Guest Post by Michele Schalin

Proud Member Of the Sexual Sisterhood

Guest Post by Michele Schalin

I am a proud member of the Sexual Sisterhood, we are women who unapologetically OWN our sexuality. We are women who courageously rebuff the powerful cultural message of our society, the society that tells us to repress our sexuality. We are outspoken about the slut shaming our society engages in and we support other women to do the same.

I LOVE sex! I love having it. I love talking about it. I love watching porn (good porn), and I love looking at  erotic photos and reading erotic stories. I love to hear what turns other people on and I love to keep trying new things to discover what my lover and I like.

I haven’t always been this open about sex. In fact, for most of my adult life it was quite difficult for me to communicate what I wanted and needed from any partner.

For many years my thinking and behavior was heavily influenced by the shame based messages revolving around sex and how women should behave.

I had very limited knowledge of what I liked. And what I did know that I liked, and that I wanted and needed, I was uncomfortable asking for Even when I felt unsatisfied and wanted more, I felt selfish in asking for it. Because it usually took a good deal of time to bring me to orgasm, I basically just hoped the guy I was with would just find that “elusive spot" and figure out somehow what could get me there. 

The first five years I had sex, I never once orgasmed.

I didn’t get what the big deal was. The main reason I engaged in having sex at all was because I wanted so desperately to be desired and to be loved.I figured if men wanted to have sex with me that I would find love there somewhere??

At the age of 22 I had my first orgasm with a new boyfriend who was an expert at licking pussy. Many men had never even offered to give me head and to my surprise and delight, this guy loved it. 

When I look back now, I'm amazed at how much bullshit I put up with from men:  

Bullshit such as:

Extreme selfishness
Not bothering to ask me what I liked or even if I got off at all
Guys putting stay hard cream on their dicks and not even bothering to give me a “heads up” about it before I give them a blow job 
Men wanting me to give them a blow job  after they have told me that they don’t lick pussy.

So…My appropriate responses in these particular experiences SHOULD have been:

What the fuck? ..That was it? You can forget about ever having this piece of ass again... and, Hey Dude, think you could have given me a little warning here?  or... Wash your dick off and then maybe I'll give you a blow job?

But Nope, I just silently tolerated their selfishness, their thoughtlessness and their lack of reciprocity  and moved on to the next guy, who often behaved the exact same way. 

I know what you may be thinking... She just picked a lot of shitty lovers. Agreed. I had never really owned my sexuality and because of this I wasn't able to be sexually confident. That combined with low self esteem and a lack of self respect, meant that I was a virtual magnet for narcissists. Luck me!

Fast forward to meeting the love of my life. Rich, my husband of 25 years is not only the best friend I have ever had, he is truly the best lover I’ve ever had. By far. He was a breath of fresh air after all of the shitty lovers I’d had. He is very loving, he is giving, he is skillful and he is eager to please. He adores me and he loves making me feel great... 

But mind reading? That is not in his skill set. And I was still unable to tell him what I wanted. Rich has always cared about my sexual fulfillment, but after trying, for years, to get me to loosen up, to talk about what I liked and what I wanted, he, like anyone would, became complacent. And so we filed our sex away under the category of decent sex. 

The great sex category, for me, stayed empty

Many years passed and as they did my interest in sex diminished somewhat, because I wasn't being fulfilled. I very much wanted to have sex with Rich, but I felt that something was missing. I asked him if he could be more passionate in his kissing and in his love making. His response was: 

"Well it’s tough to be passionate all the time with someone you’ve been together with for so many years."  I felt deflated.

I know now that I could have been more direct. Instead of asking Rich to be more passionate, what I should have asked for was exactly what I wanted: for him to be aggressive forceful and dominant. After all it’s my responsibility to determine what I need to achieve sexual pleasure and it’s my responsibility to convey that to my partner. 

I realize now that I could have asked him to tell me what he wanted too. I wanted to please him, but I had a hard time approaching the subject. He never asked for anything different, so I assumed he was fine. However, I had never actually investigated how I might please him. The extent of my sexual education was watching porn to figure out how to give a good blow job.

Ahh... she is not sucking the entire time, good that gets tiring. She's licking his cock, his balls and some kind of twisting motion with her hand, cool. 

I stepped it up and my man noticed... but that was all I really did.

Then it happened.... About two years ago, a couple of friends had been reading “Fifty Shades Of Grey" ...... and were all going on about it. 

I know, I know, there has been a whole lot said about this being a poorly written book. But the way I look at it is that anything that opens the door to a subject that isn’t widely discussed is, I believe a great thing. And let me tell you.... this book blew the door WIDE open for me. We will get to more of that in a minute.

Rich bought me the trilogy as a birthday gift. Little did he know how this would change our life forever.

Did I mention that when I have a new interest I DIVE into it? Well.. dive I did and dragged him along for the ride!

I had never read anything like 50 shades. Because of my lack of knowledge, I had always assumed any kink or fetish was all scary and weird and maybe degrading and abusive.  I never let myself explore it because of the taboo and stigma attached to it. 

Fifty Shades was the marker of my baby steps into BDSM. In the story, Anastasia, the lead character, is deeply conflicted by the sexcapdes that she and Christian Grey have engaged in. Because she is extremely turned on by them, she believes that something is wrong with her. After all, she is a “good girl" and shouldn't enjoy such things. Christian asks her:

"Do you feel bad because you feel bad, or do you feel bad because you think you should feel bad."

That was like a lightning bolt of revelation for me!  Although I wasn't conflicted about being turned on by this stuff, I was VERY surprised that I was. I think Rich was even more surprised than I was. 
Lucky for me, he was all in and game for anything I wanted to try.

So... this was the beginning of my sexual awakening. I couldn't get enough of this book and I become a total addict for all kinds of erotic material.

Since expressing what I liked and wanted to try had always been so difficult for me, I got creative: I started reading aloud to Rich some of the sex scenes that turned me on from the erotic books I was reading. I would tell him specifically what I liked and we would then re-enact the scenes together the next time we had sex. 

It. Was. AMAZING! 

Almost everything the characters in the stories did, I wanted to try with Rich:

Bondage, blindfolds, crops, sex toys, spanking, biting, flogging, and yes … even a bit of anal play.. "Rich got to go where no man has ever gone before." And a big surprise to both of us? I have quite the greedy little ass.


I loved the reenactments! And so did Rich! And the biggest surprise for both of us was that I LOVED being submissive during sex. I am not submissive in any other area of my life. It totally turned me on to just let go of control and be completely dominated. It helped me get out of my head and much more into every sensation of the sexual act. My husband and I joke that he only gets to tell me what to do when I am naked.  Occasionally I catch him mumbling about wishing I were naked more often.

