Monday, October 20, 2014

Morsel Monday: Seven Lovely Things

One Might say I'm paraphrasing Reed James in this introduction segment.  

I’ve been tagged by Reed James to participate in the Seven Lovely Things Blog Tour! You can read his Seven Lovely Things Blog Post here! In the past Reed made an appearance on my blog when I wrote a review on his book, Roleplay Gone Wrong.

The rules are simple, share 7 Lovely Facts about myself, nominate 15 blogs (or as many as possible) that I enjoy reading, and nominate those same 15 blogs to the do the same, linking back to my post.

So now you get to learn seven lovely things about the allusive pseudonym, Christina Harding:


  1. I am heads-over-heels in love with my hubby! I'll be a bit cliche and say he's my other half, and he makes me a better person. Every day I feel like one lucky girl because we managed to find each other.
  2. I am a graduate student, but I am also jack of all trades with talents in many areas. And so, despite reading and writing clearly being activities I enjoy, I am not studying the humanities!
  3. I am a guest blogger for Romance at Random of Random House, which makes me feel incredibly honored.
  4. I released my first erotic novelette in August, and (..........drumroll......) 
  5. I'm looking to release my next one in January 2015!! (yay for writing during Winter Break!)
  6. At the time of writing, I have ~10,000 followers on twitter, and I've only been on twitter for seven months!
  7. If you saw the real-me walking down the street, you probably would never guess I'm the brains behind Christina Harding. Encompassing this pseudonym has been strangely liberating for me.

And now for my nominations (in alphabetical order by first name):
  1. Angelica Siren: Author of Learning to Ride
  2. Billierosie: Author of Fetish Transcendence
  3. Bree Guildford: Author of Georgia Restrained, Zoe Spanked, and Guest Blogger
  4. Celia Dunroy: Author of She Craves the Satyr
  5. Henry Corrigan: Hosted me in a soon-to-be released author interview!
  6. Janey Rosen: Author of the Sebastian Trilogy
  7. Jeanie Grey: Hosted a guest post that I wrote. 
  8. Karena Marie: She is another erotic author who has helped me out a ton (behind the scenes). 
  9. Moctezuma Johnson: Author of The Book of Real and Imaginary Girlfriends and Triangulum Stain: Attack of the Replicating Alien Dildos
  10. N.C. Simmons: Author of The Chronicles of Staffordshire and Guest Blogger
  11. Roxy Hart: Hosted me in a soon-to-be released guest post!
  12. Roxy Katt: Author of The City Pony
  13. Roy Station: Author of The Cuckold Game
  14. Sarah Michelle Lynch: Author of A Fine Profession
  15. Storm Chase: Author of The Maid in the Cupboard and Pandora

    Friday, October 17, 2014

    F*ing Scott, Fitz, and Gerald by H.P. Xachariah

    Today I am reviewing a story from H.P. Xachariah's KafkaRotica:

    KafkaRotica’s Mission:
    The internet has plenty of porn—too much by some estimations. For those of us who want to get off (either alone or with a significant other) but also want to preserve our self-respect, there aren’t many good options. In porn and most published erotica, women are portrayed as weak, silly, and stupid—objects of male sexuality and nothing more.

    But great love (and loving) involves more than just the raw act itself. KafkaRotica is a clear, intelligent, and sexy voice in a sea of grunts, fake-orgasms, and unsexy stereotypes. We want our readers to explore their minds as well as their bodies, chuckling all the while.

    KafkaRotica’s content is comprised of original works by the site’s creator, H.P. Xachariah, and guest authors.

    F*ing Scott, Fitz, and Gerald

    Genre:
    Gay Threesome

    My Review:
    I was delighted to see the ways in which F*ing Scott, Fitz, and Gerald was inspired by The Great Gatsby. In only ~3000 words H. P. Xachariah manages to capture the essence of this great literary classic all the way down to using a similar voice for the narrator. However, as a piece of erotica, what really set F*ing Scott, Fitz, and Gerald apart in this genre is that it described gay sex. Until this story I’ve seen plenty of lesbian, but no gay, erotica. As promised in KafkaRotica’s mission, H. P. Xachariah clearly takes the time to create intelligent erotica, which takes the “path less traveled” within this genre.

