Could you be an exhibitionist? by Cassandra Carr

Could you be an exhibitionist?
by Cassandra Carr

A few days ago, myself and two fellow authors released an anthology called Public Displays of Eroticism. As you might guess from the title, it's about public displays. I think the idea of a public display of eroticism turns a lot of people on, but would they really do it? Would you?

In this book, the couples take public displays to an extreme, or watch other people take them to an extreme. Or both. I think if most of us were going to try outdoor sex, we'd choose, say, a car in a deserted parking lot off a seldom-traveled road, not a public park like our naughty couples do. But hey, you've gotta start somewhere.

Not everyone has the desire, and even if they have the desire, not everyone has the drive to be an exhibitionist. And that's okay. The world needs voyeurs too. ;-) KIDDING (no I'm not). So if you don't think you could drop trou in an alcove, or a bathroom, or a field, that doesn't make you a boring person. But if you can, it makes you an interesting person, at least in our book (literally). 

Here's a little introduction to each story in the anthology:

Public Displays of Eroticism

The secret fantasy, sex in a public place. One couple's sexual antics at a local park inspires four other couples to bare it all in the open air. Featuring short stories by Cassandra Carr, Jami Davenport and Cristal Ryder.

Back to Nature by Cassandra Carr

A sub and her Master play hooky to indulge their exhibitionism kink and unknowingly start an entire chain of events.

Hail Mari by Jami Davenport

Meeting Mari Simms for one night of hot sex each year for the past four years is no longer enough for Wyatt Bedford, a ten-year veteran of professional football. This time, he plans on telling her he wants more. While waiting for her in a park, he stumbles upon a sight that changes his game plan and takes their relationship to a whole new level. Can Wyatt and Mari find love in the final quarter with the clock ticking?

 

Taking it Outside by Cristal Ryder

Val sets up an afternoon of play with long-time boyfriend Tyler at a secluded beach.  After packing a goodie bag with playthings, she leaves a note for Tyler. While waiting for his arrival, through binoculars Val spots lovers on the distant shore, and when Tyler arrives, together they watch the couple. Voyeurism at its best. Turned on by watching the couple have sex, Val and Ty have their own public display of eroticism.

Taking their loving outside is a surprisingly erotic treat neither expected to enjoy as much as they do. But a bigger surprise awaits them, leaving them wondering if there is more to come.

A Whole New World by Cassandra Carr

After witnessing some dirty deeds in the woods, Miranda finds she has some kinks she didn't know about and discovers her boyfriend, Ross, is more than happy to help her explore them.

In the Open by Jami Davenport

Once a year, Jaid Angelini takes a break from her demanding career as a criminal defense attorney for a night of passion with young, hot pro-football player Alex Greeley. Despite misgivings about their age difference, Jaid desires a more permanent relationship and concocts a scheme to brand her name on his heart. After witnessing an exhibitionist couple in the park, her plan takes a turn toward the great outdoors. Will Alex and Jaid finally go for the long bomb or settle for minimum yardage?

And an excerpt from the first story, Back to Nature, which jump-starts the other four:

We make the short drive to the lake and park the car. Dmitri takes my hand as we stroll around the perimeter.

He soon pulls me out onto one of many scenic points overlooking the lake, and places me in front of him so we’re both facing the pristine, peaceful view. His erection nestles into my bottom as his hands steal underneath my shirt, kneading my breasts. Dmitri pulls the shirt up to expose me and I dart a quick glance around, wondering if the hikers at the other overlooks around the lake can see me. I lean my head back on his shoulder like I know he wants me to as he pinches and tweaks my nipples.

Turning me around, he grabs me and lifts me to his pelvis briefly before setting me back on my feet. He leans down and re-wets the front of my shirt as he sucks on my nipples again. I moan, grabbing Dmitri’s head. A twig snaps and I look around him to see another couple about fifty feet away. They avert their eyes and walk past the overlook. As the exhibitionist in me comes alive, I grin and Dmitri’s head moves to my other breast.

So, could you be an exhibitionist?

Six Sentence Sunday

From the Hellfire Ranch Book 1:

“They’re just eyes.”

“Bullshit, darlin’. They’re the kind of eyes men long to get lost in. The kind that will make him forget everything but you and what you want.”

She felt another blush rise and cursed the flare as she wasn’t used to compliments or this kind of flattery.

“One’s fake,” she blurted out. 

Ready? Set. WRITE!

A friend of mine attended his very first writer’s conference this weekend and was blown away. He came back literally shell-shocked and walking like he had two pounds of sand in one shoe, a fifth of vodka in his gut, a smile to rival any toothpaste ad and a maniacal, calculating gleam in his eye.