And so it is because of 50 shades... that for the first time in my life I am totally comfortable with telling my partner what I want: I can tell him what new things I’d like to try, I can tell him what feels good and what could feel even better, and I feel comfortable asking him what he wants and likes, AND, not only have I investigated all kind of techniques to improve my skills with him, I have also researched ways that I can pleasure myself when I am alone.

All of this exploration that we have done together has brought an even deeper bond to our relationship. The communication, the honesty, the vulnerability, the trust and the support we have shown each other has made us stronger as a couple and more in love than ever! We are in our 3rd decade of a truly jubilant marriage!

And now? We can categorize our sex as GREAT, instead of decent.

The whole experience has been incredibly empowering for me. I have finally owned my sexuality by taking responsibility for my pleasure instead of leaving it completely in the hands of someone else.  And it is because of this that I count myself a full fledged member of the Sexual Sisterhood. 

As a result of this journey and the revelations I discovered along the way I decided I wanted to help other women like me have the same experience... which is where the idea of Little Shop Of O's came in. I thought creating this business was the perfect avenue for helping women along their paths of sexual self-discovery. Remember I told you when I get a new interest I DIVE in? Yeah, I went deep.

I was recently asked what advice I would I give my younger self about sex.  This was my answer:

“Don’t let others define what is right or wrong for you, judge for yourself and don’t let anyone shame you. Give your sexuality the attention it deserves; be open in exploring everything you are interested in, know you deserve to be on the receiving end of pleasure, and don’t be shy about letting your partner know what you like and what you would like to try. Above all, enjoy, be safe and have fun!

Spotlight: The Professor by Fallen Kittie

Synopsis:
Fallen contends with the tumultuous task of completing her first thesis, enjoying the entrails of her latest existential crisis. Whenever she finds a spare moment, she also finds her mind wanders to an old professor who proved to leave a lasting impression. His smile, the steady strength of his hands, his broad shoulders; every word, every erotic evocation: every missed opportunity. Back then, she held off. Both were bound by rank and ethics. Her hands were tied. She figured his were folded: Fallen never thought the attraction was mutual. So when the semester ends, she never looks back. Better to take an A than potential rejection. But she never forgets the professor. It was bad enough when he taught her: how her eyes would linger, how his eyes would creep into her thoughts. Now, he haunts her memories as much as her fantasies and she can’t help wondering what could’ve been.

Excerpt:
“Lesson one being it’s in incredibly bad taste to fuck former students.”

Leaning back, I uncrossed my legs and inched aside the hem of my skirt, “I told you I don’t believe in senses.” Slowly, my skirt bunched up against the sheen of my stockings.

“You want to do this here?” he murmured, “Now?”

I didn’t answer. I didn’t know if some small part of me was morally conscious, worrying about saying the wrong thing or wondering if this was really the wrong place and time. I didn’t know if I just lost my voice. The only thing I knew was my body, its heat and the preoccupation with my legs as I eased my panties down their valleys.

Retrieving them from around my ankles familiarized my fingers and the flick of my wrist as I tossed them on his desk. For them, his eyes left mine to narrow in focus.

Author Interview:
What makes your book so different from all the books out there?
The writing style; I try to incorporate the idea of intimacy within existential themes. In The Professor, I spoke to this through the lens of an anxious albeit monotonous grad school student.

What made you want to write erotica?
I've always been fascinated with sex. Ever since I was a kid, I've envied what I understood was romance. I discovered distinctions of desire as I've grown.

Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Anaïs Nin has always been my favorite author. To date, her erotica gets me more than other, whether it's contemporary or classic.

Your thoughts on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad - 
I try taking feedback with a grain of salt. My insecurities and anxiety make it difficult to discern truth from malice so I tend to be wary anyways. I'm grateful to have received constructive and courteous criticism thus far.

What was the best writing advice that someone has ever given to you?
It's not quantity but quality; and that applies to many other things beyond writing. I see a few authors lording their bestseller status or the amount of publications to their name as if that exempts them from critique or contention. That's not who I want to be. Sure, it would be awesome if my books made the bestseller list but that isn't some exclusive or ultimate goal. How much you make or sell reflects sales, not merit.""

What was the process with getting the cover for your book? How do you like it?
I use all my own photos for my covers. It saves me time and headache regarding copyrights and paying out royalties for image stock. I model, I have the privilege of working with amazing photographers (notably, IamNOTthere) who happen to be dear friends, and I have little qualms about it.

Do you have a day job as well?
It's not a 'job' per se, but I'm a full-time grad student. It's not that hard to find a balance between writing and research. The only challenge is churning out those pointless essays--you know the ones, those assignments that you just have to do to pacify your professors and make the grade but do nada for you in the long run? Think back to when you learned fractions or algebra back in high school. I haven't used those either.

How do you market your work? What avenues have you found to work best for erotica?
I have a Facebook, Twitter, and website for my writing. I'm also very lucky to have a great publisher, Excessica for my books. I can't tell you which avenue works best since they all seem to be doing relatively well.

Have you ever written anything else?
I've written lots of things. I just haven't published most of it but plan to once I can edit. Check out more on my website!

Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
Don't give up and don't focus on editing in the middle of writing. Grammar and punctuation can be priorities when it comes time to tweak and revise. Just focus on getting the words out the first time around.

About Fallen Kittie:

Fallen Kittie is a freelance writer and sociologist currently studying existentialism and supernatural folklore. Her characters are avenues in which she collates her own realities and musings upon sexuality within fiction. Midway into her academic career, she discovered writing was her escape from the miscellaneous monotonies of her syllabi. As she continues writing, she cultivates a preference for erotica over the emptiness of the empirical.

The Professor is Available on Amazon Here

Connect with Fallen Kittie:

Linkedin ♥ Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Goodreads ♥ Website 

Spotlight: The Mummy Returns...for Bigfoot's Sloppy Seconds by Dix Aaron

Synopsis:
Hidden in in the lush hills of Jackson County Tennessee is a Sasquatch with a couch for sale, and he wants a girlfriend. He thinks he found the perfect girl when he tricks a local young lady named Jill into meeting him. Unfortunately for Bigfoot, the mummy of an Ancient Egyptian Pharaoh says that Jill is his long lost queen. Who will get claim her love as his own? Who’s the better man-like thing? Why the hell hasn’t anyone asked Jill what she thinks about all this crap? What is this, the 1950’s? And why the hell is the CIA involved?