    About the Author:
    H. P. Xachariah was born of cum, as so many are. At a young age, she discovered the beautiful prose and soft verses of poetry that have enabled her to be the prurient literary magnate that she is today. Some claim that at the age of 13, on the night of the autumnal equinox, Poseidon imbued her with the fearlessness of a shark, the grace of a dolphin, and the good taste of a jeweled umbrella squid. Deft in discourse, sublime in reason, skilled in all the arts of seduction, H. P. Xachariah takes it as well as she gives it.

    H. P. Xachariah was also born of the fires of a mighty dragon. Masculine, bold, intrepid—he battles the demons of our sexually repressed culture. Rumor has it he is a time traveler, hopping through the millennia to ensure human civilizations embrace their erotic urges in a responsible way. In the present day, he wields the pen as the sword, slaying those beasts that would enslave your minds in false chastity. He also enjoys gummy bears.

    Wednesday, October 15, 2014

    One Hot Night by Daisy Mae Jones


    Genre:
    Consensual Heterosexual

    Synopsis:
    Brie's never been the kind of girl that has one night stands, but when she meets Drew in a night club she finds that she wants to despite knowing she shouldn't. The attraction between the two of them leads to Brie wanting, and enjoying, a passionate night and having some new experiences...helped along by Drew.

    What starts as a one night stand now has the potential to be so much more...

    My Review:
    Brie and Drew barely know each other when they have sex for the first time. Even so, they are quick to discover they have strong chemistry. But this chemistry goes beyond screwing. They understand how to read each other’s wants and desires. They are genuinely attracted to each other. While this is a story of what typically would end as a one night stand, instead it’s a story of a romance growing out of very unlikely circumstances. One Hot Night is a sexy read for those who like their taboo as well as those who like their erotic romance.

    Friday, October 10, 2014

    Zoe: Spanked by Bree Guildford

    I would like to welcome Bree back to my blog! Last time I reviewed the first book in her series: Georgia: Restrained. Today, let's welcome Bree back for a review of her second book in her Georgia & Zoe series!

    Genre:
    Lesbian BDSM

    Synopsis:
    It is Georgia and Zoe's first official day as wife and wife. While Zoe sleeps, Georgia reflects on the night beforehand, and the way Zoe teased her until she really couldn't handle any more. Deciding it is only fair to get a little pay back on her beautiful, but naughty wife, Georgia takes matters into her own hands.

    Literally.

    After carefully tying a sleeping Zoe's hands to the headboard, and then waking her up in a rather vocal manner, Georgia proceeds to give Zoe the spanking of her life...

    My Review:
    In Zoe: Spanked Bree does an excellent job of catching the post-wedding glow of a newly married couple. Georgia and Zoe have a special spark and express their love selflessly and with ease. But that’s not to say this is a “soft” erotic story! Far from it, these two girls like their BDSM, and they enjoy pushing their limits. In some regard, this is intimate and loving in itself, for it’s clear these two women completely trust each other. This intimate aspect of BDSM is often lost in the erotic stories I read, but was particularly striking (no pun intended!) in Zoe: Spanked.

    Wednesday, October 8, 2014

    Fetish Transcendence by Billierosie

    I would like to welcome billierosie back to my blog. Last time I hosted her guest post, Incest: Keeping it in the Family. Today she's with us for a review of her book, Fetish Transcendence, and an author interview!

    Genre:
    Short Stories

    Synopsis:
    I am so pleased and happy to announce that my new book is out! Fetish Transcendence; the dark side of desire. The new collection of erotica from billierosie. Twelve stories; each story celebrating the magical, mystical diversity of human sexual experience. Those secrets and lies that we keep well hidden; that we dare not admit to ourselves, but make their presence felt through our fantasies and dreams. Dark desires that arouse in the heat of the night when our darker side cannot help but give in.

