Liz Everly's Blog, page 101

Oh, So Merry And Gay!

A nice stretch first thing in the morning

By Elizabeth Shore

Have you seen Lake Superior State University’s most recent annual list of banned words? If you haven’t, perhaps you’d best take a look so you’re not sounding like some dated geezer trying to be hip by using or misusing the following gems:

BAE (you do know what this stands for. Right?) *

Polar Vortex

Hack

Skill Set

Swag

Foodie

Curate/Curated

Friend-Raising

Cra-Cra

Enhanced Interrogation

Takeaway

(Anything) – Nation

I found the addition of polar vortex curious. Didn’t we just start using it? Yet now suddenly we’re supposed to stop. So says LSSU, anyway. I guess the takeaway here is, if you don’t want characters in your book sounding like they’re just sooo 2014, you’d best take heed of this list and not stick those words in their mouths.

This whole banned words list reminds me of an incident that happened when I was a kid, maybe eight or nine years old, when my grandmother was showing me a new bedspread my grandfather had recently bought. I asked her if she liked it and she replied, “Oh yes, it’s so bright and gay.” Yep, a gay bedspread, in the good ol’ fashioned meaning of the word, which of course now is essentially lost. I suspect the word queer will eventually join its friend gay in the annals of words whose original meanings have been cast aside.

But hey, I’m not one to stew. As I set out to write this post I realized that January 6th is the traditional date of the Epiphany, marking the end of Christmas. So OK, we’re officially done with all the merriment, gift giving, and general seasonal indulgence. Or …. are we?

To kick off the new year with a new Lady Smut post, I decided that the culmination of the list of banned/misused words and the fact that we’ve just officially finished up with Christmas can only mean one thing: we need to close out this holiday season with hot men donning gay apparel.

Except … wait! Who am I fooling? This is Lady Smut! We prefer our hot men in no apparel. Or at least, not much apparel. But I’m not gonna make myself cra-cra. Let’s celebrate the word gay and the end of the holidays in a truly gay way! With bright and cheery photos of hot guys – wearing something, or not much, or nothing at all. :-)

Happy new year, everyone. xoxo

Wet t-shirt contest, guy style

 

I have no problem with where that left hand is going.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You wanna talk budgets, babe?

 

Just … yummy.

 

Scary yet fit biker guy with way cool long leather coat. And check out that belt buckle!

 

 

 

 

 

 

A face as chiseled as the rocks he’s leaning on.

 

 

Best couch potato – Evah!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

*Before Anyone Else – for those of you who want to curate your collection of banished lingo.

In Praise of Sexy Bald Men

By Liz Everly

Note from Liz: Here’s one of my favorite blog posts from last year. Enjoy!

xo

Liz

I was going to use this post as part of our “surprisingly sexy” series, but I thought the better of it.

After chatting with a few friends, (including fellow Lady Smut blogger Elizabeth), I came to the conclusion that bald men are really not surprisingly sexy—maybe only surprisingly sexy to themselves. I think that men have always thought women preferred men with hair. Hence, all the ads on tv geared for balding men to try the latest great grow-your-hair product. But I don’t think women care. On the one hand, lack of hair has nothing to do with the sexiness of a man. On the other hand, a bad wig or comb-over where the guy is attempting to hide a bald spot is…well…icky. Women want men who are confident enough to just be who they are. (I think, perhaps, men of substance would say the same about women.)

I can think of several very sexy bald men.

One of my all time favorite actors is Patrick Stewart, who played Captain Jon Luc Pickard in Star Trek. Oh my. The man just oozes sexiness. I also saw him as Othello in person and the man has as much talent as sex appeal.

Speaking of sexy bald Star Trek men, there is Avery Brooks, as Benjamen Sisko on Star Trek.

Telly Savalas, now gone, unfortunately. But him as Kojak? C’mon. He had swag and sex galore. Him and his lollipop. Remember that? Yum.

Yul Brynner in the “King and I” makes my heart pound every time I see the movie. For me, one of the attractive things about Yul, particularly in this movie is the way he moves.

And then of course there is Sean Connery: a bald Scottish man. Double sexy points!

When I brought up the topic of sexy men, fellow Lady Smut blogger Elizabeth mentioned Ralph Feinnes, who appears  to be newly bald. 

Now, that’s a man who is sexy no matter what.

What about you? Who are some of your favorite bald guys?