Most writers know this gleam. It’s the “Wait! I’m having an idea/epiphany/discussion with my characters” gleam. I’ve been known to drift off from the middle of a conversation when struck by this gleam. It usually happens when I’m at a restaurant with my son and we’re discussion myriad topics. He’ll sigh and hand me a napkin knowing I’ll soon be scribbling down whatever idea popped into my head.

photo courtesy of Kriss Szkurlatowski at www.12frames.eu

In light of his awesome experience and the rush that comes from knowing just what he’s done and will now do and has done for several years (WRITE!) I decided to issue a challenge/contest this morning. For this week, May 21-25, put your name in the hopper either here or at my Facebook page and report in each day how much you’ve written. At the end of the week, I’ll hold a drawing for a random name and the winner will receive a couple of free books along with a few other goodies.

A few rules:

1.       You must sign up.

2.       You must write.

3.       You must chime in at least once a day with your total word count.

4.       You must have fun!

Pass the word! The more, the merrier!

Happy writing!

Jennifer

Chips, Salsa & Sex Toys

One of the greatest things about being a writer is all the research we get to do. Through various forms of media, I’ve been to Scotland, in a dungeon, on the battlefields with William the Conqueror, fitted for chainmail and in the midst of many intense whipping scenes (God bless YouTube!).

However, nothing beats hands-on research. Or, failing that, personal recommendations. I have a group of friends with whom I lunch now and again. We are all erotica writers and, inevitably, the conversation turns dirty. How soon just depends on how quickly the margaritas start flowing. Which is usually when we sit down. I mean, really, chips and salsa are awesome, but chips, salsa, margaritas and sex talk rock the universe.

During one of these gab sessions, I heard about a fantastic new toy that is guaranteed to drive a woman absolutely wild. As in money back guarantee (but don’t think about the returning of such an item, it’ll just freak you out.) This led to a discussion of some of our favorite toys ever. Here are just a few of the samplings:

Don Wand Pink Glass Nubby Boyfriend

Don Wand Crystal Wands - These lovelies are available in myriad shapes and sizes. They are absolutely fantastic. Made of a Pyrex, they are chip-resistant (but you must be sure to examine them before each use), easy to clean and easy to use. One handy little side benefit to a Don Wand is that you can immerse it in either hot or cold water before play to heighten the sensual experience.

NJoy Pure Wand

Pure Wand - The all steel dildo! Just looking at it gets a girl’s motor running (among other body parts). This hefty, 24-ounce pleasure toy is curved to hit the G-spot and features two sizes of balls on either end. It, too, can be warmed or cooled with water. Don’t put it in the freezer though. I especially enjoyed the visual feast that is the Pure Wand’s display: a jeweler’s quality box with lined material.

Womalia

Womalia - This European concoction will drive you wild and to extreme orgasmic heights. It’s curved to hit all the right spots and warms to different intensities based on user settings. The Womalia has nine different settings to blow your mind. Keep a towel handy. The only downside (and it’s so small I feel ridiculous mentioning it) is that prior to the first use, the wand requires a 12 hour charge. A small price to pay for ultimate indulgence.

Tantus Little Secret Spoon

Tantus Little Secret - these discreet yet powerful vibes are just the thing when you don’t want to pull out the big guns but you want big orgasms. Each model has a different feature such as a flickering tongue, scooped “spoon” and clitoral stimulation, among others. This is not the best for penetration, but it definitely gives a good ride.

OhMiBod Freestyle G

OhMiBod Freestyle G - I love music. I love orgasms. Put the two together and holy crap! Now that’s a screaming O accompanied by a crescendo of your favorite playlist. Connect this badboy to any mp3 player and it pulses in time with your music. Beginners are urged NOT to try the 1812 Overture the first time out. It is a bit pricey, but it is worth the money.

So, while none of these made it into Enlightened, book 2 of my Sexual Magic Series, I did use quite a lot of the information gleaned to tease and taunt my heroine into many, many orgasms - forced and spontaneous. Hey, she’s a sub. She got in trouble.

Figging, anyone?

What about you? What’s your favorite toy?

Wishing you many naughty thoughts!

Jennifer

Twitter: @jennifer_august

Facebook: Jennifer August

Email: JenniferAugust@JenniferAugust.com

Shopping for CPs is like shopping for a bra

A good support system is vital.

Photo courtesy of Arlen Roche.

As a writer, a good support system is as important as having a good bra. The fit has to be right, the lift has to be good and the straps shouldn’t hurt. And for God’s sake, make sure there isn’t any side boob hanging out. Okay, that last one is really just for bras.

