Liz Everly's Blog, page 77

Respect, Subversion and the Erotic Genre – Meet Amy Lane, Authoress Extraordinaire

By Elizabeth SaFleur

You’ve got to be intrigued by an author whose bio reports she lives in a “crumbling crapmansion with most of the children and a bemused spouse, and that she also has too damned much yarn, a penchant for action adventure movies, and a need to know that somewhere in all the pain is a story of Wuv, Twu Wuv, which she continues to believe in to this day.” Meet AMY LANE.

AMY writes fantasy, urban fantasy, and m/m romance–and, she reports that “if you accidentally make eye contact, she’ll bore you to tears with why those three genres go together. She’ll also tell you that sacrifices, large and small, are worth the urge to write.” Amen, sister.

She had written a LOT of books, has several publishers, and you’ll find many free reads on her web site.

I discovered AMY LANE’s books by pure accident. I wanted a vampire erotic romance and found her book, Vulnerable, the first in the Little Goddess series in–wait for it–the bookstore. I found a new world of fantastical creatures who refused to let anyone in their reach suppress their greatness. Can you say “never looked back?” I devoted an entire summer to pretending I lived in her fictional “Green’s Hill” where all manner of paranormal folk find love, sex, and redemption. Sometimes I go back to visit, just to say ‘hi’ to the friends I’ve met in her books. They will perpetually live on my bookshelf.

We’re happy to host AMY at LadySmut today because it’s Friday! You deserve a special treat.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Welcome, AMY LANE. Of all the writing genres you could write, why erotic fantasy, urban fantasy, and m/m romance?

AMY LANE: Well, there are a couple of things that keep appearing in all of my work– equal respect for each partner, a sort of distrust of conventional wisdom and established authority, and the idea that there is no blueprint for the perfect family.

If you look at all of these genres, the idea of equal respect for both genders and both partners is an underlying subtext– in erotic fantasy, women are expected to take charge of their bodies and their sexuality with as much authority as men. In urban fantasy, women often have the same “social heft” as men, even if it’s the supernatural world building that gives it to them. In m/m romance, the men are already on equal social footing– they’re men! And there’s nothing sexier than respect and equality.

The same applies to distrust of conventional wisdom. Conventional wisdom says that girls have to be “nice” and let the men do the talking, and that women are the nurturers. In urban fantasy women get to kick ass–being nice isn’t part of their social agenda. Add to that the subversive, alternative governing system that most urban fantasies are run on, and you can see why I leaned that way. As for M/M Romance–besides the social acceptability of gay relationship, there is also the fun of turning traditional tropes on their end. I’ve always believed men could be nurturing, and I’ve known some awesome communicators. I also like looking below the surface, so the guy who could seem like a total dick from one end can turn out to be really kind with another look. So, again, these genres sort of lend themselves to the subtext I really enjoy writing.

And as for the unconventional family– well, yeah. Urban fantasy and m/m romance both lend themselves to that.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Your books, especially The Little Goddess Series, mix a number of fantasy and supernatural characters. You take them on deep emotional journeys. I sense a theme of “broken people who find acceptance.” Is that what you intended?

AMY LANE: At the very beginning I just wanted to write a vampire romance–I swear! But the more I wrote, the more I wanted to show characters doing what was humanly possible to fix a broken world. Acceptance, tolerance, unconditional love–as a teacher, a mother, and a social activist, these things seemed so necessary in the world–and in such short supply. I guess that theme of broken people who find acceptance comes from the idea that it’s a very human, very accessible way of making the world better.

          

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Where did your characters in the Little Goddess Series come from? Cory, Green, Adrian, Brack, and the others?

AMY LANE: Cory was an amalgam of who I was as a college student, and the kids I used to teach. My school was sort of rough–but I’d see kids every day that other teachers would write off when they really only needed a sympathetic adult and a reason to believe. I have this one image of this girl–red-headed, petite, wickedly funny, and never on time. I was actually behind her in traffic once as we were pulling into the school, and I saw her hand out the window with a cigarette. Now, this is California– we’ve pretty much criminalized smoking and told the kids that smokers are “bad, evil, inconsiderate people.” I mean, one of our principals spent money to have drug dogs come out and sniff student backpacks for cigarettes. But this kid wasn’t bad, evil or inconsiderate–she was a smart kid with a smart mouth and a not so wonderful habit. I wanted to write a story for those kids. Not the kids with the perfect lives or who were on the honor roll or who had the parents who charged them through to college. The other kids that the system had given up on–and the people smart enough to see that the system was flawed and that conventional wisdom often hurt more than it helped.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Do you start a book thinking “I want to explore XYZ type character in ABC situation” or do they come pre-disposed to their journey and the story goes from there?

AMY LANE: Actually it’s usually the first thing–XYZ character in ABC situation. However, my usual metaphor is “road trip”. You have a few stops planned– sometimes it’s a fight, sometimes it’s a love scene, sometimes it’s a personal moment or an epiphany– but those are the things you think are essential for this story to have impact. (In one of my latest, Deep of the Sound, it was a fight with an insanely gigantic illegal fish.) But on the best road trip, it’s the unplanned moments that really spark magic, so you keep your mind open for that to happen. An example? In Wounded from The Little Goddess series I had the beginning and the end planned. And then, in like, the second chapter, Bracken was suddenly fully on board the Cory train, and I realized he’d loved her since Adrian had and the stoic bastard had never let on. I mean–BAM–just like that, this character completely re-wrote not just the book, but the entire series. And then Nicky got caught up in the magic wash, and Cory–who was supposed to be just with Green, I kid you not–suddenly had a whole other life she had to figure out. It was glorious.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Can you tell us a little bit about your contemporaries, such as Candy Man and Bitter Taffy?

AMY LANE:  My contemporaries come in two flavors– angsty orange and sunshiny lite yellow. (Seriously–It’s how I brand them!) In books like Candy Man and Bitter Taffy, I tend to go for the odd and the quirky. I love it when you meet somebody who just spins your whole perception of the world in its end. In the case of this series, I met Darrin– the real life owner of a candy store in Sacramento–when I was hot, sweaty, and following my husband who had just run the half-marathon. Mate was just fine–a little tired, a little spacey, but fine. I, however, am fat and out of shape, and I’d pretty much walked a 5K just to see him run. I wandered into the candy store irritable and out of sorts, and I found Darrin–who is over six feet of spangly, fabulous, cowboy-boot wearing perfection. He was fun and quirky and just a little bit out of this world–so I took that and ran with it. In the books he’s slightly clairvoyant, very snarky, and his entire focus is helping out the people who wander into his candy store while pretending to be very much uninvolved. So if you’re looking at an Amy Lane yellow title, that’s the kind of thing you can expect– the unexpected, the weird, the slightly over the top but, I hope, very real and emotionally authentic. That’s often how I see the world, so that’s what I write.

