Liz Everly's Blog, page 67
January 28, 2016
Book Ho!
by Madeline Iva
People, my mind is like: 
Yet another deadline looms. My editor is looking at her watch and then checking her email for my lasted revision to the WIP.
But a woman can only edit so many hours a day! Still slowly chewing my way through 8 seasons of Dr. Who at lunchtime, but meanwhile, I miss all the erotic romance reading I was doing last fall. Yes, like everyone else my Kindle is choc full of *stuff* but nothing that really calls to me. Just a long bunch of freebies off Book Bub.
I mean, tell me– what drives you to actually pick something out on your Kindle and start reading?
Looking back to last fall, for me it was having someone I trust who likes intelligent heroines and good writing strongly recommend a book to me. Those particular books — like FOR REAL, TELLING TALES, LIBERATING LACEY were the highlight of my fall. Adriana Anders, my friend, recommended those books–Adriana is a good book ho. If I have one New Year’s resolution this year, it’s to become a better book ho myself.
Meanwhile, I gotta start somewhere. Right now, I just love looking for good romance covers and hoping that will lead me to a great juicy read. Here are some books that have recently come out which I was drawn to purely on the basis of their covers. The blurb inside appealed to me as well.
Black
This one is definitely a dark romance. I don’t know why, but D.R. is my latest very guilty pleasure.
Dirty Tricks (The Burke Brothers)
Only problem: it’s book 4. That could be okay, or could be rehashing of books 1, 2, & 3. Hmmm. Other than that, I like the blurb.
Taking the Lead (Secrets of a Rock Star)
Hey, it’s Cecilia Tan! We had her on our blog — very sexy cover.
Naked: A Body & Soul Novel
Small town, wounded woman, hot carpenter guy. Could be really emotional sexy goodness.
Getting Rough: Monkey Business Trio
I love a classy cover with a grunty title — the blurb doesn’t say there’s rough sex in this — but a girl can hope.
Feel free to check them out yourself by clicking on the photos. If you’ve read any of them — let us know down in the comments section! And follow us at Lady Smut where we revel in sexy reading joy!
January 26, 2016
Apparently, We’re All Just A Bunch Of Cheaters
By I’m trolling around the web the other day and came across an article that at first piqued my interest but then slowly devolved into making me pretty rootin’ tootin’ pissed off. So, please. Pull up a chair. I’ll tell you all about it and see what you think.
The article’s entitled, “18 kinds of women most likely to cheat on their mates.” Wow. Eighteen. Seems like an awful lot of categories, doesn’t it? How could a woman not fall into one or two (or more!) of them. Yowza. But before I delved into the list of reasons for supposed cheaters, I decided to look into who was making such bold declarations.
The author, it turns out, is Ruth Houston, who also has a website, infidelityadvice.com, although the website seems to be one and the same as her blog. Ruth touts herself as a New York-based “infidelity expert.” I don’t see any credentials per se relating to her expertise – other than having gone through the heartache of having a cheating spouse – but she states that she’s conducted “thousands” of interviews with cheaters and their victims and has spent over 19 years researching the topic. It’s unclear exactly what specific research she’s conducted, but I’m gonna go with an open mind and see what she has to say.
OK, so. To begin with, the article doesn’t state whether the categories are listed in order of importance, although I’m guessing not. If they were, the very first item on the list would likely include nearly every woman on the planet. Number one type of woman prone to cheat: those with close male friends.
Yes, you guessed it. In true Seinfeld-ian fashion, men and women apparently – according to Ruth – can’t be friends. Here’s what she says: “The relationship may be platonic at the beginning, but chances are, it won’t stay that way. The closer the woman is to her platonic male friend, the more likely it is that he will eventually end up becoming her lover – unless he’s gay.”
So in sum, we gals can’t keep our hands off our close male friends. I see. Hmmm. I guess I’d better warn my male friends that sooner or later I’ll be coming after them. The reason, according to Ruth, might be chalked up to any variety of them, including #3, having an excessive need for attention; #4, being materialistic and easily seduced by “jewelry, designer clothes, or luxurious vacations”; #7 being easily bored; or perhaps simply #16 having a big ego; or #17 low self esteem.
My goodness, these eighteen types of women likely to cheat certainly capture a giant portion of the female population. Ruth’s surely not suggesting we’re all just a bunch of cheaters. Is she?
On the flip side, she’s also written her 14 conclusions as to why husbands cheat and her 25 reasons why men cheat – which, frankly, mirror most of the husbandly excuses. But here’s the thing that started gettin’ me steamed. Aside from the rather denigrating “reasons” women are prone to cheat, the list for why men do it comes across as more of a justified excuse to demonstrate manliness. To wit: #6, he views cheating as a status symbol; #10, he couldn’t pass up a good opportunity; #11 he’s got a sense of entitlement. Other cited reasons for men dallying with others are because “we let them” (#5), or #12, they figure we’ll never find out because “we’re too stupid, naive, busy, or trusting.” Lovely.
To be clear, I’m not saying there’s no merit behind Ruth’s conclusions. I do think she makes fair points about both men and women’s proclivity to cheat and the reasons behind them. But she also makes pretty broad, sweeping conclusions that seems to have no basis in fact. Perhaps she spoke with a lot of people, but who knows in what capacity. Was it in group sessions or one-on-one? Were these supposed cheaters in therapy, were they part of a focus group? Who came up with the questions to delve into the reasons behind the infidelity? So much of her “research” is unknown that it does make me question how factually accurate it is, and whether we can put any stock into the results.
Would love to hear what your reaction is to these lists. Take a look and let us know. We at Lady Smut love your comments, and we always stay faithful to our readers.