Advance Praise:
"Aaron's plot has plenty to keep the reader interested, but the line of satirical commentary that infuses the narrative also offers a more intellectual, biting commentary on subjects such as small town law enforcement, governmental bureaucracy, the value of cats, and, of course, the monster porn genre itself." -J Carmack

"The Mummy Returns ... for Bigfoot's Sloppy Seconds is an hilarious parody of monster porn. I think Aaron successfully captured some of the idiosyncrasies you may find in a small Tennessee town (I'm from one). The heroine is delightfully dim yet likeable, and the well-defined monsters are gaggingly gross. Unless you're offended or uncomfortable with risque content, I bet you can't read this without laughing out loud! I hope the hoard of mummified cats appears in the sequel!" -L. Moribito

Excerpt:
"Pharaoh Hardon-Tapthat’s empty black eye sockets gazed over every supple curve of his reborn queen; such a beautiful young woman. She was just what he wanted, what he needed, what he was going to have. He had long been glorified for his divine ability to talk any woman out of her virtue. It was about all he did during his long reign as Pharaoh, and even though this girl didn’t look like virtue was a word she was all that familiar with, hanging from chains naked and drenched is sex sweat, there was no reason for him not to act like the suave and sophisticated king he was. He would woo her with poetry from an age centuries gone; words of beauty and lust so sweet and sensual that none who heard the words could remain unmoved. “Maaauuugghhhh…Eeenuuugh...”damn if he still couldn’t talk.

“Hey there, I’m sure you’re a nice guy and all, but I already kind of have a boyfriend, and he’s kind of a giant freak. I mean literally. A giant freak. And I think he might be the jealous type.” Still, the mummy shambled closer. His boney hands caressed her face. It was gentle, almost sweet seeming, but there was no missing the sheer lust and desire for conquest behind it. This guy was like most of the guys Jill dated, just another playa at heart. He could have taken her any time, but he was waiting for her to give in; more of an ego trip for him than real manners, but what the hell? Bigfoot had just left her hanging in every sense of the word. A good grudge fuck would teach him a lesson. And it wouldn’t be the first old guy she boned. Her freshman year of college was hard. “Give it to me, big boy. You won’t need any Viagra with this.” She said wrapping her legs around him.

Hardon-Tapthat dove in. Three thousand years was too long to go without sex, and he was finished, at the snap of the fingers. He barely pulled out in time to pop a pent up cloud of dust all over Jill’s abs.

“Oh my God. Seriously?”

The Pharaoh just shrugged his shoulders, and looked nervously around, he saw a shiny metal can like the one this girl drank from earlier. He picked it up and followed suit. Beer flavored water; this world was strange indeed. “Rarrgh.” He coughed. “I can now speak,” He said in a smooth, sensual voice. “I’m sorry. This has never happened to me before. You see, it’s been thousands of years since I last got any, and, well, you know. You’re just so hot.”

“I know.”

Hardon-Tapthat saw in Jill’s eyes that he was dangerously close to looking like a total fool. He had to do something. The truth, maybe? “What you don’t know is that you are my queen reborn, Queen Nippli-Titi, The Sand Clam. Through the sands of time, we have been reunited, and together we shall rule…”

Jill tuned out the mummy as he rambled on. It was really starting to feel like her first year of college now with her mind wandering as some old guy with erectile dysfunction droned on and on and on about stuff that happened a long time ago. The random thoughts rolled in. Does Maroon 5 have any tour dates in Tennessee this year? I’ll have to check that later. I hope those blue Sketchers are still at the E-Gyp X-Change. They look so comfortable. She spotted Bigfoot peeking out from the stack of pallets perv-watching the whole thing. That fucker was fapping to her getting nailed by this weird old guy, but he wasn’t completely into it. She knew the jealous look when she saw it, and now it was time to really drive him nuts. “Yeah, Pharaoh Baby. I’m whoever you want me to be. Give it to me again.”

Hardon-Tapthat didn’t need to be told twice. This time was different, he was more like his old self. Jill wrapped her legs around him and squeezed. “Oh, baby! Fuck yeah!” she laid it on thick. She saw that it was getting a rise out of Bigfoot, and clearly not the kind he wanted. The old mummy wasn’t too bad, but nowhere near as good as she pretended. He was the type who couldn’t see anything beyond the good time he was having. “You’re much better than that last hairy beast I fucked. Drive it deep,” she said checking her nails.

Bigfoot had been hoping for a good show, but instead learned the meaning of the old saying, careful what you wish for. This isn’t what he wanted to see, and his wiener agreed. He had gone from doing the old heave ho on the blue vein throbber to twirling the overcooked spaghetti noodle. A string of yeses burst forth from Jill. This was going to stop. Right now!

Author Interview:
What makes your book so different from all the books out there?
It's comedy, first and foremost. There are some sex scenes in it, but its more along the lines of American Pie instead of Basic Instinct. Other than that, it's a fun and well written little read. Though someone did point out that I wrote form instead of from in one part.

What was the hardest chapter (or part) to write and why?
The hardest part to write was when the mummy Hardon-Tapthat was trying to club Bigfoot in the head while being dragged through the wilderness. What happened was complex to describe, but also had to be done quick like so that it didn't screw with the pacing.

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
First of all it's a spoof of monster erotica, not a straight up piece of erotic fiction. The comedy is inline with what you would see on South Park, with a little bit of The Far Side and Monty Python peppered about. Then again, I could just be a delusional fucktard in love with my own shit. Please read it and let me know. :)

Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
Teen romance like Twilight. If you have to ask why, you're part of the problem. Seriously though, it is so far removed from my personal interest that I just know on an instinctive level that it would never work. And I'm too old for teen angst and drama.

Favorite quote from your book?
"He (Bigfoot) decided it was going to be fun to tickle her with a raccoon’s tail while he spanked the monkey, or more apt throttled the retarded gorilla."

Will you have a new book coming out soon? Can you tell us about it?
Yes. It's the sequel to this one. It's called Bigfoot and the Vampire Who Really Likes to Suck...But Won't Admit It.

How hard was it to come up with characters?
I don't find it hard at all. I've played tabletop roleplaying games for over two decades, and have always been good at coming up with characters. It's the same skill set sans dice.

What book would you like to read again?
Invisible Monsters by Chuck Palahniuk.

Have you ever written anything else?
Yes. I have gotten a couple of horror short stories published under my real name (Kell Myers) and have written a roleplaying game system that focuses on story and character. I call it The Writer's System, and it's in the beta test phase right now.

Anything you want to say to your readers?
I would ask all five of them to rate it, and write an awesome review. Not just the two.