If you’re looking at an orange contemporary–say Deep of the Sound, Beneath the Stain or any of the Promise Rock or Johnnies titles, be prepared for a slightly more intense experience. When I write drama, I go deep for the pain. Hopefully there’s still some quirk, and even some humor, but I’ve been accused of brewing my morning coffee from the tears of my readers, and these are the books they’re talking about.

     

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Your covers are quite striking. Do you design your own covers? 

AMY LANE: I do not design my own covers, because I’d suck at it. I’ve been lucky to have some really lovely cover work done by Anne Cain (Who did Immortal and Beneath the Stain) and Reese Dante (Johnnies) as well as Paul Richmond (Promises series and The Candy Man books). They do ask me for a concept though, and usually I will flail and say things like, “Blangh blargh, color red, cute boy, ulk, thing, marnk, BLAGH!” until they read my mind and, by the grace of God, come up with something beautiful.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Do you start book series with more than one book in mind? Or do they develop into a series later?

AMY LANE: LOL– I wish I could say I totally masterminded the entire series from the beginning. I. Wish. However, I usually have an idea of who is “sequel bait” by the end of a story. Shane and Jeff from Promises were like that. As I wrote them, I thought, “These guys have back stories–I’d love to read them.” And so I wrote them. The Johnnies series (one of my angstiest and saddest series) actually started out as this really lighthearted short story–Super Sock Man. As I was expanding this 3k story into a 25K novella, I added this character–Chase–who enjoyed his friend’s attentions, but who wouldn’t admit he was gay.

When Chase in Shadow opens up, this kid is living with his girlfriend but in love with another boy–and he’s got a razor blade to his wrist.

I think it was right here, as I was writing, that I fully realized the scope of going from one character to the next–if I’m following each story from beginning to happy ever after, I never know what I’m going to find, and very often it’s a lot more painful than I expected and a lot more surprising than I ever dreamed of.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: How does a book start for you? A conversation between characters? A plot idea? Or do you just start typing and see what shows up?

AMY LANE:  Yes. *laughs a little hysterically* Seriously–all of the above. Very often I’ll take a feeling, a moment, a character, a guy I see who strikes me as beautiful, a particular conflict that hits me as worth exploring, and…well…boom!

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Do you have a favorite writing “moment?”

AMY LANE: I have a couple. I think I mentioned Bracken– he’s on my top five.

Another top five is Aylan from my epic fantasy series, The Bitter Moon saga. He started out as sort of an antagonist, but the more you got to know him, the more you realized he was simply hurt. I was torn with this one–in this story, Torrant very obviously falls for Yarri–they’re moon destined. But oh, a part of me wanted Torrant and Aylan together so very badly. I found a way for them to be together, but the moment when Aylan has to choose his moon-destined over Torrant, who had become his lover and his family when they were both in an extraordinary situation–that was one of my favorite moments. I was sitting at my computer, talking to myself, typing like the wind, and sobbing–like full on machine-gun-snot-sobbing wookie cry. I almost couldn’t breathe. The entire family was watching me from the living room. “Is she going to be okay, Dad?” “Yeah-just, you know. Don’t talk to her, she’s writing.”

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: What is next for you, writing wise? What can we look forward to?

AMY LANE:  *giggles excitedly* See– one of the things I wrote this year was Quickening, Parts 1&2, the latest installment in The Little Goddess series. It’s over 200K, and it took me what felt like forever. I’m excited about this book, although it doesn’t come out until late next year. However when I was done, I was so ready to write something quick and light and fun and bullet shaped…And that was Winter Ball which will be out on Christmas Eve.

Oh, I had fun writing Winter Ball. We’re a soccer family– my kids have been in soccer since my second child was seven– so that’s thirteen years down, nine more to go. One night I saw a couple of guys after a softball game at a park. They’d had a beer, and were standing an intimate distance away from each other– just guys talking, shooting the breeze. And suddenly I had this idea of guys, talking in their car, after a rec league winter soccer game…and BAM.

This story practically flew. And the guys–I loved them. They were IT guys so they weren’t stupid. Communication just wasn’t their strong suit, and they had to fumble toward a relationship when they didn’t have a blueprint. I loved Skipper and Richie so much–and I just love to share what I love.

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: What is exciting you right now?

AMY LANE: Well, Gay Romance Lit retreat is coming up– and that’s always exciting and fun. I love meeting fans and talking to people about writing and stories. Talking shop is my favorite talk! Also, it’s in San Diego, and my family is going there a little early and playing for a couple of days. Hanging at the beach, whatever. I’m excited about this too–it’s like all my favorite things rolled in one!

ELIZABETH SAFLEUR: Before we wrap up, anything you’d like to tell readers that I haven’t asked?

AMY LANE:  Actually, for those who have followed the series, Rampant, the last book here came out in 2010. A few things came up–both personally and professionally–and I wasn’t able to write the next book in the series until earlier this year. I know a lot of people have been waiting (some not so patiently!) and I wasn’t sure what to tell them. It was a hard promise to keep–I can’t dissemble. And it was a risk–it’s been so long since the last one, I’m not sure if anyone else is going to want to read it.

But it’s done–and I’m so proud of it.

This last year DSP Publications has been helping me dust off the rest of the series and re-release it, looking very pretty, and hopefully better edited, than it was in the beginning.

One of the things I’ve realized is that you really do improve with practice. I am (I hope!) much better than I was ten years ago when I released Vulnerable which is the first book in the series. I really hope this fifth book lives up to that.

Thanks for stopping by, AMY. Check out AMY on line on Facebook, Twitter, and her web site, Green’s Hill.

When You Gotta Boink to Save the Planet: Patricia Knight’s Verdantian Series

Hers To Command (Verdantia Book 1)

Click on photo buy some hot m/m/f science fiction goodness.

by Madeline Iva

Hello, Kittens! We’re talking about s/f erotic romance today with Patricia Knight.  She has a series with two achingly hot men who’ve gotta get it on with an adorable princess–to save their planet, doncha know.  It’s call The Verdantian Series.