    There’s a potpourri of fetish within these pages; it’s a collection that will impress the connoisseur of erotic fiction and the new reader, whose only experience of erotica is Fifty Shades of Grey…You’ll find Dominants and their submissives in strange, unexpected places in Fetish Transcendence. The opening tale tells of Freddie, the security guard in an exclusive London store, who has a very creative way of dealing with shoplifters.

    Lovers, Allen and Clara elope, but there are dangers on the road to the little church where they can legally marry. In Fruits de Mer you’ll learn of Josiah’s exotic, erotic taste for les moules, while in Sherlock Holmes and the Curse of the Moonstone, Sherlock Holmes and Watson solve yet another intriguing mystery through the powerful force of outrageous sex.

    One dirty phone call precipitates another in Touch, while in Body Swap, Simon and Clarice turn their unique, extrasensory gift to their advantage; love and lust carries them through the generations. They have no fear of the tomb; they have defeated death itself.

    The rocky road to attaining sanctity is told through a terrible, sacrilegious confession to Father Abraham. It’s a confession of an abomination; an unspeakable sexual perversion that threatens the immortal soul.

    The heat of the crowd generates its own dark mood of erotica. There’s hardly any room to breathe let alone move. It’s hot and sweaty. Someone presses up close behind you; too close. You know exactly what is going on but you are powerless to stop it; to do anything about it. You can’t even turn around to confront your violator. Poor Julia! Will she ever get over the humiliation?

    And there’s a holiday romance; a romance with a difference for this submissive male and the Dominant woman who knows how he can achieve real pleasure.

    The two final tales tell of Anastasia; the lucky lady who inherits millions. You’d think she would be happy, but there is Marcus whom she adores, but who doesn’t want her. And driving the narrative there is a diary. A piece of pornography that teaches Anastasia about a long ago sexual awakening – an awakening worthy of the Marquis de Sade himself.

    Advance Praise:
    "This was my first read of a book by Billierosie, and armed with the knowledge that this lady pulls no punches I dived in! Each of the stories touch on edgy eroticism, blurring the lines in one or two places in a roller-coaster of a read. For those of you that like your fetish to be dark and dangerous you will LOVE this collection, and I would mark it down as a definite read as soon as you can! It's quirky, riveting, addictive and typical of the lady herself; VERY naughty!!"
    ~Dark Scribe reviewing at Amazon

    Author Interview:

    Can you describe your book in one sentence?
    I cannot possibly describe my book in one sentence! Fetish Transcendence is a collection of explicit, fetish themed erotic tales. The fetishes ranged from sexual power and control over another, necrophilia, food fetish – and there’s Sherlock Holmes and Watson indulging in outrageous Victorian depravity. There are 12 stories in all. Some of them are brand new; others have appeared in a few Sizzler Renaissance anthologies, but I must emphasise that none of them have appeared as “Free Reads” on Twitter.

    What was your favorite chapter (or part) to write and why?
    Oh, definitely the first story in the collection! “Security” is about a security guard in an exclusive store in London. Freddie, has his own unique form of justice for the shoplifters whom Freddie catches stealing from his store. There is one thief who has always eluded the security guards of London’s West End. They’ve named her “the Shadow” and Freddie would love to catch her. This tale first appeared in Sizzler’s “London” anthology – and it’s my favourite story because I was writing about a part of London I know well. Freddie’s depravity helped too – of course!

    CH For those who might consider reading your book, what would you tell them to expect?
    Well, lots of sex. I hope that they will enjoy my tales – I think that some of the stories will amuse, will certainly bring a smile to their faces. I think that quite a few readers will identify with the characters I’ve created – I’m thinking of two brand new stories here, right at the end of the collection – “The Diary” and “Anastasia,” the protagonist is a woman on the receiving end of a man exerting absolute power and control over her – it’s a situation that I can identify with – I think that some of my readers will too. Maybe not to the extent of the character in my story, but enough to have a resonance of how power and control manifests. And I think that some readers will identify with the character in another way -- the woman in the story is turned on by her situation. Being controlled sexually is, even humiliated sexually, is a fetish for many men and women.

    Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
    Just write…and write!

    CH What made you want to write erotica?
    I’ve always loved Romance novels…I think that the Victorian writers first introduced me to the genre -- Charlotte, Emily and Anne Bronte, I love their work. And more than that, I love their bad boy heroes. Rochester, Heathcliffe and Anne Bronte’s hero, Gilbert Markham. Men who know what they want, and get it, creating the rules as they go. After university, I fell into reading 21st century Romance novels, but they dissatisfied me. I wanted men, and women who are not afraid to be different as to how they express their sexuality. I read a Mills and Boon writer, Samantha Hunter, who was not afraid to call a cock a cock and I realised that there was a whole genre of Romance that I was missing out on. I Googled Erotica – and wow, it was like coming home! I read and read as fast as the post woman could deliver them – I discovered what I liked to read – power exchanges, particularly sexual power exchanges. Through those books, there was one writer who stood out – M.Christian. I checked out his blog and emailed him about one of his books. He responded, and we’ve been friends ever since. In fact, it was Chris who first encouraged me to write Erotica and he published my first story on his blog. Chris’ work is one of the reasons why I hate 50 Shades so much. There have been so many great writers of Erotica over the years. Not just Chris; there’s Patrick Califia, N.T.Morley…check out his Master/slave anthology, Kristina Wright, her short story, “In the Stacks” blew me away – there’s so many of them and they’ve never really gained much recognition. People who think that E.L.James’ silly book is Erotica should read some real Erotica – where the characters accept their sexual orientation as something special, not something to be “cured”.  And I am not talking about my books, before “Anon” begins penning hate-mail to my blog -- there’s some really great Erotica out there and you don’t have to do a lot of leg work. Just do as I did; type “Erotica” into your favourite search engine and be amazed.  But I was talking about 50 Shades; E.L James’ heroine, by the end of the first book, is determined to cure Christian Grey of his Fetish – I don’t know whether she succeeds; the book actually bored me, particularly that turgid contract, which has been duplicated from Leopold von Sacher-Masoch’s Venus in Furs, published in 1870. I never got beyond the first book of 50 Shades, one book of drivel is as much as I can take. I think that the reason for E.L.James’ success is her background in marketing – ‘it’s not what you know, but who you know.’

    Where do you get your ideas/inspiration for your writing?
    Everywhere! Stories in the media; magazines, newspapers, television. You see power exchanges everywhere. But sometimes I just think, “what if?” What if a couple, who have been married for years are bored with their sex lives? This was the basis for my short story “Dissonance”. The husband tells his wife that he feels suffocated by the dull routine they have slipped in to. And their dialogue is what tells the story – it’s a free read on Twitter.

    What does your writing area look like?
    A disorganised mess. You’d think with all the sophisticated systems we’ve got these days – files that we can access with a click of the mouse, I’d have everything in order in my Desktop. But not so…I create files, then forget what I’ve called them. But what adds to the disorganisation is that I write things down on bits of paper. It might be a quote, or a phrase, or an idea – but when I want to get my hands on something, it’s nearly impossible, because of the piles of junk I have to go through.

    I’d like to be able to tell you that everything is immaculate at my work station, but it is not, my work station looks like something out of the TV show, Storage Wars!

    We see you on Twitter a lot – some of your Tweets talk about writing to arouse -- are you teasing future readers? Are you hoping that your readers will be turned on?
    Oh, it’s absolutely true – I do write to arouse and yes, I am teasing too. I found out, when I was reading Romance and when I discovered Erotica, I found out what turned me on. And I realised that if I can identify with a writer in that way, well it must be something that other readers want as well. But I’m still learning – I’ve only been a published writer for 4 years and I’ve got a lot to learn – I don’t think I’ll ever stop learning, and wanting to learn.