About the Dix Aaron:
I'm a comedy writer trying not to fall into utter ruin by hawking monster porn parodies for sale on the internet. I'm from Jackson County, Tennessee wherein lies the mythical city of Gainesboro; which also happens to be where the stories are set. The rest is just the usual boring stuff like the wife the kid and a gaggle of awesome dogs and lame cats.

Available on Amazon Here 

Connect with Dix Aaron: Twitter ♥ Website

Guest Post by Moctezuma Johnson

Seven Rules I have to re-teach myself every time I write

By Moctezuma Johnson

I want to thank the lovely and sexy Miss Tina Erotica, Christina Harding, for inviting me to post on her exquisite blog. I’ve often read posts that blow my mind and stay with me for days. All Christina’s guest bloggers are brutally charming and write like their cocks and pussies are on fire. I’m honored to be asked to write a guest post. I’m honored, but also scared.

You see, every time I write I know I’m a fraud. I cower in front of the keyboard and realize I have no idea what I’m doing. Worse, I’m a total sex addict. I was running a bar for the last five years in South Korea watching my life waste away with Captain Morgan and an endless supply of sexually-willing and increasingly-boring university student customers and part-time waitresses/bartenders. From the outside it looks like the male dream, but on the inside I was rotting away. I was once young, good-looking, and smart. I was nothing but potential. Smoking yellowed my teeth, drinking turned my six-pack abs into a six pack of beer, and meaningless sex left me emotionally empty. Now, twenty years later I’m nothing but potential. But potential is no longer enough. Each day my confidence dies and then I have to rebuild myself from scratch. I’m like a plane made of legos that my 3-year-old reduces to wreckage in moments. Every day I need to rebuild myself. Then I can write. I just wish that I came with a manual -- something as easy to follow as lego instructions. So this blog post is what would be in my manual if I ever got around to writing it. I won’t. When I manage to find some free time, I’m too busy looking at porn.

The Manual
These tips may be obvious to you, and in that case good on you because you’re ahead of me. As I wrote down these ideas I was struck once again with the notion that I have no idea what I’m doing. Please take everything I say with a grain of salt, and if you feel strongly that you have a better way to do something by all means do it your way. The key thing for any writer is to be herself and to find her own voice. Voice supersedes all.

1.  Your characters should charm. What makes a character charming? I find that I relate to characters that have a chip on their shoulder. That makes them interesting. And characters that are vulnerable. I always think of Walter White for this one. I’m not recommending that you have long sex scenes with Skyler and Heisenberg, or that you show Jesse’s parties with all the tripped out meth-heads in gangbangs, although that might be a bit of fun. I think Walter White is one of the most perfect characters written this decade. He has a chip on his shoulder because, although he’s a genius, he’s dead broke. Immediately he’s interesting and I’m rooting for him to get filthy rich in the drug trade. We empathize with him. He is vulnerable because he has cancer, but that isn’t the main thing the audience relates to. He is charming because he hasn’t learned to assert himself. He’s been living the “safe” life. He’s a coward and we watch him change into a man. Into Heisenberg. He’s vulnerable as a coward and that makes him lovable. When he becomes Heisenberg we feel proud of the accomplishment. If you give your characters something to be proud of and something that makes them weak, you have a stunning combination. Charm.

2.  Plot is all about conflict, and conflict is all about denial. Know what your protagonist wants, and throw in obstacles that prevent him from attaining it.  Without a sustainable conflict, a story becomes boring. If your protagonist wants a boyfriend, make sure nobody likes her and they’re all going for another girl close to her. Then there’s conflict and the reader will care about her. They will know what her goal is and relate to it. If all your male character wants is to jizz on her face, make sure she will do other amazing things (like lick his ass) while she won’t let him give her a facial. The tension is in the denial of a concrete goal.

3.  Choose a story that interests you, not one that you create because you think it will sell.  It’s obvious when an author has nothing invested in the plot. Doesn’t this seem obvious, especially to erotica authors who are not afraid of the taboo? Tell your story. Those who read my writing know that you’re getting hardcore literary porn. It’s not for the faint of heart. My stories and characters are up to all kinds of naughty, next-level shit. There are bukkakes, anal play, mind control, drug use, coercion, pressing of limits, race play, and much more. Some readers (including reviewers) hate this and just can’t get around it. For me, this is okay because I’m telling a story that interests me. Also, it’s quite therapeutic for me and I think it helps my marriage. I tell my wife all the time that writing for me is like taking the trash to the curb. All week (thanks to raging hormones) I get all pent up. Writing is like a great release. It’s like using two index fingers to work on that blemish and then finally getting it to pop pus all over the mirror. Ah, relief!

4.  Let the plot unfold naturally –– that is, without the obvious hand of the author at work. One scene should logically lead to the next, even though chronologically the scenes may be out of order. A writer who tries to force the plot to satisfy his intellectual vision will usually fail. I use all kinds of crazy ways to come up with the organic unfolding of plot. If my plots were erections they’d be taking all kind of Viagra. I think you need to give your storyline an invisible boost with a good outline. I’m a big fan of Italo Calvino and picked up some of his techniques. Try writing all your characters names down and then circling and connecting them with lines in a mind map. You will discover relationships that you may not have seen otherwise. Try writing each idea down on flash cards that you shuffle and reorganize continually until you get the most logical order. Another trick I use is to put my themes and character’s names on something, like some blocks that my son is playing with, and then play with it for a while until I get a structure I like. Then I write the story in the order of the blocks. These ideas may not help everybody but they all are ways to outline a story. One way or another, I think an outline is essential

5.  Each scene should complicate the conflict, and thus move the plot forward. If the conflict never changes, then the story becomes repetitive. I find this incredibly tough. I can write pretty easily but it is rarely relevant to the plot. For me, I need a constant reminder that there even is a plot. I often skip the salad and jump right to the meat and potatoes. That’s the way I eat. That’s the way I write. That said, there’s something deliciously fun about ruining the life of your characters and then further ruining it. This is where a good outline is really handy because you can keep ruining your characters while staying in the overall arc of the plot.

6.  Your character’s actions should develop the plot.  In other words their wants and desires and hang-ups should create more trouble for themselves and each other. Don’t let events happen to them. Make them the very reasons for conflict. Make them change events through their actions and personalities. Once your characters take an active role, the whole story becomes more vibrant. When a character’s actions result in her own demise, she is much more vulnerable and lovable.