BTW, two of my books are marked down to 99 cents! Scoop them up while you can and drop me a line, write a review, and let me know what you think. 

Hero for Hire: Male Prostitutes as Romance Heroes

by Kiersten Hallie Krum

Happy New Year! And what better way to start the new year off than by hiring some male prostitutes!

Now that I have your attention…

We’ve talked about professional escorts on Lady Smut before in various ways. Elizabeth Shore has written two posts about Showtime’s “reality” series Gigolos and I’ve touch upon the issue somewhat when discussing Manservants among others.

A few weeks ago, there was a Twitter convo between several romance authors that spurred a series of recommendations of books where the hero is or was a prostitute. I’d read an erotic romance some time ago, called Escorted by Claire Kent, about a woman who hires a male escort and the two fall in love. I decided to chose two other books from the Twitter hive mind to see how this trope played out elsewhere.

Escorted by Clare Kent.

The Couple Who Fooled the World by Maisey Yates.

Curio by Cara McKenna.

As you might suspect, I have some thoughts.

Let me say at the outset that I enjoyed all three books and would recommend them without equivocation as good romance reads. This post isn’t meant to review the quality of these books so much as use them as examples as to how they implement the male whore hero.

The scenario of the woman prostitute who falls in love with her male client and is “rescued” from The Life by him when he, in turn, falls in love with her (and not only because of her particular sexual skills), aka the hooker with a heart of gold trope, is a familiar cliché whose shining moment was Pretty Woman. It is, arguably, the modern-day equivalent of a historical romance novel featuring the down on her luck, honorable-at-heart but poor, unappreciated for her true worth governess/seamstress/overworked companion who just needs a crabby, lonely, rich man to see her worth and save her from her unhappy life. It’s not a commonly used trope in Romancelandia because a hooker heroine is a hard sell given that so many people, yes, even awesome women who read romance, continue to judge a woman’s (or a heroine’s) character by her sexual behavior. A heroine with a history of selling her body and, perhaps, not apologizing for it, would not be sympathetic or identifiable for many readers.

Men, traditionally, are portrayed as being experienced and “using” prostitutes either to scratch an itch or to get some without having to invest in caring about the woman for the privilege. Often they’re portrayed as wanting something sexually their wives won’t give them because they’re cold or prudish or consider it deviant behavior. Men in such scenarios are almost always already sexually experienced and are using a prostitute for the simple need of sexual pleasure. It’s the whole “Best Little Whorehouse in Texas” idea. At the same time, uber-male alphas (and betas), are often portrayed as being insulted by the mere suggestion that they’ve ever had to pay for sex, as though getting a willing female partner is a proof of masculinity and paying for one a sign of weakness. To be fair, this aversion has also been used to show the good nature of the guy whose objection is because he would never contribute to the possible victimization of the woman he’d be using.

In contrast, in the books mentioned above, all three heroines were virgins. I wonder if that’s because we as a reading society still can’t accept a heroine having sexual experience from the get go of the story or that the idea that she might contract with a male prostitute merely because she wants a sexual experience where it’s all about pleasing her and getting an orgasm she doesn’t have to earn or for which she needn’t apologize if she dares to come first? Traditionally in Romancelandia, and specifically in some subgenres, the only lover the heroine is allowed to have or acknowledge having on the page is the hero of the story. That seems to still apply even when the heroine is hiring a professional to do the deed.

In Escorted and Curio, the two erotic romances is the group, both heroines have hired their respective prostitutes due to sexual issues they want to resolve. Both are “women of the world” and neither of them are shy, retiring, stereotypical virgins, but each woman is sexually inexperienced and is self-conscious enough about her status at her age as to not want to change that status with a man she might date or with whom she might want to have a relationship. The subtext is that, while not shameful, being a virgin at their age and experience is…embarrassing.

Click on image to order.

In Escorted, Lori is a successful romance novelist who’s self-conscious about the fact that she’s never actually had sex. She feels as though it’s become a barrier to her being able to get involved with a man in a relationship given she’s called the Goddess of Romance but has no personal sexual experience. She’s gotten so into her head about it, she hires Ander, a highly recommended male prostitute, to “take care of this inconvenient detail.” Ander is super qualified and indeed almost clinical about the whole thing, calmly giving advice in situ, like telling Lori not to tense up so much on the cusp of orgasm because it dilutes the ultimate sensation. He’s far from disconnected, but everything is very polite and matter-of-fact. This works for nervous Lori because it gives her control of what’s happening and removes the romantic façade from the experience. Ander is also well-researched. He even reads romance novels to learn what turns woman on and be familiar with women’s fantasies. I’ve often wondered why more men don’t read romance novels as a training guide for what women are looking for in a partner (not the ripped abs so much as the emotional stuff and sexual attention, though the abs work too). Ander also uses female-oriented erotica and toys and practices safe sex to a startling degree.