    So, do you get turned on by your stories?
    Yes, I do! I get very excited too, when I can feel that a story is going really well. Writing Erotica, for me, is about embracing my own kinks and dark, very dark sometimes, desires. Even as a small child, I could relate to masochistic ideas; my first fantasy was about being spanked, hard. I remember watching an old black and white film; I must have been about 8 or 9. I cannot recall the title, but it’s a cowboy western with John Wayne pursuing Maureen O’ Hara around the town. When he catches her, he puts her over his knee and spanks her. That was my first experience of sexual arousal and I would fantasise about being spanked at night when I was in my bed. And there’s an Elvis Presley film, Blue Hawaii, where Elvis puts a spoilt woman over his knee and spanks her. I was a teen when I saw that film and the spanking scene really did turn me on.

    Do you think it is necessary for an Erotica writer to be turned on by the events in a story?
    Well, I can’t speak for anyone else, but my own arousal informs my writing. I think that if I didn’t get turned on, my writing would lack authenticity and my readers would see through me and know that I was a fake.

    In your Fem/Dom tales, where are you in the stories? Your writing is often brutal; the men in the tales are completely turned on by the pain and humiliation. Are you the woman wielding the whip?
    No, I am writing from the submissive’s point of view. That is me in the story being punished and begging for release. Being controlled sexually, like being forbidden orgasm, is a big turn on for a lot of people – men and women.

    Anything you want to say to your readers?
    Thank you for reading me!

    About the author:
    People fascinate billierosie. What makes them tick; what are their secrets and lies. The effete guy in the bank; the blonde lady shopping in the supermarket, the elderly lady living in a care home. What stories could they tell? Perhaps erotic stories of sex, intrigue and fetish?

    And fetish is high on billierosie’s agenda. The strange, haunting stuff that informs our darkest desires. It could be fur or feathers. Shoes, silk stockings, or toes. Poop or pee. An amputee’s stump. If we made a list it would go on for ever.

    billierosie has been writing erotica for about five years; she has been published by Oysters and Chocolate, “The Wedding Dress.” Logical Lust accepted her story “Retribution” for their “Best S&M 3 anthology. She has also been published by Sizzler, in their “Pirate Booty” anthology. Also in their Sherlock Holmes anthology, “My Love of all that is Bizarre.” She is in Sizzler’s latest anthology; “Hunger” and she has been accepted for a new anthology to be published later this year by Sizzler, erotic tales of London town. She also has a collection of short, erotic stories, “Fetish Worship,” available as a download at Sizzler Editions and Amazon.

    She has two novellas, both published by Sizzler Editions in 2012. They are available now as downloads; “Memoirs of a Sex Slave”. And “Enslaving Eli. billierosie also has a bdsm book out Rebellious Slave; Fetish Transcendence is her most recent publication.

    billierosie lives in a pretty village in England. She doesn’t fit with village life; certainly not the Women’s Institute. billierosie loves the theatre, Art, film, books and all things eccentric. billierosie plans to have fun and stay young, writing pornography.

    My Review:
    Fetish Transcendence is a series of short stories depicting a wide variety of fetishes. These fetishes range from the mysterious, horror, obsessive, and criminal. For those who love their fetishes, and who are interested in discovering new fetishes, this is an enlightening read.

    Perhaps my favorite short within this series was the last one, Anastasia. This story gave an interesting peek into how psychology motivates a character’s actions. What’s truly fascinating Anastasia is she’s able to identify in other people the pitfalls of her disorder, but can’t recognize it for herself. In addition to including BDSM, Anastasia also gives the reader some “food for thought.”

    What an intriguing set of stories!

    Where to find billierosie:

    billierosie can be found at her blog – www.billierosie.blogspot.com
    She is Billierosie author on Facebook and @jojojojude on Twitter.