MADELINE IVA: It turns out that we have remarkably similar tastes in sci-fi.  Tell us some of your old favorites.

PATRICIA KNIGHT: Anne McCaffrey, Madeline L’Engle, Ray Bradbury, John Norman, Poul Anderson. Add in the wonderful Anne Bishop and her Ring series. The only problem with these books is there’s no graphic sex. It was implied…but not described.

MADELINE IVA: So what are some recommendations of books you like that DO have explicit sex? If someone is new to reading s/f erotic romance, where should they start?

PATRICIA KNIGHT: I’d start with Morgan Hawke. She writes steaming hot sci-fi of the M/M/F variety with heavy BDSM elements and has inspired many torrid scenes in my novels.

Debbie Diesel

Anyone who liked the latest Mad Max film probably would like this book, eh? Click to buy.

Nathalie Gray has a number of erotic romances firmly in the science fiction genre. After that, probably Denise Rossetti. Her Gift To the Goddess and Tailspin novels are fantastic erotic fantasy. Tymber Dalton is also reliably good. She is available through Siren Publishing. Many of her sci-fi books are menage.

Zannie Adams has a book, The Hold, which is scorching hot. She has gotten her rights back from Ellora’s Cave and is now publishing independently. The book is available through Amazon.

MADELINE IVA: Except she’s publishing it under the name Claire Kent. Any fantasy erotic romance recommendations? I know it’s not quite what you write–you’ve got inter-planetary travel and such–but I’d be interesting in hearing if you’ve read in that genre as well.

PATRICIA KNIGHT: LOL, according to some reader/reviewers, it is what I write. A author friend of mine, Marilyn Lakewood, has just released an erotic fantasy, The Warriors of Strathan. It’s a very hot read!

Lila DuBois has a series “Zinahs” Book One is Forbidden. I read the series years ago and they have remained in my mind. The series is polyamorous, M/F, containing elements of FemDom and lots of kinky toys used on hunky men.

Kim Dare writes M/M and M/F with strong BDSM elements and I remember her books as screaming hot. “Duck” is the one that comes immediately to mind, as does Silent Night, but I’ve read a number of hers and they are all excellent.

Moira Rogers has a series about shifters that will keep those winter night toasty, as well as a series about a dystopian earth under the name Kit Rocha that is a “one-handed” read.

The Dark Rose

Click to buy.

MADELINE IVA: Oh, we know all about Kit Rocha here at Lady Smut. I was wondering, what’s the difference for readers between a m/f/m erotic romance and a m/m/f erotic romance book? Am I right in assuming that it’s more complicated than some women just don’t like m/m?

PATRICIA KNIGHT: Wow, Madeline…what an excellent question! I suspect that the M/F/M varieties of menage appeal to those women who want the fantasy of hunky men making love to them where they are primarily the recipient—lolling on a sumptuous bed while handsome, virile males give you 100% of their attention—your only task is to lie there and come to orgasm. Phew! Sign me on!

Plus, there is the issue of monogamy. You usually have two men who are monogamous to one woman…they just happen to share. I think of idea of two men with one woman makes excellent sense.  Later on in life as a women’s sex drive increases, it will take two men to keep HER satisfied.

With, M/M/F menage, the emotional and physical dynamics of sex between two men is very different from that of a man and a woman.  Men are more primal—if you will. I disagree with those who maintain women are not aroused visually. That has not been my personal experience. There is a certain vicarious titillation that comes with watching all those straining muscles and ferocious passion between sexually involved males. For example, in HERS TO COMMAND, there is a scene where Fleur watches Ari and Doral make love and is furiously turned on.

Hold

Click to buy.

From a psychological standpoint, a man submitting to another man could remove him from the “alpha male” category that we so often write our main characters into. Personally, I like a two strong males interacting with each other. What makes the relationship possible is that they love each other and are willing in the end to do what will make their lover happy—even if it means that one of them takes the subordinate role.

MADELINE IVA: I totally get what you’re talking about.  Men with their muscles writhing about together–yup.

PATRICIA KNIGHT: I suspect that a M/F/M reader is more interested in “true luv” and the emotional commitment of more than one male, while a M/M/F reader is more interested in passionate sex, and it doesn’t matter who’s having it. Not that this reader doesn’t require a loving relationship, she does, but the physical details of the erotic encounters don’t require the same grounding in “twooo luuurv.”

MADELINE IVA: Or maybe the true love is taken for granted, less angsty, perhaps? At any rate, what inspired your series about a sentient planet, Verdantia, that requires sex from her people in order to thrive and protect them from enemies? This story involves m/m/f sex and it was hawt.

PATRICIA KNIGHT: I’m not going to give you my standard answer. I’m giving you the in-depth, behind-the-scenes stuff I have never told anyone else.

The Verdantian series was born on a website called Literotica. It’s a wonderful, uncensored site that gives an open venue to folks who want to write erotic stories for their own pleasure and share them with other like-minded folk. There are absolutely no filters on subject matter and all the stories are posted free. It’s “reader beware.” If you get squigged out by some of the subject matter, well, you’ve been warned. Some are GOOD amateurs and some, wince…not so much.

I started out to write a short story about a princess who had to save her planet. The idea of a powerful woman being overwhelmed by uncontrollable arousal and then teased and denied orgasm by a dominant man floated my boat. I wanted the story grounded in fantasy and science fiction because these were the genres that have lit me up since childhood: Tolkien’s The Lord of the Rings, Sir Walter Scott’s Ivanhoe and Rob Roy, C.S. Lewis’ Narnian series and then Robert A. Heinline’s A Stranger In A Strange Land and Frank Herbert’s Dune come to mind immediately. Of course never satisfied with the ordinary, I took it a step further and made the continuation of their planet hang in the balance.

A year later—after much editing—the 90K version of Hers To Command was published. From beginning to end, the process of writing Hers To Command and seeing it published took three years.

MADELINE IVA: We start off in the first book with some heavy interplanetary politics and our hero/hero/heroine pulling back their Verdantian society on the brink of destruction.  Of course they do this by tapping into the sentient planet’s murky powers via intense sex. Where do we go from there?