7.  Plot isn’t everything. Remember to make sure you have character, setting, and theme. Character is what brings a reader into your story. Setting adds richness and tangibility to your story. The setting itself can be a character like Shalimar, Virginia in Song of Solomon. And theme is the final piece. Theme stays with the reader after the eReader is nestled away and charging. Plot is merely the engine that makes the reader turn the pages to get to the deeper stuff that stays with her once the book is finished. The deeper parts of your stories are the things that will make a reader hungry for more pages.

In conclusion, you can carve into your kindle however you want as long as there is a strong internal logic guiding it. Whether that logic is found by a carefully planned outline or by following the colorful pattern of your son’s blocks, the fact that there is intrinsic sense will lead to success. Just because we are writing erotica doesn’t mean that we can’t write the pants off the reader. In fact, that’s exactly what we need to do. Each writer finds her story’s internal logic for herself. Some of us have to find that logic over and over again for each piece or else we end up with a turkey in our hands.

Now put this down and get to your own writing. If you want more tips or want to be in the writing discussion, please visit my literary porn site where I hold a blog. Thanks for reading.

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Poet-turned-eroticist Moctezuma Johnson can be found on Twitter retweeting great writers. He is currently finishing Season One of his depraved literary porn psycho-thriller Chronicles of a Humiliation Backfired. When reviewing episode one of the series, erotica master Bella Swann said “I loved this story! It was funny and unbelievably offensive!”

Spotlight: Carol, Niall & Lin by Raven ShadowHawk

Synopsis:
All relationships get a little stale after a while. Carol's relationship with her boyfriend is no exception. Ten years is a long time to spend with the same person and she longs to add a spark back into their sex life. But is a threesome one step too far?

At the close of Vicki's birthday party, both she and Niall are in no state to drive. They choose to spend the night in Vicki's living room with Lin, a woman eager to join them in bed. Finally left to their own devises, the crucial moment approaches in which Carol must decide if she really is able to share Niall with a stranger. A stranger who, has made no secret of the fact that she longs to bed them both.

Excerpt:
Niall chuckled and thrust his chest out. ‘You know just what to say.’

Carol rolled her eyes and put her mouth around him.

His laughter cut off with a groan.

She sucked him in, controlling the depth and angle with her hands on his hips. Smooth skin, hard flesh, running with bulging veins which gave him the familiar texture she knew and loved. His hairs tickled her nose, filling her nostrils with the scent of musky, roused male. Carol closed her eyes and concentrated on sucking, occasionally pulling back enough to flick her tongue over and around his swollen tip.

‘Carol?’

She sucked harder.

‘If you keep that up, I’ll be the only one who gets any fun.’ His breathing hitched.

She dipped a hand into his boxers to massage the twin sacs beneath.

Strain filled his voice. ‘Christ, Carol.’ A gasp. ‘Really, stop a second. Please!’

She leaned back. A long line of saliva joined her mouth to his tip, and she watched the gleaming strand stretch and break before gazing into Niall’s reddened face. ‘What?’

He gave a shaky laugh. His hands shook as he raised them to his face. ‘Have mercy, okay? You know me – I won’t last if you do that.’

‘I like sucking you off.’

‘I know.’ Niall raised his hips high enough to remove his jeans and boxers. ‘But take it easy. We’ve got all night.’

Though the sight of her boyfriend naked was one Carol knew well, feeling Lin press against her made it all so much better.

The smaller woman touched Carol’s shoulders; a light play over the upper arms before curving around to cup her breasts. Much as Niall had done, Lin squeezed with bold, confident motions which seemed to belong to much larger hands.

‘Kiss her neck,’ Niall suggested. ‘She loves that.’

Lin’s lips grazed the side of Carol’s throat. A tentative brushstroke, followed by a lingering pass of that small, wet tongue.

Carol shuddered. She cupped her hands over Lin’s and held tight until the other woman had to kneel with her. The motion pressed those piercings against her spine, and a spike of pleasure speared Carol’s body. She whimpered and spread her knees on the carpet.

‘Actually,’ Niall whispered, ‘this is the sexiest thing I’ve ever seen.’ He grabbed his cock with his left hand and began rubbing, fumbling his shirt buttons with the other. Seconds later a spray of buttons flew through the air.

‘Niall!’

He threw the shirt on the floor. ‘I don’t care, Carol. Fuck, if you could just see yourself.’ Naked, he leaned deeper into the sofa and spread his legs. Both hands now; one rubbing, the other squeezing, he worked himself into a hip-bucking frenzy. ‘Lin, get those jeans off her. I want to see how wet she is.’

Carol grinned and dropped to all fours, enabling Lin to remove her jeans from behind. She used the time to stare at Niall, to watch him pull and twist and stroke. She became aware of her racing heartbeat and the tingle of lust coursing through her skin. Every nerve ending alive with desire.

He stared back, just as intense, sweat beading on his brow.

The jeans came down her thighs, taking soaking-wet knickers with them.

With a kick and a twist she too was naked, free to crawl back to the sofa and put her mouth around Niall’s straining length again.

Lin held up the knickers. ‘She’s very wet.’

Glancing over her shoulder, Carol saw Lin raise the damp fabric to her face and lick it.

‘Wow,’ she whispered, ‘that is sexy.’

Niall hissed and shoved his hands into her hair, guiding her head into a bobbing rhythm.

Next, Lin’s hands came into play. A warm palm. A long finger, stroking up then down the slick wetness hidden between Carol’s thighs.

She spread her legs wider to let Lin squeeze into the space between them. The other woman now lay on her back beneath her and Carol lifted herself higher on her knees to give her room.

Her body bucked when the tactic between her legs changed. Slender fingers pulled away and, in their place, Lin’s tongue took over.

About Raven ShadowHawk:
Raven ShadowHawk lives in Leicester (UK) with her twin sons (Sprog1 andSprog2), her partner (The Funk Master) and a stubbornly barren dwarf lemon tree. She worked in finance for seven years after leaving university before leaving and turning to writing as a means to earn a living.

Under this pen name, Raven writes her own ‘brand’ erotica known as Smut With Brains and shares a blog with her ‘other half.’ She also contributes regularly to the blogs of Phoenix Writers, the Phoenix Writers Subs Club and Creative Frontiers. She is also content manager and chief editor for the new ezines Fab Fables, produced by Creative Frontiers.

Having decided to avoid the traditional publishing route, Raven operates her own publishing label, Little Vamp Press. She has released four of the six titles in the series Meeting Each Other with the last two to follow by spring 2015.

Her debut novella Slippers & Chains: Sugar Dust (an erotic comedy-drama featuring D/s couple Daniel Scotney and Karen Owusu) will be released by Breathless Press in 2015.