Similarly, in Curio, Caroly, a successful art curator in a Paris museum, hires Didier to be her first sexual partner. She too has gotten far too much in her head about her lack of sexual experience. In social interactions, she presents herself as haughtily above the mouth-watering gorgeous men she so desires so as not to reveal a desire she never expects to have reciprocated. Didier is European, loves women, and is, of course, mouth-watering gorgeous. He suavely creates any fantasy his client desires with typical European aplomb. A check is discretely left afterwards in his mailbox. I confess, after the first description of him, I supplanted David Gandy is his place in my mind’s eye. Look, if I was going to hire a male prostitute for any reason, he’d look like David Gandy. Hell, he’d be David Gandy if that could be arranged. Not that David Gandy is for sale in that way. Please don’t sue me, David Gandy. Ta.

Click on image to order.

Needless to say both women find their sessions with Ander and Didier vastly satisfying. Enough for repeat performances. And both professional relationships evolve into emotional connections that lead to love in unique ways. They are, after all, romance novels and thus guarantee some shade of a happy ending. I find it interesting that in one book, the hero leaves his profession for another once he falls in love with the heroine while in the other, the hero conversationally relates how he openly continued his profession while also being involved in relationships. It can be concluded he continued to do so after the book’s happy conclusion. I’ll leave you to read them both and find out which one does which.

The power dynamics are very different when the prostitute in the romance is a man. The concept of the prostitute being “rescued” from The Life doesn’t even get a play. Can’t have a woman rescuing the man from anything, of course, as it would undermine his masculinity. She can (and often does) influence him to change his profession for various organic reasons, but the rescue element does not exist.

Rather than sordid and shameful as when the woman is the professional, in these novels, the whole profession is reshaped as something somewhat honorable, a man who takes “clients” who are struggling with their sexuality and need a professional partner to ease them into this new level of intimacy without judgment or the mess of relationships. The onus is thus again passed onto the woman–she’s the one with the issues. He’s just trying to help her resolve her problems, a therapist there to help her overcome her sexual hangups with some hands on demonstration.

Um…yeah.

Don’t get me wrong, the stories are good and the emotional journeys believable and complex. It interests me though that both women are excused, for lack of a better word, for paying for sex because they each have serious reasons for doing so and not just because they want to have some no-strings, only for her pleasure sex. But both heroines are also more liberated after their experiences with their respective inamorato as both admit to feeling as though they’ve finally been admitted to a special club. How could you not feel liberated after a night of sexual hijinks with a David Gandy lookalike? Hey, he’s my fantasy. No judging.

Maybe that’s it. These stories are, essentially, fantasies for the reader and arguably a fantasy fulfilled for the heroine. Yet even within the fantasy, the dynamics change because of the gender inversion and the woman can’t be in it just for pleasure, no issues attached. A similar scenario of an adult man wanting to relieve his lingering virginity with a professional would be portrayed much, much differently. No romantic trappings required. And I have to wonder about glossing over the negative aspects of prostitution. Do we want to just ignore those issues because it detracts from the fantasy? Would we do so were it the heroine who was the professional?

The Couple Who Fooled the World is a very different story from Escorted and Curio. Ferro, the Italian tech billionaire hero, is no longer a working prostitute. He did not take on the profession as an adult either nor with the intent to be the solution to women looking to get past their personal sexual roadblocks. Ferro, while gorgeous, charming, and suave, was a street kind in Rome plucked off the corner one day by a wealthy woman. Shades of Pretty Woman. While not a hooker at the time, he was starving and without options when he first caught his patroness’ eye. He took on prostitution solely as a means of survival as a hot young stud for bored, wealthy Ladies Who Lunch.

Click on image to buy.

Ferro’s past has greatly scarred him and, in fact, has left him with huge baggage that prevents him for various reasons from having a healthy relationship. Julia, the heroine, is not a client. A self-proclaimed geek girl who has herself built a tech empire from scratch, she comes with her own social challenges and painful sexual baggage that has kept her from being able to trust a man enough to form a relationship. When business machinations bring them together, their sexual relationship becomes part of the deal. But I’ll leave you to read it and find how just how.