PATRICIA KNIGHT: We get to look at the reconstruction of the planet’s society in the aftermath of almost complete annihilation as seen through the eyes of secondary characters.  In book two, Hers To Choose, we see what happens to Doral’s sister after she is rescued from the planetary invaders. We see what happens to the Captain of the Queen’s Guard as he is sent to escort her home from where she’s been sent to recover mind and body.

Hers To Command (Verdantia Book 1)

Click to buy some m/m/f hotness.

Through the passage of time, as seen through the eyes of different characters, you see the world Verdantia as She emerges from almost total destruction.

MADELINE IVA: Loved Doral! — And what’s your latest book in the series about?

PATRICIA KNIGHT: HERS TO CAPTIVATE is a M/M/F erotic love story about Tristan DeHelios, Angelica Giverny and a third character, Magellan DeLan. Tristan and Magellan have History (with a capital “H”). HERS TO CAPTIVATE is the story of their relationship to each other in the face of difficult circumstances. Given that both of these men are sexually attracted to each other and are both trained Doms…well, sparks fly. Add in the third element of a woman exploring her submissive tendencies and you have what I hope is an interesting tale.

MADELINE IVA: Sounds good to me. I understand it’s not out until NOV 1st, 2015—but that means I’ve got time to read books #2, 3, and 4 first! :)  Thanks so much for being with us today, Patricia!

Readers — Hers To Command (Verdantia Book 1)HERE is where you can find book 1 of Patricia Knight’s series on Amazon.  If you like hot M/M/F action, and a mysterious planet with your sci-fi, you will love this book.  At $2.99, it’s a great price to start a new series.  

 

Sex With Your Ex: Best Idea Evah or a Trip Down Disaster Lane?

By Elizabeth Shore

You know how there are guidelines out there about the best way to approach a Tinder hookup, or engaging in a friends with benefits relationship, or even getting it on in the kink scene and how to go about it? Recently I saw another set of guidelines that really caught my attention, because it wasn’t only a “how to” article, but something that also suggested how great it is to engage in this hot new trend. I’m talking about having sex with your ex.

Certainly this isn’t really something new. People have been hooking up with their exes ever since they’ve been breaking up with them. But apparently it’s gaining traction to the point that it’s been labeled a “trend,” primarily because lifestyles today are geared toward that which is easy, not time-consuming, and allows for instant gratification. Sex with your ex perfectly fits the bill.

Of course, if you search for information on it, there are a lot more results on why not to do it then reasons why you should. Those in the “con” camp include the following: it delays the final breakup, it’s emotionally exhausting, confusing, and you’re being used. Those are all solid reasons to run far far away. After all, you’ve probably already been hurt once by this person, why set yourself up for round 2 in the drama and heartache category. But yet … but yet. The beginning of a relationship often starts with the physical. Your chemistry was off the charts and sex wasn’t the problem. Then the relationship began, emotional baggage ensued, and ultimately – for any number of reasons – it didn’t work out. But the chemistry, people! That didn’t necessarily go away and without the emotional expectations that come with a relationship, sex with your ex can be pretty hot indeed. So if you want to delve into that territory, how to do it so you don’t get burned in round 2? Here are some suggestions:

Rule #1: Make sure you’re on the same page as to why you’re doing it. In many situations, people’s lives are so busy and so complicated and so time-consuming that the thought of developing a relationship seems as daunting a task as reading Atlas Shrugged. But you still want to get laid, and you sure as heck know someone who knows how you like things best. Enter, your ex. If his reasons for sleeping with you are the same as yours for him, you’re good. The need is identified and met. But if one or the other of you wants to start having sex again as, for example, a means for getting back together, hold up a big ol sign that says STOP. Don’t do it. It’s messy and complicated and will take one or both of you straight back to the Heartbreak Hotel.

Rule #2 Limit the frequency. If you don’t establish how often you’ll be getting together it could get messy. One of you wants it every day, the other every month. Or somewhere in between. The point is, have an agreement as to frequency (with allowances to bend the timeframe if, as one post advises, a “sex emergency” should emerge). Frequency should probably not be more than once a week because otherwise things can start feeling like a commitment. And speaking of …

Rule #3 Neither of you is exclusive to the other. This is a tough one. If you’re not in a relationship, you’re not exclusive. Or so advises one post. Another, however, came down firmly in the opposite camp. You’re having sex. Diseases can ensue. So while you’re having sex with your ex, you’re not having sex with others. If one or the other of you gets involved in a relationship that itself becomes exclusive, well then, so ends your physical relationship with each other.

There are other suggestions I came across, such as never talking about your current romances with your ex, and making sure to treat each other with respect (duh). But perhaps the best piece of advice I saw was from a writer who comments from personal experience. She reminds us not to forget to focus on your future. Your ex is, by definition, from your past. The relationship you once had with him is over. So enjoy the sex, but remember that ultimately one or both of you will be moving on and forming a relationship to move you into the future.

Tell us … would you do it? Good idea? Horrendous mistake? Have you ever done it? Share your stories, share your thoughts. And don’t forget to follow us at Lady Smut.

 

Fatal Error: A Ban on Robot Sex? Already?

Shouldn’t we be more concerned that Roy is going to hurt *my* feelings?

By Alexa Day

Longtime visitors to this blog perhaps remember a post I wrote a while back about robot sex. I am, not surprisingly if you know me, very much in favor of robot sex, and I’m pretty excited about the possibilities emerging in the field.

So this Saturday, I found myself a little conflicted by the very first link in our Sexy Saturday Round Up. My esteemed colleague, Madeline Iva, directed me to a story about a call for a ban on robot sex.

A ban on robot sex. To my knowledge, no one is actually having robot sex at this particular time. But no matter. Someone still stands ready to deny you that pleasure.

I tried to keep an open mind. I popped open a frosty cold beverage and considered why a person might want to ban robot sex before it really got off the ground. Maybe we’re concerned about safety. That made sense. In the last post, I mentioned that Our Robot Sex Partners might be heavy and cold and pinchy. We’ve all heard the awful stories about how they don’t always know their own strength. And Westworld. Remember Westworld? Nobody planned for that fairly predictable brand of unpleasantness.

Safety matters. No one wants to start out in a cute little robo-romcom and end up in the latest Terminator movie. I get it.

Beverage in hand, I clicked on over to that news story, curious to see what people were doing about banning robot sex until a specific time in the future when it could be made safer.