Find Carol, Niall & Lin online:

Amazon ♥ Smashwords

Connect with Raven:

Twitter ♥ Facebook ♥ Website ♥ Blog ♥ Goodreads ♥ Mailing List

Inseparable by Bella Chal

Genre:
Erotic Romance

Michael's Synopsis:
Jack is a successful oilfield services salesman who’s just been left by his wife Sophie, who has taken the kids and set out to make Jack’s life hell. Julie is a talented but poor girl he meets when his daughter leaves her shoes at the activity center where she works. When Jack, in the grip of depression, makes an awkward pass at Julie, she’s insulted and offended—yet somehow these two hit it off. But their budding romance is threatened by Sophie’s continuing campaign to destroy Jack’s life.

Michael's Review:
This is a well-written book that I read through in one sitting because I wanted to see how it came out. Jack and Julie are interesting, complex characters that I enjoyed reading about, and the writing is full of vivid, realistic details that added a lot to the story. The sex is well done and original, and unlike some erotic romances I’ve read, doesn’t overpower the story despite the heat (unlike some pieces I’ve read where the story is just there to hold the sex scenes together). Definitely worth the read.

Interview with Bella Chal:
What inspired you to become a writer?
I've always written, but for the last twenty years it's mostly been documentation and reports. I began writing fiction again in December 2012 by tackling a large story I'd always dreamed of writing... and failed utterly. I had completely underestimated how difficult good storytelling can be.

What made you want to write erotica?
Challenged by my failure, I tried writing shorter practice stories to improve my descriptions, dialog, and plotting skills. These stories started off as little erotic vignettes and romantic scenes. As I improved, I tried tying them together in longer serial stories. When I started posting them online, I was happy to discover readers really connected with the stories and characters. That's when I decided to publish one of my stories which became Inseparable.

What does your writing area look like?
My writing area is just a thin silver laptop I take everywhere. I write during lunch and most evenings sitting beside my spouse on our couch. I have two small children at home, so my time is limited, but I've still managed to average about 800 words a day over the last couple of years.

How did you come up with your title?
I didn't, believe it or not! My publisher, Pub Yourself Press, did a fantastic job creating the perfect cover and title for the book. In fact, the whole editing and publishing process was a dream with them.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
Both, but at different times. Sometimes when I start with a story idea, I need to get in the main characters' heads before I can see where the story should go. Sometimes I write and throw away 30,000 words to get their voices and motivations clear in my mind. Then I jot down the major plot points and character moments in a rough chapter outline. When I start writing, the ideas firm up and I begin to detail out scenes and transitions.

How did you bring life to your characters?
I outline a few key characteristics and motivations to start with for each major point-of-view character. Then I determine where I want the be from and live, then start writing practice scenes where I imagine them interacting. Sometimes these practice scenes make it in the book, but even if I throw them away it helps create a unique voice for them to tell their story.

Do you write under a pen name?
A number of them, actually, but I'll never tell which one is the real me!

What was the best writing advice that someone has ever given to you?
Keep emotional distance from your story and characters. When your editor tells you particular characters, scenes, or chapters need to be cut or rewritten you can do it easier. Falling in love with your own words seems romantic, but the truth is some of my favorite bits only ever worked in my head. On the page they came off completely wrong, so I learned to keep my distance and trust my editor. I think my writing is better for it.

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
I write stories about people you could imagine running into at the mall or grocery store. They aren't perfect, or rich, or supernaturally endowed, so for me the trick has been to make the characters relatable and sympathetic. The focus is on romance themes and explicit sex, but it's the character growth throughout the story that I work hardest on.

What is your favorite thing about being an Indie writer?
The writing! I've learned so much telling stories that it's like peeking behind the curtain at the theater when I was little and seeing the sets, lights, and actors. There are so many interesting things I can see authors do with dialog, description, and plots now that I was never aware of before. Storytelling is an art and I'm having the time of my life learning about it!

About Bella Chal:
Bella Chal writes new adult erotic romance from a comfortable couch in the southern United States. Outside of writing, Bella spends time with family and friends, drinking wine, and plotting to take over the world.

Find Inseparable at these Locations:

Amazon ♥ Goodreads

Connect with Bella Chal:

Twitter ♥ Website ♥ Goodreads

Guest Post by Andrew Smith

Creating Erotic Stories

I write erotic short fiction. I've been doing it for about 10 years now. I blog my writing and share it for anyone who wants to read it and enjoy it. I am sometimes asked how I create my stories. Where do they come from? Today, I hope to answer that question.

I'm going to take a story I wrote, Mustard on His Tie, and explain how I came to create the erotic scene.

I get story ideas from all sorts of places. Sometimes, I'll be sitting waiting for my coffee and see someone in an interesting outfit or a great pair of shoes and my mind will wander. If I can feel a complete story coming on, I'll write it down.

Sometimes, I meet someone through my work and find them intriguing. Then, I'll imagine a sexual scenario involving them. Maybe an interview or a business trip.

And, in the case of Mustard on His Tie, I created the story after browsing Craigslist and responding to an ad.

Having always noticed the personals section on Craigslist, I browse there from time to time, mainly for entertainment. In the case of this story, I responded to an ad posted by a woman claiming to attend a local college. I thought I'd see what happened.

She responded. But, I wanted to be sure she was real. I didn't plan to meet her, but the idea of a meeting between two strangers from Craigslist piqued my interest.

I asked her for some pictures, and she sent back five. I remember them well, mainly because one was very clearly a picture of her and a friend on prom night.

I asked her a couple questions about the area to confirm she at least was somewhat legitimate. I told her I would let her know if I wanted to meet sometime in the next week or so.

The exchange started a thought process. Who are the young women posting on craigslist or backpage looking to meet men? What is their situation?

And, who are the men who respond and actually meet them?

In this case, I imagined a man in a mid-level job who had a pretty good life but was not entirely happy. He needed more attention that he didn't know how to ask for.

I started the story with this man reaching for a tie and then seeing a stain which triggered a memory. A memory of eating cheeseburgers but also of what had happened just before.

This is the man who responds to the college girl. This is the man she agrees to meet. She agrees because his pictures look nice, he writes in complete sentences, and he seems to care about her situation.

The girl is young. Not yet 20. And she comes from a working class family. Her family is barely able to send her to college. And she has what she needs, but certainly wants just a little more.

She's had a few sexual partners and enjoys her sexuality, but is not completely fulfilled. So, she decides to see if she can both earn a little money for school and satisfy her physical needs. She wants to be careful, but she's also willing to take some risks if it makes her situation a little easier to bear.