    Where to find billierosie's books:

    Fetish Transcendence (a collection of explicit erotica) is at Amazon U.K. http://alturl.com/ycc6c
    And at Amazon U.S.  http://alturl.com/5mb7y

    Memoirs of a Sex Slave; the confessions of a submissive woman is at Amazon U.K;

    Enslaving Eli, (A Fem/Dom tale) is at Amazon U.K.  http://alturl.com/sqs6t
    And at Amazon U.S. http://alturl.com/vb4p2

    Rebellious Slave (a Fem/Dom tale) is at Amazon U.K. http://alturl.com/32kvu
    And at Amazon U.S. http://alturl.com/94wcb

    Friday, October 3, 2014

    Dangerous Harmony by DM Cobray

    Genre:
    Short Stories

    Synopsis:
    Five grown women. Five different cities. Five hot stories. One grand conspiracy.

    Allie, a young widow, plays games with her very secret love in the backyard at night.
    Nichole -- after a divorce -- realizes she’s suddenly become a rock groupie once again.
    Kristi, the yoga CEO, rekindles with Julio as they fight for the return of her kidnapped son.
    Ashley must either have hot, satisfying sex or face sudden death by a rare illness.
    Jeanette the CIA chief is keeping an eye on all of them -- when she’s not in bondage.

    Through constant erotic adventures and dangerous thrills, they’re all gradually being pulled into a plot full of government spies, Mexican drug cartels, defrocked priests, rock bands and big money.

    It’s all building up to a shocking climax. Join in with the sounds of Dangerous Harmony.

    Excerpt:
    From “Rocky Point”, the third chapter in Dangerous Harmony: Prelude:

    “I never thought I’d see you back here,” he said.

    “I’ve been back a few times over the years,” said Kristi.

    “But you never looked me up until now.”

    “My life’s different.” A hint of tenderness crept into her voice–as though she wondered what she could still recapture from those wild days.

    “Mine’s about the same,” said Julio, laughing. His hands were folded behind his head.

    “I believe it,” said Kristi with a smile.

    “I haven’t changed much. Still just a hustler.”

    “Like you always were,” said Kristi. She knew he was still a hustler in more ways than he ever would admit to her right then, but she didn’t care. That was Julio.

    “Yeah, more or less,” he said with a shrug.

    “I hustle yoga pants now,” said Kristi with a little sardonic smile.

    “Like these?” said Julio, allowing his hand to stroke her thigh.

    “Yes .” Kristi smiled. She wondered if she should give in so willingly when her son’s life hung in the balance.

    She thought to herself that really, there was always a price to be paid. And Julio was helping her find her son. There was only a little conflict in her mind that she had to deliberately set aside–something about how it wasn’t really a price if she had been willing to grant it to him all along.

    “What do they call these?” he asked, gently stroking the fabric of the tight pants covering her hips, allowing the tips of his fingers to linger near her waistline.

    She smiled at this amusing opportunity to go into her sales pitch. “Well, I’m glad you asked. These are the RaRaRadish SuperLeggara tights. They’re available in a variety of colors. They wick moisture away for a cooling effect, and they’re odor-resistant. Did you want a pair for yourself?”

    “Well, Sirenita,” said Julio with a familiar, wry curl to his lips, “I don’t remember that odor thing being such a problem with you, but maybe, you know, that that you’re older and …” He laughed.

    “Oh fuck you, please. You’re the one with the fucking smelly feet! Your feet probably still stink like death.”

    “My feet smell fine, Sirenita! Here, smell them.” He acted like he was going to lift his foot to her nose.

    “Fuck you, you fucking cholo…” She pushed his foot away, but in grabbing his ankle, something happened.

    She rolled to face him. Their lips met. Her hand raced down his muscled chest. His hand covered her hip, then moved to her ass, sensuously squeezing her. She shuffled in closer to him, inhaling his scent, tasting his tongue. His hand traced a line up her side, lifting her tank top and revealing her breasts and pink nipples. He drew her close to him, panting as their tongues intertwined for the first time in fourteen years.

    Author Interview:
    Can you describe your book in one sentence?
    I sure can try. How about: “Dangerous Harmony is a cleverly intertwining combination of five separate erotic storylines all written to make your brain and various other parts of your body tingle.” Does that work? :-)

    What makes your book so different from all the books out there?
    Most of the erotica I’ve read has done a very good job of describing sex, and sometimes even does a decent job of developing character. But I’m into plot. I’m a plot person. I want the story to go somewhere and take me with it. And just like on a good vacation, I want to do something sexually adventuresome along the way. So when I started writing the individual stories, it occurred to me that it could be very cool and exciting to combine them into a single big storyline. It’s almost like a conspiracy work in that way. And I think that’s unusual in the genre.