Except that’s not what these folks are worried about. Robot ethicist Dr. Kathleen Richardson says she’s concerned that the new sex robots promote detrimental stereotypes about women and encourage potential users to think that relationships are just about sex.

Okay. I think I can see why she’s upset about this. And I love that we have robot ethicists now before Westworld and Terminator. So I’m not going to laugh this off. I just want to make a couple of observations.

First, I had not considered the possibility of promoting detrimental stereotypes about women. I’d been thinking of my own little heterosituation, for one thing, which does not involve female robots. I know this is awful. There’s no excuse.

Further, if we start banning everything that promotes detrimental stereotypes about women, there’s ’bout ta be a whole lotta bannin’ stuff. I hate to be that cynical, but what do we have right now that doesn’t promote these stereotypes? Anything?

I also have to admit that I’m confused by the idea that robot sex had to lead to a robot relationship. I will stand up right now and confess to all of you that I had absolutely planned to play Hit It and Quit It with the robot. That’s really what makes the robot sex so intriguing to me — not having to worry that my robo-booty call was going to catch feelings. All the robo-decadence with none of the robo-emotions. I know this is awful, too.

As for those of us with flesh-and-blood partners and a little hot robot action on the side, isn’t that a totally separate relationship issue? I mean, cheating on a partner with anybody, bot or not, is best addressed by those persons involved. I don’t see that banning robot sex is the best way to prevent adultery. What about those of us who might be trying to bring a robotic third into our coupled-up lives to spice things up a bit, in the most objective way possible?

Now, I’m all for protecting the civil rights of our special robot friends. After all, botsploitation is at the root of many a sci-fi dystopia. But I have faith that Our Robot Sex Partners are okay to look out for themselves. I think they would reject this paternalistic human ban on the exploration of robosexuality. How dare we presume that they can’t fend for themselves?

Mostly, I’m a little annoyed that someone wants to put a stop to my robotic good time before it even gets started. This is why we can’t have nice things.

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Jill Sorenson Talks Sex Worker Heroines

by Kiersten Hallie Krum

I’m still mid-dive in my plunge down the rabbit hole of MC erotic romance novels. Along the way, I’ve gobbled up way too many (can there be too many?) Kristen Ashley books (to be fair, not all MC romances, but in for a penny…in for my entire book budget) along with the first two (but hopefully not the last) of Jill Sorenson’s Dirty Eleven MC series including Riding Dirty and Shooting Dirty.

Jill Sorenson

Jill newest, Shooting Dirty, drops today but before that, she threw back a few shots of tequila here at Lady Smut and decided to share a bit about sex worker heroines and how they fit in with the Dirty Eleven series.

Be sure to check back next week for the Lady Smut Dirty Eleven review.

Welcome, Jill, to Lady Smut!

Hello Lady Smut! I’m so glad to be here, talking about sex-related stuff! Let’s do this.

Sex work isn’t the most popular profession for heroines in contemporary romance novels. We see a fair amount of paid mistresses and bought brides in traditional lines (Harlequin Presents) but the heroines of these books tend to be sweet and virginal, not seasoned hookers. They aren’t standing on a corner in the red light district. They’re whisked away in a jet by the billionaire hero. Street prostitutes, strippers, and porn stars are a hard sell in romance (no pun intended). So are promiscuous heroines, for that matter.

Click on image to buy!

I recently spotted a review from a reader who didn’t like the fact that one of my heroines had been with multiple partners before the hero. She’d had flings with tourists, which made her seem “slutty.” No mention was made of the hero’s sexual history.

There is a double standard in the genre that is impossible to ignore. Katy Evans’ Manwhore is a New York Times bestseller, but I can’t imagine a runaway hit called Ladywhore or just Whore. Indiscriminate heroes are super hot and always in demand, while sexually forward female characters are relegated to the role of evil ex or psycho villain. Sluts aren’t fit to be heroines. They don’t deserve the hero.

A few months ago I picked up a popular self-published romance with a stripper heroine, thinking it would be edgy and sex-positive. I was immediately turned off by the portrayal of sex workers. The heroine was a sweet, innocent virgin who hated her trashy coworkers. Thumbs down.

I don’t think writers need to sugarcoat sex work or portray it in a positive-only light, but I’m not a fan of putting female purity on a pedestal or slut-shaming other women. When authors pit female characters against each other and portray sex workers as dirty skanks, I get a bad taste in my mouth. Tastes like misogyny. Not my favorite flavor.

Before I started writing Shooting Dirty, which features a topless dancer looking to get out of the business, I did my research. I read several autobiographies by professional strippers. I didn’t want to write my story from a place of ignorance. I also didn’t want to eroticize or glamorize the job. My goal was to develop a strong, well-rounded character who happens to take off her clothes for a living. Stripping has affected her life in many ways, but it’s what she does, not who she is.

Click on image to buy!

My favorite nonfiction book about stripping was Bare: On Women, Dancing, Sex and Power by Elisabeth Eaves. It’s a fascinating personal account written from a feminist, non-judgmental perspective.

I don’t have any recs for stripper heroines, but I’ve read some excellent romances featuring female sex workers. They are rare—especially those that deal with the more extreme end of the spectrum. Case in point, Solace Ames’s The Companion Contract, a beautiful, lyrical, erotic tale about a young porn star/escort who falls for a mature former rock star. Ames offers an unflinching look at an industry that can be a real meatgrinder, navigated by a business-minded heroine with warmth and depth who never loses sight of herself or her love for sex.

Soloplay by Miranda Baker has a lighter tone, and begins with a partner-free type of sex work: sex toy testing. The heroine transforms from a woman who’s never had an orgasm to a solo-pleasure expert. Then she agrees to help the hero try out his new line of couples’ toys. It’s fun stuff.

Click on image to buy!

Also fun is Tiffany Reisz’s Misbehaving, a story about a sex blogger who needs to test out all of the positions in a new sex manual. She hooks up with a former flame and they jump into bed for some steamy techniques that you might want to try at home. No magic penises, magic vaginas, or fantastical contortions required.

Blue Angel by Logan Belle features a law student/burlesque dancer heroine. I’m not sure if this qualifies as sex work because it’s striptease rather than stripping. I really enjoyed the NYC social scene, the costume details, and the soapy drama of this erotic novel with romantic elements.

