Liz Everly's Blog, page 46

Sexy Saturday Round Up

Show of hands — Who needs a bath, some wine, and some good deep relaxation this weekend?  I do! If you need some help unwinding, here’s a give away just for you LadySmut readers from Unbound.  (Hint: remember that Delta Box we talked about? ; > )

Sink into our relaxing soak of smex-related articles this weekend and enjoy!

From ManRepeller: The awkward infographic

Rise of the muscle bound bodice ripping historical on TV.  We’re looking at you Jamie & Poldark. (Now Jamie and Poldark ripping our bodice off-*there’s* a fantasy!)

From BBC: Black women encouraged through art to talk about mental health

All those in favor of “Unlikeable” women characters — Check out FLEABAG on Amazon.

From Elizabeth SaFleur: The Erotic Vein: The Male Pen

Beauty Meets Your Blender: And all the ways this can go very wrong.

By Elizabeth Shore:

Pole dancing champs say enough with the shaming. Their sport is tough – tough enough to be in the Olympics.

Christian Grey fans, rejoice! While watching the official 50 Shades Darker trailer you can bring out your inner Ana Steele by slipping into your very own 50 Shades lingerie.

The places where guys really want to cum.

Better late than never? 60-year-old mom gives birth to twins.

What? Say it isn’t so! A semen facial is apparently not good for your skin.

New butt plug company hopes to take anal play maintstream.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Surfing the Crimson Tide–Without A Surfboard

by Madeline Iva

Dear vaginas – Today we have a treat for you. Adriana Anders is here to discuss her own adventures in cutting edge science with some real life experimentation. Read below, as we continue to celebrate our very own Alexa Day’s re-released first novel, ILLICIT IMPULSE.   Enjoy!

A couple months ago, in the name of science, and for the sake of my blood-sisters everywhere, I decided to bite the bullet and try out a couple pairs of that period underwear Facebook decided to spike my feed with. There were a few reasons for doing this. First is my hatred of tampons. Shoving a ball of dry cotton up my vagina has somehow lost its magic. Also, I love the concept—It’s easy! It’s antibacterial! It’s reusable and sustainable and it just makes sense! I also love their messaging: THINX—Period panties for modern women.

I think I’m gonna need more THINX.

I bought three pairs, at over $30 each. So—an investment, definitely, because it’s more than I generally spend on undies. At the same time, not that much if you consider the money you splash out on supplies. Oh, and you can try them and get your money back if you don’t like them after 60 days. The pictures are cute—right? I got a couple pairs of Boyshorts and a pair of those lace-inset Hi-Waist panties. All of it looked a little big on the model, but boyshort usually translates to bikini on me so I wasn’t concerned. The day the package arrived, I got that birthday morning kind of excitement and actually ran home from work at lunch to try them on.

And…they’re granny panties.

But okay, okay, I can go with that for a few days a month. Call ‘em tap pants and they’re almost sexy. All three pairs had a shiny exterior and a full cotton lining. No other bells and whistles. The lacey ones were worlds prettier and equate to about two tampon’s worth, whereas the others equal about one.

And this is where things get a little dicey—there’s no way to tell when it’s time to change these undies. You’re on your own—the underwear is quite literally opaque, giving you no idea where you are. So, unless you change ten times a day, you run the risk of getting caught, well, not quite red-handed, but you get the gist.

The joy of feeling like nothing’s there.

I decided to put the panties to the test. For you, my fellow bleeders, I took the THINX out for a night on the town—with no back up. It was period Day 2 and my girlfriends and I had decided on an early night. I slipped into my Hi-Waist pair and a thin sundress (both in black, because I’m intrepid, not stupid) and hit the town.

Here’s how it went:

6:30: Arrive at restaurant.
7:45: First trip to the restroom. Heavy flow, no apparent leakage. Report back to girlfriends that all was well.
8:45 – 10:00: Early night? Who said early night?
10:30: After a cocktail and some wine, we decide to head to a new bar in town where the fabulous Madeline Iva, Elizabeth Safleur and I had spotted a hot bearded bartender the week before. It’s a 15-minute walk on heels. Feet don’t hurt because booze.
12:00: Flirt with bartender. Trip to ladies room. Oh, look, I have my period! I’d totally forgotten about that! How cool is it that I don’t have to pull anything out of my vagina and then replace it with a new thing! And this underwear is so normal, I’d forgotten all about it!
Sometime between 12:00 and 1:00: This selfie is taken. Pretty happy about things. Not a care in the world. Bartender is cute, and friends iz better. So fun!
Around 1:30ish (maybe?): I’m dumped at my front door, head to the bathroom and… Leakage. Okay, okay. But this is the first sign of overflow I’ve seen all night and I’ve been out for… SEVEN HOURS on my heaviest flow day. And it was like not having my period! After a shower, I grab a pair of boyshorts and head to bed.
6:30am: Trip to bathroom. No leakage. I’m ordering more of these STAT.