In my writing career, I’ve had many mentors, many detractors and many people who’ve asked me for help and guidance. Because I received so very much assistance in the beginning, I feel very strongly I should give back to those just starting out. Though I always preface my critiques with the disclaimer that I’m being honest and hopefully helpful, I try incredibly hard never to be rude.

I’d much rather tell a writer, new or otherwise, that her heroine is showing severe lack of judgment by going downstairs naked, carrying only her vibrator for protection to check out that noise. Some people would simply scoff and say “She’s TSTL (too stupid to live).” That may be the case, but the heroine is only a manifestation of the writer. It’s the writer’s feelings you’re going to be hurting if you tell her something so harsh. And, as we have been told for years on end, show don’t tell. Don’t just tell the author, show her why. I’m not advocating re-writing, either. Just guide.

Finding a good fit for a critique partner or group isn’t always love at first read. It might take a few weeks or months before everyone is comfortable with the various critiquing styles. There are a few rules to keep in mind when selecting your CPs:

1. You hold the power. You’re not indenturing yourself to anyone. Not working for them but with them. If you don’t like the situation, leave. Even if the beginning is great and it disintegrates later, the choice is still yours. Gracefully exit the situation. Don’t burn bridges. Writing is a small community and word gets around.

2. Piggy-backing on that is: Be compatible in real life, not just on the page. You’re going to be spending a lot of time with these people. Dinners, meetings, social and professional gatherings. If they pick their nose in public or loudly put down every person who walks by and these things make you cringe, walk away.

3. Be respectful, but honest. If your CP writes a scene that involves ten pages of describing nail polish, you must let her know it’s not going to work. Don’t put a finger in your throat and pretend to gag because it’s so vomit-worthy, but couch your critique in terms of professional assessment. “You only have a reader’s attention for a few minutes. Spending this long on such a minor detail gives them a place to put the book down.” Now, if that nail polish is crucial to the storyline, then by all means, wax on. Just don’t do it for ten pages.

4. Listen with an open mind. Don’t be defensive or argumentative when receiving critiques. Every single CP has a different point of view than yours and will “see” things differently than you do. It’s their job to point out the things that hang them up. It’s your job to listen and absorb. You don’t have to change the story element if you don’t want to, but you must listen. I’ve seen (and yes, done) this many times, myself. And I always get caught by saying something along the lines of “but I know what I mean.” Well, great. I know, but my reader (CP) doesn’t have a clue in hell what I’m trying to say because obviously I didn’t say it well enough.

5. The internet is forever. Really, need I say more? I do? Oh, okay. So, remember when you were a kid and your parents told you if you couldn’t say anything nice, then don’t say anything at all? The interwebs is the same thing. If you get into a spat with someone, whether it’s a reader (don’t!), an editor (God, no!), a reviewer (we ALL remember what happened there) or a CP (cue doom and gloom music here), keep the flames off the internet. No group is private, despite the rules. You write one email to the loop you think is private and the next thing you know, it’s gone viral and you’re in a shitload of trouble, dealing with hurt feelings and anger from someone who trusted you and vice versa. Or you post a snide comment on their Facebook page. Or you tweet that so-and-so is a dumbass because they didn’t like your nail polish scene. Guess what? It’s irrevocable. It’s forever. In the words of Stephen of Ireland, “You’re fooked.”

6. Don’t overload yourself. Most writers I know are ridiculous multi-taskers. A lot work at full time Evil Day Jobs, write on the side, take care of the kids, spouse and house, take care of themselves, volunteer countless hours for their writing organizations and just generally run themselves more ragged than a pair of cut-off jeans. Don’t let this happen to you in relation to critique partners. Too many chefs spoil the broth and too many opinions muddle your story. Oddly enough, having too many partners can also cause dissonance in the group and fracture it with CPs taking sides over a particular critique. How many opinions do you need? Only you as a writer can answer that. I’ve been in groups as large as seven and as small as two. Both, and those in between, have worked fine. Only when I added online groups to the mix did things get crazy.

7. The writing mix is important. If your entire group writes historicals, you’re missing out on the modern perspective and vice-versa. If you all write paranormals featuring shapeshifters and vampires, again, you’re critique awareness can become very one note. Variety is the spice of life, so they say, and it’s true in a CP, too. Just try to remember to complement each other while your complimenting each other.

8. Bring work. This might sound like an “are you kidding me? Duh!” kind of thing, but really, showing up to each session with new material is vital to the longevity of the group.  If only one or two members consistently brings a fresh read, you run the risk of frustration and concerns about commitment to both the industry and the group. Make a pact, a rule, a goal, whatever, just make sure all members are on-board and willing to actively participate. Not having anything once in a while is perfectly fine, just don’t let it become a routine. If it does, time to re-evaluate.