What do you think about sex worker heroines? Do you prefer innocent heroines or experienced ones? Can you name any sex-positive romances with stripper or burlesque dancer heroines?

 

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Sexy Saturday Round Up

Hello! The scent of fall is in the air, and Lady Smut is here to bring you a little reading pleasure for your lovely, crisp weekend.

From Madeline:

Aw common! Call for a Ban on Robot Sex.

Bust Mag reports on how the Republican Pres contenders stuttered when it came time to suggest what female historical figure to put on the ten dollar bill.

Jezebel blogger geeks out over smexy scenes in Black Swan.

Romances chock full of diversity, right cheer: https://storify.com/AlishaRai/romance-recs-we-can-all-enjoy

Do gay men enjoy staring at naked gay men? Well, it depends–but Alexis Hall sez, Uh, not at the UK LGBTQ Fiction Meet Dinner.

Romance Novels for Feminists blog reflects on the new documentary about romance books and authors, calling it A Tale Of Pride and Prejudice.

Hell to the yeah: 7 Scientific Reasons Why Morning Sex Is The Best Sex Ever.

From All About Romance: When Fiction Gets Work Flat Out Wrong.

‘Gone Girl’? Nope.  City police have to learn the hard way they were asshats over woman’s kidnapping.

From Elizabeth Shore:

You’re a good woman! So why did he leave you? Here’s why.

Lady Gaga once again doing good, this time calling attention to sex assaults on campus.

The deficiencies of sex education, or “why don’t we let kids know sex is fun?”

App alert! Get your weather from cats. No, seriously. Download this fab app now.

A beginner’s guide to anal beads.

 

 

 

 

How to eroticize anything: moving edition, with free BDSM erotica story

by Rachel Kramer Bussel

I don’t know about you, but I hate moving. Hate it with a passion, all the more so after having moved three times in the last three years. In some ways, it’s gotten easier, especially because the first moved involved clearing out my Brooklyn apartment of 13 years and hiring a trash removal service, which was both expensive and humiliating, but even the subsequent moves have been stressful and the antithesis of erotica.

what my house looked like during my last move; definitely not sexy!

Which brings me to what I hope is inspiration for those of you sitting there thinking, “I really want to write some smut but have nothing to write about.” I firmly believe that you can eroticize anything, whether it’s love, death, war, politics or, yes, moving. While I was in the midst of moving mania, I found myself thinking about a very hot mover I met when a friend left her jacket with him and I collected it for her. His voice was the kind that could make me melt, and even though in person he wasn’t my usual type, if I’d been single I would definitely have tried to at least get him to whisper in my ear. Plus, he didn’t fit my own preconceived idea of what a mover would look like: big and bulky. He was shorter and thinner and had far more tattoos than I would have expected. That made me even more attracted to him.

So while I can’t report hooking up with him, I can share this story, which hasn’t appeared anywhere else, inspired by all my moves. I’ll leave you with this: next time you find yourself in a situation that makes you want to cry, like my moves did, see how you can turn that on its head and make it sexy as hell. I wrote about the move I wished I could have had (or the post-move afterglow, if you will), and it made the process just a little easier to handle.

If you like this story, I’ve got plenty more sexy BDSM erotica about kinky couples in Dirty Dates: Erotic Fantasies for Couples, which pubs on my 40th birthday, November 10th. To find out more about my books and events, please subscribe to my newsletter at my website.

Indoor Voices

by Rachel Kramer Bussel

I never thought I’d be the type of woman to wear a ball gag. I don’t mean to say I’m not kinky—I’m as kinky as you can get, and no one knows that better than my husband, Dominick (yes, my guy’s nickname is Dom, and it suits him to a T). What I mean is that I’m a screamer, a yeller, the kind of loud-mouthed brat who gets taken across my husband’s knee for a spanking at a party when I’ve been a little too loose with private details about our bedroom antics. That was last year at our neighbors’ holiday party; “If you don’t mind blabbing our business, you won’t mind them seeing you get spanked.” Oh, I struggled and cursed and pouted and even cried a little, but we both knew I loved every minute of it. I’m sure nobody was too surprised to learn I like getting spanked.

Making noise is part of our foreplay—and our during-play. Bantering with Dom, being bratty or lusty, sometimes egging him on, sometimes simply showing and telling him exactly how much I’m enjoying whatever I’m doing, is part of the fun. Or it was, anyway, in our old neighborhood, where we didn’t care about those who might judge us. Since then, I took a new job several states away, and Dom transferred offices. One of the adjustments was that, with a higher cost of living, we couldn’t afford a big sprawling house, one where our nearest neighbors were close enough if we needed anything, but far enough away they weren’t privy to every time I begged, sobbed and shrieked.

Instead of a house with a basement dungeon, we found a cozy apartment—it even has a fireplace! The one thing it doesn’t have, though, are thick enough walls to muffle our noises. We learned this the hard way, when, in the middle of Dom beating me with our favorite paddle while I counted loudly (we were up to “twelve, thank you, sir”), there was a knock at the door. When I answered it, our new neighbor Holly looked at me with concern. “Beth, are you okay?”

“Yeah, I’m great. We’re just…” I paused before improvising, “installing something.” Why I’d need to count during this act, I wasn’t sure, but I hoped Holly would let it slide. She didn’t look like she entirely believed me, but she reluctantly dropped it, leaving me with my heart pounding in an entirely different way than it had while Dom struck my ass. Now, I have a headful of bright burgundy hair, five earrings in one ear and three in the other, and enough metal to set off the detector at the airport every time. I’m not the type of woman who expects everyone to like me or generally cares what people think. But there’s a difference between being independent and wanting to make sure my neighbors aren’t practically a part of my sex life because they’ve overheard every intimate moment.

“Look, I don’t care that much, but if you want to make sure your screams don’t have the police knocking on our door, we’ll have to improvise. I don’t mind keeping your mouth occupied.” He pulled me close for a big kiss, the kind where his tongue invaded my mouth so fully I had no room to breathe or even think. “You be quiet as you can today, and tomorrow you’ll get a reward.”