The science of having sex–like a guy. Click here to buy.

The pluses: No more shoving of things in and out of your body in public restrooms. No more disposing of said items. No more uncomfortable wads stuffed into panties. It’s liberating.

The minuses: If you’re out for an evening, you’re stuck. Nobody wants to slide a baggie of bloody undies into their clutch half-way through the festivities. Also, the material is not very breathable, despite the cotton lining. I needed a break after 24 hours and chose to go days with THINX and nights with alternative protection.

Final prognosis: I love THINX. They’re freeing and, if you don’t go too wild with the besties, they are the perfect protection! (Though I might try their other panty styles next time.)

Adriana Anders has slung cocktails, worked for start-ups, multinationals, and small non-profits, but it wasn’t until she returned to her first love—writing romance—that she finally felt like she’d come home. Today, she resides with her tall French husband and two small children in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where she writes dark, emotional love stories.

Click to pre-order.

Her Body is a Canvas

A darkly possessive relationship has left Uma alone and on the run. Beneath her drab clothing, she hides a terrible secret—proof of her abuse, tattooed onto her skin in a lurid reminder of everything she’s survived.

Caught between a brutal past and an uncertain future, Uma’s reluctant to bare herself to anyone…much less a rough ex-con whose rage drives him in ways she can’t possibly understand. But beneath his frightening exterior, Ivan is gentle. Warm. Compassionate. And just as determined to heal Uma’s broken heart as he is to destroy the monster who left his mark scrawled across the delicate tapestry of her skin.

UNDER HER SKIN, the first book in the Blank Canvas series will be out from Sourcebooks Casablanca in February, 2017. Read more: www.booksmarttarts.com.

Find Adriana on social media:

Facebook/adrianaandersauthor
Twitter/adrianasboudoir
Instagram/adriana.anders

AND Pre-order UNDER HER SKIN at Amazon.

 

Why Do We Wanna Boink Smart Guys So Badly Anyway?

Smart, lean, uncomfortable, but trying. God, I love a geeky man.

by Madeline Iva

People, I have long adored the sexy geek as an iconic romance hero.  Show me a fit, dorky guy with a great smile and glasses — and I’ll show you an obsessive crush.

This week we’re heralding Alexa Day’s re-release ILLICIT IMPULSE and OH! the memories when it first came out.

Waaaaaay back, Alexa and I went mano-y-mano against each other in an unpublished author’s contest with similar science-y erotic romance plots.  My book pitch went down in flames, while Alexa got a publication deal.  Glory with me now in my lost manuscript and Alexa’s triumph.  The two books had similar premises, yet while hers was publishable, mine was soooo wonderfully whack.

Good times! But back to the business at hand:

Why do we wanna boink smart guys so badly anyway?

Buy it, try it, lurv it. Click here.

You see a book you wanna buy (please do). I see 5 reasons below:

Is it just the glasses? I consider the question in F**k my brains out: why are smart guys so sexy?

Is it the Ph.D. maybe?  Yes Professor: Confessions of a Sophophiliac

Is it that he was on the most famous geek TV show EVER?: My obsession with the impish, irritable charm of David Tennant

Is it his geek-i-tude obsessions? CRAZY SEXY GHOULISH.

Do we just wanna have smart babies? Or is it because the sexy geek is the antithesis of a male stripper? Talking with Lynne Silver ’bout why we love a good geek.

As for the rest of these links, if you’re a geek–or in love with one–you might want to canvass a few of these other geek-related topics.  Enjoy!

Sexy-Geeky-Goodness: 4 Great Geek Reads.

The whole Sex Bot Thing–seriously, don’t get me and Alexa started.  #WeWantMaleSexBotsNow

Here’s a review of a book about a movie geek who encounters a movie star.