    Tell us about your writing process.
    I start with a whisp of an idea. The first story to be written -- the first “part” if we’re going to go with the musical theme -- was the Allie story: The typical suburban mom having an atypical affair in her backyard after the kids get put to bed. From that grain of an idea, I do a synopsis. I write out a very rough description of what the story is about, as though I were describing it as a finishe product. Then I do an outline. I do them the same way now as I did them in 4th grade--separate stanzas for each “act”. Then I race to get a rough draft down on screen. I try not to stop until it’s finished. Once I have a first draft I have something to work with. Then the rewrites start, then the serious editing, then the proofreading and formatting. It’s fun but also exhausting.

    How did you bring life to your characters?
    Every character in the book is based on someone I’ve met, known, loved, and maybe even sometimes hated. I’m writing a blog entry on how difficult it is to write “strong” female characters that don’t all seem alike. I think of the women in the book, Nichole is strong in a different way than Kristi, who is different from Ashley. Allie the suburbanite will need to show her own strength in a different way. It’s important that each one be based on a distinct real-life model, and that all show flaws and weaknesses first, before their strengths. That’s how I tend to see people. When I meet someone new I look for the “flaws” not because I want to put them down, but because that’s how I know they are human. It’s much more interesting than being invincible all the time.

    Did you always know you wanted to be a writer?
    Yes, since I was about nine years old or so. I studied it in college. I took a detour through the corporate world for about twenty years before I decided I had seen enough. Now, I’m living my dream.

    Is there any particular author or book that influenced you in any way either growing up or as an adult?
    I remember my mother giving me a copy of “Delta of the Venus” by Anais Nin when I was about 18 or so. I’d say Anais is my great influence in the erotica world, though I can’t claim to equal her talent. My other influences include Faulkner, Walker Percy, and Phillip Roth. 

    Your thoughts on receiving book reviews - the good and the bad - 
    I am always very happy to get any review at all, even very negative ones. The only thing I care about is that my work get read. There are millions of words written each year with the best of intentions that will never be read by more than one or two people. If you buy my book and hate it, please share! Please tell me and the world why it was a horrible waste of time and money. I’ll try to do better next time if I can. I am just pleased as punch that you have me a few hours of your time and some space in your brain for a while. I know there’s a lot of competition for both. Good reviews are nice, too--of course.

    How do you feel about your life as a writer now? Do you regret any past decisions you’ve made?
    I am happy to wake up every morning to the sound of chickens somewhere outside, roll over, pick up my laptop, and go to “work”. It’s a wonderful life. My only regret is not writing constantly over the 20 years I was a prisoner in the world of cubes. I might not have left earlier, but I would have more of a back catalog by now.

    Do you have any advice for aspiring writers?
    Write every day. Even if just a little. Don’t get blocked. If you run into a wall on one story, start another. Just keep writing. Most of your waking hours should be spent writing, rewriting, or reading. Also, have fun with what you do. If it wasn’t fun to write, it likely won’t be fun to read.

    About the Author:
    DM Cobray grew up in the wilds of southern Arizona: home of rattlesnakes, coyotes, cowboys, beautiful vistas, and vineyards. After a long career plying the halls of money and power, DM now brings you thrillers full of torrid action. DM lives on small ranch with kids, chickens, goats, and a dog or two.

    My Review:
    Dangerous Harmony is unique in that it reads like a series of short stories, but it seems clear that all these stories are related somehow. Perhaps all these people know each other, or somehow interconnected? It is clear that there’s more than meets the eye regarding everyone who lives in this community. Each person has their own dark secrets, which Cobray explores in depth throughout this series. By putting each story together, we get a well-rounded view of what’s going on in this community. Cobray gracefully switches between the perspectives of each character in order to create an action packed series of erotic tales. The connection between each story only begins to come into focus towards the end, promising more from this author. 