I’m feisty and occasionally bratty, but I like to earn Dom’s praise, a treat that never gets old. He knows how to reward me in a way that makes every part of me purr. So I took my paddling, with a few extra smacks for causing us to be interrupted, as silently as I could. Whenever I wanted to scream, I bit down into the softness of our pillowcase. I found that while it didn’t come naturally to me, keeping quiet actually turned me on even more. Maybe all that energy I’d gotten used to releasing via my voice got channeled inward, or maybe it knowing that I was obeying Dom was enough. By the time he spread me out, placed a vibrator in my hand, then turned it on to high and had me hold it to my clit before fucking me extra hard, I was happy to bite my lip as my arousal built and built into an orgasm that almost squeezed his cock out of me. When he was close, he took the toy from my hand, easily turned it off and set it aside, then made sure my focus was on the feel of him fucking me. My breath sounded extra loud in my ears as I thrust my hips upward to meet him. When he came, his own low groan was music to my ears.

True to his word, Dom found a way to make keeping quiet not a chore, but a delight—not to mention one that made me instantly wet. Never think you’ve seen everything, at least, not with a guy like Dom, because when he came home from work the next day, his gift was one that kept on giving. “Do you want your present, girl?” When I nodded my head, my ponytail bobbing (he likes that hairstyle for easy access to leading me around), he pushed my shoulders down. Like a good sub, I sank to my knees, sitting so my shoulders were rounded, my breasts thrust forward. Of course I was naked—that’s a given in our home, unless I’m told otherwise.

He patted my hair, looked me deep in the eyes, then slapped my right cheek, hard enough to sting. I let out the quietest of whimpers, tears forming in my eyes. Dom doesn’t slap me very often, so when he does, it makes my whole body come alive, eager for more. Getting slapped stirs my deepest masochism, making endorphins fly every which way. It also makes my mouth and pussy wetter than I even have words for, which was good, because after a few more searing whacks of his hand against my sensitive skin, the next thing I knew, he was holding a black silicone penis gag in front of my face. I’d seen, but never used, a ball gag, but a penis gag?

You might think that because it has the word “gag” in it this toy is something to laugh at, like penis pasta, but you’d be wrong. It was no laughing matter when the slick black toy cockhead was presented to me. I didn’t pause or protest, but simply did what I always do when Dom puts a cock in my face—I opened my mouth and sucked. Dom quickly fastened the Velcro behind my head, then returned to smile down at me. “That’ll keep you quiet, my love. Bang on the floor three times if you need to safeword.” I nodded.

By “floor,” he literally meant the wood of our entryway, where we could easily be heard by anyone passing by, he took me over his lap. Dom had also bought a new paddle. I didn’t look behind me to see what it was made of, but I knew it was new from the way it felt against my ass.

Uncharacteristically, Dom went lightly at first, which lulled me into a sense of complacency. Just as he’d built a rhythm that was almost hypnotic, I felt a harsh, severe blow. I couldn’t help the moan that bubbled up from deep inside, but it had nowhere to go, trapped against the gag. I sucked harder and harder as the blows landed one atop another—literally. He didn’t alternate cheeks, but rather gave me several smacks in one spot before finding another.

The more intense my paddling, the wetter I got. Not being able to make noise meant I had to show him how aroused I was in other ways. I squirmed, hoping to come into contact with his cock. I licked the underside of the sleek toy in my mouth, wishing it were Dom’s. I gave in to the spanking, to the pain, to the rush. When he grabbed my ponytail hard, I gave in to the tears. “You’ve been so good and quiet, I’m going to give you a special spanking.”

The paddle thudded to the ground before Dom pressed my legs as wide as he could get them, then began delivering love taps right on my pussy lips. The taps soon became full-on smacks, like the ones he’d planted across my cheek. I breathed raggedly through my noise, craving only his hand. After a volley that left my pussy throbbing, he slid his thumb inside me while manipulating my clit. I came hard against his hand, primed from the buildup.

When Dom let me sit up, he went to unbuckle the gag, but I shook my head. “You like it, don’t you, my dirty girl?” I smiled. I didn’t need to verbalize it. My Dom knows me perfectly.

Getting Hammered With Charlotte Stein

Ilya. Ilya.

by Madeline Iva

My latest phase of obsessive devotion is pretty evenly divided between Armie Hammer and Charlotte Stein. I posted HOT MEN FROM U.N.C.L.E and that’s when my friend Adriana Anders and fellow Charlotte Stein fan-cum-semi-stalker said, You know Charlotte Stein has based a lot of the male characters in her books on Armie Hammer, right?

Whaaaaaat?!? No. No, I didn’t know that.

Well, it turns out that Charlotte Stein went through her own Armie obsession a while back. I went right to the source and asked Charlotte all about it on Twitter. It’s true.

Given this new information I had to dive back into her books and re-read all of them with fresh eyes. Wow.

I mean: wow. The stories seemed even hotter to me. Let us discuss:

Well *somebody* had to play the Harvard twins.

Charlotte first saw Armie in The Social Network. This inspired her ménage story DoubledDOUBLED. DoubledDOUBLED is about a nice pair of college age twins who want to do really dirty things with the girl of their dreams.

Then Charlotte saw Armie in Blackout—which is a horrible movie, btw, but he plays a punk in it–which inspired ShelteredSHELTERED.  ShelteredSHELTERED is my model of what erotic romance should be. Hot. Innocent. SO romantic and yet simple too.

I have to pause a moment ask myself what is it about yer basic Charlotte Stein erotic romance trope that makes me so happy? Well, first she takes a nice guy. A nice, very, very hot guy, who yes, okay, has secret lustful filthy thoughts way down deep. No, he can’t put them out there, he’s too nice to do that. Charlotte Stein then kicks off the story with  a heroine who fixates on the problem of what to do with this nice guy seething with sexual repression.  Well, she finds a way to pry him open is what.  Then that nice repressive guy finally lets out his nasty uninhibited sexual side and now all he wants to do is get the heroine off repeatedly.  Sigh.

Armie in Blackout. Don’t you want to kiss that tattoo on his neck?

I mean, I like a heroine who DOES something—who goes after the guy.  Yet I also can relate with the typical Stein-i-an heroine who is pulchritudinous, insecure, and lacks social confidence. (My friends are going to die laughing when they read this – me, lacking in social confidence? Me, insecure? Well I was like that, ladies, back before I got together with DH in the dark ages. If I’m different now, it’s only because of true luv. Which made me the mighty wonder woman I am today. Which is why I write romances. So there.)