Heck! Who am I kidding? I *am* a movie geek.  What is this movie geek freaking out about? The same thing every other SFF movie geek is freaking out about–the ridiculously hot new Aquaman.

Finally, a little discussion from a while back (God, it seems like we’ve gone full circle since then) about some great interracial romance recommendations, including some awesome geeky paranormal IR: They’re Hot, They’re Naked and They’re Two Different Colors

So follow us at Lady Smut and hug a geek near you–Cheers!

Madeline Iva writes fantasy and paranormal romance.  Her novella ‘Sexsomnia’ involves a biology geek, and is available in our LadySmut anthology HERE. Her fantasy romance, WICKED APPRENTICE, featuring a magic geek, is available for pre-order Oct 1st and releases November 1st.

Girls Making Passes At Sexy Guys Wearing Glasses

Oh, but only if he didn’t have glasses – said no one, ever.

By Elizabeth Shore

We’ve got a double sexy celebration this week as we’re kicking off the release of our own Alexa Day’s revamped Illicit Impulse. Why double sexy? Because one, this book’s got a hot scientist – and Lady Smut readers know how much we love those smoldering brainiacs. Just ask Madeline Iva. She blogged about it here way back in 2013. And part 2 of this sexy duo celebration? Alexa’s particular scientist also wears glasses. Hot doggie! Grab me a fan while I swoon.

We all remember that silly saying about guys not making passes at girls who wear glasses, right? Well, as far as I’m concerned it’s all a steamin’ pile of hooey. Case in point: look at the hotness factor of the sexy librarian. What guy can resist a babe wrapped in brains? Bunned up hair comes tumbling down, horn-rimmed glasses reveal piercing baby blues just waiting to cast a come-hither look. Methinks any guy worth his salt would both hither AND cum.

The Great Sexperiment, or Bodies of Knowledge

A man, a woman, and an experimental drug. Click to buy!

By Alexa Day

Great news — Illicit Impulse is available for your reading enjoyment right now! I hope you’ll grab yourself a copy and find out just how far two best friends will go to test an experimental sex drug called Impulse.

The Impulse experiments sound simple enough at first. Test subject Grace Foley just has to take the pill, have the sex, and report the results. Sure, her best friend, John March, is the one taking notes on her encounters, and she’ll have to work around her feelings for him. But aside from that, there shouldn’t be any trouble, right?

(There’s trouble. I promise. Just in case you were worried.)

As I was working on John and Grace’s story, I discovered that there’s a long tradition of sexperimentation quietly simmering beneath science’s sedate exterior. My personal favorite is the anatomical study of sexual intercourse conducted inside the MRI machine.

That’s right. Two people had sex inside an MRI so that we, the inquisitive public, can see what happens. Talk about sacrificing your body. I’ve been inside an MRI machine, and I’m a pretty open-minded woman. But I don’t see how two people can have missionary-style sex inside that thing. When I asked the tech —

What? Of course I asked. As expensive and unpleasant as an MRI is, I figure I get to ask whatever the hell I want.

Anyway, when I asked the tech, he said that there’s more space in the machine than I suppose. He’s been inside it a few times himself (for maintenance purposes, not for sex, you nasty people) and suggests that it is not as impossible as I think it is. Indeed, the report (please, you’ve got to read the report) says that when the couple was in position, only 3 centimeters of space separated them from the top of the tube.

Intrigued? Well, this European report comes with a video. Enjoy!

Creating Impulse and the tricky experimentation that went with it … that was a labor of love for me. So many of the modern sexperiments focus on men’s sexuality. Their testosterone levels, their arousal, their performance. Studies focused on women tend to produce mind-bending conclusions like “Jinkies! Women apparently want to have sex, too!”

Seriously, the number of results I got when I Googled “the enduring enigma of female desire” was both surprising and disappointing. Is it an enigma? Why does it endure so? Could it be that female desire would be less of an enigma if — I don’t know — someone were studying it more?

Illicit Impulse is built around a sex drug that only exists for women, a drug whose sole purpose is to allow women to enjoy sexual adventure. In the hands of a woman who loves her freedom and a man devoted to studying her pleasure, Impulse lives up to its potential. And that’s before Grace’s friend with benefits gets involved.

If you’re down for a little sexperimentation, grab a copy of Illicit Impulse. And stay tuned as Lady Smut’s smart, sexy theme week continues.