As I write most stories, I end up taking on the role of the male. That may seem like the easy way out, but it's what I have experience with. Yes, I try to write about what the female character is thinking and feeling, but in the moment, while I'm writing, I almost always become the male character.

I find writing erotica wildly arousing. Yes, it is fantasy. But that means things go the way you want. Though in the Mustard on His Tie story, the situation surrounding the sex is less than perfect.

As I start writing and get into a story, I always become aroused. I have finished many of my stories with a stain of pre-cum all the way through to my pants because I'm so aroused. I sometimes get the sensation that I'm physically connected to the woman in the story. That she is there. I have never had an orgasm just from writing a story, but I have often had amazing orgasms while masturbating after finishing.

I find the entire process exhilarating. From gaining pieces that contribute to a story's framework to starting to write, to feeling wildly aroused as I write and especially when I"m finished.

Each story, to me, is like the first time having sex with someone new. It can be frustrating and awkward but also intense and incredibly exciting. The new smells, tastes, sensations of a new person connecting with your body. That's what happens when I write and it is why I keep writing.

Spotlight: Taken By The Huntsman by Mistral Dawn

Synopsis:
Discarded and ignored by those around her for most of her life, Cassie is a lonely human woman struggling to find her place in the world and meaning in her life. Cadeyrn is the Erlking, the leader of the Wild Hunt, a hundreds of thousands of years old Fae who has always known his purpose. He has spent his entire long existence tracking the criminals of Fairie and punishing them for their crimes.

While hunting for the murderer of a child who has escaped to Earth Cadeyrn comes across Cassie and realizes that she is the one that the great mother goddess has designated as his soul mate. He kidnaps her and takes her to his fortress in Fairie to protect her from his many enemies. He knows she will be angry and that he'll have to work to earn her trust, but he finds his task to be even more challenging than he had thought it would be due to Cassie's difficulty in opening her heart.

Will Cadeyrn be able to convince Cassie that the bond between them is real and earn her love?

Excerpt:
He leaned down to look into her face as she passed and it hit him: the Siorghra, literally, 'eternal love,' the bond between Fae who were Anamchara (soul mates). He’d heard of it, of course, all Fae knew of the Siorghra and hoped one day to feel its sweet sting, but after so long? And with a human? Impossible! He had never heard of a Fae finding their Anamchara in a human, not in all the millennia of his existence. Long ago some of the Fae had kidnapped humans and brought them to Fairie as mates or as servants, but even in the cases when the Fae and the human had felt the deepest of love for each other he had never heard of them forming the Siorghra. And yet it was unmistakable.
The Erlking looked into the human woman’s eyes, blue eyes that sparkled like the darkest sapphires, and felt a devotion unlike any he had ever felt in his very long life. His connection to this woman, who he had never even spoken to, was stronger even than his connection to the Wild Hunt. He hadn’t even thought that possible! He thought to wonder if this was some sort of spell cast by Griogal to distract him from the hunt, but no, Griogal was Sidhe and it was Pixies who had power for love and lust charms. No Pixie would aid one who had slain one of their children and even if they would, no love charm could be mistaken for the Siorghra. Dea Matrona (the great mother goddess) had created the Siorghra so that the Fae would always know when they had found their perfect match; she had made it so that all Fae would instantly know what it was when they felt it. She would never allow a cretin like Griogal to pervert such a magic for his own petty uses. No, this woman must truly be his Anamchara.

There was no question in the Erlking’s mind about what must be done next. All Fae only ever received one Anamchara; he could not possibly leave her in the human world. Aside from all of the perils she would face as part of her human existence, just being his Anamchara would make her a target for his enemies…and he had many enemies. Several hundred thousand years as the final arbiter of Fairie had resulted in more than one Fae holding a grudge against him; and along with their very long lives Fae had very long memories.

He would need to immediately take her and bring her to his fortress in Fairie. There only those who were oath bound to him would have access to her. It was possible for a Fae to break an oath, of course, but if they did so they were subject to vengeance from the Wild Hunt. Thus far none had ever broken an oath to the Erlking.

Author Interview:
Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
Yes, I'm dyslexic and I had a really hard time learning how to read when I was a kid. Timothy Zahn's continuation of the Star Wars series is probably the reason I'm literate today. If my imagination hadn't been captured by the characters and universe that George Lucas created and Timothy Zahn expanded on it's possible I wouldn't have had the motivation to expend the effort it took for me to learn to read. So thank you to both of those gentlemen. :-)

What is your favorite part of being an author?
Having my characters drop in at random times for a chat. Sometimes they can be very persistent, but it's always interesting to hear their thoughts about where the story needs to go. I can be doing the most mundane thing (cleaning house, driving to work, etc.) and all of the sudden a resident of Fairie (or three) will stop by and give me their opinion(s) (in no uncertain terms! ;-)) about what needs to happen next or how a scene needs to unfold. It's exhausting at times, but interesting. :-)

Do you have a day job as well?
Yes, I work full-time in a hospital and I attend graduate school. So if I'm slow about getting my next book out I apologize, but it is coming. Promise! :-)

What is the hardest and easiest part about being an erotica writer?
The hardest and easiest part of being an erotica author is writing the sex scenes. OMG! They are so much fun to write! After all, who wouldn't enjoy letting their wildest sexual fantasies run wild through their head? ;-) But sometimes it's hard to rein them back in to the realm of the possible. Also, I'm a woman so I've never made love as a man. What do men think about during sex? How does it feel to them? How, exactly, does one make love to a woman? These are all important questions! And has anyone ever noticed that many men have difficulty expressing feelings in words? I need input people! ;-)

How hard was it to come up with characters?
So far I haven't had any trouble coming up with characters; they've all come up and introduced themselves rather forcefully. ;-) Well, I can't blame them, no one likes to be ignored. Plus some of my beta readers have been kind enough to become so enthusiastic about my stories that they've asked to be included in them, so some of my characters are based on real people (can you guess which ones? ;-)). The only real trouble I've had with characters is coming up with names for them. Sometimes they aren't cooperative enough to give me their names and I have to guess. Picking just one word to describe a person is often not all that easy. Oh, and I also sometimes have trouble getting them to leave me alone when I'm trying to sleep. ;-)