The Couple Who Fooled the World is the only book of these three to treat prostitution as a demeaning, emotionally painful, potentially dangerous, often illegal profession undertaken for only the most desperate of reasons. Ferro’s scars go deep and Julia’s increasing ability to make him feel emotions he thought long supressed in order to perform is a painful awakening he does not handle well.

It’s also this book that has the biggest contribution from the hero’s POV. Curio is written in the first-person and Escorted is almost entirely from the heroine’s perspective. Both Ander and Didier discuss their profession with their curious client, but there’s little to no shame or overall regret displayed. They are both in the job by choice, not circumstance, unlike Ferro who is still paying emotionally for what he was forced to do to survive.

What do you think? Does the male whore hero require the oldest profession in the world to be re-framed as sexual therapy for the heroine to be excused for buying one and accepted by the reader? Or does the power dynamic not matter among willing parties even in fiction? Could you, as a reader, invest in a book where the heroine bought her hero simply for pleasure’s sake? Or do we still require women to have some greater emotional need to explain why they would purchase sexual favors? Do women, even fictional ones, still require the trappings of fantasy to enjoy shame-free sex?

Follow Lady Smut. We’re shame-free on a regular basis.

Is Seduction Dead? No. Not Yet.

When did this become Point B?
(Image by Pavalache Stelian)

By Alexa Day

Long ago, I briefly dated a man called Bob. Bob was not his name, mind you. But it is what my wingwoman and I called him.

Bob was not the sort of man I usually dated. He was far more established and more successful and more confident than the guys I was used to, and I dated some pretty successful, confident guys. But I couldn’t sort out whether I was attracted to Bob — or attracted enough to him. That confusion was interesting, in a way, after I’d gotten used to being sure right away, and it freed me to concentrate more on whether I was enjoying Bob’s company instead of sizing him up as a sex partner.

In other words, I had no idea at all where things were going with Bob, and I liked that.

My wingwoman — and let me pause to say that all single women should find an experienced wingwoman as soon as possible — asked me at one point how things were going with Bob. I told her what I’ve just told you.

“Would you sleep with Bob?” she asked.

If you are single, you must have a wingwoman because she will ask, and force you to answer, these questions.

“I don’t know,” I said. “I’m not opposed to the idea.”

She leaned forward onto the table between us. “Could you be seduced into it?”

Well. That question turned everything around for me. The subject of idle curiosity and speculation blossomed into something more exciting and secretive. Seduction was an option I hadn’t considered at all.

Sadly, things fell apart with Bob before we came to that. My suspicion is that I was far less established and less successful and less confident than the women he was used to, although he was far too graceful to say so. My wingwoman’s question remained: could I be seduced?

Today, I have another question, one I asked on another blog almost 18 months ago.

Is seduction dead?

I don’t think so.

But seduction is not doing so well. No one is making predictions, but I would suggest that if you have something to say to seduction, you should set aside some time to clear the air. Soon. There might not be much time left.

To get at what happened to seduction, I want to look at what seduction is.

Seduction is, at its best, a negotiation. It’s the trip from not being sure to yes and from yes to oh, yes! But like the saying goes, seduction is a journey and not a destination. And if we’re lucky, seduction takes time. The seducer needs to convince us that he’s the man capable of providing abundant sexual pleasure. A skilled practitioner knows dozens of ways to do this. A slow dance, to make you aware of the way you might move together. The right meal, to pay homage to your senses. The conversation you have in the back of the restaurant proves he’ll supply sublime pillow talk afterwards. These things don’t pile up in a rush because anticipation is part of seduction. Seduction works because both parties have time to think about it when they’re apart.

The modern era hasn’t killed seduction yet, but it’s trying.

Few people regard uncertainty as the beginning of a journey anymore. For a while there, the news was filled with stories of men who wouldn’t take no, no thanks, or silences of longer than a few seconds as an answer. The gray area between yes and no is no longer a fertile playground for seduction. Women don’t always feel safe there, and it’s not a comfortable place for men these days, either.

Added to that, technology’s capability for instant communication has sapped what little remains of seduction’s vitality. The process that used to take forever has been reduced to an opening text, a dick pic, a referendum on the pictured dick, and a response to that response.