Follow Lady Smut. Give it a try and see what happens.

Better Living Through (Fictional) Science: Illicit Impulse Cover Reveal

It’s almost here! Illicit Impulse returns tomorrow!

By Alexa Day

Writing erotic romance has got to be the best job in the world. I get to spend my time dreaming up the sexytimes with the sexy people. I get to trash their fictional world and watch as they crawl out of the wreckage to find love with each other. And every so often, I get to right a wrong. That’s why I loved writing Illicit Impulse so much. The story of John March and Grace Foley and those big experimental pills allowed me to address a biological injustice.

Oxytocin is widely promoted as a “cuddle hormone,” but I know its dark, clingy secret. Sure, oxytocin will make you want to snuggle with your sex partner once the fireworks have faded for the evening, and hey, that’s wonderful. But it also works a dark magic on a woman’s mind, where it transforms her sex partner into her boyfriend. Oxytocin doesn’t care that you probably aren’t going to see him again or that he was really just the entertainment for the evening or the weekend. So far as the “cuddle hormone” is concerned, it’s always cuffing season.

That just felt like a huge biochemical ripoff to me. I mean, I’m good with hormones lighting up for one dude over another, but I certainly didn’t want hormones choosing my boyfriends for me.

But what if there were some way to take oxytocin out of the driver’s seat?

Well, I might not be able to make an oxytocin suppressant … but I can sure make one up.

Illicit Impulse is the story of how complicated things can get when we try to uncomplicate things. Neuroscientist John March (the hot fellow in the glasses) has fulfilled my dream by creating an oxytocin suppressant called Impulse. He just needs someone to test it out and be completely honest about how well it’s working.

That’s where Grace Foley comes in. John and Grace are best friends, and she’s done a lot of kissing and telling over the years, hoping for the benefit of his advice. She doesn’t mind trying out a product that promises sex without commitment. Her friend with benefits, Tal Crusoe, doesn’t mind a little experimentation, either.

Simple enough, right?

There’s just one problem.

John and Grace both want to be more than friends. They’re also both certain that they’ve blown their chances with each other. So will these hot, hands-on experiments force them deeper into the friend zone? Or will Impulse make their friendship complicated in the nicest possible way?

Illicit Impulse was previously published by some other people before a very extensive revision for Loose Id. You can get your very own copy tomorrow as Lady Smut’s Smart Sexy Science theme week continues!

In the meantime, follow Lady Smut. It’s good for you.

Alexa Day is the USA Today bestselling author of erotica and erotic romance with heroines who are anything but innocent. In her fictional worlds, strong, smart women discover excitement, adventure, and exceptional sex. A former bartender, one-time newspaper reporter, and recovering attorney, she likes her stories with just a touch of the inappropriate, and her literary mission is to stimulate the intellect and libido of her readers.

Servant of the Undead, erotic zombie horror free read

Isabelle Drake’s Servant of the Undead

If you’re new to this serial, you can start with Part 1, “Do it.” 

This is the final Lady Smut installment. If you’re wanting more after this, come over to the Servant of the Undead Wattpad http://my.w.tt/UiNb/hDmLKaGPnw page. Unfamiliar with Wattpad? It’s an online community for readers and writers. Its filled with free fiction of all kinds. It’s easy to log in and get started; you can use your Facebook account.

Part 20: “Remember, I warned you.”

Hayden opened his eyes and watched his breath come out in frigid puffs. Beyond the car’s windshield, moonlight blended into a narrow line of snow-covered trees, stretching across the horizon. The sky was clear, the night still, the air bitter with an icy scent.

Beside him, a woman groaned.

Rachelle, wrapped in her fur coat.

She opened her eyes. “Oh, hey.”

He nodded, fighting a wave of dizziness.

“Guess I feel asleep.” She rubbed her cheeks with her mittened hands. “Where are we?”

“Not sure.”

Outside, Mattie lingered, her booted feet deep down in the snow, the wind pushing her skirt against her thighs.

Rachelle dropped her hands. “You drove us here.”

Hayden glanced at the backseat. His backpack with his notebook, camera and tablet was there, the bag of food they’d brought and the thermos. The last thing he remembered—Mattie giving him directions while they were all drinking tea. He patted his chest pocket. His phone was gone. He reached back, checking his back pocket, checking for his wallet and noticed his belt was undone, hanging down the back of his pants.

“What’s wrong?” Rachelle asked.