Elizabeth Shore writes both contemporary and historical erotic romance. Her recent releases include Hot Bayou Nights and The Lady Smut Book of Dark Desires. Look for her erotic historical novella, Desire Rising, coming soon from The Wild Rose Press.
Sex, Love and Life without Limits
Whip-handling might be the easy part after all.
By Alexa Day
More than almost anything else, I fear being bored.
I’m still more afraid of pregnancy, but I know I can avoid pregnancy. Boredom has a way of sneaking up on a girl, often in the guise of contentment. Stability. Settling down.
Learned colleagues tipped me off to a 2014 Vanity Fair article about French dominatrix Catherine Robbe-Grillet. (Why am I always last to hear about things like this?) The story is a fascinating exploration of BDSM; the exotic French locations are worth the read all by themselves. But I found myself most struck by the various relationships Robbe-Grillet enjoys with those in her circle.
First, there’s Beverly Charpentier, most accurately described as the woman who lives with Robbe-Grillet. Charpentier has enjoyed both dominance and submission, but the wealth of experiences she’s had with Robbe-Grillet seem to transcend the mere sexual. They defy simple description. Pleasure, pain, surrender — they’re all just parts of the relationship. The bond is clearly more than sexual, and yet Charpentier answers without hesitation that the relationship isn’t love, at least in the romantic sense.
The article goes on to describe Robbe-Grillet’s marriage. She and her husband were unable to have intercourse, but he permitted her to take numerous lovers during the 50 years they were together. Robbe-Grillet’s sexual journey takes her from submission to her husband, novelist Alain Robbe-Grillet, to domination of a young male submissive, to the gradual development of a large group of submissives and a remarkable array of sexual tableaux and rituals. (She’s also a novelist in her own right. Her body of work includes the classic, The Image.)
Through all this, while it is clear that Robbe-Grillet loves what she does and that she enjoys an amazing intimacy with those in her coterie, it is equally clear that she is in love with none of her intimates. The constant evolution and change seem to breathe life into everyone in Robbe-Grillet’s circle. Still, but for her marriage, long-lasting romantic love is not part of the equation.
I was entranced by the story of Robbe-Grillet’s lifestyle. Not so much because it separates sex from love — for so many BDSM practitioners, play time is undeniably sexual but not romantic. But this story recognizes that sex and love are not limited to or restricted by each other. Once love and sex are not inextricably linked, it’s perhaps possible to explore each in greater depth than before.
I could not help but wonder: does our view of love require limits? Is it by necessity a way to place boundaries on our lives? Must love demand that we refuse one thing, deny other people, reject other opportunities?
Does one sacrifice necessarily lead to a cascade of others?
All these unanswered questions make me grateful that today’s romance genre has expanded to include the happy-for-now ending. It’s never been more possible for a romance heroine to find a mate (or mates) without really giving anything up, sexually or otherwise. For women whose idea of “having it all” includes exploration with many and devotion to one, romance has never been a better place to be.
And who among us doesn’t want to have it all?
Follow Lady Smut. We’re down for whatever.
January 25, 2016
Impostor Syndrome: Do You Have It?
by Kiersten Hallie Krum
Last week, a Buzzfeed listicle made the social media rounds: 13 Charts That Will Make Total Sense to People With Imposter Syndrome. I lost track of how many writers and creative people I “know” (in the social media sense of “know”) who posted or reposted the link to this list, claiming one or more of the charts as hitting waaaaaaaay too close to home.
Impostor Syndrome is a disconnect between perceived and actual performance. People who suffer from it may have ample objective evidence of legitimate success, but somehow feel they’ve been faking it and it’s only a matter of time before someone figures that out.
Psychology Today reports that more than 70% of people studied suffer from Impostor Syndrome. Perhaps not surprisingly, the condition predominantly (but not exclusively) affects highly motivated and/or highly successful women.
“The telltale sign of impostor syndrome is a disconnect between perceived and actual performance. “Impostors” have ample objective evidence that they are doing well—good performance reports, promotion history, grades, etc. Yet they feel that somehow they’ve been faking it or skating along on thin ice. Any minute now, they are going to be ummasked and revealed to be a fraud.” (via Psychology Today)
So, basically, the more keen you are to succeed, the more likely you are to experience Impostor Syndrome along the way to and while enjoying that success.
via BuzzFeed
Um…yay?
This may not be a “smexy” topic to explore this week, but it’s been weighing on my mind as I struggle to write a new project, one I’m very excited about, but for which I have a moment by moment struggle against the fear of failing to do it well. Against the conviction that pretty much anyone could do it better and everyone will likely figure that out pretty dang quick. I’ve dismissed my work and skill, I’ve decided other writers are better than I am, I excuse away my critique partner’s positive comments on completed chapters. I have a framed contest award on my wall from a prestigious contest, one I downplay when congratulated on my win because since I won, it must not be that great a contest, right? (It totally is.)
via FastCompany
It’s all complete bullshit and yet I believe it so much more than positive reinforcement because it’s been so ingrained in me to deflect or diminish my accomplishments. People who suffer from Impostor Syndrome are often hardest on themselves, consumed by never-ending self-criticism. Such feelings and reactions are fairly commonplace for successful women too. This article from The Hairpin in 2014 lists anecdote after anecdote of experts in their fields who struggle or have struggled with Impostor Syndrome. Two immediately jumped out at me:
“I couldn’t very well believe I was funny and smart and capable while being funny and smart and capable, could I? Especially as women, we’re constantly forced to doubt ourselves in our careers and love lives and everything in between.” –actress/writer Gabby Dunn
“One day I told him how I felt like a fraud much of the time. There I was, going about my business, absolutely faking it, and someone was going to find me out. How could I get on stage? How could I keep writing? How could I do anything in public, be any kind of expert or person in charge, when all it would take was one reasonable person who would stand up and say, ‘This girl doesn’t have an ounce of talent or a hint of a clue.’” –Writer Leah Reich
But Imposter Syndrome can also have tangible impact for a company–even if it’s only a company of you. “A lack of self-confidence in the workplace can hurt the bottom line,” wrote Jenny Dearborn, Chief Learning Officer and Senior Vice President at SAP, in her article for HuffPo Business “Don’t Fear Imposter Syndrome–Fight It”. “Employees who lack confidence may never put themselves up for jobs where they’d excel.”