But no one is unsure anymore. No one has time to be unsure. No one feels comfortable with uncertainty. Few people are intrigued by uncertainty.

Without uncertainty, seduction cannot survive.

Maybe I’m wrong. Maybe seduction is only sleeping. Maybe it’s holding its eyes closed, waiting for me to lean way over it to see if its breath will leave a wisp of mist on a mirror.

I can only hope. Seduction loves hope, and missed opportunity makes it so, so sad.

In the meantime, consider what seduction has done for you. And follow Lady Smut. We’ve got all sorts of excitement in store for you.

Sexy Saturday Round-Up

By Liz Everly and the Lady Smut Bloggers

Hello, sexy. We are back from the Holidays and here for your reading pleasure. We’ve scored the Internets and found some very interesting posts for you.

Have you ever wished you had more sex when you were younger? 

Moms are not supposed to like sex? I missed THAT memo.

Weed on your lady parts. Yes, you read that right.

From Alexa:

Love, marriage, and ebola … yeah, it’s complicated.

Before Google, research librarians used to take on the general public’s weird and whimsical questions. (Now I have one of my own: What is a musical orgy?)

Who else loves the beta hero? Quite a few folks, thankfully.

From Madeline:

Why does guilt increase your pleasure?

Are you a narcissist? Take this test and find out!

Be More Sexy

by C. Margery Kempe

I’m sure a lot of people have started off the year with resolutions. Maybe it’s losing weight or getting fit, stopping some bad habit or other, but of course here at Lady Smut, we know what matters most: being sexy. Like any change you want to make you have to develop a habit. But how do you make being sexy a habit?

Step 1

Be confident — nothing is sexier than someone who knows precisely who they are, their strengths and their weaknesses, and knows that they deserve the very best that life sends their way.

Step 2

Be adventurous — if you’re just going to fall into old habits and be happy with the same old thing, why bother? Try new things, meet new people, don’t be afraid to make mistakes or waste time. Don’t take everything so seriously!

Step 3

Be creative — be the change you want to see in your life. Try new things, but also try new ways of doing things you like. Mix and match your wardrobe instead of the samey pieces. Paint, draw, write, cook — make things instead of just getting ready-made and explore the fun of making things with your hands. I know a lot of you love that scene from Ghost where the gooey pot throwing gets all sexy. Why? Making things leads to strong hands.

Step 4

Be sensual — and not just in bed. When did you last savor your food? When did you inhale the aroma of something other than flowers (and were they hot house flowers, too? What about wild violets?!). Feel the fabric of your clothing, the veneer of wood, the coldness of your ice cream or the heat of your mug of tea. Close your eyes and let it fill your senses. Go to a museum and fill your eyes with color and imagination. Go to a concert and concentrate on the power of music to heal your body, to make you sway and dance. The beat of the drum mimics the blood in your veins. Let it lead you on.

Make it a habit to not just move through the world but to be alive to it, all of it. Yourself included. Don’t just accept your body: embrace it. If you can’t love yourself, no one else will be persuaded. Give love freely: the more you give, the more you have.

Be sexy.

Be adventurous!

And be sure to follow Lady Smut: we’ll show you all the ways to embrace your wonderful life.

Champagne in a Porsche: Q&A with Elizabeth SaFleur

by Madeline Iva

Happy New Year kittens! If you’re like me, you ate too much and partied hard last night.  This morning we’re talking about LOVELY,  a contemporary erotic romance by Elizabeth SaFleur.  It’s Book #1 of her Elite Doms of Washington series which are contemporary tales of dominance and seduction set in our nation’s capital. 

When nineteen year old Christiana Snow is lured into a summer of sexual submission with charismatic Congressman Jonathan Brond, the relationship promises the adventure she’s been craving and the life he’s been missing. But in unforgiving Washington, D.C. the threat of scandal and gossip always looms.

MADELINE IVA: What’s so sexy about D.C.?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR:  For one, it’s the seat of our government, full of powerful people with “alpha energy.” On any given Tuesday you could be standing behind someone in line at Starbucks who has  launch code to missiles in his pocket.

MADELINE IVA: This book taps 50 Shades on the shoulder.  What draws you to this kind of story?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: I spent years in or around Washington D.C. surrounded by many real-life billionaires. They have multiple houses and cars, private jets and drivers, and access to anything you can name. Writing about them is fun. Over the years, I’ve collected hundreds of personal anecdotes: like attempting to not spill champagne while an executive sped his Porsche up GW Parkway. Being told to “leave this meeting and catch the next plane to Los Angeles.” Very glamorous stuff.