9. Location, location, location. Find someplace that is both comfortable and equidistant convenient for all members. With gas prices sky high these days, be mindful of travel distance and times. More and more, I’ve heard in-person groups changing up procedures to alternate meetings with electronically submitted materials.

10. Keep abreast of industry information. All members should pitch in with tidbits about the industry, whether it’s something practical like a plotting exercise they’ve just heard of or changes going on in the publishing world. The wealth of knowledge between members should be coming from all sides, not just one or two. This could also be called pull your own weight. Don’t be a laggard and just milk what you can from everyone else. Actively participate. Not only information but in the social realm as well such as on all the social media sites, blogging, interviews, etc.

In short, finding a critique group or partner is not the easiest thing in the world to do. If I had to sum it up, I’d say this:

Don’t be a bitch.

Don’t be a doormat.

Don’t be disrespectful.

Wishing you naughty thoughts and naughty reading,

Jennifer August

Guest Author - Wendy Moon

Naughty Ink is delighted to welcome debut author Wendy Moon to the blogosphere today. Wendy, thanks for being here! I hope you didn't mind our crazy questions...

Fantasy time:  Top of My Fantasy To Do List: I would have to say Gerard Butler is way at the top of my fantasy list. There is just something about him that oozes bad boy masculinity and sex appeal. I love the sound of his rough voice with that cute Scottish accent. His crooked smile and sexy eyes makes my heart thump abnormally (not to mention making other parts of my body twitch as well) and I can only imagine what it feels like to have him touch me. I shiver when I think about it. Did you see his body in 300? Yum….my! And he was hilarious in The Ugly Truth.

If money were no object, the most luxurious, craziest out-of-this-world thing I would buy would be a private island for a home base and a luxurious yacht that I could drive around the world. I’ve always thought it would be fun to live on a house boat and if I had lots of money, I could really do it up in style. I’d love to visit some of the Greek Islands and just have the freedom to travel wherever I wanted to go. I’d go everywhere. That would be really awesome.

Top three guilty pleasures are:  

Going on chocolate binges. Sometimes I can sit down and eat a whole bunch of those mini-candy bars and not feel one bit guilty. Of course my tummy let’s me know later that it probably wasn’t a good idea, but I’d do it again, and I do eventually. 

Spending time just browsing the web. I don’t allow myself much time to simply surf from site to site anymore but I really enjoy following links to see where they lead. When I’m researching new information in the erotic realm for my stories or just for fun, I can absolutely drift off on surfing tangents because I find that world so taboo and fascinating and fun.

Just sitting and zoning out on television. I don’t get to follow a lot of shows because of my time spent writing so I do use my DVR to catch my favorites, like NCIS, White Collar, Fringe, The Mentalist, for example. Then when I’m able to take a long writing break, I can get caught up on several episodes at once…and with no commercials. I love that part the best. Although right now I have so many shows waiting to be watched that our DVR is so full my husband is fussing at me because there’s no room for his shows! Now that I have Aphrodite done, I can take a short break and I’m looking forward to giving my brain a rest for a few days.

Most Awesome and scary thing I’ve done – Thinking back, the most awesome and scary thing I’ve done would have to be the horseback ride I took in the Colorado mountains when we went camping one year in Crete Colorado, an old silver mining town. My fear of heights has increased over the last few years and if I’d been as bad as I am now back then, I would have turned around, but at the time I remember riding horses up this steep mountainside and looking down the side of this sheer cliff and thinking that all my horse would have to do was stumble on a rock and down we’d go. I had to be brave because I didn’t want the other ladies that went to know what a chicken I was. It was exhilarating and frightening at the same time. The scenery was breathtakingly beautiful, but I wouldn’t be able to take that trip today, it would give me a heart attack.

We also rented a car and drove up the road to Hana in Maui. I nearly squeezed my husband’s knee off I was gripping his leg so tight. Oh my God, it was scary. That was the steepest cliff side road I’ve ever been on, ever worse than the horse ride and I didn’t tolerate that one well. I know I drove my husband crazy with my phobias, but we had a great time while we were there anyway.  

And one more scary thing I’ve done was putting my story out there today! I think everyone can probably relate to that, but I’m excited too.

Wendy's book Aphrodite's Aphrodisiac is available 

TODAY in the Kindle store and for the Nook.