So what do we do to combat this feeling of being an imposter in the thing we do best?
FastCompany has a few ideas about that.
Recognize that [Imposter Syndrome] exists.
When you receive positive feedback, embrace it with objectivity and internalize it. By denying it, you are hurting that person’s judgement.
Don’t attribute your successes to luck.
Don’t talk about your abilities or successes with words like “merely,” “only,” “simply,” etc.
Keep a journal. Writing your successes and failures down gives you a retrospective insight about them, and re-reading them makes you remember equally both of them.
Recognize that the perfect performer doesn’t exist, and that problems will pop up eventually. Take them as little fires under you that make you move forward.
Be proud of being humble.
Remember that it’s okay to seek help from others, and that even the best do it.
Psychology Today advises that we own our success to the point of internalizing it. It wasn’t luck that brought us these achievements, it was damn hard work. Own your own thoughts on the matter. Don’t allow that self-criticism to flourish fertilized by that internal hater. Instead, shift your focus to a time not when you failed, but when you succeed (like, say, a framed award on your wall). And understand that self-doubt, the underlying cause of Imposter Syndrome, is a natural emotion and one that, in moderate amounts, can motivate you forward to success so long as you don’t allow them the space to take root and grow.
It’s not vanity to say you’re damn good at what you do. It’s not ego to demand for that work to be acknowledged. It’s not a flaw to celebrate your professional worth. You’re not a bitch because you’re proud of your accomplishments and awards and aren’t ashamed to say it.
Claim it. Own it. Flaunt it.
And, if necessary, fake it till you make it.
Do you fear you have Impostor Syndrome? Take this handy test from PsychTests and find out!
Follow LadySmut. You’ll never know if we’re faking it, but we promise you won’t care.
January 23, 2016
Sexy Saturday Round Up
Got your scarf on today? We’ll try to warm you up.
Staying under the covers this chilly weekend? Don’t blame you, while you cuddle up with your kindle, or roast in front of a roaring fire, we’re here to bring you the fun and funny doings of people across the planet in search of savage love. Enjoy, mah friends, enjoy!
from Madeline:
Why people masturbated more in 2015.
Bollywood Actress stands up to asshat interviewer over her porn-y past.
Could you imagine an article like this in Women’s Health back in the 90’s? Why you shouldn’t be afraid of butt play–and how to get started.
An explanation for the boyfriend voice and why couples use babytalk when they get together when there’s no baby in the picture.
11 reasons why you should have sex with your best friend.
Which 5 genres make the most money. I’ll give you a hint: you’re gonna like #1.
From G.G. Andrew:
Live in the mid-Atlantic? Check out The Onion’s Blizzard Survival Tips for making it through this snowy weekend.
Your history homework: pictures of lost erotica from Spain.
There’s a cat that looks exactly like Adam Driver. His name is now Kylo Ren.
From Elizabeth Shore:
Aphrodite? Lilith? The Great Whore of Babylon? Which goddess of love and sexuality do you identify with?
Small chested gals looking for rich guys – rejoice! Apparently guys with money prefer less chest.
25 “facts” about women, including how attracted we supposedly are to men after they eat garlic. Say what?!
January 22, 2016
Pink Jimmy Choos and A New Kristen Ashley Series!
Author KRISTEN ASHLEY can’t write fast enough (pour moi). That’s saying something since she has published just under 50 books and 10 series, if I counted correctly. If you didn’t read KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM’s ode to Kristen’s work, you must. Then, consider yourself duly warned that once you turn that first page you will disappear into a pleasure hole of anti-heroes, kick ass chicks, bikers, witches, cowboys (and more), love and lust like you’ve never done before. This New York Times best-selling author offers contemporary, steamy romance, erotic romance, fantasy and paranormal stories that kidnap you. I swear. So don’t say we didn’t warn you. Check our interview with KRISTEN below (with questions from KIERSTEN, too!)
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Does writing come easy to you? I get the sense you channel characters, given how “alive” they are on the page.
KRISTEN ASHLEY Yes, fortunately, fingers crossed it never ends, writing does come easy for me. I do have times in books where I slow down, usually around two-thirds, three-quarters of the way through when things get tough. But I figure this is because I know I’m coming to the end and I don’t want to say good-bye. But mostly, luckily, it usually flows (ward off writing hexes! so I can keep it that way!).
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: In terms of genre, are there genres or settings you’d like to explore (soon)? Zombies? Urban fantasy? Dare I ask, historical? Or, perhaps there is a culture (like your bikers) that you’d like to explore?