MADELINE IVA: But do you find the men attractive?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: Most men in Washington don’t hold powerful positions unless they are smart, have something interesting to say, or have a limo-load of charisma.

MADELINE IVA: What’s the new trophy wife like for a D.C. guy?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: Trophy Wives are “out” and Power Wives are “in.” Forget the sports car and second home in Aspen–a power wife is the new power accessory. Independent, savvy, career women are prized. If you were to attend a Washington event involving the elite crowd, you will hear a dozen men introduce their wives by their titles and often joke about how they “traded up.”

MADELINE IVA: I’ll warn readers right now — your hero is not interested in your heroine as a long term romantic prospect for most of the book. To me this gave the story an erotica flavor, Did you ever toy with the idea of making it an erotica?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: The story was always designed to be an erotic romance. But I also knew readers would throw the book (or their kindles) across the room if a member of Congress leapt into an affair with a very young girl immediately. Jonathan had to wrestle with his conscious over his choices.

MADELINE IVA: There’s a lot of special, um, equipment that comes out of the woodwork (literally) in this book.  Have you ever seen this kind of equipment in real life?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: You’d be amazed at what you can find on Fetlife (www.Fetlife.com), which is basically Facebook for kinky people. Real-world lifestylers have designed and built many sexual “aids” in their own homes.

MADELINE IVA: You went to a BDSM conference for romance writers — what were 3 things that you saw there that surprised you?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: First, the people involved in the BDSM lifestyle are “normal and regular” individuals. You’d pass them on the street without a second glance. They don’t all have a whip thrown over their shoulder.

Secondly, their eagerness in sharing their lifestyle was a pleasant revelation. Nauttiboi, an edge play expert, told me exactly the kind of knife I should write into a wax play scene. (Knives remove the wax.) And Bo Blaze, a premier maker of leather floggers, brought more than fifty of his creations, which he let us fondle at will.

A third surprise was how different BDSM “looks” in real life than in our fantasy erotic romance. The reality of BDSM is grittier. Watching a young man flog his female partner as she was strapped to a St. Andrew’s Cross, I could tell something special was happening between them. BDSM isn’t always pretty, but it can be beautiful.

MADELINE IVA: The stereotype of fem-doms is that they’re paid to allow powerful men to give up the weight of responsibility and respectability for an hour.  Is D.C. full of fem-doms and secret dungeon clubs?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: I’m not an expert on Femme Domme activities in D.C. but there are many. Private and public dungeons abound. The Black Rose Society and the Crucible (public dungeon) are the most well-known public organizations. The Black Rose society, in particular, has done much to educate governmental leaders on BDSM activities.

It’s an unforgiving town. You could lose your position or power because you dared to have sex in an “unapproved” manner (read: anything that is not missionary position, lights out, with a marriage partner). But, psst, let me tell you a secret. People in Washington are having sex—a lot of it. And it is often between powerful people in said “unapproved” manner. Only no one wants to say it out loud. Guess who is? (Raises hand.)

MADELINE IVA: You mentioned powerful women in D.C. — are you planning to have any of the books focus on a woman — and by powerful I mean in office, etc?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: I hadn’t planned on writing any Femme Domme stories involving female members of Congress. Writing from a female Dominant perspective is more complicated, as women are more complex.

MADELINE IVA: I don’t understand why a woman in office would need or want to be femme domme.  Wouldn’t a powerful woman in office be just as interested in being a submissive for a few hours a week as a powerful man is? At any rate–we can argue about that in the comments section.  ; >  But before you leave, I know we share some of the same taste in erotic romance fiction — could you name some erotic/erotic romance reads that made you want to write in this genre?

ELIZABETH SaFLEUR: Joey W. Hill, Beth Kery and J. Kenner: Joey for her deep character development (no one does it better), Beth for her deep understanding of human psychology, not to mention her unique characters and plots, and J. Kenner for her ability to tell a multifaceted story using minimal words.

Thanks for stopping by, Elizabeth! Hey folks — don’t forget to follow our blog, and if your hang-over isn’t too fierce and you’re looking for more about Elizabeth, check out these links down below. Staggering back to bed now–where’s my ice pack? 