Aphrodite’s fun and erotic premise came to me during a discussion at work one day. We have a diverse group where religion is concerned and we were all talking about our different customs and what we believe, and a co-worker from India was explaining that they have a money god, and other various gods that they pray to, and one other co-worker said, “With my luck I’d think I was praying to the money god but I’d get the sex god, instead.”

I screamed when I heard her say this, and I startled everyone. Right then I knew this was the germ that got the story growing. I immediately wrote the phrase down and then it gelled in my head until I could hurry up and get the story written. I had such a blast researching the various gods and goddesses and found the subject of mythology fascinating. Although I barely remember touching on the subject in school, I know now I’ll be spending more time delving into this area because I enjoyed it so. And the way the mythology idea worked so nicely with the erotic romance genre made it even more fun to write. I had a good time with creating this story. 

It sounds wonderful, Wendy! Thanks for taking the time to be with us today. Happy sales! You can connect with Wendy on Twitter (@wendymoon1) or visit her website at www.wendymoon.com.

Guest Author - Michelle Miles

Naughty Ink is pleased to present author Michelle Miles! Welcome, Michelle, thank you for taking the time to speak with us!

Michelle Miles

Writing the Gladiatrix

By Michelle Miles

I’m excited to be here today talking about my latest release with DCL Publications, Phoenix Fire. It’s the story about a gladiatrix and her assassin lover.

Here’s the blurb:

Kill, or be killed.

Elena Gaius is Hixyl’s most heralded gladiatrix, catching the Emperor’s eye with her unspoiled beauty and fiery temper. Determined to let no man have her, he forces her into a life of unwanted accolades—for slaughter in the Games. With independence out of reach, Elena knows each day could be her last.

Cassius Antonius is a former general hired by an underground secret order to assassinate the Emperor. When he refuses, they take away the only thing precious to him—his freedom. Forced into servitude, he meets Elena and manipulates her into helping him, forming a shaky alliance and a searing romance.

The two become unwitting pawns in the struggle to save Hixyl from the Emperor’s tyranny. But plans spin out of control with the discovery of their secret tryst, and for their ultimate act of betrayal, the Emperor demands one last entertainment—to be pitted against each other in the Games in a fight to the death.

Kill or be killed ...

I dreamed the story. Specifically, the heroine, Elena. I distinctly remember when I woke up what the story would be about. Elena was tough and strong. She was forced to fight in the arena against men, earning her right to live another day. I had specific imagines in my mind about what would happen and how it would happen. And the worst part of it all was she would have to fight her lover in the arena in a fight to the death. These things I knew for certain. I just didn’t know exactly why she was forced to fight or how she had become a gladiatrix.

That morning, I thought about it the entire time I got ready for work. I chanted the story over and over in my head while I drove through rush hour. As soon as I got to my computer, I started typing out the synopsis. I had it completed in about twenty minutes and I knew I had to write it. I knew I had to tell Elena’s story.

As I started writing, I began to discover things about Elena. I wrong a long, intend prologue about her early life in an orphanage. I based my world on Ancient Rome. In the early draft, I did call it Rome just to give myself a place holder for when I could figure out what to call my world. My world had centaurs and nymphs and other mystical creatures. There’s a chariot race and numerous fights in the arena. There’s an evil Emperor, a Senator who wants to control the government himself, and an assassin determined to gain his freedom.

That was over two years ago when I first conceived and wrote it. It will be published sometime this year (hopefully in the near future!) with DCL Publications. But it took a while to sell it. I lost track of how many rejections I received for it but I was determined. It was only after I took Margie Lawson’s Deep Edits class that I realized what the opening line of the story should be:

Elena lived to kill and killed to live.

It set the tone for the entire story. That short eight word sentence, to me, speaks volumes about who Elena is and why she kills.

It would be a long hard journey for her as she fought for her freedom, knowing she would never have a chance at it. That she would have to fight in the arena until the day she died. Until she met Cassius. He changed everything for her. He offered her hope and gave her a taste of what it could be like to be free. He convinced her to help him assassinate the Emperor and she agreed, knowing with his death, she could walk away from her days as a gladiatrix forever. But her freedom wouldn’t come without a price—her life or Cassius’s. 

It was one of the most difficult stories I’ve ever written. I loved every minute of it. :) Difficult because I wanted Elena’s story to be real. I wanted to show her fighting in the arena against the other gladiators. I wanted the reader to experience watching a chariot race through her eyes. Hopefully, I’ve accomplished that.

Michelle Miles writes contemporary, fantasy and paranormal romance and is published with Samhain Publishing, Cobblestone Press, Ellora’s Cave and DCL Publications. For more information about her books, visit her website at http://www.michellemiles.net.