KRISTEN ASHLEY Weeeeelllll…as I’ve mentioned around and about, I recently read the excellent NATURAL LAW by Joey W. Hill. [Editorial note: We love Joey, too!] I’ve never gone full erotica or BDSM. Though, I did write a complementary short book about Valentine (the witch from my Fantasyland series) that I was going to release alongside BROKEN DOVE which was much in this bent (BDSM erotica with an alpha-sub). I chickened out and never finished it. But when I read Joey’s fab NL, it just opened something up in me and I wrote Amélie and Olivier’s story, setting up an entire new series if that book is taken well. As I’ve mentioned it in a variety of places and there’s been a lot of love thrown my way to release it, we’re looking into that. So that’s one genre I’ve not done that I’ll be jumping into. [Editorial pause from Elizabeth: HAPPY DANCE. SQUEEING. TOSSING HAIR AROUND LIKE CRAZY WOMAN.]
As for the others, anything can happen. I love historicals and they were actually my favorite genre back in the day. So, once I complete some series I’ve got going, who knows what will happen!
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM (KHK): With the your most recent release, Sebring (The Unfinished Heroes Series Book 5)
, you’ve finished your erotic romance UNFINISHED HERO series. What did you like most about writing this darker series? What more do you wish you could have done in it? Did you find the experience of writing an erotic romance series any different from writing your contemporary series?
KRISTEN ASHLEY I’d always wanted to write anti-heroes. Tack and all the Chaos boys are somewhat anti-heroes and, well, most of my heroes have a significant edge. But really diving into that…I mean, really, I loved it. It was freeing and it was fascinating. Not sure there’s a thing I’d change or add. I think those stories are the bomb. They’d just run their course, what with Nick bookending it after his intro in Knight. And thus it was time to move on!
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: Again in SEBRING, you have a heroine (Olivia) whose family defines dysfunction and, in her case, is a day-to-day danger. What makes you revisit the theme of “the family you’re born with vs the family you find/make” in so many of your books?
KRISTEN ASHLEY I really don’t know. It’s just what comes to me. And it’s important to offer depth to a character and one of the things that defines us is how we’re raised, the family we’re born into, what they give us – not to mention the family we make for ourselves through friends.
I think family is a crucial component in life (for good or bad). In my case, I’m fortunate to have a large, crazy, loving, generous, wonderful family so for the good parts, I have lots of inspiration. But when it comes to the bad, when we have to carve a beautiful life for ourselves despite the familial hand we’re dealt, that’s fascinating too.
In the end, the people around us, family and friends, how we let them enrich us, or if we need to endure them, define us and I use that with my characters for the same purpose.
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: We’re total fan grrls. One of the reasons Kiersten says she’s compelled to re-read your books is because she’s so into the alpha heroes, even when they’re bossy and demanding. (She’s even rated her top five favorites. Shhhh. Don’t tell them.) What is it about the alpha hero archetype that appeals so much to you? Do you think you’d ever write a beta hero?
KRISTEN ASHLEY There are a variety of things I like to inject in my writing. My heroines can be anything – crazy, goofy, shy, outspoken, survivors – but each in their way, they’re strong. They also can be curvy, or have no ass, petite or super tall, and like all of us sisters in real life, their beauty shines through and the people around them (particularly their heroes) see that…big time.
To round that out, I like to share that a man can be a man. He can say what he has to say, do what’s in his nature to do, be strong and this doesn’t overshadow his heroine. He doesn’t cow her or break her either purposefully or through the force of his personality. They complement each other. I want to point out that women can be women however that’s meant to be, they like to cook, want to stay home with their kids, run successful advertising agencies, are talented private investigators, and they can find a man who is what he is, strengths and “flaws,” and they work great together.
I have actually written and released a beta hero. Joker in Ride Steady (Chaos)
has alpha traits but he’s a beta in his pack. So yes, I’d write one because I already have! :-)
KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM: There is so much humor in your books. My first time through the ROCK CHICKS, I realized it felt like the cray cray in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series…with much better sex. Do you find humor difficult to bring to the page?
KRISTEN ASHLEY Luckily, no. Not sure it would work if I tried to be funny. Then again, this may seem odd, but I sometimes feel it isn’t me who’s funny. My characters are so real in my head, and I’m just going with their flow, it feels like it’s their sense of humor. I always think Indy’s a stitch. Or recently, Justice, in the upcoming BOUNTY, is pretty freaking hilarious. So when I was doing read-throughs, I kept thinking, “Justice is hysterical!” like she was her own person. And in my head she is.
That said, I’m glad their humor works for you!
KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM: Your epilogues at the end of series are infamously satisfying. Does it feel like leaving family when you end a series? Do you ever have the urge to, say, go back to the ‘Burg for another go?
KRISTEN ASHLEY: Yes. I delayed writing Rock Chick Revolution (Volume 8)
for months and months and months for this exact reason. That was the end and it had to be the end and I didn’t want it to end.
But I don’t think of going back. I realized a while ago that I’ve created (with my contemporaries, not sure Lee Nightingale is gonna show up in one of my fantasies – though again, anything can happen!) a whole world. So when I need a security expert, there’s Joe (from AT PEACE). When someone needs an investigator, well, you can take your pick. Or a bodyguard, there’s Mace and his boys (to come, of course). This means I really don’t have to let go. I can revisit them whenever they come to mind…and big bonus, in turn I can give them to my readers.
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: Okay – one last question: any rock chick gathering we should be looking out for? We travel, ya know…
KRISTEN ASHLEY: My schedule of appearances is on my website, with links to the official sites for the different events, including the Rock Chick Rendezvous site, and some links to pre-order books for events. We keep that up-to-date as we confirm appearances and we also share the schedule in my newsletter. So it’s always there for folks to find! Visit here!
FINALLY…THE LADYSMUT FAST LANE:
LADYSMUT: Favorite rock song? (Check out her playlists here. #LOVE)
KRISTEN: God. Seriously? Hard to narrow down to just one. I’ll pick meaningful: “Daughter” by Pearl Jam
LADYSMUT: Favorite rock chick accessory?