Buy her book at Amazon or find Elizabeth at her website: www.ElizabethSaFleur.com. You can also find her at Goodreads, Facebook , check out her cool Pinterest page with REALLY COOL give aways, and on twittter @elizalovestory.

 

 

 

New Year’s Resolutions? Just Say NO.

By Elizabeth Shore

Here we are in the last day of 2014. It’s been an interesting year. I released my erotic contemporary, Hot Bayou Nights, my first book published after a 12 year hiatus. Here at Lady Smut, we released Dark Desires, our first anthology. In the news there were some bad things: ebola, the disappeared Malaysia Airlines flight, Robin Williams’ suicide. Fun things: the Winter Olympics, the World Cup, King Joffrey’s death on Game ofThrones. I suppose for many people the year began like so many others, with intentions to lose weight, be more positive, finish that (fill in the blank) project, but after the initial burst of enthusiasm died out so, too, did the commitment. For that reason I’ve never been a fan of making new year’s resolutions, because more often than not they’re broken and leave the resolver with nothing left to do but wallow in feelings of failure. Who needs it?

There is, however, one thing I’d really, really like to do in 2015. I’m not sure if I can, so at this point I’m not declaring myself committed. But geez, if I could, I’d simply love to start saying no.

Can you say no? Could you teach me how? No? That’s awesome. If only I could do that, too. Saying yes all the time – which is what I do now –  is doing no one, least of all me, any good. It’s tough going against one’s natural instincts, though. By nature I’m a pleaser. I love to make people happy, make them feel good, give them something they want. Help them. I want people to be able to count on me, to think that if they ask me to do something I’m not only going to do it but I’m going to kill it! I’m going to make my boss happy, my editor swoon with appreciation, my family and friends and loved ones overjoyed. I’m going to have an enviable clean apartment, a super healthy body, my refrigerator bursting with delectable meals I’ve prepared from scratch. My legs will always be shaved, my clothes forever clean, my work completed ahead of schedule. My website, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook will be completely up to date and no one, no one, will wonder why I haven’t responded to their email.

Oops! Hold on a sec while I shut off the alarm clock waking me from that dream. Because that’s all it really is, right? A big fat dream. Even as I sit here typing this my apartment is a mess, I can’t remember when I last posted on Facebook, and I still haven’t returned yesterday’s phone call from a good friend. All I’m doing, according to the proverbial saying, is paving a road to hell with my good intentions. It’s not for lack of wanting, of course. I really do want to do all of those great things. But there are only so many hours in the day, most of them occupied by demands out of my control. It leaves precious little time for me to be superwoman. Thus I have to learn to say no.

I know I’m not unique in the situation I face. Who out there isn’t over committed? Whether by choice or not, there’s an overwhelming demand on us all to race from task to task beyond what’s humanly possible. The truth is, we’re not embracing reality. By overextending ourselves, by promising too much and delivering too little, all we’re doing is plunging ourselves into an abyss from which we’ll never emerge and adding unnecessary stress to our already over-taxed lives.

So for 2015 I’d love to learn to set boundaries. To politely say no, and to not feel that I’ve deeply disappointed someone by doing so. Because the truth is, by over promising and under delivering, the only one I’m really disappointing is myself. And no, I don’t want to do that.

On behalf of my fellow Lady Smut bloggers: Madeline, Liz, C.M. Kempe, Kiersten, and Alexa, thanks to all you wonderful readers for the amazing year we’ve had. We look forward to getting together with you for more sexy awesomeness in 2015 and beyond. Happy new year!!

xoxo,

Elizabeth

 

 

 

Sam + Dean = Yum, Yum, YUM!

By Liz Everly

So by now you all know that I’m a wee bit behind on some pop-culture. Let’s call it the mom-syndrome. (Or at least one kind of mom-syndrome. There are many, I am sure. But that’s the subject of another post–and probably another kinda blog.)

These days, thanks to my 13-year-old daughter, I’m all about Sam and Dean. What? You don’t know what Sam and Dean are? Well my friend, here’s Sam and Dean. Now, maybe  YOU are already know them. After all, they’ve been on TV for ten very successful seasons with the show SUPERNATURAL. Shhh. I am only on Season Two, so if you know more about them, please no spoilers.

My youngest daughter loves Sam. And I like that because if I had to choose one for my daughter, yes, it would be Sam. And as far as she knows, I’m all about Sam. But seriously, if my fairy godmother came down and told me to choose, I’d probably say, “Both please!” That’s not something I’d share with my daughter. Wink.