“Nothing. Let’s get out.” He shoved open the car door and climbed out, fixing his belt as he stood. A wave of dizziness found him and he grabbed the top of the door.

Mattie trudged over. “It’ll wear off once you start moving.”

“Seems I’ve already been doing some moving.”

“You did a little. I did more.”

Rachelle, who’d moved away from the car, spun in a circle, her arms wide and her face toward the sky. “Where are we, anyway?”

Mattie lifted the map and pointed to the top right corner. “We’ll walk up the river, through these trees where the snow isn’t as deep.”

Hayden propped his foot on the bumper. “Just leave the car here?”

“We won’t be gone long.” Rachelle spun again, moving so fast that her scarf flew out, waving through the frigid air like a banner.

Mattie opened the car door, grabbed Hayden’s bag then held it out for him. “You’ll want this.”

Hayden took it and dropped the strap across his shoulder. Mattie grabbed the thermos and tucked it under her arm.

Rachelle rounded the back of the car. “You really think we’re going to see something out there?”

“My friend must’ve seen something or else he wouldn’t have made this map. Right?” Mattie rolled the brown paper up, tucked it into the inside pocket of her leather and started walking toward the trees.

Rachelle followed, her shorter legs working harder to get through the snow. “It’s not anything dangerous, is it? I mean, nothing bad can happen to us, right?”

Mattie waited for Rachelle to catch up then bumped her shoulder. “Only bad stuff we want to happen.” She glanced over her shoulder and caught Hayden’s gaze. “Right, Hayden?” Then she unscrewed the top of the thermos, passed it to Rachelle. She drank. When she offered it to him, he took it and drank too.

***

The dizziness of coming to was more intense this time. Hayden opened his eyes and stretched his arms, sliding them to his sides. A chain rattled. He tried to lift himself. Again, the sound. Fighting a thickness in his mind, he pushed harder to get himself upright. The reward was a sharp snap to his neck and a shooting pain down his back. He reached up, his fingers curled around a ring circling his neck. He tugged, rough steel cut into his palms and there was more rattling.

“Rachelle?” He crawled backwards to create slack, sat upright then yelled again, searching the small cabin room as he called her name.

“She’s fine. Probably having the best time she’s had in a while.” Mattie moved into the room from a corner, her eyes glowing green. “Except for last night, I mean. That was exceptional, wasn’t it?”

She sat on the edge of the bed, lantern light casting shadows on her face, and threw back the brown blanket, exposing him. He was naked, his cock partially erect. “Your girlfriend is both curious and enthusiastic. Very nice.” She ran her cool fingers up his shaft. The muscles of his thighs twitched and more blood flooded to his dick.

She looked up. “You’re enthusiastic too.”

Hayden gritted his teeth against the want curling through him, heating his cock and reminding him how it felt to thrust into Mattie’s icy body. He turned away. Beyond the edge of the bed, fire brightened a squat wood stove. Two cast iron pots hung from ceiling hooks. About three feet from the stove was a square table with two wooden chairs. The window was above the table, but there was nothing visible except blackness—a never-ending night. Mattie continued staring at him, her eyes flickering, mouth softer than usual. And her scent. It was there too, coating Hayden’s skin like a fine mist.

“You know.” She smiled, moving her gaze back to his eyes. “I think I forgot to thank you. I told you to make it good, give me something worth watching, and you did. She stroked his balls, causing a shiver to rip upward from his crotch. “I appreciated your effort.”

“I didn’t do it for you.”

She continued caressing him. “I was part of it, though. Wasn’t I?”

Hot flames of fierce hunger flared deep. There was no point in denying what she already knew to be true, so he nodded. She squeezed his shaft then jerked her hand up and down as she bent to lick the tip, her hair brushing his thigh as she worked to make him harder. Hayden stiffened his spine, fighting the stab of piercing pleasure as every nerve in his body simmered, ready to be ignited.

She licked, taking her time, sliding her tongue around his tight skin. “Lay down. I’m going to suck the cum out of your cock.”

He wanted to resist but her hand was curved around his shaft, gliding up and down.

“I need it.” She paused. “You can either settle back and give it to me, or I’ll shove you back and take it.” Then she stroked him again, the coolness of her hand now familiar on his skin. “I really do like you.” Looking up at him with her green gaze, she added, “Much better than my last one.”