KRISTEN: My Cactus Mountain beaded chokers. http://www.cactusmountain.com/
LADYSMUT: Driving the motorcycle or riding on the back?
KRISTEN: Riding on the back! Who wants to pay attention to driving when you’ve got unobstructed scenery and the wind blowing in your hair?
LADYSMUT: How many LBDs to you have at this point?
KRISTEN: Hmm…two, no, wait…three.
LADYSMUT: Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?
KRISTEN: Well, right now it’s my Joie suede booties. They’re comfy and totally kick ass. But it’s winter. In summer, I’d say my carnation pink Choo pumps.
LOVE LINKS TO KRISTEN ASHLEY:
Web site: (Be sure to check out her Rock Girl Nation charitable effort. So cool.) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Goodreads Instagram
And, when you’re done one-clicking all the books above, be sure to come back and check out more LadySmut-ness. We know what we like…and we talk about it aaallll the time. XO
*****
Elizabeth SaFleur writes contemporary erotic romance and she’s not afraid to get graphic about it — “it” being the smex, the BDSM, or Washington, DC society, which she regularly features in her series, the Elite Doms of Washington.
Pink Jimmy Choo’s and A New Kristen Ashley Series!
Author KRISTEN ASHLEY can’t write fast enough (pour moi). That’s saying something since she has published just under 50 books and 10 series, if I counted correctly. If you didn’t read KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM’s ode to Kristen’s work, you must. Then, consider yourself duly warned that once you turn that first page you will disappear into a pleasure hole of anti-heroes, kick ass chicks, bikers, witches, cowboys (and more), love and lust like you’ve never done before. This New York Times best-selling author offers contemporary, steamy romance, erotic romance, fantasy and paranormal stories that kidnap you. I swear. So don’t say we didn’t warn you. Check our interview with KRISTEN below (with questions from KIERSTEN, too!)
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Does writing come easy to you? I get the sense you channel characters, given how “alive” they are on the page.
KRISTEN ASHLEY Yes, fortunately, fingers crossed it never ends, writing does come easy for me. I do have times in books where I slow down, usually around two-thirds, three-quarters of the way through when things get tough. But I figure this is because I know I’m coming to the end and I don’t want to say good-bye. But mostly, luckily, it usually flows (ward off writing hexes! so I can keep it that way!).
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: In terms of genre, are there genres or settings you’d like to explore (soon)? Zombies? Urban fantasy? Dare I ask, historical? Or, perhaps there is a culture (like your bikers) that you’d like to explore?
KRISTEN ASHLEY Weeeeelllll…as I’ve mentioned around and about, I recently read the excellent NATURAL LAW by Joey W. Hill. [Editorial note: We love Joey, too!] I’ve never gone full erotica or BDSM. Though, I did write a complementary short book about Valentine (the witch from my Fantasyland series) that I was going to release alongside BROKEN DOVE which was much in this bent (BDSM erotica with an alpha-sub). I chickened out and never finished it. But when I read Joey’s fab NL, it just opened something up in me and I wrote Amélie and Olivier’s story, setting up an entire new series if that book is taken well. As I’ve mentioned it in a variety of places and there’s been a lot of love thrown my way to release it, we’re looking into that. So that’s one genre I’ve not done that I’ll be jumping into. [Editorial pause from Elizabeth: HAPPY DANCE. SQUEEING. TOSSING HAIR AROUND LIKE CRAZY WOMAN.]
As for the others, anything can happen. I love historicals and they were actually my favorite genre back in the day. So, once I complete some series I’ve got going, who knows what will happen!
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM (KHK): With the your most recent release, Sebring (The Unfinished Heroes Series Book 5), you’ve finished your erotic romance UNFINISHED HERO series. What did you like most about writing this darker series? What more do you wish you could have done in it? Did you find the experience of writing an erotic romance series any different from writing your contemporary series?
KRISTEN ASHLEY I’d always wanted to write anti-heroes. Tack and all the Chaos boys are somewhat anti-heroes and, well, most of my heroes have a significant edge. But really diving into that…I mean, really, I loved it. It was freeing and it was fascinating. Not sure there’s a thing I’d change or add. I think those stories are the bomb. They’d just run their course, what with Nick bookending it after his intro in Knight. And thus it was time to move on!
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: Again in SEBRING, you have a heroine (Olivia) whose family defines dysfunction and, in her case, is a day-to-day danger. What makes you revisit the theme of “the family you’re born with vs the family you find/make” in so many of your books?
KRISTEN ASHLEY I really don’t know. It’s just what comes to me. And it’s important to offer depth to a character and one of the things that defines us is how we’re raised, the family we’re born into, what they give us – not to mention the family we make for ourselves through friends.
I think family is a crucial component in life (for good or bad). In my case, I’m fortunate to have a large, crazy, loving, generous, wonderful family so for the good parts, I have lots of inspiration. But when it comes to the bad, when we have to carve a beautiful life for ourselves despite the familial hand we’re dealt, that’s fascinating too.
In the end, the people around us, family and friends, how we let them enrich us, or if we need to endure them, define us and I use that with my characters for the same purpose.
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: Were total fan grrls. One of the reasons Kiersten says she’s compelled to re-read your books is because she’s so into the alpha heroes, even when they’re bossy and demanding. (She’s even rated her top five favorites. Shhhh. Don’t tell them.) What is it about the alpha hero archetype that appeals so much to you? Do you think you’d ever write a beta hero?
KRISTEN ASHLEY There are a variety of things I like to inject in my writing. My heroines can be anything – crazy, goofy, shy, outspoken, survivors – but each in their way, they’re strong. They also can be curvy, or have no ass, petite or super tall, and like all of us sisters in real life, their beauty shines through and the people around them (particularly their heroes) see that…big time.