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    Wednesday, October 1, 2014

    Guest Post: Pushing the Erotic Edge by NC Simmons

    I want to welcome Simmons back to this blog! In the past I've reviewed her novels Guardian Girl, Wild Wild Wives, and hosted an author interview. Today Simmons is back for her second guest post on this blog! You can read her first guest post here. This article first appeared on Simmons' Blog Risque Reveries.

    Pushing the Erotic Edge: Truth in Labeling

    Sex is simple.  Insert Tab P into Slot V.  Plunge.  Retreat.  Repeat.

    Though we erotic authors are always trying to find new ways to describe the basic act – new positions, new kinks, new fetishes – the underlying mechanics are the same.

    Doesn’t matter.  As a sub-species, erotic authors are positively obsessed with coitus.  We can’t get enough of it.  We imagine it, research it, and write about it over and over and over.  If you’re like me, you push yourself to envision, invent, and experiment with new and ever more creative methods of seasoning that simple act; with ropes, whips, handcuffs, paddles, and such.

    With my series, “The Chronicles of Staffordshire,” I push the kinky edge about as far as I feel comfortable, not because I set out to shock people, but because that was where the story took me.  At times I tiptoe at the precipice of the taboo, not because I have a penchant for taboo-busting, but because that was where the story took me. In the penultimate conflict in my fourth book, I fell over the edge of that precipice and dangled from the taboo cliff by my finely manicured digits.

    But my favorite erotic author raised a good point recently as we were discussing “Staffordshire.”  What she said as we dished about our erotic writings made me pause and reflect about some of the sex scenes I wrote.

    Have I gone to far?  Have I adequately warned the reader that my books push the edge?

    Many of the sexual encounters in “Staffordshire” series are tainted by a single character’s youthful indiscretion, a secret she has kept from everyone for decades.  That single secret impacts her lovers and her offspring over and over and over again.  Her secret finally comes full circle in the fourth book in the form of a dungeon conflict.  It is a sexual conflagration that for some readers might feel a little too taboo.  Although I believe the scene resolves in a redemptive, loving way – (I love happy endings!) – the journey might be a little dark – perhaps disturbing – even for some aficionados of dark erotica.

    My friend’s squeamishness when she heard about the scene gave me pause.  When she shared her heart and why even imagining that scene made her cringe, I took a long, deep breath.  No matter how redemptive or healing the outcome, I can see why the subject matter might be a little too tender for her tastes, even though she otherwise likes her erotica dark and dominant.

    As erotic authors we use the grand genre of “erotica” to cover a multitude of pursuits, ranging from the hopelessly romantic to the endlessly debauched.  The way-stations we visit as we sojourn through books labeled “erotica” can range from the mildly titillating to the graphically excessive, covering everything from vampires to gender swaps to Sci/Fi to S&M to D/s and everything in between.

    Including the taboo.

    But with so many niches in the genre, if a person picks up your book, first seeing the “erotica” label, what do they really expect to see?  The cover might give a hint, but not enough of one.  After all, one person’s Japanese Kinbaku rope fetish is another’s bondage nightmare.  One person’s “innocent,” consensual sex between non-blood step-siblings might be another’s reanimated horror of a childhood abuse.

    I suppose I am just now realizing, after thinking about my friend’s reaction, that it is important to do a better job of forewarning our readers of the minefields ahead.  Is it sufficient to disclaim, “M/F/M sex, Group Sex, BDSM themes, Profanity, and such” at the end of the jacket, pat our hands clean, and just walk away?  Or do we owe the reader a better form of spoiler-free warning, something that does a more effective job of hinting at the journey without giving away the itinerary?

    I now know that I will do better next time, with some non-spoiling language that does a better job of warning the reader that the journey may take them to some disturbing places, perhaps even places known as, “The Taboo.”  I’ll do it because even though we’re all big boys and girls, I still want to respect the reader and be certain they are adequately prepared for the journey ahead.