I asked Charlotte about why the Armie characters are almost all so deliciously repressed. She said: “Armie played a super uptight religious figure in this cheesy crap called Billy Graham…hence the often seen repression in those characters. Though really that was more my interpretation of how he looks and his expressions.”

A very uptight Armie inspired Restraint: Away We Go, Book TwoRESTRAINT Which is the best short story EVAH! With your most restrained hero ever–thus the title.  Nice guy meets dirty talking girl and boom!

Armie also inspired an equally hot clamped down character named Cameron in Telling TalesTELLING TALES. I’ll confess I had a little bit of trouble getting into this book, but once I was re-reading it with Armie eyes well — I read it in one night.  Much to say here–I’ll save it for goodreads.

Raw Heat

Click to buy.

Armie even inspired Charlotte’s wolfie hero in Raw HeatRAW HEAT because Charlotte says she saw James Spader in a werewolf movie called The Wolf and imagined what if it was Armie instead?

BTW, Raw HeatRAW HEAT is just the best paranormal romance I’ve ever read–and that includes J.R. Ward. The hero is to die. To die.  It’s also got a bittersweet the-whole-world-is-all-going-up-in-flames feeling that I just love.

But wait! There’s more–

Like ménage? Charlotte’s written quite a few that were inspired by Armie and some other movie celebs. I haven’t read them all yet, but maybe you’re a faster reader than I am.

Armie and Michael Fassbinder inspired All Other ThingsALL OTHER THINGS

Armie, Fassbinder, and James Spader inspired Power PlayPOWER PLAY

Armie and Brandon Routh inspired Make MeMAKE ME

Given that Charlotte is so inspired by Armie, I remembered the plot of her book BEYOND REPAIR about a young woman who discovered a semi-drowned movie star in the living room of her beach house. (!) Was that based on Armie? No, Charlotte said. She uses a lot of movie stars for inspiration, and that character was based on Chris Evans.

My dream of being the center of an Armie Hammer/Charlotte Stein sandwich is probably not likely to ever happen, so I’ve also made up an Armie pinterest page for y’all with buy links so you can see His gorgeous face, paired with Her amazing books.

Armie Shmarmie you say. What’s that about Charlotte using other actors for her pervy-hot erotic romance inspirations? Here’s the list.

Click to Buy

Control: Zacharay Quinto

Waiting in Vain: Alex O’Loughlin

Sweet Agony: Benedict Cumberbatch

Deep Desires Alex O’Loughlin

Run To You: Marton Csokas

Intrusion: Hugh Dancy

Forbidden: Colin O’Donoghue

Taken: Silas Weir

So last Friday night, DH and I settled down to watch a video and he said The Social Network? Why did you pick this movie? Didn’t it come out a long time ago? Then we start watching and about ten minutes in, he’s like, Oh. Armie’s in it. Okay, now I get it.

Another good performance in another bad movie. Poor Armie!

We finish Social Network and turn to J. Edgar. DH looks at the cover and says Leonardo DiCaprio? Why? We start watching and then about ten minutes in when Armie shows up in the movie, DH turned to look at me in this resigned way and shook his head. What? I said. It’s for the blog.

Hope you follow us on Lady Smut like I follow Armie Hammer interviews on You Tube.

Hey, while you’re at it, hope you follow us on Pinterest as well.

Do you live in the Mid-Atlantic region? On Saturday, October 10th I’ll be at the Washington Romance Writers luncheon for readers and bloggers in Bethesda, MD. Register for the event, and be showered with free books and awesome gifts! We can talk about Armie. At this point there are less than SIX spots left for readers—so hit that link now if you don’t want to wait until next year. :)

 

Yup, She’s *Still* in Italy

Elizabeth Shore will be back with you next week.  Eating my heart out with jealousy.  That is all.

Elizabeth Shore and some of her friends *ahem* hanging out in Italy.

Plan for Thrills (and Chills) for Halloween

Perhaps this magical pumpkin knows where the good costumes are.

By Alexa Day

Got your Halloween costume yet?

I know it’s still about six weeks away, but Halloween has a way of sneaking up on a girl. Every year, the mad rush for the good costumes comes earlier and earlier. If you don’t get your costume locked down, you can definitely end up wearing something regrettable (hello, sexy ear of corn) and thereby having a regrettable time at the annual Halloween party.

And there’s sure to be at least one party. Did I mention that Halloween is on a Saturday this year?

In an effort to jump-start my own holiday plans this year, I did a bit of online window shopping for costume ideas. The results are not terribly promising.

Sadly, there’s not an awful lot going on in the world of the prepackaged Halloween costume for women, unless you want to go out the night before November in a teeny, tiny outfit. I’ve been complaining about this for many years. I work an hourly day job. I can’t afford to have a cold. And so there’s no way I can go out wearing a big handkerchief for Halloween, even if I wanted to.

Beyond that, I continue to question the rationale behind some of these costumes. Sexy nurse. Sexy cop. Sexy referee.

Seriously, someone came up with sexy referee. This one comes with knee socks and a real whistle, though. Hmm. Let’s not cross that one off too quickly.

Now, no one understands more than I do that, on a night when we all get to pretend to be something else, there’s tremendous interest in pretending to be sexy if you don’t already feel sexy. I just wonder who equated sexy with scantily clad. Is it not possible to be sexy and also wear long pants? Can’t we be sexy and cover our midriffs?

Fortunately, there are exceptions. I did find an American Dream costume, a Cruella de Vil outfit that’s basically a coat, and this from the world of Frozen. And I’m really looking hard at this Darth Vader getup. So hope is not lost.

I can’t help but wonder, though … where are the sexy men’s costumes? Are they skimpy, too? They don’t all look like this very NSFW collection, do they?

Cool like a long walk in the woods. Click to preorder.

While you’re pondering these weighty Halloween matters and maybe planning a protest for better men’s costumes, why don’t you have a look at Mysteries of the Macabre, an anthology of six Halloween-themed short stories? My sexy contribution, “Three, After Midnight,” tells the story of a widow, the handsome fellow she’s picked up for the night, and the husband she doesn’t get to see as often as she’d like. The other stories run the gamut from romance to horror, all sharing my favorite holiday as a common element. I’m so happy to be working with such talented folks!

Interested? It comes out tomorrow, but there’s nothing to stop you from hitting that preorder button right now.

And don’t forget to follow Lady Smut. We’ve got the best treats on the block.