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration for your writing?
Well, the inspiration for my first book (Taken By The Huntsman) came from a dream I had after a rather spirited debate with an online friend about the nature of consent (and some other political issues I won't bore you with). When I woke up I thought about the dream and realized it might make an interesting story (as well as provide me with a soap box ;-)). I texted a friend and asked her if she thought the idea had merit. She said she did and so I wrote the first couple of chapters and emailed them to her asking her to read them and tell me if she was bored yet. She was kind enough to say that she wasn't bored and that she'd like to read the rest of the story, so I wrote it. The ideas for the next few books and short stories came from characters who came to me and told me that they deserved a story too, and it was my job to write them. So I will! :-)

For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
First off, it's not just a bunch of sex scenes strung together. I spent a lot of time setting up the story and explaining "my world," so you'll have to read about 60% through it before you get to the steamy bits. It's my opinion that it's important for the reader to spend enough time with the characters to get to know them a bit so they care about the emotional turmoil they are experiencing, but I know that's not what everyone is looking for. There are some BDSM elements in Taken By The Huntsman and I hope to explore those a little bit more in my next book. There are also a couple of gory scenes, so be prepared for that. All-in-all though, if you like fantasy romance stories and aren't offended by a bit of kink I think you'll enjoy it. I'd love it if you'd let me know one way or the other. :-)

What is your favorite thing about being an Indie writer?
Having an outlet for my creative energies. Both my job and my school work are rather technical and precise in nature. It's important to get them exactly right, there's not much margin for error, and following established procedures and protocols is crucial; people's lives depend on it. Writing allows me to step outside of the box and just go where my imagination takes me. It's very liberating. :-)

Will you have a new book coming out soon? Can you tell us about it?
I hope to have my next book out by the beginning of 2015 (no promises). It will be the story of Uaine, Fairie's Summer Court prince, and Veronica (Roni), a human petty thief and con artist, who are united by a magical bond created by Fairie's great mother goddess. I've only just started writing it, but you can read the first couple of paragraphs on my Facebook page and I'll try to post updates as I write it.

Anything you want to say to your readers?
Thank you so much for reading my book!! I appreciate the fact that you've given your time and your money to experience my work; it humbles me that you have been willing to do so. I value all of your feedback, both good and bad, because it can only make me a better writer and help me create a better product for you to enjoy. So thank you, as far as I'm concerned you're totally awesome! :-)"

About the Author:
Mistral Dawn is a thirty-something gal who has lived on both coasts of the US but somehow never in the middle. She currently resides in the Southeast US with her kitty cats (please spay or neuter! :-)) where she works as a hospital drudge and attends graduate school. This is her first effort at writing fiction and if it is well received she has ideas for several more novels and short-stories in this series.

She just started Twittering and she is still figuring out this whole Facebook thing (feel free to contact her, but until she figures out how it works, exactly, she'll have to beg your pardon if she accidentally doesn't "friend" you (is that the right word?)), but you may contact her at mistralkdawn@gmail.com and she would love to hear from you. She thanks you humbly for purchasing and reading her first book and hopes you will do her the honor of rating and reviewing her work. :-)

For a free sample of the first chapter of Taken By The Huntsman and sneak peaks of and updates about her second book, check out Mistral Dawn's Facebook page.

Find Taken By The Huntsman Online:

Amazon ♥ Smashwords

Connect with Mistral Dawn:

Twitter ♥  Facebok 

The Main Attraction: Tiffany Hypnotized by Megan Wyndham

Genre:
Hypnosis/mind control/exhibitionism

Michael's Synopsis:
Tiffany, her husband Heath, and a group of their friends visit a comedy club one night where the main attraction is a hypnotist with a dirty mind. Before long, they’ve all lost control of themselves, and are compelled to put on an x-rated exhibition for the crowd.

Michael's Review:
If you’re into humiliation, exhibitionism, and loss of control, this short piece should be right up your alley. The sex here is fairly light, with the story focusing mainly on Tiffany repeatedly finding herself in one embarrassing situation after another, being forced to orgasm on command and run around naked. The writing is clean with a minimum of errors, and things move along at a brisk clip.

Interview with Megan Wyndham:
What makes your book so different from all the books out there? 
There just aren't that many books that go into the idea of: "What would happen if a risque hypnotist let out ALL the stops and the participants had every sexual inhibition lifted..?"

I know I've had that fantasy ever since I first saw a black and white show on TV that showed a married couple getting hypnotized on stage...

What made you want to write erotica?
It's so easy and natural. With literature.. well, everyone knows there's no market for literature. With genre fiction, particularly sci-fi and fantasy, you have to create entire worlds. But with erotica, you can just get right into the crafting of a story that hopefully connects with people on a physical and emotional level.

Do you ever experience writer’s block?
All the time! That's when I backup and try to figure out why I'm stuck and what got me to the place that I need to fix. Normally a story flows with a certain vision and if that stops then I need to find out where the story got off track.

What was the best writing advice that someone has ever given to you?
Elaborate! I have a tendency to focus too much on what is done and what is said and not enough on what the world around the characters is doing.

Is there a genre you could never write? Which and why?
Sure -horror. Because scary things scare the hell out of me! ;)

Where do you get your ideas/inspiration for your writing?
In erotica, it's from the world around me. So far, I haven't really gone into any type of the "non-mainstream" erotica, like sasquatch sex and the like. ;) Sometimes, just the picture of a guy and a girl in a sensual pose can give me an idea on their entire story.

How did you come up with your title?
It often takes a lot of work to come up with a good title. Unlike the cliche, people DO judge books by their covers. A bad title can kill a book.I wanted to get across the idea that though Tiffany went to the comedy club to be entertained - she in fact, became, not only the entertainment, but the high light of the entire show. Thus - ""The Main Attraction"". I had thought of ""The Main Event"" but the sound of that wrestling announcers voice kept going through my head. ;)

What is your favorite thing about being an Indie writer?
Freedom. The speed at which I can get the finished product in front of readers. The control over the direction of the story and plot and seeing my vision to completion.

Do you work with an outline, or just write?
An outline. I've tried to wing it, and it can work for a one-off short story, but fact is, if you want to go into longer pursuits, if you don't have an idea of what you're writing towards, you never get there. It'd be like leaving your house to go on vacation, yet, not knowing how long you're leaving for, so you don't pack anything, and you don't know where you're going, so you don't know if you need a swimming suit or snow skis, and finally, you don't know if you need plane tickets or a full-tank of gas. It'd be insane.

A writer should know the last scene of her book before she starts so that she ensures she gets there. If things change along the way, no worries, but at least it starts getting you in the right direction.

That also goes under the question "best writing advice" too.

How hard was it to come up with characters?
The characters are easy. It's doing mean things to them and then leaving a way for them to escape and save the day/live happily ever after that's hard. ;)

Find it on Amazon ♥ Visit Megan's Webpage