The links of the chain rattled as Hayden lay back and stared at the rough wood timbers running across the ceiling. “What happened to him?”

She paused. “Do you want to meet him?”

“He’s here?” His reply came out as a groan.

Instead of answering, she took in all of him. His tip bumped the back of her throat. His hips jerked. The chain shifted and the collar cut into his skin. Pain radiated to his shoulders as she continued drawing him in and out of her mouth. When he bucked, thrusting himself deeper into her mouth, she pulled away.

“What you really want to know–if he’s one of us.” She caressed him with her cool fingertips. “The answer is yes. But not all my others wanted to be turned.”

His dick twitched from the need for release but he managed to ignore it long enough to ask, “You give them a choice?”

“Of course. We all had the choice.” She slid her hand down to the base of his shaft, squeezed. “That’s enough talking, Hayden. Shut up while I make you come.”

She took him into her mouth, swallowing him deeply. The tension in his groin increased, circled tighter, stole the air from his lungs. He bucked against her mouth, thrusting deeper into her throat. The metal ring around his neck cut the flow air, making him gasp, as the first waves of his dense pleasure rippled through him. The rings of pleasure were cruel, circling his cock, spiraling upward and out, seeping through his body in a mad rush.  Mattie continued working to get what she needed while Hayden, lost in the spiteful bliss, braced himself for the inevitable. The orgasm came in as black smog. Mattie continued to move her mouth over him, sucking more after each jerk of his cock. She pulled every last drop from him then she moved away, still swallowing his cum as she got to her feet. She swiped the back of her hand across her glistening lips and spoke as if none of that had just happened.“I suppose you want to see Rachelle.”

Hayden, still waiting for his heart to settle, moved the chain off his shoulder and nodded.

She got off the bed, went to the stove and kicked it. Sparks flared. She kicked it again. Sparks flashed higher behind the glass. “You really need to start thinking bigger, she said. “Try to see what you aren’t even bothering to look at. You’re a thinker. Think.” She crossed to the dresser beside the bed. “I’ll take you to her. But remember, I warned you.”

***

Want more? The next part will be here next Sunday. Or, you can come over to the Servant of the Undead Wattpad page. Unfamiliar with Wattpad? It’s an online community for readers and writers. Its filled with free fiction of all kinds. It’s easy to log in and get started; you can use your Facebook account.

Until next time, follow Lady Smut, we’re always here to inform, entertain, and keep you up to date.

***

Isabelle Drake writes erotica, erotic romance, urban fantasy, and young adult thrillers. Best Friends Never, her newest release is the first in the Cherry Grove dark YA series.

Sexy Saturday Round Up

Fabulous Readers! Here we are today, tired from schlepping amazing prizes for you all from UNBOUND in NYC.  Imagine Elizabeth Shore sitting on all this loot in her apartment like a dragon sitting on its gold, dreaming of our Lady Smut event at Romantic Times convention in early May.

Speaking of which — have you registered? Registration ends October 15th!) Here are some authors who are coming:

Charlaine Harris, Janet Evanovich, Karin Slaughter, Linda Lael Miller, Brenda Jackson, Beverly Jenkins, Liliana Hart, Sylvia Day, Shayla Black, Lexi Blake, Colleen Hoover, Lara Adrian, Kristen Ashley, Cora Carmack, Suzanne Enoch, Molly Harper, Lorraine Heath, Elizabeth Hoyt, Madeline Hunter, Laura Kaye, Susanna Kearsley, Christina Lauren, Tiffany Reisz, Karen Marie Moning, Zane and Rebecca  Zanetti. 

And have you looked at Unbound’s hip website? Treasure, ladies, pure treasure.

Here’s our link line-up for your Saturday fun!

Why do we even bother with clothes?

No Trigger Warnings here ! Porn site for sexual assault survivors.

Stop your looks-based, mean-girl, shallowness this instant! An appalled graphic designer shows girl’s life mag what their covers *should* look like.

He just doesn’t get it! Why we love dreadlocks and why most white people shouldn’t wear them: (See also Marc Jacobs apology.)

Meanwihle – here are some fab looks from the afropunk festival in NYC.

From Jezebel: former sex worker seeks happy ending.

Sonali Dev on romance, love, and the dark places of the heart.

What her profile pic style says about your friend.

From Bustle: 9 romances too steamy to read in public.

Got Westworld? Check out the themes in this new s/f TV show.

