistently register the internet via either wi-fi or ethernet, and at 4 years old, wasn't running the way it needed to. The way I needed it to, for my work-work and my writing work.

Yesterday, hubby and I went out to "browse" for my new computer. You know, price check, compare, etc. We found the perfect computer, for a really fantastic price (compared to the prices of lesser machines I found online), and bought it immediately.

We don't browse well. We had similar experiences when shopping for our respective wedding rings (at 2 different stores!). We said, "Oh, we'll go browse. No pressure to buy now." Of course, this led us to find our perfect rings. Yeah. We can't browse.

Back to the new computer. I love new gadgets, but I always feel so bad for the old ones! I loved my old computer, and I feel this sense of guilt. It's been through so much with me. Through school and the writing of many stories, through the long distance portion of mine and hubby's relationship...so much!

As for this new shiny toy, I have nifty new programs on it to play with, and will try to only take a day or two of getting easily distracted by things like the games. I also have the new version of Microsoft Office, and have been playing with Word and Excel for a couple hours now. I like them!

Hopefully one day I'll learn how to browse, but until then...at least I got the computer I needed rather quickly.

What about you guys? Any new gadgets, or any who also fail at browsing?

Thursday Thirteen: My 13 Recent Fascinations

Thursday Thirteen is a weekly meme with a simple theme: each Thursday you blog a list of 13 things. What kind of things? Any kind! Just come up with a list theme and run with it!

It's been awhile since my last Thursday Thirteen. Sorry! My day job has been a bit consuming, and that's left little time for the kind of blogging I want to do.

So, this week is about my current fascinations. I get very focused on certain things, and they tend to hold my interest for a good amount of time.

1. Natural products - I'm exploring the use of products made from all natural ingredients, with no synthetics. My skin, while it doesn't mark for anything from floggers or rope, is very sensitive to soaps and perfumes. From my scalp to my toes, it's not thrilled with most products. I've recently found a couple of places worth exploring, and now I'm ordering all sorts of samples!

2. Stitch 'n Bitch Crochet - I finally got this book in from the library. I've gotten 3 hats and a scarf done, and well! But I still don't know the crochet code, that language all crochet patterns are written in. So, this book is helping me learn!

3. Queer as Folk - It's on Netflix! Huzzah! Hubby and I are watching it, and it's been fantastic. The show is hot and hilarious and dramatic.

4. Editing - I know I wrote about it on Monday, but printing out my previously published tale has been fantastic. I'm having a ton of fun making changes and adding more descriptive content!

5. Dachshunds - Well, specifically my doxie. He turned 14 a bit over a week ago, and I'm trying to spend as much time with him as I can. But also, cute doxie videos online! Go look, they're hilarious!

6. Rope - Well, hubby created some "rope stocks" on the bed which actually serve to hold me in place. I'm a bit of an escape artist, so that's saying something! Now to add them at the top of the bed, and then apply toys.

7. Smashwords - Oh, Smashwords, how do I love thee? *grins* It's very nice to see that my free stories are being read, or at the very least downloaded a lot! Nearly 400 downloads and counting!

8. Music - I've been listening to more music lately, and I must say, it gives me a buzz. Especially happy, bouncy, exciting music. It encouraged me to do research on whether one can get high off of music, and apparently, one can!

9. Kink Events - This relates to rope, in that hubby and I went to a kink event awhile ago, and it was really nice. We're planning on more for March, and I really look forward to it.

10. Star charts - Yes, star charts, like you get for elementary school kids. Hubby and I have been using them, partly for power exchange reasons, partly because it's really nice to keep track of the accomplishments, small and large. Get work done? Star! Do the household stuff you really hate to do? Star! Get enough stars? Let's make sure to set aside time/money/whatever for this little thing we like. Focusing on the positives has been a really good daily exercise!

11. Aussie fiction - When I read, I get a bit of a movie in my head. I'm having a lot of fun reading new author Jessie L. Star, and plan to read more Aussie and Kiwi fiction to get my fix of that accent and word usage in my head.

12. Self-publishing - I've not yet really done much in the vein of self-publishing. The closest I've come is having my free stories on Smashwords. With my experience on there, I'm considering it more and more for some of my harder-to-place tales!

13. Branding and body art - I can't afford a really good quality tattoo as of yet, but I do want to get my one piece of body art - my brand - touched up, perhaps on the 1 year anniversary of receiving it, or thereabouts. I also am in the process of writing a post about my brand for one of my Friday Deviance posts. Be on the lookout!

There you have it. My interests-cum-obsessions for the past few weeks! What about you guys? Any new or renewed interests recently?

Monday Musings: Editing and a Smashing Success

It's been pretty wicked with my day job lately, so my updates have been few, and my ability to edit the way I really, really need to has been limited. I fixed it though! With printer paper.

I am revising Her Master's Gift, one page at a time, and it's going beautifully. I have a clipboard, my trusty pencil, and the story, and that's really all I need. I can't seem to edit well on the screen, but I like being able to scribble and cross things out, and see how things fit...it's like a puzzle of words!

While you guys await HMG (with bated breath, I'm sure), I have taken this opportunity to post my FREE stories Astral Lovers and Servant of the Sun on Smashwords! And it's been fantastic. With over 300 downloads combined in just three days, I have been jumping up and down with glee!

Here are the links to both stories, and I sincerely hope you guys enjoy them:


So that's about it for now. Bogged down by day-job woes, but you won't see me giving up!

How's everyone doing this fine Monday? Anything new and interesting? I'd love to hear about it!