To round that out, I like to share that a man can be a man. He can say what he has to say, do what’s in his nature to do, be strong and this doesn’t overshadow his heroine. He doesn’t cow her or break her either purposefully or through the force of his personality. They complement each other. I want to point out that women can be women however that’s meant to be, they like to cook, want to stay home with their kids, run successful advertising agencies, are talented private investigators, and they can find a man who is what he is, strengths and “flaws,” and they work great together.
I have actually written and released a beta hero. Joker in Ride Steady (Chaos) has alpha traits but he’s a beta in his pack. So yes, I’d write one because I already have! :-)
KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM: There is so much humor in your books. My first time through the ROCK CHICKS, I realized it felt like the cray cray in Janet Evanovich’s Stephanie Plum series…with much better sex. Do you find humor difficult to bring to the page?
KRISTEN ASHLEY Luckily, no. Not sure it would work if I tried to be funny. Then again, this may seem odd, but I sometimes feel it isn’t me who’s funny. My characters are so real in my head, and I’m just going with their flow, it feels like it’s their sense of humor. I always think Indy’s a stitch. Or recently, Justice, in the upcoming BOUNTY, is pretty freaking hilarious. So when I was doing read-throughs, I kept thinking, “Justice is hysterical!” like she was her own person. And in my head she is.
That said, I’m glad their humor works for you!
KIERSTEN HALLIE KRUM: Your epilogues at the end of series are infamously satisfying. Does it feel like leaving family when you end a series? Do you ever have the urge to, say, go back to the ‘Burg for another go?
KRISTEN ASHLEY: Yes. I delayed writing Rock Chick Revolution (Volume 8) for months and months and months for this exact reason. That was the end and it had to be the end and I didn’t want it to end.
But I don’t think of going back. I realized a while ago that I’ve created (with my contemporaries, not sure Lee Nightingale is gonna show up in one of my fantasies – though again, anything can happen!) a whole world. So when I need a security expert, there’s Joe (from AT PEACE). When someone needs an investigator, well, you can take your pick. Or a bodyguard, there’s Mace and his boys (to come, of course). This means I really don’t have to let go. I can revisit them whenever they come to mind…and big bonus, in turn I can give them to my readers.
ELIZABETH SAFLEUR & KHK: Okay – one last question: any rock chick gathering we should be looking out for? We travel, ya know…
KRISTEN ASHLEY: My schedule of appearances is on my website, with links to the official sites for the different events, including the Rock Chick Rendezvous site, and some links to pre-order books for events. We keep that up-to-date as we confirm appearances and we also share the schedule in my newsletter. So it’s always there for folks to find! Visit here!
FINALLY…THE LADYSMUT FAST LANE:
LADYSMUT: Favorite rock song? (Check out her playlists here. #LOVE)
KRISTEN: God. Seriously? Hard to narrow down to just one. I’ll pick meaningful: “Daughter” by Pearl Jam
LADYSMUT: Favorite rock chick accessory?
KRISTEN: My Cactus Mountain beaded chokers. http://www.cactusmountain.com/
LADYSMUT: Driving the motorcycle or riding on the back?
KRISTEN: Riding on the back! Who wants to pay attention to driving when you’ve got unobstructed scenery and the wind blowing in your hair?
LADYSMUT: How many LBDs to you have at this point?
KRISTEN: Hmm…two, no, wait…three.
KRISTEN: LADYSMUT: Do you have a favorite pair of shoes?
KRISTEN: Well, right now it’s my Joie suede booties. They’re comfy and totally kick ass. But it’s winter. In summer, I’d say my carnation pink Choo pumps.
LOVE LINKS TO KRISTEN ASHLEY:
Web site: (Be sure to check out her Rock Girl Nation charitable effort. So cool.) Facebook Twitter Pinterest Goodreads Instagram
And, when you’re done one-clicking all the books above, be sure to come back and check out more LadySmut-ness. We know what we like…and we talk about it aaallll the time. XO
*****
Elizabeth SaFleur writes contemporary erotic romance and she’s not afraid to get graphic about it — “it” being the smex, the BDSM, or Washington, DC society, which she regularly features in her series, the Elite Doms of Washington.
January 21, 2016
Squirmy Uncomfortable Feelings: Kushiel’s Dart
Click to buy.
by Madeline Iva
Hello beloved readers — it’s been one of those days. I’m editing under deadline, I’ve got some kind of bug, and I feel like I’ve lost my outer skin. Talking to other people is especially painful. It’s like every sentence coming out of my mouth is wearing its own little ass-hat. My self-loathing quotient is sky-high.
Well, this too shall pass. Meanwhile, if you’re out there looking for something a little Game of Throne’s ish — but maybe less violent and a bit more woman-friendly smexy?–Then check out KUSHIEL’S DART.
I found it so comforting to read about a heroine experiencing her own squirmy issues. (People, is *this* why we like BDSM so much? So we can displace our internal discomfort onto someone else and watch her writhe around? Hmm.)
Did you see our Lady Smut #ReadHotter challenge? KUSHIEL’S DART is a great book if you enjoy BDSM-y flavor, and want to try a fantasy novel on for size.
KUSHIEL’S DART, the first book in the series KUSHIEL’S LEGACY, is NOT a romance. It does not end with an HEA (at least the first book doesn’t). But it’s got enough BDSM squirmies, sex, and potential romance to keep you going.
It’s not an erotic romance you say? ;<
No, the structure is different. Yet it revolves around a character who is a devotee of BDSM. You don’t get that up close camera kind of description for the sex scenes, but you get the gist.