Feminist Fight Club

By Elizabeth Shore:

Now *this* is what I’m talking about – the best places in the world for hotel sex. And check out #4…oooh, you naughty Canadians.

Would You Like Me To Ravage You?

Any Duchess Will Do (spindle cove Book 4)[image error]

Click to buy.

by Madeline Iva

She’s baaaaaaack! You liked her Madame X post so much that we’ve asked Thien-Kim Lam to come back for another guest post.  Happy Friday!

A couple of months ago, my husband interrupted my animated retelling of the sex scenes in Tessa Dare’s Any Duchess Will Do (spindle cove Book 4)[image error]Any Duchess Will Do. (The scenes are quite creative, and the power dynamics between the main characters heighten every movement.)

“It sounds like a fun book. Can we read it together?”

I was shocked. He had never expressed interest in reading any of my romance books.

We’ve read books together before, in audiobook form. Most of the books we’ve listened to have been thrillers: Girl on the Train, The Girl with All the Gifts, and The 500. Books with action and adventure that move quickly. Books that mirror his favorite kind of movies. Coincidentally, those three books are being made into movies.

For the past year or so, we’ve been listening to the same audiobook in tandem. Even though I listen at faster speeds, we try to stay within a chapter of each other. He has more time during his commute and work day to listen so I’m usually the one playing catch-up. After the kids go to bed, we talk about what’s happened so far in the book. It’s become our couples book club.

Reading together has given us something to talk about that isn’t related to work or our children. Our television habits are different, save for handful of shows. We didn’t use to read the same books. I read widely across genres, while he gravitated towards graphic novels, his magazines, and Neil Labute plays.

After my shock wore off, we agreed to read Dare’s first Spindle Cove book A Night to Surrender since I was almost done listening to Any Duchess Will Do. I still couldn’t believe he wanted to read a historical romance book with me!

A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove)[image error]

Click to buy.

I was nervous the first day we started A Night to Surrender (Spindle Cove)[image error]A Night to Surrender. Outside of the a couple of scenes from Fifty Shades of Grey that I read aloud to him, he’s a newbie to romance and erotica. Would he like it or hate it? What would I do if he hated one of my favorite sub genres?

Earbuds in hand, he kissed me goodbye and left for work. Time to queue up the audiobook. As I listened to the first chapters, I analyzed each scene. Would my husband think the main characters’ meet cute too contrived? Would he understand the nuances of clothing in this period? How could he react to the arrogant alpha male hero?

As soon as my husband stepped through the door that evening, I attacked him. No, not that way. I asked him what he thought about Tessa Dare’s book. “It’s cute. I like it.” He was actually grinning! I was relieved.

Over dinner we discussed the attraction between feisty, independent Susanna and arrogant but adorably clueless Lord Rycliff. He compared the novel to the romantic comedy movies we love to watch. Over the next several nights we discussed the comedy of errors of the couple’s first kiss and the first time super sexytimes. He even quoted seductive lines from the book–partly in jest, but partly to try get in my pants. Try keeping a straight face when your husband gives you a seductive look and says in a British accent, “Would you like me to ravage you?”

Ladies, my husband has still got it. And he’s all mine.

Forged in Steele (A KGI Novel)[image error]

Click to buy.

Since then, we’ve listened to other romance books, most recently Maya Banks’ Forged in Steele (A KGI Novel)[image error]Forged in Steele. Her KGI series contains everything we like: suspense, action, explosions with plenty of romance and sex. Forged in Steele’s high drama and cheesy dirty talk has elicited a flurry of texts between us throughout the day. Mostly us cracking up over the dirty talk.

After fourteen years of marriage, I’m glad that we can find new mutual interests. I should not have assumed that he wouldn’t be interested in reading romances. The past year I’ve forced him to listen to me as I debate on which sex toy I should pair with certain erotic romances when I curate my Bawdy Bookworm Boxes. I guess I finally made him curious enough to jump into the romance world.

Now we need to pick our next romance audiobooks. Please share your recommendations!

Do you read romances with your partner?

Thien-Kim Lam  cut her teeth on historical romances and they will always have a special place in her heart. She is the founder of Bawdy Bookworms, a subscription box that pairs sexy reads with bedroom toys and sensual products. Batteries included. Check 5 Steamy Book & Sex Toy Pairings for Your Pleasure Chest for buzzy recommendations.