Sam is the younger, sweeter, kinder brother who was in college with a full-scholarship when his brother came to ask him for his help to find their demon-hunting father. A very bright young man. He’s not hard to look at either.

Dean is the typical oldest brother alpha male. He’s a tough smart-ass, but deep down, he has a soft nurturing center. He’s had to take care of his younger brother—and he’s done a great job of it. 

These two are fighting off demons, vampires, tricksters, and so many other kinds of supernatural creatures. But I’ve seen TV shows and movies like this that don’t grab me the way this one does. What makes it rock? For me, it’s simple: The relationship between the brothers. Also, the back story and relationship with their Dad and long-gone Mom is compelling. The narrative arc is a long one and it works because of the depth of these relationships. The demon-fighing is fun stuff—but what you feel like sobbing or laughing are the poignant moments between the brothers.

It also helps that they are both…um..HAWT!

Am I the only Supernatural fan out there?

If you’re not a Supernatural fan, no worries, we are sure that Lady Smut has something for you, so don’t forget to subscribe.  For the next few weeks, my American historical is on sale for .99. Tempting Will McGlashen is available at all e-book stores.

Guest Blog: Cait Jarrod

by Kiersten Hallie Krum

I met romantic suspense writer Cait Jarrod at this year’s New Jersey Romance Writers Put Your Heart in a Book conference. We hit it off (and not just because of tequila) and she may have incriminating footage of me reprising Grease on the dance floor, but that’s not why I invited her to join us today here at Lady Smut. Cait’s newest novel, Mystic Falls, features a woman learning to fight for what she wants. Here’s a blurb.

Nothing is as it seems….

Temptation landed at Special Agent Larry Newman’s feet—literally. Charlene Smith captured his heart after he rescued her from terrorists two months ago. A failed relationship and being an abused child have turned him into a loner and workaholic. The scars weigh heavy on him and keep him from pursuing her. So what’s a guy to do when the woman he pines for passes out in front of him while working a case?

Battling psychological wounds from abduction is easier than coming face to face with the sexy FBI agent she’s fantasized about for months. A single mother, avoiding the drama that dating would bring to her son’s life, she allows Larry close only in her dreams. Now, she’s second-guessing her decision. Should she have a relationship with this man who makes her feel alive just by being close?

Click image to order

 Cait writes step up heroines who, in the course of the story, learn how to take charge of their lives. Better yet, I’ll let Cait tell you for herself…

Welcome Cait!

Hello, Lady Smut! I’m excited to be on your blog today!

Nothing like a heroine taking charge!

I love Charlene Smith’s journey from submissiveness to taking charge of her life. She figuratively slams her hands on the table and says, “No more.” She’ll no longer allow her ex-husband to control her like he had while they were married. She’ll no longer allow him to use their son as a pawn. Instead of slamming her hand down on a desk or gingerly saying, “No more,” read the excerpt below from Mystic Hearts, Book 2 of The Band of Friends, to find out how Charlene decides she can and will fight.

The venomous tone, at one time, would have had her withering. But not anymore. “Pig!”

Her ex-husband charged toward her, eyes wild, nostrils flaring.

She swung, faking high and going low. The bat connected with his stomach.

“Fuck,” he puffed and clutched his gut. “You’ll pay.” He straightened and snatched the butcher knife from the block on the kitchen counter.

Crap!

The shiny blade glistened above his head.

It was her or him. She dug deep, seizing strength from all the wrongs Andrew had inflicted on her family, fortifying her with the power for what she needed to do. She raised the bat behind her head and went for the homerun…for her…her mother…and most importantly, her son. She struck his arm. Bones cracked. The knife flew out of his hand. He stumbled backwards, holding his wrist, and fell backwards into the wall. She raised it again, aiming for his head.

The bastard is Henry’s father, her conscience screamed.

At the last second, she pulled back and clobbered him square in the ribs.

Yelping, he collapsed on the floor. “You bitch!”

She lowered her hand, clasping the handle, ready to swing. “Not another word. Get the hell out of my house!”

“I’ll be back!”

She raised the bat. “You asked for it.”

Thanks for joining us today, Cait! You can follow Cait on Twitter at @caitjarrod and on her web site at caitjarrod.com.  Mystic Hearts is available now. Click the cover image to order Mystic Hearts today!

Happy New Year, lovely readers.

Follow Lady Smut. You’ll be glad we’re here to take charge.