The heroine of this series, Phedre, was was born with a unique fate: a red blotch in the otherwise black iris of her eye. The blotch is Kushiel’s Dart, and it marks her out as one chosen by the gods, but also someone who thrills to the submissive side of BDSM.
Sold by her mother into one of the houses of prostitution in her city (a place kind of like Paris), she starts off like the other children getting an education first. Yet during this time, she accidentally discovers how much she loves the feel of pain, how it sends her into a space of fascination and sexual squirmies. Eventually, her aptitude for experiencing sexual plain and pleasure swirled together becomes a kind of religious frenzy where she sees the face of the god Kushiel.
And then it gets really politically complicated. She is eventually sold out of her house to a handsome man with an agenda. Facing betrayal, kidnapping, and sexual slavery, Phedre always has at least one interesting companion/friend at her side. Yet as someone who cannot help but swoon at the thought of being submissive to a dominant lover with a strong interest in BDSM play, we know that for her to find true love, she’s going to need to find someone who likes her kinky games.
While the book doesn’t have explicit BDSM scenes, it describes Phedre’s melty BDSM-y feeling so well. Then a certain guy walks on stage in the book you’re like: Hey! That guy. Him. I want *him* to be Phedre’s hero.
But this potential hero is not into her kink—so that’s a definite hurdle to their relationship. Most of the time he’s under a vow of celibacy–another hurdle. Finally, not only is he a virgin and has to stay that way–he absolutely hates her. It’s gonna be a long slog for these two to get together.
Author Jaqueline Carey knows that. She is adept at torturing us. She makes us read hundreds of pages in hopes the two of them to get together and then that bitch makes us wait and wait some more. We’re in agony, but she’s clever enough to make us like it at the same time.
So check it out!
P.S. After reading Kushiel’s Dart, I realized that it was part of a larger discussion we’ve been having on the blog for a while now.
First there was talk about heroes who are sex workers HERE and HERE.
Then Kiersten had a guest blogger Jill Sorenson talking about the struggles we face in accepting a sex workers heroines HERE.
I wrote a response to her post HERE – and there’s tons more good discussion in the comments section.
Let me just wrap up this post by saying OMG — THIS is the book we should have discussed when we had that discussion! Phedre is a sex worker, and yet there’s a whole possibility of her having a romance with one of the other characters, because her relationships & friends are so very separate from her work.
Phedre and her friends need for each other in a tight spot, they join together out of an alliance against mutual enemies, they adventure together. These activities run concurrently along side her work where she is paid to have sex with people. Why does she? Because she wants to earn her freedom, because she wants to please her employer, or because she has to save her life. Eventually, Phedre does it because she’s motivated to sway people for political reasons to help her home land.
She’s very professional about her job. It’s a profession, it’s a skill. It’s her pathway to becoming an emancipated, independent woman.
However, her gift is also her fatal weakness. Because BDSM kink causes her to go into a rapture-like state, she loses herself in being chastised by her clients. Sometimes doing so is a boon–she is essentially a spy and hears things. Yet the pain makes her so high she loses her will to impose boundaries. She must say yes, and she cannot say stop–even if she might die from the sex play getting out of hand.
I find this book a rather fascinating, (mostly) highly idealized vision of what legal sex work could look like. Meanwhile, to have a BDSM-y best selling book that’s S/F and not romance? Shocking!
Madeline Iva
writes fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary romance. Her novella ‘Sexsomnia’ is available in our LadySmut anthology HERE, and her fantasy romance, WICKED APPRENTICE, will be out March 15th.
Squirmy Uncomfortable Feelings: Cushiel’s Dart
Click to buy.
by Madeline Iva
Hello beloved readers — it’s been one of those days. I’m editing under deadline, I’ve got some kind of bug, and I feel like I’ve lost my outer skin. Talking to other people is especially painful. It’s like every sentence coming out of my mouth is wearing its own little ass-hat. My self-loathing quotient is sky-high.
Well, this too shall pass. Meanwhile, if you’re out there looking for something a little Game of Throne’s ish — but maybe less violent and a bit more woman-friendly smexy?–Then check out KUSHIEL’S DART.
I found it so comforting to read about a heroine experiencing her own squirmy issues. (People, is *this* why we like BDSM so much? So we can displace our internal discomfort onto someone else and watch her writhe around? Hmm.)
Did you see our Lady Smut #ReadHotter challenge? KUSHIEL’S DART is a great book if you enjoy BDSM-y flavor, and want to try a fantasy novel on for size.
KUSHIEL’S DART, the first book in the series KUSHIEL’S LEGACY, is NOT a romance. It does not end with an HEA (at least the first book doesn’t). But it’s got enough BDSM squirmies, sex, and potential romance to keep you going.
It’s not an erotic romance you say? ;<
No, the structure is different. Yet it revolves around a character who is a devotee of BDSM. You don’t get that up close camera kind of description for the sex scenes, but you get the gist.
The heroine of this series, Phedre, was was born with a unique fate: a red blotch in the otherwise black iris of her eye. The blotch is Kushiel’s Dart, and it marks her out as one chosen by the gods, but also someone who thrills to the submissive side of BDSM.
Sold by her mother into one of the houses of prostitution in her city (a place kind of like Paris), she starts off like the other children getting an education first. Yet during this time, she accidentally discovers how much she loves the feel of pain, how it sends her into a space of fascination and sexual squirmies. Eventually, her aptitude for experiencing sexual plain and pleasure swirled together becomes a kind of religious frenzy where she sees the face of the god Kushiel.