 

 

Kerensa: Wiccan Apothecary *

by Madeline Iva

Who is the lovely Kerensa? A heroine of my next fantasy romance novel? No–but she should be.

I FREAKING LOVE THIS JOB! Yes, I admit I tend to walk around wearing romance spectacles, but even when I’m not trying I still manage to walk smack into a place that should be a setting in a book–and discover people who call out to become characters in that setting.

Last week I was getting some bread from a local bakery and noticed a tiny new shop with the words ‘apothecary’ in the window.  Like a moth to flame, I went in and gasped at all the pretty pretty things.

Apothecary? you say.  Yes, you can be an apothecary in the U.S. though you can only sell beauty products–not give out health advice or dispense medicines.  So what we have here are candles, soaps, salves, lotions, essential oils–all mixed and blended by Kerensa.  And by ‘pretty’ I mean no artificial dyes, no nasty chemicals, and no headache inducing stank as soon as you walk in. (I’m looking at you, Yankee Candle.)

The shop is called Cville Soapbox.  Kerensa is the owner who mixes and blends everything the store sells and also offers her wares on her website: Lux Auromatica.

KERENSA THE APOTHECARY: A WOMAN OF KNOWLEDGE

It’s not just that Kerensa’s shop is cool, or that her name is cool, or that being an apothecary is cool. For me, the best part is that Kerensa knows how we have historically used flowers, plants, and herbs for healing and soothing our bodies.

Madeline Iva: I’m a recent convert to nettle tea.  What’s your favorite herb?

Kerensa: Lavender.  In my garden I have lemon balm, oregano, thyme, sage, and cat mint and lavender–two kinds.  They all end up in my kitchen, and some of them end up in product.  I use organic cat nip in my bug lotions.  I tell people they can come into the store and look up how to use herbs.  And if there’s something they like, there are many ways to use it.

MARRIED TO A ROMANCE HERO

Brian was in the shop when I went in.  He’s Kerensa’s husband, and has the perfect resume for being a romance hero, i.e.

Served in the navy
Shocking turquoise blue eyes
Black hair
Amazingly helpful

I asked Kerensa for the dirt on she met her HEA guy:

Kerensa: I was working in Virginia Beach over Labor Day weekend, where my sister was staying with friends at the time.  She swears she wasn’t trying to hook me up.  I ended up staying at the house as well, and there were these two guys who were also staying at the house as guests.  I’d just gotten back from Italy, and one of them started flirting with me in Italian.  We chatted for 20 minutes in Italian, and I had this thought: I could keep talking to him for the next fifty years.

WICCAN OR JUST WICCAN FRIENDLY?

*When I first talked to Kerensa, I got the impression that she was a practicing Wiccan. Kerensa however, describes herself as more “Wiccan friendly”.

Kerensa: Although my beliefs align with much of Wiccan thinking, I’m not one. I don’t have a coven.

Brian: You don’t have a coven. You just have a broom.

(!!!)

One thing that came out in our discussion was that in New England the Wiccans (of which there are many) tend to out themselves immediately.  Not so, here in Virginia.  In our more conservative climate, Kerensa has had to develop a certain amount of trust before folk finally confess they’re Wiccans.  (It seems Virginia Wiccans pretty much keep it on the down low.)  Am I wrong for thinking that’s even more cool?

LET’S TALK ABOUT ALL THE THINGS:

I saw a Dragon’s Blood candle and instantly decided that this was the place to get my gift items for the Wicked Lady Smut basket we’re giving away at the Washington Romance Writer’s Readers & Bloggers Luncheon on Oct. 8th.

Yeah, that witch is naked breasted. Some lucky reader at the luncheon is going to get this towel and be so happy.

Brian was in the store that day and helped me pick out some other items to go with the candle. Pictured below is the Dragon’s Blood candle, along with some Sea Witch soap, a stick of perfume (Yes–you rub it on your skin) and this glorious hemp hand towel.  Perfect for Halloween, and perfect for the luncheon!

Check out Kerensa’s website.  Since you readers have been SO GOOD this year, we’ll bring Kerensa back in October to do some fun give aways for Halloween.  Dragon’s Blood candle, anyone?

Meanwhile, enjoy our witchay-woman ways here at Lady Smut.  Technically we’re not a coven, but grab a mug of nettle tea and follow our blog.  You should feel better instantly.