And then it gets really politically complicated. She is eventually sold out of her house to a handsome man with an agenda. Facing betrayal, kidnapping, and sexual slavery, Phedre always has at least one interesting companion/friend at her side. Yet as someone who cannot help but swoon at the thought of being submissive to a dominant lover with a strong interest in BDSM play, we know that for her to find true love, she’s going to need to find someone who likes her kinky games.
While the book doesn’t have explicit BDSM scenes, it describes Phedre’s melty BDSM-y feeling so well. Then a certain guy walks on stage in the book you’re like: Hey! That guy. Him. I want *him* to be Phedre’s hero.
But this potential hero is not into her kink—so that’s a definite hurdle to their relationship. Most of the time he’s under a vow of celibacy–another hurdle. Finally, not only is he a virgin and has to stay that way–he absolutely hates her. It’s gonna be a long slog for these two to get together.
Author Jaqueline Carey knows that. She is adept at torturing us. She makes us read hundreds of pages in hopes the two of them to get together and then that bitch makes us wait and wait some more. We’re in agony, but she’s clever enough to make us like it at the same time.
So check it out!
P.S. After reading Kushiel’s Dart, I realized that it was part of a larger discussion we’ve been having on the blog for a while now.
First there was talk about heroes who are sex workers HERE and HERE.
Then Kiersten had a guest blogger Jill Sorenson talking about the struggles we face in accepting a sex workers heroines HERE.
I wrote a response to her post HERE – and there’s tons more good discussion in the comments section.
Let me just wrap up this post by saying OMG — THIS is the book we should have discussed when we had that discussion! Phedre is a sex worker, and yet there’s a whole possibility of her having a romance with one of the other characters, because her relationships & friends are so very separate from her work.
Phedre and her friends need for each other in a tight spot, they join together out of an alliance against mutual enemies, they adventure together. These activities run concurrently along side her work where she is paid to have sex with people. Why does she? Because she wants to earn her freedom, because she wants to please her employer, or because she has to save her life. Eventually, Phedre does it because she’s motivated to sway people for political reasons to help her home land.
She’s very professional about her job. It’s a profession, it’s a skill. It’s her pathway to becoming an emancipated, independent woman.
However, her gift is also her fatal weakness. Because BDSM kink causes her to go into a rapture-like state, she loses herself in being chastised by her clients. Sometimes doing so is a boon–she is essentially a spy and hears things. Yet the pain makes her so high she loses her will to impose boundaries. She must say yes, and she cannot say stop–even if she might die from the sex play getting out of hand.
I find this book a rather fascinating, (mostly) highly idealized vision of what legal sex work could look like. Meanwhile, to have a BDSM-y best selling book that’s S/F and not romance? Shocking!
Madeline Iva writes fantasy, paranormal, and contemporary romance. Her novella ‘Sexsomnia’ is available in our LadySmut anthology HERE, and her fantasy romance, WICKED APPRENTICE, will be out March 15th.
January 19, 2016
The Curious Case Of All Those Dick Pics
By A friend of mine who was until recently in a committed relationship has sprouted her wings and joined Tinder. And my oh my, what a ride it’s been.
It’s a curious little app, Tinder. No time spent filling out boring lengthy profiles, trying to find the perfect balance of witty yet charming, sincere yet naughty. Pfft! Why bother? With Tinder it’s about the pic and only the pic. Slap up a few photos of yourself, or even link the Tinder app to your Facebook account. Then get ready to swipe.
For the uninitiated, here’s how it works. Start scrolling through photos of potential hook-ups. If you don’t like someone, swipe left. He’ll forever be discarded. But if you do like someone, swipe right. That person will see your profile and if he also swipes right, you two are a match! You can now connect through Tinder’s message app. Easy peasy, right?
Lots of people on Tinder are in it for the hook-up. They’re not looking for love, they’re looking for lust. Experts have even cautioned that the explosive use of Tinder and Bumble – a similar app – have made people less likely to commit to relationships. It’s the “grass is always greener” mentality, constantly thinking there’s somebody better out there than the one you’re currently with.
So, OK. There’s that. Probably fodder for another post. But if you are just looking for a quick shag, Tinder’s got it going on, right? If you think someone’s hot, and that someone thinks the same of you, chances are you can make some sparks together. Yet there’s a curious proclivity among Tinder users, at least from what I’ve observed via my friends, and that’s the habit guys seem to have of not being at all shy of sending pics of their dicks. And relatively early on into the “relationship” – for lack of a better word. I’m scratching my head here. What’s that all about?
Perhaps I’m in the minority, but I don’t think I want to see a pic of a guy’s dick so early on. Am I wrong? I’m drawn to other male characteristics of hotness – eyes, hands, face overall – but his (ahem) dick? Perhaps the thinking is that if all we’re doing is getting together for sex, perhaps I’d better be aware of the tools in the toolbox. See how big the hammer is and all that.
Certainly, in the case of a friend of mine, the pic was a deal breaker. His, ah, “member” was approximately the size of my thumb. The tip of it, that is. So, seeing that, my friend promptly blocked him. Case closed. But the whole incident has me puzzled. Perhaps the image below helps explain things:
If there’s any truth to the image – and I dare say there is – guys probably think sending a pic of their uniquely masculine anatomy is just what the (love) doctor ordered. We gals become enamored with the awesomeness and are ready to take a tumble. Or something like that. Truth is, since men are so visually oriented perhaps they think that we are as well. And we are. But, um, maybe just not quite so soon.
I don’t know. Perhaps I’m in the minority. Fess up, ladies. Do dick pics get your motor revved or do they make the battery go cold. Let us know in the comments below. And be sure to follow us on Lady Smut, where we always give you the full picture.
